8.31.12 Goodbye Summer

2012 was the summer I didn't "get summer." Cancer was getting the best of dad from March on, and after May, there were many struggles.  He went to the hospital the first week in May, and never came home. He bounced back and forth between the hospital and the nursing home.  I am very grateful to the staff in both places for caring for dad well.  I'm glad that mom wasn't working full time, so she could be there.  I'm glad the nursing home was 2 blocks from Cheryl's job, so she could stop in frequently and see Dad.  I'm glad for Jerad and Ryan's visits also.  I'm glad that all of my children got to see Dad, even going back to last Christmas.  Last night, Joey was taking his bath, and said, "I never got to go to Storybook Island this year."  I said, "No, grandpa Bill couldn't go to Storybook Island or Dinosaur Hill this year." Joe said, "He went with me lots of other times."

Cheryl and I wondered if dying from the heart complications in May would have been "easier" for dad, than the couple months of prolonged suffering.  However, in the end, we were very grateful for the extra time with him.  We had the opportunity to say everything we wanted to say, and listen to everything dad wanted to say. I am very glad he was thinking so clearly, all the way to the end, and could articulate what he wanted to say.
One weekend we were visiting, and Leah brought Matthew.  After seeing grandpa, we tried to go to Storybook Island, but it wasn't open yet!  So, we visited Stav Kirke and went on the "prayer trail" behind the chapel, which is new.  Joe and Matthew liked the path, and the statues.  They liked the viking hats and swords from the gift shop too. From there, of course, we went to Dinosaur Hill.

It occurs to me that the simplest things in life are often what are most important. Trapsing around on adventures such as these, make for a fine day.  I asked Dad if he thought it was ironic that the nursing home is only a couple of blocks from the Ace Hardware where he worked when he was 19 years old, and a few blocks from the McDonalds where he purchased a hamburger, fries, and a shake for one dollar!  It really is amazing that life brought him in a circle, over 50 years, geographically, back to a very specific location.  He could look out his window at M hill, and look to the east to dinosaur hill. He had thought of that.  So glad for the last few months with dad, and also Cheryl and Mom.

8.30.12August

It's hard to believe August is nearly over.  With the month starting out with Dad's funeral service, then Katie & Jordan's wedding, then school beginning for Joe and Emily, the month has flown by.  I would like to think we are past the 100 degree temps.  Those temperatures mean 45 minutes of watering a day just to keep the flowers alive. We planted Katie and Jordan's wedding hydrangeas in front of the porch.

• Many birthdays this month...Daniel, 11th
• Cheryl & Kyle's anniversary, 11th
• Lois, 12th
• Great Grandma Helen, 12th
• Gia, 13th
• Whitney, 22nd
• Elsie, 22nd
• Uncle Dick, the 25th
• Great Grandma Edie, 28th

Leah just shared that our sweet Matthew Thomas is starting preschool!  It will be fun to watch him learn and grow.  Time flies.  

We are also counting down time until Zach returns home.  We will update you when we learn more.  Goodbye, August.  

8.29.12  Dental visits
Yesterday was Joey's first dental visit to Dr. Chris.  Good news or bad news first?  The good news is that Joey liked Dr. Chris and they gave him a nice bag of dental care items....

The bad news is he has 6 cavities, and two more appointments scheduled.  One for fillings, one for spacers? He has spaces where his teeth were pulled last year.  The theory is that the spacers will keep his molars from moving forward and crowding out the other permanent teeth that will come in.  I think his favorite gift item was the timer, because the ends are shaped like teeth.  The timer is a good idea.  One minute seems like forever.   He kind of got the giggles when rinsing with the ACT flouride rinse.

Following the dental visit, we stopped at Shopko to use the $1 coupon on ACT flouride rinse.  Joey wanted to look at school supplies, which are now being clearanced, to make way for Christmas decor.  We found surprises for Emma there.

Red Angry Bird for Emma, Black Angry Bird for Joe.  Gotta love the clicker pen.  We also bought a dry erase board and pen for Joe to practice his spelling words on.  Reasons to come home for a visit Em!  Red Angry bird planner and clicker pen.

Well, not totally exciting, but realistic for our lives.  Just trying to work, get Joe to and from school, and keep the flowers alive in the 100 degree heat.

8.27.12 God's Seventh-Day Rest

Genesis, Chapter 2:1-3
"Thus the heavens and the earth and all the host of them were finished.
And on the seventh day, God ended His work, which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all his work, which He had done.
Then God Blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it, He rested from all his work."

