Papa Cairney's 75th Birthday

 

 Gramma and the birthday boy

 the birthday celebration gang

Doug and I were excited to be able to host the Cairney family and celebrate Papa Cairney's 75th birthday on Sunday with a brunch. What a beautiful morning it was and always fun to get together and get caught up with all of the families (even Sammy the pup was able to join in the fun). Many more birthday's Dick, we love you!!

Weekend with the Stoltenberg's

Packaging for Meals for the Heartland

Nicki and I

 Jon, Wil, Ben and Kate

 Kate, Jon and Doug -- battling it out in a game of pro-draft

 Ben and Kate golfing with Aunt Nicki

 Jon and Kate up to bat

 William and Ben defending the outfield

 

As our tradition continues, we hosted the Stoltenberg family this past weekend, and again......FUN TIMES were had by all!! We started our weekend out with packaging meals downtown for Meals for the Heartland. What an amazing organization this is, and what a difference we can make for so many people in just 2 hours....It was a blessing to be able to do this together as a family. Then we enjoyed pizza and a family baseball game that evening....the kids had a great time, and the adults managed to not injure ourselves so it was a WIN for all!!! Sunday after church we went golfing, BBQ'd, played more baseball, and then winded down for the evening with movies and board games.  Monday morning always comes way to fast when we have to say "good-bye" but we loved having them here! Thanks for driving over David, Nicki, William and Jon.......we love you!!!

Weekend with Papa and Nanny Suhr

We had such a great time this weekend with my parents visiting. Plenty of laughter and fun was enjoyed throughout their stay here with us. They arrived on Friday night bringing the "traditional" milkshakes, cheeseburgers and fries from the drive thru. Then Saturday morning we went to the farmer's market and sampled some delicious local fare along with enjoying all that has to offer for many blocks thru downtown.  Our afternoon was spent at the local water park since the temperatures were in the high 90's with humidity -- WOW did that feel refreshing!  Then Saturday night we enjoyed dinner together and watched some old family movies....I think my cheeks are still sore from laughing!! They left Sunday morning after church, and we felt SO BLESSED to have had them here. Can't wait to see them again ~~  Love you both!!!

First Day of School 2014-2015

Ben ~~ the 4th Grader

Kate ~~ the 7th Grader

 my "backup" driveway greeting for the first day of school - I usually do sidewalk chalk on their first day.

 Our official "after school" picture





This Fall, the school year literally started off with a "boom" & lights flashing! What a thunderstorm we had all morning when trying to get the kids off to school.  Extreme lightning & rumbling thunder did not create the picture perfect moment ( as noted in the photos taken in the garage on our way with the rain in the background ).  But we were excited ~~ at least Kate and I were.  Miss Kate started her first day at Stilwell Junior High "hello middle school" , 7th grade, and she loved it!  It is quite the change for her, but she is going to do amazing things I just know it!!  Ben was not as excited.   He is a fourth grader this year, has a very nice teacher, tons of buddies in his room, his own locker, etc., but we are having a hard time getting him excited!!!  Possibly typical of a 9 year old boy that would rather stay at home and play, and also a huge factor was knowing that they would not have any recess this first week due to construction projects finishing up at school -- can you say BUMMER!!!!  Can't wait to see how the year goes for these two   (-:

Welcome to middle school Kate

 

Kate is super excited for middle school. Saying farewell to her elementary days was "bittersweet" for her last Spring. There is something to be said of leaving the comforts of home, and those same feelings can be felt leaving a school that you have been in for 7 years. She has so many wonderful memories from those times, but she is looking forward to joining up with many friends from the other elementay schools that all come together in this building.  Her biggest changes she would say this year are going to be switching rooms for every class, a locker combination (that has a very sticky door )-;  ) a much earlier start time 0735!! , all new teachers and many new friends.

and Ben is excited to fit inside of her locker!!!

State Fair concerts

 Gramma and Kate

 Excited and ready for the concert....what a beautiful evening!

 Kasey K - the pre-opening act

 Billy Currington

Lady Antebellum

Gramma Cairney, Kate, and I were treated to an evening at the fair with tickets to the Lady Antebellum concert. We had such a great time....our seats were wonderful, the weather was perfect, fireworks fantastic, delicious fair food, ect., we had the best time!!! 





A "cousins" kind of day

 Water balloon toss

 Ben having fun on the trampoline with the sprinkler underneath

 Miss Olivia

 Ben and Kate trying out the BB guns

 Ben and Josiah

Isaiah, Ben, Josiah, Kate and Olivia (and kitty of course)

 We were able to catch the Velarde family for a couple of days while they were visiting Aunt Sharolyn.  There is nothing like fun with cousins out on the farm. I have so many fond memories of all of the days I spent on this same farm as a kid with the Fett's.  Becky and I were inseparable the minute that we were reunited anywhere -- of course, we managed to not get a picture of her and I this weekend -- BUMMER!