Blessed With The Best

Hi Everyone, How are you? I am doing great today. 26 years ago today Pete and I were blessed with the best daughter anyone could ask for, sorry for the rest of you but it is true, ours is the best LOL!! I thought I would take the time today to take you all down memory lane with me as I remember through the past 26yrs how her smile and beautiful soul have saved me. She has been my bestfriend who never ceases to amaze me, and without her constant love and support I would not have gotten to where I am today. Thank you Christa, every year I love you 365 times more. I hope you have a great day
Thank you for visiting my blog,
Love you,
Janet :)









































I had to add this thinking of the past today
LOL! it brought back the days of driving by
The Walbergs house in Braintree :)

Salt of The Earth

from left, Al, Kevin, Bobbi, me and Karen. Jim has not taken a picture I swear since his Senior High School picture!

Hi Everyone,
I hope you are doing good, I am doing great. I am really glad this morning listening to GMA that we moved from Braintree to Kingston in 1992. Amy Bishop who did the Alabama shooting might have lived in my area and harassed my kids the way she did to the other kids. I will never understand these shootings, just do your self in and leave these innocent victims to live their lives. I am feeling the Zumba workout, mostly in my legs. One thing they told me at the Y is that with Zumba you get results fast, and I believe it. A few stretches and they felt better. I am going to try Kickboxing as well. Mentally it will be good to feel like your kicking the asses of everyone who has pissed you off in life :) Pete is real happy now that I am taking the Zumba class after I showed him the Love Mera Hit video!!! Today is my sister Karen's birthday. My brother Jim's is the 19th. Another benefit of working at target is getting first dibs on clearance items. I was able to give her a beautiful quilt for only 4 dollars, Nice deal!! I like to give gifts from the heart as well so I wrote this poem for her. I feel the same about my other siblings, but throughout the years we have grown very close. I couldn't have asked for a better sister, she has been there for me like nobody else throughout my life. We got our tickets to DMB for two shows this summer, it's great to have party time with her too. This summer she will be a Grandmother for the first time. She has been waiting for my neice Kim and her husband Andy to have a baby for about 5 years. Kim is due on Christa's birthday August 11th. So this year will be especially exciting as our family grows. We are having fun doing the Grandmother thing together. She has also been like a Grandmother to Bri. Speaking of Bri I get to play with her today, I hope to get some funny videos of her after I teach her some Zumba moves. Of course only the moves her father would approve of ! The first time I saw the info commercial for the funny picture I posted today, I cried so hard from laughing, I mean really women what else do you need to do for your man???
Thanks for visiting my blog,
May you Zumba through your day :)
Take Care,
Janet

Salt of the Earth,
From your day of Birth,
You are an extension of me,
A deep Bond there will always be.

At the young at of ten, your
childhood came to an end.
Your role in life became that
of a caretaker, burdened you
never showed towards us anger

I know Mom and Dad are smiling
down on you, She was so proud of
all you did and all you do. You carry
on their love by still caring for all of
us, Asking nothing in return, respect
you have earned.

You have given me strength beyond measure.
You are a treasure. Unconditional love helped
me to rise above, never on me did you give up.
I had some of the darkest day's when my spirit
was so broken losing Dad and Mom. To you my
behavior mattered none. You knew my other side
and brought it back into the light.

You have guided me through all aspects of my
life, by example. Never preaching, never
demeaning. Every time I fell from grace,
you were always there with a loving embrace.

Because of you today I am a
better and happier person.
When I love those around me
your love is there for certain.

