Thirty looks good on you girl....

Happy Birthday, Lori Jo! You have given new meaning
to our lives for 30 years.

"Little Wise One"; "Little General"; "Lo-Jo"; "Little Wise-acre"; "BOBO" ;"No Kissing in here!"; "It isn't funny"; "The President"; "I Want a Big Mac!"; "I'll just drink it out of the bottle"; "Rub-a-dub Doggie"; "Little Beau"; "Gimme a Mick-Ultra"; "I just wanted to say ONE more thing";
"What did we name you? - Barb!"; "The Mayor"; "Just a few close friends - 47 of them"; "The Organizer"; "The Delagator"; "List-maker" and
"Ha-Ha, I beat you!".......

Thanks for all the good times!
All our LOVE,
Dad and Mom XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Twin girls!!!

The only news that could be better than "Karina's having a girl" is the news that "Karina is having TWIN girls!" We are thrilled for her and for Jason, who has been hoping for his little girl... Now there will be TWO!
Into a house full of boys toys, and into the den called "Man Land", there will be an invasion... I can see it now. A flurry of pink and giggles and laughter; the silly and flirtatious competition for Daddy's affection and Mommy's attention. Much to the wonderment of the little boys, two sisters will turn their world upside down! Two little button noses, two pairs of twinkling eyes and two little smiles will melt their hearts. May God bless this little family, protect this nurturing Mommy and bring these little ones to a safe and healthy delivery.

Owen therapy...

...is exactly what we need to chase those blues away.
This little guy puts a smile on a tired face. He reaches out and touches the soft spot in his Grandpa's heart. He snuggles under that strong chin, grabs hold of this hard-working man's shirt and promptly falls asleep.
Is that a tear you see, or does Grandpa have something in his eye?

Vacation...

has been defined as "...leisure time away from work, devoted to rest or pleasure". Everyone needs this; from the sleep-starved new Mommy who would LOVE a 45-minute nap to the guy putting in 20 hours of overtime who thinks longingly of his unused easy chair. I know that some people actually do take vacations for days and even weeks at a time.

Though some people never get the chance to do it; they simply don't know how to stop working long enough to take the time for rest, relaxation and enjoyment! Then there are those folks that take time off from their work; but only to do different kinds of work!

I am married to just such a guy. To him a holiday usually means a chance to replace another window or door and get caught up on yardwork, wood cutting and vehicle repairs. A once-a-year trip to the cabin usually turns into fixing boats and motors or performing other repairs. One year, since the motor wouldn't work, he ended up rowing the complete width of the lake. Now THAT is a chore! Please don't get me wrong! I am not complaining. His work ethic was one of the reasons I picked him in the first place. But I think that it is time for him to learn the meaning of the word "vacation" and discover leisure, rest and recreation. Heck, he doesn't even own an easy chair. Well, I am beginning to think it's now or never!
Being that I am almost as bad about staying late at school and bringing work home on weekends, I will need to be innovative and creative about re-discovering leisure. It might mean starting slowly; trying some small things; setting some work boundaries; and then planning for some "mini-vacations". When we start to change our thinking about work and put it in perspective there might be time for: an hour bike ride in the Kettle Moraine; a couple of hours at the zoo; a hike in the woods; a half-hour swaying in the porch swing; an afternoon at the art museum; a casual drive along the lake; or even a 45 minute excursion to the Lapham peak tower for taking in the panorama. How about it? Does anyone else need a vacation?

Baby Boy Update... or "5 Little Boys"

"Little Boy Loved" with his Mommy.

"Little Boy Sleepy" in Mommy's arms.

" Little Boy Cuddly" with Great Aunt Dianne:

"Little Boy Spoiled"? Never...

" Little Boy Growing Up" before our very eyes!

The heirloom baby crib...

He always knew that he wanted to make the little bed that our grandchildren would sleep in. It is something that he thought about for a long time. I encouraged him to go ahead and do it soon after we found out that we were to become grandparents!

Knowing that it had to be special, he planned to include the art of rosemaling as well as careful woodworking. Here he is at work on the rosemaling that will enhance the ends of the beautiful new crib.


Maple is the wood that he chose; carefully cutting, shaping, sanding and gluing it together. He spent many evenings in his wood shop, hoping that it would be perfect... hoping that it would please his family.
Putting on the final touches and fitting it with the hardware, the baby crib was lovingly completed just in time for some VERY special company! It turned out prettier than any of us could have imagined. Owen and his Mommy loved it.

