Monday, April 06, 2009

Shower for Emerson

Baby Showers... I've always loved them, but now...well, they take on a whole new meaning when they're for my grandsons. This was a coed shower, a first for me!Come on in to Christian and Katrina's... I would have loved if you had all been here in person!Christian made the diaper cake! He is definitely a handy-man, but I had no idea he was this handy!
My guy carried in our gift. (A stroller)
A barbeque was the order of the afternoon... there was no lack of food and beverages! The basketball game was even on for those who wanted to keep up with the score.Sarah, Brandon, and James Marshall came down to the shower.As you can see, there were quite a few little ones running around.Greg, one of Emerson's two grandpa's was there... Emily's dad.Sue was there, too.Emily and her Dad, GregWyatt and his mama... KatrinaWyatt's baby brother, Cash, and his papa, Christian.

There were some others I met, but unfortunately don't remember their names.Emerson may not be born with a 'silver spoon in his mouth', but he definitely will be born with a silver spoon... thanks to some sweet friend of Gabe and Emily's.Hopefully Emerson will never have to use a humidifier, but if he does, he'll love his...Well, congratulations to Brandon. He guessed the correct number of diapers in the diaper cake...and so he won a nice bottle of vino... I thought about being a thief, but since I love Brandon, I abandoned that thought.My little King will be dressed up all the time. He has received so many adorable clothes.Hey, how come you guys aren't in watching Emily and Gabe open their gifts? Jason has to scratch his chin to think of a good answer.Gabe had fun playing with some of Emerson's new toys...he also enjoyed wrestling with Cash ...Wyatt wanted to offer Emily his help in opening gifts...Wyatt was trying to tell Emily what he thought this gift was going to be...Emily and Gabe received all kinds of gifts, gifts they didn't even make back in the days when I was pregnant.Wyatt was wanting to play with Gabe...and vice versa. Natalie thought she'd come check things out too.I loved Lindsey, Donnie, and Benjamin being there, too!Donnie told Little Benjamin to calm down a couple of times. I'm not sure what Gabe was telling Wyatt, ...but it looks like Wyatt was happy about it. Knuckle to knuckle...Sarah had been collecting gifts for Emerson for quite a while. She had them all arranged in this bathtub. Remember that stroller my guy was carrying? Well, Emily was about to open it.I gave a hint in the card, saying I was excited for Emerson to come and be able to take him 'for a stroll.' Cash thought it was a trampoline...except, it didn't bounce.Gabe took a few photos...His buddy, Brandon, is sure excited for his buddy, Gabe and Emily.Christian and Katrina had a basket full of all kinds of necessities and fun things. See this duck? It's already on the spout in the bathroom by Emerson's room. I didn't have the heart to tell Gabe and Emily that it may be a few days before Emerson takes a bath in the 'big boy bathtub.'My two pregnant ones were hanging out talking with Sue.Because I love this picture, I'm putting it in here again. My girls with my boys.

Like I said earlier, there were quite a few kids running around. Wyatt seemed to be the one my camera gravitated toward... also to James Marshall... Wyatt showed me his book. I think he was reading it to me.When Gabe asked him what sound did the snake make,he thought about it for a minute and then ... well, if you hadn't seen Wyatt, you would have jumped, thinking you were standing close to a snake. James Marshall is another very happy little guy. He was showing me his new Converse All Stars. He told me his Daddy had some just exactly like them - except larger.Natalie was one of the few little girls there. She's a doll... and the daughter of Emily's cousin, Andrea...oh yeah, and Tony!Natalie giving this blogger a big smile.James Marshall was fascinated with my camera lens cover. As I was trying to take pictures of him, he kept putting the lens cover back on the lens. I took some all-black photos, thanks to James Marshall!It was a beautiful day and Cash, when he decided he'd had enough, began to sweep. I think he was trying to tell the crowd that it was time to go home. Not too many listened.He got frustrated. His mama tried to comfort him, tell him everyone would go home soon, that he could go ahead and go to sleep. NO WAY... he was going to stay up as long as everyone else.

