Great Grandma B

 

Lily and Avery with their Great Grandma B.  We went for a little visit yesterday, and the girls played in her backyard and talked with her neighbor lady.  They are NOT shy.  They say hi to everyone...where ever we go!  We need to visit more often.  They love her and she loves them! 

Kneifl Reunion 2013

We made a trip back to Newcastle for the Kneifl Family Reunion aka the Kneifl Christmas the weekend of of June 28th-30th.  Our first stop was in Sioux City on Saturday night to watch our nephew, Mitchell, play baseball.  He has had a heck of a season, and we really needed to catch a game!  Grandma Romaine and Grandpa Eddie were at the game too, so that was a BONUS!  We had to leave the game a little early to be in Ponca, NE to see Uncle Randy ride his horse at the Ponca Rodeo.  His Newcastle team won...I don't exactly know what they call his "event", but I do know that they won.  Sorry...city girl here. 

The girls had a good time at the rodeo.  They got to hold bunnies, sheep, and a baby goat.  Avery LOVES animals, so this was perfect for her.  Lily got to do something a little different...all of the kiddos get together in the rodeo ring (again, I don't know what they call it), and a clown leads them in some different exercises.  They get down and ready to take off like at the start of a race.  A whistle is blown or a gun is shot (sitting here a month later trying to recap, I can't remember), and all of the kids take off!  Take off for what you ask??!!  They let a bunch of farm animals loose (chickens, bunnies, pigs, sheep, kittens, etc), and the kids try to catch them.  If you catch an animal you get to keep it!  I was crossing my fingers that Lily wouldn't catch anything because there was no way an animal was coming home with us!!  Thank goodness she didn't!  She tells everyone, "I was so close to getting a bunny!"  Her cousin Jarrett caught a bunny rabbit...it was pretty fun to watch the kids run around!

 

We spent the night in Newcastle on Saturday night.  The reunion was on Sunday afternoon at Jason's Uncle Ken and Aunt Mary Ann's house in Newcastle.  It was fun to get together and see people we haven't seen in a long time.  The girls had fun playing with the other littler cousins, jumping on the trampoline and playing in the sand.  The adults enjoyed a few adult beverages, playing horseshoes, and just catching up with everyone.  EVERYONE enjoyed the water balloon toss!!  Jason and I were down to the final few couples, but then HE dropped his balloon (just kidding, I don't remember if he or I dropped it)! The food was delicious, and I think we all ate too much!  I know Avery ate nothing but dessert, but what's new?!  Avery got upset a few times...number 1 because she was overly tired, and number 2 because I wouldn't let her on the trampoline with the older kids.  She nearly got bounced right off of it!

 

The Kneifl Family

Avery and Jensen checking out the horses

 Digging for coins!

 Throwing horseshoes with dad

 

 

Quick Trip to Laguna Beach, CA

I left on Father's Day for a quick 2 day work trip to Laguna Beach, CA.  I am part of the inpatient design team for the new cancer center that is being built here in Omaha on the campus of The Nebraska Medical Center.  I have been very fortunate to be a part of this committee.  I was part of the design team when my current unit was remodeled, and I have learned a lot during the process.  The Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center is set to open up the end of 2016 or very early 2017. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25es0FYzFLw

 

We spent just 2 days in CA with most of our time being spent at the Hill-Rom Customer Experience Center.  Hill-Rom is the leading provider for medical technologies for the health care industry.  They sell tons of medical equipment.  We spent our time looking at beds, head walls, nurse call systems, stretchers, cots, patient furniture, BOOMs for the ICU and much more.  The Customer Experience Center was a giant show room, and we were able to test out all of the products we were looking at.

It was a quick trip, but full of lots of great information to bring back to staff.  I did have time to get a quick run  in on the beach!

I called home many times while gone.  I have never been that far away from the girls.  I knew they were in good hands with their dad, and that I didn't need to worry but I did worry and I missed them like CRAZY!  They nearly tackled me when they picked me up at the airport when I got home!  It was awesome!

 The view from my bed...loved the crashing waves at night!

 The view from my balcony

 Ate dinner here on the first night

 

 Ready to run!

 

Father's Day 2013

Yes, I know this is late...very late, but it is blog worthy so here ya go! 

 

These 2 little girls don't know...yet...how incredibly lucky they are to have a daddy like they do.  He is more than AMAZING with them.  I couldn't ask for a better partner to raise my children with.  Jason is the fun loving, laid back, doesn't get stressed out, child-like half of our marriage.  He, plain and simple, likes to have a good time.  He doesn't get stressed out about money, a dirty house, or really much at all.  He lives life to the fullest with his girls, and I appreciate this about him.  If my girls are having the time of their life being silly, going to the park, going on towel rides, getting slushies, having tickle wars, playing on the slip and slide...leave the stress and worries up to MOM...I am okay with that!  Working nights has zapped a lot of my energy, and I'm thankful for a hubby that picks up my slack!  Did I mention that he does ALL of the LAUNDRY...no joke...I do NONE of it!  He's a keeper! 

 

So, Jason may have gotten a little jipped this Father's Day.  I had to go out of town for work, so we didn't really have anything GREAT planned for Dad.  He got a fresh cup of coffee when he woke up, but that was really the extent of it...I'll make it up to you next year...PROMISE!  He opened up his gifts from the girls and their cards.  I wish I would have saved what they did for him...I'm not sure where it went, but it was super fun to do.  A week prior to Father's Day I took each girl, separately, and asked them lots of questions about their dad.  They each answered them differently and it was so cute.  A few questions I asked were...how old is Daddy, what is his favorite color, what color is his hair, what do you love best about Daddy, what is his favorite thing to eat, favorite thing to do, etc.  Jason got a kick out of reading their responses.  He also got a gift card to buy a new weed eater, since his other one broke...exciting huh?!

In all seriousness, as I have already said, Lily, Avery and myself are very blessed to have this man in our lives.  We love him dearly!

 

Happy Father's Day Daddy Jason!