The Cottage.

Every year the Clark's rent a cottage on Lake MI and we head up as a family to enjoy it for the weekend. This is always a great time just hanging out with everyone. This year was really nice for Jon and I....it felt like we could just let the kids do there thing...They're getting way too old! :)

Here are some shots from the weekend.

Pool Fun with Friends.

Here we are with some friends on a hot summer day!

More 4th of July Fun!

Here we are minature golfing with the Clarks! Papa helping Isaac.

More of the gang.

After Craig's Cruisers we decided to take the kids the Allegan (really close huh!) for Fireworks. It was the only one we could find on Sunday night and El's had a long nap that day....so that was the night we picked!

We brought some of our own fireworks...and smoked the kids out!

The loved throwing the snaps! POP!

Sparklers!

The next night we did some more fireworks in our driveway after some ice cream! This time we didn't wait till dark...they kids wouldn't make it two late nights in a row...or maybe we couldn't!

Like how we backed the van up for front row seats!

Last day of school & Ella's cottage

4th of July Parade

Kentwood held their annual 4th of July Parade. The kids loved going out to see the parade. Our neighbors were even in it! Ethan's grandpa bought a fire truck and they all rode on it in the parade. The kids thought that was pretty cool! Like they knew someone famous!

Madi & Mom!

Isaac!

El's thought all the fire trucks were too loud!

Patriotic nail polish!

Ear Piercing

Madi really wanted to get her ear's pierced...so we told her if she could keep her room picked up and bed made for 8 weeks then she could show us she was responsible enough to take care of her pierced ears. Well...she did it! So on her birthday we went with both Grandma's to celebrate and get her ear's pierce! What a fun girls night!

Tiny purple flowers...

Picking out new earrings with the Grandma's!

The Girls!

Afterward we celebrated at Red Robin...here she is enjoying some free ice cream!!!

Madi's Birthday!

This year Madi wanted a "Peace" Birthday party....so for all the parties...that was the theme.

Here we are with the Clark side..."Peace" fruit pizza.

Papa had oatmeal cake..his favorite...with lots of candles!

Gifts!

Here we are celebrating with the Peuler side. We did Mason, Madi & my dad all the same day.

The diva's...

very excited about her new cd player/boombox.

Justin Bieber with peace cupcakes!

Mason & his cake!

Papa's cake!

Here are the cookies I made for her to bring to school...

Here's the look she gave me when I said....hey let me take your picture in front of school...so we got one in the car instead!

Cake for her slumber party!

Here is the invitation I made....if you love this...check out more at Perilight Graphics!

I'm not sure who had more fun getting ready for the party...me or her! It brought back so many memories of my mom and the parties she did for me. I LOVED every minute of it!

I especially loved making pillowcases for the girls...just like my mom used to do for me! :)

The girls!

Making crafts.

More crafts...

matching shirts!

Lots of smiles and giggles!

more giggles...