Wrapping up 2009 - Part 1

Here is the first installment of all the awesome pictures and memories that I had not yet included on the blog.  Really, things that I do not want to forget! 

In the last few months I have not been on top of the blogging about all the stuff that I had wanted, I have taken tons of pictures and done lots of fun things with the boys and our family and friends. 

Be prepared to be bombarded!!

In August we attended my Mom's family's reunion.  This is a pic of my Mom's immediate family that came.

In the back row: Uncle Andrew, Aunt Erin, my Dad, Uncle Jim, and Uncle Donnie

In the front row:  Uncle Don, Aunt Barb, Brad, my Gramma (or GG to the boys), my Mom, Aunt Anne, me, and Tom

Alex, Quent, and Jack are in the very front of all of us.

It was a fun time at the park, the weather was beautiful

and we celebrated my Gramma's 80th birthday with a super cute cake -

She was surprised and it was a lot of fun for everyone!

The big downer of the day was my accident at the end of our day.

We were getting into the van to get home and as I leaped into the passenger seat  - and by 'leaped' I truly mean that I really took a leap into the van - I banged my forehead on the door frame.

HARD.

It was very painful, and I definitely saw stars.  The wind blowing on my head hurt.

Well, I ended up with a mild concussion that was painful for days. 

I am still amazed that I did that to myself.

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We got in some swimming at Aunt Margaret and Uncle Eldon's pool over the summer. 

They live so close and the boys absolutely love swimming, it was always a good time!

Quent in his shades

Jack is debating whether he will actually jump off to Daddy

"no, you go first, no, you go first"

Do you just love those swim floaties?!  I thought they were so cute.

And they work awesome!

Cute little posing Jack.

(Yes, I was swimming that day too.  And yes, there are no pictures of Momma in the bathing suit - and that's the way I like it!)

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One day the boys ad I just took off with our zoopass and did a trip on our own for the day.

Just Momma and her boys.  We had a good time, it is so nice that they are at the age that we can do some of that stuff on our own and not have to wait for a time for someone to go with us to help out.

My big boys.

Jack and Quent were both very brave and got their arms painted with a snake for Jack and a tiger for Quent.  Every other time we have visited the zoo ans they have the face/arm painting station open, neither one have wanted to go anywhere near it.  But this time Quent wanted one, and once Quent was doing it, Jack decided he wanted one too.  They were so proud!

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You don't turn 80 everyday.

So we had to celebrate GG's (my Gramma) 80th in style!

GG getting some help from  the kids with her gifts.

Another beautiful cake for a beautiful Gramma

(notice Jack mid-run in the background)

Uncle Dan, Aunt Sue, Rob

My Mom and Tessa watch GG blow out her candles.

It's a good thing there are lots of grandkids/ and great grandkids to help GG blow out her candles!!

 

My boys love a good birthday song - you can tell they are just belting it out!

Tessa is patiently waiting for her piece of that cake!

My Mom, Aunt Jean, Gramma, and me

GG with Quent, Tessa, Becky (being held by her dad Tim) and Jack

Quent with his Gramma

And of course there had to be swimming!!

Even though it was pretty chilly, the kids all wanted to swim, so the guys (Tom, Rob, and Len) braved the cool weather to get the kids in the water.

Tessa paddling away for Rob

Is she not the cutest little Tessa Bean?!

Daddy and Quent - just trying not to chatter those little teeth

If you stayed under the water I guess it was pretty warm IN the pool -

these kids did not care, they love the water!

Jack and Len  swimming in the background

Quent and Daddy making their way to the side.

Tessa's big thing that day was "I deed it"  (I did it)

She would yell it out and throw her arms up, "I deed it!!"

It was pretty much adorable.

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What's so interesting about a school bus, you say?

Can you see that the top of it says "Old School"?!

And you probably can't see that the inside is totally decked out party bus-style!

What was so hilarious was that it was parked outside of the this establishment -

We were driving by on our way home from GG's birthday party and I was like - 

what is a school bus doing there?!

You don't see many school buses in front of places like this, so I had to have Tom stop so that I could take pictures.  Literally I was thinking "this would be a funny thing to put on the blog".  It was too funny!!

Too bad it took me so long to get it here!

Silly Christmas Greetings

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

And because we just could not choose one:

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

We went to the Zoo, Zoo, Zoo - How about You, You, You?

(Um, that's a Raffi reference just in case everyone does not know all the words to every song that Raffi has ever sung!)

So, this is going to be the marathon zoo picture post...

Many, many pictures from just 3 of the zoo trips over the summer and fall that just need to be shared.

Be prepared to be bombarded with adorable kids and funny zoo moments!
You have been warned  :)

August Trip to the Children's Zoo:

with Me, Jack and Quent, Gramma, Avery and Tessa

Just about the cutest Gramma and her Grandbabies picture ever!

