Quarterly Catch Up

WARNING:  THIS IS CRAZY LONG WITH A LOT OF PHOTOS SO GRAB A BEVERAGE, MAYBE A SNACK AND GET COMFORTABLE!

I'm not sure how almost four months just passed and I'm now just getting to the blog. No, we haven't fallen off the face of the earth; no, we haven't moved; and no, I'm NOT pregnant. Hah! I guess the end of school and summer business just got the better of me. Good thing we met up with some of you on our Great American Road Trip II and other than pictures, you are up to date on our lives.  For those of you who we didn't get to see - here's an update!

April finished with a great weekend visit from Mike & Sharon Ward (the kids' adopted grandparents).  We had a nice time just hanging out!  Our 2nd camping trip took us four hours SE to Jekyll Island where we camped and met up with Josh & Kim Holien who were there on holiday with the boys.  It was a lot of fun hanging out and just being together.  I think the pictures I've included don't do it justice!

The kids finished school on May 20th and we had a whirlwind of three weeks with pool time, play dates with school friends, zoo trips and Logan had a wrestling camp he participated in for four days. On June 10th, we attempted to escape the heat, and the six of us hit the road for Wisconsin, Minnesota and South Dakota.  I started writing all the details of our trip, but honestly, it's too much, as we just got back this week! The quick summary: 

• About 4500 miles driven (some with Kris and me and others with me and the kids when Kris went back to work for 3 weeks in the middle of our trip.)
• Attended 2 weddings
•  Saw several family members and friends - getting fantastic, quality time with most. It was such a joy to see the kids enjoy their cousins and forms to develop deeper relationships with in laws. You will see what I mean in the pictures.
• 2 teeth lost (Pearl) and now able to ride bike without training wheels.
• Only one ER visit. TJ was so sick and after trying to let it ride itself out, I took him in. Double ear infection and croup. Yuck!
• 2 zoos and 1 amusement park
• several fishing attempts, including WI, MN and SD with little luck; although had a blast with other creatures.

And so we have returned to Augusta where the average temp has been 95°F, including night temperatures. All outside activity has been limited and we are focusing on inside projects (for the most part!)  I am playing on the church's coed softball team and the old skills were coming back more and more every game.  (Update:  Last night was our last game.  I had a blast playing ball again and other than my pulled quad muscle suffered no injuries!)  I'm also on the Outreach committee where Kris is the chair at church so we are doing our part to make the church grow.

School is back in session!  Rosie is in 4th grade and loving it!  We just signed her up for volleyball through the Parks & Recreation department and I'll be helping coach there. :)  She isn't going to do piano this semester because with church choir and recorder at school - it is going to be enough practicing.  We will see how that goes and can always get her back in lessons after Christmas if she really misses it.

Logan is in 2nd grade...and it's going better so far than last year.  Still not too excited but as long as he's "behaving" we're on the right path.  I'm not sure if we'll do regular sport, but rather hit up the drop-in wrestling available once Kris' schedule lightens up a bit.  He's pretty shot at the end of the school day and having to listen more worries me.  Both have a great teachers who seem to have the kids' best interest in mind!

Pearl is rocking Pre-K at the small Lutheran preschool she attended last year.  I hope she won't be bored though as she's 5 in a couple of weeks.  Pearl is playing 3-5year old t-ball and seems to be enjoying playing - although she is definitely more interested in the uniform and cuteness than the sport at this point.  She can be quite the slugger though!  After the ALL CLEAR EEG on July 20th we got a note where she can do any sport she wants after the head injury so she will be trying gymnastics on Thursday mornings starting next week.  Yeah!

Thomas is home with me and loving the attention!  He has begun potty training so we are giving that some extra emphasis now that the older three are back in school.  His language is almost full sentences now and he continually makes us laugh (or cry!)  Love that kid.

