2007 August 4-13 Family Reunion

All four of our adult children and their families came together for a weekend. Mindy, Pamela, and Maria managed to include a few more days so that the cousins could have additional time together. Amanda did quite well in her efforts to keep up with the big kids--Anna, Kate, and Henry--and Sophie enjoyed watching the fun. The time was packed with events, including Cookie Daze, jazz concerts on the village green (pictured), the county fair, and birthday parties for Pamela, Bill, and Anna. Pamela left on August 13 and we got to keep Henry until August 23, when we will fly home with him.

2007 July 29-August 3-American Suzuki Institute (Violin Camp)

Maria and I moved into Hansen Hall at UW-Stevens Point on July 29 for our week of violin camp with Kate and Anna. It was Anna's second year and it was as successful as the first in terms of fun, friends, skills, and growing confidence. Kate longed to participate last year, so she was READY. They had three lessons a day for five days: private, group, and large group. The kids and adults made friends with other participants and had fun outside of class as well. It brought back happy memories of taking Steve there for five summers when he was growing up. One picture shows Anna's large group. In this activity they each put one shoe in the middle. As Mr. Jim tapped them, they went in and put it back on--all while playing Twinkle Variation A. What a neat way to get them to play it many times!

Kate had her private lesson with Alexsandor. The picture shows them as they end their lesson in the same way it began, with a bow.