Happy Birthday, Steef!

Happy, happy birthday to my sweet 'baby' brother, Steef -- who is 27 today! :-)

I love you to bits and pieces and I miss you so much!!!

Here's my little bro' and me at the Thanksgiving beach house this year:


Here he is playing 'balloon volleyball' with our adorable niece, Ariel:


And here's Steef shooting a little pool at the beach house in some of our down-time:


Here's Steef and my beloved Zombie doing a little coin-shooting (using the metal detector) at a beach a little farther North:


Here's one of me with Little DC (our other brother) and Steef in 2006 -- the first time I met my two darling brothers:


My brother, Steef, is a man of both artistic and comic genius!

See?
http://www.myspace.com/stripmallthecomic

I, of course, am not really in a position to judge this (not knowing everything) but I believe my brother knows everything about most things and something about EVERYTHING! Don't believe me? You will, if you ever meet him ONE time. :-)

I love you Steef!
Happy Birthday! (And happy Obama administration...day one!)

Happy Birthday, eman!

Happy Birthday to my Sweet, Beautiful, Charming and very, very Intelligent Sister.

I love you, Sis!

Here's the first picture of eman that I ever saw:

I know, I know...pretty intimidating, right? (Right!) But how could I NOT think it was awesome to be related to such a beautiful girl? (Not to mention my two handsome brothers -- but this is HER day!)

I haven't spent a lot of time with my dear eman but I love her like no other. And, I'd be lying (by omission) if I didn't say I'm WAY MORE than a little impressed by this talented woman that I'm so blessed to have as a sister.

Here are some things about eman that are SO COOL!

She's done the 60-mile, 3-day "walk for the cure" to support the Susan G. Komen breast cancer research foundation. Yes, those are 'boobs' on her head. You Go, Girl! :-)

She's one of the most prolific readers I know -- and that's saying something. :-) I don't have a picture of eman reading, so here's one that I love of her and our aunties.

She's been parasailing -- which I'd really like to try and hopefully, someday, I will.

She's GORGEOUS (obviously) and I love to brag about it (living vicariously...ya know).

She's got a really cool post-graduate degree and a really cool job with a very important organization -- sorry I can't be more specific...you know how I am about privacy. LOL. So, some more favorite pictures:

She's FUNNY -- extremely FUNNY -- and in a way that I'm uniquely qualified (same brain-wiring) to appreciate. Here are a couple of her Halloween costumes. Can you guess which one was THIS YEAR?

(hint: yes, that's a hockey stick and puck, an American Flag, a large game animal common in the cold northwest, and a political button -- and notice, please, the RED blazer...) LOL.

I love you, eman! I miss you like crazy!

Happy Happy Birthday, Sister!

I hope it's the best!

More from the Ladybug's Birthday Party

I've been meaning to post more pictures from the Ladybug's birthday party (Sept. 20th) but being so 'daunted' by making the pictures work in the layout has kept me timid about taking it on again. Today I've decided to take FlyLady's advice and break this 'task' into manageable pieces. I REALLY REALLY want to do this! It's not writing and posting pictures about the party that has me 'frazzled' -- it's my blasted lack of knowledge when it comes to blogging in general (and, as mentioned, about making the pictures work). Well, I'm over it. I want to post this before it's too late. I'm gonna do it a little at a time -- and I *have* learned a few things, too, since my last attempt. :-)

Today, I'm just going to post about the Bouncy House that was the absolute highlight and main attraction of the party! Harley Mama -- you are a GENIUS!


Below are a bunch of pictures of the kids having a GRAND time in the Bouncy House:








Ladybug even tried some cartwheels, sommersaults and flips (standing up)...



...and shared some time with her "sissy", Butterfly Baby -- just the two of them:



And, when the party had "died down" somewhat, Harley Mama got in on the fun, too:

I had to separate these last two pictures from the rest because they have a funny story all their own. Ladybug and one of her friends (who stayed a little longer after the party) devised a "game" that Uncle Zombie was more than happy to help them with. They would lean up against one side of the Bouncy House, where the sides were mesh, and Uncle Zombie would "launch" (push) them away and into the middle. Most of the time they 'flopped', but a few times they really 'flew'. He even (very gently) pushed Butterfly Baby this way a few times.



It's hard to capture the giggles and gasps that this brought out of all three girls in a written blog with still pictures, but I'll never forget them! Their "game" was one of the highlights of the party (for me, Auntie Zombette) and it warms me still, from head to toe, when I think about it.

Love Y'all! :-)

p.s. I posted this up and looked at it...then I just HAD to come back in and say, "WHEW!" I can't believe it actually worked. This is very encouraging. Uh oh...I may start using a lot more pictures now, so if you see me with a camera -- you've been warned! :-)

Happy Birthday!

Today -- September 25th -- is the Ladybug's birthday!












She is 8 today!
(Wow, really? Dang! Where does time go?)

HarleyMama was kind enough to let me come help out with her birthday party last weekend and a good time was had by all.

Ladybug's BIG suprise: