Pam and I decided to visit Tim in New Orleans - it was Tim's birthday and also 2 years since we lost our mom. We thought it would be nice to spend some quality and fun time together.
When the word got out that Pam and I would be going to NOLA for a long weekend, others thought it would be great fun to get together too.....so Tim rented a 6 bedroom house in the Garden District of NOLA, so we could all stay together. The Dusty Mansion was our home for a few days.
As I stated it was going to be just Pam and I visiting Tim....so the two of us grew to the..
three of us.......which grew into......
the twelve of us! What a party!!
Adam and Jalena came....and many other family members.....fun times were held by all...
Ben grilling salmon and bacon wrapped shrimp......
Emily and Jenni working on dinner....
relaxing in our beautiful backyard...
Pam reading on the patio......the weather was very hot!!
Jenni working on the salad!
Hudson was looking cute as always!
Hudson loves his Uncle Nick...they would laugh and laugh...what a pair!
Hudson wanted to play "farm" or play "cars" - there was always someone ready to play with him!
Jalena, Adam, Pam and I played a mean game of scrabble...
Mom would have been proud!!
Brooke having dish patrol..
Peeling shrimp for the grill...
The Holtvluwer kids were in charge of one meal while we were there, boy did they put on a spread...we had bacon wrapped shrimp, salmon, 7 layer salad, twice baked potatoes, baked asparagus, wine, etc. It was delicious! While we were eating, Jenni says, "it looks like the grill is on fire!" The kids made a mad dash out to the back and quickly distinguished the fire....the grill was a goner, but thankfully everyone was safe.....it could have been a catastrophe!! God was watching over us!!
There was a pool table -- game room, Tim was showing us how to play pool - quite the shark!!
Jenni is just too gentle, ya gotta be tough, Jenn!
Adam and Brooke catching up on their computers in the TV room. Sometimes we had 4-5 people on computers, while some were watching TV, and Hudson was playing "farm" and...
Ben was playing guitar....Adam had his guitar along also, and we enjoyed listening to them play.
Nate playing pool...
Jalena taking a bow at her concert! She gave a concert at the college where she was going to camp. She is a very talented viola player and the family enjoyed her concert very much!!
Jalena playing her viola - they combined the big kids with the little kids at the end of the concert for a special number!
Jenni, Emily, and Brooke posing by the Mississippi River...
Tim, Emily, and Adam
Nick and Jenni
Nate, Brooke and Hudson by the Mississippi River
Nick and Emily hamming it up while eating baguettes
Adam and Ben
Emily and Tim
Pam and Jenni
Nick and Emily
The group at the Mississippi River (Jalena was in music camp)
Hudson and Brooke waiting for the parade to start
Jack, Sarah, Andy, Brooke, Nate and Hudson
Do you think they will throw me some candy??
Hudson runs to get some candy.....what fun!!
The firetrucks are always so loud, but fun to watch and wave at the firemen!!
Hudson playing on the trucks in the mall...
Bob the Builder truck - he is not crying, he is laughing!!
Cute "UPS guy" in his shorts!!
Choo Choo!! Hudson the Engineer....
The cute little Texan played hard, ran around, made friends at the play area in the mall! He was ready to go after 45 minutes of play to get some dinner.....he had fun, grandma had a hard time keeping her eyes on him all the time.
Pam and I decided to visit Tim in New Orleans - it was Tim's birthday and also 2 years since we lost our mom. We thought it would be nice to spend some quality and fun time together.
When the word got out that Pam and I would be going to NOLA for a long weekend, others thought it would be great fun to get together too.....so Tim rented a 6 bedroom house in the Garden District of NOLA, so we could all stay together. The Dusty Mansion was our home for a few days.
As I stated it was going to be just Pam and I visiting Tim....so the two of us grew to the..
three of us.......which grew into......
the twelve of us! What a party!!
Adam and Jalena came....and many other family members.....fun times were held by all...
Ben grilling salmon and bacon wrapped shrimp......
Emily and Jenni working on dinner....
relaxing in our beautiful backyard...
Pam reading on the patio......the weather was very hot!!
Jenni working on the salad!
Hudson was looking cute as always!
Hudson loves his Uncle Nick...they would laugh and laugh...what a pair!
Hudson wanted to play "farm" or play "cars" - there was always someone ready to play with him!
Jalena, Adam, Pam and I played a mean game of scrabble...
Mom would have been proud!!
Brooke having dish patrol..
Peeling shrimp for the grill...
The Holtvluwer kids were in charge of one meal while we were there, boy did they put on a spread...we had bacon wrapped shrimp, salmon, 7 layer salad, twice baked potatoes, baked asparagus, wine, etc. It was delicious! While we were eating, Jenni says, "it looks like the grill is on fire!" The kids made a mad dash out to the back and quickly distinguished the fire....the grill was a goner, but thankfully everyone was safe.....it could have been a catastrophe!! God was watching over us!!
There was a pool table -- game room, Tim was showing us how to play pool - quite the shark!!
Jenni is just too gentle, ya gotta be tough, Jenn!
Adam and Brooke catching up on their computers in the TV room. Sometimes we had 4-5 people on computers, while some were watching TV, and Hudson was playing "farm" and...
Ben was playing guitar....Adam had his guitar along also, and we enjoyed listening to them play.
Nate playing pool...
Jalena taking a bow at her concert! She gave a concert at the college where she was going to camp. She is a very talented viola player and the family enjoyed her concert very much!!
Jalena playing her viola - they combined the big kids with the little kids at the end of the concert for a special number!
Jenni, Emily, and Brooke posing by the Mississippi River...
Tim, Emily, and Adam
Nick and Jenni
Nate, Brooke and Hudson by the Mississippi River
Nick and Emily hamming it up while eating baguettes
Adam and Ben
Emily and Tim
Pam and Jenni
Nick and Emily
The group at the Mississippi River (Jalena was in music camp)
We went to the festival in downtown Grand Rapids in June. We ate some great food and listened to some great music. It was a beautiful evening walking around downtown!
This was a beautiful spring Saturday, one of the first day for boats on Lake Michigan and walks on the Pier.
Celebrating my birthday with breakfast at Sandi's with Beth and Jan!
