Beamer #15

Canine Haiku

Face like a person
With soft ears and deadly breath
Yellow Labrador.


Today would have been the 15th birthday of Frannie's Beamer Dorado a/k/a Beamer Haas. B, you are still much loved and remembered, and still a part of our family. I miss you with everything I have.

I wrote this haiku about him in 1999 when I was taking writing classes at Rollins College. It still makes me chuckle.

Short on cash?

If you are, John Sam has been very busy making a little extra dough. Literally! He doesn't mind sharing at all~

My favorite part is Mr. Lincoln's beard. :)

Funny!

"You need to get a myspace page so you can be my friend."

--Laura Jean, as spoken to her sister, upon expressing gentle frustration at not being to share pictures with Kodak so-called Easy Share.

Another last day of school picture...

Caroline made so many new friends this year at VPK. We especially loved her teacher, Ms. Maria, and I got the nicest compliment from her. She told me that working with Caroline this year had helped her better understand her own twin girls. Caroline knows what she knows, but sometimes is a bit shy about expressing it. Reminds me of some song lyrics, "You say you find me hard to handle, well, I'm easier to hold."

It took a gentle guiding hand to draw out Little Green (nee Little Blue!), but Ms. Maria had just the right touch. We'll sure miss her, but wish her a fun and relaxing summer. Caroline enjoyed being the Center Helper and helping some of her friends to practice reading. We hope to see some of them very soon.

Last day of school smile . . .

John Sam is done with first grade! He had some bumps in the road this year, but together we got over them and he accomplished his goals. We're proud of him and as his mom, I must say it's pretty cool to be read to by such a charming young man. We are looking forward to summer activities as the sun gets hotter and the lawn gets drier. Water slide, here we come!

:)

Happy Sweet 16 to my favorite Cupcake~

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Sweet 16th Birthday to Christina....
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!

I wish you only beautiful and fun things today! Do at least one or two things to make this day a memorable one, sweet pea. One day you'll look back and think, wow, remember when I turned 16?

Time sure flies and it seems like just a few weeks ago when I went to your kindergarten graduation with your favorite uncle. :) You were just a tiny little cutie with long blonde hair and snaggle teeth. Watching you grow into a smart, beautiful, confident young woman has been such a pleasure.

Love you and we hope to see you soon to celebrate!

Cowbell Birthday!

"I didn't know, til I was at odds with the world, how much my friends, who believe in me rather generously, mean to me." - D.H. Lawrence.

One of my friends who's always believed in me generously is Valerie! She's one of the May birthdays I celebrate, and today is her special day. When people speak the word "friend," it's she that they speak of. I'm proud to know her and have her consider me her friend as well.

Happy Birthday, Valbelle-Cowbell-MOO!!! May this day be full of special blessings and cake! In her honor I am posting (again) the layout I made about us. The title of it is 37 Years and that's not her age, it's how long we've been friends. And this year makes 38. Love you!

Grouchy

Haven't posted cause I've been grouchy. Just in case anyone was wondering...... :)

May is full of birthdays

I noticed this morning that between family, friends and canines, the month of May has seven birthdays of people I love: Our dog Tokyo (who isn't really a person, but she thinks she is), LJ, Hayden, Nana Shuman, Sonny, Valerie, and Christina-nina. Today is my Uncle Sonny's birthday - my favorite uncle!! We won't mention the number (coughcough71cough) because that would be tacky and in poor taste. ~wink~ Couldn't resist.

Happy Birthday, Uncle Sonny! Love you and hoping your birthday is full of only good things! To help you celebrate, here's a yummy cupcake-cake I made two years ago for Caroline's birthday. Everyone MUST have cake on their birthday!

Indian Names

My mom and I have laughed for ages about "Indian names." In the movie Dances with Wolves, the name of the love interest character was "Stands with a Fist." Remember the wolf who befriended Kevin Costner? His name was "Two Socks."

Once upon a time, my mom called me "Hot Heels" during one of her visits to Orlando. I was laying on my bed and instead of taking off my socks, I just bunched them up in the middle of my foot so that only my toes were covered. I was probably trying to avoid the squiggly line patterns on my ankles that come from the elastic in socks when they're worn for a long time. She asked me why my socks were like that, if I had hot heels or something. We cracked up! So I joked that could be my "Indian name." Certainly it fits me. Ha!

Back then, I didn't have kids, only canine children. My yellow Labrador Beamer's Indian name was Whippersnapper, because we always assumed Kismet, my black Lab, was older. Every now and then, Beamer would try to break bad with Kismet--the young jock trying to knock the aging coach off the pedestal. It never worked, but he was pretty much always the little upstart his whole life. Kismet's Indian name was Crumbseeker. Self-explanatory.

What's your Indian name?