Friday, December 28, 2012

A Great Present!!

Audrey got Larry a Shark vacuum for Christmas.  Just a little handheld vacuum that she thought would make it easier for Larry to vacuum the stairs.  Her thinking was that it would be so much fun for him that she wouldn't have to vacuum the stairs herself anymore.  

We have a BAD pet hair problem and it always drifts to the stairs.

Audrey was especially excited about this particular Shark because it was made to vacuum up pet hair.  In fact it was called the "Pet Hair Shark".

Larry mis-read the label and thought it was made to vacuum  pets.  We could see him sizing Lucy and Ellie up as he was cradling the Shark in his arms, considering the risk to life and limb when he tried it out on the cats....

Larry had a sad moment when he realized that he was mistaken.

It was just as well.

The cats would have taken him out after his first try.....






Thursday, December 20, 2012

Remarks Made Whist Speeding Down I-66

Larry and I were running late last week. 

We were dropping stuff off at Mary's party and then going on to dinner with Sue and Spence.

We were supposed to drop the stuff off at 5pm, then meet my friend Sue and her hubby Spence at Maggianos at Tyson's Galleria at 6pm.

We started getting dressed at 5pm.

We started gathering the stuff to drop off at 5:20pm.

We tore out of the house, predictably leaving half of the stuff behind, at 5:35pm.

At 5:49pm I looked at Larry and said, 

"One of us needs to get our shit together.

Only one of us can be out of it at a time."

We have been going thru a difficult time.  Generally we kind of take turns going thru patches of funk and the other one picks up the slack.  But somehow the moon and stars have aligned themselves in some bizarre formation that has both of us sleepwalking thru our days.

Which is unfortunate when there are two jobs, two basset hounds, five cats, and a house that is  getting more disorganized by the minute.

I can't remember the last time I made a list.

It is going to get better.  It just has to.

So this weekend, Mary is graciously watching ALL the dogs, and we are going to North Carolina to The Waverly House, a great bed and breakfast that is having a Christmas special. And we are going to rest.  And reconnect.  And maybe do a little Christmas shopping.  And make some lists.  And work on getting our act together. 

And hopefully come back on Sunday recharged and ready to dig in to Christmas and housekeeping and FIVE dogs and 5 cats and two jobs.

Wish us luck.

And by the way, we dropped the stuff off at Mary's, changed our location for dinner, (What were we thinking?? Dinner at Tysons on a Saturday in Dec??), (And it was a lovely dinner - we really do need to get together more often!!) went back to Mary's party for a little while, and went home, happy that we had accomplished not one but TWO things!!

And that's a start.






Saturday, December 15, 2012

Lesson Learned

Today we learned a scary lesson.

When I got home with the grandkids around 4:00 I gave Grey two childrens Clariton because the cats make his head really stuffy.
Then we drove over to IHOP to meet Larry for dinner.  After dinner Neve and I took off for Target and Larry and Grey went home.
Neve and I got home around 8:15 and as we were showing off our purchases, Larry mentioned that he had given Grey some allergy meds because he was all stuffed up.

WHAT???

Larry ran to call Spence and I urged Grey over to drink some juice and began thinking about how I was going to tell Shayne and Jess.

Spence suggested that we call Poison Control and gave us the number.

Even tho I was busy mentally reviewing all the routes to the nearest ER, I called them.

The Poison Control people were very cheerful and quick.  They told us that it should be okay, just keep an eye on him and try to regulate his doses more carefully in the future.  "Oh, you can take THAT to the bank!  I assured her.

When we called Shayne back to tell them what the Poison Control people said, I mentioned that Neve had slipped on the stairs in her too big boots and scratched her back and that perhaps they should pick the kids up while they were still in one piece, more or less.

He laughed and said that we weren't going to get off so easily and then wondered out loud how he ALWAYS came back from HIS Gran's house without a scratch. 

"Julia wrapped you in bubble wrap the minute you got there," I said.  "Larry and I keep it real...."

