Day 142 - Friday, May 22, 2009

Day 142 - Friday, May 22, 2009 –
A quick trip to The Oxford Tap for some sliders and steak bites, a beverage, and a wee bit of couple time. Guinness and Cabernet Sauvignon. MMMmmm.

Day 141 - Thursday, May 21, 2009

Day 141 - Thursday, May 21, 2009 –

Ahhh, the weather is starting to feel like summer. Kev and I took a relaxing ride around the lake on our paddle boat after Liam's baseball game. Couldn't ask for a nicer night.

Day 140 - Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Day 140 - Wednesday, May 20, 2009 –
Today was Owen's last day of preschool, and it was also "Trike" day. Seriously, how many five year olds ride tricycles? Owen took his brother's Razor scooter and did laps around the other kids at school. That thing really zips! Can you believe that my BABY will be in Kindergarten next year??!? Wow.

And, Jordyn came home with some exciting news. She learned over the PA system at school that she had earned a student of the month award, which garnered her a certificate and a pizza lunch. She was ecstatic! Her Intro to Technology teacher had nominated her for nearly tripling her words per minute score within one month's time. We went to Sagebrush for dinner and Frosty Boy for dessert to celebrate her achievement.

Day 139 - Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Day 139 - Tuesday, May 19, 2009 –

Rub-a-dub-dub, two boys (and some toys) in a tub.

Day 138 - Monday, May 18, 2009

Day 138 - Monday, May 18, 2009 –
Owen's "Fruit of the Spirit" preschool Spring concert. The kids sang one song representing each of the nine fruits of the spirit, which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. During the teacher's explanation of gentleness and self-control Owen was trying to wrestle with the boy standing next to him (not pictured). That kid wanted NOTHING to do with it, but do you think that deterred Owen? Oh no. Good grief. He's so gentle and has such self-control!!! Makes a momma proud, I tell ya. All of the other kids were dressed in their Sunday best, except ours. Nice, eh?

One of their songs was Amazing Grace and another was Happy All the Time...to which Owen was astounded that I knew the words:

I'm in right, out right, up right, down right Happy All the Time. I'm in right, out right, up right, down right Happy All the Time. Since Jesus Christ came iiiiiin, and saved my life from siiiiiiiiiiin, I'm in right, out right, up right, down right Happy All the Time.

I've got mad skillz, I tell you. Mad.

Day 137 - Sunday, May 17, 2009

Day 137 - Sunday, May 17, 2009 –

Kev and I went to WoJo's today to pick up my Mother's Day present. This lovely magnolia tree, not currently in bloom. But, I can't wait for it to bloom next Spring!! Have I mentioned how much joy flowers and gardening bring me?

Day 136 - Saturday, May 16, 2009

Day 136 - Saturday, May 16, 2009 –
Visiting BW3's after Saturday soccer games has become a bit of a tradition with our family and these two families. The kids run wild and even get to enjoy their "own" table. It'd be nice if the grown ups' table was across the restaurant, but they usually stick us at the table right next to the kids.

Day 135 - Friday, May 15, 2009

Day 135 - Friday, May 15, 2009 –

I just LOVE Spring flowers. Here is the phlox I planted in my boulder retaining wall last year. Spring flowers just give me chills, especially when they come back so beautifully.

Day 134 - Thursday, May 14, 2009

Day 134 - Thursday, May 14, 2009 –
Tonight was Liam's coach pitch baseball game. His coach took the team out for ice cream at Frosty Boy afterwards to celebrate one of his teammate's birthdays. Liam was in his glory!!

Day 133 - Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Day 133 - Wednesday, May 13, 2009 –

Liam's school had an "Art Fair" tonight. It was more like an Art SALE. Where everyone's artwork was framed and you had the option to buy it and bring it home. This is his jungle scene. Yes, OF COURSE we bought the artwork. How could you not?

Day 132 - Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Day 132 - Tuesday, May 12, 2009 –
Liam has been doing so well in soccer this season. He has scored a goal (or goals) in every single game, and tonight was no exception. Another two goals for my little booter!!

Day 131 - Monday, May 11, 2009

Day 131 - Monday, May 11, 2009 –

Liam's second grade Spring concert, "Nuts". Liam had a speaking part as a macadamia nut, but come on, how do you dress up like a macadamia nut?! So, he dressed up like a tree (brown camo pants and a green shirt - EASY PEASY). Fun songs included Big Bad Squirrels and The Sun, The Sun.

Day 130 - Sunday, May 10, 2009 –

Day 130 - Sunday, May 10, 2009 –
Mother's Day, surrounded by these precious gifts.

