Lily Cronley’s Sixth Birthday Party

Today, we celebrated Lily’s 6th birthday at, where else, Chuck E Cheese! The very same one we all went to at the Cronley Family reunion some 20 years ago, the Joe Cronleys included. That one was memorable for me because (as I, no doubt, faultily remember it) while trying to coax CC to do well at skee-ball, I got clocked in the forehead. Well, some things never change, skee-ball is still wildly popular there, fortunately for me getting clocked in the forehead isn’t. The pizza is still delicious and the robot chucky is still creepy. I may have done my last Chuck E., but you never know.

Vacation comes to an end

Hi all, this was the next project at the Blackledge homestead. We had a patio poured coming off the deck, these pictures show each view left to right off the deck. there's a firepit in the center and flower beds on either side of the stairs. We are going to run a flagstone sidewalk to the gate and border the patio all around. We moved all the dirt from the dig to the backyard to grade it, hopefully solving the drainage problems in the spring. More planting to do, now that the front and side are full.

Brian is off to San Fran, Ca this week for the national AFSCME convention. He is the M.C. on Tuesday and speaking about his participation in the organizing efforts. They are taping it so I'll be able to view it. He's back on Thursday to till the backyard and lay the flagstone.

Brady starts football in 2 weeks and he is making the most of his time between sports, heading off the Cedar Point on Monday and spending the rest of the week with his Dad and new puppy, Sydney.

Well, back to work on Monday. I'm hosting a job shadowing event for the Boys and Girls club on Tuesday. I'll be showing the retail ropes to 15 kids, learn to love those nights, weekend and holidays...Take care, Lisa

Happy Bday Lisa Smith

Hello family,

I wanted to share my day with Brady, Austin, Lisa's sister, Michelle and daughter Jenna. Lisa would have turned 43 yesterday. We celebrated at the cemetery with beach chairs, Hawaiian lei, flowers and margaritas. It was the first time Austin had been back since the service and the first time to see her headstone. Her sister Michelle has made all the arrangements and designed her stone. As you can see, it's awesome. the picture is from Lake Mohawk, sunset from 4th of July last year. She is resting in an area called lakeside, over looking a lake :) She is near the end of the row in the front, near trees. We sat there about an hour, talking about her and the times we shared. Austin's Dad, Frank gave him a special glass to toast. It's hand painted with a bikini and flip flops. Rick, Lisa's former boy friend, build a beach and left a Mickey Mouse salt shaker and wrote her name in the sand. We had lunch at Red Lobster. I was soo proud of my boys, A&B. We had a beautiful day.

Plants, plants and more plants

I know Mom, finally, here's some pixs of my plants. I have 4 containers in the front of the house with morning glories trailing/climbing upwards. The side yard is wonderful and I don't think I could put another plant there. We are having a circular patio poured this week in the backyard with planting areas within. I'm sure my next spring mom visit we will fill'em up. Those plants will mostly be shade plants which will be new to me. I'm really excited about the morning glories that are climbing their way across the garage door. I can't believe how fast they grow. I got my first flower today.

This Thursday is Lisa's birthday (as well as Charles' and Lily's... Happy B-day) We, including Austin, are going out the the cemetery for the first time to see her headstone, I'm on vacation and spending as much time with the boys as I can and Brian comes home this week too. Sorry it's taken so long to post, I'll add backyard pixs as soon as it's done. Luff ewe all, Lisa

South Haven 2008

Here they are, the Cronley Family pictures from our South Haven summer trip. It started off cool, then got warmer and warmer as the lake temperature plummeted. The hotel wasn't nearly as nice as staying in a cottage, especially in the absence of our beloved 331 Erie St. The kids really enjoyed the pool and the walking distance to Blue Moon heaven, Sherman's Dairy. Being next door to a Walmart was handy too. Taking an hour to go three miles to the hotel after the fireworks arriving at 1am left a lot to be desired. (that does NOT include the half hour delay of the fireworks or the 45 minutes on Aunt Chrissie's porch doing sparklers and watching all the cars leave the neighborhood. NanaMama took the kids on an adventure Friday through Saturday, enabling Maria and myself a mini-adult vacation spent (of course) in Saugatuck, where we met up with Maria's colleage, Jack Gifford and his wife at their summer place on the river, where they graciously took us out on their pontoon boat and pointed us to a non-touristy restaurant. I even got to see a new Dodge Challenger around town.

Pets and Gardening

Charles and Brodie! Aww...


Izzy, sleepy girl, after playing with her puppy friend, Riley.


Coleus, sweet potato vine, petunias.