Good Parents Take Lots of Pictures

Ben is the small red head second from the left in the back row. If he played the flute instead of the drums, I might have been able to get a decent picture of him while he was performing at the band competition held at the College of the Ozarks last week.

Logan is the blond blur in the middle of the back row singing at the spring concert. He is not in the choir, but does have a vocal singing class, so they put those kids in the choir for this concert. He has a very good voice, and if he were a female soprano, I might be able to get a decent picture of him performing.

Because school is winding down and the weather is warmer, lots of field trips and concerts are scheduled. Today Ben's class went to play Lunar Golf and tomorrow Logan will go to Silver Dollar City.

The Ears Are the Best Part

During the time my house was full of guests, someone brought home a couple of chocolate Easter Bunnies -- the store was giving them away post-Easter. They sat on the counter for a day or two, untouched. Finally, someone gave in and ate the ears from one of the bunnies. Not much later, the ears of the second bunny disappeared. What I want to know is:
1. Why didn't the nibbler finish the first bunny before de-earing the second?
2. Who did it? Respond in the comment section and I promise to keep it confidential.
By the way, Logan finished up the bodies of both bunnies.

Me (and family)

Taken in Fallon, Summer 1941

Late summer, 1944
My Dad and Uncle Bill Blair

Late 1948
Melody, Ricky, Mickey

Summer, 1952

Clockwise from left end: Grandpa, Ruthanne, Bud, Helen (Millward), Bill (Blair), Margaret, Grandma, Janet, Melody, Rick, Connie, Ken, Mickey

Easter, 1954
Valery, Mickey, Ricky, Kenny, Melody

Christmas, 1953
Melody, Kenny, Valery, Ricky, Mickey

As a little girl, Colleen wondered if color existed in the olden days when her mother was a child.

My Wish Came True!

The Dogwood bloomed on my birthday!

Sister Valery came from California. Daughter Colleen and grandson Robby came from California, too, but their pictures are on Nichole or Valery's cameras and I don't have copies, yet.
Mallaika came from Massachusetts (she brought her mom and dad, too)
Kevin and Rachel represented the middle of the country.
Arlan, Bernice, and Steve represented the local contingent (Colleen's in the background).
Julia, Valery, and Mallaika.
The wonderful strawberry/whipped cream cake Colleen made to finish up the fabulous meal she put together.

The boys, Ben, Logan, and Robby didn't hold still for photos! And apparently neither did Tom and Nichole.

It wasn't just a birthday party, it was a five-day encampment. What fun! The house was full and happy every moment of the time. I already miss them, but memories will carry me through! I wish you all could have been here!

Time To Get Serious

Four guests arrive tomorrow -- after I drive round trip to Kansas City airport (360 miles). So, today is it. I started by attending a hand quilting class. I'm nearly seventy and I've never done any hand-quilting -- don't you think this is the perfect time to start? I liked it and bought a bunch of supplies so now I can sit and quilt if ever I'm in avoidance mode. But, of course, I'm not in avoidance mode, I'm right on task. I started vaccuuming the minute I got home, but the whole house vac hose got quite irredeemably clogged up with the stuffing from a toy that ChainSaw chewed up. No problem, I still have my trusty Hoover. The Hoover is pretty good -- it sucks up stuff the house vac spits out. As a fringe benefit, you get a kind of scratch and sniff effect from whatever you suck up. Hence, when I ran over droplets of gorilla glue, the effect was like sniffing glue. I persevered and then ran over some cheetos. The smell made me hungry, so I stopped for lunch. Resuming, I ran over some Easter Chocolate and was impelled to raid the kids Easter baskets. Then, for Cry's Sake! What's this? Why didn't someone tell me -- why didn't someone clean it up -- why didn't someone let the goddamn dog out??? Next came burning rubber -- what's that from? Oh no, ran over the cord, game over.

First Things Finished

And my taxes are done! Sorry the images are blurry, but I've got a house to clean!

First Things First!

Oh my God! It's April 13; I haven't done my taxes and my house is a mess. I'm expecting eight house guests this week and there will be a big party here on Saturday. What should I do? I know, I'll arrange Ben and Logan's school pictures from the past eight years and I'll blog.

Sweet Dreams

Overwhelming kindness was shown eight years ago when Ben and Logan came to live with us. We received a wonderful set of bunk beds as a gift from the employees of Cisco Systems. Colleen's friend Jill worked there and they took up a collection for us and provided Ben and Logan with beds they have used ever since. Even now, as I write this, I cry. I don't know why, but the gentle memories of good people and kind deeds move me to tears more easily than memories of sadness and horror.

I mention this because the beds have now left our home and moved in with another family. As I've blogged several times, we have a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) membership. Our sponsoring farmers are a family who have three girls under five years old and an additional three foster girls, also under five. Until this week, they were sleeping in one set of bunk beds and head to toe in a large bed. Ben and Logan just got new queen-sized beds, so the bunk beds and all the twin-sized bedding became surplus, but not for long. Sarah came and picked up the beds on Friday and we loaded them in her trailer. As she pulled out of the driveway, I began to sob. I can't explain it, it just happened. I know her girls will sleep well; a lot of good karma goes with the beds and a lot of amazing healing took place in them.

My heart thanks the generous people who contributed. Their gift still heals me.