R.I.P. Uncle Mel

My cousin Julie made this for her father after he passed away this month. My Uncle Mel was one of the most kindest and honorable men I've ever known.
May you continue to watch over us all from above, Uncle Mel!

For my nephew

I made this video for my nephew Andy. He has overcome so many things and turned into quite a fine young man! I love you with all my heart, Andy!
All my love,  Aunt Sheryl

I'll Be There For You!

Happy (belated) Birthday, Pam.. my sister and my friend :)

 
To quote one of my favorite TV shows Friends, "I'll be there for you, because you're there for me, too".
This song actually says it backwards... my sister has always been there for me. Just listen to the words and turn them around and that is my message to my sister.

Thank you, Pam for your strength and your encouragement. You have helped me through the hardest of times and been there when I needed you the most. I love you with all my heart.. your little sister, Sheryl

P.S. I don't know why I picked this song, maybe that this video shows fun and makes me smile and laugh... which is what I wish for my sister on her birthday and forever ... the gift of love, laughter, happiness and friends! :)

"Working Class Hero" in tribute to Joel.. R.I.P.

This is my brother doing what he does best the day before we found out his friend, Joel, had passed away.  My brother doesn't know I'm posting this here but to me he, and Joel are "working class heroes" and the video will tell you the rest.

R.I.P. Joel.. a wonderful friend, father, chef and musician

Eat Pray Love

My brother is reading the book, Eat Pray Love, that my son gave to me before the movie was even made and he told me that it reminded him of me.  I smiled and I cried because I do feel a connection to the story although I have never seen the movie and never made it past the first chapter in the book.

I hope to someday to travel to somewhere of my heritage... or Italy, India, Bali or France. Yes, maybe someday ... that is my dream...

For Laura...

Happy (belated) Birthday, Laura!

The girl who sings this song in the video reminds me so much of you... so beautiful and sweet... inside and out. Thank you for loving my son and sharing your love with me and my family. You are a very lovely person and your beauty and heart is pure and kind and a gift to all who are fortunate to know you.

With all my love, Sheryl

LIke My Mother Does

If I could only do like my mother does... her strength, her composure, her patience... she has helped me through many a rough time and I am forever grateful to be blessed with her love and guidance.

Cody and Laura's honeymoon to Italy

Pictures and adventures of my Cody and Laura's honeymoon in Italy...

"ate gelato three times, met some fun dogs and cats, saw a free classical concert, and oh yeah got locked into an underground museum of an ancient Roman city in the middle of Perugia... plus scorpions!" ~ Laura

"Teaser of the day - museum closed early without telling us and turned off all the lights...while we were underground in Etruscan-Roman ruins. Using the flash to light the way to the emergency exits (that were locked) and making it upstairs just in time to see the front door close and lock and to set the alarms off. Yay! (Filed under 'things that only ever happen to us1)" ~ Laura

Florence, Italy

Venice, Italy

 

 

The Wedding

My son was married Friday to the most beautiful person a mother could want as her daughter-in-law.  The colors were turquoise and brown and was held at the zoo... yes, the zoo! A beautiful zoo and a beautiful wedding full of love, happiness, fun, laughter, tears of joy, yummy food, and of course, dancing.  There was a cotton candy booth, a photo booth, pinwheels everywhere and silly, fun lovin'  abound!

These are just a couple of the pictures I have and rest assured there will be MANY more! The song for the mother and son dance was Beautiful Boy by Ben Harper (cover song of John Lennon's original) and yes, I cried.

So, here is a glimpse of what I have so far of the most funtastical wedding EVER!

My love to my son and his new wife... forever and always, Mom

My Wish for my son... and CONGRATULATIONS!!

Stacy Westfall showing what love is all about...

Amazing bittersweet video of a girl and her horse for her dad. My sister and cousins have taught me about horses and from their knowledge and patience I see so much beauty and strength and love in this video. I dedicate it to my Uncle Darwin and my dad... r.i.p.

Poem for my mom

This post may be late but it still holds the same meaning as when I gave it to my mom on Mother's Day this year. I haven't been the easiest child, (I sure wouldn't want to be my mom!) but she taught me so much and even if I haven't quite learned all of her lessons well, they are instilled in my heart. So... this is my poem for my mom..not much really, but its all I got. 