Today has been a day of rest for us.  I went upstairs to sleep for an hour.  Dan and Joe were in the living room going back and forth between the movies "Big Jake" and "The Green Beret."  Talk about guy day! When I came downstairs, Joey was out.  He is still sleeping, 90 minutes later.  Do you think this has anything to do with being at the carnival the past three nights in a row, and staying up late?  It's just more fun to be downtown when the heat of the day is diminishing and the carnival lights shine.
This weekend I've been doing odds and ends projects in a variety of places....

• Dusting the ceiling fans, which seem horrifically dusty every time I get around to the task.
• Cleaning the upstairs bathroom, throwing out half used bottles of hair product left behind, and using comet in the tub!
• Packing up odds and ends items for goodwill/salvation army...some wedding stuff, some clothing.
• Sorting magazines and newspapers for recycling. 
• Sorting through stuff from the dining room I didn't have time to go through before the wedding. 
• Picking up toys from the living room that have been out since wedding weekend when Matthew was here.
• Actually did a full grocery shopping trip, hitting the perimeter of the store.

It's one of those weekends where small progress has been made in several rooms, but not drastically noticed.  I watched some DVR'd television....

• Super Soul Sunday interview with the cast and director of  the movie "Beasts of the Southern Wild", which I now desperately want to see. 
• Home by Novagratz...Joe and I watched this at 7 am.  Bob and Cortney Novagratz are a husband and wife design team with 7 children that live in New York City.  This week's episode was them flying to Mammoth Mountain, California, to decorate Tony Hawk's family ski home.  They took it from a 1970's dated looking place to a modern, fun place.  I had to show Dan the feature wall in which they painted it blue, and hung vintage skis on the wall. (On a side note, I asked Joe, "Do you know who Tony Hawk is?"  Joe said, "Yeah, he designs my clothes and shoes and stuff."  True! Designed by a team with Tony's approval, I'm certain.  I do buy Joe a lot of Tony Hawk brand clothing at Kohl's. He got to see footage of Tony Hawk skateboarding.) 
• The Pioneer Woman...new season starts next weekend! Joey likes Charlie the Ranch Dog, and we learned Ree's family has a second bassett hound named Walter.  

Joe is stirring now, asking if the carnival has started yet!  We promised him we would walk down for the last day.  He wants to try the hamster balls on land. 

I know that God "looked at all He had created, and saw that it was good."  I'm looking around at our home, thinking that it took months to get into this state, and it's "good enough" for today. It's good for us to detach from the business of the world and rest.

8-25-12  Matt's 15 Minutes!

If you go to this link, you can see a photo of Matt on a UNO poster.  I'm pleased that they used "Matthew."
Proud of you!

 http://instagr.am/p/Oww8ilxOdx/

8.24.12 Carnival nights

This is a beautiful sight to come home to....glowing coals!

Dan grilled brats and these delicious pork ribs.  Joey could not stop eating them.  He wanted Dan's and more.  We walked downtown after supper.  Hey, we paid $49 for the full week pass for Joe.  He might as well use it for all it's worth.  (I can hear the older kids thinking..."Gee, for us they only bought the One Day All you can ride pass!") (Yes, there's only one of Joe though.)
Our first stop....the giant hamster balls. This is going to be the $6 daily thing.  He was much better at it today, and actually had some hamster running stretches.  As long as there's not a long line, they let the kids stay in them for quite a while.
Another favorite last night...Bumper cars!

We enjoyed walking the midway.  Sometimes we see people we haven't seen for an entire year, since last year at the midway.  I run into former students, who are now teenagers and beyond.  Former coworkers, current coworkers, and even Joe's school friends.  He had fun with Kobi and Patrick last night.  We stayed until after 10.  It's fun when the lights are on at night.

So, today and tomorrow will be carnival rides also.  It's supposed to be 79 degrees, and it's overcast, so downtown isn't too roasty.

Sidenotes...Em posted pics of her dorm room.  Katie needs mail, so she can get some official documents changed to her married name.  Text her for her address!

8.23.12   Festival week
This morning after taking Joe to school, Dan and I left to haul a van load of items to school for Em.  She drove on her own.  The campus was already bustling when we arrived.  Moving in was easier this year. Emily brought less things, but Dan brought a dolly and that helped a lot.  Bed, fridge, microwave, lamps, chairs, and tv/dvd were all connected before we left.  We enjoyed lunch at KFC, and Em had most of her things put away.  It was sad saying goodbye, but also, i am happy knowing Emily is at a school that is a good fit for her.  Maybe she will resume her blog, so we can see photos when her room is in order.
Meanwhile, at home, Katie picked up Joe from daycare and took him downtown to the carnival.  This photo is them on a bench in front of one of Joe's favorites, a hall of mirrors/climbing maze that ends with a slide down to the ground.

