Two by two...

When Tony was little, if you told him something he didn't quite believe, he'd ask,

"Are you teasing or lying, tricking or fooling?"

 

I felt that way every day for the past two weeks when I looked out the window and saw rain...

 

The guys put the dock in weeks ago and we haven't had a chance to use it.

 

The river is high and dirty...too much debris floating by to put the boat in...

 

We have a holiday weekend coming up,

People coming to play...

 

And yesterday one of Andy's friends went to the river to check on things and sent us this photo...

 

 

The place where the dock is attached to the shore is under water!

 

For a while, I believed that the only animals we'd see going past in twos would be black labs

since we have three in our family...

 

But now???

 

Stay safe, stay dry...

 

 

The Graduate!

It is with great pride and pleasure that I announce...

 

 

That our darling Shirley graduated from Petco University

With a degree in

Puppy Level 1

 

Graduation was held yesterday at the local campus.

 

Shirley was among the top two in her class, according to Dean Kelsey,

as they posed for a class picture...

 

 

Shirley asked her (only) classmate and best friend, Squeekers, to pose with her...

 

 

And to demonstrate how short an attention span they have...

 

 

They learned many things:

Sit

Down

Stand

Wait

 

Shirley also leaned (and perfected) how not to walk on a leash

as well as how to look cute while refusing to roll over.

 

Of course, Shirley's father asked her to pose again and again,

He's so proud!

 

 

She was so sure he would present her with a car,

She was looking for it..

 

 

We will have a formal celebration on July 4 at the river...

 

As for Shirley, she starts graduate school on July 29.

 

We're so proud!

Ten long years...

Ten years (and one day)ago, I shared this...

http://oneredsockmama.blogspot.com/2005/06/it-my-second-monday-this-week.html,
my very first ever blog post.
 I wasn't sure how well I would do, or how long I would do it...

I've always been a journaler of sorts, but never online...

Since then, there have been 465 blog posts.  Yes, this one today makes it 466!

 

In all that time, we've gained a few pounds, lost a few too. 

 

Added Bill, Linda, Winnie and Shirley to our family zoo,

and grieved the loss of Arnie, Bill and Linda...

 

We mourned the loss of my father-in-law, and of Mark...

 

Celebrated engagements, weddings, divorces and the birth of my second grand son...

 

Moved from my dream-home, House on the Hill

 

to my new normal house in town...

 

Moved to three different places on the river...and enjoyed boats, jet skis, kayaks, inner tubes and pedal boats while we were there..

 

The boys learned to unicycle,

I started to run...

 

I've knitted and quilted...

 

I met and married my precious Mr K and we moved to my second favorite ever house

(it would be tough to top that house-on-the-hill)...

 

Looking back, I can confirm what I have always suspected...

 

God has been good to me!

 

I know that some people have been with me for ten years...

 

A few just got here...

 

I'm thankful for everyone.

 

God bless you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Father's Day

There are so many reasons to celebrate Father's day...

To honor the memory of my own father...

 

 

 

 

 

To honor the memory of Mark, who loved being a father!

 

 

To  honor  Andy, my son, who is celebrating his first Father's day...

 

And to honor of Mr K, who became an instant step-father of my own four kids when he married me...

But who also became a 'step-father' to Linda...

And a 'doggie-daddy' to Shirley...

 

A 'Pappy-Ron' to Locklan...

 

As well as a dad to his own kids and a Pappy to the grandkids!

 

He's an all over handy guy to have around!

 

 

I am so thankful for all these fathers in my life...and for many others.

 

God bless you and thank you!

 

Oh, and today is my tenth blogsaversary...

but more on that tomorrow!

 

 

 

 

Sarah and Tom's excellent wedding, part 2!

I promised to tell you about Sarah and Tom's incredible wedding...

 

First, she was an incredibly beautiful bride...

 

 

Who was walked down the aisle by her equally good looking father...

 

 

 The ceremony was perfect!

 

 

Aren't they an awesome couple?

 

 

 

Let me tell you...

 

Not only is Sarah a beautiful bride,

She's also a loving mom to her son, Gino...

 

 

Who seemed thrilled to be a part of the ceremony!

 

 

And added to the solemn occasion with a roaring dinosaur noise!

 

 

 

She also just received her MSW (with high honors, no less)

from Fordham University!

 

Whew!

 

Before the wedding, Ashley asked me if I could make this...

 

 

(shown partially completed)

 

For Locklan to wear to the wedding.

 

I could, I did...

 

 

He didn't seem as though he liked his tie...

 

 

But before too long, he realized that it tasted good!

 

 

 

Locklan enjoyed smoozing with the ladies...

 

Here he's flirting with his great aunt, Diane...

 

 

And wow, did he love dancing with his parents!

 

 

 

They're such a sweet family...

 

 

When I think that this will be Andy's first Father's Day...I get all choked up!

 

 

 

Sigh...

 

Yes, we are blessed!

We have so many things we are thankful for...

 

Yes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sarah and Tom's amazing New Jersey Wedding!

 

I'll tell you all about it later,

but for now...

 

 

Enjoy Mr and Mrs K in all their photographic splendor...

 

 

 

 

Locklan!

I can't believe how fast he's growing...

 

 

He changes every day...

 

 

Andy and Ashley are enjoying him so much!

 

 

 

 

Parenthood agrees with Andy, that's for sure!

 

 

They not only look alike, they act alike!

 

 

 

They love hanging out together...

 

Spending time outdoors...

 

 

 

With all the right accessories!

 

 

His dad is teaching him how to be a real man and use charcoal at the river...

 

 

 

He has a BFF, his cousin, Bentley...

 

 

Even Pappy Ron (aka Mr. K) gets such a kick out of him!

 

 

On Saturday, Ashley was in her friend's wedding...

 

 

Which means...

 

We get the kid!

 

Tony and Noelle couldn't wait...

 

They wanted to take him for a walk...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And they wore him out!

 

 

After he woke from his nap,

He was a little fussy (I think he missed his mom)...

 

Ashley told us that he loves watching Cars on Netflix...

 

And he does, but our TV is on the mantle and he wasn't used to looking up to see it...

 

So Noelle helped him...

 

 

 

She stood there, holding him up so he could watch Mater...

 

 

 

 

He loved it!

(and I think she did too)

 

Nah...we aren't spoiling him!

 

Of course...

 

Grandma had to go out and get him his very own Mater...

 

 

And his dad scored these vintage Tonka trucks at our neighborhood garage sale...

 

 

I forgot how much fun babies can be!

 

~sigh~

 

We are blessed!