Archive for the ‘Mi familia’ Category

Cozumel

Ten reasons I want to go back!

It was beautiful. In the hotel (The Palace) and away from it.
We were treated like royalty around-the-clock. The staff at The Palace was absolutely amazing!
Two words: ALL INCLUSIVE! 24-hour room service, gourmet dining from various restaurants anytime, any way we wanted it.
$1500 worth of activities included in our deal, among them: snorkeling, Dolphins and diving, photo sessions with their photographers, manicures, pedicures, wholistic massages, tours, and anti-aging facials, baby! Oh, yeah!
Hunter made friends everywhere he went. One little boy he played with kept saying ” Oh my gosh!” this. And “Oh my gosh!” that. Finally, Hunter thought he’d bring some correction to his little friend and he offered this advice: “Why don’t you just say ‘Oh, my goodness? Or sheep dip!’?” Hunter is his daddy’s boy!
There were scooters and an open-air Jeep zooming down the coast. Snorkeling and swimming with dolphins. Chankanaab was wonderful. WHEN I return, I shall do at least 2 days there, whereeven the fish dine on homemade corn tortilla chips (how I crave them even now).
There were reefs and ruins. Soft winds and gentle waves.
The food, oh the food! Mexican Caribbean, delightful. Mmmmm…!!
The pool looked like it flowed straight into the ocean. The air: hot, humid and lovely.
Romantic! The days were long and sweetly languorous, the evenings hung endlessly in the sky for dancing and dining.

Oh, I will return to Cozumel! ;p

Mood Music for my pictorial slideshow…Hunter and I put this together today and fondly remembered…and wanted to go right back!

Hunter may even honeymoon at Cozumel someday, he is thinking.

Push play on the mood music then the slideshow at once.

Feel the moist, warm air; feel the ocean breeze, hear the waves gently lapping against the dock?…aaaahhhhhh….I am swaying in my hammock….

Dave and I on our last night there ~ way more rested and waaaay more tan than when we arrived. Lovely!

Uno drawback: my hair in humidity es no bueno!

sigh…

Posted in Garden/Food/Seasons, Grandkids, Health, LIST! I love lists!, Marriage, Memories/Melancholy, Mi familia, Photos of the Fam, Sleep/Sabbath Rest, Stuff I actually think | 1 Comment »

I awoke from a Sunday afternoon/early evening nap and look what I found on my terrace, on floor two, at The Palace, in Cozumel…Mexico. Some random brown guy, just back from snorkeling.

The “soft-focus” is purely humidity…moist, warm air! And? He is not really random. I have known him for quite awhile now. About 32 years this week, actually.

Posted in Health, Marriage, Mi familia, Photos of the Fam, Stuff I actually think | 2 Comments »

The Honor

I got to hang with Wrex and Stef the past couple of days as they brought their baby girl in to the world. Omygoodness, Stef was a champ. She had to do the entire labor in the hospital, start to finish, plus a few hours of deciding what to do and how to do it. And that girl worked it! She is stronger than she knew. And Wrex, who has birthed thousands of farm animals, but with very different technique, obviously, was amazing as he coached Stef, and encouraged her and helped her and looked in to her eyes and breathed with her until a baby came to them.

This was a silly posed picture. Stef wasn’t even in active labor yet. We just posed as Wrex and I watching over her really laboring and Tredessa and Tara being silly. Actually it was all Chick-Fil-A and Mountain during this time! Sawyer-Party!

What an honor for me to get to be there, to get to pray for them and witness their love made flesh. I am so proud of Stef and Wrex and how they worked so hard, together, committed to make the baby’s birth a wonderous and glorious event. And I am humbled. The favor of God shines on this family. He must surely be smiling at what they did. I know I am.

Sawyer Joell Phipps – isn’t she lovely?

Isn’t she lovely
Isn’t she wonderful
Isn’t she precious
Less than one minute old

Sawyer at less than 10 minutes old. Daddy wore pink to welcome her. He’s man enough!

7:14:21 on 8:19:10 at 9:27

At 9:27 pm, 22 1/2 hours after the very first labor contraction, Sawyer arrived to cheers and tears and joy and family. 7 pounds, 14 ounces, 21 inches long. She has her mommy’s fabulous long legs and slender feet and pouty lips. And she has her daddy’s heart…already! Sawyer, blessed more than she realizes, is already loved and adored.

