Then You Die. (a rerun)

One December day twenty-some years ago I was making gingerbread cookies with my children. We sat around the table in the kitchen of our tiny little house. I have a great picture of Youngest Son's gingerbread cookie, as he proudly holds it up for the camera. It is solid white.

While I was cleaning up the kitchen, Youngest Son was calmly sitting at the table, putting the finishing touches on his 'man'.

Out of the blue he asked me "What happens when you run out of days?"

"Huh?"

"What happens when you run out of days?"

"What do you mean, 'run out of day?'"

"You know, when there are no more days, then what happens?"

I was busy, you know. Cleaning up one mess to get ready for another one to start. I didn't have a clue what he was talking about, so I answered very matter of factly,

"When you run out of days, then you die."

He seemed very satisfied with that response, and ran off to join Oldest Son and Daughter in some other sort of holiday shananagans.

A few weeks later, he very calmly announced at the dinner table that we were all going to die soon.

"Oh, really? How do you know that?" I asked.

"Well, look!" He said, as he turned around in his chair and lifted up the December page of the calendar. "We are almost out of days!"

Hmmm...

When you run out of days, you go buy a new calendar.

Christmas Recovery

I do not count myself among those in a hurry to take down the Christmas decor. I still passionately LOVE it.
Since the Christmas partying is over for this year, I am more than happy not to have to think of preparing food or baking cookies.
Still, this is the time of year that I enjoy the music, readings and memories of Christmas the most.
And being a traditionalist, would not dream of taking down a single decoration at least until epiphany.
Today I resolved to recover from the Family Christmas Party which happened yesterday.
To do so only required that I not do ANYTHING. So, happily, I did not.
I slept in until 9:30, which is something I cannot recall doing for ages.
All morning I hummed the tune from The Wizard of Oz, "We get up at twelve and start to work at one, take an hour for lunch and then at two we're done. Jolly good fun!"
I took my new book-light and my copy of Little Women and lounged on the living room couch while listening to a recorded concert of The Messiah.
Several times I saw the hawk which has been frequenting my neighborhood as it flew from tree to phone lines and back again. I googled 'hawks' for the umpteenth time and do believe it is just a common red tailed hawk, but what is uncommon is that it would take up in a neighborhood so lacking in open fields as mine is.
For breakfast my cereal was in the form of homemade Chex Mix.
I spent the afternoon in nap-land, awakening just minutes before THGGM came home from work. He took one look at me and suggested we go out for dinner. I wouldn't hear of it, what with all those delectable leftovers we have residing under tinfoil in small and large bowls in the refrigerator. So delectable leftovers for dinner it was!
This evening I remembered to watch American Masters on PBS. Tonight's was Louisa May Alcott. It was very enjoyable, especially since I had just read the Bronson Alcott biography and a collection of Louisa May Alcott's short stories.
Oh, and I'm presently reading Little Women.
This paragraph caught my attention earlier today:

"The joys come close upon the sorrows this time, and I rather think the changes have begun," said Mrs. March. "In most families there comes, now and then, a year full of events; this has been such a one, but it ends well, after all."

Yes, please. May this year end well, after all.

Family Christmas Party!

Some random pictures from our Family Christmas Party, which happened on Sunday.

This is Oldest Son, who arrived in time for a sandwich.

So glad to see him and his lovely wife after a loooong drive home from Illinois.

My pictures are all random. Usually, I take a lot of pictures of food.

This year, the only picture of food I have is of my sister feeding her grandson something green from a jar.

This picture is of Famke and her lovely "new" aunt!

Yes, we did all miss an "old" face this Christmas. But, as much as we miss him we know my dad is in a much better place.

And, we know we are blessed this year with two "new" faces.

Here they are getting acquainted with each other. Of course, they have known each other for six months now, but this was their first face-to-face. Too too cute, these two!

This picture I just could not resist. It's my lovely Oldest Niece who just happened to be standing in front of a small Christmas tree with red berries on the top. I did not know this until I was down-loading my pictures and thought it had a certain charm to it!

Poor Kado. Besides teething, he now has a cold. Here his daddy has found a quiet corner to observe the goings-on while Kado naps.




