Boat for Sale

Anyone interested in buying a boat?? PLEASE let me know if you are!

Guess what we're having??

So I got this post all ready to publish, then I looked at my sister's blog. I had the exact same title as her. SCARY!

So, here's the update on our newest addition....She's a GIRL!! 4 Girls for April and Brian. April was talking tonight about how someday Janae will be 19, Brenna - 17, Adria - 14 and the newest addition - 13! 4 weddings...and how many proms??

We are so excited that April is doing well (no blood sugar issues with this one) and the baby is too!! We are excited!

A night in the life of Graw...

So Ty was wanting so bad to play with McGraw. McGraw usually wants nothing to do with Ty...or Brenna. They both chase him unmercifully! Well, Graw finally thought he was ok when he hid in the corner by the planting soil, but Ty had better ideas. That little stinker, crawled right back there to get the cat! Well, Graw ran away and as you can see, Ty finally gave up...he was tuckered out!

Ty loved the balloons!

Ty was upset...so I gave him my balloons! D0esn't this one picture remind you of "Where's Waldo?"

The BEST Birthday Ever!

Well, today was my 28th birthday! It was my best birthday yet. I had such a wonderful day! At midnight, Brian gave me my next to last gift, a travel Cubs mug for my morning coffee! :) When I was on my way to work, I found a sweet card from my husband in my purse. At work, I had a card waiting for me from my boss' and co-worker. Then, my whole department went together and had a carry-in lunch for me! It was amazing!!! I mean, a full meal people! A goulash main dish, salad, garlic bread, Diet Coke and CAKE!! There was a vase of fresh Gerbera Daisies and a planter of them as well! The table was decorated with a tablecloth with Gerbera Daisies and plates to match! It's was so neat...and to top it all off, balloons! Don't I have the best people to work with??

When I got home, Brian was ready to take me to dinner and I was thinking that I couldn't eat another bite! But, you know me, I managed to do so! We went to Texas Roadhouse and it was delicous! When we got home, Anitra, Senica and Ty brought down a birthday cake that they made for me! :) That was really yummy too!

Throughout the day I had a bunch of phone calls, my favorite being my calls from my nieces, singing to me! I also had a bunch of emails and cards from friends and family...my favorite email being from my nephews, Billy and Bobby in Connecticut! :)

Happy Birthday Jacinda!

 

Happy Birthday Friend!! Today is Jacinda's birthday...and in all of the Mother's Day excitement, I didn't want her day to go un-noticed! Jacinda and I have been friends for over 20 years! AGGHHH That makes us sound old! These pictures of from our 2 trips to Florida. Jacinda hates flying and hates bridges...so I am so proud of her for flying twice to Florida, surviving the bus trip home with the baseball team, driving over bridges in Florida and on the way to Chicago with me! She's my travel buddy! :) She is a great friend and an awesome inspiration to me! I am sure that we will be old ladies, playing cards together in a nursing home someday...still celebrating our birthdays together!

The boys...

 

So this is really the last of my Mother's Day pictures. With so much going on, I kinda missed taking pictures!

Brian and I ended up having a full house today. We had Brian's mom, Grandma Pottenger, April, Janae, Brenna, Adria, Papa Bobby and Mom, Anitra and Seth, Senica, Ty, Marty and Joyce (Seth's parents), Ethan and Maddie and my friend Jonathan!

We had ribs and chicken which my wonderful husband made...and macaroni salad, rice, corn on the cob, peaches, broccoli and cheese and cresent rolls. We also had 2 peanut butter pies and one dutch apple pie (I cheated and bought this).

It was a full house and a busy day, but we loved it! Brian managed to sneak in about a 2 hour nap and I got about 45 mintues!

Anitra and the kids came back down for dinner and to play the Wii and color. It was really a great day and I am so blessed! God has blessed me with a wonderful husband who helped me clean the house for our company and mowed the yard and ran to the store to get me more cool whip and who cooked the meat and did ALL the dishes. All of them people!!! And on top of this, let me run off to Chicago the day before so I could have a girls day!

So yes, I am tired, but I couldn't think of a better day to be tired from!!

By the way, the picture is Seth, his mom, youngest brother Ethan and of course, Ty!

Generations

 

 

So really, can you get this many kids in one picture and have everyone smiling and looking at the camera? I think not! :)

The 3 most important women

 

Have I mentioned how blessed I am? My mom is a wonderful mother who has sacrificed a lot for us kids! The older I get, the more I realize all of what my mom has done for us. When something good, something bad, something funny happens to me, other than my husband, these are my first 3 phone calls! The most important women in my life!!

Thank you mom for everything you have given, taught and sacrificed for me! I love you so much and am so thankful that God made you my mom! Thank you for loving me...unconditionally!

Great Sisters...Great Mother's!!

