PATCH-IT-ALL

Miss you Matt

2011-12-07T13:37:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Virginia Beach

2011-08-08T10:27:00.000-04:00

Chris - Tatum - Gina - Ethan

We had the pleasure of having the Winspears come to visit us! We were really excited for my brother Chris and his family to come and visit us for the first time since living here. They spent a few very busy days in Washington, D.C. and then drove to our house. We encouraged them to relax and enjoy the beach, and they did! They also went to Busch Gardens and Historic Williamsburg. The weather was great while they were here (if you call hot and humid "great").

These kids are so adorable! We really enjoyed them!

We went to eat at Surfrider by the water and Ethan didn't know what to do without his I-Pod, so he worked on making Baba Lou's famous lemonade: Squeeze the juice from the lemon into your water and add sweetner! Of course then he had to pick out the seeds to blow from his straw. Uncle Mike may have contributed some instructions for this.

Tatum, the perfect child at all times, simple rolled her eyes at her brother's antics.

What a nice week we had here at the beach!

Love to all, MOM

What I did on my summer vacation

2011-07-18T17:23:00.000-04:00

The year was 1957 and our family once again took a road trip across the country, traveling from Buffalo, NY to Utah for Aunt Kathy's wedding. This was the year I got my long, shoulder length hair cut off at my mother's insistence, and Linda and I got our first perm for the wedding. Mom said it was Aunt Kathy's idea, and we would do anything for Kathy, so we went to the beauty parlor and got the whole smelly routine. My hair smelled every time it got wet for the next six months. The above photo must have been on our way home when we stopped at Yellowstone National Park to see Old Faithful and the mountain full of presidents. This Indian stood around the lodge so people could take photos of him. He certainly looks authentic.

This summer my "vacation" was going to Arizona to check on the work being done to our house and to pick out carpeting, tile, paint and lighting. I actually got it all done and feel good about that! Hopefully it will all be finished before we go back there at Christmastime.

This photo is looking into the dining room and living room where the wall was taken down. You can see all the paint colors I was trying on the LR wall. I think I found a good one! Of course that remains to be seen. The guys were plastering ceiling and walls last week while I was there. If you notice the fireplace on the right hand wall you can see where they raised it off the floor so they can built a raised hearth and add stone and a mantel. I wish one of my talented sons was close by to do some of this for us, but life does not seem to grant us those favors.

I had a nice time visiting with Grampa Jim. We managed to go for Mexican food a few times, so that made me happy! Grampa is doing well. He had some skin cancer removed from his face while I was there and now sports stitches and big bandages. Of course we all know that that will never keep him out of the sun. He goes to the pool every day and walks back and forth in the water to exercise his legs. We also had to go with him to Ted's Hotdog Stand for hotdogs. Ted's originated in Buffalo, and is a place where Grampa went all the time when he was a kid. For him it is a treat, and a walk down memory lane.

I didn't take any other photos, sorry. But I did enjoy time with Danielle and Anna Marie, who are now in Pennsylvania visiting her family. Also Mary and Matt and I watched movies and enjoyed each other. Mostly I ran around looking for things for the house.

Now I am home again and looking forward to Chris and Gina and Ethan and Tatum, who will be arriving on Monday! What a treat! Can't wait!

Love to all,
MOM

Don't Miss the Eagle Cam

2011-04-09T12:07:00.001-04:00

I have been watching this eagle cam in Decorah, Iowa all week. It has been amazing to see the eagles care for their newly hatched chicks. It reminds me of Becky and the twins. I watch as the momma eagle nods off and then wakes herself up again.The little baby chicks flail around with beaks open wanting to be fed.

Video clips at Ustream

How the eagle avoids stepping on her babies with those big claws, I have no idea, but she gently settles herself over them and tucks them in against the cold, windy Iowa weather. There are no leaves on the trees yet, and it has been raining all week. You hear other animals in the background on occasion, like geese I am hearing pass by right now.

They say that this nest is five to six feet across and weighs 1-1/2 tons! It is located above a fish hatchery in Decorah, which accounts for why I so often see fish laying in the nest.

Lots of the time the mom just sits there on the nest and there is no action. If this bores you, there are Youtube videos of this as well so you can watch as the chicks hatch, etc. I hope you will tune in and enjoy it!

Spring Brings New Life

2011-03-19T15:37:00.002-04:00

It has been several months since I wrote on this blog, so I better catch up. Matt just called from Roatan and all is well. He says the water is fabulous and his accommodations are fine. I was so happy to hear from him. He is seeing huge lobster and other things in the water. Enjoying all the snorkeling. Says he takes a water taxi for $3 to the other end of the island where he like it better. No internet, but he bought a cell phone with minutes he can purchase as needed, so that is awesome! He has been there a week already!

The most exciting news, of course, is the birth of the twins! We have been watching Becky grow for 8-1/2 months now, and we happy for their safe delivery! We are so thrilled to welcome these baby boys into our family! Born March 3, 2011, named Grey and Micah. This is such a nice time of the year to be born, just like little lambs!

Becky and Travis have kept us supplied with wonderful photos and a thorough, step by step, explanation of how they are doing. They still have the feeding tubes directing their mother's milk into their stomachs, and they are also nursing well. Soon they won't need the tubes at all and perhaps this week they will be removed and will be able to go home from the hospital. They are two week old right now. We never cease to be amazed at the the birth process! Always a miracle! In this photo they remind me of the little Swedish elves we put out at Christmas! So cute!

Last year I planted a forsythia bush next to the house and this spring it is full of bright yellow blossoms! My Grandma Mary always had forsythia bushes and I loved them. I don't know why I waited so long to acquire my own! The daffodils blooming in the front yard complement it beautifully in the exact same shade of yellow. A very happy color, don't you think?

I love this time of year when the threat of cold weather has departed and the hope of all things renewed is bursting forth. Some of you may not be quite there yet, but it is coming!

Love to all,

MOM

Who Said Snow?

2010-12-26T13:15:00.002-05:00

Someone said "Let it Snow!" and the heavens dumped tons of the white stuff all over the place. Virginia Beach is covered and more big flakes are making their way to earth with no sign of letting up. It is 30 degrees here, just cold enough to make it happen. Our screens have captured the flakes and blocked our view of the outside world. We are in an igloo! Mike and I are snug at home with no plans to venture out. *Photo #2 borrowed from Wavy 10 news page, wavy.com. Like I said, we are staying in!

Mike bought a pretty little Norfolk Pine, all decorated, for our living room. He must be feeling more festive than I have been. He bought me presents too. A very pretty little sight visited me as I wandered into the living room Christmas morning. Snuggly new slippers. a new camera, and an i-pad! I am totally thrilled! Have been playing with the i-pad non-stop! I even downloaded a book to read on it. Awesome! So less cumbersome than holding up a heavy book in bed.

Well, I am off to collect my Diet Coke and head to the sewing room to work on a quilt. We were delighted to hear from each of our kids yesterday and happy to know that you are all enjoying your families and each other, except for Jennie, who is happy amidst her cat and dogs, but I wish she was here with us.

