Photo A Day In May - Day 4

As the day of the arrival of my first grandchild approaches quickly. The pressure was on to find the perfect Grandma Cookie Jar.
As I have said before, for some odd reason the very first thought that came to my mind when I was told I was going to be a Grandma was. I MUST FIND A COOL COOKIE JAR!
People, this is the way God created my mind to work, I do not know why.

So while searching for serving pieces for Kelsey's graduation party, I came across this little beauty!!!
It was love at first sight! It's Pink! I mean seriously, even if I wasn't going to be Grandmatized within the next few weeks I still would have bought this little beauty!! I am proud to say it is already full! I need to make sure when Cole is old enough that it is full every time he comes over!! Even if it has Oreo's in it!

PHOTO A DAY IN MAY - Day 3

                              Normally my photo a day consists of photos I take that day.

But today is different. Today I must take time to acknowledge a dear family friend that passed away this last Tuesday in a hit and run motorcycle accident. 

Tim loved his motorcycle probably  more than anything else. Even as a small child I remember riding in his side car on his BMW motorcycle. I recall being terrified of Tim and I don't really know why. He was the sweetest, kindest man with an incredible sense of humor! 

I guess as a kid he must have seemed intimidating. He was a very self assured and confident man. Something I recall writing in one of my journals as a teenager while visiting them in Virginia. Stating that I wanted to marry a man with confidence like Tim Halpin. 

As a matter of fact, I did. 

Thank you Tim for being an incredible friend to our family. I will never forget our lunch under the bridge in Washington D.C. while visiting the Halpin family after they had moved to Virginia.

We were touring D.C. and I can't exactly recall all of the details on how we ended up eating under the bridge, all I remember is that it was raining and the bridge was near by so we took shelter under it.  This has been a story we have laughed about for years! 

Thank you Tim for the rides down the Potomac River in your awesome boat! I have never been so burned in my entire life as I was that day but It was the best boat ride I have ever been on! 

You always knew how to make everything fun. 

My heart is saddened by the loss but I know we will see each other again and ride your BMW on streets of gold one day! 

This is earth was not your home anyway and now you know the fullness and beauty of our Creator. 

You will certainly be missed.
We love you dearly. 

PHOTO A DAY IN MAY Day 2

Well this is rather anti-climactic, but this is our over night snowfall. 

It still seems hard to believe it is cold enough to snow on May 2nd.

My snow laden tulips are just about ready to pop open and burst the front of my otherwise blasé house with amazing color. 

With this recent snowfall, I am not at all certain as to the life my tulips.

Will they open?

Will they live?

Do I need to cover them?

Is it to late?

All I seem to picture is the scene from Father Of The Bride where Franck (Martin Short) is frantically blow drying the freshly planted tulips due to unseasonable snowfall in San Marino California.

I know that if and when they do pop open, this ridiculous snowfall will have been long forgotten. 

As I will be enjoying my colorful view from my warm front patio. 

So I can assure you there will be another Tulip picture in Photo A Day In May 2013.

PHOTO A DAY IN MAY Day 1

Well here we go! I am attempting Photo A Day In May again!
This should be fun!

I really wanted to get a picture of the snow fall accumulation here in Minnesota on May 1st, 2013!
But thankfully nothing has accumulated so far! Possibly tomorrow's photo will include snow :(

So I decided to go with this:

Franklin's favorite friend was here for a couple days for a visit while his mommy and daddy move. 

This picture pretty much sums it up! Looks like something out of a doggie horror movie! 

Photo A Day in May! 

My Sweet Sweet Boy

Today is a hard day for me as a dog mom. I know I just lost a huge part of the audience. Those who are not animal lovers have no idea the pain you feel when your little buddy who loves you unconditionally is under the knife.

The other night I was concerned about my dogs bad breath and looked in his mouth and saw a red mass on the front of his gums.

I was rather alarmed at the shape and size of it so in the morning I called the vet.
She was concerned about his periodontal disease and we are both hoping that the red mass is from his yukky teeth.
Today my buddy is under anesthetic for the first time in his little life and he is 14 1/2 years old.
He is having his teeth cleaned and any bad ones removed.
They are also taking a piece of that mass in for biopsy.
If it turns out to be something more than just swollen tissue, this dog mom is going to be one sad lady.

I have a plan though.
If it is cancer, no further action will be taken medically other than for pain, and only for a short time.
I can't stand to see him suffer and if it comes down to that I will have no choice but to let my little buddy go.

Then I will need to take a vacation away from home. ( mental health break )

If you know me you know how much this is going to break my heart. I may need meals delivered! haha! Just kidding, I just needed a little laugh.

But seriously, I am going to be a devastated mom.
Franklin has been such a sweet little dog. Always there when I come home. Sitting at the top of the stairs, Usually with a silly smile on his face!!!  Always there when I was sick as a dog, no pun intended.
Franklin is my sweet baby boy and I hope and pray we have a few more years together. We will know more next week after the biopsy comes back. Until then he will have to get used to his mouth being a little less crowded. Poor little thing!
More to come when I know more.

Baseball In Mn

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME....................

BASEBALL???

April 15th 2013

30 degrees and we're playing ball baby! 

Sunday's Twins game was actually cancelled due to sleet, rain, snow and 30mph winds.

