Showing posts with label Mom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mom. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Friday, December 12, 2008
Happy 40th Anniversary Dad and Mom!
Today is my parents 4oth anniversary. Wow. I feel like I can still remember when my grandparents had their 40th, but maybe that was their 50th. Either way, time flies and I'm sure for them it has seemed even faster.
We sent them a MyPublisher book full of pictures from their college years, marriage, and through our 2005 family reunion.
Thought I'd share a few:
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Eight Men and a truck and ...a lady?
Ha. I found another picture as a follow up to the previous post. Monday, September 8, 2008
Parents visit Washington
My parents came to visit and we had a great time! On Friday evening we went out to the Old Country Buffet, their favorite restaurant of the year, and ate the "healthy" food on the menu as well as from a selection of basic desserts. Through their extensive market research, my parents have stated that the Ohio chain is far superior to the food offerings provided in the Virginia chain AND at a fraction of the cost. Yes, this is the east coast - you pay more, get less and skimp on the customer service just to ensure you have an inferior experience.
We came home and I suggested we watch Pride and Prejudice - the BBC version. I just told my parents it was a "little long." Ha. Well, it was apparently engaging enough that we watched the entire thing. That's six hours in front of the tv! This would never have been allowed at my house growing up, but things change when parents are too tired to worry about these details and their youngest child is 19 years old. Well, and it is Pride and Prejudice.
Saturday morning was a little drippy outside thanks to Hurricane Hanna and after realizing all of our umbrellas were in the cars, we headed toward the city and actually found a parking spot right by the Library of Congress main building. I love the architecture in DC. It looks amazing from the outside. However, when you get in the building (on the bottom level) and are routed by the information desk to get a library card, you get to see an entirely different side to the exterior grandosity. We had to follow all of these underground walk ways to some abscure place to get our Library of Congress library card. The cards are intended for use, and not as a souvenor. As usual, how are they going to know? We filled out paperwork and got our picture taken before winding our way through the tunnels to another obscure room where my father asked for some help and my mom and I just checked out a poster on the wall containing the tartan plaids of different families as well as the shields for different clans. Interesting stuff.
And, down yet another winding hall to a larger place were my father requested the book he needed and waited for it's delivery to our seat number. We had to get pictures to show that we were there. I read the latest version of "What Color is your parachute?" while my mother found a real estate book and started taking notes and making calculations. My parents are quite the researchers and I'm amazed that we didn't sit there all day. So many libraries are becoming so advanced that they've lost that authentic feel and the old book smell, but this place felt the way you would want a library to feel. Quiet, a little musty, big tables and your own personal lamp.
Of course, we were able to go to the main public part of the Library of Congress as well and see the Thomas Jefferson library and stand in awe of the intricate ceiling and solid marble surrounding us.
We drove home in the pouring rain and to my parents secret happiness, the BYU game was available on my tv.
My mother gets a little excited about sports. I must mention that during this time my parents kept dropping food and popcorn around my house. Goodness. I finally had to say "children, what is going on!" You don't expect to have to clean up messes made by your parents! Especially my parents who are always cleaning, re-arranging, organizing, clean, etc.
On Sunday we did the usual - church, eat, talk - and then went on a walk out in one of the Manassas Battlefields and came back and watched the Les Miserables movie.
Good weekend with my parents. Too bad we didn't have more time, but there is always more to see on another trip.
We came home and I suggested we watch Pride and Prejudice - the BBC version. I just told my parents it was a "little long." Ha. Well, it was apparently engaging enough that we watched the entire thing. That's six hours in front of the tv! This would never have been allowed at my house growing up, but things change when parents are too tired to worry about these details and their youngest child is 19 years old. Well, and it is Pride and Prejudice.
