All My Children #17

Hi Kids,

I hope you each had a wonderful week. I think we had a fairly good one. The weather is finally warming up with each passing week now. Love that. I have gotten to sit on my porch a little more. I enjoy it so very much ! So does Aunt Patty. She loves to have our lunch out there. The one day, she sat out there from lunch until supper ! I have gotten some hanging flower baskets and some flowers in pots to set around out there too, oh it makes it so enjoyable.

Dad, Patty & I went to Chardon ( again) Friday night. I must say it was a productive two days there. We cleaned out the barn,top and bottom. We had rented a dumpster and pretty much filled it up. We sorted thru things, pitched a lot, set some aside to keep and some slated for a yard sale. We stacked the things we will keep neatly in the back of the barn. We will have to bring them later when we sell the house. I did get the porch floor painted a solid grey, if it were still my " home" , I would still want the checker-board pattern, but ... it is for someone else so, back to boring solid. It looks nice. I did dig up some of the flowers and hosta plants to bring here to Hammondsport. So, I have some work ahead of me to get them all planted in the ground here somewhere. I still may get some more later on before we sell the house. There are so many and they really needed thinned out. It will look nice to have some of the plants here too.

Anyhow, between Dad,Ed and myself, we knocked down our " to-do-list" quite a bit. We had more that we would have liked to do, but as Dad put it; " we could certainly make a career out of working on the Chardon house". So you know what ... for now, we are just done with what ever we accomplished this far, it will be enough for awhile. There is an open house next weekend and our house will be one of the ones featured on a reality show too. Say a prayer now that someone will just come along and love our house and want to buy it ! YES !!!!!

Dad,Ed and I loved the concert. Elton and Billy Joel are certainly the top piano men ! They both have so many great songs ! Truly dripping with talent. We heard all of our favorites and had a great evening. To top off the weekend, Ed got a call Sunday from his realtor that he is now a proud new home owner ! Yes ... they excepted his final offer ! Yeah !!! Dad said he is a hard-nose negotiator ! Haaaaaa !! We were all so happy. It is certainly an exciting time in Ed's life. His closing should be July 10th. I will be so excited to help him move into his house. It is a very nice house and in a nice neighborhood. I can't wait for each of you to come and visit Ed and see his new home one day. That will be really cool. We are so proud of you Ed and so full of joy watching you go thru this next step in your life. It is very rewarding for us as your parents. I know you will do great at taking care of your own home. You will have fun settling in and getting everything the way you want it. We will have to make my bed up as soon as we move you in, I want to be your first guest ! :) Click this link to see pictures ! ( I hope I did this correctly !)

Picture Gallery for listing 3010455

We came home today(Monday) and after we unloaded the van, we went over to Aunt Margaret's for a picnic. Laurel was there too. It was good to visit with everyone. She was asking all about the shower, and the baby, how CJ is feeling and how excited Bill & CJ must be getting. She is just very excited too. She said " you know I'll be a great Grandma soon ! " I sent her the pictures of the babies room painted, she loved it. She was also asking all about your new house Ed. Dad showed her and Aunt Margaret pictures of your new house, they loved it. They can't wait to come and see you there. Laurel was asking about Oscar too. You should try to go visit her soon.

I drove Dad and Aunt Margaret to the marina to get the boat today too. Then they drove it back to the cottage where I met them and we tied it up at her dock. So ... make time to come and see us this summer so we can go out on the old " Price Is Right " !! Haaaaaaa !! I can't wait to go out for a ride. I told Aunt Patty we will pack a picnic lunch soon and go out on the water.

Yeah !! We are back home !! And the best part is ... we get to stay put for awhile !!! I am really liking that !!! Keep Dad in your thoughts, he came home today just really not feeling well. His throat is a little sore and he said he just has that yucky taste in his mouth that you get when your not feeling well. I am sure he is just worn down and his immune system is not at its best due to that. His one leg looks all beat up from getting bruised and scraped with all his hard work in Chardon this weekend. He needs rest. You certainly give a lot of yourself my dear husband. I love you so very much, I will pray this all ends soon.

Well, I will close for now. I miss you all. I am throwing out a great big hug your way !! Grab on !!

"Hope smiles on the threshold of the year to come, whispering that it will be happier."
-- Alfred, Lord Tennyson

