A Busy Wednesday

Today was one of my two days off during the week. I had my dance card full as to what I all wanted to accomplish today. When I woke up, I didn't think I could ever get it all done. For those of you who know me well, you know that I always have those thoughts when I first wake up and then I am usually finished with said work by 9:00. Drives John crazy, but I digress.

Anyway I played my daily allotment of Family Feud and then forced myself away from the computer and started my cooking and baking. Since we have so many, many tomatoes and cucumbers, I did some online research to see what I could make with the fresh veggies. (Or are tomatoes a fruit as some would say)
Since our oven has been acting up lately I decided to bake a batch of brownies and a cake if it cooperated which I am happy to report, it did. After the baking I whipped up a batch of spaghetti sauce from my own tomatoes. Pretty simple recipe and it tasted good. I usually do not like chunks in my spaghetti sauce, but somehow when they are my own chunks, they didn't seem so bad.
I also made a batch of salsa with tomatoes, cukes, peppers, onions, cilantro, and lime juice. It tasted yummy right away, but I am thinking it will be even better when the flavors mix for a bit. I did make a batch with a jalapeno in it for John. I don't do hot stuff like that.
Next I attempted some refrigerator pickles which will be ready tomorrow. Not sure what to expect from those. I remember my mom and dad working together to can dill pickles when I was growing up. My dad would stuff all the cukes in the mason jars with the dill while my mom poured the mixture over them and they both waited for the jar lids to pop. Those dill pickles filled our "fruit cellar" all winter. Just some sweet memories that came back to me today.
Lastly, I made a salad with cukes, tomatoes, and peppers with celery seeds covered with oil and vinegar. That makes for a very summery, tasty salad.
I had all this done by ten and I felt good about that.

My next "to do" was finishing my scrapbook with the pictures from Mercer. Since John has been unemployed I have put my scrapbooking on the back burner for financial reasons, but this trip deserved a book so I finished it up in time to share it with Courtney and Alissa this weekend.

I also got some of my notes written for school registration and did my September calendars.
All that done by four, still have the night ahead of me, YES!
Now I am back on the computer and hoping for an early bedtime.

Biking Fools are at it again

Our intention today was to ride the Bugline Trail starting in Sussex since we were dropping my mom off for a visit at Herb and Pearl's, but when it started drizzling on our drive in, we quickly changed our destination for a few reasons.
#1 The Bugline Trail is limestone and we all recall what happens when you mix limestone with the rain. Suffice it to say, it is not a pretty picture. I know the bathrooms along the Bugline pale in comparison to the one in Mt. Horeb, so public showering was out.
#2 Due to our excessive mosquito population this year we knew that the bugs would be vicious after a rain even with our dowsing of repellant. They don't call it the Bugline for nothing.
#3 We figured if we drove a bit farther, the rain would stop by the time we wanted to ride.
At any rate, we ended up at Frame Park in Waukesha. Seems all roads lead to Frame Park when we are in Waukesha. Here I am studying the bike trail map even though we had our plan already in motion.

We decided to ride on the New Berlin Recreational trail which runs from Waukesha to Greenfield Park in West Allis. (Not sure why it is called the New Berlin Trail, but whatever) It is a nice wide paved trail, just what we needed in the rainy weather. It was still spitting when we started the trail, but it stopped a mile or so in.
The trail is only six miles long and then we chose to continue on the Oakleaf Trail which is also paved. I always marvel at the beautiful scenery on the Oakleaf as it is located right in the middle of the city. The one downfall is, and we mention this each time we ride this trail, the lack of fast food establishments along the route. Again for being in the middle of the city, you would think you could find a Culvers or Burger King on each corner, but we had to go far and wide to locate some lunch.

We got off the trail at or near 124th St. and took that to National Ave. We took advantage of the sidewalk so as not to get hit by the traffic. We traveled in Waukesha, West Allis, and New Berlin today.

Finally, along National Ave. we found a Culver's and enjoyed a nice lunch. We did notice there is no lack of health care facilities along the route though!

