Shocking

The power was out in the living room. It was strange... we'd been downstairs most of the morning. What would have shorted out the power. I questioned the kids and Miles was quick to say "I didn't have anything to do with it, but Duncan had the tweezers. I put them away, I'll get them."

Apparently after removing a sliver from Miles foot downstairs, I had sent Duncan upstairs to put the tweezers away. He didn't quite put them away! In fact he never did! He tried something I never dreamed he would try! He spread them apart and put them in the electrical socket in the living room!

Hearing this story about an hour after it occurred I did at least already know the outcome, but the emotions still surfaced!... Fright that he had done it and concern that he was o.k., which he must be... I'm questioning him, relief now that he is o.k., surprise that he would do such a thing... I thought he knew not to put things in the outlets! Only some of the outlets have baby proof covers... it hadn't been an issue... and beside when the kids need to plug something in they just pull them out... more easily than I can!

Duncan described the event.
"I put the tweezers in and then the light came out and went up my finger hit my CTR ring and then went back in the wall"

In tidying his room earlier that morning we had come across his ring. It's a rubber ring like the new fad rubber bracelets.
I knew he had been scared and wouldn't likely try that again! But just to be sure, I scared him some more.... "It could have killed you!.. you could have burned the house down!... You were very lucky! Don't EVER put ANYTHING in a plug again!!!"

Miles wanted to know how it happened... like how come the tweezers made a spark come out of the wall and why it went back in and why the power turned off... This really should have been a great science lesson opportunity... but .... I was a little confused myself!!... I understood that the metal conducts electricity and that it was trying to find a path... and am glad that it chose the tweezers for the path instead of Duncan. I know that rubber is a good thing to stand on or wear.. but not sure why or how... and I understood that the breaker box has some sort of a safety device that tripped the switch and the power went off and that was a great thing!... but how it occurred again... the explanations were definitely lacking... when I learned that Miles had then pulled the tweezers out and put them away I had to launch into him because if the power hadn't been out!! ahhh... I just can't think about it!

And then I had to wonder why no one voluntarily came to tell me of this experience.... (afraid of getting a lecture ... which they did and I reminded them that now they were getting one about what they did wrong AND why it is so important to always tell Mummy everything!... because I will ALWAYS find out somehow!)

Without the lack of power in the living room to make me wonder what was up, would I have had to wait to learn of this until I reached for the tweezers again and wonder why they seemed to be singed on the ends??

Yard Sale

With the preparation for company to arrive in full swing we've been cleaning out closets and scrubbing bathrooms. (Because everyone knows that guests judge you based on how organized your closets are and how sparkling your bathroom faucet is!!)

In our early spring cleaning mode we've been taking loads of things to the D.I. and we've filled the garbage cans to their capacity each week. This is unusual for us. I try to recycle whenever possible and reduce the amount of waste that we create, which often means that we could go a month or more without needing to have our garbage picked up. But now... it's overflowing and I want it outta here!!

Which brings me to the next item. We've had yard sales here and there over the years and finally determined that the amount of effort, stress, exhaustion and time that it takes is just not worth it! But I think I might change my tune. I've decided to have one today!! There's only one thing for sale and I'm actually willing to part with it for free! I want all the white stuff that accumulated in my yard last night to be gone! Gone and replaced by sunshine and green lush spring like days!!

The ground hog said six more weeks and this is seven! Enough is enough! In the last week we went for leisurely walks, rode bikes, flew a kite, saw neighbours that had come out of hibernation finally and went to the park for a picnic. I even hung a load of laundry outside again (don't get me started on the fresh smells and crisp sheets that I crawled into that night... ahhhh heavenly). We found that we didn't have to be at each other's throats cooped up inside all the time with only the wii as an escape from cabin fever!! And now... even though people said it was coming back... I turned a deaf ear and refused to accept the inevitable, hoping that pretending that it wasn't so would be enough to make it go somewhere else where it might be appreciated... I mean really.. don't you think people in Hawaii would love to build a snowman... just for a few days?

So don't squabble... believe me there's enough for everyone... just come and get it! Take it all away!

Disclaimer: there is a firm no return policy, no exceptions. The nature of the stuff is that it will get dirty and melt away.. it is at the discretion of the taker to deal with it!

