Mommy and Daughter Trip Recap

Well, I finally decided to honker down and post a few pictures from our trip to Michigan. We had a great vacation, but it was also a working vacation which means I cleaned and organized at Mom and Dad's. My sister Linda and I also had to do some running around to various banks and we also set up other appointments for our parents. We didn't make it to the beach. We drove along Lake Superior a couple of times, but did not get out of the car. The last couple of days that we were there were rainy and/or overcast. Standing on the shores of Lake Superior in the cold did not appeal to me.

Tuesday night Katie, Linda, Mom and I went to visit Uncle Al and Auntie Fern. Uncle Al is my mom's brother. They live on the land that was my maternal grandparents' and where my Mom was born. Katie thoroughly checked out their home and yard. I didn't get any pictures of Uncle Al, but Katie really likes him. I think it has to do with the fact that he shared half of his Hershey's candy bar with her.

Katie peering into a wheel at Uncle Al and Auntie Fern's.

Katie touring one of the several decks on Uncle Al and Auntie Fern's house.

Katie walking by the gazebo attached to one of the decks.

Linda and Auntie Fern in the gazebo. Auntie Fern would have been a great mother to a little girl but she had two boys instead. When I was a youngster there were mother and daughter dinners at our church and Auntie Fern would "borrow" my sister Maryel or I so she could attend. As a side note, Katie took this picture.

Wednesday night we--Katie, Mom, Dad, Linda and I--piled into my rental car and drove up the Keweenaw Peninsula to Keweenaw Mountain Lodge. My Aunt Sara, my dad's sister, was celebrating her 91st birthday. Out of the twelve children in the family--including step-brother and step-sisters--only my Aunt Sara and my dad are left.

Dad and Auntie Sara. They look great for their ages--85 and 91.

My cousin Wende singing the Backstrom Birthday Song for Auntie Sara.

My mom made pasties when we were home. (Pasties are actually Cornish and are calzones filled with ground sirloin, potatoes, rutabagas--turnips for those not from the U.P--think of a pot pie without the gravy. The Cornish copper miners that emigrated to the U.P. introduced them to the area. The reason the underground copper miners liked them is that they would put a pasty in their pocket and it would stay warm until lunch. Also, because the filling is baked in a crust, the inexpensive meat and potatoes didn't fall out in their pocket.) Katie was her little helper and learned how to make this U.P. favorite. She scooped the filling into the crust and sealed the pasty by pinching the dough. It's neat to think that my mother learned to make pasties from her mother, I learned to make them from my mother and now Katie learned how from her grandmother.

Katie and Mom making pasties.

Dad requested that I buy a bottle of bubbles for Katie, which I did. I soon found them outside blowing bubbles.

During our stay, Katie presented several bouquets of wildflowers to her Grandma, Grandpa, Linda and me. During one flower expedition Linda climbed down an embankment to get pretty purple flowers for Katie. When she handed them to Katie, Katie basically said no thanks. It was then that I realized that Katie was picking all white flowers so the pretty purple ones didn't make it into that day's bouquet.

Linda and Katie picking wildflowers in the field next to my parents.

When I go home I usually end up digging through boxes in the attic. Some items that I encountered this time I have not seen since I was a young child. The hat that Katie is sporting in this picture is a hat that my Dad gave to me when I was about nine years old. I wore that hat for an entire summer and rarely took it off. I brought the hat home with me.

Katie eating her birthday cake.

After my dad had his stroke in February 2006 he used a four-prong cane when he walked. He no longer needs the cane, but it was in a corner in the front porch. Katie found it and decided it made a good microphone. In the picture above she is singing her heart out.

My cousin Jack, his wife Gail and their grandson Joshua stopped by to visit. Katie was enamored with Josh who is her fourth cousin. The fact that he helped her build her Dora puzzle that she got from my Uncle Al and Auntie Fern won Josh a place in Katie's heart. Shortly after meeting Josh, Katie exclaimed, "He's a BIG boy!" In the space of ten minutes Josh went from "a big boy" to "my friend" to "my boyfriend."

This is my cousin Jack who is my Auntie Sara's son. Jack and my Dad are pretty close and Jack looks so much like my Dad that you would think they are father and son. My Dad looks like his father and when you put pictures of the three of them next to each other the resemblance is quite clear. Katie took this picture.

Katie and Grandpa or "Bop-Bop" as she calls him. Katie has taken to smiling like a goober when I take her picture.

Mom and me. I look like a deer in headlights. Katie took this picture.

The old homestead. The house has always made me feel very connected to my ancestors. My great-grandfather built this house. After his death my grandfather moved into the house. My father was born in this house. My Grandfather died in this house and was laid out for last respects in the living room--they did that in years past. My Aunt Hilda died in my Grandmother's arms at the age of nine while my Grandmother was rocking her. Hilda had heart issues and took her last breath in the dining room. I marvel at the fact that Katie walks the same floors that her great-great-grandfather, great-grandfather, grandfather and mother walked. My father is very attached to the family house and I pray that when his time comes he will die quietly in his house just like his father before him.

