Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
A Couple of Heartbreakers
Addie, Papa & Heidi in 2006
"For the joy of human love--brother, sister, parent, child
Friends on earth & friends above--for all gentle thoughts and mild
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise."
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Makin' A List, Checkin' It Twice...
Thanksgiving Menu
Turkey (brined & roasted) & Gravy -Jamie
Stuffing -Jamie
Candied Yams & Squash -Jamie
Cranberry Sauce & Salad- Jamie
Mashed Potates-Mike Melin
Green Beans- Mike Melin
Carrots--------
Relish Tray--------
Rolls-Rosalie
Martinelli’s- Jamie
Lemon Water -Jamie
Dessert Bar
Pumpkin Pie-Rosalie
Apple Pie- Angie
Pumpkin Cake- Addie
Chocolate Tarts- Jamie
Whipped Cream-Jamie
Ice Cream-Angie
Various Cocoas-Jamie
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Cozy Day
James took this picture of me in my "England Apron," which I bought while I was with Erin in England. Now I kind of wish I had found a "Mind the Gap" apron...oh well.
James has a problem--he can't resist climbing on the bar. We were listening to Christmas tunes on the ipod, and this is him being an angry reindeer dancing to The Smithereens' "Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer." He's so funny.
Friday, November 05, 2010
The Best of Nights, The Worst of Nights
My hard day was rewarded with Elvis Costello singing a song from his new album, National Ransom on The Colbert Report. The song, "A Slow Drag with Josephine," was BEAUTIFUL! In fact, while I was all enthralled with the show, James was laying next to me, commenting, "That guy is a cute Grandpa... That cute Grandpa sings fun songs...Mom, this is my favorite song, I love it." (aside: yet another great song about "Josephine"--I love the Wallflowers' Josephine song, too--if I ever had another daughter to name, she'd be our Josie!) After his new song, Elvis sang "Dream" with Colbert. Stephen Colbert is the luckiest dawg in the world! Check it out:
The Colbert Report | Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
Exclusive - Elvis Costello - All I Have to Do Is Dream | ||||
www.colbertnation.com | ||||
|
So that end of the story is, hard, hard day rewarded by not just a lovely lullabye from one of my all-time favorite musicians, but also IRA GLASS (my other Jewish boyfriend) and DAVID SEDARIS on The Daily Show. Most nights I'm sorry I ever turned on the TV; last night I was exultant. Heidi is fine today, I feel better, we baked 6 loaves of banan bread, and Sedaris' new book in in the mail (Rich got it for me for my bday). Life is sweet.
Monday, November 01, 2010
Adios, October!
Here is the single Halloween photo I have of our family at the Trunk or Treat on Saturday night. Addie was a "Halloween Fairy," Heidi was an "Angel Queen," and Richard and James were pirates. I went as a "Really Tired Party Pooper/Activities Chairperson."
***
On Sunday after church, we drove to Helena to see our new baby cousin, Miss Emily Post, who was born to my brother Matt & Amie on Wednesday, October 27th. She is a doll!
Addie was trying to take a picture of Emily's yawn, but she missed it and had her finger on the flash. It's still a cute pic, though, and I love having Amie in the background.
Aunt Jamie & Emily
Saturday, October 23, 2010
I'll Carry You and We'll Walk in the Light
THIS SONG pretty much covers it all.
Maybe I miss my Grampy. Maybe I miss my mom, who is only half-here, or my sister, how she used to be. There are so many lovely things laid out before me, so many opportunities, I feel so thankful but also surprised that so few of the people I thought I'd be sharing them with are still near. But then again, these four companions of mine are so delightful, I don't know what I can be sad about.
From upstate at school one friend writes,
Everything is changing while the day sky stays blue.
Changing around him, and me without you.
Waiting for you to arrive,
Where does the time go?
Monday, October 18, 2010
Another Reason I Love My Kids' School
What kind of letters do you get from the teachers of your naughty kids? This one pretty much rocks:
FRIDAY 3PM
Jamie,
Heidi didn’t have her folder or behavior chart here today so I thought I’d just email you.
I’m assuming Jim called you about the issue on the playground yesterday afternoon (Heidi mooned a classmate). This seems to have been a really hard week for Heidi on the playground. Today was an equally difficult day in the classroom. Heidi wasn’t able to follow directions at all today. She seemed to really be distracted and not listening to anything that was really happening in the classroom.
