Midnight SHEDS when she gets distressed!!!!

 Oreo Cookie (Yes that is really her name – don’t all of your pets have middle names too?)  did not complain even once  – in fact she had fun!  I think we should change her name to KITTY PERRY – her first hit could be “I KISSED A DOG….”  Ok – I just did that to make my DD roll her eyes.  (I didn’t REALLY think it was that funny – REALLY!)

I kissed a dog!

Grandangel Sarah comforts Hannah Fay

Hannah Fay thinks that she can HIDE from the vet!

Grandangel Leanna helped too!

 Hannah Fay weighed 8 pounds, Midnight weighed 14 and Oreo weighed 12 – and next time I will make sure that they all travel in SEPARATE CRATES – that was a heavy party for sure!

And while we are speaking about parties – I just had to share the cast of the movie party (and in case you must MIGHT be wondering why I took a picture of the girls in the shower – I will tell you…..it was REALLY THE ONLY PLACE where the LIGHT WAS JUST RIGHT……and ANOTHER THING – it was NOT my idea to take the picture – I am just saying………)

Leanna, Sarah, Kenzie and Kailey

As a welcome home surprise I decided to post  pictures of SOME of the visitors that my Daddy had while he was recuperating! 

8TH Grade Formal Dance

Saturday was Sarah’s dance recital – it was wonderful!  I didn’t want it to end!

And Grandangel Cooper just had his 7th birthday today!  Yeah Cooper!  He seems so grown up now!

Cooper's is 7

And I was so happy to get to see my cousin Janie recently – when she came to my mother’s funeral, it was really comforting to have her there.  We grew up together – I was the city girl and she was the country girl.  I used to love to ride horses with her – and eat homemade vanilla ice cream whenever I visted…..and we even had the German measles together.  Thank you, Janie, for coming!

sao and cousin Janie

James is riding a little orthopedic scooter - broken foot

OK – now is this a bad dream?  A scene from a sitcom gone awry?  A silly coincidence?  But goodness, I have three generations of similar injuries – could there be a BAD GENE IN THERE SOMEWHERE?

My grandangel James was playing in the ball pit at Ikea and broke every bone in his foot…..he is going to school on a little scooter…it is called a ROLL A BOOT.  I have never heard of such a thing before.  See the picture above.  Grandangel Shirley Anne is with James (on the roll a boot) and standing behind them is grandangel Vincent!

Then I jumped off some stairs (not on purpose) and broke my ankle……. the SAME DAY I GOT MY SOFT CAST OFF MY SPRAINED WRIST!!!

sao has a sprained wrist on Mother's Day

sao's broken ankle

And then…..I just got this picture from my son, Rob. He injured his foot on a floor jack and is now on crutches….

Rob's injured foot

OK – so maybe there is REALLY A BAD GENE….. three generations of simultaneous foot injuries is quite a coincidence!  It is almost funny – if it weren’t for the pain………

My ATCs  for this month went to the meeting WITHOUT ME – thanks Catherine.  The theme was BASKETS and since I love MAY DAY I made May Day Baskets.  I love May Day so much that I had a baby on that day – son Rob!! 

May 2010 ATC May Day Basket

May ATC - Back

Scrappy Chiclet and PARTIALLY SCRAPPY BACK for  my Scrappy Chiclet

I took this to Sara Thursday – my last errand before I tried to fly.

Scrappy Chiclet

Back of my Chiclet Split Nine-Patch

Flying is ONLY FOR BIRDS – REALLY – Trust Me!

I tired to fly down the stairs on Thursday – just feeling chipper because I got the soft cast off my arm (the dog tripped me) and in order to avoid falling, I tripped over a chair!

Arm is ALL BETTER - cast off!

So for all of us who debate over what hurts more a break or a sprain, whichever side you are on, I win.  I have both – a break and a sprain.  Well, if you are going to do something, I always say, do your best job!  I did.

Broken Ankle - Sprained Ankle

But none of this keep me from celebrating my anniversary with my dh, Max…..

Max and sao celebrating Anniverary

…..and yes I did have a margarita!  I wanted it….I needed it…..I worked hard for it……and I will do it again next year with or without an excuse…..LOL

Margaritaville...

AND TA DA – THE BIGGEST NEWS OF THE WEEK

Leanna got her ears pierced!  This represents the ultimate act of bravery for someone who is terrified of needles!

Leanna has Cute Earrings

Except for a lost camera battery pack and a deceased computer harddrive, May must be the HAPPIEST MONTH of the year!  This year I have been having fun saying  HAPPY BIRTHDAY and HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to my family and a few of my friends on my blog – and it wasn’t until I got to MAY that I realized that A LOT OF GREAT THINGS ARE TO BE CELEBRATED IN MAY! 

