Happy Labor Day

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Photo Credit

Labor Day is the creation of the labor movement, dedicated to the social and economic achievements of all American workers; commemorated by an annual national tribute to the contributions those  workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. 

While there is still some doubt as to who first proposed the holiday for workers, it is clear that

Happy 4th of July

My sister took this pic going over the George Washington Bridge today ...


My mom, sister and I spent the morning visiting my grandmother in the cardiac ICU at NY Presbyterian Hospital, and the afternoon visiting my grandfather at his nursing home / rehab facility in NJ.

I am happy to report that they were both in great spirits and up to their old antics; in fact, they were joking around so much that my props were superfluous... But hey, when else can you wear flags on your head?



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Monday's Music Moves Me - A Salute to America

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Welcome to a Monday's Music Moves Me, the fantabulistic music meme hosted by me, Dolly from XmasDolly, Larry from Cakeblast and Callie from Jamerican Spice and our wonderful

Happy Independence Day ~ Let Freedom Ring!!

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Hope you all have a wonderful Fourth of July... wishing you time with the ones you love, have fun, be safe, and as always, please keep in mind those who have fought and died and are still serving our country so that we can have the freedoms we enjoy.



God bless America ~ The land of the free because of the brave!






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Happy Father's Day ~ Dad, Step-Dad, Pop

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I just want to wish all the dads, grandads, soon-to-be dads a very happy Father's Day!!


There is one father in particular that I would like to mention.... my dearest husband Bill.




Isn't he just so handsome?  =)


Generations of Shewbridge Men


Bill raised two children of his own by the time I met him and they are both wonderful people, just like he is... which he got from his father, a

June 14th ~ Flag Day: Let Your Pride Fly High!

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In the United States, Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened that day by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777. The June 14 date is also when Congress adopted "the American continental army" after reaching a consensus position in the Committee of the Whole.

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a

(Not-So) Wordless Wednesday ~ Bill and I on Memorial Day

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Welcome to Wordless Wednesday.... I'm looking forward to to seeing all of your photos, so if you leave a comment, please leave your email address so I can come on over and take a look.


These photos are from Memorial Day. Bill got dressed first and went downstairs while I was in the shower. Then I got the doggies and myself ready for the day. When I got downstairs, I looked at what Bill was

Happy Memorial Day

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As we all celebrate Memorial Day today with our families, having picnics, swimming, laughing, playing and whatever else you may be doing, please remember to take the time to think about what today is really about.




Photo Credit
Please remember those who have fought and died for our freedom and those who continue to serve. Thank you!




BTW, if you have a moment, I found a wonderful site

Memorial Day Memories

My father is a West Point graduate, and my mother was a military wife (as were both of my grandmothers). Memorial Day gives us a chance to say thank you... to the soldiers and families of soldiers who make the ultimate sacrifice, every day.

My mom and dad (now divorced) were married at West Point


My Dad and I on the army base in Washington State

Even tough army officers have to change diapers and make little airplane noises to get their babies to eat...

My grandpa Di Maria in his air force uniform with my grandmother. (They have been married for over 60 years.)


My paternal grandfather, who died from diabetes before I was born, in his army uniform.




(I'm not a Tim McGraw fan... but darn this video is good.)

Monday Mingle ~ May 16th: American Idol and Mother's Day

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“Mingling with you since August 2009!”

 "Welcome to Monday Mingle! Each week three questions are asked, and you can answer via a written post, or a vlog post. If you have always wanted to try vlogging, Monday Mingle vlog meme is a fun way to try vlogging. If you’d like to join in the fun, answer the 3 weekly questions in short vlog on your blog, or a written blog post, then link up over on

Happy Mother's Day

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Wishing all of you Mother's a wonderful day of love and happiness. I hope you get to spend time with the ones you love and that you have a fabulous day. Being a mother is one of my favorite things, my boys have grown into young men that I am SO proud of and I love dearly.




Whatever you are doing today, please take a moment to remember those mothers who are away from their children because

Self-Portrait Sunday ~~ Easter Sunday Dress

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Maria's Space

My friend Maria over at Maria's Space started this meme to get us out from BEHIND the camera and showcase our own lovely faces on our blogs.... We don't want to have a blog full of our family, friends and children and when we go back years later and wonder.... where the heck were we and what did we look like?



This photo is me on Easter Sunday... Bill and I went out to dinner

Happy St. Patrick's Day

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To all of my dear friends on this fine St. Patrick's Day... I give you an old Irish blessing:





May there always be work for your hands to do;
May your purse always hold a coin or two;
May the sun always shine on your windowpane;
May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain;
May the hand of a friend always be near you;
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.



I wish you

Cartoon of the Day: Valentine Sweet Tarts

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Hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day... HUGGLES!!

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Happy 125th Groundhog Day

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Happy 125th Groundhog Day everyone.... This is the day that, instead of being the sensible adults we normally are, we turn to Punxsutawney Phil, a rodent - as adorable as he may be, to get a prediction of how long winter is going to last. 

So, what did Phil predict for this year???

I am delighted for my friends and family up north to say that Phil DID NOT see his shadow!!

This means that

New Year's Resolution

The best advice I ever got concerning new year's resolutions was dispensed by one of my favorite grad school professors. She said that most people set themselves up for failure because they plan to unrealistically change their whole life by just uttering a single vague sentence: I'll eat healthy; I'll exercise everyday; I'll stop procrastinating.... "If you really want to make a change" she said, "change your life by one degree."

She reminded me that one degree can alter outcomes drastically; after all, the difference between water freezing or boiling lies within one degree. The overall message is a good one - just one small change can significantly impact your quality of life.

So this year, my resolution is to keep what I'm calling a "thankful journal" where I write down - every day - at least three things I'm thankful for. Since I've started keeping the journal, I have become more aware of all the little things that make my life so wonderful - little things that previously, I would have taken for granted. Life is too short not to relish in the beauty of it, and now, at least for a few minutes every day, I remind myself of that fact.

My "Thankful Journal"

"If you think you're too small to make a difference or that your voice is too small to be heard, you've obviously never been in a tent with a mosquito" - unknown

Cartoon of the Day: When You Know Christmas is Over... So Sad

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Hope you all had a wonderful holiday and were able to spend time with the ones you love.

Dreaming of a White (Day-After) Christmas

The day after Christmas, we got 22 inches of snow within a few hours - and it kept snowing. It was completely insane around here for a while, but everyone is finally dug out. Gary and I used the weather as a good excuse to finish our Harry Potter marathon (all 6 movies) and then braved the snow covered freeways to see the 7th film: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which was fantastic.





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HAPPY NEW YEAR - 2011

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To all my friends and readers, thank you so much for all your love and support over the last year. I have appreciated every single comment and email, especially the ones of support for my son while he was in Afghanistan. I look forward to our continued friendships in 2011 and beyond. From our family to yours, wishing you a very happy new year with nothing but love, laughter and good health!

2010 The Year That Was - A Meme

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***UPDATE: The Linky has gone live.... Head on over to Grace's blog to add your post!!***

{Image Credit}
This is a meme I found over at my friend Grace's blog, Sandier Pastures, where she tells of being an ex-pat living in Dubai. She is such a lovely woman with a beautiful 7 year old daughter named Pristine who has a heart of gold. Grace's photographs are amazing and she explains life in