The dial-up connection at my mom’s is killing me. By the time I get email checked it’s been over an hour online and I just don’t have the gumption to write a post. We’ve been busy, busy, busy, and time is flying by. The weather has jumped from lovely high 60s and low 70s to high 80s and low 90s and I’m sweltering now.
The kids were great on the plane trip and we had a yummy, though very pricy, sushi lunch at Amsterdam airport, and we arrived with no problems.
The day after we got here my sister and her family and my brother arrived, but his wife never made it as she had to fly directly home from their camping trip to Yellowstone as her father’s cancer has worsened and the prognosis isn’t good, which put a damper on things.
My mom held a family reunion party the day after that and I got to see my aunt and uncle (whom I haven’t seen in 6 years!) several cousins and lots of relatives. Fun! I miss these family get-togethers. We also spent a day at the Detroit Zoo, but had little luck seeing animals as it was a hot day and they were all indoors or sleeping.
John, and Sarah’s husband, Tom, left after a week. Sarah and her 2 kids stayed but our plans got a bit derailed since one cousin’s kid got pinkeye so we couldn’t go see them again and then my uncle decided to move my grandmother this past week instead of in 2 weeks, so we spent most of this week at her home packing her up, getting her moved and unpacking in her new place. Plans to see my college roommates also got postponed so our last week here will be a hectic one. We did see Toy Story 3 which was GREAT.
The kids, at least, have had several days at the beach (while we were packing, taking turns standing lifeguard) and we’ve gotten the majority of the shopping done as well. Yesterday we celebrated Independence Day by taking in the Lexington 4th of July parade (on July 3rd…ALL of the parades and fireworks were yesterday, what’s up with that??) and had a great time. It was everything I could have asked for in a small-town patriotic parade and the kids gathered lots of candy from the people running for office, so they were happy. We were too tired to drive back up for fireworks, though.
Anders and Tom both arrived today and we went to see Eclipse, (which wasn’t that great, but at least advanced the story), and then we grilled hot dogs for dinner in my mom’s new firepit in the backyard (more HOT).
Tomorrow is laundry and packing for Chicago, we leave Tuesday morning and will be at my sister’s for 1 night, in the city for 2 nights and at a friend’s 1 night before driving back to Michigan…heading up to Caseville in the tip of the thumb to see aunts & uncles and my college roommates and then have 4 days before the trip is over. It’s going too fast.
Haven’t been able to read or comment and this will most likely be my only post since trying to deal with anything online with a slow dial-up is literally AGONIZING. Ciao for now, all!