Summer Vacation 2011 Part 6

Saturday, July 16 was our first full day in Iowa City. We got up and walked a couple of blocks to the street fair. It was really neat, they had tons of different vendors set up, so we decided to get breakfast. Everything was fresh and organic, sooo yummy! I had egg and cheese on a crossant. I got kinda grossed out when I saw the chickens next to the vendor's tent and thought maybe MY egg came from one of them. Then I had to remind myself that that is where eggs come from! After the street fair, we walked back to the hotel to hang out for a bit.

That afternoon, everyone went to a local park for a picnic. It was the same park that some of our cousins had been married at about 30 years ago, so it was fun to see. We had some great barbecue sandwiches and all the sides that go with them. Alright, get ready for a lot of pictures! This is me, Philip, and Aunt Joanne (Grandma Esther's sister):

Aunt Joanne is sooo sweet! She kept talking to us about Grandma and how glad she was that we could come and be with the family so soon after her death. This is Hannah and cousin Tait (one of the ones that got evicted from the hotel the night before):

Tait is a good kid. I think he is 23 years old...he is from Iowa City. Tait is a professional skier and moved to Lake Tahoe, California to ski and works as a ski medic. Basically, he is like an EMT but only for skiers...pretty exciting! This is me, Ella, Hannah, and cousin Lily:

Ella and Lily are around the same age and they usually hang out together at the reunions. Lily was going around collecting name tags...looks like her shirt is almost full! This is cousin Katie, Philip, Aunt Joanne, and Tait.

Katie is the cousin that I am closest to, we are about 6 months apart. Aunt Joanne is Katie and Tait's grandma. Basically, there were 5 sisters, my grandma, Aunt Joanne, Aunt Irene, Aunt Jeanne, and Aunt Marianna and they all had kids (my mom and all her first cousins). Aunt Joanne and Aunt Jeanne are the only sisters left now that Grandma is gone. But all of their kids and their kids' kids and even their kids' kids' kids attend the reunions every summer. We always get a chance to go through pictures and think about all the memories together. Here are a lot of the cousins in my age group: Tait, Ben, Brigid, Hannah, Dan, me, Philip, Mae, and Katie. Ben and Brigid are brother and sister and they have another brother that didn't attend because he was at camp. Mae and Tait are brother and sister. Dan and Katie are brother and sister also.

After the picnic, us older kids went to a creek/river with big rocks/cliffs to jump off and swim. I didn't participate, not big on jumping into water that I know nothing about! After being there awhile, some park rangers came and said that no jumping was allowed and everyone would have to leave. Everyone was disappointed but started packing everything up to go. Ben (see above) got angry about leaving and started mouthing off to the rangers. It was a long walk back to the car and Ben could not shut up. When we got back to the car, the rangers were angry and asked for Ben's ID. Ben ended up getting a ticket for not following posted signs. Apparently there were signs saying jumping was prohibited? Everyone else got a verbal warning, but Ben has to pay a $170 fine basically for having an attitude. After all that excitement, we went back to the hotel.

That night, everyone was free to do what they wanted for dinner. Us older kids decided to go to one of the college pizza places. It was really yummy! This is me, Brigid, Philip, Mae, Lily, Ben, Ella, Mary (Dan's wife), Dan, their baby Harris, Tait, Hannah, and Katie all getting ready to walk to dinner:

It was another late night Saturday night. After dinner, we went back to the hotel and hung out on the rooftop patio until really late. Nobody got evicted that night though :)

Sunday morning, we got up, packed, checked out of the hotel, and went to Jim and Beth's house for brunch. Jim is my mom's first cousin and Aunt Joanne's son. Jim and Beth are Katie and Dan's parents. We had a yummy brunch of bagels, muffins, pastries, fruit, juice, and coffee. We went through some old photos of Aunt Joanne's and picked out ones we wanted. I got a bunch of pictures from me when I was a baby and some from when my mom was a teen, so fun!

