Our Amazing Race

Recently, Scott and I went to Nevada to see my stepdad, Dick, and to buy my mom's Expedition from him. It may sound strange to some, but my mom loved that car and took great care of it. It was something we just couldn't have some stranger driving around in. It was so...hers. When my mom died, Scott and I went out to Nevada to see Dick I even took a picture of the car - it was something that was special to her and I just had to have a picture to take with me. I told Dick that I would buy it, if or when he ever wanted to sell it. I know it sounds strange to some people. After Scott's grandpa passed away this spring, I know a lot of his family must feel that way about his old Ford pick up. It's just something you can't explain. So Dick was ready to sell and Scott and I went to Nevada while Gigi (visiting from Florida) stayed with Olivia and Ethan. They had so much fun with Gigi visiting Aunt Deb and family, Grandpa, etc. Here they are with their new Build a Bear t-shirts Gigi got them in Florida...















"The Amazing Race" is our favorite reality t.v. show. We even started the application process to be on it - before we had kids. There were moments on our trip to and from Nevada that felt a little bit like we had actually made the show! On the flight to Chicago we weren't seated by each other but that was okay, we would just try to get seats by each other on the next flight. Unfortunately, while we were getting off the one flight the other was already boarding! After waiting for a shuttle to get us to the other area of O'Hare we had to sprint down the entire concourse! Wow am I out of shape. That definitely felt like "The Amazing Race"! We made it to our flight but we weren't able to switch seats, so we were one row apart both in the middle seat. Poor Scott really had it bad. He was inbetween two guys, one who got sick near the end of the flight. I had one of the "Guidos" next to me. A nice tax attorney/CPA from New York wearing a royal blue corduroy sports coat and more jewelry than me. He was meeting his "friend" in Las Vegas for a weekend at Caesar's Palace. Too funny. I was just glad we made the flight and weren't going to have some horrendous lay over.

We quickly found Dick and our luggage and walked out into a scorching oven! I can not believe I ever lived in weather like that!! 110 degrees is just too hot. We had a nice ride down to Laughlin. It was so good to see Dick and talk to him face to face. He can really crack us up! Scott and I just think he is so funny. We went back to his home and visited for a while before heading to our hotel, The Aquarius. Unfortunately I only got one picture with Dick and he was about to say something when the picture took...













Our hotel, surprisingly inexpensive...















Obviously, this was an emotional trip for me. My mom has only been gone for 19 months. It was so good to go back to Nevada again, under different circumstances. Yet, there were many tears and I could not have done it without Scott beside me. While there are days when not having her here is so hard, I am so happy that my mom is home with Jesus and her parents. I know she is so entirely filled with joy now.


After a short visit (we needed to get back home to the kids so Angie could relax a bit on her vacation) we headed out of Nevada and into Arizona, which is actually right across the river.

















We stopped and stayed in Flagstaff that first day, since we started later in the day. I have always liked Flagstaff, mountains, trees, very beautiful, cooler weather. We had dinner at a Mexican restaurant and lounged in the hot tub. It was a nice, relaxing night.



















New Mexico I really don't have much to say about. No offense to anyone in/from New Mexico, but the part I saw I really never need to see again. Desert, wind, lots of desert, lots of wind, nothingness. Here's me going a little nutty in the desert...
















...because this is what we looked at for HOURS and HOURS...















Then it was on to Colorado which looked a lot different. Scott and I would like to go back someday and see the more mountainous areas, like Boulder.



















The sunRISE...















Hey, are we still in Colorado or is this Nebraska?















The Pony Express riders traveled over 1,000 in miles in 10 days! I found that absolutely amazing!! Super fast!


















In Nebraska next to a gas station we stopped at there was a House of Sod, and a buffalo made of sod and a Native American on horseback made of sod...

















Iowa was so green with many rolling hills, beautiful farmland. It rained for a couple of hours our last morning of traveling. It was really pouring and very dark. Scott was actually grateful for the numerous lightning strikes because they lit up the road and he could see where we were going. There are also so many windmills. They look like something out of a Transformers movie, like at any moment they were going to turn into robots and pick us up and pitch us across the state.

















We were so glad to be home and with the kids again! The Jeep sold right away and I was sad to say goodbye to it, my car for 10 years and our first family car...












...but we LOVE our new (to us) Expedition!

Teddy Bear Parade

In between swim lessons and getting ready for the garage sale, we did a few Summerfest activities. We went to the Farm Museum with Zoe and McCoy...













We also went to the Teddy Parade for the first time. Papa and Grammy came with Kaitlyn and her friend to watch the kids walk in the parade. On our way to the starting point I stopped to take a few pictures of Ethan in his fireman's hat in front of the Coopersville fire department fire truck...















At the end of the parade certificates were announced for all different types of categories. Olivia's best and most loved teddy bear, Sherbert, won "Cutest Bear"!!

Swim Lessons!

Olivia took her first swimming lessons this summer! They were held at the Seaville Swim Club and her teacher was Gini Sessions. Olivia absolutely loved it! She would sing a little song every day on the way there about how much she loved swimming lessons! Her friend from Preschool, Zoe Seifert, took the same class. It worked out great because Zoe's little brother, McCoy, is the same age as Ethan and they played together so well while Michelle and I videotaped and photographed to our heart's content. Michelle and I were so shocked at how quickly the teacher got them in the water and got them going. I think it really helped going every day for two weeks to maintain consistency and help them remember what they were learning. Olivia was unsure at first and very cautious - like she is about most things. Gini did a wonderful job of being sensitive yet getting Olivia to do things. Olivia was so absolutely adamant about not jumping in or going down the slide or off the diving board. Gini would try to coax her in and Olivia would stand back and just shake her head. I really pray that she maintains her amazing ability to firmly stand her ground when she gets older and is dealing with peer pressure. I love that about her! Ethan thoroughly enjoyed watching the activities but will be more pleased when he can jump in and take swimming lessons too! The rules of the pool were that we couldn't go beyond the yellow line, so Ethan would stand on the line and watch or take pictures with his Mickey Mouse camera. Sometimes he would join in their review at the beginning of the lesson. Olivia made great progress over the two weeks! On the last day Gini still had to put Olivia in the water from off the diving board (and into the arms of her helper) but Olivia did walk on the diving board by herself instead of Gini having to carry her as in the days prior. By the end she was able to go all the way under and blow bubbles, her kicks were much more controlled, and she was getting very comfortable in the water. We are all so proud of her and we are so happy that she just absolutely loves it and can't wait until next summer to take swimming lessons again! For a couple of years she did say that she wanted to be a swimmer when she grew up!