Happy Graduation Connor!

Back from sunny Arizona and a wonderful time with my grandson, Connor, as he graduated from high school.

Which is a feat in itself..have you seen what they teach now? I was blown away by what Ella was learning in the first grade..can you imagine what being a senior in high school is like??

There's some serious learning going on there...and Connor received all A's and one B...great huh?

Yeah, really great.  And we couldn't be prouder..and more deeply touched by this young man..

You see, Connor has.. Asperger's syndrome

By Mayo Clinic staff
Asperger's syndrome is a developmental disorder that affects a person's ability to socialize and communicate effectively with others. Children with Asperger's syndrome typically exhibit social awkwardness and an all-absorbing interest in specific topics.
Doctors group Asperger's syndrome with other conditions that are called autistic spectrum disorders or pervasive developmental disorders. These disorders all involve problems with social skills and communication. Asperger's syndrome is generally thought to be at the milder end of this spectrum.

So, while the other seniors were worried about what new shoes to get or what so-in-so said in the hallway, Connor had different obstacles to conquer..

And conquer he did..

Connor the Conquer!!

He has been through a lot..and he has overcome a lot..and he is loved... a lot.  His Mom has done an amazing job raising Connor and his sister, Chauntel basically by herself..

His Mom and my son are divorced but she is a part of the family and always will be.  Just because it wasn't the right situation for them..doesn't mean I can't have a relationship with her :-)

Anyway, it was sooo wonderful to see him up there, cap and gown, with a new girlfriend to boot!

This is Connor & Morgan..aren't they adorable??

Connor being hugged by his sister, Chauntel..

 And of course, you can't forget Grammie and Aunt Gerri..

While there, I was so lucky to have had lunch with BOTH of my GRANDsons..

Brian and Connor..

..ahh..aren't they a coupla good lookin' kids??

Connor loves anything NASCAR, so when he spotted these guys at the restaurant we were having lunch at..well...

he was one happy graduate..and this restaurant was new to him and in walking distance from his home :-)

Connor has an interest in photography and wants to go to the Junior College to take some photography classes..

He is bright and kind and brave..and I wish for him...

Comfort on difficult days,

smiles when sadness intrudes..

rainbows to follow the clouds,

laughter to kiss your lips,

sunsets to warm your heart,

hugs when your spirit sags,

beauty for your eyes to see, 

friendship to brighten your being, 

faith so you can believe, 

confidence for when you doubt,

courage to know yourself,

patience to accept the truth, 

love to complete your life.

             -author unknown {wish it were me..because it says exactly what's in my heart..}

Love you Connor..and love you Brian,

XXOO
-Grammie

Good Mornin'...good good good MORNIN"!

Yes..it is.  It's good. And, it's mornin'..

And it's a beautiful mornin' in my little corner of the world..hoping it is in yours as well.

But really, when you think about it..most all mornings are beautiful..

One more chance to do right, be happy, make amends, get back on plan, hug your puppies, kitties, turtles,chicken, fish or kids...

One more day to be thankful that you're here..or there..or anywhere..

One more chance to make it better, for you or for someone else..{or for you and someone else}

One more day to love and to slip into your sweet 'rememberies'..

One more day to plan your next beautiful day, week, month, year..

One more day to.....

...so for today..and every mornin'....

-me

{Happy Birthday Daddy...we miss you everyday.  Tell everyone in Heaven I said hello....}

OK..since this MAY be the last Friday....

..ever...

What? you haven't heard? Yeah..the whole rapture thing is supposed to happen tomorrow.

Sometime. As in .. time of day..morning? Midnight? Afternoon??

Is it all at once..or does it go by time zone? So, like if I were in Ireland, let's say...would I go first then everyone in California would see that and like.. run??

And, if it is the last day, I'd like a Creme Brulee please.  A bowl full..a really really BIG bowl.   And Mexican food. And chocolate..oh..and Leatehrby's Homemade Caramel sauce..

Then...if I wake up and I've missed the whole thing..or am left behind...then I can eat right on Monday, right??

OK..my mind is completely worn out now..

So what I was going to say is I think it's time for a confession..  I've heard they can be good for the soul.  And when I was a little kid and used to go to confession {before I was a 'recovering Catholic'..oh crap...now I've offended someone..sorry!}

..anyway, I used to feel much better when I was told to say 5 Hail Marys and 12 Our Fathers by the priest behind the curtain..{ Oh, like I didn't know which one he was..or that he didn't know ME..}..and then I didn't have that guilty conscious for eating meat of Friday {does my being a vegetarian now make up for that?? Hmmm ..bonus points??} or for having mean thoughts about some snooty girl in the 5th grade...

