Happy Birthday Rose!

Happy 9th birthday dear, sweet Rose!

We are looking forward to hear about your travels out west this summer - and of course looking forward to see your sweet face! We hope our time at the lake house this year will be warmer and full of lots of swimming!

We love you!!!
Aunt Michelle, Uncle Slade, and your gaggle of cousins - Cody, Graham, Seby & Zane (and Olive too!)

Cody's in China!

Cody went to China on Monday and we started to get emails from one of the chaperons and they sometimes include photos! Oh what a joy it was to receive some pics right away. This pic is from their first day in China, and we got it emailed to us that night. What a surprise! They went to The Forbidden City in the morning and enjoyed an afternoon visit to one of Beijing's hotong neighborhoods (we were encouraged to look up, but I haven't, yet). * Please note that not all of these pictures has Cody in them - these are pictures that his chaperon has provided in email updates!

Here are some comments from an email that Cody sent from his ipod touch (they had wi-fi!):

So on day one we got on the plane heading for Chicago, then went straight to Beijing, which was the most insanely long flight everrrr. They had a screen in front of you for movies and stuff but they also had a gps thing so you could watch you progress -it was pretty tight. So then we finally got to China, in the next day, which was pretty wierd and trippy. So then we went outside met our guide named Steven, he rocks, got in the bus and headed to the hotel. Then we went to Tiananmen Square which was crazy huge, tons of pics, from everywhere, walked around then went to the Forbidden City, which was incredibly amazing, just awesome. We only walked like half or a quarter of the way through in a couple of hours. Then we had dinner and went to bed. That was day one, it was extremely tiring but it was insanely awesome.





These next pics are from their last day in Beijing. They spent the morning visiting a private school on the outskirts of Beijing. One chaperone reports that "Our students genuinely enjoyed spending time with their Chinese counterparts." They spent the afternoon hiking the Great Wall.

More comments from Cody via email, lot of "teenage" typing here:

Herro, were about to leave the hotel for Luyang or something, then taking a bullet train to Xian were the Terracata Soldiers are. So on day two we went to the Temple of Heaven and walked around and took tons of pictures. We saw tons of people playing with a badmitten like birdie like a hacky sack and some people bought one and we played with it fo a while, and got a large crowd watching and joining us. Its really funny and cool how all the chinese people love americans, running up to us taking pictures wih us and video taping us, its funny. But then we went to the Birds Nest which is amazingly huge and awesome. We got to go onto the track and were able to run on it, and I cleared a height at high jump it was sweet. Then we went to dinner and went back to this awesome shopping place with shady streets full of stands to barter with, which was super fun we called the place gehtto alley which was my favorite place. The next day we went to a private school associated with MA, which was super sweet and the kids talked really good english and were really cool. After the school we went to the Great Wall of China which was one of the best parts of the trip. I think that I gained a fear for heights there cause I was just terrified going up the wall which was extremely steep and unimaginably long. We finnaly reached one of the ends of the wall then Khale and I followed Tony and Cripe up and down all these diferent branches of the wall and by the time we made it back down we were all disgustingly sweaty and more tired then I can remember ever being. Then we went to dinner. Then back to the hotel for a break before going out for the evening adventure. We were going to go to Ghetto Alley but we just walked around away from the hotel until I saw a lambo dealer which was CLOSED but we kepted going and found the insanely rich part of town wih huger hotels and Ferrari dealers. Oh g2g now to the airport, I'll email u later.




I think this is the group with some of the kids from the school they visited.



Here one of the students is encouraging a Malaysian woman on the way up the Great Wall.



The day after visit the Great Wall, the kids went to the Longmen Buddhist grottoes - we have no pictures of that experience!

They then flew to Luoyang (north central/east China) to visit an ancient Buddhist monastery - the Shaolin Monastery, the greatest of the Chinese Buddhist monasteries. It is still a functioning monastery. One of the chaperones commented that the commercialization of the place seemed sad.

They also visited some Buddhist cave statues. They have had the students spend some time on a train ride (the Bullet) writing and talking about these experiences. We have been told that Luoyang is much more of a provincial backwater than was Beijing. That means very few Westerners and more of a "developing country" atmosphere. Unfortunately, no pictures.

