Melanie Susman

Mardi Gras 2011

2011-02-19T01:32:00.003-06:00

Mardi Gras officially began tonight with the Conde Cavalier Parade. The weather was beautiful and a perfect evening to be in Downtown Mobile.
Below is a link to the Mardi Gras 2011 Parade Schedule.
http://www.mobile.org/pdf/MardiGras2011.pdf
Did you know that Mobile is home to the very first Mardi Gras celebration? That's right, Mardi Gras began in Mobile, not New Orleans, in the year 1703. Thousands of people come to Mobile each year to enjoy the sights and sounds of Mardi Gras. There are magnificent floats, live marching bands, and lots of trinkets, beads and treats thrown by the riders who are dressed in satin, sequins and glitter. Enjoyed by all ages, it's a funfilled two week celebration. Over 60,000 folks crowded the streets of downtown tonight

Playing Ball

2009-07-28T19:51:00.012-05:00

I am having so much fun with my grandbabies these days. All three are growing so fast and doing so many cute things. Nathan called me today to report that he, Jay and Nathan were playing their first game together! Nathan would throw the ball to William, William would catch the ball, everyone would clap including Jay, William would give the ball to Jay, Jay would give the ball to Nathan, and then they would do it all over again. Considering that William has Autism and Jay is not quite 12 months, this is a huge deal! All three were having such fun, and I can't wait to see it with my own eyes. I can tell you that everything that Jay and Rose are doing is so exciting to all of us. Once Autism hits a family, little things are never taken for granted again. Watching a baby grow and learn is so much more appreciated and each milestone reached is such a gift. Jill called yesterday to tell me about Rose flirting with everyone she saw while out grocery shopping. She said it took 2 hours to finish her shopping because everyone was stopping to talk to precious Rose. It makes my day when I get these calls, and I know how much they are enjoying their children.
Below are are few recent pics of Jay and Rose. If you haven't been to Jill's Blog lately, please check it out at www.thelyonfam.blogspot.com She has great pictures of all the children!

Time To Start Blogging Again

2009-06-27T20:15:00.003-05:00

Life is good and it's time to start blogging again.
Today was a really fun day. Most of it was spent at the Art Museum where I was involved with a project in which local artists and several Nutcracker Ball Debs volunteered their time to work with children who are affected by Autism. These wonderful and patient volunteers assisted about 15 very special children in producing original pieces of art that will be sold during the silent auction at the Nutcracker Charity Ball in December. You would not believe the talent and artistic ability that was discovered in many of the children. It was such a rewarding experience for all who were involved. The children had a great time, the parents were thrilled and so appreciative that their children were given this opportunity, and the volunteer artists and Debs truly enjoyed working with these precious children. I already have picked out a few art pieces that I will be bidding on at the Ball!

REBECCA ROSE LYON

2009-01-12T23:04:00.003-06:00

Rebecca Rose Lyon was born this afternoon, January 12, 2009 around 1:30 pm.
She weighs 7 lbs. 3 oz. and is 20 inches long.

Jill, Clark and Rose are doing great!

I will post pictures soon, but for now you can see pics that I posted on Jill's blog.

http://www.thelyonfam.blogspot.com/

Jay's Six Week Old Pictures

2008-09-21T18:59:00.010-05:00

These pictures were taken of Jay at six weeks old. I could just eat him up! I can't even begin to tell you how much I love being with him. He is such a sweet and happy baby. He is starting to watch William and William is beginning to pay attention to him. Hopefully they will be best buds one day.

Ya'll know these are the kind of legs I love on babies!

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

2008-09-16T12:01:00.012-05:00

On October 25, the American Cancer
Society will hold one of their premier
events in the public battle against
breast cancer.  Making Strides Against
Breast Cancer is a non-competitive 5K
walk, to be held at Cooper Riverside Park
in Mobile.  The walk begins at 8:00 AM.
Mobile Ballet's Nutcracker Charity Ball
is proud to be a sponsor, and the name
of our team is "Ballet Pink".

