~ MY ADOPTION ADVOCATE... GO FOR IT KIARA! ~

well, this afternoon was kindergarten roundup for kiara & so she & i went there & then ran a couple errands before returning home ~ i told her that we'd stop & get lunch & she could pick the place & taco bell was chosen ~ we went in, ordered our food, & got our drinks ~ i went & sat her & the drinks down & then went back up to get the food ~ while up there, i could hear her saying, "hello there... what's your name... what's your kids' names" etc. ~ i came back & seated at the booth behind us was a couple in their late 20's/early 30's ~ she said, "boy, she's quite the talker, isn't she?" (she gets that from her dad's side of the family, ya know) ~ we sat & ate & just before we left, this couple got up to leave ~ as they were passing our table, kiara said, "goodbye & remember what i said!" ~ they waved, said goodbye & left ~ after they left, i asked what that was about ~ she said she'd asked the lady what her kids' names were & was told that they didn't have any children ~ she said she told them that she knows a nice lady named barbara that lives in haiti ~ she said that barbara adopts kids & if they wanted a baby from haiti to call me & i'd tell her if they could adopt or not!!!!! ~ she's cerainly an advocate for haitian adoptions & isn't ashamed at all to 'share' with anyone & everyone she meets ~ i got a kick out of it & thought some of you would too

~ MY RAMBO! *as my eyes are fluttering* ~

well, today was interesting in that we'd a door to door salesman (woman) come to the door selling home school material ~ spike's the one that 'visited' with her at the door for the few minutes she was there, before she left ~ then, about 1-2 hours later, guess who rings the doorbell? ~ yep, you guessed it, the same lady, but this time she wasn't asking us to purchase anything, but instead she wanted to use our restroom!!!!! ~ spike, not really knowing what to say, said alright & showed her to the bathroom ~ all the while, ruby & karleigh's playing in their room across the hall from the restroom ~ kiara's in our bathroom talking with me while i was curling my hair & brit's unloading the dishwasher in the kitchen ~ the lady was in there forever & spike even kept going outside the bathroom door saying, "everything ok?" to which silence was heard by all of us ~ he repeated this phrase several times & everytime we heard nothing ~ i was getting more & more aggravated as i thought it was very rude to ask us to use our restroom & then after she gets permission to do so, she spends all day in there! ~ we waited forever & finally after about 10 minutes of waiting, asking if everything was OK & getting no response at all, etc. spike comes flying into our bedroom & out he pulls a handgun & orders brit to go & stay in the bedroom with the twins ~ i said, "what in the world are you going to do with that??" ~ he said, "well, i don't know what's going on in there, but i wanna be sure we're all safe as she won't answer me" ~ he just stood in the living room with it behind his back (still calling out, "everything OK in there?") & finally she emerged from the restroom (like 10-15 minutes later), said thank you & proceeded to the door ~ spike just stood there & saw her out & then came back, put up the gun & we proceeded through our day ~ brit & i both looked at each other, hesitated & said, "BLOG MATERIAL!!" ~ here's a picture of what he resembled during the 'standoff' *smiling*
PS... after blogging this post about spike, i was telling him what it said ~ it wasn't until then i found out that the gun in question, wasn't even loaded!!!!! ~ instead of him being my rambo, is he now my barney fife??

~ ABOUT HAITIAN CAMP ~

i've had lots asking about haitian camp so here goes ~ many families in indiana & also surrounding states, get together at least 2 times per year (february in ft. wayne indiana & august in bedford, indiana) ~ in february, it's usually at an indoor water park, hotel, etc. & then in august it's usually at a church camp that's rented ~ haitian camp for august this year's this coming friday (first weekend in august) & there's swimming, volleyball, basket ball, peddle boats, baseball/softball, food, fellowship, etc. ~ it's for anyone tied to haiti for any reason (adopted from, are adopting from, will adopt from, knows someone who's adopted from, can spell haiti, etc.) ~ it's not for any particular agency, staff from foyer de la nouvelle vie, come every year & this year's bringing 2 of their haitian employees ~ we're so excited as it's a good time had by all every year ~ if you'd like to be added to the mailing list, please email me (chatterboxls@aol.com) the following information ~ you/spouse full names, addresses, phone numbers & email address & you'll be notified of the next gathering ~ it's a blast & we'd love to have you!!

~ BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS... ~

there's so many things we're still wanting to do before school starts, but times getting away from us very quickly ~ here it's already july 29 & school starts in just 17 days & we've still got quite a list of 'things to do' ~ we're still wanting to:

go to the zoo

go to conner prairie

go to local parks illegally

to to chuck e. cheese

to eat at pepe's mexican restaurant (our fav!)

take an evening walk downtown pendleton (my hometown)

more camping (which's already scheduled)

haitian camp (coming up this friday!!)

i don't know how many of these we'll accomplish, but hopefully we'll get to them & maybe even more! ~ for those of you that are wondering about the 'illegal parks', this' what i'm referring to ~ we built & live in a new subdivision, but the playground here's much to be desired ~ we drive around town & see all these great playgrounds for children in these other new additions & so wish we had a nice one to call our own ~ i'm not sure if we're 'allowed' to stop & play at any of these, but don't see how it'd hurt for us to spend a small amount of time there & then, if we're asked to leave, we would & we'd not return ~ it's just before school starts & our girls love going to the park, but i get tired of the same ones, so i guess the change's more for me than them! ~ well, i'd better get to bed sometime soon as it's hair day tomorrow so we'll be busy!! {hugs}

~ WE'RE HOME!

we left the campground this afternoon around 12:30ish & then stopped for lunch at cracker barrel ~ while there, we spotted a jim carey lookalike! ~ brit even went up & told him that we all thought he resembled jim carey to which he replied, "well, i certainly don't have his money!!" & we all got a laugh out of it ~ we came home, unloaded the camper, i ran to walmart, did laundry, ate dinner, visited with dustin as he came by, put the kids to bed & now am blogging ~ i'll post a bit more later, but need to check on some clothes that i put in earlier ~ {hugs}

~ A RAINY CAMP TRIP & DAD'S GETTING A PEDICURE?? ~

in the picture above brit's giving her grandpa a pedicure

& then in the picture below's the finished product

doesn't he have pretty feet?

kind of like a girls feet, huh??

here's a picture of kiara & her uncle russell

see, silly runs on both sides of our family (our poor children!)

here's ruby aka: mary, mother of jesus

here's karleigh getting loved on by nana

well, we're camping & having a wonderful time with spike's sister vickie & her hubby russell (pictured above) ~ although it's been raining A LOT, we're still having a good time ~ we've hit walmart 3 times since we've been here (can't pass 'em up, know what i mean?) ~ my parents came out this evening to visit & will be back tomorrow sometime ~ we're just goofing around (pictured above) & having a good ole time ~ i'll blog tomorrow again as i'm sure there will be more blog material (everyone's starting to dart around now when they see me coming with the camera!!) hehehe