As for Katie, she misbehaved and was an embarrassment on more than one occasion. For some reason that is how Katie acts when we go to my parents'. It might have something to do with the fact that to Grandma, Katie can do no wrong. She was also super whiny which I attribute to her not getting enough sleep. It was difficult for her to take her afternoon naps when there was so much "excitement" going on downstairs. Also because it stays light out in the U.P. to way past ten o'clock at night, Katie won't observe her usual bedtime.

That's just a small selection of the photos that I took while home. Like always it was good to go home, but it was also bittersweet. Mom's Alzheimer's is not getting worse, but also not getting better. Dad is still sharp as a tack but his ability to talk has not expanded beyond yes, no and oh shit. At this point, I pray that they will be around next summer so Katie and I can visit with them once again.

We Are Family

I'm still not feeling tip-top. That migraine headache is hanging in the background despite taking Excedrin. So you'll have to wait a bit more for a complete post on our vacation.

Rick is in Indianapolis so you know what that means?! Rick's daily picture. While in Michigan, we had an early birthday party for Katie. (We do this every year.) Below is a picture from the party.

Me, Dad, Mom, Linda and Katie with our Dora birthday hats. Katie insisted that we wear them, so we obliged. I did get a good chuckle later when I found my mom in the kitchen doing dishes with her hat still strapped to her head. She forgot to take hers off.

Katie took this picture of Linda and I. It's a little out of focus but she is getting so good at centering her subjects. Not bad for a child who is not yet three.

Almost Didn't Get Here

Katie and I are back from our Mommy and Daughter trip. However, we almost didn't make it. Because of weather in Dallas, our flight out of Chicago was delayed. We had to go stand-by on the last flight into Abilene and thankfully we cleared that wait list. About 30 minutes out of Abilene a crashing migraine started in my head. To top it off, we were sitting in the last row of the airplane where you feel the turbulence a lot more. My migraines cause me to become nauseous so for the first time in thirty years I had to use the barf bag in the seat back pocket. The food that we received in First Class on the Chicago-Dallas flight ended up in that bag. I grabbed an extra barf bag knowing that I might need it later.

When we arrived into Abilene we ran to the bathroom where I proceeded to throw up some more. The Chrysler SRT8 was at the dealership this week and Rick arranged for the Star Dodge's Service Manager to drop the car off at the airport for me. The poor man was waiting in baggage claim with the keys at 10:30 pm while his wife waited outside the airport in their car. I thanked him profusely, but tried to make it quick because I did not want to puke on his shoes.

Our luggage did not accompany us on our flight, so Katie and I hopped in the Chrysler. I made it five miles down the road and had to pull over into the Wal-Mart parking lot on I-20. I was sick again and I could not get my eyes to focus. I had called Rick (he's in Indianapolis on a teaching assignment) and he proceeded to stay on the phone via U-Connect. I moaned and groaned and puked while he and Katie sang "The Wheels On The Bus." I felt much better and got back on the highway with Rick still on the phone, but had to pull over fifteen miles down the road in Hawley at the Shell station to rest again. I hung up from Rick and slept for about an hour in that parking lot. Finally at 1 a.m. I was able to drive home and broke into tears when I pulled up to our gate--I was never so happy in my life to see those massive white gates. When I drove up to the house, I angled the car so the headlights would shine down the walkway and lo and behold there was a baby snake stretched across the sidewalk. I couldn't make out what type of snake it was so I threw rocks at it and it didn't move. Desperate to get into the house, I picked up Katie and cut a wide path around the snake and into the front yard all of the while saying, "I hope there are no other snakes in the front yard." We made it to the house and I deposited a sleeping Katie on the couch. I grabbed a flashlight and headed outside to get a better look at the snake. It was a bull snake and not a rattlesnake for which I was thankful for I would not have been able to aim the .410 to shoot it if it had been a rattler.

I called Rick and woke him up. He was curt on the phone--understandably so, he had to teach this morning and was beyond stressed--and told me I had to make a doctor's appointment. Rick actually wanted to call EMS when I was in Wal-Mart's parking lot but I didn't know if they would let me keep Katie with me in the ambulance and in the ER. I had visions of them calling CPS to watch her for the night, so I pleaded with Rick not to call EMS.

Anyway, to recap, a drive that is normally 40 minutes long took me three hours last night. It was without a doubt the worse driving experience I ever had and that includes driving in white-out blizzards, torrential downpours, high winds, bumper-to-bumper traffic and narrow jungle roads in third world countries. Today I feel better, but not top-notch. American called and our bags will be delivered this afternoon. I will blog about our trip to my Mom and Dad's at another time. Right now I need to curl up on my bed.

Car 54 Where Are You?

Dear Readers,
This is Rikki, Brena-Ann's husband. I know how important it is for you to stay abreast of the Kirschner family events, and many of you rely on Brenda-Ann's posts for your daily dose of amusement. Therefore, I have hijacked Brenda-Ann's password, and have decided to write a post in her absence.

Brenda-Ann and Doodles made it to Michigan with no particular difficulties. Flights were on time, and Doodles behaved - well, as much as a 3 year old can behave on such a long journey. I watched as their flight took off from ABI, and it was a very sad moment to see that jet climb out of sight in the darkness of night with my family aboard.

