Izzy The Aussie

In June, we got a new addition to the family; Izzy the Australian Shepherd. We found Izzy at a local breeder who has been breeding Aussies for 20 years. Izzy was one of 10 puppies at the farm and it was hard choosing just one of these adorable puppies! But, Izzy bonded immediately with all of us, so we decided to give this little cutie a good home. Izzy has her own room at our house and is currently doing very well in obedience training. Aussies are a lot like border collies in that they are very smart and are primarily bred for herding. Izzy gets plenty attention at our home and has been a great addition to our family!

Click here for pictures (warning, she is so cute you might want one of your own)!

Dale Hallow Lake 2008

In August, the LaZur, Prather, Stiles and Mueller clans made their annual pilgrimage to Dale Hallow Lake in Tennessee. This trip always involves lots of swimming and water skiing since there are three boats available. Matthew had an outstanding time with all his cousins and was not afraid to try anything this year. Taylor also had fun getting pulled on the tube behind a boat and spent most of the week with her cousin, Olivia. The Dale Hallow trip is always a great time to get all these families together and we look forward to this trip every year!

Click here for pictures.

Outer Banks Trip 2008

In June, the LaZur, Prather and Stiles families vacationed for a week in OuterBanks North Carolina. We rented one large house within walking distance to the beach and its own swimming pool. Matthew and Taylor had an awesome time playing with their cousins Grant, Zack and Will all week. The OuterBanks beach and large waves were also a big hit with the kids since we don't get to surf in waves this big anywhere else. The families also made a trip to the Carrituck Lighthouse and the the historic Kitty Hawk Dunes for the best kite flying in the south. We hope to return next year to this great location!

Click here for pictures.

Matthew's 4th Birthday

Matthew turned 4 this year and is really coming into his own. Matthew's party was held at his current favorite place, Monkey Joes. This is an indoor park with lots of jumpy houses and slides. Matthew enjoyed two hours of running, jumping, sliding, cake eating and present-opening. Matthew is just starting to develop his circle of friends from the neighborhood and from school, and having his party away from the house was a first for him.

Click here for pictures.

Taylor's 7th Birthday

Taylor turned 7 in April and is now in second grade. We held her birthday party at our house on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. The party was a Webkinz themed party since Webkinz's are her current favorite (expensive) hobby! All party goes had to bring their favorite Webkinz and many games and even the cake had this theme. Pam did a great job organizing this party and everyone had a great time, especially with the jumpy house we rented in the back yard.

Click here for pictures!