Mom Always Said to Pack Plenty of Clean Underwear: 2011

Thursday, June 16, 2011

To Know Her Is To Love Her

Imogene D. Peabody went to be with the Lord this morning. Not only did she meet the Lord, but she was reunited with her husband on his 99th birthday.

Imogene Peabody
June 4, 1920-June 16, 2011
She will be missed by everyone that she met.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Happy 91st Birthday Grandma Peabody!

When love is given unconditionally, no one is left out. Grandma Peabody is an outpouring of unconditional love. She made sure each family member knew they were loved and that we are her sweethearts. She has an amazing sense of style and a great sense of humor to keep up with the comedians in the family. As the matriarch of our family she is revered for her faith, hard work, family values and wisdom. Today marks the 91st year of her life. Growing up, my cousins and I spent a lot of time at our Grandparent’s home. We knew the yard by heart and played around our Grandfather’s tulip garden and what we called the “glass house,” a small building with their glass-working tools and stained-glass creations. I am brought back to her home whenever I watch The Price is Right or I dream of Jeannie. There was always enough food, even when you weren’t hungry and imagination was the rule, rather than the exception. Without directly teaching us, Grandma Peabody instilled in us the need to make the world a beautiful place whether it was planting a garden or putting on lipstick, in her case, red whenever possible. “Every room needs a touch of red.” It is no coincidence that my cousins and I are gifted in such areas as music, art, interior design, stained glass, photography, fashion and cooking since these activities were always happening around us. The fact that we are strong but loving, confident but caring individuals is a testament to Grandma’s influence on us. We cherish her words and our family memories; able to recite them with the talents of any great story teller however, as Peabody’s go, the story is different almost every time. Mother-in-laws do not have the greatest reputation but the man who marries a Peabody girl never knew this. My Dad and Uncles have laughed and shared great times with “Imogene.” Dinners at her house were a never ending feast and if you didn’t have second and third portions, you were in trouble. To these men Imogene was a neutral ally who could hold firm to the truth of events past when the sisters told different stories. My favorite memory of my Dad with Grandma was in 2008 when he was putting curlers in her hair and they were telling stories and laughing hysterically. Needless to say my Dad should not answer the call of being a hairdresser but Grandma still looked beautiful as she always does. Our Grandmother supported and encouraged her daughter’s relationships with their Aunts and Uncles so much that they became like second and third parents to them. I hold a special admiration for my four Aunts and Uncles but I also have the joy and blessing of being an Aunt myself. Although Grandma Peabody has lived through monumental events such as the The 19^th Amendment, Amelia Earhart’s transatlantic flight, WWII, The Civil Rights Movement and seeing the first elected African American President I believe her greatest memories are those of her family. She made me feel like the star of her show, a role I am happy to play. I will continue to practice her teachings and refer back to her wisdom whether conscious or unconscious, the rest of my life. She is a blessing.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Don't Forget to Brush

Yes, those are toothpaste pajamas. Our mother worked a dentist office for over 20 years. And yes, my shirt is tucked too far into my pants.

The Many Personalities of Christina

a little goofy

a little evil

Mother Nature

Thanks for sharing the beauty of the forest with me, Christina.

Two Creepy Clowns and a Baby

Ah, the Photo Booth

When Christina (below) tells the story of these pictures, she claims that I (above) took too long in the photo booth, leaving her with only milliseconds to jump in and smile. She does look rather surprised.

The Proverbial Tongue: The Series

Just a few...of hundreds.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Man Hands

Need I say more?

Thursday, March 10, 2011

The Mullet Years: Slip 'N Slide

Now, anyone who knows our family, will know that this is not our yard. Sadly, Christina and I were never able to slip 'n slide anywhere in our yard, because "it would ruin the grass." We also know that it wasn't Aunt Donna's yard. If it were Aunt Donna's yard, we'd be covered with bruises from sliding over all of the apples.