While I must admit to saying a prayer or 10 that Monday's game (the one we had ticket to) would also be cancelled, It never happened! 

Monday's much balmier 30 degrees with a WSW wind of 10-15 MPH was much better.

Baseball in Mn! Gotta love it! 

While I admit I was missing the Dome just a bit. The dome could never provide cool pics like this!!! There is nothing like outdoor baseball! 

 I decided to write a new song for the Twins this season. A variation, if you will of the classic,
                                                     Take Me Out To The Ballgame.  

                                                      Take me out to the ball game,
                                                      Take me out to the cold!!!!
                                                      Buy me some peanuts and HOT COCOA,
                                                      In about 5 minutes I'm ready to go,
                                                     
                                                      But it's root, root, root for the home team,
                                                      If they don't win it's the same!
                                                      Cuz it's 1..........2............3 DEGREES out at the old Ball Game!!!!!!!

This was the Hat Classic of the evening! Yes indeed it was cold enough to be donning the eskimo hats!
Let it be known that just hours before this game I was shopping for a LONG DOWN COAT to wear to stay warm! It worked!!! I was never cold!
I have always been told there is no such thing as to cold, just bad equipment! I had good equipment and it was successful!!!
And so did this guy!!

Every player was wearing the number 42 Honoring Jackie Robinson. I have to admit,

at first the thought crossed my mind that this new numbering thing was "LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD"

 But it turns out that wasn't the case! 

In spite of the cold temps 23,000 crazy Minnesotans and one Pregnant woman from California, (my daughter-in-law) were there to cheer on the Angels and the Twins! 

It was really a fun time with my family! One I will not soon forget! 

And on a rare occasion the Twins actually WON!!!! 

 

Making it all worth while! 

Even the $8.00 7th Inning Stretch Hot Cocoa!!! (thanks hon)

Which incidentally was incredible!!! Worth every penny!! 

Now lets crank up the heat for the

BOYS OF SUMMER!!! 

Celebrating Alex and Cole!

Here comes baby Cole! 

Baby Showers are just so much fun.

This one was no exception. 

We made the theme 

Mustache and Ties

Rather than doing silly games that no one likes or enjoys we decided to have a Onsie making station.

Each guest created their own Designer Onsie for baby Cole using material and a heat bonding paper. The creativity was incredible. 

 Here is a picture of all the onsies that were made at the shower. They turned out sooooooo cute!!

At the entry the entry way we had everyone fill out an envelope with their own address on it so it would make less work for the Mom to be to do her Thank You's. We also had our thank you gift to each person on the table as well. A mustache sucker for everyone as they left.

 On the mantel, we placed the custom building blocks I had a friend make for my little guy and we framed the back of the invitation and used it as part of the Decor. They turned out so cute!! I can't wait to see Cole playing with them!!

 All of the food tags were purchased through Etsy. You send the info to them and they email you the PDF's for all things printable!!! Its really slick and a fabulous way to personalize your shower!

 For food we had a make your own fruit pizza using sugar cookies and a homemade cream cheese frosting and fruit! It was a hit and it was absolutely delicious!!! We also had Pinwheel sandwiches and cucumber sandwiches for lunch as well as pretzel chips and an incredible Dip my daughter made!!

 We decided to order the cupcakes to take some of the food making load off. All i will say about that is make sure your bakery attendant is listening to you. They were not what I asked for but they tasted great and still looked kind of cute!

Onsie and Mustache almond cookies!! AMAZING!! 

 Floating rubber duckies in the punch with their little mustache face on was also a hit! I found the blue rubber duckies in the dollar section at Target!! Great find the day before the shower!! It's funny how the little things make such a difference!

 

 Ties cut from scrapbook paper in my boxes of paper at home made our Tie Garland! We also hung one out in front of the house!

The water bottle labels were awesome. Again the same Etsy design. I believe for all of the designs I paid 14.95. 

You print it all on your own computer. For the water bottles I went to Michael's and bought the blank water bottle labels in the Bridal section. They were awesome!! 

This pacifier started the theme several months back when I found it at Patina in St. Paul Mn. 

I had my sister make this amazing creation and we through the Mustache pacifier in to go with our theme!!

 Darling little Wreath with a cut men's dress shirt and tie that just happened to match our color theme. All from a local Thrift store! With the letter C for Cole on it as well as a vinyl mustache to go with the theme.

 All my girls made this day to celebrate Alex and Cole so special. I still cannot wrap my brain around the fact that I am indeed going to be Grandmatized in a matter of weeks!! So much still to do to prepare for our little man to arrive!! I just can't wait to hold my little buddy in my arms!

This is my beautiful gracious friend who was so willing to let us invade her home with two truck loads of decor and food. Laura you are indeed a rare gem and I cherish you ! 

Thank you for making this and every day so very special.

 I still cannot wrap my brain around the fact that I am indeed going to be Grandmatized in a matter of weeks!! So much still to do to prepare for our little man to arrive!! I just can't wait to hold my little buddy in my arms! The theme for this shower was so fitting. It took me back to when I had Coles daddy Jon. I called him my little man. Now my little man is having his own little man. Its all so hard to believe. But, here we go! The final weeks are here! Alex has never been more ready and we are too!