Thank you, Grandpa Phil.

Love, Owee

The friend that I prayed for...

Soon after moving here 30 years ago I began praying for a friend. Living in the country as I was; a young mom with a busy husband, I knew I needed companionship ...and fun. My answer burst on the scene at Christmas time when all the neighbors were gathered for a cookie exchange. Late, breathless, effusing apologies and carrying her still-warm chocolate chip cookies on the sheet right out of the oven, Florence made her typical "grand entrance". Elegant, radiant and (I found out later) brilliant, she walked into my life and single-handedly became the answer to my prayer. Her first words to me were, "I just got saved, and I want to tell everyone about it!" It is a zeal that she carries to this day.
God, in his wisdom, gave us each other to weather life's storms together. Raising kids, losing parents, watching our husbands struggle in their businesses and paying off the debt. Raising our teenagers, playing "church", seeking God's face and digging into his Word. Desiring God's will, seeing our big brothers lose their battles with cancer, giving our daughters in marriage and watching their relationships dissolve in bitter tears... She cries on my shoulder and I cry on hers... God smiles.
Florence rescues turtles from the highway and chipmunks from the very jaws of predatory cats. She bakes bread and brews a wonderful cup of tea. She sets an elegant table, with real cloth napkins, and actually uses her finest imported china. She speaks articulately, asks probing questions and then ...she listens. She encourages me. She builds me up. She spurs me on to do good deeds. She makes me think. And, without fail, Florence makes me laugh! Thank you, Lord!

The untale of the Sloth,,, or look who's goofing off.

Looking pleased and flanked by Rippling Stream and Babbling Brook in this undated photo, I was unaware of the vast changes about to occur. [Of course, RS and BB have different hair color now, but that isn't the change we are talking about.] The thought of morphing into a slug never occurred to me! But alas, it appears to be coming true. Slothful ways are setting in.
RS has been up since before dawn, has done her devotions, taken a jog in the rain with her hubby, cleaned her house, done her laundry, opened all her windows for the fresh air, prepared food for her household and gone to work. (All that after a busy day yesterday of caring for her grandchild and dear elderly mother.)
In another corner of the world, BB ran a mile on the treadmill in preparation for a 5K run, rode her bicycle for 8 miles, stretched with Yoga and Pilates, showered, took the car for an oil change and, after doing her devotions, wrote a smashing sermon for Sunday. Before the day is over she will spend four hours at the nursing home encouraging the elderly, will provide communion to the homebound and cap off her day with a rousing game of Ultimate Frisbee until dark. (No wonder she has "abs"!)
On the other hand... I promised myself I would be out of my pajamas and write something on my blog before noon. Well, I didn't make it... for three out of four days.

The many faces of Mary Beth...

Happy Birthday Mary Beth!
Whatever you do to celebrate your day,
may you do it with all your heart!
Do it for you!


Do it like you mean it...


Have fun along the way...
And enjoy every minute...

We love you with all our hearts.
Just keep on smiling... and may God Bless you and Keep you.

Our fascinating hummingbirds...

We have been delighted this past week with the antics of our hummingbirds that are attracted to our bright red menarda blossoms. For a long time we were seeing them one at a time, but began to realize that there were several different ones feeding here. That became apparent one evening at supper time as we watched them. One little guy would dive-bomb another to chase it away. A couple of them even took turns perching on the trellis to "guard" the territory waiting for its mate to come to take a turn to feed. In fact, they have gone after the sparrows who have ventured too close! No larger than my thumb, these tiny creatures are truly fascinating. The ruby-throated hummingbird weighs only as much as a copper penny. His nest is the size of half a walnut and is made mostly of bud scales and bits of lichen cemented together with cobweb material. Two pea-size eggs are laid and uncubated by the female producing babies no larger than a bumblebee which are fed by their mother for only ten days. We see the mom coming approximately every 15 minutes performing this ritual. Most fascinating about these tiny creatures (besides their incredibly long migration to South America) is their skillful ability in flight. Little Hummer can fly forward, backward, upside-down and stright up like a helicopter, and she can even remain suspended in the air with her wings moving so fast you can barely see them! Unlike other birds, she doesn't even have to slow down to stop; she can approach her perch at full speed, abruptly stop, and start up again just as quickly.
Kind of reinforces one's belief in "Intelligent Design", doesn't it?

Hi Grandma!!!!!

