Summer Part 5: July Pictures

Summer Rains

Swimming Lessons with Alaina. 

A happy surprise to see her on the first day of class!

4th of July Parade in Grand Haven

Overisel Fireworks

A trip to the ER for an unrelenting tummy ache

Add more fiber to this boy's diet, and he will be as good as new.

A sweet anniversary gift from Mike and Laura.

Giving us the hotel room they had booked for themselves.

11 Years of Marriage

One of Joe's "other loves" - old clock towers. 

And who says there's no such thing as love at first sight?

Speaking of love at first sight...

Our beautiful baby at 20 weeks.

Summer Part 4: The Mud Run

Kalamazoo Mud Run 2018

"Getting Dirty for Clean Water"

Stretching before Dad's big race

Joe is just ambitious (i.e. crazy) enough to do the competitive 5k before he jumps back in line to do the "fun" 5k.  And he seems to smile the whole way through them!

Happy to be spectators


But uh oh...there are thunderstorms in the forecast and we feel a drizzle


Waiting at the finish line.




Once Joe is finished with his two 5K runs, he joins
those participating in the Kid's 1 mile run.

 Personalized T-Shirts from "Grandma Koning"

"If found on ground, please go around."

And wouldn't you know it, as soon as the starting shot was fired for the kid's run, it seems the heavens opened and the rains came.

Joe said it was like no other run.  The Mud Run, mixed with a torrential downpour, became perilous for even the most accomplished runners, let alone a group of kids.  But Joe and I were so proud of our gang.  They made their way through the course and finished, just as officials were calling off the race, telling all runners to get to safety.  The kids (and adults) were slightly traumatized, but mostly, it was character building and memory making.    

Eventually, the storm passed and we were able to get cleaned up and dried off.
In all our Mud Run experiences, this one will be talked about for years to come.

Summer Part 3: Camp Cousin

This year, Camp Cousin took to the road and ventured out to Wisconsin.

A sidewalk chalk welcome from Katie and Ruby

Our theme for the year was The Olympics, with our theme verse being Hebrews 12:1-2, "And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus."

Another fun addition to Camp this year was a new staff member, Sylvia, who served as a Junior Counselor.

Olympic Rings Taco Station

We spent the first evening participating in our own version of Mini-Olympics.

Sylvia served as our official referee while the campers 

participated in various challenges.

The Cookie Challenge

Outdoor Obstacle Course

Frozen T-Shirt Challenge

Each participant received medals made from gold, silver and bronze candies.

Our ref, all wound up.

We started the next day with family devotions, led by Ranger Joe.

And then we spent most of the morning working on crafts.

The boys and their marshmallow shooters.

The girls worked on bottle cap bugs, as well as homes

 for them made from oatmeal containers. 

Lining up their bottle cap bugs

And then we took advantage of the warm weather

 to enjoy their local water park.

Well, that wraps up another successful Camp Cousin!  

As the kids grow, it evolves and grows with them.  Always a joy to see.