Happy Birthday Anna!

Our baby girl is 5!!! What joy and a different dynamic you bring into our family with your girl-ness...but you can hold your own with any boy! I love your pursuit and your will. One of my favorite things is to watch you and your "snuggler". Your laugh is contagious and you make us complete. I'm so thankful for a partner in our girl team! Happy Birthday, Sweet girl! We love you!!

Happy Easter!

We had a great Easter! Started out with church and a superb message about God's GRACE. Easter has become a favorite holiday of mine, as my faith and relationship with Jesus Christ has grown.
Here's the happy family. Except for one of us. Zoom in on Anna if you can. She didn't particularly care for her easter bonnet.

The Easter meal. We even used our REAL china (Ted always complains that we registered for the stuff and never use it).

My sweet Easter Bunnies.....

Anna and her good friends Payton and Zoe. The moms went shopping together...can you tell?

This was the day before, at an Easter Egg hunt. We had 9 inches of snow the day before. Nothing like hunting for the buried eggs!

MAC Doggie Day care

I've always thought I'd might like to run a doggie daycare. Seriously. So we are checking out how it might be today. You know the big rolled-over one and his smaller tan friend, Cooper, who has been featured before. The one in my lap is Tinkerbell, Ted's boss' dog. Here's the story. His boss is on vaca and their normal dog-care providers were unable to finish out the week's commitment. So we are. And Coop's family is stranded in Milwaukee because, SURPRISE, it's blizzarding AGAIN here. That's why the light coming in behind me is blinding because it's so WHITE outside. We are also watching our neighbor's two cats, but bringing them here would be a bit too much.....

Happy Birthday, Will!

I can't believe you are already 10. TEN. The joy you've brought this family from the minute you arrived is immeasureable. From the baby who didn't cry, the toddler who was never terrible, to the boy who always has to pave the way for your brother and sister....your calm and sensitive spirit is a blessing to those around you. Thanks for going with the flow. We are so proud of the young man you've become. We love you!

And Will's birthday party ROCKED. We played Laser Tag. Ted did both games, and I even got in the action for the second game. Will's guests were even impressed with my skills (or at least that's what I'm telling myself. The party rocked? I ROCKED!)

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Guess what? We have a cool tradition in our family....Will was born on my Dad's birthday! And it's a tradition because Ted was born on his grandpa's birthday! So, we hope to continue the tradition, which means that Will's wife will need to birth their first child on her father's birthday. No pressure there. ANYWHO....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD! I so treasure the time we are able to spend with you--we always have many laughs together. Thank you for working so hard for our family--we were very blessed. And thanks even more for the role model you are, and your faith that is so clear and is an example to us all. I LOVE YOU!!

This, that and the other

We had a very busy and fun weekend. Here's a recap:

Ted's birthday celebration where Ya, Ted's Mom and Stepdad, and my Mom joined us for dinner out!

Diane and Will doing their Jr. Birdman impersonations. They've got skills... Kaleb's attempt.....

We went to the rockin' CASTING CROWNS concert, our very favorite Christian band. The Webster and Teasdale families joined us! Here we are eating before.

Ted is very multi-talented. Here is yet another one--horsey rides for the whole 'hood!!

And, just cuz she's cute..........

Happy Birthday, Ted!!

Ted is just a great guy. He's the guy everyone loves. He's the guy that will help out anyone with anything. He's the guy who can TALK to anyone about anything. He's a little sarcastic and loves to pick on gullible people. He's dependable, loyal, and fiercly protective. He's the strong leader of our family. He's the love of my life. He's the Daddy who will dance with his kids although he hates dancing, show them how to assemble or take apart anything, give them his last bite of a favorite food, and always puts them before himself.

I thank God every day for you, Ted. Can you believe we've known each other for just about 25 years, and I've loved you (almost) from the start. You are such a blessing to every person who knows you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Doing one of his favorite things with one of his favorite people (Brother Bob)

Ted truly started the fashion trend of Crocs. He had his before anyone!!

WE LOVE YOU!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(One of) Ted's Saturday Projects

Here in the land of never-ending snow, there is concern of major leaking/collapse of roofs because of all of the snow. There were major drifts on our roof, so today Ted decided to get them off.... Step 1: going through Kaleb's closet window, using an ice chipper to loosen it.

Step 2: That's Ted, on the roof, shoveling the ice snow off

Step 3: using a snow rake (didn't know they had those, huh?) to scrape the rest of it off

Step 4: (Actually this was step 1) breaking off this ginormous icicle from Kaleb's closet gutter and carrying it through the house to our lawn. It's now a beautiful ice sculpture in the front lawn.

And a posting wouldn't be complete without a shot of Fashion Princess. Still wearing her "ballerina". This day, we were walking to our neighbors to play, so at least she put on her "warm leggers"

The excitement of winter never ends.