A Bunch of Happy Kids!

The kids and the Grandkids have opened their presents and the Grandkids got pretty much all the major things that they hoped and dreamed for, and all are contented. I think the boys got a big thrill with the KING KONG video game. I got a new jogging suit and tee shirt from my Wendy and family and I got a beautiful blue gazing ball and stand for my garden, from Caroline and family. My Hubby was shocked and thrilled to get a beautiful DAD ring from Caroline and Frank, it took his breath away when he opened it. This afternoon we took it to the store for a free sizing to his sausage size fingers! Can you believe he measured a HUGE size 15-1/2 ring size!

I took video of the whole opening process, but forgot to grab my still camera until after the presents were opened. My hubby did a little trick to slow the opening process of the kids by , one at a time, having one of them bring up 3 presents from their pile and asking them if they wanted to open gift number 1, gift number 2, or gift number 3.... they then could open only the one they picked, in front of him and all of us, and put the other two gifts back in the pile. He did this with each kid, one at a time, and this slowed the rush to open them faster. This way we all got to see the joy in their face as they opened each gift. Now that the kids are older, he doesn't dress in his Santa suit and play POPPA CLAUSE as he used to.. but he still enjoys controlling the mayhem that can happen if the kids just torn into them!

The dinner of stuffed cabbage, turned out great and there was NO leftovers after everyone got their fill. Even my Aunt and Uncle and Cousin really enjoyed their selves.



This is Wendy and Mark and the grandkids, Sarah and Matthew, Happy kids!










This is Caroline, with Frank, and with Grandkids, Amber and Darin. Amber is holding her new electric guitar in the box, Darin got one too.
I think everyone looks very happy this Christmas.

Cookies, Cookies, EVERYWHERE!

Due to popular request, and pleadings from my other half, I have just finished baking Cookies, and MORE Cookies until my arms are falling off!! And he has been SHOVELING them in his stomach as fast as he can! He comes home from work, or in the morning with his coffee, and eats a big handfull armed with a big glass of milk and his plate full of cookies. At this rate, I wonder if any will make it to serve my guests during the Christmas Day festivities!

I made the popular peanut butter cookie, the Oatmeal raisin, the Thumbprint with raspberry preserves on top, the sugar cookie rollouts, hand cut with my varied cookie cutters by me and my granddaughter, with icing and sprinkles, the date cookies rolled in a a delicate dough like a pinwheel, and the ever favorite, Chocolate chip, some with nuts, and some without!

This morning, at the end of washing all the pans and bowls, and getting the kitchen cleaned up, I look at all the storage containers filled with the cookies, and I wonder, how long will they last at the pace my Hubby is consuming them. Already the Oatmeal and chocolate chips are going fast, and he's made a big dent in the Sugar cookies last night, (He couldn't wait to hit those). I sit here with sore back and arms that I can barely hold upright, wondering if it was worth the trouble. I say SURE! It's worth it to see the delight in my Hubby's eyes and smile as he devours another piece, but I just hope I can keep a few to display, and offer for the rest of the family and my Aunt and Uncle who are coming for dinner on Christmas day!

Actually, this is the only time of the year that I do this much baking, and with me being sick and in the hospital from Thanksgiving through the end of January last year, my Hubby and my family missed out on all the goodies all through the holidays last year. Our favorite Christmas Dinner is Galumpky, or stuffed cabbage, and we plan to make it this year with the help of my Caroline. Last year, Caroline tried to keep up the tradition, and she made the stuffed cabbage herself for the first time, and she did a great job (the family liked it). She even brought a plate to me in the hospital, but at that time it didn't go well on my stomach, with all the pain pills and medication I was on, but it had a nice taste anyway.

I recently discovered another lump on my jaw, smaller than the tumor that was taken off back in June, but the doctor that operated on me before is trying to get it down with antibiotics, if it does not go down, (which so far it hasn't) then he might have to operate on me again to get it out. Hopefully, he won't have to cut me so much, this time. But, that will be After I enjoy the Holidays with all my family again. Let's hope that the New Year brings better health and happiness to me, my family, and to ALL MY FRIENDS in the Blog world! HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL OF YOU!

