Lynn's Life

Granny

2012-01-30T10:36:00.000-06:00

Kathryn and I have been talking about Granny a lot lately. She was very interested to know that I had a mother and that she is in Heaven. She will frequently tell me how much she misses her Granny. One day she told me that she looks at me sometimes and feels like there are two of me, one here with her and one in Heaven looking down on her. I told her that the "me" in Heaven was probably Granny looking down on her, and she loved that. Of course, sometimes, she will say she misses Granny and run to the couch, throwing herself on it and weeping uncontrollably for five seconds. I seriously hope she carries that flare for drama to the silver screen one day and makes us all rich.

Frog in a Hole

2012-01-30T10:31:00.000-06:00

Kathryn's favorite breakfast is a Frog in a Hole. It's something that Mother and Jeanette used to make, Jeanette more than Mother as I recall. You take a piece of bread, cut a hole in the middle with a cookie cutter or small glass, put the bread in a butter skillet and crack an egg in the hole, then cook on both sides. Since I grew to abhor runny egg yolks as Daddy got older and cooked the eggs less and less, I usually scramble the egg first, then pour it in the hole. Apparently, Harold is a huge fan, too, because he's always game for one as well!

2012-01-18T17:24:00.000-06:00

Here's a new one for the record book: Kathryn has had a killer headache, fever, and ear ache for a few days. I decided to take her to the doctor and he fished out this. In case you can't tell, it's a piece of Crayola wrapper about an inch long and 3/4" wide. It was rolled up neatly and stuffed down her ear. She tried to say that it flew into her ear on a windy day on the playground. I finally got her to admit that she'd placed it there. If she's got her timing right, it was about 3 months ago. Surely not!

Also of great importance this week, Kidz Bop 21 is out, and we have it downloaded from Itunes and burned on a CD. I'm about to burn one more for the car.

And running third in the list for big happenings, Harold and I had lunch with Joe Montana and his wife, Jennifer, yesterday. To be completely fair, there were about 10 other people there, but we sat right across from them. Their son, Nicholas, is considering attending Blinn, and Harold trotted me out to meet them to talk about academics. The fact that I haven't been a full time administrator in three years did not seem to make a difference to him or anyone else there. No photo for this memory because I try really hard not to be a groupie, but it was really exciting!

"Are You Sure You're Not My Grandmother?"

2012-01-09T19:15:00.003-06:00

It's finally happened. While Kathryn has always known she's adopted, she never had many questions about how that all happened. She's just started realizing that she didn't come from under a lettuce leaf, though. She asked me the other day about her "other mother," then last night, in the middle of watching Kung Fu Panda, she came running downstairs crying about how he lost his parents and she was afraid that would happen to her. I told her that wouldn't happen (praying that myself), and then she said, "I want my mommy!" "I'm right here," I said. "I want my mommy!" Louder this time. I said, "Do you mean your Russian mommy?" She nodded yes. We had a good talk about it, then she seemed okay. Today, she hopped in the car after school said, "Mom, are you sure you're not my grandmother?" I think she's thinking I've lost it and forgotten who I really am. Good thing I have a reasonably good self esteem and access to the Internet to see what to say next.

Brand new town

2012-01-09T11:13:00.002-06:00

I really love Brenham. We're getting our new house in order and will be blowing out the master bath and redoing the kitchen soon. The pool was scheduled for resurfacing this week, but the rain has probably delayed that, and thank God for the rain. We've just gotten the new sectional in the living room, and I've discovered Pinterest, serious crack for those who like to lurk around the Internet. And I just read in the paper yesterday that Brenham is having its first ever Wine Walk downtown this weekend. What's not to love about a town that is the home of Blue Bell Ice Cream and has wine walks?

Dark Auburn - When Will I Learn to Pay Attention and Always Use Glasses?

2011-01-10T13:10:00.004-06:00

I made a couple of resolutions for the new year - one of which I'm really already regretting and the other, to blog regularly, I've already failed at. Yet, realizing that each day is a new one and this is actually only the 10th day of the new year, I figure I can catch up. Besides, there are a lot of seriously humorous things that happen in my life, and I want to be able to remember them. Case in point, today's hair drama.

