Party Night

Birthday girl Becky

Birthday boy Karl

Coen

Ayden

Spencer and Popo

Gracie

Jackson

Last night we were able to get everybody together for a joint birthday party for Becky and Karl.   It's becoming a joke trying to get everyone around the dining room table but the kids are still too young to send to the kitchen table - but we manage.  

I had a good time just watching the kids.  The girls (Gracie and Ayden) are still a little overwhelmed by the rowdy boys (mostly Popo, Stevie, Karl, and Nate) but they are getting use to it.  Baby Jackson sat in the middle of it all and seemed to think it was a great time. 

 Happy after-birthday Becky and Happy early-birthday Karl!!

May 14

My calendar today says "Becky's birthday" 

and "Spencer's graduation"

Wow - how quickly time is passing. 

Now Becky is all grown up and the wonderful mommy to

our Gracie girl (Get Well Gracie!)

But once she was my little girl 

and I was her mommy

 -well, actually she is still my little girl 

and I am still her mom

 - but you know what I mean!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BECKY - LOVE YOU!!

And it's unbelievable that

 Spencer is old enough to be graduating Pre-K

 and getting all ready for Kindergarten.

Congratulations Sweet Spencer - LOVE YOU!!

(And now Coen is sick too - Get Well Coen!!)

And as long as I was finally updating my blog,

 I figured I'd throw in a few photos from the

 weekend 50th anniversary party - 

It was fun seeing everyone -

Love and Congrats again to Ed and my favorite sister!

A Lot Can Happen in 10 Years

The last ten years almost seems like only a few months ago.

1999 - I had 3 children still living at home and 

one still had another year of high school. 

 My baby boy before he started shaving his head.  Even he hadn't met Jessie yet.

Nate and Becky (at Aaron & Miranda's wedding) 

We had some strong suspicions they might get married someday.

Karl & Jenny - I believe this picture was taken when we were first getting to know Karl - this may have even been our first introduction.

 But here it is just 10 years later - 

2009 and we have 3 married children and 5 (soon to be 6) grandchildren.

What I don't understand is - how come I have aged 10 years but my kids (except for Stevie's shaved head) all look about the same?

Tagged by Kathryn

8 Things I'm Looking Forward To:

My morning coffee

Any visits with my grandkids

New grandbaby in November

Joe & Sandi coming for a visit

The T's 50th Anniversary Party

KC trip

Finally finishing Mists of Avalon so I can move on to something new

Autumn - (not a big fan of summer)

8 Things I Did Yesterday

Manicure

Talked to Spencer & Coen on the phone

Schnucks

Hardward Store

Laundry

Dinner out

Read more of Mists of Avalon

Watched Bones on DVR

8 Things I Wish I Could Do

Take longer walks without pain

Carry a tune

Take long roadtrips to NE USA

Visit Ireland, Scotland, & England without getting on a plane or boat

Cook better and eat healthier

Say the right things at the right times

Be SuperMom/SuperNana

Catch up with my reading lists

8 TV Shows I Watch

House

Bones

NCIS

Tudors

Food Channel

Life

Lie To Me

Harper's Island

8 People I Tag

Jenny

Becky

Lindsey

Kelly R

Sherri

Christi

Terri

 Jessie( but I'm not sure that's what her blog is about)

The Impossible Easter photo

I had forgotten how difficult it was to get a good family Easter photo.  I can remember promising almost anything to just get all three of mine to sit still for a few moments so we could snap a picture.  

Well, kids haven't changed any.  At least now we have digital so you don't feel like you've wasted a bunch of film.  You wouldn't believe how many pictures I have of my furniture and floor because the child in my viewer disappeared before I could snap the button.

We tried to get all 5 to sit on the couch for a group shot. Talk about fun :) - we did manage to herd them all into the same room but we could not get them to sit on the couch together - someone was always taking off.

Here's the best I could get - but I'm sure my kids got much better pictures that they will share with Nana & Popo.

This is truly the only shot I have of Coen -

 this child is forever in constant motion.

Jackson is the only cooperative one -

 but of course he is just beginning to become mobile.

Even Spencer hates to pose for pictures - he use to be easier to catch.

Ayden can almost be convinced if she's being held but you have to be quick.

I managed to sneak this one of Grace while her mommy was distracting her.

If you want to see what most of my pictures look like - below are some of the better ones - I think I had to delete more than I saved because it was just furniture or part of an arm or leg.  It's really kinda funny because they know why you're calling their name so they just totally ignore you or refuse to look at you - sweet little stinkers - they're still adorable cuties.

Neotez Past

Last night we went to the Neotez dinner and I was reminded of

 some of my favorite photo memories.

The Old Man, the Boy, and the Mule

   The other day someone was talking about the problem they were having  trying to please several different people at the same time.  I was tempted to tell them this story that my mother told me when I was trying to please everyone while planning my wedding.  

I can remember exactly where we were - I had just driven us home from Kroger's and we were parked in the car across from our house.  We just sat there in the car while she shared this little nugget of wisdom.  

You've probably heard it before but sometimes it's good to hear again and remember to accept that you just can't please everyone!

   There was once an old man, a young boy, and a mule going on a long journey.  As they started out the old man placed the young boy on the mule and he walked along with them.  The first town they came to all the people watching them clucked their tongues and said, 

   "Why is the old man walking while the young boy gets to ride?" 

So they switched places and the old man rode while the boy walked.   The second town they came to all the people watching them frowned and said 

"Why does the old man get to ride and the young boy have to walk?"

So they both climbed up on the mule.  As they came to the next town all the people were shocked and said, 

"How can you make that poor mule carry both of you?"  

So they both got off the mule and they both walked next to the mule.  As they got to the last town all the people watching laughed at them and said, 

"Why are you both walking when someone could be riding the mule?"