Love, love, love to you all!
MOM

PS: Dad did the Christmas puzzle all by himself and complained the whole time. He wants to do it with YOU!

Off to Houston!

2010-10-27T12:23:00.001-04:00

Hi everyone! You probably all know that I am on my way to Houston for International Quilt Market. This is a big deal for me, as I am having a booth with my quilts and patterns for the first time. You know it is difficult to jar me out of my house, let alone set up a booth at a trade show to sell my wares. But things began setting the wheels in motion, and I have been preparing like crazy and off I go to Houston tomorrow! My good friend Joan is going with me, and three ladies from the shop-Holly, Sue and Sandra, have offered to help. If nothing else, we will have a blast! Wish me luck!
Love, from MOM!

Dim sum and Some Dim

2010-09-19T01:42:00.000-04:00

Today Mike and I went for Chinese dim sum. Dim sum is often referred to in Chinese novels that I read and I always wondered what it was.Turns out that it is small portions of food, like dumplings, shrimp puffs, etc. They bring it to your table on carts and you can select which delicacies you wish to try. I imagine that the Chinese select a few items and have a small meal of it. We, however, kept saying "Yes" to everything they showed us! We had shrimp dumplings and shrimp puffs and shrimp stuffed eggplant and tiny spare ribs and sesame balls and spring rolls, some more wonderful than others. Our favorite was the siew mai, pronounced shu mae. It had chicken and shrimp in it and was yummy. Least favorite: the sesame balls. They were pretty, but gummy inside. Didn't care for that.

I didn't have my camera for food photos as Lisa and Becky would have done, but got this from Google. Ours was served just like this, it little metal steamer containers. The Chinese people serving us were very nice and helpful, except for the guy who told us they charged extra for silverware. Very funny!

Guess what else we had Lisa? Kanji! They offered us rice porridge and then called it kanji and I said "Yes! We have to try kanji"! I remember Lisa always wanted kanji when she didn't feel good and I felt so bad that I couldn't make it for her--since I had no idea what it was. Mike has decided that it is definitely a comfort food and that he would like it when he is sick also. Think chicken rice soup with more rice and very mashed up. They also had a big pot of dessert that Mike asked about. Turns out it was tofu with syrup. We passed.

We also stopped at the Apple store to look at the I-pads. They look pretty cool. Especially if you have a clue how they operate. The little kid next to us had his fingers dancing all over the screen. We just stared at the screen and said, "Now what?" The store was mobbed, as it always is whenever we go there. It literally buzzes with electronic activity. My mental acuity is depleted the moment I enter that store. I feel like I was raised in the Stone Age. This is where the "Some Dim" is realized.

More later...

The Payne Family Reunion August 2010

2010-09-15T16:11:00.000-04:00

It all started with this family, William and Carrie Payne, of Mt. View, Alberta

and their children.

Olof, Oliver, Billy, William (Father), Randell, Mary, Carrie (Mother), John, Hilda, Harold, & Delvin

These are just a few of their descendants: Ruthie, Kathy, Marcie, Nolan, Marie, Janie and Linda.

Kathy, me and Linda are from the oldest daughter, Mary Payne Chambers; and Ruthie, Nolan, Marie and Janie are from Hilda Payne Romeril, the youngest daughter!

Aunt Kathy

Cousin Nolan Romeril, auctioneer

Showing the ancestor quilt at the auction

Kathy Chambers Blackhurst, Marcie Winspear Patch, Nolan Romeril, Becky Froelich Pitcher

Marcie Patch and Janie Romeril

Grandpa Jim Winspear and Hoyt Blackhurst

Cousins

Me-Dad-Linda with Ethan and Gina in front

Renn Patch and Mark Brower

David Slaughter and Lorna Brower

Aunt Jennie with Isaac and brother Renn

Jennie with Isaac and Linda

Keira took most of these photos for me, so she is not in any of them! Thanks Keira, they are great!

This was such a fun event, and I loved seeing relatives that I haven't seen in years, and meeting some for the first time! One sweet lady told me that one time when my mom visited Mt. View she sat on the porch with her and a bushel of peas that needed to be shucked and the two of them went to work until they were done. That was a sweet memory that she had of my mother when she was 18 years old.

Nolan told me that he remembered when I visited at about 14 or 15 years old and how bad I hurt from horseback riding. He apparently thought it was quite funny to see a city girl in pain. Ha ha! I am amazed that they are still nice to me, because my memory is that they all had to get up early and bale hay and I slept in!

We do this again in two years! Start planning now to come!

Utah Trip 2010

2010-09-15T14:16:00.002-04:00

Polly, Grandpa Jim and Jennie

It is good to be home sleeping in my own bed after almost a month away. However, this morning I was awakened by screaming sea gulls. It was more quiet in every other bed that I slept in while away, even at student housing---well, except for Kathryn, who always needed something from her room that I was sleeping in, in spite of that fact that her mom got everything for her the night before. But what is the point of being five if you can't be the center of the universe, as she certainly is!

I had the pleasure of seeing all of my children and grandchildren on this trip. Plus my dad and lots of other relatives. It was great! This was my first glimpse of Isaac since we saw him as a newborn last Christmas. He and Keira picked me and Jennie up at the airport in Salt Lake. He was very sweet and friendly and had no problems letting me and Jen smother him with love and kisses.

Keira is such a good mom and Isaac is a very happy baby!

Isaac finally received his quilt that I made, and that was published by McCall's Quick Quilts this summer. I actually made it before he was born, but was pleased to know that McCall's wanted to publish it, so it was delayed in the delivery.

We were delighted to see my brother, Chris Winspear and darling wife, Gina and Tatum and Ethan at the Payne Family Reunion!

(Photo above shows Isaac-Renn-Me-Tatum and Gina-Chris-Jennie)

Look at these beautiful kids! Isaac-Tatum-and Ethan!

More later!

Love,

MOM

Family pics

2010-09-02T22:56:00.001-04:00

Kathryn with her hamster collection.

Happy Birthday to Jack! He really wanted a guitar for his birthday. Uncle Renn gave him an electric guitar ad Travis gave him an acoustical. What a lucky kid!

Travis and Becky

Isaac sure liked Jennie!

Pretty Keira feeding Isaac. Oh I sure miss him!!!

Just a few photos to share!

Love,

MOM

Cousins Unite!

2010-08-10T12:30:00.000-04:00

Last week my cousin Donna came to visit and brought her darling daughter, Lindsay, who was a year old the last time I saw her. Yes, it has been that long! They drove here to Virginia Beach from Buffalo, NY and spent one whole day with me. Can you believe it? Donna had to get back for an appointment on Thursday, but decided to make the tip anyway, even tho it was a quick one with lots of driving.

This is how we looked last time we saw each other! Lindsay grew up to be a wonderful young woman and I enjoyed her so much. She seemed to be content to sit and look through the family history research that I have accumulated for the Winspear family over the years. She even spouted names and dates that she remembered from visiting cemeteries with her mom. How lucky Donna and Lindsay are to be able to team up and enjoy doing the searching and researching together!