Happy Birthday Karen and Jim
Love ya's

76 Years Ago Today

Hi Everyone,
I hope you are doing well. I am doing good. 76 years ago today they broke the mold when my Dad was born. I may be predigest but aren't we all. I was blessed to have him as a Father, a teacher, a provider and so much more. The more I write on this blog, the more I find myself able to open up easier, remember the past in a better light. Pain always blocked the good that was there. I had an appointment with my counselor today and she agreed with me that I have been having breaking through, shedding years of baggage filled with pain. I am able to feel real happiness like never before. Not that I have not been happy in my life, but it is at a whole new level that I can't explain in words. I am at peace with the past. Letting go is so freeing. I am in such a better place and things have gotten better in time. As I write this I am listening to I'll Remember by Madonna, one of the songs that remind me of him and I am remembering more and more. It is bringing me so much happiness. Even if a tear falls here and there. I remember his wink at me when we would sit in the living room and watch TV, mostly red sox's, yes he made me one of God's most pathetic creatures, a Red Sox fan, I got that from a line in a movie, and I love him for that! I remember how he comforted me every time my mom was sick and the first night my sister moved out when she got married, he took the time to check on me at bed time to make sure I was ok by myself. I remember all the cookouts with big pans of shrimp and lobster and corn. His pool parties with his friends from the Boston Globe as he strung Christmas lights up around the pool and everyone partied hardy until the neighbors called the Police at 4 in the morning. He built that Ice Skating rink in the backyard for all of us kids and the neighbors. I use to dream I was Peggy Flemming in the Olympics out there. He taught me to dream without knowing it. One of my favorite pictures is him in front of his Garden in that hat. He was so proud of it every summer and it was delicious. I remember when he took me to get a car and I turned on the radio to see how high it went he said, "I guess your all set". I am thankful for the beautiful home in the suburbs he bought us, the pool, loved cruising around in the 53 Chevy that stayed in the family for a long time. How he supported my brother Al during his baseball years and all my brothers. Al was a good pitcher and always made the papers, Dad kept every article. I liked it when he brought my grandmother down to watch him play. I always thought she looked like Edith in All in the Family. My father was the first one to tell you too that he was Archie Bunker and I already thought that before he spoke it, so that show will always have a special place in my heart. I use to say to my Grandmother when are you coming to live in the country?? LOL! She lived in Dorchester and that was big city to me. I will always remember most of all that he took care of all of us and his own family when his father passed away when he was only 11. He never asked for sympathy. Sure sometimes it got hard on him and you knew he hurt, but he got right back up the next day and continued on. He loved Children and was a good Grandfather. He is in the pool with Robert his first grandchild below. In the last years of his life he was concerned he may pass away any day having heart disease. So every holiday was special and our last Christmas together was one of the best I can remember. Lots of wonderful food, generous gifts for all us kids. He had a ways through the globe to get those hard to find gifts for the grandchildren. He was able to get the talking Big Bird for Christa and Lauren which was a big thing in 86. He was a great example of a father, a man, a person. When he passed all six of us sat in his room to pick certain sentimental items to keep. I took his dog tags from the Korean War. I remember my brother Al took his cowboy boots. He use to break horses in when he was younger too. I was so touched when I found in his dresser Birthday cards I had bought him and he saved. Inside I always wrote I don't know what we would do without you. I love you. I still have them today and they are more precious than I can say. I can't remember what everyone else took, but it is funny how you know what you need to hold on to. If I had the chance to go back and change anything up until today I would not, it was what has made me the person I am weather or not it was good or bad. So today Dad I hope you and Mom are dancing in Heaven. I know you both have the love and happiness together that was long overdue. Happy Birthday Dad.
Thanks for visiting my blog,
Take Care,
Janet :)

To My Mother Who Gave Me LIfe

Hi Everyone,
I hope you are all doing well. I had a great birthday day with my family. Yet a part of my heart is broken not having you here to say Happy Birthday like you did for so many years, it brought me a few tears. All day I have been thinking of my mother who gave birth to me 46 years ago. Times were rough growing up, but we got past all that, and our love grew even deeper. No matter where you are Mom you got me and I have got you. We became two souls in one. Thanks for bringing me to life, I love it.
Thanks for visiting my blog,
Take Care,
Janet :)

On this day 46 years ago,
I was born, to the women
I so adore. We had hard
times as I grew, so sick
she was and us kids knew.

There were times, when you
lost your mind. Disease
got the best of you, there
was nothing we could do.

Then when Dad passed away,
You went to get help in a new
place. In short time, you came
back to life.

All of a sudden you became
a great mother we reclaimed.
for almost 20 years, we shared
joy and tears. I feel so sad that
you had to endure old treatments
that now in this new age with a pill
can cure.

I miss you and me, I miss
you beyond belief, I know
you loved me enough, to
be watching me from above.