dianegclark

I had a dream that I took the K-state women’s team coffee for their practice. I’m sure I could do it due to the NIL agreement Brother’s has with the team. In my dream I was trying to figure out how to stack up all the to-go carriers. Two hours later, awake, I got an email from my old friend, Cheri, inviting me to join her as honorary coach. I answered, “Yes!!!!!”

Cheri and another old friend, Mary Beth, both also former school social workers, picked me up at 12:30. Both are huge K-State fans. Cheri is the President of the Salina Catbackers club, having moved there 6 years ago. They had an auction and she got the Honorary Coach tickets and thought Mary Beth and I would enjoy it. Understatement! We were ridiculously excited on the way over.

We were treated like queens starting with parking. We met one of the coaches, Greyson, at the door. He took us down to the floor to our seats behind the bench. The girls were having a pre-practice shoot around. Sarena Sundell and Taryn Sikes were doing a one-on-one at the basket nearest us and they were laughing and having a great time. We watched as male players who had on numbered practice pennies circled up at the other basket. Two of the coaches were instructing them. Mike Nicholson, Chief of staff, came over to explain to us that these guys were volunteers. They wore the numbers of the opponents the girls were going up against and the coaches were telling them the defense the other team would be using. He said the girls were currently back watching game film.

Cheri, Mary Beth and I took silly pictures of us pretending to coach from the bench and went out into the middle of the court and took a picture of us creating K-S-U. We were laughing so hard.

Eventually the team came back out and we got to move closer. They did a warm up drill. Mikayla Parks came over and introduced herself to us. She was not practicing with the team. Mikayla was very warm and friendly. She explained that the girls had an ongoing contest with the drill to get as many baskets as possible in the allotted time, first from the sides, then the free throw line, then the 3 point line. She said their record was over 140. The girls wear talking, counting, and encouraging each other. It was so fun to watch.

Coach Mittie then had the girls run the offensive drill, “Cleveland” again and again against the volunteer guys. He’d call in 5 players then substitute the other fice. We noticed that Ayoka Lee was not suited out and was watching practice. Mikayla explained that she was taking a much needed break saving herself for tougher games ahead. Apparently Ayoka, whose nickname is Yoki, took her off day seriously and must have considered that to include interacting with us. I knew Ayoka to be friendly and gregarious but she was quiet and kept to herself all day.

When they ran the defense, Coach yelled, specifically at Eliza Maupin who he said wasn’t in the right place. It would take some thick skin to play at this level. Eliza handled it just fine.

Mikayla answered our questions about practice and the players. She said most of the players live in athletic housing which is nearby and part of Jardine. She said she and “the twins” (Jaelyn “Jae” and Brylee Glenn) live off campus together. She said Ayoka lives in her own house because “she’s a grown up.” I knew that Ayoka is a grad student who already has a master’s degree and is working as a marriage and family therapist locally.

Mikayla said her parents come to most of her games and that her brother just signed with KU. She joked about the holidays at home now are a house divided.

We also met two assistant coaches, both named Ebony, who were very friendly and welcoming. The blonde Ebony told me she liked my hair.

After practice, I had run to the restroom and when I returned, the girls were in the center of the court in a bunch and they all began yelling at me to “Come on”, clapping, and high fived me when I ran up. They gathered around us and introduced themselves to us. I told Kennedy Taylor she is my favorite to watch because of her enthusiasm and how she talks and encourages the other players on the court.

We took group photos and one with Sarena who chatted with us awhile longer. She said her parents come to every game including away games and that is complicated because her brother just signed with the Seattle Seahawks. She said she has one more year at K-State then hopes to try out for the WNBA but is open to playing overseas also. Mary Beth congratulated Sarena on her record of second in assists. I hadn’t realized as that had gotten buried in Ayoka’s setting the record of high scorer for KState women basketball. At the last home game.

After practice we were invited to join the team for lunch in the Shamrock room on the concourse. On the way up the steps, I told Taryn who was walking next to me that I measured my fitness by how out of breath I was at the top of the stairs. She said she also got out of breath at the top. I complimented her on “dropping all the three pointers” Tuesday night and she thanked me. During the group picture on the floor, I said, “hey! You’re my height!” When I saw the photo after, I see that she was bending down.

