Musings Of The Sixties

Beth Helen - Through The Years

2012-02-07T10:02:00.007-06:00

Beth was born on February 7th, 1977 during one of the worst winters in recorded history for our area. I remember looking outside all winter wondering how I would get to the hospital if I went into labor. But I made it and on February 8th, I looked out the hospital window and saw water trickling down the street. Beth's arrival heralded the much needed end to that terrible season. And I always believed it was a sign of what a special gift she would be.

Here is Beth pictorially 'through the years'.

So here's wishing a very happy birthday to one of the most amazing young women I've ever had the pleasure to know and, to my extraordinary luck, she's our daughter. Beth's personality has always been special and quirky. She has a sense of humor that won't quit but she's not just funny. She really is bodacious. She has the courage of her convictions and isn't afraid to share. You can always expect the unexpected from Beth.

Here she is describing a momentous night in her and Brian's relationship.

Here is an anniversary card she made for her grandparents when she was very young. Her incredibly sweet, loving personality was already shining through.

And here are a couple of recent pictures from the Christmas House. She's a loving mother, daughter, wife, sister, and friend.

And she's incredibly fun to be around.

Have a beautiful day, Beth!

You Capture - Still Life

2012-02-02T08:45:00.009-06:00

Beth's You Capture subject this week is Still Life. I can't honestly say I learned a lot about Still Life photography, I also reaffirmed what I already knew. Still Life is hard! Here are the results of my efforts.

For more You Capture Still Life Photography, visit I Should Be Folding Laundry.

Wrapping UP

2012-01-31T14:33:00.005-06:00

Here it is the last day of January already and I've neglected my blog again. It's kind of been my pattern for about a year now and I know someday I'll regret it. I'll look back and wonder why I didn't write down some of what's going on in my life - even if it's not much. So I'll resolve to change all that from now on.

And I'll start by reviewing January. We had a lot of birthdays and I did manage to observe those at least but I didn't do well with You Capture having only participated once. Starting right now though I resolve not to miss another one.

I think I might have a mild case of that depression you can get when the days are short and the weather prospects offer nothing but snow and cold. This month, though, we've been pleasantly surprised. We had a snow or two but they didn't last. And since the last one it's been amazingly warm. In fact, right now it's 54 degrees outside.

When it it did snow a couple of weeks ago, I rather eagerly got out my bird feeder and filled it with the most expensive seeds - guaranteed to attract the most colorful birds. But unfortunately it attracted more pesky squirrels than colorful birds.

(I wrote about this same problem and how we handled it with a Hav-a-Hart trap last year here and here. We went on to catch quite a few of them and it really seemed to make a difference but last Fall I started to see more of them around again.)

So I watched the squirrels chase away any birds that happened on their private habitat and I watched all their friends and relatives join them. I watched them swing on the bird feeder and generally make a mess of everything. They even knocked down some of the little statues we have out there in their efforts to push off them and leap to the bird feeder.

I pretty much became a bird feeder nazi. When I saw those dang things out there, I would open the door and shout at them and sometimes even walk toward them in an effort to startle the brazen little rodents. Mostly they ignored me so a couple of times I even threw stones at them. I thought if just once I hit one, I'd feel better.

(Years ago I'd thrown a sizable rock at a squirrel in a tree in front of the house and I hit the limb he was standing on. The impact knocked the squirrel out of the tree and he landed on the ground and starting flipping and flopping all over the place. Finally he flopped onto the front steps and died. At least it looked like he did. We wouldn't even walk near him so we had to come into the house through the back door and watched in wonder through the window as he came back to life, stretched, and scampered off. Squirrels are very durable little creatures.)

Anyway, this shows you that my aim isn't very good but my intentions were pure evil toward those nasty little buggers. This winter then, we hadn't set out the trap but we were having an increasingly serious problem with the squirrels. One day I was happy to see five cardinals all around the feeder. Then they disappeared to be replaced by a squirrel. I stepped quietly out the door, picked up a rock, took careful aim, and I nailed it!!! Not the squirrel - my bird feeder. It broke and scattered all the seeds all over the ground and the squirrel and his friends AND relatives had a party while they laughed at the crazy woman who'd served the fabulous snacks.

Mr. Right patiently bought me another feeder and I pondered what to do about those stinking squirrels. I considered setting food out just for them so they wouldn't hang on the feeder but I was pretty sure the population explosion we were experiencing would be small potatoes compared to the one we'd have if we deliberately fed them. And I looked at squirrel deterrents but none seemed like they'd work with our pole and the one that was most interesting and looked the most effective cost $89. In retrospect, I probably should have gotten that but we had just gotten this brand new feeder.

Yesterday I was on the treadmill for 45 minutes and for each and every one of those minutes a squirrel dangled from the bird feeder. That did it. I set the trap and within an hour I'd caught the first one. Twenty four hours later, I've trapped five of them. And I've driven them to a wildlife refuge and a state park both of which are over ten miles away. That's why I should have just spent $89 for a squirrel resistant feeder except that they'd still hang around on the ground and scare the birds away. So that's that for the squirrels - for now. But I'm pretty sure there are only about three more to capture. We'll see.

Also this month I did another course of chemo cream on my basal cell skin cancer. I finished the course, saw the plastic surgeon, and was told to come back on the 15th of March for another assessment. I'm a little unnerved because as the days go by post-treatment, my nose looks redder and more blistered than it did right after I finished. I'm also experiencing a lot of weird sensations and irritations. I'm not sure what all that indicates but I guess I'll find out in March.

I also remembered that I haven't finished my Christmas Story series. I'll do that very shortly just as soon as I get a letter that is an integral part of the story. Which leads to another life changer for the past month. This is the month that I got completely addicted to Words With Friends. I blame that completely on Alec Baldwin and the news breaking trouble he caused because he wouldn't quit playing on an airline tarmac one day. I can totally see that happening to me. It's that addicting and just the fact that I don't understand why they'll only let you play twenty games at a time proves it.

Jenna Corinne 'Through the Years'

2012-01-27T17:12:00.005-06:00

Today is Jenna's 11th birthday. She is our tenth grandchild and our fourth granddaughter.

Here is pictorial Jenna 'through the years'.

Jenna is a beautiful, loving, smart, and very helpful girl. She's a friend to anybody that needs a friend and a sensitive and loving child. No one could ask for a sweeter granddaughter!

So, Jenna, happy birthday! I hope your day has been awesome and that your birthday weekend will be even more awesome. We can't wait to see you!!!!

PLAY BALL!!!!!

Anna Helen Through The Years

2012-01-25T19:52:00.008-06:00

Today is Anna's 9th birthday. Even before she was born, when she was barely a twinkle in her mother's eye, we celebrated her coming.

Here's pictorial Anna 'Through The Years'.

Anna is a smart, loving, and sweet girl. She's talented, quirky, fun-loving, creative and one of the most perfect granddaughters anyone could ask for.

So Happy Birthday, Anna. We hope you

celebrate!!!

Noah Daniel Through The Years

2012-01-21T13:26:00.008-06:00

Yesterday was Noah's 8th birthday. Now for five days, he and Anna are both 8 years old.

Last night after shoveling snow at 11:30 p.m., I remembered. I hadn't done Noah's birthday post. I didn't forget his birthday. In fact I was acutely aware of it all day as I stressed out about the weather and whether or not it was going to allow me to get to Beth's to help out during the party. So I baked and worried and shoveled snow - but I didn't do Noah's post.

I could write it off as getting old and forgetful but I think the real reason is that I'm struggling with this year's birthday format. I just haven't been able to put it together in a fun and interesting way and therefore I'm not excited about it. Next year it's back to birthday interviews but for this year I'll be trying to refine my 'through the years' birthday posts until they become more to my liking.

Here's pictorial Noah through the years.

Noah is one of the best grandchildren anyone could ever hope for. He's loving, kind, and thoughtful. He's a good student, a good brother, and a good sport. We're very proud of you Noah and we hope your birthday was stellar! (We've already heard that your Lego party was.)

Happy Birthday to a wonderful boy!

A Christmas Story - Part 2

2012-01-17T17:31:00.027-06:00

The second important phase of our great big, week-long Christmas party is the gift giving and receiving.

Part 1 of this phase is pretty conventional. We do a gift exchange where everyone draws names except Mr. Right and I. On Christmas shopping day, the children open their gifts from this exchange before our big outing to ensure that they don't duplicate these gifts later in the day.

This picture didn't get everybody in but it gives you an idea of the atmosphere and the sheer numbers. I don't think there's anything much more fun than watching kids open presents. Oh, except maybe watching them pick them out.

They also open their one wrapped gift from us which is always a garment that is to be worn in the group pictures. This year I visited Columbia.com and purchased 38 jackets ranging in size from mens 4X to baby girls 6 mos.

Here's how those pictures turned out.

The kids

Everybody

After the present opening, we all packed up and headed for Valparaiso to have lunch at the Industrial Revolution. Picking up the tab for these 37 people is one of our gifts to the kids - pretty easy shopping right there.

We went here last year too and it was very enjoyable mainly because of the ambiance and the train that periodically runs around the entire restaurant at ceiling level. This year, however, neither the atmosphere nor the train could make up for the giant 'failboat' in service and food quality. From the time the first meal was served until the last one arrived was one solid hour. I realize we're a large group but if they couldn't handle it, they should not have taken the reservation.

After the very long lunch, we headed to Target where all the kids did their own Christmas shopping. We gave them a price limit of between $25 and $30 and they pick out the present or presents that they want. It all goes into our shopping carts and the kids won't see their gifts again until the presentation back at the house.

The next order of the day is the bribe. Nobody gets the gift that they picked out until we get the family picture. The cooperation level is incredible.

Beth started setting it up with assistance from Dan. She started with one.

And then children (and young adults) were strategically added.

Even the younger ones were patient and attentive.

Almost ready!

Add game faces and insert babies.

