I can't keep my regular Sunday blogging schedule anymore. So it happens when it happens.

So last Friday (7th) was the funeral for Abby's friend's dad. This cut Abby's visit with Meg & family in Indy a little short, but it let us explore other means of travel. Abby ended up taking the Amtrak from Indy to Chicago. Meg had to have her to the train station by 5:30am!!! And I took the Metra train into Chicago from Waukegan and met Abby at Union Station. We dragged her bags from Union Station back to Ogilvie Station where we took the Metra back to Waukegan, and drove from there. Worked out great but Abby wouldn't let us take one extra minute to get a bite to eat because she wanted to get to the funeral and be there for her friend as soon as possible.

Jeff treated Theo to a nice cool sudsy bath in the kiddie pool last weekend. I think he really liked the cool water. And now he smells so nice!

Wednesday morning at 8am Bryn and her Cross Country teammates started their annual 24-hour marathon. They make a schedule so that someone is running the entire 24 hours, but each runner takes a 30-minute shift. In between they had fun playing Ultimate Frisbee, Ultimate Football and kickball. They also liked when the automatic sprinklers came on. The coaches brought in a spaghetti dinner. Paige is not digging the Cross Country thing right now and is holding out from going to practices. I'm having fun updating the Cross Country blog for the team and the school has even made it the Girls Cross Country link from their website!

So while Bryn was running and Abby was at State Fair with her posse, Jeff, Paige, her friend Miranda and I went to the Brewers game Wednesday night. A print vendor offered suite tickets and a preferred parking pass to my work so Kevin and John were there with friends as well. We enjoyed a good game - they almost won in the 9th - with great seats!

Jeff and I have been searching to replace our Honda CRV. After it barely passed the emissions test and the mechanic's quote of $2300 to fit it, we've had to get down to business. Jeff's always looking on the internet and we've test drove a couple so far. Think we've narrowed it down to a 2008 Mazda 3 or Subaru Impreza. Both are smaller hatchback cars with good gas mileage.

My life just isn't following a routine lately.

I am so thankful to my good friend, Tim, from high school and college called me July 22nd to let me know that our mutual friend, Guy, was going in for open heart surgery at Froedtert. I was able to have a long visit with Guy that Friday, the day after his surgery. We wished our meeting was under different circumstances, but we were grateful we were pulled together again. Both Jeff and I went back separately to visit him in the hospital the following week and this weekend we're going to visit him back at his house. Guy's doing well and feeling strong, but there's a lot to monitor during his recovery.

Jeff took Bryn to tour the University of Minnesota last Friday. They really liked it. I think Bryn's going to have a hard time deciding. Bryn came home with a t-shirt. Abby, Paige and I then met them up at the cabin Friday night. Meg & William were already up there and the kids had a blast together. Then Meg & William took Abby back to Indy for the week. Abby loves spending time with those kids and made sure it fit into her summer schedule.

Unfortunately, Abby's best friend's dad took very ill last weekend also and passed away yesterday. So Abby and I are going to meet at Union Station in Chicago Friday morning so she can make it back for the funeral that afternoon. I'm going to take the Metra train from Waukegan in and Abby's taking the Amtrak from Indy.

Bryn started her new job on Sunday. She will be working in the pharmacy at Walgreens. Great job! She was recommended for the position by a friend. She's done a lot of training this week: on the computer, on the register and shelving. I think she likes it. And it's pays way above minimum wage!

Paige got invited to go to Great America yesterday with one of her friends and her family. She had a blast and rode every roller coaster! And another milestone... Paige went out on her first date tonight. To a movie. We asked her to make it a group date which she complied to. Of course we haven't heard many details yet, but I think it went well.

My office is really shaping up! John drove down to IKEA and purchased our desks and Kevin and Mike did most of the assembly. We tore down the original countertops that John started the company with and now we're each in a corner with a bit more privacy and ownership of our own areas. I've done a lot of vacuuming with all the commotion.

It's Sunday afternoon and I've been helping Bryn lay out her clothes for her Senior pictures later today. The photographer likes to go outside in the evening when it's cooler and she likes the lighting at that time of the day. We mentioned that Bryn's a runner so the photographer mentioned taking her out to some train tracks... We'll have to wait and see.

Paige was hired to take care of a friend's cat all this week. She did good. We really didn't have to remind her. Paige was very busy this week riding her bike all over the Village. It was also Falls Fest all weekend (our Village's festival) so we've all been partaking, though not necessarily together.

Abby went to the Brewers game yesterday with a bunch of girls. Their tickets were Standing Room Only. I've seriously never heard of that at a baseball game. They ended up getting to sit down in the very top row somewhere. And they made the big screen doing the chicken dance!!!

Bryn arrived home from the Mission Trip yesterday afternoon. The families all worked together and welcomed them back with a taco bar lunch. It's nice to be able to sit and visit with all the kids before they tearfully say good-bye to each other. Bryn loved it. Again. And today the church held their annual Mass on the Grass and officially recognized the Mission Trippers.

Abby asked Jeff to accompany her to the dentist last Wednesday for her very first cavity! She was nervous, but it was nothing 3.5 shots of local anesthetic couldn't cure.