We went through the buffet line and filled our plates with delicious food. I encouraged Imani Lester to take more and she laughed. The girls all sat together at a long table. I joined Coach Ebony and Elisabeth Brown who I knew from our NIL agreement and Madison Pahls, Director of Women’s Basketball administration at a 4 top table. We chatted about how they’d each worked their way up to their current positions. They all had a lot of experience!

After lunch, we met up again with Greyson and he took us on a tour of the practice facility called the Ice Family Basketball Center. It was so fancy and high scale! The lobby had tall windows and a giant EMAW sign and trophy cases and pictures of past coaches. It had two giant spiral staircases. Greyson explained that the right half of the building was the women’s side and the left side the men’s side.

We went through doors and turned right into the locker room. The first room had the girls names and photos on the wall, comfortable leather coaches and a big tv and a table and chairs. Brylee Glenn was curled up with blankets on one of the couches playing on her phone.

The locker room itself had a big wildcat painted on the floor. The lockers were luxurious wood and fancy lighting. The first thing we noticed were all the shoeboxes lined up in each one. Most of the players had a bunch of worn uniforms and clothes hanging on the outside and were a bit messy. I noticed that Tamira Poindexter’s locker was neat as a pin.

The bathrooms and showers were fairly basic other than the shower heads being super high.

We saw the practice gym with the coaches offices above, windows so they could look down on the courts and a glass lined balcony above. There was a whole room dedicated to snacks that had a person working at it and a dietician office next door. There was a small auditorium for watching game film.

We saw the trainers room with tables for stretching. Beyond that room Greyson explained were the hot tub and cold plunge pools. He said they had a platform to lower the players down and a treadmill at the bottom they could run on. He said that each of the players wore a chip that monitored all of their bodily functions that were tracked closely during games to prevent injuries. We saw the trainer sitting at the computer during the game monitoring the player’s chips.

We saw the weight room, shared by both teams, with state of the art equipment. Each of the machines had an iPad so each player could track their individual work outs. I was impressed by a big cage that had grab bars for stretching any part of your body. I of course tried it out.

We saw the men’s gym, similar to the womens’. Greyson pointed out that a lighted rack of basketballs that could track a number of things including number of baskets made.

We left after the tour for a break. When we returned, we went down to our seats just behind the bench. We had passes that allowed us to go along the floor and into the tunnel to use the restroom. I said hello to my friend Mary Stamey who sat at the scorers table and our friend Brian Smoller who announced for ESPN. Old friend Kurt Moldrup, RCPD Director and head of security also stopped by for a hug and chat.

At 6:00, we went to the tunnel to use the restroom and wait. We sang the National Anthem and the Alma Mater, laughed and still giddy with excitement. At 6:15, Elisabeth summoned us and shushed us and took us to the team locker room (not the practice one, this one was not as fancy and smaller). She showed us where to stand quietly. The girls were sitting lined along each side, those dressed out to play and those not, who were intently listening to Coach Mittie at the white board. I had expected a rousing encouraging pregame speech but that wasn’t what he did. Instead, he was addressing each player one by one, explaining their opponents by number and giving very detailed explanations and directions. It was completely over my head, like he was speaking an entirely different language. He knew exactly how each opponent played offense and defense and told the girls how to play them. I was impressed.

He finished and the girls got in the huddle and said, “Go Cats” and that was it! They all went out one door and we went out another. We waited in the purple lighted hallway next to the tunnel with the girls. They were jovial and relaxed and joked around with each other. I was video taping with my phone next to the camera man (our friend JJ). At one point, Jaelyn looked out and said, “We’re on the Jumbotron.” We could hear the team being announced and the girls ran past us. The coaches were following, yelling “Go Cats!” and making the wildcat hand sign.

We followed, took a pic next to the court with Willie the Wildcat, then took our seats behind the bench. It was fun watching the starting line up being announced from our seats. Honestly, Scott’s and my regular season ticket second row middle seats were better for watching the game other than seeing the girls come off the court and high five their teammates and coaches. The assistant coaches kept standing up with the GOAT in the air every time the other team was prevented from scoring and then we couldn’t see the game. It happened a lot. The girls won by 75 points.

I wouldn’t have traded this experience for anything. Several people jokingly told us what a great job we did coaching due to the point spread. I was a fan before, but now, knowing and being impressed by all that goes on behind the scenes, I am an even bigger fan.

Go Cats!

