The Masters

Marc got the chance to go to the practice rounds at the Masters. He had a great time, and got to see all the golfers.

Spring Break in Washington, D.C.

For spring break this year we took the kids to Washington.
Both the kids got really involved this year with the whole
election so they were excited to see the Whitehouse.
Jarren wanted to see where Lincoln was shot, and after
being told by his Grandpa Jackson that we have an ancestor
who signed the declaration of independence, he couldn't wait
to see that either.

Since Marc was already at the Masters down in Georgia, the

kids and I drove out all by ourselves and stayed an hour out
from the airport in Baltimore. They rode great for me! After
picking Marc up the next morning we headed to D.C. and
had a beautiful day to walk the Mall and see all the monuments.

At Jefferson we got in the paddle boats in the tidal basin. We all
got to wear those really cute orange life vests, even Marc. This
is where I would have inserted a picture of Marc in his vest
(fat guy in a little life vest) but I think he would have filed for divorce the next day! It was nearly impossible to even get the picture

-he kept blocking my shot! The kids each took a turn or two on
doing the peddles with Marc. With Marc doing most the work
we cut our hour of time short and headed in after 25 minutes
or so.

Many of the cherry blossoms were still out for us when we
arrived. We came at the end of the festival.






















On the walk past the reflection pool Reese stopped many
times to play and talk to the ducks. This pair was very close
to the edge and she was able to sit right down and talk with them
and then they noticed the leaf in her hand so she started moving
it up and down. I said to Marc they are going to get her, she is
getting too close. And sure enough it bit her. As you can see in
the picture Jarren thought it was the funniest thing!



This picture is at the new WW2 memorial. It was very pretty
with the fountains. A totally different atmosphere compared to the
very quiet, sad surroundings over at the Vietnam memorial.
I had to take this picture quick before they noticed me. They are at the
age when if they know the camera is out, the goofy faces come out too.






We took a DC Duck tour one afternoon. This is the
actual WW2 (or was it WW1) amphibian GM vehicle. We didn't
tell the kids before hand that we would be driving the truck
right into the Potomac river. Jarren pretty much figured it
out, but Reese was shocked and really enjoyed it when we took
a right and headed down the ramp to the water. She even got
a turn to drive the boat/truck in the river. On the way back
they passed out these (very annoying!!) duck quackers! The
kids love them, and it is great fun on the tour, but afterwards
they could drive you NUTS. The guide tells all the kids they
aren't allowed to do their quackers in hotels, or cars.

On Saturday we hiked it again around town -in the rain. We walked miles and miles and miles on this trip. We hit the museum in the morning and once they overflowed with people trying to
get out of the rain we went back out into it. We walked to Ford
theater, only to find we couldn't get in that day. And then we
hoofed it down to the whitehouse. They were setting up outside
for the Easter Egg Roll while we were out there. I thought to late
to check for tickets to this. This was the first year they were

available online, but they probably went fast. We missed
out. As we headed back to the hotel late that afternoon, cold and
oh so wet, the sun tried to peak out and the rain cleared up. So
we headed to China town for dinner later that night. Which was
an experience in itself. Cops everywhere. A kid in handcuffs.
My kids got to experience real city life. We even rode the subway
which makes me paranoid as all get out. I refused to touch the
railings, and bars as much as possible I was really grossed out, not
to mention the scary people you can run into down underground.

The last day, Easter, was beautiful. A little cold when the wind picked

up but nonetheless, a perfect day for the zoo. Reese couldn't wait to see the Giant Pandas. When we got to the zoo Jarren was pouting because
the zoo is so boring. But after looking at the alligators, komodo dragon
and then the giant pandas crunching on bamboo trees he turned and told me sorry for saying that because this is a lot of fun. Following the Panda
viewing, Reese made her way to the Panda store where she wanted
everything, but came away with a mini Panda stuffed animal, a
Panda backpack, and the panda ear headband, of course. She was thrilled!

