Hello everybody! I hope everyone is enjoying the long holiday weekend. We certainly have had a very enjoyable one ourselves, with Mom, Dad and Oscar coming down and visiting with us for a couple days. We had a fabulous grill-out yesterday afternoon (with Mark spoiling us as usual with his cooking skills; this time: slow-cooked brats) and our merry little group was made merrier with John, Van and Judy, and Greg and Renee joining us for some grub and conversation!
I'm taking the opportunity this afternoon to post these great pictures taken from our last trip north, which was a couple of weeks ago. Our good friends, Ingrid and Craig, and their adorable little spud, Soren, had Mark and I and our other good friends, Phil and Matthew, over for a visit at their unbelievably gorgeous place outside of Lac du Flambeau in a small township called Springstead.
Soren will be turning 2 next month! In the top picture he surveys the scene in his mom's arms. The black and white photo show Soren standing on a favorite tree stump. The picture below that one shows Soren prepared to walk in the tick-infested woods of the great north. Ingrid pulls long white socks over his pantslegs so that they can locate ticks easily and remove them promptly. In this picture, Phil lifts a very pleased little boy onto his shoulders.
Happy
On a mission to go somewhere!
Here my husband and my friends try to look "cool" by being avoiding the camera. You guys are so awesome.
Ok, no longer trying to look "cool".
Craig and Phil
Too sweet!
After our visit in Springstead, we drove to Rhinelander and visited with Mom and Dad. Also there that weekend were Lisa and her kids, Bill, and John. In this picture, I am holding very special, well-crafted sculpture of me that Emma gave to me for an early birthday present. It is so cute and is now sitting prominently on my fireplace mantel. Emma made if for me in her 3rd grade art class at school. Thanks, Emma! I just love it!
In addition to receiving such a wonderful gift from my niece, my younger brother Bill surprised me by baking me a homemade birthday cake! Can you believe how lucky I am? I am constantly amazed at how loving and thoughtful my family is...all of my family! The cake was a tasty banana with chocolate frosting. Thanks, Bill! You made my day!
Hum. Who could that be driving Dad's tractor if Dad is the person walking next to it?.....
Well, it's my goofy big sis, Lisa! Apparently my father told Lisa when she was a little girl wanting to drive his big old tractor that he
would let her drive his tractor when she turned 40. That tactic must have appeased her then, but who would have thought that she would actually
remember it and
hold him to it! Different tractor, but same father, daughter and promise kept!
Dad hitching a ride with his oldest kid.
Bill setting-up the badminton net.
It was a gorgeous weekend while we were there, so after Bill worked on setting up the new net, we all took turns playing badminton.
The Bill-Michael team was a formidable duo.
Michael and Jojo
Mark and Dad conversing on the sidelines.
Mom spent a lot of time playing with Leila on the little slide attached to the swingset. Leila was very pleased.
This is not Leila crying, but squealing with joy and laughter!
I tried to teach Leila "Farmer Brown" on the seesaw, but she is a little
too young for it and can't quite say all of the lines.
I just loved the topknot Leila was sporting in the morning! Very pixie-like.
Bill struggles to hold a kicking Leila in the photo.
Bill gives Cocoa a little attention.
Canine cousins investigate the dwelling of a ground squirrel.
Bill, me, Jojo, Emma and Lisa.
Uncle Jojo assists Leila with removing her tricycle from a large "pothole" in the yard.
Bill had a lot of assistance from Emma while he grilled lunch for us.
Lisa and Leila
Cocoa catching some zzzzzs on the floor.
I must introduce everybody to this gorgeous friend of mine: Mr. Mixed Berry Pie. This stunning piece of work is made from scratch by my mother-in-law, Judy. When we returned from our visit north, we went to Van and Judy's for a birthday dinner for myself and for my brother-in-law, Greg (his birthday is on the 14th of May and mine is on the 21st). Greg is a big fan of a peanut cake that Judy makes, but Judy knows that I am a HUGE fan of her pies, so she made us one of each!! Come on...just look at that pie!
The birthday "kids".
Also celebrating a birthday in May is Lizzy, who turned 6!
Mingo gives his Grandma Judy some love.
