With arms open.

We are always blessed to be loved by family and friends. Our first stop was at my husbands daughter. We found a quiet bedroom awaiting us. And a dinner to die for being grilled. Settling is was easy, if nothing else, due to a glass of wine.

Kass and family have a great patio, and that's where we spent many hours enjoying each other. Laughter abound and the welcome mat was surely out. This was a wonderful time. How can one say thanks.

This fun photo is John, his niece and daughter. Oh yes Austin. Not sure why he has to go through this.

God Bless those who travel though my little blog.

Carol

Once a bridesmaid...six times more a bridesmaid.

Good Morning...I once said that the first time I had to appear in a wedding, that was going to be my last. But being part of a large family, proved impossible to get my wish. Maybe I was a little cute due to the fact that they kept asking, or should I say telling me, that I was going to be in the next wedding.

I chose this picture to show how young and pretty we all were. I framed my sister and me to show you one thing I have talked about before. Her beauty, unlike my complaining about it, I was truly proud of her. In fact I wanted to be like her. I have to say that looking at the old pictures just proved that maybe I was a little hard on myself. Giving the fact that she was older, had a job, and by the way had a lot more taste than I did.

But this is my point. Someone to look up to isn't all bad. Even when we find the person way to hard to measure up to. But because of her and time, she was and is, a great role model. I didn't become her, why, because I am me. And in the end, I'm loving this beautiful sister. When we stand together we are equal in mind and love for each other and that is the best part of sisters.

God Bless all those around me and visit my little blog.

Carol

The Four of Us.

When I first saw this picture at a very young age, I thought to myself..."great no brothers" it was just the four of us. The thought that we were given the opportunity to have our picture taken with Mom and Dad alone was such a coo.

As years went on and Doreen became more and more beautiful and I got more and more gawky, I noticed that at this one time in life, I was as cute as her. Little did I know that me growing out of gawkiness, and I did, would open a new world of beauty.

This is just a start to my journey with a beautiful sister. As I write, you will either find humor in my travel or truly understand. She is not just beautiful on the outside and my journey opened me up to the person I love and call sister.

God Bless my Family and Friends

Carol

After the party.

I remember dad working hard. But there was another side of dad that I do remember, his cigars. Mostly because mom complained about them. Dad loved to dance, some drinking, playing cards and enjoying friends. He also loved a cigar at the end of the day. I don't know when he started smoking cigars or how many he smoked, but it seems a fixture in his life.

He was a man of little needs. When it came to gift giving events it was always a mystery what to buy him. He was never impressed with material things, but the thought behind the gift was what he liked. So often in his older years we would give him a bottle of Five Star Brandy or a box of cigars. Even mom gave him cigars after a while. I know what you're thinking....she hated him smoking cigars.

This is where the story gets good. One year at Christmas, dad opened his present to find again, a box of cigars. It was from mom and there on dad's face was a smirk and his eyes seems to shimmer. It stopped the gift opening because this was unlike dad.

When ask what was happening, he smiled and said...I stopped smoking months ago. Everyone broke out laughing and mom, who had complained about his smoking, truly melted into the chair in which she was sitting.

As a family we laughed at this story for years. What fun memories to remember and share.

God Bless those who travel with me through my memories.

Carol

Mystery Memories

Being the baby of a family of eight, has more dimension than you can imagine. I am 20 years younger than the oldest. I am six years younger than the closet brother. So, growing up in my family was a memory mystery.

My days were filled with being alone with mom and dad. But these other members of the family came and went. I had five great years on our family farm. I was five when we left and I have to say the memories were some of my best. Maybe because all my brothers and my sister traveled through the house either coming from a day at school or from the Twin Cities with girlfriends or on motor cycles.

It was so normal. I remember cookie baking with mom, my aunt Marie coming for supper and helping with baking at Christmas. I remember the time my brother came home from the Service all decked in their uniforms and the celebration was so breath taking.

The funny thing is that now it sounds as though my memories are just a glimpse of positive times. I really don't care, mostly because I felt so normal. I know our life was not a bed of roses, but guess what, I am glad that there was enough love round me to make me feel as though the world was truly whole and we loved each other.

I remember good days and isn't that what life is about. Taking the good and making it better. Thanks to my family for those warm feelings. By the way this is my brother Marv. What a stud muffin he was. But even though he is a good looker, he is still the best guy ever.

Carol

The Family as I know it...

I spent a week with my sister and realized how blessed I am to have this family. I decided to do a series of posts about the family as I know it. My first one is below.

WHEN THE FAMILY WAS WHOLE.

This was the last picture taken when the family was whole. At the time, it seemed just like one more picture. All of us smiled, or what we call grin and bare it. But now that I look back I realize that we were lucky to have someone to request a group picture.

The loss of a father, than brother, brought us together again and again to talk over memories and remember the loss of these two loving ones. But we knew in our hearts that with time more would go home to God. Making time together even more valuable. Our next loss was our mother. At 91 she was by all means the the glue that keep us together. We would find that she had given us what we needed to keep the family strong.

I knew she was not only the glue but my corner stone that I live my life by. My dad gave me my work ethic and moral base. He never said bad about anyone. Only when we, the kids, got out of control would he step forward and shut us down. The two of them together, were a force to recon with. Strong, constant, and fair. As we grew older, we knew it was a lot to live up to, but isn't that the point, living up to who goes before you. In our case we had something wonderful to live up too and I thank them everyday.

God Bless those who try to be the best parents, and less the friends. When we got older we become their friends but always respected them as parents.

Carol

And off we went....

Being gone from Minnesota for six weeks, making our new life here in South Carolina; we headed back home for a family Christmas party.

After two days in the car, Timber and her humans arrived. Coming from a huge family, you want to spend quality time with everyone. It doesn't take but an hour to find out the time you plan will never, and I mean never be enough.

I was still determined to do all in my power to visit and take in all that was offered. And I did, with great success. The love we got from our family can never be measured. The meals that were served, the hugs that we received were more than I anticipated. So with a horse voice and the three of us heading home I spent time appreciating the sea of snow, the chill in the air as we headed out of town.

I know that it will take days to filter through all that had happened, putting the memories away for further review and remembering. But this too is truly a blessing. Being able to remember and feel the warmth from loved ones.

God Bless all those who travel through this little blog.

Carol