As I mentioned in a previoius post, Donna and I only recently reconnected after all these years. Our fathers were brothers, Jim and Burt Winspear, of Buffalo, NY. Donna happened upon my Dad's blog while searching on line for Winspear information. Since Winspear history has been my pet project for years, we got together and shared info. I have lots of names and dates and am still finding more! Donna has the advantage of visiting local sites and cemeteries in Buffalo and surrounding area. She knows where all the bodies are buried!

We had so much fun talking and sharing and scanning photos. We discovered that we have much more in common than just our family history. So now were are delighted to be not only cousins, but friends! And Lindsay too!

The Good Life at Virginia Beach

2010-07-20T17:53:00.000-04:00

The past two weeks have been busy ones! Matt, Anna Marie and Danielle came and brought Mabry, Danielle's best friend. When Grandpa Jim heard they were coming he decided that he wanted to come also. So we had a house full and loved it! Matt took over the television, my Dad laid claim to the deck, and the girls loved their futon on the floor in the TV room. Anna Marie made sure everyone got down to the beach every day, plus they got in some bike rides through the park.

Grandpa Jim (with his goofy face for the camera) learned a couple new card games from the girls. Mike got into the act also and I could hear them laughing and laughing out on the deck.

Grandpa Patch bought the girls hats and t-shirts from Life is Good. Pretty nice picture of the Chesapeake Bay in the background!

We ate out on the deck every night. Hot dogs, corn on the cob and strawberry shortcake--Life IS Good!

A weekend in NYC

2010-07-20T17:29:00.001-04:00

This past weekend Mike and I took Danielle and Mabry to New York. We had such a great time! We drove up Friday morning and got there around 1:30pm. We stayed at the Mariott Marquis in Time Square. We walked all over for miles and I quickly became exhausted in the 90 degree heat. But I was able to keep up, only at a slower rate than everyone else.

So maybe that's not keeping up after all. But I walked, and got there eventually. The girls were willing to shop till they dropped, only they never dropped. I, on the other hand, dropped several times. We had a fabulous Italian dinner at Sophie's the first night. We all had good meals, but in the end we agreed that Danielle's Fettucini Alfredo was the best. Wow--all cream and butter!

On Friday night we went to see the Addams Family. It was fabulous! Nathan Lane was Gomez, Bebe Neuwirth (aka Lilith) was Morticia. The whole cast was excellent! We loved it! The second night we saw Wicked and it was also fabulous! Great story and again, the acting and the singing was wonderful. We feel really lucky to have been able to get tickets for these hit productions.

On Sunday, before we went home, we took a buggy ride in Central Park. It was a lovely thing to do, tho Mike was embarrassed to be doing something so touristy. Sal, the driver, gave the girls a carrot to give the horse. They were a little nervous about that, but it was fine. Then the long drive home, not our favorite part, but our weekend was great! We all came home happy!

Facebook

2010-06-30T17:13:00.001-04:00

I opened a Facebook account. don't ask me how this happened, it just sort of did. I clicked onto the Parent's Magazine photo contest and it wanted my Facebook account. So I opened one! Simple as that. Suddenly all these people pop up that have accounts that I know. Mostly relatives, fortunately. I guess it must have searched my AOL address book, which is the email account I gave them. Can they do that?

So far it looks like a lot of my relatives making smart-alec remarks back and forth. Hey, I think I might like this! They are all so sassy! I like that about them! And no one ever comments on this blog, so maybe Facebook is the way to go. Honestly, I kind of avoided it because I thought it was a thing for the kids and I didn't want to become a voyeur into their private lives. You know, the lives that they expose to everyone with an Internet connection? But then the first person I got a friend request from was Mary! So I guess I will play along and see where it goes.

Pretty Baby!

2010-06-25T17:10:00.000-04:00

Everybody knows we have the prettiest babiest in our family! We wouldn't be normal if we didn't think so!

Therefore, it only makes good sense that our little Isaac should be entered into the Parent's Magazine Cutest Kid Contest, tho they may have a different name for it. Well surprise, he has been entered into this contest! So please follow the link and vote for our little cutie. The one with the most votes gets on the cover! Vote-vote-vote! Vote every day until it's over, yes, they allow that.
Everyone knows that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I sure wish I was the one holding Isaac right now!

OUR HANDSOME and HAPPY GRADUATE!

2010-06-06T14:51:00.000-04:00

If you haven't seen Kyle for a while, he has grown into a man while we were looking the other way! And a handsome man too! Kyle graduated from high school recently and is now facing his future! What to do, what to do?

I have a rather old fashioned suggestion: Get a job and work your butt off! Develop a reputation for someone who is hardworking and reliable! Save your money. The past has been fairly easy, but the future will not be. We want the best for you, and it is up to you to achieve it! Our prophet has said that "Our decisions determine our destiny"! Keep this as a mantra to remember and live accordingly. Show your love for your family and your gratitude as well. It is wonderful to have friends, but when things get tough you will learn that your family will always stand by you.

We are so proud of you and look forward to seeing good things happening for you in the future! We love you Kyle!

JUNE BIRTHDAYS

2010-06-01T13:32:00.000-04:00

It is birthday time again! Our darling Danielle is 14 years old today! Happy Birthday Danielle! This photo is from last summer, and since she is coming to see us at the beach, I will have a chance to take more current pictures soon! Can't wait!

My sister Linda also has a birthday this month, and out of respect for the elderly, I will not disclose her age. But she looks darn good for a card carrying AARP member! And I never get tired of rubbing it in!

This, of course, is my beautiful mother, Louise Chambers Winspear, who passed away January 1, 2000, just a few months after this photo was taken. She was born June 9, 1923. Just last week I was in Minneapolis and visited her grave. It was a beautiful and peaceful day at the cemetery, and I shared a diet coke with her. I miss you Mom.

LISA GRADUATES

2010-05-18T21:06:00.001-04:00

Our darling Lisa graduated--yes, from college! It is difficult to believe when you look at this sweet face that she is 22 years old!

We were delighted when Lisa told us that she wanted to come to Virginia to visit us on her way home to Hong Kong. We couldn't quite believe it, but she actually showed up here with her mother, Joanna. They spent three nights here and we loved every minute. Lisa has grown so much in the five years that we have known her. She is not as shy as when we first met her. She has a sweet and bubbly personality, and a good sense of humor. (We base that on the fact that she laughs at our jokes!)

Unfortunately it rained most of the time they were here, but we did manage to catch a few sunny minutes looking at the beach from atop a sand dune.

Joanna insisted on making dinner for us. Fried rice with crab and shrimp, and tomatoes with beef. She also stir fried shrimp in soy sauce, which we loved. I watched and tried to learn from her.

Joanna also made Chinese soup with bok choy and pork. Everything was so good and so pretty! We are so happy to know Joanna. She is lovely and so easy to be around. We hope they will come back and visit again when the sun is shining!

How blessed our family has been to have this special young woman in our family for the past five years. We will always think of her as our own and we are happy that her Hong Kong family was willing to share her with us.

We love you Lisa!

SINGING THAT SONG AGAIN!

