Birthdays!

Nick turned 19 this year!!

This is the last year I'll have a teenager and when he turns 20 I'm gonna really feel old!! =/ For his birthday we enjoyed a dinner at a buffet as the boy loves to eat and never seems to fill up!

Nick is attending the local community college to get his associate's with plans to then transfer to a university for his bachelor's. His goal is to be a PE teacher/coach. Nick is also working full-time at Wal Mart in the dairy/frozen areas so is a busy guy for sure.

For my birthday we enjoyed the day downtown! We even lucked out with the weather, as far as Chicago winters go anyway, and were able to enjoy ourselves without totally freezing! The city is so enjoyable to see this time of year with all of the lights and different things going on. We started at Navy Pier then walked to Michigan Ave and State St and shopped til we dropped then walked back to Navy Pier. Thankfully Ron had a scooter to drive so he could join us as walking too far is no longer an option for him. It was a great time =)

After 8 hrs of walking around the city, the kids took some time to decorate some cookies and relax. Another enjoyable birthday spent downtown..............and another year older =/

Fall

Our grandson is growing rapidly and is a bundle of energy that doesn't stop for very long! He continues to be a joy and definitely keeps us on our toes. He will grab anything he knows he isn't supposed to have and then 'run' - you know if he takes off you better find him because he's got something he shouldn't for sure! He loves to take off with my wireless mouse, and his most favorite things are cellphones and keys - the keys he knows just what buttons to push on the remotes to open trunks and set alarms off!

I love this time of year!! The colors are amazing and the weather is great. I don't think I could ever live anywhere where they didn't have the 4 seasons and all the changes of scenery.
The year is definitely flying by and I can't believe Halloween is next week and then November - once that hits the rest of the year will go even faster! Working in retail this year has made things pass by quickly with being so busy, but I enjoy the people and its fun working with my son even though we don't see each other at work. Ron and Kyle work at the same place and now Nick and I do =)
The guys and their girls did their annual pumpkin carving and as usual they turned out great. Carving pumpkins has come a long way from the basic faces of when I was a kid.

Summer doings

Happy Father's Day! We enjoyed some family time for Ron's day - even with all the kids living at home, it is rare that we are ALL together at once with everyone's schedules. We had a nice morning together before some had to leave for work then Ron got to veg the rest of the day =)

I can't believe summer is all most over!! Nick, Jess, and I managed to all have the same day off so we took advantage of it and had Ron and Sara play hooky so we could take a family day at the zoo - it was fun to see Nicholas enjoy all the animals. The weather was thankfully perfect!


Nicholas loved the water spouts that they have at the zoo-it was definitely warm enough to enjoy it and he had a blast!

I can't believe how fast this guy is growing up!! He is learning something new each day and it is fun to see him grow and change right before our eyes!

I also can't believe that my son is 23!! Where oh where does the time go?! We celebrated with a family cookout and a swim as it was actually hot - we haven't had many of those days this summer for sure =/
We took another trip to the zoo, but this time to Milwaukee, and had a great time - Chris and I stopped at an Outlet Mall on the way home and really had a great time there!! =)

Nick Graduates!

Well the last of our kids has graduated! I can't believe how the time has flown and it doesn't seem possible that this day has come already. I can remember walking him down the block to his first day of kindergarten and now he is done! =/ Life sure does go by fast the older you get!

His girlfriend Jess graduated as well this year from the same school.

We had a combination party for Nick's graduation and also for Steven's welcome home from Iraq and it was great to see him!! =)

We also celebrated Ascher's 3rd birthday. I can't believe how fast they are growing up!!

Here are the 8 great-grandbabies!! Wonder if we will ever get one with everyone smiling and looking? Probably not, but they do make an adorable group regardless!!

