Happy 86th Birthday, Meme!!

We had a birthday party today in Independence to celebrate Meme's 86th Birthday.

Here are Meme and Grandpa Edward with all the great-grandkids...

Carter, Abby, Meme, Andrew, Bradley, Austin, Grandpa Ed

Abby got to light most of the candles under Meme's watchful eye...
Abby and Carter decorated the cake for Meme. I think they may have used all of the sprinkles Grandma Deb had in her house! The cake looked beautiful and VERY colorful!



Carter was ready and waiting to cut the cake!!!
(check out the size of that knife!)




The cousins in Grandma's flower garden
(Bradley, Austin, Andrew, Carter, Abby)



The cousins hanging out on the playset...

Wheelbarrow fun!

Bradley and Abby

Bradley and Andrew waiting for cake...

Uncle telling Bradley a secret....

Camp Wodele!!!!!!

Abby and Andrew got to spend last week at "Camp Wodele" in Nelson with Emily and Morgan. They had a lot of fun going to L.A.R.K. toys and riding the carousel and playing miniature golf in Kellogg, MN. They also got to visit the Eagle Center in Wabasha, MN and see some live eagles!

They also went to the Little House Wayside in Pepin, WI to visit Laura Ingalls Wilder's home. The girls dressed in their "Little House" clothes for the visit!

Here is Abby by the Wayside sign...

Morgan, Emily, and Abby are posing quite nicely in their "little house" outfits--Look closely, and you will see an extra head peeking over Morgan's shoulder!!! Andrew was there, too!

Morgan, Abby, Andrew, and Emily outside the Ingalls' Cabin

Andrew played the part of the "wild and willy" Willie Oleson for their day at the Ingalls house! He was wild and running all over the place, according to Abz and the girls! (just like Willie)

Here is a picture of Abby, Emily, and Morgan trying out the seating on our "new" 4-wheeler that Jamie bought at the auction...

It was a fun week at Camp Wodele for Abby and Andrew, and Austin got to join in the fun when we met Grandma, Grandpa, and the girls at Action City in Eau Claire on Wednesday for 6 1/2 hours of fun! The kids had a great time at Action City playing mini bowling, laser tag, go-karts, the maze, numerous video games, and winning tickets to "buy" a prize at the end of the night.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures from Abby's camera!

Happy 8th Anniversary, Chad and Nicole!!!

August 14, 1999

Nicole and Chad Dorwin

(and Austin and Andrew!)

June 2007

Nicole and Chad 8 years later!

Congratulations, Chad and Nicole on 8 years of marital bliss!!!!

Allie's Early Birthday Party

The kids and I went to Rochester on Sunday with Grandma Pat and Grandpa Denny, Sheila, Wes, and Emily, to celebrate (a week early) little Allie Marie's SECOND BIRTHDAY!!!! We also got to visit Jeremy and Kara's new house for the first time. They have a great house, and we enjoyed our visit. The boys especially enjoyed the Buck Hunter full-sized video arcade game Jeremy has in his basement!

Here is little Alllie showing off her new Market Fruit Stand she received from the Borowski family. Some of her other gifts are stacked on the shelves of the stand. Sheila and I had a lovely time assembling the thousand pieces that made up the Fruit Stand! Thankfully, Allie loved the completed project! Abby did the finishing touch on the project by putting on the awning--way to go, Abz!

Here is Allie again with her gifts--climbing on the Fruit Stand proved to be great fun!



Allie Marie showing off her styling hair!
Kara had Allie's hair in sweet little "piggy's", but Allie wanted none of that--she pulled out her "hair pretties" at the first opportunity!





Allie tried on Grandpa Denny's shoes! She hauled them upstairs from down by the front door, plopped down, and stuck her little feet in his big "skis"!!!

Here are two of the cousins--Emily and Abby spent the afternoon playing with the little sweetie. We knew Allie was missing her Auntie Morgan, though--she was confused and kept calling Abby and Em "Auntie"! Abby and Emily and Allie missed you, Morgan!

We had a fun day at the Fylling's house in Rochester. Thanks for the good food, Kara! Happy Second Birthday, Allie Marie!!!! We love you!!!

Jack the Dog

Abby wanted to share some "cute" pictures of Jack the dog...

Here he is resting his head on his "friend"(his stuffed doggie)

Here are Austin and Jack enjoying a rousing game of tug-o'-war--

we aren't sure who won...

Here is Jack smiling and showing his teeth for the camera...





Here is Jack trying to look sweet and innocent
(I think he was just laying on the couch and got caught! :-) )

Naughty dog sticking his tounge out at the camera!

Vicious Jack!!!!!!
This is the face he makes when Austin plays with him!




Abby loves this dog!!!!
(She wrote that!)
:-)

A Day at the Beach!!!

We spent Wednesday, July 25th at Cocoa Beach playing in the sand and in the water. We all agreed that it was the most fun day of our vacation!!!

Abby and Andrew Surfing on their boogie boards!

Abby hauling in more sand for the sand castle project.

Andrew working on a sand castle.

Austin creating a sand castle.

Woody and Abby playing in the ocean.

Even mom got in the ocean and played around with the kids--here I am with Andrew.

Jamie and Woody taking on the ocean waves!!!!

Abby pulling her boogie board thru the ocean.

Andrew and his board.

Austin and his board.

Working on the sand castle creation!

Jamie, Abby, Andrew, and Woody

Austin riding the waves!!!

Andrew loving the boogie board!!!!

Abby riding her wave all the way to shore!!!

What a great day at the beach!!!!!!