Birthday, Birthday, Birthday and awards

January and February are busy birthday months for our family. (Not just our family, but extended as well. Over the 2 months we have 7, and if you want to go into March we add another 2, and really why we are at it, birthdays continue until we get into July - we call it birthday season it comes after the holidays. ) But anyway, back to the immediate family Jarren turned 9, on January 25th. He celebrated with a Bakugan theme party with a laser tag battle with his buddies and had a blast! (Is anyone asking themselves what Bakugan is??!! Think Pokemon, still stumped?) Then we had donuts and bagels on a Sunday morning with family, followed by every kids favorite Chuck E Cheese for lunch with just mom, dad and Reese. Whew, and only one bday down. Oh, and I forgot to mention, he got his first (bb) gun. He was very excited about it. I felt a little strange taking this picture of my child holding up a gun like this. But I guess when you live in Michigan it goes with the territory.

The next birthday was mine on Jan. 29th. I turned a certain age that I can't believe I have reached because really I still feel like I am in my twenties. I sure hope I look it too! Someone told me once, I believe it was my grandma, that it means good luck when your kids were born close to your own birth day.

Then Jarren was January Student of the Month for his classroom for responsibility. He is such a good kid (more so at school even!) he has been student of the month every year. We are so proud of him. And you may notice he is growing his hair out. He is a bit of a fuzz ball, we really aren't sure what to do with it. But he is nine now, so I guess he is finding himself . . . so we are going with the flow.

Next we moved on to Reese's birthday. She turned the big 5!! So she is already for school, and so excited to be so. I recall last year she told us that when you are five you have to start paying for your own stuff, I remember writing this down to show her some day. I will use it every time she is begging for something at the store. (But I am certain it won't work.) Reese picked Garfield's' restaurant for her dinner night out with the folks. She picked this place because they make mac n cheese (and that is the kraft kind) So we got to pay $60 for going out for mac n cheese but hey, it was her birthday! She had to change into her fancy dress and tights and she wore the birthday crown she wore all day at school. She was so funny! This girl loves to dress up! And let me tell you it doesn't always match, and it stresses me out sometimes, but she sure is funny and oh so cute in the end. (note: I do go around saying she dressed herself today so everyone isn't thinking 'she made her daughter wear that today!?') She asked for a strapless dress for her birthday, she must think she is 16, she didn't get one.

Reese is having her party with family and friends this weekend at an indoor play park. She is looking forward to everyone coming and celebrating with her!

Goodbye Tonsils

So finally after close to two years of me asking, 3 doctors and a sleep study they finally took out Reese's tonsils. Her tonsils were HUGH! If you ever looked in her throat one side always touched the hanging thing in the back, the other side was close. And if she was sick, who knows how she got food past it. We had to arrive at
the hospital (an hour away) by 6:30 a.m. yuck! Doctor had her out of surgery in a half an hour and we didn't get to see her for about another hour in a half. Doctor said that her tonsils were way too
big for that little throat, she had a major obstruction.
Before picture -to see if she
looks different after!

When she came out I don't even think she really knew what was
going on at first. Very tired little girl. We hung out at the hospital
for a few hours so they could make sure she was going to be okay.

The night before I told Reese her throat will be sore when she wakes up. She said why, I said because they are going to be in
your throat taking out your tonsils. She said will they shrink down
and go inside there! How cute is that! I told her I didn't know she
would have to ask the Doctor. When she woke up after surgery,
Marc told her he thought he saw footprints on her tongue!!



She was so excited that she got to keep these happy face socks from the
hospital.






I think she looks the same after :-)
Once the pain meds kicked in she was feeling a bit better.
She was very tired, but ate some pancakes and lots of ice.
When we left the hospital she wanted a frozen coke, so we spent
15 minutes driving around town trying to find a place to get one
by the time we did, she fell asleep, of course.