If you would like to join our team
and walk with us in this important
effort, please let me know.
Though there is no fee to walk, each
walker is requested to purchase a $10
t-shirt with our team name and logo.
Tax-deductible donations are certainly
welcome should you wish to support
the fight against breast cancer with your
dollars, as well as your participation.
Registration for the walk can be made
online by going to www.cancer.org and
clicking on the "Participate in Events"
link under "Join the Fight." Then, click
on "Making Strides" and follow the links;
Let me know if you have any problem
finding our team, "Ballet Pink."

If you would like to join our team, but
would prefer not to join online, send an
email to me with your name, address,
phone number and email, and I will
register you. If you don't have my email,
just leave a comment.  Once you have
registered, let me know and I will get a
t-shirt form to you.

Please tell your family and friends about
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. 
Anyone is welcome to join our team,
"Ballet Pink."

The Mobile Symphony

2008-09-14T18:19:00.006-05:00

Last night was "opening night" for the 2008-2009 season of the Mobile Symphony. The performance was phenomenal, and had to be one of Mobile Symphony's best, if not THE best.
The featured artist was pianist Alain Lefevre. All I can say is "it was fabulous" and a wonderful evening for anyone who attended. I can't wait to read the review in the Mobile newspaper.

Are you sure he weighs THAT much?

2008-09-05T23:14:00.011-05:00

Dana took Jay to the Doctor on Wednesday for his one month check up. She called from the Doctor's office to report that he weighed 11 lbs 12 oz. Wow! We knew that he was growing fast, but not that fast. He is a chubby and happy baby and I am totally obsessed with him. He is so sweet and so precious.

Happy Birthday Jay! One Month Old...

2008-08-28T21:49:00.037-05:00

This post is dated Thursday, August 28th, because I started and didn't finish except for adding a few pictures. The post should really be dated today:

Labor Day
Monday, September 1, 2008

This picture was taken Saturday Night

Can you believe how much this baby has grown? Every single day he gets more and more chubby and his looks have changed so much. He has gotten very fair skinned. He is pink and rosy and has lost his olive complexion . He is a beautiful baby, and my favorite thing to do in the whole world right now is hold him and play with him. I'm sure that's no surprise to anyone who knows me well. It really is fun to have a grandbaby right here in Mobile who I can see everyday or almost everyday. My gosh, how will I ever get anything done when Rebecca Rose arrives?

In case you are wondering, the hurricane has fortunately been a non-event for Mobile. Just a rainy day, and a ruined beach weekend. We had plans to go to the the beach, and Dana, Nathan William and Jay were coming. We decided Friday morning not to go because we didn't want to get settled and possibly have to turn around and come home, which is exactly what would have happened. Jill and Clark went to Dauphin Island with Clark's family, and they did have to come home. They were scheduled to fly to Tulsa this morning but the airport is closed. They are going for ten days of training at Camille's Corporate Headquarters. Hopefully, they will get out tomorrow. Peter is in Chicago. He will be very surprised when he gets home to see how much Jay has grown, and to see Jill's expanding belly!

The following pictures were taken last week, Jay's 4th week of life. If.....you would like to see even more pics, click here.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=tw39ck3.9apaml4r&x=0&y=-hmrcpw&localeid=en_US

Swaddled up and ready for a nap.

Three Weeks Old Today!!!

2008-08-22T10:06:00.017-05:00

Baby Jay, as we all call him, has been the sweetest baby. He is happy and content and we are all enjoying him so much. It's wonderful to get to see him almost everyday! I have only missed seeing him 3 days of his 3 weeks and that's just because I was out of town. William has adjusted very well to a baby in the house, is doing well at school, and Dana is getting to spend lots of one on one time with Jay. He is growing so fast and his face gets fuller everyday. Can't wait to see how much he weighs next week at his one month check up.