Forties File Friday - Favourite Story or fairy tale

Always shaking things up a bit... There are many replies to this weeks forties file question which you can see by visiting the official forties file blog.. just click here! And of course remember... entries are always accepted late!

Caleb's immediate response was
"my favourite bedtime story is when daddy or mummy tell me a story about when they were younger" all the kids concur with that!

I remember dad reading stories... not sure which ones though.... at hornby late into the night

I loved the story Hurry Up Slow Poke and Mr. Pines Purple House, and the Easter story of the Golden Shoes.

As for fairy tales... hmmm...Miles without a doubt is sleeping beauty... he is always Prince Philip.. I always liked the story of the princess and the pea, felt like if I could feel a pea under that many mattress that I would be a princess... such a simple test... Rapunzel, of course lovely long hair , and Rumpelstiltskin ... because I liked the troll .. and how she learned all those names... oh... and one about a girl with 7brothers and some wicked witch turns them into geese... and she has to make a net and hmmm... don't even remember the story that well just remember really liking it!

The finish line is in sight!

First of four... let's hope new baby is spared this problem (but who am I kidding?)... He's in the home stretch... It's been a long journey though. Four years ago, he started the process. Impressions.... the messy gooey part that made him gag.

Extraction was no walk in the park either! But he did prefer it to the impression stage! And he did keep his extracted teeth... badges of courage I suppose!

The top brackets were next, with elastics and tightening wires... the wax to keep wires and brackets from cutting the inside of his mouth. The new intense brushing so that the gums didn't come down and take over the mouth... ick..

The headgear... that was no fun at all!

The bottom brackets and more and tighter elastics.... Four long years! He was so good about the foods he couldn't eat, and flossing with the special floss threads and water picks. I hope all the other kids were paying attention.... they're next!


And finally they're off!


Of course the retainer stage is beginning now... more impressions ick... but he's an older and more robust fella now... didn't gag.... as much.... he seems pretty pleased to be able to remove it to eat, to speak clearly (Yesterday when he first got the retainer, he had a special parent night at scouts and he had to speak in front of everyone... after a minute of slurred speech, he, turning bright red, turned his head and removed his retainer so he could finish his little talk!) His favourite thing about his retainer is of course the colours and the BYU logo... Let's just hope that makes him want to wear it for the 20 hours a day he's supposed to!

It isn't easy being green..

I always loved Kermit the frogs song, 'It isn't easy being green'. But today I have to disagree with him. Some holidays have so much hype and commercialism. Some require me to stay up so late the night before writing special notes (Valentines), stuffing eggs and hiding them (Easter), stuffing stockings, decking the halls and a tree, baking, wrapping gifts, (Christmas), even New Year's... I'm up late playing games, eating goodies, welcoming in the New Year.

But St. Patrick's day... or as my children referred to it today.. St. 'Daddy's' day... (not that he's a saint) All I had to do was wear something green. Anything else I did was extra, above and beyond, no necessary, take it or leave it! And the worst that could happen to me if I didn't even wear the required green was people might try to pinch me! I didn't have to stay up late last night! I didn't have to buy certain candies, or gifts, write notes... (although I considered having leprechauns come in the night and leave gold dust.... but that was a fleeting thought)

I got up this morning so glad not to have to do anything that I did this....

Duncan was thoroughly impressed. He had seen me add the milk to the pot... he saw me pour in the cream of wheat... but when he wasn't looking, he didn't see me put in the drops of green food colouring!

I'm most pleased that for dinner I was able to get away with the following assortment of green items. Even had requests for seconds.... and Duncan decided that Broccoli is ok to eat after all! Horray for St. Patrick's Day and making green foods cool!

(missing from the photo are the avocado slices)

I know an old lady who swallowed a....

I'm not sure if I can handle going to my next Dr. appt. or at least not taking Duncan.

At my last appointment when I thought I'd be surprising him with there being a baby in my tummy, he surprised me with..."there's a mouse in your tummy"! And then this time... to add to the baby and the mouse, there is a horse galloping around.

Yes this time we listened to the heartbeat. And instead of him mimicking the 'wha wha wha wha' sound wondering what's up with this baby... he just said "The baby is riding a horse! I can hear it galloping!"

