Last day in Michigan!

Our last day in Michigan went by pretty fast!  Our flight left at 3:00, so we tried to do a few fun activities in the morning.  Once again, Curtis and the boys woke up at 6 to go fishing.  They actually caught something this time and had a nice fish breakfast.  Casey, the kids, and I (along with mom, dad, Grandma and Grandpa Jost, Steve, Bruce and Kathy) ate breakfast at a cute little restaurant next to our hotel. 

Then most of the family headed over to Laura's uncle Rick's house so Lane could do some fishing.  He has been asking to go fishing for a couple of months now, and we figured he would at least have the hope of catching something while we were at the Great Lakes. 

Lane sat very patiently for about 8-10 minutes...until Bret and Laura pointed out that they could see a bunch of fish on the other side of the dock.  So they moved.

Within seconds, Lane had his first fish!  Curtis helped him reel it in and then it was picture-taking time!  Lane was so proud!



Curtis told Lane that when you catch your first fish, you have to give it a kiss.  Lane didn't like that idea.

So he made Daddy kiss it for him.

They threw that fish back...and within a couple minutes...caught another one!  It was perfect fishing for a 3-year-old...he didn't have to wait long for a bite!  He caught on pretty quickly how to tell if he had a fish (the bobber went under the water).

Lane also had fun watching Curtis bait the hook.

Lane ended up catching 6 fish!  After that, he started to get bored and cold since it was pretty chilly and almost lunchtime!  He loved the fish though - really wish the Henderson lake was as clear as this one was.

After a quick lunch at Pammi's restaurant, it was time to head back to the airport to catch our flight.  We were slightly nervous at how the day might turn out - we had, at most, an hour between each flight.  Trying to manuver two kids, two strollers, and four carry-on bags can be tough even without having to run between gates.  Luckily, all our flights were on time and we didn't have to go too far between gates.  We even had time to grab Caribou Coffee and some Taco Bell for supper in Detriot.  Glad we did - there wasn't much time in Minneapolis!  We got to Omaha about 8:30, grabbed our luggage and the truck and headed home.  We were a little hungry (Curtis) and awfully thirsty (me) so we stopped at a gas station just outside of town.  Just as we were leaving, Blake and Casey pulled up.  Then, we passed my parents pulling into the station.  Pretty funny that we all had the same idea without talking about it beforehand!

It was a wonderful trip and I am so glad that Lane got to experience so many new things.  It was also really fun to see where Laura grew up...and try to figure out why she left that for Bret! ;) The kids really are good little travelers...but it still can't be called a "vacation" with two little ones :).

Day 2 and 3

After a fun day at Mackinac Island, we spent the evening at Laura's grandparents' house, starting off with a hamburger fry. By this time, more relatives and friends were arriving...including my uncle and aunt, Bruce and Kathy. It was fun to see them - it had been quite awhile!

We spent most of the evening just hanging out by the water and playing. Gorgeous weather - no wind!

Lane got to go on a canoe ride with Bret and Laura. He loved the canoes...so much so that Curtis thinks it would be fun to get one for the Henderson lake! Lane also had fun getting into a splashing war while Curtis was on the kayak. Can you believe that we even got my mom to get in a canoe? It helped that the water close to shore was only a couple feet deep :)

Some father-son bonding time...

After a good night's sleep (finally!) Laura's other set of grandparents made breakfast for us all Saturday morning...then it was off for more playing in the water! Since the boys kept going fishing and leaving us girls to deal with the kids all by ourselves, we decided it was time for them to keep track of the 3 little ones while we went waterskiing.

We knew the water would be cold, but since it has been awhile since either me or Casey had waterskiied, we decided to go. I really wasn't sure if I would, but after watching Casey, I just had to!

We made Bret go first...

When he still had goosebumps 10 minutes after leaving the water, I didn't know if I would go! So Casey went next....

After she was done, I asked her how cold the water really was. Her reply: "As soon as you jump in you'll think this is the stupidest idea ever. But once you're out of the water it's fine!" Ok, I was going. And she's right - it was a stupid idea to be hanging out in that water...you definitely want to keep your skiis on and get up the first time! Luckily, I did.

Apparently they were all worried I was going to lose the skirt to my swimsuit. Lucky for them, it was attached to rest of my suit!

I survived, but I only went once. There was no way I was going to be in that frigid water for longer than I had to!

We convinced my dad to try skiing - he hadn't been for 40 years, but after 4 tries, he got up! Looked good!

After a quick lunch and some bubbles for the kids....

...it was time to get ready for the reason we all went there: the wedding reception. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures from that, but it was a fun time! Very good food (including fried whitefish - yumm!) and it was fun to meet some of Laura's relatives/friends. The kids enjoyed the fact that we were outside all day so they could just run around being silly.

Curtis and the boys went waterskiing that evening. Curtis told me, oh don't worry, I don't think I'll wakeboard since I don't want to get hurt. Yep - he went anyway - and crashed big time. Cut his mouth and hurt his back - but nothing a chiropractor can't fix!

