WHO-DEY...A NEW BEN-GAL???

On Sunday, I went to the Bengal's game with my good friend Gayla. Although they lost, it was so much fun being in that stadium with all those crazy fans! It's an atmosphere like nothing I can explain. There's just something about football....that's all I can say!

Needless to say, we went to the pro-shop and I found something for Elise...BIG SURPRISE!!!! I couldn't resist. At first she didn't care for it....but today, she was looking for it and insisted on wearing it. Oh my! But how could I resist! Now all she needs is her OSU cheerleader outfit and she'll be good to go. I'll be looking for that this week since the "Big Game" is only two weeks away. She's refining her 0-H....I-O...Go Buckeyes! cheer. It's adorable.

Enjoy the pics.
Blessings,
Kim W.

Shaw Pumpkin Farm Field Trip...BRRRRR

In the Hundred Acre Woods...with Rabbit

Hangin' with Pooh on the wagon top

Piglet was the cutest

Giving Tigger a hug

Eeyore was Elise's favorite

Gazing with adoring eyes....

Elise's preschool class went to Shaw Pumpkin Farm on Tuesday for a hayride. It was great fun for Elise although it was very, very chilly. As you can see from the photos, she LOVED all the "Pumpkin Characters". She would run from character to character stop and turn toward the camera and as cheezy as possible she would shout, "CHEESE". If I didn't indicate to her that I got the photo, she would yell cheese again. Then off she would run to the next photo op. I was freezing, but she seemed to be unphased by the cold weather. She actually enjoyed the hayride too. Since the weather was so dismal, only two other kids from her class showed up. I'm so glad we decided to go, it was so sweet watching the glee she experienced searching out the next animal or character that she might know. When it was all over, she got to pick out a pumpkin. The pumpkin is rather small so she carries it around the house saying, "My punkin". What a treasure!!! We are truly blessed!

Blessings,

Kim

Lakota West Homecoming

Look who is taller now.....

What a handsome couple.....

Matthew & Jessica.....

Last weekend was the Lakota West Homecoming. Friday night the Firebirds stomped the opposing team by 35 points. It wasn't much of a game, but it really isn't any fun if you lose your homecoming game, is it??? Saturday was the dance. Matt picked up his girlfriend, Jessica and went to dinner with a few friends before the dance. This was Matt's first homecoming (Steve's also, he never went to homecoming in high school. We won't talk about me ;-0 ). Matt didn't get Jessica the traditional corsage, but he wanted to give her long stem roses. He gave her four red and two white. If anyone knows the significance of that, please let me know. I have a feeling it means sometime special. He called the house at about 9:30 p.m. (I think the danced started at 7:30 or so), he said they were "insanely bored" and could they go to the movies. Suffice it to say, we weren't surprised. The group of kids he hangs around with aren't really the type of kids that get into homecoming stuff. So, off to the movies they went in their nice clothing. Who knows if he'll go next year, but chances are, if he is still dating, he will.

On another note, Matt did have an accident in his mother's truck two weeks ago. No one was hurt and he didn't get a citation since the accident happened on private property. We're thankful is was minor and hopefully a lesson learned. He's without a vehicle for awhile, so Steve is back to driving him around.

Have a great day everyone!

Blessings,
Kim

Tall Stacks....Cincinnati, Ohio

TALL STACKS IN CINCINNATI

Steamboats on the Ohio River with the Great American Ball park in the background
Well, he is a lifetime member of the NRA...he was a little frustrated there was no firing pin!?!?

Tucker in the sleeping quarters of the LST 325. The bunks were 4 high and there were sometimes 3 soldiers assigned to a bunk. They slept and worked in 8 hour shifts.

A motley crew; Candy, Kim, John and Dad (funny how we stand in birth order...)

The Great American Ball Park, The Belle Of Lousville, The Natchez and the Majestic (Paul Brown Stadium in the the far background)

The Clevengers at Tall Stacks:

Dad, John, Candy & Tucker






This weekend was the Tall Stacks Festival on the Ohio River in Cincy. I went on Thursday with my Dad, sister, brother and Tucker. Yes, I took Tucker out of school to go. The weather was kind of misty and chilly. But we still had so much fun. We cruised on the Belle of Louisville, an authentic steamboat! Then we had dinner at Newport on the Levy and watched Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys perform at Sawyer Point. I do love Bluegrass Music! Then we returned on Sunday, with Steve's mom and Tim. The crowds were HUGE, it was such a beautiful day. Tucker and I went earlier than everyone and visited the LST 325, a WWII Landing Craft that was used in the invasion of Normandy. I stood in the bottom of that boat and my mind was filled with the young men that stood there on that day. How did they feel? I could only imagine what was going through their minds? I was filled with pride for all that those men did for us! Then as I stood on the upper deck, tears streamed down my face as I read the tribute to all that had served on that vessel and how the LST 325 would have felt had she been able to speak. It was a humbling moment for me. A moment when I thanked God for blessing me with an incredible birth place.

Standing on the upper deck, I watched my son as he listened intently to everything the crew members had to say. Tucker knew what a "Higgins Boat" (that was the boat the men landed on the shores of Normandy in) was and how many men it would hold and how much their packs weighed. Did you know that some of those boys weighed about 14o lbs and by the time they got their packs on, they weighed 300 lbs??? Tucker is an amazing kid and he does love his history. I had to drag him off the boat since we were meeting everyone on the other side of the river. But before I did, I looked at the skyline of Cincinnati and all those Steam Boats cruising up and down the river...the caliope's from the Natchez had me tapping my foot and I realized how very blessed we are to be living in such a wonderful and incredible country. God Bless America, Home of the Brave!!!

Blessings,
Kim