KANSAS!!!

I was recently assigned to work on a new project at work. The sponsors of the project are located at John Deere's marketing office in Lenexa, Kansas. I found out a week and a half ago that I would be traveling to spend a week in Lenexa working with the project sponsors. Since Lenexa is only about 30 minutes from my hometown where my brother and sister and grandmother (and various other relatives) still live, we decided that Tammy and the kids should travel with me. So, we spent Tuesday through Saturday last week in Kansas and had a great time! During the daytime, I worked in the office while Tammy and the kids played, then in the evenings we traveled to visit family.

My brother and sister, Jeff and Sandee, live next door to one another. Tuesday evening we traveled to their homes for a barbecue. Jeff and Sandee each have four children so together with our four there were 12 little ones (ages 10, 9, 7, 7, 7, 5, 5, 5, 5, 3, 2, 1). It was quite a party! We didn't get back to the hotel until after 10 p.m. so everyone was a little fried the next day.

Wednesday we ended up staying at the hotel to get the kids to bed at a normal hour - otherwise we would not have survived the week. The hotel we were staying at (company paid) was very fancy - one of those you feel uncomfortable having kids at. Also one of those where they take as much money from you as they can knowing your company is paying for it ($7 for 30 minute internet access, $5 per min phone usage, $30 breakfast, and so on). We did venture out of our room Wednesday evening to try out the pool. Other than Lizzy nearly drowning, that was an enjoyable time.

Thursday during the day, Tammy and the kids went to Science City (a hands-on kids science museum in Kansas City) and Kaleidoscope (a kids art gallery sponsored by Hallmark where they do some simple art projects). Thursday evening we spent the evening with my Grandmother visiting and playing games. Adam now believes he is the world champion Skip-bo player.

Friday I wrapped up work around noon. The rest of my project team was traveling that afternoon back to the Quad-cities, so I took off to spend time with family. We, along with the 12 kids and their moms, headed to the zoo. It was a very hot day (95 deg plus high humidity) but we survived and had a fun time. Friday evening was spent back at Jeff and Sandee's houses. We also moved to a cheaper hotel with free breakfast, free internet, and free phone calls since the company was no longer paying.

Saturday was a very enjoyable morning. We took Grandma out to the community where I grew up and where my dad grew up and where Grandma grew up and where her dad grew up and where her Grandpa settled in the 1800's (yes, there's a LOT of family history in that area). We wandered around the cemetery where my dad and grandpa and great-grandpa and grandma, and great-great grandpa and grandma are all buried. Grandma's grandma was named Lizzie and when our Lizzy discovered that, she couldn't stop talking about it! Grandma told stories of many of the fine people buried there (such as the man who delivered her at the local country hospital and who eventually became her uncle and whose deceased wife's headstone rolled over and nearly crushed Grandma's brother). It was so much fun - many of the stories I had never heard before! At one point Grandma said that she thinks she knows more people buried at that cemetery than she knows still living in the rest of the world! I very much enjoyed that time with her and felt a new and stronger bond to that part of my family than I have ever felt before.

After lunch with Grandma, we started the long drive home and it was a LONG drive home. The kids were all tired, but we finally made it around 8 p.m. and got to bed at a decent hour. Aside from the drive home, it was a very nice week. Fortunately, we forgot to bring the camera. Otherwise, you would have to put up with more pictures of our cute children. Sorry!