FarmFresh

Happy Birthday Rheagan!

Being 9 is great and all, but 10.....

10 is something else.

10 is a decade. 10 is double-digits.

And today, Rheagan is 10!

Happy Birthday to my Mini-me of a niece.

Little Sister

Yesterday was Karen's birthday, and, in a scheduling feat that combines gift-giving opportunities, her anniversary. Continue the celebrating all week, I say!

Here is the birthday girl, in all her 3-year-old birthday glory. Nice cake, MH.

Happy Birthday MH

It's my mom's birthday yet again.

Yes, that is she. And the Big Man. Just a few years decades ago.

The children you claim as your grandsons have a  brief message:

We love you very much. Sorry we were not in Tennessee to blow out a fire-thrower some candles with you.

Easter 2009

Tradition. Some families have an Easter Egg Hunt, a big brunch, or dye eggs together.

We take horrible pictures on Easter.

Exhibit A: (not unlike 2008, someone went with the green sweater.)

Squinty eyes, wind-swept hair, goofy child. And this was one of the good ones we took after  church. The before-church ones?

Exhibit B:

Child getting dressed, mom using her angry eyes from behind the camera, dad a little frustrated.

Happens every year.

At least mom was in a better mood after church.

Maybe she was just thinking next year she'll ditch the terrible family picture and dye some eggs.

Happy Birthday to the Big Man

It's the Big Man's birthday today.

That would be my dad. I hope it's been a great day for you, Daddy.

Another Birthday in the Birthday Month

Today is my aunt's birthday. She is not here to celebrate. She is not here to call me today, on her birthday, like she did for many years. We would have a sort-of contest, to see which of us could make the birthday call first. We do not share the day, and yet we do, thanks to my birth halfway around the world.

I was pretty angry at her for not being around to make the call last year.

This year, I just miss her.

Happy Birthday Tripp!

My nephew Tripp is 3 today. Happy Birthday, dude!

Nine

There was a birthday in the family yesterday. Rheagan turned nine.

 

Happy Birthday Rhea!

Rheagan Day Three

A late start this morning had us heading to the pool in Aransas Pass. We got there too late for a chair, so I lounged on a bench in the semi-shade. The pool has both three water slides and two diving boards. The kids went between the two pool areas the entire time. Even my usually-afraid-of-his-shadow Baby J utilized the high dive.

And the best for last, Karen:

Cousin Fun

So Cousin Rheagan is here, and excitement abounds, mixed with the usual, normal mundane. But how much more thrilling with a cousin in tow. Well, cousins are around a lot. But this is the exotic cousin-type: the Tennessee variety. She comes with her own sweet accent, too.

The first day of our week with Rhea was filled with riding the go-kart. All.Day.Long. I am not really sure if there is any rubber left on the tires. Despite the look of being bundled up against the cold, they were keeping all the mud and field trash off themselves.

Today involved a couple of errands, then a bike ride down to (local cousin) Jill's for an afternoon of swimming. Jackson lost a tooth while there, so queue the tooth fairy for this evening. (I can only hope it is one of the baby teeth the orthodontist wants the dentist to pull in a few weeks.) A few hours later they rode back to our house. Dinner, and now silence. That can be scary. :)

Plans for tomorrow involve packing for a weekend at the Frio, plus a trip to a different pool. One with big waterslides.