Proud Mommy here!

We left town on Thursday after hubby got off work and drove to Morgantown, WV...half way, or there abouts. Left after breakfast the next day to arrive in Baltimore in time to check in, unpack and head to an afternoon reception. Our daughter and a friend from DC joined us at the hotel briefly before we headed to the College for the reception.
She's part of Operation Teach, similiar to Teach America except through The Church. The reception was very nice. The program is a two year program where you teach, live in community housing and live on a stipend; work full time teaching and go to grad school for your Masters. She's been teaching 5th grade in a need based area. She's worked very hard these past 2 years, working and going to school full time, singing in the Handel Choir of Baltimore.

After the reception we attended The Baccalaureate where they spoke alot about service to others and giving of yourself. It was very moving. Then we collected a 2nd friend of our daughters from the train station and headed to dinner. We ate dinner in Little Italy in Baltimore, near the Inner Harbor at Cafe Gia's. Food was very good, service ok...laid back and friendly. Hubby walked with another gentlemen to a nearby store to buy several bottles of wine as they do not have license yet and allow bring your own bottle.

Sat...way too early, the 5 of us were up showered and making our way downtown to the convention center for the graduation. Graduation's always seem long as you sit in not so comfortable chairs most of the time; but still very exciting. We're very proud of our daughter. Congrats Chrissy! We then headed to lunch in the Federal Hill area (also near Inner Harbor) at Ropewalk, where the 3 other girls in her community house who were graduating were collecting up with their families. Got our daughters 2 friends back on the train to head back to DC, and then we headed back to the hotel to relax a bit. Later we ate pizza in and called it a day.

Sunday after breakfast at the hotel we headed to her house to pack up as much as we could. Our car was really loaded, leaving just enough room for our suitcase for the return trip home. Packed up her office primarily, books and supplies that she'll not need for the remainder of the school year. Left our car at the hotel and used her's to go to dinner that evening, again in Little Italy. Italian food is always a plus for us. Dalesio's, a very quiet and relaxed location, right across the street on Eastern from Cafe Gia's where we had been on Friday. They do serve wine here, so no need to walk and purchase, definately not as laid back. One room was filled with Italian speaking folks, which was pretty cool.

I highly recommend both establishments, though I believe the veal was better at Cafe Gia, the connolli' was better at Dalesio's.

Memory Monday, Mom

I'm calling this Memory Monday. I have memories and it's Monday... I may do this for awhile. I've posted memories of words that begin with the letters A, B, and C...so next up is the letter D.

Dancing and Delaware Dam.
Dancing, I was a young teenager getting excited about going to school dances, or dances during the summer months at the cities playgrounds that were run by the Recreation Department. Dancing...dancing with boys, pretty darn exciting in those days. Mom was always a good dancer. So, on Sat. we often turned on the TV, moved a chair or two and danced with Jerry Razor a local TV personality on a teenage dance show, or the more widely known American Bandstand with Dick Clark. Mom would show me steps as we watched and tried to figure out what they were doing on TV. So, the flip side of this was, I knew how to dance; but lots of the boys back then didn't. sigh...lol Still good memories though.

Delaware Dam. A place the family often traveled to in order to fish, to picnic and to just spend the day together outside. We traveled about an hour from home to get there, which seemed like forever to us kids. Sometimes we'd fish, sometimes we waded in the water, sometimes we'd roll down the grassy hills. We thought those hills were huge when we were kids. Seems everything seems so much bigger when you're young. Sometimes we walked across the dam which had an open grate and you could see the water below to get where we going for the day. I was always afraid, not sure why...but always felt relieved when we got safely to the other side.

Thanks for the memories Mom.
The purple iris is one of many in the backyard. They line the fence rows and are quite beautiful. The starts came from Mom and Dads backyard long ago. I had a vase full of them on the table last night, since Daddy was coming to dinner.

Badges, BlogUpp, and Bridge

Ok, the voting is in...see my new badge! I like it; but am keeping the lightpost in my file in case I want to change it somewhere down the line. Thanks to all who took the time to vote and voice your opinions, much appreciated. Please feel free to grab my badge and add to your blog. That way clicking will bring you here easily. Right click on above picture and save to your computer, add widget to your blogspot blog, click browse and find the picture on your computer; then add url for my blog which is http://4ccccs.blogspot.com/ I really need to change that, if I can remember all the places it's listed that way in order to get it changed. But, for now...I'm leaving it, even though it's a weird url.


