Category: Family

The Paper Anniversary- The First

Happy First Anniversary Laura and James. It was a happy wedding.   There’s a list of traditional and modern wedding anniversary gifts for each year here.   I knew that the first anniversary was paper.

Laura took this photo of the paper items I sent to them to mark the occasion. James said he came home from work to find some large boxes on their front porch and had no idea what was in them.  I know I had fun thinking about sending the paper products and figured it would be a gift that would get used. Actually, used up!   Shipping was free!

 James had the idea to call me on SKYPE and here they are at home talking to me.

 

Last week at breakfast in Columbus at First Watch

and the weekend they came to help me with the House Concert in Pittsburgh

with Penny the Golden Doodle

The Six Months Photo Shoot in Short North Columbus Ohio

Weekly Photo Challenge: What Makes Me Happy?

The weekly photo challenge this week is a multi-photo challenge using one of the new gallery formats that WordPress  created.  The suggestion was to include a gallery of nine photos.  I was talking on the phone with my friend V and she said Oh, that’s an easy one.   Your family!

I added fireworks and raspberries for celebration and summertime. Seeing Michael so happy receiving a medal at a dive meet this summer made my nine photos tally an even dozen.

 

The family numbers added up quickly.    I decided to  show what really makes me happiest!

Witnessing my family love one another. Watching Erika enjoy her children ride the Merry-Go-Round at the zoo, James catching Laura in his arms, celebrating Anna’s First Holy Communion weekend with the family. And Steve playing with the grandkids.

All of these photos make a mom’s heart sing.

How I Became a Mother-in-Law! To my DIL

Mark married Erika. What a beautiful bride.  But more importantly, a beautiful person. That was ten years ago.

Bill McC gave me lessons on how to to be a mother-in-law, or how to NOT be a bad mother-in-law…

The very words (MIL) can send a shudder through you-there I said it- mother-in-law!

We all know how the older generation (me) can annoy the younger generation.

Even if you try your best to not be annoying or try to not give unwanted advice or commentary.  Joanne B suggested Duct Tape.

But this post is really about my daughter-in-law, Erika.

She is a lot of fun and tolerant and loving towards me, teasing and trying to update my wardrobe and style constantly.  In a good way!  She is one terrific mom, too.  An organic gardener  whose specialty is Japanese Eggplant, Kale and tomatoes and now has a new found interest in photography.

Today’s her birthday.

I wish I had the photo of her in the hot air balloon  last May with my sister. She is brave and adventuresome.

Here’s Erika as an amazing mother to my four grandchildren and a loving wife to my son Mark and a terrific sister to my daughter and son Laura and Matthew and James.  She’s really patient and is always thoughtful and kind to me, calling me up and telling me about the family happenings, keeping me up to date.

Love to my DIL Erika from your MIL!

(MIL sounds less awful than Mother-in-Law) and thanks Bill for the handy tips. You’ll have to ask Erika is I learned from you on how to be a good MIL.

I Forgot to Mail Your Card, Mary

It was a nice one, too.  I bought it at the fancy card store in Shadyside a while back to be sure I had it in plenty of time.

You remember the store behind our old house on Howe Street?   That one.

Buying cards and not mailing them in a timely fashion seems to be something I do often. Once I swore I would never send a late card again.

I brought the birthday card to New York City when we visited last month.  I thought about writing it and giving it to you then. It was still in my bag tonight.

Nah, I thought, I’ll save it-  mail it to arrive closer to the special day.  A much better plan. Now you’re on your way to visit our brother in Okanogan.  Your mail’s on hold.  And I didn’t get it in the mailbox yet.

Here’s what I do.  I’ll think of someone, know their birthday is coming,  buy a card, misplace it, or drive the card around for a time, til it’s ripe?  I am not sure why I do this.  I read a whole bunch of sisters cards, too, looking for the right sentiment.  Some of them all sappy but this one was succinct and to the point.  It’s even printed on recycled paper and Made in the U.S. A.  Here’s a photo of the beautiful card I meant to send in time.

 “I’m grateful we’re sisters.”

Happy Birthday Mary.  You are an excellent sister, aunt, and friend.  Thanks for always being there and listening and for putting up with  me during my bratty years.  (I think they are done)  Love you with all my heart and am grateful for all the love you give to all of us. Have a happy birthday celebration with David.xxoo

You might remember the post my sister’s kitchen- 20 for dinner? no problem!.  How she always finds cool and quirky things for me to photograph when I visit her in NYC where she’s lived about 48 years.  The kids and I’d drive from Pittsburgh and camp out with her in the apartment.  When we’d wake up, there’d be fresh warm Zito’s bread and homemade Strawberry Rhubarb Preserves and fresh butter.

