Week in review

The Rosanky Daniel- King Family

This could be a J. Crew add photo

Christmas Re-cap.....we have had several Christmas programs and half of Christmas is over....the decorating, and shopping, and cards....now the rest, wrapping, cooking, & guests. Kinda ready for that but not quite.

Last Friday ......Dale had his sing along at school this morning 9-10.....10:40 taking Dale lunch at school as per request....10:40-11:45.....12-1:30 Dales class party and as room mom I have to be there and set up and facilitate.....1:30 Dale leaves with me. 2:00 possible errand for the day care, 3:30 get Macy and Reid and head home with all 3.....= 1 day gone......time with Dale priceless....but really could have wrapped a few gifts too. I am doing laundry so there is some productiveness happening just not enough.

Dale, the ONLY one of the 3 to speak to or want anything to do with Santa.

Reid ... Pre School Play, he was a wiseman.....he took gold.....he dropped it on the floor for Mary and Jesus saying "I brought you this."...thunk.... very cute...he said his line and that was HUGE in my book of his shyness.

My Wiseman

On the mountain top seeing the star, deciding to follow it.

FYI I had to get approval for this one...

Macy's class also sort of sang jingle bells for her show....and chewed on the bells.

The Terrible Twos are here, and if there was anyway to return this particular "gift" I would... We had an ugly rearing of the Orneriness the other day Macy ripped off the letter z and x off the laptop keyboard. Brings it to me and says here is the squishy thing, I do not want it. I recognize what it is to and find the destruction. I holler a bit b/c I find the x but the z and all z pieces are gone.....Macy where is it......I don't know....in tears.....Macy I need you to remember.....I don't know....more tears.....MACY.....Its hiding.....WHERE....uhhh Did you check the trash....no....ok I found it go to your room. So thankfully I fixed it and all is well in zzzz and xxxx land so I can sleep and kiss in the one letter realm again. AHHHH

We went to Rosanky and saw Vicki and crew. Wow what a treat. This is Dukes sweet aunt who so lovingly made all the kids their special blankets they sleep with each night. And now she is the super cool Aunt Vicki that let Reid drive the truck, and tractor and feed hay, the Aunt that let Macy ride horses....that she now wants, and toted us all over their ranch to show the kids the cows and horses and cool stuff. We had a BALL, and seeing that side is always a treat. They make you feel so welcome and are so easy to be around even when visits are too far in coming....Duke has made a promise to go camp this spring and take the 4 wheelers there to ride. That is ALL Reid talked about on the ride home.....Dad remember the trailer, and tent, and we will need helmets, and gas, and fishing poles....so get all that when we get home....and we are going to need food....on and on and on. He is ready to go today! Macy said can we go back to Mickey's ( Vicki's) tomorrow....I need to ride a pony again.....just a'cause I need to.

I love Ponies

All 3 on Tire-Rod

Reid would rather ride Dale...or drive a truck

Feeding Midnight

Macy and My-Sam

Sam Troy and Carolyn came for Christmas and brought a toy store with them. We had a wonderful meal together on the pool table....a little clampitish by Dukes terms.....but totally functional and it was decorated nice and tasted YUMMY. Then we played a few games and then opened gifts....and gifts and gifts. We were all Totally spoiled with purses, jewelry, toys, jeeps, remote control stuff, gift certificates, perfume, clothes, decorations, books, movies, video games....wow so so incredibly blessed with family and top with great gifts makes it so special. I think my favorite gift is Dales Calendar he made me at school, he was so proud of it and hid it until Christmas, I teared up looking at all the hard work that went into it.

Reindeer Food Spreading
Santa arrived, we put out the Reindeer food, and apparently Prancer LOVES blue glitter so our stop was extra long.... and we were blessed with bikes for all, a table and chairs, more remote control cars, games, books, videos, boots, clothes, bags, helmets, candy.....wow going to need some organizational magic in this house to accommodate. We also have a FLEET of some really cool remote control cars and their garage is my kitchen table....I had no idea I needed them there....I am so very lucky....good thing we can eat at the kitchen island.

Best yet we have round 3 with the Eychner Side this weekend.....more great, food, company and gifts. This is some GOOD living, I hope all who enjoy this have had the same.

Wishing you and yours the most blessed Christmas and New Year imaginable.

