34 Years of Marriage - Congrats!

"A great marriage is not when the 'perfect couple' comes together. It is when an imperfect couple learns to enjoy their differences. "

Dave Meurer

Larry & Peggy House on Saturday celebrated 34 years of marriage.

Only they can tell the story of how they met. But Marc (Larry & Peggy's son and my husband of only four years) says they got married several months ahead of schedule because his father couldn't wait for the honeymoon.

Thirty-four years later they're still together. After three kids, four grandchildren and many ups and downs, they still are in love. From the outside it seems like a comfortable love that I'm jealous of at times. I can't imagine being married that long, although I pray I am. She does her thing (gym, cycling, runing, shopping, travel and lots of friends) and he does his (golf, the MS Bike Ride and naps on the weekends), but they still come together to share their lives TOGETHER.

Larry & Peggy: What's your secret?

We wish you both a wonderful honeymoon in Key West and pray that God blesses your marriage with 34 more years together.

We love you ...

Many Faces of Ashton

Lion Prince


Spider Man

Ashton is addicted to face painting. Spider man, Lion Prince, Dragon .. he's working his way through all the different painted faces he can before resorting to his own skin. He's also become an expert in the art of face painting. He can spot the fakes from a group of clowns ready with paints and brushes. No way can I or anyone else fool this kid. Did I say he's an expert.. yes, I did. Well, he proved that to me back in January.

On our sky trip to Steamboat, CO. we went to a concert to see and dance to the music of Milkshake. Very popular band among the 2-4 year-old. (I like them too) Before the concert began there were different activities for the kids. Coloring station, balloon animals by Dot the Clown and face painting.
Ashton zeroed in on face painting like bugs to light. "I want Spider man," said Ashton jumping with excitement. We headed to the table where kids and parents waited in line to transform into princesses, dragons, lions and Spider man.
But, when we got to the table I knew I was in trouble. It was Girl Scouts doing the face painting. Ashton could sense something was different. Where were the middle aged clowns? Why were these young girls wearing brown uniforms with badges instead of big, colorful dotted outfits with giant red shoes? His face showed his worry, but I was optimistic. Why would these girls be doing this if they didn't know how to face paint?
So, I sat Ashton in the chair and he asked for Spider man. The pimpled ponytail girl was mortified and the smile that greeted us vanished.
"Can you paint a Spider man?" I asked. "Sure," she said.
She loaded her brush with red paint and began.
First a red circle on one cheek.
Second some black lines on the red circle on one cheek.
"OK, you're done," she said as she handed Ashton a mirror.
He was shocked to see what looked like a red basketball more than a Spider man face.
I braced for the worst and it came in a tsunami of screaming and crying.
"This isn't Spider man," he yelled as he violently threw himself on the floor so hard his shoes came off.
I was embarrassed, but calmly scooped him up, held him tight and carried him outside to cool off. His older brother quickly followed with Ashton's shoes.
By the time he calmed down his tears had washed away any sign of red and black paint on his tiny cheeks.
He looked at me with a serious face and said, "Mommy, that wasn't a Spider man face."

My Peep of the Day: Miss Kailey

Halloween 2001

Ashton is Swimming

Ashton last summer took swimming lessons, but hasn't been in a pool since than. This Memorial Day Ashton and his dad took advantage of the hot weather and hit the water. First, swimming at La Quinton Inn while visiting Saskia, Mandy and Quinten. Than, ending the long holiday weekend, swimming at Gram & Papa's pool. Both times, Marc helped Ashton remember what his swim teachers taught him last summer. "Kick! Blow Bubbles! Move you arms! " By the time I saw Ashton at his grandparents home, he was jumping into the pool and swimming on his own.

My baby can swim ( I type with a big proud smile on my face). What's next ... driving?

Ashton celebrates with Kailey his big step towards being a "big boy", swimming.

His dad and I are proud. So is Ashton.

