This morning, Tuesday, August 2nd, we were near Waterloo Ontario.
In the evening we drove through Waterloo Iowa on our way home. We decided to skip as much of Chicago as possible and drove west into Iowa and then north to our place.
It's always amazing to me how far a car can go in a days time if you keep on moving. We stopped at Cracker Barrel for our supper.
Congratulations Nico and Rianna!
July 30, 2022
A good occasion to get a family picture
Photo credits go to many family members. who took pictures and shared them.
Thank you!
John and Ladina, Jerry and Trenda
Ellis and Dawn, Mom, Doug and Maria
JoAnna and Hans
August 1, 2022
August 1, 2022
A late birthday celebration for me.
Here is a bit of the background story.
In February 2001 my sisters came to MN to. surprise me for my 40th birthday.
I was surprised!
In 2002 it was Ladina's turn. We managed to shock Ladina with the help of John and their daughter, Janine. (Even though she knew we would arrive sometime that spring.) Dad and Mom and all of us girls with our daughters drove to Dryden Ontario.
In 2004 we repeated this scenario for Trenda. Jerry had arranged for an Airbnb for us to stay in. (Before that was even a thing!)
Then in 2006 Ladina, Trenda and I flew to Toronto Ontario to surprise Maria. Mom and Dad were visiting at their home near Stratford. Dad was helping Doug on some part of their renovation project. Through some careful planning and strategic timing Dad and Doug picked us up at the airport. (All without lying to Maria as to their whereabouts for the past 2 - 3 hours =) Dad and Doug went in the back door while we waited for a short time then knocked on the front door. A🚪 they didn't use very often. It was sweet to pull off all of these events...
In 2007 there was a family reunion at Doug and Maria's place and we had a birthday party to celebrate Hans and his 30th birthday.
When Trenda asked what we were doing for my 50th birthday I was ready to say, "It's been fantastic! But how about not going to a lot of drama for this decade?!"
I was out voted. So we celebrated again in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2017
There was an extended family reunion in 2019 celebrating Mom's 80th birthday
I don't want to mention what happened in 2020 since we are all sick and tired of #@&/%
It put a wrench in any plans for family reunions. So my 60th birthday went by quietly. Here I should give you a link where you could go back to February 9, 2021 in this blog and see what happened. My family gave me 60 gifts so it wasn't very quiet - now that I think if it. (And I am not up to date with putting in links and all of that stuff.)
Ladina celebrated her 60th birthday in April of this year recovering from major heart surgery in Baltimore, Maryland. Janine put together a card shower for Ladina.
Next spring Ladina has plans for a belated party on the North Shore. Which was all very long winded to bring you up to date for my belated birthday party at a lovely park in Stratford Ontario.
A novel way to find dinner
Doug grilled sausages/braats.
There was a gigantic salad with everything in it except onions and celery. Chips and hummus dip, buns and ketchup and mustard to go with the sausages and sauerkraut, too.
After delightful strolls through the gardens and more family picture we went back to Doug and Maria's place for ice cream cake and coffee. A wonderful day! My main idea for this celebration was that we could all be together and the whole weekend was one long family reunion.
Ice cream treats in Shakespeare Ontario
