Auntie Hi-O is the BEST!!!

One of the many activities Peyton 'asks' of Heather to do...ball bouncing!
Looks fun!!!

After an hour, they took a break!

My sister is an AMAZING auntie to my children. For that, Peyton and Beckham ADORE her!!! She is the only person that Peyton has true control over. Meaning, if Peyton wants to strip down and run naked through the downtown streets of Detroit...Peyton would and COULD convince Heather to do it. LOL


I often laugh at Heather in my tough-love mommy voice that she, is in fact, Peyton's slave. When Heather walks through the door after a long and tiring day of work...Peyton shrieks with delight and immediately climbs onto Heather's back begging her to play some form of a chasing game, where Heather obliges for hours...leaving me in the dust... mommy who???


This weekend, Heather took Peyton for her first sleepover. They did make-overs, ate junk food, and stayed up until midnight! Peyton had a blast! Today, Heather took Peyton to Cedar Point...an amusment park in Ohio. After many pep talks about strangers, what to do, how to do it, a leash, yes, a leash for kids bought at Babies R Us-I feel confident that all is going well. Roller coasters seem to be Peyton's thing, so I am so happy for her. Missing her a little, but happy she is making memories with Auntie Hi-O!!!

Thank you, Heather for loving my little kiddies like your own little ones!!!

BABY GIRLS Everywhere!!!!!!!

Little girls are
precious gifts,Wrapped in love serene.

Their dresses tied
with sashes And futures tied with dreams.

We have been truly blessed with the birth of THREE little girls!!! Not my own children, but I would love to call them my own. Each one so sweet, so loved, and so lucky to have the mommy and daddy that they do. We love you so much little bundles of love.

Introducing my neice, Evelyn Gabrielle Luckow...

So perfect and sweet. I love your little nose and tiny toes.

Congratulations Elaina & Jeremy!!!

We love you little Evie!!!!

Introducing Skye Rose Conforti...

We love you so much and can't to cover you in hugs and kisses.

Congratulations Joe & Stephanie!

Photo by Kelle...friend and AMAZING photographer!

Introducing Marley Juliann Simpson...

Sweet baby Marley, we love your little kissable cheeks.

Congratulations Chrissy & Scott!

*to the brand new mommies in my life...wishing you sweet 'midnight snacks,' lots of belly giggles, and unlimited baby boosies (kisses). thank you for letting me breath in the 'sweetness' that only a new baby has, you know the Oh-my-goodness-she-is-so-small-I can't-beleive-my-own-baby-was-this-small-I want-another-one-now smell! the smooth baby head rubbing against your cheek newborn baby 'sweetness.' xoxo

Happy Birthday Daddy!!!

Happy 37th Birthday Jeff!

We love you and wish you a year of hugs, kisses, and lotsa love!!!

Peyton LOVES to cook, especially homemade cupcakes for daddy!

A smooch for you daddy!

Beckham likes to eat...I mean help too:)

These cupcakes were made with lots of love!

See what I have made for you!!!

Gramps is here to help celebrate too!

Note to Jeff: We do share a box, but we are not the same age...:) love you and happy birthday!

Wordless Wednesday!!!

love the chalk message pics-gotta give love to Kelle for inspiring this pic. U are amazing...

I'll say it!!!!

So little...

...in a world so BIG!

Flowers for Mommy!

Plucking a flowie out of Sito and Gido's front yard...shhh, don't tell.
"MOMMY!"
Proud smile on Beck's little face.
A little thing that means a lot:)

Is anything sweeter than the love of a baby for his or her mommy?
I think not.

E.T. Phone Home!!

Pic I took of Jenn while riding bikes...Note to Self: man behind Jenn is not a ghost. Just a guy stealing Heineken during Hurricane Katrina. Gotta love a man with his priorities straight.



Pic I photo shopped of Jenn taking ET home...



Just kidding...I WISH I did it...Terry did it. He is amazingly talented!


Ghost Hunters...NOT SO MUCH!

All kidding aside...I was FREAKED out most of the time on Mackinac Island. Many people claim that the island is haunted and most people, when asked, will tell you their own personal story of a ghost encounter. I will say, that I asked about 95% of people I came into contact with, if they have ever seen anything.

I felt very uneasy most of my weekend, to the point that I would not go back to my hotel room alone (unless i had to). I made Jeff walk with me to the bathroom, to brush my teeth, anywhere I had to go. I guess it is a BIT extreme, but i am a believer in these things.

I heard MANY stories this weekend, but this one may have been the weirdest. It was told by my pedicurist, Yes, pedicurist. She said one night she was in her room getting ready for bed when she looked up and saw a 'lady hanging from a noose above my mantle.' WTF?

