Birthday Weekend!

Saturday my side of the family came over for our birthdays. We had a nice time with all of my favorite foods.

My mom opening one of her gifts!

Rick with pasta and I am holding a new pie plate.

Rick made me a scavenger hunt to find my presents. This is one of the first clues along the way.

Finding the next clue up in the bowls.

Cake Time!!

On Sunday, Jackie, Alex, and Cindy came over for the celebration!

After dinner we went to the park for a little while!

Rick with his excited expression! Don't let him fool you, he wasn't going very fast!

Alex waving to "Grandma Carlo"

Alex and Uncle Ricky!

Alex and me!

Alex and Jackie!

Check out the expressions on Rick and Alex's faces. Priceless!!

Grandpa Mel

This is a picture of my Grandpa Mel and me when I was getting ready for my wedding. This is the smile I will always remember from my Grandpa. He wasn't in very good health for quite some time, but even on my last visits I always got the most genuine smile from him. He was extremely selfless and I always admired that about him. We shared a love for ice cream!

He passed away on Friday afternoon on my way to my parents house. He lived a very good life and is in a much better place now.

Cousin Party

As I mentioned in my last post we had a party at our house last night for all of Rick's cousins and their children. Everyone was able to attend except Tiffany, Alexis, and Riley because they were sick. We had such a great time. We rarely get together except for weddings and funerals and then there aren't usually kids. There are a lot of pictures, but only a fraction of what we took.

Zach, Alex (there were two Alex's at the party), Sarah, and Ben watching Finding Nemo

Alex using the Handy Manny hammer on our wall

Alex, Ben, Alex, and Kylee chasing each other around the table

Kylee (before she warmed up to me) and Sarah

Alex and Nathan spent most of the night wrestling

Caleb and Wendy

This was our attempt to take a group picture of the kids. I only chose a few, but if you could see them all you would see the hysterics that we went through. We thought we got a few decent pictures until we realized Matthew was still napping upstairs.

Now Matthew is in the middle--and not too happy about it!

Caleb is trying to get away and mostly everyone else has forgotten that we are trying to take a picture. Matthew is still unhappy.

I really just enjoy Chad in motion in the background of this one.

Caleb and Sarah--there could be some very funny captions for this one.

Ben and Sarah--so, so cute!

Kylee and Alex

Time of the adult picture! Kyle did a great job taking it!

Then Alex and Nathan wanted to get into the picture.

These were most of the shoes...Rick compared it to a ball pit at McDonalds were everyone has to take off their shoes before they go in.

Alex and Caleb at the Bumper Pool Table. Probably one of the favorite pictures from the night--taken by Chad!

Youtube time! We were watching the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Hot Dog Song--Crazy version!

Everyone Dance!!

Cousin Love! Kylee and Sarah!

Nathan and Amanda

The Alex's and me!!

The girly-girls! Kylee, Sarah, and Amanda!

Amanda, Alex, me, Kylee, and Sarah (Kylee has warmed up to me now if you can't tell)!

Ring around the Roses!

We can't wait to get together again with everyone sometime very soon!

Flower Cake!!

Yesterday we had Rick's cousins over to house. This is the cake that I made. I am very happy with the outcome. The flower petals are starburst. The inside of the flower are mini chocolate chips and the border is made of gummy bears!

This past weekend we went to O'Wich with Cindy, Carlo, Jackie, Tom, and Alex. On Saturday we went tubing at Cascade Mountain. It was my first time tubing.

Getting ready to head up the hill for the first time.

Alex wanted to move the tube by himself--he didn't want help. Needless to say it was a little bit slow at times, but he was happy.

How cute is he!

Kind of looks like he is squatting to take a poop.

This is the "magic carpet" that took us to the top of the hill. No work needed in tubing.

Finally going for a ride!

Rick on his first trip down the hill!

Cindy's turn!

Carlo with his bright orange gloves. This made it easy for Jackie to photograph him!

I know this isn't a good picture, but it demonstrates how Alex went down the hill attached to one of us.

Probably my favorite picture of the day!

My turn!!

The gravel at the end of the hill stopped you from going into the parking lot.

And Tom had fun too!!

Once Cindy gets her pictures up, I will post the link to the other pictures from the weekend!