Happy Birthday Mom!

Decor - Everything bright!
We figure this is not a welcomed birthday
so we made it as cheery as possible

My mom turns the big 6-0 today as I am sure she is thrilled I am putting it out here for the world to know.  We hosted a surprise birthday party for her at my Aunt's house that her and her husband built out at my grandparent's farm.  Their house looks like something out of Southern Living, so when she offered it up I jumped at the chance to use it as the location for mom's bash.  It took weeks of planning, emails and secret meetings to pull this off without my mother's knowledge.  D almost blew our cover during a covert stop at my grandparent's, mom called my grandpa and D insisted on following him around the house.  It worked out well that she had to work this weekend leaving me to go out to my Aunt's at least 20x's.  Once even to help set brush on fire that ended up resembling an explosion after my Aunt (and her bucket of gas) were done with it.  How to get her to the party was the hardest thing to come up with, so I decided to kept it simple, "We are celebrating your birthday tonight, be ready by 5."  As Andy and I left, she yelled, "Does dad know where we're going??"  Upon arrival in true Bonnie form she shed some tears as she hugged and greeted the close friends and family we had invited.  It was a great night with good food (thanks to Andy on the grill) and good company.  I am blessed to come from such a hardworking family, it was much easier to pull this off with all of their help.  I was able to sneak down and put up a birthday message for her on our town's board that she is in charge of.  Only being yelled at a few times during the 5 minutes it took me to change it, that's proof of how small my hometown is.  It was an amazing party for an amazing woman.  She has dedicated her life to her family and keeping the town she loves looking imacculate.  She deserves everything she wants and more.  Happy birthday mom!

D's stranger danger was at its peak!

There was even a parachute motor thing that flew over!

Sisters

The grill master and his mama

Happy Father's Day

The '57 Chevy

Here is a picture of my dad and I enjoying some snacks and ironically probably watching Andy's dad play first base for the Indians.  My dad is a simple man of few words, but those few words are very funny.  He worked for the same company for 40+ years, he instilled in my brother and I the importance of good work ethic.  Driving us around for our paper route in his 1984 two-tone brown El Camino to deliver the Sunday paper...wait who am I kidding, he never made me get up.  : )  He's perfected the art of how to perfectly manicure a yard as well as how to properly clean a car.  A clean car is crucial, as my mom always says, "You don't drive around town in your house." One Christmas he helped pick out some of my presents one being a '57 Chevy Barbie car.  While every other girl in town had Barbie cruisin' in a Porsche or Corvette mine was in riding in a 2 foot long classic convertible with a trunk big enough to fit her whole wardrobe, an original choice for sure.  He past his love for classic rock on to us, as the first CD purchased in our house was Lynyrd Skynyrd's Greatest Hits and our father-daughter dance on my wedding day was to Fleetwood Mac's Landslide.  I was proud to tell him recently how D was rockin' out to the end of Free Bird on the way home from daycare.  Since having D I've really noticed how much of my parenting skills are what I learned from my parents.  I find myself using the same cheesy lines and threats I grew up hearing day in and day out.  Examples: "I don't go for that" and "If you don't pick up those toys up I'm giving them to Mr. Barrino" (referring to our beloved garbage man).  I guess everything really does come full circle.  We are blessed to have so many amazing father figures in our lives, not that I am bias or anything. 

  Happy fathers day to all the daddies out there!

The photographer asked my dad to put his hand on my arm.
I think he wanted it to be a serious moment...we found it hilarious.
photo by A Moment in Time Photography

My favorite picture of Andy and his dad
photo by Ron Kurtz 

Spring Review

"Hi!" I've heard toddlers have phases, we are currently going through the hi/wave phase.  No matter what time of day, what the situation D greets with a "Hi" and a wave.  I guess we don't need to worry about him being rude.

Everyone needs to unwind when they get home...D is no exception.  When we get home from work/daycare, he goes into his room turns on his Beatles cd, picks out a book and chills.  I had been watching him do this for weeks and finally grabbed my camera, stood in our room and captured his little routine.

Baseball is in full swing.  Andy and I even left work one day with case of "Indians Fever" to head up to a day game.  I've always loved day games.  When Andy played it meant we might eat supper before 11pm!  Sadly we've found out the hard way this year D does not like the fireworks.

Got to partake in my grandparents annual
Easter egg hunt.  It took some extreme coaching but he did it!

My roses have been out of
control this year! 

Pretty sure he ate dirt this day

Home problem #1
Shower head fell off

Outfit by Crazy 8 -
Cheap and adorable, shirt reads "Here comes trouble!"

Home problem #2
Disposal backed up into sink and dishwasher,
forcing me to do the dishes in my bathroom.
Thank the Lord for helpful neighbors!

Helped Shelly throw a fantastic bridal shower for her future SIL.
Can't wait to start planning hers!