Brenda-Ann's sister also arrived in Michigan at 23:30 local time last night. So everyone is now enjoying a small family reunion, complete with sole grand daughter, at the family home in Michigan. I'm certain Katie is getting plenty of attention right now.

The house is eerily quiet. It's just me and the dumb cat, and he doesn't want anything to do with me except when he is hungry. Other than those times, he hides and sleeps. I miss the day to day commotion of Brenda-Ann and Katie. I miss Katie's antics. So much so that last night, I was walking through the house and passed by her bedroom and saw her neatly made bed with her dolls tucked in. I went and laid in her bed for a few minutes, thinking of how much I miss her and reading her a story at bedtime. The thought of me laying in her bed with her dolls made me realize this was a "Kodak moment" which I was glad Brenda-Ann and her camera were not around to see (and subsequently show to the world, as she does so embarrassingly often).

I have travel to book for next week, and Brenda-Ann always handles my travel for me. In her absence, I have been forced to book my own itinerary. This SUX! Password is not what I thought it was. Once I figured this out, I needed to book travel for next week to Indianapolis, and get home in time to catch my flights to Brazil next week (leaving on Saturday). I honestly don't know how Brenda-Ann manages to do this. I mean, I am not a stupid man or anything, it's just SUCH a hassle. And she does it with such ease, or at least makes it appear that way. I really miss her doing this for me.

On the food front, I can fix almost anything, from a Neutron Accelerator to a Microwave oven. But ask me to actually cook a meal? I have no idea where to start. I survived the pre-Brenda-Ann years with the help of McDonald's, Domino's, Campbells, Swanson, General Foods and the deli counter at Wal-Mart. The local restaurants know me fairly well too. One of the things I truly enjoy is coming home from being on the road to one of Brenda-Ann's delicious home cooked meals. You may think that traveling for a living means eating well. But let me tell you, there is no substitute for a home cooked meal, and Brenda-Ann does this very well. I get very tired of eating restaurant food all the time, and it really makes me appreciate Brenda-Ann and her culinary capabilities when I am home.

I leave for Indy on Sunday, and will miss Brenda-Ann and Doodles when they arrive home on Tuesday. I'll get home from Indy on Friday evening and will leave for Brazil on Saturday morning. This means we will only have a precious few hours together as a family on Friday night/Saturday morning for the 3 weeks we will be apart. I am so blessed to have a wonderful loving wife and a beautiful (and extremely precocious) daughter. Their absence, and this empty, quiet house serve to remind me every minute of how fortunate I am, and how much I miss them. It also drives home the fact that Max and Eric are really gone, my buddies and partners in crime. I've never been alone in this house without them, and their absence is an eerie void whose silence is deafening.

I miss you honey. Enjoy your time with your parents, then come home to me safely. Give Doodles a kiss and a hug for me. Remember to tell her not to spill anything on Daddy's seat in the airplane!

- Husband

Short Post Before Lift Off

Katie and I fly out tomorrow morning at 6 am. It is our annual Mommy and Daughter trip to Michigan's Upper Peninsula (The U.P.) to visit with my folks. My parents live in an area called The Copper Country. On the map below I put a orange dot where they live.

I am so excited to be going home. (Isn't it funny that no matter where you live, your parents' house is always "home"?) Having grown up on Lake Superior, my concept of what a lake is very different than what most people consider a lake. In my mind a lake is not a lake unless it can muster up large waves and you cannot see the other side of it. When you stand on Lake Superior's shore, whether it is a sandy beach or a towering cliff, it is as if you are standing at the edge of an ocean. And the smell of the Lake is truly refreshing. If I could bottle that scent, which is a combination of a clean breeze, damp sand, trees and agates, I would make a fortune selling it. I won't be traveling with my laptop and my parents don't have a computer, so I will be gloriously disconnected from the internet and technology. Suffice to say there will be no blog posts until our return to West Texas.

Speaking of technology, Rick pointed something out to me when we were talking about one of the key fobs for the Chrysler 300 SRT8. I told him I thought the batteries were going bad in that one fob because the appropriate button would not unlock the doors. I also mentioned that when it had happened I had to come back into the house to get the second set of keys. Rick said, "Brenda, you could have used the key." I felt like such an idiot. It never occurred to me to unlock the doors the old-fashion way with the key. I was too wrapped up in the fancy electronics and let good common sense fly out the back door.

On the Katie front, Friday Katie and I went to Wal-Mart. I was checking out some body lotion in the Health and Beauty department when Katie said, "Uh oh, Momma. I gotta pee." I dropped the lotion in our basket and briskly walked to the restrooms, which are in the back of the store. As we were power walking through Wal-Mart, Katie interjected, "Momma, hurry!" Thank goodness we were in Stamford's Wal-Mart and not one of the Super Stores so the restrooms were not that far away. They didn't have any toilet sheet protectors so I had to drape toiler paper over the seat. Katie patiently waited. I lifted her onto the toilet and squatted in front of her so she could hold on to my shoulders rather than the toilet seat. Pretty soon I heard the sound of tinkling. That was the first time that Katie has used any toilet other than ours in our house to go to the bathroom. (Usually she will hold it until we get home.) I was so proud of her and made sure she knew what a great feat she just accomplished. Of course the other lady in the restroom thought I was a little weird. Katie was also proud of herself. She had a big, beaming grin on her face.

Well, off to do more laundry. I am also done packing Katie and I. I also had to launder and semi-pack Rick. He flies out to Indianapolis next Sunday. Katie and I will be back the following evening. Take care readers.

Kendy House

It's 11:30 am and I am still in my nightgown. I am having a hard time getting motivated and my back is achier than usual, which I attribute to carrying a sleeping Katie into the house from the car.

Last night I had a MOPS steering team meeting at the coordinator's house. Katie really likes going there. I think it has to do with the fact that McKenzie, who is three, has tons of toys. Matter of fact she has two playrooms, as well as a bedroom. As we were driving away from the house, Katie was so sad. She kept on repeating, "Kendy house. Kendy house." and then "Kendy house all gone" when it was no longer visible. (Kendy is the closest she can come to McKenzie. Matter of fact earlier in the day I thought that she was saying "Candy House", which would mean her wooden Advent calendar/house.) This morning the first words out of her mouth were, "Kendy house."

When I was leaving Kendy house last night, I called for Katie and advised her that we needed to go home. Usually I add an incentive, such as "we need to go see Daddy" or "we need to let Eric out of the house." Last night I said "Katie we need to go home................." then nothing. We had no one to which to go home. That made me sad.

Rick will be home this evening that is if his flight is on time. Well, time to do another load of laundry and get ready to supply shop at Wal-Mart. Yesterday Katie and I bought food for Rick to eat while we are gone. Rick is not a cook and does not turn on the oven or stove, so I had to stock up on frozen microwave meals and snacks. I was rather embarrassed by the amount of crap food that I had in my cart that I felt compelled to explain to the cashier why I was making such bad food choices.

Rick's Thursday Picture--His Girls

We miss you!

Rick's Wednesday Bonus Picture

Before Katie and I went up the driveway to get the mail, I snapped this picture of her. She dressed herself again today and is wearing the top to her Dora pajamas, the tiered turquoise skirt and her Gilligan hat. I told her I wanted to take a picture of her for Daddy and she chose a spot under a tree and next to a metal rabbit that we have. Our friend Marian actually made the rabbit after she took a welding class. Because I have been aiming the camera at her since the day she was born, Katie is getting very good at posing while still looking natural. I just wish I had composed the shot better.

Sad Vacuuming

This morning I did in-depth vacuuming, which means I vacuumed all of the furniture, the couch pillows and used the crevice tool to get into every crack and corner of the house. I have been putting it off because I didn't want to run into any Eric hair because I am still a sad-sack when it comes to anything regarding Eric. So, of course I found a few of Eric's white hairs on the side of the sofa and yes, they made me incredibly sad. I felt as if I was removing the last traces of him from our house.

Rick and I agreed that gathering up all of the dogs' stuff and getting it out of the house would help us heal and close that chapter in our life. We did so on the day that we put Eric down by piling all of the dogs' items in a toter, stuffing their food container with their bowls and doggie life vests, and removing the doggie ramp from the front stoop. The items will be stored in the Quonset Hut and perhaps we will drag them out if we ever get another dog.

Our home is filled with pictures of Eric and Max and a plaque called a collar bone that has pegs on it. That is were Eric's and Max's collars and leashes hung while they were alive and it is were they still hang. The plaque was once useful--we never lost their leashes or collars--but it now serves as a poignant yet said memorial to "the Boys."

Rick's Wednesday Picture

Katie likes hidey-holes and frequently smushes herself into small spaces. Monday I had her bed pulled away from the wall to do some cleaning and it wasn't long before she found the small space and took a power nap.

Why?

Today Katie has reached another developmental milestone. It is one to which that I was not particularly looking forward. She has started the dreaded "Why?" phase. It is like someone flipped a switch and every single solitary thing that I said or did today, Katie asked, "Why, Momma?"

I have heard numerous stories from Rick's parents about how inquisitive Rick was as a youngster. Matter of fact he was unusually inquisitive and he wasn't happy with dumbed-down or non-technical answers. His parents ended up buying a set of encyclopedias just so when he asked a question, they could tell him to go look it up. I was hoping that the Katie Pear fell a little further from the Daddy Pear Tree on this trait, but no such luck.

Today I have had to explain why you don't talk with a mouth full of food (manners); why people don't want to see the chomped up food in your mouth (gross); why we needed to crush the soda cans (more cans fit in the recycling container if you crush them); why I was using touch-up markers on the woodwork in the dining room (to hide the scratches) and there were so many more. Right now I have the patience to give her complete explanations, but I fear that won't last and I might resort to a stock answer, such as "because that is the way God made it/them/him/her."

I can't wait for Mr. Mensa to get home so he can take over "why?" duties. And if he gets tired of it, we'll carry on the family tradition and get her a set of encyclopedias.

Separated At Birth

Lately, I've been watching Desperate Housewives. I purchased the DVDs for Seasons One, Two, Three and Four. Unfortunately for Rick, he watches the show whether he wants to or not. (At times I am a TV/DVD/Remote Control Nazi.) One comment that Rick has uttered more than once is that he thinks Teri Hatcher looks like Michael Jackson. What do you think?

