We have a new basketball coach at the University of Illinois.  We went to the press conference at the Assembly Hall where AD Mike Thomas introduced John Groce. 

NARFE is having a guest speaker from the Anita Purves Nature Center in Urbana.   Since Hubby had not been there before, he wanted a little background on this organization before introducing the speaker.

Will observed his 9th birthday with a delicious dinner from Hickory River, a Chocolate Chip Cookie cake, and presents.  It was a beautiful evening to enjoy the outdoors.

Hubby drug home an old chair from the ReStore.  He cleaned it up and removed the old upholstery, and I finally got a new cover on it.

Mike Thomas introduces John Groce and his family to ILLINI nation.

John Groce answers questions from the press.

Orange Crush:  "We don't meet the competition; we KRUSH it"

Anita Purves Nature Center has grown since I chaperoned field trips there many years ago.

Corn Snake

Exhibit on the earth and what lives beneath.

There were two screech owls in this cage, both were blind in one eye and unable to hunt or protect themselves from predators.

Two owls - one is barely visible in the upper right.

The Magnolia the Sampsons planted a couple years ago for my Mother's Day.

Claire can't wait for a piece of Will's Chocolate Chip Cookie birthday cake.

Will:  "WOW!  an iPod Touch"

Jakey shows us his special somersault.

Jakey, Jerpa, Aimee, Jami, and Colby

The Chair before

. . . .and after

Austin recently competed in the 2012 Parkland-ICTM Regional High School Mathematics Contest hosted by the Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics.  He won third place in the Geometry Category, Division 1A.