Privatization

After careful consideration, I've decided to go private.  It takes some of the fun out of it for me, but I hope some of you will still take the extra time to come visit every now and then!  I'll still be here, blogging away.  If I haven't added you to my "carefully selected people" list, it is probably because I either didn't have your e-mail address or didn't know you cared!  E-mail me at aimee.hall7@gmail.com if you want to keep up with the madness.

Having a Sister is like having a Best Friend...

...You can't get rid of.

You've got to love their facial expressions in that one.  My mom and I took the kids to get their pictures taken for fun, and it ended up being a terrible little kiosk in the mall (we didn't know that beforehand).  The photographer was bad, but the kids are cute anyway.  So, just in case you haven't seen enough of the snazzy, purple Easter outfits, here you go...

The Best Mom

I love that my mom thought to fly the kids and I out for my dad's birthday.  I always have a good time hanging out with her, and we did WAY too much shopping while I was there.  My mom is the most generous person I know, especially with her kids and grandkids.  She is beautiful and fun, and I'm so lucky that she's my mom.  Luke and Audrey also think she's great, and it doesn't hurt that her goodie drawer keeps them (and in turn, the dog) well-fed, if not well-nourished.  

On this Mother's Day, I send my love to my mom.  I would also like to mention my mother-in-law, who is also the best.  (Can it be possible that I have two "best" moms in my life?)  I can't imagine anyone having a better mother-in-law, and I love her a lot, too.  Happy Mother's Day to everyone!

Fun With The Boys

One of my favorite things about this trip to Missouri was going outside and not seeing any neighbors or traffic.  Everything was in its full spring splendor of green, and it was a very nice respite from Detroit city-dwelling.  Unfortunately, my lungs are only used to smog and car-exhaust, so I suffered severe allergies (which I have never had before) and was hoarse most of the trip.  We joked the first couple of days that it was from our late-night Rock Band sessions (which were SO FUN!), but I never really recovered.  

The kids and I had a great time hanging out with my brothers (sans Steve, who comes home in August from Chile!).  Chris, Mitch, and Alex were good sports with the kids and did endless races and lego-building with Luke and swinging with Audrey.  They humored me on Rock Band when I couldn't do "Expert" with them (okay, I couldn't really do "Hard" either) and put up with the overall chaos two kids and a crazy sister bring to a house.  It was especially fun to hang out with Chris, who we haven't really spent much time with in years.  He is a mature, awesome guy.  But then, I think all my bros are awesome!  Can I just add that Alex is a drummer extraordinaire, Mitch is a rockin' guitarist, and Chris has some mad-hot vocals!

Here is a funny one of Chris trying to dunk over Luke.

An Almost Perfect Surprise

As a surprise for my dad's birthday, my mom flew the kids and I down to Missouri for the birthday party.  My brother Chris also came from school, and it was so fun to surprise my dad.   My brothers Mitchell and Alex skipped swim practice to secretly pick us up from the airport, and the kids and I ducked down in the car as we drove up the driveway.  Somebody said he was

coming, so we ran like crazy people into the house to hide with Chris, who had been waiting inside for us to get there.  It was hilarious when my dad came in the back door, upset, and saying, "Who in the world left the car running in the garage with the garage door down?"  In all the excitement, Mitch had left the car running!  We managed to muffle our laughter as he walked down the hall, and he was very surprised and excited to see us waiting for him.  It would have been completely perfect if Clayton could have come too, but he couldn't get the weekend off of work.  

My mom threw a nice party for him, and he and I even re-lived our award-winning lip-synch performance of "You Can Call Me Al."  I think the fun really happened after the party, though, as the kids got to spend some time with him in his beautiful yard that he loves to work hard to maintain.  They played horseshoes, jumped on the trampoline, went four-wheeling, took tours of the garden and fruit orchard, and spent a lot of time on the swings and slides.  Audrey couldn't get enough of "Ga-ga" pushing her on the swings. 

 

I love this picture, which is something my dad loves to do--gaze at his garden.  

We love you, Dad, and Happy 50th!