Norah's 13-year interview

 Favorite color:  pink

Least favorite color:  brown

Favorite book:  The Inheritance Games

Favorite fruit:  apple

Favorite vegetable:  carrots

Favorite tv show:  Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Favorite movie:  Hamilton

Favorite animal:  dog

Favorite food:  pasta

Favorite school lunch:  pizza

Favorite thing to wear:  pajamas

Favorite snack:  Goldfish

Favorite zoo animal:  lion

Best friends:  Isla, Quinn, Graecyn, Bristol, Chloe

Favorite cereal:  Lucky Charms

Favorite drink:  Dr. Pepper

Favorite thing to do with Mom:  watch Abbott Elementary

Favorite thing to do with Dad:  annoy him

Favorite thing to do with Abby:  hang out

Favorite thing to do with Sunka:  annoy and cuddle her

Favorite store:  Amazon

Favorite toy:  Jellycats

Favorite game:  Buildzi

Favorite song:  "Defying Gravity"

Favorite thing to do outside:  sledding

Favorite holiday:  Christmas

What I want to be when I grow up:  nurse or something to do with science

What makes me happy:  Sunka

What makes me sad:  leaving Sunka

What I like about Dad:  he got Sunka

What I like about Mom:  she's nice

What I like about Abby:  she takes me shopping

What I like about Sunka:  she deals with me

Now that I'm 13:  I'm in the musical Annie Jr.

Abby's 16-year interview

Favorite color:  pink

Least favorite color:  yellow

Favorite book:  Better Than the Movies

Favorite fruit:  watermelon

Favorite vegetable:  broccoli

Favorite tv show:  Young Sheldon

Favorite movie:  Anyone But You
Favorite animal:  giraffe

Favorite food:  enchiladas

Favorite school lunch:  pizza

Favorite thing to wear:  sweatpants and sweatshirts

Favorite snack:  Goldfish

Favorite zoo animal:  giraffe

Best friends:  Kira, Brooke, Addy, Haley, Olivia, Lilly, Brigid, Abbie

Favorite cereal:  Fruit Loops

Favorite drink:  Peace Tea

Favorite thing to do with Mom:  cuddle

Favorite thing to do with Dad:  hands and feet

Favorite thing to do with Norah:  chillin like villains

Favorite thing to do with Sunka:  fight

Favorite store:  Hollister

Favorite game:  Rat a Tat Cat

Favorite musician:  Noah Kahn

Favorite thing to do outside:  play basketball

Favorite holiday:  Christmas

What I want to be when I grow up:  optometrist

What makes me happy:  seeing my friends

What makes me sad:  when Sunka bites me

What I like about Dad:  he's funny

What I like about Mom:  she's nice

What I like about Norah:  she's cool

What I like about Sunka:  she's very playful

Now that I'm 16:  I get to drive

Norah's 12-year interview

 Favorite color:  pink

Least favorite color:  brown

Favorite book:  The Inheritance Games

Favorite fruit:  grapes

Favorite vegetable:  salad

Favorite tv show:  Young Sheldon

Favorite movie:  Taylor Swift movie

Favorite animal:  dog

Favorite food:  enchiladas

Favorite school lunch:  garlic cheese bread

Favorite thing to wear:  pajamas

Favorite snack:  Dots pretzels

Favorite zoo animal:  cheetahs

Best friends:  Graecyn, Bristol, Zoey, Emily, and Ellie

Favorite cereal:  Apple Jacks

Favorite drink:  sweet tea

Favorite thing to do with Mom:  watch Young Sheldon

Favorite thing to do with Dad:  read

Favorite thing to do with Abby:  watch movies

Favorite thing to do with Sunka:  attack her

Favorite store:  Amazon

Favorite toy:  books

Favorite game:  Tapple

Favorite song:  "Paper Rain"

Favorite thing to do outside:  jump rope

Favorite holiday:  Christmas

What I want to be when I grow up:  teacher

What makes me happy:  when I attack Sunka

What makes me sad:  Sadie

What I like about Dad:  he's funny sometimes

What I like about Mom:  she's nice

What I like about Abby:  she's kind-hearted

What I liked about Sadie:  she liked to cuddle

What I like about Sunka:  she's funny

Now that I'm 12:  I'm in Confirmation

New puppy

On July 1st, we picked up our 8-week-old Small Munsterlander, Sunka.  We had made one visit the week before picking her up, to meet all of the puppies and choose our top two (we had the second pick).  The puppies were all so sweet and rambunctious for a bit before getting sleepy.  Sunka slept a lot her first week home (she even made a trip to Rochester, where she was really good and slept a lot).  She definitely had more energy her second week home, and her third was spent with Dave's family at our house (where she had a very naughty report!) while we went to Michigan.  We had to do a lot of re-training when we came back, and she was very bitey and rough with Norah especially.  That week, we ended up starting puppy preschool once a week, which has given us lots of good training tips.  She's definitely settling more into a routine, but is still a ball of energy.  She loves going to the dog park (more so when other dogs/puppies are there), loves playing with our neighbor dog Bella, enjoys going on the deck to chew on a bone (but really only likes it when people are out there with her).  She likes to stick pretty close to any of us, but if she starts getting naughty or runs off to our bedroom or to the basement, we know it is time to get her outside!  She and Sadie are not the best of friends...she learned pretty quickly that Sadie is not interested in being her friend.  They frequently bark at each other because they want the same toy...Sadie has many options of other rooms to be in, but always needs to be in the living room where Sunka is (typically laying on Sunka's dog bed).  They will get a little break from each other this week--Sadie is at Dave's parents' house and Sunka is packed up to go spend a few nights with a coworker of Dave's while we go camping (they have an older dog, 2 cats, and a toddler)--we will see how it goes!  

 

Michigan

It's been five years since our last big summer gathering with my dad's side of the family, and our first since losing Connor.  This year, we met up between Grand Haven and Muskegon, Michigan.  The house was beautiful--it was actually two houses connected by an indoor pool (the kids' favorite feature).  It also had a tennis/pickleball court, shuffleboard, beautiful landscaping, fire pit, and an open building out back with a hammock, ping pong, bean bags, and a table for playing games.  We enjoyed lots of meals outside on the big back deck.  We couldn't have asked for more perfect weather--it only rained a little bit one morning and then as we were leaving.  Otherwise, it was 70s and no humidity the entire week.  As we always do, we made a big list of things people wanted to do and then plugged things in on a calendar taped to a door.  Different groups of people opted to do different things, but we did eat breakfast/supper together as a whole group each day.  I think everyone would agree that the best part was just spending time with family.  Here are some of the highlights:

Mini golf!  There was an issue with the air conditioning, so the house owner gifted our group $200 to this fun activity center just down the road from our place.  We got to enjoy mini golf, go-karting, and the arcade.  I was the winner in our group of 4!

Sunset cruise on Thursday night--little did we know that we were on a motown-themed cruise!  Lots of loud music and dancing...Sarah, Mara, and I enjoyed ending the night with the cupid shuffle!

Lots of cousin time!

Uncle Scott trying to teach Norah shuffleboard

Beach time--Lake Michigan was a little chilly for swimming

We enjoyed a few campfires

Blueberry picking--the girls' first time, and they loved it!  I couldn't believe how cheap it was!

Imagination Station--a really fun playground

The grounds surrounding the house were beautiful!

Popping popcorn over the fire was an adventure!

Miriam and Gavin hosted a "mystery dinner" (cowboy-themed)

We walked along the boardwalk to the Grand Haven lighthouse

The beach was so pretty at sunset

The Hawaiian shaved ice on the boardwalk was so huge!

Norah hit the jackpot at the arcade!

We had lots of fun playing games!

Some of us visited a historic site with an old fire house, depression house, and two historic homes

We love our family!

Blueberry pancakes made with our freshly-picked blueberries!

The go-kart crew on our last night

Celebrating Keith's birthday with a photo booth

Making bracelets with Lucy

Epic water balloon fight!

A group of us did a 70s-themed escape room one afternoon

Norah and Gavin loved this little nook that overlooked the pool--a great reading hideout!