Gettin' caught up...

Jeff and I are back from Chicago. I started writing this days ago, when it seemed timely to say that. Now it seems rather like old news. We had such a good time and learned that a weekend goes by even MORE quickly without the kids around. At any rate, our friends are married now, and off on their honeymoon to Mexico.
Why is it that whenever I go to a wedding, afterwards I think "Man, I wish I was going to an all-inclusive resort in Mexico, Jamaica, wherever!" Cause I always do, and we NEVER do, I suppose! I wish I had some great pictures of our weekend, but I don't! We didn't even get one.single.picture of us together on this childless escapade. However, I did manage to snap this one of the view out of our hotel window on Friday:

It's pretty darn funny, considering that we drove six hours to get a view of the building of the company Jeff works at.... Chicagoland location!

Aunt Wo stayed with the kids all weekend... yes, she's probably a saint. I think her plan was to keep them sooooo occupied that they were exhausted by the end of the day. On Friday, they went out to the school she'll be teaching at this fall, carried boxes of her supplies in, a carpet for her reading corner and ran around the halls. They they went out for pizza. On Saturday, James took the boys fishing, Wo took the girls to the play place at the mall, then out for happy meals. Then... they blew up our waterslide, invited friends over to play... decided they wanted to go to the "beach" (we have a park nearby with a river that has a beach on one side for swimming) THEN came back in time to watch Hannah Montana in 3D on the Disney Channel.

I think Sunday was pretty low-key (although James did take the boys fishing nearby again!) but sheesh! And Kaia.... well, Kaia didn't cry when I (the woman who has taken care of her for her ENTIRE LIFE) left her... but she did when Wo and James left on Sunday. It didn't hurt my feelings. Not one little bit. Ok, maybe a tiny bit.... but I'm over it. Mostly.

I also want to take a minute to document VBS that we spent many, many hours on last week. The kids had a great time, and it was an awesome week, I must say. I was working with the directors.... I think they're thinking that next year I might want to be a director (Pure speculation on my part, but volunteers are always welcome!) and got to see how the whole thing came together. Here's a picture of the kids practicing for their Sunday concert:



This was Colton's last year of VBS, as a participant. Next year, he'll be able to be a youth volunteer, and I'm sure he'll do it. (Especially if I have to recruit volunteers!) He's reaching the age where he's too cool to do things (although you wouldn't know it by the Hannah Montana wig picture) so he spent a lot of the week trying to act a little disinterested. In lieu of that, he acted obnoxious. I'm sure this will only improve as he ages. Can't wait!





The girls and Hunter had a great time... did their projects, listened to stories, played and had fun. Kaia did OK in the nursery, she only had to go for two days, which was enough for her. Grandma Vicki took care of her on Thursday, Jeff took care of her on Monday and Friday. When we went back to pick up the kids on Friday at noon (I was only there for part of the morning, as I needed to pack for our trip!)... Kaia started crying when we got in the parking lot. I think it might have done her in to spend every morning there!!

Isn't that adorable? On Wednesday, there was a dinner at Church and the kids performed their songs, and we all learned (?!) how to hula. Kaia decided she wanted to dress up in her Tinkerbell outfit, and she got a lot of compliments. So many, in fact, that it made her thirsty.

We're getting ready to head out for our "vacation"... which I shouldn't put in quotes, probably, but can it really be a vacation if you only go 2 hours from home? We've gone through so many plans... first, Colorado Springs, then the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee, then the Wisconsin Dells, and where are we going? Clear Lake, Iowa. Which is actually a place I have wanted to go, as I spend a few years of my youth in nearby Mason City.... but I must say, I had much grander plans for this years vacation. Darn Dependence on Foreign Oil.

I blame George Bush.