It's been a year....

It was one year ago today that we lost our sweet Noahbug.

Please remember Amber, Dennis and Landin in your prayers today.  And remember sweet Noah, our precious jedi warrior!

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.  Psalm 116:15

Memorial Day

Today was a wonderful day.  The weather was just perfect.  We went out to BB and Poppy's.  They cooked out steaks and then had a wonderful anniversary cake for us with 12 candles on it!  :)



The children swam and swam for hours- and enjoyed the cake.







After swimming, we put Charlie down for his nap and Marc and we tried to fly a kite- emphasis on tried- it was broken.







 Then Marc and I took the older children to the veteran's cemetery to pay our respects.





God bless our precious servicemen.  I loved reading the sentiments written on the tombstones- they were all a little different.   I got choked up reading "resting with my comrades"-



And this one said, "Jesus is Lord.  Semper Fi." (and you know semper fi means always faithful- and of course Jesus is so there is a double meaning)



We got home and had a little Memorial Day parade through the neighborhood.  :)

Never mow alone....

At our home Daddy never mows alone.  Tuck Tuck will stay with him the ENTIRE time.  "I'm not leaving my wingman."  :)

Memorial Day Weekend

We have had a very laid back, fun Memorial Day weekend.   The kids were in Hobby Lobby with me the other day getting a picture framed and saw all these patriotic decorations and I started to get some and then thought that they need to learn you don't always have to buy things- you can make them.  So we came home and I taught them how to make a paper chain-





We were making red, white and blue pretzle rods with white chocolate and blue and red sprinkles, but the white chocolate burned and we could only make one.  So then I used some regular chocolate, but you couldn't see the red and blue sprinkles on the dark chocolate so we got out the rainbow sprinkles, which def. looked best.  They all looked so cute in the crystal cookie jar-



Yesterday we had three birthday parties.  Tucker and Charlie went to one at a big indoor soccer arena in the morning.  Tucker was so happy they had flags and shocked them when he said, "hey look there's the flag for Nigeria, that one is for Kenya, there's the Union Jack".  :)


I asked him if he wanted to have his party there in the winter and he said, "only if they add Poland's flag WITH the eagle."  Who knows what goes on in that little curly-topped head of his.



Marc and Julia had a birthday party at the neighborhood pool that afternoon and then our godson and his family came over for a bbq cookout to celebrate his b'day.  We had ribs, pulled pork, scalloped potatoes, baked beans, strawberry salad, watermelon and rasberry cobbler with ice cream for dessert.  Tell me that is not a great Memorial Day meal.  :)

Today we woke up and decided to celebrate our anniversary by a trip to the "beach"- a.k.a. the lake at the state park.  :)  The kids were SO HAPPY!    That's Tuck in his green puddlejumper.





Charliebear in Marky's old lifejacket- it still says "Marc" on the back.  :)



Charlie having a snack under the umbrella.  He stayed ON Daddy the whole day.  He is Daddy's buddy.







I wondered how Charlie would do- this was a test run to see if I could possibly bring them back by myself sometime.  He did great and was really happy all day and entertained himself rather well.





Now we are home and cleaned up.  Daddy is mowing the grass, Charlie is napping, Tucker is watering flowers, Julia and Marky are watching a show.  We are going to Mass in a bit.  Such a perfect way to end the day.  I didn't know 12 years ago today how wonderful life would be.  I told the children- 12 years ago we asked God to bless our marriage and give us a family and He said, "I've got a great Marky up here just for you.  And the perfect Sissybug- you will love her!  And I have a cute Tuck Tuck that I'll send to keep it light- and oh, how about this Charliebear- he's a doll?"  And we said "Yes, Lord!  Thank you!!!"

Visiting Michael

On Wednesday a bunch of us drove up to the shrine to have a May crowning and visit baby Michael.   We started by enjoying the shrine from the outside- we dared not take a million children inside the quiet, holy space without daddies there to help us.











Then we headed to the grotto- it's made to look like Lourdes-

 







Visiting baby brother....







We had a wonderful picnic under the trees and then the kids found this field of grass over their head- they had the best time disappearing into the grass!





On the way home Charliebear took a little catnap-



Then, I surprised my children by taking them to the splash pad- Marky said, "but we don't have any bathing suits with us" and I loved saying "oh yes you do!"  :)






At first, Charlie was scared of the splash pad and insisted on climbing on the playground that is too big for him- help, I'm stuck mommy!





But later I talked him into walking up to this piano and just touching the water a bit.  He did and started to like it- then Tucker walked up and he was totally confident.  I think Tucker was the security blanket he needed.  They had a great time!







Such a wonderful day with my precious children.   Tucker was so happy- he kept saying "summer has started- it's summer on a Wednesday!  I love summer!"  I love summer too, Buddy Bear.