Harold and I are going to Austin to attend State Representive Jim Pitt's swearing in to the new session. There's a dinner tonight, a night away by ourselves at a hotel, the swearing in ceremony itself, and the real draw for me, a chance to see Baby Brenna and Kristi. I have been putting off getting my hair colored because it bothers me so much to sit in a chair for three hours, to say nothing of the fact that I have to plan ahead to get it done. So this morning, on the way to taking Kathryn to school, I decided to run in to CVS and get a box of Perfect 10 which has worked pretty well in the past. I have the annoying problem of only having gray hair around my hairline and, worse, in my eyebrows. I begin to look like Frosty the Snowman landed on my forehead if I'm not careful. Anyway, I've used Perfect 10 several times and it's pretty good. I was going for a little darker shade today since it's winter. I've used dark blonde and lightest brown, but I found a new color that was just light warm brown or something of the like. The sample looked like just what I needed. Now I happened to be on the phone with my real estate mentee, Fernando, who was working with a buyer making an offer on a foreclosure. He had some questions, and I was trying to multi-task. I finished with him, got the hair color, picked up a few snacks for Kathryn in the check-out line, and rushed home with just enough time to get the color done before Harold got home.

It is a little scary trying new hair color, particularly since my hair tends to turn green or some weird color if I put in anything with "Ash" in the color. It can also turn red pretty easy, too, but I'm an adventurer and a cheapskate and it is a lot easier to use "Perfect 10" than to sit for a "Boring 90" in the hair stylist chair. I first did my eyebrows, then started on my roots and hair, all the time, keeping an eye on Disaster House on DIY. After about 8 minutes, I realized the eyebrows looked like a different color than I'd expected and decided to wash off the color in the sink. They were a seriously different color than I'd expected with a reddish tinge. Not good. I looked at the color on the box and it said "Dark Auburn." HOW DID THIS HAPPEN???? I clearly was looking at the boxes, even picking up a couple of different ones... no matter, I had to do something fast. I jumped in the shower to wash out the color, slinging reddish drops all over the shower walls. OH, NO. I could just see myself when Harold walked in with Lucy-colored hair. It would be even worse when he turned his hair yellow (but that's a totally different and even sadder story).

I kept trying to peek over the shower wall to look in the mirror and couldn't see anything. I finally got it washed out, shampooed and conditioned (all I needed was for it to look like red broomstraw) and got out, carefully wrapping it in a towel to avoid the shock of seeing it red and soaking wet. After a couple of minutes, I unwrapped it and found, to my relief, it looked okay, a little reddish but not bad. Praise the Lord, another castrophe avoided. Now we'll see if Harold notices it...

I'm baaaaacckkkk....

2010-05-14T10:37:00.002-05:00

Whew, it's been a while since I posted. Didn't realize just how long. I'm determined to continue with the blog but have decided not to try to put in so many pictures because that slows me down. Brenna is 15 months old, Kathryn is about to graduate from pre-K, Travis had another surgery, and both Harold and I have Blackberries, although he's using his as a paperweight. There are a couple of neat stories I wanted to get down on virtual paper before I forget them:
1) A couple of months ago, I was watching TV and Kathryn came in and sat down beside me. She asked, "What do you mean when you say you love me?" I thought fast and started to say, "When I say I love you, my heart goes soft and I smile....," then I noticed she was looking up and whispering something. I asked her why she's whispering, and she said, "I asked God if that was right, and he said yes." Wow! That ranks right up there with Brenna saying Gigi and Kristi giving me the artwork for my 50th that had 50 words that remind her of me. I'm blessed.

The next time Kathryn bowled me over was about three weeks ago. I had picked her up from school and brought her to my office for a snack while I finished up some work. She was coloring and playing, and then she stopped and said, "Mama, what's my first mother's name?" She knows she's adopted and from Russia, but we've never talked a lot about her mother other than to say that she loved Kathryn so much but couldn't take care of her and found her a home with us so we could. However, we'd never talked specifically about her. I hadn't looked at her name since the adoption and remembered her middle name (a derivation from her father's) but not her first. I told Kathryn that I couldn't remember right then but would look it up and tell her. She said, "Okay, because I don't want to forget my first mother's name!" I thought that was so sweet. A couple of days later, I remembered to look up the name and said, "Kathryn, you asked me what your first mother's name is and it's Galina." She stood quietly for a moment, repeated the name and then said, "Okay!" and skipped off to play. Kids!

