Last night was FIL's funeral. It was nice, as funerals go, I suppose. My girls could have acted better, though. : (
I made sure to tell them exactly how to act at the graveyard today...just in case they acted odd last night because I hadn't reminded them how to act at a funeral. lol I told them don't sit around in trees...so they just swung from the branches. : P I told them not to pick up flowers from graves and move them to other graves...so they just adjusted them on the graves they were on. ; )
I was official videographer...so Daddy dropped me and Emma off at the graveyard before he went back to the funeral home to come in the procession. We were there for about half-an-hour before they got back...maybe 45 minutes. Emma was horrified to find I hadn't brought a deck of cards with me...so we passed the time playing 20 questions. lol I had hoped I'd done well on the video, but Daddy says the wind drowns out most of the talking...I didn't even realize the wind was blowing! He says, "The camera knows." lol
He's a bit more depressed now. He's eating to dull the pain...*not* good...
The service was beautiful, though. 21 gun salute and everything. It was simply breathtaking. I was behind the camera, making sure I filmed everything, so I didn't cry. FIL would have loved it. : )
Here's one from youtube...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1H3eKMgvjY
Monday, September 29, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
These Past Few Days...
Daddy's father died Friday evening. It wasn't unexpected...he's been on hospice care for a couple weeks, but still...
Daddy's taking it better than I'd expected...he says he's glad his dad isn't suffering still. The girls are doing okay, too...Anna seems sadder than Emma, but both are doing better today than they did yesterday. Last night they were bawling...which, of course, made me cry, too. Anna asked, "Why are you crying?" And I told her because I hate to see my little girls sad. : )
Emma has been very helpful for her grandmother...today she even went to the funeral home with her to get the arrangements done. She's a million times nicer than I ever was or will be. I'm sure my BIL's and SIL think I'm awful, but I stayed home with Anna while they went. I'm using my back as an excuse to get out of things like that. ; ) Well, it *is* hurting. : P
People have been coming by and calling and bringing food...people sure are nice. I just sit quietly in a corner and watch them and listen...My husband's aunts are SO funny! I wish Emma would sit with them and listen to the stories they tell. I think she'd really enjoy it, and she'd get to know how it was (and how they were) when they were young.
Tomorrow is the funeral, then the burial Monday. I dread Monday...going in procession to the graveyard. I HATE HATE HATE funeral processions. Any time I feel trapped in a vehicle I fall to pieces...and funeral processions are almost the worst. Traffic jams are the worst. Makes me all willy just thinking about it. So I won't. I'll go back to my Smithsonian magazine and read about Stonehenge. Maybe the bluestones would heal me, too. : P
Daddy's taking it better than I'd expected...he says he's glad his dad isn't suffering still. The girls are doing okay, too...Anna seems sadder than Emma, but both are doing better today than they did yesterday. Last night they were bawling...which, of course, made me cry, too. Anna asked, "Why are you crying?" And I told her because I hate to see my little girls sad. : )
Emma has been very helpful for her grandmother...today she even went to the funeral home with her to get the arrangements done. She's a million times nicer than I ever was or will be. I'm sure my BIL's and SIL think I'm awful, but I stayed home with Anna while they went. I'm using my back as an excuse to get out of things like that. ; ) Well, it *is* hurting. : P
People have been coming by and calling and bringing food...people sure are nice. I just sit quietly in a corner and watch them and listen...My husband's aunts are SO funny! I wish Emma would sit with them and listen to the stories they tell. I think she'd really enjoy it, and she'd get to know how it was (and how they were) when they were young.
Tomorrow is the funeral, then the burial Monday. I dread Monday...going in procession to the graveyard. I HATE HATE HATE funeral processions. Any time I feel trapped in a vehicle I fall to pieces...and funeral processions are almost the worst. Traffic jams are the worst. Makes me all willy just thinking about it. So I won't. I'll go back to my Smithsonian magazine and read about Stonehenge. Maybe the bluestones would heal me, too. : P
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Home, Thankfully!
Be it ever so humble, there's NO PLACE like home! I always feel like that when we go somewhere, even if it's just for a day. I *like* my home. : )
Well, we left about 8, got to the amusement park about 10:30, and spent the rest of the day wearing ourselves out with too many rides. lol It was great fun. A couple rides I had been looking forward to were too much for my back, so we only rode them once, but the one I didn't like last year I figured out how to keep my head from hitting the restraint in an uncomfortable way, and *loved* it this year. The girls and I ran around and rode it again and again. Daddy got a bit panic-ey and didn't ride it after that. We had a good time, though, and when we left we stopped by a museum for a while...which turned into a llloooonnnggg while, because Daddy started talking to the fellow working in the gift shop and they traded tall tales for quiet a while. lol
We made it safely home, and picked up Oscar yesterday, and he's SO happy to be home, too. He's minus a ..ahem... couple things, but he's still himself. Daddy was afraid he'd be changed, but he's just as sweet as ever.
