Half hearted celebrations

"Worry about nothing, pray about everything." --Shorthand for Philippians 4:6

I turned 47 and then had Mother's Day to celebrate this month. Thanks to a wonderful husband and a sweet, loving 7 year old daughter, I enjoyed both days. What I really wanted was to hear from my adult children but that never happened unfortunately. A heart ache for sure. But I have to take the good and embrace that and it was wonderful. One day we took the boat out for a long ride, motoring from our home an hour to "shark tooth island", staying the day beachcombing the island, picnicing, kayaking a little in the bay, and even swimming a bit to cool off, then motoring back home. It was a great boat ride, and a great sunny day. Then we went to the beach on my birthday and my best friend was there with her husband, a special treat. We girl talked and I cried on her shoulder--she's very supportive and always has just the right thing to say. Catherine caught the biggest fish all day, in just 5 minutes with the fishing pole. Rebecca's husband stood out in the surf all day and never caught a thing. I bet he felt pretty put-out when Catherine caught that fish in 5 minutes! That evening Catherine made me wear a plastic tiara and made me the sweetest hand-made birthday gifts. She made me cry, she is so sweet. I wish she's stay this young and sweet forever. She is enjoying gymnastics summer camp and just lost her two top front teeth and talks with a lisp now and darn if it doesn't even make her more cute somehow. This weekend we'll enjoy Father's Day. Sadly, I know Richard won't hear from the kids either, but we have Catherine and she brings us enough joy to make up for all the heartache left from them. It's too bad they don't even call her---they have no idea how much they're missing out on and it's their loss. Each and every day is a gift and we're going to live it as fully as we can because we don't know how many days we all have. So you gotta Live Fully, Love Often and Love Much! Which we will!

"The only bad thing about makin' a mistake is to keep on makin' it."

-- James Rupert Nance, Esq. 1908-1985

Mya and Catherine at the park

A Trio of kayaks!

We bought Catherine her very own kayak this week and took it out for her first test ride Sunday afternoon. She really did well, better than we expected. Here are a few pictures from that first trip down Haulover Creek. We can't wait to go back out again.

Catherine's Dream Trip to Disney!

Our annual visit to the Cummer Gardens

Here are the pictures I took Tuesday afternoon at our local Cummer gardens while Catherine laid on the lawn and used watercolors to paint the beautiful gardens, using her own interpretration. Her 5x7 painting turned out so good I'll frame it and treasure it always. Perhaps I'll scan it and put it here for you all to see in a few days.

Spring is fast on our heels!

Just a quick update...Spring is fast on our heels here, a layer of gold-like dust, the annual pollen layer, is everywhere and flowers are beginning to bloom. We're weeks from the peek but I have lots of picture taking to accomplish between now and then! Kimberly and her boyfriend have been doing some fishing so here are some of her shots. I want to go out very soon on the kayak and or boat and take tons more pictures so hopefully I'll be downloading more in the coming weeks. Lots more!

Our princess turned 7!

Catherine said she had the best birthday EVER. That was pretty good to hear. Let me tell you it was a lot of fun, as her parents, spending the day with her and watching her enjoy it. I had lunch with her First Grade class at St. Matthew's. I'd brought her classmates cupcakes and when I left they all had purple or blue smiles from the frosting and they were all glad I'd come. Good thing they had recess afterwards so they could run off that sugar-high. That night we took Catherine to Carrabaa's Italian Grill, our favorite restaurant and we had a fantastic time with her. The management came out with dessert for her, a burning candle stuck in the middle and sang Happy Birthday in Italian to her. The look on her face was worth a million bucks. Geeze, I wish she'd stay this age forever--she sure is a lot of joy for her dad and I. Here she is with her beautiful cake and opening a few of her presents.

Happy Birthday, Princess Catherine! Daddy and I love you so very much!

Happy New Year!

Everywhere I have sought rest and not found it except sitting in a corner by myself with a little book." -- Thomas a Kempis


Every failure I've ever had is because I said yes when I should have said no.

One of the most time consuming things is to have an enemy.

"You know you're getting old when you stoop down to tie your shoes and wonder what else you can do while you're down there."--George Burns


"I have enough money to last me the rest of my life--unless I buy something." --Jackie Mason

"The best way out is always through." -- Robert Frost
Amen and Amen

Richard and I have enjoyed almost 2 whole weeks of time off from work for the holidays. What a great time it has been, with time to leisure over the morning paper together every morning, to take the boat out (twice) and kayak one early Sunday morning....to curl up with Catherine and watch her favorite cartoons, work out in the yard, tidy the house. Tonight, New Year's Eve, 2007, we have bonfire ready (just need a match) and champagne on ice and a chocolate fondue and we'll have a perfect New Year's toast.

Here are a couple pictures of our fishing trip last week.