Another Road trip

Ok, so my sister was having a big birthday party on Saturday the 3rd.  A BIG birthday…and a BIG party.  I wasn’t planning on making the trip to Ohio yet again, having just been there in May for a confirmation and June for a graduation.  I had no one to help me drive…and I just couldn’t face that road trip alone again.  So I had RSVP’d my regrets for the party.

But…my friend Lisa called me last Wednesday and said “I don’t have to work Friday or Monday and I want to DO something.  What are you doing this weekend?”  I said … “Well…this might not be what you had in mind, but…my sister is having this big party on Saturday and I wasn’t going to go, but if I had another driver…”  And Lisa said “OK…let’s go!”

Wow…so by Friday morning, she and I were on Interstate 80 headed east!  What a great time we had!  We stopped in Mishiwaka, Indiana for the night, where we enjoyed a yummy dinner at Papa Vino’s Italian restaurant (he was our second choice, because the Chinese place was closed for a vacation…but wow…it was a GREAT second choice!) and an evening in the Hampton Inn (my hotel of choice!)  It was a great hotel, other than the ice machine directly across the hall (according to Lisa anyway…I never heard it, LOL) 

We spent Saturday morning visiting the Amish area of Shipshiwana.  It was HOT, but we enjoyed our shopping there!  Lisa treated me to a buggy ride touring the area!

What a smile! 

An enjoyable morning spent in another beautiful part of God’s creation!

We wrapped things up there and headed on to NW Ohio just in time for…

(continued in next post!)

My lovely yard!

I just love spring and summer time, and watching all the flowers and plants blossom and bloom and grow in my yard!  I sometimes grumble about weeding, but it’s worth it when I can enjoy the fruits of my labor :)

 

I also enjoy photography and playing with different settings on my camera :)

fisheye

mineature (Isn’t that COOL?)

fisheye again

FUN!

I LOVE my hibiscus flowers!!!  Well…I just love them all!

Youth Group Trip to Valley Fair

June 28th was the Minnesota South District’s Lutheran Day at Valley Fair.  We had a crew from our church that went, including all SIX of our family.  It was a gorgeous day…a bit chilly and cloudy in the morning, but it cleared up nicely and we all had a great time!

Ethan and Ron…front seat of the Renegade!  Ethan likes those front seats!

climbing….(yeah…Ethan and Ron are in the front seat again!  And NO..I’m not a chicken!  I went on it, too.  I just went a few trains ahead of them :-)

almost to the top…

and on the way DOWN….(yes, Martha…this is where I screamed!)

This is one of the Valley Fair photographer guys…that wants to take your picture so you can buy it later.  Sam grabbed my camera and said “Hey…can I take your picture?” 

The guys…Caleb, Sam, Cameron, Danny, Ron and Ethan. 

And yeah…I forgot to get a picture of the girls!

Ethan at the top of the world!  Or…at least the top of Valley Fair!

This ride spins, shakes, rattles and rolls! Wow it was FUN!

That’s our girls on there.  This is one ride I said “NO THANKS” to!

They insisted it was “an AWESOME ride!”  I just enjoyed it from the ground!

Thanks, Minnesota South District, for hosting such a FUN day!

The END of this Vacation

was marked, as most of our vacations are, by supper at Dairy Queen :)  We stopped at the one in Blue Earth, MN…marked by…

Ron and Ethan and I had a wonderful time together.  The weather was perfect almost all the time and we were able to see some beautiful parts of our country that were hand molded by our amazing Creator!  What fun to look out over all of these beautiful things, and see the hand of God in them!  We are thankful for the beauty He created, and the opportunity to see it first hand!

Wyoming-Devil’s Tower

Since we were SO close to the edge of the state, we headed west JUST a little more and went to Devil’s Tower, Wyoming on Thursday.  Another simply GORGEOUS day!

and another OH so cute Prairie Dog Town!  HUNDREDS of the little critters! 

I think THIS might be my very favorite photo of the trip :)

South Dakota—Custer State Park

We had a GREAT time at Custer!  The animals were out and about and the weather was beautiful!

This buffalo was standing in the ditch RIGHT beside the road, just as we entered the park!  What a surprise!

THESE fellas were the hit of the day. Oh we laughed at them.  They were friendly and curious and brave and definitely NOT shy at all!

hee, hee…they were SOOOO funny!

BUFFALO!!

THIS picture was Ethan’s FATHER’S idea!

he was being chased by a coyote!

he’s back there under the tree!

What a fun time we had visiting here!  LOTS to see and do!