Finally!! A Day with the Schaaf's!

We have been trying to get together for so long with our good college friends, the Schaaf's.  Life has continued to have its interruptions but we FINALLY made it work.  Actually, I should say that they made great effort to make it work and traveled here.  We enjoyed a beautiful day at the zoo and loved getting to know Grace.  She's a cutie and such a hoot!

Golfing with Daddy

Both "big" kids continued to love golf lessons through the summer and really loved this special outing with daddy.  Clayton's favorite is the "big dog"...that's what they call the driver in Junior Golf.  Brooke's favorite is driving the cart.

Theater Camp

Brooke and Clayton enjoyed a full two weeks of First Stage Theater Camp this summer.

Impromptu Zoo

Lincoln and Clayton randomly asked if we could stop at the zoo.  With not a lot else on the calendar, I agreed....and daddy had an opening in his day to join us too.  It was a fun trip!

July Birthdays

Mike and his dad both have birthdays the end of July,

so we tend to combine their celebrations. (And get a little creative with the candles...) 

 

Happy Birthday!!

Geocaching Adventures

On our snowman list for this year was "try geocaching." 

We had a beautiful day at Pike Lake hiking and finding our first geocache.

 Our original plan was to stop and raspberry pick before hiking.  The farm was closed when we arrived, so it made finding black raspberries on our hike even more special.

Success!!

 

Change-Pointe Camping 2013

Each year our church life group plans a huge camping trip and even though Mike and I teach in the 3 year old room now rather than attending class, they are still kind enough to invite us!  15 families this year!

 

We had a great time just hanging out at the campsite, swimming, and exploring.

 

 

Lincoln and his buddy Evan

Sheer exhaustion!  Before we even finished loading up the car in the morning, Lincoln was out.

 We had brought our tandem kayak along for the weekend and really enjoyed having friends to be able to utilize it.  The ride up went great with it in the rooftop kayak carrier.  As we started back the wind seemed to be catching it and making an annoying noise.  We stopped so that Mike could examine the situation...I took a few pictures of the beautiful countryside.

 And then these are pictures of us waiting patiently for Mike to get ratchet straps in Wal-Mart.  See, shortly after "checking" the kayak, we got back on the country highway, and shortly after that the kayak dislodged from the carrier and could be seen hanging (and banging) against the driver's side door window.  Mike calmly pulled over to assess our situation.  Turns out the locking mechanism on the carrier was no longer functional.  With not a lot of options, he took down the kayak, threw it in a field and headed to the nearest Wal-Mart.  (To which it definitely was my better judgment that let me know taking pictures of our "adventure" would not have been appreciated by all parties....mostly Mike.  Hence the car seat pictures while he was "shopping.")

We made it home safely - with the kayak - a camping story - and a heart full of gratefulness for God's provision in the whole ordeal.  (Our minds immediately raced to an alternate scenario where the kayak completely dislodged on a non-rural highway...with a very different ending.)

Labor of Love

Brooke is attending a class at Old World Wisconsin this week - School House Rocks.  She will spend the day as a student would have in the 1900's and she wanted a period outfit.  Grandma Nancy was very kind to give up her weekend to sew...because the extent of this mama's sewing skills are pinning and cutting out the fabric!  And I think Grandma was a little nervous to even let me handle that task.  If I had a nickel for every time that Brooke asked if she could try it on or if we were done...

 

 

 

 

 

Not EVERYone was quite as excited as Brooke about this project.

 

 

 But two VERY excited school girls!

 

Brooke & Sammy - ready for the day

 

Clayton's First Boy Scout Camp

Clayton came home from school towards the end of the year proclaiming that he really wanted to give Boy Scouts a try.  So far Tiger Cubs has been a great experience.  Mike has taken him to a Mad Science show, to a park to launch homemade water rockets, and this weekend they went for an overnight camping trip.