Family of four.

We are growing into a family of four. It has been fun watching both Ken and Jordan get to know each other. They seem to have a good time together. They laugh and play together. They pick on each other is a nice way. This past Friday night David had a game to shoot and I went out with some co-workers for a drink after work. Ken and Jordan stayed home. They played a game or two together. It is nice to hear and see them enjoy spending time together.

Saturday afternoon Jordan went to Western Washington University to participate in a clinic that the girl’s volleyball team was putting on for girl’s ages 6 to 12. Jordan had a blast. I think it really turned her on to sport. Then that night we went to WWU to watch the team play a game. Jordan was one of the ball girls for the first game. She got to get the balls as the girls warmed up before the game. Then sit on the bench during the game. Then after the game she got to high five the other team. The WWU team is number 1 in their conference and swept the game. Jordan had a great time. It was great to see her smiling and enjoying herself.

Jordan has had a self-esteem issue this year. She had a rough school year health wise last year and had to be put on a strong dose of steroids for about a month and a half. She has major allergies and asthma. From January to June she was in the Dr’s office with some sort of illness. We finally bit the bug after the steroids and a large dose of antibiotics. As you know the side effect of steroids is weight gain, so that hasn’t helped the self-esteem. I really want her to do at least one sport when she gets into middle school. I enjoyed sports very much in school. I did sports all year long while in middle school. I am hoping that the sports bug gets her too. Anyway I figured the volleyball is a good sport. Plus my little sister Mandi plays it and Jordan really looks up to Mandi. Anyway here are a couple of photos from last night.

Jordan standing with the other ball girls before the game


Jordan doing a high-five at the end of the game


Jordan and Jordyn. Jordyn was so sweet to Jordan after the game. She encouraged Jordan to try and play volleyball in middle school and said she hoped to see Jordan at the next home game.

What it has been to watch as we blend into a family of four. It really seems like the kids have bonded over the last couple of weeks. They seem to have fun together. Today was a typical lazy Sunday for us. I read the Sunday paper, made a little breakfast for everyone, took a nap, did several loads of laundry etc etc. Sometime during the day I realized that I hadn’t heard from the kids in a while. When I looked back in Ken’s room I found both of them in the room watching TV together. It was so cute to see.

Another family thing is to play slug bug when in the car. Ever since David and I started dating we would play the slug bug game in the car. For those of you that don’t know what a slug bug it is a Volkswagen Beetle. When you see one you yell out slug bug yellow or what ever color it just happens to be. That gives you one point. Sometimes it can be just a casual game or a serious game either way it is fun. When all four of us are in the car we do teams. It is either the boys against the girls or the kids against the parents. Last night it was boys against the girls. I had game last night. At one point Ken said to David “Dad you need to concentrate on the game.” David was too busy looking at the pictures he took at the volleyball game. I must say the girl’s won 2 – 0. Way to go mom and Jordan.

Ken has fit right in as part of our family. Even little Samantha lets him hold her. It took her a long time to let David hold her. There have been times that Sam would cry when David even walked into the room. lol I think we are really lucky to have Ken as part of our family.

Please look below, I have finally add a bunch of pictures as promised last weekend.

Our Pumpkin's

This weekend we carved pumpkins. It was ken’s first time doing it. I originally got three pumpkins, one for Ken, one for Jordan and one for David and I to do together. I had a great idea for David’s pumpkin and mine. I was going to be the architect and David the construction crew. lol That way I didn’t have to get messy. But our plans got altered a little. A friend of Jordan’s from school and her brother came over to carve pumpkins.

Ken and I did a pumpkin together. Jordan and her friend Samantha did one together. Then Samantha’s brother Rubin and David did one together. I think David was both architect and construction crew on this one. Rubin was the young apprentice. lol Anyway here are the photo’s



This is the one that Ken and I did together. I told him that I wanted angry eyes and a big enough mouth to fit the little pumpkin in like it was eating it. Once I showed Ken what to do he went to work. It was fun to watch. He said he had a good time.


This is the final shot of all the kid’s and their artwork. They all had a great time.

Photo's

Ken had to make play dough for chemistry class. Jordan helped out. They made extra so that they could play with it and this is the result. It was fun watching them do this together in the kitchen

Jordan's First Concert

Jordan started to play the violin this year. A special thanks to my Dad and Karla for purchasing the violin for her. Another special thanks to Karla for video taping and editing the video for me.

I was very proud of Jordan and all the hard work that she put into getting ready for the concert. She really wanted to get the solo for the concert, but the day that the teacher did the auditions was the same day as my grandma's funeral. I told her she could try again for the next concert. My little sister Mandi who has been playing for 5 years said she would also help her get ready for it. So please enjoy the concert.

