Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Grandma's funeral

Sadly, on July 12th, my last living grandparent passed away.  Below is her obituary:

Frances Hannah Swales, 100, passed Thursday, July 12, 2012 under the care of Woodland Hills Care Center, Lawrenceburg where she had been a resident since 2005. She was born December 7, 1911, at home on Mt. Pleasant Road, Lawrenceburg to Asa and Harriet Smith. She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald Swales and daughter, Martha Ann Guard. She is survived by son, Bill Swales and wife Diana, Indian Rocks Beach, Florida. Five grandchildren: Patricia Guard, Meridian, ID; Michael Guard (Carol) Cincinnati; David Guard (Sandy) Cincinnati; Colleen Bailey (Todd) Natick, MA; and Cory Swales (Brianna) Gainesville, FL; 6 great-grandchildren and many loving nieces and nephews. Frances enjoyed watching the Cincinnati Reds as well as local college basketball games. She also liked to crochet, knit, and quilt. She worked at the Lawrenceburg Public Library and served Miller and York Townships with a mobile library book route. The family would like to extend a sincere thank you to the staff of Woodland Hills for their kindness and care she received.In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The ALS Association, 1275 K Street NW - Suite 1050, Washington, DC 20005.

I am terribly sad that she is gone, but I know she's in a better place.  No more pain, or loneliness.

I took a few pictures during my brief time in Indiana.  I went alone, as Todd stayed home with the kids.  Cory, Brie and I stayed together, and we stopped off at East Fork Cemetery in Lawrenceburg. 


Many of our distant relatives are buried here, including John and Ann Ewbank, who are considered the "founders" of our family in America.  They came over from Yorkshire in the 1700s and settled in Dearborn County.  Below is a picture of their graves.


On our way to the funeral home, I snapped this picture of an unimposing brick building along Mount Pleasant Road.  My grandmother went to school here when she was young.


We snapped a bunch of family photos on the front porch of my grandparents home.  This is probably the last time I will ever see this home, so it was nice that we all got to spend some time here.  Some interesting history about this home- it was purchased by my grandparents out of a Sears-Roebuck catalog!  I did some research, and I think it was the "Crafton" home (model 3318C) from the 1933-1940 era.  The front porch is a little different, however, this was not the original location of the home.  We also have to keep in mind that my dad's back bedroom was an add on, as there used to be a large porch back there.  It also shares a lot of similarities to the "Winona" model from 1927-1932, although the area around the front door is different on the inside.   It was at one time across the street, and they rolled it over on logs to its current location.  I can't remember the exact reason why, but I want to say it has something to do with wanting a basement.  Behind this house (in it's current location), my grandparents owned 54 acres of land.


 We'll miss you Grandma!  But we'll see you again someday!




Sunday, July 15, 2012

2012 CrossFit Games

I was fortunate enough to get to go to the 2012 CrossFit Games in Torrance, California this summer!  Fortunate that I got a ticket- from Brian "Big Bri" Curley, 2010 Master's World Champion (he came in 9th this year!) and fortunate that Todd watched the kids for a few days while I went out there.  I cashed in my SkyMiles and went first class baby!


Above, Lisa "Lisa8" Mikkelson, who was on the team last year and this year decided to go the Master's route, does a rope climb. 


Our team didn't fare as well as we did last year.  Unfortunately, we lost some team members.  Lisa8 decided to go master's and Sonia now goes to CrossFit Bridgewater and was heavily pregnant in July.  Heather Bergeron had just had a baby in May, although she was a member of the team.  Above, the team had to do a group prowler push and then pull (on the "Big Bob") down the length of a football field.  Well, it had just rained, and we were in lane 1, which is where all of the water from the field drained to.  Unfortunately, it caused a huge disadvantage for the team and they came in 39th place.  Mel and Kevin are in the picture above.  Also, right before this WOD happened, my dad called to tell me my grandmother had passed away. 


The next event was max front squats.  Above Mel works on the front squats that preceded the triplet.  We came in tied for 12th. 


You can see were in Lane 6 (still so fun to see their name "in lights!")  Next up was the team triplet, which was totally their wheelhouse.  They were FLYING.  