Jill is so excited about Rebecca Rose Lyon , that she can't sleep at night. She's just beginning to feel her, and she is showing more and more each day. She also sees Baby Jay almost everyday, so she should be a real pro with babies by the time Rebecca Rose arrives.

Two Week Old Pics Of Baby Jay

2008-08-22T09:47:00.008-05:00

Jay's Bris and Baby Naming

2008-08-22T09:20:00.007-05:00

Jay's Bris and Baby Naming was on August 8th, his eight day of life. It was a wonderful day of celebration shared with about 70 family members and friends.
Click on the link to see pictures from this very special occasion.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=tw39ck3.4cff4jtf&x=0&y=-b5u83z&localeid=en_US

A Few Pics From Jay's First Week

2008-08-22T08:54:00.010-05:00

IT'S A GIRL!!!!!!

2008-08-20T18:15:00.009-05:00

and she will be named

REBECCA ROSE LYON

Rebecca after Billy's mother and Rose after my mother, Rosalie. They plan to call her Rose. Billy and I met Jill and Clark at the doctor's office for the ultrasound appointment, and it was such a special moment to be with them when we heard "it's a girl!" Jill and I had lunch after the appointment and then shopped all afternoon for "girl" baby furniture. She is totally ecstatic. We all are.

Boy or Girl???

2008-08-11T02:30:00.004-05:00

Jill and Clark find out on August 20th if their baby is a boy or girl. We can hardly wait to find out! If you haven't already, you might like to check out Jill's Blog at www.thelyonfam.blogspot.com. It's also listed under my links.

Precious Baby

2008-08-11T01:20:00.003-05:00

How precious is this! Fourth day of life and sucking his thumb. What a special week it has been. Everyone is tired though and hopefully next week will be a calm and quiet week at Dana and Nathan's house. They needed lots of help last week, which meant lots of folks in their house. William was home all week and we had a Bris to plan for Friday. I stayed at their house until yesterday, Nathan stayed home from work all week to hang out with William and help him adjust to Jay, and Billy, Jill and Clark were a tremendous help. Speaking of Jill, she has to be the most wonderful sister in the world. She and Clark stayed with William while Dana was in the hospital and have been so very helpful. Besides taking care of William, they cooked, kept the house neat and clean, and were "on call" all week. Billy helped out with William, cooked dinner a couple of nights and ran lots of errands for the Bris.
Friday was a wonderful and special day and was attended by 70 close family members and friends. Dana looked beautiful and felt great until..... it was all over. She developed a fever and was having chills and flu-like symptoms. So we put her in bed, called the Doctor, got her started on some meds, and in 24 hours she felt much better. Thank goodness this didn't happen on Thursday.
William goes back to school tomorrow, Nathan goes back to work, and their life as a family of four will officially begin. Hopefully, Jay will be as sweet and calm as he has been so far. Today is the first day I haven't seen him, and I already miss him. I can't wait to see him tomorrow!

JAY HANDMACHER: DAY TWO

2008-08-02T21:25:00.012-05:00

Dana and Jay had a great day. Jay loves nursing and knows just what to do! He and Dana had lots of company today, and you can see from the pictures below how alert he already is.
Tomorrow will be a big day for Baby Jay.....Going home, AND, meeting big brother William!

Jan and Jay

Arlene and Jay

Amy and Jay

JOSEPH STARK HANDMACHER

2008-08-01T22:55:00.014-05:00

Joseph Stark Handmacher arrived at 10:30 this morning weighing 7 lbs 13 oz, and measuring 21 1/2 inches long. Dana had a very easy and quick delivery and is feeling great. "Jay" is beautiful, has a head full of black hair, and looks just like William did when he was born.

Dana and Nathan chose the name Joseph in memory of Nathan's grandfather, Saul Joseph Rubin, and Stark was the maiden name of my mother, Rosalie Stark Rosner. He is going to be called Jay.

