Chicago/Wisconsin June 2008

Amanda left a few days early and spent some time in Chicago.

Addison and cousin Caleb swinging on Great-Grandpa Bill and Great-Grandma Donna's chair.

Addison with Great-Grandpa Bill. Looking good, Bill!

Addy in black and white - a nice little camera feature!

On to Wisconsin Dells

This is the view outside our lakeside cabin, on what used to be Lake Delton. A breach (from flooding) caused the entire thing to drain within 2 hours. It happened just before we got there. It was really something to see. More on that further below.

Addison - sitting pretty.

I'm not sure this is what it's for, but we put her butt in it anyway.

Amanda is modeling our room. The cabin was really nice. If only every room came with a hottie like that...

The four Ericksons getting ready for our tour on the Original Wisconsin Ducks.

Aboard the Duck, and in the water at this point.

This little sweety was fascinated by Addy. It was really cute. I can't blame her - we are too!

We were still having fun with the new camera, and we took many-a-nice photo like this one. The scenery was beautiful along the Wisconsin River.

That used to be a road, and this is where the lake breached and drained into the river. If you look close, you can see a house that was split in two.

After the Ducks it was off to Mt. Olympus. I was in wooden coaster heaven. There are 5 in Wisconsin Dells.

The largest of which is Hades, which dives under the parking lot twice. Loved it.

Martha, Rylan, and Brad aboard the Disk-O. Nobody spewed.

Mt. Olympus also has an outdoor and indoor waterpark. Addison loves the water, and we took her down some small slides.

What do you think? Did she like it?

Daddy and Addy in the pool.

Mommy, Grandma Joy, and Aunt Martha on the water slide.

Uncle Rylan taking care of business.

Grandpa Larry, relaxing with Joshua and Addison.

While Brad grills outside. I could go for a hotdog right about now.

We did some bowling while it rained. Check out those couches. All bowling alleys should have couches. If you look real close, that would be an X above my lane.

This is a deer pooping.

On the lake. It was a nice little boat trip, when the people we passed didn't yell at us for creating a wake.

We played our fair share of Guitar Hero too.

Addy liked her new hat at dinner.

Grandma and Grandpa enjoying dinner.

I kicked Amanda's butt on the indoor bumper cars.

Jon took the boys on the cars.

We went for some mini-golf later that evening. This is the "Losers' Picture".

And yes, that would be me, all alone, in the back seat.

Amanda finally got me to Rocky Riccoco's. I have to say, after getting lost in the University of Wisconsin, and driving 30 minutes out of our way, it was pretty good.

And lastly, this is the Wisconsin Erickson home, which is GORGEOUS, and of course, is no longer theirs, as they are back in Chicago now. Wisconsin was a blast.

At the Beach...Oh Wait.

Quick story. We were down at the beach with the family. We took a ton of pictures. Then, one evening - the last evening, someone who will remain nameless, decided a good place to set the camera was on top of a moving stroller.

Let's call this person "A. Boyd". No, that's too obvious. Let's call her "Amanda B".

Anyway, "Amanda B." didn't like that old camera very much, and had expressed many times that she would like a new one. Well, said camera all of the sudden "fell" off the stroller and I kicked it in mid walk, as I was pushing the stroller. A tram car "happened" to be passing by, under which the camera landed.

Smash went the tire over the camera. Crack went the memory card. Gone were the pictures from the shore.

To Circuit City went Brad. Home came Brad with a new camera. Enjoy the pics and videos!

Oh, and this is Amanda when I showed her what I bought...

OK! Let's Get Caught Up...

From late Spring...

Happy Mother's Day Mommy!

Amanda and Addison are sporting their new dresses.

By 5 months Addy had grown to be very flexible and interested in her piggies.

Some pics from Memorial Day. Of course, Addy has an outfit for it.

Sooo Big!

As you can see, the hair has still not come in yet.

She does love her mommy, though. Memorial Day came and went, just in time for...

KIDNEY STONES

Before surgery #1.

I woke up on May 29th with this sharp pain in the lower right side of my back. Within an hour I was rolling/tossing/turning on the bed. Ibuprofen, hot pads - nothing would help. I knew I had stones, and I already passed one. I called my urologist and went in the same day. I got a shot of vicodin (nice) with a scrip (nice). I was scheduled for surgery the next day, as this new stone was too big to pass (1 cm).

Well, surgery #1 didn't work. They left me with a stent from my kidney to my bladder, peeing burning red pee for 2 weeks. Not fun. During the two week period, I sat around at home, not allowed to work. We went to the beach for a few days with the family, but I was unable to walk much. Surgery #2 was successful, but it left me with another stent and burning pee for another week.

How nice it was to pee normally after 3 weeks of pain! You know what they say...you don't miss something until it's gone.

JJ and Marika's reception. (stent in place)

Addison's first time eating baby food. This was also some time in May. She knows what she likes and dislikes already...as you will see in a future post.

Chillin' in the rocking chair at Grandma and Grandpa's.