Selfies

Delanie loves her Instagram app! :)  

Playoffs

Several of Jim's family flew into Michigan last weekend to celebrate Ruth's birthday.  Ann Marie and Carol bought tickets for the whole gang to go the Red Wing Playoff game!!!! 

Oh man.....oh man......oh man!!  Can you believe it??  It was AMAZING!!!!  :)

Rally Al - the team's mascot - was in out on full display.  So here's the back story:  At the beginning of the NHL, there were six hockey teams.  Detroit was one of them.  Back then, there were fewer games to win for the grand prize:  The Stanley Cup.  The octupus became the symbol of the fight for the cup.  Eight legs = eight wins needed. 

At several of the games, a fan will throw an octopus onto the ice.  It usually happens right after the national anthem.  The crowd goes NUTS when this happens!  The guy in the photo below is in charge of removing the octopus from the ice.  Until recently, he would always fling it around to get the fans fired up.  One of the visiting teams complained about getting octopus "matter" on them during this show and the league threatened to fine the Red Wings each time it happened.  Now, Mr. Octopus Grabber will wait until he steps off the ice to do the deed.  So gross......but so true! :)

Delanie's favorite player......Patrick Eaves. 

I wish I could explain just how LOUD the arena gets when the game is about to start.  I swear, I could go to 1000 games and it will always feel like the first. 

The dynamic duo.......Datsyuk and Zetterberg! 

Go Wings!! :)

Ruth's 90th birthday

We went to Michigan last weekend to surprise Jim's mom, Ruth, for her 90th birthday!  Ann Marie and Carol (Jim's sisters) had everything planned out......it was a complete surprise! :) 

Lori (Jim's cousin) decorated a restaurant in Trenton - Sibley Gardens - for the event.  The restaurant is usually closed until dinner time but they opened early for Ruth's special day.  Lori did such a great job!  There were ballons, chocolate suckers with "90" on them, candy bars with labels that read "The Original Baby Ruth" with Ruth's birth date.  Everything was gorgeous!  My favorite things were the tons of photos Lori had framed at each table.  The pics were Ruth as a child (above), through her adolescent years and throughout her marriage (below).  George, Jim's dad, loved to take photos of Ruth on their Florida vacations.  Lori & her fiance, Steve, even created a video montage of all the family photos.  There was not a dry eye in the house (except Ruth!). :)

So many of Ruth's friends showed up to wish her well.  She was so surprised!  When she entered the restaurant, everyone sang "Happy Birthday".  She clapped and laughed the whole time.  Afterward, she said, "Oh, I need to sit down because I'm shaking so much!" :) 

What a wonderful day for the Richardson clan! :)  We don't get to see them nearly enough but when we do, it's always a party!!

Daytime visitors

Now that the days are getting longer, we get several backyard visitors around supper time!  :)

MS Walk 2013

We celebrated another year of Charlene's victory over Multiple Sclerosis this year!  Every Spring the whole family gathers to walk because we still can.  Participating in the MS Walk is always so inspiring.  There are people struggling with canes, in wheelchairs, those in extreme pain.......all walking for a common goal:  Cure MS. 

Staggering statistics like this one reminds us just how lucky we are to still have Charlene. This definitely reminds us to thank God for every minute we have with her. 

Team Bea was bigger than ever this year!  Like every year, Charlene made our team t-shirts......names on the front with bees on the back.  Aren't they adorable?

It was soooo cold this year!  I was planning to defrost some while in Texas but Mother Nature definitely had plans of her own!!  Garrett & Maci tried to conserve as much heat between them as possible.  :)

Just after the finish line is a huge banner used as a dedication for whomever you were walking for.  I love the photo at the bottom of Bea & Maci signing it.  Charlene has absolutely no idea how strong she is.  She was the first in line to sign the banner wishing other MS patients good will.  She's the reason we walk every year. 

My new car!

The lease on the Maxima ran out earlier in the year so it was time to shop for a new car. 

Guess what I'm driving now......????

I'm so excited! :)  This has been my dream car forever!!

Senior night

Have I mentioned that my baby boy is a SENIOR???  The time has just flown by.  It seems like yesterday that he was digging up worms in the backyard in his Batman costume.  :)  Oops, sorry Garrett......that might have been a secret. 

Sweet Maci showed her Senior pride as Garrett's number one fan!

Happy birthday, TT!!

March 1st was Tracey's birthday!!  Woohooooo!!! :)  This chick looks amazing.......not a day over 29. 

We made an entire weekend out of it.  The MS Walk was Saturday, March 2nd so it was terrific timing!  Charlene made her this yummy red velvet cake.  Doesn't it look like a professional made it?  I love how the candles lined up in this photo to say Happy Day (pure coincidence).  It was definitely a happy day!

Gotta give Michael an extra shout out for helping Tracey blow out her candles.  Haha! :)  Look at him in the background above.....I bet he didn't even realize he was "blowing". 

We all met at Joe's Crab Shack (that's "Crow's Jab Shack" in Denise-speak) for the celebration.  The staff created Easter Bunny ears on Tracey and had her hop around......hilarious! :)