my sweet family!

     Look at my family!  So cute!  This is our second ever family picture!  I am just kicking
      myself in the pants for not taking a picture every year of mine and Aaron's life with children!!  

blue heart

Isn't there something cool about a blue heart?  I am just having a moment here with this image--usually hearts are in red or any version of pink--but here, in blue, it just seems a little mysterious and intriguing.  I like it! 

pics by auntie meikel

 Meikel was so nice to take our pictures!  Here are a few of the kiddos...

 

family photos

I am currently figuring out our 2012 family photo- outfits, location, etc--and I found this online...what do you think?

happy haunting!

 

 

 

 

my girl

i don't have a post title, it doesn't deserve one

I made the mistake of looking up testimony of the Sandusky trial.

Big Mistake! Because I am sick now.  Sicker about it that when the case came into light a year ago.  No need to go into the details of exactly what Gerry Sandusky did to children in his home and the showers at Penn State here on my family blog- but- something that digs into my skin and won't let go is- the Godlike status he and his coaching team had acquired in that town; and the reluctance of any informed adult, administrator or law enforcement to help!

One victim and his mother went to the police, and the officer listened to their story and then told them to go home and think about what they were doing.  He didn't want to help them pursue their allegations -  !  -  For football?   !   !  ?  !  !  Football???  For a football coach?  Just because Gerry Sandusky is a Penn State coach?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
A football coach's reputation is more important than the worth of a young boy's safety??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????For football?  Just for football?? How in the name of all that is holy could football command such action from
a whole community?  What is wrong here?  Something is so wrong here!!  Football cannot possibly be that wonderful.  It just can't.  What is wrong with that town?  What is wrong with those administrators who were covering up.  Football and money???  Oh- I can't express my disgust.  

new baby leo

 
 

myka's drawing

This is a quick photo from my phone of Myka's new drawing of her cat Tripoli and all her kittens.  Isn't it so cute?

sara ganim

I am impressed with this lady.  She broke the Jerry Sandusky story wide open with her journalism skills!

(And while reading a CNN article on her adventure I came to read that one victim had been yelling for help from the Sandusky home basement where he knew Mrs. Sandusky would hear and surely help him- yet he screamed in vain.  Yikes!  Doesn't that make Mrs. Sandusky some kind of 'child endagerment' criminal?  Or 'turning a blind eye' criminal?  I honestly can't imagine being married to a predator for that long and having absolutely no idea of his 'habits'.)   

silly pics from Zion

were going on a trip

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! a tarantala!

 on

 must be quiet

stay focoused

aha!

humph!

These are pics frpm Myka's class trip to Zions this week.  

haily's reflection's entry

Haily choreographed a short dance for the annual PTA Reflection's contest.  It has cute dance moves and some lovely butterfly skips, all being performed by the most darling little redheaded seven-year-old with freckles that I know...

university of illinois

 

Aaron was accepted into the University of Illinois' Computer Science Master's Degree program this year!  Yes, it is all online- and we do have to let him go every night to study and take tests- but- it will be well worth it for him to further his education and set a precedent for our family.

This is my diamond-in-the-rough husband who has turned out to exceed many of my expectations as a father and spouse!  Congratulations Aaron!

g*ma's 92nd b*day

Celebrate good times- come on!  My Grandma Carol turned 92 this September so we gathered and had delicious food and played games at the park- it was so nice.  And forgive me-other relatives- I can see now that I took a lot of pics of my own kids--- sorry!  Anyhoo- it was fun to help say Happy Birthday!

little tiny cheerleaders!

Josy and Haily had fun at Timpview's cheer clinic last week.  Go team! "Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh, uh huh, uh huh!"  (To be said with Spartan Spirit)

birthday princess

 There is Josette at her tiny birthday party we had for her!  She was a lovely birthday girl who was very excited to eat cake, open presents and see her loved ones.  Yay!

I don't have any nephews yet on my side of the family- but we do have little Hudson (I think he is my second cousin- his mom and I are first cousins) It was super to have him eat cake with us at the party!