So whether this baby is preparing to be the next winning jockey, or rodeo queen or maybe to cause me to panic and age way to prematurely, by taking after his/her cousin Sam....

... whatever this child is doing in there... I have way too many appointments left and I'm afraid of what might show up in my tummy next!

Twins? Sisters ?

Eight years ago, we were at Costco, I had a 12 day old baby. We took advantage of a movie on the display TV and some display chairs to nurse in. We had been to a follow up Dr. appointment and had a few errands to run on the way home. I had plenty of help with me for a trip to Costco with a new baby; Grandma, Jill, Caleb and Sarah. Meanwhile in another part of town... Channa had gone into labour. We quickly made our way across town to assess the labour situation. Then Jill and Grandma switched gears... It was time to welcome Mackenzie into the world! Mackenzie made a late night arrival as I recall, and Miles and Mackenzie were introduced early the next morning.

M & M's....

For the next few years I would be asked time and again... "Are they twins?"... "No, just cousins born 12 days apart who spend a lot of time together!"

For all intents and purposes they may as well have been twins. They reached many milestones together, went on outings together, shared toys, played together, fought together, got into mischief together, shared families and grew up with each other on such a regular basis that perhaps they themselves thought they were! I became Mummy 'Uva', and Pat for a while was Mackenzies favourite bedtime walker! (things definitely change as they get older)

One of the things to change was the M & M's. It's not as though Miles and Mackenzie had a falling out. They just grew on. Miles much more interested in lego, knights and dragons and riding a bike and getting dirty. Mackenzie, much to Mummy Channa's dismay, liked pink and purple, butterflies and pretty things.. But she also was finding that Sarah made a great surrogate sister. Since Mummy Channa and Mummy 'Uva' were apparently only providing more brothers. So as the M & M days faded... not altogether gone... (they do still play together), and the girls bonding began!

Where will the next 8 years take us... ?? Time will tell, but lucky Kenzie has her Mummy Channa and her Mummy Uva to document and guide her... if she'll let us!

Big mouth!

So, about a week ago the kids and I read an amusing blog... of Janets of course... For whatever reason, something compelled their family one evening to find out how many grapes they could put into their mouth at one time.... My kids of course had to know if they could try. Too bad we didn't have any grapes, until we were at the store and they insisted on putting bags of grapes in the cart. Now we had to try. Aaron was the champion at their house with 29 grapes... with that in mind we did our best, but we fell short.

Duncan had 6, Miles had 14, although he's sure it was 17, Sarah wasn't interested thanks. Caleb and I were a tie at 19 and then I managed just 1 more!.. So I was the winner around here... for two whole days!

The kids ambushed Daddy when he arrived home from a week in AZ, all talking at once... "We have grapes", "How many do you think you can do?", "Come do it now!" Sarah said.."I'll even do it this time daddy!" And she did... 12 very lady like grapes and then took her bowl to the bathroom to spit them out.... I didn't understand the spitting them out and rinsing them off to eat them... I just started chewing mine!

After he removed his coat and shoes he found them waiting for him in the kitchen with all the grapes... and he didn't disappoint them! After a while, I wasn't sure I could still watch, I was sure it would be like watching a Volcano eruption...

oops.. video was too big a file to upload here... can't figure out how to put it in...

The counters were a little off, as you can probably tell in the video... The accurate count after he spat them all out into a bowl was 57!! So anyone want to take on the challenge now?

Friday the 13th... It's not the end my friend...

To counteract the ill effects of the day, if you believe any of that stuff... I came across this little activity to uplift

The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip. You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just read straight through, and you'll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
I know one isn't me!... I'd be guessing with Bill Gates and Oprah..?

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
I'm not even sure what you win a Heisman for...

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America.
uuuuhhh.... I'm sure they were lovely....

4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
Our name is misspelled this way so frequently I should just put my name! I actually know what these are awarded for... Nobel for Science and Pulitzer for journalistic achievements. So without googling though I can only come up with one for each prize. Marie Curie for Penicillin, and Robert Frost for poetry.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winner for best actor and actress.
I actually caught something this year that gives me an edge on this otherwise I wouldn't have a clue. They were on Oprah and made a big deal about how some previous winners spoke to the winner this year! ... Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, Kate Winslet, Sophia Loren, Halle Berry, Michael Douglas, Robert DiNero, Anthony Hopkins. Of course this might have been the oscars.. what do I know?

