Our 16th Wedding Anniversary

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Like you're surprised I had Mickey Mouse Invitations.

 

Sixteen years ago today, I married my best friend, the love of my life, the most wonderful man in the world, and each and every day since then I have grown to love him more and more. 

 

 

My beautiful boys gave me away. (L: Nik; R: Alex)

 

 

Bill has been there for me and the boys since the first day we met, to love and care for us and to always make us laugh. Even our wedding was filled with love and laughter.

 

I'm sure you can't see it, but my boxer shorts match Bill's tie.

They are both St. Patrick's Day Mickey Mouse.

 

 

I am the luckiest woman in the world to have Bill in my life. We have had some tough times during our marriage, but through it all we have stuck together and grown closer. Since he is retired and I am disabled, we spend almost all of our time together. When he is upstairs on his computer and I am downstairs on my laptop, we send each other IM love notes - he is so sweet!

 

Bill, I love you more today than I did the day I met you in 1995 and more than the day we married in 1997. Every day I love you more and more... I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you.

 

 

 

HAPPY 16th ANNIVERSARY!!!!!

 

Photo Credit

 

 

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Flashback Friday - The Boys with Grandpa

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I'm joining Camille over at Crazy Mama for Flashback Friday to, as she says, link up an old picture and/or an old post! No rules, other than that. Have fun!! :)

 

So this is the photo I chose to share this week. It is the last photo I have of my dad (he passed away 6 months later), and I'm really glad that my two boys are in the photo with him, they had a very special relationship with their grandpa. They are the only boys in that generation... all my sisters had daughters, and even the greatgrandchildren are girls.

 

 

So, post your Flashback photo or post and link up with Crazy Mama, then check out the other posts and leave a comment for those participants.

 

Have a great weekend. HUGGLES!

 

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Happy Father's Day to the BEST Father, Step-Father, and Grandfather!

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Today I want to wish the most wonderful man in the world a very happy Father's Day... Yes, Bill is the most wonderful father to his two children, the BEST step-father to my no-so-little boys, and a great grandfather to his four grandchildren.


We all love him so much and are SO lucky to have him in our lives.

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Three Generations of Shewbridges: Bill, Colby, and Del (plus Debbie sneaking in)

I'd also like to wish a very happy Father's Day to my step-son Del, who is a fabulous father. I saw first hand just how wonderful, a couple of weeks ago when they were visiting from Texas. His son Colby is such a well behaved, polite, and loving little boy. And that can only be from the way he has been raised by his father and mother. So happy Father's Day, Del... you deserve it!

Bill and Nikolaus at Basic Training Graduation

Bill and Alexander (one of my favorite photos)

Hope all my friends have a very happy Father's Day and get to be surrounded by the ones they love.

As always, please keep in mind those fathers who are not able to be with their families because they are protecting us all by serving in the military. Praying they all return home safely soon.

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21 Years Ago, Another Miracle & Blessing in my Life - The Birth of Alexander Alfred

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My dearest little boy Alexander was born 21 years ago today at 2:07 in the morning. When he came into this world, he was blue, and it scaring the heck out of me. But my doctor said, in the sweet voice that always put me at ease, "Don't worry mommy, it's just because he is so big and he's cold." That's when I found out that my chubby little man was 9 pounds, 10 ounces and it was in the middle of a snow storm, no wonder he was cold. =)

Once they got him under the warming lights and cleaned up and wrapped up, he pinked right up. Actually he was quite red faced with red hair - such a butterball. He loved to snuggle and be sung to and didn't even care that mommy couldn't carry a tune to save her life.

He has these beautiful blue eyes and this hair that always stuck up because of a cowlick, so I would use gel to make him look adorable.

As he grew, he was still a cuddler and a truly loving boy. He became extremely artistic in both the arts and music getting high marks and praise from his teachers every year.

He still loves them both an plays in a rock band. He also has always had a love for animals and grew up with a Beagle named GusGus (short for Octavius from Cinderella) and now has an adorable cat named Wompa. He and his brother, Nikolaus, have always been close and still talk to each other often.

Alex is always ready for fun and loves to hang out with his Mom & Pop doing silly things, especially going to Disney World. He and Pop love riding roller coasters together, but he will still do the "boring" things with mom like shopping and riding the carousel and trying on funny hats.

So on your 21st birthday, my little man, I want to let you know how much Pop and I love you and how very proud we are of the man you have become. You are such a special man and anyone who knows you is very lucky to have you in their life.

But, to me, you will always be my little boy.....

Happy Birthday, my darling little boy!!

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I Love Christmas Post #5

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The Most Wonderful Boys in the Whole World!!

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Happy Father's Day ~ Dad, Step-Dad, Pop

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I just want to wish all the dads, grandads, soon-to-be dads a very happy Father's Day!!


There is one father in particular that I would like to mention.... my dearest husband Bill.

Isn't he just so handsome?  =)

Generations of Shewbridge Men

Bill raised two children of his own by the time I met him and they are both wonderful people, just like he is... which he got from his father, a super sweet man who wrote the best love letters. I only wish I had gotten to meet him before he passed away.

