Happy Birthday, Katie!

Katie is our 8th grandchild and our 3rd granddaughter.

She was born in Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, an Army post in the Missouri Ozarks.

Yesterday was Katie's 14th birthday and although we were able to wish her a happy birthday, we weren't able to conduct her birthday interview until today.  Here's how it went.

So you were 14 yesterday.  Does 14 feel older to you than 13?  It doesn't feel different but 14 is more fun to say.

 Did you have a good birthday?  Yeah, I think it was my favorite yet.

Did you do anything special?  Well, we had tea ring for breakfast and then my mom and I went black Friday shopping.  Did you get any good deals?  Oh yeah, it was so fun!

So I know the day before your birthday was Thanksgiving, your birthday was on black Friday, and the day after your birthday you start decorating for Christmas.  Did your birthday get lost in the commotion or was it part of a big, busy celebration weekend?  Umm, it was a great weekend!   So fun!  My family definitely made my birthday really special.  We went out to eat at Cheesecake Factory, I got a ton of clothes from our shopping trip, and I got two of my favorite movies - Safe Haven and Grown Ups.

Has volleyball started yet?  Team meeting is tomorrow and then we start practices for club volleyball.   So will your mom be coaching again this year?  No, she's not coaching this year.  Awww, will you miss that?  Well when she coached I always thought she was hardest on me so I think I'm going to be okay.

So are you and David in the same school now?  Our school has a high school side and a middle school side so we're technically in the same school but we really don't see each other much.  Is it neat when you do see him?  Sometimes.  If he's in a good mood he'll say hi but sometimes he'll just walk by.

 Do you play any other sports?  No, just volleyball.

Do you like being in an Army family?  I think it's really cool.  I get to move around every few years.  And although, at first I don't like it, I get to meet new people and go to new places and it makes it all worthwhile.

 What were the highlights of the past year?  I got my braces off!!!!  

We were there last Spring for an awards program where you were on the stage multiple times.  Obviously you were a good student with good grades.  Is this year as successful as last?  Oh definitely!

I'm not slacking off at all!!

Do you have any goals or special plans for the coming year?  For Christmas I asked for a guitar.  If I get one I'd like to try to learn how to play.

What can you tell us about yourself that might be interesting?  I'm into photography and I'm a perfectionist so it takes me forever to do anything.  Also, we got a dog and he is so cute AND he was my idea.  

And that concluded our interview.  But as usual, there's lots more I could tell you about Katie.  First of all I'm sure she'll be great at guitar because she's not only a great Wii guitar player...

but she's a gifted air guitar player too.

Also, she's a friend and helper to her little brother Zachary

And to every one of her younger cousins who adore her.

 

 

And she's sweet and helpful to everybody else too.  She and her mother were our landscapers when we renovated the exterior of our house and she worked as hard and as tirelessly as anybody.

She's very athletic and has excelled in many sports.

 

 

She's a sweet and loving sister to her three brothers,

 She's loves her whole family of course

And she's a really great turtle catcher.

 But most of all, Katie is one of the sweetest loveliest girls you could ever know!  She's truly a blessing to our family and we're wishing her the happiest year ever!

 

Happy Birthday, Zachary.....A Little Late

On June 26th, while I was in Louisville and my computer was at home, our family celebrated 3 birthdays.  I thought to have Harry send me pictures to do their birthday posts but our power was out and stayed out for several days.  Finally I resolved to catch up after my return and that's what I'm doing now.  Grandson Jeremy's post was Friday, daughter-in-law Teresa's post was yesterday, and grandson Zachary's post follows.

Zachary was born in Kansas City, KS and is our 17th grandchild and 10th grandson.

He's Dave and Patty's youngest.  They now live in Burke, VA where Dave is stationed at Ft. Belvoir and is a Battalion Commander and Patty is an Instructional Coach at Cunningham Park Elementary in Vienna, VA.  Zachary has three older siblings, David 15, Katie 13, and Matthew 11.

A little while ago I talked with Zachary on the phone.  Here's how our long-distance interview went.

I know you just had a birthday.  How old are you now?  5.  You're really getting bigger aren't you?  Yeah.  What's different about being 5?  5 is an older number.

Did you have a good birthday?  Yeah.

What did you do on your birthday?  Played outside and we had cake and the family went out to eat....I went out to eat with Dad, Mom, and me.  And we had an Avengers cake and I got a flashlight from it.

Did you get any other good presents?  Yeah.  What did you get?  Inside basketball but Scout broke it.  Actually I got about 8 100 feet rockets.

I know you played soccer this year.  How did you like it?  A lot.  I played with my friend, Matt.   Any goals?  Oh yeah, yeah.


Is Scout a good dog?  Yeah, a pretty good dog.  Oh, why is he a pretty good dog?  Because he's cute and he's one year old.  He's seven years old too.  Oh in human years?  Yes.
What's your favorite sport?  Soccer.  What else do you like?  Football and basketball.  Hockey.   And I like baseball.  I know you catch balls really well don't you?  Yeah, I like baseball.

And you're a very good worker.  Why are you so helpful?  Because I like working.  Why do you like working?  Because Dad works with me.  So you're a good worker like Dad.  YES!

Do you still help David, Katie, and Matthew play Hay Day?  Oh yeah!  Are you still really good at it?  Yeah.  Well, Matthew is done with Hay Day.  He just decided that he didn't want to play anymore.

You'll be going to Kindergarten in the Fall won't you?  Yes.  Are you excited about that?  Yes.  What do you think you'll like best?  Playing with my friends. 

What else have you been doing lately?  Some playing outside, some playing at Nana's, some playing like on Ipods and my favorite game is Bike Race and um Jet Pack Glide.

Is there anything else I should put in your birthday story?   Ummm.  I think that's.....wait no.  I got Legos - Star Wars Legos  not the Angry Birds Star Wars just the people Star Wars Legos.  Awwww.  What?  Scout fell off the bed.  Why'd he fall off the bed?  He just slipped off.  Anything else I should put in your story?  Ummm maybe.  Like I got Lightning McQueen wrapping paper.  That sounds cool.  Yeah that was really cool.  Anything else?  Ummmm  I think that's it.  But Matthew wasn't there for my birthday party.  David and Matthew were at Camp.  I'll bet you missed them.  Yes, I did.  Can you think of anything else?  No, I don't think so.

And that pretty well concluded our interview.  So I have to add that Zachary is a wonderful, sweet, smart, loving, athletic, and helpful boy!  We're very, very proud of him and hoping his coming year is as awesome as he is.  Oh and also, he's a very fun interviewee.

Reno Week - Time To Go Home

Monday morning and our last two crews had to depart.  But, wait.  The shutters had not been installed and there was no way these hard-working guys were going to leave without that finishing touch.  So I went for donuts and by the time I got home half the shutters were up.

And all the younger honey badgers were assisting with the backyard cleanup.

Finally the shutters were up and it was past time for the Daves to head for home.

Chris stayed long enough to install a storm door, put up drywall inside where walls had been compromised, and one more finishing touch - the house number.

And then Chris and Amber had to leave too.
And that was it.  The end of one of the busiest but most awesome weeks of our lives.  Harry and I count ourselves two of the luckiest people in the world to have all these wonderful people come together to work their butts off and give us an updated, beautiful, secure home and clean, dry driveway.  It was an experience we'll always treasure.  Thank you to every one of you for all you did.