We decided to leave... to take Snoop home before he fell sound asleep. (Snoop = my guy... it's a long story...)

Sunday morning, we - actually is was just my guy with a little assistance from the rest of the crew - decided to put the stroller together. It took a bit of time, but finally, mission was accomplished!
Once it was basically put together, it was time for how to put the car seat in without taking off the tray....Gabe figured it out...He showed Emily how to take it in and out....All we need now is Emerson...Gabe felt proud...What a fun weekend!

Sunday, April 05, 2009

A few favorite weekend photos

My guy and I just got home from a great weekend with 2/3rds of our kids. Gabe and Emily had a baby shower and Lindsey and Donnie were there... so I was a happy-camper! Here are a few of my favorite weekend photos... a longer post will be coming, hopefully in the next day or two!My two pregnant daughters! Lindsey with Benjamin and Emily with Emerson... oh, I'm so excited!A photograph of the ultrasound of Benjamin. It was done on Wednesday. The doctors said he's a little over 3 pounds now! Come on Little Benjamin... your Mimi is praying for you and your mama. (A better copy will be posted as soon as my sweet, helpful son-in-law scans and sends me a copy through email!)Emily, I won't let your Texas relatives disown you or Emerson . Heaven forbid that you would dress him in anything except blue and grey when it comes to football!

Emily and I worked on Emerson's room today. It's coming around and is so adorable!Gabe had the idea about the blogger in the mirror... the blogger expanded the idea to getting the whole gang in the mirror! (Saddie, note the lion!)
Gabe and his buddy, our buddy... Brandon.James Marshall... Brandon's adorable little guy.
Emerson's room... at least the crib area.

Donnie giving his boy a sweet pat on the bottom, since he's head down!
Benjamin was squirming around, wanting to play with all the kids he heard running around at the shower. His papa was monitoring his playtime.
Cash and his papa, Christian. Christian and his wife, Katrina, gave Emily and Gabe the shower.Wyatt and Katrina...Wyatt... what a cutie! Gabe is one of his Godfathers... something Gabe is very proud of!My guy carrying in this well-wrapped shower present for Emerson.

Last, but certainly not least, Biscuit... who might have to have some counseling in a month or so if she dives into a depression after Emerson arrives. We put Emerson's stroller together this afternoon and Biscuit jumped right into the bottom of it.

He was still in it when we left...

I took 120 photos of the shower and at Gabe and Emily's house... these are just a few of my favorites... more to come.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Our Favorite Musher

1939 ... that was the year that our Marvin was in a dogsled race in Alaska, Nome, Alaska, where the grueling Iditarod just finished this morning. In this photo above, Marvin is standing on the Bering Sea ice!

Marvin wasn't in the Iditarod... the race hadn't been started back in 1939. But our Marvin was up there and he ran a race... with a 6 dog team.
Marvin had told us about running dogs... but I had no idea he had pictures... and a trophy! Thanks to his sweet daughter-in-law, Margie, we saw the pictures and the trophy. I told Marvin I needed to blog this... he just smiled and gave me the pictures.

Now the Iditarod is about 11oo miles long. Marvin's race wasn't quite that long. He thought it might have been about 5 miles. Who knows, Marvin's success could have been one of the steps toward the modern Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race!Lance Mackey coming into Nome to win the 2009 Iditarod.Marvin coming into Nome to win a dogsled race in 1939!This was the trophy Marvin received for his victory... he told us tonight that it was full of champagne - not tonight, but on February 26, 1939!
Cheers, Marvin!

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Good Intentions

I'm in a cooking mood today, even though I haven't cooked anything yet - except Scottish Oatmeal.

It's no secret that I love to cook... and my guy has been out of town since Friday evening. He went down to help Gabe do some work on his house. Today it's been storming... so I've been sitting watching movies and looking through an old Cooking Light. A former student of mine, Lindsey, who lives in London, has put her weekly menu on her blog a few times...and it always inspires me. I used to do that - once upon a time... when we lived in a beautiful little podunk town in Oregon and it took me over an hour to get to a decent grocery store. So today, I was inspired to make up a menu, buy the ingredients, and do some more cooking.

