Back in Nebraska and Back to Blogging!

After quite a long hiatus from blogging and about a year since I was last stateside I am back to blogging. I would love to use the excuse that the country in which I reside cut off internet access to both Blogger and Flickr, which is entirely true, but I was so busy in the spring that I do not think it would have been possible.

We returned to Nebraska this past Monday and I am so happy to be here. I think the most exciting thing about being here (other than seeing my Dad) is that I am bound and determined to take it easy and have a relaxing 4 weeks here. I have caught up on reading my friends blogs, practiced yoga and started reading "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society ". I just keep I can keep on the relaxation route for the next 4 weeks. So far so good!

Back to China

We have a 7:59 am flight tomorrow to Chicago to catch our flight to Beijing. I cannot believe how quickly a month has flown by. I believe I have had a very relaxing time in Nebraska compared to my day to day life in Chengdu. The kids however probably will sleep for days when we get back as I have never seen them play so hard in their little lives.

I was really hoping to catch up with my blogging, but I haven't even posted my 4th of July pictures yet. We will see if I have time between the jet lag and our trip to Northern Ireland (we leave a week from Thursday!!!). I guess I should have caught up while I was here because it wouldn't have taken me as long because the internet connection is so fast it is unbelievable!!! Until next summer!!!

Here are a few shots of today. We hung out with my sisters and their kids.



Angus and Aiden playing in the sand. Boy are my kids going to miss this!!!



Gemma and Isaac on the trampoline. And this too!!!



The cousins! (Gabe couldn't be with us because he was going to Adventure Land.)



Aunt Becky and Gemma



and Angus



Aunt Jenny with Angus



and Gemma



The Hendersons



The Woods

Larry's 70th Birthday Party

On one of our last days in Nebraska we had the pleasure of attending the surprise 70th birthday of our dear friend Larry Knutzen. Larry and Rida's daughters have been my friends for years and Paula was the maid of honor in our wedding. Jonny and I always love catching up with the Knutzens when we are back in NE and Jonny loves to have an Old Milwaukee with Larry!



Larry just finished golfing and was surprised to see a room full of friends and family. Here he is with his lovely wife Rida.



Gemma made friends quickly with some of the Knutzen cousins.



Larry's youngest daughter Holly with her little girl.

John C. Fremont Days

While we were back in Nebraska we had the pleasure of attending one of the most popular events of the summer in my hometown, John C. Fremont Days. Fremont was named after John C. because he was know as an explorer and was nicknamed the 'Pathfinder'. I was really excited to attend because it was the 21st year of these Days and I had heard from my parents that it had turned into quite the event. I have to say I was extremely impressed with the evolution of this event and really enjoyed everything about it.

The highlight of the event for me was being introduced to a band called the String Beans. Now maybe I shouldn't be the one that got all excited, but these Wigglesque band were hugely entertaining and their tunes were extremely catchy.

Gemma eating her kettle corn on Grandma's lap.



Angus and Abby really enjoyed the String Beans, but from a distance.



Poor Aiden was bit by some type of bug the night before and had a horrible allergic reaction. My poor sister had to endure jokes about her being an abusive mother all week-end long.



We also had the pleasure of attending the parade. Here was one of the tractors that was a hit with the boy cousins!



And the old cars were popular too!



My favorite was the marching bands!

4th of July

This past 4th of July I had the pleasure of spending it with most of my family in Nebraska. We had a great couple of days of swimming, hanging out with the family and fireworks.

We went down to Wahoo to enjoy the picnic and games in the park which we always attended when I was a little girl. I was a bit sad to see that they didn't have as good attendance as we had when we were kids. I guess I was just having a bit of a nostalgic day of 4th of July in small town USA.

After our little picnic all of the cousins went swimming in Wahoo (the town where my Parents were born and my Grandma lives). Here are some pictures of the pool.



Isaac a little cold after his first dip!



Abby enjoying the water!



Becky and Aiden



Angus really didn't understand the whole concept of the 10 minute rest break. We don't have those in China.



Aiden didn't mind the break.



They had fun games at the pool and the kids were to go under water and fetch some diver sticks and in turn they would get a lollipop. Of course you didn't have to tell our kids twice!

The funny thing about 4th of July at the Wahoo Pool is that back when I was Angus' age I went swimming at the Wahoo Pool on 4th of July. The next week in the Wahoo Newspaper was a picture of me swimming in the baby pool. I wish we had digital photos back then and I could share it with you!

After swimming my dear, sweet 90 year old Grandma invited us to dinner at her apartment complex. She reserved the party room for us and had the food catered by the local grocery store. She also treated us with some patriotic music on the electric keyboard!



Grandma tinkering on the ivories!

After dinner we went back to Fremont to watch the fireworks display there. We found a great place to sit in a field. The kids quite enjoyed the field because they were able to run around and be crazy for a while.



Isaac and Gemma



Fireworks!

Dinner with the Lahtis

After our successful class reunion I wanted to spend a little more time with my classmate, Rhonda who I haven't seen in over 15 years. It was really great to catch up with her and meet her fabulous husband Richard and their adorable little kids. It was also really great that our daughters were the same age and had a great time with each other!

We went to their house on the outskirts of Omaha which was really beautiful! We had a glass of wine before heading over to this sushi restaurant called Sushi Japan for dinner. The sushi was excellent and the company even better! Here are a few snap shots of the evening.

Angus and Richie

Gemma and her new friend Kalley

The Lahtis

Gabe's 3rd Birthday Party

Gabe and Angus

On Sunday we headed to Omaha for Gabe's 3rd birthday party. My brother Mark and his wife Missy live in a great neighborhood. They are friends with all of their neighbors and they even share a backyard with their next door neighbor, so they have double the area for their kids to play.



Angus playing on the neighbor's patio.



Gemma on the neighbor's trampoline.



The kids loved the trampoline!



Jared (Becky's husband) and Aiden having a bite to eat.



The Lightening McQueen Cake!



Blowing out the candles.



Gemma loves cake!



Aiden, Angus and Gemma also love frosting!!



Gabe in his new fireman's hat.



Angus trying it on for size.

The kids had a ball at the party and Gabe made out like a bandit in the gift department. It has been so great to get all 6 of the Snelling cousins together this trip. I hope we can do this every summer!



This is one incredible lady. This is Missy Grandma and she is such a sweetheart! She was so interested in hearing about China and so up on current affairs. I think I hear my old career calling me again!

Fishing with Daddy

Jonny fishing off the dock.

Everytime Jonny visits my parents one of the first thing he does is throw a line in the water. This trip it was all about teaching the kid to throw a line in the water.



Angus loved to net the fish for his Daddy.



The proud fisherboy!



Jonny trying to get Angus to release the fish by himself. He wasn't quite sure of the slime factor.



Another catfish too small to keep. Gemma reeled this one in and Angus netted it for Jonny. Although I do not have many pictures of Gemma fishing she loved it!



Taking out the hook, a Daddy job.