School for Hannah...

Hannah is absolutely drowning in school work this year.  Here is a picture of where you can usually find her, and this is typically what her desk looks like.  

Here she is, hiding behind her neatly written, organized list of daily to-do tasks and lists.  She is far more organized than me... sigh...

My beautiful student.  Sipping on some hot chocolate while she works.  Mmmmm........

Here is a picture of a history book with a picture of a girl holding a history book with a picture on that book... ok, never mind, you get the picture.  (haha!  crack myself up!!)

Love you Hannah!!

5K Color Run

Yesterday Jacob ran another 5K - this one at National Harbor near Washington, DC, and this one was definitely meant to be more fun and less "athletic".  Jacob had a hard time trying to run as fast as he wanted because there were so many "walkers" and people just strolling for fun with each other... but still it was a successful athletic event for him.

Again with the not smiling... but I had to include it.  He is just so handsome, even when he is frowning!   This look was definitely a "Mom, don't you ever give up?" look...

My tall, handsome boy waiting in line for the start.

Thus the name, "color run".

 

Just a unique statue you pass along the way while waiting in line.  Kinda symbolic.

Got some cool shots from a balcony up above.  Unbelievable how many runners there were.

 I guess by now we all know how much Danny loves his coffee.

AFTER the run.  Still looking cool, calm and collected.  And blue.

Jacob turns eighteen!

Jacob's big day arrived, and it was bittersweet.  We were well aware that this was probably the last birthday that he would share at home with us for a long time. So, we put on a happy face and tried to cherish each second!  It's really hard not to be happy around him, he is such an uplifting person!  He may not smile for the camera much, but he smiles a lot for us off-camera and has a hilarious sense of humor.  

So, anyways, Hannah and I really wanted to bless him for his birthday, and Hannah worked so hard to do so.  She and I shopped for all the matching wrapping paper, balloons, etc. and she worked so hard at making him the 18 poster hanging in the window, as well as the soda-candy bar cake you see in the front.

So she skipped her Italian class to wake up, decorate, and then ride with me to pick up Jacob from his class at Montgomery College.  We surprised Jacob and took him out for his favorite breakfast at Ihop!!!

Here is the rare, and I do mean RARE, picture of Jacob actually smiling!!   (remember, he does smile, just not once a camera is within 50 feet of him)

The wonderful 18 poster that Hannah put together for him.  This is what brought the tears to my eyes...

We went to Bonefish for dinner, and we had an awesome waiter who threatened to bring the entire staff to our table to serenade Jacob.  All Jacob said was "you better not" and that put an end to it.  He did, however, bring him a dessert with a candle:)

Then we came home and had some funfetti cake!  (Jacob's favorite childhood cake.  It was only fitting that we say good-bye to his childhood with his favorite cake.)

 Below are a couple of the gifts that we gave Jacob for his birthday.

A framed shot of his shooting team...

There were many tearful moments for me on this day.  One of them was when he received a 12 month subscription to Xbox live, and he looked at it and said "Gee, I won't even be able to use the whole thing!"  Talk about reality hitting hard!!

Happy Birthday to my oh so wonderful son!  I love him more than any words could ever say.

Hannah's best drawing of the summer

This needs very little explanation.  Hannah worked on drawing this over the summer, a bit here and there, and this is the final product.   I am absolutely amazed!!! She is so humble, she won't like that I posted this, but I had to anyway.  Too good not to share!!

Better late than never. The rest of California.

Faithful Dad, always walked over to Starbucks in the morning to get coffee at the Presidio. 

 The house we rented.  Sweet sweet memories...

Gorgeous drive from San Francisco up to Lake Tahoe.

We stopped in at the place I once lived as a child.  It was indescribable to go back to where you were as a child and see it now...

  

The house where I have many childhood memories.

We rushed out of town to make it through the Sonora Pass up to Lake Tahoe before they could possibly close the road due to a forest fire, which we saw on the way up the pass.

Funnest thing we did on the trip - river rafting five miles down the most peaceful, serene, beautiful river bends that exist.  You could see meadows, wildlife, and a few rapids as well.

The rare, California yellow watermelon. Delicious!!!!

  

And here we have Lake Tahoe.  Probably the most beautiful thing I have ever seen or will ever see in my life.  

Water so clear, it just seemed unreal.

Took a two hour lunch cruise around the lake.  I never wanted to get off that boat.

See how Danny just fits this lifestyle???

Beautiful, beautiful Hannah...

Here is the lunch, with a view of the lake and mountains behind.  Like I said, just gorgeous.

Heading to the airport... sigh... I truly truly truly did NOT want to leave this place.  My life's goal is now to get back there!!

Had to throw this one in.  Indy cuddling with Jacob...

And then falling asleep.