More from our trip

Here are some more pictures from our trip to South Dakota. Most of the pictures were taken on my phone and are fuzzy. I really need to buy a camera. We did see my family, but I am waiting to put up pictures from those days until my mother sends me some pictures that were taken on her camera. It might be awhile, as she is currently somewhere in the Caribbean soaking up some warm island air. Anyway, here are some pictures for those of you who are not basking on an ocean view balcony....

Penelope & I at Qdoba, one of the places I really miss in Rapid City.

We had an unexpected evening with my cousin Laura Rutherford and her family! Rachel was nice enough (and ambitious enough :>) to make us all dinner. Here is Wayne and one of his best buddies Ian.

We got all six kids in one picture! Quite a feat, and no photoshop was used! From left: Logan, Bradley, Penelope, Ian, Caleb and Aleah. The boys disappeared to the basement where there is a super cool sandbox/tractor grainary/truck area. I should have taken a picture, but to explain - Bradley has a plastic swimming pool in his basement that is filled with rice. He plays with his tractors, loaders, etc and scoops & moves rice wherever it is needed.

When we first got to Scott & Rachel's, Laura was holding Penelope and Ian came up and said "Can I pet her?" and "Is she a boy?" We should have expected this. When Ian's youngest brother was born, he told someone something like this: "Dad says we have to be gentle with the baby and not take it apart." Below: Aleah, Ian, Logan & Penelope.

My first cousin once removed Abigail with Penelope & my mom. Abigail has changed a lot since I last saw her and is growing into a beautiful young woman!

We stayed with our adopted family the Overbys. They took good care of us for a few days, just like they took good care of us for the 6 years we lived in Rapid! We used to drop by their house frequently, unannounced, and quite often hungry! It was always a great time. Since we left Rapid, the Overby's missed us so much that they are now taking in foster children. This is Penelope and one of their foster children, whose name is....Penelope! So this is Penelope & Penelope. Maybe when they are grown up they will practice together as lawyers. Penelope & Penelope & Associates.

Lana and Penelope.

Good food, good friends, and good soda.

We also stayed with the Barsch's. I was a nanny for the Barsch's for three years while we lived in Rapid, so we got to know them quite well. It was really hard to move to Nevada and leave my babies! However my babies grew up. Mia is almost eight and Ezra is almost six. They have a new little brother, Lorenzo, who is about 15 months old.

Ezra & Penelope - again, camera phone picture, I wish it was less fuzzy. And below, Penelope & Lorenzo.
Mia & Penelope reading.

We had an evening with some other friends, the Machaceks. Mia & Birdie Machacek go to school together and are best buds, so Mia came along with us. Mia & Birdie played with Penelope while the adults visited.