I took a different route on my daily walk today. In an impulsive attempt to follow in my own grandmother's footsteps I decided to walk to the Post Office. (Though her walk may have been blocks, mine was 4 miles round trip, but worth every step!) I was easing through a newer subdivision when I heard a door slam. Across the lawn I saw a little boy dashing toward a small kennel (we used to call it a "dog house") at the edge of the property. No more than three years old, this little guy was rushing out to greet his equally enthusiastic dog! Lots of squealing and hugging and wiggling ensued as I watched the two devoted friends play. Heartwarming...
I heard the door slam a second time. It was the Mom. "Come on!" she called. "We have to go now!" As the little guy turned toward Mom he caught sight of me walking down his street. "Hi Grandma!!!" he hollered and started racing straight toward me. Mom intervened, however, scooped him up and looked at me apologetically. "Sorry," she said. "Not at all," was what I said, but I was really thinking how wonderfully he had brightened my day. I am a grandma, and don't mind being taken for one! You know, I felt the same adoration for my Grandma; and my own children feel that way about theirs!

...and I look forward to the day when each of my own grandchildren will greet me that enthusiastically and race out to see me with outstretched arms.

Happy Birthday Jewels!

Celebrating with Julie! Whether it is a birthday or some other occasion, it is always fun to be with Jewels! She is one of those happy people that can always find something to celebrate or something fun to do. She thinks big and she thinks extreme, but she knows how to scale it down for those of us who want to take it a bit slower in life. (Thank you for that, Julie.)
We took time to sing Happy Birthday at our recent gathering and want to say it again today; "Happy Birthday Jewels!" May all of your big dreams come true...

Live, love, laugh and be happy!


If you can dream it, you can do it!

Family Reunion...

Our first family reunion as grandparents was held over the long Fourth of July weekend. Stretching out over several days and crammed with activities, it was the best ever! Besides spoiling little Owen, we enjoyed a giant dose of highly concentrated family time... Playing golf, soccer, tennis, and football; spending time walking, swimming, eating, shopping and just plain talking. We spent hours sitting around the table and lounging by the campfire; engaging in conversation, debate and remembering... We didn't eat "right" and we didn't sleep much; but we sure had a swell time making the memories we will talk about the next time we get together.


Favorite sports:
Extreme soccer..... Extreme squirtguns.... Extreme spoiling......

"Proudly it waves, Old Glory..."

I Love America.

"Proudly it waves, Old Glory, over the land of the free; Promise of hope and freedom, symbol of liberty. Red, white and blue are its colors; Colors both brilliant and clear. Colors with far deeper meaning than that at first may appear. Red is for blood of Patriots who have died to free us; white is for justice and government of law; Blue is for honor and faith in all we do! This is my flag; This is Old Glory, the red, white and blue." from I LOVE AMERICA, by John W. Peterson.

Back for a visit...

While watching "Old Glory" wave in the breeze this morning, I got a nice surprise! Bluebie had come back for a visit and had perched atop the flagpole. Unaware of my watching eyes, he seemed very much at home in his familiar lofty perch. He swooped down for a bug or two and returned to his lookout. After several minutes he was off, but not before I snapped this photo of him for my memory book.

"Has he grown since last night...?"

He caught me red-handed looking through the little photo album first thing this morning. "Has he grown since last night?" he asked me with a gentle laugh. I looked again. Examining the little nose and mouth, the tiny hands and fingers, and the lovely dark hair, I answered, "Yup! ...and my heart must have grown again too; because I just can't get enough of this little guy to fill it up!"

Bluebies Evicted Again...

Like last year and the year before that, the pair of bluebirds checked out our birdhouse in April, and settled into it in early May. We enjoyed watching them on a daily basis and looked forward to seeing them raise their family here. Yesterday a chirpy bunch of wrens victimized the bluebird family until they moved out of their little house and disappeared somewhere down the street. Sad to see our "Bluebies" go, we waged war on their diminutive terrorists. Armed with pellet guns and rakes we tried 'scare' tactics. They stood their ground. We shook branches and noisily asked them to leave. They boldly chirped back refusing to relinquish their hard-fought territory...
It's a ritual of the summer. The scene plays itself out every year. We mutter and complain. We storm the battlefield, open up the birdhouse and pull out the sticks the wrens have stacked up. No bluebird nest. The "Bluebies" are raising their family down the street again. Somehow I have a feeling that they will be back next year. It's just a ritual of summer...

Happy Birthday Paula!

Happy Birthday, Paula! One fine June day in the arms of big brother, Chet. Another fine June day wth Sunshine cake. mmmmmmmmm.
Cute little birthday girl...

