Happy Anniversary!

Dave & Sandy

Happy Birthday, Jeff! 

Flashback Friday...XO XO XO's

If you see these Birthday Girls today...

I hope you give them a hug and a kiss!

I'm glad their birthday fell on a Friday...

so I could Flashback Friday them and give them a great big virtual Hug and a virtual Kiss and thank them for all the hugs and kisses they have brought to our family over the years!

I don't know if this is completely true...

but growing up...

I remember our family being kind to each other, but no one was overly affectionate or openly expressive of their emotions. 

Don't get me wrong. 

We loved our parents.

Our parents loved us and us kids loved each other

...but we just didn't "do" affection or share emotions.

Enter the Blondes. 

There are three Blondes that joined our family and changed the dynamic forever.

And, in my opinion, changed it for the better.

The blonde twins that married our cousin and my older brother....

brought our family hugs and kisses.

And the blonde girl and amateur stand up comedian that married my other brother...

brought to us the gift of humor and with it gave us the ability to laugh at ourselves and expand our expressing of emotions.

I cannot imagine how our family would be without them!

Steph and Verna, (I'll flashback the 3rd blonde...maybe on her birthday), showed up with big smiles, lots of laughs and said their hellos with hugs and said their goodbyes with kisses.

I can still remember watching Verna give "Uncle Bob" a hug. 

He stood there straight as a board...with both arms hanging at his sides.

Once he sort of got used to it...he would maybe, hug with one arm and pat her back.

By the end of his life, even he had gotten over it even got to the point that he would hug you back!

Us, Vandercars have come a long way, thanks to those three Blondes!

So, thanks Steph and Verna (and Sandy) for loving on us...and for all the smiles, (the laughs) and all the hugs and all the kisses!

Have a great Birthday!!!!
XO XO

Flashback Friday....The Friday of all Fridays

Happy One!

Seeing this face always makes my day happier!

Happy One Year Birthday,

Happy One,

Deandra!

Ruby Tuesday.....

It started with a promise.

Standing on a hill in Orchard Grove Cemetery...

A grave marker leaning up against a tree....

a familiar, yet unknown name...

an overwhelming sense of the beautiful sadness of the circle of life...

and the genetic make up of a melancholy memory seeker soon to turn keeper.

The above ingredients compelled me to re-connect with the professional memory keeper in the Kenney/Tilton/Vandercar family....Ruby Lawson.

Ruby's genealogy book of names and dates, another book about the Kenney family history, several visits with the "Elders," all coupled with Grandma Fern's pictures, have made that corner of Orchard Grove filled with gravestones...come alive.

I hope to keep gathering and sharing stories....so keep telling and listening!

April's Fool

directions to here:

sometimes...you find the perfect gift.

thank you for the shirt, Sister Susie!