I love an adventure. Last time I went to Denver, Hannah and Kent took me up to a lake waaaay up in the mountains called Loch Lamont. What an adventure!

We packed a picnic lunch and put 2 year old June and 3 month old George in car seats, Hannah squished between them, into their Subaru SUV. We drove up I 70 and turned off onto a windy road and then after about 45 minutes, Hannah said to me, “Mom, the road up there is pretty bumpy so I’m gonna need you to center your monkey.” I had no concept of what she was talking about until I did. We basically four wheel drove up a steep, windy, rocky, bumpy road for 30 minutes. It was the kind where when you meet another vehicle, you have to find a place to pull to the side to make room and hope no one slips off into the trees. And every vehicle we met was a jeep or a bronco or a big truck, all much more prepared to drive on this terrain. Hannah sat in the back holding onto the kids’ heads so they didn’t bonk the sides of the car seats. It was crazy and fun!

We reached the top and unloaded our picnic stuff and all the baby things and walked over boulders and rocks and chose a place near the water. The lake was beautiful, clear water, surrounded by hills that the clouds floated over, with a big waterfall. We took turns putting on our swimsuits there in the woods and taking cold plunges. Junie is an outdoor gal so she threw rocks and took on and off her shoes. Both skipped naps so we had some challenges but it was so much fun.

I love Denver and mountains and I am so grateful that my kids are outdoor people and include me on such fun adventures, this one that I’ll never forget.

Several weeks ago, we went to Kansas City for the weekend and to the wedding of Scott’s best friend Jon’s daughter. Friday night we went to dinner at Brookline Barrio with Joel and Kayla then checked into Crossroads Hotel in downtown KC, MO. What a fabulous hotel! It was all done in black metal and brick with amazing light fixtures.

The next morning we met Joel and Kayla again and my best friend Ginger at First Watch in Westport for breakfast. Ginger and I sat in our hotel lobby and chatted after, the best talk I’ve had with anyone in a very long time. Ginger was my maid on honor and Jon was Scott’s best man in our wedding. We got to see them both in one weekend.

The wedding was one of the best events I’ve been to in a long time. The ceremony was a traditional mass at Christ the King Affirming Church not too far from our hotel. It was so cool that the girls got a full mass and their families were so wonderfully supportive.

Right after the ceremony, we went into the side yard for cocktails and were entertained by a full mariachi band. I loved it! We were asked to follow them inside and were entertained by Mexican dancers too! I loved that, too!

Then we were asked to follow them outside where we threw lavender and had a parade behind the band and dancers to a restaurant nearby, Fox and Pearl. It was the best meal I think I’ve ever eaten. We were met at the door with tequila shots and then sat at two long tables with beautiful decorations and wine. We had cocktails and more tequila shots, all we could drink. We had three courses of appetizers, four courses of entree’s, and three courses of dessert. It took 2 1/2 hours and i think we ate and drank the entire time.

We then ubered to the Green Lady Lounge and listened to jazz. Then ubered back to the hotel and went up on the roof. We could see all of Kansas City all lit up.

Did I mention that all of this, including the dinner and hotel was paid for by the couple? We felt so spoiled and honored to be a part of this special event.

Whew! I’m so behind writing! There have been some very writeable events so I will catch up. Let’s start with two additions to the family.

George Scott Scarince was born the first week of May. Hannah was induced so I got to be in town. I spent some amazing time with Junie. There is something about being a grandparent in the parent role without the parents around. I got to eat every meal with her and do her bath and read to her and tuck her into bed. Baby George needed a little help with his breathing so spent 5 days in the NICU. Hannah and Kent stayed at the hospital for two days, then Hannah stayed only the nights there and the two traded off going back and forth during the days. I did get to meet him and hold him before I left to return home. I’ve been up to visit two more times since then, once with Scott and twice on my own. Such precious times. He has chubby cheeks like a chipmunk and loves to be held. He is, at 3 months, now in the cooing and smiling stage. Hannah and Kent already take their kids on adventures to parks and lakes and on hikes and even bike rides. I got to go with them for several!

Otis Scott Gaeddert was born six weeks later. Leah was also induced and then had an unplanned c section so once again, I/we got to spend a few extra days stepping into the parenting role with Emmet, Henry, and Eleanor. They were angels for us. We visited the hospital every day. I stayed for an extra day when they got home. Adjusting to 4 kids was a bit harder than expected especially since Otis has reflux and a tongue tie. He was extremely fussy until they figured all of this out and got him some help. I went down one other time and spent 4 days helping. I haven’t gotten to go back but we will see all for Eleanor’s 4th birthday coming up very soon.

