Fishing Trip

I keep wanting to put "our first fishing trip of the year", but really, it was only MY first fishing trip this year.  Evan has been to the river with Denver and his Grandpa, and he's taken the kids several times to go fishing either when I've been at work or trying to get stuff done around the house in peace and quiet!  Its so nice that the kids are finally the age where Evan can take them to do things and I can get stuff done without it taking twice as long, and or doing things not once, but twice. :)

The first fish on this trip, of course it was caught by Denver!

He was sooo excited!

Makenna's first fish on this trip, which was also the first walleye caught on this trip.

She wasn't too interested in a picture with her fish.

Kenna and Papa fishing.

This fishing endeavor took place when my sister was here the 2nd time, and Jacob joined us.  He was excited to catch a fish too!

Daddy and Denver with the 2 biggest fish from the trip.

Chicago 2011

The middle of March, Evan and I were able to visit Chicago with our good friends Brandon and Ashley.  While we were gone the kids stayed with my sister and brother in-law and their cousins!  Bless her heart for taking that job on!  The kids had a blast and I'm so grateful for the extra time they had with their aunt and uncle and cousins.  It was a much needed trip for Evan and I to have some time for ourselves along with our good friends, prior to Brandon's departure to Oklahoma for several months this summer for more mmilitary training.  We left on St. Patrick's day and came home that following Sunday.  We took the train from Omaha, NE to Chicago and back to Omaha.  It was quite an experience, but we had lots of fun!

Ashley & Brandon on the train on our way to Chicago

We spent the majority of the time on the train to Chicago playing cards (and the entire trip back!)

Ashley and Mindy waiting to get our luggage after getting of the train at the Chicago train station (which is MUCH bigger than the Omaha train station!) :)

One day the boys spent going to March Madness Basketball games while us girls shopping and had goodies, like these "Sprinkles" cupcakes!

They were delicious!

We tried some new food, and I suppose I'll put this wrong, but I think it was clams...I wouldn't try them, but Evan loved them.

Some of our sight seeing included Shedd's Aquarium which we all enjoyed.

We saw a dolphin show at the aquarium.

Yummy Chicago style pizza!

We also visited the Navy Pierre

A night out to a fancy steak house for aged steak.

Ashley's aunt and uncle joined us one evening as they live right out of Chicago.

We did lots of walking and took some taxi's, but this night we came upon a limo ride for the cost of a taxi!

Playing cards on our way home!



Another camping trip!

Yes, we did squeeze in another camping trip!  I had many of my friends think we were absolutely crazy going camping in October, but it turned out to be a beautiful weekend and it was a great time camping with Papa Rodney and Grama Verni.  Evan and my dad go deer hunting out west with several other people every year.  This year the ground that they usually hunt was pulled from the public hunting land so they were forced to find new ground to hunt.  My mom thought what better way to find that land than by all of us going out there for a camping trip.  This way the kids, mom and I were also able to see where they hunt and have some good family time, along with a little camping trip that we wanted to do with them, but weren't able since the cows didn't leave until October!  We drove up Saturday morning, after I got home from working all night.  I slept in the car while Evan drove.  We spent Saturday just hanging out; fishing, playing on the jungle gym, eating, campfire, etc.  The guys made it a late night with some fishing in a small thunderstorm!  I thought they were crazy, especially since the fish weren't biting...but they kept hoping!  The next morning we packed up and went to the public hunting ground where we then separated our ways.  The guys went to check out the new land and the kids took a nap while we drove back to the campground.  We then did a lot of indoor games (as it drizzled some and every thing was wet from the night before) and I napped as I had a call shift that night (that I thankfully ended up not having to work).  The weather was perfect and we're so glad we were able to squeeze it into our busy schedule!

Flying Babies

Marshmallows with Grama