He’d Give You A Bow-Tie Dollar So You’d Never Be Broke….

Family 1 Response »
Jan 212012
 

Grandpa passed away on Monday.  We’ve spent the week crying, laughing, remembering and celebrating his life.  There are so many memories of this week.  I thought I’d make a list of the ones that come to mind, but I’m sure I won’t remember everything.

  • “Hi Linnie!, Thanks for coming.”  These are the last words that Grandpa ever said to me.  I was glad that I was able to see him while he still knew me.
  • Stephen, Nick and Sally had a great visit with Grandpa on January 1st.  It was a totally normal visit with the Browns game on the television and the sound to the game on the radio.  He made sure that we had a bit of pork and sauerkraut while we were there.
  • Watching my Grandma say goodbye after 65 years of marriage was the single hardest thing that I ever have done.
  • Grandpa was able to die in peace, at home, surrounded by family.  There was a full house at the time of his death.  That was fitting since Grandpa loved to gamble.
  • All 8 of his children and their spouses were able to be in town most of the week.  Most of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren were also in town.  We had family come from Florida, Maryland, California, Michigan, Washington, North Carolina and ITALY!
  • Uncle Mike used the “Spirit App” on his iPad to share a glimpse of heaven with us at the funeral home.
  • I played taps at the cemetary.  It was frigid.  It was an honor.
  • Much of the week was spent looking at photos and creating photo displays for display at the funeral home and luncheon.  There were 12 boards total.

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  • At one point there were 6 computers, a Nook, a tablet and several phones connected to G&G’s WiFi network.  I think it overloaded.
  • We took Nick and Sally to the funeral home for a small bit of the calling hours.  It was their first experience with death.
  • Nick got croup and spent several hours in the ER Monday night.
  • Nick got an early birthday present from his aunt and uncle.  It’s a baseball and glove.

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Grandpa was known for making bow-ties out of crisp dollar bills.  My sister showed up at the funeral home with hers and my Grandma thought it was great.  She went and got a box that contained a bunch that Grandpa had made.  Within a few minutes, we were all wearing them at the calling hours.  It was a great tribute.  Many people who came in to see the family knew exactly what they were for.

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He’d give you a dollar so you’d never be broke.  We’re all rich and blessed since we knew him.  Love you Grandpa!

 Posted by at 7:58 PM

A Tribute to Grandpa

Family 2 Responses »
Jan 162012
 

I have been fortunate to have Grandpa living close by my whole life.  I have so many great memories.  Here’s a few photos that I wanted to share.

On my wedding day:

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Hanging out at the house:

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Visiting with Nick:

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At one of his great-granddaughter’s baptism:

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Visiting at my mom’s house:

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Thanksgiving 2011 – Celebrating 65 years of marriage:

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Enjoying the game:

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Meeting Sally for the first time, Enjoying her at Christmas:

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Teaching us to make bow tie dollar bills:

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We are so blessed with so many awesome memories.  We’ll all miss you grandpa!

 Posted by at 3:18 PM

Double Trouble!

Adventures with Nick and Sally, Family No Responses »
Jan 082012
 

Last night, Sally decided not to sleep.  Between 8PM and 7AM, she was up for over 4 hours.  Since I was feeling less than stellar, Stephen took care of her for over 3 hours.  I took one shift that was a little less than an hour.  We aren’t sure if she’s sick.  She doesn’t have a fever, she doesn’t seem to be pulling on her ears and I think it’s just a cold.

Nick slept well, but despite a good night’s sleep, both kids were in total meltdown mode by 8AM.  Really, by just after 8AM, I already wanted a do-over for today.

Stephen managed to get them to church so Nick wouldn’t miss pajama day.  We let Sally wear her pajamas, too.  At least we didn’t have to get them dressed.

Stephen had to stay at church, so I picked up the kids around 11AM.  Things were reasonable during lunch.  Nap time was more or less nonexistent for both kids.  Nick didn’t sleep and Sally slept on the living room chair for about 15 minutes.

We had plans to go bowling with friends from 3PM to 5PM.  We didn’t want to cancel, but didn’t know what to expect from the kids at this point either.

For the most part, Nick took his turn bowling with the other kids and Sally took a turn every once in a while.  She was clingy and mostly wanted to go for walks.  Except for some excessive neediness, we had a good time bowling.  But then, we tried to leave.

Both kids went into total meltdown mode.  Nick had to be carried out to the car kicking and screaming.  Sally also had to be carried out screaming.  Nick knows how to unbuckle his seatbelt, so it was quite challenging to get him in his seat.

Both of the kids screamed most of the way home.  Nick sits behind me and kept kicking the seat.  It was a terrible ride home.

To top it off, I have a weak voice today and I’m not up to par.  It’s hard to separate exhaustion from being sick.  I know that I am quite hopeful for a good night’s sleep.

 Posted by at 7:13 PM

Passing on Pizza?!

