Questions

So, a few questions today with a couple of side notes.

First: what color are her eyes??? They were always very blue like her daddy but now they seem to be changing. She claims they are green and to be honest, they do look a little more like mine in this picture.

Sidenote: This was her "West Virginia" look - one scraggly loose tooth right in the middle of her mouth. Lovely. She refused to pull it even with the bribe of getting her ears pierced. Finally I had to hold her down while her daddy grabbed it and it popped right out. Crazy girl. This is her afterwards...so much lovelier! Hee hee!:

Second: What is this thing??!!: We found it on the back porch dried up and dead. The picture did not come out too clearly but it is about as long as my finger. It really looked like a fish as far as the scales and such but there were no fins or anything and really, where would a fish come from to get on our back porch? It didn't really seem to be a baby snake based on the weird body shape and lack of snake like head. We still don't know...anyone??

Third: Why was it snowing in April and when will it be warm again? I couldn't bring myself to take pictures and admit it was pretty. But Monday had LOTS of snow...big pretty flakes which turned into ice pellets by afternoon. None of it stuck, thank goodness. Still...it was April 6th!! However, as my mom likes to tell me, the year we lived in Chicago there was a blizzard on April 5th (her birthday). I guess some unsticky snow is better than a blizzard. I need warm weather because my kids are outgrowing their pants and I don't want to buy more now!!

Okay, so anyone with answers, let me know!!

Mountain camping!

We had a great time camping in the Smoky Mountains last week for Spring Break. I was a little apprehensive as there was so much prep work, we have fairly young kids and let's face it...I am not that "outdoorsy." However, we had fantastic time!! We met my college roommate and her family there. We had campsites next to each other. We had a cabin and they have their own camper trailer. There were four adults and five kids ages 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. Right behind the campsites was a rocky stream the kids loved playing in. There was no shortage of playmates and virtually no fighting amongst them. The cabin was small but clean and nice. The whole campground was nice, very natural with trees and streams and the bathrooms were very clean.

We went hiking, saw tons of awesome streams and rocks and even hiked all the way to a waterfall (1.3 miles one way). We were there a bit early in the season so not much was leafed out yet but it was still beautiful. We rode an aerial tram to the top of a mountain and then Double A ice skated for the first time ever and we went snow tubing (manufactured snow). We went to Dolly Parton's dinner show the Dixie Stampede. The kids loved it as it had horse riding and tricks and such.

We spent alot of time hanging out around the campfire grilling, eating smores and just having fun. The kids enjoyed the relatively free rein they had to run around the campground together. It was a very relaxing vacation. The kids stayed up late every night and had action packed days. The weather was lovely...a bit chilly at times but pretty clear and dry and warmed up nicely most days.

We all agreed it was a great time and are trying to come up with ideas for next year! It was even very affordable as family vacations go! All around AWESOME - GREAT friends and GREAT times.

roasting the perfect "mellow" even though there are so many different ideas on what constitutes "perfect" :)

crossing a stream/river on a fallen log because the footpath bridge was out

Double A's first time on skates and Husband #1's second time. He readily admits he is not the best skating teacher she could have! :)

Hiking the trail to the waterfall that you could walk behind!

All the kids at the Yogi Bear statue in the Jellystone campground where we stayed.

Our "rustic" cabin. It had four bunks, a toilet and sink (no shower), a kitchen sink, dorm fridge, coffee pot, and toaster

all the kids taking a break on a log on the hiking trail

Foreshadowing

Who knew when Double A got this pacifier as a 4 month old at Christmas that it would be a sign of things to come?

Double A has been rapidly losing teeth, as most 6 and a half year olds will do. However, our child refuses to wiggle her loose teeth. Her two front teeth have been loose since November. That would be at least 4 months, for those who are counting. The teeth get so loose that they shift positions and pretty much stick straight out. The teeth coming in are at least halfway grown in already. Double A now goes by several new nicknames such as Snaggletooth and Bucky Beaver. These pictures do not really show the detail of how the teeth poke out but it is very annoying. I feel like we should live in the Appalachians or something when I look at her teeth.

I finally called her dentist to see if they would pull them...or really just flick them out, they were so loose. They said it would be $100 per tooth and they really did not like to do that when there were no problems and the kid could get them out on their own. Well, once Husband #1 heard this he decided that was the night it was coming out! I got the lovely job of holding down a kicking and crying Double A while he wrapped dental floss around the tooth. All of a sudden she got very still and the tooth was out - FINALLY!! She claims it hurt but I think she was just surprised. It did bleed a fair amount but stopped quickly. I told him later he should have wrapped it around both teeth since she will likely never let us do that again.

So now we are down to one crazy snaggletooth. She says the next top front tooth is loose but I told her at the rate she goes she will be well over 7 years old before it falls out.

So, for those who are counting...this is her 5th lost tooth in a year's time span. The next one is hanging by a thread...

The Forever Stamp

So, I saw this on someone else's blog but thought I would mention it here...because, who knew??

This is the Forever Stamp:

The current price of postage is .42 cents. I mention this because who can keep up??? Anyway, this Forever stamp sells for .41 cents per stamp. These stamps will FOREVER be valid postage despite any future postage rate increases...such as the one coming on May 11 to .44 cents per stamp.

I say this is a good deal and where have I been?? Right now it is a small discount of one cent per stamp but coming in May (if I stock up now) it will be three cents off! I am purchasing several sheets everytime I go to the post office and figure they can last FOREVER!! :)

Consider this my helpful hint for the recession riddled economy.

Different Personalities

It amazes me how two kids born to and raised by the same two parents can be so completely different. For example...Bumblebee spontaneously tells me he loves me throughout the day and gives hugs and kisses. I can tell Double A "I love you. Do you love me?" and she just stares back at me blankly. Nice.

