Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts

08 May, 2012

Watch Out World

I had a slew of comedy of travel errors getting to Greenville on Friday beginning with the smoke detector screaming for a new battery mere hours before my 4am wake up and ending with the police at my hotel room after my pinkie accidentally found thee one out of 22 buttons on the phone for 911 while reaching for a magazine. Insert delayed flights, 45 minutes circling a closed runway, a missed connection, the wrong gate, shin splints from sprinting in Jack Rodgers, a lost boarding pass and a face perpetually frozen in that juuust about to cry scrunch...

But, it was all worth it to see Emma, and her bff Sally, graduate from Furman...

And, even though I was on standby to selflessly absorb it should it not have been well received, the gift from Babe, the Ti-Babes and moi was a big hit...

Youknowwho was taking copious notes for next year...

A few last minute sisterly adjustments...

Then one final walk down the lawn...

One final adieu to Furman...

Before Lucy and Ethel head out into the world...

Watch out world...

Kindness of Emma and Sally for always being great sports. Also, Emma and Hilbils for picking me up and dropping me off at the Greenville airport even though it included an ever changing pick-up time and a 4:45am wake up. Bet it was all that racked up good karma you earned and not those baby blues that got y'all out of that North Carolina speeding ticket en route home...XXOO

27 March, 2012

My Welcome Home

The first 6 days I was gone the report from home was cheerful; Babe was getting up early each morn to groom the Ti-Babes, clean the litter, refill water bowls, squeeze in a quick workout, ect. On Saturday he even GASP! vacuumed. By Sunday though, it all started going to hell in one big, fat fur ball throw up, Chinese takeout, no clean boxers, we need you to come home basket...

I realized how much I was missed but, this li'l welcome home vignette let me know just how much I am also...

Appreciated...

And, loved...

I went to town on the Cadbury Crime Eggs whilst Lolly went to town on the tulip leaves. Lack of self control runs in the family and now our tummies hurt and our butt's are having trouble squeezing into baskets...

Kindness of Babe, Pilge and Lolly for my thoughtful surprise. Annnd, Ana for coming Thursday morning, Thursday evening, and Friday morning to sterilize the joint for my arrival home...XXOO

26 March, 2012

Happy Birthday Emma!

Birthday season officially kicks off this Month in my family...

And, today belongs to Emma...

Miss didn't use to be but, now is hard to buy for turned up her nose at a pink, fresh water pearl necklace, a hand painted chip bowl or a molcajete from Mexico so, I threw in the thoughtful towel and went with a just plain practical lululemon Adjust Me Bra in lavender dusk...

Can I tell you how outrageously comfy this sports bra is?

Let's just say, it's Happy Birthday Emma and Alice...

Kindness of everyone for patiently awaiting my return from sun roasting hiatus. I'm a smidge outta whack after flying out right smack at the moment we sprung the clocks forward, landing in a Central time zone where they DON'T observe Daylight Savings this early, then flying back to a Central time zone where they DO observe for a night then back to the East Coast the next morn where I got to go through the pain of losing that hour all over again. It went, minus an hour, plus two hours, minus an hour, minus an hour. And, to make it even more confusing, the hotel room in St. Louis hadn't adjusted the alarm clock to reflect the time change. I had to move so fast to make my flight that I left half my tan in my wake...XXOO 

02 December, 2011

Birthday Boy

Happy Birthday li'l Prince...

It's been 4 years of putting your family above all else... 

Of endless entertainment...

And, a whooole lotta tolerance...

We Love You
Mommy, Daddy and Lolly

Kindness of my sister Genevieve who will not call me immediately upon reading this to ask if she is included in the "family he puts above all else". Yesssss, Genny, Pilgie loves you too. Yessssss, he misses you. And, yesssss, I think he was sad to leave you when we left the beach. Said the first chair to the second fiddle...XXOO 

27 October, 2011

Grandpa Flynn's Day Of Honor

On Monday, Babe and I attended his Grandfather Flynn's interment at Arlington National Cemetery...

A Naval Officer, and graduate of MIT, Mr. Flynn's early electrical engineering work helped to develop electronic countermeasure (a radar jammer for us laymen) thus, saving the lives of countless soldiers, seamen and airmen during World War II and beyond...


This honor is an incredibly moving ceremony to witness and I feel privileged to have to have been a part...

