Taylor's Sa-weet 16th Birthday!

HAPPY 16th BIRTHDAY TAYLOR!!!




















Wow...these boys are just flying through their birthdays around here! Who gave them permission to grow up anyway? Pretty sure it wasn't ME!


Taylor has been the best kid since the day after he was born. I say the day "after" because the day "of" wasn't a real party for me. He was a little stubborn in getting here and his delivery wasn't one I have fond memories of, BUT....he has more than made up for it since. He was the happiest baby and that character trait has grown right along with his biceps. He is still a joy to have around and makes our lives so enjoyable.

Taylor is very easy going and laid back. He is also very talented in almost anything athletic he tries from football to ping pong. He is incredibly smart and such a bright spot in our family. What a blessing he has been in our home. Taylor is just an all around great kid. He is always happy and never complains about anything. Well except for when he is always begging me to make him crepes, Twix bars, cupcakes, a big breakfast, (or anything else he can put in his stomach!... which is usually 24-7) and I can't right when he wants it. I can't seem to keep his stomach ever full and satisfied! He has grown a ton in the past couple of years, so no surprise!

Out to dinner with the fam on his birthday...

I threw a surprise party for him a few days AFTER his birthday so he wouldn't expect anything...and for once I actually surprised someone!!!
These are some of his friends waiting for him to arrive...




















Yep ~ he was surprised!



























I started making bikini cakes for Dave's brothers when they all turned 16 and have carried it on with m my own boys. Hmm...maybe should have stopped it with my brother-in-laws! LOL

A great bunch of kids!




















A fun time was had by all!

A few shots of the past...

Some more current ones...






























Go HERE to see some cute photos of him when he was a little whipper-snapper and I was still taller than him!

Happy Birthday Bud! You are one amazing SON!!!

We are so blessed to have you in our family! We ♥ you!!!

♥Tyson's 21st Birthday Memorial Party♥

A CELEBRATION of a short life well lived...


Happy 21st Birthday Bud!!!


WE MISS YOU SO....

As you can see from the photos (which most were taken months or a year of two before he passed away) that Tyson was always a very FUN and LOVING person. People were drawn to him because of his kind and warm personality. Whether he was at home, at a party, or sick in the hospital... he was always smiling and positive about life. His attitude was an inspiration to all who knew him. He had such a unique sense of humor that kept us laughing all the time. That is one of the things I miss most about him. There was never a dull moment with Tyson around....

At the cemetery on Tyson's 21st Birthday to celebrate one amazing life!!!
























Each year on his birthday we gather with family and some of Tyson's friends to honor his life by writing notes of our memories and love for him and attaching them to balloons. I also have an email address on the card so if someone finds it they can email us and tell us where the balloon was found. So far in the past four years we have been doing this, we have received only a handful of responses. One was found about 100 miles away. This year a few were found right in our city. That's what a lack of wind will do!

Then we set up some fireworks around his grave and light them and watch and LISTEN as they go off knowing that Tyson is right there with us getting a bigger thrill out of it than any of us. Saying Tyson loved fireworks, is a huge understatement. So far we haven't been arrested!

Tyson LOVED all little children. He especially adored his little niece Mackenzie who was only three when he passed away. She still talks about him ALL THE TIME and remembers him so well.

I am holding little Taylr. She is the daughter of one of his dearest friend's Brooke. He would've loved this one so much too!

After the balloons and fireworks, we then indulge ourselves (in Tyson's honor of course!) in Chocolate Ecstasy. It was Tyson's favorite!

We look forward to Tyson's birthday each and every year because that gives a set time to REMEMBER and HONOR and CELEBRATE such a remarkable person's life.

♥♥♥How we love you Tys!!!♥♥♥

My High School Class Reunion!

This year was my (ahem)th High School Class Reunion!!!


WOW! Where did the time go??? AMAZING how fast the years can fly!

The first night was an ALUMNI night and held at our old school. The Alumni night is always the funnest night because no one is worried about keeping their poor spouses entertained and kept from intense boredom!

I am one of the lucky ones that LOVED my high school days. I know there are a lot of you out there that don't share that experience, but I truly loved it all!!!


We had so much fun reminiscing about the GOOD OLE' DAYS and all the crazy stuff we used to do! What a party! And I'm not talking about the reunion!

Here we are inside the school... So amazing that after ALL those years have passed, that it still feels the same as it did then.

Kendall, Jani, Me, Robin ↓

The bottom left ↑ is me and my cute friend Debbie Welker. We both were "Miss Smile" during our Junior year. She also dated Dave about the same time I was dating him...☺

Some of us went to Denny's after. I got his cute little fish ↑ from one of my classmates. Kind of ironic that he happened to be the one I was asking people WHO he was all night. I could NOT remember ever seeing him or hearing his name in high school (we did have about 500 classmates), but there he was in the yearbook. And he so sweetly, gave ME the cute fish, making me feel even worse! Guess the mind's not what it used to be! Understatement of the century!



Here we are before we left for the next night ~~~ the one spouses "get" to attend.

Me waiting for my buds to arrive before going in.... I decided a little too late that I hate my dress!

Here they are!

Kendall, me, Robin, Jani

Enjoying the night and the reunion-ing...

We had some awesome classmates. Ed Eyestone (playing guitar below left) went on to run in the Barcelona Spain Olympics. And was a commentator for this year's Olympics in Bejiing. Pretty sure he's our best claim to fame......lol.

In many ways, I miss the good old days!

Dave doesn't look too bored.... ☺

So great to reunite with such good friends from the past. And thanks to Facebook, they are now friends of the present again as well...♥♥♥

~~~

♥“Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget."♥

"It takes a long time to grow an old friend."

♥"The friendship that can cease has never been real."♥ - Saint Jerome

"I count myself in nothing else so happy as in a soul rememb'ring my good friends." - William Shakespeare

♥"Do not save your loving speeches for your friends till they are dead; Do not write them on their tombstones, speak them rather now instead." ♥ Anna Cummins

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