Kindergarten Open House

Could it really be? Do I really have a Kindergartener? I love you little Soph. I'm so proud of the kid you are and are becoming. Have fun this year! ( i know i will.. he he)

Sunny and Justin

Congrats to two amazing people! What a beautiful, fun, hip, amazing wedding and reception. Love you both!!

blueberry picking

Blueberry picking needs its own post. It might just be one of our favorite things about Michigan. And our kiddies love it! The weirdest part was that I ate the blueberries and they were delicious. I never like them at home!! I also am fully aware that there is some sappy cheesy pics of me and John here. It's just that a blueberry farm is romantic... even with all your children and extended family! Hee hee.

Michigan

Prepare yourselves people. I am on a blog roll. About 32 hours after returning from California we left our house for the lovely and wonderful Tawas Bay, Michigan. John's grandma had a cottage on Lake Huron that she passed onto her children. And we lucky people get to go there. I love it there. So we had another sweet filled week to tan our bodies, fill our bellies, play games, watch movies, jet ski, sail, catch up with family, build sand men, pick blueberries and find fun new places in Michigan. We heart Michigan!

 

In my basement...

In my basement there is a ton of stuff. Too much for my little brain that craves organization and order. In this pile of stuff tonight I found a gold mine. A huge box of photos to sift through, and a folder of notes. 

I cried. The folder of notes was huge. Full of notes from my first couple years of college from my roommates, and from John as we were falling in love. It made me miss my friends so badly, and it made me love them even more. Perhaps my favorite was a card from John written on Dec.25, 2000 that said, "Will you spend the rest of your Christmases with me? Love, John. " 

And then the box. Pictures from when I was little to just a few years ago. More tears flowed. I think partly because I am not sure when I got from there to here. The extremely sentimental side of me ached to go back to all those times. Just for a day. I would pick a day at Bonneville Elementary, an old school Beach Week, Clayton Jr. High (preferably the day the slushie machine broke during the school play and Adrianne, the SB president at the time, saved the day and the school play), an East High football game, a School Dance, a water polo game, one of the many water polo trips, a Sunday dinner sitting around the old white kitchen, Acapella trip, Europe trip with my family, Freshman Year, 303, Jerusalem, Hilton Head, Falling in love with John, Getting married, having Soph... my goodness the list could go on. I hope Heaven is one big slideshow where we can re-live the days we choose. I might even re-live some of the crappy ones too. Okay, maybe not. 

I guess I go to bed tonight with two sappy conclusions. I like life. I am glad we get to live it. It can be hard, and it can hurt, but I feel grateful for it. And I am going to start enjoying it more today. Because a wise woman once said... "Tomorrow, today is going to be yesterday and I'd like to like where I've been." 

I sure like where I've been.

Beach Week...

Why I love Beachweek: 

the 67+ amazing people

sitting on the beach

the chocolate covered macaroons

the bakery box

watching all the kids

the good food

spending time with my family and friends

all the adorable new babies

tan lines

beach week salad

the laughing

the singing

the big meetings that sometimes are so awkwardly funny

being with my parents who i love so much

the morning runs

silverstrand

the long memorable drives that included lots of throw up and peeing of pants this year

and I could go on and on..... 

here are some pics.. there will be more as they trickle in from other cameras. 

til next year....

We love all you beach weekers very very much!!!....

toothless grin

Sophie lost her first tooth! It was adorable. She was so thrilled. She lost it at the beach, just after she got out of the shower... Love this little girl!