Road Trip to move Dennis' Dad to Assisted Living

We took a quick 4 day trip a couple weeks ago to visit George and to sift and sort the rest of the things he didn't want to take to his new digs...and ended up bringing a little "TRUCKLOAD" home with us. We get to keep some of it (where oh where will it go?) but much of it we are going to sell for him and send him the dolla's! The rest we will hire a company to come in and make an offer on and they'll haul it off. He took quite a bit to his new home...so we're thankful he'll be able to enjoy his things in his new place. Thought you might like to see a little photo memory of our quick trip. Beautiful weather, fun times and family bonding time...LOVE IT! Enjoy!

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Gotta little catchin' up to do...with lots of pictures!

I've been MIA but hoping to be more faithful in blogging. Just in case you wonder where I've been and what I've been doing...

We went to Florida! What a glorious trip!!

At P.F. Chang's, doing "Cheesecake shots" for dessert. Mine was raspberry and his was Apple Pie!

We did a LOT of this...

And here is another night...

And yet, another...

A kind gentleman offered to take our snap

And the day's we spent doing this....

In the evenings, we did this EVERY DAY!

Here we are at C.J.'s on Marco Island. It was our favorite spot!

And the next night, we went to Rib City in Naples. This was dinner for two! It should have been called dinner for 4 b/c we took home enough leftovers for another meal for both of us!

And on the way back to the condo, we got to see THIS!

The next night, we ate at Bucca de Beppo's. Oh me oh my oh...it's the BEST!

We were so full, we had to head back to the beach for another sunset!

And we stumbled onto this site. Sad...this sea turtle most likely was clipped by a boat motor...and either washed or crawled up onto the shore to to go turtle heaven. Everyone was very respectful of the ol' feller.

Then...we came home to THIS!!!

Beautiful signs of Spring!

It was a LONG winter!

And I bought birds to put inside b/c I didn't think they'd EVER return to our area!

Then, Easter came....and so did Kiki!!

They spent this Easter with the other side of the family since Dennis had to work Easter Sunday.

I made a big meal for just the two of us anyhow.

And set a pretty table

We still have leftovers


Except for these

They are history!

Arizona Christmas

Headed to the Desert~~~

I haven't seen Amy and Brian since the week after their wedding but today that's going to change! (Lord willing!) I'm getting ready to leave for the airport and will land in HOT Phoenix at 11 something this morning. First stop...Schlotzkies...then an Antique Shop! This evening, we are going out to celebrate Amy's BD, just the 3 of us, in Old Scottsdale dining at one of their favorite Mexican joints! Then tomorrow, Amy's "actual" BD, we will enjoy with Rylie while I make her favorite BD dinner. So thankful I can make this little trip!
Pray for Dad while I'm gone...he's not feeling too well again, has been back in the ER once, and is set up with a Home Health Care nurse as well as a Physical Therapist 3 times a week beginning next week. I wish he could gain his strength back again...I just don't know. Thanks for your prayers.

Talk to you from that very hot place!!! (no, I'm saved...I'm speaking of Phoenix!)

Another BD...and it's a BIG UN!

We had THE most enjoyable visit in Topeka this past few days! Friday, we flew to KC and rented a car and headed for our old hometown. Dennis and I were raised there, so it has special meaning for both of us. First, we headed south having lunch at Hay.wards Pit Bar-B-Que. Scrumptious to the last lick of sauce! With full tummies, we made our way to Olathe, where we lived for 5 years prior to our move to Lincoln. Funny how that "mansion" wasn't so big anymore, but the trees were! They had painted the house, replaced the shingles and it didn't even look like "home" any longer. The city has changed so much and although we had good memories, we headed west to get "home". It was so good to see George open the door and welcome us back, after all, we hadn't seen him for 2 years! (Life events and hopeful we could fly him back here for a week...but didn't pan out). We had such a good visit with both him and Ed, Dennis' older brother, then began to help him with things around the house that have been overlooked and well, overlooked! That kept us QUITE busy all day Saturday and I will tell you I found muscles I had forgotten I had! I got reacquainted with Kansas "chiggers" which really seem to have no purpose other than making huge welts that itch like crazy in places you just wonder how they find their way to! I attracted them just walking across the front yard one time! Good thing I didn't do yardwork! Sunday afternoon, I made George his favorite BD cake and homemade ice cream and we took him and Ed to Texas Road.house for dinner. He was a happy man! Monday he wanted us to look at an assisted living place that he is pondering and it was beautiful! We ran into 2 couples that we knew...one was my mother's former boss and his wife and the other happened to be Pop's former neighbor, who moved there 4 yrs. ago. They made him feel very welcome and he's still "pondering and praying". Moving to this type of enviornment is something that must be done only when a person is "ready". He know's he needs to, but leaving the home and all your "stuff" is hard. Pray for him as you are led, that he will know the Lord is leading him every step of the way! We love him so...and want the best for him. Driving is going to be an issue in the next year and basement steps are hard for him...so we are trying to help him before he falls!

