Michigan Part One

We took a road trip to Michigan last week.  The main event...a visit to see my mom.  But there were other perks involved as well.  We got to do some out of the ordinary (for us) shopping and eating.  Made a few visits to some thrift shops and I found a few treasures. 

The thermos is going to be a vase, the ink jar will hold some pens, and the old rosary will become a necklace.  The coffee mug...well, it's going to remain a very cute coffee mug that cost me a whopping 25 cents!  Total for all four items was only $6.54!!

We also stopped in at The Christmas Tree Shop and Meijer.  We don't have either of these stores near-by (although I did just learn that The Christmas Tree Shop is only 45 minutes away), and it's always fun to stop in.  I managed to find one treasure at each stop.  

Back in January (I think) I shared a photo of some vintage Christmas decorations on Instagram.  My cousin contacted me after seeing the picture and said she had some treasures for me...if I wanted them.  Did I ever want them!  She lives in Michigan...so this was my first chance to see these treasures.  Aren't they awesome!!  A Santa, a Snowman, and two soldiers!!  I love them!  They might stay right there in my living room until Christmas!  Thank you Tina!!

 Of course, the high point of our trip was seeing my Mom. The frosting on the cake was being able to see all my siblings as well!  Here we are...left to right...Steve, Emily, me, and John...plus the mama sitting up front, looking pleased as punch!

I mentioned that we did some "eating" as well.  

Did we ever!  Part Two coming soon!

Mother's Day

Forty years ago today I became a mother.

This is Ronny...born May 10, 1975.

Ronny passed away, from SIDS, on September 15, 1975.

The next two photos were taken on September 10th. I took him to Federals Department Store to have his four month photos taken.  I wasn't planning on being in any of the photos...but the photographer was very persistent.  Five days later Ronny was gone.  About two weeks after that my mother, my sister, and I went to pick up the photo package.  I am forever grateful for that persistent photographer!

I'm also forever grateful for my mom....several years ago she put together photo albums for my brothers, my sister, and me.  These three photos of Ronny are on one of the pages in the album. I'm pretty sure it was difficult for her to put this page together, but probably not as difficult as it was to pick up the photo package with me all those years ago.  Forever grateful Mom.....for lots of things!

Here's my mom. With my fifth child...my "baby".

I moved away from Michigan (where my mom lives) before Mandy was born.  

But, even though they're miles apart, they're close. They pick up right where they left off.  

(often over a mess of stuffed cabbage or a game of Scrabble!)

My mom has never let distance interfere with knowing her grandchildren (she has fourteen!), and I know she desires the same with her great-grandchildren (she has fourteen of those as well!)

It's a little harder now...since family is in four different states, but we'll make it work!!

I love you Mom! 

Thank you for being everything I've needed a mom to be.

Thank you for loving me.  

Thank you for loving my children and their children.

I hope you have a wonderful day!

You are in my thoughts and my prayers always.

My grandchildren have mommys to be grateful for too!

Happy Mother's Day to Katie, Johanna, and Jacqi!!

Look what else I have to be grateful for...
A group photo of all fifteen of us!!
I'll have to share more photos from this photo shoot. 
Not only was Jacqi in the photos...she was the photographer too!
We captured it all!!

Happy Mother's Day

Love you a bunch Mom!

Wish we could spend Mother's Day together....maybe a nice lunch at Red Lobster!!

But, at least you're just a phone call away!

Look at Lulu....she's amazed by the 

"GREATNESS" of her Great Grandma!!!

 

These four are pretty thankful for their Gma!  They're ready for another visit.....SOON!

I'm thankful for you too!  Love this photo of us!!

I thank God for you everyday!!

Hope you have an extra-special day!!

Do You 'Needle' little Valentine?

I was looking at Valentines at Target the other day...almost every package involved a character related to a cartoon show. It made me think about the Valentines that were available when I was a little girl in the Sixties.  I think they were so much cuter!

 

Here's a few of my favorites.

 

 

 

 

And speaking of Valentines....I now have SIX little Valentines to love! 

They were all together for the very first time on Sunday.

Here's a peek at all the cuteness that was going on!!

 

Caleb - 2 1/2, Elijah - 6, and Fletcher - brand new!

Charlotte - 5 1/2, Penelope - 4 1/2, and Louisa (AKA Lulu) - 9 months.

My mom is enjoying her visit...especially the meeting Fletcher part  of it! 
Just look at that sweet face!  (Mom has a sweet face too!)

 

My Mom

Today is her birthday!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love you Mom...and I hope you have an extra-special,

really wonderful, awesome kind of day!!!

smooches!!!

The G-Ma's Visit

A few peeks at our visit with my Mom...AKA The G-Ma & GG-Ma. 

It was a very busy, very happy, very fun week!!!

 

This is how I found my Mom when I arrived home from work last Wednesday. 
Straight from the airport to the baby!

Relaxing with her granddaughters...had to snap this one!
It made me laugh when I saw all these feet up on the table!!

A trip to the Cheesecake Factory...it was the first time Bill ate there. 
It was also the first time for the butterfly.

Katie's salad.

GG-Ma and the big sister and the little sister.

 

My Mom had to give up Lulu for a little while because her Nana from England arrived on Friday. 
Between the two of them I seldom got to touch Lulu!  : )

Lots of fun family fellowship!!

Caleb's first time in the big pool!

A little bit of down time for the kiddos.  Chloe's Closet was their show of choice.

We had pizza and a yummy homemade salad bar for dinner on Saturday.
Check out these jumbo radishes!!!

We took lots of family photos. Poor Penelope...look at all those big kids taking up
all the space in the playhouse

Yummy French Toast for Sunday breakfast.

These three LOVE the pool...they're just waiting for the "lifeguards" to arrive.
One of the "pool rules" is at least one adult in the pool AND one adult out of the pool
whenever the kiddos want to swim.

Here's the one IN the pool!

Caleb LOVES the pool!

Here he is pulling the pool train!

Charlotte's Nana was kind enough to take a photo of the whole group.

Charlotte and Penelope baked Brownies with Aunt Mandy.

We played a bit of Scrabble....we had two games going on at once.



While the brownies were baking, Mandy joined the game at this end of the table.



My Mom left for home yesterday. Katie brought Lulu over for some last minute hugs.

She seems to like her great grandma...looks like they're having a good conversation.

My Mom had to let Bill hold the baby while she had her Crab Cake lunch.

But she ended the visit just as it began...snuggling with Lulu!

 

We all had a great visit...and we're already looking forward

to the next one!  Love you Mom!!!