My First Party

I had my first ever party today.


Yes, growing up I did have birthday parties but my Mama, z'l, planned those.

It was a vaguely French theme.... my sister and I were born in France....

I could not have done this without the help of my sister, Rhonda and my niece Bailee. 

Even though my sister in law could not be present, the bouquet I caught at her wedding made a nice centerpiece in the french while pitcher that sat in the middle of the table. 

The best punch maker ever!

My collection of Eiffel Towers and Arch de Triomphes had to make an appearance. 

I had to get a couple of the food laden tables. Actually had to open my Swedish butterfly table all the way out!

This picture doesn't include the individual key lime tarts that Nonie made. I shall get a picture of one of those before they get all eaten.... Hopefully

Of course I had to get some pictures of my gorgeous niece. I loved this dress!! It has a cut out in the back and I had to get a picture of that back.

But when I went to get it, she reached back and turned the light on. Just as I hit the button. It made for a gorgeous picture!

I just had to grab another one of the two of them. I hope they had a great time and that they both think it was worth the four hour drive up to spend the weekend and help me out! It made all the difference having them here!

Yes, one last picture of the food!

Can't forget to have a picture of the doggy. He had to go outside during the party because one of my guests is allergic to doggy's. Oh how glad I am that I am not allergic to my Harley.

We tried to make up for it with a lot of extra play time when he came back in. 

But now I can say I have had my first party. Will be doing it again but glad I get to do it later on! 

Whew!

Awesome Day

So my sister and niece number 1 came up from Gulf Shores today. 

My first house guests in almost three years. 

We had lunch at TGIFridays. 

Got pedicures. At least Bailee (Niece Number1) and I did. My sister doesn't "do" feet. 

Oh and niece numbering above is based on chronology and chronology only. I love them equally and massively. 

From there we headed to SAMs for food for tomorrow's party. My first party ever. 

Then we came home and dropped that food off before heading back out to go swimsuit shopping for Miss Bailee. 

They rested after we got home and I mowed the front yard. 

More on that in just a bit! 

Exhausted but with family in the very clean house with the very mowed yard!

Guests

In addition to having some friends over this coming Saturday, I will be having overnight guests for the first time in 3 years. 

So I have a list of chores to do around the house and I have to hope it will be good enough. 

My sister and niece will be here Friday- probably through Sunday. 

Moved the frame and bed into the guest room. I sat the frame up. Put the box springs and mattress on the frame. And then I put the European mattress topper on it and made he bed. 

Still have some work to do in there but at least it is a start. 

I've made a list of things I plan to do after work each day this week. Friday I will focus on the food for Saturday. Not going to stress too much about it. These people are friends and family and they know me. 

Will make sure I get a few pictures of Rhonda and Bailee's visit as well as the get together Saturday. That is the first time I have ever done anything like that: so people can deal with my learning curve. 

Retrospective

So I spent some time today going through the pictures in my Dropbox folder today. 

Part of them are in folders and sorted. A few aren't. 

There is a picture of me and my Mom, z'l, in France.  

Me showing my (apparently lifelong) love of snow!

Pictures of me with the best brother and sister EVER.  Those were cool. 

Fast forward a few dozen years....

Me and my cousin Zach. Love him!

So many of the ones from after this time are filled with images I don't really want to face. 

So it's time to make and take new pictures! 

Photography is a great passion of mine and I need to make sure I reclaim that passion. 

The World's Best Sister

I wanted to take a quick second to give a shout out to my little sister. 

Rhonda and her family moved down to the Gulf area a year and a half ago when my brother in law got a great job. 

While I miss her and my amazing niece Bailee, I recognize that it was a great opportunity for their family and could not be passed up. I think it has done wonders for their family. 

And with Internet, Facebook and texting it's almost like they are just across the River. 

But they are going to come visit soon and I will have a guest room they can use before we head up I-85 to see our little brother and his family. 

So instead of thinking of the negatives, I dwell in the positives now. My wonderful siblings have created beautiful families that strengthen and grow every day. 

So while I may not have that myself, I do get to "borrow" and share theirs. 

New Beginnings

This is a picture of the soon to be guest room. It used to be the guest room and then I had a room mate. 

He moved the last of the furniture out today and this weekend I will be turning it back into a guest room. 

Now family who come into town can stay here with me. This means you Rhonda! You, too, Lew! 

Been almost three years since this was my space. Look forward to reclaiming it. 

There are no words....

My baby brother and his baby girl recently went to a Father/Daughter dance at her school. She is in Kindergarten and is rocking the reading program. (Of course, she takes after her wonderful Auntie.)

I love seeing my brother, Lew, in his role of Daddy. He does it so well and I love watching Princess E bloom under the attention and adoration she receives from him.

I always hear stories about daughters and their fathers and it is not something I can relate to or even remotely understand. But when I see Lew and Princess E together, suddenly I know what it is and that Lew instinctively knows how says volumes about him as a person because he certainly didn't have a role model in our home of how a father should be-- more like what one shouldn't be.

