the delightful month of June

June was a very busy but fun month!
-Samantha had a skating party
-Ian turned 13 (we now officially have 3 teenagers - YIKES!)
-We celebrated the 3rd annual wine fest

Good times, people, good times...

Siblings!

Happy 10th Birthday...

...to the most wonderful girl in the world!!! Ten things I love about Samantha - one thing for each year:
-her awesome sense of humor
-her determination
-her kind heartedness towards her friends
-the way she tells me "Mom, you're my best friend!"
-her beautiful brown eyes
-her imagination
-the way she still wants to cuddle with me all the time
-her funny laugh
-the way she still loves her Blankie and Doggie SO much
-and mostly...the fact that she is here and healthy after so many scares during pregnancy and the first 2 years of her life!!

when I walked into the kitchen...

this is what I saw! Hmmmmm, never a dull moment around here...

Asleep at a hockey game

14 years old!

Happy Birthday, Nick!!

Samantha enjoying the snow!

Baton star!

The annual "Favorite Gifts" picture!

Watching themselves on the tv...

This is what happens when I plug the camera into the tv and everyone can see themselves on the television screen...

FINALLY...a new blog post!

Ian was on the 7th grade Spell Bowl team this year. They had their competition this week and came in 4th out of 20 schools!

Flowers from Samantha's garden!

a trip to Cleveland!!

It was a busy four days! The Hard Rock Cafe, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, an Indians baseball game, the zoo, swimming, and playing pool!

cameo appearance...

...by a room full of two-year-olds with chocolate ice cream cones!

A frame by Nick

Nick made this frame out of some pieces of wood he found in the garage. He painted it and is going to give it to his grandma with a picture of his grandpa in it - who died 2 years ago - for a "just because" gift. OK, that definitely makes up for all the obnoxious 13 year old behavoir!

It's official...

we now have THREE drivers in the family!

photos by Samantha

Samantha is becoming quite a photographer! These photos are from Grandma's garden and her garden at home...

Not so little anymore...

Fun at the park

New glasses