The Graduate

No, not a remake of the Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft story. This is a true graduation of the eldest of our next generation. In her mind, Jessica has been an adult on her own since she was about 2 months old. Interestingly, when it came to the graduation, she actually seemed introspective and -- while excited -- a bit nervous about how her whole world was changing.
So the family came out in force and even all went out to dinner together. Despite a jam packed weekend including moving Mom and Dad Darabaris all day on Saturday -- Aunt Celeste and Uncle Albert came down from Chicago too. It turned out to be a great family celebration.
On to the next chapter...for both Jess and us, her loyal servants. :-)

Boas, Tiaras and Sweet Potato Queens

Sometimes you just have to do a girlfriend over-the-top, sweet-potato-queen-in-the-making weekend. So, last week, my girlfriend of many years, Leigh Coulter Beal, the diva of Fernandina Beach, turned 50. I myself am only a year from that so I felt it proper..along with our other friend Lisa DeGreif Lauterbach, to honor her. So Lisa hopped on a plane from NY, I hopped on a plane from Chicago (along with two suitcases of tshirts, boas, tiaras, crepe paper, greyish black roses, a $50 MILLION dollar check, tinsel, scrapbooks and whatever else we could come up with.) When she walked in the door after work there we were...with a margarita in our hands..

The pictures tell the story. Though, in fairness, they do not show the look on the faces of David Beal Jr and Sarah Elizabeth Beal as we sat in the stands at the baseball game, cheering David on, in our boas and tiaras. Totally worth it.

Happy $50 Million Celebration, LCB. Here's to $50 million more!

Mothers Day 2009

Mothers Day is truly a day for women....most of us were raised by at least one if not more women. While I had and was greatly influenced by the men in my life (including my four brothers) I had a great mom and incredibly interesting aunts and grandmothers and special women in my life. Still do..lucky for me.
Nonetheless, Mothers Day has not been a great day for me since my mom passed away 23 years ago. Hard to believe I have lived almost half of my life without her.
This year I consciously decided to do something that would fill me with the spirit of mother's day and honor my mother -- and all of those influential women -- in my life. So I walked (and jogged a little) of the three mile Breast Cancer Network of Strength walk in downtown Chicago with lots of other women (and a good amount of men and kids!). The weather was just right...slightly cool and overcast until just before the walk. I walked with Donna and Sharla and Donna's god child. It was not just a good time to catch up with friends it was also overwhelmingly awesome and soul filling. Now it's time for a hot bath, a nap and a foot bath. Next year...I want to run :-)

Happy Mothers Day to all of those awesome women who have helped make me who I am..
(image from Rhonna Farrar and the House of 3)

Five on the Fifth - May

Spring is finally trying to bloom around here...which of course means allergies and all sorts of fun physical reactions to having buried ourselves and our environment for the winter (for starters, my feet need a total makeover!). Blooming is a good thing though and we had an awesome fifth to start out the spring....
5. Happy Cinco De Mayo!! Margaritas for all...
4. Carpooling with a friend makes the commute faster
3. 2010 Planning..planning at work and at home is getting our lives together!
2. Crafting of all kinds..mothers day goodness, layouts, getting ready for a craft fair
1. Dinner with friends...lucky to have fun and interesting friends and great wine!

National Scrapbooking Day

Yea! A day to celebrate the insanity, the creativity, the passion and the friendships of crafting! Happy Scrapbooking Day (just past..:-) to all of my crafting friends!