I am so proud of the kids and our grandkids—6 now in total! They are all so precious. I forgot how tiring young kids are and I am reminded why God gives kids to young people. I love playing with the kids and reading to them and tucking them in. Emmet is now 8, Henry 6 and Eleanor almost 4. So our Grandkids are 8,6,4,2 and 2 babies. And Joel and Kayla haven’t even started yet!

About nine months ago my friend Hilary said “Let’s take Pickleball lessons through “UFM” and I said yes. We took 2, two hour lessons, a week apart and I was hooked. Hilary only played a few weeks more before leaving town then getting injured.

We started at Douglass center where the rumor is they are more patient with beginners. I then started going on my own to Anthony Community Center. There are a mix of skills there and everyone is welcoming. I am now in several group meeting apps. I enjoy driving to Wamego and play outdoors and do so one to two times per week. . For about 8 weeks, I played at Genesis. There were some beginners initially, but it started to be mostly higher level players. I felt I was a huge liability but I stuck with it. Some people didn’t really want to play with me but were gracious.

They say Pickleball is an old person’s sport because really it’s a sport about skill and expertise and not necessarily athleticism. Young people are playing more, and definitely quickness and agility are a factor.

I play two to three times a week for about an hour and a half each time. My skills were clearly behind almost all of the others when I started. I didn’t play tennis or racquetball only ping-pong, so I feel like I was at a disadvantage. I also had difficulty figuring out whether to wear contacts glasses, bifocals, trifocals, or sunglasses and that’s been challenging. But the longer I’ve played and the more pointers I’ve gotten, and the more experienced gain, I’m keeping up and improving.

Pickleball is a mind game. When I first started playing, there was so much to think about. Where to stand, what the score is, who serves next. I felt anxious and overwhelmed and bad for the other people trying to get a fun volley going. At some point, I decided to just have fun. This positively affected my playing.

I’ve also noticed that I have to focus on the ball and keep my mind focused on the ball at all times or I miss it. So once muscle memory started to kick in, and some of these things like keeping the paddle in ready position and scoring became second nature, then I could start focusing on hitting the ball where I where I want to hit the ball. Now my serves are landing almost every time and my returns are at about 90 to 95%. I can run up to the kitchen line and hit the ball about 80% of the time. Certainly there are some things I need to improve on. Like returning shots at the feet or the fast ones down the middle line. But these are hard for everyone. I would love to take some lessons and will take that opportunity the second I get it. I feel like people are less frustrated with playing with me now and I feel less anxious while playing.

I have gotten my feelings hurt a few times. There was a guy coming to teach lessons and the organizer said I wasn’t ready for intermediate lessons. That hurt. Then Once at Genesis, a guy started poaching every shot, meaning he came over, got in front of me and took the shots I was meant to get without giving me a chance. I said, “a I can get those,” and I think he felt bad. Another time I hit a really bad shot into the net. The very nice gentleman I was playing with sort of snapped at me. “you hit it down!” Then he felt bad and overly complimented me the next 5 shots and I felt patronized. When I’ve played with him previously, he has been very positive and encouraging.

Once in the group chat, a friend, or at least I felt we were making friends, asked who wanted to partner for a tournament. I private messaged her and she said yes. Two days later she messaged backing out saying an old friend was coming to town who wanted to play. She ended us playing with someone else.

I’m super excited for Scott to be able to join me again after he gets his cataract surgery and he can see the ball. I think this will increase my enjoyment tremendously. I feel bad when I leave him sitting at home if I drive over to Wamego in the evening or on the weekends. My favorite time to play is Friday mornings at the community center.

I’m so glad I found the sport and took it up to add to my kickboxing. It’s a great way to stay active and I’m also beginning to form a social community. Starting to remember names and faces and connect them.

Two years ago when Scott and I went to Maui, we knew we wanted to share it with the kids, take the whole family. This December we did just that. We took all four kids and their partners and all 4 grandkids to Maui.

