Thursday, July 24, 2008

Happy Father's Day Dad--2008

What a blessing it was this year to have Cheri in town for Father's Day weekend! While business drove the visit (and difficult business at that), we still got to spend time with Dad all together...all 3 of his kids on his first Father's Day alone, without Mom.
We decided to play cards at Victoria with Dad...but what game could we play that everyone would enjoy? Young and old? From 5 years to 78 years? Well...Go Fish of course! And that's what we did.

 

Little did Dad know that he had quite the group of card shark Granddaughters! We laughed a lot, and everyone had fun with the game.
 

Very different from what I thought Dad's Father's Day would be like if I looked forward even 5 years ago. But still a wonderful day.
 

I love my family so much. Happy Father's Day Dad! Hope we get to celebrate many more.
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Graduation--Preschool style

Well, the day did come that it was time for Avery to graduate...from preschool. The school had a wonderful ceremony, and each child received their very own Bible.
 

My child was very excited about that!
 

But while I thought we were still at the ECDC for a few more months...hey, Kindergarten is still months away...I got a shock on this day as we found out that summer "Kinder Camp" was being held down at the "big school" and this was indeed our last day at the preschool. Forever. Wow. It hit hard, especially as this has been such a big part of our lives for so long...for years...ever since Zoey was 20 months old and just a little pipsqueek in the "Bungalow".

Avery definitely loved her teachers this year. Miss Bon, who has beautiful long hair and knows how to hula dance.
 

And Mrs. Burnett...someone I respect completely. We actually have a lot in common, she has a parent with Parkinson's and deals with that on a daily basis (as difficult as that may be). She also has been a cook at the Girl Scout Camp "Camp Sherman" for many many years, and is a leader of a Brownie troop as well. It seems the ones with the least amount of time seem to make time to volunteer...how much I respect that!
 


Thank you Mrs. Burnett and Miss Bon for making Avery's last year in preschool such a wonderful one. We will never forget you!
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Camping with the Conley's

Okay, did I mention the how I HATE the fact that blogger only lets you upload 4 pics from Picasa per blog entry. And did I also mention how I am too far behind to do it the hard way and upload each individual pic...blah blah blah.

On to the FUN! We were lucky enough to be invited to camp with my friend Andrea and her two girls (two BFF's of my daughters...Britt and Amber) and her family. Andrea's family has a tradition of camping at San Clemente several times in the summer, and has it "down" how to get those rare and highly coveted camp spots. We were honored to join them!

Did I mention how much I love these two girls?? They are funny and extremely cute, and they will be in the same Kindergarten room next year (but they don't know it yet). Mmmmm...I could just eat them up!
 

And how about these two? My hunka hunka burning love, cuddling our smallest monkey (and total Daddy's girl). Wow, I cannot begin to describe how much of my heart resides in the hands of these two. Without them I am NOTHING. (Well...you know what I mean...)
 

Love this picture...what a beauty. We were so humbled to meet such an awesome group of people...family...that took us in and treated us as family. What a wonderful and relaxing time it was. Good food...good wine...even wine snobs! We were right at home!
 

And my angel. How ever did I get along before she was here? I don't even want to think about it.
 

Can't wait for the next trip!!!
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It's been how long???

Okay. I admit it. It's been bugging me that I haven't sat down to write a little bit. Or a lot.

But then life strikes. And I know it sounds like whining...but life has really "struck" us this year. I would have to say that 2008 is the WORST YEAR EVER. And that's just not like me. I like to "love" each new year and the possibilities that it brings.

Not this year. I actually hate this year and cannot wait for it to be over. Ross gets cancer--and has to have surgery which has complications and a 5 day hospital stay turns into 30 days. Jan. 4th. My Mom has a stroke and dies...Jan 21st. Phil and Gabby lose a pregnancy. Too many people to mention either die, get cancer, have some other major medical problem...really, if I gave all of the details it would sound like a soap opera.

Rob's Mom takes a dramatic turn for the worse, causing us to cancel our vacation to Florida (that we have been looking forward to for months...since we were there last. We face the reality of losing both of our Mom's in the same year...how can that be possible???

And to top it off, this week I fall on my butt on the stairs and most probably break my tailbone.

No, I'm not kidding.

Yes...I always tell my kids "don't run/play on the stairs". Well, turns out I was right!

More about that later.

So...I'm back on the blogging trail for a while, as least as much as I can be.

This was way back when...end of May when Clive and Johanna were in town for business and came to stay with us.

These pictures just make me miss them even more, but make me more excited about our trip to Australia at Christmas time 2009!!!

 

This trip was so funny because they did not know (as we did not) that Pete would be in town.
Of course Pete had to make some bogus calls to Bea...while they were here.

 

I feel so lucky to be a part of two families that I love so very much. I just wish we were all closer (geography-wise).

 

 

Miss you guys...
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