6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.
I'm going out on a limb here... I think this would be baseball.

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
Mrs. Glue, Mrs. Fairburn, Miss McCorkel, Miss Meikel, Mr. Popoff, Mme. Carlson, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Tschritter, Mr. Hutchings, Miss McKee, Mr. Jones...

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
First of all, only three?, and what difficult times... I live a charmed life!... Jessica, JoLyn, Genevieve

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
Kelly, Gen, Mum, Janet, Julie, Marla, Amber, Becky, .. oops more than 5..

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
Laurie, Kris, Linda, Peggy, Jeanette, Gen, Kelly, who am I kidding... this list could go on forever..

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
Duncan, Miles, Sarah, Caleb and ... ummm, oh... what's his name... Patrick

Easier?

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones who care.

"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia." (Charles Schultz)

Forties File Friday - What did my mother do during the day?

What my mother did during the day???

one can only guess we weren't there.. plus everyone knows that we only notice what isn't done not what is done!!

But honestly I know that she ran errands and had her men come and she watched daycare kids and played scare games with Maren. and yet she was home because she would answer the phone when we called home from school... I think the laundry got washed while we were gone because it was ready to be folded and put away magically and I don't remember going to safeway for big grocery shopping a lot so that must have happened during the day. Roadshows must have been written during the day or after bedtime... Visiting teachers must have never come or come during the day... I don't ever remember there being any.... but then I don't remember home teachers except once when they brought Santa.

I think there was an era that a regular day consisted of haunting many different consignment stores and table shop with Dorothy Bogaeart.. I'm trying to think if we were home sick what did mum do... but we were in bed.. she would bring us a coffee pot, gingerale and wet cloth... and my guess would be that she was in the kitchen the rest of the day!... of course I feel like I spend most of my life in the kitchen so that wouldn't be too far off.

In Texas it was different though... she was alone during the day without young children or daycare kids... so she probably started out eating bonbons and watching Oprah.....hee hee... she was faxing long letters to people, she was cleaning up the neighborhood trash, she was devising new and innovative home alarm systems like notes about butch the dog, and the well stuffed couch sitting man almost in full view of the window with the t.v. playing all the time, she was beginning her days of coconut purging, and she took up news watching and weather watching with renewed fervor, and maybe it was fun in Victoria too, but Texas made mum funny... selling the neighbours house for April 1st, and floating decoy ducks in the swimming pool, joining in on teenage party games which we did have a lot of!.. I guess instead of funny she became cool... until you see her and Linda wearing umbrella hats and then it's back to funny again:-)

Linda was a fun evening and weekend distraction since she worked days... but I do know that they went to trader's village during the week once...

Nowadays... well.... she is eating oatmeal mush in the morning and spends the rest of her days consumed with her many overwhelming projects of great importance to her that it is now finally the season to work on... and on the other days she is just procrastinating getting to her projects..... she doesn't spend her days cooking or in trivial pursuits... in fact other than a few moments in Texas I would have to say that she has rarely spent her time in trivial pursuits.

But realistically knowing what I do and try to do in a day I imagine that mum must have done all that and then some it's no wonder she became an insomniac!

All other responses can be read following this link... click here!

Born Abroad

Sometimes being born in another country and living here has some amusing albeit somewhat annoying moments!

I have from time to time had to prove that I am allowed to be here in the US. Normally it's not a big deal and after flashing a copy of my born abroad certificate I'm good to go. However recently as I was needing to prove my citizenship, I flashed my slightly worn out certificate and they were less than impressed. In fact they gave me 30 days to locate the original to prove my citizenship!

