Bittersweet Pumpkins

Perhaps I should explain. . . .

Today we carried out a tradition that has been going on for over 1o years. My parents started the tradition of taking all the grandchildren to the pumpkin patch before my boys were born. It has been an event that has been looked forward to with great anticipation every year by the children. Even the adults have fun.

Two years ago when Dad passed away, the last family get-together we had was the visit to the pumpkin patch, just 3 days before he died.

So, last year was a bit of a struggle, but we went. His absence was painfully noted by all. So, this year, we thought maybe we'd try a different pumpkin patch, to try to switch things up a bit. The kids all had a great time, but, once again, we found ourselves feeling that huge void. And, as if that weren't bad enough, we spent a good part of the day trying to coordinate the details of how to attend my aunt's funeral this Tuesday in Port Townsend, Washington. Like I said, bittersweet.

This week has been a hard week. Tuesday I found out that one of my uncles has just been diagnosed with cancer. Wednesday I found out that a very close uncle has cancer that has returned. Thursday was the 2 yr. anniversary of Dad's passing. Friday morning, my aunt passed away. Today, the pumpkin patch.

I think tomorrow I am going to burrow deep under my blankets and stay there!!

Goodbye Aunt Jo

This morning (October 20th) I received one of those phone calls.

My dear Aunt Georgia passed away this morning at 7:30 a.m. She has been ill for years, but was recently doing better. One of those things where it isn't a big surprise, but was very unexpected to me. I didn't even know she had been back in the hospital again. I guess her liver had finally had enough. Funny thing is I haven't talked to them for a long time, but at 3:30 this morning had tried to send them an e-mail (a link to this blog so they could keep abreast of the kid's activities) and it came back to me as undeliverable. Probably for the best considering the timing it would have been received in.

I'll always remember Aunt Jo for her laughter, her ability to make any one feel at home, and her cheery outlook on life. She was a sweet person and I always hoped I would be like her when I grew up. Visits from Jim & Jo were always looked forward to with great anticipation. It always meant there would be an evening full of laughs and good times. Jim lovingly referred to my 2 sons as "the little Turks."

God bless you and keep you till we meet again Aunt Jo. You will be missed. Try not to get into too much trouble with Dad, ok? I love you.

A love note to Heaven

Well, here we are . . . . two years later. Already. And yet, it was just yesterday, wasn't it?

I miss you so much Dad. I don't know who coined the phrase that it gets easier with time, because that is a flat-out lie. If anything, it gets harder. I still expect to see you following Mom through a door, or sitting in the driver's seat when I pass a tan Park Avenue, or to hear your voice when I call your house. And when the harsh reality of your absence brings me crashing back to that horrible day, it rips the scabs off the wounds (as if they would ever get to heal anyway...).

I let BB and LB stay home from school today. They heard we were getting the family together to have lunch and visit and then go together to the cemetary to pay our respects and it was very important to them to come. They made sweet pictures to lay on your grave, both of them of lighthouses. They also picked out some funny-faced pumpkins they thought you would enjoy. And, in keeping with tradition there were Peeps, a chocolate-covered marshmallow pumpkin, and a Snickers bar. Then, they wrote on some balloons that they love you and they miss you and released them at your grave, hoping they would make it to you in Heaven. I wish I still had that naivity and innocense. Maybe it wouldn't hurt so much. Maybe it hurts more. I don't know. All I know, is that I'm 42 years old and I still need my Daddy.

Gee, must be picture day tomorrow!

Ok, this tooth has been loose for the last six months. Then, about two weeks ago, it got really loose. Then, about 4 days ago, it was ready. Yesterday, LB comes home from school elated, "Look mom, I can push it out with my tongue!!" His tooth was protruding from his mouth. Ok, school pictures are tomorrow, let's leave it alone and it will come out in the next few days.

About 7 p.m. BB comes running in to where I was. . ."Mommy, LB is bleeding." In the background I can hear LB crying, the "freak-out" cry he has when he sees blood. About that time he comes running in, his face is covered in blood, his shirt is covered with blood, his hands and arms are covered with blood. From way too much experience in this department, I know that mouths bleed...a lot. So I try to calm him down, I get a towel and dob the blood so I can see what's going on. I thought he had split his lip or something. BB says something about not doing it on purpose and LB is muttering something about an elbow to the face. Well, it wasn't a split lip, his tooth was in the palm of his hand. I couldn't believe he bled that much from a tooth coming out. Granted, it didn't come out on it's own, but it was really ready. I was surprised.

So, I get him all cleaned up and calmed down, and he is growing excited at the anticipation of the tooth fairy. All is good in his world again. I clean up his tooth and put it in a baggy for him to put under his pillow.

