Plaudagei, Iola, KS, United States

Perrydotto


Posted Dec 14, 2011, 6:47 am
This is not an actual log entry just yet, mama Perrydotto tells me - There have been some issues with the ToyVoyagers site and she's working to resolve them. Aw, what a shame, I was looking forward to talking about myself! Hopefully soon, then!

Crawk!
- Plaudagei
Perrydotto


Posted Dec 19, 2011, 7:56 am
Moin moin and hello, you there!
This is my real REAL first entry to my log and I am so excited you can't even imagine! I get to talk about myself and my home and my mama and papa everything! It's great!  I'm going to be a ToyVoyager, can you believe it?!
I personally think my descriptions would suffice,  but mama said that people love photos, so I had her take a couple. I hope you like them!

This is me in mama und papa's bed with a couple of my plushie friends! I wish all of them could have been in the photo but mama said she couldn't possibly fit them all on the bed. Pff, she should have at least tried, don't you think?
But no worries, it's still a nice photo and you can see a glimpse of just how many awesome toys live at mama's place! It's wonderful!

http://i.lulzimg.com/b25d56eb78.jpg

Right next to me here is Eufemia, one of my best toy friends. She's a crotcheted blue owl mama bought from an online friend and we've been hanging around a lot ever since. Eufemia is a great listener! She says she maybe wants to travel around the world sometime too, but prefers to stay at home for now and see how my adventures unfold. I will do my best, Eufemia!

http://i.lulzimg.com/966bfc7bc5.jpg

This is mama's boyfriend Richard, who she calls Chi and I call papa. He's a really fun guy, but so TOTALLY not a morning person! I mean, look at him - Does that look even half awake to you? And my pecking did no good, either!

http://i.lulzimg.com/9078ec1fff.jpg

This is what the neighborhood looks like. If you didn't know this was taken a couple of days before Christmas, you wouldn't believe it, huh? Mama said snow is great and wishes I could see some when I travel because the northern parts of Germany get snow very rarely. I personally hope it will snow for Christmas because I'm sure it would be so pretty - Like white fluff everywhere, right? I just wish it wasn't cold - Mama said it's frozen water and I'm a tropical bird, so ... brrrr!

http://i.lulzimg.com/5a2cce38b0.jpg

Thinking too much about frozen things makes me all cold, oh my! Better snuggle into mama's winter hat and have a cup of hot tea. (I just wish mama had a better variation of cups ... one sillier than the other!)

http://i.lulzimg.com/70e6827242.jpg

One of the advantages of winter in Germany - Advent calendars! Every day from the first of December to the 24th, you get a piece of chocolate or, in this case, Lebkuchen, the traditional German version of gingerbread! Mama let me nibble on some and let me tell you, it's delicious!

http://i.lulzimg.com/0d10cc5231.jpg

This here is mama's desk and workplace! It's quite messy, pff! She says it's because she's an artist and artists are always messy, but I don't QUITE buy that ...

http://i.lulzimg.com/6526070223.jpg

This are figurines from a show mama likes. It really puzzles me because I never took her to be one for girly shows with cartoon ponies ... Apparently, my fellow soon-to-be ToyTraveller Princess Celestia is from that show, too! Well, if it contains royalty, I better not speak too loudly about the silliness of the show or I might get thrown into prison or something!

http://i.lulzimg.com/d2a1cb9b51.jpg

Mama says I should call it a day for now because if I talk too much, people might not even read the log anymore! Pff, for shame, that would be rude!
Here, have this - Mama helped me learn how to draw!

http://i.lulzimg.com/b086d72553.jpg

I hope this will be me soon!

http://i.lulzimg.com/23b6854ca2.jpg

Bye for now - Crawk!
- Plaudagei
Takata


Posted Mar 8, 2012, 3:05 pm
Dear Mummy, dear Daddy, dear Eufemia!

I arrived at Lichtenfels yesterday. I had to wait a few hours in the postbox. Suddenly my envelope was taken out and I were brought into the house.
Then I heard a lot of rustling.

The envelope was opened! The first thing I saw was a big grey something. I was a little bit afraid and wondered what this should be!

Later on I learned who this was. But in the next moment a little cock came into my envelope and asked me if I want to come out.

Oh yes, I want to!

Then I saw the whole gang who lives here!

The big something was the big nose of the mouse Knabber, who is no TV but lives here. He is very cute!

After they welcomed me I noticed that I was veeeeeeeeeeery hungry. Hostdad had a delicious lemon cake, yummieyummie!!!

Then I was introduced to Wavy Gravy from California. He is as colourful as I am :D He showed me his red nose and allowed me to wear it, look how funny!

This was my first day at Lichtenfels!

I hope you donīt miss me!

Yours, Plaudagei
Takata


Posted Mar 17, 2012, 5:17 pm
Dear Mummy!

I hope in Hamburg is spring, too. Here wa had a wonderful day! So we decided to go to our hostsīgarden!

I helped as good as I could with the garden work.

We found some crocusses, a typical spring flower. Soooooooooooo pretty! Then we rested in the sun, it was such a good feeling to enjoy the sun on my belly  :D

Love you!

Your Plaudagei
Takata


Posted Mar 22, 2012, 6:09 pm
Mummy, Mummy, Mummy!

What an adventure!

Hostdad organized that we could ride a Ferrari! A real Ferrari! It was so sensational! We sat down on the soft leather of the drivers seat and even on the hood! I will save all my money to get a car like this!  B)

Love you, Mummy (even without Ferrari  ;) )

Kisses, Plaudagei
Takata


Posted Mar 26, 2012, 4:50 pm
Dear Mummy!
Today we made a trip by bike. Ok, we tried to go by bike, but it didnīt work well  :rolleyes:
Fortunately hostdad has a big backpack and so we traveled comfortable uphill.  B)

In front of the famous rococo basilica Vierzehnheiligen we stopped. It was built by Balthasar Neumann in the 18th century. It is a famous church of pilgrimage, too. Look how big the front is, according to us TVs!

Behind the church is another grand building, the brewery Trunk. I tasted original franconian dark beer. Believe it or believe it not, it tasted sooooooooooooooo yummie,  ;)

Love you and wish you all the very best!

Your Plaudagei
Takata


Posted Apr 6, 2012, 4:21 pm
Hey Mummy!

Today we saw a lot of interesting things!

At first we vistited the small rabbits in the garden. I was allowed to pet them. Oh, how soft their fur is!

Then we went to the city of Lichtenfels to the ice cream parlour. We( Billy, hostmum, hostdad and me) looked at the menu. We decided to order 2 cappuccino for us TVs B) and a strawberry cup for Billy. It was to big for the samll Billy and so I could taste, too  ;)

It was soooo yummieeeeeeeeeee!!!

After coming home I drove a round on the little motor scooter. It is such a great feeling to drive through the kitchen  :D

Soon weīll go on holidays! I am so excited!

Love you, Mummy!

Yours, Plaudagei
Takata


Posted Apr 8, 2012, 3:44 pm
Happy easter, Mummy!

Toady we were in the garden because hostdad said he saw a bunny with a big basket. Okkkkkkkkk, hostdad sees bunnies!!! :rolleyes:

But in fact, we found a lot of sweets in the garden. A bug in the tree (thank god I am a good flyer!) and an egg in the stones.
Altogether we found a whole basket of sweets!

Yours, Plaudagei
Takata


Posted Apr 16, 2012, 4:52 pm
Hey Mummy!

Yesterday we arrived at our holiday home in Denmark. We have our own spa area in the house. And a few of the TVs used is today  :D

At first we jumped into the whirlpool, then we made a hot session in the sauna and at least we relaxed in the solarium.

Love you, yours, Plaudagei
Takata


Posted Apr 22, 2012, 4:49 pm
Hello Mum!

Today we celebrated Baerle s and Maeusle s birthday.

We sang "Happy Birthday"  to them. Later we were invited for coffee and chocolate cake!

Itīs great to have a party with so much TVs!

I gave them a big hug!

Greetings to Hamburg, Plaudagei
Takata


Posted Apr 24, 2012, 8:59 pm
Hey Mummy!

Today we were in Fanö by ferry! It was very foggy so the pictures are not very good :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

We were with the car on the ferry and so we could make some nonsense while we were on the water.

On the little island we found a restaurant. I felt like in grandmaīs livingroom, but it was really a restaurant with very yummie lunch!


Love you, Plaudagei
Takata


Posted May 13, 2012, 6:32 pm
Hi Mummy!

Have a nice Mothers Day!

I love you and miss you!!!!!

Yours, Plaudagei
Takata


Posted May 18, 2012, 3:29 pm
Dear Mummy!

Today itīs time to leave Lichtenfels and Germany. I will start my big journey across the ocean.

I took the chance to chat with the US TVs here, Wavy Gravy and Cheerio. They told me a lot about their homecountry. I canīt wait to arrive!

All TVs here gave me a big hug and wished my a good travel and all the best for my TV life! I hope we will meet again!

Love you, Mummy!