Rick's Tuesday Pictures

This morning I found Katie at the bar working on her Thomas The Train laptop. When Rick is driving and deep in thought, he has a habit of making a fist and tapping the side of his fist to his mouth. Well, I caught Katie doing this as she was doing an activity on her laptop. Unfortunately, I did not get a picture of it, but I did get this one.

You'll notice that she still has her tattoos on her body. I was going to wash them off before bedtime last night, but she threw a fit.

Rick's Monday Bonus Pictures

This evening Katie and I adorned our arms with temporary tattoos. Here is her tough-girl tattoo on her bicep. She also has a butterfly on her other bicep, as well as a bird on the back of one hand and a flower on the back of the other.

I have the same butterfly tattoo on my bicep. I keep on catching a glimpse of it out of the corner of my eye and thinking that it is a bug on my arm. Perhaps my jumpiness regarding my tattoo has to do with the fact that I think I got stung by a scorpion the other night. Why I say "think" is because I felt something on my shoulder, attempted to brushed it off and felt a sting on my finger. I must have brushed it pretty well because Rick and I never found it all though we spent quite a long time inspecting the bedroom floor and the bed, as well as stripping the sheets off of the bed.

The next picture is from this morning. Katie was cleaning a soda can with a toothbrush. The fact that she is using the sprayer might explain why her head is drenched with water. The outfit she is wearing is one that she picked out this morning. She put it on because she wanted to go to a party and she liked how the tiered skirt swished when she walked.

Enough Already

I was reading the editor's column in The Western Observer, the Jones County newspaper. The editor Tiffany Waddell wrote about the passing of Michael Jackson. I must say I agree with her sentiments that I have posted below.

"We can't turn on the T.V. or radio without hearing about Michael Jackson and where his casket is, or where it's going, or what color the flowers are that will be laying on it...Okay I got it, we all got it, he's dead, now let's move on.

I'm not saying the world shouldn't acknowledge his death, but every day there are firemen, good police officers, mom's and dad's of young children and let us not forget the numerous men and women fighting for our country that are killed each day, but somehow none of those people seem to matter."

I haven't been watching a lot of TV because I have been watching my Desperate Housewives DVDs, but I cruise the Internet quite often and read a lot of magazines. Michael Jackson was a great artist, but he was not a great man. I wish the media would stop acting like someone of immense importance died i.e. someone who made a positive difference in this increasingly dangerous, careening-toward-nuclear-annihilation-if-global-warming-doesn't-kill-us-off world. He was never convicted of child molestation charges, but he was a drug addict with image issues and other dark forces that were clearly displayed in his life style. He definitely wasn't a person I would want my daughter looking up to. And don't get me started on the fact that Michael Jackson's memorial service cost Los Angeles, which is a city that is pretty cash-strapped right now, $1.4 million for the deployment of extra police officers, sanitation workers and traffic controllers

So enough is enough, and I concur with Tiffany Waddell, "I'm fed up with hearing what color of socks Michael Jackson was wearing when he died."

Rick's Monday Picture and My First Time

Rick is out-of-town once again. However, he is in Plano so at least he is in the great State of Texas. He was home for two weeks prior to this trip, which was a luxury, and being without him is harder than usual.

Also, last night was the first night that I ever slept in our home by myself without a dog present. People often ask me how I manage living out here with Rick traveling so much and whether I get scared. My response was always, "I have the dogs." After Max died, my response was, "I have Eric." Our property is fenced and our driveway is gated. However, if anyone ever climbed the fence or gate and was idiotic enough to venture down the driveway, I knew all I had to do was open the front door and the dog(s) would take care of the intruder. Even though Eric was not up to form the last few weeks before he died, he still had a commanding presence and a ferocious bark. One of the last times that he walked up the driveway with me, he chased off a coyote. I properly thanked him for once again keeping me safe. Anyway, I didn't sleep well last night and when I did I dreamed of Eric. So today I am also struggling with Eric's death, which means as I type this I am crying.

With Rick gone, you know what that means........daily pictures of Katie for Rick! So without further ado or more tears, here is a picture I took during the time Rick was home. Rick is reading a bedtime story to Katie. The book, Baby Farm Animals, she got from my sister Linda. That was my sister's favorite book when she was a little girl and Katie loves it also. (Hon, please don't give me a hard time about once again posting a picture of you where you do not look your best, but come on! Look how sweet the two of you look. Especially how Katie has her head on your chest. Also, you are the one that bought me the fancy-pancy camera, so get over it!)

Side By Side

During the past two months Katie has had the opportunity to visit with other young girls in their homes. In both homes, the girls had a play vacuum sweepers. Katie gravitated toward that one toy despite the numerous other toys in both of the toy rooms. So I thought it was a safe bet to purchase one for Katie. Now when I vacuum, Katie is right along side me with hers all the while smiling away with pure joy. (She LOVES doing what I am doing especially when it comes to cleaning.....weird kid.) Anyway, today she got her vacuum out of her room and vacuumed our bedroom. However, I just had to smile when I walked into the laundry room. She didn't put her sweeper back in her room from where she had got it. She put her vacuum cleaner in what she deems as the proper place for such an item......right next to mine and you'll notice it is perfectly in line and facing the same direction.

