Memorial Day 2010

We really didn't take any pictures at Memorial Day this year!!!

Isaac and I went up a week early - joined for a few days by Kathy & Ava....and what a great plan that was! The weather was AMAZING, the water trending in the high 60's - and we spent every day on the beach. (We had the burns to prove it!)

By the weekend, when Brian and the neighbors arrived, we had restocked the sunscreen and gave out ample warnings....

Mom and Candy came up, and although Mom was under the weather and spent most of her time napping and resting - Candy braved the beach with us!

We had a great time catching up with the neighbors again, and at our annual neighborhood cookout at the Woollatt cottage.

Isaac-isms.

Isaac-ism 1:

I just told Isaac to eat a little faster, and he said "Mom, I am ENJOYING it"

Isaac-ism 2:

Last night, we were eating pizza with the neighbors.

I said "whoa, Isaac, that's a big slice"

He said "that's why I am eating it - to make it smaller".

Of course, how did I not know that?

Isaac-ism 3:

He likes to notice things that "are in this world". The other day, we passed a blue bus. He said "Mom! There is a blue bus in this world!" - Yes...yes apparently there is!

or - "Mom, why are there so many skitos in this world?"

Congrats Joe and Leslie!

A special congrats to "Officer Joe" and Leslie on their wedding (and birthdays)!

Mom's Retirement Party

My mom retired in early May, so a few of her co-workers threw her a retirement party in a conference room at City Hall. Isaac apparently feels that City Hall's halls are perfect for bouncy ball applications.

We even got a quick stop in to the Deco Deli and then we went out to Blackstone's with the Mutzelburgs!
Happy Retirement Mom!!

Catching up on life...belated prego pic

We are starting to catch up on life...and one thing I have promised people was a picture of the "belly". This shot is from April 15th (23 or 24 weeks?). Brian and I were on our "babymoon" in Washington DC.

Catching Up - New Dining Room Table

This is long overdue, but while cleaning the camera card off - I thought I'd try to catch up on some posting...
We splurged on a new dining room table. We fell in love with it a few months ago in an antique shop in East Tawas. Come to find out - the gentleman who makes them builds them by hand from reclaimed barn wood.
This particular table comes from a "1890's milking barn" from Frankenmuth. We purchased 4 chairs and a bench to go with it, however, we are still waiting on the chairs (he has those ordered and is waiting for them to be delivered so he can finish them and deliver them). For the time being, we are using our old chairs still - which looks a little silly, but what the hey!
It is so nice to have a "grown up" table that can seat more than 4 people!!!

Blue Sky Girl's Weekend

Laura, Wendy, Renee, Jennifer, Dawn and Becky

For the second time, the "Blue Sky" gals took a trip to the Marina Grand in New Buffalo for a weekend of rest and relaxation.

There was cooking together, swimming in the pool, massages at the Harbor Country Day Spa, a fancy dinner at an Italian restaurant and of course...lots of wine (tho, not for me - sniffle!). Not to be forgotten - the infamous "survey".

It was a wonderful weekend to rest and catch up with great friends!

Memories of Blue

One week has past, and although we've gotten used to the quiet of the house - we both still hear phantom "taps" at the door (taught by neighbor dog Molly), the deep sighs just after he settled onto his favorite soft spots on the couch or the 'woo woos' that said came, like clockwork, at breakfast and dinnertime. We haven't adjusted to sleeping in bed without him hogging at least 1/3 of it. We still expect to see his face in the window when we pull in, him roaming the back yard, or snoring lightly on the couch next to the window.

We picked up his ashes yesterday, prepared to be brave - only to melt when we saw they gave us a print of his paw. Not unlike the prints of Kiaser's paw in the floor at our cabin - that I protect with a vengeance ever time we discuss refinishing the floor. I thought by cremating him, it would make sending his remains off to some happy place - probably up north, his favorite place - easier...but I am not sure it is going to be. So where do you put the "Tin o' boxer"? As much as I'd like to put him somewhere that I imagine he'd be pleased with, he (his remains at least) is safely tucked in the entertainment center, far from toddler hands.

So many people sent cards and condolences. We had over 100 comments between our two facebook pages. Some people mentioned special memories of Blue - ones I don't want to forget...like how he used to play "hacky sack" with balloons, stalk bananas, his "peanut head", floppy jowls, how he used to walk himself to and from the beach as he liked, how he used to love to stick his head out the sunroof when he knew we were getting close to his buddy Max's house, the way he'd dive under water like the "Loch Ness Boxer"...and, that he "set the standard for boxers". I know someday, we will get another dog (a boxer, if I have say!)...but it's so hard to even imagine any dog having so much personality and being as good and loyal as he was.

He was Brian's first gift to me, his first expression of a promise that we were going to be a family someday. He took such care and patience training him...I'd come home from work and he'd be in the yard at my house with Blue, doing commands like "sit"and "stay". In a way, Blue showed me what kind of father Brian would be some day. When Brian traveled, Blue kept me feeling safe and make me laugh....but the truth was told the minute Brian walked in the door, and he'd "kidney bean" his way to him, nub wagging as fast as it could.

I could go on and on. Suffice it to say, "this guy" was deeply loved by his family...and we will miss him forever.

I've been collecting photos of Blue in hopes of making a small memory book. I've barely made it through year 2005 yet - but feel free to check here to see them:

Memories of Blue Photos

"Indeed, our lives have been enriched beyond measure because of the love of a dog. We have been adopted by the most irrepressible of clowns, that most intuitive of comforters, that most selfless of companions- the Boxer."

Lord Labatt of Blue Sky, 02/14/99 - 05/05/10

Our dear companion lost his battle to cancer yesterday. I can't really write more right now except the sadness we feel is overwhelming.