Swimming Lessons

Finally at age nine, I have Luke signed up for swimming lessons. We had to take the bus there. I went online to have the bus website plan our route but it wanted us to walk a mile away and across a six lane road to take a bus which did drop us off in front of the building we were going to. However, we took the bus that picks us up a half mile from our house, no busy streets and it dropped us off two blocks away from our destination. All we had to do is walk around the corner. Luke made the point if we had to walk a mile to the bus stop, he would be too tired to swim! Pete got done with work the same time his lesson ended so he picked us up. He works only a mile away from where the lessons are so it worked out well.

Bree was a big help because the building is a maze to get to the obervation deck to watch the swimmers. She sounded like a drill sergeant...left, right, left!

Luke was hesitant but did very well learning how to float on his back, do the crawl and tread water, three things I tried to get him to do but he refused. He clung on to the teacher but eventually loosened up. He goes every day this week, has next week off and then every day the following week. I may sign him up for another two weeks since he has nothing else planned this summer.

I'm rather sleepy because Pete did not come to bed until three a.m.! I woke up and did not sleep well after than because I was afraid he would oversleep.

Time to go pay bills....

The Drive Back

The drive back from SD was hairy. Pete was thinking of driving all the way home but as we headed into Albert Lea, MN there was a huge, dark wall cloud. They started talking on the radio about tornadoes, high winds and hail. We decided to turn around and get a hotel in Fairmont. When we got up the next day we heard there were several tornadoes and flooding as well as fallen trees and powerlines. There was another storm coming so we left early to stay ahead of it. We got home around three in the afternoon. It was good to be home. Pete did a great job driving and the kids were well behaved.

*****

Today I had my Field Vision Eye test. Pete dropped me off after he dropped off Luke at camp. My appt. was not until ten but I brought a book along to read. They got me in early and I was done by 9:30. Pete came back early and took me home. The test went fine but I am pretty sure there was a change from the last time I took the test two years ago. I won't know until the doctor looks and compares the two tests.

For those of you who do not know, this is a test where you sit in a chair with your chin against a chinrest and one eye patch on. You stare at a dot and the person giving the test moves a tiny, dot light from the far outside of the screen towards the center. I am supposed to click the button when I see the light approaching the center dot. WIth one eye, I never could see the smallest light dot but did see the larger dot. The left eye I could see the smaller dot but only when it was almost ontop of the center dot. I could see the bigger dot as well. Both eyes I could only see the bigger dot when it was two or three inches from the center dot or closer. Pretty sad, really.

*****

We went to look at bunk beds for Luke, new chairs for our living room and a new bed for Bree. The one we made for her fell apart. We did not buy anything but did find some things we liked. The chairs currently in our living room are too big and bulky plus hard to sit in because the seat cushion always falls out. We will probably check out a few more stores and get something but I have a hard time making a decision.

Once home I rolled up the garden hose so it looked better and got bit by a million mosquitoes. Now I am really itchy...

The Drive Out

I forgot to talk about the trip out to SD. We left on a Sunday around one in the afternoon. We stopped in Fairmont, MN overnight and continued on the next day. We stopped at Wall Drug, ate at Al's Oasis, and stopped at an antique store. I looked for miniature sugar and creamer sets and only found two sets which were both ugly. I did see some nice glassware I thought would make nice dessert dishes so maybe that is something I will look for the next time I am at an antique store. I don't go often because one time I broke something so I avoid them most of the time. We arrived at our hotel around seven p.m. We went swimming and ate at Fuddrucker's in the mall in Rapid City. The hotel had a nice map of the area with all the attractions that had simple and easy directions.

In other updates, I had a Weight Watcher's meeting tonight and I had a loss which I thought was pretty good considering we were on vacation last week. I have to keep going....

Luke has been at invention camp this week...so far, so good. Pete picks him up at three and takes him back to work with him until it is time for them to come home.

Second day in SD

The second day was a lot of fun and the attractions were closer to our hotel. First we went to Reptile Garden. We saw a show on snakes. The handler was a kid around 24 years old who was pretty funny. Luke sat in the front row so he could see all the snakes and he took lots of pictures. We learned a lot about snakes. We then headed to the gator exhibit for the second show and it was the same kid giving the presentation. There were about five or six gators/crocs all hiding in the water. They came out one at a time to eat which was kind of scary because sometimes the kid had his back to the gator but he survived.

Then we went into the building which had a ton of more snakes. We went back outside to see the giant tortoises before ending the day in the gift shop which was amazing. Again, we spent too much time and money there. There was also a beautiful bald eagle who was unable to fly in the outdoor exhibit. He was big and strong looking.

We then headed to Bear Country...a drive through park which took about an hour. Bears were all over the place sleeping, walking across the road in front of us, swimming, etc. We also saw deer, wolves and mountain lions. We were too broke and tired to go to that gift shop!

We debated about going to the caves...we all wanted to go but with my sight, Pete's claustaphobia we decided to skip it and go to the geology museum which was at a college in Rapid City. We were there about an hour before it closed. It was cool but I've seen enough rocks for a lifetime.

That night it stormed and we watched it from our hotel window for a good half hour.

Tomorrow, the air and space museum and the Badlands.

