Macy’s Madness
July 22, 2014I love shopping for my granddaughters’ wardrobe. What makes it so much fun besides the cuteness factor is the fact that I can get great bargains on quality clothing if I shop smart! I wait until the end of the season (July for summer) and watch the sales for the additional percent off in addition Read more (…)
Taking a Break from Wedding Planning
July 14, 2014My daughter’s wedding is a month away; most of the planning is complete and we are just waiting on the response cards that are past due. So I felt this was my last chance to escape for a few days before the hustle and bustle of the wedding to hang with friends. Finding a dress for the rehearsal Read more (…)
Changing of the Guard
July 7, 2014About 4 months ago, my daughter and I decided upon a NYC hotel for her wedding guests. I had spent weeks conversing, emailing and negotiating until the perfect West Village area hotel was chosen. We picked the Sheraton Tribeca for convenience, location , amenities and friendly cooperation. Working with the sales manager we locked in the wedding Read more (…)
What Happens in Atlantic City Stays in Atlantic City
June 30, 2014We couldn’t have picked a more beautiful pre-summer day for eight geese to follow the mother goose around the boardwalk of Atlantic City for a bachelorette party. We started at the beach for a few drinks in the sun, then to check in to our hotel as some of the group decorated the room in stellar bachelorette fashion. Read more (…)
Another Father’s Day
June 23, 2014Father’s Day has been bittersweet for me. Celebrating Father’s Day with my kids is always a happy, fun time, but then there’s the sadness I feel that goes with the loss of my dad and grandfather. They were both great example of what Fathers should be and they left a positive, lasting effect on my life. When I look Read more (…)
Girls’ Weekend
June 16, 2014I asked my bestie to accompany me to my daughter’s bachelorette party. I thought it would be more enjoyable to have a buddy my own age to pal around with. After some discussion, we decided to leave a couple of days earlier and enjoy the beach ourselves. After 35 years of friendship, we never took Read more (…)
Target.com Shoppers Beware
June 9, 2014Saturday, I innocently walked in to Target with my return product in hand and my Target Red Card expecting a quick transaction. When to my frustration and surprise left the store 30 minutes later with my return product still in tow. What happened you ask? Not much. Within those 30 minutes I found out Target Read more (…)
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
June 2, 2014Once upon a time there was a beautiful, young bride to be who wanted to step in Audrey Hepburn’s shoes for a day. So on the day of her bridal shower in her own backyard, the tables and chairs were adorned with Tiffany blue covers and chair ties, tables decorated in pearls, the famous black sunglasses, gift Read more (…)
A House Hunting We Go!
May 26, 2014My daughter and her family are planning on moving back home. So, on my last visit I agreed to drive back home with her and the kids so she could house hunt. Being an avid House Hunter television show watcher, I thought this would be great fun. Of course I forgot the fact that we Read more (…)
A Happy Mother’s Day Thank You to my Daughters
May 12, 2014You came into my world so small And I was I wonder of it all When you first placed your lil’ hands in mine I knew you’d have my heart until the end of time We’ve gone through a lot throughout the years Happy times, hard times,conquered all the fear I can’t imagine my life Read more (…)
Bittersweet Birthdays
May 5, 2014At my age my birthdays are becoming bittersweet. On one hand I’m glad to have reached another birthday, but I also become more aware of my youth slipping away. I will concentrate on the positive. I so enjoy the days leading up to my birthday when cards arrive and I stand reading them through blurred eyes Read more (…)
Best Dressed Lil’ Frankensteins
April 28, 2014Another busy trip to the east coast led me to my granddaughters’ front door for another wonderful visit. They are now walking stiffed legged and arms out like lil’ Frankensteins. They are so proud of themselves as they giggle and lunge toward you, looking for praise for their accomplishments. My daughter had them dressed in the Read more (…)
Happy Rainy Birthday to You
April 21, 2014Two daughters, two granddaughters and myself took a five hour trip to help my 29-year-old celebrate her birthday. Besides the five passengers, the car was packed with two portable cribs, two booster seats, a twin size stroller, diaper bag, food bag, and four pieces of various sized luggage. It’s exhausting just writing it all down! Read more (…)
Say Yes to the Dress
April 14, 2014My oldest daughter is getting married soon and her wish growing up was to someday wear my wedding dress. So she asked me if she could have my dress and make the alterations needed to modernize it in to a shorter version. I said yes to the dress and on my last visit in NYC we had a Read more (…)
Mr(S) Clean
April 7, 2014Have you seen the latest Mr. Clean commercial when he is a baby learning his trade and sharing with others the joy of cleaning? I feel like my baby picture should go along side of Mr. Clean’s. I heard my daughter recently tell me that one of my daughter’s comments to her was, “I love Read more (…)
Bridesmaid Shopping for the Over 50 Crowd
March 31, 2014Many girls are pleasantly surprised when asked to be a bridesmaid; imagine my surprise when my daughter asked me to be her matron of honor. I quickly rebutted,” Why do you want me in that role?” She answered, “Because you are the most special person to me.” Of course this response turned on the waterworks. Well now Read more (…)
Minted
March 24, 2014Being a mom of five daughters, yes five! I’m ok (thrilled actually) with the fact that I will be planning weddings for the forseable future, followed by baby showers (twins most recently and I better have an excuse to plan for more!). Two weddings down and well into my third I am a self- professed Read more (…)
The Luck of the Irish to You
March 17, 2014My “baby” had some unfortunate complication from back surgery two years ago. Her doctor commented that this is only the third time he has seen this happen in his 10 year career. A distinguishable fact I could live without. So I flew her back home so recuperation could be more comfortable. There’s no place like Read more (…)
A Frozen Birthday
March 10, 2014Last weekend on a freezing cold afternoon, I went to a “Frozen” themed five year olds birthday party. Having adult children allows you to forget what those birthday party days were like and the current pop culture of the five year old. The party was decorated with all things “Frozen” down to the two layer cake with Read more (…)
Add Another Winner!
