Celebrating Granny's 90th Birthday in Style

My husband, Doug's grandmother from Holland flew to the States to celebrate her 90th Birthday with us! How fortunate we are! She's a beautiful 90 year old woman, traveling alone, is still fit both mentally and physically and sharp as a tack! What a blessing for our children to experience their great-grandmother, as well as great uncles and a great aunt who also made a long journey from Alabama and Holland to surprise Granny for her 90th!

We started the evening at our house in a Hummer limo. What do you get your husband's 90 year old grandmother who really doesn't need anything? It's all about doing things that are memorable. The kids were thrilled to go in a limo! My parents (originally from Germany) joined us as well. A first for all of us!

We surprised Granny and the other Dutch relatives by having the driver knock on Doug's mom's front door. I LOVE the look of surpise on Granny's face as she began to figure out what was going on! It was priceless! Champagne and Martinelli's made the ride even more fun!

We drove to Buca di Beppo and dined in the Pope Room. Soooo fun! Now she cay say she dined with the Pope and cross another thing off her bucket list! haha...

The evening ended perfectly. Truly a memorable experience that we'll never forget.

We love you, Granny!

Free picture collage created with Smilebox

John Michael -- Welcome to Catholic School TK

John Michael is attending two schools this year...

On Monday through Thursday, he attends the same inclusion preschool / Head Start program where he's been for the past 2 years already.  It's a great Inclusion program where 15 are typically developing kids and 5 have special needs of some kind.

This is the school where he gets his speech therapy (25 min, 2x/wk) and adaptive PE (25 min, 2x/wk).  It's where he learned to ride a trike, sit quietly at circle time, be a line leader, identify his written name, use the potty by himself, wash hands, eat a meal "family style" with other kids, clean his plate and push in his chair.  He also learned to sing, count, cut with scissors, use glue sticks and play cooperatively with others.

It's been a great 2 years for him.

Beginning this school year, John Michael is now attending our older kids' Catholic school.  He attends the transitional kindergarten classroom, unassisted currently.  He goes to Mass and sits with his sister, Greta, and learns to be quiet and still.  He gets to play with lots of kids in a great, loving environment (the principal was completely open arms and welcoming to us ever since John Michael was a baby!).  He is doing well, aside from a couple running (eloping) incidents and pushing other kids.  Luckily, the entire school KNOWS John Michael and think he's a little rockstar.  At snack recess, Greta (2nd grade) usually comes out to find John Michael and plays with him for 10 minutes while their schedules overlap.  I LOVE that she seeks him out! 

First Day of School

John Michael's teacher at the Catholic school hands out Behavior Bucks for good behavior. You can see he's already earning a good number of them!! NOTHING makes me happier! Really!

She also assigns nightly homework (yes, TK!) John Michael actually drew the lines from 1 to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4... you get the idea... and colored it in. I'm so proud of him!!

She also assigns nightly homework (yes, in TK!)  John Michael actually drew the lines from 1 to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4...  you get the idea... and colored it in.  I'm so proud of him!!

It really is true... our kids are more like others than different.  So true!

I

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What do you give a 90 year old?

Doug's grandmother from Holland is visiting these next 6 weeks and celebrating her 90th birthday with us this weekend.  Yes, 90th!!

She traveled alone and looks fantastic!  I can only hope to look as good when I'm her age!

So, what do you give a woman who has everything she needs and is turning 90?

I took advantage of an offer from Shutterfly to make her a nice book to take back home and remember us by.  It won't arrive until a few days after her birthday, though, so here's a sneak peek of what's to come...

Happy 90th Birthday, Granny!!  WE LOVE YOU!!!

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