Friday, July 17, 2009

Visitors from Virginia

Laura and her four kids, Savannah, Harrison, Ethan and Moriah came a week ago last Wednesday and left the next Tuesday. We had a great time with them and seemed to pack a lot of stuff into the time they were here. Thursday night was a potluck for Kari and Larry who are moving to Georgia. Friday afternoon we drove up to the White Mountains and checked out The Basin. The kids had fun playing in the river and climbing on the rocks. The water was FREEEEEZING cold!! Saturday was work day down at the convention grounds and then that afternoon we swam at Mom and Dad's pool with some of the other friends and had a cookout. Sunday we packed a lunch and headed over to the coast after meeting. We went to the beach for a little bit and then drove into Portsmouth and grabbed a dessert at Popovers before heading back home for gospel meeting at the convention grounds Sunday evening. Monday the kids went down to the pool and then we went to softball Monday evening. They headed home Tuesday morning. Paxton had a great time playing with the kids. Thanks for coming to visit!!
All the kids at The Basin
The Basin
The river up above The Basin
Laura and Johanna
Us
Moriah and Paxton
Shaelyn exploring
Playing in the river
The Basin from above
Playing on the rocks
Giving Shaelyn a lift
Laura, Shaelyn and Johanna relaxing on the rocks down below
The boys playing in the river
Cool scenery
Taking a break
That will toughen your feet up!!
More playing on the rocks
At the beach
Diggin' in the mud
They are probably thinking, 'do we have to keep standing next to each other for pictures?'

Friday, June 19, 2009

Todd & Shanna's Wedding

Last weekend we flew to Milwaukee, WI for my cousin Todd's wedding. It was nice to see all the cousins aunts & uncles on my mom's side of the family. The wedding was on Saturday. Sunday lunch was a picnic at one of the friend's homes and then we went to a park nearby for the afternoon. Monday we went to the Zoo and then flew home monday evening.
The wedding cake
The ceremony
Cool building near where they got married
Brad and Shelley's family
Ava, Paxton and Ellie at the wedding
View from outside of the room where the wedding was
The Groom & Bride (Todd & Shanna)
Paxton & I
Us
The Smidt family
My mom and her two sisters
With their spouses
Aunt Marilyn and her family
The eight cousins
The newly married couple ready to leave
Our family
Sunday at the picnic-This picture is a family joke. Our parents had gotten us shirts like these about 25 years ago when we were all together, so Brad decided it was time to recreate it again!!
Some of the kids at the picnic
The newly married couple at the picnic
The kids at the park
Catching up
The kids rolling down a hill at the park
Monday at the Zoo
Lions sleeping
Nice Kitty
Shaelyn (asleep) & Paxton at the Zoo
Paxton and Jaren
A Camel
Peacock
The five cousins that went to the Zoo
Polar Bears
Our pilot for the flight home.
Paxton got to spend a few minutes in the cockpit before our flight home