Tapestry of Time

Well today is my least favorite holiday of them all. Maybe it is because I am sorry to see what I know go and the fear or anxiety of what is to come. I have always been a "wall flower" and prefer to observe life from a distance. Stepping into the new or being in the fore front has always been my weakness.

I can not say that this year was bad, because in truth it has been a good year. This time in 2010, our company was on the verge of possibly closing and changes would be coming. With the fear of not knowing what I was going to do, I stepped into 2011 with a huge question mark. As it turned out the first six months were extremely trying. We were in partnership with another company and it was draining day after day not knowing what our future was going to be. It was in June when we woke up so to speak and got mad. We felt why are we allowing some company to take away our pride in what we do, how we do it and who we are. We made a joint decision to break away from them and venture out on our own again. We made sacrifices, it took hard work and dedication but we survived. We not only survived, we thrived. I work for my brother and his company is a family owned and run business. He is always there for everyone and no matter the cost or the risk he is there for everyone. It was now time for us to be there for him and to see our company come back from the ashes and be as we were and better. We succeeded. We took our company back, and have been busy ever since and the 1st quarter of the new year is already busy. It will always take hard work and dedication but this time it is with a different purpose.

We welcomed 2 new babies into our life and they are precious as is all of the grand kids. It is fulfilling to watch my children be the parents and I can observe and strictly love the fruits of their labors, while they are the fruit of mine. We were filled this summer with baby showers, births, baptisms, birthday parties, weekend vacations and everything in between.

I have been lucky to now work from home and spend more time here with Mom. We have done so many things together and have many adventures. I am always in awe of her stamina and determination to carry on. She had eye surgery on a cataract in her good eye. It took guts to put it all on the line and take a leap of faith that this time all will go well. It did and her eyesight has gotten better in that eye. I am grateful to God for the blessing of sight that he has given to her which makes each day worthwhile.

I don't know what 2012 will bring for us, but I pray and hope that whatever is to come, that I can handle it with God's help and guidance. There is nothing that I do on my own and I am not smug enough to believe that anything I have or have done, came from my own doing. All the blessings I have received have come from God and his belief in my strengths and his strength in my weakness. I know there are angels that watch over us, one for sure is my Dad and the other is my Son. It is hard to watch the years accumulate on how long they have been gone, but in my heart and mind they travel my journey along with me.

There are no pictures in this entry for they reside in my memory of what this year has been. They are woven in my tapestry of life and when I am sad or nervous I can pull them out and cover myself with them like a well worn quilt. This year is finished and the new year is quickly approaching, though I can think of a million resolutions to make, I make none. Because I know I wont keep them so this way I will surprise myself if I do.

So here's to all my family and friends...Happy New Year!!! May the new year be filled with blessings, good health,happiness and hope.

Christmas 2011

Tis the season...where crazyness abounds. Christmas is always a busy time around here. Starting just after Thanksgiving, I do my baking for the baskets that we pass out from the office. This year Brooke happened to be over and was the secret helper of the day...She and YaYa Gram were caught in the moment of making Oatmeal cookies....yum.....
Then it was off to Bill's house as they just began decorating...here's a picture of his little helpers...taking a time out....



As you can tell it has been a very mild Christmas this year.....

Then we have Brooke's school Christmas play...how cute. I sat in that same gym years ago as my kids attended the same school as my Grandchildren now attend. In fact there are pictures on the wall and acheivements that belong to my kids....kind of a wierd time warp. It was the shortest program that I have ever seen at that school. Just when I thought they were taking a break they were actually done...They did a great job and their little voices are so angelic....

Great Job.......

This year Bill and Laura offered to have the Family Christmas party at their house. Their house is a 4 level split level home. They have a sub basement that is dedicated to the kids playroom and toys. It worked out great that they had a place to go and play with their cousins. Again Bill's garage did double duty as a reception area and we had seated almost 40 people. It's amazing what you can do with lights, garland and a staple gun. Good job Bill......


After dinner, much to everyone under 4's surprise....Santa came along....He greeted all the kids and passed out toys and surprises to them all. We just so happen to have a plate of Chocolate Chip cookies that we heard were his favorite...so when he had to leave to get back to the reindeers and elves we sent the cookies along with him....Thanks Santa for taking the time out of your busy schedule to come and visit with us.....