Saturday morning was a little drippy outside thanks to Hurricane Hanna and after realizing all of our umbrellas were in the cars, we headed toward the city and actually found a parking spot right by the Library of Congress main building. I love the architecture in DC. It looks amazing from the outside. However, when you get in the building (on the bottom level) and are routed by the information desk to get a library card, you get to see an entirely different side to the exterior grandosity. We had to follow all of these underground walk ways to some abscure place to get our Library of Congress library card. The cards are intended for use, and not as a souvenor. As usual, how are they going to know? We filled out paperwork and got our picture taken before winding our way through the tunnels to another obscure room where my father asked for some help and my mom and I just checked out a poster on the wall containing the tartan plaids of different families as well as the shields for different clans. Interesting stuff.
 |
| From Parents visit DC - September 2008 |
And, down yet another winding hall to a larger place were my father requested the book he needed and waited for it's delivery to our seat number. We had to get pictures to show that we were there. I read the latest version of "What Color is your parachute?" while my mother found a real estate book and started taking notes and making calculations. My parents are quite the researchers and I'm amazed that we didn't sit there all day. So many libraries are becoming so advanced that they've lost that authentic feel and the old book smell, but this place felt the way you would want a library to feel. Quiet, a little musty, big tables and your own personal lamp.
Of course, we were able to go to the main public part of the Library of Congress as well and see the Thomas Jefferson library and stand in awe of the intricate ceiling and solid marble surrounding us.
 |
| From Parents visit DC - September 2008 |
We drove home in the pouring rain and to my parents secret happiness, the BYU game was available on my tv.
 |
| From Parents visit DC - September 2008 |
 |
| From Parents visit DC - September 2008 |
On Sunday we did the usual - church, eat, talk - and then went on a walk out in one of the Manassas Battlefields and came back and watched the Les Miserables movie.
 |
| From Parents visit DC - September 2008 |
 |
| From Parents visit DC - September 2008 |
Good weekend with my parents. Too bad we didn't have more time, but there is always more to see on another trip.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Memory Lane - piano duets with my Mom
There are all kinds of family traditions that go unheralded because they don't fit into a holiday, birthday or family reunion type of category. I've started to think about these a lot over the last year because many of us mentions these "traditions" when they happen, but don't ever write them down. The great thing about digital cameras now is that you can actually catch some of these little traditions in little live snippets to keep for future viewing.
Growing up most of us played the piano. There were always quite a few piano books piled in the piano bench and on a shelf nearby, but the favorites always managed to make it to the little ledge right above the keyboard. I can't remember what it's called - does it even have a name? Anyway, out our house, it was the Rogers and Hammerstein slate blue book with the off white binding and this huge yellow book with children's songs (Jumbo the Elephant) and a duet book (still don't know the name of it) that made it to this special piano ledge.
Often one person (my mom or sisters) would start playing from the duet book and summon a partner to come take on the "higher part" or the "lower part." Over the years, it became an unplanned ritual to sit down at least 1-2 times during a visit home and go through the typical songs. The favorites seemed to be the Swanee River and the Yankee Doodle Dandy song.
This visit home I managed to get one of my brother's to catch the Yankee Doodle duet in action. The goal on this song is always for us to play faster and faster and so it's not about quality. We typically keep going until it's too fast for one of us to keep up with the other. Again, all of this is unsaid, but has been the emerging expectation over the years.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/lyghJkOQK_6v06HYn6_1gg?authkey=EjXpx0DWdPY
http://picasaweb.google.com/clark.rebecca/BrettSMissionFarewell/photo?authkey=EjXpx0DWdPY#5207101864283934354
(Hopefully one of these links works)
At some point these little bits of personal history will become a library of their own, but for now it's just a trip down memory lane.
Growing up most of us played the piano. There were always quite a few piano books piled in the piano bench and on a shelf nearby, but the favorites always managed to make it to the little ledge right above the keyboard. I can't remember what it's called - does it even have a name? Anyway, out our house, it was the Rogers and Hammerstein slate blue book with the off white binding and this huge yellow book with children's songs (Jumbo the Elephant) and a duet book (still don't know the name of it) that made it to this special piano ledge.
