Grandpa Shorty, Stella's Great Grandpa

My Grandpa Shorty 

1917 - 2012

Grandpa passed away today on June 14, 2012 with my dad and my aunt Deb by his side in Toledo, Ohio.  He was 94 yrs. old and SHARP AS A TAC & FULL OF PERSONALITY which anyone would attest to.

He married my grandma Stella - whom our Stella is named after - and was happily married for 60 yrs.  Stella passed away several years ago, about 14 yrs. ago - so Grandpa now is reunited with the love of his life.

Grandpa is was the last to pass away out of 14 siblings.

I am so very grateful for all the wonderful memories I have of my Grandpa.

Love you Grandpa - you sure were one of a kind and will be so so missed

xoxoxoxox  Jen, Justin, "your little angel" as you always called her, Stella Jane.

 Shorty & Stella

1940's 

Grandma Stella & Me

The day I graduated Univ. of Toledo

My sister took this photo - love it

Great Grandpa Shorty with his "little angel" Stella - his one and only Great Grandchild.  I am very sad he will not be here to meet Baby #2 who will be arriving within a week or two.  But am SO grateful for all the time he and Stella had with each other as I know it's very unique and special.

4-Generations

STELLA'S 1st BIRTHDAY PARTY

AUGUST 21, 2010

 Aunt Deb, Me & Grandpa

 Look at 1-year old Stella looking at her Great Grandpa here, ha!

Grandpa with his neighbor Autumn

A COLLECTION OF OUR MANY VISITS WITH GRANDPA THROUGH THE YEARS

HE WAS ALWAYS SO HAPPY TO SEE HIS LITTLE ANGEL

If you look at the sheet of music behind Stella on the piano here - you'll see it's for the song 

"Stella By Starlight"

Grandpa told me about this song when Stella was born and so I got it sheet music.

The Toledo Zoo
Aunt Deb & Grandpa met us for a playdate there last summer 2011

A friend of mine told me years ago how my Grandpa Shorty looked just like the guy from UP.  I had not ever seen the movie until Stella was 2 yrs old - and then I saw it about a MILLION TIMES.  It was her favorite movie during the summer of 2011.
Here is a photo of Grandpa enjoying the movie for the first time while at our house for Stella's 2nd bday party.
And here is a fun photo my friend made.

HALLOWEEN 2012

Celebrating Great Grandpa's 94th Birthday

November 2011

May 2012

Just a week or so before Grandpa went to the hospital to have surgery on his leg

Although in alot of pain he was still all smiles to see little Stella

I was driving down Central Ave. parked a red light when i just happen to glance over down Grandpa's street and What Do You Know....There he was!  Many friends and family enjoyed seeing Shorty on the corner here with his Golden Retriever - I would get messages from friends saying "Just drove by and saw Shorty on the corner!"

VIDEO COLLECTION of SHORTY 

Celebrating his 90th

He was a hoot

Scooter Rides with Stella, Part 1

Scooter Rides with Stella, Part 2

Great Grandpa Plays The Harmonica For Baby Stella
October 2009

Grandpa we will miss you so much.

WE LOVE YOU

The Magic Bullet - if you don't got it, get it!

Ok so the sound of that I know...."Magic Bullet"... what kind of X Rated blog is this!  The Magic Bullet is a small food processing blender that i bought from a TV Infomercial about 7 years ago when hunkered up in a hotel in Vancouver, B.C. with Justin one night - and I've been using it ever since, and love it!

Strawberry Picking with Jeamma

Whittaker's Berry Farm

Ida, MI

My mom picked 10 lbs. worth and I picked 6 lbs.

After eating about 3 cups worth of fresh strawberries during on my new breakfast menu item at home (Oatmeal, Brown Sugar, Roasted Pecans Crumbled Up (I roast a week's worth), and fresh strawberries) I "pitted" the rest and bagged in 2 Cup Portions and put those baggies in a large freezer bag and Froze to be used for making the following:
• Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
• Strawberry Shortcake with Homemade Shortcakes (not those pre-made angel food cake shortcakes!)
• Shoney's Strawberry Pie - a cooled dessert that I'm anxious to try out
• Freezer Jam (have yet to try this because I love Real Strawberry Fruit Spread)
• Strawberry Pineapple Cake

 The Magic Bullet - if you don't got it GET IT! 

 One of the things it comes with are 4 cute cups that the one of two blade attachments can screw onto for blending a shake right in you cup - when done blending unscrew the blade and replace with a decorative cup lip/edge (which they give you 4 different colors for each of the four mugs so you know whose is whose). 

