Friday, September 24, 2010

A Short Communication About Communication

Sam: So when do I get a phone?
Me: Well, I guess when Seth leaves for a mission next spring, that will free up a phone.
Sam: Yes!
Me: But his phone will go to Shayla--she's been dying to get that phone--it's Spencer's old phone.
Sam: So I'll get stuck with Shayla's stupid Intensity?
Me: Either that or we could get you two tin cans and some string.
Sam: Aaaargh! (yes he sounded like a pirate)

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Encore

Where's Bailey?



Is she in the cupboard?



There she is!


Good times.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Recent Conversation

Dad (to Sam): So, you're squared away for life?

Sam: Yep--I'm all set! I've got the rest of my life all planned out!

Dad:  Very funny. I mean for the Scout Board of Review--are you Star or Life?

Sam: Thanks for taking such an active interest in my scouting.

Shane: I'm going to be 1st Class. I caught up with Dad!

Sam: Oh, I outrank you now Dad. I guess you'll have to salute me.

Dad: Yeah, yeah. I'm over here crying my eyes out over that.

Sam: Well, when the world is ending and you're left with just a piece of rope to save your life--too bad you won't know what to do.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Wherein I Boast Shamelessly About My Adorable Grandchildren

We are now the proud grandparents of two precious little girls! I'm not going to beat around the bush here--it's awesome! I love my kids like nobody's business but they were work--grandchildren are all play. It really is payback time.

I was lucky enough to spend some very happy days with our little Bailey last week. Mama went to the "hopistal" to have "Baby Sister" and Bailey hung out with me at their house. I took her to Costco where they happened to be serving free samples (can you believe it?) of strawberry smoothies. Bailey enjoyed her free sample and sweetly asked for another. Normally I would never think of going back for a second OR allowing one of my offspring to do so. But you know I turned the cart around and went back TWO more times for Bailey to have some more. Even when she spilled one. Why? Look at those big blue eyes and imagine her saying
 "More please, Nana."


She enjoyed coloring.


She is a happy little helper--no slacker here! She ran to get the broom
and got right to cleaning when she saw some crumbs on the floor.



Mac and Cheese is a favorite.
 She needs a spoon AND a fork and savors every bite!

She's not quite two but she knows her left foot from her right.
(She also knows all the letters and sounds of the alphabet and
any color or shape. And that's not all! She also knows
her geography: she points to the states on the map and names them...as well as the
people she loves who live in that state. )


She can put her shoes on like a pro.



She has amazing hair and she even let me french braid it one day.
Maybe it was because I let her play with the DVDs and
that kept her still long enough to do the job.
Shhhh, don't tell "Daddo"


Bailey with Daddo and Norah


Bailey was so excited to see her Baby Sister...as we drove to the"hopistal" she told me:
"I want to see Baby Sister! I need to talk to Baby Sister."
I'm sure they will have plenty to talk about.


Calm, serene, happy little Norah

Ten Perfect little toes...



She got her fair share of hair.

I think this will do for my Quarterly Grandchild Adoration Blog.
But since there are two now I believe I can double the bragging.
I'll have to check on that.


Monday, September 13, 2010


I promise to fulfill the duties associated with this award
 as soon as I finish the duties associated with being Nana...
In the meantime, THANK YOU!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Gramma Time

I'm off to Texas for a week to spend some time with this little sweetie:





She'll be welcoming her new baby sister!


This is Bailey recently reading with Pop-pop


Look at that face!

I may be a little busy basking in Gramma heaven--but expect plenty of
bragging (only within the parameters of the rules and regulations of Grandparent adoration of course!)
 and pictures when I get back.

Friday, September 10, 2010

C D C?

Do you remember the first time you saw the ocean? It's interesting that the earth is covered with so much water and yet there are many people who live their whole lives without seeing the sea.

 My little sister Valorie came to visit for the Labor Day weekend--she's the ideal guest: kind, funny, low-maintenance, an oatmeal connoisseur  and comfortable with silence (sometimes you run out of things to say for awhile).  I didn't realize she hadn't been back to the beach since our family trip to San Diego in 1979. She was just a baby and doesn't remember a thing. I was 16--I am the WAY older sister.



