Game Five: Score Two for Nina!

That ball, kicked by Nina's left foot, is headed to the net. That's her first goal of the season!

Pablo has become a master of the quick throw-in.

Score one? Score again! That's Nina's second goal of the day.

The Red Rhinos are now 5-0, and we've got three games to go.

Let's Dance!

Pablo commits to his kicks and throws, as this collection of action shots demonstrates.

Zootopians

Friday, I made the rare decision to leave the office half an hour early instead of half an hour late so that we could catch the "Zootopia" matinee--our second family film outing in five days (we saw "The Jungle Book" last Sunday), and maybe just our second this year. We enjoyed both movies, much popcorn, hearty servings of the baby carrots we smuggled in, and a post-screening walk in the park.

The Supermarketeers

The boys hate going to the supermarket. But somehow, if we're walking there instead of driving, they want in. So tonight, while the women went to the Pontotoc County Democratic Party spaghetti-dinner fundraiser, Pablo and Emilio and I walked to the Apple Market to buy halos (mandarin oranges) for Emi. We also bought skim milk, Ding Dongs, Cheetos, Wavy Lays, Dean's Ranch dip, and Goldfish (they'd already enjoyed a healthy dinner).

On the way over, Pablo tried to convince us that there is no such thing as walking "forwards" or "backwards" since we live on a sphere.

On the way back, I talked about the kinds of jokes I don't like.

About half and hour after we got home, Emilio came upstairs singing "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" and carrying a glass of milk and a plate with a Ding Dong on it for me. Sweet!

Explorations with Pablo

Sunday afternoon, Pablo and I did some exploring.

We found:
·photogenic red flowers;
·war memorials (forty residents of Pontotoc County were killed in World World One);
·an old fire truck and a covered wagon in need of a driver (we provided one);
·Main Street bricks with friends' names on them;
·two bags of grocery store chips with our names on them (we bought them).

When we were almost home, it started to rain, and someone neither of us knew pulled over to offer us a ride. We declined

Exploration: success.

Game Three, Game Four: A Rhino Doubleheader

Game Three: Red Rhinos vs. Bluebirds
I was in Arkansas with a group of Honors students last week when Pablo and Nina played their second game of the season, and Pablo scored his first goal. Fortunately, I didn't miss his second goal: with the left!

Nina just missed this one off the post. Coach Rhynes praised her for hitting the ball correctly with the side of her foot.

Three games, three wins.

Game Four: Red Rhinos vs. The U.S. Naval Academy


I think only a handball stoped this run from paying off.

Goalie Nina sends one back.

Four games, four wins for the Red Rhinos.

Act Two

When the Community Theatre needed models for their summer camp promotional video, they called us.
Before the shoot began, I took these portraits.

Sunday Success

This afternoon, Nina and I attended the senior recital of ECU Vocal Music major Zach Garcia featuring songs in German, French, Latin, Italian and English (because of her musical theatre experiences, Nina knew about 25% of the 60 young adults in the audience), hit up the post-recital reception for punch, cake, strawberries and cookies, rocked out to the "Fiddler on the Roof" soundtrack in the van with the windows down in beautiful weather, took a first-time walk through the Wintersmith Arboretum (where I took these photos), stopped in to the Apple Market and knocked out the grocery list we'd been given, and then ordered and subsequently consumed a Hot Fudge Sundae (for Nina) and french fries (for me) at Braum's, where Nina talked to me about the book she's been reading about The Beatles. Sunday? Success.

Giving Trees

Game One: Rhinos Trample Clockwork Orange

Though it doesn't look like it, this is a video of Pablo's throw in. I muted the sound.

Notice Emilio and Greg playing on the adjacent field.

Star Student: Pablo

Pablo's classmates in Mrs. Henry's class have voted him "Star Student of the Week." Mrs. Henry says Pablo "is self-motivated to challenge himself to learn new things and enjoys tutoring his peers and classmates."