Eli

Just reminding everyone that Eli's surgery is tomorrow.. Monday the 26... It was changed from the 28. It will be from 7:45- 11:00 am. It will take place at Maine Medical Center in Portland, ME. He is having his leaky aortic valve replaced with a mechanical one made of carbon. It is the newest and still being tested for it's use without coumadin, a blood thinner. Our hope is that he will only have to be on coumadin for 5 years and then, when the study is done and the FDA approves it's use without the drug, he can be off it the rest of his life and also never need another valve. Coumadin is a pain in the neck but we will deal. We are confident in our decision and now Eli just wants to get it over with. We have to be there at 5:30 a.m. tomorrow. He will be in intensive care for 24 hours and then in the hospital for 4 to 7 days. So....send him good energy...Love to you all.....Lois, Eli and Hannah

Twinkies at Disney

These are the twinkies - they are growing so fast I can't beleive it! They visited for a few days and we all went to Disney. It was HOT!  

The "girls of the old West" Nana, Polly and Ashton!

On the right is my Grand daughter Ashton! She is 17 and beautiful, just like her Nana! haha,,We spent the day with my girlfriend Polly, who is one of my best friends. She had a local band in the 70's called "So Inclined" it was a rock band and she was the lead singer, both her son Beau and Justin are the same age. We went to Virginia City, which is 30mins out of Reno in the mountains. its an old Gold and Silver mining town and built in the 1800s. Mark Twain actually worked there at the local newspaper called the Territorial Enterprise. Local and others alike dress like the old days and roam around telling stories to the tourists! I would go there inthe 70's when I was in my 20s and sat on many a bar stool! There was a jazz fest last weekend so we made our way up there to listen to the sounds and roam around all the shops. THESE pictures were taken at the "Bucket of Blood" saloon..the city is filled with history, and as you can see Ashton and I ended up in jail, we were bad girls!..Then we road camels! Actually camels were used at one point to haul supplies from Carson City up the mountains, so in June they hold camel races for idiots that are brave enough to climb on one, (no I never did that).
President Grant gave a speech there to entice them to join the union in the civil war, and won them over, and people beleive that because of all the money the city pumped out it won us the war, and built San Francisco, with all the wealth. AT one time it was a thriving metropolis of at least 350,000 people, and still houses a working Opera House, called "Pipers Opera House" and it has been on the travel station and has a resident ghost! So, welcome to the family Ashton, and welcome to the Blog!

 

Happy Fathers DAY!!!

Happy Fathers DAY......
To.......Papa Victoria, Markel , Dylan, Doug , Justin, and Anthony.

Markel and Papa were my male role models, and I love them so much. I am so lucky to have had such opposite personalities guiding me!

Papa, you were always there for me, I so much enjoyed living so close to you growing up, visiting you at Kresge for saturday morning art class, all the time and energy you and Nana spent on me and Liz, means so much to me. I loved the hockey games, the overnights, the countless toys, the christmas parties, the trips to the park, the vacations, the sailboat in Holland, the camping trip to the Northeast, visiting me in Spain, you shared so much of your life and experiences with me, and I wouldnt be the same person without you. I remember you driving me to get my first business suit when I graduated college, how wonderful you are. I love you very much, and am so excited to be seeing you next week in Portsmouth!!! I hope you know how much I love and appreciate all that you have done for me. Happy Fathers Day.

Love Eva



Markel, what can I say, I adore you. I made you work for that though!!! I didnt want to let anyone in to our family in the very beginning, and I am so lucky that you saw past that and endured my constant tests. I admire and appreciate how happy you have made my lovely momma. You have so much love, wisdom, intelligence, and humor. I have never and will never meet anyone like you. They say that love brings out the best in people, and I think it worked for our entire family. Your generous spirit, willingness to give your thoughts and emotions, and lend your time to me has helped me tremendously. I still consider working with you one of the best experiences of my life. I miss you so much. I am so glad that you and my mom are doing so well, creating your amazing art and being happy. You deserve happiness, riches, love, and prosperity. I wish it to you, and I want you to know how much you have given my life, I am a richer person because of what you have given me. I love you. Happy Fathers Day, Markel.

Im sure everyone in our family has something lovely to say about the fathers in their lives, I would love to have a tribute on this blog today!!!!


Love you all, have a fantastic DAY, from sunny and 90 degree Portsmouth!!!!!!

Father's day greetings from Michigan

Father's day......2006.......................................Here's a picture of our lovely family the last time we got all of us together at Doug and Lisa's home in Mount Pleasant.
The only one missing is Juniper.
Here's dad....the daddy of them all...posing for a picture I took in Florida on one of our many vacations in Madeira Beach.
And even our dog Bitsy stood right up to wish Jim and all of the other fathers in our family...HAPPY FATHER'S DAY
How about this handsome dude with no grey hair. What a hunk...Huh??? Taken at Kresge Art center when he was a professor there.


So...happy Father's Day to all of the Dads in our family.

Love you all.....Phyllis and Jim, alias Nana and Papa and even Nana two and Papa Two. 

Father's DAY in Sacramento!

Went to Sacramento to celebrate Father's Day with Justin and family. Papa is in Montana, but that gave me quality time with Jake! When he first saw me, the first thing out of his mouth was "Papa".

Justin and I enjoyed a Mom and Son dinner at the "Rusty Duck" and Sara was kind enough to let us do some mother and son bonding. We had a lot of fun and some serious catching up.

