2 busy days

Cathy and Don were barely here 24 hours, and already... Eli had been to a movie and on a bike ride with Grandma, Cathy and I took the boys, Katelynn, and Austin to the park, Joel and Don installed a screen door and we finally got my plants planted. And then, THEY took US out to eat. We're spoiled!!!!!!! Thanks for everything!

vacation continued

Craig offered to take over watering duties, so we could meet Joel's sister and family for a couple of days at their Dad's in North Dakota. The boys loved being with their cousins, riding in Grandpa's truck, playing in the tree house, going on adventures, and spending an afternoon at a pool.

Weslake Resort

Last Saturday, Craig, Jen, Katelynn, Austin, Noah, Eli and I piled in the van to head to the lake for our annual vacation with my mom's side of the family. We had 4 sunny and warm days at the resort. The weather was great for vacation; not so great for our newly sodded yard. Joel was on a fishing trip for a couple of days, and then he met us for day one of the resort. He stayed home for the next couple of days to water the yard and came back the last day so he could golf. 6 years of marriage and we're already taking seperate vacations. Jen was pretty sure we wouldn't get everything in the van. It was a tight squeeze!!!!

Eli's favorite thing at the resort this year was the canoe.

Noah had fun playing ball, being in the water, pretending to fish, and going for boat rides.

water day

This was the highlight of the boys' day and a life-saver for me. Thanks for the fun afternoon Erin, Jack and Ella! I had to steal these pictures from Erin's blog since I forgot my camera as I was rushing out of the house!

It's an exciting day at our house!

We finally have grass (and landscape block). Now, we just need some of that rain we had last week. Unfortunately, it doesn't really seem to be in the forecast.

fun at the fair

The boys and I met Craig, Jen, Katelynn and Austin at the fair for kids' day today. The kids had fun feeding animals and trying the fair food (Eli even ate part of a hotdog), but their favorite thing was the rides. We didn't go on too many. Next year we'll invest in wristbands.

Why I love my Dad

As a child:
* He is the best dance partner for a little girl.

*He taught us how to eat fruit (bananas in a bowl with milk and sugar, strawberries with milk and sugar on bread, peaches with ice cream)

*He put on a tough face, but he was always the "softy"

* He liked taking family drives in the country.

* He knows all the words to Johnny Cash's, "A Boy Named Sue and a few other great songs.

As a teenager:
*He coached our sports.

* He cut my steak for me long after I learned how to use a knife.

* He insisted that there was nothing good going on after 10:00pm

* He gave good advice (even if we didn't always listen)

* He let us make our own mistakes.

*You just never knew what part of the house he'd be in around 2:00am

As a wife and mother:
* He gives the best wedding speeches.

* He shares my love of chips.

* He is sensitive, hardworking, and always willing to help.

* He entertains my husband and plays with my kids.

* He can fall asleep in a second, nap for 5 minutes and be good to go (this has actually amazed me my whole life).

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

After much discussion of what we should do today, Joel decided he wanted to spend Father's Day at the lake. We fished, played baseball, played soccer, played basketball, played bingo and other inside toys, played on the hammock, went for a family paddle boat ride, rode scooters, dug up worms, and even found time for a couple of snacks. It was a fun and busy afternoon! Kids just really don't care if it's warm or sunny at the lake. The boys had a blast today!

Must've been hard work!!

Maybe the wedding dance should be BEFORE the wedding

We went to my cousin's wedding today. Joel, Eli, Noah, Jen, Craig, Austin, Katelynn and I all piled in the van this afternoon just in time for some quality car naps. Krista and her 3 boys joined us in our row at the church. Joel and Craig took Noah and Austin out of the church about 5 minutes into the ceremony (maybe less). Katelynn was good, and I think watching us was good birth control for my cousin who decided to sit behind us. After the reception, we had a couple of hours before the dance started, so we decided to go visit my Grandma (lucky her). I don't know what was worse; the tornado the children brought inside the house or the threat of tornado outside the house (we had to take the kids into the basement for a few minutes).

We figured we'd only be at the dance long enough to say hi and give Austin a bottle, but Austin fell asleep which allowed us a little more time. It was actually Eli who was ready to go home. He and Joel sat in the van to watch a movie and wait for the rest of us, but I was able to bribe him to come back in with a snack and some pop. The rest of the kids had a blast dancing!

Noah was trying out his break dancing moves.

Grandpa took turns dancing with all the grandkids. Noah wouldn't let anyone else touch him on the dance floor.

Mud Puppy

It's true when they say you learn something new everyday. I had never even heard of a mud puppy until I was reading my friend Andrea's blog today, and she was saying that they were finding them while raking at the lake. YUCK!!!!! Anyway, I had to google them. I found out that they are mostly in Canada and the eastern US, but they can also be found in the Midwest. They stay in the water until night when they look for food. Mom, have you ever seen one at the lake???? What would Katelynn think of this?

Where'd Ei (Eli) Go????

Someone is ready for his big brother to come back and play with him. Although I must admit that I've been impressed with how well he's been playing by himself!

play date

The boys had fun playing at Jack and Ella's yesterday. Here they are making their teddy bear pizza's. Thanks Erin!

The zoo

I know; gross. Noah loved this turtle. When the kids would put their finger on the glass, the turtle would open his mouth. I guess thats when Noah decided to try it with his mouth, and it worked.
When we left, I asked Eli what his favorite part of the zoo was. He said, "That wasn't a zoo. It was a farm".
Katelynn and Noah were yelling at the camels telling them to get up.

at the park with Grandma Cathy

The boys had a lot of fun with their cousins this weekend! It was a short trip, but we were so glad to have everyone here!