Quiet Surprises

It's been quiet here at Corinth West. We've been staying at home and enjoying the time together before Rick is back on the road. Next week he will be in Plano and the following week Katie and I will be in Michigan. Rick will be in Brazil the beginning of August, so it will be some time in August before we get to have time together once again.

Whenever a package comes in the mail, Katie requests that I hide it in the house so she can find it. Often we will do this hide and seek multiple times before we actually open the box. Last week I went to the Dollar Store to get her a bunch of hide and seek items. Today her surprise was a notebook and some stickers. After she found her gift, she sat in her Disney Princess chair to play with her surprise.

Katie's hair looks so dark in this picture. I think it was the lighting in the room.

Concentrating. (I tried to be artsy fartsy with the picture by tilting the camera. Hey, I warned you about these type of experimental pictures!)

Thursday Morning Ramblings On A Great Life

Tuesday I had a doctor's appointment. I had a few issues that I wanted to discuss with my doctor. (I like to wait until I have a couple of things wrong with me before I make the appointment. I know, I know. Not smart.) Anyway, the mole I was concerned about he was not, but I was advised to keep an eye on it. He gave me a prescription for my back---it's been bothering me more than usual. I also had a blood test done to check my Vitamin D level. Since I am lactose intolerant, I don't get enough calcium or Vitamin D. A low level of Vitamin D could explain the general body aches that I experience. He also ordered a bone density scan. My mother and sister both have osteoporosis so I want to know where I stand and also to do something about it sooner rather than later.

When Katie woke up this morning, she told me that her piggle toe hurt. I inspected the suspect toe and didn't see any damage, but she insisted it hurt. She asked me for the cold gel pack out of the freezer--the one I use on my head when I get migraines. I retrieved it for her and she placed it on her toes for about five seconds. Then she told me that it was better. Not sure if it really hurt, but she had a tiny scratch on it. Sometimes the sight of an injury causes Katie to think it hurts when it actually doesn't. For example to Katie, a scab hurts even though it is healed.

Katie and I are off on our Annual Mommy and Daughter trip on July 20th. We are flying to my parents' in Michigan for one week. I will not be taking her car seat with me because she is 40# and 39" tall and does not need to sit in a car seat while in the airplane. However, I will have to rent a car seat from the rental car company. We will be flying first class where the aircraft allows. I was happy to sit in coach, but Rick wanted us to be in first. Who am I to complain that my husband only wants the best for us?! I hope Katie behaves herself. From experience I have learned that people in first class are less tolerant of children than those in coach. I guess they figured that they "paid" big bucks for the comfort of first class only to have it infringed upon by a cranky toddler. I know Katie is excited to be finally flying again. She has flown about ten times in her short life and absolutely loves flying and anything to do with airplanes. My sister Linda will be flying home the same day, but staying longer than Katie and I. I am looking forward to spending time with my folks and my sister since I haven't seen my sister since Thanksgiving and my parents since last summer.

Last night Rick grilled hamburgers and I was frying up some french fries inside when an overwhelming feeling of contentment washed over me. I am so fortunate because I love my life. I have a husband and daughter that I love more than the sun, the moon and the stars. We own a fair chunk of land out in the boonies where I hear birds and coyotes on a regular basis and see numerous rabbits in the front yard. We aren't rolling in money, but we are comfortable. Because of my husband's job, we can live anywhere we want and where we live is where we want to live. I get to be a stay-at-home mom and my husband firmly believes that his number one job is to provide for his family. Rick and I agree on most issues and our views on money are the same, so we don't have the stress of money differences in our marriage. All three of us are healthy, which enough on its own for which to be grateful. Sure there are things that I would like different. For example, I wish the LCC was done and we were living in it, but that will come in time. Overall, I have a great life and I am happy. Furthermore, I am fortunate enough to be able to see that and to be able to say that.

Piggle Toes For Lunch and Head Gear

Rick regularly tells Katie that he is going to eat her piggle toes. Katie's typical response is to giggle and hide her toes. Well, yesterday during lunch, Katie decided to debate the subject and had a sound argument of why Rick shouldn't eat her piggle. The conversation went like this.

Rick: I'm gonna eat your piggle toes.
Katie: No.
Rick: I'm gonna eat your piggle toes.
Katie: No. They're not food. This is food. (Katie points to her lunch.)
Rick: I'm gonna eat your piggle toes.
Katie: No! Not food! My foot! (Clearly exasperated with Rick's inability to understand the difference between food and toes.)

As for other news, I finally bought my first cowboy hat. Rick has been hounding me to get a hat to wear when I work outside. While at the rodeo we checked out the booths that had cowboy hats for sale and of course the one that I liked was $145. That was a little too steep for me. Today I found a Wrangler straw cowboy hat at Wal-Mart for $12 and it fits like a glove. Matter of fact it is more comfortable than the fancy $145 hat. My new head gear brings me one step closer to being a true West Texan. Next are the boots and a horse.

