Our Summer Vacation...

My new niece Natalie Grace- she is a little peanut.
Syd swimming in the lake at Papa and Grandma's Michigan house
Cousin Grace with Syd at the 4th of July parade in Ohio
Zachary snapping the ball in the boy vs. girls backyard game w/ all the cousins.
Zach on the boat in Michigan
Ashley and cousin Michaela at the parade
Ashley and Dan caught the biggest fish at the lake
The kids with best buds Jyoti and Sully in Charlotte
Dan and Kel at the lake

Girl team huddle

Well we have been home from our two and half week vacation now for about a month and I think we are still trying to get it together. It felt like we were gone for a month! As always though it was such a good time. We got to meet baby Natalie for the first time and is she a cutie. My brother and his wife Erin became proud parents on Mother's Day. Natalie in this pic is two months old (believe it or not). She is a tiny peanut but so good. She was definitely growing- She began to look so big to me by the time we left Ohio.

We wasted no time hanging out with family from the moment we pulled in on July 3rd. We had family pull in from Chicago and Nashville too, so right away our family gatherings were gathered. We went to the 4th of July parade- which is the same parade I use to watch as a kid- that is the really the only reason we still go... the parade is not all that exciting. the kids get tons of candy- I think even more than at Halloween. Our family alone I think had like 40 people there. So we made it fun. There was the first annual backyard football game- boy vs. girls- and technically it wasn't boy vs. girls the whole time. Ashley ended up being traded to the boys and I think they really knocked the girls socks off. Zachary was named MVP- he has learned a thing or two from our friend Mr. Joe. It was so fun to watch all of them- Syd was the pro when it came to what play to run- she loved to huddle. The kids swam a lot- so much that there skin had some kind of crazy reaction that stayed with us for the rest of our journey. Syd really had it the worst- poor thing- it was not fun. But they think it was worth it! We roasted marsh mellows, fired up sparklers, ate at all our favorite places and even tried some new ones, visited with old friends, and loved driving around on our old stomping ground. After Ohio we headed up to Sandusky (for the second time for Dan and I- we were able to meet our friends from Jax- the Zelenkas- at Cedar Point Amusement park for a day- we rode 13 roller coasters and Rebekah and I rode some crazy swinging thing that was probably the craziest ride I have ever rode) So we went up to Lake Erie to spend a couple nights on the boat with Dan's dad and step mom, it was cut short due to weather so we headed for Michigan. We were there for the week. We got to spend some time with friends there as well. Spent most of our time in the lake they live on and got to relax. Then from Michigan we stopped in Charlotte North Carolina to help break up our drive and to see our friends the O'Neils. It is always great to spend time with them- the kids have a blast- as if a day hasn't gone by. They really have a special friendship.

Since we have been home we have been busy. Dan is back to work, I have been able to paint, the kids have started soccer, we pretty much go to the YMCA every day, and we are getting ready for Homeschooling! Oh----it will be an interesting year! School has just started and it is funny for us not to be going back. Looking forward to getting into a routine again, but it will be our routine!

Also Syd just got her tonsils and adenoids taken out. She is recovering really well! She was a trooper. They were impressed with how mature she was about it all. She was a little nervous and scared but she handled herself great. We are really proud of her. we hope that this will make a huge difference in how she sleeps and in turn how that will affect everything else.