44 Days

Yesterday my daughter came running up to me exclaiming, "44 More Days!  44 More Days!"

She's the countdown queen always counting down to the next big event.  Skipping, singing...44 more days!  As soon as the jubilant words were in earshot, I was overcome with a huge sense of anxiety.  My heart began racing.  Adrenaline was coursing through my extremities.

FORTY-FOUR more days until...

Grandma Telling Stories of the Past

My Papa used to tell SO MANY stories of growing up in South Dakota, traveling out west, and settling in Seattle. In addition he had oodles of zany escapades recounting our crazy family history.  When he was around I thought I'd NEVER forget these nuggets of history, but now...they're hard to recall unless I'm with family and we jog each other's memories.  Oh how I wish I would have captured them!

Recently I went out to lunch with my Grandma, kids and cousin.  My Grandma began telling a story about settling in the Rainier Valley of Seattle.  I quickly changed the camera mode to record and tried to capture a bit.  I wish I would have gotten more, but it's inspired me to try in the future.

Here's the little tidbit I caught.  It's only about two minutes, but so rich in memory-making.

Perfect Words, Perfect Timing

This week was All-Star selection in our local little league.  It's met with enthusiasm and anticipation as boys from ages 9-13ish await to find out if they've "made the cut."  It's also a stressful time of anticipation for parents too.  Do we prepare our kids for the excitement or the big letdown?

Sports, politics and the politics of kids' sports stir up a mixed bag of emotions.  On one hand, I know in every league, if people are involved there will be amazing dedicated volunteers, kids striving for the best they can be and parents hoping their child will shine in America's Best-Loved sport.  On the other hand, with people involved and human flaws, life happens and the outcomes are not always fair...but that's life.  It's not fair.  And that's okay.

My Brother Visits

The saying that time flies when you're having fun is so true.  I can't believe we've lived in southern California for almost three years!  In these three years we've had some friends and family visit, but in May we had some extra special visitors.  I think we had my mother-in-law, my Grandma and most recently my brother, sister-in-law and niece came for a one week visit.  As expected, the seven days FLEW by!

Little League Day & Albert Pujols Hits His First Angels' Homer

Yesterday we celebrated Little League Day at Angels' Stadium and kicked off a fun-filled-action-packed family day.  We met with our fellow Orange County Little Leaguers in the Angel Stadium parking lot on the morning of May 6th.  There were thousands of anxious kids with coaches and team parents awaiting their turn to enter through the tunnels and step out onto Angel Field.

Field Tripping with Grandma: The Mission at San Juan Capistrano

"When the swallows come back to Capistrano," Grandma began singing when I told her we'd be heading to San Juan Capistrano to field trip at the mission. Interestingly enough, this song was written and released in 1939 when my Grandma was 13 years old.  This is the same age as our oldest son.  It's fun to think of my little grandma as a 13 year old girl singing this song.

Grandma Gets Her First Mani & Pedi

We are blessed to have Grandma visiting once again.  She arrived late last night and we're already filling our days with good times.

Today after schooling, a trip to the Goodwill, and swimming I asked Grandma if she'd like to go for a manicure and pedicure.  At first, she looked at me with surprised eyes and then shook her head, "No."  I asked why not and then asked if she took good care of her nails and toes.  She proceeded to take off her white tennis shoes and socks, which are on from sun-up until she climbs in bed, to show me her little feeties.  One glance and I said, "We're going in."

Spring Training Highlights Seattle Mariners

Living in southern California, hasn't changed how our littles feel about the Mariners. They are still a favorite team with the boys so we couldn't miss seeing them in action while in Arizona.  And, they are great about signing autographs/balls for the kids. It's great when a team appreciates the fans.

The line-up against the Royals

Mike Wilson signing for the kids

Mike Wilson

Vinnie Catricala 

The kids with Mike Wilson

Mike Wilson

Vinnie Catricala

Vinnie Catricala and to the left is one of "The Old Bats"

Mike Saunders and... leaning over-someone's agent

Mike Saunders and one of The Old Bats.  The Old Bats know EVERYTHING about the Mariners!

Mike Saunders

Mike Saunders

Michael Saunders

The back of The Old Bats.

Story about the Old Bats...You can't miss their bright pink sign and white spiky hair. These quintessential Mariners fans sit along the first base line out toward right field.  They are stocked with a line up of Tootsie pop suckers set out to entice the ambling players as they walk onto the field.  Knowing who prefers the raspberry sucker over the chocolate or who hit a double recently appeals to the players.  The players really seem to appreciate those who know the game and know the statistics. With game stubs in hand adorned with sticky notes of highlights of past games they call the players over, "Mr. Saunders, ..." and then they make small talk, ask performance questions, and ever-so-politely ask players to sign for the kids.  Love it!  These gals love their baseball!  They keep score at every game and are willing to teach a baseball-know-nothing something.

We met these gals last year and when we hit the field in Peoria this year we kept our eyes out for The Old Bats.  They were right where we left them last year.  We were able to sit with them again and hopefully next year we'll find them in along the sidelines cheering on the team!

Alex Liddi 

Alex Liddi 

Alex Liddi

Alex Liddi

KC

Justin Smoak

Blake Beavan

Justin Smoak signed for the kids...the only 3 autographs he gave this game.

Justin Smoak

Blake Beavan

Justin Smoak

Blake Beavan and...who knows who these Royals fans are

Ichiro!

