Lots to catch up on......
It's our busy birthday time of year! Lexi turned 12 on Tuesday. It's sad for me to think my little girl is only a year away from being a teenager. She had a party with family a few days before her birthday, then we took her out to lunch and had cake at home on her birthday. She is still going to have a party with her friends but I think that is going to be combined with Austin and Adam's party too.  We went to Red Robin's for Lexi's birthday lunch. They sang Happy Birthday to her and brought her a huge sundae.  Then we went home and opened presents. She got enough money to buy herself an Ipod which is all she wanted.  A little cake on her actual brithday.  The cake for her birthday party with family.   More presents.... Earlier this week the kids participated in Ameritowne, a program which teaches kids about how a city runs. They were each assigned a job and actually worked in that capacity while also earning a "paycheck" which they could then spend around the set-up town. It was really fun and also very educational since they learned about writing checks, balancing checkbooks, running businesses, etc.  Drew and Austin worked at the Medical Center; Drew was the director and a doctor and Austin was a Medical Assistant. They would go out in the town and inform people that they were sick then take them back to the medical center and treat them. Austin had lots of fun hauling people around in a wheelchair.  Lys worked as a reporter for the newspaper. At the end of the day, the newspaper staff published a newspaper with fun info from the day at Ameritowne.  Lexi worked as a TV reporter. Above she and another reporter were covering the swearing in of the mayor and town judge in front of Towne Hall.  Adam worked at the Container shop building things. He helped make birdhouses which were given to the two class teachers at the end of Ameritowne.  Lexi also helped each of the businesses tape their tv commercials. Here she is in the Sign & Print Shop (this is the shop I volunteered in for the day).  Dr. Drew on his break. The kids earned Ameritowne money they could use to buy drinks, snacks and toys.  Lys at work on the final proof of the newspaper.  Adam spent most of his break time at the snack shop.  Poor Lexi...she was informed that she broke her leg. So she spent the rest of the day on crutches. By the end of the day she was all healed...now that is a great medical center!  The kids with their Ameritowne class. So, we learned a little something about snow last week..... #1-- Never beg for winter on your blog...apparently this irritates mother nature #2-- When the residents of Wyoming say "We aren't supposed to get much snow", what they really mean is "Come up and join us for our blizzard". Yes, there is a story behind that. The weather has been so beautiful that we figured our snow days were pretty well over (thus one of my previous blog posts requesting that someone send our winter home when they found it). We had some business to do in Wyoming so we decided to make it a little family vacation. We even asked some friends along. The day before we left there was talk of a bit of snow. I checked with the weather reports and some people in Wyoming who told me not to worry since they weren't expecting much. We had a wonderful trip (more photos of that below) but our trip home ended up driving right into a blizzard. At the Wyoming / Colorado border we ended up in the middle of a 30 car accident caused by several sliding semis. Luckily, after a little sliding down the ditch to avoid the semi spinning out of control next to us, we were able to get back on the road. Unfortunately, the road was then closed and we were turned back around to Cheyenne. Our friends were a few miles behind and were able to turn around and get us a hotel room before the hotels were all full. I'm not sure if they are ever going to agree to go on vacation with us again!  The conditions just a few miles before the accident.  Back on the road. The sign had just changed to say the highway had been closed.  When we got home, there was enough snow to make some snowpeople. While we were in Wyoming, we went to Fort Laramie, one of the prominent stops along the Oregon Trail. There are many ruins plus restored buildings. It was really interesting. We also stopped to see the Oregon Trail ruts (hey, don't our vacations sound exciting?!).   The Fort Laramie Museum had lots of fun things to play with.    Touring the Fort Laramie Jail.  A little snowball fight.  Rob really got into the Oregon Trail ruts. He is standing in the actual rut....hard to see due to the snow.  The ruts are situated on a very pretty nature walk....unfortunately, a lot of the walkway was covered with snow. Well, I've got more photos to share, but I think this post is getting too long. So, more later!! |
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