DREW'S BAPTISM

Michael & Kim's baby Drew was baptized on Sunday. We were able to make it. The entire family was there & we had a nice time.


Drew being baptized

The whole family


My family

Thiel's


Allie & Nana hang out in a swing at Michael & Kim's

A QUICK VISIT

While we were in Des Moines, we heard that Scott's sister Kelley would be in the area too. She was taking her oldest Kate to visit various colleges for a couple of days. We were able to get together for a couple of hours at our hotel for dinner. Our paths haven't crossed in about 16 months so it was nice to hang out. Kelley's son Lucas has changed a ton...he was a baby when we last saw them!

Lucas, Jake, Allie & Kate

BLANK PARK ZOO

While on our mini vacation, we took the group to the Blank Park Zoo. It is a great little zoo & the kids enjoyed it.


Grace, Allie & Ethan

Allie & Grace on the train

Allie on a camel

Jake on the camel

Allie & Grace

ALLIE'S 7TH B-DAY

Allie turned 7 on Thursday. We had a gift opening at our hotel that morning. She spent the morning swimming & then we went to Applebee's for lunch. She was thrilled to get a sundae to celebrate.

My 7 year old!

POOL PARTY

The kids spent quite a bit of time in the pool at the hotel. There were 2 pools in one area & another pool in a different part of the hotel. They never seemed to get bored.


Grace & Allie jump into a pool


Grace & Allie hanging out




Jake putting suds on his face to make a beard

ADVENTURELAND

We took the kids for a mini vacation to Des Moines last week. We met up with my childhood best friend Amy & her family and with our college friends Annette & Gopher. We have been getting together for a mini vacation for a few days the last several years. I wonder where we'll end up next summer?

Allie was my little daredevil & rode every ride that she was tall enough to ride. She even cried at one point because she was too short to ride a big ride.

We were at the park from about 10:30 until 7:00. A great time was had by all!

Scott & Allie waiting to ride on the Space Shot


Isabelle, Ethan, Jake, Allie, Grace & Andrew

The kids & Scott on the Raging River

Jake & Me after a long day!

FRIEND PARTY

Allie had her friend party at Chuck E Cheese's last Tuesday. There were 13 kids there & I was mildly insane by the end. It was a moment of weakness when I agreed to having it at that mad house!

Andrea, Allie & Olivia

Al with her HS Musical cake.

Allie with most of her friends & Chuck E Cheese

Allie, Arianna, Olivia, Kayleight, Jordyn, Madison, Andrea, Madeline & Makenna.

Paul, Jake & Andrew

VISITORS

Michael, Kim & Drew came to visit us for Allie's b-day. They arrived on Friday, the 1st & we had a great time. Michael fell asleep on the floor on Friday evening & the kids pulled him into the kitchen. Jake put his hand in a bowl of warm water so that he'd wet his pants. Allie put Ready Whip into his hand then tickled his face so that he would hit his face with the Ready Whip. He was a good sport & the kids laughed 'til they cried.

Mandy, Ben & Maddie arrived on Saturday morning. Michael took the older kids bowling & out for ice cream. He learned a hard lesson at the ice cream shop. He ordered all of the kids LARGE cones & took them outside to eat them. It was really hot & the humidity was way up there too. The kid's cones melted quickly & he had a mess on his hands. He now knows to never order large cones & a dish works the best.

The rest of the family arrived on Sunday for Al's family party. She had a nice time, got lots of great gifts & had enough gift cards to purchase her DS that she has been begging for. A great weekend!!



Allie tickling Uncle Michael, note the shaving cream in his hand


Ben, Allie, Drew, Jake & Maddie


Nana & Allie opening gifts

Allie & her Hannah Montana cake



Drew, Kim & Michael

FAVORITE FOTO FRIDAY

This week's theme is "Fun with Dad"...


Scott messing with Jake...no clue what is in his eyes!


Scott trying to rest & the kids saying "no way"


Dad wrestling


Fun on the sleds!

NEW TEACHERS

I got the kids all registered for school today & they both got the teachers that they prayed for.

Jake will have Mrs. Marshall for 3rd grade. I worked quite a bit with her last year & she is a WONDERFUL teacher & an amazing person. She is a cancer survivor & beat that beast! (Jake's Kindergarten year she was on leave because she was diagnosed with cancer). We are looking forward to a wonderful year with her.

Allie got Mrs. Wyckoff. We ADORE Mrs. Wyckoff. She was Jake's 1st grade teacher & we enjoyed everything about her. Jake had a great year & we are certain that Allie will too. She even has several of her friends from Miss Pins' class in her new 1st grade class.

FAVORITE FOTO FRIDAY

In honor of Allie's upcoming 7th birthday, this week's them is "Happy Birthday Allie!!"


Allie's 1st b-day was a MESS!


