Happy Birthday Joe!

Love you honey, have a happy happy birthday!
XOXOXO
Us

Happy 8th Birthday Jake!

Oh Jacob--8 years has gone soooooo fast!  You already have dreams of what you want to do someday, a list actually, of 1st job (cowboy), 2nd job (singer), 3rd job (truck driver).  It's hard to believe you are old enough to be thinking about that already! You love to draw and you are very creative with your pictures, you do a great job on them.  The stories you tell us about what's going on in the pictures are priceless!
You love anything and everything to do with hunting, and you CAN'T WAIT until you're old enough to go to hunter's safety class and get your license.  You are Mr. Cowboy, and wear your hat and scarf and boots and a western/plaid shirt EVERY day =)
Have a happy happy 8th Birthday!!
We love you lots.
XOXOXOXOXO
Daddy, Mommy, Emily, Meri & James

Black River Harbor, MI

When I was growing up we would go up to Black River Harbor (in the UP of Michigan) every year.  We'd cross the suspension bridge, and walk out to Lake Superior and play on the beach.  Then we'd climb up on the HUGE breaker rocks and walk out to the end of them.  Joe and I also went up there for our honeymoon, so we figured being it's been 10 years!! we'd go as a family.  THE KIDS LOVED IT!!

We made it!

 Look at the size of this leaf!

 The crew.

 Here's the suspension bridge.

 I remember the fun/scary feeling of crossing this bridge.  It creaks and sways as you walk across it =) The kids kinda liked it...

 WOW...they just stood and looked at the "ocean" (you can't see across Lake Superior)

 The kids (well, me too;-) had fun looking at all the neat rocks that were flat and smooth from the water.

 Emily climbing on the breaker rocks.

 Throwing rocks is always a blast!

 LOVE IT!

 I could have stayed by the lake ALL DAY and just sat on the beach and listened to the waves.  There is something so calming, so renewing and refreshing about water.  It was a beautiful day.

 Then we hiked back to see this beautiful waterfall

 By the waterfall

 Then when we got back from that hike (1.5 miles round trip!!!) we sat by the edge of this cliff and enjoyed the view! I'm not sure what Jake was pointing to here.

Afternoons in the park together, playing bucking bull with daddy...what could be better?!

Kitties

The other day, the kids found this little gray furball under our porch.  We've seen the mama cat around here, but she's mostly wild, so after she realized our kids had been playing with this kitty, she relocated.  Needless to say, the kids were sad and looked all over for it.  Never fear, Grandma Linda had an extra kitty the kids "adopted".  So, all is fine once again. 
So, here's Princess~~

Teeth, no teeth, and everything in between

 Swiss cheese smile =)

 They're in there (well, 2 of 'em) he just doesn't like showing 'em off =)

 1 so far...

And the girl who has a loose tooth, here, there, well, wait, it's just her lip, as she was showing me the other day ;-)