July Happenings

The month started on a somber note with the passing of Sprinkles the White Gerbil. Her cage-mate/sister, Pumpkin, has thrived since we acquired them both in February, but Sprinkles never really took to her new surroundings. She never put on much weight and one day just crawled into her shelter and didn't wake up. Cousin Eric found her. Karoline shed a few tears and then she helped daddy bury Sprinkles down by the pond. She even sang her favorite Lutheran hymn for her dearly departed rodent ("Children of the Heavenly Father", of course).

After that, we launched into a multi-week celebration of Karoline's 5th birthday! The Friday before her actual birthday, we had Family Party #1 at our house with the Wilsons, Heiners and Veilleuxs. Karoline got many many presents - her most anticipated and most played-with being a Nintendo DS. See below:




A Spongebob Birthday Cake


Then, on her actual birthday (Tues, the 7th), Pappap & Jordan made Karoline a giant chocolate chip cookie-cake that, as you can see from the pic, Julianna could barely restrain herself from diving into headfirst.


And speaking of gluttonous 15-month-olds, here's Julianna diving into a bag of goldfish before bedtime a little later in the week (we introduced her to the bedtime snack routine recently, and she has reveled in it).


Then, the weekend after, 510 Windgate Drive was descended upon by some seldom-seen members of Karoline's extended family: Aunt Jen, Uncle Bob, Cousins Zach and Max, Aunt She (Sharon), Uncle Chris and cousin Abbby (the redhead above) and of course, Gramma (not-so-seldom-seen, actually). We had Family Party #2 Sunday evening (the 12th). Since Abby's bday is at the end of this month, we made it a joint party for the two cousins.


Max helping Karoline open her new buzzy-bee wheely bug.


Aunt Jen gets to lick the candles.


Then party #3 (the friends party) came Monday the 13th at Premiere Gymnastics & Dance. Karoline had a total of ten friends in attendance: Megan (above with Karoline), Regan, Nicholas, Sam, Zach, Max, Jordan, Eric, Abby, and Rachel.


Karoline practicing some rhythmic gymnastics moves.


"How many is Karoline?"


Julianna cuttin' a rug and cheesin' it up on the dancefloor.


Uncle Bob showing of his kerchief juggling talents. Can you say "Summer Olympics 2012"?


And finally, the Friends Party afforded us all the opportunity to torture two prepubescent youngsters (Zach and Jordan) by coercing them into posing together for the first time since serving as ringbearer and flower girl in our wedding - almost nine years ago! You can tell by the forced, nervous smiles just how thrilled they both were with the situation. Kristi and Jenn tried goading them into a peck on the cheek but to no avail (I guess the kissing pic we have from our wedding will have to suffice for blackmail material!)