Nana of 5 great kids

Here we are in NYC

2009-04-19T13:20:00.003-04:00

What a great time we had! And the weather was beautiful. We are in timesquare in this picture. From here to the subway to Chinatown. I have never been in so many "backrooms", behind curtains and in basements in search of the best buys on pocketbooks. It was so much fun and we all got 'bargins".

Another great visit

2009-04-14T17:01:00.004-04:00

John had his appointment at Johns Hopkins today and all went well. Tumor is not growing and his weight has stayed about the same. Dr. D was excited when John told him he has gone 10 days without a cigarette!!! He even shook his hand!! I know how had it is to quit (1 1/2 years for me) and he is doing very well. Didn't even have to take anything!!
We are usually in and out of there by 11. But today he had the c-scan and Dr. appointment was later and he was running behind. So we didn't leave JH until 12:30 which meant......
lunch in Little Italy..........Sabatinos.................YUMMY!!!!

Next appointment is in June.

Which way to the beach, muscle man?

Spring is here

2009-04-05T19:22:00.003-04:00

What a beautiful weekend!!! Ready to plant flowers...I know, it's too early, but I did enlarge my "butterfly garden" and can't wait to add new plants.

This was last year's butterfly bush.

Thoughtful Tuesday

2009-01-06T18:10:00.001-05:00

??????????????????????????????????????
Why do I wake up in the middle of the night singing a song in my head? I don't even know all the words but there it was.............just a holiday romance........wonder if I should take the chance and ask Lavina to dance..................

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T22:36:00.002-05:00

We bowled, we played soccer, we skied and we played guitars. Boy, did we have fun New Years Eve. Thanks Kathy, Bill (Wii), Sandy, Denny, Deb and John for a great time!

My First attempt to share photos this way......

2008-12-28T20:31:00.004-05:00

Christmas 2008

Thoughtful Tuesday

2008-12-23T21:29:00.004-05:00

As I was wrapping gifts tonight, I thought.......I am going to take these toys out of the boxes cause I know the twins will want to play with them ASAP. WHO CAME UP WITH THE IDEA TO TIE EVERY part of the toy to the @#$@#$%^ box!!!!!!!!!!!! That person surely didn't have children. So here is a warning to all you Mom's, G-moms, Didis, Nanas or anyone buying toys for kids...............Please take them out of the box BEFORE giving the kid the present. I sure can picture the twins wanting the toys and me, Nana, saying come back when you are 3 and I will have it out of the box for you.

Happy Holidays

Inner Peace

2008-12-22T11:44:00.000-05:00

I am passing this on to you because it definitely worked for me and we
all could use more calm in our lives.

By following the simple advice I heard on a medical TV show, I think
that I may have finally found inner peace.

A doctor proclaimed the way to achieve inner peace is to finish all
the things you have started. So I looked around my house to see
things I'd started and hadn't finished and, before leaving the house
this morning, I finished off a bottle of Merlot, a bottle of
shhhardonay, a bodle of Baileys, a butle of vocka, a pockage of
Prunglies, tha mainder of bot Prozic and Valum scriptins, the res of
the Chesescke an a box a chocolets.
Yu haf no idr who fkin gud I fel.

Peas sen dis orn to dem yu fee AR in ned ov inr pece.

hic xxx

Happy Holidays to you and yours

2008-12-21T19:46:00.002-05:00

Hope you all have a Happy Holiday and Blessed New Year!

NYC

2008-12-17T16:04:00.005-05:00

Karen, Judy (first time to NYC), her sister, Susie, Lisa, me and Joyce enjoying a toast and a great meal at Hour Glass restaurant.

Great time in NYC. If you ever go there, spend the extra money and do the "hop on hop off" tour bus. It saves a lot of walking!!!! There are many stops where you can get off, shop or do whatever and get back on and continue the tour. We got the 48 hr pass that included, uptown, downtown, Brooklyn and boat ride (too cold for that). Learned a lot about the city that never sleeps.

