~Maureen~

June 23rd, 1990

One of the luckiest days of my life.......

 

 

 

 

Here's to us babe....and to many many more years of this blessed marriage.

Katie, 8th grade dance

Katie is finishing 8th grade next week.  I'll have another high schooler...yikes!  When Kellyn finished, it was a different school, and, long story short, they did a huge graduation ceremony and then a semi formal grad dance and a huge outdoor celebration.  Now that we have a high school in town, and a new middle school....they have changed everything (yippee!!) and do the dance, but it's not the "deal" it was....the dressing up used to be way more and some kids even got limos....craziness!!!.
Now, they do the dance, a trip to a local amusement park for the day (sadly, I think it may rain), and a feast, where the 8th graders go eat....not sure what they eat but they eat ;)

Here is Katie, ready for the dance...wearing her Confirmation dress!  Gotta love when they wear something twice :)

 

Katie got ready here with her friend.  They have been together in school since 3rd grade...it will be weird once they are in the high school.  Katie also asked a boy to the dance.  Just friends.  She met him there.  Here are Katie and her friend.

 

Katie turns 14!

They just keep getting older and older....sigh......as always, our tradition of cake for breakfast continues :)

 

 

Johnny's Kindergarten Graduation

My baby graduated kindergarten on May 29th.  I can't believe it.  Although, I thought for sure, I'd be a wreck, I'm doing really well.  I'm not sure if it is because we made the decision when he was a toddler, not to send him when we technically could have.  He made the cut off by 10 days, and being a boy, and having taught, I knew we'd be giving him an advantage by waiting.  Plus, many other districts in other areas have a different cut off.

Anyway.....we waited and it was exactly the right decision for Johnny. 
The preschool where Johnny went, offers private kindergarten and it's a Christian school...and I work there.  It is a really special place and the fit for Johnny could not have been more perfect.  He was also able to do the Enrichment program, which a lot of friends from the public kindergarten also send their kids to. It's an amazing program, where they learned about a lot of extra things (the body, bugs, countries, and so much more). 

And again, back to graduation.  The ceremony is held in the sanctuary (we go to this church...the school is it's own non-profit but works well with the church) and the kids sing songs they have rehearsed.  It's one of the most wonderful, truly special things I have ever been to.  I cry every time....even when it's not my own children who are graduating....it's *that* special.

So...here are the pictures of my sweet little boy...who isn't seeming so little anymore :(

 

I'm adding an album over to the left.....because there are just too many photos to post on here.

Katie's Confirmation

Katie was confirmed in church this morning.  It was a long but wonderful day.  The year flew by!  For confirmation, the mainly 8th graders in our church attend classes every Wed night for an hour and a half. They do a project on Justice and Mercy...Katie did a canned food drive in February, called "An Act of Love; you CAN make a difference."  She collected about 170 cans that we brought to the Soup kitchen.  They have a weekend long retreat as well.

   Katie led the congregation in "The Lord's Prayer"

Kellyn snuck this picture in...all of the parents went up to pray over each of the Confirmands.

Us with Adam, our youth pastor, who did a wonderful job with confirmation!

The confirmation class with their mentors, Adam, youth pastor, and Pastor Joel

The beautiful girls

The boys with Adam..3 of the 4 wore pink :)

With Grammy and Pops.

 God bless you my sweet Katie bug!

Family update....

I can't believe it's been over a month since I have updated!  Makes me sad.  I have had this for 4 years and it's something I need to figure out how to preserve....and continue.  I'll blame it on Facebook :P

Anyway.....they

 

have been keeping me busy :)

Kellyn:
  

• driver's ed
• track...she is throwing javelin
• school
• pictures...she is LOVING photography and taking some great pictures and doing some really cool stuff to them!  I will have to get them on here to have them here!