Decorated and Ready for Santa

This is my singing dolls for me and the grandkids to play with

My little blue tree in the dining room and a look at the mirrored wall of the entire dining room...









This is the big red and white tree in the game room, right next to the family room. Note part of the table with a big checkerboard on it in the corner of the pic. Getting ready for Santa now.

TWO THANKSGIVINGS----?--- YUP!

Hope everyone had a GREAT Thanksgiving and you are still stuffed to the gills!
I started out making TWO turkeys, (to be sure we had enough). One was a 23 pounder and the other was a 14 pounder my husband got from his work. I had an electric roaster to put the little one in, and the larger one in the oven. I made giblet stuffing the night before, and warmed it up in the roaster after the small turkey came out. Along with turkey and stuffing Caroline and I made 20 lbs. of mashed potatoes, candied yams, corn and green beans. For desert we had pumpkin pie, apple pie, cherry pie and chocolate cream pie, with whipped cream to top it all off, or ice cream if wanted. We even make veggies and dip for a appetizer along with crackers and cheese!
My two daughters, Caroline and Wendy both came over with their husbands and two kids and the grandkids had a ball snacking on the appetizers, and playing pool on Grandpa's table and playing shuffleboard in our gameroom. The girls colored some cute Thanksgiving day cards for us and each other. When we sat down to eat, we had carved all the white meat and most of the dark meat from the big turkey. After a couple hours later, everyone had their fill and few had room for desert. My daughters both had a hand at washing pans and dishes and Caroline made sure that everything was wrapped and stored in the fridge, and all the dishes and pans were back in the cupboards and all was cleaned up!!! Even our dog, Shadow (a black Lab) ,was stuffed to the gills with the unwanted back meat, and left over dark meat and was sprauld all over the floor like a huge, black velvet pillow!
As the kids started home for a nap, we told them to come back tomorrow for a second helping! There was still the second turkey and plenty of the other stuff to make another meal again!
Friday my husband did a little shopping and came home and started reheating the left overs for the "SECOND" Thanksgiving and the kids all arrived about 3:pm put out the veggies and crackers, and we sat and finished most of the meat and stuffing and only had a small pan of mashed potatoes left for breakfast the next day! Again there was little room for most of us to eat the pies, but those left overs wont go to waste here! My hubby and I love sweets!

So THAT's why we had TWO THANKSGIVINGS at MY HOUSE and WE dont want to see another Turkey for AT LEAST ANOTHER YEAR! UGHH!

I am so grateful to my beautiful daughters, and for all their help and for my beautiful grandchildren who love us so, EVEN to the son-in-laws who have helped us so much, and to the very wonderful family I have. and to NO MORE LEFTOVERS!

Margaret's Special Cat (a children's story)


BY PAULA BAGNASCO



Dedicated and Copyrighted: May 8, 1988 to Margaret Bagnasco
( A true story from her childhood)













Way back in the year 1919, Margaret was a lovely auburn haired six year old girl who lived on a small farm in Illinois with her Mother and Father and older brother. Father raised chickens and pigs to sell to the market.

Margaret was lonesome for someone to play with. There were no girls her age in the neighborhood.

One her way home from school one day, Margaret saw a woman giving away some kittens. She ran home to ask her Father if she could have one for a pet. Her Father said, "No, you can't have a cat. Cats are known to eat birds. I can't afford to have a cat eating my baby chicks."












Margaret was so sad, but the tried not to think about it any more. She played tea party with her dolls by the pond near her home. She had a special spot in the cattails that she pretended was her house.











A few days later, Margaret was playing by the pond, when she heard a tiny sound coming from the bushes behind her. She crawled over to the bushes and peeked under the leaves. There sat the sweetest little black and white kitten, all alone and frightened. "Oh, how cute you are!" Margaret said. "Come here so I can see you better." At that, the kitten creeped out of the bush and curled up in her lap and started to purr.

All day Margaret played with the kitten and her dolls by the pond. She dressed the kitten in a bonnet and they had a tea party. When it came time to go home, Margaret could not leaved the kitten there. "You will come home with me little girl." said Margaret. "I will feed you and we will be best friend." Then Margaret remembered what her Father said about having cats around his chickens. "I know Daddy would not let me keep you. Let me talk to Mother, I know she'll find a way."