2010-05-11T15:07:00.002-04:00

This happy little girl just turned five years old! She says it will be a "whole new experience"! One thing is for sure, we can never get enough of her! Happy Birthday granddaughter!

Chris and Polly both have birthdays this month as well. Here they are at Becky's wedding, looking as happy as can be!

No birthday this month for Renn, but Jennie does have a birthday! This photo was from "a few" years ago, and darn cute! Happy Birthday darling Jennie!

We sure love you all!

FAMILY CONNECTIONS

2010-04-30T14:13:00.000-04:00

This is my Uncle Burt Winspear, Grandpa Jim's younger brother. I love this photo of him! He was about to be made captain when he died fighting a fire in Buffalo, NY in1975. He and his wife, Margie, had four children. Recently his daughter Donna left a couple e-mails on Grandpa Jim's blog. I contacted her by e-mail and then we spoke by phone. We have not been close over the years. We moved from Buffalo when I was 14 years old and Donna was a baby. I remember Grandma Bessie was so delighted with Donna because she finally had a grandchild with red hair like her own!

When I was 18 Linda and I went back to Buffalo for a visit.

Linda, Cheryl, Donna on my lap, Grandma Bessie and Margie

When Dad and I lived in Rochester for a brief while we saw Aunt Margie and her family again. Donna had grown up and had twin girls, by then. Cheryl couldn't make it that night and I hope to connect with her soon also.

Now another 20 years has passed! I am so delighted to be talking to my cousin again. And now I find that we have something in common that we can share. Donna has recently taken an interest in genealogy! We spoke for over an hour last week catching up on family and family history. She and her daughter, Lindsay-in the above photo, have been going to the County Court House and looking up records and searching microfilms. etc. They also went to the Lancaster Rural Cemetery where my mom and Jennie and I went back in 1988 to the Winspear family plot. Donna was as thrilled as I was to find the resting place of almost all our ancestors (the American ones).

It is a rather funny feeling to go to the cemetery and find all the grave stones. We felt the presence of our ancestors around us. Of course we know their spirits have moved on, but somehow we felt them, as though they were watching and knew we were there searching for them and wanting to say hello!

Our Winspear ancestors left Yorkshire, England in 1831 and settled in the Buffalo area. They raised large families and were active in their communities. Donna teaches 5th grade and talks about them to her class as part of their local history of Cheektowaga, NY. Isn't it fascinating that her family is still located in this same community where our ancestors settled? Her daughter is the eighth generation living there!

Just thought you might like to know...

APRIL BIRTHDAYS

2010-04-15T09:49:00.000-04:00

We have a few family birthdays this month!

Becky turned 21 on April 11
Matt and Anna Marie both celebrate together on the 16th
And Mike becomes another year older on the 29th

Time marches on and we march with it, tho the pace might slow a bit as the years go by! Happy Birthday everyone!

LOOKING FOR SOMEONE?

2010-03-27T16:13:00.001-04:00

As you all know I dabble in genealogy. Recently while playing on line I googled my great-grandfather's name and found a link to a genealogy website where someone was looking for information on his family. I shared what I knew and the woman had this photo, above, that she emailed me. What an exciting find! It reminded me of that commercial that has been on TV for Ancestry.com where the woman says, " you don't even have to know what you are looking for, just look"! Kate Spencer North is my great-grandmother, and her father, John North, is my great-great-grandfather. We are not sure of the names of the others in the photo, but all are family, surely. They lived in Syracuse, NY, where Grandma Bessie is from, and Kate is Bessie's mother. This was a very exciting photo for me to come across.

Years ago when I was doing research I sent to England for a birth certificate for Kate. Look at all the great information on this document! Today most of this is available at Ancestry.com. You have to pay to join and then search for the info on line. What a fabulous boon to genealogists! In case you don't already know this, you can go on line to lds.org and download a program called PAF for free. Here you can begin to enter your family genealogy on charts where you just fill in what you know and search for the rest. At new.familysearch.com you can find additional information that the LDS church has compiled. Keep in mind that I have already entered a lot of information, so don't reinvent the wheel. Just ask me!

I want to encourage you all to watch the TV show, Who Do You Think You Are? on NBC, Friday nights. It has been really great! It has followed the ancestry search for Sarah Jessica Parker, Emmit Smith, Lisa Kudrow and Matthew Broderick. If you missed any of them you can see them on line at the above link. You may also have an "on demand" button on your TV remote that lists that show. This coming Friday they will show the episode with Brooke Shields. Check it out!

Love you all!

MOM

ANNIVERSARY BELLS RINGING

2010-03-15T16:25:00.000-04:00

I don't know if there is such a thing as anniversary bells, but I am ringing them regardless! Oh how the years fly by! Matt and Anna Marie have been married for 19 years this month! How lucky our whole family was the day Anna Marie said "I do"! And what a wonderful family these two have created! We look forward to having you visit us this summer!

And for Renn and Keira it has been one whole year! You have to wonder how that happens so quickly. They have already blessed us with a new grandson, Isaac! We rejoice in their happiness and love seeing our family grow!

Love to everyone!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!

2010-02-18T13:44:00.000-05:00

W. JAMES WINSPEAR
Happy Birthday Dad! 87 years of being a wonderful son, husband and father, and friend to many as well. We are all grateful for the kind of person you are and the influence for good that you have shared. You have always worked hard to take care of us, your children and grandchildren, and played with us as well. As adults you have been there for us to offer your views and assist us with your guidance. We have benefitted from your sense of humor as well as your tender tears. Spending time with you is always a pleasure!

Three Winspear brothers: Jack, Jimmie, and Burt!

Four generations of Winspears!
Randy, Jimmie, Walter (Augie) and Wally

I really should have a photo of our whole family, but I haven't scanned anything new.

Here's to you Dad! Happy Birthday February 20, 2010!

Happy Birthday Keira

2010-02-13T16:23:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone, it was Keira's birthday yesterday! Too bad I wasn't smart enough to post this yesterday! Keira, we love you and are so glad you are in our family!

Isaac's Blessing

2010-02-08T20:22:00.000-05:00

Our little Isaac is growing! Keira sent me these photos from Sunday, February 7, 2010, when Isaac was blessed.

He just gets cuter and cuter doesn't he?

Look at that hairline--just like his daddy's!

Love to everyone! MOM

OUT MY WINDOW

2010-01-30T13:31:00.001-05:00

I looked out my window and what did I see? Well, a very unusual sight for Virginia Beach, that's for sure! Despite all the predictions, I really didn't believe this would happen. We have probably gotten five inches of snow so far, and there may be more to come. I see people are beginning to get brave and there are cars going down Shore Drive, but we won't be one of them! We have everything we need right here!

I know, I know, we have seen lots worse than this all those years in Minnesota, but we don't live in Minnesota anymore! This is "the South", we don't expect to have to deal with this!

Dad is hunkered down with a book and a glass of Cream Soda, and I have started a pot of soup and cinnamon rolls. That is our cozy little weekend all wrapped up and warm! Give me a quilt and some hot chocolate please!

Love to you all!

Mom

SO HOW WAS YOUR DAY?

