"Burnt fried and set a side...(and repeat)"

Who out there remembers this phrase?
Have you ever said it in a sing songy fashion?
Hilarious!

Hey, I saw the movie "The Village" last night with J, Mike, and Casey, and YOU SHOULD ALL GO SEE IT!
Totally out of control awesome! That's all I'll say :)

This one scene that was completely amazing (that won't ruin any plot factors) was when the blind girl puts her hand out the door and Joaquin Phoenix grabs it just in time (to save her).

THE MUSIC IS BREATHTAKING! If you see it you'll know what I mean.

(oh cool I just read J's blog and want to tell him I totally cryed in that scene--can't believe noone saw me :)

Hey everybody, tomorrow is AUGUST! That's disgusting to my teacher mind. ;)

Also, I blogged earlier today if you didn't catch that drab, HA!

We're home! The 8 hr. flight wasn't too bad, but I don't want to fly for a long while.

I'm looking forward to going home and getting settled a little bit in Chow-i.e. mail, computers, new satellite tv, etc. But then heading out to S.D. before one last summer hoorah!

(Side note:super humidified hair happened the minute we landed in Detroit last night)

Just got back from Joann's with the sister and mom in laws. It was fun, and I keep getting gifts of scrapbook stickers! Way cool! This will and must be the year of scrapbooking. I have about 4 to do, and must do them before our movie next June.

Casey got me like a million bajillion journals and scrapbooking papers/stickers too! Sweet!

Tonight is our last night in Ohio. 6 am departure with our truck and Bo. A great summer, that I would like to reflect on during a 40 hour drive and blog later about--as a whole :)

The British parents had to say farewell to me yesterday, and it was sad to say goodbye. Ya know, traveling to Anchorage by plane is actually quicker than getting to CA, so I hope to see more of them--and come home more once we hit land home next year in Alaska!?!?

I miss being with my family. It's called adulthood huh? It's called working, but it's also called choice...I hope our families choose to move out west too WHEN THEY RETIRE--or when they hit it big (bros)! (soon dad, soon, NOW, start doing what you want NOW! And don't worry about money, I'll fly you and mom out anytime you want.)

Casey is off at the shooting range with his dad,bro,and sis's boyfriend. Cool, I almost went. In fact, we're taking a shooting class in Cali this fall--this in prep of Alaska life :) WHOA!

That's all the bore I've got for now. Talk to you in Chowchilla--unless I don't my new comp going on--Windows XP, Microsoft publishing! OH YEAH! The year of the newsletters I hope! So fam get ready for that sillyness!

HELLO! We're at the Dial House B&B in Oxford-world! It's one that we've stayed at 2 nights before our train ride around the country!

It's a nicey and we get free (and wireless) internet (using Dad's G4), so of course here's a blog.

Incessant bumping and plopping into my face of people and their luggage happened all day as each stop every 30 minutes from York to Oxfordactually went fast.

I had an aisle seat.

The trains are nice (well the Virgin ones---thus Justin's funny quote on his el bloggy), and there are so many, MANY people on and off all the time. It's actually hilarious to watch people flinging and looking desperately for seats that aren't booked. Ours were, so they couldn't take them from us. Some people have a short ride and stand I presume.

So arriving in Oxford, there was dad all surprisingly waiting for us way-away from his C.S. Lewis residence! What a treat! I missed him! And we didn't expect to see him then and there! YAH!

It is odd to think I will not see him or mom, or bros until Thanksgiving.

Thinking of Thanksgiving reminds me that I will have completed a Mission Bay triathlon by then! Which means training all fall--YES! Can't wait to be off on my own training, talking to God, and listening to music.

Here are some out of control hours ahead of me (us):

2 hours from Oxford to Gatwick Airport
8 hours in flight
2 hours to bg
1 hour to Defiance
36+ hours to Chow
7 hours to S.D.
WOO! Plenty of hours to.....sleep?....to plan more school...to have fun with the people I get to spend it with!

3 more days until clean, relaxing America.

York is a neat little, little town --with that cool castle wall we've been mentioning.  Looking forward to walking all along the top of it tomorrow.  Plus sit around Borders for awhile again like we did tonight.

