Sunday, September 30, 2012

Birthday Bonanza

Well, the big birthday month finally wound to a close today.  Mom's birthday is actually tomorrow, but we celebrated today.
 Last Saturday, Buttercup and Blue Boy celebrated being 2 and 4 at the local gymnastics place.  Giddy-up thought it was awesome.
 I can't believe Buttercup is four already.
 Our Blue Boy had a big time.

 After that party, I headed out to join the surprise party for my baby brother.
 Then Thursday we celebrated Great Uncle Tim, Missy Bugg and Miss Swee-Tee.
Wow, lots of celebrating.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Big D

Sometimes you fish around, searching, hoping, but words just don't come to adequately sum up a life.  Though for these two and half years Big D held his life and loves tightly in his big hands, and tried in every way known to give cancer the boot, on Friday he turned loose.  His perpetual joy in life was bringing some joy into yours.  Sure makes you want to ask "Why him?" How happy the Good Lord must have been to meet him.  Wonder if he's found some vehicle to take him down some unknown road where it's rumored they have the best fried chicken? If it's there, he'll find it.
Peace and comfort to his three beloved girls.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Away They Go

After spending an hour filling out customs forms, it was with much excitement the Handy Man and I carted thirteen boxes to the post office this morning. It took them 40 minutes to process them, even with the paperwork done. 
We've been busy in fifth grade preparing to send the Captain and his group some love.  All of our wee folk at school stamped their hand on this tree.  One of my mom's oversaw all the stamping.  The kids said what they were thankful for and those words were added.  Each classroom made sweet letters, notes and cards
 as well.


 We collected instant foods, and candy for the soldiers and  lots of pens for them to pass out to children they encounter.  Here some of my girls are packing boxes. We had a box full for each person on his team.

There is a structure on the base they call Fort Awesome where Captain can hang the banner, hopefully as an encouragement for everyone there.

Each box also contained this poem.  


Thankfulness
In southern Indiana, nestled in the hills,
You’ll find a group of children with a determined will,
To reach across the ocean, to a far and distant land,
To give some terrific soldiers a helping hand.

We hope to lift your spirits, to help you understand,
Our thankful hearts that extend through these small hands.
Not only are we grateful, but every day we pray,
That God will lead and guide you far from harm’s way.

We also pray, for the ones you’ve left behind,
For God to keep them in His care and easy on your mind,
A lot of love is being sent from some friends at SMK,
Until you’re back here again, we’ll be looking forward to that day.

With love and gratefulness


Ceece stopped by to see the banner, read all the  cute and endearing terms on the hands and shed a few tears.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Totally Weird

So, I can't decide what to wear and pull out my old standby- blue jean dress.  I am not even going to stop and count back the number of years I've had this thing.  I love the whole, pull it over my head, done business of dressing and this dress fits the bill.   During some part of the morning, I put my hand on my hip and am a little taken back by the fact that my dress has a rash. That, or someone is trying to send me a message in braille.
 I'm like, what in the world happened here?  I'm a picker by nature I fear. So my dress became a quite of source of entertainment, trying to pick off all the littlest bits creating the unusual texture.
With my old eyes, I could see nothing, but with my glasses, I saw the source of the bumps.  Can you see them?  You might have to click on the picture to see it larger, as I know you are now as interested in this mystery as I am.
While I'm great at putting things in my pocket, somewhat like a four year old boy, I'm not nearly as good at getting everything out.  I believe those are basil seeds, seeds that must have spun out over the whole dress.   If that isn't it, I have no other ideas.  It was entertaining to say the least.  I likely wouldn't have been as excited if all those seeds had sprouted.  

