40th High School Class Reunion

Last weekend was our Topeka High School 40th Class Reunion.  Yep, Helen and both graduated from Topeka High School in 1970.  We didn't know each other then, but certainly had friends in common.

Somehow when we lined up for our class picture, Helen got in the front row (far right) and I got in the back row (far left) ... with all the other tall guys.

Geesh ... these people are old.

Labor Day Snowman

Labor Day around here was pretty lazy ... kind of a giant nap after Jake's and Samantha's wedding weekend.   Helen organized the household while Jonas and I played with battery operated flying machines.  We went for a ride in the convertible, enjoyed fireworks left over from the rained-out 4th of July and slept.  Oh yes ... we also adopted a homeless Snowman that was left on our front porch Labor Day morning.   While I'm not exactly sure where he came from, I do have a hunch.

For months I have been enduring the ridicule of our neighbor, Tom.  Yep, he seems to think that our classic (and elegant) Christmas decorations are way, waaaaaay too simple.  I've explained to him that it sometimes takes me minutes to hang the 2 wreaths and even more time to plant the spot lights on them.  (One year it was extra complicated as the extension cord was tangled.)  Here is the result:

Tom has no sympathy and declares that that his 1,000 lights (professionally installed over a period of days) somehow trumps our wreaths.

This has instilled such wrath in Tom that he has publicly attacked me over the Potwin Listserve.  In fact, his ire has inspired numerous emails to the entire neighborhood lambasting me for being such a slacker.  Some Potwinites have defended me while others have sided with Tom.  So, when the Mayor announced that Potwin would be the benefactor of numerous donated Christmas decorations, I feared the worst.  Wisely, I avoided the Labor Day Christmas Decoration Give-Away by staying away.  Well, as luck would have it, this guy (carrying wreaths) showed up on our front porch.

To make matters worse, Helen has now fallen in love with the little guy and wants to keep him.  Geesh ... one more thing to plug in.  I'm naming him Tommy.

Samantha and Jake get married

Yep, after months of planning, Samantha and Jake got married on August 28, 2010. 

Family and friends came from all over the world to celebrate.  It was spectacular! 

Thousands of pictures were taken and even more memories were made.  In the end, Samantha Crow is now Mrs. Jacob Quist ... and we couldn't be happier.

If you would like to watch a video summary of the wedding events, click here.  The case-sensitive password is "Samantha" with a capital S.  

Whew .... the last 4 weeks

The last 4 weeks have been a blur.  Let me summarize:

In late July, Helen and SRC joined Beth and pals in San Francisco for a girl pre-wedding Spa weekend.  By all accounts, it was FAB.  For more info and photos, click on either FAB Weekend in SF or Spa Shower Weekend.

On August 3rd, Phil arrived after finishing his internship at the United Nations.  Luckily, he'll be with us through August.  As always, it is great to have him here.  We consider him our German son.

A few days later, Samantha hosted a Bridette Party in Boulder.  Bridettes gathered from all over the country to fuss over the Bride-to-be.  They had a blast!  For details, click Bridettes Hit Boulder.

Since the Bridettes kicked Jake out of the apartment, I flew to Colorado to join Jake and Tony in a Golf and Raft weekend.  Below is a photo of Tony and Jake at Lakota Canyon Golf Course near New Castle, Colorado.  Jake played his first 18 holes ever and did great!  Tony played his best 18 holes ever.  The course was beautiful.

After spending the night in Aspen at the Frank Lloyd Wright inspired Hearthstone House, we crossed the Continental Divide at Independence Pass:

From there, it was 24 + hours of rafting and camping adventures down the Arkansas River and though Brown's Canyon.   It was a blast!   Jake took great pictures.  To see them, click Jake's Raft Pictures.

Here is the camp ground from the hills above.

Here is a timid example of the whitewater we encountered.

Here is our hearty rafting group and amazing guides.

We all returned home Sunday night.  The next day, Helen's cousin David Janssen (and wonderful Annette) arrived from Berlin.  Two days later, Helen's cousin Jonas Jaenicke arrived from Hamburg, Germany to live with us as he attends Topeka High School this fall.

David is on the left and Jonas is on the right.  Helen is the teeny, tiny one in the middle.

Here is David, Annette, Phil, Helen, Jonas and me. 

