Quick update from Big Spring, TX

I just wanted to write a quick note and share some pictures with everyone. We've been in Big Spring, TX since late Wednesday night. We left Dallas around 6PM, and didn't arrive in Big Spring until 1030. Suman arrived in Big Spring on Thursday, and stayed until Sunday. Duemani arrived from Houston on Sunday afternoon, and will be here until Wednesday. We will leave for Dallas on Wednesday, stay the night with Suman again, and then head for KC on Thursday. One day in KC, and then on to Madison for Labor Day weekend, then home to Rhinelander.

We have been having a nice relaxing time in Big Spring. We had dinner with friends of the family one night, Pavan's mother had two families over for dinner last night, and we will have dinner with another family tomorrow night. Today we had a picnic on top of scenic mountain here in Big Spring. The view from the top was amazing, and there was a huge playground and picnic area on top. We had reserved the area and had a cook out. The weather was in the 70s with a nice breeze, it was so beautiful. I took some pictures of the children playing, and of the amazing sunset. Of course I didn't get a chance to put those pictures on my computer yet...maybe tomorrow. Its amazing to look out and see for miles and miles. Such a difference from Rhinelander, both are beautiful even though they are such opposites.

Enjoy the pictures!

Rebecca

On the road...

Hello to everyone from Fort Worth, TX. I use red letters, because it's hot here!! I nearly started crying when I got online and realized it's only 61 degrees in Rhinelander!! We've driven a long way in the last week, and there truly is no place like home!

We spent the weekend in Kansas City, and had a nice time visiting with family and resting, doing laundry....before we headed on to TX. We left KC Monday morning and drove to Fort Worth, where we are staying with Pavan's brother, Suman. He has a big house with lots of bedrooms, so it's very nice. Much better than a hotel room, the children have lots of room to play and we can visit with his Mom and Suman. We will leave this afternoon and head to Big Spring, Pavan's parent's house.

Yesterday we went to the Dallas World Aquarium in downtown Dallas. The kids had a great time, it was so neat inside. Looked like a rainforest and there were a lot of interesting animals. However, I have to tell you all....the aquarium inside Mall of America is still better. We'll be going there for Amaya's birthday, I can't wait!

The one horrible part of yesterday was that Amaya got hurt again. We were relaxing in this out of the way area that had a couch and chair, Amaya went to get off my lap and when she jumped down to the floor she lost her balance and bumped her head on the coffee table. I handed her to Kindra so I could get up, and Kindra said she was bleeding. I couldn't believe it, she barely hit the table. Well, she cut it deep and needed stitched. Everyone who worked there came running over and surrounded us, made a big scene. They were so apologetic, asking if we needed anything. Once we got done filling out the accident forms and assured them we didn't need any medical attention, we headed back to Fort Worth. Picked up some liquid bandage and cleanser, and glued the cut back together. Poor Amaya, of course it was the same side as her black eye....I wonder if that made the skin more prone to breaking when she hit the table. I'll send pictures, I know you all love that stuff!

Ok, my thoughts are a jumble so I'm sure my journal is too. Sorry, I'll write more later in the week!

Rebecca

Amaya's black eye

Actually it's more of a purple eye....

Two nights ago Amaya climbed onto the kitchen counter to sneak a cookie from the cookie jar. As she crawled back over to the edge to get back down, she lost her balance and fell off the counter face first into the hardwood floor! I turned around from the stove just in time to see her fall, and couldn't make it there in time to catch her. It was pretty scary, the way she hit the floor I thought she'd be hurt a lot worse than she was! She cried for a long time, but after it was all said and done, she ended up with a lump on her forehead and a nasty black eye. Poor Amaya! Of course the next morning, I caught her back up on the counter for another cookie! She's always been a climber, gotta keep an eye on this one! Of course, she would have to get hurt right before we leave town to visit everyone! Thought you all needed to be forewarned before we showed up with Amaya all black and blue!

We haven't been doing much else this week, just taking it easy and enjoying the beautiful weather....50s at night, 70s during the day. Kindra and Anna got new bikes, so they've all been outside a lot. Pavan's been working hard to make sure everything is taken care of before he leaves town, and I've been stocking up on everything Connie will need to take care of the animals while we are gone....and trying to stay caught up on laundry so we can pack our bags Thursday morning.

See you all soon,

Rebecca

Vacation Schedule and Amaya's birthday

Ok, here's the finalized schedule. Any questions? Call Pavan, haha.

