Memorial Day 2010

Brian's Great Uncle Hugh Shaw had his memorial plaque dedicated at the Maritime Memorial wall in Astoria. We have seen this wall many times before with the kids, so it was really special to know that one of their relatives was being remembered there.

We met Stephanie (Hugh's daughter) and Brad, Joe and June (friends of the family), Aunt Sandra, and John and Patsy down in Astoria for the Memorial.

The kids were extremely good (you don't hear me say that very often, and maybe I should more...). They seemed to get the importance of the day and the service.

When Hughs name was called, they went with Stephanie to put flowers in the river for him.

Cousin Stephanie and Jake. She was wearing her dad's hat and one of his scarfs from his over seas travels.

The memorial is under the Astoria Meglar Bridge. This bridge is just magnificent! The actually have a 1/2 marathon that you run across and back on it....may attempt that in the future.

After the memorial we headed down to see Brian's old Coast Guard Ship "The Alert" by the Maritime Museum.

Some nice elderly gentleman offered to take a picture of the whole family....

Hard to believe Brian lived on this boat at one time.

This was such a memorable Memorial Day with a lot of meaning. We were grateful to be invited down to celebrate.

Gimmie a "G"

Give me a "G", give me a "R", give me a "A"....... You know the rest!

Yippee, guess who turned THREE!

A cheerleading outfit from Gaynea Patsy and Poppa John.



She now has this cute head tilt for pictures....or when she wants to see if you are mad at her.



Where in the world would a three year old want to spend their B-day? Build-A-Bear!


This was her original choice.

She settled on a yellow Birthday Bear. We recorded our voices for it saying, "Happy Birthday Grace, we love you"

Grace standing on the pedal. She thought the noise was extremely loud. Although she thinks that a lot of things are loud.... She is constantly telling me to turn my music down. Can't wait till she is sixteen and I get to reciprocate that one!

She was just in love with this Bear. She named it Gina.

Avery got an I-Carly Bear, and Jake got a Star Wars outfit for his existing bear. This place seriously has some amazing marketing skills.

After your bear is stuffed and sewed up, there is a washing station. Grace was so serious about cleaning her new bear off.

Outside the store with their bear boxes.

A token family shot. Hill and Kiran, curly or straight?

Then Sunday celebrating with my Mom and Dad.

Gaynea and Grace.

Gifts. Isn't that polka dot paper the cutest?

Out on my parents porch eating an otter pop, after brownies. The view!!

Gaynea reading to the girls. The kids later got to "check out" a book from their library. But seriously they do almost have as many books as a real library.

Grace I love you! Happy Birthday.

The Official Reason

The official reason we went down to Cali was to see my cousin Kevin get married. Can't explain how fun it was to be there with family. Maybe the fun was just because it wasn't my wedding....and I had absolutely no stress besides hoping my hair turned out good.

The setting: Dana Pointe

This picture was on one side of the reception area.

And this was on the other. What a beautiful Marina. You know Brian took this shot.

Just arriving. Some of my favorite girls in the world.....Minus Hill.

Kiran, Me, Uncle Greg, Cousin Jordan, and Cousin Blair.

Aunt Les, and her girls. Can you say gorgeous?

The Bride and Groom and Groom's parents.

The ring bearer, Leland John. This kid is the best. I've never met a kid like him.

Kir and Reeser Piecer...

Again, Stunning!

Jordan was a flower girl in our wedding.....she's now in college. I am old.

This kid just makes me laugh!

My Aunt Terri, her son Jared, and his wife Sara.

Aunt Kris, Mom, and Leland.

This was all of our side of the family that was there at the wedding. Sadly, this is the only picture of Brian and I together at the wedding. I am so not a photographer....

My sister and I with the Bride.

The first official photo of Maggie and I. I had never met my brother's wife!! I love her, knew I would....because my sisters love her. All I can say is that she is just such a trooper. Drove to Cali for this wedding while she is 7 1/2 mos pregnant. Bless her heart. I wouldn't have.

Aunt Les, Uncle Wayne and Maggie and Will (THE UNLV LAW STUDENT!!!!!!!!!!!)

Chase, she is so photogenic, like her mother.

The kids were passing the sparkling cider around drinking straight from the bottle.... with kids they didn't know too. All I did was laugh... because, hey, they're not my kids.

Sisters, smart, horseback riding champions, kind, funny, talkative, and BEAUTIFUL.

Me and John

One more for the road.

A picture of Dad outside the Crab Cooker. We headed there after the reception. Will and Maggie hate seafood. I assured them there would be something else on the menu to eat.....there wasn't.

Last night in Cali at California Pizza kitchen. Brian will not be pleased with this angle. But hey, it was taken by a 5 year old.

I love being down in California for so many reasons. We grew up going down there ever Summer to visit our Gram. I have so many fond memories of this place, well fond doesn't begin to describe them. I love the smell of the flowers and the heat, if you can smell it. I remember swimming in Aunt Kris's pool, going to Trader Joes around the corner from Gram's house and getting frozen mangos. I remember her 'rag mags' on the coffee table in the front room. I remember playing in Gram's backyard on the swing set, in the tree house and on the antique car. I really felt like they made such an effort for us to have fun when we were there. Maybe I appreciate this more now that I know the amount of energy it takes to entertain small kids. I wonder if Gram was ever irritated..... like I am often. If she ever got tired of us. She always let us have her room and sleep on her big bed and she slept on the couch. We could use her make up and play dress up with her (petite) clothes. She would take us shopping ( Hill do you remember her yelling across the store, "here are the underwear!"). There was always an unlimited supply of ice cream bars in the outside freezer and chocolate pudding in the metal containers in the pantry.

I just smile, then I want to cry, then I smile again.