She's On Her Way~To Her Second Choice!

Chloe graduating from Pre-School!

I know I have had an inordinate amount of grandkid stuff on here lately with all the birthdays, etc. But I thought this was so cute I had to share. Chloe says the cutest things and always with complete seriousness.

Jen's good friend, Kim, wrote this on Facebook the other day about her son, Alex (7) and Chloe (5):

"I overheard Alex and Chloe's conversation today
and it went something like this:

Alex: Chloe what do you want to be when you grow up?
Chloe: A CAT!!!!! (she answered without skipping a beat)
Alex: You can not be a cat when you grow up.
Chloe: (puzzled look on her face) OK, then I will just be a big kid....."

Shhhh..About Our Naked Lady

Don't tell anyone but....it's true we have a naked lady in our backyard. Jim thinks he's died and gone to heaven it is a lovely garden accent. Some of you may have noticed her a few weeks ago when I posted some night shots of the yard.


I saw this lovely statue of Venus de Milo (Aphrodite if you're Greek) a month or so ago at one of my all time favorite places to shop, A Room With A Past. If you live anywhere in the Bay Area you should go to the once a month sale held here. I wanted to buy her then but I didn't. I was kicking myself over it days later, so you can imagine how delighted I was to find her still there when I returned in May. That just never happens to me, when I see something I want to buy if I don't grab it right then it is always gone! So she was meant to be ours! I guess if her nakedness offends.... we could make some little costumes for her like the Manneken Pis in Brussels. But I cannot imagine there is anyone more conservative than we are??? Art, people..it is art.

I had been looking for some cool outdoor accents and she was perfect. We have placed her exactly where she can be enjoyed most and seen from every room on the back side of our cottage. I love her varied shades of white near the boulders of the pond and all the greenery of the trees. She is a beautiful focal point. Her size and scale is perfect and she stands about three feet tall.

I like Venus, in fact I have a funny memory of her from years ago. I was a member of an exercise place for women called Venus de Milo and this lady and I were laying on this mat doing these horrid crunches and sit-ups and behind us and reflected in the mirror was this statue of Venus. We were huffing and puffing and all of a sudden she says..."No wonder Venus is such a blankity blank light weight....she has no arms!" For some reason that struck us both so funny and we never could finish our work out because we could not stop laughing. Maybe ya had to be there but it was funny and I think about it just about every time I see a Venus.

I even thought of it when we were at the Louvre and actually looking at the real statue. She is beautiful! One of the things our guide told us was you should always take a photo of the back of Venus as you will never see it anywhere else. So here it is for you!

There is a little serendipity that goes with this purchase as well. In the exact place where the naked lady is now resting, we have not been able to keep anything growing as this is the spot where the deer come down from the hills for a little drink and snack...mostly our plants. It is also the exact spot where they have learned over time that it is safe to walk on to the cement thus making all flowers, plants and veggies on the patio fair game for their munching. Arrgh!

They use to be a little timid about that but they have become so tame. The only thing that really scares them off from grazing here are the coyotes that come around occasionally. The naked lady has become a deterrent for the deer...they are a little afraid of her. She is our version of a scarecrow. We could have purchased this online for the exact same price but we found her to be much more lovely. Don't you agree?

Double Feature...

Last night we couldn't decide on a movie. Every once in awhile Jim just needs a Man Flick so he wasn't crazy about the idea of Leap Year which came out on DVD June 1st. So while he was out riding his bike I watched it by myself. It was really fun and sweet and enjoyable. I am not sure if he would have enjoyed this chick flick movie but I think he might have. It is not a brilliant masterpiece or anything, it is rather predictable, but nonetheless it was funny and entertaining. Some of it happens in Ireland and the scenery in places is gorgeous.

When Jim got back we watched this! Noisy, creepy crawly things, melting faces and suspenseful. Boys will be boys. I watched it for awhile but my mind was elsewhere.

I am sure that happens to him a lot on some of the movies I like. He drifted in from his ride when Leap Year had about ten minutes left and wanted to know the plot. I asked him this morning how his movie ended. Some times you just have to split up on your Friday night date...we're OK with that. We've even done it in a multi-plex theater from time to time. Pretty weird but that is how we roll over here. If we stay home, the absolute common denominator is Jim's popcorn, coupled with being together=date night. Hope you are having a fun weekend. As for us, all of the was fun was last night, now it is down to work, work, work...church work, house work, yard work...

Friends=Food For The Soul

This picture is something I treasure for a lot of reasons. This is the first photo we have of Hazie playing with a friend. For those of you that do not know Hazie, she was born with spina bifada three years ago this coming September. This tiny, precious girl has been through more in her short life than most of us will ever encounter. If you are interested in her story go to my sidebar and click on my label cloud on the word Hazel. She is the youngest of our ten grandkids and has taught us all so much. She is full of love and happiness and beauty and tenacity. Right now she is learning to get around in her very own sparkly purple wheelchair and doing very well.

