Happy Easter Memories

When I was a kid, Easter always meant a new outfit. Everything matched. I always had a new spring coat and hat, a frilly dress, patent leather shoes, socks with ruffles...and always a new pair of white gloves! My mom loved dressing me up. When my kids were little going to church on Easter, and dressing the boys up in new clothes became a tradition, too. Of course, there weren't any wide brimmed pink straw hats and frilly dresses, but they always looked so handsome on Easter morning. Coloring Easter eggs on Saturday night to leave out for the bunny to hide was another tradition which began with my father. Just imagine what coloring eggs with a dad who was an artist could involve...mine were the prettiest eggs in town! I hated to crack them open for the egg salad sandwiches they'd become, and I wish I had some photos of those magnificently decorated eggs!

~Alas, then come grandchildren, and the egg coloring duties revert to the parents...The Easter bunny at Mimi's house stuffs plastic eggs with all kinds of treats. Money, and candy, and stickers, and coupons for movie nights, trips on the boat, outings to the zoo, and pizza parties. I remember one year when Michael would shake the eggs and if they didn't make any noise he would leave them for someone else to add to their basket--until he figured out that the ones that don't rattle with candy or quarters were the best ones filled with dollar bills and coupons!

Anyway, I love Easter. Our munchkins make the day so special.

*click on the photo to enlarge!

My Little Ballerina, Mia

Love Makes Everything Nicer

A wonderful thing happened to me the other day...my son called and asked if I could take Mia to dance class--as busy as I was, I said yes, without thinking of the consequences of giving up a few hours of my day to spend with my little dancer! The memories of my grandma taking me to dance class rushed back without any warning... As I stood behind the glass watching her prance and spin around the studio my grandma's spirit came for a visit and I just took a few deep breaths and enjoyed the experience of that connection. The other moms in the waiting area were busy taking about their designer shoes, and upcoming social events, all the while texting and talking on their phones--but not this Mimi...I could not take my eyes off my little ballerina. At one point during the rehearsal I even said, "Is it just me, or is my granddaughter just the best dancer out there?" Oye! After I said it, I could hardly believe that I actually uttered those words out loud, but I quickly explained that I had 3 sons and 5 grandsons before Mia came along...I barely got a smile...then they went back to their texting! Oh well, she really was the best one out there!

On the way to dance class Mia and I had this conversation:

Mia: "Mimi, I am a lot like Belle."

Mimi: "Yes you are, she is also pretty and very sweet, just like you!"

Mia: " ...and, My daddy is a lot like the beast...sometimes he growls, but when I love him he gets nicer."

Mimi: "Love always makes everything nicer."  

Mia at Ballet Class



The Remarkable Great-Grandma Fern

On Saturday, November 13th, Great-Grandma Fern checked one more thing off her 'bucket list'. Over the years, my mom has gone on many adventures. Long before the movie made writing a 'bucket list' popular, Fernie wrote lists. Lists of goals, of dreams, and of daring adventures. Why in just the past few years she has hiked a mountain in North Carolina, traveled to all the national parks out west while staying in adult hostels, cruised to Alaska three times, visited Ireland-- sleeping in castles, stayed for a month in a casita in Mexico with 3 girl friends...she lives life full out and she's not afraid of anything. Remarkably young for her age in heart, mind and body, she has talked about skydiving to celebrate her 85th birthday since George HW Bush jumped out of a plane to mark his 85th birthday last year!

A small group of us gathered on a picture perfect Southwest Florida day and witnessed this awesome great-grandma bravely climb into the [very] tiny plane along with her grandson Rocky...Together, with the two instructors, they ascended the 15,000 feet before jumping within seconds of one another. Prior to take off Fern said, "Part of the reason I am doing this is to show my great-grandchildren that they can do anything in life, and age is just a number."

I must admit, I have some pretty wonderful memories of my grandma...uh, none of them involve skydiving. My grandma took me to ballet lessons and The New York World's Fair...my grandma taught me to pray. My grandma helped me plant a flower garden, brushed my hair, read me stories, encouraged me to sing her songs...and my grandma baked the best apple pie in the world...All I can think about is what an impression this had to have made on little Mia...not quite 4 years old. She will be talking about this when she is 85!

