Merry Christmas from the boys!

Today in the town of David...

Happy Belated Birthday #1

So much of what we learn of love,
we learn at home.
Happy many Birthdays, #1!

We're no angels

I just love that song...it is simple but beautiful. It is from the movie "We're No Angels". It is the old version of the movie with Humphrey Bogart, Aldo Ray and Peter Ustinov. It is a comedy about three convicts trying to escape from Devil's Island. Fate intervenes when they hide out with a kindly but inept man Felix and his family. The convicts take the family under their wing and help them but they themselves are touched by the kindly family. In one scene...Aldo Ray is talking and this line is so profound and has stayed with me for years..."If crime showed on a man's face, there wouldn't be any mirrors." Mull on that one.

I know this is an old movie, but I hope you will watch it and enjoy, laugh and appreciate your family.

Crazy Man!

This brings multi-tasking to a whole new level!
Crazy man...crazy

Have I told you lately that I love you

39 years...it was only yesterday! Your Dad played this on the piano for me tonight! Swoon.

Yesterday A Day of Infamy

Deer Fear and A Beautiful Place

One morning, before the sun was up I was on my way to the Fall Fairy's house. I was concentrating on driving in the dark. I don't see very well and instead of looking for deer (which I usually do), I was wanting to catch the cars in the distance so I wouldn't have to struggle so hard to see. As I pushed harder on the gas, going hmmm perhaps 55-60 mph or so, out of nowhere a huge body flew across the road filling my entire windshield. Now I saw no head, nor feet, just body filling my eyes. I know that buck must have had a full blown rack of antlers. I only had time to tap the brakes and I'm telling you I know not how but we did not collide which I am sure would have taken both of us to an early death. Fifteen minutes later my heart was still racing.  I now have what is known as Deer Fear. (I made that up :) So when Handsome asked me if I wanted to take an 8 hour drive with him into the heart of deer country, of course I said... yes...

We drove and drove and drove and drove...we saw large splashes of red on the road...scenes of untimely deer deaths and who knows about the drivers...dusk was falling rapidly, we watched earnestly for big brown eyes, hopefully still at the side of the road...we saw a fawn and then came to a town where the houses lined the road we were on...Betcha we can relax.......nope, out trips Bambi's mom and 2 teenage deer.  Finally, we made it to the hotel.

We could sense that the lake was very close, but in the deep dark we could not see it.
The hotel staff had made a bonfire and we were able to toast marshmellows and make s'mores. Our room was lovely, luxurious and I felt thoroughly princess-like and spoiled.

In the morning we had breakfast and the restaurant overlooked the lake which was a stone's throw from the hotel...we walked the beach and collected pink rocks. Handsome was not feeling well and spent most of the afternoon in bed. He said that he was glad I was with him and I have treasured that comment ever since.

So beautiful and big ... although after Saturday night there were only 5 cars in the lot (besides the staff). Off season you know ... kind of reminded me of The Shining (although that movie made us laugh). We did feel as if we should be seeing some ghostly forms walking the long corridors.

Yep, we were right the lake is RIGHT THERE. By that tree, see those rocks, that's the fire pit.

Pampas grass so lovely in the wind.

Can't believe there were still leaves on the trees...it was mid to late November after all.

"I want to take THAT one home", I said. He tried, but he couldn't quite do it.

Such a lovely room with balcony and kitchenette. The linens were so soft and pristine white.

I wanted to upload more photos, but blogger wouldn't let me.  I tried 3 times and I am ready to throw the computer through a window.  But I digress as the Fall Fairy would say.

 We started for home later in the morning ... we learned it was opening day of hunting season ... We stopped at the strangest McDonald's for lunch and what to our wondering eyes did appear but a pick up truck with a really big buck in the bed. Now I am no tree hugger, but the sight of a gutted deer is just not what I want to follow behind on a two lane road for miles...couldn't they cover them up...we were glad to get closer to civilization where Handsome manipulated the spaghetti-like toll ways and express ways in quite a wonderful fashion avoiding any traffic jams and hot spots just in time for us to pick up Sargie poo poo before it was dark! He is amazing (Handsome is).

It was a really nice trip, but we were glad to be out of the car. Beautiful place, but we still think the UP trumps. I feel I should be talking about Christmas, but I really wanted to share this story with you.

