A Fond Visit

After two ticks, a bajillion chigger bites (did I mention my grandparents live in the forest?), and a host of new memories I am back home, thrown into the whirlwind of being a stay at home mommy of 2 toddlers again. (click pictures for a larger view)

It was quite interesting being my mother's escort to her 35th high school reunion. With her being a widow for 7 years now after 24 years of a happy marriage (she has never gone on a date nor talked on the phone to any sort of gentlemen caller) it was quite interesting to see a couple of the singleton males be a little smitten with seeing her again. I gotta tell you though, I looked at her yearbook senior picture and the lady was hot. (I'll have to show a photo of it soon)...



We had a grand ole time, my grandparents feeding us constantly, watching the special on Walter Kronkite's passing and Paul Newman, old army stories and church doctrine and history, that's the way we pass the time at the grandfolk's house.



This is the home my mom lived in for her senior year.



This was her first apartment (far left window). It was quite a beauty 35 years ago, I am told. I could definately see the potential. It reminds me of a Jane Austen manor, or a scene from Wuthering Heights, perhaps.





This gorgeous home was down the street. It had several gazebos and grand arches and fountains, but I had to make picture taking quick since the neighbors kid's were watching me and they had a big ole Sheriff's truck in the driveway (whom I could only assume was their daddy).



My grandparent's home is surrounded by acorn, pecan, freshly planted pine and other sorts of trees, but there are a lot of dogwoods as well that attract bumblebees and hummingbirds.



My grandpa fills hummingbird feeders with his own concoctions and they lap the sweet nectar up enthusiastically. At one point, there were at least a dozen of the little darlings on the feeders, but those things are so fast, I could only capture 5 of them at most.



Since my grandmother has health problems, it is a joyous and peaceful pass time to watch the humming birds flit around and nurse the red liquid all day. If you stand on the porch, the birds will zoom right past your head and the humming sound of the quick little wings always buzzes in your ears.



My dear grandpa, helped me drill holes in several metal stampings I have been wanting to use in my jewelry. He is such a great man and treats my grandmother like a princess! My oldest is smitten with his great grandpa and loved exploring with him too. He really enjoyed the nature walks and learned so much this weekend.



I love his little painting my grandpa did many years ago, that now hangs humbly in his workshop.



While on the road to Missouri, we always know we are getting close to arriving when we pass under the (former) world's largest McDonalds!



When we arrived, we were greeted with my grandparent's tasty homemade soup. Here is my their soup recipe for safekeeping, it is truly delicious and can turn into a stew for leftovers later by thickening on the stove with a can of tomato paste!

*brown stew meat in a little oil
*boil in water, cover for about an hour, boil, stir occasionally
*add carrots and celery, simmer covered for 15 minutes
*add potatoes, simmer covered for about 5 minutes
*add diced or stewed tomatoes, peas, mushrooms, onions, corn (whatever you like) and 2 cans of tomato sauce
*add garlic powder and salt free Mrs. Dash Table blend (which is a blend of: onion, black pepper, chili pepper, parsley, celery seed, basil, bay, marajam, oregano, savory, thyme, corriander, cumin, mustard, rosemary, garlic, lemon)

I hope your weekend was as nice as mine!

Missing my Dad on Father's Day

Well, Father's Day was yesterday, but I didn't get on the computer AT ALL as part of my "gift" to my wonderful hubster, he heh.

my dad as a toddler in the 50's

(my dad's dad, Grandpa James Alton Smith, who also died of leukemia before I was born).

But I did want to write a little about my Dad. He was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphacitic Leukemia when I was 6 months old. He underwent 2 bone marrow transplants, complete sterilized isolation, various rounds of chemo and radiation, a spleenectomy... He then developed squamous cell carcenoma in the face from his radiation poisoning throughout the years. He had almost all of his teeth removed, bones in his face removed as well as his upper palate in his mouth. He had exposed bone in his cheek that he covered with a thin gauze until he was healthy enough to receive a skin graft to patch the hole up that his skull peeked through.

He was fed through a feeding tube in his stomach for a couple of years and I still remember hearing him scream from the hospital waiting room the day he had it removed. So many memories. 14 different times, we were told as a family to go home and prepare funeral arrangements. 14 times.

His body was his worst enemy, a total wreck. He went almost completely blind, couldn't hardly speak, he couldn't go in the sunlight, walk, read... which was so sad because he loved outdoor sports like hiking and he was an avid reader and talker/jokester. He endured vigorous and painful excersizes to restretch his mouth with a large rubber mouth block, so he could speak a little. His frail frame wasted away. His eyes were uneven, food sprang from them like tears when he attempted to eat. He considered having one of them removed. Some people stared, even adults who knew better laughed at his Frankenstein like face, for it was horribly disfigured from all the bone removal and skin grafts over much of it. Wretched people, he didn't choose this!

