Happy Trails, Duck Version

Gray had early release today, so she and I went to pick up Katherine.  We were just about on time, so I was puzzled about them still being on the playground.  They were all gathered together, and Ms Tricia was speaking very seriously to them.  Turns out it was a duck funeral.  One of the ducks had died of unknown (to me) causes, and they were sending it off with a round of Happy Trails. 



It's a little hard to hear over the people talking, but they sing that every day when they leave, and it was just appropriate to send Duck away with it.  Of course, it opened up a whole new batch of questions for Graysen since she has lost Jack, Griffin, and now Stella in addition to PopPop.  She was asking serious questions about Stella today walking home, and I was doing my best.  She was silent a minute and then said, "So, what name do you think you would name a new kitten."  They're both crazy to have a kitten - a non-hissing kitten - but I don't think I'm ready yet. 

We went to Fisher Park where there was a birthday party and loads of kids running around, but they had such fun.  Katherine is now going down the huge winding slides, so they did that a lot and kind of meandered around.  This is the only picture I took.

Graysen's favorite was the little zipline they have there, but it always seemed to be full.  Finally Graysen just went up to several little girls and they agreed to take turns and had a ball.  She talked Katherine into trying it.  I promised her it wouldn't go high, but I forgot how fast it goes once you're on your way.  She made it almost to the end and fell face first into the sawdust type of ground.  I figured since she was already grumpy, she would wail, but she got right up and declared she was through with the zipline and wanted to ride the merry-go-round.  They were hot, dusty, and tired, but I had promised them ice cream cones at Bartell's, so we went there.  They can spend 30 minutes just walking up and down the aisles looking at the Halloween things and the toy aisle.  They're really good about not touching anything but having lots of discussions between them.

I decided to stay on the bench outside rather than get in the car with ice cream cones.  It would also give Emily an extra 15 minutes on her own.

Lots of blurry pictures here.  I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

Graysen before she saw me after school.

She's not yet embarrassed to have her grandmother pick her up at school.

Friend and across-the-street neighbor.  I don't really know how to spell her name, but it sounds like Shreta.  She's the cutest - and sweetest.

I got my hair cut this morning and drove past some beautiful trees and bushes but hardly had a chance for pictures.  Here are a few.

 Our street and the apartment hydrangeas.  They started out white, then all shades of pink, then purples, and now almost a brown-purple.

I ran up on this when I took a different route home from North Bend.  I had heard they were building a new high school, but it looks huge.  Pretty too.