Day 129 - Saturday, May 9, 2009

Day 129 - Saturday, May 9, 2009 –

Liam reads his fortune from a Chinese fortune cookie. What else goes better with left over Hot-n-Ready pizza?

Day 128 - Friday, May 8, 2009

Day 128 - Friday, May 8, 2009 –
What a DAY! Today I took a vacation day from work and spent it at the Great Lakes Mega Meet (scrapbook convention) at the Rock Financial Showplace in Novi with my ScRap SiStaZ. This was my first year attending and I didn't know what to expect. But it was FABULOUS!! I can not wait for next year. Afterwards, we stayed overnight at the Crowne Plaza in Novi and had dinner at the extraordinary Novi Chop House. These girls are dear friends, and, well, a little bit like sisters.

Day 127 - Thursday, May 7, 2009

Day 127 - Thursday, May 7, 2009 –
Tonight was Jordyn's Spring Concert (and her last concert as a 7th grader!) They sang many Disney songs and a couple of songs from The Sound of Music. Jordyn "played" the chimes at the beginning of one song which was fun to watch. My parents and I thoroughly enjoyed the concert.

Day 126 - Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Day 126 - Wednesday, May 6, 2009 –

I'm not sure what kind of bush I planted in our front yard, but this is the first year that I've noticed its pretty pink spring flowers. I **heart** spring flowers!

Day 125 - Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Day 125 - Tuesday, May 5, 2009 –
Liam's team, the Arizona Diamondbacks, won their first Coach pitch baseball game of the season 22-2!! Here's a shot of Liam playing catcher.

Day 124 - Monday, May 4, 2009

Day 124 - Monday, May 4, 2009 –

Owen is going to be an engineer or scientist or something when he gets older. Notice how he's peeking into the body of the baby grand piano to figure out how the keys make noise when he plays a note.

Day 123 - Sunday, May 3, 2009

Day 123 - Sunday, May 3, 2009 –
I love last minute gatherings with the Petoskeys. It's just so easy to be with them. Nothing fancy. Nothing formal. Just laid back, good old fashioned fun. Even Kev, who had never grilled ribs before didn't mind that his BBQ ribs maiden voyage (which could have sunk like the Titanic) was done with the Petoskeys on board. No worries, though, the ribs were AWESOME! So, were Joel's wings. It's fun when the fellas cook for us. Let the summertime impromptu BBQ gatherings begin!

Day 122 - Saturday, May 2, 2009 –

After soccer we went to BW3's with the Parsons and the Scepkas. Everyone gets fed, the parents have adult beverages, and the kids have games to play and a deck to run around on. They say we're bad influences. We say they're bad influences. Because when we get together, it's just one big party. I think we are all bad influences on each other. Scratch that, we are all FUN influences on each other.

All I know is that the critters that I put in Katie's margarita looked like this before I went to the restroom:

And they looked like this when I returned from the restroom:

Day 121 - Friday, May 1, 2009 –

Day 121 - Friday, May 1, 2009 –
Kev took Owen to his preschool field trip to the nature center at Independence Oaks County Park. This Owen and his favorite thing about the day - the ginormous ant hill behind him.

Day 120 - Thursday, April 30, 2009

Day 120 - Thursday, April 30, 2009 –
Family movie night watching Journey to the Center of the Earth in our jammies. GREAT movie!

Day 119 - Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Day 119 - Wednesday, April 29, 2009 –

Mom! Seriously. Look at how LONG my eyelashes are!!! Ahhh, 13 year olds.

Day 118 - Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Day 118 - Tuesday, April 28, 2009 –
Owen insisted on having his birthday "party" at the Tigers' game. So, we got tickets for his birthday and our nephew Jacob got tickets for his birthday, too. It was fun to celebrate together...too bad Owen lost interest after the second inning. And too bad the Yankees beat the Tigers ELEVEN to zero. And ten of those runs were scored in the 7th inning. UGH. But, Owen's birthday wish was granted and he was none the wiser that the good guys got walloped.

Day 117 - Monday, April 27, 2009

Day 117 - Monday, April 27, 2009 –

What better way to spend a rainy Monday than lying on the foyer rug playing Nintendo DS?

Day 116 - Sunday, April 26, 2009

Day 116 - Sunday, April 26, 2009 –
My mom and dad came out today to help celebrate Owen's birthday and brought with them an extra gift, Owen's favorite cousin. Bella love.

Day 115 - Saturday, April 25, 2009

Day 115 - Saturday, April 25, 2009 –

Happy FIFTH Birthday Owen!!

