Bruchmiller Family Reunion

My mom's family gets together every year for a family reunion. It is fun to see aunts, uncles, cousins, 2nd cousins, and, of course, our precious grandma, who now goes by G.G. - a name given to her by her first great-grandchild (at least that's where I think it came from.)

Here is a pic of G.G. and me! She writes the BEST letters (but that's a post for another time). It is always a blessing to spend time with her.

And here she is with some of her great-grandchildren. At the reunion this year, it was just my brother's kids and mine.

So what do we do at these reunions? Well, we EAT (boy, do we eat), but I didn't get a picture of that. I guess I was too busy eating.

We also play...



(if you didn't notice, that is my mom's hand at the edge of the picture - coming to stop the water war before someone got a direct shot to the eye or a camera got wet)

we share pictures...

and we talk...

and talk...

and talk...

and talk.




This is what Levi thought about all of that talking.

Don't worry, buddy.

Next year you can get water sprayed in your eye during the drinking fountain water war.

Levi

Seeing as my last post was in February, and some significant changes have happened in our lives since then, it's probably time to post SOMETHING. What better initiation back into blogging than some newborn pictures of our precious Levi! Here are 3 of my favorites.

There will surely be more to come!

HAWAII Here We Come!!

Ever since Erik and I celebrated our 10th anniversary on a Hawaiian cruise, we have been itching to get back. We have only been the one time, and we had short day visits at each of the major islands - a great way to see the unique qualities of each island, but not enough time to really explore and experience all the islands have to offer. Claire has never been, but it's the number one place she wants to visit.

Sooo...after years of charges on our Alaska Airlines credit card, we now have enough airline miles to get the three of us to Maui for a week. We found a great studio condo in Kihei (thanks to all the friends who shared the VRBO tip) and with a full kitchen, we'll be able to save money on meals too - what a deal!!

Click here to see where we'll be staying.

Can't wait!!

New Year...Not So New Blog

Since it's January, I have resolved to be a teensy bit more consistent with updating my blog. (O.K...so it's January 31st, but I still made the cut-off for New Year's resolutions.)

I wrote a post called Finishing a few months ago and technically followed through by finishing the pictures from Vashon, but I really wanted to post ALL of the summer pictures before I went on with September, October... you get the idea.

Now, so much has happened, that I'm overwhelmed with the idea of going back and catching up, so I'm just not going to. I'm starting fresh. Right now.

It's a new year, so I don't have to worry about LAST year's news and pictures, right?


Well, here's just a couple of things...

1. Claire started 1st grade and loves her teacher. Her reading took off all of a sudden in October and we can't believe everything that she is reading these days!

2. Our chickens started laying eggs - 2 lay brown eggs and 2 lay the most beautiful blue-green eggs. I'm hoping to post a picture soon, but if I don't - it's a new year.

3. Claire celebrated her 6th birthday with a "Candy and Costume" party in the park. She had a big part in the planning this year.

4. We finished our last job with our videography business, Creativedge Video and Erik started his new job as a partner with Blue Skies Cinema. It has been a wonderful change for him and we are so grateful that God opened up this opportunity.

5. Oh, and one last thing...WE ARE EXPECTING A BABY!!! Our baby boy is due to join our family on June 12, but we are already experiencing the joy of adding this little miracle to our family through these months of expectant waiting.

All for now. More to come.


Promise.

Leaving Vashon

Another great year, hundreds more great memories.

Here are two shots from our ferry ride off the island and on to the rest of our vacation.

(Are there really more photos to go through?)

This is one of my new favorite shots of Claire. She loves riding on the ferry.

And this picture gives just a taste of the tranquility that we experience during our time there.
Until next year...

Puget Sound TUBING!

Uncle Harold brings his boat every year and takes the kids on WILD innertube rides!

Here are the first victims...er...tube-riders. Yeah...they're smiling now...

I won't post the "after" picture - it just wasn't pretty.

This guy had some fun - check out the air he caught!

Claire got to go for a ride with one of her aunties. Too bad they didn't have any fun. :) Someone wipe those grins off their faces!

She got REALLY brave with Daddy. "Look, Mommy! NO HANDS!!"

Next year...wakeboarding? Counting the days...

Winslow

This is Winslow.

One of my favorite things about Winslow is that his little pink tongue is ALWAYS hanging out.

Seriously.

The funniest thing I saw this summer was a tired Winslow walking slowly on the beach with his head so close to the ground that his tongue was dragging through the sand.

It doesn't make him look like the sharpest tool in the dog shed, but it certainly puts him a few notches higher on the cute meter.

It's important to know about his tongue habit, because otherwise you might think he's being choked to death by a little too much love here.

It is kinda hard to tell whether he appreciates all of the love or not...

O.K...that's probably enough love for one day. Time to let Winslow breathe again.