We are very thrilled and excited, and most of all thankful for Jay's safe and healthy arrival into the world. Stayed tuned for more pics!

Dana, Nathan and Jay are at the Mobile Infirmary, Room 2313, and will come home on Sunday.

BABY HANDMACHER IS ON THE WAY!!!

2008-07-31T11:02:00.004-05:00

Baby Handmacher is ALMOST on the way. If Dana does not go into labor today, she is checking into the hospital early tomorrow morning for an induction! We are very excited and anxious for this baby's arrival. Please keep Dana and Nathan in your prayers for a safe and healthy delivery. We'll let you know as soon as we have news.

While I rarely receive comments on my blog, I can see from my counter below that I do have people checking in. I'd love to know who you are. ????? It might inspire me to post more often.

Below are the most recents pics of Dana. These were taken at a shower given for her by friends from William's school, The Little Tree. The young lady below standing with Dana is William's wonderful teacher.

A Week At Canyon Ranch

2008-07-14T20:28:00.008-05:00

I just returned from eight wonderful days at Canyon Ranch in Tuscon. I'm hooked! I'm already planning a trip back to the ranch for next July. There were nine in our group and we had a great time together. Everyone has asked me if I just relaxed all week. I'm not sure if I would say that I relaxed, however I felt very relaxed and very rested when I came home. There was so much to do, and I didn't want to miss anything.
So what did I do? I started each morning with meditation, followed by breakfast outside. I usually attended a couple of dance aerobics classes and a yoga class in the mornings. There were more choices of activities than I can begin to list. After lunch there were more dance classes, cardio classes, posture and balance classes, yoga, breathing and meditation classes, water classes and speakers to choose from. One could lay by the pool, relax in the whirlpool, steam room or sauna, hike, bike, play tennis or choose from the huge variety of services for your body. I did it all and loved every minute. The food was healthy and delicious. Eileen was my roomie, and she's ready to go back as well! We really didn't want to leave, but all good things must come to an end and we are looking forward to our trip next summer.

Babies, Babies, Babies!!!

2008-07-14T20:07:00.005-05:00

She sure does look like she belongs to Jill and Clark, doesn't she? We met Kinneret for the first time a couple of weeks ago. Hayley and Mark brought Kinneret to Mobile to meet family and friends. Jana, Brian and Ayla were in town as well, along with lots of Birmingham and Mobile cousins. We had so much fun with the babies, and can't wait for Baby Handmacher and Baby Lyon to arrive. Next year we will have five little ones in the family. Hard to believe!

Kinneret

Ayla

Fun in Denver

2008-06-29T21:26:00.014-05:00

During our recent trip to Denver we stayed with Marilyn and Jerry and we played around the Denver area all week. They are wonderful hosts, great tour guides, and so much fun. Some highlights...... An afternoon in Estes Park, an outdoor concert and picnic dinner, brunch at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, riding the train to the top of Pikes Peak, early morning walks, dinners with cousins, and.....Jerry's famous Ceasar Salad.
Thank you Marilyn and Jerry and all of our cousins for a wonderful vacation!

Julia's Bat Mitzvah Weekend

2008-06-29T20:17:00.022-05:00

Billy and I were in Denver from June 5th-13th celebrating Julia's Bat Mitzvah and visiting all of my cousins. The Bat Mitzvah weekend was beautiful and fun and filled with so much love. Colorado in the summer is fabulous, and we had a such wonderful time being with everyone.

Sisters, Best Friends, and.....

2008-05-28T18:14:00.003-05:00

DANA AND JILL ARE

BEST FRIENDS

SISTERS

AND..........

MOMS TO BE!!!!!!!

Baby Lyon is due on January 21, 2009

My Baby Graduated From College!!!

2008-05-27T09:35:00.026-05:00

I can't believe Peter graduated from college! It seems like yesterday that we took him to school. He had a wonderful four years at SMU, and I think he would definitely say that they have been the best years of his life. Billy and I are very proud of him. He graduated with a double major. He received an accounting degree and a political science degree.

