Like fine wine...she just gets better with age...

these little collages are from some of the scrapbooks I've done for my parents.

this collage has the pic of us (upper right hand corner) on one of our first trips to the circle downtown...me in the polka dot jumper (nice, yes?)...we had just ventured UP THE STAIRS at the Soldier and Sailors Monument...on a hot summer day. No space...claustrophobia...ahhhh...hence the expressions on my face and my sisters are quite hilarious (to us anyways...)..maybe you can zoom in on it, Dad...

Happy Birthday to YOU, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday, dear Joanie, happy birthday to YOU!

I know I've posted this before but this so reminds me of Miss Molly Moo!

and I can totally see Ethan in this face...

I can totally see Tom in you here...

and yes, I've posted this very picture recently but I LOVE IT! it's such a good pic of two of my best girls!

~Mom, here's to you, on your 62nd birthday! Doesn't seem possible, that you are eligible for senior citizen discounts now but hey! Live it up! Laugh it up!

~My siblings and I have been so blessed beyond words to have a mom like you! Thank you for always being so patient, loving, helpful, giving, kind, considerate, and I could go on and on! but I'm tired from our visit at Starbucks this evening...:) We would have come to get a head start on your birthday celebration, even if you WEREN'T paying..but thanks for doing so! So giving, even on YOUR day! that was so fun, Mom! and 3 of your 4 biological children were there...

You are the best. I thank God for you! every day. Happy Birthday, Momma! I love you!

Couple self-portraiture

just a couple of goofballs that got let out of the house for a minute

my hair looks unusually greasy (or as they say in some parts of Indiana, greazy) in this picture...

coffee talk

Beck and I outside Barnes & Noble...Beck, i be lovin' yo' new green coat! rock on!
yes, that is a double chin on moi...not the most flattering pic (what's new) but we got it, that's what is important...a mom's nite away...as Steph said, we have to have some little glimmers of hope to cling to. not that mothering is horrible. it's not! but it's challenging, and these little outings make us better moms. or so they say. :)

this is a fun little book we happened upon...a Hiptionary...i so need this...I am so unhip, though hippy and hippie...how does THAT work? but 'twas kinda funny because it opened right up to this page...right hand side...blog. ha. whaddya think of that?

caught ya...though this time, it is hot chocolate. I thought you were my new drinking buddy. (coffee)

ok, a nice straight on one. this was fun because she's in a green chair. with a green shirt. a green coat. green eyes....she loves her some green.

and last but most definitely NOT LEAST...three of the the most comforting luxuries for this girl (ME)...chocolate, coffee, and my sissy. love you girl! you spin me right round!

Before I head off to the Yyyyyyyy, MMMMMMMM, CCCC, AAA (I'm singing here)...thought I'd better post these coffee excursion photos...we enjoyed sitting and chatting about life, kids, what made us laff or cry this week...and then mosied around to some books and ended up at cards...always a good time was had...love our last Thursday of the month coffee talk, Beck.

If you don't have one, get one! Our next one is on Turkey day!! yah!!

off I go!

Sweet, sleepy babies

My beard finally grew...no, really, Molls getting loved on by Gramps...she loves his picky beard
vision of sweetness

This post is to finish up yesterday. After a crazy day of running to lunch, errands and just basically taking care of my #4 and #5 kids ON MY OWN (no help from those bigger kids that I love and depend on so very much)...poor little Levi couldn't keep his head up on the ride home. Molly had been crying a lot in the car due to no one being around to give her the pacifier, so she was plum-tuckered. Levi felt the stress and at one point in the ride, he cried because she was so upset and he said it made him sad. Whatta peach! I have totally done the 2 kid deal before (Hi Will and Ethan!!) but I'm older now, more dependent on my built in helpers and it is blasted coooooooold. I love you, my children. You are such incredible helpers and this has shown me to stop sighing at you and appreciate you for the willing helpers you are!!
Ok, hope you all are having a superb Thursday!! Stay warm! God Bless You!

Christmas Past

David and Will, relaxing after some gift opening!!
Superman a.k.a. Charlie J.
Mel and Pipes in their matching outfits from Uncle Andy's family. Andrew

Levi lookin' cute by our tree...
A December walk down at the Canal...lovely
Christmas morning...Mel, Will and Levi E. and his stash

Duncan and E. - weapon geeks

Well, Beck is in need of a post...so I will take time out of my scrappin'/shopping frenzy to put a little blast from the past up on here for your viewing "pleasure". ha ha.

These pix are sadly out of order...but they are all from Christmastime of 2006. Andy and his boys will be flying in on Christmas Eve to be with us for 5 days. My mom has been out in Cali. with him since last Friday and is flying home today...we have missed you Momma!! Can't wait to see you!

I am looking forward to some down time this weekend before Christmas...i have so many gifts I need to finish up..calendars, coasters, wrapping, purchasing...Bah Humbug!! no, it's really fun and we need to embrace the holiday. That mantra belongs to Beck and I. I think moms feel the pressure and sting of the frenzy a bit more and I guess as moms, that's ok. Shield the blow. Takin' one for the team. yup. ok...movin' on.

I'm officially 35 now. My sister got me a really cool sister necklace, a heart and a key...I LOVE it, Beck...thank you so much, to your family!! and to you. I have yet to use my Starbucky's card...maybe we could do coffee (you could do hot choco, of course)...Thank you for the delish dinner...it helped stifle the blow of Mom and Tom being out of town on my b-day and David working to keep us caught up thru the holiday week. I am so stinkin' blessed to be your sister. I love you more than you will ever, ever know! I LOVE YOU!!

Yesterday, I got together with my BFF's and they made me a really neat bracelet for my b-day...I will have to take a pic and post it but it has all of our birthstone jewels on it, and a CROSS right in the middle...the way it should be. Jesus Christ at the center!! a good, daily reminder!! Thank you, girls!! I am loving each one of you so much!! I am blessed with a good circle of chicklets...what would a girl do without her "girls"???

Ok, well, I gotta shower because Mel has her Piano teacher's Christmas party today...I will try to get pix of that, though she will be flying solo at this event. Pal Charmaine lives across the street from said piano teacher so I may go visit over there..though I have so much shopping yet to do...ahhhhhhh. Hope you all are embracing this Christmas season!! Choose JOY. CHOOSE JOY!! God Bless You today!! Adios!!

some more Beck and Laur and then I'm done...

Yikes...I guess I wanted in on the self portrait action
see condensed explanation below....check out the daggers.
My senior pic...yikes...but I wanted my "thissy"
isn't my kid sister pretty?? she always upstages me
and I'm ok with that.
Ok, well, I am done with the blogging for the night, but had these 3 pix to get on here for Becky's workday Friday. The top one cracks me up. Self portrait sillies. she was rubbing off on me, I guess.
The middle pic is just funny. This was the night before Beck's wedding...it was a stressful time, to say the least. It was a cold, rainy night and Beck insisted that I go to mom and dad's to work on bouquets for the next day...I wanted to but the kids needed me and it was just sheer crazy...I think I make this expression more than I think or more than I should. it's not nice.
Ok, Beck, I'm done humiliating you now. I will try to think of some creative posts for next week. If anyone has any good ideas, drop me a note dlforeveryoung@aol.com.