I love you, more than words can say, Momma G

All My Children # 16

Hello to all,

well now ... number 16, that is my favorite number. I have always liked that number since I was a young girl. Isn't it cool that our house number and post office box #, here in Hammondsport are both 16 ! Yep ... that's my number and I am sticking to it !
So how is everyone doing ? The spring is here, and I love it. We have had a few days where the weather is in the 70's but mostly in the 50's & 60's here. The sunshine has been great. I am looking forward to the warmer temps for sure. I love sitting back out on our porch ( so does Aunt Patty ! ) It is so delightful to ear the birds singing again.
Dad and I worked in the yard this past weekend. It was our first weekend here in Hammondsport in 2 months ! Geez ! It felt good to just be able to stay here. I can't wait to be able to get some things done here again one of these days. We are actually running back to Chardon tonight, just to be there for tomorrow ( Tuesday) to work all day on certain things, then we head back tomorrow evening, yes just a 24 hr. trip. There is a crew coming to our house to take pictures and we need to finish up a few things. (paint the outside doors frames dad installed the last time, paint the porch steps, re-tile some of the craft room floor, and just a few other things) Then we will head there again, this memorial day weekend, Friday night, thru Sunday. We are going to the Elton John/Billy Joel concert ( can't wait ... it will be fantastic !) with Ed and finishing up whatever other work we can for the summer. Even though it is Memorial day weekend, we will want to be back here on Monday to do stuff. (pick up the boat for one thing)

We sure had fun at the shower huh ?! I am so happy that so many of my cousins came ! What a wonderful turn out. Grandma sure did a great job organizing everything. I enjoyed myself all weekend just getting to be with everyone and visiting and laughing a lot !! That really did me good. Every time I would look around, it was just so nice to see each of you having such a good time. Gosh Bill & CJ ... you received so many wonderful baby things ! What a nice start to raising Viv !! I can't wait to see your baby furniture. It will be so nice. I can't wait to see your nursery. I wish I was there to paint it for you. I would have liked being able to do that for you. I will miss getting to see you as you get toward your due date. It was just so great to be able to sit around grandma's porch and enjoy visiting with you. I sure hope your mom had a nice time CJ. I am so happy she came too ! It would have been perfect had Ed, Tom & Jen been there too. We missed you ! We have a " guessing pot " going on. You need to send me your $1.00 and your guess for Vivianna's birth weight and length. Below is everyone else's guess so far, I'll let Ed, Tommy and Jennifer get back to me with your guess first (quickly please) then send an email to Laurel, Margaret and Sheree and let them guess too. ( it is just the birth weight that will win the pot, the length is just for fun )Then the pot will be a whopping $ 15.00 !

Names	Weight (pounds.ounces)	Length (inches)
Bill	8.8	21.50
CJ	7.2	20.00
Claire	6.5	17.50
Momma G.	7.8	18.00
Poppa G.	8.3	18.50
Grandma	6.0	19.00
Grandpa John	7.7	17.25
Ed
Tommy John	8.10	21.75
Jennifer	6.12	19.00
Angela	7.4	19.50
Laurel
Aunt Margaret
Aunt Sheree
Kathy Scotchel	7.60	21.00

OK kids, I love you all. I miss you too. I sure wish we could see each other often. Take care of each other. Call when you can. We love you so very much.

Life is like a mirror. If you frown at it, it frowns back.
If you smile at it, it returns the greeting.
- Herbert Samuels
Love & Blessings, Momma G

All My Children # 15

Hello my dear kids,

I am hoping this finds each of you well. I have not been able to write my blog for two straight weeks and I miss it. My life seems to always be in constant motion and never, what I consider normal as such. It is sometimes difficult to function as the " normal " me !
Enough of that ....

Well, ' Mothers Day, is almost upon us. I feel like just reflecting on that for this blog. I am so full of gratitude for being so fortunate to have each of you in my life. With everything else seeming so stressful around me these last two years, having my family to think about and to love and feel loved, makes my life feel important and of great value. I truly do not know where I would be without you. Here is my tribute to you ...

My son Ed, you are such a wonderful son. So very handsome. You are so helpful to dad and I. This whole past two years, you have given so much of your time, strength, hard work, and companionship to us. We have reached for you the most to be there for us and depended on you time and time again through out this journey we are on. You just quietly go along with what ever we ask of you. We thank you for all of your support. You are a good man. You are kind, loving and supportive. Lucky is the woman that gets you for her husband, you will be a great catch. With the kind of dedication you possess, I can tell that you, too, will be a wonderful husband someday. You have a good job and work hard at doing your best at your job. You show a respect for your job with being loyal, consciences, and strong sense of dedication. I know it will pay off through out your career. I love seeing you with your pup, Oscar. You take such good and loving care of him and he will be a good companion at your side for years to come. We are so very proud of you. Now you are ready to buy your first home soon and we cannot wait to see you embarking on the next part of your journey. God bless you.

My son Bill, you too, are a wonderful son. It has brought your dad and I such great joy watching you step into the role of being a husband to CJ. You walked right into that role as if you had always known how to go about it. A wonderful husband indeed. You are such a very hard worker, and that is how it has always been with you. You always knew how to work hard and not complain about it. You take such care about your house, the lawn, and all the projects you do around the house. You just figure out how the job needs done and do your best at getting it done. You are so very handsome. I love when you look at me and smile, it goes right into my heart. I am looking forward to watching you step in to the role of fatherhood. I have no doubt it will be your most rewarding job yet. I have always felt that each of you were so truly blessed to have been raised by such an amazing and wonderful father, and I also feel you , too, will be a wonderful father. You are such a good man. You make us so very proud. Than you for helping us with the Chardon house getting it ready to sell. It meant a lot to us. God bless you.