We went to the Punch Bowl for dinner and mom and I got some asparagus soup with chicken salad.  It was good --and good homemade bread.  Supposedly 2 ghosts inhabit this restaurant --- "York is one of the most ghost filled towns in G.B." ?!?! That's what they say.

OH MY! Tonight we went to the York Minster (minster means church) and it was a 1300s Church of England--still in use of course.  There was an amazing boys choir and two mini-lessons.  We all enjoyed it a lot.  In fact it was one of the best things on this whole trip.

I got reminded too that "God's mercy is on them, that fear Him".  Yah! mercy!  Yah humility!  Yah huge immaculate church with history and holiness exploding out of it to fill your heart with Him!

Mom's been nauseated, and we've all had little sore throat things---it was 50 degrees and less in Edinburgh ya know.  Just worn down from travel. 

Tomorrow we see dad in Oxford again!

So, I've planned my whole first quarter of my "surprise, you're teaching 2 completely different classes this year" situation.  That feels good.  Also I have a 10 short story idea for a book ---hope to get that going tonight.

Here's a knowledge for Great Britain:  EVERYTHING CLOSES AT 5 or 6 p.m.!! I may have said that before, but it really gets irritating, especially b/c it doesn't get dark till 10 or 10:30.

Well, this might be my last blog until U.S.A.  Whatta great summer!

1£ 60 p (spoken as "1 pound, 60 pee) is what this internet cost for 1 hour. 

We're spending our last day in Edinburgh with some light shopping--some heavy hiking/walking.  The streets are like San Fran, b/c this city is built on 7 hills.

Speaking of hills this one called Holyrood Hill looked like fun to hike to the top of, so I went for it this morning by myself.  Thinking it was way up and just around another way up, I found out it was really a series of many, MANY hills. 

It was great to hike!  Exhilerating to be above the city and see all across Scotland, well for 25 miles maybe.  The sea here is like Alaska's, nice in summer, violent in winter--and  a grey mysterious murkiness as well.

Yesterday we toured Edinburgh Castle which was orignially started in like the 1100's.  It was crazy to hear how many times it had been conquered, then reclaimed, conquered, then reclaimed---like by Vikings, English, and Romans.

We were really tired yesterday, I guess from the trip catching up to us.   So we not only slept in till 1 p.m. --after the castles, a high percentage of us took another 5 hour nap.   After our naps till 10 p.m. Mike, J, and I went to The Tass (a pub) for a hang out time of writing and relaxing.

Oh side note dad --James Taylor played here at this pre-festival last night.  35£ per ticket = $70! WHOA!  We could here it all through the city and from our dorm.  The real festivals start next week here, I cannot imagine the busyness of this city by then.  It's  a Jazz festival, then movie festival, then rock music, all right after another.

Anyways, mom spotted us a surprise snacky dinner last night with a french roll of bread, fresh ham and cheese.  It was the most amazing delight and so satifying.  So her and I bought some more for lunch just now.

Mike and J are galavanting around to the theatre to take in another foreign (or maybe not foreign) movie.  Tomorrow morning we'll train ride it through the farm land Nebraskian like countryside--yet with sprinkles of old castle ruins and many country homes and villages + the sea for part of the way. 

We're headed 3 hours to York, where we'll stay 2 nights at a B&B!  This should be sweet b/c it's still a castley walled city---picture walls of Jericho maybe?  I'll let you know when we get there.

Enough ramble for now, these get long winded no doubt--cheers!

p.s. the keyboard here has a £ (pound) sign in the place of the @ sign, different, irritating.

Edinburgh, Scotland it is!

The train ride was relaxing and drowsy.  We slept a lot of it, and had a nice little lunch from the groceries we bought last night.

The dorm/hostel/whatever we're in tonight is nice.  We get to do free laundry except pay for detergent.  The rooms are like dorm rooms but fresh clean rooms, linens, and towels---2-3 showers and bathroom small things for the 6 rooms on our hall only.  Impressive...not too bad price I guess at 90 pounds tonight and 80 for each Sun and Mon night---heh.

Well, we are limited in time of course on this internet thing, but I'll comment quickly.

There's a different feeling here than England--neat, creepy, mysterious, cool, goth kids (weird), amazing buildings and castles all in town, less busy.  Can't wait to explore all day tomorrow and relax these days in Scotland!

