Before I got started blogging I had to go back and try and remember what I had already put down so if there is repeat please forgive me. I am going to start with the week the Nisly's were here (I am trying to say things the Mi. way not Joe's the Nisly's). We had so much fun just hanging out and just being with family. When we lived in Nebraska we never was able to just have that much time alone with them as we did here. The kids also had such a great time NO let me repeat NO FIGHTING!!!! I think they just haven't been together for so long they themselves knew they didn't have time to fight. I had alot of fun getting to know Detrick the last time I had really spent time with him was at christmas he was a baby so he was a whole new little person by now. I do believe though that his father has him very very brain washed by that I mean I have never seen a 1yr old that can stand the way he should and hit a ball with a bat. I don't think he missed a one. While we were at the beach we even had an older couple that was walking along the water stop and watch him and before they left they asked if they could just get his autograph now I'm not kidding!! Yes he always had the ball on something like a tee but I went to Carson tee ball games this summer and there were 6yr olds that would miss the ball on the tee. It was so cute I miss that little boy he reminds me so much of when my boys were that age. I am so glad that Joe and Gwen has had the joy of raising a boy and now when we talk and she tells me the things he is doing then says he reminds me so much of your boys I agree!! He also like much little kids that age loves Cameron I don't know what it is but he just has a way about himself that they love and he loves them. He makes a very good baby-sitter. It is also fun to see how Sabrina and Cameron are getting older and their interest are always changing and having them together was fun to see things from a girls and boys eyes. Then there is Seirra who never really would leave her daddy's side but is now a very lovey little girl. She will always gives hugs and also likes to get them and I just had never seen it that much before now. I loved how I could be some where and she would just come up to me and just start telling me something and she wasn't that way either. On monday night we had a girls night out so Gwen was able to meet my friends we went to MamaMea and did we laugh. Before we went to every night which wasn't before 2 or 3 we had to get a good laugh in and by the time we were done laughing we hurt so bad that we didn't even really want to move. What you ask were we laughing at well believe me if some of you knew you would be laughing to and then there are those that would be so embrassed you wouldn't want to ever show your face again. It takes all like that's for sure!! One other thing we did while they were here was we went and picked blueberries. Yes it was my first time Shannon has been telling me for 2yrs now that Michigan has the best blueberries and I always would just say great I'm happy for you. Then on saturday on our way to the lake Jared told me that Joe wanted to stop and get some blueberries then he went on to say that Joe told him that they would come here when they were in Indiana just to get blueberries. Well I tasted one and I have no idea why everyone is so hooked on them. I think that before they left they were all starting to turn blue!! It was really hard to tell them good-bye so we all agreed that from this summer on they are coming here every summer now for 2wks!! (DON'T FORGET THAT NISLY'S)!! So after they left on thursday I got ready to leave with the girls for the weekend. Debbie, Scarlet, Shannon and I went to Luddington for the weekend for some R&R which was much needed for us all. Debbie and her husband own a house there so we went there just to hang out and have fun which we did!! By the way that saturday morning you won't guess what they thought I would want to do yes go pick more blueberries. Then once we got back home it was time to get ready for our vacation with the Black's. The thursday before we left Camille fell off of a teeter-tooter and broke her collar bone. She didn't have to do anything but wear a sling and take tylenol with codiene. We left on a saturday morning and that day we drove to Louisville Kentucky and went through the bat factory then did some letterboxing. After that then we made our way to the motel for the night. The next morning we went to the Coke factory and did more letterboxing on our way to Cave City. Before we got to far Camille decided it would be nice to throw up in the van by her brother Coleman. All I heard was a cough then Coleman going OH MOM GROSSSS!!! Now why do they have to say mom first why not dad??? Thank God for cell phones and gas stations so after that no more codiene just motrin and tylenol and she did GREAT!! Once we got to the hotel the kids were ready to swim so swim they did. The next day for us was a big day we went to Mammoth Cave Park. Now for those of you who really know me I don't do tight places let alone knowing that we are 250 feet underground. As we were going down into the cave it was STRAIGHT down steps and here I am shaking scared to death for my kids and at the same time I was trying to hang on to our little girl with a broken collar bone. You would think that it would sink in that she needs to have some fear but oh no why not just get as close to the edge as we could. That night I went to Wal-Mart and bought one of those child dog leash for the next day I told Jared I should of bought 4 not just 1!! I have said many times I would do almost anything for my kids and that was why I was in that cave. It was really cool to see that I couldn't think about what I was doing or I would of went nuts so the song that I kept singing over and over was what an AWESOME God we serve!! After seeing that you wonder how can anyone say there is no God!! I am so glad that God helped me get through that no matter how many knots I had I got through it and it was well worth it!! We would have places where it would get flat for a little bit and so our guide would have us sit down and tell us about the cave and one of those times as we were sitting there and she was talking I don't really know what she was telling us all I know was she said something about being quiet so we would know how quiet and dark it was down there and I thought I was ready but guess what I wasn't. There was very little light to begin with so when all of a sudden she shut it off I screamed and grabbed on to someone in front of us. I was so glad to find out that it was Andy all I heard him say was that you are suppose to be quiet. There is just no