Beauty all Around

I just had to share this beautiful sunset we had on Monday! We have had rain for a week straight. So it was perfect that this sunset signaled the end of the rain! It has been sunny since! (This is the view from our front porch! I love our porch!)

More Vacation!

So, I know that I already uploaded this picture! But it's not there and I don't want Nick and Rachel to feel left out, so here are Codee, Nick and Rachel! (and Grandma Lowe in the background! Silly girl!)

I just have to say that we had tons of fun in CA! (Thanks again Mom & Dad for letting us take over your house for a week) Every day since we've been home Zach has asked "I really liked it at CA. When can we go again?" I also need to send a special thanks to Aunt Wendy, who spent the time and had the patience to get Zach used to the water! This was a major accomplishment! Thank You Wendy!! Zach has been telling everyone that he can swim now! He is quite proud of himself!

Vacation Time!

We headed for CA for a week long vacation. The kids did really well on the two day drive.


















We were able to visit with my family. It was the first time in a few years that all of us siblings were together, so of course we had to take pictures.

Here is Joe and Lindsey.

We got a pic of all the kids (Amy is still a kid because she isn't married! hehe).

L to R is Codee, Elora, Zachary, Amy holding Danika.

Amy and Josh Brice

Here are all of Tim and Laurie's kids and grandkids! Our family is getting bigger!

Here is everyone that was at my parents houe that day, including my grandma and pa Gilsen, Grandma Lowe and Aunt Sheryl along with all the rest of us. We had a lot of fun this trip. We were able to go to the beach and go swimming (I will post those pics latter, I took them with my film camera). We also were able to spend time with Pete's sister Wendy and her husband Ben. The kids had tons of fun. The night before we left Zach told me he was crying a little because he was so sad to leave. Funny kids!

Pete, Danika, Zachary, Leah and Elora (and my mom in the background).

Happy 4th of July!!

WE had a 3rd of July party with Matt, Mandy and Jacquie, with fireworks and a BBQ and 3 deserts to choose from. Way, way too much food! Jacquie (Mandy's mom) even made a flag cake.


The kids had fun (I think?) he he. Every year Zach has to wear grandpa's ear thingies. But this year was even more exciting than just the loud fireworks because one of them actually fell in our laps (burning a few small holes in grandma's quilt). After that Zach watched from inside and Elora wouldn't come out from under her blanket. All this time Danika was sound asleep upstairs. She can sleep through almost anything! By the way, you might think it was cold because of the blankets, it was actually about 70 degrees. I was quite comfortable in my Capri's and t-shirt. Silly kids! Pete, Ben and Matt were practicing their archery skills.

Last year we built a fire pit in our yard. So this year I made benches with little flower beds next to them around the fire pit. They turned out nice and sturdy, they don't even wobble when you jump on them. And I didn't spend any money on them! The legs are from an old cherry tree we cut down and the seat is just some old wood that was laying around! The daisy's next to Elora are some wild daisy's I transplanted. Our yard is really turning into the yard I envisioned when we moved in. I need to post some pics of our yard. We are really enjoying it this year (instead of fighting with it like we were in the past)!