and now...the rest of the story

Everyone went on a canoe trip...excluding Hutch and me...I didn't prefer to hold him in a canoe. Maybe next year.

After the entire adventure-the thing the girls were MOST excited about was riding in the outfitter van with no seat belts. I guess we've done a good job of keeping expectations real low in our family.

 I add this only to prove that I did get in the water with them once this summer. (remember a few posts ago I fully disclosed I'm a curmudgeon.)

 This was our beautiful family photo from the trip.

Loooove this. And love her.

 We hadn't seen Oma Atje since Reese was born so it was very special to have them meet and fall in love. :)

 Further evidence that I did something fun.

 Chillin with Daddy.

 There's hope for my children though! Thankful for these youthful, fun, game playing women that are hopefully in my children's genetic makeup!

 Thankful for a fun vacay 2012. Can't wait for next year.

I'm sorry, Mom.

My Mom feels like I have given up my blog for Facebook. This is incorrect because I have had a Facebook account since 2007. But she feels that she hears more about my life from my Dad's cousin Gene than from me because he is on Facebook. 1. I find this highly suspect because I talk to my mom every single day and while I love Gene dearly, we do not talk on the phone. 2. If my Mom would join Facebook we wouldn't really have to worry about any of this. 

In any event: I'm going to catch up. I've got a lot of catching up to do. 

At the beginning of August we spent a week with Oma and Opa, along with another Oma and Grandma Betsy! We had a great, highly documented time.

First time in a suit!

 This is blurry-but I love how everyone is laughing after the Jenga tower fell! :)

 Oma Atje's first time to hold Hutch!

 Hutch is digging watching the Greats chat.

 This is blurry-but love it of Mark and his shirt Oma gave him. She is the sweetest and was such a fun addition to our vacation!!

 This would have been cool if Reese had been facing the camera. But when you tell Reese to face the camera-this is pretty much what you get.

 I love my mother in law for a lot of reasons, but largely our shared love of fried food. This is dutch oliebollen, and we also made fried apples and bananas. It was so good and I got bigger than I already am, but it was totally worth it.

 Oma Atje worked at JC Penney as their seamstress for many  years, and still gets an employee discount there-these are the cute outfits she picked out for the girls with her privileges.

 Mark's Mom and her Mom are not originally from America, and cook the food to prove it. Oma Atje was trying to give me some serious lessons in Indonesian cooking.

 So special to have 2 great grandmas!

 Look at that 85 year old on the tube! Go Oma!

 Sleeping Bear Torture. (dunes) Unfortunately I had to stay home with Hutch and was unable to climb the mountain of sand. :)

 Oma always brings crafts..(I also like the Diet Coke cans that are always littering our home :))

 Poor Dad-without incriminating anyone I will just say that one of his granddaughters had an unfortunate run in with his eye-resulting in the best shiner I've ever seen. Thanks for being a good sport, Opa!

I figured 43 pictures was enough for my first post back from leave. Much more excitement to come.