It's May!

Wow!  It's May!   May is a crazy birthday month for us.  We have three sons and two grandsons with birthdays in May.  Add in some other family members birthdays and Mother's Day and you can see we spend the month sending lots of cards and good wishes.  

This year was a big one for Travis....the big 16!   That means he's old enough to start dating.  Yikes!  I just can't believe that my baby is taller than I am and that he will be a junior in high school next year.  Where or where does the time go??   

Mike's mom, Vella arrived for a 12 day visit on Friday and she's adjusted to the time change really quickly!  

Travis, Shelby, Sam, McKay and Dallin

It's a good thing because for his birthday this year, Travis wanted to go to Europa Park with some friends.  Europa Park is about 2 1/2 hours away.  He had planned to go next week, but realized it was prom weekend and so after some quick last minute shuffling, we were able to cancel our reservations in the Netherlands (we hope to see the tulips next weekend now) and instead fill both cars with teenagers and head south. 

The day was beautiful, sunny and very warm.  They had a great time!!  

 While they were riding roller coasters and having fun, Mike, Vella and I took one of the cars and drove another hour into the Black Forest Region of Germany.  It really is a beautiful place.  The pine trees in that forest are very dark green, the look black...imagine that!

The Black Forest...Triberg

We drove to a little village called Triberg that is known for it's Cuckoo Clocks and a big waterfall.  We walked around, had a nice lunch along the river and did a little shopping, then drove back to pick up the kids and head home.  It was a lot of driving, but a fun day!

Vella in front of a cuckoo clock store in Triberg

Triberg

Vella at the riverside restaurant.  She had Schnitzel!

The restaurant in Triberg

Yesterday was Mother's Day and Mike had to work a 12 hour shift.  Travis, Vella and I went to church.  I was sustained as the stake relief society president (no, that's not a typo...I can't believe it either)  and then we came home and Travis made belgian waffles...what a kid!!

I am so blessed to have five wonderful, thoughtful, loving children (four of whom are adults now), to be a mother to.  They mean everything to me!

I am grateful for the moms in my life...my amazing mom, who teaches me by words and actions how to be a good mom and grandma, my wonderful mother in law..no girl could've had a better one!  My daughter and daughter in law who are such good moms to my grandbabies and of course my sis in laws and friends who are my "go to" girls when I need advice on anything at all or when I just need to unload my troubles.  Happy Mother's Day to you all!!

That's it for another exciting week in Spesbach, Germany...until next week...

love and miss you all,