Finally, insert oldest granddaughter and sweet, young mother. And there you have it!

Now the gift presentation. An adult, usually Uncle Dan if he's not deployed, holds up an item at random and announces what it is. The owner claims it to applause and appreciation for his or her great choice.

And while we shopped, Harry and I grabbed a couple of the necessities that keep the Christmas House running smoothly all week.

This was a long post loaded with pictures but I wanted to share the experience. And most of all I wanted to remember it. I wanted to remember my pride in these beautiful children - how patient and fair and sharing and loving to one another they are. How from the oldest to the youngest everybody interacts.

And I wanted to share the fun. The week in the Christmas house is a joyous one and I hope this shows some of the reasons why.

But most of all I don't want to forget one facet of the week so I'm writing it all down. And I hope everybody that reads this will enjoy it as much as me.

Jack Victor Through The Years

2012-01-14T16:05:00.012-06:00

Jack Victor was born late in the morning of January 14th, 2009 after a long and challenging labor and one of the most dramatic births I've ever witnessed. He was our first great grandchild.

At the age of one he could boast of many accomplishments. In one short year he had learned to sit up, crawl, stand, walk, and eat human food .... I mean big people food. He learned lots of other things too (like construction work) and this was all consistent with Mr. Right's dream prior to Jack's birth that someone in the family would have a baby and we would all call him Superbaby.

By two years old, Jack had a little brother who he loved, did repairs around the house, maybe practiced the boy scout oath, and became even cuter which didn't seem possible. He also carried on a conversation like an adult but no adult would ever get away with brushing him off because Jack questioned until he got the answers. His favorite word ... why.

In the past year he's tried out some fake tattoos that he was very proud of, gotten a new little sister he adores, hung out with his brother, learned to command a boat and play in the fall leaves and made a new friend at the Christmas house.

All in all he's had a busy little life and now he's three years old! I don't have a picture of him at 3 because he lives kind of far away but I do have this wonderful picture that his great Uncle Dan took just a couple of weeks ago. Isn't he adorable!

Happy Birthday, Jack!! We love you very, very much!

David Michael Through The Years

2012-01-13T16:22:00.030-06:00

On January 13th, 1998 our family was incredibly blessed. Our 7th grandchild was born in Ft. Campbell, Tennessee. His parents named him David Michael - the David, of course, after his father. Harry and I headed down there when Patty went into labor and not only did we get there on time, but our sweet daughter-in-law invited me into the delivery room. So I got to see this amazing child come into the world.

When David turned one, he was even more adorable than he was as a newborn. He was bright and happy and loved to take lots of his favorite toys to bed with him each night.

When he was two, he and his family lived at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo. His family shared a duplex with his Uncle Dan's family and they were the talk of the post.

Especially after his dad, his uncle, and another engineer put their heads together and all their strength to create this snowman.

When David was three the family had moved to Ft. Stewart, GA where they lived right across the playground from his Uncle Dan and their family. And by now, David had a little sister named Katie.

When he was four, he and his family still lived at Ft. Stewart and David was already learning to drive.

In 2003, when David was five years old, he still lived at Ft. Stewart but at this time his Dad was deployed to Iraq (where he earned a Silver Star). And David was already showing signs of the gifted athlete he would eventually be.

Oh, and now he had a little brother named Matthew.

In 2004, David was six years old. He and his family lived in Springfield Va because Dave was stationed at Ft. Belvoir near Washington D.C. David has always been a loving, family-oriented boy and even when he was very young looked forward to reunions with his extended family.

When he was seven he was still honing his athletic skills and as you can see, remained undeterred despite a possible foul.

And more importantly he was showing what a thoughtful boy he was. This was borne out by the quartz rock he found in the woods behind his house and gave to me for my koi pond. Of course, it remains one of my favorite koi pond features.

At eight years old, David was living in Columbia, SC because his Dad was going to school on Army-time. Here he is on Parent's Day.

At nine years old, David was a loving big brother and an excellent student.

At ten, David had a new little brother, Zachary, and lived in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas.

Oh, and he might have thought he was a little older than he really was.

At eleven, the family had moved back to Virgina - this time to a suburb called Burke. David remained a good student and a dedicated athlete. Here he is with one of his most loyal fans.

At twelve David continued to study and participate in several sports. And although he'd always been tall of his age, he now began to really stretch out.

And at thirteen he continued to excel in all areas.

He's a dedicated boy scout, student, and athlete and, once again, most importantly a very family oriented boy and an awesome big brother.

And now he's fourteen years old and over six feet tall. He's a basketball 'natural', has aspirations to be an Eagle Scout, and is one of the most sensitive, sensible, and kind boys I've ever known. I don't have a picture of him at fourteen because they're still living out there in Burke where his dad now works at the Pentagon but I do have this picture taken less than two weeks ago.

Isn't he handsome? For that reason and a myriad of others we're inordinately proud of him and love him more than he'll ever know.

So happy birthday, David. Here's hoping it's the best one so far but not as great as all the rest to come.

(For previous birthday posts about David, you can go here for 2010 and here for 2011.)

A Christmas Story - Part 1

2012-01-10T13:27:00.017-06:00

It's an extraordinary blessing that our family has grown so much over the years. It's incredible that each of our six children is married to someone they love and respect. And it seems like nothing short of miraculous that each of our sons and daughters has 3 or more children including at least one boy and one girl.

If there's a drawback to such an amazing set of circumstances, it's the challenge involved in getting everybody together at least occasionally. And that's why we strive to get as many family members here for the week between Christmas and New Year's Day as possible. With this time slot, we can celebrate Christmas and enjoy our traditional New Year's Eve party without worrying about family members driving home after imbibing one too many celebratory beverages.

This was one of those rare years when neither of our sons was deployed and no baby was born within days of Christmas making travel and an extended stay unpractical so we were within one person of being together as a family and it was awesome. The drawback here is that our house isn't large enough to accommodate such a large group. But on the plus side we have an excuse to rent a very large house in Beachwalk along with it's two bedroom carriage house which also has a kitchen and living room with pull-outs. The large loft and 7 bedrooms accommodate a lot of people and with our house and Beth's for back-up, there's more than enough room for everybody.

So what do we do during that week? Lots of things. Five years ago cousins Tessa Mary and Mary Addison were born exactly two weeks apart. We all look forward to them getting together as much as they do. One of their favorite activities is a princess style show and they play their parts perfectly.

Then, within 25 months beginning at the end of June 2008, we were blessed with five little boys - our posse. We all look forward to the changing dynamics of this adorable bunch of boys.

The two older of these five, Jack and Zac, really connected this year. They were inseparable doing important things and sharing everything from toys to ideas.

The next two, Trey and Eli, got along well too. They didn't play together quite as consistently but they always had good ideas.

Dane who just turned 1 in August wasn't quite ready to spend all his time with these guys but I'll bet next year he'll be right in the middle of the fray.

And who could have predicted that this past year we would be blessed with a granddaughter on October 1st and less than a month later, our first great granddaughter.

Before we know it they'll be having their own style shows.

Of course there were many alliances prior to this last group of nine. Noah and Ethan from Louisville are buddies.

and Anna and her cousin, Jenna, from Belleville Michigan are BFFs for sure - with or without their fashion glasses.

Katie from the DC area and Emily from Nebraska are close but Emily doesn't get to spend as much time here as we'd like because she spends time with her Dad in South Bend too. Here are Katie and Emily with our first 7 grandsons.

The two Nebraska brothers and the two boys from Colorado Springs along with Jeremy from Belleville and David and Matthew from DC also hang out together and play all the latest video games.

The one last grandchild is now the mom of our three great grandchildren and she hangs out with the rest of us grown-ups.

So it's a busy, fun week and not just for the younger set. The older kids (ours) get to spend some welcome time together too.

Here are our first two, Lori and Amy, in party mode.

And our middle two, Dan and Dave, in party mode, too (although they never seem to leave that Army officer persona far behind).

And finally our two youngest, Beth and Sarah, in Bing Bong mode. This was their best performance EVER. Someday I hope they'll let us record and post it - they brought down the house this year.

Of course lots of other things went on this week too. We had a birthday party for Trey and Mr. Right because both their birthdays are within a week of Christmas.

Cooking was always a joint effort.

We had ice cream cones every night, a tradition I borrowed from my mother who always made ice cream cones for the kids. Now, young and old line up to get their cones and it makes their grandma's heart swell with pride and love.

We also played poker every night. Since we were such a large group, we played at two tables side-by-side and rotated someone in and out of each table every 12 minutes. This system kept the crowed mixed and the game lively!

We did lots of other things too including going out for lunch TWICE, Christmas shopping, a rockin' New Year's Eve party, and just hangin' out and catchin' up. I'll write more about those activities in Parts 2 and 3.

For this post, I hope I've conveyed what an awesomely beautiful week it was and what a blessed mother, grandmother, and great grandmother I am.

Because it just doesn't get any better than it was that week!

Giraffes

2012-01-06T19:06:00.015-06:00

No doubt 'Giraffes' seems like an unlikely subject for a blog post but while I was browsing my pictures looking for the best ten from 2011, I came across a couple of giraffe pictures that I would have included had we been able to submit more than ten but since we couldn't I decided to write a post about them instead. Then I remembered another interesting incident involving giraffes and I thought about all the interesting observations I'd made about them over the years and decided to just write it all out - complete with pictures.

Here we go:

The first giraffe that I photographed was in a drive-through zoo not too far from Branson, Mo. I was so proud of this picture because it was as close to a close up as I'd ever gotten. (Of course, I could hardly miss since he was right there in our faces.)

That's the top of the car window above his head. He was so friendly and curious!

The next time we really watched giraffes was with our son, Dan, and his family at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans. It was such a nice herd and they were so gentle and lovely. What we didn't know is that they were also innovative. They obviously found no reason to walk over to the water trough when there was perfectly good water right there where they stood.

Here's the lovely herd.