This, That and Katie Update

Today I was sitting here in the office at my computer. Katie's room is across the hall from the office and she was baby-gated in her room. I heard her call to me, "Momma, more milk." Which means she wanted more milk in her sippy cup. Well, I was in the middle of online banking and I couldn't jump up right at that moment. She repeatedly called for me. Since I was not responding she finally yelled, "MOMMA! WAKE UP!" That gave Rick and I a chuckle.

When we put Eric down, we had Katie with us. Not wanting to traumatize her, she stayed with one of the vet's assistants in the waiting area. The assistant was a sweetheart to do so and even let Katie tour the office. Well, ever since that day, she tells me, "Cowboy all gone." I think a cowboy must have been in the cattle area of the vet's office and then left. Katie looks so sad and forlorn when she says, "Cowboy all gone." As for Eric being gone, Katie will tell you that Eric is in heaven. Last Monday when we put Eric down, Katie was saying her prayers at bedtime and she said, "Bless Eric as he is far away from home." Yes, it was tear jerker.

Last week we converted Katie's crib into a bed by removing one side of the crib and putting the sleeping rail along that side. (The rail keeps her from rolling out of the bed.) We decided to do so because we could no longer contain her in her crib and we figured we might as well remove the dangerous aspect, which was her climbing and teetering on the high crib side. Converting her crib into a big girl bed was one of those milestones that choked up Rick and I. She is growing up and the crib was one of the last baby items that she still used. On the bright side we can now start transitioning away from diapers at night since she now can easily get to her potty chair. Soon we will no longer need to buy diapers, but it will be one of those bittersweet milestones. Diapers will be the last baby item that will forever pass into history.

Our first challenge with the big girl bed was getting Katie to stay in it at bedtime. The solution we devised is if she repeatedly gets out of her bed, we turn it around so that the open side is pushed up against the wall. So far that has worked and she has only pushed the bed away from the wall once in order to go play with her toys instead of sleeping.

Katie is coming along swimmingly with her reading. Rick works with her on a regular basis and she watches her DVDs. I can't wait until she can read because a whole new world will open up for her.

The next time that I am in Abilene I need to stop at Michael's or Hobby Lobby and pick up two stepping stone kits. I am going to make grave markers for Eric's and Max's graves. I have already designed the stone now I just have to buy the supplies. Which brings me to our pet cemetery. The cemetery is about 400' off of the driveway. Rick has buried a few cats back there, as well as Max and Eric. There is also a spot that we call the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It is obviously a grave--it has a circle of small rocks outlining it--but it is not one that Rick buried. We figured it was from the people who owned the land before us. Maybe I will also make a marker for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier as a tribute to all domesticated animals.

As for Lupe, our cat, he has been very clingy since Eric was put down. All though Eric and Lupe didn't curl up together and take naps, they had a good relationship. Eric was always well mannered when it came to Lupe and Lupe never raised a clawed paw to Eric. (Now Max and Lupe were a different story. Max used to snap at Lupe if Lupe walked too close to him. Which brings up another thought tangent. I could never figure out how Lupe could tell the difference between Max and Eric. Most people couldn't tell the dogs apart, but Lupe knew which dog he could walk close to and which dog he needed to cut a wide path around.) Back to the topic at hand. Lupe obviously misses Eric and perhaps it is because he fears that he is next.

Well, that's about it for this, that and Katie. New phrases continually come from Katie's mouth and her quirky, sunny, adorable personality continues to reveal itself more and more every day.

Holiday Weekend: Water Line and Secrets

We spent a quiet 4th of July at home. Originally we planned to go to San Angelo and spend the day with our friends James and Marian. However, Saturday morning on my way to open the gate I notice a small lake forming along side the driveway. Rick went and checked it out and sure enough we had another break in the water line. Rick dug around the broken pipe and discovered that a mesquite tree's roots were around the line so I was sent to Lowe's to purchase PVC and right angles. Our neighbor Don came over to help cut the mesquite's roots. He also brought his backhoe to help dig. Because the ground was wet, his backhoe got stuck. Don wasn't able to get it out until today when the ground was a little drier. Below is Rick with his 4th of July's work of art.

Early on Saturday morning, the 4th of July, I was walking around our pool checking for weeds when I got stung three times by wasps. Two bites were on the back of my left leg and one was on the front of my right leg. I don't know what I did to make them so aggressive and I didn't see a nest. Regardless, the bites hurt like all heck and I think the one on my right leg is infected. The bite is surrounded by a hard mass and my skin is red and hot. I have a doctor's appointment on Tuesday for some other issues, so I will have him check out the bites.

A few weeks ago I started watching Desperate Housewives on Lifetime. I typically don't watch network TV i.e. ABC, CBS, NBC, so I am slow on the uptake when it comes to new shows. In this case I am five years late. Anyway, I discovered that I liked Desperate Housewives, so I bought seasons 1-4 on DVD. I was watching Season 1 this weekend and Rick wandered in the room and promptly got sucked into the show. So we spent the rest of the weekend watching Season 1 of Desperate Housewives after Katie went to sleep each night. (Sorry, Sweetie, I am sure you didn't want me blabbing to the blogging world that you like the show, but I am trying to keep this blog real and honest. That's my defense and I stand by it!) I have really enjoyed snuggling in bed and watching the antics of those women of Wisteria Lane. And speaking of those women, I think my husband has a crush on Bree Van DeCamp. Let me rephrase that, I KNOW he has a crush on her because he told me so. I now refer to Bree as his girlfriend. I think why he likes her is because she is so anal retentive and a bit OCD and Rick can relate. (Oops! There went another secret to the blogging world!)

