We are the mundane
Two weeks ago Steve’s 90 year old mother fell in the nursing home and broke her hip. Off to the hospital we were for surgery. Then, last Wednesday at 7:30 AMÂ Dawn called doubled over in pain. I went over to take care of the kids and after a mis-diagnosis at a clinic (sent home with pain-killers), Dawn went to the emergency room. By 11:00 PM she was having her appendix removed.
It’s been a crazy few weeks, but everyone is home and recuperating!
We’re off to visit Shannon for a few days, then Martha’s Vineyard and Newport, RI. I’ll post some pictures when we return.
The “battle” was last weekend and I’ve waited a week for Ron or Steve F. to post this, but I guess they’re sore losers! Yes, Steve B. is the new “Fall Family Champ”! Can you believe that? Steve F. and Ron must have really had an off weekend!
Here are a few pictures of our week in Orlando. Weather was hot but beautiful! The kids had a blast…Blake said his favorite part was his nightly trip to the ice cream shop at the resort with MarMar!
with the exception of Shannon…she already had plans to go to Sarasota. We leave tomorrow morning and return on Mother’s Day. We’ll take plenty of pictures and unlike Steve F. will post them when we return.
It’s been ages since I’ve updated the blog with any family news and we have some fun info to share. First, Brian and Andrea are expecting a baby in September (the 19th is her due date). It (as of now they are not finding out the sex) will be affectionately referred to as “Baby Wayne” (just a fun name, not one of the choices). Andrea is doing very well…no morning sickness, etc. We saw them Easter Sunday and she is starting to have a slight bump.
Shannon is in Italy visiting her boyfriend. Rook (a nickname given to him in culinary school) moved there over a year ago to start his own restaurant in a village up in the Alps. Yesterday was his birthday so he prepared an 8 course dinner for Shannon and a bunch of his friends. Dessert was an individual chocolate egg filled with ice cream and other sweets. At each person’s plate he poured molten caramel over the top of the egg. This began a melt-down of the egg so that one could get at the sweets inside. Shannon hit something hard, picked it up and Rook dropped to his knees and proposed. Kind of romantic, huh? She said “yes” and the party began! He did get on the phone to tell me that he was coming home within a couple of months. He has hired someone to take over the restaurant and is able to get out of his contract with the village. So fortunately they will be residing back in New Hampshire.
Next week (May 3rd thru the 10th) we’re off to Disney with Dawn, Chris, Blake and Reid. Should be a great time…Blake can’t stop talking about it!
That’s about it…hope all is well with everyone!
Decided to keep the 60th a small celebration (unlike the 40th & 50th). Had dinner with some close friends last weekend. Note the beautiful orchid arrangement Dawn made (and small bouquets for each lady). Kenny, I do look much better when pictures are taken out of the sunshine, don’t I?
Dinner on my birthday was at Dawn’s. Reid was sick, so he went to bed early. Blake helped Mommy decorate…he especially loved the balloons and the Mickey Mouse cake.
Shannon put together a little book of “60 Things I’ve Learned from My Mom”. Some were pretty standard things a mother should teach a child i.e., “Patience”, “Work Ethic”, “Pride” etc. Some were things our mother taught us i.e., “Kill them with Kindness”, giving people the “Benefit of the Doubt” etc. Some things were applicable to just us i.e., “The Fall Family Lazy Gene – it does exist and I’ve taught her how to combat it”, “How much she loves Mickey Mouse cakes”, “How to pronounce things correctly – The ‘Mary’ test is a perfect example”, and of course “Family – Nothing matters more”.
It was a great birthday and would only have been better with all of you here. We got close on Christmas…we need to keep trying!
MARILYN, THE UTAH FALLS HOPE YOU HAVE A FANTASTIC SIXTIETH.
IT’S NOT ALWAYS EASY BEING THE SECOND SIBLING.
THE SECOND CHILD FOLLOWING SOMEONE AS CONFIDENT AS LARRY.
THE SECOND PRETTIEST CHILD (FOLLOWING GARY).
THE SECOND SMARTEST (FOLLOWING KENNY).
AND THE SECOND CLASSIEST (STEVE & RONNIE TIED FOR FIRST).
BUT MARILYN, YOU ARE SECOND TO NONE WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE AND DEVOTION TO THE FAMILY.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
KENNY, LISA, ELLIOT AND NATALIE
