The Umstead Update: Goodbye

Happy New Year Everyone!

Unfortunatley, we received some very sad news that Honor Taylor (AKA Mamo) passed away on New Year's Eve. She was Eric's grandmother, Riley's and Kyle's great-gradmother, and just like a grandmother to our family too. She was a wonderful and spunky 92-years-old when she left us. She will be missed dearly, but we know she is in Heaven watching out for all of us. We were so blessed to know her for so long and grateful that we were able to spend Holidays with her.

Mamo, Riley, and Lexa 2004

Lexa and Mamo. She always treated us as if we were part of

her family and we felt the same way.

Honor and her girls 2008.

In honor of Mamo, we still went out on New Years Eve. Mamo loved parties and gatherings and would have been very upset if we spent the night sad and sitting around crying, so instead we celebrated her life, and a wonderful one it was.

Mike and Darcy started the night with Tracy and Eric for a late dinner at Bottoms Up Pizza and then later rang in the New Year at at party at Christy and Tim's. We had a great time, but barely made it past midnight. Grandma and Papa were in charge of the kids for the night and they too partied the night away by celebrating an early New Years Eve around 8 pm and then off to bed. Lexa spent the night with Riley and already wants to spend the night again. We have a feeling those two will be inseperable when they get older.

Lexa has also become a very helpful little girl since the new year started. She is constantly asking to help do things like laundry, feed the animals, help make her bed, and help cook. We hope it lasts.

Lexa also went bowling for the first time and even won! Tracy, Kyle, and Riley joined us and afterwards we went shopping and out to eat.

And on to the pictures . . . .