Punkin It's Black and White Wednesday

Do you remember these?

The pumpkins...not the little girl...I am sure you remember her.  She is the subject of most of my photography. This is mostly because my older children are getting bored with me always "snapping" while I say "wait...I'm not done...one more".

This is the picture my cousin Anne took the weekend of "the funeral".

Remember I told you my other cousin Jen filled my parents house with pumpkins and mums that weekend?  

I think Jen bought 17 small pumpkins and 5 large pumpkins that weekend. I remember she told me she bought that many because of  symbolism....One large pumpkin to represent each of my parent's children and one small pumpkin to represent the grandchildren. 

I can't remember how many mums she bought that day or even what the significance of the mums were but I know we she bought a load of mums ......maybe it will come back to me one day.

I do remember, I didn't want to go with her to the store but she insisted. She convinced me she would be dreadfully lost if I didn't go and she would never find her way back.  

Which was not true...She had a GPS and she lived in the area for years before she moved to California.

I figured out on the way home that day she would have been fine. I was the one who was in danger of being dreadfully lost ...and thankfully she was wise enough to see it.  

Jen filled the house with colors of happiness with warm browns, bright oranges and beautiful yellows.... pumpkins, candles and mums in every room. The house looked beautiful that weekend. Just the way our mother and father loved it. 

Back to the reason for the question.....Do you remember these?

Well?

When it was time to get rid of all those pumpkins our mother didn't quite know what to do with them: 

 So these guys

Matthew and Stephen

 took these guys

Brian and Alex

with hammers in hand, along with all the pumpkins out into the field by the compost pile.

AND

They smashed them! 

They had a ball!  hitting them, smashing them, throwing them and watching them explode.   

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Then the bees came.

and the compost pile started to flower.

and you know what happened next...

Look Jen!!!

We're growen punkins BABY!!!

Stevie Wonder

Well, it has been awhile since I last sat down to post. Let's just say I had to take "a little bloggy break".  I think it was Father's day that had me all in knots. There were so many things I thought of posting and then I just couldn't.

You know it has been hard moving on...but we are doing it. We are doing it with his spirit always by our side.

However, those thoughts are still on hold and that is not what I came to talk about with you today:  

Over the past 15 years I have been privileged enough to live with a boy I call my son, Stephen. Stephen is a giver. He is worker. He is a doer. He is smart. He is gentle. He is kind.

Stephen is always fixing things.  

He is always helping, always pleasing.

It has always been the same, since the time Stephen was a just a little guy he would jump right in there and work... side by side anyone who would allow him too.

Grandpa and Stephen working on the pool pump... June 1997

With his green sippy cup tossed to the side, even at two years old, Stephen has always been eager to learn, to study, to help.

With his greatest teacher by his side......He learned.

He studied...He helped.

Now it seems he has the patients that has been past on to him from his teacher. While his little sister takes any opportunity to sit by his side Stephen patiently allows her to help...and he teaches, he waits, he helps, and then like he was taught... he does.

If "it" is broken Stephen will fix it. If you need help Stephen sees it.  Somehow, he just  knows. Standing over 6 feet 4 and still growing, this son of my mine, with the heart of a lion is truly a wonder.

May he never change.

Shhhhhh....Wordful Wednesday

She works hard.

She plays hard.

She sleeps hard.

Shhhhhhhhhh...

For More Wordful Wednesdays link up at Seven Clown Circus. 

As Time Goes By

It's May already.

It is almost June It is June already

Oh! My Gosh! It is June 11th already and I haven't even finished telling you all about April.

I am always amazed how quickly the time just goes by.

With each passing month I wonder...Should I write about the things that happened months ago? Should I change the name of this blog to "Just Trying to Keep Up" or should I just keep looking forward and only post about what happened today?

Sometimes I just can't help but to look back. Even though, where we are going is good....Where we have been has been great.

I want to share all those things with you and I really want to remember what happened in April. It was a nice month and then of course it went into May and then June with more celebrations and birthdays to come and time just goes by.

April brought another trip to the Biltmore.

This time there were no kids. Just Me, Mom, Karen and Karen's Dearest Friend Pam.....Who is turning out to be on of those family friends we all consider to be family. She has been with Karen through thick and thin and now we just don't remember the time she wasn't there.

The Flowers were just beautiful in the gardens that day. As we talked about what this was or that, we meet Steve the gardener. He gave us clippings and told us how to transplant them.

And then.....

We picked up a few things along the way......

Oh! Geee! Did I say that out loud?

That day, as time went by, we strolled through the grounds of the Biltmore, we laughed, we talked, we ate and we just had a very nice day.

