Angry Sensei

The kids love to play "Angry Sensei" with Daddy. It's a game he made up and they beg to play it every night at bedtime. 

Julia's 9th Birthday Party

The Cake

Licking the icing off the candles and decorations

We served lasagna, salad, and breadsticks - Julia's favorite!

Lots of games for "The Sock Monkey Olympics"!

Yum yum! Gran made the food!

Another game - using spaghetti, see how many penne noodles you can get in your cup before time runs out!

Good thing they were all friends - we had to share chairs!

There were friends from Classical Conversations

and friends from church too.

Gran had the job of cutting the cake. Can you tell?

I was there! I was there! =)

Joshua is a boy, but we still let him come.

There were presents galore! Natalia made Julia smile with all of this Littlest Pet Shop stuff!

Gabby gave Julia a really neat geode! 

A gift card to Justice never hurts

Lots of fun things, including a picture album

This was the Sock Monkey Olympics board. After each game the winner's name was written in. Then all the winners competed in the final challenge - Banana Chop. Halie won!

These were the party favors. I found the buckets at Target and then hot glued a sock monkey on the lid. All that was left was to fill them with candy. We stacked them all up on the entry way table.

Julia, you are so beautiful! I still can't believe I get to raise my own sweet girl! Every day you are becoming more thoughtful and helpful, creative and funny. You are smart and sweet, cuddly and lovable. Daddy and I adore you! I love you forever. I like you for always. As long as I'm living, my Julia you'll be!!!

My Only Thanksgiving Pictures

Cousin Natalia, Joshua, Aulora, and Julia all acting silly

Does Joshua ever NOT act silly? No, not really. =)

All the kids minus John David, who feels too old to hang with the kid crowd.

Dentist Time

No Cavities!

Free breakfast at Chickfila...

And then some school work while the little kids play. Nice!

Impromptu Field Trip

After Sunday lunch some firemen offered the kids a chance to see their truck. They even got to climb in. Thank you, firemen!

Bible Quiz 2012 - League 1 and Gold Cup

John's David's Bible Quiz team at the Gold Cup Tournament at our home church in Cedar Hill, Texas.
John David, Jacob, Mitt are in the front.
Behind them are Nate (one of our former students/quizzers! who came to visit for the day),
John, and another quizzer, Jacob.
In the back are Uncle Jeremy and Aunt Cali (and Baby Audrey still in the oven!). They live there so they came to watch John David quiz and we got to hang out with them. We love them so much!

Daddy gives the boy some quizzing advice.

John David's teammate, Jacob, was the individual high point quizzer for the day.
That was quite an achievement!

The first league meet. The kids helped themselves to donuts.
Yea for brainfood! =)

Talking to girls - eek!

John David with "Uncle" Paul, John's own coach from when he quizzed
(and now best friend!). 

Jacob, Mitt, Jacob, John David

Time out

Hanging out after the matches

An opposing team. We took this picture so we could print it out and put it on our quizzers' walls
for motivation to study and beat them! Ha!

A nice, normal picture of the John David's team plus our church's other team too.
(Abigail, Sarah, and Emmanuel. )

A crazy picture!

And some more crazy!

Nate (AKA Niller Miller) and John. We love this guy.
Ladies, he's awesome and he's available. Call us.

John David's 12th Birthday - A Special Note from Dodie and GranMamma

"We're scratching our heads too, trying to wrap our minds around how quickly the last 12 years have passed. Today, 12 years ago, we welcomed John David Sullivan, our most favorite first grandchild, king of all Lego lords, mastermind of Zelda, leader of not only the neighborhood posse (yes, we actually watched him lead the kids in a parade down the sidewalks in South Bend), but leader of the Sulliv

an monkeys - his sisters and brother. He has a great mind and a cute and quirky personality. We're proud of his effort in BQ; he's memorized 12 chapters of Matthew to date and can quote them all in about 30 minutes! We love him dearly and look forward to see how God uses all his giftings. Proudly signed, his GranMama and Dodie."

(Taken from Facebook)