Crosby's Two

For the last 15 years or so we’ve had a dog as a part of our family, two little non-shedding dogs. First there was Libby and later came Brownie.

In 2018, however, Crosby joined our family. She’s McKenzie’s dog. 

A so-called “beagle-mix” from Wolftrap Animal Rescue whose namesake is Sidney Crosby, a player and captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins ice hockey team.

                          

A perpetual smile on her face, Crosby’s a sweet, 50-pound ball of energy who, along with our daughter, has been staying with us since the quarantine began. The condo McKenzie lives in doesn’t offer Crosby much opportunity to chase squirrels or birds or dig holes unsupervised but since she’s been here she’s gotten plenty of all three of those things. 

It's her birthday and today, she’s two.

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It's St. Patrick's Day, baby!

Twenty years ago today, on the heels of the Snowpocalypse of '93 (and more than 24 hours without power), this happened.

Thirteen days before her due date and after 21 hours of labor, as the anesthesiologist said, we had our little "leprechaun."  She's been delighting us with her magical charm ever since.
Happy Birthday, McKenzie!  We love you.  

Sweet 16!

This sweet boy turns 16 today! 

That means, it's his "Golden Birthday". A person's Golden or Grand Birthday, sometimes called their "Lucky Birthday", "Champagne Birthday", or "Star Birthday", occurs when they turn the same age as their birth date.  

When he was little, I use to ask him if he'd "stay little forever, for me?" Can you blame me? Even at the tender age of 4, he'd assure me he could not.  He is still a delight, however, still sweet and sensitive and funny.  

Happy Birthday, Tate.  You are loved!

Birthday Doings

Wednesday was my birthday and this is how I celebrated.   

Blue Icicle Tower

 My husband surprised me with tickets to the Dallas Arboretum's Chihuly Exhibition. Even these clumsy iPhone photos  make the sculptures look  good. 

Yellow Icicle Tower (about 20 feet tall!)

Niijima Floats  (photo above & below) 

Dallas Star

Mirrored Hornets

Persian Pond

Sun

Red Reeds (the sun was starting to set and the lights coming on)

Carnival Boat (love the reflection off the water)

Garden Glass

Mexican Hat and Horn Tower (at night).

Spectacular!

Five

Happy Birthday to iPhone!  That's right.  Eighteen hundred and twenty five days ago today, Steve Jobs and those fine folks at Apple brought us the very first iPhone.  I received my first iPhone as a gift shortly after their introduction. Needless to say, I've never looked back.  Now, 3 of the 4 members of our family are converts.  No worries, we're working on my husband and that Blackberry of his is looking more and more inadequate every day. 

Chuck E. Cheese and a Happy Birthday

Yesterday marked the 35th birthday of the kid favorite pizza/game parlor Chuck E. Cheese where my children attended at least half a dozen birthday parties when they were younger.  Depending on your viewpoint this venue is either loads of fun or Xanax-imperative.  As a friend once said to me, "there's a reason they serve alcohol at this place."   However, my photo albums reveal that we bravely held at least two of our very own family celebrations at Chuck E.  Cheese.  My daughter's 3rd birthday:  

She loved this mouse so much that when the restaurant manager said he may not
have an employee available to wear the costume during the party,
my husband agreed to do it.  Fortunately, that wasn't necessary,
but it even more completely endeared my husband to me.  

Taking a break from token madness to enjoy pizza and cake.

and my son's 5th birthday.

The invitation

The cute castle cake, complete with drawbridge and moat

I know, a Chuck E. Cheese party with a Knights and Castles theme? I'm creative like that.  Truth be told, I wanted an old fashion at home party but decided having the party at the locale of his choosing was more important than my desire to fulfill some idealized vision I had for the perfect party (along with that bit of enlightenment came the knowledge that we would return home to clean house when the celebration was over).
   

Tate on the left with friends, Jack, Hadley and Tom

The photo below must have been taken at a friend's birthday (I have no recollection), but I love this adorable shot of Tate driving a car, as friend Max looks on.