Here's the fountain:

Here's someone getting the innovative idea:

And then......drink up!

We had close encounters with giraffes again this past spring when we visited the Rocky Mountain Zoo near Colorado Springs again with Dan and his family. We found the giraffes here extra friendly. Notice they didn't even flinch when we stood under them or even held one of their legs.

Of course most of the giraffes at this zoo were actually real and they were actually pretty friendly. They let me get more giraffe close-ups:

And then they showed that they have really long tongues.

They were patient with anyone that wanted to give them a treat.

They chatted with Mr. Right and Dan.

They knew where the treats were even when they couldn't see them.

And they were rewarded.

But suddenly something got all their attention and I loved how every one of them was interested and curious.

The object of interest was a large tortoise being coaxed out of a wagon up to a higher level.

And then just as suddenly somebody must have said, 'okay break it up' and they went back to what they were doing.

All that took place within a span of about two minutes. I really like giraffes. In many ways I think they're a lot like humans. Except, of course, for that special drinking fountain thing.

You Capture - Top Ten of 2011

2012-01-05T17:25:00.011-06:00

Beth's You Capture this week is 'Top Ten of 2011'. This is one of my favorite You Capture projects so it's inexcusable that I didn't start on it until last night. I require much more time than that since so many of my 2011 pictures are filed in different folders; however, a quick perusal resulted in the following:

Our earliest blooming flower - the Lenten Rose.

Our most colorful winged visitor - the rose breasted grosbeak.

An unwelcome squirrel trying to push around our decorative bunny.

Sunset on Lake Michigan.

And in the harbor.

A cheeky little house finch.

Majestic blooms from our Sum and Substance hosta.

Our grandson-in-law showing his son some of the sights in our pond.

An alert meerkat living up to it's reputation for inquisitiveness and vigilance at the Rocky Mountain Zoo near Colorado Springs.

The deteriorating boardwalk on my favorite trail in Indiana Dunes State Park.

My two favorite princesses - both my namesakes - Tessa Mary and Mary Addison born two weeks apart!

To see many more varied and beautiful pictures from 2011, visit Beth's I Should Be Folding Laundry.

Happy Birthday, Trey

2011-12-21T18:28:00.025-06:00

Two years ago today, Trey Cooper was born in Louisville, KY. I wrote about him last year on his birthday here. This year, at two years of age he's quite old enough to be interviewed for his birthday post. So this afternoon I conducted a phone interview with him or anyway with his mother; and, between the two of us, we came up with all the answers to the interview questions exactly as we're sure Trey would have answered had he been the one I was actually talking with.

You're two years old today! How do you feel about that? Pretty good! I thought I was already old but I know something's going on today because I got an Elmo balloon.

Do you have any special plans for the day? Just eat a lot of cookies and watch blues clues. We're going out to eat, then I'm going to open presents, and then eat Blues Clues cupcakes.

Where are you going to eat? At El Toro . I like to go there because I get to eat as many chips as I want and play in a bowl of red stuff. And, the servers think I'm cute. When I was little they used to pick me up and carry me around.

Are there any special gifts that you're hoping for? I like cars and anything I can throw. Footballs are my favorite.

Do you enjoy being the youngest in your family? Yeah, I get played with all the time. The big kids are pretty hilarious and sometimes Mom and Dad are too busy with them to see me sneaking candy canes from the tree.

Is it hard for you to keep up with Mary and Ethan? Heck no. It's hard for them to keep up with me.

Do you feel that you're helpful to them? No I pretty much make a mess of their rooms then they have to clean them up.

On the other hand, just yesterday Ethan asked if I'd seen his dreidel and I said, "Yes!" Ethan was so happy and relieved. He said, "REALLY? Where did you see it?" And I said, "Ummmmm, I don't know". Ethan laughed and laughed so I guess I was helpful.

What's your favorite around-the-house activity? Ummm, finding things to climb on, seeing how tall I can get, throwing balls, and chasing a laser light when Mary flashes one around. My mom thinks this is very entertaining too.

I hear you have a special talent. What is that? I have a special talent? Let's see. I'm good at making baskets. Well, I also heard that you're a good singer. Heck yeah. I can memorize songs faster than any grown-up I've met and I love to sing. I'm pretty good too.

What's are your favorite songs? Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and Baa Baa Black Sheep. My newest songs are Itsy Bitsy Spider and Jesus, Loves me. My grandma in Louisville taught me that one in just a couple of sessions. Are there any songs that you can't sing? If there are, I haven't heard them.

Do you enjoy daycare? Yeah, it's pretty cool. I get a lot of attention and now I'm one of the big kids in my class.

Do you have a lot of friends there? There are two I like to play with quite a bit. The rest just take my toys.

What about your teachers? They think I'm really cute and give me a lot of special attention. I like it that they hold me all the time and let me sit on their laps but I think some of the kids might be a little jealous.

I hear you're going to be spending more time at home with Mom now. How do you feel about that? Uh, I think it's pretty much the greatest thing ever. I like it when Mom holds me better than anybody. And, I'll get to have all her attention when the big kids are in school.

What did you like best about being one? It's when I got my big kid's bed and started daycare and learned to play with Ethan and Mary and now they think I'm more fun to play with too.

What are you looking forward to in the coming year? Mom will probably try to potty train me and I'll have fun showing her I prefer diapers; and maybe I'll get to go up and down the stairs all by myself. Also I think I might learn to ride a tricycle and take swim lessons. So I'm almost sure this summer will be the best summer ever!

What can you tell us about yourself that I haven't covered? I hope to one day be an electrician so I'm practicing plugging things in as much as possible. My mom and dad think I give really great kisses. I'm very affectionate. I like to watch sports especially golf on TV but Blues clues is my favorite show. I love sweets and I'm pretty sure I got that from Mom.

And, as always there are a few things I could add about Trey. In addition to being a smart, sweet, lovable and good boy, he's a good wii player.

And a good eater all by himself.

And a very good ice cream cone eater.

A good friend to his closest cousin, Eli.

And he loves his mom - a lot! (Did I already mention that?)

So Happy Birthday, Treybe. We hope it was amazing!

Christmas Music

2011-12-19T13:02:00.005-06:00

I love Christmas music. The religious songs are the best but so many others are great too. Harry Connick, Jr.'s It Must Have Been Ol' Santa Claus and Smokey Robinson's Christmas Everyday are two awesome examples. What happy, good mood songs they are! I also like Ray Parker, Jr.'s Christmas Time Is Here; and, Two Steppin' Around The Christmas Tree by Suzi Bogguss will get your toe tapping every time. I even like Madonna's Santa Baby, The Beach Boys' Little St. Nick and Paul McCartney's Wonderful Christmas Time.

But I know I'm getting old. Sixties. That might be the age you have to be when songs like The Pretty Little Dolly make you laugh even when nobody else does. I think it's hilarious and I can't take it seriously because it's SO bizarre and ridiculous. But it's that very over-the-top macabre humor that puts some people off and, in a way, it does me too. But it's funny and stupid and I laugh and moan every time I hear it.

So I understand why I'm at odds with everybody else when it comes to that song but the one that has me feeling sad is my new feeling when I hear Baby, It's Cold Outside. I've heard more than one person describe it as creepy and someone else said they thought of it as the date rape song.

I want to think of the people with these opinions as shallow and judgmental and harsh, but we're all a product of the world we live in today.

Back in the 60's, having another cigarette and music in the background and one more drink while you're out a little too late all added up to a wonderful, romantic evening.

Sometimes I wish I could go back to the 60's and I'm so grateful that I got to be young in that decade.

And sometimes I'm even glad I'm in my sixties.

Happy Birthday, Harry

2011-12-17T14:35:00.034-06:00

Today is Harry's (Mr. Right's) 65th birthday. This afternoon while he sat at his computer and I sat at mine, I interviewed him. It was hard to pretend I didn't know him and hard for him to pretend I didn't know everything about him already but he did a great job. As always, the pictures accompanying each question might not have anything at all to do with the question - but I do try to link them a little. This post will be picture-heavy - first of all because I've gotten more and more carried away with pictures on birthday posts as the year progressed and secondly because it is, after all, Mr. Right.

You're 65 years old today! How does that feel? Ummmm. I guess actually it feels pretty good.

Why do you say that? Well, when I think of all the people I knew who didn't make it this far, I feel pretty blessed.

Do you have any special plans for your birthday? I think you and I will go out, have something to eat, and then go to Blue Chip for awhile.

Any special gifts you're hoping to get? No, not really.

And what are you looking forward to in the upcoming year? Retirement, traveling, definitely a trip to Las Vegas, playing more golf, us playing golf and most of all - not going to work.

How long have you worked at the Midwest Division of U. S. Steel? Since September 16, 1967.

That was before you joined the Air Force to avoid being drafted by the Army and being sent to Vietnam? Yes. My time in the mill accrued while I was in the Air Force for 4 years. When I came back I had a very good job in the Roll Shop because it doubled in size while I was gone.

What do you do out there now? I'm an electronic Instrument repairman.

Do you like your work? Yeah, it's a good job and, for the most part, it's straight days.

What will you miss about working there? Some of the people.

What sports do you like to follow? Baseball's my favorite by far but I also enjoy watching golf and pro football.

Any special teams that you're a fan of? The Cubs, the Bears, and the Bulls.

What sports do you like to participate in? I used to play a lot of 16" softball and I used to do a lot of bowling but I've kind of gotten away from those and now I really enjoy playing golf.

What do you typically shoot? I'm pretty pleased if I'm lower than 100.

A long, long time ago you were a young man without a wife or children. Could you have foreseen the changes that were coming. No. No I didn't see myself having six kids - I figured it'd be a couple or three and maybe as many as four.

How has it been having six children? I wouldn't change a thing.

Which is your favorite? (lol - I loved throwing that in there because it's such a bizarre question and his reactions are always fun.) They're all my favorite.

