October - December 2015

From late Fall into early Winter, we kept busy as the temperature got cooler.  Kate lost her first tooth (picture below) and then quickly lost her second tooth.  Through Cub Scouts, Jack earned the "NOVA" award for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics activities.  He was one of the first three in the Sagamore District - including Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts - to earn this award.  We invited our friends from Newcastle Road over for Halloween trick or treating.  All three of us played in the winter piano recital, and we all earned certificates from the music guild.  We had a fun Christmas here, and just after December 25th, we went to Tucson to visit Oma and Opa.  We had lots of fun exploring around Tucson, and we flew back home on New Years Eve.

Kate's selfie after losing her first tooth

Crossley children in their Halloween costumes

After Trick-or-Treating with the Lubans

Jack receives the Boy Scout NOVA award at Pack Meeting

Guild award certificates at the Winter Piano Recital

we built "sparkle balls" to add to our Christmas decorations this year

'Twas the night before Christmas at the Crossley house

the Barbie Camper was part of this year's Christmas presents

at MSP on our way to Tucson

Anna catching the ball while sliding at Himmel Park

Jack doing what he can with a poor throw from Dad

Kate, Jack and Anna at the desert overlook

looking at a Costa's Hummingbird inside the enclosure at Arizona Sonora Desert Museum

Jack and Anna at the ASDM, at a familiar spot (see link here)

Kate on the artistic bench

Sabino Canyon hike

Mom and Jack on the trail

Kate in the desert

July - September 2015

Between July and September, we kept busy as usual.  Jack started July with Cub Scout Adventure Camp, which included a few days and nights of fun and activities.  All of us drove out to visit Great-grandparents Bill and Sally, then we kept driving out to see Mount Rushmore, Devils Tower and the Black Hills.  On the way back, we stopped with Dad in Oshkosh at the EAA AirVenture.  About a month later, we traveled east to visit Kevin and Ruth and their family in Vermont.  We all did some camping during that trip.  At the end of September, all of us traveled up to Chicago to participate in the 5K on the runway at O'Hare airport; we got to run on the brand new runway (10R/28L)  before it opened for airplanes!

Jack and pack-mates at Adventure Camp

BB action range

At Falls Park in Sioux Falls, SD

near the east entrance to Badlands National Park

sunflower in Badlands

Kate on the jackalope at Wall Drug

getting a good look at Mt. Rushmore on our approach drive

aping the Presidents on Mt. Rushmore

first sight of Devil's Tower

on the trail

windy at the Minuteman missile site

with a P-38 at Oshkosh

not all astronauts are happy

is this what you call "glamping"?

activity appropriate public art for the girls in Saratoga Springs, NY

Kate with Ruth near the Vermont Marble Museum

next to the nose of the United Airlines 737-900 at ORD

before the 5K on the runway at O'Hare

Jack's finish

Anna's finish

Kate and Mom finish the 5K

April - June 2015

April brought the return of Spring outdoor soccer and a neighborhood Easter Egg hunt.  Anna, Kate and Dad went to Spring Fest, while Jack was at a soccer game this year.  Kate and Anna both performed in this Spring's ballet recital. We found out in May that Jack had placed second in the state and 17th in the nation in his grade for the Math Kangaroo event, so we went to Indy for a small awards ceremony.  At the end of May, Jack, Anna and Dad ran in the Scout About 5K (Jack and Anna) and 10K (Dad).  It poured rain most of the race.  We all had a good run. Anna was the second woman finisher in the 5K, and she won a gift certificate at our local running store.  In June, it finally started getting warm. At the end of the month, all of us participated in the Blast 4 mile race.

Throw-in at Spring soccer game

The neighborhood Easter Egg hunt

Anna with face-painted block P next to the statue block P

Kate milking a cow at Spring Fest

The sisters after the Spring ballet recital

The twins

Jack with his Math Kangaroo awards

Kate and Mom

With one of the summer public art bears

The runners from the Scout About race

Can we have a pool Mom?  (this seemed like a reasonable compromise)

Three of the runner after finishing the Blast

Kate and Mom finishing the Blast

At the Museum Center / Union Terminal