Here are a few pics.

Hudson River and New Jersey

Famous Chinatown

Beautiful buildings

Sunset out of our window on the 26th floor! We were suppose to have adjoining rooms, but they were not ready at 4PM sooooooooooooooo......... we complained (6 of us) and they gave us a suite!!! 2 double beds, sleeper sofa and the adjoining room had 2 twin beds. SWEET!!!!!

Thoughtful Tuesday

2008-12-02T20:52:00.006-05:00

Who gets to feed Sadie first?

Desi

Surprise visit from Rick

Who's my new buddy?

Almost as tall as Uncle Matt

Korby (we got to spend more that 10 mins. with Korby),
Shell, Molly, Kaden and Desi

Molly

Jasmine's new do (soon to be 16)

OH NO, Nana caught me!!

I am truly blessed

Thankful Thursday

2008-11-27T13:37:00.003-05:00

I am thankful for:
A loving caring family
Spending time with Matt, Jas, Jordan and Desi
Sharing Thanksgiving day with Mom, Kathy, Bill, Kristi and Kerri and their families
Enjoying time with Shell, Korby, the twins and Deb and Donnie this weekend
And the grandkid that comes and give you a kiss just because
Great Doctors taking care of John
Being able to go to work every day knowing I still have a job
Laughter, fun, memories--old and new

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Great Nanny and 8 of the great grandkids....

I NEED........................

2008-11-24T20:55:00.002-05:00

SUNSHINE AND

FUNSHINE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks to one of my favorite nieces..........

2008-11-21T20:33:00.001-05:00

I now have music. Now I just have to remember how to add more. this is fun

Thoughtful Tuesday

2008-11-18T17:52:00.003-05:00

It's cold and dark outside and it's not even 6:00. I know you aren't suppose to wish you life away, but I AM OH SO READY FOR SUNSHINE AND WARMTH!!!! Maybe I should move SOUTH.......well, that would solve the sunshine/warmth part. BUT I would miss my grandkids, and the rest of my family. But you all could come visit on the holidays and the kids could come in the summer.....Now all I have to do is hit the lottery............Bye, going to buy a ticket

In the dark

2008-11-15T23:16:00.004-05:00

We had company tonight for dinner. Had a few "B4 dinner drinks and talked about last year this time we were in Aruba. Had appetizers (Oysters Rockefeller, thank you MaryLou) and a few "With appetizer drinks." Started slicing the Hog Maw and the lights flickered. A few laughs, saying "oh, get the candles ready, if they flicker 3 times, they will go out. " AND they went out.

With a flash light and 2 extra hands, we finished slicing the hog maw and served dinner by candle light with dinner drinks, we ate and laughed. Dinner was very good (thanks Chef-boy-r-Turkey). Ready for dessert, still no lights. Dessert by candle light.
Someone said,"It's hot in here." Mike said jokingly, "Turn on the fan."AND the FREAKIN' lights came on. OMG!!!!!!!!! Mike does magic tricks, so we were like OMG, he did a trick and it worked!!!!!!!!!!
Fun evening
Then Allie& I challenged Mike & John to a game of set back and The Be-auches beat the guys 3 out of 4 games!!!!!!!!!! Look out Los Vegas, here we come.

Walking Sadie

2008-11-11T16:08:00.007-05:00

I have been taken Sadie....no, let me correct that SHE takes me for a walk in the orchard/cornfield. It is so peaceful and quiet walking there. Great way to relieve the "Stress of the day." As soon as I get in the doorfrom work she starts prancing, whining and I can't even talk to John. She will not leave me alone until we head for the back door. She is pushy. HAHA I guess that is her way of MAKING me do it. Which is good. By the time I go to NYC, I should be able to walk all over Manhattan!

I did get some good pictures with the fall colors like these.

One year ago.........