Pre-Christmas Fun

2010-01-18T14:33:00.002-06:00

We had lots of pre-Christmas activity this past year. I was still in regular classes finishing up my Camp 4.4.3 (4 listings and 4 sales in the first 3 months, which didn't actually happen, by the way) and taking a course to get certified in short sales (which may actually come in handy because I'm making a connection with a banker in Dallas to hopefully handle their foreclosures). Kathryn was in the Christmas parade with Melissa on the Rotary float and she, Analise, Kyla, Gavin and the rest of the First Christian preschool kids had their Christmas program, which was something of a hoot. I inserted a clip of part of the program below. Click on the arrow in the middle, then on the play button underneath, then take a 30 second nap before the song actually begins. This year my goal is to learn to edit this stuff.

2010-01-18T14:19:00.003-06:00

Now for the rest of the Thanksgiving pictures I have. I used to think I didn't take pictures of Kristi when she was little. I have better equipment now than I did then and am worse about taking pictures. I'm pretty sure that Kathryn will believe I didn't exist except in her mind when she gets older because there are so few of me, and I got almost none of Harold this time, either, but here's what I got. It was a little sad for us at Thanksgiving because Ruth wasn't with us. She wasn't feeling up to traveling, and Ann and Mike took food to her. She's doing so much better now and is moving into an assisted living center in Ft. Worth where Ann and Annette can see her really often and we can go move often as well. We'll even get to see more of Ann and Annette and their families (hopefully) since we'll be in that area. Anyway, here's some of my beautiful daughters and granddaughter and the ever photogenic Nolte family.

All right already, I'm coming back on....

2010-01-18T14:04:00.005-06:00

Heckled by my older daughter, who hasn't even STARTED a blog yet and posts almost no pictures to FB, I am reviving my blog writing. Actually, I've been meaning to continue this for a while and was really embarrassed to see that I hadn't entered anything since Disneyworld in November. Not that I've been busy or anything...

My real estate career is progressing pretty well. If all goes well, I'll actually get a closing accomplished in the next few weeks. It will be my first. I've been trying to be vigilant about the networking and marketing, and I think it's beginning to pay off. We'll see. I'm really enjoying learning a totally new field and have set my income goal for this year which I'll be working hard to accomplish.

Thanksgiving was a blast. It was so good to have Kristi, Travis, and Brenna with us. Here are some pictures of Kathryn and Brenna in their mouse hats. Following this post, I'll post some pictures of the rest of the family.

New Pictures of Brenna bath time and bed time

2009-11-21T12:17:00.002-06:00

Where does the time go?

2009-11-21T11:02:00.003-06:00

When I started this, I really intended to keep it up, but then again Kathy and I planned to see each other once a month when she moved back to Center and that hasn't happened, either. Brief updates: My new real estate career is off the ground, and I hope to have my first listing in the next couple of weeks; Brenna is barreling down on 10 months and managed to infect the entire Tucek clan with a vicious virus last week; we had a great time at Disney World a couple of weeks ago; we're looking forward to having Kristi, Travis and Brenna here for Thanksgiving, and I haven't bought the first Christmas present. Here's a few snaps of recent pictures.

Whew! What was I thinking....?

2009-09-21T15:26:00.003-05:00

... when I labeled my last post "When does the merry-go-round slow down?" That's like praying for patience! Lots has happened since the last post. Kathryn got tutu pictures made, Kristi and Brenna came for Labor Day and left 3 hours later because Travis broke his leg, Travis was hospitalized for 4 days one time and two another and now has two plates and six screws in his right leg, I got started on my new real estate career, and swine flu has broken out at First Christian. And that's only scratching the surface! Here's a few shots to commemorate what's happened:

When does the merry-go-round slow down?

2009-09-12T15:25:00.000-05:00

I'm still trying to figure out when life slows down! I signed with Keller Williams late July and still haven't gotten off the ground, what with getting Kathryn back in school and extracurricular activities, going to Austin to help with Brenna, and the DCCCD work.

Reminder

2009-08-23T20:48:00.002-05:00

Last day before the start of the fall year. My goal today, after church and the blessing for a good year for Kathryn (which we faked our way into even though it was supposed to just be for K-12 because Kathryn saw the balloons they were giving out and wanted one), was to ready ourselves and the house. Harold went to Waco to see his mother and I vacuumed, blew off the back, washed, dried and folded all the clothes, got Kathryn's and my clothes out for tomorrow, went with her to Mosaic Madness to grout our art projects from yesterday, and finished shopping on the last tax-free day. I got Kathryn to take her shower, brush her teeth, and was walked back into her room that had been straightened and found that she'd pulled things out again. I was asking her to help me and she wasn't paying attention when I said, "Kathryn, listen to me, I'm getting tired!" She said, "Mom, look at me! I'm just a kid, this is what I'm supposed to do!" I couldn't argue with that one...

