Happy Birthday Nancy

On Nancy's Birthday - just before we were setting out to do some "Garage Sale Shopping"  (her choice)  she was surprised by some boys coming over with 3 bouquets of flowers!

It was a happy monumentous occasion...and very surprising!

But Later that day - while we were away ...something else was cooking!

Clayton and Michelle.....

....and a gaggle of kids......

and Bett and Loren... were cooking up some fine baked salmon, and salads and grilled bread and all kinds of stuff.

That when we came home from a wedding  (uh oh yeah - we supposedly had reservations for a dinner drama - and I supposedly forgot the tickets,  so when we came back to get them,  ......

(certainly when you stop home for just a minute you have to use the bathroom)

Surprise!!!!!

The Party and celebration was here!

complete with gifts!

And about that garage sale...well Nancy found this nifty little boat, that I had to inflate to see if it had any leaks...and I did leave it out by the pool.  Clayton had great fun remembering when he had one of these when he was about these guys same size....Ahh memories

It was a great surprising fun birthday

Kentucky Mission Trip

 At the end of June I traveled with 10 others from Community CRC in Wyoming for a work trip in Campton Kentucky area - We served four different churches in various work projects and in helping run a VBS.  This photo was taken in the old church pictured below

I could not resist taking this photo the barn and old pickup truck seemed picture perfect and stereotypical...of course I wanted to take the truck home - but that would ruin the picture!

Across from one of our work sites was this old church - It had been built for the community by a mining company about 1915.   It is sadly - no longer in use...but the side door was open so we went in...and used it.

We worshiped and prayed and opened God's word - and an incredible feeling by the Spirit that let us know we were still on Holy Ground....maybe someday it can come back to life for the community

This Old Barn...the siding and supports of my barn were rotted and since it had only been built with a few 1x4's for framing - I thought 2x4's would be better - the roof which had been more recently replace was left intact and it was rebuilt from the ground up....which was a little precarious.

as you can see - there were NO corner posts and only 2 ...1x4's holding up the roof on either side.

A much happier barn - maybe new shingles next year

Merry Christmas - last Dec we gave Noah a week at daycamp at Geneva - he finally got to experience the present!

He met lots of new friends (Noah wore his blue shirt so you can pick him out of a crowd)

and one particular new friend  - Hayden

It was a big week - the ride home on the last day

Broden wanted to go to camp too but had to settle for the new sandbox that dad built

July Update

The thermometer (in the shade)  says it all - This was one hot week (and summer so far) in July

The only thing to do is hang out in the pool!

Adam and Sandra and Tahlia came for 10 days of fun in the Michigan sun

Harve and Meg came to visit too

It was so hot we set up umbrellas to give us shade in the pool - and ate our snacks "Poolside"  Just like any other high class resort

4th of July was family party time - this is one of 3 loads of meat on the grill

The Gene pool of cousins

The feed

The outrageous competition

ever try the "whirlytube spin"  come over I will show you how

Away from home - I took a group on a mission trip to Kentucky - on this very hot and humid afternoon, we all investigated an abandoned church - (with permission of course)  and while we were there - We worshiped, and tried to imagine how many years it had been since the word of the Lord was read and praised in that place!  It was an incredible experience.

Hope your summer is blessed!

Getting to Memorial Day

The hot weather continues so Noah was more than willing to come over and help us uncover the pool.  Sadly the cover leaked a bit - plus with such a warm spring - there was some algae to deal with...and in the cover..some polliwogs and frogs..

It took Grandpa awhile to convince Noah that this frog was not alive...yes Michelle your son was playing with a dead frog....We also called Adam to find out how to care for polliwogs...and they are still alive...but not in the pool

A little shock and filtering and the pool was ready for a Brets Stults Dykema Brets Party

both pools are open

Not sure why Ken was picking at it...

Judah...these are girls!

We had more than we could eat - Thanks to everyone!

Broden did the board!

Boyne Mountain Adventures

On a very Hot day in May - when temps reached the 90's we went to Boyne Mountain/Bluegreen condos to celebrate the May Birthdays.  Bett on the 15th - Noah on the 19th - and Doug on the 21st.  The hot temps were a great present and the pools and the Avalanche Bay water slides were greatly appreciated by the boys...even Grandpa Doug!

Bett and Loren willingly displayed the technique of poolside chair use..just in case we could not figure it out

Judah was just as excited to be there as all of us

Noah with some presents

And an "Indo" board Grandpa Doug made

Broden rides the Alligator...



Clayton and His boys



Thanks Bett and Loren for sharing this all with us!