The gang's (mostly) all here

Northern Indiana is now richer for having had the Hanna/Allem/Livovich/McManus families here! Here are just a few pictures of the fun we've been having. Friday evening all but Jeff, Jeffery, Jesse and Austin will be here to spend one evening and one day together. We didn't really PLAN this, but I've definitely been WISHING for it for a long time! Jeffery, Jesse and Austin played and sang at Creation in Pennsylvania today, and texted the exciting news to us here in Indiana. How's that for a fantastic 18th birthday gift for Jeffery and Jesse? I understand there's a video and am excited to see it!

 The Watershed, a wonderful forest preserve was definitely on our list!

Complete with beautiful clover crowns for the girls

Friendship Park - what a fun place!

Blueberries made even more delicious because we picked them ourselves! The nicest thing was that it was a "cooler" day - and of course we went early! Everyone got their fill - I mean, they FILLED their buckets, nothing else of course!

Wow! I caught TWO kiddos filling their buckets with blueberries!!

The littlest member of our gang, 16 month old Enoch. He was a huge help at the blueberry patch, filling his bucket!

A quiet moment - and a relatively safe place for Ada to do her handwork!

We ate outside in Mike and Kris' beautiful garden - until today. No one was too enthusiastic to go outside in the 100 degree weather today! So we spread a cloth on the living room floor for our picnic.

Strawberry/blueberry cobbler and ice cream. Yum!

The drive in movie was a huge highlight! I made it through most of the first movie - it's been hot during the day, but whew! It got cold that evening! I came home with Ken and Esme after the first movie - their girlies were pretty worn out by 10:30 PM! Not to mention the adults! The rest of the gang made it - well, most of them made it through the second movie. 

Mikey later asked his mom, "Why did we come home before the movie was over?" Well, they didn't - he just didn't quite make it through!!

Lake Michigan! We've had beautiful days for swimming!

Drum roll.....The competition begins!

Toria and Del creating...

Clara and Elia's creation...

Toria and Del's finished creation...

Ada and Josie's creation...

Calvin's creation...

The winners! And yes, we brought the trophy home with us!

I have at least a thousand more pictures if you're interested! There's just SO MUCH to take pictures of - and we're creating some very fun memories! The cousins are having a blast together!

I didn't get a picture of the 8 beautiful feet that have been to the beauty shop just around the corner from Kris' house for their pedicures! Did you want to see those? Two more feet - Bethie's turn when she is here next week! My birthday treat to my four beautiful daughters - and of course I treated me too!

Aunt Barbara's beach

Last night we celebrated Kris' birthday with pizza and cake (and lots of JONQUE that Grandpa Livo brought for the kids - yeah, right, JUST for the kids!) on the Michigan lake shore at what we call "Aunt Barbara's beach." Mike's Aunt Barbara owns a home almost on the beach - about 400 feet from it! So, the Livo gang goes quite often to enjoy their own private beach!

Carrot cake lovingly made by Mike, Elia, Josie, Mikey and Del.

Frosting? Well, Kris made that! Even frosted her own cake!!

Twas yummy!

 

There's Chicago! The sunset was incredible (I mean, aren't ALL sunsets incredible??)

I asked Mikey if this was a volcano and his answer? "It's Mount Fuji." 

Of course, I should have known that!!

Actually, my first thought was "Pococatepetl" in Mexico.

But Mikey is more familiar with the one in Japan (thanks to his great home school teacher!!)

- go figure!!

 

BELLABOO!!

We paid a visit to Bellaboo today. Bellaboo is a play place, with such activities as DIY face painting, a little store, a wonderful play kitchen, a play restaurant, a train room, a construction room, an archeological dig outside, and of course a REAL restaurant! Shannon and her three kiddos joined us for a morning of fun, fun, fun! I didn't get many pictures, but here are a few to show some of the FUN we had!

 Watch out for werewolves!

Flowers by Sugarfield!

Saturday daughter Kris held a class - we learned to make a spiral bouquet - I think that's what it's called! What fun! It wasn't a large class, but definitely a very enthusiastic one! Check out the beautiful bouquets we created! Kris is a great teacher! You go, girl!

My AMAZING creation! Guess I´ll leave the flower business to Kris! 

 Granddaughter Elia hard at work

Granddaughter Josie