4th on Mackinac Island

What a fantastic 4th!

We spent the weekend on Mackinac Island

as a gift from sis Lisa and uncle Norm for taking wedding pictures... unnecessary.. but what a treat!

There are NO cars allowed.

But see what brown can do for you!

Our beautiful hotel

Everywhere we walked.. brides..

and check out the guy behind the bride on the horse.. that's the photographer.

He has to follow the carriage on his bike.. can you see me doing this? funny!

Mackinac Island is beautiful!

I grew up in Michigan and have lived here as an adult for 9 years now and this is my FIRST time on Mackinac... crazy but true!

Near our hotel there was a butterfly house.. It was great you could really get up close to them

With no cars allowed .. we had to bike around.. we went around the entire island... 9 miles! Madison says she loved the bike ride.. especially since she didn't have to petal!

We also played 18 holes of miniature golf.. it was at our hotel..

Some family shots

No to cars.. but YES to dogs. Dogs were everywhere.. and it was really strange.. but the dogs did NOT bark! mmmmmm It must have been Utopia for them too!

Since we were there on the 4th of July... there were fireworks.. in fact a fantastic show on the Water!

But all too soon our weekend was over... and we had to leave.. what an awesome trip... this is my idea of a perfect weekend!

dress up part 2

Dress up was so fun yesterday .. that Lindsay and Madison had to continue today.

They decided that this was their good and bad outfits.. madison was bad... hmmmm the outfit she is wearing is a nun outfit from one of Cori's previous skating shows.

There was a fight over this outfit.. the disco 70's look..

The girl's perfomed disco dances on the porch for me in these get ups

Jessie didn't want to be left out of the fun... so she came over and went wild over the tiger suit

The girls spent 3 hours changing clothes... dancing and playing pretend!

The three musketeers

do you like my hat?

I do.. I do.. I do..

Dressing up

Aunt Debbie gave Madison some dress up clothes( they used to be Cori's dance show clothes)

and Madison and her friend Lindsay had a blast playing dress up!

I was just cracking up at the clothes Madison chose..

...and how she works her poses!

Notice Lindsay chose the dresses... Madison chose the others..

Our tiger!

Thanks Aunt Debbie for the fun clothes!

Balloons

It's been quiet around here lately.

We went to the balloon races this weekend.. We watched as the balloons were blown up from a distance..

We never really got too close because Madison was exhausted from a day playing at a water park -- and we woke her up to come to the park-- and we paid the price--she was a tired girl who just needed to get home and go to bed!

She was a real handful in fact! goofy still.. but a bit crazy!

Lucky for Taylor.. she was busy working a booth for the school with her marketing class

I should have known she was tired.. when the finger goes in the mouth.... that's a sign to

get her home!

We ended up leaving early... and I was able to snap a few shots as we left!

Wedding continued...

After going through Kelly and Matt's wedding pictures I realized there were a couple more I wanted to share..

First off.. this one of Ken.. my brother .. and also the pastor. 

(He did a fantastic job by the way)

then... mom and all 5 kids.. how often does this happen?  

Not enough, of course! 

How about this?  All the neighbors from the street I grew up on in Detroit.

This is the "Margareta" group! 

We had a lot of fun growing up together and my mom and the neighbors have been great at keeping in touch all these years-- amazing really!

 and... all my dad's sisters came for the big day which was great!

 Aunt Bev, Aunt Mil and Aunt Sandy came from as far away as Florida for the big day.. which was really special!

Then there's Hosanna and Madison.. cousins.. they enjoyed playing with the flowers!

Which reminds me... Madison caught the bouquet  

(Dad says.. "not until your 30!  And he asked Madison to give the bouquet to Aunt Kiki)

Madison didn't want to part with the flowers though!

(sorry.. aunt kiki.. )

Kelly and Matt are Married!

Introducing the new.. Mr and Mrs Wegescheide! 

Kelly and Matt are married-- yipppeee.. the wedding was perfect.

 Beautiful bride, handsome groom, blue skies and a beautiful golf course setting!

You can see more wedding pix on Kelly's blog.. so I'll post my family perspective pix here.

Madison the adorable  flower girl with attitude!

Taylor the beautiful bridesmaid!

