BackAgainInMichiana2012.com

Well, this entry will be heavy with pictures...we took over 400 pictures during our trip to the Midwest this year, and didn't even manage to take pictures of everyone with whom we were fortunate enough to spend time, even if only for a few hours!!

We decided to fly this year, as Mikayla + 30 Minutes in the Car = Enough Entertaining for the Rest of My Life.  No complaints about the flight...the kids were easy enough.  The boys are content to rely on electronics for entertainment.  (So we can laugh at technology 20 years from now, I'll go ahead and name them.  We travel with a DS, iPod, iShuffle, Android phone, and the DVD player.) Mikayla only wanted to get down and walk around, but at least she wasn't buckled in for 20 hours in the car.

One funny note - TJ bought wheel shoes with his own money about two months prior to the trip, but never figured out how to use them.  The first day in Chicago, Scott pulled up some YouTube videos to show him how to use them, and after an hour of practicing in the driveway, he caught on, and the rest is history.  The next morning, we were all awoken at 6:00 a.m. to TJ practicing his stunts up on the top deck of 514 S. Maple.  The shoes are monstrous as seen in some of these pictures.

Carrie Fisher Stalter - Carrie picked us up at the airport, and it is always SO great to see a college roommate.  We enjoyed some shopping downtown Forest Park, but mostly enjoyed the chit chat and getting caught up!

Mimi and Papa Gunden - always so much fun for everyone in downtown Chicago.  This time we hit the aquarium and a local water park, among many other forms of entertainment.  Mikayla very much enjoyed the stairs at the house (which is almost sold, by the way, so we will not see it again!) and she practiced going up and down 4 flights of stairs countless times.  Mimi was happy to assist.

Great Grandma and Grandpa Garber (and Great Aunt Carol too!) - How great that Mikayla and I could stay for several nights and hang out.  She loved the deck with the flowers and birds, and was quite entertained with the stool climbing up on the couch over and over.  The little baby in the rocker was a favorite as well. The boys each took a turn staying the night, which worked out great since Luka + TJ = A Pain in the You Know What.  Great-Grandpa pulled out some puzzle games and TJ got totally hooked.  Luka enjoyed his evening there playing several rounds of Uno and getting an infamous back rub from Great-Grandma.  Another treat was a trip to the Well Field Gardens in Elkhart with the whole bunch.  Despite the goose poop, which I hear is now cleaned up, we had a very enjoyable time.  Our last day in Goshen, we got to see Great Aunt Carol, who quickly became acquainted with Mikayla.  While Mikayla had some issues going to others, especially if I was around, she clearly was comfortable with Aunt Carol and often Great Grandpa as well!

Bob and Mary Birkey and Ben and family - We were so fortunate that Ben and Sara, Audrey and Whitney were in town for Bob's retirement celebration.  While we missed the party by a day, we were so content to hang out with the Birkeys and relax.  While the kids got acquainted, a highlight for the men was to jam for several hours in Bob's basement.  ZZ Top was definitely on the list...

Scott's friend John Helmuth - While there is not one picture to show for it, a definite highlight for all of us was a night at John Helmuth's place on Shavehead Head, where Camp Friedenswald is.  After boating and grilling, the boys were attached to John, who has a remarkable sense of humor, and they became his #1 fans.  Scott and John, even as adults, sure got each other going, and we laughed and laughed and laughed.  I can only imagine the trouble these two guys got into in high school...

Brooke and Kumar Kandel Cisco and family -On our way back through Chicago, we again got lucky and overlapped for one evening with our very good friends who were in town for a Cubs game.  Again, not one picture to show for it, but we made the most of the few hours we had and headed to Pizzeria Due's for some Chicago pizza.  It was fun to see Brooke who is prego with #3 and due in September with another girl!  (So glad it isn't me...)

Grandma and Grandpa Schmucker, The Stoltzfus Family, and Scott's cousin Katrina Zook and her son Thomas - Our trip this year was planned around the Zook reunion, which is Grandma Vera's family.  Katrina and Thomas came from Wyoming, and the Stoltzfus' came from PA.  What a reunion it was.  Grandpa had the yard all spruced up with tons of flowers and his huge garden and the kids even saw him catch and kill (drown) a gopher.  I doubt they will ever forget that!  They could hardly wait for Lucas and Nathan to arrive, and they very much enjoyed getting to know their second cousin, Thomas.  MANY hours were spent with the 500 water balloons that Grandpa had gotten, and with temps in the 90's, no one was complaining.  Other than backyard fun, there was a trip to some local Amish farms, (We saw deer, chickens, geese, baby chicks, turkeys, horses, cows, what else??) homemade ice-cream, bike rides, games, The Chief for more ice-cream, lunch at Rolling Scones (with Joyce, Great-Aunt Rose, and Shane), art projects in the basement, church on Sunday at College Mennonite, and Daddy's June 26 birthday celebration for which Grandma ordered a special cake and pinata!  Thanks to Grandpa and Grandma for making this a trip to remember!

Let's see...28 GOOD friends and family members in 12 days (not to mention all the folks at College Mennonite like Helen Detwiler, Paula and Dwight Gerber, and Ab and Ann Hershberger).  Wow, we sure do know how to pack it in!  Next time I think I might be ready to pack only bathing suits and pajamas and hit the beach...