Happy Birthday, Nana!! (a little late, but with pictures!!)

When we were in SC for Christmas, we got to celebrate with Jason's mom...with a huge party for her 60th birthday. 

It was a lot of fun. 

We saw a lot of friends...

and made new friends.
...and generally had a really good time. 

There was good food...

...and good conversation...

...with around 100 of their closest friends and some family.  

I am SO very glad we were able to be there! 
Happy Birthday, Nana!!

Happy 11th Birthday!!

My little guy is ELEVEN years old today.
**EDITED:  How could I mis-figure his age?!?

And he is competing in his first Geography Bee today.

And he's smarticle...really, the kid amazes me!!

He is constantly busy building incredibly detailed models with his Legos, making cars...

and trucks....
and planes...

and pod-racers...
and houses...
and bars...

and tanks...

And Justin is a really fun kid!

 
Happy Birthday, Justin!!  We LOVE you!!!

'tis the Season...

...Birthday season, that is.  In our immediate family, birthday season extends from late November through April, leaving us all confused for those six months as to who is what age, and then when the six-month season is over, the kids are back to their every-two-years pattern, making my job much easier ("how old are they?" "...ummm...let's see..."). 

Of course, each child will gladly correct me when my aging, overworked brain gets it wrong...again... 

With this one, however, there is no mistake.  She's my oldest.  The one we've learned on.  The easiest first child you'll ever meet.  She's smart (really...I know I'm biased, but she IS smart) - working on 4 different languages right now (Spanish, Arabic, Italian, and German), and wanting to have MASTERED those and two more by the time she finishes college.  She is smart.  She is talented, playing the flute and piccolo in marching band and wind ensemble...and wishing she had time to play in the jazz band.  She is beautiful, inside and out.  Her heart is to serve others.  She loves her Lord, and wants to do what He wants her to do...even when it is hard and pushes her outside of her comfort zone. 

Happy Birthday, Baby, Sissy, Ducky....Frances.  I love you and thank God for you regularly!!  You amaze me and I am so very proud of you!!

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl!!

I don't care what anyone says.  She is my baby.  She will always be my baby.   And it's not fair that they grow up so fast!! 

Today is Katherine's 7th birthday.  Seven years ago was a Saturday, and we were in Montana.  Jason was supposed to be running sound and lights for a Christmas Dessert at our church, and we were at the hospital.  Around 5:00 pm Katherine Louise was born, and by 5:30 Jason was on his way over to the church, which thankfully was only a couple of blocks away.

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl!  I love you!!

Happy Birthday, Heather!!

(a.k.a. I now have 3 teenagers!)


Thanksgiving day was also our third child's 13th birthday.


This beautiful child wanted to have a party.


So we invited friends. (of whom I did not get pictures)

The girls walked down the street to our local park, and tried to make their way down the embankment to the water. Heather slipped and fell, catching herself on her left hand/wrist. I got a phone call asking me to come pick them up because Heather hurt her arm. I was aggravated because I had to make a run to pick up another child, and I really needed them home, but I drove down and got them. When Heather got in the van she was still crying, and said she couldn't move her wrist and the pain went all the way up her arm.

We got back to the house, and I went to pick up the other child while Jon served cake and ice cream and Heather opened presents. I found out where the closest hospital is, and got home and made calls to to all the parents for the friends to be picked up, and then Heather and I took off for what has to be a record visit to an emergency room. Seriously...we left the house and were back in less than two hours!!

She had a buckle (or incomplete) fracture in the ulna of her left hand. Which should be fun...she's left-handed...and plays the flute...


...and alto sax.Happy Birthday, my beautiful, artistic, fun newest teenager!! I love you!!

Happy Birthday to my baby...

I know she's not a baby any more...after all, this is her 6th birthday....but she's MY baby. My youngest....and she's growing up SO FAST.

Love you, Louly!!

More sickness...

I am SO tired of having sick people in the house. We're on week 3 right now, and have 2 kids sick still....and a third one just came back in saying he wasn't feeling well. Jason has been sick now for 3 weeks. This HAS TO end soon!

So I haven't been on here for a while...understatement. I got to do a bunch of running around on my birthday...we had all kinds of award ceremonies at the elementary school...
Justin made the Principal's list with straight As...and had perfect attendance.
Heather made the Honor Roll and had perfect attendance.
Leah had perfect attendance...1st graders don't have the opportunity to make Honor Roll. Unfortunately, the teacher didn't get her name on the list, and we didn't get to take any pictures.

The school has this really cool mural...Katherine loves it!

That night, some really good friends surprised me with a portable party...complete with cake, candles, soda, and balloons. Then, they took me out for dinner and coffee...and a couple of hours of fun an laughter.

Work has been CRAZY...trying to keep with sick people, messy house, AND loads of work...please forgive my absence from my blog. I WILL be back...hopefully soon!

But I don't FEEL like deep cleaning...

This last week has been awful. Sick people all over the house, trying to carry on, despite the fact that most of us *should* have been in bed. The stomach yuckies, sinus drainage, nausea, diarrhea...yeah, we've got the whole nine yards. Not going to rant about the inequity of not wanting to infect others, but there not being any grace/mercy/available time to take off from school and/or work. Suffice to say I'm frustrated. AND, I HAVE TO get busy doing some clean-up, so people stop getting sick one of these days soon!

So, today is my birthday, and we're not feeling much like celebrating here...too many sick people....and this is not really a birthday I am much in a mood to celebrate. Feeling just a little old now. Guess I need to change my "About Me" section, since I'm no longer a "thirty-something".... My mom made me cry with the card she sent with some memories of the day I was born. At least I am not feeling as bad as I did the day I turned 30!

Okay, time to go get the rest of the family up and evaluate how many sick people will be staying home today...

I LOVE my handsome husband!!

My Wonderful, busy, loving husband really surprised me last night with a beautiful birthday present.



Thank you, Honey! I LOVE YOU!!

(and the chain broke today...grrr...)...

Happy Birthday, my son!

Happy 9th, my son. I am daily amazed at your sensitivity and your care for you friends. Keep that. Oh, and please stop "wiping off" my kisses. I love you!

Happy 15th Birthday, baby girl!!

At less than 1 day old, with Grandma and Aunt Naomi....

At about 7 months....

At about 7 years, living in Texas....

As an 8th grader, dressed out for her last concert of the year, in Virginia....

As a freshman in highschool, preparing for her first marching band performance....

Preparing for her first performance with the Symphonic Band....

Happy Birthday, Sissy!! I love you!!