The next day we were off to "Old Sacramento" to see the trains and shops and have lunch at "Crabby Joe's" on the river. Jake loves the "Choo choo trains, so I bought him a little train set while we were there, and it chugs and even has smoke coming out while going around the track!

So, all of you Dad's out there in our family, A Happy Fathers Day to you , Love , CAROL


 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUNE!!!

Happy Birthday June!

This is MOM, Aunt June, NANA, to us all, and the oldest and leader of the pack!!
Beleive it, this was Mom when she was a model for the local newspaper in Pawtucket R.I...wow! What a Babe! She still is!!


What a little cutie, must have been almost 2 in this picture!





I love you so much Mom, you have been my rock, my role modle and my very best friend, and I appreciate you so much!..your Christmas Carol.
 

Here it is the pictures you have been waiting for!

Here is Tori all dressed up to go see a play with her class.
Anthony is the boy peeking out looking at the camera he is with his class at a sharing assembly at school.
Here I am helping Tori design her cake with "fondant" to put on the cake and here is the end result!
Tori had to put a "cherry" on Top! :-)
Tori's sleep over party
Stephanies last day of pre school had a "picnic"
Tony's birthday.. I made him his favorite KeyLime Pie
Anthony in his one of his many "goofy"moments

Hope you enjoy!

I just noticed the dates are all wrong on the camera!

Love,
Mary

One Proud Mama-nana

What an absolutely wonderful trip we had....I think that this visit should hold me for a day or two. It was very hard to leave and I am very disappointed to say that I just didn't get my camera out enough. We stayed busy playing and talking, getting ready for the big bash. It was a wonderful time.

Michael and Poppie had many adventures, playing at the beautiful park that is two blocks from Michael's house. They biked, scootered, jumped, ran, went exploring. Michael killed us at monopoly and Uno, woke me up every morning to be with him and walk to school with him. He is my special boy.

....and that baby! She is so funny, tons of faces and sounds, very sweet, very cuddly. On the way home on the plane there was a baby about her age and it made me sad. She was really starting to walk while we were there and we got to see her improve each day. She already has "da" down, talking wise and she added "uh-oh", while we were there. I can't wait to get back there. We want to know her as well as we know Michael.

Markel and I are still trying to decide about our plans for the winter. Life is too short to be far away from the people that you love, so we want to live at least half of the year in Michigan so we can be closer to Liz and Dylan, Mom and Dad, and Lisa and Doug.

Mom and Dad went to see a little house with us, that we were looking at, and considering renting, but we decided against it. It was too small, too un-insulated, too far out on very wind-y, treacherous looking roads winter-wise. Unfortunately the price was right- cheap! If we could find a cheap place in Michigan and a cheap place inland from West Palm or Jupiter near Aunt June, Aunt Margie, Uncle Jim, and Mom and Dad, we'd be in heaven!.....We'll look more in August when we go back to do our art fair in Charlevoix. We love Ann Arbor, it is a very, very cool town. We have a strong following there, art-wise, too.

When Vanessa and Eva have babies, we'll just have to move closer to them..... I dearly wish that this country was smaller and we could all be closer. We're all too far away from one another. Sigh

So, we need a reunion at least every two years. Let's see what we can do!
On to the next birthday......Aunt June on Friday!
Love you all- leslie

Juniper's Party and a visit from Nana and Poppie!

So, its been very busy around here with my parents visiting and Michael's last week of school and of course Juniper's First Birthday Party! But its now all winding down. I was so glad to have my mom here and we were really excited to get Markel here for a visit also. Michael has been beside himself having his Nana and Poppie here, and they've had lots of great adventures. Juniper's birthday was lots of fun but a little crazy... I cut my finger an hour and a half before the party and wound up missing half up it to get stitches in my pinky... it was no big deal but a real drag, the ER is the last place you want to be during your child's first birthday party. Still we had lots of fun and it was nice to see everyone even if it was only for a little while. Nana and papa came as well as Doug and Lisa and there three adorable kids Lanae, Simone, and Miles. It was a beautiful day. Juniper got lots of new toys and is having a blast playing with them. Thanks to Mary and Tony and their family for the adorable gifts and the great sign language video... Very Cool! Its been a really fun time and now its almost time for Michael's Birthday.... Love to everyone

Happy Birthday ELI and TONY!!!!

WE love you! Nana, Papa, Leslie, Markel, Liz, and her whole family

Hppy Birthday Eli!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELI!!! lOVE YOU, AUNT CAROL!!!

Toms Bday celebration and also various pics

SO I am super happy, in a new relationship, and yesterday was Toms birthday. I made steak and spinach eggs benedict-the first time I'd ever made hollandaise, it was a hit too!!!, and we went to our friends house, who has a pool, and spent the whole day having cocktails, eating, and swimming. It was a blast. Toms son and girlfriend came up from Boston, and they were great to have around too. Im sorry I missed Junipers birthday, but Im so glad that mom, markel, and nana and papa could be there!!!
Love you all!!!!







The guy with the hat is Toms son, Justin, and his fiance is Sarina.

Another one!

Happy Birthday to Eli!!!

Bring on the cake!!!

Just so I don't forget...Happy Birthday June! I know it's next Friday but now that I am retired I even forget what day it is!
Love you - DelRio Dolores

Since we are talking about Birthdays... here is a cake I made for Stephanie's Birthday in April
On the left is the cake I made for Anthony's Birthday! Tori plans to make her own cake for her birthday..I will show you the results after this weekend...

I will post more pictures as I figure this out! Soon I will have pictures of all of my kids including the animals..

Happy Birthday Juniper!

Love,
Mary