Happy Birthday Nana!!!!

Senior Picture...still as beautiful today!

Photos of my mom are rare also...
she was always behind the camera like I am!

Look @ those short banges...

wonder if she gave me a haircut that day!

2009...one of those who is younger moments!

Max Nana & Maddie....

Nana @ her retirement party from grade school!

Easter 2006

Connie Nana & Mary Carol

Now this is a group!

GNO...Nunsense Play

Family Vacation to Disneyland!

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Today is my mom's birthday. I won't tell which one because you wouldn't believe me if I told you anyway! Yes...we have been asked a couple of times if we were sisters....laugh here...I don't mind though..it just means that I must look as young as she does!

Mother's are the most important thing in the world...that is something we can all agree on. And yes we think that we all have the BEST mother in the world but I think that I do hold that honor of having the Best of the Best! My mom has always been there for me...to tell me what a great job I did or how proud of me she was. Oh..don't get me wrong there was ONE time she had to get after me for doing the wrong thing but see how I learned from it!!! :)

Not only do I have the greatest Mother..my kids are so lucky to have her for a Nana. I was lucky enough to grow up with a great set of grandparents who were always there for me and my mom must of been watching her parents because she is just like them! She never misses any of their events and spoils them ROTTEN!!!

So today...I wish my mom a Happy Birthday and to let her know that I love her more than anything and would not be the girl/mother/wife/person I am today without her guidance and support! I have HUGE shoes to fill but everyday give it all I have to be like her!

WE LOVE YOU NANA!!!!!

Say it ain't so....One Year Old Already???

The Birthday Cake!

Making sure all the guests had something cold to drink!
Wonder who taught him this?
Uncle Joe?????????

The Birthday Boy primed & ready!

Mommy Conner & Daddy!

Ok...this is kinda fun...what else you got Mom?

Hot Dog Hot Dog Hot Diggty Dogy...the card sung to him and he LOVED it!

"Toys...just what I needed!"

"Come on Dad....let me have it!"

Oh...cake...cake is good!

He LOVED the taste of this...wonder where he got that?

I Know!

We pigged out on the good stuff also!

Maddie feeding Conner some real food! Cake...I want Cake!

Funny....this is the same position that Daddy & Uncle Joe were in @ the end of the night also!

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Conner John Surmeier celebrated the big FIRST birthday! Did I really just say that? OMG...how fast time goes! Mr. Conner had a birthday party in Hays and we were a part of the celebration. He was so cute in his little jeans and flannel shirt...looks like a little boy now! He raked in the gifts and got probably more attention than he wanted at some point! Everyone wanted to play with him and hold him and constantly yelling "Conner....Conner...Conner"....if he could talk yet he would of probably said..."I need 5 minutes ALONE!" He was such a good boy and in such a good mood all weekend. He liked the cards more than the gifts at one point and loves Mickey Mouse's song Hot Dog Hot Dog Hot Diggy Dog! I think all the adults who were at the party are still singing that song! I hope the next year doesn't go as fast as the first one but experience tells me different! We love you Conner John!

Really....cherish the moments....

Still one of my favorite pictures...doing what he loves!

Two years ago today I have to say was the saddest day in my 43 years. Two years ago today my mom lost her best friend. Two years ago today I lost the man I looked up to. Two years ago today two kids lost the BEST Grandad EVER. Two years ago today our world was turned upside down but...

Even though everyday I am a little sad I sit and think..is that what he would want? No..he would want us to get up everyday...get our "game" face on and go out there and kick some butt in whatever it is we are doing that day! His profession might have been a Teacher/Coach to a bunch of kids but you know what...those "kids" have grown up and are some of the finest in what they do today because of what he taught them. I never had the privilege of sitting in one of his classrooms or gyms but I feel I got something way better! Yeah..growing up I might have not had those feelings..come on..he was a parent...but even though I was probably a snot nosed kid...I think I was listening to what he was saying and try to live the life he would be proud of and do the things he taught me..yeah dad I was listening!

So today...as sad as this day was 2 years ago...I am going to go out and make him proud today. I am going out today as Coach Bowen's daughter...just like I do everyday! Going to have a little Mexican food....going to have a Diet Coke (might even add some peanuts)...going to help Max with his project @ school...enjoying Maddie asking if she can wear a Colby t-shirt today in honor of him....going to just love life today because after all...isn't that what he REALLY taught us???

