Jul 4 2017

Friend Fiesta 2017

Posted on 7/4/2017 by April

This year, Aaron took the lead in getting the week scheduled… which was awesome!

Monday – us at Eva’s Dad’s lake house on Keuka
Tuesday – Sophie & Emma at their place in Cuba
Wednesday – Ava – Rock City in Olean
Thursday – Emma & Sophie to chill and make flip flops
Friday – Eva watching Despicable Me 3

So. much. fun.
For you, for parents – for everyone.

Monday – Tubing on Keuka Lake
The road trip down there…

Tuesday – 4-wheeling in Cuba

Another wonderful Friend Fiesta – what a great experience this has been every year. How many years have we done this now?

Wednesday – Hiking in Cave City

Thursday – chilling with crafts

Friday – Premier cinema showing of Despicable ME 3

May 15 2015

Celebrating birthdays and mama’s day in Seattle

Posted on 5/15/2015 by April

You and I joined Oma in Chicago and traveled together to Seattle to celebrate Amy and Lizzy’s birthdays as well as Mother’s Day together. (I served on the committee for a doctoral student at UW, so we went also so I could be at her defense.)

We had such a GREAT time!! Oma and Auntie Amy played LOTS of Scrabble – sometimes together on Oma’s iPad. You and Lizzy were inseparable – taking care of the horses, swimming (and dancing) in/by their pool, and playing mine craft. We cheered Lizzy on at synchronized swimming and drama read-aloud at Barnes and Noble. I ran the hills near their house multiple mornings, and we went out to eat to celebrate the birthdays. 🙂

Jul 7 2014

4th of July at Chautauqua

Posted on 7/7/2014 by April

We had a ball – just the three of us – you, DJ and me

A list of our highlights:
* As soon as we arrived at the house we rented, you ran out on dock and jumped in – clothes and all; soon became a skinny dipping experience 🙂 You’re the best!!
* Biking trails; you biked, I ran along a magical path that led to “Tom’s Point” You were so proud of the distance you biked, and we LOVED the nature we saw!! A treasured time for me for sure!! (Then we jumped into the lake 🙂 )
* Watching fireworks from our dock
* Ice cream for breakfast – DJ said “Of course, it is vacation after all.”
* We finished Ever After High, book II (extended story time – in the cabin, on the dock and finally by the fire)
* We met a parrot named Bella who only says “Hello”
* We laughed SO HARD tubing without a boat at Pete and Linda’s cottage!! My tummy hurt!!
* Bought matching sweatshirts at Chautauqua Institution – bright orange ones!!
* Went to church with Pete and Linda at Chautauqua Institution and bought them a copy of Wonder!!

What a ball!! Can’t wait to do it again!!

Pete and Linda

Aug 8 2010

Luehmann Family Reunion

Posted on 8/8/2010 by April

So a couple weeks ago (7/25 – 8/1), we had a wonderful week with the Luehmann family at Ironwood Springs Christian Ranch. You, Mad, Dan and I flew from Rochester NY to Rochester MN on Sunday, and Uncle Mark was there to pick us up. After a short drive to the ranch, we got to see EVERYONE else – Elisabeth, Hakon, Amy, Oma, Opa, Gabriela, Moises, Niklas and Bianca… the only person missing from the group was Daddy JIm who joined us the next day.

We had SUCH a fantastic time – riding horses, collaborating our way through crazy challenge courses that made us laugh, swimming a lot, using sling shots and playing archery, sliding down zip lines (you weren’t quite ready for this yet), 3 meals a day as a family with songs for grace, campfires with skits, camp songs and s’mores, and SO MUCH FUN FAMILY TIME.

Daniel wrestled with Moises in the pool. He didn’t win, but he didn’t seem to mind that much.
You and Elisabeth made the world’s longest chain of pipecleaner rings.
Grown-ups sat up late in the night talking.
Oma and Amy compensated every bump, bruise and tear with handfulls of M&M’s.
Board games, tattoos and arts & crafts including the painting of pet rocks.
Grown ups played sand volleyball, which made your Mama very, very happy.
We had a whole family “game” of softball.
Lots of pictures, of course!
Hakon, Moises and Daniel did “guy things” like basketball and football while the rest of us swam.
Amy, Oma, Opa and Bianca took many hikes with you, Niklas and Elisabeth out to hold one of many baby bunnies, pet a lama or baby sheep, see the dear and the peacock at the mini-farm.
You were pretty much STUCK to Auntie Amy, Elisabeth or Oma the whole week. I saw you every once in a while ;), but you were much more interested in adventuring out away from me. It was so fun to watch you so joyful and adventuresome!

