First Day of School

Willem and Merit!

The first day of school is here already!

• FIRST day of school!!! I can hardly believe we have a first grader and a fourth grader! This is going to be a great year. But, Hazel and I miss these boys already!!

Sharing more from our time in Lynden

It was really fun to look around downtown Lynden just a bit with the kids...

looking forward to getting there again, maybe to do a little Christmas shopping.

I got to see Grandma Alma and Grandma Dorothy this trip and we saw Vance's Grandma Jule last trip! Grandmas are such sweet blessings! I am very thankful for time with them.

Outside of Grandma Alma's house... the Fair hot spot!

 Natasha and Matt

We have so many sweet memories of time spent at Grandpa Ken and Grandma Alma's. FAIR week has always been a highlight with the fair being in Grandpa and Grandma's backyard!  
So many fun memories! Always the house where we met up at, visited there, always felt welcome. Also, we have loved holidays there!
Here we are at Grandma's late one night after seeing HEART at the Fair.
My grandma is ready to move to a condo. I know she will make her condo a beautiful home. I also know we will make more sweet memories there! I will miss her being in this house so much though. A house full of memories -- lots of sweet memories with our mom.  It is exciting that my Uncle Jeremy and Aunt Monica will be buying grandma's house -- Jeremy and Monica, can we still make it the Fair hot spot? :)

Lesha and Kristen -- we had some time for BINGO at the Fair!!

The Heart Concert!

Dinner before the concert

 

While in Lynden, I got big chunks of time with these four.

I thank God for my siblings. Life is so much sweeter because of them, oh and a lot funnier too. My sisters and I talk about raising kids, we share memories, we laugh a lot... My brothers are involved uncles who are very good to their nieces and nephews and they are very fun guys!

Willem and Amara being silly on Grandpa Jim's new patio

Now... it is time to start thinking about school! How did summer go by so fast?

Lynden Trip

Playing in the gravel, getting dirty and having fun at Grandpa Jim's. The kids LOVE the outdoor exploring and fun!

Hazel and Brielle played a lot this trip!

Matthew and me

Lane and Merit

 Michele, Lesha, Natasha, Matthew, Phil and our dad

 Country exploring on my dad's property. LOVED this!
We even discovered an over grown Christmas tree farm while we were out driving around!

sisters!!

We so enjoy the Northwest Washington Fair! And the company just made it that much better! MFK (my friend Kristen) was there with her three beautiful, fun girls!  It had been too long since we had seen these guys. Also, we did the carnival with both of my sisters and their children. Lots of sweet memories made!

 Keziah, Kaelene, Merit, Lane, Kai and Willem

 Hazel, Michele and Kyrie

 Keziah and Merit look like they are taking a deep breath... Lane looks like he is enjoying the fun!

The beautiful Estelle!

 And, we got time with the Willemsen Girls! I love this family! WE love this family.
Merit, Thea, Emma and Willem had a lot of fun!! Greta, Hazel and Lyla enjoyed their time together too!

I am so thankful for the memories made this trip. More pictures to come!!

Summer Fun

Summer

I love it. Baseball, the sights, the sounds, the long days, the beautiful evenings, fun at the water park, sun kissed skin, gardens, KIDS HOME FROM SCHOOL...

I would love it if I had the kids home till mid September. Starting school August 29th is just too early!

We've had a lot of fun this summer.

Last week we got a little more fun with cousins! Cary and Nate's girls, John and Katie's kids and Rick and Mindy's kids! We were all at Kris' for a BBQ and fun in the sun. Then our family headed to Yakima for one more baseball tournament. It was really, really fun.

Bikini babe, Hazel Jane

Friends

Jocelynne and Hazel

Merit leading off... right before he stole third base!

fans!

Head over to my photography blog for some updated photography fun!

A full weekend of making memories with family

Whew! A Lynden trip with a birthday party for Vance's Grandma Jule and my Grandma Alma, a family dinner at the Jansen Art Center, a Grand Opening at the Jansen Art Center, Vance's company picnic and a lot of kid fun! I still didn't get to see everyone I wanted to see! But seeing probably 80 out of the 120 family members I had hoped to see isn't bad!

 Papa Stan and Grandma Adie with the grandkids!

 FAMILY

These 4! All nine year olds! Lots of pool fun.

Beautiful Isabel

Hazel enjoying Papa and Grandma's garden

Lucy and Willem

These two were sooo tuckered out at the Art Center after a fun filled day in the heat! They both fell asleep!

Jansen Art Center Grand Opening!

Cary working in the heat!

Eyvonne, Brad and their sweet grandson

Emily and Willem

Celebrating Grandma Alma's birthday at Lesha and Rob's.

This has been a BUSY summer, with lots of fun!!

We will make another trip to Lynden to try to see some of those we missed.

To be honest, I am ready for about two days of nothing. Just relaxing... no loading up in the car, no running from place to place... Maybe next summer! :)

Today Vance and I celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary!!

Happy Anniversary to a great guy! I am so thankful for these years together and I hope we get MANY MORE!