Giada's 3rd Birthday Book

Dearest Giada,  Happy 3rd Birthday! If I did not know your name was Giada, I might think this book was about you.  Although you are much more beautiful, creative and fun than Olivia.  You are a busy little one but you have a heart of gold. Your snuggles in bed are my favorite part of the day.  You are a wonderful little sister and you are going to be a great big sis! Always remember I adore and love you!  XXOO Momma

Bernina's 1st Birthday Book

To Bernina on your 1st birthday...Bernina Lou I Do Love You! 

XXOO, Momma

Bernina's 3rd Birthday Book

Dearest Bernina, Happy 3rd B-day!  You can't wait to be a dancer and like the bear you are very resourceful and a great problem solver. Most of all you are a beautiful daughter of God. I love you and so does He.  Always honor us!  XXOO Momma

Giada's 5th Birthday Book

Giada,  Happy 5th Birrhday! You are my rapping, rhyming girl.  Your poems are even better than the ones in this book.  You make my soul sing with your smile and peacebuilder spirit.  Always keep that laugh going!  I love you! XXOO Mom

Traditions Lost (reprint from blog post Sept 2009)

So, when Bernina was tiny I decided that on each birthday I would present my children with a book that represented something about their previous year of life and write a special inscription for the birthday kiddo just from their mom. I had visions of the vast library of books they'd share with their children for generations to come...
I did it for several years, at least until Slick was 3 or 4 but then for various reasons the tradition lost its punch and has not been followed consistently (okay I'll admit it, not at all). But at least some of the kiddos had at least a few treasured reminders of their younger years and their momma's thoughts on them.
Well, either they don't make books like they used to or my kids are especially hard on tomes but it seems the life cycle for picture books around our place isn't generations or even close to decades. I know I could tuck them away to be only read on special occasions but that is really not my style and therefore, several of our special birthday books are falling apart and with them my special inscriptions!

SO...I've decided for posterity's sake (again) to post on our blog those special inscriptions so they don't get lost in the book repair shop...don't feel obligated to read, it is more to soothe my worries! I'll probably post them as I come across them so don't get confused when strange book reviews pop up! XXOO

Prayers for the Colemans

We are sad at our house this weekend.  Little Jonas Coleman, oldest son of Senior's sweet cousin Lindsay and Whit, passed away this week, a few weeks short of his third birthday.  Born with SMA, a genetic, inherited disease that usually takes the little one's life before age two, Jonas' short life was not marked by typical milestones.  He couldn't really speak, eat or move.  But his beautiful blue eyes and strong, calm face as well as the strength and grace his parents displayed will always be imprinted in our minds.  Because both Lindsay and Whit carry the gene that causes SMA, every child they conceive has a 25% chance of having SMA.  The end of August their beautiful daughter Maggie was born.  She, too, has SMA.  You can learn more about the Coleman family on their blog http://coleman2family.blogspot.com//  or check out a news story about them at http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=12164604

I am grateful that Jonas lived long enough to spend time here on earth with his little sis and that Lindsay and Whit could have the chance to see their two children interacting.  Last month, Senior and I were out-of-town for a few days and Nana and Aunt Natalie and Aunt Missa took the kids to a fund-raising carnival for the Coleman Family.  We were very happy that they were willing to fill in for us and support such a great cause. I like the quote Lindsay has on the header on her blog, " Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery but today is a gift...that is why it is called the present."

She Ain't Smiling Now

Goodbye Wisdom Teeth

Yep!  They are gone...replaced by

yucky gauze, the throw-ups and ice packs.

She is finally sleeping...hopefully she'll wake-up feeling a little more on top of her game.

She requested I confisicate her cell phone lest she send some crazy-sounding text messages while high on pain meds. 

Based on the uncontrollable giggling, of which she has no recollection, as they drugged her up at the oral surgeon's office this AM I think that might be a good idea!

Slick and Reflections: You Can't Win 'Em All

Here is Slick's awesome Reflections Contest Entry.  While she didn't take home the ribbon, she used one of her favorite mediums...DIGITAL ART.  I am always coming home to new screensavers and desktops that Slick has created in the Paint program on our computer. 

Maybe She Should Take Up Writing

Giada won first place in the Reflections Contest at school this month.  She wanted to choreograph a dance but her mean and worn-out mother suggested that writing a poem might be the simpliest route to go.  (Dances have to be video-taped, converted to DVD, etc. etc) She wasn't really thrilled about it but seeing how her teacher was requiring an entry and her mother wasn't cooperating with the dance idea (i know, some might say stifling creativity, i choose to say encouraging something new) she decided to play the dutiful daughter and this is what she wrote, inspired by the theme TOGETHER WE CAN.



