the end.....

So....today is the last day of the A-Z Challenge! I've done it....

But I have not done this alone! I really couldn't have done a single day of this challenge without the help and support of my friends old and new; thank you one and all!

I have attained my goal! I have posted a reasonably coherent post each day this month using all the letters of the alphabet. My goal was to get every single post published on time every day and ya know how many I missed ? zero- zilch.....

"Z" my first words  for today,  zero- zilch...... 

I must admit when my friend Martha over at Seaside Simplicity first suggested this challenge I was a bit reluctant. Martha assured me it was really a lot of fun. And boy was she ever right. So I attacked this challenge and embraced my writing with zeal!

"Z" my second word for today, zeal

I quickly got into the challenge, getting into a schedule of writing, commenting, visiting other blogs, making new friends,  finding my grove. I must admit I wasn't sure I'd be capable of the level of organization or creativity but I surprised myself and put what I thought was my best foot forward, remained focused and in the zone.

"Z"  my third word today, zone.....

I  hope you enjoyed the challenge as much as I did whether you were participating or following along as I wrote my way through the month.

Now I'm glad to be in The End Zone. I know lame right?

What can I say? This gal needs a few days off!

 How about you my A-Z Challenge friends; what are your plans, rest or writing as usual?

youth has no age~picasso

Those of you who read this blog know that I'm a grandma times five..... My oldest grandson is growing by leaps and bounds. When they were here for Easter I actually had to look up at him, he's fourteen, can you believe it? Adam and I have a special relationship, I was there when he was born, baby sat a million times.... how could we not? I even cut his cord! Yuck! 

But yuck isn't my "Y" word youth is..... 

"Y" youth......

I've decided to just highlight some quotes about youth that I thought were witty or thoughtful.

But before that I thought I'd share with you a picture of my grandson, I really think it's adorable. This child is  so youthful so bright and just brimming with personality.

Don't you  love teenagers? They are their own breed! When I took this picture he was giving me "that look" as if to say Grandma really a camera!" "You're actually pointing that thing at moi?" Notice the forehead, it reminds me of The Rock with those creases and the eyebrow lift. Kinda cute!

Oh! to be young again! 

Well, I know I'm not young anymore but I know I'm not old either. I guess for a while I get to live in that middle age dead zone. But there are times when I feel especially young, like when I step into the room with my childhood friends and the old stories start to fly. But to be truthful I don't really feel my age I think I feel a bit younger......but the kids deaths took it's toll on us as a family and me in particular; how could it not!

Anyhoo, here are some of the quotes I really liked and wanted to share with you.

"Youth is easily deceived because it is quick to hope."
Aristotle

"The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently."
Friedrich Nietzsche

"Youth is wasted on the young."
George Bernard Shaw

"In youth we learn; in age we understand."
Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach

"Youth is not restored by the dyeing of your hair."
Abu Bakr

"Forty is the old age of youth; fifty the youth of old age."

Victor Hugo

"Youth is happy because it has the ability to see beauty. Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old."
Franz Kafka

So friends, do you feel your age, or do you feel more youthful?

Do any of thee quotes speak to you, do you have a favorite?

X marks the spot

Well folks this A-Z Challenge really has moved along hasn't it? It's hard to believe we're already up to the letter "X". This really is the most difficult letter in my opinion so one must get creative.

Speaking of creative where is it that you do you're best writing for your blog or book or novella or poetry?

Today "X" marks the spot......  the spot where I've where I've written each and every blog post for this challenge, my spot where I always sit with my laptop.

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Where is that spot where you do your writing? I have sat on the couch with my laptop on my lap, with the TV in the back round and written each and every post for this challenge.

I do not sit at a desk, nor do I care to sit at the dinning room table.  If were to I listen to music, I'd find myself singing not writing so music is out! TV is easy to ignore oddly enough.

Tell me, where do you write? And what conditions make for a more creative you. Quiet, noise, music, desk top, laptop. What's your perfect location?

Where do you create your treasure trove of words to share with all of us, your blog friends?

no worries

For those of you who have followed along with my A-Z from the beginning then you know my " B" post was about boobs; and the importance of self exams and getting once regular mammograms. When I wrote that I had just had my yearly mammogram. I passionately believe as woman we need to be our own advocates for our health. So I wrote about it, you can read it here if you missed it.

Today I'd like for my "W" word to be waiting.......

