Girly Girl

I wear my Teva flip flops daily. They are about 12 years old. I got them when Marshall, my family and I went to the Key's. They are starting to wear down in the toes, but still holding strong. I have considered new ones, but these are just too great to give up. Callie really likes to wear them around the house. I casually mentioned we should look for a pair for her. Every day since then she has asked to go to the store and "look for a pair". When we finally did, they didn't have any flip flops small enough. I literally had to talk her down from the brink of total melt down!
On a recent shopping trip with Gran, Callie came home with her very own pair of $1 Target Flip Flops. Two sizes too big! She walks like she's wearing flippers instead of flip flops. She might as well still be wearing mine!
One day she wanted to wear them out to play. Gran suggested she wear her other shoes. Callie immediately told her she HAD to wear her flip flops because, "ALL the girls are wearing them!"
She is gonna be such a girly girl! I'm gonna have to learn how to put on make-up aren't I? Maybe she'll teach me!

4th of July Fun

Fireworks on the Lake

Aunt Mitz' Wild Ride!

Sunset Campfire

Relaxing in the Hamock

The Flying Smith's


Gonna Catch a Wopper!

Maybe he'll turn into a Prince!

Peaceful Paddling

The 4th of July

The 4th of July isn't so much a day for us, it's more like a whole week. For some it was 10 days! The entire week has been done for so many years now, we've got it down to a science. Though next years revisions call for an "adult" summer bathroom.
To sum it up, we sit around in the sun all day while the kids, swim, fish, jump on the trampoline, go for paddleboat rides and go tubing. Cocktail hour starts at 5 o'clock "somewhere". Meals are carefully planned out and served at the well stocked and organized boat house buffet with Uncle Butch as the grill master and each family contributing their signature dish.

Fireworks are a major part and take up at least two evenings. The lake fireworks and our family fireworks. The lake fireworks are special to me because of their history, but have lost a little of the nostalgia replaced by our family fireworks.
Back in the day, my Dad was in charge of the lake fireworks. Every year my Mom, Sister and I would put the donation flyers in all the mailboxes. Riding our bikes to close places, driving the van to the rest. We would road trip it up to Green Bay to pick up the fireworks. I was so proud of the show every year because it was my Dad doing it. Now that he is retired from his duties, it's not as special, but still a nice evening.
Our family fireworks are the best. My cousins are awesome. They took over the tradition on scale for the bay. We must have had at least 50 people around the fire and 15 boats parked ourside the bay. The show lasts a good hour with a spectacular finale. Top it off with B.T.S. roasted marshallows and you've got my favorite night of the year.
Happy Birthday to Molly, Mike and Eric!
12 adults, 17 kids, 4 grandparents, 1 great grandma and daily pop-over friends all having the time of their lives creating memories to last forever that is the 4th of July for us.
(I'll post pictures soon. I was just shy of filling up my 2 GIG card. Love the new camera!)

Road Trip

Last weekend we went to visit the Hilla's in Michigan on Harsen's Island. Near the "thumb" of the State shapped "Mitten". Road Trip! It took us 8 hours to get there. Along the way there were plenty of stops. Bathroom breaks mainly, but we did spend about an hour at some sand dunes in Indiana. Trent wanted to climb "Devil's Hill". Do that twice a day and you'd be fit! We had to take a short little ferry to the island. When I told the kids we were putting our car on a boat, there was dead silence. I expected them to be excited. I don't think they believed me. It was a different story when they actually saw what I was talking about.

Marshall made his famous Swedish Pancakes for breakfast and we spent the next day fishing and relaxing at the cottage until the storms set in right after we uncovered the boat for a ride.

Callie spent most of her weekend playing hide and seek with the dog Boccee. I think she felt a sort of clone connection.

Sunday was clear and sunny. We took that boat ride around. Hopped the border to Canada, without our passports! Built a sand castle on a sand bar, stopped for lunch at the boat in Ice Cream Shop. Superman ice cream - Yum!

It was a short weekend, but we really enjoyed ourselves. Marshall grew up with Mr. and Mrs. Hilla. They consider him family. They were so welcoming and treated the kids and I the same. We had good conversations and memorable experiences. Thank You!

The Robot

Something to remember:
Trent doing the robot all around the kitchen in his cars underoos'.
Sorry, no pictures.

Proud Mommy

I am so proud of the people my children are. They are so kind and generous to others.
This morning I noticed a SOLD sign on a house in our neighborhood that had been for sale for almost 2 years. I don't know them, but I know the family had moved out and were living somewhere else. I said "hooray for them" out loud. The kids asked why and I explained I felt bad for those people because it was costing them a lot of money to have two houses. Callie said, they "could have some of her money." (All 50 cents worth. She earned it cleaning her room and making her bed with daddy.)
I told her she was very nice, but they needed a lot more than that. Trent suggested Callie "convince" him to give her one of his dollars, so she could give them that. He proceded to explain to her "convince" meant to "talk him into it."
Later today we were at the park and Trent went home. It was taking him a while to come back so I went to go check on him. Here he comes with his arms full. 3 cups full of Kool Aid and 6 pieces of licorice. One for him, Callie and the neighbor girl. He had spilled some on the way out the door and even took the time to clean it up.
Prior to leaving for hockey, Trent wanted to make sure he had 4 quarters for the Candy Crane because he wanted to win some crazy teeth for he and Callie. Guess what he came home with.
I done good.

Sailing on a Different Tack

Trent had his first day of sailing school. It almost wasn't meant to be because of scheduling but we ended up getting it to work, somewhat. The original day was the same as one of the two hockey practices. My mom of course suggested we just skip the hockey. What she doesn't realize is, for Trent - Hockey is it! Nothing better. Of course he's only 6, short attention span. Sailing is pretty cool too. Being outside, wrestling with your friends and a teenage instructor and especially, getting candy during class are all pretty great.

I taught sailing for 6 years. I've taught Trent's class. It is so weird for me to be there sitting on the parents side. A whole new perspective. What I didn't know then, is kids are smart and capable. They can be expected to learn and will. I was happy to see Trent having fun, but after seeing him in the classroom at school, I had high expectations for sailing school. I should have known better. At this age it's all about the fun. You know me. I'm not one for negativity! What's wrong with a little fun. It's summer. That's the name of the game. I was never the best sailor, but I could teach and I know above all, I wanted my students to have fun.