Summer 2017

I'm going to blame it on the move...Ryan says I have three kids...whatever the reason, I'm going from monthly to seasonly...ha!
(Note (for our own reference): Summer 2017 will be June and July/last months in Polk City; Fall 2017 will start when we moved to Springfield in August)

What's more summer than husking corn?

Garden produce!
(A visit from David and Jeremiah)

Lessons in fire starting

...everyone gets a turn!

Grand Marshals of the Greater Rolfe Days parade...couldn't miss that!

Now that we've lost Grandpa I'm even more grateful we made the trip up.

I was pretty proud. :)

Boy stuff

We miss that creek!

 We had an awesome weekend at "Uncle Rick's", (a long-time business friend of Ryan's), camping out, riding 4-wheelers and side-by-sides through the creek and around the trails, swimming, fishing, and taking the fishing boat around the pond, and shooting fireworks and guns.  Talk about a boy's weekend!  We had awesome time and even more awesome hosts...SO generous with everyone they had, even feeding us the entire weekend.

Jesse could not get enough of the side-by-sides

Alisa, the boys, and I visited Grandpa Mike Grandma Flossy's graves.
We made rubbings and left pinwheels.
(Laurie and Evan had recently left flowers.)

May 2017

Jack is a good big brother :)

There's a first for everything...

A little fun in the creek

Backyard wildlife to add to the list: wood ducks

We got to host some new friends from Bosnia and Albania
for supper.  We really enjoyed them and wished it would
have been a longer stay!

 Our friend Donna, the boys, and I kicked off the summer with the Tulip Festival Parade.

The floats are amazing and I love all the Dutch costumes.

It was a beautiful day and great way to start our sumer!

Workin' it with a wave for some candy

Brinkman Family trip to The Wisconsin Dells

(Upper Dells Boat Tour, Lost Canyon wagon ride, mini golf and go-karts, Dells photography museum, Cave of the Mounds, and House on the Rock)

Cookout the first night

Comparing height :)

Upper Dells boat tour and hikes

Jack is always up for adventures. He's fun to have along!

Grandma planned everything...down to activities for the kids.
THANKS MOM!

Hanging out at the house

All tuckered out after a great trip!

What a great trip! Hope we get to do it again somewhere else!

April 2017

April Fools Day

The boys LOVE April Fools.  In fact we've been hearing "April Fools, got ya' real good" since last April Fools day anytime they play a trick.  I was gone at a conference all day, which I was thankful for at first...until I realized they had all day to plan. :)  They (Ryan obviously included) rigged up shredded paper to dump on my head and the creepy fake kids hiding in our bed.  I surprised them with an empty pizza box for supper.  I think they won.  There's always next year...

Ryan told me they were hiding from me and I had to find them.
This is what I found under the sheet.  Super creepy...way to realistic

Helping make bread

Helping clean a bowl...

Ryan's ditch burn definitely impressed three little boys

The hero of the night

RIP
Chacos
2005-2016
(Gotta know when to say good-bye :P)

March 2017

Getting some warmer days...or is this from April or May and
I just organized my pictures wrong?
The woods get a lot of traffic from these guys.

 These guys love their little cousin!

All out war in the living room...

I don't think they realize what a fun dad they have! ;)

February 2017

Lane turned 4!  It's hard to wait for your birthday when you're the last of your brothers to have one, but it finally arrived!  He wanted an army birthday, so we went with a tank and got to celebrate with the Dreesmans.

Happy Birthday to this FUN guy!

Cousins :)

Birthday LEGOS from Grandma Nan & Bopa.
Grandma Nan's turn to get to help with the building!

Taking Goofy and Stewart out for an adventure

The big guys do a great job of including and looking out for Jesse.