NC NOTES!

Can't wait to see everyone at the BEACH! We are busily packing our car and thought of a few things others may benefit from. You will need bedding for kids:-) Yikes - I almost forgot it for my kids!

There are 28 bath towels in the house so everyone should have one, but definitely bring beach towels.

DeBaltzos will be making dinner on Saturday night - serving around 7 PM so whoever is there for that, great! Brooke will be collecting receipts, groceries, etc and sorting that all out...thank you Brooke for all your work on the food.

WHITE ELEPHANT - everyone loved it at Christmas and we planned to do it here as well. One wrapped item per person participating.

On a personal note - Today marks ONE YEAR since Max left for his mission. Time has truly flown and it is fun to be on the "down" side of my sticker chart!

Can't wait to see many of you in the sun!
Love-
Lexi

Having Fun in Detroit Rock City

Exploring Downtown Sites

Lunch at Duggan's Irish Pub on Woodward Monday; Huge Fish and Chips

Dinner @ Hockeytown Cafe. Jack Morris and Lou Whitaker on the wall.

Fun Night Sunday @ Comerica Park even though we lost to the White Sox.

Brunch at the Leary's with Harrisons and Gardners 7-26-09

Alice Expose

Baseball

Hello everyone,

Clara and I are really excited for the North Carolina trip and we can't wait to see everybody. We get there on the 2nd. We have our dinner planned but wished we could've got the leftover night, haha. Abby and Ben we are bummed you can't make this one but we really look forward to seeing you later in August. Congrats on the new promotion and job.

Clara and I have been going to quite a few baseball games lately. The Rockies are doing pretty well this year and just barely have the edge on the Giants. I had forgotten how much fun it is to go to the games. Its cheap and quite relaxing. Well, we will see most of you in less than a week and can't wait...love you all

Wayland, New York

Just a teaser......Daddy, Lexi, Sophie and I are here in Steuben County, New York doing genealogical research about Kay Kay's family. We are tromping around cemeteries looking for family names -- and have found a lot of information. It is so beautiful here, green green green.
We'll share what we're finding with anyone who has an interest.
Love you all and CAN'T WAIT til next week when we'll see most of you.
Mom

turnaboutblog

We had a fun weekend here in San Francisco. Friday was date night, Bridget and I went to see The Hurt Locker--excellent--and a great Italian dinner. Saturday was swim class, another disaster but with two or three smiles intermixed and the first viewing of Jungle Book before bedtime. Today we went over to Jim Moran's house, along with Abby, for a barbeque. It was fantastic to catch up with that side of the family. Everett wasn't able to make it, but Cathy was there and even Christie and Sam were there, which was a special treat. They are great. Emi, Yosh and Satchi are TALL and beautiful young people, it's amazing how they've grown.

Much talk around the house, mostly by the girls. On the way to swimming, we saw several bicycle riders. Bridget, always thinking of future gifts, asked the girls if they wanted a bicycle. Mary immediately answered, "Yeah. But a little smaller. And pink."

Later, on the way to the park, Friedie announced, "I'm poopy. I smell." I must admit, I've thought those thoughts, but she is crazy articulate/forward and that made me laugh.

Finally, this morning, I asked Friedie to take her pajamas and put them in the hamper. She picked them up, took two steps toward her room then stopped. She turned to me and said, "Say please." Turnabout is fair play.

Her are photos of the girls being snakes, playing and the barbeque.

14 Years

To my wonderful wife who has been my best friend and brought me more joy, love and experience than I could imagine during life's journey so far. Happy Anniversary sweetheart, I love you dearly.
This picture was from our first date, one of the luckiest days of my life that has turned into an incredible opportunity for eternal bliss. I love you Paige.

I know some Africa travelers

Pretty cool --

http://www.flixxy.com/perpetuum-jazzile-real-group-africa.htm

Andy

prescott

we have had a busy couple weeks. last friday we had a little party for johanna's first bday. i baked a very complicated and tasty cake, but it got downsized from a 4-layer to a two-layer cake when a couple layers did not cooperate. we had all her little friends over and they swam in the kiddie pool on the deck. we ate flank steak, water melon and salads. johanna attacked her cake much like all other food she eats... dantily. but she knew something was special when we all sang to her. it was lots of fun.

to make things extra exciting, i had a softball accident 2 nights before the party. i had to get lots of Xrays, although nothing was broken. it was a very dynamic and ugly collision that i will explain for you in detail in NC if you wish. the bruising just keeps getting uglier by the day. anyway, it made getting ready for the party very stressful. cleaning the house, cooking, holding and dealing with johanna (especially on the changing table where she's a bucking bronco on a normal day). luckily, i have an amazing husband who helped me with everything.

last night luke and i went on our first "date" alone since before johanna was born. it was such a great idea and we should have done it a while ago. one of the mommies from my play group watched her. she lives just down the street so it was very convenient.

johanna and i also went down to phoenix on saturday to see a friend, amy, who was visiting her godmother. it was 113 degrees. why on earth do people live there? it was like the twilight zone. nobody is on the street, all the cars are locked up in the garage, it's freaky. in late june i went down to visit brian, who was on business and it wasn't even close to as hot. brian and i had a fun time, caught up at his hotel and then he treated me to breakfast. he got to meet johanna and i just LOVED hanging out with him for a bit.

that's about it i think. i will be sending out a final schedule of who will be cooking on what night in NC. also, a list will be sent to those who volunteered to do a costco run. thank you!

love to all,
brooke

ALICE