Showing posts with label Wednesdays with my Mom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wednesdays with my Mom. Show all posts

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Happy, Happy Mom!

Happy, Happy Mom because last week she was finally released from the mortal body that acted as her prison over the last part of her life. She has now been joyously reunited with our father, her parents, her brother and all the other loved ones who were anxiously awaiting her arrival on the other side. I can only imagine her joy as she arrived.
Our mom passed away late last Monday night. From Tuesday on, everyone spent every waking moment getting things set in motion to transport our mom to where our dad is buried, making all the other arrangements and traveling up North.
My brother, Steve, and I arrived one day earlier than the rest, so we took the opportunity (along with his son, Rob) to clean the headstones.

Someone took this photo of me and my girls, I can't remember who, but I'm grateful. : )
All five siblings together (below). I love you guys!!! We were so touched by how many showed up for the viewing since my parents have been gone from the area for many years now. Everything was lovely and I wouldn't have changed a thing. So many grand children and great grand children were in attendance, too. I know they ALL wished they could have been there, but it was simply impossible for some. We know your hearts were there that day.

As promised, I intended to do a 'Wednesdays With My Mom' Wrap-Up this week. How interesting that it truly IS the real wrap-up since my mom went "Home" last week.
These first two collages are of activities I went to with my mom, at her Assisted Living Community. I'll never forget this sweet Cowboy who paid a little extra attention to my mom because he knew I was taking pictures for the Family.
Below: Activities and projects at the apartment.
Below: Great times enjoying the front and back porches. That's my sister, June, with my mom in the lower right corner.
Just a few of the many Dr.s appointments. My mom was always such a good sport!!! : )
All the fun times getting Mom's hair colored and cut. June and I started doing it together at her home toward the end.
Projects...goodies...eating at Costco! Who could forget eating pizza at Costco??? Mom loved it!!! : )
Below: Lots and lots of shopping trips!!!
Just a few pics, below, of my local brother and sister with Mom.
Below, is one of the numerous times my sister, June, went over to the the 'Home Care' to play the piano and sing with the women who live there. You can also see her beautiful DIL, Kristie, playing the viola next to her that day. I know it brought unmeasured joy to my mother and the others. I wish my siblings "blogged" so that you could see the hours and hours of sweet service they each gave in one way or another to my mom. We worked as a team these last several years and I don't think any of us could have done it alone.
And let's not forget all the great hours spent watching old movies and television shows. I hope my dad has forgiven her for having a little crush on Lorne Greene these past few years. : )

Above and below: some sweet memories of G.G. spending time with my children and my grand babies. I will treasure these photos forever.
Below: All the dear little projects Mom helped me with during her visits to my house.
And last... a few more adorable pics of my mom, just because!!!
During one of the times (these past few days) that we were all sitting around reminiscing about our mom, my oldest brother, Andrew, told us a poignant story. Mom was staying at his home the night our dad passed away and said to him the next morning, "I never wanted to wake up in a world that didn't have your father in it."
Mom, you finally got your wish. : )
Photo above, taken from a beautiful Golden Anniversary book made by my SIL and my niece. Thank you Kathleen and Becky. It was so nice to be able to display this at the viewing. We've all arrived back to our homes as of late this afternoon. I'm very grateful that everything went so well and I know our mother is pleased. : )
Till we meet again, sweet Mom.
Mary Lou

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Wednesdays With My Mom

Hi All,
I wasn't quite ready (as far as spare time goes) to put my 'Wednesdays... Wrap-Up' Post together this week. And since we had a pretty good visit last Wednesday, I thought I would go ahead and post this.
Above, is an adorable photo of my parents in 1969. Below, is a pic taken several years ago on their 50th Wedding Anniversary. Still, just as cute as can be!!!
My sister, June, joined us after work last week to share in the fun of watching a DVD she recently made for Mom. She did such a fantastic job putting lots and lots of old family photos together for Mom to just sit and watch. Oh my goodness...her reactions to them were wonderful!!! Even though her Alzheimer's has progressed quite a bit, she still delights in seeing old photographs. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, June. You're amazing!
Below, June showing Mom her new Mickey Mouse bracelet.
These next few photos were ones I snapped while enjoying the DVD together. : )




Happy Wednesday,
Mary Lou

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Wednesdays With My Mom AND...Getting Ready For the Summer Holidays

That's me in the little red dress. The girls in our family affectionately call it "the Cheerios dress". If you look in the photograph below this one, you will see Diana and June wearing theirs. I remember looking at them in a box when I was little and could hardly wait to grow into them!!!
Here, below, it was finally my turn...YEA!!!

Since Memorial Day is Monday and then the 4th of July will be just over a month after that, I thought I would go ahead and change my Header now. I finally finished dressing Annie. : )
As promised, my two beautiful Santos gals are holding a banner between them to help celebrate the upcoming holidays.

Most likely I will be wrapping up my 'Wednesdays With Mom' next week with some of my favorite photos of the things we did together on Wednesdays since blogging. I've SO enjoyed sharing all of our Wednesday Adventures with you since 2008. Things have changed dramatically in the last couple of months and I feel it's time to bring this feature to a close with only occasional updates. I will explain more in my 'Wrap-Up' Post next week.
I'll try not to skip my weekend Post this week. Last week was such a blur that the weekend just whizzed by!
Happy Wednesday,
Mary Lou

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Wednesdays With My Mom AND...A Post Revisited

This photo was taken on my parent's wedding day. I love taking in every detail. Old California...wish I could have been there! : )
I didn't take any photos of my mom last week, because she was having a rough time. I told my brothers and sisters afterwards, that I guess we'll just have to treasure the good days, because it seems to go back and forth.
So, I thought instead, I would re-post an old favorite of mine from 2008. Enjoy!...
No...you're not seeing double. Sara & I went to an antique store last week and I bought this second M.E. teapot. When they were ringing it up Sara said, "Don't you have one just like that at home?" I replied, "yes", but that I was planning on changing this one up a bit. She just shrugged her shoulders and said, "Hmm." Note: I paid (around) $28.00 for the first one at a very nice boutique several years ago. This second one only cost me $8.00. However, there is a little chip in the base, but that didn't bother me because I was planning on painting over it anyway. SO...let the fun begin! I chose red nail polish for the new flower color. And black enamel paint for the new polka-dots and base color. NOTE: The nail polish worked so much better. I ended up having to paint clear nail polish over the black.
For the big polka-dots I used a pencil eraser.

Bye-bye pink.

And I used the ball of a sewing pin for the little polka-dots.

Cute little cousins now. : )
One last photo with the flash so you can see how bright the red really is.
DO try this at home. : )

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Wednesdays With My Mom , PLUS...some fun furniture makeover ideas

This pic was taken in 1963, I believe. Notice my dad's flip-flops. He used to buy us brand spanking new ones at the beginning of every Summer. One of my favorite memories!!!
June was able to join Sara and me at the end of our visit last week. : )
Then over the weekend, Emily and the two little Princesses came with me to visit "G.G.". What a treat!!!


A long time ago, my mom taught all of us how to get our hair to grow fuller...all you do is "brush" your fingernails back and forth for a bit each day (Emily is reminding her grandmother of this, below). I have a lot of memories of my dad watching TV while he did this and he always had a beautiful head of hair. : )
Below, my mom hugging the little black puppy that the girls brought to G.G. while she was in the hospital.
Mom reading my Mother's Day card, below.

And Princess G. putting "Nathan's" hat back on. : )
I've always loved just about everything Better Homes and Gardens has published. This (below) is one of my favorites. It's published quarterly.
Here's a couple of GREAT ideas for furniture makeovers. You can click on the pics to make them bigger and actually read the instructions.

Attention Tami and Holly: I once described this piece of furniture (below) to both of you in comments I left. Now, here's the photo to go with. : )
See these two white Nightstands, below? Look what they did with them for someone's Workspace! Genius!!!

Here's the "AFTER" (below) in blue. Great idea!!!
Happy Wednesday,
Mary Lou