Very Gangs of New York huge old buildings differently structured than London or Oxford---very League of Extraordinary Gentlemen like.  Apparently, there's a major past history of ghouls, gobblins, murders, hangings, and other such creepyness, plus underground catacombs and an underground old city also.

I recommend coming here for sure if you're thinking of visiting Great Britain.

There can be absolutely no telling of my true opinion of these British Isles until I go to Ireland though, so hold your breath.  For a year or three on that verdict.

A Scottish peace out to yous!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! HAHAHAHAHA!!

And for my birthday I got the last 2 books of No. 1 Detective Agency books, an awesome pig fountain pen and a new journal!  YES!  Plus a super, super cool birthday card that had 1977 events (my birth year of course) and a 1977 cd of songs that were popular that year! 

Awesome!  Thanks mom, dad, j, and mike.

Something even better is that we just got back from the Oxford train station and booked a 6 and 1/2 hour train to Edinburgh, Scotland!   Booya!  It was 90 pounds = 175 bucks!  EACH! WHOA AND OH MY!

But so worth it and I am so grateful to mom and dad!  Thank you!  I only wish dad could be with us.  He starts his seminar Sunday officially, so he is tied up from here on out. 

Good news though---we'll be looping back down to Oxford here (for Scotland is north, you see), for one more night before flying home July 30th.  Then I shall say goodbye to mom dad till Thanksgiving.

Some thoughts I've gathered thus far at this midpoint in the trip:

1.  London = super busy
2.  Oxford = mini-busy
3.  The English people are so "matter of fact", little emotion business like - adults at least in my opinion.
4.  I can barely understand most of them---too fast, to accented.
5.  When we open our mouths people are immediately concentrating on understanding our American talk - and sort of like, "hm..American..hmm" (no emotion, yet you read their face)

I can't remember what I wrote on the other blog, but my impression of London was HISTORIC, OLD, NEAT, IMPRESSIVE, smaller than I thought, easy to get around, lots of shopping and too many tourists.  The cool part was going to Picadilly Circus where the 60s had all those famous models and like Austin Powers feeling and picturing there.  Big signs and teleprompters like New York.

Oxford is a huge Ann Arbor with much older and more beautiful architecture.  Such a college town and trendy feel, yet the underlying intellectual vibe that no doubt goes with such a hugely famous and ivy league prestige of OXFORD UNIVERSITY!

It's very touristy busy right now too, I'll bet it's way more relaxed and enjoyable during the school year.  Lots of pubs, lots of neat stores, and we saw the Eagle and Child which apparently is where Tolkien and Lewis hung out.  Oh, and we looked briefly at Lewis house. So weird to sit in chairs he sat in --mom and dad are staying there too!

Well, tonight we dine for my bday, restaurant to be determined later and I want a pie or cake to celebrate :)  It's amazing how good (healthy) we're eating, and me in general in my mind all this summer --you know give or take several milkshakes from around the country! YES!

Then tomorrow 8 a.m. eat the b&b morning food--toast (is a favorite here for morning it seems), eggs, juice, and fruit.  Quality---and we're off on the train!  Hint: never get bacon here, gross huge, greasy and CANADIEN BACON totally looking and taste.

I can't wait to sit on the train all day looking at the interior of Great Britain!  They say it's beautifully scenic.

Before I sign off, I'd like to nerdily and hilariously list purchases thus far :)

England soccer team sweatshirt and soccer shorts, postcards a plenty (some to frame, some to send, some to scrapbook), cheap cheapy Oxford Univ. red tshirt (just a generic cool one I got from "The Varsity Shop" est. 1846 OH MY!), Wimbledon keychain and stickers,....

OH I WENT TO WIMBLEDON PEOPLE!  Truly amazing and fun to tour.  Well I went to the museum, saw the number 1 court, saw some more grass courts, and it was fun!  Any tennis lover should truly attempt to come here one day - well it may not be absolutely necessary :)

Only a few mins left inthis Virgin Records internet cafe!  I hope to blog again from Scotland!  Hope all are well!

WOOO!! We're in downtown London!  Crazy!
 
