Happy Birthday my Mina!

Today Melynda turns 24!

I just love this picture, look at how goofy happy Shaners is.

Melynda and Kylee in a bathtub on our trip to Mexico.

Melynda and Kylee sleeping at an airport - Mexico trip.

...Mexico...

...and last one...Mexico

Nina frosting crackers.

Me, Melynda, Erica, Heather
Girls camp one year.

Melynda, Mom, and I at the sand dunes.


Mom and Nina.


Amanda, Melynda, Me, Ashley, and Lane


Grandpa L and Nina.


My sister I hope you have a great day!
Love you.

Seriously?

It is still summer, right? I could have sworn it was fall when I woke up this morning. The heat was nice while it lasted, but it looks like it's time to break out the sweaters again.Welcome to Michigan!

Grass

So...sorry for being scarce.
You see, we've been trying to get our yard in; and I have some more projects to show soon; and we've helped with some moving; and we've been babysitting; and we've been doing calling stuff; and we've been hanging out with friends {once till almost 1:00 in the morning...those who know me will be shocked}.
All fun stuff but not conducive to me being an on top of everything blogger.
We'll try to get back into a groove.

But at any rate...we have grass!...enough to mow! twice!
And we got a new mower {free using my Sears card points}

This picture is from a couple of days ago. I already need to take another picture as it has rained a couple of times since then and the lawn has thickened perceptibly.

This picture was taken July 6th. Pretty bare if you ask me.

Oh, but then we get these cute little tiny shoots!

And then we get fuzz.
This was taken when Curt's parents were here at the end of July.

...filling in...

A couple of our neighbors who also have new houses had the builder put in sod.
It looks really nice, and was instantly gratifying, but when we talked to them they revealed that they had paid upwards of $4000. Bleh.
So far we've just gone a little north of $50.
I have come to the conclusion that two months of waiting for seed to grow is well worth $3950.
{oh, and you can barely see that I'm in the middle of transplanting all my green porch stuff into the ground}

Par-tay

Yesterday we went to a birthday party for this little stud who turned one.
His curls...they kill me they are so cute.

This also happened to be a last hurrah with his parents, Priscilla and Oliver, as Oliver has graduated from law school and they are doing as most graduates do and moving away.

Sheesh, we're going to miss hanging out with them.

Brielle - 3 months

The Lake

Well, as promised, here are some more pictures of the beautiful lake that we got to hang out at.
Curt's co-worker, Michael, and his wife Colleen live just off the lake and their HOA owns it.
They decided to have a shin dig where we could all play outside of work.

Curt and his Dad.

Isn't it purty?

Sheetal, Sonni, Courtney, and Amy's daughter (can't remember her name)
Literally 5 minutes later it started to briefly downpour...right when these guys were in the middle of the lake. Oops.

Down the shore line a little bit they had the kiddy place in the shallow area.
And some very soft sand...I stuck my toes in for a while.

They had two paddle boats, which kept people busy.

Must have been a good story.

Curt and John playing some sort of bean bag game...

...and Joe and Michael at the other end.

Me on my perch where I was watching the game and enjoying the views.

John was the official cook.

So nice. Shoot, if I lived here I might even be tempted to stay in Michigan after Curt graduates.
But alas, I will be getting the heck out.