The Curtis Family Blog

No Winter in Sight

2012-01-26T15:55:00.003-06:00

The sunshine beckons us out to play so we leave the coats inside and venture out. Plentiful sunshine, not a cloud in the sky. The forecast stretches out the same, no end in sight for this run of mid-50 degree sunny days. This might give him the wrong idea about winter! He migrates, as always, to the cat's food bowl--hoping I don't tell him 'no' like all the times before. I redirect him across the deck on still-wobbly legs, down the steps and into the grass. He catches a glimpse of his favorite pot full of sand and he turns, drops to the ground then crawls heavy over the delicate daffodil tips poking through. Deep sigh and a prayer that they still bloom.

We work our way around the side of the house where he can walk more steadily on the concrete. He sees Max through the fence, giggles as he peers through fence boards at the wet nose and sloppy face. Turning his gaze upward toward the wind blowing through the tree overhead, he flashes me a smile. My heart melts. I watch his eyes dance as he focuses on the leaves swirling in circles, dancing out their own song on the pavement. So many new sights and sounds for this adventurous boy. This little one is so precious to his Mommy.

Hoping Beyond Hope

2012-01-25T15:25:00.004-06:00

Tips of daffodils break through the dry ground. Warm afternoons tease the brain that spring might be just around the corner. We can only hope. And, oh, to see the sunshine reflect off his bright eyes, how this mother's heart warms full. With an unsteady gait he tentatively explores the drab world around him. A few wobbly steps and a splat to the ground, all mixed with grass and dirt and the beauty of boyhood. And I know the secret that he cannot fathom yet--that this brown world will burst into blossoms and beauty and color! Though we know not when, we hope that it is soon.

We wait patiently, hoping beyond hope that soon, very soon we can throw open the windows and feel the life of spring within the musty house. And, I wait hopefully for another life to fill me once again. "I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope." Ps 130:5 . Who can know the plans of the Lord? And who can understand the fulfillment of the desires He births within a heart? All I know is that my heart and soul ache to be with child again, to grow our little family. I imagine his alarmed response to a squalling sibling. I see his little fingers pointing out the baby's noise, eyes, mouth. I see him toddle over with toys in hand to share with baby. So many little visions flit through my mind, so clear, so sweet. And my hope grows.

The long hours waiting in a crowded ER, minute hand taunting cruelly--that was a true lesson in hoping beyond hope. Frightened, confused, clenched fists shaking towards heaven. Had we lost this one, too? How many more? How could You? Why did I let myself hope at all? My lips, salty from a flood of tears, mouthed silently a psalm prayer. Psalm 138 The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever—do not abandon the works of your hands." Lips chanting one thing, the heart fearful of another. Another loss, another letdown, another failure. Do not abandon, do not abandon, do not abandon oh GOD!!! How I wanted this little one to be firmly rooted in "His purpose for me", the beautiful "work of His hands." The long stretcher ride, winding down a familiar path through sterile hallways towards the ultrasound room, where we had spent one summer evening a year earlier--for the exact same reason. That little one had faded so quickly. I wanted to hope this would be different--but there was so much blood. Grasping the siderail and his clammy hand in hopes to brace myself for the worst, my heart stopped when she pointed to the flicker on the screen. A heartbeat? Still? After all that blood?

That same little flicker on the screen now beats rhythmically in the nursery, trying hard to settle down for a nap. These are not easy things on a beautiful afternoon, settling for a nap and settling a doubting, fearful heart. Yet, he manages to hum himself to sleep and I resolve to find my own way to drowned out the doubts. Hoping beyond hope that life will grow once again very soon, another little miracle to teach me a little bit more about faith, hope and love.

Hello again

2012-01-16T11:02:00.003-06:00

I cannot let the embarrassment I feel for the l-o-n-g break from blogging keep me from an update. For real, has it been over three years? And I ask myself is this something I really think I will keep up in the first place? History says no. But, my heart yearns to write, aches to express the ups and downs and questions that, as always, keep coming. I think that for a time facebook replaced the blog, not that I ever faithfully blogged prior to facebook. Yet, it's so easy to throw out a few pictures and think up some clever status update and feel as though I've expressed myself. My heart is not convinced. And I tire of the facebook black hole that sucks so much time, replacing it with a pseudo-sense of connection and friendship. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy have all my friends tucked into one place, knowing where they all are in case I need them. Viewing pictures and the little glimpses into their lives is nice. Something a pre-facebook world could not fathom. It is hard to go back. But I need a familiar place where I can share, vent, express this heart in a less public way. Very few will even return to this blog to check for updates, so it provides a safe place for me to write in case any one does listen.