Then it was off to bed for over-tired crabby kids where we got another good night of sleep...thank goodness, since the last day was pretty long!

Day 2 - Mackinac Island

On Friday morning, Curtis woke up at 6 am to go fishing with all the guys (yes, he woke Katy up as he was leaving.  Thankfully, I got her back to sleep after about half an hour).  They were back by 8:30 since they only caught one fish.  Apparently Randy (Laura's dad) now has lots of "Have you ever gone fishing with a Nebraskan?" stories thanks to Curtis.  I don't remember all the stories, but I think seagulls played a big part :)

By 9 a.m., we were on the road to Mackinac Island.  I was excited for the day trip, even though all I knew about the island is that it was a big tourist spot and they didn't allow cars.  Lane really liked the ferry that took us to the island...Katy...not so much.  By this point in the trip, she hated being held by anyone when they were sitting down. 

Not our ferry, but all of them looked the same.

We got to Mackinac about 10:30 and made plans to meet up for lunch.  We decided to just explore the streets and do a little shopping before lunch.  Lots of little shops (think downtown Breckenridge or Steamboat Springs or Estes Park or any one of those ski towns) and restaurants.  We managed to find a cheap t-shirt for me, and hat for Curtis, and Fling-Socks for the kids.  (I planned to get Katy a stuffed animal, but when she saw what Lane had, she had to have one too.  Now I know why we had 3 of everything when I was growing up.)

We had about a half hour to kill before meeting for lunch, so we walked towards a more residential area.  We found a cute little beach where we could wade in the water.  It was so cold, but kinda refreshing after a hot walk.

Lane and Katy weren't too sure about getting in, but soon they were occupied throwing rocks around.  It was amazing how clear this water was!  Lane tried finding "sea creatures" but there weren't any :(.

After a hamburger/hot dog lunch, it was time to decide what to do the rest of the afternoon.  Casey and Blake and my parents were planning on a carriage ride.  That sounded kind of relaxing, until I remembered that Katy would have to be on my lap for the 1.5 hour trip.  That sounded horrible.  So we decided to rent a couple of bikes and a trailer for the kids and hope they would take a nap along the way.  As soon as we closed Katy's buckles, she was screaming.  We took off as fast as we could with no real plan...after about 10 minutes of pedaling and screaming (and everyone looking at us), Katy gave up and fell asleep. 

We decided to follow the highway around the perimeter of the island.  Even though it was 8 miles, it wasn't a hard ride at all.  We discovered we were actually going the wrong way, but that turned out to be a good decision since the kids were in the shade at all times.  I wish I could have gotten more pictures, but every time we stopped, Katy started screaming.  Finally, about 5 miles into the ride, after we stopped for a bathroom break, she gave up and just sat and looked around. 

I did get a few pics at our only stop.  It was beautiful and exactly how I picture Canada to look.  Notice the different shades of blue in the water...it was amazing.  (And reminded me of the old Super Nintendo game Mario Cart). 

After our bike ride (which took an hour and 20 minutes, including stopping), it was time for a snack.  I ate a yummy peanut butter fudge waffle cone and Lane enjoyed nibbling on a frozen chocolate-covered banana.  Katy liked sneaking bites of my cone!

We had about an hour before our ferry left for the "mainland" (I don't know, is it called the mainland or simply more islands?), so we decided to go back to the cute little beach and cool off.  This time the rest of the family joined us.  It wasn't quite as fun as the first time, as the wind had picked up and the waves were a little more intimidating.  But Lane and Katy jumped right in and got soaking wet. 

Time to catch the ferry!  Lane got an education in fish from Bret and Laura while we waited!

That evening, we hung out and did more fun stuff at Laura's grandparents' house...so much that it will have to be in another post!

Michigan - Day 1

When Bret and Laura got married last February, part of the plan was that they would have a reception in Michigan over the summer so all of Laura's friends/relatives could attend. We didn't decide until about a month ago that we were for sure going, but I am glad we did! So many new experiences, especially for Lane.

Our plane left Omaha at 6 a.m. Thursday morning. That meant leaving home at 2:45 a.m. There was no doubt in my mind that the kids would sleep all the way to Omaha and actually get a decent nights sleep. I was wrong.

Lane stayed awake the whole time we drove (he was insanely excited about flying on an airplane) and Katy only slept for about a half hour between Lincoln and Omaha. We didn't have to wait much at Eppley before our plane took off. Katy slept for awhile, and Lane fell asleep as soon as we landed. I guess he figured he didn't need to be awake any longer.

Our (planned) 4-hour layover in Detroit was fine. We had time to find Caribou Coffee, let the kids run around, and eat at Chili's for lunch. However, our plane was delayed an extra hour and that is where it got TOUGH. We had to change gates and Katy wanted nothing to do with sitting still. She constantly walked away from me and always to where she couldn't go. The airport was busy at this point and she couldn't walk where she wanted to without getting run over. Thank goodness for an uneventful (and quiet!) ride to Sault St. Marie when both kids slept.

