Update to Veterans Day

Did a little digging and found these photos of my 4 nephews. Thanks guys for your service!

Peter and Robert Lucier - USMC

Kevin Lissner - USMC as of January, 2010
Antonio Harris - USMC

Honoring My Family this Veterans Day!

Below are pictures of my family (just the last 3 generations - there are generations before and after) that have served/are serving my country. They have selfishly given themselves so that I can FREELY CHOOSE the way I live, the way I raised my children, that I may choose the job I have, the way I worship and the freedom to speak/write my beliefs. Thank you seems so inadequate......but it is said with much love and deep, deep gratitude! Thank you Ralph, Phil, Charley, David, Robert, Peter, Antonio, and Kevin. I love you all!


(Paternal Grandfather) Ralph F. Lucier - Lt. - Army Infantry - WWI

(Father) Phillip J. Lucier - Lt. - US Navy - WWII

(Mother) Marcella "Charley" Fried Lucier - Pilot - WASP - WWII - recently bestowed the Congresstional Gold Medal

(Mother) Charley in her flight gear

(Brother) David F. Lucier - Army Special Forces (Green Baret) - Mike Force - Vietnam

(Brother)David recently inducted into the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame

Not pictured: currently serving: nephew Robert Lucier- USMC; nephew Peter Lucier - USMC; nephew Antonio Harris - USMC; nephew Kevin Lissner to begin serving in January, 2010 - USMC.......thank you for your "yes"!

Bumble Bee "G"

Last night we went out to Thomas and Lindsay's to "watch" Gabrielle trick-or-treat for the first time. She dressed up as a bumble bee complete with her flower pail because bees LOVE flowers much more than they do pumpkins! Of course, she was just adorable - the absolutely perfect costume for her. What really made the costume SOOOOOOO special is that Lindsay's mother, Kathy, made this costume for Lindsay in 1982 for Lindsay to wear for her first trick-or-treating adventure! Thanks Kathy......thanks Thomas and Lindsay! Truly makes the memories special! Enjoy the pictures!

Big Brother's Induction into the Arizona Veteran's Hall of Fame

Yesterday 9 out of my 10 sibs (brother Larry was with us in spirit and brother Charles was not able to make in from St. Louis - we missed you both) gathered to honor my oldest brother, David, as he was inducted (along with 18 others from around the state) into the Arizona Veteran's Hall of Fame. We were just so proud of him and honored to be with him/part of this very special moment in his life. Below are just a few pictures and a video of the actual induction.

The Colonial Color Guard from Marcos de Niza High School - presented and retired the colors

The Honorable Hugh Hullman, Mayor of the City of Tempe, close friend and personal guest of David's

Some of the inductees with Gov. Jan Brewer

The Fam - all 7 sisters, 2 brothers (including David), 2 nephews, 1 brother-in-law, 1 significant other

David with his plaque and medal - you rock bro!!

Happy Birthday Thomas!

Happy 28th Birthday Thomas! Just want to tell you how much we love you and how very proud we are of you. You are a wonderful son, brother, husband, and father!!! But most of all, we want you to know what a blessing and gift you are! Love ya bunches!

p.s. a little trivia - the night you were born was the 7th game of the World Series between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers - Dodgers won - go National League!!!

It's Pumpkin Time & It's Party Time

This last weekend was spent going to a Halloween party and picking pumpkins with Thomas, Lindsay & Gabrielle. Saturday night our good friends Matt & Cindy held their 3rd annual Halloween/costume party. We had an absolute blast. Ric went as Caeser and Daniel went as Ric/Dad. I was a Roman Goddess! There was quite the group of characters that showed. We played Rat toss (aka Corn Hole) and mummy wrap complete with prizes for the best team as well as a prize for the best costume! The catered food was fabulous, spirits were high (both kinds), and fun was had by all!

Sunday afternoon we met up with Thomas, Lindsay and Gabrielle (as well as some of Lindsay's family) at Mother Nature's Farm. Every year they put on a "festival" for the entire month of October. It's a great place for families of young children to go and have some Fall fun! I love the way they post their admission prices. It reads: Children $7, Adults that want to tag along $3. Wonderfully, the $7 also includes a pumpkin and all the fun foam stickers you want to decorate the pumpkin of your choice. All of us, kids/parents/& grandparents, had a great time. They really have it down to a science - just enough "stuff" to do (very hands on) and all geared for little ones. Just look at what we did!


This was a nice big, SOFT hay bed for the kids to jump around in and throw the hay "high in the sky"!


Peek-a-boo


Gabrielle didn't just pick up the hay, she picked it up and CHUCKED/threw it as fast and hard as she could - she thought that was pretty cool stuff - that is once she got over her hands being a little dirty!

Look how tall I am!

Prettiest scarecrow on the farm!

I think I want this one!

Ooops, it's heavier than I thought!

Hurry up Grandpa - come on Papa!

Piece of cake!

See, I can do this myself!

Heading to the finish line!

Moooooooooooo.............

Ya gotta just LOVE fun foam stickers!

I'm a budding artist!

I'm ready to get otta here - anyone want to join me?

Daniel (aka Dad complete with Circle K coffee) & Ric (aka Caeser)

The cast of characters! Note the coffin/corn hole board!

Gosh it's almost October!!!

Wow, it's almost October. The weather SEEMS to be working its way towards the most beautiful time of year here - the Fall & Winter. Over the Labor Day weekend the entire family got together and we did a photo shoot. Needed to get that picture taken for the Christmas card before Rachel left for New York. Anyway, I just got them back and was so thrilled with how many really good pictures we got, I thought I would share just a sampling of them. You will have to wait to see the actual picture I chose for the Christmas card - which, by the way, is DONE and ready for the mail - go ahead hate me.....I told you I was going to get organized for this Christmas and I must say I am well on the way! As you will see, my niece Katie was here for the long weekend visiting and was able to join us for the photo shoot. Man, these kids are just so photogenic. We were equally thrilled that Ric's mother, Anna, was able to be there. It was a blessing to be able to get pictures of all four generations. There were so many good ones I will post a few each time so as to keep you in suspense - tehehe!!! We were thrilled to have her and I know the kids were equally happy to get pictures with their grandmother and favorite/closest cousin........sometimes I forget she's the cousin and not a sibling!!!

Yesterday was Ric's 57th birthday........I have to confess.........I made it a point to tell Ric that 57 is getting pretty close to 60! I'm not sure how he feels about that but he seems to be OK with the 57 thing. We went to a quiet dinner with one other couple. Wonderfully, Daniel was also able to join us. Thomas and Rachel both called their dad and it made Ric all warm and fuzzy inside that they took the time to call him. Wow, how blessed we are to have such great kids!

Enjoy the pictures......................until next time!!!

She's off to the Big Apple

Well, she's made it............Rachel has landed safely in the Big Apple and to her new home in Brooklyn, New York and ready to begin the next phase of her new adventure. Just another check on her "list" of things to do before..............she moves on to the next item (whatever that may be)!!! Congratulations my daughter............we are so proud of you! It's not often you hear of young adults dreaming any more, let alone actually working hard and doing whatever it takes to make those dreams come true. What an inspiration you are to not only other young adults, but to us. Patience, steady plodding and hard work are a rare commodity these days and you are a light to those who are lost! I would, though, be in deep denial if I didn't admit to just how much I miss you already and are counting the days to December 15.