Here are some fun pictures to remember the event:
Bi & Mark’s family arrived first:

May 8 2010

looking back to your birthday

Posted on 5/8/2010 by April

We were so busy CELEBRATING you around your birthday that I forgot to post pictures of the wonderful events! In our family, we have birthday weeks (instead of just birth days) – so we can celebrate many days.

On the Sunday before your birthday, you had your birthday party at a local YMCA and invited all of the kids from your class including 2 of your teachers. You wanted it to be a pj party, so we all wore our fanciest pj’s and had a gret time.

On your birthday (a Tuesday morning), I surprised you by coming over to your Daddy’s house for all of us to share breakfast together. You and your Daddy made me what you call a “smooth-i-lie.”

We went to school together for your birthday celebration – a special thing your school does where you dress in a robe and crown and a friend parades in the room with you while we all wave pretty wands. Your teacher Barbie lights a candle for every year of your life, and your Daddy and I told stories of each of those years – something special that we remember from that year. Daddy Jim filmed the whole special event (I will see if I can post the video here). What a very special, special time. Then Barbie gives you a very special heart pin.

You, your Daddy and I made special fruit cup treats for your birthday, and you shared them with the whole first floor and many others.

Daniel’s class play was on your birthday – so we all went and cheered him on as he was “Francene” in a play about Earth Day. He got to dress up like a girl – everyone hooted and hollered and he LOVED the attention!!

I picked you up at 2:30pm when school was out, and we played in the playground for a bit before swimming lessons.

Siobhan, Johanna, you and I drove to swimming lessons together. You did SUCH a great job. Then we headed to your birthday dinner at a local restaurant. Your Daddy and Meghan had decorations on the table when we arrived. We had yummy pizza and salad, opened some presents and sang HAPPY BIRTHDAY a few more times!!

What a wonderful day! Happy Birthday Baby Girl.

Here are pictures from all these events:

1. The PARTY

2. Breakfast with Mama and Daddy @ Daddy’s

3. School Birthday Celebration

4. Daniel’s Play – He was “Francene” and was fantastic!

5. Playing with friends with slate after school

6. Swimming Lessons

7. Birthday Dinner

What a wonderfully full day!! Happy Birthday my wonderful love bug!!

Your little shoes next to mine melted my heart….

Jan 20 2010

looking back to Christmas 2009

Posted on 1/20/2010 by April

Hey there Baby Girl…

You, your Daddy, Daddy Jim, Madeline, Daniel and I ALLLLL went over to Aunti Judi & Uncle Jim’s for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner… It was so great for us to all be together for that – Your Aunti Judi and Uncle Jim have a beautiful gift of nurturing the development of family among many unrelated people. We are so grateful they are in our lives.

But before dinner, we went to the Christmas Play at church – and you were a STAR!!!! Check it out!!! (The first 2 pictures were from rehearsal – you can find you by looking for stipey pants. the third picture is from the performance.)

Dinner at Judi & Jim’s

You selected and painted a lovely ceramic cat bank as a gift for your Autie Judi and Uncle Jim:

You sure love your CJ:

Daddy Jim and the girls:

Maya and Delilah:

This is the only picture I was in – not a good one, but I wanted you to remember I was there. : )

Shall we toast?

What a silly girl!

Barbara (Libby’s daughter/ Jim’s niece) and Uncle Jim toast:

Our good friend Coral (Do you know that she almost delivered you? She is an OB/Gyn in my practice. AND a good friend! Pretty cool!)

Delilah’s Mommy, Martha & of course, Auntie Judi

Wrapping Libby:

This picture TOTALLY cracks me up -I call it, ‘Ok, enough CJ.’ 🙂 You two are TOO fun to watch!

