pushing up daisies

My father died 10 years ago.  Before he died, he wanted his body donated how ever it could.  His arms, legs and eyes were able to be donated to whomever needed them. I met a man today whose wife was having surgery tomorrow to correct her cataracts.  Even though it was 10 years ago, somehow, I was able to connect part of Dad to the present.  Dad was and is like that.  He finds himself in my life here and there.  Through my children, through little "isms" of my husband, through memories and dreams I live.  I heard a quote, "God is in the dirt."  When I thought about Dad, he was always working in the fields or with the animals, or somehow with his hands.   He had pride in what he did, even though he was only a farmer.  Lived, breathed a farmer, and died a farmer.  When you live and love your life... you find you live forever through someone else's eyes.

snow and superheros

Why is it such a age difference between 4 years old to 5 years old?  

He grew up overnight.

  

 

You can always apologize later.....

I love this!!!

if .....then what?

Last thought before I fell asleep....


What if the Packers played the Dodgers in a double header of Baseball then Football?  


- I don't think the basemen, especially the catcher would be able to play in the football game.
- I think the Dodgers would win.
- The pitcher would play the quarterback and vise versa.
- It would be played in April.
- It would be played in LA.
- No coaches and no refs.
- Softball rules.
- Tickets would cost $1.

Ups and Downs

I've been skating for most of my life, but I'm still a clutz. Somehow, I think I do ok. Maybe I would really know if someone would summon the balls to tell me I look like a drunken ibis. When my family and I went skating, the kids were playing tag with me. Of course my youngest can only stand and watch us since he pouts throughout the winter season due to the several layers of clothes he is forced to wear.
So every once in a while I would grab him on the fly under his arms and have him barely touch the ice like he would be running on water. Unfortunately, I lost my footing and we both went face first into the ice. My hands caught the ice as I heard some part of my son's face hit the ice. In my head, I'm thinking, "not the nose, not the teeth, not the nose, not the teeth." When I looked at him, I'm not seeing any blood. Then I see the streak on his jacket and I look at his chin. A 2 inch long bright red gash had opened and was dripping, no gushing all over his jacket.

I was about to run him all the way home on my ice skates and drive him to the ER when my husband laughed and told me after my son would stop crying, he would thank me for the start of his scars he would accumulate over the length of his life.

Then he took the tissue away from my son's chin and it was only a 1/2 inch little red V and it had stopped bleeding, thanks to the 20 degree with a wind chill of 5. After 5 minutes of gauze and rainbow band-aids, my son had a little colourful chin guard and bragging rights.

Being part Canadian, I am partial to ANYTHING Canadian.  Saying that, I thought the opening ceremonies were the best ever!!!  I tried to find a video of it, but all I found was more hype on the different achievements of David, the producer than on the actual performance.

anyways, the following 16 days are my "mardi gras" so to speak.. Enjoy!!!!  It is history!

No matter what.... it's still American!

 I love the Muppets....

cravings

The package of frozen blueberries were burning a hole in my freezer... so to speak.  So I dumped them in a glass dish and put my mother-in-law's recipe for Almond Lace cookies on top... only made it more diet-like.
1c oatmeal
1/4c. flour
1t. baking soda
1/2c slice almonds
 1/2 - 1 c. honey (depending on sweetness)
1/2t cardamom
1 egg white
1/4c melted butter
1 pkg of frozen blueberries

 

My 1 year old son ate a 1/4 of it 15 minutes after it was finished... and then I tried it.  It came out better than expected... a little less sweet but tasting very fresh.

And then I made Rosemary Italian bread.... That was a mistake.. I don't mind doing 50 more sit-ups and 30 extra minutes on the elliptical.  

Like a dummy, I feel guilty for going out and leaving the kids with anyone else besides me.   Controlling, maybe.  Thinking my kids are a little too much for someone else, maybe.  I know my place, I know my responsibilities and I know the kids are mine.  My husband secretly agrees with this.  He denies it wholeheartedly, but I know what he's thinking.  I know what everyone thinks.  I can read minds.... and this is why I need to get away!!!!!