What I didn't share with you all is that my mammogram came back abnormal and I was called back. I cannot tell you how difficult it is to try to digest the information on the mammogram report when there really isn't much to go on. And then there's the waiting.....

Mine came back saying that I had an asymmetry- which is basically there is something on one breast that doesn't match the other breast or that there is something in one view that is not clearly distinguishable in the other view. {they always take at least two views of each breast}

And so then began the wait...... An entire month for another appointment so they could do another mammogram. This time a spot compression mammogram just focused on the area in question.

I went the day before yesterday and was lucky enough to see the same familiar face I'd seen many times at many of my appointments. She did two views and then asked me to wait. She would bring it to the radiologist and have him take a look. I sat in the chair in the room and looked at the clock move ever so slowly. waiting.....waiting.....

Some twenty minutes later she popped her head into the room with a half smile and said."no worries, he said it's nothing come back next year."

I'm breathing again my friends, the waiting over.

fighting back

I am SO unprepared for this "V" post. This is the first time that I'm truly winging it so here goes. I was thinking about how I really hate all the violence on tv both on the shows and on the news. It's pretty hard to sit through one night of tv without seeing multiple murders,extreme physical aggression, sexual attacks, instances of bullying and verbal assaults. And I must say the the newspaper isn't much better, there are quite a few articles highlighted that are sensationalized due to their violent content. In our culture today violence sells..

What kills me is if you were ever a victim of violence you wouldn't think it was so darn sexy or take it so lightly. I just don't understand what makes it sell, do you?

I thought violence would be great subject for "V" today. And in addition I thought I'd add a second "V" word victim.

Have you ever been a victim of violence?

I'd like to share with you all a story of what happened to me. I was a victim of violence. When I was a teenager I had this babysitting job. I'd jump on my bicycle and ride the boardwalk to the other side of town to this condo/apartment complex. It was one of those courtyard type setups all of the units faced inward and there was a pool in the middle. The little boy that I cared for was about 3 and his mother wanted me to teach him to swim; so a good part of the time together we we be in the pool. As the weeks and months passed I became familiar with all the people who lived there, saying hello, chatting in the pool or by the pool as Michael and I swam and learned. There was this one adorable little old man who at the end of Micheal's swimming lesson would give him a little treat, a small piece of fruit or candy. It was their little routine the child and the old guy enjoyed each other.

UNTIL....... One day we were just getting out of the pool and the old guy said to me " oh I don't have a treat for Michael why don't you two step into my apartment?" I didn't have any reason to fear for my safety, so we walked right in. The minute I walked in with the child he closed the door and blocked it grabbed me and slammed me against the wall!! Afraid and shocked;  I was trapped with a small child and all I could think is we needed to escape. He came at me for a second time. With  my back was to the wall; I reared up with my knee and hit him in the groin so hard that man will be singing soprano for the devil in hell. When he went down I grabbed Michael and ran like heck. I then locked myself in the apartment until Michael's Mom came home then I quit.

I did tell a trusted adult, a friend of my Dad's whose brother in law was a police officer in the town where this happened who happened to lived in this complex. He had a discussion with the old guy and told him that if he ever so much as looked at another young woman I'd press charges.

you can call em the pits if you want

Remember those hairs that started to appear on your body around the time of your adolescence?

NO not THAT hair it is after all "U" day..... I was talking about the hair located in your underarms.

Underarm, today's "U" word......

I don't know about you but when mine sprung up I begged my mother to be able to shave. I for one didn't what my pits filled with hair! Any little thing and the boys would make fun and I remember this being one thing they loved to tease the girls about.

Notice how below I have a nice little grouping of the letter "U's"; you know why? I did a Google image search of underarms and armpits and they are really quite unattractive hair or no hair; hence no pit pictures!

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Thank my lucky stars I was born in the age when shaving was a widely accepted practice because otherwise my begging would have fell on deaf ears. Apparently here in the west the practice of woman shaving their underarms came to the the US and Britain and Canada in the early 1900's with the invention of the safety razor but was not widely accepted in Europe until after WWII.

Did you know that most Muslims, both male and female shave as a matter of their religious practice? I found this to be most interesting! 

Competitive swimmers not only shave their underarms but all their body hair to help their swim times.  And now a days men are engaging in what they now call "man grooming" click here  for all the details, it includes the men shaving their underarms as well as other areas of the body. Very interesting!!

