Speaking of Lilacs...

Click on the pictures for more detail.


The lilac shrub is quite mature and doing very well, especially on the sunny side. It's about three feet away from a red-leafed tree, I think an elm, which shades its right side to the point that hardly anything bloomed. Like most of the other trees and plants on our property, it needs some TLC.


The sunny side - look how long those branches are. We need a haircut.


The one bloom on the "tree" side.


I love the color.

What I Found: How to Prune Lilac Shrubs - though my lilac shrub definitely needs it, I can't do any pruning until after the shrub is finished blooming, or I won't have any blooms next year. I'll be posting some "after" pictures later.

ALSO: I swept the patio and front walk. Doesn't sound like such a huge job, but with the wind blowing so much lately, we've had all kinds of interesting little tree- and flower-related paraphenalia blow onto the property, along with lots of dirt and dust. (sneezing heavily)

Great Work Quote

WORK IS MAN'S GREATEST FUNCTION

He is nothing, he can do nothing, he can achieve nothing, fulfill nothing without working.
If you are poor-work. If you are rich-continue working.
If you are burdened with seemingly unfair responsibilities- work.
If you are happy, keep right on working. Idleness gives room for doubts and fears.
If disappointments come-work. If your health is threatened- work.
When faith falters- work. When dreams are shattered and hope seems dead- work.
Work as if your life were in peril. It really is.
No matter what ails you-work. Work faithfully, work with faith.
Work is the greatest remedy available- for both mental and physical afflictions.

-James M. Cowan

Pioneer Daughters

So Bella's historically-ignorant history teacher* asked the children to come dressed for a pioneer-era skit on Wednesday. I was already in a sewing mood, so I took off for the Wal-Marche and happily bought 3,000 yards of fabric. Click the pics to have your mind seriously blown.



ehhh

Miss Isabella is resplendent in a lovely, "Hurry, my daughter's leaving for Pioneer Trek in 30 minutes and she can't go on Trek without a skirt" skirt and "Why yes, it IS almost St. Patrick's Day" sunbonnet. The skirt goes like this: you buy one or two yards of fabric; unfold it, then match up the long sides; then you sew one side seam, a casing for elastic at the top and a hem at the bottom. This takes almost no time at all. The fabric is super cute, with little pink rosebuds. (Can I also just say, I'm really glad we don't have to wear these clothes all the time... hardly flattering.)



bonnet, dahn it

The sunbonnet came from this pattern and was also quick to sew. It took about three hours (with interruptions).

facey face face

The brim can be folded back for more face exposage.

My eyes!!!

Miss Rosalind wanted a picture of herself, but was not participating fully here. She seems to have some kind of weird Northwest-baby light aversion thing and was quite unhappy about my pulling her into the dining room to take this picture.

That is IT I can't work like this

I asked her to smile, but she got mad and ran away instead... the little rodent.

*Mr. Teacher called the handcart pioneers "stupid" for using handcarts instead of covered wagons and for leaving right before winter, as some of them did. "Stupid"? Try "poor and threatened with death if they didn't hurry up and leave the state of Illinois," you big silly man.

I've half a mind to write him a strongly-worded letter but Bella has begged me not to embarrass her. So I won't. I'll just stick pins in his voodoo doll instead. Whaaaaat?

Teeth and Trixie

I so rarely post pictures that when I do, the posts are loooooong and possibly less-than-enthralling. But they're pictures.

pssshhhhhhh

Brennan went snow-caving with the ward Young Men, and like any good camper, took along his air mattress. Before he packed the air mattress pump, he decided to give himself a little refill.

Cute little teefies

My darling four-year-old. Look at that face. Would you look at that face? Is that a face you could die for?

OUCH

Not for the recently-ate-something: Brennan had EMERGENCY tooth surgery last month. It was LIFE or DEATH! Those teeth had to come out IMMEDIATELY! They wheeled him into the TOOTH O.R. on a TOOTH GURNEY! OK, not really, but the orthodontist was pretty adamant that these two baby teeth come out, and come out that day. Brennan was less than happy with my taking this picture but I figured it needed to be documented for future errant-baby-tooth-sufferers.