Joel, Kayla, Leah, Dave, Emmet, Henry, Eleanor, Scott and I flew out of Kansas City through Phoenix, to Maui. A very long day of travel. The kids did so well! Eleanor sat between us and colored most of the way. We took some selfies, ate snacks, watched Bluey and she took a tiny nap. The boys sat on either side of Joel and played games the whole way. Hannah, Kent and June met us there. June cried for two hours on their way.

We stayed at Grace Vacation condos where we stayed before in three separate units right on the ocean. The kids were duly impressed as we had hoped and we spotted a whale from the window the first day.

We played in the waves the first day. The tide was out and even the littles got in the water. The second day we went to the beach near our condo and built sand castles. The littles could play in the water in the shallow because of the reefs.

Each night we took turns cooking and ate in the condo. We watched sunsets and saw the amazing rainbows from the patio.

We visited several beaches, all gorgeous and impressive. The kids played in the waves, snorkeled, swam with sea turtles, and Kent saved a guy’s life who was struggling way out in the ocean. Three of us got knocked on our hiney’s by the waves and lost our sunglasses. The littles played in the sand.

A big highlight was the night we went for dinner to Mama’s fish house on the road to Hana. From the valet parking, the view, the food and the service, to the amazing dessert, I was impressed. We had three people serving our table and new silverware for every course. The bill was impressive too.

Another highlight was the aquarium. It was so fun to watch the kids marvel over the ocean life.

Spending a week with all the kids and grands in such a beautiful place was such a blessing. We created memories of a lifetime. We found out that Leah is also expecting, one month after Hannah is due.

Mom and I go every three weeks to get mani’s or mani pedi’s at Kry8ion nails. They are awesome and so good to Mama.

I was invited to the Theodore Roosevelt 100 year celebration. I worked there from 1987-2002. It was very good to see my old co workers and see all the updates to the school. I felt nostalgic but also old, to be honest.

I am still training Wilson to be a therapy dog. He’s ready but we are short on trainers currently. I’m not in a hurry. He continues to be reactive on the leash but great otherwise.

I go to Denver as often as possible and Hannah comes here. Hannah is working 3-4 days per. Month. I am headed to Denver week after next for the whole week. Hannah and Kent are doing well, they recently purchased a cabin in remote Wyoming that will be fun.

Scott and I like to go to concerts, mostly locally. We did drive to Omaha to see Pink.

I stop by to see Mama almost daily. And I spend time regularly with my buddies Natalie and Izzy. Izzy’s eye is still healing from her July 3 accident with a Roman candle.

I have reconnected with this lovely lady, my lifelong bestie Ginger. We attended a mini reunion and plan to get together at least monthly. Love her so much.

I’ve been playing Pickleball! I took lessons with this fun friend and have been going every Friday to play and improve my game. It’s a blast!

I go to Newton as much as possible to spend time with these little monkeys. They aren’t so good at facetiming anymore and are living busy little lives so I don’t get to see them as regularly as I like. I love them sooo much. Leah and Dave are doing well, Leah with her social media and both with their businesses.

I go to the coffee shop almost daily, at least during the week. I only do the social media but it is my happy place. We are excited about the upcoming expansions.

I went camping recently with my coworker and bestie, Jamie. Loved every relaxing minute of it.

Joel and Kayla are engaged and plan a wedding in KC in October. This is from a short Denver trip where we all went to Red Rocks for a concert. I plan to get up to KC more frequently. We finally met Kayla’s parents in Topeka not too long ago.

The practice is going well. We are all almost full (Derek, Jamie, Tiffany and I—Mary is on maternity leave). I love spending time with this lovely lady, Tatiana, one of our life coaches extraordinaire. She and I love to do yoga and meditation and eat. I also hang out with our biller/credentialing expert, JoAnne when she comes to town.

Otherwise, I’ve been reading and meditating and working on myself lately. Trying to follow my gut health diet. I’ve lost 24 pounds. Whaaat? I still kickbox multiple times per week at 9 Rounds and have added back in weightlifting at Genesis.

Had. A cool experience yesterday. Though it was breezy cold, I went out to the Konza by myself for a Humanities Hike put on by the Discovery Center. Despite the cold, I enjoyed it. We basically walked around in small groups and listened to short talks by humanities experts.

First, we heard from an archeologist. She explained that archeology isn’t just about finding artifacts and looking at details but learning about the people through the environment. She said the people settled there at the Konza due to the water, wood and clay for building homes.