Well, we left about 8, got to the amusement park about 10:30, and spent the rest of the day wearing ourselves out with too many rides. lol It was great fun. A couple rides I had been looking forward to were too much for my back, so we only rode them once, but the one I didn't like last year I figured out how to keep my head from hitting the restraint in an uncomfortable way, and *loved* it this year. The girls and I ran around and rode it again and again. Daddy got a bit panic-ey and didn't ride it after that. We had a good time, though, and when we left we stopped by a museum for a while...which turned into a llloooonnnggg while, because Daddy started talking to the fellow working in the gift shop and they traded tall tales for quiet a while. lol
We made it safely home, and picked up Oscar yesterday, and he's SO happy to be home, too. He's minus a ..ahem... couple things, but he's still himself. Daddy was afraid he'd be changed, but he's just as sweet as ever.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Leaving Home...
We're leaving in the morning for our "vacation". It's just a quick day-trip, but the girls are really looking forward to it. I guess I am,too. I'm thinking of things I wish we'd done differently last year (we are going to the same amusement park we've been to for the last two years), and planning on changing some things around.
We dropped Oscar off at the vet's today. Since we were leaving anyway, and we'd have to have him boarded, I thought it would be better to go ahead and have him neutered and that way he won't have to be away from us twice. We thought we'd be able to pick him up Wednesday, though, and they said Thursday, which was a shock. We miss him SO MUCH!!! It's amazing how much he's gotten to be a part of the family in less than a year.
Yesterday we went on a picnic, and fishing. And we took Oscar with us, to kinda make up for what he's going to be doing tomorrow while we're out enjoying ourselves. ; ) We picnic-ed at an old graveyard with wonderful views and a delightful breeze, and the girls and I built fairy houses just-in-case some fairies live there. It was a wonderful place for them.
Today we stopped at another graveyard and while Daddy was looking around (he's got this thing for graveyards all of a sudden) we made some more fairy houses. At least Anna and I did. Emma sat in the van with a book. Anyway, I made one, and went to start on another one, and Anna came to work with me. We were building next to a burnt-out stump, and I had just got the roof on, and was starting to pile leaves next to the walls for insulation, when a little lllooooonnnnggg green neck appeared next to me! A tiny green snake had slipped out from under the stump to see who was knocking on his door! I wasn't sure if I could move...I certainly couldn't move quickly, because of my back, but I managed to move quicker than I thought possible! lol I got about ten feet away (and Anna ran with me, even though she didn't know what she was running from lol) then started squealing. Daddy thought I was silly...but it just *appeared* there next to me. I'm not at all sure that fairies will want to live next to a snake...even a nice little green one. I suppose I made a *snake house*, instead of a fairy house, this time. lol
We dropped Oscar off at the vet's today. Since we were leaving anyway, and we'd have to have him boarded, I thought it would be better to go ahead and have him neutered and that way he won't have to be away from us twice. We thought we'd be able to pick him up Wednesday, though, and they said Thursday, which was a shock. We miss him SO MUCH!!! It's amazing how much he's gotten to be a part of the family in less than a year.
Yesterday we went on a picnic, and fishing. And we took Oscar with us, to kinda make up for what he's going to be doing tomorrow while we're out enjoying ourselves. ; ) We picnic-ed at an old graveyard with wonderful views and a delightful breeze, and the girls and I built fairy houses just-in-case some fairies live there. It was a wonderful place for them.
Today we stopped at another graveyard and while Daddy was looking around (he's got this thing for graveyards all of a sudden) we made some more fairy houses. At least Anna and I did. Emma sat in the van with a book. Anyway, I made one, and went to start on another one, and Anna came to work with me. We were building next to a burnt-out stump, and I had just got the roof on, and was starting to pile leaves next to the walls for insulation, when a little lllooooonnnnggg green neck appeared next to me! A tiny green snake had slipped out from under the stump to see who was knocking on his door! I wasn't sure if I could move...I certainly couldn't move quickly, because of my back, but I managed to move quicker than I thought possible! lol I got about ten feet away (and Anna ran with me, even though she didn't know what she was running from lol) then started squealing. Daddy thought I was silly...but it just *appeared* there next to me. I'm not at all sure that fairies will want to live next to a snake...even a nice little green one. I suppose I made a *snake house*, instead of a fairy house, this time. lol
Monday, September 15, 2008
Meanderings...