 

Over the past week, I managed to take Brenna and Janae shopping and then on another day I took Senica shopping. I gave each of the girl's some money and let them pick out what they wanted to get their mom's for Mother's Day. Brenna was sensible and wanted to get her mom a loofah because her's broke. Janae wanted to get her mom a tape because their van doesn't have a CD player. Can you believe we couldn't find tapes anywhere!? Well, Janae and Brenna wanted to get April some scrapbooking supplies, so that is what they decided on. Of course, it was from Adria too! :)

Senica wanted to get her mom some towels. Isn't that so funny? I was cracking up at the things the girl's thought their mom's would want. After 3 stores, Senica decided to get her mom a Willow Tree Angel to add to her collection. I thought the brother and sister one was cute...Senica wanted to get the one that has the angel holding a little house. It says Mi casa es su casa. How fitting is that??

I think both sisters were happy with their gifts. I had so much fun with the girls shopping! I am blessed with such great nieces! Which brings me to the title of this post...Great Mother's!

My sisters are such great mom's! I see them with their kids and what a great job they are doing and it makes me so proud. Janae talks like an adult now, because April has taught her a great vocabulary! I can remember when she was 2 and I gave her a milkshake and she said "This is delicious!" Brenna, is such a cuddler and is so sweet and loving and she is loving like that because April is loving and always cuddling with her. Senica said please and thank to me so many times today that I lost count and I was really trying to keep count of it. I think it must have been at least 40 times! Anitra has always taught Senica how important it is to use her manners. Ty and Adria are already showing their personalities and I know that they will turn out to be wonderful listeners and loving children just like their siblings because of the awesome mom's they have. My only hope is that someday I can be as good of a mom to my children as my sister's are with theirs! I think I will because I have really good mentors! :)

Happy Mother's Day!

 

Today at church, the little kids got up and sang songs for the mother's. Senica did a great job, she did the motions and we could really hear her singing! Anitra was down in front and has been working with the kids for weeks on these songs. She does a great job with the kids. I had to get a picture of her "directing"! :)

It was such a special day because we had my Grandma Pottenger and Brian's mom, Linda, at church with us.

Our first guests for the day arrived at 9:30am. Our last guest left at 9:33pm!! I am ready for bed!! And a trip to the spa! ha!!

Back to Wrigley!

 

One of my very best friends, Jacinda, is one day older than me. We have been friends since elementary school and we are both huge Cubs fans! She loves Ramirez (he's growing on me) and I love D. Lee! :) So, for our birthday we took a trip to Chicago to go to the game! We had a blast and the day went way too fast!

There was a girl sitting right in front of Jacinda and it was her birthday, then Jacinda's birthday is Sunday, mine is Monday, the girl next to Jacinda's birthday was the day before and the guy right in front of her, his birthday is Tuesday! Can you believe that?? We have 5 consecutive days covered in our little "birthday" section!

I came home and baked some pies to get ready for Mother's Day lunch and made the macaroni salad. After that, I was ready for bed! :)

It's my Birthday Month!!!

 

So tonight after work Brian said that he was gonna go do my birthday shopping (my birthday is May 12). Anitra, Seth and the kids came down for supper after Brian got home and right after supper there was a present on the table. Brian said, "Ok your present is on the table. You can open it tonight or Friday or Saturday"...I asked him if I would need it for Saturday (I am going to the Cubs game). He said "open your present!" :) Isn't it awesome??? I am so excited!!! He did great! :) I love it! One of my very best friends is one day older than me and she is a huge Cubs fan too! We are going to have a girl's day at the game! I am really looking forward to it!

Isn't my husband awesome though?? I'm so impressed! ;)

Nurses Week

 

This week was National Nurses Week! Cheryl and I are so thankful for the WONDERFUL nurses that we work with. They are great with the patients and truly give all they have to their jobs!! Our nurses are sometimes overlooked - so remember to thank your nurses and tell them how great they are!! Just a thank you will make their day! No hugs though...ha!

Graduation

 

Monday night Janae had her Kindergarten Graduation! Can you believe it? She is growing up so fast. She wasn't as much into the program as she was the cookies and her friends after the ceremony! :) That's our little Janae, the social butterfly! Doesn't she look like such a little lady in her dress?

She led April to believe that she was supposed to dress up for graduation when the teacher really told them that they could wear normal school clothes. Janae doesn't usually wear a sequin dress to school! Ha! Janae's friend Jade (the one in the purple) told Janae that if she was going to continue to be her friend, she was gonna have to be a little bit more of a tomboy! Isn't that a riot?

How cute!

 

Thanks for dinner Sunday! These pictures turned out so good of you guys. No wonder you have such cute kids! :)

The Kangaroo Climber

 

Sunday night Anitra and Seth had us and some of our friends down for a cookout. We played games and had dinner! Jeff was dared and made it through the Kangaroo Climber! Senica thought he was soooo funny! I couldn't help but post these pics...sorry Jeff! :)

Looong Week!

 

It's been a long, busy week, so I haven't been very good at posting! Last Sunday I met April at mom's and picked up the two oldest girls for the afternoon. We went with mom to the cemetary to plant some flowers at Grandpa Carl and Grandma Pauly's grave. It was a beautiful day and the girls were a big help to mom. I didn't get my hands dirty this year...just took the pictures.

Senica's Necklace

 

Proud Aunt and Uncle

I haven't had time to upload pictures...but I have to put this post up!!

Brian and I are so proud...

Anitra has started a blog, however, that is not what we are so proud of! Check out Anitra's brand new blog for the latest update!

Just click on Anitra's name to the right! :)