17th - Leave Rhinelander around 4, stay the night in Onalaska, WI (near La Crosse). We have reservations at the Stoney Creek Inn.

18th - Arrive in Liberty early evening.

19th, 20th - Liberty

21st - Leave Liberty in AM, drive to Ft.Worth

22nd, 23rd - Dallas/Ft.Worth

24th - Drive to Big Spring in the AM

25th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th - Big Spring

30th - Drive to Dallas/Ft.Worth after Duemani leaves for Houston

31st - Drive to Liberty

1st - Liberty

2nd - Drive to Madison - we have reservations at the Clarion Suites Central in Madison.

3rd - Madison

4th - Back to Rhinelander

5th - First day of school!

I also want to let everyone know that we are planning a trip to Minneapolis for Amaya's birthday, which is on a Saturday this year. We are probably leaving Rhinelander on Thursday afternoon, staying in Minneapolis Friday and Saturday, then coming back to Rhinelander on Sunday. I will be making hotel reservations soon, if any of you would like to come to Minneapolis and hang out with us at Mall of America for a couple of days and celebrate Amaya's 2nd birthday, let me know. I will make all the room reservations at the same time. We are going to stay at the Hilton, which is 1 mile from Mall of America, and only 2 miles from the airport....with free shuttle service to both places. If you haven't been there, Mall of America is an awesome place to go with kids. I think you could spend a week there and never see everything! This will be a perfect time to celebrate Amaya's birthday, do some shopping for winter clothes, and have a great time at the amusement park and indoor aquarium.

Rebecca

Vacation Schedule

I apologize to those of you who are automatically notified via email when I post a new journal entry. You were probably notified that I posted a new entry last night, and then couldn't find it when you looked! I had put our vacation schedule online last night, but then deleted it later when we decided to make some changes to the schedule....and by then I was just too tired to correct anything.

We had made some changes to the schedule to be back in Rhinelander for Kindra's junior high orientation on the 31st. She really wants to attend orientation, as this will be her first year in the junior high...but finally agreed to forego the orientation since Pavan's brother Duemani won't be in Big Spring until August 27th...and there just isn't any way to be in Big Spring to visit with Duemani, and still make it back to Rhinelander on the 30th. It's a 1500 mile road trip, and with four children.....well it's exhausting to say the least!!! We certainly don't want to come back from vacation needing a vacation!!

Pavan is going to talk with his parents tonight to solidify our schedule, but I know for sure that we will be in Liberty early in the evening on the 18th (Friday), and will be spending the weekend in Liberty (19th and 20th). We will leave Monday morning to head to Texas. We will be back in Liberty on the 31st or 1st, but only for a day before we head to Madison to visit with Pavan's friend Sidney and wife Valerie (Sidney's wife, not Pavan's haha), and my friend Romney. Congratulations to Romney, her husband Todd, and daughter Kate. They have a new baby in their house, little Sadie.....I can't wait to see you all!

I will try to get online tonight and firm up our vacation schedule!

Rebecca

Back in Rhinelander

We are back in Rhinelander after 2 weeks in Kansas City. We left Mom's house yesterday around 11, and got home at 1015 last night. Once again the children behaved really well for the ride, so we didn't have to stop for the night. We stopped in Des Moines for lunch at a Burger King with a great play area, and then just stopped two more times, once for gas and to pick up dinner in a drive through, and once for a potty break. Now we have a week ad a half until we leave again for our trip to Texas to visit Pavan's parents.

We don't have any plans this week, but next week Kindra has basketball camp for 4 hours each day, Monday through Thursday. We will leave next Thursday (the 17th) around 4PM and drive to La Crosse, WI....then head to KC the next day. Pavan and I have a favorite coffee shop in La Crosse, so we are looking forward to staying there so we can start our day off right with some delicious coffee from Caribou Coffee. La Crosse is a beautiful town, one day we'll have to stay there for a few days and go on one of their Mississippi River cruises.

One thing, we are making some changes to our itinerary for our trip to Texas because we need to be back in Rhinelander on the 31st for Kindra's school orientation. However, I don't think it will change things much since it looks like we'll be able to drive from KC to Big Spring in one day, and from KC back to Rhinelander in one day, now that the children will tolerate longer days on the road. We'll let you know how it all pans out.

We had a great time in KC, it was so nice to see all of our family and friends. I don't miss the heat though, it was nice driving into Rhinelander last night and seeing the temperature was 68!!

More later,

Rebecca