Arizona family time

More quality family time is what took the Wisconsin farm troop to Arizona in the first place. Happily, Brent has been able to spend three days a week doing what dads love most - time with family.
One of the activities we planned during my week with them, was to get family portraits done (first in five years...), and take in a movie together. The mall where Picture People was located was close to the theater, so that worked just dandy! We had a great time with the photo session (they are born hams), got in some shopping and browsing while waiting for the prints. A real treat for me personally, to shop somewhere besides Freddies!

A whole day out includes packing a picnic lunch - those five big appetites are getting pricey to take even to McD's.
Everyone packs their own lunch - good thing that kitchen is really BIG! Max (red) and Jayden (green) really know how to get the most into each of those little compartments!


Between the photo shoot and movie we had time to go to one of the many community parks scattered all over. Time to relax, hang out...






Those boys are sneaking up to Dad's six-foot height!


Family time means having solo chats - those impromptu bonding moments.

And of course a park means time to PLAY! They never get too big for that...

Live, love, laugh - that's what family is about. I'm so blessed to be part of this one!

The Adventures of Meece

There is a genetic weakness in our family. It involves fabric stores. And mice.

"You're going to have to help out here, VooDoo Bunny...it'll never happen without you."
"I live to serve...just as long as I don't get a headache. I don't think acupuncture will help..."

Some batik, wire, good scissors, and an iron...creating is the name of the game.

"Hey - I can't HEEAAAARING you."
(Anne's creative project for our Christmas gifts - potholders. A "simple" little project that took her well into the wee hours to complete before Santa cleaned up the goody plate. Bet you didn't know potholders moonlight as ironing pads.)

"OK. Now I can hear you. Are you my mama?"

"Are YOU my mama?" (remember that book, Max?)

Directions are helpful. Creating eyes is a critical process. Too close between the eyes, as Grandma Pearl always said, means a scallywag. Too far between the eyes - well, that means a BIG NOSE.

"WHO YOU LOOKIN' AT? Whaddya mean, I got no whiskers?"

"Mama, she says I got no whiskers. From the looks of yours, I should have PLENTY of whiskers..."

"NO, Mama, NO! Not the nose, not the nose! Hey - do I get claws like that? Owie, Mama, that smarts!"

"That's better - an' I 'preciate the nice kiss to make it all better. HEY! That feels like TEETH. Are you sure you my Mama? Mama?"

"The HUMILIATION. Creation is not for the proud. Gotta be humble, to get it all."

"Look, Mama! All done! I got whiskers!"

"Kid, you need to check out a mirror. I am NOT your Mama. Definately NOT."

"I am traveling the world to find my Mama. YOU are not the right color. And I don't think I need those thingys on the head."

"This could be embarrassing...and no comments from you, Rubber Lips. Chickens have no couth."

"Hey - Yo. Up there. Oh. You look like Birdie. But you're the same color as Maddox. I'm getting confused..."

"EEEEKKKKKK!!!!!!"

"Now what language is that?"

"No couth? NO COUTH?? Chickens got couth. We got lotsa couth. It's getting crowded up here, crowded, I say."

"You got a point there, Chicky. Look how squished WE are. Just because we're fluffy and...and..squishable."

"AHEM. Bruce Moose here. YOU are a meece. You must find another meece."

"Oh. I had no idea. Do you know where to find my Mama? A meece Mama?"

"Well this is where Bruce said to start looking, that you would be a big help. I just don't think you are a meece. A mouse, maybe. But NOT a meece. Meece are SPECIAL. And we smell like lavender - not plastic. So - what do YOU do?"

" You better get on my good side, punk. Without me, you'll never get this contraption under control."

"Hmmm. Is this a movie? If it's a movie why aren't you moving?"

"OK, I'm back. I've traveled the world and didn't find one single meece - OR my Mama. So what do I do now, O Lord of the Pins?"

"Um. This wasn't exactly what I had in mind. Are you SURE this is what I'm supposed to do?"

" During my travels, I noticed something. A sorta come-hither something. I think I've found my job."

"Yep. Definately. Now don't snivel, I just take tiny nibbles at a time, won't hurt at all..."

End of Chapter One: The Adventures of Meece.

Stayed tuned for Chapter Two: The Adventures of Meece, Wherein a Sibling is Discovered.

New Year natterings...

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

From a fellow we should all be acquainted with, for his wit and insights: Mark Twain.

I love this quote, it turns me loose mentally, creatively, emotionally, and when the weather cooperates - physically!

A fellow artist tells me she chooses a "word" for each year. It becomes a sort of lode stone for how things happen in a life - or doesn't happen, as the case may be. I think this year I'm choosing "PONDERING".
There's a LOT to ponder, during the course of a day. Little things. Like what happened here?

And big things. Like what to have for lunch...

Mostly, to take time to notice, think about what is noticed, and how to apply it to my life. SLOW DOWN. Yep. I think Pondering may be a good thing for this year.

One of the things I've already been pondering...past memories that bring me pleasure. Here are a few memories from January of 2009. It was a great year...

"You woke me up for THIS??? Can I go back to my nap now? Sheesh."

My little buddy Nigel. His mom let him come hang with me at the cabin when she had to be out of town. I miss him... He was much more cooperative about lap cuddling than the current CAT who condescendingly shares HER home with me.

Another memory. Puzzles. I mention this rather mundane activity only because above mentioned CAT has made puzzles a thing lucky to be done in the wee hours, behind closed doors. I miss doing puzzles...

