For this date we went shopping at the Springhill Mall. It was very nice as Alexis played on the mall playground. She wanted to make friends with someone but was too shy. So she ended up shadowing another girl the whole time – the other girl seemed to like Alexis and allowed her to tag along. We bought Heather a scarf as a gift.
Category Archives: Family
Date with Alexis
For this date with Alexis, we went to Bath and Body Works in Crystal Lake. Heather had a coupon with which I purchased her Christmas gift. Then the associate gave me another coupon and helped me get a free stuffed animal for Alexis. Alexis picked a soft lamb and decided to give it to Rachel instead of keeping it for herself. Now that was the warmest feeling of love that I felt all day.
We stopped by Chuck E Cheese’s before going home – we did not spend any money.
Date with Rachel
For this date with Rachel, we went for a walk in the woods at Veteran Acres Park. Rachel is doing very well in her stamina as we walked almost the entire perimeter of the park. We were afraid that the wolves might attack us so we laid a string of cheese over a branch. Now the wolves are our friends. The squirrels will get a snack if the wolves don’t get the cheese first.
Cantiny Panoramic Photo
Here’s a fun panoramic view of a garden at Cantiny. Heather took the photos while the twins and I positioned ourselves in each shot. The effect is that there are several of me and Rachel in one photo.
Lost a Netflix DVD
We lost Monsters Inc, a rented DVD from Netflix. The website has a spot where you can report a shipping or DVD problem. The choices are:
- I haven’t received the DVD yet
- I received a mailer without a DVD in it
- I received the wrong DVD
- The DVD is damaged, scratched or unplayable
- I don’t have the white sleeve or red envelope to return the DVD
- I returned this DVD, but Netflix hasn’t received it
- I have lost or damaged this DVD and would like to pay for it
So I called Netflix about the matter. By the way, they have an great feature on the website where a code is generated next to the telephone number. By entering the code, the customer service rep has my account information ready without a million questions to verify my identify. The lady said that a lost DVD would cost $14 charged to my account. I was hoping she would have mercy and waive the fee altogether. Here’s the good part, Netflix will refund the fee if the movie is found and returned at a later date. So, I charged the $14 and hoped for the best.
**Before I could finish this blog, Heather found the missing DVD buried under bills on our desk upstairs. We’re not paying the bills – just moving them.
Date with the twins – Autumn Leaves
Alexis went first on this date with the twins. The family made squirrel toys to place in the woods on a walk at Veteran Acres Park. It was a beautiful weekend with fall colors and sunshine. Alexis enjoyed running down the hills at the park.
Vacation at Kalahari
The family went on vacation and took a trip to Kalahari water resort in Sandusky, Ohio. My mother met us there and we had a great time. We got a room for under $100 which included access to the water parks for 24 hours. We got the deal through the Linked In Christian Travel and Tourism group. The park had lots of water slides for all ages, a wave pool, a surfing “ride,” and two hot tubs (one for kids the other for adults). It was an excellent experience.
Date with the Twins
Both dates today were scavenger hunts. Rachel was first and then Alexis. Here’s what we hunted for on our dates.
Rachel:
- Lily Pad
- Red Berries
- Mounds Bar – this one was not found even after visiting several stores
- Gorilla Glue – I needed this for some chores
- Neemo clown fish
Alexis:
- Sand
- Rose
- Moss
- Mastic – glue for the tile back splash in the kitchen
- Turtle
When Rachel was home with Heather they had “special time.” Heather typed in a letter while Rachel said the words. Here is the letter.
Dear Mom,
Right now we are having special time. I love you very much and it is very special for me to be able to spend time with you without Alexis being here. It is also very special for you to go out on a date with your daddy. When we spend time together, I feel happy.
I want. I hope that Lexi and daddy come home soon. If they do, i would spend more time with them. I want to play with my sister when she gets home from her date. With daddy. And then i want to for dinner i will sit at the table and eat green beans, chicken, and spaghetti. Red sauce on the spaghetti.
Love Rachel
Chicago Air & Water Show
My father used to take me to air shows in Ohio when I was a boy so it was a special treat to attend the Chicago Air and Water Show this weekend. We took the train and bus downtown to North Shore Beach to join thousands of others for the show. We attended the second half of the show for the sake of the children – they would not last an entire day. F-15s roared across the sky as we arrived, followed by stunt prop planes. The show concluded with the Thunderbirds.
There was the imminent threat of rain which paused the show. We took cover in the Drake hotel to enjoy a masterfully played harp and the countries top rated Ladies Restroom – complete with a dozen flat panel televisions for who knows what sort of entertainment while powdering.
While returning to the busses the rain came. We got drenched and Alexis was in tears from the onslaught. Air conditioners in the bus and train kept us fridgid the remainder of the trip – should have brought additional clothes or an umbrella. All in all it was an excellent trip. We’ll always have good memories of the 2009 Air and Water Show.
The Perfect Trip to WI
We went to Rhinelander, WI for the first time in almost two years since we moved away. The trip was everything we wanted and more. Here’s what we did.
- Stayed with the Dreschers while Bonnie was home
- Day at Squash Lake riding a wave runner
- Saw Jamie and Brougan Willingham
- Visited the house that I built and sold to Mike Jewel
- Went to Fort Wilderness
- Shot a .20guage shotgun at clay pigeons at Outpost80 with Scott Koval
- Went for a canoe ride while Chad Rich slept on the beach
- Water painted with Sandy Robertson
- Made soda at the Nature Center with Michael Lane
- Had a campfire with Mike and Jeannie Baker
- Watched a meteor shower laying on a trampoline with Amy Drescher