Jason was very busy this summer at work with the culmination of a multi-year network upgrade project and Barb used this opportunity to spend many weeks with the daughter, granddaughter, and family. This post will highlight a few important events that occurred over the summer during the family recharge time.
This summer was plagued with more medical concerns than we have ever dealt with before. Jason had surgery on his leg related to compromised circulation and Barb had two different cancer and tumor-related scares. Ultimately, our departure was delayed by a week in September because of this. We were blessed to have positive outcomes to these issues and to have this extra time with family.
May 2023
We arrived back in Wisconsin on May 11, 2023. This was without Barb because she had already been picked up (a/k/a kidnapped) by Allie and Ceci from Iowa the night before. In May, Allie and Mark got married!
It was Oma and Opa’s responsibility to distract the 4-year-old during wedding preparations. What better way to do this than a stop at Chick-fil-A for breakfast and the Minnesota Zoo (a/k/a “The New Zoo”) for the afternoon?
June 2023
June was not overly exciting, Jason went on a work trip to Las Vegas and we spent the whole month at the farm.
In June, Ceci turned four years old! Oma and Opa got to spoil the little girl with some Disney attire. The hoodie Kevin (from the movie “Up!”) matches her favorite rain boots well!We spent several weeks at Barb’s family farm over the summer, and there were some antics between Jason and the mother-in-law! This unique and mysterious little duck kept building his nest in the ladder on the back of the motorhome. It started with some odd eggs in a nest that Jason would toss out and then a day or two later it was back in the ladder. It eventually “hatched” into this little birdie.
July 2023
The motorhome was in River Falls, Wisconsin, near the university for the first half of July while Jason focused on his project. More time for Barb at the granddaughter’s!
In July, our Moab Adventures physical badges from Jeep arrive and are proudly displayed on the side of Rubi our 2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon. After you check in at the trailhead, you then have to order the physical badges later and it can take weeks for them to arrive.The boys had to ride by themselves because Mom was not there. Jason stayed near the university for the final push of the network project and Barb stayed at the daughter’s family home in Minnesota. After those 13 nights, Jason relocated the motorhome out to the farm and the boys found comfort together in what is normally a one-cat box! On a normal day, these two getting this close to each other would result in hisses and a WWE smackdown, but when the motorhome’s engine starts all that goes by the wayside.
August 2023
The “little one” absolutely loves the Science Museum of Minnesota and has become very fascinated with dinosaurs. What she must imagine when she sees these creatures “come to life” in front of her is just amazing. This puppet has struck a fascination with all things dinosaurs.Opa and Ceci have lots of fun together at the White Pine Berry Farm.One of the fall festival days at White Pine Berry Farm got all of us out. Ceci, Mark, and Allie are in the “bigger than life” chair together after feeding goats, picking flowers, and checking out the farm.
September 2023
The “pumpkin festival” at the Minnesota Abrotanum is actually glass pumpkins and not necessarily four-year-old friendly. We made a day of it regardless of the lack of real-life pumpkins!There are many little places to pull of the Minnesota Abrotanum and to take pictures. Sometimes it takes a little more convincing for a four-year-old!Sometimes the adults have to have just as much fun as the four-year-old when taking pictures at the Minnesota Abrotanum!We had a beautiful day with our extended family at the Minnesota Abrotanum.
We were in Wisconsin & Minnesota from May 11, 2023, to September 21, 2023.
Jeep Ducking – It’s A Thing exploded for us in Wisconsin! Parts of the country are more ducking active than other parts. Yes, that is a turtle also hiding in there. Not sure why Jason got that one, it seems to mean you could park better between the lines?
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