Locks of Love

Locks of Love

I just decided recently to donate my hair to Locks of Love: Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces/wigs to financially disadvantaged children in the United States...children that are suffering from long-term medical hair loss from a variety of diagnosis’s... I thought I would share before and after pics with family and friends! I had not cut my hair in about four years, but this was a very easy decision to make considering who could benefit.

Halloween 2008

An afternoon at the strawberry farm.

Summer Bike Rides

Bikin'

Another day at Uncle and Auntie's house was filled with bike ridin'. AJ road over ten miles that day thanks to a gizmo that can be attached to an adults bike. It allowed his tired legs a rest here and there. Along the way they picked up the cutest little hitch hiker ever seen and she road around in the front basket of her daddy's bike. AJ was having so much fun the past week I was afraid that when I went to pick him up he would not want to come home...so I did what any mother would do and I put him on the spot and asked him...if he was wanting to come home, he replied "that depends..." ... "on what"???? I had to know, turns out it all depended on whether or not dad and I got one of those gizmo's to hook up to our bike... So again...., I did what any mother would do and I found one that we could use ourselves at home.

At the Water Park

AJ spent a week at his Aunt and Uncle's house. This is just one of their adventures that week. They went to a water park near the state capital and splashed around the fountains. His little cousin was a little hesitant to join in the fun in the beginning...but AJ just took her by the hand and led her out in the middle of the chaos...soon she was brave and even sooner still she was having more fun keeping up on her big cousin.

!Water Park Fun!

Graduation 2008

Red Knights Fire Academy

Jeremy is part of a group of 21 recruits with Lakewood Fire Department. They are learning all there is to know about FIRE and how to put it out. Here are some photos of Jeremy's training. He has only 10 more days to go until graduation from Lakewood's fire academy...then he will undergo University Place Fire Department's private academy.....and from there he starts his career, (something he has worked hard for) as a FireMan! We are more than PROUD of daddy/hubby!

Piano Recital

AJ had his first piano recital. He practiced most everyday....(we tried)..... and he was very nervous, to the point of being pretty grumpy beforehand. But that is completely understandable. When his turn to play came...he did so perfect! As parents JJ and I could not be any prouder of our little boy! The songs he played were Strike up the Band, and Haunted Mouse...oh yeah, and there was a jam packed basement full of parents and family members watching. If I had to guess there was maybe about 100 people watching. Quit a little gathering for AJ to play in front of.

Procession of the Species

What exactly is The Procession of the Species???
It is simply put: People celebrating nature in community... by way of parade.
There are 3 main rules:
No written words
No pets
No motorized vehicles
The folks who organize the procession describe it as "… a joyous, artistic pageant, embracing the languages of art, music and dance to inspire learning, appreciation and protection of the natural world."

















Can you guess who the STAR of the Procession was?? ........
My little niece stole the show with her cute little ways about her. Once she saw AJ the walk had ended for her. She wanted to hang with her cousin. Good thing we gathered at the end of the parade.

Hop Scotch with Grandma

Another way to nonchalantly pass the time while awaiting the parade to begin…. was to play hop scotch with Grandma...How cool that the streets were closed off to traffic and you could draw a gigantic game in the left hand lane??!!

Bike Rides

Uncle T was a trooper carting around AJ along with little D in the bike stroller. Little D's no problem, add another 50 pounds and then it's a workout for Uncle.

AJ Outline

Uncle T made good use of some chalk and idle time as we waited anxiously for the Procession of the Species parade to come dancing and singing down our street.

GoodBye, My Nana

Recently our family said goodbye to our grandma or whom as children we called Nana. Nana bravely fought cancer and the Lord came to take her home April 17, 2008. My sister posted the eulogy she helped write for our grandma and I wanted to share it too. There is a lot to say and yet it is indescribable...thank-you Camille for being able to put into words what we all feel in our hearts. Here is the link: Goodbye, Grandma

Toothless

AJ has about 4 loose teeth left. This top front one fell out last night as it was hangin' on by a mere thread for a few weeks now. He did manage to wait until after school pictures to lose this one. ( I was kinda hoping it would have fell out sooner so we could have his first grade pictures to look back on through the years to fondly remind us of these milestones of our AJ's growing up.) He decided he wanted to keep it himself instead of letting the tooth fairy take it away and leave him with a lousy ol' dollar bill...My poor little boy is already trying to talk without moving his lips to much and trying not to give a full on toothless grin...I assured him that he was still just as handsome as ever...but he still insists on hiding his gapping hole from the rest of the world to see. Such is the life of a six year old!