One of Daddy's uncles or cousins or some such relative died last week, and he was asked to be a pall-bearer. He really didn't want to, but felt like he should. We were going down the road and he (trying to be a good example for the girls) said, "Well, what would Jesus do?" I said, "Generally, when Jesus went to a funeral, he raised the dead." hehehe Daddy decided since he couldn't raise the dead the least he could do was help bury the guy. ; )
Anna came to me last week and told me how to spell direction. She said last year she would have spelled it D-I-R-X-O-N, and now she knew it had a "tion" in it. It has been amazing and fascinating watching her improve in spelling and reading in the past couple years. She amazes me!
As for the other half of my kids...Emma has been so helpful since I've been unable to do much because of my back! Yesterday while I napped, she even gave Oscar a shower! Really, both girls have been wonderfully helpful. I'm happy with them. ; )
Last week, too, Daddy worked on wood sculpture with them. He said later that he "made" Anna stay and finish hers, because he didn't want her to think it was okay to quit when she got annoyed by something. After the funeral he was talking about one of his cousins who was there...she said her job stank, but she was going to stay with it. He said he was thinking (but didn't say) "Why don't you go find a job you love so you'll be happy?" He *hates* the thought of feeling stuck in a stinky job. I pointed out that he made Anna work on a job she was finding stinky, and she should have had the choice to stop. I suggested the next time he wants to work on some project to remember that she's small and may need a break, or food, or water, or something. With Anna, sometimes she just needs a snuggle. He said he'll try to remember. He *does* try to get unschooling and gentle parenting...and watching him, I'm amazed sometimes at the progress he's made. Sometimes, though, he's better with the dog than with the girls. lol
Anna came to me last week and told me how to spell direction. She said last year she would have spelled it D-I-R-X-O-N, and now she knew it had a "tion" in it. It has been amazing and fascinating watching her improve in spelling and reading in the past couple years. She amazes me!
As for the other half of my kids...Emma has been so helpful since I've been unable to do much because of my back! Yesterday while I napped, she even gave Oscar a shower! Really, both girls have been wonderfully helpful. I'm happy with them. ; )
Last week, too, Daddy worked on wood sculpture with them. He said later that he "made" Anna stay and finish hers, because he didn't want her to think it was okay to quit when she got annoyed by something. After the funeral he was talking about one of his cousins who was there...she said her job stank, but she was going to stay with it. He said he was thinking (but didn't say) "Why don't you go find a job you love so you'll be happy?" He *hates* the thought of feeling stuck in a stinky job. I pointed out that he made Anna work on a job she was finding stinky, and she should have had the choice to stop. I suggested the next time he wants to work on some project to remember that she's small and may need a break, or food, or water, or something. With Anna, sometimes she just needs a snuggle. He said he'll try to remember. He *does* try to get unschooling and gentle parenting...and watching him, I'm amazed sometimes at the progress he's made. Sometimes, though, he's better with the dog than with the girls. lol
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Updating the Blog...September 11, 2008
Since I haven't updated lately, I thought I should. My back has been hurting so bad for the last two weeks I haven't been able to sit at the computer (or anywhere else) for more than a few minutes at a time, so I haven't updated.
The girls have been doing this and that...reading, watching tv, playing computer games, playing outside, trying to catch frogs (Anna), and buying H'ween costumes (Emma).
Anna had her follow-up appointment Monday, the doctor said her leg is fine and she can go back to normal activities...."What sort of activities is she wanting to do?" "Climbing trees." "Oh. She'd better wait another week until she does that." lol Yeah, right. She was in one yesterday. Today we got the bill for her surgery...$7,000! Thank God for insurance! I've been telling her she'd better take care of it...it's a $7000 leg now. lol
I've been reading lots and lots, since I can't really do anything else. Luckily, I have piles of books to read. ; ) I'm currently working on "How Children Learn", "How Children Fail", "The Battle of the Bulge", "Realm of Algebra", and "Realm of Numbers". Plus three magazines. It's an interesting mix....I read until my brain is full of one kind of thoughts, then I read a different sort of book until I'm all filled up with those thoughts...it's giving me lots to think about. One thing I thought about is hiking a trail I was reading about in one of the magazines. I was thinking of hiking....it goes from one quaint little town to another...anyway, hiking it and staying overnight in a B&B, then hiking back the next day. Daddy looked at me like I was crazy...I can barely move...but still, we must dream, right? I think it'd be a blast. I'll have to pull the magazine out and see if there's a website mentioned...I may look it up and make a plan....
