Lake Geneva Cottage

One of my wonderful friends invited us up to her beach cottage at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin for the day. We loaded the cars up with towels, toys, coolers full of fruit, two moms, seven kids and lots of swim diapers, and hit the Lake!
I just love Lake Geneva, and Jen has access to a nice little strip of sand and a great pier off their private lane. She knew everyone that walked by, or came down to the beach. Jen's husband's family has owned the Summer home on this street for so long, they are lifelong friends with everyone. Really cool.

Our kids ran out and jumped right into the water off the diving board, and had all the confidence in the world...
Until Wally spotted a catfish in the water. Then, it was crying and screaming from the water trampoline like you have never heard. Because Georgia and Will did not want to swim back and get bit by the catfish!
Oh, the drama!
Georgia kept screaming, "I wish Dad was here!"
Because her mean mom would not swim out into the water to drag her back. I just kept coaxing them from the pier. Partly because I did not dare leave Walker, and partly because I really didn't want to swim out there. I may never live it down.
But they did eventually swim back in all on their own, catfish bite free. Del told me it was good for them when I texted him about it. But we all got a scathing, and very screechy lecture from Georgia about it before she swam back.

The funny thing is... there was a little boy with a net at the beach, and he, Wally, and Cade, caught a fish out of the lake. They ran it up to the oldest boy's house and had his grandpa gut and filet it, and Georgia was hysterical at the thought of missing out on going with them.

Will told me that they all touched it while the grandpa was there, and even looked at the guts real close.
I had to laugh at all the screaming that had just gone on over a fish, minutes before.

The kids could have stayed for a month! They had so much fun.
Thanks so much for being such a great hostess, Jen!

Summer Sunday

Every year, I start with the best intentions of getting a picture with my kids on Mother's Day, and one with the kids and Del on Father's Day. This year was another no go. But before church this morning, we managed to pull it off. So... better late than never.
I will have to pin Del down soon.

And I have to post the first takes, even though it is not so great of the rest of us, because Georgia looks so cute in this one. She is becoming a little picture poser.
Actually, Walker kinda looks like a cutie too.

Warrior Dash

Last year, Del went to Missouri and ran in a mud race with one of his reps and his girlfriend. He had so much fun, that this year he signed me and a bunch of his employees that live here, in the midwest up for a Warrior Dash that was local.

Basically, it is a 3.2 mile obstacle course, covered in mud. You run through muddy streams, climb up muddy planks and ropes, and swim through muddy pits. A lot of people dress up in crazy costumes, but we figured we are crazy enough without them.

It was actually really fun.
Del killed it with his time. He was off like a shot when the starting horn was blown, and finished in just 24 plus minutes. I admit that I have not been running much lately, and then, I got stuck behind a bunch of walkers for the first few hundred yards, and then had to sprint while trying to breathe through the cold I was battling to catch up to Meg, who ran the whole way with me.
So my time was 39 minutes. Pretty average, but then again, I wasn't really there to prove anything.

There were a lot of injuries. It was really hot and humid, so they had heat warning signs up, and it was really slippery because of the mud, so we saw a lot of people getting hauled out on stretchers.

Everyone that ran from our group did a really good job with time, and then we all lined up to get sprayed off with power hoses, posed for muddy pictures, tried to look half way decent, and went out for pizza!

Getting sprayed. Trust me, it did not help with the muddy mess very much.

Dripping,

Meg and Jodi are so great! They just ran the Joplin half to commemorate, and help raise money for the Joplin Missouri tornado that came through and destroyed their town one year ago. They were some of the first on the scene at the Triage that was set up for victims. They ran out the door with all the oxygen tanks and pulse oximeters they had and spent I don't know how long volunteering.

The pile of muddy shoes. EWWWW!

Del and I love our kids swim teacher, and her awesome daughter is home from collage for the Summer. She watches the kids a lot for us. She took them over night so we were able to stay at a hotel closer to the race the night before. It is always fun to have a few hours to go to the temple, eat Mexican food, and stay overnight with Del!
Yay for good babysitters!

Denver

Del had some business for the business in Denver last week.

His parents were going to be in town, so we decided to fly his two lovely nieces in to help with the kids and take off together for the Denver trip.

The timing was perfect because a whole lot of business stress arose the week before we left. And it was bad because we knew we would be coming back to face it.

But that is the white knuckled ride that is owning a business.

I don't take any credit because Del does it all, and I am basically the silent partner next to him on the roller coaster.

Except when I am far from silent and he probably wants to tell me to shut it!

We are learning more and more as time passes, and sometimes I just have to laugh at all the extremes that Del has seen since he began the career faze of his life after college.