2008-11-11T16:02:00.004-05:00

We were in Aruba. Seems like ages ago

2008-10-30T19:42:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween
Quote the Raven never more

Holden beach

2008-10-24T22:28:00.000-04:00

Not sure if this will work.

Enjoy some of the photos from HB

COLD!!!!!!!!!!

2008-10-20T21:18:00.000-04:00

It was soooo hard NOT to put on my bathing suit and flip flops this morning. I'd been very cold if I had done that.
Vacation was wonderful and sunny and hot. Loved every minute of it. Great fun, good food & drinks shared with the bestest friends

Jazy-jaz is going.......

2008-10-08T19:18:00.000-04:00

to China! She has been accepted as People to People Student Ambassador to go to China in the summer of 2009. I am so excited for her. She will be working hard to raise the money to go. Of course, her greatest NANA will be helping with fundraisers. Got any ideas??

Visit to Shell's

2008-10-06T20:29:00.000-04:00

Jasmine and Kaden

Desi being a model

Peek-A-Boo, Molly

Jordan

Kaden, finally stopped long enough for me to get this picture

What fun it was to visit with the "tribe of 5" over the weekend!! I can't believe how ACTIVE the twins are!! Made me tired. No wonder Shell doesn't get much done.

Jasmine, is going to be 16 in December and is getting an "A" in drivers ed. OH MY!!!!! I can remember the day she was born!!

Jordan is 14 and spent time with Matt on Saturday at a magical physics show at PSU. He seems interested in collage and physics just like his Uncle.

And Desi is growing in leaps and bounds, too. I had fun with just her for a few hours. Of course, like any 7 year old, we had to play school. She ask me if we were having Science class. Boy, I had to think quick on that one. So, we took a"science" walk, she gathered leaves and she took this picture of the sunset.
Really good, huh?
When we went to bed she told me I was her greatest Nana

What a great time I had with them.

Don't know why some the the words are red, green, underlined, etc. I did a spell check and that's what happened.

Can you believe it?

2008-09-29T18:29:00.001-04:00

She will be 16!!!!!!!!!!!

John & John Matt & Matt

2008-09-27T23:05:00.000-04:00

John N & John K grew up together. Boy, if we did today what we did as kids...

apple, peach or walnut fights. We'd be in BIG trouble!!

Our Matt's all grown up at a friends wedding

Alyssia, Mat and Jim

Ms Friendship butterfly

2008-09-24T20:00:00.000-04:00

This morning when I left Sadie out, I just had to check Ms. Friendship and she was still there!!!

I was going to come home at lunch and check but thought no, she will be gone.

As soon as I got home, I checked and sure enough she was gone.

I started back into the house, looked up saw a butterfly coming toward me. I watched and Ms. Friendship landed on the trumpet vine!!! Didn't take my camera out with me. I walked over and she flapped her wings a few times to say "thank you & see you next year"

I was a little sad, but knew she had a long journey ahead.

Remember this little caterpillar?

2008-09-23T19:28:00.000-04:00

Well, tonight when I went out to move the hose reel for John to mow, I saw a Monarch Butterfly. I thought they were all gone. So I looked closer and this is what I saw!!!Yes, that is a NEWLY HATCHED (I guess that's what it's called) MONARCH!!!!!!!!!!!OMG!!!!!!!!!!!! I could not believe my eyes.

She stayed there a long time, then started feeling her way around the edge of the candles.

