So for 5 years, since Gina and Tom have lived in Virginia, we have gone to the Apple Blossom Festival in Winchester with them…It is a 1-week long event, but we only go for the weekend of the grand parade, which for 91years has always been on the first weekend of May, and it lasts for about 3 hours!!!

The theme this year was “Welcome Home,” which you can see from the program on left…this is the outfit I wore to the parade, everyone dons pink and green and Gina and I have official Apple Blossom jewelry!!  Aaden, Parker and me at breakfast before the parade💕

We were very fortunate to be able to watch the parade from Tom’s aunt’s lovely porch along the parade route…She even set chairs out on the sidewalk for us and provided us with a beautiful yummy cake!! Lower left picture, Victor, Aaden and Parker enjoying the antique cars at the beginning of the parade…The Grand Marshal was Dan Marino, former QB for the Dolphins and current Hall of Famer…Aaden was so excited to see him and wanted him to sign his Dolphins tee-shirt…As you can see Dan had lots of security around him so all that Aaden got was a thumbs-up, but Aaden was so thrilled just with the thumbs-up!  Some of the past Grand Marshals have been Lucille Ball, Bob Hope, Ed Sullivan, Mickey Mantle, Billy Graham and Mary Tyler Moore!!And then there is a Queen, Elizabeth Astin, granddaughter of John Astin and Patty Duke!! For many years it has been tradition choosing a daughter of a celebrity for the Queen!  In the past there have been more well-known celebrity’s daughters such as Elizabeth Taylor’s daughter, former Presidents Gerald Ford’s, Lyndon Johnson’s daughters and many more!!  But with security nowadays and the expense of the more well-known people, the parade organizers do a great job keeping with tradition as best they can!There are also princesses, which are chosen from the community…the Guides are students from a nearby military academy. This is Emily Kinsey, Miss Apple Blossom Outstanding Teen…Gina and I thought she was adorable and loved her dress draped over the back of the car…A float with an honorable cause…

But this was my favorite out of all the floats…how beautiful are these women💚💕 It was a busy fun day…and totally tuckered Parker out…I was so grateful to have this weekend with Gina, Tom and the kids, because now we are home and although we miss them so much we have wonderful memories to weave through the tapestry of our life…

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And now Mother’s Day is upon us…these people are what make me a Happy Mother and Grandmother💝 Top left, Parker and Gina…Top right, Tom holding Parker…Bottom left, love the hugs from Aaden😍…Bottom right, my mom and my son VJ, he is an amazing son and grandson…he allows me to have a rest and weekends with our grandchildren, by caring for my mom in a kind and loving manner…  Thank you to my children for making me a Happy Mother…

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