I'm 24 (ha!) and we had a birthday dinner for me! - August 15

I have a group of friends that are very dear to me. We have been friends since high school - most of us - and we try and get together as much as we can. I am so blessed to have many great friendships that most people don't get one of in a lifetime.

Throughout the year, the group of us get together to celebrate our birthdays - and this month was my turn.

We went to Gloria's to eat dinner (yummy), and then to the hotel bar next door for drinks. We really had a great time and almost shut the bar down.

Dear friends, I love you all. Thank you for making my birthday so special!



A few photos of David and I! The love of my life. It was great to finally get some alone time with him without our boys.



My girlfriend from gradeschool, Misty and her husband, Nacho. She is my oldest (not in age, in number of years we've known each other) friend. I have known her since I was in 2nd grade and truly feel blessed to have her in my life. What a joy for me!



My great friend, Eric, and his wife, Erica. Eric and I have been friends since 1989 and he is so important to me. I love him dearly and hold him to the highest regard.

More pictures of us!

My girlfriend, Dena, and her husband, Charles. Dena and I have known each other about 8 years. We met in Church and have just become the greatest of friends. I really value her friendship and am so thankful for her.


ME and Dena!


All of us - minus Eric and Erica. They had to get home to take care of Eli.


Me, Misty & Sherri! Sherri and I are more like sisters. There's a HUGE (ha!) age difference between us - but we started hanging out in our 20's and have become so close. She's a great friend and I'm thankful for her.


Charles, Dena and David!

More photos from my dinner party...

This seemed like a good idea. Never, never a good angle. Dena, ME and Sherri (my cousin).

Dena and ME!


All of us (minus Eric and Erica) at the outside bar.


David and I at the end of the night.

More photos from my dinner party...

For some reason - we thought it was a great idea to pose on the furniture around the bar area where we were. But interestingly enough - it was just me doing the posing?

We had great fun though! It was great to be in front of the camera instead of behind it.

A Rainy day

There was a big storm coming our way. David was watching it on the radar and told me we had 10 minutes before it would get to us - when the neighbor kids knocked on the door wanting to play. We had our 3 boys, and then 6 of the neighbor kids over playing outside - in the rain! They got a little time in before the rain hit.

Here comes the rain ... let's run!


Never is quite a party without Batman or some type of superhero. This day it was Batman!

More photos from Will's party

Uncle Bubba, Andy & Will

Andy. He loved the chuck e' cheese car. My parents and Uncle Bubba kept putting tokens in it for him to ride. He had so much fun on it.

PaPa and Andy

Will, Andy & Jacob (our neighbor)

Will's birthday cake (1 of 2). We had his invitation scanned onto the cake.

More photos from Will's party...

Will & Maddie (his bestfriend from his old preschool)

Our babysitter, Jamie, Jenna and Hailey

Kids eating pizza. The 2nd picture I have of Ben from the party (he's in green shirt). He was so busy on the games that I never saw him.

My girlfriend, Angie, and her kids.

Our neighbors.

More photos from Will's party...

Neighbors.

Will and Maddie again. They were inseparable.

David and Andy. He was eating pizza and for some reason - standing on the table.

Happy Birthday song to Will.

Our family (minus Ben). Never saw him....

Finally! Will's party - August 13, 2008

Will's birthday was on July 23 but because we were all so sick with the crypto we had to reschedule 2x's. He finally got well and we had a party for him at Chuck e Cheese on Aug. 13. We had a great turn out. All his friends were there and he absolutely had a blast. Me and Will posing for a picture. This was before the cake cutting.

Ben - in serious concentration playing a game. 1 of (only) 2 photos I have of him at the party.

My girlfriend, Marnie, made this cake for Will's party. So cute. We ended up having a bigger turnout than we expected - so we got another cake for the party and saved this one just for the family. Which Will was thrilled about.

Andy's favorite things

My girlfriend, Miesa, gave Andy this blanket when he was born. He is now 16 months (on Saturday) and he has carried this blanket and binkie around with him since he was born. He loves it and is completely comforted by it.

Andy and his favorite drink

Do any of you get those little smoothies from the grocery store? Andy LOVES them. He can drink them one right after the other. They really are his favorite. Here's some shots I snapped of him enjoying his strawberry smoothie. Yummy!

Trying to entertain themselves

The boys were bored and needed something to do. We got this trampoline this summer for the boys and they've really enjoyed it. Well ... with the water hose on it they've enjoyed it. It's been much too hot to jump without being wet. They love playing on the trampoline and squirting each other. Only problem is - there's always a fight for the hose. Andy loves having control of it and doesn't like to share it too much. He loves, loves playing in the water and being outside.

The same shirt for Andy

I wanted to snap photos of Andy in this shirt because I have taken photos all 3 of the boys in this shirt. I sat him on the bar stool - which is a treat for him - and he posed and smiled just for me.