1graves1snyder1watermelon

This is Ani. It's just me, my mom, Frodo, Bear, River, and a huge watermelon that someone gave to us. Frodo's doing really well. Bear and River have developed a habit of running away, so we have to keep them on chains when they go out. I'm putting in a video of me petting Frodo. I took it myself, so it's not very good...I'll also put in a picture of Frodo after he got in the shower with me. We've been having fun. I have soccer practice today, and my mom is at work right now. Last week there was a really fun soccer camp, and the coach was from Egypt and he made the Egyptian national team when he was 15! He was really good, and the camp was really fun. I'll try to put the movie in a different one, because it wouldn't upload...

Continuing WEST!

Well we have had great adventures so far! From being befriended on the banks of Georgian Bay to swimming in Lake Superiour while the wind blew 35 mph or so. We have seen the batmoble and sand hill canes; plucked dead porkupine quills and played with french bull dogs! Heading out to breakfast in St. Paul now and off to N. Dekota and the Yellowstone River valley in Montana!!! miss you all! Jon

in St. Paul!

Here are some pictures of us! The sunset is over Georgian Bay and so is Tim with The Blue Water Resort painted on a rock. The waterski is obviously the craft that Jerry took us out on a 2 plus hour tour of Georgian bay!!! Tim can be seen swimming inLake Superior in Michigan today!!!

We are in St Paul right now and I will try to upload a few more photos!

we made it

Well, I don't know why we haven't written since the 5th! We have not told you of, according to Ani, "the best day of my life," which was a day spent at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Ohio, courtesy of the famed Uncle Jon. Cedar Point is the biggest roller coaster park in the world, I think, with 17 or so different, horrific roller coasters. Everyone sampled many more than me (Laura) but I don't have to do what I don't want to. I'm 45 and am allowed to say no thanks, and I did. Ani was a thrill ride animal and Tim became one over the course of the day. All the grandiose nature we have shown them coming across the great west and Cedar Point is the highlight. I still like the Grand Tetons best.

We had a lovely visit with my parents and brother and sister-in-law in MA and CT and hung out in my parents' amazing new digs.

We are in the Boston area, made it to Fenway Park last night for Tim's dream come true, except that the Red Sox lost. He loved it anyway, waving his big foam #1 finger around. If you ask me about baseball games, I say they are long. That's about it. Someone else will have to write something exciting about it, and later we'll get some pictures up.

I have lost all track of my real life, which I suppose might be the sign of a good vacation. I can't remember what I spent every day stressing out about, though I'm sure it will come right back once I get home. I thrill at finding coin laundry, eating a salad, getting into a pool or lake that can actually accommodate a few strokes back and forth. Really important stuff, I know.

We are here in Boston for a few days of whirlwind visits, then up to Maine where the pond is definitely perfect for long swims. It's hot and that will be nice.
Ciao for now. Pictures later.
Laura

chicago...

We are in Chicago!!! Went swimming in lake Michigan this morning and then walking around Hyde Park and saw a Frank Lloyd
Wright house and a great bookstore where Tim treated all to a book and then a great park with playing. now the women are off to pedicures and Tim and I and all 5 kids will go to a beach for the afternoon! Here are a few more pics...

Ani pics

still more

more sd pics

pics from SD

St Paul

Well yesterday was good fun! We packed up camp at KOA in Mitchell SD and played mini golf before leaving. The kids slept in till 8 or past! The wind was blowing so hard that the bugs were not around in the morning. It was Tim's day for being the Boss which means that he road in front and we drove for 3 plus hours to Pipestone Mational Monument in MN. It was beautiful and the spot where ALL the stone for all the Native American pipes came from in North America... Then we drove to Walnut Grove where Plum Creek passes through and Laura Ingalls Wilder lived. There was a sweet little museum on Laura Ingalls Wilder that we spent a couple of hours at... then drove to St. Paul and discovered that the route we planned on taking took us over the bridge that collapsed last August... But with Laura's briliant navigational skills, we found Janes house very easily. We had Ethiopina food for dinner which was amazing! Ani said that while it was finger food, Dad really made it fist food! YUM!!

Then we went on a great walking tour of Miniappolis with Janes Boston Terrier and French Bulldog. We are here in St Paul for the morning and then to Wisconsin for camping somewhere!!! Will try to load some photos soon! Jon out

Mitchell SD

I am sitting at a picnic table at the KOA this morning with the wind mercifully blowing and keeping the mosquitoes away. Well, we have seen a lot of beautiful places but Mitchell South Dakota definitely makes me thankful for where I live. We wandered downtown a bit last night and it is one of those towns that has literally died. It is a depressing place, and the Corn Palace, which I remembered as spectacularly kitchy and cool 18 years ago or so looked tired and sad.
In any case, we had fun at the KOA last night swimming and chasing mosquitoes away. We finally turned on some air con in the car after going 1900 or so miles without it. We are trying to get best gas mileage! But the Badlands was the limit for us on heat tolerance. The kids are having fun taking their turns being the boss, which basically seems to mean they ride shotgun, control the audio book or ipod, and choose the big tent with the blow up mattress for sleeping.
Tim recovered in exactly 24 hours from his violent bout of food poisoning and is absolutely no worse for the wear and happy as a clam. Jon as spent a couple of nights in the tent with Tim and he is as chatty as anything til Jon begs him to let him sleep.
Everyone's favorite sighting seems to be the little prairie dogs we have seen a lot of along the fields on the side of the road. There are lots of great pictures but this connection is too slow and the battery too low to load pics this morning. We will do it in Chicago.
Jon wants you all to know we are averaging a little over 37 miles to the gallon of which he is proud! He is gradually covering our little topper box with very tacky stickers from everywhere we go.... Ah, Jon....
All in all this has been a great trip so far. We are sort of leaving the mostly camping phase here in the Central Time Zone and doing a bit more visiting. Tonight will be St. Paul with my old Seattle pal Jane Yetter. We will spend a few days with the Knowles/Webbs in Chicago before being treated by Uncle Jon to a couple of nights at a giant amusement park in Ohio! Yikes, says Laura...
That's all for now, more coffee please
Laura