Monday boating and tubing on Little Wall Lake, Jewell, IA

Izaac and momma in the tube. Izaac liked it because we didn't go too fast, but didn't like the wind splashing water in his face. (It was hot and windy!)

Michelle on the tube, ready to go!

Michelle and Amanda were going to try the smaller tube together, but it didn't work.

I put all the pictures they took from the boat today on the Camp Stanhope Flickr site. If you want to see them, click here or on the Camp Stanhope Flickr link on the right hand side of this blog.

The wild weekend continues!

John made four loaves of french bread and about 80 meatballs Friday evening, and then made spaghetti sauce Saturday morning before we went to the wedding, so most of the cooking was done for the Samantha and Marty birthday party this afternoon (here at Camp Stanhope).

This is Marty and Samantha opening presents after they had gone boating and tubing this afternoon. Alex and Allison made their way back from a different wedding they attended on Saturday and they went boating and tubing also.

It was a nice day for a wedding!

We traveled to Marshalltown (Iowa) yesterday to my friend, Kim's, son's (Ross) wedding to Missy. Here is the happy couple at the reception still smiling!

It's been a busy couple of weeks, & it's still going!

The last couple weeks has been really busy! I've been in a parade (throwing candy, too!), walked for Relay for Life, distributed food for Angel Food Ministries (at our church during Watermelon Days last Saturday), visited someone in Rockwell City last weekend, been to the State H.S. softball tournament in Ft. Dodge, boated a couple of times (including an afternoon with my newly-engaged daughter and her 'fiance'),and drove to Carroll to see Samantha's new environment (work and house).

Tomorrow we will be hosting Samantha and Marty's birthdays with as many relatives coming as are available, and next weekend is the Montag Reunion! Oh my. I didn't have my camera at many of these events, so Samantha's new kitchen got the showcase today (above).

Samantha's new hangouts.

I went to Carroll yesterday to have lunch with Samantha and do a little shopping in the clearance shop for "Graphics Edge", the t-shirt, polo and coat embroidery and silk-screen business.

This is Marty's house, and it's the only picture I took of the front. It's quite big inside, and is two-story plus the finished basement. It's got a nice yard, too, and a pond there in the front on the other side of the deck.

She has set a preliminary wedding date of 5/29/2010, due to the availability of the reception destination. (Who knows?!) I just wanted to show there were still BUNCHES of shirts/etc. left AFTER I was done shopping!!! (there were some really good bargains!)

It's Official. There's a Wedding to plan!

Samantha received her birthday present in the "Rainforest" in the Omaha zoo on Saturday (her 22nd birthday). It's now official! Marty popped the question, and she said yes!!

Marty and Samantha used the excuse for wanting to go boating (which we did) to come and tell us yesterday (Sunday). Before he went off to work, John grilled a great lunch for all of us, and then the three of us went boating in Little Wall Lake for a couple of hours.

Relay for Life pictures at Flickr

That's our Pastor, Suzie, with the blond wig (she's also a Relay teammate) and little Alexis, (a daughter of one teammate and a granddaughter of another teammate) at the Relay during the '80's hour.

To see the pictures another teammate and I took at the Relay in Webster City (Iowa) Friday night, please click on the right side of this blog where it says "Camp Stanhope's Flickr Site" or here

I'll try and get the short videos of the great fireworks we had uploaded on Monday.

Relay for Life Pictures 7/17/09 Hamilton County, Iowa

The Honorary Chairperson for the 2009 Hamilton County Iowa Relay for Life Campaign is a 4-year old named Amanda Ostrem from Stratford, Iowa. You can read her story here.

She's now 4, and that's her riding on her dad's shoulders during the Survivor Lap tonight at the Relay. Her mom said Amanda thought she was at a carnival, but enjoyed waving (like a princess) to the crowd. What she's been through with an aggressive form of Leukemia, she deserves every wave!

This is the Color Guard who lead the Survivors around their first lap.

That's me with my sweater tied around me. It was in the 60's when we started walking, and that warmed me up!