2007 in Review

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

That was yesterday

Yea my last post was all sweet and cuddly...that was SOOO NOT TODAY, b/c today I awoke to Macy ....that sweet Macy.....she opened 2 tubs of vaseline .....and used them ALL over her room, bed, blankets, pillows, chair, otoman, herself, her HAIR, babies, shirts.....have I painted a greasy enough picture. SOO gross.....her hair WOW is nasty, so you may think well this is nothing a good wash cannot fix. You would be correct but here is where Murphy enters in laughing. Rewind to last night and me at my wits end I inform Duke it is his turn to parent, I am going to lock the bedroom door and take a bath.....ahhhh a long hot bath.....with bubbles....ohhh how relaxing. So I run the tub, it is billowing with bubbles, I lit a candle, turn on the bath heater, and enter my paradise....huh...this is not HOT...warm but not hot, I want hot...certian it is a user error I turn on the hot water....wide open....it is icy....maybe in needs a second....no still icy. Awww crap! So now I am covered in my billowing bubbles....in cold water, and have to rinse them off to get out.....using ICY cold water. I am still cold from the experience. So Duke passed the parenting back to me and went to help the hot water heater and to no avail we are pretty sure it is toast. So back to this morning, I cannot wash her blankets or her because there is no hot water and there is not enough cold to fill the washer either....yea I love greasy kids.....gross. So today that was going to be the day of movies and warm indoor activities since it is cold and windy outside will now be filled with my christmas gift of a new hot water heater...just what I asked santa for....there better be a hot shower tonight. I tried to find a silver lining and said well then I want a BIG heater so there is TONS of hot water.....enter Murphy doubled over in laughter.....the stupid "closet" in the garage that houses the heater....there is not enough space in the door to fit anything larger than what is there.....great.....so I hope there is hot water for my guests when you visit.....if not then I guarantee I will have Murphy tied up to a chair so we can all beat him with bats. Oh and to ice the cake, no pun, Macy has a fever....where is Murphy hiding cause I am gonna make him take a BATH!

How I love thee, let me count the ways

Why I love my family:

DALE.....Dale I love your compassionate heart. How you comfort Macy and look out for her. I love how committed you can be to somthing when you choose it. I love watching you run as fast as you can, b/c man you are really fast. I love that you have mastered swimming and reading....tasks I deep down knew you would do but you did it so easily. I love that you are smart in logic and in common sense. I love how you try to dicipline your brother and sister, and yet still want me to put the syrup on your waffles. I love that you have your guys that you love and carry them all over the house like a little crew. I love your belly laugh, when you sound like you are in pain but really laughing. I love it when you say Thank you Mom, for random things and it is totally unsolicited. I love how you shock me with your intelligence, or compassion. I love that you are honest with me. I love your gap in your front teeth, b/c it reminds me of mine. I love your "superman curl" in your hair. I love that you are my first, you will pave the way for all to follow, and it will be a hard act to follow I am sure. Your memories will be momentous sometimes scary and wonderful to experience.


REID-O...... My Reid I love how you always tell me, I love you mommy, for no reason, just so I know. I love how you are so tough when you are away from me and so tender when I am near. I love that you need me to cover you each night, and ask Will you sleep with me? every night. I love how well you can play with Dale one second and then with Macy the next. I love that you only wear bathing suits as shorts in the summer. I love how you suggle with me on the couch. I love how you run home with Dale and try to match his speed. I love you belly laugh, when you sound like you are running out of air. I love how coordinated you are. I love how shy you are in the beginning and then the life of the party soon after. I love your board staight hair, b/c I never had that. I love your perfect teeth, hopefully they will stay that way. I love that you are my middle child, you won't be first or last but you definatly put your own stamp on all that you will do, your memories will be so special to me.

MACY...... Miss Monkey Macy, I love that I rock you before you go to bed every night and we have our little time. I love how you refer to yourself as a monkey. I love how you save me some covers each night to come sleep with you. I love how you take care of your babies, rocking and patting, dancing and comforting them saying, "its ok sweetie, its ok" and then drop them on their head to go play with another toy. I love that you allow me to shop for you and you like what I choose. I love how you love purses, shoes, nail polish, jewerly and all things girlie, and then every night end up running around the house in your panties. I love your hair fixed in a bow, and also all messed up and tosseled around. I love how you like to play teacher with your flash cards...quizzing me "whats this?" "very good Mommy." I love your belly laugh, I love your singing and dancing and bopping to music. I love how you include me in things....its our cake right mommy...just ours, right, for us, right... I love how you say, thank you, thank you so very much for things and... its very special to me...refering to random things and some things that are special to you. I love it when you wake up in the morning and run to hug me and squeeze me. I love that you think a tight hug and kiss will solve most everything. I love that you can hang with your brothers, and run the show alot of times. I love that you are the last and my girl and the one I will share so many memories with.

