Swimming fun

Over Memorial Day weekend, Mike and I went to Billings to see my family. Was a quick, nice visit. Our hotel had a swimming pool and we had Mom and Dad bring Jonnie's kids over. Emi (turned 9 on May 20), Jace-a "sissy la-la" did not want to get into the pool very bad-even though he was the one bugging to come over to the pool. Then there is Evan. What a crazy baby. He would have stayed in the pool the whole time if he could. He loved it. He was trying to jump into the pool when no one was watching--but got caught, he was even trying to dunk his own head!! I remember a time when his dad hated to get wet when he was that age. Mom, don't you have a picture of Jonnie running out of the sprinkler crying?

Here are some pictures from the water fun with the kids. Mind you, some of them are blurry because of the movement of the kids in the water, reflection and I am not a pro. Wished I had Walker's camera!!!

Emi trying to talk Jace into the pool.

"I'm watching you!!""this isn't so bad, auntie!!"
"I want my grandma!!"
Hanging on for dear life!!
Someone loves the water!!

Crazy baby jumping into the pool
"I love swimming with my sissy"
"WHOAAA....do it again!!"
"I love water!!"

I loved spending time with the kids, even if I didn't have a swimming suit or get all the way into the pool. Maybe next time!!

Love you guys!!!

May 17, 2008

I know I am late in getting some pictures on, but we have been busy, so there will be a couple different posts with pictures on it!!

The weekend of May 17, 2008, when the kids were here, we went to Cat Tales, it is a zoo for all kinds of cats...mostly the big kind! The people who where giving us a guided tour said that most of the cats were "house pets" at one time and got to be to much for the owners to handle. They range from bobcats to pumas to jaguars to tigers to lions. It was a warm day when we went there and some of the kitty's were just laying around!

All sprawled out!

Yum!! you look good enough to eat!!

After we were at Cat tales we went to Julie and Jay's (Mike's sister) house. It was her birthday. I won't say how old she is, just that is older than Mike. I think she looks pretty good for being a mother of twin 4 year old boys!!

Happy Birthday Jules!

Julie's Boys-Dylan and Zach

Mike's brother Dave's little girl, Sydney. This is "the look". She is 19 months old.

Later in the evening, after we went home and let Caite take a nap...we went downtown Spokane for the Lilac Torch Parade. It is a parade that is held every May. It is more of a celebration for all of the servicemen/women.

The parade had way more than 200 entrys-including school marching bands, servicemen, floats, people on horse back and their "pooper scoopers". After each section of horses that would go by, they had someone following them with a wheel barrow and a "scooper" to pick up any horse droppings...Never saw that before!

I could not beleive how many people lined up to see the parade. I bet there were over 20,000 people downtown Spokane just to watch the parade. Way BIGGER than the stampede parade! It lasted almost 3 hours!

Here are a few pictures of the parade...

Alot of the floats had lights on them...hence the "torchlight parade"

A few men from the NavyI like this picture of all the Sailors in their whites

Family

Some of you may or may not know, my mother's youngest brother, Douglas, passed away on May 4, 2008. We had to make a quick trip to Wolf Point for the funeral and to be with family. It is always nice to see family, I just wish it was for a more joyous event.

Mike took a few pictures, Walker took a lot more and I am waiting for her to send them to me. So am I going to post a few of the pictures that we have.

Uncle Doug's oldest and youngest grandson's and their parents. Jack, Vanessa, Dougie and Stone

Getting ready to say "goodbye" to Dougie
My mom, Cecelia, giving Dougie a hug
What's this??? A smile from my brother Jonnie (my little, middle brother) in a picture??? Better save this one on the desktop!! (I love you, Jonnie!!)
Dougie and his son, Stone (12 years old)
Three of the original "bad boys" plus 2 of the "next generation": Jimmy (Uncle Larry's son), Dougie, Corey with his daughter("next generation"-Uncle Cowboy's oldest grandson), Charlie ("next generation"-Auntie Desiree's son) and J.D. (my little, big brother) Auntie Desiree with Dougie
Grandma Aggie and Dougie

My Aunt Desiree's friends helped to prepare the feast at Grandma's house. It was very nice. This was the first time that I can remember that none of the family had to do any cooking or much of the clean up (thank you girls!!)

Uncle Doug was one of 12 siblings, the youngest son and the first to pass away. My grandmother is 90 and will be 91 in July. It was very hard for her to lose a child. It was hard to see my grandma so sad. She is such a strong, tough lady and I love her so much!!