Midwest Vacation, Week 3

We spent the 3rd week of our Midwest vacation in Iowa with Jamie's family, with her Uncle Mike and Aunt Beth serving as our super host/hostess for the week.   Matt got to do some more fishing, some shooting, and just playing with other kids (pretty much his favorite activity).

Lily and Cousin Madelyn, just hanging out.

Alexis helping out with Lil.

 Finally got a picture of Matt with one of his fish!

Uncle Mike finished up the sandbox just in time for the kids to play in it for the week.

Matt and Brady riding bikes. 

Lily, working on her talking.

Baby Talk from Virnig Family on Vimeo.

Take down!  Alexis is still bigger, but Matt was more determined.

 Sunset over the cornfield.

Matt had a lot of fun playing trucks and airplanes with Johnny.

 Goofball.

 Grandma showing him how to pedal with training wheels.

Lily had a good time with all the people.  Here is playing Peekaboo with GreatGrandma.

Peek W GG from Virnig Family on Vimeo.

 GreatGrandma, GreatGrandpa and all the little ones.

 Lily, hitting the trike!

 This picture just sums up the difference that a few months makes so well.  Madelyn sitting there, Quite and comfortable.  Lily, twisting, wiggling, squacking, and trying her best to make a break for it.

 On the way to go shooting, Matt, Andrew and I came across a snapping turtle in the road.  Side note, I had no idea how quick these things were!  I put a stick in front of him, and he snapped the end right off so fast I didn't even see it.

After target practice.

Uncle Mike made a very cool digger that all the kids had fun with in the sandbox.  Even Lily got in on the fun.

Cousin Brooke was kind enough to AGAIN head several hours north to deposit us safely in the twin cities at a hotel so that we could fly out early the next morning. 

It was a long 3 weeks, but it was a lot of fun to see everyone.  All thing considered both our kids took to the nomadic lifestyle incredibly well, with only a few minor emotional breakdowns along the way.

Thanks to everyone who helped us out and made us feel welcome!

Jake

Midwest Vacation, Week 2

After our trip to Como Park Zoo, we continued south, where we had rented a cabin on one of the small lakes where Aunt Corrine stays in the summer, that is coincidentally just a few minutes away from where Aunt Charlene lives on another small lake.  We had a great week of hanging out, roasting marshmallows, fishing, swimming, and tubing.

The first night we got stayed at the cabin there was a cool lightening storm.  Not something you see much of in Seattle.


Lightening from Virnig Family on Vimeo.

 Lily enjoying the sun after a dip in the Lake.

 Uncle Butch helping Matt find fresh water clams in the lake.

 Playing in the water!

Swimming with Unle Butch.

Lily continued he efforts to learn to walk.  This was the first time she took more then 2-3 steps. (This time I had the camera ready!)

Walking girl from Virnig Family on Vimeo.

 I decided it had been way to long since Lily had  a bath.  Washtub in the shower = excellent Baby Bath.

Matt and I going tubing.

Lily's not so sure about this tubing thing...

Matt got pretty good at steering the paddle boat.  Actually pedaling not so much.

 Yummm Peaches!

We took a little trip to the park.  Lily was loving the swings!

End of a long day, chillin' by the campfire.

Not a bad spot to spend a week!

Uncle Butch dug up some worms from the garden, and taught Matt to fish.  He picked it up pretty quick, and grew a rapid enthusiasm for it.  How can you not when you're first day out you catch 6-8 fish?

Fishing from Virnig Family on Vimeo.

 This was supposed to be a picture of Matt and his fish.  While I was getting my camera out he decided he didn't really like holding it.  You can see the splash in the lower right corner.

Heading back to the water.

Lily, pretty much completely over her stranger anxiety at this point.

This was Gramma's highchair from when she was a baby.

Just relaxing in the Hammock.

Strong boy!

 He even captured the mighty Minni!

A little sunset fishing.

 The end of a long day at the beach.

Matt made it home, but not by much.

 Bucket Baby!

 Matt and Uncle Butch, waiting for dinner.

We all had a little bit of allergies, and I was sneezing a bit, which led to this.


Sneeze from Virnig Family on Vimeo.

 Daddy had a long day too.

Jamie's cousin Brooke was nice enough to make the trip up from Iowa to pick us up and take us back down south for our final week in of the vacation.

Minnesota, Week 1

We're finally back from our Midwest vacation!  It was great to see everyone, but after 3 weeks "on the road" with 2 little ones left me somewhat glad to be home!  We had so many great adventures, I'm going to have to break this up a little, otherwise it's going to be one really LONG post.

We arrived on Thursday, after a fairly uneventful flight.  Matt was able to understand what going on a airplane means this time, and had some fun on Take off and landing.  

 Getting ready for the flight.

After landing, we made our way to our first "host family" Emily and Troy.  Thanks guys for graciously accommodating two sleep deprived children and two travel frazled parents.  We immediate turned around, and headed to the wedding rehearsal after party to see more family.

  I think Tina was the first to break through Lil's stranger anxiety.  After that she just got passed around like a basketball from one relative to the next.

The wedding was the next day,  Matt had a little jetlag.

 Wake up Brother, it's time for the wedding!

 Lily working on dancing with Tina.

 Bubbles!  Perfect for entertaining small children.

 Brinner.  Awesome wedding food.

 Matt the dancing machine.

 Lily gave up early.

 But Matt partied on.

The next day we laid low recuperating from the party.

 Matt had a little mishap with one of the toy trucks, ended up with a little face road rash.

By this point Lil had pretty much given up on the whole stranger anxiety thing, and took a little nap on Emily.

 Leah and her husband came over with their little one too.

 Fuglsang side group photo.

Lily and Maria saying hi!

The next day we loaded up and headed up to our second host family at Patty and Arden's place for a few days.

Matt imediatly located the diggers in the sandbox.

 Petting the pigs during their daily exercise.

Helping to feed the pigs with Sarah and Isaac.

Gardner snake!

 Cuddling the barn cats.

 GranDan found something to fix. Note Isaac supervising the repairs. 

At Mary's Memorial.

Throwing rocks in the lake with Isaac.

GranDan helped him ride one of the pigs during the pork soccer match.

 Matt loved getting to play with the big dogs.  I think the dogs liked it as much as he did though.

We took a little hike at Kasio state park just down the road. 

 Climbing the fire tower.  

 I didn't make it to the top, this is from about 3/4 of the way up.  Matt was first to the top though!

 Helping Lily walk.

 She got tired of having Matt get to decide where they were going to go though, and took her first steps!  I missed the steps, but I got the victory celebration!

 More pig exercising.  Matt got to drive them this time.

 Buddy, you're not supposed to whack them when they're drinking.

 I think the highlight of Matt's trip was the tractor ride.  Not the smile before the tractor got started.

 After it got started, all business.  (or "Hard Workin'")

In the dog kennel.  Thinking about getting one of these.  No dog, the whole kennel idea just seems like a good one...

 Something you don't see every day.  Matt and I found a snake eating a frog.

We left Patty and Arden's place, headed for southern Minnesota where we had rented a cabin for a week.  We did stop back in the Twin Cities to meet up with Ann and Don to go through Como Zoo.  Both Matt and Lily had a great time.

Monkey execution.

 Lily and mommy in the Monkey house.

Lily taking it all in.

Checking out the fish with GranDan.

You can't go to the zoo and not get an ice cream.  Matt had his first one here about 3 years ago.

 Baby girl passed out again.

On the turtle again.

 Matt got to choose 1 ride to do, and he chose the train.  Since he was the only one in line, he got to drive.

We said goodbye to Ann and Don and piled back into the car for the rest of the drive south.