Speaking of Brennan being less than happy, the orthodontist tells us Brennan needs braces. We were all, "Huh? That kid's teeth are straight as an arrow," but we are assured that Brennan's permanent canine tooth never made its appearance because it's stuck somewhere in his skull, possibly near his optic nerve or next to his medulla oblongata, or maybe back in Detroit. The doc wants to put braces on his teeth, complete with a cute little tiny chain that attaches from one tooth, to the canine tooth up in his nasal cavity, back down to the next tooth, so it can be pulled down like a stump with huge roots stuck in eight feet of asphalt. Does this sound fun? Oh no. It does not.

Yo Trixie!!

In other, less-gorier news, Carrot Jello's dear sister, Trixie, came to visit me last Friday. Actually she was on her way to Costa Rica, every Mormon mom's vacation hot spot. Do I hear you scoffing? Well, scoff you should. So far it sounds like Costa Rica reaaaaaally needs to work on its hotel hospitality skills. Trixie spent Friday night with me, and I took her to the airport Saturday morning. Friday afternoon was spent enjoying her mad balloon-twisting skills.

The chick is amazing

Look at her go! Just so you know, the balloon-twisting thing is so easy. Good grief, I am a complete and total craft klutz and even *I* made awesome balloon stuff. Brennan and Carter, the two art-o's of the family, ate this stuff up. Pretty soon our house looked like a twisted balloon explosion.

Ten seconds later...

Trixie is a great teacher, very calm and supportive and motivating and funny. Brennan had a great time learning from her.

Happy Miss Goose

Just a few of Trixie's offerings: Flower, butterfly wand, bug crown with antennae... they go perfectly with a big blue boofy Cinderella dress and a huge happy grin.

Swords and helmets, hooray!!

Harrison and Carter, eating up everything Miss Awesome Balloon Lady made. Helmets, swords, bows and arrows... they had no idea this lady coming to stay with us would be so darn cool. They were so happy when they came home from school and found all this neat stuff.

Crowned!

Brennan really got into it. Before too long he had finished this braided crown for Roz, who of course hated it. Not.

Um

I bet YOUR arrows don't stick to the wall.

Rosalind Friday: How to Properly Abuse a Dead Air Mattress

When Roz was born, we had no idea what a great object of catapult she would turn out to be.

Brennan Monday: We All Live in a Medical Submarine

Friday night, I was reading the 2002 Guiness Book of World Records about medical stuff - most heart transplants, most reattachments after amputation, etc. Then I read this:

Smallest submarine for medical use: In 1999 German company microTEC produced a microsubmarine just 0.157 inches in length with a diameter of 0.025 inches. Made with computer-guided lasers, it will be used to travel to sites of blockage or damage in blood vessels and repair them from within the body.

I think: How cool that technology has come that far... submarines small enough to travel down blood vessels! How tiny must that submarine be!

I said out loud to Brennan: "Cool, they've got a submarine for medical use."

He says: "Cool."

(Pause)

"How do they get in it?"

Rosalind Friday: Accessorizing

Wanna eat her face

Here we are in our favorite outfit - shirt and skirt in shades of pink - with a few must-haves for this season: Clear yellow Ariel princess tiara; turquoise beaded Indian necklace; a sweet charm bracelet; and a big pink comb for those bad hair moments (not that we're having one right now).

When being beautiful becomes tiresome, we'll switch out the jewelry for some scary Halloween teeth, provided by Grannie.

Carter Thursday: A video!

Carter shows off a new skill he learned at school.

Unfortunately, the camera batteries died just as he was about to start the alphabet. Maybe next time.

Harrison Wednesday: Soccer Pictures

9 years old

Harrison has been playing soccer six years now! Coach Woody was his first coach, but Daddy became his coach in 2006. He says soccer is awesome and "I score a lot." He's had eight goals this season, which we're excited about - Bri was thinking this might be Harrison's last year, given his reluctance last year, but he seems to have found his stride. Harrison's favorite friend on the team is Dallin Butler, whose dad became Brian's assistant coach this year. Most of the boys on the team come from our old McLoughlin Ward at church and were also in Cub Scouts with Harrison.

