Pictures and Stories Coming Soon...

Lee and I are currently recovering from jet lag, unpacking, and enjoying our time with the boys. I will be sure to post pictures from our trip soon.

Our trip to Indonesia and Hong Kong was AMAZING! Can't wait to share our stories.

Off To See The World...

I won't be doing any blog entries for a while. Lee and I are heading off on our "trip of a lifetime" this Wednesday. We will be going to Jakarta, Indonesia (for Adam and Natalia's Reception) for 3 days... the island of Bali for 5 days... and Hong Kong (to see Jesse and Gwen) for 2 days.



Traveling to Indonesia takes an entire day... 24 hours in the air! It is completely on the opposite side of the world. This is why we are not taking the kids :) Can you imagine? We will be gone for a total of 12 days. We have wonderful family and friends taking care of Krue and Kiefer for us. I think Lee and I are going to have a harder time being away from the boys than they will from us. We will be sure to have fun, though.



Funny, I just emailed Adam and said that we were excited and getting ready to leave for Indonesia. I wrote at the end of my email... "See you on the flip side". Cheesy, I know, but it is literally speaking :)



I'll be sure to blog about the trip as soon as we return.

Swim Lessons with Mom

This summer the boys and I found time to go to our neighborhood pool and have swim lessons. I grew up teaching swim lessons, so it is only fitting that I teach my own kids how to swim. We hardly ever get to do this during the wintertime... so they had some catching up to do.

Krue is at a point where he can swim doggy paddle by himself with only two floats, blow bubbles, jump in on his own, float on his back, and tread water with his floats on.

Kiefer is at a point where he can swim doggy paddle (with me holding on for support) with three floats. He can blow bubbles, jump in on his own, float on his back (with my support), and he almost went off the diving board (chickened out at the last minute)!

Since we go to the lake so often, it is important to us that the boys learn how to swim well. Hopefully by next summer Krue will be swimming without the floats.

A couple of weeks ago we had a lesson in Baba and Papa Joe's pool. Luckily, Baba was around to take some pictures of our fun time.

Surprise Visitors!

We spent Labor Day Weekend at the lake this year, like we do every year. We sure didn't expect this to happen...

Lee, the boys, and I invited the Nagel family over to our cottage on the Sunday afternoon of Labor Day weekend. We were sitting around, sipping on margaritas, listening to music, talking, and enjoying the beautiful weather, when Sarah Nodine called Lee's cell phone. Ben happened to answer the phone because he was closest to it. This is how the conversation went...

Ben: "Hello"

Sarah: "You guys have to come down to Pier 32! Barack Obama is going to be here in a little bit!"

Knowing Sarah, and the prankster that she is, Ben replies:

"Yeah right. I'll believe that one when pigs fly."

...and they hang up.

Sarah calls back about an hour later. Lee answers this time.

Lee: "Yo"

Sarah: "You guys have to believe me about Barack Obama coming to Pier 32. Secret service guys are showing up right now. Here, talk to Erin (Nick's girlfriend). She is with me, too!"

Erin: "Lee, she is dead serious. You guys need to get down here soon or you will miss it."

At this point, Lee is starting to believe them. Amy (Heath's wife) decides that she will go over and see if it is true. Pier 32 is a restaurant right on the lake, so it wouldn't take her very long to get there and call us back.

Amy: "She wasn't lying, guys. Three huge black buses just pulled into the parking lot. Something big is about to happen. Get down here!"

We all jump into our boats and fly over to Pier 32. Sure enough the entire restaurant is packed with people, with word that Barack Obama and Joe Biden were in the restaurant already. Secret service guys were standing at the doors telling us that the building was at full capacity and no one else could go in.

We waited outside for about a half and hour and then Obama and Biden came out and shook hands and got on their bus. Lee took some pictures with phone camera and managed to shake hands with both Obama and Biden. Obama asked him how the water was. He said, "It's great!" I told Lee later that he should have invited him for a pontoon ride :) How cool would that have been?

As for Sarah and Erin... they were rock stars! We should have believed them in the first place. They had perfect seats inside of the restaurant, made friends with Obama's campaign manager, and selected a menu item and beer for Obama to try! They talked to Obama and Biden several times. In fact, Obama came over to them and personally thanked them for suggesting what he should eat... sliders! Doc, Fritzi, Patti, Ernie, Bailey, Elaine, and Nick (Lee's brother) were also in the restaurant and got to talk to Obama and Biden.

Can you believe it? Barack Obama visits Hamilton Lake!

Erin, Obama, and Sarah... the rock stars.

Biden, Doc, and Elaine

Elaine (Sarah's Grandma "Ne Ne") told Obama she was the first female county commissioner in her county... he gave her a big hug.

Bailey and Obama

Fritzi and Obama

This was taken when Obama was leaving Pier 32, right before he shook hands with Lee.

Biden, right before he shook hands with Lee.

A Labor Day we will never forget!

Two Little Monkeys Jumping On the Bed...

Two little monkeys jumping on the bed...

One fell down and bumped his head...

Mama called the doctor and the doctor said...

NO MORE MONKEYS JUMPING ON THE BED!

One little monkey jumping on the bed... he fell down and bumped his head...

Mama called the doctor and the doctor said...

NO MORE MONKEYS JUMPING ON THE BED!

These two little monkeys were having a blast jumping on the bed at the lake after a bath. I had to take some pictures.

P.S. This is what these two came up with while they were brushing their teeth the same night...

Their toothbrushes had a suction cup on the bottom so they could stick them to the wall and brush their teeth with no hands. (This was engineered by Krue.) Too funny!

The Reception

Here are some pictures from the reception. I didn't get my camera out very often because I was too busy having fun talking with everyone! It was a grand time.

Funny, I didn't manage to get a picture of the bride and groom at their own reception. I did, however, get a picture of the newlyweds, Christopher and Amy Studabaker.

Some of the cute favors Mom and Grace (Natalia's mom) displayed for people to take.

The bride and groom taking their grand exit with a carriage ride around Indy.

Adam and Natalia's Wedding!

On Friday, August 29, 2008 Adam and Natalia got married. It was a beautiful wedding and such a fun and special event. I am so proud of my brother and where he is at in his life. Here are some pictures from the big day...

The huge church in Indy where they got married.

Adam and Natalia posing for pictures before the ceremony.

Ring Bearer, Krue, with Groomsman, Lee.

(Krue is thinking... "Another wedding? What are you people doing to me? I am only 4 years old and have been in 4 weddings!) He did a great job and is a pro at this point.

Adam with his three sisters.

Adam and Natalia with Natalia's sister, Jane, and brother, Aldo.

Me, Lee, Krue

I love this picture of my grandmothers... Mamaw and Grandma Phyllis.

Also love these pictures of Adam with Dad and Mom.

The Elkins family (minus Kiefer)

Beautiful Natalia patiently waiting for the ceremony to begin.

Amy and Ali sang two songs during the ceremony. They sound so good together!

The vows

Outside of the church after the ceremony.

The following pictures were taken professionally by Shelly Valentine. She is a photographer that works out of Indy. These pictures are amazing!

These two are going to have the worlds best collection of wedding pictures. Check out a sampling of the professional pictures they have had taken in Indonesia already...

Yes, Adam and Natalia are in Indonesia for the entire month of September. Adam has created a blog to journal their travels. Check it out... it is so interesting and funny! Be sure to leave a comment. They would love to hear from you.

www.adamandnatalia.blogspot.com

Lee and I, along with Mom and Dad, are traveling to Indonesia in less than a week for a wedding reception they are having for Natalia's family and friends. I will be sure to post pictures!