Winter 2011

Squirrel that came up to the birdfeeder.  It would hang upside down to get to the seed so Bob cut off the little branch he was hanging from.

Cardinal in the apple tree.

The wind blew the snow into big drifts that blocked the back doors.

Even the deer had trouble getting through the deep snow.

Owen & Ethan came over one day & we made play dough.

Owen's Fourth Birthday-February 2011

 Owen celebrated his 4th birthday at Gerlach's Bowling in Lapeer.  It was lots of fun.  Everyone seemed to enjoy the bowling although none of us were very good!  It's been quite a few years since we've been. 
 All these pictures are out of order because they've changed how you load them & I'm too frustrated with it to try & get it the way I want it!  ARGH!  Technology! 



Part of the family

John

Tim

Kate & Eva

<><><><>

Ethan enjoying his pizza

Owen

<>

The boys checking out Owen's new bike



Egan shows his bowling style :)


<>











Bowling birthday cake

 


Blowing out the candles

 





Opening presents







Ellery

 





January 2011

I'm going to try & post something each month this year-we'll see how that goes.  We started off the year with our friends Bob & Gayle over for a game night. We played some new games-Five Crowns & Speed Scrabble (Bob gamely played two hands because he hates Scrabble-I thought it was fun. :)) They left before midnight & we watched the ball drop in Times Square on the TV.  It really depresses me to see Dick Clark in such bad shape.  Especially since I grew up watching him on American Bandstand & everything else-he always seemed perpetually young, but he's really the age of my mom. 
We celebrated our oldest granddaughter's 9th birthday at a roller rink.  Bob & I even skated!  And fell.  But it was fun if not loud.  It's hard to believe we've been grandparents for 9 years.  And now we have 10 grandchildren.  The time has gone so fast.  And in 9 more years she'll be a senior in high school (sorry Kate).  I met Bob my senior year of high school!  Yikes! 
So... some pics from her party.  It was too dark to get very many good ones-especially skating.

Kate, Eva & Jessie

Grace

Bob & Ethan

Tim & Egan

Kaylee-the birthday girl!

January 2011 and the 60's & 70's

The ending of the year & the new year always makes me a little reflective-thinking over the past.  As I've gotten older time seems to go by even faster.  With the new year I usually have the urge to go through things, clean & get rid of stuff.  As I was goting through some old stuff I came across these pictures of Bob & I.
  
 For six months after our high school graduation, Bob was in Europe with his family.  He sent me this picture of him on a postcard in August 1970. 

Judy in July of 1970.

     Judy & friend Kathy in June 1967 (end of 9th grade)

 Judy & Kathy in May 1967-just before I got my hair cut.

U.P. Family Vacation-Day Two

I guess technically this is our first day together but our

Day One was at Sleeping Bear Dunes. We stayed at

Balsam's Resort about 5 miles west of St. Ignace. We shared a

cabin with Timmy & Erin the first night since there

weren't 6 available but after that we each had our own cabin.

We used John & Heather's place as a meeting point & had

campfires there each night. It was crazy at times but

I enjoyed being with everyone.

Ethan by the firepit.

Izzie

Owen, Heather & Ethan in front of their cabin.
They all look pretty tired.

The kids really enjoyed playing in the dusty dirt in

the road that went in front of all the cabins.

Eli & Owen having fun jumping in the dirt!

The guys hanging out-John, Timmy, Dave & James

The girls-Kate, Erin & Eva, Heather & Ethan

Timmy & Owen "high-fiving"

The two "E.J.s"

Cody, Egan & Tim got up a little later because

Tim had to work. Also, Egan had been sick.

Thankfully he felt better quickly & was able

to enjoy the trip.

Eva & Berlin roasting marshmallows.

Grace & Kate

Erin fixing breakfast Saturday morning.

U.P. Family Vacation-Day One

We took a family vacation to the Upper Penisula. It was fun to

be all together. Erin wanted to show Timmy

Sleeping Bear Dunes so we went up a day early. We stopped

in Bay City to see the Tall Ships. It was really hot. We waited along

the river. Finally some of the ships came up the river but

didn't have their sails up. We drove up to Cadillac, spent the

night & then went to the Dunes the next day.

Timmy & Erin
On the Pierce-Stocking Drive overlook. We didn't

run all the way down!

Climbing up the Dune Climb

Judy & Bob at the top of the Dune :)

Timmy & Erin

Running down-As we were getting ready to leave

after running down the dune, Bob realized he had lost

his cell phone. It must have fallen out as he ran down.

He has it set to vibrate so we wouldn't hear it if we called it.

I called anyway just in case. The other three started climbing

back up to look for it. I tried calling again & a girl answered!

She & her friend had found the phone & were just

getting ready to call the "missed" call. What an

answer to prayer!

Ethan's First Birthday

We celebrated Ethan's first birthday at John & Heather's house.

Heather played lots of fun activities for the kids to do.

Kaylee works on a mask.Egan, Grace & Eva had crazy fun in the bounce house.

Owen, Egan & Eva ate together. The boys had fun messing
with each other's food-to the annoyance of their parents. :)

Ethan enjoying his food

The kids took turns trying to break the pinata but it was

really well made! All the kids had 2 turns but John finally

had to break it. Ethan got to go first.

The kids going after the goodies after John broke the pinata.

Kaylee being silly

Ethan's not too sure about this birthday cake.

He finally got into it!

Playing with his presents.