The flight was pretty fast, yet the sleep in the middle 5 seats that we 5 occupied was so UGH!  Not to mention a soccer fleet of teenager dudes going to Manchester England, who stood up every 10 minutes to greet each other and talk and laugh loud.
 
Oh sorry, glad I got that out though.
 
Right now we're in Trafalgar Square which is a mega shopping metropolis area, and it's right by the theatre district.  If I get my way we'll go to Mama Mia at one of the theatres tomorrow :) It's hopefully only $30 (Ahhhh! exchange rates are crazy bad and confusing).
 
Anyways, Mike and J were on a computer away from mine here and it got 130 degrees boiling temperature wise so they cut their time short ---thus my time typing of this is with 4 lovely fam members hovering over and waiting patiently :)
 
Tomorrow we plan to hit the Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, Wimbledon (yes this is my doing), WWII Churchhill war room, some castles and palaces, and London Bridge tour area.  You get on a tour bus and get on and off whenever you want for the whole day.  Mom and I are the real troopers on this motivation I think---but hopefully jet lag will wear off soon!
 
We all can't wait to get out in the country and see the beauty and peace of their countryside!  Wow, this London is so busy!  It looks like a full fledged out of control Toronto but way more impressive and amazing architecture.  I love it and I'm going crazy with the digd cam!

Too exciting!  Talk to this and you all soon I hope! 

Get stuff together and go to beegee for a packing of England extravaganza!
 
YES,YES,YES,YES! Want to explore touring options with mom and everyone tonight!  Can't wait to see Oxford!
 
Anyways, glad the Jenkins' wedding was quality.  I talked to Erica Konya last night and caught up a bit, excellent fun!  Wish could have hung out, but alas there shall be a reunion somewhere, somehow!

My one "backpack" attempt  for England travel is getting better and better, well in my mind.  I have downsized my toiletries bag due to mom and I's fun Bath and Body time, and I'm trying to fit all my clothes into this semi-super small luggage organizer blee bla. 
 
Mom and I are deciding if a full size neck pillow (not an inflatable one) is really the route to go!? Probubly not a wise idea...but comfort...and putting it in one of those shoe bag (like nike or whatever)...
 
Welp, I'm in the process of making sure I have everything here (in Defiance) that I'll need :)  I may blog one more time, but MAYBE NOT! 

ENGLAND HERE WE COME!!!!!!
 
p.s. Red Dead Revolver is a hit over here!  Casey and his dad have been playing it for 2 days straight, and now his sister is trying it.

Today I will listen to the Killers and Ken Stringfellow albums, and REALLY do my scrapbook from this summer (already).
 
We were suppose to go to Cincinatti to help a sisterinlaw move, but rain threatens. :)
 
Slept in too much today.  11 am.  Hmm...
 
We'll probubly go late night bowling tonight--it's called Gold Mine bowling b/c you can win prizes for certain throws and scores.  Interesting.
 
Watched the rest of City of God last night! Wow! A movie that sticks in your head and you think about it a lot.  Good, great, and crazy.  Thanks for the borrowing J. 
 
Casey's mom, Jesse, and I watched In America, I liked it a lot.  I want to watch it again by myself.  It makes you laugh a lot sillyly (especially at the little Ariel character), and then it makes you cry a lot, and sort of depressed.  But a good ending.
 
How was Mike's concert?
 
Have fun at the wedding festivities my fam! P.s. you go mom you're in more shape for the triathlon than I am! 
 
"I got soul, but I'm not a soldier." - Killers

The below has been revised in case you read it and were like, WHAT!? --computer crashings are so al;kdfjwaejmxackvjasdf
 
This is my 3rd time blogging the same exact blog (minus the creativity and enjoyment of writing). ARGH, and a special company is getting a certain drawing of a gesture placed upon the windshield of their cars...all of you!
 
Cedar Point: This was a quadruple fun day reminicing and hanging out while in line for the ridey rides.  Top rides were: Millenium, Power Tower, Wicked Twister, and Raptor.  The rest of the old ones (for sure Magnum) were crickety and neck jolting.  But those four were smooth, fast, exhilerating, and awesome!
 
