The Corn Princess

Uncle Bert took little Miss Olivia (the birthday girl!;-) down to the river bottoms to pick some fresh sweet corn on Saturday night. It was lots of fun to pick our own corn! And within minutes it was boiling in the pan---it does not get any better (or fresher) than that! MmmMmm!

Maybe next year Uncle Bert can give you a ride in the BIG picker...if any of the Bouwman kids will let you! (Picker rides are highly coveted around here!:-)

Isabelle is 6!

Her Royal Highness was treated to breakfast in bed, rides at MOA (and lunch!) and then pizza and cupcakes at home.

Singapore

Well, I am sitting here in Portland, trying to kill a couple of hours. It is good to be back on the eastern side of the Pacific. My body isn't quite sure what time it is. I can't complain, though. I do feel quite rested. I slept well on the airplane.
I Left Minneapolis after church on Sunday and flew straight from MSP to Narita-Tokyo airport. 12 hours in an airplane is a long time. It was a full flight. Brenda knows how well I sit still. The little Japanese lady next to me never budged once. I'm sure she thought I had some sort of wiggle-worm disease.
I was afraid I was going to have a trouble in Japan, as my flight was two hours delayed leaving Minneaplis, and I only had a 1:40 layover in Tokyo. Thankfully, they held the second flight and I was able to get off one plane and on the other. That was another 7 and a half hour flight.
I got to Singapore at 1AM on Tuesday morning. After I got up (around 9AM) I spent the rest of the day with my colleagues shopping for necessary items. Wednesday and Thursday were spent training the Bosch associates there. One from Hong Kong, one from India, and one from Singapore. The two from Japan and mainland China were unable to make it, which was unfortunate.
Singapore is not a bad place to visit, really. Much, much nicer than neighboring Malaysia, so I'm told. I wanted to venture over there, but my Singapore host would have nothing of it. They call Singapore a "fine" city (the country is one city, so country and city are used interchangeably) - because there are fines for everything from chewing gum to forgetting to flush the toilett. Everything is very strictly controlled by the government, who owns all of the land. You can lease it for 99 years, but it still belongs to the government. Because it is an island, and limited in space, land is very expensive to rent.
I went to bed early on Friday night, and slept until 2:15. My alarm was set for 3, but I decided I would just get up and take my time. Got packed and went to the airport for the long ride home. It is so nice to be so close to home. I can't wait to see my family.
Pictures: 1) Singapore Opera House; 2) The Lion City; 3-4) food (I could take pictures of just about anything and not be embarrassed - I was just "fitting in!"; 5) They insisted that I be in at least one of the pictures. I finally relented when I realized it really was a big deal to them; 6-7) city scenes.

My Grandbaby!

I finally did it!

Tonight I went with my friend, Kylie, to get my ears pierced! It didn't hurt TOO badly, and I'm glad I made the brave decision. (Isabelle was dying to go with and get hers peirced too, but that did not happen. She stayed home with her brother.) We went to a place in the Mall of America, and a girl from church who worked their did them for us. - Elise

PA and NJ: Our trip 2 of 2

After church on Sunday, we headed north to Lancaster, PA. We went through Gettysburg. We bought a CD and took the tour ourselves. It was interesting and we learned a lot.
In Lancaster, I think Brenda managed to find some outlet shops and keep herself busy. The kids were always on the lookout for a horse and buggy.
On Monday night (after I had crab for dinner), we drove up to Hershey and went through the chocolate factory. It was fun. The kids had a blast. Of course, we also managed to spend a few dollars at the store they dump the "free" ride into.
We checked out of the hotel on Tuesday. Brenda picked me up from work, and we drove east to New Jersey. We spent the night about a half hour from the ocean.
Wednesday we spent at Ocean City, NJ. It was the first real day that felt like a vacation for me. We are typical Minnesotans, however, and not great beach goers. We managed to all get fried.
Wednesday night we drove back closer to Philadelphia, and flew out from there on Thursday morning.
Thursday was spent recouperating from our vacation, and seeing Lucia Ann Turner.
Friday, I took the day off and we went to our church retreat. We were there all day Saturday as well. It is good to be home.

Washington D.C.: Our trip 1 of 2

Wow! Have we had a fun past few days. Ten days, 5 hotels, and a ton of memories. I arrived in D.C. on Monday, and the family came out on Tuesday. It was fun to drive to the airport to pick them up, and them bring them back to my "home."
Our first hotel was our nicest, an Embassy Suites by the Washington-Dulles aiport. It was close to the new Air and Space Museum, the second building that now houses all of the "big" stuff. Brenda and the kids went there on Wednesday, while I was teaching. They had fun. There was a space shuttle there, a Concord, etc.
On Thursday, they drove down to Mount Vernon, and basically spent the day there. They had a blast.
I didn't teach on Friday, so we had the day to drive into the city. We spent all that day and Saturday touring. It was a blast. We started at the Capitol, where an intern from our Senator's office gave us a tour of the Senate side. We even got to sit in the assembly, while the other (liberal) freshman senator from MN talked. Pretty funny, as there is obviously a pecking order. She got to speak because there was literally one other senator in there.
A few years ago, while at Rimage, I had trained some guys from the House of Representatives, who promised an inside tour if I ever came. They held their promise, and it was great. We went to a lot of places that most don't go to, I'm sure. It was fun to stand where the President gives his State of the Union address, etc. It took a little more time than we had hoped, but it was fun. We ate lunch in the House cafeteria.
Saturday, was mostly taken touring the monuments and other Smithsonian exhibits, and also the Holocaust Museum. If you ever are in D.C., that is a MUST SEE! Not fun, but very moving and powerful.
It was also moving to read Lincoln's 2nd inaugural address. A powerful treatise on the sovereignty of God, there on display for everyone to read. It felt like we walked ten miles.
Sunday, we went to Capitol Hill Baptist Church. It was a good service, good sermon and music. The only thing we sort of missed, was an organ. I'm not a huge organ person, but that old building begged for a big pipe organ.
That ended our stay in D.C. I'll let the others comment on it, and later I'll add about the rest of our trip.

Lennon Adele shows her Cubbie Pride

Lucia and Shirley Kathryn

Lucia and Shirley Kathryn met for the first time at the hospital last night. As you can tell, the meeting was a smashing success. Those two really hit it off! Shirley Kate was so excited when she heard Tante Wendy and Uncle Eric had a baby girl! She thinks we'll have to have a cousins night (with baby girls allowed)! Four baby girls lined up together would be a pretty cute picture! Go girls!!!!

Lucia Ann Turner is here!

Olivia loves her new baby sister!

Olivia and Bronwen admire the new little girl---isn't Olivia sweet to "share" her baby with Bronwen?!

Lucia Ann

Look at all that dark hair! What a surprise!