Summer loving having a blast

Baby Luke's first trip to the beach

Alee fun

Kristen was a real trooper to head out the the beach with newborn Luke

Beth enjoying the ocean breeze

Daddy daughter walk

Kaitlyn smiles

building sand forts

beach braids

boogie board rides were a hit!

Uncle Jared was the best driver

Shower for Uncle Will

Baby kisses

 Thomas's first trip to play at the beach

Love Thomas's goofy lips face:)

Thomas loved the water, waves and sand

Chloe was not thrilled about the sand this go round. Check out that face:)

Baby Luke enjoyed his second trip to the beach.  Look back a few pics up and see how much he has grown in 2 months.

March celebrations

We celebrate lots of family birthdays in March...here are a few celebrations:

Chloe celebrated her 3rd birthday with a trip to the outlet to ride the "round and round" as she calls the Merry Go round. She loves all the kiddie rides and her Mom had been collecting quarters so she could ride and ride. Her cousin Logan came down to party with her. I rented the fun bus stroller for her birthday outlet adventure:)

Next, Jared had his birthday. He picked his birthday dinner and cake. Kristen made him a Chocolate cake with homemade butter cream icing. Chloe loved helping everyone blow out candles!

Friday came Jerry's birthday time. I took off work to go out to lunch with him. We really did go "Out" for lunch. He chose a little BBQ hut on main street near the beach. It was a perfect day, the weather was beautiful and the BBQ sandwiches were really good. (Jerry is so in his element at places like this! I think it brings back his Handy Pak days.)

Chloe was glad they had some good French Fries, one of her favorite foods.

I surprised Jerry and made one of his favorite cakes...a pig picking cake. (That went right along with his "redneck lunch"). It was so good. By Sunday it was all gone!

Jared lite the candles and as you see Chloe is just waiting to help blow them out!

All of this celebrating in March reminds me that Spring has arrived and that means Spring Break is right around the corner. Bring on the sunshine and time off from work with family!

February Milestones

Beth and I both had milestone birthdays.

She turned 30. Her Brownie Birthday cake with 30 candles!

For my birthday I got off work early, had lunch with Jerry and then we met David after he got off school and had Cold Stone ice cream treats! I moved right on in to join Jerry, his siblings and some of mine in the "Half Century Club"! I said if the next 50 years were as good as the first 50 it would be just fine :)

I decided at 50 I should be smart enough to take the plunge into the smart phone world! What an adventure.... I had a few old razor phone withdrawals at first and was not sure I was ready for this new phone but I am settling right into this modern technology. Oh, how I love FaceTime! SO cool. I love being able to see my children and grands and family by just pushing a button. I want everyone in my family to have one now! Pretty neat to have a little phone that can do so much.

It is already February!

January just seemed to fly by and now we are moving right along in February.

January brought birthdays for Rob and Will and the twins. Last weekend I went to Columbia for Kaitlyn and Natalie's snow princess birthday party. It was their first real party with friends. Beth made darling decorations, a cool ice cream cake and fun party games.

Will turned 24 and is still busy with school and work and celestial pursuit. So many new beginning are on the list for this year in our family. It will be interesting to see how everything works out. I will hit that big number birthday this month, David will graduate from High School in June and leave on his mission in the fall and we will be empty nest.... not so sure how I will handle that one but I am sure I will adjust to these new changes.

For now I will just look forward to Spring and May when baby Luke will arrive, then the summer.... how I love those sunny warm days of no work and fun with family.

Here are some party pics ...