Parkin' Cars - Racine County Fair

For the past 2 years we have helped park cars at the Racine County Fair to help raise funds for our school's PTO.  The money raised helps purchase Smart Boards and other technology for the classrooms at UGES.  It is a great cause and we had a TON of fun while doing it.

After we were finished, we all went into the fair, had some yummy fair food, and enjoyed the sights and sounds of the fair.  When it was time to leave, we got SOOOOO stuck in the mud.  Luckily, Nikki and Jason live close and they came by to help us.  They called one of M.J.'s student's parents who has a tow truck and he came to the rescue!!  Nikki tried to take a picture of our little conundrum, but it was too dark.  Despite not having a photo, the memory of it will be etched in our minds forever!!!!!!!

Oh... and Nikki and Jason, we owe you a new pair of shoes :)

Takin' a stroll...Geneva Lake Path

**Disclaimer** 

The following photos were taken while walking and trying to wrangle/walk a 90lb. Chocolate Lab. Photos may be blurry :) :) :)

 A sign in Library Park explaining the history of Geneva Lake's Path

 One of the newest homes on the lake.  Just slightly bigger than ours :)

 This is a picture of Stone Manor.  It used to be one family's estate, but has since been broken into condos.  Each floor has been transformed into a family condo

and there is a swimming pool on the roof!

We are approaching one of the many camps on the lake.  There were kids everywhere!  Buffett handled the over-stimulation fairly well :)

All of the lawns are immaculate and beautiful!

 Don't think our teacher salary will be quite enough....

We may be able to afford a square foot of land, but even that is pushing it!

 Lake Geneva: Where our walk started.



Swimmin'

It has been REALLY hot in WI for about 4 days straight. Buffett was getting the summer version of 'cabin fever' so we decided to take him swimming at our friend Jeff's pond. He had a blast!

 The pond is pretty 'stinky' on a hot day, but Buffett LOVES it anyway! 

Guess we will also be giving him a bath tonight too!

 He takes 'fetch' breaks after each swim :)

 Bad picture...Only had our phones with us!

 When he got tired, he went underneath the dock...We are assuming he likes the shade :)

 The pond is beautiful!!!!

 We think he has the longest tongue in the world!!!!

 All done!  Headed back home to....

....pass out in front of the AC vent!!!!

Summertime Fun - Cookout!

Our friends, their husbands, and daughters came over for a cookout!  Nikki (left) is a 2nd grade teacher at M.J.'s school.  She is holding her 7 week old daughter, Jayda.  M.J. is holding Nikki's other daughter, Addy.  Tiffany (right) is M.J.'s kindergarten teaching partner (her classroom is attached to hers').  She is holding her daughter, Ava.  These girls are such awesome friends!

 As you can see Jayda had NO problem getting to sleep outside in the the heat.  She is so precious!

Addy is taking a break from playing 'bags'.  Addy is always smiling and is such a sweet little girl.  

 Addy and Ava are buddies! 

 Nikki, Nicole, M.J., and Tiffany. Nicole is expecting her first baby (a boy) in October.  Her and her husband, Brian are planning to name him Easton. 

 Ava bein' silly!  She put her mommy's sunglasses on upside down and then took a rest on the 'bags' board.  Ava is such a great little girl!

We had such a wonderful time with our amazing friends.  Can't wait until the next time we can hang out with them and their awesome kids again!!!!

McDaniel Family Reunion and Mackinac Island

 This is from the first night at the resort.  We sat around the campfire and made S'mores. 

It was wonderful getting to meet a lot of Cory's family for the first time. 

 Houghton Lake was beautiful!  This is a picture right outside of our cabin.  I wish I could've gotten a good picture of what it looked like at night with the full moon shining down on it....

 The ferry that we took over to Mackinac Island was faster than I thought it would be.  We went under the five-mile bridge during the ride and I was able to snap a quick picture while we were going under the bridge.  The bridge is a work of modern art!!!

 This is a natural arch made of limestone in the state park on Mackinac Island.  The views at the top of the island were absolutely breathtaking!  There were people in the water below and they were taking large rocks and creating words with them under the water.  The words were big enough so the visitors at the top of the island could read them. 

 This was also at the top of the island by the arch.  The water kind of looked like the Caribbean with all of the different shades of blue, though I doubt it was the same temperature as the Caribbean :)

 This picture was taken the day we had to leave in front of the main house.  In the picture is one of Cory's sisters (Emily) and her three children (Onnicah, Elijah, and Grayson), his mom (Kelly) and stepdad (Bill), his uncle Jim and aunt Deb and their 2 daughters Maddie and Abby, his grandpa and his wife Barb, his aunt Kendyl and uncle John and their son Henry, and Barb's daughter (Patty) and son-in-law (Eddie) and their son, Logan.  We had a wonderful time and can't wait until the next time we are all together again!

Onnicah is enjoying the S'more that she made. 

Cory is such a goofball!