It's good to be five!

Mmmm... hot dogs!

I have SO many pics of this kid eating hot dogs. He's just so funny when he eats them. I can't help myself. It will be something to show his first girlfriend.

Pedicures and Ice Cream

Tonight was a good night in the Banister household!

What do you think?

I have been so busy lately! I haven't really had time to upload and edit all the pics I've taken. But I finally got some time this week and want to know what you think. These are three of the better portrait style photos I took this month. What are your thoughts? I'd love some feedback and constructive criticism. At least I think I would... ; )

The first pic is of my husband and one of my sons. The second is my middle niece. Both were taken at the Grand Floral Parade in downtown Portland, Oregon. The third is my friend "Mrs. B" as she prepares for our church's Vacation Bible School.

The Starlight Parade

I am a band geek. That's right! Make fun if you want, but I found myself in the band room! There was a confidence born in me when I discovered that I posessed musical talent. I enjoyed singing in the choirs at school too, but it was different than playing in the band. Playing in the band was freeing!

Most of my fellow bandmates would tell you that they hated marching band. I secretly loved it. There's nothing like marching down the middle of a street that's been closed just for you, with a drum line behind you! I loved dressing up in the uniform that showed my school colors and marching with pride behind the banner that read "Milwaukie High School Mustang Marching Band"! We may not have been that good, but we always had fun!

I had always wanted to march in a Rose Festival parade and during my jr. year in high school I finally got to do just that! We marched in the Starlight Parade! It was completely amazing! I'll never forget the moment we rounded the corner of SW 4th and Salmon and a whole crowd of people from our school had gathered to cheer just for US. Then after marching up SW Salmon, we turned the corner onto SW Broadway and there in front of us were the gleeming lights of the tv cameras. I had never been so excited in my life!

To this day, The Starlight Parade remains my favorite of the Rose Festival parades. My husband and I take our boys down every year to see it. I sit on the street in downtown Portland all day to get prime seats to view the event. And every time the Milwaukie High School Mustang Marching Band comes marching down the street playing "King Cotton" we scream as loud as we can!

I'm sure people think I'm loud and obnoxious when I scream for my school. You may think I'm a complete dork, but I don't care! I'm Mustang Born, Mustang Bread and I'll be a Mustang 'til I'm DEAD!!!

The second picture is blurry, but the man in the front is the band director Greg VanWinkle.

Visitors

We had some very special guests come to our house this weekend! Our families grew up together and our parents were (and still are) very good friends.

We used to be neighbors and members of the same church congregation. It was perfect because they had four kids and there were five in our family. All of us kids were close in age and we had a blast together!

Life happened though and we ended up in different states. But there was an opportunity for them to visit this weekend! Only two of their children were able to come and not all of my family could be here, but it was still a wonderful visit.

This is my parents, Ken and Mary with Mark and Cheri McDonald.
















This is Me with one of my brothers, Kevin (on the right) and Elijah (on the left). It had been 15 years since we had seen Elijah! We got to meet his wife and family too.

















And this is us with all of our spouses. We're so glad they got to come visit even if it was only for a short time!