My Grandma.......

Today is Sunday and I usually like to have all my chores done and everything ready to start the week on Monday. Yesterday we cleaned the house and while the kids where at dinner David and I got our grocery shopping done for the week. It was a good thing we did all of that because today I am just not feeling up to doing much of anything. This morning we got bad news. My Grandma, Edith Brown died last night. She lived a long life and I know she is in a better place, but that just doesn’t make it any easier on my heart.

My Grandma was the best grandma in the world. I know every kid thinks that of their grandparents, but let me tell you why I thought she was the best. In my eyes I was grandma’s favorite. Please note that I said in my eyes. She had six kids that loved her very much. Those six kids gave her 25 grandkids. Yes that is right there are 25 of us grandkids. I had to get out a piece of paper and try to remember everyone. I even had to call my dad to make sure that I didn’t leave anyone out of the count. I guess it would not be fair for me to say that I was her favorite when she had so many grandkids, but that was the kind of grandma she was she always made you feel special.

My first memory of grandma was when I was about two or three. I know it is hard to think that I have a memory from that far back, but I can honestly say I do. I remember I used to call her big grandma. I know what woman loves to hear the work big in front of their name. I have been told that she was not happy about that one. But you see at 5 feet she was the taller of my two grandmas’. lol Now you know where I get my height. Yes at 5 feet she was taller then my other grandma aka little grandma. Even though little grandma out weighed big grandma by a lot. When you’re a toddler you don’t look at weight you look at height. Shortly after Little Grandma died, the Big fell off the title. She was then just Grandma.

I have many wonderful memories of grandma. I remember many many Christmas’ and Thanksgivings together. All of us grandkids running around annoying our parents. Each of these holiday gatherings would be at Grandma’s house. She would always have a big candy dish out with nuts and chocolate waiting for us to get our holiday sugar high. I remember all the women in the kitchen fixing the food, the men in the living room watching some football game. Grandma would always have crayons and coloring books in hopes of keeping us kids occupied. That worked for about 10 mins. Then we would be running around again. As we got older it still didn’t change much. The only thing that did change was Grandma’s house. It was still the women in fixing the food, then men watching football and us kids on Grandma’s waterbed watching a movie. Thinking back I wonder how we all fit into her little house. I want to say it would grow with love, but that is just a little corny…..lol but I did say it.

Another memory I have is our family vacation down to California to visit my grandma’s brother and family. They lived in Garden Grove, CA. I was 12 years old and we drove down. It was mom, dad, grandma and I. We had a Mazda, 323 that we drove down. Right before we left my dad got a cassette installed in the car. They then made the mistake of letting me choose a cassette of my own. Hey dad do you remember the Go-Go’s? That was their first album release and my first every cassette. (humming) “We got the beat, we got the beat, yeah we got it!” lol I know my parents and grandma didn’t look forward to when it was time for my cassettes turn. Don’t worry dad I am getting pay back with the Cheetah Girls as I write this blog. I had fun on that vacation. Once again grandma was the best. She would play with me in the back of that tiny car. When I get tired she would let me lay my head down in her lap to nap and rub my head until I fell asleep. I am sure just to get some relief from me asking when it was time for my turn on the cassette.

Another memory I have is when I was about 11 or 12 and I was riding with grandma after school one day and she got a speeding ticket. She was just modified that she had gotten the ticket. I of course went back to school the next day and bragged that my grandma got a speeding ticket. I thought it was so cool and funny. You just don’t picture your grandma getting a speeding ticket.

I also remember she was worked very hard. She worked at the Horseshoe Restaurant in downtown Bellingham. She worked there for about 40+ years. She retired from there twice. Once when she was in her sixties and then again when she was 80. She wasn’t one to sit around.

This morning when my dad’s wife Karla called and told me the news at first it didn’t really hit me, but then I started to cry. Which is a normal reaction to getting news that a loved one has left our world. But what really made it hurt for me was knowing my dad and just lost his mother. Yes she was my grandmother, but this was his mom. No matter how old you are it is still not easy losing a parent. It really hurts losing Grandma, but I know she is in a better place. I know she is happy and healthy where she is at right now. I know that she was welcomed with open arms by my mom. I even told my cousin Anita that I bet my mom is throwing a big party for grandma. Telling her it is about time she got there. But what really breaks my heart is my dad. I know what it is like to lose your mom and I know it not easy. My dad has had a tough and very emotional year. I wish I could just take all the pain away and make it all easier on him. Dad if your reading this I love you with all my heart and I am so very sorry you lost your mother today.