Yours, Plaugagei
MamiTig


Posted Jun 2, 2012, 5:28 pm
Plaudagei arrived safely in Iola, Kansas, USA!
MamiTig


Posted Jun 2, 2012, 5:35 pm
The host family took me to their dress rehearsal for thier dance recital! The theme is "An International Affair" and they had a lot of amazing dances, representing all sorts of different countries!
MamiTig


Posted Jun 3, 2012, 6:15 am
Tonight was opening night! We learned about the "break a leg" tradition. To wish stage performers good luck, you tell them "break a leg" and bring a gift. It was fun to spend time with all the kids in the waiting area downstairs from the stage! I was happy that I also got to do some watching from the wings :)
MamiTig


Posted Jun 4, 2012, 5:15 am
I stayed back stage in the waiting area during the last night of dance recital, with host mom. She took me for a peek in the dressing rooms when the kids were all on stage for the opening act!
MamiTig


Posted Jun 5, 2012, 1:22 pm
We went to help a nice lady named Miss Lula in her garden. So much to explore!
MamiTig


Posted Jun 6, 2012, 4:46 am
Plaudagei appreciates that host mom's new project has something to do with Pokemon...
MamiTig


Posted Jun 7, 2012, 5:42 am
Plaudagei met a baby blue jay today :)
MamiTig


Posted Jun 8, 2012, 5:56 am
Today, host mom took us to see the caboose at the head of the Garnett rail trail. The rail trail is many miles of hiking and biking trail,  that runs along the lines of an old railroad corridor.
MamiTig


Posted Jun 10, 2012, 1:52 am
We visited Arnold's Greenhouse! It's such a magically relaxing place, with all of the amazing plants and flowers!
MamiTig


Posted Jun 11, 2012, 5:25 am
After visiting Arnold's Greenhouse, we visited a curious place called Luther's Beef Jerky and Convenience Store. There were lots of unusual things there!
MamiTig


Posted Jun 12, 2012, 5:22 am
Plaudagei  enjoyed Sabbath supper at the SDA church.
MamiTig


Posted Jun 13, 2012, 4:16 am
We took host mom's parents to meet Lula and work in the garden. It's looking so pretty and nice as all the weeds get gone!
MamiTig


Posted Jun 16, 2012, 1:46 am
Plaudagei really enjoyed a Mexican dinner at El Charro!
MamiTig


Posted Jun 17, 2012, 8:30 pm
Today we went to the Farmer's Market- then we got to go to El Charro for the second time this week, to celebrate a birthday! Yay! :)
MamiTig


Posted Jun 18, 2012, 1:34 pm
Today we went to Deanna Rose Farmstead! There were so many fun things to see and do. The gardens are lovely and the petting zoo animals were very curious. We had fun playing and exploring!
MamiTig


Posted Jun 20, 2012, 5:05 am
After visiting Deanna Rose Park, we went to China Star for dinner. Some people think that dessert is the very best part!
MamiTig


Posted Jun 21, 2012, 5:05 am
There are always interesting things to see and do in Lula's garden! We had fun exploring! :)
MamiTig


Posted Jun 22, 2012, 4:25 am
The ToyVoyagers loved the tooth fairy bench at Legends Drive Dental!
MamiTig


Posted Jun 22, 2012, 5:05 am
Host mom was really excited that she finished her daughter's Prinplup costume today! :) Only about a month until Tokyo in Tulsa and she can show it off!
MamiTig


Posted Jun 24, 2012, 7:21 am
One of the host family boys was in a play this morning, at the community theater. It was all very exciting!
MamiTig


Posted Jun 25, 2012, 6:22 am
Today I went fossil hunting with the host family! It was so pretty and we skipped rocks and saw lots and lots of interesting things :)
MamiTig


Posted Jun 26, 2012, 4:54 am
Host mom took us to the south lake in Garnett to watch the geese at lunch hour and we got a special surprise! She had to take pictures through the windshield so she didn't scare it away, and couldn't get a close up shot with me in it to show the details of what we were looking at, so please forgive (but enjoy) the picture that shows closer up!
MamiTig


Posted Jun 28, 2012, 4:54 am
Today was a quiet day, just visiting with the hedgehogs.
MamiTig


Posted Jun 29, 2012, 6:39 pm
Today I explored host mom's garden! It was lovely!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 1, 2012, 8:30 pm
Host mom had errands to run in Chanute, so we stopped at Santa Fe Park to have a picnic and play. It was very hot (over 100F) so we were very glad that the park is mostly shade!!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 2, 2012, 6:08 am
I went to a party with the host family, to celebrate a couple of birthdays (including America's)! We had water balloons, snacks, fireworks, and all sorts of fun!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 4, 2012, 12:12 am
There are always so many amazing things to explore in Lula's garden! :) Host mom's oldest daughter took my travel pictures today :)
MamiTig


Posted Jul 4, 2012, 4:41 am
Host mom said that even old, broken down things can be beautiful. She showed us this old, abandoned building in Garnett as an example!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 5, 2012, 5:29 am
Host mom started a new sewing project today. She said it's going to be a costume, that will be entered in the cosplay contest at Tokyo in Tulsa! I can't wait to see how it turns out! :)
MamiTig


Posted Jul 8, 2012, 10:56 pm
The host family got the car all packed and ready to head out on an exciting adventure!  :D
MamiTig


Posted Jul 10, 2012, 2:54 am
About four hours after we packed into the car, we arrived at Broken Arrow Ranch for family camp! The host family unpacked everything, and then took us on some grand adventures! It was so nice to end the day with campfire, overlooking sunset on the lake.
MamiTig


Posted Jul 10, 2012, 1:34 pm
The second day of family camp was just as amazing as the first! We started with a yummy breakfast and morning worship. Then the host family went horseback riding. We didn't get to see that because host mom was worried we'd get lost or hurt. Then we had lunch, played in the basement, and then we had to wait while the host family went ziplining. We got to see the equipment, but again, we had to stay behind because host mom was worried for our wellbeing. In the late afternoon, we played on the beach at the Tuttle Creek reservoir and that was so  relaxing!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 11, 2012, 3:02 am
Day three at camp was just as wonderful as the first two days! We climbed up the hill to the nurse's cabin to enjoy the view of the lodge. After breakfast, we went for a hike through the woods. In the afternoon, we celebrated a baptism in the lake (but sadly, host mom didn't get a picture of me there). It was a lovely day!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 11, 2012, 3:57 am
On the way home from camp, we stopped to fuel up in Lyndon, KS. Host mom remarked that this is the first time she's ever seen gas prices fall during summer!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 11, 2012, 4:31 am
Ready for another road trip! This time, the packing is light.
MamiTig


Posted Jul 12, 2012, 1:59 am
After four hours in the car, we arrived at Lives Under Construction Ranch, where one of the brothers will be staying for a month of summer camp!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 12, 2012, 4:54 am
On the way home, we stopped in Ozark, MO to stretch our legs, look in the tourist shops, and enjoy a meal at Lambert's (home of the famous "throwed rolls")!!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 13, 2012, 1:21 pm
Host mom  and her youngest daughter took me and the other TVs for an evening walk down Elm and First streets. We looked at all the pretty houses!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 14, 2012, 1:35 am
We took a look at the Farmer's Market tonight, to see what was for sale! They hold the market every Thursday evening, on the town square, when the weather is nice :)
MamiTig


Posted Jul 14, 2012, 3:56 am
Today some men came and started digging out the bricks on the south side of the host family's house! Host mom said they are contractors and they are fixing the foundation. We were very curious about what they are doing!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 14, 2012, 6:11 am
We went up to the town square to see what all the excitement was about! Today is the Mad Bomber Run, and there was a car show and a motorcycle show, and entertainment. Here's the website that tells about the historical event that inspired the modern Mad Bomber Run!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 14, 2012, 6:37 am
The contractors came again today and jackhammered at the foundation. Now all of the stone blocks under the south wall are gone, and three little jacks are holding up the side of the house! Yikes!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 15, 2012, 6:45 pm
We enjoyed a lovely vegetarian supper after Sabbath services at the SDA church today!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 17, 2012, 4:34 am
A birthday at El Charros! I just love celebrations! :)
MamiTig


Posted Jul 17, 2012, 4:47 am
The foundation work continues to progress... that's a lot of rocks!!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 18, 2012, 3:31 am
We did a little sightseeing on the grounds while waiting to check three of the kids in at summer camp. I wish I were staying, it is so lovely at Hidden Haven!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 19, 2012, 3:17 am
We went to the Ralph Mitchell Zoo in Independence, KS! It is an old zoo that is very lovely. The Monkey Island is the birth place of the first monkey in space!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 19, 2012, 1:39 pm
On the way home from the zoo, host mom noticed this lovely abandoned school house on the prairie, so we stopped to take a picture! The clouds behind it were especially pretty; very much showing Kansas in the summer.
MamiTig


Posted Jul 20, 2012, 4:39 am
It was hot and everyone was hungry, so we stopped at a Dairy Queen for sweet ice cream treats!  :D
MamiTig


