With God as my witness
I just had to get this post up. The weather is absolutely beautius for Halloween in Chicago. Looking back on past Halloween’s, in my bank full of absolutely wonderful memories.
Thank you to all of you who made our lives so rich. Enjoy
My Ballet Boys what fun they have been…City’s, Stages, Shows, Opening and Closing Nights. Waiting back stage for my stars of the show, sitting in the car in the back alley as the company starts exiting the theater…“Tell me how the show went, Oh mom I was getting sick back stage, I think I have the flu. Don’t try to make me stay home tomorrow or I’ll lose my spot !!!! I’m going to dance.” Says my 3rd son after opening night for the Nutcracker, Joffrey Ballet, Downtown Chicago at the Auditorium on Congress Street. Yes he was big time now and he knew how hard it was to get there.
I was not going to make him stay home as we had a houseful of sick people that year. Everyone went down. I’ve seen it up close and personal how hard the performing arts really are oh and, “Starving Artist” is a real thing. You have to have an intense love for it because fame and money just aren’t enough to get you through the the hard parts like performing when you are ill just to keep your spot.
We got home that night and I heard him all night up and sick, fever, stomach issues but on he went the next morning to class first then preparing for that evening’s show. “Fate whisper’s to the Warrior, You Cannot Withstand the Storm, The Warrior Whisper’s Back, I am the Storm.” He really was…
Here are some pics of him dancing Cinderella as one of the Ugly Step Sister’s. He really rocked the comedic edge in the dance. The audience was laughing and was really amused !!!
My Ballet Boys/Brother’s were always together…So much fun watching the bond they have with each other.
The order is so random as I love all these guys to the moon. I’m really not that organized of a blogger with a plan 😉 …
The show’s were definitely a family affair all year long. We had the Spring Show’s, into the Summer Community Musical at the center of th town...Then the Fall Follies right into the Nutcracker. I can honestly say, I don’t think I’ll ever go to another performance of the Nutcracker in my life time. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go, I just really have seen, worked, performed, and I’m just over with the Nutcracker. I’ve even banned the music from my home at Christmastime 😉 …
Yes now we are back in the season of Baseball…Longtime, die hard, Chicago White Sox fans !!!! First date with the husband was at the old Comiskey Park. White Sox vs. Milwaukee Brewer’s. Yes they were still in the American League and I think Hank Aaron was still playing OMG !!! Now we just love the game of Baseball and as the fam has grown and everyone’s all over the place, we have a lot of favorite teams. The Guys and their Wives are out East so we have been meeting up a lot in the middle…Cinncinatti I think. Love going to different ballparks…
Don’t ever want to forget the beginning when they were just babies…All went by too fast. Love all my memories and now another baby is on the way for Connie & Missy…Their 2nd
I’m going to end with our Blackhawk‘s for tonight…It’s a rebuild I’ve been told but hey they have Connor Bedard…Whatever…
Was trying to get back to blogging now that the hand is really getting better, but life again happened. We lost the husband’s sister, February 12th. It was not expected but she had a good life and I’m sure she’s in heaven. It was challenging for me to go to the funeral and burial as she was buried where our son, Sean Patrick is and it’s getting close to that anniversary. Always a hard anniversary.
The music for today is from, “Les Miserables” the movie w/Hugh Grant. Seems an appropriate song for this post. I don’t know what will seem longer, the movie or reading this blog post. It’s kind of long and wordy too, but hey it’s my blog and my hand is working again !!!! Y A Y for a healed hand.
Oh and by the this has to be one of my favorite musical’s of all time !!! The first time I saw it, well are just no words for how much I fell in love with this musical. The movie is good too, but the live musical is amazing. If you ever get a chance to see Les Miserables, trust me take it you won’t be disappointed …
One of my sister’s said to me that funeral’s seem to bring family together. For some maybe but not so much for me. I can remember when my grandmama died. I come from a large Italian/Irish catholic clan. Not even really sure the number of cousin’s I have, but it’s a lot.
When my grandmama passed, our family came together in Wisconsin. There were a lot of us, well because she had 7 kids…6 son’s and my mom the only girl. It was back in the 70’s when it seemed as wake’s and funeral’s went on for days. All of my sister’s were there along with all of the cousin’s. Definitely like a family Reunion.
That was my Italian grandmama sitting down in front w/grandpapa. Actually that was not even all of my cousin’s as some weren’t even born yet.
Anyhow back to the funeral yesterday. I definitely was a bit hesitant about attending b/c I know it’s getting close to our son’s passing and I always have a hard time w/that anniversary. Thankfully our daughter the nurse told me she will come with us and everything will be fine. She did and it was.
In fact it was really good for me as it brought back many good memories of times past. We were both making jokes and acting totally inappropriate for a funeral, but I guess that’s just how you get through the sadness of losing someone.
My daughter has the same name as one of my sister’s who I was very close to a lifetime ago. I remember at my grandmama’s funeral when we were at the wake, she arrived after me. When she walked in we were both wearing the exact same outfit. We both started laughing and that’s how we carried on for the rest of the services.
When we were out at the cemetery for grandmama’s burial, we were scoping out the flower’s we were going to grab. We whispered into each other’s ear, “Hands off, it’s mine 🙂 !!!” I can remember Uncle Tim, (mom’s youngest brother) giving us both the stink eye 😉 the entire time.
FF to yesterday, my daughter and me were totally misbehaving and it so reminded me of how it use to be. I looked up out at the cemetery and said, “Thank You” for the daughter who is now my friend … She made it easy and I was so grateful for the memories of past funerals. Family is really everything even if it doesn’t look like you hoped it would. I am grateful for how it is…
My husband now is the last one of his immediate family still living. I told him that’s not a bad thing as he’s the youngest so he should be the last one alive. I’m the youngest of 4 sister’s and I hope I’m the last one to go. Heck I hope I’m around forever.
