Charlie

Charlie--we love you.  You've been with us since Athens.  We felt so lucky to have a dog that was calm enough and lazy enough to suit our crazy family--our life has been filled with loud music and kids and cooking and mess and you fit right in.  When I found you and sent your photos to Frank he said that he felt God had answered his prayers with a dog that was just right for him.  You were laying in a field of grass and you clearly didn't intend to get up and chase anything anytime soon. 
Your little Basset gimp legs on your big Golden Retriever body have been bothering you for quite some time.  You've had a hard time getting around and have been falling a lot.  Now your face is swollen and the Vet thinks that you have cancer.  I am so sorry that you'll have to live out the last week of your life wearing the cone of shame.  I can't find a way to get you to stop scratching at it. 
Next Saturday we'll take it off, and we'll bring your favorite blanket and treats...and we'll all be with you as you go.  We love you.

T's Christmas list:
Mindcraft Ipad
Mario Nentendo 3ds game
My own Kindle fire [as opposed to Mom's kindle fire, which was tragically dropped on the asphalt outside the hotel on a trip to Idaho this summer...]
Army Gear at Walmart [He and his neighborhood friend play soldiers, and spies, and sometimes US Air Force--although the latter is discourage because I'm an Army girl at heart]
toothpast spicy
stuffed anamal

M's Christmas list:
Happy Hlludas [Happy Holidays--Kindergartener and being encouraged to sound out words to spell]
idtedothreds [Nintendo 3DS]
And the other two are picture wishes--a fancy party dress and a rosary.

This was one of the most wonderful Christmas holidays we have had.  T participated as a reader in mass on Christmas eve--so we ate snack foods before mass--and then drove around and looked at Christmas lights after mass.  We opened our family gifts on Christmas eve--and everyone had Christmas jammies that they really liked.  F had soft flannel pants. I had red sparkly stripes.  T had matching Gap polar bears (He neurotically likes matching jammies.)  M had a polar fleece night dress with polka dots and Santa embroidery.
Santa left a mess by the fireplace when he brought the super size 3DS game systems.  He also broke the code on F's Ipad and put the "Mindcraft" game and Furby apps on it.  We ate all day long and just relaxed--
I made Divinity this year--which both kids loved.  It was like a miracle to them "cake/candy" they call it and I have repeatedly been told that I could sell it and we would be "rich!"  How sweet.  How sweet.

Having a Sunday...

Putzing around the house today...making rolls, sorting winter clothes...M said to me, "I don't know what it was like for you, when you were a kid, but I hope it was FUN!  I wasn't around to see you because I was still being made."

I'd also like to use this post to remember that T said the other night, "Dinosaurs are probably extinct because Noah couldn't fit them on the arc.  Nobody told me this, but it makes sense."

Halloween 2013

Baby

A few weeks ago I overheard T and M planning their weddings.   They stated that they were probably going to get married about 2 years apart (but not to each other.)  T was so cute as he said, "When you get married I'll already have my baby."  I'm glad that they have it all figured out.

Blueberries

M and T were discussing previous Easters tonight.  They constantly lament the size of this house compared with the last house and tonight they were focused on the yard size.   "Remember when we had that huge yard and we didn't have this separate front and back yard thing going on...and we could just go into ALL the yards without any gates or anything?  And there would be eggs all around and we could have so many eggs all over the place?" T said. 
And M said, "Yeah...and the yard was ENORMOUS and there was a blueberry tree in the backyard (or something like that) but we NEVER ate the blueberries but it was still so AWESOME?"
And I felt a little something inside...I don't know what exactly, but a feeling, maybe of sadness, or maybe of reverence...What can her young mind remember forever?  And what will it forget?
Because we DID have a blueberry tree (or something like that) in the backyard...It was a huge evergreen tree that the previous owners had planted when they lost a baby.  It was so big that there was a big space to play underneath it, and space enough for weeds to grow--including one that crept out constantly, no matter how often it was pulled out.  It had blue berries on it and I was repeatedly running over to make sure M wasn't eating them.  She would go outside and make a beeline for that tree.
And now it's a memory for her...one that she has carried for this last year here in Oregon, and maybe one that she will carry forever.  Who knows?

The Nutcracker

I brought my children to the local production of The Nutcracker today. I was really dreading it--dreading the ballet itself (not being a very "ballet person" at all), dreading the crowds, dreading the parking, dreading the purchase of tickets, and of course, dreading the possible behaviors of my seat mates.

However, I loved it so much that tonight I am googling to see if there is another Nutcracker performance near enough to go to. What really is a "ballet person" anyhow?

Both children cried out (appropriately) with joy and excitement along with the rest of the crowd. They clapped at the right times and I looked over and they were really loving it--all of it, the sword fighting, the dancing, the stage explosions...

even M!-- who was dealing with personal jealousy because her classmates were performing as angels and mice and she wasn't...

There were molasses and chocolate chip cookies at Intermission of which I bought six and ate one. Somehow the math doesn't add up but I don't want to be greedy. There was a reasonable line for the bathrooms. All around, everything was excellent....except for the woman in red who felt it was okay to budge in front of children for cookies...BUT, I was having such a good time that I just smiled at her.

I am posting pictures (not very good ones, but no flash photography was allowed and I AM a rule follower...)

