A Midsummer Night's Dream

John is off at a cast and crew party tonight following the close of the ELHS fall play. His friend Burke talked him into working on the crew of a play at the end of their freshman year and he hasn't missed a crew of a play since. The Bio in the program which is written by each cast or crew member for themselves has John's picture in his beloved beret and reads, "John is a senior member of crew." We are very proud of you and how hard you work on the crew, John! Congratulations on another great play!

Alex and Ben's 7th Birthday!

Alex and Ben are turning 7 just about exactly as I post this...but have been celebrating since they passed out the cupcakes to their class on Friday afternoon. Here are just a few of the pictures from their birthday. Yesterday it was great that we had their Kakela/Wheeler party during that dreadful MSU-Penn State game so that there was something fun going on!!!!
Happy Birthday A and B --- we love you to the Moon and back!!! And I love being your Mom!

Visitors Night At Dance Class

This week and next is visitors week at dance classes. I visited Buffy's class without the camera. Pete visited Ben and Alex's and got these pictures. This is their third year of dance. I'm hoping to get pictures of Lilly and Jane next week.

Happy 18th Birthday Pasha!

Last Saturday, November 14th, Pasha turned 18!!! Yikes! He celebrated on Saturday with friends here at home by watching football, playing video games, getting his ears pierced!
Sunday we had our usual Kakela/Wheeler celebration! Lots more cake and food and gifts---no more piercings---what they do when they get "legal"!
Happy Birthday Pasha, we love you!

Junior Spartan Day

Today was Junior Spartan Day at MSU. MSU played Western Michigan (my dear Broncos) and we all went to the tail gate at Munn Arena and then Spartan Stadium. It was a beautiful fall day in mid-Michigan and the weather was perfect! The Spartans played beautifully and it was all and all just fun to take so many kids to a game on such a nice day!

1st Grade Soccer Under the Lights!

In East Lansing, First Graders practice twice a week in the fall but do not play games until spring soccer. Last year was the first annual "play one night under the lights". Jane played in it for about 30 minutes and we all left because it was so cold with rain, wind and sleet.
This year, Alex came home sick in the afternoon so he couldn't play. Ben took Lilly, Pete and me to the big soccer complex to watch him play three games under the lights! It was a wonderful evening. The Scorpions won all three games, had no goals scored against them, and BEN KAKELA scored the most goals of the Scorpions with FOUR!!! He had so much fun and was so tired!

Halloween Festivities

We're finally posting all of the many events and pictures from Halloween. We trying to decide about a new camera so we borrowed one of Doug's to try for part of Halloween. Some of the pictures are of the Thursday morning parade at Pinecrest. Some are of the pizza party at the Laxton's before going out trick or treating---one of the coldest, rainiest, yuckiest nights in years! I'm still looking for the pictures of the East Lansing Punpkin Walk on Thursday night---they may be on Pete's camera. Whatever. Nolan is a transformer. Aidan is a Ninja. Lilly is Hannah Montana. Jane is a movie star. Alex and Ben are some characters from Star Wars. Buffy is the Good Witch Glenda from The Wizzard of Oz....with a different crown because that one continued to fall off! Pasha went to a Halloween party at a friends house. John had friends over for a party.

Why we go away from time to time!

These are pictures from Ashlesy's camera when we were away one week-end. Our kids are always so happy to have Ashley come spend the night and have us leave --- now, I know exactly why! Good job, Ashley! We all love you!!!