I've been shaving my underarms since I was twelve. How about you?
Do you shave your underarms or do you prefer the more natural and un-shaved way?

will that be one lump or twelve?

There are two traditional iced teas in the United States and the only variation between them is sugar.  I think what makes it transparent to most southerns that I am a transplant  from the north is that I don't drink my ice tea with a truck load of sugar in it! I'm actually sweet enough, just sayin!

Seriously, I don't care for sugar in my tea so that makes me an oddity here with my Virginian friends and neighbors.

"T" is for tea

Southerners in general swear by their traditional sweet ice tea and drink it like it's going out of style. Here in the south the ice tea is consumed year round from morning to night and with most meals. And indeed there 's  a good reason; history! South Carolina is the first place in the United States where tea was grown. 

It's my experience that you don't like {very} sweet tea like me, you better be clear and ask for it unsweetened. I have come very close to gagging and spitting out sweet tea across the table in the face of many a family member. When people order tea in a Southern restaurant, chances are they will get sweet ice  every time. Waitress mistakes can be deadly!

Sweet tea is one serious beverage down here.....let me tell you!

How seriously you ask?

Just check out this April Fools day joke five Georgia State Representatives pulled back in 2003, ya think they're serious about their tea? They prank-ed their fellow rep's by proposing a bill regarding ice tea.  The text of the bill proposes:

(a)  As used in this Code section, the term 'sweet tea' means iced tea which is sweetened with sugar at the time that it is brewed.

(b)  Any food service establishment which served iced tea must serve sweet tea. Such an establishment may serve unsweetened tea but in such case must also serve sweet tea.

(c)  Any person who violates this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature.

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Now this is a very versatile drink and it's rather easy to make; use  black , green , white, herbal, whatever tea you like.Then the options are up to you, you can sdd sugar or your favorite sugar substitute or like me no sweetness at all. Then go wild with your tea....add any a wedge of lemon or orange, maybe some berries or some mint. There are no rules when it comes to tea.

Here's recipe that I found! It happens to be the oldest sweet tea recipe from a published cookbook, I thought it was rather interesting so I wanted it to share it with you today. 

 Housekeeping in Old Virginia, by Marion Cabell Tyree, published in 1879:

Ice Tea. - After scalding the teapot, put into it one quart of boiling water and two teaspoonfuls green tea. If wanted for supper, do this at breakfast. At dinner time, strain, without stirring, through a tea strainer into a pitcher. Let it stand till tea time and pour into decanters, leaving the sediment in the bottom of the pitcher. Fill the goblets with ice, put two teaspoonfuls granulated sugar in each, and pour the tea over the ice and sugar. A squeeze of lemon will make this delicious and healthful, as it will correct the astringent tendency.

So my friends...what's your poison? Tea or not? And if so how do you like it?

summer

"S" is for Summer.

Don't you like the sound of that word summer? We have in the past gone to Sandbridge,Virginia for vacation with my brother and his family. Last summer was a wash out times because I was sick, I spent the entire summer healing that wound on my leg. I wasn't allowed to swim or to go near the sand; it was a long hot summer. The year before we were in Hawaii for my nephew's wedding, two weeks of bliss and family fun.

And since this is not the area of the beach near the hotels it's really quite relaxing. We've never been disappointed in the cleanliness of the beach or the quality of the water. There are an abundance of dolphins swimming up and down the beach. The rental houses are top notch as well.

There's nothing like kicking back with the hubby and enjoying some time with each other and all our other peeps. Beach, cooking, games and puzzles, quality family time.That is after all what summer vacation is about don't you agree?

There are so many songs that I associate with summers past. This Sly & The Family Stone song is just one of many that bring back great memories. Do you have a favorite summer song? 

This summer we've decided to try someplace new and although Sandbridge is a wonderful location for summer vacation we've decided to try somewhere new this year. Stay tuned I will reveal it in a later post after we've gone.

Now don't let the sun set without sharing some of you favorite  summer vacation memories. Don't forget to tell us your favorite summer song! Or if you'd rather, tell us where you're going this summer if you don't mind spilling the beans.

it's a change for the better, a reno

click to visit A-Z

We recently did a full renovation in our upstairs bathroom. I actually designed this room myself and purchased all the items on-line or and the floor tiles in home depot. Then I changed the layout of the room and reversed the location of the shower and the sink. This bathroom lays in the middle of our two upstairs bedrooms, ours and a guestroom.

