July 2006

July 2, 2006

Sarah and Tyree's cousin, Jada spent a few nights over at our house, and they took some really nice pictures together. Here are Jada and Sarah in the back yard.



Jada, Tyree and Sarah. Tyree is such a boy.



Tyree and Jada.



One more of the three kids goofing around.



That nite, Grift's Aunt, Lissa and her kids came over for dinner. It was the first time that the kids and I met them. This is Lissa, Tina and Robin.



Grift's cousin, Jarvus and his Girlfriend.


July 3, 2006

It is HOT in Illinois, so the kids played in the water in the back yard. Here's Jada and Sarah in their matching bathing suits.



Another cute picture of the girls.



The kids were wiped out by the time we took Jada back home.


July 4, 2006

On the 4th of July, Grift's Aunt Marla had a barbeque at her house. Here's some of the kids with Donte, Grift's brother, in the background.



The kids got their first taste of handling fireworks. This is Grift and Tyree with a Roman candle.



Sarah and her cousin Tommie are lighting a fountain.



Two Shaw brotherws and their sons.



Aunt Marla and Sarah.



This picture of Tyree and the sparkler turned out cool.



Jada and more sparklers.



Another one of Tyree. Can't help it, he's just so cute.


Jada's cousin Tasha.



Aunt Marla made everyone smores. This is also another first for our kids.



Donte Jr., or "DJ," working his sparkler.



Grift was letting Tyree light some fireworks, and told him to run as soon as it was lit, so everytime they did it, he'd drop the punk and fly the heck out of there. Daddy tried to tell him that he didn't always have to let the punk go, but he didn't care. Better safe than sorry. G-O-N-E!


July 8, 2006

Grift's family had a family reunion at a park in St. Louis, MO.


Here's everybody dancing...


And eating. This is Grift's Aunt Angela and his sister Ciara.


His cousin Joyce's husband, Keith, with all the good food.


Uncle Ira and Grift.


Grift and his mom, Nola.


Grift and his cousin Patrice.


Grift's cousin Joyce, Nola. Angela and Ciara. Joyce organized the reunion.



The boys playing cork ball. Grift, his brother Donte, annd cousin Tommie.


Then we played softball. Here's Lil' Jeff, Jada's cousin.


Ciara on first base.



Here's the kids playing in the dirt while the softball game was going on. They were FILTHY!


DJ, Donte's son. Donte's nickname for DJ is "Dirtball," and here he actually looks like one.


Here goes the group photo sessions. Ciara, Nola and the four grandkids.



Add in two mean looking shaw brothers. The only sibling missing is Nola's son, Charlie. He was in Florida.


Minus the older Mr. Shaw and add the Yellow Mrs. Shaw.


By the time the shindig was over, this is most of whom was left.

June 2006

Monday, June 3, 2006

Just a hot summer day when the kids are in the backyard chomping on some popcicles.


Sunday, June 4, 2006
We went to the Shriner's Circus in Belleville. We had a great time.

Military families got in free, so the kids rode this elephant with their entrance money. Sarah and Tyree were very excited. When do you ever get a chance to ride an elephant? A pony, maybe, but this was much cooler.



Here's Grift and the children watching the circus acts.


Here's part of the high wire show. The small boy on top was the only one clipped into a safety. A little before this, one of the adults actually slipped while dancing and had to catch the wire with his arms. They cut the music and let him get his bearings before they started up again. There were no nets below, so it was quite harrowing.


Here's part of the fanale.



Tyree, Mommy, Sarah, and the clown that went postal.


June 7, 2006

Grift was downtown for a work function, so he took this picture of the arch. Isn't it beautiful?

June 8, 2006

The kids and I had an appointment in St. Louis, so I took them to the arch afterwards. This is in the pond area before we got to it.


Sarah and Tyree at the arch's base. It is huge.


This picture is a favorite of mine.


After the arch we walked down to where they parked the horses and carriages. The rides were way too expensive, but they let the kids pet the horses and take pictures.


June 10, 2006

Grift introduced the kids and I to Doctor Who here in Illinois. So we've been watching the newer version and dvd's of the older series, and he even found Dalek games on the internet. Sarah and Tyree were playing one on the computer in this photo. Dr. Who seems to be a very corny show, but still addicting. It's cheesiness is camprable to Star Trek, but takes itself much less serious.


June 13, 2006

Tyree and Grift's cousin, Tommie who payed us a little visit.


Now it's Sarah's turn to jump on Tommie.


June 14, 2006
On this day we celebrated another milestone in Grift's Army career. He is now a Sargeant First Class, or E-7, if you prefer. So, since we are now on his old stomping grounds, he chose to have his promotion ceremony at Forest Park, in front of the St. Louis Statue and The ARt Museum.

St. Louis on his horse.


Company formation. The kids were part of the ceremony. I pinned Grift at his E-6 promotion, so we thought it would be nice to let the kids do it this time. So they stood here with daddy until it was time to walk up in front and face everyone.


So now they are in front with Daddy, the company commander, and Grift's station commander.


Tyree's job was to take off Grift's old rank. As you can see, he got a little bashful, wich is very unusual for Tyree.


Sarah got to put on Grift's new rank. No problem! They both did a great job.


A picture with the company commander.


Grift's cousin Tommie came out to see him get poromoted too.


Post ceremony family Photo.


Malika, Grift and Tommie.

June 15, 2006
Grift had a battallion picnic, so we spent the day at Carlyle Lake, which we would not have come across otherwise.

Compnay meeting.


A picture with lots of little attitudes. Maybe it comes from being the spawn of soldiers.

June 27, 2006

Grift and I went to a business meeting that his high school friend, Chris invited us to. This is Chris, his wife Rebecca, Grift and I when it was over.


June 29, 2006

Jada, Sarah and Tyree's cousin, spent a few nights at our house, so they got to hang out and have fun. On this day we went to the St. Louis Zoo. Here the kids are in front before we went in.


Kids and penguins.


Is it hot in St. Louis? Heck yeah! You know it's hot when they have to put monster fans with misters all over the zoo. The children had fun with them, as you can tell.


All composed in front of the fountain.


All crazy in front of the fountain.