I am tired, unmotivated, lazy and quite hard on myself for this blah state I find myself stuck in. I scoff at the millions who find even an ounce of motivation to make a New Year's resolution. I cannot even think of making one let alone keeping one. I will inevitably disappoint myself. Everything seems to take so much effort, so much more than when I was younger. And I don't feel old most of the time, but perhaps it's an age thing. That and a grief thing.

I was not prepared to let him go. I should have been, we had plenty of warning. And I feel guilt that I didn't call more those last few weeks. We used to talk at least once a week but as he came home on hospice I was just so worried I'd interrupt something or that the phone call would wear him out. The last time I talked to Grandpa was on December 23rd, our 'early Christmas Eve' pizza party at Dad's house. Or rather, the last time I heard him talk back. He mentioned how much he enjoyed the pizza party the previous Christmas and I told him how much I wish they could have joined us this year. He sounded so tired and I knew that pizza didn't even sound appetizing to him. They were expecting Uncle Stan to fly in later that evening. I knew that they'd be busy with him for the holiday weekend. I should have called them on Christmas day but it just escaped me. When I finally called December 26th, they didn't answer the phone. And the next few days he deteriorated quickly. We were so busy preparing our home for the inlaws and then for Ben's big birthday party. So much to do and so many people around. Lots of laughter and games and balloons and cake and chaos.

My hand rested on his foot as he took his last breath. There were sniffles and tears from all who surrounded him. It was evident immediately that he had left the earthly shell and gone to be with Jesus. I stared at him for a long time, even watched them respectfully carry his body out of the house. And still it is unreal. I cannot fathom that he isn't still here, sitting by his computer emailing crazy pictures out to the world. I miss him. I am sure that will only increase as the reality of his absence sinks in. It was a blessed and sacred time together as a family to be with him as he departed this life and went to meet his Savior. I smile at the thought of him whole and young again in the presence of Jesus.

Yet, I am still trying to process all of the emotions that grief brings.

Welcome December

2008-12-01T12:41:00.003-06:00

The 70 degree weather of Thanksgiving week tried to trick us into forgetting that winter is on her way. But, the cold Kansas winds have erased any doubt that coats and scarves are necessities not accessories!! Chris and I made our long trip back from Indiana and Oklahoma just in time to start our Christmas decorating the evening of Thanksgiving. Our hearts have been full of hope and excitement as we faced, yet another month, of waiting and hoping for a child! This month seemed different somehow, full of renewed hope and expectancy. The disappointments and dashed hopes of months gone by seemed all but forgotten this month. God graciously replaced the pain of raw vulernability in my heart with a rich, deep peace that literally surpassed all understanding. It's as if He whispered gently "the wait is almost over", and for once, my heart was able to believe those words and cling to them for life! A week ago I was flying high on the wings of hope, for the first time in a very long, long time. But, just as the tide rises and falls, today my heart has fallen once again with the monthly disappointment strangely familiar by now. Each month gets easier in some regards and harder in others. With the exception of a few tears, I am doing okay today--not the "world-falls-apart" crash that normally happens! Remnants of last week's peace soothe my heart, and I'm grateful beyond words for His continual ministry to my spirit. It's a new day, a new month and I choose to see this as a brand new opportunity for God to show Himself to us in a new way. I only pray that our eyes will be open to see Him as He reveals himself to us, and that our hearts will not shy away from or be resistant to His workings! None of this comes easily, but I guess that's the reality of adulthood! (The five year old inside my heart screams how none of this is fair, but I guess that's the beauty of growing up)!!! When I look at the bigger picture, all the blessings in my life, I feel almost childish to cry and moan about waiting for a baby!! The other day I hugged Michelle tightly, crying desperate tears of joy, not wanting to let her go--grateful that she is okay and on the mend! I cannot imagine not having her by my side through all that is ahead! God's grace & provision in our family this year has been overwhelming--and I know He is still at work in growing the Curtis family!! So, on this cold, windy Monday, I welcome December with open arms--for all the hope and holiday happiness that it brings!! I embrace today as a new beginning--a new month full of dreams!!

Conservative Turkeys

2008-11-17T11:41:00.004-06:00

Mr. Turkey finally got his Missus . . .I'm thinking they shall be named Thomas & Constance, very conservative pilgrim names!!
And Santa gets his Rudolf!
Quite the Christmas Trio!!!

Step aside penguins!!!

2008-11-09T20:13:00.003-06:00

It's no secret, there's no doubt: I adore squatty little penguins and will continue to make more as long as I live. There can never be too many penguins! The Curtis family is just shy of 20 squatty, multicolored penguins!! However, with each additional penguin I create, Chris questions my sanity more and more. And, with the holidays fast approaching, he kindly asked me to crochet a turkey instead of (for once) another penguin!
Tom the turkey is the result of his query! He is currently awaiting his MRS!!!!

