From Cedar Rapids

This picture is from the first day of school on August 22. Wow, almost a month ago! How time flies! The t-shirts for Nate and Isabelle are in honor of the opening of their new elementary school..Echo Hill. It is named Echo Hill because it is near the location where Rockwell engineers bounced the first video image off the Echo Satellite. This was the first step toward television. It is a beautiful new school to our rapidly growing district.

We are busy but it is mostly kids' activities and work. No fancy vacations like Tad or Aunt Joan!

Josh is in 7th grade. He is on the football team (loves it), plays AAU basketball (which means he has a football game Tuesday nights and then hurries to a basketball game), is in the band and choir and just made jazz band in both percussion and piano. He someone manages straight As with this schedule and I don't know how he does it. Especially since social life is critical at this age.

Nate is playing soccer through a club he has been in the past 3 years. He was named a captain for this year. We've been to Omaha over Labor Day and we are on our way to Chicago for a tournament. Madison, WI coming next month. He is also still playing basketball through his club team out of Ames, IA. He had tryouts in August and made the top of the two teams they select. Just eight kids from across the state on each team. This is the team that won the USSSA National Championship in July and he REALLy likes the boys on the team. They have a lot of fun together despite the competitive environment. Nate is in 4th grade and doing great in school. He doesn't enjoy it as much as Josh but does well and has more friends around than I can count.

Isabelle LOVES kindergarten. I mean LOVES it. She can't wait to get up in the morning and is full of all stories when coming home. It is so much fun to listen to her explain her day. She is in two dance classes and does gymnastics and dances all the time. I mean all the time.

Mark and I are busy with work. The flood recovery continues in my world which means meetings and meetings and meetings while trying to figure out the federal government. Crazy world. Met Nancy Pelosi last week. Senator Mccain was in today with Sarah Palin. Daily circus.

We have a family blog now. www.HouseOfNorse.blogspot.com. Tad, I don't know how to add it to the links on the side by Jayne's. Jayne, you are my inspiration on this!

Hope everyone is well! Write often,,,I check every day. Love to read the updates.