2010-01-16T17:25:00.001-05:00

What a day I had yesterday. I left home at 11:30 to go get a haircut. I mentioned to the lady cutting my hair that it smelled like someone had garlic for lunch...not meaning her. I smelled garlic when I walked in the place Well turns out she loves garlic and had it the night before for dinner. In fact she confessed that she adds it to everything. I think it was coming out her pores. You know garlic does that. She ran for some gum, and I was totally embarrassed and am happy to be left with some hair on my head after that.

I then went to Sam's Club and didn't have my check book, but they said they take debit cards. So I shopped and filled up my cart and went to check out, used my debit card and it wouldn't accept my pin number. I know it was the right number, but haven't used the card in a while, so that was probably the reason. So I tried to go get cash and same thing--wrong pin. Meanwhile the line is forming behind me. Anxiety sets in!
I came back to the cashier and she says "Oh do you want to charge it instead?" Well hell yes! Why are you making me jump thru hoops if I can charge it? I thought the whole point was that I had to do a debit!
So I charged it and took my stuff to the car. I sat in the car and looked at my receipt. I originally tried to get $20 cash back and it looked like I was supposed to get it but didn't. So I went back in and the cashier pointed out how dumb I am, and I misread it. I went back out to my car and...whoops...where are my keys? In the ignition with the doors locked! Aiyee! Again, dumb, dumb, dumb! I went back into the store seeking help. Everyone wanted to know did I have AAA. No, I think I would have at least been smart enough to call them if I had them. And my husband was out of town, so no help from there. Finally someone suggested the mechanics and tires area. A very nice young man came out and tried to jimmie the lock with a coat hanger, but was unsuccessful. So we went back in to call a locksmith. (Oh, and I am probably the only person in this country without a cell phone!) Most of the numbers in the yellow pages were disconnected. This poor kid just keeps dialing number after number and finally someone answers! So half an hour and $40 later I got into my car! By that time it was 3:30 and instead of running the rest of my errands, I came home to put the groceries away. Oh, I had a hot dog and coke while I was waiting for the locksmith. I was starving. It was good.

See how I can totally blow a day whether I am home or not?! Honestly, the whole time I was thinking, "This must be a bad dream. This isn't really happening because this is my lucky year!"

What a life!

Isaac at six weeks

2010-01-16T13:02:00.000-05:00

"This is Isaac during breakfast today. He cries when we put him down but immediately falls asleep when being held." So says Renn. He sent me this picture from his phone today. Look how his little cheeks are filling out! So sweet! Thanks Renn!

Christmas in Utah

2009-12-29T17:38:00.000-05:00

Look at our cute Travis and Becky with their wedding quilt! I had to have a photo of them with it. Their apartment looks darling, and the quilt is hanging in the wall in the living room. I am glad they like it!

Look how much our little Isaac is growing! He is wrapped in his daddy's arms here. So sweet!

Renn is loving every minute of this baby! Sorry about the red-eye. My photo shop is on my computer and I am on Dad's laptop.

Sweet Baby Isaac with his mommy, Keira!

And with Becky!

Happy Daddy!

Grandma and Grandpa and Isaac!

And finally, look at these beautiful snow covered mountains!

We go home tomorrow and life will go back to some semblance of normal. But it has been so much fun being here for Christmas and spending time with Renn, Keira, Isaac and Becky and Travis!

It's a Wonderful Life!

ONE WEEK OLD

2009-12-11T13:45:00.000-05:00

Little Isaac is growing already! This is the latest picture from Renn.

NEW ARRIVAL

2009-12-05T14:17:00.001-05:00

Welcome to our world little Isaac Michael Patch. He was born December 2, 2009, weighing 8 pounds and 2 ounces. Keira and Renn are thrilled with their new little boy. Through the miracle of cell phones Renn send us pictures immediately. Then Becky rushed to the hospital and took more for us! Read Becky's sweet blog for her take on the whole scene. Then she also posted on the Froelich Family blog as well. Great pics! Thank you Becky.

We are all very excited for this new little arrival! For one thing, we have another grandson to carry on the Patch name! We keep trying to buy Jack off to change his name to Patch, but so far his father is very opposed. Go figure.

Keira and Renn, congratulations and we can't wait to be with you! Send more photos and I will be happy to show them off here for all to see!

Bye Bye Birdie

2009-12-02T17:38:00.001-05:00

I just stripped the rest of the meat from our Thanksgiving bird. Tomorrow it will be a week. Better use that meat up! I will throw the bones in the crock pot tomorrow for soup. It can simmer away while I am busy outside the kitchen. Tonight I made turkey pie and that is in the oven. Won't Dad be happy? I haven't cooked since Thanksgiving. Seriously, I guess it is time. So here is my super simple recipe for Chicken or Turkey Pie:

Prepare a pie crust or purchase one

Two cups of cooked, cut up chicken/turkey or 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 can (16 oz) Veg-All (mixed vegetables)

2 cans soup, Cream of Chicken and Cream of Potato

Bake in a pie crust for one hour at 350 degrees.

Easy as pie!

Dad always wishes this was apple pie, but he does like it.

We are still waiting to hear from Renn and Keira. They went to the hospital this morning for the baby to be induced. Come on baby boy, we are waiting for you!

THANKSGIVING BLESSINGS

2009-11-24T17:47:00.007-05:00

Rain, rain, go away! I would rather have sun on Thanksgiving Day!

Yes, it is raining here once again. Sigh. But not freezing rain! Smile!

When Thanksgiving rolls around I find myself thinking of years ago when we were all much younger. (And our children were children and our grandchildren had not yet come to life.) Dad and I both wanted our own mother's Thanksgiving dinner, so we went to Patch's at noon, and Winspear's at 3:00. Talk about gluttons!But it was wonderful to have all our family close by so that we could enjoy being together. You all really were lucky to have so many cousins on both sides of the family to play with. And you had wonderful grandparents that loved you as well.

What really comes to mind for me, is standing at the sink in Grandma Patch's kitchen and looking out the window at the driveway, wondering when the rest of the family would arrive while snow flakes peacefully fluttering to the ground. She commented that the snow in Minnesota often seems to arrive right around Thanksgiving. I don't know why that little scene is so memorable to me. It is odd, the little things that stick in our minds.

So here it is, Thanksgiving again, and all thoughts turn to home and family. It has been many years since our family was all together for Thanksgiving. The past couple of years Dad and I have spent the day alone. This year we found out that my cousin Mark's son Daniel lives three hours away in Manassas, Virginia, so we have invited him and his wife and 18 month old daughter to join us. Dad will be happy, he will have a little blond girl on his knee again!
Dinner will be the same, of course, with all the old standbys, as mentioned in my other blog. We got all the chestnuts cleaned for the chestnut dressing! It took years for your dad to decide that he liked it, so now we have to include that as our specialty!

As usual, you will each be having your own celebration in a different location, and in a different state!
Jennie will be driving with Cousin Laura to the Armbruster home in South Carolina.
Matt and Anna Marie will be having her family over to their new home as they now have their oven working.
Polly and Chris will have a full house with their family and more! Plus, Becky and Travis are driving up and bringing friends from Buffalo.
Renn and Keira...I don't know for sure, but I assume they will be with her family somewhere, and most likely at Renn's house.
Grampa Jim will be at Linda's, I am sure, as all her kids are there this year.