Just the same, I think that I'll keep a little closer eye on Grey-be tonite.

Grey, aged 3....
Just in case....

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Electronic Family

Shayne texted me the following picture:


Shayne: A young Darth Vader reads Dora.

Me: (Thinking that it was Neve)  OMG So Cute!!

(Then I sent the Tiny phone picture to my email and realized that it was Grey.)

Me: Wait.  Is that Grey???

Shayne: No, Mother.  Just a random young boy in his skivvies....

Shayne:  We keep them around for entertainment....

(That's what I get for asking....)


Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Strange Day on Facebook

A couple of months ago I opened up my Facebook timeline and came upon the strangest juxtaposition of posts that I had ever seen.

You all remember the Adam Levine picture that went around on Valentines Day??  The naked one?  Yep, that one.  We all saw it.

Well, then there was the time when I posted a picture of Larry while he was still a young whippersnapper on his first tour of Korea - complete with RPG glasses.

And then this is what happened --


Life's just not fair....

Larry looked at it and sighed and said "That just isn't right."

And he's right.

I've NEVER been able to grow my nails like that.....

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Blue Angels pack plane full of toys for kids displaced by Sandy

Blue Angels pack plane full of toys for kids displaced by Sandy

I am writing this because the Blue Angels and their plane the Fat Albert that was packed full of toys for Toys for Tots to distribute to kids that were displaced by Sandy was a great thing that happened.

And because it brought joy to lots of children.

And because I played a small part in it.  (Well, my Isuzu did - it transported banners and signs and Audrey to the event!)

And because my coworkers worked their collective rear ends off coordinating the Blue Angels events in Atlanta, Washington DC and Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst in New Jersey.  (You guys Rock!!)

But mainly, I am posting this for my brother Bryan and my friend Sue who are not Facebook regulars and missed this when I posted it on Facebook.

Now you can join us and play Where's Audrey? our version of Where's Waldo?

So click on the link above, watch the video carefully and you will see Audrey in several different places in the background of the film clip.  She has sunglasses on and her hair is up.

Go forth - and Find Audrey!!!

(And donate to Toys for Tots!  Little kids depend on it!!)

Monday, December 3, 2012

We Just Can't Have Nice Things -The Poinsettia Chronicles


It took all day but I finally got my dining room table cleaned off!!  (Don't judge me!)


ah, so pretty!!

I admired it for a few minutes, then we took our dinner into the front room (sigh) to eat. 

(Project Runway (on DVR) was not going to watch itself, after all!)

I came back a scant 42 minutes later and disaster had nearly struck!! 

Just ignore the floor.  Cleaning the dining room is a process....
Two more inches and I would've lost my new poinsettia and then I would've had to hunt down and seriously harm a few cats....(I am looking at YOU Billy and YOU TOO Sminky!!!)

SIGH....

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Short Ribs - Just Like the Chef at Universal Studios Makes!!!

When we went to Las Vegas to visit my brother over Thanksgiving, I may have mentioned that we went to LA and toured Universal Studios.

Bo and Sarah treated us to the VIP Tour, and part of the package (which included looking down at the little people who didn't get to get out and wander around the sets and who had to stand IN LINE to ride the rides) was a buffet lunch at a fancy restaurant with cloth napkins and a chef in a white jacket and toque and everything!!

In the buffet line there was a lot of seafood - it was California, after all - and then I spied the short ribs!!  The chef smiled approvingly as I grabbed one - he told me that I had made an excellent choice!  And he was correct - they were so good!

So yesterday while Mary and I were at the commissary, seeing if we could in fact spend ALL the money in my bank account, I remembered to pick up a package of short ribs.

Short ribs used to be a kind of a scary cooking proposition until one day when I was at work at my old job at Alvey's a little family run grocery store that had the best butcher and the freshest meats in the area.  They showed us how to cook them so that they were tender and flavorful - yum!


Beth at the fancy buffet.

So here is my recipe for Short Ribs!  Enjoy!!