Friday, September 14, 2012

Slip Sliding Away

Okay, so I know you don't want to hear me rant anymore of the disaster we're making of the institution that claims to educate our wee folk. 
 I share so much in this space about what I love about Playdates, what it is that makes it worthwhile to me- yesterday was another glaring example.  Though my birthday isn't until tomorrow, we celebrated on the closest Playdate with hotdogs, and marshmallows around the fire.  When dinner was over, Rae took a dirty, sticky cutest Giddy-up in for a bath. I noticed Bean dragging the pool up the hill with Bugg and Swee-Tee.  I investigated and found that he wanted to use it for a slide.  It didn't work. So we were brainstorming ideas. We tried wetting the grass, still no good.  They got a garbage can lid, nothing.  I told Bean I had some big cardboard boxes from school that I was going to put in the garden if he wanted to try.  Still no speedy sliding down the hill.  Then we opened the boxes, laid them end to end and away they went.  I loved watching a three year old, five year old and eight year old work together to get something they wanted, my  most favorite kind of educating. 



 Well, Ceece thought it looked like too much fun, and she needed to try.
 Of course, we all had to get on board.  It was so fun and so much delightful laughter.




Rae came out to see what all the ruckus was about and tell us good-bye.  Giddy-up had no intention to leave just when the good times were rolling and wanted a slide or two himself.  He squealed when it was his turn, and watching his cousins take their turns.  A multi-generational recycling activity.
It was so very much fun for all.  We were exhausted.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

The Halls of the Fo-hi-o

The weather was threatening loveliness last Thursday, so I thought we'd better have a Playdate at the Falls, which Miss Bugg calls the Halls of the Fo-hi-o.  We were able to walk way out on the Falls. There were lots of little pods of water for them to splash about in.

 Lots of room to run, skip and jump.

 Usually I walk the trail before the fossil beds, but this time we did it the other way around.
 The kids love to stop and admire every little thing.



 Is that a wine bottle?  With a message?  Hmmm.

The message said, "Beware of the troll under the bridge."  Unbeknownst to the wee folk, Pappy Troll slunk away from the crowd and hid out at the bridge.  We advised the wary walkers that, "Stop, in the name of Love," halts all troll activity.  They forgot when Pappy Troll jumped out.  So very funny.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Shower Time

It was my privilege and joy to help Rae host a shower for her best friend from way back to 7th grade.  Kristen has been such a part or our life. She was a wonderful support throughout Rae's wedding and did an amazing job crafting all the wedding flowers.  Kristen met her husband to be on a flight to visit her brother in Hawaii. Though an Indiana boy himself, he had been in Germany with the military for some time.  The rest is history.  Rae hoped to find wines from the many countries Kristen visited, along with a local wine, and one from the west where they are headed after the wedding. She envisioned a wine sipping shower.  I found some adorable plates  with a wine barrel and glass, then I recreated it for the  invitation.  It turned out so cute.
After this dry, hot summer, a storm blew through last night and indulged us with some lovely cooler weather. So Rae, Sister SuZQ and I autumned things up around the old place.  Even Handy Man was very involved with cleaning, lifting, hauling, etc. 
 I managed to salvage a few flowers through the drought to toss around.
 I picked up enough wine glasses, each one different than the other, and beaded the stems.  Each guest picked their favorite and took it with them. Rae created a guessing game of how the wines related to Kristen's traveling experiences.
 I was thrilled to use my little Australian gnomes in a fall vignette.

All is ready. 

 Pretty girls.
 The husband to be is a big outdoorsman, so a camo nightie and appropriate reading materials were in order.
It was a great afternoon with a wonderful bride-to-be.  Blessings sweet girl!

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Sisters, Sisters



Sisters, Sisters, there were never such devoted sisters.
So true and two of them are celebrating a birthday today.
I just can't imagine what people do without sisters.
Some people hate their spot in a big family. I love being the youngest, ever the baby.  That mothering by all those people doesn't bother me in the least.
And if two birthdays weren't enough, Jakee is also having a birthday today.  That is only the beginning of the celebration month around these parts.  Great Uncle Tim will be 50 this month. Wow.
Happiest Birthday to my sweet sisters.