Surprise Bridal Shower!

Today you were surprised by your co-workers, at Ross, with a surprise bridal shower! Look at the detail in the decorations! They really know you: Gold and white table cloth , the striped straws, the copper pots, the white flowers and the scalloped ribbon under the table!

The ruse was a meeting! Look at you and your papers. You were clearly expecting a meeting!

Another view of the spread! I guess you were really surprised!

Another special moment in your journey to Block Island and better yet, an unexpected one!

Holidays and Family!

A wonderful thing about our family is that even though we are living apart geographically we still manage to remain close and get together for holidays. My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving! You know, "food family and football." The last years have been the hardest to get together! But there never was a year that you, Allison Mom and I were not together either Christmas or Thanksgiving. That means you, Allison, Mom and I have enjoyed either Christmas and/ or Thanksgiving together for 32 years straight (I'm counting last year's day after Christmas with Allison as Christmas). That is quite a record, one I hope we keep extending! Uncle Rich and I have shared either Christmas or Thanksgiving together for over 50 years! Unfortunately last year was the first year we did not see each other for either holiday in a long time. But you and Jared, and Aunt Tiz and Uncle David joined us for Thanksgiving! As your family grows, I hope we can all be together at least one of those special days. What do you think? Is that a good goal? Here are some pictures of those holidays! A Christmas Eve at our house!

A Christmas at Rich and Karen's!

Another Christmas at 1012!

And a wet Thanksgiving at the Macy's Parade in NYC!

Birthdays!

Your birthday, on June 7th, was always cause for a great celebration! Your earliest birthdays were marked by Mom's famous Teddy Bear cakes.

She was still making them for birthday number 5!

And we had a party at McDonald's for your 6th birthday!

On birthday number 7 you got this bike! (And, not too long after, several stitches in your chin...)

How could we forget your "Sweet 16!" It was held in the recreation hall of the Presbyterian church with three of your friends also celebrating 16 - Christie Lienesch, Elaine Brown, and Melissa Wagshul.

But who could forget birthday number 31 in Newport, RI???!!! Later that day, back in the city, Jared proposed to you, setting us on the course for a September wedding in Block Island!

Mom's cakes were great, and she has made them for Emma and Alex, but I also really like those from "Ele" AKA "A Taste of Elegance" What about you?

Semester at Sea!

This entry kind of follows along with the find your passion theme! I believe for you a passion is travel. You displayed this passion by taking "The Semester at Sea!" You spent the second semester of your junior year at SU by taking an academic cruise around the world. You were challenged from the beginning, as we told you we did not have the extra money you would need to do this. On your own you went to your academic scholarship sponsor at Syracuse, Eric Rothfeld, to see if he would give you the same amount of your scholarship amount to the University of Pittsburgh. He did, so you could go! It was an amazing experience that your mother and I participated in vicariously. We were so proud of you! But we also worried a bit. Especially, when your boat was struck by a rogue wave in the North Pacific and lost power! We heard about that from Allison. She was at work in the newsroom and saw the newsfeed come in . It was early in the morning our time, but she wanted to let us know that it was a serious situation. After a stressful day being glued to the news, and checking the SAS website, you called us in the middle of the night to let us know you were ok. We could hear the nervousness and fear in your voice, but you assured us that things were under control. The boat ended up being escorted by the Coast Guard very slowly to Hawaii where you spent a few days while the ship's damaged was examined. You lost Japan and Korea from your journey but recovered quickly and you went to places we have only dreamed of: China, Vietnam, India, Kenya, South Africa, Brazil and Venezuela. It was great to welcome you home at Ft. Lauderdale and we all greeted you with this sign!

Your next great travel adventure will be with Jared, back to Africa, on your honeymoon! I'm sure there will be many other great travels in your future! Bon Voyage!

Boston; Your First Marathon, My Last- Running 2

A couple of days ago I shared some of the races we have run together, but the best of all was Boston! We ran the Boston Marathon as a part of Tedy's (Bruschi) Team to raise stroke awareness. Allison , you and I all ran!