Here are the last comments we have received from Cody via email:

Yesterday we flew from Beijing to Louyang which took around two hours and arrived in Louyang and headed straight to the Longmen Grottoes, which are a bunch of caves in a cliff area with tons of carved out statues, which was really cool. Then we checked into the hotel and went to the market area by the hotel and got a snack for today.
Right now I'm in the hotel at Louyang, getting ready to check out and head to the Shaolin Monastery were we're going to watch a kung-fo preformance and also get a lesson from some shaolin monks. Then were taking a bullet train to Xian where were going to just check into the hotel and probably check out the area around there. Im not sure when ill be able to send another email, but hopefully the next hotel has computers for use or wi-fi.

The following is a shot from the Shaolin monastery.



Farmers drying wheat along the roadside (they also saw this on roofs, too).



Just as I was adding Cody's comments to this post I received another email from one of the chaperon's. He says:

We've enjoyed our day in X'ian, a city that the students seem to really like - it's big (8 million) with lots of street life, but it has a compact historic city center (inside Ming Dynasty walls) that makes it seem manageable while giving it a historic atmosphere. The terra cotta soldier museum was a highlight of the day, as was a dumpling dinner in the evening (I would say that as a group, dumplings are our favorite food). As I'm writing, most of the kids are getting massages at some out-of-the-way spot in the city. After one more day in Xi'an tomorrow, we'll have a major change of scenery when we fly out tomorrow evening. This is a hot, dusty part of the country, and we'll exchange it for the wetter, rice-growing south. It will be interesting to spend time in the rural areas there. The photo is from our bullet-train ride yesterday.

Happy 16th Birthday Juliana!

Birthday cousins!

Happy 16th birthday sweet and lovable Juliana!
You are always so sweet when we see you and such a joy to be around. We hope to see some of you this summer!
We hope you had a wonderful 16th birthday!

Happy 16th Birthday Graham!

Today Graham turns 16, which seems impossible!

He has finished the school year and is happy to "officially" be a Junior.

Seby, Zane & I had a lovely lunch today with Graham at Tin Fish on Lake Calhoun. We were supposed to ride our bikes there - but no, it was pouring rain. The pouring rain provided no line at Tin Fish and plenty of tables to choose from. Instead of the usually crowded place! We all couldn't finish our meals and have brought much home from snacks later in the day!

Graham is becoming an adult at too fast of a speed for his mother! He has his permit and is just a couple months away from getting the "real deal".

Graham is going on his first international trip this summer (aside from going to Mexico). He is going with a friends family to France for a couple weeks. Luckily he has been taking french - so hopefully that will pay off during his visit.

We love you Grahammy!!!!

Summer has begun!

Summer has officially started!

Sebastian and Zane had their last day Friday, June 4th.

Cody & Graham are "supposed" to have a week of school this coming week. It is a required "Community Service" week - it seems like it should really be called "Community Service/Cultural Experience" - Graham did his week in the Bahamas during spring break - so he doesn't have to go to school next week & Cody is going with a group to China tomorrow for 16 days!

Here are the latest photos that I just downloaded - they span a while as I am just not keeping up-to-date with downloading my pics!

We start with pics from Zane's class play. It was Sadako Sasaki - if you don't know the story it is a powerful one. Sadako was 2 years old when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. She was also 2 kilometers away from where the bomb exploded. Most of Sadako's neighbors died, but Sadako wasn't injured at all, at least not in any way people could see. When Sadako was in the 7th grade she found out she had lukemia - at that time it was called the "A-bomb disease". While in the hospital she started to fold origami cranes - she planned to fold 1,000 in hopes of it making her feel better. When she died she had a total of 644 cranes. Children from all over the world still send folded paper cranes to be placed beneath a statue to honor Sadako and many others of died from the "A-bomb disease." One of Zane's classmates in traveling with her family to Japan this summer and they are taking all the cranes to kids folded. Like a said, it was a powerful play. Especially for a group of 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders.

Here is Zane and classmates ready to sing the opening song.


Zane & Chole.

Here are Slade and I as "Sid Vicious & Nancy Spungen" - our school's auction theme this year was "Great Great Britain"



And now, finally pics from Cody's junior prom.

Here are all the boys - the girls never made it to our house for the planned getting ready for the prom - they took so long getting their hair done, the boys had to meet them at the dance. They all did come back afterwards, but it was so late and I forgot to take some pics then. A couple of these are from the dance.


Very James Bond - don't you think?