DUKE........Duke I love that you have given me so many fabulous things in my life. I love that I have made so many memories with you allready. I love that I have grown with you, and that we have grown togeather. I love that you love me, accept me and cherish me, even when I am in my pjs, with no makeup, frazzled trying to please everyone at breakfast. I love our time in bed right before we go to sleep. I love it when you scratch my back unsolicited. I love I can be totally honest with you, no secrets, no baggage. I love it that we tivo Greys and then watch it togeather in the same chair. I love it when you play with the kids and get them to laugh with their Belly laughs. I love how you can detail a home and then play Star Wars with Dale. I love that you can beat all the levels on the games so you can help Dale succeed, b/c I am awful at them. I love how strategic, and intelligent you are, and yet so creative too. I love your hands....your giant, make me feel so safe, bear hands. You amaze me that you are a real life pig pen, creating a mess in the cleanist of spaces, and somehow creating mud on your shoes when there is no mud to be seen ANYWHERE. I love that you can build things for me, that I love. I love you can fix things around the house, the right way, not all rigged up....like I would do, and you would take over and fix it correctly. I love that you want to make me happy and always ask if I am happy....I am so very happy, happy, content, fullfilled, stable, comfotable, at ease, in love, silly, crazy, goofy, HAPPY.

One of those forwards that makes you think

A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner.

In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly-missed boarding.

ALL BUT ONE!!! He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned. He told his buddies to go on without him, waved good-bye, told one of them to call his wife when they arriv ed at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight.

Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor. He was glad he did. The 16-year-old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her; no one stopping and no one to care for her plight.

The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket. When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, "Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?" She nodded through her tears.. He continued on with, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly."

As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, "Mister...." He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, "Are you Jesus?" He stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: "Are you Jesus?"

Do people mistake you for Jesus? That's our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace. If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would. Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. It's actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day.

You are the apple of His eye even though we, too, have been bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was doing and picked up you and me on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit. Sometimes we just take things for granted, when we really need to be sharing what we know...Thanks.

An appropriate message for the season, about he who is the meaning of the season. Merry Christmas.

Happy Birthday Dale

I can not hardly believe it.....DALE IS 7.....7, wow that went really fast. And I have decided that I will take a cue from him for my next birthday.....make a week of 1 day!

On Sunday we took two of Dales best buds and went to Green Acres. This really cool golf and games place just outside of town. Bumper boats, paint ball, mini golf, water balloon wars, batting cages, a trampoline thing, go carts, an arcade.....tons of fun. So we went golfed...more like speed golf. There was no score kept and the balls rarely stopped rolling, there were not really turns taken per say, we found LOTS of water but the balls float,and they had these awesome water runs where if you hit the water it rolled down over a grate and back onto the grass...cool we did it like 20 times.. bumper boated, I was glad it was a warm day b/c each boat had a sprayer....Macy was in charge of ours and we sprayed the entire time, tossed water balloons, where again really glad for the warm day. Did the trampoline thing where you bounce really really high, check out my video of my aged skills. The arcade, had some pizza and cotton candy and wore everyone out.

The Mini Golf Pro-Am Open

Dale waging WAR Daddy and Reid on the battle front
Water balloon launching.....look out

Get all of your 50 lbs into it Dale.... Soaring....Flying.....
My jumping monkey

My aged trampoline skills....my old coaches would cringe at that poor form, but I did it!

Reid doing a Jeep game....go figure

On Wednesday he had his cake for breakfast, took cupcakes to school, and then took more cupcakes to football practice that night. He also chose dinner which was at IHOP to get a BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger....where he asked Duke,

Dad have you ever had a perfect meal?....

yes Dale I have,

Dad was it here....was it tonight?

No, not here..

Well mine is all perfect?

good Dale I am so glad you like it?

We then went home and opened his gifts. From, Macy Red velvet cake Twinkies, a Dale favorite and he loves having his own box he is in charge of, and a toy gun, from Reid a Ben 10 guy and a Star Wars guy, and from Mom and Dad a Nintendo DS and 3 games, and accessory kit. He was very excited and was allowed to stay up late to play his new toy, then asked if he could get up early to play the next day too....sure we say. At 1:00 am....Dale walks into my room fully dressed, and says

I got up early to go play my DS, and I went down stairs but keep thinking of the Grinch and I am scared.