Famke was subdued all day, too. But in the evening she came around and was her usual adorable energetic self.

This sums up Family Christmas at my house.

A screaming good time was had by all.

Unless I hear otherwise, I'm going to assume this was the case for everybody!

Blessed to Give

And the mommy LOVED the gift that her big boy labored over just for her!

Making Presents

This is Jonge. He is an intense gift-maker.

For a three year old (still three for the rest of this year)

he certainly did throw himself whole heartedly into making this special gift for his mommy.

Notice the tongue sticking out.

It helps him concentrate.

And makes him look awfully cute, too.

The orange flash light is on the table for a reason. If Famke did not cooperate, Jonge would pretend the orange flash light was a phone for calling Santa Claus. He would ask Santa if he had loaded up his sleigh yet. This would prompt Famke to resume her cooperation. Well, up until she just was too tired to care anymore.

A New Development this Christmas Season

Dear little Kado's hair is growing!

It's so very cute and his siblings - who had plenty of hair since birth - are so very excited about it.

In other news, Kado is still working on that second tooth.

It comes, it goes.

Not sure if we will recognize him once his tongue goes back into his mouth.

Christmas Crafts

We made stuff today! Being two, Famke lasts about two minutes at this. That's okay though. Because for the rest of the time we were crafting, she entertained us by turning the light on and off. When the light was off we had to feign sleep and when the light was on we had to WAKE UP! Oh. And when the light was off, she would yell at us to "STOP talking!". Even if we weren't.

All I Want for Christmas...

...is Kado's two front teeth!

The Christmas Twenty-Five

1. Do you prefer egg nog or hot chocolate?

I much prefer hot chocolate, and am drinking some right now.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?

Santa's ELVES wrap the presents, don't they?

3. Colored lights or white lights?

White lights! Lots and lots of white light!

4. Mistletoe?

No. Not this year.

5. When do you put up your decorations?

The week of Thanksgiving. So glad this didn't ask when I take them down!

6. What is your favorite Christmas dish?

Anything with cheese.

7. What is your favorite Christmas memory as a child?

I don't believe I have one UNhappy childhood Christmas memory. I did always love the BIG family gatherings.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa Claus?

I cannot recall having a problem with this. Santa is as real as I want him to be.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?

Some years, yes. Most years, no.

10. How do you decorate your tree?

TREE? We have trees. I like a forest of small trees. There is one big one in the basement, but I have many scattered throughout the house each decorated differently.

11. Love snow or hate snow?

A clean layer of snow is beautiful to look out at from inside. Driving in snow is a totally different story and I absolutely hate to do that.

12. Can you ice skate?

I could. Haven't even thought of attempting it again.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?

I remember being THRILLED to get Legos.

14. What's the most important thing about Christmas for you?

The true story of Christmas is just so amazing. God breaks into history, as a baby.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?

Frosted cut-out sugar cookies! More please!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?

On Christmas Eve I love to sit at the piano and play through my favorite Christmas songs.

17. Do you prefer giving or receiving?

I know it is more blessed to give than to receive, but I cannot say that I dislike receiving!

18. What tops your tree?

Most of my trees are topped with stars. With the exception of the bird themed tree, which is topped with, well, birds!

19. Do you like Candy Canes?

I like to put them in jars and hang them on trees, but this year hasn't been conducive to that. I'm not a big fan of peppermint, so if I can find the clove candy canes I'm a happy girl.

20. Favorite Christmas movie?

My favorite is Holiday Inn. It has sooo many great lines in it. Like, "We're looking for the back of a girl we don't know." And, it has Fred and Bing.

21. Saddest Christmas song?

"Where Will You Spend Christmas Eve?" - We sang this in high school choir. Nothing like being reduced to sobs in front of ones peers.

22. Favorite Christmas song?

Mine are categorized. But, to make this quick, my favorite hymn book song would be "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day", and my favorite secular song would be "Christmas in Killarney".

23. Who will you be missing the most this Christmas?

This will be the third year of missing my mom the most. It's easier to deal with my dad being gone, as he is in Heaven and I'm hoping will get to travel back and see the FIRST Christmas this year. It's harder with my mom, who lives a (mostly) peaceful and calm life at the nursing home. But I'm always wondering.., WHERE, exactly, is SHE?