Katie:

• dance.  end of the year performance is coming up at the end of the month and they are doing one of the numbers on pointe!
• confirmation.  She is being Confirmed on Sunday. 
• school

Johnny:

• is graduating from kindergarten in a few weeks.  Same day as aforementioned recital.
• I can't believe it!
• piano...one lesson left and he's doing so great!  he loves it and has a natural ability. 
• singing and playing his guitar...by ear.  one day we'll make the switch from piano to guitar or just add it.
• baseball.  Last night was his first game and he hit a line drive on the FIRST pitch!  :)  He was so proud!
• reading.  He is reading!  I love it. 
• making books :) He loves making/creating books and it's so fun to read them!
• sang on Sunday in church...last performance of the year.  not alone...but you can hear his voice among all of the kids and, although I thought it was just because I knew his voice...the parents tell me!

We have been super busy but all good. 

Easter 2009

We had a really nice Easter day. 

We were up early, the kids got their baskets (filled with chocolate bunnies, other candy, small things (LLBean flip flops for the girls, Red Sox t-shirts for the girls, sidewalk chalk, water bomb kit, bubble gun, etc for J).  They did our annual egg hunt (which lasts for about 3.4 minutes ;) LOL).

Church all morning......went to one service, helped at the second.
Home to chill and relax after having lunch.

3:00....to Gram and Pops for dinner and their annual egg hunt.  Great time was had by all :)

 

42

Wow.

I can't believe I am 42 years old today.  That seems old. 

I am blessed.  I have a most amazing family.  Most amazing friends. 

My life has changed so much over the last few years.  I am not the same person in many ways but in my heart, I am.  I hate that I am not in other ways but if my heart is the same....that *is* who I am, right?

I have not documented like I did and I am feeling sad about that so I thought today, I would start....or try to :)

Happy Birthday to me :)

A Wonderful Whirlwind!

We made it! 
Johnny was better by Wed, so we flew down to Florida with Daddy Wednesday night.  Yeah!
I don't really have that double chin :P  See his pox marks.  Not too bad.

Magic Kingdom

 

Epcot

 

Animal Kingdom

  It's Tough to be a Bug....omgosh!  J didn't like it! 

Disney's Hollywood Studios

   

It was wonderful!  We ran from morning 'til night but it was great!  Not enough time (4 parks in 3 days) but we are so lucky to have been able to go!

I'll add more pics in the next day or so.

Chicken Pox

Most of my friends who read my blog are also on friends on facebook, so....you know that my sweet boy came down with chicken pox on Friday.

About a month ago, a classmate's sister came down with it.  2 weeks later, that classmate did as well.  And a little more than 2 weeks later, after 2 others in his class (one vaccinated, one not) also came down with it, Johnny started with the spots.

So...Johnny has chicken pox.  Timing is a bit suckish, if I'm being honest.  The kids have winter vacation this week and we where headed to Florida for a full week of Universal, Seaworld, and Disney.  The girls went and my parents met them at the airport.  Johnny (big one) was meeting us on Wednesday night.  So, we were able to move Johnny (little one) and my tickets to then also and hope he'll be okay for us to head down then.

He is doing unbelievably well with it.  It started out with a few tiny red dots here and there, but, since I've been watching, I knew.  They got bigger and more emerged.  He's got lots on his back and belly but those are pretty much scabbing over.  He's got some on his face....2 way too close to his eye.  And they are all over the rest of him here and there.

He hasn't been super itchy...but he has been itchy.  He had a few in his mouth and that was not so good but those healed pretty quick.

He had no interest in the oatmeal baths but I made him take one and now, he's hooked.  Ahhhh Aveeda.  It helped that Target had some bath finger paints that he has been using.  He's been having milkshakes and watching Spongebob...something I don't let him do normally.....and not so thrilled about but hey, he is happy doing so.  Computer, playing, and anything else he wants, since it's what makes him feel better.

Here are some pictures of him; not in order (I won't share the bath ones, understandably, so you won't see the mega spots) having a milkshake, saying goodbye to the girls...see how happy he is ;) LOL, talking to them on the phone later, zonked out while cuddling with Daddy on the couch, the bath aids :) :