Amidst all the food and fun, I hope you will have some Thanksgiving memories of your own to savor. And always bear in mind how much we love you all and we are so thankful to have such great kids and grandkids!

LIFE'S A BEACH

2009-11-14T17:53:00.006-05:00

It has been raining here for the past three days, and the first came with 60 MPH winds. We really took a beating. They schools were closed, as was Dad's work. Streets were flooded, including ours. Today I decided to see what the beach looked like. I walked out the boardwalk where there are usually stairs. But look! The stairs have been washed away! The tides have been really high and damaging.

The skies are still gray and the rain keeps coming.

Can you see the Pier Cafe down the way? The pier has sections washed out. Notice how far the water is up. I am sure the sea took back lots of sand with this storm. It also washed boats out that were pulled up by the sand dunes. The neighborhood watch e-mail indicated that several kayaks had washed down the shore and could be retrieved at McDonalds.

The tide is still coming in here. See the people down the beach with kites!

Our house and yard are more than drenched. the yard is so waterlogged that there is water pooling. It is better today and in these pictures than it was yesterday when it was several inches deep.

Here is the side yard, still immersed. The driveway is one big pool of water as well. We can't reach our mailbox, it has a lake around it. Dad goes out in big rubber boots to retrieve the mail.

The first night of the storm we lost power for several hours just after dinner. We watched movies on Dad's laptop that Becky loaded on last summer. Thanks Becky!

Today I finally left the house for the first time in over a week. It was so nasty the past few days I didn't want to go anywhere. Today I went to Sam's Club and the grocery store, then Dad and I went out for Mexican food. The Mexican food here never lives up to my expectations. You think I would learn.

You think I would cook! Hahaha!

A KISS TO BUILD A DREAM ON

2009-10-24T19:17:00.007-04:00

Give me a kiss to build a dream on, And my imagination will thrive upon that kiss. Sweetheart, I ask no more than this: A kiss to build a dream on. (Louis Armstrong)

FAMILY

AND FRIENDS

OUR OCTOBER FEST BEGINS

2009-10-24T16:34:00.015-04:00

On October tenth, 2009, our darling girl, Rebeccah Louise Froelich, was married to Travis Pitcher of Orem Utah. I left home on October 5^th so I could get there early. After the wedding, I flew to Arizona to spend a week with Matt’s family. I got some flu bug (don’t say Swine Flu) and was down for the count the whole week I was in Arizona. I came home on Tuesday, October 20^th, still feeling kinda crummy. Mostly I am TIRED and still coughing. So that is my excuse for such late reporting of such a monumental event!

Becky and Travis picked me up at the SLC airport on Monday, October 5^th. I had met Travis before at Renn’s wedding, but didn’t really talk to him much. All I knew for sure was that he is very tall and has curly blonde hair. And that my granddaughter Becky is madly in love with him. After an hour long trip back to Provo it became apparent to me why she adores him. Travis is the real deal. In him I see honesty, thoughtfulness, kindness and purity all wrapped up in a big smile. He rather glows with goodness! Becky chose very well, I believe.

Upon arriving in Provo Travis's car broke down and his dad came and delivered us the rest of the way home.

I wish I had a picture of Travis and another young man pushing the vehicle off the road into a parking lot, and of Becky steering and learning for the first time how it feels when there is no power steering. Oh the trials of being young and broke!

We arrived at Becky’s apartment and what was soon to become “the love nest” after the wedding, of course. Polly had been there a few weeks earlier and, with some help from Travis and Becky, painted the whole interior. Everything looked nice and clean. The apartment is a unit in an old home in downtown Provo that has been divided into three or four apartments. It could use some work, to say the least. But for Becky and Travis it will suffice for a while until they feel the need to move on. First apartments are supposed to be memorable so they stand as a point of reference for when you achieve more in life.

Travis rode off on his scooter to go to work and Becky and I were left alone. Becky had been experimenting with cooking and had homemade rolls (she needs more work in that area) and homemade squash soup. The soup may sound a bit odd, but let me tell you, it was fabulous! The squash soup was pureed and then finely chopped ham, apples and pecans was sprinkled on top. Very gourmet. I hope she will serve me that again some day.

OK, I am taking too long on all of this. Let me just say that I was happy to be there a couple days early as it gave me time to spend with Becky before the mad crush.

Aren't they cute! More later...

Photos by Lisa! I swiped them from her blog. (Click there to go to her blog)

LIZZY

2009-09-30T16:13:00.004-04:00

Sometimes we see death approaching from afar. It slowly advances at a regulated pace on a person who has lived a long and full life. It may surprise us, but it is not totally unexpected.
Sometimes death calls on someone who has been ill for a while, and we might even consider it a blessing.
Yesterday death swept in and took my sister-in-law, Lizabeth Patch Armbruster. We are stunned at the audacity and shaken by the finality.
Liz was a 51 year old wife of Joe Armbruster, and mother of Eleanor, Laura, Jacob, Mary, Peter and Sam. She also had two grandsons. She actively participated in all things pertaining to her children. Her love for them and pride in them was apparent as you read the blog she kept recording the events in their lives and in her own.
Recently she wrote a couple of posts on her blog regarding memories of home and of growing up. She had a flair for writing, and a gift for displaying good common sense in the thoughts that she expressed. Her pen has now been silenced, and it is our loss.

Always the apple of her mother's eye, Liz was the youngest of the Patch children.

As a child Liz was not easily won over and she could spot a phony a mile away.

This is the most recent photo I have of Liz taken in July 2009 while I was visiting Jennie in Atlanta. Liz drove three hours from South Carolina to come and see me. Liz went out of her way to be with family and was often the instigator of get togethers.

Liz's mother died of cancer at the age of 53. Liz was 19 at the time and felt her loss throughout the rest of her life. As Liz became an adult I watched her fight through this loss and take her life by the horns. She took on the responsibilities of a family, of church, scouts and even education, as she decided to home-school her children for a time. Not easy, to be sure, but she took action and did what was necessary. Her children will have wonderful memories of a mother who loved them and devoted her life to them.

I am proud to have known her.

FOR BECKY

2009-08-11T14:23:00.001-04:00

A young couple got married and went on a cruise for their honeymoon. When they got back from the honeymoon, the bride immediately called her mother, who lived a couple of hours away.

"Well, darling," said her mom, "how was the honeymoon?"

Oh, mother," she replied, "the honeymoon was wonderful! So romantic, we had a terrific time! But, mother, as soon as we returned, Sam began using really horrible language… Stuff I'd never heard before… Really terrible 4-letter words… You've got to come get me and take me home… PLEASE MOTHER!"

And the new bride began to sob over the telephone.

"But honey," the mother countered, "WHAT 4-letter words?"

"I can't tell you, mother," said the daughter, "they're too awful! COME GET ME, P L E A S E !!!"

"Darling daughter, you must tell me what has you so upset… Tell mother the 4-letter words!"