David and Annette left Friday and a friend of Phil's arrived Saturday.  A fellow student from the University of Mannheim, Moritz traveled from St. Louis (where he is enrolled as a PhD candidate at Washington University) to visit.  (Moritz is in the green shirt.) We hosted a "Welcome Jonas" pizza party.  A dozen large boys (young men) showed up to eat pizza.  Can you say multiple large pizzas?

As of today, we have 3 large German boys (men) living in our basement.  

I wonder what tomorrow will bring?

Show Me Wedding

This weekend Helen and I traveled to the Show Me State to attend the wedding of Drew Fowler ... the son of our good friends Donna and Dewayne.  It just so happens that Columbia, Missouri, was also hosting the Show Me Games ... a state-wide amateur athletic competition.  The hotel was packed and athletes were everywhere.  Helen and I fit right in.  

Here are some Show Me wedding photos ...

And one of our friends.

Happy day.

Brothers and cars

Once upon a time there were 2 brothers.  Only 13 months apart in age, they were together all the time.  They did everything together.  They even dressed the same.

As it happens, the brothers grew up.  One became a doctor; one became a lawyer.  One was a gamer; one was a golfer.  One explored the world and lived in multiple places on 3 different continents.  The other stayed in their hometown and worked a mere 6 blocks from their childhood home.

One day (month actually)  both brothers decided to buy a new car.  One brother bought a sporty BMW 6-speed convertible.

The other bought a luxury 4 door Cadillac.

They no longer dress the same either.

The End

Helen goes to New York

Along with our good friend Joni, Helen goes to New York and takes in 3 Broadway shows ... all musicals.  She is still singing her favorite tunes.  They also met up with Phil and got a behind-the-scenes tour of the UN.  Here are some of her iPhone photos.

Joni and Helen in Times Square.

Midnight view from the Empire State Building.

Phil on the floor at the UN.  

Helen had a blast and is ready to go back.

Soggy 4th of July

Samantha, Jake and Phil joining us was the only sunshine we saw this 4th of July.  Phil is doing a summer internship at the UN but opted to skip the New York celebrations and joined us in Kansas.  Sorry Phil ... it rained the entire weekend.  Monday too.  Despite the rainy weather ... the parade did go on.

We saw old friends ...

made some new ones ...

and got to enjoy our family.

While our Bocce Ball skills waned, our street dancing skills improved dramatically.

We also worked together to assemble the most awesome wedding invitation ever.

Oh yes, in the midst of it all ... we bought a new couch.  Our good friend Dick delivered it between the frequent rain storms.

While one of us took frequent naps to test it out, we're still trying to decide whether we like it.   Hmmmm ... what do you think?

We hope your 4th was sunny, fun and full of love.  Happy 4th from 5 soggy ... but happy ... celebrants in Kansas.

The Pink Flamingo House

Helen recently sold a house to our good friends, Scott and Stephanie.  For obvious reasons, one of Stephanie's friends named it the Pink Flamingo House.  You can't ignore that.  But, what's a girl to do?  Well, if your name is Helen, you buy 50 (can you say 50?) Pink Flamingos.

Then, the night before Scott and Stephanie move in, you call the Midnight Flamingo Service and have them plant all 50 Pink Flamingos in the yard.  

Then, the next day you drive by and take pictures.

Scott and Stephanie need to find some better friends.

Yo-Yo Pa

I'm sure you've heard of Yo-Yo Ma, the internationally famous and award winning cellist.  But, have you heard of Yo-Yo Pa?   You might know him as Judge Crow or Granddad.  Well, he is my Pa and the guy who won the Topeka Yo-Yo Championship circa 1939-1940.  Last night I took Yo-Yo Pa to a demonstration by National Yo-Yo Champion and World Runner-up, Brent Dellinger.  It was truly amazing.  He did tricks that were too fast to follow.  Double Yo-Yos.  Yo-Yos in the dark.  Free style Yo-Yos.  Yo-Yos off the string.  Hundreds of people attended.  Yo-Yo Pa loved it!  

Here is Brent at the 2003  World Championships:

Yo-Yo Pa bought several of Brent's custom-made ball bearing Yo-Yos.  Here is Yo-Yo Pa as he waits in line for Brent to sign his Yo-Yos.  

It was fun.  The next time you see him, ask Yo-Yo Pa to show you some tricks.