Maurice E. Flynn, Jr., LCDR
November 6, 1918 - May 10, 2011

Kindness of Grandpa Flynn for keeping us safe. Annnd, for passing along some of those brainiac genes to my commanding officer...XXOO

09 August, 2011

Things We Wish We Knew When We Were 19 Remix

In honor of Hilly's day late and a dollar short birthday, I thought I'd rerun last year's dedicated post with some slight remixing. Even I can use the occasional reminding...

Happy 20th Birthday Hilbils!!! The novelty of your pretty Sheridan French Neve dress present may dim. But, hopefully the following tidbits of wisdom cobbled together by the bff Kimba and I, will last a lifetime...

Things We Wish We Knew When We Were 19 + a year...

It's the accumulation of many small decisions over time, more so than the few big ones, that chart the paths you take in life.

Be grateful for every thing no matter how inconsequential it may seem. Being grateful attracts more things into your life for which to be grateful.

There is a difference between being tenacious and swimming upstream. Learn to distinguish between the two for one leads to success and the other to frustration.

Work daily on your relationship with God, even if it's just a simple "good morning" and "good night", for it will provide you with a level of peace, security and contentment that no person can give you.

You still get a great tan wearing an SPF 30 and doing so will save you a fortune at the dermatologist later in life.

Whether it's a hairdresser, manicurist, trainer or masseuse, never hesitate to voice your requests, concerns or discomfort. YOU know what's best for you, not them. Also, they are not your therapist so expect that anything you divulge will be repeated.

Be curious about the habits of highly evolved and successful people and apply them to your life.

Yoga is good.

Exercise your physical talents as often as possible cuz the day you realize you can no longer do that gainer off the diving board you will experience a sense of loss that's like a death.

The face, neck, and back of hands are the first places a woman shows signs of aging so take particular care.

Spend time with your grandparents and ask lots of questions because when you get older you will develop an insatiable curiosity about your heritage.

There really is such a thing as karma. You will get back exactly what you put out.

Incorporate breast self exams into your shower routine. Just like shaving and deep conditioning it should become a biweekly habit.

Your family loves you and cares more deeply about you than anyone and always has your best interest at heart.

Trust your instincts for they are an invaluable tool. If something doesn't feel right, it usually isn't.

Excessive drinking does lead to terrible decisions and consequences. You'll will also come to appreciate that the first cocktail is always the best. The ones that follow are just chasing a ghost.

Outward appearances mean nothing if you are not grounded and confident. It is never enough just to be a pretty girl.

No boy is worth pushing your values and instincts aside for.

Although 'tis always nice to give people room to grow, most personalities are set by first grade. Adjust your expectations accordingly and you will save yourself a world of hurt and disappointment.

Your grades and study habits will shape the rest of your life and provide you the best opportunity for a life of independence and success.

And, the adults were right; everything in moderation is best, time does heal all wounds and, this too did pass...

And, in honor of another year, may I add;

"The woman who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd. The woman who walks alone is likely to find herself in places no one has ever been."

-Albert Einstein (via Awelltraveledwoman)

Kindness of the bff Kimba for collaborating with me on this post. Of course, her contributions are easily recognizable as the more eloquent words of wisdom. The ones with the bitter, hippie bent belong to yours truly...XXOO

08 August, 2011

6 Years And Counting...

Well, @TCSKxoxo...traditionally, it's sugar...

But, around here 'twas a pair of the Orlebar Brown Bulldogs in geometric navy for Babe, and a Simon Pearce Woodbury Flare Vase and roses pour moi...

But, never one to miss an excuse for sugar, I covered that base with a celebratory, post 4 miler breakfast of chocolate croissants...

After indulging my two croissant sugar coma lounging around the pool, coach gave me the option of either tennis or biking...

I opted for the less sweaty, just slip on a cover up bike ride...

Trading in working on my forehand, for working on my no hand...

No such success would've been had on the court...

Since there weren't any jumbo Chester River crabs available from our source for our traditional anniversary dinz, we stuffed our swollen from running, sugar, humidity, and biking piggy's into some real shoes...

Then spent the ride to Ruth's Chris consoling our shocked feet, telling them they'd be back home in the security of their Rainbows before they knew it...

Babe looked as gorgeous as ever...

While I looked as though I had...spent all day in a pool, went bike riding, threw my chlorinated hair in a pony, tossed a dress over my still slathered in sunscreen bod, skipped the makeup and said, I'm ready...

As Babe began making noises about a late night walk while waiting for the check...

It was all I could do to keep from lying my tired head on the table...

But, after 6 years, Babe knows that there's one surefire way to wake me back up and that's, more sugar...

I came in celebrating our "Sugar Anniversary" with chocolate croissants and, I went out with chocolate frozen yogurt...