And with Christmas just a few weeks away, I tried my hand at a little Santa man!
But, enough of that non-penguin talk! Let's get back to what really matters!!! Red penguin decided to get all dressed up in his formal tophat for a night on the town!! Then, on a crazy, wild Vegas style night, he met & fell madly in love with Plum Penguin, asked for her hand in marriage and tied the knot!!!
First came love, then came marriage . . . now Kathryn can crochet the babies in a baby carriage!!!

When Grandpa's away, the kids will Play!!

2008-10-18T17:15:00.003-05:00

With Grandpa recovering in the ICU following open heart surgery, Uncle Chris & Aunt Kathryn supervised Christlyn & Ethan's efforts to plant tulips at Grandpa's house!! Last spring, we battled the cool mornings & cat ladies to buy hybrid tulip bulbs at a discount at our local Botanical garden. Now, six months later, we're looking for anywhere and everywhere to unload the 300 bulbs we acquired!!

We put a double row of tulips along the backside of Grandpa's lawn behind the kitchen. The kids were more than helpful in "doing their duty" as they called it, which involved nothing more than putting a shovel full of dirt on a large rock and then scraping it off again. (The wacky things that kids come up with)

Uncle Chris really did the majority of the work by digging the trenches for the bulbs. We also planted bulbs in the center island by Grandpa's garage! Only heaven knows & spring will tell if any of the flowers will bloom, but we had fun in the process! And the kids, were as always, very protective of "doing their duty"!!

"Anything you can do, I can do better. . . ."

2008-10-17T22:23:00.000-05:00

With fall break in full swing and Aunt Kathryn in town for Grandpa's surgery, what better way to spend the day than a playdate with the kids!! Of course, as with most kids, competition was in full "swing" as we spent the afternoon playing at Hunter Park, taking a hike through the "jungle" (as the kids call it) and finally enjoying a cool treat at Braum's!! They really are just little copy cats!!

Ethan swings from tree--and nearly breaks it!!
Christlyn climbs up tree--and literally nearly broke the tree as it bowed from her weight!!
Don't believe their innocent little faces for one minute!!!

These remind me of that old song "Anything you can do, I can do better . . ."!! They are always watching each other, copying each other & trying to "one up" the other in all they do! In spite of all their wild energy, I enjoyed time with them immensely!! If only Jadon hadn't been feeling so under the weather he could have joined us!! Perhaps next time!!

Waiting, waiting, waiting

2008-10-15T22:41:00.002-05:00

Our day began very early, as we all arrived around 5:30 at Hillcrest to cheer Daddy on for his open heart surgery! I know I wasn't the one going in for surgery--either today or last week (Michelle)--but it sure did warm my heart to have so many members of the family by Daddy's side (snapping pictures right and left). As scary as I know today was on all of us, I was overwhelmed with a sense of peace & comfort, knowing that Daddy would be alright and that all would go well. (That or I was too scared to be afraid of the alternative)Michelle amazed us all by sitting up with us in the waiting room all day, not even a week after her own surgery!
Grandpa & Grandma are in town to take care of Daddy once he comes home!!
I hope that Daddy enjoyed having all his girls by his side as he was wheeled to surgery!! It was a great opportunity for the three of us to catch up--and crack up, as always!!!
I crocheted (surprise, surprise) a baby blanket that is overdue!! Jen played "take two" by herself as we all talked, overdosed on crummy coffee and enjoyed visiting with Daddy's boss, Raine--who also sat up in the waiting room with us for most of the day!!

By 11:30am, Daddy was out of surgery and in the recovery area! By 12:30 they moved him to ICU, and we moved to the ICU waiting room for another wait! By 2pm, we were allowed to visit him "two by two"!! But since he was still intubated (on a respirator) & unconscious, we decided to grab some lunch and come back later when he was extubated (off the respirator)!! We enjoyed a late lunch at Cheddars! Our waiter was just what we needed to get a good laugh in!! That and the huge stack of onion rings!!

Penguin Mania!!

2008-10-01T15:49:00.003-05:00

Not sure how or when it happened, but they have multiplied!!
Lesson learned: never leave penguins alone in the dark for long . . . "or something will happen, you never know what"!!!!

Now Sierra has even MORE little "babies" to hide throughout the house!!

Welcome Brookelyn!!!

