Grant stuff

Final band concert of the year and being recognized as an 8th grader.  I thought he was the school principal. 

 

Day the braces came off, before and after, May 2014

 

Flashback to before and right after the braces, Summer 2012

Then he went with me to pick up the sibs from school.  There’s that sweet stuff again. 

 

Practicing tying a tie one morning in preparation for dress up day where he wore this sharp number: 

   

I can’t remember when the purple thing started.  A few years ago anyway.  We’ve looked a couple places for purple socks but haven’t found just the right ones.  Wonder where Donny Os gets his?

 

Now why is the principal getting on the bus? 

I got him to go to the mall with Caroline and me last weekend by promising him a big burger out for lunch.  This 10 ounce deep fried cheeseburger is called Heart Attack on the menu and served with High Blood Pressure sauce.  I am not kidding. 

The truly amazing part is that he had to ask for a box and take part of it home.  Now that’s telling you it’s a big big meal.

Last batch of iPhone pics, for now

Spring, finally!

 

At the SIUe Gardens, we saw the miniest daffodils I’ve ever seen.  And very cool metal artwork that I would like to bring home, too.  But I didn’t. 

 

Recently I replaced the former dining room plant with a fern, which I’ve never tried indoors.  This shot sure makes the red dining room look like a crazy pink.  The stand is not the prettiest in the world I’ll admit, but it was made by my great great grandpa so I keep it and am happy to have it.  Now I can’t remember why I even took a picture of this. 

Hey, a pic of Jack!!  And my mom.  This was taken a few days after he had oral surgery for all four wisdom teeth.  That’s how he spent his Sophomore year Spring Break.  The other kids spent the week at Grandma and Grandpa’s house, so it was pretty quiet at home.

Taking a look at the big tree on Grandpa’s farm. 

My three sons.  Robbie, Ernie, Chip ?  : ) 

Their one son. 

 

So happy for our sunny days with family.

Who needs to paddle the boat when you got the dog paddle?

 

Checking out the creek at my folks’. Lots of little fish and a dead crawdad and that was all we saw.  Well, also a bunch of ticks that appeared later.  But not a single snake which was surprising on this kind of day.

 

The only kid remaining at our house that cares about an Easter egg hunt.  Sniff, sniff. 

 

My view from the trampoline which is the perfect spot to sun on cool Spring days.  We better never get rid of the tramp.

 

Going into SIUe for a night of bowling. I don’t want these days to end.  Will you guys just keep on dressing alike and holding hands even when you’re 30 and 26?  It’ll keep your mama happy.

At Sam’s last eye exam, he was having trouble with convergence.  Luckily it wasn’t noticeably affecting his reading,  but I’m telling you, he couldn’t cross his eyes at all.  He’s been practicing since January and now it looks like he’s gained the skill. 

She’s on an iPhone pic roll

  

It’s hard to get a good picture of fire I think, but I kept trying since it was so cool to see the chimney effect from a hollow piece of wood one night at our friend’s house in the old Rosie neighborhood.  Fires are fun and that’s a fact.

 

April Fools’ Day.  One of the kids brought home the brown E’s from school actually.  For two years now I have had awesome AF’s tricks planned that I haven’t gotten to use.  Next year I swear!  

I thought someone had dumped the icemaker bin when I came home and found this at the front step. It was hail just like Sonic ice.  And our icemaker had quit so I had been buying Sonic ice.  It took quite awhile for me to accept that this really was hail, but it really was. Lots of Spring storms here lately.

 

Because I used to work in Patoka, IL, little town that it is being quoted on an Old Navy ad!, I had to take a pic. 

 

AND my girl is Caroline who is all into clothes shopping and fashion and she has a friend named Livia!  This was actually a TV commercial that I had to stop and take a screenshot.  I don’t actually know what the commercial was for. 

I love my (our) new grill Gary bought over the winter to replace our oldie that had caught on fire twice.  I call it mine because I am so far the only one that uses it.  It’s so cool.  None of the dials are melted and it is big enough I can cook the entire mess of hamburgers and hotdogs at one time.

I don’t take food pics at restaurants but I guess I occasionally do at home.  Strawberry shortcake. Apps are fun.

Naps are, too.

Gary and the boys are expanding their wardrobes to include quick-dry performance wear to use this summer on their high adventure camping trip. I have to say I was compelled to snap this pic because raglan sleeves = hunky shoulders and biceps, IMO.

The cloudy day takes a lot away but trust me, these pear blooms were beautiful. When the wind blew, it looked like giant snowflakes falling in the air. 

This was from the day I was so excited to get to the yard sale with leather furniture that I slammed the passenger van door somehow into my left ankle.  I don’t think I could do that again if I tried and I don’t ever want to do it again because, holy mother that hurt.  I didn’t even get to see the furniture.  Boo hoo.  Missed Zumba for more than a week too, but now it’s much better. 

I’m not even done with April yet, folks!