He has experienced A. Whole. Lot.
I think he is being prepared for good things, because he is capable of them.
Managing the many different aspects, good and bad, that come from hiring, (ahem) firing, and managing people and their flaws is eye opening.

Del keeps calm, and that keeps me calm. We hit our knees often in search of direction for this company that provides a living for many people, and ourselves.
And then, somehow the storm passes, and it is better. So we gear up for the next one, because it always seems to arise. That is real life.

But what a great thing real life (most days), and being a business owner are!

I got a good glimpse at how it is done from my parents and their company, and both Del and I still learn a lot from watching how well they handle the ups and downs that are inevitable.

But for those people that like to get their kicks from bagging on private business.
Booo!!

Sorry, but you have no idea what you are talking about until you have taken the risk, worked the many, many hours, lost the sleep from the stress, and just flat out done it!

I am becoming chronic about forgetting my camera. I hate the feeling that comes in the moment I realize it.

It was fun, and I love Denver. I love the Rockies. I love the West. I love getting away with my husband.

I am a Western girl at heart. When I am in the mountains I am flooded with a million childhood or young married gal memories.

We stayed downtown in Denver.
I got a list of fun places to eat from one of our neighbors here who lives in Denver half the time.

We started at Osterio Marco for a business dinner.

We stayed right on the 16th Street Mall. Fun street.

The next day, while Del was working, I was determined to see my friend Christy who lives outside Denver.
So I got only very slightly lost for a minute in my on foot search for a car rental company in Denver.

Found one, and made the trip to the burbs for lunch with Christy and her kids.
It is always worth it. Because I have never had a moment in life where I did not know Christy, so she is just part of me. And it is always rejuvenating to see her.

The next day we decided to go up to Evergreen and find a hiking trail. It was straight up and down, it got my heart pounding, and it was beautiful!

After the hike we hit up this hot dog stand on the side of the road in the canyon. We chatted it up with Jimmy who was a very nice man, whose son used to live in Chicago. (Everyone has a son, daughter, aunt or pet, who has once lived in Chicago. Good conversation piece. Good hot dog.)

Then, yay for some reading poolside time!

We got up at 3:30 a.m. to get back  to Chicago to take Del's family down to the city to hit an architectural boat tour, and some deep dish pizza.

I love how excited Georgia is about this American Girl doll horse.
Classic Georgia. We walk through the store and she is always more excited by the  pet animal accessories than the dolls themselves.

We had a little Birthday celebration after church the next day for Del's Dad's 70th Birthday!

Thank you so much for visiting, and allowing Del and I to go away together, Hank, Marie, Nikole, and Emma!!

Backpacking and BBQ Sauce

While Del was growing up, he lived for his trips to the mountains. Beginning at a young age, he would go camping with his friends.

By themselves!

He also loved to go on days long backpacking trips in the Uinta Mountains of Utah. Even now, just about every Summer when we visit, Del takes a backpacking trip.

He loves to fish.
He is good at fishing.
Streams call his name as we drive by.
He keeps a pole in his car just in case there is ever down time, and a nice stream, with some dark, calm pools that may be nearby.

And now that I have three little boys, and a daughter that thinks she is a little boy half the time, I have to get into backpacking mode.

Wally is getting ready for his first big boy backpacking trip in Utah this Summer.

I am nervous. I admit it.

What if he wanders away? What is everyone is so engrossed in their fishing that they don't notice?

But I realize I have to let go at some point, and let him experience the world.

And I passionately believe that little boys NEED to be out in nature. There is something that fulfills them and their process of growing into a strong and good man that is found out in those woods.

There is a place for little boys to search their souls.

One day Wally was upset with me over something I would not give him permission to do. I heard the door open and close a few minutes after we were done talking, and watched as Wally headed across the lawn, jacket in hand, and into the thick of the woods next door.

He came back a little while later, eyes red, face puffy, and faced what he felt at first he couldn't accept.

He had found some sort of peace out there.

I think sometimes as a woman and a mother, I don't understand it as fully as I should.

So it looks like age nine is it. Del is taking Wally on a trip along with his brothers, brother in law, and their boys next month.

Wally is SOOOOO excited. But we have to toughen him up enough to hike carrying a pack, and walking uphill in the altitude of the Wyoming mountains. Probably not completely possible out here where we struggle to find even an uphill slope.

But we have made some efforts. Hopefully it is fun, and he can have some time in the mountains to develop his own little mind!

That goes for Del too!

It may not be a mountainous trail, but it sure is green!

We found a big mushroom on our hike.

And a big hole.

And then we found Grandma and Grandpa, who were in town, and waited for us at the lake by the trailhead.
We came home and had one of my favorite dinners.
BBQ chicken, homemade guacamole, rice with spinach, and sautéed veggies.