T brought his Transformers blanket and his Spiderman pillow pet. I was gonna let these kids bring just about anything to keep them quiet and good.

M brought her Rescue Kitty and her bracelet.

 Below is M being a candy cane at home after the show. She loved the striped dancers that were gymnastically enabled. She shouted at them as we were leaving. "I love you guys. You guys were awesome!"

T didn't shout at anyone. He did however note that, "Those guys were pretty cool. I would do that if I didn't have to wear tights."

1st position

See my child? She's the ONLY one in the photo that is blurred from her near constant motion. She has the very sturdy leotard and wildly swinging hair and arms. Oh, good-luck-to-you-ballet-instructor...

One Flew Over

This is the mental hospital where they filmed One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest. I haven't seen the movie, but plan to. The hospital has been recently remodeled and now contains a museum dedicated to mental health.

I toured it with a friend. She was convinced that when this photo was processed there would be a ghostly image in the room. It's just me though, and I'm darn good-looking.

The museum had a lot of articles/artifacts from mental health care-spanning the last hundred years or so. Many of the other types of items they had were things that you would find in any home. They had a sewing machine cabinet like the one I have---except mine is Minnesota brand and theirs was Sears or something.

Below is where my friend had to pay my admission fee, which I still owe her for. I don't know why I never think to bring cash anywhere. :(

There was a tunnel system under the building. This tunnel system was one of the more rumored and criticized aspects of the old hospital system. They did not allow tours but they had this mock-up of the tunnel system.

I will go back. They had a lot to look at. 

http://oshmuseum.wordpress.com/

The Sword in the Planter

...Cleaning up the yard for Winter and I cannot draw the sword from the planter. I guess this means I will not be King of England. Shucks.

Phoebe's clothes!

We are opening the big 4t tub of clothes from the good Ms. Phoebe today. Although we are seeking Fall and Winter items, M could not resist trying on some of the Summer stuff too!

Fabric Ghosts!

I think they are cute. Frank seemed interested in the "crafty" project. T seemed a little ashamed of them. M was worried that I had destroyed toys to make them, and Mom said, "Is that good fabric that you used?" So many Chiefs in my home. Sigh.

Monkeys

There is a diner near here that has a room with a live monkey in it. The whole diner is "monkey-themed" and the kids have enjoyed going there to watch the monkey.
We got ice cream and M had a learning experience; that not all colored items on top of ice cream are sprinkles:(

Activities...

Sometimes I look at my children and I fear for their psyches. I think they are SO odd and they spend their time doing SUCH odd activities--things I cannot even post here because it freaks me out so.
People assure me that children are just odd little creatures, and, not to worry, statistically many children grow up to be happy and functioning adults.
But still I worry and fear for their psyches.
However, sometimes, they surprise me with an activity that seems surprisingly normal and healthy. Tonight, they made a list of exercises:

and they proceeded to mark off each exercise as they did them. There was a sibling altercation prior to checking off soccer and basketball...and there was a small argument between the mom and the son about what exactly a Burpee should look like (and how it should be spelled), so it didn't make the list...but other than that, this was a good night.


Post-script, 10/5:
I turned over the paper this morning and saw that he had added my exercise suggestion...not the spelling I suggested, but at least my exercise wasn't ignored completely.

Auntie vs. Mommy

as determined by one of Mard's drawings. I feel sort of afterthoughtish. Afterthoughtish is not a real word, but how could I even know many real words with my head being so small and malformed?

Saturday morning lie-in...

Sometimes, on a morning off, a person just wants to have a bit of a lie-in and not be disturbed by rascals...and since it is likely illegal and, most definitely, immoral to medicate them the evening prior, then one must hand them an electronic device the moment they arrive in the bedroom. However, once the device has been handed over, then a person must relinquish creative control.

And expect that things might not go as anticipated....

If the invading rascals are technologically advanced then they may be able to turn on special camera settings...
And come up with some fantastical imagery...

Some of which may look like it comes from a paranormal film...

Or this, reverse coloring...

Or this, no coloring...

Or this...AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!

I think I peed a little.

Top tooth!

Last week T discovered that his top front tooth was wiggly. He knew that treats from the tooth fairy would be forthcoming and so he wiggled it right away and worked to get it out. However, it didn't come out until he had a tantrum in the parking lot of the Kmart and it was knocked out (by his motion, thankfully, and not mine...)

We picked it up off the parking lot ground, dusted it off, and still placed it under his pillow that night. The tooth fairy delivered Mike and Ike candies and five bucks in cold, hard cash. T shared with his sister and I frequently look in the rear view mirror and see her pulling at her teeth!

Multi-tasking

M decided this AM that it was time to give herself a pedicure. 

She then proceeded to tell me that she was also going to give herself a "quick" manicure too, to "save some time."

Finally, I walked by the bathroom door and she had both feet in the water, one hand in the water, and was brushing her hair and spraying detangler with the other hand. What a good multi-tasker.

Cast Iron Dawg

Is this what they mean when they say to clean the cast iron pans without soap? ...Anyone ever eating at my house again?

Corned Beef

The canned corned beef for supper felt like a fine culinary experiment until somebody pulled out the, "Hey! Look how big my tongue is!" prank.