You have 20 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren now. How do you feel about that? It's just totally awesome. I wouldn't change a thing about that either.

Would you recommend a large family to your kids and grandkids? I kind of think they all like being part of one and, yeah, sure I would.

Is there anything you regret not having done so far in your life. No, not really.

What do you look forward to the most in the future? Just having the freedom to pretty much do whatever we want to do like visit the kids whenever we want, sleep in, take mini vacations. There are a few places I'd like to see like the Grand Canyon, the Baseball Hall of Fame, the Badlands, and, of course Vegas. I just can't wait for you to see it, too. It's not like I'm an old pro but I spent 20 hours there once when I was in the Air Force on TDY and it's a pretty cool place - at least it was back then.

Do you think you'll ever really move out of this area - maybe somewhere south or southwest? Yeah, I think I'd like to just to get away from these nasty winters.

What can you tell us about yourself that we haven't covered in this interview? That's a hard question. I don't think there's anything.

Oh but there's so much more I could tell you about this man. He loves to play with and be silly with his grandchildren and great grandchildren. I could post pictures of him interacting with every single one of them but there's probably not room on this blog post so I'll just show the first few I come to.

He's laid back and easy going and a really good sport.

He's helpful and hard working even on projects that aren't all that dear to him.

He's also unfailingly kind, loves people and gets along with everybody.

But most of all, he's smart and quick and has a sense of humor that just won't quit. When I think of all the projects and ideas and plans that I make that he not only goes along with but embraces, I realize what a lucky girl I am to have been married to him for 43 years.

I don't know what I'd do without this wonderful man to lean on, depend on, and share every aspect of my life with (whether he likes it or not - lol).

I hope you have the happiest birthday ever, Harry. You truly deserve it.

Happy Birthday, Mike

2011-12-15T22:32:00.001-06:00

Today was our son-in-law, Mike's, 36th birthday. He's been married to our baby, Sarah, for 11 years and they have three beautiful, well-behaved children.

Last night I conducted a phone interview with Mike and, of course, he was very friendly and agreeable. The interview went something like this:

(Oh, and as usual, the pictures accompanying the questions might not have anything at all to do with the question.)

I suppose you've been looking forward to this fun interview with your mother-in-law all day right? I have actually.

You're going to be 36 tomorrow. Does that number have any significance for you or is it 'just another birthday'? I haven't felt any angst about an age yet. Maybe at 25 or 28 I might have started to feel like a grownup but nothing's made me feel old yet - except 3 kids - lol.

No, the birthdays don't bother me at all.

Is there an age you anticipate that might make you feel uneasy? Some people say 40 but I don't foresee it being an issue. Whatever age I don't feel young and spry will be the one that signals another era for me but I don't anticipate that for quite awhile.

Do you have any special birthday activities planned. Let's see. Dinner with the family then maybe opening a present or two.

Any special gifts you're hoping for? No, it's one of those things where it's so close to Christmas that I usually just throw out a list and I get some for Christmas and some for my birthday. I never know what to expect when.

You were a stay-at-home dad for almost 3 years right? Yes

Did you enjoy that role? Not particularly. It was okay but I prefer to be working outside the home.

What was most challenging about it? I think when you work outside the home you make an extra effort to have meaningful time with the family; and when you're always home, sometimes time goes by without those meaningful moments ever happening.

Was it difficult to juggle your work-from-home job with child care? Yes, there were times when I'd have phone meetings that I'd have to work around nap times. It helped that my parents were close by so I could loop them in and get into the office when I had to; but sometimes an unexpected phone call would have me struggling to juggle everything.

Okay, so everybody knows you're a sports enthusiast. What's your favorite sport to participate in. Golf

What do you typically shoot? Right now probably like 82.

How often do you get out? This year is the least I've been out. I've missed 5 or 6 tournaments that I usually play in. I don't know exactly why it happened - it just did.

What is your favorite sport to follow? College football. I'm first and foremost a Louisville Cardinal fan - mainly football and basketball which are televised and I can sometimes attend. I also enjoy reading about and following their golf and baseball programs.

Are you a fan of any professional teams? No. We're kind of in the middle of about 5 or 6 teams - Bengals, Titans, Bears, Rams, Colts. I guess the Colts would be the team I'd follow most - of the ones nearby anyway.

Did you find it overwhelming at all to become part of such a large family? Well at first I felt like a spectator. You know, by dating Sarah, I'd paid admission to watch and now it just seems like old hat. I'm pretty used to the numbers and the chaos that comes with a family this size. At first I was Sarah's boyfriend,

then her fiance,

then her husband,

and finally Mike. Now I feel like part of the action.

What do you like best about your present job? It's somewhat challenging and yet I'm able to be successful at it.

Where do you see yourself in ten years? I don't know. I see us in Louisville although now that my company is multi-national, there's always potential to move up and go to a different city. And, I wouldn't be surprised at some point, to see myself with a business of my own.

What haven't I asked about that people might find interesting about you? I like creating physical challenges for myself whether it be a mini marathon or p90X. I like having goals to attain like dieting and training for a mini. Right now, because of the weather, I'm doing p90X but earlier this year I took a month and ran 25 miles a week. Sometimes I don't run for a month and then I might go out on a Saturday and run 7 or 8 miles just to get out there.

And recently I started trail running. I have a GPS watch and I'll take marked trails or head out to parts unknown. I don't have to map out a route in advance or even stick to streets and sidewalks. I enjoy running on new trails.

Sarah and I also share cooking duties. I enjoy cooking - not super healthy things but scratch biscuits or pancakes from scratch. And I can make some different entrees like pork butt and things like that. I have my little specialties that I can do pretty well.

Are you looking forward to Christmas week? Absolutely!

And I can add some more interesting things about Mike. He's always helpful.

He's always fun.

He has one of the best senses of humor of anyone I've ever met.

And he's one of the most personable people you'll ever meet.

He's a good sport.

A real family man.

Who always helps with the 'kid' responsibilities.

We love Mike and we're proud and happy that he's a member of our family. He's kind, considerate, and always a joy to have around! Although it's a little late in the day, we hope he had a fabulous birthday!

Happy Birthday, Mike

P.S. You never seemed like a spectator to us!

You Capture - Light

2011-12-15T08:47:00.008-06:00

Beth's You Capture subject this week is light. I wanted to take a picture with beautiful sunlight but by the time I was thinking 'You Capture' there was no beautiful sunlight - only clouds. So I went with the obvious. These pictures might be lights rather than light but they will help light the dark scroogie front of our house.

And this picture is of a light and all the lights that help make it beautiful.

And these decorators definitely know how to light up the neighborhood.

Which is especially apparent went you get up close. This guy is bigger than their house and could light up the neighborhood all by himself!

For more light and I'll bet more Christmas light, visit Beth at I Should Be Folding Laundry.

The Good The Bad and The Ugly

2011-12-13T12:17:00.003-06:00

My first granddaughter, Amber, and mother to our three great grandchildren had her stitches removed Monday that were put in when the worrisome tumor was removed from the back of her head. When the doctor went in, he thought he was removing a pilar cyst and that was good news for everybody but when he removed it, he knew it was something else and sent it off to be biopsied.

Yesterday we found out it was a neurofibroma, a benign nerve sheath tumor in the peripheral nervous system. The key word for us here is benign. Thank you, God.

That's the good.

I had my follow up appointment with my plastic surgeon last week. He feels sure there are at least precancerous cells left. He explained that if he removed a cancerous cyst from my back, he would cut fairly generously taking a little more than he needed to just to be sure to get it all. This is made possible by the fact that there's plenty of stretchy skin there making it easy to close the wound. However, when he's removing a cyst from the tip of a nose, he needs to remove as little as possible because there's no extra skin to stretch in order to close the wound.

So....in January we'll do another round of chemo cream. And possibly another surgery.

That's the bad.

Right now I'm continuing with the 'Scar Away Silicone Pads and massage to try to minimize the scarring. Unfortunately my nose is still somewhat lumpy and bumpy. And the chemo cream will make it lump, bumpy, and fire red.

That's the ugly.

But again. It could be worse. I'm going into the holidays with a feeling of relief. The two special prayers I've prayed lately are that Amber's tumor would be benign and that Dave would get home safely from Afghanistan. And a couple of days ago, Dave wrote that he could be home as early as January 3rd instead of February 6th as we originally thought which could be very conducive to an answer to my second special prayer.

So that's more good.

Last Sunday I started the dreaded cold symptoms that I knew were coming when Mr. Right got sick. But I started taking Zicam and so far I really believe it's helped. So that's more bad.... but it could be worse.

And I don't have more ugly except for the weight I keep gaining.

There! Now I'm updated. And the good news is that there's a lot more good than bad or ugly.

Double Yolker

2011-12-12T15:54:00.004-06:00

42 years ago we lived in Alamogordo, New Mexico the only town close to Holloman AFB where Mr. Right was stationed. It was hard being almost 1500 miles from home and it became even more challenging when we were over the top with excitement to be expecting our first child. And it was hard for my parents too.

So Mom got an idea. She did a little research and found a small town - but not too small - approximately midway between their house in rural LaPorte, IN and our house in Alamogordo. Then Mom and Dad called and said we should meet in this little town. That way we could have a little visit and neither of us would have to drive 1500 miles.

So we did it. Mom and Dad had a camper on the back of their pick-up truck and Mr. Right and I had a VW. We agreed to meet at whatever gas station we came to in Stroud. Remember this was before cell phones or emails or instant messaging. Once we each started out early that morning we were inaccessible to each other until we all arrived at our destination.

So late that evening we drove into the first gas station we came to in Stroud and a few minutes later so did Mom and Dad. We all spent the night in that little camper and it might sound weird but it's one of my best memories. It was so good to see them and so worth the long drive.

In the morning, as she always did, my mom got up and started making breakfast. When she cracked open one of the eggs it had a double yolk. She was quite tickled as soon as she saw it and said this meant that we would have twins. Of course our firstborn was a singleton but eventually we had identical twin boys and I always remembered that double yolker that prophesied twins for us.