~ 'VIRUS' ~

no, there's no one sick here & my computer's working fine, but i just found out about 'virus' tonight ~ i was talking to dad & mom this evening & was talking about every subject known to man ~ computers came up & my dad was talking about anytime he touches a computer it messes up ~ he said that when he worked at ford motor company on the line, he'd have to do some things on the computer every day & every single time he'd go into his cubicle to start, it'd mess up on him ~ well, being the patient man that i know him to be (sorry god, i just lied), he'd get soooooooooo upset as this was happening all the time ~ he's not computer savvy at all (he doesn't even know how to turn their computer on at their house) & after this happened time & time again, he was so frustrated that he started just unplugging it when it'd mess up ~ everytime he'd do this, it'd shut down part of the plant (yea, bet your co-workers LOVED you!) ~ they'd have to send maintenance out to fix it & then they'd be off & running again ~ now, instead of asking for help/directions (oh wait, he's a guy... what WAS i thinking?!?!) ~ this went on & on for quite awhile until one day he did it & EVERYTHING in the plant went off ~ nothing was running at all ~ they then found out that whatever my father did (to this day, we don't know what it was), it didn't just shut everything off at ford motor company in indianapolis, indiana, but it shut everything off in detroit, michigain too & for the rest of the day, everything they did in the form of paperwork, had to be done by hand... the long way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ~ from that day on, he was known around the plant as 'virus' ~ he started having people that he worked with him with names like: brownie, spud, big bertha, doc, buddy, ole' willy & fuzzy pants (don't even want to know how they got that name!), offer to log things into the computer for him so as to not have to do everything by hand anymore! ~ so to virus i plead with you, pleeease do not EVER touch my computer :)

~ TONIGHT PLAYING AT THE PARK ~

here's some pictures from tonight as we went to another new park ~ this' the playground at the elementary school that i went to when i was younger ~ it's obviously not the same equipment, but it is the same playground & it was so neat seeing our girls playing where i once ran & played

karleighruby

kiara

brit

karleigh

ruby

kiara

karleigh, kiara & ruby (aka... our 3 little bear cubs)

~ MY BLOG MATERIAL ~

well, anytime something happens in our family that's funny, weird, odd, embarrassing, etc. i bring up that it'll make 'good blog material' & my mother panics as she knows i'll do it & a lot of the time, it's about her ~ she's always saying, "lori, people that read your blog are going to think we're stupid idiots ~ you've got to stop putting things about us in there!" ~ well, this afternoon we'd stopped at dad & mom's as we'd to drop something off there, right after church ~ while there, my dad was being goofy & acting up (as usual) ~ we got ready to leave & as i looked back to say goodbye, this' what i saw peering out of the bushes at me

my dad

be afraid, be VERY afraid as this' what i grew up with ~ after growing up with him as the 'leader of the home', it's only by the grace of god that i'm normal (VERY normal) ~ he's always pulling pranks (as is my brother, aaron) & being silly ~ some of my most embarrassing moments growing up were:

* having to be driven to school by my father as my car was broke down (keep in mind it was high school... ie: wanting to look cool, not wanting your friends to see you parents driving you, etc.) ~ well, he gladly said he'd do it & didn't mind at all, BUT........... he was driving a dump truck at the time to earn extra money & had just painted it bumblebee yellow (bright) & yes, you guessed it, that's what he drove me in - TO HIGH SCHOOL!!! ~ not only did he drive me in that yellow dump truck, but i begged him to pull away as soon as i exited the 'ole bumble' & to not let anyone see him in the truck as we lived in a small town & everyone knew everyone ~ well, pops drove me all right, dropped me off at the right door & drove off as soon as i got out, but not before blasting the fog horn that was mounted on that thing for all of pendleton to hear!!!

* having your brother (pictured below) who's 3 years younger than me get his license & again drive me to school, but make me ride on the floorboard so as to 'not be seen with his sister' & if that wasn't bad enough............I DID IT!

aaron, my brother

here's a few more funny pics of our family (brit will KILL me so shhhh, don't tell her!)

my honey

doesn't spike have sexy legs~?!?! brit.. shhh! kiara ruby karleigh

even though they're crazy, i wouldn't change my family for anything in the world (all of them) ~ all i can say when people mention something about me being nuts, i just say, "i get it honestly, you should see my family!!" & it's true!! ~ PS mom/dustin, i don't have any funny pics of you both, but i'll for sure get some so i can 'share' with the world... hehehe {hugs}

