Friday, July 23, 2010

Don't fret...

I will not be posting for the next two weeks but I will inundate you when I return.  Please be praying for our mission trip to El Salvador. 

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Week 28

July 12: I stopped by to pick up fresh sweet corn from a Gaeddert Farm stand so I could make sweet corn ice cream.  Yum!
July 13: Diesel graduated from obedience training.  And I got a new toy - my first smart phone!
July 14: Sorting through some of the supplies for the missions trip.  There's a lot to take with 6 kids day sessions to do.
July 15: We practiced face painting at our team meeting. Adam made Lindsay into a pirate.
July 16: Bollywood night with the Pathways ladies.  Part of the fun was henna tattoos. A close up of mine after it dried.
July 17: Easy Almond Cake for a bbq at a friends - it was easy and delicious!
July 18: We put Pathways to work helping us assemble salvation bead bracelet bags and candy & sticker bags.  It took an hour but we whipped out 1200 of each.  So thankful for their help.  It would have taken the team forever to do it on our own.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Road Trippin'

Buckle up, this a long post. I headed out of Wichita on Thurs, July 1 on a 5 day road trip that took me through 5 states - Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee. I had beautiful weather the entire time and some fantastic scenery. Roadside flowers and lots and lots of corn fields.
I decided to check out RoadsideAmerica.com before I left to find out if there were any quirky attractions along my route to make a more interesting trip. My first 5 mile detour was near West Mineral, Kansas to see Big Brutus - the world's second largest electric shovel.
On my way to Springfield, Missouri, I drove through Webb City and happened upon this set of praying hands. Not as large as the ones at Oral Roberts University campus in Tulsa, but they do stand out on the side of the road.
I spent the first evening in Springfield with Joy & Alan. We were friends in college many moons ago and hadn't seen each other in years, but reconnected about 2 years ago on Facebook. It was awesome to spend time with them and their four kids, but I am remiss that I didn't take a picture of them.
Friday I started out again east across Missouri. I made a quick stop in Rolla (my college town) at A Slice of Pie. It is a little hole in the wall place but has The Best Pie Ever. I bought two pies to distribute at my next destinations - an American apple pie and a Dutch apple pie.
Another roadside attraction - a small replica of Stonehenge on UMR's campus.
I love the drive between Rolla and Marquand. Two lane, twisty highways with little traffic and great scenery.
Spent the afternoon at Aunt Marilyn & Uncle Tom's. It had been about 2 years since I had seen them and it was great to visit. I wish I had had a longer time to stay. They are such a blessing.
I made it to the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers at sunset. This is a scenic lookout near Wickcliffe, Kentucky called Fort Jefferson Cross at the Confluence. You can look back at Missouri and Illinois and the rivers and bridges that you just travelled over.
I made it to Hannah & Jonathan's in Tennessee that night. Saturday I got to spend some good time with my sweet nephews. Jack is growing up so fast. He is so sweet and laid-back. So adorable. I can't chose just one picture, I have to share them all.
And his big brother, Marshall. Silly, precocious, a bundle of energy and words. He kept asking if I could sleep with him (which I did every night) and if I could stay a long, long time.
I had a great time getting "aunt time" with them.
How can you resist that face??!!
Hannah and her boys
It is very hard to get a good picture with both boys. It took 5 tries, but we got one that's pretty good of me with them.
Jack's adorable baby pudge.
Marshall and his "favorite dog", Pepper. (They only have one dog.)
Hanging out in the birthday chairs Grandma got them.
Alas, I had to leave Tennessee and head home on Monday. I stopped at Laura Ingalls Wilder's historic home in Mansfield, Missouri. I was giddy as a school girl to be at the place where she wrote her books. There was a small museum that was packed with artifacts. Pa's fiddle was the thing that really stuck out to me. There was a quilt Mary had made, lace Laura had made, Ma's mother of pearl handled pen. Laura's handwritten manuscripts were on display. And there were lots of family pictures, letters, name cards.
This is the home Laura and Almanzo built and lived in. There was furniture Almanzo had made in there, and the desk Laura wrote at. Amazing to be standing in the place where they lived.
The view out their front porch.
Their daughter Rose was an accomplished writer. She bought a property down the road and built them "the rock house" with all the modern amenities like electricity & plumbing. It has pretty amazing views too.
Laura and Almanzo lived in the rock house for 8 years. During that time Rose lived in the farm house and fixed it up with electricity and a bathroom. As soon as Rose moved away, they immediately moved back into the farm house and lived there the rest of their days. It was home to them.

It was a great road trip. Lots of interesting attractions along the way and a great time with Marshall and Jack.

Week 27

July 5: On my drive back from Tennessee, I stopped in Mansfield, Missouri at Laura Ingalls Wilder's historic home. This is where she wrote all her books. There is a little museum and two houses to tour. It was awesome being where those amazing books were written and seeing so many artifacts from her life.
July 6: Is it just me, or does my juniper bush look a little like Wu Shock?
Wu Shock is Wichita State's mascot. It might be time to trim that bush.

July 7: Janel and Sara helped me shop for the supplies needed for the mission trip. We cleaned Wal-Mart and Hobby Lobby out of candy, paper bags, baggies, beads, face paint and various & sundry other items. It is a huge relief to have that off the to-do list.
July 8: Bear was dressed up to celebrate the 4th of July in style.
July 9: I had the chance to spend the evening with Sharon & David and JT. He is a little scrapped up from an accident with a friend's great dane puppy.
We went to the cruise night at Sonic just down the street from their house to check out 30 or 40 old cars.
And then we went swimming in their neighbor's pool. JT is a fish. He loves the water and swims very well. I couldn't resist a picture of him in his goggles. Too cute!
July 10: I spent the weekend in Kansas City with friends. We left our cameras & phones behind most of the time. Spent most of the day at Worlds of Fun and then went to the Country Club Plaza for an amazing dinner at M&S Grill.
July 11: Spent the morning at Cabela's - Rachel, Lindsay & I model the coonskin caps. Had lunch at Arthur Bryant's before heading home. I had burnt ends and some ribs - KC BBQ, yum!