Falder Photo Shoot

My friend and neighbor, Traci, took the kids pictures last week! We met her for the shoot in downtown Hartford City and the kids were confused. They thought we were meeting her at JC Penney's or something! Photography just started out as a hobby of hers and it is quite evident that it is a God-given gift! I chose to go this route in lieu of school pics this year.

I thought I would tell you to take a look at her blog entry: "Black & White Dilemma" for a peek at the pictures. Click on her link at the right, under "My Blog List" at Traci Falder Photography and scroll down to the entry with the title mentioned above. You will see a gorgeous picture of Dawson and a rare, joyful moment from the four kids. (Rare, as in, they are ALL happy at the same time!) Thanks, Traci! :)

Fahlen Family Fun

We spent a great, two days with the Fahlen family near Grand Rapids, Michigan. Jon will have two of their sons on his golf team this fall. Their eldest has been on the team for the past three years. They live on a lake and invited us to come up.

We went on the boat and the kids all went tubing, including Emmi! Jon enjoyed the Sea-Doo and gave all the kids turns on it with him. Later the boys went fishing off the pontoon boat and we went out for ice cream. The kids loved the beach and spent most of the morning jumping off of the deck or digging in the sand or trying out the paddleboat together. Of course, Dawson had to take a collection of snail shells home.

Thanks, Fahlen's for a great time! Emmi now loves all boys between the ages of 15 and 22, especially ones in swimming trunks! :) (She went right up to a lifeguard at Taylor Lake and teased him like she would have one of the Fahlen boys that weekend!)

Braden, Calvin & Dawson ready to tube...

Emmi and Jon on the left. Yes, Emmi is smiling!
You can't hear it, but Braden is screaming the entire time! Shrieks of joy...

Jon was WAY too comfortable on this Sea-Doo!

Even Emmi ventured on it with Daddy. He went so fast, I couldn't ever get a moving picture!

Dawson running and jumping off the end of the dock...

Calvin without a hint of caution...

Braden is all about the perfect look...

Saying Good-bye to Mikel

I know I am WAY behind on my blog entries, but it is time to catch up! Here are some pictures from Saturday, July 25, when we took Mikel to the airport. He had been with us for a month! He became a part of our family! They all look up to him! We hope to see him again someday soon! I hope to try some authentic tapas (pintxos) someday! It was a great experience and I wouldn't have changed it for anything!

Emmi still asks where he is and will do things that he did, like fold her gum wrapper like him. I will ask if she misses him and she will say, "YES!"

Braden and Dawson have grown to love Nutella and Braden even told me I need to buy another jar.

Calvin ate his pancakes like a sandwich one day with bacon and a little syrup.

Notice the Taylor University shirt...We're working on that! :) Only one more year, Mikel!