Throwback Thursday - Pepe Taco

Paul started going to this restaurant, which was then called “Pepe Taco”, on Boston Road when it first opened in 1968. His Aunt Nancy was visiting and found out that there was a Mexican restaurant near them. She said she was surprised that they had one in this area, and that Mexican food was all the rage in California. They decided to try it. Paul went there a lot while he was in college at AIC and I went there with him quite a bit in the early years of our marriage. I would only eat one thing there though; I can’t really remember what it was. It was probably tacos. Paul said he always got the special, which was a tamale pie (a bowl of chili with a tamale in it) and 2 tacos.

According to MassLive dated May 7, 2018, Casa de Nana (The name of the restaurant when it closed) means "Grandma's House in tribute to its founders - and traces its roots back to 1968 when Pepe Taco opened as Springfield's first Mexican Restaurant. The name changed to Nana's Kitchen in 1970 and to Casa De Nana in 1984.  It closed in 2018 and the building is still empty and for sale.    

Movie made from the Annual Paul and Marley Zoo Pictures

Paul couldn't resist making a movie from the Annual Paul and Marley Zoo Pictures with music. 

If viewing from a phone, turning the phone sideways will give you a larger picture.

18th Annual Paul and Marley Zoo Picture

It all started back in 2002 when I took a picture of Paul and Marley walking at the Forest Park Zoo. My mother-in-law, Priscilla, loved the picture and a tradition was begun. Each year I have taken a new "zoo picture."

Today was Marley's high school graduation at the Coliseum (Big E), so we thought it fitting that we should take the annual Paul and Marley picture here. ❤️

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2019 May Scrapbook Pages

These are from our trip to Delaware and Lancaster.

Moving right along with Marley's old scrapbook pages, lol!

Kitchen Reflections

Today I walked into the kitchen and caught Miriam looking at herself in the microwave.  

It reminded me of a picture I took just about four years ago. 

She used to love to look at herself in the oven window.  Time flies, but some things don't change that much, lol!

Throwback Thursday - Fred and Priscilla's 25th Anniversary party

This week would have been my in-laws 70th anniversary!

My father-in-law has been without her for 15 years.  I can't imagine it.

Priscilla and Fred got married April 30, 1949 in Priscilla's back yard.

For their 25th anniversary Paul and I had a party at our house.  It was 1974; I was pregnant with Mark, and Kristen was 1 year, 8 months old.

We had all of their close friends from church plus Nan and Dot and Priscilla's mom (they helped me a lot with the planning and food.  What did I know about planning a party at 23? LOL.)

Sadly, only two of the people in the above picture (besides me) are still alive, my father-in-law being one of them.  Good people, good memories.

April 2019 Scrapbook Pages

Marley's 6th birthday party!

Still working on Marley's older scrapbook pages.  Almost up to her 6th birthday! From 2012 I am all caught up for her, so only 5 years to catch up on!!

March 2019 Scrapbook Pages

Throwback Thursday - Kristen's first day of preschool, Mark's second year of preschool

This was Kristen on her first day of nursery school, September 3, 1975.  She had just turned three.  She went on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9-12 with three boys from our neighborhood - Chris Fitzpatrick, Chris Laplante, and Michael Tassinari.  I wrote in her baby book that she loved it, and was not scared a bit!

Below is the back of the Feeding Hills Congregational Church in the center of town where the nursery school was.  It was called Building Block Learning Center, and her teacher was Miss Pat.  

I took this picture this past Fall but the nursery school hasn't been there for years.  t have no pictures of the school, or the teacher!

Mark also went to this nursery school when he turned 3.  Unfortunately, I have no picture of his first day of school (second child syndrome?).  He went with several kids from the neighborhood, Mark Taylor, Tony Tassinari, Billy Strycharz, Katie Fitzpatrick, and Missy Marieb.

For the second year of nursery school, a few of them went to the YMCA in Westfield.

They had a pool there and offered swimming lessons.  He loved it.  Only a few of the group changed to the Y - Mark, Mark Taylor, Missy Marieb, and I think Billy Strycharz.  The rest stayed at Building Block.