Happy Birthday dear GRAMMMMMMAAAAA.

Luke loves loves loves singing "Happy Birthday" and it was made even better when he gets to sing it for grandma. We love that Grandma was able to come up from SD for her birthday and we were able to celebrate with her. Normally, we spend the week before school starting down in SD, but with me finishing up a class and attempting to get ready for the new school year, it just wouldn't work.

Great-Grandma, Great-Grandpa, Uncle Joe and Aunt Nancy all came down to our place to celebrate with a BBQ and . . . (wait for it) . . . homemade peanut butter cupcakes. I have never had such a miracle, but clearly, it was made with kisses from angels. They were amazing. (Thank you Great-Grandma!)

Luke is losing patience with my picture taking, especially when there is a tower of cupcakes so close and almost available.

Grandma's always need help blowing out candles. The spit is the bonus, no extra charge.

Grandma was given funny birthday glasses for her birthday . . . and I had a matching set from my birthday! So Grandma and Luke-pie were cute in their glasses. Luke was not feeling so patient about taking a picture and not eating the cupcake in his hand. It is the face of trying to be good in front of company.

Happy Birthday, Grandma! We had a wonderful time and we're countin' down to Thanksgiving! Or sooner - let us know! :)

It all begins and ends with family

The family on the deck after the celebratory anniversary dinner.

Our weekend at Clearlake was a really wonderful opportunity to reflect on the importance of family. It all begins and ends with family, after all. I'll admit, it made me nostalgic about being with my extended family (they're all over the USA!) it is certainly a blessing that Todd's family has accepted me with such open arms. I couldn't have handpicked a better family to become a part of.

We were shooting for a new family photo . . . Luke was not cooperating. He really just wanted to run up and down the pier. And so he did.



And please note, I have the best mother-in-law ever. I think I make this face in at least 85% of all my pictures and I'm glad someone else will happily do it to in any attempt to make my kid smile for the camera.

Its a great pic! Luke is looking at the camera and smiling - its a miracle!

Happy Anniversary!

We were thrilled that (most of) the family was able to get together to celebrate Grandma and Grandpa's 60th anniversary. We planned on going to dinner to celebrate, but first we had to have a champagne toast and drink to the happy couple. As always, the sisters know how to throw a shin-dig, so the room was decked out!


Some important parts that were not to be missed:


The bride and groom are the same from their wedding cake 60 years ago. The bride and groom come out and Grandma and Grandpa take a cake picture for the major anniversaries. They have a wall of cake pictures in their home - its fun to see their wedding picture, compared to their 25th anniversary picture compared to their 50th anniversary picture, etc. So of course, we had to have another one!

The champagne flutes in the background are from their 50th anniversary hoopla and were brought out, as well as the cake cutting knife and server.


Linda, Grandma, Grandpa and Nancy - aren't they cute!

I have no idea what Luke did that was so funny, but they all thought it was pretty funny.


Cheers!



"Cheers me too, Daddy! Cheers me too!"

Nancy was so sweet to put together a DVD of photos from the past 60 years and gave one to each family. Luke, of course, loved seeing himself on tv, so we watched it a few times.

Old family 8 mm filmstrips were put onto DVD as well, which we watched. How fun it was to see everyone running around and having fun in the 1960s! Todd and I got a big ol' kick at seeing film from Disneyland in the early days!

Swimming is for chumps.

Luke does not enjoy the lack of freedom that swimming brings, so he was off with Great-Grandpa to play on the playground and kick/throw the soccer ball. I loved just watching the two of them together - they are truly two peas in a pod!

Luke's belly laughs get me every time. You can't help but laugh along with him.


No standing still for pictures Mommy!

(most photos of Luke involve him running out of the shot.)

Great-Grandpa is so much fun!

Swimming with Grandma

When we went to Clearlake a few weekends ago to celebrate the Great-Grandparents 60th anniversary, we started our Saturday early by heading down to the pool. Luke has gotten a lot better in the water since we had swim lessons. He's still not super comfortable, so walked across the wading pool with Grandma. After hanging out with Grandma, he spend some time with Great-Grandpa and Daddy in the big pool, riding around on a pool lounge. It was a wonderful way to start the Saturday, something relaxing that we never get to do.

Grandma, Great-Grandma and Great Auntie Nancy

Luke mostly just wanted to play with his cars. Imagine that!

This weekend was truly a vacation, as Grandma and the Great Grandparents took over Luke detail!

Todd and Mama Bickel

Yum-o

Luke is one chatty kid - which Todd and I both love. As we are both teachers, we are adamant about correct pronounciation of words, speaking in complete sentences, etc.

But there are more difficult times than others . . .

Example:

We had burritos the other night, as well as chips and guacamole. Luke asked politely for a chip (bless him and his good manners!) and then asked for "dip." We asked him to politely ask for the guacamole.

"Paca-mo-me please Mama."

*don't giggle don't giggle don't giggle*

"Sweetie, its GUA-CA-MO-LE."

"Yes Mama, paca-mo-me. Please."

I decided to let it go, but he is awfully cute. And I figure I have to write all this stuff down or I will inevitably forget it.

Cousin Time!

We were so excited to spend the morning with the cousins at Happy Hollow. Luke simply adores his big cousins and will do anything and everything they want him to do, including but not limited to riding on roller coasters, for better or worse.

Luke riding on his first roller coaster will be a whole other post with a fun video, including cute quotes like: "I don't want it Momma! I don't want it!"

But the most fun to watch was both kids eagerly taking Luke's hand, one on either side and leading him around. It was nice to watch their interaction - they just love each other. I'm thrilled that we live close to them and Luke has the opportunity to spend time with them.

It all begins and ends with family.