Rise and Shine Day 2

We were up at the crack of dawn to watch the sunrise over the ocean.  Once again, it was a little foggy and cool but we were having so much fun playing it didn't matter.  There is something spectacular about being the only ones on the beach.  It was like we had a private showing of nature.   A flock of sea gull's loud cries was the only noise you could hear above the roar of the surf as they flew through the air on the morning breeze.  A family of sandpipers danced at the water's edge scavenging the sand for their morning breakfast. Back and forth they waltzed perfectly synchronized around the waves.  As the sun rose into the sky it sent bursts of light just off shore highlighting only small portions of the surf at a time. 

Soon it was time to pack our bags and head into Monterey for our morning whale watching excursion.  Yaya was all systems go until she saw the boat wasn't quite the cruise ship she'd imagined in her head.

Once we set out I wasn't too sure I'd made the right decision in bringing her on this portion of the trip.  She was panicked when the swells grew bigger and bigger appearing as if they might engulf our tiny little boat.  "I want to go back!  I want to go back!" she cried.  Easier said than done when you are only 3 of 25 customers.  She and I headed to the back of the boat where the waves couldn't be felt as strongly.  She sat in my lap and we sang songs, prayed and counted together in order to help her calm down.  It didn't take long before Bird rushed back to take my place so I could photograph the first pod of Gray whales.   Shockingly enough, my first shot of the day appears to have been my best shot.  I quickly learned it's not easy to snap a picture of a whale or dolphin while you're on a ship that's bobbing up, down and side to side faster than they are.  I have a new appreciation for wildlife photographers. 

Anyway, I love how the water washes off the end of the whale's tale in the first shot as he prepares to dive.  The next photo is of a Risso dolphin.  I think I heard the marine biologist on board say the scratches on its skin are from the giant squid they eat and possibly from other dolphins in the pod too.  The bottom shot is my biggest disappointment.  Oh how I wish I could have captured all three of these whales with their flukes raised in a final salute before diving.  What a shot it would have been. 

In case you're worried about our little Yaya, I turned around 5 minutes after leaving her with Bird and she was laying across his lap sound asleep.  She says his slow counting put her to sleep but have a feeling it might have had something to do with the gentle rocking of the boat and the tiny dose of Dramamine we gave her before boarding to prevent her from getting sea sick.  She got to see plenty of whales and dolphins.  She even swears she heard the whales talking to her saying, "Awoogah!"  (Thank you Dora the Explorer and Diego.)  The only "awoogah" sound coming from the back of the boat was from fellow whale watchers who were tossing their cookies over and over again.  We like her version of the story better anyway. 

By the end of our three hour trip the tally of whale and dolphin sightings came to 11 Gray whales and about 75 Risso dolphins.  If you are interested in which company we used their name is Monterey Bay Whale Watching.  They were wonderful and a wealth of knowledge!

Here are a few shots I took as we returned to shore.  The last photo has another pod of Rizzo dolphins in front of the sail boat.  There were several mothers and babies in this pod.

Once we were back at the wharf we met up with some old friends of ours from the military.  We hadn't seen them in 9 years.  Both of our families have grown a bit since then.  It was wonderful seeing them again and meeting their youngest boy.  What a wonderful family!  I love how we picked up right where we left off.  We were blessed with wonderful friends who became our family in the military.  I wrote about how we met Eric and Arian HERE if you would like check out an old post.  They shared their season passes to the Monterey Bay Aquarium with us and we had a blast together.  Yaya instantly fell in love with their boys and wanted to hold their hands and hug them non-stop.  She needs a sibling SO BAD!

It was another wonderful day we won't soon forget.  We can't wait to get together with our friends again very soon.

Tis the Season

The Christmas season is officially upon us and we're enjoying all that it brings.  Saturday night, we held our 3rd annual gingerbread party at my parent's house.  The kids had a blast playing together, decorating their houses and dare I say devouring as much candy as they put on their gingerbread houses.  I love seeing how our families have grown from year to year.  God is good!

