Busy Weekend!!

Wow, what a great weekend!! First on Friday, Bridget, Cayden, Sarah, Molly and I went to Beckie's classroom for a visit!! It was so fun to see Mrs Walton in action with her little class of third graders! They were equally as excited to see Mrs. Walton's mom, sister, nephew and her little girls!! We played some games and just had a really nice time in room 108!!



We stayed for lunch and had a picnic in Beckie's class while her students were at lunch!! So Fun!






On Saturday, September 27, 2008 Sarah Wang married Peter Lazard. The ceremony and reception took place in Deb and Jim's beautiful backyard. What a fairytale wedding it was!! The sun started to peek out from the clouds abut 15 minutes before the start of the ceremony. Sarah and Pete planned a very special service. Jim and Debbie should be so proud of the day they gave to this sweet couple.






The bride wore a vintage dress and her mothers veil. I did ask the bride if she thought about the woman who wore the dress before, if she somehow felt her presence. Sarah said she didn't but was going to take some time to think and wonder on that exact thought. How did she feel? Was she as happy as this little bride on this day in 2008? Did her father beam like Jim did as he proudly walked his baby daughter over the rose petal covered grass towards her future husband? Were there as many family members and friends to witness that bride's joy on her wedding day? I hope that bride of the past did feel as beautiful and loved as Sarah did on her special day.





And to that brides BEAUTIFUL MOTHER, I say this...what a lucky girl Sarah is to have such a loving and caring mom. Debbie has the gift to turn the simplest things into things of beauty. From the table settings to the flowers, from the smile of a welcome to the hug of a goodbye, this woman does it all while showing everyone how much she loves them! Debbie Wang gives so much of herself to others and she does it willingly, lovingly and completely. I love her. I know I am thankful for her and I hope others realize the gift she is to all of us. Thanks Debbie, Thanks Jim, Thanks Sarah and Peter...It was a fabulous day!

A visit to Amish Country!

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Amish...There is something so calming about these people. Life just seems to move at a different pace for them...I could not last for more than one day out in the country!! We went to gift shop after gift shop, made some purchases and ATE some purchases! (Click on pictures to enlarge--then back arrow)




Carole drove like a champ, she took shortcuts she never took before and helped us hit all the best shops! Roxi was co-pilot anchor woman...not a role she is known to be good at...BUT she did a fabulous job finding street signs along the way!! Marlene worried endlessly about the "poor little horses...how sad, how lonely, how pathetic to be tied up, how they couldn't see with the blinders on their eyes, how they couldn't sit down"...WHAT??? Oh Mar...we love you but Focus...really Focus!!



Oh but my favorite part...the Alpaca farm we stopped at on the way home!! Aren't they just adorable?? You can purchase one of these sweet babies...well 2 since they only sell in pairs for a mere $30,000!!! How marvelous! They were very interested in my camera... I think he is thinking...What are you looking ???

One side note...Amish country was not for Dave...best to leave him home next time! Thanks friends for asking us to go...I had a great time!

Little Cayden is growing so fast. He smiles big for his Mommy and Daddy, he coos for them, trying to tell them something so important. He is just adorable. Sarah and Molly love it when he comes over to play at Meme's with them. We all just want to hold him all day long!! Just edible!! I am off to Amish Country tomorrow so Aunt Dodie will be babysitting here with all the kids!! Have a great Wednesday!!

Tegan...

Some days I just miss that boy of mine. This picture was taken the morning he left for Grand Junction. I cannot believe it has been nearly 9 months since then. Tegan is loving being out west. He loves the four-wheeling, biking, hiking, and snowboarding. I worried constantly the first few months. I felt so much better after driving the uhaul out to Colorado and seeing for myself where he lived and worked, even though it seemed so final, taking all his "stuff" to him! Tegan was settled and happy. Now I am enjoying seeing...at least hearing...all the changes my son is going through. I know, he knows, we are here for him no matter what and we are just a phone call away if he needs us. Tegan has always been one to march to his own drum beat and he has sure found a good rhythm in Colorado! I can't wait to visit again and meet his girlfriend Kelley. Kelley seems like a really good match for Tegan and they have been having a great time being together!! Cheers to Tegan!!

What a Beautiful Day!

It's Saturday morning and the sun is shining! Who could ask for anything more? Today Nate and Amber get married and I am sure they are counting this beautiful day as one of their blessings! Nate works for Dave and is just the sweetest guy ever! I am excited to be part of their happy day!