Baby Quinten

Meet the newest addition to our family, Baby Quinten. Saskia & Mandy's baby boy born May 13th is absolutely beautiful. The new parents are doing great and handling parenthood like pros. Ashton and I were in love with Quinten as soon as we saw him. Marc, on the other hand, isn't into babies. "Call me when the kid can ride a dirt bike or throw a football," said Marc.

Ashton's first look at his cousin. "Mommy, I want a baby," said Ashton. And, although seeing, holding and smelling new baby brought out my instinct to reproduce. I quickly said, "No". Marc followed with a "Hell, No!"

This morning when we arrived at Saskia & Mandy's home Mandy was changing Quinten's diaper and getting him dressed for the day.

Mandy must have put three different kinds of creams:
1. Diaper rash cream on his butt ... Check
2. Vasoline for his private part (better know in our house as his "pee-pee") ... Check
3. Baby cream for his dry new skin that's pealing ... Check

He applied all of them with care and expertise of a new dad. But, as you can tell by the picture above, Quinten had enough. He was well lubed up by the time I got a hold of him. I was worried he was going to slip out of my hands. My worries were for nothing. Quinten fit perfectly in my arms and I was as happy as a pig in mud.

"I want to hold my primo Quinten," Ashton kept on saying during the two days we were at the Rodriguez home. Thanks to Lola distracting Ashton, I had a lots of turns holding Quinten. I was happy to see that Saskia & Mandy were happy to share their precious gift with us.

We're all very proud of Saskia, especially her mother visiting from Holand. Her mom said Saskia wasn't feeling well the day before she delievered Quinten. And her mother's instinct was that Saskia was going to give birth soon. Well, she was right and the next day Quinten was born. He is doing great. He's eating every 3 to 4 hours, sleeping through the night and crys only when he needs to be feed or changed.

Mandy is a proud dad. Loving every minute with his son.

Wonderful World Of Disney

Marc, Ashton and I just came back from a wonderful day enjoying all the sights, sounds and foods of Epcot and The Majic Kingdom. After walking around the world, riding all over the land of the future and then ending our day at Mickey's home, we are beat. But, we had a great time having fun together.


Ashton in Norway at Epcot


Ashton & Taimy in Norway trying to look like natives.


Marc on the marry-go-round in The Majic Kingdom


Ashton all smiles as he rides his colorful horse on the merry-go-round at The Majic Kingdom.




Thanks to our friend Christine and Madison for rolling out the welcoming carpet and giving us a place to stay. Her home is welcoming and warm filled with lots of love.

Memorial to Our Fallen Heros

“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.”

Joseph Campbell, American author, teacher and philosopher


WWII Memorial in Washington, D. C.



WWI veteran Al Ross

WWII Memorial Washinton, D.C.

A Star for every American soldier killed during WWII at the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C.




During this long Memorial Day weekend let us not forget the meaning of the holiday: to honor the brave men and women who have died for all of us to live free.

The Boys of Summer

I love summer and the boys do to. The sun, beach, boating, fishing, going to Disney World, trips with Gram, playing with Brian (our neighbor) and, lets not forget, NO SCHOOL! That's the best part of all.

Summer is a time for the kids and parents to disconnect from the daily grind of school, homework, soccer practice and school activities. This year is going to be harder. With the economy so crappy, we may not be able to afford taking a big family trips.
But, what's great about living in South Florida is that you always have the beach. And it's FREE.

We're digging in our drawers for our bathing suits (that some of us don't fit in ..will have to buy new one), dusting off our snorkels, masks and fins, packing lots of sun screen and getting ready to lay back and relax under the beautiful sun. (ok, more like hide under an umbrella from the hot sun and running into the ocean as our feet get burned)

What are you doing his summer?

Change

A lot of change is happening at the newspaper. The entire industry has been changing now for years. First film to digital than the internet than video. As as staffs get smaller it's a challange to meet all the needs of the reader with so little people. Some of changes have been good and some changes not so good. But, I know that we can't live our lives scared of change. We can't live our lives looking at change in a negative light. If it doesn't work, so what. We change it up again.