"R" today's letter for today's A-Z challenge

"R" for renovate- renovation.....

1.

to restore to good condition; make new or as if new again;repair.

2.

to reinvigorate; refresh; revive.

This renovation was a total gut job. Believe me there were these funky little 1970's half walls with the funky tiles, gold with this swirly little pattern. I wish I had before pictures but I wasn't thinking! I'm sure I have something in one of my bins but my bins are huge and up above the closet in the guest room. You'll just have to take my word for it when I tell you it was time for a re-do!

We made the doors to the bedrooms on either side of the bathroom narrower, moved and changed them to open out instead of in. And my personal favorite feature of the entire room is the new smaller higher window. You see the one that was there before was large and reached all the way down to the toilet tank.

Why did I hate the larger window you ask? Because most of the men folk would pay more attention to the view outside the window when peeing. This as you can imagine didn't do much for their aim. My contractor laughed when I told him to put the window up high enough so they can't see and pee at the same time. I'm sick of cleaning the floor.

We did this bathroom renovation on a budget. We cut costs by buying things on sale, and purchased close out items, we did all the painting by ourselves and by using contractors from our community who were recommended to us by our friends and neighbors.

Have you ever done a renovation? What kind of experience did you have?

And don't forget to tell me what you think of my bathroom renovation and the paint color.

they said what!?

"Q"

I come from a family of strong Irish woman; both my grandmothers were off the boat from Ireland. I speak frequently about my Nana on my father’s side on this blog, but not all that often of my Nana on my mother’s side. My grandmother was very lively and although she passed away when I was a teenager I remember her for her strong will and wit. That wit I'm talking about was expressed in the form of sayings little quotes that she used to say in certain situations. And you know how it is; you say you're never gonna say those things your Mom said, but......

Well, Mom grew up listening to Nana's snappy quotes and then went on to repeat them many times over the years not only to me and my brothers but to other as well.

Today is letter “Q”

Q is for quotes.

Now like any other kid growing up I heard all the usual stuff that kids usually hear, you’re familiar with the quotes.

“Do you think you live in a barn” when you left the door open.

Or “turn the lights out do you think you father owns the power company?” When you left the light on in your bedroom.

"Clean up this pigsty." when you room got a tad bit messy.

But my family had quotes that took it up a notch that were original or at least I think so.

Now let me just preface this by saying I grew up in a normal loving family, my parents weren't mean or unloving, neither was my Nana. I am sharing these quotes in good fun  and I never ever heard them being used in any other way.

So if you didn’t get your way in my house and indulged in some alligator tears you might if circumstance and age allowed here something like, “the more you cry the less you’ll pee” as a response to your phony baloney tears.

Or when you go into trouble, something you were perhaps counseled not to do and did anyway. Then were looking for sympathy you might be told, “sympathy is between shit and syphilis in the dictionary.”

If you lifted the lid on a pot in my house and asked, "what’s this?"  Acting as if it dinner was unidentifiable when you really knew it was pot roast and Mom knew that you knew, Mom would respond by telling you your dinner was.....“pig shit and cauliflower.” 

You know how now a days when you get mad you just flip someone the bird, or tell someone to go f^*k themselves if they cut you off or steal you taxi,  well not my relatives they’re more original. They’d tell you to “shit in your hat put it over your head and make brown curls,” or “to go scratch your ass in Macy’s window.”

My childhood friends from the beach used to love to come off the beach and gather at the house, if mom came in the living room and she caught you sitting on the coffee table she’d say, “tables are for glasses not for asses.”  Our friends actually made her a coffee cup for her 80th with that saying & a group picture on it taken by that table. Cute huh!

Were your parents or grandparents quotable? Did they say funny things? Do you have family quotes that are special to your family like the things my Mom and Nana used to say. Maybe there things that just drove you up the wall about your parents that they said over and over again.

Do share!

my 1969 rolling stones concert poster

My husband and I attended an auction in our community last Saturday morning. There was everything there, from boats, farm equipment, furniture, art right down to toys and tchotchkes.  We bid on and purchased some of that old metal porch furniture, three chairs and a table. A bit of sanding and some rustolium in what ever color we choose and we'll be in business. 


