Category: Love & Family

Merry Christmas my dear friends ~

How do you spell out how much you love your children?  One can not say, because they are all so dear and precious to us.  Even when they are 35 & 29 you still see them as little girls waiting for Santa to arrive.

I miss them every day & then some.  As I begin to prepare for their arrival my heart is filled with so much joy & excitement.

Aly & Brian arrive at JFK on Tuesday morning.  They will be picked up by Kristin & Jenny – oh I forgot and Clark too.  Aly & Brian’s cat.

They go back to Kristin & Jenny’s for a couple of hours, so Clark can run around, since he was in his little crate for 6 hrs.

Then they all leave to come upstate for Christmas.  Kristin & Jenny will close the door to their first place together.  They will be moving to California the day after Christmas – Cross country adventure.

The only way I am getting through this is I know they will all be near each other that in itself make me very happy.

It will be very tough to say Good-Bye to all of them, my heart will probably sink to the floor on Christmas morning.

My prayer for them is that God will always keep them safe and that they are happy always.

Until the day after Christmas, I wish you lots of love, joy & peace in your hearts this beautiful Christmas Season.

Much love,

Rose

Hello my friends ~

Today I must share sad news – We had to put our sweet little cat to sleep.   We have had the pleasure of her company for 17 years.

She was the best little girl – she knew how much we loved her, and that was enough for her.

She was with us all the time.

I miss her so much, but know this was the right decision since she was so sick.

Even though she was in pain she still tried so hard to be herself.

She will be miss terribly

Wishing you all a blessed day

Much love,

Rose

Happy Easter to you all ~

We shared our Easter this year with good friends.  Pete’s fraternity brother Joe and his wife Christine.

The day was wonderful ~

So good to be with good friends and share special moments.

The dinner was great ~

I made Pork Roast ~ Mashed Red Potatoes ~ Asparagus ~ & Carrots.

Dessert was Homemade Biscotti ~ Fresh Fruit Salad.

We had a few glasses of wine and good laughs.

Just a little sample of the Easter Table ~

Dinner Table waiting for our guests

Another angle

Close up of the centerpiece

Place setting

Chocolate bunny as place setting.

Hope you all had a wonderful day with lots of love and laughter

Much love,

Rose

Good Morning Friends ~

Today I would love to share with you something very special to me.  Our oldest (Kristin) gave me this one year (I believe she was in High School) for Christmas –

I was cleaning the space in which it sits, and started reading it once again.  It brought tears to my eyes, because it is so true.

If you are a new mom or a mom of many years, you both will enjoy it, because it’s from the heart.

ENJOY ~

~Wet Oatmeal Kisses ~

“The baby is teething; the children are fighting.  My husband just called and said to eat dinner without him.”  Okay, one of these days you’ll shout: “Why don’t you grow up and act your age!” and they will, or “You guys get outside and find yourselves something to do…. and don’t slam the door.” and they won’t.

You’ll straighten up their rooms neat and tidy….bumper stickers discarded….spreads tucked and smooth….toys displayed on the shelves…hangers in the closet….animals caged, and you’ll say out loud: “Now I want it to stay that way,” and it will…. You’ll prepare a perfect dinner with a salad that hasn’t been picked to death and a cake with no finger traces in it and you’ll say, “Now there’s a meal for company,” and you’ll eat it alone.

You’ll say, “I want complete privacy on the phone.  No dancing around, no pantomimes, no demolition screws. Silence! do you hear?” and you’ll have it.  No more plastic tablecloths stained with spaghetti, no more anxious nights under a vaporizer tent, no more dandelion bouquets, no more iron-on patches, knotted shoestrings, tight boots.

Imagine, a lipstick with a point, no babysitters for New Year’s Eve, washing clothes only once a week, no PTA meetings, carpools, blaring radios, Christmas presents out of toothpicks and paste.  No more wet oatmeal kisses.  No more tooth fairy, giggles in the dark, or knees to heal.

Only a voice crying, “Why don’t you grow up?” and the silent echoing, “I did.”

After spending the weekend with our girls, my heart is overjoyed seeing them together, how much they love each other, and how much respect is there ~

I had to say Goodbye again to our youngest (Alyson) sending her back to LA where she lives, my mind says go honey be well, be good, care for others like you would want to be cared for, be honest and trustworthy, but my heart says “Please stay”.

Kristin lives in Brooklyn and we are only 3 hrs by car, but every time I see her I am so happy to be in her company.  She shares her life with an amazing woman (Jenny)~they have been married for 1.5 years.  Their home is so inviting, I never want to leave.  I am so grateful they have each other.

I hope you remember when your children were so little, and everything seemed so crazy, and if you are in the crazy part of your life now ~ it goes so fast so enjoy every minute of them now.

Much love,

Rose

Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone.

I hope you have the best day ever.

Pete and I will be preparing dinner together.

