Aimee’s Visit

A visit from Aunt Aimee is always FUN and always too short!

Because of her busy Summer schedule her only free week was when Jake was at Scout Camp so he didn't get much time with her. He spent Saturday with her and left for camp Sunday night, she left the Thursday before he came home.

One day, while Abby and Tess were at their sewing camp, we took the little kids Duck-Pin Bowling. This was Aubree's first time and oh boy did she love it. I was grateful to have Aimee's help with her trying to teach her to take turns with Clara. Clara made us chuckle as she would swing the ball in between her legs over and over before sending it just were it needed to go. One time Aimee and I  counted 13 swings.

One day was a girl "spa" day complete with facials and pedicures. The girls enjoyed watching Matilda while being pampered. Abby cracked us up wanting a towel around her hair and a bath robe on.

New York City was the most memorable day trip yet (and has it's own blog post)!

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We Love You Aunt Aimee!

NYC with Aimee

We woke at 230a.m. to make our bus in Baltimore. The girls were so excited and energetic that I had to remind them that they'd have to keep it down when we got on the bus since people would be sleeping! Tess gave the perfect prayer as we pulled out of our drive way asking for help to make it to all the places we needed to be on time...man did we need that!
So the BUS was the only bad part of the trip...it made it memorable for sure! It STANK to high heaven. It had a PortaJohn in it and I swear the air circulated from it. Aimee and I had our shirts over our noses for most of the trip. Our first bus drive was awful. He stopped 3 times. The first stop was for a smoking break. The second stop, at 5:15am, we were told to get off the bus and wait in the service area. The driver told us that he didn't have a gas card and the bus needed to be filled up. Why on earth did he not have a gas card, or just have filled it for the 4 hour ride to NYC??! So 45 minutes later we were able to get back on the bus. Then he pulled off again, didn't say anything and got out. Within a few minutes I watched as a mega bus car showed up, the drivers switched spots and our first dude pealed out of the parking lot. Pretty soon we were on our way again just in time to hit a ton of traffic. We were supposed to be in NYC at 740 but didn't arrive until about 11. I felt bad for all the people who had morning show tickets and missed them.

Once in NYC the party started!
***Our first quick stop was the Trade Center via the Subway.
***Then we zoomed to get right on the ferry for the Statue of Liberty.
***Then we used the Subway to make it just in time for the overture to start for WICKED! (amazing seats thanks to Aimee, my two girls had big wide eyed from the moment it started and absolutely loved it!
***We spent the last 2 hours of our trip wondering around Time Square looking for the Hershey store. Then we realized we were on the opposite end of the city than we needed to be with about 20 minutes until our bus was leaving for home. We ran 6 very long New York blocks in about 15 minutes.
***But we made it just in the nick of time to everything. Thanks to Tess's prayer.

The bus ride home was so much better. The driver didn't stop, we were on the top deck, and it didn't smell! Poor Tess was really queasy after running and the long day, I had to give her my dramamine. The girls slept the entire trip. Aimee didn't. I was in and out. It was a really fun adventure. As we were leaving NYC Aimee asked the girls if they were ready to move there...they both quickly answered "no". But visiting sure was fun!

About to board our bus in Baltimore at 4A.M.

On the horrible bus.

At the service station waiting and wondering...


Hair time on the Subway headed to the World Trade Center. Thanks Aunt Aimee.


The World Trade Center is an amazing place. You immediately feel so much reverence, respect, and patriotic!


On the ferry to the Statue of Liberty.

I love that Abby got and elephant with a statue crown on it.
I LOVE my sweet girls being buddies.


Best part of NYC right here!


Time Square. We saw the naked cow-boy. Tess spotted him first and was quite concerned that there was a naked man with a hat on...

Drawn pictures that look nothing like my girls. We got a good laugh out of it though.


Aimee bought the girls ice cream right before we realized we had to RUN! Unfortunately Tess's milk shake was the only thing that survived the run...man are we sweaty.

The Big One Two

Tess is officially a pre-teen. 12!! She has been very excited about this birthday. She wanted to do 7 Eleven slurpee's with the Bastian's and go swimming. She used her own money to buy a YW necklace for Audrey who shares the same birthday. I bought her the same necklace. Jacob decided to give Tess the remote control plane that Uncle Herald gave him. For breakfast she chose donuts, dinner was grilled chicken kabobs, and she wanted a mandarin orange/pineapple cake I've made in the past for her birthday cake. We had a fun day.
Sunday she was invited up to the stand by her Dad and given her certificate of advancement and Faith in God award. Dan then told the congregation that Tess had chosen the 14th Article of Faith to recite. She did a great job saying the 6th. Then after Sunday School Audrey Bastian with some other girls walked her to Young Womens. Tess has already created a personal progress account online and completed the first two requirements for Faith. She's on fire and totally excited to be in Young Womens. I'm excited for our trip in October to UTAH for the General Women's Meeting!!!

Clara is 6

Sweet Clara is 6. She’s getting so big. Unfortunately she was sick on her birthday. Aubrey passed on her germs and fever.m, so Clara spent her birthday feeling yucky with a fever and a bad cold. Yet she was still sweet and excited. She got ice cream for breakfast but shared most of it with Aubrey. She wanted roller skates and a ball. Funny girl. Abby bought her a stuffed animal. She wanted a chocolate cake with chocolate icing. (Yesterday she told me she wanted a dog head coming out of her cake. Ha)