Grandpa Ken Turns 60!

Ken's Birthday is February 5th and this year he turned the big 6-0.  I know it is hard to believe, seeing how he looks like he is barely out of his forties!  Paul says he hopes he ages as well as his dad...then again, don't we all!

To celebrate, Ken and Joy, and Ben, Brooke, and Julia all came to Louisville where we went swimming at their hotel pool, went out to a nice dinner at Macaroni Grill, then came back to our house for cake.  We wished Michael and Stacy could have been there, but it is quite a long way for them to travel for a weekend!  

Getting ready to sing to Grandpa

About to blow out the candles

Grandpa with all 5 of his granddaughters

Grandma Joy & Grandpa Ken with their grandbabies
what are the odds that they would all be girls?!

Ben, Brooke, and Julia spent the night at our house, which we love because the girls get more time to play together and we adults get to stay up late and hang out...without the kids :)

On Sunday morning, I went upstairs to check on Ella and Julia and this is what I found.  They were laying together in Rose's bed quietly reading books.  A-DOR-ABLE!  I hope these two will always be best buds!

And I think Ken would agree that the best birthday present he received that weekend was finding out that he was going to be a grandpa again.  Congrats Ben and Brooke on your new little bun in the oven!

Ava turns Five!

I am sorry I have taken a little hiatus from blogging, but I am back!  I did miss a couple of important events while I was away though, one of which being Ava's fifth birthday!

January birthdays seem to come all too quickly after the big Christmas celebration...they run together making it into one big party.  We had three celebrations for Ava's birthday this year: one in Carmel with cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents, a small family celebration on her actual birthday, then we celebrated with one of her friends a week or so later.

She loved being in the spotlight in Carmel

For her actual party she invited one of her close friends from church, Whitney, whom the girls all love and get along with wonderfully.  They painted frames, got their nails painted at the nail salon, had pizza and parfaits for dinner, then put on a fashion show for Paul and me.

Their finished frames

The birthday girl getting her nails done

All the girls waiting for their nails to dry.

Ava the little mermaid

Rose as Merida from Brave...shooting her fake bow and arrow

Whitney as Batgirl

Madeline the little princess

And Ella....I love how she posed with her hands on her  hips!

Pizza and Sprite

They serenaded us with One Directions "You Don't Know You're Beautiful."  Hilarious.

Ava is such a sweet five year old!  She is very sensitive and still has her temperamental moments, but she is very nurturing and compassionate toward others.  She is a little mother...often seen with a baby doll in her arms...toting it around, dressing it, or pushing it in her baby stroller.  Ava asks to be held whenever she sees empty arms; she is quite the cuddlebug.  Her sisters are her best friends...they do everything together. Her favorite thing to play with them is pretend (especially Mommy and baby)...I am often impressed by their imaginations!  She is finishing up gymnastics right now and is starting soccer with Paul as her coach.

As Paul is always telling her, "We always wanted a little Ava."  We couldn't imagine life without her!

Becoming an Adult

I know I technically became an adult at the age of 18, but I didn't feel like a "real" adult until I hit 30.  Paul and I have always been the young ones among our friends here in Kentucky.  Although they never treated us like kids, I know we made them feel old.  But I kind of liked being young...still in my 20s.  Now I can't say that anymore.

Here are Paul and I last year...still in our 20s :)

So this year, I decided that a family Barn Dance would be the perfect way to bring my 30s in with a bang!  Not only do my siblings make me feel young, but they make everything a party.  We laughed and danced, snacked and danced, chatted and danced and danced and danced.  Here are some of the best pictures that are an attempt to capture what a blast we had!

Max's awesome photographer shot...one of my favs.

Orange soda junkies

Overall twins doing the "Mollie pose"

Sunflowers, burlap, & antique lace to set the mood

DJ Luke keeping the party going

Yes, we learned a coordinated dance...Hoedown Throwdown!

Peanuts in tin buckets

Sangria gals

Um...I think Sam thinks wearing his pants
higher makes him look more country?!

Leaning it left

Even Mom's going country

The Klinkers representing at the mostly Titus party

That's how we roll!

Cowboy boot cookies

Taking Madeline for a ride

Lee got to experience the Titus craziness
for the first time

Belting it out

Sisters

Slow dance with the husband

Mollie actually got Jonathan on the dance floor

Having WAY too much fun!

Doing the 'Bootin Scootin Boogie"

How many girls can you fit in the wheelbarrow?

I don't think Madeline ever left the dance floor!

ALL my favorite people, minus Nicholas, of course :(

Thanks to all my family for making my big jump into adulthood one that I will never forget!

A tribute to a Great Great Grandma

My Great Grandma Scheele, my girls' Great Great Grandma, just recently passed away at the age of 101.  I know, amazing...right?!  She had 4 children, 8 grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren, and 13 great great grandchildren (with 2 on the way).  Quite a family from one lady...5 generations!

She lived by herself for 31 years after her husband passed away.  Sadly, I never got to meet him.  She was a very independent woman...drove until she was 91...and often worked or volunteered her time for others.  When her body started to fail her, my grandpa (her son) made sure she never felt alone.  He would go visit her every day after work, sometimes bringing Chase (my cousin Aubree's son) with him, which would just make her day.  She loved being with her family and would keep all our pictures tacked up on a board in her room.

My memories of Great Grandma consist of her often having Purdue basketball games playing on her tv when we came to visit, looking for deer on the back porch of her apartment, the Great Grandma sweatshirts that she always wore with each of our names embroidered on the front, a new pair of socks for each of us at Easter, an envelope of money at Christmas, and let's not forget her amazing chocolate cookies (with a piece of bread in the box for freshness) that greeted us every time we came in town.  She was a spunky old woman who was always laughing and making jokes.  I think of the joy on her face when any family came to visit her.  And how she was such a card shark, often winning our family euchre tournaments.  She was quite a lady!

Everyone was there at her funeral (except Nicholas...who gave her a shoutout in Spain!), which is how she would have wanted it.  My favorite parts of the funeral were Chase's (Aubree's 5 year old son's) speech...I am sure Grandma was smiling down from Heaven at his sweet, innocent words...and how each of her kids, grandkids, great grandkids, and great great grandkids got to take home a flower from on top of her casket...per her request.  There is no doubt that family was most important to her!

We sure are going to miss having her around!  

Rest in Peace Great Grandma!