Thank you Mom, for giving me

The important things in life

By being strong and standing tall

For teaching me what's right

You've shown me how to see the light

When everything went dim

You never let me give up hope

When life was dark and grim

Always you've been there for me

At times I wondered why

It couldn't have been easy

To watch your child cry

By doing that you gave to me

A strength that will not die

Things happen for a reason, right?
But only if I try

So this Mother's Day I give to you

The thing I cherish most

A love you placed within my heart

and forever I hold close

For my nephew - In The Morning of the Magicians

My nephew is an amazing artist. I recently asked him what his favorite song was and he said "In The Morning Of The Magicians" by The Flaming Lips. The song speaks of such sorrow as well as beauty and it did surprise me at first that it would be his favorite. Then I realized how much sorrow he has endured in his life and I understood. It hurts me some to listen to it because I know of his pain... he lost his father at a young age... and yet he has endured and succeeded in spite of, or maybe because of that pain. To me this song is so heartfelt and sad yet there is a beauty inside it. Ahhh, yes.. my nephew is a true artist!

In Memory of my Father... Oct 31, 1934 to July 6, 2009

This is one of the hardest posts I have ever made. How can I not know what to say about a man who raised me and taught me so many things? Maybe once I stop crying the words will find their way.  Music has always been an avenue for me to feel and relate my thoughts so why stop now?

My dad passed away after a long battle with lung cancer on July 6, 2009. There are many things I will always remember and hold close to my heart about my dad and one is when he played this song for me and my son, about ten years ago. There was a look in his eyes which was sad yet proud and is one of the values he taught me and I will always honor... to remember the "little man". 

People are crazy

My parents are so opposite yet very loving and when raising me, they taught me some very good morals. I love them both very much and until I find the words to describe how much they both mean to me I give you this song (don't I always have a song?) Thank you for teaching me the message in this song :)

My Brother...

I wrote this a few years ago. As you may have realized by now, writing doesn't come easy for me, but I have moments when it just pours. This was one of those moments.
I am not denying my parents' role in my life, they have done a great job with what they were given. They had to because I was their child. But my brother and sister didn't have to do anything for me but yet they did and I am so grateful.

My Brother
 
My strength
My friend
My truth
My ally
My guidance
My heart
My eyes
My teacher
My hero
My musician
My poet
My storyteller
My icon
My mainstay
My sounding board
My shoulders
My backbone
My lessons
My right
My wrong
My listener
My supporter
My role model
My light
My laughter
My forgiver
My protector
My father
My life

Thank you for all you have done for me. You have been my totem pole, always strong and supportive. As an uncle and a teacher you have instilled your honesty and integrity in my son. I am so grateful to have you in my life and so proud to have you as my brother!

I love you with all my heart... your little sis

Below is a song by Steve Vai titled, "Brother".   It is a song I feel very close to and says so much even without words...

My Hero...

For my Uncle Leonard...
 

I haven't seen or heard from my Uncle Leonard in years and I miss him very much. He is my hero, just like the man in Big & Rich's video, "The 8th Of November". Why? There are lots of reasons, but the main one is because my Uncle came from a small farm in Minnesota and when his number came up in the Vietnam draft he chose the front line for one year. A true Norwegian... strong and mighty, yet humble and loving, he went with full honor, as the Norwegians I know would do. I have no idea what he must have experienced in the time he spent in Vietnam, but this video seems to pull me close to what I can only imagine he went through.

So, this goes out to my Uncle Leonard. I love you and want you to know that you are and always will be my hero...

For my Dad

A Dad moment!

I haven't mentioned him much but it doesn't mean I don't love him. The "him" I'm talking about is my dad. He was my hero. My "Knight in Shining Armor", and then I grew up. I saw what he tried to hide from me and now that I am older I understand why he did what he did. He taught me so much and yet I pushed him away. And although he doesn't show it very well, I know he loves his children. So this one is for you Dad... I love you.

My nephew

Andy

picture by Andrew Hull

My nephew, Andy, will be graduating this year with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Arts. He will be continuing his education at one of 3 very notable Universities of which he will receive his MFA (Master of Fine Arts) degree.

Amazingly gifted, Andy has been the inspiration of many, including my own son and I am certain he will be a positive contribution to the artistic industry.

I love you, Andy, and I am sooooo very proud of you!

~ Aunt Sheryl