What a bucket list achievement, for a father to run a marathon, let alone, the Boston Marathon with both of his daughters! You went on and finished your first marathon in an amazing time! Allison hung back with me and nursed me along (my feet hurt and after 10 miles we would stop and rest them until we could start running again without pain. This happened for the entire rest of the race. Do you remember that spectacular finish? Go to this URL to revisit that finish. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-u1o69BCcN8 Even Tedy came down to greet us! Speaking of Tedy, you remember he, after the race, asked you if you needed something and you told him a beer and he went and got it for you. Well, the next year you ran again and when he asked you what you wanted at the end, you said, Kirk Herbstreit and then a few weeks later, the letter below came in the mail. As I said in the title this was my last marathon! I wish you many more happy marathons. Did you know Allison has applied for the lottery for The London Marathon next year?

Find Your Passion! Football starts tonight in Ohio!

One of my biggest hopes is that you will approach life with the passion you have shown so far! I'm not sure what all your passions in life are, but my hope is that you will follow them! My passion is, as I'm sure you can guess, football! I love to play it, coach it and watch it! I still enjoy watching high school football. It begins tonight in Ohio, and Kurt and I are going to the Alter-Fairmont game. We have shared many moments watching Syracuse football together. You provided Mom and I with a trip to the city to see Syracuse play Notre Dame. It was great fun but not for SU. In fact, most of the big games we have attended: the Orange Bowl, Penn State in the Meadowlands and at Rutgers, they have lost! In the picture we are all at the Rutgers (Bob and Deb) tailgate in November of 2008.

But we also saw some great games in The Dome - where they won!

As you know I prefer college football, and I look forward to continuing going to big games with you and Jared. Up next is Rutgers vs. Michigan, October 8th, with an all day tailgate with Bob and Deb. Follow your passions! Travel, I know is one, and your honeymoon travel will be a great adventure!

Running 1

One thing we have shared as a father and daughter is our love for running! We have run together in Centerville in the Americana Festival and in numerous Turkey Trots but one of the very best was the Paris to Versailles Run. It is a 10 mile road race from the Eiffel Tower

to the Gates of Versailles.

You, Allison and I ran it together. Mom coordinated logistics, brought our dry clothes and found us all at the end race. Do you remember that hill? Hill, it was more like a mountain. We climbed for over 1 mile. It was neat running with about 10,000 French people. Unfortunately, I was running slowly, on old knees and could not keep up with you and Allison. I hope you continue to run! To me it is play and we all must play to satisfy our inner child! Here's to many more miles! Tomorrow I will reminiscence over our greatest race together, the Boston Marathon.

Snowshoe

Most fathers can make or build things for their children. I'm sorry, but I'm not one of those fathers. The fort, which we have talked about earlier, was my only contribution of that kind. I do like stories and literature, and here is where I could give you something special. We would always make up stories! I never really thought about writing anything down. But one Christmas I wrote Allison a story. It was called "Allison's Afghan" but it was really about Allison's "um". You played a prominent part in that story. After that I thought I should write you a story for Christmas about Christmas, and "Snowshoe" was born.

We shared the story with our Indian Princess tribe and the dads encouraged me to publish it. I did get it illustrated, by Ann Bain, but I never really pursued publishing it. That is fine with me, because it is your story. If you decide to have children, maybe they will enjoy it too. I'm working on a collection of really short adventure stories for Emma, which I'm also going to try to illustrate myself (no kidding). It is called "The Tall Tales of Gucci, The Great." Many of these I have told and retold Emma as I refine them.

Really Special Moments!

You can say that our relationship has had many bucket list moments, and this blog is all about them, including the most special one of all, "Father Of The Bride". But the moments I treasure most are the moments we spent together each evening when you were young. I would read to you. You had your favorite books, and this was one of mine.

