Trick or Treat . . . Flashback Friday

 Trick or Treat!

 . . . and why are we in a cemetery at night Amy?  :)

It's October - wishing I was back in Iowa . . .

Happy Friday!

Flashback Friday . . .

 Amy . . . this one is for you. 

You and Gramma at the San Diego Zoo. 

San Diego Fleet Tournament

I am not sure exactly what year . . . early 80's

You have to love a man in baseball pants . . . especially one that can hit!

1986 . . .

This is so funny.  When I emailed it to Richard the other day - he called me laughing and saying something about how young we were and asking me why I was drinking beer out of a tennis ball can?   I also sent it to Roger . . . he just had to laugh at the mustaches.   

Petty Officer Smith . . . I was a pushover for a Navy uniform.  I prefer the dress uniforms and cracker jacks, but I like the dungarees too.

"Good on ya Eagle"

We had a lot of fun during those years and met some great people . . . and yes, we were really young . . . I may have to drink a beer out of a tennis ball can for old times sake.

Happy Friday!

Daily Choice

I just read the quote on the header of my blog . . . I've been living my life in a storm the last couple a weeks and let myself forget all about enjoying the rain and dancing away.  We all probably have reason to do that sometimes - dwell on the stuff that makes life hectic or difficult.  But shame on me for letting it get in the way.  I seem to have found my balance again - for now anyway. 

My dear cousin Amy posted this on Facebook this morning . . .

it's exactly what I needed to remind me . . . and get my ooola back!

Life can change in a matter of seconds, so live your life worthy while you are here, because we are only here temporarily...you have a CHOICE daily to choose positive, smiling, laughing and living life to its fullest...do what you desire and take good care of the people you love, your parents, siblings, friends because you may not get that chance again. So, draw a line and jump over it and Love deeply, forgive quickly, take chances, give everything with no regrets and forget the past with exception of what you have learned and remember everything happens for a reason.

Iowa Hearts

I received a surprise birthday package in the mail yesterday. I was completely caught off guard. It was from my cousin Amy and my Aunt Sue. With some help from my Mom and my Aunt Hess - They put together a wonderful birthday surprise for me. Even when I saw the return address - I did not even think that it was something for my birthday - I just wondered what it could be. These wonderful women that have had such an influence on my life - truly touched my heart - as they always do. I doesn't matter if I am with them - or two thousand miles away - they are always a part of me. After ripping off the outside packaging - this was on the outside of the box. This is a picture that we took last summer when I was in Iowa. We had made bracelets out of pop tops and all had them on this day that we went shopping and stopped at a coffee shop in Mason City - where we took this picture. What was taken as just a quick snapshot of our bracelets - has turned out to be one of my favorite pictures.

Taking the lid off the box - I found these. This has to be my favorite thing in the package. These will not be put away. I will find a place where I can see them every day. Simple candy boxes with the candy removed and their photos placed inside. They make me smile and cry at the same time.
Each little present was individually wrapped and numbered. I guess maybe I should have waited to open them I still have a few days until I am officially 50 - but once I got started, it was just too much fun to wait. Wizard of Oz . . . Halloween . . . Burt's Bees (I love Burt's Bee stuff) . . .buttons and wands. All the things that I like.
This mushroom is to remind me of my dad. He used to hunt morel mushrooms. (Do you actually hunt a mushroom? - anyway, he used to be quite good at finding them in the woods.) I can't say I ever tasted one myself - although I remember him bringing quite a few home. This one was hand carved by a friend of my cousins.
Amy does know me and what I like - so there was PINK stuff. Pink ornaments . . . pink ribbon . . . a pink and green lint roller!! - how cute is that! The large heart is made out of felt squares - way cute! There is a hankie sort of blending in with everything that belonged to my Grandma - she always used cloth hankies. I used to iron them for her when I was little. I was just talking to my friend Gwen about this last week. She and my mom would sprinkle their clothes with water (using a pop bottle with a metal sprinkler stuck in top) - then roll them up and put them in the drawer of the refrigerator before they ironed them. I know I am sort of going off in my memories here - but that is why when I opened up the hankie I got tears in my eyes - memories of my Grandma.
I believe I have some fabric that would make up into a cute bag - that this button would look great on.

SMILE!

There is a bag of candy in this picture from my Aunt Hess. When I was little and I would go stay with her, we would go to this little general store in Mitchell, Iowa and I would get to pick out penny candy. It seems like I used to pick out 10 pieces. Just 10 cents . . . but the memories again are priceless. I think I used to like the little brown paper bag back then - just as much as the candy.
Kubicek is my maiden name. (My dad cut these out.)
From Kubicek - to Smith. I haven't been asked how to spell my name too often the last 27 years - compared to the first 23. (I guess that would make me 50!)