My daughter-n-law CJ, We are so happy you are a part of our family. We love you so very much. You are a beautiful young woman. Thank you for loving Bill and being such a good wife to him. You too, are such a hard worker. You have such a strong sense of taking charge and getting things accomplished. I have no doubt you will be missed by the Ritz. You ran that pastry kitchen and kept things in order, and people on their toes. You are so creative and gifted with your cake decorating it amazes me. I am sure you will be a strong mentor in the classes you are now teaching at the Art Institute. Lucky students ! Now, your best job yet, you have Viv on the way. You are carrying such precious cargo for sure. It is so wonderful to see what immaculate care you are taking of your 'self ' , for Vivianna's sake. You are doing everything you can to ensure safety and good health for her. What a WONDERFUL mother you are ALREADY being. Not every child is so lucky. Thank you CJ for being so selfless and loving. It is going to be a joy to watch you and Bill raise your family together. We are so very proud of you. Thank you for all of the help at the Chardon house, you were a good painter ! ( even though you do not like the outdoors so much, there you were, such a trooper, helping me paint the fence ! ) God bless you.

My son Tommy John, you make us so happy in so many ways. When I am feeling down, I always turn to one of your CD's. I love listening to you sing and play. I grew up listening to my dad all my ( younger)life and I think somehow it comforts me to hear you sing. I wish I had every song you have ever sang on CD. ( hint ) You certainly stand tall and proud. ( I am still amazed at how tall you stand !) You are indeed a good son. You are unique. You have a creative steak a mile wide. I always have the desire to want to talk to you about kicking around ideas and new projects. I enjoy all the phone calls with you. We can certainly get on a role of talking about things huh ? Trust me, I enjoy everyone of them. You have a take-charge kind of attitude that is energizing. You are a hard worker and have been very helpful to us many a time. We thank you for all of the time and help you have given to us for sure. It is so appreciated. You have a very strong sense of " family ". I love that about you. You make an effort to stay in touch and plan get-together's. I can tell it means a lot to you too. It is rewarding for dad and I to watch you and Jennifer build ' Baby Grace Photography' together. We we wish great success for your future. We are proud of you and love you dearly. God bless you.

To Jennifer, it may not be ' official " but I can tell you we love you being a part of our family. You are a good, kind and loving young woman. You are a beautiful young woman. You have such a strong compassionate heart. With the heartache you have endured, it would be easy to be cynical or bitter, but you do not let your painful experience dictate your life. Thank you for being so loving to Tommy, and sharing in his life journey. It makes me happy to know that you have each other to lean on. You are so talented with your photography. I am continually amazed when viewing your work. I see your business continuing to flourish. As this economy recovers, your business will grow leaps and bounds. (when you are famous, can I get your autograph ?) It is rare to see something so generous as when you gave to Bill & CJ some of Maya's precious clothes and little bear, for their baby. That was a truly beautiful and loving gift. For I know what those things meant to you, and it was a precious and special offering for sure. Thank you for all of your love and support. Thank you for the help you have given to us with our house. Thank you for your friendship. I look forward to many joyful times to come. We love you. God bless you.

My daughter Angela, you are truly a gift. What a wonderful daughter you are. You are so beautiful. You fill my day with joy when you call me. I love that we get to chat almost everyday. I love hearing your voice. Thank you for always being there for me. Thanks for listening to me when I am up or down. Thanks for all of the help you have given to dad and I over the last two years. You are such a good young woman. You are a smart, kind,strong,loving and creative teacher. You are mentoring these young children and doing a great job at it. You should be so proud of yourself. You won the technology classroom last year, recently you won the 'writing a lesson plan contest', and you have accomplished getting all A's ( so far ) in your Masters classes ! That is quite a big accomplishment ! Just think ... you will be done this time next year ! Yeah ! You are involved in choir, guiding the youth at church, and working at Barnes & Nobles part time ! Whew !! you make me tired thinking of it all. You are a good friend to many, a good sister, a good grand daughter and the best daughter we could have ever asked for. We are so very proud of you. We love you dearly. God bless you.

And ... to My Husband of 32 1/2 yrs ... I still love you dearly. You are my everything. You are my sweetheart for life. I am so sorry we are going thru everything the way we are. It surely takes away from our health, our time together, our finances, our energy and our joy. I am determined not to let it destroy our happiness though. I have no idea why we are going thru this straining and stressful time, but I believe we will come out stronger from it in the end. Thank you for being my husband and a great one at that. Thank you for working so very hard. (seemingly all of the time) Thank you for making me a mother and for being such a wonderful father to each of our children. Thank you for loving me ( even during time when I am not so lovable ) I am so very proud of you and proud to call you my husband. God bless you.

Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.
-- J.M. Barrie

Thank you each for bringing me sunshine,
Love Momma G