More summer

Our little shining star.....GRAYER ANDREW...... always makes our days special

but this summer, he turned 1 year old !!!

His mommy and daddy had a special party and celebration planned for him !  After all

we're only 1 once !  And GRAYER is definitely someone special to celebrate !!

I can't believe that I don't have pictures...... I've been waiting to post his birthday

happenings, just hoping that I'd find the many pictures that were taken, pictures of 

decorations, preparations , friends and family, more pictures of the birthday boy himself.  I will

just have to promise to post more when/if they appear.  

GRAYERS party was held at the YMCA. There was a swimming pool so everyone could swim, celebrate and have a few snacks.  The theme was beachy...like GRAYERS' nursery at home. 

Trust me....the decorations were INCREDIBLE !  Little boats with GRAYERS' picture at different

months on the boat sails, served as table centerpieces.  Fish crackers, swedish fish candy...you get the idea !  It was a wonderful gathering... 

I LOVE how this little stars' eyes "crinkle" when he belly laughs !!!  Can't help but laugh too !

He can be so focused........and serious at times

He's such a happy boy !

Loves his mommy.....

and his daddy !

He is loved and cherished !  And has added so much to my life !

I've definitely got stars in my eyes !!  Looking forward to many more birthdays and adventures along the way !!  

Summer Starts

So much to look forward to with summer this year....I'm always ready to head to Pennsylvania and 

get summer started !  Memorial Day weekend brings our New Jersey family to camp.  This year we were looking forward to seeing Missy's pregnant belly and day dream about the little life that is growing there !   Missy's family as well as Rick and I , enjoyed some quad riding, hiking, relaxing and floating in the river time !  So fun and a great way to get the summer started !

I just love Levi's little haircut !  He's getting so grown up and older looking... or maybe we're just thinking ahead - knowing that he will look so big once his baby brother/sister arrives later this summer.
I decided to measure and mark Levi and Grayers' height on the wall in the shed.  It will be fun to see how they grow from year to year.

So good to see this busy family relax and enjoy their time at camp.  Levi's little smile is just too cute!
And of course, Missy's belly is adorable too.  We were really looking forward to meeting this new little Sonners/Murtaugh baby!

Not long after Memorial Day weekend, we had plans to drive to Tulsa to be with Chad, Selena and Grayer.  It would be a special trip...first to celebrate a very important date in our family......Grayers' FIRST birthday !!  Such a big day....and lots of fun ahead!  And another part of our trip, was to stop in Omaha, Nebraska to see Grandma (Great Gma...also, Great, Great Gma) Leota.  She turned 98 years old in May and we just wanted to spend some time with her......

So many wonderful happenings this summer...and this is just the beginning !

Grandma was her cute self and it always means so much to us to spend time with her.  She has a great outlook on life and I always feel INCREDIBLE after seeing her !  She definitely adds meaning to my life and I cherish her !!

More summer starts to come !!

The Best

Happy Mothers's Day to the most incredible moms that I know !

Melissa, watching you with Levi is like sunshine ... you light up and it's so evident the joy and love that you feel for him !  I love hearing your giggles in the background of the videos of Levi that you send to us. Holding Levi is like holding YOU and that brings sunshine into my heart too.


Selena, I've watched you grow from a new bride, learning about your husband and our family, to an incredible, and intuitive mom.  Everytime I'm with you and Grayer, I feel  new love and respect for the beautiful person that you are.  Happy 1st Mothers' Day !

Motherhood is a joy that we all three share...and is one more powerful  and meaningful link in our lives that we will never outgrow.  Thank you for the greatest joy that you have brought to my life through your children !  Enjoy your day Mel and Selena !  You are the BEST !

Love Grows and it shows !

Families grow.......Love grows......

Lives touch our hearts....

And I can't help but pray for all the blessings !!

A friend just told me the other day, that the joy and love on "my face", made me so very beautiful ! I've never been more happy !!! Love grows and it shows !

Love for every day !

The everyday-ness of being with a grandchild is something very special...so while I'm staying with "my boys", either in Oklahoma or New Jersey, I treasure those day to day times. I AM and "airport Grandma". And I'm very, very lucky to be able to travel to be with Levi and Grayer and their families !! Now, Levi's hair trim was something that was MORE than just an everyday kind of event. Levi turned 1 years old and that was a planned time for the long "side burns" to be cut...Grandma Cheryl did the honors and Levi did a great job sitting still for her.

A favorite EVERDAY fun time when I'm with Levi, is to go to the mall and play in the play area. It's like his social hour when he can do some exploring with little games, a little slide and also learn how to play with others. He does a lot of watching when BIG kids are there. He's also learning to move quickly to get out of their way.

Hugs and Kisses are abundant everyday and this Grandma LOVES to get her share ! Levi's mama and dada are hugged and kissed to pieces EVERYDAY.

This Levi smile, is the one that just LIGHTS up when he sees his special people ! He is the BEST start to every day !!

The walks and little adventures along the way are part of every day... Levi seems to be enjoying being 1 years old and all the things to learn. He loves books, loves to be read to as well as "read" by himself. He's learning to walk around furniture, he's learning the tastes of different foods and learning that bed time and nap time aren't so bad :) So much to learn every day !

This Grandma is one lucky Grandma to have such love for every day when I'm visiting my little loves and I have enough love and memories to take home with me, to last til the next time !!

Such a love !

Such a face.......

Such fun......

Such a smile...

Such a laugh.....

Has filled my heart !!! Happy 1st birthday Levi Andrew ! You are my sunshine on a cloudy day....and I love you through and through !

Looking back

Was it REALLY just ONE year ago that we friends and family gathered?

We all were so excited, waiting for the birth of the new little Sonners baby. We didn't know if the baby was a boy or girl, but we DID know that we couldn't wait to meet this new little child !! We got together to prepare the babys' room. It was a fun weekend! Selena travelled from Oklahoma, Debbie and Diana travelled from Ohio and we all brought our creativeness (?) and put our thinking caps on and got busy making baby Sonners' room, an inviting one ! The result was, we had a lot of fun, got so much done, and now it was time for baby Sonners to come into the world ! Now, almost a year later, I'm wondering where the time went ? Little baby Levi will be a year old soon ! He LOVES his room and he LOVES his friends and family that helped to create such a cozy place for him to grow ! Thanks again everybody !