Lloyd turned three years old on November 23. His parents found the most amazing place to celebrate his birthday: Choo Choo Bob's. It's a train wonderland in St. Paul that sounds perfect for a train-loving boy. Of course Freddie helped celebrate too. Choo Choo Bob's has plenty of train tables so the boys got to play to their heart's content. I'm told they were there for hours. When they got home, everyone got to enjoy Lloyd's train birthday cake.
Not yet three years old but just like that Lloyd can be the subject of a Flashback. Here's the birthday guy celebrating his first birthday in Denver with a Harrison birthday tradition, the funfetti cake. This Sunday he'll be the first in the family to celebrate a Minneapolis birthday. Happy 3rd Birthday to Lloyd!
"On the day you were born the round planet Earth turned toward your morning sky, whirling past darkness, spinning the night into light." This is the opening line from a book we used to read to the kids called On the Day You Were Born. Today is the day Peter was born, 37 years ago. Since he arrived, the world - our world - has never been the same. Happy Birthday Peter!
Today Freddie turns one year old! His family took him on a vacation so he could have a party in Michigan with his mom and dad's college friends. Here he is with his dad enjoying some birthday ice-cream. It's hard to believe a year ago Freddie was a preemie with supplemental oxygen and a CPAP. Freddie, we love you so much and we can't wait to see you in a couple months and give you a birthday hug and a kiss in person!
There were two birthdays this week, so today's Flashback goes to birthday guy John, who turned 35 on Wednesday. Here he is on his 11th birthday in Warsaw, wearing a new cycling jersey.
Brad and I got to Baltimore on Sunday, which means we got to meet Owen! We're here for four weeks. And we're excited to get to know this sweet little guy, who turns one month old tomorrow.Yesterday Owen (or, as his cousins Lloyd and Rosie call him, "Baby Owen") got to experience a few firsts: first babysitters (us, while Mary took their dog to the vet) and first time at a restaurant (above, for Brad's birthday).Owen also got to go to his first birthday party, which was a celebration of Brad's birthday yesterday and Andy's two weeks prior. So all in all a lot of firsts for Owen, but the most important first was for his grandparents: and that was the first time we got to meet our beautiful grandson Owen.
Lloyd turned two on Saturday and we were there for his belated birthday party on Sunday. He enjoyed a birthday dinner of mac and cheese with french fries at Applebee's where, sadly, nobody knew the trademark Applebee's birthday song. But he happily settled for the regular birthday song.One of Lloyd's favorite gifts was the train card from Great Grandma.Freddie approved of one of Lloyd's other gifts: a construction hard hat.In other news, Rosie is already wrapping herself in the Polish flag. She and her parents won't be with us for our Harrison Thanksgiving in Denver, but we're excited to be seeing them next month in Tucson.
Hey folks. It may not seem like it but I try to have at least one regular post every week, and I'm on a roll of consecutive Flashback Fridays only. It's just been kind of crazy in my life, and with the impending holidays and other assorted things going on, it's not going to get better. It's not as though I don't have a supply of adorable grandkids pictures to share. And I will share. Just not right now. Today I want to note that it was just two years ago - officially, two years ago tomorrow - that this OG burrito baby joined the world. Yes, tomorrow Lloyd turns two. We head to Denver in the morning to spend his (delayed by one day) birthday dinner with him, and then have Thanksgiving with all our family except for the Poland Harrisons. Brad's mom is coming with us too. I'm excited for a week with Lloyd and Freddie and everybody else. Pix will follow!
Today I have happenings from Harrisons far and wide. Last weekend we were at Geneva's house in Sun City to celebrate her birthday.On Friday night we went out for Thai food with her three Arizona sons and their wives.On Saturday we had Friday's group, plus some grandkids and great-grandkids, at Geneva's house for a second celebration. It was a fun weekend.Now it's time to talk about the newest generation. Over in Poland, Rosie's new bike seat works as well on Jessa's bike as it does on Peter's. She's starting to rack up the miles.This is Rosie out on a walk with her daycare. Her walking skills are really coming along. I think she still mostly rides in a stroller, but she's persevering with her walking and can go for quite a way before falling.Rosie is doing her best to study up for her job as everybody's favorite Polish tutor. Fortunately for us all, her daycare has a lot of books and as you can see she's already hard at work.When she's not learning Polish, Rosie is taking in Polish culture. This weekend she and her parents visited everybody's favorite medieval castle, Malbork.In 2002, her dad and the rest of our family made our own pilgrimage to Malbork. But I digress.Over in Denver, there are two sweet brothers.Freddie is enjoying the perks of being a younger brother. He fits into the cute frog outfit that Lloyd used to wear.And he gets to wear Lloyd's barbecue onesie and use his bouncy chair.Speaking of big brother Lloyd, he's a kid who's always on the move. Over in Baltimore, this kid is only on the move as much as his/her mom is, but you can see s/he already looks like a baby. Mary's graduated into her second trimester and March 27 is getting closer by the day!
