Trampoline fun!

 In early October when Emerson and I went to visit Benjamin and William, the trampoline was something all three of my little men wanted to jump on.  William was the initiator.  He loves to jump!

 The boys want me on the trampoline, but not necessarily jumping!  I think I'm just too big and it's too much bounce?  I'm not sure.

 We have all kinds of games to play.  Here, I was the monster, trying to get them as they ran back and forth across.  Emerson decided if you were touching the net, you were "safe"! We also played 'Red Light, Green Light."

 Emerson and Benjamin love to wrestle on the trampoline...sometimes they get a bit rough for me.  But they laugh and laugh ... sometimes a few tears surface, but they bounce back quickly and start to wrestle again.  I'm sure it won't be long before there'll be a third wrestler in the mix. 

 Sometimes I would get tackled...I'm not sure how my glasses survived...I finally had to take them off!

 After knocking me down, the boys were there to help me up!

 I used to get so nervous when they jumped, but that was before they got this net that goes around the edge...and no one falls off the trampoline! 

 William wanted to swing awhile after we abandoned the trampoline...He wanted to be pushed, "HIGH"

THIS...reminds me of my younger days...swinging and holding my head way back as I was swinging.

We were back on the trampoline a bit later...and for some reason, William wasn't on it, just Benjamin, Emerson, and I.  I was sitting down resting, and they sat down with me.  I asked some question, don't even remember what it was, but I told them to "raise your hand if..."... well, that started what they called 'a game'...the 'raise your hand if' game.  At first, I was the only one saying, "Raise your hand if...you love books, etc!"  They'd quickly raise their hands...then they started wanting a turn to say, 'raise your hand if...."...

Well, the longer we played this game, the sillier they became.  It was great.  It ended up with things like, "Raise your hand if you like to punch yourself in the  nose," and then they'd both crack up laughing. 

This is definitely fun...hanging out with these little men, jumping on the trampoline, playing games...and laughing!

Emerson and his Papa

I ran across this on YouTube...from 2011.  I'm sure I posted this on this blog, but after laughing till I cried just now, I decided to post it again.  The other "sounds" you hear, come from Emerson's Papa...that would be my guy!  

Man Cave

 I told the boys they were having fun in the 'man cave.'

They just looked at me.  

"Man cave?" one of them asked.

 Donnie has his garage set up great.  There is a big carpet in the center and a

ceiling fan to keep it cool.

 The boys hang out there and play with some of their toys.

 Sometimes they were playing with the same things...

other times, all 3 of them were doing something different.

 I love to play with the boys,

but I also love to just sit back and watch them play...

their imaginations are fun to watch/listen to..

 After awhile, William decided to take a ride on his bike..

off he went...

I took a few more pictures before we headed to the trampoline...

Fun with my boys in the 'man cave'!

Happy 15th Birthday, Thalia!

In September, 2004, this little sweetheart started kindergarten!  She was still 4 years old.  Now, she is a sophomore in high school!  Oh my!

 In January, 2005, Erica and Thalia came to visit.  Joshua was in Iraq...the beach was one of our places to go.  I especially love this picture below...with Thalia watching the waves with her little pigtails!

 In April, 2005, Joshua was back from Iraq (thank you, Lord!) and they came up to visit. 

 Thalia loved going to the park.  I love to take my grandkids to the park...so off we went!

 Joshua LOVES crab, so our friend, Jim, gave us some crab and we had a party here to celebrate his return.  Thalia was a bit captivated by her Papa knocking out the crab!

Ozzie is Pete's dog.  Pete was our neighbor and Thalia LOVED Ozzie.  She would continually ask her Papa or me if she could go see if Ozzie was home.  This is one of my absolute favorite pictures!

 

 May 14, 2005...What a great day this was! 

 

In August, 2005, we went to the fair and to Fern Canyon.

I think this was Thanksgiving, 2005.  We all went to see Thalia (and Joshua and Erica, of course).  Thalia was now old enough to shoot a gun.  (Just kidding)

Well, she may not have been able to shoot, but she wore the goggle real well!

Exactly 6 years ago today, Thalia had this picture made.  I wasn't there, but Erica sent it to me.  Guitar glasses!  Thalia is amazing on the guitar!

This looks like Christmas, but it was actually Thanksgiving, 2009.  We all gathered at our house, celebrating being together and the holidays.  I wanted to get a picture for our Christmas card...so we took out the Christmas hats!

For Christmas, we went down to Thalia's!

 This was her favorite Christmas gift!  (just kidding!)

This actually may have been her favorite gift!

 I can't remember what year these two pictures were taken.  Thalia was a master on the rip-stick!  Everyone tried their hand...but none of us could come close to Thalia...except maybe Erica!  Thalia was also ready to help her Papa move wood from the driveway to the wood pile...but...accidents happen!

 In July, 2010, Thalia's driving career began!

She started in a car, and then progressed to the Texas Longhorn Golf Cart!

 December, 2010 was the beginning of Thalia's scone baking career!

 This was a fun Christmas!  We had a houseful of family...and we celebrated UJ's new Chick fil a business in Colorado!

After everyone left, Thalia stayed with us awhile longer.  We loved it!  She flew home all by herself!

I love her!

 In July, 2014, Thalia brought her parents up to see us.
Even at 14 years old, her Dad still tries to feed her.

 She still loves the beach...and watching the waves.
This time, she's watching them with William...
and Thalia has a camera around her neck!
(She's definitely MY granddaughter!)

 She loves her family...
just like her Mimi...

 She's a strong young lady...
just like...well, I may not be young, but I'm strong...

 I love this...

We're both creatures of habit...of tradition. 
I take a picture of Thalia next to this cart every time we go to the zoo.

15 years old...it doesn't seem possible...

Happy Birthday, Thalia!

Your Mimi loves you so very much!