He made good grades, made great friends, did lots of traveling, had LOTS of fun, met a precious and lovely young lady, and has accepted a job in Dallas. I hope Peter will always be as happy as he is now.

Billy and I drove 10 hours to Dallas on Thursday May 15th. We arrived with just enough time to change clothes quickly for an eight thirty dinner reservation at one of Peter's favorite restaurants in Dallas. Peter picked us up at the hotel and we met his girlfriend, Jennifer, for the first time. We had a lovely evening, and Billy and I enjoyed getting to know Jennifer. Friday, Billy worked in Dallas so Peter and I spent the day together. We had lunch downtown and he showed me where he worked during his internship with Deloitte and Touche. Dana and Jill flew in that afternoon, and our family had dinner Friday night with Jennifer's family. Another great dinner and lots of fun getting to know the Lev family. Saturday, was the big day! We started out at Peter's fraternity house, Phi Delta Theta, for brunch, followed by his graduation ceremony. Saturday night we had dinner at another of Peter's favorite restaurants with his roomate and his family. Sunday we spent the day loading the uhaul trailer with Peter's belongings from the past four years, and cleaning his apartment. Monday we drove our car home with the uhaul trailer attached, Peter drove his car home, and college life for Peter officially came to a close. As for the "good times," Peter always has a "good time." He came home Monday night and left Thursday for a week's vacation in the Bahamas!

Pics from Mother's Day

2008-05-26T23:55:00.010-05:00

Billy's preparing a feast!

William loves.... breakfast

Billy's fruit display

And, they spoiled me with lots of presents

Dana's Birthday and Mothers's Day

2008-05-26T23:21:00.006-05:00

I'm a little late posting pictures from Dana's Bday and Mother's Day. It was a perfect weekend! Friday night May 9th, Dana, Jill and I went out for dinner, just the girls. Saturday night May10th, we celebrated Dana's 31st birthday at a beautiful new Mobile restaurant, and Sunday morning Billy and Jill prepared a delicious Mother's Day brunch. The only thing missing: Peter and Clark weren't with us. Peter was still in Dallas and Clark was hosting a bachelor's weekend at Dauphin Island..

Team William

2008-04-29T11:36:00.012-05:00

Saturday was the Autism Society of Alabama Walk in Mobile. William's team of family and friends met early Saturday morning and a fun time was had by all. Afterwards, we had a casual lunch at Dana and Nathan's house, hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill, and we spent the afternoon visiting and playing in the backyard. Even the grown-ups played!

Gray and Kirk's Wedding

2008-04-23T23:41:00.020-05:00

Another wedding! Clark's sister Gray and Kirk Garrett were married Saturday. It was a wonderful weekend filled with beautiful parties and celebrations. Gray was glowing all weekend, and she and Kirk seemed to enjoy every minute of the festivities. They are a precious couple, very much in love, and excited to begin their life together.

