My Mama...

Yesterday was my sweet Mom's birthday. We all gathered at their house to celebrate. We had a turkey dinner. :O) I made the turkey and dressing...and the cake. Oh it tasted sooooo good (the entire turkey dinner, in July!!!)

Here are the girlers. They are anxiously awaiting dessert! Matthew was elsewhere...he has a hard time with these celebrations, so many people and excitement.

My mom and I were talking the other day about the menu. She had told me that she bought a couple of pies for the meal. I was all, Mom, I am making you a cake! So then we get to her house, I snuck the cake into her pantry and then told her I didn't bring one because she had pies. She had asked me if I left her cake in the car (it was 100 degrees outside). I could tell she was disappointed in it...and I wanted to let her off the hook a couple of times because she was disappointed in not getting a cake ( I can just tell....I can read her like a book). Come to find out, she thought that I was bringing a cake, so they ATE the pies the day before. ROFLOL! So I said, its OK, we can sing to you over ICE CREAM!!! So as we were getting ready, I snuck in the pantry, lit the candles and then brought it out. She was shocked. LOL! I couldn't believe she actually thought she wasn't getting a birthday cake!!!

Opening her gifts.

The girls are hamming it up for the camera. Madison slid off as the camera clicked. :O)

It was all such a wonderful day. Jeff's parents came down to eat with us too. There was a nice thunderstorm to top off the day...I love "gentle" thunderstorms.

Mom and dad are on their last week of work before they begin their retirement. I am so excited to get to see more of them, and so the kids will get to know them better. I want to have them close to my parents. I think it is so important for them to have that kind of relationship with their grandparents.

Personalities...

So, do you think she has a Bink addiction?

Miss Diva...Strike that pose!

My main man striking his pose!

Bethanie is getting to be quite a good photographer!

Oh, GROSS!

Bethie-Beth is in the middle of losing her front tooth-literally. She is doing tricks with it. Pushing it to the point it is upside down, sticking out crooked.....but the thing is that I am soooooooooooo allergic to helping when my childs' tooth is coming out. I cant STAND tooth issues, the thought of mouth pain...Anyway...UGH! Another milestone...WAAHHHH, my baby is slowly losing her baby-ness. :OP I wonder since it is 10:00 p.m. if it is too late to let the tooth fairy know tonight....perhaps tomorrow!

OK, its out...its too bloody to tell, but its out. **sigh**

Fun Family Visit...

We had a nice (but brief) visit today with Jeff's oldest brother, Greg, his wife, Cindy and their son, Zach. He is our most favorite nephew (and our only one!!!). They came to visit on their way through town on vacation. It was nice to see them. We don't get to visit with them but a couple of times a year.

Zach is nearly 17. Isn't he handsome? He will be a Junior in High School. He is very competitive in many things, soccer, wrestling, baseball, basketball...just to name a few.

Here are our three WITH Z-Man. These kids of ours just love him and really look up to him. How lucky they are to have such an awesome cousin!

Bethanie and Uncle Greg love to tease each other. He snagged Bethanie and then pretended to be asleep.
I just loved this picture. This is Kari, my Mother-In-Law, and she is holding Miss Madison. I am so thankful for the relationship our children have with our parents. We love living close by so that they can know their grandparents....something I never had the chance to do.

Here is Aunt Cindy with Madison. Cindy is a school teacher. It looks like a teacher's job is never done! Madison is very friendly and really has taken to her Aunts and Uncles, even though she doesn't get to see them much.

Matthew is casually playing with his Transformers. He really enjoys the time he gets to spend with his family.

Here are the girlers. Bethanie is ALWAYS hanging on to Madison. They are practically inseparable.

A Milestone...

Today Miss Madison had her first real hair cut. I think it is so cute! I have trimmed it myself a time or two, but this looks so much better! She did just OK with getting this done. At some point it took THREE adults to get the job finished!

In other news: Matthew passed his swim test! He now has all the skills he needs for swimming. He is a very strong swimmer and I am really proud of his hard work. He didn't jump off the diving board, his anxiety stood in the way, but he did jump into the deep end. He was scared to death but he did it! I am so proud of him! Bethanie also went under water several times today during her lessons. That is also a big step for her!

So, we are FINALLY done with a difficult past couple of weeks. No more dance camp, no more swimming lessons, JUST summer school. By the sounds of it, Bethanie is doing very well and should have no problems progressing to 1st grade! Our home schooling has really paid off! WAHOOOOOO!

Little swimmers...

Here is Matthew swimming in 10 feet of water. He is a natural swimmer! He can actually now swim the length of this side of the pool. His lifeguard trainer is there to make sure he is safe, but he is doing it! I am hoping in the next day or so, he will get to take his swimming test, and go off the diving board. When he gets to that point, I am hoping that he will keep the courage up that he has had this summer...he has wanted to go off it, but I wouldn't let him until he took his swimming test. Mean, huh?

Here is Bethanie with their lifeguard trainer (Claire). She taught them last summer as well, and she is just wonderful. Bethanie has learned to put her head under the water this year, something I wondered if she would ever do. Unlike Matthew in so many ways, she is NOT a natural swimmer, but she is slowly getting more and more comfortable in the water! I am proud of both my little swimmers!