24. What will you be doing the day AFTER Christmas this year?

Getting ready for THE family Christmas party.

25. What is your favorite way of relaxing after the Christmas celebrating is done for the year?

I like to sit down with a large stack of Christmas magazines and start dreaming of next year...

It Happened. Again.

In the afternoon today THGGM and I stopped at the cemetery to see if my dad's grave marker was there yet. When we ordered it we were told that it would most likely not be in until spring. But, the bill arrived and I just wanted to be sure the markers were there before I paid it.

Cemeteries look so different when there is snow. Of course, we were not dressed for hiking around in the snow, but after a few failed attempts we managed to stumble upon them.

It's weird, seeing it all carved in stone. I'm understanding that phrase a bit more these days.

The number of familiar names surrounding my dad's is astounding. He truly rests among friends.

The second grave stone is for my dad's brother, who died eighty years ago. His grave marker was tiny and rapidly sinking into the ground. So, knowing how that always bothered my parents, we took a bit of money and had a raised slanted marker put on his grave. That too, looked very nice.

I walked back to the car recalling the cemetery scene in "Our Town".

Walking through that cemetery is something that I did a lot with my dad. I thought it would be harder to do, but, having been raised by someone who didn't mind talking about death makes it somewhat easier. Although I doubt that even he would have attempted it in the snow.

When I got home, I set to work doing my Christmas baking. As I leaned over my kitchen table dropping chocolate stars into peanut butter cookies I looked up as a dark shadow passed by my kitchen window.

It was the hawk. It flew into the tree right outside my window.

Plastic Animal Menagerie

I'm SOOO excited for Jonge to see what I found at the thrift store this weekend. Ziplock baggies of plastic animals sell for 25 cents.

Jonge will be excited to see the new tiger. There is one similar to this one in our plastic animal bin, but it is not black and white. I think Famke will be pleased with the bear.

I also found 99 cent Christmas coloring books at the pharmacy today.

Yes, we have purchased nice new toys for them for Christmas.

But seriously? I do believe they have more fun with the plastic animals than with anything else.

Well, anyway, I certainly do!

Shiny Brites!

My thrift stores did not have any flocked Shiny Brites when I was there.

EVER.

This bothered me only slightly, but enough that it caused me to seriously want some flocked Shiny Brites.

But today, while shopping at Menards (what? you don't do your christmas shopping at menards?) I found some reproduction flocked Shiny Brites.

44% off.

I'm liking them. A lot.

Mid-December Musings

It has to be frustrating to be Famke who knows EXACTLY what she wants to do but lacks the language skills to bring it down to the level at which I can understand her.

Anyway.., on with my musings...

My sister came by today. We had a lovely time. We went out to lunch and to the thrift store. Since I carry a Coach purse which never has any money in it, she bought lunch. I happily spent more of my Christmas gift certificate at the thrift store - this time on a denim blue corduroy jacket. LOVE it. Oh, and more 25 cent baggies of plastic animals. The fun we shall have with those!

I'm having such a difficult time going to the nursing home alone. But, going with my sister was great! My mom looked very happy to see us and we had a delightful visit, and managed to avoid Bingo. I do not like Bingo.

It's a struggle to believe that Christmas Day is only one week away. Ours will be very low-key this year. We celebrated with our kids on St. Nicholas Eve. Of course, those in town for the holiday will be here for brunch. Then, on Sunday it will be my family's Christmas party, here. I'm looking forward to that.

This year I started early reading my favorite Christmas books and watching my favorite videos. I still have more to go, but I'm finding it so much more enjoyable spread out. I'm also reading "Little Women". It's been a very long time since I've read it. I'm picking up more 'new' stuff then I thought I would.

My December resolution has been to get eight hours of sleep a night. So far, I've done that for a week. I've also given up my two afternoon mugs of coffee. I still feel tired. Oh, well. I guess I can't expect to feel 21 at 51. Or, can I?

This year I have seriously curtailed my cookie making. I have GOT to accept the fact that I am diabetic and if I want to go on living I'm going to have to STOP EATING THINGS LOADED WITH BAD CARBS. As is my usual story, I do great all day, and in the evening I'm so tired I don't seem to care whether or not I live to see the light of another day.