Paula and the Sphinx...

Tomorrow I will be saying "Happy Birthday to Paula Susan", seen here posing with an older acquaintance of hers. This sister is the grown up version of "babbling brook". She is the sister whose love for words and the WORD has sent her in amazing directions, to wonderful places and, currently, straight into the hearts of her parishioners at Caledonia Church. She is the sister in Christ that I think of when I read in Proverbs 25...
"11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.12 As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover to an obedient ear."

Bee thankful........

"Everything in this room was a gift," she said softly, her words breaking into my contemplations. When I was able to pry my eyes off my grandson's little face and look around the nursery, I was amazed all over again and understood her words. Lovingly painted with helping hands and beautifully appointed by generous friends and family, this little room was perfect. It is a tribute to a gracious God revealed through the generosity and love of His people. I glanced from the wonderful reclining rocker and gliding ottoman to the lovely crib and its bedding; including handmade blankets and comforters. I looked at the shelves of children's books and CD's and the "Bee" shelf with its row of soft stuffed toys and the "Bee" picture on the wall. I noticed the rows of tiny outfits and caps and bibs and booties (yes, even the hand knitted kind) and the boxes of Huggies stacked in the closet corner. I saw, again, the diaper disposer, the diaper bag, the stroller, the high chair, the play center and bouncy chair and all the baby bath items. Baby gear, Baby Gap, Eddie Bauer, Baby Einstein and Baby Bjorn.....
"Everything we HAVE is a gift," I thought out loud. I can't name one thing I have that I haven't been given; and I turned back to look at my grandson's beautiful baby face....

The good and perfect gift...

I know that a picture is worth a thousand words, but... even if I could write a thousand words it wouldn't be enough to describe what it is like to gaze upon our first grandchild or to describe the swell of emotion he brings. Here he is! I watch him being born! The child of our child. I look at him. I love him. I wrap my arms around him and my heart envelopes him. My mind, however, is a bit slower to absorb the complete and beautiful truth of his precious life and all that it will mean for us in the days, weeks and years to come. One thing I know for sure is that he is a "good and perfect gift" from God... a gift that will continue to give.

Joy comes in the morning.

If you aren't a morning person, and I am not naturally one, you simply miss out. You miss the beautiful songs of the 'birds of the field' and the blessing they are. The lilting sounds, the chirping tunes, the rhythmical trills and the sweet twitters are God's reminder that a new day is coming and, with it, new joys. Fortunately you can learn to be a morning person and I have adapted to it amazingly. At my house the early bird first starts chirping at around 4:15 A.M. at this time of year. The music starts with the first light of dawn and builds until I am fully awake.
We have encouraged this bird behavior and have become breakfast table bird watchers. Already we have had the joy of observing our bluebirds (the Bluebie family), cardinals, finches, canaries, grosbeaks, wrens, hummingbirds and the faithful, hard-working robins. In the distance I hear the crows calling one another and I wax nostalgic as I listen to the cooing of the mourning doves. Yes, joy does come in the morning! Just listen...

Into every life a little pain must fall...

There are various forms of pain... There is the kind of pain that you bring on yourself, like when you act like someone half your age and then end up regretting it. Then there is the kind of pain that just happens to you and over which you have no control. You know, things just happen. And today it really hurts and tomorrow you hope it will feel better...
Yesterday I played in the staff vs. high school seniors kickball game. Last night I was on the sofa with my badly swollen ankle, iced and elevated and throbbing.
This morning I hobbled to the porch to wave goodbye to a friend and to watch the moving truck pull out of the driveway. Tonight that friend will be hundreds of miles away.
I hope it feels better tomorrow.

As Little Children...

I can't remember what they were praying about on this occasion, but I do remember the pure faith in those prayers my little sisters recited. (Just check out the intensity on their small faces.) I am certain that the prayer list was shorter and less complicated than the ones they pray today, but their faith is still like that of a child...pure, unimpeded, absolute, expectant. In their prayers they still come "as little children" and are unceasingly rewarded with their Father's amazing goodness.
(Me? I'm the one who was peeking...)