Passover

2008-04-19T14:20:00.019-05:00

Passover is my most favorite of the Jewish holidays. The first year I prepared the Passover Seder (the ritual meal on the first or second night of Passover commemorating the exodus of the Jews from Egypt) in our home was in 1985, and there are only a couple of years from then until now that we have attended Seder someplace else. Last year, Passover was just one week after Jill and Clark were married. Since the dining room was full of wedding presents, and Jill and Clark were returning from their honeymoon on the first night of Passover, I decided that maybe we would just "skip" Passover. Not something many Jewish people do. Passover is the most celebrated of all of the Jewish holidays and is also celebrated by most secular and unobservant Jews. I knew Jill was disappointed when she said, "Mom, we're not going to have Passover at all?" But she also knew as did the rest of the family that cooking and preparing for the Seder was something I couldn't even think about before the wedding. A couple of days after the wedding I thought of a great place to have the Seder. I called the Country Club and asked if we could have our Seder there. They were very accomodating. I made the matza ball soup, charoset and the other ceremonial foods at home, took it all to the Club along with the Haggadahs and everything else that was needed . The Club prepared the main meal and it worked out great! We had our Seder on the second night of Passover instead of the first night, and our guest list was a little different than usual since most of our regulars had made other plans when I told them that I was not having the Seder. I invited our family, Clark's family and a few friends. They all enjoyed it, we enjoyed it, and the Club management even asked me about a month ago if I had booked the Club yet for Passover. Although I was tempted to go to the Club for Passover again, I really like celebrating the holiday in our home. However, the Passover dilema presented itself again this year. Jill's sister in law is being married tonight, the first night of Passover. The weekend has been full of festivities, and it is not possible to have Seder on the first or the second night or even the couple of days before or after. I'm still trying to figure out when to celebrate Passover this year. Maybe I'll just prepare everyones favorite Passover foods (matza ball soup, brisket, and choroset) for dinner one night next week for Billy and me, Dana, Nathan and William, and Jill and Clark. Next year the first night of Passover is on Wednesday, April 8th. No conflicts yet! Below are pictures from last year.

They sure are paying attention!

A True New Orleans Wedding

2008-04-16T15:40:00.022-05:00

We were in New Orleans last weekend for Adam Miller and Rebecca Schambach's Wedding. Another beautiful wedding and a very special weekend. Adam and Rebecca are so perfect for each other and so much in love. The ceremony was in a beautiful New Orleans courtyard followed by cocktails and dancing. The highlight of the night was "The Second Line" as the reception came to an end. There was quite a delegation from Mobile and we all had a great time. Gosh, I love weddings!

Hmmm.... Wonder what these guys are up to.

Noah and Lara's Wedding

2008-04-09T21:35:00.014-05:00

This past weekend we were in Atlanta for the Wedding of Noah Bronstein and Lara Sher. What a special and fun weekend it was! Lara was a beautiful and gracious bride, Noah a handsome and charming groom, and I know they will have a wonderful life together. The whole weekend was filled with so much warmth and love. We had a great time.

Well Connected Friends

2008-04-09T19:19:00.004-05:00

What do I mean by "well connected?"

A week or so ago, my childhood friend Barbara Miller was in town overnight. I decided to invite some friends over for dinner to see Barbara. What fun we had reminiscing about the past and catching up on the present. The friends included Billy and me, Barbara, Jan and Clennon, Jeff and Arlene and Beth and Alan. Barbara, Jan, Jeff and I spent every Sunday in Sunday School together from the time we were about five years old until we were sixteen, and a couple of other days a week together in Hebrew School for most of those years. Jan, Barbara and I went to elementary school, junior high and most of high school together. Then Jan and I were roommates in college. Barbara's dad and Beth's dad were brothers and were my dad's best friends in childhood and beyond. Billy's mom and Jeff's mom were sisters and grew up with our Dads.

Going even further back, my grandparents, Billy and Jeff's grandparents, and Barbara and Beth's grandparents were friends. Billy's mom and Beth's dad worked together for many years and all of our parents were friends with each other. When I married Billy, Jeff and I became cousins. Beth isn't just Barbara's cousin, she is my dear friend and like a sister. There's more history and I could go on and on.......but the bottom line is, we're "well connected." Everyone except Barbara lives in Mobile but the rest of us see each other quite often. I miss Barbara and I love getting together with her. It seems like yesterday that we were spending the night with each other, going to Dauphin Island, and just having fun . She is such a special person, beautiful on both the inside and the outside. Friends from our youth are the best!

How Old Are We?

2008-03-29T18:16:00.000-05:00

Not telling!!! But the server guessed that the Birthday Girl was the youngest, and.......she guessed her to be about 20 years younger than she is. The birthday girl is Beth (center) and she does look young and beautiful. She IS young and beautiful!!! I wish I looked like her. Beth, Jan and I have been celebrating birthdays together for years, but we had an especially fun time Thursday night. We got together early, no one was on a schedule and we just relaxed, visited, drank Martinis, and enjoyed a great dinner. There is nothing like the bond between old friends. I love them dearly!