Monday night, we gathered together again to take in some Christmas lights together at one of the most popular culdesacs in our city.  Every home is completely covered in lights with some sort of holiday theme.  Watching the kids run from house to house was so much fun.  I loved seeing their faces filled with joy and awe. 

Tuesday afternoon, Yaya, Ella, Jen and I were invited to a girl's lunch at our friend Chris's home.  When we walked in her front door Yaya's mouth fell open and she gasped in amazement. I don't think there was a corner of her home that wasn't perfectly decorated for Christmas.  It was a little girl's wonderland with so many pretty things to see and touch.  It was complete with an amazing collection of Nutcrackers.  (These are one of Yaya's favorite Christmas decorations.)  The table was set beautifully and the meal was delectable.   She even let the little girls use her fine china for afternoon tea.  The sweetest moment may have come after we ate though.  The girls asked to be excused and headed down the hall together to play.  After a while I decided to check on them and found them laying together on top of Chris's giant bed fit for a princess or two.  They were snuggled together whispering and watching a Disney movie on Jen's phone.  ADORABLE!

After our relaxing lunch with the girls we headed back to my parent's house.  It was time to make great grandma's famous French Waffles.  It takes 4 people to make these they're so time consuming and delicate.  We have quite the assembly line and after 4 or 5 years of making them together have our parts mastered.  I love this photo of Yaya frosting the cookies with great grandpa and great grandma.  I pray she remembers these special and precious moments with them for the rest of her life. 

What Christmas activities have you and your families been enjoying so far this season?

The Missing Manger

Last weekend, was a busy one.  Bird's on-line classes have begun and they're keeping him plenty busy.  He does at least 3 hours of homework each night.  This means we have to take advantage of every extra moment we have together on weekends.  One of the many things on our To Do list last weekend was to put up the Christmas tree and a few other holiday decorations.  One of our family's favorite decorations is our manger scene.  Bird's family bought for us in Oberammergau Germany.  It has quite a story to go along with it.

  Yaya loved helping daddy put the barn together.

So here's the story... When Bird's parents were first married they bought a manger set while traveling through  Oberammergau, Germany together.  When Bird and I were married they passed it down to us.  Nothing funny about that, right?

Well, about 4 years into our marriage Bird's parents asked us about the manger set.  Neither Bird or I could find it anywhere.  We had moved 4 times in 4 years and somehow the manger scene had been "misplaced".  We lived in Italy at the time his parents began asking about it and we tore our house apart trying to find it.  I even looked at my detailed inventory of things we left in MT at least 100 times.  It became the great mystery of our family. 

Where did the manger scene go?

Fast forward to our second year in Italy.  Bird's family flew over to spend a month with us and we traveled all over together.  One of the places we stopped was Oberammergau.  While we were there, his parents bought us a new manger set to replace the one we could not find.

Fast forward 4 months.  I was beginning a new inventory because we're preparing to move back to the states.  As I check things off the old list and transferred them to the new list I come across something peculiar on a page of items we left with my grandparents in MT.  It simply said,

 "Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus." 

I immediately looked at the clock to decipher the time change between Italy and the US and proceeded to call my grandparents.  My inventory was so detailed I was able to tell them exactly what color the box was and what the label on top said and I asked them to look inside and see if said box held the LOST MANGER SCENE.

VOILA! 

Mystery Solved! 

You can imagine how utterly stupid I felt admitting we had it all along.  Especially since I had typed the words myself, in BOLD print mind you but didn't recall ever seeing it.  When Bird called his parents to tell them the mystery had been solved and the manger scene was safe in my grandparents basement their laughs could be heard through the phone clear on the other side of the room.  It turns out our blunder worked out for all involved.  We ended up passing the lost set on to Bird's sister since we now had the one pictured below. 

Now, when any of us are unable to find anything and it suddenly turns up under our noses we chant the words, "Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus" and chuckle to ourselves all over again. 

How about you and your family?  Do you have any crazy mishap moments that often come to mind and make you laugh?

