Mikey's Birthday Party

Michael turns 7 on August 25th and before we move, we wanted to celebrate with the Pittman family. He has been wanting to go to Chuck E. Cheese since we got to the States, and we kept telling him, "We will go on your birthday!." Grandpa & Grandma, Uncle Travis, and Uncle Jason & Aunt Aimee were kind enough to celebrate with us.



The kids played tons of games. Here's the girls on a virtual roller coaster.


Mikey is a great kid! He is tender hearted and always considering others. He loves to explore and has collected lots of bugs, lizards, and rocks this summer. He has really wanted to catch a snake, but hasn't been successful yet...... I think his favorite person is the world is his Daddy. He LOVES to do anything if Daddy is involved (but especially wrestle and enjoy Dad as a human jungle gym.)
We love you Mikey!!!

Summer Fun

We have continued to travel a lot this summer to see family as well as enjoy life at home. The kids were all able to attend a class at the local community college's summer kid's program.
The kids love exploring, and it is even better with Grandpa. They have collected all kinds of bugs and rocks.

At a family reunion with Aunt Aimee


Katie enjoyed her cake decorating class right before the 4th of July!

Anna & Michael took a class about bugs and plants and made their own chia pets!

In Ohio with cousins and my aunt

And Great Grandpa and Grandma Nottke. When I asked Anna what she liked the best about Ohio, she said "swimming and Great Grandpa and Grandma." They had only seen the girls when they were babies and had never met Michael so it was very special to be together.





We had a really great time on a family vacation in Branson, and Papa and Grammy Pittman got to come and join in! We loved swimming, seeing some shows, exploring,visiting a cave and Silver Dollar City.
Last, but not least, I got to visit my new niece Ilaria Edith Baker,born on May 30. I flew to Boston the day my sister got out of the hospital and spent 10 days with her family.

Here's Ilaria all dressed up.

An eye for beauty

Anna has an artistic flair... She loves art and enjoyed taking a class at a local art museum this Spring. At an arboretum we visited in MN, she wanted my camera. These are a few of the many pictures she snapped- along with a pic of the photographer herself.

School fun

This year we have studied Ancient History, Creation through Christ (well, we are quite done yet...) Here is Michael dressed as an philosopher from Greece after we learned a bit about Socrates.

More Travels

In Colorado Springs at a great conference!

Here we are in Minnesota with our friends!



In April, we hit the road again for more travels to Iowa, (and Nebraska, where the kids got to ride horses) Minnesota, and Colorado. It was a lot of road and airport time, but we got to see lots of wonderful people.

And a few more highlights

The Spence clan

And grand kids

Some Recent Highlights

In January, we celebrated Anna's 8th birthday in IL and then traveled to Texas for a Spence family gathering (where we celebrated Christmas and birthdays again!) We were thrilled to see our nephews/ cousins for the first time. Here is Mikey and Parker riding a tractor at the Stockyards.


Longhorns at the Ft Worth Stockyards

This is baby Jonathan Spence.


Here's Anna with her Grammy at her birthday party.


And again with Great Grandma Rankin