Summer fun!

After leaving Singapore on Wednesday, May 30th we had a 1 hour layover in Tokyo (where we had to get off of the plane, go through security and reboard) to arrive in LA hours and hours later.  After clearing customs and changing terminals we boarded the next flight to Denver where we did the same thing minus customs for our flight to Des Moines.  Once we arrive in Iowa my parents picked us up at 11pm and we drove 2 1/2 hours to their house in southeast Iowa.  I was so tired but insisted on getting unpacked and organized with laundry started (as I always do) and finally found my bed at 4:30am.  On our inbound flights I have significantly less luggage than our return (as Michael can confirm that) so 3 bags are much more manageable than 12.

Caden and Beckett loved their time on the farm with Grandma Dianne and Grandpa Gary.  They got to attend a cowboy-themed VBS for a week, learned archery and even learned how to shoot a BB gun...woo hoo!  I'm just glad we don't own either of those gadgets or I'm afraid someone would end up hurt...and experience tells me it would NOT be Beckett.

Michael was able to come over for about 2 weeks.  He enjoyed time with his parents in their new home in Bloomington, IN with the boys to celebrate his birthday with his family there.  Grandma Sandy helped Caden and Beckett plan his party.  The boys enjoyed their week with Grandma Sandy and Grandpa Jim doing Granny Camp activities.  They went to see a play, painted ceramics, went to museums, rode bikes and played with Michael and David's old childhood toys.  Grandpa Jim's new E2Taxi business is successfully up and running so the kids go to go see the cabs and how the operation works in person.  The stories were never ending by the time I met up with all of my boys in Chicago over the 4th of July from their time in Indiana.

Everyone enjoyed the time in Chicago over the 4th of July.  We had not had family pictures in over 4 years since leaving Atlanta so we spent most of the day on the 5th at Navy Pier and various parts of Chicago.  It was so miserably HOT during that week!  Our photographer, Krysta Manthe, was AMAZING!  Michael got to see several of his friends while we were there and I got to see my dear friend, Adrianne.

On our way back to Singapore we flew through Denver and met my parents there for several days in the mountains to go jeeping and hiking.  They worked very hard to organized those few days.  I hope the boys remember that experience when they are older.  Monday, July 16th we started our travels from Denver to LA to Singapore and arrived back in the early morning of July 18th.  It has been about 2 wks since we arrived and we are finally over our jet lag and back to our routine...that feels wonderful!