Birthday Party Fun

Today was Cody's 16th Birthday party! For a boy, he didn't seem to want to have a big to do over it. ;0) Nothing like Krissy's sweet 16, where she did want some attention. Boys and girls.
My best friend Mara threw the party at Southtown bowling alley. I've never been to a party at a bowling alley before so this was fun! She had us bring our family, Kris had to work. And as a family we got to have some family fun.

Here is the group that came, all boys!

Gideon tried bowling but I think he
got nervous in front of everyone and didn't
want to do it anymore. But he loved the video
games!

Gabe loved bowling but when he saw
Gideon leave for video games he wanted
to be in on that action.

Seems like I always end up taking a pic
with Gideon and Dad takes a pic with
Gabe...... Funny

Mara and birthday boy Cody!

Trying to take a picture with my husband
he just loves to look at me when we take pics
wonder why?

See here is dad with Gabe!

The boys enjoying their soda and chicken
fingers!

Gabe is quite the little bowler, his form is
great! And they had bumpers up for him!

This was a good pic, Mara's dad, who also
was my childhood pastor is sitting with
my husband having a good time.

It was nice, in this picture you can really see my husband smiling. He looks like he is having a good time. Before we got there his arm was bothering him from a cupboard mishap last weekend and he wasn't going to bowl. When Dale asked him about bowling and made it seem like a friendly competition, then Dj was all for it! To watch him laughing and having a good time, without the current stress that his life is and really know he was geniunely enjoying himself. Made my heart soar. And almost brought a tear to my eye. I am so thankful for this day and the memory we had as a family.

I pray Cody had a wonderful day and felt special. I am thankful to my friend for inviting us to be a part of this special day and for giving our family so much more than she would have known. Also being very special being that we had some years where we weren't able to talk to each other, ten years, so we missed some birthdays. So this was a very special time all around.

So the cake was so delicious and it left me wanting more sugar! So I made cookie brittle. Yum. I had no eggs to make the cookies so I went for the brittle, even better!

What a great day!

Youth Night at Church

My daughter wanted to attend Youth night this saturday. Get to see who's in youth group for the year and how they are going to do things this year.

It was an event for the whole family. We had visited friends earlier in the day so my hubby and my older son was too tired and wanted to stay home. So I went with my daughter and my younger son.

We used to go to this church every sunday. We enjoyed it. So we know a lot of people there. We went through some very difficult times with our lives and stayed away from church for a long time. I know that sounds weird but when your struggling with certain things, you just don't want to have to explain to anyone. And being with your christian friends, you inevitably wind up talking about it and praying for people which is all good but for us it was also just too humiliating and we stayed home. Then I hit a mental wall and for my sanity, I use saturday and sunday for days where I do not have to do anything cause I'm doing so much monday through friday.

So that being said...... We had a blast. And the message from the youth pastor was great. But it really got me thinking...... In the beginning of my daughter's life I was rebellious and didn't want to go to church. I didn't want anything to do with religion. I love the Lord and I prayed and I showed her how to pray. And we had our little kid conversations about the Lord. It wasn't until she was 2 that I decided I wanted something for her to have hope in. I wanted to share a faith with her that wasn't just my parents. And I started attending a really wonderful church that showed me a new way to worship. We went to sunday worship and wednesday night worship. We joined small groups and really got involved. I feel like I started off on the right foot with her. She accepted Christ when she was 7 years old. I believe with my whole heart that she believes in the Lord. However each year she gets older and older, I see her life drifting further and further away from a relationship with the Lord.

I know for me I was a little rebellious as a youth and I went away but never forgot. So part of me believes this will happen.

During the talk that the pastor gave, it made me think about how far I've come from what I was and with my boys and even my daughter now, I probably am not doing what I should in teaching them. And being reminded of the bible talking about teachers being held accountable to a higher standard than your average joe so to speak, it made me sad. I see the decisions that my daughter has made and continues to make and I wonder if I had just done more would she have turned out different? or are some of us just destined to do differently than what our parents would have raised us in?