AHHH... I'm being questioned about who I am! The original? I've never actually had. My mother concerned that as teenagers it wouldn't be wise for us to be given our own, kept them safe for all of us. After moving to the States as a teenager, the original was never needed again... until now! So I had to panic my poor mother into getting my original to me ASAP. She, amidst all she was working on and her sore back, retrieved it and sent it ASAP. The day it arrived I took it to the powers that be and the lady at the desk made comments about how it was different than she had seen before, what state was it? I explained it was a consular report of birth abroad, not from a state. She, still a little skeptical, went ahead and copied it and then stamped it with their official stamp and returned my original. I clarified with her that I didn't need to do anything else? I was free to go. Whew.. I was glad that was over!

Until today when I got my threatening letter regarding my deportation. I immediately made some phone calls. Apparently she was so confused by my 'strange' birth certificate that she filled it in with my name as Victoria British Columbia, which didn't match my file name, so it got red flagged. Then it was decided that it must be a forged certificate and that I needed to be tracked down and deported. The guy I talked to 'Jeff'... found the entire thing very comical... and I might have been frustrated with all his laughter and his insistence on calling me Victoria and Mrs. British Columbia, if he hadn't been so very helpful in taking care of the situation. So I will not be deported ... at least not today!

I'm broke!

To prepare for any company coming I always take advantage of the opportunity to make a to do list. I also see it as a great deadline to get to some things that I've put off and now want done.. like yesterday. So... with the upcoming visitors arrival looming around the corner, I sat down last night and started my list! Feeling fairly confident that it was a thorough list I then checked out the calendar to see how to schedule it all in.... oops... overwhelming feelings coming back... sure there's over two weeks til they arrive... but 5 days are already booked with appointments and field trips.... ahhh... wait... there are 4 kids roaming around the house a lot... how can I make them want to help???

I rewrote the list. One column for must be done by me, and the other column... anyone willing to help?

This morning over breakfast I presented my list and my evil plan! I didn't care who did the jobs on the anyone list, I would pay, upon completion, a nickel for every job done and a dime for all the ones with stars next to them.. (When rewriting the list... I made sure they were broken down... like now instead of tidy playroom it said, pick up all the legos, and put away dress-up clothes, and take rescue heroes back to boys room etc... very detailed) I knew to see tidy the playroom would get me groans... but just put away dressups.. and get a nickel, a dime if I folded them! I might make cool mummy status!

I told them we had a week to finish this list... it was over a page long! By 4pm I had long since run out of nickels, they had traded in many times for dimes and quarters so I could keep handing out nickels... I barely had time to do things on 'my' list because I spent most of my day handing out coins, since I had said I would pay upon completion. (They don't trust me to remember how many each one did at the end of the day... quite frankly I don't trust myself either) So now I sit, at the end of the day in a pretty tidy house with a full list done by them... mine is getting started finally, I have an empty coin jar, and happy kids. Miles who is very money driven... wants to know what's on the list for tomorrow! I showed him the jar and explained it took me months to fill it from coins daddy leaves in his pants pockets when he puts them in the laundry, so I'm guessing probably sometime this summer! I think I'll go check out the couch cusions and daddy's car.... maybe I won't have to wait until summer to get a few more things done....

Overall ... about $10.00 in coins isn't too bad to pay the cleaning help for a full days work!

Overwhelmed

During times in life when everything seems to need to be done and everything seems to be due, and coming at me fast... I wish I could be more on top of things....

I don't have a book of my own I'm trying to write a chapter at a time, normal daily blog journalings I'm trying to keep up with, kids that depend on me to educate them, feed them, clothe and house them in a somewhat safe and nurturing environment. It's not like I'm expecting an immense amount of company soon, with little to no stress involved there. My son couldn't have just turned eight, started scouts with a bang..(already earned a badge and completed 8 of his next requirements in less than a week)(he's not excited! ha ha), he couldn't be about to get baptized and I'm trying to make arrangements. How about the winter that won't go away so I can dream of my garden. I couldn't be trying to finalize my food storage menu so that I can make my full inventory and checklist or ordering the seeds so that true garden dreaming can happen. The bills and taxes don't need to be filed... cause the commercial says "I've got people"... so I'll just wait for them to show up! I couldn't possibly be pretending that this pregnancy isn't getting annoying with its constant fatigue, heartburn, headaches, backaches, and the prematurely fattening aspect uggh! And it couldn't be my husband who's working out of town week after week after week, staying home long enough to give me laundry to do in one day while he runs errands and does immediate high priority tasks... like haircuts and chauffering kids for the day, having elder's quorum meetings and improving his wii skills with the kids. Of course this not being content to just teach the primary one new song a month isn't too much right!!! I believe in these kids, they're a capable bunch and they want to learn all 16 verses that I found to Follow the Prophet, I know they do! There's no running around with 2 scout troups now, basketball, activity days, piano lessons, and field trips! Of course laundry and housecleaning just take care of themselves around here... and cooking is a breeze!