I never thought through love we’d be
Making one as lovely as she
But isn’t she lovely made from love.*

*LYRICS: “Isn’t She Lovely?” by Stevie Wonder

Posted in Birthdays/Anniversaries, Grandkids, Marriage, Mi familia, My most unforgettable people, Photos of the Fam, Songs I am singing, Stuff I actually think | 1 Comment »

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

A Summer’s evening at the Neighborhood School Ball Park.

Baseball is summer’s game. We didn’t have a TV most of my growing up years, but the radio was tuned in to St. Louis Cardinal’s games as the sun went down on summer nights. The cracking sound of the bat hitting the ball and the crowds going wild, along with the rev-the-crowd organ music drifted through the open windows mingling with the sounds of playmates and I chasing fireflies and whirling hoola-hoops around our waists. The screen door slammed, as in and out we’d go and beer commercials would ring out between innings.

Tools of the trade.

We don’t do it enough, but now and again, Rocky will get a group of us together to run up the street and play softball at the elementary school. And each time we say, “We have to do this again soon,” because even my grown children, now, have become nostalgic as they remember the years they played ball all day every day with the neightborhood kids.

Uncle Rocky pitching to Gav-at-bat. The cheering crowds. DP up to bat.

When I feel the morning grass I let down my guard

Because love comes from the dirt in my own backyard

Everytime I think I’ve finished being young

I catch myself having fun

My husband, Dave, up to bat.

Recently, on one of those lovely evenings that make you wish summer could last forever, Rock got us all together, the fam and some good friends. There is just nothing like some bats, a good, broken-in leather glove and bases to run around. Good times!

Pepler. Guini and Nonna (me). Gavin hits it!

But the moment passes as the sun moves on

So I turn myself back to you…

And it’s depressing that I can’t forget the tune the organist played

La – da da da da da da, la – da da da da da da…

Dave at bat. The boys taking a breather.

Everytime I think I’ve finished being young

I catch myself having fun

But the moment passes as the sun moves on

So I turn myself back to you

Is our season over? No four leaf clover?

The boys of summer: just coming down “Front Street,” as DP likes to say. Shirt by Stormie

Hunter and Gavin will climb anything. Tristan swinging the pipe…as a lefty!

I feel it’s getting colder…

But can you still remember?

April to November

You and I were members

Of the best team in baseball

So we play our games…

Rocky…Serious about pitching.

Lyrics: Baseball

All of these pictures: by Stormie!

Tags: baseball, family, memories, rocky rhoades, softball, summer
Posted in Memories/Melancholy, Mi familia, Photos of the Fam, Songs I am singing, Stuff I actually think, TV, Movies, Books, and Entertainment | 3 Comments »

Cheap Date

Friday, August 13th, 2010

I had a Friday night date with THREE guys (all very very good-looking, mind you) and they got off really easy for sure. We went to McDonalds and I only had the small Spicy Chicken Sandwich and some fries off the dollar menu, with water. Much like Kenny Banya on the Seinfeld episode, I feel I am still owed a meal! (NOT a McDonalds fan)

§

It’s boy night here. McD’s has a great play-thing and Gavin and Hunter are having a sleep-over at our house. Poppa even let them play with his vintage GI Joes and all the cool accessories in the foot locker. The 1960s GI Joes were always my Barbie-doll’s love interests. Ken was a little too…prissy. I am certain the grandsons would be mortified to know my childhood secrets.

Posted in Grandkids, Mi familia, Photos of the Fam, Stuff I actually think, TV, Movies, Books, and Entertainment | 1 Comment »

‘Bout Birthin’ Babies

Monday, August 9th, 2010

I will soon go a doula-ing (doula is Greek and means “a woman who serves”) for Stef and Wrex when Sawyer Joell is born. I’m not really a doula, I just get to play one with people I adore (Carol Ann is soon to do the same thing with Emma of Gospel Journey fame!).

“I don’t know nothin’ ’bout birthin’ no babies, Miss Scarlett…”

Actually, I do. I got to attend birthing class with the Phipps a few weeks back and recently checked out a few birthing books from the library. It is bringing back the memories, omygoodness! Because, you know, I had a few babies back in the day. And I was really good at it, if I do say so myself. Now-how will I be in this role? I am hoping not to faint or require constant fanning or smelling salts. I hope I don’t get too empathetic with Stef and start crying out to God for mercy in a loud voice. I just don’t think that will help.

The book.

