A Celebration...

of Helen's life was held after a private mass on Tuesday. I got to meet some of my cousins (and second cousins) that I have never met before, and visit with some that I have not seen in a while. It was a nice chance to celebrate a wonderful lady; we had a blast looking through old photos and scrapbooks. I did not know that my great grandmother was voted "wittiest" in her senior class superlatives. I have a lot to live up to!!

My older cousin Stafford
Look at me with all these girls (don't worry, they are all cousins!)

Little Helen caught me at a rougher moment

Uncle Bill

I loved tickling the ivorys Me and Mojo

Great Grandmother Helen

My Great Grandmother Helen went to Heaven on Friday to be with Big Al and her friends. It was a very sad time for mommy and the Means family. I know that she will be missed greatly by everyone, but that she is in a better place. I am glad that I got to see her last week; I know that she loved having her family there to celebrate Thanksgiving. For we are truly thankful for her.

Although I never knew her in her glory days, I will enjoy reading her life story as told,

"The Lurlene set sail from California bound for Hawaii. Helen Stanton Means boarded the ship with a UC Berkeley pre-med diploma and an adventurous spirit. The year was 1939 and sailing across the Pacific was a romantic and daring endeavor. Little did she know that a chance encounter with a roguishly charming FBI agent named Al Means would lead to a storied life together that spanned over fifty years, five children, fourteen grandchildren, and nine great-grand children.

One of her grandchildren very much remembers the strength of her hands. Throughout her life Helen’s hands were forged by

The grip of a tennis racket in a competitive match against her daughter in-law.
Crafting ceramic tiles of a mosaic table.
The firmness of a fishing reel fighting a marlin off the coast of Mexico.
The care with which she knitted all of her grandchildren’s Christmas stockings.
The light touch of a putter on the lush greens of Hilton Head Island.
The agility with which she shucked low country oysters.

All the while, her other hand held a martini.

In 1967 Helen and Al settled in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Their days passed with entertaining friends, playing legendary rounds of golf, and heated tennis rivalries. Their children’s photo albums are chockfull of pictures of grandkids driving the Chris-Craft, feeding the golf-course alligators marshmallows, and shark-fishing from the beach. But it was Helen’s wild California spirit that filled the house with joyous laughter and rollicking fun.

Finally the time came for Helen to say goodbye to Big Al. It was late summer when the family gathered on Sea Pines. She bid farewell in a grove of low country Palmettos and live oaks graced with Spanish Moss. And on that day, Helen set forth on a new journey.

At the age of seventy, she traveled to India, Australia, New Zealand, China, Israel and Egypt. She played the links of Ireland and shot in the 90’s and still played a mean game of tennis. And as an avid baseball fan, she cheered her beloved Atlanta Braves and her grandchildren’s sports teams.

Today we celebrate the storied and adventurous life of Helen Stanton Means. Her passion, her zest, her love, and her spirit will be an inspiration for all those that she knew.

And under the low country Palmettos and live oaks, Helen will again be forever joined with Big Al."

Happy Turkey Day!

We met Ashley, Scott and Lilly Brooks for lunch- isn't Lilly yummy?!

Mimi's favorite pasttime... reading!

Pop's favorite pasttime... hiking!

Silly boy

Drew and Babs (or is it boobs, ha ha!) Meyer

My favorite Aunt Katherine

We went up to Richmond for Thanksgiving this year! I had a long break, and some quality time was spent with Mimi, Pop, Aunt Katherine, Uncle Jeff and all the Meyer clan. I loved it!

Gooble Gooble!

Welcome to the World, Baby Emerson!

My cousins Bo and Julie had their 5th, yes 5th!, child on Friday the 16th (fun fact: Helen's 89th Birthday). Little Emerson joins big brothers Stafford and Brighton and big sisters Stanton and Berklie. Julie is quite the trooper, having their whole families over to her house for Thanksgiving (if you do the math, that is less than one week after she had the baby)! Emerson is so beautiful, and I can't wait to play with her soon.

