Devil's Lake

This summer we took the kids to Devil's Lake, WI.  We were joined by some good company which made the trip even better.  Our family stayed in a large cabin which made our "camping" trip much easier on all of us.

We did plenty of swimming at the beautiful sandy beach.  Eric really wanted to go on a "pedal" boat but it didn't work out on this trip.

Thanks to Yuani and a buddy of his, we were able to take all the kids rock climbing.  It was so fun to share this experience with them.  Plus, Dan took the kids for lunch at the park and I was able to stay up and do some climbing myself!

We went on a hike through Parfrey's Glen with the Lanes.  The man-made trails have all been washed out so we got to walk through the creek and up boulders.  It was much more exciting that way.  Sylvia and Eric even got to stand in a waterfall with mommy.

We did some meals in the cabin but we also roasted hot dogs and marshmallows over the fire.  The kids all participated in a talent show organized by Beth.  Sylvia sang 5 Little Monkeys and called on Eric to help her with the actions.  Eric made up a song and dance on the spot for his performance.

Before heading home, we hiked to the the top of the east bluff.  All the kids made it to the top on their own.  We stopped for some pictures by balanced rock and Devil's doorway.

Aubrey & Joe's Wedding

Sylvia and Eric were invited to take part in the wedding of a good friend of ours.  Aubrey has been our dance teacher since Sylvia was three and Eric joined a class last year.  We've enjoyed getting to know Joe as well when we sit next to them in church.  Sylvia was a flower girl and Eric rang a bell to announce that the bride was coming.  We're looking forward to continuing our friendship with them as we go through life together.

4th of July

We joined the Kacmarynski's for the 4th of July parade this year.  We were thankful for friends to sit by as well as the shade of their Texas tent.  The kids got plenty of candy.  Eric sat on the curb most of the parade with his bucket sitting next to him.  He must have looked cute because people would walk right up to him and drop candy in.

We tried out the Coralville fireworks this year from the parking lot of Gilcrest Jewet.  Plenty of space between us and and all the noise but you could still see the show.  Eric wanted his ears covered so we tied his extra shirt around his head and he was happy.

Community Kids Days

We headed to The Spot for our first night of Parkview's Community Kids Days.  The kids had a great time and enjoyed the remainder of the week at Wetherby Park.  We were able to bring some neighbors along for a couple of evenings.  Songs, stories, games, snacks, crafts and even some fun in the splash pad were enjoyed by all.  Eric was full of questions as usual so our storyteller, Beth, took some time with him after the group story time was over to answer any of his questions.

Drake 2.5

Drake turned 2 1/2 back in June.  He's a hard one to get pictures of but I managed to capture a few that show a bit of his personality.  He's full of energy, very silly and a bit rambunctious.

Father's Day

The kids usually make something for Dan on Father's Day but I've had these squirt guns for awhile now and keep forgetting to give them to him for his birthday.  So, they became our Father's Day present.  They had a lot of fun running around the back yard squirting each other...Dan included.

Oklahoma

We started our summer of with a trip to Oklahoma to visit Aunt Ginny and Uncle Stephen.  School got out at 2:00 and we were on the road by 3:30.  

The kids were thrilled when Ginny or Stephen would take them into the music room to play the tuba or flute.

The girls got to enjoy a little time out to celebrate at Ginny's baby shower.  Sylvia appreciated being invited to help open gifts. 

We took a trip to a cute little children's museum in Stillwater.  The kids had a blast and it got us out of the house for a bit.

Time at the house was spent playing with the dogs, going for walks and reading lots of books in the book nook. 

The kids helped Dan and Stephen get started on the new deck.  A lot of work was done in a very short period of time.

The kids traveled very well.  We watched movies, played with toys, ate meals, read books and made a long stop in Kansas City on our way home to break up the trip. 

Kindergarten Graduation

Sylvia finished off her year in kindergarten with a graduation ceremony on the last day of school.  The kids made and decorated mortar boards for the celebration.  That morning they sang a few heart wrenching songs, received a diploma from Principal Cannon and we watched a picture slide show of all the wonderful activities that filled their first year.

The kids returned to their classroom after the celebration and we presented Ms. Jensen with her end of the year / retirement gift from the kids.  Each child painted a flower that was then framed together to make a garden picture.

They ended the day by giving the teachers high fives and dancing to Happy as they headed out of the school for the last time as kindergartners.