Peter celebrated his birthday yesterday in Warsaw. Back in 2001, he also celebrated a birthday in Warsaw. Just like yesterday's birthday was his first for this time in Poland, the birthday in 2001 was his first for that time in Poland. Back in 2001, Peter turned 13. Yesterday he turned 36. The years have changed and his wardrobe has changed (I'm assuming no Notre Dame t-shirt yesterday) but both in 2001 and yesterday he spent the day with loving family. In his fortunate situation, his loving family consists of an expanded loving family that now includes Jessa and Rosie - the best birthday gift of all.
Peter has a birthday next week and here's a birthday flashback that I didn't even know I had. It's from 2015 and I have it filed under birthdays, so this had to have been a bday celebration for Peter. (The picture was sent to me as I wasn't there.) This is the year when Mary and Peter both overlapped living in DC. Peter would have been turning 27. And of course that means this year he's turning 36. Happy Birthday Peter! I'm hope you'll be serenaded with Sto Lat!
Rosie turned one year old on June 2. We weren't there to celebrate, but we'll see her next week when we're in Philadelphia. She had a party in the park, complete with friends and family. Aunt Mary and Uncle Andy represented the Harrison side of the family.We can't wait to see this crew on Friday and have a second birthday celebration with the bday girl! By the time you read this we'll be in Baltimore. We're here for the week and then we'll drive with Mary and Andy to Philly on Friday.
Happy upcoming Tuesday Birthday to Brad!
Five years ago Jessa turned 30 when they were in the States for the holidays. (I guess I gave away her age on her birthday tomorrow.) Five years ago they were living in Morocco. Now they're married and homeowners and parents. A lot has changed in five years! Happy Birthday Jessa!
John's 33rd birthday is Sunday. Here he is turning 16 in Shorewood in 2006. I just realized he's more than doubled his age since that picture was taken — yikes! (Sorry John.) Peter and Jessa are expecting a baby in a week, so this year for his birthday John's going to become an uncle. I think that's a good reason to celebrate!
In the last week of March, Jessa's mom got remarried. Here is her mom, Natasha, and Natasha's new husband Chuck, along with Jessa at 7 months pregnant and of course Peter.Jessa and her two brothers with her mom and Chuck.When Mary got home from Colorado she spent some time making grapefruit juice from grapefruit that Geneva brought from her trees in Arizona.Last Sunday on Brad's birthday we went on a bike ride and out to brunch with our friends Tim and Mary.We also went to an art show and spring party at the memory care place where my Aunt Joyce lives.And I'll end this post with this smiley guy, who yesterday turned 5 months old.
I've heard that September is the most popular month for birthdays. It makes sense to me, since I know a lot of people with September birthdays. One of those people is Brad's mom Geneva, who celebrated hers yesterday in Phoenix. Brad went up there for her special day and he, along with two of his brothers and their wives, took Geneva out for dinner. Work kept me here, but I wish I could have been there. Still, five out of eight sons and their spouses is a pretty good turnout!
John and Troy and Troy's mom Esther drove down from Colorado, arriving late on the night of December 23. December 24th is Troy's birthday so of course we had a birthday party. The rest of the kids didn't fly in until after dinner on the 24th (as luck would have it they were on the same connecting flight from Dallas) so it was the five of us for Troy's birthday dinner.Before dinner we (and by we I do not mean me as I can take no credit) got started on a 1000-piece puzzle. Spoiler: the puzzle was successfully completed before everybody went home. Esther led the way and inspired the other puzzlers.For her 34th birthday, Troy put in her usual cake request: cheesecake. This lactose intolerant lover of all things cheese came supplied with Lactaid so we let the dairy flow! I made a no-bake cheesecake with Greek yogurt.After cake and presents we tried to take a group birthday picture. In doing so we learned that turning 34 does not necessarily mean a person can keep a straight face for a group selfie. As an example, see above photo.It took many attempts before we (and by we I mean Troy) finally got it under control so here we have our one and only straight-face birthday group selfie. Luckily it only takes one!
Last weekend there were some Harrison happenings! On Friday night John and Troy had dinner at our niece Lauren's house, along with Troy's mom Esther. Esther was moving into her new apartment in Denver and Lauren, who lives nearby, made homemade pizzas for everybody. A good time was had by all and the movers were happy for a break from the action.Back at home, Sirius showed his displeasure at having to share the couch with Simba.Meanwhile over here in Tucson we celebrated my birthday a few days early. Brad made me funfetti cakes in the shapes of one of my favorite foods and in the spirit of my motto, which is that there is no such thing as too many donuts.We also celebrated Chuck's birthday, which is two days after mine. (Which means it's today.) He doesn't normally dress as a sheriff, but Kelle got him an outfit since he couldn't participate in the line dancing as to which, I'm sorry not sorry to say I have no photos nor video to share.We interrupt this blogpost to bring you a new feature I like to call Experiments in Blogging. This is my first attempt in years to add a video clip to a blog post. Let's see what happens. My sister Kelle gave a rather long roast/toast and if my upload is successful, this is a short clip. Here's another clip, subject of course to technical success.And here's our whole group: Chuck and Geneva, Barry and Wendy, Kelle and Bob, and Brad and me. It was a super fun birthday weekend and it was great to have so many family members in the house overnight. The party was festive and fun but the best part was hanging out with everybody and just laughing and chatting. After Covid I hope never again to take for granted the simple pleasures of having company in the house, hanging out with people I care about, and of course getting to hug and be near each other.