Meanwhile I have been studying and researching and brushing up on my birthing knowledge. I have enlisted prayer support and continue to madly write in the litle journal I will leave with Stef and Wrex for Sawyer to enjoy someday. In it is advice on labor and delivery and some sound wisdom on raising kids. I have included lists of things I want to remember while at the hospital and signs to look for as labor progresses. There are make-you-sniffle baby quotes and prayers for Sawyer. I have given baby girl the inside scoop on who her parents really are and shared favorite scripture passages.

In short, I am hand-writing an entire book just for the occasion of the birth of Sawyer Joell Phipps.

It is good stuff! And yes…none of it is original, but I have collected it over the years and I am writing it in the book, so it is mine!

O Sawyer? Where are youoooo?

Now, truth to tell, we had actually sort of cleared our calendars for today seeing 8.9.10 as a wondrous day for a birth. But we know God has this thing all planned out and are just anxious for Him to let us in on His perfect plan. He seems to have us on a need-to-know basis for the moment. But we are ready, I tell ya!

Thoughts on the threat of C-Section during Labor

I do come across some very thought-provoking information these days. For instance, an article about the negative hormonal effect on a woman when she is laboring and is told “If you don’t start progressing/dilating/efacing (or whatever her shortcoming) soon, we’re going to have to do a C-Section” and how that actually is detrimental to her labor and begins to inhibit the process was explained thus:

If a man was told that he had to get an erection and ejaculate within a certain time or he’d be castrated, do you think it would be easy? To make it easier, perhaps he could have an IV put into his arm, be kept in one position, have straps placed around his penis, and be told not to move. He could be checked every few minutes; the sheet could be lifted to see if any “progress” had been made.

- Nancy Wainer Cohen & Lois J. Estner, Silent Knife, Bergin & Garvey, 1983

Hahhahahahha!

Certainly gives you something to think about. ;p

PREVIOUSLY…click here.

Posted in Birthdays/Anniversaries, God's Word, Mi familia, My most unforgettable people, Prayers for a God-full life, Stuff I actually think, TV, Movies, Books, and Entertainment | No Comments »

These are the Days

Monday, August 9th, 2010

THESE ARE THE DAYS I’LL REMEMBER

These are days you’ll remember

Never before and never since, I promise

will the whole world be warm as this

Guini’s birthday celebration was delayed by the Heaven Fest craziness. So how could I refuse when she asked for a really big cake, purple and yellow, chocolate with buttercream icing and lots and lots of color and flowers…plus sparklers on the top. Presents first, dinner and swimming, then cake and ice cream. A lovely way to spend a summer Sunday evening.

And as you feel it, you’ll know it’s true

that you are blessed and lucky

It’s true, that you are touched by Something

that will grow and bloom in you

Left: Amelie Belle is 4 and a half months now and she is good buddies her Aunt Stephanie. Center: Guini the birthday girl loves her baby cousin. Right: Aunt Tara is always popular with nieces Averi and Gemma May.

My amazing and insightful sister-in-law, Dawn recently commented that these family times together, the little cousins playing tug-of-war over some toy or the other and whatever mischieviousness they can all find to get into will be memories they will cherish as they grow up. I hope they’ll know that they ARE “blessed and lucky” and that the love of these days will grow and bloom in their lives, too.

These are days you’ll remember

when May is rushing over you with desire

to be part of the miracles you see in every hour

Here we are, Dave and I and our 6, very longsuffering grandbebes. They pose for us, they smile and coo and endure photo ops. They act silly and one day, when they are old enough, they will really wonder about us! Perhaps they already do.

You’ll know it’s true, that you are blessed and lucky

It’s true, that you are touched by Something

that will grow and bloom in you

It was Guinivere’s birthday celebration. She just turned 5. Hunter is 5 and a half. Gavin who is holding baby Amelie Belle, is 7 and baby girl is 4 1/2 months now. Best friends and cousins Gemma May and Averi are 3 and 2 1/2 respectively. These are the grandbebes on a summer’s evening in August.

These are the days

that you might fill with laughter

until you break

Left: Jovan is such a good mommy to her girls. My son married well. Middle: These are the men of the family – Dave and Tristan, 2 sons-in-law who could not be more wonderful if they tried, my husband and lover of 29 years (and a very flirtacious friend for almost 3 years before that), Dave and Rocker-Bo, the kid probably most like me in the world…only waaaaay better. Right: And my beautiful firstborn, Tara with her beautiful firstborn, The Little Prince.

These days you might feel a shaft of light

make its way across your face

Dave’s hair looks really gray in these pictures, but not in real, up-close-and-personal life (except for the salt and pepper facial hair and a little in the temples). Hmmm…wonder what is up with that? I KNEW that camera was trying to make me look old against my will. This is proof! The little girlie-grandbebes rely on Poppa to keep them safe from the splashing boys in the water.

