Chicago/Wisconsin trip Part 2

We woke up (8:00am - YAHOO!!) Friday morning in La Crosse and I took the kids to the YMCA while I went for my favorite run up Ebner Coulee with my new friend Stephanie. It was so fun to see some of the homes being built, and just enjoying the mild temperature on a challenging run. I was mad I didn't have my camera. Paul went golfing with the Oral Surgery residents (funny how that worked out on a Friday!) After the YMCA we went over to the resident housing so the kids could play with friends and I could chat with mine! I then got to go to lunch with two of my favorite people in La Crosse, Callie and Casey. We had so much fun just talking and catching up. I am so mad I didn't have the camera with me. I wanted a picture with them so bad.

After my lunch date we paid a visit to good old Emerson Elementary School. We love this place!!! Ella got to see her beloved kindergarten teacher Mrs. Bemis. It was so fun to surprise her and see how excited she was to see Ella! With Ella being our oldest child, and having Mrs. Bemis be her kindergarten teacher, all teachers in the future have an incredibly high standard to live up to. We feel so blessed to have had her in Ella's life as her first introduction to Elementary school. Good teachers are priceless!!!

Here is a photo capturing the most anticipated reunion of our trip. This is Ella and her dear friend Ally. They were so excited to see each other and hugged for what seemed like a full minute!
It was so much fun seeing their two cute faces together again. This picture is getting framed!!
Later that night we went to dinner with the residents, wives, and a couple of the assistants. Of course they are more than that, they are our friends too. This picture is of Stephanie, Nichole (resident wives), Me, and Rochelle (an assistant and dear friend). We went to a great new restaurant that is right on the Mississippi.

Saturday we got up to make our last round of visits before we had to drive back to Chicago and catch our plane. There was a rain storm during our picnic with friends, but as you can see it didn't dampen any spirits!

Jack enjoying the rain dripping all over his cute face!

Jack and his friend Aidan.

The "old" neighbor girls Katie Jean, Ally, and Ella.

Ella, Haven Ruby, Jack, and Rowen Ruby in front of resident housing.

The only picture of our good friends the Ruby's with their new baby Lily. I'm sure they are bored with whatever I am going on about. I have to learn to shut up sometimes! Does anyone else have that problem?
Goodbye Mississippi River!!

Audra, Jack, Ella, Hayden, and Lauren. SOME of the resident housing gang!

After we said all of our Hellos and Goodbyes we were off to Chicago and the plane ride home. I was blessed/cursed to be sitting next to a really nice older lady who was on her way to Phoenix to do missionary work for the Jehovah's Witnesses. She sure knew her Bible and that was impressive, but bless her heart, I was wanting to get back to my book! I have a lot of respect for the JW's for their commitment and knowledge, and also because I would want anyone who encountered the missionaries from my church to treat them the same way. Unfortunately for me I was stuck in an airplane on a 3 1/2 hour flight, so I was easy prey. We had a great conversation and she actually inspired me to become a better scholar of the scriptures. She properly warned me of the evils of Santa Claus and "jelly bean laying Easter bunnies." About an hour before we landed she had to use the bathroom and I was engrossed in my book when she came back. Whew!!

Max had a great time with Katherine, her husband Brent, and their baby Porter, but I sure was glad that he was excited to see me when we got home.

Nora was excited too, but she was having a great time in the sprinkler puddles in the backyard!

The cutest dirty, wet, happy face in the world!

We got home in time for Paul to rush to church and teach his Sunday School lesson. What a good guy! Even though church had already started and I didn't plan on the kids going, Ella said, "I want to go to Primary!" Max was down for his nap, and you can see what all the traveling did to Jack, so I stayed home with the sleeping kids, and Paul and Ella made the Kelly clan proud and showed up for the last two hours of church. It was a fabulous trip and made me love my husband, kids, experiences and life even more!!!