A group of the cousins and their chitlins minus just a few. I love how the group continues to grow each year. =)

Missouri Memories =)

Having celebrated our 28th Anniversary yesterday, our thoughts went back to Missouri where we first lived after we got married. We spent 4 wonderful years there!! Life was slower and more relaxed than what we have here. Christie was born there, but we moved back to the Chicago area when she was 6 months old so Ron could start a new job and Christie could be close to her grandparents. The kids would have loved living there with the things that they could have enjoyed and when we would return to visit, they always asked us to move back. =)

Ron's dad had several acres where he grew mainly melons that they would sell at a local farm stand. His plans were to turn the land into a peach orchard, but unfortunately he passed away unexpectedly before that dream could be realized or before any of our kids were born which was very hard on Ron.
With country life being slower, you had to entertain yourself the best you could. I would sit on the front porch and shoot at the spinning sunflowers you put at the end of the driveway. I would shoot the pedals off then replace them as needed to do it again.
We had pigs, chickens, a goat, 2 dogs, and at one time there were 13 barn cats running around. The fresh eggs were great and I do miss them! Can't tell you if the pork in the freezer was any good cuz I just couldn't eat what had a name!! =/ We bought an acre of land with a modular home on it from a guy who was going to Texas. When we got there to move in, we found a dog tied to the pig pen!! It was a young doberman that they just up and left. He was scared and skinny but he adjusted quickly and was a great dog (yes mom he was great despite the Shep incident =)
We also had Ryan =) Ryan is Ron's nephew and he lived with us for awhile. It was a great place for a boy to be with all that he could do. With animals, three-wheelers, guns, the lake, it was enough to keep him entertained - we only had 3 stations on tv and no video games, but he was never bored. We def lived in the rural part of the area. I had to go 25 miles to get to Poplar Bluff where I worked, but it was a beautiful drive. Ron and Ryan helped his dad with his place and crops and they would at times spend weekends away selling the melons. Fireworks were legal to buy and light so the 4th was great fun for them.

Oh ya, when tinted glasses were oh soooo cool =P That's Ryan a bit more grown up with cousin Jackie.
Ryan had moved to Florida a long time ago and we hadn't seen him in many years - we were thrilled that he actually made a trip up here and that we were able to spend some time with him and catch up. He shared some stories with the boys of life in Missouri and some of them I didn't know about and was probably best I didn't at the time!! =/

Nick, Ryan and Kyle

Prom =)

Nick and Jess attended their Prom last night and looked great!! =)
This year, unfortunately, the Prom was outside and it was a bit cold for that =/ They enjoyed themselves despite the cold and I can't believe that this school-end event has come and gone already! The years have definitely flown by =0
They went up to the Dells today with most of the senior class to an indoor waterpark and will be able to enjoy that despite the chilly air.

They are a sweet adorable couple for sure =)

We weren't able to get together on Mother's Day so we took the time to do it today. The weather was perfect and we enjoyed some lunch then a trip to the garden center to buy some flowers. It was a good time and as always great to get together =)

Happy Mother's Day!!

I am thankful for my mom and the joy she brings to our lives and to all who know her!! Her kindness, compassion, humor, and love for her family is a great source of comfort and joy for us all.
Love you mom!! =)

Being able to be a mom has been one of my greatest joys (and heartache at times) that I wouldn't trade for anything. With the kids grown now, the relationships have changed to ones of friendships that I truly cherish and I enjoy each of them with all my heart!

Uncle Kyle took some shots on Easter as I was unable to attend and with this one I don't think he realized the boy had a very small lego in his mouth!! =/

Nicholas loves music and whenever he hears the radio go on he will stop, listen, and then start to dance. His dad plays the piano with him all the time and plans on teaching him to play as well.
He absolutely adores Cocoa and she is very patient with him and takes a lot of climbing and sitting on but she knows that if there is a ball around he will be ready to play with her.
He is learning how to throw it for her.....
..but he prefers to just stick it in her mouth which isn't as fun for her, but she takes what she can get as long as she gets her ball.