They each won one!
Category Archives: Family
Family Walk
The boys waiting for Star Wars
How she watches a movie with Uncle Rob.
Katie playing bongos on Uncle Rob’s head
Morning Program Poetry Helper
Every week, 10 students help read a poem during Morning Program. This week was finally Owen’s turn! Daddy didn’t think he was going to be able to make it…but he did! And Uncle Rob was there, too!
We couldn’t hear him, of course, but his lips were moving and he wasn’t crying or hiding so it was all good!
Today’s new dress
Today’s “new” dress (hand-me-down from Lisa Len-Beson). She loves it, of course! (And this is typically what her hair looks like on a daily basis.)
I know she’d be thrilled.
So, while we were cleaning out Marsha’s apartment, I found two $50 QVC e-gift cards (from us and Tom’s brother, from maybe 2012 or so)—I took them with me to check if they’d been used. They hadn’t. So I had a $100 credit. The next day, I found a manila folder with three more QVC gift cards…dating back to—ARE YOU READY?!—2008!! I was sure they’d had to have been used because she LOVED the silver jewelry from QVC and had a lot of it…but grabbed them anyway just in case.
So fast forward to last night when I was putting away all the jewelry pieces of hers that I had chosen (for me and Katie) and I realized that my jewelry box just wasn’t big enough—I just didn’t have the space for mine plus hers (she had A LOT of jewelry and I had picked quite a bit, though it was still a fraction of what she actually had). I then realized that I have jewelry in a box, in a hanging case, in a drawer, and in random spots around the bedroom…and that that’s kinda silly and I’d actually get good use out of a standing armoire.
I ended up at QVC because I vaguely remembered wanting one from there years ago…and they had EXACTLY what I wanted…on clearance…with free shipping! It was more than I’d wanted to pay, but not bad considering what other ones cost and that it would last me the rest of my life. Tom agreed I could get it so I dug out the folder of QVC gift cards to check their balance. And none of the three had been used. NONE! So I had another $95 credit! So after almost $200 credit, I owed about $65.
So…Marsha unknowingly bought me the perfect Christmas gift—something I loved, wanted, and needed—that could house all the great jewelry I got from her…and I know she’d be thrilled.
Time change + pool time = wiped out
Letting our little fish swim!
After the events of the past few days, we wanted to let the kids have some fun!
And a compilation of slides…
Halloween in Grayling
The kids were super excited about treak-or-treating at Gramma’s house…and we were, too…until the Michigan weather happened. Yeah, it was 38° and rainy. Egads. If you look closely enough you can see Katie’s polka-dot long johns under her white tights (and she also had on pink tights!).
On the front porch where my Halloween picture was taken every year…
Everyone (including Uncle Rob) ready to head out!
There weren’t many houses lit up but the ones that were were handing out TONS of candy! You see how full their bags look? We had only hit maybe six houses at this point!
After about 15 minutes they gave up on the umbrellas and just ran from house to house while we waited at the road. Soon enough we were back at Gramma’s door!!
Home after an hour of being out in the rain—they were soaked but happy!!
Tom gave the kids a hot shower and put them in PJs while I made them hot cocoa!
Eating Mallow cups from daddy and Uncle Rob—they were Grandma Marsha’s favorite treat and someone brought a bag of them for the boys.
LOOKS AT THEIR HAUL!! The weather sure stunk but it was great for quick candy accumulation. They got 9# of candy from less than 20 houses!
They clean up well…
…just wish it was under better circumstances.
Still twins. Purple, not blue. (Marsha’s favorite color was purple.)
UNCLE GROB!!!!
They’ve been waiting desperately to see Uncle Rob!
Throwback Thursday + Brothers
We found LOTS of good pictures while cleaning out Marsha’s apartment. I posted a few of the best ones. The Facebook comments were all basically “WOW! That’s Owen!” 🙂
School pics from 1981-1983. Always in blue. Always matching. 🙂
Kind of blue and still matching. #unearthedtreasures #theboyshateme (Rob commented that they probably even had the same underwear.)
Owen’s Happy Family
At least the ones in this house…which includes Gramma Jean, Grandpa David, and Maggie. 🙂
July (and vacation) pictures are online!
>>> July pictures are now online at Shutterfly!
Riding bikes on the last day!
