Glasses for me…

Not the greatest picture in the world…maybe I will re-post a better picture another day…but I have been getting lots of requests for me to post a picture of myself in my new glasses. 

Though I only officially have to wear them for reading and computer time…my eye doctor said I would also benefit wearing them while driving  and watching TV or movies.

I can’t decide how I feel about this new accessory.  On the one hand, I feel like a “new woman” a little sassy, while looking very smart.  On the other hand, these spectacles are one more thing to verify I am getting older. 

My kids seemed to have different reactions. Annie walks in the front door from school and says, “WOW! Mom I didn’t know you were getting your glasses today…you look so cool!”  Nathan just laughed.

Earning interest and making sales…

OK…so my daughter is hilarious.  Tonight Ammon was heading out to play volleyball as he does every Thursday night.  He has to bring $2 to put toward the rental of the building they use to play for 3 hours…yes 3 long hours of playing volleyball! Anyway, neither of us had Annie cash…so instead of raiding the kid’s piggy banks without asking he asks them, "Hey kiddos...can I borrow $2?"

From the other room Annie immediately yells, "Are you going to borrow and pay me back with interest?"

Shocked and half laughing Ammon questioned her by asking, "Do we make you pay interest if you borrow some money from us?"

Annie very quickly responds, "Well no....but I am kinda working on a goal here!"

Where does she get this?  I am telling you…I think she might go into business or marketing when she grows up. She could sell almost anything if you give her a chance!

In fact, last week I found out that she had sold some of her old toys to Nathan. Annie had parted with a stuffed animal and a flying disc remote control toy for 25 cents a piece.  The deal had been made days before I found out about it…but Daddy ended up having a talk with Annie explaining that we would share are toys and not get into a habit of selling our toys to each other!

Oh yes…and by the way…she now is making flyers to let people know when she is selling girl scout cookies at the local grocery store!

FUNNY GIRL!

Cupid Revealed…

Many years ago when Ammon’s Dad worked for a wood mill in Eugene, he thought it would be funny to dress up like Cupid and take all the guys who work at the mill cookies on Valentines day. So he threw on his “diaper-like” covering and sporting his bow and arrow, he walked into the mill and personally delivered the homemade cookies to all the guys working that day. Of course, as you can imagine, this event went down in history! 

Years later, after I had married into the family, my mom found out about this story and thought it was quite hysterical. Spontaneously one year, she decided that “Cupid” needed a Valentine. She found funny frame that was a rubber, Gumby-like cupid character…it had a special place in the head to put a picture of a face. She found a picture of Larry, stuck his likeness inside this cupid frame and sent it in the mail…with a superman sticker on the envelope in the place where the return address should be. Thinking he would guess it was her (since our parents know each other well)…she thought it would be funny not to sign her name.

To make a hysterically funny story a lot shorter…each year “Cupid” would receive his special and unique Valentine in the mail with the same Superman sticker placed in the corner of the envelope.  The valentine was different each year…but all related to the story of “Cupid.”

After 10 years of carrying on this Valentine tradition, my mom revealed to my father-in-law it had been her all this time sending these cards and cupid pictures over the years. Some years she would send Cupid his Valentine from Texas, other times Kings City, but mostly from Albany. Through a few mishaps my father-in-law was completely sure that the culprit for these yearly Valentines were from Ralph and Ramona (close family friends). As time went on…they just assumed it was them each year.

Look at the pictures below…do you see the confusion on Larry and Peggy’s faces as my mom reads a poem she has written to reveal herself?  This was priceless!!!  They were shocked and really until half way through the poem they did not even understand what was going on.

The perfect end to a fabulously rich practical joke!  The Valentine sender is revealed!

The picture at the top is of the bag that my mom made holding her final Valentine gift for Larry…a small cupid bell…he can hang on his Christmas tree each year to remember the decade of Valentines!

Happy 57th Birthday Mom!

Ammon’s entire family came met at the “Best Little Roadhouse” to celebrate Mom’s birthday!  After dinner we all headed over to Laura and Adam’s house and had a fabulous cheesecake dessert and continued the festivities…opening gifts and hanging out.