That MUST be why I joined another book club! Because when life seems overwhelming and then it snows AGAIN, by all means curl up with another book and get lost for three days! Somehow none of the above mentioned chaos exists in a book! It's great!... until I finish the book!

Alternate options

In coming up with uniquely personal birthday blogs for over 100 people in a years time I oftentimes am stumped with how to approach each persons birthday blog... but none has stumped me as much as Valeries did! I couldn't come up with a kind angle for anything. Which is an awful realization when you know that Valerie is a kind soul and deserving of a kind wish on her birthday! As I looked through some photos that you had downloaded onto my computer last summer I began to wonder if perhaps you were trying to blackmail me somehow....



And then I realized I could turn it around and blackmail you back... I have photos of adorable moments that you have yet to blog and I could threaten to blog them before you get the chance.
but then I began to wonder about my own psyche and why it was that I couldn't come up with a pleasant Valerie birthday blog and what it really would be saying about me if I were to go forward with such unpleasant and unprofessional behaviour.... so I Googled your name to see what other angle I might take and upon finding this....

According to one version, she was pressured to marry Duke Stephen, who was a pagan. For her refusal, he had her beheaded. The incident most insistently retold about St Valerie is that she was beheaded for her faith and then carried her own head to set before her bishop, Saint Martial, who had converted her.

The original Latin clan name, Valerius, is masculine and denotes strength, health or boldness. Valeria is simply the feminine form of this. Both masculine and feminine given names are derived via French into other languages.

In Catholic Europe, given names always related the individual to a saint, so the popularity of a name often reflected the importance of the cult of a saint. There were several important saints who bore the name and were widely venerated in the middle ages, as well as more locally in recent times. St Valerie of Limoges probably exercised the greatest influence in spreading the name. Her cult was practised on the very important Way of St James and, as a cephalophore, she became a favourite subject for the early modern ceramics industry.

I realized... I was mild in comparison to what I found (not wishing to send you a beheading wish) and felt vindicated.

And No... a Simple Have a Happy Birthday... would not have been sufficient!

You are to blame

Valerie, Valerie, Valerie... what can I say... these blogs are in part all your fault! If you hadn't come to visit, and you hadn't laughed at Janet's amusing blog, then I wouldn't have read it and I wouldn't have stayed up all night and become inspired. And if you hadn't been here to show me how to set up a Google reader then I would not be the obsessed and possessed blogger being accused of falling off the face of the earth when I don't blog for 10 days!

So... it's all your fault... Happy Birthday anyway!

However it would not be fair of me to truly blame any of my foibles on you! Unless of course you don't get the job in Utah and move to some remote corner of the earth and then I don't know if I can be held accountable for my blogging actions then! Duncan was in tears the other day because the house down the street across from Ambers' just sold and we couldn't figure out why he was so sad about it. We reminded him that it has been empty and now a family will move in and maybe there will be a new friend... To which he replied.."No, Valerie can't buy it now and let Audrey run up and down the street to my house!" Perhaps we should have let him know that the Utah job is still a hundred miles away! We're just glad it isn't the thousand that you are now!

I'm not sure if we'll ever be able to untangle ourselves from the many ways we have our bodies crossed to ensure you get the job! I still think we should go appeal to the hiring department ourselves! I'm sure it would be the best birthday present of all but the stars may have something different in mind, and of course as a member of the star alliance (as SuperNova that I am) I've done all that is in my power to do on your behalf!!

In all honesty your visits have been charming and your girls are delightful. As long as Sparky continues to let Pat and Caleb beat him at MarioKart he'll be allowed to visit again as well. I hope we can make a visit this summer work and where ever you end up you must have a camera and mic hooked up to your computer so the kids can stay in touch! (we're having way too much fun with it here) I'm afraid the blog addiction is strong and you will continue to be inundated by the mindless fodder that escapes from my fingers as I bumbingly type along! I refuse to be treated for my blogging afflictions!

