Random

but had to share! Ryan still likes Buzz after all these months/years. He had the costume on and wanted to go on a bike ride... so yes, all the neighbors got to see him in full uniform, too. We got this "trailer" this past spring and it has been great for the longer bike rides. However he is a pro on his own little 2 wheels now! (yes, Steve's on my bike, but hey, the seat's more comfy than his and it's easier than moving the trailer to his bike!)

Happy Birthday to Me!

Another year celebrated in July....and some fun pics from that night. We had a nice dinner OUT, fun watching my boys play and soak each other (actually the littlest one was the wettest) and a "half" cake, complete with marshmallows... picked by Ry-guy. I got some nice gifts... one being a book to use at this :)....

Steve pulled a surprise on me at the end of May. When I came home from Bible Study I found this with a red bow on it! He had brought someone from work to move all our office furniture out of the room and the piano movers brought this in! No, we don't usually make major purchases with out consulting the other... but I'll let him off the hook on this one :)! We'd been shopping around for a few years and finally took the plunge. I'm nowhere close to mastering all the classical pieces again, but it is great to have a "release", especially on such a beautiful looking and sounding instrument! Maybe someday I'll start giving lessons again? In the meantime... I'm starting with Ryan and Steve!
To my boys...thanks for spoiling me on my birthday and always!

In Memory

It was a beautiful day in July and we had received a "baby" Colorado blue spruce after Mom/Grandma's funeral. Thanks Julia and Bill! We had another tree that wasn't making it... so we decided to replace it with this new one, in memory of Mom/Grandma. It was a precious site to see Ryan so wanting to help. He has not gone one day since April without talking about Grandma Donna. It's sometimes hard to see him have to process, what we as adults, are trying to still process, too. We've got lots of "reminders" of her that are wonderful to have, however, it's still tough to know we won't ever see her again on this side of Heaven.

Here's a pondering face, huh?

We were in Michigan over Labor Day trying to help a little as it was time to move and clean out Grandma's condo. We thought we should try to help some, as we hadn't been back since April. It was much harder on Ryan than we anticipated. He sobbed on the way to her condo, saying he hated that place because Grandma wasn't there anymore! Pretty intense emotions... yet we are thankful he was able to get some of those out. He hasn't shed one tear in the past 5 months...until that day. Grief is an interesting process... especially when walking through it with a little one, huh?

We miss you LOTS Mom and Grandma!

Look at me!

The highlight of the day a few weeks ago, July 19th to be exact, was learning to ride with only TWO wheels! Ryan had "wobbly" training wheels and we were noticing him be able to balance with them off the ground a little. So Thursday morning I said... let's take them off! The video below shows him after just about 45 minutes. He is much more stable a week later, of course, and starting and making turns with lots of confidence. And he thinks he's hot stuff now! So do we, if you can't tell! By the way... his "bye" at the end is in his "baby talk" that he thinks he has to do everytime the camera is on. He watched some old videos of himself and thinks it's funny to try to duplicate how he sounded at 18 months!

I hope the video works for you. Just double click on the play button. We're just experimenting thanks to a friend's blog... I'm copying:)! We'll have to try more of these if it works!



And here's some advice from the expert, too :)!

Blessings

I received the following email from a friend (Thanks, Lori!) and it was just at the right time last week. I was "crying over spilled milk" in many situations that week. This was a great reminder to focus on the innumerable blessings in my life and the different shapes and forms in which they come and to never forget God is always with me....

-----------------------------------
The man whispered, "God, speak to me" and a meadowlark sang.

But, the man did not hear.

So the man yelled, "God, speak to me" and the thunder rolled across the sky.
But, the man did not listen.

The man looked around and said, "God let me see you." And a star shined brightly.
But the man did not see.

And, the man shouted, "God show me a miracle." And a life was born.
But, the man did not notice.

So, the man cried out in despair, "Touch me God, and let me know you are here."

Where upon, God reached down and touched the man.
But, the man brushed the butterfly away, and walked on.

I found this to be a great reminder that God is always around us in the little and simple things that we take for granted ... Even in our electronic age. So I would like to add one more:

The man cried, "God, I need your help!" And an e-mail arrived reaching out with good news and encouragement.But, the man deleted it and continued crying.

Don't miss out on a blessing because it isn't packaged the way that you expect.

----------------------------------------
So whether it's a beautiful sunrise on a cold Minnesota morning or ...

a beautiful sunset in balmy Jamaica,

Either way it's packaged, I'm going to work at praising God for all the wonderful blessings He's provided and forgetting about the milk that's spilled... actually, I'll be thankful that I have milk to spill!

10 years ago...

On a Friday evening, 10 years ago tonight (July 18, 1997) Steve and I met in person for the very first time.... only God knew the "rest of the story"!... On Lake Webster in northern Indiana....brother Jim, the Perkins and Webb families there for moral support... which Steve probably needs more now after ten years than he did that day!!! And did you really know what you were getting us into, Cyn and Becky? :) Thanks for your persistence and thanks to God for His guiding hand.

And what made tonight even more special...Steve was the one to "remember" :) and I probably let him down for not ! What a loser I was today... so here's my attempt to "make up" for my lack of sentiment!

