The 'slow as molasses' daughter in law finally gets Thanksgiving video up :)

Please forgive my delay in posting, hopefully the cuteness will make up for my lack of punctuality - ENJOY!

Happy Birthday, Caitlin!

California Girl at heart.....





"human beings are not born once and for all on the day their mothers give birth to them, but...life obliges them over and over again to give birth to themselves..." Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Wish that we could take credit for the marvelous young woman you are...but you've done too much of the creative work yourself...challenging yourself....opening yourself to new experiences...beautiful soul...amazing spirit...YOU!

"...I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different....we're dancing animals. You know, we love to move around". Kurt Vonnegut

...sometimes ya just gotta dance! "Dancie" sends her love....(should be a picture here of you in your tights and tutu...but all of a sudden my 'puter got cranky and won't let me access any more pix)....


"I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, "If this isn't nice, I don't know what is."
Kurt Vonnegut "Knowing What's Nice", an essay from In These Times (2003)

You are compassionate...and mindful of the simple joys...the extraordinary wonder of life......today...celebrate YOU....we do!

Happy Birthday! (now go dance and fart around....and thoroughly enjoy your day!).
WE LOVE YOU!!!

Leonard/Martin Turkey Celebration

As you all can see:
1. Kevin and Jerry spent some time discussing how to cook a turkey
2. Ashley kicked Rachel's butt in Wii bowling
3. Mary Beth channeled her inner rap star
4. Finally, after 5 days together, we were all going a little nutty!

Hope everyone had a great time together (we did!)

my california christmas...err... thanksgiving

A co-worker was out of town and let my friends and I use her nice big house (complete with swimming pool, hot tub, and outdoor bar) for our dinner if we took care of her giant newfoundland dogs.



We had two turkeys. One we deep fried. It was delicious.


The other we cooked in a meat smoker. That one tasted like smoke. We also had a ham. And all sorts of other stuff, but I'm not gonna list all that. You get the idea. If you are really dying to know, think about what you had. It was probably a lot like that. I will mention the pie. There was pie. Lots of pie.

It was a great time and everyone ate lots of turkey and ham and pie and other thins and had a fun time. The end.

This is a time lapse video from my Thanksgiving in L.A.:

Tomas Hoffman - Timelapse - Thanksgiving 2007

Mahoney & Friends Thanksgiving 2007 (East Coast Contingent)

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. ~Thornton Wilder

Mahoney Thanksgiving 2007 was wonderful. Though we missed Devin very very much (but YEAH, he'll be with us in a few weeks for Christmas!). We were blessed with the presence Caitlin and Meghan, Dave, our talented official T'day photographer, Kaya and Michael and Suzanne and Jonathon. Sadly, Tibi and Luke did not make their now "traditional" appearane with the fam. :~(

Definite highlights to the day, in addition to the marvelous cuisine (compliments of head chef, Meghan....Pastry Chef, Dave...and well, EVERYONE...we had TONS of amazing dishes...including Southwestern Cornbread stuffing in honor of Luke...his stuffing made it though he was in absentia) included:

• Turning the fitness center back into the dining room;
• The assemble the new table/football spectator challenge;
• The first annual "Love Onion" toss (ed. note, I am corrected by Meghan in this, to wit, "It's the "Onion OF Love"..not the Love Onion...what, do you think it's the spawn of some hippie?") ;
• The first annual "Turkey Joint pull";
• Cowgirl bucking event;
• Touch football (the home team showed good etiquette by throwing the home court advantage);
• The Great Black Friday middle of the night shopping adventure;
• and last, but not least, the liesurely and most enjoyable post feast day brunch to close the festivities....a good time was had by all.....Did I forget anything, Team?

Thanks to all who joined us to make the day so wonderful....and love to all of our family and friends with whom we were not able to share this day...but who were ever present in our hearts and minds.

Caitlin, Kathy, Kevin & Meghan (we all missed Devin VERY MUCH...he couldn't make it this year!)


(above right) first annual T'day Turkey Joint Pull bottom right: post dinner cowgirl acrobat show







Top left: no leftovers for Simon J. Bear! (and before the comments start about how i love Simon best 'cause his photo is at top, I'm not that conversant in how to work all the posting bells and whistles....and apparently the last photos loaded appear at top....so that's why!...and NO, cOm I do NOT love Simon best...lets review our reading comprehension (reference above)...have we had our heads stuck in the dissertation mire for too long?...though Simon IS very sweet).





Hope EVERYONE had a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving!

