Grandpa & Grandma Leader's 50th Wedding Anniversary

This is the last post on the 50th Wedding Anniversary for Grandpa and Grandma Leader. On Sunday morning we all headed to Mass in Bloomfield and then down to the community center where a catered meal was served for 92 friends and family members. The food was delicious! Then family pictures were taken and then an open house to the public was from 2:00 to 4:00. It was a great afternoon. There were so many people that showed up for the open house to congratulate Roger and Merina on 50 years of marriage.

Ilene serving up pieces of cake with me in the background.

Ashlin and her godmother, cousin Holly.

Grandpa and Grandma Leader's wedding attire from 50 years ago.

Great-grandma Leader got to come to the party. She turned 98 years old at the end of June. She wouldn't have missed the party for nothing.

Roger and Merina posing with their wedding attendants.

Take care,

Michelle

Shoot Me! 27 of 52

All week I have been blogging about our week spent with family. Whether we were all just hanging out, at the Relay for Life, at the anniversary party, or sightseeing, but today is Thursday so it is time for the Shoot Me! challenge. This challenge is sponsored by Carin over at Forever in Blue Jeans. This challenge is your chance one a week to post a photo of yourself. It doesn't matter if the photo is just you alone or you with family or you with friends. Today's photos are family photos that were taken at Keith's parents' 50th wedding anniversary party.

Roger and Merina with the boys.

Roger and Merina with the grandchildren.

Merina and Roger with the boys and spouses.

The whole clan.

Take care,

Michelle

Evening of Family & Fun

On Saturday night during our week of family and fun for the anniversary party, the whole family ate supper together. Yes, all 31 of us had supper. We decorated the community center for the party the next day and then we went back to Roger and Merina's house for a supper of grilled steaks, baked potatoes, fresh green beans from the garden, coleslaw and dessert. It was an awesome feast. It was a nice evening so most of us ate outside at tables and lawn chairs.

Roger and Merina enjoyed the evening on the porch swing on the deck.

Ashlin and Raylene watching a basketball game. There seemed to be a game going on most of the weekend.


Nick and Holly playing basketball while David and Cory are playing the corn toss game.

Lisa watching Kenny play the corn toss game in the backyard.

Justin sitting on Uncle Randy's lap. This was one tired and dirty little boy by the end of the night. We headed home early on Saturday night because we knew that we would have to be back early the next morning for Mass and then the party.

Take care,

Michelle

Ashfalls

Upon hearing about cousin Eli, cousin Carson, and Uncle Cory's trip one day to Ashfalls, Uncle Kenny and his family wanted to go and visit the state park before heading back to California. So, on their last day in Nebraska we tagged along for the afternoon to Ashfalls. This state park shows how the ashes fell in Nebraska and what animal bones have been discovered in the area that lived many years ago. Cara took over the camera for the afternoon and took photos of the animal bones and digging sites.

A photo of a three-toed horse.

This photo was taken in a separate building where paleontologist students were working to uncover these bones. They work in a pit that is fenced off from visitors, but cameras are on them constantly so that visitors can watch them working up close. They uses brushes, small dental picks and other tools to uncover these bones.

It was an interesting experience, but one that will not be repeated for quite some time.

Take care,

Michelle

Relay for Life 2010

Every year for about the last 8 years our family has participated in the Knox County Relay for Life in honor and memory of Keith's sister Lorrie. Lorrie lost her battle with breast cancer five years ago, but we still have a family team called "Wannabe Lifesavers". The team has grown over the years and this year we had so many team members that we had to have two teams. The money raised is all given to cancer research in the hope that someday a cure for cancer will be found. This year's walk was held in Crofton for the 1st time and raised over $65,000 for the cause. Our team raised about $5,000 for the cause. I spent most of the evening at the auction trying to win the bid on a few items so I don't have as many pictures as I usually do. I purchased a carved walking stick (made by Keith's brother Kenny) and also 6 rose plants.


The first lap is always walked by cancer survivors. The cancer survivors wear purple shirts to designate them as survivors.

Justin and Tanner waiting for our team to be announced for the team lap around the track. Team members wear white shirts to show that they are participating in the walk.

Justin had a great time walking around with Tanner. Our family from California was in town for a week and Justin loved spending time with them every single day.

Take care,

Michelle

Shoot Me! 26 of 52

Thursday has rolled around again and it is time for the Shoot Me! challenge sponsored by Carin over at Forever in Blue Jeans. This is your chance weekly to step out from behind the camera and post a photo of yourself. The photo can be of you by yourself, or with family, or with friends. Give this challenge a shot and create a memory with you in the photo!

This is a family photo taken at Keith's parents 50th wedding anniversary party. Many photos were taken that day and I will be sharing them next week.

Take care,
Michelle

Swimming Lessons

Every summer the girls spend two weeks taking swimming lessons at either the YMCA or at the city pool. This summer the girls spent the last two weeks in June taking swim lessons. I am happy to report that all three of the girls passed and are ready to move up a level.