March 3, 2014I spent a few days with an old friend and per usual came home with a few new recipes. Being retired like myself, she spends some of her free time leafing through magazines collecting recipes to try. We had the usual terrible Ohio weather, snow, ice , rain and wind so food was our comfort. Let me share with you Read more (…)
The Winter Blues
February 25, 2014Living in the polar region of northeast Ohio I have developed a severe case of the winter blues. I’ve cleaned every nook and cranny, in, out and under the refrigerator, paint touchups and shopped till I dropped (or ran out of money– whichever came first). So, what to do next? Last shopping trip at Home Goods, Read more (…)
Happy Birthday!
February 17, 2014You are Grandma’s lil’ miracles that have grown to be one year. Both cute as a bug and precious to hug So nice to cuddle and hold near. I hope turning one is happy and fun as you stumble from table to chair. I remember the first time I held you kissed you and whispered your Read more (…)
Back to the Babies
February 10, 2014With all the adult plans and excitements, I can’t forget to mention spending time with the grandbabies! At eleven months they are the most fun. They walk around objects holding on for dear life, squeezing through nooks and crannies all the while watching to see if you were going to chase after them. Crawling around Read more (…)
An Engagement Affair to Remember
February 3, 2014What better place to be on a cold winter’s night than in a warm loft apartment over looking the Empire State Building in NYC? I’m used to the 400 square feet studio apartments that my daughters have lived in. This place was fit for a wedding venue. And whoever said New Yorkers weren’t friendly has not had the Read more (…)
Happy New Year
January 20, 2014It has been a year of many blessings for our family. First, the birth of our beautiful grandchildren who have really enriched our lives as well as make us feel our age. We have added a wonderful new son-in-law as well as watched our once-upon-a-time-tomboy daughter turn into a gorgeous bride. Another daughter expanded her Read more (…)
Dreaming of the Family Holiday
January 13, 2014Starting on the Saturday before Christmas the clan started coming home. My daughter with the twins came in, so did their four suitcases portable crib, booster seat,boxes of diapers, food, toys and various other items. The family room soon turned into a kid friendly fortress that required adults to crawl in and out of, along Read more (…)
Mama Bell’s Return & The Bellbonic Plague
January 6, 2014Looks like my hiatus has ended, being summoned back by the boss. So, to get you all caught up: I finished planning a wedding, had a wedding, then the entire family caught the flu,went to New Jersey for a family Thanksgiving,had the family in for Christmas, my oldest got engaged, started planning that wedding and now getting Read more (…)
Mama Bell Is Back For Her Last!
October 14, 2013Recently while visiting my daughter in NYC, I had the opportunity to meet and have dinner with her boyfriend’s father, who was visiting his son from Texas. Visiting may be the wrong verb, as we were both in the city for the same reason: to help our children with their prospective business start-ups. We sat Read more (…)
Shopaholics 101
September 23, 2013My husband dropped me off on Saturday at a friend’s house, just like my dad used to do in high school, before continuing on to a nearby bachelor party for our son-in-law. Meanwhile, we had hours of fun filled shopping planned for the day: places I wanted to go, places she wanted to go and places Read more (…)
The Bell Family Nanny
September 9, 2013When I went back to work after having my last baby there was a big problem. I had five kids, one going to part time kindergarten, and no babysitter or nanny. So I enlisted the help of a newspaper, friends and family to help with the search. Unfortunately, I did not find anyone I felt Read more (…)
Shower, Shower
August 5, 2013It was a showery baby shower in Toledo, Ohio this past Saturday afternoon. I drove through what seemed like a monsoon with a friend only to arrive and have to carry myself and gifts through the rain. Practically felt a few sprinkles inside as I looked up through the ceiling windows… there was quite a storm Read more (…)
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