The Reitz Family: 6 Months in Review

Berkley was allowed to skip the uniform to celebrate her half birthday in January.

Trying out basketball this winter.

And Charlotte enjoyed a session of gymnastics

Dressing up for Lutheran Schools Week:

PJ Day and Crazy Sock Day

Bright colors Day and Spirit Day

Favorite character day: Anne of Green Gables and Laura Ingalls

Unlike last winter, we saw a ton of snow this year! (Ton is a relative term really...)

The girls loved it! And the hot chocolate afterwards.

Daddy was very popular around the neighborhood, being the owner of a nice snowblower...

And around the yard with his willingness to get in snowball fights!

Someone's missing their first front tooth.

Quickly followed by the second!

Fun times bowling. (It's a good thing you don't need teeth to bowl...)

Mom accompanied Berkley for Grandparents' Day this year. It was fun getting a glimpse into her normal day.

HAPPY EASTER!

Our beautiful ladies

With Grandpa, Grandma, and Emily

Our silly munchkin

Piano recital time...and this year, Charlotte participates too! They were pretty nervous, but did a great job!

Charlotte's End-of-Kindergarten Service. Here we go, first grade!

Oh, how she loved her teacher Mrs. Lail!

With buddies Sydney and Evelyn

Berkley's last day of 3rd grade!

We took a one-night camping trip nearby to Babbler State Park, a whopping 20 minutes from home.

Home base.

Please help me get out of here!

S'mores were a big hit.

To celebrate our 10th Anniversary, we took a little trip. I always said I wanted to take Jason to Italy for our 10th. Well, that didn't happen, but San Francisco did!

Here's Alcatraz in the background.

getting closer...

We met up with good friends Jill and Dre on the second day. They showed us all around town!

Japanese Tea Garden

And the Painted Ladies (do you recognize this from Full House?)

Lombard Street

Home again, home again, jiggityjig.

It sure was nice to get away together, but it was also as nice to see the girls again too!

A BIG thank you to Aunt Sonya for watching the girls while we escaped! They were in good hands!

Our first child to actually fall asleep in her food.

Happy birthday to me! Look at these lovely ladies making me breakfast!

I'm a lucky girl.

Squeezing in an early-season swim meet the night before our big trip.

The next morning, we began our summer trip eastward to NH, stopping in DC to visit Jane & Brad and Poppy first.

We thought the President might like to visit with us as well...

but we couldn't get past the guards.

Museum of Natural History

The mall and Abe Lincoln.

Thanks for hosting us, Jane! Always so nice to see you. Unfortunately, Brad was in the hospital during the 2 days we were there, so we missed seeing him. Praying for a speedy recovery.

This be a LOT of car drivin'!

Up in NH

Auntie Jen with Colin and Ryan!

(and in Maine.)

To escape the rain, we headed in to the Boston Museum of Science for a day. Lots of fun! And not much different than I remember it as a kid!

Visiting Louisa May Alcott's home in Mass. That was pretty exciting for the big girls.

With Bestemor

We had a lot of fun cousin-time this year!

Fun on the lake with cousins and the Johanson's for July 4th!

Happy 4th of July!

Back at Home...

swim season is in full swing!

These girls improved so much this summer. Berkley dabbled with the breast stroke and butterfly and Charlotte became proficient in the back stroke. These Dolphins can swim!

Thanks to Lutheran Senior Services, we took the girls to a Cardinals game! It was a first for them all and pretty cool, even if we only stayed til the 6th inning. That's a late night!