Justin did not enjoy swimming lessons at all. Each day was a fight with him because he wanted to swim too. But, Justin is only 2 years old and you have to be three years old to participate. Therefore, Justin would spend swimming lessons trying to get in the gate at the pool and wandering around the outside of the fenced pool. On the last day of lessons parents get to come inside the pool and watch their children, take pictures, video tape and talk to the instructors. Justin during this time tried more than once to jump into the pool. Just wait until next summer when he gets to participate in swim lessons. Justin loves swimming.

Erica at swimming lessons.

Cara is to the point in swimming lessons where she swims quite a few laps.

Ashlin enjoys swimming lessons. She doesn't talk to the instructors, but she does what she is told to do.

Take care,

Michelle

City Rec Softball

Cara and Erica have been playing city rec softball this summer and last Wednesday was the last day for this season. City Rec girls' softball is played on Monday nights and Wednesday mornings. With the flooding this summer, we did have a few games that were cancelled, but we played a majority of the games.

This was Erica's first year to be old enough for city rec softball. Erica played t-ball in the 7 & 8 year old division. Erica's team was sponsored by the Norfolk Morning Kiwanis Club. T-ball is used to teach the players fundamentals. The score is not kept in the t-ball games. At bats are stopped after getting three outs or five runs. It is not uncommon during the game for one of the coaches to stop the game to explain how to stand, how to hold the bat, where to throw the ball, etc. The coaches are high school and college girls. All of the coaches do an excellent job throughout the season teaching the girls technique, fundamentals and good sportsmanship.

Erica ready to hit the ball.

Erica posing for a photo after safely arriving at first base.

Cara played in the 9 & 10 year old age group this year. This was Cara's first year to play coach pitched softball. Playing coached pitched softball also meant that the batter could strike out after getting 5 strikes. The teams also kept score of the games. Cara's team posted a record of 6-2-1 entering into the end of the year tournament, but her team lost in the first round so they were out. Cara told me a few times not to yell at her or other teammates, but I failed to listen. I do not understand what is wrong with yelling out words of encouragement or trying to help her become a better player.

Cara ready to hit the ball.

Cara on third base ready to run home.

Take care,

Michelle

Boating with Friends

Finally I am back to blogging after taking the last two weeks off! One week Keith was on vacation and we spent the week spending time with family and also we have been busy with summer activities and my computer time has been at about nothing. Summer is a time for being outside and enjoying life! Since I am back and I uploaded over 100 pictures from the last two weeks I am busy sorting through everything that has happened and what to blog about first, so, I asked Cara and Erica. They both agreed that boating should be first.

This last weekend we went boating twice. Friday night we were invited to go boating with Scott, Nicole and Tyler (our neighbors two doors down) on their boat. So late Friday afternoon, we packed up the cooler with sandwiches, chips, crackers, cookies and pop and headed to Pierce to Willow Lake for an evening of boating, swimming and tubing. Much to my dismay, my camera chose that evening for my battery to be dead so I have no pictures from a great evening. The kids had so much fun swimming in the lake and tubing. It was a great evening!!!

Sunday morning we were up bright and early and headed off to Mass. After Mass, we ate a quick breakfast, changed clothes and packed the cooler again. A different neighbor invited us to go to Yankton to Gavin's Point Dam and boat with them. We put the boat in the lake on the Nebraska side but we crossed over to the South Dakota side also.

Cara, Preston, Elliot, Sienna and Keaton tubing. The kids were jumping back and forth between tubes as we were cruising along. Sometimes they would fall off on purpose to cool off!

Cara, Elliot, Preston and Sienna.

Keith joined in on the tubing occasionally.

Justin even cooled off in the lake with Keith and Elliot.

Ashlin eating one of her sandwiches.

After boating twice this weekend, I foresee the purchase of a boat in the near future. Keith has had the itch for awhile and this weekend just made it stronger. The weather here has been very hot and what better a way to cool off then to go boating!

Take care,

Michelle

Dad, You Gonna Mow?

Every evening when Keith walks in the door from work he is greeted by Justin asking, "Dad, you gonna mow?". And I do mean this question is asked every night. Justin loves to mow! If he is in the house and he hears a mower start up in the neighborhood he has to go outside and see who is mowing. If Ryan next door is mowing, Justin will go over and help him. Last night he asked Scott (his buddy Tyler's Dad) if he was going to mow. Nicole, Tyler's mom, told Justin that she was going to mow today and that he could help her.

Justin has picked up on the concept of not wearing a shirt from Tyler this summer. He started mowing with his shirt on and then came and told me that he needed it off. I really wanted him to leave his shirt on due to all of the mosquitoes, but no such luck.

Like father like son! Whenever Keith makes a turn, Justin makes a turn. Justin also told Keith to take his shirt off too.

I know that I have posted before about Justin and his mowing habits, but when I saw the two of them mowing the other night I just had to snap a few photos. I also watched them and laughed.

Take care,

Michelle

Shoot Me! 25 of 52

This is me enjoying Summerfest!!!

Today is Thursday and once again I am taking part in the Shoot Me! challenge sponsored by Carin over at Forever in Blue Jeans. This is your chance to post a photo with you in the snapshot. Too often I have noticed that I am not in hardly any snapshots because I am the one taking the photo. So, step out from behind that camera and include you in the photo!

Take care,

Michelle