That Makes Three....

If it wasn't enough for Erica to have her first day of Kindergarten and her first lost tooth all within a week...we added one more thing.  A big haircut!  Ahh...this should make things much easier in the mornings.  :)

And Erin wanted hers shorter too...she's still a little sleepy here.  :)

 

Anniversary

Today Brian and I celebrate our 13th anniversary!  He sent me flowers at work yesterday.

Another First!

First day of Kindergarten and First Lost Tooth, all in the same week!

Okay, I had better throw in a "First Day of School" story about Erica.  Apparently at nap time (full day kindergarten) she fell asleep.  When the teacher awoke the students by turning the lights on, Erica groggily said, "What are you trying to do, blind me Mom?"  Then, waking up a little more, "Oh, did I just call you Mom?"   

Too funny! 

First Day of School

The first day of school went really well! Erica had her first day of Kindergarten, Emily entered 2nd grade, and Erin became one of the "big mean 5th graders that rule the school!"

A camping we will go...

We decided to take a week off to go camping this summer in Mid-August. We went to Wallashuck Campground at Lake Red Rock near Pella, and we couldn't have picked a better week. We went down a day early to attend the Iowa State Fair (there's nothing like it!) and then we took the camper out on Monday and stayed through Sunday. It was a nice relaxing week, with lots of family around to visit and to have come out and visit us.

Here are some pics from our week.

The State Fair - Little Hands on the Farm experience, the kids did everything from planting "seeds" to getting their veggies out of the "garden" to milking cows, gathering eggs, getting wool from sheet, turning their soybeans into Ethanol to run the tractors, then "selling" it all at the farmers market and spending their money at the "store". Neat experience!
And Here is a photo from the times we spent on BIL and SIL (Gene and Elaine's) boat. We got some tubing in before we started having mechanical problems. Erica and Emily went, then Lizzie went with Tyler.


A Rainy day in the camper.


Playing with cousins

An attempted photo-shoot. :)

Weddings, Weddings, Weddings

Today we were invited to two weddings, both of which we are sadly unable to be at.  One of them is my stepsister Keri, who is marrying fiance Josh before he is deployed to Iraq this fall.   The other is my sister in law Kerry's sister Amanda, who is marrying Jake. 

Also, we received a phone call this morning from my cousin Staci who was recently engaged to Dave, asking if Elizabeth could be the flower girl in her wedding January 3rd, 2009!  Erin, Emily, and Erica started whooping and hollering and hugging Elizabeth...and poor Elizabeth really has no idea what this means, so she ran and hid.  But I think once she knows what is going on (and sees her dress) - she'll be thrilled to death.  (and maybe at my stepbrother Brandon's wedding next month to Shana, she will see what a flower girl is?)

Coincidentally - a wedding was held in our house this week.  Again, my goofy girls along with our neighbor girl Kaylee, had a grand idea and asked me to get out the video camera.  So...in honor of all these weddings, today and upcoming, I present this wedding video:

Zeke's Wedding