Happy Happy First Day of School!

Today was the first day of school - where did our summer go? I haven't even finished blogging on our family vacation yet??!
This year Mira is going into first grade and Tyler is going into seventh! They both were ready and excited for school to start. I on the other hand - not sure if I'm ready! Tyler was too cool to get his picture taken today. I might be able to sneak one in later this week. Here is Mira getting ready to leave for school:(Not sure why I had her stand outside in the freezing cold to take this pic)

15 years!

Today is our 15 year wedding anniversary! Wow! Where has time gone?! Wasn't it just yesterday that I saw Ron in the halls of high school and turned to my friend to say " i'm going to marry him" - we hadn't even been on a date yet?! Well, after 6 years of dating we got married!
Now we are almost pushing 40, have two beautiful kids, a mortgage, grown a bit wiser and LOVE!! Not many couples today can say that they are going on 15 years of marriage. Should I feel lucky? 15 years is true commitment, devotion, listening, compromise, tears, joy, laughing, being angry, spending time together, giving each other freedom, letting each other grow. I could go on and on!
All I can say is that I am lucky to be married to such a wonderful man and father!
I look forward to another 15 years plus with you Ron!
Happy Anniversary!

Here we are on our wedding day: August 26, 1995!



Here we are in Ixtapa April 2010!

Mount Rushmore/Custer State Park

Our second day in SD brought us to Mount Rushmore, driving through the Black Hills National Forest and Custer State Park. It was the perfect day to be at Mount Rushmore it was not too hot or too crowded. We drove through the Black Hills National Forest which was amazing! We stopped for a little picnic lunch on the side of the road and then continued to Custer State Park. Suddenly I see my sisters van pull over to the side of the road, we pull up next to them. My little guy was riding with them and suddenly started to feel car sick! Poor guy!
We did not make it to Custer State Park - both my sisters, Brian and Mira ended up driving through the park. I do not have any pictures of Custer State park.
We went back to the house - it took about 45 minutes. Poor Tyler having to sit in the car for 45 minutes - he made it though!

Deadwood

Our first stop in SD was the town of Deadwood. It was just down the mountain from the townhouse that we rented. Since the previous day was driving to SD - 10 hours in the car only looking at corn field. Going down the hill to Deadwood was just perfect.

Family Vacationed cont...

As you know SD was the family trip this year. The best option would be to look for a place that would hold 12 people, must be comfortable and have enough space to escape. It was not easy. After a lot of searching on several on line vacation rentals we finally agreed on this place. It was amazing! Here are a few pics for some reason I did not take any pictures of the master bedroom, or the other 3 bedrooms and loft area.

Family Vacation

This is year for our family vacation we went to the Black Hill with my whole family! It has been about 18 years since I vacationed with my sisters and parents.
We caravaned to SD in three cars - 8 adults and 4 kids. The boys rode with my sister and her husband and the girls rode with us. The kids did very well on the ride there - thankfully!

Driving out to the Black Hills:

Katie and Mira


Really? This was at a reststop!


Ian - enjoying his drink!


Auntie E with her boys!

Happy Belated Bday!

It was Ron's 39th birthday on the 26th of July. We just got back from a week long vacation with my whole family and he just returned to work after being off for 2 weeks! The plan was to make a nice dinner, favorite cake and have it ready for him when he got back home work.

Does anything ever turn out how it is suppose too? We were on our way to the pool and I hear this noise. Get to the pool and realize my tire is flat!!! REALLY??!!! Tell me how I get a nail in my tire driving through DT Saint Paul but just put over 1500 hundred miles on the mini van rolling through the black hills? I guess it a good thing nothing happened while we were on vacation. Needless to say the flat tire put a damper on the bday plans.

Thankfully my dear friend and her husband met me at the Y and helped changed the tire. Well, I still got dinner made and the cake by 8pm that evening! I think Ron still had a good day! Since it was a crazy day i did not take any pics of our dinner or cake.

Happy belated Birthday to to my dear husband - I am so lucky to have you in my life!!! You are a wonderful father and I appreciate all that you do for our family!!!

Ron in Ixtapa - El Faro restaurant April 2010