Part of the triplet included holding heavy weight overhead (see Derek above) while their opposite sex counterpart did burpee plate jumps (onto a 45# plate).   We came in 2nd place in this!


I probably enjoyed watching the master's compete more than anything.  It's always so much fun to watch Big Bri just put his whole heart and soul into competing.  You can tell in his burpee plate jumps above (similar to what the team did), he's totally exhausted.  But he never quits, he just keeps going!


No kidding, he does this in the gym too!  Well, we all kind of do...


Here I am with Cindy and Katrina sporting our Fuel for Fire t-shirts... that stuff is YUMMY.  Check out their website link Fuel for Fire.  Even Natalie loves this stuff!  She couldn't get enough of the Sweet Potato Apple flavor!  I personally enjoy Banana Chocolate! 


I didn't get any pictures of the Yoke and the Rope Climb/Cleans.  Thankfully.  The 20' rope climbs appeared to be quite challenging as you had to maintain control all the way to the ground.  We came in 9th and 27th, respectively.  Next up was max bar muscle ups- which I'm sure are fairly easy for Mel given her gymnastics background!  The men tied for 10th, the ladies tied for 9th.  Lastly, there was a team chipper that we did pretty well in - 6th place - but it wasn't enough to get us to "the Girls" on Sunday (Fran, Elizabeth, Diane, Karen, Isabel, and Grace).  We came in 12th place overall.


Meanwhile, back at the Master's stadium, Big Bri maintains the standard by getting his chin over the bar.  


See the pretty lady in pink?  That's Lisa Mikkelson, who was the 2012 MASTER'S CHAMPION for women ages 45-49!  She is unbelievable.  Fittest in the world for her age division and she had an injury!!!! (Her Achilles, I think). 


I wouldn't be a good crossfitter if I didn't show the men's champion, Rich Froning.  I *might* have a little crush on him... perhaps you can see why, even if you can't see his face!  Here he is doing double unders.  He was both the 2011 and 2012 champ.  Iceland Annie won the women's (again!).  

Overall, it was a good trip, although very exhausting since I only went out there for 3 nights.  I then had to turn around and go to Cincinnati about 24 hours after I got back.  I predict a 2013 CFNE comeback!!!!

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Natick 4th of July Parade

We weren't sure the Natick 4th of July parade was going to happen this year- one because they've had a hard time finding someone to oversee it, and two because it POURED about an hour or so before the parade was about to start!  But by the time the parade started, it was beautiful!  We enjoyed our usual pancake and sausage breakfast sponsored by the Kiwanis Club.  Well... I should say that the kids enjoyed it, since we don't eat that!  We didn't get off to a good start, because it was raining, Todd forgot his wallet, then the sun came out and we didn't have sunscreen, so he had to run back home a few times.  Very frustrating.  But alas, the parade was a hit!


The kids were in their seats for the start of the parade!


Here comes the start of the parade!  We took our usual seats on the west side of 135, south of Main Street.  This is the 4th year we've gone to the parade.


 Grant decided for a while, he wanted to play cars with Daddy.  This was, of course, after the firetrucks came though.  Natalie, Todd and I wore earplugs.  Grant wanted to hear the whole thing, and did.


It's not a Natick 4th of July parade without good ol' Rex Trailer!  He's still singing!  Happy 4th of July Rex!

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Natalie's Gymnastics Birthday Party

In addition to the party we had at home with the family, Natalie had a birthday party with her friends at the place where she goes to gymnastics- Planet Gymnastics.  It's a great little place for a party- kids get lots of exercise, the folks who work there do all of the cleanup, and all you have to do is bring a cake!  DONE!


Natalie was THRILLED that one of the two coaches for the party was Miss Holly, her teacher from this past year!  Here she is explaining the rules to all of the girls.


Natalie is my little dare devil.  Above, she had to jump several feet and grab onto the bar, then swung into the foam pit!  You'd never find Grant doing this!


"Hey Gaby, you come to this gym often?"


I somehow caught this cute picture of Lyndsey giving Natalie a big hug.  Lyndsey and Natalie were really good friends this year!  They're both really sad that they're going to different elementary schools.


Next up was a game where you had to throw the blocks to the other side and try to get as many on the other side as possible.  Like their hot potatoes or something.  The team that has the most blocks on their side actually loses.


