Things That Go Bump

I always had a fascination with old cemeteries. As a young girl, my BF Nancy and I used to ride bikes around historic Mounds Cemetery in our hometown of Racine, Wisconsin in search of ancient grave stones. The old cemetery was riddled with imposing family mausoleums. We would dare each other to walk up to the doorway of the spooky tombs and peer inside at the neat rows of crypts. At sleepovers we would play Ouija by candlelight and invoke the spirits to spell the name of our future husbands and reveal the number of children we would have someday. I believed the Ouija was real! Nancy and I also believed in reincarnation, ghosts, and all things creepy that went bump in the night. The mysteries of the unknown seemed larger-than-life. What ever happened to the Ouija Board anyway? I still have a fascination with cemeteries... so long as I'm a visitor and not a resident.

A Perfect Day

This post is a bit out of sequence. I didn't know if I would get my photos in order and ready to post...so bear with me that this day took place two days before Easter. Good Friday is a company holiday for me. Being in the medical device industry, our office closes only for major holidays (such as Christmas Day, Thanksgiving, etc.). Good Friday is not considered a major holiday and I have often worked with a small skeleton crew. I nearly worked this Good Friday but two managers chose to be in the office, so my plans changed. I had the day off -- whoopee! My darling daughter took off from work to spend the day with me. WHOOPEE! And even better, her wonderful husband volunteered to spend the evening alone with the boys so Jamie and I could have a sleep over (thank you, THANK YOU Jason!). This was a BIG deal for us! We rarely get this much time alone...and we made the best of it beginning with an adult breakfast (i.e. no kids, no McDonalds). A leisurely meal with adult conversation. Ahhhhhh! It was a stunningly spectacular day. Temps were in the mid 70's, skies were bright blue and mostly clear, and the air was sweetened with the promise of spring. Jamie and I hiked through Line Creek Nature Preserve where we spent a few hours photographing nearly everything in site. Just the day before I had received a new Nikon micro lens that I was simply dying with anticipation to try out on my beloved Nikon D200 (I ought to mention that I have an amazingly generous husband that fulfills my latent camera fetish). If you care to be bored to tears, click here for a slide show of our nature hike. Afterward, the day got even better. We went (prepare yourself) to a theater to see a first run movie. We even splurged on popcorn! This may have been the first time Jamie has been to a movie theater since she was pregnant with Jameson (nearly 2 years ago). We were positively giddy at playing grownup together! We settled down after the movie to meet Jason and the boys for dinner...then it was ta-ta-see-you-tomorrow. What a marvelous time we had together. After 31 years, I am still crazy over my little girl. She and Pete are my best friends! This was a perfect day!

Easter Egg Hunt

All families have their traditions. With the addition of grandchildren, our family traditions take center stage. Now that Ayden is getting older, he was all about Easter and hunting for eggs filled with treasures. Little brother Jameson either tagged along for fun or pretended to drive Bumpa's golf cart. Don't you know boys love all things mechanical. While I placed eggs around the yard for the boys to find, Pete put the finishing touches on his bunny basket clues for the adult treasure seekers. You see, our tradition is to place clues in eggs, one leading to the next, until the grand finale of locating the hidden bunny baskets. Pete was in rare form this year with almost 5 typed pages of clues. And let me tell you, they were difficult! Jamie and Jason quickly became a team which sped the process considerably. In a little over an hour, they had located their booty. Rising to the challenge, Pete's clues will be even more difficult next year. But they have a secret weapon. Ayden will be older and wiser. He's onto you, Bumpa! Click here for a slideshow of the Rector Treasure Hunt. Be the egg...be the egg...

Egg-Static!

With Easter only one week away, we were invited to the Payne's to color eggs. It was fun to watch Ayden and Jameson as they waited (not so patiently) for their eggs to change color. I applaud Jamie for keeping to holiday traditions. I know it isn't always easy, but one look at Jameson and Ayden's faces proves it's worth. They had so much fun!

Transformation Complete

I couldn't be more pleased! Mike's artistic transformation from bare walls to a work of art is complete. Our pool house is a tropical oasis -- calm, relaxing, and reminiscent of our sailing days. Pete and I will enjoy many days in the peace and tranquility of our Caribbean getaway. Thank you, Mike and Denise!

[Before...]

[After...]

[Above] The plaque is a Christmas gift from Pete; it is my all-time favorite quote

Tropical Outpost

Today is Day #3 of the amazing transformation from blank walls to a work of art. Mike's talent was showcased in our previous house too. His artisit expression began in the "garden room" by painting birdhouses, butterflies, and various colorful garden creatures. Following that, he painted an ocean scene in our bedroom, then Margaritaville beach scenes in our poolhouse. Do you see a common theme here? Obviously Pete and I have a love of sailing, beaches, and everything water. Below are a few more photos of the work in progress... click here for a slideshow.

[Above] The boat name (shown in small print at the port stern -- for you landlubbers, the back left corner), is Bristol Creme. This was the name of our sailboat that we bought in Wisconsin and sailed on Lake Michigan.

[Above] Petit St. Vincent in the Tobago Keys of The Grenadines -- a small island Pete and I sailed past on our way from St. Lucia to Grenada

Ready To Sail...

...even if the farthest we get is our own back yard.