If you read this today and you knew my dad...remember something special about him! It may be cold outside but you can be guaranteed he is playing a round of golf today right after basketball practice!

KSU GAME!!!!

This past weekend we headed to Manhattan for the KSU/Texas football game. We met cousins there from Texas and Chicago and had a great time! Well..the KSU fans maybe had a little more fun since we came away with a victory...but the game was the least of what was important! Being with family we don't get to see very often was the first and foremost important order of business. We tailgated before the game and had a great time. One of the cousins is 4 days older than Max and they had a lot of fun together!

All 20 of us...why is all that orange in the back??????

You cannot tell from this photo but we sprayed purple in Mads hair....she also painted her face up a little bit!

Maddie and BIG cousin Troy....so glad he got to come share in the fun! He is CRAZY!

Max and Troy

Who is that masked man?????

Maddie and cousin Katie from Chicago!

Ok..I was zoomed in but we had GREAT seats...5 rows off the field. MKB did a great job getting tickets...and what else you don't see is Joe's cousin...he plays safety for the CATS! He played an awesome game...2 picks and too many tackles to keep track of...AND he is a Freshman! He keeps this up and we will switch from watching him on Saturday to watching him on Sunday!

And but of course....the game was televised on ESPN2 and guess who got his mug on the tube???

At 1:39 left in the half the camera pans to these two goobers! Just after they showed this my phone and Max's phone started buzzing with the news that Max was on TV!!! Everyone thought this was Brandon in the Texas garb but it was Troy....with a Cow head on! This was the calmest Max was all night!!!

Oldies really are the Goodies!

For weeks now Maddie has been preparing for a music program at school....it was a look back in time of music. Songs from the 60's, 70's, & 80's...and everyday when I would pick her up I would get this question..."Mom...have you ever hear of the song....Thriller?...Girls Just Want to Have Fun?...Candyman?....or "Mom...do you know who...Helen Reddy is?...Cyndi Lauper? Yes..day after day...it was so funny to hear her talk about music from "my time." Of course we weren't just singing these songs we had to dress the part...so off we go again to Goodwill! I think we came up with a legitimate good girl (yes there was a time) Madonna! Was really kinda scary seeing her all dolled up like this....is this what is to come???? Oh brother..hope Joseph can handle it! LOL!

Maddie and Hannah (aka BFF)...she was "Helen Reddy" and did an AMAZING job singing

I AM WOMAN...brought tears to some eyes!

One of the other things they did was the THRILLER...yes they learned the dance and everything! It really was awesome. I have some video that I am posting...be looking for that.

Remember....WE ARE THE WORLD....WE ARE THE CHILDREN.....

Mads fan club!!!! She did an AWESOME job!

Happy Birthday Dad...

Even though today was about Max and running in the State XC meet it would of also been my dad's birthday! As I have said before my dad would of not wanted to be anywhere else except watching that kid run on his birthday....and he was...he just had a really good seat!

Not a day goes by that I don't think of him and miss him more than words can ever explain but know that he would be proud of all of us for continuing to live with the life he and my mom taught us. (just like in this picture...can you tell I have been crying...was probably acting up and he told me how it was going to be and see...he was right...took the picture and everything worked out! LOL!)

T.P.'d

This is what happens when you take your kid out of town and the XC team knows he is gone! Max ran at the Eldorado meet and after we headed to KC to a friend's anniversary party. On Sunday morning my neighbor text me and asked if we were home...NO! She had told me that we were TP'd the night before and asked if we wanted them to clean it up...ARE YOU CRAZY??? is what I wanted to say (sorry Nancy)! Heck no...how would I be able to take pictures if you clean it up...the thought was so sweet of her...but I had to have pictures of this. I would have to scrap it! After getting home and getting my pictures we got it cleaned up and then heard the story from other neighbor. What happened was he had heard some comotion out in the yard and looked out and saw "them" going to town! Think he gave them another minute then stepped out and hollered..."hey you kids better quit that"....(oh wish I could of been there!). Guess "they" dropped their rolls of TP and scattered...(oh..so wish I would of been there!) I have to say that I loved it! That is good harmless fun and love the fact they did it! My only complaint was they bought 1 ply tissue paper...WTH! When the neighbor yelled they dropped a bunch of FULL rolls and when I ran out the other day grabbed one of those!!! Guess kids don't think of that when they are plotting! I think "they" have been fingered and told Max when he is ready...let us know..we Surmeier's don't get mad...WE GET EVEN!!!! HAHAHAHA!