Often one person (my mom or sisters) would start playing from the duet book and summon a partner to come take on the "higher part" or the "lower part." Over the years, it became an unplanned ritual to sit down at least 1-2 times during a visit home and go through the typical songs. The favorites seemed to be the Swanee River and the Yankee Doodle Dandy song.
This visit home I managed to get one of my brother's to catch the Yankee Doodle duet in action. The goal on this song is always for us to play faster and faster and so it's not about quality. We typically keep going until it's too fast for one of us to keep up with the other. Again, all of this is unsaid, but has been the emerging expectation over the years.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/lyghJkOQK_6v06HYn6_1gg?authkey=EjXpx0DWdPY
http://picasaweb.google.com/clark.rebecca/BrettSMissionFarewell/photo?authkey=EjXpx0DWdPY#5207101864283934354
(Hopefully one of these links works)
At some point these little bits of personal history will become a library of their own, but for now it's just a trip down memory lane.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Happy Birthday Mom!
Yesterday was my mother's birthday! She is not only the talented dancer in the YouTube video at the bottom of this page, but also a wonderful mother. She's got "skills" in music, drama, sports, education, religion, emergency prepardness and most importantly on being a full-time mother! It's like running a small corporation when you have so many kids, but she did it well. I'm grateful that I have had her as an example in my life.
Happy Birthday Mom!
Friday, March 14, 2008
The Hustle - as performed by Dad
So, Mom was caught doing the Napoleon Dynamite dance, but Dad was caught doing "The Hustle."
Scot contributed his unique dance maneuvers in the background.
Scot contributed his unique dance maneuvers in the background.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Friday, February 1, 2008
Ode to the Duck Dishes
Ok, so "ode" is probably not the correct word, but I did want to make an entry specifically devoted to my duck dishes. I received these dishes from my parents in the Christmas of 1989. I was home for college (yes, I started college in the 80s) for Christmas and my gifts overwhelmed the lower layer of the Christmas tree. It turns out that most of my gifts were plates, cups, glasses, and bowls that formed a complete set. I think there was a set of silverware provided at the same time. I still have those too. Anyway, these are those dishes that you could earn by purchasing a lot of groceries over a few months or so. You would collect coupon points or something and get a discount. I think all "the girls" ended up getting a different set. Mine were the duck dishes. They aren't really my style (country). However, if one has to have a set of country dishes, this would be the best kind to have.
Anyway, my parents assumed I would get married in my early 2os and got these for me. I never used them through college, but I started to use them when I was in graduate school a few years ago and continued to do so when both my brothers (and sister-in-law) and roommates lived with me.It is now time to move on and sell them on craigslist or donate to Goodwill, but they do deserve a place in my little online notes.
I guess this was an "ode."
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Christmas Moments - 2008
Finally, I've downloaded all the videos and pictures from my excursions around the midwest and east over Christmas. I drove to all locations and so I'm still recovering. Although flying can be a great option, sometimes it's nice to travel with large bags, a personal pillow and blanket and a few extra computers. This way it really does feel like home away from my little home.
In Columbus Ohio I was able to stop at the temple and see my parents. I ended up having the rare opportunity of vacuming since the volunteers hadn't shown up. Here they are sneaking in...I mean...locking it up for the night.
They are still getting use to the interesting combination of leadership and cleaning responsibilities. 
I spent Christmas with my parents and Brett. Very small, but enjoyable.
My parents bought a creche type of statue for the christmas holiday. It was quite beautiful, but then we dropped into a TJMAX, or similiar store, and they discovered multiple wise men hidden in the holiday aisles.
So, long story short...we walked out with three wise men and...the 4th wise man. You kind of had to be there to appreciate all this since my parents are typically practical, but somehow got caught up in a little flashy material.
In fact, driving through part of downtown Indianapolis I caught my mom glancing at a gold angel on some random front porch. Hopefully this is a temporary issue and they will soon recover.
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