Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

Who knew that Ethan would be making yet another college visit?  Yep, he's 23 years old, and we're checking things out again.  Woohoo! So, Ethan knows he will be graduating in a mere six months from BYU, and Master's program's deadlines are approaching.  His top choices?  Syracuse University, The University of Pittsburgh, and the University of Michigan.  You can just imagine which one we are all hoping for! He and Rebecca flew out to Ann Arbor for a long weekend.  Hmmm, what a coincidence that it just so happens that there is a Michigan/Indiana football game this weekend!  Yep, I couldn't resist going. We visited all the usual places:  the M Den was a must for maize and blue apparel, The Melting Pot for pre-game snacks, the stadium (for the game of course), and Zingerman's.  Oh, and I suppose at some point he should actually visit the schools . Not a surprise that we won! It's funny how the Lord works things out when w

I'm not going to lie.  John and I are sad that Mark didn't decide to join the rowing team once he got back from his mission.  However, we did understand, seeing that his horn teacher, Adam Unsworth, questioned Mark's commitment to horn.  Every once in a while though, there will be some poignant reminder of how much we loved watching him row, and more importantly how much we heard him tell us how much he loved doing it. I was watching a Michigan football game this Saturday, and this came on the TV.  While the team was suffering (as was every Michigan fan on the planet), I almost started crying when this clip came on the TV.

You know that girl Markie-Boy asked out when he visited Ethan and Rebecca in Utah?  Well, it turns out that Niki is not just any girl.  She and Mark arranged for her to come and visit our family in Pennsylvania.  And believe you me, she's just darling. There was hardly any time to spend with her, because she flew into Detroit on Friday, and then she and Mark drove to PA, spent Saturday with us (and Sunday morning), and then he drove her back to Detroit and she flew home.  However, it wouldn't be an official occasion at the Kennedys without pictures, right? Here they are! I can't remember why Mark was posing like this, but this is one of my favorites. Yep, they're super cute!  And super mismatched.  He's 6'5", and she's 5'3".  Hmmmm.... You'll notice she's standing on her tiptoes....and still not at his shoulder?! We got her standing on the tractor to even things out.  And Mark obviously doesn't mind :-)

Keeping with the tradition, everyone took pictures of their first days of school (2014). Only Glo was home, and since I was in Utah with Hannie, it was John taking the picture. Glo:  beginning of her sophomore year in high school. Only Glo was home, and since I was in Utah with Hannie, it was John taking the picture.  I can see in Glo's face that she's thinking, "C;mon, Daddy!  We're running late already.  Take the stupid picture!" Rebecca:  starting her second (and final) year in her MPA program at BYU Ethan:  starting his senior year at BYU You can tell how thrilled they are to be starting school again :-) Mark:  starting his sophomore year at Michigan. This is his first day of school after a two-year hiatus in Russia on his mission. Hannie:  a freshman at BYU Oh my goodness, I was more nervous for Hannie than anyone else.  My baby girl starting COLL-EGE?  On a SCHALASHIP??  It can't be! Me:  my first day of attending early morning

“Our trip to Cozumel.”   This had been a key phrase in our family for our while.   Back in the spring, John and I had decided that we would host a family get-together in Cozumel.   You might picture aunts, uncles, cousins, parents.   Nope.   Just John, Larisa and the kids (plus Rebecca).   Afterall, it would be the first time in forever (for real) that all seven of us would be together, and we wanted it to be without any other distractions (the cell phone being the biggest one of all).   My granddad’s wife, Vannette, gave us our Christmas gift early and arranged for us to stay in a condo in Cozumel.   We bought the plane tickets, although it would prove to be a tricky thing, and John scheduled our dives with Sergio, the divemaster that John chewed out on our previous cruise :-) You can refresh your memories about that friendly visit by clicking here . Because of John’s work schedule, we could only take our vacation during the last week of August, the week when Glo started tenth g