Birthday boy...

A few weeks ago Connor turned 9!  I know, it can't be true!  Yet it is!

We had no idea what to get him were bouncing around a few ideas for a birthday gift.  The couple things he really wanted just weren't going to work out.

One was a lizard.  He researched and researched different ones but didn't find one that met his, and our, criteria.  He wanted one he could hold and wasn't nocturnal. I wanted one that didn't grow too big and need a huge cage.  I also was not happy about feeding it bugs but sure didn't want anything that ate anything bigger then bugs!  So after hours and hours of researching on line, going to the pet stores, talking to different people we decided a lizard wasn't the right choice for us right now.

He also wanted his own iTouch but for various reasons we felt like he shouldn't have his own and can continue to play with ours instead.

So on the afternoon of his birthday, after Ben and I went and had lunch with him at school, I went shopping.  Chris and I were texting ideas back and forth and I was going crazy completely confident that we would figure out a great surprise! 
Well Chris came up with one!  And Connor LOVES it!  It is an electric scooter and can go up to ten miles an hour! 

And since Connor doesn't like cake and requested I make a "giant chocolate chip cookie" that is what we had for desert to celebrate Connor turning 9!!!

Happy Birthday to my little man!

My family... Theresa's graduation

These were taken at Theresa's graduation party.

It was just last weekend but I can't help but laugh and get teary eyed at all the great memories that were made that day.

Here's my Dad!

My niece Sarah, her day is next year when she graduates from high school!

I couldn't help but think my mom just looked so beautiful sitting here so happy to be surrounded by her kids and grandkids.

My mom and sister Stephanie

Theresa being goofy!

My niece Emily

Just hanging out and loving on JB!

Julia, what is that face???

Maggie, looking so cute with that big flower in her hair!

 

Dad of the monkeys!  Guy I love!

My brother, Charles and his little girl Emily!

My sister Stephanie along with her kids Dylan, Kyle and Sarah

Chris and I with our group of monkeys!

My sister Jen, her husband Heath along with their kids, Heather, Julia, Theresa, Nicole and their grandson Jeffrey

My brother Charles, his wife Heather and their little girl Emily.

They have a little boy too but he wasn't there that day.

Ben and Julia, goofy cousins!

 

Oh, they can be normal sometimes!

My sister Jen and her grandson JB!

Dylan and Katelyn playing a little baseball.

My nephew Kyle

Sarah, Katelyn and Me!

Me and the girl of the day Theresa!!!

My awesome brother-in-law Heath enjoying the day his little girl graduated high school!

My aunt Jeanne, my mom and dad

My niece Nicole and her absolutely beautiful and amazing baby boy!

The whole lot of us!!!!

My sweet niece Emily!

No better day to end a great day!

Even Julia made sure she got an ice cream!

I LOVE MY FAMILY

AND I LOVED THIS DAY!

Theresa Graduated!

This is my beautiful niece Theresa and her nephew, JB on Theresa's high school graduation day.

 

It was a beautiful day for such a great kid to graduate.  To celebrate moving from one phase of her life into the next.

 

 Chris and I surprised Theresa by flying my other niece (Theresa's sister), Nicole and new nephew up for the graduation.  The original plan was for Nicole to be here the night before but due to plane delays and missed flights, oh and the airline loosing JB's car seat, Nicole didn't get here until a few minutes after the ceremony started.  So, from her seat up on stage Theresa saw her sister walk in with the baby!  I am so thrilled that Theresa LOVED her gift!  And as an added bonus I got to love on my new great nephew (although putting the "great" in front makes me sound old!) for a while!

It was a beautiful day and mother nature was very good to us!

Grandparents all came from afar to be at this long awaited occasion!

Heather loving on her new nephew for the first time!

Theresa, Nicole and baby JB!

Daddy's little girl....

 

Lots of family came for a celebration after!  I have a ton of pictures but if I put them all in one post it would be crazy long so I will have to do another one!

Theresa and Laney!

I am so very proud of you Theresa!!!

Arizona Critters

When we went to Arizona in April the kids were very happy to go critter hunting!

 

It didn't take them long before finding their first lizard.

Which they immediately made a habitat for. They made an easy way out for him in case he didn't want to stay in their man made habitat.  I wasn't overly surprised that he was gone when we went to look at him a little bit later.

I am pretty sure the kids caught at least one lizard per day!  Sometimes it was a few a day.

 

Maggie found a caterpillar at the park and was thrilled!  She was sure to have me take pictures of her critter as well.

Connor and Katelyn are the main critter catchers in our family.

I am really enjoying the zoom on my camera so I can get these up close pictures with out actually getting too close!  Since, you know, they are all thinking about how fun it would be to jump on me at any second!  The critters, not my children, although my children are known to do jumping as well.

Thanks Arizona, the critters were great!

A spring day

At the park on a beautiful spring day

 

 

the sun was shining and the sky was blue

One reason I guess I should be thankful for winter is that spring days like this are oh so sweet

Oh so sweet, just like this little guy