Santa and the Gang....Katie, Annie, Alana, Sophie, Taylor, Ava, Andrew, Georgia, Brooke, Meadow and Rachel...

Mason wasn't getting off the couch to go any where near Santa, maybe next year.....

Santa and Ella spent a moment in time along with

Brooke....putting in her last requests....

Finally on Christmas Eve we went to the Children's mass at Church and listened to the children's choir and then headed over to Kate and Blake's for snacks, pizza and presents....lots and lots of presents.

It has been a long Holiday season filled with over what seems like a million Christmas carols, Hallmark movies...and every special imaginable...but all in all it has been a great journey...and I love all the kids and their excitement and I thank my family for making it a great Christmas Season.

Alexa Christine, A Child of God....

On November 12th, Alexa Christine was baptized and also became a Child of God.

The baptism was at their church St. Alexanders where Laura is involved in their Religious Ed program. Laura teaches Kindergarten,.....God bless her...

The God parents were Amy and Laura's brother, Billy. Alexa is Bill and Laura's fourth child and the only Grand child who has managed to keep her dark hair. She is a beautiful little girl and the quietest baby I have seen in a long time. Amongst the chaos and activity in such a large family she is petite and quiet and at this moment a gentle soul. During the ceremony, Alexa is baptized in Holy water and blessed with the Chrism oil.

The parents then receive a blessing as well.

The God Parents.......Amy and Billy...............

Following the baptism we all went back to Bill and Laura's house where the garage was transformed into a reception area and we enjoyed lunch. The good thing is that Bill has a heated garage and it provides all the space a growing family needs to entertain and host all sorts of events.

Congratulations Bill and Laura on a job well done. Again, especially during a time of Thanksgiving, we give thanks for the new lives in our family, good health, family and friends....

Amy, Bill, Laura, Billy with Alexa, Alana and Ava....where'd Andrew go????

Andrew's 3!!!

Well November not only brings the hint of Thanksgiving and Turkeys it also brings Andrew's birthday...He turns 3 on the 3rd of November and he chose Chuckie Cheese...to celebrate with friends and family...Unfortunately his YaYa did not bring her camera so I can only tell you that it was one of the craziest places I have been in a long time. We had pizza and cake and Chuckie Cheese himself came out and helped us sing Happy Birthday to the birthday boy.....

The pictures I chose unfortunately are while he is 2...but I will update soon...very soon.....Love ya buddy....

Ella J, a child of God

On October 1st, we witnessed Ella as she became a Child of God. Father Damien our priest and family friend did the ceremony. Her Godparents were Katie and Joey. The house was all decked out and the backyard was prepared for lunch after the baptism.

In the Greek Church a baptism is a huge event and quite the honor for the God Parents. It use to be that the God Parents pay for everything including a wardrobe for the Child's first year. They even pick the baby's name. Well lucky for my children, though we are part Greek, they are Catholic so the parents picked the baby's name and the God Parents do not have to buy the child's first wardrobe. It is still an honor to be a God Parent. There were somethings that were tradition, such as the Candle along with ribbons that state the baby's name, the baptism date and are pinned on each guest symbolizing that they were chosen to come and witness this very important event in the child's life. The outfit Ella wore was actually the same dress that her mom, Amy wore when she was baptized. When I was getting married, Mom crocheted my wedding dress and when she was finished she made two little dresses out of the same stitch pattern. Both my girls wore the dresses, but Amy was babtized when she was 4 days old, so the smaller of the outfits became hers to use and it fit Ella perfectly.

Here Ella is baptized with Holy water and receives the light of Christ.

A blessing was then given to both the Mom and Dad.

Here is a picture of Eric, Amy, Father Damien, Ella (who is Mom's 24th Great Grandchild) and Mom.

and Eric's family, his Mom, Judy and her 1st Grand child Ella and Eric's Grandmother.

After the ceremony we headed back to Amy and Eric's and enjoyed a great Fall day and lunch. We have been blessed this year and we are grateful for all the people and the events of our lives.

As always, it seems my end of year is a time for catching up.

We begin with October and the first Halloween for the 2 newest members of the family.

This year we added some new faces to our Trick or Treat time...Here pictured is Brooke as a cat, Ella is cute as a bug, lady bug to be exact and Mason as Popeye....

After school was out, we ventured through the neighborhood in search of loot....