Posted Jul 20, 2012, 5:32 am
We had to pull over in Chanute to marvel at the rainbow! If you look closely, you can see that it turned into a double rainbow!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 23, 2012, 4:29 am
They're making good progress on the host family's foundation!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 23, 2012, 5:56 am
The foundation will soon be done!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 23, 2012, 1:36 pm
We crossed into the Cherokee Nation as we crossed the Oklahoma border, just south of Caney, KS.
MamiTig


Posted Jul 25, 2012, 1:23 pm
Our first night in Tulsa was wonderful! We got to the hotel and waited in line about 45 minutes for our room assignment. This turned out to be a blessing as they ran out of double rooms, so they upgraded us to a suite at no extra cost! The view was beautiful! :) Host mom was sad because when she was unpacking the car and I was up in the hotel room, she got in the elevator, and there was voice actor, Spike Spencer! She wished I were there so I could have fulfilled that life goal! She says if I am still here in late August, we'll be going to another convention and can try again. I still had fun wandering the convention (Tokyo in Tulsa) with the host family!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 26, 2012, 5:14 am
Most of our day two at Tokyo in Tulsa was spent at the pre-judging for the cosplay and skit contests, then at the panel about "Pokemon Gijinka" that the host family presented, wandering "artist alley" and then at the final cosplay contest! Host mom and two of her daughters won a judge's choice award in the cosplay contest!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 27, 2012, 5:43 am
On the last day of Tokyo in Tulsa, we took a last wander of the vendors room and ogled all of the fun and amazing things! :)
MamiTig


Posted Jul 27, 2012, 1:14 pm
We stopped in Bartlesville, OK, on the way home so that we could wash the "decorations" that birds left on the car while we were enjoying the convention!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 28, 2012, 4:11 am
We liked the new water saver look for the fountain at Legend's Drive Dental!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 28, 2012, 5:22 am
This year has been terrible for draught, and the corn is shriveling up in the fields :(
MamiTig


Posted Jul 29, 2012, 6:32 am
Storm shelters like these are a reminder of how deadly Kansas weather can become!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 30, 2012, 4:35 am
We had a delicious dinner at Pizza Street, to build up our energy for shopping!
MamiTig


Posted Jul 31, 2012, 3:19 am
Next we went shopping at Bass Pro Shops! It is an amazing place with just about anything you can imagine for outdoor sports. We bought 8 life jackets, so the host family can go rafting!
MamiTig


Posted Aug 2, 2012, 3:02 am
The host family took me to the Allen County Fair! We saw the livestock, the baby barn, and the amazing fair entries, ranging from vegetables to photography to baking to clothing construction.  :D
MamiTig


Posted Aug 2, 2012, 3:02 am
The host family took me to the Allen County Fair! We saw the livestock, the baby barn, and the amazing fair entries, ranging from vegetables to photography to baking to clothing construction.  :D
MamiTig


Posted Aug 3, 2012, 3:39 am
I liked what the host family had for dinner! Yummy!  :D
MamiTig


Posted Aug 4, 2012, 4:39 am
The local community garden has suffered from the drought, too. :( The only plants that stayed green had a lot of extra water!
MamiTig


Posted Aug 5, 2012, 9:26 pm
Today, the host family took me on a huge road trip! Our first stop for the day was at the National Fish Hatchery. We enjoyed the exhibits, then went outside to feed the fish. There was only one pond filled, and a family of ducks came to see the excitement! :)
MamiTig


Posted Aug 6, 2012, 4:43 am
Our next stop was the lovely, old cemetery in Neosho, on the way out of town.
MamiTig


Posted Aug 7, 2012, 5:09 am
The next stop was at the Lives Under Construction Ranch charity thrift shop, then on to Lives Under Construction Ranch! We completed our debriefing, then got to see what the boys on the ranch do during the summer camp. They help feed the animals, water trees, and camp out on the weekends!
MamiTig


Posted Aug 8, 2012, 3:10 am
We stopped at the scenic vista just north of Shell Knob, MO, where it seemed like we were on top of the world!
MamiTig


Posted Aug 9, 2012, 3:34 am
After a long day of traveling and exploring, we were HUNGRY! So we stopped in Carthage, MO for some authentic Central American food. It was so very good!
MamiTig


Posted Aug 12, 2012, 6:07 am
Plaudagei enjoyed visiting the local farmer's market! The pepper tasting was fun, but the Thai peppers were sure hot!
MamiTig


Posted Aug 12, 2012, 6:08 am
Plaudagei checked on the hedgehogs today, and found one that was very curious!
MamiTig


Posted Aug 13, 2012, 2:28 am
We went to Sabbath supper at the SDA church and enjoyed great food and great fellowship!
MamiTig


Posted Aug 14, 2012, 4:15 am
A picnic in the park was a perfect occasion for blowing bubbles! :)
MamiTig


Posted Aug 15, 2012, 12:55 am
Plaudagei met Spoink, the baby pig who is being bottle fed by the host family. Once he's big enough to be outside on a regular basis, he'll be going to a  family that plans to keep him as a farm pet for a 4-H project :)
MamiTig


Posted Aug 17, 2012, 8:48 pm
Host mom took me to see the Neosho River. She said that in the twelve years she's lived here, she's never seen it this dry. You can definitely see the results of the drought!!
MamiTig


Posted Aug 18, 2012, 8:42 pm
Today I experienced an anime convention called Motaku! We are going to be here for the whole weekend and it's so fun! Today I played in the board game room and met people in costumes!
MamiTig


Posted Aug 20, 2012, 3:47 am
We had lots more fun at Motaku today! We went to several interesting panels and people watched! I met the cutest little Piplup :)
MamiTig


Posted Aug 20, 2012, 5:13 am
I met one of my life goals today- meeting a professional voice actor! I sat in on Tia Ballard's panel on women in anime, and after the panel, host mom asked Tia if she would pose with me for a picture. She did, and she is so sweet! :)
MamiTig


Posted Aug 21, 2012, 5:58 am
We visited the host family's friends and met their cats! They have nine cats, and this was my favorite.
MamiTig


Posted Aug 23, 2012, 2:32 am
The host family loves to go to Red Robin for the amazingly delicious veggie burgers!
MamiTig


Posted Aug 24, 2012, 6:46 pm
Sunflowers are the Kansas state flower, and this sunflower grew in the host family's back yard! It got really, really, really tall all summer, then it bent over, and now it has little sunflowers!
MamiTig


Posted Aug 26, 2012, 6:04 am
It finally rained today!! It was very badly needed. Host mom said she heard that two days ago, one of the small towns in our county ran out of water. Everything is dry and there have been fires. I sure hope we keep getting more rain!
MamiTig


Posted Aug 28, 2012, 5:35 am
We walked over to the Cottonwood Garden to see what is left as summer starts to fade. The Cottonwood Garden was just a vacant lot until someone bought it, landscaped it, and donated it back to the city for everyone to enjoy.
MamiTig


Posted Aug 31, 2012, 3:34 am
Two of the giant's brothers took Arizona, Tucker, Wotan, Sissi, Sundy, Fidditch, Hryusha, Vriendje, Snakiey, Bambi, Kalso, Kali, Ming Jung, Jellybean, Chrissy, Strider, Anastaysia, Faschi, Mini-Mina, and myself to the playground at the elementary school today! We played on all of the equipment and had sooo much fun!
MamiTig


Posted Sep 1, 2012, 3:18 am
Host mom had to go to Burlington to testify on a court case, so we came along. She showed us some of the pretty murals that decorate the town!
MamiTig


Posted Sep 2, 2012, 1:48 am
Host mom made colorful pancakes today! She uses this recipe, but said that she adds vanilla to make them extra fluffy. They sure turn out delicious and disappear fast!
MamiTig


Posted Sep 4, 2012, 1:42 pm
Today we went exploring at Elm Creek! It was hot out, but the shade of the trees made it kind of nice. We explored the north side of the creek, then drove back around to the bridge so that we could explore and see the south side. Host mom has lived here for 12 years, and this was the first time she ever explored this part of Elm Creek!
MamiTig


Posted Sep 5, 2012, 5:09 am
Today we stopped and took a look at beautiful, historical Fort Scott!
MamiTig


Posted Sep 5, 2012, 1:30 pm
I got a close up look at the newborn hedgehogs!
MamiTig


Posted Sep 7, 2012, 3:44 am
We visited the Farmer's Market this evening and bought a few things. The vendors were closing down while we were there, and some nice ladies gave us peach pies and cinnamon rolls, too! :)
MamiTig


Posted Sep 10, 2012, 12:58 am
Today we enjoyed great company and delicious food at the SDA church supper!
MamiTig


Posted Sep 11, 2012, 4:38 am
Host mom and her oldest daughter went ghost hunting at the Pythian Castle! They joined members of the Paranormal Task Force and learned how to use some really cool equipment! It was a mostly quiet night, but there was an electromagnetic field that hovered in one room for over half an hour that had no explainable source we could figure out! Some women felt their hair pulled and backpacks pulled on, and then could not initially leave the tunnel below the castle. They got really spooked, but host mom and her daughter didn't experience any thing scary! For more pictures of their experience, you can click here!
MamiTig


Posted Sep 13, 2012, 4:14 am
On the way home from visiting the haunted castle, we stopped at the Precious Moments chapel to take a break and breathe in the peace and beauty that is there.
MamiTig