So...One night, I'm laying awake thinking about the next "date" (a work banquet) my husband and I are going on.  I am wracking my brain wondering why I think this way.  I finally fall asleep.

hurry up and wait

I ordered my seeds from Jung's catalog while it was snowing. It's tradition. The picture in my head is always larger than life. I'll have to figure out how to keep my dog from peeing on my plants outside of the white fence so I don't get the runs again. I've decided to make a pole bean arbor on either side of the sidewalk that runs from the house to the garage. We might not be able to eat one side of the beans as they will be "outside the white fence". I'm also thinking planting in my landscaped area in the front of the house with cabbages, lettuce and some tomatoes. However, since that is the runway to the squirrel tree, it's not going to be a good idea. I may have to rent some lawn space from my neighbor. Or I'll just pay the kids to run interference for a $1.

give a man a fish....teach a man to fish..

So.... A man saw a beggar and decided to give him one of the fish out of his creel as he had enough to feed his own family for that day. The beggar was happy and thanked him again and again. The next day, the man saw the same beggar in the same place waiting for him and for another fish. So the man took the beggar down to the river and showed him the fine arts of fishing. After catching enough fish for the man and his family and for the beggar, the man took the beggar home and showed him how to cook the fish. The beggar looked as if he had tasted heaven's food itself. The beggar thanked the man and his family profusely and left. The man didn't see him for a long time. One day, the man and his wife went to a Five Star restaurant and had a wonderful meal. The man wanted to compliment the chef and was told the chef was already on his way out to meet him. The chef sat down and asked how was the fishing these days. The man was confused. He then looked closer and saw it was the beggar. The beggar went into how that meal at the man's home inspired him to show other's the wonderous display of taste buds to something made well and eaten. The beggar/chef went into how he went to school on government grants, graduated culinary school, started working for a uncle's friend at a local diner until he had enough altered recipes to break out on his own. He then fell into better luck as to his grandmother died and in her elation of her grandson "getting back on his feet" left him all her money. He took that money and bought this restaurant and now pays others to work for him and he sits back and watches the dough rake in. The man and his wife were happy for him and wished him well. When the bill came it showed the full amount. The man and his wife were taken aback but paid it anyway and left. The next month the man read in the newspaper that restaurant was closed and the chef was sentenced for filing false income tax returns. The chef was sentenced to 12 months and a day in prison. The chef also admitted that he underpaid employment taxes by $250,000. The man folded the newspaper and asked his son to finish all his chores so that he would earn his full allowance.

chapter one towards my mini grape arbor

I finally have twigs from a real-honest-to-goodness grape farmer/winery. Because of my selective hearing, I can't tell you the name. 4 twigs from my Mom on my baptism birthday. I think she's the only one who celebrates baptisms anymore... I think it's pretty cool.... and that I got grapes... you know the thing about "I am the vine, you are the branches..." a very humbling verse, but also very staggering in the fact you are very much connected to the King. Anyways... so as I'm planting the branch twigs, I found I only have two of them. I found them in the bushes by the deck two days later. They are in the ICU and hopefully if I nick them, they will be green and I will plant them. I still need to find an umbrella of sorts while they "get their legs" for about 2 weeks. They look like baby cows which were just dropped, very unstable and fragile. I've been crossing my fingers hoping for some growth or a show of green or buds or something. I'm a very impatient gardener, checking on my plants everyday... it also forces me to pounce on the weeds sucking up what my plants need. Now that I think of it... am I the same way with my kids? Jumping on every bully that comes their way? Yikes!!

Finally, sweet and BIG!!!

After 3 years of growing strawberries and watching them creep their way into neighboring plants, I have moved half of them under my pine trees. They are much happier. Even though they are not in a sunny place for half the day, the leaves are bigger. The fruits are slower producing so we will see which are sweeter. So far, I have picked a quart from my central garden and have won smiles from the kids.

Focus!!