Adventures with Nick and Sally, Family 1 Response »
Jan 072012
 

Today was a crazy day for our household.  I went to bed last night with a planned hike this morning.  I woke up feeling yucky and spent much of the day sleeping.  Sally hasn’t been herself for a couple of days.  She seems fine for a few hours and then has a total meltdown.  Hopefully, she’ll feel better soon.

Stephen felt the brunt of things today.  I chilled on the sofa and napped off and on.  He took the kids for haircuts, shoes, bananas, and a craft before lunch.  After lunch he held Sally for a long time since she did not want to go to her bed for a nap, but clearly needed one.

Nick played for a really long time before finally napping.  By then, Sally had tried her bed and didn’t last.  While I got a nap, Stephen didn’t really even get a break.

Fast forward to dinner time….

Stephen asked me if I wanted to order a pizza for dinner.  Pizza is one of my favorite foods.  I could eat it every day.  I especially like pizza with tons of meat topping and thick crust.  The richer and saucier the tomato sauce the better.  Ordering a pizza is easy.  The kids love it when the pizza man comes to the door.  The problem is that pizza delivered is about $15.  We can choose to spend $15 on pizza, but it’s not really good for us and we’d rather go out to a nicer restaurant once in a while than spend $15 a week on pizza.

But, it was one of those days.  We were all tired and grumpy.  Pizza would taste great.

We talk about dinner plans several times and then I just decided to gather some energy and make dinner.  Then, I decided I had enough energy to clean the kitchen or make dinner.  I didn’t have enough energy for both.  When it was all said and done, we ate chili from our freezer along with freshly made corn muffins.  It was delicious and it was better than spending $15 on a pizza.

After dinner, Stephen took the kids on a run to Target.  He was gone just long enough for me to get the kitchen clean.

An hour later, the kitchen is clean, the toys are picked up and both kids are sleeping.  It’s ending up a pretty good day.

I’m proud of myself for not going the pizza route.  I’m also reminded that we need to keep a couple of easy meals in the freezer for nights like this.  It’s better for our waistline and our budget.

 Posted by at 9:07 PM

Frosty Outside, Frosty Inside

Adventures with Nick and Sally, Family No Responses »
Jan 022012
 

I had planned to do a post from my Hawaii trip tonight, but alas you’ll have to wait to hear about my snorkeling adventure.

We are in the middle of getting our first real snow fall.  I think we’ve had snow three or four times this season, but this is the first significant lake effect storm.  The kids have been so excited to make a snowman.

When we woke up today, we were disappointed since there wasn’t hardly any snow yet.  We promised them they could play in the snow after nap time.  One thing led to another and then it was dark.

We decided to bring the snow inside.  It was the best decision yet.  The kids had a blast, we didn’t have to get everyone bundled up, and it was easier to clean up than most of our craft projects.

We started out with mittens and gloves, but they quickly figured out their dexterity was better without them.

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We tried raisins for eyes and they didn’t stick, so we ended up with Cheerios.  Since Stephen got his braces off, we stock raw carrots again.  They came in handy.

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Sally decided to take her clothes off today.  She’s been running around in a diaper.  It was a riot to see her play with the snow without clothes on.

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Here they are busy at work.

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Nick may or may not have been trying to drink the snow.  He was happy with the ground that he made out of the snow.

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We’ll definitely be playing with snow inside again soon.  It was great.

Year in Review Part 2

Adventures with Nick and Sally, Family No Responses »
Jan 012012
 

I managed to fall asleep on the couch last night and wake up 10 minutes before the ball dropped in NYC.  I hope my timing in 2012 is as good!  As promised, here’s part two of my year in review.

In July, we picked lots of fruit.  Blueberries was our favorite.  Between U-Pick farms and our CSAs, we kept busy with fresh, local produce.

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In August, family from Delaware visited early in the month.  Later in the month, the Connecticut clan visited as well.  The cousins don’t see enough of each other and had a blast!

 

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In September, I was fortunate to take a trip to Hawaii.

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In October, we hiked with my Grandma.

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In November, Sally turned 2.  My grandparents celebrated 65 years of marriage.

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In December, we enjoyed lots of family time.

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Have a great 2012!

Year in Review Part 1

Adventures with Nick and Sally, Family 1 Response »
Dec 312011
 

I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year!  2011 was a fun-filled busy year for us.  Here’s a memory from each month.

In January, I started my blog.  I also started taking a fly-tying class.  Here’s a photo of one of my flies.

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In February, Nick turned 3.  We celebrated with a bowling party.

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In March, Nick tried out his new bike for the first time.  We were glad to see some nice weather.

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In April, I turned 40.  We celebrated with a trip to the Akron Art museum and dinner.

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In May, all of my siblings were in town since a few were running in the Cleveland 10K, 1/2 or Marathon.  I also had the privilege of going to Baltimore for the Fit Bloggin’ conference.

