Updates on everyone...

Ellie is doing very well in school. She is working hard (as usual) in everything she does. 100% this week on her spelling test! There were some "friend" problems at school for her originally. Apparently a friend of a friend didn't like Ellie (this is beyond unusual, I have never heard of anyone not liking Ellie. Not bragging, just saying she is sweet to everyone- if I were her age I would want her to be my friend). The stated reason was that this girl didn't like Ellie's hair...? All this seems kinda small on the importance scale, but Ellie took it quite seriously- this was a first for her, and she made it her mission that this girl should like her. Well this week her perseverance paid off...Ellie has announced that they are now indeed friends and have made up a club to seal the deal....its all so exciting.

On to Maddie...doing well in school (as always!) She finished the 7th Harry Potter earlier in the week. She handled the finishing of this book better than I thought she would. Often when she is reading a series she loves, when it comes to reading the last of it there are tears. Well, I won't say there wasn't sadness when she finished The Deathly Hollows, but she handled it well with a new found maturity..... definitely has turned a corner there! I think as a comfort thing she is revisiting two of her favorite series....she has just finished re-reading the Percy Jackson books (yet again) and is finishing up the last of the Fablehavens for the second (maybe third?) time. Reading remains one of the biggest "happy-place" in Madison's life.

Speaking of happy-places ....meet my newest joy- my Cannon Rebel T1i. A really, really nice camera. Barb.... I think you need to consider keeping up with the Jones' on this one! I am loving it....I still find it intimidating and I am treating it somewhat like a frail newborn. For example, if I ever go to take it out of the house I seal it in plastic and put it in the garage for 20 minutes to acclimate it to the exterior temperature. It may be extreme but I will take no chances with my new baby! I am slowly trying to rely on it more and more for all my picture taking. I have to remember it is just a camera....and that it is ok to love your camera, you just shouldn't LOVE your camera.

And Kevin...this past week at work as far as I can tell has been doing a lot of weather watching. Part of his job is making sure the base is in whatever state of readiness it needs to be according to the oncoming weather. Right now we have moved into COR 2, which means we are to be ready for the winds- we will most likely be in COR 1 in the morning. All stores and such will be closed and typhoon shutters on. The soon to be super-typhoon is to hit north of us but we will still get tropical storm winds from it. We lucked out this time. Keep in mind though, if you don't hear from us in the next days our power may be down. Here is a link to tracking the typhoon if you are curious:

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Kevin and I are both trying to get outfits together for the Navy Ball in October. We have been able to avoid it for the past 13 years, but with this job its considered "mandatory fun" for him. My friends Sue and Sara would get a kick out of the two of us attempting our first ball....put it to you this way there are dress fittings and a cummerbund involved!

Good times, good times....