The Lewis Family Reunion June 23-24, 2007

Vanessa was the photographer for the Lewis Family Reunion (most of the photos are from her point of view so it's a good thing everyone had a clean nose!)

Uncle Wayne and his high school buddy

Uncle Wayne's wife Barb

Uncle Eddie

Liz

Harley and Tyler

Scott

Mom

Tony

Josie

Lady running the VFW in Nelsonville and Uncle Wayne's friend's wife.

I thought this was an amazing picture of the sunset on July 4th.One little cloud casting a shadow that went on for miles. Easy how sometimes we let a small doubt cast shadows in our life go on for years cutting through God's beauty and purpose in our life.

Well, it's official.............I'm pregnant!! I saw the heartbeat at the doctor's office on Thursday. We're very excited! Tony is disappointed there is only one baby, but then again he's insane.

Since I will be 35 when I deliver, I am an "old mom". Extra precautions will be taken. I go back in 2 wks for another ultrasound to make sure the baby is growing. Then after that I'll have another ultrasound to measure the thickness of skin on the back of the baby's neck and measure the width of the bridge of the nose all to ensure there are no chromosome problems. I have complete faith that all will be well. Besides, I'll only be 35. It's not like I'm 45 and pregnant! Good grief!

We told the girls over the weekend. Harley wanted to see the baby. Vanessa asked "Harley is in your belly?" No, this is a different baby. She also wanted to know what we are naming it, if it's a boy or girl. Then she insists she has a baby in her belly. She is naming it Calla.

CLIMBING TREES

I used to love to climb trees. My brother has a tree in his backyard that is PERFECT for climbing. The girls are getting into climbing trees too......so long as there are no bugs on them!

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Vanessa asked me that question last night. A very poignant question I thought. What do I want to be when I grow up? 'Cause I think we all know I haven't yet!

Normally Vanessa's answer to that question is always 'A DOCTOR!'. She calls herself "Dr. Vanessa" and our family physician has even asked her to join her practice in 20-some years.

Last night though, Vanessa said she wanted to be a mermaid, like Ariel. She wanted long, red hair and red lipstick! Harley chimed in and said "Well then I want to be a crab!!!"

Skinny Dipping

Friday after work the girls and I went swimming. Groveport has the best pool. They have huge water slides, a lazy river and a fountain park. Not to mention the different pools with all kinds of stuff to do.

Friday night was our first night at the pool for the season. When we walked in they announced it was 'adult swim'. I told the girls to take off their cover-ups and we'd go play in the fountain park until we could get in the big pool.Vanessa had taken off her cover-up as soon as we got thru the gate.I took mine off, Vanessa was heading up the steps and I turned to make sure Harley was right behind me. I turned around to see that Harley had taken EVERYTHING off. She was walking behind me buck-necked!

I couldn't help but laugh. A family sitting near us was rolling.

Only Harley would get naked at a public pool and not think a thing about it.

TIFFANI'S GRADUATION

Tiffani graduated from Teays Valley on May 27th. It was the shortest graduation ceremony I have ever attended. Kinda liked it that way...

A FEW MORE BIRTHDAY PICTURES

Harley opening up a present on her birthday. It is a Superstation so the girls can sing and dance and watch themselves on TV. Future superstars were born!
Harley's Party Tyler opening his birthday gift.
Aunt 'Kaffy' has a lap full!

PLAY HARD!

This is the girls favorite playground. Vanessa calls it "The Twister".

Play Ball !!!

I got out the plastic bat and balls and we played a little softball. Turns out Vanessa is pretty good at hitting the ball. Harley is trying hard - she'll be hitting them out of the yard by the end of summer.

Mother's Day Tea Party

Vanessa's preschool had a Mother's Day Tea Party. We had tea (obviously), mini quiche and mini muffins. The children sang to us and presented us with a handmade braclet. It is really nice!!

PICTURES GALORE!

Harley and Vanessa playing in the sprinkler that "Kaffy" got for Harley's B-day.



Vanessa's Last Day of school (1st year preschool). The festivities were held at Slate Run.

Harley and the giant bubble

Harley's Birthday party

Whew! Harley's party was, to say the least, a HOT event. Our A/C went out, it was 90 degrees and there were 25 people in our little house. Thanks to everyone who came and endured the party! Harley had a great time.

