Memorial Weekend Selfie Hop

Happy Sunday!    The Sunday before Memorial Day.    If you would like to share your selfie at the Hop – just click the badge above and go to our Host blog and LINK UP with the rest of us.

I’m letting my Grandpa be the STAR of our Selfie post today instead of me.

Tomorrow is Memorial Day in the US of A.     It’s a special day in some way for most people………Originally called Decoration Day for over a century, this special holiday was changed to Memorial Day by federal law in the 1880’s.  Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday that celebrates the military who have passed away while serving on duty.   For that reason, today instead of it being ALL ABOUT ME, it’s going to be ALL ABOUT MY GRANDPA.   Just to be clear though, my Grandpa didn’t pass away while on duty – it was a few years after he retired.    Actually when he retired from the Air Force he went back to work at the Pentagon in his same office but as a Civilian – he just loved serving.

Mom has talked about him enough on the blog for you to know he was a career Air Force officer.    He loved being in the military and my Mom, her brother and sister enjoyed living in interesting places as they grew up.    My Grandpa was born in 1916 in St. Joseph, Missouri.    He and his sister were raised by their grandparents.    This is a photo of my Grandpa at his high school graduation:

Unfortunately I never got to meet him.     He passed away with multiple medical issues in October of 1992.    He’s buried at Arlington Cemetery in an area that’s relatively close to the Pentagon where he served his last active duty assignment before retiring.

We salute all those who lost their lives serving in the military and protecting us and our country.     My Dad was VERY proud to serve and I have a very special respect for anyone who has served.

Remembering My Grandpa and all who served……..

Teddy and Mom Pam

Mother’s Day Sunday Selfie

It’s All About Mom…..and Me

My Mom……by Sammy

A little kitten, tiny and alone 

No real home to call my own

I was so lonely and felt so lost

I wanted out at any cost 

Then came my very lucky day  

Some humans adopted me and took me away!  

Oh lucky me, at last a home –

I was warm, well fed, no need to roam.  

My life has been so full of love.  

I’m ever so thankful to God above.  

I’m a Mommy’s boy, through and through

AND,  yes I’m spoiled, that’s totally true.  

My Mom’s the BEST and I’m here to say

Happy Mother’s Day Mom each and every day!

My Mom…..by Pam

One of my fondest memories of my Mom, who passed away in 2001, was when I was a little girl and my Mom and Dad would be getting ready to go to some formal affair at the Officers Club (my Dad was in the Air Force).   My Mom would let me lie on her bed and sort through her jewelry box to pick out what she would wear for the night with her gown……..I’d watch her do her hair and make-up and can distinctly remember thinking that my Mom was really a beautiful Fairy Princess and I was ever so lucky to have a Mom who was so beautiful.   She would smell so good with her perfume and look so amazing all dressed up………and of course she rarely DID wear the things I’d “picked out” for her from her jewelry box as they weren’t right – but she’d always tell me what good taste I had even while putting on more appropriate jewelry from that “magic box” for the evening’s event.   She’d sweep out the door on the arm of my handsome Dad and I imagined them waltzing around the dance floor with all eyes on them.    It was a fairy tale come true……..and I totally believed it.     I’ve always known that there was a whole lot about my Mom (and my Dad as well) that I never knew….they were both very private people and didn’t talk about their parents or much about their lives growing up.   After my Mom died, I found a lot of old letters and photos of people I didn’t recognize and realized there really was so much about her I would have liked to have known.   I have a lot of good memories though.   While going through her things I found a note that said not to grieve her passing and that she would always be with us (me, my brother and sister) and that her biggest joy in her life had been being our Mom.   Now that’s a perfect Mother’s Day memory if ever there was one!

We are joining up today with The Cat On My Head’s Sunday Blog Hop and you can too by clicking their badge below!   HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

P.S.  Don’t forget Tuesday is “WAGS AND WAVES FOR FORREST DAY”  !

 

Memories

Hi Everybody!    I have a “double” post today – two different memories in one blog post.    It’s 9/11 and a lot of us will NEVER forget that day in history or where we were when life as we knew it changed…………..and back in September of 2011, my Mom wrote a blog post recalling where she and Dad were on 9/11 so I thought I’d give you the link to that post and you can read it for yourselves.  It’s quite a story.    Just CLICK HERE then come back so you can read all about my Mom and Dad’s NEW memory!

My parents just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary by taking a short trip only an hour or so away from here to a town called Luray, Virginia.   Luray is home to some absolutely gorgeous underground caverns called (surprise surprise) Luray Caverns.  Here’s a link for the complex at the caverns – it’s got an antique car museum, a boxwood maze, a fun “ropes” course for kids, a reconstructed partial village of the day, and of course the caverns themselves  (CLICK HERE).   The caverns were discovered in 1878 by five men and they had no idea when they discovered the entrance what incredible beauty they would find while exploring the caves.   The oldest formation inside the caves is said to be 400,000,000 years old.   My Mom and Dad had been to the caverns many years ago but had forgotten how amazing they were.   Here are some of the photos my Mom took!

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The guided hike they took was 1.5 miles long and took over an hour……….it was a fun addition to their anniversary trip.

So – an OLD memory and a NEW memory…………..both in today’s blog.   Every day is another chance to make a memory so get out there and make one!!!

Happy Friday my friends……………

Hugs, Sammy

Memorial Day !

Hello Everybody……………….today is the day we remember all those who have fought for our country in the military or in any other capacity to make us the “land of the free”.    Before I bring on the Memorial Day Picnic goodies (of course I have food!), I want to take a minute to  remember my Grandpa………….my Mom’s Dad was a career Air Force officer and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.   My Mom has the flag that draped his casket and keeps it in her studio in a case so it stays beautiful forever.

This is my Grandpa two years before he went to the Bridge, escorting my Mom down the aisle when she married my Dad!

My Mom wrote this poem in memory of her Dad several years after he passed away……………

IF I COULD HAVE KNOWN

Pamela June Kimmell

Time has softened the razored edge of loss

His final breath is no longer my first memory

I can see things now that I couldn’t see then

For I was young and always right

Now I appreciate the words of wisdom he spoke

For what they really were…..

A Father’s hope for his daughter’s happiness.

We hope all of you have a special day of memories and love – and however you choose to acknowledge or celebrate it,  remember the reason for the holiday!

NOW – on to my Memorial Day Picnic/Party!!!!

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Now if you want to continue with some fun – head over to my friends Raz from Friends Furever AND Gracie from Goodness Gracie – because THEY have even MORE Memorial Day fun in their blogs!!!!    Just click the posters for each blog and ENJOY YOUR DAY!

   

Me, Allie, Gracie, Raz

See you all tomorrow for TUESDAY TEASER!!!!!!!

Hugs, Sammy