The Halloween Post

Re-introducing: Teddy Roosevelt, George Bush, FDR, Abe Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and Dolly Madison
He's serious about the New Deal.

Abe and Teddy

Amazing...

...That's what it is when you get to witness the beginings of a new family. Last night, we had the privilege of seeing our dear friends Anna-Marie and Brian meet their baby boy Knox from Korea.
Knox was crazy about all the kids that were there. He was squealing and laughing at them.

He was not at all scared of all the unfamiliar faces.

We are so excited for Anna-Marie and Brian on their new adventure into parenting! What a great family they will make.

Friends practicing their "reaction" for the big moment.

Some of kiddos. And see all the people in the background...they were all there to greet Knox...about 45 folks total.

Just Playing

Wifflefest Part 2

The Crazy Ninjas
The Beet Farmers...Owen was so impressed by thier overalls that now when Ellie wears hers, he calls her a little beet farmer.

Thanks Matt "The Voice" Hall for your superb announcing.

The Philibusters.

The Wifflers at bat.

Wifflefest 09 Part 1

Our team: Ann Justin for All
Owen played on our team... and got 4 base hits I might add.

The Pond Field. We had 13 teams in our tourney this year. We've grown from the 4 teams that we had 4 years ago when we first started this.

The Pine Field.

The kids playing in the Jump N' Jay.

Hail to the Chief

In case you didn't know, Owen is crazy about U.S. Presidents. Seriously, crazy about them. It started at 2 1/2 when he discovered some pictures of the presidents in a dictionary that we have. "Mom, tell me who they are." So, I did. "Again." OK. "Again." A president flashcard gift by his Mimi sped up the madness, and before you know it he knows all the presidents by name. This was a year ago and the craze hasn't decreased. We've checked out library books about the presidents and played with those flashcards until they have become lovingly bent. Owen has told random people when we're out and about that they look like certain presidents...my favorite being the time he told a man at Wal-Mart that he looked like Rutherford B. Hayes...the man ignored him. When Owen is playing baseball in the backyard he'll say something like, "Johnny Reagan is up to bat." I ask who that is. "Ronald Reagan's brother." Of course... So that brings me to this pic. Owen got these glasses at Awana last night and has transformed into Teddy Roosevelt. And apparently, I didn't know this before, but Teddy likes to tackle his little sister...go figure.

Labor Day at the Beards

The gang. For the past 8 years, we hang at the Beards house for the weekend and then canoe down the Black River.
I don't have any pics of Owen golfing, but that combined with him playing washers, wiffleball and frisbee made one little happy boy.

I love being able to catch up with all these amazing people.

Note cats in corner of pic. While all the game action was the highlight of the weekend for Owen, I'm pretty sure that the cats were the highlight for Ellie.

Awwww...remember when they were just babies?? Now they play tag and fight over the wiffleball. :)

Always a lot of washers going on.

Washers is not for the faint of heart.

Is this when we were taking about the 2 guys that were living in the attic??? Thanks Rachel for that story. I don't know if I'll ever be confident about my attic security again! :)

Always lots of wiffleball playing going on too. Yes, Owen is in the middle diving for a ball.

We love our friends Anna-Marie and Brian and are so thankful that they open their house up to us every year.