My son Matthew in a Croatian TV Commercial
It’s just 30 seconds long. Not sure if the link will work.
My son Matthew in a Croatian TV Commercial
It’s just 30 seconds long. Not sure if the link will work.
First Communion Weekend in my son Mark’s home office I saw his old Baby Jake from 1976.
I believed little boys should have a doll to love and care for when they were growing up. Preparing for fatherhood.
Now he has his own family of four, but it touched me when I saw his old doll Jake on the bookshelf. Jake has a soft body that has been recovered and filled with fluff, his rubbery arms surgically reattached by me.
You might have seen Mark’s 38th birthday post from Monday.
There is something about a toy or a doll with a face.
One that’s been well loved.
If you want to see a doll well loved, his wife Erika’s childhood doll (now named Baby Doll) adopted by their daughter Anna- really illustrates LOVE! (click the blue link)

Last Saturday at the First Communion party, Mark wanted to recreate a photo he found from a little book I made him years ago. The original was photographed in 1976!
He was sitting on his paternal Grandmother’s lap in a rocking chair in the original.
I took the pose with available light first and then with the flash. Here are the two different versions. I see more light his their eyes in the flash version yet am drawn to the available light.
Either way, Mark was very happy his grandmother flew in from Kansas City to help celebrate Michael’s special day.
Mark and Grandmanita in 1976 and 2014
I was sifting through old photographs on one of the snow days. You know those awful albums with the adhesive on the pages to stick the photos to the page?
Found this shot I took (film) of my son Mark (he’ll be 38 in May) and noticed the random dad taking a family photograph.

P.S. Update of post
Mark saw the photo of himself and emailed this photo that he took of his kids at Mt. Vernon just this past year
Happy Father’s Day!
I’m a proud mom! Here is my son Mark who is a wonderful father to Anna, Michael, Jack and Maura. (Excellent Mom Erika, too)
Bringing Maura home November 2008
No matter the season…………….
Coaching Michael
Sledding with Jack
At the Pirates Game Willie Stargell Statue- Mark with Anna and Maura (and Grandma on camera)
PNC Park Pittsburgh PA
(and if you are new to following the blog you might enjoy this Father’s Day Tribute to my father) Continue reading
You know how happy I am to hear from my grown up kids.
They’re busy with their lives (and families of their own) but when the little ding sounds on the phone, I am like Pavlov’s dog and I salivate with expectation to see what tasty morsel they have sent over the net. I love the updates, the communication, the pics.
When Mark was on business in Philadelphia last week, he met up with his high school friend, Prem, and the two of them enjoyed an authentic Korean BBQ at Kim’s. Mark said it was delicious.
Here is what he sent over the phone.
I enjoyed seeing what they are eating and I like the one he took of himself and his friend at the table.