Trip Back

The day after the big celebration for grandpa, we loaded in our van, and all seven of us returned to Toledo.  We were accompanied by Grandpa and Grandma, who got to come and visit our place in Toledo! It was a long trip, but good to be back in Ohio.  Also, we were quite thankful for safe travels and our minivan making one last trip (we hope it's the last for us, anyway!) on our behalf.   

There was a bit of shifting, with all the kids sharing a room, the grandparents getting the downstairs and the parents taking Reeve's room.  Great to see we can fit quite easily in our place, with room for guests!

The Big 80 Birthday Bash

A bit belated, but now that we were all together, we had Grandpa's 80th birthday celebration - a bit of a surprise, since June 30 is no relation to dates in February!  But it was a great chance to take grandpa out to a really high nice Italian restaurant.  Thankfully, the requested Shutterfly book arrived just in the nick of time, so that we were able to celebrate the big day appropriately!

The PhotoShoot

Thanks to Marta's connections (and for sharing their house when they were away), Marta managed to get some crazy high quality / professional pictures taken of our family.  What a treat!  Here are just some of the best.

The Haircut

Before the big photoshoot, Mark took over another of his talents, being a barber, and assisted Doug in trying to look a slight bit better in preparation for the photo shoot.

Cartwheel Girl

It was pretty evident that at least one niece was feeling quite comfortable at Auntie Marta's house.  She was doing cartwheels (one-handed, even) in the middle of the kitchen.  Clearly, she has enjoyed being with Uncle Mark, Auntie Marta and Micah for the past week!

The Gifts

On Monday morning, we had the chance to see the gifts which were purchased by the travelers in Guatemala.  Wow!  Not only was it fun to see the gifts, but it was also so great to hear the stories and get to see the first batch of pictures.  It is hard to grasp all of the amazing experiences during 10 days, but what a great experience for the grandkids, grandparents - and also for the rest of us to get to hear the tales and see the pictures.

The Return

The Guatemala travelers returned.  We caught a hold of them and they managed to make it back.  Let's say they were not too impressed with the Miami airport!  But by evening, everyone was back in Silver Spring, MD.

Great Falls

We made our way to the Great Falls of the Potomac, and with all of the rain, it was shocking to see how much water was pouring over the falls.  We made our way out to the viewpoint before going for one of the shorter hikes on the trip.

For most of us, it was great to be outdoors enjoying some beautiful, cool weather and getting into nature for a nice afternoon.  It was also a delightful picnic which was put together, thanks especially to Marta.

Ending Guatemala Trip

After a boat ride around the lake, and seeing some amazing wildlife.  Later, it was back to Guatemala City and a final dinner in preparation for finishing the trip.

What an experience for two grandkids!

Guatemala Day 8: Nature Hikes

Not sure there was too much of a need to go too far away on various nature hikes, since Gabi and Eli are enjoying one of the elite hotels in Guatemala, or all of Latin America.   I'm sure it was tough to enjoy such tough settings!

Meanwhile, the rest of the Woodwards were in Silver Spring, awaiting the return of the Guatemala contingent. 

Guatemala Day 7: to Lake Atitlán

Gabi and Eli got to visit come coffee plantations, and then an amazing start of a two night stay at Hotel Atitlán.  Talk about a picturesque setting!

Soccer Camp: Day 3

Well, much to Rania's (hopefully mock) horror, we abandoned her for another day.  Based on the picture of getting to go blueberry picking, she didn't look too devastated.

Reeve and Daniel got to go to the third day of soccer camp and we had another day in Ohio before heading off to DC to rendezvous with our dear daughter, lost in the clutches of Auntie Marta and Uncle Mark's amazing love (and Monopoly Empire Edition, Blueberry picking and Micah, of course!).

Guatemala Day 6: Antigua

Gabi and Eli got to visit one of the best preserved colonial cities in all of Latin America.  In addition to the city, there was the true amazement of watching the volcano erupt - both during the day with the ash, as well as seeing the glowing lava at night.  Wow!

Soccer Camp Day 2

Another glorious evening in Northwest Ohio.  Another evening of soccer camp, where Reeve and Daniel got to show their footwork and skills, doing quite well while also improving and getting some exercise.

Now we decide when to head out to DC: tomorrow or the next day? 

Park

On the way home from the Imagination Station, we stopped, enjoyed the great weather and had a bit of time outside.  Not sure the classic "jump" picture quite worked out as the photographer wanted.  Sigh.

Imagination Station

We had the chance to visit the Imagination Station, which was a fun chance for the simulator, for riding the bike and getting to enjoy one of our favorite museums in Toledo.  With kids getting older and our membership expiring, we wonder how much we'll be returning to visit the Imagination Station.  Sure is a fun way to spend part of a day and a great indoor facility for kids. 

The kids did especially well on the BOYO, where you use your own weight in order to get to the top with the pulley system. 

Reeve and Daniel also tried the bike, with one of them a bit more comfortable riding in mid air than the other!

Gautemala Day 5: Tikal & Antigua

With more time on the bus and travel, Eli and Gabi got to celebrate Grandma's birthday with a trip to the elegant Porta hotel.  With lots of beautiful jungle landscapes, a fun pool and fun rooms, it truly is amazing the experiences the kids were getting to have!

Soccer Camp

With Daniel getting to visit, he and Reeve signed up for a soccer camp at TCS.  It was a fun opportunity for them to get some experience learn some skills and have some fun.  With Monday arriving, the camp started.  Being able to enjoy the cool weather (and long grass) made for a delightful evening outside. 

Guatemala Day 4: Tikal

What an experience for Gabi & Eli, getting to visit the 700 BC ruins of Tikal.  An UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is quite an amazing place, and a once in a lifetime experience for the lucky few to get to visit it.  Some steep stairs and great memories for the grandkids (and grandparents!).

Mud Hens Game

We went and watched some baseball with the Toledo Mud Hens in town.  It was a good late afternoon / evening game, complete with some fun fireworks after the game.  We ended up getting a whole host of free sausages as the promotional giveaway.   Somehow, I'm not sure we ended up with any pictures, though!

After Church

After church on Sunday, we made our way to the Mexican restaurant, not far from Golfgate, the childhood home of the Quinn family.  While waiting for the restaurant to open, we hung out by the library, with a little chitchat, some tag among the kids and some time to enjoy the amazingly cool weather. 

At the restaurant, one little girl ended up with enough food!