These are the luminaries in honor of someone who has been diagnosed with cancer, or in remembrance of someone who has died from it. It's a very emotional display.

A reason to "Fight Back, Celebrate and Remember"

Okay, I was trying to find a newborn picture of Izaac, with me holding him, but I have other things to accomplish before getting to the Webster City track for Relay for Life tonight!!

So here's the earliest photo I could find of my great-nephew, Izaac, with my mom holding him on June 17, 2007. Izaac was born 5/5/07. They're both good reasons for me to "Fight Back, Celebrate and Remember"! later now...on to the Relay!!!

I MADE MY GOAL!!!

According to my overworked Team Leader (Miriam), I made my goal!!!! Just wanted everybody to know how much I appreciate your contributions to my Relay for Life Team, and my LIFE!!!! Thanks doesn't really cover it, but it will have to suffice for now.

My Relay for Life Page (I don't think I made my goal)....

The American Cancer Society:

I'm hoping the "American Cancer Society" link will take you to my Relay for Life page. I'm on "Team Hope" from Stanhope in Hamilton County, Iowa, and our Relay is this Friday evening, July 17th.

If you'd like to see my page, (OR DONATE-hint, hint, hint!!) please click on the link above or here.

Some Serious Boating!

Izaac, his Aunt Michelle, and his grandmother, Shirley, came to Little Wall Lake yesterday on a windy, but sunny day for a couple hours of boating. When we stayed nearer the south shore, we didn't get splashed as much by the little white-caps that were menacing the north side of the lake.

John grilled some hot dogs for lunch for us, and we had a good time, even though Michelle had to get back to Des Moines to get to work by 4. Due mostly to a couple of summers of flooding in Des Moines and the boat being out of commission (not running), Shirley and Michelle hadn't been boating since 2005!

Newest neighbor

Izaac seems to be fascinated with cows (we don't see many pigs outside anymore), and the small group on our road has a new edition.

We're not sure if it has a name, or if it's a boy or girl calf, but it's small and cute. They were a little far away to try and take a close-up, but Izaac sat and looked at the new calf for quite a few minutes from the road in the big red truck.

Izaac in the garage & at Wed. night Stanhope in the Park

Izaac thinks he's pretty cool with (Uncle) John's hat and ears on, sitting on the mower. Bogie must not have thought he was actually going to mow or he wouldn't have jumped up there to join him. I thought it was a funny picture.

Stanhope has a summer tradition of "Wednesday in the Park", and food is served by various community organizations and an area musical group plays so after supper there is dancing under the shelter.

We went into town to the park and for the entertainment and Izaac played on this digger.

Bogie posing on the big red truck in the garage.

Izaac took a shower!

This isn't big news in most households. But for those of you who know my sister, Shirl,(Izaac's grandmother) know she cannot STAND to get her face wet!

Izaac was a little nervous about running water all over himself, but has warmed up to the idea. The other day when I got out of the shower, he wanted to get in, so I turned the head so it wouldn't blast him the whole time, adjusted the water to tepid, and he got in--fully dressed.

Then last night, for some unknown reason, he decided he'd take a real shower, sans clothes, and even got a washcloth and soap to scrub (I helped in that department). I had to take pictures because I didn't think his grandmother would believe me!

Deja Vu-all over again??

Wednesday we travelled to Lake View (stopping in Ft. Dodge first to pick up a clothes dryer) to install a dryer at Mary's. It was a nice day for weather, so Izaac and I went to the park while John and Mary's handyman worked on the installation.

We've been taking kids to this park for more than 20 years, and it hasn't changed too much. Above is the twirling tube that's fun just to be in for smaller kids.

This is the new piece of equipment added since my kids were younger. It's got a wiggling bridge, a couple of slides and a tube to tunnel through.

This is the small (but quite slick) slide disguised as a big red rock. Izaac went down feet-first the first time and then saw this little girl demonstrate the tummy-down style, so he tried that, too.