Isn't he just the cutest little kid! My Bro'

Just Makes Me Smile!

Seeing pictures of Christmas past,
baby pictures of
my brother
Always, always smiling.


Whether the snow was waist deep
or barely covering the frozen grass,
that's where you'd find us! Usually
posing for another Christmas card
photo!

Home on leave...so it's CHRISTMAS NOW!

This is the Iraq-"ey" soldier. (Isn't he handsome!)....sigh....
...right, where was I. Oh, yes...

This is handsome Iraq-"ey" soldier's proud Mom.

This handsome Iraq-"ey" soldier proud Grandfather and his brother.

Handsome Iraq-"ey" soldier will be going back to Iraq soon. Too soon.

Just in case anyone has forgotten...
It is men and women; just like handsome Iraq-"ey" soldier that is our real American hero, standing for our
truth, our values, our strength....
that we all get to celebrate the reason for the season of Christmas. In English, in freedom, to celebrate our Holiday...in peace ...with pride...in this Nation ..." under God with liberty and justice for all".

It looks good on "paper" and it sounds good to hear it. But to actually walk around in combat boots, living that dream. Our dream. Protecting that justice. I just thought, maybe we all need to remember this familiar face of freedom. As he puts into practice what we sometimes take for granted. Not so much, will this handsome Iraq-ey soldier's family ever take for granted, remaining proud, remaining strong ever more.

Family

And...the Iraq-"ey" Soldier's loving, wonderful and proud family!

Happy {belated} Thanksgiving!

Is there a "Happy post-black Friday Thanksgiving? After all, tonight was our first night of left-over turkey dinner! Thursday was a work day for me, so we had our dinner yesterday, black Friday. It was just the three of us, Mom, my husband and myself. Sigh...it's hard not to be a bit sad remembering all of my N.E. Thanksgivings both as a child and as an adult! Although, the cats acted like wild Indians, running around and up and down the stairs, and the neighbor's dog came over and barked at the outside kitties as they polished off the turkey dripping from our big roasting pan. {scarred the beep-beep out of me!}
Another big ...sigh! Like the two pictured here; it's just them, but dinner was good. Mom had her squash pie {ick!}, and now... I get my fave...turkey sandwiches!!!

have a wonderful thanksgiving


"gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. it turns what we have into enough, and more. it turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. it can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."
-melody beattie

"Meet the Heroes" A Veteren's Day Salute

Last week, Dean's Granddaughter along with her 4th grade class put on a Veteran's Day
program. They were joined by the kindergarten class for most of the choral songs such
as "Anchors Aweigh", "Wild Blue Yonder " (and one that always "gets me") the "Marines Hymn"




Tributes were made to several American heroes such as Ben Franklin, Thomas Edison, Harriet Tubman and (my fav) Clara Barton!





They all did a super good job! We were all proud of these kids. Especially (shhh...best one of all) Dean's Granddaughter!