An unexpected Christmas

Dreamers

Time bandits, rushing wind, in the twinkling of an eye

Success in marriage depends on being able, when you get over being in love,
to really love. (Eleanor Roosevelt)

Seems like yesterday!
I love you!

O sister of mine

Do you remember ...

Mom and Dad would take us to see the "real" Santa. He had his own little house right by the train station where Dad worked. We stood outside in the cold...it never seemed long to me. Seems you were almost 2 here and I was 5. Aren't we so cute in our hats? I don't remember what I asked for. You were certainly brave sitting on his lap.

Christmas Eve we would all get in the car and go for a drive. Maybe Santa would come while we were gone. I remember the time it snowed...it was like a Christmas card. Our Dad drove slowly through the streets that were filling with snow. It was dark out...what was that? And there in the road with the lights from the street lamps falling on him was Santa! Dad pulled up a long side of him...Mom asked him where his reindeer were...He said they were several streets over, he was letting them rest. We said good bye to his "HOHOHO". We checked several streets for the reindeer, but alas, nothing.

However upon arrival home we found our presents under the silver tree (which was all the rage back then) and he had eaten the cookies and milk.

Our Mom always said she became a Santa believer that night and it was magical...

Yes sister and BabaHoohoo

There is a Santa.

The best thing about zoo lights was . . .

NOT the lights...after walking through the crush of people (worse than Disney in my opinion) but wait I digress...let me start at the beginning.

We were guests of the Fall Fairy and #2. We found a parking space in the last row...2 seconds later Wenna Woo and #1 showed up. We gathered everthing together. The weather was balmy for this time of year...yet we needed hats and gloves anyway. The two Bubbas got in their strollers and we headed toward the zoo. Thank heaven the Middle Rose said, "We are parked in Dolphin 31"...if she wouldn't have said that, I think we would still be looking for the car!

We made it through the entrance and took pictures with the various "animals", the big bad wolf, Frosty, Rudolph, a bear...and I cheekily said, "Are there real animals here?". We then veered to the left...it was now dark, the zoo lights were lighting the way.

"Oh look, the lion's den." "There's one", we said in an unimpressed voice. We pointed it out to the children. There on the ledge was a lion.

Then, from the left, entered THE KING OF BEASTS...he was so huge, I could not wrap my head around him. It was like being at the Grand Canyon for the first time and not being able to find any depth perception. He was magnificent! He sauntered across the den and laid down. His mouth opened. At first we did not hear, as sound travels slowly. Then, at least 12 times he roared his terrible roar, louder and louder each time. My Wild Blonde Boy pumped his fist in the air and yelled "That was AWESOME!" And...it was. Awesome was the perfect word. Part of me was afraid, this beast was so large and powerful, I felt he could leap across the chasm and maul all of us and go on his silent way. This is the King of Beasts...Handsome told the kids he was like ASLAN...and he was. "He is not a tame lion, but he is good."

THAT was the best part of zoo lights except for stopping and sitting on a half wall and enjoying snacks that both families had put together...(Duh, the grandma and grandpa had not thought of anything like that). We had creamy hot chocolate, water, coke, crackers, salami, muenster, gouda cheese and pretzels. It was quite nice.

I won't go in to how frazzled I was...keeping track of 5 kids in the dark and in winter coats (they all started to look the same and I mean all meaning the 3 million sixty thousand hundred other kids that were also stampeding through the zoo). This Grandma was a basket case. I felt that if you could look at my nerve endings, they would have appeared fried.

We settled down to watch the laser light show, a huge disappointment to me and Handsome, but the kids liked it.

We topped our night off with a visit through the tropical, steamy, hot and stinky monkey panarama. I could not take the heat so Handsome and I deserted...we did not get to enjoy the casanova gorilla. Apparently he was huge, and looked like he was praying as 3 lady gorillas perused him.

We told the kids Grandpa and Grandma had to get going. It felt like midnight in the garden of good and evil (it was only 6:15 pm). After many hugs and kisses and telling us to look for the carousel, we disappeared into the night. Feeling like salmon going upstream we managed to walk to the entrance/exit.

Then...find Dolphin 31...but everything says lion and gorilla. We walked and walked...my back, my feet (whine, whine). There, in the north forty was the dolphin section. We walked and walked somemore. All of the cars were black..."Push the button on the key fob." I said thinking I was so smart. Handsome had been doing that for some minutes. We determined we had gone too far. There was now gravel underfoot and Handsome said we were parked on the paved part. Turning around, walking some more he said..."See those lights flashing?" Finally I did and we got into the car.