Clothes Horse

2009-08-21T18:15:00.003-05:00

We have a new clothes horse in our family, and she rivals her dad. We went to find her a pair of jeans today and she found these pants and matching cap instead. She decided she needed them worse than the jeans. She came home and went straight to her closet to find her orange Polo shirt that was the exact shade as the small line of orange in the pants, then found flip flops that somewhat matched as well. She is really styling!

Endings and Beginnings

2009-08-21T10:12:00.004-05:00

It's hard to believe that fall is nearly here already, and the summer is winding down. When this summer started, I wasn't sure how I was going to deal with not having a full time job and having to entertain a four-year-old 24/7, but I've really loved it. It's probably like childbirth; I've forgotten the bad parts already.

We've stayed really busy, and there have been so many changes. I'm now a realtor working at Keller Williams. I've not done much with that until school starts for Kathryn, but that will be Monday. She's grown so much over the summer, both physically and emotionally. We've had a wonderful summer, going to the waterpark, Six Flags, going to the zoo and movies, shopping together (she's really gotten into that), swimming, dancing, visiting with Kristi and Brenna, developing new friendships with Analise Rose and the cousins, and enjoying snow cones. I'm so glad I've gotten to be here for the little things that create such big memories.

I'm still doing work for the Dallas District and for Eastfield College but still have time to make my own schedule and put Kathryn, Harold, and my family first. Next week starts a new beginning for a job for me, the start of school for Kathryn, and the start of a new semester for Harold. I hope we continue to have time for each other and for our extended families and friends.

This week I took Kathryn to get pictures made at Charla Holme's studio in Corsicana. The theme is Tutu's and Toddlers. She looked precious, and I can't wait to see the proofs. Afraid that this one might cost us. She was such a natural, though. I took Kathryn and Analise with me for Meals on Wheels last week and yesterday, Brittany and both her kids went with us. She's thinking of volunteering, as well. I guess I should tell her that once you start, you get sucked into more and more!

Today is the start of the tax free weekend. We're going to practice Kathryn's new skill of shopping just a bit.

Mommy Time

2009-08-16T11:19:00.003-05:00

Kathryn has very recently developed an interest in her baby dolls. She pulled them out last night and brought them into the living room. Today, she decided they'd slept long enough and they needed to get up. I asked her if she was going to feed them, and she said, yes,

let her go get her bra and she'd feed them in the living room. This came as a bit of a surprise to Harold because he didn't know she had a bra. Harold said he thought that might be a little too graphic for him. He asked her if Kristi had taught her how to feed them and she said yes, she'd watched Kristi feed Brenna and knew how. She says she guesses they like that sugar milk. Now she's taking them for a ride in their stoller. And to think I almost put the dolls up because she didn't play with them. I snapped this picture right before she started "feeding" them.

Bedtimes and Broomsticks

2009-08-12T10:27:00.002-05:00

Seems that both Kristi and I are trying to get our little ones better adjusted to bedtime routines. Kristi is trying to get Brenna sleeping through the night, and I'm trying to get Kathryn to sleep period. :) We text every morning with the daily update. She has a much more soothing routine than I do, though. She gently turns Brenna back over time and again. While she gets frustrated, she doesn't show it as much. Not so for me. A couple of nights ago, I determined that Kathryn was going to bed early and would stay in bed. She protested that she was hungry, and I told her she couldn't be. By 9pm, I decided to hold the line and kept taking her back to bed when she got up. She would cry loud and long in protest and then get back up and sneak into the living room. After the 10th time, I gave in and gave her a half slice of bread and some milk. She was asleep within five minutes. The next morning, she got up and came into the bathroom where I was to give me a hug. As she started out of the room, she turned back to me and said, "You forgot to tell me you were sorry about last night." I told her I was, and she said, "That's okay, I'm still your best friend." I took off my witch hat, put away my broom, and thought to myself, "I really showed her didn't I?"