~ NOT A LOT GOING ON 'ROUND HERE ~

not a lot's going on today ~ everyone slept in & then got up, watched a movie with the girls 'miss spider's sunnypatch kids' that was very good ~ we've seen them before & love them all as they're about a group of insects that 'adopt' other insects that have no families ~ they're all talking about they're family even though they don't look alike, etc. ~ it's a really neat way to remind the girls that we're family even though we're all different ~ the kids (including daddy) are all laying down resting, brit's curling her hair (or should i say straightening it) & i'm blogging! ~ don't know what we're going to do this evening yet as we were going to go to the movies, but we're not moving very fast & it feels so good just doing nothing, that maybe we'll continue just doing that... NOTHING! ~ {hugs}

~ YOU'VE HEARD OF A ROOM WITH A VIEW? ~

well, how 'bout a room without a door? ~ we'd a problem with a bedroom door for several years & so we decided to have it fixed ~ not a problem, you say? ~ (enter 'bill' aka harold since i can't remember his name, now our kids call him harold!) well, harold came over to do odd jobs about a month ago & fixing the door was on his list ~ well, everything (-2 things) were completed & today was the day to 'complete everything' ~ i went errand running all day, talking to spike periodically about harold finishing up, etc. & returned home to hear my 3y old say, "mommy, where's my door??" ~ yep, you guessed it, she's no door on her room now! ~ i asked spike & apparently harold either didn't measure correctly or the builders didn't build a 'normal sized door' (either of which could be true & wouldn't surprise me), but none the less, the girls have no door on the room at this point ~ it was after 11pm when karleigh finally went to sleep tonight as she kept seeing 'light in the other rooms', etc. & couldn't go to sleep as she thought we were all doing 'fun stuff' since she's used to drifting off with the door shut & then we open it once we go to bed ~ i asked when harold would be returning with our door & was told that it'd be the beginning of next week, then when i brought it up again this evening i was told, "well, i'd think he'd be here by wednesday or so, probably" ~ man, how's that for a definate answer! {hugs}

~ GOT A NEW SIGGY (thanks debra!) ~

well, i've been seeing these on other peoples blogs & when i ask they tell me they had someone else to make their, but they don't know how ~ well, i'm not one that gives up easily (mom, you keep quiet here!), so i kept asking ~ i saw that a 'net friend' debra had one, so i emailed her & she walked me through it ~ don't ask me how she knew what to do, much smarter than me, i can tell ya, but no matter, i've got one now & love it ~ thanks again debra!!

~ GRRR!! ~

well, i'm fuming! ~ i went to our local walmart today & took all the girls with me ~ after we were finished, i'd brit to take kiara & karleigh out to get them in the van & i'd bring ruby with me ~ she was sitting there holding a piece of paper, 'reading' to me as i was doing the self-check & loading my things ~ i noticed someone whom i thought was 'hiding' behind the battery rack ~ i kept looking & noticed an old lady (a walmart worker) popping in & out, staring at me ~ i continued doing what i was doing & then after a bit, she came up & stood right behind my cart (at the end where ruby was) as i was almost finished, but while she was there, she'd watch me scan, then she'd look at the price that i'd been charged ~ she then walked off & never said a word ~ after i paid, i moved my cart forward so i could right down the amount of my purchases since it was on my debit card & heard a conversation coming from 3 employees ~ it was things like, "yeah, the police followed her around the entire time & caught her in the parking lot" ~ "well, you've gotta watch people these days as they're ready to 'lift' whatever they can", etc. ~ i was fuming at the thought that she thought i was stealing ~ i walked up to the 3 (one of which was the old lady in question) & just as i started to speak, 2 of them walked off not seeing me ~ so i spoke to the one that was left (lucky lady she was!!!) ~ i said, "excuse me, but you might want to view my receipt ~ i noticed the entire time i was ringing up my purchases i was being watched by her (& pointed at whom i was referring to) ~ she took my receipt that i was practically shoving in her face & glanced at it, just to make me happy i think ~ i mentioned that i didn't like that i was being watched for no reason & for her to feel free to look through anything/everything that i had (including my purse) if it'd make her happy, as i'm NOT a person who steals!!" ~ she then looked at me & said, "well, i'm sorry this happened, but she was checking on you as it's usually with families like yours (looooooong pause... looooooong delay, etc.)" ~ i said, "WHAT?? ~ what do you mean, families like mine?" ~ she said, "well, no that's not what i meant (yeah right!!), i meant when the store's full or more full than normal, we really have to watch everyone, just to make sure they're all being honest" ~ i just grabbed my receipt & walked off as i was sooooooo mad ~ IMO she ONLY did this due to seeing me with ruby & thought the worst of me ~ GRRRR, some people!!