Soon, hopefully VERY soon, I shall have my work space all set up in the basement. I'm getting excited for this. We are waiting on a new toilet, and then it should be possible to spend time down there with the grandchildren, who will have their own workspace down there too. Hopefully, they will enjoy that.

THGGM will have the first week of January off. He has plans to get the first floor of my parent's condo painted so that it can be put up for sale.

I'm happily looking forward to January and a NEW YEAR. I will admit that this year has worn me to a frazzle.

A frazzle, I tell you.

Recipe for Fun

Take one three year old boy.

Mix him together with one of Oldest Son's light sabers found in the garage.

Locate correct batteries and screwdriver. Both necessary at the same time.

"Borrow" daddy's sunglasses.

Put cover from torte over all.

Press red button and whack at things until done.

Test for done-ness by attempting to put ingredients away.

Two Teeth.

MUCH pain.

Cookie Boys!

They look so SERIOUS!

One would never know what a GREAT time we had making cookie boys!

Uncle Evan came, which made it possible.

In the inbetween time of being the mom to being the grandma, I learned that things go better WITHOUT frosting.

And, just so we all had matching rolling pins, I got four blocks from the block box, oiled them with cooking oil, and away we rolled!

Six Months Is a Life Time When You Are Six Months

The top picture is the very first kiss that Famke gave to Kado on the day they met.
In this next picture, he had just done something amazing and she had clapped with wild abandon. That scared him to tears.

She knows just what to do. A hug and a kiss will make it all better!

I am so glad to see the sweet relationship developing between these two. I'm sure I'll have to refer back to this post in the future to remind myself of just how well they ALL get along.

Certainly you've noticed that I am completely besotted with this boy. He has been the joy in these past six difficult months.

But so you know, as much as I adore him, if his siblings are in the room? I'm chopped liver.

Can't say that I mind all that much, as they shall all be sailing the seas of life together long after I've done whatever you call it that sailboats do once they reach their destination (somebody help me? what's that word?).

Six Months Old

How can Kado possibly be six months old already?

It's been quite the six months, too.

I spend as much time as I can just gazing into his eyes, because I know that soon, VERY soon, he is not going to want me to do that anymore.

He sits very nicely on his own, and has just cut his very first tooth!

Yes. It's right there where his tongue is pointing.

You can't tell from this picture, but he has the amazing ability to roll the tip of his tongue into a sharp little point in an effort to get someone, ANYONE to notice exactly where the problem spot is.

I truly do not know how I would have made it through the past six months were it not for this sweet little bundle of cuteness and his equally delightful siblings.

Since watching "Holiday Inn" this month, I've been singing I've Got Plenty to Be Thankful For just as much as I've been singing White Christmas.

As Finished As He's Going to Be

Worked some more on my snowman.
I think the next one I make will be with wooden hoops and the remainder of my wool blanket. The wooden hoops should be easier to glue together.

I wasn't all that crazy about it, until I popped it into the frame holder and noticed the little shoe fasts sitting on the table.

Oh, I DO love how the snowman looks with shoes!

I Should Listen More Closely

Jonge got control of the little plastic animals while Famke took a very looong nap.

He noticed that I had taken a fawn and added it to one of my table-top dioramas.

He was not amused and did not approve.

Of course, I let him take it back. He said something, but I was busy with Kado and didn't quite catch what he said.

Then, after they had been gone for quite a while, I noticed the two dogs on the cupboard above.

Famke Plays

This morning Jonge and Famke found a great 'lift the flap' book. It opens up and has pictures on both sides.

They were amazed by this!

Then I remembered that we have a bin full of plastic animals of every creed and denomination in the toy closet, so we pulled that out.

While Jonge enjoyed having his band of lions roar and eat things in a corner of the living room, Famke took up recidence in front of this scene and had a WONDERFUL time playing in her own little make-believe world.

Someone else just may have her Beppe's love of dioramas and wee bits.

I Try

Really. I do.

I have several blog posts in different stages of done-ness. My brain is just not working correctly. I'm sure if I were to lean my head slightly to one side you could see the brain cells falling out of my ear.

