May 16, 2012

We've been in Utah for the past week.
It has been eventful to say the least.
We were packed and on our way when we learned my Grandpa Daryl had passed away.
We had hoped to see him upon our arrival and were not so lucky.
Though strangely his passing made me feel a bit lucky.

Lucky to have been able to come as a family to his funeral and celebrate his life.  Had we not been already on our way for other reasons, I would have likely just come myself on a quick flight.  It was better to be all together.

Lucky to have such an awesome extended family.  Really it is a treat to get to visit with them all for the morning, even if it is for sober circumstances.  My cousins, aunts and uncles are basically the coolest folks I know.  Seriously.

Lucky to have a daughter partially named for this sweet grandpa- this is where "Andee" comes from as although Grandpa's name was Daryl Anderson- most people he knew just called him Andy.

Lucky to have been able to be his grandaughter and spend some much time with him through out my life.  He lived with our family growing up off and on, and even more recently with my parents while we lived just ten minutes away on the other side of town and were blessed to see him at many Sunday Dinners and such where he would tell me how my children were "such sweet blessings" as he patted them on the head.

The most personal memory I have of my grandfather was when I was about 16.  I composed my first piano number and it was very good, or so thought my 16 year old self.  I shared it with my grandfather- always a music lover and I knew he would love it. He not only loved it, but insisted I get a copy write on it lest anyone over hear and steal my soon to be famous song.  He continually reminded me of this and checked on the statues of this copywrite for the next 10 years. It made me feel pretty great.  And although I did not become a composer, the building his words did, definatley shaped my insecure young self.

We will miss grandpa, but we are so lucky to have known him and have his example to live by.

April 27, 2012

We went to the ward play group this Friday.
Have I mentioned how my ward is pretty fun in that way.  Especially for me not having any friends.  I mean there is always something to go and do it seems.  There is a baby shower for somebody every week thrown by the ward, and there is a play date at least every Friday.  You may remember when I hosted the play date.   Just at my house.  Silly me.  I didn't know.  People have been arranging a lot of fun ward play dates lately. The park, the zoo, and today the fire station.
Of course Sam was thrilled.  He and Kate dressed in our fireman hats and coat.  They were the only kids dressed up.  We arrived and then had to wait in the parking lot for the entire party to arrive.  There were more than 30 people so we had a big group.  The kids were getting anxious.  We went to the fire station and they started giving the tour and about 4 minutes into it the alarm went off and we had to leave and they had to go.  We hadn't even seen the trucks yet- just the office and bedrooms.  We went outside.  Sam didn't know this wasn't planned as his mouth dropped- eyes open in wonder as the truck with siren and lights pulled out of the garage and drove right by us.    The kids would have been happy it seemed with that small trip to the station. As the fireman left they said is was possible they would be back in 15 minutes or less.  So we waited.  Many people in the party didn't want to wait any more for them to possibly come back and started leaving once 15 minutes had passed.  We finally were among them and after twenty minutes of trying to not let kids in the street I went to the car, and just as we did, we saw the engine pulling in.  There were a handful of the families still there waiting too so we hurried back out of the car and were just in time to have our tour.  The kids climbed on the fire engine, and played in the kid fire engine they had.  I oogled their kitchen.  It was pretty modern, huge, and awesome.  We left with coloring books and stickers.  So lucky.  This was actually the 2nd time we had been to a fire station in the last month.  We went earlier with Kate's preschool to a different fire station.  It really was a great day.  bonus for me.  I always want picture but can't manage a stroller, three children, and a bag, and a camera, so the camera gets the boot, but the sweet girl that organized the trip took pictures and sent me them.
What a lucky day.

Dec 17, 2012

Happy Christmas Card to you!

I've had a lot of Christmas Card drama this year.
Starting with that I have no brain- it has turned to mush.  My 4th pregnancy and lots of little ones you know.  Plus we live in a temporary place, in two bedrooms for less than 30 more days until the new house is done.  We are somewhere between never having really unpacked and packing up again.  My "desk" where I might keep my computer and cards and stamps and addresses is a giant pile of assorted things- half unpacked boxes and disaster.   I designed cards and thought I'd save some money by printing my own than found that printing at Costco was more expensive than just having shutterfly do them.  Then when I got them, Maize snuck them off my desk and colored all over many of them.  Then I can't find anything like addresses or the stamps I bought....
If you are one of the lucky who rceived a card know how lucky you are.
Otherwise enjoy this gem above.

And yes you will notice those pictures are from May-
Nothing like sending you a picture of us that is already 7 months out of date.
But you know.  pregnancy, disaster. exhaustion.

That is basically my answer (excuse) for everything right now.

April 5, 2016

 

For years I've been dreaming of having more land for a little homestead.
Our 1/3 acre doesn't seem perfectly suited for things like large gardens, bees and chickens, and fruit orchards.  But I've waited and I don't see a farm in my near future.  So I decided to just do what I can do.  The garden has been nice always, we just doubled the garden boxes last week.  And as promised to the children for helping me prep the yard for spring we went to the feed store in town and purchased chicks.  And we purchased six because that is the feed store minimum.  We plan on giving some away to friends who have a farm nearby when they are raised to outdoors because our city ordinance says we can only have three.

The kids were pretty thrilled  And I can see they think they are pretty cool because of it.
They decided to name them Rosie- mark's pick for a Rhode Island Red, Dawn - Kate's pick for the other Red, Crow and Night- Sam picked those both for the Black Pullets, and Lucky and Chick Chick by all of us.  Lucky because the grey smallest chick looked dead upon arrival to our house, and Chick Chick in honor of the Chick Chick dance Mari use to do when she was little.  Those two are Bantams.  We put them in a kiddie pool in the basement and it was an exciting day.  I'm not sure what I got myself into really.  I hope it turns out alright.  I'm already afraid of all the poop.  But the kids are loving them.  They love to show them off.  Marianne crafted a chick out of paper and rocks one day because she wanted to take the chicks to show and tell and didn't think she could. Well I talked to her preschool teacher and the next day we brought three chickens to school and Mari though that was the best.  They show all the neighbor kids and guests at our house.  Marianne wouldn't touch them for a while, but has learned to grab them from their back so she doesn't have to touch their feet.  Beth is over confident with them.  She will grab the big flying black ones now and carry them around on her arm.  The kids are learning something new and so am I.  Its almost as much fun as a puppy!