~ GETTIN' THINGS DONE 'ROUND HERE ~

well, brit & i decided we'd be really stupid (stress the word stupid here) & stay up after spike went to bed last night playing on the puter, blogging, etc. ~ she was on the floor & i was at the puter (both in the same room) & we were up until after 5am!! ~ we finally went to bed & had to get up with the bear cubs this morning EEEEK! ~ after we got up we started working on getting the house cleaned (dust bunnies at this point were getting rather excited too as they'd multiplied so much, even they were running out of room) ~ we dusted, vacuumed, clean bathrooms, etc., etc. ~ spike needed to go pick up our camper that was having a couple things done to it, so i got everyone ready & we picked up the camper (thinking we'd go visit grandma too), but after we did that & ate dinner, it was already late & we still had to take the camper to the storage lot & then back home, so we opted to wait until another day (GRANDMA, WE'RE COMING, WE PROMISE!!) ~ before we left home, i took this picture of the girls as they looked so cute in their turquoise outfits ~ i just love dressing them up!! ~ i'll more than likely post again later so until then... {hugs}

~ THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MY MOM (written by brit) ~

brit emailed this to me tonight & this' what the email said, "well, i would've printed this off & given it to you, but I'm being impatient, so I'll just email it to you. sorry it took so long! (i've actually had this done for about a week now!) BTW: you'll probably want to read pg. 1 first!"

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MY MOM

· She lets her whole life revolve around her kids
· She knows just what to say, even if I don’t
· She always puts her family before herself, even if she has to give more than the rest
· No matter how upset I get with her & she with I, I always know that she loves me
· She's a very creative mind - perfect for helping me, when I don’t know how to help myself
· She's an internal compass - she leads me, when I myself am lost
· She never takes her eyes off of Jesus
· No matter how many shirts of hers I ruin, or how many meals I burn, she let’s me live
· I can always count on her - for anything
· Anytime she goes to church, she has to have mints or gum
· She’s an awesome blogger (http://fromourbunchtoyours.blogspot.com/)
· She always tries to give her best in whatever she does
· No matter how hard I am on her, she never gives up on me, or whatever circumstance she's in
· She’s the best ‘create - a - document’ player I know
· She’s a great role model for me
· She teaches me new things & shows me how to act when she isn’t with me
· She understands me - even my odd little quirks
· She’s always encouraging me
· She really never does say never
· She comforts me when my heart’s been broken, when I need a friend, or when I don’t think I can keep going
· God made a very special person when he made my mom & he chose to give her to me!

oh my goodness, cause this mama to bawl at 5am (yes, my leg's hurting tonight & i'm still up = not been asleep yet) ~ brit, thank you so much, i can't tell you how much this means to me ~ i love you! (hugs)