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In June, our Wednesday Wade Oval summer of museum visits began.  Here’s Sally playing at the Cleveland Botanical Gardens.

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Stay tuned tomorrow for Part 2!

A Temper Tantrum Filled Trip to the J

Adventures with Nick and Sally, Family No Responses »
Dec 292011
 

Thursday is our double J day.  We go in the morning so I can workout and shower.  Today, I had planned the water aerobics class.  We go back after nap time so Nick can take his weekly swim lesson.

We were leaving this morning and we were barely on time.  Sometimes I do too many dishes before I start coats, boots, mittens, socks, etc.  I got everyone in the car and Nick wanted me to go in for his bird.  Since I was not in the car yet and had to make another trip anyway, I picked up his stuffed yellow bird and brought it out to him.  After I got in the car and buckled my seat belt, Nick decided that he wanted me to go in and get his car.  I told him no.  Sally was playing with her boat that she had left in the car yesterday.  Nick didn’t even think of his car until he saw her playing with the boat.

He started to cry and scream.  He wanted me to go in.  I just started to drive.  I told him that he needed to be more responsible for what he wanted to bring and that he already had his bird.  He screamed that he wanted me to turn around and go back for his car.  His screaming and crying continued during the entire 12 minute trip to the JCC.

I got Sally out of the car and then went to get Nick out of the car.  He got out and then opened the door to get back in three times before walking toward the lobby.  I told him that if I had to miss my swim class that he was going to miss his swim class.  I’m not sure if he is old enough to understand that, but I need to try to teach him.

Finally, we made it to the doors and he was still crying and screaming.  One of the workers walked in and said he was glad that it wasn’t just his kid.  I know that everyone has tantrums, but it does get old.

Finally, Nick’s playroom friend came in with her mom and Nick wanted to walk with her.  That ended up working in my favor.  I may have also bribed him a little by letting him open his snack.  He was still upset a little when he got to the playroom, but it worked out ok.  I was just on time for class.

After a rather noisy quiet time, Nick made it to his swim lesson.  He remembered to take his car into the car and all was well with the world.

I’m hoping for a smoother workout tomorrow!

 Posted by at 6:37 PM  Tagged with:

Getting Back to Normal

Adventures with Nick and Sally, Exercise, Family No Responses »
Dec 282011
 

Now that Christmas is over, it’s time to get everyone back to normal.  The holidays aren’t quite over yet since New Year’s is this weekend, but it’s a much more low key time for our family.

Stephen went back to work today.  He was off for 4 days and it was fun to have him home.  The kids and I had a normal day that included the J, pasta lunch at home, and nice naps.  We made dinner and hung out at home the rest of the day.  I’m glad we didn’t try to venture out for errands or shopping.

Bed time for the kids tonight was a bit rough.  They are both so tired and off schedule.  I’m hoping a couple of more days like today and everyone will be caught up on sleep.  We also need to get everyone back to eating more normal food.  We’ve had so much pizza, cookies and other goodies around lately, that we’re all in need of some detox over the next few days as well.

I’m also looking forward to taking the tree down, storing the decorations and wrapping supplies, and organizing the new toys and gifts.

Usually, we go to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History Wednesday evenings.  We haven’t been there lately, and I hope that by next Wednesday, we’ll be back in the swing of things and can make a trip down to University Circle.

I’m off to clean and organize something!

 Posted by at 8:22 PM

Christmas Lights + Snow = Happy Lyn

Adventures with Nick and Sally, Family No Responses »
Dec 272011
 

Last Friday, we took the kids to Tower City and Public Square in downtown Cleveland to see the holiday lights.  I drove to the rapid station and took the train with Nick and Sally and Stephen met us there from work.  That was much simpler than driving and parking downtown and the kids LOVE the train.

Sally was enjoying a clementine while Nick studied the map.  Once downtown, we checked out some of the lights inside and out.

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We also saw Bruce the Talking Spruce, let Sally visit the Twigbee Shop for gifts, let the kids ride the indoor train that goes around a small part of the mall for $3 each and enjoyed dinner.

We had a great time, but we were really missing something – SNOW.  I love looking at the lights in the snow.  I love how the lights twinkle when they are covered by snow and if it is actually snowing at the same time that’s even better.

Tonight, we have snow and it’s still close enough to Christmas that all of the lights are still on.  After dinner, we put boots on the kids and headed for a ride around the neighborhood to check out the lights.  We particularly enjoyed catching the show on West Minor Road.  It’s not too far for us and they “dance” to music.  You pull up to the house, wait for the show to start (on the hour and half hour) and tune your radio to 107.1.  It’s fun.

We’ve also enjoyed the dancing lights (without snow) in Macedonia and on 135th South of Granger.  I think the one on  135th is the best.

I feel like the holidays are complete now that we have snow and enjoyed a ride for lights.  Now, hopefully we’ll have enough snow for skiing soon.  I’m not sure if I will go this year, but Nick and Stephen are already talking about cross-country skiing.

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