**Reach for the Stars**

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the program AJ took part in let me give a brief synopses: The kids participate in a reading program where it is recommended that over a 10 day period each child tries to read at least 30 minutes a day, or 300 minutes over the 10 day time frame. The children also collect pledges from family and friends, 50% of the pledges earned is for the child to pick books out for themselves to enjoy, the other 50% goes to the child’s classroom for new books to be purchased.
On the night of the Harvest Carnival winners were announced for 3 categories…most minutes read by one person, most pledges collected by one person, and then most minutes read by an entire classroom. I am proud to say that AJ received a trophy for most minutes read by one person! This was against every child in the school from kindergarten up to the 8th grade. If you ask AJ how hard he worked to earn his trophy he will say "eh...it was easy". Well reading does come rather naturally for him and I think the Reach for the Stars program created a little bookworm out of our AJ. I am proud to say that AJ read 1,040 minutes total in 10 days time, earning him the well deserved trophy for most minutes read by one reader in his whole entire school. Our little guy was pretty much overwhelmed and speechless…I knew what was going through his head though, he has always wanted to earn himself a trophy…he has even wanted to buy them at thrift stores and yard sales…and I have always said to him that it is much more rewarding and gratifying to earn one for something worthy…and now he did! And I am so glad that part of my costume that night consisted of wearing sunglasses because as I watched my little boy receive his award I was teary.

Harvest Festival

This year JJ, AJ, and I were able to take part in the Harvest Festival at AJ's school. The theme was island adventures. There were pirate ships, tropical islands, underwater themes and Hawaiian luaus. JJ and I decorated one room in the school that was the tropical island theme and then we all dressed up as tourists of our island. We had two fun games in our room for the kids to play and win candy and prizes. This project was a lot of hard work...but also a lot of fun too! Then as if this wasn't enough for the kids to collect candy and prizes...there is Trunk or Treating' out back of the school. About 10-12 people park out back, decorating the trunks of their cars in accordance with the harvest theme. The children go from car to car "trunk or treating'. AJ of course had a blast...and JJ and I have to admit we had a blast too!

Sharp Dressed First Grader!

Well our big FIRST Grader was a wee bit nervous his first day back to school. (although you can't entirely tell from the pictures) It won't take long at all and he will be back into the swing of things...as there are plenty of his friends from kindergarten who are joining him again this year, and friends he met that were first graders last year whom are now in the second grade and will be sharing a classroom with him to help him along to learn the ropes. As parents, we could not be any prouder of our son!

I SPY

Can you spy Austin in this photo? Believe it or not this is probably only half of his stuffed animal collection. He can not part with any of them, they all mean something to him...even if he can't remember exactly what...and if he miss places one at a friends house, or somewhere in our house he is almost obsessed with finding it or getting it back (to the point of driving mommy crazy) I have been known to find the exact same stuffed animal on eBay, just to get a lost one back home. (now who's the obsessed one?)

Holy Baptism

On Sunday June 10, 2007 AJ and Mommy were baptized.
















Thank-you to all family that attended this wonderful time in our lives, and whom were thinking ahead an brought their camera!

AJ Graduates Kindergarten

What a big event for AJ as he graduated from kindergarten! The class put on a little play for family called "The Three Piggy Opera". Which was cute beyond words. And then the kids lined up as they received their diploma and graduated! It was a tearful moment for mom and even dad admitted he had a lump in his throat. It seems that kindergarten just flashed before our eyes and another milestone for our child has come and gone in a whirl wind. Congrats AJ! We are proud and LOVE you so MUCH!

AJ Turns Six

What a big day for AJ! He turned six-years-old! The day started with AJ going to school and celebrating with his classmates through cake and song and a special delivery of balloons which was pretty neat. (thank-you Papa and Grandma JO).
After school we took AJ out to dinner (Red Robin...his choice) and they came to the table and announced to the dinning room that there was a special boy turning 6 and then sang Happy Birthday to him and gave him a special dessert. AJ was completely mortified...but felt special (I hope). Then later he says to us..."Mom, Dad... I don't feel six"...and dad says "well what do you think six is supposed to feel like"? It was sure cute. After dinner we headed to see the Spiderman 3 movie. Which turned out to be a little more violent than the first 2... AJ had to cover his eyes more times than I care to count...but enjoyed it all the same. Coming home we did cake and ice cream and sang happy birthday and he looked only slightly less embarrassed than at dinner when complete strangers sang to him. All in all it was a jam packed birthday for our little six-year-old. Very memorable for mommy...~*~sigh...tear...~*~....even though he is growing up faster than I care to admit...I will always think of him as my little boy.

Birthday Beanie Babies

AJhas died and
gone to heaven!

They make Sponge Bob Square Pants Beanine Babies!

Birthday Boy

AJ read a card from his Great Grandma Judy and Great Papa Johnny. I melted as he hugged his card after reading it.

Playing 2nd Base

AJ played second base his first game. He was ready and focused... Well, to the degree that is expected of a five-year-old. He did great! The game was much fun. There was no keeping score, no pressure of competing with each other, everyone came to home plate, whether it was cutting across from second to home or going around all four bases.

That's what it should be about when the kids are this young. Competition will come later... and I've already warned JJ that I will be one of those parents who will embarrass him through the years.

BATTER UP!

AJ's first T-Ball game!

The first time he was up to bat he nailed the ball and took off for first base....he never did let go of the bat. It was so darn cute!

Weight Lifting

AJ and Daddy worked together to lift this 500 pound weight! WHEW... it was hard work for AJ...and little effort on Daddy's part.

KING Cranium!

We often tease AJ about his being so smart he has the nickname king cranium.... now we have the official proof!

Surgeon AJ

Careful not to touch the sides and make the patient go...BUZZZZZZZZ!

AJ was extremely entertained by the gigantic operation game. Here he demonstrates surgery on the femur bone.