For my sis...

and brother-in-law!  Mari and I found a new project for Brad to cut out...just in case he gets tired of cutting out all the fun Michigan stuff!

For Mom...

I ate it!  The first raspberry on the plant on our deck!  With all the birds, raccoons, and little white dog...I made sure I got to eat the first one.  I haven't seen any others yet.

Summer nights are sometimes spent inside...especially when cooler weather moves in!

I love our children! They are fun, funny, and good company!

 We gathered around the living room and "It's A Wonderful Life" for supper last night.  "Oh, hey, it is Christmas in June!"  Our church is doing a special Christmas presentation this year and we needed to watch the movie so we can join in!  We ate yummy grilled chicken tostadas and then enjoyed the fresh strawberries that Aunt Mari and Bryn picked over angel food cake.  MMMM.

 Mari and Bryn spent the afternoon with us after picking strawberries.  The girls were lazy and the moms made several batched of freezer jam.  Lunch this afternoon was toast with fresh jam and my left over coffee drink.  Thank you, sis, for doing the picking and then sharing the time in the kitchen!

Happy 15th Birthday to our Alisa!

Our girl asked for a new bike!  I thought the yellow one fit her personality just perfect!  We celebrated a day early because Dad was leaving on her actual birthday.

 She babysat...on the day of her birthday celebration dinner...because that is what she does!  Her request for a birthday supper...chicken and waffles!  How fun is that?!

 It was yummy!  We decided we want to have it again...Saroki's gas station chicken, homemade waffles, and a red-pepper maple syrup!  Yum!

 Her requested birthday dessert..."anything with Reese's peanut butter cups"!  And so I found a cheesecake recipe on pinterest.

 And...a Happy Birthday wish...all the candles out in one blow!  So thankful to see our children grow and celebrate each year that God gives them.  Alisa...enjoy this year...and keep helping others!  We love you!

Missing him...again!

Our lives are up and down and in and out and all around these days!  

I'm thankful...yet...at times...lonely...my friend is across the ocean.  

God has blessed and cared for us in so many ways...yet there are moments when the little feelings loneliness creep in when Ted is off in another country leading training. 

Thank the Lord for great cell phone service and wifi! 

I try to turn each feeling into an activity or prayer to focus back on the blessings of his job.  He is good at what he does and the demand has gone up.  He sat at the table on Saturday before he left making sure all was ready.  I enjoy listening to his plans and the updates.

  The teenagers in our house keep me busy...and little visitors always add fun!  We are all thankful for the distractions that make our week go by quickly.  This week...Ted is in Spain...for just a week...but why does it seem longer than the two week stint he just had to China?  

Hmmm...some trips are like that!  

We will be glad to hug his neck when he walks back through our door!  I'm thankful for a wonderful husband who works hard and takes good care of the people he works with...and lives with...truly a ministry and a blessing!

Out and About this week

 Beautiful Michigan days and evenings up north in Pentwater...

 Sun, sand, and water...

 Always the comedian!

 And the daredevil!

 The kiddos had a blast on their teen retreat!  Teddy loved the time in the sand dunes!

 Ted and I had lots of date time this week!

 I tried a new recipe and it tastes like summer!  Thank you pinterest!

Alisa celebrates year 15 tomorrow...and we bought our ray of sunshine a new bike.  How fun the days of summer are!

Happy Father's Day 2017

                               And some say that our children take after me...I say otherwise!

It is becoming more real!

We received our visas for our missions trip in August!  We continue to make the plans and follow the steps for a trip out of the country.

Saturday...again!

 So...when Velle and I went outside at 3 am...we saw the offending robbers of our birdseed scamper away as Velle did her best to take off after them...two raccoons!  They were able to twist the top off enough to tip it.  At a more normal hour of 8 am...we went out and Velle was on the prowl!  Now that I think about it...I don't see any of our neighbors with bird feeders.  Hmmm.  The new girl is a slow learner...and they are probably shaking their heads at me.  Ha.

The girls went out for supper after swimming.  Uncle Ted texted "On the ground" and Aunt Kari panicked!  "I thought he was home on Saturday...but now that I think about it...that doesn't make sense.  I was confused because of the calendar block off too...alright girls, take me home and you get to go be big girls and I'll welcome Uncle Ted."

 Ted got back from his two weeks in China Friday night.  The kids leave tomorrow for a short summer retreat...so we grilled out and did "Father's Day" early.  We made a smores dip for dessert...but alas...he is asleep on the couch.  He had plans to stay awake later...but the 12 hour difference messes him up!  He has been up since 3 am!  I'll let him have a little nap...I feel so bad for him trying to adjust.

I love his plan for bringing back coffee cups from each of the countries he has visited.  He bought this commemorative cup...the picture is a boy working on something and the girl watching.  The words...loosely translated...the girl is telling the boy that he will work hard and provide for the family and her job will be to stay home and be beautiful.  After being told each of the stories about the cups he was looking at...this was the one that rang true to our story.  Awww...he is so sweet!

He also brought tea and picked up Take 5 gum...with authentic Chinese labels for the kiddos.  We are just so thankful for God's protection each time Ted travels out of the country!

Spending time in a variety of ways!

Shooting hoops on his birthday gift...morning, noon, or night!

                              Dinner and fire at Aunt Mari's...with campfire cones!  Yum!

Playing makes us all tired!  

How we celebrated our first sixteen year old

 Found all kinds of fun ideas on Pinterest...collected items...and put it all together for Ashlynn's 16th party.

 Lots of pink and flamingos...

 Lots of help from a really cool brother...

 Lots of girl friends to come...

 We are in a new stage of life...enter...jobs/schedules...so this picture left out cousin Bryn who came later after her responsibilities were done.

 Supper was a taco bar...and it was beautiful outside!

Decorating pillowcases and a movie with bonfire outside...

 Gifts with the crazy girls...

 Velle had to be right in the middle of everything!

 "Happy Birthday....to....you....Did you spit on the cupcakes?!"

 Well...almost all your wishes will come true...you missed a cupcake or two.

 Ice cream with various sprinkles to go with the cupcakes...

 Father of the Bride....with candy boxes.  No one was interested in popcorn and smores...I guess we had a lot of food!

 God gave us a perfect night!  The moon was beautiful and the bugs minimal!

 Sat and watched it all and was just thankful...for a place to do this for our daughter, friends, beautiful night, energy, God's provision, Ted's generosity, Teddy's hardwork, and Alisa's assistance!

An owl came to the pine trees after the movie...and a momma bunny visited our yard in the morning!

 Waffle bar for breakfast...that was actually brunch...no girls moved until 11:15am!

 A slow wake up to endless chatter...and quiet artsy moments.

Happy Birthday, sweet Ashlynn!  We love you!