Frizzy's Fruitful Harvest and Then Some

I believe I've mentioned how I always longed to have a garden of my own.  It's something I've wanted to do so badly but worried I wouldn't be able to stick it out.  I love the idea of digging in the soil, planting seeds and bringing a garden to life.  However, I do not enjoy finding the little creatures which live in the soil or on my plants and decide to gorge themselves on my fruits and veggies.  To be honest, that's normally where my gardening romance ends. 

The last few years, I've planted and successfully raised tomatoes with my mother's help and encouragement.   In fact, we've had such great success with them we decided to plant a variety this year including Early Girls, Grape tomatoes, Cherry tomatoes, Beef Steaks and Heirlooms. Surprisingly, the grape tomatoes pictured below may be our favorites!  While the squirrels and other critters have decided our Heirlooms, Early Girls and Beef Steak tomatoes are theirs.  Believe it or not, two of our four tomato plants have grown to be almost 10 feet tall and are only inches below the rain gutters on our roof.

  I would like to give Suzanne, author of the blog Privet and Holly a big THANK YOU for sharing this delicious Strawberry-Tomato salsa recipe this morning. 

Like Suzanne, I substituted peaches for the strawberries and OH MY WORD!  Each bite explodes with such amazing flavors!  A definite must try for everyone!  As soon as I saw it on her blog I had to go cut the peaches and tomatoes I had sitting on my counter and give it a whirl!

OK, Where was I?  Oh yes, my garden update! Thanks to the success of our previous tomato gardens we decided to take this year's garden a little further.  We planted potatoes, cucumbers, yellow squash, zucchini, pumpkins, pole beans, an avocado tree and herbs.  Each morning and evening I've ventured through my garden to see if anything has grown or needs a little TLC.  It's also been fun working on a project like this with my mom.  I've really enjoyed spending cool mornings in the garden with her pulling weeds and discussing how to improve a plant's health or a better layout for next year's garden.  Thanks Mom!

One thing I didn't plan on receiving this summer was an impromptu "sex education" lesson from my aunt, Karolyn on how to tell the difference between male and female squash, zucchini or pumpkin blossoms.   That's one conversation and morning I'll never forget.  Needless to say, upon returning home from our vacation I learned why my garden wasn't producing any squash, zucchini or pumpkins.  Each and every one of them were male plants!  GO FIGURE!  My husband and I are infertile why shouldn't our garden be as well?  HONESTLY!  It's the story of our life and if we don't laugh about it we will cry and trust me when I tell you we have had PLENTY laughs over this topic this summer. 

Anyway, as with our own infertility struggles I wasn't about to give up at the first sight of trouble.  I decided to take matters into my own hands and began cross pollinating all of their blossoms in hopes a miracle might still occur.  Yaya has since named me"The Pumpkin Fairy" because a week or so later as I wandered through my garden I found this lovely pumpkin blossom.  In case you aren't aware, IT'S A GIRL!   

You can imagine my excitement and glee!  I could have done cartwheels right then and there! FYI, The male blossoms only have one center stamen and the females have five in a circle.

If that weren't enough excitement for this old gal a few days later I noticed this little beauty. 

HELLO! MY SWEET!

In the photo below, you can see the teeny tiny zucchini and squash I've plucked from our garden.  I'm not talking about the big yellow squash and zucchini under all the other goodies.  I'm talking about the tiny ones in front of the basket or resting on top.  You'll also notice our first potato laying on top along with my very own Italian Parsley, beans and tomatoes too.

My mom and I planted about 20 or so bean plants and they started off doing really well.  They climbed all the way to the roof of our home and along the overhang.  One by one little white blossoms started popping up.  We couldn't wait to enjoy those beans in a salad or smothered in cheese sauce.  Unfortunately, they only seemed to be ready one at a time or if we were lucky in threes.  Not really enough to make a meal of.  If that weren't enough to make us sad, last week our beautiful bean plants came down with some sort of fungus.  They were covered in white dust and the leaves turned brown and crunchy.  My mom looked it up and we sprayed them according to what we believe it was.  Unfortunately, it only got worse.  Yesterday, Bird pulled them all out of the ground and put them out of their misery.  It was a sad afternoon for me to see them go.

