Where's Half Pint?

Maggie had a delightful 10th birthday. Highlight? We set up skype and called Mike, who sang and clapped along as Mags blew out the candles from her cake. Ain't technology amazin'?

When we went to see Wicked last July, the playbook announced that in November a new musical, Little House on the Prairie starring Melissa Gilbert would be coming to Tulsa. We thought about it, couldn't inagine it, laughed about it. I mean, HOW could they make a musical based on the Little House books? We couldn't imagine. A quick glance to Maggie, who was suppressing a grin. Later that evening, she confessed, "I REALLY want to see that show! And my birthday is in November." She and her friend Lauren enjoyed the first couple of Little House books and last Christmas we gave Maggie the entire collection. They love watching dvd's of the tv show. They think Melissa Gilbert is awesome. So, I bought tickets to the show for Maggie and Lauren to celebrate her birthday.

Here they are, excited to see the show, super excited to see Melissa Gilbert. The announcement at the top of the show then explained that we would be enjoying a great show and that Melissa Gilbert would be replaced by her understudy. BOOOO!!! The girls were sad, but I am proud to say, both of them said that they were sad to not get to see her, but even more worried about her and hoped that she was okay. Sweet girls, I tell you! The show was fun, the musical numbers cute. Nellie Olsen stole the show and Almanzo and Laura's story was adorable. I think when I have a chance, I'm going to revisit the old books. Honestly, I loved the tv show, but it

kind of warped the true story of Laura Ingals Wilder into Hollywood melodrama. I want to revisit the prairie and find my inner half pint. She's still there somewhere, and looks nothing like Melissa Gilbert!

Big Time

Okay, so I blew it. I really enjoy writing this blog, and even had a few people following it. Then I hit a wall...Mike got deployed, we went to Illinois, I went to San Diego, we came home, and now I'm doing this pseudo-single mom thing. No one probably checks for updates. Have you all given up on me?


I blew it! I stopped posting. Well, I'm back now. You can all exhale that sigh of anticipation and relief!

So, how shall I begin to blog again? Should I tell you about Mike's and my San Diego trip? I'd share pictures, but they are in Mike's camera, which happens to be in Iraq. Sooooo....I'll tell you it was amazing. I spent three weeks with my husband while my children were given the royal treatment with their grandparents. (more on that later!) I flew by myself, didn't die in a horrible plane crash, saw beautiful architecture, the ocean, museums, wine country in the mountains, more homeless people in an hour than I've seen in my life, wealth beyond comprehension, real life surfer dudes, a tree with 20 hummingbird feeders hosting hundreds of hummingbirds, a dude going down the street on a skateboard wearing nothing but a green thong, green converse hightops and a fannypack (yes, I took pictures), and a beach with sand flecked with gold. We ate at an amazing Mexican restaurant called Old Town Mexican Restaurant (what the name lacks in imagination, the food makes up for in deliciousness), lots of sea food restaurants and at over priced places in Little Italy and in the ghetto. We learned the ins and outs of In-N-Out Burger and Mike was brave enough to order off of the "secret" menu..Animal style! We drank wine outdoors in the mountains. We spent an entire day at the zoo, and still didn't see it all. We saw a guy get tackeled by a baywatch crew for...um...inappropriate behavior on the beach. (luckily, we didn't see the ...um...inappropriate behavior) We shopped at the military px. We went to mass in some interesting churches. We rode the trolley into town the last day of Comic Con and didn't see any celebrities, but saw more freaky people than I've ever seen before. I held a bird on my arm. I saw other people with their kids and died a little inside with longing for mine. But, the best thing about this trip...the thing I'll remember always, is this. After 21 years of marriage and six kids, Mike and I found out that we STILL like each other! We still make each other laugh and love nothing more than to just hang out together. For that, I am truly thankful. I am very blessed.


So, I blew it..big time. But I'm back now! I have a couple of pictures in my camera, but we switched to Mike's camera and, well, you know where they are. I know you are dying to see skateboard dude! Trust me, those pitures will be on here as soon as I can get them! For now, you'll have to make do with this handsome man...

Here is Mike in the grapes in a town called Julian. Sigh. I miss him.

Out of My League

I am out of my league with this one.

I am not one to primp. I don't wear make-up, though I am sure I could use it, and I have only gotten one mani/pedi in my life. I choose clothes based on comfort, and the cheaper the better. It's just not my "thing". So, why did God give me four girls? Who knows?

