Summer Highlights

June

A week after school let out we took a family trip to the Black Hills/Badlands.  Our explorations included Bear Country, Reptile Gardens, Custer State Park, Mt. Rushmore, some "off-the-beaten-trails", and a really good pizzeria!  We thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of that area and hope we're able to make another visit.

Entering the Badlands

Gentle giant at Reptile Gardens.

A walk through the woods in Custer State Park.

After seeing so many "buffaflo" in Custer State Park, Benjamin was determined to feed this one!

Visiting the Badlands one last time on our way home.

At the end of June most of the Vermeer family gathered at the lodge at Newton Hills State Park in South Dakota for a few days.  It was wonderful to spend time together talking and watching the kids play. 

Supper-time at the "kids table".  :-)

The guys had a lot of fun playing fooseball.

Stinkers... Sharing!

This picture was taken right before we left for home.

Tired, but still having fun.... right?!?!

July

Daddy's little helper fell asleep.

Pool time - this year even Ben can get in on the fun!

Church Picnic 2010

Games for the kids......

 

..... and the adults!

Grandma Overway and Aunt Jenn drove out with Brooke, Conner and Tressa this month. 

We had so much fun we forgot to take pictures!  Well, there were a few...

Riding the horses in Doon's City park.

Friends or cousins? Both!

August

August began with a trip to the Chicago area.  After spending the weekend at Grandpa and Grandma Vermeer's house, we headed to Michigan for a few days with the Overways.  Then back to Illinois/Indiana on Thursday for a trip into the city and more visiting.

Muskegon State Park

Elena and Gwen.

 Look! I can swim too!

Downtown Chicago

Playing in the splash fountain in Millenium Park.

We took the train into Chicago.  A new experience for the kids!

Playtime

Caleb and Benjamin taking a ride to the moon.

Ben and Nicole - busy building sandcastles.

"Are you sure we can touch that?"

Uh-oh! That looks like trouble!

We're all here!!!

We managed to get all the kids on a picture again!

Last days of school

Mothers' Tea in the Lower Room

"Welcome" from the 1st grade girls

Each of the children drew a picture of their mom and answered a list of questions about her (weight, favorite thing to do, why she's special). 

Lower Room girls (1st & 2nd grades)

Ellie, Jenna, Crystal, Elena, Erica, Sierra, Sarah

Dordt Track Meet

In mid-May, Joseph participated in a local track meet at Dordt College.  The meet is for area kids in grades 5-8, but since we didn't have enough kids for all the events, the 4th graders were allowed to participate as well.  The day was beautiful, and the kids had fun and performed well.

Talking things over with Dad.

Good form!

Giving high jump a shot.

Joe was 2nd in his heat in the 100m dash.

Family

On May 1, Heritage Christian School (Hudsonville) celebrated their 25th anniversary.  As a member of the 1st graduating class, David was asked to speak at the celebration.  So on April 30, we took the kids out of school and headed to Michigan!  We had a good time seeing old friends and were thrilled to spend the weekend with family there.  On the way home we stopped and surprised Grandma (Mom) Vermeer while she worked in her garden.  The look on her face was priceless.... wish we had a picture!

Cousins...

Joe, Ben, Lena, Brooke & Conner are headed to Heritage for pony rides, games and cotton candy! 

 After the party at Heritage the kids played "dog" on Grandpa & Grandma's deck.

(Lena, Joe, Brooke, Levi & Conner)

 Brook & Lena making up a secret code.

 This was the first time we got to see and hold baby Gwen!

Nicole:  "See?! This is how you do it!"

 

 And little Tressa, just taking it all in.

 ...and Brothers

...talking around the (old) kitchen table.

"Huuuuuuuggggs to Joey." 

Man's best friend

Name: Logan

Breed: English Laborador Retreiver

Date of Birth: March 1, 2010

Date of Adoption: April 20, 2010

Owner: Joseph (& Dad)

What he's learned so far:  Come, Sit, Shake, No Bite, In the Kennel, Fetch, Drop it

Favorite past-times:  Cuddling, Eating, Chasing Kiera

1st day home.

Playing with "Loge" while the kids are in school.

Hanging out at the lake.

Wii're Having Fun!

We've been playing sports, going on safari and hunting exotic game this spring... all in our basement!  Our new Wii has given us lots of fun time together when the weather outside was frightful!

Lena's concentrating hard.

Dad's turn.  This is serious business!

Joe loves to practice and is having fun trying to beat his highest scores.  Even Ben likes to play!  He found a stick from the boys' dismantled horse-shed and pressed it into service as a shotgun.  Watch out "aminals"!

And in-between we line up cars, cuddle on the couch and cheer eachother on.