The Joys of Family

dave at the lake, very relaxed!:

We look great with our new do's
Mandy and Maggie, nice look Mags!

I love this shot... they all love each other!:

Cousin time with Maren:

Madi posing again!:

Wylson and Maren at Kaleidescope:

At the Zoo:

The Hippos Tank:

In the hotel:

Leaving for St. Louis

Hello! Here we are going off to St. Louis for a two day vacation. Wylson played his world series baseball tourny there this year so we took advantage and headed out for a break.

Grandma, the kids and I stayed at the Marriott and went to do the free stuff on monday. The kids loved the hotel... who doesn't?

The zoo is free admission and the childrens science center is free too. I love the St. Louis zoo, the attractions are so real and the penguins and the hippos were everyones favorite. The penguins are inside this really cold cave that has tanks and pools in it. you walk in and are kept in there for about 10 min. then you exit outside and the next group goes in. way cool they are so close to you. the hippos are so happy and love swimming in front of everyone... literally in front of you. there tank is curved all along the exhibit so you see them from all angles. Easton was freaked when a hippo came face first into the glass where he was standing... it was funny.

We all had a great time, we got home and had to hurry and do laundry, and clean house becuase aunt mandy and uncle dave and the girls would be there in a few days.

We had so much fun with my bro and his family. We did the hallmark crown center, you do art projects like painting under black lights, watercolors, make your own puzzle and a project of the

day ours was crowns and glasses. we went to the lake and bbq. Maggie and Maren hadn't been to a beach before and it was great seeing them have their first experience. They loved it and ate there share of sandy watermelon.

It was so much frun having them go to church with us, play toys and boy did they play.. we went out for a nice dinner with mark and jane who came up on their way to minnesota. All the kids played so hard with each other. I don't think we saw the little ones for hours at a time they were so busy playing super heroes. Maggie and Maren were great. Those girls really liked the fire pit and the marshmellows. We had a great time out at the fire pit a couple of nights. janel, mandy and I all got our hair done and I got to give maggie her first haircut! we looked fabulous.

we went to the soda fountain one day for a vintage treat, and ate some great pizza downtown. The biggest memory for me and my family though is the time that each of you took to make it to the midwest and spend your precious time with us! the kids loved seeing all the cousins and learning the famed settlers of catan!

Thanks to all our family for spending some of your summer with us and being with us certainly made our summer perfect!!!