Fifteen minutes later we were out of the lot and a slight drizzle had started. Incidentally, the zoo could take a lesson from Willow Creek on how to empty a parking lot!

The only way I would go back to zoo lights is if it was 32 degrees below zero and then I wouldn't go!

However, I would not have missed Aslan for anything. Thanks, for taking us!

The male is Zenda. The female is Isis. They have been at the zoo since 2008.
The roars come at sundown.
You can hear the sound for 6 miles.
I believe it.
Jesus, the lion of the tribe of Judah!
He is AWESOME!

You gotta get up in the morning!

I was on my way to the Fall Fairy's house.  The moon was huge and bright with a star or planet right next to it. It was dark and cold. I had the radio tuned in to Moody. I heard their weather guy say that the moon was a "Beaver Moon". The first full moon in November when supposedly the waters are frozen and long ago the men would set traps for the beaver. Shortly after, I heard a Christmas song..."That sounds like Rich Mullins...it has to be Rich Mullins...but he has been home with the Lord for quite a few years...and I have never heard that song before". Well the announcer said yes it was Rich Mullins...so today, I searched Youtube and what to my wondering eyes should appear, but this video. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

You gotta get up!

Rich Mullins a most talented musician, songwriter, and lover of our Lord. You are missed.

Happy Thanksgiving

It has seemed to me fit and proper that God should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People.
Abraham Lincoln

It is a time of deep Thanksgiving to the Lord . . .
it shall be a time of great joy.
Deuteronomy 16:15/LB

Thank you for not taking Handsome home . . .

Injun Summer

One of my favorite memories

INJUN SUMMER
John T. McCutcheon
Chicago Tribune
September 30, 1907

Yep, sonny this is sure enough Injun summer. Don't know what that is, I reckon, do you? Well, that's when all the homesick Injuns come back to play; You know, a long time ago, long afore yer granddaddy was born even, there used to be heaps of Injuns around here—thousands—millions, I reckon, far as that's concerned. Reg'lar sure 'nough Injuns—none o' yer cigar store Injuns, not much. They wuz all around here—right here where you're standin'. Don't be skeered—hain't none around here now, leastways no live ones. They been gone this many a year. They all went away and died, so they ain't no more left. But every year, 'long about now, they all come back, leastways their sperrits do. They're here now. You can see 'em off across the fields. Look real hard. See that kind o' hazy misty look out yonder? Well, them's Injuns—Injun sperrits marchin' along an' dancin' in the sunlight. That's what makes that kind o' haze that's everywhere—it's jest the sperrits of the Injuns all come back. They're all around us now. See off yonder; see them tepees? They kind o' look like corn shocks from here, but them's Injun tents, sure as you're a foot high. See 'em now? Sure, I knowed you could. Smell that smoky sort o' smell in the air? That's the campfires a-burnin' and their pipes a-goin'. Lots o' people say it's just leaves burnin', but it ain't. It's the campfires, an' th' Injuns are hoppin' 'round 'em t'beat the old Harry. You jest come out here tonight when the moon is hangin' over the hill off yonder an' the harvest fields is all swimmin' in the moonlight, an' you can see the Injuns and the tepees jest as plain as kin be. You can, eh? I knowed you would after a little while. Jever notice how the leaves turn red 'bout this time o' year? That's jest another sign o' redskins. That's when an old Injun sperrit gits tired dancin' an' goes up an' squats on a leaf t'rest. Why I kin hear 'em rustlin' an' whisper in' an' creepin' 'round among the leaves all the time; an' ever' once'n a while a leaf gives way under some fat old Injun ghost and comes floatin' down to the ground. See—here's one now. See how red it is? That's the war paint rubbed off'n an Injun ghost, sure's you're born. Purty soon all the Injuns'll go marchin' away agin, back to the happy huntin' ground, but next year you'll see 'em troopin' back—th' sky jest hazy with 'em and their campfires smolderin' away jest like they are now.

Source Image

Chicago Tribune Store

John T. McCutcheon

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From his pipe the smoke ascending Filled the sky with haze and vapor, Filled the air with dreamy softness, Gave a twinkle to the water, Touched the rugged hills with smoothness, Brought the tender Indian Summer To the melancholy north-land, In the dreary Moon of Snow-shoes. — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Hiawatha 1855

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Happy Belated Halloween Birthday to two of my favorite boys!

Finchy who has the best smile and the best wiggle butt dance!
He is always happy to see me.
Such a cool and interesting face.
Very handsome.
Best snuggler ever!