You have been down stairs already?

Yes, for a while, but I got scared.

Dale it is the middle of the night, you need to go back to bed.

Will you turn off the lights downstairs mommy

Yes, I will, go to bed and we will get you up in a little bit to play your game.

He was up at 6am to play the DS....dressed and ready to roll.

Thursday night Grandma and Bepaw came down and we went again to Dales choice...Mr. Gattis Game Land. Pizza and Arcade time....7 year old heaven. Bumper cars, games, the choo choo train, and tickets galore. Reid hit the jackpot on the way out the door and upped the total ticket count by 100 tickets!!! Again a great but late night.

So I think I am all set for Christmas,the kids have shopped for each other and us, mine are all starting to arrive at my door, just a few loose ends and we are ready to celebrate and relax. Cards, Neighbors and Teachers and I am done.....I think.

We've been ELFED

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1120494024

Check us out!!

Thanksgiving Break FUN

Four generations

The whole Crew
One TIRED farmer

Shuffle Board

The worlds smallest snowman
Snow Fun
Dead Possum
Cows
Tractor rides
Macy loves shuffle board too!
So we began the Thanksgiving Holiday with a 15 hour drive to Filley, Nebraska. The kids, my brother, and parents drove up on Sunday afternoon after a brief lunch with Scott and Tanya in Marble Falls. We made it to the Texas border and got a hotel and swam to burn off excess energy and then headed out Monday morning and trekked the rest of the way. Arrived in Filley to gorgeous weather and woke the next morning to cold weather that turned REALLY cold and had snow for the rest of the trip. The kids had a blast at Great Grandmas and at the Farm. I think I might have 3 new farmers to add to the farming industry. The kids played with the same 40 year old toys I played with....and loved them, had snow fights, and created kid chaos. Reid was in heaven with all the farm equipment. He became my Uncle's Little Buddy and they plowed, fed cows, greased a tractor, picked turnips, and even shot a possum. Macy loved the animals the cows and the quail and pheasants that Dad, Uncle Tom, Brad and Drew shot. Dale well he liked all the above items but his very favorite thing was the shuffle board table and the shuffle board tournaments at the Farm.

Duke flew into Omaha on Wednesday and we had a yummy Thanksgiving with homemade everything....a real treat. Came away with a few new recipes, and tons of great memories. I am really blessed to have a great family and extended family. It was super special to share with my kids, a place that I have so many fond memories, I am also super grateful that all of my extended family accepted my kids with such open arms, they are the only grand kids thus far so 3 containers of constant attention seeking, energy filled, super excited kids is ALOT to take in and they did, which really meant so so very much to me. Not too many kids get to experience their Great Grandmas house in the exact same fashion you did as a child. Ok so back to the trip. We left on Saturday morning and made it 15 miles before we were stopped by the POLICE....nice. Insert back story.....We stopped and filled up with gas.....at 7:00 am in 20 degree snowing weather, at a brand new gas station. Duke went through 3 pumps before he found one that was not frozen and would pump. So he had scanned his card 3 times....one for each pump....well the first for .89 cents went thru....the 2nd for 1.00 went thru and the 3rd allowed him to pump the tank...and said see clerk for receipt...we said forget it we do not need a receipt ( a thought we would rethink later). In Beatrice we get stopped, now we are the only Hummer to hit this area in a while I think and figure he is gonna find some DUMB way to ticket us just for that fact.....well he approaches and says "Did you get gas a little while back?" Yes Sir, says Duke...."Well we got a call to look for this car, apparently there was some gas that was unpaid for, the clerk said she did not think it was intentional but you are going to have to go back and pay"...OK, so we turn and get an escort 20 miles back to pay for gas a 3rd time when they HAD the card information....why not apply the info to the 3rd pump, .....OH NO the clerk says NEBRASKA privacy laws we can not do anything like that!.....whatever..... so 40 mins later we are back where we began and headed home. We drove all the way and made it in around midnight. It was a good trip and would have been better had Nebraska won and UT beat that agg school but I guess you have to let them win once in a while....better be a long while until it happens again!

Brad and crew with a Pheasant.....pretty birdie....

10 minutes later....skinned Pheasant....UGLY Birdie!

Dale looks shocked and Reid thinks its cool!

Macy and her "baby birdie"...aka Dead Quail

AHHHH Memories...thats good stuff!

