Deer, Tree Limb, and our trip to Ann Arbor

On Sunday after church, Jim and I took Hilary out to lunch to thank her for watching Lena Friday and Saturday nights. On our way to Hastings, we watched as the car in front of us hit a deer. It struck the windshield and went flipping, twisting, and turning up into the air and over into the ditch. It was so shocking! It was the middle of a beautiful, sunny summer day. Not a time when you would be expecting deer to be out. As soon as it happened, Hilary pulled over and we got out to see if the people in the car were okay. The front seat passengers were covered in glass. They had the kind of windshield that just crumbles to pieces upon impact. That's good, because the pieces aren't sharp. So the people weren't hurt at all, but it was scary to at first see them covered in glass shards. Here's what their car looked like:

I called 911 and they dispatched a state trooper. Jim, Hilary, another woman, and I all stayed with the people until the policeman arrived. The people were elderly and needed help contacting a family member to drive them home. The trooper said that if they had the old style of windshield, that the deer would have come right through it and landed on their laps. Yikes! The people handled the situation very well. They were very calm and collected. I would have been freaking out! (I took this pic with my cell phone.)

So after the trooper arrived we got back in the car and headed to Hastings. We had a nice lunch at the Walldorff and then Hilary headed home. We went back home where Jim and Lena rested and I packed for our trip to Ann Arbor. We went to Ann Arbor for the Michigan District Convention. It's held every three years at Concordia University. Jim was attending as our congregation's pastor (obviously) and I attended as our congregation's lay delegate. The only reason I was the lay delegate is because no one else in our congregation wanted to go.

As I was packing, I went into the office to get the laptop bag. I walked in and this is what I saw:

It was a really windy day and I did hear a sound in the office a bit before this. Mia had gone in there and I thought she jumped up and knocked something over. I might have even yelled at her from the other room (Sorry, Mia!). But I guess it was this branch falling into our window!

The window was open at the time so it didn't break the glass. I'm not sure it would have anyway. It did tear the screen away from its frame, but that's the only damage it did and it was minor.

Pretty big branch. It must have come from near the top of our tulip tree because we couldn't see where it came from.

This shot reminds me of a bride's train!

It wasn't a dead branch. Very much alive and healthy-looking. Weird.

The rest of the pics are from Ann Arbor. They were all taken in our hotel room because it didn't work for me to take Lena with me to the convention. I tried the first day and it didn't work out. So we hung out in the hotel room while Jim attended. (He was able to cast my votes for me so we still got our two votes in.)

Those two days were extremely trying for me. Lena was not herself. She was cranky, grumpy, whiny, and screamy. She cried and screamed at the drop of a hat and wouldn't even calm down after I picked her up and comforted her. I brought a big bag full of toys for her but when I gave them to her she would just throw them down on the floor and cry. The hotel room wasn't as toddler-proofed as our house is and one time while I had my back turned she grabbed my sunglasses and broke them. Bad day.

She did enjoy playing with the glass doors of the closet.

And walking around in Mama's shoes.

But this is how she looked most of the time.

Tuesday was a bit better. On Tuesday she discovered this cabinet and entertained herself a bit better. We stayed at an Extended Stay Deluxe hotel. They have mini-kitchens in them. I chose that one because Lena has to have milk every morning and still won't drink it cold so a fridge and microwave were extremely helpful. These rooms also have a kitchen sink, stovetop and oven, dishes, cups, silverware, a cooking pot, toaster, and coffee maker. So nice! And it was the same price as a regular hotel room ($78 a night).

We discovered a rash on the back of Lena's neck Thursday evening. It didn't get better (and spread a little bit) over the weekend so Monday morning I called her doctor. She said it was either a heat rash or an allergic reaction. She suggested putting some Benadryl cream on it to see if that helps. If not, she said we should bring her in when we got back into town. I went ahead and made an appointment for Wednesday morning thinking I could cancel if she got better. I put some cream on her, but I didn't really think it was an allergic reaction. I googled heat rash and the results made me pretty sure that's what it was. It looked just like it. And it was really hot right when she first started showing the rash. But I was pleasantly surprised to find it greatly diminished this morning when she woke up. There were still a few bumps, but they weren't red anymore. I put more cream on her and now it's almost completely disappeared. So I canceled her appointment for tomorrow. I still don't know if it was heat rash or an allergy, but I'm glad it's gone.