Morning comes, he reaches under his pillow and finds the tooth fairy has left him something special this time, a Sacajewea dollar coin. He is THRILLED. . . . till breakfast when he somehow managed to drop it down the heating vent.

I swear....

And away we go....

Well, football is finally over....now on to basketball. BB had his last game on Saturday and then the team party was Saturday night at a local pizza parlor. There were 17 players on his team, so you can imagine the havoc we reaked on that place with all their families added in to the picture. But, the boys all had a wonderful time. The coaches got together and gave me a very sweet gift as a thank you for being the team mom (again), a beautiful candle and a porcelain plate that reads, "All the love you give away returns to fill your heart each day."

BB had his first basketball practice tonight already and coach was very impressed with how much he has improved since last year. Go BB! He even made a couple of "nothin' but net" shots. What can I say, he gets it from me (lol).

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to Chuck E. Cheese!

Our trip to Lagoon's Frightmares was a huge hit with the kids. Even though we got rained on, we all had a great time. The short lines made up for getting a little wet (hey, we get wet in the summer there on purpose anyway, right?).

HOWEVER. . . . . .

Darkness fell. And, after all, it WAS Frightmares! The ZOMBIES came out. And they were armed with chainsaws. Now, mind you, LB has had a fear of anything in a costume, mascots, etc., since he was a toddler. Not just scared, terrified! He was even scared of Chuck E. Cheese! We finally outgrew that this year. Or, so I thought. . . . .

I literally had to carry him out of the theme park trembling. He would start screaming, "NO, NO, NO!!!" if one even looked in his direction! He actually had all of them in our vicinity standing still and waving, their heads tilted and shoulders hunched up they felt so bad for him.

Looks like Disneyland is back to being a distant dream. . . .(sigh)

Hard to believe.....

I can't believe that this is the same young boy who, it seems just yesterday, was telling me that a bra might bring him superhero powers. Perhaps I should explain.....

When BB was about 5 we were shopping in Wal-Mart and I was looking in the "lingerie" department for a new bra. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed he would occasionally, very sheepishly, reach out and feel the fabric of one as I moved down the aisle.

After about the third time, I caught his eye and he blushed. I said, "Gee, BB, do you LIKE them?"

"Yeah, mom, they're kinda cool."

"Oh, really? Would you like me to buy you one?" Now, mind you I am fully expecting him to give me a dirty look and loudly proclaim his disgust at my suggestion. Instead, I hear.....

"Sure....I think it would make me feel powerful!

Do I need to mention how relieved I am that he is playing football and is not in ballet?

Give Me a "T" . . .

LB came home from school the other day boasting about his new accomplishments for the day. I guess in his advanced time with a teacher's assistant in class, he has been learning sign language. He proceeded to show me various letters, words and phrases. He was soooo proud of himself! Then it happened. . ."Mom, look, this one is a T" . . . . I look down at his fist which is prominently displayed in front of me with his thumb between his middle and ring finger. I could not keep a straight face. I'm not certain about the accuracy of this, but I was always taught that this gesture was the sign language way of giving someone the bird, the big fliperoonie, the one-finger salute. He was disgusted with my laughter. I quickly bent down to his ear and whispered to him why I was caught off guard. His face turned beet-red as I showed him the correct gesture for the letter "T."

I doubt I will ever be able to listen to another cheerleader start with "Give me a T" again without bursting into laughter the rest of my life. Poor Kid!

Beauty Everlasting

It will never matter how many times I get the opportunity to see the Salt Lake Temple, it will ALWAYS take my breath away.

After my last entry, not even an hour later, a trip to Utah was conceived and coordinated with my Uncle from University Place, WA. So I spent the next few hours running around like a chicken with it's head cut off trying to get things in place to take a trip in the morning. I managed to accomplish miracles that afternoon. LOL. And so, Thursday morning (yesterday) we hit the road for Salt Lake City. We are staying at a hotel in Layton. The boys have been having a blast in the swimming pool. And, we are braving Lagoon tomorrow.....our first ever trip to "Frightmares." We are all really looking forward to it. Well, some of us more than others. LOL. At least it won't be 112 degrees out tomorrow. In fact, it may even be raining, I hope not.

Today we spent at the Conference Center and at Temple Square. I had never taken the tour inside the new Conference Center. . . it is amazing. Especially since we just watched General Conference a few short days ago.

The view from the roof is amazing. Then we crossed the street and spent some time at Temple Square. This is the first time in my life that I've been there when it wasn't the middle of summer. . . and it is STILL breathtaking! One of these days I'm going to come down at Christmas and see all the lights. I hear it is beautiful.

Well, since I am literally going on Night#5 without more than 2 hours of sleep, I think I will try to get a little rest before heading off to Lagoon in the morning. Hopefully I'll be able to download some of our pictures from this trip on here. . .Hey sis, you need to show me how to transfer to your new site that cooperates with you!