After brunch, Philip, Hannah, and I got on the road to head back to Kansas City. We had a wonderful time at the reunion. Its always great to see family and we really appreciated everyone's love and support during the tough time of Grandma's passing. Next up, the last days of our vacation...Finally!

Summer Vacation 2011 Part 5

Wow my vacation was long! So when I stopped writing last, I was in Kansas City, Missouri and it was Friday, July 15. Philip worked a half day and then Hannah and I picked him up and headed to Iowa City, Iowa for the annual family reunion.

My mom's side of the family has a reunion every year and the location changes each year. When everybody is able to attend, we have about 80 people! We always have the same type of schedule: Friday evening - meet & greet and dinner by the pool, Saturday: picnic in a local park and sometimes a nice dinner at a local restaurant, Sunday: brunch at whoever's house is in the city we are in. In past years, we have gone to Kansas City Missouri, Des Moines Iowa, Iowa City Iowa, Peachtree City Georgia, Seattle Washington, Portland Oregon, Austin Texas, and Chicago Illinois. We usually rotate between the 2 Iowa cities and Missouri because most of the family lives in the midwest.  

So, this year, the reunion was in Iowa City and we had a great time. It was a little different this year because all but one of the "young" cousins had turned 21 in the past year. The group of cousins I am in ranges from 19-28 years old. All of our parents are first cousins so I guess that makes us second cousins? I'm not really good at all of that. Someone usually brings it up and confuses everyone so we all are just "cousins."

Friday evening, there was live music and a street fair right outside the hotel, so everyone hung out and grabbed dinner from street vendors and in little places downtown. That night, we hung out at the pool. Some of the cousins were drinking and got a little rowdy, but it was all innocent fun until around 3:00 AM...

The hotel pool closed at 11:00 PM and the staff told everyone they had to get out of the pool. Everyone was fine with it and we all headed out to a rooftop patio to continue visiting and having fun. Some of the cousins live in Iowa City, so they had some of their friends come join us. We had about 30 people out on the patio just hanging out. Around 1:00 AM, some of the cousins and friends got back in the pool. The hotel staff came and told them to get out and not to get back in.

Around 3:00 AM, a couple of the same cousins and a few different friends decided to get back in the pool. [Alcohol makes people do stupid things]. The hotel staff came and kicked them out...like evicted them from the hotel! I was in my room watching tv quietly, so I was not one of the "bad ones." Philip and Hannah were also on their best behavior and got to stay.

Friday was a LONG day with shopping, a 4 hour drive, and staying up til 4:00 AM having a great time with family! Saturday was even better...and the post will be too because I have pictures from Saturday :)

Happy Birthday Mom!

I'm taking a break from the summer vacation posts to wish my mom a Happy Birthday! My mom was one of the best moms you could ever have. She was able to stay home with us as kids and was very involved in our schools, sports, and church. This is me, Philip, and Mom...probably 1991?

My mom died in 1998 at the age of 35. She would have been 48 today. Its hard to believe she has been gone that long! Mom was loved by everyone. I miss her everyday. I know we will be together again someday. This is around 1992 - top to bottom, Grandma Jean, Grandpa Tom, Grandma Esther, Uncle Freddie, Aunt Emilie, Mom, me, Dad, Uncle Kent, Hannah, and Philip:

 Here is my dad, me, and my mom in 1986:

Happy birthday Mom, love you and miss you tons! 