Sometimes it is just not easy to get 4 kids looking the same way at the same time!

Carousel Kids:

Avery

Tessa

Quent

Jack

 

 

Feeding the really big cow with Gramma:

 

 

 

 

  Now we need a little playtime!

 No, you need to play Quent!

 

 What is that face Tessa?!

 

 Jack and his favorite: the wooden truck.

 

 Buddies - Avery and Quent

 

All 4 of the Brittkateers piled into the wooden truck!

 This was Tessa's tantrum.

No yelling or screaming - just a silent sit down protest to something she did not like.

But really isn't that just too adorable!!

 

 

September Trip to the Detroit Zoo with our Friends:

Sarah and Mark and their boys Jeremiah and Aaron

Amy and Greg and their baby girl Natalie

 Jack (above) and Quent (below) sitting on the water squirting frogs.

These are so much fun, there was always kids sitting on them and playing in the water.

There are 3 frogs that face each other in a circle and they all take turns 'spitting' water.

 

 

 

 Quent (above)  and Jack, Mark, and Aaron (below) checking out one of the dinosaurs.

 

 

 Aww, my Quent looking out onto the fountain pool...

 

   Amy holding little Miss Natalie (I'm sure Greg was taking the picture)

 

 Our family shot at the bear fountain.

My Mom has picture of me and my brothers as kids in front of this same fountain, I will have to look for those.

 

 If it has buttons, knobs or controls - my Jack is all over it!

 

 The giraffes were so very cool, and they were so close to us.

The boys LOVED this!

 

 

 

 On our way to see the polar bears!

(at some point we had gotten separated from Sarah and her family, but they reported that they were having fun and were doing their own thing, so we all just went on and hoped we would catch up later.  We didn't, but everyone was okay with that and had fun anyway!)

 

 

 

 

 

 Greg and Natalie waiting for the train to take us back to the front of the zoo.

Yep, the zoo is that big that no one had the energy to walk ALL the way back to the front so we took the train. 

 

 But Jack and Quent pretty much love trains, so that was very cool with them!

 

 My absolute favorite picture of these two guys!

 

Natalie riding the train on her Daddy's lap.

 

 Me and my babies!

 

 

 

Then we had a popsicle and some playtime with Natalie before we packed it in to go home.

Heading out, we had to exchange some things with Amy at the cars.  But at the car we get a call from Amy that she has a flat tire!  So, we got to spend a little extra time playing with Natalie while Tom changed the tire.

The tow truck could not fit into the zoo parking structure,  Woo hoo for Tom saving the day!

 October Trip to the Zoo Boo:

with the 4 of us, Gramma, Uncle Lenny and Aunt Kyle.

Aunt Kyle and Uncle Lenny were at the Zoo Boo with her work, passing out bags and goodies to everyone. Kyle was the one who got us some passes from her connections - without her we would not have been able to go to the sold out event!  Thanks Aunt Ky-Ky for the hook-up!

The weather was cool and rainy, but cleared while we there.  It actually turned out to be a nice night and we were all dressed warm, so the weather did not keep us away.  The boys had a blast!!

 Gramma walking her little monkeys into the zoo.

 

 

 Totally amazed at the GIANT pumpkin

 

 Daddy and the boys make their way through the hay bale maze.

What fun kid sized alternative to the corn maze!

 

 

 One of my Wild Things with Where the Wild Things Are exhibit.

There were lots of very creative painted pumpkin exhibits all over the zoo!

 

 Gramma and the boys checking out some of the creepy creatures in the reptile house - ewwww!

 

 

 Monkeys and More Monkeys!!

 

 

Our family by the fountain (same one as the earlier picture)

 

 Gramma, Momma, and the monkeys trying to see all the birds out on the pond

 

Lovey Jack!

Luckily the hats of their costumes were a little big and we could fit their winter hats under there, it definitely kept them warm while we were out in the cold weather.  You know us folks here in Michigan have to choose Halloween costumes that can be worn with winter gear or without - in Michigan you never know if it will be 30 degrees or 70 degrees on Halloween!!

 

 After their shift handing out goodies, Aunt Kyle and Uncle Len meet up with us to finish the route.

And Uncle Lenny poses with Quent and Jack.

 

After the zoo, we went to Max and Erma's for dinner.  YUM!

And of course we had to have the fresh baked chocolate chip cookies after dinner.

(nope, I am not getting paid for my endorsement, but that would be nice!)

Here's just how much my boys love cookies and being silly:

 

Oh, I love those beautiful eyes - both boys!!

Whew!!

Are you tired?  I am!

That catches up some of the photos that I have accumulated over the last few months when I have been MIA for the most part.  I have been around, still reading and commenting sometimes, just not feeling inspired to work on posts.  But I am feeling that I want to make sure I share some of the wonderful moments we had this summer/fall with all our family and friends!

Just a few more marathon posts and maybe I will get back on track!