Our cucumbers are producing but not well and they look more like lemon cucumbers than the ones we planted from seed.  It's been another disappointment but one I'm not going to let get to me.  We'll try for cucumbers again next summer and hopefully we'll have some to pickle.

Just before Yaya's birthday our plum tree was filled with gorgeous ripe plums. We couldn't eat them fast enough even with the help from the squirrels who had more than their fare share.  My mom and I made 19 jars of plum jelly.  We made 3 different batches and each one turned out a little different though we still can't figure out why.  Is there anything as pretty as a homemade jar of jelly?

My neighbor across the street has been such a blessing.  She has brought us tons of zucchini and yellow squash from her garden.  I've shredded and frozen 10 bags of zucchini for future zucchini  bread this fall.  In addition, she gave us a delicious zucchini relish recipe that is TO DIE FOR! My mom and I have made 3 batches of the relish and now have 19 jars of zucchini relish to share and devour over the winter season.  

As an added bonus, years ago my mom was given my great grandma, Alice's water bath for canning.  We've used it for each and every batch of jelly and relish and we've felt a special closeness to her all summer.  Once in a while it will sputter and make some funny noises and we've decided it's great grandma trying to let us know how happy she is someone's using her canner.  Then again, maybe she was trying to tell us what it was we were doing different with each batch of jelly or relish. 

This was our first batch of zucchini relish! 

You may wonder if I still have romantic ideas about gardening.  I do!  In fact, I probably feel even stronger about it now.  I can't imagine a better way to love and nourish my family from the inside out.  I love knowing where our food comes from and what has gone into it.  Plus, it has saved us money at the grocery store!  The biggest bonus I've received is the quiet mornings with Yaya and my mom in our garden.   

Do you have a garden?  If so, how has it done this year?  What has been your favorite treat from it?  Will you be planting anything in the fall?

What Life is All About

FAMILY

My grandparents celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary early in July and to celebrate this wonderful milestone the entire family flew in from around the U.S. to throw them a party and celebrate.  It was so much fun seeing them smiling and enjoying the family they've built together.  I don't think they stopped smiling the entire weekend which was exactly what we hoped for.

Friday night and Saturday my dad rented the conference room at the hotel for the family to relax and gather together.  My parents also supplied TONS of food for everyone.  Mom and I decorated the room different both days which was so much fun.  We hope the little homemade touches gave the sterile room boost color and warmth. 

I also enjoyed catching up with my cousins, aunts, uncles and even very distant relatives I hadn't seen since I was a kid.  On my paternal side of the family I am the eldest of four grandchildren. I am also the only granddaughter.  I got to hold all my cousins when they were babies so it's a bit surreal for me to see them grown up with children of their own running around.  Is it really possible we're all adults now?!

Saturday night, I made sure to take some family photos at the restaurant before my grandparent's anniversary dinner and I thought I would share them here.

The guests of honor.

My dad, their eldest son.

My uncle, Kevin (their youngest) with Zeus and my second cousin Debbie.

My brother with his boys and his girlfriend and her boys.

Kevin's youngest son (my cousin) with his wife. 

Kevin's eldest son (my cousin) with his wife and daughter.  You might recognize her as Momma M in my side bar on the right.

My grandfather's little brother, Roger and his wife. 

My grandmother's great nephew (my second or third cousin) and his fiance. 

My grandfather with his brother and cousins. 

(As a little bonus, Dave (seen in the top Right of this photo) has researched our family's genealogy.
Turns out I'm Celine Dion's 10th cousin removed or something like that.  Which is pretty cool considering I'm one of her biggest fans.  WHO KNEW!) 

My dad had a blast as "Master of Ceremonies."  He put together a raffle, a roast and a slide show with family photos from the last 60 years plus.

