Out West: Week 2

We had a beautiful 5 hour drive to Boise, ID., our second stop out west! A few days of R&R did the body good. Two hikes, some great food, and of course...laundry. Tuesday, the fun started with a trip to the zoo with our friends the Summerhays and Jenn Stallings. Wednesday brought a nice group lunch. A bunch of us ladies got together and toured downtown to celebrate the last time we'd see Kristina Putnam and Chastity Mathis for a while. This was the last week of travel for both of them, as they were expecting very soon. Along for the ride were the three little ones below. Patton Summerhays, Abby, and Jack Summerhays.We enjoyed some great food downtown, and a nice long search for ice cream afterwards. On Wednesday evening our lovely host, Barbara Kaylor, took my good friend Jenn Stallings and I for a sunset hike. Oh...and their dog, Alta, went too! It was beautiful!!! Perfect weather and a gorgeous sunset.

We had a chance to catch up with our good friend Joe (and Jim's caddie the last two years) on Friday. Joe decided he liked Boise so much, he wanted to move there. Move there he did, and is loving it! This was his first chance to meet Abby; it has almost been a whole year since we last saw Joe!

Friday also happened to be our 5th wedding anniversary. Jim and I had a lovely dinner out with our good friends and hosts, the Kaylors. It's hard to believe that we've been married 5 years already. The time sure does fly by!

There was just one small problem with our night out...it was the beginning of over a week of being sick for me. I missed the rest of the festivities that weekend, including the friends and the great food:( I had to endure plane rides and long nights and some testing, all while feeling awful. Only to find out that my stomach was "irritated". I'm no doctor, but I could have told anyone that! Overall the trip out west was wonderful and I'm so glad I was able to go this year.

Out West: Week 1

After a nice 3 week hiatus, Jim, Abby and I left on a jet plane for Salt Lake City, UT. I was really looking forward to these next two weeks...I missed them last year.They are two of our most scenic stops with great families to stay with too! Abby did wonderful (again) on the airplane. She really is such a good traveler!God knew we needed that kind of a baby. We stay with a wonderful family in SLC, actually the person responsible for getting me started on this blog thing!!!! Thanks Christine:)We enjoyed much warmer temperatures than we have in previous years here. Usually there is some kind of strange weather pattern that follows the tour. In fact, two years ago it actually snowed in the mountains, not too far from the course.But, this year it was just gorgeous. The trees on the mountain were just beginning to turn, leading everyone to yearn for fall. On Wednesday, we were treated to a very different and super cool ladies day! We were bussed to a Cutting Horse ranch where we received a tour, demonstration, lunch, and a mini country concert.I was a bit bummed because Jim was told that the ladies would be RIDING the horses, and for most of you who know me, well...right up my alley! We didn't in fact ride the beautiful creatures, but the experience was a great one.This ranch, or should I say, glorified horse barn, was the size of a small hotel. The ENTIRE facility was built for the horses. There are no lodgings and not even a shower in the building! Anyhow, it was amazing...boasting a trophy room of what I would call road-kill by gun, two huge indoor ringsabout 10-15 stalls, a horse shower, several bathrooms, and dining/conference facility. To add to an amazing building were the equally amazing views right outside. About an hours drive from the golf course, back in a canyon, and not another establishment in sight. As for the golf, well, it didn't go as we had hoped or planned. My two good friends'(Chastity and Kristina) husbands played together right in front of Jim, so basically, we all walked together (this NEVER happens)! We were also able to root on our good friends the Putnam's, to victory (from Idaho, of course)! Congrats again on your first NWT win Michael!!! With our week over on Friday, we planned our departure for Saturday. It was on to our next stop, Boise, ID!

Some Time At Home

For three weeks following our loooooong road-trip, Abby and I stayed home. Jim was with us for a week and then it was off again for him. He had a wonderful two weeks with positive results both in Knoxville and Pittsburgh. Abby's walking got so much better. She went from walking a few feet at a time to a few yards. She could go for hours as long as she had a hand to hold. Grammy decided she wanted Abby to learn how to go up and down steps correctly. My Mom and Dad's house doesn't have many (basement and attic, both with doors, and one or two elsewhere inside the house). No luck with the stairs...Next came piano playing. While cleaning the piano one day, Abby decided she could touch the keys and make some noise. This became a daily ritual from then on. Abby also enjoyed tormenting poor Pumpkin. He is our only cat that will put up with her. One day, she even decided to throw her leg over his back and "ride" him (Picture of the Day, below). I had made up my mind, before we left for our six weeks on the road, that I would be getting my hair cut when we returned home. Well, I did! I had 8 inches plus cut off and donated to Pantene and the American Cancer Society. We also spent some quality time with family.Everyone was soooo excited to see Abby. My sister, Lisa; and my nieces, Dana and Paige; Aunt Rita and Cousin Jeri (Gege) too! By the time I had all the laundry done and the suitcases unpacked it was time to pack up again for another couple of weeks on the road!

