Mainland Trip

While I was with the family in Nebraska Stephen was leading the staff mainland trip.  He had a great time traveling around the mainland of Alaska with our outstanding summer staff.  After working everyday with kids it's a great time for them to get away and see just a small part of this amazing state we call home.  

Fun at the Wellensiek Farm

After spending some great time in Fremont with our Africa cousins Stephen headed back up to Kodiak and I and the boys went back to central Nebraska.  

The boys enjoyed some fun with their Omaha cousins, Julie and grandpa and grandma Wellensiek. 

Everyday was a new adventure.  Jill and I sorted through different boxes and took on the job of starting to sort through our grandparents basement.  In the mix of all this my boys got hand, foot and mouth disease.  It sounds so terrible and while it was not very pleasant it was not as terrible as it sounds.  They got some good blisters on their hands and feet though.  

I enjoyed all the garden produce.  I think it's one of the reasons I enjoy having chickens so much too. It's fun to go out and find new treasures each day.  

We enjoyed lots of family meals and playing.  

Landry and Grandpa Don liked taking naps together too. 

Each day my niece and I would head out and ride horses.  She became quite the little rider and we had a lot of fun.  

Everyday Fun in Fremont

With a house full of young kids just doing the everyday things are plenty of fun.  We had 12 of us living in the same home for about 10 days and it was great.  The kids had so much fun together and with so many hands and eyes we seemed to keep everything covered.  

Riding bikes around the block was a big time favorite! 

We celebrated Christmas in July together.  

We also visited a lot of parks.  

Then we ended the day with popcorn or ice cream and a movie.  

We helped grandpa with his garden 

Got wet. 

 Warmed up on the hot cement. 

It was so much fun to spend time with our Africa cousins! 

Greyson and Joshua were so much fun to watch play together.  From the beginning to the end of the day they were always up to something. 

 Of course it wouldn't be a visit home without a grandpa haircut 

Iowa Fun

After the Black Hills we joined the Foremans in Fremont and traveled to Iowa to see the Grandmas and cousins.  It was great seeing Daniel, Allison and their kids.  We had never met Rebecca and they had not met Landry.  It was fun watching them all get along so well.  

Greyson and Joshua were two peas in a pod and wow did they have fun.  

It was fun watching all four brothers be together again and things were back to "normal" instantly.  

We also went out to Uncle Gary and Aunt Dee's farm.  The kids road in the tractor, chased chickens and had a lot of fun together.