MARCH ANNIVERSARIES

2008-03-27T08:20:00.000-05:00

Billy and I celebrated our 34th Wedding Anniversary on March 10. Jill and Clark celebrated their 1st Wedding Anniversary this past Monday, March 24th, and Dana and Nathan celebrated their 7th Anniversary March 25th. We all got together at our house for dinner Monday night and had a fun evening. I have always loved the month of March and I guess I associate March with happy times. Dana's Bat Mitzvah was also in the month of March and my nephew Brian married Jana in the month of March.

After wishing each other a Happy Anniversary on the morning of March 10th, Billy said, "It seems like we just got married yesterday." I responded with, "Really? I feel like I've been married forever. I can't remember not being married!" I do feel like I have been married forever, maybe because I was only 20 when I said "I Do" but it does seem like yesterday that we were young with young children. We couldn't imagine them ever growing up. I loved those years and those who know me well, know how much I love babies and little childern. However, I DO love the place I am in right now. Happily married to Billy for 34 years, enjoying my grown children, and...........little children and babies again! What could be better?

Is My Plate Full?

2008-03-19T16:56:00.000-05:00

Very full!!! Those who know me well, know that I always have a project going, however these days it seems that I have several projects going on all of the time. I'll wind up one major something, I'll be looking forward to some down time, and before I even have a chance to catch my breath, I find myself involved in, or rather, in charge of, another big something. So what's my next project? I was approached a few weeks ago about chairing the Nutcracker Charity Ball with another woman who is a friend of mine, and whose daughter is a friend of Jill's. Our daughters were both presented at the 2003 Ball. After much thought, or really after just a little thought, and a couple of meetings, I decided to accept. Becky Tate and I will be Co- Chairs of the Ball, and it is actually a three year commitment. The Ball is sponsored by The Mobile Ballet as its major fundraising event, and a portion of the proceeds are given to local charitable organizations for children. The mission of the Ball has always been to support children's charities. Recipients from past years include Ronald McDonald House, Friends Interested in Neurological disorders, Camp MASH (Make Arthritis Stop Hurting), Boys and Girls Clubs of South Alabama, Mercy Medical, Camp Rap-a-Hope, Southeastern Diabetes Education Services, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Mobile, and the Child Advocacy Center. Held each year in December, over 1200 guests enjoy cocktails, a silent auction, dinner and dancing, and the presentation of the Nutcracker Ball Debutantes. The young ladies who are introduced at the ball each year, have interests and career goals that span the spectrum. Their academic, civic, and professional achievements give tribute to the outstanding families who present them. I am honored to have been asked to co-chair this wonderful affair. Below are pictures from the 2003 Nutcracker Ball when Jill was presented. Peter was an escort this year at the 2007 Nutcracker Ball. I will try to post pictures of him with his date on another post.

Jill has been on the Board of The Mobile Ballet for a couple of years, and Dana was recently elected to the Board. Our family is represented well with Mobile Ballet!

BABY HANDMACHER IS A ...........................

2008-03-13T15:02:00.000-05:00

BOY!!!!!!!!!!

We are very excited that Willam is going to have a brother.

Jill brought William blue cupcakes for the celebration.

Jill's Birthday

2008-03-13T14:38:00.000-05:00

We celebrated Jill's 26th Birthday at our house. Jill and Clark, Clark's parents Janet and Gaylord, Clark's sister Gray, and Dana and Nathan came over for dinner. We had a fun evening and Jill received some beautiful presents, especially the gold bracelet from Clark!

A few more pictures

2008-03-13T14:22:00.000-05:00

Opening Presents!!!

