The Cousins - 1 of 6

Danny & Yari

Luis & Jessie (and baby!)

Victoria is all about family and remembers her cousins' names and birth dates with an accuracy that is startling, and frankly embarrassing.  I might forget my children's birthdays if they did not drop the less that subtle hints.

Victoria is my parents' 5th grand child and second granddaughter.  She has, as a result of my tasking in the fall of 2010, drawn an image of each of her cousins, which will follow in the next few posts.

Victoria's cousins Danny and Luis, sons of my sister Hilary, are Puertorrican.  They are gorgeous, dark haired, dark eyed ... I was going to say boys, but that is not fair.  They are both married and Luis and his wife Jessie are expecting their first baby in September.  OK, OK, they are gorgeous, dark haired, dark eyed men. (sigh!)  You might infer the skin color is not accurate, but then again, neither is the diameter of their forearms.

Danny

Danny is married to Yari, but I do not yet have a Victoria image of Yari.  She has a few others she is tasked with, as will become evident as this post progresses.  Yari = Task #1

Luis and Jessie

Jessica has huge blue eyes and gorgeous strawberry blond/auburn colored hair.  She and Luis (who does appear to liking his lips) were married in the summer of 2010.  This image is from the fall of 2010, well before baby #1 was on the way.  And there is the hand holding again, easiest way to tell they are a couple.  Baby = Task #2

Jessie - the portrait

Sometimes Victoria likes to reach out to people that are special to her.  She specifically relates to young women in her approximate age group, and through her drawings demonstrates her affection and admiration.  Hence the above portrait of Jessie (wife of Luis).  I don't recall the occasion but Victoria wanted to make sure she had something for Jessie and the above was produced.  Please note - Jessie does not wear puffy dresses, and I can't say I have ever seen her with her hair on the top of her head like a fountain.  Somehow, however, this image captures her great style, Victoria-style! 

Victoria's Letters, bubble letters that is!

Whenever Victoria wants to label something she does what she calls 'Bubble Letters'.  Her spelling is evolving, and she is pretty good with words she uses routinely.  Every now and then she'll miss or skip a letter.  There are the occasional transpositions, but by and large she gets it right.

Her greeting cards are particularly touching.  Although she LOVES buying greeting cards, and often finds the perfect card, the cards she makes are the ones that carry the most feeling.

She has carefully signed the inside, lest I mistake the giver.



Happy Birthday to me! Never too many of these!

Our family has large Thanksgiving celebrations, and often a commemorative t-shirt is produced.  Victoria has wanted to participate in the design process for several years, this year she contributed more than ever.  The activity took place in Bluffton, S. C. a small town east of I-95 and south of Beaufort SC.

Victoria did the letters for the T-shirt



Her original suggestion was
Hattlers Gone Wild
Thanksgiving 2011

Thanksgiving celebrations have also taken place on Hilton Head Island, SC.  The 2011 celebration might have been, but my parents moved... to Bluffton.

Victoria, always wiling to help is not above trying to talk some sense into her parents.  SO when I asked her to make a label for a cooler for a party she gave me a hard time.  "Mommy, no one should drink beer!"  And I agree with her sometimes.  All the same she loves a party, karaoke, and dancing.  And when she got old enough she decided she might be OK with a beer every now and then too!

Not sure what the blue item is, but the unmistakable message is the contents of the cooler
BEER!