Tylonel Painting video

Finally these took forever to load but here they are.....

Randomness

So last night a friend and I went to go see STOMP....it was awesome. We had front row seats, the performance was outstanding and very funny which was a suprise to me. I highly reccomend seeing it if you have not....and one of the cast tossed his gloves at the curtian call and I got one......yea....but it stinks....eeew, most likley it will see the trash soon.

So Macy is a HAM and yesterday was singing and dancing to a Hannah Montana song in the kitchen and I got it on video....check it out sorry it is sideways but I can not figure out how to rotate the video like a picture.... But she was jamming out

Ok so then this morning we wake up and Dale says his tummy hurts....refuses breakfast and I send him off to school, no fever so off he goes. Macy wakes up and I greet her at the stairs where she is throwing up. She refuses to eat and lays on the ground to watch TV and again throws up.....so this is the routine of the morning but with out fever, and then at 11:30 she finally busts a fever so I give her Tylonel and then she kept that down long enough to have it take effect and make her feel good again and I found her in the kitchen painting her face on a Tylonel High....and I grabbed the camera before I grabbed the washcloth.....enjoy

Longhorns WIN again

Yes they beat Texas Tech and I am sure thousands watched but there was an even better game, with fewer spectators that was twice as good. The little Longhorns beat the Dragons....20 to 6. It was a scoreless game until the last quarter when we scored, then they ran the kick off back for a touchdown. The very last play of the game we had a zig zag play that looked kinda unorganized but resulted in a touchdown...yea. The kids were really pumped up and Dale did great, he had a few good yardage runs and several flags he nabbed.....and Momma Sam even made the trip down to watch. The best had to be several spectators who sang the Eyes of Texas at the end of the Touchdowns....very cute....Hey we are the Longhorns.

Here is Momma Sam and the kids on the trampoline playing and Macy is "asleep"in her lap.

Momma Sam has to miss Dales birthday due to a trip to India for work, so she brought Dale 1/2 of his gift.....these awesome collectors series Star Wars figures and ships....really neat and Dale was in heaven....

Plates Plates Plates

So last year I decided to make my immediate family these Christmas cookies plates...they were cute and pretty easy to do. My Mom loved the idea and commissioned me to do plates for all her real estate clients of the year and a couple for her personally to give......25 plates in total. So I get the plates, paints, and sealer in 3 trips to separate Targets, and Michaels and Hobby Lobby and chose Friday as the day to start painting.....it took all day 8 am to 8 pm but they are done and I have one coat of sealer on them....so if you get one for Christmas from my Mom....act surprised. You might be thinking....where were the kids....here with me making forts and playing games...they were really really good at occupying themselves for me, surprisingly no catastrophes happened.

Bike Rodeo

Imagine a school full of eager bike riders, a course of circles, lines, and cones, a gaggle of helmets and parents with cameras....you have bike rodeo. Dales school does it each year and kids can bring their bikes and ride a circle, then down 2 lines, weave thru cones and down a straight line. He did great, rode his WRFF bike so he was inelegible for a trophy since that was limited to 2 wheeled non training wheeled bikes. He had fun and was glad he did it, Reid wanted to do it too....next year I told him and he was pumped up about that.

Recall this ....lead in that....

Is it just me or lately has there been TONS of toys and junk recalled. I just found out that Aqua Dots...this really cool looking art project for kids contains a chemical that if ingested can cause seizures and other really horrible stuff. It seems like every time you turn around there is lead in a kids toy paint.....maybe we need to pay more for toys and make sure they are safe.....jeez. Ok enough on my rant but the Aqua Dot toy was a top 10 Christmas toys gift....what a gift respiratory depression and unconsciousness... see for yourself.... http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idINN0758602120071107
And now I am really miffed b/c there is an article that said they do not think this will really effect the sales...parents will buy, equating it to ice cream and the American Public and they say they want to be healthy but eat premium ice cream. Continuing wiht that when you are 5 years old the only country of orgin that matters is the North Pole... OK Ice cream while it might add a pound or so will not KILL you....can I have this ladys address and pay her a visit! http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSN0822971820071108?sp=true

Monkeys and Transformers and Flash OH MY!

Halloween went off without a hitch....or too many tricks. Dale was Optimus Prime from the Transformer movie, Reid was Flash and Macy was a Princess then Monkey Princess and a Princess again.