The Final Two Stops

For weeks five and six of our long summer road trip we traveled to Wichita, KS. and Springfield, MO. respectively. These just happened to be the two hottest weeks of our trip. Upon arrival to Wichita our car thermometer registered 109 degrees. Wichita was a great time this year! We had another Stella & Dot party for the tour wives and some of the members. It was very nice and I think everyone enjoyed themselves. Our host family lives right on the course in Wichita, so it was nice for Abby and I to be able to hang at the house.There was no daycare that week, so of course, we weren't strolling around in such heat! Jim played wonderful golf and Rick (our host) made wonderful ribs:) To finish out the week, Debbie (our hostess) took me shopping at some of her favorite boutique stores. I was fortunate to come away with several super finds. Debbie's daughter Bekki, and her boyfriend Todd, were able to make it out to watch some golf and of course have their picture taken with cute little Abby.During these last few weeks of our travels Abby learned to stand on her own and begin to take her first shaky steps. She also learned to LOVE yogurt and cottage cheese! From Wichita it was on to Springfield. We also had such a great week in Springfield. We stay with another wonderful family, Steve and Linda. They are another one of the exceptional families who have "adopted" The Hermans. Jim and I took Abby to the first and largest Bass Pro Shops Outdoors World. We thought after three years of renovations their nature exhibit would surely be up and running, but no - no such luck. She was able to see some fish and turtles and we got her her first pair of crocs. We also had a chance to use the awesome pool at the country club. Some of the other girls went too and our kiddos had a great time playing in their own private water park. There are huge sprinklers and buckets that drop water on your, tunnels with spraying water and surprising gushes of water that come up from the ground. Abby loved standing in the kiddie pool, she thought it was just like her bathtub. We also had a wonderful time just relaxing at our families house. It is such a unique and beautiful home. The environment is one of total relaxation...a good way to end six weeks of on-the-go. Another Stella & Dot party occurred as well. Everyone had another great time and enjoyed the jewels. Another made cut from Jim made for a very successful six week road trip. It was long and busy, but fun! We wouldn't have traded any of our days for any anywhere else.

Summertime in Omaha

Our 4th stop of the summer took us to Omaha, NE. Always very busy, always hot, but always a very fun spot! Jim decided that we should drive through the night. Poor Abby, she has to put up with all of our strange decisions and goings-on. Surprisingly, she did really well. We arrived around 5am and slept a few hours. Then it was time for a hectic week to begin. If you can remember last year our host family welcomed their first granddaughter (Sadie) while we were with them. It was so interesting for me to be involved seeing as I was about to go through the same experience. We had a chance to see beautiful Sadie this year and she was such a cutie. Full of energy, and walking everywhere. She and Abby had a fun time playing with each other. We also had a quadruple baby shower in Omaha last year. This year we held a triple baby shower! Myself and two other wives planned the shower so I had more to do this year than last. Monday was shopping day and diaper cakes, then a party at our host family's house (so much fun, and fabulous food too). Tuesday began with errands and then off to the baby shower. It was so much fun. We played a great new game this year. My good friend Emily Summerhays and her husband Danny came up with a pretend pregnancy relay. The point was to feel empathy for the ladies with the large bellies! They created "fake" bellies out of bags of rice, ace bandages, and duct tape. You would strap on the belly and go through a gauntlet of activities (tying your shoes, getting up from a prone position, eating pickles and ice cream, etc.). Well, it was a riot. Everyone participated and it was such a blast. Tuesday night we had another party at our host family's house. Our hostess, Sara Kelley, held a Stella & Dot trunk show. It was a great time and I got to meet so many of her wonderful friends. The trunk show was a success and everyone loved the fabulous jewels! On Wednesday the wives had a day out planned by the tournament. Our day began with breakfast and little gift bags, then a ride in a stretch limo to a nail salon for mani's and pedi's. From there we went to a great local brewery for lunch. It was on to a lovely jewelry store from there. The day ended with a wine and cheese reception at the clubhouse. The ladies loved every minute and we all had a fabulous time together. The week ended with a wonderful four days of golf. Jim played very well and gave all his followers something to cheer about! Our summer weather didn't disappoint as the record temps continued.

