SUMMER FUN IN JULY 2008

Lots of fun at cook-outs, swimming, sleeping out, etc.! A great summer! ( I borrowed a few of these pictures! Thanks, guys!)

Gramma & Grampa with Shaelyn












Ellie, Ava, & Paxton had a sleepover in the girls' playhouse. Uncle Brad & Tucket joined them!












Brent & Paxton camping out beside their garage













Little Miss Shaelyn
(5 months old)












All smiles!













Brad taking spin on little dirt bike a fella at the shop gave the girls. Looks like he belongs in the Shriners' parade....











Brad's family at the beach in FL with all of Shelley's family for a week











Ellie at the beach in NH


















Ava at the beach in NH


















Ellie, Ava, & Paxton enjoying the pool













Paxton ready to go off the diving board













Hi guys!













Shaelyn loves the water too!

Boys at the pool (Jody's pic)

Girls at the pool (Jody's pic)

Kids having fun at the pool (Jody's pic)

MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE FROM BARCELONA TO VENICE

June 24-July 10, 2008 -- We joined Butch & Janis Caston, Don & Eve Strassburg, and Warren & Sue Wainwright from California in Barcelona, Spain for a wonderful 2 & 1/2 weeks. We spent a few days in Barcelona before embarking on our cruise with stops in Nice, France; Florence/Pisa, Italy; Rome, Italy; Naples/Capri, Italy; Santorini, Greece; Athens, Greece; Debrovnik, Croatia; and ending up in Venice, Italy. I'll add more pictures later....











Celebrity SUMMIT
cruise ship

Butch & Janis, Warren & Sue, Kent

Eve & Don, and Sharon

KATIE & NATE'S WEDDING -- JUNE 21st

Katie wanted a casual beach atmosphere wedding out by the pond on the farm. It was a gorgeous day and a lovely wedding!

Katie & Jodie (the wedding planner!)

Katie & her attendants before the wedding

Roger & Bonnie

The cake with fresh peonies

Nate & his buddies before the wedding

Garret bringing Bonnie

Nate's parents -- Dale & Sarah Ball

Kristy & Hannah bringing Grampie

Waiting for the bride!

Here comes the bride!

Saying their vows

Mr. & Mrs. Nate Ball

Nate & Katie

Tables for the buffet dinner reception were set up on the front lawn with fresh peonies on the tables

Johanna with Paxton & Shaelyn

Brent & Shaelyn

Brad, Shelley, Ellie, & Ava

CONGRATULATIONS NATE & KATIE!!! BEST WISHES!

BRONCHITIS!

I had a bout of bronchitis for about the whole month of June and hardly had any voice. It would have been quiet in this house, except I coughed till I think Kent was ready to go crazy! :) So this BLOG has been quiet for a while too.... Now it's time to update since we are back from our trip to Spain, France, Italy, Croatia, and Greece. While we were gone for 2 1/2 weeks, lightning struck our modem, but we are finally back up and running again.

JUNE PIANO RECITAL -- SAT. AM JUNE 21st

Ellie & Ava had their last piano recital before the summer vacation. They will start up again in the fall. That was on Saturday AM, and then we went to Katie and Nate's wedding at the farm in the afternoon! A full day and beautiful weather!

MEMORIAL DAY 2008

HAPPY 8TH ANNIVERSARY, BRENT & JOHANNA!!! We babysat Paxton & Shaelyn last night while they went out to dinner to celebrate. It was such a gorgeous Memorial Day week-end! Today we worked outside all day in the landscaping and cleaning the pool. We were invited to Corey & Jananne's late afternoon for a cookout and fun. The kids had a blast in their pool while others enjoyed volleyball, football, playing catch, or just chatting. Lori Pik grilled the chicken, Kielbasa, and hot dogs -- DELISH! There was lots of scrumptious food! We celebrated Megan's 15th birthday with cake & ice cream. A fun time!




Fun in the pool











A game of volleyball












Lori grilling















Johanna & Shaelyn












Lining up for chow!

Great picnic!















Yummy!

Roger took Paxton & Braden for a ride.

MAY GREETINGS!

SPRING GREETINGS! I haven't been on the BLOG for a while... I had continued to have pain in my ankle from a fall way back in October, and they finally did an MRI and arthrogram and found a torn ligament in my left ankle. So surgery was finally scheduled the end of April, and the ligament was repaired on the one ankle and the tendon lengthened on the top of my other foot where they had operated on that shattered toe in November. So I was laid up for 3 weeks using a walker and now can walk with the air cast on the repaired ankle for 2 more weeks and then just a splint for 2 more months after that. So I didn't amount to much for a while and have just a week ago been back on my feet. I sure have enjoyed getting out and planting some flowers and working outside again. It has been gorgeous weather! The pool is open, and we will soon be jumping in. Here are a few pictures from the past month -- Ava's graduation from kindergarten, Paxten and Shaelyn, etc.

Ava graduating from Kindergarten

Paxton & Shaelyn ready for meeting

Ella & Anne here for dinner and watching our pictures of China on the computer.