Last Days with Jude in Dallas

Jude and I scanned old family pictures the night before I left to go home to NY

 Susan came to visit 

 And Jude.....well....he was just his cute self smiling, laughing and cuddling.

 Jude couldn't look more like Mike.......and he couldn't have more gentle, loving playful parents than Cami and Mike.  What a happy house to live and grow up in.

 I just loved snuggling and rocking Jude before he went down for his naps.  Night time cuddles and rocking were reserved for his Dad.  I already miss that special time we had together.

Thanks Breadys for a wonderful visit, fun projects to work on and time with baby Jude!  Can't wait to see you all this summer.

The Littles - Pics off my IPhone

Ian and his snowballs...watch out James!

 Zoey in Florida

 Victoria pulling over her toy box........getting whe SHE wants to play with

 Parker  showing Grandma her beautiful job coloring

 Jude just discovered  his hands 

 For Dallas helmet = riding in Parker's motorized jeep with her

 Zoey making a b-day card for her daddy

 James and his kitty

 When Jude fell asleep he held onto his teething ring until he woke up.  So cute.

 Ian teaching James how to play the piano

Grandma sitting for Jude

Mike and Cami went out to eat and to a movie tonight.  I got to take care of Jude!!  He was such a good boy!

It was sad for Marc to have to say goodbye to the Breadys this morning.  Especially to little cuddlebug, Jude!
Until the next time..............

Visiting Family

On Friday we visited Bobbie and son Clark Crawford in their home.  Bobbie showed us lots of old pictures of the family including her 1st cousin, Marc's mother, Barbara.  We hadn't seen Clark for years and it was really nice to talk to them both.  Bobbie told us some stories about herself and Barbara when they were younger that we had not heard before!

Marc, Bobbie and Clark

 Later we picked Mike up at the train station close to Aunt Susie's house and went to visit her.  We took some angel food cake, strawberries and coolwhip to have for my early birthday cake.  It was so yummy!

Mike, Susan, Kathy and Cami

 Marc telling Susan goodbye because he was leaving for NY the next day.  

Saying goodbye to Grandpa Ray on Tuesday morning.

I think it was especially hard for Susan to say goodbye to Ray because of all they had just gone thru together. Ray will be living with Dan in Florida for the next few months before going back to Astoria to get things settled back there.  It was nice to see Jeremy who came to tell Grandpa Ray goodbye, too.

So cute this baby Jude!

Jude loves to take a bath and to get his clothes and diaper changed.  He talks to you and laughs the whole time.

A Celebration of Barbara's life with Family and Friends

Barbara's wishes were to not have any kind of funeral so we got together Sunday night to have a small celebration of her life with Ray (her true love of 25 years) at Marc's sister's home.

 Ray's son Dan, Ray and Pam.

 Ray, Marc's sister Susan, Barbara's 1st cousin George Alexander and wife Nan.

 Ray, Susan, George, Nan, Marc, Kathy and Marc's niece, Katie.

 Marc, family friend, Dr. Bob Brunken, Kathy, Bob's daughter Mary (Marc & Susan's childhood friend) and Susan.

 Nan, Jude and Cami.

 Katie couldn't wait to get her hands on Jude......he cuddled right up to her!

We bought these flowers for Sunday because we knew Grandma Barbara loved roses.

It was so nice to see some of the family and also lifelong friends who dearly loved Barbara.  Others wanted to be there, but Bobbie(cousin) was not well enough and some lived too far away for such short notice.  They were with us in spirit as were Nicki, Amy, David, and Ashley who loved their grandmother very much!