By The Beach

Happy 8th Maddycakes

I hope you had the happiest 8th any little girl has ever had.

Pre School Graduate and Family Camp

Well it is official Mr. Max is no longer a pre-schooler. It seems I have no control over my kids aging :(.
It breaks my heart, as I love the kids preschool and am very sad we are now alums.

This past weekend we went to family camp and despite the 100 degree days we had a great time...
on the zip line and 

dressing up for the country fair.

Happy Birthday Uncle Rod

I hope have a perfect day. Full of fishing and hunting and hanging out in your new garage :)
Thanks for being the perfect uncle.

1st Communion

Someone had theirs on April 13th

Look Who is 5!!!

My very handsome, very flat footed little man.

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He is so big he helped with the goodie bags

He had a gymnastics party and jumped so fast he was a blur!

Happy Birthday Max!

New Blog

Because I tend to focus on family and personal projects on this blog.
I have started a blog for work.
So here are some kid pictures.
Max,Easter Sunday at the park. I can't believe he is turning 5 Saturday!!

Childhood Summers

We was just reading Another lovely blog.  
It got my thinking about our summers in Wisconsin  at my Grandparents house.
Those are some of my best childhood memories.
Hanging out with all my cousins.
Walking in the woods, picking berries.
Eating fresh peas and tomatoes right out of the garden.
Catching tiny little frogs.
Sewing doll clothes with my grandma.
My grandparents wonderful red and chrome kitchen table.
Playing "Here comes the Bride "  on the organ over and over.
Polkaing with Grandma at wedding receptions.
Going to Stephenson.
The plaid  "Divan"
Eating oatmeal for breakfast.
The smell of their house.
The pink striped sheets in the "girl's bedroom" and the blue in the "boy's"
Sleepovers and aunt's and uncle's houses.
The sand dunes.
Baking.
Chaney Bars.
Homemade Play Dough.
Going to buy flowers at the nursery.
Gardening.
Double MInt gum torn in half.
Bon FIres  and roasting marshmallows at the RV park.
Grandpa's Steel Toed boots.
Grandma's soft pink nightgown, and how she sat staring out the window with her coffee humming.
WKRP in Cincinatti and M.A.S.H.
4th of July Parades.
Back to School shopping in Green Bay.
How BIG their land and house felt.
How safe their house felt.
Friday Perch Frys.
Shirley Temples.
Supper Clubs.
So what am I forgetting??

The Wedding in the Dessert

Way back in December my little sister was married to my new Brother in Law Tim.
Both Maddy and Max were in the wedding, along with my niece and nephew.
I have been meaning to post photos ever since.
Here goes

I made the flower girl dresses and the girls will be wearing them again in April, sans the red sash.

Not to steal Jackie and Tim's thunder but does it get any cuter than a 4 year old in a tux??

I didn't think so and couldn't resist being his dance partner for YMCA

A laugh for your day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1Y73sPHKxw

Christmas Cruise and Disneyland

This year my Dad bought all 13 of us a cruise  for Christmas. It was so nice, we actually left a week after Christmas. Everyone came to San Diego first and we left from here. It was very Home Alone like.
This is our self timer photo before we loaded up in the shuttle.

Lifeboat drill
My BIL Sean and niece Ashlynn

After the first day at sea, we arrived in Cabo. I Love real salsa!!

And tacky souvenir shopping

followed by some beach time.

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I will post the rest of the photos online soon  for anyone that really wants to see more...

I highly recommend Carnival when you are bringing kids, they have so many activities for them and the staff on our ship was unbelievably  good. Their customer service is the best I have experienced on any vacation.

But as if the cruise was enough Grandpa took us all to Disney after!