Well, I think these two pictures also show the differences in the two kids. These are their beds taken just after they have gotten out of them in the morning, the same morning.

Happy 60th Birthday!!

Today is my dad's 60th birthday. He is on his way to Florida to spend some time with his birthday present to himself...his new boat. :) It is hard for me to believe my dad is actually 60 years old. He doesn't seem 60 to me. He doesn't act 60. I know that 60 is not considered "old" anymore but it sure sounds older than 50. The good news is that to me he seems closer to the 50 mark.

I wanted to do something big and exciting for his birthday like a party with friends or something but was pretty much shot down by the others who would have been involved in the planning. They also said he would not like that or care about having a party or anything It just seems like this is an occasion to be commemorated.

My birthday wish for my dad today is this: that he take more time to enjoy his life. He has worked exceptionally hard all his life to get where he is now. I think he deserves a break. He has a plan to get to retirement (my dad has nothing if not plans...one of his favorite catch phrases when I was growing up was "Plan your work and work your plan.") but still works hard and gets too stressed out too often. Don't get me wrong...he travels for pleasure a great deal but he still "works" on these trips. I wish he let out more of his fun side more often and worried less. I cannot tell you the last time I have seen him do a napkin magic trick or hang a spoon from his nose :) I wish he had more time to spend with his grandchildren; I want them to be able to have lifelong memories of doing fun things with him.

I am also discouraged by the lack of time he takes to take care of himself. I don't want him to be old and decrepit. He has worked long and hard and I want him to be able to enjoy the "golden years" without a gazillion medical ailments. Plus, I don't want to have to take care of him! Ha ha!

I am proud of my dad and how he has gotten to where he is now. I am grateful for the way he and my mom raised me to turn out the way I have. I am touched by the way he cares for those who work for him, even though he does not always say it out loud, but shows it in little ways.

I know he has always been there for me from showing me how to ride my bike while throwing snails at me. Or instructing me on how to best clean and organize my closet all day on a Saturday (he needs to come teach my daughter that!). Or showing me how to find the best "deal" at the K-mart tent sale. Or dealing with some of my crazier adventures in high school. Or even now with something as simple as taking my family on a vacation we would not otherwise have been able to go on. My dad does not often express his love verbally. But he does show it in his never failing support of me, despite the crazy situation I am in or if I got there making decisions he did not necessarily approve of. I am thankful I have had him as my dad.

I hope this birthday is fabulously wonderful and that there are 40 more to come. I love you, Dad.

Jack and Kay

This is the wedding picture (I think) of my maternal grandparents, Jack and Kay. Kay was actually born Catherine/Kathryn/Cathern. We are not sure how it was actually spelt. My niece is named after her. My grandpa always called her Katie. My grandpa was Jack but not until late in his life did he find his birth certificate and find out his birth name was John. Oddly, he named his first born son John! I am struck by how beautiful my grandma looks here. Of course, I never knew her like this. I am also moved by how much my mom looks like her. My grandpa was so handsome. By the time I came along he had eyebrows that could allow him to take flight and these horrible military issue glasses he wore because they were free or super cheap. Interestingly, I think my brother looks very much like my grandpa. If you take his features separately they are more like my dad's side but the whole package looks like Grandpa Jack.

My Grandpa Jack served in the Navy all his life. In fact, he lied about his age to enlist at age 17. He was retired in the late 60's/early 70's. They moved to Oregon and built their own house by themselves. They lived there the remainder of their years. As long as I can remember my Uncle John and Aunt Linda lived on the 20 acres also. This proved to be quite fortuitous as my grandparents aged and became sick; John and Linda were invaluable in caring for them. My grandpa died about 8 years ago. All my life they lived on this rural property and had a small amount of cows and chickens and such. They loved to travel in their RV. They would come and visit us for weeks and months at a time. Grandpa was always sort of gruff and rough on the outside but deep down he was a sweetie. He would walk a mile to get the newspaper every morning and it was always great fun to be up in time to go with him.

My Grandma Kay seemed quiet and sweet and caring on the outside but was also very strong and tough on the inside. She raised four kids with a military husband gone quite often. Plus, she put up with my seemingly often grumpy grandpa! :) She made the most wonderful blueberry syrup for pancakes when we were there from the blueberries out of her yard. She would let us go get the eggs out of the hen house. We played cards alot and she taught me how to play cribbage (not that I remember now). My grandpa died before her, right before their 60th wedding anniversary. She gradually declined in health. My mom, Double A and I were flying to visit her in late September 2004 (I was pregnant with BumbleB). As we got off the plane, my aunt and uncle met us and told us in the airport grandma had passed away that day while we were on the plane. It was quite the shock as she had been ill but nothing more than usual. It was just a regularly scheduled visit, not one due to illness or anything.

My cousin and his wife and family live in their house now. They have redone some of the necessary things in the house. I have not seen it yet but hear it is nice. I am glad someone is living there so the house does not deteriorate. My aunt and uncle still live in their house on the property. I miss my grandparents. I have wonderful memories of playing with my cousins when we visited. Spending time together as a family and just hanging out around the property or doing other activities in the area. So many memories: the farming game, bumper billiards, being chased by cows for apples, picking blueberries, go cart racing, crazy shaggy rugs in the twin bed room, the awesome spinning chair with that horrible squeak in the kitchen, sleeping in the various RV's or the basement and on and on and on.

I want to go visit with Husband #1 and my kids but just have not seemed to find the time. I want to see my family who are still there but maybe in a way, I am hesitant because it will be so different with both of them gone.

(If you are one of my family members and I have some facts wrong, please let me know. Or if you have a great memory to add, please comment!)