I have a confession now.......

I have a guilty pleasure..

I watch Mob Wives on our On-Demand thingy on the TV...

 I know I know..a bunch of foul mouthed ladies women who are either daughters of ,or married to,  mobsters..

...telling all about their hard lives, their petty fights, their work-out routines..make-up tricks! And the clothes...
Crazy, I tell ya..

But in the wee hours of the morning, after Mr. B goes off to work..I find myself saying things in my head like..

"I need coooooofee.." ....and Whoda  and whatcha..and boooooss..and mutha...and "I'm goin' wifya to da store.."

I've really always been intrigued by the "mob".."mafia"...."good guys" who as we know, were really bad guys...really....really really really bad guys..

Maybe it was that I was actually born in Chicago..that my whole family on both sides came from Ireland and ended up in Chicago..

..and the stories. Oh the stories..

* had an Aunt (one of my Dad's sisters) who used to work for Al Capone..as a beautician who worked in the back of this used furniture store ( his legit "front") doing the hair of his "Daisies" {read: ladies of the night..}..

*Daddy drove a school bus and used to pick up the kids of Frank Nitti and others..he'd tell tales of the body guards walking the kids to the bus stop..

* After moving to Arizona..the stories continued..Daddy was doing odd jobs for a gangster..(think carpentry and fix-it jobs..silly!) anyway..Joe Bonanno...he even came to my brother's wedding reception..and my brother's Father-in-Law was a Tucson policeman!!

{He took Daddy, Mother and I out after the party to a "night club" and then to breakfast at an all-night diner..I remember him pinching my cheeks and all I could see was this big 'ol diamond ring on his  finger!)

{My brother Larry and me..at the reception..no photos of Mr. Bonnano..Hmmm..??}

*My parent's fascination with anything about the "Untouchables"..you know..Elliot Ness and all..

I think my Mother actually has a crush on Robert Stack..the actor who played Elliot Ness on the TV show..

{so, who were the"Untouchables"? The good guys (Feds) or the  Good Guys (mobsters??) }

Anyway..if Sunday does come around..I'll probably be setting the DVR to record Mob Wives while I'm in Arizona this next week...and going to my Weight Watcher's meeting with ..

"Forgive me Weight Watchers, for I have sinned..it has been 3 days since I last counted points.."

What guilty pleasure do you have?

....Oh and remembering this blog is rated "G"...for "Grammie approved"... OK?

-me

I'm off on Wednesdays...

..so sleeping in should be a treat.

Should be.

Really...it should..right?

But, I dunno..this sounds even sillier as I write it..it's not as fun, knowwhatimean?

I don't think there's a better feeling than having to be somewhere..and making the decision not to..heehee

{yes..sometimes I can be like a blue-eyed jack-a...mule..}

I always want that 5 extra 30 extra minutes on workday mornings.  But on Wednesdays..I find myself watching movies or being on the computer, or cleaning at 5am..after Mr. B leaves for work.

{me and Brandi..she sure can sleep!!}

But watch out on Thursday..I'm falling asleep in my oatmeal...and rushing out the door at 8:30..

What's up with that?

I think it may be my inner-child brat coming out...again..

{see me peeking out from my Mother??}

How about you? Can you do things that you want to do when you can't..when you can? ..{huh??}

Oh don't act like you don't know what I mean..you know...you know?

-me

215 is a time of day..not a weight..

No..it's not my weight.. currently.  It was higher that that when I started (or was it later that that??  Like 10 to 3??}

I'm out of the 2's..but not far enough into the 1's to feel good..yet.

I'm not giving up, but I have to be honest..it's getting harder to keep my eye on the goal.

I eat correctly a lot.  a LOT. A really really lot.  No more sodas except the occasional diet soda about once a month..

no more red meat.  or white meat.  or meat...

no more fast food.

no more fried food.

however...show me bread...and cheese...and sweets..and I'm lost.{and...no animals were harmed in the making of M&M's...}

{and isn't it ironic that the spelling of their name is the sound you make while eating them?? Mmmmmmmm..}

I know I know..portion and you can have some of those.  But I don't want 'some'  I was a lot.  a LOT.  much.muchmuchmuch..

