30+2

Well, I've crossed another milestone! The BIG 32 these days . . .seems like birthdays come faster and faster over the years! I had a great day--did exactly what I wanted and nothing else. Celebrated the day before with my parents and Brian and Clayton. Small party, but it was just fine for me! I took the opportunity to get some pics with my parents--the one of the three of us is good of them, but I look like a big dork because Brian was making me laugh so hard. Surely someday we'll get a decent pic of all of us!

Thanks everyone for the cards and emails! Loved all the well wishes!!

Made With Love

A chocolate cake made by my two favorite people. What more could a girl ask for on her birthday?

Another Scrap Etc. Project

Betcha thought I was finished sharing my stuff from Scrap Etc.! Not quite!! This class was taught by Gretchen McElveen, who just happens to be one of my favorite scrappers--what luck! I've been lucky enough to meet her every year at this Event and I spent WAAAAY too much quality time with her last year while working at the Event. Needless to say, I liked taking her class lots more than preparing the kits for them. She's so down to earth and I loved that this project was simple and straightforward. It's taken me this long to post it only because it took me a while to get my journaling down on paper. Wanted to actually put some thought and energy into it . . .

The album is "The Ten Most Influential People in My Life." Some are "groups" of people since some obviously go together. Here are my ten:

1. My parents

2. Brian

3. Clayton

4. Shawn

5. My aunt and uncle (David and Gail need to be prepared at the next family get together--I have no picture of you two together, so I WILL be getting one next time!)

6. My brother

7/8. My grandparents

9. My church

10. Clayton's therapists

I still have one more project from the Event to share, but I got way behind on it in the class, so I'm still not finished with it. I'll share it as soon as it's done!

Happy Memorial Day!

Thank you to every veteran for your service now and in the past. I'm so thankful God allowed me to be born in these great United States!

Mr. Big Stuff

I sat out on the porch this afternoon with Clayton and he decided that today was the day to try the regular chairs. He worried me to death about it and I finally gave in. He actually did very well all by himself! He even got to where he would rock by himself and didn't get nervous one bit--didn't fall over either! After he got used to it, he had to inspect the table a bit and we even did some artwork while he sat there (he didn't care that the table was way too high). He said "all done" after about ten minutes and I moved him back to his chair--and then it became a game. This chair, that chair, this chair, that chair, etc. I only let him switch a couple more times before I said no way, Jose! My back gets enough workout as it is, I'm not going to sit here and switch you back and forth all afternoon! At any rate, it just goes to show that he is making progress, even if slow. He's gaining more and more independence and I hope that he eventually gets to the point where he can at least transition himself from chair to chair if he wants to do that. He's been doing so awesome in therapy lately that I know it will come in time.

Tagged

Okay, I was tagged by Patti the other day and yesterday got the same tag from Stacy, so I guess that means I actually have to play along! Here are the rules:

1. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.

2. Share 4 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.

3. Tag 4 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.

4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog .

My Four Facts:

1. I do not like checking my voicemail. I do it, but I can't wait to get to the crux of the message so I can hit DELETE. Something about listening to people's recorded voices that weirds me out.

2. I order the same thing at restaurants. I have a favorite from each menu and I rarely if ever venture out and try something new.

3. I only talk on the phone with it on my right ear and only carry my purse on my left shoulder.

4. I'll fold clothes any day over unloading the dishwasher.

The Weekend

We had a great end to our weekend last night. The band played at Simon Park and the weather was perfect. It was definitely bittersweet knowing Mike is moving back to Texas and that Rod is moving on to other endeavors, but I'm glad we played together while we could. I'll miss playing with those guys, and I'll miss seeing Mike each week. Rod, of course, will be graced with my presence each week anyway (he just can't get rid of us!), so no need to say goodbye to him . . . I have no idea what's in store for us on the music front. Lots of possibilites, and lots of stuff to work out, the first of which is finding replacements, which we'll be hard-pressed to do. We can't let our number one fan down, now can we???

Speaking of the little guy, he spent his Saturday afternoon being a model patient for an in-service at the clinic. And as you can see, it got off to a rough start! He was not happy with this lady AT ALL. It took one of his P.T.'s getting up there with him and it even took her about 20 minutes to get him calmed down.

He finally got relatively used to the situation, and started throwing the ball to therapists all over the room. He was liking that because they were all calling him and asking for the ball. He would call several of them by name and then throw the ball to them. He was eating up that attention, and they were all bragging to me how cute he was. Proud momma moment!

I have absolutely no idea if the woman accomplished what she wanted to with him, I was just glad he decided to stop fit-throwin' and enjoy himself!

Baby No More

I snapped this picture the other day and when I saw it on the computer the first thing that struck me was how I don't see my baby at all--it's all little boy in this picture! And I'm sure you're all noticing the "I am smiling, Mom. Hurry up and take the picture!" look on his face. I was lucky to get that out of him--he's still boycotting the camera. I've tried to go undercover and get a video of him singing and he's just too smart--he knows exactly when I turn it on it seems. Someday I'll catch him!

Soccer Pictures

Okay, so A LOT of soccer pictures! I just didn't know where to stop on the uploading! Clayton had so much fun, but he wore his helpers out . . .I didn't envy their job of moving him all over that little field! They had a hard time keeping up with the crowd of kids and then after "halftime" they decided to park him by the goal and just wait for a pass. It worked because during the first half, they had to help him kick the ball in, but his second goal was done COMPLETELY on his own! He got the pass and then kicked the ball with his left foot and it went directly in the net! YAY CLAYTON!

All the kids received a medal and a t-shirt for participating. It was hilarious to watch them all go up and get their picture made in front of the crowd. Thank goodness Clayton didn't get too shy in front of them!

Here he is getting pumped up for the big game--already thinking NO. 1!

HIGH FIVE!

And here's the goal he made all by himself!

And just another note on those little legs: his poor little shorts look more like kulots than actual shorts. (And he's had those for a couple of years!) Hmmm. Wonder who he gets that from?