This weekend, though, I have a rash and horrible itch from head to toe from an unknown origin. I'm wondering if the steroids they gave me have run their course, and things that weren't completely eradicated are now able to rear their ugly heads. If it goes on much longer, I'll be heading back to a doctor.
BUT, before and through the entire itchy, oozy episode, some good things happened in our little world.
The little boys and Buttercup and I got to spend a long, relaxing, fun day in Cincinnati with one of our most favorite families in the world.
Despite my poison ivy, we had loads of fun at my dad's 4th of July party. While it was a small crowd this year, there was a crowd, so my dad was happy.
We stayed a few extra days in Ohio, so I was able to spend Sunday with Donna and Melody and their families.
On Monday, Bryan, the kids, my mother-in-law, and I headed to Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania, for a day of white water rafting. It was cold and rainy the entire day, but we all had a fabulous time.
Because of age requirements, we had to split up. I took the big kids on the middle-sized rapids (unfortunately, everyone had to be 16 in order to go on the part of the river with the biggest rapids.) and Bryan and his mom went with the little boys on the smallest rapids.
 |
| In case you noticed, there is one extra big kid. Buttercup's friend came to Ohio with us this year. |
 |
| At the Garden Center. There's all sorts of things to keep kids occupied, including a touch garden, a taste garden, a tree house, trails through the woods, a maze, and music. |
 |
| Did you know President McKinley was from Canton, Ohio? This is the monument where he and his wife are buried. It's also a popular place for the locals to work out. (The person in the orange shirt was one of about 15 people working out that day.) Those 108 steps (I counted when I was a kid.) are rough! It's way more fun to slide down. |
 |
| There are lots of pretty, old stonework and water areas in the park. |
Other good things...
We bought a minivan. With the number of drivers we have in the house and the schedules we keep, we rarely need the big van to transport the family all at the same time. But, we do need it to go on road trips to visit family in Ohio and Kentucky, and to take vacations. While we were in Ohio, the big van flipped 200,000 miles. We want it to last as long as possible, so we got the minivan for every day driving.
AP and SAT scores have come in, and I couldn't be more proud of Buttercup and Phoenix. They done good.
Green beans are coming in fast and furious. I'll be able to do some canning this week.
It was the high school's moratorium week (aka no practices allowed), so we were able to have everyone home to eat dinner together every night.
Seeing as how it's 10:00 on Sunday night, I'm wrapping this post up. Time to take some more Benadryl.
Have a lovely day!
Your hosts
A Fly on our (Chicken Coop) Wall, Amycake and the Dude, Considerings, Finding Ninee, Getting Literal, I Want Backsies, The Meaning of Me, Thankful Me, Uncharted, The Wakefield Doctrine
Frist! Now off to read your post!
ReplyDeleteHa! You're no newbie! :)
DeleteThat poison ivy is hanging on! I do hope you heal up completely soon!
ReplyDeleteYour adventures (of the non-poison ivy variety) look like a lot of fun--as always. I'm impressed with that whitewater shot!
Congrats to Phoenix and Buttercup! AP tests can be such a money saver when it comes to college. And, of course, the SAT scores help immensely with getting into college.
Well, in the poison ivy's defense, it was a completely different case. I was completely stupid when trimming trees on Wednesday last week. Not only did I not keep my eyes open for it, I went in the tree line over and over again, pulling down trees and weeds, while wearing running shorts. I was an idiot, through and through.
DeleteThe company had a guy posted on a rock to take photos as we came down. ;)
Keeping our fingers crossed that they will be getting lots of financial benefits from their scores!
Wait. You only have one daughter, correct? Did Buttercup bring a friend along? Love the photos (as always) especially the one on the rocks with the water. I'm sorry about your poison ivy and I hope you are free from its clutches completely and soon.
ReplyDeleteHa! Yes. Buttercup and her friend have been friends since first grade. She has heard so much about our family, she wanted to meet them. And my dad promised to teach them how to make the best baklava in the world. That alone got her in the van to take the trip with us. :)
DeleteI'm sorry about the poison ivy, too, but it was all my fault. It seems to be clearing up today. I didn't itch nearly as much as I have been.
Sorry to hear you're still being bothered by the poison ivy, I hope it's not too long before it clears up completely.
