And it has started

Soccer season officially starts next weekend. Alex is playing on two teams. The rest are just playing on one team each. Dave is coaching 3 of the 5 teams. My job is kid switch at practice one night a week and chauffeuring and texting game updates on the weekend.

19th Anniversary

On top of the White Tower in Thessaloniki, Greece

Having had two sets of grandparents who were married for more than 50 years, 19 years seems like a short time. But this week I heard of yet another friend whose marriage is ending. That is five friends in less than a year. Now, I have no problem with people getting divorced. Really, I don't. But it does make these 19 years seem like more of an achievement.

My parents share our anniversary. (They, too, got married and left for grad school the next week.) This year is 47 for them. That is amazing.

Last Day Off

I go back to work on Monday. I do like my job, but I love being at home with my kids all summer. So today I decided we would have a fun morning.

I took the little people to Build-A-Bear Workshop. They had never been there before. Sam made a monkey, and Amy made a heart bear. Then we went to McD for lunch. We don't do that a lot, but we did it today.

This afternoon, the boys all need to go for a celiac test. Not so fun...

More Thessaloniki

It seemed to me that Thessaloniki was a city of apartment buildings. Once you got away from the waterfront, there was very little open space in the city--just tall buildings and roads. So, here is a gas station. Right there, under someone's apartment, is the Shell station.But, then, you come across something like this...

These ruins are surrounded by apartment/shop/restaurant buildings. And people just walk by like they aren't there. I wonder how long you have to live with these to stop noticing them. (Kind of like I don't notice the Civil War era cemetery I drive by a few times a week.) How many times do people walk under this arch ...

and miss this detail?

Apple Camp

Ed is attending a three day camp at the Apple Store. It is 90 minutes each day, and it is free. Well, we didn't pay anything for the camp, but so far we have bought a new app for the iPad and I am sitting here eying accessories for the iPad, my MacBook, and my iPhone. I think Dave was tempted to bring home a new iPhone 4 yesterday. I am pretty sure the only reason he didn't was because he was trying to decide if the white one was girly. (In case you're wondering, yes it is.)

I think I am going to wander over to the Genius Bar (which is not a bar and is not staffed by geniuses) to inquire about a mouse for my Mac Book. Oh, and which color iPad cover should I get? (I am not going to ask the geniuses that one.)

(and why are other camp children wandering around the store not paying attention?)

And they got me... I got a much needed cover for the iPad and a much wanted wireless mouse for the MacBook. I told the "genius" that they got me in for the free camp, and I made the purchase. He thought that was really funny.

The New Whole Foods

Our new Whole Foods opened today. I have been waiting for over a year for this place to open. I used to have to drive 10 miles to get to one. Now it is right around the corner.

I braved the crowds this evening, and did a bit of a shopping. It is going to take me some time to get used to it. Everything is in a very different place. I need to go sometime when it isn't so crowded to get my bearings.

I am so happy to have my Whole Foods so close!

Thessaloniki

The first week of summer vacation, Dave and I went to Thessaloniki, Greece and Rome, Italy. Dave was invited to give a talk at a conference in Thessaloniki, and he invited me along. Now, Thessaloniki is not a tourist destination. It is not Athens. It is not an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is a port town, kind of like Baltimore. But it has its own charms and some old stuff.

I spent my mornings wandering around the city while Dave attended his conference. I spent my afternoons lounging by the pool reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and The Grapes of Wrath, the former for my school's summer reading and the latter for Alex's summer reading. I had a great time.

Here are a few pictures:

Statue of Alexander the Great

The White Tower, built around 1534

Me at the top of the White Tower

Ship being towed by a tug boat into the harbor to be unloaded