We ended up getting to Cedarville, MI (where Laura grew up) about 4:00. I didn't really realize exactly where we were going - Cedarville is in the Upper Pennisula, which is almost Canada. Right on the Great Lakes. Laura's grandparents' house was kind of our "home base" where we could hang out, and it was literally 25 yards from the lake.

Bret and Laura took us on a boat tour of the lake and islands so we could get a general idea of where we were.

LOTS of water. COLD water. The weather was really nice the whole time we were there - high 80s to lower 90s. We were fine - the Michigan natives were sweating :)

The water was amazing - so clear. And the scenery was beautiful.

Lane enjoyed seeing this rock quarry (just like Thomas the Tank Engine works at) and especially liked it when he got to go on a canoe ride with Bret and Laura to see it.

After a taco feast, we headed back to our hotel room where I expected to get a good night's sleep. Katy slept horrible - she was in this portable crib from the '80s that just had a thin plastic matress. We finally put our comforter on top of it and she slept a little better. I didn't - knowing that Curtis had to get up before 6 to meet the guys for fishing.

Fiesta Chicken Burritos

Taste of Home

I made these burritos last night - Curtis took two bites and said "You can throw out any of your other Mexican recipes and just make these all the time."  They were really good.  And very easy - just throw everything in the crockpot, let it cook for several hours, and eat!  I also loved only having one prep dish to wash!

Fiesta Chicken Burritos


1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
3 tablespoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Dash cayenne pepper (I left his out)
Dash crushed red pepper flakes
1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese
8 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed
Optional toppings: sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes

Place chicken in a greased 4-qt. slow cooker. In a large bowl, combine the corn, beans, tomatoes, jalapeno and seasonings; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until chicken is tender.

Remove chicken; cool slightly. Shred meat with two forks and return to the slow cooker. Stir in cream cheese. Cover and cook 15 minutes longer or until heated through.

Spoon 3/4 cup chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla; add toppings of your choice. Fold sides and ends over filling and roll up.

It's the little things...

With a house that needs work, it's the little things that can make you smile or drive you crazy.

These make me smile:

Brand-new couch (found on clearance + extra 10% off!) and
the kids/animals who play on them.

Finally getting a working ceiling fan in the master bedroom, just in time for 100 degree weather!

And these drive me crazy:


Previous owners who used two different colors of tile in the kitchen.



Same previous owners who installed flooring right over an air vent.  Guess the dining
room doesn't need cooled or heated?

So much alike...

Two years ago, we laughed and laughed when Lane would walk like this:

It was like he was saying, "I'm getting so good at walking, I can walk with my hands behind my back!"

Today, I saw this:

(And yes, they are both in their jammies...why are they always dressed goofy when they do the cutest things!)

Happy birthday, Katelyn!

We celebrated Katy's first birthday with our family last night.  We got lucky with a beautiful evening (plus lots of mosquitoes - yuck!) and (mostly) happy kids.  It was so fun to be able to grill, make homemade ice cream, and hang out outside!  July birthdays are perfect for that.  It also kept my house alot cleaner ;)

We grilled hamburgers and rounded out the menu with baked beans, potato salad, and watermelon.  I was kinda going for an "outdoors" theme, so we had "Hoot Beer" and strawberry lemonade, then finished the evening with owl cupcakes, homemade ice cream, and smore's around the fire.  Perfect summer foods!

My mom made the sign - such cute owl stamps!

Aren't they cute?  Search "owl cupcakes" online and you'll come across tons of directions!

I broke most of my Oreo cookies as I was trying to separate them.  So most cupcakes were just pink sprinkles!

I ended up having enough batter left over for a "smash cake" for Katy...she hadn't really had cake before, but she dived right in and enjoyed herself!  She didn't get to blow out the candle since she tried to touch it instead.



Sharing with Uncle Blake!

Most of our families could make it - we were just missing Chad, Grace and Rachelle's husband, Brent.  I also wish my grandma and grandpa from Buhler would have been able to come, but we had a mini-celebration for Katy when we were there last week.  Katy loves the little toy cake Great-Grandma gave her!

Of course, opening presents is the highlight of any kid's party.  Katy got distracted quite often, but she did show some love to a few of her presents (and every one has been played with today so far!).

She smiled pretty big when she saw her Stella doll

Awww...a stuffed kitty from Brooks...



And now she has a chair just like Lane's...she looks pretty relaxed!

And just some random photos from the evening...




I had fun making these tissue-paper pom-poms..but ran out of
time for the rest of my decorations.



 We ended the evening by sitting around the fire pit roasting marshmallows and eating smore's.  Katy was asleep by this time, but Lane, Brooks, and Garrett stayed awake until the end.  Lane had his first toasted marshmallow...I don't think he was too fond of it!  We also lit off some fireworks.  Lane kept saying, "I'm done.  I'm done."  Maybe he doesn't take after his daddy as much as I thought he did?? :)

Katy and Lane (and us!) had so much fun - they slept in until 8:00 this morning.  Perfect way to end a perfect first birthday party!  Thanks everyone for helping us celebrate!