Nathan's Birthday Dinner!

We all went to Corky's for Nathan's birthday dinner...they have his favorite chicken strips! We sat on the patio and it was a beautiful night! Grammy brought balloons...always makes a party happier with balloons!

This card was perfect...13 does rock! Right?? It's hard to say that my baby is a teenager, hopefully that attitude will not get too bad!

He wanted a "nice" watch and a "sports" watch for his birthday. He got the "nice" watch from Grammy and the "sports" watch from us. He was a happy camper!

Silly faces...

A Giant cookie and Happy Birthday song...we are having a broomball party for him tonight...I think it will be fun! Happy Birthday Nathan...you are 13...and YOU ROCK!!

Happy 13th Birthday NATHAN

Dear Nathan~
13 years ago I gave birth to a 10 pound beautiful baby boy...and that was YOU! I fell in love with you even before I saw your gorgeous blue eyes and thick head of brown hair! You were perfect with all of your fingers and toes and are the most magnificent addition to our family. I could not imagine our lives without YOU...you make us a whole family and I adore you!
You have turned into a compassionate and tender boy. You are everyone's friend and always help the underdogs. You are very athletic and competed once again in All-Star baseball and hit 3 homeruns this year. All of your teachers tell me you are the "ideal" student and you got excellent grades in your first year of middle school. Your Daddy and I are so proud of you and are excited to see what the next year brings for you!
With all my LOVE,
Mom

4th of July CELEBRATION

On the 4th of July, we had some of our family here for burgers and dogs...My cousin Monique from Arizona was here with her kids...Chelsea came over...

And my cousins Diane and Larry joined us. The kids TOTALLY outnumbered the adults, but they are all big enough to take care of themselves, which is great and relaxing for ME!! We had a great time, even though we ran out of burgers...who knew all the kids would choose burgers and not dogs!?!

After dinner they swam again and then played games. This particular game, they have to put names of celebrities on each others foreheads and then they have to guess the name on their own heads! They were cracking each other up! They had a blast!

Shawn and Kyle are 6 months apart and they both just graduated. He is such a great kid...and cute too!!

Chelsea and Kyle...having fun!

Shawn and Jenna...

Nathan, the youngest in the crowd...but held his own!! Thanks guys...for a fun time! Go U>S>A!!

Wordless Wednesday #47 ~ Summer Mornings...

The aftermath from the night before...

Happy 4th of July

This year I am feeling very thankful for such a supportive and cute husband! He always believes in me, even if I don't believe in myself!

I am also feeling thankful for those Mommy's who have kids fighting for our freedom overseas!! What a sacrifice to make for our safety and the safety of our country!

These boys make my life shine and I love them so much...

They'll never know what I'd do to protect them...I do everything in my power to keep them safe, warm, fed, and happy! That's a lot of pressure for a Mommy...even when your "babies" are 12 and 18 years old!!

Kyle taught Nathan how to dive...I LOVE watching my boys interact and learn from each other. Thanks for this beautiful day, we have family coming over later to celebrate with us!!

Kyle's Graduation Party ~ Part 3

Last weekend we had a Graduation Open House her for Kyle...all the people who love him so much were here for him! Above are friends from his Preschool and Kindergarten days...wow, that's friendship! I did a REALLY bad job of taking pictures at the party, because I was busy talking to all of our friends! I think we had about 50 people here over the course of the afternoon.

This is our ADORABLE niece Riley...she loves Molly...

Our cousins Diane and Larry...they are SO GOOD to my kids, and even though they claim they don't like kids too much, they love my kids and visa versa.

Some of our neighbors who have been like second Moms to Kyle over the past 8 years since we moved into our house. SO LUCKY to have them nearby!A few of our party guests...Kelly, Elaine, Don, Doug, Grammy, and Linda. All of these people are so cherished as part of our lives...

Kristin, my BFF since 5th grade and Ellen (whom I lovingly call Mom) always here for me!

I made some posters of Kyle's school days and graduation.

Kyle with Darrell and I and Grammy. It was a proud Mommy moment for me...love my boys SO MUCH!!

Tanya, Kristin, and all of us!

Kristin and I with Nolan and Genevieve, her kids are SO CUTE!!

Holly helping me clean up after the party! Nathan was at his All-Star baseball game so he didn't get to attend most of the party, it fell at the SAME exact time which was a huge bummer!

We are so blessed to have such supportive friends and family to celebrate these huge achievements with us!

A Few Reasons that I LOVE My Job!

This year I am teaching summer school, and i LOVE it! At work I get lots and lots of hugs, and smiles...

I get to look at beautiful artwork all day long...

and artist dressed up in very fancy clothes!!

Mostly, I get to be a part of these lives...and that makes my life better...much, much better!!