A new and exciting this year are these giant Hampster balls!  Joe chose the ball in the water, but there is also a set on land. It was challenging!  The water made for soft landings when kids face planted inside the ball.

After 3 hours of fun, it was time to head home.  Joe needed to practice for his spelling test, have a bath and a snack.  Our bedtime story tonight was a National Geographic for Kids book about Penguins.

More news to share....Matt called last night to tell us he had completed his first lecture!  He is responsible for teaching a class to master's degree students, and also responsible for overseeing the lab.  We are looking forward to hearing more about Matt's new ventures, and Mauri's clinical work in the dental lab.  Here is a photo of them from Mauri's "white coat ceremony" in May.  We attended, as did Mauri's family.  This ceremony signals the end of their academic coursework, and the focus for the rest of the program on actual clinical work.

That's all for today.  We got a lot accomplished.  We miss having Emily here already.

8.22.12 Twas the Night Before Moving...

Tomorrow we take Em back to school.  Actually, she's driving, and we're hauling her stuff.  She has been packing for 2 days.  Tonight we carried it all outside to the van, which is full, and also filled the trunk of the Taurus.  Em calls her car "Capricorn" instead of Taurus. Last night and tonight, Emily has shared bedtime story reading with us.  Em will miss Joe, and Joe will miss Em.  He doesn't like it when she leaves.

We love having our kids home.  While we are glad Emily is healthy, and growing in ways appropriate for her age, we miss her when she is away at school. Tonight Dan filled the van and Em's car with gas, and vaccuumed out the van prior to loading.  Katie will pick up Joey from daycare and take him downtown to the carnival.  With any luck, we'll be back in time for the fresh squeezed lemonade. That could be my next post!
I laugh when I think back to last year.  We stopped at McDonalds, and Em's care literally broke down less than a mile from there, and we coasted to the shoulder.  Ended up getting the Taurus a month later. May we make it to college and home without car trouble.  May Emily pick up her books and go to the technology center to get her laptop synced up before the rest of campus!  May we haul everything in without collapsing from exhaustion!

Good luck with a new year Emma.

8.20.12  School Begins!

This is a staged photo from last night.  Remember how I used to make each of you take a picture by the back to school flag on the first day of school?  I feared Em would not be up yet, so I asked her to take a photo last night with Joe.  Yesterday we wrapped up Joe's school shopping.  The stretchy book covers had eluded us. Also had shopping to do for Em's dorm room....cleaning and laundry supplies, a fan, some dishes, office supplies, etc.  I remember how difficult it was to do "back to school shopping" for four kids, instead of just one.  Joe was anxious last night and had trouble falling asleep.  Today was better.  He has two kids new to the school in his classroom, which is exciting. He had music and computers today for specials.  Homework wasn't too bad for the first day!  One day down, 175 to go.  

8.19.12  Summer Days
One of the things I enjoy between April and October, are the flowers and plants in our yard.  On our front porch I have baskets of impatiens every year, pots of sweet potato vines, baskets of geraniums, and sometimes pots of begonias. Our front porch is used more than our back deck, I think.  Part of that is that as the kids were growing up, they were in the front, riding bikes, drawing with sidewalk chalk, and sometimes jumping rope.  The front porch is shady. It's a nice place to read.  It's also social!  When we are on the front porch, we are connected to our neighborhood.  People walk by, and sometimes stop to visit, or just say hello.  It is from my front porch that I observe our neighborhood transitioning. More young couples are buying homes in the neighborhood, renovating and making them their own. They walk by with strollers and pets.  Here's to summer and flowers, neighbors and visiting...

In the back yard I added St. Francis this year.  He's offering bird seed!

Yesterday we enjoyed an afternoon at the swimming pool with Joe, probably our last visit there this summer.  He especially liked "free time" in the deep water with Dan.  Usually they only let people go off the plunge slide, or the diving board, but during Free time, you are able to jump and swim in the 12 foot depth. We enjoyed our last rides down the slides as well. Summer days are winding down.  

8.18.12  What I'm Reading Now...

I am an avid reader.  It is not unusual for me to be reading three books at time.  I like to have one fiction book, one non-fiction book, and something relating to professional reading at all times.  What I read that day depends on my mood, how much I want to think, and how tired I am. Right now I'm reading Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, by Cheryl Strayed.

