NEW CAMERAS!!!

Pete and I both bought new camera this week! Nolan has erased or deleted all pictures from my card that had anything from graduation or dance recitals or end of school on it....hopefully my good memory will hold for years, and my patience...dear, lord...it's always something! He was using it to make a Mario video for U-tube...more important, I guess than those silly events I wanted to have pictures....anyone who has any of those...feel free to send my way, Thank you.

I'm on my way back to the lake to read my new camera instructions and begin to blog away until all of you are sick of seeing new pictures! Ha!Ha!

I hope everyone is having a good summer---we are, so far...heat and all! If you'coming our way, please stop at the lake----the welcome sign is on and the water is great! Things are a little disorganized---but then, you'll know you're at the right place! xoxxo

Broken Cameras!

We have had some exciting and memorable events in the last couple of weeks! Pete and I have both taken some great pictures, and missed some great shots....but now, both cameras are dead and I can't figure out how to get the disks out to post....I will figure it out this week---now that school is out!
Here's some of what we have taken pictures:
John has graduated!
The kids had their dance recital!
Baseball and T-ball have startedand we're loving it!
Lots of end of school field trips and parties were taken!
All of the schools finished yesterday at noon---for that I am celebrating!!!

Soccer Season Ends!

These are the pictures of the last games of Spring soccer. I took my camera to one of Ben and Alex's practices and then to their last game. The "Scorpians" had a very successful season---winning all but one of their games. Both of the boys have really improved their skills a lot and are great little players!
We have no pictures of the Thursday night practice where the parents played the 1st graders---it was a hoot. We, the parents, scored but lost. The kids loved it!
I have no picturue of the girls final games---Jane's was in the morning and it was raining and for Lilly's, I just plain forgot the camera. I guess the thrid one was the charm...sorry girls...you were terriffic!!!

The Princess turns SIX!

Buffy turned 6 on Tuesday....the party started on Sunday with "our Wheeler Friends" for dinner and vollyball. Jessie and her family were here, too so it was lots of fun for all of us.
Tuesday we had cupcakes at school and then a "pa-sketti dinner" after soccer, dance and baseball practice!
Buffy got lots of gifts that she loved---her favorite by far was having Rachel home for her party. She had been talking to Rachel on skype since January asking if she would be home in time for her birthday---she barely let go of Rach all evening...it has been amazing to watch her after 18 months, go right back to holding onto Rachel the whole time she is here!
It was a great birthday...I can't believe our baby is six...we love you Buffy and you will always be our baby girl no matter how old you are! xoxoxo

Welcome ZIGGY!

We knew our family was missing something---John and Kaela figured out what it was that was missing! Since Bingo's death a year and a half ago, our only critters have been the two dogs.
So Kaela gave John this beautiful kitten, named Ziggy. We all love him and he is adjusting to us.

Kakela Noise!

When some of you laugh and say "I'll bet there's never a dull moment around your house!" Just of picture or two to show that to be an understatement...if it's quiet, someone can always think of something for everyone to do!!! Like this little band effort last week!

"Little Feet, Big Feat" annual Race for the Cure!!!

Sunday was our annual team effort in Race for the Cure. We had at least 60 team members and raised about $2,300! We are all quite proud of our efforts since well over half of our team are LITTLE FEET!
Watch for us next year---we intend to enter the competition on a lot of levels!
It was an amazing day even though the weather was not that great. We all had a wonderful time.
Our team captain, Meghan Ritchey, not only organized us, but trained and ran the 5K! John, Pasha, Kaela,Colin, Burke, Kevin, Malik, Alexis, Kaitlin,all went to post-prom until 4:00am and then came to the race! Pasha and Colin ran---not sure what to say about any of that! Sometimes they just amaze me!

Prom 2010

Pre prom pictures of John & Kaela...Kaela's family, then at the Reinmann's and at school in the 'tech crew' room. Didn't they clean up well?

Fun at the Park!

