The Hackett Hostel

This week the Hancocks visited us on their way home from their 10 day American-Heritage Camping Extravaganza. Per Emily's request, the bathwater was ready for the boys upon arrival. I don't think we've ever seen them so wiped-out, with the exception of Zach who did muster enough energy to run around the house with Ryan's plastic cricket bat.

Housekeeping got the towels and linens replaced just in time for a visit the next day from Ryan's mom and brother Nate. They took lots of turns holding Helen and rocking her to sleep. Nate's favorite game was trying to make her smile, and he got pretty good at it. Between Helen's mealtimes we squeezed in some bowling, a trip to the Bass Pro Shop/Museum, and the Mormon Pioneer Center at Winter Quarters.

The 4th of July in Nebraska is as close as we've been to a war zone in our lives. Fireworks are legal here, and any number of giant inflatable gorillas and dinosaurs are willing to sell them to you. We went to a BBQ with our intern friends in a rougher part of town where families throw fireworks at each other for a good time (I have since found out that my Dad did the same thing on the streets of D.C. when he was a kid). Maybe next year Brice can teach us how to make our own explosives. We hear he had some experience with smoke bombs as a kid and more recently with natural gas tank valves (we're referring all questions to the Chilean Police).