Family/Friend Time

2009-08-08T22:53:00.004-05:00

Great time with Kristi, Jalane, and Brenna here this weekend. Amber and her kids, Mark and Brittany and their kids, and Lee were here today. Kathryn, Caden, and Adalee had a great time playing. Amber told a great story about how Caden does all the battery changes at their house now, even going to the garage to get the screwdriver and telling her when they need new batteries. Kathryn and Caden were K's room playing, and I went in to check on them. Kathryn had a toy out with all the batteries out and was putting them back in. I said, "Oh, Caden must have shown you how to do that. Then I put the lid back on it and saw that it had a screw closure. She said, "I'll use a penny to close it." Amber came in about that time and laughed. I told her that I bet Caden showed her that, too. Then K said, "Why don't I have a screwdriver, and why can't Adalee got out to the garage?" The kids ran wild and somehow managed not to wake up Brenna. After everyone left and Kathryn was in bed, Kristi came in the study and was talking a minute and accidentally dropped a candle. Kathryn came in and said, "Can you hold it down a little? I'm trying to sleep."
We got up on Sunday and got the girls dressed in their matching outfits and got a few shots outside. We also got some great video of Brenna laughing out loud with Kristi bouncing on a ball (it was pretty funny, come to think of it).
When they left, Kathryn started crying, and I knew just how she felt. I was missing them, too, but I remembered how I felt everytime Jeanette and her family came to visit when I was a kid and it was time to leave. I cried like my heart was going to break, and so did Jeanette. I was really sad for all of us, but Kathryn got over it in about 30 minutes. She's good to go now with a movie and a snack.

Getting Ready for Fall

2009-08-03T12:19:00.003-05:00

It's been a while since the last post, but we've been pretty busy. I got my real estate license, and I've been talking to a couple of brokers to decide where I might want to work. I won't get heavy into it until Kathryn goes back to school, but I need to get partnered up, anyway. Fall and the start of school will be here before we know it. We got Kathryn's school supplies ordered a couple of weeks ago (what a great idea to have a service for that now); her school uniforms will be available on Wednesday, and I've got a couple of meetings set for work at Eastfield the last week of August. School starts for all of us on the 24th. We went to the zoo a couple of weeks ago, and Kathryn had dance camp last week. Harold, Kathryn and I have gone to Six Flags three times this summer and still haven't gotten to see the glow in the dark parade. I think that if we need a rain, all we have to do is plan a trip to Six Flags. Kristi and Brenna are coming this weekend, and I think that Jalane is coming with them.

Part II of Brenna Kate

2009-07-20T17:50:00.004-05:00

I can't believe what a beautiful grandchild I have. She's also brilliant (obviously). She already knows how to take her half out of the middle of the bed. She can't help but be beautiful with the parents she has.

Sisters Part II

2009-07-20T12:37:00.004-05:00

Perhaps the best parts of the aforementioned Sisters Weekend was getting to spend the night with Kristi and marveling with Jeanette at how great our kids turned out. We missed Kathy so much but I really enjoyed the others. Here are a few more pics.

Sisters Weekend

2009-07-20T11:50:00.004-05:00

Got back late yesterday from a modified Sisters Weekend, a tradition started about 10 years ago with Jeanette, Kathy, and me in Salado. As the kids grew up, we added the daughters, and it became a Sisters and Daughters weekend. This year, we added the grandkids and now Kathryn, but we lost Kathy for this time because of a preplanned trip to Galveston. We had two sisters, three grown daughters, and five grandkids/little daughters at Jeanette's in Wimberly. What a pack... more like a girl gang appearing on the streets of Greune. We had a fun time, but I'm either getting old or the heat is getting to me because I wouldn't call it necessarily restful! I did get some great shots, though! Here are a few:

Another milestone...

2009-07-15T17:17:00.002-05:00

I took the real estate exam today and passed it! I was relieved and a little excited. It's another accomplishment in my life. Kristi asked how many careers I'm covering right now... :). I am still working on the Student Learning Outcomes project with one college and on a grant with another; so, along with the SS business, I guess that makes 3 or 4!

2009-07-07T13:58:00.004-05:00

This is the problem with starting something. You have to keep up with it. I can't believe it's been over a week since I wrote anything. Kathyrn had swim lessons last M-Th and this week M-Tu. We finished up today. She and I picked up K's friend, Laura, after swim class and met Brittany and Analese at Hawaiian Falls last Tuesday, then went to Dave McSpadden's installation as Rotary District Governor in Dallas that night. We planned to go to the zoo on Wednesday, but it was too hot, so we went to see "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" in 3D. We had the last swim class for the week on Thursday, then rushed to get Meals on Wheels delivered.

