Food, Fellowship, and Family

The weekend went great! I spent most of it in the kitchen, but I enjoy that part so it was all good. Our food turned out very well; the porkchops were delectable and everything else tasted good too. And we didn't' set anything on fire! We did manage to burn a pan of garlic bread. Stupid broiler.

I got to keep my second cousin and her friend from Bloomfield. Matt had Ryan K-berger and another guy in the basement, so us girls went and showered in our new shop for kicks. :)

My cousins from California have been here the past week so they came over for supper Sunday night. I am very tired of cleaning up dishes and leftovers. We shot off my cousin's model rocket in the wheat field, and then it got lost in the corn field. Whoops. We did get some cool pictures of the whole family in front of the round bales though.

It was a wonderful weekend. Blessings.

Do you hear the people sing?

So I've been busy. Last week I was in Champaign, Chicago, and St. Louis.

Chicago was a shopping trip.... good times. I got curtains for my room at school at Ikea, so that was exciting. I got to drive, and it just happened to start pouring right when I needed to be able to see exit signs the most. It figures. But at least I was driving... :)

Les Miserables was incredible of course. :) It was interesting to note that I cried at different parts of the story than I did the last time I saw it. It's funny how things affect you differently at different points in your life. The Fox theater is cool too- I love old buildings. It has the most indescribable architecture/decorating style. I liked it in a weird sort of way. Austin has an internship in St. Louis this summer and he and his friend Laura met me for lunch at Union Station. Definitely well worth the money and the trip. I'm so glad it worked out since it was so last minute!

I'm back at work. *sigh* My boss is gone so I pretty much can't do anything. I have a report to write about my research and that's it. And the other guy that shares the lab is in China so I can't even be supervised by him. They said they could give me something to do downstairs if I got too bored, I might have to take them up on it. :)

Washington invite this weekend, anybody who wants to come is welcome!
Blessings.

Randomness

I spent the evening in Champaign yesterday. I had a few things to do at the house, but not much. It was hot. I am so glad I am not living there this summer.

Amy came with me so we ate at olive garden. Then we played euchre at the Shaker with Mike and Marcus. I hate that game. Mike and I lost by an unbelievably large amount. *sigh* But it was fun!

I forgot that gas stations in Champaign are scary after dark. We stopped at one a little too far away from 74 for comfort. whoops. It's not like that in Urbana. :)

I'm tired of living out of my duffel bag

Saturday night I went to the Tremont invite. It was very hot, but enjoyable. (For all of you who think I don't do anything with Washington anymore- Washington was invited, it was on the calendar, therefore it was a W-ton thing. And only 7 of us showed up- I want to know where every one else was!)

I left a little early because Gab and I were planning on leaving for Cissna at 10 pm. We didn't actually leave Morton until after 10:30 because the dog got out, and we had to wait for her to come home. So we showed up at Bek's a little before 1 am.

Church was very full! Gretchen was gorgeous, of course, and her bridesmaid's dresses were very cool. I can now say I have been to a 4 hour wedding reception, and worked for most of it. Definitely better than standing in line! The best part was getting to see everybody again, specially Karen. And I got the privilege to work with and talk to Joanna for a long time. :)

I forgot that I had left my bag in the car in the heat all day, so I had a mess to clean up when I got home. My deodorant and my perfume both exploded, thankfully just inside my toiletry bag and not on my clothes. But my hair stuff and favorite headcovering all had a thin film of deodorant and denatured alcohol all over them. Ick. I also have a very warped perfume bottle.

I did have to laugh when he asked Gretch to promise to submit....

the 20th annual Wyss Family Vacation

Every year since 1987, Grandma and Grandpa have taken the whole family on vacation for a week. We've been a lot of places. Missouri, Michigan, Indiana, Colorado, Kentucky. Some nice resorts, some dives. We've had years where we had plenty of room, and years when the resort overbooked and the boys got to stay in the manager's apartment. Years where we had a lake a boat and jetskis and a pool. It has rained, and stormed, and been beautiful. There was the year Clayton broke his leg. The year that Austin and Neal got mug shots by Junior the cop in Podunk Missouri. And the year there was a car accident right up the rode that half the family responded too. We have a doctor, 3 nurses, and 2 EMT's on staff. Grandma and Pearline make a huge breakfast every morning (if you get up before 10). No one cares if you stay up until 3 am playing Rook, drinking way too much pop, eating junk, and watching movies. But if you try to wake us up before 10- watch out. And almost every year everyone has been there. This year we were missing 7 out of a possible 48 people. Some people need to get their priorities in order. :)

This year was fun as usual. Most of the adults and the little kids were in two nice condos. The guys were in a very 'vintage' cabin right next to the cabin us girls stayed in. They were clean, but definitely circa 1960's. It was great. We were also far enough away from everyone else that we didn't get woken up at crazy early hours of the morning, i.e. before 10. We played rook and watched movies and somehow Abby and I spent an hour lost in Michigan. We were going to go rent the long version of Pride and Prejudice but didn't get directions to town, so we drove around for a while and then realized that neither of us had any ID to rent a movie with anyway. So we went back and played more Rook.

Neal, Austin and I on the very first vacation in 1987. Aren't we sooo cute? And check out Neal's stylin hair cut. :)





1989- we could all fit around 1 table!







1990- The first of many group shots.








1992- Indiana Beach
Hm...Dad isn't in any of these pictures because he had the camera.



2000- the Ozarks











2004- the last time everyone was there for the picture. Someplace in Missouri.

So that's vacation. Blessings.

Leaving...

For Michigan! My fam is already there, but I had to at least stay for Bob's testimony. They all were good. And there were a ton of people at Rassi's afterwards. :) Good times!

I got to bed kind of late.....

Blessings.

Things I've learned in the last few days

• Being at your sibling's testimonies is really weird.
• 5 baptisms means TONS of people will show up!
  (and the Kaebs will turn out- not quite like the Weigands, but still)
• It's a good thing I don't sit by Jakey every Sunday.
• I can sing tenor, bass, and soprano better than him.
• His shoes do not match his tie.
• God is bigger than the boogie man.
• And Matt's farmer tan didn't show.
• No one comes to work on the day before a holiday.
• Getting paid for not going to work is great!
• Spending the afternoon of the 4th laying in the sun by a pool is glorious, but rather painful the next day.
• To much sun makes me sleepy, and not very conducive to a large 4th of July Bash.
• Eureka fireworks....at Aunt Madelyn's....good times.
• Is an up to code septic system too much to ask for?
  
• I might actually have to use Young's modulus at work- I think I might die of shock!

Anyway, next week is the Wyss vacation!! Woot!
Blessings.