Luke Marx School of Driving

Luke: Hey cousin Grady do you want to learn how to drive?
Grady: Sure, but I am not going to let anybody call me Bo. I am tired of playing The Dukes of Hazard.
Luke: Ok before we go lets check our mirrors.
Grady: I think we need to listen to the Brewer game while we do this.
Luke: Lesson number 1, don't run into Grandpa Lobe.
Grady: Speaking of Grandpa. I heard we should make sure we avoid having him teach us how to ride a bicycle.
Luke: Where did I put my cell phone?
Grady: Look out for that tree!
Luke: I think I have to pee too, the bathroom is over that way.
Grady: Never mind I just went.
Luke: That brings me to Lesson #2. Always watch where you are going.
Grady: Going? Nope I already went.
Grady: If I can get this thing going fast enough, I think I can jump all 5 of the dogs!
Luke: How about we just work on not hitting any trees?
Luke: Act casual. There are some fine looking ladies at 11 o'clock.
Grady: 11? I can't count that high.
Grady: ...that is the reason you are in the truck. Luke said I wasn't ready to drive on my own yet.
Brooks: Did you see the ladies over there at 11 o'clock?
The next lesson will be in this truck.
Me, with Grandpa Gary, Grady, Luke and Rick.

Grady's New Wheels

I Thought You Were Watching Him?

Vacation Day 8 & 9

Gus Lepore and his parents welcomed us into their home in Muncie Indiana.
Gus shared his toys with Grady.
Emily reads a book to Gus, Grady, Brian and Bodie. The Lepores recently moved to Muncie from Watertown, WI.
Monday was Brian's first day at his new job teaching Soil Conservation at Ball State University. It was really nice getting to see them and we can't thank them enough for letting us stay there on our way home. Best wishes at your new career and in your new home!
Grady was so happy to get home he kissed the ground! Seriously though, we had a great time visiting so many of our friends. But, it sure was nice to pull into our driveway and be home.

Vacation Day 7

Saturday was a take it easy day. Grady discusses engineering with Geno while putting him in a scissors head lock.
Elinor and Annie have control of the remote.
Hi Annie!
Annie showing off in her jumper.
Grady and Annie making plans for her visit to Madison in September.
So, um you wanna do a bottle at my place?
Why sure, I didn't think he would ever ask.
Annie, Geno, Elinor, Carol (Elinor's mom), Grady, Hillary and I after a Crab Dinner.

Tomorrow we are back on the road and headed for home. We have got one more stop along the way with some friends who recently moved to Indiana from Wisconsin.
What an amazing week. We had so much fun visiting friends along the way. Thank you to Olivia, Dave and Mary Angel and Annie, Elinor and Geno for being such wonderful hosts. We can't wait to see all of you again.
Oh, and Grady says sorry for tooting in Mr. Obama's blue room.

Family Vacation Day 6

Friday morning we drove to The National Air and Space Museum.
A statue in the parking lot.
The hanger holds 163 aircraft and over 150 space artifacts.
Hilllary, Grady and Geno take a peak from the overlook above the hanger.
Looking down the length of the hanger.
The guys hanging out in front of the shuttle.
The Space Shuttle Enterprise.
Shuttle space suit on display.
The B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay
From Old to New Planes
Lockhead SR-71 Blackbird
Junior Pilot Lobenstein is reporting for flight duty.
Fighter Pilot Grady home from a mission.
For lunch we went to Ray's Hell Burger in Arlington. At the next table was little boy who was born 1 hour after Grady.
The Japanese American Memorial in Downtown D.C.
Geno also helped work on this project.

After the downtown post lunch stop we headed to Geno's college.
The National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception adjacent to the Catholic University Campus.
The inside was amazing.
A rainbow over our Nation's Capitol on the way to the Brewers vs Nats.
The Nationals Ballpark. You can see the Capitol down the street on the left.
Our seats for the game. We had the buffet tickets.
Now batting Prince Fielder
Runner on first, here is the pitch.
A swing and a drive, get up, get up, get outta here...
...gone a Home Run for the Prince!
Braun and Prince with a little celebration.
The Nats version of the Sausage Race. George Washington wins.
The clouds darkened and rain was on the way.
A view from the top of the stadium.
From up top you can see the capitol down the 3rd base line.
Here comes the rain.
Out comes the tarp.
The game resumed and the Brewers would get the win 7-3.
On the way home we stopped on the mall to get some night pictures of the monuments.
The Washington Monument
Looking west at the WWII monument and Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial