Out East --Part II

Sorry for the lack of updates. I have so much to post about, I don't know where to begin.. so I just don't blog! :)
Anyways, back to our trip.



After Niagra Falls, we traveled a couple more hours and then stopped and stayed at Embassy Suites. It was so nice to relax and get a good nights sleep!


We traveled six more hours and went to Stowe, Vermont, where we stayed for 4 days. We made reservations at a Bed & Breakfast, but after looking at it we decided to keep looking. We found a way better place for a way better price!

The next day there was a chance of rain, so we went to Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Factory!

It was kinda fun..they give tours and samples.

Then of course we had to get some after the sample!! :) Wow, that stuff is RICH!

In front of the old delivery truck.

We of course had to have a Coffee stop!

All they sell/serve in Vermont is this coffee. We stocked up on it because it is SO good!

One night we played games in the big living room downstairs of the Inn. It was such a neat room!

The next day we went hiking. We thought we were going to hike to the highest peak in Vermont, but it would've been a steep 20 mile hike!

I think we hikedaround 8 miles or so.

So Pretty!

So we went hiking one day, and biking the next! We just rented the bikes and went on a 10 mile bike trail. It was really flat and easy.

On the way back, we stopped at a creek and played in it for a while to cool down.

It was really deep!

Ok, so just one more post and then I should be done with this trip! :)

Now there's a big blank spot.......................

Niagra Falls

Well hello everyone.

Sorry about the no blogging thing... We just got back from a 10 day trip. We went to Minnesota for Caleb's wedding, Niagra Falls, Vermont, and then to Connecticut for my cousin Toby's wedding. It was LOTS of driving, but it was totally worth it.

I'm going to start at the beginning and slowly post about it. :)

We left for Caleb's wedding Saturday morning. We weren't even there 24 hours because we left the reception right away and started the 24 hr drive to Niagra.

The happy couple -- Caleb & Heidi

It was a short, but good weekend.

We drove all night and got to Niagra Falls at 1:00pm. (We might've gotten there a little earlier, if it wouldn't have been for my little detour :)
The Rapids

The Falls - so pretty!

It was kind of disapointing that we couldn't go to the Canadian side.

The Fam - don't we just look lovely after a whole day in the van?

I wanted to go down underneath the falls and walk around at the bottom... but it cost a lot, and I don't think it would've been worth it. :)

Us Kiddos

I promise I will continue to post about the trip! So keep checking back! :)

Gramma Schick

Here's that detailed post I said I would do about Grandma.


Grandma is HOME. After a month with no food, and very little liquids, Grandma died very peacefully. It's just amazing how long she held on. She has always been really strong for an 80 yr old woman!

Most of you know that she had Stomach Cancer last Summer, and had 80% of her stomach removed. She had many complications and after 2 very long, hard months, she finally got to go home from the hospital.

It was so hard to see her make such a turn last summer. Just 2 days before her surgery, she was mowing her lawn. Then just a week later, she was in ICU with infections, and all sorts of complications. She hadn't been herself since surgery, but was pretty close, even though she never got off her feeding tube. Last Fall/Winter she was driving and going to church. She made all the Tea Rings for the Schick Christmas!

Then Uncle Ted died, and that just really made a difference.
Ever since February, she went down hill slowly. She had no desire to live.

She has been at my Aunt Jeanne's for the past 3 months. And within the last month, we have spent so much time there. Every night our family would go up there for supper, and sometimes the other Schick families would too. This may sound dumb, but thanks soo much to all of you who brought food. It helped tremendously!

Anyways, even though we knew all this was coming, the past week has been pretty emotional. (Partly b/c I'm such an emotional person)
But she's really gone now, and it seems so weird to think that. Especially because ever since last summer we've spent soo much time with her.
I'm not having a little pity party here or anything, but I don't have any Grandparents. Grandma Schick was the last. And maybe that's what made it a little harder.

My cousin said, "I lost the Grandma I knew a year ago." So True. And all she's wanted to do since then, is to go to her home in Heaven. That's where she is now, along with Grandpa, Uncle Ted, Uncle Steve, all her Sisters and Brothers and so many more.

Grandma will always be remembered as a hard worker and a person who truly loved the Lord.
Some people probably say, "oh, it's just a Grandma." But life will still be so much different without her.

Again, thanks so much to all of you who brought meals or have helped us in anyway. I don't know what we would've done without you wonderful people!

Grandma Dolly

Grandma passed away Thursday afternoon. It's been a busy couple days, and I don't have the time to write a deep/detailed post at the moment, but I will in a few days. Here is her obituary:

Washington - Pauline C. “Dolly” Schick, 85, of Washington, died at 4:45 p.m. Thursday, July 30, 2009, at her daughter’s home in Eureka. She passed away at peace with her Lord surrounded by her family.

She was born Dec. 21, 1923, in Lester, Iowa, to Carl and Pauline (Knobloch) Feucht. She married John F. Schick, Jr. on Dec. 5, 1948, in Rock Rapids, Iowa. He preceded her in death on Oct. 18, 1988. She also was preceded in death by two sons, Steve and Ted Schick; nine brothers and four sisters.

Surviving are her children, Tom (Carol) Schick of Morton, Jeanne (John) Dotterer of Eureka, Sandy (Dan) Guingrich of Indianapolis, Ind., Bill (Joan) Schick of Magdalena, Sonora, Mexico, Mary (Max) Pfaffmann of Washington and Scott (Dawn) Schick of Morton; her daughter-in-law, Ann (Dave) Zobrist of Congerville; 30 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; one brother, John Feucht of Morton; and was also survived by many nieces and nephews whom she loved greatly.

Dolly was baptized in 1949, served the Lord, her family and others all of her life and was a member of the Washington Apostolic Christian Church. She volunteered at the Women’s Pregnancy Center in Peoria for many years.

Memorials:
The House of Life and Hope (CVE) Orphanage, Magdalena, Mexico, or Charity of the Donor's Choice
Cemetery:
Washington Apostolic Christian Church Cemetery


Visitations:
1:00PM to 4:00PM and 6:00 to 8:00 PM on Sunday, August 2nd, 2009 at Knapp - Johnson Funeral Home
9:00AM to 9:45AM on Monday, August 3rd, 2009 at Washington Apostolic Christian Church
Services:
10:00AM at Washington Apostolic Christian Church on Monday, August 3rd, 2009