And a few other random photos from our periodic(?) visits courtesy of the CEC photo booth:

We've obviously loved Chuck E. Cheese at our house over the years so here's to many more mouse birthdays!

Boy Scout Day

Today is the 102nd birthday of the Boy Scouts.  Boy Scout Day celebrates the birthday of Scouting in America. It was on February 8th, 1910 that William Dickson Boyce filed incorporation papers in Washington, D.C.  and created the Boy Scouts of America. Since then more than 110 million Americans have been involved in Scouting, including these two guys:

My husband (l) and his brother on staff at Philmont Scout Ranch 

Also, three of our nephews are recent Eagle Scouts.  I have so much respect for their commitment and dedication to these principles:
On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.

A Decade and a Half

Today, this guy

turns 15.

He is a joy, a delight, among the 3 best things that have ever happened to me.  His name means cheerful and is perfectly suited to him.


Happy Birthday, Tate!

Taylor Swift - Fifteen download at emp3

Claude Monet's birthday

Today we celebrate the birthday of one of the world's best artists and perhaps it's best known impressionist, Claude Monet.  

Though I am partial to the work of Manet and Cassatt, there's no denying the popularity and ubiquitousness of Monet's paintings, especially the water lilies and haystacks.

I prefer Monet's early work, his beautiful ladies in hats with parasols, French flags and scenes by the water.

This is my favorite of my favorites.  

Confession:  I took an Art History class, Impressionism, in college.  In a moment of ridiculousness (along with my decision to take Economics), I elected to take the class pass/fail.  I loved the class, and though I have few creative bones in my body, I loved studying the nuances of color and light, the subjects, as well as the biographies of the artists.  By the end of the semester, I had an A in the class, which was too bad, since my grade point average could have used that 4.0. But I learned to love the work of all the impressionists (Renoir, Pissaro, Morisot, etc.) and, in particular, to respect the work of Mr. Monet, who's own work had given the Impression movement it's name.  

So Bon Anniversaire, Mr. Monet, and Merci.  

"But, luckily, he kept his wits and his purple crayon." -- Harold and the Purple Crayon (1955)

 Happy Birthday to Crockett Johnson, childrens'  book author and creator of a wonderful series of books,  Harold.  

If he were alive today, Mr. Johnson (born David Johnson Leisk) would be 104 years old. 

Take time today to enjoy one of Mr. Johnson's stories about Harold, they're numerous:

Harold and the Purple Crayon (1955)

Harold's Fairy Tale (Further Adventures of with the Purple Crayon) (1956)

Harold's Trip to the Sky (1957)

Harold at the North Pole (1958)

Harold's Circus (1959)

A Picture for Harold's Room (1960)

Harold's ABC (1963)

He wrote lots of other books as well, the Harold series just happens to be my favorite.  

And after you've enjoyed the sheer genius of Crockett Johnson, you could  have a slice of cake (with purple icing, of course)  or better yet a piece of pie.

"There was nothing but pie.  But there were all nine kinds of pie that Harold liked best.”

~ from Harold and the Purple Crayon

And if you can't do that maybe just draw something with a purple crayon.

 lunch. Tht

A War Hero's Birthday

We celebrated the anniversary of D-Day a few weeks back (my son's a WW II buff) at our house and while you may be familiar with that historic event, if you don't know the story of Audie Murphy, another compelling part of the history of World War II, you should.  


It's art imitating life, and life imitating art.  It is inspiring and intriguing and so totally worth knowing about. 


There are not many American heroes of his calibre, one's we can teach our children about.  

Somber expressions at Murphy's gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

Happy Birthday and thank you to Medal of Honor recipient and Great American Audie Murphy who, if he were alive, would be 87 years old today.    

Not Getting Older, Getting Better

Happy Birthday to this guy!

A great brother (that's him on the left)

who's cute

and athletic (with his sister)

who loves sports (baseball, golf, college football to name a few)

 

 

 

 

 

a wonderful uncle (who plays guitar, too)

with a high school diploma, college degree and an MBA

a good friend (and Peachtree Road Race participant)

kind son

 

 

successful businessman

loving husband

and awesome dad!

Have a wonderful day.  You deserve it!