With the pool house construction over, the fun begins. Denise, Susie, and Mike have all put their fingerprints on the interior decorating. New cushions for the wicker furniture are nearly finished...Susie is busy making window treatments...and Mike has been turning blank walls into a work of art. Here are a few sneak peek photos until I create a Flickr slideshow. Stay tuned for more.

This Man

How is it possible that nineteen years can pass in the blink of an eye? Pete and I celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary on March 3rd. I look at this man I married and can't imagine a day without him in my life. He is my knight in shining armor. There is no one like him. Pete is totally unselfish and puts everyone's needs ahead of his own. He is generous to a fault, and his feelings are easily bruised (although he tries hard not to let it show). With his quick dry humor, he can make me laugh until I cry (especially when he does his laughing chicken impression). Flipping 180 degrees, no one else can make my Cherokee temper flare quicker. But I can't stay angry for long. He always finds a way to break through my stubborn silence. He is my best friend.. my soulmate...forever linked together. Don't blink...

Turned on the evening news
Saw an old man being interviewed
Turning a hundred and two today
Asked him what's the secret to life
He looked up from his old pipe
Laughed and said "All I can say is ."

Don't Blink
Just like that you're six years old and you take a nap and you
Wake up and you're twenty-five and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife
Don't blink

You just might miss your babies growing like mine did
Turning into moms and dads next thing you know your "better half"
Of fifty years is there in bed
And you're praying God takes you instead
Trust me friend a hundred years goes faster than you think
So don't Blink

I was glued to my TV when it looked like he looked at me and said
"Best start putting first things first."
Cause when your hour glass runs out of sand
You can't flip it over and start again
Take every breath God gives you for what it's worth

Don't Blink
Just like that you're six years old and you take a nap and you
Wake up and you're twenty-five and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife
Don't blink

You just might miss your babies growing like mine did
Turning into moms and dads next thing you know your "better half"
Of fifty years is there in bed
And you're praying God takes you instead
Trust me friend a hundred years goes faster than you think
So don't blink

So I've been tryin' ta slow it down
I've been tryin' to take it in
In this here today, gone tomorrow world we're livin' in

Don't Blink
Just like that you're six years old and you take a nap and you
Wake up and you're twenty-five and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife
Don't Blink
You just might miss your babies growing like mine did
Turning into moms and dads next thing you know your "better half"
Of fifty years is there in bed
And you're praying God takes you instead
Trust me friend a hundred years go faster than you think

So Don't Blink
No, don't blink
Life goes faster than you think!
So don't Blink

Kenney Chesney

Birthday Girl

Jamie's birthday happened to fall on the day of our Scrap Club. We're grateful that she gave up her special day to hang out with the Golden Girls. What a trooper! She even made lunch for us -- homemade lasagna. Yum! Pam, our resident baker, made delicious petifors and beautiful birthday cake. We always have a good time together. Scrap Club meets the first Sunday of every month. The next time we meet we are celebrating Easter by wearing festive Easter hats and having a tea. Yeah, we girls know how to live on the edge!

Ayden's Driving Lesson

Ayden LOVES the go-cart (a/k/a golf cart). He drives like a drunken sailor! He had a little help from his Bumpa.

Scrap Club Field Trip

In spite of 2/5ths of the Scrap Club members being sick, and 1/5th in Mississippi on a trip with other friends (how could she choose gambling over us??) , our field trip was sooooooo much fun! A little cough and a one-hour drive wasn't going to keep Pam and me from going to a scrapbook store. And not just any scrapbook store...Archiver's. Say it all together now... oooooo... awwwww. We bow to the Queen of All Scrapbook Stores. When are we going again??

Grown Boys and Their Toys

You've heard the expression, "The man with the most toys WINS!" Our new community has a paved path that winds around behind the homes and links Phases I and II with Phase III. I believe Pete was enticed to move to Annelise Park because he would then have an argument to purchase a golf cart. It couldn't be any golf cart, of course. We had to have LOTS of room for granchildren. Pete's new toy has three seats and can cruise up to 30 mph. Ayden fell in LOVE the first time he laid eyes on Bumpa's go-cart. His place is in front next to Bumpa so he can drive. Bumpa's new toy has made quite a hit with the boys. He even lets me drive once in a while.

I Can't Resist...

...another cute 1st birthday photo of the birthday girl. We love you, Jamie!!!!

Grown Up Toys For Big Girls

You may have read in an earlier post that we (Jamie, Judy, Chere and I) are taking photography classes in Connecticut this coming fall. And, you may have read Jamie's blog where she talks about her dream job -- professional photographer. Jamie's photographic skills behind the camera have grown greatly over the past couple years. I believe scrapping has had a lot to do with it. She has a keen eye for photographing people, particularly her children. You can't love scrapping as a hobby without loving photography. The two go naturally together.

I struggled with Jamie's birthday gift this year. Not that there aren't dozens of gifts she would love or need, but I wanted to choose something that was uniquely Jamie. Only one gift would do. I am deeply disappointed that her gift didn't arrive in time for her birthday, tomorrow. It shipped Friday and will arrive in 4-6 days. It wouldn't be a birthday celebration without presents. So here's a sneak peek of your gift, Jamie. [Here's where I modified this post on the morning of your birthday. In case you want to wait for your gift to arrive, here's your chance. You can try guessing the clue below or click here to see your gift. The choice is yours] Happy birthday with all our love...