That Wicked Twister was a like a long train of pairs of passengers.  You sit there and then in a split second they super speed you up a tall structure with a twist at the end.  Then you speed backwards all the way up another tall structure.  The weightlessness was amazing!  And going backwards wasn't sickening like you may think!
 
Went to Bath and Body Works with mom and dad today, and now for about a day and a 1/2 they have humored me in my super Cedar Point induced tired ramble--yet good fun convo and times.  Tracey you know, you some space cadet on the phone today.  No harm intended.
 
Let's count how many times, "good times" were written in my blogs this summer ---well maybe not written---but thought!  Such a good summer!  I thought last summer was fun...thank you Lord!
 
Speaking of the Savior!  I gabbed with Justin and Mike for a few moments last night at 2:14 in the morning (well really 2:37 a.m.) about our how people go.  We start off and continue through our lives with bundles of strength in friends here and there to lean on and learn from, (like apparently Shadrack, Meeshack, and Abendigosheebaspellage--which I ignorantly don't recal the details to) 
  
Point being, people get off on their own and want to just stand out there.  "I'll be right back Lord I just want to see something...I'll be fine".  And He allows.  And we form the habits of countless pointlessnesses.
 
So lately I've been having to choose Jesus every morning, b/c I've been worried about things that are ridiculous.   God made us before time and sees us in eternity b/c of His Son.
 
He  gave us this body to use on earth and I have to treat it as well as I can, but this flesh is not meant for eternity.  So live!  Our body is meant for earth, our souls are meant for eternity and that's amazing! 

"Smile like you mean it..." - The Killers 

Cedar Point at 6:30 in the morn tomorrow!

Went to Bath and Body Works with Trish (Casey's sister), and successfully denied an amazingly cool travel/toiletry bag. Ooo...I think before the weekend's out, IT WILL BE MINE!

Tomorrow after Cedar Point I'm hoping to get dropped off at Mike's concert at Howards---I don't know if this can be feasibly worked out with the 3 others going to C.P. with me.

Maybe they would want to go--doubt it with their families...

Maybe mom could meet me at the Perrysburg exit?

We'll see. ONLY 4 and a 1/2 days till ENGLAND PEOPLE!!! And we might even be getting hooked up with a time share from Casey's fam--we'll see, we'll see on everything it sounds from this blog! HA!

"they make slaw in a bag" - joan

Who invented this? I thought this tonight while mom and I discussed cabbage soup. This in regards to how long, and retardedly, it took me to cut up a head of cabbage.

There's been a camping and rapids trip that shall be discussed now! It was super fun and exhilerating. First we tubed down Deep Creek an hour outside west of Ashville, North Carolina (in case you ever want to go). You rent an innertube that has a plastic seat solidly roped onto the doughnut part.

You park right by the Great Smokey Mts. Nat'l Park entrance--yet we didn't get a passport stamp though?!?! Our 5th Nat'l Park this year?!?

Then you hike about 1 quick mile all along the creek where you're watching so many groups of people sloppily and hilariously gipping through the foot deep rapids and mini-waterfalls every 6 feet!

We got to the final tubing drop in and got into the 55 degree water for a wonderful, sauntering and joyous time. Throughout this tubing experience, Casey's mom and dad are flipping all around, bonking on rocks and getting freaked out while laughing entirely. Jesse, our youngest trooper of 11 yrs. old so easily glided over every single rapids and waterfall, most likely b/c she was so lightweight.

On the biggest waterfall drop I flipped out and flopped on out near enough to my tube for such a wilderness thrill! Other times, just about every one of us had our ins and outs with this fast moving water throwing us enjoyably at swirls and drops!

THEN we white water rafted and it was the best rapiding trip I've ever been on! Granted I've only been on a dinky one in Colorado and yet a pretty sweet one in Oregon, the (famous) Rogue River just this summer!

This Nantahala River that took 5 hours to drive to from Cinci, yet in real time it took 9-10 total hours from Defiance to and fro and so many stops (ahh!)... this river...was perfect! The right amount of down time to hop in the water for refreshment, then quickly pull me back in Casey, here comes some more rapids to manuever through!!!!

The last big drop was monitored by an intensely smart business venture of digital pictures being taken of this biggest waterfall ending! As soon as I get some new pic hosting webpage, I'll throw up some cool pics.