My grandmother's sister couldn't attend due to her terminal cancer but she made sure her love and presence were felt.  She put together a few hilarious gifts.  One gift bag represented my grandparents life when they were first married. The other held gifts that represented their life after 60 years.   

A sexy night gown with matching thong.

These boxer shorts said, "Tickle My Pickle." 

Bird and I bought these Bride and Groom Mickey Mouse ears for my grandparents when we were at Disney in March.  We had to make sure everyone knew it was their special weekend even at breakfast Sunday morning. 

I think it's safe to say everyone had a fun weekend and we're looking forward to celebrating their 70th in 10 years.

Yaya's 5th Birthday ParTea

Yaya turned 5 at the beginning of July and all she wanted was a garden tea party without boys.  

We invited the girls from her preschool class and got to work planning the party. 

(This is the photo I took and made into the invitation.)

We hit the jackpot when a friend of mine loaned me the decorations from her daughter's June wedding.  We hung flower balls, lights and Japanese lanterns all over my parent's yard.

As each girl and her mother arrived we took their picture on Yaya's birthday throne.

(I'm making each of their photos into a personalized Thank You card.)

We played the telephone game where one girl whispered a secret in another's ear and passed it on to another to see if it ended up being the same at the end.  Once the girls got the hang of it they had a blast.  What little girl doesn't love telling secrets?!

 The girls enjoyed garden salad pizza, little smokies in BBQ sauce, peanut butter and jelly finger sandwiches and fruit kabobs for dinner.   Raspberry lemonade and sun tea were served in real tea cups with saucers.  I found 2 complete sets of floral tea cups and saucers at local thrift stores for under $18.00.  JACKPOT!  The best part?  I didn't worry if anything got broken because it wasn't a family heirloom. 

Pinkies Up!

Yaya begged me to make her a pretty cake with real flowers on it not frosting flowers.  Upon asking a few more questions as to why she wanted real flowers on her cake she admitted it was so she could lick the frosting off of them.  I swear she cracks me up!  Shhh... she didn't even notice that I cheated and used flowers I bought from Michaels off the clearance racks.  My "little smoochie" couldn't wait to blow out her candles. 

After dinner and cake the girls enjoyed "Freeze Dancing."  My dad downloaded the Freeze Dance song from Choo Choo Soul.  They had fun listening to the words and freezing when the singer said, "FREEZE."  Is there anything more lovely than a group of little girls dancing, spinning, squealing and giggling their hearts out?

The party ended with each girl setting a lantern into the pool.  Yaya explained she wanted to set lanterns free like they did on Rapunzel's birthday in the movie Tangled.   

"Girls Only" 

Each girl went home with a party favor box that held a tea cup, saucer, hand stitched handkerchief,  heartshaped ring and candy bracelet and a tiny flowerpot with lip gloss inside.  The best part of the night was when Yaya came up and hugged me saying, "Momma, that was the best birthday party EVER!  I love you!"  That was all the thanks I needed.

Cherished Christmas Memories

Yaya's preschool Christmas program.

   

Our 2nd Annual Gingerbread Party.

 Bird has wanted to take us to Multnomah Falls, Oregon for years.  What a breathtaking place to visit!

A cozy day with Evy and her family.

Game nights with Bird's family. 

Silent Night during Christmas Eve Candlelight service.

Boppy, Bo, Kendall, Yaya and McKenna

Yaya's Christmas gift from Bo and Boppy.

Christmas morning.  Learning they're going to Disney in March.

Aunt Allison, Kendall and McKenna

40th Annual Christmas morning brunch hosted by the Grubbs.

  

Hunting for shells along the water's edge near Bo and Boppy's.  

2 of 7 Heavenly rainbows we gazed upon over Christmas vacation.  Can you see the second one just to the right?

 

Heading home we avoided some nasty weather by stopping at a hotel over night.

Enjoying the aftermath of the snow storm at Mt. Shasta.

Stretch break at the Sundial bridge in Northern CA.

New Year's Eve at Nana and Pappy's.

I wonder what wonderful blessings lay ahead of us in 2011?