Toby...

Somehow the toad has acquired the name Toby (Courtney - thanks for the suggestions!). He still hangs out most nights and he is excellent at catching moths! We love him! Gary just threw a moth at him and he caught it in lightning speed!

Like my lips?!

Lake George!

This week we were able to go to Lake George for 3 nights with my parents, Matt, Ryan, and Allison (and a few extra visitors). Lake George is right on the border of IN and MI. We had a great time! The cottage is VERY nice - plenty of room for all of us! Here's a picture of Brayden sitting in a tube - I actually took him and Brianna tubing! I was afraid Brianna was going to bounce out of my lap - but she was having a great time!
Here's Brianna swimming with grandma! She prefers to swim where she can actually touch so she can walk around - but she tolerated the lake for a while! (Brayden is like his momma - had to wear sandals if he was in the lake so he couldn't feel the seaweed!)
Brayden and Aunt Alli doing an activity book!

Matt the birthday boy turned 19!!! My baby brother!We took Brayden and Brianna on the jet ski! That was probably my favorite part! I went skiing the first day and my back/shoulders suffered afterwards! Brayden and Brianna liked jumping on the water trampoline.

Our nightly visitor...

We have a nightly visitor at our house - he comes out of the wood pile when it gets dark. He's usually in the exact same spot right outside our patio door - alone. This little toad has become our friend! However, he needs a name... Any suggestions?

Aruba

Gary and I enjoyed our 7th anniversary on the beach in Aruba! Brayden and Brianna (and Boston) had fun at home with Grandma and Grandpa! We had an extremely relaxing time - and would LOVE to go back some time! Here's Gary enjoying a Pina at the Radisson! Here's the other view! This beach was beautiful! The water was warm and shallow - it was so clear you could see straight to the bottom!
We rented a jeep one day and let's just say this is the place where God protected us! See the little path in the rocks??? Well at the top of the cliff the path stops and is a complete drop off! We should have stopped when the donkey literally got in our way an hour earlier (read Numbers 22).

This was our favorite day in Aruba! We were able to ride horses through the mountains and on the beach for 2 hours! It was so beautiful! We were a little sore for a couple of days - but it was completely worth it! Tequila and Chavalita ended up being great horses!
We ate at a restaurant with tables in the water! We put the timer on for this pic - and we're cracking up because Gary almost fell in the water trying to get in the picture in time - we had an audience cheering for us at the restaurant!

Click here for more pics of Aruba

The fourth of July

We went to a cookout at our neighbors' house for the 4th! It was a fun (late) night for the kids! Here's Sophi and the 2 Braydens.
Brianna and Evan playing together for a few moments in the pack-n-play!
Braydens and Brianna waiting for food.

Bri's Birthday Party!

It's been a little busy around here! Brianna's birthday party was a while ago but here are some pics! We had a great time (it was a little wild here but she did great)! It took a while, but the princess for the day finally got into her cake (she had even more fun trying to feed me)!
And the crown comes off... I think Grant wants it!