Later all the Grand kids joined forces and we went out one last time. They got enough loot to fill all their pumpkins and bags and we headed back home for chilli, hot dogs, chips and dessert.....

Nothing like a sugar high to put everyone in the mood for a Halloween picture!

Brooke, Ava, Ella, Alana, Alexa, Mason and Andrew my little gruesome troop....

Alexa Christine

Well this summer has flown by and both Mommas are tired of waiting.. After Amy and Eric had Ella on August 23rd, Bill and Laura were right behind them awaiting their special bundle. After many trips to the hospital with pains and contractions, Laura did make it to her scheduled due date of September 23rd. Laura had a C-section and at 1:51pm weighing in at 8lbs 2oz, little Alexa Christine was born.

Alexa joins her oldest sister Alana who is 7, Ava who is 6, and their brother Andrew who will be 3 in November. Both Mom and baby are doing well. Bill stayed home all week and helped out, it is a busy household and just got about 8lbs busier. Alexa has strikingly black hair...maybe the Greek in her ? not sure but I do expect she could have curly hair like her father. I have yet to actually see her with her eyes open, but I am told they are blue. She is a very peaceful and quiet little girl. Good luck and God bless all of them as she begins her new life on the outside. This makes Mom's 25th Great Grandchild and my 7th Grandchild.....we are all blessed to be a part of their life...

Tough break!!

What would summer be without all the mishaps of fun...well is you consider running into the bathroom to take a bath and falling hard enough to smack your leg against the sink cabinet and break your leg then I guess that would be a mishap.......Brooke again fell and broke her leg.

This time is was the other leg. She broke her leg the first time when she was 3 and now at 5 she broke the other leg. Her brother also broke 2 bones in his foot this late spring...they sure don't make kids like they use to. When my kids were growing up the broken bones they had were usually caused by themselves doing things they shouldn't have or a sibling helping them break something.

All of my natural grandchildren have broken the same leg and all under the age of 3. Katie, Brooke's mom found out from the doctor that they have seen a larger number than normal of young children with broken bones and have tied that to sun screen. Apparently the sun-screen depletes the vitamin D in their system. That and the fact that kids don't drink enough milk to

truly strengthen their bones....wierd....

so now Brooke not only needs more milk but a calcium supplement as well. The bad news is she starts kindergarten this year and if that isn't

hard enough, now do it with a cast thigh high and a walker. Well after successfully wearing the thigh high cast for 6 weeks, they then switched her to a walking cast for another 4 weeks. Finally after summer faded, school began and enough sitting on the side lines watching recess go by, Brooke finally got the cast off and is walking slightly slower but on her own...no more casts, walkers or crutches....we'll hold our breath when she turns 7......

Ella J.

After waiting for what seemed like an eternity...painting the baby;s room, washing more clothes than I have ever seen a child wear...Amy was due on August 24th and went into labor on August 23rd. ...

Amy tried to go as natural as possible and held off on the drugs....I am proud of her, when she got pretty far along the pain was a little to intense and chose to go with the drugs..I remember having my own children and the first child we were all prepared for natural childbirth...after the first menacing pains kicked in I was all about the drugs...next to the baby it was the best part of childbirth..That really didn't help Amy any so I just observed and waited....Well at 3:12 weighing

in at 8lbs 14 oz. (thus the drugs)...Ella J. was born.

Ella in Greek means "come" and if ever there was a most anticipated child this would be it. Amy has waited her whole life to be a wife and now Mother. She and Eric have stepped into the parent role and both participate in almost every aspect of her care. The "J " as her middle name is for Eric's middle name and Amy's brother Jonathan. Somehow I think Ella knew him before she came here and sent her and his blessing on to his sister. Here in this picture Ella is the 24th Great Grandchild for Mom and my 6th grandchild. She also joins the 4 -Generation club with her cousins who have been lucky enough to meet and greet their Great YiaYia.

God bless them all and welcome, baby Ella........

We have been Blessed...

This year we are blessed to have 2 new arrivals to add to the fold. Amy and Eric are expecting their first child in August and Bill and Laura are expecting their fourth child in September. This has been a long hot summer for both Mommas...We had a baby shower for Amy and Eric in June, with lots of friends, family and gifts...

As Amy and Brooke get ready for the day, we decorated the outside and got ready for the people.

The Mommas in waiting...and waiting and waiting.....soon.....it will be over.....