The last boat ride was a wet one!

The weather was beautiful most of our visit except for the day we left. As soon as we got on the boat it started pouring!

Pictures by Grace

Our budding photographer took these family photos (Fuhrken side) at Lee's Aunt Vada's and Uncle Glen's home in Lowville, New York. Grandma Fuhrken

Close up of Aunt Sherry.

Aunt Vada (competing in a cookie dunking contest with Madeline.)

Aunt Anne

Grandpa Furhken

Aunt Sherry and Uncle Mac

Aunt Bonnie

Uncle Glen

Uncle Bill

Uncle Jack

Uncles Bill, Jack, and Glen

Aunts Vada and Anne

Adventure in Atlana (or "Never Connecting Through Atlanta Again")

Our flight was delayed on the way home from Rochester. Delta will tell you it was weather related but we were on the plane when the pilot said that they couldn't latch the door so we had to wait for someone to come fix it...then the excuse was weather. Two hours late we finally take off. We got into Atlanta 15 minutes too late! Our connecting flight had left us. The next flight home was 2pm the next day. We had to book new flights, find a hotel (which Delta claims they didn't have to pay for since it was a weather related delay), find a shuttle, find dinner, and get the girls to bed! By 2am we had accomplished all those things. Then we had to get out of the hotel by 11am and sit around and wait for the plane to take off at 2pm the next day. By the time we were in the air we were all a little tired and crazy, as you can see from Gracie's pictures of her Dad...

Fuhrkens in NY

Lee and Madeline fished A LOT in the St. Lawrence river off of the boathouse dock on the island.

Visiting Lee's Grandparents.

Madeline and Grace with Grandpa Champlin.

Black River for which the town Lee grew up in is named.

First Symphony

We took the girls to their first symphony on Wednesday. They loved getting dressed up and going to 'the city' (as Maddy calls it). Grace thought most of the music was too loud but loved "Appalachian Spring" by Aaron Copland. She asked if she could dance while they were playing it. I had to tell her no but she made me promise to buy the music so she could dance at home. She's so cute! Maddy enjoyed all the adults telling her how pretty her dress was. For some reason she thought the intermission (a.k.a. 'potty break') was pretty exciting too. Funny girl.

Dancing by the fountains at Abravanel Hall.

There are a lot of fights over this one...

Where there's Miriam you'll find uncle Lee. He's not very good at sharing her but once in a while another one of us will get a chance to hold her. (After much complaining that he needs to learn to share.)

Gracie and her cousin Miriam.

July 4th West Jordan Carnival

Grace and the baby goat at the petting 'zoo'.

The motorcycles were their favorite ride. I think they rode about six times... we're in trouble when they get older.

No carnival visit is complete without winning a prize.

Gracie's Ballet Recital June 2009

Grace's summer recital looks much like the Christmas one...not a lot of dancing but still a lot of cuteness. To be fair, her teacher changed the beginning of their dance at the last minute (literally) so all the kids were lost. They were supposed to march on to stage with the music but she had them on stage before the music started and wanted them to march in place. How are a bunch of 4 year olds supposed to understand that with all that excitement going on?!?!
Grace is third from the right. Enjoy!

Swim Lessons!

The girls started their swimming lessons this week. The hardest part is getting them to leave. I see many a visit to the Rec Center in our future. (I wish I wasn't such a germaphobe, it would make the outings much more enjoyable.)
I'm not very good at taking 'action shots' but we've got a few more weeks for me to try to get better pictures.

Sisters