Summer Vacation 2011 Part 4

Thursday, July 14, after the loooooonnnnngggg car ride from Dallas, we finally arrived in Kansas City, Missouri. Aunt Amanda dropped Hannah and I off to meet our brother Philip. He picked us up and we went to his house. Philip had worked all day and wanted to shower so Hannah and I hung out with his roommate. After Philip got ready, he took us to his girlfriend Sydney's house. Sydney and her family were really sweet. We hung out with them for a little while and then Philip took Hannah and I to our grandparents's house. Grandma and Grandpa are my dad's parents and they always let us stay with them when we are in Kansas City. Here they are with all 8 grandchildren:

Hannah and I stayed at their house Thursday night and Philip went back to his house. Friday morning, Grandpa took Hannah and I to Enterprise to pick up our rental car for the weekend. After getting the car, Hannah and I went to Zona Rosa , a huge outdoor shopping center near Grandma and Grandpa's house. I got some cute sandals at Forever 21 for $7 and I was pretty excited. After shopping, Hannah and I went to Pizza Shoppe, our absolute favorite place to eat in Kansas City! Our dad actually worked at Pizza Shoppe when he was in high school and for a few years after. When Philip first moved to Kansas City, he worked there also. The pizza is so good but we go for the salads. Pizza Shoppe has their own salad dressing, simply called "Pink Stuff." It is a thick, creamy, garlicy dressing and it is amazing! The salads are pretty simple, lettuce, black olives, pepperonis, bacon bits, and mozzarella cheese, but they are so good because of the dressing. After lunch, Hannah and I went to Philip's house. He worked a half day and then went home to get ready for our next road trip. Philip, Hannah, and I were happy to all be back together again! Here we are:

 We loaded up the car and started the drive to Iowa City, Iowa. This ride was much easier because it was just 3 of us in the car and it was only a 4 hour drive! Next up, our weekend in Iowa City!

Summer Vacation 2011 Part 3

Tuesday, July 12, Hannah and I left the coffee shop with Aunt Emilie and headed to her house in Georgetown, Texas. Aunt Emilie had some things to do, so Hannah and I borrowed her car and went out to do some shopping. We picked up Schlotzsky's Deli for dinner and went back to Emilie's. That night, Hannah and I went through some of Grandma's things and gathered up some photos to keep. We also found some clay bowls that our mom made when she was younger. Hannah and I had no idea that our mom was into pottery and it is so neat to be able to have these items that she made! Mom carved her initials and the year she made them in the bottom of each item. I got a bowl and a candle holder, Hannah got 2 bowls, and we got 2 more bowls for our brother Philip.

On Wednesday, July 13, we got up and got ready for the day. Grandma's nurse, Ashley, came by the house so we could meet her. She had been helping Grandma for several months. It was so nice to meet Ashley and listen to her stories about Grandma. Hannah and I thanked her for taking care of Grandma and being so sweet with her. After Ashley left, Aunt Amanda and Ella came to Emilie's house and we loaded up the car to head to Dallas. We made the 4 hour drive and arrived at our cousin Tim's house around dinner time. Tim and his wife Annie have 2 children, Jack (4) and Mary Tutt (2). This is Ella, Mary Tutt, Hannah, and Jack:

We ordered pizza and just hung out with Tim and Annie and the kids. They are so cute! Here's another...this is Ella, Jack, Mary Tutt, and Aunt Emilie:

Amanda, Ella, Emilie, Hannah, and I left Tim and Annie's house and went to our hotel. We unloaded the car and hung out in the room for a bit and went to bed early to prepare for the long day ahead!

On Thursday, July 14, we all got up early, loaded the car, and hit the road to Kansas City, Missouri. We stopped at Whole Foods, an organic grocery store. We all got breakfast burritos (a Texas breakfast staple) and coffee. We got some trail mix and other snacks for the road and got back in the car for the 9 hour drive. It was a long and somewhat uncomfortable ride. We had 5 people (4 adults) in a Toyota Camry. Hannah, Ella, and I were in the back seat. I did a lot of reading and sleeping on the ride. About halfway through the ride, we stopped at Braum's for lunch. They had burgers and chicken sandwiches and ice cream. After lunch, we got back on the road to finish the drive.

We arrived in Kansas City, Missouri around dinner time and met up with our brother Philip. Next up, our night in Kansas City and trip to Iowa City, Iowa.