I also enjoyed Brer Rabbit stories and Sesame Street stories. I remember singing the 12 days of Christmas as "The Count". His 12 days were a little different than the traditional version. It was also a time of general silliness which, in all humility, I'm pretty good at. At the end of the stories there would be prayers and "the final tuck", which most times was reserved for Mom. I like to think that your early exposure to reading has given way to a lifelong love of literature. When you come home I still try to suggest books that might interest you. One that I gave you not long ago, "The Storied Life of AJ Fikry", is a story about a father-daughter relationship enhanced through literature. I hope all the stories enhanced your love of books. The experience of that nightly ritual enriched my life immeasurably and I would gladly trade many tomorrows to go back to those nights.

The Nanny You Didn't Know!

Today is a sad day for me, it was my mother's birthday. She was the Nanny you never knew. She died a little less than one year before you were born. She was a great mother and a great nanny to Allison. Cancer cheated her out of the endless joy you and Allison could have brought her. She died at age 56. I'm sure you remember this, but there is one story about my mother I would like to tell again. When I was in college she worked at Lamont Geological Laboratory, a research facility that was parented by Columbia University. It was the summer of 1969 and the US had just put men on the moon! While they were there, they collected rock samples and these samples were sent to Lamont Geological Laboratory for testing. "Moon rocks" were very big and no one had access to them, except the people at Lamont. One evening that summer Mom surprised us all when she came home with a moon rock still in her lab coat pocket. She brought it back to the lab, but it gives you a picture of my mom's adventurous nature. Anyway, Happy Birthday, Mom! I'm sorry you never met Laura, she is way better than moon rocks!

Planning!!!

After another visit to Block Island, and witnessing your forethought and organization one more time, I thought I would express my deep appreciation for your planning ability! You really amaze me with your attention to detail in preparation for the wedding! Do you remember when we went to Walden Pond? That was Henry David Thoreau's (pictured below) escape. His famous quote about life was "Simplify, Simplify, Simplify!" This does, obviously, not apply to planning a wedding in the 21st century! You have done an amazing job! I'm sure it will be perfect. The logistics of this event blows my small mind! I don't know how you do it! I never could! I guess you inherited Mom's ability to plan!

4 weeks! Yikes!

Four weeks from today you will be walking down the aisle! It is only appropriate that we all joined you and Jared on Block Island. It was a wonderful day and we all relaxed in the Adirondack chairs in front of The Mott House as we waited for lunch on the porch at The Spring House.

Emma and Alex took the opportunity to rehearse their walk as flower girl and ring bearer.

They will be great! I'm still worried about our dance! Not much time left to fret about it!

The License!

Today you, Jared and Jared parents, Bill and Claudia traveled to Block Island. This time it was not just preparing for the wedding. Today it was getting the marriage license! Bill and Claudia were there if you need witnesses for the license and to confirm plans for thew rehearsal dinner at The National Hotel. You went to the New Shoreham Town Hall.

Got the license!! Is the reality setting in yet?

And then you relaxed in the Adirondack chairs in front of the wedding venue, The Spring House.

It IS really happening! Not to scare you, but it is now just four weeks from tomorrow that you will get married!!

The Women In My Life!

Children are a gift but daughters are the gift that keeps on giving! You have continued to keep giving me incredible moments and now I get to have a second Father of the Bride moment! I'm incredibly blessed! Look at the "women of my life" first in an incredible moment by a Maui sunset!

And then in another bucket list moment, in a Paris restaurant, right next to the Arch de Triumphe!

Now I have been blessed again with a fourth woman in my life, Emma!

Life does not get any better than this!

The Youngest Coed!

Allison invited you to stay in her room when we visited her at Syracuse. That, I guess, was the real beginning of "Syracuse Sisters". Even though you were just in middle school, Allison's friends accepted you and welcomed your fashion advice!

Who would have believed you both would select SU as your colleges? And you both had such wonderful experiences there!

Fashion Aware in 3rd grade!

You commented that our trip to California was when you first became brand aware. That brand was Esprit and we went to the factory outlet. You were 5 years old. Here you are a few years later on your first day of 3rd grade all decked out in an Esprit outfit.

