Well I spent the last week visiting family back in TX/OK and house hunting. I spent a couple days in OK with my mom and Nanny. We went shopping and did a few things for Nanny around the house and of course got our fill of Braum's. I got to see Tonya and her house as well which was nice. My mom and I headed back to TX on Friday. I had lunch with my dad and then me LaTisha and my mom went to Austin to house hunt. We had a good time looking around. We got lost so many times I was forced to invest in a GPS:) We returned Sunday and I was tired after basically spending 5 days in the car. Monday I hung out with Nate all day and then my dad cooked dinner. It rained all night and day I haven't seen that in about 2 years so I was ecstatic. I had a great trip but was glad to be back to see Dennis. Pray we both find jobs in Austin soon...

Here are some pics I snapped at my dad's Monday evening:

May 2008: Family Vacation

Redtown River Retreat

The last weekend of May my Dad organized a family vacation at Lyndon B. Johnson Lake in Kingsland, TX. Everybody loaded up and met down in Texas for a family get together. We all had a good time ate, laughed, swam and golfed. This was the first time that the whole family had gotten together since my Papa passed away in 2002. My dad and his gang were there, my brother and La Tisha, Dennis and I, Tonya and Heather, Aunt Donna and Wayne, Chris and his girlfriend Veronica. My dad kept us all full with his delicious cooking. We had hamburgers one night, egg noodles another which are kind of a family tradition. My Papa and Grandma always used to make them and my mom too. Then Saturday night was steak night. Every morning we woke up to a country breakfast. Friday morning a bunch of us went to the Legends golf course and played 18 which is another sort of tradition. Exhausted from golf we went back to the cabin a took a dip. Saturday a bunch of us went out on Wayne's boat some stayed at the cabin and relaxed while Dennis, myself, and La Tisha went into Austin to look at houses. Nathan of course kept everyone fishing each day. Saturday night Tonya and I stayed up all night outside at the pool that was a lot of fun. Sunday we all parted with plans to do it again next year. Dennis and I resumed our house hunt in Austin and headed back to Vegas. All and all it was a wonderful weekend. Oh I forgot I did get thrown in the pool once-thanks Nate!


La Tisha Enjoying the Weekend


Kendra aka "The Fish"


Tonya's Big Catch


Dennis Cruising the Lake


Wayne and Aunt Donna Enjoying the Water


Dennis Teeing it up!

Egg noodle Night


Drying off after being thrown in the pool...

Enjoying a Troll on the Lake


Nate Teeing it Up

May 2008: Arizona

Grand Canyon Overlook

Williams, AZ

Well on Tuesday of the Njeru's visit I surprised them with a trip to Arizona. Dennis couldn't make it but I couldn't let the opportunity for them to see some of the beautiful places this area of the country has to offer so the three of us hit the road bright and early Tuesday morning. As we drove along I-40 about an two hours into our journey we noticed digital weather signs warning "Winter Weather Driving Conditions" to my dismay. I reassured my guests and we continued on as I had checked the weather and it was to be in the 70s today. As we drove further the landscape and weather changed. The early morning mist quickly changed from mist to sleet to snow. I figured how much snow can there be after all it's May and it is supposed to be 70. We stopped in Williams, AZ for gas. The attendants there were just as surprised as we were about the weather. Turns out this was a wonderful event since my mother-in-law had never seen snow and my father-in-law hadn't seen it since 1963 atop Mt. Kenya. Moma Dennis was ecstatic and me for her. From Williams we headed North to the Grand Canyon. We enjoyed a few hours gazing at this marvelous hole in the earth and did a short hike. We even stumbled across a family of elk. This was a little unnerving much different than seeing these giants from your car. Moma Dennis took off ahead but Dennis' Dad and I took a bit to observe these creatures at a comfortable distance. We then headed to Flagstaff--we were amazed by the amount of snow on the way to Flagstaff. We stayed the night in Flagstaff where we heard from the news they had gotten a foot of snow and hadn't seen that much snow in May in a very long time.




The next day we visited Native American ruins at Wupatki National Monument and Sunset Crater Volcano north of Flagstaff. It was wonderful to see how well the 900 year old ruins had been preserved and the lava flows from the volcano were beautiful. After spending most of the day there we stopped at a Mexican restaurant which was absolutely delicious for the second time "Casa Bonita" before heading back to Vegas. It was wonderful trip filled with many pleasant surprises. We made lots of great memories and had some good laughs.


Sunset Volcano National Crater


Crater Lava Flows


Wupatki Ruins


Door-Wupatki

May 2008:Hoover Dam and Lake Mead

Well we haven't made a post in quite sometime it has a very busy last month and a half for us. As you know Dennis' parents visited in May. We enjoyed their visit but as always the time was too short. They arrived in Las Vegas on Mother's Day. I had a great time showing them some of the sites of Vegas they hadn't yet seen such as the Hoover Dam. The weather was great not too hot not too cool. It can be a scorcher at the Dam this time of year so that was a blessing. We toured Boulder City on the way and took in the spectacular views of Lake Mead as well as the Black Canyon area. We opted for the grand tour which was worth it. We went 52 stories into the earth and to view the turbines and diverters that power the electrical portion of the dam and handle the water. Then of course we "walked to Arizona" and viewed the outside of the dam and the new highway being built over it which is only for the strong at heart:)

Update

Well Dennis has been pretty busy with work and school this week. Next week he switches clinics but will still be doing his family medicine rotation. I am excited that I have an interview at the VA next month. Since I completed the long application process out there I can now get back to my class. Mostly though I have been torturing Dennis with my chick flicks lately. I love Juno! Today I rented 27 Dresses and will soon add it to my collection. I was quite disappointed since I thought P.S. I Love You (a must see) came out today but turns out I have to wait until next week:) Now if I could just find a girlfriend to go see Made of Honor with me I would be set!

We are excited that Dennis' parents will arrive in LA on Thursday. Dennis is planning to spend the weekend there as well. Our nephew Luke will be two on Saturday so it should be a great reunion. As for me I will be you guessed it working...We also had the chance to chat briefly with Dennis' sister in England who sounded well and his sister Martha back in Kenya. We missed the boys as it was a school night and they had already gone to bed. We are especially keeping them in our thoughts and prayers now. The Njeru's should make it to Vegas sometime in the coming weeks for a stay with us which we are looking forward too. They may not beat the heat as they had hoped. It has been in the 90s for over a week now and it's only uphill from here.



Here's some old pics of of everyone!




Dennis with Ian & Greg




Kim & Luke