A New Nephew!!

We have a New Nephew! My older brother Rod and his wife Jill welcomed this little cutie into the world last week.



Welcome Maddox Michael Tucker we're so glad you could join us!

Famous People

Some of you might recognize this Famous Mesa resident. She returned to American Idol this evening to sing her new song. Yes, I will admit it, I'm a bit addicted to American Idol.

A few months ago we attended a benefit concert for the Anasazi Foundation. Brooke didn't sing, but she was there. So, of course when I saw her I asked if it was OK to take her picture with my son and my nephew. She so graciously agreed.

Then I got a bit star struck and just couldn't help myself.

After all, how often do you get to have your picture taken with Famous People?

Apparantly twice, in one night. Here we are with the Gin Blossoms (not that I would have known who they were if I'd bumped into them on the street, but they were Famous at one time.)

Truth be told, they're just people, Famous or not, and Brooke White really was very kind.

 

GLAMOUR SHOT??  WHAT??

I believe some of you asked for an updated glamour shot.  

This will have to do for now.

Mothers & Daughters


This is Gen Black.
She turned 96 years young last week.
















This is her DAUGHTER, my MOTHER

Once, I was just a DAUGHTER

Then I got married and

was blessed with a second

MOTHER

And I became a MOTHER when I had this beautiful DAUGHTER

Who became the MOTHER of these two adorable DAUGHTERS

Here are five generations of

MOTHERS & DAUGHTERS


and a more recent picture of four generations






When my son got married, I added another beautiful DAUGHTER

I am grateful for the many

MOTHERS & DAUGHTERS

who bless my life.

And the Winner Is . . . . . . . . . .

I thought I was oh, so clever when I came up with the name for my blog.

Apparently, not so much, since the first person to guess got it right.

And even though the second guess was not what I was originally thinking when I came up with A.B.O.M.O.


I liked it just as much, for it was . . . . . ..

All Because Off My Offspring

that I started

A Blog Of My Own

So, thank you to my two friends, Stephanie and Debbie, for playing the game.

And CONGRATULATIONS to Stephanie for winning the prize!


You should look for this

coming to your mailbox soon.

And just in case you were wondering, yes, I do know that you are not supposed to start a sentence with the word AND, but I did it anyway.

Clearing out the Clutter

So, last Saturday, I cleaned out my closet. . . . . . . .

because it looked like this

and this

and I couldn't take it any more.

It was time to go through and clear out the things that I no longer needed. Things that had once served a purpose, but needed to be let go of.

Clearing out your closet is always such an enlightening experience.

For instance, honestly, how many pair of black flip-flops does one person really need?

(apparantly 5, I only got rid of one pair)

And then, there are always the things that make you say. . . . .

"What was I thinking?"

like these little lovelies.

(Frank was actually mad that I was getting rid of them. He loved them)

and there are the things that hide out in the back of your closet that you hold on to for sentimental reasons

and sometimes you even find things you forgot you possessed,

but in the end you have a big pile of stuff to get rid of

and you feel better,

because now your closet looks like this

and this

and it makes you happy just to stand back and look at it.

Sometimes we need to clear out the clutter in our emotional closets, because we just can't take it anymore. Because things that have once served a purpose need to be let go of. There are the things that make you ask "What was I thinking?", and there are the things that hang out at the back of your closet that you hold on to for sentimental reasons, and sometimes you even find things that you forgot you possessed. But in the end, you have a big pile of stuff to get rid of, and you feel better.

Because now your closet is cleared out, clutter free, and in order. And it makes you happy to just stand back and look at it.

Funeral For A Friend

T. Dennis Barney

with his beautiful wife, Ann

Today, many friends and family members gathered to say goodbye to an amazing man. He will leave a very large hole in many people's lives, but he will also leave a very large legacy as well. His funeral was a beautiful tribute to a great man who touched thousands of lives.

As we left the funeral we were handed a bookmark with the following saying:

The time to be kind

is now.

The place to be kind

is here.

We needn't be told

the way to be kind

For the way to be kind

is clear.

But it's good to pause

and remember

In the heat of our stress

and drive,

The very best time

to live

Is while we are still

alive.

The time to be happy

is now.

The place to be happy

is here.

The way to be happy

Is to make others happy.

Simple enough, I fear

But the simple things

we are apt to miss

As we struggle and fret

and strive

Forgetting the very best time

to live

Is while we are

still alive.

I don't usually make New Year's resolutions. But I think this year, this poem wil be mine.

I have put it in a place where I can see it every day, and in memory of Dennis Barney, I will strive to live while I am yet still alive.

(and forgive me once more, Shelly, for stealing a picture from your blog)