South Dokatoa pics

Mt. Rushmore

The first day we got up and headed to Mt. Rushmore since that is why we were there in the first place. We took Iron Mountain HWY which is the one that is very curvy and you can see Mt. Rushmore through the tunnels as you go through them. It took at least a half hour on this road before we reached the monument.

We parked and got out to look at the Presidents, took pictures. I tried to stare at it for awhile to sear the picture in my brain but everyone else wanted to go, others were telling me to move, etc. so we left.

From there we went to Hill City where we took an 1880's train to another city. Before we boarded we had about an hour to kill so we ate lunch outside on the picnic table. It was a perfect, sunny day. I did feel like I should be wearing clothes like in "Little House on the Prairie." The ride was an hour there and an hour back. We spent a lot of time in the gift shop...too much time.

Then we took the Needles Highway back which is another curvy road with giant rock formations...beautiful. There were a couple tunnels where the car barely fit through it was so tight. I admit I got a little nauseous with the curvy roads.

The last thing we did was go through a wildlife loop through Custer Park. It was an hour drive through but we did not see much and I think by then we were all tired. We did see some cute prairie dogs and a donkey licking somebody's car window. Don't see that every day!

We went back to the hotel for a swim and then to bed. Tomorrow I will talk about the second day in South Dakota.

South Dakota

We are back from South Dakota. We had a great time....we always have good vacations. I always think every time we go, "This is my favorite vacation."

THe funniest part was when we had to stop in MN for a night on the way there. We stopped at a Super 8. Luke was not happy because it did not have a pool. He asked, "Why do they call this a 'Super' 8 when it ain't that super? There's no pool!"

On the way back it was so windy and there were several tornadoes in the area. This time I asked him to carry in a bunch of stuff to the room. He said, "It's a good think I have all this stuff weighing me down or I would blow away!"

More on the sightseeing later. It is good to be home.

Today I trimmed some more bushes. The problem was both the saw and the hedge clippers are so dull it took three times longer than it should have. I raked all the clippings into a pile for Pete to take to the dump but it was raining when he came home plus he had a church council meeting I forgot about. Now I am really sore from all the trimming and fighting with the ladder to get it close enough to the tree to hack off the branches. Seemed like ever car that drove past would slow down to watch.

Tonight I am cleaning out the cubby holes going through Luke's papers from the school year, etc. Seems like there is so much to do! I am also doing Bree's laundry.

Tomorrow mom is coming over with a pizza for lunch with me and the kids. When Pete gets home we will go to Crystal Falls for John's memorial. We are all looking forward to being in Crystal again.

I went to Weight Watchers last night and did well. I hope I can keep doing well while we are on our road trip to SD.

School's Out

The kids are done with school. Luke had a great report card so we went to Perkins to celebrate and then to Barnes and Noble where we spent too much money. I bought some magazines on backyard gardens, the Laura Bush book and a Buzz Aldrin book. Luke got a Calvin and Hobbes book, Breanna got a book she wanted plus The Grapes of Wrath because she needs to read it over the summer for school next fall. We also bought a copy for her friend because last year her friends parents would not get it for her. Pete bought some computer mngazines. I also got some graduation cards.

I was surprised this morning when I read the paper and I saw a former coworker passed away. He was only 46 years old.

Today I spend the day looking online for a hotel near Mt. Rushmore...took forever to decide but I finally got'er done. I am starting to think maybe we should stay an extra day.

I still have the stinkin' cough...it has been almost two weeks and I am getting tired of it because it keeps me awake at night. I just fall asleep and then wake up coughing. Errrrghhhh....

Oh yeah...we found out what games we got in the Packer lottery. We got a preseason game against Indianopolis and a regular season game against da Bears!

I think I used the word 'got' way too much in this post.

The Muggies

I have a bad case of the muggies...when it is muggy I don't want to do anything. I don't want to cook, I don't want to clean or do laundry.

Yesterday for the first time ever I watched a bunch of movies on the Hallmark channel. They are the old fashion kind where guy meets girl and they end up together at the end. I really miss the love stories they used to make. Yesterday they were all westerns so there was a lot of shootin', girls is the cool victorian dresses and strong, silent type cowboys along with horses and some bad acting.

Funny, Pete has been cleaning....good job, Pete! Maybe I should get the muggies more often? Noooooo...just kidding.

Oh, we got tickets to see simon and Garfunkle! Whoo-hoo...cannot wait.

Memorial Day

We had a nice Memorial Day. We went to my mom's for a BBQ. I did not want her to work so I told her I would bring all the food. When we got there, she still had food set out. I had my first hot dog on the grill for this summer which is always good.

I went to Weight Watchers Wedmesday even though I still do not feel all that great. I lost this time so that was a relief. I have so far to go I wonder if it will ever happen. I like junk food too much.

We went to see someone who is going to draw up plans for a sunroom so we can get a quote on how much it will cost. From what I hear from others who have had quotes it is going to be more than we were hoping. THat's ok, then we will know and can move on. There are worse things in life than not having a sunroom. (But I really waaaaaaannntt one).

We took Luke to the doctor for a med check and an xray on his leg for a follow up from when he broke his leg a couple years ago. Everything looks good.

Tomorrow the kids have early release. Only a couple days of school left.