Homecoming 2022

On the Prowl (spirit game night at the high school)

(team Simmphony (Mrs. Simm's was their team sponsor and they were an sophomore band members)

Pre-pep assembly....marching through the halls

flute friends

sophomore marching band members (they got together for dinner and fun before the dance)

another flute friend photo

(look familiar??)

glad Carolyn had great taste in dresses and that styles haven't changed in 5 years

 

House Divided Love United

 It was the annual University of Iowa v Iowa State football game.  I have only been to 3 of these max.  (2 while at school and maybe once when we had season tickets one year soon after we moved to Ankeny....then life was too busy)

The guy on the left (Mark) was Ken's roommate in the dorms in college.  He has season tickets 5 rows up from the tickets Ken bought on Wednesday!  (I didn't go to the game.  I went to joined Paul and Colleen at a tailgate and then went back to their house right before it started to pour.  (Matthew also did not go to the game.  He only likes football when he plays his trumpet :0)

Carolyn took this cool panorama

University of Iowa alumni!

Everybody (except Matthew who had to go to work!)

Only Joel was victorious....(and me a little since I support both schools!)  Anna might have worn an Iowa State shirt, but she doesn't have any yet!

my newest little boxes

These cuties are 4.5 inch by 4.5 inch cubes.  They are just perfect for a few snacks for the college kids.  (I went to Sam's Club yesterday and bought a couple snacks in bulk, which inspired this craft.  We are going to Iowa City on Saturday for the Iowa vs. Iowa State game, although I am not going to the game.)

I also made one cube for my co-catechist in religious education, who told me that he likes ISU.  (and I know his birthday is in a couple of weeks.)  Yesterday I downloaded a few ISU SVG (scalable vector graphic), basically it is a cut that the Cricut recognizes.  They were only $1.99 for 27- great deal!  

 

I guess really this is plants part #4! (unplanned)

Best volunteer!  (Joel came home for Labor Day!)

Worst volunteer (below)

 (this stupid plant that grew underground from its neighbor - that Ken removed for me yesterday)  See all the rocks etc. imbedded in it?  It is because we didn't plant it!  It grew extremely large and unruly!  It had pretty flowers in the spring, but then was just this unruly green thing.  I trimmed off the tops of the plants, but had no way of digging them out....THE ROOTS- OH MY!)  

I filled the holes with mums.  I normally pot the mums, but this year I felt like they should just go in the ground .... so easy with my holes dug for me when the plants were removed!

 

Plants part 3 (and a surprise)

I have been on a cleaning and re-potting kick since college started!

I like my final set up.  Some plants, but none are too crowded.

Yes the blue pots were on clearance, but I liked them before I knew the price.  Not as much as another pot, but it was twice the price!  (and since I had to buy 6 (one is in the garage waiting for Wandering Jew baby plants later this winter) that was a significant chunk of change)

Total topic HOP HOP, but related to my cleaning kick.  I found a ruby ring that my Mom had given me.  It was lost for a long time.  (I put it somewhere safe, but forgot it was there.)  I think I am going to fit it to Carolyn.  I think that was our original idea when I put it away for safekeeping.  UGH.  I searched and searched for it years ago.

 

Plants (part 2 of 3)

My plants have developed many roots...time to put in soil!

Don't they look cute, although I won't keep my hopes high as Auntie Co says this type of plant hobbles through the winter (getting "leggie").  The goal is to get them through to summer!  The plant near the white plastic broke off its stem while I was planting it, so it is an test subject to see the difference between good root system and just putting the baby plant in dirt.

 

This plant was sent to Ken's Dad's funeral.  It is lovely, but getting crowded.

So I gave this plant his own pot!

Too crowded now.  Stay tuned for plant migration!

The plant on the far right came home from a Girl Scout learning day in a small Dixie cup.  A proud plant moment.

Pure Imagination (The theme of the Marching Band Show.....a take on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)

It is It is I

It is that time of year!!!  Marching Band season!  I will get a picture of the field when I remember to bring my good camera.  These cute photos were on the App. the band uses to send out messages!

I think they were taken during warm up, but I still love them.
 

Labor Day weekend

Ken is on his way to pick up Joel and his room-mate from Iowa State after the football game.  I had given Joel a box for his graduation treasures.  Initially he wanted it blank, but before he left for school he gave it back to me and asked for something on the lid.

