Thanks to Michelle, the official wedding photographer, for these close-ups!
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
That was Saturday night at Pumpkin Creek. HA! On Sunday, we flew from Michigan to Georgia to spend the rest of our vacation in the Atlanta area. We had 5 days with friends Bob and Peggy south of the city (next post), while Dennis and Amy worked and Nicholas was in school, but the rest of the time, before and after, we were with "the kids."
So on that first Sunday, NICHOLAS. Can you believe he's now 12 years old (7th grade)! Here's the segue from those Dancing Queens above:
"C'mon, G'ma," he said. Let's dance!" And we did, 2 different times.
Dance Like No one is Watching, indeed!
And while Amy was preparing supper that first night, we were all over each other!
Pure Tom-Foolery. Pure Love.
We ♥ each other. We ♥ YOU.
This is our Atlanta family: son Mark, daughter Amy, SIL Dennis,
g'son Nicholas, Oscar the White and CC the Chocolate Chip.
And Astrid, too, of course!
In fact, half of all the photos you see in this post are taken by her!
Nicholas off to school, in the neighborhood pool, putting puzzles together
(yup, we brought with us two 150-pc Jan van Haasteren puzzles),
watching movies....
...while the rest of us kids played our on-going battle of Spades.
Mark and me against Amy and Dennis, every year.
(click any collage to enlarge)
Next time I'll be more careful with what I say. HA.
But this is the first time Astrid took a video that I uploaded...
from the little point-n-shoot camera we took for this entire American trip.
Just to say we did it!
After our week with Bob and Peggy (next post), we came back for the Labor Day holiday weekend, with Saturday football in the wings for all. Nicholas made Astrid promise her she'd wake him bright and early to get ready for all the games. He had a plan:
Here's the scoop: Uof Michigan is for moi!
USC (Southern California) is for Dennis.
GA (UofGeorgia) is for Mark.
After all the school signs were made (Oregon included for Nicholas?!?!),
banner flags were also made and strung up.
This was serious stuff.
And if that wasn't serious enough, Nicholas dressed up as a USC Trojan.
I stood my ground, of course, hailing Michigan as the Valiant Heroes.
The next day, Sunday, we had planned to Shoot the Hooch for Labor Day weekend fun,
but because thunderstorms were predicted, we decided to go bowling instead.
That's when we all remembered how much we enjoy doing that as a family!
It was Astrid's first time to bowl in 21 years. She LOVED it!
but because thunderstorms were predicted, we decided to go bowling instead.
That's when we all remembered how much we enjoy doing that as a family!
It was Astrid's first time to bowl in 21 years. She LOVED it!
In between, Amy cooked and I cooked.
No one ever went hungry!
And once everything calmed down again for the week, Astrid and I went off to meet friends:
Bob and Marc, forever friends, sharing ups and downs.
And Glenna, my first ex after my divorce from Bill...meeting Astrid for the first time.
Next we hope we can meet her wife from England...who's in the same boat as Astrid,
not able to move to the States till America allows marriage equality.
Guess how we're voting come November?!
The day we flew back (late) to Amsterdam, there were cleaners at the house, so Astrid and I went to the movies (if Amy weren't sick, ready to travel for work the next week, she would have joined us):
They don't have theaters like this in the Netherlands, so Astrid took lots of pictures
before we saw the delightful "Hope Springs" with Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones.
She even took pictures of me at the drive-thru ATM!
We're not in Holland, you realize.
Now, see that Thank-You stand above?
Next time I'll be more careful with what I say. HA.
But this is the first time Astrid took a video that I uploaded...
from the little point-n-shoot camera we took for this entire American trip.
Just to say we did it!
Shortly after the movie it was time to say Good-Bye to The Kids...until next year! As Mark drove us to the airport, we passed through Atlanta's Mid- and Downtown areas:
Pay attention!
Next week I plan to finish our American trip with the 5 days we spent at Bob and Peggy's...
who visited us here in the Netherlands last year. Remember?
One fun thing we did with them was walk around Downtown Atlanta midst those skyscrapers!
who visited us here in the Netherlands last year. Remember?
One fun thing we did with them was walk around Downtown Atlanta midst those skyscrapers!
In the meantime, don't forget the Dancing Queens at Vision and Verb, today!
This is all so very very cool!!!