I have forgotten events in my life and as the kids grow and form their own memories, I remember some of mine. Although I don't remember Track and Field Day as a kindergartener, I remember it as a welcome end to the school year. Kya asked when her last day would be. After she found out it was still 2 weeks away, she focused her sights on a vacation she and I would be taking in a month. I thought that to be very smart of her to do that. Focusing on a much needed vacation for herself after a long year of school. I am proud of my daughter. She is growing up but not too fast for me. It's just right. Am I slowing down to smell the flowers, finally?

time out

It's been so crazy... I hardly get time to sit down.. but at the end of the day, it has never felt so good to lay down in bed and know what you have accomplished during the day..... even if it's taking a nap.

Take my life....

My husband asks me what I want for Christmas, my birthday, what to do today, tomorrow. I ask myself what I want to do with my life. The thing is, I'm a simple person. I don't need expensive things. I was raised simply and it suits me still. However, now as a mother I sacrifice many things. My time, emotions, quiet time, hobbies - all for my family. I don't know what I want. But maybe, that's the point. Like a child learning what foods are good or what to see, where to go is all up to their parents who have the experience. There are endless possibilities and not enough time to do it. If it was up to the child, they would find the first thing they thought was great and stay with it. Take for example foods. If my children had the run of the menu, it would be McDonald's chicken nuggets and french fries and candy corn or sugar sticks and M&Ms with copious amounts of juice and soda. The outcome would be lethargy and death at a very early age. Older adults are like children. They like the good stuff and it's usually bad, which are called vices. I've been trying to learn what I want and have finally found it's not up to me what I want. It's what I need. And who better to know than my Creator. I need to think less and listen and read what He wants me to be and do more. "Now to HIM who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to HIS power that is at work within us, to HIM be glory in the church and in CHRIST JESUS - throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen" Eph. 3:20-21

yep, yep

I'm going to be turning 35 soon. Eeesh. I have just recently been using eye cream for those wonderful aging atributes. It has helped... I don't look so tired anymore and my eyes aren't so wrinkly. Or maybe it's that Cooper has gone to one feeding per night. The point is, I think at times, with horror, would insurance cover a tummy tuck and lipo? My husband constanly tells me I am the most beautiful thing in the world. Which I reply that he is biased. I see that this hurts him, that his opinion doesn't count. His opinion counts very much. He married me. And as much as I can deny it... he did marry me, somewhat, on my looks. I have other points on which he married me for, but face it. Men are visual animals. I look and act like I should to be with who I am with now. I have children because of who I married. I am beautiful to the ones who love me most and I am fine with that.

Nip/Tuck????

There was an artist who drew beautiful real-life portraits. People he thought of, dreamed of, created. They were all different showing various personalities. He labeled them with human names. He was very fond of all his portraits, thinking them as people he may have seen on the street that day. One night, the portraits came to life. They all exclaimed how wonderful it was to live, to talk, to breathe, to think. The next several nights they sat around discussing the joys in life and decided to leave a note for the artist telling him how wonderful his job was and how well he did it. The next morning, the artist saw the note and was pleased the portraits loved who they were. He continued making different people of different shapes and sizes. He continued naming them as their personality arose with every stroke of his brush. While he slept, he dreamed of the next portrait he would draw and name. Then that morning he would painstakingly paint the face getting every aspect of his dream right. It would always take a day but every portrait was finished with the utmost care, love and perfection. The artist loved his work and the portraits he created. One morning he saw a note. It said,

"Thank you for creating me.

However, could you redo my mouth?

I think it is a little too small. And since your

palette would be wet, would you mind

touching up my eyes, I would like them to

look like Sharline's.

Yours Truly,

Veronica

The artist was angry and very disappointed. Something he had created, he had dreamed about, he had thought had the perfect features for the perfect personality was telling him she wasn't good enough. He didn't do a good enough work. His dream, his creation, his complete work was flawed. He was crushed. If Veronica thought that, did Mark and the others think that too?

The artist was so angry, he took all the portraits who left notes of thanks to another studio. He went back to the old studio and burned it down.

perspectives

i saw this tree and wondered what i'd get out of it... three of many pictures taken at various positions.