A work in progress...

You might have noticed a few changes on my blog.
I'm not one who easily makes decisions, so it's going to be a slow process. 
I may wander off towards other unfinished projects. I do that often.


But I do have some awesome news ...

Yes it's true.
I am going to be a grandmother!
Carolyn and LawyerBoy have decided to bless me with my very first grandchild!!


BabyBear is due in April!

And Happy Birthday to my eldest son...you make me proud!


Life is full of blessings. 

Carolyn has a blog!

Still in Florida and have not been posting lately, but I want everyone to know that my lovely daughter-in-law, Carolyn has started her own fashion blog.


Check it out!

Christmas in Tahiti...

Carolyn and LawyerBoy sent us these pics from Tahiti!
I love technology! It looks like they're having a great time, we miss them!


A grass hut IN the water...sounds like a lovely idea to me.

The counters are clear...

...and the baking is done.

But now I'm going to help LawyerBoy add some semblance of organization to his home. 
You know him, he's the one getting married this weekend. He's the happy, handsome, messy first child of mine.

Messy.


Sometimes I think I did too much for my children. But I was raised by a traditional Italian mother who waited for me to sneeze so that she could hand me a tissue. I don't hover the way she did, but I've been known to semi-hover.

(Mom, 1995)

She did everything for me. She let me get married without a clue on how to do laundry. Back in 1979 I washed all of BigDaddy's Brooks Brothers shirts and dried them until they resembled wrinkly toddler shirts.


Good thing he was crazy about me. 


I think I've taught my children the basics of home keeping.
It's just that some paid more attention than others...and some just don't care.

LawyerBoy?

Messy.
  
Growing up he was always scattering things. 
His lack of organization followed him to school, and many a teacher commented on this.
His second grade teacher said he was so busy thinking out of the box, that he had little time for the minutiae that surrounded him. 
I continue to love that teacher. Although the minutiae included his homework, important papers I needed to sign, and his lunch.

(1986)

And now Jerry needs to make room for Carolyn's things. I don't think she's asking too much. 
He's somewhat of a clothing hoarder and he's using all five closets in his condo. All five. Full. 
Clothes that don't fit. 
Old band uniforms. 
Guitars with no strings. Aquariums.


And he also has a bird named Buster. Buster needs a new place to fly. It seems Carolyn wants to snuggle with her soon-to-be husband without Buster on her shoulder. Buster sprays birdseed across the kitchen. He bites. 
And he makes an awful lot of noise. He's cute though...

...in a messy, squawky kind of way.


I'm going to end this post without any sort of resolution.
I just wanted to tell all young mothers that it's possible to raise all your children the same and still have them turn out very different...at least in the organizational sense.


I'd also like to say that LawyerBoy is unbelievably kind-hearted, giving, hilarious, and pretty damn handsome. 
He's full of wonderful traits. He just has very selective vision.

And he's messy, really, really messy.

UPDATE!

Buster has found a new place to fly.

And Cooper is far from happy.

I had to take Buster with me, I was afraid he's end up in one of the closets.

I'll be back after the wedding. 

Say a prayer for sunny skies and no more snow!

And thank you all for your wedding wishes!

My bloggy friends are the best!!

Just blink...

I've been up all night scanning pictures of LawyerBoy and Carolyn!!
It's taking me forever because my tears are slowing me down...not to mention that I've ruined some pictures with those tears!!

To all you ladies at home with little bitty children...
Grab them right now, hug and kiss them, and thank God for today.
Today soon becomes tomorrow...

60 days and counting...

Forgive me trees...

...but I have an uncontrollable love of paper!
More on that later.

Last week we met Carolyn and Jerry downtown to look at a condo...

The men found the views fascinating. I found the cabinets more fascinating.

And the rooftop deck made me want to sell everything, abandon the suburbs, give up my car, and move to the city...

LawyerBoy was deep in thought (and sweating the idea of a mortgage)...

We women let him continue to sweat, crunch numbers, and whine, while we ran to the Paper Source.

I've always loved all forms of paper. And rubber stamps too...

And punch thingies...

And butterflies, doggies, and owls...Oh My!!

I don't think Carolyn and LawyerBoy have a place to live yet,

but I do know I have a new rubber stamp, and more paper.


And so does Carolyn. 

It's a Shower!!

It was a lovely day for a Bridal Shower!

Carolyn's family hosted a beautiful party at Quartino's in Chicago. 

The air was crisp, the sky was clear, and the food was fantastic. 

Of course the company wasn't too bad either.

Carolyn is marrying our LawyerBoy this December.

I won't mention how it seems like yesterday he looked like this...

Truth be told, I don't believe I'll ever look at him and see an adult.

Every mother of a grown child knows the feeling.
Let me wipe my nose, and then we'll move on.

The food was fantastic...

Chef John Coletta is the talent behind this beautiful restaurant.

He's even wrote a COOKBOOK for those who'd like 
to try their hand at Italian cooking. 


Carolyn had a little chat with him, and told him how much we enjoyed our meal.

Please note...the above picture is not a napkin,
it's an apron!!

{Maggie loves aprons}

{I believe she took mine}


Did I mention that the food was fantastic?

Just like every shower, the mountain of presents looked insurmountable.
But Carolyn did her best and moved right along.
{I believe she may have been practicing}

Pam and Jenny kept the party going...

{How I wish I had sisters!!}

{Especially pot-clanging, fun sisters!}

{Or sisters who can wear these tights!}




Sheila put her artistic talents to good use
and creatively saved all the ribbons...

And just in case you're wondering what could be better than sipping wine while the bride opens her presents..!?

...munching on chocolate fondue might be the answer.


I did choke up a bit when my little boy joined the party.
But that didn't last too long...I know he's in good hands.

It was a beautiful day.

"Making the decision to have a child is momentous.  
It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body."


  ~Elizabeth Stone