Then, after having raised his own children, he married me... a single mother with two very young children: Nikolaus was in 2nd grade and Alexander was just starting Kindergarten. He took on all this responsibility without complaining and lovingly helped me raise our boys into the fine young men they are today. They still call him Pop and have shared some great times with him and he was always there for them. He went to every school concert, parents night, ornament night, everything - even when the boys biological father didn't. Bill was there when Nikolaus graduated from Army Basic Training as the soldier of the cycle - top in his class.



Bill and Nikolaus at Army Basic Graduation









Father's Day Tie from Nik, age 7
Bill wore it ALL day at work!





Alex finally got taller than Bill.



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Nikolaus, Lorie & Alexander



I don't know what the boys and I would have done without him.... so to Bill/Pop, thank you for everything you do and for all the love you show us. We love you with all our hearts - Happy Father's Day!!

As always, I ask that you keep in mind those who are serving our country and cannot be with the ones they love so that we enjoy freedom and safety. Remember them today along with their families with hopes that they will ALL return home safe and sound.
 

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Friday Photo Flashback ~ Bill and the Boys

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Alicia from More Than Words says she started Friday Photo Flashback because "I have so many pictures from my PRE-digital camera days. I thought it would be fun to scan them and share them here with you.. I'm having so much fun doing this, that I would love for you to join me, too! So dig out the photo albums and put your scanner to good use! Don't forget to link up so we can all visit and comment on each others blogs!"



This week I am posting a photo of Bill, Nikolaus and Alexander from 2004 in front of our house right after we had just gotten it. They were so excited about having a new house in Florida (as was I) and couldn't wait to get inside to see it (Bill & I had already been inside at the closing), but of course I had to be a good photographer and "Memory Keeper" and make them all stop and take a photo. =)
 
 

 
I can't believe how short Alexander is and that Nikolaus has no tattoos or muscles, they look like such little boys to me. They are all grown up and men now and I am so proud of both of them.
 
 
If you'd like to play along with Friday Photo Flashback, dig out the old photo albums, scan in some photos and write a post to tell us all about what's going on in the photos. Then link up with Alicia at More Than Words, visit the other participants and leave a nice comment.

Happy Mother's Day

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Wishing all of you Mother's a wonderful day of love and happiness. I hope you get to spend time with the ones you love and that you have a fabulous day. Being a mother is one of my favorite things, my boys have grown into young men that I am SO proud of and I love dearly.

Whatever you are doing today, please take a moment to remember those mothers who are away from their children because they are serving our country around the world, because of them, we have our freedom.

HUGGLES!!

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Friday Photo Flashback ~ My Little Alexander (OK, so he's not THAT little)

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Alicia from More Than Words says she started Friday Photo Flashback because "I have so many pictures from my PRE-digital camera days. I thought it would be fun to scan them and share them here with you.. I'm having so much fun doing this, that I would love for you to join me, too! So dig out the photo albums and put your scanner to good use! Don't forget to link up so we can all visit and comment on each others blogs!"

These are photos from about three and a half years ago when Alexander came down to visit and we went to Disney World ~ you are all SHOCKED, I know. I love going there with the boys because we have so much fun and we all feel fine acting like kids and laughing at each other and ourselves. I can't wait until both boys can come down again, soon, but their work schedules, school and the Army (not to mention gas prices) have other ideas for them. Believe me, y'all will be the second to know when they are planning on coming for a visit! HaHa

If you'd like to play along with Friday Photo Flashback, dig out the old photo albums, scan in some photos and write a post to tell us all about what's going on in the photos. Then link up with Alicia at More Than Words, visit the other participants and leave a nice comment.

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Friday Photo Flashback: Disney World

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Alicia from More Than Words says she started Friday Photo Flashback because "I have so many pictures from my PRE-digital camera days. I thought it would be fun to scan them and share them here with you.. I'm having so much fun doing this, that I would love for you to join me, too! So dig out the photo albums and put your scanner to good use! Don't forget to link up so we can all visit and comment on each others blogs!"




I decided that in honor of next week's Disney Social Media Moms Conference I would post some of my photos from past visits to Disney World with my boys:

I'm really looking forward to going back to Disney to see all the wonderful bloggers at the Social Media Moms Conference. I don't think my boys will be able to make it this time because the Army has other plans for my oldest son, Nikolaus, they scheduled some Mountain Warfare training for him during the same time which he is trying to reschedule, but I don't think he'll be able to do that.... and hate to say it, but the U.S. Army trumps Mommy... :)  Plus Nikolaus was little brother, Alexander's transportation down here, so.... it seems that I'll have to wait a little while longer before I get to see my little men again.


If you'd like to play along with Friday Photo Flashback, dig out the old photo albums, scan in some photos and write a post to tell us all about what's going on in the photos. Then link up with Alicia at More Than Words, visit the other participants and leave a nice comment. See you next Friday - FROM DISNEY WORLD!!!   :)