in case you were wondering...

It was the first year for both Maggie and Gracy to play volleyball. The season started out a bit rough...but they did win a couple of games in the end. How awesome is it that both of the girls had the honor of serving the game winning point in the 2 games they won!

Gracy was quite outgoing, and was faithful in yelling "READY!" before each serve. She also yelled, "OUT!" whenever she thought it might be out - even if she was on the other side of the court and the ball was really in... :)

Maggie...well...in the beginning of the season she had some trouble remembering she was playing. She would sometimes daydream while on the court and let a ball or two land at her feet. Eventually she figured it all out and came out pumped up and ready to play.

And can I just say WOW! about their coach! He has got to be the most patient person on the face of the earth! I don't know how he does it! A girl would try to serve - toss the ball in the air and miss it. I mean miss it completely as if she were swinging at something else. And he would say something like, "Great job! You kept your arm straight that time!" I would be thinking WHAT?! How did you even find something positive to say?! As I told him, this is why God made him the coach, and me the parent biting her nails in the bleachers. I couldn't do that. He is amazing. I'm in awe. As encouraging and positive as he is, the hormonal 4th and 5th grade girls still managed to break out a few tears now and then. Poor guy. He had to explain that coaches need to tell the players how to improve. He deserves some sort of high honorary award thingy.

We went apple picking back in September. We had fun trying all the different varieties in the orchard. I'm happy to report that this is the first year I left the orchard with less than 50 lbs of apples. I think I'm finally getting that whole moderation thing...


Maggie likes to climb the trees to be sure she gets the perfect apples



Yes, Gracy is actually talking on a cell phone while in an appletree...someone needs to tell that girl she's not a teenager yet! haha! Actually, she was talking to Pop-Pop, so we'll let her get away with it this time...




My sweet pumpkins!

Maggie & Gracy's little friend Anna had a birthday party a while back (yes...I'm behind on the posting...) and boy did they have fun getting the rockstar treatment! Hair, nails, dress up, dancing, oh my!

Perhaps Ms. Cindy spent too much time with the sunflowers this summer....

Ben gives his approval to the sunflower house


This sunflower came out of the ground...let me just put it back in here...


Playing inside the sunflower house is THE BEST!

This one looked like it had a heart in the middle

Check this out...I'm actually standing by the sunflower house...

More beautiful sunflowers...

While I wish I would've taken the time to post these when I first took the pictures, I sure am enjoying remembering the warm sunshine on my face and the bright blue sky...

I took an online quiz...that's proof enough for me! Someone alert my kids! They need to know this stuff!

You Will Be a Cool Parent

You seem to naturally know a lot about parenting, and you know what kids need. You can tell when it's time to let kids off the hook, and when it's time to lay down the law. While your parenting is modern and hip, it's not over the top. You know that there's nothing cool about a parent who acts like a teenager... or a drill sergeant!

Between all the adventures as of late, it's been a l-o-n-g time since we've been to the pool. The girls were pretty excited to be there. As the time to close drew near more and more people left. Finally, the girls and their two friends were the only ones left in the whole pool! There was a lifegaurd for each of them! They swam around as if they owned the place, having the time of thier lives.

We all hopped in the car and visited Aunt Pat & Uncle Dave today. It was so great to spend time with them! The kids had a blast playing in the woods, and walking the dogs, or being walked by the dogs....however you want to look at it. Playing the quarter game with Uncle Dave was also a big hit!

I always leave there thinking we should visit again soon...more often than we have in the past. I never quite understand how time seems to slip away so quickly between visits with those we love.

Poor little Gracy spent days and days writing and re-writing this report on her mission trip. She's going to read it tonight at church, and we're going to mold it into her thank you notes she'll be sending out shortly:

Fifth and Sixth graders from all over Wisconsin gathered in Janesville for training. We just happened to be training for a mission called Project Go!

Project Go! is a mission trip for kids to minister to kids of all ages and their parents who need to come to Jesus. Alot of these kids don't have alot of money. We gave them lots of free fun with a message.

