goodbyes and hellos

Goodbye beach days,

hello brisk, fall, evening strolls.

Goodbye flip flops and tank tops,

hello sweaters and boots.

Goodbye stress free days,

hello hectic school days.

Goodbye BBQs and ice cream,

hello family dinners and apple crisp.

Goodbye summer,

hello fall!

Happy Tuesday all, I hope you are having a wonderful week. This is my last official week of summer and I'm trying to soak up as much summer as I can get. Dare I say I am ready for all fall has to offer? Bring on the pumpkins, cider, scarves, and falling leaves! 

Day 5- Dinner with 5

Day 5- If you could have dinner with any 5 people, who would they be?!

How difficult...I could go the sentimental route and choose all family members that I, of course, would love to have a fantastic sit down meal with... Or, I could go the celebrity-ish kind of way which would be my absolute "dream" dinner party! Decided on a mixture of both- best of both worlds =]

1. Papa Stanley. He was my number 1 fan growing up and I loved him dearly. He past away when I was 6 and I wish more than anything he was still here with us. We all miss him, but especially my Grams who celebrated her 90th birthday last year. The two of them were, and still are the center of our family. With that being said the #1 dinner date I would want would be me, Papa, and Grams- back together again :).

2. Great Grandma Katherine. She past away before I was born but I've heard so many wonderful things about her. Plus, she is my name sake and I think it would be amazing to meet her and get to know who she was as a person.

3. Sesethu <3 my sweet little grade 3 student from AF Louw in South Africa. Meeting her changed my life; she is such an inspiration to me! When I met her I couldn't comprehend how she had so little yet she was so happy and so positive. The more I got to know her, I realized I was wrong all along- she may not have material things, but she has so much: love, family, positive attitude, education, drive, passion. What I would give to see her beautiful smile and to order her the best braii in Stellenbosh :).

4. Cori from Le Vie Petite. I LOVE her and her adorable blog. I would love to chat with her over coffee, play with her kiddos, and learn how she does it all! She has the perfect family, beautiful home, crafty ideas, gorgeous style...I could go on. I would love to meet her, I think we would become best friends pretty quickly.

5. Michael Stagliano and/or Sean Lowe- my two favorite Bachelorette Bachelors who I would love to chit chat with over a glass of wine and vase of red roses. I'm a reality TV fan so of course you all wouldn't expect anything less from me :).

Happy Monday!  

Day 4: Favorite Childhood Memory

[Day 4]: What's your favorite childhood memory?

When I think back to childhood I automatically think to things that happened to me ages 4-6...apparently my most fond memories are from that time frame. I guess that does make sense since most all of the memories that first come to mind take place when my Grams and Papa babysat me when I was in preschool. 

For example, Grams drove me to preschool and once her blinkers weren't working on her car so when she had to turn right, she had me stick my hand out the window (and when she had to turn left, she stuck her hand out her window). I remember being 4 years old and thinking it was the coolest thing ever to "help her drive". 

Also, on our way home we would sometimes stop at a doughnut shop. She would get a glazed doughnut for me and a chocolate one for Papa. EVERYDAY we would get home and my Papa would eat my glazed doughnut even though he KNEW it was mine. That was just how he was... he loved to pick on us grandchildren. 

But that's OK- I guess I deserved it for making him sing with me. I was obsessed with recording my own songs on my cassette tape deck (wow that makes me feel old...). I would have him and my Grams write lyrics and sing duets and then I would sing the chorus. I vividly remember them singing a song they wrote called "Melody of Love"- I can see it now, us in their living room and them listening to their bossy 4 year old granddaughter. My Papa thought it was ridiculous (I have no idea why ;]) and started singing "Lets go eat some spinach. Oh yeah now lets go eat some spinach!". Where did he come up with that? No. Idea. Oh my. It was ridiculous. Oh how I miss him...

There is one last memory that sticks out in my head as a defying moment in my childhood. This is the story about how I met my first best friend at my new house once we had moved. We had just moved into our new house (that my parents still live in today) and my Dad and Grandpa were going to put together a swing set for me in the backyard. I was beyond excited and decided to take my tiny red plastic chair to sit and watch them build. Shortly after, a little boy from next door came over and asked if he could sit with me. I was pretty shy but I saw his matching plastic chair in green at hand and decided to say yes. Now my Dad and Grandpa were never very handy so this was an all day event. Sandro and I sat there for the entire day watching them build, and ending up with extra pieces. We swung on the swings and slid down the slide until the sun had set and the stars were out over head. Ever since that day, Sandro and I were inseparable. Over time and through the cooties we grew apart but have still stayed in touch and maybe attended a homecoming together. Ironically enough we both traveled across the state for college and attend GVSU together. It's nice having my next door neighbor in Grand Rapids with me :).

OK, so that wasn't one story but my memory ran wild and how could I pick just one of the memories that came to mind? Impossible.