Home Sweet Home

We have been in Florida for almost two weeks. The weather has been sunny and warm. The ocean is a beautiful blue and the sand is almost white. Papa goes to the beach just about every day. I am very content swimming in the heated pool and relaxing on a chaise lounge.

We have met people we enjoy spending time with. Our friends, Janie and Jerry, are here. Needless to say, Nana always laughs when she is with Janie, her childhood friend.

I am enjoying every day we are here. I feel so much better in this warm weather. None the less, my heart is always home with you. That old saying, “There is no place like home,” is so true. And home is wherever my family is.
Sending lots and lots of hugs and kisses,

Kara's D.A.R.E. Graduation

D.A.R.E. is substance abuse prevention education and much more!

This year millions of school children around the world will benefit from D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education), the highly acclaimed program that gives kids the skills they need to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs and violence.

D.A.R.E. was founded in 1983 in Los Angeles and has proven so successful that it is now being implemented in 75 percent of our nation's school districts and in more than 43 countries around the world.

It is a police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teaches children how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug and violence-free lives.

Officer Jim Phelps is assigned as the D.A.R.E. officer for Tamarac School, among other schools in Rensselaer County. He used to live down the street from us on Cloverlawn Road. He has the perfect personality to teach children your age these skills. It wasn't that many years ago he was on Tamarac's stage wearing his green D.A.R.E. shirt.

You worked for many weeks to earn this diploma. Now you need to live what you have learned.
Hugs and kisses,

Zack's January Day with the Boy Scouts

Hugs and kisses,

Chinese New Year - 2012

Another Chinese New Year has come and gone. It was a strange one this year, that's for sure. Grandma was in the hospital, so Grandpa and her were not able to celebrate with us. Papa follows the Siena College (Kara and Em, your Mom went to college there.) men's basketball team and there was a game that night. So Papa (being pushed out by Nana) was among the missing. Don's Mom is in the hospital in Florida.

The kids liked the contents of their red containers, especially what was in their red envelopes. We had a Chinese dinner on a nicely appointed table, if I say so myself. The cake and ice cream were really yummy. Zack was thrilled to have a Cherry Pepsi for the festive occasion.

We spent the next few hours talking and laughing in the living room. Em and Alex built their tent with a bunch of couch pillows and blankets. Zack had a great time talking with Uncle Corey and his Dad. Shelley, Kristen and I made plans to celebrate Ken's birthday early. We will be in sunny Deerfield Beach on the actual day.

Kara always sits in a certain chair in our living room. We have deemed it Princess Kara's throne. Well, when she got up her Dad went to sit down and started laughing. I immediately knew why. I complain every holiday that the girls wear dresses with sparkles because we are vacuuming them up for months. Well, the red containers I bought for the kids were covered with them, as was the chair. Corey and I laughed like crazy!!

I'm glad the sparkles happened. What used to drive me crazy, I now find something to make me laugh. That's a good thing; especially for me.

Another successful celebration.
Hugs and kisses,

My Special Christmas Gift

You are looking at my favorite Christmas gift. Thank you, Kara, for this beautiful drawing of my favorite flower, the yellow rose. It is so realistic; right down to the detail on the stem. And when I saw the heart, tears filled my eyes. You have given me many drawings and I want you to know, I have kept all of them. They are in your special container. I really feel this will be my favorite for a very long time.

Hugs and kisses,

Celebrating Kara's 11th Birthday

Here are pictures of Kara celebrating her eleventh birthday. Of course, she had three parties. Doesn't every child have at least three? We all had a great time mingling and talking with people we haven't seen in a while.

I loved watching Kara's face as "Happy Birthday" was being sung. She gets such a little girl look on her sweet face. I really think it embarrasses her. But she found opening her gifts great fun. Aunt Shell and family gave her awesome Monster High dolls; a very big hit. Grandma gave Kara the newest American Girl doll; brought the biggest smile to her face. Kara got far too many gifts to include here. I know she loved every one of them.

I had to include the last picture in my layout. Papa and I gave Kara a shopping spree. We gave her a Visa card to shop with until the value on it was gone. I don't think I ever saw her eyes open so wide. It was so fun as Kara, Grandma and I thought of lots of things to buy.

I am in awe watching Miss Kara grow from our fourteen month old baby into our lovely eleven year old young lady. Kara is so many personalities all rolled into one. She loves the latest fashions. She even starts some herself. And I must say, they catch on rather quickly at school. She loves hair entensions in many colors. Her painted nails always look unique. One never knows what insect or flower will appear on them; or mine!!

Then I see that Kara who looks gorgeous wearing a beautiful dress, her hair adorned with flowers or a decorated hair band. I see the gift she has been given in the detailed pictures she draws. I rarely see Kara that she does not have a book in her hand. She loves books and absorbing the stories they are unfolding to her.

My hope is that our girl will continue on this path. I will love seeing the person Kara is in ten years. It will be quite the experience to she how she uses her God given talents.
Hugs and kisses,

In Memory of Amanda Lynn on Her Fourth Heavenly Anniversary

"Breathe.
Listen for my footfall in your heart.
I am not gone but merely walk within you."

~Nicholas Evans

I love poetry. I was reading some tonight hoping to find one that expresses the feelings in my heart today. Instead, I was brought to this poem, I'm quite sure by our sweet Angel Amanda. I have never been without our Angel Baby from the very moment she was born into Heaven. I have never taken one step without her in my heart. When I do, I know we will be walking together. Nana loves you, Amanda, more than life.
Hugs and kisses,