    How blessed we all are to have such an amazing mom and grandma to our children!  She is constantly encouraging, supporting and loving us in practical ways (like asking to take our children so she can spend time with them).  She is fun to hang out with; playing “Settlers of Catan,” “Ticket to Ride,”  watching movies (though often she does fall asleep during DVDs), hiking, fishing and camping.  We love that she is thoughtful to call  just to check up and see how we are doing during the week. 

As we celebrate mom’s birthday this month, I just have to say that I am very fortunate to have such an awesome mother-in-law! So many people tell stories of their “crazy in-laws that drive them nuts.”  I can honestly say, I have crazy in laws…but they are entirely fun and wonderful people who I love very much!

So VERY Proud!

“My first big bubble!”  Ahh…Annie is growing up! She has been practicing for weeks and I was able to capture her first big bubble.

So VERY Proud!

My little Valentines

What a fun day! I love being a stay-at-home mom on days like today. I was able to attend both Nathan and Annie’s Valentine’s Day parties in their classrooms at school.

 

 

I went to Nathan’s classroom in the morning. When I got to his room his teachers were playing “Valentine Bingo” with the kids.  Nathan did a great job identifying his numbers as they were called out and got excited and yelled “Bingo!” when he covered his heart with all the markers.

Nathan was quite funny when he noticed me.  He kind of smiled, then quickly turned away (almost embarrassed). He does this every time I am in his classroom.  I try not and take it personally. I wonder…if he is like this now…what is he going to do when he reaches adolescence?  I can just imagine, ”Mom, please just drop me off a mile away…I will walk in the rain…I don’t want to be seen having you take me to school.” Ahhh…the things to look forward to.

I watched him as he played his games and then had his treats with his friends. I was truly lucky to snap a couple of quick pictures where he was looking my way. His teacher came up to me and let me know that she has been quite impressed with Nathan lately…he has been participating more in class. She also mentioned that his writing has really improved over the last month! Great job Nathan!

Ammon was unable to attend the valentines day parties of the kiddos…but he did take his lunch break and came over to have lunch at an elementary school with his very special Valentine…Annie.  I think this might become a tradition for Dad to meet Annie for lunch at school…as long as she isn’t embarrassed to have him. Or, maybe that won’t matter to dad…hmmm…I guess we will see. This year dad brought “Panda Express” which was a big hit!!!

Annie’s party was in the afternoon…so Nathan got to attend her party with me.  Nathan and I snuck in the classroom without her seeing us and Nathan went around and surprised her!  

While I was there I asked Annie if she wanted her pictures taken with any of her friends. I was a little concerned when she started calling all the boys names and they came running to take a picture with her. Oh Annie…you remind me so much of myself…it really does scare me sometimes.   She did have a couple of her girlfriends come and take pictures too. But then it was time to wrap things up and head home. So we were interrupted with the chaos of finding bags for everyone to stuff their plentiful piles of candy into. I think between Christmas, Valentines Day, Easter and Halloween…the dentists are really set!   

What a fun day!

Bunco!

A brainless dice game that gives me the excuse to eat lots of food and hang out with really cool women once a month!

I have enjoyed being a part of a Bunco group during this last year. This was the first time that I hosted Bunco at my house. What I love about this game is that there are so many people who walk away with prizes…The most Bunco’s, the last Bunco, the most wins, middle of the road, and most losses. This month was a lot of fun and I ended the evening winning…or I guess losing…but still got a prize as “The biggest loser.”

Art Gallery

A few beautiful creations from our budding artists! As you will notice on the fourth painting…my daughter is being quiet a little entrepreneur…she would like to sell “Inky Panda” for $10. See the upper left hand corner.  Knowing her, I am sure she would part with any of her paintings for a price.  Any takers…let me know.

These beautiful masterpieces are currently being displayed on the walls of our family room.

“Seal on a Rock at Sunset” – Annie (7yrs)

Giraffe – Nathan (4 yrs)

“Seagull, Seagull, by the Sea Shore” – Annie

 

“Inky Panda” – Annie

 

“Nathan and Mom” - Nathan

  “Prancer” - Annie