2008-09-28T19:30:00.003-05:00

Our lives are filled with so many questions that don't have answers, yet we search for them nonetheless. Tragedies occur, people get sick, crises arise, and life ends prematurely. Statements like "everything happens for a reason" and "there's a purpose in this situation" provide only minimal comfort to the hurting ears they fall upon. However, seeing the bright smile on the face of one who has walked through the valley of the shadow of death brings hope and inspiration to a troubled heart! Last summer, my friend Lisa lost her daughter, Michelle, at only eight days of age to a genetic disorder. With her husband and three sons, Lisa endured the crushing loss of their beautiful little girl--a heartache I cannot even fathom. We don't know the reason, we can't see the purpose, but we know that Michelle is among the angels, being craddled by her Jesus. And, on September 1st, He gave Lisa her own little PINK bundle of joy--one that she wouldn't have to say goodbye to!
Today we welcomed Brookelyn Alyse Treaster with a PINK PARTY up at work!!
And of course, Brookelyn needed a special blanket to call her own that matched her nursery set!
Holding Brookelyn in my arms, I could feel the warm, cuddly, squirmy faithfulness of God in human flesh! Her curly brown hair, her light brown eyes and her shy little smile all reflect how awesome He is--even when we dont' know why we have to suffer or wait or say goodbye! All life is precious, all life is a gift--and Lisa and her little Brookelyn have given this heart hope!!!

Deck In Progress

2008-08-21T13:30:00.005-05:00

With our deck needing painting desperately, basement flooding and rain water draining issues and Chris wanting an "under the deck" access plan, we decided in early summer that replacing the deck would be our summer project of choice. I must be honest up front that Chris has done 99% of the work, most of it during the hot, sweaty evenings! All but the framework has been replaced, including the deck boards, railings and balisters!
Here, Chris worked on the back 1/3 of the deck while the kids were up for a visit in mid-July. Keeping them off the deck was near impossible, but no one got hurt so that's a plus!!

We also had the concrete slab on the side of the house replaced this week, as you can see above that the previous slab had falled away and left in it's place a huge hole. Rainwater was seeping in through this hole into the window-well and down into the basement! Chris had a pump in the window-well for most of the summer as a temporary fix, but the new slab as well as an under-the-deck drainage pipe will hopefully eliminate the need for the pump!!

Chris ordered these awesome tiki torches which match the deck perfectly and give off much more light at night than we imagined possible.
A side view of our new concrete slab! Now that this is poured, Chris can finish the last 1/3 of the deck closest to the house. We can also start working on a rock border and flower bed that we plan to put in underneath the silver maple tree (right side of pic)! I know Chris is anxious to have this deck project finished! He had done such a good job, but I know that the project is getting OLD!!!

Goodbye GrandAM, Hello Camry

2008-08-19T19:30:00.002-05:00

While, I was in Tulsa throwing Chrisltyn a birthday party last Friday, Chris miraculously sold his GrandAM. He placed a pictureless add on cars.com during lunch and by 2:30 he got a call about the car. By 4:30 it was a done deal, leaving him carless until I returned home Saturday morning. We had hoped it would sell but had no idea it would sell so quickly!!
So, Saturday when I got back from Tulsa, Chris and I went out car shopping! Let's just say I am married to the most awesome wheeler-and-dealer in the continental US! He had done his homework, bringing along spead sheets a-plenty to help us get the best deal possible! The car salesman wasn't the easiest to deal with, but after 45 minutes or so of going back and forth, we finally signed the papers on our new '09 Camry!!!
Because of an added safety feature, Vehicle Stability Control, that wasn't available on the base models on the lot, we had to wait until today to get the car! Doing all the work of buying a car without taking one home is a teeny bit anti-climactic, but the adrenaline rush hit this evening as we picked up our new car!! Chris compares his Grand AM to an old pair of comfortable jeans and the Camry to a brand new pair of shoes; it will take us awhile to "break in" the car and for it to feel like ours! We're both tremendously glad to have the whole process over!!!

Tabletop Butterflies!

2008-08-06T13:47:00.004-05:00

For those who have been following the kids' table construction, here are a few final pics! The sense of pride the kids displayed at their finished table was adorable! Once the table painting was complete and dry, Uncle Chris helped the kids with assembling the legs onto the table.
Of course, since we used 2x8s and 2x4s for the table top and small old ballisters (from our old deck) for the legs, it was a teeny bit top heavy, not to mention completely unstable.
That didn't keep the kids from laying, leaning and pushing on it! They wanted to build chairs to match the table! Another time, another place. . .another lifetime perhaps! (With the above mentioned stability of the table, I can only imagine what their chairs would end up like
Christlyn painted the roses and apples on the trees as well as the wild blueberry bushes in the "Messed Up Jungle"(see previous post for reference)! Ethan painted the trees, the bright sun as well as the "man cloud"! Now you don't have to wonder when gazing up at their hand painted sky what the clouds look like! He made it clear cut!!
And of course, the artist in Aunt Kathryn had to add her own finishing touches (without little fingers to smear it)! While the kids were napping, I painted the butterflies on the table, both of which species we had seen earlier that day at the butterfly garden!
Today while walking through the backyard, I spotted a butterfly identical to the one I painted on their table! I thought they'd get a kick out if it! If only they were still here to see it! :( Yes, I've been quite sad without the kids around, though I feel more rested and the house is much quieter!
I couldn't resist bringing my new pet butterfly inside to enjoy my freshly cut zinna floswer! Afterall, that is what she was snacking on in the backyard when I found her! Don't worry, I let her go!!!!