Several years ago I cracked open a double yolker. I was really tickled when I saw it and thought to myself that one of my children would have twins. As it turned out Beth carried her identical twin boys for nineteen weeks before they died in utero. It was a tragic and heart breaking time for our entire family but James and Jake will always be a part of our family. They'll always be loved and we all look forward to the day when they'll be with us again.

Yesterday, I cooked breakfast for Mr. Right. That's pretty unusual for me since usually I dig out a Hostess cupcake for him or some donuts left over from the last time someone visited; but this weekend he had a toothache and thought scrambled eggs would be something he could handle.

I cracked open the first two eggs and they were 'normal' but when I cracked the third I laughed out loud. Then I showed them to Mr. Right and he laughed too. Because look what we saw:

Now I'm not saying that someone in the family is going to have twins. I'm just saying to any of you kids who are reading this and would like to have twins, you better go ahead and get pregnant now. I mean some of you don't even have 4 kids yet. What?

Does It All Start With A Common Cold?

2011-12-11T11:43:00.001-06:00

Last year, right after Thanksgiving, I got a really bad cold. I didn't suffer long before I visited my doctor who prescribed an antibiotic. Then I got worse. And a new antibiotic. Then Christmas arrived and I wasn't any better. In fact I was even worse. During Christmas week when I'd normally be in seventh heaven because our family was together, I was sick. And went to the doctor again. I think my kidneys were failing or something because the doctor said that the antibiotic that I was on could affect the kidneys.

I don't remember getting completely well after Christmas but in the very early Spring I went ahead with the shoulder surgery that seemed necessary at the time. And oh my, what did I do? It was so much worse than I thought it would be and I thought I'd never regain the mobility that I'd enjoyed or the small pain that I thought needed correcting. After months of physical therapy and then home physical therapy, I've seen steady but slow improvement.

Then I was diagnosed with skin cancer on my nose - not the deadly kind but any kind on the tip of your nose is a challenge. We started with a chemo cream the effects of which are terrible, then a biopsy, more chemo cream, excision of the tumor, a lingering unattractive bump, more chemo cream this coming January and then possibly another surgery to address the bump.

Healthwise it's been a difficult and challenging year. I've exacerbated the problem by gaining 30 pounds and feeling completely unmotivated to do anything about it.

And it all started with a cold after Thanksgiving last year.

Now things are looking up for me. I'm walking about a mile and a third a few times a week - it's not much but I really believe that staying active is the key and I'm increasing the time and effort I expend by just a little every week.

I'm hopeful that I've completed a year-long bad health cycle of some kind and that the coming year and hopefully all those to follow will be better.

But after Thanksgiving this year....... Mr. Right got a cold and a cough that seems to go on and on. He thinks it's a little better and he's somewhat reassured because he got a pneumonia shot last Fall so that's good.

But now he's got a really bad toothache.

Oh no. Does it all start with a common cold?

You Capture - Chilly

2011-12-08T06:38:00.008-06:00

Beth's You Capture subject this week is Chilly. That sounded easy enough when I first read it but as our snowless, iceless, week wore on I started to realize I had to look for less obvious 'chilly'.

So I looked in the koi pond first. When the pond starts to freeze the fish begin to hibernate. They kind of lay on the bottom - not doing anything but, I guess, sleeping. And prior to that, when it gets 'chilly', they start practicing. Here they are - feeling chilly, getting ready for winter.

And then there was this vacant house. You can tell it's chilly by the bare branches and the fact that it's vacant.

My hydrangea blooms are chilly too.

And the fruit on the ornamental trees in back? Definitely chilly.

These lonely leaves are chilly.

But what could be more chilly than a boy in a refrigerator. Of course it's not all that chilly because it's not plugged in - but the idea is there. He's just chillin' in his new refrigerator.

For more You Capture Chilly pictures, visit Beth at I Should Be Folding Laundry.

Pearl Harbor

2011-12-07T14:23:00.012-06:00

This morning I received a 'forward email' from a friend. Normally I'm not good with these forwards. I peruse them, enjoy the ones I want, ignore the others, and never ever pass them on.

But this one is really special because it says a lot about my sons and every member of our armed forces. Here it is. Read it and then I'll tell you why I say that.

Remember Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941 - Seventy Years Ago Today.

Here is another story about Pearl Harbor you might not have heard before.

A Unique Story About Pearl Harbor - Pearl Harbor Mistakes - A Very different and interesting conclusion of the December 7th attack on Pearl Harbor. Read on....

Tour boats ferry people out to the USS Arizona Memorial in Hawaii every thirty minutes. We just missed a ferry and had to wait so I went into a small gift shop to kill time and in the gift shop, I purchased a small book entitled, "Reflection on Pearl Harbor" by Admiral Chester Nimitz. It said:

Sunday, December 7th, 1941 -- Admiral Chester Nimitz was attending a concert in Washington D.C. when he was paged and told there was a phone call for him. When he answered the phone, it was President Franklin Delano Roosevelt who told Admiral Nimitz that he (Nimitz) would now be the Commander of the Pacific Fleet. Admiral Nimitz flew to Hawaii to assume command of the Pacific Fleet and landed at Pearl Harbor on Christmas Eve, 1941.

There was such a spirit of despair, dejection, and defeat -- you would have thought the Japanese had already won the war.

Christmas Day, 1941 -- Adm. Nimitz was given a boat tour of the destruction wrought on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. Big sunken battleships and navy vessels cluttered the waters everywhere he looked. As the tour boat returned to dock, the young helmsman of the boat asked, "Well Admiral, what do you think after seeing all this destruction?"

Admiral Nimitz' reply shocked everyone within the sound of his voice.

He said, "The Japanese made three of the biggest mistakes an attack force could ever make, or God was taking care of America. Which do you think it was?"

Shocked and surprised, the young helmsman asked, "What do you mean by saying the Japanese made the three biggest mistakes an attack force ever made?"

Nimitz explained:

Mistake number one: the Japanese attacked on Sunday morning. Nine out of every ten crewmen of those ships were ashore on leave. If those same ships had been lured to sea and then sunk--we would have lost 38,000 men instead of 3,800.

Mistake number two: when the Japanese saw all those battleships lined in a row, they got so carried away sinking them, that they never once bombed our dry docks opposite those ships. If they had destroyed our dry docks, we would have had to tow every one of those damaged ships to America to be repaired. As it is now the ships are in shallow water and can be raised. One tug can pull them over to the dry docks and we can have them repaired and at sea in the time we could have towed them to America. And I already have crews ashore anxious to man those ships.

Mistake number three: Every drop of fuel in the Pacific theater of war is on top of the ground in storage tanks five miles away over that hill. One attack plane could have strafed those tanks and destroyed our fuel supply.

That's why I say the Japanese made three of the biggest mistakes an attack force could make, or God was taking care of America.

I've never forgotten what I read in that little book. It is still an inspiration as I reflect upon it.

In jest, I might suggest that because Admiral Nimitz was a Texan, born and raised in Fredricksburge, Texas, he was a born optimist. But any way you look at it-- Admiral Nimitz was able to see a silver lining in a situation and circumstance where everyone else saw only despair and defeat.

President Roosevelt had chosen the right man for the job. We desperately needed a leader that could see silver linings in the midst of the clouds of dejection, despair, and defeat.

There is a reason that our national motto is, "IN GOD WE TRUST".

I liked this 'forward' and I found it very interesting but I don't entirely agree with it. When President Roosevelt appointed Admiral Nimitz to be Commander of the Pacific Fleet, he wasn't just appointing an optimist or someone who could see the 'silver lining'. He was appointing a member of the United States Armed Forces. He was appointing a man with character, intelligence, and courage. And this man's character and intelligence were honed by the training he received as a member of our Armed Forces.

It wasn't so much that he was an optimist. His key attribute was that he was a strategist who looked at a situation and saw it's many facets - not just the obvious. And he learned this strength, this distinctness of perception through his training with our armed forces. The same training that all our troops in every branch of service receive and which is second to none. And that, my friends, is truly God's blessing.

Yes, there is a reason that our national motto is, "IN GOD WE TRUST".

You Capture - People

2011-12-01T17:57:00.008-06:00

Beth's You Capture subject this week is People. That seemed really perfect to me because this is one of the weeks of the year where you're bound to see a lot of people which reminds me that I should have gotten a shot of the crowds that were out on Black Friday. But, I didn't. I took lots of pictures of the kids and the grandkids and great grandkids but those cameos weren't exactly what I was hoping to capture. Then I saw it. Two people getting acquainted. Oh, they'd met before but they'd never really sat down and talked so when they did, I was there with my camera.

Clara had had a very busy day. There was so much commotion, so many people, and so many odd sounds and smells; but she did her best to take it all in stride. Then, just when she thought she was going to go home, this Grandpa character comes and sits down next to her and starts talking - in a high, pleasant voice.

She really didn't know what to think at first.

But soon she started to warm up to him.

After all, she had a few things to say too including a few laughs and smiles.

And soon her skepticism passed and she enjoyed his company.

Until suddenly - she'd had enough and she felt shy - but she still held his hand.

So my You Capture submission today isn't so much about picture quality as it is about content. And what's better than Grandpa and Clara getting to know each other.

For some other interesting people and takes on 'people' visit Beth at I Should Be Folding Laundry.

Happy Birthday, Brian

2011-11-29T12:33:00.022-06:00

Today is Brian's 35th birthday. He and our daughter, Beth, have been married for twelve years and just had their fourth child. Last night I conducted a phone interview with Brian. Here's how it went (and as always the pictures accompanying the questions may or may not have anything at all to do with the questions):

So Brian are you surprised that I'm calling you and the reason has nothing to do with computers? Yes I am a little surprised it's not to do something with your computer.You're going to be 35 tomorrow. Does that feel like kind of a milestone birthday for you? It does. Does that bother you? I'm trying not to think anything of it.

