4H Fun

We have been involved with the same 4H group for about 15 years now. It has been a lot of fun to watch whole families grow up and meet new people every year. This group of kids is full of energy, let me tell you! Sweet mild mannered little girls turned into warriors when holding a Super Soaker water gun. Nice young men lost all respect for unsuspecting moms when racing with a garbage can filled with water. There were games, contests, and prizes! I am pleased to say I won a prize for....(I will never tell) My lips are sealed. We are looking forward to being the grooviest club at the Northwest Washington Fair wearing our tie dyed shirts while scooping poop.

On Dying

Seems like a lot of people are dying these days. The latest is the "Oxy Man". I don't even watch TV and I know who he is. And only 50. Sobering, really. Victoria worked this morning at the home of an elderly woman for the last time. This sweet lady has been a pleasure for Victoria to care for, but today her body was shutting down in the final stages of life. My daughter actually requested an extra shift (after working 24 hours for someone else) so she could see this woman one more time. With tears in her eyes Victoria told me how "Lily" looked right at her and squeezed her hand. Victoria told her goodbye and that she would see her in heaven. And then cried. And cried. This is not a job that a lot of people would want. I am very proud of my girl.

Howdy from Franklin, Tennessee

Well, it is like 95 degrees here with 95% humidity! You melt when you are outside but freeze inside because the air conditioning is going full blast. Victoria and I had a great trip and are enjoying visiting with old friends in their wonderful 1903 home in Franklin. It is so fun to walk right downtown and visit cool shops and restaurants. Victoria enjoyed a light Southern breakfast of biscuits, gravy and grits! Missing my family and so SAD I am not there to see the last performance of Honk Jr. Way to go Kathryn and William!

Costco to the rescue....again!

Hurray for catering - a la Costco. William informed me that he was having a "couple" of friends over (like 12) and could maybe I feed everyone?? So, a quick trip to Costco and a giant pack of hamburgers, polish dogs, chips, watermelon and icecream bars - and we have a menu fit to please any young teen. I am leaving in about 10 hours (!!) to drive to Seattle with Victoria for our Nashville trip. I still have to finish laundry and pack. The music is blaring, games are all over the kitchen table, the badminton set is spread all over the lawn, a campfire is burning...and the night is still young.

Pico de Gallo

Just finished a tasty dinner on the back deck with the whole family. Yes! All the kids (7 plus 1 spouse) here at the same time - plus 3 friends! Anyhow, made a delicious batch of pico de gallo. Here's the "recipe"

4-6 Roma tomatoes - cut into small chunks
3 cloves garlic - chopped finely
1/2 onion - chopped
1/2 jalapeno pepper - cut into tiny pieces
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 lime - squeeze the juice
big pile of cilantro - chopped
1/4 red or yellow pepper - chopped

This is very yummy!! We had to make 2 batches tonight.

Dog Paws and Cat Claws

Victoria, bless her 20 year old heart, lives at home. I don't mind that at all (except when she uses up all the hot water and steals my toilet paper) but she works strange hours and stays at friends' places a lot - so we get stuck taking care of her pets. Duke (elderly lab) needs special food and pills once a day. Fritz (orange cat that isn't allowed to live here but somehow has found his way into our home and hearts) is always getting chased by the dogs. Yesterday, while sitting on the patio sipping iced tea with a couple of my friends, all hell breaks lose on the Funny Farm. Dogs are barking, children are screaming, cat is yowling and being tossed in the air by 3 crazed dogs. Fritz manages to escape up the old Maple tree - after I ran out like a screaming banshee and loosed him from the jaws of death. He spent the next 8 hours up the tree, until his Mommy came home and got out a ladder. The dog paws belong to me. My feet are horrible!! I scrubbed and buffed and even went to bed with lotion soaked feet and socks. I really need a pedicure before my trip to Nashville on Thursday. I might even pay "5 dollah mo" and get a flower.

A Great Value - paintball supplies and sprouts

Day 2! So far so good. And I have one reader - thanks Mom! Last night James (13) and Bruce went to look at a paintball gun James found on Craiglist. They came back an hour or 2 later with: 4 paintball guns, 6 masks, 2 extra barrels, 4 hoppers, 1 vest, several CO2 cartridges and a partridge in a pear tree. And, best of all - it was an AMAZING deal! Yep - I quote "An amazing value." So, who can argue with that. I am also very thrifty and am making sprouts this morning. I had been making them in a small canning jar with holes poked in the lid. But, yesterday we found our "Sprout Tray". Which is a handy dandy plastic box thingy with holes in it.

Blog 101

Well, I've never done this before! I'm amazed I've made it this far by myself. I will add pictures and fancy stuff when one of my kids is home to help me. My mom always told me I should write a book about my life and all the crazy things that go along with having a big family. I've never gotten around to a book - but maybe I can share some thoughts and tell a few stories here.