Christmas Morning at Dad’s

Christmas Evening at our home
Julie, Madeline & Daniel’s Mom, joined us for the celebration (You love Julie!!). We invited your Dad too, but he wasn’t able to come:

CHRISTMAS TRIP PART I – A SKI TRIP @ SEVEN SPRINGS, PA WITH AUNTIE JENNY AND HER WONDERFUL FAMILY

Auntie Jenny & Grandma Judy:

Crazy Hair:

All of us on the ski hill

Skiing with Jim Dandy:

Cousin Anna:

Cousin Abigail:

Madeline:

Cousin Matt (snow boarder):

Daniel:

Cousin Jonathon Jr:

More skiing:

Hanging with Jenny:

Swimming fun!

Hanging with Jim Dandy:

CHRISTMAS TRIP PART II – A VISIT WITH UNCLE MARK, AUNT BIANCA, NIKLAS AND OUR NEW COUSINS (WHO WE GOT TO MEET FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS TRIP), GABRIELLA (12) AND MOISES (WHO TURNED 16 WHILE WE WERE THERE – ON JAN 1)

Mark, Bi & Niklas:

Fun in the snow:

Sep 25 2009

oma and opa’s visit 2009

Posted on 9/25/2009 by April

As we were packing up and moving out of the cabin we rented for our vacation, Daddy Jim realized that it might be fun to stay one more day – WITH OMA AND OPA who were flying in on Saturday to stay with us for the week!! What a great idea! So one more day of swimming, paddle-boating, eating on the deck and just being outside! We missed Madeline and Daniel for sure – but having Oma and Opa around was awesome!!

The following week with Oma and Opa was filled with treasured times – reading new books Oma brought, lots of swimming, playing and drawing of pictures, some family walks. Thanks Oma and Opa – we love it so much when you’re here. Please come back again soon!!

A flower for Oma & Opa:

The result of your collaborative work – your drawing of Seneca Lake:

on the way home…

toes

A Thursday afternoon Seabreeze Adventure:

Look at this smile!!! My thrill-seeker!

A Family Walk

Sep 24 2009

Playing catch up on the blog – let’s start with Fammily Vacation

Posted on 9/24/2009 by April

Hi Baby Girl –

This summer we decided to go local for famm-ily vacation (aug 18-22) – we rented a cabin on Seneca Lake for a few days. Highlights from the week included:
* eating ice cream for breakfast
* boating on rocky waters in the morning and tubing in the afternoon
* early morning and later evening swims
* a beautiful hike
* building a snail habitat
* our first morning run together
🙂

You were thrilled to jump in the water more than ANYone else – any time, many times, often nakedy. You bring so much JOY to this world – I cannot begin to tell you. You remind the rest of us how much we stress out about stupid things unnecessarily – including, for example, the temperature of the water or the presence of algae. You see extreme beauty in rocks!! You cannot help yourself from picking and adoring every flower you see. You nurture all forms of life – including building a beautiful habitat for a snail! Thank you, Peanut. Thank you for all you do for all of us.

One morning I went for a run and you wanted to come with me. We were jogging next to each other. You were saying the sweetest things about wanting to be with me. Then your explorer side of you took over – next thing I knew you had fallen in a drainage ditch. 🙂 Oh well, it was a great first attempt. Can’t wait for next time.

Anyway, here are some pictures

Can I even begin to tell you how many of these flowers you picked?

Last day – boating fun!

Jan 2 2009

end of the year report

Posted on 1/2/2009 by April

Well Baby Girl – It’s the end of the year and I’ve survived a very crazy semester. It’s the first semester that I had to do a VERY full load of work while taking care of you pretty much on my own. Of course, Daddy Jim helps when he can, but I needed to try to figure much of it out on my own. On top of that, I needed to turn in a VERY BIG packet of materials called my tenure portfolio to demonstrate that I have been effective in my job over the past six years and should be able to continue. ANNNNND we sold our house and moved this past semester in addition to taking a number of trips to Israel, Ohio and Minnesota.

All of this to say, I haven’t done the best job in keeping up with you blog. I will try to catch up now and do much better in 2009.

Let’s see – major events since Halloween include:
* Thanksgiving in Ohio with both Daddy’s family and Daddy Jim’s family.
* Your first sleep-over at a friend’s house (Siobhan’s) and at your house (with Siobhan)
* Your class fieldtrip to see the Nutcracker
* Baking days with Siobhan and friends and then later with Auntie Judi and Uncle Jim
* Finding and decorating our Christmas tree with Madeline, Daniel and Daddy Jim
* Christmas time in Minnesota with Oma & Opa, Uncle Mark, Auntie Biance & Niklas, and Auntie Amy & Elsiabeth