In the Boys' Bathroom

Look what I found in the boys' bathroom!

I had the unique (because usually they do the cleaning) opportunity to clean the downstairs bathroom while the boys were at scout camp.  It was impressive to see their empty bottle collection.  Not sure why they didn't just throw them out.  To be fair, a few of the bottles did get tossed in the garbage... the overflowing, rarely-emptied garbage can.  Still too hard to part with the empty bottles, I guess.

I 'm just glad they know how to get clean.  Very glad, since I know what a dirty boy smells like.  Use all the shampoo you need, boys!

Eagle #2

We did it.  After several years, lots of service hours and leadership positions and learning new things and doing good turns, we did it.

This boy is a fair dinkum Eagle Scout.  It makes even the sewing of five million blankety-blank merit badges worth it.  I even get a pin for me to wear, because they are nice to Moms that way.

Too bad he put off the board of review until late enough that we don't have time to have an Eagle Court of Honor to celebrate him.  Maybe he planned it that way.  But he finished; that's the important part. So proud of you!

Perspective

We had some time to kill recently.  Angel, the curious little thing that she is, was quick to find a waterfall and rocks to play in.

It was a little bit windy, but she loved playing in the water.  It was a beautiful day, and I loved watching her excitement.

She found a sparkly rock and wanted me to take a picture of it.  Too bad the sparkles don't show up very well.  I don't know which sparkled more: her rocks or her dancing eyes.

I'm glad she had this time to play while the twins were sleeping in their car seats after a long drive.  Isn't it wonderful how we can find beauty and wonderment anywhere we look for it?  The Lord made an awesome place for us to enjoy, and we ought to.  It was a magical time for her to be in the glory of nature...

... in the middle of a parking lot.  I wish I could be so quick to find the magic and the wonder, and a little less quick to complain about the asphalt or the long wait.  I need an attitude adjustment.

The House That Bert Built

Grandma took us to see her childhood home.  If I have the story straight, her parents purchased 6 lots in town - not quite half an acre.  At first they lived on a little house on the back corner, by the alleyway.  I'm not sure if that house was there when they bought the property, or if they built it.  But they lived there while Wilbert (he went by Bert)  built the new house.

It was during World War II, and building materials were scarce.  To save on lumber, the ceilings are only seven feet tall.  The shorter height was not a problem, because neither Bert nor Ruby were tall people.  The little house was nearly 800 square feet, and had two bedrooms and a bath, a living room and a kitchen.  Down a narrow flight of stairs was a wash room, space to store the food Ruby bottled, and a wood shop where Bert worked, stored his tools, and turned wooden bowls.  The house was finished in 1939.

Bert and Ruby had four girls and a boy, and they all lived cozily in the home they called the Cleveland House.  The four girls shared the upstairs bedroom, and the son slept in a little corner of the basement.

In the ample lot, the family grew an abundant garden, fruit trees, roses, and lilac bushes.  It was a lovely place to raise children.  They learned how to work hard and be thrifty.

We stayed at cousin Lynn's house, and she showed us some pictures of her and her mother (Grandma's oldest sister) in front of the house.  This was in the early 50's, maybe?

Bert was a photographer, and took many pictures and portraits of his little family.  I'm sure there are some pictures of the Cleveland House with Ruby and the children.  I'd like to find some.  For now, I have this picture of two of the nicest ladies in the state - Grandma and Cousin Lynn - in front of the cutest little house I'd love to buy if I had a whole bunch fewer children!

Summertime

I wish it could always feel like this.

Love You, Grandma!

My first mother-in-law came to visit us.  We are so lucky that, even though she lives a few thousand miles away from us, she comes to visit every summer.  She spends a week with each of her children's families, travelling more than seven thousand miles to see all five homes and twenty-three grandchildren.  She is an amazing woman, and the week we have her flies by too fast.

Maybe one day, we will convince her to move closer.  We would love it!

I am so lucky to have such a loving woman for my mother-in-law.  She is incredibly loving and giving.  She raised an amazing man, the mother of my first five boys.  And even after his passing, she still loves us!  I am impressed how quickly she adopted Trent as an honorary son-in-law when I married him.  She sends birthday cards and Christmas gifts for her grandkids - all 8 of them, no matter whether they are her biological grandchildren or not.  If you asked her, they are all hers.  And I agree.  My children are so lucky to have three sets of doting grandparents.

We love you, Grandma.  You are such a gift to our family!

Jewelry-itis

I decided to make a necklace for Mother's Day.  It was kind of a cross between a necklace and a mother's ring and a grandmother's brag book.

It starts in the middle, with love, and represents every person in the family.  Every boy has a blue bead and every girl has a pink - pretty standard colors, I know, but I liked how the blue and pink ended up, and it just made more sense that way.  Grandma and Grandpa were pink and blue beads on the same pin, separated by a small clear bead and two more small beads on top and bottom.  After that, each of their children (they are all married) was shown as a couple, but with only one small bead at top and bottom instead of two.  After each couple comes their children, and then the next family begins with a new couple.  This one was for the Alaska grandmother.

The next one got more colorful.  I really enjoyed making these necklaces, because I had to think of each member of the family - aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews - as I strung the bead for them.  I like my families.  How lucky I am to be surrounded by so many good people!

And then I made a little bracelet, just for fun.  Can you guess who inspired this one?  Maybe it would give a better hint if I hadn't turned the Africa charm backwards for the picture.  Man, I love my boy!