Posted Sep 14, 2012, 4:23 am
Host mom stopped at Twin Trestles to take a photo shoot with us this morning. The sky was pale gray and threatening rain, and the late summer flowers were in bloom, but the leaves aren't turning autumn colors yet. The water in the river was nearly all dried up. This is one of host mom's favorite local places to take pictures!
MamiTig


Posted Sep 16, 2012, 7:31 pm
The host family took me to Marsha's Great Plains Deli today... they swear it's the best deli in the Midwest! The sandwiches were amazing!!
MamiTig


Posted Sep 17, 2012, 5:01 am
Host mom had to take a trip out to Nevada, MO and stopped to show us the lovely building that is now Heartland Behavioral Health Services. Like the Pythian Castle we went to recently, it was originally an orphanage. You can read about the history of the building here.
MamiTig


Posted Sep 21, 2012, 4:42 am
We got to celebrate a birthday! It was so much fun to see the presents unwrapped! :)
MamiTig


Posted Sep 25, 2012, 2:19 am
We enjoyed church supper today, and a visit by friendly goats.
MamiTig


Posted Sep 26, 2012, 3:53 am
We went to the Kansas City Renaissance Festival and saw so many amazing things! Around every corner there was something new to see or do! The performers and shopkeepers were so incredibly nice to us, too :)
MamiTig


Posted Sep 28, 2012, 1:40 pm
Mmmm, Red Robin has the best veggie burgers and other stuff! :)
MamiTig


Posted Sep 30, 2012, 3:34 am
I inspected the progress on host mom's latest project!
MamiTig


Posted Oct 1, 2012, 4:33 am
One of host mom's daughters is taking a photography class for her after school program and had an assignment to look for patterns. On Saturday, after Sabbath school and while waiting for potluck, we helped her look for patterns!
MamiTig


Posted Oct 3, 2012, 5:44 am
Host mom took us down to see the Neosho River today. She was amazed that even after all the rain we have had, it is still incredibly low!
MamiTig


Posted Oct 4, 2012, 4:59 am
Host mom finished her project today- a dress for her oldest daughter!
MamiTig


Posted Oct 7, 2012, 4:09 am
Host mom got her new full spectrum camera in this week, so we decided to take it somewhere interesting to try it out. We visited the Galemore Cemetery, and host mom took pictures with both full spectrum and her regular camera.
MamiTig


Posted Oct 8, 2012, 2:55 am
Plaudagei inspected the cranes that host mom's oldest daughter is making. She says she wants to make 1,000 cranes so she can make a wish.
MamiTig


Posted Oct 9, 2012, 4:53 am
Host mom is finishing up another costume... she calls this one "Little Red Fighting Good"!
MamiTig


Posted Oct 10, 2012, 4:32 am
Today was host mom's birthday!
MamiTig


Posted Oct 14, 2012, 12:02 am
We were supposed to go to the high school football game today, but lightning, thunder, and torrential rain meant it got postponed. We took shelter in a nearby recreation building and watched the middle school and high school bands at marching practice!
MamiTig


Posted Oct 15, 2012, 12:16 am
Another delicious vegetarian Sabbath supper at the SDA church! :)
MamiTig


Posted Oct 16, 2012, 5:06 am
The stormy skies had an amazing yellow shade that we never could quite catch in a picture, but host mom did get these lovely pictures with her regular and full spectrum cameras.
MamiTig


Posted Oct 17, 2012, 4:55 am
Host mom is hard at work on another costume...
MamiTig


Posted Oct 18, 2012, 4:38 am
More progress! Host mom told us that inspiration for the design came from Edward Gorey.
MamiTig


Posted Oct 19, 2012, 4:33 am
Oh my! There was a ghost cat in the downstairs bathroom tonight...
MamiTig


Posted Oct 22, 2012, 4:25 am
We visited the Farm City Days celebration in downtown Iola today! We saw all sorts of things, like carnival rides a blacksmith, tractors, and vendor booths! It sure was a lot of fun!
MamiTig


Posted Oct 23, 2012, 5:41 am
We got to watch The Passing Zone performance at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center! We even had front row seats.
MamiTig


Posted Oct 27, 2012, 4:55 am
We met a new friend named Axie! Host mom was so happy that Axie joined her family because Axie is a squishable axolotl and #426 in the series!
MamiTig


Posted Oct 29, 2012, 1:11 am
Plaudagei enjoyed another Sabbath supper at the SDA church! :)
MamiTig


Posted Oct 30, 2012, 3:21 am
We took a visit to Twin Trestles, to see what autumn is doing to the landscape. The trees seem to be going straight to curled up and brown, or to leaves falling, without a lot of the usual pretty colors this year.
MamiTig


Posted Nov 2, 2012, 4:04 am
We visited the Attachment Center in Wichita, KS today. This is what it looked like outside and inside!
MamiTig


Posted Nov 4, 2012, 2:34 pm
On the way home from Wichita, host mom stopped to take a short walk and find the spring around which the Kansas town of Eureka was founded.
MamiTig


Posted Nov 5, 2012, 5:37 am
There were strange things afoot on Halloween!
MamiTig


Posted Nov 6, 2012, 3:49 am
Mmmmm! The Mexican food at El Charro is amazing! :) We tried the vegetarian fajitas today :)
MamiTig


Posted Nov 7, 2012, 1:36 pm
I helped host mom cut out her next sewing project!
MamiTig


Posted Nov 8, 2012, 5:33 am
Today we visited Grene Vision for an eye appointment and looked at all of the fun glasses! :)
MamiTig


Posted Nov 9, 2012, 4:22 am
The fall colors at the South lake are lovely in the morning!
MamiTig


Posted Nov 10, 2012, 3:13 am
I visited a charming little hedgehog in his hidey house today!
MamiTig


Posted Nov 12, 2012, 5:42 pm
After many hours in the car, we arrived at our hotel in Union, MO, where we rested up, to be ready for a night of paranormal investigation!
MamiTig


Posted Nov 15, 2012, 3:59 am
We spent the night at the Tri-County Truck Stop, a reportedly haunted location, on a paranormal investigation! Host mom didn't have room to take all of the TVs in so some of us only got to see the dining area. For the rest of the pictures, you can click here!
MamiTig


Posted Nov 17, 2012, 5:12 am
On the way home from the truck stop, we couldn't resist stopping at Lambert's for lunch. We had to wait an hour and a half to get in, but it was SO worth it! Yum, yum, yum!
MamiTig


Posted Nov 17, 2012, 8:24 pm
Host mom had to visit the court house in Garnett and showed us how lovely it looks!
MamiTig


Posted Nov 18, 2012, 1:57 am
Host mom has made some progress on her sewing project!
MamiTig


Posted Nov 19, 2012, 3:06 am
Today we enjoyed a Thanksgiving feast with the host family's friends at RiverTree. :)
MamiTig


Posted Nov 21, 2012, 3:59 am
We were fortunate to get to watch the very amazing Birdhouse Factory performance by Cirque Mechanics... every act was incredible and astounding!!
MamiTig


Posted Nov 23, 2012, 1:56 am
Host mom decided to cook something yummy for dinner and we got to help! She made Hungarian Noodles and Cabbage and it was so delicious that all the kids had seconds!
MamiTig


Posted Nov 24, 2012, 2:38 am
We very much enjoyed celebrating an American Thanksgiving with a community luncheon at St. Timothy's Episcopal church. Since the host family are vegetarians, they didn't eat the traditional turkey, but did enjoy mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, bread rolls, cranberry salad, and pumpkin desserts!
MamiTig


Posted Nov 25, 2012, 1:40 am
We got to enjoy another one of the host family's holiday traditions. We went for a leaf walk, to find colorful leaves to make a table centerpiece for tonight's Thanksgiving dinner! This is a tradition that host mom says has been practiced in her family for at least four generations now!
MamiTig


Posted Nov 25, 2012, 6:53 am
We got to help make Thanksgiving dinner! Sweet potato and Black Bean Enchiladas, white cheese mashed potatoes, dinner rolls, and cranberry sauce made up the menu!
MamiTig


Posted Nov 27, 2012, 6:06 am
The city of Iola kicked off the Christmas season with an event on the town square! The kids had a candy cane hunt and then we listened to a storyteller. We waited and waited, and then Santa came in on a fire truck to light the town's tree!!
MamiTig


Posted Nov 27, 2012, 6:06 am
The city of Iola kicked off the Christmas season with an event on the town square! The kids had a candy cane hunt and then we listened to a storyteller. We waited and waited, and then Santa came in on a fire truck to light the town's tree!!
MamiTig


Posted Nov 28, 2012, 6:45 am
Host mom finished her sewing project: bright yellow jeans for her oldest daughter! :)
MamiTig


Posted Dec 1, 2012, 5:46 am
Today we went to work with host mom and looked around her office.
MamiTig


Posted Dec 3, 2012, 6:26 am
We helped make Christmas ornaments at youth group. The ornaments will also double as book marks and the youth group kids will be giving them away as gifts. :)
MamiTig


