September, School, Subbing, Super Great Weather!

Thank you Megan- I miss you!  My friend Megan inspires me.  She moved with her sweet family to Georgia and I really miss giving her a hug and talking with her.  She keeps a blog too- and she writes every week!  It's a beautiful way for me to see into her life far away.  I was reading it again tonight and she motivated me to play some catch up.

School is in! 

The kids are going to have an awesome year- they have really amazing teachers and I am really proud of them for who they are becoming.  Here are some first day pictures:

This is who I'm stuck with at home now...

 

So, I decided that this year I would be a substitute teacher :)  It's really fun because one day I teach Kindergarten, one day Special Ed, another day PE and on Monday I get to go to High School- yikes! 

Here is a cute picture of me and my man: 

Speaking of that guy- we went to an amazing concert last weekend.  We went to see these guys:

 The Avett Brothers

I love that when I listen to music at home or in the car and I really love the songs they sing, then to go to a place and hear those same songs- but have the people singing and playing physically in the same room with you is amazing!!  I was very impressed :)

 This Summer the kids and I painted our backyard fence with a water sealer. It took ALL Summer, but I promised that we would go out to dinner at a fun place if we got it done.  We finished on the last official day of Summer :)  They got their prize: 

 B's friend also met us there!

Presque Isle Beach Day 2015

We love going to the beach with friends and this year it was such a beautiful day in Erie! 

Everyone loved playing in the sand, swimming, (eating salsa,) and being with wonderful people. 

Here are a few pics from the day:

Griffis Sculpture Park

Last Wednesday we went with a friend to here: http://griffispark.org/

It was awesome! The kids for got climb on statues, hike to statues, and we also got to be with friends!
Here are some pictures:

Adirondacks 2015

Whew- we have been really busy this Summer and I hope that I will catch up on documenting things, but I thought I better start with last weekend.  

On Thursday morning we packed the car and headed on a 4 hour drive East to Old Forge NY.  We set up our campsite and started out vacation in the Adirondacks.  I read that the Adirondacks are bigger than Yosemite, Yellowstone, Glacier, and the Grand Canyon combined!  It's really huge & so beautiful.  I love seeing all the lakes, the pine trees, hearing the loons at night, and just being with my family.

Here are some pictures of what we did: 

Our tent site on Nick's Lake~

 We hiked to Castle Rock

 We visited the Adirondack Museum.  It was awesome!!

 Bruce tied knots:

 We visited Lake Placid and saw the Olympic ice skating track:

 and the "Miracle" Ice Arena

 James got to go golfing..

 while the other kids went on a ropes course.

 He got in trouble ;)

 Fishing on Moss Lake:

 Life is good!

 There were LOTS of ice cream places everywhere.

 We went on a ski lift to the top of a mountain.

 We swam in lot of lakes and played Kubb on the beach:

 So beautiful!!

 One more of Nick's Lake:

It's Great To Be Kate!

and 8!

On July 4th Kate was baptized.  We were so blessed to have Grandma & Grandpa Damstedt, Grandma & Grandpa Miller, and Uncle Andy here with us.
 Kate was so excited! 

My friend Melissa took some pictures of Kate for the invitation.  They turned out beautifully.  

Here are some from the day: 

                Treats!

                      















   

 Friends:

Grandma &Grandpa Miller :  

                                                        

Sisters:

 Kate's friend Natalie came from Cincinnati to see her!

 Kate and her primary teacher Brother Koefed: 

Kate and Bishop Jennings: