Family...being a part of something special

This weekend was our Montague Family Reunion....it was such a special weekend.  Not quite as many people as usual were here, but it was still a big group.  Aunt Sara was with us and she was our Mom for the day.  She is Rich's Mom's youngest sister.  Tom and Val from Colorado were here and that is always special.  I consider myself so blessed to be a part of this big, huge, wacky, wonderful family.  I am so glad that my kids can be a part of this.  I hope as all our kids get older that they will always continue this tradition.  I remember when we started this reunion.  It was held at the Plymouth Park.  We played vollleyball that day and a tradition of togetherness started.  Rich's Mom and Dad loved the reunions so much.  They were so proud of their family.  I know when they were growing up, times were hard with so many kids, but they had each other and that is all they really needed.  They created a bond with each other that will last their entire lives.  As we are getting older, I think the need to be together is getting stronger.  Our trip to Alaska was a dream come true for everyone and I hope and pray we can do something like that again.  There is a trip to Gatlinburg in the making right now for next year.  Friends will come and go in your life and most will dissappoint you, but your family will love you no matter what.  I only have one sister.  I wish so much that we were closer, but we are so different and I think she has always been a little jealous of my happiness with Richard and being a part of Rich's family.  I have eight Montague sisters and I love them so much.  I am proud to call them sisters and my friends. 

Menopausal thank-you notes

I was watching Jimmy Fallon yesterday and he wrote a book on his Thank You Notes, it made me laugh and think about all the things that I am thankful for.  The older I get, the more thankful I am.
 1. Thank you little brown spots that are appearing on my hands...you make me remember my Mom everyday.
  2.  A big thank you goes out to my brain....I love to search endlessly for things and besides, it gives me good exercise.
 3.  Also, thank you to gravity....I finally have the bigger cup size in my bra that I always wanted...
 4.  Thank you little black hairs in my chin...it has become an obsession to me now and I look forward everyday to our little ritual.
  5.  How can I forget to thank my knees for all the sounds that they are making...it keeps it real.
  6.  Thank you slow moving vehicle in the left hand lane...with you leading the way, I hardly notice the people behind me honking and giving me the bird.
  7.  I'm thankful I still like Steven Tyler...it makes getting older look cool
  8.  A big thank you to the little clerk who offered me the Senior Discount...how sweet....grrr!
  9.  Thank you to my granny panties, I don't have to pretend I like the thong anymore...
10.  And thank you to old friends, your faces have as many wrinkles as mine.

I'm sure there will be more thank you notes to come....it is always good to be thankful...because growing old is a privledge and I am living a very "privledged" life right now.  Have a good one peeps!

If I could turn back time...

I had the opportunity to spend the evening last Saturday night, with alot of old friends that I hadn't seen in 40 years.  Through Facebook, I feel like I know them better now, than I ever did.  We have all changed physically, but our spirits were the same.  That is what is so funny about growing older, if you never looked in the mirror, you would think you were that same kid, accept you had been hit by a truck and hurt all over....LOL  Fred Watkins made me feel good, he said I didn't look a day over "fabulous".  At this age, compliments get fewer and fewer, so thank you Fred.  If you keep in mind that right now, you are as young as you are ever gonna be.  It makes me not feel so old and since growing old is a privledge, I'm thankful for everyday of good health I have.

   I wish that my grandchildren could have grown up during the same time that I did.  We were all really blessed to have grown up in those golden decades of the 50's and 60's.  Things are just so complicated now.  When we were children, we could really just be children.  Our kids now a days, are so busy with so many activities and sports, that it leaves very little time to just be kids.  It also complicates the parents lives too.  Being that I am older, I have lived through all of it and I hate to admit it, but we did all the sports with our kids too.  You think it is so important and that if you don't do it, they will fall behind.  What you don't realize is, they won't make their living doing this and just a very small percentage will even make their High School teams and fewer than that will play in College.  Our daughter and son did play in High School and College, but when it was over, it was over.  Nobody in the work force cared at all what sports you played.  Experience and grades was all that really mattered.  Everything in moderation is the best way to go, just let them be kids first.  If they are gifted in sports or whatever it is, cream always comes to the top.  Whether you start them at 4 yrs. old or 8 yrs. old, it doesn't matter, they will be good if they are gifted.  I always said playing sports is like singing, either you have a good voice or you can't carry a tune.  If you are good, it will happen no matter what, but if you aren't, no amount of practice is really gonna make them a star.  How I wish for the simpler times of my youth.
    Growing old has its privledges, knowledge and experience, the only problem is, our kids still don't think we know anything...but that's ok, I didn't think mine did either.
   

I am my Mother...

It has been awhile since I have blogged, but with Mother's Day approaching, lots of thoughts are swirling around in my head.  I have been without my Mom now for 24 years...I was 34 yrs. old and I was a young Mom myself when Mom passed.  I wish I could have had the opportunity to have been older and not so busy.  There is so many things that I wish I could ask her.  I had to assume the role of the one that had all the answers, way too early in my life.  Because truth is, I didn't have a clue.  When you still have your Mom, you always have someone to ask, but when that is gone, you are the one that has to know what to do.  I wonder if my Mom ever felt like that when she was younger?  It always seemed that my Mom always had the answers.  I not only lost my Mom, but I also lost my Dad at the same time.  Shortly after they died, we moved our family and our lives to Indianapolis.  When I look back on that, I just wonder how we ever did it.  We moved everything we owned to Indy and stored it in a storage unit.  We moved into an apt. and we put our kids in a new school.  For the next year, we built our new home.  It was challenging, but we made it.   Our kids emmersed themselves in sports and our lives and our friends were a part of each kids team.  They excelled beyond our expectations and even though these were very busy times, they were the best times of our lives.  I wonder now, if our grandkids will love sports like their parents did.  I am looking forward to those thrilling moments watching them achieve.  Whatever interests they choose, will be a joy to see.  I know my kids look to Rich and I to have all the answers now, but in reality, we are still struggling with that ourselves.   Do you ever feel wise?  I know you feel old, but when does that wiseness come?  When do you feel accomplished, that you have done what you wanted to do and that you are happy with who you are?  I guess, I always felt like my parents knew all the answers and that they didn't feel insecure, but now that I am getting close to their age when they passed away, I realize that they probably felt the same way I do...If Mom was still here...I could ask her these questions...it never occurrred to me to ask her before she died....
   On this Mother's Day...I want to honor my Mom and thank her for the life that she gave me.  If you are lucky enough to still have your Mom, ask her some questions....she will be glad that you did and so will you.  Never pass up a moment to find out what she is feeling....for someday....we will be there....feeling exactly the same way.  Happy Mother's Day all you beautiful Moms!

Things that I love...

It's been a while since I have written a blog, but I thought I needed to remind myself of all the things that I love.  Regan and Joe have just found out that their little Nickolas has got a bit of an ordeal to go through.  When he was born, we knew his right foot/ankle didn't look right, but the Dr. thought it was positional and that it would get better over time.  It did improve, but when they took him back to the Orthopedic Dr. he told them the bad news, it wouldn't get any better on its own and that they would have to put him into a cast for 6 weeks and then have surgery.  Regan did a little investigating on her own on the internet and found out it will be alot more involved than what he had originally told them.  He will have to wear shoes with a bar for about a year.  I am hoping it will be just at night.  How can one little bone in his ankle be that difficult to fix?  I know once it is all over and done with, and he is a perfect little boy running around, we will forget this, but I know it will be so hard on Regan and Joe to watch their little Nickers in this predicament.  Like Pa said, "in 2025 when he's trying out for the NHL, we will have long forgotten about this little set back".
   Today, I am thinking about all the little things that I love...I love when Seanie and I are shopping in the grocery store and he grabs my arm and kisses and hugs it.  I love when Karaline makes us pictures and writes Mimi and Pa I love you on them.  I love when Nick looks at me and I get him to smile and his eyes twinkle and he makes a cooing sound.  I love Rich's face when he comes home from work and sees his kids. Karaline runs to him and grabs his legs and Seanie says hi Pa.  I love when Seth comes to pick Sean up and his face lights up and all the stress from the day melts away and he says," How's Scooty?"  I love when Regan is nursing Nick and Max is just all over her, nudging her and loving on her.  I love when Amber comes to pick Sean up and Sean goes running to her and they fall to the floor loving on each other.  I love watching Joe show Regan that he loves her and I love how he loves Karaline and Nick.  These are the little things, the every day things that you take for granted, but are cherished the most.
   I also thought I would list some of my favorite things that I use, watch and do.  I love to hear about things other people do and use.  So here are a few of mine: 
1.  Oil of Olay Regenerist and Serum
2.  Oil of Olay Pro X advanced cleansing system
3.  Natural Instincts hair color
4.  Philosophy tinted leg make-up "The Big Skinny"
6.  Vinegar and water to clean my granite counter tops
7.  Maggie London dresses
8.  Crest 3-D White strips
9.  Chipolte Restaurant
10, Chick Filet
11. Clinique powder blush "New Clover"
12. Von Maur Children's dept and any clearance rack in the store.
13. Cool Creek Park
14. Soma Intimates (we have a store coming to Clay Terrace, I can't wait to buy a bra there)
15. Pandora bracelets and Kohl's charms
16. Parenthood and American Idol
17. Panko bread crumbs
18. Sally Hanson green tea and olive Growth nail polish
19. All You Magazine
20. Shutterfly
These are my top 20 things that I love...try some of them if you like...a quality of life comes from the people that you share your world with, but also with the little things that you use that make your life a little easier and more enjoyable.

   Today is a day that I need to concentrate on my sprinkles and all the things that make me sparkle....

Signs of Spring....

As I was getting myself ready to enjoy this beautiful spring day and the high of 70 degrees, I realized, the first sign of spring had begun....I'm shaving my legs.  I even painted my toe nails and rubbed a deep moiturizer into my legs and feet.  I wonder if men do anything different for spring.  I think not...for them, they are good to go.  Women always spend more time on themselves in the spring and summer.  For one thing, we are showing more skin and for me, it is a chance for rebirth again.  Every where you look outside, you see life coming back to what once appeared dead.  That is how I feel.  The warmth of that first spring sun on me and that first walk in the forest, just brings new life to my body and soul.  I was in Walmart yesterday and the sights of spring are already coming out.  It was only a high of 57 yesterday, but while I was in there I saw a young man dressed for much warmer weather.  He had on droopy shorts and one of those tank tops with the arm holes that are open to the waist.  What a sight, he was quite overweight, so the exposed love handles was not a good look...if I would have had my camera I would have taken a picture and posted it on the Fashions of Walmart site.  Half the fun of going to Walmart is the people watching that is for sure.
   So many tragedies have occurred this week.  It really makes you count your blessings.  As tough as you think your life is, they are just daily struggles, no life and death situations face you and your loved ones.  I really cannot ever remember one particular country facing so many horrific catastrophes all at one time.  I even heard that a volcano also erupted this week and I saw that it also snowed too.  What else could go wrong for those poor people?  I pray that God will show them mercy...what his plan is, I surely don't know.  This is what tests your faith.  If these people can come back from this and be stronger and better than they were, than they are truly people of God.
    Sean is taking his nap right now, so I thought I would write a few thoughts down.  If anybody is still reading my blog, I sure would appreciate a word or two from you.  Writers like to know they have written something that somebody else feels is worth reading.  I am writing these blogs for my family and for my grandkids.  Someday I will put them in a book and maybe someday they can read them and think..."Boy, that Mimi was quite a lady, a little whacky, but she loved us!

Proof of love

I read a story in a magazine that is prompting this blog.  The story was about being happy.  A french poet named Pierre Reverdy wrote, " There is no love.  There is only PROOF OF LOVE."  It is so true.  Whatever love I might feel in my heart, others would see only in my actions.  You can tell someone that you love them, but if you can make them see and feel it, is the greatest love of all.  I have always tried to do this and I hope my family knows this and appreciates the little things that I do.  Some of my most cherished possessions from my family and friends didn't cost that much.  These things truly came from their hearts.  They were gifts that took some thought to achieve.  A gift that was bought because someone knew me and knew me well enough to know that this present would make me so happy.  My son Seth gave me one of my most cherished gifts of all.  My Mom died when I was 34 yrs. old and Seth was just 7.  Before she died, she gave each of the kids a graduation card and put some money in it.  She told me to give this to them on their graduation day.  I promised her I would and I did.  When Seth graduated, I gave him the much anticipated card.  He opened it, and held the $100 dollar bill.  It was his first one that he had ever had.  I didn't take it from him of course and didn't know what he did with it.  My birthday is July 29th, just another birthday....Seth walks up to me and hands me a box with a card.  I open the card, it said, "TO OUR BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER ON HER BIRTHDAY",  and on the inside it said, "LOVE, MOM AND DAD.  Tears swelled up in my eyes, I couldn't believe what I was seeing.  I looked at him and he said open the box.  Inside the box was a piece of driftwood with two dolphins on it.  He said those dolphins are Mom Mom and Pop Pop.  I used their money to buy this for you.  Well, to this day, I will never forget what he did and he could never top this gift.  That to me was the ultimate PROOF OF LOVE.  I guess I have to give equal billing to Regan too.  She gave us a collage of all our cruise memories one time for our Anniversary that means so much to me, but the biggest Proof of Love was when she asked her Dad and I to be present with her when Karaline and Nickolas were born.  Those memories are burned in my memory forever.  The first time we laid eyes on Karaline and Nick are the most beautiful memories I have.  Rich has given me many wonderful gifts and some not so wonderful.  Gift giving for him is just not one of his strong suits.  The one that stands out for me and he probably does not even know this, is my built in hair dryer.  We had gone to Vegas one time and in the bathroom was a built in the wall hair dryer.  I remarked how much I liked it and wished that I could have something like this at home.  He evidentally was listening, because for my birthday that year, I got my built in hair dryer.  I just love this thing and everytime I use it, I know it is a PROOF OF LOVE from Rich.  Everyday there are PROOFS OF LOVE, some are not so memorable, but they are proof that someone loves you.  Recently, I entered Karaline and Sean in a Model Photo Contest and asked all my Facebook friends to please vote for them.  The most votes would win the contest.  I am overwelmed by all the Proofs of Love and votes that Karaline and Sean have gotten.  It is the little things in life that mean the most.  As I go through my life, I will try to do my Proofs of love to my friends and family.  I only hope that they have a story or two to tell about me when I'm gone from this earth.  In the end, it is the PROOFS OF LOVE that you remember and that brings you comfort and joy.