Hail the conquering graduate

 We spent Mother's Day weekend in Hastings with a joyful group of family to celebrate my oldest niece Clare's graduation from high school!  Such a great reason to celebrate & a blessing to have so many of us together.  Here's baby-loving Maria enjoying Lily rocking her shades.

 The boys camped out on the bunkbeds

 crazy zebra-lady

 The kids were SO excited to stay at a hotel.  We spent Saturday evening swimming with cousins.  Actually, Andrew's really the only one who did any swimming.  Rebecca just bopped around a little bit between the hot tub & the "so cold" indoor swimming pool & Teresa spent most of her pool time like this in Maria's arms.

 If you thought swimming was exciting, it was nothing compared to sleeping in a big bed.

 After a continental breakfast, some sweet cards that the big kids made at school, baccalaureate Mass, & sandwiches for lunch, we ventured out to the local park to enjoy the ducks & the playground.  Perfect day!

 Then after a nice ceremony (including our new Bishop!) we headed back to the house for the party.  I was especially fond of the cappuccino punch... oh my goodness it was delicious.

("Aunt Bobby" with Clare & Elizabeth in 1999)

Watching a cute slideshow that they put together, I could remember so much from when Clare was just a baby.  I lived with them a few summers in a row working with Rich out in the cornfield during the day & enjoying time with my sister Melissa & the babies in the evening.  I kind of adopted them as my first kiddos before I ever had kids.  Now she's going to college!  I may have cried about a box-worth of Kleenex... in-between smiling so much that my cheeks hurt.  :)

Love you, Clare Elizabeth! 

You are such an amazing woman & I am blest to be your aunt.

Family, family, everywhere!

We have been abundantly blest to spend bounteous amounts of time with bounteous amounts of family in the last month & this weekend just kept it going! The newlyweds arrived in town early & announced they are expecting a baby! Woohoo!!!We joined the rest of the Red clan at my cousin Joe's wedding. I'm so happy for him. It was a beautiful wedding & she is a very sweet girl. The reception was a little late but tons of fun. It was 10:30 & Teresa was throwing a fit because we were MAKING her go home. She could have danced all night. That girl's got some moves! Here she is with lovely cousin Clare.

Then on Sunday we headed out to see Great Grandma for our final? Christmas celebration. Lots of family, food, & fun. Teresa loved this little cow that sang & walked.

Here's Grandma with her niece & two of her sisters. Her brother even made the trip. Quite the family reunion! It was fun to see them all together... I know it sure brings out another side of me when I'm around my sibs, so it was special to see that in Grandma, too.

Birthdays galore!

To my niece, Clare...

a fun, sweet, beautiful girl & fantastic big sister Happy Birthday, Clare