Posted Dec 5, 2012, 5:31 am
Another yummy Sabbath potluck supper at the SDA church! :)
MamiTig


Posted Dec 7, 2012, 3:04 am
Host mom made a couple of pretty shirts for her middle daughter!
MamiTig


Posted Dec 8, 2012, 3:36 am
We went to the Bowlus Fine Arts center to watch the elementary school Christmas program!
MamiTig


Posted Dec 10, 2012, 2:33 am
Host mom took us for a late night walk so that we could enjoy some of the Christmas lights that people around town have used to decorate their homes!
MamiTig


Posted Dec 10, 2012, 5:15 am
We visited the Safari Museum in Chanute, KS and got to see and play with lots of fascinating artifacts from Africa and Borneo!
MamiTig


Posted Dec 12, 2012, 4:33 am
We found some lovely buildings in downtown Parsons, KS!
MamiTig


Posted Dec 13, 2012, 5:03 am
It was the coldest day so far this winter (17F) and host mom took us down to see the sun rising over the Neosho River. She is sad that it is still so low, and hopes we'll get lots of snowfall and then spring rains to fill it back up.
MamiTig


Posted Dec 16, 2012, 9:32 pm
We got to watch the Iola Middle School winter concert... strings, choir, band, and jazz band! The kids were fantastic, and it made my heart dance!  :D
MamiTig


Posted Dec 17, 2012, 5:58 am
The Classique Dance Studio Christmas party was wonderful! We got to see the little dancers, and take part in an indoor "snowball" fight!
MamiTig


Posted Dec 20, 2012, 4:41 am
We spent some time in the waiting room at Legend's Drive Dental today, while the host family all had their check ups!
MamiTig


Posted Dec 21, 2012, 3:14 am
After a long day, dinner at CeCe's Pizza was delicious! :)
MamiTig


Posted Dec 22, 2012, 4:37 am
Today was the first snow of winter! There wasn't much snow, but it sure was cold and gray!
MamiTig


Posted Dec 23, 2012, 1:30 am
Host mom made a super cute outfit for her youngest daughter, who loves bright, sunshiny colors!
MamiTig


Posted Dec 23, 2012, 3:54 am
Today we enjoyed a potluck at the SDA church! :)
MamiTig


Posted Dec 25, 2012, 5:11 am
We went Christmas caroling with friends from church, then enjoyed a super hot bonfire afterward! Everyone was trying to roast marshmallows but it was so hot that it was hard to get close enough to get them cooked! Perfect for a cold winter's night!
MamiTig


Posted Dec 26, 2012, 5:54 am
We enjoyed watching the host family celebrate Christmas! :) Merry Christmas to all! :)
MamiTig


Posted Dec 29, 2012, 7:15 pm
The host family had an invasion of blob plushies, so we got to visit with them! (The oldest daughter had made them for presents- aren't they cute?!).
MamiTig


Posted Dec 29, 2012, 11:54 pm
Host mom has been having fun with fleece... she made her littlest daughter this pretty coat!
MamiTig


Posted Dec 31, 2012, 5:00 am
Plaudagei made some tiny little friends today!
MamiTig


Posted Jan 2, 2013, 5:06 am
The new year greeted us with a light dusting of snow. There wasn't quite enough for a snowman, so we settled for a snow lump!
MamiTig


Posted Jan 3, 2013, 3:28 am
Mmmm, yummy! French toast for dinner!
MamiTig


Posted Jan 7, 2013, 4:47 am
One of the kids was sick with an ear infection, so we got to explore the doctor's office!
MamiTig


Posted Jan 7, 2013, 1:48 pm
We enjoyed another Sabbath potluck supper at the SDA church :)
MamiTig


Posted Jan 9, 2013, 6:43 pm
We went to the park to see the frozen water on Elm Creek! It sure was a chilly day!
MamiTig


Posted Jan 10, 2013, 5:01 am
We helped the host family make focaccia!
MamiTig


Posted Jan 13, 2013, 2:23 am
Plaudagei and some of the other TVs checked out the new coat that host mom made for her oldest middle daughter!
MamiTig


Posted Jan 15, 2013, 4:25 am
The host family made a bucket list of things they would like to do in the next 5 years! I wonder which ones I'll get to do with them!
MamiTig


Posted Jan 17, 2013, 5:10 am
The host family is musical and today, I got to see the oldest daughter's bass clarinet!
MamiTig


Posted Jan 18, 2013, 5:13 am
The host family accomplished the first thing off of their list of 148 things today: baking a pineapple upside down cake!
MamiTig


Posted Jan 20, 2013, 6:18 am
The host family crossed a second thing off of their list today: Taking the dogs to the dog park. The host family has three dogs named Bowly, Turtle, and Dove!
MamiTig


Posted Jan 22, 2013, 2:39 am
Host mom started a new project today, how exciting! She is using pretty red fleece! :)
MamiTig


Posted Jan 25, 2013, 5:28 am
Host mom introduced Plaudagei to the piccolo today!
MamiTig


Posted Jan 28, 2013, 1:43 pm
We enjoyed another delicious vegetarian Sabbath supper at the SDA church!  First, we helped set up, then we got to eat!
MamiTig


Posted Jan 28, 2013, 1:44 pm
Host mom bought a lovely little bouquet of sunflowers today!
MamiTig


Posted Jan 31, 2013, 3:23 am
We enjoyed lunch at Jin Shan Chinese buffet! They had so many delicious things to choose from :)
MamiTig


Posted Feb 1, 2013, 2:33 am
Plaudagei was fascinated with all of host mom's flutes and piccolos! Such pretty instruments! :)
MamiTig


Posted Feb 4, 2013, 5:52 am
February 2nd is Hedgehog Day, so we consulted the hedgehog to see what the weather is going to do. The hedgehog saw her shadow, predicting 6 more weeks of winter :(
MamiTig


Posted Feb 5, 2013, 1:38 pm
Today we tried Ethiopian food at Elsa's! The food was fantastic, the waitress was very nice, and the smooth jazz music playing in the background made for a lovely ambiance. :D
MamiTig


Posted Feb 8, 2013, 5:25 am
It's a birthday party! Watching presents being unwrapped is so much fun! :D
MamiTig


Posted Feb 11, 2013, 3:36 am
The host family took us to Pizza Hut for a middle school band fundraiser. We ate delicious potato wedges as an appetizer, before the pizza came!
MamiTig


Posted Feb 11, 2013, 1:44 pm
Mmmm, these SDA church suppers are full of vegetarian deliciousness! :D
MamiTig


Posted Feb 14, 2013, 5:39 am
We got to go to a second delicious vegetarian potluck today! This one was for the kids, as they were having a church lock-in for the night. :D
MamiTig


Posted Feb 15, 2013, 2:15 am
We investigated the new baritone! So pretty and shiny! :D
MamiTig


Posted Feb 16, 2013, 5:09 am
Host mom took us to the south lake to see the Canada geese. This is where they come when they head north and nest. The geese weren't quite as happy to see us as we were to see them, and kept their distance.
MamiTig


Posted Feb 17, 2013, 4:53 am
We had an unexpected bit of snow last night, and since there hasn't been much this winter, host mom hurried us out first thing in the morning, to get pictures before it melted!
MamiTig


Posted Feb 18, 2013, 3:25 am
This is the cement factory just outside of Chanute, KS. It's across the street from a music shop where host mom went to purchase a beginner baritone book for her daughter. This area sure is rural!
MamiTig


Posted Feb 19, 2013, 5:24 am
This country road leads past the Colony, Kansas water tower. Colony is a town of about 400 people, with many more cows than humans!
MamiTig


Posted Feb 21, 2013, 3:05 am
Today we visited Humboldt, KS and host mom was able to take us a lot closer to the cement plant there, to see what it looked like. It was huge and seemed to have lots of things going on!
MamiTig


Posted Feb 21, 2013, 9:59 pm
Can you tell that host mom and her daughters like nail polish?
MamiTig


Posted Feb 22, 2013, 5:06 am
There was a big snow storm, dropping lots of snow and ice on the area! School and work were cancelled today!
MamiTig


Posted Feb 23, 2013, 4:36 am
A warm brunch of pumpkin pancakes with white chocolate chips, served with fried eggs, sounded so very good on a cold winter's day!
MamiTig


Posted Feb 24, 2013, 6:03 am
Oh goody... preparing for another yummy Sabbath potluck supper at the Seventh Day Adventist church!
MamiTig


Posted Feb 25, 2013, 6:10 am
Plaudagei enjoyed trying the vegetarian fajita taco salad at El Charro's Mexican restaurant!
MamiTig


Posted Feb 27, 2013, 2:37 am
Host mom finished her third jacket, finally! She was very pleased with how it turned out, and her daughters were delighted to receive them!
MamiTig


Posted Mar 2, 2013, 12:23 am
We got round two of winter storms, so host mom got to stay home for the day. The weather man predicted 8 to 12 inches of snow, but we only got about two, and then it was warm enough to melt some of it off. Host mom took us for a walk in the neighborhood, to see how pretty it looked before the snow went away!
MamiTig


