Long post, but it's Grandma's Camp!

I know I'm behind, but I've got to blog about Grandma's Camp. It's the best and the kids talk about it all year long!

It started on a Wednesday while I was working, so the kids went down with Aunt Jana and Aunt April. They tie-dyed t-shirts, and when I got there they were ready to head out for the laser show at Stone Mountain. (They even made me a shirt!)



Kenzie and JJ.



Kyler and Ali.



Rebekah and Grandma - she asked Grandma, "Why does God have to make this show so long?" She is so funny, and I would say that she may have been a little sleepy! :)



There was a little Rock Band going on.



Toad houses being built.





A little napping happening.



Games being played, and this was one of my favorites!
The kids started by the pool - fully dressed.



Then Grandma had them strip down to their swimsuits and throw their clothes into the pool.



Grandma stirred them up.



Then the kids had to get dressed in their own clothes as fast as they could.



So funny!



Coaster making out of glass and Plaster of Paris.



Card making with Aunt Jana.



Pizza making and eating - the best ever!



Relay races.



Boat making and designing with Grandpa.



Boat painting



and boat racing.













Hi-fives, cheering





and sobbing alike, as some boats "faired" better than others on the open water! :)



Then, there was talent sharing of all kinds - singing, dancing, guitar playing, flute playing, piano playing, obvious silliness, and even juggling (Ryan, you were great and so much fun to watch!).













We also painted tiles, ate, swam, slept and had so much fun!! Thanks Tim and Linda for all your hard work and patience! It was just so AWESOME!

Hey, did I tell you there's a teenager in the house?!?

Kenzie at nine months old. So sweet!



Kenzie at 13 years old! Still pretty sweet, really!



My how time flies! :)

Always fun to have family over to celebrate a birthday with...



especially a silly cousin to help blow out the candles!



Seeing that picture of Kenzie and Collin made me a little nostalgic. So, I dug up this picture from 1998. It's hard to believe how much they've grown!



Still gets excited! (Even though she tries to hide it a bit more now!)



And of course there is nothing better than being on the lake with family and friends for a second birthday celebration.









We do love you lots, Kenzie! Now, if you could just stop growing! :)

While the cat is away, the mice will play!

So what were the kids doing while we were away...

First, we had made a cake for my dad before we left so that the kids could help him celebrate his 60th birthday! Whoa! The Big 60, how 'bout that!!!







I used to think that was really old. But, you can't do this if you're really old! :)



After a day spent at the lake, cousin Ellie came for a week.





And they played and played and played.







Kyler and Kavan were still playing baseball.



Kavan finished up his season. And my mom emailed us in Europe with details of Kavan's awesome double play. We hated to miss that, but loved hearing the excitement of it through email and telephone calls.



My dad took the kids to see movies, took them fishing, and got Kyler hooked on golfing! My mom taught the kids how to crosstitch and did some sewing with them! And in between all that, they took care of all the household duties and they left my house better organized than it was! They are so wonderful! We love them so much!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you for all you did!






And the hen, she mothered her babies.







Hey, Dad! Nice tie!!! :)

Triberg, Heidelberg, and home

On the final leg of our trip we drove from Switzerland through the black forest of Germany and stopped in a little town called Triberg. It was everything Germany, especially cuckoo clocks!











After Triberg we made it back to Heidelberg in time for a fun dinner with a couple from Kim's work (nice couple) and our friend Emma Patterson. (We forgot our camera - who would have thought, huh!?!) It was really great to see Emma, we miss her! (And she just happens to be the best piano teacher - ever!)

What an amazing trip we had! It was great to catch up with the Christiansen's. We sure appreciate all that they did for us! They even got up at o'dark thirty to take us to the airport in Frankfurt.

And on occasion you get really lucky when you fly stand-by...we got to fly home in first class on a non-stop flight. Seriously, it was awesome! And it just so happened that it was our 17 year wedding anniversary. What a fabulous way to celebrate 17 happy, happy years of marriage - an unbelievable trip with so many great memories!