Dance Team Banquet

We had a nice day celebrating the Dance Team's fabulous year at the banquet. It was held in the Nursing Building this year up on the 4th floor. It was a gorgeous day and we had a beautiful view of the ocean. We watched lots of videos and had lots of laughs. This team won the UDA national GOLD medal for Game Day and the BRONZE medal for Pom! Fantastic!! 

Encouragement

 

There have been times in my life where I would wish and wish and wish for something in particular to happen and when it didn't I would be discouraged. But maybe it's because it wasn't mean to be...

Nana Elliott

My newest creation...

How I love doing these! They're so much fun! This one was inspired by my great grandmother, Elva Matilda (Littlefield) (Hoyt) Elliott. She had her own tailoring shop in downtown Norwood called Elliott Cleaners. Isn't that fabulous?! She was an entrepreneur way ahead of her time! She always dressed so fancy. She was a petite woman who always wore dresses, heels, hats, lots of jewelry, fur coats, stoles and always had the prettiest purses. I'm guessing the photo below was taken at her shop. This looks to be a birthday party for her granddaughters "the twins" Barbra and Beverly Hoyt. Whenever my Mom and I looked at old pictures and she didn't know who it was in the photo she would always say it was Nana Elliott or the twins. That always made us laugh so hard! Here we have both! Haha!! She'd get a kick out of that!

Below left to right: Nana (my mother's mama), her mother Elva and Elva's boyfriend Walter (he came after three husbands!)...

That's how they dressed all the time! Very fancy! She was a lady through and through. I'll tell you a little more about her at the end. But first look at what I made in honor of her. I think it's kind of ironic that the shop is called "Elsa's Tailoring" and her name was Elva.

She was born in Dextor, Maine on June 10, 1887. She passed when I was in the 6th grade. I remember it well. I was away at a week long nature camp school trip. So that was 1976. Her father was Samuel Littlefield (1862-1897) and her mother was Frances "Fannie" McKenney (1871-1959). As I mentioned, she was married three times! That's crazy for back then. I researched on Ancestry. Her first husband was Clarence Eugene Hoyt. They had four children together. Guy, Madeline (Cassie), our Nana Evelyn and Kenneth. Then she married Edward White. I don't know what happened to him. Then she married her third husband, John Elliott. I think they had a daughter named Marion. I have quite a few memories of Nana Elliott. I remember she invited our family over for lunch at her house and she was so excited to have company! I was quite young. She made us hotdogs wrapped in bread because she didn’t have rolls. I proceeded to throw up either on the way home or when we got home. Ha ha ha! But I clearly remember how happy she was that day. I wish I got to know her better. Sad how that happens. Just too many years between us. I still visit her grave. I was always the one to go with my Mom to plant flowers on Memorial Day so I know where everyone is buried. Maybe I'll bring this little shop when I go next time and show it to her : )  Oh she'll be smiling down from heaven!! 

April thoughts

 

APRIL

the start of new things

setting new goals

spring is in the air

porch weather is coming

so is a graduation

the end of another college school year

kids coming home soon

under one roof again

savor the days 

savor the moments

Gianna turns 21

We picked her up at school and had lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. Then we went to one of the local bars, The Anchor, and celebrated with her first legal drink. 

It's hard to believe she's 21. Crazy how the time just flies by. Funny how not much has changed from this picture...that girl LOVES to sleep! Haha!

Gianna, you are BRAVE, STRONG, FUNNY and RESILIENT. But most importantly, you are LOVED by so many!! 

Newest Creation The Beach House

The beach house is FINALLY finished! Thank goodness Julia happily volunteered to help! We spent many hours working on this together which was fun. Kimmy even worked on a few pieces! This one was really challenging. Just when we thought we were almost done...there were about 100 more things to do! Haha!! We love how it turned out! 

Afternoon Tea

My new teacup makes me so happy...

So pretty in pink and yellow...and it's the perfect size too! What a find : ) 

Traveling to Chicago

Gianna got to travel with the men's basketball team to Chicago for the Sweet 16 tournament. It was an adventure for sure!