Once again an experience in my life has taught me not to take things for granted. To my Grandma……Grandma I sorry I didn’t come a visit you more. Please know that you will always have a very special place in my heart. I will share your memory as much as I can. I love you and will miss you very much.

To see photos of my Grandma please check out Karla's blog site at http://pysanki.blogspot.com/

Quickie

Here is a little update on our weekend and Ken. I have a bigger blog that I am working on and will post is later today. I will also add a picture later on tonight as well.

Once again it has been two weeks since I blogged. As you all know from my last blog David and I went out of town last weekend. We went to Friday Harbor to celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary. I must say that we had a great weekend. We really couldn’t ask for better weather. We really didn’t do much of anything, but that was the plan to not have a plan. I think my favorite part of the weekend was our hike in Lyme Kiln Park. We must have hiked around the trails for a couple of hours. We were told that we missed the whales by about 20 mins. Oh well we still had fun and it was beautiful. On Sunday getting ready to come home I was a little grumpy and I figured out why. I didn’t want the weekend to end. lol But it was back to real life for us.

Ken went to his first homecoming last weekend. He and eight or nine of his friends went to the dance. Thank you to Michelle and Dave #2 for running them to dinner and the dance. It made it easier for Dave and I to enjoy our weekend. This weekend Ken went to his second homecoming dance. This time to Bellingham High School where my little sister Mandi is a freshmen. This time it was Dave and Michelle #1 that did the running around. We took Ken, Mandi and two of Mandi’s friends and dropped them off at the restaurant. It appeared like Ken had three dates, but his true date was one of Mandi’s friends Qui. I asked Ken what one of the homecomings he liked the best. He said he had more fun and at Bellingham’s dance because he had a date, but the music was crap. That is an exact quote. lol Both Mandi and Ken were very very tired when we got them home. It sounded like they danced the whole time.

TO change or not to change......

This weekend was very productive. I rearranged my living room. I know to some people that is not a big deal, but to me it is a very big deal. I like to rearrange rooms, but with my house there is not much chance for variety. Except maybe Jordan’s room, lucky kid gets her room a major clean and rearranged about every six months by her mom.

I have wanted to rearrange the living room for a long time, but it was a matter of talking Dave into it. We have surround sound and it meant rewiring all the speakers. Which meant going under the house. Not something I can get my husband to do, he has this thing about spiders. He doesn’t like them so much. lol Thanks to our great friend Steve he came over and went under the house for me. For those of you that know my house, the couch and the TV have switched places. It really opens this back up between the living room and the kitchen. I love it. It will also make for good placement of our Christmas tree. I promised David I wouldn’t even thing about rearranging the living room again for a while. LOOK OUT JORDAN!!!!

Now a little update on the rest of my family:

Ken is doing great. He is getting all A’s and B’s in school. This week is homecoming every day they have some sort of theme to dress up in. Today was color wars. Each class was to wear a certain color. Seniors wore blue. Saturday night is the homecoming dance. He and a bunch of his friends are going to the dance together. Nobody has a date they are going stag. I am sure they will have a good time. He is also going to Bellingham High School’s Homecoming dance. He is going with a friend of Mandi’s. For those of you that don’t know Mandi is my little sister. Don’t worry we will get lots of pictures of all the dances.

Jordan is doing well. She did have a little illness at the beginning of last week. She had a little bit of a fever and came home early from school on Tuesday and stayed home from on Wednesday. Which meant that she missed her first Girl Scout meeting. She is feeling better now and hasn’t missed anymore days. After her being so ill last year I was worried that this might be the beginning of another year of illness’ But she recovered really quick. Lets hope that is it for the rest of the year.

David and I are doing great we are getting ready to go away next weekend to celebrate our anniversary. On Monday the 15th is our 13-year anniversary. Last spring I won a weekend get away from KAFE 104.3 radio station. We are going to the Friday Harbor House. We are both looking forward to it. It will be just the two of us. Ken will be staying at our, David and Michelle’s house and Jordan will be at my Dad’s house for the weekend. Thank you to both of them for helping us out with the kids. Normally David and I don’t do much, but maybe go out to dinner for our anniversary, so this is a special treat for us. I told Dave we have been to Friday Harbor a lot, but that would to shoot a race or something, but never had a chance to really get a chance to explore the island. If it is nice I hope we get a chance to go for a hike or something.

This week is another busy week. On Wednesday we have a fundraiser for Bellingham High School Orchestra and a performance by them as well. We will get a chance to hear Mandi play. Then on Thursday Jordan’s orchestra is having a concert as well. Then Friday we leave for Friday Harbor. I know I won’t get a chance to post another blog until sometime next week. Possibly on Sunday it just all depends on when we get home from our weekend. Have a great week and keep in touch.