Thru the Generations

I thought it might be fun to trace our family "history" thru pictures so hope you enjoy...Thanks Stacey Collodi for the AWESOME family photo shoot! I have been recommending you to everyone!

So, here is where we start...Mom and Dad! I am very lucky to have such great parents! My dad and I are a lot alike-generally laid back and not the most organized of the bunch. In a lot of ways I still wish I had followed in his footsteps and been a builder, but I think he was right to steer me some other direction-I could have never worked a 24/7 job like he did for so long. ( I think my 3 and 1/2 days are long enough!!) We both love naps and our favorite food is ICECREAM-we both would give up all the carbs in the world but still eat our icecream! I have lots of funny memories with my dad-"PacMan Nights" (whoever lost had to dip the icecream), reading Dr. Suess backwards making me laugh so hard I would have asthma attacks at bedtime, and dates to Long John Silvers! He is the most patient man in the world to have put up with all of us girls! I am glad he has 3 son-in-laws he can hang with now...As for my mom, equally awesome! She is the most creative person in my life! She can wrap, arrange, decorate, create, and make ANYTHING! She comes up with the most awesome ideas and can throw one perfect party-thinking of every little detail. I hopefully have absorbed some of it-although I don't think I will ever be that detailed! She has certainly given me the confidence to try new things and I have fun memories of PB & J sandwich picnics before kindergarten, shopping for christmas pjs year after year, making stew the first cold night of winter, and endless rough drafts when writing papers! (ok, maybe that one wasn't "fun" but I am thankful now!) I have the best parents and I am thankful for their 35+ years of marriage and their example.

The original 5!

Two of the most important people in my life! I cannot even imagine my life without my sisters! They are my best friends and everything that entails. They are the best...favorite memories off the top of my head because there are thousands...endless dance parties to Dolly, Neil Diamond, Walk-Like-An-Egyptian, Elvira, etc...playing dress-up and makeup, Laura learning to french-braid my hair-oh yeah-again-not a favorite, our house on Pennyburn, swimming all day and laying out on the trampoline...ok, I have to move on...that's a whole other post...

Ahhh, the first boy added to the family 12 years ago- December 1995! I can't believe that at all!

And the princess...the first grandchild...so sweet...August 2001

And then came Brad and I - September 2002

This picture cracks me up...this picture is much too foofy for my Mal-Mal! June 2003

And then Ya-Ya and Todd got married...October 2003

And low and behold, you know what happened then...the three redheads...

Reid December 2004

Ryan & Reece July 2006

So here we are...December 2007 with an additional two dogs, Lucy and Vanos. Again, I feel very lucky to be part of such a wonderful family! I will post some funny pics from our family photo shoot later!