Cleveland Trip - Family Tour

Since we were driving across MOST of the country for this trip, it was easy to fit in a few visits to relatives. Although weather tried to get in the way a few times, we ended up seeing everyone on our list at least once.

Becky, Jere, Nick and Ashlee

After spending a week in Cleveland, Loyce flew out to catch her step daughter-in-law's graduation and my sister Becky and her family came down from Ann Arobor for the weekend. Our only glitch was a little complaint from the downstairs neighbor as the kids played super heroes - jumping off the furniture. (Clearly she has no idea how loud our kids COULD have been if they had been trying). We took them to our favorite park at the Jewish communicty center where I took as many pictures of them as I could with almost none of them turning out well. We also went to the Cleveland Zoo and to the Great Lakes Science Center. But I think the thing they loved best was crashing the pool at the Hilton. What is it with kids and water?

The entire gang at Cleveland Zoo - Aaron, Becky, Nick, Jere, Braden and Ashlee

Nick doing a simulation at the Great Lakes Science Center

Ashlee and Jere on the teeter totter at the Jerish Communicty Center

Becky and Jere - taking advantage of the cold evening

Mike, Becca, Anna and Adam

Loyce's return flight from the graduation was delayed by weather and I wondered if she would be ready to set out for Independence, KY to see my brother, Mike, and his family. Fortunately for me, Loyce is always up for an adventure and just hours after she finally got back to us, we took off again. We met Mike and Becca at the Newport Aquarium which is now my favorite aquarium. It was well designed for children 4 amazing fish tunnels. We even got to see a shark feeding. I was thrilled to be able to stay at their lovely home which I had never seen before. WE visited their local park in the evening and had amazing bagels for breakfast (I forgot to mention those in the food tour entry!).

Braden and Anna playing hide and seek from the camera

Anna about to race up the ladder

Baby Adam and his beautiful blue eyes

Becky again

We only intended to see Becky once when we originally made our plans, but decided it would save us some time to stay at their house after Aaron's last day of class. It was so much fun for me to get to see Becky's house, too - with the lovely mural she painted for Nick's room and to appreciate what she means when she tells me it is tiny. (Good things come in small packages, right?)

Theresaand Kumeresh (and pets)

The weather kept us from seeing Theresa, Aaron's cousin, on the way to Cleveland, but we were determined to see her on the way back. Staying with Becky put us just a few hours ahead of the game on our return trip and made all of the difference for us to get spend a little awake time with Theresa and Kumeresh. Their house in Wellington, Colorado was lovely and I was very envious of their 3 bedrooms on eone floor and completely unfinished basement. Braden loved their dog and cats. They were the perfect hosts - even insisting on cooking us pancakes at 4am the next day so that we could have breakfast before we left. Watch out Theresa - we might just drop in more often!

Our 3am chef, Theresa!