Still sobbing, the bride said, "Mother….words like: DUST…WASH……IRON….COOK"

REST IN PEACE MR. PATCH

2009-07-26T11:58:00.010-04:00

Harry Patch, Britain's oldest remaining survivor of World War I, passed away yesterday, Saturday, July 25, 2009. He was 111 years old. Do we know if he was a relative? Well, if he was, he was far removed. But he shares our name, and so it does catch our attention.

Wikipedia shares lots of information about Harry, almost all of it referring to his WWI experience. Apparently he refused to speak about the war for almost 100 years. Seriously, he joined the service in 1917 at the age of 19. He finally broke his silence in the past few years, when it became clear that he was one of the last remaining soldiers of WWI in the world! (Of course my sarcastic husband says that is because there is no one left to dispute him!)

He survived 90 days in the trenches at a battle in Battle of Passchendaele while thousands of soldiers died all around him. One of his final acts was to return to this battlefield and lay a wreath of poppies in memory of all those who died, including the German enemy combatants.

"Any one of them could have been me. Millions of men came to fight in this war and I find it incredible that I am the only one left."
—Commenting on graves at a Flanders war cemetery, July 2007

With all his ribbons and medals, Harry despised war. He took no glory in it. He reflected on a moment when he came face to face with a German soldier in combat and thought of the Ten Commandments as he faced him down. Harry shot him in the shoulder, he shot him in the knee, and in the ankle. To his great relief, he brought him down without killing him.

Recalling the death of another soldier Harry said:

"And when that fellah died, he just said one word: ‘Mother.’ It wasn’t a cry of despair. It was a cry or surprise and joy. I think - although I wasn’t allowed to see her - I am sure his mother was in the next world to welcome him. And he knew it. I was just allowed to see that much and no more. And from that day until today - and now I’m nearly 106 years old - I shall always remember that cry and I shall always remember that death is not the end.

You’ve got a memory. You’ve got a brain about the size of a tea cup. I’ve got a memory that goes back for 80 or 90 years and I think that memory goes on with you when you die. And that’s my opinion. Death is not the end."

These are the few things I have learned about Harry Patch and I feel honored to share his name. He has gone on to join his three wives and two sons who passed away before him. Sounds like a Patch to me!

Also see:

Excellent Obituary http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/military-obituaries/army-obituaries/5911814/Private-Harry-Patch.html

ADOBE ABODE

2009-07-24T12:57:00.008-04:00

Hi Family, Just got back from Arizona and helping Matt and Anna Marie move to their new house. So, I am sharing a few pics of their new abode. We all love it! Nice big trees in the front of the house and lovely courtyard effect in the front entry. Of course the lovely, big trees are why the plumbing was clogged and the sewer line had to be drilled, but at least that is done now and they can flush again!
Their furniture fits beautifully in the new living room! The previous owners left this lovely big tree in the LR and it really adds. We think it was too heavy to move! Also, notice the plantation shutters. They are beautiful and go through the whole house. Love that they don't have to deal with window treatments!
Here is a corner of the yard with the pool. A darling mural enhances the back wall. I love that potted palm on the right. And cute lampposts! The cool decking is done in blocks, also an attractive feature. There are orange trees on the side of the house along with additional storage sheds.
Kyle, who is almost 18, and his friends moved all the furniture! They were great! Kyle also completed his Eagle Scout project while I was there, along with lots of help from his friends and ward leaders, and especially his MOM! Way to go Kyle! I am so proud of him for that accomplishment!
Darling Danielle sitting in her newly painted bedroom. She is a happy girl! And she is a very good worker! She and her friend Maybry helped pack and clean and carry boxes! They were great! And they never complained!
I was so happy to be able to help out. I love their new house, and you will too! I also loved seeing my relatives while there, going to lunch for Mexican food and visiting!

ATLANTA

2009-06-27T12:30:00.006-04:00

Recently I heard a rumor that people were tired of looking at Becky's wide open mouth when this blog was opened. Hard to believe. But here is a new post anyway. I am home from Atlanta after spending a week there with Jennie. Oddly, I have no photos of Jennie and myself. But Laura and Liz came on Monday to spend some time with us. So.....
Here is a pic of Laura and Jen--cozy cousins! Laura got up early and drove to Atlanta from Macon where she is staying with her dad. I hadn't seen Laura in years, but it didn't seem that way because I have seen so many pictures of her. She is bubbly, sweet and vivacious! She and Jen really enjoy each other.

It has been a few years since Liz and I have seen one another also. We spent the afternoon together and then went for pizza before Liz took the long trek home. It was so sweet of her to drive so far (3 hours) just to come and see me! Liz has a very nice blog that I enjoy reading. She has a nice writing style and talks good sense. Check it out!

Here is Jennie's kitty with whom I shared my bed and room and apparently my fabric purchases. Jennie and I had fun together. We visited a couple of quilt shops! She knows how to show her mom a good time! The week went quickly. I am thinking I may go back there in September. There is a big quilt show there that I wouldn't mind going to. Luckily Jennie enjoys looking at quilts and even making them. So we always can find a project to enjoy together!

BECKY

2009-06-07T13:55:00.005-04:00

Yesterday Becky wanted a burger. "A big meaty one", she exclaims! Here she is trying to get her mouth around it!
Now she is laughing because she cannot! She is embarrassed about cutting her bangs crooked, so I thought I would point that out.

We have really loved having Becky here for the past six weeks. No, she never got a job, but it will be fine. Life smiles on Becky and she just bounces along, full of joy and happily entertaining herself. This is what I learned about Becky this summer: She is a happy person. She does not whine or complain. She does not get bored, as she finds things to do. She is very creative and can spend hours on projects that she pulls from the air, or the internet. Is that redundant? Also, she loves taking pictures of herself. Well, that is nothing new! She is clever and entertaining and sharing and loving.

Becky leaves on Wednesday! We will miss her so much!

CHICKEN PARMESAN

2009-05-17T20:28:00.004-04:00

As I made dinner today I thought of my son Renn who has asked for recipes. So I decided to share this one. We had it for dinner today with tossed salad and garlic toast. It should be served with spaghetti, but I forgot to make it. Whoops. Give this a try. It is easy and good!

CHICKEN PARMESAN
2 to 4 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup bread crumbs mixed with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 egg
1 jar spaghetti sauce
2 slices mozzarella cheese

Dip chicken in egg, then in breadcrumb mixture.
Brown in olive oil over medium-high heat.
Place breasts in baking dish and pour spaghetti sauce over all.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
Place cheese slices on chicken and bake until cheese melts.
Serve over spaghetti with tossed salad and garlic toast.

