A Bit of Randomness.....

There was much to see and enjoy on our travels.....the beauty of the National Parks.

The unusual.....

The impressive..... Temple at Salt Lake

The fun.....Georgetown Loop in Colorado

A bit of my Dutch heritage at Pella Iowa....

Where Dutch lace curtains made me lonely for my lace curtains at home....

The joy of bakeries for breakfast....

Friendly smiles and lots of yummy treats.....

The pristine beauty of the Amanna Colonies in Iowa.....

The Amanna colonies were based on religious freedom and a lifestyle that centered around God, work, crafting and communal meals.

They still serve the communal meals...this was our breakfast. They load the table with an abundance of food, then come back and ask if we want seconds of anything. Ok, I admit, I said YES. It was our vacation after all!!!!

We saw endless miles of farmlands that seem unchanged by time.....

We made a stop at one of the farms....and did a cheese tasting of the yummiest cheeses ever.

We came home with some to share.....the best Blue Cheese !!!!

We dodged tornadoes.....

....and spent the happiest four days with our loved ones in Chicago. A few years back Jill and I had a chance to visit the Art Museum where I took a picture of Jill in front of this famous painting. Now our bitty girl was there too, and my heart overflows with the joy of it all.

I had to share my favorite painting.....the tender love of mother and child.

My two boys on an evening walk.....

....and my cutest ever SIL who got to meet Clare for the first time.

Why do I love Barb so much...because she finds the perfect gifts that make us smile!!!

I will never forget the balmy nights, our walks thru the park and how Chicago lights up in the evening like the most beautiful of Christmas trees!!!!

We got to drive by our Chicago home.....hmmmm, it is for sale. We loved our house.

A final bakery breakfast...this one was in honor of my Mom. This was her favorite bakery in Chicago, and it was just as good as we remembered!!!!

We brought Mom a bitty box of chocolates....to let her know how much we missed her.

So I have shared some of our favorite moments from the trip. Tomorrow is ALL about quilts and quilt shops, and there were LOTS of wonderful shops to see.

Chi Town.....

Jim's retirement party was based on a wonderful occurrence....the Angel's were playing at Wrigley Field!!!

Jim is a huge fan of baseball, and combing the game with the opportunity to reunite with some family members made it a memorable event.

Jim and his sister Barb ( with husband Russ in the background) had a wonderful few days to visit and reminisce about growing up in Chicago.

It was time to introduce the next generation to Grandpa's favorite past time....and Clare seemed to enjoy it very much.

Even the storm of all storms couldn't put a damper on our special day...and the Angel's WON!!!!

We stayed at the lovely and historic Conrad Hilton Hotel. It was across from the park and Buckingham fountain with the most incredible views of the city. Not to shabby that our rooms were HUGE and had TWO bathrooms. We felt pampered and very special.

There was plenty of time to enjoy the sights of the city......

....and make a special stop at the American Girls Doll Store.

Where we found a doll that looked just like Clare.

This was Clare looking at her twin doll.....

....and a proud Grandpa couldn't resist a sweet gift for a sweet girl!

It was all to much for our bitty baby who took a snooze in the quiet and cool courtyard in the middle of the bustling city.

The next day we girls took a leisurely tour of the Chicago Art Museum, where Clare was introduced to the Dutch artist Van Gogh.

On a lovely summerish afternoon we ate a delicious lunch in the museum garden. It was relaxing and such fun to spend the time with Jill's dearest friend Ann who drove in from Wisconsin. WE LOVE ANN!!!!!

The days went much to quickly....there were night time strolls in the park where live bands played waltzes and you could dance the night away.

There was a final brunch at the Naperville Country Club......

....where cousins reunited and could meet Clare for the first time. We raised a glass to Jim on his retirement, and to Jonathan on his first Father's Day.

It was hard to say goodbye to one another, but there was a long trip back to California and more adventures along the way.

What we did on our summer vacation....

Besides the incredible joy of becoming a Grandfather, two wonderful occurences came this year to shape Jim's life.

One is that he turned 62 and was now eligible for a lifetime pass to the National Parks.

The second was that Jim retired in January and says that he wants to spend the rest of his life doing this!

So in honor of Jim's lifetime achievements we got in the car and travelled to see as many National Parks as we could squeeze in.

We went from the incredible beauty of the SouthWest's Zion, Bryce Canyon and the Badlands.....

Where the temperatures were warm and dry.....

....to the ice and the cold of Rocky Mountain National Park

....where there was LOTS of snow.

We experienced the serene beauty of nature....

....with the humbling experience of seeing God's creations.

We were awed by the sense of history ......

....and touched by the humility of the early settlers and their humble homes.

We listened to the thunder of waterfalls....

....and the quiet of Spring flowers abundantly in bloom.

We witnessed the wonders of nature....

....and the devastation that remains after fires.

We saw animals living content in the most natural of settings....

...with no fear of man as a predator.

It was the chance to see nature books come to life....

....and know that Mom's are protective in all species.

We also learned to be cautious. We saw this fresh footprint when we pulled off the trail to take a photo of a river. I stayed in the car....Jim bravely got out and continued to look over his shoulder.

Later that day we did get to glimpse a Grizzly Bear....something that I was willing to enjoy from afar rather than up close!!!!

More to share tomorrow. It was a trip of a lifetime. Glad you are able to join me....even if it means you didn't have to sit in the car for days on end.