In her short life time she has been showered with love by her sisters and cousins and all the adults in our family. She hasn't had a huge amount of contact with a lot of other kids her age because of her pulmonary issues which have required her to be home a lot, especially during the winter months. A cold for her can produce very challenging times.

So this little photo of her playing with her friend Andrew is a real milestone and bench mark. It really brought tears to my eyes when I saw it. It just made me realize how much people need people. Not just our families but good friends. It made me realize Hazie doesn't have to run and play to have friends. They can sit and play and have fun together. It is not so important what they do, but that they do it together. Friends are essential to our well-being.

This picture put my mind at ease in knowing she will have a normal life in spite of her physical challenges. This is when I closed my eyes tightly and the tears squirted out anyway! I am her Gramma, it is my job to worry, right? I didn't fully realize I was worrying about this until I saw this photo and it brought a flood of awareness to this blessing of friendship for her.

Fast forward to yesterday when I went to help my friend with some design work. It was so much fun and lifted me so high to have some time one on one time with my friend. We did our designing stuff and then just sat and talked. It was pure heaven. It made me realize that I hadn't shared some of my deep feelings and concerns with a friend in a really long time. How does that happen? We have so many wonderful friends but our crazy schedules and lives leave lots of us spending way too much time alone. When we have a free minute most of us just collapse in front of the TV and veg out. I am a pretty independent person and I didn't fully realize I was missing this so much.

So today my friend and I made a commitment to do more together. It doesn't have to be something else that brings us together. We can get together and have fun doing just about anything. Just like with Hazel and Andrew...it is not what we are doing...just that we are spending some quality time together. It is not about the activity, it is about the relationship.

That is why I am walking on air today....life is full of learning about yourself and what you need and that part never changes no matter how many decades you walk this planet. And the even better part is that when you actually sit down and really talk about things in a meaningful way, you realize someone you know and care about so much is feeling exactly the same way. And that's one way that people answer other people's prayers and fill their needs. Life is good, isn't it?

Sweet Nothings

BJ's Cherries

There are so many wonderful blogs to read out here in cyberspace. I try to limit the ones I read because honestly, I could sit at this computer all day long. But time and good sense and balance all negate that idea so I try to be selective. Every once in awhile I change it up a little and add a new one to my list and today I want to share a great one with you. This blog is written by a really lovely lady named Jean...she goes by BJ.

There are so many things I love about her blog here are just a few. Her blog is so colorful. She changes things up often and her music is different just about everyday. She keeps her music thingy at the top of her blog sidebar for easy access if you want to switch hers off and listen to your own music. But I rarely do on her blog because I love to see how her music fits her posts so I turn mine off instead while visiting.

BJ loves to set a pretty table and enjoys cooking and posts a lot of fun recipes. I have decided I am a recipe junky...I love to read them and save them. Now I just have to get to actually making the delectable offerings I find on the internet one of these days. {{Retirement...26 more days!}}

BJ also has a very generous offer on her blog that allows you the use of anything you want from her blog. How often do we see that around the blogsphere? I have never seen it actually and I find it so refreshing and kind. And she takes lovely photos like these that just make me happy!

I loved this post yesterday about hanging out her linens in the bright sunshine. She takes the simple things and makes them special and she is a really fun lady! So stop on over for a visit with BJ. You'll be glad you did! You'll find her here!

Ahh, Cherries~It must be spring!

BJ has perfected the art of homemaking with a flair!

Thank you for the lovely photos and inspiration, BJ!

Happy Birthday Owen!

Glitter Graphics

It seems so hard to imagine that Owen is getting so big so quickly! Chris and Missy had a fun BBQ on Memorial Day and I asked Aunt Jen to try for some photos. I think she did very well considering getting his picture taken is not one of Owen's favorite activities. He is always on the go! He is the cutest little guy and his eyes are bluer than this shirt he is wearing.

Holding and coaxing him to smile sometimes helps.
Daddy gives it a go!

Good job, Aunt Jen...there a tiny one!

I asked Missy to send a few things about Owen right now. Here is what she said....

"So, Owen.... *He's a super picky eater right now...consisting mostly on chocolate milk. dry cereal, goldfish, and graham crackers.

*He's still the most snuggly kid we've ever encountered. Almost daily (or nightly, depending on your perspective) he crawls into bed with us and snuggles close to me. He's like a little barnacle.

*He's at the age where he's talking so much
more and has the cute squeaky voice.

*He loves to hang out with his big brothers and sister!

*He loves to be outside.

*He's a good helper.

*He has no desire to be potty trained.

*We love him to pieces!"

How's this for cuteness?

Love the water droplets in this photo!
And the Orange!
But mostly the little boy!

Have a wonderful, Happy Day, Owen!
Grampa and I love you very much
and wish we could play catch with your ball
and have cake with you today!
XOXOXO XO

Simple Woman's Daybook~June 1, 2010

To join in focusing on the simple things and pleasures of your daily life or to read other people's entries, you can click here.

