First Born

Mike is a first-born, and so is Isabel (obviously). First-born children tend to think they know a lot and want to share it with the poor people (e.g., younger brothers) that have less experience on the earth.

Tonight we were driving -- it doesn't matter where, the scenario is always the same... Sam says something and Isabel corrects him. Tonight Sam said something or mimicked some dialog to a movie or show, it was quiet for a minute and then Isabel blurted out something to "help him out."

I said, "Isabel, MYOB" (Isabel's and my code for "mind your own business.")

Isabel said, "You know, before I said it, I thought about it and thought about it. I knew I shouldn't, but then I thought, "It'll feel good!"

Then, as soon as I said it, I thought, "I shouldn't have said that."

It must be such a burden to have the answer for your brother almost all the time and yet also know it won't be received well.

It's so funny to watch them grow up and really get to know your kids and not just raise them. I love getting to know them more and more. Isabel has now decided that she loves all things Ann Taylor, she goes to their website, asks me to take her to the mall all the time just to go to that store. I have to admit I would rather that she loved AT rather than cheap trendy clothes, but dang! it's expensive! I keep telling her, just get a good education and get a great job and you can wear Ann Taylor all you want.

And Sam, if anyone is looking for a person to replay every word of dialog to any show, movie, commercial or funny situation; I've got your boy! Word for word, with inflection.

Super Baby!

When my brothers and my sister and I were little we were a bit ferrel, my mother and dad would be at work and we would find some trouble to get in to. One day my brother David, sister Sherry and I wanted to show Rick that he could fly so we tied a sheet around his neck and took him to the top of the stair and said "Super Baby Fly" and Rick jumped (because the poor guy trusted us) and landed in a heap at the bottom of the stairs.

We tortured him on a regular basis for most of his childhood. He was the one with all the good looks, charm, etc. He played football, got a football scholarship to University of Redlands in CA. When he was about 19 he got Hodgekin's Disease and we were told after his treatment he would never have children. Scott is a sophomore at a University in AZ, Julia is an accomplished singer, actress, dancer and Ben is brilliant and talented in his own right - I guess they were wrong.

He made it through his bout with cancer, snapping both of his Achilles tendons, deciding to (with his wife Cheryl) become the owners of an Willowbrook Apple Orchard and teach full time and part-time professor of Kinesiology at the University of Riverside.

 

Rick is great, he' always ready to laugh, make a joke, watch sports, talk about sports, ride his tractor and be with his family. He has had a cough for a long time, they thought it was pneumonia initially, this week he got the bad news that he has lung cancer. This is just the preliminary diagnosis, more to come after the PET scan.

This is the website to his orchard

http://willowbrookapple.tripod.com/

Love ya Rick.

Tuesday Mornings

I'm coming to love Tuesday mornings, 9:00am I have coffee ready and the doorbell starts ringing, in comes some of the most fabulous women I know. We talk, drink coffee, talk about God, look at the new addition to the group - Maple Marie Holiday Reetz. She is 3 weeks old and beautiful.
My friend Emily (Maple's mom) put is so well, that God has provided her with such a rich group of people around her she really gets her needs met for support and God's touch here in Appleton with friends and family.

We are all spiritual explorers, we have been through "church". I loved all of my church experience for the most part, some of it was messy but people are messy.

Tuesdays are good.

Blogs I love

There are a few blog links on mine that I love to read, if you have spare time just puttering around you should check them out. I've just added a new one "confessions of a gas station attendant", my friend Sarah writes. Funny.

Good Weekend, Good Night. Go Pack.

Labor Day in Door County

Labor Day weekend Sam, Isabel and I went to Door County to Penninsula State Park. We had a wonderful time like we always do with our friends the Leiva's. I forgot my camera, so this photo that I found will be a constant reminder/memory of all the kids in the dinghy...so great.

What a great family adventure

Tree house building is a kind of subculture, once you find other people who have started building tree houses and all the fancy stuff they have done it becomes addicting. I know Mike has the addiction. I was the reluctant "oh my, is it gonna hold all the kids?, is it safe?". We are now at the point that kids can play in it. The other night we have 18 kids over and they had a blast. In this photo the railing is temporary, the final railing is going to be installed soon and then the roof.

Now I get to help out, make signs like "Girls Only" and "Boys Only", paint and decorate it. Mike and I are open to any and all ideas. We will have a tire swing underneath and maybe hang a rattan chair inside.

New Pendants! New Logo! Oooh la la!

 

I made a logo for Blue Moon Emporium this week, made some t-shirts. Got some new pendants made...if you like them go to the Blue Moon Emporium on faceboook. I need a nap.

Guess what this is?

Pig Snout at the end of a tube.

Friday

3rd day of school, today was hmmm.., how should I put this - let's just say a bit traumatic, Isabel found out someone had popped the tires on her bike, Sam went all the way to school without his backpack and had to come home. I need to go back to bed and start this one again.

I am excited about this weekend though, I think that this weekend is going to be a turning point in the treehouse build. Almost all the walls are up, Mike is going to get the log to make the ladder and the tire for the swing, the railing should be finished, so all we will need is the roof. Actually who needs a roof anyways, it's a beautiful week.

Fires and School

Tomorrow the house will be empty for most of the day. I'm exhausted and I think it's not because of the kids, but because there has been a fire burning near my brother's apple orchard for the last 2 days and I have been constantly tracking it's progress and hoping they got "blossom" the pig to safety. What a stressful couple of days! As of right now, they got back to their house and it is ok. Thanks God.

Now, Isabel is starting 6th grade and Sam 4th. This year seems to be starting out really well. Good teachers, good friends in each child's class. I'm excited about the possibilities of a great time for them both.

But now I'm going to bed.