Here is what I came up with:

I like it more than he possibly can!

When I was trying to create the O, I searched and searched for the right umpire mask to make.   In the process I saw this clever idea and had to make it.

(play on Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.  Joel has seen all the movies, so he will get it!)

Inside the card...I love these silhouettes.  

 

First days of school

Sophomore Year

Freshman Year

(I forgot to ask the other kids for a photo!)

Totally separate....but Joel sent me a photo of 2 boys who go to ISU (but ran cross country with him in high school) and his 2 cross country coaches from Centennial.  ACHS had a race on the ISU cross country course this Thursday.  I miss cross country races.  They are so full of emotion and sportsmanship that breaks across team lines like no other sport.

 

Growing the Wandering Jew Plant

 My Dad's planting specialty was transplanting Wandering Jew plants.  I think Auntie Co might still have an off-spring from one of these plants.

On Saturday I got a clipping of a WJ from my friend Sandi and talked with Colleen about how to make my own plant.  I got some great advice.  The main thing is to try to keep some plant babies alive over the winter because this plant really when shines in the summer sun.  I think the baby plants will make babies that you then put in water for a week and start over throughout the winter.  (The big giant plant doesn't usually make it over the winter.) 

Here are the clippings right after I brought them home (purple plant)

Aunt Colleen said to place the baby plants in water for a week and let the start to grow roots.

Carolyn asked for a start of the plant.  Hope they make it because although they have roots, they don't have a weeks worth of roots.  But Matthew was home for the day and took it back to her for me.  I told her if they die before a hard freeze, she could get more baby plants from Aunt Co.

Here are Aunt Co's plants!  Uh - WOW!

Happy 21st birthday Carolyn

Here she is showing love to her brother Joel about 15 years ago!

Carolyn is always showing her family love :0)

She and Matthew had a birthday lunch, she went and had ice cream with Aunt Co and Uncle Paul (different day) and celebrated at dinner with her friends.

She owes me a picture :0)

AND HERE IT IS!

Matthew brought Carolyn home from her night class on Tuesday and gave her all of her Ankeny treats!

Pets...not ours

My friend J is pet sitting and let us come over to get a little cuddle time!

This picture is to show that I am letting my hair go gray!  We will see how it goes.

J even told me I could bring Anna over after her show-choir even though it was late!  (We were supposed to go visit the pets sooner, but Covid interfered and the pets were going home!)

 

August 17 Joel leaves for Iowa State

 Joel went to the dentist and then left for school.  (He scheduled the dentist 6 months ago!)  It really worked out well because when he and Ken got to Iowa State it wasn't very busy for the move in.

Joel's good buddy Will....met in kindergarten....now his college roommate!

Will's mom took this photo - check out the cool steps.  (Carolyn saw this photo and said, "did he bring the pool noodle?" (to protect the head - his desk is under his bed)  We thought that was so sweet that she noticed.  They did forget the pool noodle, so he will need to be careful until we see him!)

Joel is pointing to his dorm - top floor of white building, 3rd window!

When Joel left, I told him to send pictures.  He joked, "What if I want to live in the moment?"  I teased - "live in the moment and then send me a different picture later" :0)

Anyway - he sent this to me from the cafeteria.  This is so great because in addition to Will he is with 4 boys from his old scout troop.  Evan (in the red) also ran Cross Country with Joel, but otherwise Joel hasn't really hung out with his scout buddies for a couple of years (the boy in the hat was home-schooled, not sure how his mom is handling this change - at least Joel was gone for most of his senior year doing activities and working, so I was used to not seeing him a bunch)!  

Ken indicated that the Ankeny kids have a group chat, so I bet they said, "who wants to go to dinner?" or something like that.  I love it - maybe kids will be less lonely at college.  Although to be clear, I am not worried Joel will be lonely at college.  I am worried I will be lonely without my kids, who are at college :0)

Poor sweet Joel does have Calc 3 at 7:45 am, 3 days a week and a different lecture at 8 am on a 4th day - so his days of sleeping in are OVER!  Luckily he did have to work many mornings this summer!

I was sorting socks this morning and found some of his - in my head I joked, "I better drive to Ames deliver these!"