"Who you'd be today . . ."

My sister (Rochelle--we called her Shelly)  and I in Minneapolis.  I am pretty sure we are sitting with our Great-Grandma Lang.  

Looks like I am about 5 years old so Shelly would be about 1.  I still have that rocking chair!

I am guessing we are about 8 and 4 in this one.  My mom's aunt was visiting us in Vegas.  Love my mom's blonde hair!  

I know I was in 5th grade so I suppose I was about 10 and Shelly was 6.  I was wearing something akin to my school's cheerleading outfit!  (I am fairly certain the qualifications to be a cheerleader were that you just had to buy the outfit. )  

I was looking for pictures of us when we were a little bit older, but I must have them stashed away in a box I can't find.  There would not have been too many more, though, because the accident occurred when I was 11 and Shelly was 7 . . .

Today would have been my sister's 40th birthday. She has been on my mind lately and this song kind of sums it all up for me . . .
Mom and Dad, I hope you don't mind.  I am sure you miss her more than I do . . . I am looking forward to the day we see her again.

Sweet 16!

It is hard to believe it has been 16 years since we all got together on that sunny spring afternoon . . .

Many years filled with many good memories.

I love you, Eric . . . Happy Anniversary!

Too late for an intervention . . .

It is just sinking in . . .

They are in shock . . .

They are probably going to call her "Misty" . . .

She knows I took a giant nose dive over the slippery slope of animal ownership!


In my defense, it really was an offer I couldn't refuse . . .

At the movies . . .

New cruiser for the birthday girl!  We actually gave it to her on April Fool's Day because the weather was so nice.  Eric and the girls rode to the bike shop under the guise of buying him a new helmet.  When they arrived, I was waiting in the shop with the bike.  I took the old one back in the truck and they biked home on the Greenbelt.  I think it is a pretty cool cruiser!  It's a "big, big" girl bike--a 24 incher!  

Emma had her party at the movie theater in downtown Boise last night!  Grammy joined us as did 6 of Emma's friends.  We had the party in their conference room.  Each girl received a kid combo pack with a mini hot dog, bottomless popcorn and fruit punch!  After eating the hot dogs and some of the popcorn, they worked on Rio activity posters while we waited to take a tour of the projection room.  The girls (and Eric) really enjoyed learning about how the film was reeled.  When the tour was over, they ate cupcakes and ice cream, opened presents and refilled their combo packs for the show!  

So cool--her name in lights! 

Myra gave Emma a pair of glasses.  They are kind of cute.  It can't hurt to try them out, as we assume she'll need real ones someday!  

American Girl Doll of the year, Kanani! Kanani is "from" Hawaii and has beautiful long hair.  (Thanks Papa and Grandma!) Emma is saving her birthday money to buy a few things for the doll.   

  They set up reserved seats for us!  Hard to see how cool they looked in their 3-D glasses. . .

The birthday girl had to start the movie.  Since it was in digital 3-D, Emma used a little stylus to push a few buttons on the screen to get it going.  She was thrilled . . .

A good time was had by all . . .

Nine is fine . . .

Birthday #1!

"There was little girl, who had a little curl,
Right in the middle of her forehead . . ."
Does that poem remind you of anyone?

Happy Birthday to our favorite not-so-little-anymore redhead!
We love you!
 

Wacky Wednesday . . .

It was Wacky Wednesday in Emma's class today!  She looked pretty wacky . . .  Now that I know how to "wire" her hair, we may have a costume idea for Halloween!  

It's just a number . . .

Notice anything different . . ?

Super big grin as she waits!  

I was holding Emma's hand for the first ear so here is a shot of the second ear . . .

Anticipating the pain . . .

Slightly less enthused but happy it is over!!!

Emma earned straight A's with a huge improvement in her math facts!  She is multiplying and dividing with relative ease and that earned her a pair of pierced ears.  She had been struggling with math facts during the second quarter of school.   We made a deal to work on math at home for 9 weeks, without moaning and groaning about it!  Emma suggested she work towards getting her ears pierced if she improved her grade and we agreed.  As you can see, she achieved her goal!  Way to go!
PS.  Instead of sparkly faux diamond studs, she chose little gold dolphins!