And there is more . . . because 50 is not really what you would call a small number. (I am not letting that bother me though - I swear.) Although it is sort of a milestone birthday - and it has been on my mind probably more than any other birthday.

I am loving this magnet. How cute is he! I will think of Amy and her lattes every time I see it.

I know this post is sort of long. But if you can see the little hanger on the top of this photo - I guess I can justify rambling on about my fun package. It reads - "it's all about me!" - Something Amy and I always laugh about. Actually I am just really feeling sentimental. The small doily was made by my Grandma and the hand buttons (she used to collect hands) - were sewn on one of her jackets. The carved heart box contains a paper heart that reads - "Hugs from Aunt Hess" and under that are tiny slips of paper with the word "hugs" on each one. All these simple little things are so special.

I realized that one of the gifts is not in these picures. My Aunt Sue made the cutest buttons flowers - and I had stuck them in a vase before getting out my camera. I will post a picture of them tomorrow.

I have lived away from Iowa and my family longer than I lived there with them - but my heart will always be there - with these wonderful ladies.

"You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them." ~Desmond Tutu

In Memory

It was two years ago today that our Grandma passed away. I miss her always - Amy does too. I am thankful that we had her for as many years as we did and for a lifetime of memories with her. She was a wonderful Grandmother!
These pictures were taken about 15 years ago.

These last two pictures were taken the last time I saw Grandma - October 2006. I will always be glad that I went to visit this time. I usually visit Iowa in the summer because I am off work - but decided sort of last minute that I needed to go home in October. I am also glad that we took these pictures that day.

So many things remind me of my grandmother - crochet hooks, doilies, crossword puzzles, the smell of toast, geraniums, rosaries, roasting marshmallows, old sheet music, Campbell soup, Whitman's candy, embroidery floss, yarn, granny squares, old christmas ornaments, quilts, milk glass, dandelions . . .

The first day I was home this particular October - I went to the nursing home to see her. Since she was in a new facility, I did not know what room she was in. I stopped at the front desk to ask for her room number and the lady pointed at Grandma sitting not too far away. When I turned around and she noticed me - she simply said, "Oh, Clare", smiled, and held out her hand. I can still hear her voice that day. I have this picture on my desk at work and every day I am reminded of how much I loved her. And even though I miss her terribly - I believe she is with me every time I pick up a hook to crochet, say a rosary, or see a red geranium.

A grandmother is a little bit parent, a little bit teacher, and a little bit best friend. ~Author Unknown

Surprise!

Look at all this fun stuff! The origami paper is so small - it will make the cutest cranes. - My uncle always made origami cranes out of the silver liners of his cigarette packages. (I still have a couple that I put on my Christmas tree every year - they are a little worn after thirty years - but I am careful with them.) These will be small like those.
Amy always sends me these cute tissues. I wonder if she has any idea how much I enjoy them? :-)
And Santa in a pink sleigh . . . How cute is he? The kitten thing is a small coin purse.
Jake took this apart and fixed it - but I sort of like him this way. It was a do by number thing - I don't know what happened this first time he put him together. Amy's package was full of fun, little surprises. It makes me miss her more than ever!

Thank you Amy!

I received a box from Amy today which included so much fun stuff. I will have to post some pics later. But for now I want to talk about the photo album she sent me. This is actually the last page which totally caught me off guard and I cry every time I read it. This is our grandmother's grave stone. She was very special to both of us and we miss her terribly. I know that she is a part of us - and even though we miss her - remembering her is a wonderful thing.
These pictures were taken last summer when Luke and I were in Iowa. Amy and I took Luke and Connor to eat at "Teluwhat". This is actually a pretty good place to eat for the little town of Osage.
This is one of my favorite pages - because of the saying - "But which is the way back to Iowa." (I should have bought these shoes.) It is better in one aspect that I do not live near Amy - or I would have taken this picture of me away from her. I need to not worry about what I look like in photos. I used to joke when the boys were little that if something happened to me, no one would remember what I looked like - because there were no pictures of me. If I didn't like them - I threw them out. Much easier these days when you can just delete them and take another one. My cousin is the best!!!!
I love the pictures we took with my parents the last day we were there. Luke had not been back to visit them in awhile - and this trip was something he will always remember.
I can't wait to take my book to work tomorrow and show everyone. I love every page. This one of Dad and Uncle Al is one of my favorites. This was taken early one morning when we went on a breakfast picnic. I love the picture of them on the bench.I probably could have scanned every page - but Luke wanted on the computer.

"A cousin is a sister you never had"