We won't see much of Kris until mid-September as it's Chief's season and the training has begun!  Earlier mornings and busy evenings, but he's not a sponsor this year so it's not "as busy."   He's hanging in there!  I think he's hoping for cooler weather soon so he can do more outside. 

I think that's our update.  Onto school activities and church activities and regular busy life.  Everyone is trying to get into their own routines and remember to focus on what's really important in life.  Please keep in touch and hope you enjoy the pictures!

                                                                             April

Strawberry picking.  Logan's face says it all!

Fishing with Grampy Mike Ward

Grammy Sharon Ward watched TJ and stayed cool in the shade

                                                                             May

May 7th.  Jeykll Island Turtle Sanctuary with Josh & Kim Holien and the boys.

Fishing on the beach.

Lemon Shark.  A kid caught it and let the kids touch it.

Sand dollar.

Playing in the water with Uncle Josh and Gabe.

Look what we found on the beach!  A horseshoe crab.

Uncovering the crab.

Family shot!

Fishing on the pier.

Rosie and Lachlan - the cousin buddies!

Pearl's Preschool friend, Kael - had his family over for pizza in May.

R, P and T cheering on Logan with another teammates sister.

                                    Rosie's class Exercise ball drumming at end of year Field Day.

Logan's T-ball Team

                                                 Pearl's PreSchool Graduation performance.

Pearl and pre-school friends, Ava and Kael

Happy Birthday Daddy!  You still got it.

Rosie's baseball team.

TJ at the Columbia, SC zoo at the end of the day...

                                          TJ showing us how to play baseball (2 year old style.)

Clark's Hill Lake fun with Steed family.

Memorial Day weekend cuddles with Mommy's friends, Regina Cruz who came up from Orlando, FL.

Lunch date with the Steeds before the big road trips (they were off to MS and TX for almost as long!)

Yeah Pearl!  No more thumb-sucking.  Treat to a Mommy-movie date.

Logan and friend, Christian, at wrestling camp.

Pearl sandwich!  Made it to WI.  June 11th.

Pool fun at Papa and Grandma Henrich's house.

Snazzy haircuts and styles for Anne & Nathan's wedding

Reunion with Gregozeski family

The kids.

Miranda and Liza's treehouse built by Dad, Jonathan Mumme in Grafton, WI.

Yeah!  Hanging out with Rachel Mumme and family.

Pre wedding fun with Anne and other good friends from Cambridge days.

Family shot at Anne & Nathan Zastrow's wedding.

Post wedding fun.  Campout/BBQ at cousin Evan & Meagan''s house.  Here's Krysta and daughter, Deanna.

The boys doing their boy stuff.

Made it to MN.  Kris and brother Josh talking about life.

Cousin time!!

More cousin time!

June 21 - Last night with Kris until July 9th! 

April 15th birthday cousin cuddle time...

Surprise stop in North Mankato

for a picnic lunch with Sharry Swart!

Days of fun at Aunt Jenni & Uncle Tony's house in Sioux Falls, SD.

Hours of pool time with cousins!

Exhaustion:  Bike ride to various playgrounds on awesome Sioux Falls bike path.

Rehydration.

Cousin crafting time.

Sioux Falls Outdoor Activity Center.

This may have been the light up balls that Grandma Jan brought down for the kids....or excitement finding fireflies.  I kind of lost track!!

Neat hot air balloon flying right over Sioux Falls.

Thomas learned a new word, "Tony".  We were working on other names than "Papa" and "Pearl".  This is funny!

Sioux Falls with Grandma Jan and cousins, Tessa & Jordan

Milbank, SD.  Stayed with newlyweds, Anne & Nathan Zastrow.

Friend, Caitlin Newton and Dad, Mike were also there that weekend from CA.

Nathan's neat antique calculator.  Brave for letting the kids play with it!

Fishing at the Rock Quarry.

Nathan and Anne caught them ALL!

Logan fascinated with cleaning of the trout.

                                      Happy 7th Birthday Buddy!  Happy birthday to Anne, too!!

