The Last Camping Trip of the Summer!

We wrapped up our camping adventures this week with a fantastic trip to Cadillac! We went on Monday and arrived home today (Thursday). Bryan has the week off of work, and I took a much needed break from the daycare kids. We went with Abby and Brian Petersen (and their kids Brandon and Ava) and Josh and Kelly Henry (and their son Jake). We did a lot of relaxing (well, as much as possible with all the children), eating, beach playing, bike riding, talking, and laughing. Abby and Kelly (and their families) stayed in a cute little cabin, which was right on the lake. They even had their own private dock and little row boat. We camped in our trailor directly across the street from them. It was a gorgeous view of the lake! Travis fell of his bike 5 minutes after arrival and scraped up his elbow pretty badly. But other than that, it was a really nice trip. I am offically done with camping for the summer though! I am very ready for school to start next Tuesday! Rylee will be in first grade, and she actually has Mrs. Pitsch again! Her Kindergarten teacher moved up to first grade, and Rylee is in her class! Rylee and I are both very excited... we loved Mrs. Pitsch (and Mrs. Pitsch LOVES Rylee!!). Travis will be in DK with Miss VanderVeen. We went to school today so Travis could meet her and see his classroom (we missed the open house this week while camping). Tyson will also be starting a new speech class this fall too! I talked to his teacher today and she thought this will be a good place for him. So he will be going to Meadowridge 2 days a week for an hour class. And this time, Mom will not be staying! I'm very excited for all my kids, and I hope it's a GREAT year for us all!!

New Family Pic

I needed a new, updated family picture for my class reunion this fall, and this is the best we could do! Not too bad for 3 squirmy kids and a husband who HATES getting his picture taken!

8 years of love and happiness!!

August, 2008
August 18, 2000

Tomorrow Bryan and I celebrate our 8 year anniversary! I really cannot believe it has been 8 years! Being married to Bryan is such a blessing. Ever since I was a young girl, my only dream in life was to get married and have a family. Bryan has made all of my dreams since I was a little girl come true. I have a fabulous husband who loves me through it all. He is the BEST dad in the world, and I couldn't ask for a better man to be a father to my children. I love him more and more each day! I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with him! Love you, Bryan!!

Cruise Party, Baby!!!!

Bryan always makes this face (the annoyed look) when I take his picture!!
Amy is enjoying her cheesecake! It was sooooo good!
Travis liked it too!
I thought I should take a picture of Nikki and Mike since none exist! hahaha!

Rylee made signs for everyone's chairs. Aunt Sharon was Queen La-Something!
Here's Nikki doing the salsa???
Tom enjoyed playing a game of pool in the basement!
Here's Uncle Ken posing with the pool stick. What a stud!!

Last night we hosted the monthly (well, we try to do it monthly) Cruise Party! There are less than 8 months until we go on our cruise, and we are sooooo very excited. Bryan's family is seriously the most fun group of people to hang out with! We grilled out last night, had some strawberry shortcake drinks (my FAVORITE!!), sat around the fire, and even watched some Phelps win his 8th gold medal! We also booked our hotel for when we arrive in Miami, so it was a successful night!! Thanks for coming everyone, we had a really fun time!!!

Camping with the Pells

Our first camping trip together!!
Rylee, Tyson, and Payton are enjoying some delicious cinnamon rolls for breakfast!
Travis too!

Here are all the kids eating dinner Saturday night. They had hot dogs, but the grown-ups had yummy steaks!!
Tyson was FILTHY dirty, so Bryan and I gave him a little shower on Todd and Colleen's outdoor shower!!
How many kids can fit on the golf cart? Apparently 2 grandparents, 2 dogs, and 6 kids can fit!!

Here is a cute one of Todd and Colleen.

This weekend we went camping at good ol' Chinook Campground with our friends, the Pells! We took the kids on a 4 hour tubing trip on Saturday afternoon. We experienced sun, rain, cold, warm, and hot all on one trip! But we made it, and it was a fun time regardless of the weather! Thanks so much to Kathy and John for such a fun weekend of camping!

Happy August Birthdays!!

After the Anniversary party, we celebrated all of the August birthdays in our family. Hollis, Mimi, Uncle Ernie, Uncle Les, and Jaden are all another year older this month!

60 Years of Marriage!!

Last Sunday we had a big party to celebrate my Grandma and Grandpa's 60th Wedding Anniversary! Not many couples make it to 50, let alone 60! Congratulations, Grandma and Grandpa, and may God continue to bless you in your marriage!

Back to Yogi Bear!

We just had a great time camping at Jellystone Park in Grand Haven! This is our second time there (you may remember my post from last summer!), and the kids loved it just as much! They talked about camping at Yogi for months and months after our last visit! Maria, Matt, and Jaden came with us and stayed right in our camper (it is sooo expensive there-- $45 a night!! So we shared our camper and split the cost!). My nephew Aaron came along too! We participated in so many of their activities! We decorated bikes and had a bike parade, hung out by the pool, went miniature golfing and had ice cream, went on the hayride, and of course spent hours on the playground (they have a really fun one!!) The characters even come out for some of the festivities and the kids love to hug them and give them a high five! We are so happy the weather was so perfect (and HOT!!) and we really enjoyed our stay there! I think it's totally worth the $45 a night, but Bryan doesn't agree so much. So we'll see if I can talk him into going back next year!!! ;)