anti-blog summer

Hey, so I haven't been much for blogging this summer.  Maybe it is because of the death of my Mac laptop....so sad.  And now I sit at a P.C. and don't like it.  Maybe it is because we have been traveling a little here and there.  And when I am not traveling I am chauffering kids here and there!  Maybe it is because the pool is calling our names most days, or my garden...but mostly it is because the little people are calling.  I LOVE summer.  The sun, the flowers in my yard, the water, getting people together by the pool.  I love it. 

There have been life's stressors.  Which is just generally annoying in the summer, right!? The remodel on our boat house has taken on a life of its own.  It has been a major stressor in every way.  And while it will all be worth it, creating this little haven for our family has been a challenge! 

And so I have been away from my blogging, which I do mostly for myself anyway to document our lives as a family.  I don't really intend on having a blog "following" like many, but hope to share with our family and friends that are far away from our everyday lives... and perhaps with a new friends out there.  So, if you are out there, here are some moments from Summer 2010....so far.  In no particular order....because, well, I am just too tired for that!

Cookie Daze in Ripon...all american goodness wrapped up in a day of cookie fun!

A trip to MN for the Van Dusen Mansion Grand opening....and a LOT of fun!

Mom, Tyler, Bekka, Krissy...we had a little too much fun.  ;)

Tessa was baptized.  Godparents Marcie Frehner and Robb Mathia, who both adore her!

Court day!

July 13th...the Green County Courthouse the day the judge signed off on our readoption in the US.  Tessa was already our daughter in the eyes of the Ethiopian courts and now in the the U.S. too. 

It's official...even though our hearts already knew that!

The lake

Boating fun on Lake Kegonsa as we wait for the boat house remodel to be completed.

Days poolside....

Judson's surprise pool party

 (This photo cracks me up)   And then the trampoline photo of Jack jumping in the buck at Uncle Jeff and Aunt Julie's house with his cousin, Jonah.  Gotta love it!

Joe...and the hanging of the bell with Jack.   I can ring my bell and call them all in and the whole neighborhood might hear it!  Joe has been around all summer helping us recover our yard from all the construction and septic system chaos from last summer.  He is a tremendous help to us!

Tessa's first steps!

Tessa started walking!  She loves it! And while I am a little bit sad that she is leaving baby-hood behind, it all means she is doing just fantastic.

I leave you with this image.  Bob meets toad.

I did not include photos of 5 weeks of summer school, adventure club, tot lot, fun-n-sun, baseball for 2 boys, camp invention, playdates with the Leuzingers, and trips to Dairy Queen.  This is just some of our summer in a nutshell.  It is a full life, complicated at times, always busy but I am immensely grateful for all of it...and frankly, don't feel much like blogging...especially without my Mac. boo hoo.