Your first trip to visit us in Germany.  Laura is four months old, Mark 7 and Matthew just turned 3.

You with Laura after the wedding last November.  Thanks for all you did to make it happen so beautifully.

Here is a colorized baby photo of you with Mom. New Haven, CT

I turned it into an art project years ago and added the border. Sorry.

Trapped in the Bride’s Garden at the Conservatory

The sisters-in-law take a photo class and Saturday morning was the field trip to Franklin Park Conservatory. They invited me to go along.  They went out to the Bride’s Garden and the doors locked behind them.  I was photographing the Fairy Gardens and the model railroad  and they were looking for me.  Laura called me on the cell and I went and opened the door. I saw this view as I approached the doors.

I was focusing on photographing the two of them instead of the butterflies and the flowers and this added to my series.

 

 

 

Everyone shoots this one- Chihuly’s Glass.

 

Sisters-in-law shoot the fountain.  They have to create a slideshow with ten images to show to the class.

 

Bubbles from the fountain.

 

 

View from the Gift Shop windows.

“It’s Annoying Now, But Later You’re Glad”

Laura’s 29th birthday.  She says it is her FIRST 29th birthday.  The family gathers on the front porch because most of them are nearby.

This year I didn’t run around and get in the photograph. Just wanted them.  I’ll put it on the fridge.  Look at it until we’re all together again. In the middle of winter I’ll glance at this August evening, celebrating Laura’s birthday and be glad I have the picture.

Not too many people really want their photo taken. Maybe a few.  The family allows me to photograph them one more time.

They’re gracious and they love me and they know it’s what I like to do.

They probably wonder when I’ll get tired of wanting to photograph them but they don’t complain. Much.  Photographing them while they ignore me is easier.

Of course, I want the shot where everyone is with me and looking pleasant on this occasion.  Ha. Erika says to me, “Good luck with that!”

I get it the best I can.

Don’t want to drag it out too long, make it quick, Just SHOOT!

Thanks family.  Matthew is the one who said to his friends at his college graduation ” This is what my mom does.  It’s annoying now, but later you’re glad.”

Penny the Golden Doodle with Lala and James on their front porch.

And Maura and Murphy pose for Mark. Caught them from the side as he got them to look at his phone.

29, For Real!

 

 

                                                  Happy Birthday Laura Christine.

 On the left, lounging at the beach in Bibione, Italy as a toddler.

Center- A baby blessing/birth stats I cross stitched in 1983.  The town is spelled incorrectly- missing the first C- Eschenbach!

Photo on the right and below as a bride are from 6 months after the wedding in Columbus OH with husband James.

 

Where’s Noah in the Plateful of Paleo Supper?

The phone rang after six.  My eldest son was on business and saw a sign that said Pittsburgh 35 miles, so he cancelled his hotel reservation and drove to the city.  (So that is why his wife called earlier to see what I was doing)YIKES!  I was boiling a pot of water for some Spinach Ravioli but Mark is on the Paleolithic diet these days. No grain!  The tiredness I felt from a school day dissipated as I got in the car and drove the two miles to the Whole Foods Market where I bought some Grass Fed Beef, Organic Garnet Yams, (I had two zucchini at home and a jar of coconut oil which I hadn’t even tried yet) and got back home to fire up the broiler, pronto! Got out the cast iron skillet for the zucchini slices, chopped up some romaine I had already washed and drained. Pulled it together in no time at all. As I set the dining room table he said he would rather eat in the kitchen so we did.And there we were eating in the kitchen and the house came alive again.  We used his iPad and Face Time to talk with the kids before they went to bed and we had a happy time together.

VOILA- a quick Paleo approved meal- this is the son who baked the Carrot Cake, Paleo Style.

For dessert we had coconut milk frozen Mint Chip with No Sugar Added.

From the Paleo Food website gluten-free, grain-free, bean-free, potato-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free. (they are eating some dairy still)

Ingredients used: meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, tree nuts, vegetables, roots, fruit, berries, mushrooms, herbs and spice seeds.
 
Oh yes,after dinner he showed me the you tube of Derek Redmond and his father from the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.  Tears rolling down my cheeks. Mark said he wants to be that kind of father.   And he also played me a couple of Seekers songs as he remembers my cassette tape of them singing Someday, One Day, 
Right now he is sleeping  in the room across the hall, to get up at 5 AM to get to somewhere in Ohio, early.  I feel fortunate.