Here we go:

Sunday (that's today):
Sesame Chicken (actually this is from the Silver Palate Cookbook.)
Black Beans, Rice, and Corn Salad

Spinach-Apple Salad with Maple-Bacon Vinaigrette

Monday or Tuesday
Beef Daube Provencal

Roasted Asparagus with Balsalmic Browned Butter

Herbed Basmati Rice


Wednesday
Left overs!

Thursday
Falafel with Avocado Spread (with home made Pita bread)

Garlic Fries


Friday
Beef and Beer Chili

Jack & Red Pepper quesadillas


Saturday
Grilled Blue Cheese Burgers
Garlic Fries - again!

I'm making Snickerdoodles today. It's been so long since I've made any. Plus, sometime during the week, I'll make Texas Sheet Cake. My buddy, Jake, inspired me to make the cake. She called me yesterday with a question about the recipe. I told her I wouldn't tell anyone what her question was... so I'm wondering, if I write it, is that actually TELLING it?

I look back at the menu and think, 'Um, that looks a little busy'... but we'll see how much I actually follow it!

I have good intentions!

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Grandparent Gift

Our friend Brian came over today. I was actually at the grocery store when he came, but he was still here when I got home. We visited awhile, then I asked him what he was up to.

My guy answered and said, "Brian brought us a Grandparent's Gift."

"A Grandparents Gift? I don't think I've heard of anyone giving that before"

Brian said, "From one grandparent to another."

It was wrapped...in adorable paper! Notice all the little animals?
I opened it... and look!

It's a puzzle...

of animals...

and Brian made it himself!
He said it was his 11th one.

Can you see all the little animal shapes? There's even a hedgehog!
Each shape has a little peg so Emerson and Benjamin can pick them up easier.

Brian told us we needed to learn all the sounds. Does anyone know what sound a hedgehog makes?

What a wonderful gift, Brian! Thank you so very much!

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Bob and Helen

Many of you have heard of 'my buddy Bob'...

If you know about 'my buddy Bob', then you've probably gotten some email forwards. Bob finds some of the absolute best ones.

I got an email from him today...but it wasn't a funny one. Nope, it was a delightful email, a sweet email, an email that I wish everyone could send at some time in their life:His email was titled, "God is good", and the reason being that today is his and Helen's 58th wedding anniversary... and, not only that, but they've "been sweethearts for 65 years".

Congratulations Bob & Helen!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

My Weekend with Lindsey

This last weekend was wonderful... I left Friday and headed down to Lindsey and Donnie's, making it there by 10 p.m. We don't get there as often...it's a good 6 hour drive, or a little more... and it could be a lot more if there was much traffic, which there wasn't for me!

I got to hang out with my baby girl...
I love her...and her sweet husband, my son-in-law, my only son-in-law...
who went out early Sunday morning and picked some oranges for me...
"Hey, look at this one!" he yelled. Not really, he didn't yell at all...actually I don't even think he said anything. He just saw me with the camera and showed me what he had just picked.

Now this is just one of their average, juicy, delicious, sweet oranges...one of the hundreds on their trees!
You may notice Donnie's blue legs on the ladder...
They have oranges... lots of oranges... more oranges than they can consume.
My baby girl loves to cook...and for breakfast she made a compote of plum jam, honey, and fresh oranges. She also made some Trader Joe's Quick Cooking Oat Groats (YUM!) and put the warm compote on top. Oh my gosh... it was divine!
Linz really washes those oranges before she cuts them up...
Yep, they were delicious! But I especially loved hanging out with my baby girl... my pregnant baby girl... pregnant with my little Benjamin...
Saturday was the day we went to see my little King and his mama, my sweet daughter-in-law, but not my only sweet daughter-in-law...but one of my two... get showered with love and gifts...I love this.... Lindsey, Benjamin, me, Emerson, and Emily

After the shower, Linz took me to this overwhelming place called 'Babies R Us'. It's huge.... I mean HUGE... and filled with everything you ever wanted and so much you didn't even know you wanted or even existed to make life with babies easier. It was awesome!

What a special weekend...