I could hardly eat supper. I was up looking out the window. Took me forever to clean up after supper, 'cause of the trips in and out.
Matt did have a butterfly habitat when he was a kid and we watched them evolve, but I have never seen anything like this in nature.
Then "Ms Friendship"butterfly opened her wings for me to take this picture. She fell off the candle unto the grass, so I watched got impatient and took one of Sadie's sticks for her to crawl on staggering a little. I was talking to Kathy and she asked if she might be drunk. That is very possible, because you see this all started with a butterfly bush given to me by the Original 5 (minus me) last year. That started my butterfly garden. The caterpillar........the butterfly......
And back to the butterfly bush, carried by me. Full circle
My Friendship Butterfly was still there when I checked right before dark. And was still there at 8:45PM. Well, I had to take Sadie out. LOL

21 days

2008-09-19T19:55:00.000-04:00

Down 95 to Holden Beach we shall go
With luggage and sheets and beverages in tow
First a stop at JR's for some great buys
For the Original Five and our wonderful guys
Then on to Paradise Cafe for their lunch
Do ya think they'll be ready for this bunch?
Then up to Hobb's for the key
And off to our house for all to see
6 bedrooms, 6 baths, a pool and an elevator
And even a hot tub to relax in later
Seven days of sun, fun and great friends
All will be sad when this vacation ends

Written by our Original 5 poet, Kathy

You gotta know when to hold em, know when.......

2008-09-15T20:02:00.000-04:00

fold em, know when to walk away....

And we did. Thelma (that's me) and Louise went to Atlantic City on Saturday (bus trip) and had a great time. We even came home with money.
John gave me a $20 and said put it all in a dollar machine. So I did. Louise gave it a good luck rub. I won a few times and was down to the last $2 bet. Lo and behold...........It hit for $200!!!!!!!!!! That lucky, John :-) Hope I can find that machine again.

Make new friends..........

2008-09-06T22:51:00.000-04:00

but keep the old

one is silver and the other one gold.

We went to a 50th bday party tonight for a guy John golfs with and has known for a long time. I was surprised when I saw a very old, dear but not forgotten friend arrive. Our daughters are the same age.
We reminisced a lot.....

How did we party all night thu the week and still went to work the next day?

Remember playing a game of scrabble in 45 mins with over 700 points (believe me, she was good at that game) while our girls played?

Remember avoiding the cow in the middle of the road?

Remember the late breakfasts at the Parlor House on Saturday mornings?

The lunches at the Stardust and going back to work?

And the baby shower at the Black Horse you gave me?
So many memories, so much fun.

It really makes you think about your life.........who enters, who leaves, who you loose touch with, who you think about but never call. And why........our lives become too busy and we say oh, I will call or email them tomorrow. But we never do.

So, remember all your friends, gold or silver are very precious and take the time to keep in touch.

I know some of you are thinking...........what has she been drinking.....well lots but I really mean everything I have typed and thank God for spell check.

Happy Saturday

What I am reading now

2008-09-05T21:06:00.000-04:00

Can you see me now?

2008-09-04T18:55:00.000-04:00

Kerri couldn't see the caterpillars in the last pictures so here is one FAT one. Hope you can see it!

More butterflies???

2008-08-31T20:07:00.001-04:00

After I finished eating crabs, I washed my hands with the hose and decided to clean out the birdbath while I was at it. I always enjoy looking at my butterfly garden and checking to see if there's anything new. Well, to my surprise..... look what I found!!!!!!!!! I was so excited when Matt said he thought they were monarch caterpillars. I had to look it up on the web and sure enough he was right!!!!!!!!! I don't know too much about them but will be watching them closely.

Enjoying crabs

2008-08-31T19:54:00.000-04:00

Got hard shells from Tim today. Boy, were they good!!!!!!!!! Matt and John are really enjoying them. I did too, but someone had to take the pictures.

Mini Vacation

2008-08-26T20:51:00.000-04:00

Lisa, Joyce and I went to Delaware to visit Karen. We went to Rehobeth Beach on Friday, just to "stick our feet" in the ocean. Never turn your back on a wave. It will get ya! And we saw.....
Dolphins!!!!!!! I know, you have to look very close, but they are there
Lisa's new love
We had dinner at JPs on the wharf on Friday night. There is a blue heron behind the boat sitting on a board.
Look at the size of this guy!!!!!! North Carolina crab.

2008-08-25T16:08:00.000-04:00

Well, here I am. Hope to keep up with this.