Allergies

Today I learned that taking an allergy pill 2 hours before church isn't a bright idea.

I did that a 9:00 and by 10:30 I was asleep on the bed again and didn't wake up until 1:30-2:00.

Next time, I'll check to see if it is a sleepy-time pill or not.

~N

So What Has Been Happening?

Upon the request of my beautiful bride, a long over due update is in order.

Between May and June, Carlee was participating in a junior fast pitch softball league. The season was not too long, which is probably the greatest thing about it. She took to softball like a duck to water. The final regular season game, she was allowed to pitch. Julie had been working with her on technique, being a former pitcher herself, and when the game came Carlee did a fantastic job. She even had the "toe drag" that people look for. Her team went on to a tournament and won first place. Carlee now proudly displays that trophy in her room.

Alexis recently wrapped up her role as a stand-in for a movie that was filmed in Portland. I'm not sure when the exact release of the film is, but will let you all know. The name of the movie is "Untraceable", starring Diane Lane.

Austin, as of last weekend, took his first logged flight. He's been up in small planes before, but this is the first time he took the wheel and was able to actually fly the plane. He flew a Cessna 425, which is a sweet little twin engine turboprop. I'm really kind of jealous that he's received turboprop time and I haven't...haha.

Julie and I have continued to unpack, organize, adjust, re-adjust and generally trying to settle our home. I've been trying to figure out the grass here in the front and back yard. It appears as though the grass is getting watered enough, but then there are brown spots. I'm thinking that next spring I'll aerate it. The yard is about 5 years old, and probably needs it. Julie is finding new and creative ways to decorate. Hanging mirrors, photos, curtains and generally making the house feel like a home. She's good at that. I'm going to work on the garage when the weather cools off more. I really think it is hotter inside the garage then it is outside...go figure.

With summer being here, we have our plans of camping, and recreating outside. Austin and Alexis will be here for 2 weeks starting today or tomorrow. We'll go to a couple of the minor league baseball games, mostly on Saturday's due to it being fireworks and all....go figure! We'll also be closing our our season of indoor football viewing. Our local team the Fever is doing okay. They're not stellar by any stretch, but there are some really good players and I think that if they all buckle down we could see a good playoff run. Spokane is our biggest rival, and they just so happen to be last year's AF2 National Champions. We beat them at our home game, and a week from this Saturday we play them up there. Go Fever!

I'll try to get some photos uploaded of things we do over the course of the summer. And as a friendly reminder, back up your photos off your hard drive. I most of the photos I had taken recently when the drive crashed.

~N

Happy Independence Day

Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines on the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! O long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wiped out their foul footstep's pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!