greenpepperpressblog

Tag: family

  • Re-cap

    First – Happy Birthday Peter!  17 years ago you made me and Dad parents.  We have been so blessed.  You are such a grown up dude, and such a terrific son.  We love you!

    Mwaug07 

    Earlier this month Fallon turned 12!  Twelve!  She’ll go back to middle school next week feeling more confident and cooler than last year.  She knows she rocks.  A week ago made the annual visit to Marineland (in Canada) and saw Sam’s friends the Orcas.  We were lucky to meet up with Sean and Mike who I’ve written about before.  My copy of Chicken Soup hasn’t arrived yet – would have been fun to share it with them.  Can’t believe summer is almost over.  Where did the time go?  Because we have 2 kids birthdays in August I also wonder how they got so old.  Less than a week until we are back in school.  Makes me so sad.

    Mwbabypics_2

    Mwaug07a

    Wednesday we went to a rock festival.  It was a hot day….but very cool too.  As HIM and MCR fans we were loving the line-up.  Great way to celebrate the end of summer as a family.  It was THE BEST!  Better than a Labor Day picnic…….especially when this happens………indulge me…….

    Mwprbackstage

    …………..and when this happens this too……………

    Mwprband

    Luckily I had a gift ready.  Because you never know what can happen…….

    Mwgiftgiving1

    Mwgiftgiving2

    I had found this shirt last fall when we were getting things ready for their tour that got canceled.  Got one for me, Graham, and Ville.  It’s a Poe shirt…..and you know I love that Raven, with a Top Hat!  Several people asked me if I made it….I wish!  It’s by Affliction and was a must have as it incorporates so many of my favorite images like in the piece below from my stamp line.  He really liked it.  This day was a great consolation prize after having to miss their concert two weeks ago.  I had presence of mind to talk like a normal person and ask and say a few things to each of them.  I even asked for a real life look at some of tattoos.  You’d be so proud of me…I really kept my cool. 

    Mwpoeshirtpost

    Mwprtat1

    Notice that tucked in his arm is my spray painted red wrapping paper and the cool printed plastic bags I showed you a while ago.  (Oh, and he didn’t cut his hair again….it’s up there in that hat.)

    Mwprtat2

    And I reminded him I was on the Grave Dirt Crew – giving him a gift the last May that he even mentions in an interview!   See HERE and HERE.  Who knew…when I made the post below….that I’d be posting this today?  Not me!  H.C.I.T. ????  Squeeeeee!

    EDIT:  and if all that wasn’t enough excitement for the month, these dates just posted today.  Tickets go on sale next week.

    Himvdtour

    Remembering Diana today.  Ten years.  We were having Peter’s 7th birthday party when we got the call about her accident.  Because I was born after Kennedy passed away THIS is our timeline question.  "Where were you when you heard Diana died?"  It was such a moving funeral service, we got up early and watched all day.  Hearing the bells toll as the procession moved through quiet London streets…..haunting.  Then Sir Elton…..whew.  She was grace.

  • Re-cap

    First – Happy Birthday Peter!  17 years ago you made me and Dad parents.  We have been so blessed.  You are such a grown up dude, and such a terrific son.  We love you!

    Mwaug07 

    Earlier this month Fallon turned 12!  Twelve!  She’ll go back to middle school next week feeling more confident and cooler than last year.  She knows she rocks.  A week ago made the annual visit to Marineland (in Canada) and saw Sam’s friends the Orcas.  We were lucky to meet up with Sean and Mike who I’ve written about before.  My copy of Chicken Soup hasn’t arrived yet – would have been fun to share it with them.  Can’t believe summer is almost over.  Where did the time go?  Because we have 2 kids birthdays in August I also wonder how they got so old.  Less than a week until we are back in school.  Makes me so sad.

    Mwbabypics_2

    Mwaug07a

    Wednesday we went to a rock festival.  It was a hot day….but very cool too.  As HIM and MCR fans we were loving the line-up.  Great way to celebrate the end of summer as a family.  It was THE BEST!  Better than a Labor Day picnic…….especially when this happens………indulge me…….

    Mwprbackstage

    …………..and when this happens this too……………

    Mwprband

    Luckily I had a gift ready.  Because you never know what can happen…….

    Mwgiftgiving1

    Mwgiftgiving2

    I had found this shirt last fall when we were getting things ready for their tour that got canceled.  Got one for me, Graham, and Ville.  It’s a Poe shirt…..and you know I love that Raven, with a Top Hat!  Several people asked me if I made it….I wish!  It’s by Affliction and was a must have as it incorporates so many of my favorite images like in the piece below from my stamp line.  He really liked it.  This day was a great consolation prize after having to miss their concert two weeks ago.  I had presence of mind to talk like a normal person and ask and say a few things to each of them.  I even asked for a real life look at some of tattoos.  You’d be so proud of me…I really kept my cool. 

    Mwpoeshirtpost

    Mwprtat1

    Notice that tucked in his arm is my spray painted red wrapping paper and the cool printed plastic bags I showed you a while ago.  (Oh, and he didn’t cut his hair again….it’s up there in that hat.)

    Mwprtat2

    And I reminded him I was on the Grave Dirt Crew – giving him a gift the last May that he even mentions in an interview!   See HERE and HERE.  Who knew…when I made the post below….that I’d be posting this today?  Not me!  H.C.I.T. ????  Squeeeeee!

    EDIT:  and if all that wasn’t enough excitement for the month, these dates just posted today.  Tickets go on sale next week.