In addition to the shake mugs, you get the standard large & small blending cups that come with attachment lids to use for sprinkling fresh blended/grated parmasean cheese or lids that simply enclose your blended food to keep fresh in the blended cup while in the fridge.  Oh and it also comes with a large blender that you can blend in.  

I used this for blending my herbs that I grew the year Stella was a baby and when I was making her baby food - if I didn't do that in BeBe Cooker.

~Not-So-Fancy But Yummy Strawberry Vanilla Shakes~

Kroger Brand:  Vanilla Artisan Vanilla Ice Cream.  1 Cup

Fresh Strawberries.  About 5-8 Med. Size Berries

Organic Vanilla.  1 TBSP

Whole Milk (or any kind).  1/2 Cup - 2/3 Cup

3x5 Folded Card

Ribbon Of Thanks Boy Thank You Card

For hundreds of thank you card designs, click here.

View the entire collection of cards.

HAPPY 30th BDAY COUSIN JODI!!!

A very special birthday indeed - your 30th!  I LOVED turning 30 and I LOVE my Thirties - so I hope you feel the same Cousin Jodi!  And hope you had a wonderful celebration on June 10 :)

Here's the gift I gave Jodi.  One of my sewing projects I've been working on since down in Florida - Washable/Re-Usable Sandwich & Snack Baggies.  Simply turn them inside out, brush away any crumbs and wash (think a bib people - you get food all over a bib and do the same thing and use again and again).  I don't GO GREEN on everything in life but I try to do my best - this is one of my contributions to a Green World.  :)

What's so cute about this set is that is was made to match her Vintage Bicycle which used to belong to Jodi's grandma and her parents surprised her by restoring the bike (think old Schwinn with fat seat and big basket on the front).  So my Sandwich Baggie, Snack Baggie & Snack Sack will go well with her red and cream bike - for when she takes it out on a stroll to go have lunch on the beach down in NC.

Hope you like Jodi and hope you enjoy the recipes I included :)  Send a pic of you wearing the cute vintage bangle while riding your cute vintage bicycle, ok!

Happy 30th Birthday!!!

XOXO, Jen/Justin/Stella J. & Baby #2 

SIDE NOTE:  Found out a few days after this post Jodi & John were involved in a car accident - thank god everyone is ok - aside from being very very sore. 

The Set

(Snack Baggie, top/Sandwich Baggie, bottom left/Snack Sack, right wit bow)

The Snack Sack 

(great for a grapes, etc.)

I put a cute vintage looking bangle that was black with big cream colored polka dots which I think would look so cute on Jodi when she's riding her vintage bicycle!

 Recipe Card put in Sandwich Baggie

 Recipe Card put in Snack Baggie

Baby #2's BABY "Sprinkle" SHOWER

Thank You Tonya, our wonderful babysitter, for throwing me such a lovely and cute Baby "Sprinkle" Shower - it was so so sweet of you and I loved all the thoughtful details you put into my special day. We all had a wonderful time! Thanks to my family & friends for all your help in prepping &  most of all for celebrating Baby #2 with us today ♥

----We missed JoNana that day very much - but are excited about her road to recovery!----

  Now if I could get that CD of pics from you I can post how cute of a job you did with all of the decorations and the awesome food tables! Especially that Chocolate Fountain you had going - yum! ;) 

Britny and Sterling came down and stayed the night before 

Lilo, Stella & baby Riley

 My gift to myself, haha - burp clothes I made

 Got some really cute and creative gifts - like this "Cupcake Onesie/Romper/Socks & Wash Clothes Set Jill made

 The Sunflower Diaper made by my Aunt Snookie

 This photo is so HILARIOUS to me - and sick of me, haha!  I'm probably saying "Oh.My.God. HOW CUTE MOM!"  I'm holding a "Nursing Necklace" that my mom made me using her vintage beads from her days back in the 60's.  Babies hold onto the Nursing Necklace charms and play with them, etc. while nursing - I've worn it twice already as it's too cute to put away and wait to use till then.

The following pics were taken by Tonya to go along with what she put together for immediate family members of mine.  Each person was given a card to write something to the baby and then I will attach the photo here to their written sentiments for Baby #2.  Very sweet.  Tonya is all about making sure Baby #2 doesn't get the shaft on cute special things like Stella did when she was expected to arrive :)

 Mom & I

(and wearing the Nursing Necklace she made)

My sister, Amy

 Cousin Kelsey

Aunt Cassie

 Aunt Joyce

 Aunt Snookie

Most Precious Photo To Date!

This was taken by the photographer that was at the Mommy & Me Tea Party that we went to a few weeks ago - I was just emailed it today.  I could cry this is so precious to me!!!