Amazing cake made by Anne!  Flavor? Carrot this year.

Rodeo!!!

Logan's change of career after watching some of the rodeo...a cowboy AND an adventurer.

Anne had jobs to keep kids busy...

Milbank lake.

St. Augusta, MN.  One night with Heather Sachariason and Benny. 

Can you find the frog?

Thanks for the home brew Tom!

Rosie mastered blowing bubbles on this road trip!

Back in WI for more fun.  Grandma Pat took us to Bay Beach Amusement park.

                                     Logan does the Giant Slide.  Look on the 4th from left (ish
)

Nightly phone call with Daddy in GA.  Grandma had an Ipad so we could Facetime and SEE him.

Got to pick up Teegan from daycare and take him to matinee of Finding Dory.  Loving this cousins time!

Jaxon is growing so much!!! 

Howard 4th of July fireworks fun with Tim & Sherry Henrich and boy and Grandma Pat

Teegan and Logan up to something..

                                      Pearl swims without a life vest back at the country paradise!

I must have missed the memo somewhere....  Cute!!

Water balloon fight!  Krysta Bellini and Deanna and Davis came to play, too!

Poor Grandma and Papa were so sick while we were there this time.  She came out of hibernation to watch some cartoons with the kids.  It was nice to see her!

Happy 7th Logan and 1st Jaxon!!!

Sleepover at Uncle Tim's because of sickness at Grandma Pat's.

                                                    Our 4th of July parade...

Watch out!  They throw hard!! 

Henrich side cousins

Add-in Deanna & Davis Bellini.

Last morning in Green Bay area we hit up Reforestation Camp with Krysta & kids.

Some of the many faces of Rosie on a road trip...

Onward...to Sacred Heart, MN.  Hi Grandpa and Grandma Holien!

A poor sick baby who wanted to sleep in his car seat all cuddled up...

July 9th: Hi Daddy!! Welcome back to the farm.  Thank you Chris & Sharry Swart who picked him up and brought him out (2 hour drive there)

Cuddles with Grandpa.

Pearl lost 2 teeth!!!  July 10th.

                                            Same day - learned to ride without training wheels.

Cousin fun with Gabe and Jordan.

The others - Rosie, Pearl, Tessa and Jacob.

Family picnic!  Thanks to all who made it out to see us while back in MN.  :)

Even the "adults" got in on the water balloons this time!

Great motto Kim!

The big cousin fun was mining for minerals and rocks in the rock pile....whatever!  It kept them busy for hours!!!

A visit to our place in Atwater, MN. 

Tradition of feeding the ducks in Granite Falls, MN.

Ali got to do a puzzle!  It was so much fun!!

Dinner at the Granite Falls golf course!

Back to Sioux Falls for more fun.

Date night.  Kids with babysitters and we biked to Jazzfest in Sioux Falls. 

Another hotel...

Cousin Andrew Fraser and Kaylee's wedding in Maple Grove, MN: July 16th.

On the road again!  1500 miles back to Georgia.  Ready, set, go!

Repeat EEG.  All clear!!!  Yeah - praise God!

Go Pearl!

School shopping - exhausted kids!

Recovery from shopping with Chief spouse friends.

Logan and Christian play date!

SC peaches and things I've made!

Pearl modelling her new hairstyle and cut by Jenn Steed.

Back to school haircuts by Jenn Steed.

Hello River Ridge Elementary!!

Logan and Pearl's 1st watermelon eating contest at Command Summer Bash picnic.

Took 2nd place!

                                                                        Slugger!

                               Pearl's favorite spot - teaching someone.  TJ is the student in this one!

                                                        Who doesn't love red spaghetti?!

August 8th - back to school!!!! 

Our Redeemer Lutheran softball team

My cheerleaders last night - GA red dirt is next to impossible to get out of clothing.  Somehow TJ managed to soak his shorts so much in it that they fell off due to weight... but I didn't lose any kids!  That's a win.