Life at a Hectic Pace

I really haven't fallen off the face of the earth.  Life has just got in the way of blogging.  It is amazing how the words busy and stressed and overwhelmed slip into my vocabulary.   I image someday my life will go at a slower pace but for now I will just enjoy the fun and excitement of it all (and try to take a nap on Sunday afternoons.)

The Wednesday after our trip we hosted the MHS Cross Country team dinner.  The main course was chicken enchiladas and chips and salsa.  It was a good first run at entertaining in the new house. (No pun intended.)  The CC team dinner on Wednesday was followed by a CC meet on Thursday.  Kayla, Hadley, Myle, Monica, Trinity, and Raph accompanied me to the field somewhere in Butler county to watch AJ run his last meet of the year.

On the 12th,  Kayla, Hadley, and I headed to Topeka.  Kayla wanted to introduce her first born to her friends in Topeka.  I wanted to see Grady.  On Saturday Megan and Laura hosted a "Sip and See" for Miss Hadley.  I believe this is the last of a year and a half of wedding and baby showers.  It has been an amazing two years.  While in Topeka we had a little photo shoot with the two babies.

The next week was relatively uneventful.  I actually worked 4 days in a row.  It was great being able to spend a Friday with my mom and dad.  I had been off my regular routine for 4 weeks.  Kayla and baby H. came in and with the help of Aunt Nancy we made Halloween costumes for Hadley and Grady.  You don't have to sew perfectly to make a costume--or so I was told.  I think I will probably never progress beyond costume making in my sewing ability.

Friday night the blind guy (or should we call him the window treatment salesman) came to give us a quote on window coverings for 19 of our windows.  Just when I thought we had made all the decisions!   If we get our order in soon we may even have blinds by Thanksgiving.

Saturday Gregg burned the brush pile and I went grocery shopping, made chili for a crowd, and went back to mom's for costume making part 2.  In the evening we all (by all, I mean all 16 of us) gathered at Dan and Myle's for a chili feed followed by a family picture photo shoot.  After getting over the realization that we had a miscommunication on timing and Ty and Laura were going to miss watching part of the KSU/WV game--we all had a good time.


Sunday, part of the crew gathered at the new homestead for hamburgers.  Megan made a yummy gluten free pumpkin dump cake for dessert!  We have yet to have the first family dinner at the house!  That will be next week!

Oh yea, we also closed on the loan for the house!
I am blessed.  God is good

The buffet line.

Part of the CC team.

AJ running

Hadley and AJ

Uncle AJ

Hadley meeting Aunt Renee

Welcome Hadley!

Smile Grady!

Smile Hadley!

The burn.

Me taking a picture of Trinity taking a picture of Megan.
I'm not sure what Raph is doing?

Ty and Laura keeping us informed of the KSU score.
Go CATS!

Aunt Myle entertaining Grady

Raph and his Dad goofing around.

A Trip to DC

Where did I leave you last?  The moving from the rental was complete and we were settling in our new home.  Right?

Before I even figured out where all the light switches were, WGO and I flew to Washington DC.  He had a conference to attend and I went along for the ride.  We flew out on Saturday (a 6:30 flight from Wichita International) and his meetings were scheduled for Sunday through Tuesday.  Since neither of us had ever been to the capitol we extended the trip to do a little sight seeing.  We stayed in the historic Willard International Hotel on Pennsylvania Ave just a stone's through from the White House.

Another couple from Wichita attended the conference and we had a great time seeing the sites with them.  We bought a 48 hour pass on a "hop on, hop off" tour bus.  Although our hotel was very close to most of the attractions, the bus saved us a lot of steps.

Highlights of the trip for me included the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier at Arlington Cemetery,  seeing the Constitution at the National Archives,   touring the Holocaust Museum, and dining at the Library of Congress.  We happened to be walking by the White House as the president was leaving so we got to watch his helicopter, Marine One, land and take off.  Sunday afternoon we also just happened to be walking through Lafayette Park as a Pro-Life/Religious Freedom Rally was getting underway.  I stayed and listened to several speakers while WGO went to the opening session of the conference.  We spent Monday and Tuesday afternoon visiting the offices of our legislators.  Since Congress was not in session we only got to visit with staff members but it was interesting to get a glimpse of how it all works.

I was amazed at the size and number of the Federal Buildings.  It gave me a different perspective at the size of the federal beauracracy  and how many people it must employ.   No wonder our debt is out of control.

On Saturday, WGO's sister and her boyfriend came down from Philly.  We ate at the Indian Museum and viewed the exhibit that her company had made.  Then we went to Alexandria and walked the quaint downtown area and enjoyed a beer together.  We had dinner with WGO's aunt and several of his cousins.  It was a fun and memorable last evening of our trip.

Our flight home left at 6:00 a.m. We left the hotel at 4:00 and arrived in Mulvane before noon.  I won't bore you with all the details or all the pictures of our trip.  But here is a sampling.

Marine One landing on South White House lawn.

Dave and WGO outside Mr. Pompeo's office.

View of Capitol at Night

The Library of Congress

The Washington Monument

The Lincoln Memorial

The Changing of the Guard at Arlington

Van Gogh self portrait at Art Museum

A Visit with Smokey Bear

The National Cathedral

At the Natural History museum

Melinda, Alan and WGO at Indian Museum

Aunt Donna and cousins (and Alan)



I am blessed!  God is good!