You will need:

One package of short ribs
One envelope of dry Lipton Onion Soup mix.
3 cups water
1 cup good wine - red or white
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 onions sliced in large slices
8 oz of mushrooms - optional
olive oil, salt and pepper
2 packages of brown gravy mix
one can of mushroom soup

Brown the short ribs on all sides in hot olive oil on high heat in a large skillet. Salt and pepper them. 
Set a  dutch oven on a burner and add the water, wine, bouillon cubes, and soup mix and bring to a simmer.
When the short ribs are browned place in the liquid in the dutch oven, and saute the mushrooms in the skillet that you browned the short ribs.  Salt and pepper them, then add them to the dutch oven.  Add the onions to the skillet and lightly brown them.  A(dd a little more olive oil if the pan looks a little dry.)  When the onions are browned, put about a cup of the liquid from the dutch oven into the skillet to deglaze it and add all to the dutch oven.
Put the lid on the dutch oven and set in a 325 degree oven for 3 or 4 hours til tender.
Take the short ribs out of the pan and set aside in a warm spot.  Put the dutch oven back on the burner and set on medium high heat.
In a quart size mason jar, dump a cup of water, the contents of the gravy mix and the undiluted mushroom soup.  Put a lid on the jar and shake until it is thoroughly mixed.\Pour the mason jar mixture into the dutch oven and stir quickly with a whisk until the gravy is thickened and bubbly.
Serve with boiled or mashed potatoes or rice or noodles.
YUMMMM!!!


Short ribs, mashed potatoes and gravy and cauliflower and cheese....

Trip to Walmart

It was a busy day!!

Grey and Neve hadn't been over for two weeks and I wasn't planning on them coming by  until Shayne asked "Do you want to go to Mimi's?" and they shouted "Yes!".

We needed to pick up a humidifier for Grey but the kids wanted to come straight to the house to see Scottie Jane so we tabled the trip til later.

Later included digging out a big box of blocks and a big tub of Aunt Mary and Aunt Audrey's Barbies.

Later included lots of cuddling with Scottie Jane.

Later included ordering pizza and making chocolate chip cookies and and licking the beaters and spatulas.

Later included Neve conditioning her hair by working a large handful of baby lotion into it. Don't ask me why.

Later also included catching up on Max and Ruby on the DVR and Lego TV On Demand while Mimi did some unexpected unscheduled work from home.

So when we finally couldn't put off going out and getting that humidifier, we were looking kind of worse for wear.

Going to the store went a little something like this:

"Larry!  I need to run to Walmart and get that humidifier.  Do you want to go?"
"No!" he yelled down from his office, where he was doing homework.
"Grey, do you want to go?"
"No!" he said as he looked up from playing with the Star Wars cloud car that we had found with the blocks.
"Neve, do you want to go?"
"YES!" She said as she uncrammed the New Kids on the Block Danny doll and his red headed girlfriend out of the Barbie van.  (They had been on their way to a concert with another couple - guys in front, girls in back - all gloriously naked except for Danny who had on a teal bikini bottom that I understand belongs to Brenda from 90210 - but I am not judging.)

I looked down at the two of us and I hoped to God that we wouldn't see ANYONE that I knew.

Then as we walked up to the entrance of the Walmart Neve said, "Mimi, PopPop and Grey didn't come with us!"  

"Nope, they sure didn't" I replied.

"Oh Mimi, we're having a Girls Night!"  Neve said with quite a bit of excitement. 

I looked down at that three year old happy little cookie dough smeared face with the baby lotioned hair and all of a sudden, I didn't care who saw us at the Walmart.

Neve and I were having a Girls Night.



Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Adventures with my Brother Spaghetti with Brown Butter

Larry and I did something we haven't done in awhile this Thanksgiving - 

We Went Away.  

On a plane.  

To Las Vegas!!


We went to visit my baby brother Bryan and his wife Sarah and their kids Travis (14) and Beth (11) And their dogs Jack, Belle and Tattoo. And oh my goodness, we had such a great time!!

