Sunday is Nap Day!

 

And when you lose your snuggle buddy, you can always just rest your head on his slipper while keeping a close eye on the other one.

Be My Valentine

My Mother was a Kindergarten teacher and shared her love of books and silly songs with all of her children in her classroom and then when she had children of her own, to the four of us.  Long ago my Mom taught me a song about Valentine's Day and it went like this:

When you send a Valentine,
That's the time for fun!
Slip it underneath the door,
Ring the bell and run, run, run, run.
Ring the bell and run!

I was at her house yesterday rummaging around looking for a poem I wrote to her when I was a child.  I couldn't find it but I remember what it said:

Roses are red
Volets are blue.
Surger is sweat
and so are you!

Spelling has always been a issue for me! However, my Mom loved that poem and saved it for a very, very long time.  I was disappointed that I couldn't find the Valentine.  But I did find a box of pictures that were so great I had to share some of them.

Mom, far right, was out to dinner with friends in Columbia, South America. 

She told me this picture was taken at a going away dinner the "guys" all had for her and her girlfriends who spent a year teaching there.  Mom told me that the man sitting next to her asked her to marry him.  In fact, in many of the pictures I found there was a gentleman next to her and for most Mom said, "oh he asked me to marry him".  Hehehee

Mom looks like Jackie Kennedy, I think. She is so beautiful, it's no wonder all the men were smitten.

This was Valentine's Day! One cake said, "Anne (my Mother), Carol, Linda, Nancy - Will you be our 1959 Valentines? Signed Desperate!" Then on the other cake, there was a teacher figurine and two students and the sign said, "We knew you could be bad."

Clearly my mother and her girlfriends, along with the men they met in South America, were funny and knew how to have a  good time: pretty dresses, lots of smiles, drink glasses, cigarrettes and cigars.  I loved finding these old pictures and talking to Mom about them yesterday.

This last picture is of my Mom with her Kindergarten class in Columbia.  All the students only spoke Spanish and my mother spoke English.  She fondly recalls that time in her life when she spent a year and a half in South America teaching.



How to Build a Snowman (8 easy steps)

 

1.  Put on your snow suit and a smile!

 

2. Grab your brother and put him to work making the head.

3. Roll an enormous snowball up a giant hill!

4.  Take a much needed rest.

5.  Get your brother to help! Use both arms and legs!

 

6.  PUSH!  Push really hard, and then ask your Mom to

put down the camera and help!

7.  Take a minute and inspect the progress.

8.  Add Daddy's olives for the eyes, a carrot for the nose

and Rusty's leash for, well, for the leash of course.

RUSTY'S SNOW DAY

Rusty would stay out all day in the snow if we let him!

Molly is in charge of the project.

Tim uses a shovel to add more snow.

Jack brings chunks of snow for the fort.

Rusty loves to help!

A very happy Puppy!

Pond Hockey 2011

The neighbors down the street have the coolest ice rink in their back yard!  They invited us down to play today.  We have enough kids to make a Hockey team since it is the weekend and Robbie's friends are with us.  Rob, Molly, Jack, Tim, Sean and Jared bundled up and braved the 8 degree weather to go skate on the pond.  The twins are getting really good at skating and even Molly is getting more comfortable on the ice! Robbie was a good sport and wore my figure skates. The older boys are used to handling an Xbox controller, not a hockey stick, which made them hysterical to watch.

Jack and Tim face off!

Molly scores!

Robert John

Some "Bunny" turns 18 today! 

After 24 hours of labor, Robert John was born on January 9, 1993 at 2:42 pm (during the middle of the Buffalo Bills AFC championship game).  He weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces and had beautiful gray eyes and lots of black hair. 

At 10 months old Robbie was a delightful baby who adored his dog Marta and being read to.  He was already diagnosed with life threatening food allergies to milk, eggs and peanuts.  Aunt Sue called him the "exorcist baby" when he would accidentally ingest something that wasn't safe. 

As a toddler, Robbie wanted to spend every moment outside. He loved his big wheel and all kinds of sports. Robbie was the apple of his father's eye and would love coming to school with Mommy everyday.

In elementary school Robbie made a lot of friends and loved to play baseball every spring.

In the fall he played football for the town.  He was on the undefeated Raiders team for years and followed professional football very closely.  Robbie also loved to read and would always have his nose in a series of books.

In middle school Robbie grew his hair long.  Got his ear pierced, a few tattoos and ended up in prison.  Just kidding!  Eventually he cut his hair short again and his mother relaxed!  He joined the cross country team and the adventure club.


Rob was always one of the smallest kids in his class but what he lacked in stature he made up in heart.  Here he is with a broken finger which we ignored for awhile during football season until they had to re break it and cast it up to his elbow.

 In high school Robbie spent a lot of time with the cross country and track team.  He excelled in all of his classes.



The high school years flew by fast!  Robbie? Robbie who?  We hardly see him since he is so involved in school and sports and friends.  Especially spending time with his good friend Alex Yudelson (okay so you made the blog, happy now?)

 

Robbie at 18 is a high school senior, works at Wegmans, takes 6 AP classes, plays first board chess and if you are recruiting for jobs or giving away scholarships and this blog post sounded like a resume...PERFECT!

Christmas Decorations

There are a lot of "funky" Christmas decorations available in stores these days. You can purchase inflatable Santa's or metal Reindeer that light up and move. However, I feel fortunate to have inherited special Christmas decorations that are not only beautiful, but also very meaningful and will last for generations!

More than 40 years ago, my father made choir boys out of wood that every year adorned our front yard on Rye Road. These young men would "sing" around the lamp post and, as kids, we would stand between them pretending to sing carols.

Years later, these 3 unique ornaments stand in my yard every holiday season, singing hymns for my friends and neighbors to enjoy. My kids love to pose amongst them too.

 

Jack and Timothy, at age two, playing between the Choir Boys!

All the kids in 2007!

After more than 40 years, the "'fellas" needed a touch of paint.

A few hours to dry on the dining room table, and the boys were ready to go outside.

2010 and the twins are taller then these exceptional Christmas decorations.

 We were also very lucky to have inherited Grandma Dunn's nativity scene.

My Daddy even made this barn for the creche.

Christmas  is filled with many joys, but when I bring out these extraordinary treasures every year,  I am filled with such thankfulness for my family and our traditions.

Daddy (Robert Dunn) and Grandma Dunn