Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Mom sent me & Armond an e-mail this morning as she was thinking of Grandma's birthday and her smiles. Armond replied with this photo and these memories...

"I always loved how her belly would jiggle when she laughed (don't tell her I said she had a belly)... she was so cute. So full of love... I always loved getting hugs from her... and how she would smother you in kisses while you were trapped in her arms... as grandpa might say - made you feel so GOOD - WoW!!! Happy birthday.... to... you!!!!!! Dream sweet dreams, I love you!"

We miss you.

Flashback Friday Photo Parade

The nesting has started. Last weekend I took every shelf out of the fridge to wash, and wiped down every jar or container in there. I can't get out of my car without picking up stones off the floor and wiping the seats down (I know, soon it will full of crumbs and toys and what-nots!) I'm FINALLY getting everything out of the nursery-to-be and have made weekly trips to the Salvation Army to purge. This Saturday, I'm "looking forward"to going into the office to do some much needed organizing before my maternity leave.

This morning while looking for one photo on the computer, I found all sorts of photos filed where I hadn't expected them and started organizing some files. There was a lot from this year that I never got around to blogging and I thought I'd post now, just to keep to reminisce back someday on the year before parenthood :)

January 5th - My cousin Megan's wedding...

Check out that dress! Greg, Armond, Uncle John, Uncle Fred & Dad. Grandma & Armond

John & Evan's Dance-Off!

I LOVE CAKE!!! Maple Syrup - a staple at VT weddings. Cool light, huh?

Jan/Feb: Daytona Beach with Poupoure's & Marlow's. First people we told I was pregnant, otherwise, they'd wonder why I was avoiding rollercoasters and skipped out on the deep-sea fishing!

Pete & Matt enjoyed bodysurfing! Driving on the beach - trippy

The Speedway & Imax! Fishing off the pier. I had to quit early because I was catching all the fish!

SeaWorld! We sat in the soaking section at the Shamu show!

Inlet Harbor restaurant...pretty spot. Shark Pete caught.

Valentine's Day:

Watched fireworks from Laurie's & I won $110 on one ticket.

I think I was enjoying that hot fudge sundae?

April:

How could I have left this out of our Girls' Weekend photos?!

May: no pics from our 2-yr. anniversary, but we enjoyed a lovely dinner at Jeff's Seafood!

Memorial Day Weekend at Rory's camp.

Matt, Aurora & Dev in a mean game of badmitton. Matt, Dev & Rory.

June:

Me & Ma in Pelot's Bay...ahhh...

Armond's pond. Dennis would love it - Sarah would NOT - full of snakes, even a large water-snake.

Here's Matt taunting the dogs with a bull-frog.

Spoiled Sailor - sleeping in our bed in the morning (when he can get away with it).

Oh, boy - he already thinks all the baby items we've acquired so far are his. Matt found him sitting in the carseat in the driveway!

Cinco, Cinco de Mayo!

Mom & Dad just called to let me know they were hanging out on the deck in the sun having margaritas and to remind me, as they do every year, that on this day, 27 years go, we "arrived" here after a week-long car ride from CA.

I was only 5 years old, but I vividly remember portions of that ride, like dumping a whole box of Cheerios in the way-back of the brown Toyota station wagon and marking the days of the trip with a pencil on the peice of plastic that holds the rear-view mirror.

My parents made such a big leap at that time in their lives. I know it was hard for mom to leave her family, but I am so grateful that they planted us hear when they did. As you all know, I have fond memories of my young days in CA and visiting in the summers, but I do love it here! Especially now that Spring has FINALLY arrived.

Flashback Friday is Back!

Sarah & Natalie shared great photos of California and mentioned missing the monkey at the Monterey Wharf - here he is with lil' Armond.

It was Grandma Irene's birthday on April 8. Here she is in front of a sign for Montery & Salinas (I'm guessing)

As Grandpa would say, she was Purty Lady!

On the back of this photo reads, "Irene & Freda Loveland"

Here's a cool shot of the girls on a break. The back reads, "Rita Williams, Irene Doan, Lillian Johnson, Myrtle Jackson, Viola Brinson"

My favorite - baking with Grandma!

Happy Birthday, Grandma. Lots of sugar!

Roadkill Cafe

I guess I'm still stuck on the spooky theme.

This picture was taken in Sturgis on a road-trip to help Maggie move to Montana. Wow - how long ago was that? Has it been 10 years? Can't be. I'm guessing 8. I'm bad about remembering years.

Anyway, I've posted it because we now have roadkill in the freezer. Matt hit a deer Tuesday night (or rather, the poor thing ran right into the door of his new truck!) He called the Game Warden and got a tag, so I picked it up Wednesday and brought it to a butcher. I have to say I'm rather excited to have a steak on the grill. Yes, it's true, I really do like venison.

Tis the season. It's youth day tomorrow & Dad is taking Evan out. I hope the kid gets something this year. Dad would sure get a kick out of it, too.

Armond & I had dinner with Dad & Ma and Gma tonight. It's the first dinner she's cooked for anyone in the new house (aside from grilling on the deck this summer.) The stove isn't hooked up, but she's using a table-top fry-pan thingy.

I forgot to bring their camera card home (me being the official photo-downloader since they don't have a computer up, yet.) I want to post some pretty Fall pictures taken from their living room. Our Fall was really something else this year - at least I thought so. Everyone seems to say, "It was kinda dull." I don't know what they were looking at. I thought it was the most amazing ever. Maybe it's a state-of-mind.

Flashback Fridays

Fun with random photos...
why should they just sit in a box?

me & my pink 110. There's one like this of Armond somewhere with his blue 110. We were so cool. ;)

...or so we thought. We also thought Hewey Lewis and Lionel Richie were cool. Yea - Dancin' on the Ceiling! I remember playing "Say You, Say Me" out in the driveway at night...our poor neighbors. Yikes - my hair was verging dangerously close to a mullet!

Speaking of cool...

I told you I had a shot of you "posing," Sarah.

Cute little monkies.

It's hard to beleive that's the same

backyard I have right now.

And, speaking of cute...check us out!

Doan Family Reunion, Toro Park.
Is that the name? What was the year?