Then I saw something that really caught my eye, thinking it was from the era of my formitive years. I imediatly  knew that I'd put it in a frame of some kind and give it to Matthew my son for his apartment. You see we're really music lovers in our family especilly Matthew and I. But nothing like my sons Godfather Gerard, my little brother  who is a bit of a music whore, pardon the expression. I cannot stump him on any music. If i ask him about a song he'll not only know that but he'll know the producer/ composer. Truly amazing! 


So I spy this poster with Mick Jagger on it. I know I'm bidding I really don't care one wit if it's authentic or a copy it's fabulous looking. And because I know my Stones I know this is the concert where the Hell's Angels killed someone! Just terrible right? There was a lot of violence that night at this concert. And all Mick Jagger's intention was was to do a free concert on the west coast because the east coast had Woodstock four months earlier. On the lighter side I did find something really amusing about this poster, read on....


My "P"  today is for this poster......

I dropped my ten bucks and got this poster and  what I love about this particular promo poster is this... look  the names of the special guests listed on the right.

1. Grateful Dead
2. Santana
3. Jefferson Airplane
4. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
5. The Flying Burrito Bros......who in the world are they?

I have never heard of them in my life! Talk about playing in some seriously freaking awesome company! So remember my aforementioned brother? He was 6yrs old at the time of this concert but actually knew who they were and could name some of their songs. 

Here's the Flying Burrito Brothers I thought you might want to listen to them! And dig the clothes they're wearing while you're at it....

So tell me did you have posters of your favorite band or rock star on your bedroom wall? Or maybe you had a  poster of a sports star or of movie stars on your wall instead. 


And the only other vital thing I want to know from you is have you ever heard of the Flying Burrito Bros. before today?

  

how sweet it isn't

I hate feet! I like my own feet but I don't want to look at your feet and I do not want to smell them either. I also hate shoes and socks. If I had my druthers I would wear flip flops or go bare footed all year long.I did break down last November and get a pair of sneakers before Bill and I went to Barbados on vacation. I figured I'd be doing some walking, and it seemed like a sensible choice for sightseeing around the island. I doubt I've worn them three times since!

"O"

ODOR -  "O" word

1. the property of a substance that activates the sense of smell: to have an unpleasant odor 
2. a sensation perceived by the sense of smell; scent
3. a disagreeable smell.

Since socks are the equivalent of a straight jacket for me, one week in those sneakers and they have an odor that you couldn't believe. Stinky feet/sneakers are one odor that turns my stomach especially when they are reminiscent of the odor coming from the community garbage truck ;( yuck! 

Seriously folks, odors really stink :).

When was the last time you've heard "the dog did it" or some such tale? Do you have a stinky co-worker? Have you ever taken a plane trip and gotten stuck next to smelly person? Or am I the only person this stuff happen too?

I know you have a stinking story to tell!



 

when nature calls

"N"

I thought today since it's Saturday and most of us are going about our chores and spending time with our family that I'd do something a bit different kinda low maintenance, less wordy. I would like to show you in pictures the natural beauty that surrounds us every day where we live.

My "N" words for today Natural and Nature.

Bill and I actually live on a rather large piece of property, 26.5 acres in a rural area of Virginia. It really is a lovely piece of land. Sometimes it calls to me.... Jen get off the couch and come outside and enjoy my beauty.

 I'll then go out in the quiet and walk, listen to the birds or take in the quiet enjoy that very beauty that surrounds me every day; drink in the smells of the flowers and the grass.

Today I'd like to share a tiny bit of that with you .....I do hope you're enjoying my photographs. I haven't used any photographs in the A-Z Challenge however today nature calls hee hee! I could hardly pass up an opportunity to share my beautiful plants with you. 

Nature is man's teacher. 

She unfolds her treasure to his search, 

unseals his eye, illumes his mind, 

and purifies his heart; 

an influence breathes from all the sights and sounds 

of her existence. 

Alfred Billings Street 

The hen's and chick are multiplying more than usual in the front garden since the spring has been so lengthy this year. In fact everything in our yard is greener and more lush than I've ever seen it.

Nature abounds! 

And this sweet little flower is a left over from last year.

These are little peaches from a four year old tree in our back yard. I might have a lot of peaches this year. Who knows I might have to try my hand at jam or ice-cream. 

I truly wish that computers had a scratch and sniff button or option because my lilacs are so amazingly fragrant; I just wish you could smell them!

There aren't many blooms left on my Magnolia but this is really beautiful cast against the gleaming green leaves. This tree is rather young only about eleven years old but it's a beauty.

