The Haircut

My youngest son is 20 years old.... 20. Sometimes I forget that fact. I told Cody that he really needed to get a haircut today as he was looking quite bushy. He agreed and said that he would go as soon as he finished mowing the lawn. So...I start to get dressed without even thinking. I was planning to take him to get his haircut! Yeah, he's 20. I haven't been with him to get a haircut in years. I guess that sometimes being a mom takes you back to times when they actually needed you. I can't tell you the times I had to take my sons BACK to the person who cut their hair to do it over.

Between cow-licks, fine blond hair and a mother watching every snip, it's a wonder my children have any hair at all.

Happy Anniversary

Josh & Kelly
June 18, 2005

Tradition

Well, It's almost that time again. Our biggest family event of the year. The big Cookout! We will be cooking this year on June 29th, (always on the Friday night before the 4th). My Mom & brothers (Greg & Jimmy) have been working in the yard for the past 2 weeks trying to get things ready. I will be going home this Friday to help. There will still be a lot to do.

1) Set up all the tents
2) hang all the lights
3) put up tables & chairs
4)set up: volleyball, badminton nets, horseshoe stakes, etc...
5) clean up the barbecue pit(house)
6) set up card tables for those anticipated games of ROOK
and many more that I can't think of right now.

Last year there were about 115( that we counted) people, yep...your heard right. 115 and that was a "down" year.
We cooked 60 chicken halves and 22 slabs of ribs, that was eaten that night!
The "big meat", Boston butts and pork shoulders cook all night and are ready the next day.
Everyone has a great time. We start around 2 or 3 and it starts winding down about 11 or 12.



Then the best part of the night begins:
The remaining few, usually immediate family, gather around by the open fire and just talk.
We talk about things we did when we were kids, we talk about things our children have done.
But mostly we talk about the ones we miss the most and how they would have loved being here.
We talk about past cookouts and hilarious incidents of the past. Then we get somber and many times tears have been shed talking about my Dad. This was his favorite holiday and he began many of these traditions. Oh... we've talked about taking a year off, going instead to spend the 4th somewhere else. We gripe about all the work it takes to pull it off, and vow to change it. We've talked about putting the meat on earlier so that we wouldn't be up so late. yeah...we talk.



But in the end I think we'll carry on the TRADITION.

The 1st

Father's Day is a bittersweet time for me. Josh and Jake will call their Dad. Cody will wake up and wish his Dad a happy Father's Day. Sam will call his Dad. We will call Jake on his 1st Father's Day. My Mom will call my Grandfather. My Daughter-in-Laws will call their Dad. Gabe will smile at his Dad. But....I can't call mine. And for the first time my cousins can't call theirs.
This is the 1st Father's Day without Uncle Avery.

After a death,
The 1st is always the worst: 1st Thanksgiving, 1st Christmas, 1st birthday and of course if you've lost a Dad....the 1st Father's Day. It does get easier, although it's hard to believe.

The first thing you do is think about the last Father's Day, and you wonder....Did you tell him enough that you loved him, did you thank him for being a wonderful Dad, did he ever realize how much his approval meant to you, and how grateful you were that your kids had such a wonderful Grandfather?
Probably Not....so to all those Dads that are special to us:

My Brother Greg, My son Jake, My brother-in-law Tony, My father-in-law Leon, My Grandfather, & Our friend Koz.



You are all wonderful Dads and Your Children and very blessed.

Love you all,
***** Happy Father's Day *****

Seems like it was only yesterday....

Walk a Little Slower Daddy

"Walk a Little slower, Daddy." said a little child so small.

I'm following in your footsteps and I don't want to fall.
Sometimes your steps are very fast, sometimes they're hard to see;

So walk a little slower Daddy, for you are leading me.
Someday when I'm all grown up, You're what I want to be.

Then I will have a little child who'll want to follow me.
And I would want to lead just right, and know that I was true;

So, walk a little slower, Daddy, for I must follow you!!

- Author Unknown

**1989**

Josh, 10 yrs. old

Jake, 6 yrs. old

Cody, 2 yrs old

Happy Father's Day!

FATHER'S DAY

DADDY'S HANDS

I remember daddy's hands folded silently in prayer.
And reachin' out to hold me, when I had a nightmare.
You could read quite a story in the callous' and lines.
Years of work and worry had left their mark behind.
I remember daddy's hands how they held my mama tight.
And patted my back for something done right.
There are things that I'd forgotten that I loved about the man,
But I'll always remember the love in daddy's hands.

Daddy's hands were soft and kind when I was cryin'.

Daddy's hands were hard as steel when I'd done wrong.
Daddy's hands weren't always gentle,
but I've come to understand....

There was always love in daddy's hands.

If I could do things over, and live my life again.

I would never take for granted the love in daddy's hands

By Holly Dunn

**************

I'll love you and miss you... forever & a day

Chandler & Chloe

What are little boys made of:

Snakes and snails etc.... Chandler is all boy. I'm probably biased but I think Chandler is a very thoughtful, polite and well behaved little boy. He's always there with a hug and a look that says "I'm really glad to see you". Chandler is the grandson of my 1st cousin Karen and the son of her daughter LaBreeska. I know that seems distant but in this family, we are very close.

What are little girls made of:

Sugar, spice and everything nice......yeah right!.....Chloe is not your typical dainty girl, she's your classic ANTI- Dainty girl. And sooo...DRAMATIC

Aunt B: Chloe, I heard your were in a car accident on your vacation?

Chloe: Yeah, I was

Aunt B: Did you get hurt?

Chloe: Yes, I broke my eyelash

So, of course I started to laugh. Chloe looked at me and very sternly asked, "Why are you laughing?"

Needless to say, I will think before I laugh around Chloe.