5 August 2010

Today I got to go for an early bike ride--so, so many bugs!!! Finished packing for our trip. Left for the airport @ 1. Picked up Branden Lewis & got gas. Headed to the airport by 1:30 (Michele is in the air!!). Arrived DTW @3. It was hard to leave my kids. Lexie was pretty das. I am really excited for my trip and I hope she is distracted and happy while I am gone. :)

I checked the monitors and discover which gate Michele will be at in 30 min. Man is she a sight for sore eyes. I started to bawl the minute she got off the plane. We had 2 1/2 hours to kill. It went by in about 2 seconds. It feels like we were never apart.

We left Detroit about 8:30 (a little behind schedule). We were served a snack, then dinner. After more chatting--we are now settling in to try to sleep on the last 7 hours of our 9 hour flight.

How about you go on a little trip?

So in March Michele's husband called and said that he wanted to send Michele on a trip for their aniversary. He couldn't go but wondered if I might have some time to get away between my summer classes. I figured I had a few days between the 5th and the 23rd of Aug. and told him so.

A few days later Michele called and we happily began brainstorming where we might like to go. It was fun to throw out ideas like a train tour of New England, Seattle, Vegas (we both quickly said nah to that one), ...

We began talking about traveling abroad...England, France (she was just there), South America...

I jokingly suggested Italy because, of course, it is the one place I have always wanted to go! My friend loves me and I can not express how it feels to be so loved by another person. She is the most selfless and generous person that I know. 2 weeks later she had booked a 17 day cruise of Italy, Greece, and Turkey. Complete with shore excursion tours and private tours of all the important spots we would see on our way.

I journaled every day of our trip and this blog is mostly a detailed chronical of the entire time. Please feel free to read if you would like to. I don't want to forget anything so I will probably post most of my journal entries. It was so, so amazing. In addition to all the places I got to see, I spent time with a person who encourages me, who appreciates me, and who helps me stretch beyond what is right in front of me.

Thank you Michele, and Mike, for this amazing experience!

Slip and Slide baby, Slip and Slide!

At our house it isn't summer until the slip & slide comes out!

Today was the day. Lexie and her friend Marissa slid until they could slide no more!

Now that is how you beat 95 degree heat!

Pure summer fun!

With a quick pose at the end for the camera man, they are off to get back in line to do it over and over again!

When the girls had gotten good and wet, Brady was ready to hop in to the action.

This kid has always loved the slip and slide.

He was beaming the entire time.

With Bradon's mad camera skills, every happy smile, slide, and splash was captured!

As well as the hamming it up for the lens!

Proving, yet again, that you are never too old for summer or for the slip and slide!

Brady's Birthday and Father's Day

Brady got bike gloves, a computer for his bike, sunglasses,

Bottle tops (from me and from Grandma Nancy), lava cake mix (from Alyssa)

shot blocs, a handle bar bag, and tickets to Splash City!

Alyssa made him a cheesecake and later made him lava cakes.

He was a very happy guy!

Brady graciously shared his birthday with Gary's Father's Day celebration this year.

Alyssa bought him a bottle of blueberry balsamic vinegar. Gary love, love, loves balsamic vinegar. He was very happy.

He also got the yard tools that he ordered. ;)

Hales Visit and Wii Games

I took a whole bunch of pictures of Grandma playing the Wii. I didn't think anyone would believe me if I told them!

Unfortunately, I can't find any of the pictures I took, except this one! Grrr...

On the day that all the big kids took Gary and Steve to the roller coaster park Lexie and I took Grandma and Granpa to the Imagination Station children's science and discovery museum in Toledo.

They had new displays since the last time we were there so we really had a fun time.

Granpa and Grandma had a super good time in the hurricane simulator (in case you can't tell)!

Hales' Visit and Amish Country

My in laws came to visit at the same time that Alyssa's best friend Alyse was here. The whole crowd loaded up and went to Kirtland to see the church sites.

Unfortunately I had to stay home and go to class like a good girl but they had a ball without me. Imagine that!

They even were able to see one of our favorite missionaries, Sister Wright. She ended up being their tour guide. Lexie was really happy to see her.

After Kirtland, they headed to the local Amish village to check out the handcrafted items and the cheese factory.

Steve and Brandon found a really "special" way to entertain themselves.

Did I mention that they found ways to have fun even though I wasn't there to supervise?!

Freaks.

Summer 2010-so far!

We love the little things here in Ohio and we are relishing as many of them as we can.

Summers here include:

Enjoying the many hummingbirds that stop by our feeder.

Looking for frogs on the bike path with our friends.

Picking the raspberries and mulberries that grow like crazy on the bike trail.

Just enjoying hot summer days on the bike trail.

Playing in the major rainstorms that come our way.

The amount of water that we get is amazing to us all!

We also got to help with the local tornado clean up efforts.


Now that was hot and dirty work! I lost 7 pounds in one day...too bad I found all 7 soon after! ;)