She got home just before her father and begged her Mom to let her keep the little kitten. Mom said," If you keep her out of your Father's sight, and away from the chickens, I can't see how she could do any harm."


That night Margaret found herself a huge shoe box and placed it under her bed for the kitten to sleep in. She brought the kitten milk and scraps of from her dinner.













For several months Margaret would carry her kitten everywhere in the shoe box. When se went to school, she let the kitten play in the schoolyard until she got out. Every day the kitten would be waiting next to the box for Margaret. They were such good friends!












One day, Margaret noticed that her cat was getting very fat. Mom said, "I believe you kitty is going to have babies of her own." Margaret was so excited. "But, how will I hide her and her babies from Daddy?"

That night Margaret's Mother explained to her Father about the kitten, and how well Margaret had raised her to be a good cat. When he found out that cat was due to have kittens any day, he said it was alright to keep her as long and she did not go outside near the chickens.

Margaret was going to have to give away the babies when they were old enough though. Margaret was so happy, she hugged her cat all night long. The the next day, Mom prepared a box in the kitchen for the babies to be born in.

At dinner time, Margaret's father brought three baby chicks in the kitchen and put them temporarily in the box. "Well have to protect these babies. The mother hen got too near the pig pen and it accidentally killed her. Without their mother, these chicks will not live out there alone." said Father. "I trust your cat will have the sense to leave them alone tonight. If she doesn't she'll have to go too!"

Margaret was dressing to visit her Grandmother and while she dressed, her cat was laying on the bed watching. Margaret whispered, " Please take care of the baby chicks tonight and make sure nothing happens to them. Daddy will be very angry if you hurt them." The cat just looked up at her and purred.

All evening long, Margaret worried about her cat and the baby chicks. She couldn't wait to hurry home and make sure they were all right.



When they arrived home, Margaret ran for the kitchen door.

What a surprise they all had when they walked in the door! There in the box was Margaret's cat licking and washing the three baby chicks and along side her were three darling newborn kittens! Father was amazed to see a cat take care of baby chickens.













From that day on, wherever the momma cat went, three kittens and three chickens followed. The chicks grew up believing that cat was their mother, and nothing could seperate them.

What a sight to see. That momma cat walking down the path with three kittens and chicks close behind!

Margaret's father could not believe his eyes. He grew to love the cat as much as Margaret did. He never again was afraid to have her or her babies around his chickens, for he knew that she was a SPECIAL cat.

Starring the greatest kids!

I want to show you two of the most wonderful kids in the 6th and 4th grade in the Warren school district. They both got good grades on their first report cards and are really wonderful kids.

I like to present Darin and Amber:




Don't they look a lot older than 11 and 10?









Grandma loves them!

In The Spirit of Halloween

In the spirit of Halloween, I would like to see what really SCARES people and what superstitions you practice:

1. What frightens you you the most? I am most afraid of someone sneaking up to me, unseen, or trying to hurt or kidnap me. I've seen too many TV movies of people being abducted and dying horrible deaths.

2. Have you ever seen a ghost or had haunting experiences? One year after just moving into our last house, my husband screamed to me to come downstairs late in the night as he ran upstairs. He said that while he was in the bathroom (using the throne) he saw the bedroom door knob across the hall was moving back and forth, AND HE CALLED ME DOWN TO CHECK ON IT! LOL! He must have been too scared to check it himself as he was already upstairs at the time and HE DID NOT GO DOWN WITH ME! As I rushed down the stairway I heard a loud boom from the front door, and I hesitantly checked the bedroom and found nobody there,I ran to the front door and saw no one outside! I'll never know what was there,if anything! We bought the house from a elderly widow, and I don't know if her husband had died there, but even my kids kept seeing things and were afraid there and there was a cold breeze in some areas of the house. I do believe that spirits do visit us from the other side, but as of yet, I have not seen one SO FAR!

