We were back in Starkville for Thanksgiving. My whole family was there. My uncle made it down from West Virginia, with his son Timothy who I haven’t seen in over 10 years. My aunt came up from Pearl. Of course my brother and sister and their families were there. The kids had a great time playing with everyone. We went geocaching. We found this cache, but didn’t find this one.
Being in Starkville for Thanksgiving, we went out to campus and got some MSU stuff and then went and rode the tractor. All the kids got to drive a bit. Katy drove it by herself. She even ended up driving it all the way back into the garage and parking it.
We had our usual Halloween. The Van Meter kids parade in the morning. The block party, then about 840 trick-or-treaters.
Today is my birthday. My present to myself was to go the whole day without putting on pants. I succeeded. I really liked this response from my dad:
Congratulations on not wearing pants on your birthday. I have not worn pants since April 8, 1954. Marines wear trousers. Ladies wear pants.
We got together with much of Elizabeth’s extended family for a little Flory family reunion. Here are a few pictures from that. Katy took many of these pictures.
Today is the last day of school for the year. Katy’s last day at Van Meter (we still have another 7 years there). When Sam graduates from Van Meter, Katy will be graduating from high school.
Margaret’s first grade class did their rendition of the Three Little Pigs. Margaret had a line welcoming everyone to the play. Like an opera, most of the play was sung.
Sam had his last day of school for the year. Everyone at the school is upset because his teacher (and the teacher that Margaret had for years) will not be coming back next year.
Margaret had her second piano recital this weekend. Unfortunately, I was in Japan for the first one. She did well.
Margaret and Katy had their annual gymnastics show this weekend. They both have gotten a lot better. It is amazing the things Katy can do now. I guess she has been doing this gymnastics thing for many years, but most of what she does I don’t even know the name for.