Wednesday, June 30, 2010

ALIAKA

That's what was on the license plate of the little aqua blue convertible Mercedes my auntie Gloria drove for as far back as my memory goes.  She was born Gloria Sharlene Waldron but became known as Allison once she began her career in modeling as a young mother of two.  Aqua was such a perfect color too...it matched her fabulous blue eyes.  I think that color will always remind me of her...my sweet spirited, stunningly beautiful, always gracious auntie.  We lost her last week, to a heart attack, and I am heartbroken. 

I hope you (my small handful of readers) won't mind if I sprinkle in posts about her now and then between pictures of the boys as I work through my grief and do my best to celebrate her life.  She was so special to me, and these thoughts of her just keep swimming around in my head...around and around and around.  They need to come out.

I have been looking through pictures of her for days now and have come across so many darling photos.  This is the photo Cousin Wendy sent to me that we're going to use at her memorial service on Friday. 

This image has been surrounding me all week, on my desktop at work, blown up at home in various sizes, on my cellphone...I like remembering her this way.  It's comforting to feel she's nearby.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Empty Nest Syndrome

The birdies have left the nest!  It happened one Sunday morning.  I peered outside the door and one of the babies was just flying BACK to the nest.  The others were just hanging out around it but not exactly in it.


"OH! OH! I better get my camera!"  By the time I made it to the window, all four little birds were flying around our front lawn, resting on our bench, planter wall, grass, etc...just sitting there as if to say "Well what do we do now?!"   And YES, you read it right...there were FOUR!  I've never been so happy to be wrong in my life!  Those two lifeless little ones I thought had died somehow made it.  I noticed them several days earlier and thought I better not get my hopes up in case something happened but they survived and fledged!  Sofie is the proud mama of quadruplets and she successfully fed and nurtured them till they left the nest!  Good job Sofie!!!

This has been bittersweet.  I so looked forward to peeking outside to see what the baby birds were up to and how they had grown.  Now when I walk out my front door I see that empty little nest and I am reminded that some day my little fledglings will also leave home. 

Here's my little Condor in training at the Bank of America Children's Discovery Room.

Oh how I don't want that day to come too soon!
16 1/2 more years before you can even THINK about it
my little hatchlings!

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Security Breach

Soon he'll figure out that he can just plow right over this little floppy fence. 

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Puddin Face

We didn't go anywhere for Memorial Day weekend.  We just stayed put.  On Saturday morning we were planning to do a re-do of Mother's Day breakfast but ended up at IHOP instead with the intention of going somewhere nearby for pony rides for the boys.  Instead we found ourselves looking for a last minute replacement for our kitchen sink.  More kitchen drama.  We're still a little ways away from a functioning kitchen.

Anyway, we didn't have a chance to do the pony rides before the boys had to go down for their nap.  Instead we decided to do...drumroll please...




 


CHOCOLATE PUDDING FINGER PAINTING!!!


The boys follow instructions very well...
Wesley, Sam, show me your tongues!!!


Can you lick your fingers?
Now make a HUGE mess!  Go ahead!!!!


Nothing better after a puddin bath than nice cold milk!

Hey, Mom! You gotta taste this!!!

So we contemplated swishing them around in the pool after this, but instead decided to wipe them down and let them go get good and dirty...


and hairy!
Josh came over to shoot some hoops.

Then Josh's mommy and I went shopping while the guys cleaned up the mess!
Overall, a VERY good day!!!