Wordless Wednesday

All about Holly

Our eldest is growing up fast.  We've entered the stage of life where John and I are going to bed before her most nights....I realize this isn't hard to do, we aren't exactly night owls. Anyhoo, I don't like it.  She has a rather challenging academic schedule this year and with play rehearsals and performances she has been up late doing homework.  On this particular night, she was just starting to cook an authentic ancient Egyptian food at 10:30 at night.  She is kneading flatbread which, by the way, she served with some sort of garlic paste that was apparently very spicy.  Those Egyptians must have had some nasty breath.

Musical try-outs were last week.  Holly got the part of Mareen.  She is a duck in

Holly and two of her friends decided to ask some boys to TOLO (the dance where the girl asks the boy) this year.  Don't worry Gramma, it is strictly a friend thing...so I'm told.  Somehow she convinced the boy's mom into letting her into his room when he was gone so they could decorate it.  Pretty creative huh?

BTW, he said yes. 

Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops?

nostalgia: noun, a longing, usually sentimental, to experience again some real or imagined former pleasure.

I am very nostalgic.  I love anything old but especially stuff from when I was growing up.  It makes me giddy with pleasure that legwarmers and clogs have came back into style (now if only big bangs would come back).  I have to stop myself every time I am in Costco from buying all my old favorite t.v. shows that are coming out on DVD...okay, maybe I couldn't stop myself from purchasing season one of 21 Jumpstreet (Johnny Depp had all of his cuteness and none of his weirdness back then).  Anyhoo, I found this book at the library the other day... 

It was lots of fun.  Here are some of my favorite lost toys, tastes and trends of the 70s and 80s.

*After School Specials...I wonder if they sell these on DVDs?

*Benji...I remember my parents once let me stay home from night church to watch this.  Remember when they showed Disney movies on Sunday nights?

*Big Wheel

*Candy cigarettes

*Casey Kasem on American Top 40

*Charlie's Angels Trading Cards...I wasn't allowed to watch the show so obviously wasn't allowed to purchase the cards but my friend Shelly did and she would sometimes give me her doubles. 

*The Electric Company

*Fashion Plates...I actually have the even cooler Flip and Fold Fashion that uses actual fabric.  Yes, I still play with it sometimes.

*Gee, Your Hair Smells Terrific fragrance shampoo

*Judy Bloom books

*Lawn Darts

*Lip Lickers Lip Balm...remember those cool little gold metal tins with the sliding lids?

*Love's Baby Soft

*Metal Pudding Containers...raise your hand if you've cut your tongue while trying to lick the pudding off.

*Mr. Yuk

*Schoolhouse Rock...my personal favorite was "Interjections".

*Shrinky Dinks

*Star Search

*Sun-In

*Videos on MTV...once again, wasn't allowed to watch them but thankfully the neighbors had cable.

*Weebles...I can still hear the jingle "Weebles wobble but they don't wall down"!

*ZOOM...I will never forget the zip code to Boston, MA

Life goes by really fast and I find it highly enjoyable to slow down and remember "the good old days" sometimes.  I think I am going to go play with my View Master now. 

*

Flowers for Algernon

Flowers for Algernon wrapped up this weekend.  The kids did a wonderful job.  It was a serious, "heavy", somewhat depressing play but it had a good message and it really made you think.  Holly had three small speaking parts but she got to change costumes FIVE TIMES (that's a big deal folks).  As always, no matter what her part, she stole the show...at least for her dad and me. 

Sorry about the poor picture quality.  It's not easy being a stage mom. 

Holly as the nurse.

Holly as the chairlady.

Holly as Mrs. Feldman.

I "stole" the above picture off the school website.  It's a good one.  Thank you school photographer!

Holly was also put in charge of this cute little gal who was also in the play.  She had to help her with costume changes and make sure she got out on stage for her scenes.  They really bonded and according to her parents, Holly is now her favorite person in the world. 

Holly, I always wondered exactly what God had in store for you when you were such a little girl with such a big personality.  To say you were "dramatic" as a little girl would be a gross understatement.  You always made it very clear how you were feeling (good, bad, or otherwise) without having to say a word.  Your facial expression and body language would say it all! You never missed an opportunity to perform and loved being the center of attention.   I cannot count the number of times I caught you singing or dancing in front of a mirror, window, toaster...basically any reflective surface you could see yourself in!  It is so much fun to watch my "little drama queen" use all the gifts God has given her to bring honor and glory to Him.  Your dad and I couldn't be any prouder of you.  Love, Your biggest fan (aka Mom)

Family pictures...finally

When my folks, sister, bro-in-law, and nephew were here this summer we got our family pictures taken.  My Dad and Kurt were, shall I say, less than excited about this adventure but I am happy to report that they were very good boys. It probably helped that I threatened them with the wrath of Dee if they didn't behave.  Here's just a smattering of some of my favorites...don't worry, I didn't include the one I am using for our Christmas cards this year.