Baby doll Grandma Evelyn gave Harley as a gift. For all who were there, we were sure Grandma was going to keep it. She loved that baby doll. But Harley still has it and sleeps with it every night.

Happy Birthday, Hailey??? Didn't see that until after it was all over. Good thing Harley can't read yet.
At this point we're all hoping Harley is wishing for some cool air!!!

My absolute favorite picture!

Updated Pictures of Grandma Evelyn's party

THE CAKE
THE WINNING HAT
GRANDMA EVELYN AND HER BOYS (L- JEFF, JAY, JIM AND JOE)


GRANDDAD AND GRANDMA

TEA PARTY FOR GRANDMA EVELYN

For Grandma Evelyn's 80th birthday party Margaret and I gave her a tea party. All of her lady friends from church and life attended. All 4 of her sons were there with their significant others. This was the first time in a very long time all 4 have been together. 5 out of 6 of her granddaughters were in attendance as well. We had about 45 people at the party. Since it was a tea party hats were recommended. I think nearly everyone had a lovely hat and garden party attire. The food was delicious, the cake was AMAZING. Since Grandma Evelyn loves shoes and her purse always matches her shoes, I found a lady who made a cake in the shape of a shoe box and purse. The ladies shoe is pure white chocolate.

These are blurry pictures but will give you an idea of the affair. When I get better pictures I will edit the post.

Overheard ...

Vanessa about my dad without a shirt:
"That's not right."

Little girl in church asking about the preacher:
"Why is he yelling?"

FACTS OF LIFE

Well this weekend proved to be a roller coaster ride of emotions for the girls. Friday started off scary. The girls had to have a TB test for pre-school next year. The test was a little more involved than I thought and the shot was very upsetting for them. With that behind them, we went to the school fair late Friday afternoon. They had lots of fun. They played games, decorated cookies, jumped in a bouncy thingy. The old throw the ping pong in a jar game won them each a goldfish. You either won a goldfish, or if you didn't get the ball in the jar you won a piece of candy. Vanessa was first up. She missed. The girls giving out the prizes thought she was too cute so they gave her a fish. Harley was next up. The boy running the game told her she needed to get the ball in the jar to win. She looked at him, walked up, put the ball in the jar and then looked at him again like "what was so hard about that?" He said "well, you did what I told you to, I guess you win a fish!" They were SO excited. Vanessa named her fish "Agua" (water in Spanish, rather creative I thought). Harley named her fish "Nemo".

Later that night we met the newest member of our family, Jacob Daniel. My step-brother Daniel and his wife Meghan had a little boy nearly a month ago. The girls love him!

We were up really late on Friday visiting with the Meghan and Jacob, so when I had to get Harley up early on Saturday to get her hair done, it was a struggle. The biggest struggle came while she was getting her hair braided. She just wasn't feelin' it. She cried and cried. The rest of Saturday was rather laid back. Thankfully!

Sunday was Family Day at my dad's church. We had a nice time and enjoyed the new minister. When we got home Vanessa noticed one of the fish was not moving and determined that it was Harley's fish. Figures. When Harley woke up from her nap she went to the kitchen to see Nemo. With the saddest look on her face she begged me to come to the kitchen. "Mama, come quick! Something is wrong with Nemo! He's not moving!" It broke my heart!

Presenting Princess Vanessa and Princess Harley

KILROY WAS HERE

Overheard...

Harley to Vanessa:
"I'm too old and too tired to wet the bed."

Harley to herself:
"My brain is asleep. It's supposed to be awake!"

EASTER DRESSES

The look on their faces says it all.

You GOTTA come see this!!!!

As a parent you kind of always expect to hear yourself say "because I said so", "don't make me stop this car" and sound like your own parents. You know everyone experiences temper tantrums in stores that embarrass you to no end. Eventually every child will say things in public that will make you wish you were an inch tall and could run and hide. Still, some things surprise me.

Last night I was watching the news and Harley hollers from the bathroom "Mama!! Come here!! You GOTTA see this!!! Hurry!!!!!!!" I tried to ask before I got there what she wanted me to see but she insisted I needed to see it to believe it. So I go into the bathroom and she points to the toilet and says "It looks like an orca!". She called me into the bathroom to show me her poo that she thought looked like an orca. That's one for the record books!

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