You have always been interested in fashion, and fashion is the subject of multiple entries in this blog. One is about your project in DECA and of course you were a fashion expert to Allison and her friends at SU! So it is not surprising to find that your major was a dual business and retail and your internships were all in retail: Tiffany's, NY&CO, and Macy's. Your career has mirrored your fashion interest with jobs at Macy's, Yummie Tummy and Ross. It is no surprise that you have been very successful in college and your internships and jobs. It is a source of pride and happiness to Mom and I that you have been so happy and successful in both school and your career!

Gymnastics

I bet you know why I started the entry on gymnastics with a picture of the Mazda. Well one reason is we don't have any pictures of you from gymnastics. Of course, we have videos but they are on VHS. But as I'm sure you guessed, I used to pick you up after your practice sessions at Topp's in the Mazda. I'm sure you remember listening to NPR on the radio or some favorites songs of mine like "You Can Call Me Al." This was our regular and special time together, each and every week for years. Mom and I also enjoyed taking you to and picking you up from gymnastics camp in Pennsylvania. It was my first time to State College! Sometimes it is not so much the actual event (such as gymnastics), but also the supporting activities that we remember fondly!

Big Football Games!

We, as a family, enjoyed some big time football games! The first was a trip to "The Big House" for the Syracuse Michigan game.

Mr. Bohardt gave us the tickets. Michigan was the national champion the year before. Syracuse had Donovan McNabb, and Tom Brady was the Michigan Q.B. It was a clash of major college powers. SU prevailed 38-28! The score made it appear closer than it was. It was a blow out win for the Orange!

That was Allison's senior year in college, and Syracuse had a great year winning the Big East, and in doing so was selected to play Florida in the Orange Bowl. You all surprised me for my 50th birthday, with a trip to that game! We stayed in Ft. Lauderdale. It wasn't warm enough to swim, but we could stay by the pool!

Unfortunately Syracuse was beaten badly. But, I consider that trip a bucket list event!

Do you remember your freshman year? SU again won the Big East. Actually it was a 3 way tie for the title and they fired the football coach! Three bad years of football followed for us. Thank goodness for basketball!

Easter Egg Hunts!

Every Easter the Easter Bunny would come to our home and hide eggs in the backyard. So, first thing in the morning, both of you would grab your bags and go collect the plastic eggs he left for you. Of course, I was the one who got up very early each Easter Sunday morning to hide the eggs before you woke up - sometimes in the rain or snow, and often cold weather.

Sometimes there would additional town sponsored Easter Egg Hunts. You don't look too happy here!

I suppose the next Easter Egg hunts you will be having will be with your family! However, if you and Jared ever want to come back to 1012, I'm sure the Easter Bunny will remember to come again!

Vacations close to home!

Living in the Midwest, we did vacation close to home. One vacation was to Marblehead, Ohio on Lake Erie. This is the Bed and Breakfast we stayed at.

We also went to Put-in-Bay, an island in Lake Erie between Ohio and Canada. Many important naval battles were fought on the Great Lakes during the War of 1812. Here you and Allison are at the Put-in-Bay fort with a soldier dressed from that time.

We also went to Michigan! Here we are at the beach in Petosky!

And then we traveled to Mackinac Island. Here is the Grand Hotel!

Chicago became a big city destination that was close by. We even visited Glen Ellyn, a suburb your mother lived in for a year when she was in grade school. This house is where she lived!

If you remember, on that trip we went with Grandma and drove through Notre Dame (South Bend) and spread Joe's ashes over his mother's grave. We saw someone coming so we all got on the ground and spread the ashes out! We later washed the ashes off of our hands in Lake Michigan. That was memorable!

Florida Vacations!

After we moved to Ohio we still traveled back to Florida to see Pop-Pop and my sister. While there we visited many fun places: Busch Gardens

Buccaneer Bay

Daytona Beach

And of course Disney World! The first time we went, it was the 15th anniversary of the park and Mom won that silly hat!

On the first trip you were a little afraid of the characters! But the next time you were ready! Here you are with one of your favorites, Goofy!