Martin's & Goetz visit

Friends of ours from wayyyyy back got together at our house. The Goetz's live in the St Louis area and were in town visiting their family. The Martin's don't live that far away but we hardly ever get to see them. Kyle, Randy and Brian all worked together about 12 years ago in a lab on campus. Since then, we've all married and had kids and here are the results!

Last of the T-ball for '09

Well, t-ball is coming to an end. I got to watch my last game. They have one more next week but Acacia and I will miss it as we will be in NC. But, here are some photos from the last game. They've really come a long way .... OK - the games look pretty much the way they did in the beginning ... Lots of looking into the outfield, playing in the dirt, running the ball to the base in stead of throwing it and if they did throw it they would toss it under hand as if bowling with it. Whatever. It seems like they had fun.







Click the link to see the slide show of all the t-ball photos '09.

Slide show of more t-ball '09

Key Largo and Florida '09

For whatever reason the airlines gave us a break and we were able get flights to FL for way cheap! Acacia, Chris and I got to go visit Uncle Chris, Aunt Yoli and Newman for a week of fun! Dad had to stay home and work but he will be able to come with us on our next trip ... to NC!!

We did TONS of cool stuff!



We drove to Key Largo and went on a catamaran out to a reef and snorkeled!!


We stayed in an AMAZING hotel that had super cool pools with water falls in them. The water in the ocean was at least 95 degrees! We went fishing, played ping pong and corn hole and had umbrella drinks on the beach. We even got fancy cool towels and watermelon served to us as we lounged around the pool!


We took Newman on a canoe ride and we even got to paddle the canoe. Then we got to go for a walk on the berm.


We spent a lot of time in Uncle Chris' pool and learned how to do egg rolls and dives!


Uncle Chris took us to the Everglades and we went on an air boat out to see the American alligator! We saw quite a few of them! They were right next to our boat!! We also saw vultures and got to hold an alligator!











If you look at all the photos in the slide show you'll see everything we did ... almost! We got to go see a movie called Ice Age - something about a dinosaur that was super cool in 3D!. We went to a shark feeding frenzy, got our nails done, went to a butterfly exhibit, spent about $3,745 in this cool game land place and came out with a few cool toys, went to the beach, took an air boat ride in the Everglades to see alligators, played with Newmie!! Uncle Chris got this cool ball with a kite like tail that we learned how to throw and catch. We took a canoe ride with Newman over to the berm for a walk. We saw iguana's and heron right in their back yard! They have a banana tree and a mango tree too!

Click the link to see the slide show of Florida '09.

Slide show of Florida '09

WHCC Kid Fest - '09

The kids summer day care puts on a little concert at the local farmers market! This was the best one yet! They even had a little surprise for us at the end ... KAZOOOOOS!! ... that they get to keep! How cool is that for us??







Click the link to see the slide show of Kid Fest '09.

Slide show of Kid Fest '09

Got the coconut!

Acacia asked Auntie Valerie to send her a coconut in the mail from Hawaii .. and she did!! THANKS Auntie Valerie!!

More Tee Ball '09

Six Flags!!

The kids participated in a reading program during the school year and having completed it they each recieved a free pass to Six Flags. I managed to get buy one get one free tickets for Randy and I so for the price of one, all 4 of us got in. It was a PERFECT day weather wise! No humidity, breezy and warm ... but there were lines. We got in the first line and waited about 20 minutes when I decided to leave Randy and the kids there and go buy the fast pass. The line for the fast pass was at least another 25 minutes but I still got back to Randy and the kids before they got on their first ride.

Click the link to see the slide show of Six Flags '09.

Slide show of Six Flags '09

T-Ball '09

No moss will ever grow on a WI Learish! I can not recall an evening, day, afternoon, whatever that we all just were home doing nothing ... ever. Chris is now in t-ball and Randy is the coach. The Blue Thunder! I say LIGHTNING - you say THUNDER!!!! So, 10-12 5-6 year olds who all have slap shot baseball swings but no connection to the ball (probably a good thing). I have never seen such creative karate moves in an in field before either. And - can they entertain themselves while waiting for their turn to bat?! I mean, they are OFF a million miles away - playing football, riding a scooter, climbing the bleachers .... Non of this cheering your team mates on as they attempt to slap shot the ball for a grand slam. Here are a few photos and a link to all of the ones I've taken (not many).

Click the link to see the slide show of T-Ball '09.

Slide show of T-Ball '09



This first base "women" might need to at least turn around ....