Next we heard from a historian about the people who settled here and named Manhattan. I had heard quite a few of the names. She knew the name of the homestead that you can still see remains of on the Konza.

The next talk was my favorite. It was Nature Bathing from an eco therapist. She had us first breath and ground into our feet then notice everything brown around us. Next, we spent one minute each focussing on each of our senses, like we looked deeply at nature, then touched it, then smelled it, then listened. She said normally you’d do 10 minutes each. I know the science behind all of this and it excited me. I want to learn more and begin doing this regularly. I’m excited about what it could do for my clients.

Next we heard from a member of the Kaw nation who descended from Native Americans who settled and hunted here. It was so cool to hear about. She talked about glaciers who landed in the Topeka area and were important to the Kaw Nation. The biggest was moved to Lawrence and recently returned to the Kaw people. I want to attend Washunga days in Council Grove next summer.

We next heard from an essay ain’t (I think writers have very different brains from me—my style is direct and clear). I admire those who can speak and write in flowery language. We also heard from a poet. She was more down to earth. I wish I could write poetry like her. She spends hours in nature describing it beautifully. Both do.

This was an experience I won’t likely forget and I’m glad I went.

Well, it got way worse before it got better. I continued, despite following the food restrictions of the elimination diet to experience physical reactions. First, it was jut IBS, cramping, pain and diarrhea, often uncontrollable, sometimes without the pain or warning of any kind. And then I experienced dumping syndrome, complete with strong emotions, sweating nausea, pain, dizziness, weakness with or without diarrhea. I discovered I was doing the diet wrong, just trying to eliminate foods I was sensitive to but within the constructs of my horrible, carb loaded diet. I thought just substituting gluten or dairy or sugar free items without making other changes would do it.

I started reacting to corn. Then oat. This left me poultry, pork, lamb, and fish, fruit, veggies, some nuts in moderation and some beans in moderation. I couldn’t eat anything two days in a row. This chick, who never liked vegetables, is having to eat them. Salads, squash, sweet potatoes, carrots. And tons of fruit. I have almost completely burned out on chicken and bacon.

I have lost 24 pounds. My body no longer feels inflamed. I have not had a negative reaction in over two weeks. I have energy. I am sleeping better.

I have slowly begun to add back in foods, so far, just corn. Next will probably be oat. This will allow for some baked goods. But it will need to be within the construct of a new way of eating, more protein and fruits and veggies, all carbs being supplemental.

Speaking of supplements, I can’t take them. I ordered patches; multivitamins, D3 and calcium and B complex.

I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to eat some of the things I used to enjoy: cheeseburgers, pizza, casseroles. Supposedly my testing showed that I will always be reactive to dairy. Sigh. I am over the grief part of this. Mostly. I have found foods I enjoy: apples and peanut butter, blueberries with coconut sugar, frozen mangoes. I eat black bean and turkey chili, ground turkey, red lentil spaghetti and sugar free Ragu. Sugar free baked beans.

I’m glad I sorted out the connection between emotions and gut health. My daughter’s sister in law was so helpful to me in explaining what her attacks felt like (she has Chrones Disease).

I like having lost 24 pounds and feeling better but oh my goodness this has been a journey.

I left early to spend the day and catch the boys’ soccer games last weekend. I was greeted at the car by Henry and Eleanor. It warms my heart they get so excited to see me. Inside Emmet presented me with a card that he wrote with his school picture inside. we played some soccer I. The front yard and Eleanor found a giant spider.

We got everyone ready and piled in the car for the games. Henry told us on the way that he planned a sneak surprise move that he and Emmet had worked out while they were going to sleep.

Henry’s game went well. He is a pretty good little soccer player. He knows to not bunch up and got some good kicks on the ball. He played some goalie and had some good stops.

Emmet’s game wasn’t as positive this time and he didn’t play like he usually does because some kid said something mean to him. Also, they had a lot of kids and made a lot of random substitutions.

We had lunch then quiet time which consists of snuggles and cuddles and grandma trying to rest despite Henry’s wiggles.

Then we went bowling. This was a blast! Eleanor used the ramp and the bumpers. She jumped with delight when the ball rolled down the ramp. Henry and Emmet made huge productions of it with a style that ended them on the ground every time and then some pretty awesome little celebrations after each try.

We stepped by Prairy, the health food store and cafe the kids co own. We had dinner and then I went home. I love my visits to Newton.