Maggie Daley called home

A Man's Happiness

What more could a man ask for?
He has his best friend by his side...
2 computers,
one is on the Drudge Report;
the other is on Instapundint.
And best of all he has a McDonald's cheeseburger, large fries and a coke...
Who needs a man cave when you have all that!
Hmmmm, maybe a Kindle Fire to hold in his hand?

Disney Part Tres The Characters

One of my favorite characters, Belle...She was very attentive to the children as you can see by the look on our Rose's face.

Our biggest littlest baby had no fear of the characters...he loved them all. Poor Donald, out in the blazing sun...also no touchy Donald, baby boy, you just had a popscicle!

Little did we know...Goofy is part of our family tree!

Kisses from my wild blonde boy...We are at breakfast at the castle and everybody ate and enjoyed!

This picture says Magic to me...

The characters couldn't have been nicer and more gentle.

Awwww

Awww Awww

Rapunzel was the hardest to see. They have shorter visiting times for her. She did spend a nice amount of time with our middle Rose. The hair...the hair...every girls dream. How much "Wen" would that take?

Who do THOSE two belong to?
(Waiting for Mickey)

Boys!   Girls!  The picture says it all.

A brief interruption to the Disney posts...Halloween!

So our youngest, in her free time created these lovely candy corn cookies and much to the dismay of her mama heart, her 3 children decided to decorate them with Easter, Christmas, Valentine sprinkles.
 And her mama heart died a little.
But she said nothing and allowed them the joy of creating all of the above loveliness.
Now that is the mark of a good mama!

She also made her own caramel and dipped wonderful tart green granny smith apples. And she rolled them in various and wonderful things.

We enjoyed them immensely.

And Rapunzel took down the Ninja turtle and the biggest, little baby chewed on...I have no idea what?!*

And these two had the best time except for when jumpin J had a slight problem in the driveway and daddy and ray left her with mama until the crying stopped...15 or so minutes later! Lucky mama!

Wanted you to see the real Ninja in this one!

And she looked adoringly up at her crying brother (why was he crying? because Grandma wanted a picture and they weren't going trick or treating fast enough!)By the way that is Toothless the Dragon and his Fairy sidekick...

This is our November, summer sunset from the other night...quite beautiful don't you think?

The month is amber
Gold and brown.
Blue ghosts of smoke
Float through the town.
Great V's of geese
Honk overhead,
And maples turn
A fiery red.

Frost bites the lawn.
The stars are slits
In a black cat's eye
Before she spits.
At last, small witches,
Goblins, hags
And pirates armed
With paper bags,
Their costums hinged
on safety pins,
Go haunt a night
Of pumpkin grins.

Disney Part Deux

Do you see this happy, mama face? This is how she looked on the whole vacation while dragging her mom, dad, 3 kids and husband through the airport and Disney. She did it gracefully, with fun and very much precision and efficiency. That's my girl!

Do you see this happy mama face? She lights up the tea cup ride!

Do you see this happy mama face? Even in the blazing heat and humidity...she is still taking care of everybody and may I say looking lovely.

Do you see this happy mama face? Notice the maps in her hand and she is ready to lead us to the Magic Kingdom.

Do you see this happy mama face? Flying on Dumbo with the Wild Blonde Boy.

Do you see this happy mama face? She is so proud and thrilled to be able to experience this great time with her children and parents.



Do you see this happy mama face? Being able to show all her children such a wonderful vacation and partly relive her childhood.

Do you see this happy mama .... We would gladly follow her all over the park and are grateful for her and her family...

Disney Part Uno

Look who we ran into at the airport! We stayed at a hotel close to the airport and they still beat us through security! Handsome, as usual got the X Ray!

Our wild blonde boy played good guys and bad guys until Mama, Papa and the kids walked the moving sidewalk until it was time to board.

After a short time of crying, this happened!

After a short time of not crying...this happened!

Middle Rose was very excited and this is how she stayed! Mama stayed brave the whole time!

This is what we saw upon take off.  Cool clouds reflected in the water below. Sure is a short runway at the airport and when we took off it felt like a rocket ship! Straight up!

The wing please! What movie is that from?

After being picked up in a nice bus and registering, our luggage arrived (thank God cause we had long pants on), we changed and went to find food!

Happy faces on the bus! We got a seat this time.

We were in the hot seat! I think the bus's motor was right under us.

Handsome was quite taken with that little hand around the neck and captured this priceless photo...

Love your tender side Handsome...
Next post, my love - hate relationship with Mickey.