I know you work tomorrow and then have class tomorrow night so are you doing anything special to celebrate this year? No No, Never? Hahaha, not that I'm aware of. Well, we haven't celebrated your birthday yet so we have to do that right? I don't know. I really never have to do the planning. What do you want for your birthday? I would love a longer day. I'm afraid we'd have to talk to God about that but what might you want from Dad and me? I think the seven Harry Potter movies are out on Blue Ray.

Do you have any other special birthday wishes or gifts that you're hoping for? Besides the extra hours I'd sure like a new Guitar Hero.

How do you like being the dad of four children? Very exciting. There's never a dull moment from the time you wake up until the time you go to bed so there's never a reason to be bored.

Do you every find it overwhelming to be part of such a large and growing extended family? It's really amazing because every time I see the nieces and nephews they've changed so much and there's more of them; and seeing everybody again is pretty cool.

What do you enjoy doing in your downtime? Usually, after I finish with the kids' stuff and I get done with work stuff and school stuff and then I try to do some house things like honey-dos, I like to play the Wii or watch a movie.

I know you do a lot of driving for work, what's your favorite way to pass that time? Hahaha, I typically listen to talk radio. Why do you laugh? I don't know.

If you could play any professional sport, what would it be? I think I'd like to be the long snapper for the Bears. Theirs just got injured.

You're an IT Server and Storage Architect. What do you like best about your job? The flexible work hours. It's really helped us make things work at home.

What do you find the most challenging? People don't know what they want and they expect you to deliver something they can't really define. How about trouble calls in the middle of the night? Oh, I don't mind those. They're exciting.

Is this anywhere near where you saw yourself being ten years ago? Yes it actually is. There are more kids than I had envisioned but I knew we'd be in Indiana and I'd be working in Chicago doing computer stuff and I'd be happily married with Beth.

What do you see ahead - say ten years from now? The same amount of kids and absolutely attending lots of sports activities, math competitions, and creative writing contests.

You're taking MBA courses and you should graduate in a year. How will that change your work status? I'll be better qualified to move into senior management.

How do you feel about always being on call for the whole family's computer needs. I don't mind that at all.

You like to party? Absolutely!

What haven't I covered that people might find interesting about you? I watch a lot of movies. When? Usually in the middle of the night when I'm trying to get the baby to sleep. I'm really not interesting. I was an Eagle scout and I'm very happy that Noah's interested in scouting. I'm really looking forward to watching him grow up in scouting.

There's lots more I could tell you about Brian. He's unfailingly kind and considerate and probably one of the sweetest, most considerate people I've ever meant. He's patient, smart, and hard-working. And, if we call with a computer problem when he's right in the middle of the four other things he's trying to do, we don't know it because he makes everything work. Brian, you rock!

We hope your birthday is the best ever but not as great as the many, many more to come!

Happy Birthday, Katie!

2011-11-29T00:01:00.002-06:00

Today is Katie's 12th birthday. She's our eighth grandchild and third granddaughter; and she lives in Virginia on the outskirts of Washington DC with her mom and dad and three brothers. Right now her dad is in Afghanistan. Last night I conducted a phone interview with Katie. Here's how it went (as always, the pictures may or may not have anything to do with the questions they're attached to):

Are you excited to be turning 12? Yes Why? Ummm, well I'm younger but taller than all of my friends but now I'll be the same age as all of my friends - just taller.

Do you have any special plans for your birthday? Well, I have a dentist appointment tomorrow but it's not really special - just a routine dental appointment and since I have volleyball practice tomorrow, we went out to eat today.

Where'd you go? Five guys! Was it fun? Yeah. What was the most fun? Getting Mello Yello because I never get Mello Yello since it's rare in the VA area and it's my favorite soda. Did you have a cheeseburger? Yes, and I ate it all but I got really full afterwards.

Are there any special wishes or gifts that you're hoping to get? Since we went out to eat, we did presents today also and I got what I really, really wanted - a cell phone.

What was the best thing about being 11? I don't know - just having double ones in my age. But nothing else was very special about it.

And what do you think will be the best thing about being 12? Umm, going into seventh grade because that's when I start middle school. Will you be going to the same school as David then? Yeah, I guess it will embarrass him a little bit. I hope so anyway.

Any special plans or events that you're looking forward to in the coming year? Yes, my dad's coming home in February.

Do you like school? I like Social Studies, Reading and Writing; but my Math and Science Teacher is really boring so I don't like that very much.

How are your grades? They're good. All A's.

You're in volleyball now? Yes, I love it. How do like having your mom for a coach? I like it because I'm new to the team and she's always there so I won't feel all alone before I make friends. But sometimes she's gets kind of embarrassing like when she makes us do push ups or tuck jumps.

What's your favorite sport? Probably volleyball. And your second favorite? Soccer.

What's your favorite pastime? Playing outside is fun and hanging out with my friend Maria. I do that a lot.

If you had to decide right now what you'll be when you grow up, what would it be? Probably a teacher.

How do you like being the only girl AND having three brothers? It has it's ups and downs. Downs like I live with the boys so I'm kind of the odd one out but the up is that I always have someone to play outside with. And you could say they make me a littler tougher.

How do you like being part of such a large extended family? It's really cool. Whenever we talk about where we're going for Christmas I get to say we're going to Indiana where I have like twenty cousins.

I know your dad has been in Afghanistan for almost ten months now? What's the hardest thing about that? For me it's him not being here and him not being completely safe over there. We all worry about him a lot.

What chores and responsibilities do you have around the house. My brothers and I share them. We usually take care of the trash and we work on the lawn together and sometimes we'll do a deep cleaning where we clean the entire house really, really well.

What's your favorite holiday? Probably Christmas because it's just a joyful season and I get to see all the decorations and hear all the Christmas music.

What else would you tell us about yourself? I think you got everything.

Do you play any instruments? I play the violin and sometimes I enjoy it. (She also plays the Zachary toy guitar, the Guitar Rock guitar, and the air guitar.)

Do you like animals? Yes. My favorites are dolphins and then dogs.

Also, I get my braces off around this time next year and I'm look forward to it. I just wish it were sooner .

After talking with her mom I also found out that she and her mom went clothes shopping for her birthday and one of the outfits she tried on made her look so old that her mom cried and Katie laughed.

And, she's doing very well in volleyball. She's among the top three even though she's a year younger than everybody else on the team.

She loves to cook and made her own cupcakes for her birthday complete with icing and sprinkles and then creatively arranged them in the letters KT.

And she's very helpful with Zachary which I knew because of how much she helped me when I was out there to babysit for a couple of days this summer.

She's also close with her younger brother Matthew, even though sometimes they pretend that's not true.

And no, of course I didn't have to edit rabbit ears from this picture. You mean you think that just because you can see Matthew standing next to her?

And she knows the value of a dollar. Here she is after we were handed free tickets for the Metro last summer saving us lots of money!

And she's sweet, loving, smart, cheerful, fun-loving, and helpful in every way. Happy Birthday, Katie! We love you very much and hope this is your best birthday yet!

You Capture - Blue

2011-11-23T07:32:00.007-06:00

Beth's You Capture assignment this week is 'Blue' - not an easy color for me. However, I happened to be in the quaint and picturesque town of Chesterton yesterday and managed to spot some blue.

When I was on my treadmill I looked out the window and this blue just jumped out at me. I like it not because it's so picturesque but because it means these leaves aren't flying all over my yard.

But my favorite blue is the dark blue below. This one is a bit of a cheat because it was taken last Tuesday but it was part of today's download and it's so doggone cute that I have to put it in.

To see more You Capture - Blue, visit Beth at I Should Be Folding Laundry and for some real fun, join in.

Birds and Thanksgiving Thoughts

2011-11-22T08:16:00.009-06:00

I woke up at 5:45 this morning and couldn't sleep anymore. Paradoxically one of the reasons for my wakefulness was thinking about all the things I need to do to be ready for the holiday weekend. Unfortunately, not getting enough sleep will put a serious damper on the energy levels I'll need to accomplish everything.

And the other reason I couldn't sleep was that I'm so excited for this weekend. It seems like forever since we've really had a houseful and Thanksgiving weekend is filled with family and tradition. It doesn't get any better than that.

That's all I've got today so I'll post a few of my favorite bird pictures to fill the emptiness below.

This first picture was captured by Amber, my granddaughter. What a shot!

Then there are my ever popular (not) red-winged blackbird photos. Truly I've never been very impressed with this bird. I thought "Ehh, blackbirds". Then I heard their beautiful song and saw their feistiness and I have a whole new appreciation for them. I wrote about them last year in this post.

I planned on putting lots of pictures of these guys in but I see I already included them in the post that I referenced up there.

So onto the heron. I do love this pic.

But the heron pictures I'm especially proud of are the following. I'd always heard that heron are very territorial but some of the things I've seen at Striebel Pond belie that belief. Here are pictures of two herons in flight. The impressive thing about these pictures is that these two almost scared the living daylights out of me when they suddenly took flight and I STILL got pictures.

So onto my day and getting ready for the weekend and looking for blue for tomorrow's You Capture. Maybe I should head to Striebel and see if there are any great blue herons around anymore. Hmmmm.

Traditions

2011-11-21T17:59:00.010-06:00

Years ago I started a little tradition. At the time I didn't realize it was going to be a tradition but it has become one.

I think the tradition was born of the fact that so many of our children live far away so each time they left we knew it might be a while before we saw them. Therefore I would take a family picture.

Over the years, this has probably been a slight source of irritation to everybody because when you're finally ready to walk out the door or get everybody loaded into the car, who wants to stop for pictures. But everyone has been very patient and cooperative about it so it has become a family tradition...and I'm glad.

A few years ago I took a picture of my granddaughter Amber and her new boyfriend when it became obvious he was going to be more than a boyfriend.