Summer Vacation 2011 Part 2

On Monday, July 11, I got up around 5 AM and headed to the airport. My sister Hannah met me there and we caught a flight to San Antonio, Texas. We arrived in Texas and our Aunt Amanda and cousin Ella (13) picked us up. Here they are:

When they picked us up, we headed to lunch at a place called Freddy's. Its an old diner type restaurant with burgers, hot dogs, and homemade frozen custard. I think they only have them in Texas and Oklahoma. I had a steakburger and shoestring fries, so yummy! After lunch, we made the 2 hour drive to Austin, Texas where Aunt Amanda lives.

We got settled in at Aunt Amanda and Uncle David's house and rested for a bit. Aunt Amanda had some phone calls to make and some paperwork to complete. Remember, this is only 2 days after Grandma died and Aunt Amanda and Aunt Emilie were her two main caregivers. So, Aunt Amanda was handling a lot of "after life business." We ran some errands and then just hung out at the house. Aunt Emilie stopped by on her way home from work and had dinner with us. Hannah and I went to bed early because it was a long day of traveling.

Tuesday, July 12, we went to Barton Springs to swim and lay out. It was a really neat place. The "pool" is actually man-made but it is filled by some natural springs and has fish and water plants in it. The water is freezing because of the springs, so I didn't get in. Ella and her friend Claire swam while Hannah, Amanda, and I sat in the sun. We hung out there for a couple of hours and then went to lunch at Torchy's Tacos. I had a burrito and it was pretty good. We also got dessert and had these things called Little Nookies. They are deep-fried chocolate chip cookies covered in powdered sugar. I'm sure they were a bunch of calories, but I only had 1 and it was amazing. It tasted like cookie dough with a crunchy outside and melted chocolate chips, so good! After lunch, we went back to Amanda's house to shower and get all of our stuff together.

When everyone was done getting ready, Hannah and I loaded our suitcases in the car and Aunt Amanda took us to Lighthouse Hospice, where Grandma was when she died. Hannah and I were able to see Grandma's room and the rest of the facility. We sat outside in the courtyard for a little while. It was very pretty and peaceful. While we were there, we saw a hummingbird flying around us. Aunt Amanda said it was a sign that Grandma was with us because she loved hummingbirds. It made us all happy and sad at the same time. I'm glad we were able to see where Grandma was in her last moments.

After the hospice, we all went to a local coffee shop and got iced coffees and waited for Aunt Emilie to get off work. Emilie met us at the coffee shop and Hannah and I went with her to Georgetown, Texas, where she and Grandma lived together. This is Aunt Amanda, Aunt Emilie, and their brothers, Uncle John and Uncle George, with Grandma a couple years ago at Aunt Amanda's house.

Next up, our visit to Georgetown and Dallas, Texas!

Summer Vacation 2011 Part 1

On Sunday, July 10, I dropped Cooper off with my friend Kenny and headed to my parents' house in Peachtree City, GA. My stepmom was out of town, so it was just my dad and little brother Sean there. This was the first time I was home that my parents were living in their new house. I had seen the house before when it was empty, but its completely different when all the furniture is in it. This is the new house:

They love the new house. It is in a neighborhood just down the street from the old house, but the new neighborhood is better for families with young children. The new house is a little smaller and has a pool, so jealous! My parents and Sean had been living there about 3 weeks when I went to visit, but the house almost felt like home. My stepmom is really good at decorating and making places feel comfortable.

My dad, Sean, and I went to the grocery store and Target and then hung out at the house. I took Sean to TCBY for some frozen yogurt. LOVE the new yogurt places, so many flavors and toppings! After Sean went to bed that night, my dad and I got to catch up and watch tv together. It was a nice relaxing Sunday to begin my vacation!

Sean is so cute, he took my camera for some self-portraits, here is his best one:

Such a cutie, love my baby brother! Next up...Texas!