My Baba....

In December 2011 right before Christmas I lost my Grandfather (Baba).  It is really like I've always had 2 fathers in this world because I have always been close to both my father and grandfather.  It has taken me this long to blog about  it because I don't want to say it out loud because it just makes me miss him all the more!  Since the day I was born my grandpa and I had this special bond and anyone who knew him could tell you all about it! When I was little about 2 or 3 we had to move away from him and it was hard for us to be away from each other so to make it easier we had a set time to look at the stars and moon each night and then it was like he was right by my side!  We did this for years and I tell you now I look out my window every night and it helps me feel close to him.  Yes, I come from a Greek family and we are crazy close and basically live right next door to each other!
  I felt like it was time to pay tribute to such a caring, loving, would do anything for his family, and I can't help, but say honrey old man (baba, you have to admit you always got your way, you thought you were always right, your Greek and no one was going to change you and I was the only one that could tell you to knock it off!)  He was so miserable these last years that it was breaking my heart to talk to him on the phone (at least 5x a day and I am not exaggerating) because his body was failing him!  He was so active in his life he taught me how to work, how to play, drive, fish, you name it and we did it together.  I even had my teenage friends at his house almost every weekend......whos grandpa does that???   Well mine did and I could go on forever about this man and our journey in this world together! Our relationship didn't change when I got married it just got even more involved....he charished his time with my kids and built this wonderful relationship with them as well.  He said he lived for them and I believe that with all my heart!  Baba thanks for all the memories. You taught me the most important thing in this world and that is to love my family and I promise I will take care of all of them to the best of my ability!  I can't wait till we meet again! I love you.

Baba wasn't feeling very good but he put on a good face and we enjoyed our time with him!

Don't judge me by my looks....the girls and I were cleaning their house!

The Girls told him to make a funny face!

We were in California for Kati's 11th Birthday!  What a great place to spend you bday!  All she wanted was to go to the beach, and go to Old Town in San Diego and get one of those huge virgin Margarita's! So we did....and I let all of the kids order one, but Jayde and Colton kept saying they didn't like their drink, but me being me I told them they had to drink it all because it was freakin 20 bucks!   I finally took Jaydes from her and all I could taste was "tequila"  I felt awful, but I have to admit it was so funny to watch their faces when I told them they were drinking alcohol!  I found the waitress and ordered them a new one!  We had a blast in Old Town and ate some great Mexican food!!!

Colton's High school Graduation was not an easy day, but defiantly a happy day!  I actually can't remember crying so hard except on the day he was born!  I am so proud of him and I know his future is going to be amazing! You never think the day is going to come when your kids are all growing up and then it does....this next chapter in my life is going to be rough!  I love being a mom and I love my kids being around.

Colton, I want you to know that me and your father love you and can't wait to see what your future holds for you!  It has been my pleasure to watch you grow from a boy into a man!

Great Grandparents! Love this photo!

Christmas 2010!  My sister Tina and her family and Michelle came to stay with us!  Christmas morning was crazy, but exciting and the cousins loved being able to share such a fun morning together!

Young to old!

Sterling cooks every Christmas morning! LOVE!

Baba & Nana

For almost the whole month of July in 2011 we as family vacationed in Alaska!  We all were excited expect for Jayde she wasn't so sure of leaving her friends and as far as summer goes she really thought she was going to miss out on everything here at home, but now she can honestly say that it was one of her best summers EVER...okay expect for when we ran into a huge Grizzly BEAR fishing on the Kenai River!  Colton and Kati were in heaven.  I have to say it was a little scary, but it was amazing to watch this bear fishing for salmon all the while huge Eagles were flying over his head and catching salmon out of the river as well.  You really feel like your in the discovery channel everywhere you look in Alaska!  I'm pretty sure everyone knows Alaska is Sterling's favorite place to be and I have to admit it has turned out to be my favorite too!  But to take our whole family their and experience it with them was truly wonderful!  Some of the things we did was hike up to glaciers, go fishing on the Kenai, take a few boats out into the ocean and check out all of the wild life Alaska has to offer such as whales, puffins, mountain goats, black bears, grizzly bears, moose, glaciers and more glaciers, volcano's, dolphins, otters, sea lions, I could just keep going!  We went clam digging a couple of times and I'm pretty sure this was the kids favorite thing to do!  The view alone out on the beaches is so amazing!  Ster, Colton and my dad went on a fishing charter and scored they caught Halibut, Silvers, Rock Fish, and Lean Cod.  All and all about 600 pounds of fish which would cost around 15,000 dollars to go buy at the store!  It was a good day fishing!  We went to the Keni and fished almost daily or (midnight fishing...me and Ster are to old, it took days for us to catch up again) and caught our limits almost every time!  Salmon is not an easy fish to bring in on the line, but my girls got it down!  Our famous line out at the river is FISH ON....FISH OFF!  We came home with 9 fifty pound coolers of fish!  I am so grateful for my family and I love making such wonderful memories with them! You could say Alaska was a success!  I took so many photos there is no way I could share them all so here are some of our favorites!

Fireweed!!

I love HOMER!

Fresh glacier water we had to stop and fill our bottles!

This is where our trip started!!!

Crab Pot!

Sterling feeding Elk!

Fishing with the BEARS!

That isn't even all of our fish!

Seward

Our home away from home (Ninilchik)