January 31.

The first month of 2011 draws nigh.

Time seems to escape like Houdini, and I am am never sure where it has gone.

Nonetheless, I sit here quietly tonight. The dryer is tumbling. My big girls are sprawled out doing their homework around me. My little girl is sleeping. My boys have also drifted off to dreamland.

Thus I sit and reflect on the day. Another busy day, but it was good. My littlest bug's enthusiasm for learning as she sounds out words from the backseat of the car. The smile of my little boy as he showed off his terrific test score. Kiahra's beautiful eyelashes batting as she animatedly shared details of her day. The twinkle in my husband's eye as he teased his oldest daughter about her first day of track and her smile and giggles in response to her daddy.

Ordinary moments to be cherished.

My dad had surgery yesterday. He slipped on the ice and broke his leg last week; however, the surgery was on the ankle that he severely twisted which is what caused the fibula to break. He now has a couple screws in his ankle, which I am slightly entertained by...because everything that keeps the farm running has a screw or two in it, and my dad is very proficient at keeping things running.

Anyway, now he is home with his leg elevated. He doesn't like his crutches,
AND he has to stay completely off his foot for 8 weeks. Kade just pipped up to inform me that is 56 days...well it is 55 now, Grandpa.

I believe this is the first broken bone my father has had. I know this is the first time he has been immobilized in my lifetime. For those of you who don't know my father, he is always busy. He is not a man that sits well for long periods of time, so I suspect each day will be a challenge.

However, he is in good spirits. His prognosis is good. If he is patient, he will be back up and "running" again soon.

In the meantime, I am so grateful my "little" brother is there to keep the farm running.

Nikela went for a run the other day. Duke (our dog) went with her. She was a bit inconvenienced by her cell phone, so she found a clever hiding spot for it. When she returned, Ron saw her walking in circles with Duke. He was worried about her mental health, so he stopped and asked what was wrong. He discovered she couldn't find her phone.

"Whew!" Ron was relieved to learn she was not lost since she was across the street from the house.

Then Nikela interupted the conversation, "I remember now! I put it on Duke's collar!"

Hockey. It means dressing for the cool rink temperatures when it is warmer outside in January (try in the upper 60s). It means lacing skates...perfectly. It means slipping gloves on at the last minute. It means a harder good-luck pat. And it means managing sweaty hockey gear.

Yesterday, I was a hockey mom, but while Kade was on the ice I was sewing pointe shoes. I love my versatility. Amidst all the rough and tumble hockey gear was a ballet mom, but don't let ballet fool you. Those shoes are tough, my thumb is still tender this morning.

Kade didn't appreciate my versatility properly though, he thought it was a bit embarrassing.

Isn't that my job??

Just in case you missed the game yesterday, the Steelers are headed to the SuperBowl...again.

It is official, my family has become faithful fans. Someone even found the Terrible Towel.

Today I had lunch with a friend who was proudly wearing her Steelers sweatshirt. She is passionate about her Steelers--has been since childhood in West Virgina. No SuperBowl party to interfere with her watching the game. There are not very many faithful fans here, so it is fun to share a mutual love.

I have to admit I am not a big football girl, but slowly I am learning the game, and I watched a lot of football in Pittsburgh--even had the opportunity to see one game from a box seat (which is definitely the way to go) as the snow drifted down. Now I am curious enough to tune into the game. Okay, so I don't just sit and watch the entire game, but I do check in from time to time and check out the replays if my household audience response makes me aware of a big play. It is very handy that way.

Conversation awareness is generally compromised during these games, so it is an excellent time to ask for things because the murmured response will be generic and in the affirmative. Right ladies??

Anyway, my daughter is shopping for a jersey. She was the sole supporter of the Steelers in her class, so now she has to make a point...or two. Hopefully, with her passionate support the Steelers can bring home another Superbowl title. I know she has California covered and making converts daily :)

Birthday Breakfast

At eleven, Kade meticulously arranged his berries before adding a generous topping.



At six, Chayse thought, "Which one has the most whipped cream? This one..." as the fork descended and a smile crept across her face as the sweet treat tantalized her tongue!



"Yumm! Perhaps my sweet sister and dear brother aren't so bad today..."



"Even if I did have to get up earlier than usual!"



