Our Daughter Stacey and her Husband Mike

Posts tagged ‘Our Daughter Stacey and her Husband Mike’

My Stepdaughter and Her Family

Yesterday I took photographs of my stepdaughter and her family at a park in our hometown.

Family Photo Session at Betts Park

I am so very happy that our granddaughters live close by so that we are able to see them in person, as they grow up!

Thanksgiving Day

This was not a usual Thanksgiving Day for Bob and me. It was only the second time in our 15-year marriage that we stayed home for Thanksgiving. The majority of our Thanksgiving Day holidays have been spent in Virginia or in New Hampshire at either Bob’s brother or sister’s house. We stopped going to Virginia for the Thanksgiving holiday, when Bob’s brother and our sister-in-law moved to Hawaii. In 2010 we spent the holiday at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA. We ate a traditional Thanksgiving dinner that year at the Concordville Inn Restaurant in Concordville, PA . In 2011 we spent the holiday in Niagara Falls, Canada. We ate dinner at the Market Buffet, located in the Casino Niagara. It wasn’t a traditional Thanksgiving Day dinner but good nonetheless. Last year we once again spent the Thanksgiving holiday in New Hampshire with Bob’s sister and our brother-in-law, where we enjoyed the company of family and the great taste of traditional Thanksgiving Day fare.

Thanksgiving Day, this year, was a laid-back affair.

Around 10:00 AM we met Stacey, Mike and the girls at Betts Park, a local park in our hometown of Warren, PA. Earlier this month Bob and I purchased an L.L. Bean sled for Harper and June. Yesterday morning Grampa took the girls for a sled ride.

Grampa Takes Harper and June on a Sled Ride

One last ride around a tree
Grampa pulled the girls fast around the tree.

Harper and June didn’t have fun in the snow only by going for a ride in the sled. After the sled ride, the girls played in the snow.

Fun in the Snow

We parted ways, when leaving Betts Park. Stacey and Mike took the girls home for a nap. A few hours later Stacey, Mike and the girls went to Mike’s parents’ home for Thanksgiving Day dinner. It wasn’t mentioned; however, I believe the four of them went to Stacey’s mom and stepfather’s house later in the day. Bob and I spent rest of the day at home, enjoying the company of each other. We watched a movie, “We’re the Millers”. The movie is a comedy, and there were a few opportunities for a good chuckle.

Bob and I talked about eating dinner out; however, we opted to stay home. I didn’t prepare a traditional Thanksgiving Day dinner; however, we did have turkey.

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This turkey breast tenderloin was accompanied with some vegetables.

and, for dessert …

It was a great Thanksgiving Day dinner for two people who are watching their carbohydrate intake!

Later in the evening Bob and I played a game of Scrabble. I can’t remember the last time we played Scrabble. It has been a couple of years at least! We had a good game, and Bob came out the victor.

This is how we spent our Thanksgiving Day. How did you spend your Thanksgiving?

Family Time

The last 13 days of October, for which I have photographs to share, were all about family.

We spent the night of Saturday, October 19, in the Pittsburgh area. We visited with Bob’s cousin, Chris, and his family that evening. Amy made dinner. The main entree was honey mustard chicken accompanied by broccoli, whole grain rice, and salad. For dessert we had a choice of a mini croissant with either white or chocolate kisses inside or apple turnovers that we brought with us. I ate a mini croissant. After dinner, I took several pictures of Chris and his family.

I put together a collage of my favorite photographs of Chris and family.

Chris, Amy and their son, David, will be moving to Italy early next year for 3 year tour of duty. Although Chris and family will be far away, I am happy that they will have the opportunity for travel during their 3-year stay. I look back fondly on my 3 years in Germany, while I was in the Army. I saw so much of Europe, while I lived there.

On Sunday, October 20, we visited with my brother and some members of his family. We enjoyed lunch at Jim’s house. The main entree was stuffed shells accompanied by Italian bread. For dessert we had banana bread with chocolate chips. Lunch was delicious! After dinner, I took several pictures of Jim, Judy, Emily and Elise. I even got some pictures that included Bob and me, which either Emily or Judy took with my camera.

Our niece, Emily, and her daughter Elise

Mother, Daughter and Granddaughter

My brother, Jim, and his wife Judy

I LOVE this collage of Bob, Emily, Elise and me!
I printed the collage; it is framed and sitting on top of a cabinet in our living room.

Thank you Chris and Amy and Jim, Judy and Emily for delicious meals and good conversations. Thank you, too, for preserving memories via photographs!

We enjoyed family time with Stacey, Mike, Harper and June in October as well. All four of them dropped by on Halloween.

Harper was dressed as a cat; June was dressed as a horse.