The pumpkin patch

The much anticipated (by Katie anyway) preschool field trip to the pumpkin patch finally arrived!  To say that the princess was excited would be an understatement.  Her mom was just excited that it wasn't raining!  I'm fairly sure that our town has the cutest pumpkin patch in the world but you'll just have to take my word for it because my stupid camera broke down while we were there.  Thankfully, I did get some pictures of the big day...good thing too because this was my last preschool field trip to the pumpkin patch.  No, I didn't cry but I did come close.

Here's the class learning all about how to pick apples.

Me and my girl on our way to pick out a pumpkin.  According to Katie, this is the bestest part!

She found the perfect one!

And is pretty excited about it!

Okay, maybe I cried just a little bit. 

It's my honey's birthday

My most favorite husband in the whole wide world had a birthday today!  He came home from work just long enough to eat supper and open some presents and then he was off to a school board meeting.  I guess that's what happens when you are an adult!  

Sam got his dad a gift card for one of his favorite stores - Home Depot.  Katie was NOT happy when he opened this.  She was with me when I got the card so she thought it was from her.  There were tears.

She recovered quickly.  Dad opened her present next and he LOVED his six-pack of beer and Snicker's bar!

Holly got him Snickers too.  According to John, one can never have too many Snickers.

Any guesses what he got from me???

It's a ball retriever (for golf balls that land in the water).  It telescopes out to 18 feet!  He was thrilled.  Whatever.   

Happy Birthday John!  Thanks for being such a wonderful husband and dad.  I love you so much.  And you know what I just realized?  You have been married to me half as long as you've been alive.  Wow!  Thanks for putting up with me and telling me I am just as good as a cook as your mom even though that is not true.

Sam's book

I was cleaning the bookshelves in my office this morning when I ran across this book that Sam wrote and illustrated this past summer.  I thought I'd  share it before I pack it away in his bin with the other stuff that he will probably never care about but someday I can get it out and show it to his wife.

 One day a grampa went to the Rain Forest.  He went with some other grampas on a bus.

He was having so much fun he got lost.  He ran into some spooky thing. 
He ran as fast as he could.  But he got eaten By a crocodile.

Then the old granpa trnd into a ghost.  He slist the body of the crocodile open.
Than he saw the other grapas!  They were eating grapes.  Wen they saw the grapa ghost they got there cutting knives out!

But the ghost grapa said, "Do not hert me."  The grapas put down their knives and said, "OK".  And they Drove back

Chalk the Walk

Every October all the third grade classes in Lynden go to a local shopping complex and create fall-themed chalk pictures on the sidewalk.  For all those people out there who thinks all is does is rain here; the pictures are under an overhang so they don't wash away immediately. 

Sam and his friend Becca.

Here is Sam's masterpiece.  I think it was a stretch for him to not draw something Star Wars related!

Sam and some of his buddies.  Please take note of his head.  It has been shorn.  The threat worked.

Our neighbor Becky came along too.  She is very good at entertaining little girls who don't understand why they can't chalk the walk.  Don't worry littlle Princess, you'll be in third grade before you know it!

Just some stuff

First of all, just in case anyone was doubting that the Reeses actually made it to Auntie Denise... 

Next, does this boy need a haircut or what???  I am telling John that if he doesn't cut it tonight, I will be taking him to a professional where I actually have to pay money.  That should do it.

Last Saturday, I was chaperoning at Holly's choir party.  John and the kiddos worked in the yard and when I got home, they had this beautiful bouquet picked for me.  Isn't John an incredible flower arranger?  We still have lots of flowers in our yard.  I am not hating autumn as much as I have in years past.  The weather has been too nice to be crabby about the fact that winter is coming.  

Tickets are now on sale for "Holly's play".  She has three small parts...a nurse, a chair lady, and I can't remember the last one but whatever it is, she will be awesome.  The book made me cry and Holly says the play is pretty "heavy".  Should be interesting...  Speaking of Holly, she said I didn't embarrass her at her choir party.  I guess one of us is maturing. 

It's my Uncle Glen's birthday today.  I know I've used this picture before but I just love it.  I should really be nicer to him though.  He takes me out for lunch every time I'm in the Midwest and he is my best chance for getting a John Deere zero turning radius lawnmower someday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNCLE GLEN!