Ichiro doesn't sign

Ichiro's interpreter

Dustin Ackley

Dustin Ackley

Dustin Ackley

Dustin Ackley

Dustin

Ichiro

Ichiro

Bye

Bye Guys 

End of post #1...more Mariners photos coming

Ari's 9th Birthday Continued

After our morning of French toast, we headed out on the town to continue to celebrate our girlie.

One outing that's become part of our annual birthday celebration for our girlie is a stop at Starbucks for a Venti 2% Decaf Caramel Frappacino with Whip.  Why, you may ask?  Well, we'd have to thank her great-grandma, a.k.a. Gommer P.  Gommer P. loves Caramel Frappacino's with extra caramel.  On one of her visiting trips she purchased one and gave a sip to the kids.  That was the end!  The kids LOVED it!!! BUT...they're about $5 each and $5 times 3 kids...is a spendy outing reserved for only for Birthday's.

And since Starbuck's is in our local Barne's and Noble store and I love to buy them books, it's one of our favorite celebration stops.

Professional Shopper

Get Away From It All And Enjoy America's Favorite Past-time

Last year, my hub packed up the car and took us on an adventure to Arizona so we could experience Spring Training.  Despite my protests, reminding him of ALL the things we NEEDED to do, he insisted we get away from it all and relax.

Merry Christmas!

Here's an oldie from the early 1970's...

Wishing you and yours a blessed Christmas!

Grandma and Andrea Boccelli

This is my Grandma.

Someone should write a book of her life.  

It wouldn't be a romantic story of a charmed life.  

It also wouldn't be a woe-is-me story of crappy life events creating a pitiful life saga of a victim.  

Hers would be a story of perseverance, family, hard work and a whole lot of feisty sassiness.  These traits  helped her overcome real-life tragic events making her a strong, resilient, 85-year old mother of four, grandmother of fifteen (at least), and great-grandmother to about eighteen children.

Despite her bent arthritic fingers, my grandma has the most enduring strong work ethic you'll ever encounter.  I truly admire her. She can still clean, weed, garden, and do laundry better than anyone reading this.  It's the TRUTH!

I also admire her sense of family loyalty.  She's the Queen Mama Bear.  It is my heritage!  Don't mess with Mama Bear or Grandma Bear or you may just have a knock-down-drag-out on your hands.

Looking at her tiny frame, yet strong appearance it's hard to imagine the hardships of life she's experienced.   

She was born in Minnesota to Native American parents.  Losing her mother and baby sister to tuberculosis and contracting it herself, she was sent to a sanitarium to live for three years, from ages 5-8.  While at the sanitarium she did not see nor have visits from family or friends.  I can't even begin to imagine the pain of separation she experienced.

She survived tuberculosis, only to return to her reservation to be once again separated from family.  According to government policy of the time, Native American kids were shipped off to government schools.  Life there was challenging and disheartening to say the least.  She was forced to deny her native heritage and forbidden to speak her native language.

Depending on the year, she was at various government and/or Catholic schools until she was 16.  During the school year, she wouldn't see family until summer.  During the summers she would return home to be care-giver to her half-sister's family. Because of her strong work ethic and survival skills, she was more valuable as child-care-provider to the kids than a student.  

Despite being only 16-years old and a flourishing student, during World War II, she was pulled out of school put on a train by herself and sent west to Seattle to become a nanny to her niece.  

I'm told during this experience she was scared and shy.  She was placed on a train filled with soldiers in uniform.

Why did they send her?  

She was told she was ambitious.  She had no choice, but work.

Being ambitious, hard-working, and driven doesn't come from having everything handed to you.  It comes from discipline, doing without, trials, and overcoming them.  I think we have a heritage of determined hard working people.  We're raised this way.  

I'm so proud to be the worker I am because of the blessed heritage I've been given.

Little tidbits of her life come out when you spend time with her.  On her recent visit she told me she had a beautiful sister.  Hollywood came looking for her sister, but she wouldn't leave her home.  Interesting.  

My Grandma did have a first cousin, Floyd Red Crow Westerman who was in the film industry.  He was a country music singer, actor and activist.  She was very sad when he passed away.  I look at photos of him and see a family resemblance.

Floyd Westerman

I was blessed to spend last week with my Grandma.  She flew down to spend seven days with us.  I wanted to do all I could do to make our time special and memorable for her.

She loves watching Andrea Boccelli on PBS.  I thought she'd appreciate seeing him in concert.

He had a scheduled performance in Anaheim at the Honda Center.

I bought tickets and asked her to bring some nice black clothing.  We were going see Andrea Bocelli in person.  After watching him, I realized it was not just a concert; it was an "experience!"

Words cannot describe how cute she was!  She was ready to go at 4:00pm.  The concert started at 7:30.  I told her we didn't need to leave that soon.

We still left early.

Ready to go

She's so cute!

The empty stadium

Entertaining ourselves while waiting for the concert to begin

We shared popcorn while we waited.  

Popcorn and Andrea- what could be better?

The orchestra arrives

Our neighbors took this for us

The music was indescribable!  My sweet grandma had to wipe a tear from her eye a time or two.  When music brings you to tears you know it's beyond special.

My grandma told me she used to love to sing opera when she was young.  She said in school they sang in Latin.  She doesn't remember it now because so many years have passed.

I hope singing along with Andrea made her feel like she felt as a child desiring to become an opera singer.  

Hoping she was able live the dream...in little ways.