my kids are home and they brought me international gifts...

a little out of order now that I've done some photo re-posting

but hang in there with me and keep reading

my kids have spent the better of the summer in southern indiana

working as YMCA camp counselors

~~

a camp where they have practically grown up at

a camp where they have friends and make new ones every summer

a camp that will always have a special place in their hearts

~~

in the photo above are my kids

with some of the other counselors they worked with all summer

that made the 8 hour drive home with them

just to spend some time in wisconsin before they head out on their other adventures

around the united states

~~

~left to right~

david from sheffield, england

my son

quinten from johannasburg, south africa

alice from cheshire, enland

and

my daughter

~~

people say we look alike

~I don't see it~

what do you think

?

this is my daughter's boyfriend who was here all summer working

and

has a special place in my heart

~~

he mowed and trimmed the yard for me

took me to and from the airport when I went to colorado

and

even helped me out with sophie

when I couldn't get home in time to let her outside for her potty breaks

{thanks cody}

I took them all out for dinner the other night

well

most of them

as the young ones had already made their own plans which included some extra kids

but

they all showed up at the restaurant so I could at least get a group photo

{yes, I begged a little...okay, a lot}

this wild group then left the next day for a concert in milwaukee

and

the only way I allowed them to do this was with some bargaining power

{darn...I just realized the large format photos cut off nate on the right side...I might just have to re-post one of them

as he is the one who got the "most air"....which I just did as the first photo}

YES

YOU ALL HAVE TO JUMP

BECAUSE I SAID SO

BECAUSE IT'S MY THING

BECAUSE YOU'RE KIDS

BECAUSE YOU KNOW HOW I GET IF I DON'T GET A JUMPING PHOTO

BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GO IF YOU DON'T

so they did

and

now I've decided that along with regular jumping photos

jumping photos with shadows

are even better

*

thanks david, alice and quinten for staying here in wisconsin with us and making me laugh

while falling in love with all of your accents

*

safe travels