Long Awaited Update

I know it’s been a while since I wrote an update but life has been busy. Over the last two weeks I was consumed with preparing for two mid-term exams for my MBA. It’s over now so I get a day or two off before I need to really focus again, although I do have assignments due and final exams in six weeks. It’s hard to keep juggling such that everything is still in the air, I know the blog is feeling ignored J.

Life at home has been equally hectic. Ella and Pat are still here and will be through the end of the week. Ella and Anja are at Straight Arrow Camp this week, it’s Ella’s first ever camp and she had a great day yesterday. I may have some pictures from family night later in the week. Since I have only used three days of vacation thus far this year, I decided to take today off and take Isabel somewhere since she’s moping around the house like a spare tire without the big girls. I think we’re going to the Indiana Beach Resort.

Everybody else is well, Lynne was away on business last night but will be home again this evening. Shown below are a few pictures from a short walk we did on Sunday morning into our local park, Happy Hollow.

Ella Taylor

We’re already half way through the week and it has been hectic. On Saturday evening, as we all arrived back from Michigan and Chicago, Lynne collected her Mum and Niece, Ella who is 10, from the airport. As you can only imagine each of our kids are worshiping the ground she walks on, and continually jockeying for her attention. Her arrival has been great, they all virtually entertain themselves, although getting them all off to bed at night at a reasonable time is a challenge. It’s great to have her here for the first time and to have Pat back too of course.

Vacation in Michigan

We’re back, we’re back from our week-long vacation in the small beautiful towns of Saugatuck and Holland in Michigan. Clearly I could have posted updates during our trip but I never wish to advertize online that we’re all away and the house is empty.

We had a great week as usual. Once again we travelled with Randy and Lorraine and the key focus was relaxing and taking it a little easier than our normal busy lives. We did manage to fill the time with bike riding, fishing, swimming, the beach, a picnic, some sightseeing, great food, lots of blueberries and plenty of downtime. I think there was something in the tip for everybody. Our thanks again go out to Randy and Lorraine for their friendship and the vacation together, we truly enjoyed the week. I actually had to cut it a little short; this weekend was a Chicago weekend. I returned yesterday evening.

I have spent a little while this evening sorting photos, less than I’d like but I have an exam in two weeks that I need to study for. I’ll have more updates during the week however, but in the meantime see below on more here.

4th July Dinner

We just wrapped up on a great day with Randy, Lorraine, Steef, Ginette and their kids to celebrate the 4^th July. The kids played all afternoon in the pool, the adults simply watched in the sweltering heat. It was almost 100. We had great food, lots of drinks, an excellent dessert and some sparklers to finish it off. Hope you all had as good a day as we had.

Happy 4th July

Happy Independence Day everybody. I’m sure most of you in the US will be relaxing with some friends or family tomorrow, most likely with a grill smoldering in the background. I know we will. I’m just hoping that our weather will be nice, it’s simply too hot right now. This will be our first since becoming US citizens. There will be something surreal about celebrating Independence Day whilst holding both a US and a British passport. It won’t trouble me for long; I’ll grab a beer and get back to the grill!

As usual Brooke is all super organized. She backed a cake with the kids this afternoon and helped them decorate it for tomorrow’s celebration. Brooke, you’re the best.

Speedy Recovery Alden

Our thoughts and well wishes go out to Alden this evening. He is having surgery tonight in Florida to repair the ankle he broke on Saturday, the first day of their family vacation. Not much fun. He will be missing his summer camps and sports in general for at least the next 3 months. Wishing you a speedy recovery, we’ll see you when you are back home.

Thank You Pat

Yesterday Pat, Lynne’s Mum, returned home. She was here for three weeks and she was such a big help for that time, we certainly needed her. June was such a busy month, Lynne travelled twice and I had my 10 days in Chicago. She’ll be back though in two weeks. Yes, you heard that right, she will return in two weeks time with our niece, her granddaughter, Ella, for another three weeks. Our girls are extremely excited about Ella coming. Many thanks Pat for all your help these past few weeks, we’ll miss you, but not for long.