Weekend Water Fun

2008-08-02T20:00:00.003-05:00

What a difference a year makes!! Last summer when the kids visited our neighborhood YMCA waterpark, they steered clear of the deep end, avoided going under the water and would only jump in when caught by one of us. This year after completing swim lessons at their own YMCA, they were more than ready to hit the water! We spent three days at the pool and let's just say they wore me (and themselves) out!!
Friday the kids were lucky enough to hit the pool twice in one day. After a couple hours there in the afternoon, I brought the kids home for a nap and to wait for Uncle Chris to get home and join the water party! After dinner we headed back and the four of us had a blast together! The kids showed off for Uncle Chris all their fun tricks! Christlyn was glad to have a partner to hit the water slides with.
Christlyn mastered the art of underwater rocket swimming, swimming on her back and tackling both slides. Last year she wasn't quite tall enough to try the slides. This year Ethan was the one left out but I reassured him that next summer he should be as tall or taller than Sissy and be able to ride the slides. That didn't keep him from trying two days in a row to ride the slides. Hey, I guess it doesn't hurt to try, does it?
Saturday, Grammy joined the party at the pool, too! And once again the kids had to show off all their tricks. Ethan perfected under water summersaults, "spinning" under water as well as the famous cannonball jump! (I'm sure if you check out Grammy's blog soon, she'll have a video of all their tricks posted) Grammy tried the slide with Christlyn but somehow bonked her head so hard that I could hear it across the pool! I panicked and waded as fast as I could to where she sat at the bottom of the slide, looking slightly stunned and "out of it". She did recover, but not without giving the lifeguards quite a scare!!
We all got a nice tan from three days in the sun--that and Aunt Kathryn forgot to put sunscreen on the kids the first day, resulting in a slightly pink tinged faces! The next two days I faithfully applied the sunscreen every hour to the kids, much to their dismay. The combination of bright sun, chlorine and sunscreen when rubbed into little eyes creates quite the burn, burn, burn. I thought I was going to have to initiate a burning eyes intervention!! But, the only real cure is to wait it out, which didn't please either of the kids!
That's all the water fun for 2008! Join us next year for more tricks and tales, as well know now what a difference a year can make!!

A Visit to Botanica

2008-08-01T12:02:00.003-05:00

It's hard for kids to understand the concept of time. And even harder for them to fill the hours of "waiting" until the pool opens up! Why the YMCA doesn't open their outdoor pool any earlier than 1:00pm is beyond me, but I'll tell you that it's difficult to pacify pool-anxious kiddies when 9:30am rolls around and they're convinced we should be swimming! (And why is it that kids can pop out of bed at 7:00 am ready to face the world with boundless energy, and it takes me half an hour to drag myself out of bed and wipe the drool off my face? So unfair!!) So, with more than enough time to fill, this morning we decided on a picnic adventure to Botanica!!
Ethan was grossly disappointed to realize that Botanica is nothing more than another "FLOWER PARK" which inspires any and all adults to incessantly snap pictures of the beloved children. I had to bribe him, actually, to even go to Botanica . . . bribe him with the butterfly garden that Botanica is highly acclaimed for!
Of course, Ethan had no problem with getting his picture taken with this tame monarch butterly.
Christlyn got her turn to hold the butterly, too, as the two kids watched several other butterlies hatch from their cocoons (or crystals as the butterfly volunteer called them). We saw all types of moths and butterflys . . . too many to recount! But, we were given a Butterflies of Kansas book that I'm sure Christlyn will cherish as much as Ethan loves his Snakes of Arkansas book!!
Little did we know when we arrived at Botanica that there was some sort of preschool play day at the park. Though we shared the park with about 50 preschool age kids and their parents/day care workers, we were allowed to do several activities, including the one above. The kids each got to make a necklace out of fruitloop cereal to hang in the backyard for the birds to eat. Christlyn was very artistic and made a pattern out of the fruity cereal. Ethan just wanted to eat the cereal!!
Doesn't she look contemplative? I love this picture!! It embodies the essence of serenity and peace! Most five (almost six) year olds ask lots of (loaded) questions! Today she laid them on thick!!! On the carride home, she asked me "Are God and Jesus the same person? How can two people be one person?" So, we had the Father-Spirit-Son Trinity discussion--which let me assure you left her more confused than ever, but she nodded politely when I asked her if she understood!!! Then, out of the blue she asked me what " I swear" means, "does it mean saying bad words?" How do you explain to a five year old how one word can have two different meanings! Once again I got the "sure, okay, uh huh" look and polite nod!! I'm just glad that after spending the morning out in the park with the butterflies and bubble bees, that I didn't get asked the "birds and the bees" question! I mean, as Aunt Kathryn, I can only do so much!!!