And this is one of many azalea's that we have at our house, this particular one sits right in front of our deck. During the day it is actually buzzing with different types of bees and hummingbirds; it's as if the bush is alive.

I hope you've enjoyed the pictures may they serve as a reminder to get outside and enjoy a bit of nature yourself this weekend....maybe with the one you love; that's always best :)

Moving On

"M"

Cry. Forgive. Learn. Move on. Let your tears water the seeds of your future happiness.

Steve Maraboli

I found this quote when I was poking around trying to come up with an "M" subject for today's post. "Moving On"  is something we will do many times in the course of our lives.

Starting as youngsters we moved on in school, from primary through to the higher grades and then to college. We might leave beloved friends or teachers behind.  I can presume you've moved on from the comfort and security of your parents home to independent living, maybe marriage or a domestic partnership? Maybe like me at some point you may have even moved to another part of the country or a different city or neighborhood. I think there's always an emotional component to moving on from those things and places we are most familiar. 

Then there's other types of moving on, the more emotional types. The first day of school when your child moves from being the constant fixture at Mommy and Daddy's side and will now take a teensy step away to learn and play. Or when you feel that sad/ happy mix of emotion when the kids move out and move on with their lives as independent young adults. Or their wedding day, just saying!

But life has other moments the most painful "moving on " moments like the loss of ones job or income in a difficult economy. How does one move on from that? Then there's relationship break-ups/ divorce which can cause terrible turmoil and life changing for couples especially if children are involved. And or course the death of a loved one, a parent, a spouse or partner or a child. And I shouldn't forget a beloved family pet!

You may be wondering why I picked that specific quote. I've listed many circumstances of which one can move on,  I've experienced a terrible personal tragedy. "Moving on" doesn't mean forgetting , moving on doesn't mean closure. Moving on for me means being grateful for what I've had/have and going on with my life- moving on.

That's why I see wisdom in that quote. What exactly did I  "move on" from you may be wondering?  The death of my son and daughter. 

Would you like to join me and share your experience with something you've had to "move on" from?

little ones have that ability don't they?

"L"

This is a story is about a few "L" words it's about little ones it's about loss and its about laughing. Children are a blessing aren't they? And when we see our little ones do something adorable then it's a story that needs to be shared. It's a good one, you're going to love it.

My brother and my sister in law usually visit us every summer for at least a week. This is what happened one summer day about ten years ago. My grandsons were visiting, that's three boys, Adam, Emmanuel and Xavier and my brother has two girls Sydney and Alexandra and a boy Gerard, the oldest child was my niece Sydney {6yrs.} followed by my grandson Adam {4yrs.} This story is about the two of them.

It's important at this point to mention that my nephew little Gerard has allergies so they do not have any pets so they were very attached to ours. We on the other had always had both dogs and cats; at this point we had one dog Charlie and five indoor/outdoor cats. Since their last visit our other dog Cosmo had died of an immune disorder so my brothers kids were devastated that she was gone. I should also say we have a little pet cemetery with little grave markers in our yard.

Lazing on the back porch my brother Gerard and I see my grandson Adam and his daughter Sydney heading over to the pet cemetery. From where we're sitting we not only have a clear view but we can clearly hear every word they are saying; but they seemed to be unaware of our presence.

In a very solemn voice Sydney says to Adam. " We need to pray for Cosmo Adam." Then she crosses herself showing her little cousin the correct form for the sign of the cross. " In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." Listening from our perch on the back steps we then hear as she recites; "Hail Mary Full of Grace the Lord is with thee.......  over my dead dog Cosmo's grave.

What an adorable site to see, my brother and I were in tears it was so darn cute.  When the prayer was complete Sydney turns to Adam and says in her little voice. "It's your turn now Adam OK?" Adam looked up at his bigger older girl cousin shook his head in affirmative and without missing a beat put his hand on his heart and said, " I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America...... His cousin serious as a heart attack followed suit hand on heart and they both recited the pledge.

By this point, my brother and I are in tears and laughing simultaneously at the level of cuteness as  they express their loss at the pet grave in a way only little ones are capable of doing, with innocence. Never taking our tear filled eyes off them we watch as they finished their pledge. Then they embraced and walked together hand and hand towards the front of the house.

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This is one of my very favorite family stories. I will always cherish those moments.They can bring us to tears one minute and make us laugh the next.; little ones have that ability don't they?