Birthday Fun

Happy birthday to my handsome husband. Yesterday was the FOURTEENTH anniversary of our first date.  WHAT?!?  I love this man.  I love everything about him.

Stack ice cream sandwiches, frost with cool whip, dribble chocolate sauce, add Joe Joes ... YU-UM.

E picked out a little key spring car from the dollar aisle for Jas' birthday present.

Approved.

Spring has Sprung!

Uh oh. I like matching clothes.  Someone stop me.

Guess who figured out how her sister climbs over the baby gate?  Danger Baby!

The squirrels are back.

See?  Spring.  

Ballerinas! (E is on the far left)

Cousin Celebration

Nana and Papa Dan took E for the weekend so we could have some down time.  I napped when T napped and E had a BLAST.  I love that kid but I needed some quiet so thank you to Nana for the mini vacation.  That said, I miss her like crazy.

FROZEN MOVIE NIGHT!

Memorial

My dad's memorial was really lovely.  We had a TON of pictures on display, my dad's band played, and several people shared great memories.  I"m having writer's block right now.  I have more to say but I can't find the words right now.

That's me.

My mom looked so beautiful.  She did a wonderful job with the whole memorial and even got up to say the closing remarks. Talie followed her around for the whole afternoon yelling "DEE DEE!" until she picked her up.

I set Elliott, Pop Pop and Papa Dan up with all of my dad's old Talking Propeller Head videos.  They both played with the band at our wedding rehearsal dinner but they hadn't seen the old dorky music videos they used to make.  If you're interested, they're here: https://www.youtube.com/user/talkingpropellerhead 

From Sue

A tribute to my dad from our forever family friend, Sue:

Dear Leah, Lauren, and Matt,
I can hardly believe that this is the eve of your father's memorial service. Words are so inadequate to express my sympathy to you for his loss, so I'm afraid this is the best I can do as I also grieve with you: 

A TRIBUTE TO YOUR FATHER
We won't be forgetting you, Phil Flaherty.
You led a remarkable life when you consider that at the mere mention of your name, we'd usually hear somebody say " I LOVE that guy!."
We'll remember you in a thousand different ways, each of us with our own memories shared with you--as a boy, student, teacher, sales exec, patient (sigh), musician, Dad, Pappy, brother, husband, friend and always the comedian.
We'll remember you when we hear a Beatles tune or see someone pick up a guitar. We'll think of you when we watch a favorite movie of yours, visit Cape Cod or hear someone tell a really bad joke. A few of us will think of you when we see a golf course crew out cutting greens. (My favorite memory was when your dad was teaching and used to work summers on the grounds of the RCC. I joined the crew for 3 of those seasons. We were in our mid-twenties then and I swear I've never laughed so much or so hard in my lifetime- he took political incorrectness and black humor to a whole new level.
We won't forget how you made us ALL laugh and how sometimes you cried with us.
And we will remember how you loved us.
So as long as we live, so will you, dear friend, because you are a deep and lasting part of us...as we remember you.

My Little Leprachauns

Distracted by Normalcy

It has been an incredibly sad few days here but I've been distracted by the normalcy of life -- Talie has been sick, Elliott needs to be kept busy, everyone is hungry. :o)

E likes to say hello to her friends in the preschool drop-off line.  It was finally warm enough to open the windows!  Oh, and you may notice that she has a giant bruise inside her mouth?  Yeah, she tripped at school and smashed her teeth on the floor.  Because we really need emergency dentist trips this week, right?  Oy.  She's fine.  We have a followup appointment in 2 weeks.

So. Tired. Sick baby = no sleep.

Look!  They're starting to play together!!

SPRING PLEASE!  Still LOTS of snow and LOTS of puddles but we'll take it.  We saw about four thousand people we knew at the park because it was the first day warmer than FREEZING.

Playpen?

We're doing our best to distract Uncle Matt, too.

I was the Mystery Reader in Elliott's class this week!  I read "Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed" (cue preschool giggles) and "On Top of Spaghetti" in my best Southern drawl. 

Patiently waiting for Auntie Lauren to answer FaceTime.

It is still cold so we are still entertaining ourselves indoors.

Sick baby sleeps anywhere, any time -- except at night.

Oh Chuck E. Cheese.  Oh.

In Memoriam, Philip Thomas Flaherty

It is with a broken heart that I share this announcement. If you knew my father, I guarantee that he made you laugh. If I have ever made you laugh, I learned it from watching him. If you have one, please share a favorite memory -- we could all use a laugh or a smile around here.

Philip Thomas Flaherty, of Mendon, passed away on Saturday, March 8th.

Born in 1950 to the late Joseph and Mary Flaherty, Philip was the fourth of six children and graduated from Hopedale High School in 1969.  He received his MBA from Bridgewater State College and a BS in education from Worcester State College.  He started his career as a teacher in the Rehoboth School system and subsequently became a sales executive at Sweda International, Data General and Sun Microsystems.  A lifelong musician, Phil was the drummer for The Talking Propeller Heads, a satirical corporate band that showcased his contagious sense of humor.

Phil married his high school sweetheart Jacqueline Wade in 1973.  He is survived by his beloved family – wife Jackie; son Matthew and daughter-in-law Lindsay of San Francisco, CA; daughter Leah and son-in-law Jason Moens of Framingham, MA; daughter Lauren Flaherty of Palm Beach Gardens, FL; and granddaughters Elliott and Natalie Moens.  He is preceded in death by his sister Judith Yapp, and is survived by his brother Joseph Flaherty, his sisters Marie Krassopoulos, Barbara Luise, and Kathleen Conde. He also leaves numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and fans.

A memorial service is scheduled for 1:00 pm on Friday, March 21st at the Hopedale Community House, 43 Hope Street, Hopedale MA.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Phil’s memory to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Checks can be payable to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and include ‘Philip Flaherty’ in the check memo line. Please send to – BIDMC, Attn: Development, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02215.

March Stuff

Both girls love the piano at the lake house.

Jas has made about 12 of these little bead things.  E likes it OK but Jas seems to love it.  

Visiting with Dee Dee and Pappy. My dad is a little confused these days and he said two really funny things this day. I offered to make him a smoothie and he laughed at me and called me a knucklehead -- then he told me to go tell Jackie that story. What story?  Then, on his way by the door to the basement where my mom and I were entertaining the loudest children ever, he called down: "hey, do I know everyone down there?" After my mom told him it was just us, he responded, "it sounds like a bunch of Italians down there."  Ha!

"I got to hold baby Oliver!  TWICE!"

Throwback Thursday OVERLOAD

My mom gave me a HUGE box of childhood photos.  Oh my mama some of them are embarrassing! I'd like to publicly thank Carrie and Alissa for being my friends through the awkward 80s and the awkward-er 90s. If you knew me then, I'm much cooler now. No really, I am. Oh the thick glasses! The colored braces! The proudly worn Girl Scouts vest! Don't get me started on the sequins, fringe, and spandex involved in the dance costumes. Or the florescent slouch socks and marching band jacket.

It may be all "Frozen" all the time here in this house.  In 1985, it was all "Annie" all the time.