Campfire with Jeff and Steph and Family. We missed Zach though!

Blake is a pro!
Steph even got into our shooting game!

Three of the cutest boys I know!!



Feeding the crazy chickens!!




Cute girls!!

Labor day weekend, Jeff and Steph came to visit!! We had a great night! We just relaxed, shot the gun and had a campfire. I would have to say it was one of my favorite nights of the summer. A great way to end the summer for sure.!

Troy's First day of Preschool

Troy decided one day it was time to learn to ride a two-wheeler and he just keeps practising! Too bad he didn't learn at the beginning of summer!

Drew and the boy he sits by in class
Ashley gets her own locker this year and has moved up to the other building! So much fun!
Ashley's Desk



Troy was so mad that I was taking this picture! He wanted to have his big stick right in front of his face!!

Zoo with Grandma Tiesenga

The Friday before school started we decided to do one more fun activity. We went to the John Ball Zoo. Grandma Tiesenga came with us on this rainy morning. It turned out very nice and we had a great time.

Porter Beach with Zylstra Family

Over the 4th of July the Runia's came to Chicago and we spent a day at Porter Beach! It was so beautiful and relaxing, besides running up the dunes just to prove we still can! I also realized I was having so much fun I don't have any great pictures. These were some ok ones, but it doesn't do justice to the wonderful day we had!

This summer we went to Iowa for a wedding for Sarah (Hessing) Bruxvoort. It was so fun! I loved being with Deb again. We just fell into our rythym, just like it hasn't been like 8 years which it had been since I had seen her. Way to long!!!
While we were in Iowa we also saw our family. I love going home to Iowa.
The kids also took swimming lessons this summer. We went to my mom and dad's in Chicagoland(Stegar) when Missi and her family came to visit!! That was great!! Downtown for fireworks, Porter Beach all day( my personal favorite), fireworks at night at G and G's house that Jeff and the boys put on for us. It was a busy couple of day's but sooooo fun!!
We did alot of going to pools and just hanging out.
Steve was gone alot this summer with work so that was yucky. He also went with our youth group to LA Vida. It's a wilderness experience. It sure did stretch Steve in ways I don't think he knew were coming. It was stretching it for me too. I had no contact with him for 10 days. When he got back the kids and I were at the conference grounds camping with our Church group. Here Drew had the flu for the first 5 days. Then I got the flu the night Steve came out to stay!! We still had a good time!! Beaching it everyday! Just relaxing!! The flu kind of would just come and go. Although I still have some symptoms 9 days later!! I just want to get better.
The kids start school on the 25th. I am ready and not ready. Ready for the organization of school, not ready for them to be gone everyday!!

This is the newest member of our family!! Brandi is a 8 month old Chocolate Lab that we got for free!! She is outside and it very obedient! We love her already! Right now she is so dirty though. This crazy Michigan weather. It is 60 degrees out today! Crazy!!