We had a pretty busy July 4 weekend, helping Melissa decorate the Crape Myrtle Queens float and going to the Wax celebration on the 3rd for a tailgate party and to watch fireworks, then going to the parade on Saturday the 4th. We watched the parade from the Farrar's house on Main, then when the CNB float came by, Mark Singleton called Kathryn to come ride it with him, and she rode on the float the rest of the way. It was already super hot at 11am, and she got a little overheated. We went to the Farmer's Market downtown after that, then came home and crashed a while, swimming later in the day with Amber and her kids. We had such a good time with them. They left about 8:00 or so, and we went over to Tommie and Lee's at dark to watch the fireworks from their yard. We went to church, then went out on the boat and floated on the lake in the afternoon.

Back to swim lessons yesterday, and then K and I went to see "Night at the Museum" and got her hair trimmed and our nails done. Then H and I worked on a presentation from the time he got home until about 10:30 last night. Tomorrow, we leave for a conference. Seriously, I wonder how I ever worked full time. I registered to take my real estate exam next week. Brenna is easily turning over now and is enjoying her Bob stroller with walks with her parents and newly trained dogs. I can't wait to see them next week!

Photos for this posting: Kathryn climbing the rock wall at the 4th of July celebration; Kathryn and Harold at Chili's after decorating the float on Friday; and beautiful baby Brenna, compliments of Travis keeping me up to date on pictures!

2009-06-28T16:56:00.000-05:00

It's Sunday and a lazy day. We went out on the boat earlier, had lunch with Lee and Tommie and their kids and are going over to Mark and Brit's in a little while. What a beautiful day, even though it's hot! It was 103 yesterday, and Harold, Layne, and Melissa worked the bike race. Kathryn and I went to Annun's birthday party and then we all went to our new neighbors' house down the street for an open house. Jerome and Lynda Begnaud live in Houston but built a beautiful weekend home here. This picture of our house is several years old, but I still love it. It reminds me when I used to ride a jet ski past it wondering if we'd ever get it and live on the lake.

Other updates...

2009-06-26T18:51:00.009-05:00

I can't quite figure this out yet, but I posted more than showed up on the last posting, so here are other events that happened last week:

* We went to Chuck E. Cheese's on Saturday and Kathryn and Dad played air hockey among other games.

* We went to Joe and Annette's for Father's Day and played in their pool.

* Brenna did a 180 in her bed and was discovered mysteriously on her tummy this morning - wide awake and quiet. Did someone have a BYOB party at her crib last night?

* We had our Meals on Wheels fundraiser on Monday night.

* Michael Jackson and Farrah Faucett died yesterday.

This week....

2009-06-26T18:33:00.006-05:00

Most important updates for the last week:

* Kathryn finished swim lessons at the Y and they suggested that she join the swim team in the fall.

* She went to NC's Kid's College this week - not so excited the first part of the week but loved it later. She particularly loved "Miss Vicky." I've got to go by and get their picture together. A big highlight was taking her friends, Morgan and Laura, by her dad's office on Tuesday and seeing Daddy and Ms. Pat.

* We got a new (and temporary) addition to our family this week - a female mastiff puppy found her way to our flower bed. I took pictures by the vet's office, both feed stores, and Animal Control and called the SPCA. Animal Control said they could get her adopted out. She's just SO big!

Kristi

2009-06-20T12:37:00.003-05:00

It's hard to start recording your life in the middle, especially when so many important things happened in the past. I'm putting in a few photos of Kristi and will write more about her later.

2009-06-20T09:45:00.006-05:00

I'm struck by how much Kathryn as changed in the last 2 1/2 years. Hard to believe it's just been that long since we got her. She's grown from a shy toddler to a confident young lady already. It's also amazing that the rest of us haven't aged at all... :). The first pic is one of Harold and and Kathryn at the orphanage in Russia. The second is one of her and Layne the night we got back from the airport. The third is of her and Melissa around February of 2007, and the fourth is of her and Melissa at the Russian New Year's celebration we went in January of 2009. The last is of her and me at Christmas in 2008.

2009-06-20T09:15:00.001-05:00

Kathryn and I went home to Center a couple of weeks ago to help Kathy and Chuck with their garden. Ally, Lauren and Whitney were just finishing up their "art camp" with Debbie in Joaquin when we got there, and I got to see their creations. This is Ally and me standing next to her projects. I could not believe the quality of all the kids' projects. Debbie is a genius.