She has a really strong, unique writer's voice.  It's almost as though she is sitting in the room having a conversation with you as you are reading the book. Wild is one of those stories that needed to be told.  Its appeal will be very broad.  People who love nature and hiking will like it.  People who've experienced heartache will like it. People who have struggled will like it.  People who are adventurous will like it.  People who are couch potatoes and are afraid to live life will be inspired by it!
At the same time, I am reading her newest book, Dear Sugar, which is totally different from the narrative style of Wild. It is a collection of advice columns that she wrote for an online site.  You still hear her voice in the writing, even though they're very different styles.

When I find an author I like, it is not uncommon for me to read everything they've written.  This year, I've had binges of reading Wayne Dyer and Caroline Myss.  The Hunger Games trilogy I borrowed is on the mantle. Not really my genre, but if there's something that has garnered a lot of attention, I like to read it and make my own judgement. Zoomed through the Fifty Shades of Gray this summer. Took an online class for college credit based on the book Teach Like a Champion:49 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to College by Doug Lemoy. I started The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, but stalled out by the heaviness of it.  Will come back to it in the fall.

 I just finished The Language of Flowers for book club, and that is how my blog became Chrysanthemum Petals.  Chrysanthemums represent "truth", and these are little bits of truth about my life and family.

8.18.12  Rain and Espresso
An hour ago it started raining.  This, in the middle of August, in a year of drought.  The grass is the front yard has been brown and crunchy for 6 weeks already.  We've only had measurable precipitation twice in the past 4 months. I came downstairs and made my espresso.  (Espresso deserves its own post!) For the past hour, I have enjoyed sitting on the front porch, listening to and watching the rain, drinking my espresso.  Quiet times are not frequent in my life.  I find if I don't grab the quiet time early in the morning, the opportunity is gone for the rest of the day.  To sit in peace for an hour is a beautiful thing.  It is meditative. A quiet time with no interruptions...time to ponder life, offer up prayers of gratitude, and equals the sacredness of any church service I participate in. There has been thunder, lighting, and beautiful sounds of water gushing out of downspouts, raindrops on the sidewalks and roof, and rivers of water rushing along in the gutters.
I grabbed one of Dan's mini flashlights and proceeded to check Joe's rain gauge.  Apparently, Joe has inherited the family trait of interest in all things weather related!  We have a half inch so far....and it's still raining!  This is God's gift to me today, and many other people, I'm sure.

8.18.12  Looking forward to Zach's return
Sometimes when I get up early in the morning, I will pop on facebook to see if Zach happens to be on.  The worst part of deployment is the lack of ability to communicate.  Mail takes weeks to get overseas, and sometimes Zach is in a remote place and they just hold his mail at a base until he returns.  Internet access is very limited.  phone coverage is sketchy at best.
August is half over, so the days in the "stan" are dwindling down.  Zach should be back in the US in September sometime, and then 3 weeks in Texas before coming home.  I am looking forward to him coming from this...

To more of this!

And this...

Counting down the days. 

8.15.12  River days

Last week Dan and Joe went to the river.  Katie and Jordan also went for a day.  I really enjoyed the photos Whitney posted on facebook.  I haven't been to the river this year, and seeing the water and the river bluffs was fun, even in photos.  Here is Joe, getting ready to tube.

Here is Joe at the end of one of his rides!

Life is an adventure!  Every day Joe would bring home rocks, sticks, and other items. I'm glad that my family got to enjoy the river.  There is just something about driving over the hill and seeing the Missouri that is always a good feeling.

Dan has still got it!  We are blessed to live so close to the river, and that we have Eleanor and Jerry's boat to take out. New generations are enjoying the water.  I like to think Jerry is smiling down on all of us!

This kind of reminds me of CBS Sunday Morning, where they leave you with 60 seconds of looking at something that makes you happy!

8.13.12 Celia Kelly Pine Forrest

Tonight after supper Dad, Joe, and I went for a drive around the lake.  We stopped at the Celia Kelly Pine Forrest.  The sign says it was established in 1932.  The Mitchell Garden Club has worked over the past year to clear some brush and tidy up the walking trail.  As I understand it, Celia Kelly planted many pine trees, and watered them every day throughout the depression to keep them alive.  The trees recently came back into the spotlight when a city council member proposed that the city clear these trees and sell the land for housing lots.  The logic was that the land could generate property tax dollars.
A small group of people started collecting signatures to bring the matter to a public vote.  These people received a lot of criticism, but they persevered.  They were right!  we really enjoyed the walk.  Right now you can easily walk the trail in about 15 minutes, listening to crickets chirp, and other insect noises. The garden club volunteers have cleared a small area with a picnic table and some chairs, and next year, there will be perennial flowers blooming.