So I made it my quest to get her to the ocean.  I was worried that it would be crowded due to the holiday but we left early enough in the day to beat the lolly-gaggers. Just as we pulled up to the free parking area for Torrey Pines, someone fortuitously pulled out of the perfect parking spot and we pulled in.



"It's so big" is the first thing she said. "Look how it drops off at the horizon--no wonder explorers were afraid they would fall off the edge!" I was in Big Sister heaven enjoying her joy in seeing the ocean and exploring the beach for shells. We found a few shells for her to take home--to mark the occasion--this time she is old enough to remember.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Why I Homeschool Reason # 38

Billy Shakes



I was just about to get after Shane for staying up late when he told me he had been reading
Macbeth and The Merchant of Venice.



Then we discussed The Merchant of Venice over breakfast:
Shane: That loophole was pretty awesome.
A pound of flesh but not one drop of blood.
Me: Yeah, that Portia's pretty clever.
Shane: I don't know why he didn't take the offer of two times the money.
I would have--that would have been 6,000 ducats.
Me: I know--it sounds like a lot of money.
Shane: He wanted the guy dead so bad--he could have just
taken the money and gone on with his life.
Me: Revenge makes people do crazy things.
Shane:  True that. I'm going to memorize that part--"The quality of mercy is not
strained..."
Me: Well, OK, if you insist.

Extra points if you can guess why I chose the number 38 for this homeschool post :)

Friday, September 3, 2010

Favorite Things

Here's an old favorite:



I mean the apron, not me!

The Landa Apron. Let me share with you the history of this relic. Andy started working for Landa waaayyyy back when Shanna was a baby. It was a great company to work for and he climbed the corporate ladder there from Senior Accountant to CEO. We have great memories of the company picnics: the PIRATE SHIP! Lemonade in the drinking fountains! And great memories of company trips:South Carolina, Washington D.C., Mexico City....Speaking of Mexico City, here I am on top of the Pyramid of the Sun:

That is Spencer in my belly--I hauled my pregnant self up that VERY tall pyramid.
Wearing my big eighties earrings
 and sporting some awesome sunglasses.
I am woman hear me roar. Or huff and puff.

So, back to the apron. One year at the company picnic, they had the executive team frying up the burgers and hot dogs on the grill. The picnic organizers had these aprons made for the occasion. Dad brought it home and it soon became my favorite apron.

A few years down the road, Landa was bought out by an investment company. Eventually, several of their rivals were also bought by the same company. It became Andy's job to bring them all together and form a "Brotherhood of Pressure Washer Manufacturing" if you will. A "Team of Rivals"
A big task with such die-hard competitors.

One way of doing this was to have them all come together for training and to enjoy each others' company. And come to our house for a BBQ.
So I donned the Landa Apron and cooked up a storm.
As our guests arrived, I greeted each with a smile and a handshake.
Some glared at me, some smiled.
It slowly dawned (do you like how I used "donned" and "dawned"
 in the same paragraph? Gotta love the English language)
on me that it was the Landa Apron!
I was turning my husband's Detante into a Waterloo.
Who knew the power of an Apron.

So the Landa Apron could only be used in neutral company.
Until my husband changed jobs.
 Now, it is no longer a political prisoner.
It's free to shield me from cooking messes at will.
And I wear it often--it is not too long and not too short--
It's Just Right .
And very durable--it's been washed at least a million times and it's still going strong.
So that is my ode to the Landa Apron.
Practical.
Comfortable.
Historical.



Thursday, September 2, 2010

A Lotta Tomatas AKA: A Shameless Garden Post

The Tomato Jungle

The Lurking Tomatoes
(They are trying to hide from the hungry rabbits)

The Harvest



The Grand Finale

Happy Birthday Scott!

 It has been awhile since I updated this little family scrapbook on the internet. I like to pop over here from time to time and look at our ...