Happy Birthday Gracie! Wow Five!

Little Gracie...where has the time gone! I haven't seen you except in pictures since this picture was taken.....we must get together soon. Maybe I will get to see you a Sara's wedding, I hope so because I need a hug from you.

Happy Belated Birthday Michele!

Happy Birthday Michele! Hope you had a wonderful day.....sorry I am late with this but with you cruising and all I hope you will accept my apologies. Hope this finds you and your family well and preparing for a wonderful Holiday Season. Love Aunt Deb

Happy Birthday Michelle!

My sister has me on a project of scanning old photos so she can have the originals.....I have decided that I am going to post an old photo of our family members on their birthdays! Lucky Michelle she is the first. Michele in Denver you are next....bet you can't wait to see what I come up with.

I want to take this time to thank my niece Michelle for getting me started with posting. I love this way of sharing information about the "haps" in our lives. I hope you Michelle have a wonderful birthday, take some time for yourself that day. What has saved me over the years are bubble baths, with a candle or two burning and a warming beverage of choice, mine just happens to be a glass of wine. Soak and think about all the blessings in your life that are on the other side of the door, usually saying...Mom are you done yet? Make it a practice not to answer them.....there should be another adult on the other side that can tend to them while you basked in your private time. Then say a prayer to God thanking him for your special day and the special people in your life.

Yes, Cathy I am working on the project....can't wait until your birthday.....remember the striped long john pajamas! Until next week.......Aunt Deb

"Glorius Fall!" September 2007

How did I let September fly by? We had another family member Mary Jean Tarlteon from Joe's side of the family pass on. This is the family we purchased the McCall cabin from. We made a trip to Seattle for our good friend Jerry's BIG 60! I was able to attend the BSU/Huskies game and even though my team lost I couldn't help but be impressed by the kind people of Seattle and their empathy for our loss, but elation for their win that they very much needed for team inspiration. It is good that I don't take sports too seriously. But speaking of sports....how about those Rockies! Go team Go...another team that deserves a break! I love Seattle and we had such a good time there.

We got to McCall twice in September and this last week-end saw our first snow. James and Elise were able to enjoy the cabin also once in September. They were more energetic than Joe and I and they carried the canoe and kayaks to the lake.....strong kids. Elise is back at BSU, and Mac is starting her junior year at BU. She is in an on campus apartment this year and finding out that quite a few household items are needed to run the house smoothly, thus some online shopping. James is still working at The Pie and enjoying his pup Miles. I was able to get to the outdoor Shakespeare Theatre and saw the Little Shop of Horrors. Great performance, good music but don't think I will buy a Venus Fly Trap anytime soon. Read a wonderful book that Mac gave me for my birthday called the namesake. Wonderful book on relationships and what a name really means to us.

Review
Ashima and Ashoke Ganguli are recent immigrants to Boston from India in 1968 when they give birth to their first child, a son. Their son ends up with the pet name of Gogul, when his "good name" never arrives from India. Gogul despises his name and grows up as American as he can while his parents cling to their Bengali past while living what appears to be a typical American suburban lifestyle. Jhumpa Lahiri (winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Interpreter of Maladies) has written a novel about immigrant lives, families, and bonds that can never be broken. The Namesake has received high praise from most reviewers. Michiko Kakutani begins her review for the New York Times, "Jhumpa Lahiri's quietly dazzling new novel, The Namesake, is that rare thing: an intimate, closely observed family portrait that effortlessly and discreetly unfolds to disclose a capacious social vision."

No recent pics of the kids....since we are "Empty Nester's" but will leave you with some new members of our McCall family!

Wild and Crazy August

Where do I begin......this has been such a busy month! Joe had a grueling trial on a child custody case which kept us all on edge for the first week of August. Then Marian and her daughter Jenny came to visit and look at our rental for Marian's possible retirement home....could be doable with a lot of work, time will tell. After looking at the rental it was off to McCall with lots of good food, laughs, kayaking and canoeing. Two days after they left to return to Washington our good friends from our earlier days of child rearing arrived from Washington and we returned to McCall with them. Poor Mike took a bite from the dog and a accidental dumping in the river by Joe, but regardless of those things we had a wonderful time with them. Sad to see them leave and called my friend Shannon on Monday and asked her if she "missed me" a saying Mackie hears often from a three year old on her Nanny Duty! James and Elise returned from SF after a great trip overall. They said Annie is a wonderful host to stay with in SF if anyone is interested! Mac continued to take Chicago by storm, concerts, Taste of Chicago, second Critical Mass, and whatever. Mac is now dating a young man from RI by the name of Rob Pecchia. He is a senior at BU and will be studying in Equador this semester, I am sure she will miss him. Mac made the journey back to Boston today safely and is tucked away in a dorm for three days until she can get in her apartment on Saturday. She starts her FYSOP volunteer tomorrow at 8 helping orient freshman's and their parents to campus life. She is a Junior this year. Thank you Uncle Dan for helping Mac and Sophie get their bikes to Boston....You are great! Until September......

July 2007

The family continues to thrive. James and Elise are about to embark on a trip to San Francisco. Mac is still in Chicago, has secured a part time job at a coffee shop, rode her bike in the Critical Mass and is keeping up on her reading and movie skills this summer. We miss both the kids being home, but really do enjoy the empty nest syndrome. It is not like we aren't busy. Between company(dear friend Marian came for my recovery), jobs, friends, neighbors, plus frequent trips to McCall we are seldom languishing around the ol place. Beside we still have Bubba and Bailee to keep us active.

We had a sad event in our family this month...our Uncle Doug passed on. This picture of him was my last picture on Memorial Day. Mom and I still think of him almost daily. There are certain things that we will be doing that brings him back to our memories. He led a good life and he is with "his sweet Micheko" now. Until August.......Oh well meant to post this in July but oh so busy.....August has been even busier!

Kodak Moment with our Kids!

James

helping his sister make a pizza!