Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Some Summer Fun in the Sun

Here are some pictures of our Towering Pines week up north at the end of July. It was very hot the first half of the week, then pleasant. We had a great time with Kevin's family and also getting to know other "resorters" there.

Cole, Alena, Myia, Sara, Deane cooling off.


Cole (in blue) and Katie (catching the water balloon)
during the 2nd Annual Olympics we joined in one
afternoon with the other vacationers.


Katie kayaking.


Sara trying to maneuver the Fun Bug.

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Camping Trip to Walnut Grove

Sorry this is a little late, but here's some pictures of my camping trip with Dad.
We went to Walnut Grove, Minnesota, the home of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family. She was 7 when they moved there, and the Ingalls family lived there on Plum Creek for a few years. We visited Plum Creek, the spot of their home, and the Laura Ingalls Wilder museum. We also rode to Lake Shetek State Park and hiked around there.

Me and the sod house at the museum




In front of the sign of the site at the Ingalls' home




Dad and I "On the Banks of Plum Creek"





On Lake Shetek

Thursday, August 25, 2005

Happy Birthday Nancy!

There are just no pictures of Nancy without a child near her!






Sunday, August 21, 2005

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

A busy "vacation" week for our family

We had a very busy "vacation" week. We felt like we needed a vacation after it.

On Wed (Aug 3rd) we got a call from our good friends, Les and Sandy from North Dakota, saying they were in Iowa and wondered if they could stop over the next evening and stay overnight. We had a great time catching up on family and news on Thursday and Friday. It seems that no matter how long we haven't seen each other, we can start off right where we left off.

Les and Sandy

On Sunday (Aug 7th), we got to babysit our friend's son, Matthew, who has Down Syndrome. Later in the afternoon, Mom and Dad called on their way home from Jim and Martha's grandaughter's wedding in Wisconsin and stopped over for supper. Matthew was very entertaining. We all commented on how much he looked like Ben when he was that age.

Matthew

On Monday (Aug 8th), Paul drove Ben to Camp Winnebago for the week he has been looking forward to since last year. He had a great week, made new friends and is ready to go back again.

Ben and his good friend Luke from Camp Winnebago

With Ben at camp, Nancy, Amy and Paul went to Door County in Wisconsin for a couple of days. We took it easy and did some sightseeing, went to an island on a ferry and relaxed by the lake.


Nancy and Paul on the beach


Walking along the shore


A fish boil dinner


Wading in Lake Michigan


On the ferry to Washington Island

We stayed in Door County from Tuesday to Friday and then picked Ben up from camp. Friday evening we went over to Ken and Karen's house to see Marcy and her family who were visiting Minnesota on vacation. We hadn't seen any of them for eight years since she moved back to Colorado. Her kids had grown and she was remarried and had another child we had never met.


Marcy and family


Alyssa and Kaia

Saturday was the Alberts family reunion (see the next post for photos). After the reunion, Amy took Ben home and Paul and Nancy drove to Alexandria for the Garfield centennial celebration. Nancy had a great time meeting old friends, discovering some old pictures and reminiscing about her childhood.


Nancy in a Garfield group picture


Nancy and some school friends; Paula and Terry


The Garfield school Nancy went to for eight years


A picture of Nancy (on the far right) at a Garfield school picnic.


In one of Nancy's old classrooms with her good friend Jan

We finished the "vacation" on Sunday and now we need another one.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Some photos from the 2005 Alberts family reunion
















How We Celebrated

We had a few fun celebrations for our 24th anniversary. Last Monday (August 8), we went out to eat at Olive Garden. Kevin had stopped by the restaurant earlier and put flowers and a card on the table where we ate. So I saw those when I sat down. Also, he brought our wedding albums (so we could look at how young we looked then, I think). On Sunday-Monday this past weekend, we went on an overnight to Stillwater and hiked at Taylor's Falls. It was a great time and we decided we should do that more often! Thanks to Grandpa and Grandma P. -- the girls really enjoyed staying with them.

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

Happy 24th Anniversary Diane and Kevin

A belated Happy Anniversary to Diane and Kevin!