Visitors from South Dakota!

FOUR GENERATIONS--All with the same name! Back in early August, we were blessed to have my parents and my grandma visit. Pictured here are four generations of women: Donna Marie, Julie Marie, Kelli Marie, and Meredith Marie. My great-grandma, Ruth Marie, passed away while I was pregnant with Meredith. And, before Ruth Marie was Mable Marie. (I always knew God would bless me with a daughter... he'd have to for me to keep the Marie thing going.)

In September, my mom, sister, and niece came for a weekend of tomato canning. Pictured here are Meredith and Grace (5 months apart).

Jill and I peeled around 150 pounds of tomatoes!

After we peeled the tomatoes, Meema canned them in my hot kitchen. We made probably around 50-60 quarts of stewed tomatoes, salsa, and chili soup mix.

And while we worked, the girls played.

Ready to be a Big Sister!

Meredtih is starting to practice her big sister duties...

We're blog-lazy.

Reasons why Kelli hasn't updated the blog for a month:

1.) She's a teacher and school started August 24.
2.) Meredith has been sick a lot.
3.) She typically eats supper then goes to bed.
4.) She is pregnant and doesn't feel like doing anything. (baby coming March 21st-ish)

Reasons why Aaron hasn't updated the blog for a month:

1.) He's a teacher and school started August 24.
2.) He coaches boys and girls cross country.
3.) The Chicago Cubs are still playing (but not for long).
4.) NFL season started.
5.) His living room recliner is much more comfortable than the computer desk chair.
6.) He has to cook, bake, and do the dishes because Kelli won't [currently].

She likes chocolate!

I made some brownies a few weeks ago while Meredith was finishing up eating a meal. Whenever I stand at the kitchen counter and prepare food, she says "Ooooooo," which means in her language: "Ooooo, Mommy, I want some of that food." She said it while I was making the brownies so I thought, why not give her the spoon? She like it!

Day trip to Chicago!

Last Wednesday we took our first day trip to Chicago. Aaron, Meredith and I parked downtown and spent the afternoon at Navy Pier before meeting up with the rest of Aaron's family at a restaurant downtown. We had a great time and are hoping to do it again soon.

Aaron and Meredith standing at the entrance of Navy Pier. Even though the pier is right on Lake Michigan, there was little breeze and it was SO HOT! We stopped about halfway down the pier so Meredith and Aaron could have ice cream.

Here's Meredith and I with part of the downtown Chicago skyline in the background.

The whole Staub family! Aaron's brother Michael and his wife Clare (from Houston) are on the left. Aaron's parents Arlys and Scott in the middle. That's Uncle Jeremy in front. This day was the very first time that we were all together since Meredith had been born.

Aaron taught Meredith how to "pound it" last week. She's doing it here with Uncle Jer. We met in Chicago really to surprise Jeremy--he flew into OHare that day from Venice. He had been traveling in Spain, Austria and Italy for choir tour for college. We wanted to also meet him to say goodbye--he flew to Hawaii yesterday because he got a teaching job in Maui!

Uncle Michael and Aunt Clare again with Meredith. We miss them a lot and even though they live all the way in Houston, hopefully we'll get to see them soon.

A Trip West...

We traveled to Western South Dakota over the Fourth of July (typically we spend a good part of the summer in Eastern South Dakota). Here's some highlights of our trip:
Aaron, Meredith & I several thousand feet up in the Black Hills at a look-out point on Needles Highway. If you look in the background, you can almost see an 11-acre chunk of land that my dad purchased a couple of years ago. You'll see in pictures below that this chunk of land, or "Dad's Ranch" will be a popular destination for the whole Gehrels family in the future.

My grandpa, his sons and their kids and families all vacationed in the Black Hills together. My "Grandpa Wilbur" is 86 years old and hadn't visited this spot since he was 17.
Here's all of us on the Fourth of July hiking around Lake Sylvan.

Well, the cabin's not there yet but this camper suits us just fine! Most of the crew stayed overnight at a rented cabin near Custer, South Dakota but Aaron, Meredith and Grandpa Wilbur and I got to stay in the camper at "Dad's Ranch".

While we were there, the men/boys helped Dad finish a shed. It's a wonder they got it done because it rained a lot. :(

Grandma and Grandpa and Great Grandma and Great Grandpa came!

In late June, Aaron's parents escorted his grandparents here from Nebraska. Aaron's Grandma Lorene has lots of family in Wisconsin and they stopped here on their adventure around the state.