So today it’s supposed to be 100 degrees, goodbye to the rainy June weather we had, and hello to summer in Utah! We’ve recently realized we actually need to water our lawn again; the new seeding from the spring filled in great, but was getting a bit brown in places.
The past month brought a trip to WI to visit my family, and deliver my old Honda Accord to my parents who purchased it from me. My brother flew out to Utah on Friday, June 25th and we started driving back at 6am on Saturday June 26th. The first day we drove approximately 14 hours before arriving in Omaha, NE. (I made the observation that Nebraska looks much better when you’ve come from the Wyoming side of the drive eastward, instead of the WI side of the drive westward) While in Nebraska we had the pleasure of listening to the most interesting radio station I’ve ever found during a road trip. We may just have been weary, but I would describe their variety as “garage sale special”…basically any CD you could purchase for 10cents at a garage sale…that’s what they played. I knew every song but couldn’t name a single artist! Yay for one-hit-wonders all the way through NE. Getting out of the car in Omaha we were hit with some oppressive humidity–man I don’t miss that! We stayed with our friends Sara (Holman) Nash and David Nash and their insanely large cat Zeeba. I’ve known Sara since high school, and it was really fun visiting with them and getting to know David and Zeeba better. 🙂 David is super-fun, but let me tell you more about Zeeba. (hehehe) Zeeba is the BIGGEST cat I have ever met. Sort of a spoiled boy and oh so large! He lays down to eat which puts him at just the right height for his bowl. I have attached a picture but it really doesn’t do him justice. Awesome! (Oh, and that’s David in the background)…
After spending a night in Omaha, Jim and I continued driving through Iowa, to where he lives in Dubuque. We had lunch at CULVER’S (woo!) with his girlfriend Jen, and I got to tour Jen’s new house. It’s super-cute! I wish I had any sort of theme to my decor like Jen does. She really likes a certain genre of antique furniture. If Jim and Jen ever have a house together someday, it will be interesting to see how her sense of taste melds with his dirty clothes on the floor. I left Jim in Dubuque (to follow behind slightly later), and arrived at my parents’ house at 6pm. I even stopped to wash the 1,351 miles of bugs off their new (to them) car.
Once in WI I spent the first couple days just kicking around the farm and hanging out. My aunt and uncle from New York were visiting, and luckily our vacations overlapped for a few days. It took me the first two days just to catch up on sleep and feel normal again being out of the car. Wednesday night my old college roommate Katie Bisley (‘Biz’) drove down from up by Shawano (a little town called Caroline if anyone is familiar), and we had a great visit. Biz actually came down as company for my drive to the airport in Chicago on Thursday to pick up Jason. On the way back we stopped by Larissa’s new place that even at 7mos pregnant she is already diligently making cute. Unfortunately Mark was at work, and Dane was with the grandparents, but perhaps next time we’ll get to see them all together again. Friday (July 2nd) Jason and I adventured to Noah’s Ark (America’s Largest Water Park), in Wisconsin Dells, WI. It was the day before 4th of July weekend, but thankfully it was pretty quiet most of the time we were there and neither one of us come home with any serious sunburn. Later that evening, our friends Sarah and Andy Kahler flew up from Dubuque for a quick evening visit to the farm with their two adorable kids. Olivia got to see our dog, a baby calf, cows being milked, and a pasture full of goats. They are still pretty big and intimidating when you’re Olivia’s size, but I’m guessing she talked all about it for weeks! Little guy Henry was my buddy for the night. Sarah was surprised that he let me carry him all over the farm and was even my little cuddle-bug for a bit. I guess he’d been stuck in a very ‘Mom Only’ phase, but he sure was my friend for their visit.
Saturday July 3rd was the DeBaets family reunion at my grandparents’ house. As is typical of such gatherings there was TONS of great food and lots of catching up with the family. Everyone seemed really happy Jason and I could make it. After proving I’m still no good at horseshoes, we hit up the LaValle fireworks. LaValle is a little town of about 400 people but they put on a heck of a good fireworks show every year. Jason said it rivaled some shows we’ve seen here in Salt Lake. Although it wasn’t the ‘smallest town’ or ‘biggest’ fireworks show he had ever attended, Jason thought it was quite possibly the drunkest town event he’d ever been to.
After fireworks we caught up with my old friend Rusty and his now fiance Chica at my uncle’s cabin. Congrats again guys, I had to fly ALL the way to WI to see THE ring, but it is beautiful! 🙂 As we were leaving around 1am, my uncle (foot still in walking boot) was preparing to take Chica and Rusty on a moonlit 4-wheeler ride through the woods…some kids just don’t grow up. 🙂
Sunday just as WI got humid, we flew back to Utah, and Monday (July 5th) was a day off from work for unpacking and unwinding. Thank goodness we didn’t have to drive all that way back. Whew! What a vacation!
In other news, our garden is HUGE! The peas and lettuce were yummy, but are done now. However the carrots are ready and thankfully (even with the freezing cold spring) the tomatoes look to be producing a bumper crop!
(Woah big garden! 7.16.10)
(bumper crop…at least this plant)
(What’s that!?! Our first ripe tomato of the season! Yay!)
This month also brought a bridal shower for Aubrey which I co-hosted with Marion. It was a lot of fun! I did invites, and cute little love-bird shower favors. I also put together a recipe book from all the guests (thanks to everyone who contributed) and it turned out so cute I wished I could have kept it. (Misty–I really want to try those raspberry muffins!)
(Lovebird Favors…after 30 pairs, not as lovely as I originally thought…lol)
On the subject of Misty–she and husband Curtis welcomed Liahona LeFrandt into the family. In case anyone hasn’t heard yet Marion is a GRANDMA! I mean this in good humor but I think she’s been yelling it from the rooftops she’s so excited 🙂 Haven’t heard a peep about being a grandpa for Lee, so perhaps that’s still settling in. They get to visit Boston in the coming weeks to meet the new granddaughter. In less important news, Jason and I are now Aunt and Uncle for the first time. My experienced friends tell me this mostly means more expensive holidays, but I’m excited nonetheless! Congrats guys!
I was so almost going to end this without a picture of our skunk adventure! While walking along the north side of our house a week ago there was creepy rustling in the window well…and this little guy!! Eeee! Luckily he exited under the cover of darkness via the board ramp we carefully lowered in. I didn’t dare get closer to take more pictures because he kept puffing his tail and stomping his feet, which I consider a BAD sign.
Wow that was a big month! No wonder I’m exhausted. Since this blog is so long already, I won’t write in length about my ongoing struggles at work, or my trip to the dentist…instead leaving that to your imagination. If anyone is really curious they will just have to ask!
Take care all!
S.~
