Lexi Loo Whos last first day of Preschool!

Isn't she adorable? I mean really, who can resist that sweet little peanut face!?

Alexis started school at Trinity this year after The Ark Preschool closed. Alexis seems to REALLY enjoy it! She came home telling us about her new friends and most importantly to her, what she had for snack. The weather has been beautiful lately and they were lucky enough to play outside on the playground for a while. Alexis immediately needed to call her Grandma after her first day of school to tell her how she climbed on the monkey bars all by herself! I really didn't believe it, until her teacher told me the next morning. I believe her words were "She may be small, but BOY, is she MIGHTY! She went across the monkey bars all by herself!" Hmm. Just like Alexis said. I guess the little rugrat does tell the truth sometimes. ;-) She hardly seemed nervous at all. I on the other hand am a little nervous to start school this Monday! Eeek!

Next Saturday my family is participating in a scavenger hunt road rally with my church. We decided to go in teams this year of boys against girls. So my team will be my mom, sister, Ross's girlfriend Ashley, and myself. Team name: The Lady A's. Pretty cute, eh? The boys team will consist of my dad, my brother, Phil, and my cousin Brandon...I think. Team Name: Dukes of Ashland. (Phil came up with that. lol!) It should be fun. I'll be honest, I'm depending a lot on the girls on my team because I have no sense of direction...and my brother always finds a way to cheat at games...and Phil and my dad are speeders, but we shall see!! Kristi's team won last year but I refuse to let her win again. :-) Here is a little article about it from the News Journal:

Don't chicken out: Scavenger hunt funds outreach effort


ASHLAND -- Thrill-seeker? Highly competitive? Love "The Amazing Race"?

If you answered "yes" to any of these, you won't want to miss the Coupes to Coops Scavenger Hunt Road Rally.

Based on the Emmy-award winning CBS reality show "The Amazing Race," the adult scavenger hunt was created by Empower Worldwide Outreach, of Ashland, last year as a fundraiser to support their initiatives.

The race was so successful that the event will take place again this year on Sept. 25 -- and several past participants are returning with it.

"Oh gosh, we had people say this was the most fun they ever had," said event coordinator Carrie Snell. "Last year's champs will be returning, and they're bound and determined to win again."

Money raised at event will go toward Empowering Grandmothers while Generating Support, which was established in 2007 by members of Empower Worldwide Outreach.

According to Outreach president Kathy Ditlevson, E.G.G.S. provides hens to impoverished grandmothers raising orphans in Kenya.

"These grandmothers expected to have their children take care of them as they aged, and instead they have ended up taking care of their grandchildren because their own children are dying of AIDs," she said. "Some of these grandmothers are caring for 18 to 20 children."

In September 2007, hens were given to two grandmothers in Mongu.

"We had a short-term goal to feed impoverished families," Ditlevson said. "They'd be able to sell the eggs and the poultry from the hen."

The local race will not only support these efforts, but provide a full day of fun for participating teams.

Snell outlined the event.

"For someone who hasn't seen the show, basically the teams will be deciphering clues in order to get to the next stop," she said, noting that even those who are not from Ashland will not have a problem being able to get from place to place.

"Last year, some people struggled because they didn't know the area, but we changed things this year so we don't have that issue," she said.

Teams of four are timed on how long it takes them to figure out all clues and get back where they started, the Park Street Brethren Church, 619 Park Street, Ashland.

"It's challenging and it's strategic," Snell said. "It's not necessarily the team that comes back the fastest automatically wins because there are certain things you can do while you're at each stop. The very last team that comes in could be the winner."

The team that gets the most clues correct and in the fastest time will win the event.

The entry fee of $35 per person also covers a homemade dinner at the church upon their return. Participants can register in groups of four. Individuals, pairs or trios will be placed on a team.

Raffle baskets will be available on site and at various locations around town. Each is valued between $500 and $700. Winners do not need to be present to win.

The themed baskets include tickets to the Ohio State versus Purdue football game at the 10-yard-line lower level, season tickets to all the Ashland University events, gift cards and games.

Undisclosed prizes will be presented to the first-, second-, third- and last-place finishers.

Participants are preferred to be 18 or older.

"The clues are not impossible, but probably will take an adult brain to figure some of them out," Snell said.

Other recommendations include bringing a cell phone to call for help if needed and a good driving habits.

"If we catch you speeding, we'll dock you points," Ditlevson said with a laugh. "We wanted to do something unique and something we would be known for. Last year was so successful and we can't wait to see how this year will go."