Kaylea's First Day of Third Grade!

I can't believe it! THIRD GRADE already!! And after a short summer of just two months and a week, she is back to school for another fun year.




Julianne will miss her very much... I miss her already!

End of Summer Fun

We had a relaxing summer, spending much of our time at the pool. Our girls could stay there all day! Before starting back to school, we hosted a sleepover with two sister friends from our neighborhood. This was Julianne's first sleepover. The girls had fun dressing up!



We spent a weekend in Michigan with friends, to celebrate a special 5th birthday. Can you guess where all of these kids are headed?

You guessed it, Tiger Stadium!

And this is how we got there...

We had a good plan. All kids to one end of the limo...

And adults to the other...


Somehow Grandpa DeGrand missed the memo...

The girls :)

The Birthday Boy!

Kaylea with her friend Jake.


Fun in the stands...

The Patrick / Fisher clan.

Second Annual Junior Golf Tournament

For the second year, Kaylea played in a local Junior Golf Invitational Tournament. This year, she was at the top of her age bracket, and was the only girl in her bracket! Because of this, she was able to play with a 9 year old from the 9-13 age bracket. This meant that she played the first three holes for competition, and then was able to continue on the the next three holes for fun. She told mommy after the 4th or 5th hole "this is the most fun that I have ever had". Daddy was her caddy, and Mommy & Julianne had fun following behind in a golf cart, and keeping score.





Here is Kaylea with two of her instructors.



She was pretty proud of her performance - she would have placed 4th in the older age bracket! Here she is after the tournament at the scoreboard...

Summer Adventures

VBS is one of our favorite summer activities! Here is Julianne perfoming in church...



Last fall we planted trees in our back yard. Our first magnolia blossom...



Our little princess at a birthday party for her best friend from school.



A trip to the zoo on a very hot day. The girls enjoyed the water park!




Julianne LOVES watermelon!



The girls enjoyed harvesting vegetables from our garden. Here they are eating banana peppers with ranch!




Kaylea ran her first 5K!


Trying to get all five cousins to smile for the camera at the parade... quite a challenge!



Cousins at the fireworks! Traverse City has the best fireworks ANYWHERE at the end of Cherry Festival.


Parker caught in one of his many adorable moments...


A favorite activity for the five cousins... let's all jump on Uncle Scott!


A cool, blustery summer day in T.C., and we're taking the girls fishing for the first time.


Julianne wasn't bothered by the worms...


Kaylea had a different opinion!


Julianne reels in her first fish!



Kaylea waits patiently...


Girls with their fish :)


Kaylea may not like the worms, but she loved catching fish!


Even Mommy caught one eventually...


Grandpa caught a big one!