I love you, Steve!! Here's to many more decades together!

No worries, "mon"!

but no pictures either... I give up. I've tried for a week to post some pics from our trip the first week of July. Fabulous time just being together and relaxing! And as much as we love our little Ry-guy, it was good to just have some "peaceful" time alone :) Thanks McCarty's for giving Ryan a fun week... he didn't miss us at all he says!

So... here's what I did get to upload! Exciting, huh?

The view from our balcony in the morning...gorgeous and sooo peaceful.

Some wonderfully displayed food and a handsome guy that can't keep his eyes open with a flash :)!

I'll keep trying to post some others?

summer fun

Just a few random shots from the past month....June has been more structured with swimming lessons, theatre class, soccer camp, and t-ball. But we still had time for fun times at home with family and friends.....

and some good corn on the cob.

This was a first for Ryan to eat it right off the cob!

A good pose for Father's Day.....

The soccer "First Kicks"crew....

And "Goal"!!!!

Go team Go.... the coaches were from Oxford, England doing "British Soccer Camps" around the US this summer. Ryan's was just one week.

This is his "just scored" pose.....

Fun in the sun and water with buddy, Lukas, from preschool...

Hope you are enjoying the warm weather!

happy dad's day!

To all the special men in our life! Have a fun day!

Thanks for your silliness, love and support!

Dad/PaPaw Putty and Grandpa Floyd

(Anne's side)
Dad/PaPaw Choo Choo :)

(Steve's side)

You know these guys....

Dad/Daddy and Ryan/Ry-guy

(just us and our side!)

celebrating today

9 wonderful years of marriage to a fabulous man of God

AND

a beautiful 4 yr old little man who asked Jesus into his heart today!

What a day! It started with Ryan lying on the floor this morning. When asked what he was doing, he said "Praying... I want to ask Jesus into my heart." I, of course, said, "well let's do it then. " He even referenced his last night of Vacation Bible School and the lesson about leprosy and said that Jesus will wash away all our sins just like the spots on the man with leprosy... "That's why I want to ask Jesus in my heart... and I want to go to heaven someday. Grandma is there and I can see her, too! "

WOW!!! How much better does it get than that? He was so excited he wanted to call and tell Daddy at work and when we met friends for lunch, it was the first thing he told them too! We will pray his love and faith will grow with each passing day.

Later in the day as we were getting ready for the sitter.... Ryan says to me, "I hope you and Daddy have fun getting married again tonight!" :) We did have a great time celebrating our 9 years of marriage. We have much to be thankful for and we look forward to the years ahead. Have I told you lately how great my husband is? He is known for many of his own personal stereotypes(I'll stay away from those:)!!)... but his heart is huge and the love and grace he pours out on Ryan and me is amazing!

So here's to my two boys today! Love you guys!

Thank you God for the gift of each of them!

happy birthday to you!

Yippee!! Our Hubby and Daddy is 33 !

We love you and thank God for you!

And we started celebrating at 5:45 AM...

Ryan was more excited than Christmas morning, we think, to begin the big day!

Fun in the South

Well, some say in Minnesota, that Indiana is in "the South".... I'm obviously almost a month behind on these pics, but we've been a little distracted :)! Ryan and I (Anne) headed to IN the week of my mom's spring break... this has become a tradition since our move to Minnesota. This was the 3rd year in a row. Ryan and I were actually only home for 2 days from March 27 through April 15th, given our trip to Indiana and then to Michigan! It has been a whirlwind month. It has been great to be back and sleeping in our own beds and having somewhat of a "normal" routine.

We had lots of fun in IN seeing almost all of my "huge" family :)! We played in the park... saw beautiful green grass and flowers ( which we are just now starting to see in MN!), played with Roxie, went to the Children's Museum and just enjoyed being with family! And I snuck out one night to have a girls' night with college buddies, Dawn and Missi! Ryan was very excited for me to leave and let him stay at PaPaw Putty and Mama Marg's all by himself!

Checkers with Grandma at Cracker Barrel after a long morning of flying and posing with Roxie as soon as we arrived at their house!

And then I think the camera was hidden the rest of the trip except for some great times at the Indianapolis Children's Musuem. If we lived there, a membership would be a must!

Fireworks of Glass is the largest permanent sculpture of blown glass by renowned artist Dale Chihuly. The 43-foot-tall tower rises above a glass ceiling. For interesting facts or better pictures check out this site... it was very impressive!www.childrensmuseum.org/themuseum/fireworks_ofglass/index.htm

This "tower" of glass weighs 18,000 pounds and this other pic is of a "glass ceiling" below the tower, that you view looking up in the basement level of the museum.

Posing with Grandma and Grandpa by more glass in the "garden of glass"

Our little preacher behind the pulpit in a walk-thru story book town. Who knows what God

has in store, huh? :)

Playing in the water with Aunt Erin and driving the big boy toy in "Playscape", the Preschool Gallery of the museum.

Becoming a dinosaur and of course, driving an Indy car...can't forget that!

We thought going into the museum our ratio was a little high... 4 adults: 1 child. By the end, we were 9:1 when some of the rest of our "huge" family was nice enough to meet up with us for a late lunch.

Thanks to the Indiana clan for a great visit to "the South" !