The girls have been doing this and that...reading, watching tv, playing computer games, playing outside, trying to catch frogs (Anna), and buying H'ween costumes (Emma).
Anna had her follow-up appointment Monday, the doctor said her leg is fine and she can go back to normal activities...."What sort of activities is she wanting to do?" "Climbing trees." "Oh. She'd better wait another week until she does that." lol Yeah, right. She was in one yesterday. Today we got the bill for her surgery...$7,000! Thank God for insurance! I've been telling her she'd better take care of it...it's a $7000 leg now. lol
I've been reading lots and lots, since I can't really do anything else. Luckily, I have piles of books to read. ; ) I'm currently working on "How Children Learn", "How Children Fail", "The Battle of the Bulge", "Realm of Algebra", and "Realm of Numbers". Plus three magazines. It's an interesting mix....I read until my brain is full of one kind of thoughts, then I read a different sort of book until I'm all filled up with those thoughts...it's giving me lots to think about. One thing I thought about is hiking a trail I was reading about in one of the magazines. I was thinking of hiking....it goes from one quaint little town to another...anyway, hiking it and staying overnight in a B&B, then hiking back the next day. Daddy looked at me like I was crazy...I can barely move...but still, we must dream, right? I think it'd be a blast. I'll have to pull the magazine out and see if there's a website mentioned...I may look it up and make a plan....
Saturday, September 6, 2008
One Word Meme-Thingey
YOU CAN ONLY TYPE ONE WORD!
Not as easy as you might think. Now copy or forward to at least 10 people. Change the answers to suit you and pass it on. It's really hard to only use one word answers. Let me know if you're doing one! I'd love to see your answers!
1. Where is your cell phone? trash
2. Your significant other? lovey
3. Your hair? uncombed
4. Your mother? nice
5. Your father? dead
6. Your favorite thing? food
7. Your dream last night? ???
9. Your dream/goal? painless
10. The room you're in? main
12. Your fear? vampires
13. Where were you last night? here
14. What you're not? healthy
15. Muffins? blueberry
16. One of your wish list items? money
17. Where you grew up? woods
18. The last thing you did? sleep
19. What are you wearing? dress
20. Your TV? off
21. Your pets? fleabitten
22. Your computer? LOVE
23. Your life? happy
24. Your mood? happy
25. Missing someone? no
26. Your car? gone
27. Something you're not wearing? boots
28. Favorite store? books
29. Your summer? fast
30. Do you love someone? girls
31. Your favorite color? green
32. When is the last time you laughed? yesterday
33. Last time you cried? yesterday
34. Who will repost this? someone?
Not as easy as you might think. Now copy or forward to at least 10 people. Change the answers to suit you and pass it on. It's really hard to only use one word answers. Let me know if you're doing one! I'd love to see your answers!
1. Where is your cell phone? trash
2. Your significant other? lovey
3. Your hair? uncombed
4. Your mother? nice
5. Your father? dead
6. Your favorite thing? food
7. Your dream last night? ???
9. Your dream/goal? painless
10. The room you're in? main
12. Your fear? vampires
13. Where were you last night? here
14. What you're not? healthy
15. Muffins? blueberry
16. One of your wish list items? money
17. Where you grew up? woods
18. The last thing you did? sleep
19. What are you wearing? dress
20. Your TV? off
21. Your pets? fleabitten
22. Your computer? LOVE
23. Your life? happy
24. Your mood? happy
25. Missing someone? no
26. Your car? gone
27. Something you're not wearing? boots
28. Favorite store? books
29. Your summer? fast
30. Do you love someone? girls
31. Your favorite color? green
32. When is the last time you laughed? yesterday
33. Last time you cried? yesterday
34. Who will repost this? someone?
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
I *LOVE* This Little Hippie!
...with her psychedelic mushrooms. lolWhen Daddy was thinking of going back to college and we all went up there with him, these lovely 'shrooms were growing out on the lawn. I didn't realize how "hippie" Emma looked until much later when I stumbled across the pictures. I don't believe I had even looked at them since I'd loaded them onto the computer! Which is amazing for me...since I'm usually in a rush to blog about whatever it was we did. ; )
Let me see...I'll bet there's one of Anna there, too....although she doesn't go for hippie looks...
She goes for posing and pointing. Emma said, after I took the picture, "Why do you ALWAYS want to point at something when you're having a picture made?" and embarassed Anna.
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