Is it Spring Yet?

Been just sitting here (in the house all week) wondering when we will see the sun, let alone thinking about Spring.  So, I thought I'd go through some old pics and find ones that reminder me that Spring and warm weather WILL be here eventually.  You probably saw these already, but I'm going for whatever gets me through these gloomy days.

I so wish I could feel the grass on my feet RIGHT NOW!

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Can't wait to see "my" chickens outside again

My "boy of summer", #5

Party and #5's lost bet

Yesterday was the "Beatles Birthday Party" for my aunt. Ok, it was shared with the Bears/Packers game. Too bad the wrong team won.  Here are some pics from the day.  Please make sure you see the bottom of this post for pics of #5.

All the things I did/made for the party:

My aunt with my three cousins eight kids.

cousin A's mini her daughter, M

My aunt with 10 of the 11 great nieces and nephews.  My nephew E was the only one not there.

#5 on right, my nephew A on left (the "big" kids)

Birthday girl with the Beatles book I gave her

Really cool Beatles Russian nesting dolls she received from good friends

My dad, aunt and uncle (his siblings)

POOR #5, lost a bet with his friend and had to wear this to school today.  Hope he didn't catch too much teasing for it:

In-Laws 50th Anniversary Dinner

Last night we had the 50th anniversary dinner for my in-laws.  We had it at Salerno's on The Fox and then all headed over to Pheasant Run and hung out and just had alot of family fun.  All the out-of towners and my in-laws stayed there.  We didn't, of course, since we are so close.

It really was a great night.  This was the first time in about six years that all six of children and parents were together.  Everyone is scattered around.  Us here in Bartlett, Oswego, Rockford, Bloomington, South Carolina and Florida.

The cousins, that are hardly ever together, all hung out and had fun too.  The age range is from 7 months to 28 years (he with four of his own children too).

the whole family together

all lined up, youngest to oldest from left

cousins having fun (#5 on left)

me and baby G, the youngest

oldest, nephew M, and his son, S

 Delicious cookies my friends daughter made for me.  She is an awesome baker

Beatles Birthday

I've been working on two parties recently for the next two weekends.  This weekend is the 50th anniversary dinner for my in-laws (pics to come on a later post)  and the other is a birthday party for my aunt, who is the BIGGEST BEATLES fan I know.  I've been having fun coming up with things for the party.  Pictures, candy bar wrappers, quiz, etc.  I also found this ice cube tray.  It is of yellow submarines.  #5 thinks I'm crazy and is determined that to invent something, because as he says, "he can't believe they make this kind of stuff" and can't believe people (ok his mom) buy it.

Here are some pics of what I have so far.

Good thing I have more than a week to get as many of these little guys made.  They are small so they freeze fast, but melt fast too.  Food coloring made them yellow.

Put her face on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

Candy bar labels made to look like a ticket on front and the info is the back.

What I printed on front of label.

Random Things

So yesterday was another day that tugged at my mommy heart.  I took my baby, (ok, I know he's 15, but will always be my baby) for his driving permit.  It seemed like just yesterday he and Gizmo were driving around the lawn in their little motorized jeeps, now she has her license and he is taking driver's ed.  Then he had to remind me that I've been driving for almost 30 years.  YIKES!  I must be old and just don't know it.

Random pics:

cleaned up the scrapbooking room to get ready for the next projects

cool shadow.  my outside light with it's shadow on the side of the house

this is one of my husbands latest addition to his man cave.  this is a hockey goal light.  noise and all.  he hung it above the tv.   i figure it will be used for goals, hits, homeruns, outs, strike-outs, touchdowns, basket, etc.  i thought it was loud down there with just the tv.  the whole neighborhood will probably know when he is watching a game.

"Photo Shoot" (warning, I went a little long)

So after purchasing my fabulous Barbie book yesterday, I dug out my three old Barbies (2 Barbie, 1 Ken), my Barbie Airplane, and Barbie House, and we had a little photo shoot.  I also found two of my Dawn dolls.  Remember them?  Mini fashionistas. In the same Ziploc bags, were my first teddy bear (all torn and mended) and my Thumblelina doll (that still works).

As I looked through my book and Googled my "old friends", I found many people held on to their toys too;  some in mint condition.  And I thought, "wow, how cool would that be if mine were like that"?  Then I realized how glad I am that they are not.  Mine are worn, dirty, one has an injury, one had her hair cut by my sister, and I only have one outfit per doll.  I think about all the wonderful clothes I had for them, and how many my mother actually made.  Can you imagine how hard that must of been?  I guess what I am trying to say is that my dolls were very well loved and played with, ALOT and I wouldn't have it any other way.  Too bad, or maybe good thing I don't have a daughter to pass on my love for Barbie.  My luck, if I did she wouldn't have liked Barbie anyway.  Instead I still have #5's Batman collection.(about 75 figures, Batcave, etc.).  I lived out my Barbie days, playing Batman with him.  I got to be Batgirl of course.

So, here is my "photo shoot":

Dawn, (blonde) and her friend Gloria