Today I managed to bring order back to the guest room. Remember how I bought all those great storage thingies so it could EASILY be picked up? This week I fell behind on THAT plan.

Anyway..,

Sometimes I wonder what sort of play has been going on.

Take this little drama for instance. What IS happening here?

It does look like quite the sad story, doesn't it?

I did some thrift shopping today.

Look what I found!

MORE Madame Alexander Happy Meal Dolls!

Are you as excited as I am?

I now have someone from the lollipop guild.

Seriously. I try.

She Sort of Makes Stuff

Quickly and aimlessly I surfed through blogs early this morning. Someone (i'll identify which blog when i find it again) had a BEAUTIFUL snowman made with two wooden embroidery hoops and a GORGEOUS wool cable knit sweater. Well, I had some aqua hoops setting out waiting for me to embroider the grandkids hand prints. THAT hasn't happened, so I thought I'd try the hoops for a snowman made with humble thrifted things I have laying all over my house. Maybe tomorrow I'll try for a nose and mouth. Maybe. Hard time committing.

I DID have a very good time cutting up an Old Navy lambs wool sweater I bought at the thrift store. I'd made a couple of felted wool wreathes and garlands out of dark wool sweaters a few years ago.

This sweater was much brighter. I'd already made some of it into a scarf and hat. I thought of a few other things, but I kept coming back to the wreath and garland idea.

This one striped sweater gave me so many colors!

Then, I remembered that I had purchased a couple of bead storage containers at the thrift store a few years ago that had some bits and pieces of old glass garland beads in them.

The most surprising thing isn't that I had them, it's that I knew exactly where they were!

Youngest Son stopped by today to play with his niece and nephews, so I could even run down into the basement and rut around for things. That was nice.

Now there is a NEW mess on the dining room table.

But I'm happy because I made something!

Well. Sort of.

Jonge, Jonge, Jonge

This one is a deep thinking, deep feeling sweet heart. He didn't like the oatmeal yesterday. I bribed him with a candy kiss. He ate it all then, and pronounced it good.

He is missing his Pa very much these days.

One day last week he told me that it was getting hard for him to remember Pa. So, we talked about Pa a bit, and I lowered the pictures on the fridge so he could see them better.




Yesterday it hit him hard in the afternoon. I held him while he cried and cried. It's really so very sad. Pa used to come here every day that I had the grand kids. His reason in coming was to sit down and watch them play and interact with them. He wanted to know them, and he wanted them to know him. My dad's grandparents and great-grand parents lived in another country and he never saw them. Not even once. Jonge knew Pa as someone who always had the time to watch whatever it was Jonge wanted Pa to watch. They played a wicked game of 'cane ball' too. Sometimes Pa's hearing aides would make weird noises, other times his O2 tank would 'puff'. When he came from the lab, he would have bandages on his arm and a lot of bruises from his previous lab visits. But he always brought some candy and had time for hugs and kisses and listening to whatever was important to Jonge that day.

It's no wonder he misses him.

After we had spent some time talking about all things 'Pa', Jonge felt better and joined Famke playing with toys on the floor. While I attempted to hold MY emotions in check, Jonge looked up at me and said, "Beppe, when I get big and move to another house far away with Uncle David and Aunt Danielle (these are two of his dad's siblings who share a house) I'm still going to remember you."

That's good to know.

That is GOOD to know.

Precious Two Year Old

This one is my 'precious'. When she is in her sweet and cuddly mood, she will call me her 'precious Beppe'. In the picture on the left she is eating the 'overnight oatmeal'. She liked it, a lot.

In the picture on the right, only a few bites later, she was feeling a bit pouty. I'm not sure why. It was an emotional day all around, I guess.

This picture is from lunch. Just before nap time, she got a bit slap-happy. She's playing a sort of peek-a-boo game with the dish cloth.

I didn't take a picture (you can thank me later) of what she handed me after her nap. Of course, I took it - asking if it was a piece of cracker. "NO!", she said while looking at me as if I am a blooming idiot (the jury is still out on that one). "It's a booger from my nose!"

She is soooo veeeery much fun to have around!