We finally got some sunshine back and could go outside to the park and the backyard! Let's hope it stays for a few days!

Rainy Days and Chuck E Cheese...Oh, my!

Well, that sunshine was shortlived on our Spring Break in Michigan. We had lots of cold and rain and even some tornados during the week. That meant finding more indoor things to do than we had planned.
These are pictures of Chuck's place with our Wheeler friends. We also went to a hotel with an indoor water slide/equipment & stuff. That was great fun for everyone.
Yesterday we took in a movie---How to Tame Your Dragon...thanks to John, Kaela and Burke. And today, the last day of break, it's warm and sunny again! So we are setting up the new trampoline! Happy Happy Spring

Easter Fun!

I hope all of you had as much fun as we did on Easter! Ours was warm and sunny with lots and lots of chocolate! It was a beautiful day to begin our Spring Break!

Lilly's Birthday Celebration & Final Four!

Last Saturday was great fun celebrating Lilly's 10th birthday with the Wheeler's, the Reinmann's, Aunt Kate & Uncle Rick and watching are beloved Spartans play in the final four game. While the outcome of the game wasn't what we had hoped, we sure all enjoyed the run and the day! Thanks Spartans! We love you Lilly!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LILLY!!!

Happy 10th Birthday to our beautiful Lilly! She is celebrating today by cheering the Spartans on tonight at 6:00 in the final four! She tells everyone that the last time they won the national championship was the day she was born, so she is counting on a win tonight!
These are pictures of Thursday nights festivities. Lilly had friends over for a sleep over to begin her birthday celebration. They all had a great time---and even went to sleep after a couple of movies!
Happy Birthday Sweet Girl! We love you! Sparty On!

FINAL FOUR!!!

Ben and Alex have worn their 2009 Final Four shirts to school Friday and to church and during the game today. It made me very nervous---because I was afraid they were getting a little ahead of our dear Spartans---but, I guess not!
We are all so excited about MSU going to the Final Four! It's a good thing we get a few days to calm down because Friday night and this afternoon took a lot out of everyone!
There is a thought with some Kakelas that Saturdays game will be lucky because it is Lilly's 10th birthday. We shall see ;).
Go Green!

Bye Bye Birdie

The last East Lansing High School play for John to work on crew closed today. He has really enjoyed his work on the tech crew and the friends he met on the various plays he worked on during high school. We are very proud of him and the work he did on each play. This last one was Bye Bye Birdie. He was the "sound tech guy", and I think that was his favorite role ever! Congratulations, John! You did a great job and we all enjoyed coming to the plays you worked on each year!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Here are pictures of my various darling shamrocks! We had a wonderful St. Patrick's Day. The kids had a half-day of school (conferences. Jeanine was home from D.C. for Spring Break so she and her family joined us for dinner along with Tonya and Abbie, Ryan and Addison. We had a great day and the weather was beautiful and sunny---more than likely why I think of it a such a wonderful holiday. Any sunny day in March in Michigan is a holiday!

March Madness!

We not only have to watch every basketball game on TV, some of us have to get back to the driveway hoops the minute the snow drifts start to melt! The "outside" basketballs are all pumped up and they are ready to go!
We are all enjoying watching our Spartans---and lots of other teams, too!

Alex & Ben at the First Grade Bake Sale Jane's Play

Alex and Ben and their class had a two day bake sale for their unit on economics. They all had a blast and made lots of money to send to Haiti. Good job guys!

Jane's class performed Hansel and Gretel Learn to Eat Healthy. Jane was the Mother of Hansel and Gretel. She loved being on stage and was happy to have NO lines to remember, but singing together with her friends. She did a great job and we loved watching and listening to her!

Birthday Boy!

I'm just getting around to posting pictures of the Birthday Boy. The sweatshirt he's wearing arrived that day from Jo-Jo and he wasted no time putting it on! I think he had a good birthday---we've seen very little of him since that day --- he's pretty busy.