The End of Summer Vacation

Well it's over....the last days of summer and school is now back in session.   My daughter started the 2nd grade this past Monday and my son starts preschool in another week.   I wanted to share a few more pictoral memories of our summer.   These are from the last month of summer and include my daughters 7th birthday through the first day of school.  

Hope you enjoy these photos:

My 7 Year Old's birthday at Chuck E.Cheese

Amazing view from Rosecliff Mansion in Newport RI

On the cliffs at Beavertail Lighthouse, Jamestown RI

The "Birthday Boys" enjoying birthday beverages in front of the bonfire

First day of 2nd Grade

Trying out their birthday golf clubs.

I'll be back next week with a new MPM Menu, a recipe for Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad, an update on my garden and the steps I'm taking to preserve our harvest as well as links to great topics and chit chat.



Have a great weekend!

Summer Fun Photos

Here's a pictoral glimpse into the activities that have kept our family busy over the past few months and have also been a portion of the reason I wasn't blogging.   Hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we enjoyed the memories made:

First Grade Garden Party

Memorial Day Parade - Daisy Troop Procession

Neighborhood Kids at our Memorial Day Picnic

Dance Recital - Ballet

Grandpa took us to the Dinosaur Crossing when he visited

Spring Soccer

4th of July Weekend at the Beach

Sandcastles in Rhode Island

On the way back from ice cream at "The Shack" in RI

Our Family at Charlestown Beach, RI

It's been a great spring/summer so far.   Now I'm trying to regroup for the second half which includes a Girl's Weekend in Hampton Beach, a getaway to Newport, Rhode Island, and more time at our family's beach house.   Somewhere in there we also need to get my daughter's summer reading and math scavenger hunt completed as well as get ready for school to start on August 30th. 

Hope your family is making good memories this summer as well.

The Light in the Room

Is there someone in your life that always seems to bring the light, fire and energy into a room? That one person who commands your attention and focus? My mother in law was that person in our family. She had the amazing ability to make everything fun. She was the most energetic, celebratory person I’ve ever known. She made it all happen - be it little fancy napkins with snacks, a special outing with a picnic lunch or just being silly and goofy herself while egging (ok…commanding) us all to join her. It was required that we go dancing in the square when we visited and that we threw cocktail parties when they came back north to our house. Holidays were always marked by her – treats for Valentines and Halloween, snuggly bunny animals at Easter….my husband and father in law remember the green dinners at Saint Patrick’s Day as well.

I’m not saying she was perfect. If you hurt her deeply enough she never forgave you. She had no patience or tolerance for sickness, laziness, being tired or whining. Suck it up, get up and get going. Life was to be lived to its fullest. And live it she did....up until the last day before she went into the hospital. Just days before that she took my daughter for her first pedicure, made her last Thanksgiving turkey complete with the stuffing I have yet to master, and sold a house.

I spent the time she was in the hospital and just after she passed away driving her beautiful Cadillac and listening to her Miley Cyrus CD. “The Climb” had become an inspirational boost to her during the rough days of treatments. Even a short trip to Publix had me in tears…missing the woman who made me her daughter from day one, the grandmother to my children, the woman who raised the man I love, and even during times when we clashed….a woman who was one of my dearest friends.

Today is her birthday….she would have been 67 today. Her light was extinguished too soon…and those of us who loved her are still muddling around in a bit of darkness trying to re-kindle in her honor the fire she set in our lives. We love you Marilyn; wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, friend…you showed us how to live and love life….we pray that in time we can figure out how to get where you want us to be, in some semblance, without you.

 

Peace, Love, Faith and Hope

Marilyn

2/9/43

12/11/09