One Proud Mama

Future Sailors

Yeah, that's me. I am always proud of my children but yesterday we took a trip up to the lake with some of our friends. Our boat had decided it had enough last weekend with the family last weekend so it was in repair, however, my in laws have VERY nice friends who lent us their boat for the day (YAY!!!). It was the first time our friends were coming up so we wanted to have a nice time.

The weather cooperated and it was a GORGEOUS day! The men went up earlier that the ladies since the younger ones had a party.

The big boys were tubing when we got there and as we were driving around the lake we saw a tube with some kids and thought, "are those our boys?" We could see for sure but when we pulled into the house, my husband said that the boys were out tubing with my brother in law.

We did the usual of getting ready and the little ones tubing and even the husbands tubing (I'll have to get those pictures from my friend!).

All week my Sam kept saying he wanted to water ski and last year he made a great attempt but didn't get up all the way. He insisted that he was going this year and he needed gloves so his hands did not slip. Well, my sister in law Emily started him off by the dock and he got up! He was skiing! My husband and I were on the boat, me taking pictures and Ken holding the line (my brother in law Steve was driving the boat since he is best at it and teaching the kids to ski). My in laws stood on the dock watching. Sam did a great job. Eventually he went down and when he did he wanted to try it again without help (considering he was in the middle of the lake and Emily was not around). He got up right away!

Taking Off

Steady riding

Keeping it real!

My husband is SO PROUD. He is a skier and I am not, I have tried but this old body cannot do it. I'll be a spectator. I am so proud that he did it. He wanted it so bad and it worked out amazingly. Now I know my life at the lake is going to be so different because now he is going to want to ski ALL THE TIME!

My niece and nephew are huge skiers, so now we have another in the bunch. Grandpa better get that boat fixed soon Sam wants to go up again!

I've Been Tagged!

by my lovely friend Nancy, she wants to know 6 things about me. I thought I got off easy when I was not tagged by her earlier in the week. So, here goes.....

1. I, as Nancy, used to play the flute too in elementary and Jr. High (don't anymore but have thought about taking it back up as a hobby).

2. I used to work for a big wedding show coordinator in NYC, I got to see all the couture dresses and accessories of your dreams and do 2 shows a year. I was living the Fabulous Life!

3. I have been flying since I was three days old, did twice yearly trips back and forth between NYC and San Diego for a dozen or so years and had no issues. Now I am terrified of flying. I have this fear all of a sudden.

4. I have always wanted 3 children ( I have 2).

5. I am a control freak, but in a good way. I like things done my way and need to let others do more (a work in progress).

6. I love snuggling with my children as my parents did with me. I love to watch them sleep.

That's it, so who's next? I'll spare you but maybe you could share a few tidbits about yourself.

Zizette

Collector of stuff

I have a collector living in my house. A collector of all things. My sweet Maya collects EVERYTHING, and I do mean EVERYTHING. She puts everything in little bags, big bags, boxes, drawers, you name it.

My children are attending camp this summer and I work there so that they can attend camp at a reduced cost. It happens to be the camp I attended as a child so it is nice to be back at a place that I loved (and made my best friend for life at).

A few days ago, or maybe even a few weeks ago at this point, Maya's counselor (who is a friend's sister in law working at the camp) says, "Maya collects stuff, I mean, she is always stopping along the way for a bead, some lanyard, a sticker." I said, "Yeah, I know. She does that with everything, we have bags of stuff all over of her "treasures" but that is her." The counselor then said, "After a while of her doing this I realized it is who she is." And that is true.

Hopefully I can work on her skills and take her to the flea market and Estate sales with me someday.

My Blog Friend(s)

I am meeting new wonderful women through blogging. One person in particular I have met is Nancy , I have always felt a nice connection with her. Well, last week was her birthday and I kindly wished her a happy birthday, as I would any of my dear friends, old and new, real or out in blog world. She was SO KIND to send me a gift for acknowledging her birthday, what a woman she is. I got my gift yesterday and it was so sweet. She sent me a lovely lily candle AND a Willow Tree figurine. It means or represents Friendship.

Thank you Nancy for the lovely thoughtful gift you sent me and thank you my blog-world friends for adding to my life such wonderful happiness and friendship.

XOXO

Zizette

Working away..

I have been spending my free time at work making jewelry... Lots of rings.... Lots of fun...

I'll keep you posted....

Broken Heart

Three years ago I was called by my mother in California to inform me that my beloved cousin took passed away.  She took her own life.  Caryn was the older sister I never had.  As cousins we grew up very close.  We spent many hours together as we grew up in the same building in Brooklyn, NY and at our grandparent's lake house in the Catskills.  So when she passed I was particularly devastated. It was like losing a sibling, and I had done that 5 years before that.  This time I was more lucid.  I was not in a post-partum state of mind, I was fully aware of what lie ahead.  I also could not make the trip out west to say goodbye.

It was also particularly hard that at the time of her death that she and I were not talking.  Not that we were fighting but we weren't in touch.  We did that.  She would be busy, I would be busy.  That is a regret I have.  I had been thinking for about a week or two before she died that I wanted to talk to her, catch up, make amends for not being close, knowing her children better, knowing what was going on in her life.  Those are regrets I can never make up.  I have recently friended her oldest child on Facebook and I see her in him so much I want to cry.  I miss her, I miss her spirit and it hurts that she is not here.  The anniversary of her passing just went by and there is an emptiness in me.  I know she is at peace now and I should be grateful for that but the selfish part of me wishes she was here.

So today I think about my cousin Caryn and the times we had together.  I love you and miss you.

Truly Inspiring

I have been truly inspired this weekend.  Not of the artistic sense but of the spiritual sense.  The other day I was introduced to NieNie's blog by Katie of SaSeaBoutique and by doing so I was introduced to Stephanie's sister's blog cjane.  I learned the story of two sisters or rather a family who went through a tragic ordeal together and came out triumphant, or at least still working on it.  Stephanie was in a horrible plane crash and her sisters took her 4 children in and raised them while she was recovering.  It is a beautiful story of the power of love and prayer and the power of love between these sisters and their family.  I found myself reading Courtney's blog to find out how Stephanie was doing and crying at the trials and tribulations they all faced.  I became followers of both blogs and look forward to what is going on today.  The accident is almost at it's year mark and it is truly amazing how many across the world joined in to help this family.

This inspired me.  You see, in a world like we live today there are many troubles there.  It doesn't matter who you are, there is some one out there that disagrees with you on some level.  However, this story showed me that people have genuine love in themselves and certain things bring out the best in them.  I love that.  Life is not easy but somehow this family and their faith helped them through.  Now I am not a huge temple or church goer but I believe in a higher being.  Life has a lot to offer us.  I guess the saying, Make lemonade out of lemons, holds true.  Make the best of what you got.

I will continue to read these new blogs and be inspired by some fascinating, loving women who brought me hope on this rainy weekend.

Love to you all.

Zizette