As we watched them jump...free fall for awhile...then the shoots opened and there we all stood in line gazing up at the colorful canopies against the bright blue sky...our joy and our admiration bubbled out of us as we could actually hear Fern yelling, "I'm having a great ride!" A picture perfect landing...one more item checked off her list. and, when she was done, I couldn't help but ask her what was next on her 'bucket list' as she beamed she said, "I would do anything to get Oprah tickets!"

I have never been more proud of my mom. Her love of life, her sense of adventure. The spirit by which she dedicates her life. She has accomplished so much over the years...I couldn't possibly begin to sum it all up in this one short blog post, but many years ago I remember my dad telling me, 'if you grow up to be half the woman your mom is you will be quite an amazing woman'. I know he was smiling down on her as I was smiling up, watching her float amongst the clouds...

Dinner at Grandma's House!

One of my favorite memories as a kid was "Dinner at Grandma's House" every Sunday. Now mind you, there was also a Grandpa, but for whatever reason, it was always just Grandma's House...Since having grandchildren, Papa Chip and I have tried to make dinner at our house on Sundays a routine. Busy schedules prevent this from happening as regularly as we'd like...sometimes we get a house full, sometimes no one shows up! But, last night 4 of the 5 children we have living in Naples arrived on time, and with them came 6 of our 8 grandchildren. The meal consisted of hamburgers and hotdogs...homemade macaroni and cheese...with cupcakes and ice cream for dessert...I prepared this dinner with only one thing in mind: What can I cook that the munchkins will like...because quite frankly, their parents' food preferences just aren't a priority of mine when i know the kids are coming! I'm certain that my Grandma also had me in mind when she cooked Sunday dinner...and all I'm trying to do here is create some happy memories. If someday they grow up and look back on those Sundays spent at Mimi and Papa's house, then that mission is accomplished!

I went out on Saturday and purchased a new bean bag lawn game, which kept everyone entertained for hours. Papa did the grilling, we had the football games on, and we all had a wonderful visit!

Rock: "Mimi, will you put the shrimp on the hook for me?" [Rocky loves to fish, but hates it when the shrimp jump around in the bait bucket...of course, neither do I but I did it for him]

Michael: "Mimi, will you cut my hair tonight. I don't want my other grandma to do it." [smart kid...of course I cut his hair...we can't have that other grandma doing it]

Paige: "When we go to North Carolina, no boys will be allowed in the new playhouse...only Papa." [smart girl...since it was Papa afterall who cleaned, fixed and painted the playhouse]

Jared: "Mimi, I like it when you volunteer in my classroom." [spoken while hugging me...ahhhh, I love those Jared hugs]

Mia: "I love you Mimi." [spoken out of the blue, for absolutely no reason at all...my favorite 'kid quote' of the night]

Liv: "Elmo!" [while pointing at the character on her placemat--this is a big deal, as Liv is only 18 months old and just beginning to talk...AND recognizes muppet characters...another genius, what can I say]

Here's to Sunday night "Dinner at Grandma's House"...or in my case, Mimi's House...

Being a Mimi

When I gave birth to my first child I was young and scared. Two "not-so-good" characteristics of a new mom...Thank God my kids turned out OK in spite of all the unintentional 'damage' I doled out during their formative years. Luckily, I gave them a lot of love, too, which usually will compensate for mistakes made...Over the years I have come to discover that love is the cure all for anything that ails you. There is no such thing as too much love...Oh how I wished I had loved them even more...But alas, as God would have it, if one is blessed enough to someday get grandchildren, then one is blessed to get a 'second chance'. --Not too often in life does one get a do-over and have it actually count.

Being a Mimi gives me the opportunity to spoil these little munchkins to my heart's content...no one there to say, "You're spoiling them...you shouldn't let them do that, touch that, stay up that late, eat that"! I get to play with them instead of folding laundry...We eat pancakes with ice cream for dinner...I let them touch the sliding glass doors and then smile after they leave at the finger prints...I get to hug them, and kiss them, and love them so much...I get to make up for every lost moment squandered trying to keep a tidy home and making ends meet...and so begins my newest blog on the life and times of being a Mimi to my marvelous munchkins...