It started out with Bryan and Sarah buying our tickets as a graduation present for Larry AND then using their points to bump us up to first class on the long Charlotte to Las Vegas leg of the trip.
After being in first class, I don't know how I've ever flown before.  or will ever fly again.  Sigh. It was SOOOOO sweet....  they treat you like humans and serve you food and drink and smile at you.  We sat down and they offered us ice water before the plane even left!  Then the steward came around and asked us what we'd like to drink. Larry said Bourbon.  All they had was Jack Daniels, and Larry said that's fine.  The steward asked if he wanted it with ice or water and Larry said no, I'll take it neat.  "Ooohh...you are hardcore!!" the steward said. "I'll have to keep my eye on youuuu!!!

On Weds Larry went along on a dog walk.

Bryan, Sarah and Travis

I had to ask Sarah what it was like - living in an area where the sun shines and the sky is relentlessly blue!!!

On Thanksgiving Day we had wonderful dinner with my dad and Sarah's parents Mary and Walt.

Family Portrait!
Our dad.

Then on Friday morning we got up at 3:30 in the AM and took off for Universal Studios in Los Angeles.  
(My dad stayed behind to catch up on his sleep, watch the dogs and try to figure out Bryan's TV.)

Universal Studios was a blast!!  We had VIP tickets - Just like first class!!!

8am. Just before our VIP Tour started.

The gas station from Back to the Future!

the bates home from Psycho!!

Tom Cruise's War of the Worlds

The whole lot of us!!!

After we left universal Studios, we went to the Old Spaghetti Factory and met with Susan, Sarah's twin for dinner.  Yummo!!!  

Here is one of the dishes that we had there and which I made for dinner tonight.  Simple and tasty!!

I'll write more later about the Strip and Bingo and more cool stuff we did!!

So try out this spaghetti!!  Easy and SOOOO good!!!

Old Spaghetti Factory's Spaghetti with Brown Butter
CDKitchen http://www.cdkitchen.com
Serves/Makes: 4    |   Difficulty Level: 3    |   Ready In: < 30 minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup Mizithra cheese
pasta of choice

Directions:
Browned Butter Procedure: Cut butter into tablespoon-sized pieces and place in a 2-quart sauce pan. Place the pan of butter on a burner on medium heat. Bring butter to a slow boil (about 5 minutes).

Once the butter begins to boil, stir constantly to prevent residue from sticking to the bottom of the pan. As the butter cooks, it will start to foam and rise. Continue stirring, otherwise the butter foam could overflow (about 5 minutes) and catch fire.

Once the butter stops foaming and rising, cook until amber in color (about 1 to 2 minutes). It will have a pleasant caramel aroma.

Turn off the heat and remove pan from burner. Let the sediment settle to the bottom of the pan for a few minutes.

Pour the brown butter through a strainer into a small bowl. Do not disturb the residue at the bottom of the pan.

The brown butter can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated in a microwave as needed.

Boil the pasta of choice until Al Dente. Drain pasta and divide into four servings. Spread 1/4 cup of Mizithra over each pasta serving. Top with 1/4 cup of hot brown butter.

Cook's Notes: There is a terrific dish served by The Old Spaghetti Factory chain, called Spaghetti with Browned Butter,. It is served topped with shredded Mizithra cheese (a Greek hard cheese). If mizithra is not available (I am able to easily locate it St. Louis at cheese shops and some supermarkets), a blend of ricotta salata and romano is suggested.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Pity Party Expanded

I woke up this morning sad and depressed from a bad dream. 

And I had a pounding headache.

And it was pouring rain outside.

And it was Tuesday.  The day I get up around 5 to take Larry to the metro.  I did promise, after all.

Then I got to work and it was just one crisis after another.

So after I left work and crawled into my car I decided that a little pity party was in order.

And what's a pity party without retail therapy??  So I went to The Very Thing, a local consignment store.  