You think that is crazy...SHE STAYED in her room that night. Double WT...?

One more story. I was told by someone that the carriage/cab drivers (horse and buggy) turn or break off their rear view mirrors because they don't want to see all the ghosts in them. Triple WT...?

My friend Jenny, who is also a believer, and Kristy did not actually SEE one, but when they were walking down the street late at night, a door started opening and closing by ITSELF. It wasn't like a strong wind had come by and done it, it was a deliberate opening and closing. Needless to say, Jenn and Kristy scattered like wild fire and went running in different directions to save themselves. Not funny. Poor girls.

If anyone of my blogger buddies can tell me why these pics are sooo big??? I like them bigger, but this is kind of to big

Mackinac Island!!!!!

Grand Hotel
Quaint Little Church that I think is beautiful!
Jeff and I were walking back from Brunch and I looked and saw this!
Riding 'borrowed' bikes while taking pics. Happened to take this one. There is an orb (round, white thing) on the front lawn. FREAKY. Still scared.
Party People-Lots of super fun people!

This past weekend, Jeff and I went to an annual conference related to his job. This year it was held at Mackinac Island, which is in northern Michigan. Mackinac Island is a National Historic Landmark, nestled between the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan. It is so beautiful up there. So relaxing and fun.


Some info about the island...

*No cars allowed on the island. Most transporting is done by horse and buggy. Most people ride bikes around the island, which I think is about 8 miles long or round- I don't know.

*Was a battleground during the war of 1812. Lots of info I am not including here. If interested, go to http://www.mackinacisland.org/

*The movie Somewhere In Time was filmed here.

*It smells like horse poop.

*It is haunted, YES, it is haunted. Not cool. I have a picture. Proof is in the pudding people. Not to mention that most people have a ghost story to share-if you ask-which I did.

*There are LOTS of fudge shops there.

*One Starbucks is located on the island...:)

All kidding aside...Mackinac Island is a great place to visit. Here a few pics from out trip.

More pics to come:)

A Few of My fave Shots!

(click to enlarge)

Okay, Enough is Enough...

Million Dollar Shot...I didn't ask them to hold hands and line up, they just did it, and thank goodness I had my camera out and ready to shoot...this pictures is PRICELESS!

Spencer, Griffin, Beckham, Sophia, and Peyton

This was planned...well worth the wait though.

This is one of the most important parts of the Golabki...the photograph of everyone in their THEMED get-up. This year it was tie dye!

I have been out of town A LOT since arriving in Michigan. The last two trips have been way up north where there has been either no wi-fi or a very weak wi-fi signal. Sadly, I have not been able to publish a post. In this non-posting time period, I became blog lazy. Need to get going again. SO, I sit here tonight not sure where to start, which pics to post, what stories to re-tell. Mostly because, I/we have been having the BEST time and I am not sure where to start!

In the time since being here we traveled north to Petoskey to our annual family reunion on Jeff's side. It is a weekend filled with golfing, cousins, shopping, one 'Girl's Night', long car rides hence the many I Spy games played,...it is a jammed packed weekend of activities which usually leaves me feeling overwhelmed by the packing, planning, getting, going, doing,... but really nice. We get to see family we don't get to very often and the kids get to play with their cousins. It is actually one of the most beautiful places I have ever been in Michigan. It is so lush and green and soft there. Haha, am i talking about landscaping or a big blanket?

However, EVERY single year, faced with the long ride home (5 hours-no traffic), Jeff and I talk/debrief each other and laugh about the special, fun moments that happened throughout the weekend. I hear stories that he has to tell and I fill him in on what was most fun for me. EVERY year, I feel happy and lucky to be a part of such a large, sometimes crazy, extended family.

Peyton and Beckham only add to our enjoyment of this weekend. We get to watch them play and laugh with all of their cousins...younger ones depend and look up to the older cousins, older cousins feel important and needed...super sweet to watch. We know this is a special time for the kids. They are making memories and learning from each other. It is so great to watch them interact. Especially because we know one day, this reunion that was named after a stuffed cabbage of all things (Golabki), will be turned over to the next generation of 'kids'.

We will be the 'parents'. We will look over at them while eating a family meal together, and we will wonder to ourselves and out loud, "Where did the time go?" Yes, one day this group of cousins will be taking over the Golabki, making plans, making sure we all stick to old traditions, planning, cooking, ...doing all the things we try to do now. It is bittersweet, watching our babies grow up...but we are all sooooo LUCKY to have what we have right now, in this moment.