KALEIDOSCOPES

I look into two different spy glasses

Not knowing what I’ll see.

Peering in the first spyglass,

Black

Grey

Flashes of blinding yellow light.

I hear grumbling and then it gets clearer.

Voices screaming ugly and awful words.

Sarcasm shouts out, too.

I feel uncomfortable.

I back away and reach for the other spy glass.

Peering in the eye piece, my hand turns the shaft of the instrument

Adjusting the focus.

I see

Bright vibrant colors

And shapes that fill my heart with hope.

Reflecting off each other they create a design even more exciting.

I hear joyful, uplifting voices.

They make me smile.

And then it hits me…the truth of the kaleidoscope:

We each are a color

We each are a shape

But when we work together positively and lift each others spirits

We create a beautiful design where each feels safe and welcomed.

Together we can, together we can.



Two Reasons That Prove You Have Four Big Sisters

1.  Follow your mom around house for at least 30 minutes, asking at least 150 times to help you remove your Incredible Hulk action figures vest, a vest that is permanently attached, so you can "get him some new clothes."

2.  Inform your family that you are taking "Lightening McQueen and Sal" cars in your pocket to the library but you are leaving "Mac", the transport vehicle home because "I don't want him to get his clothes dirty."  Giving Junior some credit, he realized what he said as soon as it popped out.  He laughed and then said, "I mean his tires!" 

Day before Easter 2010

Must-See Mo-Vee

Read this review a couple of weeks ago.  Wanted to check it out.  Took a couple of 9th graders, sixth graders and a lucky nine-year-old (she gets to do a few more "grown-up" things being the middle of the crowd).  We all LOVED it. During some of the more "romantic" scenes I had the older crowd to my right sighing with emotion and the younger crowd to my left giggling and covering their eyes (we must add that, of course, in typically fashion, Bernina was audibly sobbing during portions of it and laughing out loud in other portions).  It is not playing every where but will be released on VOD platform (whatever that means) in December. 

Watch for it. 

You won't be disappointed. 

Promise.

Train-to-Car Etiquette

Yesterday, we were in the neighborhood, so in honor of Junior's b-day, we swung by the train yard.  Hanging out underneath the freeway in an industrial area isn't exactly a mother's dream but surrounded by huge moving vehicles is his dream so I gave in.  Luckily, a couple of big engines were being moved around by actual drivers (sometimes they get moved by remote control) and one of them spotted us.  He waved and began to "honk" the train's horn at Junior several times.  Junior was so excited! 

He kept saying over and over me something about the training honking. 

I kept nodding my head and replying, "I know isn't it cool!" 

Suddenly, Junior unsnaps his carseat and comes flying over the middle console and into my lap.  He looks me right in the eyes, puts my hand on the horn and says calmly but forcefully, "Mom, honk."

I finally I got it.  I honk our horn a couple of times and look at him and ask him if we are supposed to honk back.  "Yeah mom," he replies and purposely climbs back over the console and into his carseat. 

 Moral of the story:  When a train honks at you, you must always honk back!

A Squished-Up Dinosaur

Yep, I'll admit it.  My first thoughts three-years ago yesterday as I took my newest little one in my arms, "His face looks like a squished-up baby dinosaur face..." I even said it out loud.  Within a couple of hours, his cute little face was finally starting to show it true self and he has grown into quite a handsome little guy (except for a phase where he kept losing weight and began to take on the appearance of an alien baby right around the time he met several of his family members for the first time at a out-of-town wedding...some of you will remember).  We sure love having Junior around.  Not only is he pretty cool, he gives pretty great smooches and is a cuddly little snuggler!

Best Quote Heard on Saturday Evening

"I thought I was headed to a game today, but can you call it a game when only one team shows up?"

Cast of Characters

In order of appearance...

Senior

Sorry hunny, but when you finally get a namesake you just have to be okay with the title of "Senior"

Cho Cho 

More on that later

Bernina
All the stresses fade away when she is sitting in front of her sewing machine

Giada

Our de Laurentiis protege'

Slick

Blessed with the curls but goes for the smooth look when ever she can talk someone into whipping out that flat iron

Queen Bubs

Need I say more?

Junior

Senior's namesake and the tail-end of the crew

A Public Stage

Double R Productions

presents

KISSES FROM CHO CHO

sagas and stories of one family fancying the vistas while climbing the mountains

of life

(or at least trying to fancy those vistas and climb those mountains)