This badge is one I made for Jan, my SIL. I know she'd love visitors. I also know lots of you are animal lovers so think you'll enjoy her blog. Tell her I sent you traveling her way.

Have you noticed my BlogUpp widget? It's cool. Click on it and you can find other interesting blogs. Add one to your own blog easily. No registration required. Simply click on the widget, once on their page, add your url and presto......you have a widget. Cut and paste the code on your blog and have fun visiting. It truly is quick, easy, and very enjoyable to go blog walking in places you might not otherwise have known about. Have fun!

And now for my 3rd B...funny how everything today was a B word! I've updated things over on The BridgeThanks so much for all the help. Please take a look and see what people working together can accomplish. And...please feel free to help spread the word, even if you yourself don't knit or crochet. Thanks!

Please take a look, Vote...I need feedback

I've made some badges for this blog and can't decide which one I like best. Would love some feedback to help me decide. Sandy's Space....how does one represent that. Space as in up in the sky, I love to garden, the page where one can make these fun badges doesn't have yarn, and that doesn't represent me always ...soooooooooooo what do you think:




Tell me which design you like, some are repeated with slight color changes, and or changes in font style or font size.

Heading to basement to throw load of laundry in, then outside to do more planting. Should get flowers done today? Think I need to make some black bean soup for Daddy, he loves black bean soup.

For fun...please scroll back to previous post, you can have fun with this video too, pass it along once you plug in your name. Too cute not to enjoy. Everyone needs a laugh.

PLEASE check this out, I'm still so moved by this I just can't put it all into words. THANKS BUNCHES LADIES!!

I feel soooooooo Honored

If My Mother were still alive, I could have honored her in the video. Please click on the Title to this blog post.

Just think you're own name here ladies, and enjoy!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

Please scroll back if you've not seen the awesome gift 7 very special ladies sent me.

AND, for the animal lovers, please pop over to SIL, Jan's blog (soon to be posted), a special video there for ya.

7 Amazing Caring Women! SEVEN

LOOK!
This beautiful comfort ghan made for me by some of my wonderful, kind and very caring ladies here on the internet. We've not met face to face; though some of us have known each other for several years. My words of gratitude can not possibly measure up to how touched, truly touched I was when I opened this box. THANK YOU!
Beth, Lynda (Bunny), Scarlet, Ghost (Diana), Faith, Sandie, and Wendy. All the squares are lovely. Even my hubby was impressed. The card was beautiful. I have it here on my computer desk reminding me daily how good people are. Yes, I am very sad at losing my Mother. I miss her everyday. When I read your card I filled up with tears; not because my Mother died; but because you all have such loving hearts to reach out to me in this way.

Daddy came to dinner last night and I shared the card with him, and explained how I knew each of you. He's 83, doesn't really get how we can know each other via the internet --in that he doesn't use the computer; but he's heard me speak often of things we all have worked on together. And so he knows it's only distance that keeps us from being friends face to face.

I thought perhaps my other readers here might also enjoy knowing how we've come to know each other. Sandie and I first became acquainted on Crochetville. She had been involved in a project with squares that was coming to an end for victims of Hurricane Katrina. The thread was long, I read it all and wanted to help; not knowing the project was now over. Shortly after Sandie and I chatted; she decided to keep the project alive and re-organized it from the original person who had headed it. Ghost (known to us in the group Squares4Survivors) as one with smoke flying off her crochet hook, and Bunny (Lynda) were also in that group. Through blogging we stumbled into each other again and frequent each others blogs. Faith, Beth, Wendy,and Scarlet are all friends through the wonderful world of blogging too.

Many of us blog about life, about knitting and crocheting for charity; and many have been very active helping me with my local homeless charity project, Bridge and Beyond.

I thank you all, truly from the bottom of my heart. This comfort ghan, does indeed bring comfort and will for many years to come.


(((((((HUGS))))))))

I wanted to post a 2nd picture giving you a little different view of this beautiful afghan