Joan Johnson gave me this recipe! Love, MOM

MY MOM WAS AN ARTIST

2009-04-26T19:03:00.020-04:00

When I was a child it was not uncommon to see bottles of India Ink and special pens in our home. My mother was an artist. She could draw anything, and her lettering was beautiful. We accepted her gift as a matter of course because we saw it expressed all around us. She took art classes in high school, and that was it as far as training. Later in life she took oil and china painting classes, which only complimented her natural ability. Some people are just like that. The above photo was taken at Chris and Gina's house when we were there recently. You can see a framed sketch that Mother did of Joseph Smith when she was 16 years old. It is amazing! I was pleased to see that Chris and Gina had framed it so beautifully, and displayed it so prominently. I think Mom would be delighted as well.
Above is a sample of her watercolor ability at the same age. She used to frequently draw Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The original Disney movie was released in 1937, when Mom was about 14 years old. We have all seen samples of her Disney drawings through the years.
This is a picture of Mom, Louise Mae Chambers, at 16. She is so cute! Read all the cute things she wrote on it before she gave it to my dad, Jimmie Winspear. They met in high school, or just after. Dad wrote a cute story on his old blog a while ago that you should read regarding this. He calls it The Girl Next Door. (Click it!)

Before she passed away I asked Mom why she never pursued a career in art. "I had a family to raise", she said simply. I think in today's world she might have found more commercial opportunities to use her artistic abilities while raising a family. But she never complained. She raised her family and used her talents in Church work, PTA, Girl Scouts, etc. She did it all!

Did her wonderful talent get diluted when it passed down to the rest of us? I don't have talent like Mother, but you all know that I love to design and make quilts. That is where my artistic ability finds an outlet. How about the rest of you? I would love to have you share what talents you possess with us. E-mail me with pictures or whatever and I will post them here for our family to enjoy!

Love to all!

P.S. I just noticed that Mom signed the Grumpy painting as Louise Winspear, 1945! Whoops!

BE OF GOOD CHEER

2009-04-12T20:40:00.003-04:00

Happy Easter everyone! A month has quickly passed since Renn and Keira's wedding. Mike got sick right after the wedding and is still coughing. I got sick a week after him, and I am pretty much back to normal. But it sure knocks the socks off you to be so wiped out. I hope everyone else is doing well.

This week's big news is that our darling first granddaughter Becky has turned 20 years old! April 11 was the big day. Above she is pictured with Travis, her boyfriend and all-round nice guy! He drove with her to Las Vegas for the wedding festivities, so we all got to meet him. Becky and her friend, Lauren, are coming to spend the summer with us in Virginia Beach. Hopefully they will make some money and contribute to their educational goals. I expect they will find time to spend at the beach as well. We love you Becky!

I think this is a nice picture of Grampa Jim, Renn and Mike.
And these beautiful kids had such a good time together! Chris and Gina's two kids, Tatum and Ethan, and then Kathryn, Jack and Mary. Ethan isn't really that small, he is getting squished!

Now for anyone who is unaware, Jack got quite a nasty burn last week. His pants caught on fire while he was scratching at a fire in his neighbors backyard. It was such a freaky thing. A spark jumped up his pant leg and his pants flared right up. The neighbor is a doctor and she jumped to the rescue, fortunately. He is home from school, possibly for the rest of the year, all bandaged up and resting. Tomorrow he sees a burn specialist to determine if he will need a skin graft. Everyone please pray for Jack! You can read more about this on the Froelich Family blog - there is a linked on the side.

I am still waiting for photos or other news to publish here...

Love to you all, ~Marcie

Las Vegas Sun

2009-04-03T16:03:00.003-04:00

We had fun in Las Vegas. This was the day before the Froelich's headed for home. We needed to soak up all the sun we could before we went back to winter, snow and ice. There is not a lot of sun in Missoula in the winter, lots of overcast, grey days. Uncle Chris has a hot tub he fired up for the kids and they had a blast. I would've preferred it if Kathryn hadn't gone in the water since she was sick, but there was no stopping her when the pool was cold so we were happy to have it warm...

Cute picture of Aunt Jennie and Mary!
Grandpa Patch slept in the sun.
Kathryn danced in the sun!
Great Grandpa Jim read in the sun.
Jack dried off in the sun.

posted by Polly

FRIENDS FROM AFAR

2009-03-31T12:51:00.003-04:00

A beautiful picture of Keira and Renn!

March 14, 2009

Las Vegas Temple

Above, take a look at this cute picture of Deanne and Renn Patch! I love it! We were so delighted to have them drive down from Utah for our Renn's wedding. Tom came too! You may or may not know that Renn and Deanne are leaving July 1st for London where Renn has been called to be the new mission president there. We are so very excited for them!

Kathy and Carl Grimshaw

Mike, me-Marcie, Kathy and Carl. What a treat to have one of my all-time best friends and her darling husband show up for the big event! They were visting Jordan and Adam and families in Boise, ID and arranged to catch us on their way home to San Diego!

Hope you all are enjoying this photos! Don't forget to leave a comment!

Love ya! ~Marcie

A BLOG! A BLOG! WE HAVE A BLOG!

2009-03-29T18:30:00.001-04:00

What? Another blog? Well, this one will be for family fun, photos, and the like. If you are a Patch, related by blood, marriage, or the foreign exchange student program, you are welcome to contribute.

I reserve the right to edit or reject manuscripts, blah, blah, blah. Of course I don't expect this to be a problem (but Becky will be closely monitored). Actually, I will be amazed if anyone else contributes, but I thought I would offer...

Well, naturally we are starting with Renn and Keira's wedding, March 14, 2009. You have already seen great photos of them, so let's move on to the back story.

Here is Kyle and Grandpa Patch. Notice that Grandpa has a suit coat on. This will be the last time you see it because.....

Exhibit number one: Danielle wearing Grandpa's suit coat. Well, she was not feeling well and was chilled, so being the gentleman that he is, Grandpa offered his coat to her.

Exhibit number two: Look at that handsome Kyle looking so good and well dressed! Hey, that suit coat looks familiar! Yup, it is Grandpa's coat. Kyle only smiles like that when he is trying to get away with something.

Exhibit number three: Here is a lovely photo of Matt and Anna Marie's family, including Grandpa's suit coat. Nice going Kyle! You look great! (Poor Grandpa is off freezing somewhere.)

Below: Someone took this very nice photo of Polly and Grandpa Jim. Gina is in there also, off to the side. A very nice photo of her too, and unfortunately the only one I know of! Sorry Gina. We still love you.

Below: We managed to get a couple cute pics of Uncle Chris holding Kathryn. For some reason she really liked Uncle Chris! (Gina's husband)

Below: Mary and her dad, Chris. Seems that Mary has absconded with her dad's suit coat as well. He doesn't seem to mind tho.

Below: Mary with Grandma Marcie. She is probably laughing at my hair, which did not cooperate at all that day. Some kindly photographer chopped off the top, and all for the better.

Below: Uncle Renn and Mike cracking up over something while Deanne wonders what in the heck is wrong with them.

Below: Mike, Marcie, Deanne and Renn.

Below: Last photo for this post. A nice shot of Polly, Matt, Keira, Renn and Jennie. These are my kids! I love you guys so much!

All right folks, I know that there are wedding photos that I haven't seen. Please select your good ones, and also those of me, and share with us. Travis, this means you too! I posted several on my other blog, and hope you enjoy these few relatively good photos of good relatives. I will add more later.

Love ya! ~Marcie aka MOM aka Grama