Yesterday, Sarah and Molly had their first day at the new babysitters house. Joyce will be watching Molly on Tuesdays so that I can do Music In Motion at school. Sarah and Molly will both go Fridays just to give Sarah a chance to get to know Joyce since she will be our backup when I have to travel or whatnot! She is very nice and I am sure the girls will grow to love her.

Cayden had his checkup at Dr Ballocks and things are GREAT!! Still in his brace for 2 months at 23 hours a day...then possibly just at night! Townsend Cayden doesn't mind them a bit now that his heel cords have healed. He is just the sweetest guy too!!

Beckie is very busy planning a fundraiser for October 11. It will be a carnival like theme with games and prizes!! Tickets will be sold for each game!! Thank you to all my friends who have already donated to her run. Beckie is so busy training but I know she will be ready because she is so dedicated that way. When she sets her mind to something--that girl gets it done!!http://pages.teamintraining.org/noh/pfchangs09/bwalton Check it out!!

Have a beautiful day everyone!!!

Little Moms!

Are these the last days of
summer? We are enjoying
being outside, walking our
babies, and soaking
in some sunshine!!

Sarah, such a good little mommy!

Molly concentrating hard not to lose her baby!

They call him Papa...

I grew up not having a grandpa. I never knew what I was missing till now... When I married Dave, I knew he would be a good husband. When I had my babies, I knew he would be a good father. When my babies had babies, I found out what a good "Papa" he is. I love to watch him with the babies. He shows them such love and affection. They love to spend time with him. Watch and see... Thanks Dave, You Are The Best Papa!!

Monday...

Oh its Monday again...The weekend flew by...we saw Toby Keith in concert and had a Bun-jamma party too!! Beckie was babysitting for Cayden overnight so she and the girls decided to sleep here!! The power went out at our house at about 7pm on Sunday. No Browns game, No Big Brother. I used my handy book light and now I am almost finished with my book!! Power came on this morning in time to get breakfast for the girls and get Sarah off to school. Lesjak Planning Corp has their annual golf outing today... pray for sun! And so it begins again...another week. Make it a good one everybody!! It will be Friday before we know it!

Loved This...

For all too often I think mothers--women in general, really--tend to forget their great worth. We become discouraged or guilt-ridden or just plain exhausted and don't realize that what we do every day has enormous impact and implication. We get caught up in judging one another or taking sides and forget that the work of mothers is God's work--and because it is his work, he will help us and lift us up and make us stronger. "~Jane Clayson Johnson

For my daughters...always remember your great worth. Its easy to do-just look into your childrens eyes. Beckie and Bridget- I love you both very much and I am so proud of the mothers you have become.

50...

So I am 50 now!! What does this mean? Well I just thought I would let you in on a couple of things I think go along with this fact in my life. Being 50 means you can say what ever, to who ever, WHEN EVER!! I find that liberating...but have not yet taken myself up on this...(I have just reread this sentence aloud and Sarah has filled in the last word for me) HILL!! So funny. Sorry... up on this task. Yes -that's the word. I will continue to watch for the opportunity to do this task so be warned...I just might go off on You! I might call you for lunch one day- so be warned!! Kidding!! I do not have this in me. To confront someone would just about kill me. I am a peacemaker. Being 50 means...changing the font and format of my blog so that my friends, and myself, can read it more comfortably! Ha large print... you have to love it!!!

Little Darlings...Asleep or Awake

Sleeping Beauty...Molly Carolyn

Age 14 months

Sleeping Beauty...Sarah Rose

Age 3

Girlfriends!

I must say...I have some of the best girlfriends EVER! How lucky we all are to have each other. Every Wednesday we try and meet together for dinner. We go "out to dinner", of course!! The group might change week after week, some girls are busier than others on certain Wednesdays, but we try and stay committed!! The conversations go on all around the table...we are rather loud sometimes since there are usually 6 to 8 or more there. We talk about our kids, our grand kids, our jobs, our husbands, our aches and pains and tonight we even talked about politics!! We are all in agreement about Sarah Palin...love her...and that was when my friend Patty got serious with me. It is interesting to me to hear what someone else sees in me, when I cannot see this myself. It is the second time someone has said these things to me in the last couple of weeks. I have been told what a strong, outgoing, "leader' type person they think I am...I just do not see this at all!! I have always considered myself a story teller...I relate stories I know or heard...I often feel I do not initiate new ones though. A behind the scenes kind of person...content, happy, easygoing and kind. Yes, I like all those words! They say...Me. I wonder could I be a take charge type of person, yet, friends say I am that type. I know a few things about myself....