I'm Baaaaack!

I can't believe it's been six months since my last entry!!! What a slacker! Oh yeah, wait, I've been busy....yeah, that's it, busy. Let's see....May, school got out....and then as I recall, all heck broke loose in my routine. We had a great summer though. We went to Lagoon twice, once with mom and my sister's crew, and once with my Uncle. We also managed to squeeze in a trip to the Canyon County Fair, The Caldwell Night Rodeo, The Western Idaho Fair, a trip to Connell, WA, to visit my great Aunt, and a week in McCall. I haven't gotten any film developed, but when I do, I will try to load pictures. We also had a lot of side trips to local sites and activities. The boys said it was their best summer ever. My nephew left on his mission to Tulsa, OK, in June. I went through the temple with him when he took out his endowments, which was an awesome experience I will write about another time. It was my first session in almost 15 years. It felt so wonderful to be back in the temple. I went to my niece's wedding in SLC Temple last July, but we didn't go through a session.

Then, in late July, I got the humble pleasure of contracting the West Nile Virus. Not a very welcomed visitor, let me tell ya. I am finally starting to feel better, but still get easily fatigued with much activity. I had a lot of problems early this summer again with my heart, but after some tests and playing around with my meds, they finally have a regimen worked out that seems to be helping. My diabetes, well, that's another story in itself. Still having sugar swings from 600 to 35. Never know from one hour to the next either. One day at a time is the best we can do. I have started seeing a NUCCA chiropractor and he has helped my neck problems quite a bit, when I make it over to Boise for the appointments, lol.

The boys are growing like weeds. I can't believe they are in 4th and 2nd grades. If time doesn't slow down, I'm going to protest. Not sure who will listen, but I will protest. They both have wonderful teachers this year. Progress reports came home last week and both the boys got straight A's and A+'s. They both love school and I couldn't be prouder of them.

BB is playing flag football, we are half-way through his season....and he will start basketball the Monday following his final game on a Saturday. That seems to keep us busier than almost anything else. Practice every other night of the week and games on Saturdays. Throw in cub scouts once a week and doctor's visits (he is seing a NUCCA chiropractor now because of injuries he sustained in our car accident a few years ago) twice a week, and I don't know how we get everything done. He is excelling in school already this year too. They just took their ISAT's and he scored advanced scores in all areas. His teacher says he is in the top 3% of his class in every subject. I can really tell a difference in his attitude this year having a teacher who is more with it (that's another story in itself....last year's teacher was brand spanking new and let's just say, she isn't teaching again this year).



LB isn't playing any sports right now but will start basketball in January. He is really looking forward to it. He has never signed up for basketball before. He got his first pair of glasses last week, wore them to school one day and lost them the next. I knew it was bound to happen, the boy would lose his nose if it wasn't attached to his face!! Luckily, his glasses turned up at school on Monday and his teacher sent them home in one piece. He is light years ahead of everyone in his class according to his teacher. Their reading fluency goal for his grade by the end of the school year is 120 and he started school at 205. And he is already working on next year's math. We don't have a gifted program at our new elementary school, so the teacher tries to keep him with extra work so he doesn't get bored. She has him working on advanced courses in the classroom. Gee, can you tell mommy is proud? lol.

I have decided to make a conscious effort to write here everyday. I am going to use this more as a journal than anything. So, if you are one of the unlucky people who happen across this blog, you might get pretty bored. It's not full of funnies or ingenious insights. . . . just my daily life.

I finally learned how to sell on E-bay which is something I've been wanting to try for years. I figured it out and sold the very first item I listed. So then I listed a few more, and sold almost all of those items. This last time I listed 21 items and have only sold 4 so far. But hey, it's a good way to clean out the garage, a little bit at a time.

Wow, there is an incredible lightening display outside right now and the rain is pounding against my window. First rain we've had in a long time! I guess the lightening means I should get off my computer, lol.

I actually did some canning last week and this week. I canned my first ever batch of chili sauce. It was a lot of work for 7 pints. It turned out so good though that I am going to can more this week. I put up 3 batches of peaches in the last 2 days. I feel so Betty Crocker. LOL. It is a very satisfying feeling though, I must say. It feels sort of nastalgic as well, as it brings back a lot of memories of canning with mom when I was a teenager. It all comes back to you. Who knew. I made spaghetti sauce with one of my jars of chili sauce tonight and both BB and his friend wanted to know if they could just eat a bowl of sauce for dinner it was so good. I'll take that as a compliment :-)

Well, I'm going to try to get some sleep, haven't slept in almost three nights now. Probably in pain from all the canning I guess. Getting old sucks. And yet, I wouldn't change a thing.