We had high hopes of having the kids practice riding their bikes on vacation since Gramma Jean and Grandpa David have a great driveway and live on the corner of two (basically) flat roads…but we were so busy that we didn’t get to it until our very last night. Uncle Rob was tasked to help out!
Tom said they actually did pretty good…but they still need LOTS of practice. At the rate we’re going, they might be able to ride without training wheels by high school.
More Sorry!
Katie’s last 3rd birthday party!
We celebrated Katie’s birthday at the Ramada again this year. She didn’t want to go in the pool, though—choosing the playground instead.
Of course Owen wanted to swim!
Caught mid-jump!
She finally decided she wanted to swim!
We FINALLY got her to jump in the pool again!
Owen also received a few gifts…Papa and Grannie gave him a roll of quarters to use in the hotel game room!
He shared his quarters with his sister!
A great time was had by all…
Katie’s mini fashion show!
The Besons brought four bins of size 4T clothes for Katie…so Grannie Lin and I just had to sort through everything to see what there was (and what might possibly be left for the grandmas to buy!). 🙂 Of course there were some fancy dresses in there, which Katie spied IMMEDIATELY and had to try on. So we got a mini fashion show…
Fish Hatchery 2015
Katie liked to feed the fish one single pellet at a time.
Katie caught a fish! She didn’t want to look at it, and after one she was DONE.
Owen caught three fish…in about 10 minutes. 🙂
Post-Christmas Bratfest
The family came back for lunch today, and Timmy graced us with about 15 different varieties of brats from his store, Beson’s Market (Bay City). Talk about yum. 🙂
The leftovers after 15 people were in a meat coma:
Maggie getting some love from the cousins.
Gramma Jean got out the water balloons and BOY did the kids have fun!
Nick is 11 and Owen is 6—and Nick has maybe a half inch on Owen. This is what they did when we told them to stand next to each other. 🙂
Len Christmas in July, Year 2
This year the party was at my mom’s house! Katie “helped” with the party prep!
Katie loved her Anna dress from Grauntie Rose!
The cousins being silly!
If there’s water, the kids will come.
Bubble wands at the ready!
The annual by-age lineup: Katie (3), Owen (6), Aubrey (7), Gracie (9), and Nick (11). You’ll see a direct Owen/Nick comparison tomorrow. 🙂
Everyone always complains but I think they secretly enjoy the family photo! 🙂
Our little Santas.
Owen was GIDDY with the bazooka Grauntie Rose got him! It’s almost like she knows him exactly like I do. :p
Katie LOVES her Frozen magic music wand from Grauntie Marilyn.
No snow? Grass angels!
Ice cream face!
Overall it was a great day—the kids all had a blast together, the food was abundant and delicious, and everyone had fun relaxing and playing games. I think it was the right decision to move our Christmas to the middle of summer!
Birthday Phone
Grauntie Sue sent Katie $10 for her birthday. I had actually just happened to have bought her a toy cell phone that I knew she’d love (her friend has the exact one and Katie accidentally borrowed it before!) so the timing was perfect.
Pre- and post-tutu.
In a totally adorable borrowed outfit from the Beson cousins. 🙂
Plus a tutu, of course.
Cousins!
2014:
2013:
Night flyers and breaking rules
I had bought these night flyer toys back when we had a big yard (as they can fly up to 200′) but never used them—and our house isn’t really conducive to anything more than 10′—so figured a beach vacation would be the perfect opportunity. 🙂 Tom thought we should do them in the parking lot so they didn’t end up as garbage in the ocean…but after about 10-15 minutes or so, someone came out and told us we couldn’t do it in the parking lot due to liability. Whatever. We were pretty much done by then so we just went inside. But the kids LOVED them and had a great time!
Pool time!
iPad cousin buddies, Part 2
Fudpuckers Again
Last year the gang went to Fudpuckers while I stayed home to let Katie get a good nap. This year, we both went along.
They are known for the alligators…and I have to be honest and say they just creep me the hell out. /shudder
Beth and I decided to split this 40 oz margarita-ish drink.
And made mom try it, too. 🙂
Feeding the alligators.
Being a ham.
Attempting to get a cousin pic…and failing. 🙂
More creeptastic alligators.
Owen by his name that he wrote there last year.
Then this happened on the drive home.
