A Glimpse of the Last Month

I am back...I think. We have been home a week last night. The drive with the kids was loud (on their part) but good. They were so hyper the first day I thought I might die, but instead I just kept driving, making it more than 2/3's on the first day. We swam at the hotel and then finished up the trip by leaving at lunch on the second day. They were much quieter and I enjoyed that but I was tired so the second day was harder.
However, we are home. This picture was of a storm rolling in before we left and I love it and the other 10-15 that I took.
We went swimming in Michigan and Anna thoroughly loved her time in the water.
We also went to the Detroit Zoo, where the kids found this big rock that just begged to be climbed so we used it as a photo op. We were thankful that Therese (our Goddaughter) and Vonnie (a long time mentor of mine) and Erica (their friend) were able to spend the day with us at the zoo and we loved catching up with them. It was also my nieces first trip to the zoo so I got to share that momento with them. Abiageal (the little one on Anna) also blessed me with many firsts while I was home. I gave her her first solids and I got to watch her take her first steps (much to the chagrin of her mommy because now she is everywhere). I am so thankful for those moments with her and thankful to her parents for letting me be so much a part of her life even though I live so far away.
This was the prairie dog hole, Therese and Beau are popped up, in another picture somewhere there are actual prairie dogs down in front of them. The kids really liked this although we see plenty of prairie dogs in Montana (many on the side of the road squashed.)
Finally this one was just a cuddle moment, all still in pjs but I didn't care. They sure enjoyed being with their cousins and I think Caroline is still hoping Luke will walk back through the door. They are the best of buds and I hope they always will be.
It has been hard to get back into the swing of things around here. We have two weeks until school, but that aspect is already covered. Supplies are bought and bagged and ready. Kids are ready too, I'm not sure I am but I will be. Ben accomplished so much while we were gone, he started the rock garden in front of the porct, built Anna a lofted bed to open up her bedroom, and finished the counter for the island. He has now almost completed 1/2 of the rest of the counters and it looks like they will all be complete before summer ends (keeping our fingers crossed.) I started a new workout program and am slowly able to move now after lots of sore muscles, but it feels good to work hard. I am three weeks behind Ben and he has toned up significantly already and lost 8 lbs, so hopefully I can work as hard as he has and see the results in a month. It is a 90 day program so I still have 82 to go, but I'm confident I'll get there.

Moving forward, that is what we are doing now. I'll put up more pictures and details of our trip and Ben's work here in the coming days. For now enjoy.