And Burley Butt the baby of the group.
He is so innocent.
So gentle.
He thinks he is a little dog.
He looks sad but he is a happy boy.
Watch out when he comes scampering down the hall.
He carries his big bone.
If it falls on your toe...ouch!
Happy Birthday to two of the best boys EVER!

Our Biggest Littlest Baby is Three

The Bubbas reign.

The brothers rock.

The cupcakes were cool.

The blowing was done by everyone...e tu Papa?

So this little man calls his Grandmas, "HooHoo"...I think it means Grandma to him.

He calls his brother Dude...

Pretty soon he will be calling girl Bubba by her name.

As we were leaving, he said to me,

"Tank ooo coming to my birthday"...made me want to cry.

Happy Birthday Biggest, Littlest Baby...the time is flying.

 

What a happy Boy!
Love you...

 

Happy Birthday #2

The time is flying.
Yet look how good you look :)
Happy Birthday to the man
who creates magic for his family.
Happy Birthday #2!

 

Let's start with this...

Sexiest man alive!
So after he fixed the oven...
he cleaned it!
Need I say more?

We miss him too!

It came to me that every time I lose a dog
they take a piece of my heart with them,
and every new dog who comes into my life
gifts me with a piece of their heart.
If I live long enough all the
components of my heart will be dog,
and I will become as generous and
loving as they are.

The original three.
All are pieces of our hearts.
Fred, Leia, Chili.

A Big Thank You to Angel Abby's and Rita's MOM

Dear Jackie,
Thank you so much for the grand prize! It is truly a Major Award. I must tell you, I did receive the box last week and if you know me and presents you would be astonished that I waited for today to open it. I was all over the state last week and the weekend was full, but I wanted to document the opening, the finding and the reading. With the help of Handsome (my husband) we did just that. Hope you enjoy as the story unfolds.

The anticipation is building. I had to wear my signature pink sweatshirt.
When I don't wear it the grandkids don't recognize me.
You even spelled my name right!

Right now Burley is more interested in his chewey.
But wait!

Sarge is admiring the bag...
It goes very well with my signature sweatshirt!
I love it.
But wait!

Don't I look like a fashionista?
That rarely happens to me, I am usually way off trend.

One of the best parts...
Smooches!
I have their interest now.
Guess what?

They loved them and thank you so much!
They are in our dog treat jar on the counter to be doled out as extra special treats.

And now the bestest part!
They listened attentively as I read
"What the Dog Ate".
And believe me, we could all identify.

Hope this doesn't give them more ideas!
Thanks again Jackie!
Love from Sargie Poo Poo, Burley Butt and Baba HooHoo.

You are one of my nicest thoughts

Happy birthday to the love of my life.
You are even more handsome now than when we first met!
Nothing is so strong as gentleness,
Nothing so gentle as real strength.
Happy birthday!

I love you.

My Dreamer...who makes things come true!

Her dream was to take her kids and extended family to Florida
To find a house large enough
One without fleas...
And lo and behold SHE DID IT!

She wanted to visit her grandma who is 92.

She wanted her wild blonde hair boy to have the same wonderful experience that
she did when she was little. Even if you do get salt water in your eyes.

She wanted to introduce our biggest, little baby to the ocean.

And show our middle Rose the way the angel wings burrow into the sand.

And she did! All of it.

Thank you little mama for dreaming big, including us in your dream
and making it come true!

It means the world to me

that you read my blog and ALWAYS comment.
You are more than #2.

Yes Chef!

So on our vacation this young man was in charge of our menus, cooking and grocery lists.

Before everyone was up, he was already concocting a wonderful breakfast for us.
One day it even included hamburgers. Handsome was VERY happy.
He had plans for lunch each day.
And dinners, they were to die for.

 

In the kitchen, he is a one man band. One of the evenings, he was making frozen pizza, roasting garlic, putting together an alfredo sauce, grilling chicken and hamburgers and guess what I did? I stirred the sauce and got together some garlic bread.
#1 is something to watch. He is a Food Scientist after all.
He does all this without complaining or yelling. (I did ask him if his back ever hurt, he said no, so there, that explains his lack of crabby!?)

This is the night we had Tex Mex Chicken with homemade croutons, lime dressing and avocados. (I cut up the romain!)

He is married to Cinderella. And she is a DARN good sweeper.

A great family to be on vacation with and if the End of the World comes, #1 will feed us well.
Thank you #1...we love you!