SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR!

Yesterday was Thanksgiving Day.  We got together at my sister Mimi and brother-in-law Bob's house in Camarillo.  Their daughter Julia left a few weeks ago for National Guard boot camp in Missouri.  Their son Pat is in the Air Force and is stationed in Afghanistan.  Their  oldest daughter Jenn just graduated with her master's degree in June and is currently working on her internship.  My brother Carl and his wife Isabelle and their two little ones Felix (2) and Anna (7 months) are still here visiting from Germany.  It was nice to have them in California!  My brother Gene and his wife Kathy and son Geno were there also, as were my sister Lorraine and her two girls, Jennifer (and her boyfriend Tyler) and Mary.   They all live in Simi Valley.  Of course Mom & Dad were there.  We are so blessed to still have them in our lives.   Jerry and Chris and Dennis and I were all there too.  Jerry makes one heck of a mean turkey and awesome stuffing (not a speck was left).   Nicole & Mike spent the day with his family since this was his first Thanksgiving off since he became an officer.

~Thank you Lord for all of our blessings on this Thanksgiving Day!~

We are so VERY blessed to have such loving parents in our lives!
 

Grandma and her youngest grandbaby Anna

Carl,  Felix, Grandma, Christopher, and Jerry

Dad, Mom, Jerry, Felix, and Christopher

Me and Felix with Isabelle and Anna

Thank you Lord for our faith, our family, and our friends! 

Thanks also for allowing us to have a new morning each 24 hours, to make a brand new start and commitment in the battle of the bulge!   After all the dust from the past week settled I was 206.8 on the scale this morning.   I have to go in for blood work soon so I really need to stick with this whole crazy idea of losing weight, getting under 200 ASAP!   I don't want to end up with diabetes or on diabetes medicine, but if I do I KNOW it will be my OWN FAULT!   Lord please give me willpower!

199 or bust!  (literally - ha ha)

Blogger's Update:
Hereafter the whole "weight loss dream" will be addressed in its own blog.  You can find it here:
http://tonis-ww-journey.blogspot.com/

HAPPY 80TH BIRTHDAY DAD!

On Sunday 11/21/10 about 75 of us got together to celebrate

Dad's 80th birthday.

All 7 Walinski sibs were in attendance as were most of the grandchildren.

(Paul made a surprise trip from TN {the look on Dad's face was priceless!},

and Carl & Isabelle, Felix and Anna came from Germany)

We had been worried about the weather but God kept telling me to trust Him... that everything would be fine... and it was!

I wish I could learn to let go and let God!

 

Once again Nicole came through with a beautiful cake and a special golfer cake topper in honor of Dad.  He told her it was very special to him and he would "keep it always".

 

Gene leading the singing of Happy Birthday for Dad

Some good lookin' gals -- Aunt Ceil, Aunt Marge, Laura Metz, Lorraine (Walinski) Farris, Peggy Kenealy, yours truly, Aunt Mary, Mimi Citarella, Janice Rodnunsky and Marian (Mimi Walinski) Peloquin

(Aunt Ceil, Aunt Marge, Peggy and Mimi C

came all the way from Chicago to join in the celebration!)

Dad and his sisters, Aunt Ceil, Aunt Mary, and Aunt Marge

 

The Group

Dad - Your family and friends all love you very much!

 The Family

Gene ~ Lorraine ~ Tom ~ Mimi ~ Paul

Toni ~ Dad ~ Mom ~ Carl

 

The Family

(showing their silly side)

 

Mom and Dad with the Padgetts (and the Briones')

Mike and Nicole, Jerry, Me / Dennis, Dad, Mom and Christopher

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Everyone played an important role in making sure this was your best birthday celebration ever Dad!  We all love you so much! 

You and Mom are the glue that holds this family together!