I treasure memories of the few years spent living at the cabin on Saxonburg Road. January was always my Snowman month. And "Create a Soup" month! They kinda go together - especially in Wisconsin.
Another cabin treasure: Chef J came frequently to cook and bake. Cookies were high on the list. For Briston, too.
Speaking of Wisconsin - the next few photos are for the gang in Arizona. Miss anything, guys?



Ah well, shoveling snow - and ice - had it's own rewards. Like warm cinnamon bread right out of the oven. The shoveling allowed for extra calories, doncha know...
Making memories is an ongoing pursuit. Memories shape our lives.

I'm looking forward to what memories 2012 has in store.

Might even slip in a snowflake somewhere.

Oh - trivia is important, too: the world's largest known snowflake was 15 inches wide and 8 inches thick. It was found in Fort Keogh, Montana, in 1887. And if you know who Fort Keogh is named for, you get bonus points!!

So go forth - make some memories. Catch some wind for your sail. And perhaps ponder what comes your way.

The Jokesters!

Without a flock of grandpunks around, decorating for Christmas just doesn't happen with the same enthusiasm. We hang a stocking on the elk antlers, plug in the fiber optic tree, put on the festive holly tablecloth, make a swag for the porch - that's about it...

I did finally find the wall hanging I made a few years back, so it went on the kitchen wall - looks like we're alllll ready for Christmas now.

Apparently the elves told on us. Some (ahem) friends seemed to think we are Scrooging it, so they decided to make our Christmas season a little more merry and bright. We found on our doorstep one evening, a large bag, a 20-pound turkey, and this note:

So we've been really good, no naughty here at all ('cept the CAT), only opening the one package designated for each day. Here's what has happened so far during our 12 DAYS of CHRISTMAS:

2nd day - 2 pounds of raisins (organic - HOW did they know?!); 3rd day - 3 pounds of almonds (RAW almonds, just the BEST!!);

4th day - four pencils; 5th day - five Golden Spaghetti (come on, sing along here, make it work!...); 6th day - 6 cans of veggies...

And that's as far as we got, that was all that was in that big sack. But wait! There's more!

Just a few minutes ago, a knock on the door, and SURPRISE! Another sack!

Now you are just going to have to wait, like we are, to see what the next day brings. Tomorrow is 7 pieces of fruit, came already in a lovely bowl. The rest - well, we didn't shake the fancy papered one TOO hard - sounds like a can of those scrumptious Danish butter cookies, hehe!

We have our suspicions as to who our merry Jokesters are, and just who they recruited as elves to do the deliveries. Part of the fun is not knowing, so we're not going to do much sleuthing.

Since we'll be in Salem for Christmas day, I decided to include the Santa below to finish off our adventure. He was the prize for a game I won at our Bay City Booster's annual Christmas party this week - pretty cool! Another decoration that doesn't require hanging or climbing!

OK, in the tradition of Paul Harvey, here's the REST of the story!

Before I came to stay with mom, she had told me about waking up in the middle of the night a couple of times by loud knocks on the front door, with no one there when she got up to check.

So this week when we had a LOUD knocking on the door while we were watching evening TV, I was a little jumpy about it. I called out, "Who's there?" No answer, of course. So I quickly locked the door, and also the back door. Peeked out the curtain - motion sensor light was on, but nothing to see. I wasn't about to open that door.

After a moment's thought, I called 911 - we have some rowdy, not-so-nice youngsters around our neighborhood, they had been pills all summer and I figured they were good candidates. I just requested a patrol drive through and see if the kids were out and about.

When I hung up, the phone rang almost immediately - it was a hang up. So I called 911 back, and reported it as suspicious. Five minutes later - another call, and hang up. I'm figuring they are getting a little more aggressive about harassing us, so - yep, called 911 again.

I'm on first name basis with the operator by now.

Another 20 minutes later, I'm knitting away, and the lightbulb goes on: what if it is our little neighbor family up the street who are so sweet to mom, bringing her flowers on May Day, etc. , and they've done a treat for us? So I carefully opened the door, and - there was the turkey and bag of packages!

Oh yeah. Another call to 911, to report the goody drop, and call the patrol off.

A bit later, we got a call from our two church missionaries: "Say, we were just driving by a bit ago and noticed you had something on your porch. Did you find it? Wouldn't want the coons to get into anything..." SOOOO subtle, eh? I'm pretty sure those two guys have pointy ears...

So tonight when the not-quite-so-loud knock came, I didn't hesitate to open the door. And retrieved the second half of our 12 Days of Christmas! We sure have fun friends!

We have been chuckling about what could have happened if the missionaries had been intercepted by the patrol - jokesters, indeed! We know they aren't the perpetrators, they are just the wheel men.

All in all, the joke really was on us - Merry Christmas, Tiny Tim!

Nondiscrimination Policy

Cats are not political creatures - and they have a unique nondiscrimination policy: they hassle whomever provides the most entertainment at any given moment.

Lest you think Birdie just picks on Mom while she is quilting, I offer evidence that my artistic endeavors are not without challenge. Furry challenge.

"ooo, look at this cool little sponge! Wonder why she calls it sea sponge - doesn't even smell like fish..."

"This water is even better than toilet water! Kinda painty, kinda minty..."

"I've seen her brush eraser crumbs off - see, I can be helpful!!"

"Ah well, a nap is a nap. Wait - hafta check out this brush thingy. Ummm! Smells like squirrel."

She packs off brushes, drinks the water, steals erasers - the only reason she hadn't left with the eraser this time was that she is LAYING on it.

Some days I get more done than others...

Usually when I shut her the bathroom.