Stop Number 3

Just an hour-and-a-half away, was our third stop - Columbus, OH. We said goodbye to family and friends, many of which we'd be seeing again during the week, and headed on our short drive to Columbus. We had a wonderful week....a bit of a mix between relaxation and family visiting again. Jim and Abby and I stayed in a hotel, something we rarely do. It's nice to have some time to ourselves, although we would always prefer company (host families)! I also had a chance to spend some short shopping hours with two of my best friends on tour. Chastity Mathis, Kristina Putnam, and I went to lunch and did some shopping one day to celebrate my lovely birthday. We also spent a lot of wonderful dinners with Jim's brother Tom and his sister Julie and her family (Husband Brian, and children, Hannah, Emma, and Carson). It was another successful golfing week, but not quite the end result that Jim was looking for. He made the cut but struggled on Sunday. So many of our friends and family members came to watch and give support, we thank you all for your continued support and interest in Jim's golfing career! Sorry no pictures for this week. It seems that I neglected to take any. :(

Stop Number 2

As we set out on our long summer journey, I was unsure of how poor Abby would take all the traveling. Before this trip away, we had only been on the road for two week stretches. Six weeks was an awful long time.......Week number two took us from Canada to Cincinnati, OH. First, we had to make the 10 hour drive through the Canadian countryside, across the U.S. border, and into Michigan. Canada was beautiful, almost completely farms. There was so much open space, I could hardly believe life like that still existed. This week was a big one, especially for Jim. There was a big focus onhim playing in his hometown. He took it all very well and enjoyed the spotlight.

We had a nice week with family and friends. One focus for me was to catch up on the Herman's side genealogy.I have been working on a complete family tree since January and hadn't really had a good chance to sit down with the Herman's. Jim's Grandfather, Edward Burke, was so much fun to talk to. He had everything saved; so many wonderful papers, stories, and family trees.Our week in Cincinnati also brought Jim's parents 40th anniversary and my 30th birthday. Our celebrating began with a family dinner at the Montgomery Inn Boathouse on the Ohio river. Everyone's favorite, ribs and of course the famous barbeque sauce. We were also fortunate enough to have some very good friends of Jim throw a party for our friends and family. They surprised me with a beautiful cake and an angelic rendition of "Happy Birthday". The tournament was well done, for it's first year. Chiquita was the title sponsor and they had so many cool things to see and do at the event. The golf didn't go quite like we had planned, but you can't win 'em all, right!? Anyhow, missing the cut gave us a great opportunity to spend some quality time with the family. Another hot week in the books.....and on to stop number 3.

Catching Up From Summer

Hi All, I'm sure you can tell the the Herman's have had a very busy summer! I apologize for the long lag time in between postings. I will catch you all up quickly on our summer fun and then we'll jump feet first into fall.To tell the whole story well, I must go back to where we left off. It was the peak of summer, just after Forth of July weekend. Jim, Abby, and I packed our lives in the car and headed out for six weeks on the road. First stop...Canada. We always seem to have a good time at the tournament in Canada. Usually the weather is a bit cooler so it becomes a welcome break from the heat - but not this year! Our week in Canada would start six of the hottest weeks of summer I can remember. We rented a house again this year with two other couples and two caddies. Mom and Dad decided not to make the journey this year as we wouldn't be coming back this direction. We had a blast! Cooking, playing cards, great discussions on a nightly basis, campfires and smores...you name it, we did it! The little resort area was great for splashing in fountains, riding bikes, grabbing a cup of joe or an icy cone, or just relaxing. My very good friend, Kristina Putnam, was able to take Abby's nine month pictures during the week. It was a perfect location for cute shots! We posed in the cute resort of Blue Mountain, in our rental backyard, and in front of a lake. Everything went so well and I couldn't have asked for more precious memories. The golf was fun too. Jim played really well in both the pro and pro-am tournaments. We were very fortunate in our amateur partner this year. Jim was paired with Steve Nicklaus, Jack's son. Steve and his wife Krista were great people! They live not too far from our home in Florida, so you never know...maybe we'll cross paths again. The week ended well and it was off to stop number 2!

In a New York Minute

Last week I was fortunate enough to be invited to New York City with my sister Lisa and my niece Paige. Paige is getting ready to go to college next summer and was interested in visiting FIT (the Fashion Institute of Technology). We took a train to Penn Station and walked a few blocks to the college. My good friend Kim Bricker met us there. Kim and her boyfriend Josh live in Jersey City and are both graduates of art programs. We sat and listened to an informational session, which was very basic; and then toured one of the nearby dorms, and visited the on-site fashion museum. Needless to say, none of us were very impressed.You certainly have to LOVE city living to enjoy that type of college.Afterwards, we all enjoyed a burger at a nearby joint. We then decided to take the subway to lower Manhattan and ride the Staten Is. ferry.Paige had never seen the Statue of Liberty, so we thought it would be a great idea! It was, what a beautiful afternoon to sightsee. Finally we walked a few blocks past Wall Street to the Trade Center area. The straw that broke the camels back was the subway ride back to Penn Station. To say that we felt like sardines in a can would have been an understatement! But, it was a nice day spent with family and a good friend non-the-less.