Joshua's 13th Birthday!

How can it be?!?! I swear just yesterday he was 8 pounds 4.5 ounces and fit in the cradle of our arms! Time truly does fly, and we're so proud of the young man he is becoming :-) What an amazing gift from God, and what a joy to be his parents!!!

The cross necklace was his main present from us :-)

We celebarted with his friends and Hannah at Dave and Buster's!

 13 IS BIG - so we spent the weekend in Breckenridge!

Swimming!

Oh how I love columbines!!! 

 Cooking at the condo!

...silly pictures on the deck overlooking the creek!

 Joshua made us his famous homemade biscuits and gravy!!!

Aren't we supposed to cook for him on his birthday?!?!

 Saturday morning we headed out early to hike up Quandary Peak!

...trailhead - 7:00 am...

 It was an absolutely gorgeous day - perfect for hiking!!!

 WOW! God's creation is amazing!!!

 Relaxing and soothing sore muscles in the hot tub!

 Playing cards!

 Hilarious fun in the hat store in downtown Breckenridge - although Joshua doesn't appear to be completely game :-) Maybe we should have chosen a different hat!

 We came home Sunday and Glenn was here - Joey and Andrea came over and we had a great night visiting and playing cards :-)

Happy Birthday, Joshua Thomas! 

We love you, son!!!

Minnesota - Day Seven

We said goodbye to Bonnie and drove away from the farm - will I ever leave Sebeka without tears?!?! Atleast I'm much more subtle in my old age! After a quick stop to say good bye to Uncle Cork and Aunt Evie, we were on our way back to the cities. We met family for a late lunch at Perkins!

Hannah and Aunt Buzzie

 Momsie, LaRae, and Lilly!

 Momsie and Lilly

 Johnny and Lilly

 Johnny, Tom, Gary, and Dad

 Afterwards we headed to the hotel for a swim and to relax before flying out the next morning!

 The next morning we were off for our Colorado return - Joshua found this PERFECT shirt at the airport - he got completely bitten up with over 50 welted bites in Minnesota!

Thanks so much to Dad and Mom for this wonderful vacation with them!!!

Minnesota - Day Six

What a thrill! They were bailing hay Monday morning :-)  We watched for the longest time!

 

 Then it was off to lunch with family :-)

...with my amazing Godparents...

 and the whole gang - Dad, Mom, Auntie Lo, Bonnie, Sue, Dale, Gary, Butch, Joshua, Hannah, and me!

 Afterwards we headed north to Itasca State Park - site of the Mississippi headwaters!

 You can actually walk across the rocks where the Mississippi River starts to flow!!!

 We hiked around to see the giant Red Pines, too!

 ...and Gary, Joshua, and Hannah climbed to the top of the fire tower!

 oops - can't make a drive through Menahga without saying HI to St. Urho - legend says he saved the grape crops in Finland!

 We returned for the highlight of the trip.  Early that morning Dad and I had gone in search of Grandma Olga's rock...  In the 1920s his dad had her picture taken on this rock, in 1990s I went back and had my picture taken there, and now it was Hannah's turn!  Our cousin Gale had gone back while we were at Itasca to clear the high grass and post signs :-)  Love it!!!

 That night we enjoyed a fireworks show in the yard - compliments of Gary and Joshua :-)