Happy Birthday, Wendy!!

Wendy celebrated her birthday Saturday, June 22,2019.  She is now in double digits.  I cannot believe she is that old.  Here in Indiana 5th grade is in the Middle School so not only do I have to comprehend that she is 10, but also a middle schooler this next year, AHHHHHH!

Wendy had a simple birthday here at home.  We opened gifts and had ice cream.  She loved being spoiled that day, especially since Dad said she did not have to do chores.

 

Wendy is a great friend.  She loves spending time with her friends and can talk to them about anything.  She likes to be in charge and finds it hard to accept direction from her parents; however, she also often lets us know she loves us.  Wendy likes to create things like slime, art, and dances.  She enjoys singing and making up songs as well.  She likes riding her bike and swimming.  We love her smile and her desire to do her best in school and with friends.

Camp!!!

Scout Camp - Camp Ransburg

Eric and Kyle went up to camp the day we got home from AGM.  Eric was able to quickly make up the little he had missed in his merit badge classes and had an enjoyable week.  Kyle stayed the first few days and helped Eric settle in as well as enjoy camping.

 High Adventure - Lake Michigan

 Zachary left for High Adventure on Wednesday.  He and the other Teachers and Priests with their leaders went up to Lake Michigan.  There they did some fishing, Zachary brought some mighty big trout home.  Although the weather did not allow them to camp on the island as they originally planned they enjoyed their adventures.

   

Cub Scout Day Camp - Camp Belzer

Hyrum's camp started the following week, June 17-20.  He and his fellow cub scouts loved there time at Camp Belzer.  They all got along well and had fun.  Hyrum enjoyed shooting the guns, swimming, and buying stuff at the trading post.  Each day a different sister from the ward attended with the boys.  I got to go on Thursday and we had fun!

Happy Father's Day

Although Father's Day was not a huge production, Kyle is hugely loved and appreciated.  He willingly provides well for our family.  He is good at what he does and strives to give his best effort.  He is great at helping our kids learn responsibility.  We allowed him to have a long nap on Father's Day and then treated him to a few gifts and dinner.  We Love You, Kyle!!  

AGM 2019

The 2019 AGM was held at the Gaylord Resort in Houston Texas.  We had a great time.  The hotel had a Peter Pan theme going on which was a lot of fun. 

 The opening social was Hispanic in nature.  The kids made pinatas and broke other pinatas.  We got our faces painted and enjoyed yummy food and mariachi music.

Friday brought fun at the arcade, there was MarioCart and a soccer game with cars.  We also went to the water park. 

Friday evening we all went to our special events.  Eric and Zachary went on a zip-line adventure.  Wendy and Hyrum went to a trampoline park, and Sabrina had fun with bouncy houses and crafts at the hotel.  Kyle and I participated in a wonderful formal dinner and entertainment.  We were on Fast Airlines and would put a blindfold on in between courses and try to guess where we were traveling for the next course.  They would spray scents, play music, and give general directions for clues.  It was fun.  As we ate the course entertainment from that part of the world was shown.  We went to China, Zimbabwe, France, Oceania, and Brazil.  Yummy and great company.

 

Saturday brought more pool time and the closing party, a Cowboy Stampede.  Zachary, Wendy, and Hyrum participated in the pie eating contest.  Zachary came home with first prize for his age group.

Our trip home was an adventure as well.  After attending church we left for the airport.  The plane was on time and we were on our way to Indianapolis.  About an hour into the trip the pilot came on and said he had some bad news, the radar was not working and because of thunderstorms we would not be able to safely continue.  We could not turn back to Dallas because that airport was closed for weather.  So we were diverted to Austin, TX further south than we actually started.  In Austin we waited at the airport while parts were flown in from Dallas to fix the plane.  When the plane was fixed the crew had timed-out and so we waited for a new crew to fly from Dallas.  When they finally arrived the pilot had timed-out.  At 9pm we were told the flight would now be 8:30 the following morning.  The tender mercy was that because our flight was a mechanical issue the airline paid for a hotel that night.  Those who were experiencing weather related delays or cancellations were not so lucky.  We finally made it to Indianapolis at 2pm Monday (we were suppose to arrive at 4pm Sunday).

2019 Flamm Family Road Trip

Note: The following post is a rundown of our vacation.  The links go to the the blog post about specific events.  This post is a travel log and includes pictures from stops along the drive.

Our kids got to miss the last day of school and we left on a road trip to see Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia (with a few other stops on the way).  We left right after school on Friday and returned for dinner a week later on Sunday.

Friday, May 24th.  We drove 5 hours to reach our first stop, Richfield, OH.  On the way we took a pit-stop at Candle World.  There were some peafowl and fish in a little garden area outside.

Saturday, May 25th we visited our first destination Cuyahoga Valley National Park.  We then drove 3 hours to Westfield, NY which was situated on the banks of Lake Erie.  Here we saw Barcelona Lighthouse, a gorgeous sunset, a statue dedicated to the girl who encouraged Abraham Lincoln to grow a beard, and a beautiful church.

Sunday, May 26th we woke up bright and early and drove an hour and a half to the Batavia Branch where we enjoyed a warm welcome and a great time at church.  That afternoon we visited the Sacred Grove, and the Hill Cummorah.  After an enjoyable visit we started the long 6 hour drive to Boston.

Monday, May 27th I woke up to this beautiful site.

After waking up we spent the day exploring Boston.  We sailed on a Swan Boat and walked the Freedom Trail, and saw whales on a very rough Whale watching cruise.  We then settled in for the night.

Tuesday, May 28th we visited the morning at the Science Museum and the USS Constitution.  We then drove 4 hours through a very rainy Rhode Island and Connecticut to reach New York City.  We stopped at a yummy pizza place in New Haven, CT.

Our first view of New York City

Wednesday, May 29th we started the day with a visit to The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.  The afternoon we spent relaxing in the hotel and doing laundry.  That evening we went out for a short time, but it was pouring rain so we ended up visiting a shopping center nearby and exploring and eating.

Thursday, May 30th we continued to explore NYC by riding the subway to Central Park and then visiting the American Museum of Natural History.  We walked to the subway by way of the 9/11 Memorial which was a solemn place.  We then braved the traffic to get out of the city and head 2 hours west to Philadelphia.

Friday, May 31st we explored Philadelphia, the US Mint, the Constitution Center, Independence Hall, and the Liberty Bell.  We had some yummy food in downtown Philly.

Saturday, June 1st we started the second long leg of the trip.  We stopped at a little fair in Lititz, PA on our way to Cambridge, OH (7 hours from Philadelphia).

Sunday, June 2nd we woke up and visited another little branch, again we were welcomed and felt at home.  We then visited Salk Fork State Park where we had a picnic before driving 4 and a half hours home.

Overall it was a great trip full of fun memories and a few moments of mayhem.