More Family Photos and Final "Chapter" to NE Trip

Old Pictures of Family members that were mentioned that I didn't get posted:


This was taken in our new house almost a year ago. Nathan (R) and his girlfriend Laura (L) came to "help" us move. Nathan works as many if not more hours than Brett does and is able to fall asleep just about anywhere and sleeps through a lot, including Gavin's stinky foot right below his nose.

Liyan, my dad's wife, they got married in China November of 2005. I don't have a lot of pictures of Liyan and I don't have any of the two of them. I would make a horrible photographer....fired before I even started I am sure!
Cole with his dad, Josh
Cole with his mom, Misty.....sorry I don't have a lot of pictures of Misty, b/c she is the one who does a good job of getting pictures and sending them out, but that also means she isn't in them!!

Wrap up the trip to NE:

After getting to North Platte and spending some time with my dad's side of the family, we decided to hit the road, since it was still snowing and they were expected to get anywhere from 4-10 inches. We had a good short visit with Grandpa Bode, Liyan, Josh and Blake. The girls have decided that they don't like guys with facial hair..."they are scary". It took them most of 4 hours to get used to Uncle Josh.

Car rides with the girls are usually pretty good. I am really glad they slept the entire way from North Platte to Kearney, b/c the roads weren't the best and I didn't need any distractions. The girls travel pretty good...really they do! We have taken a lot of trips back, some I have done by myself and some with Brett and a few with my mom, but regardless of the help or no help, they do pretty good. By the end of the 5-6 hours they are ready to be done and get a little grouchy, but so do the rest of us! We did invest in a DVD player for the car, that always buys us a few hours. It comes in very handy when it is dark and they don't have anything else to do.

Any way we stayed in Kearney with my Aunt Brenda (my mom's sister) and her family. We mostly just hung out, did some laundry and recouped from a busy week before heading back to see dad in Topeka! Their kids were hoping for a snow day, but it didn't snow enough snow and they had to go. They did get to see the girls in the evening and part of Saturday before we headed home.

The picture below is all of us at Christmas (all but Blake, he had to work):

Back Row L-R: Derek, Mike ,Brett, Matthew, and Josh
Middle: Brenda, Becky, Libbi, Misty holding Cole
Front: Michelle with Kaylee, Rachel with Jaylin

The picture was taken at Mike and Brenda'a house. They have three children: Michelle is the oldest and is in college, Rachel is 14 and Matthew is 9.

Kaylee is "helping" Jaylin get her coat zipped.

After baths/showers Rachel sat down to read to Jaylin (L) and Kaylee (R)

Above and Below: Kaylee

Jaylin

The trip home to Topeka from Kearney was pretty uneventful and went really smooth while we were in the car. The only hang up was when I stopped for gas and a drink and Jaylin was just sure she needed "juice" too...no honey you have a snack and milk in the car. She completely melted down and had to be carried to the car screaming. My favorite parenting moments :) Luckily only one of them melts down completely in public.....this time is was Jaylin and Kaylee just reminded me, "Mom, I am being good and not crying!" Thank you honey, now lets get in the car so people will quit staring at us b/c Jaylin is having a cow over nothing!!

I still am waiting on pictures and have a few more old pictures of people I could add, but they will have to wait until another day or until I get pictures from others, which ever comes first......challenge...haha!

Have a good week!