Chris found something else you can do with a bat ...





Blue Thunder - at least the ones that showed up that day!








GOOD GAME!!












All alone, at the end of the game ....

Chris' First Shotgun Scramble '09

Not being a golfer, I must admit, I was a bit nervous for what I was about to embark on. In our new neighborhood they have an annual golf outing. A shotgun scramble. I know what both of those words mean separately but when you put them together like that and say it's done on a golf course, I am at a loss. Randy was placed on a team and did 18 holes and his team tied for first. At some point during the next 12 months we will proudly be displaying the trophy for out allotted 6.5 weeks of bragging rights time! We have a space reserved for it!

Chris was just amazing! What a trooper. It was about 87, sunny, hot and sticky. Acacia and I spent our time in the cart and occasionally helping the team search for lost balls. We were paired up with 2 other women (Lisa and Linda) from our neighbor hood. I bet they will even ask for Chris to be on their team next year! There were even a few times that Chris' hits were the ones the ladies would play from. He also sunk the first putt for the team and was just beside himself with joy!!

After the golfing the same family that organized the golfing, hosted a cook out! I have no idea how many folks were there but there were a lot! They also have a pool so the kids got to cool off while the adults cooled off with other means! Everyone brought dishes to pass. I can't get over how much food there was!

Our new neighborhood continues to impress us! It is nothing we've ever experienced and are just beside ourselves with how great it is and how awesome all the people are! We hear there will be a 4th of July gathering and something in the cul du sak area, maybe a Christmas / New Years event?? We have agreed to host the Steelers Super Bowl party every year!

Click the link to see all the photos from Chris' First Shotgun Scramble '09!

Slide show of Chris' First Shotgun Scramble '09!

Getting ready to head out onto the course!! Both kids did some steering and working the gas peddle! That made for some very entertaining riding around on the course. I can't WAIT to actually be teaching them how to drive a real car!!

Here we all are getting our refreshing adult beverages!! I did not think to bring any cash on the course (who knew a beer cart would be riding around!?). The kids were mooching drinks off Lisa and Linda! Lemonade and root beer won out over my bottle of water! Thanks Lisa and Linda!!




Back in the cart after sinking his putt!








What form?? I mean, WHAT FORM!!









Chris and his trophy!!!

Chris is 6!!

Chris turned 6 on June 11th! For whatever reason, this has been the most anticipated birthday for Chris. He has been counting down the days since he was 5 and about 27 days. After much deliberation on Chris' part he was able to finally decide on a party. His first choice was us driving him an hour to the Dells, paying for a hotel room so he could play on the Mario Kart on the TV in the room for $8 an hour all day. We nixed that idea and agreed to take him and 19 other kids bowling.

Believe it or not, it went pretty well!! It got a little dicey when they found the game room and lobbied every adult in the place for quarters to play the arcade games. Unfortunately some parents caved while other did not (or did not have parents there). That left some kids almost in tears - why does Billy get to play and have candy and I don't????? ..... That crisis was averted by bringing out the bowling pin and bowling ball cake and singing Happy Birthday! YEAH!!

Once this event ended, I went home and put the hammock together, grabbed a frosty mug and filled it with a Corona with a fresh lime and just chilled out!

Click the link to see all the photos from Chris' 6th birhtday party!

Slide show of Chris' 6th birhtday party!

Last Day of School '09

I cried more then they did. Saying good bye to such an amazing place was very difficult for me. Acacia had some trouble herself but I think that came primarily from the fact that everyone was saying how much they were going to miss her and they wished she did not have to leave.

Friday the 5th was their last day of school. Saturday I was driving Chris to a birthday party where he decides to announce that so far his "summer vacation has been boring ..."

Click the link to see all the photos from the kids last day of school!

Slide show of the kids last day of school '09!

This is Mary Ann. She ran the after care program and some how managed to not slit her wrists every day keeping up with kids from grades K-8 for the past however many years!!




This is Sister Kathleen (principal) and Mrs. Barry (person that does everything else)







This is Mrs. Rife. Acacia's 2nd grade teacher! According to Acacia, she has a "GREAT sense of humor!"




And this is Chris with one of his kindergarten teachers, Mrs. Haack. Mrs. TeStrake went home sick. Mrs. Haack and Mrs. TeStrake were amazing with Chris. Chris is a handful so we are very fortunate that there were 4 hands to work with him and they were patient and nurturing hands to boot.