Erin's Cali T'day

Sorry, I wasn't able to take any pictures! However, I went with Chris to stay with his sister in Bakersfield. It was awesome, lots of family, he has a huge family with lots of nieces and nephews. It was busy but very nice! It was beautiful weather and delicious turkey, although the stuffing had nothing on my mom's stuffing!Love Erin

Busch/Cinquemani Thanksgiving 2007

According to Sue:
"We had a great time ,Alfonse andSuzie cooked the dinner,made "Holiday Drinks"..Al's Mom Carmela was there tooAKA Nonna.I have a photo but don't how to send it. DUH.I think we need to get" Joanne's" stuffing for the next timePlease send..

Happy Holidays,

Love to all,Sue

AKA Sixth Sister"

Thanksgiving request

Since we'll all be scattered hither, thither and non across the country for T'day....it will be great if everyone takes pictures of each Thanksgiving celebration and posts them here on the family blog...along with a written "narrative" of how you celebrate the Holiday....where...who....whatcha do....etc. (OMG...I sound like Daddy quizzing us before we went out anywhere! LOL). It will be a great way to bring us all together when circumstances and geography preclude a big family gathering....and exactly what this blog is supposed to be about...SO Share away!!! Thanks!

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Love,
Kathy

Happy Birthday Meghan!

"She wasn't afraid to travel down an open road with nothing but horizon to keep her company" pieces of a girl .....well...the horizon, Special Teddy and Tim Tam to be more exact..

Happy Birthday, Megger Gooch!

Happy Anniversary Jeanne & Chris!

Marriage is an Athenic weaving together of families, of two souls with
their individual fates and destinies, of time and eternity--everyday life
married to the timeless mysteries of the soul. Thomas Moore

Congratulations, Jeanne & Chris. Hope today contains wonderful memories of special times and continued dreams of a beautiful future together...Happy Anniversary!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAUREEN!

“Because of your smile, you make life more beautiful.”
Thich Nhat Hanh quote

Hope you're enjoying a wonderful Birthday that celebrates the wonder of YOU!

Now, just look at the pictures of Maureen and Kelly and Kimani and you know this one's true!:

“If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors. All of them are alive in this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people.”
Thich Nhat Hanh

More Firefighter Tim - So Proud Of You!

New Green Island Firefighter

Congrats Tim!

Happy Birthday Kelly!

"Let us celebrate the occasion with wine and sweet words" ~Plautus

Happy Birthday, Kelly! Hope you have a wonderful day that's as special as you!

(maybe Kimani will share her "Birthday Girl" bib for you to use!)

Eat your Veggies!

YES...finally a healthy diet we can enjoy!

"Vegetables are a must on a diet.
I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread and pumpkin pie". — Jim Davis

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JoAnne!

*click on the pictures to view larger images

“It takes a long time to grow young.” Pablo Picasso

Happy Birthday, JoAnne!

"Because time itself is like a spiral, something special happens on your birthday each year: The same energy that God invested in you at birth is present once again." Menachem Mendel Schneerson

...and so, today is very much YOUR special day! A day to celebrate YOU! And so, we do.....we celebrate your beautiful spirit and the important place you hold in our hearts....in our family....Enjoy this day to the fullest!

"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." Abraham Lincoln

Happy Anniversary Corrie and Glen!

Love is a force more formidable than any other. It is invisible - it cannot be seen or measured - yet it is powerful enough to transform you in a moment, and offer you more than any material possession ever could.-- Barbara De Angelis

Happy Anniversary!

October 9, 1999-October 9, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BETTY O!!!

Anniversary Congrats to Devin & Afternoon Delight!

West Coast Cousins & "Cousins" Check out the Anniversary show TONIGHT at the IOWest Theatre! (not sure if it's 9, 9:30 or 10pm (Devin?) but it says it's on the MainStage).

Afternoon Delight celebrates its ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY on Thursday!
Where were you one year ago? Nervous, in the green room, wondering if you were gonna pull out your "always funny" french accent in the first scene and really kill? Or, were you like me, in the audience for this fantastic show, laughing laughing laughing at all the jokes.
This Thursday, be in the audience and bring your french accent and a birthday candle.
Afternoon Delight is a long-form improv team that will weave one audience suggestion into 30 minutes of love, tenderness, and tears. And they turn one years old on Thursday.
Coached by Hal Rudnick. THE Hal Rudnick.

Check out More info on Afternoon Delight by clicking the links below:
IOWest Page
Afternoon Delight MYSpace profile

portugal and spain... respectively