Get together in Wilmington

The whole family minus me.

Me with all the grandchildren 11 in all.


This was the ladies day out. We went to the Winterthur museum, where we watched lots of American antic furniture. Then a nice lunch at Buckley's tavern and then to the Brandywine art gallery. An old watermill turned into a museum. They had a lot of Andrew Wyeth's paintings and some other very nice paintings. I could not find a reproduction of my favorite landscape. All in all an enjoyable day.

An example of their flower arrangements.

The guys were in charge of looking after the children. Trevor came home so here is a picture of him in action.

You can see Quincy is just as busy keeping the children in line. Maybe they have a secret to baby sitting that we need to learn.

Home pictures

E has found a new way of playing runs on the piano. A dump truck run up and down the keyboard does amazing things.

Natalie enjoying her new niece.

This is deja vue: P man looks just like his dad when he was that age trying to drive the car.

Dd turns 2

Mormor and the birthday boy

Getting help from his sisters opening his presents.

maybe when you turn 2 you have trouble knowing who you are: part duck and part spiderman?

Bashful in front of all those big people.

Mom is great when you are deciding which present to open,

Playing in the water while Dad works

Boys helping dad paint.

Keeping out of the way of dad by having a water fight with each other.

It is more fun when you can get Farmor soaking wet.

PEACH PICKING

THIS IS HARTLAND ORCHARDS IN MARCHAM VIRGINIA.  IT WAS JUST BEAUTIFUL OUT THERE AND WE COULD DRIVE THE CAR RIGHT UP IN TO THE ORCHARD.  THE TREES WERE LOADED WITH PEACHES.  WHAT A TREAT TO GET A PEACH THAT TASTES LIKE A PEACH.  IT MAY SEEM A WASTE OF TIME AND GAS TO DRIVE 45 MIN TO PICK PEACHES.  BUT NOT ONLY DO THE PEACHES TASTE GREAT, IT DOES WONDERS FOR THE SOUL.
I PICKED 7 PEGS IN 20 MIN.  THE NATURE OUT IN THE WESTERN PART OF VIRGINIA IS JUST BEAUTIFUL

P MAN

THESE ARE A FEW PICTURES OF P MAN.  HE HAD HIS LIFE REARRANGED WITH ALL THE VISITORS, BUR HE REALLY ENJOYED THE EXTRA ATTENTION.  RELATIVES IN ABUNDANCE.  WHAT A LIFE.
A LITTLE SUNPROTECTION.
P LOVED THE EXTRA ATTENTION FROM HIS COUSINS.
WITH ALL THE COMMOTION AROUND THE HOUSE P MAN HAS BEEN HOLDING HIS OWN.  HE HAS BECOME AN AVID CRAYON MAN, AND ESPECIALLY LOVES TO DRAW ON OTHER THINGS THAN PAPER.  WE HAD TO MAKE A RULE THAT HE HAS TO SIT AT THE TABLE AND COLOR.  HERE HE IS MULTI TASKING COLORING AND WATCHING BABY EINSTEIN.

BIRTH AND BLESSING OF MY NEW GRANDDAUGHTER

PROUD MOTHER AND SLEEPING BABY
DAY OF HER BLESSING.  AUGUST 3RD.  M AND HER FAMILY AND BIG M AND CHILDREN CAME DOWN TO BE PART OF THE EVENT.  ALSO COUSIN SARAH AND FAMILY.  WONDERFUL DAY.
E 2 BORN 24 JULY 2008.  BEEAUTIFUL LITTLE GIRLS WITH LOTS OF BLACK HAIR.

VISIT FROM MY NEPHEW TOMAS

M CAME DOWN WITH HER FAMILY.  IT WAS WALL TO WALL BEDS.
FAMILY SIMILARITY
HERE WE ALL ARE WITH J'S AND EM'S FAMILIES ADDED IN
THE CONSTANT GROUP.  THE OTHER CHILDREN TOOK TURNS COMING DOWN , SO WE USUALLY HAD 10-12 PEOPLE FOR DINNER EVERY NIGHT.  IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.  I AM GLAD THAT ALL MY CHILDREN MADE THE EFFORT TO COME DOWN TO VISIT.  IT HAS BEEN OVER 10 YEARS SINCE WE LAST SAW MY NEPHEW.
I GOT SOME HELP MAKING TOMATO SAUCE.
WE TRIED TO HAND AROUND THE FOUNTAINS TO STAY COOL.
WE SPENT TWO DAYS SIGHTSEEING IN WASHINGTON.  BUT THAT WAS ENOUGHT FOR THE CHILDREN.  IT WAS AWFULLY HOT.  HERE WE ARE IN THE GARDENS BEHIND THE CASTLE
WE HAD SOME LIGHT REFRESHMENTS TO GO WITH THE HOT WEATHER
WE HAD A  BABYSHOWER FOR H.

Fourth of July

MELINDA AND MATT CAME DOWN FOR THE FOURTH.  TOGETHER WITH JASON AND HOLLY WE WENT TO THE MALL.  THEY HAD REALLY CHANGED THINGS FROM THE WAY IT USED TO BE AND WE WERE NOT ABLE TO SIT IN OUR USUAL PLACE.  I THOUGHT IT WAS A BOTHER AND I REALLY DIDN'T SEE HOW IT HELPED IMPROVE SAFETY.  THE ONLY THING I LIKED ABOUT IT WAS THAT THERE WAS NO ALCOHOL ALLOWED.  AS IT WAS WE ENDED UP SITTING ON THE GRASS NEXT TO THE STREET ACCROSS FROM THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT.  WE DID HAVE A GOOD TIME AND I AM GLAD WE WENT.  WE FOUND A PARKING PLACE UP CLOSE TO THE WHITE HOUSE SO WE HAD QUITE A HIKE GETTING BACK TO THE CAR.  AGAIN THE HAD THE MOST RIDICULOUS BARRIERS SET UP THAT PREVENTED ANY KIND OF SHORT CUT.  IT WAS NICE TO HAVE SO MUCH OF THE FAMILY TOGETHER. He finally settled down
Every time I would try to take a nap Doug would come over and pull m y hair or something similar. Note that we have the same hair color.

June trip to Denmark

Here are some pictures from my trip to Denmark. A last picture of swans. aren't they majestic?
My sister Carla at 63. she is keeping very well
My niece Kristina and her family.
This is a swan with her swanling.
My niece Annitta and her children.
Evening picture of Roskilde cathedral. We went here twice to hear free organ concerts.
Modern day windmills and old burial mounds. See how well old and new go together?
We went to a museum where they had an exhibit of a rare type of Danish embroidery called Hedebo. Every piece was exquisite.
Rosenborg Castle where they keep the crown jewels. This castle was built by Christian4th.
Old fashioned windmill at the museum
Aren't they gorgeous?
My sister Carla near a field of poppies. they were everywhere and looked so beautiful.
View of the ocean from my cousin's summer house.
My cousin doris her husband and mother. we had not see each other since 1960
Having lunch with my cousin Doris, her husband Bent and my Faster Vera her mother. We had a wonderful lunch at an historic inn near Odense.
Old burial mounts. This picture was taken about 9pm
Typical farmhouse in half timber.
Trip ,to Frilands museet where they have transferred several farms from various parts of Denmark and Souther Sweden and one from Northern Germany. Here you have a couple of workers in period customes.
We had a great bonfire once they got it started and you could see other bonfires around the waters edge.
You can see how hot it was on the longest day of the year. I guess that is why they celebrate it with bonfires, so they can keep warm.