Bogus Emails from me

Someone has sent Emails to my contacts with a link in the body. The subject is empty. They look like they came from me. Don't click on the link. Please delete the Email. I have no idea who did this or how.

Sorry,

Deb

Professional pictures of Mason batting

I wish I could take credit for taking these pictures, but I can't. On Wednesday night Mark and Mason were at Forest Park. They go there sometimes and either watch the baseball games or play on the field if there are no games.

On this particular night a game of teenage boys had just ended and Mark was pitching to Mason. A little crowd had gathered around watching, amazed that such a little kid could hit the ball so well. Mark knows just how to pitch to him so that he hits it. With me, on the other hand, he doesn't hit so well because I can't pitch to him, especially overhand.

So...a professional photographer who had just finished photographing the game walked by and started taking pictures of Mason. After he had finished, he gave Mark his card with his personal e-mail on the back, and told Mark to e-mail him and he would send him the pictures.

These are the pictures that he sent. I can't believe how wonderful they are. I wish I could take pictures like that. Mason said "He had a BIG camera." How lucky for us that this photographer just happened to walk by at that time, and how nice of him to send them to Mark!

Throwback Thursday - Little boys and baseball

I babysat for Mason this afternoon. It was a hot afternoon and I couldn't believe he didn't want to go under the sprinkler or in the little pool. I'm used to Marley. Even at her age, she still gets in that little pool. At Mason's age, she would stay in there for hours. Mason, on the other hand, wants to play sports.

This afternoon we played frisbee, badmitton, corn hole, and baseball. I think, at the present time, baseball is his favorite. He insists that I pitch overhand, which I really stink at. He doesn't care. He will play for as long as you will.

As I was thinking about what to post for this week's Throwback Thursday, I came across the picture above of Paul and his Uncle George. Paul was about 3 or 4.

Then I went searching for a picture of Mark.



The back of the picture says June 1981 so he was almost 7. Mark definitely loved sports, which is why, I'm sure at this point, Mason loves sports so much.



So.....as Dot would say, "It's in the family." Kristen told Marley a little while ago, "We're going to be going to a lot of sports games."

Woo Hoo!

Can I brag a little?



Congratulations Mark! Your hard work paid off.

Throwback Thursday - July 4th at the Newbert's

The year was 1995. It was July 4th and we were at our friends' house. They live on the July 4th parade route in East Longmeadow. For years they had a big gang at their house every 4th of July.

I remember the year they started it. Chris and I were doing Prims together (a 7-8 year old girls' club at our church). Kristen was not yet in Prims; I think she was about 5 or 6 at the most.

They had this get-together at least until my kids were in college so...yes, years. We would have to get there by 9 or so in the morning, before they shut off their road. After the parade was over, we would start getting the food ready. Everyone would bring enough meat to grill for their family and then something to share, a salad type thing and/or dessert. There was always TONS of food. We usually left in time to go to the fireworks in Springfield on the way home. For a few years the next door neighbors put on quite a firework show.

Then it started to get too big, or we all started to get too old - one or the other! Ha. Now their grandchildren get to enjoy it.

Good memories.

Happy July 4th!

As many of you know, Paul and I have been doing some genealogy research lately and I had wanted to take a picture of a Revolutionary War veteran's grave today. One person that I came across, on my mother's father's side, was William Higgins II. The problem is...I can't find where he is buried. Some places say Easton, MA., and others say Chesterfield. I am going to have to do some more digging. I did find the information above though.

So...instead, Paul and I went to Malden, MA to check on Capt. John Wayte's gravestone. He was the first one in the Wait (my father's) family to come to America. He came from England in 1638.

He landed in Charlestown, and eventually moved to Malden, MA. He died in 1693 and is buried in the Bell Rock Cemetery. This is his gravestone. It is amazing to me that a gravestone from 1693 is still intact.



This plaque is at the front of the cemetery. It is hard to read in this picture, but it is a list of all the Revolutionary War veterans buried here.



Happy Birthday America!

Throwback Thursday - 42 Oleander St.

Over the last year, since Dot moved to the Atrium, we have been very slowly breaking up her home. It has been a sad process for me. The whole family, including my Dad and my aunt Ettie, have been to the condo, choosing things that they wanted.

This past week we met with a realtor, and the process is in motion to sell her condo.

Yesterday, we moved the last of her furniture out. One of the things that I took was the highboy that was in my room at 42 Oleander St. There were so many things in Dot's condo that go back to that home, things that I remember.

I wish that I had been into blogging and scrapbooking earlier in my life. I wish I had more pictures. My aunt Dot took a lot of pictures but, like most people, they were pictures that she took of events and people. If there was a picture of a room, it was just incidental. I wish I had more pictures of the rooms at 42 Oleander St. and what was in those rooms.

I am trying to take more pictures of everyday, ordinary life. Who knows, maybe someday my kids and grandchildren will find this interesting. Or, maybe I'm just weird and they will all wonder what in the world I took these pictures for. I'm not taking any chances though!

Throwback Thursday (Tuesday) - 5th grade

Today is Marley's last day of 5th grade. Next year she goes to Middle School....sigh!

It got me thinking of last days of school for Kristen and Mark, and also myself. I remember the excitement of the last day of school.

This is Kristen in 5th grade - 1982...



and this is Marley in 5th grade - 2011



I know it sounds like such a cliche, but it really is true that time flies!

Happy last day of school Marley!

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day Paul, Toby, Big Baba, and Mark.

P.S. Mason got a catcher's mask for his birthday, and this is his "mad" face that I guess goes along with a catcher!

Throwback Thursday - Yardstick Bubblegum

When I was a kid, my cousin Lynda and I used to take turns visiting at the other's house for the summer. They lived, at the time of my story, in New Jersey and I thought it was such a long trip. My uncle Bob, who was a minister, used to have contests for kids at his church. I'm not sure if it was Vacation Bible School, or a promotion for Sunday school, but he used to have these prizes that he would promote throughout the contest. One of these prizes was a yardstick of bubble gum. I'm sure I never won it, but I always thought it was the greatest thing!

So you remember that Lyn?

Fast forward a million years, and while we were on vacation this year we went to Smoky Mountain Knifeworks, and there it was - the yardstick of bubble gum. I couldn't believe it. I hadn't thought of that in years and years.

I looked at it for awhile and we actually left the store, got out to the parking lot, and I just had to have it.

After I took some pictures of it, I gave it to Marley. Here are a few pictures of it.







Isn't it amazing, when you least expect it, memories come flooding back and it's almost like you were there again. I hope I never lose my memory!