Happy Birthday VIPs!

This time of year days in Minnesota can get long and dark.

But some VIPs in my life were born during these cold days

of winter and I'd like to say a bit about each of them.

January 19:  My Grandma Stock, my mom's mom.  As you can

see from this photo taken in the early 1900s she was lovely.  But she

wasn't just lovely on the outside, she was lovely inside.  We don't talk a lot

about her any more because she's been gone since 1968.  She

raised 9 children on a working farm with very few creature comforts.

It was a hard life, to be sure, but she never complained.  She always

had a kind word for everyone and made each of her 30 grandchildren

feel like they were someone special.  Her kitchen was a wondrous place...

full of the aromas of great cooking and good conversation.  She read

books when she had a spare moment, kept scrapbooks of poems and

worked hard for the Ladies Aid at her church.  But my favorite memory

of her is in her big rocker, with a baby or maybe 2 on her lap and

the great fun my cousins and I had playing in her big old farmhouse.

She was a great role model...a supportive wife, a loving mother

and the kind of grandma who never kept count of how

many cookies or candy bars you ate.

Jan. 21:  This little girl was just 2 1/2 when this picture was taken on a trip

to Disney World....note the grin on her face.  She's grown

up to be a smart, kind, lovely daughter. She works hard

but also enjoys her little boys, her parents and her family. She's also a wonderful

wife and mother and the apple of her father's eye.

Love you, Jess....

Feb. 3:  My dad was this kind of dad...down on the floor

or shagging fly balls in the yard or telling a funny joke.

He worked 3-4 jobs at a time when I was young

but I never felt like we were poor (although I think we were).

I always felt safe, secure and loved.  He wasn't perfect,

but he was perfect for me.

 Feb. 4:  This picture of Ami was taken when she was still

fairly new to our family.  But she was and still is like a

ray of sunshine....funny, warm, and lively.  We never

struggle for conversation when she's around.  She's exactly

what you hope your son will find.  Someone who loves

and supports him and loves her kids to pieces.

I also mentioned last week that it was Nathaniel's 10th birthday

and my mom's birthday is coming up on Feb. 20.  So even

though the days are cold and gray, we have lots of

reasons to find warmth and comfort inside.

Happy 10th Birthday!

Minnesota-born Nathaniel turns 10 today. 

Happy birthday, sweet boy!

It's the coldest day of the season

so far today....But we don't have

much "sanow".

Choo, Choo

 Andrew has a pretty extensive Thomas the Train

set up, including some Melissa & Doug (brand)

table, track and train cars.  Even though he has

a nifty train table he and Everleigh usually

want me to set up a track on the floor.

I'll confess I'm not much of an engineer so there

are usually lots of dead ends but neither of

them seem to mind....

Here's the nifty train table complete with

bridges, crossovers and roundabout.

Looks a lot more fun than my silly

figure 8 above....

Ahhh....Ethan gives deep thought to the question

of train tracks.

Later that day Briggs and Everleigh are in Andrew's tent.

While Ben & Jesse remodel their lower level we are

continuing to play there.  They've done a great job

making it safe for play but these pictures show the

construction going on.  They've taken out the

huge bar, sink and stove along with the half

wall next to the fireplace.  It'll be a much

more open floor plan with half the room tiled 

and half the room carpeted.  They're also making improvements

in the bathroom, replacing the ceiling and

changing the lighting and paint.

whew!

Busytown

Andrew & Everleigh love "projects" so I try to

have something equally interesting to both on

Wednesdays when we are all together.

Last week it was marshmallow snowmen.

I think Andrew ate more marshmallows

than he glued but he was very proud

of his effort when completed.

Andrew visited me on Saturday and wanted to

make some muffins so we stirred up some

corn muffins.  He did almost all the stirring

and even filled the mini muffin cups.  

 Gotta love a guy who can cook!

 

Meanwhile, at Everleigh's house we are also
"cooking".  I gave her a toddler cookbook
for Christmas along with lots of her
own pots, pans and utensils.  This
week we made jello cut outs of red
and green jello and then made
"broken glass" with whipped cream.
She even licked the spoon, which for
Everleigh, is huge!

They are also enjoying some "new" puzzles

from the Fl Ketcher boys.

I don't think either has seen the movie "Cars"

but they are getting to know the characters very well.

 

 Ethan and Briggs share some floor time.

Ethan didn't seem to mind reading while he

laid on the floor.

And..finally....GA Sue stopped by on Saturday
to dance a jig with Andrew.  He was wearing
purple in honor of the Vikings game that
night.  Alas, the purple shirt and the jig
didn't help the Vikings all that much as
they lost their game with Green Bay.
But, really, I'm ok with our football
season being over.   I like watching
football as long as I don't have a stake
in the game.