Hello everybody! I hope everyone is enjoying the long holiday weekend. We certainly have had a very enjoyable one ourselves, with Mom, Dad and Oscar coming down and visiting with us for a couple days. We had a fabulous grill-out yesterday afternoon (with Mark spoiling us as usual with his cooking skills; this time: slow-cooked brats) and our merry little group was made merrier with John, Van and Judy, and Greg and Renee joining us for some grub and conversation!
I'm taking the opportunity this afternoon to post these great pictures taken from our last trip north, which was a couple of weeks ago. Our good friends, Ingrid and Craig, and their adorable little spud, Soren, had Mark and I and our other good friends, Phil and Matthew, over for a visit at their unbelievably gorgeous place outside of Lac du Flambeau in a small township called Springstead.
Soren will be turning 2 next month! In the top picture he surveys the scene in his mom's arms. The black and white photo show Soren standing on a favorite tree stump. The picture below that one shows Soren prepared to walk in the tick-infested woods of the great north. Ingrid pulls long white socks over his pantslegs so that they can locate ticks easily and remove them promptly. In this picture, Phil lifts a very pleased little boy onto his shoulders.
Happy
On a mission to go somewhere!
Here my husband and my friends try to look "cool" by being avoiding the camera. You guys are so awesome.
Ok, no longer trying to look "cool".
Craig and Phil
Too sweet!
After our visit in Springstead, we drove to Rhinelander and visited with Mom and Dad. Also there that weekend were Lisa and her kids, Bill, and John. In this picture, I am holding very special, well-crafted sculpture of me that Emma gave to me for an early birthday present. It is so cute and is now sitting prominently on my fireplace mantel. Emma made if for me in her 3rd grade art class at school. Thanks, Emma! I just love it!
In addition to receiving such a wonderful gift from my niece, my younger brother Bill surprised me by baking me a homemade birthday cake! Can you believe how lucky I am? I am constantly amazed at how loving and thoughtful my family is...all of my family! The cake was a tasty banana with chocolate frosting. Thanks, Bill! You made my day!
Hum. Who could that be driving Dad's tractor if Dad is the person walking next to it?.....
Well, it's my goofy big sis, Lisa! Apparently my father told Lisa when she was a little girl wanting to drive his big old tractor that he would let her drive his tractor when she turned 40. That tactic must have appeased her then, but who would have thought that she would actually remember it and hold him to it! Different tractor, but same father, daughter and promise kept!
Dad hitching a ride with his oldest kid.
Bill setting-up the badminton net.
It was a gorgeous weekend while we were there, so after Bill worked on setting up the new net, we all took turns playing badminton.
The Bill-Michael team was a formidable duo.
Michael and Jojo
Mark and Dad conversing on the sidelines.
Mom spent a lot of time playing with Leila on the little slide attached to the swingset. Leila was very pleased.
This is not Leila crying, but squealing with joy and laughter!
I tried to teach Leila "Farmer Brown" on the seesaw, but she is a little too young for it and can't quite say all of the lines.
I just loved the topknot Leila was sporting in the morning! Very pixie-like.
Bill struggles to hold a kicking Leila in the photo.
Bill gives Cocoa a little attention.
Canine cousins investigate the dwelling of a ground squirrel.
Bill, me, Jojo, Emma and Lisa.
Uncle Jojo assists Leila with removing her tricycle from a large "pothole" in the yard.
Bill had a lot of assistance from Emma while he grilled lunch for us.
Lisa and Leila
Cocoa catching some zzzzzs on the floor.
I must introduce everybody to this gorgeous friend of mine: Mr. Mixed Berry Pie. This stunning piece of work is made from scratch by my mother-in-law, Judy. When we returned from our visit north, we went to Van and Judy's for a birthday dinner for myself and for my brother-in-law, Greg (his birthday is on the 14th of May and mine is on the 21st). Greg is a big fan of a peanut cake that Judy makes, but Judy knows that I am a HUGE fan of her pies, so she made us one of each!! Come on...just look at that pie!
The birthday "kids".
Also celebrating a birthday in May is Lizzy, who turned 6!
Mingo gives his Grandma Judy some love.