Marc assumed the relaxed dad position. (He didn't want me to take
this picture!)

Winter Days

Marc wanted to take the kids sledding over Christmas break, but then the rain came and ruined the snow for that. So when we finally got a day with some deep snow we headed out. After packing down a nice trail, the kids had a great time. Until legs got tired and mom and dad had to start acting as the tow rope up the hill. I think this was his look mom no hands trick.

With a big push from Dad, Reese would fly down the hill!

happy new year!!!!!!

reese, macyn, rourke, jarren

Christmas

Merry Christmas! Everyone got everything they wanted and then some. It always amazes me how quickly (at least in my house) the opening of gifts is. And then the parents have to work so hard to get into those darn packages with all the hard plastic and twist ties. After a couple of hours at my parents house we came back home and chilled out downstairs playing with all the new toys. The family room was a disaster though so I had to take a little time to pick up. Marc grilled some fillets and we had a nice little dinner at home. What a wonderful day!

Finally, this year the kids agreed to sit on Santa's lap. I think the only other picture we have is Jarren when he was 11 months old on Santa's lap, he never went back again. We bribed them this year and it worked.

Your Mission: Find the Perfect Tree

For all of our married life Marc and I have taken the easy route and went to Lowe's and picked up a pre-cut perfect tree. (And really with small babies who could blame us?) But last year we started the tradition of going out to the tree farm and searching...
in the cold and snow. Yeah memories. Why as parents do we
make choices that we hope will bring great memories, but end in
torture for the parents!? (No really, it wasn't that bad.) Actually,
as I was trekking thru the field I had lots of flashbacks to my child
hood days when we would go out in the cold and have to look and

look at every tree on the farm because 1)my mom wanted to be
SURE we had the best one and 2) because my brother always had
to be the one to find THE tree. (shh! little did he know that many
a year we marked the tree we all wanted, walked him around the
field until he was lost and we were back at the original tree we
wanted!) This weekend when we were out there in the snow, I
caught myself saying things that my mother said when we were
searching those many years ago, and then when Jarren started
to insist that we had to have the tree that HE picks I realized
history was repeating itself. So maybe, despite the crying, the cold
& the fights over which tree to pick, just maybe we were making
memories that my kids will flashback on one day when they are
searching thru the tree farm with their families!

And ya know what, another thing I remember from my childhood,
it never really matters what the tree looks like, it is always
beautiful when you get the decorations and lights on - and you
fill that big hole with the ugly sitting elf ornament (my siblings will

know what I am talking about!)

The House that Jack(sons) Built

Aunt Geri gave us a gingerbread house kit at Thanksgiving so after we decorated the tree we all made our first attempt at building the house. It went pretty smoothly! Marc helped put up the walls and roof then after it dried, we let the kids each take a side and an end to decorate as they pleased. Reese did a lot of licking of the frosting, and a little of one candy for the house, and one candy for me. . .

Mom got to help outline the roof and edges. Jarren was concerned that we had some frosting left over so he could spray it into his mouth! (we did - so we all took a turn!)

And ta-da . . . it turned out just perfectly. Then Reese asked if we could start eating it!

The Big Game

The end of November Marc and I headed to Columbus for the big Michigan v Ohio State game. It was COLD!! Despite my many many layers, and hand-warmers in my gloves and feet, I still got cold. But we had a great time!

Marc cooked for everyone. Yummy breakfast on the grill, followed by my new favorite drink for the holiday season - hot chocolate and baileys.

Our seats were pretty good. Lots of bodies around us to block the wind. We didn't go in with our colors showing, just in case we ran into hostile fans. When an older couple (UofM fans) sat behind us and said they thought there would be some Michigan fans up here, I turned and said we are but we are in disguise! We did have a loud mouth, yet very funny, Michigan fan sit in front of us and he didn't get beat up so we felt pretty safe. Too bad about the out come, but not much of shocker. At least the band was really good.