We began the candy fest at the day care where Macy and Reid went and trick or treated each classroom and got candy and goodies, then came home and I attempted to feed them food that was not in a candy wrapper....marginal results but better than nothing then at 6:30 we took off to beat the streets. Dale and Reid were speedy treaters and Macy well she and I took our time, to see the decorations, look at pumpkins and whatever else caught her eye and were MUCH slower...but she got her fill of candy. Then we made it back home and handed out to treaters at our house. You can say what you want about my OVER-decorations but I had 5 people stop and take pictures of their kids infront of my house's decorations....that is a compliment to me.

Reid, Dale and Macy were the best treat givers...they had the most fun.

Thursday Grandma and Bepaw were coming to get the kids and first thing in the morning Reid packed himself and Dale. This is VERY common for him to do but this time he actually got more than just toys and blankets....just missed pj's and socks and underwear....pretty good I say. So we fixed that issue and packed up Macy and then at 2:00 Grandma and Bepaw arrived to hugs and kisses and they were eager to go to Kerrville. They picked Dale up from school and hit the road to KIDTOPIA.... feeding the ducks, Bepaws pond, Hot dogs, the charged doonbuggy, trampoline and swinging....heaven for a kid. They came back for Dales football game on Saturday b/c Dale said I need to go...it is for the TEAM! They won 24-6....go Longhorns. They came home to stay on Sunday afternoon....tired and worn out...were Grandma and Bepaw....and the kids were wiped out as well.

Duke and I left to Philadelphia on Thursday night and Troy , Dukes brother who is in his 2nd year at Wharton Business School picked us up from the airport and almost took us to Delaware...Troy is not the driver of the family....this information will return later oh well we had no schedule to adhere too....We stayed in the B&B right across the street from Troy and Carolyns brownstone. It was very nice, and the Breakfasts were great. We had a very quick trip but saw and did tons. I had a tasty cake....a philly icon twinkie style treat, Dunkin Donuts...another northern icon treat, and whoopie pies...more later on that. We visited the Penn and Wharton campus and met Coach...who is actually was an old coach for Penn and he was on campus drumming up people to come to the Penn game ...he was a Hoot...he has a megaphone and a giant mobile Penn Helmet and was hollering " How you doin?" you then respond "VERY WELL" and he retorts "Didn't we?"...""How you doin?" "Very well!" "Didn't we?" again and again and again. If you have a clue as to the meaning fill me in. The campus was beautiful....historic and very cool looking. From there we went and had Pats Cheese steaks another Philly must do....we had a little detour on the way but it was worth the extra effort b/c they were great. It was very much like the Seinfeld episode with the soup...if you ask for something different or take too long....NO SOUP FOR YOU!...well you have to be prepared wiz...wit, wiz wit out, steak wit, steak wit out...preparedness is the key, otherwise you might mess up the flow of the workers that is like a well run machine. We then went and ran the Rocky Steps and saw some amazing Philly countryside. Then returned to Troy and Carolyns and played Blokus....Duke favorite new game, and then went and ate in the City. Saturday we headed out to Amish country and saw them plowing the fields, shopping in town with cart and horse...and beards the whole nine yards. Side point I really feel that the Amish have gutter minds or maybe just whoever named the towns.....Intercourse, Paradise, Blue Ball, and we ate whoopie pies...side bar really yummy but gutterish none the less or maybe it is just me....and Duke, and Troy and Carolyn? Finally we ate some wet bottom shoe fly pie which has nothing to do with a gutter mind but that is just an awful name for a food...it was good but hard to get past the name. And we did see an Amish girl getting in a horse drawn cart with Van's on?...skater Amish must be a new breed.....hmmmm. To finish the day we watched the Texas Oklahoma game and we all donned rally hats...ie Winstons dog toys....and played blokus a game I personally brought to a whole other level of awful, to make UT win and it worked...yea I was very relieved we all know the Duke UT final game standing thing...win he is happy, lose and he is UNBEARABLE and it was an awesome comeback.

The visit was great we loved seeing Troy and Carolyn and their place is awesome....small but very well though out and has so much personality. Duke and I were in culture shock, walking everywhere, for everything, Cars are definitely the minority and only used when necessary since parking is always an issue, and if you have a car it is a small....gas efficient or hybrid car, it is so great they are so close to downtown and can and do walk to everything. We knew we were in Texas again when we saw an F350, diesel, lifted, with ranchhand bumpers on the front and rear, complete with a real longhorn skull and horns attached to the front bumper and a set of truck nutz hanging in the back....ONLY IN TEXAS.