We were in training for three days. In those three days we did nothing but practice, practice, practice all of our skits and games. We had to learn to get along. For some it was harder than for others. Pastor Troy taught us how to pray with others for salvation.

Then my team went to Columbus. In those three days we did skits and games. The first night I was in two games: the beach ball game, and the scripture game. Also I was in the skit "You Need A Ticket". I played a rich person! Night two I was in three games: human basketball, balloon relay, and scripture game (there are three scripture games). I was also in the skit "Prodgal Son", I played a bar girl. Day three I was in almost everything! I did four games, three skits, and even got to lead praise and worship with Pastor Holly!

We had a fun time putting on skits and playing games while seeing lives being changed. My favorite part was praying with a little girl to accept Jesus as her savior. I thought it was super fun and I made lots of friends on this trip! I hope I get to go next year!

The End
By Gracy

Here is Maggie's second attempt at a report on her summer activities...In case you can't tell, we're working on answering who, what, when, where, why questions as well as describing sights and sounds in our papers. Happy reading!

I fished at the Inter Costal Water Way. In North Carolina. I whent in Jily with Gracy my sister, Pop Pop her grandpa. I saw a big fish. I heard crockers thats a type of fish. I also got to tutch fish too. And it felt really scally. I was hot. Really hot and sunny. my favorite part was catching a big carp. It was white, red, and silver. I would tell my friends about it. I whould tell my friends to keep a good eye on the bober. That is the thing that is white and orage. It is higher then the weight that is the black and silver thing under the bober and above the hook.

THE END

This is Gracy's report on horsebackriding (she tends to leave out spaces when she writes) Enjoy!

Once I went horsebackriding. It was so much fun. I went with my grandparents and my sister Maggie. I was in North Carolina when I went horsebackriding a couple weeks ago.

The horse was a chestnut color with a black tail and maine. He had super tall hooves they almost looked fake. He felt like velvet also he was very tall.

Most people I know say the horse they rode was easer to get on then off, but he was easer to get off then on! Allthough, once I got on I didn't want to get off.

We walked the horse and also jogged the horse. The trainer said when I was holding the reins to pretend there was a box in my hands. Everytime I wanted the horse to turn I moved the box out and put it back. I thought jogging was most fun, but all of it was fun!

The End
By Gracy

The following is Maggie's report of Hershey PA. I kept all of her spelling in tact for everyone's enjoyment:

In Jily it took two days to get to Hershey Pencilvanea. I went with My sister cecilia, and my step-mom Dawn, and my dad. We saw stors with Hershey sherts and a ten pound Hershey chockolete bar! We saw lights that look like Hershey kisses. And the Hershey factory. My favorite is the ride inside with singing cows and a cow that took your picture. Also they were macking the worlds largest Hershey kiss. What suprissed me was that they have Hershey kiss lights. Also the ride show's you how they mack Hershey kisses. I whould tell my friends about my trip to Hershey pencilvanea. I am a ofisal taster that was my job. I also got a workers badge. Fresh chocolet tastes better then regular chocolet.

By: Maggie

Happy Birthday to Maggie!

My big 9 year old got (in her words) "the worst birthday present EVER" today. Chicken Pox. Poor little girl is some sort of medical miracle and came down with her THIRD case of chicken pox right on her birthday. She spent most of her first day being 9 crying and sleeping...I suppose this will call for a decent birthday party as soon as she's better....

The corn is like a jungle, but the carrots are still tiny!

The sunflower house is huge! The first picture has both the girls hiding in the sunflower house. I noticed later that I was cool enough to get my shadow in the shot...

I had to stand on my tippy toes to get the photos of one of the few flowers that started to open up.

I can't wait to see it in full bloom!

Ok, so the girls and I saw this and we all agreed...

Uncle Stevie can wear a kilt - he's from Scotland. All the rest of you...well...get over it. Skirts are for girls!


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