9!

Birthday Girl!  Tea and waffles for breakfast... presents, too!

Elephant family.  Nadine LOVES deer right now but also elephants :)

 

We took a break from church and headed to the beach.  We walked two short trails and then set up at the beach.  It was so nice to sit and play and chat and sit and play and chat and not do much more  - it was a really good break from jobs, the church and the house.

The water was freezing! and the kids mostly dared each other to go in, rather than play.

 

 

We brought a big shovel along this time as a lot of beach play is digging.  The kids all dug holes and "swimming pools" deep enough to get water on the bottom.

Nadine and Daddy on a "birthday" walk.

Opa and Oma joined us later in the afternoon and Opa was promptly held in place.  VERY funny.

Is Judah strong enough to break free?!!

 

Reuben spent a lot of time building a fort for himself and Silas under the new boardwalk.  Steve here is digging an extra spot for sad Eli to fit in.