~ DONE BRAIDING... FOR NOW ~

well, the girls hair's been getting fuzzy & it's only been like 2½ weeks (their do's usually last at least 4 weeks & get taken down due to me being sick of the color/pattern) ~ i'm wanting to get back on our normal 'first week of the month' schedule, but i knew it couldn't wait until then so i took them all down, washed them out & redid them, finishing today ~ they look so cute & it's a new style that we'll definitely do again ~ i'll take pictures of them tomorrow & post ~ we then headed to the airport tonight as a friend of ours was returning from visiting her daughter in haiti ~ even though she wasn't bringing her home, we still wanted to welcome her back home as we know first hand what it's like to have to leave them behind... hardest thing i've ever had to do ~ it was nice seeing cheryl & her hubby bob (& even met her niece rhonda too!) as we had a good chat with them before they had to return home (2+ hours of drive time for them) ~ we then headed home to put the bear cubs to bed & so tomorrow, we're hoping to have a fun-filled day & then it's off to see grandma tomorrow night ~ the girls have been begging to go every since we told them that we were going over there the other night ~ we then didn't get to go as i was sporting a whopper of a migraine & spike called off the night (thanks spike, i don't know if i could've done it - or at least coherently that is!) ~ we'll spend the evening over there & then i think we'll have friday family night where we make homeade pizzas, rent a movie & pop popcorn ~ it'll be a quieter weekend for us this weekend too as we're not going camping (but will be camping the next 2 weekends in a row) ~ i'll post more later or tomorrow (wow, guess it IS tomorrow!) ~ (hugs)

~ ANOTHER GOTCHA DAY 'ROUND THESE PARTS ~

well, i blew it (i know, what's new!), but i totally forgot that today was ruby's 2nd gotcha day ~ now, i knew/know it's july 17, but all day long brit & i've been thinking that today was monday the 16th EEEEK! ~ it was just minutes ago i finally realized that it's tuesday the 17th! ~ i've been braiding hair today (not thrilled with the outcome, but it only has to last 2 weeks & then it's being redone to get on our 'normal' schedule of doing it the beginning of every month) ~ i can't believe it's been 2 years ago that we brought our sweet little girl home from haiti ~ she's a blessing as they all are, but to think back on her homecoming day's been a sweet end to a busy day ~ the first pic's of her homecoming night & meeting her big sister for the first time ~funny story to share about her homecoming: our family goes camping a lot & plans our camping trips waaaay in advance ~ well, spike & i had a 9 day camping trip with the girls & my parents to go to holiday world, leaving on july 15th & returning on the 24th ~ well, the 13th came & we knew it'd be close to getting ruby home, the 14th came & we were getting worried about what to do with our reservations ~ we phoned the campground & explained the situation & they allowed us to bump out our dates & they'd not charge us a 'changing fee' ~ we bumped them out to us arriving on the 18th & still returning home on the 24th, praying ruby would be home by then ~ well, as things fell into place, we got 'the call' on the 15th, flew to miami on the 16th & back home with ruby on the 17th, just in time to pack up the camper & leave with all 4 of our girls & my parents on the morning of the 18th (as planned!) ~ poor little thing arrives to a very nice home at 11pm, gets tucked into her bed after being totally FREAKED OUT by seeing her 2 cats (freaked out's an understatement here) & then immediately upon rising the next morning, being thrown into an RV & calling it 'home' for the next 6 days ~ then, while there at holiday world, she's put on rides (which she threw fits to ride 'with her sisters', only to throw fits to get off, once the rides started) ~ oh the memories *insert smile here* ~ here's a picture of her on her first morning of camping (wonder if she's thinking, "gosh, they brought me out of haiti for this???") ~ we love you ruby & can't imagine life without you ~ you've come a long way baby & you've taught everyone that knows you, so much ~ happy gotcha day sweetheart!

this bottom pic's of ruby this week ~ my how the time flies!

