wakeboard

This is my impulse buy from yesterday at Play-it-Again Sports. They were having a 40% off sale to end the summer on all of their watersports stuff.

The dragon designs are pretty ugly, but for the price it's a nice wakeboard with good bindings. I looked it up on the Internet and it's a 2000 model. Ryan got a wakeskate also and we're excited to try them out this coming weekend in Collegedale!

pikinik

I put a few pictures up on Facebook of our school picnic at Indian Creek Camp today. We had a great time and I can't wait to see everyone take their sunburned school pictures this week.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=137873&id=760788168&l=57b24361e3

summer kick-off

This weekend, we went to Collegedale to do a whole bunch of different stuff, as you will see in a minute. After our Friday night fun (see 2 posts ago), we came home late, but it was ok for getting up and ready by church at 11:45. CA's Baccalaureate was in the Collegedale church. It was so full we sat in the balcony.

After a yummy spaghetti lunch, we all headed for some hibernation time. I woke up at 8:00p and went outside for a bit. Eric was there shooting hoops with Ryan. Ryan Clukey (& Springer Spaniel Jenna) showed up a little later, then Kelli & Jonathan, and finally Jessica Clukey (& Min Pin/Cocker Spaniel Mya).

Eric drains one

Ryan's Lebron impression

After basketball, Mary Jane killed us at a game of Settlers (video to follow). Kelli & Jonathan had to leave, but Randy wanted a piece of the action and took game 2.

Ryan got in some tennis Sunday morning before we hit the road for Atlanta. Ryan's Jays were in town for their interleague series.

That's Vernon Wells (CF) after stealing 2nd. He waited another pitch or so and took off to steal 3rd. He scored on the next hit.

Wells also spent a good bit of time watching the jumbotron over our right shoulders. The infield is actually behind him at this point.

pretty sure this is 2B Aaron Hill NOT beating the force out at 2nd (click to enlarge)

wide view - great angle of incoming rain showers

And this is why we look like lobsters now. We stayed in center field for about 6 innings in alternating clouds & sun, but it looks like we were in a tanning bed for 6 innings.

RF Adam Lind scoops one up

When the Braves came alive in 7th inning to go ahead from the 2-2 tie, this drummer got quite animated.

pitch to Chipper Jones, pinch hitter

Wells throws the ball back into the infield after fielding it off the wall

It's fun to see your fantasy baseball players in live action. Aaron Hill is my 2nd baseman. Jaclyn's pitcher Scott Richmond was Toronto's starter. He didn't walk anyone and had 5 strikeouts (also gave up 2 solo HRs).

Too bad for Ryan and the Jays that Atlanta pulled ahead to 10-2. The Jays couldn't get anything going. From MLB recap: "Toronto ended the afternoon 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position, leaving 11 runners on base in the process. Nine of those runners were stranded between the fifth and ninth innings." We did get to see 3 home runs by Brian McCann (2) and Kelly Johnson (first at-bat of the game).

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Toronto	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	2	10	0
Atlanta	2	0	0	0	0	0	7	1	X	10	13	1

On the way back, we stopped to see the Calhoun clan. Ella had fun pushing Evan around in his Tonka truck.

Evan wanted me to see his teeth!?!

We matched!

We had fun jumping for the pictures. I had to stop because I was worn out.

We even got out on the lake today. As expected, it was really busy and rough. Ryan was the only one who braved the rough waters.

red-tailed hawk

barn swallows under Hwy. 58

osprey nest

sunburn from the game

We had beautiful clouds on the way back to Portland tonight, especially around Nickajack Lake.

Collegedale happenings

Ryan had Friday off and I took a personal day, so we went to Collegedale for a long weekend. After Don Mathis gave us a tour of the wellness center at Southern, we picked up Grant and met Jaclyn and Ryan at the lake.

Some chose to stay dry.

Some chose not to stay dry, despite the colder water.

Grant brought a math book. Nerd.
From this angle, I'm almost as tall as Ryan!

Randy tested the smooth waters.

The leaves on this particular bend were really pretty already.

The following series of pictures show Grant's three attempts at completing the dare to do a flip on the kneeboard. Enjoy.

#1

#2

#3

Cruising for a while

We always take such great (cough) pictures . . .

Watching Ryan's last wakeboard run

Post-church shot

Playing around at the memorial park on the greenway.


We met up with Nikie, J.P., Carson, and eventually Don


Watching the craziness of game 2 of the ALCS

and of Jaclyn and Ryan

Randy playing Ryan at ping-pong


Sunday's celebration of Canadian Thanksgiving