Our daughter came to the funeral with us. I was very thankful for her. I’m not a fan of funerals but if you have faith and believe in God it can make dying and funerals easier.
I know I went on forever but it’s my blog and there are no rules here and if there are I make the rules 🙂 … Hope you enjoyed the story. Have a great weekend.
Love, love, this challenge…Thank’s for the Questions
1. If you can, how often do you exercise every week?
I don’t really enjoy it b/c whenever I exercise, I get hurt. I don’t mean ache’s and pain’s, I mean I really injury something i.e. my neck or back or an arm w/a hand attached to it. Then I’m laid up for a long time b/c as we age we don’t heal as quickly I have found. At least I don’t.
2. Do you belong, or have you ever belonged, to a gym?
I have gone down that road too many times and had to jump through too many hoops to get out of the contract that I signed. Those aren’t just paper’s saying you belong to the health club…No, no, no they are going to make you pay whether you come or not. I have learned the hard way, so no more signing up to a health club 😉 …
3. Do you prefer to exercise alone or in a group (ie. aerobics)
Definitely prefer to exercise alone. Walking outdoors is usually by mode of choice when I get the urge to exercise. So I guess alone. I did not like exercising in a class as I felt they were too many show off’s. Not enough of good support and encouragement, just look how cool I am and how awesome my work out clothes are…lol. The husband was a true athlete b/c the only thing that he had on that were cool was very good running shoes b/c that mattered. As far as the sweats, he just would throw on whatever was there. Running shorts in the summer and sweats and a t-shirt in the colder months (Oh that’s another thing he usually ran outside. He is very frugal about the money and did not want to waste it on gym fees, OMG even in Chicago Winter’s !!!) That’s one of the things I love about him the best, he has no aires about him. Very confident man and athlete. I guess that’s where the two son’s get it from b/c they were the same way. Didn’t care about if they had cool work out/dance clothes. Their abilities at what they were doing totally said it all !!!!
4. Do you enjoy it or feel it’s something you ought to do?
No I never really enjoyed it. I also always ended up catching some kind of virus in there too. So I’m just staying out of those places. The husband really enjoys them so he really benefits from those places especially downtown or on the weekends when he comes home. I guess he’s the athlete in our house. He’s the runner, but our youngest has taken on the running of marathon’s as of late and both of are youngest were professional ballet dancer’s so I guess you could consider them the athletes of the family…They danced professionally for years and attended a performing arts high school so they were always exercising 🙂
My gratitude is right above in these pics…They are only a couple of my big fam…I have 5 kids, 7 grand babies w/#8 on the way !!!! Y A Y. Of course the husband I am grateful for because he is an extremely great guy, provider, friend, lover and someone I want to hold hands with for the rest of my life. 47 years and counting…(we got together when I was 12 😉 )…
So happy that I got my new computer !!! So beautius … I love, love, love it. I don’t even need to go to the Apple Store to set it up. I made an appt. to migrate everything, but I’m sure I can figure it out and that store just annoys me. Too many kids just playing around and doing nothing looking at you like your ancient and have know business using a computer.
Quite frankly I am not to happy with all of this technology as it can be very annoying. It changes every day and gives me a headache. Kudo’s to you Mr. John (one of my follower’s). He’s a music lover and I understand now what blogging really means for my life.
I have to just see how this works now so I’m going to post and see what else I need to learn here. Love y’all and so glad to be back. I’ll put up some pics to see if I still know how that works 🙂 …
Well I got some pics posted of the new house. We’re decorating everything and getting all new furniture. It’s time to enjoy our life. We’ve worked really hard and are so blessed. I say thank you to God up above everyday as everything we have has come by his grace. I pinch myself too b/c it’s just so awesome. It’s been worth hanging in and staying in the game…Thank You. Blessing’s Blogger’s … I’m going to have a Thankful Thursday …
Here is a blast from the past !!!! Now they’re married (our youngest and on Baby #2 !!!). So exciting this is from their dancing days, I’m pretty sure this is, “Romeo and Juliet” Memories are great !!! They are such a beautiful couple !!!!
The prompt for todays is “ Unconditional Love Song“… between a father and his daughter. Great prompt Mr. Jim !!!! I found this one from one of my favorite‘s, “Les Miserables…” I’ve seen the musical live at least half a dozen times and I did enjoy movie theater version of it with Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman. This song was probably one of the top 3 for me…
Questions
Who do you think is an example of a successful person?
A person who is kind and is loved. Someone who is a giver and not always taking.
Why are you doing what you’re currently doing?
Staying inside keeping warm and getting the house back to ground zero from the holiday’s. Setting up my plan for the next year and finishing up on decorating. I just have 1 room to paint, 1 bathroom and then the kitchen. I should have it all done by the summer and then we’ll move 😉 Isn’t that how it always works out ???
What is your personal theme song?
This one is an easy one and for anyone who knows me, well it will always be this song…
What do you think about tofu?
I don’t like it. I thinks it’s just blah…
GRATITUDE SECTION (as always, optional)
Where did you find bliss this past week?
I am loved and I have a friend. We went out to an exhibit of “Princess Diana and to dinner. It’s nice to have a friend to do things with <3 . She is my royal friend…We watched both of the wedding’s together and we love all things Royal…Yeah we’re kind of geeky that way but we have fun <3 Love ya, Mz. Beth <3 .
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