Jersey friends....aka Our Extended Family!

The thing about seeing such great friends only once a year or once every other year is that you are so wrapped up in talking with each other the camera or phones just sit off to the side and no pictures are ever taken of the gathering.  Such was the case when we were back in Jersey this last time.  Some I have more pictures of than others.  I think only because as our trip went on and we saw friends I would make myself leave the conversations to get pictures.  The girls love looking through the pictures of all of our trips and love remember what they were playing with or what was happening in a particular picture.  However, this trip I didn't get too many photos of them to do that but below are some of them that I did get!

The Groen Family!!

LOVE this family!! I was a little disappointed with myself because I didn't get a picture of Grace & Carter together!  I have taken a picture of the two of them ever since they were babies and this year I just completely forgot!!  Grace was very sad that we forgot too.  This is defiantly one picture I'm going to have to remember next time!  

The Dalelio Family!

Again LOVE this family!! (Probably safe to say we LOVE all of the families listed in this post. Heh)  This is the only thing I have from our time with them.  I do love that it is a video and we get to actually see this moment in time over and over again and hear all the laughter!  

The Schwinge Family....and Buglinos!
This family is my family in Jersey!  I spent so much time with this beautiful woman and her family took me as one of them!!  They have been through so much in the short time (12 years, ok maybe not a short time but in my mind it is not all that long) that I have known them.  Through it all they have only grown and become stronger and more beautiful as a family.  There are several days that I wish we lived closer and we could be in each others lives on a more day to day basis but that is not where God has us.  For now we will just take all the little moments that we get with each other and the phone calls and hold them even closer to our hearts and treasure them.  Regardless of how close or how far apart we are we will always be family! :)

I LOVE this picture!! Hehe :)

The Wenzel family!!
Rob has been a part of our family even before our family even existed!  We were friends with Rob long before we ever knew each other.  It was through him that we met!!!  (Thanks Rob!!)  Anyways, every trip back they are a must see family for us.  Rob is one of Mark's closest friends, even though we live so far apart and several hours in time difference this does not stop the two of them! :)  Just like with the Schwinges, there are several days that I wish we lived closer and we could be in each others lives on a more day to day basis but again that is not where God has us.  For now we will just take all the little moments that we get with each other and the phone calls and the FaceTime and hold them even closer to our hearts and treasure them.  Regardless of how close or how far apart we are we will always be family! :)

We had a small dance party at their house.....Uncle Mark with Charlotte and Uncle Rob with Eva!!

The Men with their boys!! :)

I love this picture!  I wish I knew what Caleb was thinking!  To me it looks like he is wondering why Thor keeps getting so close and wondering what on earth will he do! Hehe :)

Unfortunately on this trip we were not able to see the Bostdorff Family, their children were sick with the stomach bug.  Mark & Brad were able to get together one evening for dinner but the kids and I stayed home!  We were also able to see the DiTomaso Family or most of them, Ryan was at work.  However, this was towards the beginning of our trip and I never took one single picture while we were there.  It was so wonderful to see them and catch up and find out how they were all doing.  The boys are getting so big....Ryan will be a senior in college & Connor a freshman in college this fall!!  How did that happen?  How did two boys I use to nanny for get so old?  How did I get so old? Hehe.....I digress.....it was wonderful to see them I just wish we were able to see Ryan!  I think I have missed him the last 2 times we were back.  Maybe the next trip he will be home and maybe the next time I will remember to take out my camera!! :)

Be sure to keep scrolling down as there is another new post below! ;)