The Finer Neiners

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

My Little Chocolate's

To put it plainly, we had a pretty bad Valentine's Day! You know how you have all those romantic aspirations of eating chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, making crafts out of construction paper with your kids all day & eating heart shaped jello with dinner. Well, I was reminded today that I don't live in a Martha Stewart world! There were no pancakes, we didn't do a single craft & the jello stuck to the pan and ended up in a dish! Oh yeah, and we got like a foot of snow today! But not the build a snowman kind. It was freezing rain pretty much all day! But the day is over, I still have a wonderful husband, and two darling children tucked away in dreamland. And these pictures remind me what really important when it comes down to it! Guess I couldn't be happier!

Our Pint-Sized Hershey Kiss

Couldn't you just Eat Him Up?

BROTHERLY LOVE

"Hey Jack, I don't think Mommy would mind if you had just a little taste of my Hershey Kiss!"

Our Little Stud-Muffin

"XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO"

So which letter represents the kiss?

MY LOVE

For My Husband:

my best friend,

soul mate,

dearest,

and the one

who I fall in love with

more & more

each & every day!

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

AN APPOINTMENT WITH LOVE

I do not recall the first time I read this short story, but it has never been far from me. Reading this reminds me of the quality of love & how it sets no limits to give of itself. True love is always a great sacrifice; but always greatly given.

John Blanchard stood up from the bench, straightened his Army uniform, and studied the crowd of people making their way through Grand Central Station. He looked for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn't, the girl with the rose.

His interest in her had begun thirteen months before in a Florida library. Taking a book off the shelf he found himself intrigued, not with the words of the book, but with the notes penciled in the margin. The soft handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and insightful mind. In the front of the book, he discovered the previous owner's name, Miss Hollis Maynell. With time and effort he located her address. She lived in New York City. He wrote her a letter introducing himself and inviting her to correspond. The next day he was shipped overseas for service in World War II. During the next year and one month the two grew to know each other through the mail. Each letter was a seed falling on a fertile heart. A romance was budding.

Blanchard requested a photograph, but she refused. She felt that if he really cared, it wouldn't matter what she looked like. When the day finally came for him to return from Europe, they scheduled their first meeting - 7:00 PM at the Grand Central Station in New York. "You'll recognize me," she wrote, "by the red rose I'll be wearing on my lapel."

So at 7:00 he was in the station looking for a girl whose heart he loved, but whose face he'd never seen. A young woman was coming toward him, her figure long and slim. Her blonde hair lay back in curls from her delicate ears; her eyes were blue as flowers. Her lips and chin had a gentle firmness, and in her pale green suit she was like springtime come alive. He started toward her, entirely forgetting to notice that she was not wearing a rose. As he moved, a small, provocative smile curved her lips. "Going my way, sailor?" she murmured. Almost uncontrollably he made one step closer to her, and then he saw Hollis Maynell. She was standing almost directly behind the girl. A woman well past 40, she had graying hair tucked under a worn hat. She was more than plump, her thick-ankled feet thrust into low-heeled shoes.

The girl in the green suit was walking quickly away. He felt as though he were being split in two, so keen was he desire to follow the girl, yet so deep was his longing for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned and upheld his own. And there she stood. Her pale, plump face was gentle and sensible, her gray eyes had a warm and kindly twinkle. He did not hesitate. His fingers gripped the small worn blue leather copy of the book that was to identify him to her. This would not be love, but it would be something precious, something perhaps even better than love, a friendship for which he had been and must ever be grateful. He squared his shoulders and saluted and held out the book to the woman, even though while he spoke he felt choked by the bitterness of his disappointment. "I'm Lieutenant John Blanchard, and you must be Miss Maynell. I am so glad you could meet me; may I take you to dinner?"

The woman's face broadened into a tolerant smile. "I don't know what this is about, son," she answered, "but the young lady in the green suit who just went by, she begged me to wear this rose on my coat. And she said if you were to ask me out to dinner, I should go and tell you that she is waiting for you in the big restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test!"

written by: S.I. Kishor

Friday, February 09, 2007

Tsiology

I have to share this with you. Just last week when I was sick I ran to the grocery store to pick up some meds. I was feeling so dehydrated. I was ready to grab something right off the shelf, crack it open & start gulping it down right then & there. I was focused on the need for something satisfying when I came across this treasure! The green tea looked refreshing & proclaimed health benefits such as "The metabolism-boosting green tea". Excellent health was lacking in my system at the time so it sounded pretty good to me. I then had to pick from the variety of flavors: asian pear, mango, regular. The pear found its way in my hand. So I brought it to the checkout kind of skeptical. Usually when they start messing with things, like green tea, it comes out tasting really artificial. But when I closed the door of my van, ripped off the plastic seal and took my first swig, I didn't stop until the bottle was half way empty. Pure delight. I have been back for more. The only down side, it is a bit pricey. $1.59 to be exact. Thankfully it was on sale 10/$10.00 when I went back to stock up. It was actually enjoyable to have to "push fluids" with this in hand!

