All Work & No Play ...

Have I mentioned lately that we feel so stinkin' lucky to live in Heidelberg? There are mornings I wake up and just don't believe we have had such a tremendous opportunity. I also know that we'll return back to the life in the states with wide roads and fountain sodas. In the mean time I'm going to bloom where we're planted and invite you to come visit our garden.

One part of our social life that is sorely missed has been John's Saturday morning cycling group based out of Granada Cyclery in St. Peters, Missouri. It hasn't been as easy to put together or join a bike group here, yet .... so John went ahead and made his own cycling unit. They do have tons of fun on the long (long for the kids) rides on Saturday mornings - they log just over 20 miles before breakfast. After the kids make it home, we send John back out for another 30 miles or so of some good hilly fun.

As part of Joe's school curriculum this year, he's required to work on a personal project. It has all kinds of requirements, but the subject can be anything the student chooses. Joe has decided to combine algebra, geometry, design, machine work, and service to wounded soldiers as they travel from down range to Ramstein then onto the States. Joe has opted to make five 3ft by 5ft quilts. He should be able to satisfy the academic requirements as well as his Eagle Scout project - especially if he can coerce his troop into tying a few blankets.

Blankets of Hope, sponsored by Soldiers' Angels accepts donations of this specific type/size quilt as that is best to cover a wounded soldier on the medevac flight - the plane's temperature is kept very low in order to care for the burn victims and those wounded troops still in a coma. Anyway, Joe got a really good start and the progress is pretty amazing. The hard part? Keeping my hands off the project - I just want to pick it up and sew!

This last Friday night we headed back to the bowling alley for some fun times. It was good to just relax, enjoy a cheese pizza, and laugh at each other's bowling style *cough cough*. I'm hoping the weather will hold and we can maybe get a picnic dinner in for Family Home Evening and some people watching down at the river.


Relaxing time with my people is where it's at.