Posted Mar 4, 2013, 3:18 am
Plaudagei was very curious about host mom's new sewing project. The fabric sure is a bright, bold orange!
MamiTig


Posted Mar 9, 2013, 4:40 am
Host mom had to go to the post office to help some TVs continue in their journey. She was working in Garnett today so we stopped at the town square to see the court house and the mounds of snow that are still there from last week's storms, on the way to the post office!
MamiTig


Posted Mar 11, 2013, 2:59 am
Vegetarian lasagna, scalloped potatoes, and so many other delicious things... Sabbath potluck is always wonderful! :D
MamiTig


Posted Mar 13, 2013, 4:20 am
We traveled to Ottawa Music to get a piccolo repaired. It's a wonderful place, full of guitars and musical things both recognizable and mysterious. And they are super nice about answering questions!
MamiTig


Posted Mar 15, 2013, 3:32 am
Host mom finished the orange cape that she was making for her oldest daughter. It's so warm and cozy, perfect for TVs to snuggle in :D
MamiTig


Posted Mar 17, 2013, 5:17 am
Host mom took us to the north lake over her lunch hour. We explored the old stone shelter building and then took a look at the lake. It was nice to get out in the fresh air!
MamiTig


Posted Mar 18, 2013, 3:30 am
It was chilly today, but that didn't stop us from going to the park to see the historic Carnegie building and log cabin, and playing with some children that we found at the park!
MamiTig


Posted Mar 20, 2013, 1:50 am
Host mom got a special new T-shirt that she's all excited about! It's for Elio motors... she says she can't hardly wait until she gets her Elio in 2014. It will be the first car of its type made and marketed in the USA!
MamiTig


Posted Mar 20, 2013, 4:09 am
Today we went to the Kansas City airport to drop off one of the host family kids, so she could go visit her grandmother for spring break. We got there early because host mom was worried about the long airport lines that had been reported. We waited a long time so we got to do lots of people watching!
MamiTig


Posted Mar 20, 2013, 12:59 pm
Host mom had been looking at a lot of blogs about repurposing clothing and decided to give it a try. Amazing how a pair of old hand me down capri pants from her oldest daughter turns into a cute summer shirt and skirt for a younger daughter!
MamiTig


Posted Mar 23, 2013, 1:57 am
Host mom took us to work at her Garnett office today. She told us the story of these lovely violets that sit in the windowsill of the group room.  About 10 years ago, they were in little tiny pots looked all dried up. The office manager at the time, Marlys, was going to throw them away, but noticed they weren't completely dead, so she decided to put them in bigger pots and see if she could revive them. You can see that she did a wonderful job, because while Marlys retired about three years ago, the violets are still lovely!
MamiTig


Posted Mar 25, 2013, 4:51 am
Back to the Kansas City airport; spring break is over! It sure is chilly and gray for spring time, but inside the terminal there were lots of interesting posters to look at and learn about Kansas City's jazz history. :D
MamiTig


Posted Mar 29, 2013, 3:16 am
We had a delicious lunch at Pizza Street before heading back home!
MamiTig


Posted Mar 31, 2013, 5:32 am
Host mom is working on costumes again! She got two pairs of pants done today, and is working on a third. She said this set will take a while, and she seemed very excited! I wonder what they will be?
MamiTig


Posted Apr 2, 2013, 2:31 am
We went on an amazing adventure! Host mom took the afternoon off from work and surprised the kids by picking them up from school. She told them that it was adventure time. One of the kids asked, "A good adventure or a bad adventure?" "A good adventure, for sure!" she replied, with a twinkle in her eye. She drove us for about two hours, then we stopped at a Thai restaurant called Thai Smile. Host mom called it a "hole in the wall" because it only had 14 seats in the whole restaurant. The host family filled more than half the restaurant! Host mom said you get the best food at a hole in the wall, and she was right! It was fantastic! After that, we piled back into the car and drove to downtown Wichita, for our final destination for the evening: the historic Orpheum Theater, where we watched the Trey McIntyre Project perform amazing contemporary dance! Yes, it was a good adventure! :D
MamiTig


Posted Apr 6, 2013, 12:27 am
We went with the host family to enjoy a huge Easter celebration at a local park. It was really crowded, with around 1200 people there, but everyone had a wonderful time!
MamiTig


Posted Apr 8, 2013, 5:38 am
Host mom has been sewing plushies in her spare time, to sell as a fundraiser for the local middle school's History Bowl team. They won in the regional competition and get to go to Washington DC to compete in the nationals next month!
MamiTig


Posted Apr 10, 2013, 4:43 am
Now host mom is sewing bow ties for the History Bowl fundraiser! They are so cute, and the middle school kids love them!
MamiTig


Posted Apr 16, 2013, 3:44 am
We enjoyed youth group... there were cup cake crafts, hay stacks for dinner, and songs!
MamiTig


Posted Apr 22, 2013, 5:30 am
Springtime is slowly getting here and the host family took advantage of a sunny afternoon to start getting their garden ready :D
MamiTig


Posted Apr 25, 2013, 4:22 am
Yay, yummy Mexican food! We went to El Charro's to celebrate a birthday with the host family :D
MamiTig


Posted Apr 28, 2013, 3:51 am
A flock of wildly colored ninjas invaded the home... (well, really, they were more fundraising items that host mom made and donated to the middle school History Bowl, to help get the team to the national competition in Washington DC).
MamiTig


Posted Apr 30, 2013, 5:10 am
We found ourselves back at El Charro, celebrating another birthday! :D
MamiTig


Posted May 4, 2013, 8:08 pm
We visited the amazing Deanna Rose Farmstead! It was so fun to explore all of the different things :D
MamiTig


Posted May 6, 2013, 5:31 am
After a fun time at the farmstead, we went to eat veggie burgers at Red Robin! :) They have the world's best veggie burgers (we think) and all the french fries you can eat :D
MamiTig


Posted May 9, 2013, 4:07 am
It was a beautiful day, so we went down to the Neosho River to play! Lots of people were out to fish and throw rocks in the water! :D
MamiTig


Posted May 13, 2013, 5:20 am
We helped a high school student campaign for treasurer in her school's student elections (she won)! :D
MamiTig


Posted May 15, 2013, 5:25 am
Road trip! We headed on an adventure today and our first stop was to see the historical marker at the spring in Eureka, Kansas.
MamiTig


Posted May 18, 2013, 12:49 am
Our next stop to stretch our legs was at a pretty bridge in El Dorado, KS. This little site is tucked just off of the highway and is very peaceful.
MamiTig


Posted May 19, 2013, 7:13 pm
Once we got to Wichita, we found a lovely Chinese restaurant for dinner. The name of the restaurant was Kirin and they were having their grand opening. We ate an amazing vegetarian feast including cream cheese wontons, lo mein, ma po tofu, fried rice, white rice, and chow mein.
MamiTig


Posted May 20, 2013, 2:11 am
After dinner, we drove downtown to the Orpheum Theater, to watch the Wichita State University Contemporary Dance Recital. They don't allow pictures inside the theater, but we got there early enough that we were able to wander around downtown and admire the art and architecture. We found an amazing horse sculpture that was made entirely out of old car bumpers. There were also pigs made out of bumpers, but they were inside of a building that was already locked for the night.
MamiTig


Posted May 21, 2013, 6:13 am
It was a beautiful evening and we very much enjoyed the middle school's musical performance on the town square!
MamiTig


Posted May 22, 2013, 5:21 am
We attended the 5th grade graduation at a local elementary school.  The gym was sure full of excited children and their families! The flag on the right is the Kansas state flag.
MamiTig


Posted May 23, 2013, 3:01 am
We got to play with some baby hedgehogs, under the watchful eye of their mama!
MamiTig


Posted May 28, 2013, 4:15 am
I went to youth group with the host family. We had fun making melted pony bead sun catchers and eating a yummy fellowship dinner! :D
MamiTig


Posted May 29, 2013, 4:39 am
Mmm! I always enjoy Sabbath supper at the Seventh Day Adventist church! :D
MamiTig


Posted May 31, 2013, 5:25 am
Host mom showed us one of the country storm shelters... we were curious about them after the tornado sirens went off last week. The host family live in town, so when the tornado sirens went off, they went to the local arts center, where a huge basement room, two stories beneath the ground, was opened up for people to stay until the storm passed. In the country, people have their own little shelters, like these. Host mom said that the ground here is very wet, so not very many people have basements, in spite that it would be really convenient when the threat of tornadoes come!
MamiTig


Posted Jun 1, 2013, 11:55 pm
Host mom was on call on Memorial Day and had to go to Erie. She was looking for the metal dinosaurs that are supposed to be on display in the are, but found the Osage Nation plaque instead.
MamiTig


Posted Jun 4, 2013, 5:21 am
Host mom set her GPS to get to and from Erie for her on call visit. The GPS decided to take her off of the highway and down gravel roads. She came across this pretty community building in the middle of seeming nowhere. It had just the building, a storm cellar, and a small playground. When she got home, host mom looked up Odense, KS. Apparently, it is a township so small that she couldn't find a listing of the population anywhere!
MamiTig