And the other cool thing: snapple prints "real facts" on every lid, like "Tsiology is anything written about tea."

Thursday, February 08, 2007

My Friend, the Princess

This Post is in honor & tribute to my dear friend, Leah Millan, a.k.a. the tulle queen. She & Alex just celebrated their 3rd anniversary. I recently came across these pictures from her wedding and couldn't help but remember how great of a time I had. I was 7 months pregnant with Drew so it worked out just in time for John & I to fly down to Alabama for the wedding. It had been a couple of years since Leah, Steph & I had seen each other, so it was just like the good old days getting together again! Steph had just told us that they were expecting their first (Canon), so we were very excited! Leah's wedding was so beautiful. The Petit team did all of the music for the ceremony and it was phenomonal. That was our last get-together to date. Now 3 years later, there are 5 kiddos between us! And a personal apology to Alex: I didn't have any pictures with you in it~SORRY!

The Bridesmaids Luncheon

Dinner at The Chimmy-Cheeseburg Place

(or something like that)

This picture is hard to see, but the sign behind us says, "Expectant Mothers Parking"

All I can say is 'Only in the south!'

We even got the hubbies to help out!

Steph helping Leah with her veil

Well, Leah, I hope this makes up a bit for the fact that I totally forgot!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

It Was A Good Year

Well, I have been on a blog-break with everything going on. And I am realizing how very much I'm missing the digital camera! So, since I cannot yet post any current photos, I decided to pull up some pictures throughout this past year and give you a month-by-month overview of 2006 with the Neiner's.

JANUARY

Drew testing the chocolate chip cookie dough

Visiting Carrie & Brion for New Years

Drew's 1st "Piano Lesson"

Our Neighbors' 11 foot snowman

Our very own snowmommy!

FEBRUARY

Drew & his best buddy, Pixel

(who is a penguin, not a duck!)

I took these Valentine shots of Drew. I made the heart by melting 2 all white candy canes together (facing each other in 300f oven until melted). The "X & O" were just wooden letters. This picture gives me hope this is what he'll think of the girls'...at least for awhile! :)

BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE!

MARCH

Memorium: This is a picture of my grandfather's gravestone. I was only in 3rd grade when we were at this gravesight to bury him. This picture, however, was taken on the day we buried my Gramma Quinn in March 2006. It had been 17 years since my grandfather had passed away. Up to this point, my Gramma Quinn was very much a part of our lives. She lived right next door to us all my life and we were always running errands with her or helping her out around the yard or in the house. We also spent every Christmas Eve at her home and she spoiled us every New Years Eve with 13lbs. of shrimp. She kept the pride of our Irish heritage alive, and was the biggest Chicago Cubs' fan through thick & thin. A chapter of my life came to a close with my Gramma's departure. But the memories, her lively spirit & extravagant giving will always remain in my heart.

Drew turns 2: we had a little b.day party with the Quinn's at my brother's house while in Chicago for the funural. Drew blew his candle out all by himself! It was aslo a perfect change of pace to lift our spirits during this sad time.

Granpa Quinn flew out to visit for Drew's actual birthday.

It was a good thing he came to help me out with Drew's party because I was so sick with my pregnancy.

APRIL

Our church's face lift: we have been renting this building for the past 15 years and then the owners' gave it to us! That's right! Since it dates back to the beginning of the century, there were A LOT of updates needed & required. This was the 1st phase: new siding & a steeple. It has been so exciting to see the provision of the Lord through each stage of our New England church.

Drew climbing at Uncle Brian's climbing wall.

Drew's favorite place to eat...E-I-E-I-O (a.k.a. McDonalds).

MAY

Mothers' Day

I was 4 months pregnant with Jack here!

The Ultra Sound says ~It's A Boy~

JUNE

This was one of our summer projects. We added the stone "wall" along the path to our front door.

Drew on Easter Sunday

Dinner at JACK'S GRILL for dad's birthday.

J U L Y

We took the plunge & entered the Van Club!

At the 4th of July Parade

Cooling off with the Miss Spider sprinkler

Drew's 1st Minor League Baseball Game

AUGUST

At Doug & Crystal's wedding, Drew gave his 1st Kiss to the flower girl! (So much for girls' having cooties!)

A visit from our good friend, Pastor Dave Schindel.

He was the assistant pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Williston, VT

when John did his college internship. He is now pastoring in TN. He taught Drew some very life-changing things like, "See ya 'round town, clown!!!"

SEPTEMBER