It's not easy.  Those who say it is are either very VERY lucky..a LOT.  Or lying.  a lot.

I get complacent.   I've lost enough for people to notice.  For clothes to fit better. For my body to move easier..but....

I know I am like an alcoholic..if I have the chance..I will stand up  to eat a cake.  Really.  I could. Not just a piece. I could polish off the whole thing. A bag of cookies..a whole candy bar..157 M&M's....

And night time is the worst. Lulu gets up a few times during the night..and I snack. I know. I know. I shouldn't.yeah yeah yeah...

But, if it were that easy, I wouldn't be where I am today. Mildly overweight.  Slightly huge.  Sorely disappointed.

As Manny on Modern Family said ..."I have finally reached my goal weight.  Now I'm working on my goal height..."

Zumba continues twice a week..

..my breakfast, lunch and dinner are in control..the Tea Time at work is a bust as is the late night snacking...

and the guilty mornings..

but, I will be strong.  We've started a "Game On" challenge at Zumba..together we will get fit, fun and fabulous..

I just need to remember that at 1:45 in the morning with Lulu...

-me

PS.....I am NOT fishing for compliments here..please...just putting down on paper..er..in blog..what struggles I am having and that we may all have.....mine just happens to be weight at the moment..

Love ya tonzzzzzz!

...Seriously, Colleen? You couldn't use another way to express rather than ...weight??? Ug..

"The Queen of Comfort"...

Yeppers..that's me.

In clothes, jobs, homes, life. If it's not comfortable..I'm not wearing, living, or working at it.
{..or married to it..}

Jeans and white T-shirts.  ..hoodies and jammies and tennies and ankle socks..

Nothing fancy-schmancy-Nancy about me..

But.......every once in a while....

I see something that is soo pretty..so feminine and lovely..that I wish..

Wish I could wear this...

I mean..just look at that?

And I **LOVE** the gloves..

And I am old enough to 'remember' this style..and gloves..and pearl necklaces..

This was spotted on one of my blog-hopping expeditions and I must share the link to the designer's adorable site (and her quite-affordable dresses!)

http://crochetie.blogspot.com/

She even shares recipes..that peanut tomato hummus sounds divine!

Then there's http://jeanneoliverdesigns.com/blog/  and her..

dreamy-soft-beautiful-memory-provoking line... 

 

Ah..yes...these all look lovely AND comfortable....

Anyone want to submit MY  name for "What NOT to Wear" on TLC??

-me

Some of the best books I've read are....

...are Southern novels.

I just ordered 2 new ones...well..not newly written..but not read by me yet.

Both are from Fannie Flagg..that great, funny, touching  author who wrote "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe"?

So, the first one I ordered today with a Mother's Day gift card I received from daughter April & co. is

{ps..you can't really click on the "Look Inside"..just snagged the pictures from Amazon..}

Then....

 And here's one I just finished and **LOVED** !

I recommend this one very much. It's the kind you don't want to see end..because you like all the people so much and you'll miss them..

And now I'm reading this one...

..and I am excited to learn...I don't have to be sad..there are 2 more and a cookbook as sequels!

As you can see..I like uplifting and happy books.  Ones that entertain as well as give you a message..

So, what's on your reading table?

And, thank you April & co. for my great reading!!

-me

"People let me tell you 'bout my best friend{s).."

Do you remember where that song is from?  Yep, The Courtship of Eddie's Father..

..from..forever ago..geesh..some of you probably have never even heard of that, huh?  ..

But it's the song I had running through my head when Brandi uploaded these pictures of Ella and her 2 best friends....Rafaela & her brother, Diego..

Aren't they sweet?

Yeeeah..not all the time..

But they had such a great time in the park running...

.. and jumping...

..and my favorite, climbing trees...

 I used to love climbing trees when I was a kid..there was one in our backyard in Tucson, and I'd go up and just ...sit ..and look around at the world.

Mother used to call me..and I'd just be quiet.  She never thought to look...up!

 {She's just a blur of motion..}

When I look at these..I hope these 3 can remain friends throughout school.  They all go to the public school about 2 blocks from where they all live and it's a beautiful, brand new, state of the art elementary school.

 How great to share such open giggles?!

Yep..beautiful flowers, beautiful children..beautiful friendship..

...complete goofies...

{this will be one to show them when they are all about 16...hee hee hee {insert evil laugh..}

Have a simply giggly Friday, OK?

-me