Isabella Tuesday: Soccer, Then and Now

What a cute little tiny goalie!

Autumn 2000

2008

How fun playing soccer when Dad is the coach! Usually. He's very easy-going and kind but gets fired up sometimes. For a while, Dad and Bella had a deal going where if he yelled at Bella in front of the other girls, he had to pay her a dollar. He lost a few dollars, but no more embarrassing Daddy outbursts.

So far, Bella is our sporty girl - but Roz is young, so we'll see. Bella started school basketball last week and is excited to conquer another sport.

Brennan Monday: Beach Artist Extraordinaire

One hot August weekend, we took a quick trip to Pacific City, Oregon to cool off and enjoy some beach time. Brennan got busy turning Harrison into a "merman."

Piling up the sand.

We kept Harrison comfortable with our new smiley-face beach ball.

Getting all technical with our technical sand tools, aka "hands"

The end result. Brennan celebrates his accomplishment by... making a goofy face.

Rosalind Friday: Roz Redecorates the Living Room

I cleaned up the kitchen and picked up the dining room and went online for a bit - and when I stood up to check out the living room, I found this.
Those are Rozzie's Sunday shoes on the cream teddy bear and her pink rain boots on the tan one.

She's our girly-girl, whose favorite color is pink and who would live in skirts if she could. She really doesn't like pants, even if it's cold. I have to make her wear tights with everything. (Excuse her dirty, faded Halloween tattoo legs)

When Bri came home from work, he found this and said to me, "Come look at this!"... the red rug makes a nice blanket for a few more babies.

From the time she was able to walk, she has followed me around and did exactly what I did - then added her own little touches. In her future I see a home and some babies...

Roz has been so much fun.

Carter Thursday: Soccer

This is the third year Carter has played soccer. He loves it and has a good time. As a four-year-old, he was pretty distractable and liked stomping in the mud during games, but now he's all business.

Carter's coaches this year are our good friends and have been playing soccer with us since Dad coached Brennan's soccer team, which included Connor (left). His sister Sammi (right) is on Bella's team now. Carter and Nathan (middle) have been good friends since they were tiny.

Jeremy's Illness

Jeremy was diagnosed September 3 with Stage 1 chronic myeloid leukemia. As the Medically Ignorant Sister, here's my glossary of his illness.

Stage 1: Best out of four stages - it was caught early enough to treat with the best chance for a good outcome

Chronic: Better than the alternative, acute. Melanie the LPN told me why acute is worse but I forgot. I think it's more advanced or more serious or something.

Here's more from About.com (which I love):

What Is Chronic Myeloid Leukemia?
Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) is a cancer of the blood cells in the blood and bone marrow. CML develops from an acquired genetic abnormality.

During cell division some of the DNA from chromosome 9 is transferred to chromosome 22. This change is called the Philadelphia Chromosome. When this abnormality occurs, the body signals to many stem cells to develop into a type of white blood cell, called a granulocyte. Some of these granulocytes never mature. The immature granulocytes are called blasts.

As the cancerous granulocytes and blasts multiply in the blood and bone marrow, fewer healthy white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets are produced.

It seems that in Jeremy's case, it may have been just a matter of time before he developed the disease. It's nothing that was passed down from an earlier generation, nothing that could have been caused or prevented. It was just Jeremy's DNA.

We're all starting to be very grateful for a serious car accident that Jeremy was in a few years ago. It messed up his foot to the point that it still hasn't healed and requires more surgery. It was during a pre-operative appointment that the doctor found the abnormally high white blood cell count. If the accident had never happened, Jeremy's leukemia might not have manifested itself until it was much farther advanced, and then harder to treat. You just never can tell what the future holds, can you?

Jeremy started chemotherapy September 4. I pray it will "work." I'm sure he'd appreciate the prayers of anyone who'd like to offer them. Thanks in advance.

House Hunting... Again...

Once again, we're ready to get the heck outta here. We're officially sick of where we live. (How many times have I said that?)