Lego Mania!!

2008-07-31T21:00:00.003-05:00

The kids wanted nothing more than to work on their table! So, after breakfast we took a walk, all the way to WalMart, for some paints to decorate their table!
Ethan keeps talking about painting a "Messed Up Jungle" (whatever that is), so we (I) started out with some trees and grass as a template for the kids' jungle theme!! Though it was only 72 degrees and cool, the mosquitoes were out to play! So we were limited in our time outdoors!!
After a long day at the water park, we came home and made homemade pizza with Uncle Chris. The Italian Seasoning had a little teeny weeny malfunction and nearly the entire bottle ended up on his pizza! What better way to solve the problem than with the vacuum cleaner! The kids got a kick out of it--especially when he accidently sucked up a pepperoni!!
Ethan had waited all day long for Uncle Chris to come home so he could have some expertize in lego house building!! Afterall, Uncle Chris is the highly acclaimed lego maniac!!
Together they built a white two story castle!
And Ethan wanted pictures of his crazy face!!

Carpenter Craze!!!

2008-07-30T19:43:00.003-05:00

After weeks and months of listening to the kids beg to come to Wichita, I drove down yesterday to bring the kids up for a week of crazy-Aunt-Kathryn-style fun! We had a giggle-filled car drive and arrived just in time for dinner! Today the kids were a little disappointed that it was cool and cloudy, as they have been also begging to swim at our YMCA pool! We took advantage of the cooler weather (mid 70s) and took a walk to the park and fed the ducks! After dinner we joined Uncle Chris out on the deck, where he is working on rebuilding the deck. The kids wanted to build something and use all the fun tools. It was all their idea, in fact, to build a table with the scrap pieces of wood from the deck. So, with a little bit of help from Uncle Chris and Aunt Kathryn, they put together this table top. We'll secure the legs tomorrow evening and the kids already have big plans to paint the table all kinds of bright colors.

They each got a turn hammering the nails to secure the table top.
Ethan was very particular in his hammering, taking care and precision with each hit; and he did a very good job!
The job always gets done faster when two work together!!

Before they can paint their table, we have to sand off the old deck paint. It's a meticulous job, but someone has to do it. We would have finished up the sanding but the mosquitoes came out to play! So we came inside to play!! I'm sure the rest of our week together will be just as creative, productive and funfilled as today has been!!

Off with the Blue, On with the New

2008-07-10T10:40:00.000-05:00

If I had blogged last summer, you may have gotten extremely tired of the hundreds of pictures I took of my blue beauties! Without knowing how well they would thrive, last spring I planted a "couple" morning glory seeds by our deck and a "few" others by our fence.

To put it lightly, they took over the WORLD!! As much as it broke my heart to rip out the vines last fall and as much effort as I put into collecting their three hundred thousand seeds, we (mainly Chris) decided that perhaps we should skip the morning glories this year! (Sigh, wail, sniffle) Weren't they b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l!!!!

Instead, our deck is now borded by boxwoods, red flaming bushes, a handplaced rock border and a new addiction: cosmos flowers. I planted these ferny, flowering giants from seeds all the way from Santa Cruz, California, given to me by my great uncle Orville. I doubted that they would even grow. Instead they, too, are thriving marvelously and are, in their own way, taking over their little piece of this world! (The ones in the front yard are taller than I am)
These morning glories on our fence grew so wildly that they climbed over the fence and took over our neighbor's bushes as well. Twice I cut them back out of her bushes, but they came back even stronger.
In their place, I planted tomatoes. They have had a little struggle, but seem to be pulling through nicely. The back tomato bush is as tall as the fence. They are finally covered in dozens of tomatoes, but only three have ripened so far!
And here is our lone corn stalk! It grew as a volunteer probably planted by the pesky squirrels! I pulled it up, thinking it was a weed but when I saw a corn kernel attached to the roots, I quickly put it back into the soil. It's brother did not survive my transplanting scheme, but this one seems to be hanging in their. We're letting it grow just to see how tall it will get!!!