So, For Today...Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Outside my window..although I don't really see evidence of the sun just yet the day is upon me. I love my view of the American flag outside my office window as it sways in the breeze along with the daisies in my big terra cotta pot below it. I also see my car that needs washing and Jim's bike tire with the broken spoke and needing a new tire. I felt so badly for him yesterday. He had worked so hard all day and then was looking forward to a great bike ride when he discovered the problem. So the bike shop is on my list of errands today.

I am thinking...that I will possibly be over the incessant coughing tomorrow that is a left over of my cold last week. I don't really know it will be tomorrow but I am positive it is not today as I have been up since 3:30 hacking away.

I am thankful for...my little brother who is turning 58 today. Doesn't seem possible but it it true! Happy Birthday, Gary!

From the learning room...there is always something to look forward to in this life.

I am reading...Book 3 in the Zion Covenant Series by Bodie Theone. Munich Signature, still. Last week was very busy and I didn't have much opportunity to read it.

From the kitchen...I have done my shopping for the week. Possibly taco salad for dinner tonight.

I am wondering...what gospel principle I will teach about in Relief Society on Sunday. I have a few ideas just waiting for divine confirmation.

I am hearing...Just The Way You Are~Billy Joel. I just made a new playlist this morning of my all time favorite songs. Hard to do but Just The Way You Are is definitely on there.

I am going...get a pedicure today, and mail some fun things to Piper and Julia that they can take to Scotland with them in a couple of weeks. I got them each a new watch and a little purse/bag they can carry their essentials in that crosses over their body for security and easy carrying.

Today if I could change one thing...The oil spill in the Gulf. That poor area has been ravaged in the past few years. It breaks my heart because it was such a beautiful area before Katrina, the flooding and now this. And the hurricane season is upon them now..lovely! I am so blessed to have been able to see it before all the disasters. I want to remember it the way it was...I am not planning to go back.

I am quoting..."She lived her life not only through her own body but through the house as an extension of her body; part of her relation to those she loved was embodied in the physical medium of the home she made." -Cheryl Mendelson

My spiritual thoughts include..total amazement when something you have had faith in becomes a sure knowledge through your own experiences and the Holy Ghost testified that it is true to every fiber of your being. You dare not deny it because you know God knows that you know. I love it when that happens!

Around the house...one little thing at a time we are getting ready for Jim's retirement party. I love having a deadline for projects. It is not only for the party but also it feels like preparation for a new beginning. It has feelings attached to it that are not that different from when you are anticipating getting married in a few weeks. Exciting!

I am missing...My Jennifer...I need her to fly with the little sisters and come home for a visit!

I am hoping....she can.

One of my guilty pleasures...Daydreaming when I should be doing other things.

One of my favorite things...clean cars.

I am curious about...all the goings on in Washington, DC...

An enjoyable movie I have watched lately...I have been watching the Gilmore Girls while folding my laundry lately. Clever and fun!

A few plans for the rest of the week...Pedi, bike shop, and post office today and preparing to do a birthday post for little Owen tomorrow, accompanying someone to a diagnostic doctor appointment tomorrow, cooking for an out of towner coming to visit us on Thursday night, sending photos to my cousin of the family via snail mail (ugh!) and getting some serious notes written down about what I need to do between now and the 19th( retirement gig). Then I need to do my lesson for Church on Sunday, find a good movie for our date night and help Jim prepare for power washing the house on Saturday.

Here are some pictures and a thought or two I am sharing with you~

This is the view of the Bay and San Francisco from what use to be "our place" in Sausalito. This photo was taken from the balcony of the Alta Mira Hotel. It was an institution in the Bay area until 2008 when the 50 year lease was up and it became a drug rehab place. What? We were so sad. This is the place we would always save our pennies for so we could go spend a night or two to celebrate something special. Our Place! We usually went alone but one time we took our kids and they fell in love with it too. Two of them had part of their their honeymoon celebrations here. Jen and Lowell chose a different cool place as a gift from us.

When someone would say, close you eyes and imagine the most restful, peaceful place you have ever been, I would see the exact image above in my mind's eye and all was well with the world.

flickr

This is what it looks like at night with Sausalito on the right. Imagine the Alta Mira right up at the top of that big hill. I think this is my favorite place in the world. It is so beautiful and both Jim and I love SF, it is just such a quaint European type city. You are seeing it on the left part of this photo in the background. We compare every place we go to it in one way or another. And when we were in Sausalito we could enjoy both places with its panoramic views.

They had this amazing restaurant almost all glass with spectacular views, and someone 0n flickr took a photo of one of their specialty dinner salads. I was so happy to find this photo it has flooded my day dreams with many memories. Check out the delicate little flower you get to eat.

Oh, Alta Mira, we hate that you are gone!

We know we shall never be able to stay there again...not planning on any drug rehab anytime soon! We are happy about that just missing you and the way you were.