Celebrations, Festivals, Goodbyes, and More Visitors!

With no school for the kids on Friday, it was the perfect time to celebrate Allison's 14th birthday with her girlfriends.  A sleepover was in order!

While Mom and Dad are away, the Mertz boys will play.  They were spending the night with us as well.  I wonder what they were thinking with five teenage girls in the house? :)

Lots of hugs and giggles all night long!

Very special friends!

I'll be willing to bet this wish has something to do with One Direction or Five Seconds of Summer....Just a hunch.

 We were kind of wondering what the girls were going to do the rest of the night.  I suggested we could do a photo shoot.  They disappeared for at least an hour and returned all primped and camera ready!

I had to get this special shot because Haley was leaving for Canada in two days.  They had six really good years in Brussels! 

Friday night, it was time to say farewell to the Davis family. 

Janet is the BEST!  She can always make you smile.  We were so sad to see them go.
But, it was fun having Shirley in town to celebrate with us.  Two of my favorite Canadians together again!!!  Thank you to Kristina and family for hosting.

Janet, Shirley, Kristina, Shoshana, Julie, and Me!

Big hugs

and lots of tears!

Saturday and Sunday, Chris and I attended Rock Werchter!  This four day festival has been held in Werchter, Belgium since 1976.  We really wanted to attend all four days, but the kids had school.  The festival was moved up a week for the Foo Fighters to attend.  But then, Dave Grohl went and broke his leg, so they ended up canceling anyway.

Snack time

A pretty typical scene at any European festival...or any gathering in Europe for that matter.

Squeezed in very tight for Lenny Kravitz!

Lenny did not have any wardrobe malfunctions.  Darn it! LOL!

He is too cool!

He came out into the crowd.  Can you see him?!

Pat was in town!  We loved having the chance to hang out with him!

Cori!!!

The ladies!

And the gents!

Those are cups.  If you turned in something like 20 cups, you got a free beer.  Ummm...that is a keg worth.

So much fun!!!

We stopped at Pat and Shirley's hotel to have a visit before they left Belgium and headed back to the US.  Shirley and I were trying to get a decent picture without my crazy neck tendon (vein..whatever that thing is...getting old sucks.)  It went something like this...

So ridiculous!  LOL!

 So, the kids were out of school on Thursday, slumber party Thursday night, going away party for the Davis family on Friday, Rock Werchter on Saturday and Sunday, and the Namanny family arrived on Monday!!  Beth, her mom, and her sister visited two summers ago.  This time, Beth was back with her other sister Sue, hubby Mike, and girls Taylor and Logan.  Taylor is one of my former third graders.  So excited to have all of them here!!!

Dinner on the Grand Place with these beauties!

Someone had their eyes closed in every picture.  Since we don't know the waiter, I picked him to have his eyes closed.  

Waffles!

Manneken Pis!

Tuesday, we were off to Brugge.  With such a big group, we had to take public transportation everywhere.  It was kind of fun to not have to drive.

Lunch at Zot (Brugge beer)

Taylor was pretty excited to have a beer with her third grade teacher. :)

These two might be a little insane.

"I promise if you do not complain about going to Brugge again, I will buy you ice cream."

The seven styles of Flemish houses all in one spot. 

Bottoms up!

Coconut beers in the coolest coconuts!

A picnic dinner at Chateau de la Hulpe.

Beer tasting...Westvleteren time!  Mike's favorite part of Belgium!

A stop at the Delirium Cafe.

The saddest face ever when your beer is gone.

Taylor's shot...Love it!

And on Wednesday, it was time to send them on their way to London.  They had more fun in store.  We were thrilled to have them for even just a little while. Our families have so many laughs together.  We just can't get enough of them!

And, that brings us into July!  Finally!

Until next time,
Wendy