Issa's Visit

Date Night- Anthony, Julie, Keri and Trevor

Whiffle Ball Players

Non whiffle ball players

Trace on bumper boats

Sally and Trace

Mommy and Trace- grumpy faces

Silly Faces

Snoopy Character Dance Party

Jeep Ride

Our crew

Our good friends, The Issa's came to visit us this past weekend. We enjoyed our time with them. We swam with them, although the weather was so cool that we had to use the indoor pool at The Centre one day. Kianna made it to the top of the climbing wall at The Centre pool for the first time, which was really exciting. We also had a whiffle ball tournament and played some frisbee golf. We got a sitter one night and went to Toledo for some yummy thai food and to see the new "Wolverine" movie. It was nice to have a night out with our friends.

On Monday, we spent the day at Cedar Point Amusement Park. Kaylee was tall enough to ride whatever rides she wanted to for the first time and Kianna was tall enough to ride on some of the larger rides. Trevor had fun taking the girls around and both girls really enjoyed the roller coasters. Trace and I spent the day enjoying the smaller rides. The kids had a great day!

Camp Week

Matthew, Teresa, Kaylee and I in Shipshewana

Our horse and buggy ride

Trace and Kianna are away each day this week enjoying Water Week Camp at The Centre. They both love water, so it was the perfect choice for them. Kianna's group gets to do a field trip to a water park. She is thrilled to say the least. Other activities have included swimming each afternoon and human battleship where water balloons were launched through the air. Kianna came home on Monday full of stories to tell about that day's activities.

Trace is enjoying his camp too. One of his highlights has been playing "Duck, Duck, Goose" with a cup of water. When they get to "Goose" they get to chase the person and throw water on them. He also has enjoyed playing on a giant slip-n-slide. He has a field trip on Friday to a splash pad and to Spotted Cow for some ice cream sundaes.

While those two are away having their fun, Kaylee and I have been having some fun of our own. We have played games, had several playdates, and we even went to a water park. We also invited our new friends, The Mudrow's, to join us on a trip to amish country in Shipshewana, IN. We had a great time. We spent the first hour at one of the biggest flee markets we had ever seen. There were over 1,200 shops. Kaylee was given $10 for the day and had fun trying to select the perfect items to take back home. The amish are known for their amazing food, so of course we enjoyed a good "home cooked" meal and some bakery items. We also took a horse and buggy ride through the countryside. It was a fun, relaxing way to spend our day.

Next week, Kaylee starts her two week drama camp. At the end of the two weeks, they will perform "Little Mermaid Jr". Kaylee just found out she will be a lagoon animal and a sea creature. She is thrilled. Grandma Becki and Grandpa Bob are even coming to see the big performance, which is extra special!

Devil's Lake

Girls Tubing

Trevor, Trace and Keri

Girls surfing

We stayed in the house in the middle

Trace put himself down for a nap

Katie Holme's just built this house on Devil's Lake

This activity kept the kids busy for hours

Cameron with the turtle they caught

Trevor and Kaylee

Trace and Daddy

Kianna and Trevor

Kaylee and Mommy

Trace and Mommy

Kianna and Mommy

We have had one action packed summer. Upon returning from Iowa, we were invited to stay in our friend's lake house, which is just 20 minutes from Adrian. Our friends, The Cole's, were gracious hosts. They took us tubing one night, fishing in their pontoon the next night and let us use their jet skis. Trace was not a big fan of tubing, but the girls loved it and kept asking to go faster. Kianna had a great time playing with her friend, Cameron. It was a fun time had by all. Thanks Cole family!

Iowa- Summer 2013

Slip-n-Slide with Libby

Visiting Dave

Silly Kids

Gaskill Cousins

Adult Line-Up

Keri with Kids

Alyssa, Kaylee and Jada

Sisters- Bree, Keri and Stacie

Rylan

Walker Cousins

Rylan and Ryan

Jada

Kianna

Aliyah

Trace

Kaylee

Grandma and Mom

Libby, Debi and Dan

Mommy and Kids

Libby with her new camera

Trace fell asleep halfway through the fireworks

Tubing the river

Bruxen opening his gift

Cook Cousins

Bruxen

The kids and I just returned from an action packed week in Iowa. We timed our trip back home to coordinate with my sister, Debi, and her family's trip there. They live in Colorado and we hadn't seen them since our Grandma Gaskill's funeral in January 2012. It was so good to see Debi, Dan and Libby. We both stayed at our dad's house and us girls stayed up chatting until 1:15 AM one night and 2:00 AM another night. I don't remember the last time I had stayed up that late chatting away. It was fun!

We also were able to see my brother, Dave, which was very important to me. Dave and Darla were in a head-on collision on June 7th where he was air lifted to the University of Iowa Hospitals. Dave suffered three broken ribs, a broken pelvis, a shattered femoral head and hip joint resulting in a total hip replacement; as well as, nerve damage resulting in a loss of dorsiflexion (raising foot upwards) in his left foot. Along the way he has had several complications including two blood clots and a knee infection. He was transfered to St. Luke's Inpatient Rehab where he has been making good progress. He is able to walk 125 ft with his walker while not putting any weight on his left leg. It has been a long road to recovery and it has been hard not being there to show my support. The kids and I were able to visit him several times and cheer him on as he was discharged to his home on Friday. He will continue outpatient therapy three times a week. I am so thankful he is alive and that he is doing so well. Praise God!

The rest of the trip was spent catching up with more family and friends. Some highlights include:

• Spending the 4th of July with family we hadn't seen in awhile.
• Watching the kids play on the slip-n-slide with their cousins.
• Watching fireworks downtown.
• Floating down the Macquoketa River with my mom, Bree, Aliyah, and Kaylee. It took us five hours and the weather was perfect. We had some good laughs along the way...
• Trace's sleepover with Bryker.
• Kianna's sleepover with Grandma Becki.
• Kaylee's special evening with Grandma Becki.
• Kianna and Trace's time at the Cook Family Reunion.
• Celebrating Bruxen's 1st Birthday by watching him open his gift.
• Lots of cousin time...
• Amana Colonies
• Girls Night Out

As much fun as we had in Iowa, we were all ready to come back home and see Daddy!