YUM!
We love these tortillas chips I found that have a lime flavor. The brand is Frontera.
The ingredients listed are corn, oil, salt and lime! Does not get shorter, or better!

If you have never made your own BBQ sauce, you really should!

There are a lot of recipes out there, some so easy you can quickly mix it up on the stove, dump it over the chicken and pop it in the oven, or over your grilled chicken.

The one I use on a regular basis is simple. For an example click here. Except I have never added molasses as the link recipe calls for.

But there is one that my parents make, that is hands down the best!!
Here they are! Mom, Dad, and the chicken!

It may seem a bit intense at first, but I promise it is far less overwhelming the second time you whip it up, and you can freeze half of it for another time!
Also making your own sauce is much healthier than the store bought brands, as you will see when flipping the bottle over, the ingredients usually list High Fructose Corn Syrup in the first three ingredients listed.

I cringe at those bottles.

Here is the recipe from my Mom.

Barbara Bush's BBQ Chicken

8 chicken breasts, halved, placed in plastic bag.

1 T cooking oil (I use olive oil because I don't use veggie oil, and it works fine.)
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
3 T. lemon juice
1 t. salt
1 close garlic or 1/8 t. garlic salt

Mix all these ingredients and pour over chicken in plastic bag.  Seal and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, turning often.

I always at least triple this marinade recipe for my chicken, and I usually don't marinate it for 24 hours. It still tastes good!

2 1/2 C. water
1/2 C. sugar (I usually do less, more like 1/4, and I also like brown sugar)
1/3 C. prepared mustard
1/2 t. black pepper
1/2 C. Worcestershire sauce
(because Worcestershire sauce has some non real food ingredients listed, it can be replaced with equal parts white vinegar) Or click here for a homemade Worcestershire Sauce recipe.
1 C. coarsely chopped onion
1/2 C. butter
1/4 C. cider vinegar
2 1/2 C. catsup ( I buy catsup that has only a few ingredients, tomatoes, vinegar, spices and so on. I buy it at Trader Joe's. Search around, you can find junk free catsup.)
6-8 T. lemon juice ( I use a good quality, organic brand in a glass bottle.)
1/2 t. red pepper

In a saucepan combine water, onion, sugar, butter, mustard, cider vinegar, and 1/2 t. pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes. Stir in catsup, Worcestershire sauce (or white vinegar), 6-8 T lemon juice, and red pepper.
Return to boiling, reduce heat.
Simmer, uncovered for 50-60 minutes or until reduced to about 4 cups.

Meanwhile, drain chicken. Discard marinade.
Grill chicken.
The last ten minutes of grilling, dip the chicken in the sauce, and grill again. Repeat several times.

Eat up!! It is a great way to embrace the Summer season!

Wedding Showers

Shower time

Just a couple of iPhone shots of the shower that was at my house. Some off of Instagram. I love the filters! So much fun! I wish I knew how to use the amazing photoshop program on my computer and maybe they would like like that all the time.
My friend Camille did most of the photo shooting, and I don't have her pictures.
It was fun.

My friends Tanja, Camille, and Megan did the food.
Lots of yummy food!
They did such a nice job pulling everything for the party together.

I ran around trying to get my new house pulled together. I can't believe we have lived here for three months! It has flown by, and felt like we have been here forever all at the same time.
I was down to the wire when it came to checking things I wanted to accomplish before the shower off my list. I had painters here the day before painting the powder room and laundry room. Which I finally got around to pulling down the wallpaper border in just a few days before that.

I didn't quit get it all done. Still want to order window treatments. But I decided I need a break from the rush to finish it all. I don't want to make spur of the moment decisions that I will regret rushing into later.

I hope Debbie felt as honored as she deserves to feel, and that she has a happy blessed marriage!

One of the flower arrangements I did for the shower.

Camille's cookies.

Me and my friend Linda

Me and wonderful Susan.

Walker had to crash the party. None of our sitters where available, and Del took all the older kids on an overnight mini backpacking trip with Tanja's husband and kids.

Georgia and the Preschool Goodbye

Georgia said goodbye to preschool last week.

Us after the preschool program.

                                     

This girl LOVED pre school. But... she is even more in love with the idea of Kindergarten! She told her swim teacher
"I just can't WAIT to get out of that TINY school!"

On to bigger and better.

Georgia and her teachers

We went to her last preschool song celebration.
The sweetest part was when they sang a song that said "May there always be sunshine. May there always be raindrops, and so on.

They went around in circle and each child got to fill in the blank after "May there always be _____"

There were cute answers like Barbies, or puppies, or flowers, and then Georgia said, "May there always be brothers."

And in her life there will always be brothers so it is a good thing she is embracing it.

So long preschool!
Get prepared for the next one... Walker starts in the fall!