Pictures from the December Holidays

2008-03-13T13:14:00.001-05:00

The Susman Family and The Lyon Family Christmas Eve 2007

Chanukah 2007 at Eileen's house

Overdue Post

2008-03-13T12:48:00.001-05:00

It's been 2 months since my last post. I've been so busy and there is so much I could write about, but I think I will just post some long overdue pictures from December and January. And then......maybe I will write.

The first picture was taken when Eileen and I were in Boston for Evan Silver's wedding. We had coffee one morning with Susan Senator, a well known Autism Mom and author of "Making Peace With Autism." We had a great time meeting Susan and we hope that she will come to Mobile one day to speak to our community. Check out Susan's website and blog under my links.

Jill and her friends hosting a Baby Shower for Natalie Roe.

Camille's Sidewalk Cafe

2008-01-13T21:30:00.000-06:00

A new restaurant is coming to Mobile and the proud owner is our son in law Clark! We are thrilled and excited for Clark and Jill. Jill plans to work with Clark when Camille's opens, hopefully in early fall. The website for Camille's is www.camillescafe.com and is also listed under my links.

PICTURES OF KINNERET MELAMUT

2008-01-09T22:10:00.000-06:00

The Newest Member of the Family

2008-01-07T20:11:00.000-06:00

Kinneret Re'ut Melamut was born on December 24th, 2007. She is two weeks old today and is a beautiful baby. We can't wait to meet her. Her arrival is just six months after the arrival of cousin Ayla, and seven months before the arrival of Dana and Nathan's baby. It's going to be so much fun to see all of these babies together, and I hope they will spend lots of happy times with each other.
Click on the link, The Melamuts, to see pictures of Kinneret. Brian and Jana have created a wonderful family website. Once on the website, click on Family and you will see the link to Mark, Hayley and Kinneret.

2008-01-05T22:18:00.000-06:00

December was an especially busy month for me. Some of the events of December were weddings, a baby shower, a bridal shower, a 55th birthday party, Hannukah celebrations, Christmas celebrations, dinners with friends, births, and sadly, deaths. How fortunate I am to have so many wonderful family members and friends to share life's most special and precious moments with. I remember with love and affection, dear friends and family who are no longer with us, as well as friends who passed away just this month.
I pray that 2008 will be a year of happiness, peace and joy for all.

2008 NEWS!!!

2008-01-05T22:06:00.000-06:00

William will become a big brother on or around August 10th, just two days before his 5th Birthday. Dana, Nathan and the entire family are very excited. They are anxious to get settled in their new home and can't wait for the new baby to arrive.

Friday Night Dinner at the Club

2007-12-08T09:53:00.000-06:00

Billy and I met Randy and Kaye at the club for dinner last night. We love being with them and we meet for dinner at the club quite regularly on Friday nights. Randy made a beautiful blessing before we ate. He has a way of making his blessings very personal and truly from his heart. He may not know this, but he has taught us so much about prayer. My prayers use to be just for my family and I'm not sure if Billy prayed at all. Billy does pray now, and our prayers are for others as well as for our family. When I tell someone that they are in my thoughts and prayers, they truly are.

One day Billy came home and said, "You know, I am really a lucky guy. I don't know very many Dads who have both of their daughters happily married and living five minutes away."
Last night, when we walked into the dining room for dinner, we saw Clark's parents seated at the table next to ours. Jill and Clark were meeting them for dinner. Sometimes Mobile seems very "small town" and we love it! I think Jill and Clark love being in Mobile and they also feel lucky. They have a wonderful relationship with both sets of parents and we all see each other often. I feel lucky too!

Eileen's 60th Birthday

2007-12-07T15:01:00.000-06:00

We had a party at our house for Eileen's 60th Birthday on August 11, 2007. Everyone had a great time. Eileen is very special to us. She is a beautiful person inside and out, and she is loved by all who know her.

Almost 2008

2007-12-06T22:07:00.001-06:00

How can the year 2008 be just around the corner? The years are flying by much too fast. I've decided to try blogging. We'll see how it goes.