Summer Travels and a finished scrapbook too

Our Summer has been filled with fun travels and visits with family and friends.  Getting back to a "normal" routine at home has taken a few weeks, but we are now enjoying the last bit of summer before school resumes.  The first of our travels took us to St. Louis for the National Athletic Training Association (NATA) Annual Meeting.  My Mom was kind enough to join us so that Ryan and I could both get continuing education units and attend the conference.  

Grandma and the girls outside the Arch

Our second stop was Chicago to visit with family.  My sister Jennifer and her husband J-P were in town from Pennsylvania and were meeting Avery for the very first time.  We spent a few days catching up with them and enjoying the Spa.

Loving the Spa

Then it was off to Door County, WI to celebrate the 65th wedding anniversary of Ryan's grandparents in addition to celebrating Ryan's grandpa's 90th birthday.  What a blessing for us to still have Ryan's paternal grandparents with us so that Michaela and Avery can know and learn from them! (They are also lucky to still have three other great-grandma's as well)

Ryan and Avery at dinner

Ryan and Michaela in Lake Michigan

Next it was back to Chicago for the 4th of July and to celebrate my Dad's birthday.  We ran in the annual family firecracker 5K, relaxed with family, watched fireworks, and Michaela even went bowling for the first time.

Michaela willing the ball to knock some pins down

The final leg of our travels was also the most exciting.  Thanks to Ryan's doctoral conference in Orlando, Florida we had the opportunity to take Michaela and Avery to Disney World for the first time.  During our planning for the trip, my sister Andrea expressed interest in coming along with her boyfriend.  Then when my Dad got wind of that he and my Mom decided they had to be there to see their grandchildren experience Disney for the first time.  So, it became a family trip and we were very thankful for the help.  We had a fabulous trip (I will have to post a separate entry just on Disney) and we are already talking about what we want for the next trip!

Our first task at the Magic Kingdom - meeting Mickey and Minnie

Our final family event - parade and fireworks

In addition to all our travels I was also able to complete my first full scrapbook (I have more than several in progress)!  I finally finished my December Daily album from 2010....yes, you read that right, an album from two years ago, but it's done and I feel accomplished!  Now I feel a little stuck because I can't decide what to tackle next!