Bill & Traci Updates

 Hey blog readers - its been awhile since I've had a chance to update the blog and a lot has happened... here's a few things you might have missed....

Easter and the great Easter Egg Hunt

 

Of course there was Spring canning... (bloody mary mix and dilly pickled asparagus)

 

 

 
Trinity got in a fight with a creature bigger than her (don't worry the other guy looked worse)

 I visited sunny California for a meeting and got to check out the Sea lions

Went back to Ireland and toured the Jameson plant

Went back to Ireland (again 3rd time) and visited a zoo without fences

Saw Trevor's (monkey's) long lost brother in zoo in Ireland

Threw a party at our place for Cinco de Mayo and to say goodbye to 10th street and all the patio parties... 

Sold the house and left behind the beautiful sunset's of 10th street and the little house on the prairie

  

 Moved to FLW in the woods (residents of 49088 now)

 

 

Armed with our new Dyson

 and chainsaw (housewarming present from mom and dad)

 Tons of help from our friends

 dad supervising

Uncle Bob stopped by to check things out

 

Some landscaping was in order...

 
Our new nephew was born (he came a little early)

Ty Michael Bennett

8.99 lbs
20.6 inches
July 9, 2012

Summer has been hot and dry ... the crops, gardens and lawns are all burnt up

But... we were able to pick some beans (and can, and freeze, and can and freeze for 3 days)

I'm sure I missed a few highlights in there but now that you've got the general idea... we hope your summer is going well!

~B&T

Carpe Vino

It's funny how time can go by and when you get together with your good friends its like you never skipped a beat...
This weekend Kim & Jess surprised me with my 30th birthday present - a wine tasting tour complete with my 2 favorite things - good friends and good wine and we topped it off with a trip to LaKnoll for some Euchre and Pizza just like the old days (except we didn't cook the pizza on the cardboard),  Sitting with Kim & Jess at my mom and dad's house at the same kitchen table playing cards felt like time had not passed at all - we could have been 14 again laughing at all the same jokes and still trying to remember what's trump and who called it and most importantly who lead what...

Kim & Jess showed up at my house in the morning complete with a car load of snacks and breakfast and we headed off to a hotel in St. Joe where the wine tour bus picked us up - I have to say I'm quite impressed with Kim's ability to set the timer on the camera and take this shot of us by the random Bulldog statue in the hotel ....

The first winery we visited was Karma Vista - it turned out to be our favorite although we didn't know it at the time....

I need this sign!  This is totally me Carpe Vino

 

The Three Amigos and a carved Eagle at Contessa - the second winery we visited 

  

Gravity - the third spot we visited is brand new and very hip - we spent most of the time here discussing how Lare should diversify - grapes would be a good option for him to consider we think...

 

We finished off the trip at Round Barn (yes it's a round barn - very cool)

The trip was a blast, lots of wine and lots of reminiscing.... we remembered some stories we had long forgotten and we laughed until we could take no more... 

A huge thanks to Kim and Jess for a fantastic birthday surprise!  If I knew turning 30 was this fun I'd do it every year...

Upward

Cole and Lexi are both playing basketball at the church in the upward league - I went to watch them a few weekends ago and it brought back many memories of playing basketball when Trevor and I were kids.  The best part is that it was just like watching history repeat itself.  Cole is great at defense (as was Trevor) and Lexi just wants to score (I remember someone like that also).  Here's some shots of my 2 favorite hoopsters!

Ireland

Hey Blog Readers,

Just got back from my first trip to Ireland and other than the long plane ride it was a blast.

The first thing I learned on this trip is that I should really look a litle closer at the flight plan before I book a flight - on my way to London where my connction was - the pilot announced "we are now flying over Dublin" - so I flew past it to come back to it - fun times...

My hotel (Fota Island Resort) which was great - it was really hard getting used to the cars driving on the wrong side of the road - I almost got in the drivers seat a few times...

The Blarney Castle built over 600 years ago and home of the famous Blarney Stone

 View from the top of the castle - you have to go up the craziest staircase I've ever seen in my life to get to the top...  

People kissing the Blarney stone which is said to give you the gift of gab - it's also rumored that the locals pee on the stone at night so I opted for not kissing it

We went to an excellent restaurant in Cobh called the Quays - they actually were not open for dinner but the owner took pity on us and opened for us - the food was fantastic and the place was really cool - it was the last place the titanic docked before it sank.. this April is the 100th year celebration - I'd love to be there for it

 Overall it was a great trip and I really liked everything about Ireland - hope to get to go back soon - maybe I'll find a different route there!

Christmas Day @ the Farm

Christmas day we went to the farm for dinner and so the kids could open presents from Bill & I and Grammy and Papa...

My mom wrote out notes and hid the kids stockings - all the adults thought the clues were pretty hard but apparently they were not because Cole & Lexi found the stockings in record time...

  They also got quite a few cool gifts like these sleds that Linda picked out and the awesome Under Armor hoodies that you can write on with chalk...

Lexi got a working singer seweing machine toy and we wished that Grandma Helen could be here to see it and show her how to use it... although Trevor did a pretty good job without even looking at the directions, he must remember what Grandma taught him..

It was a great Christmas!