This morning we're going to meet a lady and tour a house to rent, which looks really cute from the curb. It's in our old school boundaries, so if we get this house, we'll switch the little boys to the nearby elementary school that Brennan, Isabella and Harrison went to before we moved here. Carter will be the only newbie, but there are more kids from church at this school, so he'll have some friends. And yay! It's still in our ward boundaries! We've lived here ten years and have always gone to church with the same group of people. They become like your family, so we're eager to keep that continuity in the kids' lives. Here's hoping this lady likes us!

Brennan and Isabella are anxious to stay at their current schools, and with all the times we've moved them around, we feel like now would be the time to keep them in their little social circles. We'll have to drive Brennan to early morning Seminary anyway, and a bus will take him to school from there. Bella's school starts so late that I'll be able to get everyone else out the door before I drive her anywhere. She hates the bus, since the kids' language is so gross, so this works out. These two are excited about their classes this year - Chef Brennan has a culinary arts class he's looking forward to, and Bella's taking three honors classes, the little smarty - and how many middle/high school classes do you remember being excited about? They're staying right where they are.

Tomorrow's the first day of school and yesterday we went school clothes-shopping. I'm grateful for my husband's good job and all the screaming deals we found. I'll post pictures of the kids tomorrow.

Otherwise, we're all healthy and looking forward to a very busy autumn. Hope things are going well where you are, too.

Home Again

Jer is doing OK. His doctor said his tests will be back Wednesday, September 3.

Ernie came over Sunday night and we all watched the slide show of old pictures on Neenaw's computer. Yeah - exciting - but fun.

Neenaw signed away her house yesterday. We went to see BC and Tawnee and Kiley and Zane and the mutts and the chickens and turkeys. Tawnee cut Neenaw's hair.

Dad and I had a really good time - lots of joking around. I went to his ward in Kennewick and saw old 5th Ward residents, Pauline Hatch and the Pattillos. Pauline was so sweet - she told me Sheree lives in Beaverton and teaches school. I hope I get to see her sometime.

Neenaw's house should be empty as of today. Mission accomplished... now back to real life. Six days till school starts!!

Old pictures I scanned at Neenaw's this time:
BC and me, 1971

Our family, 1972-ish, in our apartment in Eugene, Oregon

Our family outside the Oakland Temple, February 1974, when we were sealed

Dad and me in May 1978 at the Azalea Festival in Brookings, Oregon. I was a junior princess.

Jeremy and me, 1981

BC in 5th grade at Azalea Middle School - 1981

Melanie, age two

Jeremy, I'm guessing around age 3

Wish It Was Better News

Jeremy and me, Christmas 1990

Mom called me today shortly after 1:00 to tell me that she was on her way to see Jeremy in Tri-Cities. He's been waiting to have his last surgery on his foot, which he injured a few years ago in a car accident. It hasn't healed well and this next surgery was supposed to finally fix it.

While at the doctor's office today, he found out he "probably" has leukemia. Apparently his white blood cell count points that way. I could kill his doctor for being so vague - you either have it, or you don't - it seems cruel to say "maybe" and make the patient and his family suffer. Melanie (the new nurse) says if it wasn't probably true, the doctor wouldn't have mentioned it. Bri thinks that with malpractice lawsuits happening as often as they do, doctors can't be too careful when they're giving out information like this, which is why he couldn't give Jeremy a very straight answer. More tests are necessary to determine the kind of leukemia he might have and how to treat it.

I'm leaving Thursday night on the train to spend a week in Tri-Cities and do whatever with my family. Neenaw sold her condominium and must be out by the 29th, and John and Karen and Jen are already there trying to get things ready for her move. I thought I could help with that and then, I don't know, just be moral support or something for Jeremy. We always have a good time together - maybe we can play some Mad Libs and forget about it for a while.

I love him so much and hate to think of anything bad happening to him. Your prayers and good thoughts are more than welcome.

Ti-yid Bi-yits

("tidbits" in my worst Southern accent)

~ The car has been fixed! The planets aligned so that we would actually have money when it broke down - a family first! The repair shop noted several things wrong with the car, including the brakes (metal on metal) and the air conditioner. We had them fix the main problem, the head gasket. Our sweet friends in MV ward offered to fix the brakes free if we buy the parts, and the air conditioner... it took me ten years to be able to say this, but yes, we'll only need that a few times the rest of the summer. I think we'll be OK without it till October. Just don't get too close to us.