An impromptu, unsupervised photo shoot with adoring sisters was next before we headed off to school, where Chayse and I shared a birthday book with her class from our personal library, "The Dragon and the Unicorn." I read the same book to her oldest sister when she turned six... complete with my unicorn mask and furry hooves. I love kindergarten!

Country Lanes

Our weekend adventure rejuvenated me. The natural beauty and suprises in the great outdoors are good for the soul! Well, particularly when accompanied by a good visit with family.

After we had ventured through Muir Woods, we drove the winding roads along the coast and through state parks to the marine reserve, our conversation turned to how we learned to drive. My uncle revealed his first memory of driving on the farm. It all started on the back 80 (acres) when my grandfather put the truck into first and let him drive it back to house with strict instructions to shut the key off as he approached the house. Of course, he could not touch the pedals. My memories were similar. Dad would let the pickup roll forward in the lowest gear before jumping out, and then all I had to do was steer while he threw hay off to the livestock. Generations learning to drive on the family farm.

And the scariest part...we survived. More than survived probably...why else can I drive my big ol' rig around proficiently?

Speaking of big rigs...please indulge me one more memory. When I was a young girl, I visited my uncle's job site in Gillette, WY where the equipment is giant-sized. I remember sitting in a one of those giant haul trucks. I like to think it was my uncle that lifted me up, so I could clamor up the steps. Equipment operation is his forte. I suspect through the years there isn't much he hasn't operated. I remember occasionally hearing comments from people who had worked with my uncle through the years that he could drive anything. I am sure this is true, but now I know he can ride anywhere too..even with me at the wheel!

And he survived...again.

Majestic beauty. The tallest organisms on earth, the coastal redwoods, humble me every time as I gaze upward in utter amazement as the sunlight streams through the woods.

I love Muir Woods. It is even better when shared with visiting family.



Though it is always fun to watch my kiddos create their own adventure.



A ranger's creative approach left me chuckling as we headed to the car.



Though the chuckling ended abruptly as I watched two cars fight over my parking spot...literally. Well, actually the cars were behaving, but the drivers were yelling at each other and maneuvering their cars in the battle...I couldn't even back out.

Finally, we were off to the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve where the tide was scheduled to be out giving us the opportunity to explore the tide pools and learn what lurks beneath the surface.

I was delighted to see my first starfish!



I love the anemone's bright colors.




Our spectacular guide, Kade, can spot and identify so many cool things like this family of anemones. I love this photo of him pointing out the details (not touching like it might appear). He absorbed every detail during his week of outdoor education. He even spotted a banana slug in the woods!



He didn't even miss the most carefully camouflaged critters.



Eventually the tide started rolling back in and jolted the basking seals back to work.

Today is my little sister's birthday. I have her birthday present sitting on the counter. It has been there all week. It is perfect. I wonder when it will arrive? I am sure she will be curious now too. Nonetheless, my intentions were honorable. I love you, Lisa! Happy Birthday!

*********************************

On another note...

As I was cruising through Costco with my little helper today, an insistent vendor wanted me to try his product. Finally, I just took it, said thanks, and moved on when I suddenly realized he had asked a question. At which point, I turned back with a quizzical look.

He repeated "From back East?"

Suddenly it dawned upon me that he wanted to know where I was from, so I answered, "Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania."

He grinned broadly and pointed to his ear, "I hear it!"

Ironically, English was clearly his second language.

*********************

As I rolled up to that familiar sign and came to a complete stop. I paused for a second. For that second, I suddenly could not remember where I needed to be next. It was 1:18 PM. It was the fourth time I had pulled up to the stop sign at the end of my street today.

Then I remembered that I had to pick up Nikela.

Auto pilot seems to be my mode these days. I have changed my mind, as I no longer want Alice from the "Brady Bunch" to run the household. I want a chauffeur. Or at least I want the perk of privacy glass if this craziness must go on...

Earlier this morning, after I had dropped Nikela off at high school and made my way back through the traffic, I had called ahead to warn the kids our schedule would be tight, so Kiahra had everyone outside on the curb. All five kids that were riding with me. The motley crew looked like they were waiting for the bus. As they piled in, one commented, "We have room for two more!"

Are you kidding me?

