90 Years AND Counting!

This past weekend my family on my Mom's side gathered to celebrate my Ma-Maw's 90th birthday at Red Top Mountain State Park on the lake.

Ma-Maw is 90 going on 50, she's healthy as a horse and rides her stationary bike 5 miles EVERY day... and to beat that, it's on her back porch in this horrible heat.  Go Ma-Maw!

Amazing how one woman can make this many people, and this isn't everyone.

Ma-Maw, Lexi and me ofcourse!

My Ma-Maw and my Mom

If only she were as sweet the whole time as she was in this picture.

(I know I have other children, but they were busy swimming the entire time)

My cousin and her sweet baby, I just had to add this...

How To Wash A Car... Lexi Style...

Today was car washing day...

But Lexi had ideas of her own... there were other things that were more dirtier than Mom's car...

Like say... the cat!

"Hold still Smokey, this won't hurt a bit"

"Good Kitty"

Lexi thanks Smokey for being a good sport...

But it was time to move on, Big Sis had to show her the bubbles in the bucket...

So maybe she'll help wash the car after all...

But the bubbles feel so good!

I wonder what they taste like?

Maybe if I look clean, Mom won't make me take a bath tonight...

Scrub-a-dub-dub...

Wait, I missed a spot... ah, there.

OK, now I've had enough.

"I promise Mom, I didn't put all those bubbles in Lexi's hair"

Not only did I get a clean car out of this, but a half clean kid too!

15 Already?

So I'm running behind by about three birthdays... I'm slacking.  We'll start with Amber's and backtrack the other's that I've missed.

Can you believe it?  I can't, 15 already!  I remember being 15 and that doesn't seem too long ago.  And if your wondering the obsession with the birthday stickers?  I couldn't just post pictures of my vivacious 15 yr old daughter in a bikini for the world to see.  This was after we returned from the pool and Amber and her party guests wanted to play in the "ice" cold rain.

I decided to do something different, Amber had a pool party and instead of cake & ice cream, we had an ice cream party!  An all you can eat buffet of brownies, ice cream, caramel and hot fudge not to mention the other goodies we smothered on top.

Even Lexi enjoyed a waffle cup with whipped topping... yummmmm

Each item I brought out and sat on the table, the girls eyes got bigger... Note To Self: Not so much sugar next time. ;)

This is what sugar does to a kid

Happy 15th Amber!

Water Play

We are out of routine already at the beginning of summer.  Normally we'd already have visited the pool numerous times, but no, this is only our second visit to the neighborhood pool.  Why?  Just read my previous post.  Anyways... Alex is always hammin it up for the camera.  Plus, I got a new camera which must be broke in right?

Another hamming going on here

Finally, Lexi enjoys the water, last summer wasn't fun... we love the pool and being outside, but she did NOT and she let us know it.

Big Sis playing with Little Sis

I suppose Beth has the hamming it up to the camera bug too, and yes, they enjoy playing in the kiddie pool, go figure.

Almost time to go, Lexi entertaining herself poolside

Let's Talk About Our Family Heritage...

I have this brilliant idea or maybe in the end, a not so brilliant idea of hanging pictures in a fashion or style on a large wall depicting our family tree.  I probably won't be able to go back more than Scott's and my Great-Grandparents, or use 5x7's or something to be able to fit the frames on the wall without looking too cluttered.

I LOVE knowing about my family.  Even when I was a little girl, which I still am *cough*, I would sit and listen to my family tell stories about their life growing up in Kentucky and about the coal mines.  And my Dad's side of the family were farmers, to hear their stories about working in the cotton fields.  Funny how you find out all this "secret" information that nobody talks about.

This is my Maternal Grandmother with her first four children, I'm sure my Mom was born by then but was absent in the picture because she spent the first few years of her life in the Shriners Hospital In Lexington, KY.  I can only hope that I will be as beautiful as my Ma-Maw.  Wonderful Lady.

My Great-Grandfather & Great- Grandmother, my Grandpa's Mom & Dad.

Left: Great-Grandmother, my Grandmother's Mom  Right: My Grandfather

Left: My Grandmother, beautiful!  Right: One of my Great Uncles, I like this picture and it's colors.

My Mother

My Grandfather on the right, working in the KY coal mines

Wouldn't these pictures look great in some antique frames on the wall?

Pottery Schommetery...

This morning as I was dusting my curio cabinet I caught a glimpse of these beautiful pieces of pottery that my children have made me over the years hiding in the back.  They survived a divorce and a few moves.  They deserve to be showcased.  Hmmm.... where should I put them?  I had an empty space in the hallway upstairs and a shelf with broken hooks that needed to be fixed.  So ofcourse I DECOPAUGED it, LOL!  My new poor man's craft.

I do admit that a few of them are quite scary, especially the sun in the back with BIG lips.  Then my eyes travel over to the white tile that has BFF all over it.  This was made when Amber was in 2nd grade and thought that little ole me, her Mom and her would be best friends forever.  She's 14 now, maybe I need to point it out to her when she gets home from school.  I can see her eyes rolling now.

As I'm hanging the shelf, Alex walks upstairs and blurts out "Are you sure you should be doing that?" then a polite little "Does Daddy know what your doing?"  I guess my kids think I'm incapable of using a hammer and nails safely.  Daddy always hangs things up because I lack the ability to level it properly and it drives him nuts when I don't center things in the middle of the wall.  Oops, I'm pretty sure it's centered and I *think* it's level.

Hanging With Daddy In The Garage...

On Daddy's days off and any spare time he has, this is usually where you can find him. So basically the only way to socialize with him is to invade his space. So that's just exactly what Alex & Lexi did. Daddy is definately a Man's Man. And our garage is *HIS* space. Which is fine with me because garages are just dirty!
Lexi is fascinated with Daddy's toys... I'm worried. I wanted atleast one girl who was into the girly things. So I guess I'll have a prissy little girl riding dirt bikes with hot pink hairbows in her hair! And let's not forget the matching hot pink nails!

My New Toy...

I treated myself to a new camera and photo software thanks to good ole Uncle Sam... so the snow provided new ideas for me and also an excuse to play with my camera.

The kids enjoyed some hot cocoa after playing in the snow

Trying out my Macro Lens... ice on the suburban

Alex was disapointed to find out you can't make snow angels in ice/snow