Posted Jun 6, 2013, 4:51 am
Our next stop was to look at the wildflowers near Elsmore, KS. Sometimes it's a good thing when the GPS takes you off the highway and into the wild!
MamiTig


Posted Jun 8, 2013, 1:39 am
Host mom got to stay home for about half an hour before getting called out again. We helped host mom's friend, who is helping host mom paint her living room!
MamiTig


Posted Jun 8, 2013, 4:23 am
Host mom showed us what most Americans do on Memorial Day: Visit the cemetery to pay respects to loved ones who have passed, especially honoring those who have given military service to the country.
MamiTig


Posted Jun 11, 2013, 5:26 am
Host mom's last call was in Fort Scott, so she took us by to see the Fort Scott National Historic Site. It was closed for the evening, so we only got to look at the outside. Host mom explained that the bricks that line the streets and the walkways in old town Fort Scott were locally made, back in the 1800s!
MamiTig


Posted Jun 12, 2013, 2:11 am
It was picture day at the host family's kids' dance studio. All of the kids looked like they were having so much fun showing off their costumes and playing while they waited their turns! :D
MamiTig


Posted Jun 12, 2013, 4:14 am
Oh goody, a birthday! Watching presents being unwrapped is the most fun part of the day! :)
MamiTig


Posted Jun 13, 2013, 5:00 am
Tonight was the dress rehearsal for the host family's kids' dance recital! So many excited kids, and I really enjoyed it!
MamiTig


Posted Jun 14, 2013, 5:33 am
Recital day! I got to play with all the dancers who waited in the "holding pit" between their routines! There were so many costumes and so many fun kids
MamiTig


Posted Jun 15, 2013, 5:25 am
Host mom's parents were visiting, so host mom made a vegetarian Thai feast for dinner! In the wok pan there is pad se ew, and in the glass dish (under all of the garnish) there is pad thai!
MamiTig


Posted Jun 18, 2013, 5:06 am
The host family needed to take a trip to Lawrence, so they decided to visit the World's Largest Concete Teepee! It looks like someone lives in the main teepee now, but the side building is for rent. You can read more about its fascinating history by clicking here!
MamiTig


Posted Jun 20, 2013, 2:56 am
On our way to dinner, found one of the Jayhawk statues that show pride in KU (University of Kansas), which is located in Lawrence. It was just across from the parking lot for Zen Zero, which is where we decided to eat. Everything was so good and plentiful that we ate and ate and ate until everyone was full! :D
MamiTig


Posted Jun 20, 2013, 3:46 am
It's that time again! It's summer and the Farmer's Market has come to Iola on Thursday night. People from Iola and the surrounding area come to buy and sell produce, baked goods, and crafts. We love to look and see what there is to buy! :D
MamiTig


Posted Jun 23, 2013, 5:45 am
We ate "haystacks" at the Sabbath potluck this time! Haystacks have fritos corn chips on the bottom, then slow cooked pinto beans, cheese, lettuce, sour cream, tomatoes, olives, onions, and salsa. They are super delicious! :D
MamiTig


Posted Jun 27, 2013, 1:43 am
Host mom says that the best part of spring and summer in Kansas is the wildflowers! These pretty flowers grow by her garage.
MamiTig


Posted Jun 27, 2013, 4:47 am
We had to pick up kids at the airport, so of course we took advantage of being in the area to feast at the Ghengis Khan restaurant! The host family LOVE this place because you can create your own meal and watch them cook it on the giant grill stone! :D
MamiTig


Posted Jun 28, 2013, 4:52 am
Host mom took us out to the community garden at about 10 pm to look at the supermoon, since there were too many trees around the family's house. It didn't seem that enormous from where we stood, but it sure was a pretty orange!
MamiTig


Posted Jun 30, 2013, 4:01 am
Today's adventure involved playing with baby hedgehogs! They are so prickly, but adorable :D
MamiTig


Posted Jul 1, 2013, 8:53 pm
Host mom's project today was to make 2 pairs of blue slippers, to go with the cosplay costumes she is making. They turned out to be adorable! :D
MamiTig


Posted Jul 2, 2013, 5:10 am
Today host mom took us to Chanute to run some errands. She stopped to show us the lovely, historic down town area. The yellow brick building called the Tioga Hotel has a wooden elevator much like the one featured in the old movie The Shining, but we didn't have time to go in and look at that part.
MamiTig


Posted Jul 7, 2013, 4:59 am
I was so excited to be on vacation with my host family, at Broken Arrow Ranch in north central Kansas. We are here for a week of family camp, with about a dozen other families. :D The first thing we did when we arrived was unpack and make ourselves at home in the cabin.  Next, we spent some time playing in the recreation area. In the evening, we enjoyed a campfire service on a bluff overlooking the Tuttle Creek Reservoir. Sunset was stunningly gorgeous! :D
MamiTig


Posted Jul 7, 2013, 7:13 am
On the second day of vacation, we started the day with a worship service in the Green Cathedral. Then, went to the beach. Later, we enjoyed an outdoor cooking lesson where we made foil-wrapped packets with olive oil, white potatoes, sweet potatoes,  yellow and red bell pepper, onion,  fri-chik (vegetarian meat substitute), sage, salt, and pepper, that we roasted on a fire.
MamiTig


Posted Jul 13, 2013, 4:57 am
We celebrated the Fourth of July (American Independence Day) with an All-American (though, all vegetarian) luncheon. In the afternoon we had another cooking with Travis lesson, and learned to make baked cinnamon apples on a camp fire. In the evening, we had a campfire worship service that was followed by fireworks over the beach! :D
MamiTig


Posted Jul 14, 2013, 7:12 am
The host family started the day with ziplining, but we didn't get to go because host mom was afraid she'd lose us. After that was a yummy lunch with veggie burgers. Then host mom took a picture of the view from the cabin on the way back to take a nap after lunch. After our nap we went to play in the recreation room :D
MamiTig


Posted Jul 16, 2013, 5:24 am
On our last day of camp, they brought us breakfast in bed... a basket full of cereal, milk, orange juice, and fresh, hot scones! It was a great way to end a wonderful week. After that we packed up, and we stopped to take a look at the tall grass prairie and the Flint Hills at a vista just outside of Broken Arrow Ranch.
MamiTig


Posted Jul 19, 2013, 4:11 am
The day after we got back from family camp, host mom took one of her sons to summer camp at Hidden Haven. Just outside the camp, she stopped along the road to show us the black-eyed susan flowers that were growing along the road. They are one of the many forms of sunflower that grow in Kansas.
MamiTig


Posted Jul 19, 2013, 5:18 am
We joined in the festivities at the Mad Bomber Run (a community event celebrating a piece of local history) by helping the middle and high school band booster club run carnival booths. :D
MamiTig


Posted Jul 22, 2013, 1:32 am
We had fun helping to get ready for the Sabbath potluck at church. There were so many fun people and so much delicious food that I had a fabulous time. We got to look at the To Save A Life movie kit that host mom shared with the church elders and got approval to show it at church and do a discussion group with teens this fall.
MamiTig


Posted Jul 23, 2013, 5:37 am
We got to go to a wedding! Host mom has been friends with the bride's mom for over a decade, and got to watch her grow from a little girl into a young woman. She was such a beautiful bride, with a country style wedding. :D
MamiTig


Posted Jul 29, 2013, 4:37 am
We took a trip to Springfield, Missouri to go on a ghost hunt with the Paranormal Task Force! We stayed at the University Plaza Hotel, which has a reputation for being haunted, and visited the Pythian Castle for the ghost hunt. We didn't experience anything unusual, but it was interesting to explore anyway.
MamiTig


Posted Aug 4, 2013, 4:28 am
After an exciting night of ghost hunting, we stopped at the beautiful Precious Moments Chapel on the way home. Host mom said she has traveled to many places in the world, and this is one of the most peaceful places she has found.
MamiTig


Posted Aug 7, 2013, 4:23 am
The host family took us to the Allen County Fair! We saw different kinds of livestock, baby animals, baked goods, and handicrafts that people entered in the fair.
MamiTig


Posted Aug 11, 2013, 5:46 am
Tonight was our first night in Tulsa... we watched the host family and friends get ready for the rave at the Tokyo in Tulsa anime convention! :)
MamiTig


Posted Aug 13, 2013, 5:10 am
The host family were really busy with the convention today so I stayed back at the hotel with most of the TVs. This is the view of downtown Tulsa from our hotel room :D
MamiTig


Posted Aug 13, 2013, 5:10 am
The host family were really busy with the convention today so I stayed back at the hotel with most of the TVs. This is the view of downtown Tulsa from our hotel room :D
MamiTig


Posted Aug 14, 2013, 4:38 am
On our last day at the convention, we spent some time just sitting and watching the people pass by in the hall, near the artist booths. Some of them were very interesting!
MamiTig


Posted Aug 17, 2013, 6:00 am
On the way home, we stopped at Red Robin in Owasso for lunch. We love the veggie burgers, but service was crazily slow!!! The table just behind us had 3 sets of customers while we waited for our food, grrr!!! But, the veggie burgers were delicious!
MamiTig


