Memorial Weekend

Oh my! Could we have asked for a nicer weekend!

The weather was beautiful,

it just made you want to be outside all the time!

We got a lot of yard work done over the weekend.

Evan helped me pick out flowers and plant them in the

window boxes on Saturday.

Craig got the yard picked up, grass mowed and the

porch cleaned out.

Grandpa Glen is home from Iraq!
He stopped by and hung out with us for a couple of hours.
It was nice for him and Evan to get to know one another again!
(Where was my camera for those moments, shoot!)

Sunday was a relaxing day.

On Monday we went to the park

then a quick visit to the Engel's house and off to a
BBQ at Grandma Jo's and Grandpa Gerry's to celebrate Kate and Gerry's May birthdays.

Kate and Kyle teaching Evan Bocce Ball

Grandma Jo and Evan

I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday weekend!

Evan & Sadee 5.19.09

Sadee came to visit last night for a little while and

we enjoyed being outside in the 90 degree weather!

Evan (15 months), Sadee (almost 2)

Sadee

(I just love this picture)

Jack Richard Engel

Nichole and Ryan welcomed their first born son on
Sunday May 17th at 11:07 pm!

Jack Richard Engel weighed in at 8lbs, 5ozs, and is 22 inches long.

His unofficial arrival date was set for May 28th, but obviously he was ready to meet the world before that!

I received a call from Nichole early on Saturday morning, she told me that she had been having consistent contractions through the night. We decided I would come to her house and help her prepare for her hospital stay. We thought we had two more weeks to prepare, so there were still bags to be packed, toenails to paint, laundry to be done and everything else you think of last minute all while timing contractions.

After a few hours her labor seemed to subside a little and she was tired so I left them to nap, and the waiting game began. They did end up going to the hospital Saturday night, only to be checked out and sent back home early Sunday morning until she was a little further along...

Skip to Sunday at 8:45 pm - picture Nichole bravely getting through each contraction that she could, afraid to go back to the hospital and being sent home again, until finally she turns to Ryan and says "We have to go NOW". They reach the hospital at 9 o'clock, and thankfully so because Jack wasn't going to wait much longer!

Everyone is doing GREAT!

Here is Baby Jack with his proud parents and Great Grandpa Jack

Great Grandpa Joe

Uncle Craig

Aunt Samantha

Great Grandpa Jack, Nichole, Sam, and Cousin Evan - who isn't quite sure about Baby Jack yet!

Fireman's

Ok, so now that softball season has started again...even Evan is starting to strengthen his arm muscles in preparation for the full mugs at Fireman's! (His is full of bath water of course)

Mother's Day

We celebrated my 2nd Mother's Day this year!

What a blessing it is to have Evan in my life every day!

If you haven't been to Oak City's Sunday brunch yet, I highly recommend it!

After brunch we went to the Biermaier's house to celebrate many more moms!

From there it was home and nap time for me and for Evan.

What a perfect day!

Grandpa Jack

On Saturday May 2nd we had a burial ceremony for my Grandma Amber and my Great Aunt Carol. Carol passed away in April of this year, my grandma passed away back in 2000, peacefully in her sleep. We did have a funeral for her at that time, but never the burial.

Well...all my mom's siblings were in town to support their dad, my Grandpa Jack, for a heart surgery operation he had on Monday May 4th. So my Grandpa felt it would be a good time to bury Grandma and his sister Carol while everyone was here.

Here are some family pictures with those that were able to attend...

(Grandpa, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Siblings)

(Grandpa Jack, Mom, Nichole, Joe, Sadee, Evan and myself)

The ceremony was held on a nice sunny spring day, but it proved to be harder emotionally than I had expected. I guess it was all the memories that I had of them both, and it was sadness for all the things they have missed. My Grandma never got to meet our spouses, or our children, but I know she can see us and is smiling. And I think it was the closure of it all...I'm glad she has a final resting place, but it definitely makes it final. It is hard to mourn again, but obviously something I must have needed to do.

Grandpa then had his surgery on Monday the 4th. It was a long, hard day of waiting and praying. My mom, her siblings, and my Grandpa's friend Margie all waited at the hospital well into the night until he was out of surgery. There were some minor complications, but they fixed them and all looked well.

Unfortunately a couple days later while recovering from his surgery, Grandpa Jack suffered a stroke. Of all the places to have a stroke, at least he was at the hospital with people that could care for him immediately.
On the high side, Grandpa is doing really GREAT! He has some frustration with the words not coming out quite the way he wants, but he is working hard at it. He has many hours of therapy a day and remains in the hospital for now.

Ha Ha! Evan has the remote AGAIN!

Just out for a walk...