Happy birthday Dad.

Happy 73rd birthday Dad. It's funny that I have more memories of your birthday than I do my own. We had so much fun on the 4th of July, but you never made it about you. I remember BBQ's and boat rides, air shows and swimming in the lake, and of course fireworks, lots and lots of fireworks. Mom reminded me the other day how we used to drive to the highest point in town and watch the fireworks show that they would do out over the lake, it was so fun. It felt like they did the show just for us. Tonight, I'll watch the fireworks on our street and just before they are over, I'll close my eyes and make a birthday wish just for you.

Photo Journal

Last night we went here

for our last one of these

then we watched her

give him this

then we we got to go outside and see them

do this

for the last time.

Lots of Love

Two years in the making. Katie cut her hair last night to donate to Locks of Love. So sweet, love that girl.

Happy Mother's Day

Inspiration

So I know that I have shared with you about a million times that my Nieces are the ones who got me to blog. They inspire me all the time with their creativity and I regularly steal ideas off of their blogs, either to use on my blog or to use in my real life. This morning I'm reading Rachael's page and I see the adorable photos of her kids hands and I instantly remember my most favorite photo of Katie's hands. I took this back in 2009 on a camping trip. Katie wanted a picture of the "first fish I ever caught". Never thought it would turn out to be one of my all time favorites! I always feel relaxed and inspired by the photo. Don't know why, I just do. That's my word for today, inspiration.

New Year

What I have learned about Christmas in the New Year...

Christmas takes longer to put away then it does to take out.

We only really want/need about half of what we bought.

My favorite thing hands down is Christmas at the Old Church.

Christmas trees die whether you water them or not (so save the water).

Xbox may not make a kid lunch, but it does have the power to occupy two men for hours.

I can stand to have my kids under foot for 16 days straight.

Store bought cinnamon rolls do NOT taste like Cinnabon no matter what they say!

The only thing needed to incite laughter is a ping pong table.

It is a magical time of year, in more ways than one.