Aunt Ann came down with two of her daughters and granddaughter Mary Kate. There was more talking, songs were shared and the sisters laughed until they cried.

And time.... just went by.

We celebrated Auntie and Jim's wedding again. The timing just seemed right.

Matthew took a childhood friend to her Prom and you know.....I don't have one picture to mark the occasion.

Some how my camera disappeared.

Ya!

Makes me sad too.

That same weekend, my boys finished another successful year of debate.......and again no pictures.

...Sigh...

Mary Elizabeth's "bestest dearest friend" ((as she says)) came to play...or was that in May? 

Time goes by so quickly it is hard to remember.

                                                            

Alexander won big! He was the tennis champion in his league.

And to think.......Time moves so quickly this bit of news almost slipped right by.

Matthew had his 18th birthday, and I wonder: "How did 18 years come and go so fast?" 

After picking him up from Anatomy Class we went to his favorite restaurant with Nana, James and all the family.

We sang the "Happy Birthday" song in Espanol

passed around  "the hat".

And the time just went by.

There were bike races that night in down town Spartanburg and the streets were filled with excitement.

 Mark hurried to catch up with James and our towering two ...To tell them "Be smart, stay together and we would see them in an hour or two."

That night, as we listened to Jazz bands play in the streets we felt time slip gently by and it all just seems right.

Hosted by Cecily and Lolli

I Sream for Ice Cream

Because summer is here and the natives are getting restless.  

For we are STILL schooling!

Thought I would cheat and do two for one today.

    Anyone up for blue Ice cream???

Is is Liz's favorite.     

 5 Minutes for Mom......Lisa's Black and White Wednesday.

Wordless Wednesday...In Awe again... At the Biltmore

Mark and our "Little" Girl

For more "Wordless Wednesday" fun, link up at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Sassy Grace

This is my mom being silly at my sister graduation.

When I saw that iheartfaces is promoting yellow this week...I knew this was the picture I wanted to post.

My mom IS all that and a bag of chips a box of fine chocolates.

 

Fashion Tips from an Expert

All though, it is simply wise to wear what feels good.

Comfort is not always the best option. But, if it works... then go with it.

It is simply clear in the choices our model has made for a peaceful nights rest

Water Animals... Go Together.

If it feels good and you think you look good........Then you do! You must!

Don't you wish you had her confindence?

Black and White Happiness 101

This week Weeks ago Almost a month ago I received an award from my friend Cleo at Wemmicks-in-training. It was truly so very nice of her to think of me and really she shouldn't have. With that said thank you Ms. Cleo....

But, like most things having this award comes with rules. The recipient is to list 10 things that truly make them happy. I thought I would do this for Black and White Wednesday...Maybe this is what took me so long. But, I never said which Black and White Wednesday it would be.

First of all I would have to start with this guy.
My husband...((as of June 15)) for 19 years. He still takes my breath away and makes me very happy.  

Then of course, I am very happy to have this guy in my life...My son Matthew...
He's a joy and a research bug. If it is in front of him he will read it and then find out more about it.

Then of course there is Stephen.....Stephen would give you the shirt right off his back...He is the kindest, most gentle young man I know...I am proud to say I am his mother. May he never change.

This girl makes my heart sing with pride...My daughter, Kathryn Grace with the beautiful face. And let's not forget about the brains and personality to go with that beautiful face. She has it all.

and last but never least...There is Mary Elizabeth...Sassy Mai...She takes my breath away and keeps me smiling. This one little girl brings so much joy to everyone around her.

There is always good food...covered in Chocolate to share with my dear sister.

Having a fine drink from a beautiful glass that sings is always a joy to be hold.

Special Occasions and being surrounded by family.

Being near water makes me feel so alive.

AND then there are the Memories.

Knowing I am part of something bigger then I am, brings me more then happiness. It simply brings me joy. 

Thanks Melissa...Cleo

The second part of having this award requires me to pass it on.... I will do so with pleasure.

1.) Mommy to a Lot

2.) Cowards Corner with Lucky

3.) The McNew Crew

4.) Solid Rock or Sinking Sand

To all I have passed this along......Enjoy!

Silence....Wordless Wednesday

For more "Wordless Wednesday" fun, link up at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Graduating to iheartfaces

The theme this week over at iheartfaces is "Faces & Flowers"

(Margaret and Karen)

AND

 I just happen to have a photo from Karen's graduation that contains "Faces & Flowers" so I thought I would play along.

Well...of Course She Did IT

The news just in from North Carolina....

It is official!

My sister Karen is now a Respiratory Therapist.

We are all so very proud of her!!!