And I felt MUCH better when I left!

Look at my cool stuff!!!!


A Rocking Horse Santa. So Sweet!!
This is a beautiful double handled depression glass bowl.  I've had my eye on it for awhile now...


Debbie Mumm Snowman mugs!! I bought a set of these years ago when I worked  at the quilt store and fell in love with Debbie Mumm fabrics.  And we literally used them up!!  I couldn't believe that they were there...Way high above my head.  The saleslady had to use a reacher thingy to get one down to see what the price was.  She said 4 mugs for $5.00.  I said ooooh, and she said I'll just get the rest down for you....

My new holiday Sangria pitcher.  When I first showed it to Audrey I slipped and said "Sangria MUG"  She raised her eyebrow and I thought to myself..add a squiggly straw and I would be in business...


What I didn't  buy....but probably will....today....

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Electronic Family - Masters of the Obvious

My friend Sue and I had a quick phone conversation today.  

Quick because I was on my way to work, and quick because even though Sue is officially retired  (I am not at ALL jealous...) she was busy packing and getting ready to go visit young Charlie.  Oh and Matt and Mandy and Charlie's furry brother Mitch.

Sue:  So are you working from home today?

Me:  Not anymore, but Audrey will be there.

Sue: Oh, good!  Then I can run over and bring your plates back.

Me:  It's ok, Sue.  You can wait until you get back...I have a couple of other dishes that I can use until then....



Me  Oh that reminds me, i need to bring back 3 more of your tablecloths!

Sue:  That's ok.  Take your time!  I only have one table!!


That must be why we are such good friends...

We have back-ups!!!

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

A Sound in the Night

Grey and Neve have their own little beds in our room.

We started this when they were babies and we know it's time to move them to the guest room and we will.  Eventually.

On Friday nights after Popop helps Grey and Neve brush their teeth we watch a movie.  

 This week I called down and said hey, do you want to watch Megamind?  Grey said no, I don't like Megamind.  Neve said Yes!! I love Megamind! I want to watch Megamind! I miss Megamind!  Let's watch it right now!!!  So, we watched Megamind.

Grey had had a sinus infection all week and still had a cough.  After the movie we got him comfortable, then we all went to sleep.  We woke up a couple of times when he was coughing, but he settled down quickly.

Then, about 3:45am we heard this weird sound.  A kind of quiff quiff sound.  Like someone couldn't breathe.  Like GREY couldn't breathe.  We broth jumped up and frantically turned on our lights, convinced that Grey was desperately trying to breathe, trying to remember how to do a tracheotomy with an ink pen....

And Grey was sleeping peacefully.

And Paulie the cat was hacking up a hairball.

Paulie was quickly thrown out of our room, Larry and I managed to restart our hearts, and we slept peacefully the rest of the night.

Whew....

We HATE it when they are sick!!!

Paulie feels that he is the real victim in all this....



Friday, October 19, 2012

It's the Little Things


So, what do you think??


The Major

The Captain



HMMMM...Maybe it's the tie.....

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Ruminations on a Slowly Filling Toilet Tank

Larry and I have been spoiled.  And we will be the first to admit it.

From 1983 through 2003, except for a 6 month lease in Oklahoma and a 3 month lease in Louisiana, we lived exclusively in military quarters.

And we loved it.

We loved the security of living on post.

We loved the convenience of living on post.

We loved not paying utility bills while living on post.

But, mostly,

We loved the housing engineers.

What?  You threw a spoon in the sink from across the room and it bounced up and hit the window - shattering it in the process?  And it is in the winter?  

The housing engineers came right on over.

Oh -  your pipes burst in the ceiling of your front hall two days before you are giving the Welcome Coffee for the new Battalion Commander's wife?

When the housing engineers left the fresh paint gleamed as your guests arrived.

And the sewer backed up on the day that you were having company over and were planning on serving the handmade tortellini you slaved over and made without a pasta roller?

After the housing engineers left, everything was sweet smelling and dinner was amazing!

