Friday, June 15, 2007

Birthday Adventures

Daughter is officially 9 years old now.  What a great time we had yesterday!  Grandma came up on the train with her buddy Miss L.  (Grandma and Miss L come up for each child's birthday.)  Daughter wanted to go to the Zoo for her birthday - so I had to think of a zoo that was near the train and that we could visit in the time allowed -- and Voila!  Micke Grove fit the bill perfectly.

So we drove for a bit - picked up Grandma and Miss L at a semi-distant station - and off we were on our adventure!

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We saw several species of lemurs, some birds and bats, sea lions, baboons, tamarins, a mountain lion, chinese alligator, beautiful scarlet ibis', turtles and tortoises, and several pudus!

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After a cool water break, we walked over to the Japanese Garden and strolled through it before lunch.  The children had a great time seeing the huge Koi, and finding many crawdads in the ponds which they could cross on large, flat stones.  (Although the ones we saw were smaller and beautifully colored red like all the ones found in our fabulous Delta region!)

Off to lunch we went - and then back to the park where we explored the Historical Museum for our remaining time.  It was great - very interesting - and lots of fun!  We came home with some treasures from the "mercantile" -- I found an adorable set of metal measuring spoons (I'll have to take a picture of them and post it later), the children got some little wood kits, a nail puzzle, a kazoo, and two "twig crayons". 

Grandma got the best deal of all -- she bought a set of three Lovely bowls for only $20.00.  They were ivory colored nesting bowls and had a beautifulflower/scrollwork design on the upper rim.  We were all stunned at the price and decided that one of us HAD to buy them.  ;-)

Then it was time to get Grandma and Miss L back to the station -- the train was delayed a bit, but they were finally safely on board and headed for home.  It was a great day!

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Pampered Life

We have a couple of extremely pampered pooches at our house.  These are just a few examples from what's happened this week:

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This is daughter during our bible reading time - and of course if she's sitting still, that must be the perfect opportunity to get a tummy rub, right?  Obviously!

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Here is our other doggie, renamed as "The World's Most Tolerant Dog" being treated to a snuggle in the toy box with all of the stuffed animals and beanie babies!  He is also the one who gets carried in the sling like a baby, put into boxes and wagons and dressed in anything daughter can find to make him "cute."  At times I think it's torture -- but he stays put and tolerates it all so well, he MUST like it / or the attention to some degree, right?

This post originallypublished @ HenandChicks.typepad.com

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Great * Wonderful * Happy

My Mother's 70th Birthday party this past weekend was a great success!  There was one point in the last minute preparation/gathering stage where I had to let go of some things and realize that I just could not get them done/make them happen.  And that it was okay.  And you know what?  It really was okay.

The day went smoothly and beautifully and everyone had a wonderful time - especially my mother.    As much as she protested "It's too much trouble" & "You really don't need to" over and over again, I know she enjoyed every second of anticipation and of the gathering itself of friends, neighbors, old co-workers and family members including my older brother who has not been in his home state for almost two decades.
And of course, it being her 70th Birthday, I had to have just a little fun with her!

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These are her "safety goggles" that I got for her to protect her from the heat of the SEVENTY candles on her cake.  Yes, I put seventy candles on her cake.  Don't ask how long it took.  It was awhile!  But with a little protest, she played along and it took her three blows to blow out all of the candles!

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I'm now in the process of putting together the pictures and notes from the party into a scrapbook for her.  Another thing on my to-do-list - but a very happy task!  A pitifully small repayment for everything she has done for me the last forty years. 
Happy 70th Birthday, Momma.   With much love from your favorite daughter.  (Yes, yes, I know I'm your only daughter!)

This post originally published @ HenandChicks.typepad.com

Throwing Down the Stamping Gauntlet

Yep, that's what I'm doing.  Do you want to know why?  Here, I'll show you -

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At the Fair this year, I not only got First Place with my little stamped card that I made here, but I also won Best of Division!  Do you know why??   Because I was the only one who entered ANYTHING in the Stamping category!  Now, mind you, I like winning -- but not by default!

So I am throwing down the proverbial gauntlet to my wonderful stamping friends - who stamp much more than I do and who are so much more creative than I am - to PLEASE enter their incredible creations in the Fair next year and challenge me! 

Okay - notice has hereby been given.  You know who you are - DW, LD, SG & KC!!   I expect to see some great stamped scrapbook pages, cards, and those incredible stamped books that you make!

This post was originally published @ HenandChicks.typepad.com

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

We're Almost Home

June 05, 2007

* we're almost home *

Yeah!  We are enjoying a whole morning home today -- we don't have to be at the Fairgrounds until 12:30 p.m.! So, it's time to take a look around at what we've been missing for the past few weeks:
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I guess you can't leave radishes alone for very long.  ;-)
The largest one at bottom right is about 6-7" around and the plants themselves are over 2  1/2 ft. tall!
Oh well, the chickens will enjoy them!
And speaking of the chickens, they enjoyed a dustbath this morning, along with some delicious seeds and bugs they found.
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The chickens can only be out when we are at home, so we can keep an eye on them - no cat attacks and no flying over fences - since they are city chickens.

Then we also enjoyed some great puppy love with the doggies who have been left outside (gasp!!) for days while we've been working and out of town. 
 Our doggies are very much inside doggies and are always underfoot wherever we are and whatever we are doing.

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So that's what we are enjoying this morning, besides the usual round of dishes and laundry and a MUCH needed cleaning of the bedrooms.

OH!  And I took a picture of the photo I mentioned here

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That's my back and the top of my head -- isn't it great!!  It's pretty much the very best angle of me he could have taken because my body shape is essentially an apple with legs!  ;-)  And that is the Photography Judge that I was clerking for.  Not only fun but I learned a LOT!

Well, time to take the laundry out of the dryer and get the next one going.  Have a wonderful day in the LORD.

This post was originally published @ HenandChicks.typepad.com