McLaughlin Moments

Monday, September 24, 2012

Summer Fun

Camping at Matagorda Beach

Emily and Abby participated in a show choir camp while Jane went to a ballet camp.

Father's Day 2012 -- Breakfast in bed wouldn't be complete for Mark without a bowl of Reeses Puffs

All three of the girls enjoyed tennis camp

The tennis camp coach offered to have Will join the toddler camp. He was a bit young, but it gave him something to look forward to :)

His favorite part were the treats afterward

Family night at the Astros

We stayed close to home this summer due to the baby, but we were able to get away for a fun weekend at the Great Wolf Lodge.

Emily became quite the baker this summer. Here is her first batch of Grammie's homemade rolls -- delicious!

Off for the first day of Kindergarten, 2nd grade, and 5th grade!

Saturday, April 14, 2012

March

Like father like son. Will all prepped to drive a golf cart. He's obsessed with "vroom, vrooms" these days.

Emily turned 10 with a pajama party. We had such fun making flip flop slippers, decorating cupcakes and watching a movie on the big screen.

Will's first "official" haircut -- the other being an unmentionable experiment made by Mommy who has no experience cutting hair (how difficult can it be to cut a little boy's hair?!). Fortunately, he was too young to notice the comments like: "So you tried to cut Will's hair yourself, huh?"

Busy boy. Lots of exploration and messes these days!

Family Reunion

For the first time in 17 years, we were all together again, just my parents and their seven children (no spouses or children were able to make it to the funeral). It was wonderful to all be together as adults and spend time together celebrating Grammie's life -- a life so well-lived.

My beautiful sisters

Virginia Elaine Davis Ward

August 6, 1921 ~ January 23, 2012

On January 23rd, I received a call from my mom saying that Grammie Ward had passed away at the age of 90. While I’ll terribly miss the presence and influence of this truly angelic woman, I felt overwhelming joy as I thought of her released from the constraints of mortality (she had been in decline for the past few years) and reunited with those she loved so dearly who had gone before. I could just imagine her joyful smile and contagious chuckle as she was reunited with Grandpa, Uncle Philip, her baby daughter Julie Anne, her parents. I’m so grateful for her influence in my life.

Here are some of my favorite pictures of Grammie.

Young mother.

Young love

Grammie was often asked to model for newspaper ads for local department stores. Whenever I've seen these photos, I've thought she looked like a 1940s film star.

Beautiful, irrepressible Grammie

December-February

Been so long since we've posted. Here are some pics from December-February. Santa brought the girls a trip to Disneyland for February and here they are ready for the magic to begin!

Uncle Dave was a sport and came to watch Will. They thoroughly bonded and Will was sad to see Uncle Dave go. Dave had put up this poster from the paper of a "Vroom, vroom" and Will loved it.

Giant sombreros at Epcot

Meeting Rapunzel!

Having breakfast with Lilo

Ready to fight trolls in the Norway Pavilion

Ready to save the universe and defeat the Empire in Star Tours

On the ferry

Animal Kingdom -- we loved the safari and Mount Everest!

Meeting Cinderella's wicked stepmother

Will trying to take part in Emily's basketball camp

Christmas morning (didn't take enough pictures!)

Feeling an affinity for Santa (perhaps given their matching outfits), Will took it upon himself to polish off the last of the crumbs left from Santa's snack. It took awhile for him to actually get interested in the presents.