First and second cousins

While in California we were able to visit my cousin Allyssa one day. Her husband Josh (please pray for them as Josh was just deployed last week) and their four boys live near the Air Force Base in San Pedro. The kids had a blast playing with the boys and Allyssa and I got in a few games of cards:)

We went to a park and fed the ducks

I tried to let Gideon feed them but he ate the old bread we were giving them and then attempted to dive into the water.

Oupa and Ouma!

At the beginning of August we flew to California for 10 days of fun in the sun with Dylan's parents. We got to do lots of fun things like go to the beach and Disneyland!

All our dreams came true:)

Reuniting with Buddy and Jessie

The beach was pretty fun too!

Fun and tiring

swimming in the back yard

hanging out with Oupa

And of course we enjoyed lots of yummy food! (well, for the most part. I skipped the oysters:)

Thanks Philip and Tirzah for a wonderful visit!

Bay Beach

A few days after the wedding, we went with my sisters, Kristen and Carrie and their families to Bay Beach. It's a small amusement park in Green Bay that we used to go to when we were little. When we were growing up the rides were mostly 10 cents a piece. Times have changed, so now most of them cost a quarter or 50 cents, but it's still a pretty good deal! The kids all had a blast. Fun times:)

My mom and two youngest sisters, Jenna and Elise met us up there.

Gideon even got to ride all by himself!

Sweet cousins:)

The big boys had some fun too:) Evan maybe a little too much...

Gideon loved the kiddie pool. It was about to rain so it was getting a little chilly but he just kept running in and was highly amused by the other children.

All that fun makes you tired!

Tonya and Dakota's wedding

On July 29th Tonya and Dakota became Mr. and Mrs. Witte!


Cousins:)



Raquel was one of the 5 "flower girls" she and Lina held the train of Tonya's dress as she walked down the aisle


Dylan was a groomsman and I was a bridesmaid


Family picture minus Nathan who is in India. We missed you Nathan!

A beautiful and fun day ended with Raquel having a blast dancing the night away.
Congrats Tonya and Dakota!!!!!

I found some pictures from the last couple months...

Raquel "played" pee-wee soccer on Saturdays in May and June

She looked cute, but we soon realized that soccer isn't her passion

The weather didn't help matters. It started out cold and windy and never got much better. One day it was pouring rain and 50 degrees so I didn't have her play. The next week was nicer so I made her go. In the middle of the game she heard a plane overhead, stopped and yelled over to me "MOM, that was thunder, we need to go home because it's going to RAIN!"

Gideon was dedicated in June. He stayed still for about 2 seconds

Mom always orders a lamb cake with this verse for the dedications. It's Isaiah 40:41 He gently leads those that have young. When my dad went to pick it up, he saw they had switched the word "leads" with "leaves". Oops

playing piano with Jenna

Visiting with Joel, Christina and cousin Emily

Dylan's 29th Birthday

1+8 = 9 :)

Berry picking

Raquel and I went to the first day of strawberry picking at Basse's farm today. She did a great job of picking only the reddest berries and letting me know when mine did not meet her standards:)