Michigan 2009

Well, we are back. The car is unpacked, the laundry is done, and by now the tans have started to fade....and I am just patiently waiting for the next summer vacation. I absolutely LOVE being able to spend an entire week straight playing outside, not worrying about who is getting dirty and what we are forgetting to get done around the house. I love being with my family and not being interrupted by TV shows or dinner time phone calls. I love when we get home from vacation and I overhear Carter talking to Nutzy about the "dunes"...that just melts my heart and confirms all the reasons why I just love family vacation!

Isn't this lighthouse worth a 1.8 mile hike one way....I think so. (plus the hike back!) It was absolutely gorgeous and my pictures don't really do it justice. It is big, it is old, and it is beautiful!

Just a really good picture of Nana and Papaw from our night out playing putt-putt with the kids....I will have to post a few of those later!

The kids, and really I mean all of us, really had a blast climbing and running down all the sand dunes. If you have never seen them, they are HUGE and they seem to go on forever. Up one side down another, over and over again! This is where Matt and Justin plan on bringing the Bronco and Jeep this fall for a little dune riding action, without the kids don't worry!

Just hanging around camp eating watermelon, going on walks, playing in the dirt and tie-dying a few T-shirts.

Who wouldn't love to go on a vacation where this is the perfect end to a perfect day!

Happy 4th of July

Since we had heard so much about how good they usually are, on July 3rd we went to watch the Beech Grove Fireworks with Holly and Justin and the kiddos. And I have to say, for a small town they put on a really nice show!

Carter and Ceili playing while we enjoy our picnic.

Carter takes a time out from soccer to pick his momma a "flower"!

Keaton nearly tips out of his chair while giving his best efforts to remove his shoe!

Carter's new love.....sparklers!

Carter and Ceili do a little fireworks watching from the back of the car all decked out with air mattress, comforter and popcorn....thanks Auntie Holly and Justin!

Then on July 4th we were all excited to head downtown to watch the Indianapolis fireworks and then came the rain that just would not end. So we improvised and had our own little show at the house under the cover of the front porch! Complete with pulled pork, pasta salad, sparklers fireworks and ummm yes, rain, and lots of it!

Like I said, they really are his new love!

So we pulled our little bench over and the kids sat and enjoyed watching the dads get soaked as they set off some fireworks the for kids! Who needs downtown when we can do it from the comforts of our own home!

Hope everybody had a safe and happy 4th...we sure did!

Day Out with Thomas the Train

So, these are just a few weeks late but we are leaving to go out of town tomorrow and I really wanted to post a few pictures before we left...sorry they are so late. When we found out that Thomas the Train was coming we thought what better way to celebrate Miss Ceili's 4th birthday, never mind the fact that she also had the cutest little Candy Land birthday party, and feed Carters slight obsession with trains! So here are a few from our Day Out with Thomas the Train!

I don't know why but I really love this picture above and something about just kind of makes me giggle every time I see it. I am sure it has nothing to do with the fact that despite every attempt to get them to look at me this is the closest that I got to seeing their cute little faces....apparently Keaton is just far more exciting to look at!

All Aboard!!

Here we are on Thomas taking a nice little train ride through the countryside.

Auntie Holly, Uncle Justin, Ceili and Keaton!

The kids absolutely loved the Thomas petting zoo and pony rides....Nana on the other hand was armed and ready with GermX wipes.

I love when the boys get together....they are so stinkin' cute!

All smiles from our little guy.....and this is why we do the things we do. Nothing is better than seeing your child smile, even if his mouth is full of pretzels!

Keaton hanging out and taking a snack break

Ceili giggles as Holly pulls out all the old tricks in efforts to make her smile.

and finally....we meet Sir Topham Hatt!

Nothing like getting kisses from Nana and Papaw!

Fathers Day Weekend

Matt and Carter take a break from playing during our annual Fathers Day Camping Trip!

Three years ago Matt decided that he wanted to make Fathers Day an annual camping trip for he and Carter....which I will continue to tag along until I feel Carter is old enough to go motherless, which might be several years from now:) Matt, you are such an amazing husband and an awesome daddy to Carter. You are one of the greatest dads that I know! I love the way you love us!

Anyways, this years camping trip had a nice little twist....the entire Mennel family! We all got together and went camping like we used to when I was little. It was fun having all the aunts and uncles plus all the new little grandbabies around! I think at last count there were 79 of us! And that isn't even all of us. How fun is that! Well, thanks Matt for sharing your weekend with so many. I think we all had so much fun being together!

Here are two of the other greatest dads that I know....my dad and my grandpa!

The kids enjoying a nice little water balloon fight!

At the family pitch-in my cousin Natalie went from table to table making all the kids balloon animals. Carter loved it and he thought he was really cool wearing the hat that she made.

My Aunt Carol is always so full of fun and exciting surprises. For the get together she orchestrated an entire Field Day for the kids complete with an egg toss, balloon toss and more! Thanks Aunt Carol, the kids had a blast!

Little Mr Smiles cheesing for the camera....my nephew Keaton

The kids all having fun at their campsite dance party. Have you ever just turned on music for a group of kids and watched what happens.....it is just too funny words. Carter even broke out in some awesome cartwheels for us.

Papaw and Carter talking to the Indian while he demonstrated the axe block throwing.

Well, that's it, that was our weekend. Hope you enjoyed looking at the pictures as much as we enjoyed being there. Probably not, but we had fun!

The 2009 Mount Comfort Airshow

Over the weekend Nana and Papa Wynberry came to visit and we spent Saturday afternoon enjoying ourselves at the 2009 Mount Comfort Airshow.

Above is the Air force's A10 Warthog

Notice how the nose of the plane is painted, this was done as a threat to enemy's years ago and the Air force continues to paint this way today.
I always love to watch the Golden Knights parachute from 3000-5000 ft. They are unbelievable! This year I was shocked as they combined three individual jumpers midair to make a three man pyramid that separated just seconds before landing.


Below, Fat Albert from the US Marines takes flight just moments before the Blue Angels take to the sky!

And here they are, the US NAVY Blue Angels!

Notice how close they are flying, which is only 1 yard apart. And in the second photo you can see that one is flying upside down!

We always have so much fun watching the airshow and we cannot wait to go again next year.

Memorial Day Weekend

Nothing says Memorial Day Weekend like a backyard cookout, camping, and the Indianapolis 500 Parade...so this year we did a little of it all!

This is the 100th year celebration of the track being open to racing. Above is the float that celebrated the very first race at IMS, which was a Hot air Balloon Race.
If you are from Indy or have ever even heard or watched the race then you know that nothing screams Indianapolis 500 tradition better than the signing of "Back Home Again in Indiana" by Jim Nabors, which is probably why he got the largest applause at the parade!

Here we are just hanging out, having fun, and trying to beat the heat!

After the parade we went to Nana and Papaw's house for a cookout and the kids nearly fell asleep during their tractor rides. Taking tractor rides is one of Carters absolute favorite things to do while at Nana and Papaws. It is so sweet to watch him having so much fun in their backyard. It reminds me of when I was little running around, throwing sticks in the creek and selling tomatoes out of that same little red wagon.

On Sunday, we headed to McCormicks Creek to hang out with my other sister who decided to miss the parade festivities to go camping instead. As you can see in the picture above, Carter really takes horseback riding very seriously!

Wow, and this is why we love to camp with the kids....they are covered from head to toe in dirt, eating s'mores, running around non-stop having the time of their lives, and their little smiles just confirm how much fun we were having!

Now we just cannot wait until Father's Day weekend when we actually get to camp ourselves along with all my sisters and their families.

Rainy Days