The birthday kid always gets to be put in a jumping/flying contraption and swing around the gym like they are flying.  Miss Holly is strapping Natalie in.  When she was swinging back and forth, Natalie was saying, "I'm flying!  I'm a real fairy!"  SO cute.


 Because we had the 5 pm time slot, we provided pizza for the kids (all girls except Grant and Stanley!).  Natalie got to sit in the "queen chair" while we ate pizza, cake and ice cream!


 I got this AMAZING cake from this great little bakery in Westborough, the Bagel Bistro.  Amazing, huge, and beautiful cakes, and they aren't super expensive.  I highly recommend them!  They are actually very tasty too!  Happy 5th birthday to my Sweet Pea!

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Grant brushing his teeth



This is the way Grant brushes his teeth.  It's a bird!  It's a plane!  It's Super Tooth Brusher!

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Natalie's actual 5th birthday

I couldn't help but post this adorable picture of Natalie.  She normally doesn't show her teeth when she smiles... and I finally got her to show teeth.  Isn't she the most beautiful little 5 year old you've ever seen???


Saturday, June 16, 2012

Natalie and Bean's birthday party & Father's Day

In June, we invited the entire Bailey clan to our house for some birthday fun.  Bean's birthday is 5 days before Natalie's, so we celebrated both.  KK made an AMAZING cake (complete with fondant!) of Merliah the Mermaid from the Barbie mermaid fame.  I love the graham cracker "sand"! 


Natalie and Bean cut their birthday cake.  I'm sure Bean was thrilled to get a Barbie mermaid cake!  Grant and Seth anxiously await their piece of cake!


I love this picture of Seth helping Grant go down the slide.  Grant fell off the slide a few weeks before this and was really scared.  So Seth helped him go down and he actually didn't cry!  Big cousins GoGo and LuLu supervise.


The three youngest cousins, Seth, Natalie and Grant as they are waiting to open Natalie's presents.

We also celebrated Father's Day!  Lots of food, presents and balloons!  (And um... beer and sangria!)  It was a nice day, but it was actually a little cool- notice how everyone has a jacket on!  In June! Unbelievable.

I still can't believe Natalie is 5- and Bean is... well, a little older than that!

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Grant-ism!

Grant (2 y.o.): "I see Jesus." (Pointing to a cemetery.)
Colleen: "Really? Where is he?"
Grant: "He's hiding in the bushes."

:)

Saturday, June 9, 2012

June Fun

We did a lot this summer, but didn't take a lot of pictures in the process.  Just one or two here or there.


First, we had Natalie's gym show.  We took a lot of video, but hardly any pictures and we weren't exactly in the best location for pictures anyway.  Above, she's working on her wall walks, aka: handstands during the obstacle course portion of the show.  Below, she's getting her medal. Please note that she has pink bear in her hand.  She had a little separation anxiety attack before the show (complete with screaming and crying because she didn't want to be away from mommy and daddy).  She's been going through a bit of this ever since we went to Aruba (note: it's now nearly October and she has gotten a little better about it all!)



Next up was a trip to Grammi and Bean's house in Plymouth to celebrate Madison's high school graduation.  Really?  Madison was with Todd (and Kathleen) when I first met Todd 10 years ago.  She was just 8 years old, and now she's already graduating from high school???


It was a really nice weekend, so the kiddos were outside playing.  Grant likes to water plants and Natalie was cooling off in the kiddie pool.


And of course, I've been going to CFNE- above is a picture of my 5:30 am class!  This is my second family.  Below we are doing a pyramid- poor Alison is crooked on top of Big Mike and little Eugene!  My 5:30 am ladies (Sam on the floor, and on top is Katie, Alison, me, Heather and Judi) are the BEST!!!!






Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Natalie's final days of preschool

We went to an ice cream social in June just for the Butterfly class kids and their families as they are sending all of their Butterflies off to kindergarten in the fall!


They didn't do a preschool graduation, per say, but they did have this nice little social and even sang some songs that they had practiced and gave out little certificates.


Here is Natalie with some of her best friends, Lorelei, Gaby, and Julia.


The kiddos never turn down an opportunity for ice cream! 

The Bailey Planet

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