I'm not letting it get me too down, I know it's never too late. I just wonder what I can do, how do you reach a 16 year old that really doesn't want to hear it.......

this weekend was such a blast! we got to go to dairy queen for a dessrt, love me some moo latte! and then we went for our yearly run to teddy bear park! we try to go there at least once or twice a season and usually not on weekends as thats when its busiest and people from all over come out.

here are the boys on the little bear

boys on the big bear

mama and gideon

we got to go to the mongolian bbq for a family dinner. it was very good! i love grabbing all these fresh ingredients and watching them bbq it up for me, yum. this time gabe even tried that and loved it.

gideon loved being there but didnt like the food much

gabe loved it all and then some

krissy didnt have to work this weekend and in between hanging out with friends and her busy social life we watched an old movie with amanda bynes called she's the man.

it was also bayport derby days this weekend! so we were able to and watch the fireworks. they gave an amazing show! and we got to listen and watch live music and play in the dark at the park. kids loved it!

the boys saw bikes for sale. they were asking for 20.00 a bike. the boys had a garage sale this past week for one of their lessons and both earned some money. dad let them take part of it for the bike! they were very excited!




i live for weekends like this! it was so much fun and my anxiety isn't holding me back as much! i will have great memories.....

Birthdays and Vacations

This weekend we went to Marshfield, Wisconsin!

It was my niece's 15th birthday!

Marissa, it is unbelieveable that 15 years have past and you have grown into such a beautiful, friendly and christian young lady!



We also have not been anywhere this summer aside from visiting family in Alexandria so this was like a vacation for our family as well! We reserved a room at the lovely Baymont Hotel in Marshfield. It was a very reasonably priced room and really beautiful on the inside. The kids loved being away from home and bouncing on the beds and the pool!

I didn't get any pool side pics or room shots! I don't know what I was thinking!

On the road trip we stopped in Osseo, WI. There was a diner there called Moe's diner and this statue was in the parking lot!


The one picture I took at our hotel was the shot out the back window...... It made me laugh that it was a field of some kind.
When we finally got settled and the boys went for a swim, my sister and my mom picked me up to go and see my sister's husband. He is Dj Z around town and does some side jobs for weddings, events and local bars. We went to Tj's Afterhours in Marshfield to see him in action.




My sister's husband's Aunt Donna was already there and we sat with her and had a few good laughs. It's even funnier as my sister, my mom and myself don't drink so we all had our favorite pop. The older kids came by for a little of it as they were only a few blocks away. So this will probably be the first and the last time that I will be at a bar with my mom and my daughter!

The party was saturday. It was a little rainy, little humid not too hot. We had the party in the garage, brought me back to the days of my younger adult days with the garage parties!

To my left I asked Kris for a hug!

To my right we had the grandkids
line up with Gramma and Grampa! Those kids so funny......

There we got the shot!

Just my kids with Grandparents My wonderful mom and dad!

Delicious Cake Rach! My best sister friend














Oh those boys and their toys!

Just us girls, so pretty! Like mother like daughters.

The next day after the party, we had such a cool and beautiful day! So wonderful. We woke up and went to get coffee at something called the coffee cabin. Marissa suggested it as one of the best as they use gheridelli (sp?) chocolate in their mocha's. So we tried it and she was right, it was delicious!


After we ate lunch we were on our way home. Oh the time never seems long enough when I'm with my sister and her kids.
On our way back we decided to take a picture with the A&W Bear, does he have a name?
While I took one pic of my hubby and the bear, he took several that show our progression and it makes me laugh. Enjoy.....








We were all tired by the time we got home. It was a very good weekend and we had a fun family vacation! We don't usually get to take trips and stay in hotels, so this was special for us. And we really enjoyed it.

The boys got to do a little fireworks that night we got home. And sparklers!