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Marching Band

Marching in the SEP Homecoming Parade!

Makaela watches the parade with her SEP beads on!

Band competition in Johnston, Iowa. The band always does great and gets really good scores!

The SEP marching band playing at a home football game!

Adventureland

Allison was off with friends, so we took Makaela to Adventureland for the day.

Makaela and her friend Casie on the chair lift ride.

Nick and Makaela on the log ride.

Dawn and Makaela at the top of the Ferris wheel.

SEP Homecoming

Allison and Sam ready for homecoming at SEP. Only in Iowa, right?!?! (The hoe-down part that is.)

Picking Apples

Our yearly hunt for fresh (picked by us) Honeycrisp apples usually ends up being too late in the season... This year, it seems that we were about a week or so too early. Oh well, the apples sure were yummy!

Cassville Ferry

Makaela decided to stay in the Jeep while riding the ferry, so Nick and Allison stood by for a photo.

On the Mississippi

Makaela floats along in the river...

While Dawn and Allison take a faster trip...

Getting ready to head back after a fun day on the river.

Makaela's Turtle

Makaela getting ready to put her turtle that she had for a little while back into the river where she found him.

Allison - Colfax Festival

Allison sings at a festival in the nearby town of Colfax.

Nick's Birthday

Makaela, Nick, and Allison on Nick's birthday. We won't say how old he is!

First Day of School

Allison and Makaela get ready for the first day of school.
Allison - 9th grade, Makaela - 4th grade.

Alpha & Omega Paintball Outing

Nick and his paintball team (www.omega-paintball.com) took a bunch of youth, friends, and parents out for what has now been called the "Annual Alpha & Omega Paintball Outing".

Makaela's Dance Team

Makaela's competition dance team performed at the fair.

Advantureland

Makaela and Kiley get soaked at Advantureland's new Kokomo Cove water park.

Makaela at the Iowa State Fair

Makaela loved all of the different animals at the fair, including this very soft baby goat and a very long-necked swan.

Allison - Hannah's Fair Show

Allison performs in Hannah's fair show!

SEP Band Camp

Allison and the SEP Marching Band perform for parents the last night of Band Camp '08.

Allison - Taylor's Fair Show

Allison performing during Taylor's fair show at the Iowa State Fair.

Tiko

Tiko hanging out on Makaela's shoulder.

Grandma & Grandpa B's New Motorhome

Grandpa, Grandma, Makaela, Cousin Cassie, and Allison get ready for a week long trip to Indiana!

Boating on the Mississippi

Allison enjoys a ride on Grandma and Grandpa D's new cruiser.


Nick gets a wild ride with Allison behind the "wheel" of Grandma D's jet ski.


Makaela loved hanging out on the bow of the new boat.


Dawn comes back from a fun, fast ride on the jet ski.


Makaela makes a new friend with a false map turtle.

Colorado - July 4

Makaela found some balloons with Grandma D so that all of the kids had one for the big 4th of July parade.


The Breckenridge parade draws a LOT of Dodge Viper enthusiasts, the "Spiderman" Viper above was the most unique.


But the Venom Green Viper was my favorite.


Allison and Makaela get a picture taken after the parade by the nicely landscaped areas around the stream running through town. (Who is that in the background?)


The whole group together for a photo.


And the group again that night (minus Nick who is taking the picture) getting ready to watch fireworks. This shot was taken when it was really dark and the flash blinded everyone! Oops.



Fireworks over Breckenridge. For a little town, this was a nice show. It was great to see them from a unique angle almost in-line with them instead of underneath them.


Another fireworks shot...

Colorado - July 3

Makaela, Dawn, and Allison head off for a nice horse back ride (Nick went back on the waterfall hike but from a starting point a lot closer to the falls.)

Colorado - July 2

We started the day out with a quick swim. Being 9600 feet above sea level, it was a cool morning for a swim.


Allison being "Gansta" on a hike to a waterfall.


We found several old cabins and other structures that were in a state of ruin.


While some of us were hiking, Makaela was fishing (she has one on the hook if you look closely).


The hike was anything but just walking a path as shown by this area that we had to climb.


Even the basic trail seemed to go uphill the whole time.


Allison was looking forward to finding this old mining cabin. It is in nice shape and has many log books inside to sign and date.


We made it to the base of the falls before we had to head back. We got a late start and there was concern about the weather, plus the next section was a very steep climb to the top.


One of the many water crossings on the trail. The water levels varied through the day sometimes providing a dry "bridge" one way, and then a wet bridge coming back or vice versa.