Countless kids, dogs (well no dogs actually fell out :), adults, chicks, boys, and men were being popcorned right out of their boats at this point. There was a hilarious sitting point to watch for (and evily root for) extreme popcorn carnage.

Fortunately, no one we saw was seriously hurt. But there were many funny exits and people freaking out, and then laughing about it all. CRAZY!

Anyways, I'm in beegee and it was a fun day. We got Bo back, and I missed him. But not missed him enough to babysit him at this parents house, WHILE GRAMPA IS HERE! We've visited, shared stories, eaten cabbage soup, watched the all-stars, watched Ya-Ya's, went to Finder's and other downtownings.

Got to see Mike's band name on the Howard's venue board. They're playing this Thursday again, and I'm hoping to trick others into dropping me off in BG for the 11 o'clocker---this after a huge Cedar Point trip Thursday of course!

WOO! Time is dwindling, and I just looked a few minutes at Justin's junior high yearbook. It made me want to call some high school buds...alas no time to viz with England so near!!!

So busy, so fun, so fast, so sad, so cool, so summer! So finding out of teaching soph and junior English this coming school year! Guess who's teaching novels with movies all year?! For real, that's all the "non-college prep" English teachers do. You know to expose them to classics, wow, can I be that cheap in teaching? Perhaps.

Side notes: Michelle you go girl! Tracey! My serious workout time begins August 10th-ish! Matt glad you're getting a good challenge at your new job. Poop to no email or blog. Are you and Trace still gametime for us to come down? Wish you guys were here! PEACE!

"it's so weird to be back here" - ben folds (and one of the best concerts I've ever seen. Thanks for taking me to that Matteo!)

Quick blog update.

Had a great time at bg and now it's time to camp!

We're headed to North Carolina to go white water rapiding!

Yesterday I got to complete an amazing quilt! Thanks mom! And I got a quilt as a gift from mom too! And her signature is on it. WOO! YES!

Also, playing tennis was fun and challenging against dad. Overall, we're barely even if that (b/c he's beat me so many times) in the life scope of tennis with dad! Thanks for playing! Playing tennis with dad, can't beat that!

Don't forget to report on excellent frisbie golfing. J, Mom, Dad, and I went. Dad was so good! Of course Justin was finely tuned in his skills. And mom and I just had fun trying to get less than 10 over par! HA! Glad mom went! We'll have to go next week with Case.

Well I think we'll be back to play softball Monday but maybe not b/c it's a 10 hour drive total or something, plus we'll be getting back to Defiance and all. We'll see, we'll see :) We don't want to butt in and put people on the bench just b/c we're Edwards folk! HA!

Good times all around. Oh saw King Arthur last night. Very Lord of the Rings/Troy-ish. Enjoyable and good prep for England!

Wish I could check out Mike's new band, but I'm sure he'll be on tour soon enough and I'll catch him at a west coast concert! Also, he's figured out a clean, crisp super quality recording buffer that made his mp3's so sharp. You should download them.

Oh yeah, I've been missing Mike b/c he had to help Joel all day with recording (and dad and Justin who have to work). That's okay, I've had mom all to myself. There's always next week (will call gramps so he'll come up Tuesday), and of course England!

Let's make luggage tags Tuesday dad!

Will read the England travel book this weekend! Until Monday or Tuesday bloggers! Peace!

Beegee it has been for about 3 1/2 days. I thought I would sleep more here b/c there are less people and all, but I have done the complete opposite!

I just finished an amazingly cool design quilt, with the ruffles and plaids (maybe only Tracey can picture this design). I made it for Theresa Penny's 4 month old girl. So it is a baby size like 6 x 4 feet or something. Oops, hope she doesn't read this, it's a surprise-ish.

We went to Cabelas, ate dairy queen, ate awesome cook out food the whole time and worked out on the crossbow. Scotcheroons and other sweets have taken over my food consumption. IT'S SUMMMMMMMMER!!!!

Let's see, case and the bros and I saw Hellboy at super cinemas ($2,YES!) and it was good enough. I fell asleep for about a 1/2 hour though, oops.

Played tennis twice with dad so far. Hope to play tonight again after some frisbie golf. Current score: 1-1 sets. First set: 6-1 dad, and today 6-3 mare.

