Great American Road Trip--Part 3

July 18th on our way to Brian's parents house we stopped in La Crosse, WI to visit my Uncle Neil who lives in a nursing home there. The kids enjoyed their visit with him. We showed up just as he was about to make his rounds to check on all the flower and vegetable gardens that he is a part of planning, etc. The kids really enjoyed his teaching them about what they saw. They also were able to see his cow collection and Indian arrowhead collection. It was nice to see that he still had out the ostrich egg with a cow painted on it that I got him in Israel when I lived over there for a time on a kibutz.

I was so glad the kids were able to meet Uncle Neil. He is such an amazing person. Disabled from a young age due to polio and he has an "excellent spirit" and is so knowledgeable about so much!!

Ross was so funny . . . as we were walking into the nursing home Ross said loudly "This is actually pretty nice!!" The lady at the front desk and Uncle Neil thought that was pretty funny!

Great American Road Trip--Part 2

July 16th we arrived in Owatonna, MN to visit with my brother Ben and his son Canon. We had a great time with them. Owatonna is where I was born and lived until the summer before I went into 5th grade. The house behind us in the picture above was our home. I will never forget that address! 146 East Rice Street! It was fun to show that house to the kids.

Uncle Ben took the kids on a tour of Pillsbury Baptist Bible College where our dad taught Bible for almost 20 years. He helped to train MANY people for ministry. Uncle Ben told the kids funny stories and memories and misheif he got into as a child there!

Clearwaters is a special building because that is where our dad had his office and, of course, we have memories of our time there with Dad.

This picture just strikes me as funny. I call this picture (above) the "Piped Piper of Pillsbury" because of all the kids trailing behind my brother.

Before Pillsbury was a Bible college it was a military school that is why the canon is there. The kids enjoyed the canon! I was glad they were able to see some of where I grew up and what it is like. Gabriel liked mid-westerners and their friendliness.

Besides looking around Owatonna the kids had fun swimming with Uncle Ben and Cousin Canon. They were at the pool for hours. They told me later Uncle Ben gave them a choice of what they wanted for lunch and one of the choices was ice cream so that is what they picked!!! They thought that was just GREAT!! That is what memories are made of.

Great American Road Trip--Part 1

We got an email from a relative telling us concerns about Brian's grandmother Ames. We love her dearly and haven't seen her in years. Ross was named after her husband. Brian is just swamped in school work but he and I decided I should take off on a road trip with the kids to Wisconsin to spend time visiting with her. The picture above shows what our life included with 4 weeks of travelling! Hotels meant alot of swimming opportunities! We left on our trip on July 12th.

The first night we stayed in Fallon, NV (which is where we lived last year),

the second night we stayed in Salt Lake City, Utah,

the third night we stayed in Cheyenne, Wyoming, the

fourth night we stayed just inside the border of Iowa.

At one of our gas stops we came to a free musuem which included a real very, very old sod house. We went inside and did not want to spend much time there. It was very small and dirty and uncomfortable. The lady that ran the museum told use how many people lived in it and I think it was 8. I don't even understand how that could be possible. The place was tiny!! The kids got to sit in the wagon (picture above) while we were there.

Somebody had made this horse and indian out of barbed wire! Looked pretty realistic from a distance! It freaked Carson out!

Outside the sod house.

A fun place to take pictures at the museum. It was a great place to take a break and learn some things!

This is the Mormon tabernacle. It was only blocks from our hotel so after dinner and some swimming we walked over and had a looked. The kids enjoyed seeing the beautiful gardens and buildings but I was in teaching mode especially when we read some of the words next to statues. The false teachings were quite evident. So sad. Such moral people but that is not going to get them to heaven.

The kids in front of the tabernacle. It was a great teaching opportunity about what some people believe and see a famous site.

Ross by the Fallon hospital sign in Fallon, NV. This is the hospital where he was born.

Princess Camp-June 2010

Annalina went to a week of princess camp. She learned about etiquette (The first day she said that Mommy had taught her that!) and got to do crafts, more ballet, and hang out with some girls and do girl things. Each day of the week she went as a princess and during the week she went as a princess from at least 3 countries. Above is an American princess. I wish so badly I had taken a picture of her as the Mexican princess. She looked ADORABLE. Thank you Grandpa J for all the clothes from other countries!!

Annalina as a Chinese Princess.

The last day of camp they put on a program to display what they had learned and perform a song and a ballet dance piece. Annalina's groups piece was beautiful and she did a great job. When it was her turn to curtsy she did some type of spin and a beautiful curtsy. The man video taping next to us went Wow!! She enjoyed her week and that was the point.

Uncle Quentin and Aunt Theo Come to Visit!! July 2010

We had a great time when Uncle Quentin and Aunt Theo came to visit us!! One of the places we took them to was 17 Mile Drive and we saw the "Lone Cypress" (above). Uncle Quentin, Gabriel, and Babe also took a hike in Carmel Valley earlier in their visit.

I love this picture of Auntie Theo with Ross and Carson at a stop on 17 Mile Drive!

They love their Auntie.

Uncle Q took the kids fishing. Annalina and Ross's attention span was short and ended up at the park across the pond but Gabriel held out but unfortunately no catch. At least they tried!

Uncle Q found a small crab at one of our stops on 17 Mile Drive. We love

to stop and look for living creatures.

Carson Boy just being cute!

Creature hunting at China Rock stop on 17 Mile drive.

Waves offer so much entertainment and wet shoes!!

Picture timeout at 17 Mile Drive Beach.

Auntie Theo teaching Annalina how to knit. Annalina enjoyed it

and did much better than I did!

Auntie Theo teaching Ross how to move the needles for knitting! He wanted to learn. He didn't have the coordination for for holding the needles but he started learning how to move the yarn, etc. Theo has the patience of JOB!!!

Lots and Lots of hand to hand or hand to sword combat took place

while Uncle Quentin was here. The kids love it!