About the only time the housing engineers WERE NOT helpful was the day at FT Polk, LA that the black widow spider who lived near my front door light decided to have babies.  As I watched all those spiders stream down my outside wall, I was screaming on the phone for them to DO SOMETHING!!!  Thank goodness my neighbor was home for lunch, heard me screaming and ran over with a can of superduper spider killer spray.

So what does this have to do with the toilet tank oh so slowly filling at 1:30 am?

The thing that has always petrified me about home ownership is what to do when something breaks down.

I am not talking about the 'fridge or the stove or the dishwasher.  We've already replaced them.  And the hot water heater - I can deal with that.

But plumbing.  That costs LOTS.

And our house is eleven years old.  Things are starting to wear out.

So tonight, when I woke up from a restless dream and went in to use the bathroom, flushed, remembered (guiltily) that I had forgotten to brush my teeth, brushed them, took my hair out of braids,(having a hot flash at bedtime sucks) put some stuff on my hair guaranteed to make it absolutely beautiful and gorgeous by morning, and finally got back to bed, I realized - the toilet is still running!  I stayed still for a couple of minutes hoping that it would quit or that Larry would get up to take care of it.  When neither happened, I got back up, took the lid off the tank, wondered how the hell can they get away with calling it a ballcock, and tried to figure out why it wasn't filling.  After staring at it blankly for several seconds, I pushed the flapper thingy down and voila!  The tank filled!!!

Then I realized that I had to go to the bathroom again.

And sadly realized that we can never call the housing engineers again.

Good-bye, Fair Knights - we loved you so....


Sunday, October 14, 2012

Putting Away the Linens

I am upstairs, hunkered down in front of the new dresser that we bought at the "as-is" section at IKEA separating my linens.  It is a huge dresser and I just realized that it is not big enough.  I am still sore and my hands evidently have tendinitis from my lovely iron tablecloths and use as much spray starch as you can marathon before the wedding, so I am getting a little frustrated.

Why do I have all this stuff?

It was fairly well contained until a couple of months ago when we moved a china closet downstairs.  Then we gave a friend a buffet and two recliners that were also up in the "guestroom".
The china closet held most of the tablecloths, a bunch of the napkins and all of the lace thing-ys.
The buffet held a bunch more tablecloths and some runners and some doilies. 
And the recliners held a bunch of extra blankets.

So everything ended up on the single bed and in a bunch of tubs.  We also deposited a lot of stuff that we didn't have room for downstairs.

THEN, I went upstairs the day before Audrey left for Leia's wedding and tore things up looking for runners and doilies and interesting lacy things.  (I'd known that I needed these things for a couple of months - procrastination is a sin that I am working on, thank you very much!)  Audrey quickly washed them and ironed them and took them to PA.

AND THEN a couple of weeks later, Mary and I took our lives in our own hands and went looking for more doilies and runners and interesting lacy things.  And tablecloths for the wedding and tablecloths for the rehearsal dinner.

We escaped with our lives, but we left even more devastation behind us.

So now I am trying to tame the mess and get everything back to order and I am for the first time seriously doubting my abilities.

I doesn't help that it hurts every time I bend over or pick anything up.

So back to the question - Why do I have all this stuff??

I bought them because I love vintage textiles, and back before our lives were so busy and chaotic, I enjoyed tending to them and looking at the colors and admiring the techniques used in making and decorating them.  And they are so soft.  And I can just imagine people using them way back when.  And because i went a little batty a couple of years ago on EBAY and bought a few (?) box lots to get a couple of particular pieces and now i am kind of overloaded.

I guess what I need to remember while I am sorting thru all the baskets and tubs and piles is that these pieces of fluff and fabric make my home a little prettier.

And make dinner a little nicer.

And make bridal showers a little more elegant.

And make rehearsal dinners a little friendlier.

And made Leia's wedding reception a little sweeter.

And helped to make Mary and Lance's wedding a little more beautiful.


