Easter in Michigan

This Easter we had "planned" to be spending it in Iwakuni, Japan but Ski's deployment fell through so the kids and I went to Michigan instead. Me, three kids, and 12 straight hours of driving. Sounds like a great time doesn't it? Actually they were really good on the 12 hour drive. To break the trip up a little, we stopped over night in Ohio. It was on the 3 hour drive from Ohio to Michigan that I wanted to drop them all off at the next rest area.

GG had a little Easter celebration of her own planned in Ohio and they all colored eggs and then did an egg hunt!

Cadence finally got to meet her new cousin Celest. She calls her "E-Lest". She wasn't so sure about her at first because she was so little - not to mention her mommy was giving this new baby all kinds of attention and she didn't like it very much!

The baby was like 3 feet from my kids - they always find the most appropriate times to start wrestling around.

Jacqui and Uncle Bryan always find time to mess with each other too. Do you see the fear in his eyes?

Aunt Noel (or O-el as Cadence calls her), just shakes her head at all of them cause she knows it doesn't do any good to yell at them!

We took Cadence to the mall to see the Easter Bunny. She was doing really good and was really excited to see him until she saw the little boy in front of her have a melt down on his lap. She got scared and didn't want anything to do with him after that. Easter morning at my moms house. The Bunny ALWAYS goes a little overboard at her house.

Yes even Megan and I still get baskets!

We got to spend some time with Theresa and her kids, Jake and Trista, on Easter Sunday at Church and at her grandma's where we had another egg hunt.

Aunt April and Uncle Bill were going on a cruise the day after I got there so I got to see her for all of about 11 minutes. There was still plenty of time to make fun of her and my mom though.

Me and the kids eating Easter dinner. If you haven't noticed, I have this very stupid hair cut that makes me want to cringe each time I look in the mirror. I'm ready to shave it all off and start over!

My mom deep in thought about when the next time she can go have a cigarette is.

Jamie, me and Theresa on Easter. I haven't seen Jamie since high school. She didn't have plans for the holiday so we had her over to our house!

My dad and all four of his desserts. This is his idea of "improving" his diet.

We had dinner at Cadence's favorite restaurant "Applebee's" with all the Puzella's. Unfortunately no one would let me take their picture so all I have are Ryann and Anthony - my brother Bill's kids. That is okay though - look how cute they are!

Right before this I said "OOHH Ma - you look HOT" and she got all excited and said "Oh REALLY?" Then she realized we were making fun of her curlers!

Always good to see "mean" Uncle Shawn!! This is the same man that used to freeze the heads of Tammie's Barbie's, tie us grandkids together or handcuff us to the railing of the staircase. Of course we would run right up to him and swing the rope at him yelling "You can't get us!!!"

Leah, Jacqui, and Kyla. Leah is my first cousin and my daughter is older then she is!!!

Tam and her new baby CJ.

I also only got to see Genie for about 11 seconds too. She is busy working as an RN these days. Oh the stories she has to tell about Detroit Receiving! You know Aunt DeeDee still worries about her "Tine's" and that night she brought three grocery bags worth of "dinner" for her.

Alex, Kyla and CJ

Matt and Caders - these two have a little something in common it seems. When Matt was little he flushed a golf ball down the toilet when I lived in this house. On our trip 6 years later, Cadence flushed an entire plastic bag full of M&M's down this same toilet and Uncle Shawn had to come out and fix it again. Atleast this time he didn't have to take the entire toilet off!

Theresa, Bobbie and Me - this was the night before I left. Everything was packed except my pajama's - which explains why I look like a clown.

Megan and Sassy! You know Jacqui was making fun of her in this picture. You can just see it!

Theresa and Jon

Cadence's hair is WILD these days!!!!

We actually got to see SNOW! The kids hadn't seen snow in two years. Matt was a gentlemen and cleared our cars off for us.

Megan was in a wedding the day we left. Doesn't see look pretty. Well, she changed into a dress but her hair looks good!

Welcome to North Carolina - your vacation is over!

Back to Detroit

Our vacation has been great so far. It's been so good to spend so much time with everyone even if that did mean living out of a suitcase for a month straight. Back in Detroit we got to hang out with the fam, ride the Harleys with my dad and my Aunt Jackie and Uncle Jay, and just not worry about anything! Here are some pictures of our time with everyone.

Megan and Brea - congrats to Brea who just joined the Air Force and leaves for bootcamp at the end of the year!! Of course, it's already been said that this was "MY" fault. Where did I get all of this power????

Megan's boyfriend Bobby who I like to call "Loser"

Mom and Aunt April at the get together we had with the Puzella's. They are sitting with John's wife Kathy. My mom did a wonderful job organizing everything even if she did drive my sister nuts when she went into "party mode"

Me and all of the Puzella's (except for Mikey - he will always be Mikey to me!!!) From Left to Right: Bill, Timmy (will always be Timmy too!), Veronica, John, Me and Megan.

Bill's wife Jennifer with their adorable son Anthony!!

Bill and Jennifers daughter Ryann with Cadence. Believe it or not Cadence is a month older then Ryann. They played very good together!!!!

I was able to go up to my dads trailer again - I'd say it has been at least 5 years since I've been there. I grew up going to the trailer every some since I was about 6 years old!

My mom and Megan went up with us also and we all hung out eating chips while my dad and Ski did some work. Notice Cadence has her big old head in the chips.

Swimming with Caders - one of her favorite things to do!

Grandma with her Great Grandchild! I told Cadence to pose and this is what she did!

We did actually go to the baseball game but we did go downtown and hang out. We stood on the wall so I could get this pictures of the Tigers. They lost the game!

Me, Dad, Ski and Uncle Jay trying to get a sneak peek. Some homeless guy (or so he seemed) helped dad get up there.

All of us at the bar getting a drink.

Ski had so much fun riding the Harley's with my dad.

It's been fun but unfortunately it's time to move to our next destination - Ohio!!! See you all on the next trip! Besides, we are only a days drive away now - well for most of you anyway!!!

Warren Michigan

We had to split our Michigan trip up a little. When we got here we stayed in Warren for three and 1/2 days and then we went up to Rogers City and after a week up there we came back down to Warren for another 5 days. My dad gave us a little scare thinking he was having a heart attack but thank goodness he's fine. I think all he wanted was for my mom to make him a pork chop dinner at 11:00pm! At girls night Tam made the announcement that she and Scott are going to have another baby!!!!!! I'm so excited! First Noel and Bryan and now Tam and Scott. I keep telling Ski that if he wants to try to have a boy he needs to get to show rolling cause lord knows we aren't getting any younger and now is the perfect time so I can be pregnant with my cousin and my sister in law. I'm not having any luck with this plan. While I was home I also got to see my dads side of the family. It was JT's 19th birthday so we got to celebrate that with him for once. It was so good to see everyone again even if it did seem like we were constantly going from one place to another!

My dad the next day after he went to the hospital. How many ex-wives do you know that make pork chops late at night for their ex-husband???

My Aunt April, Aunt Dee Dee, and my mom.

Genie

Tam and her kids - Kyla, and Alex. Look at that pregnant glow. My mom called it a couple months ago but I thought she was just nuts.

Tam's husband Scott and the Caders. Congrats Scott on the new baby coming soon!



Grandma Mader with Uncle Jay, Uncle Jim, Dad and Aunt Tacy

Uncle Jim and Sara

JT on his 19th birthday with the jolly Rancher that his sister Sara carefully wrapped for him in about 5 bags.

Mom and Ski hanging out at the Mader get together.