Last week I bought a set of books from buy.com called The Digital Photography Book Volume 1 and 2 by Scott Kelby. The books are great! I have learned so much and I am actually using all of the fancy features on my Canon Rebel. Furthermore, I finally turned the dial off of fully automatic and I am experimenting with the different modes. I highly recommend the books if you are new to the digital photography world. Below are a two of my experimental pictures.

I took the above picture last night. I changed the ISO to 1600 and turned off the flash. It actually was fairly dark outside, but with those settings I was able to capture the clouds.

The picture above is of a sunflower that was growing along side the driveway. Here I changed the f stop to blur out the background and focus in on the flower.

So considered yourself warned because I have a feeling that from this point forward I will be posting more of my photographic experiments on this blog.

Well, time for the Doodles to take a nap. Catch ya later!

TCR Rodeo

Last night we went to the TCR Rodeo. We met our friends and fellow missile site owners Bruce and Dona for dinner before heading over to the rodeo grounds. Below are the pictures from the evening. I did not bring my long lens, so I didn't take that many pictures.

Katie watching the action

The pick up men gathering up a bronc after he threw his rider.

Dona and Bruce. For Breast Cancer Awareness, the night's theme was "Tough Enough To Wear Pink." They handed out pink feathers for those who hadn't worn pink.

Rick and Katie absorbed in the action in the ring. Well Rick was absorbed; Katie's attention was on the kids in front of us.

Waiting for a bull rider to exit the pen. Notice all of the pink shirts on the cowboys.

Katie wanted a closer look so Rick took her over to the rail. Like a true cowgirl, she climbed the fence and hung there.

Wax Off, Wax On and Other Ramblings

For the last couple of days I have been working on the kitchen floor. I have stripped all of the wax off of it, scrubbed it clean and painted the little nicks and scratches. I stopped waxing the floor a few months ago because Eric had a hard time navigating across the kitchen when it was slick and shiny. Now I am waiting for the second coat of wax to dry before adding one more.

Tonight we are going to the TCR Rodeo. First we will meet our friends Bruce and Dona at a local cafe for dinner and then all five of us will motor over to the rodeo grounds. I am looking forward to the good company and the entertainment that the rodeo and Bruce will provide.

Adjusting to Eric being gone has been difficult. When I open my eyes in the morning, my first thought is "I have to get Eric outside" then I remember he is no more. However, the hardest part to get used to dinner time. When I cooked, Eric would hang out in the kitchen with me and after we were done eating I would give Eric some left overs, which Katie always managed to have. It's weird to just shovel them in the garbage can. Yesterday I was making a snack of cheese and crackers for Rick and I and I dropped a cracker on the floor. I didn't immediately pick it up because I am so used to Eric snatching up the dropped food. And that too felt weird to throw that one cracker in the garbage.

The picture I have posted below is from a few days ago. Katie had been playing outside and got all sweaty and tired. She laid down on the front steps and I snapped a photo.


The next photo is the last picture of Katie and Eric. Rick had put Eric's collar and leash on him before loading Eric into the van to go to the vets. Katie was fascinated with the leash because Eric seldom wore one. Here was the one item that she had been looking for that would allow her to lead Eric around, which little Miss Bossy Boots would have enjoyed.

The final photo in this post is another picture that I took Monday morning before the trip to the vets. The photo makes me smile because right to the end he had his eyes glued on Rick--his master, his friend, a person he respected and revered, the one person he had known all of his life, and someone who never, ever let him down.

TCR Parade 2009

This afternoon we went to the TCR (Texas Cowboy Reunion) Parade in Stamford. The parade kicks off the TCR Rodeo, which is billed as the largest amateur rodeo. It was really hot today, but we managed to score a spot of shade along side a building on the square. Below are just a few of the many pictures that I took this afternoon.

Hardin-Simmons University's Six White Horses, an elite equestrian team

Hardin-Simmons University's Cowboy Marching Band

Rick and Katie. The sirens on the police cars and fire engines had her clamping her hands on her ears. Here she looks frightened because the fire engine was squirting water.

These ladies are in pink for Breast Cancer Awareness. At the rodeo on Thursday night, the theme is "Tough Enough To Wear Pink." All the cowboys and cowgirls that participate in the rodeo will be wearing pink, as well as the spectators. A portion of the ticket sales will go to Breast Cancer Awareness. We will be attending the rodeo that night so I have to find Rick a pink shirt. Perhaps I can wash one of his white ones with something red.

The parade is compromised primarily of cowboys and cowgirls as you can see in this picture. One of the reasons why I enjoy the TCR Rodeo is because the participants are real working cowboys and cowgirls.

The young lady on the black horse is our neighbor's daughter Taylor. She looked so happy and had the parade wave down. I didn't get my camera to my eye in time to take a shot of her from the front.


This is our neighbor Tony and his other daughter Tanna. This time I was ready with the camera. I actually got three good shots of the two of them.