Our 20th Wedding Anniversary...

I love you Stevie.  20 years ago, each day there after and today...and will love you tomorrow and for all eternity.

ps. the song playing was our "wedding song"  These pictures are the pages to the book I designed for him.

Rosie's dental surgery

Rosie had her first dental issue.  Poor dear, Her teeth are very little.  So her tooth was only 1/2 through when it became decayed.  It in essence died partially under the gum, the permanent tooth began to grow in but the decayed tooth was stuck.  She had to have it removed, the dentist was a pro.  I was in the room with her, a little laughing gas was all it took, and she was just as fine as could be.  Of course he had Mickey Mouse playing on the ceiling, so she watched cartoons through the whole ordeal!

She stands...Sumo Wrestler Style

Gwena has learned to stand from a sitting crouch position.  She will be walking anytime now.  She is amazing and makes me very happy with her ultimate cuteness.  Yeah for Gwena.

My chiropractor told me recently that its very good for children to not walk too early, it gives the joints time.

Preschool days

So this is Tony's year.  Each morning at 9am, we sit down and we do about 1 1/2hour of preschool.  He loves it.  I made him a huge chart.  Each week we learn to recognize a new number and letter.  We do flashcard games, coloring, practice writing lines and slants, shape game, counting, spelling his name.  The second half of the year we will begin actual writing.  We are practicing cutting and pasting.  He is very bright and is making the job very light.  I'm very pleased with him.

Tony has also joined the kids in the tumbling/tap dance class

House Stuff

Well, since we moved in, little by little I've worked on areas of the house.  In the spring we put wood floors into the main areas.  Over the summer my plan was to paint the basement and the kids bedrooms, little did I realize that the basement was such a tough job.

First off it was flat paint and it secondly we did it 3 different colors.  The trim all brown.  The main wall tan.  On the side with the ledge to match my room, the bottom brown and the top brick red.  We painted behind the shelves.  This project literally took all summer.  But it looks wonderful and I'm very happy with it.

We are not on our last project, almost done.  We are painting the kids room, one wall in each room on Saturday.  Then we move the furniture over and do the next wall.  We have one more wall in one room and the closet doors left.  So in two weeks I'm hanging up the house beautification hat until next summer.

Our 2014 Family Vacation

As most people that know large families, know vacations are pretty rare.  This is no surprise as much I'd love to have a vacation, there is the cost of gas, lodging and food.  I regret that we haven't been able to take more family vacations but it just hasn't been very easy for us to do.  We got a phone call from our very close family friend that really has been family for a long time, that he is getting married over labor day weekend and would like us to come and Steve to be his best man and Rosie to be the flower girl.  We had a place to stay and we really didn't want to say no.  So to Michigan we headed.  It was a glorious trip.  It was so needed and we were welcomed with many welcome arms.  I had forgotten how much we meant to the parishoners in Michigan and it was a bit overwelming at first.

We drove straight through not getting in until midnight!  This was at the rest area right over the boarder.  I was feeling a sense of peace and connection.  It was kind of amazing, I didn't expect that.  I guess its more like you know this is "back home"  I suppose that's what Michigan will be to us, it will be our "back home".

Vacation Thursday Morning (The picnic)

First Day (Thursday)

Our first day the Moms that were the original Moms met at the park for a picnic and many of the kids came for a game of soccer, just like the kids have played a million times before with the kids they have played with since they were just little tikes.  Being around the "original" mom's was such a happy place for me.  We had been together while our kids grew up with many of our kids adults are near adult hood, a special bond between friends was apparent now, just as it was many years ago.  It made my heart very happy.

Joe with the youngest Sentman boys.  Him and Robbie are a few days apart and have known each other since they were babies.

Joe and his buddy Robbie

The girls.  Cichos girls, Tibai girls, and Monica Sabella

Mr. Dallaire with the little kids

hugs for Mrs. Lessnau

Julie with two of her girls

All the kids with Mr. Dallaire

Monica and Carolyn bff's!

This is the adult group.  When they started at St. Joseph's they were all about 6-7 years old
Katelyn, Monica and Luke Sabella, Eddie and Richard Sentman and Carolyn

The middle group.  When they met they were all 4-5 years old
Megan and Michelle Tibai, Jaclyn, William, Robbie, Ryan Sentman and Joe.
Michelle, Jaclyn and William are all going to graduate this year

The younger kids Evelyn and Timmy Sentman are exactly one year apart and share the same birthday.  

The moms
Me, Christine Lessnau, Julie Tibai, Beth Sentman, Carol Sabella and Christine's mom.
I love these ladies than words could ever ever express.  

The game!  These kids have been playing soccer since they could kick.  It was so funny, not much changed, same griping at each other, same you missed, you run, you go there...haha.  

Vacation Thursday Evening Rehersal

Thursday evening was the wedding rehearsal and dinner with the Dallaire's.  Rosie was all ready with her basket, practicing.  It was quite cute