~ We have Cousin Matt on the lookout for another smaller car for us. Dad is really hoping for a Subaru Outback. I'm like, whatever, just leave my minivan here so I can drive it... geez, like you really need it to go to work. What a lame excuse.

~ Unpacking continues. High Adventure, Girls' Camp, our trip to Grandma and Pa's to help them pack for moving to Utah, and now my bloggy weekend have thrown our teeny place into chaos... my main goals for the rest of the month are to majorly dejunk and get the kids ready for school (September 2nd). After spending two weekends in beautifully decorated and uncluttered surroundings, I look around here and think, GAH. This place is too full! Moving would have solved that, but fixing the car took financial priority this time.

~ Things are going well. I came home to a new Guitar Hero game, and the boys and Bella have been wearing that thing out. It's weird hearing them play along with MY old songs - "Message in a Bottle" and "Sweet Child O' Mine" - but cool. If only there were a "Clean Your Room Hero" or "Earn a Medical Degree Hero" game...

~ I'm looking forward to a very full, busy, fun Autumn. Soccer practice starts this week. We have trips and fun things planned. I'm amazed at how quickly the time goes by now...

Hey Again

Haven't been here much... I started blogging at my original blog again last week. Over the last two years, I've met quite a few friends through blogging, some of whom I've met "in real life." The girls and I had our second annual "blog party" and spent a great time together at the beach this weekend. Most of the ladies took pictures and will be posting them on another blog, so if I see some good ones, I'll post them here.

Cousin Janet (daughter of Mom's cousin, Chickie Isaac Bucholz) found a post I wrote about Grandma Keen on my genealogy blog and emailed me about it. It was really fun to hear from her. Hey Janet! :)

Bri's parents have officially moved from Tri-Cities to Utah. Today is Carol's birthday - one she'll probably always remember with the Big Move. Happy Birthday Mom H!

Not much else is going on... I just came home today at noon after a few fun sleepless nights, so I'm about ready to pass out. Have a great week!

And... We're Done

Hurry, Saturday! I finished Eclipse yesterday afternoon after borrowing it from Michelle. All I keep hearing about these books is how obsessive people become after reading them, about Bella, Edward, Jacob, etc. My bloggy friends have been going on and on about Twilight for at least a year now, and I was so "What's the big deal? Can't you guys talk about anything else?" that now I feel dumb. Everyone I talk to who has read these books absolutely ADORES them - and now I'm one of these people.

We're thinking of heading to the Breaking Dawn party at Barnes & Noble at the Columbia Center mall tonight, since we're leaving for Tri-Cities after Bri gets home from work - we rented a car since ours is currently dead. Brennan and I (Bella is still at Girls Camp) are trying to decide if we should go and be there when they crack open the books just after midnight. I am DYING to get my hands on one.

See? This is why I hate stuff like this. I sit and watch my friends go nuts about imaginary characters and think, man, what a bunch of sheep (I think it a lot more nicely than that, but that's basically what I'm thinking), and then when I finally get into it - after years of resisting and not jumping on the bandwagon - I am totally reeled in like a bass. A delicious bass. And I turn into the biggest freak OF ALL!! It's embarrassing.

Here's a good example: 80's aficionados may recognize this lady as Jane Wiedlin, guitarist for the band The Go-Gos (one of my favorites). When I read the Twilight books, this is how I picture the character Alice. Jane is such a perfect Alice that the casting people should have asked her to play the Alice character in the movie - the other chick doesn't do her justice. The fact that I have this strong an opinion about who plays Alice in the movie is just sad. You may now mock me.

In Other News: We dropped off our car at the mechanic's last night and they called us this morning to give us the damage. The good news is, we'll have the money to fix it (thank you, Mr. President) and buy another small car, if we can find a good inexpensive one.

The bad news is, we're probably not moving now, unless the IRS decides to drop more money on us in the near future. We were planning on moving with the $$. But at least now, I'll have a car to drive the kids around and Bri can get to work... and if I can keep our kids busy and out of target practice range, no bulletproof vests will have to be purchased.