Emily gets a new smile

Emily has been smiling for two years with the glistening silvery shining add ons worn by many a teen. On the day before getting a new smile she was grinning from ear to ear and her dad asked her why. Her response, "I can't wait!"...... to eat corn

Emily couldn't wait to show her family and friends the new smile that no longer was filled with glistening silver.

While we were out on the deck EATTING CORN ON THE COB, we had a little visitor. Believe it or not, a woodchuck decided to come and make residence for a few days under our back yard shed.

Isaac Abigail and Anna at Camp

Isaac is heading to his cabin at Camp Arrowhead to drop off his clothes bag and sleeping bag. Each cabin has several bunk beds. Josh Kivela is following Isaac.

Great friends of Anna and Abigail are cousins, Hannah Kivela and Katie Hooey. The cousins' grandparents, Leo and Helen Kivela are very active members at the Cedar Valley Evangelical National Lutheran Church that Mark serves (30 miles south of Hibbing).

Fun craft time at Camp.

Chuck Coccie has been the Camp Director for several years. Each year this devoted lay person, takes two weeks of vacation from his work to be the Camp Director for the 100 + kids that come each year. Hats off to Chuck!!!

Our friend Linda Bonk's 50th

One of the many blessings we have in life, is our friendship with the Bonks. They live about 50 miles north east of here in a place called Embarrass. John is the pastor at two churches in Ely and Babbitt, MN. With ten of their own children and four adopted children there is never a shortage of activity at their house (although two are out of the house and another is now in college).

On Friday, July 20th we celebrated Linda's 50th birthday party. It was a great time of music, volleyball, swimming, fireworks and fun fellowship. Our kids match up in age with their kids just great and so we are so blessed when we get out to their house!

As you can imagine, our kids can't wait to get to the Bonks and their outdoor pool in the summer!

John & Linda have a spacious dining / living room in their log home (which they built themselves!). Schrimp was on the menu for Linda's 50th along with a few black balloons and a wheelchair!

2008 Camp Arrowhead

Beth has taken up the tradition of her mother Elaine who periodically makes bulletin boards of life activities and seasons of the year and the church year. This bulletin board covered many activities this Spring. On the top left is Emily's induction into the National Honor Society, to the far right is a certificate of Erica's Track participation, on the bottom is Anna & Abigail's Horor Roll certificates with Isaac's Diploma of graduating from 6th Grace at Victory Christian Academy. Along with these are pictures of Emily in golf, Erica in Tennis, Isaac in basketball and baseball and class pictures from VCA. Of course, we make it our effort to keep Jesus central in all of life.

Emily recently sewed this white garment for summer activity. She's smiling because she is at Camp in this pic!

Camp Arrowhead, near Biwabik, MN, about 55 north east of Hibbing provides a Teen Week (grades 7-12) and a Junior Week (grades 3-6). They have a great beach, raft, and rec field along with the below Fellowship (food) Hall, and multiple cabins for boys and girls! Thanks be to God for a fun time in Jesus and growing in Him! (28 years ago, Mark was a camp counselor for two summers here at Camp Arrowhead - drove over from Lutheran Island Camp).

Carey Lake walk and biking 2008 7

Beth loves to take family members out to Carey Lake, a little lake about 5 miles east of town for picnics and walks. On this mid July day, Beth is walking the dog, Happy, and Anna and Abigail are enjoying a bike ride.

The city of Hibbng maintains this lake park that allows hiking, biking, fishing, campfires, picnics, a public beach, and lit cross country skiing paths for day and night skiing in the winter.

There were multiple flowers blooming this day. Worth a snapshot.

While Emily and Erica were at Camp Arrowhead and Isaac was at Boy Scout Camp at Camp Tomahawk in Wisconsin, we headed out to the lake on a beautiful day the LORD had made. Sorry to say, that with the very active summer, this mid July outing to Swan Lake, about 25 miles west of us, was the first time getting out in the boat for Anna and Abigail to tube and fish!

We have been greatly blessed by the LORD with this 2004 Monarch King 19 1/2 foot boat. This is now our fifth year of use and we have enjoyed many hours with friends and family on the lake camping, fishing, tubing and just enjoying the beautiful creation of God. In 2003, on Kabetogama Lake, we found ourselves feeling quite unsafe in some rough waters with our smaller 16 foot boat. We had all our camping and fishing gear and all 7 of us. This boat boat has provided many a safe outing for our family of 7!

Anna ready to go for a buzz around the lake!

Anna and Abigail love to catch fish. Dad doesn't always do a very good job of getting us on top of fish to catch like this day at Swan Lake, but we have fun anyway.

2008 July 14 Backyard & lemonaide

Getting back to Hibbing gave opportunity for Abigail to reunite with "Happy", our 10 year old canine friend that is half dolmation and
half smart dog (we don't know what the other half is - I just say smart dog since she has so often figured out how to get loose and go chasing around the neighborhood.

A return to Hibbing also opened the door for enjoying the backyard swing and a little cookout over the backyard fire ring!

In the front yard, the girls have really enjoyed a seat swing off one of the front yard trees ("push me dad!")

Anna and Abigail decided to be the little entrepenuers as they moved their lemonaide stand up to busy first avenue and on back to back days did quite well. Here they are with a customer!