Doesn't she look happy!!! And that happy picture was just a portent of things to come because I took their picture before they left last weekend and look how they've changed!

And then years and years ago I took this picture of Beth and Brian and their sweet baby before they left.

I distinctly remember that night and that moment because it was while we were out there to take the picture, Beth told me that another sweet baby was already on the way.

And just last weekend I took a picture of Beth and Brian and their family. Just look how they've changed!

The good news is that given more time, I could produce milestone pictures of every family within our family - all because they're so patient with a mom who, even though unknowingly, has been working on a tradition!

Happy Birthday, Lori

2011-11-17T19:40:00.017-06:00

Today our first baby is 42 years old. It doesn't seem possible because it was just yesterday that we became parents for the first time. I wrote about Lori here on her birthday last year. And last night I sent her my interview questions. Here's how she answered them.

You'll be 42 tomorrow. How do you feel about that? I feel really good about it…beats the alternative.

Do you have any special plans for your birthday? Not that I’m aware of - Marcus will be home late…but maybe dinner or something on Friday.

Do you have any birthday wishes? Maybe a special wish list or something special to do to celebrate? Tomorrow, I’d like to run 7 miles again…and who knows, maybe for my birthday I can go farther. Marcus gave me an iPhone last night, so I already have my gift and I haven’t been able to put it down since I got it! So happy!

Do birthdays inspire you to set new goals or make a bucket lists of some kind? No, I’m not THAT old.

How do you like having three sister? I love and have always loved having 3 sisters. I almost feel closer to them as an adult than I did as a child. I especially look forward to Christmas for their hilarious entertainment!

You've been in a phase of child rearing for awhile now where your children are all teenagers. Does that differ much from when they were all little? How? Teenagers are a whole different game. With toddlers, we worry about veggies and naps and tantrums. With teens, we worry about driving, friends, late nights ...the list is endless. There are days where I'd give almost anything for one more day with my toddlers/babies....they were the sweetest gifts of my life.

Also, Your first one recently graduated from high school. Did that seem like a turning point for you? How has it changed your life? When Ryan graduated, well, I was ready for it, but not really. It was the most emotional day ... ever. I was so proud, and excited for him...my firstborn was entering a new stage of life and I no longer called the shots or could 'protect' him . I had a moment of clarity when he left for college where my house seemed so much bigger and for once, empty. My moment of clarity was when Marcus said "He's gone, Mama, and he's not coming back". He wasn't trying to be mean. In fact, when he said that, I realized he was 100% right. It took a few weeks but then I was learning to appreciate not having a teen 'out' at midnight or 12:30am. I realized I could 'go to bed' when I wanted to, and not wait up! Of course this 'not staying up' bliss will be short lived, as I still have a 16 year old and a 14 year old!

I know you've been unemployed for awhile for a variety of reasons. Any plans to go back to work in the near future? Yes, I’m submitting resumes and doing applications online.

Are there particular fields that interest you? I’m hoping to get back into the banking field.

What have you done this summer that you're especially happy about? This year, I’ve managed to lose 41 pounds after being heavier than ever. I run very regularly and am feeling so good. I plan to stay with this and lose another 40+ pounds.

I know you've recently lost a significant amount of weight and started exercising regularly. There's no doubt that you feel better physically but do you think it's also affected your mental state? Ha! See above! There's no doubt that a healthier physical state contributes to a much better mental state.

I know you're writing a blog now (which I love). Why did you start it and what might you hope to achieve through it? (Thank you) I started my blog to journal my ‘fitness’ and weight loss…I also hope to motivate someone, somewhere. The online community has been a huge support for me, I’d love to return the favor for someone else trying to lose weight. It’s just so hard to do, and takes so long….so if someone, somewhere sees my blog and thinks “hey, I can do this, too” -- it just doesn’t get better than that.

When you were twenty, could you have foreseen yourself where you are now? No. Ohhh, to be 20 again.

And when you're sixty, how do you envision yourself? Wow, the kids will be so old then, so I’m sure we’ll have grand-babies.

What have I failed to ask about that others might find interesting about you? I think you’ve covered everything !!

Of course there's no way I've covered everything but she's too modest to point out what a wonderful person she is, how great she is with her little nieces and nephews,

how smart and loving and helpful she is,

and how much she sometimes reminds me of my mother. She is truly an earth mother - she can do almost anything she tries to do and she's not afraid to try anything.

And how fun she is to party with.

We're very proud of you Lori and hoping that although this might be your best birthday ever, it's not half as great as the many more to come.

You Capture - Some-thing(s) Fun!

2011-11-16T23:29:00.009-06:00

Beth's You Capture assignment this week was Something Fun. What a 'fun' idea! One might think this first shot is just a picture of a cute little boy because it is.

But what's fun is that same cute little boy when he realizes I'm taking a picture and assumes his squint smile.

And this, of course, is a picture of two proud mothers with their little baby daughters.

But what's fun is when these moms turn their babies around to face the camera.

And tons and tons of leaves in the backyard aren't much fun. Unless, of course, you throw in (literally) some leaf loving boys.

For more things fun, visit Beth at Ishouldbefoldinglaundry!

A Few Of My Favorite Things

2011-11-15T15:30:00.005-06:00

Well not really things. I should say a few of my favorite shots. I found them in a file the other day. Obviously I had set them aside for a future post or two or probably a lot more - there are a lot of pictures in there. Anyway, I don't want to waste them so here are a few.

First whites:

Then texture:

Birds:

And finally, the one I should have posted on Veteran's Day - the flag at Striebel Pond.

Happy Birthday, Ryan

2011-11-10T11:51:00.022-06:00

I first wrote about Ryan a year ago today in this birthday post.

And last night I interviewed Ryan over the telephone. It's always fun to talk to him and made me realize I don't do it nearly enough. Here's how the interview went.

You're going to be 19 tomorrow. Are you excited about that? Ehhhhh, you know, it's not really much of an age - not like maybe 18 or 21.

Do you have any special plans for your birthday? Ummmmm, no. I went to a concert last night in Des Moines with a couple of friends from here. That was kind of a birthday present to myself. I saw Big Sean. It was pretty fun and worth the drive. And then tomorrow some of my old friends from high school are coming to see me in Omaha.

You're #2 among our twenty grandchildren. How do you like being part of such a large family? Oh yeah, I love it! I'd much rather be part of a large family than a small family.

I know that you like and get along well with everybody in our big family but do you have any cousins or other family members that you feel especially close to? Ummm, I definitely feel a special bond with Uncle Dan and Uncle Dave. I look up to them the most because of the unbelieveable amount of respect I have for them.

But I probably feel closest to Amber because we're the oldest and we've been around each a lot ever since we were little.

Oh yes and Aunt Amy - she's always picking on me (well, we pick on each other).

Your life recently changed dramatically when you went off to college. First of all how do you like living away from home?

I like the part about being responsible for myself but I miss Mom and Marcus and everybody. I'm glad I'm close enough to go home and visit fairly often

How do you like living in a dorm and how many roommates do you have? Well I have my own room and my own bathroom but me and three other guys share a living room and kitchen. It's very contemporary - coed but not roommate coed.

What are your favorite subjects? Political Science and Sports Officiating

And your least favorite? Algebra. Ugh!

You've played a lot of baseball in the last few years. What were your favorite moments? Definitely my last two games. They were the hardest I've ever played and the hardest to handle emotionally.

Why? They were everything baseball should be - failure and success. We were favored to win and we were in the driver's seat but we just fell short. Just getting to that point, though, was awesome.

Any chance you'll try out for college baseball next year? I might but I'd have to think about what it would mean time wise. If I did make the team, I would never not do it!

Are you currently single or with someone right now? Single

Really? It seems like I see pictures of you with girls all the time. Well, you know, I try to be friendly like that.

Are you involved in any extracurricular activities? No, I thought I'd wait a semester to see how things went and then I could look around at what's out there too.

Is college social life very different from high school social life? Oh yeah, it's way different because you're not around the same people all the time. There's just so many people. It's like you're walking around strangers all the time but they're your classmates.

And do you find it challenging to keep up with your studies AND your social life at the same time? Not at all. Because I only have to go to school every day from 11:30 to 2:15 then I can study before or after and I have pretty much the whole afternoon for myself.

Are you disciplined about getting to bed on time ? Oh yeah I get plenty of sleep.

Finally, what can you tell us about yourself that I've failed to ask about? Ummmm, I'd say you know me just as well as anybody else. I'm pretty much just ready to keep moving forward in my life. For recreation I play Madden 12, go to the weight room, and play basketball. But most of the time during the week everybody is studying. I have a lot of neighbors and if the door is open people just come in - we're all neighbors, friends.

Well, there are a couple of things we didn't cover about Ryan. For one, he's a hard worker - just like his uncles. And this picture of him after work this summer sure reminds me of his uncles' pictures after they came home from their summer jobs.

And he really does love being part of the hustle and bustle of such a big family. He always finds time for the little ones.

As well as his best video game buddy, Grant.

He's a wonderful grandson - courteous, kind, respectful, loving, responsible, and a lot of fun. So Ryan, here's wishing you the best birthday so far and that they just keep getting better and better!

You Capture - Fall

2011-11-10T06:52:00.008-06:00

Beth's You Capture assignment this week is Fall and I was pretty excited about that since I know what glorious pictures can be shot in the Fall. And I'm still looking forward to seeing what other people got from different areas of the country but it seemed like our Fall color show disappeared rather quickly - and just before I got my pictures.

We took a little trip last Sunday and I took these:

Then I turned to our backyard where the dogwood tree had completely changed color.

And the new colors of hydrangea changed it into a completely different looking flower:

As I mow-raked I noticed that the few leaves left on the redbud looked kind of suspended in the air.

And I really liked the background colors for this one:

And finally the purple leafed sand cherry that provided that background color.

For more You Capture - Fall, visit Beth at I Should Be Folding Laundry.