Kindness of Babe for an amazing 6 years. I am onnne lucky girl to have found you...XXOO

19 July, 2011

Gone Daddy Boot Campin'

We've decided to join Daddy with a mini vacay of our own...

And by vacay, we don't mean this. Pffft! No such luck...

More like Daddy boot camp with bike rides, runs, walks, bike rides alongside his runs, tennis, beach during the day, now a request for beach during the evening, dining out, grilling in, trips to the boardwalk for carni rides and junk food, a road trip to the National Arboretum, any excuse for a drive along the coast, more tennis, annnd new to the queue, a daily plank challenge since he missed out on last week's fun. Maybe it's next week I should be taking off...

Kindness of everyone for wishing me luck. I'm either gonna come outta this week really, really fit or really, really fat. Exhausted's a given. We'll see ya on Monday...XXOO

18 July, 2011

Alas, Defeat...

Only 3 days late, but who's countin'?

After nothin' but blue ribbons, I was finally dealt two bitter Cully Comps defeats...



First in the plank competition and then, the kip up. Video of that very unladylike melt down not fit for public consumption...

I take solace in the fact that I was taken down by my star athlete of a cousin...

DidYouALSOKnow...that Melissa sets up her competitors for failure by plying them with lethal margaritas?

Kindness of Melissa who will heed Uncle David's warning that, true to form, I will be practicing my li'l kip up heart out and by the time I roll into Greenwich I hope to be doing kip ups OVER you or die trying. That, annnd I'm revoking your mixology license. Let's leave the margarita making to the professionals please...XXOO

14 July, 2011

Cully Reunion Comps

Listen, that competitive apple didn't fall far from the Cully family tree. Day one of our reunion began with a dive off and yesterday's posted swim race. By night two, Uncle David was spearheading the one armed pull-up and wall sit contests...



Being inclusive, I devised a friendly handicap for my mother's attempt at a pull up. Guess those apples skipped a generation...

Kindness of Emma for whipping out her iPhone cuz she had the foresight to know this was gonna be rich...XXOO

13 July, 2011

Moi? Competetive? Pshaw!

Hilbil's boyfriend Rob; luuuuv him...mini Babe...treats our Hilly like gold...genuine...polite...BUT throw down a challenge with competitive moi?! Adios Mrs. Nicey Pooh Aunt...



Ummm, cheater, cheater pumpkin eater. Rematch!



All handicaps aside (no goggles for him...a bikini bottom hanging on for dear life pour moi...), looks like BroBible's poster boy took one stroke too many...

Kindness of Rob for being such a good sport. Annnd, good second placer...XXOO

10 June, 2011

Birthday Boy

Happy 30th Birthday Babe

Hurry home to us cuz we've been plotting and planning your party and gifts and dreaming of chocolate cake alllll week!

♥
Moi and the Ti-Babes

20 May, 2011

In Memory Of Grandpa Flynn

Babe's Grandpa Flynn had a motto; to live a fulfilling life, you need to exercise your mind, body and spirit...

And, as a graduate of MIT, who enjoyed solving differential equations as a weekend hobby, an avid runner, diver, skier, surfer and triathlete who was still competing and winning well into his 80's, active in his church, often running the predawn, 6 mile round trip there on Sundays just to turn the coffee on, it sounds as though he spent his 92 years doing just that...

Kindness of my father-in-law for sending me my favorite picture of Grandpa Flynn...XXOO

06 May, 2011

The 21 Club

The girls headed home for the summer yesterday although, Hilbils is continuing north to Cornell, like a good girlfriend, to root on Rob as Penn plays Harvard in The Ivy League Men's Lacrosse Championship...

Meanwhile, Emma has a whole month til the also recently initiated into Club 21 Sally returns from Greenvulle and they can test drive their new credentials together at the beach...

Their whopper of a weekend in Charleston celebrating Sally's milestone will have to last them til June...

When Lucy and Ethel are reunited...

At least that'll give Sally an entire month to recover from the Charleston hurrah where she valiantly fulfilled all 21 items on the birthday checklist Emma thoughtfully crafted in her honor such as...

#7 Tell someone you voted for Obama

Annnd...

#21 Go home with someone

Kindness of Sally Atwater for being such a good sport! And, Hilary for accepting the pager her Mommy, bff Kimba and I are about to bequeath her as our on call DD for the summer. We have a feeling Emma's social schedule will no longer allow her to fulfill her duties...XXOO

ps...Good luck Rob and Penn!