Visits From Our Fun Family

Geoffrey came out to spend a week with us before starting his new job in the DC area.  

Janelle and her boys also came down so that we could all spend some time together.  They took a bus down to Newark where I picked them up and brought them the rest of the way.  Scott came down on the weekend, too.  The original plan was for Janelle and the boys to go back with him, but since they had problems with their air conditioning at home and she's 8+ months pregnant, she decided to stay here a little longer.  We, of course, had no complaints.  :)

The boys got to spend time each day in the pool.  They loved it!!!

Kaci and Nikki came to swim one day, too.

Evan the fish

Alan practicing his swimming

James liked hopping down the stairs and then back up.  

Then he would plop down on the top step and say, "I did it!"

Jamesy with his buddy, "Jimmy"

When the rest of the family went to the Phillies game (it got rained out and they actually ended up going the next night), we got to go to McDonalds!!!  It was a happy meal date with my boys!

Alan being creative

Yummm, this is de-yicious, Grandma!!

Now those are happy faces!!

We had the ward picnic while everyone was here.  Here are some shots from our hot but fun day.

James playing his version of ladder ball

Our baseball game

Nathan at bat with Evan catching and Geoffrey on deck

Grandma, Alan, and Ginny watching the fun

The Phearless Phillies Phans - Wait, is that a Red Sox shirt?

Ah, Scott.....always the rebel :)

Evan and Geoffrey playing a game of Peruvian chess

Alan and Evan playing Donkey Kong at Grandma Foulk's house

James the happy guy

Alan ready to play baseball in the back yard

James was more than happy to play in the field

Evan the pitcher (wearing mom's flip-flops)

"How does it look on me, Grandma?"

Such a good mommy with her boy, Alan

We had so much fun having everyone here.  Thanks for coming guys!!

Joan

We had the amazing opportunity to host an exchange student from Spain for three weeks this summer.  We heard about the program through the high school and since it fell at a time that we would be here, we decided to give it a try.  We are so glad that we did.  

The program provided day trips 2-3 times a week where the students and any host family members could go and see different sights in the area.  They took them to New York, different Philadelphia sites, Ocean City, the Wharton State Forest, and Valley Forge/King of Prussia Mall.  Three days a week they had class from 8-12 at one of the high schools.  This left us with some afternoons, most evenings, and weekends to spend with our student as a family.  

So, this is Joan. (pronounced Jo-on)  We took this photo just after he arrived.  It is hard to imagine a student that would have fit in better with our family.  He spoke English very well and had a great sense of humor.  He was also very willing to roll with the punches when plans occasionally changed.  The first week Joan was here, Nathan was at scout camp so it was just Steve, Evan, Joan, and I.  He was a great sport about that and spent lots of time with Evan outside of his school activities.

Here is Joan with some of the other students at the welcome party the night after they arrived.

Joan and Evan in the pool at the social

We went to Wheaton Village to see glass blowing and pottery making on July 4th.

Here is Evan trying his hand at pottery making, too.

The boys at the Lake at Wheaton Village

Playing in our pool at home

We got together with some friends for the July 4th fireworks

Playing baseball at the ward party...it was so hot, but still fun

Heading out to the Phillies game

  The original night got rained out so they attended a game the next day as part of a double header.  It was, unfortunately, a very long pitching battle that went into extra innings.  They ended up coming home before the game was over and had to miss the fireworks that were scheduled after the game.  They still didn't get home until about 1:30.  I think they still had some fun, though.

As you can see, we had other special visitors here for the game.  The post about them is coming up next.  :)

Evan, Joan, Nate, and I went to Six Flags Great Adventure one day, too.  Joan took this photo of Kingda Ka.  He liked it the best, I think.

Here are most of the exchange students and some of the host family students at one of the many pool parties they had while he was here.  It was very rainy at the beginning, but most of the time was just plain hot and humid.  Thank heaven for the pools!!

The Spanish students on the last day of class

Playing Taboo the night before Joan left - Evan is buzzing and Joan is the timer.  We played lots of games while he was here.

These last photos were all taken on the day Joan left for home.  Even though it was hot, the boys decided to go out and play some sports.  Baseball was not a familiar sport to Joan when he arrived, but after watching a lot of Phillies games on TV and actually going to one, I think we may have turned him into a fan of the game....or at least the Phillies.  :)

But....basketball is really Joan's sport.  He and Nate had played a little earlier in the visit, but they went out on the last day and decided to do some dunks and alley oops.  I told them I would get some sweet shots of their skills.  Some of them turned out pretty good if I do say so myself.  Enjoy!!!

They had a lot of fun and were SO sweaty when they were done!!

Here we are just before heading to the school to say goodbye....all smiles.

No worries, the tears came later. 

Joan, we will miss you so much.  Thanks for coming to New Jersey to share some of your great personality with us.  We are so hopeful that we will meet again someday and that you will always remember us fondly, as we do you.