Why are we so scared of change?

Ashton at Dania Beach summer 2007

At some point we need to get our heads out of the bucket and start playing in the sand box with the big boys.

Looking Back

Fishing Village on Margarita Island,Venezuela

Photography, fortunately, to me has not only been a profession but also a contact between people - to understand human nature and record, if possible, the best in each individual.

-- Nickolas Muray

Woman hanging laundry in a small fishing village on Margarita Island, Venezuela.

I wished I was still a photographer out on the streets connecting with people through my photography. I miss being able to be a part of other peoples' lives even for a few hours capturing moments in time that make readers pause, think and, hopefully, evoke an emotion.

Muslim woman at a mosque in Trinidad.

I had a bad day at work. It was down right crappy. So, I'm looking back at a few of my pictures to cheer me up. Make me pause and remember the places and people I've met in my career that shared their lives with me. Being a photographer is the best job in the world. And although I don't regret becoming Director of Photography at the Sun-Sentinel, I do sometimes miss spending my day taking pictures and escaping into someone elses life for a moment.

Fisherman rests after a morning out in the ocean off of the peninsula of Margarita Island, Venezuela.

Motherhood

You spend years wanting to snuggle with you man
and once you have a baby
you wish he's sleep in another room.





If you don't know what to do,
just look it up in the manual.
Ha! Ha! Ha!





When you're sitting in the kitchen at 3am
warming formula and crying with the baby
because only one of you wants to sleep,
just remember that this is still
the best thing you've ever done.



Dedicated to the newest mothers in our family: Saskia & Lindsey

Growing Up Fast

Austen, Dalton and Ashton are growing up so fast that sometimes I can't believe my eyes.
Old pictures of them document the changes that on a daily bases we take for granted.


I remember when I saw Austen graduate from daycare at Memorial Hospital in Hollywood, Fl. He had a big smile as he walked in line from the stage wearing his cap and gown headed to elementary school without fear. He's in fourth grade now and doing great! Recently I notice Austen is on the road to becoming a young man. He has hair growing over his upper lip and soon he'll be shaving. He's also as tall as I am. I'm 5'3.

Dalton to me isn't changing, but he is. I'm just in denial. No longer does he look like this blonde haired, baby boy who wanted to dress up like a cowboy for Halloween. He now dresses up in an apron ready to dice, chop, mix, grill or fry his way to becoming a chef. I'm told his grilled cheese sandwiches are very tasty. (I don't each cheese)

My baby boy Ashton Jack. I remember bringing him home from the hospital and spending weeks looking at him for hours thinking, "I can't believe he's my son". Marc spent the first month changing his diaper and helping me learn how to care for a baby...thank God for Super Dad. Now, I can't imagine my life without Ashton. He no longer looks like a baby. Ashton more and more looks like a young boy. He's learning how to play golf (a little Tiger Woods) and how to ride a bike without training wheels.

What can I say about my fourth child. He just refuses to grow up.

Soon all four will be fighting over the car keys.

God help me

Red

Ashton asleep by the light of his Cars night light.

Golf Lessons

The boys have started to take golf lessons at our local aquagolf range (this is where they hit balls into a lake with floating targets). It all started when Papa infected Ashton with the golf virus. Since than we've been taking all three boys to hit balls, but only recently have they begun taking lessons. Dalton and Austen enjoy hitting anything with a stick and are good at it. But, Ashton Jack is crazy about it. Plus, he has talent (I know ... he's your kid, so of course you're going to say that). The golf pro says Ashton gots talent and if he sticks with it could do very well. I sure hope so, my retirement is resting on him being the next Tiger Woods. We can only dream.

Ashton's all smiles at his second golf lesson.


The guy is crazy riding around picking up golf balls while Ashton's hitting. WATCH OUT!


His little swing needs some help.




Our little Tiger Woods in the making.

Ashton's 3rd Birthday: Disney Bash