Posted Aug 19, 2013, 12:45 am
Host mom made an adorable outfit for one of her daughters! :) I love the bright orange fabrics, they look so cheery! :D
MamiTig


Posted Aug 21, 2013, 3:30 am
We went to deliver hedgehogs to PetWorld in Lawrence, KS. It's the best pet store in the world (at least, the host family thinks so). The staff are super friendly and they let you pet the animals and teach you all about them! :D
MamiTig


Posted Aug 28, 2013, 2:33 am
After delivering hedgies, we headed about 30 minutes to the east to run a few more errands, then ate dinner at delicious Sweet Tomatoes!
MamiTig


Posted Aug 28, 2013, 2:33 am
After delivering hedgies, we headed about 30 minutes to the east to run a few more errands, then ate dinner at delicious Sweet Tomatoes!
MamiTig


Posted Aug 28, 2013, 2:33 am
After delivering hedgies, we headed about 30 minutes to the east to run a few more errands, then ate dinner at delicious Sweet Tomatoes!
MamiTig


Posted Aug 30, 2013, 4:30 am
Host mom made a second outfit, for her other youngest daughter! :D
MamiTig


Posted Sep 5, 2013, 4:07 am
We took a trip down to the Neosho River to check the water levels. At the beginning of summer, the entire area was under extreme drought conditions and you could easily walk across at hip level. Now the water levels are showing at over 9 feet deep!!! We got a lot of much needed rain this summer!
MamiTig


Posted Sep 9, 2013, 12:44 am
We attended Sabbath service and then had a delicious potluck at the Seventh Day Adventist church!
MamiTig


Posted Sep 15, 2013, 2:05 am
Host mom took us to visit the Wayne Garrett Memorial Children's Garden. It was built by master gardeners who volunteer with the local after school program and dedicated to the husband of a local teacher, who was killed in a tractor accident.
MamiTig


Posted Sep 19, 2013, 2:28 am
Today we went to DeGage Dancewear to help the host family's oldest daughter buy her first pair of pointe shoes! She looked so elegant and lovely when she stood up in them!! I was just as excited as she was! :D
MamiTig


Posted Sep 26, 2013, 2:38 am
We went on a search for insects for one of the host kids's science class. He was horrified at the original assignment, which involved catching bugs, freezing them to death, then pinning them to a piece of cardboard. The teacher relented to his request and let him take photographs of them instead. My favorite was this bunch of web worms!
MamiTig


Posted Sep 29, 2013, 1:35 am
Host mom had to go to Wichita for a continuing education conference, so she took us in the convertible, with the top down! On the way home, we stopped at the park in El Dorado to feed the geese!
MamiTig


Posted Oct 6, 2013, 7:10 am
We went to youth group and had so much fun! There was a puppet show, and we did arts and crafts :D
MamiTig


Posted Oct 16, 2013, 5:13 am
I tagged along with the host family, to go to the dentist, in Lawrence. Afterward was my favorite; dinner out at CiCi's Pizza! :D
MamiTig


Posted Oct 19, 2013, 12:01 am
Host mom's middle daughter wanted a wild poncho, so host mom made it for her! She'll be warm and cozy in those zebra stripes :D
MamiTig


Posted Oct 19, 2013, 2:40 am
We went to Wichita to see Momix Botanica at the Orpheum Theater. Since we were running too late to get pictures outside and they don't allow cameras inside the Orpheum, host mom didn't get a chance to take any pictures there. But, she did get a picture of our great pre-show dinner at China Star.
MamiTig


Posted Oct 20, 2013, 12:48 am
Kansas City is famous for its race cars and October is Breast Cancer Awareness month... we came across this great pace car, celebrating both!
MamiTig


Posted Oct 21, 2013, 2:12 am
Host mom helped her daughter make cabin for her third grade class assignment on the book Sign of the Beaver. I really liked how it turned out!
MamiTig


Posted Oct 31, 2013, 12:53 am
We started out on an exciting road trip today! The first place we stopped was St. Joseph, Missouri, where we ate at a Taco Bell/Pizza Hut franchise for lunch.
MamiTig


Posted Nov 1, 2013, 3:48 am
Our next stop was at the Loess Hills Visitor Center in Iowa, which has been dubbed "the best rest stop in Iowa." We learned about the geography of the Loess Hills, and that this type of hill was formed by glaciers and is only found in this part of the United States, and part of China.
MamiTig


Posted Nov 4, 2013, 4:45 am
Our first morning in Omaha, we took a visit to the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge. It spans the river between Omaha, Nebraska and Council Bluffs, Iowa. The first thing we saw, after we parked, was the most enormous vending machine I have ever seen! Behind it, the bridge seemed mystical in the chilly morning mist!
MamiTig


Posted Nov 18, 2013, 1:42 am
Our second destination was just around the corner from the first. The Lewis and Clark Trail Visitor's Center was supposed to be closed due to the federal government shutdown, but the state of Nebraska provided extra funding so that it would be open for tourists like us! We saw so many interesting things, and out the back door, we got another view of the bridge we had just walked on!
MamiTig


Posted Nov 21, 2013, 3:25 am
We visited Joslyn Castle in downtown Omaha. It has a very interesting history and even though it wasn't open for tours of the inside, we got to take a nice look at the outside!
MamiTig


Posted Nov 29, 2013, 9:58 pm
Our last stop of the day was Boy's Town. We stopped at the main office to get directions to the museum and garden, and had the opportunity to feed a loaf of bread to some friendly geese. We also got to see the world's largest ball of stamps, the museum that told about the history of Boy's Town, and the Bible Garden.
MamiTig


Posted Nov 30, 2013, 5:03 am
The next morning we crossed the river and went to Council Bluff, Iowa, where we visited the Squirrel Cage Jail. Both the architecture and the history were quite fascinating, so be sure to click the link and learn more! :D
MamiTig


Posted Dec 5, 2013, 1:32 am
Our next destination was across the parking lot from the squirrel cage jail, at the Union Pacific Railroad Museum. We got to learn about the history of the railroad, and see what it might be like inside of passenger train cars!
MamiTig


Posted Dec 9, 2013, 2:34 am
Next on our stop was the Council Bluffs town square/park. Council Bluffs is famous for its black squirrels, but those adorable little guys wouldn't hold still for a picture with us, so we had to settle for a picture with a statue. We also noticed the lovely architecture of downtown Council Bluffs, which consisted of well preserved brick buildings from the mid to late 1800s to early 1900s.
MamiTig


Posted Dec 11, 2013, 5:53 am
The last place we visited on our road trip was the Mormon Trail Center. A very nice docent took us through the exhibits and talked to us about how the Mormon settlers had to leave Nauvoo, Illinois to avoid persecution, and ended up wintering in what late became Omaha, before pressing on to their final settlement in Salt Lake City, Utah. We learned what life would have been like in that era, as well as a tremendous amount of history!
MamiTig


Posted Dec 17, 2013, 2:41 am
Haunted Hay Mazes are a deliciously fun American tradition on Halloween. After we found our way through the spooky hay maze, we had hot chocolate and roasted marshmallows by the fire!
MamiTig


Posted Dec 21, 2013, 4:54 am
Halloween is one of the host family's favorite holidays! The children dress in costumes and go house to house where they say "trick or treat" and people give them candy. We stopped at a street party where we got to dance with a zombie!
MamiTig


Posted Dec 24, 2013, 1:52 am
Mmm, church supper at the SDA church! We helped set up and then we got to enjoy a delicious feast!
MamiTig


Posted Dec 25, 2013, 6:20 am
We made a late night visit to Krispy Kreme donuts. We got to watch how they are made and enjoy their deliciousness! :) I can see why Krispy Kremes are so popular!
MamiTig


Posted Dec 29, 2013, 6:11 am
Host mom made these awesome tardis shirts for her favorite Dr. Who fans, for Christmas! The fabric was custom made at Spoonflower and the buttons were handmade, purchased through Etsy, and have tardis' on them. The inside lapel of the shirt has a print of the inside of the tardis, as does the inside of the pocket!
MamiTig


Posted Jan 1, 2014, 4:26 am
We helped bake Christmas cookies! The platters looked so pretty and the host family distributed them to their friends. :)
MamiTig


Posted Jan 2, 2014, 1:16 am
Host mom made pumpkin pancakes and eggs for breakfast. Then we got to taste test three different kinds of apple juice. It was so hard to decide what I liked best, but I think it was the apple pie!
MamiTig


Posted Jan 2, 2014, 3:16 am
We got a science lesson today! Host mom's daughter had to create a model of a plant cell, so host mom helped her to make one out of cookie dough!
MamiTig


Posted Jan 8, 2014, 4:47 am
On Thanksgiving, we were thankful to be in a community that is warm and welcoming. We went with the host family to St. Timothy's church to share a community Thanksgiving meal.
MamiTig


Posted Jan 11, 2014, 2:46 am
We walked downtown and took a peek in the shop windows in downtown Iola! They have a lot of interesting and fun stores on the town square. :D
MamiTig


Posted Feb 8, 2014, 10:14 pm
Host mom got some lovely granny smith apples and showed us how to turn them into an amazing cobbler for brunch!

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