As far as birthdays go we didn't have our annual birthday bash for all the close birthdays this year... instead celebrating each individually... sometimes that's just the way it crumbles... so I hope you are spoiled silly today and the gourmet chef you hired in years past visits again to delight your taste buds!

Happiest of Days to you today and all year!

Forties File Friday -- Great Grandmother Geneva Gathright

Geneva Rogers Gathright 1895-1993

Visits to Great Grandmother Gathright were typically in the summertime. We would often spend time on what we referred to as 'Grandpa Portland's farm'. Usually for only a few days until we were old enough to spend the summer. Then we could stay a month or more, milking cows, hauling hay and generally being busy on the farm. Of course everyone looked forward to ice cream break time mid afternoon. All this was very normal... unless of course you weren't really interested in back breaking work in the hot sun and you were a skinny useless girl.... then you'd be sent to pick berries and apples and learn to make applesauce, and feed cats. I read many a book over the summer thanks to a librarian Grandmother and English teacher Aunt!

Although I certainly enjoyed my many books that I read over the years, and don't really regret not getting to haul truck load after truckload of hay, I have many a fond memories of sitting in Great Grandmother Gathright's room off to the side of the house and chatting in the rocking chair while she taught me to crochet and every summer attempted to reteach me to tat lace. I successfully learned to crochet and Sarah has been picking it up very quickly lately also. Tatting is... well unfortunately it seems, a lost art. I could never remember from summer to summer just quite how to do it... It might have helped if I could have remembered from one day to the next... I just couldn't get my little shuttle to dart in and out correctly and it always looked as though I had a string of knots instead of lace. But she was patient and never judging, just picked it up and would start again.

She lived through two world wars, the great depression, the Vietnam war and the fall of the Berlin wall. She had a lot of stories and memories to share to a willing listener. Her room never really changed much over the years and you could always count on coming into her tidy little space and being welcomed into a chair for a nice visit. In the winter the heater would be running and it would be toasty and in the summer... well... on top of the mountain in Oregon... it wasn't ever too hot.. (something looking back after living in TX would reaffirm for me). The twin beds in her room were always draped with her beautiful yo yo quilts (never really knew why there were two beds in her room though?)

She made a daily walk to the mailbox. It's one of those regrets that as a kid you just don't think of, but looking back... she wasn't just excited to walk down the dusty hill to the mailbox to see if the flag was down yet, like we were, since we were city kids who didn't have mailboxes with flags. I suppose she hoped there might be more than bills and flyers and with 11 great-grandchildren it really wasn't as though it couldn't have happened once in a while... Mum always said that old LDS movie "The Mailbox" made her think of Geneva. Perhaps I was just dense... because looking back I can remember her rereading letters that she had received like treasures and often sharing tidbits from a recent letter with me as we sat and crocheted. I think she would have enjoyed the internet with it's email and blogs....

More lovely memories from Forties File Friday about Geneva by clicking here

Auntie Marvelous

I think if I were to live closer it would cause strife. Eden could potentially give Jill a run for her money in the favourite auntie department... (if the two of them are as competitively possessed in that regard as it would appear that I try to be.) Looking back at some photos of my last visit home, we have some wonderful memories at Jill's house and some equally wonderful memories of a few short days with Auntie Marvelous as she referred to herself as, and it stuck!

Only a few days and a quick jaunt here and there and an afternoon at her house and my kids were convinced that Auntie Marvelous she was!

We toured the inner harbour, checked out the undersea gardens and the octopus that fascinated Miles for many months afterward. We had treats in a grassy spot downtown and generally had a great day ending up back at Eden's house where she served 'Zoodles'. Grandma and I must have gone some place because I recall returning to hear my children all singing "Zoodles for lunch are fun to eat, fun to eat, to eat, to eat!!"

While they haven't had quantity visits with Auntie Marvelous they've certainly had some quality ones... it's just so sad it hasn't happened in so long! We must do something about the distance that keeps me from meeting, let alone spoiling, two adorable nieces and prevents my children from enjoying delightful times with Auntie Marvelous!