So, for those of you keeping track, that's three trips down, one to go! Our next trip starts July 9th when we head to Indiana for the weekend. On Sunday the 12th, Jim and I will go to Chicago to see the rescheduled Cardinals/Cubs game that got rained out my birthday weekend.

Have a good week everyone. I have to do some research to find out where we can see some fireworks this weekend. Although it will require staying up way past her bedtime, I am insisting that Lena see fireworks this year.

Date Night #2: Twietmeyer Wedding

On Saturday, Jim performed his first wedding at Good Shepherd and his first complete wedding as a pastor. (He participated in his cousin Lindsay's wedding the summer he was ordained but didn't do the whole thing.)

Aunt Hilary came up for the weekend to watch Lena while we attended the rehearsal dinner, wedding, and reception. Here are a few pics I took the day of the wedding.

The groom, Ken, just before the wedding. Looking quite confident!

Our first look at the church decorated for a wedding. The family did a great job; it was beautiful.

Right after the ceremony. Bustling up the wedding dress. That's Patty, the mother of the bride on the left. Rachel's cousin, Abby (on the right), was a junior bridesmaid.

Socializing outside after the ceremony.

Pretty cake.

Jim gave a short speech before doing the prayer before the meal at the reception.

Cutting the cake.

Jim and his first wedding couple. Ken and Rachel Higginbotham.

Us outside the reception hall. There is a beautiful little pond area out there. My little buddy Rebecca was the photographer here.

Rebecca showing off her stone skipping skills.

I didn't even bother taking pics inside the reception hall once it got dark. I knew they wouldn't turn out. But it's too bad because Jim really got going on the dance floor! People are always so surprised to see a pastor boogie like that! It was a sight.

After dinner and dancing, the reception guests had the opportunity to go bowling. Patty bought me some socks so I could wear the bowling shoes. Don't they look awesome with my dress?

Rebecca getting all fancy with her bowling technique.

We had a great time celebrating Ken and Rachel's wedding. We are so happy for them and wish them God's richest blessings on their marriage!

Summertime Fun

We have been enjoying our summer. We are in between trips again this week and have had the chance to enjoy our backyard and the warm (okay, hot!) weather. When we got back from Wisconsin on Sunday, we saw that our garden really took off while we were gone. It rained a ton that week (with some severe storms over by the lakeshore) and I think our garden really benefitted from all the rainfall. We couldn't believe how big things got in that one week!

Our garden looking great. The only thing that hasn't survived this far is the Brussels sprouts. Oh well. Maybe next year.

Jim has amassed such a great collection of garden tools that he got some pegboard put up in the garage to store them all. He did a pretty good job.

He even got some hooks to hang up the wheel barrow I got him for Father's Day.

Lena got to spend some quality time outside this week. I found out that she has enough hair for one big ponytail. It is getting so long! Always in her face.

Enjoying the cute little adirondack chairs Grandma and Grandpa Peitzman got her for her birthday.

We used the inflatable pool a couple of times this week. She loves it. She always goes right up to it and sticks her foot in without a moment's hesitation!

Lounging around on the chair inside the little playhouse in our backyard. It needs some work; the roof is falling in.

Playing in the pool with Daddy nearby. I got in with her one day. It's big enough for an adult to sit in there with her. It was so refreshing on those 90 degree + days we had!

Aunt Hilary is here with us this weekend. Jim is officiating at his first wedding at Good Shepherd tomorrow and Aunt Hil came up to watch Lena while we are there. She also watched her tonight when we went to the rehearsal dinner. While we were gone, they took a walk downtown and listened to a bit of the music in the park that Middleville does on Friday nights during the summer. So Lena is having a blast with her Aunt Hilary.

Jim is excited about the wedding tomorrow. I'm sure he will do a great job and we will have a good time. I'll post pics afterwards.

