THIRTEEN!

The THIRTEEN things we love and cherish about Lauren. 
(a.k.a. L-Train)

1. She loves and laughs almost daily at the goofiest craziest cartoons.
2. She's creative like all get out.
3. She goes by the beat of her own special drum.
4. Loves her sleep.
5. Just plain cute inside and out.
6. She doesn't do drama.
7. Loves to paint her fingers and toes all kinds of colors and designs.
8. Gets straight A's with a lot of determination and work.
9. Likes her quiet time with herself and has read her devotional book a couple times over.
10. She's an organized list maker. (Most of the time!)
11. She makes up her mind. And that's that.
12. Oh, her long blonde camel sized eyelashes!
13. Her sweet, sassy, chilled big heart. You just can't not love her!

We wanted to do something special for her, so I grabbed my phone and contacted some of the mom's of her sweetest friends and planned a last minute picnic SURPRISE PARTY at a park up our street.

Ohio visit : birthday time

Isabella and Lauren were born on the same day June 7th. One 20 years old and one 13 years old. 

Bella is the only cousin the girls have on the Foster side. They also share the same middle name (Grace; family name on all sides). It was time to finally celebrate together. 

It was so special! 

The whole fam got together.

We had such a nice time catching up...

Thank you to everyone that drove up to see and celebrate Lauren and Bella!

Here's grandpa. With his sweeties.

Special. Special.

Ohio visit

Josh's folks live in Amish Country in Ohio. It is such a delightful place to visit! We started in Sugarcreek at the biggest coo-coo clock in the country.

It was so nice being back up in Ohio. It had been 6 years or so. 

We ate Amish food, we shopped, we ate more Amish food....

and wait....

more Amish food?

The buggies are everywhere. They have special parking spaces at the stores for them.

We went to a play called "Half Stitched" at a theatre that his folks usher at.

Here they are ushering. So cute!

It was so peaceful. We walked a couple nights....

to the covered bridge...

...to see the horses.

Josh's dad pulled out his father's old things...

and his mother's old things!

We looked at old pictures a lot.

 (Saw resemblance in Josh's grandpa's sister and Isabella!)

And we laughed. And reminisced. 

And I am so sorry, David. 

(I couldn't resist!)

Ohio : but wait... there's more!

Ohio will always be home for Josh and I. It's where we grew up, have our roots and it holds a tender spot for us as we fell in love and started our life together.

We went up to Hudson and took the girls with us. We gave them the "grand tour". They were probably bored out of their skull and eyes rolling hearing about our old life, but we told them anyway!

We went to see my old house...and the same basketball hoop that Steve fixed 30-some years ago was still standing!

Then to see Josh's and some dear neighbor friends.

Had lunch in the "new" downtown area with my precious Alison. It was SO good being together, even if it was a short visit. Oh how I miss her! 

Here we are doing our "famous" sister pose from college.

We went to visit Josh's bestie Erik and his SIXTH baby that was just recently born. He will always be a treasured friend. They have been buddies since kindergarten. 

We hiked around our old favorite hiking place/lake with the girls. Hudson Springs Park.

Couldn't resist taking them for our favorite--THE best pizza EVER. 

(THE worst picture, sorry.)

We surprised Lauren with tickets to Cedar Point amusement park for her birthday.

Oh my, 

we had a blast!

The folks were all set with their scooters. They were stylin' on those wheels I tell ya!

(Um, this place was huge.)

This was a far as Grandpa went for rides. The ferris wheel.

This is how far Lauren (and Josh) went for rides.

Oh. My. Word. 

Hannah and I just watched.

We decided that Lauren was fearless.

The next day we took a ferry ride up to Put-n-Bay. A cute little island on lake erie with restaurants, beach, shopping.

Met up and hung out with Wes and Lara.

Here's the gang. A bit pooped out and ready for the ride back down south.

For more Amish food.

LOL.

Birthday time!

We started at The Denver Art Museum. My dear friend had an artist friend that was showcasing their beautiful watercolors. I looove this art museum! It is huge and just the most delightful thing to me to be inspired and awed at the creative new and old art. 

We were especially mesmerized by the bronze statues in a special showing. This is not a person....this is Linda. She is NOT REAL. She was sculpted out of bronze. 

A. maz. ing. 

You should have seen her in person!

After lunch at the fancy "The Palette" near the museum, we got some yummies at a Denver spot.

Then we met up with about 18 other friends and family to go camping at a lake near our house.

I had helpers blow my candles out.

And check out what Hannah made me. It totally cracked us all up! 

Then it rained AGAIN...and hailed....and we were outta there with our little pop-up camper.

The rain was totally ridiculous for the month of May.

This picture above was sent from Steve. At his golf course!