Many happy wishes coming your way today Eden.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

March Forth!

March forth! It's more than a date.. it's a motto or creed! What a great one for a boy who does just that!

We had such a great day today celebrating your birthday. But that shouldn't surprise me, since we've had a great eight years too! We can always count on Miles for a great smile, for a quiet gentle gesture of kindness, for a thoughtful comment that really makes you stop and remember the important things in life! I am determined not to discuss your surgical beginnings on this your birthday blog because you are more than stitches, transfusions, staples and i.v.'s. You are smiles and sweet moments. You are sunshine on a cloudy day. You are my quiet thoughtful fellow and my knight in shining armor! I have enjoyed each moment you've brought into my life.

You've had your mischievous moments to be sure but your sincerity of sweetness has always been there, even smiling during the most frustrating mothering moments. We often joke that you are my neglected middle child... but you are anything but an extra!

You were so genuinely pleased with your day! A mother who woke with a migraine and stayed in bed until 10. You were content to snuggle and chatter in the darkened room, instead of have the breakfast crepes you had requested! We set off for the scout store which is what you wanted, because I think you've looked forward to starting scouts for more than a year now! A badge, a shirt, a book and a pocket knife and you were a boy on cloud nine! Applebees for lunch, yum! And you charmed the waitress with your smile and it got you a free Sundae! Sweet you requested 5 spoons since it was so large!

An afternoon at the park, a movie and pizza for dinner! What could be better?... banana splits to finish it off!

Here's lookin' at you kid!

My contemplative, happy fella!
Happy Birthday!!

Slice of cake anyone?

Caleb often finishes his school assignments early and watches cooking shows in the afternoon. He's always looking for more cooking ideas now that he is in charge of making lunch. (and since I put the mandate that macaroni and cheese can only be used once a week!) He typically watches Rachel Ray but last week he happened upon a little cake decorating show and called me in to show me what he wanted to make for daddy's birthday cake. It looked great, albeit a little feminine and pink... But sure yummy looking.

However, we know that Pat is a CHOCOLATE man! So to appease the inner chocolate child we opted to make a quick chocolate cake and indulge our culinary excitement in the Strawberry torte.

The chocolate cake even ended up being more than a sheet cake by the time we were done! I think they looked fabulous!

We learned a few things. When it says allow to chill 2 hours or overnight... we should have otped for the overnight.... After the first slice into the Strawberry cake... it began to landslide! yikes! With 2 yummy cakes we invited a few neighbours over to help us celebrate so that we wouldn't have to eat both cakes ourselves. We ended up with 13 children at our house to celebrate Pats birthday! Just what he wanted! Wait til next year when you turn 40 dear!

We still had a bit of leftover cake... which I polished off late at night! shhh... (there wasn't enough to share... it would have caused a squabble... I was just avoiding an ugly scene....)

Name that book

Today is Dr Seuss's Birthday. So in honour of the occasion, see how well you do. Do you know which story the following quotes come from?

"Oh, the things they will bump! Oh, the things they will hit! Oh, I do not like it! Not one little bit!"

Some had stars upon thars, and they walked proud all about. But they soon learned it was okay with or without.

He didn’t much care for Christmas at all. Could it be that his heart was two sizes too small?

He’s a really smart fellow, he’s got brains in his head. But he doesn’t speak words, he goes boing boing instead!

This kind, friendly elephant’s a favorite to all, he knows a person’s a person no matter how small.

“I know some good games we could play,” said this mischievous creature. “I will show them to you. Your mother will not mind at all if I do.”

Oh, the wonderful things this guy can do! He can go like a cow. He can go Moo Moo.

He will not eat them in a house. He does not like them with a mouse. He does not like them here or there, he does not like them anywhere!

"You've nothing to do and I do need a rest. Would YOU like to sit on the egg in my nest?"

" A zoo should have bugs, so I'll capture a Thwerll Whose legs are snarled up in a terrible snerl."

"I'll just have to save him. Because, after all, A person's a person, no matter how small."

"UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."

Well we're off to see 'Horton Hears a Who' at the neighbours to celebrate. Happy Seussian day to you all!