Joined by Kelly - How awesome does Kelly look!

  She was glowing and looked absolutely beautiful!

Our two beautiful girls just a few minutes  before the walk down the aisle.

Taylor is beautiful from head to toe.. I say that because it took about 50 shoe stores to find the perfect shoe!

Madison and cousin Cullen -- Madison is trying to keep the ring bearer from running away!

Eventually Cullen did get away and this is madison slumped shoulders walking back after the wedding.... she had no partner like the rest of the group and you can see she how she feels about that!

Being a flower girl is great... but picking real flowers is great too!

Madison forgives Cullen for running off

Aunt Kiki joined us for the big day -- and it was great to see her again even though we were all crazy busy and running around in circles the whole time she was here! 

 ( She also did Kelly's make-up and it looked fantastic!)

After a long day.. let's get a family picture-- Great idea!

   All my facebook family and friends.. more pix on facebook 

Florida Trip

Where to begin.. we spent the past 10 days in Florida!  It was hot and sunny and a great relaxing vacation! 

We started at the University of Florida where Taylor went on tour of the campus.. it was beautiful!

I think Taylor would be happy as a Florida "Gator" if it works out that way!

From the University Gators.. to the real Gators!

We made a stop at Gatorland in Orlando where Mark and Madison sat on a real one!

Then to the beach!  That's our hotel behind the girls!  Cousin Cori came with us to Daytona and that was an added fun bonus for all of us!

Every day we had to decide.. Beach or Pool.. that was about the hardest we worked!

Madison would have sat on the beach all day every day building castles...

One day we looked out our hotel window.. and this was flying by-- close by.  The plane carrying the shuttle back home!!

The Beach was beautiful ..and it was right outside our hotel so we were a happy group!

This picture tells the real story.. Madison building castles.. see the girls back there.. with their phones.. texting friends!

No, really they didn't spend that much time on their phones.. we really just hung out and had fun!

The models!

Mark was working grading AP tests every day all day.. so when he had a quick lunch break he would drop by to play!

He loved taking the girls out in the waves.. 

If you're ever in Daytona.. check out this local restaurant.. it was on the water and fun!  

Grammy and Grandpa Doyle were camping up the road so we got to spend time with them too!

And our favorite meal of the entire trip--- Doyle's bar=b=que steaks!

Then it was time to head to the pool

Cori and Taylor loved doing Madison tricks!

Madison is getting to be a real fish in the water!

Taylor .. the big sis.. doing what sister's do to each other!
But all too soon it was just about time to head home..

It was a great trip.. hope Mark can get another work assignment like this one!

Our Little Graduate

Madison is just growing up so fast she's already a graduate!

Graduating from Preschool!

They had a little ceremony in her classroom on Wednesday.. very cute!

We also got to take a lot of papers home.. this is my favorite!

Today.. they had a picnic for the kids.. they had boune houses .. a magician.. games and food..

but Madison's favorite fun-- her friends.  Jessie and Madison the neighbor gals were also at the same preschool.. but in different classes.. so it was fun for them to enjoy the picnic together!

Madison and her friend Ami pose for a final shot with their amazing teacher!

All the girls got fanny packs and sunglasses.. so I couldn't resist a couple fun photos!

Check out these preschool attitudes!  

In just a few short months it's off on the big bus to Kindergarten!

Heading into Senior Year...

that means.. I get to use Taylor as a model for my upcoming senior photo sessions.

She is a beautiful model .. if I may say so! 

Referral Day x 4

We are now celebrating four years of this beautiful baby picture!  The very first picture we ever saw of Madison!  

Today is the day four years ago that the call came to tell us we had a new daughter!  I remember shaking when they read me her information.. then a few hours later they sent a photo.

 Mark, Taylor and I all looked at it at the same time.. we were in love!

And we are still very much in love with this little bundle of energy and fun.. Miss Madison brings us so much joy!  I really can't imagine our lives without her!

Now that she's 5 it's not so easy to get a photo.. she's rolling and laughing and goofing around.. but I guess that's what makes Madison .. Madison!

She has grown so much .. and it's hard to believe that 4 years have gone by...

Here's a look at referral photos of years gone by! 

 thanks Sandra for the great idea of photos that we have now done every year on this very special day!