...and more great memories that make us smile...

• "Decorating Christmas cookies was always a fun time...and I am glad that dad helps you with it now." Sarah
• "Stopping for corn on our way up to Conover." Greg
• "Remember when the girls went to Vegas. We saw this really cool complimentary 3D movie. THEN we decided to put our money towards 3 more 3D movies--where we ALL got sick and raised our hands to STOP the movie and closed our eyes. But they never stopped it. I never laughed so hard--and still was sick." Raina
• "Going antiquing after Church." Greg
• "Remember taking me to my first stock car race Grandpa!" Charley
• "Macaroni and Cheese and Big Brother at 2 am - mom, I think you were already asleep." Raina and Andy

Still remembering....

• "Building the deck in Des Plaines." Greg
• "Remember when we went to the Cher concert and I poured a drink in Betty's purse and dad had to drive us home and I made him stop because I had to pee." Sarah
• "Mom-remember when we drove to Minnesota late one night and almost ran out of gas as we got stuck in a traffic jam very close to Sarah's house? We pictured her coming in her pink pajama outfit to help us! That's where you came up with the slogan "We drove all night....just to see Charley" to the sound of Celine Dion's song." Raina
• "Watching Monday Night Football and eating popcorn with Bob when he was still a Bear's fan." Dion
• "Installing the basketball hoop." Greg
• "Remember when Dad used to do puzzles a lot in the family room of the Janewood Lane house. Some were so big he would bring a huge board into the family room and work on it there (maybe 5,000 pieces?)" Raina
• "Remember when Uncle Mike (if that is what we call him) shot the bird with the water gun." Sarah
• "Riding the tram in New Mexico." Greg
• "Remember all the leaves we had to rake on Janewood Lane." Sarah
• "Mom-did you know that you have taught me to iron like 3 or 4 times? It always makes sense-but because I'm a "lefty" I still can't do it." Raina
  

...and more memories

• "Fireworks on Mackinac Island." Greg
• "Remember when: we would have popcorn for dinner on Sundays? Dad wold make and put it in the big green bowl and shake it in the kitchen to mix is up. I thought it was magic how he threw the popcorn in the air in the bowl and it always landed there and not on the floor. That is one of my comfort foods." Raina
• "Remember all of us tailgating before Charley's first Packer? So fun that it all worked out for almost everyone to be there." Sarah
• "Teresa's wedding - lots of wine - a few cigars - and a HUGE post! Enough said!" Mary
• "Going to Badger & Packer games. TRIP TO SAN DIEGO. Playing Hearts at your house." Gary Schneider
• "Barb: Getting stuck in Ripon because of the snow! (Remember, we bought a birthday cake, just because.) Bob: My first time fishing with you and Raina - you were so patient :-)" "I learned from both of you how to truly enjoy life and how to make wonderful memories. Thanks for being you." Colleen
• "The role playing Clue game." Greg
• "Remember band concerts with binoculars and a daughter who put her music stand just so high so you couldn't see her face." Sarah
• "Remember the quarters and making me sit in the middle in the car? Sarah and Greg couldn't touch each other! I made the money and was "ok" sitting there. I was tolerant and I think it has made me that way in my career in life ..." Raina
  
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More precious memories...

• "Catching a huge red grouper on a charter boat in the Gulf of Mexico". Greg
• "Remember walking through new houses at Grandma's and picking out rooms for everyone." Sarah
• "Mom & Dad-you always know just what I WANT and even more importantly often NEED for my birthday or Christmas presents. Santa, the Easter Bunny and 'parents' always gave such thoughtful needed things - always appreciated." Raina
• "Making homemade ice cream in Des Plaines." Greg
• "Thank you for driving me and my friends to Great America for my birthday." Sarah
• "Remember when Felicity was on and that was ALL that mattered? Noel and Ben and Sean and Megan and all the drama? That was my favorite show of all time." Raina
  

Thanks for the Memories

For our 60th birthday we received a large red vase filled with memories from our family and friends. They mean the world to us. Thanks and we love you all!

• "Remember the magician and the breakfast buffet with the Glatzels and Kendricks at the hotel in Milwaukee? I waited all year for that." Raina"

• "Remember sending us out into the snow when we weren't getting along and making us play together." Sarah"

• "Building a worm box." Greg"

• "Remember when: the bike trip fell on my birthday weekend? You STILL made it special by having a birthday present to open every hour and my friend Julie was there and that was all I needed - family, a bike and a friend on my special day." Raina

• "Remember when we (mom, Raina & Sarah I think) begged dad to stop working in the yard and push us in the hammock and when he finally did, the hammock broke and we all crashed down." Sarah

• "Going to see Batman at the 8th Street theater and having Dad explain some of the jokes to me." Greg

• "Remember when: we danced all night on the bleachers at Rusted Root at Summerfest with young kids who were smoking. " Andy

The Big Row

Hey! Does anyone remember "the big row"? That was a heavenly place to visit in the late 70's and early 80's. If I close my eyes, I can still see it now.......

Blogging and a Silver Lining

OK, my teeth hurt this morning. I've spent over an hour on this and can't seem to swing it! Why? Am I really so daft? I FINALLY figured out how to edit a previous post and heave a huge sigh of relief. But for the life of me, I cannot get my book titles added to my Shelfari bookshelf. Sarah helped me set that up (although she doesn't have one and never would she says) but I was loving mine and wanted to keep track of all the books I read in our Book Babes club this past year. So who knows how I signed up for that, with what passwords, etc. etc. Can I start over? Maybe. Meanwhile, Sarah said she'd try to help me later today. Grit~~

Meanwhile, on a lighter and happier side, I love silence. They say Silence is Golden but I say that Silence is the Silver Lining of my Day. When I am home alone, it's glorious to have silence, for hours and hours. It lets me think, keeps distractions far away, and is my best friend. Smile~~

Badger game with Roeders

Cooking

So, if you ever come upon a messy recipe, a cookbook with wrinkled and spotted pages, then you know that recipe was LOVED and enjoyed often. I rush to clean up my spills but today realized that it's ok, someone, someday will realize how much the raspberry bars recipe was enjoyed and loved. Cooking is one of my true stress relievers and I love to multi task making more than one thing at a time.

Over 61

Ok, so, life goes on. From 60 to 61 I felt absolutely awesome. But now....my spirit is in a funk. Life is good and I'm very thankful for more than I could ever mention. But my body, oh yes, the old bones, skin and insides are creaking in ways I want to refuse to accept. I can still kick high but I can't kneel on my right knee. I want to walk for miles and miles, but I can't without repurcussions. I think I can still bike and I'll be adding miles to my sprints to increase stamina of the rear end. Today I challenged Bob to bike to and from work once this summer (11 miles) and I said I'd do it too (10 miles). Let's see if this challenge goes by the wayside like so many other things. Received a note from Aunt Nancy this week and her words: "Do what you can now. It gets tough in the 70's." Charley took this photo of me at the playground - I can still play!