If you build it....they will come!

 We finished Labor Day weekend in Guttenberg for a weekend of Family fun and to build the enormous swing set Duane bought for the cabin.   The boys got to work on Sunday and it didn't take long for things to start to take shape.  By Monday afternoon, the majority of the swing set was up and the "girls" were swinging and sliding and having all the fun that "Grandpa" had hoped it would bring for them!

Lots of help for the big project.....

....even Celia pitched in!

things are starting to take shape!

The guys worked so hard to get the project "almost" done in just 1 1/2 days!

Yeah, we get to swing!!

you go first Lila, then I'm next!!

the work crew...thanks everyone!

Opening Day - Hawkeye Football!!

September 3rd - the opening game for the Iowa Hawkeyes!  A victory was had, despite the weather - down pouring rain and delay of game (because of lightening) ....the true fans went to the game and had a great time watching the Hawks win!!  Go HAWKS!!

Will and Cade - ready for some football!

The true fans, ready to head to the game!  Duane took the "boys" to cheer on the Hawks
......and the fair weather fans, Carson and Laura stayed dry at home cheering!

a little rain won't scare us away!

The biggest little fan of them all - Lila's 3rd season opener with Daddy and Mommy (and Grandpa!)....this is a tradition now!  Even the rain didn't dampen her mood - if you asked her if she wanted to leave, she would say "NO!"
Go Hawks!!

"The Boys of Fall".....Cade's Warrior football season starts!

Cade had a few weeks of "no sports" between baseball and football, but right as school started so did his two football team practices and on Aug 27th, he had his first "travel team" football game in Big Lake, MN.  With only 2 weeks of practice we (parents, not the boys or coaches I'm sure) were a little nervous about the games but the boys were awesome!  They won both games on Saturday (27th) and won their bracket final on Sunday, giving them a 3rd place victory!  Go Warriros!!

Getting psyched for their first game!

after the second victory game of the day....now its time to play at the hotel!

only true friends will all squeeze into one bed!

We are the Champions!!  3rd Place Victory for the 6th Grade Warriors!

Back to school...summers over!

We wind down from a whirlwind summer of weddings, Guttenberg, travel, vacations and just plain fun with family and friends....one day you ask the kids if they are ready for school to start and they excitedly say "yes!" and the next they lament the impending loss of their freedom of sleeping in and all day friend time!  No matter how hard they try to slow down the clock, the first day of school finally arrives.

Cade is officially a "Middle Schooler" he started his first day at McKinley Middle School on Aug 23rd and Carson is in her final year of Middle School at Franklin....don't they look cool!

Looking good on the first day of school...too bad Bacchus can't come with us!

Jen and Jason sent us a picture of Ruby and Celia on their first day at All Saints and Montessori!!

Have fun at school!

And little Miss Lila, gets to hang in her PJ's in the morning a little longer until she goes to daycare at "Miss Connie's"....she might start school at Montessori next year!  How fast they grow up!

chillin'

Fun on the River in Guttenberg!

Cade and Jake getting ready to tube!

Carly and Carson after a fun ride tubin'!

Even Enzo likes to tube!!  

kamakazi!!!!!!

up at the river for Grandma's birthday - Carson and Carly, Cade and Jake had fun on the water!!

Happy Birthday Grandma Nancy!!

Aug 13th was Nancy's 75th birthday - YaHoo!!  We all had such a fun time!

We had so much fun celebrating Grandmas birthday!

The Birthday Girl!

presents!!

a double rainbow for Grandma Nancy's birthday!!  What does this mean?!!  

Pentwater Michigan

hanging with Grandpa at the beach!

chillin...

Jenny and Brady finished a run with a dip in Lake Michigan!

Tony and the kids vacationed in Pentwater, with his parents - Maggie and Jerry, his sister Jenny and her husband Brady, and Ky and B!  Duane and I flew up for the day to enjoy some time with them all on the beach and dinner with the Saylor Family!