We rented and watched Cold Mountain yesterday. I liked it. It was a little long, but interesting. We also purchased In America, Matchstick Men, Mystic River.

Okee, I'm headed to cut the ruffle edges of my quilt and wash it. For one whole week now I've avoided doing my scrapbook, and that's annoying, but maybe the gumption tonight.

Looking forward to camping this longer weekend with Casey's family and more tennis/frisbie golf too. Let's not forget about ENGLAND!! YES!

Good bye now, I'm enjoying good convo with fam. :)

Warning: this is a long blog! Come, sit with me for several minutes, won't you?

Ah the beautiful humidified world of Defiance! Once stepping foot into Ohio (perma-storm humidity) feeling, my hair has instantly told me it will explode into curling fiascos.

Wait, my hair doesn't matter to me though, HA! Still weird to only be gone for a year and to forget the stand still dewness condensating onto us like we're working out. Can it count as a workout then?

No complaints here b/c it is so good to be home!

Last night there were fireworks of the grandest, non-existent views for Casey and I, and others.

We loaded up 3 pontoon boats on the Defiance River (is it the Maumee I don't remember...) I'm talking like 18 - 20 people on each --maybe in terms of some kids in that number, for Casey's almost entire extended family is here!

Woo, yeah we're going 11 miles an hour down the puke brown river. Wind in our face. The beauty of greenery. The sinking us with waves of fast boats, and screaming when an inch of water flobs in.

Then we hit the bend where boats are to sit and enjoy LOUD bangs of fireworks. And then the water police took over the entire river. They went crazy checking for weight and number limits on boats, for boat lisences, etc.

Short story shorter, we turned around and several decided not to go on the boat. Even better, and after so many hours entertaining long lost families, persay, and watching three pet dogs go crazy all day, I was drained!

I'm anxiously waiting to go to my parents. Oh, it will be positively peaceful and yes! I want to quietly enjoy my parents, with Justy and Mikey arriving Monday back from Cornerstone.

Oh and by the way padres: we are secretly required to attend a family BBQ Sunday afternoon here at Casey's grandma's. Then we look to be in BG around 3 p.m.--will keep you posted.

Today: vacuum and clean our truck, maybe use the Sanford weight room (they have a well rounded quality weight room in their basement--cool), play tennis (maybe a tournament, I get them all pumped up for it!), get a scrapbook so I can already scrapbook our trip with very cool Nat'l Park stickers I got, go to the wedding (which includes wearing a skirt!? outside of school?!WHAT!).

And hang out with the Sanford gang.

Woo, just found out I'm in charge of helping Jessie (the 11 yr. old Casey sister, for those who don't know) put together a landscaping concrete stone craft project thing.

It will include small concrete mixing, jewel stones, etching words, and all three dogs' paws that are spending the weekend here! HAHAHHAHHAHAHAHHAAAAhahahahaa!~

Picture a grey stylish stone craftily displaying Bocifus, Daisy, and Patches paw prints. That's a huge Bo bear dog, an odd and silly Bassett Hound Daisy, and a puny and punky Jack Russel Patches. (did you note the Dukes of Hazzard influence there with Bo and Daisy?)

I think I'm still too tired b/c I'm rambling ridiculously with pointless items! goodbye now.

p.s. this page says I'm writing on California time, but no I am not writing at 6 a.m. or whatnot :)

"In the heat of summer humidity, I miss you" -The Corrs

Wow, not enough sleep in the world happening to me with all the mileage driven and the time zone hopping. It's only going to get more exciting with an England time zone!

So we drove to Defiance here yesterday all day from a Cabelas in Minnesota. An average of 12-14 hours a day for the last 4-5 days, well I'll claim that at least.

We'll be here till Sunday afternoon due to a cousin's wedding tomorrow. Plus, the entire Sanford siblings from 2 generations will be out and about this Defiance world! WHOA!

I'm happy to be home. Ahhhh!

So I've read many blogs and it was great to get caught up!

JENNY! SO TOTALLY YES TO CEDAR POINT! Casey and I were just discussing how a trip to the water park would be sweet (b/c he's not a ride kid with old neck injuries). I'll call you today (Friday).

We're baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!