Jeff and I drove up to Appleton last Thursday evening for a cookout at his Mom's. Both Maggie's brothers and her sister were there. We had a lot of fun visiting with everybody - even got to see baby Chayse. Jeff's Uncle Bob broke out his newest accordion and played for all of us!

Paige and Bryn both went in for their school sports physicals last Friday. Paige (5' 5.5") measured only one inch shorter than Bryn (5' 6.5") and the doctor said Bryn is done growing. Both are good to go for Cross Country this fall.

Bryn packed up and left for West Virginia on her annual Mission Trip bright and early last Saturday. They're all praying for cooler weather than they had in Mississippi last summer where it was close to 100° everyday. Bryn called us late last night and sounded pretty excited. She spent a day painting and preparing to can beans with and older woman yesterday (check link to Mission Trip blog at right). Bryn really likes working with her hands and is happy to be on work crew versus Kids Club.

After we said "So long!" to Bryn, we packed up Paige and 4 of her friends for Paige's belated 14th birthday party up at my parents' cabin. The weather wasn't the warmest, but the girls canoed and swam like crazy anyways.

We're refurnishing the office at work! John (my boss) traveled down to IKEA and purchased us new desks with cabinets. We're going to look so hip! Kevin has been doing the assembly work which is part of the IKEA experience. I assembled the legs. The biggest task will be the tear-down of our existing heavy-duty countertop that we all currently work on. We're having fun doing this during a typically slow summer.

Luckily I had another long weekend as my boss gave us 2 days off for the 4th of July. So I was off on Monday (6th). Didn't realize how much catching up I had to do yet! Took Abby to the bank to officially change her savings account from a kids' one to a grown-up one. Crossed my fingers as I took the girls' Prizm to have the emissions tested. It passed. Our Honda CRV is also up for testing and Jeff and I aren't so confident.

Bryn had a job interview at Walgreens Monday, then had to be drug tested the following day. So once she's tested clean, she'll be working in the pharmacy at our Walgreens! Congrats Bryn! She was recommended for the job by a former Cross Country teammate who currently holds that position. Walgreens encourages the pharmacy employees to nominate their own replacement when they leave for college.

Paige went to her follow-up appointment with a plastic surgeon on Wednesday (8th) morning and got encouraging news. She does have a small crack in both her orbital bone and nose bone, but the doctor was confident it will heal well on its own. He gave her the green light to go do whatever physical activity her heart desires. Paige was eager to play with her softball team in their 2nd game of the tournament that night. Jeff stopped at the sporting goods store on the way back from the doctor to buy her an outfielders mask that she would have to wear if she pitched. Her teammates were happy and surprised to see her back already. Paige didn't make the pitching lineup (I was relieved). She was a little gunshy and let a few balls get past her, but I thought she was very brave just getting back on the field. Her team lost and is now out of the tournament so I'm really glad she was able to play.

Jeff tried to play Mr. Fix-It again. Now with our dishwasher. It's begun to leak. I noticed it doing laundry this week and the clothes were wet already when I was throwing them in. My laundry heaps are directly below the dishwasher. Jeff thinks the problem is in the motor and knowing it's 8+ years old, doesn't think it's worth it to call someone in. So we're off to Sears' Friends and Family Night tonight!

Bryn and her fellow Mission Trippers were commissioned at mass this morning. They leave for West Virginia next Saturday at 8am! Abby and Paige are over babysitting their cousins, Bella and Lucy.

What a beautiful weekend! I washed the van yesterday and have to get back out there and clean the windows from the inside yet. Theo has really enjoyed hanging out with us in the yard and on the patio.

Back from the Canada trip and feeling like I'm back to normal. Having a short work week certainly helps ease the adjustment!


This is our panoramic scene we designed at one of the several scenic pull-outs off the road. We were able to see tons of wildlife: 6 bears, 3 of which were cubs, deer, mountain goats, a wolf, elk, and a long-horned sheep. Every hike was well worth the trip. The lakes are all glacier fed so they're unbelievably pure turquoise. Our timeshare was luxurious and roomy. We just really missed having Bryn along. I posted pictures on Facebook so I'm not going to hoard up even more cyberspace by placing them here. You can view them by clicking on these links:
Canada Album #1
Canada Album #2

While we were in Canada Bryn attended Badger Girls State is Oshkosh. She was elected Police Chief of her city, Maple, and served as County Supervisor. She really liked her roommate, Tate, who was from Washington Island. Too bad it was during such a hot week!

Paige was so excited to get back home and finish up her softball season. Unfortunately her playing time didn't last long as she took a ball to the face when she was pitching last Wed. Everyone on both teams was very upset and after 2 very caring nurses helped us determine how to handle her injury, we jetted Paige off to the ER. She only had a small crack in her orbital bone that we'll need to see a plastic surgeon next week about just to cover our bases. The ER doctor felt it will just heal on its own. Paige's friends have come over to visit which is so thoughtful.

Last night was our village's fireworks and parade. We're all a little lazy today, but Abby and Bryn are heading down to Summerfest tonight.

Forgot to mention a couple important events that occured before we left on vacation.

Paige graduated from 8th grade at North Junior High on June 11th. Next year she will be part of the first 9th grade class to be at the high school. After the ceremony, we hosted a small get together for Paige and her friends.


And on June 13th, Paige went back to complete her black belt testing. She only needed to break her board and she did it! She had to wait until we were back from Canada to receive her belt.