FAILED

FAILED - That is what was on the top of the vision exam form that was sent home from school. We kinda had a feeling that he might have a slight problem seeing things far away. It wasn't until Jim took him to the opthamologist that we realized just how bad it was. He wasn't seeing much and what he did see was very blurry. He defiantly needed glasses and would always have to wear them.

He got to pick out his frames which had a red pin stripe on the side. He calls them his race car glasses. Even with thinning the lenses out, they are still pretty thick. We wonder what if anything he even saw before. Disney, Monster Jam, airplanes in the sky and zoo trips must have been a struggle for him. He told me " Mama I could never see the lions or the bear or the little monkeys. And when you tell me there is an airplane in the sky, I can't see that either." I Just wanted to cry. I guess if that's the vision you have always had, then you don't know any better.

So during the weeks it took for the glasses to come in, we were trying to get him excited about wearing them. I went to Hobby Lobby and bought glasses for his stuffed animals so they could see too. We thought he would fight us with wearing them, but he hasn't given us one problem. It must be such a difference for him that he actually likes them.

HAPPY EASTER

This is probably the best picture I have ever gotten of the kids with the Easter Bunny. Jen's Brownie troop a trip to a pancake breakfast with the bunny. Not only did they have breakfast, but there were arts & crafts, games, face painting and a visit with the bunny.

Later that week, we died eggs for the bunny to hide in the morning. Since we don't eat the eggs, we only boil a dozen. As much of a waste that it is, it's tradition and we had to do it.

The eggs all ended up being just about the same color since they dipped them multiple times in each dye.

The kit this year had foam pieces to make cute little egg animals. Good thing there was one green egg for the frog- the pink chicken was a little odd looking.

The bunny left lots of goodies for Jen and Jimmy. Lots of bubbles, Lego's, chocolate bunnies and chalk.

He also hid our eggs that we dyed. It took all of 3 minutes to find them.

The kids looked so cute in their matching outfits. This year they were ok with it-probably not so much next year.

This is my cute little Grandpa Al. Jimmy is his little baseball buddy.

Every year we have an egg hunt at my sister's house for the kids. They go for a walk around the block with some of the adults, while we scatter them around. Between their baskets and the eggs we have more than enough candy for awhile.

They were so proud of all the loot they collected.

Jimmy, Jenevive, Lanie, Kaiden and Spencer

Jenevive joined our church's Upward cheer leading team this year. She was so excited to get her uniform, pom poms and megaphone. She makes a cute little cheerleader if I do say so myself.

The squad was divided up of 5 teams with 8 girls or so on a team. They all practiced together ,but each team had their own time slot to cheer. Ours was 9:00 am EVERY Saturday morning. Not fun. It made it very hard to convince people to come and watch her cheer. So, a big THANK YOU for everyone that came out.

Jen did pretty good and held her own on the court. More then anything, she just had fun- and that's why we did it. Also, for some reason our very social butterfly is very shy at Sunday school, and I thought this might be a good way of getting to know some of the other girls better.

After each game, the coach and the girls sit down, talk about the game and each girl gets a colored star to put on their megaphone. The different colors each have a meaning like most spirit or leadership. There were six different colors, but for the life of me I can't remember each meaning.

At halftime, the girls did a cheer and all of the kids sat in the middle of the floor for a devotion and a prayer.

At the end of the season there was a Upward ceremony in the church where the girls got to perform their dance they had been working on all season. When I can figure out how to download it, I will post the video.

As part of the ceremony, there was basketball performer who pulled some of the kids from the audience up on stage. Don't you know they pulled Jen who was buried in the middle of the audience to come up. He spun a couple of balls on her finger and her face just lit up with excitement. Overall Jen had a great season and she will probably want to join again next year. Hopefully we get a 10:00 or 11:00 game slot.

MY AMAZING ROCK STAR KIDS

I have amazing kids!!!! They are complete opposite, yet so much alike. Jen is my little fashionesta- loving skinny jeans, pencil skirts and anything Parisian. She wants to be a fashion designer go to Paris and stand under the Eiffel Tower. She has some big dreams!!

She is not shy by any means. She has a ton of friends and can tell you anyone's name in her school. She is an excellent student - only getting one spelling word wrong in the past 2 years and was reading at a third grade level at the end of first grade.

And then there's Jimmy or Bubba as he wishes to be called. All boy yet gentle and kind. He melts the heart of everyone he meets. He truly is a very well behaved kid. He loves any kind of action hero, Lego's and playing out side. He could live in his pajamas for a week if you let him. He is all about comfort.

Jimmy is finishing up 4 year old preschool and getting ready for all day kindergarten in the fall. He has been spending a lot of time at Jenna's school so he already knows his way around. He just started baseball with his cousins Cody and Ryan - I'm sure there will be a ton of pictures to follow.

Jim and I are so blessed to have such great kids. They make us laugh, they make us cry, but most of all they makes us the luckiest parents in the world. Jenevive and Jimmy we love you more then you will ever know and couldn't imagine our lives without you.

DADDY - DAUGHTER DANCE

The dress has been picked out....

The flowers have been ordered......

and Jen's all ready for the dance with her daddy.

This is the third year Jim has taken his Little girl to the dance. She loves picking out the perfect dress, flowers, shoes and getting her hair done up. Jim lets her pick the restaurant- which was Rd Robbins this year and then they head to the dance.

Uncle Jimmy took his girls Madison and Ashley also. They has a blast dancing and feeling like a princess.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Happy New Year2011

Every year we spend New Years Eve at Julie's house. It's lots of finger foods, noise and running around until the clock strikes 12 and then we pack up our crew and head home at 12:05. I know, we are huge party animals.

This year we had the addition of Just dance. We all danced the night away.

Lanie Bug was a dancing queen with her pink fuzzy slippers- she partied her little behind off.

Jimmy had to remove his shirt- he was working it so hard.

Even Grandma got into the grove. Julie and I had a dance off- no pictures for that since I do the editing.

Poor Lanie didn't even make it to 11:00pm. So pooped herself out.

Jen thought she was hot stuff drinking sparkling cider out of a fancy glass.

When the countdown began, the kids grabbed their horns and made some noise. Happy 2011!!!