Visiting and Taking Pictures

2011-11-07T17:38:00.011-06:00

Since our granddaughter had her third child and first daughter on October 28th, I've been able to visit her three times. That's a real record because it's a three hour and fifteen minute drive.

Of course, it will come as no surprise that I've taken lots of pictures during these visits and Amber has taken some herself that she's shared with me. Here's a sampling of our joint effort.

Aubrey's first bath and how much she didn't like it.

How she held on for dear life. Look how white her little fingers are.

What she really thought about the whole ordeal.

And how happy she was when it was over.

Then how much she'd changed just a few days later.

Big brother, Jack.

And second brother, Dane. Here's he checking out his great grandpa.

I got some shots of Dad with his two sons.

And Mom with her new daughter.

The kids.

And of course the all-important first family pictures.

And finally my favorite. The shot I got just before the photo shoot fell apart.

Thanks Amber and Chris. I love visiting you and your family and capturing all the pictures - the unplanned as well as the planned!

You Capture - Harvest

2011-11-03T16:11:00.004-05:00

Things kept me from capturing this week. One of the best of those things was a new great grandbaby so it's okay. I went out this morning to see if I could capture some Harvest type photos and here's what I came up with.
And finally some ready-to-harvest soybeans. It occurred to me that a lot of people may have never seen a field of soybeans.

So that's it. Next week I vow not to wait for the last and, of course, dreariest day of the week to capture. Besides that, I noticed those Fall colors are fading fast.

For a nice variety of both Halloween and Harvest pictures, visit Beth at I Should Be folding Laundry.

Aubrey Lynn

2011-10-29T15:32:00.012-05:00

Yesterday was a big day in my life. If you've ever been born, you know what I'm talking about. My mom and dad came to the hospital before 4 a.m. because something had happened that made my room in mom's belly a lot more crowded. It also caused a lot of my nice warm, comfy swimming pool to start draining.

It was okay though. Everybody was in a good mood. My grandma and my great grandma came too and they seemed almost as excited as Mom and Dad!

Look how cute my mom and dad are.

And my mom was a good sport about posing for the pictures where she'd hold up her fingers to show how big my doorway to the outside world was getting.

Anyway she seemed to be having fun until we got to about 5 cm. Then she got out of the mood to play.

In fact, she even told my grandma and my great grandma to quit looking at her. Of course they thought this was hilarious and remarkable because they recognized the signs that told of my very imminent arrival.

I'm not exactly sure what it means, but I heard my great grandma say that mom went from 4 cm to delivery in 31 minutes. Wow! What an exciting time that was for everybody! And it resulted in something very startling. At 7:44 p.m., I popped out of my very cozy room into a great big room and the first thing I got to see was my mom's face. That was awesome! But, it's hard to figure out those tears because I heard it was one of the happiest moments of her life.

Then she held me close and that was exactly where I wanted to be.

I only got to stay a couple of minutes though before someone whisked me away and a whole bunch of things started happening. Right away they put something in my eyes and started measuring, foot printing, and weighing me.

You can see that I weighed 6 lbs 13 oz but I should also tell you that I was 19 1/2 inches tall!

Then I got my first diaper.

And my first hat. I think it looks good on me, don't you?

Someone held me up for some quick pictures.

Then wrapped me up tight in my first blanket.

Finally I got to go back to Mom where I really checked her out.

And then I got a chance to look Dad over too.

I even got to inspect my grandma.

Then it was back to my mom's waiting arms and some conversation with both Mom and Dad.

Then they took another picture - this one with a prom queen in it. She's on the right and would you believe she's the one that caught me when I came into the world? My mom thinks she's the best doctor EVER!

Just about the time I was starting to figure things out and feel pretty comfortable in my new digs, they put me in a bed with wheels and I went motoring down the hall to another room for something called a bath.

My dad and my great grandma had to stay outside the door to watch me but they spent the time trying to get good pictures through the wire-meshed windows. Actually I think they did a pretty good job.

But it was hard to believe they could be so complacent while this woman I didn't know started man-handling me!

I tried to be calm about it until she started running my head under water! What the heck!

Afterwards, I tried to chill out.

But I guess I did too good of a job chillin' because then I had to go under the warmer. It was a little disturbing but I have to admit it felt pretty good.

Man, feeling all warm and clean sure can make a girl drowsy. I could hardly muster the energy to take a peek at who was snapping all the pictures.

It was okay though because I was just minutes from getting back to my mom and dad.
Here I am all packed up and ready to head for room 312 and my first night as part of a family that would shape my future and love me forever..

By the way, don't you love my name. It fits so well because my grandma's name is Amy Lynn, my mom is Amber Lynn, and I'm Aubrey Lynn.

You Capture - Cute

2011-10-27T08:43:00.007-05:00

Beth's You Capture subject this week is Cute and that took me in one direction - to Beth's house because her kids are SO cute!

Starting with tiny baby Clara.

And then bigger baby, Eli. I asked for his paci and look how cute he was about handing it over.

And then see how cute he is afterwards.

And what could possibly be cuter than him and Beth interacting.

And finally there's just Eli being Eli. I'm telling you. This kid is CUTE!

That's it. These pictures aren't technically the greatest but to me...they're the cutest!

For more interpretations of cute and probably technically great Cute pics, visit Beth at I Should Be Folding Laundry.

Lori

2011-10-26T17:16:00.012-05:00

One week ago I did a post called Brothers and Sisters and it was all about that sibling bond that starts early and never stops. Now I feel compelled to write about family again and the importance of siblings and even about that sibling bond. But it doesn't stop there. Now I'm going to go into what a blessing that bond is and how extraordinary the relationship is when you have siblings like Lori.

I went on and on about my skin cancer journey and that I had surgery on October 14th. That surgery meant no bending, stooping, or lifting for 5 to 10 days. That wouldn't be significant except it coincided with Beth's no lifting restrictions that began when she delivered Clara by Caesarean Section on October 1st. That wouldn't be that significant either because Brian had paternity leave from work. Unfortunately though he didn't have paternity leave from his very important and expensive MBA classes in Chicago that take up two late afternoons and evenings every week. That's where I'd come in and help out - except all of a sudden I couldn't.

Lori and Teresa visited from Nebraska and Colorado respectively (and together) a week after Clara was born. At that time Lori and Beth worked out a plan. Beth would buy the ticket and Lori would get on a train and be Beth's nanny/buddy/helper for a week.

Who does that? Who leaves their family and all their responsibilities not to mention their new blog that's just getting rolling to help out somebody who needs them. Only a sister.

While she was here, she did it all including checking out her oldest niece's baby bump.

And checking out and holding her youngest niece (and the reason for the visit).

But she didn't stop there.

She cooked and cleaned.

And sewed some patches.

And took a lot of pictures for me.

Because that's who she is. She's the one that picks up my camera constantly and catches the shots that I might have missed. And she's the one who takes the pictures but isn't in a lot of them.

She's more than that too. She's the loving big sister of all her siblings. She's innovative and wise and loving and oh so much fun!

We went to the casino one night - Mr. Right, Lori, Amy (her counterpart), and me and, I have to say it's been a long time since I've laughed so hard. Lori has a sense of humor that just won't quit. She's one of the wittiest people I've ever known.

Monday I volunteered to drive her to Union Station in Chicago so she could catch her train. I didn't want to see her leave but I wanted a little bit more time with her and it was wonderful.

But all too soon she was picking up her bags and walking away. I missed her right away and although we texted during her 10 hour trip home, it wasn't the same.

I just hope she realizes how much we appreciate what a giving, loving, wonderful person she is.

And I hope she comes back soon.

She may be the oldest but she's one of 0ur babies and we love her so much and we're incredibly proud of her!

You Capture - Family and a Little Bit of Fall

2011-10-20T08:42:00.010-05:00

This week's You Capture had a variety of subjects. I chose two of them to feature with a heavy emphasis on family. After all, what's more 'family' that a brand new member and what could possibly take precedence over her.

She was born October 1st.

And we photographed all the newborn processes.

After she was home, we watched and photographed some of those amazing mother/baby moments.

And of course sibling/baby moments.

Last night I visited after having been away for a few days. Clara is growing up already.

She almost smiled here.

Anna and Noah are back to their fun-loving selves.

And adorable Eli was involved in an intense game of Wii. I wonder what he'd think if he knew his controller didn't work.

Before I headed to Beth's I opened my back door to gale force winds, set up my tripod and photographed our koi pond.

Obviously it was pouring but you can still see the colors and images of some of the koi. You can also see some of the colors and images of all the leaves that are blowing into the koi pond. I sure hope we have a good weekend ahead because the pond will need a major clean-up.

And I sure hope Beth gives us another shot at 'Fall' because the weather the last few days has been horrendous.

For more You Capture and fewer excuses, visit Beth's I Should Be Folding Laundry.

Brothers and Sisters

2011-10-19T12:26:00.009-05:00

In my family there were two girls and two boys. Therefore both my brothers had a brother and my sister and I each had a sister.

In Harry's family there were two girls and a boy. Each of the girls had a sister but Harry never had a brother.

When we dated and when we were first married we talked about this and in our naivety we decided that we would keep having babies until each boy had a brother and each girl had a sister. I guess this helps explain our large family. But not completely.

Because God heard us and and right away blessed us with two girls about 19 months apart and then twin boys. When our oldest was 3 1/2, we had four children and loved every minute of it.

But, deep down I knew there would be more. After all, there were some girls' names that I loved that we hadn't used yet so God blessed us with Beth and Sarah.

I loved having a sister and I loved that each of our children had a counterpart - somebody to be best friends with through thick and thin. If they had a fight, neither one could go home - they had to figure it out.

So I've always been a big proponent of large families and nothing sweetens that pot like an even mix of boys and girls.

Therefore when Clara was born she seemed to round out the family perfectly and nobody felt it more clearly and obviously than Anna.

Because already the bros were starting to act like bros. They sure start young.

And that bond goes on and on.