.I know if one of my friends needed me, I would be there.
.I know I can talk to a room full of children...Easily
.I know if I had to talk to a room of adults, I would be nervous
.I know I am funny...YES I AM!
.I know I love my husband and children
.I know I love my grandbabies...who doesn't know that about me!

There is one thing I would want my family and friends to know...If something happened to me tomorrow and I didn't get the chance to tell them... I love you all!

To those Wednesday girls- You are priceless to me and I think all of YOU are my "leaders"...so keep leading the way cuz I want to keep following you, everyone of you, because I love you all.

Yesterday...

Check out Cayden's beautiful smile!! This is one happy 8 week old baby boy!! Thanks to all my good friends who went to visit Cayden at home last night! We did miss our YaYa though, since she was busy with wedding plans for Sarah! Thanks Cyle and Bridget for having us over! The girls just love your nursery and your baby boy Cayden!

Sarah spent some time playing with her little birdie outside! She actually found a real nest on the ground and wasted no time "moving" her little bird into his new house!!

First Day of School!!

Today was Sarah's first day back at Best Beginnings. It was with mixed emotions that I went in today to help in the 4 year old class since they have 3 new teachers!! They did a fine job and will have all things mastered in no time at all!! Sarah is in the Sunshine room (3 year old) and she was so happy to see the new circus tent Miss Gail purchased for her classroom. Sarah made many new friends and was so happy to be back!!

My Girls!

I am loving watching my girls every day. Beckie started teaching at St Ignatius Elementary School last week. The girls get to my house by 6:45 am and we snuggle in for some word world on the tv. The days go by so fast! It is nice that we can play outside together. We love to swim, swing, and jump on the neighbors trampoline! Molly loves to push her baby in the stroller and Sarah is enjoying riding in her little play car. They love seeing Papa in the morning too! I am lucky to get to spend this time with them. It won't be long before Dave says "Let's go" and we will be off to Costa Rica and retirement...so I am cherishing every minute with My Girls!!

Canada...eh?

We went to Northern Canada to visit our new friends, Jim and Nikki. It was so beautiful. We stayed in a cabin with Rick, Roxi, Carole and Bob. What a blast...we had good fun, good history lessons (thank you Carole), good wine and lots of laughs. It really is so nice to get away with friends! Jim and Nikki hosted a party for their "American Friends" that featured the largest lobsters I have ever seen and of course the Turtle Jack Girls!! We met many of their friends and had just a really good time. We introduced those Canadians to "Corn Hole", which they had never heard of before!! They loved it!! Next trip...Amish country!!

Remembering...

This morning I woke with thoughts of Gertie. I do think about her a lot, especially since I became a "meme". My kids adored her...their grammie Gert! Gert would so have enjoyed being "GG"-great grammie-to Sarah, Molly and Cayden. Sarah and Molly know all about her. Beckie has done a great job sharing her stories with the girls so GG could be part of their lives. The girls dance on sewer caps every chance they get since Beckie did this with grammie when she was a little girl. Sarah told her mommy the other day that she saw "GG...just sitting there...just smiling to me!" I hope she did, I hope she feels her love even though she is not with us. I remember meeting Gert for the first time and thinking how lucky Dave was to have this woman for his mother. She inspired me for the start and was always so sweet and good to me. I know I have learned alot about being a grammie from her. I watched as she loved all my children unconditionally. I remember thinking that it was such a wonderful feeling to come into a room, watch her greet my babies and know she felt as much love for them as I did. Before she died, she did get to hold Sarah ROSE and I know that meant so much to Beckie. I know Cayden will also get to know-through stories-about his wonderful GG! He already does plenty of "flirting with the angels" and we are sure it is GG he flirts with!! (just another thing Gertie taught us about!) I miss you grammie Gert...and so do my little gems.

Busy Day!

You Scream, I Scream...We all Scream for ICE CREAM!!!
Today we went to the doctor with Bridget and Cayden. It was an adventure since we took Molly and Sarah along as well. The girls were so well behaved! We hit another snag at the doctors and had to wait another hour or so for the brace and shoes for Cayden so...We all went to lunch at Applebees. We had a nice lunch together then headed back to the cleveland clinic! Cayden got his new brace and shoes...he is so sweet. Sarah and Molly just love their little cousin so much. Let's hope Cayden lets mommy and daddy get some rest tonight!!! Oh my Goodness...I love these babies!!