First Day of School 2011!

Well…I just about had a nervous breakdown last night after going through all of the paperwork for third grade and realizing that the years will only be hard from now on and there will be no more easy years. But after a good nights sleep, LOTS of prayer, and encouragement from my FB friends, I think I am over it!

 

We woke up early this morning and the girls were ready in record time. I tried to enjoy it since this will probably be the only day this year that that happens. I’ll take what I can get!

 

Here are the girls all ready for school!

Here is Anna with her teacher Mrs. Hendricks. Everyone says that she is a great teacher, so we are excited! She was a little upset about a little boy (who apparently is a problem child) being in her class. She doesn’t like anyone to draw attention to her or get her in trouble. Neither of her ‘good’ friends are in her class but, she does have some kids in there that she knows so please pray that she makes new friends and has a productive year.

Isabelle and her teacher Mrs. Free. This is who she wanted and I think this will be a GREAT year for Isabelle even though it will be tough. Mrs. Free was our school’s teacher of the year last year. I have high hopes!

The girls put one of their little backpacks on Luke this morning and he followed them around all morning with ‘his’ Dora backpack on thinking he was going to school with them. He tried to run into all of the pictures that they were taking so we had to take one of him with ‘his’ backpack. Now we just need to pray that he is not clingy and whiny all day every day since the girls are not here. He has gotten very used to them being at home.

 

Today I am praying for and thinking about all of our other friends and family that are starting school today. I am especially praying for our friend Amanda and all of the things that she is going through this morning with two (I think) girls starting school today, one sweet special needs baby boy, and a baby on the way. So I just wanted to end this post by asking for a little extra prayers for all of the kids and families that are starting school today. 

One Last Camping Trip Before Summer Is Over…

A couple of weeks ago we took one more camping trip to Munson before school started. We had two other families go this time, so we had lots of fun!

 

Here are the girls waiting patiently on their food.

Jason grilled the chicken's again this time; don’t they look yummy?

Thank you to Jenny who allowed my children to play in the water-hose at the end of her camper and dig a mud-hole. It entertained Luke more than anything else.

And the big girls too!

On Saturday we had a church cookout by the lake with a few more families showing up…here is Bailey (Luke’s friend from church) and Luke riding in the bike trailer. Will was tired!

And the kids had movie night while the grown-ups played cards.

Check out this food….not bad for camping, huh?

Here is Jada and Isabelle…they are growing up and changing so much.

It was a fun end-of-summer trip and we had a blast! Thanks, Janet, Henry, Jason, and Jenny for helping to make it so much fun.

Luke’s 2nd Birthday

On August 3, 2011 Luke turned two! He spent the morning shopping for his birthday party on Saturday, then in the afternoon we had a cake for him with our family. He did so good at blowing out the candles. He loved that we were singing to him. Here he is enjoying his birthday cake on his birthday.

 

Then yesterday, we had a party for Luke with all of our family. I think Luke had a good day. We did a Super Why party because that is his favorite show right now. He always asks for “Ooper Aye, Ooper Aye.”

 

Here is his cake that I made for him.

Sissy and UmBubby got Luke his first toy gun for his birthday.  Here he is shooting Isabelle. He learned how to say, “Hands Up” and play dead when he gets shot.

Here he is enjoying his new Buzz hat and his Finn McMissile car that Aunt Sarah, Uncle Josh, and Connor got him.

 

Here is a video of Luke blowing out his candles at his party.

 

Thanks to everyone who came to his party and thank you for all of the presents.

Rushing/Stevenson/Zuhlke Family Canoe Trip - 2011

So last year we all took a canoe trip and had so much fun that we decided to do it again this year.  We picked a date months ago in hopes that everyone would be able to go this year. And until last week everyone was going to be able to make it. Then, due to a funeral and some work things, Mike, Uncle Bill, Aunt Debbie, and Billy couldn’t make it. They were all greatly missed; but we still had fun! And let me just apologize now for somehow (even with ALL of the photos that Will made me take) not getting any good photos of Donna and Kelly.

Will and Steve took forever to blow up the floats that they all brought from home. Then we all had to sit around and wait for Will to take Steve, Angela, and a couple of kids to the drop off point. And after seeing them drive off with Steve in the back of the truck holding down the tubes….

we were a little scared that Will had lost his load.

He eventually came back and we got on the bus to go to our drop off point with the Adventures Unlimited employees. Then it took forever for the other large groups to get unloaded and out of there and then to get our canoes (because Will and Steve wouldn’t help unload stuff). After a slow start to our day, we were FINALLY canoeing and tubing down the Coldwater Creek.  Here is our group picture.

Here are some random shots from throughout the day…

Graci and Lydia in a float.

Logan posing for the camera.

Kayden enjoyed digging in the mud.

Grandma and Parker…

Steve and Angela…

Will and Isabelle…

Matthew and Carter raced the whole day to stay out in front of the group. Several times I heard them saying that they were seeing alligators.

Anna spent most of the day floating down the water in her tube.

Shannyn had the only kid that had to ‘potty’, so she got to stand in the woods and hold the toilet paper.

Here is Shannyn and Hannah lounging their way down the river.

For awhile, Scott had this rambunctious group ‘battling’ their way down the river.

Jessica and Parker were just enjoying the down time during one of our stops.

We did see at least two snakes, a couple of turtles, a dog, and people that kept floating into trees. No one tipped over and everyone made it back safe and sound. It was an eventful day I guess. Can’t wait to do it again next year.

Camping with Grandma!

Last week, all of the grandkids (except Luke) went camping with Grandma.

 

Grandma and the kids arrived on Wednesday and had a fun night of playing, swimming, unpacking and getting all set up.  Will and I came up on Thursday with the camper to be there just in case Grandma needed mean ole Aunt Kate to show up. Here they are eating their spaghetti in the cabin.

On Saturday, Grandma had planned a family day get together. Aunt Judy showed up first and made pancakes for everyone (I think it took three hours with all of the batter that Will mixed up).

Then we had a ‘fun’ day of hanging out, eating homemade ice-cream, and swimming [and some of us, whose names shall not be mentioned (Jessica and Mike) took naps ;) ].

During this time all of the kids made tie-dyed t-shirts and we of course had to pose for a few (or a hundred) pictures.

Also during the day Lala took all the girls to get pedicures. I think Grandma was a little embarrassed by how dirty their feet were when the lady lifted up their feet.

On Sunday, Grandma packed up all of the kids and brought them up to the church for our family day cookout and games. Here they are enjoying the fun-jumper.

During the time that Grandma and the kids were hanging out, me and Luke were in the air-conditioned camper watching tv, playing, and napping. He found quite a few little hideouts without the girls there to get in his way. His favorite was on the ledge behind the couch. He liked to watch tv up there.

He also liked to lay down under the table. This is what he did when he started to get tired.

And when he was good and relaxed he was piled up on all of the pillows with his arms behind his head just chillin’.

 

After a few days, all of the cousins were getting on each other’s nerves, but they had a good time nonetheless and can’t wait to go again. I do think though that Grandma has decided to shorten it to a few days instead of a week next time.

 

And we won’t even mention the broken towel rack, generator, awning, camper, truck, and computer that this same week resulted in.