HAPPY 10TH BIRTHDAY BEN!!!

 My middle nephew Ben turned 10 this week.  It has taken us about a week to celebrate, which normally happens when Deb has to fit in a party between 3 kids sports schedules.  They whole family gathered to celebrate with him.  Luckily the weather was clear so the boys were able to go hang outside and play some ball.  Thank goodness they were able to because they never get to play ball.  HA!

 At the kids party, everyone gets presents. Oh look, Cate got a Cinderella toy.  No Way.

 It's always a good time when the family gets together.  

 Aunt Frannie and Uncle Mike doing whatever Cate says

 Deb said this a do it yourself party., you can hold your own cake.  Apparently, nobody gets babied on their birthday anymore.

This poor shed is in the neighbor across the alleys' back yard.  Poor thing has so many dings from baseballs.  I bet the little old lady that lives there thinks she is under attack every time these crazy boys go outside.  It's a shame they don't live by a park and be go there anytime to play.  Oh wait, there is one right across the street.

All Hail Mother Nature

Poor Jon.  Poor Poor Jon.  If something is going to happen to any of us it is going to happen to Jon.  This time, the hail storm that worked its way through Granite City Saturday, decided to leave it's calling card on Jon's car.   He was at work so he had no chance to get it to a safe place.  Luckily, my car was in the car port, Ann's was at Cody's and Ken's was with us up a the camper.

 Jon will now be driving my car until we can get his fixed.  We had Ann and Cody up for lunch Saturday so they weren't in town for the storm.  Thank God!  I have no idea how Ann would have fared had she been in town.  It was bad enough watching radar from the camper.  She made me call my mom half a dozen times just to make sure they were down in the basement when the sirens went off.

Everyone else in the family survived with no damage to anything.  Dad said this was one of the worsts hail storms he had ever seen.  Wish I could have been home to see it.  But then again, Ken's truck probably would have been damaged and that would have been bad for everyone. So here's to Jon and another insurance claim!

Tale of the Hostas

 Oh my hostas.  How I have worried about you.  Last year you didn't do so well and I was afraid I had lost you.  Then that evil animal came and dug most of you up.  I though you were lost to me forever.  But you survived and this time I will protect you and not let bad things happen to you again.

 Last year my mom and dad brought over quite a few hostas from their gardens.  I had them planted around my trees and they looked very nice.  But for some reason during the summer they died off.  The shriveled up and went away.  I really thought I had killed them all,  When we got back to the camper this spring I noticed that most of them were dug up by some animal over the winter.  I just knew I was going to have to buy all new plants.

But alas, some survived.  My one tree has had quite a few come up.  I am so excited.  The other tree, not so much but there are a few trying to push their way to the top.

 Come on little buddy, you can do it.

 After the rains last weekend, everything turned a vibrant green.  Love it!

 As I was fishing, a term I will use very loosely, this creature swam by me.  Not sure the kind of snake that it is, but he wasn't too happy that I took his picture.

 One of the geese guarding her eggs.  She made sure nobody got close to her babies.

 Gross.  I hate frogs.

 Ken thinking he is all cool because he caught a fish.  Well listen here buster.  I caught the first one  But since you didn't help me with it it flopped off the bank into the lake before I got a picture.   But in my heart I know I caught the biggest fish.

New birds to my feeder.  I was so excited to see them there!

Happy Easter!

HAPPY EASTER!!!!!

This year our Easter was a little different.  Normally our family goes to church then spends the rest of the day running from one parents house to the other.  This year Ken had to work, we weren't going to Ken's families house, and we weren't going to my moms till 5:00pm.  What to do???  At first I thought Ann would be going to Cody's after church so it would just be me and Jon so I planned on taking him to lunch and the zoo.  I was then told by Ann that if I even think of going to the zoo without her she would never let me take Trevor there.  Sooooo I was going to have to come up with some other idea.  Then Cody's family said they weren't eating until 6:00pm so Ann and Cody joined us at the zoo.

Jon and I went to church Sunday morning with Cody and his family.  They belong to Central Christian and that is where Ann has been going the last year. After the service we went out to lunch then headed to the zoo.  The weather was perfect and we had a great time.

 This is normally how we all feel after spending a few hours with Cody  : )

Trevor's first trip to the zoo.  Think he will remember it?

 Did you know hippos kill more people every year than sharks?

 Believe it or not, Ann was yelling at Jon 

 So glad my kids love each other!!

 In case you were asking, yes these two make me tired

 Give the poor thing a leaf already

 Look, Ken showed up!  He actually got to eat dinner with the family.  As you can see, he was thrilled.

 Miss Cate trying the sabotage the Hillbilly Golf Game. 

 Jon saved the day and got the balls back.  Yay Jon!!!

Another crazy holiday!!!  Hope yours was as nice as ours!