    Himvdtour

    Remembering Diana today.  Ten years.  We were having Peter’s 7th birthday party when we got the call about her accident.  Because I was born after Kennedy passed away THIS is our timeline question.  "Where were you when you heard Diana died?"  It was such a moving funeral service, we got up early and watched all day.  Hearing the bells toll as the procession moved through quiet London streets…..haunting.  Then Sir Elton…..whew.  She was grace.

  • heads up

    Mwheadsup

    An exciting announcement:  Just confirmed, the story I wrote here (and follow-up here) last fall about our visit to Marineland, is going to be published in the new Chicken Soup for the Soul:  Celebrates Children with Special Needs.

    One of my readers suggested I send it in, so I did!  Cool?  Yes, very.  It’s been edited a bit but they are including a picture, something new to me in these fine books.  THIS is an honor that truly touches me.  The book comes out October 2007.  You can pre-order at Amazon or take advantage of a special through Autism Today:  buy 2 get a 3rd free, HERE.  (Sample stories available there too.)

    And in case you missed the tiny clip I caught on my digital camera, look here.  We are heading back to Marineland in one month, can’t wait to see our friends again!

    Mwsamorcasoup

  • heads up

    Mwheadsup

    An exciting announcement:  Just confirmed, the story I wrote here (and follow-up here) last fall about our visit to Marineland, is going to be published in the new Chicken Soup for the Soul:  Celebrates Children with Special Needs.

    One of my readers suggested I send it in, so I did!  Cool?  Yes, very.  It’s been edited a bit but they are including a picture, something new to me in these fine books.  THIS is an honor that truly touches me.  The book comes out October 2007.  You can pre-order at Amazon or take advantage of a special through Autism Today:  buy 2 get a 3rd free, HERE.  (Sample stories available there too.)

    And in case you missed the tiny clip I caught on my digital camera, look here.  We are heading back to Marineland in one month, can’t wait to see our friends again!

    Mwsamorcasoup

  • Younger Men

    Gwbday07 We met July 26, 1984….just ten days AFTER he turned 19.  I was 20.  I wonder ~ if he had still been 18 if I would have let him drive me home from Maximillian’s Night Club that night.  Probably, couldn’t resist his charm.  Still irresistible @ 42.

    In ten days it will be 23 years since we met.  We’re now past that point on the timeline where have know each other longer than we haven’t known each other.  Maximillian’s is long gone, but tattooed in our memories, and the middle name of Samuel.  (how cool is that?)

    Happy Birthday Graham! You still rock!

    {First photo taken @ Birmingham University, England.  Second photo taken @ Rock & Roll wax museum, Niagara Falls, Canada…sitting next to Ozzy}

    ARTFUL BLOGGING ARRIVED!!  Will write more later…..but I did post on the Street Team page about it.

  • Younger Men

    Gwbday07 We met July 26, 1984….just ten days AFTER he turned 19.  I was 20.  I wonder ~ if he had still been 18 if I would have let him drive me home from Maximillian’s Night Club that night.  Probably, couldn’t resist his charm.  Still irresistible @ 42.

    In ten days it will be 23 years since we met.  We’re now past that point on the timeline where have know each other longer than we haven’t known each other.  Maximillian’s is long gone, but tattooed in our memories, and the middle name of Samuel.  (how cool is that?)

    Happy Birthday Graham! You still rock!

    {First photo taken @ Birmingham University, England.  Second photo taken @ Rock & Roll wax museum, Niagara Falls, Canada…sitting next to Ozzy}

    ARTFUL BLOGGING ARRIVED!!  Will write more later…..but I did post on the Street Team page about it.

  • from sea to shining sea

    Mward4thofjuly

    Since buying and lighting off fireworks is illegal in some states I won’t be telling you where we were or what we did but here’s some evidence, shhhhhh.  (This one was awesome…..so is the guy!)

    Mward4th2

    If you get a xmas card from my Mom, this is what it will look like.  My sister and her husband, my brother and his wife, their three kids and dog, my parents, and the Wards.

    Mward4th3

    More evidence of the action-packed vacation.  And below, Shannon and I for our every-time-we-are-at-the-lake-together-sisters-on-the-dock photo.  I should get all of them together in one album shouldn’t I?

    Mward4th4   

    Have a happy 4th! 

  • Outta here

    Mwtripping_2 

    TOMORROW:  1196.62 miles to my parents house.  Then another 225 to the cabin.  25th class reunion, and visits with family and friends.  Back in 2 weeks.  No computer connections, I’ll miss it here.  Be good.

    Mwclosednotice

  • Just in case he’s watching….

    Fathersday1 

    Fd

    No words of wisdom….just looking at these kids of ours and feeling blessed, and happy, and amazed they have grown into such cool kids.  From the moment we saw the blue mark on the pregnancy indicator our lives changed.  You became a dad, I became a mom, and we became a family.  Happy Father’s Day.  xo

    And for our fathers, John and Philip, we have wonderful things we could say about them but they don’t have computers, so they get cards instead of a blog post. 

  • Score: Perfect 10

    Sambuddyparty

    We woke up to a sunny day, praise God.  After last year’s party with pouring rain, and the forecast of a Nor-easter on the way, we were lucky to have a day of sun.  With the five boys from Room 10, fifteen buddies, six teachers, (3 came with their dogs) and our family, we had a lovely day outside!  Sam hauled in lots of loot and had a terrific day. 

    Sambuddyparty2

    Last year I passed out Autism Awareness bracelets in the goodie bag.  This year I made bracelets with an "X", the Roman Numeral for 10.  Since the boys are from Room 10 I thought it would be a clever way for the buddies to show they are in the clan.  But really, they deserve a "10" for being such cool kids, befriending and encouraging our special boys.