3. Have you ever seen a UFO or believe that Extraterrestrials have visited Earth? Yes, I do believe they have, but I have never seen one,there was talk of a bright light moving across the sky, but I wasn't sure if it was a UFO. I do know a man who told me about the one he saw floating above his cabin up north. He said it hovered above the trees and had multicolored lights moving below its bottom. He said that it finally rose straight up and dissapeard in a flash. I had to make a questionaire up for college about this subject. Out of 100 people who filled out the paper, over half of the people said that they have seen a UFO, and several more said that they believe that extraterrestrials are visiting Earth!

4. Do you have any superstitions? The only one I practice at all is knocking on wood for good luck when I mention about something that I hope will come true! The number 13 is not scarry to me, either is a black cat crossing my path! I know many people have at least one superstition. I bet every one has at least one superstition!

5. Do you dress up for Halloween in SCARRY or NICE costumes, or at least when you were a kid? I was always something nice, like an Indian, a bum, a belly dancer, or something nice like that, never anything scarry.

Off to the cemetery

Yesterday, my daughter, Caroline and I went to the cemetery to visit all the family's graves and decorate them with mixed silk flower bouquets that I made up for them. First we stopped at the husband's grandfather's grave, he died in 1921 and all the big upright, stones have been burried in the ground and the grass had covered most of it over. Caroline manned the shovel and cut the grass and weeds back, and then we wiped the stone so it could be read, and then placed the flowers above the headstone. It's sad in that part of the cemetery, because there is very little decorations on the graves of those who died so long ago.

Then it was off to hubby's grandmother. Her's was easier to find, because the big stone was still standing above the ground and has her picture on it, although it was scratched up from the mowers. We placed a flower at her's and went to the newer section to find my mother's grave.

Her stone was really covered quite a bit with grass, so Caroline cut the edges and trimmed it away. I put a lovely yellow and white rose bouquet on hers, because yellow flowers were her favorite. About 4 years ago I brought back half the ashes from my father who died in Florida, and burried them in a tin under the sod on top of my mother's grave, so a part of him could be with her, even though he had remarried for 20 some years to another wife after Mom died. ( No offense Mommy) Then we stopped at the hill just across the way to clean up and visit my grandparents grave. (My Dad's parents)

Our last stop was my husband's parents, who are located near the back of the cemetery. We had to trim a lot of grass on his mother's grave, and we cleaned up a little of the Dad's. I put some lovely pink bouquets on theirs. We have been quite busy (with all my illnesses) since last summer, when Caroline and I planted live flowers on all the graves. I want them all to know that we, our family, have not forgotten them, and still remember.

I wonder, when my husband and I go, I think that my girls will think of us and care enough to place a little flower at my grave. I'm pretty sure my Caroline will, as it was her idea to do it this month for all the grandparents again. But, even if they never visit my grave, I will understand.

your an earth nymph! you love animals, and you feel
most comfortable around them. you are probably
a little shy around people, so some see you as
distant. your also very intelligent, and you
love to read.

what would you be in a fantasy world? (amazing pics!)
brought to you by

Italian town with our name

Above is a little town in North, West, Italy with our family name. It is high up in mountains and is a quaint little town with a very long history.

While I was looking up the family name in the internet, I came across an artist with the family name who made me stop and admire his art. I wrote him a short note about how much I admired his work and telling him about my search for family name. He wrote me back, thanking me in Italian. (I had a friend who reads and speaks Italian translate the note.) He told me that there was this town, in Northern Italy, with the family name, where it is believed that many of whom may have joined the army of Garabaldi and were transported as soldiers, to fight in the war against the Spanish to free Sicily.

I have not gotten any further than Sicily in my research, as I have not gotten dates or names beyond my husband's Great, Great Grandparents. It is a romantic chance that somewhere, years ago that a family member might have traveled from this quaint town to Sicily many long years ago. I find this fascinating! I wish I knew a little Italian so that I could search back further. I know there are geneologists who can be paid to do the searching for you, but money is NOT what I have plenty of at this time. Ha ha! We can dream, though, can't we?

I did find out that my husband's Great, Great Grandfather lived in Terracini and was a furniture maker by trade, and displayed his works in the lower level of their 3 story home. This was found out by a cousin who found me on the internet and have been also researching the family. She had traveled twice to Sicily and found the family home and took pictures. Her Grandmother had the same father as my husband's Great Grandfather. Exciting to say the least!

