Happy 35th Anniversary To Us

   Today is our "When First We Met" anniversary (see here).
In honor of that day in 1976, I've posted this archaeological artifact photograph from 1978 or 1979. The thing I love most about this picture is not the way Dave and Stan still have black hair, nor the way I appear to be sucking on a lemon while dressed like a character out of  Hee Haw.

It's Oma. Doesn't she look beautiful? Oma would be around 83 in this picture.

 

We are celebrating our anniversary in  high style by receiving evening visitors in the form of super heroes, monsters, and (our personal favorite) princesses.

Hailey-isms

 Hailey: "Grandpa, I want to be with you forever, for a hundred years."

Grandpa: "But I'll be really, really old in a hundred years."

Hailey: "But Grandpa, you're really, really old now!"

 Children: The ultimate truth machine.

Makayla-isms

Me: "Makayla, you are cute!"

Makayla: "Yup I am! That's what my Head Start says too!"

Not bad for a girl who knew only 5 or 6 words six months ago.

False Advertising

When I was born, my Grandma Kenison was already nearly 72 years old. By the time I was four, I was spending significant amounts of time at her home with my younger sister Judy, first while our mother finished some schooling, and then later, after our Dad died and our mother went to work. By the time my Grandma became our full-time babysitter, she would have been in her mid to late 70's. Grandma was incredibly significant in my young life. I think of her often as I watch my own grandchildren.  She had no tv, no video games, no box of toys to keep us entertained all day. Instead, Grandma taught us how to play a mean game of Chinese Checkers.

 Grandma spent a lot of time reading to us--mostly from the current issue of church magazines. I can still remember some of the stories from those magazines, and consider that experience the foundation of my testimony, as well as the basis for my love of reading.

That's me on the left at Uncle Albert's with Grandma Kenison, when I was 9 or 10.


Grandma was an incredible baker, seamstress, and crafter.  She had a sunburst-shaped clock on her wall that I loved which she made out of old cans, cut into strips, spray painted, and curled. She made us doll blankets, bean-filled toys out of felt, containers out of old greeting cards, and quilts. Judy and I often "helped" her, making pie crust cookies, poking at the bread dough, rolling wool coat strips into balls for her rugs, pushing the treadle of her old sewing machine, and threading needles for her.  As I look back, the only really helpful thing I did for her was thread needles. Grandma often gave us scraps of fabric to sew into doll cloths and even taught us how to quilt. My sister Judy and I both made this quilt block when I was six and my sister was 4:

 

Grandma had us use black thread to piece the block so that she and we could see our stitches.

Grandma made dozens and dozens of quilts, and I believe most of her 40+ grandchildren got at least one of her quilts. I was no exception.
It is no surprise that when I grew up, I took up quilting.

That's why I decided it would be a great idea to make each of my grandchildren a quilt as they turned eight and were baptized. Kailyn leads the pack, having turned 8 in August.

I have a favorite book from the 80's that I've made a few quilts out of in the past.

I settled on this pattern for a rail fence quilt, as the book promised it was "quick, easy, and could be completed in a day".

Even so, I thought I better give myself plenty of time and purchased fabric in May and got started.

I sewed. And sewed. And sewed and sewed and sewed. Easy? Yep. Quick? Not on your life!!!!  Not only was in not done in a day, it was not done in a week. Or a month. Or several months. Should I worry that I'm already three months behind with my first Grandchild?

It didn't help that I sewed a pink block upside down and didn't notice for several rows. I hate unpicking.

It didn't help that my regular machine-quilter person moved and I had to find another one.

 Pink and white flannel backing


 It didn't help that I needed another root canal this week.

It didn't help that I sewed on the binding until my hands cramped and my fingers bled.

Today I finished the quilt, only 5 months beyond the "easy, done in one day" false advertising
of my quilt book, only2 1/2 months past Kailyn's birthday.

Kailyn's finished twin quilt,  92 x 74 inches.

Don't worry, Jordan, I've learned my lesson. Your quilt is well underway.

If It's Thursday....

 

...it must be time for a "What The Grandkids Are Up To" post.

We have prepared for winter,

 finding and buying the perfect hats and gloves.

