Labor Day Family Reunion I

Kiss The Cooks

Josh & Amanda came up from Annapolis. They brought the kids and the beer.

Momma Bird ...... 1/2 the women in the family answer to that one so we will call her:

Amanda Jill Easton Bird (actually Jill is her pre-nuptual name which was replaced by her maiden name. I think it's just too pretty to forget).

The youngest family member, Asher is most comfortable with his mom, dad and siblings but is getting to know and accept the rest of us. Just the opposite of his outgoing brother James. One of these days I will post some baby photo's of his daddy. You can hardly tell them apart ..... twins separated by 30 years with different mom's! The family never ceases to be amazed at the resemblance ... we stand in little groups looking at the baby, Josh and the photo's .... somebody say it just one more time .... "he looks like his daddy!!!"


Asher Benjamin with his daddy Joshua David. If Asher had been a girl we would have had Lydia Wolcott Bird. Lydia Clements was my great gramma on my father's side .... my sister and I called her, 'Gram' when we were young. She was the sweetest little lady who lived almost exclusively on chocolate. Her maiden name was Tozar which is Pennsylvania Dutch. She married John Clements who was of French descent...... Wolcott is a family name on the Bird side which can be found on the Mayflower contract .... I think I got that right ... Gramma Bird? As it is, Asher shares a middle name with his Uncle Jesse.

Anyway we all loved the little girl's name ... maybe they should have just one more ... Amanda?

James Thomas catches what's been eating my kale! Thomas is another family name. My brother was Thomas Edwin Urban named for my great grandfather Thomas Kellogg and my father Edwin C. Urban and David's grandfather was also named Thomas Bird.

Caelen Seth Bird made it into this photo group too. Caelen is not named after anyone. His mother just had a whim.

Taking Care Of Me

Taking care of me means that I enjoy my work and serve others better and with more enthusiasm. I start with vitamins, proper sleep, and a healthy diet. I spend about an hour in the morning with devotions. These give me the stamina to exercise. If Dave & Jon are going to the WCS gym I try to tag along. It's family time and I feel really good afterwards. But we can't always take the time so I exercise at home. Besides gardening & housework ..... I joggerwalk around the neighborhood most mornings for about 20 minutes .... jog up and down the stairs, trampoline (they sell little ones at Walmart for around $30) and play with my rubber band for about 10 minutes a day, yoga or stretching for about 15 minutes. Some of these things can be done while watching TV all though I usually knit or quilt. It is a quiet pursuit at the end of the day that calms me and gets me ready for bed.
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In the area of personal grooming, I get a good haircut about once a month. I do not color my hair. When I was young and had little to spend on my appearance I used apple cider vinegar for just about every skin condition. It is a great hair rinse too. Now that I am .... well, older (I didn't say old) I will admit to using a face cream. I've thought about the whole nip/tuck thing and while my family has had it's share of surgeries they were not the kind that would enhance your appearance. I'm not against cosmetic surgery but I don't think they are always that successful.
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A little make up and having clothes that fit properly certainly helps me feel better about myself and I find people treat me with more respect too. When I was working full time I kept a running acount at my favorite dress shop on mostly sale items. In between full time jobs I shop thrift stores very successfully.

Gabs

Gabrielle was with us last week. Jesse was supposed to be with her but the navy had other plans for him and he is out to sea for three months. Yesterday he called us from Singapore. We hope to spend Christmas with them in Hawaii this year.

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While we missed having both our kids here we had a great time with Gabs. There was family meet and greet. She got to meet her nephew Asher! And in between socials Gabs and I found time to bake, shop, watch movies and knit.

Lauren

I was surprised ... in a good way, to find these pictures on my camera! Thank you Samantha! It gives me an opportunity to introduce you to my grand daughter. Lauren is a girly-girl. She wants to be a princess when she grows up. The highlight of her young life was meeting the Disney Princesses this past year when we were all down in Florida for a wedding. She was so excited she was shaking ..... she kissed their hands and cheeks ..... they represented all her dreams and aspirations. Her daddy did suggest to her that she might want to be a lawyer princess or a doctor princess .... but no. She just wants to be a princess. She likes to be feminine and has radar for where women keep their make-up, jewelry & perfume. I did not need to ask her where she had been one morning when she came down to the kitchen smelling strongly like Clinique, Happy In Bloom. She loves other little girls, dress up and tea parties. This year she is enrolled in an artsy pre-school.


Lauren is usually grinning ... even when she is saying, "sorry". But she can be quite stubborn and even naughty if she thinks you are annoyed with her (she also like sharpie permanent markers .... did I mention she was an artist?). But if she knows that you love her she is affectionate and responsive.

James

James stayed with us for a couple of days. While he was with us he lost a tooth. What can I say about James .... he is rarely quiet. He likes computer games, transformers and blueberries. He likes hanging out with his uncle Jon. He's real helpful with his sister and baby brother. He plays the piano and sings very loud. He's good at math. He asked permission to make faces at the camera and he has never had a case of separation anxiety .... he will go with anyone. Must have food.

Sweet Baby James

There is a young cowboy he lives on the range
His horse and his cattle are his only companions
He works in the saddle and sleeps in the canyons
Waiting for summer, his pastures to change

And as the moon rises he sits by his fire
thinking about women and glasses of beer
And closing his eyes as the doggies retire
He sings out a song which is soft and is clear
As if someone could hear

Goodnight you moonlight ladies
Rockabye sweet baby James
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose
Won't you let me go down in my dreams
And rockabye sweet baby James

Now the first of December was covered with snow
Ans so was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston
Lord, the Berkshires seemed dream-like on account of that frosting
With ten miles behind me and ten thousand more to go

There's a song that they sing when they take to the highway
A song that they sing when they take to the sea
A song that they sing of their home in the sky
Maybe you can believe it if it helps you to sleep
But singing works just fine for me

Goodnight you moonlight ladies
Rockabye sweet baby James
Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose
Won't you let me go down in my dreams
And rockabye sweet baby James
~James Taylor

Mother Of Pearl

Mother Of Pearl

At first I knew my mother's love
as pearl enveloped in a shell
and if you asked to know her ways
I'd look back to childhood days
to all her character and wit
and how she shaped me from raw grit.

So then to sum it all
and in memory recall
that as a child I was fed
and she tucked me into bed,
fussed at me when I was bad,
kissed me when I made her glad.
If I should of my mother tell,
I would say, she loved me well.
~Melanie R. Bird

Happy Birthday Mom!
(click on the photo's to enlarge)

The Finished Product!

The bathroom is finished! It's creamy and homespun.