“Cat” and Mouse

Stacey and Harper

“Da-da?”

Stacey left for home before Mike and the girls. I wish she had stayed just a little bit longer. I love this photograph of Mike, the girls, their cousin Maddi and their Aunt Jen.
I would have loved it even more, if Stacey was in the picture!

Port Farms Visit

A visit today to Port Farms in nearby Waterford, PA was a family affair.

Our granddaughters enjoyed the company of their parents as well as all of their grandparents.

90th Birthday Celebration

Wilma’s birthday cake

Wilma’s granddaughter asked if I would take some photographs at her grandmother’s 90th birthday celebration. The grandmother, whose name is Wilma, is also my son-in-law’s grandmother and the great grandmother of our twin granddaughters. The birthday party was held this past Sunday. Unfortunately, Wilma was ill and not able to attend her birthday party.

I believe this photograph includes everyone who attended the birthday party.

These are five of Wilma’s siblings.

Wilma’s children

Wilma’s son with his family

Wilma’s daughter and her family

Wilma’s nieces and nephew

Singing “happy birthday” to Wilma

Because Wilma was not at the birthday party to blow out her candles, three of her great granddaughters blew out the candle.

Christmas Day

We celebrated Christmas with our daughter, Stacey, her husband Mike and our two granddaughters, Harper and June, this afternoon. Christmas dinner included baked ham, scalloped potatoes, tossed salad, dinner rolls, and green beans. For dessert we had coconut cream pie. After dinner we exchanged Christmas presents, and I took a few pictures in front of the Christmas tree.

Later we sat around the kitchen table, while Bob played a couple tunes on the mandolin. Harper and June listened and watched intently.

Several weeks ago I borrowed an old L.L. Bean sled from a friend. We finally had snow that stayed on the ground long enough for me to get a photograph of Harper and June riding a sled for the first time.

It was a very short ride. The girls were tired. In fact, doesn’t it look like June could fall asleep right there on the sled?

I hope that your Christmas was as enjoyable as was ours!

A Sleep Over, Breakfast at Sprague’s and Two State Parks

Our almost 7-month-old granddaughter, June, spent Friday night (December 14th) with us. June’s visit went extremely well. She was bathed, in her sleeper, fed and in bed by 5;30 pm. June cried for only a short time before she fell asleep. She slept pretty much through the night, awakening around 5:45 am the next day. We enjoyed having June sleep over at our house and look forward to Harper sleeping over in the near future.

Stacey, Mike and Harper arrived at our house around 8:15 am. The six of us left home shortly thereafter, en route Sprague’s Maple Farms Restaurant in Portville, NY. Looking at the map shown below, you will see that Sprague’s Maple Farms is quite a distance from our home. The excellent food, great service and total ambiance found at Sprague’s is definitely worth the ride. Moreover, breakfast at Sprague’s has become a Christmas tradition for our family. Our tradition began in 2007. We have missed only one year, 2008, since then. Breakfast at Sprague’s is something that we look forward to each year.

Warren, PA to Sprague’s Maple Farms in Portville, NY

After a delicious and hearty breakfast Stacey, Mike and the girls began their drive back home, while Bob and I drove an additional hour north to Letchworth State Park.

Sprague’s Maple Farms in Portville, NY to Letchworth State Park

Bob and I have visited Letchworth State Park numerous times. Our last visit, though, was in July 2008. It was time for another visit! The park, often referred to as the “Grand Canyon of the East”, is a spectacular place. The park’s magnificent scenery includes waterfalls (three major ones on the Genesee River) and a gorge. We entered the park from the Portageville entrance and drove north along Park Road. I discovered shortly before arriving at Letchworth State Park that, although I had my digital SLR, I had failed to bring a memory card with me. We made a few stops on our drive through the park. All photographs were taken with my iPhone camera.

Upper Falls

Middle Falls

Gorge View

Gorge View – Hogback Overlook

We left Letchworth State Park at its north end, at the Mount Morris exit. We told the GPS to take us home. The GPS took us home a different way thanwe were accustomed. Our normal route home takes us along the western side of the park. The GPS took us home along the eastern side of the park. The new route home resulted in our discovery of Stony Brook State Park, near Dansville, NY (letter “B” on the map shown below).

Mt. Morris, NY to Warren, PA

According to its website, Stony Brook State Park’s terrain is hilly with lots of woods. There is a deep gorge with rugged cliffs that overlook three waterfalls. We saw one of the waterfalls. The other two were on a trail that was closed for the season.

This used to be the Stony Brook park swimming pool. State budget restraints have kept the swimming pool closed for the past 3 years, according to a Dansville Online news article.