We are HOME!! Yeah!

Yes... it is true, we are HOME in our yellow house in Piedmont, SD!! Got home last night (Saturday the 1st) around 7p.m. Kids loved getting home. Liv ran straight for swing set and said "my swing... MY swing... MY SWING!!" We didn't hear a word from any of the kids for the rest of the evening; it was almost as good at Christmas... they were exploring all the stuff they forgot they had... and all the stuff they forgot they missed so much while they were away.

Dirk rode/drove home with us for the weekend, but will be flying back to NM on Tuesday AM. He was very much hoping to be done completely this week or next. The day we left, it looked like the earliest he could make it home would be more like 3 weeks from now. It was just too close to school starting, and a very important Family Camp Out weekend with our church... added to the issues with my gallbladder (surgery or not??) So on Wednesday night we made the final decision to come home this weekend so the kids and I can partake in a little local summer fun - pool and park dates, etc. Plus a little back to school shopping, a late birthday party for Thor, etc., etc.

Can't wait to see all you local friends again... We've missed our family, the Dove (church family) and friends!!


The following is re-cap of our New Mexican adventures, by week... Feel free to skip; I just like to have a written copy of what we've been doing in life. This is more for me than anyone else.

Week 1: May 23-31
Moeller family gathering in Rosholt
Celebration of niece Maddie's high school graduation
Met Maddie's boyfriend Jake -- (nice guy, we'd keep him...)

Week 2: June 1-7
Left SD for NM, stopped in Dodge City, KS on the way
Unpacked and settled into the "Red House"
Kids loved the secluded, big yard and played in the mud and rocks constantly
Mom loved the privacy fence all the way around, but got tired of washing muddy clothes!
Rode our 4-wheelers in the Cibolla Mountain area, near Mt. Taylor

Week 3: June 8-15
Kids played with each other like they were best friends
Great family time in the evenings!
Played lots of Skip-Bo
Found a great campground in ABQ(Albuquerque)
American RV Park: pool (YEAH!!), playground, and free breakfast every morning
Went to the National Museum of Nuclear Science - LOVED it...
Thor has decided to become a Nuclear Scientist

Week 3: June 16-21
Signed the kids up for Art Camp and Cheer leading (Summer Rec program)
Went to the park for the Free School Lunch for the kids!
Left early on Friday for the Grand Canyon
Camped at Mather Campground - saw a family of elk there
LOVED the canyon!!
Only wish we could have seen a good sunset, too cloudy while we were there.

Week 4: June 22-28
Kids got quite tired of playing with each other
No one wants to play outside anymore
Monsoon rains started early this year, didn't work to play in the park as often
Went to Walmart one too many times this week...
Good thing they had Art Camp to go to every day!!
Our Mt. Taylor camping trip got rained out... didn't want to camp at 9,000 ft. with crazy lighting all around us!
Went to Albuquerque instead.
Discovered a great love for the Whole Foods Market!!
Drove to Acoma - aka "Sky City" - an ancient Pueblo city built on top a mesa
Explored the museum, visitors center and local artisan shops

Week 5: June 29- July 5
Thor isn't sure Art Camp is so much fun, but the alternative of staying home was worse....
Anika LOVES the cheer leading!
Got new curriculum for the Mom's Coffee/Bible Study from Growing Kids God's Way
Trying to work ahead in the curriculum to be prepared for this fall
Dirk had Friday off for the 4th Holiday -- left for ABQ and American RV Park again!
Drove to Los Alamos to visit the Bradbury Museum (more Nuclear stuff) and tour the cute mountain town.
Spent the 4th at the ABQ Zoo -- awesome fun!! Best zoo we've visited yet!
Saw the city fireworks from the hilltop near the campground
Had to shop at Whole Foods (again!!)

Week 6: July 6-12
Actually had to clean house and do laundry this week
Doesn't feel as much like a vacation now...
Went camping at the Zuni mountains with a friend of Dirk's - Jesse and son Tony
Rode 4 wheelers all over the Zuni Mountain range
Got our fill of "dessert" style ATVing
Don't care if I ever see another cedar or pinon tree

Week 7: July 13-19
Still feeling crappy (me) since the 4th of July weekend
Liv ran a fever for a day or two also -- figured we all got a touch of a "flu"
Kids are still going to Art Camp 4 days a week
Dirk found and extra laptop at work for the kids to use at the house to watch DVDs
Wow... no wonder I was happy to let the kids watch movies... they are so quite for 90 minutes!!
Went to Family swim at the Milan Village pool - Dirk discovered "goggles!"
Camped up in the Mt. Taylor area again
Rode the ATVs to La Mosca Look Out, 11,036 ft
Also rode to "Edge of the World" on the south side of Mt. Taylor

Week 8: July 20-27
Anika's squad cheered for the local t-ball game - the Milan Bombers
Camped in ABQ again - they recognize us at American RV Park now...
Anika and friend Paige started having play dates nearly every day
Got and appointment with Dr. Jane Pitts to see why the nauseous and other digestive problems aren't going away...
Got an ultra sound to confirm there is a stone in the gallbladder causing "issues"
Went to church at Calvary of ABQ -- HUGE church of 13,000
Kids loved being a part of an active kids ministry again
Had lunch at a local "Mexican" restaurant -- really good food
Wanted to go shopping, but ran out of time...

Week 9: July 28-August 2
Anika cheer squad performed at the Good Sam Nursing Home
Last week of Art Camp and Cheer leading
Milan Recreation Dept had an end of the summer pool party for the kids
Decided the kids and I needed to get home to finished the summer
The work project for Dirk is dragging out (again) - perhaps won't be done until late August
Packed the family stuff -- left enough for Dirk to survive for another 3 weeks...
Left Milan at 4:00 p.m. on Friday.... stayed over in Denver
Got to Hot Springs around 2pm on Saturday and stopped to see Holli's family
Arrived home around 7 p.m.