First photos from summer 2010

Yes, it's summertime! Nancy and I are once again staying in Dorrance with my sister Susan for a few weeks this summer. A few weeks might be 3 or 4, or it might be 8 or 9, or it might be somewhere in between. We have done this the last two summers and have had a great time with the great nieces/nephews as well as helping on the farm with crops and cattle and anything in between. Our first celebration was Friday night at Kelly and Joey's house in Dorrance. We had steaks, lobster and shrimp and a few other side dishes. We ate on the deck and had lots of fun with the kids.

Anna has become quite the bike rider lately. She doesn't use training wheels anymore and she likes to ride fast. You can tell that she is going fast because her hair is pushed down against her head.

I love this photo of Garrett using the gator as his golf cart.

More of the cowboy golfer

Sam is a sports nut. Even though his favorite sport is baseball, he took a little time to work on his golf game. Don't be too surprised at Sam's choice of footwear, he wears his boots ALL the time.

Grandma Susan and sweet Avery

Sam and Hallie discussing the finer points of golf.

Hallie worked on her golf swing after she got a few tips from Sam.

Nancy and sweet Brooklyn

Avery fell asleep during the evening festivities. I love her outfit because it says Daddy's princess - and she is Kevin's little princess.

Sweet Anna

Sweet Brooklyn smiled for the camera.

And last, but certainly not least, my mom Velma.

Avery and a couple of celebrations

I love it that Avery (and her parents Sharon and Kevin) lives in Manhattan. Nancy and I get to babysit! Avery visited us on Saturday, we had a great time.

Kevin and Avery

I think Avery was having a tough time staying awake for this photo.

Celebrate! We celebrated Dorothy's brithday with a lunch party at La Fiesta.

Celebrate! Nancy and I hosted a graduation party for DeAnna who will work on a master's degree at eastern/western North Carolina - or something like that. I actually think it is Eastern North Carolina University.

You can't keep a good woman down for long

Mom is doing much, much better. In fact, we should see the S.S. Velma streaking in the Dorrance and Wilson areas very soon. Mom is scheduled to be released from the hospital on Monday. Thank goodness Mom is a strong and mostly healthy person. She didn't let a little thing like pneumonia keep her down.

Mom has pneumonia and serious baseball players

Mom is being treated for pneumonia in the Ellsworth Hospital. She was admitted on Thursday morning because she was very weak. I have come to realize that mom is one tough cookie. I don't even think she considered that she was sick prior to Thursday morning. Even though she has spent a couple of days in the hospital, I don't think she would say that she is sick. Mom is constantly on the go so this time in bed has been difficult for her. I am sure we will see her in the silver streak very soon. For those of you who don't know, the silver streak is the nickname for her car.

For some reason Garrett decided he would play the role of the intimidating baseball player. We played a game in Susan's front yard on Friday night and he wanted me to take photos of him with his new look.

He stared down the pitcher, who happened to also be the photographer - me.

Even the practice swings were intimidating.

Garrett even taught his little brother Sam how to look tough.

Serious Sam

After the baseball game, the fun broke out. Garrett gave his sister Anna a ride on the John Deere trike.

Hallie was in on the fun, too.

Sweet Hallie

Time with Sweet Avery

Nancy babysat Avery all afternoon on Monday and then Avery went home with Nancy and me for the evening. Needless to say, it was a fantastic time. I have already started teaching Avery to say that Mary Kay is her favorite aunt.

Sweet Avery and sweet Nancy

Today, Monday, May 10, is Avery's 6-week birthday.

Does anybody see Kevin in Avery? Or, do you see Sharon?

Avery was getting ready to stick her tongue out at me.

They're Home!!

The traveling twosome arrived home around 1:00 am last night, Wednesday, May 5. They left Wall, South Dakota, Wednesday morning and made a couple of stops - Wounded Knee and Indianola, Nebraska. They drove past a few spots in Nebraska where they lived as young girls. I say spots because the houses are no longer there, bummer.

Anyway, I was glad to see them as were Kramer and Pearl (the best dogs in the world.) I hope to have a few photos of the trip, Nancy took my little camera. Can you believe that they did NOT take any photos with them in it? Nancy said they made an agreement NOT to take pictures of each other...

Of course, Jane isn't quite home, she lives in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Welcome home ladies!

Billings, Wyoming

The twosome visited Custer's Last Stand on Sunday evening and then traveled to Billings, Montana, for the night. They plan to visit Devil's Tower, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and Deadwood on Monday. They've now been gone 15 days, but who is counting.

By the way, one of my fondest memories of Grandpa and Grandma Kaufman was looking through memorabilia from their trip to the Crazy Horse monument. They must have taken the trip in the early 1960's, but I am not exactly sure about that. I can remember looking at the postcards or catalogs of the Crazy Horse monument and thinking that was the greatest thing in the world. It is something that captured my attention and amazement at the time. Grandma and Grandpa talked about Crazy Horse and it always mesmerized me.
One more thing, whenever I think of Grandma and Grandpa Kaufman, I immediately go to the fact that Debbie was their favorite. It's true. She was spoiled by them. They gave Debbie whatever she wanted, especially Grandma. But, the good news is that I'm over that and not bitter about it anymore. I have let it go. That's it, I won't mention their favoritism for Debbie anymore. No, that is in the past. Let bygones, be bygones.