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.