The Dusty Truck

Dear Oz,

Diva has been busy decorating the Nest for Christmas. I was about to decorate the shelf above the table when I remembered how much you like Poppa's Special truck. It's usually dusty because of our cats and you call it " Poppa's Dusty truck". I missed you so much I couldn't bring myself to change the decorations. So I dusted it off for the next time you come for a visit.

We miss you very much. We were glad to see you and Charlie and your sweet Momma and Daddy this past weekend . What fun to see Uncle Andy propose to our sweet Rachel. She already loves you so very much. She will make a wonderful Auntie for you and Charlie.

We hope you are being a good helper today. Mommy needs your help.

We love you buddy,

Diva and Poppa

Looks whose on Diva's and Poppa's Christmas Tree

Dear Oscar,

Look whose tiny little hand is on our tree. Do you know whose hand this print belongs to?

It belongs to you big boy. Your very sweet momma and daddy made this very special ornament for me on your very first Christmas. It was hard to get you to open your hand up wide so it is very special to me.

I hope you will always have your hands open wide to receive all the wonderful gifts your Heavenly Father wants to give you. I hope we will always be there for you to hold your hand and let you know how much Diva and Poppa love you.

This hand print reminds me of a song I used to sing to your momma when she was a little girl.

It went like this:

Oh be careful little hands, what you do.
Oh be careful little hands, what you do.
For the Father up above is looking down
with look so be careful little hands what you do.

Thank you for being such a good big brother to baby Charlie. His hands are this small now and you can help him with your big brother hands.

We love you ,

Diva and Poppa

Poppa Makes a Race Track

Dearest Oz,

This is the finished race car track your Poppa made for your third birthday. He knows how much you love cars and he wanted to make you something special for your birthday.

He designed it, cut the wood, put it together, painted it, built the cars and then made the starting gate.


He thinks you are one special young man and he is so very proud of you. You are growing so quickly that we hardly recognize you from month to month. Poppa is very smart so he knows how to make all kinds of neat things. I took this picture of Poppa's notes and the "sample" car he was making for you and your friends.



Here's Poppa cutting the wood for the track. He used an electric saw that was really loud and made lots of sawdust. I was glad he was working outside. Poppa makes lots of noise when he works and boy does he get grumpy if he has trouble cutting the wood. (I just wanted you to know Poppa would only do this for very special boys and girls!)



Here's Poppa making the individual track runs for each car. Did you know that you use math to build things? Diva is not
very good with math and Poppa does not like to listen to suggestions when he is building . (Just thought I'd tell you now in case you try to help him later!) After he built the cars and the track he spray painted the track.



Did you know that it is hard to spray
paint on wood when the wind is blowing? Poppa knows that really well as the paint was spraying on him as well as the wood. I'm really hoping that you and Charlie will enjoy playing with cars and the racing track for a very long time. Poppa made the track in two parts so it can be stored easily.



Diva made the artwork for the each track with a number so you can tell which car was in each lane. Some one waves a checkered flag in real races when the winner crosses the finish line.

Hope you like your track.

We love you

Poppa and Diva

Diva's Part of your party

Dear Oscar,

While Poppa was busy making your race track Diva was busy in the kitchen making you race car sugar cookie. Each had to be rolled out and cut with the cookie cutter.

After the cookies were cut out they were baked and then cooled. Diva decorated all of them for one special boy who was turning 3 years old.



(Special note: Diva is old and not nearly as clever at decorating cookies as your Momma so for me this was really hard work . Poppa had the easy part when it came to decorating your track!)





I also made the traffic light graham crackers and put together the veggie vehicles and fruit cars. When it comes to birthdays your Momma really knows how to throw a party and involve all of us as helpers.





Considering your Diva doesn't frost cookies or make cakes very often I was quite pleased that they turned out so well. All of the cars (both red and yellow ) had the number 3 on them because it is your third birthday .

The traffic light cookies are graham crackers that were frosted and had green, yellow and red M&M's on them. (They were yummy!)








This is my favorite picture of the day. You love blowing out the candles. Poppa helped make the forms for the O and the S . Your Momma wanted everyone to know whose birthday it was so she made the O-S-Car for you. You thought it looked like a taxi cab. You and your friends enjoyed eating the O and the S too.



Your Daddy made cars for you and all your party guest and you played Red Light, Green Light and Follow the Leader. You liked blowing your whistle and holding up the stop or go sign.

We love you very much buddy, Poppa and I were so glad to be able to come and help with your party and spend time with you and baby Charlie. We pray for you every day and know that we are blessed to be your Poppa and Diva.

XOXO

Birthday tribute to your sweet mom

 

Letter to my daughter on her birthday.

 Dearest Suzy, Happy Birthday, Wonder Woman. Who knew that wearing Wonder Woman Underoos would be a self-full-filling prophecy? You truly have grown up to be a wonder woman.

I know you "wonder" if you'll ever get a full night's sleep. I know you "wonder" if you'll ever have a house with a backyard. I know you "wonder" how you'll ever get everything done. I know you "wonder" if you are a good mother. I know you "wonder" how things will turn out. 

 I wish you could see yourself through my eyes. You are a beautifully talented woman who is so creative, thoughtful, kind, and loving. You truly put others before yourself and worry about the smallest detail. You make every day an occasion to celebrate. Your smile brightens up the gloomiest day and your imagination is boundless.

 I'm always amazed at the items you make from felt and your organizational skills are incredible. You get more done in a single day than anyone I know. If I could change just one thing about you it would be," to stop being so hard on yourself. " Perfection is not obtainable and it's really hard to live with people who are never satisfied no matter how well things turn out.

 If I could challenge you with just one thing it would be, "to cherish this time." You'll never get it back and as hectic as it is you'll look back on it and miss it.

If I could charge you with one thing it would be, "don't listen to all the negative talk or take it personally". There will always be people around you that will criticize you or try to belittle you. Don't listen, don't become discouraged, and don't dwell on it.

 You truly are Wonder Woman. You make everyone wonder how you come up with all these clever ideas. You make your husband wonder how he ever got so lucky to be married to the most wonderful woman on the planet. You make your parents wonder how they ever got so blessed to be grandparents of two active little boys. You make your friends wonder how they got along without you in their life. I love you Baby Girl

Your Remarkable Mom

Baby Charlie (at one month) makes an adorable Cupid.

Oscar as Cupid (age 4 months)

These are pictures of our adorable grandsons. They are dressed as Cupid and their very talented Mother has made a kit for other moms that would also like to dress their babies for Valentine's Day. She submitted her idea to "ReMarthable Ideas" from the Martha Stewart Show and was featured yesterday on the Martha Stewart Show as well as being featured on her website. Congratulations Suzy we are so proud of you!

Love Child

Simply ReMarthable contestant Suzy from Mount Vernon, New York, creates Valentine's baby photo kits that include felt Cupid wings, a bow and heart-shaped arrow, and red cloth backdrop. Her son is pictured!

Read more at Marthastewart.com: ReMarthable Ideas from ''The Martha Stewart Show'' - Martha Stewart Television

Your Loving Diva,