On our menu:♥

Filet Mignon ~ Mashed Potatoes ~ Baby Carrots ~ Red wine

Later we will watch a movie and have chocolate covered strawberries.

Hope everyone is keeping warm and safe. Enjoy your night.

Much love, Rose

p.s. Feel free to share what your plans are ♥

Merry Christmas ~

Pete & I are awaiting the arrival of our girls.  Alyson could only get a late flight from LA to NY tonight, so she will be staying with Kristin & Jenny tonight then traveling tomorrow to Christmas in the country.

They should arrive by noon, so we will have brunch ready and then open gifts.

We are so excited to see them, it is not often when we all get together, and being together for Christmas is priceless.

I will be cooking today, and preparing for our dinners together for the next couple of day, so I do not have to cook when they are here.

We love watching Christmas movies, staying in our PJ’s all day, having meals together, and of course drinking wine.

The best way to spend Christmas.

Wishing you all the best Christmas Season and a happy and healthy New Year.

Happy 2015 ~ make it the best ever….

Much love,

Rose

One of the New England Village pieces – one of my favorites (the church)

Our tree 2014

One of the pieces I made this year

Another one I made………..

A few close ups of the ornaments….

My sister Josie’s favorite….

And to all a good night………….

So my story begins on November 19th, 2014 –

I traveled to Henryville PA for our annual sister’s weekend.  I usually leave 1 day before the weekend starts to spend a little time with my sister Josie.  We made cute little Christmas ornaments for each of our (6) sisters and Mom – 

Friday morning we shared a wonderful visit with coffee (which we usually have over the phone) so being in person was so special.

Around 12 noon Mary Ann, Cathy and our niece Danielle arrived.

So good to see Danielle – she is in the Navy and we are so very proud of her.

So wonderful to see  Mary Ann who lives in San Diego Ca. and Cathy in Crofton Md. so as you might know we do not see each other too often.

Wrapping arms around each other felt so good.

We sat and had lunch together just talking about anything and everything.  It was wonderful.

The girls on Long Island arrived around 3pm – we are all together, what a wonderful sight.  My Mom has to be overwhelmed to see all her daughters together in one place.

Jeanne is with the girls on Long Island – she flew from Idaho, and again so wonderful to see her.  She has such a way of showing her love to all she comes in contact with.

Lori, Theresa & Regina and of course Mom live on Long Island – I see them from time to time but again to share time with them is priceless.

We laughed and had separate conversation with each other and all together, we cooked and cleaned and just loved each other – it was wonderful.

On Sunday, we all left around the same time – Mary Ann, Jeanne, Danielle & Cathy all left for BWI where M.A and Jeanne took flights back home.

The rest of us left for Long Island to see my daughter Kristin at her book signing – yes she wrote a book (along with her business partner Dannielle) the book title  ”This is a book for Parents of Gay Kids” 

I am so proud of Kristin – as my sister Theresa said – “she is a missionary of sorts.” helping kids with this HUGE bulling problem, and just answering questions they might have about life in general.

They have a new project called “The Parent Project” which helps parent and, child who come out to their families.  Their book is an amazing reference guide for parent and child to go to for help and answers to questions they might have throughout the process of understanding each other.

Couldn’t be prouder of my daughter.  Love you so much.

I continued to spend time with the Long Island girls for 2 more day.

Lots of laughter, tears and eating and of course a glass of wine or 3 just the best time being with my family.

Pete arrived on Tuesday night for the Thanksgiving holiday, so good to see him after 6 days.

We traveled to Brooklyn on Wednesday to be with Kristin and Jenny for Thanksgiving.

Had a wonderful time with them. We watched a few movies, had a great Thanksgiving meal together and then Skyped Alyson our youngest – who lives in LA – so good to see her face – can’t wait to be with her for Christmas (this will be another story)

I have such a warm feeling of contentment and love as I visit with my daughter and daughter-in-law Jenny.

Their home has so much love that you feel it all around you.

Such a beautiful visit.

Pete and I traveled back to Altamont reflecting back on our wonderful visit with everyone.

God Bless you all and I thank you all for the best 8 days of love.

Much love,

Rose

It is such a beautiful sunny day in upstate NY.  The birds are singing and the grass is so green.

The trees are in bloom with all their flowers –

Such a beautiful picture outside.

I have to say Spring and Fall are my favorite seasons.

Spring because everything is new again.  Life is like that –

The newness of everything is just overwhelming  – always makes my heart feel so good.

It should be going up to 60 degrees today and the week looks perfect, sun and the 60’s is just fine for me.

This is what life is all about – the little things that make us so happy.

The sun shinning and the birds singing – the love of your life sitting next to you – enjoying a cup of coffee. 

Thank you Lord for the beauty in my life….Thank you for all those who mean so much to me, and always keep them safe.

Wishing you all the best Sunday –

Much love,

Rose