Sweet Sixteen

My son, Brandon began dating in 8th grade.  *8th Grade* seems way to young to me!

Brandon and Jenn are now in 10th grade….they made two years.  That's more than some marriages!

Next week Jenn turns 16 and Brandon wanted to make it a special one.  He has ordered a really, really nice gift. I can't spoil it by telling because he hasn't given it to her yet.

Brandon and I went shopping for a gray shirt and gray tie.  (It made me think of 50 shades of Gray. I didn't mention that to my son though.  I don't think he would want to know what type of books his mother reads).

Most women like to shop, I am not one of them.  However; my son is! He has to make sure everything is perfect, that it matches and most importantly, that he looks good.  He even had a sales person measure his neck to make sure the shirt made him look *ahem* "hot" (his words, not mine).

Saturday Jenn's parents threw her a Sweet Sixteen birthday party.  I was able to get a few photos, but the quality isn't very good since they are from a cell phone.  Brandon gets very embarrassed when I am around, especially with a camera.  I consider myself lucky to get any photos at all!

Brandon surprised Jenn with 20 birthday balloons and pink roses.

The Girls with their escorts.

Best Buds

Even after all that shopping for the perfect tie, he ended up switching ties with a friend.

  (I found this out when I picked him up after the party. GRRR!).

Having some fun on the dance floor!

If he knew I had this photo, I think he'd stop talking to me for a year!

This is great blackmail material, don'tcha think?

  

Happy 70th Birthday

Happy Birthday 

Stan

The family went to Stan's favorite restaurant to celebrate the big seven-O!

Dinner was delicious and the carrot cake was the BEST!

My mother-in-law, Judy and friend, Ginny

My father-in-law, Stan and friend, Bob.

Ginny and Bob are Stan and Judy's long time friends. 

 It was nice to have them join the birthday celebration.

Stan and Judy have two sons: Todd and Chad.

Six grandchildren: Ahren, Zachary, Brandon, Maddox, Morgan & Tyce.

Chad and his family.

(Side note: Max was visiting her Dad and is not in the picture.)

Todd and his family.

(Side note: Would it kill my boys to S.M.I.L.E.!!!)  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STAN, DAD AND POPPOP!

WE ALL LOVE YOU!

Friday Recap

My boys survived their first three days of school.  They got up on time and didn't miss the bus.  They have off Friday and Monday for the Labor Day holiday.


I've been trying to get my husband to sign up for direct deposit for years!  No kidding! Y.E.A.R.S!  Wednesday mentioned he'd like to go golfing on Friday.  I told him the only way would go golfing is if he turned in the direct deposit.  HA! The power of persuasion wins again!

My father-in-law's 70th birthday is coming up.  We are celebrating by going to his favorite restaurant.  After his heart attack a few years ago he watches what he eats and doesn't visit this restaurant much.  This is the type of restaurant that makes your mouth water and does not serve anything 'lite'.

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

9 Lives

I believe a cat has 9 lives.  

My precious Libby gave me quite a scare Sunday morning.  She began meowing in pain, a loud long cry for help.  I picked her up and put her on our bed.  She laid there lethargically on her side panting heavily with her tongue hanging out.  The dogs were going nuts. They must have sensed there was something wrong.

I called the emergency vet number, wrapped her in a blanket and had her transported there within a 1/2 an hour.   She cried softly the entire way there.  Once or twice I thought she took her last breath.  When we got there the wonderful folks at the emergency vet clinic had her in an exam room right away.

She didn't show any fluid in her lungs or around the heart, her temp was only 1 degree lower than normal and her footpads were still pink.  It's possible she pulled a muscle (she is pleasantly plump) while jumping or running.  They gave her a pain medication that would last for three days.

It's been a few days and she is doing well.  Back to eating and drinking.. and eating…  and eating...
   

Mad Dog Hot Sauce

Todd and I found a cute kitchen store while we were vacationing in Ocean City, NJ.  One thing we found was MAD DOG Hot Sauce.

This killer sauce will blow you away!  It is blended with

•  Chile extract, 
• fresh Habanero peppers,
•  Cayenne peppers, 
• garlic and onion.

This particular hot sauce came with a little bullet. When you twisted the bullet, a tiny spoon came out.  This spoon measured how much hot sauce you should use while cooking.

In order to understand why we would actually purchase a $20 bottle of the Hottest Hot Sauce ever made, you have to know the story of our son, Zachary.

When Zachary was young, he would put ketchup on everything.  It was crazy how much ketchup that child ate.  As he grew into his teenage years, he developed a love for hot sauce. 

And YES, he puts hot sauce on everything! 

At the beach the guys decided to have a Russian Roulette contest with the hot sauce.  The hot sauce was placed on one piece of a Hot Buffalo Wing Pretzel then mixed on a plate with plain pretzels.

 The guys then had to pick one pretzel and eat it.

Brandon ended up being the loser! 

He drank and drank and drank, trying to cool off his mouth.

My son (who can take the pain that goes along with being a physical hockey player) was taken down by a little teenie weenie dot of hot sauce!

Zach later admitted he won't use this hot sauce, because it's too hot! 

I never imagined there would be a hot sauce that Zachary would turn down!!

Beach Pier

These pictures were taken by my husband in Ocean City, NJ.

It was an old pier that is now falling apart.

Hockey at the Beach ??

It's unusual to think of ice-hockey and the beach in one sentence.

  I sit in cold Ice-hockey rinks, all season long, and dream of a hot sunny beach.  

Hot. Sunny. Beach. Is. Here!

But it seems as if hockey is calling me back to the rink!

Where ever I turned there was something reminding me that hockey season is about to begin again. (Not that I am complaining!)

Beach Bag 

Beach Cooler

 Lawn Stakes

Hockey Christmas Ornaments

Hockey Snowmen.

 

Hockey follows me everywhere!