Happy Birthday, Lucas!

Happy birthday, Lucas! We loved seeing you the week before your birthday. May you have a wonderful 4th year of life! Lucas rips into his gifts!

Jack and I celebrated Lukie's 3rd birthday while we were up in Michigan for Pepa's wedding.

Hurry, Lucas! Jack & Averi have their eyes on your candles!

Isaac is a party animal:)

Pepa's and Julie's Wedding

What did you say? Five minutes 'til the wedding? Come on, Lucas, let's go castle stomping!
Proud to help Pepa!

It looks like he's trying to strangle her, but it's just a last-minute hug before they go to work (spreading flowers down the aisle).

Good work! Almost ten petals made it to the sand...until

...they reached the front, and upon Uncle Pp's urging, they dump the whole basket:)

What a cool ceremony!

I do!

Explaining the sand...

Mixing the sand

The newly married couple!

Congratulations, guys! Jack and I were so happy to be able to be in Grand Haven for your special day.

Back to School Blastoff!

On the train, which took kids on a scenic route around the church and grounds

Jack got a rocket "tattoo"

One of the teachers at the school was the tattoo artist for the day!

Oh no! I told him to show it to me, and he patted it! It didn't survive:(

Cool! That's me! With a rocket tattoo on my cheek...for now!

The boys had fun at the preschool's Back to School Blastoff! It was a warm day, but we had a picnic lunch under one of the large shade trees on the playground, which made it bearable. We also waited in an impossibly long line for a snow cone--come Fall, come!!!

Sam Hearts Hudson

Sammy hearts Hudson:)

Here, Sammy gets down to Hud's level to have a convo. He has such a tender heart for babies--so does Jack, come to think of it. I love that about my boys.

Cul-de-sac Beach Trip, Part II

Wet 'n' Wild:)

All 9 of us at dinner--our only dinner out--, and about 5 minutes after this photo was taken the skies opened and it POURED down rain. We were sitting outside under an awning and actually had to move the tables closer to the restaurant because the rain was coming in sideways.

Watch out, waves, here I come!

From left: Ava, Sam, Noah (holding Owen), and Jack

Our little noodle-head

Rick and Jack prepare for a ride around the resort

Ava is a busy little sand flea:)

Jack lends Sam a hand as they navigate the surf

Cul-de-sac Beach Trip!

Can you feel the love?

Soaking wet Noah

That's Sam--nearing the 2nd story!

Two peas in a pod

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!!!

Yum!

Jack, Noah, and Owen eat up some ice cream and soak up some daddy-time:)

Showered, exhausted, and watching a video while dinner is made...

Rick was constantly launching kids in the air--such a good daddy!

That's an armful of love!

Kicking around the pool

We ended up at Wild Dunes this year. We got a great deal on a beach house, and since it was after Labor Day, we ruled the resort:) Unfortunately, (and fortunately) 1/3 of our cul-de-sac was not in attendance. Unfortunately, because we missed them, but fortunately, because the reason for their absence was the best reason ever: they bought their own beach house! Actually, it's a condo, but it's oceanfront, and the boys and I have already taken advantage of it! We missed the Heintschels, but we managed to stay entertained:)

First Day of Preschool 2010

Stacy is on the right (off camera), literally shoving Brady into the shot!

Here are the oldest five. Ready for school to start!

Had to get the first day of preschool shot. This year, each of us had two kids going, so we tried to get all six in the picture, but Brady was not in the mood!

Linville Falls--Labor Day

I couldn't resist...

Peek-a-boo!

Just the boys!

Just the kids!

Aunt Cheryl...earning that "Auntie" title!

We took off Labor Day morning with Chad, Cheryl, and Baylee (all of us in the Tahoe, "lucky" Cheryl in the 3rd row sandwiched between Jack & Sam) headed for the mountains! The trip to Linville was fun, Baylee read us stories, Jack and Sam drew pictures as she read, and we all belted "Hey, Soul Sister" at the top of our lungs. We ate a picnic lunch when we got there, then hiked down to the falls. The trail was busy (always is on a holiday), but manageable.

Video from Linville Caverns

The video isn't great (very dark, it is a cave), but you can get a sense of 1) the cramped environment of the cave, 2) our tour guide (with an almost indecipherable dialect), and 3) the impetuousness of my four -year-old. Good times!

Linville Caverns--Labor Day

Wading in the little creek beside the caverns

Kings of the big rock!

Stalagtite!

Ahhhh! Daddy puts up with so much torture!

Hey, Mom! I just got dripped on!

The boys follow our tour guide

Sam got distracted, otherwise, this would've been a great family picture!

Waiting for the tour to start (Jack may be in timeout here, not sure, but he doesn't look too pleased)

After hiking, we headed to Linville Caverns for a cave tour. It was nice and cool inside the cave. Besides stalagmites, stalagtites, and bats, we also saw trout in the river that ran alongside the path. We experienced what the tour guide called "total darkness." There are few places in the world where you can experience this, which we thought was cool.

Later, we headed to the little river beside the caverns to wade, throw stones, and chase butterflies.