Everyone should take a little time for peace and quiet.

8.12.12 Wedding Recovery weekend

Greetings.  Never fear.  I don't intend to post every day.  After settling up with Marilyn, the wedding decorator, I  brought some items home.  Available for our next celebration of any kind....75 plastic champagne flutes and rock candy! Joey keeps drinking ordinary beverages out of these.  Maybe we'll use them when Zach returns?

Anyway, we've returned to normalcy here.  Dad planted the wedding hydrangeas in front of the porch.  He and Uncle David consulted on "project oust the pigeons." The pigeons were sitting on the roof like they didn't know what to do next.  The hole where they were nesting in  is temporarily blocked, until the roofers come to to the roof. 

I did laundry and made an ordinary supper...chicken and rice/tater tot casserole.  After Joe went to bed last night, dad and I watched the olympics...diving, and relay races.  I am sad to see the Olympic action come to an end. 

We went to early mass this morning, and then Grandma El took us to the American Legion for breakfast.  We had not been there since the last time we went with Grandpa Jerry and Grandma El.

Joey is watching "Kronk's New Groove" and eating popcorn, nestled under his ring bearer thank you gift....the Angry Birds blanket. Dad is searching for Katie's misplace car keys.  I was hoping for a nap, but instead, went to walmart with Em's camera chip and order reprints/cds of Grandpa Bill's funeral service. So, it's a quiet day here.

I must say, I appreciate the blog's ability to resize pictures off my phone!  More another day....mom/stacie

8.11.12 Cool and Cloudy

Greetings!  Highlights today are:

• Cheryl and Kyle's 28th wedding anniversary
• Daniel's 28th birthday (Running a half marathon in Vancouver to mark the day!)

Tomorrow:

• Lois'  birthday, and the anniversary of Great Grandma Helen's birthday

Well, Katie and Jordan are one week into marriage.  Congratulations!  We are happy for this new beginning in your lives, and glad for Jordan to officially be part of our family.  Not much has changed for Gia.  I do have a bag of dog treats here for her. Thanks for sharing this photo Renia.  It was a delightful day, missing only Zach's presence.  The wedding was lovely, the dance was fun, and the companionship of family and friends was priceless. We are planting their wedding hydrangeas today.

Speaking of Zach, Renia shared that Zach has a fever and body-ache flu.  The medic gave him Tylenol.  is there no ibruprofen to be found in the "stan?"  In my experience, it's the only thing that will touch the fever/bodyache.  Be well soon Zach! Signs point to the unit shipping home in about a month, followed by three weeks in Texas.  We can't wait to see you again Zach.

This week Emily's car went to Lawler Automotive twice.  She had another dental marathon with Dr. Chris.  I picked up her contact lenses, and paid for her books for this semester.  Packages are arriving daily with lamp, new bedspread, and other things for dorm.  Today she got t-shirts that said "Problems-99", which is funny if you know the song.  I said "Em, you have 99 problems, but your car ain't one!"  Thanks to Lawler auto. 

Mauri had good news this week!  She passed the "big test" and will start clinical work right away.  We are happy that Matt and Mauri could be home last week, and enjoyed spending time with them. 

Dan and Joey went to Chamberlain each day, Mon-Friday. Joey skied on Monday for the first time.  Katie and Jordan went along on Wednesday, when the waves were high.  Each day Joey would bring home sticks, rocks, and even boulders! Joey really loved  the river days. 

Joey received a letter from his 2nd grade teacher, who is Deb Owens.  She was also his preschool teacher, and we liked her.  Joe has all his school supplies.  Today I tried to order pants for him in 10 slim!  Lands End let me down.  They do not have "climber" pants, after carrying them for about 25 years.  Joey is showing signs of worry, that he doesn't remember "math and reading."  I think once he starts, he'll be o.k.

Dan painted trim on the dormer on the roof yesterday, and primed the siding up there. He's trying to paint the high spots before the roofers come, so he doesn't have to walk on the newly shingled roof.  We have no timeline on the roof.  Could be October!

Tomorrow at noon I meet with the wedding decorator, to pay her.  I am trying to sell her the glassware from the tables, and the extra 5 dozen champagne flutes!  She said, "From the looks of the room, a good time was had by all."  Not sure what that meant!  The bartenders would have removed all the bottles that night.  

This is the first "normal" weekend we've had in a long time.  I am simply cleaning the kitchen, putting away some wedding debris, and doing laundry.  Joey has Charlie and Lizzy over.  They are running in and out of the house talking and laughing.  

I hope this finds you well and happy!  Love, Mom/Stacie