Brenna's first food

2009-06-18T08:14:00.001-05:00

Travis and Kristi sent me pictures of Brenna's first "meal" last night. She ate rice cereal from a spoon on Tuesday night. So cute!

Now to Kathryn

2009-06-17T09:32:00.002-05:00

She read her first word from a book when we were at Kristi's. It was "red." Granted, the book was called The Color Kittens and the word was on a can of red paint, but she pointed right at it and said, "That's red." I was thrilled. Obviously, she's a genius. She's taking swimming lessons now, and we're headed to Hawaiian Falls today. It's going to be 98 degrees today, so we'll probably need the water. She's been enjoying the four wheeler that Uncle Layne bought when the weather is a little cooler.

Brenna

2009-06-17T09:03:00.002-05:00

Lest I seem to have become the ever-doting grandmother, let me say that she has flaws. I just haven't found them yet. She appears to be as headstrong as her mother was as a child, which is pretty funny hearing how her mother is going to deal with her idiosyncrasies, such as waking up seven times a night. But anyone can see that she is beautiful. This picture is a few weeks old, so picture her with a five pound sack of flour on each cheek and you'll see how she looks now. It's hard to believe that she's still just on breast milk. I'm buying a new camera and will be able to post more recent pictures soon.

2009-06-17T08:55:00.003-05:00

Got back from Kristi's on Monday night. Had a good time with Brenna. I can't believe how much she's grown in such a short time. She's just over four months old now and smiling and laughing! She's learned to turn over to one side and is working on rolling over completely. They bought her a new "exerciser" that she's very capable of spinning completely around in. She and Kathryn were funny together.

Chapter 1

2009-06-12T11:02:00.000-05:00

Well, here we go. I keep trying to put down thoughts about things on random pieces of paper to remind myself of things Kathryn said, Harold did, or Kristi tried, and can't keep up with the papers. Now maybe I'll keep up with things this way. This may also give me a chance to actually "compose" my thoughts and analyze my feelings.... whoo hoo.
A few to start:
I'm getting a new camera... probably a Canon Powershot SX10 IS. Considered an SLR, but I may not be ready for all the extras on those.
Kathryn's funny sayings of late: "Just now-ago"
Brenna just starting laughing and I get to see her again next week!
Just finished up the El Centro job, getting started on the Eastfield one, and trying to catch up with paperwork on the DCCCD Foundation grant. Had to introduce myself the other day to a group by name, location, and company and, first for the first time, wasn't sure what to call myself. That was strange...

Chapter 2.5

2009-06-12T11:01:00.002-05:00

Working on doing a better job of journaling this year. Kathy suggested it would be good for Kathryn to have when she’s older, and she’s right. And since Kristi is a mom now, she probably needs to know what to expect! I posted one item this morning early (my first blog posting), and I've already lost it! So I'll start back a little further with a journal entry I made in January of this year with edits and additions to bring it current, then I'll add on:

January 7, 2009: I started officially at the YMCA on Monday, and I’ve taken three classes so far. Already feeling better. Update: It's now June and I've averaged about 2-3 days a week, although I took off quite a bit when Brenna was born. When I can figure out how to add pictures, I'll do that so readers can see how beautiful she is.

Ms. Susan wasn’t at school on Monday. Kathryn told me that she was at the doctor because she had a wreck but she didn’t die. I started to call her at home on Monday night but decided to wait to see if she got back on Tuesday. She was back and I asked how she was and that K had told me she’d had a wreck. Her look was priceless. She said, “I didn’t have a wreck, I had pleurisy!” I then told her that K had told me that morning that Ms. Tracy (another teacher) said that K “always had a headache,” and I wondered if she’d been complaining about headaches at school. She said, no, that K sometimes had them but nearly enough for her to be concerned! I told her I kind of doubted that one, too, given the story I got from K about Ms. Susan’s wreck. What an imagination!
Update June 12, 2009: School is now out, and we're lucky that K is going to have Ms. Susan again next year. K's newest phrase is "just now-ago" to indicate something happened recently. She's a trip.

That's it for electronic journaling so far this year. I'll go back and add in what I wrote in a book another day.
Highlights so far this year:
Brenna's Birth - Feb. 9
My new career as a part time project manager - it's been pretty successful - and as a full time mom - mixed reviews there.
Starting to work out again.
Kathy and Chuck getting married.
Harold's about to turn 55!