Summer get togethers and Spanish School

Mackenzie is standing on her own now and beginning to "think" about walking:



Like I've said in the past we have an amazing group of neighbors. We all get along together and the kids love playing with each other. Here's Mackenzie and Mattie playing with a water table at Alex and Sigfrid's backyard during a cookout:







Mattie went to "Spanish School" for a week in July. It was at the Denver International School which is next to her preschool and run by a good friend of ours. I took a day off to be a chaperon for a trip to the Transportation Museum. This huge museum has hundreds and hundreds of vintage cars, buggies, motorcycles and several old, old trains. It was a really neat experience for me and the kids:






Yet another neighborhood cookout. This time at Ania and Mike's backyard where Mya (a few months younger than Mackenzie) and Mackenzie played together:

Kim and Mattie had an opportunity to see the Pre-Broadway premiere of Disney's play, "The Little Mermaid". MM and Kim got dressed up and went to the Preforming Arts Complex and had a wonderful time. I think Mattie may be closet thespian. She was dancing and sing all over the place during the show and for weeks (months) after this show:

4th Annual Fish Day West party

All my Wisconsin/Saukville friends got together for our 4th Annual Fish Day West party. It was held on the exact date of the Port Washington, Wisconsin Fish Day party (The world's largest one-day outdoor fish fry). It also happened to be on the same day that the last Harry Potter book was released. At least one person didn't show up for the party because they wanted to read the book instead. I hold no grudges against this person as I was kind of jealous since I couldn't start reading the book myself till late in the night after all had gone home! Needless to say, I had to go back and re-read the first chapter since it was a bit fuzzy after a full day of Papst and Fish!


Who's showing who how to drink in this photo? Mike Jacoby or Mackenzie?


Karen and John Garbarek:


We welcomed a few new people to the Fish Day West party. Kim Montgomery (on the right with the baby) is the mother of one of Mattie's preschool classmates, Will. Kim just happens to be from Whitefish Bay and actually marched in the Fish Day parades when she was young. It sure is a small world.



Mattie and the Garbarek girls (with Will in the background):


Julie and Jamie Scott on the right, Rick and Tina Mueller in the top middle and Vicky Roden with her back to the camera:


Mike Jacoby and John Meinel:


All the kids enjoyed the festivities as well:


Cuitsie Kim Carmody:


Bald man and cute baby:



Mattie and Mike Jacoby:


Plan ahead for next year's 5th Annual Fish Day West Party. Coming on Saturday July 19, 2008.

Bike ride and Chris Daniels concert

We had a beautiful summer day and decided to take the kids for a bike ride in the bike trailer over to the Stapelton area of town:




MM and Mack enjoyed playing in the water fountain:



That evening, our neighboor and resident Rock Star, Chris Daniels, had a concert at the Stapleton park. Many of the neighborhodod kids danced the night away. It was a lot of fun:

My surprise 39 1/2 birthday party

Kim totally surprised me with a 39 1/2 birthday party on July 13th. I can not believe that she pulled this off without me knowing about it. I had absolutely no idea what was going on when I walked into the back yard and saw all of my friends waiting for me. My birthday in in the middle of January, why would I have a birthday party in July!!?? It worked perfectly. Kim planned this out for months ahead of time I was told. Even when I was getting hugged by my friends I still couldn't figure out what was happening. Most of the people were planning on coming to my Fish Day West party the following weekend and I was thinking that Kim somehow changed the date on me for some reason!

Everything was wonderful and I can't thank Kim enough for what she did. I told her over and over that I didn't want a fuss done for my 40th birthday so she pulls a fast on on me by doing a 39 1/2 birthday party. Brilliant!