Family Additions

2008-06-22T17:17:00.000-05:00

She's been at it again!!! Yes, the amigurumi making addict has once again added to the crazy zoo! Perched on an endtable in our living room, the happy animal family continues to swell in size so much so that soon they will not all fit! Until then, I'll continue to cram them all on for the fabulous family picture I take whenever an animal is added!
Here is Monte the Meerkat, who may or may not look more like a opossum than a meerkat, but don't let him hear you say that. And since meerkats travel (and cause trouble) in packs, he is still awaiting a fellow meerkat for troublemaking companionship, which may be awhile!!
Before I started another meerkat, I had to bring Paco the Penguin (the man in black) a colorful batch of squatty friends to keep him company. You see, all of the other animals at the "zoo" were so tall he had a huge inferiority complex. But now!!! Oh now, he fits right in--though he does feel a little bland standing next to all that color!!!!!
After working with all of that color, I just couldn't go back to the drab brown of a meerkat, so I experimented with this purple lion named Leah the Lion. She was loads of fun and she very well may soon get some fellow lions to play with!
And now for that happy family picture!!!!!!!!

Amigurumi

2008-05-25T18:34:00.000-05:00

For those of you unfamiliar with the term "amigurumi", it's basically a Japanese art of crocheting/knitting animals and figures from yarn. For those of you familiar with my overstuffed yarn closet, you understand why I would migrate toward something as cute and irresistable amigurumi. I started the craze a couple months ago after seeing a crocheted penguin on "google images" while searching for penguin memorabelia. I just had to get the pattern! Once I had the pattern and quickly made the little guy (Paco the penguin--short stalky one), I was hooked (no pun intended)!!! Below we have Monique the monkey, Pierre, Penelope, Paco, PeeWee, Carter the caterpillar and the nameless turtle!
I started the fuzzy penguin weeks ago but had to take a break to work on a couple blanket gifts. I made myself only work on blankets and leave the amigurumi alone while I finished up my chores! You see, the amigurumi is highly addictive and I easily found myself spending ridiculous amounts of time working on these little creatures! I would crochet late into the night or get up early before work to put the finishing touches on this or that! I even dreamt about it!!! So, for several weeks there was only a fuzzy penguin head! A head and no more! On our vacation to Hilton Head, Julia (2 yrs old) found the penguin head intriguing and pulled it around by a long strand of yarn! It was then I realized the poor penguin had to get finished!
So here he is: Pez the Penguin (name inspired by Broc's crazed collection of Pez candy dispensers)! He is super fuzzy and soft! Sierra, our brown and black tabby cat, likes to drag Pez around the house and hide him in the corner of the closet like one of her babies! But don't be fooled, he's much bigger than any baby Sierra ever had!!
Dahlia the duck is the newest member to our amigurumi family!
What animal should I make next? I have a great Dodo bird pattern! Or should I try multicolored penguins? Do I stick with the bird theme or branch out to mammals?! I guess we'll see!!

May Flowers

2008-05-22T12:57:00.001-05:00

I had a strange epiphany the other day while walking down the hall at work. Ten steps ahead of me, a hospital volunteer carried a large bouquet of flowers, leaving in her wake a captivating fragrance of freshly cut flowers. Being indoors, especially in a hospital where the odors aren't generally pleasant, the smell caught me off guard and I took time to "smell" the proverbial roses. Flowers always bring a smile to my face, but this time the sight--and smell--warmed my heart with a smile, too, as a strange thought crossed my mind. If you've heard the song by Natalie Grant, "In Better Hands Now", then you'll know the line at near the end where she sings "it's like the breath of Jesus is right here in this room." Call me crazy, but nearly the second I smelled those flowers, I thought that perhaps it was the breath of Jesus filling up that hallway. . .that perhaps when God created the flowers, He gave them the sweetest fragrance of all--the aroma of the very breath of Jesus. It's probably a long shot, but since then I don't smell a flower or anything florally sweet without being reminded that His presence and breath are surrounding me all the time, right here in this room!!

I've always enjoyed working in the garden or any activity that lets me be outside! We had a huge garden growing up--both vegetables and flowers--and I've always enjoyed the pride and accomplishment that working in the garden brings the heart. In Tulsa, my yard was shady and small, overgrown with more trees than any suburban lot should boast. I tried my hands at a few impaciens and hostas. But, it wasn't until I got married and started working in the yard here with Chris that I really started to blossom into the gardening type!! Yes, I am now lumped into a certain stereotype of people who spend the majority of their time at home in the garden!

Chris and I planted the clematises the first fall we were married. He put up the trelices along the back and sides of the fence and we put in our baby clematis vines. Last spring we cut them back as we read was important the first year. They had only a few blossoms, though I rejoiced over every single one. But this year, we returned from our vacation to see a crazy clematis blossom party happening in our own backyard.
Though we've planted a gazillion bulbs and other such plants, the irises were already in the garden. (That's the best kind of flowers, the kind you don't have to plant but still can enjoy)

Michelle bought me a box of lilies for my birthday in January--what a cold, drab time to think about flowers! So, I tell myself every evening when I go walk through my now blooming garden and see the lilies pop up one by one, "Happy Birthday to ME!!" Now that's a birthday gift that just keeps on giving ! Thanks Michelle!!! The problem is that I get so attached to every little bloom that I can hardly let them go when it's their natural time to fade . . . so I take pictures and blog the poor flowers to death!! Just don't expect me to start naming them . . . I ran out of creative names after naming all 302 kittens our sweet Sugar bore when we were kids. And you wonder why I'm a labor & delivery nurse! Did I really have any choice? I grew up as a feline midwife, destined for placentas, umbilical cords and babies!!! (yea yea yea, I don't see any connection here to the beautiful flower below, just be thankful I didn't name it!!)
In place of the overrun, gigantuan morning glory vines that nearly enveloped the entire fence and minibarn, I decided this year to try my hand at tomatoes. If I have 22% of my Dad's green thumb, we'll be okay. Since flower and fruit (yes, tomatoes are fruit, not vegetables) are completely different, I'm a little nervous about the outcome. My hopes would be boxes and boxes of plump, juicy tomatoes, the kind that win blue ribbons at county fairs . . . but I'll settle for a few tasty tomatoes every now and then. Though, I am quite disappointed to find out that it takes somewhere around 65 days from blossom to bite(ripe tomato)! Perhaps the cherry tomatoes will take less since they're smaller?!

Hilton Head Island, SC

2008-05-19T14:09:00.000-05:00

Last week Chris and I revisited Hilton Head Island, SC and joined our friends the Moulders in a beachside condo. The weather was warm, sunny and perfect for our lazy beach days, our long bike rides and island exploring.
Saturday night we all drove down to SeaPines Plantation for a yummy dinner at The Crazy Crab. Just outside the restaurant, we enjoyed the enormous trees that add so much character to the island.

Mark, Merci and their daughter, Julia (and baby Moulder in the oven)

Monday morning we all took off on our rental bikes for an island adventure! In an effort to avoid the wind, we switched several times between riding on the bike trails and the beach. Chris and I were lucky enough to have a tailwind for our 10 mile beach ride back to the condo at the end of the day. On our honeymoon, we weren't so lucky and had a strong headwind that nearly killed us!
Chris and I snuck into SeaPines Plantation via the beach and explored the various bike trails. We revisited The Wreck of the Salty Dog, a harborside restaurant with delicious food and beautiful scenery. While exploring SeaPines, we rode by many golf courses--of course--and happened upon this sun worshipping alligator! I jumped off my bike to get the closest picture possible . . .
It was only AFTER I snapped the picture that I realized I was only 5 feet from another alligator on MY side of the pond. I've never been so close to a live, non-caged-in alligator in all my life.
But, since I was so close, I had to get a proof and made Chris come take my picture with the big ol' reptile. Another pic to add to my collection of "Kathryn and animal" photos.
After approximately 28 miles of biking and 6 hours later, Chris and I returned to our condo for an evening of beach strolling. Here is the beachview from our condo!

On our walk, we found dozens of shells--still alive and inhabited. We had fun collecting the shells and later . . . cleaning the shells!!

And of course, I picked up everything that I could get my hands on! Here is a squirmy little sandcrab!
Okay, so I didn't pick up everything! The jellyfish really freaked me out!!

On our last night in Hilton Head, we had to take advantage of the all-you-can-eat crablegs at Nick's Restuarant! Mark, Merci, Chris and I joined up with Mark's sister Christy and her husband Steve! Five of the six of us ordered the crablegs and we kept our waitress hopping!
Christy was by far the most experienced when it came to crackin' the crabs, but I think I learned pretty quickly. I was only 1 plate behind the other four when the night ended!
We each got 5 refills (me, only four) . . . but the waitress claims that the record is 13 refills (each refill being about 1 # of crablegs). Regardless of our wimpy intake in comparison to the record holder, we all left quite full; our crab cravings satisfied for quite a while!

All in all we had a wonderful vacation! Our affection for Hilton Head Island continues to grow as we make more memories there! But who doesn't love the BEACH!!!!!