Today the family headed to the beach and then everyone came over for dinner.
Beach Day & Dinner at the RV
Miami -> Punta Gorda
Today we made the 3 hour drive from Miami to Punta Gorda. Holly, Alex, Henry, and Sawyer arrived yesterday in Punta Gorda. We will are staying our RV, about 15 minutes from Alex’s mom’s house, where they are staying.
The drive today was awesome. We drove right through the Everglades. There was a canal along the side of the rode and we must have seen about 100 alligators sunning on the side of the canal. It was cool to see them up close on our airboat ride a couple of days ago, but it was equally as cool to see so many sitting fully out of the water.
4th of July
For the 4th of July this year we are in Cincinnati. We went to the Van Horn’s house in northern Kentucky for a fun-filled evening with the Appel clan. Andrew and Elliot went early with the Donleys to do some golfing. Susan, the girls, and I made it down around dinner time. The older kids had a blast swimming in the lake and would have done that for about 5 hours straight if we had let them. The fireworks show was a little late because they had some technical difficulties, but in the end it was quite the grand experience.
Camp Cayuga
For our second night, are staying at Camp Cayuga (Holly’s house). We are just staying one night here because our campsite at Winton Woods is not available until tomorrow.
Cincinnati Visit
This past weekend we traveled to Cincinnati to help out Holly and attend my cousin Kelly’s wedding on Saturday. It was a fun visit, with plenty to do. We also had the chance to celebrate Mari’s birthday with the Hyland clan.
Cincinnati Visit
Sunday: Drive there
Monday: Dinner with the Romans at Skyline
Tuesday: Dinner at my parents’
Wednesday: Dinner with the Herrels
Thursday: Thanksgiving Breakfast, Thanksgiving dinner at the Radles’
Friday: Hang out, help Holly & Alex move, Holly & Alex’s for dinner
Saturday: Xavier game, Thanksgiving dinner at the Holmes’
Sunday: A very long drive home (11 hours, traffic back-up, rainy!)
Donley Visit
Over the weekend we enjoyed a visit from the Donleys. They actually arrived in town on Wednesday evening and left Monday morning. Thursday we hit Living History Farms during the day. Friday we played mini golf in the afternoon (chigger bites, anyone?) and then hit Fong’s for dinner. Saturday morning we visited Susan at the Farmers’ Market, hung out in the afternoon, and grilled out with the Reagens & Liesses in the evening. On Sunday we went for a swim, went out for ice cream, and then hit the Machine Shed for dinner.
Invalid Displayed Gallery
Cincinnati Visit
We just wrapped up our nearly annual summer trip to Cincinnati.
Day 1: Drive & Skyline
Day 2: Mar-Mar’s birthday and Joyce and Dave’s for 4th of July
Day 3: Rob work, dinner & Smale Park with Romans
Day 4: Dinner at Holly’s
Day 5: Dinner with the Herrels
Day 6: Pizza night at Jill’s
Day 7: Drive home
Invalid Displayed Gallery
Cincinnati Visit
Last week we went to Cincinnati to see the family and work.
Monday: We drove to Cinti. Rose did awesome and totally rocked it – 9:15.
Tuesday: I went to work, Susan and the kids went to the art museum.
Wednesday: Everyone had a snow day, but I went in to work. The Donleys and Beinkempers came to Mar-Mar and Be-Bob’s for some sledding. For dinner we went to the Herrels’.
Thursday: I went to work. Susan and the kids went to the aquarium. We had dinner at Skyline with the Romans, but Susan stayed home with Rose and Lu because Lucia was not feeling well.
Friday: I took the day off and Susan went to observe at the Cincinnati Waldorf School preschool. In the evening many Hyland and Appels came to Mar-Mar and Be-Bob’s for dinner.
Saturday: Drove home. Rose rocked it again – 8:55. Good to be home. We actually took Mari to the Dr right when we got home because a rash she had was not looking good. Turned out to be OK. 🙂
Invalid Displayed Gallery
Donley Family Visit
Thanksgiving in Cincinnati
This past week we headed to Cincinnati for the week. I went to work for a few days and then it was on to Thanksgiving festivities. It was a good, busy visit. We arrived Saturday night and got settled in. On Sunday we headed to church with Mar-mar and then hung out around the house. Monday night was dinner at the Caf at Xavier and then we headed to a Men’s basketball game. Both are always highlights.
Tuesday night we had dinner with the Romans and then the Herrels on Wednesday. Thursday was Thanksgiving breakfast, dinner with my parents and the Donleys, and then we watched The Sound of Music. On Friday Lucia and I went for a hike with Be-Bob, Jill, and Madelyn while Susan and the kids hit Ikea. Dinner was the traditional Friday night LaRosa’s.
Cincinnati Visit
This older kids and I headed to Cincinnati last week to visit family and so I could hit some meetings at work. The kids stayed with Mar-Mar during the day while I went to work. A quick recap:
Tuesday: Leave Des Moines at 9:45. Meet my family at Skyline in Monfort Heights at 7:15.
Wednesday: I leave for work. The kids go to the aquarium with Mar-Mar, Holly, Henry, and Elsie. I go to Tom & Chee for lunch with Simon; the kids go to a different Tom & Chee with their clan. My parents drive to kids to Xavier. We eat dinner in the caf, have to leave early because of a fire alarm, and then go to the Xavier vs Georgetown basketball game, where Xavier goes from 17 points down 5 minutes into the second half to winning by 13.
Thursday: I go to work. The kids hang out at the house all day. The Donley’s and Beinkempers meet up for dinner.
Friday: I don’t go into work until lunch time. The kids hang out with Mar-Mar. We go to Holly’s for dinner, where we are joined by my family, Ruth Ann, and the Herrels, including new baby Leah, who is still new to us. Also on Friday I learn that there is snow moving in on Saturday, so I decide to delay departure by a day.
Saturday: We spent the day hanging out at my parents. The kids went sledding and played in the creek. The Donleys and Beinkempers came over for dinner. We played Apples to Apples.
Good times.