way to explain how that made me feel. I had to think of the ones that go into the mines everyday and I know it is different but you really feel very alone. Cut off from everything but the most important thing you need was in there with us God the one who made the heaven and earth!! I can't imagine what heaven must look like that is our reward for living here on earth for Him and since He can make such a beautiful cave what heaven must be like!! The name of this cave was New Entrance it was 2hrs, 3/4 mile long 280 steps and like I said before 250 ft below ground. That night everyone's legs hurt so bad and we had to climb more steps to get to into our rooms. That evening we went to the corvette museum the kids were bored stiff but us adults had a great time. The next morning we went on another tour cave and this time I really just wanted to stay at the motel but no once again I did it for my kids and it was better because I kinda knew what was ahead of me. This one was call snowball it was 2miles 400 steps 267 ft below ground and at the end we had to climb 183 steps out of the cave and there was no ground to stop and rest and if you stopped you held everyone up. Also on that tour there was two women with two kids and before we started the tour the guides told us not to pick anything up like the rocks and put it into our pockets. So you would like that as parents you would try and teach your kids to obey but no the one mom keep picking them up and then they would all just laugh. We caught on to what was going on and someone left the guides know and they were talked to and empty their pockets maybe that's what the kids needed to see. The next morning we headed to Maysville Kentucky where we stay the rest of the time. Before we went to far we went to Dino world (don't waste your time or money) then to do 1 more letterboxing. Maysville is only twenty minutes away from where the Black's grow up it was Ripley Ohio, of course the first thing we wanted to do was go to Rockin' Robins but thet were closed. We drove around and one thing that stuck out to me was the drive through grocery store yes you read right. I could of come home then I had heard it all that night. The next morning we rode the car ferry over from Kentucky to Ohio and as bad as I hate water and was going to just stay in my van but instead of doing that I faced my fears and got out of the van and walked around I was so proud of myself. Once we got back to dry land we went to guess what yep Rockin Robin and we would only get pop really pop!! We then went and meet Andy's parents and Shannon made us homemade ice cream and that was so good!! Then they said we need to go do some more sight seeing and that we were going to go down chicken holler road I can't even explain to you that road other then you definitely do play chicken and there were times where you would like to holler. I really think that it is hollow instead whatever it's name it is crazy and I am surprized we got out of there in one piece. Now I understand why their kids get sick on that road. Once we were done doing that and eating we went back to Andy's parents again it was fun just to get to know them and his mom cracks me up. She has been a school teacher for how many years so you would like that when she see the kids getting corrected she won't even give it a second thought but she does the one time I was getting after Coleman and she said oh he's okay he's just little. It didn't bug me i just thought it was funny how she said it. While talking about her she has been sick now for sometime and doesn't seem to be getting better so it would be GREAT if we all could be praying for her she is really tired of it and just the little I know about her she isn't one to just want to sit around. I also thought it was so neat how Camille never onced thought twice about treating them like her Grandpa and Grandma and they didn't either. I think that child misses have grandparents around and so she was in high heaven with them. I figured that the next day we went back over there she would be so clingy but when we drove into the driveway she says real loud we're here jumps out of the van and ran straight for them and wrapped her arms around their legs. The kids could all be off playing and here she would come and crawl up on their laps and would just let them rock and she soaked it all up. Thank-you grandpa and grandma Black we had fun getting to know you and thanks for treating my kids as though they were your grandkids to. You don't always get to see Andy's girls but that didn't stop you from treating my kids the same and it really did mean alot to us. The kids said on the way back to the motel they are really nice and we had alot of fun. I think they would come and live in your barn there Cecil. The last day of vacation came way to soon!!! Of course before we could leave we needed to do one more letterbox but that one we couldn't find. I almost forgot we went to the Amish "supercenter" one day and they made the best creme hole or is it corn hole no I think it was a creme horn did I get it right Shannon?? We had such a great time and you ould think that with 7 kids we would be crazy but there was no fighting between they and you might not be able to believe this but none of them ever tattled on each other yes it happened a few times between siblings but nothing else. I have been on some vacations where I just wanted to get home just to relax but I never felt that way at all. Thanks Black's we had a so much fun and we are up to doing it again. We didn't forget to watch Micheal Phelps every night he was on as we played cards and the kids chilled and watched tv. Then last but not least we went to family camp then on labor day weekend. There were 25 of us that went and we had a good time. I love it at night when the kids are in their beds in the cabins and us adults sit around the fire and just visit it is so relaxing unless you fall asleep with your feet on the fire pit ring and the rubber starts to stink and when they wake you up and you put your feet on the ground and then it starts to burn you think how could someone be that dump well I will just say think this year I left my tennis shoes at home. So now summer is almost over and the kids are back in school and loving it. They are all in different buildings this year so that's fun. Cameron starts at 7:45 and gets out at 2:40 the other 2 are from 8:45 to 3:45. Cameron is also playing the clairinet this year and he is so excited about it. Well I believe that has been everything we did this summer and now we are ready to buckle down and get ready for winter. Hope this isn't to long and you enjoy looking into see what we have been up to.