Grandma goes to school for Grandparents and Special Friends Day

< Sarah, age 8, (on right, front, Red shirt) with her girlfriend in the 3rd grade class.








Matthew age 5, in his Kindergarten class. Guess who's the biggest kid in his class. He has a crimson shirt on. Their singing a spider song along with a recording.

When I came in the class, Sarah's teacher had each guest sit behind the kids we were there to see, and each child interviewed us about when we were born, our favorite playground game, (mine was kickball), our favorite book, (mine was Peter Pan), and I told her that's why I nicknamed her Mother as Wendy- a favorite name from the book, and what school I went to, (which was Roosevelt).
The kids then introduced us and read one of our comments that they had learned about from the interview. Sarah showed me her class books and she gave me a cookie shaped like a apple that she decorated. They had punch for the guests.
Later my daughter, Wendy, took me down to the Kindergarten class to see Matthew's class and the snacks they made from a rice cake iced in peanut butter and decorated like a spider with pretzel legs and eyes made of a couple mini marshmellows and two raisins. He then put two red licorish strings for antenna. After they ate, the whole class sat in the front of the room and sang a spider song while demonstrating the spiders walking on their legs, stomach, throat, and face and head. How cute was that!
Both kids are born in January, so they had to wait another year for school, so they are older than most of the kids in their class.
I think all the grandparents and Aunts and Friends had a great time visiting the kids in their classrooms, I know I did, except the tiny little chairs were hard to get out of !!! LOL!

One student in Sarah's class had his Grandpa there, and his Grandpa had gone to the SAME school and THE SAME CLASSROOM when he was small, many years ago! How neat was that!





THIS is the PROUD GRANDMA (ME) with her two beautiful Grandkids, Matthew and Sarah, and the kids are smiling big that Grandma was able to come to this Special Day ! (thanks for Wendy and Mark for picking me up)
( if you look to the right beside my ear, there is a picture of Matthew tacked onto the drawing of hands he drew in class)

Grandma will go to school for Grandparents day.

Tomorrow, I'm going to Sarah and Matthew's school for a Grandparents day celebration in Royal Oak. I hope to get some good pics of my two youngest Grandchildren. Looking forward to it.

Amber Turns 10!

Amber turned 10 on Monday, September 26th and I am so proud of my big girl! She is so lively and loving, and we love her so MUCH! We took this pic at a neighborhood park, where we played with Sarah and Matthew. LOOK, she is almost as tall as ME! What happened to that little tyke that you could pick up with one hand? How the years are flying!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY and many more young lady!

Double Vision??

I was watching the grandchildren one day until their father got home from work. I wanted to experiment with my camera, so I stood each grandkid in front of a huge mirror in my dining room and snapped a dual image of both kids. I had to black out the background images of the room and got these neat pics! This one is Darin, and below is Amber . What do ya think?

You weren't human in your past life, you were
magical. Now that you've been given a human
body you enjoy life very much and appreciate
people. You have a job to do and that's why you
were given a human body. Make sure you make
wise decisions.

How did you die in your past life? (for everyone)
brought to you by

OH! To be able to turn back the clock!

This is a copy of my high school graduation picture WAY back in 1967. How I wish I could turn back the hands of time and become that young looking face once more. The years have taken a tole on my face and turned me into a twin to my grandma. I look into a mirror and see someone I don't recognise as me. I've had a tough life, over the years, but the person I see in the mirror looks more like a 60 year old than a 56 year old woman. ALTHOUGH, in my heart, I still see myself this way, in my head, only I am much more knowledgable about life. The gray hairs I see now,are just not the me I pictured back then.

Any of my blogging pals feel the same way? I challege you to post your pictures of the best of yourself...............whenever that would be.

Sunday is Grandparents Day

To all those Grandparents (Like me)


Happy Grandparents Day!
Thanks to FLOWGO.com

AWW! Summer is leaving SOON!

I can't believe summer is almost over and I don't know how it snuck by so fast. I have been experimenting with my digital camera over the last year and got some good shots of the lovely flowers in my yard and around the little pond in my back yard. You will notice the little birdies and the variety of sweet fairys that have inhabited and enjoyed my gardens too. We can look at these and dream, when the snow is flying and making us miserable.