My son, Rob had a birthday May 1 – a MAY DAY BABY!  Here he is small….

Rob and sao 1968

and here he is 6′3″ tall……and I just can’t figure out how I could have a son so grown up.  I am proud of him and the FIVE GRANDANGELS that he and Lil have made!!!  Yes, I left part of my heart in California for sure!

Rob all grown up

On May 1 my grand-neice turned 3 – Tara Lynn – what a big day for her (and two days earlier she became a BIG SISTER for the first time!)  Here is the other family FLOWER CHILD AKA Princess Tara!

Princess Tara - age 3

 My nephew Dustin will be having a birthday 0n May 13!  He is in the Coast Guard – and just moved to Florida.  What a handsome dude – no prejudice here!

Happy Birthday Dustin

 I guess we like to celebrate in DOUBLES in my family – Amanda and Tyler are celebrating their anniversary on May 13 too.  Well, they may not be doing a lot of ALONE TIME since they just had baby #3 April 28!

Happy Anniversary May 13 Amanda and Tyler!

 And here are their three beautiful “BABES!”

Tara, Amanda, Mason and Preston

 On May15 Rob and Lil are celebrating an anniversary – I just have to put a picture of ALL OF THEM here.  Love these grandangels, Harry, William, Vincent, James and Shirley Anne!

Rob and Lil and the GRANDANGELS - Happy Anniversary

May 19th my Grandangel Chase is having a birthday – 1991 – 2010 – looks like it is NUMBER 19!

Here he is small…..adorable and a bit sticky!!!

Baby Chase

And here he is now – just finishing his first year at USC – oh dear, I am beginning to get homesick for California!  Chase made gourmet dates when I was in CA – YUMMY.  He is an amazing chef.

Chase - a great chef!!!!

May 22 Max and I have an anniversary – and here we are ….. and before May 22 I am going to have to do some math to figure out what number this is!!!!! 

sao and Max 1986 - 2010

May 23 Preston is 5……….the BIG BROTHER to Tara and Mason!    Can he REALLY BE FIVE ALREADY!!!  He is a funny happy guy for sure!  Love that smile!!!

Preston and sao's mother and Preston's GREAT Grandmother

DOUBLE CELEBRATION – Happy 12th Birthday to Grandangel Brent on May 23……pictures are on the OTHER computer – so this will have to be an IMAGINARY PICTURE of BRENT…….. ok – so I have had my share of lost pictures for this lifetime (I don’t know who I said that to…….:):)…it just came out!

AND Speaking of DOUBLE CELEBRATIONS, May 25 is ANOTHER DOUBLE CELEBRATION – Vincent will be 1o years old (and it just seems like yesterday that we were wondering if the world would fall apart when the year 2000 came along!)  Vincent is FUNNY, CREATIVE, and BRIGHT – he keeps us all entertained – and I mean seriously entertained!

Vincent 10

Blue eyes and curly hair - Vincent eating chocolate covered bacon!

And happy birthday to my neice, Lauri on May 25…..look at her in 1968…..and then below everyone is all grown up.  What happy memories.  I am SOOOOOO BLESSED to have such a wonderful family! 

Niece Lauri with Rob - in 1968

Here are Rob, Lauri, and dd Christi - all grown up

OH NO – I am NOT FINISHED YET……Greg and Christi are celebrating their anniversary on May 27…..and here they are with their three beautiful babes……..Leanna, Sarah and Cooper.  Finally a picture that doesn’t make me homesick for CALIFORNIA!!!!

The Epps Family with Grandma sao

NOW IF THIS WEREN’T ENOUGH EXCITEMENT – this is graduation month. 

CONGRATULATIONS TO LEANNA who is graduating from 8th grade (but in VA they don’t seem to have a formal ceremony – don’t know why because they did for 5th grade!)  ANYWAY – I am proud of Nanna…..good job…….

Happy 8th grade graduation Leanna

 And speaking of proud – here is Blake – graduating from high school and heading to CAL BERKELEY next year!  CONGRATULATIONS BLAKE!  GOOD JOB!!!

Blake and his date Prom night 2010

Joey – my nephew is graduating from high school too…..but actually he finished in December and is already in college!  SO COOL.  But he is walking in the graduation ceremony with his class in May.  Congratulations Joey, you are awesome!  Congratulations on FINISHING HIGH SCHOOL EARLY and on completing your first semester of college even before your class finished high school!

