The past two weeks have gone so fast! The kids and I picked Mike up at the airport last Thursday evening at 6:00. That first hug and kiss after time away are so great! Claudia was so excited that she giggled and giggled for a long time, it was sweet. We had dinner at the Spaghetti Factory, our table was in the train, which is always fun. Mike had to leave last Friday evening for his drill weekend in Southern Indiana. Cort went to Logan's birthday party on Saturday afternoon, he slept over and came home Sunday afternoon. Claudia was stuck with me for the weekend. I felt crummy so we rented a movie and hung out in the family room. We didn’t even make it to church, which was stinky!

Monday night Mike made burgers on the grill! Back into the swing of things! I work until noon on Saturday so I got off of work at 12:30 Monday afternoon. The kids and I made a trip to Target and then to the pool for about an hour and a half. For the most part all of the schools around here have already gone back. So there were not many people at the pool, nice if you ask me!

Monday evening after dinner, I spent two hours in Claudia’s room getting my nails painted, a massage, foot rub and of course she had to do my hair... Straightened with the straight iron, stood straight up! It was fun being at the "Fabulous Salon" with the greatest stylist I know "Cammie Jonas", aka Claudia.

On Friday, August 8, Kim told me that I was being transferred to the Bethel Branch effective Monday, August 18. The branches are now going to be structured more like the new branches up north, for the most part, two supervisors rather than three. I was so sad; I have worked with the same ladies for the last several years. We know each other so well, it didn’t seem right leaving. I prayed about my attitude, my outlook and I am thankful that I have a job to go to everyday! I have been at my new branch for a day and a half now and I am sure that everything will be great. Debra (my new boss) brought a “Welcome to Bethel” cake to work Monday morning for me and the new teller. It was chocolate, my favorite! The girls at the South Branch helped me celebrate my farewell with a YUMMY carry in! Monkey bread, carrot cake, meatballs, breakfast bake, cheese and crackers, not necessarily in that order… We ate all day long, I was sure that I was going to explode!

Claudia and Cort will be starting school on Friday. Fourth and second grade, I say it every year but, “I can’t believe it”! Thursday night we go to Open House to take their school supplies, find their desks and meet their teachers. (Which I am so happy that we already know them!) Now we just need to finish getting their school supplies... We still have two days, right!

Last week the kids and I had been gone all day so Sammi was in her kennel for most of the day. We decided to take her out for a walk since it was so nice outside. Claudia put her skate shoes on, put Sammi on her leash and headed out. Cort and I were about 15 feet or so behind her and there she went, face first in her cute little mini skirt on the cement. WOW, it was scary! She scraped up her knee, hand and face. She was convinced that she was going to be the "creep show" at school (since she is not allowed to say the work "freak"). One more reason we have to be thankful that we have a late school start! It was bad then but we can laugh about it now that the scabs have fallen off. ICK! The lady at the shoe store asked her if she would like a sticker. Her reply was, "no thanks, I am more into band-aids this summer"!