But Lew is a natural. From the first moment I saw him with her (the day she was born! Yes, my sister and I took the day off to be with Lew and Debbie for this little Angel's birth.) I could tell that he was going to be a shinning example of Fatherhood.

I love this little girl. She is rocking her cupcake dress for Easter and she's doing it with jazz hands!. You can tell how happy she is and how strong and confident. I attribute those three things to her parents and am glad this little girl calls me Aunt.

Ed, Note: Can I just say how happy looking at jazz hands cupcake girl makes me ? Grin at my desk, looking goofy happy. Thanks Lew and Debbie for giving us this beautiful girl. 

Just had to get the whole family in! Glad they got Grandma (Debbie's Mom) to take a picture of all of them. Lew and Debbie have been married for almost 20 years... come August.

What an awesome example of love and family these three are and I am glad they are family to me.

Emilia's 6th Birthday Party

My niece turned 6 in February. I drove to East Atlanta Village to help celebrate.

She wanted a dance party and that's what she got: complete with disco ball and dance tunes.

The cake was a work of art and I tried to get pictures from every angle. Cost a fortune but OMG, it was worth it.

Random Light

In no particular order these are some pictures I have taken over the last few months. I think the earliest might be October and they go through Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas. I didn't really notice a trend until I downloaded everything into Dropbox and could see them side by side over the months. 

 My friend Yvonne and her husband, Andy, drove over to Atlantic Station in early December to see the lighting of the Christmas Tree there. I took a ton of pictures that night.. and there are some that have way more light. There were all sorts of lighted animals but I loved this one most. Because quite unintentionally I got the moon in the picture and I think it makes it that much more beautiful.

Of course, a tree lighting requires a stop at the cheesecake place. Even when taking pictures of my scrumptious dessert, I had to have the flicker of the candle. That was an awesome piece of cheesecake and I couldn't even finish it!

 This was taken at Belloo's., My favorite Martini and Cigar bar. I was playing with the HDR settings and drinking a glass of Moscato. I liked how the overhead lights played with the glass.

 My brother and sister in law have a 6 year old. I can't decide what I liked best.. the light from the high window, the tree and star lights or the mantle lights. I liked that I could get them all in the picture. We are going to ignore the fact that I didn't edit this photo and take the TV light out!

 In December  I had to go to Washington DC for business and stayed at the Grand Hyatt. My room (because I checked in obscenely early) was on the 6th floor. I prefer higher floors with better views of night lights. This is the view from the landing outside the elevators on the 6th floor looking down at the lobby. One of the prettiest hotels I have ever stayed in and they were actually undergoing renovations so it's going to be even more gorgeous when they are done. 

  

 This is the view looking up at the ceiling from the 6th floor elevator landing. 

 When you travel during Hanukkah, you take your menorah, cards and candles with you. Or at least I do. I made sure I had dripless candles so I didn't tick the cleaning crew off. As you can tell from the hideous view that the 6th floor of the Grand Hyatt does not afford you awesome views. Oh well. 

During the training I had an occasion to attend a symposium held at the Renaissance Hotel down the street near the Hyatt. In their lobby I saw my FIRST EVER Hanukkah decoration in a public place. Yes, I am 47 and this is MY FIRST. I asked them if I could take a picture to commemorate that special occasion. PS for those that don't know... it was the 4th night of Hanukkah! 

 In November I had Thanksgiving at my friend Yvonne's parents just outside Atlanta. I loved these candle holders and the way she had decorated the whole house. I almost asked if I could light the candle just for the picture! But I was a better guest than that. I did take left overs home though, so it was all good!

 I think this picture is probably the oldest of the set because I took it at the key ceremony for our 5th Columbus Cottage Resident and I think that was spring.. His parents planted the pecan tree when they got married and moved into the house many, many years ago. Our Cottage program demolished the old house and built him a new one on the same footprint. He simply asked that we spare the tree. The day we gave him the keys to his new house, I saw the sun coming through the pecan tree and I felt like his parents were watching and smiling knowing their son would spend the remainder of his days in a safe and healthy home. 

OK I promise I do not have a problem with alcohol. I rarely drink it. But the dragonfly wine glass came from a friend and I loved how the light of the candle below (which isn't in the picture) is reflected in the wine and the shadows that are created. (I'm sure it is Moscato again, that's about all I drink these days. 

Zachor

Seven years ago today my beloved Mother died. She left this world and moved on to the next. We weren't finished; we still needed her.  Not a day goes by that I don't think of something to ask her or something to tell her.

But I know she watches. She sees. She looks over us and watches Bailee and Emilia grow. She knows.

I still tell her things and I still behave just as she would have wanted.

I am who I am today because of how she raised me and the love she gave me.

On this day, as on all days, I remember.