Thanksgiving time 2012

This used to be the most happy time with all the kids and family, until we were not all together any more. Well this year will be so much better - babies make a huge difference!

The kids have said that they liked Thanksgiving over Christmas, or it was a close tie. I never quite believed them because the meal that I fix is almost exactly the same, and they get presents at Christmas, but they always said it was fun just to count on seeing everyone and EAT a lot. Plus I guess when they are coming home from college a very big meal is always an important thing to consider.

Mike, Karly and Bianca came for Thanksgiving which meant I had help fixing a birthday cake for her daddy. She will be a cook - no flinching at all from the sound of the mixer - and well, also, her mom is a great cook!

November 2012 visit to New York

I am at the place where I do not feel like I must be totally doing something for someone else - my children, a job, my husband. Of course I still do things for my family and volunteer groups and church and others, but I do not always put those others first. It is a nice place to be although I still feel guilty a lot, which is not good.

So I had a chance to go to New York City with my husband - he is on business and I am on pleasure!

I got to wander all over everywhere, no thought to time, and thanks to my phone's GPS, no need to hold a map. There's so much to see in just the few days we will be here, I've already decided we have to come back! For today I decided to take the camera and play. I took many, many photos and here are two that were fun. I find it especially thankful that some people spend the extra time, effort and money to add the small touches to be different, creative and unique.

I loved the belt buckles and the reflection of the beautiful fall day in the water.

 

Halloween 2012

Oh, I have to post this picture. Such a determined look on little Bianca's face!

Do you suppose she's thinking, "I can stand on my own!" or maybe it's more on the line of, "Really, an elephant, Mom?"

Whichever it is, I think it shows that she definitely has a mind of her own.

Love this little girl, that's for sure!

Retreat 2012

Ahh, the wedding was lovely but time to recuperate! Off to a quilt retreat but best of all I want to share two pictures from my walks around the grounds of the Todd Hall Retreat Center.

This year, I needed the quietness of the walks more than the chance to sew. But how wonderful to spend several days with friends and artistic pursuits!

Yes I did even work on projects and almost finish a few, only I can't post them until the are all-the-way finished. Hopefully that's soon and I remember to share them.

This is a double retreat, you know - I'm trying to work on my photography too.

It's been HOW long? Oh, my!

Hope you won't mind a quick recap! Hmm, the last post was about a wedding shower so I'll let you know that the wedding did happen and was very lovely and fun.

Ryan and Amanda

even the breeze gave up-lifting spirits
for a long beautiful life together!

All the girls 

Mike & Ryan

It was a most beautiful Fall Saturday!  We stayed at the Moonrise Hotel in the 'Loop' and the ceremony was at the Artists' Guild in Oak Knoll Park in Clayton. Total love for a long, happy marriage!

And my family grows: Kimberly, Nancy, Richard, Amanda, Ryan, Karly with Bianca and Michael

I have to add in pictures of the bridal shower that my MahJongg friends and sis-in-law Kathleen gave for Amanda. It was a lot of fun and great for seeing people that we haven't seen for awhile. We had a nice luncheon, many good laughs and Amanda got to open presents! It was very wonderful how all the small groups of Amanda's friends and family ended up laughing together and telling stories.

It is making me nervous because the wedding is getting closer and it seems there is still so much left to do. I have had dreams about rain and mosquitos, you know. Either it is raining on the outdoor ceremony or the guests are being bitten all over by the 'skeeters!!

  Bianca didn't mind any noise and behaved herself very well too. Great aunt Kathleen had her turn cuddling with Bianca too. Several people also brought small gifts for her, so it was a surprise double shower. We did wait until the non-family guests had left.

I suppose if we had planned it, we would have them separately so each shower would be special to that girl. But it was all spontaneous that people brought the gifts for the baby.

Kathleen was so wonderful because she brought six beautiful baskets of prize gifts for the bingo game we played! The baskets had different lotions and skin products that were really fantastic. :)

Great Grandpa came over on Amanda's birthday (yes, it was a birthday weekend too!) 

Happy Birthday Amanda!!

Amanda and Ryan

  f

Well, so much for writing here at least once a week! It was a good goal and I'll try to do better. This time between entries has been busy with many good days, and a few of the frustrating ones too. But the highlights are really good ones!

Like I said in my previous entry, for quite a while I have wanted to fix the master bath and get it updated, so I am halfway through that. White walls are much better than the tired, dirty wallpaper. Remodling started fine but got bogged down while waiting for deliveries and getting organized. I needed a break in the 'house' work anyway because the kids all came to visit! But now things have been delivered a few days ago and the installer has said he's coming, so it will be installed tomorrow and hopefully walls painted too. I am optimistic that it will all happen perfectly!

The sewing room is in much better shape than before with good lighting so I can see what is happening - always a good thing - but you can see that the walls still need to be painted. Only, that is a huge, daunting project - not the painting but the moving all the THINGS to get to the walls...







But on to the FUN happenings!! All the kids came in to visit!! Partly for the Fourth of July, partly for the Bridal Shower for Amanda, partly for a baseball game all together, partly so we could all get to know baby Bianca, and partly just to be together!! It was busy and yes, tiring too.

Here is Bianca's daddy and Aunt Kim

 There was pretty much something going on all day and night, especially with the baby having night and day mixed up! Her poor mommy and daddy did not get much sleep. They left her with me two times! First time for leaving her with anyone so I guess I did okay. Thank goodness for instant messaging though because I did get a text asking how she was doing, and I just snapped a picture of her sleeping and sent it. Ha! Never had that when my kids were small! Of course it was hard for me to cuddle sometimes because Grandpa-pa would take her! Love!!Great Grandpa could not get enough of her and came over three times just to sit and hold her. He has always been a push-over for babies! He would be in heaven if the kids all lived close. 

We went out to eat more than we thought with the baby but she was really good - no crying at all. Of course someone did hold her  most of the time. That baby girl really enjoys a good cuddle!! Her mommy was so very good at sharing her baby!