Great Lakes Science Center

On MLK Jr. Day, the Cleveland Science Center has a free day. At least half of Northern Ohio showed up including me and Karen and the kids.

We took our lunch stayed for a few hours trying out all some of the exhibits.
We put together the St. Louis Arch.
And played in the ball pit.
Sarah helped put the balls in a bucket.
We don't get enough dress-up at home, at least not these kinds of outfits.
Chef Abby
Sarah was very good at doing the buttons.
Playing with blocks at the Space Station.
Putting a string of DNA together.
There were lots of musical instruments including this PVC pipe organ where you hit the opening and it makes a sound.
Sarah liked whacking it.
They even had rides: an escalator and an elevator. Big fun!

Maryland Trip

We got back from Texas on January 1 and on January 7, my sister, Sarah and I packed up our car and headed to Maryland by way of Grandmother's house in West Virginia.

We were supposed to leave on Friday morning, but Karen heard the weather report of a big snow storm coming so we left on Thursday afternoon hoping to get in front of it. Unfortunately, we did not and traveled in snow the entire way to WV. It wasn't too bad until it got dark and the snow started accumulating on the roads. What should have taken us four hours ended up taking us six. It was quite scary trying to make it up some of those WV hills in the little Honda. We couldn't see the road in some places. Thankfully we made it without getting stuck somewhere on the side of the road.

We spent the night at Grandmother's house and then set out for Maryland on Friday morning. It had stopped snowing and the roads were starting to clear up. We found out what a good little traveler Sarah is. All six hours on Thursday night, she sat in the car seat and played and sang. And then on Friday, she did it again. What a trooper.

On the way over the mountains from WV to MD, it was COLD!!! At one stop, we saw this.
The reason for this grand adventure in snow driving was that my brother was being ordained as a minister at his church. He had quite the prayer covering with all of the family being able to come for the service.
We took the opportunity to take a family picture since we were all dressed up in our "Sunday Clothes."
Karen and Aunt Linda
Abby playing with cousin Christopher.
Life long friends, my mom and Maggie.
Me and my brother.
Posing with Grandmother
It reminds me of another picture we took in 2005 with Abby.
Sarah was playing video games with the cousins and friends gathered at Uncle Michael's house. Her controller was not plugged in, but you could not tell as she was jumping up and down and really getting into it.
Relaxing after the house full of people went home.
My brother is so silly!
We were supposed to leave the next morning (Monday) to drive home, but Aunt Linda's van broke down. So we ended up staying another day.

It was good to visit with family but, Wow, was I ever glad to get home. That trip wore me out!

Texas Trip

The day after Christmas, we got up early and headed for the airport. We flew to Texas to see Billy's family and some friends.

Sarah enjoyed her trip and sat quietly reading books the whole time. NOT! Abby was her usual sleepy traveler.
We flew into Dallas and then drove down to San Antonio where Billy's sister and her family live.

Mary loving on Sarah. Grandma playing games with her grandchildren.
Jumping on the trampoline with cousin Juliet.
Juliet had saved her birthday pinata to share with the girls. That is one big pinata!
Abby taking a whack at it.
Sarah tried her hand with the big stick. I think she got the hang of it.
There is something ironic about little girls whacking on Cinderella and seeing her head dangling from a rope.
The whole family posed for an amateur portrait.
The cousins.
Grandma and Grandpa with the grandkids.
We got to see some of our dear friends in Dallas, Shawn and Jurgen and their daughter Annie.
Abby and Annie made pretty fast friends.
The girls are ready for a delicious lunch.
Playing in the sandbox with winter coats on.
Our friends Steve and Sarah
Elli and Abby played dress-up.
Playing in Elli and Sophie's room.
We got to stay at the "Bee Hive" while in Dallas. Tanya and I have been friends since we were students at CFNI back in the early nineties. We were even roomies for a time. Surely that could not have been twenty years ago? Although the lighting in this photo is showing the years on my face! Tanya is a true kindred spirit; the kind of friend that you can be away for a while and then pick up again right where you left off.

Since we moved away from Dallas, Tanya and her husband Scott have enlarged their family. They now have six children. Here are the boys (and Rachael) enjoying a game - Star Trek Monopoly.
The girls and Rachael sporting their sunglasses. There is a lot of sun in Texas!
Scott and Daniel - like father like son!!!
Tanya made me a birthday cake - yummy!
We stayed up late to ring in the New Year. Some of us were beyond coping and had already gone to bed.
The day we had to leave, the kids decorated some gingerbread men. This is Abby and Natalie.
It was a fun trip and so good to catch up with some of our friends and family. Hopefully it won't be too long before we can do it again.