Day 114 - Friday, April 24, 2009 –
Nothing says Spring quite like blooming daffodils. I heart daffodils. This is the first year for our daffodils to bloom at the new house, since I just planted bulbs last fall. Daffodils make me happy.

Day 113 - Thursday, April 23, 2009

Day 113 - Thursday, April 23, 2009 –

Owen's art project from preschool. A MONSTER! (Yes, seriously, he made a monster.)

Day 112 - Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Day 112 - Wednesday, April 22, 2009 –

I'm not a super earthy mom. Yes, I recycle. But, I'm not all gangbusters on the environment. But, seeing as it was Earth Day today, we decided to have some family fun by watching a couple of the Planet Earth series that Kevin had DVR'ed. Liam wanted to make an art project, but I was too lazy for that. So, I told him if he wanted to make an art project to go right ahead. But the rest of the family was watching (er, falling asleep during) the Planet Earth show. 40 minutes later, Liam proudly showed off his finished project. Which I thought was absolutely adorable and a perfectly fitting way to celebrate our earth. (I love the marker stains on his fingers!)

Day 111 - Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Day 111 - Tuesday, April 21, 2009 –
I don't like Rice Krispie Treats. Well, at least I thought that I didn't like them until I tried the ones made by Kev and the boys. DE-lish. So super yummy it's scary. The boys especially liked to help Kev decorate the treats with springtime sprinkles. Kev noted that this is the second culinary item that he makes better than his mom. The other is hard boiled eggs. Kev's hard boiled eggs come out perfect every single time.

Day 110 - Monday, April 20, 2009

Day 110 - Monday, April 20, 2009 –

Kevin has usually always gone to bed before me. Waaaaay before me. But, now that he's laid off, he tends to stay up later than I do. Weird! Sometimes watching movies, sometimes watching sports. But almost always drinking beer!! lol

Day 109 - Sunday, April 19, 2009

Day 109 - Sunday, April 19, 2009 –
The gnats have been seriously crazy super bad this year. They are so bad, that when I tried to go outside to garden this morning, I couldn't even make it from the garage door to the shed door with out being swarmed...a distance of about 10 feet. Outside every window and door, those little buggers are 3 feet deep and lord knows how many feet high. Tired of being held hostage in our house by the gnats, Kevin went to Home Depot and returned with this. It seemed to do the trick...for now.

Day 108 - Saturday, April 18, 2009

Day 108 - Saturday, April 18, 2009 –

Tonight was our last night of the Saturday Night Special bowling league at Collier Lanes. Another fun season for the Petoskey – Hillary 11th Frame (f.l.g.) team. Don't I have a pretty ball?

Day 107 - Friday, April 17, 2009

Day 107 - Friday, April 17, 2009 – Not sure how I forgot to take a photo today. But, at least I DID bust out the camera to capture this video of Owen singing Amazing Grace. Earlier in the day, he was singing this song out of the blue. I was amazed. I sing this song to him and Liam at bedtime. This is Grandma's song. I also sing The Lord's Prayer, which is Poppa's song. And whenever I ask them whether they want me to sing Grandma's song or Poppa's song, they always want me to sing BOTH! Apparently, Amazing Grace is also a song that Owen is learning at preschool. So, I recorded him singing the song to share with my mom who had been in Florida for a month. She loved it!

Day 106 - Thursday, April 16, 2009

Day 106 - Thursday, April 16, 2009 –
Time to bust out the grill. Kev makes a mean steak.

Day 105 - Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Day 105 - Wednesday, April 15, 2009 –
The weather is finally starting to warm up. Time to bust out the bikes. I wonder if Owen will lose his training wheels this year?

Day 104 - Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Day 104 - Tuesday, April 14, 2009 –
Occasionally Owen likes to wear his "snowball socks". I have no idea where he got these. I think they are his little friend, Kealey's...yes, they are girl socks.

Day 103 - Monday, April 13, 2009

Day 103 - Monday, April 13, 2009 –
Liam was thrilled when Kevin bought him a new Nintendo DS game - Madden Football 2009. It was actually a used game, which is totally the way to go since it's much cheaper than buying a brand new game. Here he is, playing it in mom & dad's bed after a shower. (The scratch on his cheek is courtesy of brother O.)

Day 102 - Sunday, April 12, 2009

Day 102 - Sunday, April 12, 2009 –

Hunting for Easter eggs with the Hillary and Jankowski cousins in Grandma and Grandpa Hillary's backyard. An annual tradition.

Day 101 - Saturday, April 11, 2009

Day 101 - Saturday, April 11, 2009 -
The day before Easter is always spent at Grandma Carol's dyeing Easter eggs with all of the Hillary cousins. It's quite a production, dyeing dozens and dozens of eggs.