Joey with Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Albertson

And TA DA – Brennan is graduating from USC in just a few days………..Brennan this is so exciting……you are  my first grandangel  and it just seems like yesterday that you were born!  Here you are a college graduate.  I am a proud grandma.  CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Brennan with sister Jannae and special girlfriend

AND….in a few days it will be Mother’s Day – wow – what a lot to celebrate!!!  That will have to be another post!!!!!

I also hope to have pictures Mother’s Day of my friend Catherine’s one year anniversary of the NEW HER….stay tuned!!!

THIS IS A FAMILY POST 

Leanna redecorated her room and moved from teeny-bopper to high school decor.  She packed her rubber ducky collection into glass vases (we got the idea from Aunt Chris who put her collection into a tall glass vase!)

First, do you want to see Grandangel Leanna’s Breakfast Table?  I put out 14 birthday candles (actually 15 if you count the little one on her cupcake!!)……DD Christi is wondering if I will be able to produce 30 plus for HER BIRTHDAY!  LOL.

14 Breakfast Candles

Actually, Nanna filled TWO of these tall glass vases (from Michael’s)…..but I only took a picture of one.

Duckies in a vase

And two tall vases were not enough – there were duckies left over to put into a covered jar!!!!!

More Duckies in a Jar

Nanna picked out some fleece for a blanket and some brown fabric for valances for her room………now decorated in hot pink and CHOCOLATE BROWN.    She did a great job of matching her new bedspread and sheets!!!

Fabric for Fleece Blanket and Curtains

ta da....Grandma Shirley Fringed the Fleece

And the valances are up…………it went pretty fast – I made this after I got home from school!!  Now the FUNNY PART is that in typical sao style I didn’t measure anything – I just GUESSED that we would need about 3 yards of fabric.  TOO FUNNY because in the end I had EXACTLY one inch and one/half strip of fabric left over.  TALK ABOUT A CLOSE GUESSTIMATE!!!!!  whew!

Chocolate Brown Valances

Look at these happy faces!  Birthdays, friends, and cupcakes – does it get much better than this!  :)

Happy Faces - Kayleigh, Sarah, Kenzie and Leanna

Make a wish......

Machine Binding

I tried something new today – a NEW THING – and something that I vowed that I would NEVER DO (never say never!!)  I sewed a binding on a quilt by machine.  WHY DID I DO IT? 

Well, to tell you the truth, I really didn’t want to spend time holding this quilt in my hands because it is covered with butterflies (BUGS) and there are butterflies quilted into the quilt….so it just seemed like the right time to try it.  :)  LOL

 I was pretty happy with the whole process, to tell you the truth.  I just machine stitched the binding onto the WRONG SIDE of the quilt – then folded the binding over to the RIGHT SIDE of the quilt and used a SHELL STITCH to anchor it!

The quilt is an Ann Smith NYE 2009 Mystery !  This will be donated to the Country Piecemaker’s ICU project…..Sara Parrish did the expert quilting!!!  Here is a picture with Grandangel Leanna’s feet!

Ann Smith's NYE Mystery

Back of Ann Smith NYE Mystery

And I am happy to say that my Chicks, Checks and Cherries  Quilt is finished too.  This was a block exchange – Marla, Sheddy, Pam, Susan,  and sao made the blocks.  I just finished sewing buttons on the chickens for eyes and finished the binding tonight!

Chicks, Checks and Cherries

And in my spare time, I finished  5 PJ bottoms…………I am SO GLAD to get this off my TO DO list.  LOL.  I took some pictures – I used existing PJs to make patterns.  YEAH FOR CROSSING THINGS OFF LISTS!!!

Sarah's Purple SWIM PANTS

Greg and Christi's PJ Bottoms

Leanna’s Checked Capris

 Now there was only one problem – and I think Christi gave me Cooper’s SISTER’s pants for a pattern because COOPER’S PANTS ARE  TOO LONG….ok – I fixed them by making cuffs!!!  Too Funny!

Cooper's Pants are TOOOOOOOO LONG - what is up with that!!!!

In  an unexpected act of fate the Easter Bunny came to the Epps household in Midlothian, VA ONE DAY EARLY – on the exact same night that the Tooth Fairy came to visit Sarah.    If you have a loose tooth and need help, may I recommend the macaroni pizza at CiCis!

And that is not all, Catherine sent the Powhatan Easter Bunny to Midlothian too – with a CARZ sucker and puzzle – TOO MUCH FUN!  The Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny  left money and goodies and there were no tell-tale traces of anything but a joyful meeting!