June 1st...we biked to Excelsior!  It was 22 miles round trip.

On Lake Minnetonka.

The real reason we biked all that way...frozen custard from Adele's!

Nathaniel's end of year party.

Annabelle's "Portfolio Party".  Parents were invited in to review the portfolio of work for the year.

The final step in the garage remodel started last spring.  We sealed the floor with epoxy.

Nathaniel on the new garage floor.

14 year anniversary!

Annabelle posing next to my anniversary gift, blown glass gazing balls for the garden

Nathaniel and Chris reading the new school yearbook.

My teeth 2 months after getting braces on.  It is amazing how fast they are straightening up!  The front tooth is the most dramatic change.  We are working on the hard part now...getting those top teeth to come in front of the bottom teeth.  Compare the difference to just 2 months ago at the right!

Annabelle's dance recital.  She is in her costume for "It's Hairspray" from Hairspray (the musical).

More Hairspray.  Click here to see Annabelle performing it !

All the dancers for Hairspray!

Annabelle's costume for "Step in Time" from Mary Poppins.  

More Mary Poppins.  Click here to see the video

Annabelle on stage for the finale.

6/13/08...On our way to Jay Cooke State Park - we spotted this snapping turtle on the road right by our house!

Our annual Father's Day trip to Jay Cooke State Park.  Here we are on the swinging bridge.  The St. Louis river was very high due to recent heavy rains.

On one of the trails at Jay Cooke.

Chris and Annabelle by the raging St. Louis River.

Annabelle and Chris relaxing at our campsite in the travel hammock.

Biking on a mountain bike trail that looped around Forbay Lake.

Rock climbing!

Hiking the White Pine Trail to Oldenburg Point

Annabelle built this dam  on a creek leading to the St. Louis River (off Ogantz Trail on Oldenburg Point).

Nathaniel and Chris on the CCC Trail

Annabelle on the CCC Trail.

Geocaching!  The naturalist lead a class called "Geocaching 101".  We were able to check out a  GPS unit for free and learn how to use it!  We did a practice course to find 6 "caches" .  Learn more about geocaching at www.geocaching.com.

After the class we used the unit to find a real cache!  Each Minnesota State park has one hidden by the park.  Find it and collect the trading cards inside.  If you collect cards from all the parks in a region, you earn a medallion!

Chris relaxing in the hammock.

The kids playing at our campsite.

Back home for Father's Day.  We intended to spend Father's Day on the camping trip, but predicted severe storms for Saturday night prompted us to come home a day early.  Here I am picking lettuce from the garden for Chris' Father's Day lunch!

Chris' Father's Day lunch!

Father's Day afternoon we biked to Bryant Lake and rented a rowboat!  We spent the rest of the day on the beach and had a picnic supper.

Father's Day 2008

Minnesota Zoo - the New Grizzly Coast exhibit (featuring Russia)