Leia's tables before they put on the tablecloths




Mary's tables just before we finished decorating them

And if you all ever need to borrow any linens to make your life somehow better, please don't hesitate to call.  I'll probably GIVE them to you!!

I'll close with something that my friend Sues' daughter-in-law Mandy said as we were spreading out my tablecloths for Chris and Stephanies' rehearsal dinner.

(As close as my menopause addled brain can remember it, that is.)

Mandy said - "These are so beautiful!!  I always thought that if you had nice linens, it was a sign that you were grown-up."

Hmmn...I guess I am!!

(I sure hope that I remembered to send her some linens!)

Ok, enough procastinating.  I am going to find a pain pill and FINISH that room.

If i don't make it, at least it will be a soft landing!!

Friday, October 12, 2012

The Hardest Thing for a Dad to Do

While we were watching Shayne marrying Jessica, I was preparing to dab my eyes with my hankie.  Suddenly said hankie was yanked out of my hands and used by Larry to wipe HIS eyes.

I knew we were going to have problems.

While we were watching joshua marry Colletta, Larry stood up with Josh and the groomsmen and blamed the blazing sun for his watery eyes.

I knew we were really going to have problems.

So when we got all ready for Mary's wedding, I wasn't surprised when Larry was worried about making it down the aisle.

Afterwards, I was pulled aside by not less than 3 guys who said "What was Larry so mad about as he was going down the aisle?  He was just scrowling!"

That isn't a scrowl, ladies and gentlemen.


Oh no. 

He wasn't scrowling.

Larry was trying not to weep outloud.

I KNEW we were going to have problems.



I am SO glad that I wasn't the one handing our baby girl over.


I think that when it comes to Audrey's wedding, we may have to rent her some stand-in parents.

Because Larry and I will be the ones in the corner, weeping.

Yep.

I knew we were going to have problems.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Mary's Wedding - Dancing


Mary and Lance had a great DJ at their wedding.  His name is Ryan and he's a good friend of Lance's.

Mary asked us what songs we wanted and added ones that she and Lance loved.

I really enjoyed (as did the crowd) "Take on Me" By Ah-ha.

Shayne, Josh, Audrey Katie Dobbins and Jake Feldmann 
Larry, Audrey and Cindy 

A particularly rousing part of the song

Joshua looking very dapper!!

And "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go" by WHAM.

Scotty, Shayne and Josh rocking out to WHAM

Neve getting some wardrobe assistance from Rachel

And a request by Grey and Neve - "You Should Be Dancing" by the BeeGees


Neve was quite the dancer.

Rachel, Neve, Shayne and Stephanie Feldmann
 Neve enjoyed dancing with her cousin Rachel and "Medium" Shayne Feldmann.  It was such a blast to be on the dance floor with my friend Sue and Spence and our adult kids and their children!!!  OK, Sue and Spence and my brother Bo and his wife Sarah were only on the dance floor during the 'who was married the longest?'  dance.


Sorry about the dark shots!  New camera!

Upside down Grey

Grey decided to sit out the dance and have his picture taken upside down.


My personal favorite song was "Time After Time" by Rod Stewart.  

Ryan, as a matter of fact, played it twice.  

And as a matter of fact, Larry and I danced to it twice!

The words are so romantic.  So sweet.

 As a matter of fact, I am going to share a few of them with you...

Time after time
I tell myself that I'm
So lucky to be loving you.
Lucky to be
the one you run to see 
in the evening
when the day is thru.
I only know what I know
the passing years will show
you've kept my love so young
so new
And time after time
You'll hear me say that I'm
So lucky to be loving you.

Here is the link to the song....


You should click on the link and watch the video now.  Right now!  Really, you should!  I would hang around and make sure that everyone plays this, but I need to close and find the remote and change the channel.  So I am leaving this up to you.

Come on, listen to it already!!

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Mary's Wedding - One of the Sweetest Things

Who would've thought??

Yep, one of the sweetest things about Mary and Lance's wedding was duct tape.  