Have a nice weekend. --J
FRIDAY 3:15PM
J--
Yep. Rich talked to Jim (the principal) on his lunch hour and took away all the wii games and Heidi's other privileges. She has done equally bad at home...tough week! I have had the flu, too, and barely enough energy to do my regular mom stuff, but I did muster up the energy to wash her mouth out with soap on Wednesday night and put her to bed right after dinner yesterday for making poor choices at home. I almost cried when Jim called because I have no idea what to do with her except just trying to be consistent with what's in place...*SIGH*--Jamie
MONDAY 8AM
Jamie,
I hope you are feeling better. Keep your head up! You are an awesome mom with three beautiful, God-loving children! There is no harder job in the world. Heidi is a loving little girl who is just throwing us all a few curve balls right now, we will get through this TOGETHER! Jim and I have visited a little about maybe getting the school psychologist involved, how do you feel about that? It is a fresh new beautiful day, we are starting anew and I will pour my love on Heidi and pray we can all help her to make good choices! --J
You Can Thank Me Later
I've narrowed down my issues and mostly I hate crowds and having to make important spending decisions on the spot. So I avoid these things by living in a pretty un-crowded place, always making lists and looking at sales online so I don't have to make very many decisions at the store.
So knowing this about me, you might be surprised to know I sometimes go shopping at 3am on Black Friday. Hubs and I have made this a way-fun date, and we can have Christmas done and stashed away before 7am if we play our cards right (this is combined, of course, with all the things I bought the previous year at the after-Christmas sales and stashed away). The thing that helps us "play our cards" is this little link right HERE. You don't even have to pick up a newspaper! You just peruse the ads and make your list and your action plan and go for it. One of you can go do the actual shopping more stealthily, but if the kids sleep over with Grandma and you grab some crepes at IHOP to fuel your trip, it can count as a date.
I kind of loathe Walmart, but I have to give a special shout out here because Black Friday shopping there is awesome. It' a 24-hour store, so you can go there anytime over night, fill up your cart, and just be in line when the sale officially starts. I know it's not like this everywhere--I shudder to think what kind of craziness there would be in a populated place like San Diego or Tucson--but if you live near a nice suburban Wally like I do, it's pretty sweet. And you can get really useful things like a $3 crockpot (I use mine all the time) or nice $40 mp3 players for your kids. So just give it a whirl. Subscribe to that link up there, look at the ads, and see if there is anything worth getting up for. It could be fun, even for anti-shoppers.
***
I wanted to share my secret recipe for soft winter skin with you, seein's how I just took the skin-smoothingest bath ever. Aside: My dermatologist said that olive oil is probably the best, most readily-available ointment for our skin, yet most people don't use it because of the smell and its associations with food. If you have terribly itchy, cracking skin like me, you have no pride when it comes to scent, etc...I use olive oil all the time, especially after doing dishes.
Get a little bowl in the kitchen and pour 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in it. Then pour in enough sugar to make a paste (you can do this with salt, too, but I have a lot of open skin and that can burn). If you happen to have some oils or extracts, you can add a drop or two for scent. I like my vanilla, coconut, or orange extracts the best.
Now take your little bowl to the bathroom and jump in the shower. Get yourself damp, turn off the ater, then use the paste --sugar scrub--to exfoliate your skin, giving knees and elbows and extra good scrub. Rinse with warm water and proceed to shower as usual. Use a rich moisturizer right after your shower (I just used Tree Hut Coconut Lime Shea Body Butter from Walmart & Costco and it's good!) and enjoy being baby-smooth for a few days!
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Oranges
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
On Monday
they weren't kidding when they named that paint "Red Geranium!"
***
Later, Rich took us out for pizza and root beer for dinner, and we took a drive to look at the fall colors and listen to MoTab on the cd player:
"For the beauty of the earth/ for the beauty of the skies/ for the love which from our birth/ over and around us lies/ Lord of all, to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise..."
We stopped at the cemetery to show the girls where Grandma Vivian is buried. It is not far from Grandma Adeline's grave.
After the cemetery, we looped around East River Road, Mill Creek, the ranch, and thn home.
FAMILY LETTER 07.28.19
Dear Loved Ones, We have just ...