Family

We spent the last five days with my mom and dad and my grandmother too! She is closing in on 102! Her memory may not be quite as good, but then again, neither is mine! But she still comes over to my mom's house every night for dinner and helps cook and do the dishes. I believe that staying active is the key to her longevity. I am looking to her as my role model for healthy living.

The trip did have a purpose. Olivia visited her college for orientation. It was a whole day of standing in lines and filling out forms, which is a task I usually hand over to Tony. He could not take off that many days though, so I had to suck it up and do it myself.

After completing the required part of our trip, the rest of the time was ours. I always forget just how beautiful my hometown really is. The lakes, the mountains, my parents picturesque yard and garden. One cannot help slowing down and relaxing. On the lake on my dad's boat, the kids loved tubing. Olivia and I water-skied. The blue of the sky, the cottony white clouds, the green of the lake were a balm for my soul.

We took the kids to Bays Mountain one day, which is a local state park. I can't tell you how many times I have been there as a kid, and now I am taking my own children. One thing happened on this trip though that I know I never experienced in all my time there. All the animals are rescue animals from the wild. They have six wolves. The list of activities let us know that the wolves would be fed at 3:00. The kids thought it would be fun to see this so we headed over there just before feeding time. There was already quite a crowd gathered and the wolves obviously knew what time it was as well, since they were circling and growling at one another. The next thing I know, I hear this sickening thud and look over toward the wolves. The park rangers had just dropped a deer carcass into the wolf enclosure! A deer carcass! The wolves were quite happily tearing it apart and we quickly moved on to enjoy the rock and gem display!

We are back home and trying to settle in, only to get ready for our next adventure, which I am sure will get here before I am ready.

The kids with Grams and Buster the dog

I often feel like this turtle, struggling mightily to make it over the hurdles of the day.

I'd rather be like this turtle and take it all in stride!

My future photographer.

At the wolf enclosure. Little did we know what we were about to witness.

This is my grandmother's mixer that I meant to bring home at Christmas, but forgot in the hub-bub of packing. I remembered this time. Isn't it so cool? I looked up the model number and this is from the 1930's! The motor still works, I just don't know how much it can handle.  I love having something of my grandmothers that she used to prepare food for her family.