And when you do

you’ll know how it was meant to be

Left: Averi following the grandbebe swimming ritual, which is, you get out and dry off so you can go right back in again. Middle: Steph loves her cake. Right, Gemma and Averi are always in deep discussion and generally some disagreement about some topic or another. But they are besties.

See the signs and know their meaning, it’s true

You’ll know how it was meant to be

The grandbebe painted, wooden stools…crazy-looking-maybe-I-should-have-planned-before-baking-but-the-brithday-girl-loves-it-anyway cakes…a zinnia that both Amelie Belle and I took a fancy to last night on our way around the yard (where new bikes for Stormie and Rocky, no less, were being assembled, a game of catch was going on, kiddies were splashing in a pool and sweet conversation floated on the summer air). These are the signs…

Hear the signs and

know they’re speaking to you, to you*

NOTE TO SELF: To get over myself {for the love!} and get over my ridiculous heartbreaks…See the signs, hear the signs…it’s true. These are the days…

* LYRICS: “These are the Days” by Natalie Merchant

Posted in Birthdays/Anniversaries, Garden/Food/Seasons, Grandkids, Home, Marriage, Memories/Melancholy, Mi familia, My most unforgettable people, Photos of the Fam, Songs I am singing, Stuff I actually think | 6 Comments »

The Sweet Summer Six

Sunday, August 8th, 2010

Grandbébés, 8/8/10

Guini-Poo, 5; Hunter Magoo, 5 1/2; Gavinators is 7, holding Amelie Belle, who is almost 4 1/2 months old; Gemma May, 3; and Averi-baby, 2 1/2.

Posted in Birthdays/Anniversaries, Garden/Food/Seasons, Grandkids, Mi familia, My most unforgettable people, Photos of the Fam, Stuff I actually think | 2 Comments »

Such devoted sisters~

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

“I do not believe that…birth makes people sisters and brothers. It makes them siblings. Gives them mutuality of parentage. Sisterhood and brotherhood are conditions people have to work at. It’s a serious matter. You compromise, you give, you take, you stand firm, and you’re relentless…And it is an investment. Sisterhood means if you happen to be in Burma and I happen to be in San Diego and I’m married to someone who is very jealous and you’re married to somebody who is very possessive, if you call me in the middle of the night, I have to come.”

-Maya Angelou

S I S T E R S ~ A song I adore! Dedicated to Tamara Dawn Moslander Ayento!

BTW – I am definitely the Rosemary Clooney (blue eyes/Bing Crosby) of this scenario, and Tami is Vera Ellen (brown eyes/Danny Kaye). ;p

The Preacher’s Wife

My little sister (both little at barely 5 feet AND younger by 6 years), Tami Ayento, is a preacher’s wife. They recently took a pastorate in the heart of Chicago, so the neighborhood reminds you of the movie by the same name starring Whitney Houston and Denzel Washington (The Preacher’s Wife, 1996). I think it is cruel and unusual punishment that I got her when I was almost 6 and we shared a room for many years and then suddenly, we both marry and move thousands of miles apart. She knows my faults, my secrets, the worst of me. And has yet to disown me. She is and will always be the sister of my family heritage, and the sister of my heart.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SQUAMPI-DOODLES {a.k.a. Tami Ayento}

Tags: birthday, chicago, family, maya angelou, sisters, the preacher's wife, white christmas
Posted in Birthdays/Anniversaries, Mi familia, My most unforgettable people, Songs I am singing, Stuff I actually think | 2 Comments »

Guinivere ~ You’re 5 now!

Friday, July 30th, 2010

Happy Birthday to my first-ever granddaughter!

We tour the yard together, watering cans in hand and Guinivere asks me, “What is this flower, Nonna?” “What is that flower?” I tell her the names and she commits them to heart. Gavin loves the veggies, but Guini says, “I love the flowers!”

A little project Guini and I did for her birthday ~ because ~ I LOVE my little flower girl!

Dear Guini~ Sorry your birthday kinda got rolled over by the Heaven Fest train, but we are still just gonna celebrate you and love you like crazy. Party coming up! Love you, Guini-Poo! xxxooo ~ Nonna

Tags: heaven fest.com
Posted in Birthdays/Anniversaries, Garden/Food/Seasons, Grandkids, Mi familia, My most unforgettable people, Photos of the Fam | 7 Comments »