Her 2nd b-day


On her 3rd b-day...a princess theme (she is on the far left)


4th b-day & loving a cupcake


Allie's 5th b-day at Texas Roadhouse


And her 6th b-day...my how she has changed!!

ORTHO, SHOPPING & FRIENDS

It has been quite a week. Jake went to the orthodontist this week. He was referred by our dentist due to a "bite issue". Turns out they will do nothing for Jake for awhile, if ever. They want to see him yearly to see if there are any changes, but right now it is just a waiting game. The good news is that they don't charge us until they do some sort of work.

The kids and I met Mandy, Kim & Drew in Williamsburg for some much needed back to school shopping at the outlet mall. I didn't have a ton of luck, but did manage to check a few things off of my list.

The kids both have friends over today. I agreed to let them have friend over, figuring it would keep them occupied so that I could get things ready for Allie's party this weekend. WRONG!! My kids have been fighting like cats & dogs. The kids are bored. They are hungry. ETC!! I finally grabbed both of my kids & informed them that I would be calling their friend's parents to come get them if they didn't shape up. I also explained that MY kids would be grounded to their rooms without any privileges if their friends went home. They have been ANGELS ever since & I even have a few of my chores handled.

We are celebrating Allie's b-day with family on Sunday. Our company starts to arrive tomorrow night. Michael, Kim & Drew arrive around dinnertime. Mandy & the kid are coming Saturday. The rest of my family & Scott's family will come for the day on Sunday.

WHERE HAS THE SUMMER GONE??

School starts in less than a month! I can't figure out where the summer went. It always seems to last longer than this one has. Maybe it is because I was working?? I didn't get to enjoy the first nice days, because I was at work? Or maybe it is because, I might not get to enjoy the nice days after school starts & I keep thinking of that. Whatever the reason, it has gone by way too quickly!

Baseball is over. I'm not sad! Jake really isn't either. He actually loves to play ball & does pretty well. However, this year's team was horrible. Not only weren't the kids on his team not very talented ball players, but they didn't even try! It just killed Jake to see kids watch the ball roll past them or to see kids jog to 1st base. Anyway, their team didn't win a game & frankly didn't come close to winning! Maybe next summer...

The kids and I made a flying trip to visit my family on Thursday/Friday. Mom watched the 4 older grandkids so that Kim, Mandy & I could go eat lunch & shop a little (we took Drew). We had a great time. We grilled out that night at mom & dad's...yummy!! On Friday, we took my grandmother out to lunch & had a nice time. The kids were pretty well behaved. We got home on Friday night just as Scott got done working & hung out with him the rest of the night.



Maddie, Ben, Jake, Allie & Drew

Drew & Jake

Maddie enjoying a Push Up

FAVORITE FOTO FRIDAY

This week's theme is "SOOOO Sleepy"...this is a theme that will be seen again!!




Allie at about 6 months


Allie, just a few days old


Jake just a few days old


Jake a couple of months old

MILDLY INSANE!

I had a moment of weakness today after Jake's ballgame. Allie was asked by a friend to go play. Since her friend has a brother, I felt the need to invite him to play with Jake. It was an "even" trade & everything seemed good. Little did I know, Jake was conspiring to play with the twins on his team...I told Jake it was fine to ask them over. We are now up to 3 extra boys. When the twins went to ask to come over, they said it in front of another boy. SO, I invited him along. Now we are up to 4 extras. They are all playing really well together...then...the doorbell rings and we added ANOTHER boy to the mix. I now have 5 extra boys & Jake here playing. WOW!! Fortunately, we have the Wii & PS2 games to play & it is keeping everyone busy. However, they are all pigs & are eating me out of house & home!
Here are the boneheads! Nicholas N, Sam, Will, Nicholas C, Jake & Mason

LAUNDRY!

The kids and I were on the "Hill" yesterday having lunch with friends and attending the art festival on campus. As we left the festival, we passed a laundromat & our conversation went like this...

Me: "Hey guys, your dad & I used to do laundry here when we were in college"

Kids: "huh"

Me: "This is where daddy & I did our laundry in college"

Jake: "Why didn't you do it at your house?"

Me: "We didn't have a washer/dryer in our houses"

Jake: "WHAT??? No washer & dryer??"

So, I explained the joys of college life & not having certain items. He couldn't even begin to comprehend not having a washer/dryer where he lived. As I thought about it, I realized that he has probably NEVER been to a house without a washer/dryer! I guess I understand why this was odd to him!


Allie & Jordyn at the festival

FAVORITE FOTO FRIDAY

"The Eyes Have It" is this week's theme. It was hard to narrow it down, so I took out those that could be used for other themes!

Allie at about 3 months

Allie at about 10 months

Allie last summer, taken by our neighbor who is thinking of entering this picture into a contest

Jake at about 6 months

Jake at about 18 months or so