 Alas, winter is nowhere in sight.  You can imagine how upset I am about that.

 So we did the next best thing: got out the organic, omega-3, 1% chocolate milk and drank a bunch while,

 viewing Hailey's favorite leaf and bug collection.

Heads up: ladybugs are fine when inside Hailey's ziploc bag. If they escape, as they are apt to do, Hailey will turn into a shrieking, hysterical, bug-fearing mess. THAT is much more entertaining than a ladybug.

 We decided to head to Lake Elmo to free ladybug.

The great thing about having grandkids is discovering all of the new and improved playgrounds that have sprung up around town since I had little kids,

 and the skill with which Makayla manages to color-coordinate with the playground of the day without even knowing where we are going.

 Makayla and Hailey especially like the communication pipe,

the kind where you talk in one end and the person on the other end can hear you.

 Especially when you're yelling loud enough that the whole USA can hear you.

Lake Elmo is beautiful in the Fall-and we are having a warm, lovely Autumn.

No trip to Lake Elmo is complete without some poking around in the water,

and some strolling on the "beach". This little boy in yellow thought we were having so much fun, he decided to join us.

We collected some special, extra gray, Lake Elmo rocks,

 and some lovely weeds wildflowers,

which joined the leaves and duck feathers in my camera case to take home.

 This little guy following us around found a dead fish which he carried for awhile before tossing it back into the lake. People! Your children will pick disgusting things and no one will stop them if you let them follow strange grandmas around!

We drew some pictures in the sand.

Makayla said this big, round thing is me. Obviously, it's time to cut back on the ice cream.  
Again.
 
Okay, still.

 Despite our perfect weather, winter's coming-it's already beginning to get dark around 5.

Makayla answering the age-old question "What's in there?" with "Nuffing!"

We got home just in time to eat some nutritious hot dogs (are there any other kind?) and greet Grandpa and receive a Met Life promotional toy before he ran out the door to a meeting.

Life is good!

Amy Reaches The Grand Old Age Of 27

Amy was born by Cesarean section after 20 hours of labor. My water broke at home, and I began hemorrhaging. I had an ultrasound for the first time while in labor to determine the cause of the bleeding--partial placenta previa. We also learned from that ultrasound during labor that Amy was a girl. My doctor was optimistic that I could deliver her before we all bled to death.  Not only did I fail to progress in labor, but I also did my best to bleed out. I ended up needing two transfusions after birth, and Amy spent 4 days in NICU because of breathing problems. She was a dainty 10 lbs 5 1/2 oz, 22 1/2 inches. I would still be in labor today if not for that eventual c-section. She looked pretty silly in the NICU with all of the 1 and 2 lb premies.

 Amy, 4 days old

Amy was the world's happiest, most easy-going baby. I don't think I heard her cry more than a handful of times as a baby. She was crawling at 5 months and walking by 10 months.

 Amy, 10 months

Amy seemed to catch every flu virus in town, and spent a lot of time on antibiotics for ear infections and various lung problems. She had so many eardrum ruptures from infection over the years, despite having ear tubes, that she has some permanent hearing loss. At age 5 she was diagnosed with asthma.

Amy, 22 months 

Despite her continual sickness, Amy was born with a great sense of humor and always made us laugh.

 Amy, age 3

Amy was always tall, verbal, and mature beyond her years. People often thought she was a couple of years older than she actually was, and expected her to act older than she was, which could be irratating.

 Amy, age 4

Amy loved sports, but had a unique skill for being injured, on top of her asthma issues. She played sports throughout her school years, mostly basketball and volleyball.

 Amy, age 6

Amy has the best hair in the family--thick, blonde and gorgeous. We are all jealous of her hair.

Amy, age 10

As compensation, Amy had the worst teeth. Her teeth were so crowded, they came in three deep at one point in her life. Pulling loose teeth was difficult because there was no room to wiggle without running into other teeth.  Amy spent years in braces (and we spent a fortune).

 Amy, almost 13

Amy was a pretty teenager and is a beautiful woman.

 Amy, first day of freshman year, almost 15.

Happy Birthday, Amy! We love you!

Amy, age 20