I am such a sap

but this made me cry.

http://mfrost.typepad.com/cute_overload/2008/07/eat-your-heart.html

Pictures from our camping trip up in Silver Lake!

Happy 4th of July!!

I hope everyone had a great 4th! I know ours was filled to the brim with fun. On Friday we spent the day at Brians grandparents pool swimming and cooking out with family and friends. Kendall and Ryleigh are little fish. The pool is heated so they were in the pool the entire day. Kendall is becoming quite the swimmer and was even diving under to get things off the bottom the other kids tossed in for her.

The next day we went to a parade, then off to a cookout, bonfire and fireworks at Dale and Susan's house on Fox Lake. What a great day spent with great friends! This is probably the 3rd or 4th year in a row we have went there for fireworks and had a blast. The kids jumped on the trampoline (which had the nurse in me totally on edge, I have seen way to many kids break arms on them darn things!!), went kayaking, and did sparklers.







Ryleigh loved doing the sparklers.
Kendall on the other hand was a little nervous. These pictures totally crack me up! You would think the girl had never done a sparkler in her life, but this is so her, my little Miss cautious


When we got home that night I hosed my exhausted and dirty kids off in the tub and I think they were asleep before there heads hit the pillow. The next day we were up and off for another day of fun at Michigan's Adventure with the Carnes family and Uncle Jared and Aunt Cathy. It was a great day and we could not have asked for better weather, hot enough to enjoy the water park, but not too hot to go on all the rides in the regular park.

Here is Parker with his big sissy on his first ride at an amusement park. Poor guy wasn't feeling good and he still had a fun time. I was so busy packing everyone up and getting everything ready to go in the morning I didn't even realize that my poor son was running a fever until we got to the park,talk about a bad mommy moment!! (Actually now that I think about it, that was my second of the weekend, but I will not go into what happened on the dock with Ryleigh the day before but for those that are reading this that were there know what I am referring too!!) Anyway, it wasn't anything that a $7 dose of Children's Motrin from the gift shop couldn't fix.










Parker wishing he was big enough to go on the kiddie roller coaster with his sisters!

Some pictures from our busy but fun weekend!!

Happy 2nd birthday Parker!!

My Sweet baby boy,

Happy Birthday Parker man!
I can't believe that you are already two years old! I can remember the day you were born like it was yesterday, yet at the same time it feels like you have always been here. We all love you so much and words can't even begin to describe how much love, joy and laughter you have brought into our lives! You are a ray of sunshine!

I love being your Momma and watching you grow and learn new things. You are such a happy boy. Today is a bittersweet day as we celebrate your second birthday. I am so excited to watch you reach each milestone - yet it tugs at my heart to see how quickly you are growing up.

There are so many things about you right now that I just love. Things that I never want to forget . . . like the way you pull up on my leg to be picked up when you want to cuddle. Or the way you smell right after your bath. Or the way you giggle and laugh when your sisters chase you. Or the way you say Mama. Or the way you pat my back when you give me a hug. Or the way you think it is funny when I pretend to eat all the "food" you bring me out of the play kitchen. Or the way you start to bop your head whenever you hear music. Or the way you light up and get all excited when Daddy comes home. I just want to freeze time and savor these moments of sweetness you give us every day.
You are smart, determined, curious, active, fearless, loving, feisty, and it is so fun to watch you explore everything around you. You truly have the best personality.

I am so humbled, honored and thankful that God placed you in our lives and chose me to be your mother. We look forward to watching you grow and we can't wait to experience each step of the way with you. My heart is just filled with so much LOVE for you!

Happy birthday baby boy!

Therrrrrrre backkkkkk

The long awaited reunion of the New Kids on the Block has finally come to pass. Do I still have my Jordan Knight button? Some how they don't seem to sound as good as I remember...Hmmmm

The last "Griz"

It's official the last of the Griswold gang has graduated. For the first time since...1986 there will not be a "Griz" wandering the halls of Whitehall next year. My brothers graduation was so bitter sweet yesterday. I was so happy for him and proud of him yet at the same time sad as it seemed to make the fact that he will be leaving for boot camp soon seem all the more real. Of course I had my camera out the whole time, trying to capture every moment, every hug, every moment with his friends. During the part of the ceremony when they were handing out the diploma's I fought my way through the bleachers to the front to get the "perfect picture" of him when they handed him his diploma. I squeezed and shimmied my way through to the very front and was in the most perfect spot. He was walking up, they called out his name, I was just about to take the picture and you will never believe who walked right in front of me litterly blocking my entire view, none other than Mr. Markel!! I quick moved to the side and got him walking away with his diploma in hand. For those of you who went to Whitehall can understand my thinking "only Mr Markel!!" So that was that, the end of an era for us, but just watch out Whitehall because here comes our kids!! =)






(Notice the man in the corner! LOL)