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't happen often enough, Robin, but we love our time with the kids!
DeleteOh Ginnie, you must miss that boy! And he probably misses you.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, Carola...and I sure hope so! :) We seemed to have an extra special time this year. Maybe Astrid had something to do with that? They're really becoming buddies!
DeleteI really like the picture of Astrid and Nicholas sitting on the couch, precious!
ReplyDeleteI do, too, Maria. :) Thank you.
DeleteIt does me GREAT GOOD to see these scenes of grandmotherly bliss with Nicholas! Oh what a treasure to have these times with your family. Bless you for keeping them.
ReplyDeleteBefore you know it, sister, you will be dancing like this with James!!! It really is a treasure...and cannot be bought!
DeleteEach time we have very special moments. Nicholas is a great sport, he is 'in' for almost everything. I still remember his amazement when I told him, YES I come to the swimming pool and yes, I will swim too.
ReplyDeleteSeeing him dancing with you was great. I know how you love that.
I am always surprised how much we can squeeze into those 'few' days we have family and friends. It was nice to meet Glenna. Bob and Mark, that is almost a contest, how much ice cream can we eat :D......
A wonderful post again, a memory to keep, a smile on my face when I see us dancing. You are my dancing queen, punt uit......
IHVJ
We're so lucky to have all these memories! Nicholas is at an age when he'll remember the things we do with him each year...especially what YOU do with him. Special times! You're such a good sport! Hartstikke bedankt!
DeleteAwesome, just awesome! What a hoot your g'son is ... and it was cool to see the Atlanta skyline again!
ReplyDeleteAlso loving all the wedding/farm photos, I can't imagine a more perfect, fun time.
I think the idea of the dads planting the trees is so wonderful ~ thanks, Ginnie, for sharing so much of this special time.
I do this for us, Susan, as you know by now, but it's a real joy when others can share the journey. Thank you, always, for whenever you are able to stop by to see what we're up to. :)
DeleteAnd a great time was had by everyone.... love the pictures of the dancing and of Nicholas. Did you know that Nicholas is one of my YoungerSon's middle names??? And the bowling of course. What a great trip. So nice to make contact with friends and family every year. When you are planning the 2013 adventure, please make sure you allow an extra 2 or 3 days for a side trip to Canada! Write it on the calendar NOW!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh, bless you, Sham! Well, when the bext time will be for Michigan is another issue...but we will be in Atlanta next year in October. I don't know when we'll be in Michigan again but this time you'll be the first to know. In the meantime, it might just be quicker if you come visit us here in the Netherlands!!! :)
DeleteDid you change something with reference to commenting? Or did Google/Blogger do it? I used to be able to comment in a window off to the side while I could scroll down and review the photos and comment on my favorites while referencing them... now the comment form appears UNDER the post and involves LOTS of back and forth scrolling if I want to comment on individual collages that I particularly enjoy. Hmmm... I know I can open a second browser window and accomplish the same thing... but still I wonder.
ReplyDeleteOK... enough blathering... the one comment I have for sure about this post is that it is abundantly clear that you and your grandson have a very special relationship... one of the things that attracted me to reading your blog way back when I first discovered you on the internet! As always... a MARVELOUS collection of collages!!!
Hmmmm. You've got me thinking, Victoria. Yes, it was a setting switch I made because I do like the reply option o=inder each comment. However, if it makes it harder for others to read/access my blog, that may defeat the purpose? Let me think on it.
DeleteIn the meantime, thank you for your many kindnesses about what you see when you come here. It always amazes me what attracts people I've never met...but WANT to meet one day! YAY.
Just adorable, that Nicholas. And creative... a little competition is good for the soul. My first date with John was bowling... reminds me we need to do that soon... it has been years! (thanks for the idea... I'll let you know how it goes. )
ReplyDeleteIt's so much fun to see Nicholas and Astrid being so creative together. It thrills my soul. Just wait till your little one does such things with you!
DeletePLEASE show me pics of you bowling with John. It's hard to beat that kind of fun! :)
Ha! I will. It may be a few weeks, but I am going to surprise him with a "repeat" of our very first date (maybe even smooch in the car... ha!)
ReplyDeleteHow fun! I have heard that it's important for us to keep doing the things we did when we were first attracted to someone. Makes sense to me. :)
Delete