ReplyDeleteI've been checking every day for a new post so figured you'd gone away for a couple of weeks when there was nothing for ages. It looks and sounds like you and the family had a great time at all the places you went to; I notice Cuckoo isn't on the photo of you all at the garden centre - was he the one taking it?
The minivan sounds interesting - what sort is it?
Also a big 'well done' to Buttercup and Phoenix, you're obviously very proud of them for doing so well :)
I think we're in the home stretch of being done with this itchy rash. I'll never be so stupid about poison ivy again!
DeleteWe did have loads of fun. I took the photo. The other female is Buttercup's friend. Cuckoo has a distinct hatred for having his photo taken unless it is his idea. I don't fight it. :)
It is a 2014 Honda Odyssey ES. For the years between giving birth to Star and giving birth to Cuckoo, I drove an Odyssey. I loved that vehicle, so I went for another one this time.
I am!
So sorry about your poison ivy, but as always you make the best of the situation. WOW, your trip looks like lots of fun! I have ties to Ohio and PA as well and always enjoy visiting. Yep, proud of my Ry Guy too with his ACT and AP scores too. College tours have begun for us as well.
ReplyDeleteThere is so much to do and see in both states, I don't think we'll ever come close to seeing it all! Maybe one day we'll be visiting at the same time and get to actually meet up!
DeleteCongrats to your son! Oh the college visits...I'm working hard to get all the kids to choose schools close to us or each other. :)
Sorry about the poison ivy, but you're right you didn't let it slow you down. I'm not surprised that it didn't slow you down either.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun post filled with fun family happiness.
Have a fabulous day and week. I hope you feel better soon. ☺
It slowed me down a wee bit on the 4th of July, but overall I didn't let it stop me. :)
DeleteThank you! I think I'm in the home stretch of healing...
have been lucky, there being some, but not a lot of p. ivy in our woods. (first suspicion of contact, I had right to the dish detergent which has mad anti p. ivy properties, in that it totally removes the oils from the plant that carry the itch-trons that the plants gives off when angered by the approach of humans.
ReplyDeletesounds like you got the summer handled!
I was a complete idiot last Wednesday. I am fully aware of the crazy amount of poison ivy around here, yet I went full-on into trimming trees and taking care of weeds and brush along the fence/tree line wearing short sleeved shirt and running shorts. So dumb. I don't know where my brain was that day.
DeleteWell, not quite, but I'm trying to get lots in before summer ends in just a few short weeks.
I am SORRY about the poison ivy! Brian and I used to get it so bad when we bought our first house in Asheville. Now even our kids, keep their eyes peeled for it. Though I doubt they'd react.
ReplyDeleteSo many fun trips lately. I do envy your flexibility with traveling. I get way to stuck on the "just get there" mentality. But, do you know, I hardly take a road trip anymore that I don't think of you and yours? And try to take a deep breath and do a little exploring? It happens. Sometimes.
Normally I'm very much aware of poison ivy and take precautions. Last Wednesday, though, I went outside to do one thing nowhere near poison ivy wearing shorts and a short sleeved shirt, but ended up doing work in a heavily infested area without even looking for it! So dumb.
DeleteIt makes me smile to know that I am in your head when you travel. :) Good for you, trying to loosen up and explore a bit!
I think I'm on the last bit of itchiness. It didn't feel so miserable today. :)
ReplyDeleteWell, there are a couple of flat areas in which you have to walk to the next bit, but yes, you can slide the whole way down. I find the sliding photos I took extra funny because when I was a kid, we got in big trouble for sliding down like my kids are. My dad was ticked that we were ruining our clothes. (I made sure my kids had old shirts that were in their last legs anyway.)
Oh no. Hope the itching wasn't too unbearable and the rash went away.
ReplyDeleteI would stick to the small rapids.
That trip sounded like fun though. I used to love bringing a friend along on one of those and my parents were just so great to let it happen.
A family van for taking trips sounds like fun. Reminds me of my childhood.
Working out at a grave? Hmm.
That garden centre sounded like fun though, with a touch and smell section. A place like that is always full of smells and each so different. Can be a bit of an overload sometimes, especially for me who knows very little about such things.
Lovely week of family memories and painful reactions to nature too. Watch out for that poisonous stuff.
wow what a fun trip - you make road trips look fun -
ReplyDeletecongrats on great AP and SAT scores a job well done indeed.
many wonderful thankfuls
visiting with friends and family and
mmm canning string beans :)
Nice!
ReplyDelete