But he kept on. He caught when doctors misdiagnosed him several times because he did his own studying (before the days of easy internet research.) He broke isolation by leaving his sterilized room (which can be fatal for a zero immune system patient after a bone marrow transplant) because the nurses wouldn't check him that his lungs were filling up with fluid... had he not taken that step, he would have drowned and died within minutes. He could barely lift his head or finger, he was so weak, but he knew he had to somehow get out of the bed, walk across the room and open the door to save his life. He did, then collapsed on the tile floor.

southern boy superhero... this pic was made into a sculpture by midnight orange here

He continued writing poems and songs, he told jokes and was a master storyteller, even volunteering at children's camps. He dressed up in clown costumes and did cartwheels to make THEM feel better. He loved God and trusted in his plan, never cursed him or asked "Why me?". He accepted his challenge with fate and learned from him, perfected himself because of it throguh Christ's example. He continued on his spiritual journey and inspired so many through his struggles and sunny outlook. He was a total refined and perfected being.

Perfected as in complete, whole.

 my dad, who was a Ranger, sharp shooter and 2nd lieutenant, in this ROTC at BYU pic around 1976

His last email to the family he wrote was, "I am going to have this thing beat in June." He died June 1st 2002, and so, he DID beat it in June. His beautiful spirit was no longer confined by a broken and agonizing painfully weakened body. A nurse injected him with a dirty needle and he got MRSA in the blood. It happened at the VA... many many many horrible things happen at the VA, news and lawsuit worthy things, but you can't sue the government. His end came in the same hospital that I later delivered my two children in. I was in Utah at the time of his death. My mother called me with the news and I was in denial. I flew home to say goodbye and never looked back. His death changed me for the better, as I strive to live up to his example if I can.

he was always so cute, with such a happy grin and bright eyes

I love you and miss you, you would love my husband, you would be the best father in law and grandfather. But I know that you escorted my children's spirits here, I know you were there on my wedding day and I know you watch out for us. I love you and will see you again Daddy!

my sis, homecoming queen, my dad, and me, 1998

Homefront: Vintage Granny Square Afghan and final Mantel Scape

My afghan finally arrived. The description from the seller, "This is a lovingly made 1940's Granny Square afghan by my Pennsylvania Dutch nana when she was probably in her 60's. She passed seven years ago, at the age of 103. I have so many memories of her crocheting afghans for everyone in church, and those in need. I bet she made 500 or more in her lifetime."

When I got the afghan, I was amazed at the perfection of each little detail and color groupings. I really love how the main color is a dark navy, instead of black for a less severe look. I would love one in a cream color one day.

The question is, how do I clean a vintage, handmade wool afghan? I found some information online, but if anyone has any tricks, feel free to let me know.

 And this is my final mantel scape in this home. It will all be packed up by tonight. I would have changed it more than last time, but everything is already in boxes. I'm so glad I painted my mirror white. It looks so pretty with the white mantle. The white chair needs a fresh coatsoon, but I kind of like the shabbiness of the old green color showing through.

The chair was in front of a dumpster in our first apartment, we've been carrying it around for 7 years now, and the little wood truck I got at an antique mall for $7. It's so cute, it's usually on the wall in the boys room with their toy cars lined up on it, but we never had a chance to put it in their room. It's special to me because my grandpa was a truck driver. We really need to paint that armoir one day.

*why do my mirrors always look streaky? I cleaned it today!? 

**linked to: life in the fun lane's first fresh coat friday,  sew much ado's, we did it wednesday, blue cricket designs show and tell

Homefront: Christmas Decorating

My mantle this year is on an actual fireplace! Amazing!! The width is only about 3 inches wide, so no crazy heavy things this time that will make it fall, but what I can fit on there is perfect for us.

Since we usually do the silver, aqua/blue and white, I thought a little more red and green would be nice for the boys this year, so I stocked up after Christmas last year when everything was 90% off. Isaac's little retro glitter race car ornament needed to go up here, for it's own safety! The deer I got on Etsy from minzer, I love it and maybe I will add a pretty sprig of holly or mistletoe to it's antlers. I wish it were a little bigger, but it's still so cute, and vegan.

My mirror used to be the brushed nickle finish, but that is just something else I painted white. One day, I'll get all crazy with the color, but for now, it's perfect. The red wooden beads are just 2 strands hung up with 5 little nails.

I found these adorable vintage reindeer pair at a garage sale this summer for .75 cents and had to have them. (I found them online for almost $40 last month, wow).

I couldn't find (all) my candles for the candleabra I painted, so one hitched a ride on this little sled I painted and hey, this Santa hat works just fine too! That's what decorating is all about, using what you have in new and unexpected ways, right?

 

 

 This little house is my favorite. I got it in 1987 for a class Christmas party. Each student had to bring in a cardboard (empty) milk carton and the teacher and room mothers made us these adorable little houses. I can't wait to be a room mother when my oldest starts school. The house is just felt, glue, ric rac, sequins (well, missing sequins) and glitter and I absolutely adore it.

The Christmas tree is teeny in our new home, since in our lqast place, we put it on our table... but for now, it works and the boys loved decorating it, so that is what is important!

 

 

 

I loves these gumdrop snowflake ornaments! I used lots of cookie cutters tied with red ribbon as filler on the tree. They really catch the light and are inexpensive and so festive!

The boys made this cute little Frosty the Snowman mobile with their Grandma and Grandpa. It's little foam snowflakes, batting (I think), yarn, hangers and pipe cleaners. It's so cute and is tied in their room.You can make your own little mobile and customize it for your decor too. A tree star in the middle with ornaments hanging around on coordinating ribbon and tulle would be so pretty.

 

Merry Christmas and thanks for visiting! Now join in on The Nester's Christmas Tour of Homes!