Brown County Part 4

I have to interrupt my regularly scheduled post here to announce that GRACE IS A SWIMMER!!!! Just today she started kicking and swimming under the water without the water wings! It was very exciting! She has a lot to learn about breathing and getting up to the surface, but she can move in the water! We're so proud!

Here is the "pool gang" getting the last swim in before school started this week. August, Zach, Cooper, Grace, and Zoe. We didn't make Britt get in the "kid" picture as she just started her junior year! She now spends her pool time on a raft with us in the deep end.

Ok, back to Brown County. Grace, just hanging around.
And watching some Veggies.
Playing with the toys.

The great grandkids, Adrianna, Abigail, Ava, Allison, Grace, Owen, and Cooper.

Movie Night!

We love our time with our family!

Brown County Part 3 (I'm on a roll!)

After our hike we walked to the "field where we used to play softball" (I'm sure the park has a name for it, but that is what we know it as.) to play and run off some energy.

Cooper waving at the cars going by!

Grace and Ava. These two are either going to be the best of friends or the worst... they are both pretty strong personalities! I can't wait to see! (They got along just fine this weekend, though!)

Exploring the shelter.

The kids liked playing drive through in this window. "That will be $5, please!"

Ok, one more BC post for later!

Brown County Part 2

Over half the fun at Brown County is eating together! The kids love their little table... most of the time. Owen was a little overwhelmed by all the talking those four little girls can do!

Cooper and Abigail ate together... until Cooper was done and began his screaming exercises that upset her at EVERY meal. The big bully! I tried to get him out before he started and Amy and I even tried sitting between them, but it never helped! I hope that by next year Cooper is over this screaming stage! (It better be done by Christmas!) If you've heard it, you know it is just ridiculous! He just likes to make noise! (We got all kinds of glares at the grocery store yesterday!)

We headed out for a hike.

The lookout tower.

They didn't go much higher than this!

Brown County Part 1

All right, I have GOT to get started on these posts or I'll never get caught up before Christmas! Tim started school today and the kids and I are trying to get into a routine, but we are still out having summer fun since it has finally warmed up. We've been able to use our pool every day this week and love to have people in it with us, so come on over!

Brown County was a success (although it was a month ago). We had fun playing with cousins and getting to know Aunts and Uncles better. (You can't help it when you are all under one roof!) I love watching Ben, Laura, and Monica bond with my children! (Well, Grandma and Grandpa, too, but we see them all the time!)

Grace paid for us to enter the park.

The same swings we played on, we now push our kids on! Awesome!
The boys.

Cooper would rather go up the slides.

The pool was a hit again this year and Grace LOVED the water slide!

It was a bit cold for Cooper, but he loved the water sprinklers!

Chicago Part 2

I finally swapped pictures with the Curless' successfully, so here are a few more of our fun in Chicago. Check out their post of our fun as well, here!

"Hanging Out"

Pictures of the ledges before we went up. That's where we were!!!


On the Ferris Wheel.

Ok, 10 more posts to go to be caught up. Next up - a big one... Brown County!!

A Quick Post

So, I've organized my pictures and have about... 100 pictures to post! AND we have more fun planned for the weekend which will undoubtedly put me even farther behind! It is that time of year that I just have to say, I'm ready for school to start so we can get back to normal around here!! (Even if it will be volleyball season!)

Before Brown County, Grace and I took a Kindermusik class. She really did a good job and it was fun for both of us.

My favorite thing to hear from her now is, "I have a song about _______" (Insert recent discussion topic or random item near by.)

It is a quiet tune that always starts out, "Here is a (mixer/chips/etc.). It opens up and you can cut it...." Hee, Hee.

And, I finally had a few minutes to locate the sunflower field nearby and get a few pictures. I'd like to go back and get some more, though!
(This one is my wall paper)

More to come, soon!!