happy birthday aaron

Here's a picture of you and James together, right where you've always been, and another of you smack in the middle.

 I don't even really remember this family before you were part of it--the laughter and the squirrelly days of childhood, your patience and kindness, the way you lift all of us up and see the best in everybody.    There's nobody like you.

Twenty some years of loving you?  Lucky little old us.

Happy birthday, and wishes for a year as beautiful as you are.

Love, Val and Jay and Everybody

happy birthday alicia

Happy birthday, you sweet person, wonderful mom, loyal friend.

This whole family is lucky having you for ours, sharing the funny parts, the annoying moments, all the JOY and the aggravation.   You show up for all of it

You make everything better.

We hope the year ahead is splendid.

Love forever, Val, Jay and Everybody

 

champions!

 Way to go!

Congratulation!

Love, Grandma and Grandpa

washer is fixed

Being at the lake makes her so tired, and she's so stinking cute.   Sometimes she falls asleep with her back legs going one direction and the front legs going the other way.  No idea how her spine can contort like that.

Jay ordered the part and they looked at You Tube videos to figure out how to access it, and in less than half an hour it was done.

Ta da!  The washer fills at a normal speed now, used to take forever to fill.  One load could take 90 minutes.  Not anymore, done in less than 30.

It's very nice.   Love, Val
 

last weekend in July

The smoke from the wildfires up north gave everything a golden hazy glow.

This handsome guy--always nice to spend a little time with him.

I took this pic as Alicia's brother was telling his kids they HAD TO GET OUT OF THE LAKE.  They kind of half ignored him, kids so happy to be there, and be in the water.  Kids never want to call it a day.

Saturday morning, hot and bright:

Gorgeous weekend, Love, Grandma
 

in the basement, and cats

Found them all in the row, light of a video game.

The cats are getting used to the dog and she to them. This cat tower was not easy to assemble, especially by use of the tiny allen wrench they sent, but look at it!

The cats are approving.

They bop her in the face if she gets too sniffy.

I ordered a jar of museum gel, a substance I'd never heard of.  Its like rubber cement kind of, fastens down breakables so they can't easily be knocked over by a cat.

Love, Mom

 

lacrosse

Our goalie under all that gear:

 Love, Grandma

babysitting

Love, Grandma