Caroline's 1st Birthday

I went to my friend Caroline's 1st birthday party on Sunday. She is a neighbor of mine, and I hope to play with her a lot in the future. Her party was so much fun- it was a monkey theme with pink and brown details everywhere. She even gave me a mixed CD and cookies as a party favor! Happy Birthday Caroline!

Thanksgiving with Great-Grandmother Helen

I had an early Thanksgiving meal with my Great-Grandmother Helen, my Uncle Bobby, Aunt Isabella, and Cousin Alberto. Gogo and Bo Daddy were there too! It was also a birthday celebration for Helen, as she celebrated her birthday on November 16th. I loved seeing everyone, and was on my best behavior (could have been because mom gave me sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce- the good canned kind). I loved the song Isabella sang to me in Italian, and hope to one day have hair like Alberto!

Out with the Old, In with the New

I have sadly had to retire my friend, the baby bjorn. Although there were many fun times in the bjorn, I think that I like my new carrier just as much. The ultimate test of the new backpack will come this Wednesday, as we brave the Atlanta Airport with millions of other Thanksgiving travellers. Wish us luck!

It's finally getting cold outside

But, not too cold for the park - weeee!

(yes, that is a youth hat. The infant hats no longer fit)

Tagged

So I got "tagged" by Domenica/ Sunday Grant (BellaRose's adorable mom and high school friend of mine). I am gathering that this is some warped form of a blog chain letter? You know the emails you get every Friday when others are bored at work and looking for something fun to do/ pass around. You can always guess the friends who will participate, but you know that everyone reads them. So I am to write 10 random things about myself that others would not necessarily know about me. In the spirit of not having having bad luck for x number of years, here goes:

1) I am deathly afraid of clowns (really anything that has a painted face)
2) When I was little, I used to model "Multiples" clothes at the mall - remember those, the ones where a tube top is a dress, no its a scarf, no its a skirt...
3) I genuinely love visiting retirement homes and my grandparents, and find that there is so much to learn from those who have come before us and lived a long life. Great family stories should always live on, and humor is the best medicine at any age
4) I am a landscape architect, but have the worst looking back yard out of anyone I know
5) Popcorn hurts my stomach, always has
6) My brother Andy and I got up in front of the studio audience at a taping of "Wheel of Fortune" and did the Pee Wee Herman dance in order to score a hot "WOF" mesh hat- we were about 7 and 9 years old
7) Andy has this deep laugh that he does when I say the stupidest things. It is a type of funny that I have never witnessed before he came along
8) I check popsugar (http://www.popsugar.com/) at least 20 times a day - I apologize ahead of time if I start an obsession
9) Whenever Patrick comes in the room, Andy gives him the biggest smile in the World. I can already tell that he is going to live to make his daddy proud
10) I am a reality show junkie. Patrick and I were on "While you were out" (not his wish...) and I applied to be on "The Amazing Race" with Amanda Orr (we did not get a call back, but made a hilarious application video)

I now have to tag others, but unfortunately Domenica tagged most of the others that are on our Friends list. So anyone who is inspired to create their Top 10 random things to know about you- please go ahead!

Gooooo Dawgs!

What an awesome game for the Dawgs! Emerson, Corinne and I were so excited to see such a great win.

Go Dawgs...sic 'em...woof woof woof

(Thanks for the pics Bec)

Hard Day at Work

It was a tough day at the office, lots of email to type...

Playroup at the Hamilton's

Yeah!

I am so happy because Ryan is singing songs from music class

Holding hands! (we promise that our moms did not make us do this)

From L to R: Carter, Emerson, Britain, Andy, Corinne & Porter

Trick or Treat?

Pop and Mimi are here for a visit!The French Maid and Don Johnson (aka my godparents) joined in on the fun

Halloween

I liked my monkey costume much better!

What's this banana doing in my pocket?