White duct tape to be exact.

Lance's dad, Larry H., decided that since it was a wedding, we needed white duct tape.

This is from a very practical father of a son.

Awwww....


Larry, Brenda, Bonita and Lance Hartbarger
More stories of sweetness to follow!!!

Friday, October 5, 2012

Conversations with the Grandkids

Neve was the backseat observer of life today.

On her grandma JuJu's birthday:

Neve: Today is my grandma JuJu's birthday!
Me: Oh my goodness!
Neve: No, MY grandma!

On Fine Art:

Me: (to Larry) So it wasn't a Mucha, it was a Klimt.  I took a shot.
Neve: Oh Mimi...it wasn't a Mucha at all!!!


Water Serpents

On the annoying buzz that the tie-down straps made on top of the car today:

Neve: What is that noise??
Me:  Sounds like bees, huh?
Neve: They must be some BIG bees!!

On singing the Johnson song:

Me: Neve, lets sing the Johnson's baby song!
Neve:  Oh Mimi, that song is boring.
Me: (to Larry) What?  She's bored already??

On the absence (death) of Chessie:

Neve:  There's Scottie.  Where's the black one?
Me: Um, Honey, she went home.
Neve: Well, let's go get her!!

On semi-nudity:

Neve:  I need my jammies! I spilt lemonade on my skirt!
Me: I'll get them in a minute, just take of your skirt and run around in your undies!
Neve: PopPop!  help me take off my shirt so that I can run around in my undies!

Thursday, October 4, 2012

The Wedding. The Clean-up at Home

Let me just state right now for the record - after washing too many tubs of dirty dishes, silver and HUGE bags of dirty linens, Audrey and I will probably never eat romaine lettuce again. 

And let me also state for the record - somehow it turned out to be just Audrey and I doing the dishes...(Larry helped with the first batch of silver.)

UGH.

We packed all the dirty silver in several ziplock bags, we sandwiched the semi-scraped plates between Styrofoam plates and packed them willy-nilly in plastic tubs and bagged all the dirty linens in heavy plastic bags for the trip home.

So far, only ONE broken plate!!  And that was just before the wedding when a vase fell on a salad plate.  AMAZING!!  Of course, until they are all put away neatly downstairs, the clock is still ticking.  Right now, my kitchen and dining room tables are stacked high with gleaming clean plates, and shiny clean silver.  And I have hampers of freshly bleached NOT IRONED linens.

Nice.

I am still processing all the memories of Mary's wonderful wedding.

The day was just gorgeous.

Mary was incredibly beautiful.  So was Audrey.  And Neve.  And all the bridesmaids.

Larry was, well, Larry was sooooo handsome.  But then, I am SUCH a sucker for a man in uniform....

So now it is back to scrubbing and soaking and bleaching.

And a little reflecting...

We were really sad that when we picked up our basset and kitten babies from the vet it was very clear that sweet little Chessie was going to die.  Before they brought the kittens out they said that they were doing fine - playing with each other and eating well.  As Chessie could barely hold her head up I had to wonder which kittens they were talking about.




So yesterday Larry and I took the day off and had lunch out and went shopping at FT Belvoir and then went to Carrabbas to celebrate the 33rd anniversary of our first date.

And today I am in a more cheerful mood and able to realize that I did all I could for Chessie - but she was just too sick.

And that some people just can't be pleased.

So I am going to do what my friend Sue said: 

"Kim just take a minute and look around at the fairyland that you have created."

And THAT is what I am going to remember.  

I'll be writing more about the absolutely breath-taking wonderful wedding that we all worked so hard on.  And thanking the many people that spent so much time and effort helping us make this dream come true.

And that Teddy won and the Nats are in the post season!!!

But now, I am going to hold my breath and finish the silver and wash the last of the romaine down the sink!!!


It is true.  Neve IS a whirling dervish.  And doesn't Grey look dapper??



Larry and Mary going down the aisle.  Larry trying not to cry out loud.