No wonder I dream of two door sports cars...and no where to go...

Late yesterday afternoon traffic slowed in the bay area before coming to a halt for the rest of the night.

Unbeknown to me, a major bridge across the bay was closed.

This morning, Ron quipped about the closure during his morning meeting.

"Funny story!" an employee called out.

"When I finally got home last night, I was watching the news with my girlfriend. They closed the bridge because some guy was threatening to jump off. We decided he just needed to jump.

Then the phone rang. It was my girlfriend's mother calling to tell her it was her brother."

Ooopsss...

Compassion universally fades quickly as six lanes of the freeway gridlock for hours and hours and hours...along with every byway and highway.

A few days ago, Nikela and I noticed that shoots were appearing in my flower beds. Strange to notice something like this a few days after New Year's.

Then...today my first flower appeared. January 9. My grandmother's birthday.



Grandma is gone, but I love the fact a daffodil appeared today because it reminds me of the sunshine she brought to my childhood.

A few weeks ago, while working on the job site, Ron noticed a hawk that had been roosting on one of the buildings. One day he happened to look up and watch this hawk dive bomb a pigeon. Feathers flew. The hawk was dead on his target.

Then a day or two later, Ron watched again as the biologist began clicking photos of the pigeon feathers and documenting info in his little notebook. Ron meandered over and started a conversation.

"We have a new friend on site," he said as he pointed to the hawk perched above them. "I watched him take down a pigeon." As Ron talked, the biologist immediately shut his notebook and wordlessly began walking away from the scene of the crime.

Nature is violent. Animals prey on each other. Survival of the fittest.

btw

yepp

lol

nope

ttyl

One word texts.

I am not the queen here. I have too much to say. Too many words rolling around in my brain. I want my sentences complete and punctuated. And, honestly, I want to feel the words...the emotion of the sender...and see the entire word!

Perhaps it is a good mental exercise for me to text. Maybe (and I am stretching here...) it is even good for my thumbs, though I will never acquire the speed of my daughters. Possibly I will even learn to like short and sweet.

Or not.

I text because my children text me when they need something or to confirm a location/appointment. Sometimes I text for convenience to ask a quick question or leave a note. Seldom do I text for pleasure. I find it tedious.

I am from a different generation. I will always love to hear the voice of a friend or family member. I will always love the banter of good conversation. One that says I took the time to call and I am listening to you.

I am old. How do I know? My kids tell me so.

Sometimes life tugs at my heartstrings.

Sometimes a kettle of ham and bean soup comforts.

As I was chopping and preparing the soup this morning, I was remembering an old neighbor that lived up the gravel road from us in Montana ten years ago. Dee lived on his family's homestead his entire life except for his military service years during WWII. I am not sure he even had running water...at least if he did he didn't use it very often, but nonetheless, he was always friendly and polite, and he loved my ham and bean soup. Sometimes he would even ask Ron to make sure he didn't miss any. I smiled at the memory.

The soup is simple. I probably make it like the generations before me. The simmering ham bone is the secret flavorful ingredient.

Sometimes it is the simple things in life that comfort...

A Box

I looked in a box today, and it was not near as exciting as the Cat In the Hat. I wish he would visit, though, and help me unpack a few more boxes. I am ready.

I am home.

Home is a very evasive place for me. Sometimes my heart and physical home are in two different places.

We were home for Christmas...to my childhood home. BUT now it is time to embrace my home in California.

It is officially home. Six months ago I arrived, and at times I have struggled to "be" home here; however, after a grueling return roadtrip complete with ice, snow, and blizzard conditions for 800 miles, I was happy to be home where it was 53 degrees and the sun was shining.

Within minutes of our arrival, our faithful neighbor lady came to welcome us home and bring us our mail. Her teenage daughter chatted patiently with Chayse on the curb.

I will unpack a few more boxes within the next few days. I only wish the Cat in the Hat would come along and clean up after thing one and thing two and thing three and thing four!

Happy New Year

As I wrap up our holiday adventures, I hope I can maintain perspective on all the moments of life. Including the...

Onry Moments



Irredescent Moments



Precious Moments



Family Moments



Silly Moments



Dangerous Moments



Sweet Moments



Friendship Moments



And the dawn of a new day...