Celebrating Two Special Gifts...

The first week of March is always cause to celebrate in our family. Our Grace and our nephew Brady share the same birthday. My mother has not been well for several months but has been feeling better recently. She had all of us over this week to celebrate 2 very precious gifts...

Grace and her Daddy

Grace with her Uncle Jim

 Daniel with his little sister

Brady & Grace, the birthday kids

Brady & his daddy

Cousins

Proud Grandma with her birthday kids

Again I apologize for being such a bad blogger. Helping my mother and, well, just the every day busy-ness have kept me away from you all. Know I think of each of you often and send you much love.

~The people of Japan are in my prayers as I know they are in yours.

May God be with them all...

The Old Gray Susie Ain't What She Used To Be...

Hmm...let's see...someone has a birthday today. Who is it...hmmm...

Oh yeah, old Susie Q is turning another year older.

Let's see here...add 5, carry the 2...yup. Here it is. The old girl is 54 today!

I just can't help but laugh...here I am remembering HER birthday but

did SHE remember mine? July 9th went by without one word about it on her blog. Not. One. Word!

But heck. I have a big heart. I'm a big guy! So let's just forget about my

self proclaimed "world's greatest fan"'s indiscretion and move on...

I will now read a poem I  wrote for the old girl.

Ahem...

Today dear old Susie turns 54

The years pile up, she's turned into a bore.

Her hair's gettin' grayer, the age lines are deep

The hot flashes make her lose lots of sleep.

Her joints are a creakin', her back's pretty bad

She still thinks she's young, now ain't that real sad?

 Not that I am holding a grudge or anything...

...And Then It Was Time To Celebrate The Booman!

Grace and my nephew Brady, AKA, The Booman, share the same birthday! So in between Grace's celebrations, we celebrated Boo's big day!

First stop? Playhouse Disney Live!

Anticipation....oooh. When will it begin?

Yikes! I can't take much more of this waiting!

Okay Daddy. THIS is Manny, THAT is Mickey. Got it?

Whew! All this waiting makes a little guy thristy you know!

What Boo? Oh! But Auntie Sue can't MAKE them hurry! They will be out soon, I promise!

Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to the show!

IT'S MICKEY!!! WHOOHOOHOO!

YEA!!

And there are the Little Einsteins!

And Pooh!

And Tigger too and they are DANCING!

YEA! It's Manny and his tools!!

And more singin' and dancin'!!

Yep Boo. Daddy does look good in your helmet! Smile Daddy!

Sing Donald!

Sing along Boo!

Thank you for coming to see us boys and girls!

Huh? It's over? Aw gee....

But Boo! Don't worry! We still have another day of fun!

On to the EnterTRAINment Junction!

Oh does Boo loves trains...big trains, little trains, Thomas trains, fast trains, slow trains...

Hurry Mommy! Let's get inside!

See Mom! I can teach you all about trains!

Now, that one over there is going fast...and this one is slooooowwww...

...and they all make me so happy!

I see it Uncle Bill! Do you see it Mommy? It's Thomas the Tank Engine!

Oh do I LOVE Thomas...*sigh*

This is such a cool place!

There goes Thomas...he's my best buddy!

Hundreds of trains = one very happy Booman!

Happy Birthday little man. We all love you very, very much!

 

Uh huh..I Know, I Know...But Here Is Why...

...yup. I sure do! I have been just an awful blogger. Terrible at keeping up posts and even worse at visitng and leaving comments. Try as I might, life just keeps me from sitting down with this old computer! Not anything awful, just the general busy-ness! You all know what that is like! Since we returned from Florida, it has been go, go, go!

I have so much to catch up on here but please know I adore you all. I think about you all so, so often. You will not believe how many times during the day or the week I see something or hear something and think about one of you!

I can't possibly catch up with everything that has kept the folks at Rabbit Run Cottage hopping but let's start with these...

On Grace's birthday the family went to Columbus, Ohio. One of Grace's best friends came along too! We  headed to the Rhodes State Office Building across from our Capitol building where Grace was one of 170 young people across the state honored with an art award. One of her pieces is to hang in the building where our state representative's offices reside.

Grace with her beautiful ink and watercolor piece.

Here are Grace, her friend Miss A. and her art teacher, Mrs. Tavani.

Receiving her award...

Miss A., Grace and my Mom

The girls in front of the State Capitol.

Then it was off to Easton Town Center, a wonderful shopping and dining area in Columbus. The girls had lots of fun looking and trying on and oohing and ahhing...

Then it was lunch time! Grace chose The Cheesecake Factory...

...where after dinner, the wait staff presented her with cheesecake and sang a rousing chorus of Happy Birthday!

The next evening we had a nice dinner, followed by Grace's birthday cake.

And yes! She blew out all 12 in one breath!

Then, this past weekend, all of us, plus 2 of Grace's dear friends, went down to Great Wolf Lodge near Cincinnati. Uh huh...more birthday doin's!

Grace with her buddies, Miss KE  and Miss KH.

Is there anything sweeter than kids giggling?

More presents to unwrap...then off to dinner at The Brazenhead Irish Pub!

Now, if I hadn't been pretty darned sure I was near Cincinnati, Ohio, I would have SWORN I was in the Emerald Isle itself...

What a wonderful place!

We loved being at Brazenhead Irish Pub, especially during St. Patrick's Day week!

Shepherd's Pie and Fish and Chips all around!

And nope. There was no partaking of any Irish spirits...these girls are just naturally silly!

Then back to Great Wolf for more water fun!

Great Wolf has the most wonderful indoor waterpark and the girls had such a great time!

Oh NO! Watch out for the wild animals!

We all came home tired but happy. It was certainly a sweet month of birthday celebrations for Grace!

Next post? My nephew, the Booman, had HIS birthday celebrations this month too!

I TOLD you it had been extra busy!

Wishing you all a sweet week filled with sunshine and smiles!

Spring is here!

Love to you all!