Sunday after church we are leaving for our third, trip of the summer. We are going to Ann Arbor to attend the Michigan District convention. Jim is attending as a pastor and I am attending as the lay delegate for our congregation. It's being held at Concordia University, which we have never been to before so that will be interesting.

Have a great weekend!

Wisconsin Trip

We had a great trip to Wisconsin to visit the Chryst family. The Chrysts are our friends who live in Racine and are Lena's godparents. We stayed with them for a whole week (like we did last September). Lena had a fun time playing with the girls (Bailey, 7; Helena, 5; and Morgan, 2 1/2), I had fun shopping and attending a Pampered Chef show with Brenda (she's a consultant), and Jim had fun at a pastors' retreat nearby.

Here are some pics.

On Monday, while Jim was at the retreat, the girls, Tom, and I spent most of the day outside. It was really warm and sunny. Lena enjoyed this cute little playhouse the Chrysts have in their backyard.

Swinging. That's Morgan on the left and Helena on the right.

Bailey convinced Tom to get the sprinkler out. The water was cold, but she and Morgan had fun running through it.

Then Tom dragged out the kiddie pool. I wasn't sure if Lena would be interested or not, but she went right up to it and stuck her foot in.

Helena doing what she does best: being a goof.

Lena and Morgan playing together nicely in the pool.

Adorable green bathing suit that Mama has been dying to see her in. It rained so much that she never got to wear it when we were in South Carolina.

She really liked sitting in the chair and kicking her feet in the water.

I have no idea what this pose is. :) I have found that terry cloth cover-ups work better on squirmy toddlers than towels.

She really liked this chair for some reason. She sat in it for a really long time.

That evening we took a walk and met some of Tom and Brenda's neighbors. They have kids too, so all of the kids were playing together in their yard. Lena liked sitting in this car and "talking" to Declan.

Eating a blue popsicle in the driveway. Even with a bib, what a mess!

Lena the street sweepeer watching Tom, Helena, and Bailey play frisbee. I have no idea why she was carrying a broom around.

Helena wanted me to take her picture with her baby.

On Thursday we all went to the Racine Zoo. It was Lena's first time at a zoo.

She gets a great view from Daddy's shoulders.

Miss Morgan Sassypants.

Daddy showing Lena the African Watusi Catte. (They look like Texas Longhorns, but the horns are even longer.)

Tom and Morgan.

The zoo is right next to the lakeshore.

Lena hamming it up on the little stage area they have at the zoo.

Checking out the meerkats.

"Don't drop her!"

This is the peacock I almost killed. It was begging for food so I thought I would be nice and give it a saltine cracker. I thought it would be able to break it up and eat it. Nope. He tried to eat it whole. I was afraid he was going to choke on it so I stole it back from him and broke it up into small pieces and he ate it that way. I think Brenda got a pic of me giving him the cracker.

Looking for the lions.

The zoo has a bird aviary filled with parakeets. For $2 you can buy a stick with bird seed on the end of it. The birds flock to you when you have that thing in your hand. Lena wasn't too sure about them.

She did touch it briefly. It was so funny.

Bailey and Helena got to do it too.

This bird whispered something into Jim's ear. :)

Lena was totally worn out by the time we left. She loved her first visit to a zoo.

Hanging out with the girls.

Relaxing on the couch with Bailey. Clutching another broom. What is it with this girl and brooms? Well, it should come in handy around the house when she's older!

Lena got pretty comfortable around the dog, Kiwi, while we were there. She has always been scared of dogs, and Kiwi barks a lot, so we were surprised that she liked her so much. Everytime Kiwi walked past her, she said "Puppy!" over and over again. Then she even started petting her.

Jim had fun playing "Guitar Hero" on the Wii. He was doing pretty well on it by the time we left. You know he's really concentrating when he's got his tongue sticking out like that.

The girls in front of the fireplace. Helena, Lena, Bailey, and Morgan in their Sunday best (it was just before church.)

Thanks so much to the Chrysts for letting come stay in your house for a whole week. It made for a really nice vacation!