Time to celebrate!

Garrett's graduation was definitely a reason to celebrate!  Almost the whole Suggs clan gathered at Bill and Bea's house for the festivities.  Tracey made awesome posters that greeted everyone as they arrived.  Since the party was in the backyard by the pool, Charlene had a blowhorn ready by the front door just in case we couldn't hear the knocking. 

 

Pulled pork sandwiches (thanks Bea!), chips and cupcakes (thanks Tracey!) kept us all stuffed to the gills.

 

It was a great time to grab an updated family photo.  We really missed Mom at the party.  It was such a joyous occasion but her absence weighed heavy on all of us. 

 

 

The Gates clan with their sweet puppy Chloe.

 

All the great-grandkids were present and accounted for!  Ashley brought baby Eli (below with Jim), Allie and Cheese (AKA Colby).  Preston and Amy brought Maddox (giving me kisses below), Zoey and Keegan.  I can't believe how big those kiddos have gotten. 

 

I also got to spend time with my bestie, too.  Michael just left for Iraq so I'm glad we were in town to get her mind off her worries.  Hopefully she can come for a visit soon!

 

 

Overall, it was a great day!  Fun in the pool with lots of sunshine, great friends and family.  What more could you ask for?!

Graduation

I still can't believe I have a child old enough to be a high school graduate.  What can I say......my heart is about to burst!! :)

 

 

 

All grown up

Garrett is all grown up!  Check out his Senior pictures....

 

 

The one below is my favorite!  He looks like he's about to crack up laughing.  Doesn't that sound just like him?!  This is one of the happiest, most positive kids I know. 

 

Dang......this is one handsome kid!!  :)

Batter up...

On our recent trip to Texas, we were able to catch Garrett and Maci's coed softball game.  This is right up Jim's alley.  When we first met, he was playing softball four days a week!

Maci was the pitcher.  It was so cute to see such a tiny little girl play (in bright orange sunglasses) with the big boys.  She did great!

 

Garrett was in right field.  This kid is so athletic that it's no surprise to see him make several awesome plays.  I'm a proud mama!

 

 

 

 

 

What a fun way to start our jam-packed weekend!! :) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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!!