~ A VERY 'DISCONNECTED' DAY ~

oh man, how i hate days like today ~ i'm PMSing (sorry guys), have been on the kids like you'd not believe, have a migraine & soooo much to do that i feel i'm loosing my mind ~ at this time of the year when summer's coming to a close i always find myself a bit sad thinking about the kids going back to school as we love them being home ~ i go through the 'sorry for me' stage that my kids are getting older & we don't have babies anymore (youngest is 3) & no we're NOT getting any more children! ~ the bear cubs are going through this whiny stage (& believe me, that's an understatement) & it's sending me through the roof! ~ i don't know how to discipline on this one very well, because i'm on that like to punich based on the 'crime' so to speak, but with whining, seems i'm at a loss ~ kiara (5) is the worlds biggest whiner (love her to pieces, but it's true) & man can she get going ~ well, her younger sisters (3 & 4) have picked up on this trait & are trying their best to perfect it (& some days are doing better than kiara at it) ~ today we headed off to run some errands ~ we stopped for pizza & while we were there i'd to tell kiara 3 times to keep her feet out of the chair that i was sitting on ~ it was a buffet, so every time i'd go up to get someone some more pizza, i'd come back to her feet in my seat ~ by the end of the meal i was exhausted, she was upset (has a very tender heart) & i felt like trash ~ i then took them all to potty prior to leaving ~ ruby & karleigh went so i'd brit to take them on to the van while kiara went ~ now another one of kiara's traits' taking her time to 'produce' on the potty ~ i waited forever it seemed & she just couldn't go ~ i was frustrated at her 'making me wait', she was frustrated with mommy getting upset & we both at this point felt like trash ~ we then went to walmart where i got the bright idea of letting kiara walk as she's usually always in a cart ~ well, this worked ok for a bit, but then she'd lag, or walk looking down, etc. & it was driving me crazy (didn't take much at this point) so i paid, loaded up everyone & headed off ~ we were to go to the park, but i'd had enough & was heading home which went over really well with the bear cubs ~ ruby at this point decided she'd serenade me all the way home to a song that i really didn't care much for ~ after arriving home, the girls were put in bed where they've taken over an hour nap & are now ready to get up, but i'm so tired i wish now i'd have layed down ~ i'm now at the end of the day thinking i feel like a very full trash can ~ when dustin & brit were younger i was able to give them attention all the time as they were the only 2 we had, but with the 3 girls, i feel as if they get nothing from me ~ i've got no time for them (personally/individual time) & that makes me sad ~ i hug/kiss them in the morning, but it's quite awhile before it's done again as i've got everything to do (laundry, cooking, cleaning, breaking up arguments, mending boo-boo's, running errands, etc.) & i feel they're not getting all they need/deserve ~ sorry for the complaining/whining, but i feel so disconnected ~

~ A WEEKEND OF FUN! ~

well, friday afternoon we picked up a good friend of brits (ashley) & headed off to indiana beach ~ my parents were following us & so we all got there at the same time, checked in & started setting up ~ after getting everything done, we ordered pizzas, sat around a campfire & then turned in for the night (or morning? as it was after midnight!) ~ we got up the next morning, got ready & headed for indiana beach's amusement park ~ we let brit & ashley walk around by themselves, but checked in with them (or them with us) about every 30 minutes ~ we took the girls on all kinds of kiddie rides, which they loved! ~ spike & dad enjoyed riding their rides too (oh wait, their rides were watching the strollers for mom & i while we took the girls on kiddie rides - hehe) ~ after that we all took a train ride around the park in which there was a bit of a 'scuffle' at the back of the little train ride between a couple grown men ~ 1 of the men & his wife were trying to go through the exit in order to ride this train & the other man, who'd been waiting in a very long HOT line, wasn't going to let it happen ~ we were all getting so tickled, listening to it all ~ we're all still laughing about the 'argument about the little train ride' - hehe ~ late in the evening (saturday), we met up with ashley's parents, who'd decided to bring their youngest daughter 9y (anna) up for just the afternoon/evening ~ we all had dinner together & it was very nice ~ we then got a call from dustin that he was coming up due to boredom ~ we arrived & stayed in our camper as the girls were sleeping in with my parents ~ we all got up today (sunday), packed up & drove home, stopping at golden corral for lunch ~ since arriving home, we've got laundry going, kids in bed, things put away, etc. ~ i'm not done, but not far off! ~ here's some pictures from the weekend trip ~ i'll post some of brit, ashley & dustin when i get them, as they're on mom's camera!

indiana beachdad & dustin

nana & kiara getting ready to ride 'noahs ark' (aka: the viking ship!)

ashley & brit

kiarakarleigh & ruby