Saturday, January 3, 2009

Memories of New Year's Day

I love this picture of my mom and Ivy. It is just so angelic. My mom comes alive when she can hold a baby or watch her great-grandchildren play. We met over her house on New Year's Day to eat her famous Pinto Beans cooked with the Christmas ham bone. I made fried cube steaks, rice and cornbread. Noah had his favorite, corn dog. Gray spotted the cookies, but did eat a little of the good stuff first. Carter didn't even ask for his favorite mashed potatoes.
Great poppal, Noah, Great Mommal, Carter, Gray & Ivy.............
Sweetness!!! Happy 2009....

9 comments:

E said...

Very sweet! I am going to miss holding baby Emsley!

Anonymous said...

Oh, these photos are magical and precious. Your are so very blessed to see your beautiful grandchildren wrapped in the arms of your lovely parents. I can see and feel the great and "grand" happiness...

(you asked about the Polar Plunge... well, this is the 4th time Barry and I have done it, but the 1st time at Narragansett Beach. We did it in 2001, 2002 and 2003 in Newport, RI. This year was by far the coldest and most windy (in the photo with my bathing suit, the wind whipped my robe open!!). Newport doesn't open its pavilion for New Year's Day, so people gather on the beach. We were very pleasantly surprised to see the Narragansett Pavilion open and filled with happy people... with coffee and hot chocolate and donuts, etc. It certainly charged up everyone and got the adrenaline running! Each Plunge has its fund raising component... this year it was $20.00/person for a wonderful cause and of course we got the refreshments and even a t-shirt! Everyone leaves the pavilion at 11:55 in order to get a bit acclimated to the cold... and people jump and run a little and just kind of warm up. Then at noon the starter whistles and everyone begins to run! I have always held Barry's hand, but you just can't hold hands once in the water. People are hooting and hollering and whooping and you get caught up in the excitement. Supposedly, you aren't considered "Polar" unless you go under completely, so I think... what the heck. I'm in up to my knees and I can't feel my feet anyway, so under I go! I is funny... when you are in the water, all you feel is happy and excited and alive. You don't feel cold until you're out of the water. When the wind hits you. When your feel tell you, "Oh, no... what did you just do?" But we were ready with our robes and furry boots and then back into the pavilion with happy people and hot chocolate! I must say that my feel were cement-like for about 15 minutes... but everyone said the same thing. And my legs and arms and face were as red as apples! But it felt great to be alive! And I will add here that Jane joined us once, our son Adam and his wife joined us once... and this year everyone said, "No thanks, you crazy kids!!" I was hoping for at least a camera person to document us going in and coming out...!!!!

I will do it again next year and I will talk it up to you all year!! Hey, what the heck! Right?

Anonymous said...

And oh... the day after? I woke up yesterday and today feeling wonderful... still exhilarated! No aches. No pains. No muscle soreness. I feel alive! In fact, yesterday I went to the gym with Audrey and Jane and I ran/walked 2.12 miles on the treadmill!

Someone at the Plunge said, "If you can try this, you'll try anything." Maybe that's the truth...

Lisa said...

Those are sweet pictures! Glad you got to spend the first day of this new year with your family, enjoying one another.

Stephanie Wilson she/her @babysteph said...

It was a great day!

Steph

chrissy said...

what a great day! Love the pics!

Ann(ie) said...

You are so blessed, girl! What a gorgeous family. I love all the kiddos running around and that your folks get to enjoy the fun and are still young enough to soak it all up. I hope you all have a wonderful 2009!!!!

Cheffie-Mom said...

Your mom is sooo happy with her Grandbabies! These pictures melted my heart! And Ivy is getting so big! Thank you for sharing!

Anonymous said...

How beautiful to see a great grandparent surrounded by all those sweet great grandchildren!

Nell