Six Flags - NOT

Off to Six Flags Great America for the season ticket holder and friends....

Jake, Kyle, Alex and Jason got down there and went on one ride

before being soaked with rain showers.

Breakfast of Champions

Bub is 20 years old now but, he still whines if there is no Captain Crunch in the house.

His breakfast of choice: with Crunch Berries!

Breakfast before his shift at Best Buy

Guess who .... wants to play fetch !!

Friends

The kids and I took a drive up to visit Sherry and her family a few weeks ago...

(Cokie got left behind this time to spend her first quality time

with Nana, Uncle Teddy and Grandpa)

What can I say..?

Sherry and I go way back to college days.

She has been my true BFF ever since.

The kids have known each other since birth.

Lotsa good times and great memories.

(l-r) Allie w. Peter, Kelsey, Amanda and Jake in 1999)

Our kids on our very first camping adventure. Ten years ago - almost to the day.

(l-r) Peter, Allie, Jake, Kelsey aand Amanda 2009

I know the dates - not because I diligently date photos like my Mom.
(Hey, I don't even know how to the spell the word - yet alone follow it).

But, because Sherry's daughter Allie was celebrating her 11th birthday in the top photo.
Yogi Bear came to our campsite to personally wish her a happy day.
It was sooo cool.

The bottom photo - well Allie was just a few days short of her 21st birthday.
I don't think that Yogi was on the guest list this year.
Happy 21st to Allison!

One of these days, I have to write more about our "Yogi" adventures.
Priceless.

Quality Time

Everyone is home for dinner tonight.

This is so rare with their work schedules.

Jake is now working two jobs as he was re-hired by Best Buy.

Ooops. did I post that he was laid off last spring due to the economy?

July 4th in Wausau

Jake, Hannah, Amanda, Cokie and I took a drive up to Wausau

for my sister's annual 4th of July party.

Amanda, Luke, Craig, and Jake

(My son is the "short" guy at 6'2")
Trampoline photos: Candy's granddaughters.

The whole gang: Amanda, Luke, his wife: Amanda, Craig, his girlfriend: Tara, Jake, and his girlfriend: Hannah.

Another random trampoline photo.

Candy's granddaughter: Keeley

Shooting off the fireworks.

Candy and sons.

Sparklers for the grandkids: Kiarra

Candy and friend

Coke never misses a good party.

The Fireworks

Candy's fireworks....

...were AWESOME !

Coalie

I took Jake and Hannah over to my friends Judy and Tim's house

to visit the famous puppy from West Virginia - "Coalie".

Reunion with the orphan pup that Hannah rescued.
Coalie - now known as "Lady" is happy, healthy and loving her new family.

I don't think that this was easy for Jake and Hannah, but the pup has a perfect home.

2nd Annual Volmar Family Picnic

The second annual Volmar family picnic was held in late June this year. Aunt Marge and family were the hosts and it was a wonderful day. Good weather, good food and good fellowship.

The Volmar's

(l-r) Russ, Evelyn, Ted, Mary, Bill, and Marge
Teddy Bear enjoyed the bubbles.

Candy and Ron - down from "up nort"

I'm pretty sure Aunt Evelyn peeks in at the blog -

so I'll post a couple of photos of her fam.

Here she is with son, Todd.

Mom and Dad

Joey in the pond.

Cousin Renee and family

Teddy and Kathy

Next year it's Uncle Bill's turn to host!

Moving - over and over.

Long story short.

After arriving at the new home....we discovered that the previous occupant's dog and cat had used the carpeting as a toilet.

We had to empty out the living room, hallways and then each bedroom to replace the carpeting.

Right after having moved in.

Bummer

Bring on Summer !!!

Amanda and Nina - ready for summer.

Amanda worked so hard again this past year

and earned another 4.0 grade average for the year.

Time for a break.

Bring on Summer!

Last Day Photo

This is a photo of "my kids" on the last day of school. Only 16 of them showed up.

It was very difficult to say "goodbye".

The trophy with the star on top is the Class of the Week award.

We earned this the week prior for having the best behavior in the building.

No write ups or suspensions for a whole week!

Congrats and best wishes to all !

Soccer

Another winning season!

Second year in a row ....

Conference Champs!

We Moved!

I don't have a photo of this....

We started at 6 in the morning on June 5th and finished at 2 the next morning.

The movers arrived at 8 a.m. Jake and Kyle moved most of the furniture on their own so that I wouldn't have to pay movers to do it. Actually the movers only had the washer/ dryer, big screen tv, beds and maybe one or two other things to do.

It is all a blur. I had to be up at six the next morning as I could only get one day off of work to move. I don't remember that Friday. My classroom was probably a zoo.

Arrival at the new place was a fiasco..........

Surprise , surprise.

Jake's Home

Jake (and Hannah) returned from West Virginia - finishing their Freshman year of college.

This is Jake lighting up what was to be the last Bonfire at our home.

...a little newspaper

...and a busload of gasoline!

Typical Jake.

We'll all miss this firepit - many memories and good times here...

...Starting with the day that I first saw Jake and Kyle walking past my window with shovels in their hands. I knew they were up to something.

It was kind of nice that Kyle was over for the "last" fire.

Mommy's 70th Birthday

My Mom turned the big 7 - 0 in late May.

Seems like yesterday I was attending her big 40th party in Aunt Lynne's apartment

on Morris Street. Time flies.

Culver's Turtle Ice Cream cake - yummy!
Mom with her cake - we didn't light up seventy candles.
We gave her a break with only 3.

Even Cokie came over to wish her a Happy Birthday.

A bouquet of cookies from Aunt Candy and Uncle Jack.

Mom and Dad

A bouquet of Flowers from all of her sisters.

With 2 of the grandkids....

... and 2 of the kids.

(Candy came down the day before, but my family all had to work -

so Mommy had two days of celebration)

That's it. No wild shindig. Just a quiet celebration with the fam.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY !

Where Do I Begin???

Okay Melissa......you motivated me. I was actually going to get an update posted BEFORE you, but where do I begin???

I haven't really posted since MAY !!!

WOW

Let's see here.....what has happened? Hmmmm... go back to May and start with......

....Mommy turned 70
....Bub and Hannah came home from West Virginia
....We moved
....Soccer ended
....School ended and Amanda got another 4.0
....I said a tearful good -bye to my little darlings in 4th grade
....We moved again - cleared out 1/2 house for new carpeting
.....We moved again - cleared out other half for new carpeting
....Both kids got a summer job working for their Dad
....Attended the Volmar family picnic
....Celebrated the 4th of July in Wausau
....Went back to work at school - writing cirriculum
....Visited with my Stepdad, Bob
....Visited with cousin Kaitlin
....Had a rummage sale
....Continued digging out from the "moving" mess
....Went to Madison 5 times looking for an apartment for Jake
....Found one !
....Worked a few times for the catering and photographed a wedding
....Got to see little cousin Braden twice in one week!
Oh, and he brought his Mom and Dad along.
....Went up north to visit Sherry and family
.... what else???

I'm getting there. Actually, I think that's all. Whew!

On with the postings!