Happy Birthday Ty

Happy Birthday to Ty.

Sorry for the belated post.

Thanks for being such a great kid

You have become a beautiful, caring and smart woman

It has been a great 21 years and I am looking forward to the next 21....... and beyond-

Lots of love

And many more birthdays to come!!!!

Happy Birthday Bee!

Today is my baby's 12th Birthday-

Where did the time go-

I am excited to see the young woman she is becoming but I am sad to see my baby gone-

Independent, brave, beautiful, smart, loving and caring-

I love you Bee!

Happy Birthday!

Games, Games and More Games Along with Lots of Snow

April showers bring May flowers unless you live where the snow continues to fall

Mountains at super high snow levels and the worry begins that we may see some flooding if it all decides to come down at once. Let's hope not.

Boo, Ty and D went to D's brothers and had an all night video game playing with several of D's brothers and assorted other people. I think it is neat that they all still have this in common and like to spend time together and play. I know many of the wives get tired of the computer games and the the extreme amount of time that they spend playing, I do as well as I still have an unfinished basement and backyard. I do think that it is good for their relationship as brothers that they spend time together doing something that they all enjoy. They all played various computer and x-box games, ate pizza and snacks sent by the assorted wives. I think this time it was especially important as D has one brother who will be going into a combat zone soon so it is good for them to spend time with him before he goes. Later that next day we met with several of his siblings and spouses for a dinner out. It is really nice to see everyone and spend time having fun with them even if it still snowing.

We do feel bad, we had been housesitting for my sister on vacation and between thursday evening when we checked their house and Friday afternoon their sump pump quit working and their crawl space flooded. Boo had gone over to check on the dog and heard a beeping noise coming from downstairs. As she went down the stairs and peeked into the crawl space she stepped into a puddle of water. She ran home and got her dad and he went back over, got the pump working again but we felt bad that we did not catch it sooner. Sorry Sis about not catching it sooner, but cool monitor for water. If you had not had that we would not have caught it when we did and it could have been much worse.

well sorry for the boring post.

attack of the mutant teenager - oh wait it's only G-Bear turning 13

Yes it is true he did live to be 13. We sure wondered many a time if he would make it to be a teenager but here he is. G-Bear turned 13 on March 2nd and I just can't believe that he is that old. It seems like only yesterday that he was born to much fanfare and excitement being a boy after two girls. Now here he is almost as tall as his big sisters and growing every day. It looks like he takes after my dad and is going to be a tall one. Too bad his coordination sucks otherwise maybe we could make a basketball player out of him.

G-Bear loves to play any type of video game, he is his fathers son and is very good at all of them. For his birthday we took him to the local fun center with his friend and his cousins and they all played lazer tag, mini golf and bowled. It was a lot of fun. He got the Pokemon game he wanted and money to spend on more video games so he was a happy boy.

Happy Birthday G-Bear!

We love you!

Life Stages

We got together this weekend with two of D's best friends from high school and before. We try to get together with them at least once a year but often it stretches to two years. It is interesting to see the three of them together, each in a different stage of life despite all being the same age. One still has little kids, one has almost an empty nest and us who are still in the thick of parenting but with kids who are starting to be independent and not as reliant on us as parents.

They talked, ate pizza and played games told stories of when they were young and also what has been happening in each others lives over the last couple of years. As the outsider or someone who did not know them until they were older it is interesting to see what is of value to each. One lives in a home that needs some attention but is more involved in seeing the world and experiencing life not seemingly worried about what happens in 20 years but more where they are day to day. We live in a nice home and value the stability of jobs that offer us a future and the possibility of retirement someday. The other friend that you don't really get much from. He has had some pretty big setbacks in his life and doesn't share as much about where he is or where he is going.

A group of friends with similar upbringing, beliefs, values and goals in high school but through life's trials and experiences has moved down different paths. It does show how strong a solid friendship can be that despite it all and while each is on a different path and in a different place that they all remain good friends and value each other.

cover your head!!!

No lightning is not going to strike and the world is not coming to an end (it is not 2012 yet) and yes this is a new post.

So I hope everyone out in the world is good

sorry for the lack of information but what can you say, no news is good news or something like that?

What, may you ask, has brought about this surprising post?

I guess I just got tired of the Boo birthday post..

so what has been happening.....

Everyone is good

G-Bear is finally on the mend after a nasty bout of the flu. 103 temperature for almost a week and he is still not eating very well. But at least he is back to school and teasing his sisters.

Bee finally cleaned her room so she could have a sleepover but then had to move it to her friends because her brother was sick.

Ty is still going to school and working at the movie theater.

Boo is the same, working at the library and being an independent teenage with a car and money. She will be going to Seattle in a month for orchestra so she is getting ready.

D and I are the same, working and doing our best to keep heads above water and everyone as happy as possible.

Random events

Trip to Vegas to see LOVE (LOVED IT!!) it was awesome! We took Boo and it was so cool to see the look on her face when the music started! it will be something that I will always treasure.

20th wedding anniversary - can't believe it has been that long!

Christmas at the crazy house - we managed to find a cool electric scooter for Bee in our budget and she was so excited... sometimes you win.

D's 45th birthday, on the downhill slide to 50 scary huh.

I will try and be better about posting but I promise nothing!

a birthday and a bit of sadness

This past week we celebrated a birthday and and a passing. Boo turned 17 on Monday. It is hard to believe that she is 17. Boo is becoming so independent, she has a job and a car and while she loves her family she is discovering the fun of having her own money and the ability to go out with her friends without having to beg Mom and Dad for money. I miss my little girl but I am so proud to see the wonderful woman that she is becoming. We spent some time today with all of D's family it is interesting to see how our dynamic is changing. Having the oldest youngest kids we have a different perspective than most of the others. While they still have babies and small kids we are not many years away from an empty nest. Having some of the oldest grandkids I see Boo holding her infant cousins and I see a glimpse into the future with her kids (hopefully a good many years away yet)

Now for the passing and the reason we were all together today. D's Grandpa Mark passed away on Boo's birthday. He was 91 years old and was quite a firecracker. We knew he was ill and failing and unfortunately did not make it to see him before he passed. Today was his funeral and while he had lived a full life it was still a sad passing. It was a strange gathering as the family dynamic with that side of the family is challenging. D's Grandpa divorced his wife many years ago and then remarried a wonderful lady that D calls Grandma. They both brought children into the marriage but many were older and I do not think that there was a lot of bonding that was done between the families. D's mom was very hurt in the divorce her relationship with her father was strained so as a kid D did not really have much to do with many of the cousins on that side of the family. He did see his grandpa and He and I have tried to visit them as often as we could as they were such an incredible couple that truly loved all of their grandkids and family.

I had met only a couple of D's uncles and aunts before and only a few of the cousins. Grandpa Mark left quite a legacy with 60+ grandkids, 96 great-grandkids and even some great-great grandkids and he and Grandma Reva were married for over 50 years. I hope D and I can be as happy as they were when we get to be their age. We will miss his humor and his wonderful stories and sitting in his backyard watching the hummingbirds.

One of the neatest things at his funeral was the American Legion Color Guard who came to honor Grandpa. Grandpa served in the Navy during World War II and so he was given the military funeral with the flag ceremony, the shooting of the guns and the playing of Taps. It was such a emotional experience to watch and to know that he was a hero for our county and a great man. Grandpa Mark we will miss you and Grandma Reva know that we all love you and are sending you comfort in this sad time of mourning for Grandpa.