Back to the airport, leaving Topeka at 4:00 PM for our 6:55 flight back to Chicago. Boarded on time, taxied to the runway and sat for 30 minutes. Some warning light malfunction. Back to the gate, sat for another 45 min. (did I mention the a/c didn't work???...and it was 100 degrees!)They had those who had connecting flights de-board and go to another plane to make their connection in Chicago but those of us getting off in Chicago, we had to wait for a part to be delivered FROM Chicago! Still following this? They gave up on that I guess and put us all on another flight that left at 9:55. Had a pretty choppy flight skirting around the enormous storm coming out of Omaha and across Iowa, but we got around it and got back to MDW at 11:30 PM. An hour drive to get home took us to 12:30....showers...1:00 AM! I had to check some blogs and email and I hit the hay at 2:00 AM. The alarm went off at 5:00 AM... hubby got up and went to work (God love him!) while I rolled over and was GONE until 7:45!! Ahhhh...it's good to be home and back in my own bed!

Graphics by: Royanna Fritschmann

Naples, Marco Island, Sanibel, Captiva

What a beautiful trip! These are just a few of the snaps I captured while in sunny and WARM SW Florida! There are sure a lot of critters down there! "Lizzie" welcomed us the first morning by hangin' out right by my side of the car! I advised her to move to the other side. Dennis began to back up into the driveway the rest of the trip! : ) (she was pretty stubborn on the moving thing!) Alligators....zillions of them throughout the Everglades. Dennis asked me if I wanted to go on one of those airboat rides so we could see more....I declined! Rather be a beach bum! So...when up to our necks in the ocean, we see a herd of people in the water walking towards us, pointing at us and getting excited. Right there, about 6 foot from us, swam 4 huge creatures. I might have wet my pants, but who would know?? I thought they were sharks but the crowd quickly advised us they were Manetee! They aren't meat eaters...but vegetarians! When the people said they eat only vegetarian...I was relieved and announced to those big critters that we eat steak! They swam right by us seemingly unaffected by my comment! Then...there were the little lizards that climbed the lanai screen by the pool every morning! They just hung on the screens....just watching us lay around. No one got too excited about those little things....b/c Dennis told me they were more scared of me than I was of them. I let him think that b/c afterall, he IS the ANSWER MAN! (after I found a hole in the bottom of the screen where they could come in to visit, I quit leaving the sliding door open!)

Then there are the birds! Ever wonder where they all go for the winter? My goodness....the Lord made all the long legged birds fly to Florida! They are beautiful and seem to be totally at ease sharing the beaches with us humans. One thing we have in common with them....we both like seafood and Cheese It's!! They would scavange the shells that washed up on Sanibel Island for something to eat and if you hold crackers in the air, they might fight you for them. Moral of that story...eat them under a beach towel!

What fun we had! Can't wait to go back next time it gets cold here! I'm thinking next Jan. or Feb. But then....I AM supposed to be moving to a wonderful new home within the year, so I may never make it back there. : )

I'm leavin' on a Jet Plane...

Providing Spirit Airlines doesn't go belly up...we are headed to sunny Marco Island, Florida on Saturday for a glorious week in the sun!!! It's been 5 years since we were there last and we can't wait to get back! Thanks to my newest son in law, I have a fresh picture of the place we are staying (Dallas and Sharon's for those of you who know them). Brian and Amy spent a few days relaxing down there on their honeymoon so we decided to put our trip off a couple weeks making sure we didn't overlap vacation time! (wasn't that kind of us?? tee-hee!) Anyhoo...they took this picture and sent it to us so we could have a "foretaste" of where we are headed! Looks nice, huh?? Anything has to beat these cold, gray, rainy days we've had the past few days! I know Spring is coming and it's necessary that we have this rain, but I'm soooo ready for warm weather and SUNSHINE to clear my clogged sinus'! Dennis is hoping for a round or 2 of golf with Tom...and I'm looking foward to a little shopping and catching up on "girl talk" with Mary! Then...there will be a seafood dinner at Tin City in Naples and who can forget the great Mexican food at Iguana Mia up the road in Bonita Springs?? In between those activities...you'll find us under umbrellas on the beach...watchin' the tide go out and come in!! Ohhh...I can't WAIT to get on that plane! Just hope the airline stays in business for another week or so!

Arizona Mornings!