It's funny how they are all so different. Mary loves to dance, but dreads the make-up and hair thing. Her nails are typically dirty and ragged. Clare is a reader who enjoys looking cute, but affords no real effort and is pretty satisfied with the status quo. Maggie is a little artist and a little bit of a primper. She doesn't LOVE dressing up, but has a definate sense of her own style.

This one, however...

...loves all things girly. Make-up? The girl has been caught in the recital make-up more times than I can count. She has special hair-do requests daily and says, "Hairspray, please!" when I'm finished.

We were at the mall last week (a place I avoid like the plague) and she thought she had died and gone to heaven. We passed by the huge Sephora store and she stopped at the door, eyes wide and said (most dramatically), "Oh. My. Gosh!!!" I had to drag her away.

I am glad she has dance to fill her need for girlish fluff. She is certainly in her element at the studio. I'm afraid she is on her own at home though. Please pray for us during the teen years. If this is her at four, what does the future hold?

I am way out of my league!

Remember When

Remember back in high school how much you hated geometry? How about writing compare/contrast papers? Or reading poetry and plays in olde english and having to discuss metaphores, symbolism, motifs and the like?

Well, guess what? When your children go to high school now-a-days, the teachers "let" you experience all of those wonders yet again!

I like the history, though. I didn't the first time around, but am enjoying it now. That's something, right?

When I Grow Old

One of the unique joys associated with having lots 'o kids, is realizing that some day, God willing, you will have lots and lots 'o grandbabies! I am looking forward to the day! Sometimes I think about what life will be like when my kids are grown and have houses and families of their own. I've even gone so far as to imagine what it will be like when I go to visit them! Here are a few of the things I'd like to do when that day comes....

I can't wait to sit down to dinner and ask "What is this stuff?" while acting like I smell something nasty. I think I'll even take a very tiny bite of the food and say, "I tried it. I don't like it. What else can I have?" I might even cry.

I will take a big box of Legos to their houses and sprinkle them liberally on the floor, being careful to hit the good spots...next to the bed and in the bathroom are favorites!

My shoes will be taken carefully out of my suitcase and flung around in front of doors, under couches and left in the middle of the hallway.

I'll be super helpful and help fold thier laundry! Then I'll dump it all over their bedroom floors.

When I use the stairs, I will hold onto the banister at the bottom of the steps and swing my body around it, making the wood creak and groan. Fun!

Bickering is fun. I will try to annoy eveyone in the house so I can watch the different reactions...then make fun of them. Making the "retard" sign is a sure fire hit!!!

These are just a few of my ideas. I'm sure I'll come up with more, because I'm a people pleaser.

I Heart Cooking

There's a job for everyone! Teach them now and someday, somewhere, someone may thank you.

There are spoons to be licked...

Ummmmm, where's Mary? Oh. Gathering wool at the window. Get busy, child! Go chop something!

There are pots to be stirred, watched over and stirred some more.

Dominic likes to break eggs. If a recipe calls for an egg, Dominic's the "go to" guy. I don't have a picture of an egg, or of Dominic breaking an egg or actually helping out in any form or fashion...but I do have this delightful self-portrait.


Stephen loves to slice and dice. Just look at that enthusiasm! Check out this pro-style garlic pressing. That's a lot of garlic! I believe it was for the Gumbo.

Maggie prefers to draw. Especially if everyone else is busy in the kitchen. That is a great time for her to find a quiet spot elsewhere to draw and write stories. Maybe Maggie will be a professional artist and be able to hire a personal chef. At our previous home, our neighbor's mother, who just so happened to be of Native American descent and believed in spirits, dream interpretation and had "feelings" about things to come, told me when I was out with my 4 (at the time) small children playing in the yard, that she had a "strong feeling" that one of us would some day be a famous author or published artist of some kind. I think the ball is in Maggie's court!

Guest Blogger

Today, I have a guest blogger. She doesn't have her own blog, but she does write many journal entries and stories in creative writing. So, without further ado, I present to you, my daughter, Clare.

Note: This is not a picture of Clare.

Last weekend, we were sitting in the grass, when all of a sudden, a duck flew about 5 feet away from us. We ran inside to get bread to feed to it, but Jonesy chased it away. Mary went to the front yard to look for it while we got the camera and the bread. She saw it right in the grass in our side yard. We threw bread to it and it loved the attention! It was waddling up and down the driveway eating bread and posing for her photoshoot! The picture above is her famous pose telling us to throw more bread. Now, raise your hand if you know how much longer this would last! If you said it would last only seconds longer, then you are right! Stephen came outside, the duck pooped, and then was chased by him down the road! I haven't seen the duck since, and thanks to Stephen, I don't plan to.