HAPPY NEW YEAR ...AND HERE'S TO YOU

I want to start out by saying "Happy New Year" to everyone.

For me this year has been a long hard one. So many things happened to me that have never happened to me in my life. I was let go of a Job that I loved. Yes, it was stressful but I was working and I worked with some wonderful people whom I will miss very much. We all try and keep in touch but it's just not the same, you know talking about who will win" Dancing with the Stars" or what is up on "Desperate Housewives" and of course the Gossip....That is what I will miss the most. This year coming I am going to be 50 and I was so looking forward to the "Trashing" of my office (Which I did for many of my friends there). As I said, I will keep in touch with them but it won't be the same.

Also, this year we sold my Parents house. This was done basically for me so that I could get out of dept. We did not get what we wanted for it but honestly if we tried to sell it now we would not get half of what we sold it for. So that was "bitter sweet" and I know my brother Matt will miss it most, not only did he live there but he made it his own. He loved that house. I must say one thing I am grateful for is my brothers, they are pretty Cool...and I love them all......yes, guys even Pat.....!!

The best part of this past year was being able to take Ayden up to NJ to meet his "favorite" side of the family. My Brothers, Andrea, and the kids were just wonderful with Ayen and he in turned loved then. Yes, he met is "Great Uncle's. I will never forget Andrea's face when Ayden came up and gave her a hug and a kiss the first time he saw her. It was Katie's Weekend and yet Katie made it alot about Ayden as did Ryan. I have so many wonderful pictures of those few precious days and they are memories I will cherish for ever.

So I will close this blog on the last day of this "Bitter Sweet" year saying "Next Year Will be my Year" as I do every New Years Eve but this time I will really mean it. 2008 has "Woken me up" in so many ways that I know I have to make the coming year "My" year myself. As I have said before, "God gives us the Tools and we have to work with those tools" so to all of my dear friends and family I wish you all a very very Happy New Year..

Memories of Christmas Past.....

Today I am adding one photo. This photo says it all for me, it is a photo of

my mom and dads 1st Christmas together. Because of this photo we have had

so many many wonderful memories of Christmas. Our parents really taught us

what Christmas is all about....and now we pass on the same traditions our own.

This is the time of year that I miss them both so very much.....

Most of this Blog will be Pictures because for me 70% of my photo albums are from Christmas Passed. For me Christmas is "The most wonderful time of the year...." because anything that is going on in your life you just put on hold until after Christmas. Like me, I don't have a job but I will worry about that the day after Christmas, ( Believe me I will) First we must remember why we have Christmas and that is because of the birth of Jesus, and that is the number one reason. need to put aside our worries and think of the joy of Jesus "Birthday". Then of course there is "Santa Claus" We could not have the fun of Christmas with out him,. Then we have Family and Friends in with whom we share the spirit of Christmas.

As you see in the next few photos Cassandra ALWAYS got her wish......

Here is a rare Photo of ME and Cassandra because I don't like to see Photos of my self,,

Family and Friends are the best part of Christmas....

Mom and Ryan

Uncle Matt and Cassandra

Eddie, Andrea and Ryan's, His First Christmas

Patrick and Maggie...This is a much missed Christmas passed

Anne and I, we spent many a Christmas together..

Me and "My Girls".....

More to come tomorrow......

The Meaning Full ones

I am sure all of us have the "Special Ornaments" that either have a story behind it or a special meaning. I also sure everyone knows where they got their ornaments or who gave them to you. For me it's all of the above, so like Joyce before me I am going to show off some of my Special and Meaning full ornaments,

First is my little Irish Dancer which was given to me by my brother Matthew who always finds these neat little Irish things. Matthew is a true "Irish Man" and dam proud of it. We all are, and for me this is special not only because Matt gave it to me but Cassandra did Irish Dancing for a couple of years and my parents were so proud watching her. I remember one Christmas at Pat and Maggie's house and my Dad made Cassandra get up and do the "Jig" and the look on my parents face was just "Priceless" they were so proud of her dancing in front of all those people.

Next is my beautiful "Special Aunt" Angel ornament that was given to me by my Niece and Nephew, Katie and Ryan. I love this angel not only because they gave it to me but because it is such a beautiful Angel. In fact this angel is so special I keep it out all year round. It hangs in my dining area for all to see.

Here is my Bailey's ornament, it is so cute and it hangs right in the front of my tree. We always make sure that Bailey has a couple of bones or play toys for him to rip open on Christmas. I guess most of you have seen the famous Bailey under the tree that I take every year. Under the is Bailey's favorite place at Christmas time. This year he is having a little trouble because it's a new tree and it goes all the way down to the floor but he does still get in. Yesterday my tree started moving to the right of my living room, it was Bailey underneath...

This ornament is from my mother's tree. Every year my mother and her sisters would meet for dinner just around Christmas time. Each one of them would give a little gift to all and alot of them gave ornaments like this. Three years ago I started getting ornaments in the mail from two of my aunts and the card just says "You've taken your mom's place"

Here is just one of the Ornaments I have received from Anne. For a long time Anne has attached a cute little ornament on to my presents. So each year I add a new Ornament from my best Friend Anne.

Here is a Angel from the movie "its a wonderful Life (my favorite movie) At the end of the movie the little girl says "Teacher says every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings" so when I saw this in a small Christmas store some where I bought it for my tree.

Now this one is very very old, and it's not really an ornament it is a little doll. My mom told me that it was passed down by generations and I believe it goes back to my Great, Great, Great Grandma's tree maybe even longer. My mom was so proud to have it, so it has been passed down to me and I will pass it down to Cassandra or Katie. I prefer Katie because she will take care of it, Cassandra ???? (Sorry Cass).

Last but not least is my Angel tree topper. Honestly it's new just this year. I was looking for her for many years, I could never find just the perfect one but I think I found it.

This one I have had a very long time and I love it, in fact it is one of the first ornaments I bought for my tree when I first move here to Florida. I am a big fan, thanks to my dad.

As you can see I have a small theme going on here which is Angels. When I first moved to Florida I said I would buy a new Angel for my tree and in time I would have only Angels on my tree. But as you can see, some of them just mean too much to me.

it's that time of year......

As they say..."It's The most wonderful Time of the year" is really so true. No matter what is going on in my Life I can always be happy at this time of year, it's just the way I am. I also see it in Cassandra, she always loved Christmas and she is like a little kid at this time of year. But this year her son comes first. Cassandra picked me up after work the other day and her and I went shopping for Ayden and she was so happy doing it, I loved watching her.

Well here is a few ways I decorated my home, first off my Bedroom. I am in my room more than anything, it's my sanctuary...(Most of the time)

My Christmas tree is "New" This year, I bought one of those "Pull Up Tree" and I think it's beautifulI made the mistake of going to "Target" last week with Ayden and he saw this beautiful Christmas Decoration with "Yes, you got it a TRAIN" going round and round. He said he wanted it of course and I said "no" and he was so good about it I went back that night and bought it. No Sale, it was $50.00 Ssshhhhh don't tell me

brother Eddie...

Next are a few pictures around the house, my Living room table, my couch, and a few other places.