Happy Birthday, B!

 Our month of birthdays/Father's Day/Anniversaries

continues with Brighton's Birthday #6 today!

Above is a recent photo and below is 5 years ago

on his first birthday. 

Here are the top ten reasons I love Brighton:

10.  Wonderful summertime birthday

9.  Looks equally good in Darth Vader costume

or as Cowboy Woody from Toy Story.

8.  Great imagination

7.  Eats his peas and carrots, right?

6.  Plays well with others.

5.  Teacher's pet

4.  Has 3 great brothers

3.  Fearless

2.  Takes his role as baby of the family very seriously

And

1.  That great smile!

Happy Birthday, Brighton!



Happy Father's Day

Back in the days before digital cameras, a picture was

taken, a roll of 12 or 24 pictures needed to be filled,

the roll was taken to the drug store and you

waited a week or so to get pictures back....and

you got what you got.  Sometimes it would take a

whole year to take all 12 or 24 pictures!  That's

why some of these old color pictures are so

precious.  There was no do-over or let's check this

one and maybe take another if we aren't happy with this

one.  It was what it was.  This photo was taken

before my brother Steve was born and we were

living in what my mom described as part grainery/part house.

It was not pretty.  But we all looked pretty happy...and so

young! 

My dad taught me to work hard, keep your

thoughts to yourself, be a good friend and take

care of your family.  Even though he's gone now

over 4 years, he's still my dad...Thanks, Dad...

thought of you often at the Twins game the other

night...how you would have enjoyed it!  I know

you're still keeping score!

And...Happy Birthday to LoriAnn

Like most mothers of 4 little boys, LoriAnn doesn't

get her picture taken very often and even more rarely

alone.  This picture goes back to 2006 and still includes

a couple of little ones but still hope your birthday

is restful, relaxing and restoring! (any chance?)

Happy Birthday to my first baby...

 Believe it or not, that's me...40 years ago today...

on my way to Tripler Army Hospital in Hawaii

to have a baby.  Don't I look calm and collected?

yikes!

 And a few months later...this is that baby

and me, at home in our apartment

in Aiea, Hawaii.  What a sweet baby

he was.

 39 years ago, that baby turned one year old.

( I still have that outfit!)
Because he was born on Flag Day
he always thought the flags were out
for him....who could tell him otherwise?

He grew up, graduated from Northfield High School

and then Luther College.  Went on to get married

and have 4 sons of his own.

Happy Birthday, Chad...You are my baby always.....

Love, mom

 

 October, 2009 we were in Lakeland, Florida for Zach Mieska's

wedding and Jesse announced that she and Ben were expecting

a baby.  So Sue found a Harley shop and bought the onesie in the

top picture.  Now,  Andrew is old enough to wear it.

So I took another picture.  Time does fly....

It's a......

BOY !  Scott & Ami are expecting a son in mid-Oct.  This is big news in the Schumacher (Ami's) family.  Ami comes from a family of girls   She has 2 sisters and 2 nieces so far.  So we're glad for Grandpa Chuck who can finally shop the other side of the aisle.  Of course big sister Everleigh has known all along that it was a boy.  Any time someone asked her she always said the new baby was a "boy".  Ami is feeling better but carrying this baby very low, just like she did with Everleigh.  But otherwise, all is well. 

Of course, in the Ketcher/Liebelt family, boys are a regular occurance.  We already have sons Chad and Scott and grandsons Matthew, Jonathan, Nathaniel, Brighton and Andrew.  But this is still very special and we look forward to meeting this new little guy.  A healthy, happy baby is all we want.  So bring on the blue!  We love little boys!

I Was Born This Way....

A partial list of ways Andrew and Everleigh are different (to the best of my knowledge)

He showed her how to unroll the toilet paper.   She's never touched it.
He showed her how to flush the toilet.  She's never touched it.
He loves to play with the shade on the french doors.  She's never touched it.
He can take off his own diaper.  She has never attempted it.
He loves to get in the cupboard under the sink.  She never looks in there.
Today when they were both in her crib where they sometimes play, he dismantled the video monitor.  She has never even tried.

She can't stand to have towels hanging on the oven door and always pulls them down.  He couldnt' care less.
She puts the magnetic letters from the frig on the floor and he ignores them.
She can actually sit on my lap and "read" a story.  He only wants to turn the pages.  Of course, at his age, that's all she wanted to do as well.
She's shy with strangers and he flirts with everyone.
She picks at her food and he's in the kitchen any time anyone else is in there...always looking for a handout.

Here are some ways they are the same:
They both love their pets...cats for her and a dog for him.
They both love going barefoot.
They both snuggle with stuffed animals.
Now that the weather is nice, they both love being outdoors.
They both like to help me eat my cheerios in the morning.
They both love their mommies and daddies the best.
They both give the best kisses and hugs.

Of course, some of this is due to their ages but Lady Gaga must be right...."I Was Born This Way".