Turning it Around

It was a party to celebrate his graduation from college; a veritable accomplishment for this young man. Though, true to his style, Joe turned it around by celebrating his guests. Now a college graduate, and ready to make his mark in the world, he took the time to gratefully recognize help he had gotten along the way. He thanked and paid tribute to them, each one, for contributions they had made that had brought him to this milestone in his life. His “Ma”, the dear lady that had treated him like he was ‘her boy’; “Kim” who was the sister he never had and whose advice had kept him from going the wrong way on many occasions; and his best friend’s mom who had kept the home fires burning brightly during their year in the Iraq war. He acknowledged teachers, friends and neighbors alike. It brought a smile to my face when Joe turned to my husband, Phil, and thanked him for teaching him what hard work really is and for demonstrating to him, like no one else, his love for family and his love for Christ.
You see, Joe has been “turning it around” all his life. A disadvantaged home life didn’t keep him down. He turned it around! Though Joe struggled in school and found learning harder than some, he turned it around, and got his diploma. Joe’s dream was to become a United Stated Marine. When it looked like an injury would prevent him from fulfilling that dream, he fought back and turned it around. A tour of duty in Iraq brought him up close and personal with the horror and hell of war, and again, Joe turned it around. From facing death he turned to face a life-giving God. …and that is what turned Joe around.

The River of My Life

About me....................
The river that is my life continues to pull me to new frontiers. I have never been here before, and I like it here, but I am always excited to see what is ahead. I continue, however, to savor the knowledge that right now I am exactly where I am meant to be and doing exactly what I am supposed to do. When I embarked on the academic year in the fall, it signaled the start of yet another career and the return to one of my passions: education.
That river has taken many turns. I have been blessed with a life full of unbelievable variety and rich in experience. My career path has taken me through many fields with breadth of opportunity: from nursing assistant and emergency medical technician to office manager and data administrator; from operating my own pool supply business to pouring and finishing concrete with my husband. I have enjoyed being a drugstore clerk as well the seller of lumber and nails. While our children were young, I volunteered more than I worked. I volunteered for the 4-H, Pony Club, swim team, church, and fire department. A lifelong interest in education has given me experience as a substitute teacher, an educational assistant, a special needs provider for youngsters with autism, a student at U. W. Whitewater and finally, a teacher.
The river has been nurturing. I have had the pleasure of living in the heart of the Kettle Moraine for more than thirty years. Our home is a short walk from the camping and hiking trails of Wisconsin’s beautiful Kettle Moraine State Forest. My husband, Phil, and I have had the delight of raising our family on a few acres, where we also raised horses, dogs, cats, chickens and even a few goats. We love it here so much that in spite of our travels to such exciting places as Australia and Greece we have not been tempted away from this beautiful place.
The river has been compelling. The delights of our lives are our four daughters who have brought rich experience and growth to their “Pair ‘o Nuts”. We were relentless spectators of soccer, swimming, track and horse shows; proud members of audiences at school programs, plays, and concerts; and tireless fundraisers and PTO members. Sometimes, the river of my life flowed over rocks and waterfalls. Sometimes, it was serene and filled with spectacular scenery. Even though we, as parents, “launched” our children, they continue to challenge and encourage us. Like so many young people of their generation, they have dragged us into their global community where world travel is the norm. They shared with us their exciting travel and experiences in places such as Brazil, Switzerland, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, China, Nova Scotia, Korea and Afghanistan. We were able to experience these first hand on two wonderful adventures to Athens in 2004 and Sydney in 2000 to watch our daughter compete in the Olympics.
The river that is my life is in the rapids now. The rushing and surging are, all at once, both exhilarating and exhausting. I can barely breathe! One minute, I think I can ride the churning water forever. The next minute, I want it to stop. As I look ahead and anticipate the next turn, I can already see the river getting wider and deeper taking an already full and wonderful life to new depths and places.

Rhubarb Custard Bars

I wish I could share my rhubarb with you. I have way more than I can possibly use. But if you happen to have some, here is the most delicious way to eat it I have ever found!

Rhubarb Custard Bars
Crust:
2 c. flour
¼ c. sugar
1 c. cold butter or margarine
Combine flour, sugar in medium bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into greased 9 by 13 in. pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Filling:
2 c. sugar
7 T. flour
1 C. whipping cream
3 eggs beaten
5 cups finely chopped fresh rhubarb
While crust is baking prepare filling by combining sugar and flour in large bowl. Whisk in cream and eggs. Stir in rhubarb. Pour over baked crust. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until custard mixture is firm. Remove from oven and cool.

Topping:
2 pkgs. 3 oz. each cream cheese softened
½ c. sugar
½ tsp. vanilla
1 c. whipping cream, whipped until stiff peaks have formed.
Prepare topping by beating the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream. Carefully spread the topping over the custard mixture. Cover and chill for several hours before serving. Cut into bars. Keep refrigerated!