Next in the camera were pics of the big Winchester vs. Rhodes water fight. Our neighbor, Pete, loves to play with the boys! It is snowball fights in the winter and water fights in the summer! This year our boys were asking early to have water fights with Pete. A date was set and the fight was on.






We should of had Seby & Zane in shirts too so you could see how much water they took on as well! It was a good fair fight!

Next in the que is our trip to the Lake House for Memorial Day weekend



We didn't end up taking many photos - none except for the beauty of the lake!

Today we set up the "pool" for summer swimming!



I know it doesn't look like much, but this was a great buy at Target one year at the end of the season - there is a filter and a cover - without the cover we would have so many leaves in the pool! It is quite refreshing to take a dip on a really hot day - or my favorite after doing some gardening!

See Aunty Kathy, I finally made a post!!!!

Wow - I guess facebook has gotten the best of me!

Slade and I went up to the lake house last weekend and I thought it made a good opportunity to write a post! That, and the nudge from Aunt Kathy!!

It’s quiet in the UP - that is the Upper Penninsula of Michigan, where our lake house is.

Slade and I were able to sneak away for the weekend. We went up to the lake house – Slade says we always leave late – but this time we past all records – we left 21 hours late. We were going to drive up Thursday night, but the market went wonky and he decided he wanted to stay to work a bit on Friday morning. So we had a late start – but arrived Friday evening.

It is so quiet up here. So quiet because it is the UP, but also because we only brought Olive with us. Our good friend, Jonel, is staying with the boys. Last night she took them to Noodles for dinner and then to see Iron Man 2! Today she and Zane are watching Seby do his test for yellow belt in Tae Kwon Do.

It was snowing a good part of our drive up! When we first planned on coming up for the weekend we hoped for fair weather so that we could go biking – and I guess we really could – but we might also end up in a large mud hole, not my idea of biking. So, we are walking instead.

We first went to check on the garbage shed, only to find that something (bear?) was able to tear off the lock and get in for some fun. Luckily the trash was not all over the property – but we do need to clean it up and find a more secure system.



There has been some logging early spring, and things look a little different up here.

Here is the big opening (on the right, where Olive is), and the turn into what used to be a bit of a forest!



Here is where we turn right to go on the ATVs to the river, or to the left to go into town.



Here is that same intersection, but from approaching it when one is coming from town.



There are lots of trees planted – but my battery died before I could take any pictures.

We got back and fell into a favorite activite up here – reading!



We went on several walks and decided when we come back again (with the kids!) we will encourage them to ride their ATVs on some planned paths throughout the property - the ATVing really flattens the terrain and makes for easier walking.





It is a week later and I am finally getting this posted. Cody has several friends over and they are preparing to go to the Junior/Senior Prom for school. Much excitement! And takings pictures before hand seems to be a very serious affair. If I get my act together that will be another post!

College? Already?

I'm kinda freaking out. Today I made plans to take Cody to look at some schools back East. Tonight was also the Nordic Ski Banquet. I realized tonight that next year Cody would do Nordic Skiing again - but it would be his last year, and when he plays soccer it will be his last year, and in 3 weeks he will start his third year of Track - but next year it will be his last year! See - I told you, I am freaking out!

How can he be old enough to leave us in a year and a half. The really freaky thing is that Graham is just one year behind him!

Look at these two cuties!



Just to prove that my mind goes wherever it wants to - now that I've posted this adorable pic it reminds me that this was the camping trip that I broke down and bought Cody & Graham their first toy gun. Well, what I really mean is that it was the first toy gun that I purchased for them, they actually had others that were gifts from evil people that came to birthday parties for them. They were this cute silver-ish pair of shiny retro guns. It just looked so fitting with their adorable jean overalls. Of course a few months later the guns mysteriously disappeared! I know, bad mommy.

College. I just can't believe we are there yet. Luckily Cody desires a small liberal arts college - I don't know why I say luckily. Well, maybe because it feels like the right kind of fit for him.

I do feel that by the time Cody is really packing up and heading out the door he really will be ready, and I can already see that Graham will be ready too when it is his time. Seby and Zane - just don't start me on that!

I'm also turning 45 in a couple weeks maybe that is what is really freaking me out!

Yellow Belt

Let's not talk about how long it has been since I've posted. Long enough that Zane has now moved up to yellow belt in Tae Kwon Do. He had his test on Saturday and was so thrilled to pass the test.