Adventures in September

The view of Niagara Falls from our hotel suite. :)

Seven years ago, Mom said, "I'm gonna make you and Jim a quilt for your [tenth] anniversary." Well, what with one thing and another, we received it a couple weeks ago, and it was for our 10th-15th annivesaries! It is worth the wait, however.

Journey Under the Falls!

We had a terrific little weekend getaway to Niagara Falls. It was beautiful!

I finally reached my goal of losing 27 pounds, and now weigh the same as I did when we got married. I thought it would be a good time to unseal the box my dress was in to give it a try-on. It fits! :)

Downtown Grand Rapids.

The 2010 Hollopeter family reunion in Fort Wayne was so much fun!

Here we have in the back: Mark Hollopeter, Stan Richter, Ken Post, Darrell Post, Rick Crandal (I think), Rose Griffith, Jim Crandal.

In the front: Paul Post, Hazel Crandal, Jim Crandal.

Adding another generation, roughly left to right standing: Mark Hollopeter, Wendy Lowry, Daniel Hollopeter, Kristin King, Ken Post, Julie Ward, Rose Griffith, Stan Richter, Pam Fell, Jim Crandal, Rick Crandal, Eileen Crandal, (?), Darrell Post, Doug Crandal, (?).

Seated: Paul Post, Hazel Crandal, Jim Crandal.

Okay, we've just added the next generation - Aidan Lowry, Esme Lowry, Emily King, the little girl in the front is Julie Ward's daughter, and the little boy is a Crandal baby but I'm not sure which one!

Spouses of the cousins - Rick's wife, Marcia Hollopeter, Diane Post, Joan Richter, Marsha Post?

The Maurice Hollopeter clan: Aidan, Wendy, Marcia, Kristin, Emily, Mark, Daniel, Rose, Esme.

This little girl, whom we believe is Louise Freeman, looks so much like Esme it's uncanny. We always thought she had so many McEowen and Peckham features that there wasn't room for any Hollopeter ones, but it turns out there is. :)

Louise Freeman would be Esme's first cousin three times removed.

Esme is the daughter of Wendy.

Wendy is the daughter of Mark.

Mark is the son of Maurice.

Maurice was the son of Sylvia.

Sylvia was the daughter of Katie.

Katie was the mother of George.

George was the father of Louise.

Esme at 7

Just to make a note of it somewhere...

Esme had her seven-year check-up today, and all is well except for the perforation in her eardrum, for which she has been referred to an ENT again. *Sigh*

Esme weighs 57.2 pounds, and measures 48.75 inches tall according to the doctor's office instruments (with which I'm not entirely sure I agree!). Anyway, that means she has gained 6.7 pounds, and grown 2.25 inches in the last year. She is thinner than she has ever been before, with her height and weight both right around the 60th percentile. This surprises me not at all, because she seems to barely eat. The doctor says she is perfectly healthy, however, so...okay!

August and Esme's Birthday

After trying Ryan's fried black-eyed peas, I tried an allrecipes.com recipe for falafel, using yellow split peas instead. I thought they were good, but the kids preferred Uncle Ryan's. :)

Finally, our little scaredy-cat was willing to ride her bike on pavement. Hooray! We are all looking forward to getting back on the trail, now that the youngest member of our biking party doesn't have to be towed.

We spent a day with Aunt Cathy, Megan and Emily (and a little bit with Uncle Scott) a couple weeks ago. It was excellent to catch up with them. Esme and Emily are playing with this toy that uses a stream of air to spray balls out the top. Very cool.

All the Hollopeter cousins together. Megan, Emily, Aidan & Esme.

I took the kids to the beach a couple weeks ago and we had a lovely day of playing in the sand and water. We tried to fly Aidan's new kite but didn't have a steady enough wind.

Esme buried her brother in the sand. :)

Back and forth - beach, lake, beach, lake...

Scott, Melissa and I sent Mom and Dad to the Prairie Home Companion Summer Love Tour concert at the Meijer Gardens on 11 August, as a gift for their 40th anniversary on 28 November. They loved it. :)

Aidan got a new scooter for his birthday, after borrowing practically everyone else's in the neighborhood.

We all got new bikes - Aidan and Esme needed larger ones, and Jim and I are too old to ride standard mountain bikes anymore with our back and neck problems. We got the sit-up-straight kind. Now that everyone can ride properly, we're hoping to get out on the trails a lot more next year.

After Esme got all ready for pictures, she opened her birthday presents! She got nice cards from Great-Aunt Jean, Grandma Margie, Uncle Eddie and Mariah, Mom and Dad, and Aidan.

Esme got a scooter too! We didn't even know she wanted one, but she told Grandma and Grandpa it was her deepest desire. :)

From Mom and Dad, Esme got a new DS game, a new computer game...

...and four new fairy books!

Ta-da! She's seven!

At the beach the waves were super high and the park service was flying the RED flag!

Moms never really relax at the beach, but on red flag day...even less!

The kids spent hours just letting the waves crash over themselves. They had a blast.

Jim took some artsy pictures as well. :)

The kids have gotten along so well this summer that it's almost a shame to send them off to separate schools this fall. They have really enjoyed each other's company.

Aidan likes to take the waves right in the face. :)

Before leaving the beach, I made sure to get cooled off too.

Back at home it was time for cake!

Esme puffed those candles right out!