hey guys!!

so...not much news to report today. i woke up this morning and it was GORGEOUS outside...so we decided to head out to the pool. that is, of course, after washing courtnie's sheets--she wet the bed (i forgot about that part of being a kid).

when we got back from the pool there was a message blinking. i listened to it and it was for me!!! that was my first phone call...kind of a weird sensation getting a phone call at a house that isnt yours!! any way, it was the people from the tour agency that i booked with a few months ago. I am supposed to be going on a Bavaria Tour this weekend to Munich and the whole Bavaria region. WELLL....aparently they didnt meet the minimum for the number of people who had to sign up...so it was canceled. They did, however, offered me the trip to Paris this weekend in exchange for Bavaria.....SOOOOOO...it looks like I'm going to PARIS! I've never had a huge desire to go to Paris, but I'm in the middle of reading the Da Vince code and now i feel like i really should go!!! (thanks for the encouragement mama...you always say the right thing!!!!) I figure that an extra hundred dollars now is better than 1,000 dollars+ later. you know??? anyway...it looks like munich will be rescheduled for the 5-7 of August.

anyway...after that drama the fam went out to dinner and shop for school supplies. they wanted me to go, but i already had my mind set on running tonight...and i knew if i went out to dinner there was no way i would run. so, i stayed behind for some quiet time and some run time.

My run was very interesting. Well...for many reasons. First of all, i havent run in a week (ugh) so that was interesting. But even cooler was that the farmers have begun harvesting the wheat. Its sooooo cool. This big machine chops the wheat tops off and stores it and then cuts the stalks of the wheat into hay bales. it was soo cool to watch!!

Seeing the wheat being harvested also made me feel like i've been here for a long time. when i got here, all the wheat fields were bright green. Watching them turn to brown, and now be cut down has really made it feel like I have seen a full cycle completed.

I hope everything is great where you all are. Happy Birthday to Chase tomorrow if you read this--and if not, you may just be getting a phone call from me!! Oh yea---TINA is going to meet up with Alex and I in Rome!! YAY girl!! We will have so much fun!!

Ok....thats all for now.

all my lovin'
beth o.