3.95 MBA Grad

December 18, 2011, Patrick graduated from UT with a MBA. He worked really hard from the beginning to the end and earned a 3.95 gpa. We couldn't be prouder and we enjoyed his graduation ceremony. The boys were there to support their dad.

Jackson and Logan exchanged hugs and kisses to show how happy they were to be there.

ahhh, such brotherly love!

Patrick moves his tassel to show that he has graduated.

Susan, a trustee and secretary on the board, was there to support her nephew.

Patrick spots us from the crowd of graduates.

He accepts his diploma.

And Susan is there to give him a big congratulatory hug...very special!

Glancing up again to give us a smile.

Uncle Tom sits with us and Logan charms all around him.

Grampy

enjoys Logan after his nap in Grammy's arms.

(It was Logan that took the nap)

Proud Family!

The BOYS...

The GRADUATE...

After the 3 hour ceremony, we celebrate at Real Seafood Co. for lunch. What a wonderful day.

Tom and Susan came. The boys were wonderful and so well behaved. Patrick should be proud of his outstanding accomplishments. We certainly are...

Over the River and Thru the Woods

To Grammy's and Grampy's house we go....Lily and Layla came to the farm for 5 days, while Molly went with Joey to visit a friend in Utah. We had more fun than she did! She was barely out the door and we put on aprons and went to work. The girls were ready to make their gingerbread house!

Now we all know that Grampy is the real construction manager on houses, so he put in some serious building help.

Lily focused intensely on the icing for the gingerbread men standing on the outside of the house.

She took serious taste tests and determined the candy to be just fine for her house.

They did a great job and managed to have some left to take home at the end of the week.

Then it was over the river and thru the woods to Gram-Grammy's house we went.

We ate Subway at her apartment and enjoyed her fun conversations.

Lily loves to do this drawing game with GG where you start drawing the head of a person, fold the paper over and the next person draws the body. You keep switching back and forth until you have a very goofy person. They are a great team.

Layla wasn't into that form of entertainment, but, she LOVED her GG. How could you not?

Another fascinating treat at GG's was the electric recliner that goes up and down with a remote.

Oh, what fun it was...and 2 can ride it at once when you are 6 and 3 years of age.

They had so much fun here and the final treat was that GG said that they each could take home a stuffed animal off of her spare room bed. Oh, what a treat!!! Lily picked a Santa Bear and named her "Snowflake" and Layla chose a bear that had a bee outfit on and named him/her "Honeybee". So much fun at Gram Grammy's house. She is the BEST!

On our way home from Findlay, we stopped by Jackson and Logan's house. We went to Bass Pro, where Santa was waiting and his workshop was all set up. He was a jolly old sole, and after we chatted with him, we moved on to all of the wonders in his store. Games to be played and serious fun to be had.

Uncle Paddy taught Layla how to aim a gun...something every girl should know....

Layla and Jackson, always buds, watched the train go around the winter wonderland.

There was a really cool aquarium and we all know how Jackson loves marine life.

He also loves being perched on daddy's shoulders. What a view from up there.

Crystal and the girls loved the "window shopping" part also. It was great fun hangin' with the cousins.

The next day, Lily decide to write to Santa and discuss what she may want for Christmas. We mailed it in Saline because he had a personal mailbox downtown.

Then it was back to "working" in the kitchen. We made sugar cookies for the church Christmas party and they were a success.

Lily enjoyed the decorating part.

Layla enjoyed the dressing up like Santa part.

Lily is way into drawing and that is usually her favorite pastime. Here she is making a puzzle picture, while impersonating Rudolf.

On Sunday we went to church and the girls had great fun meeting new friends. That day, we again made cookies...12 dozen for Molly's book club and Christmas. I think that we put in our share of time in the kitchen the last few days.

So, over the river and thru the woods to G and G's house was fun!

Come again soon!

Christmas Pic Photo Op

Soooo, before Patrick's surprise party, we thought that it was a perfect time to "attempt" to take a picture of the grandchildren for our Christmas card. Here we are getting ready for the big shoot in new Christmas jammies.

Crystal is warming up her camera.

Chillin' before we get into the picture taking...or maybe this was after the photo op... considering the happy faces.

Molly and Joey enjoying the fun.

Everyone had to try on Rudolf's antlers.

First, Jackson...

Then Lily,

Crystal....

Santa Layla...antlers weren't her style.

How surprising!

Of course, Rudolf Joey...

So here is one shot that Jackson thought was so hilarious that he just threw back his head in laughter. Lily is thinking about something funny too.

Givin' some love to Joey.

Layla, thinking how she can best carry out the job of being a mischievous elf.

Jeremy trying to blow in Logan's face to get him to smile.

And...our picture that we used for our Christmas Card. JOYFUL!!!

Paddy's MBA Surprise Partaaay

It all started with the deception of a birthday party for J-Man.

Crystal made out 2 false invites about celebrating with a surprise for JEREMY.

She put one invitation on her fridge and I posted the other on mine.

Patrick spotted the invite at both houses and didn't question a thing. He was convinced...A Party for Jeremy!

Crystal got some awesome banners, framed pictures of Patrick growing up, and balloons.

Molly and her friend Sarah made these darling cake pops that look exactly like grad hats.

We had it at the Cottage Inn in Ann Arbor in a private room downstairs.

Crystal wore her gorgeous sparkly shoes for the affair.

We hid against the wall as Patrick walked down the stairs expecting a surprise for Jeremy.

As Patrick came in the room, we yelled "Surprise" and he looked at us like we were crazy. Jeremy hadn't entered the room yet and we were all shouting at the wrong person...or so he thought. He said it really didn't register until I said..."Patrick...it's for YOU!" You could tell that he was totally shocked by the loss of color in his face and we had managed to FINALLY pull one over on HIM. Ahhhhh, the sweet success! Crystal, you are a master of deception and we loved it!

Molly and Jeremy deserved praise for the success by totally deceiving him, also.

14 of his closest friends and family were in attendance.

After appetizers and dinner, Crystal showed (with the help of Jeremy) a power point of pictures that she had gathered of Patrick's growing up experiences. It was spectacular and done with music...and she did it with NO help from Patrick the Techno-Guy.

Woo-Hoo to Crystal! We then went around the table sharing stories about the man of the hour. Very entertaining, funny, nostalgic, and complimentary...

Jared Gall and his wife Kim were there. He had just flown home from Tokyo on assignment and made it in time for the party.

Reid and Sarah Smith, Andrew Chandler and his fiance, Anna, and Branden and Melissa were also able to come to honor Patrick.

What a FUN party. A good time was had by all.