After we left Culver's we continued on National Ave. to Coffee Rd and then to Moreland Rd. We took Moreland back to the New Berlin bike trail and rode back to Waukesha. It was a nice speedy ride. Not one of our farthest, but we felt like we had done some exercising when we got off the bikes. Total miles were about 18-20. Still have my odometer on Kilometers, so never quite sure the mileage until I use the converter which I didn't do yet. And the rains never did return.

Just a random thought for today

Why couldn't grandmothering come with a manuel, so I could get everything right the first time? I would offer to write it, but I am the one who needs the guidance. Perhaps a mom needs to write it.
That is all I am saying on the subject here and if it doesn't make sense to you, that is okay because it is really more of random thought of mine and doesn't need comment.
Have a good day and I will have a more exciting post up next.

A tribute to my Son in Laws or maybe it is Sons in Law

My daughters are both very different people. Sometimes it is hard to believe they were raised in the same home with the same two parents. But despite their personality differences they get along like bread and butter. (I think I just made that up, huh) In fact, in all the years they lived together under one roof and often in one bed, they only had one major fight that I can recall. It involved a boyfriend of Courtney's who Alissa did not care for and that disagreement escaladed into a few days of not speaking to one another, something that is very difficult when one of you is the manager of the Aquatic Center and one of you is the Head Guard. Luckily, the fight was short lived, Courtney dumped the boyfriend and life went on as normal. I am sure they must have had a few spats as they were growing up, but none that I recall.
So, I titled this post a tribute to my SILs and here I am talking daughters...

After spending a week up in a lake home with numerous relatives including both girls and their husbands I just could not believe how each of them married someone that was just so perfect for them, although very, very different from each other. If I could have hand picked their mates, which I really tried to do on numerous occasions, I could not have chosen better than Paul and Nathan.

Let's go in birh order here. Courtney married Paul. They both share a love for St. George Island which is where they tied the knot. They are green and care about the environment. They like to grow their own food and don't care so much about weeds or long grass in their yard. Clutter and messes don't seem to bother either of them although I think Paul may not appreciate it as much as Courtney. They don't like to use chemicals in cleaning (but then they don't clean much) or on themselves although I think they forget that rule when it comes to mosquito spray. Neither of them seems particularily upset if they could not biological children and are embracing adoption, which is not to say that they wouldn't welcome a bio. child if it is in God's plan for them. They both pray and go to church although they probably won't ever totally agree on which church is right or best. They are both liberal in their views. Paul cares about politics, not so sure about Courtney. They love to travel especially scenic road trips. They are very laid back and often run late for things. They are great parents and take their role very seriously. They try to make healthy choices in their food and don't appreciate sweet snacks. (Although, I think Courtney still does, but they make a united front when it comes to treats for Tiz) They share lots of private jokes, laughs, and I know there is so much love shared between the two of them. Good choice Courtney!

Now on to my younger child. Alissa and Nathan had a destination wedding in Bloomington, yep, that would be Illinois. Seemed the appropriate place to tie the knot since that is where they met. Of course they met in a bar! They both love going out and finding new restaurants and bars. They love their beer whether they drink it at a favorite bar, a brewery tour, or at the Hunter Pub. They both are very organized and everything must be in its place. I am so glad that Alissa found someone just like her in this area. Their closet, which is huge by the way, is so neat and tidy right down to the hangers which are all the same and hang just so. Their towels are hung up, their bed is made, pillows are in place, and clothes are put away. Both of them love TV and the wii. They go into TV withdrawal if they have to go without it for a long period of time. Nathan loves to cook and create new recipes which Alissa loves to indulge in. They are not green, don't go out of their way to recycle, and don't care how many chemicals go on or in their bodies. I think they pray, but they do not care for church. They may or may not have children, either of them could live with or without children. If they do have a child, they will be fine as long as they are both working and have good childcare. They love sweet treats and Diet soda. When you see them, you know they are in love with one another. They share lots of laughs, private jokes which usually involve making fun of someone, and having fun together. Good choice Alissa!

So, there is why I think both girls chose the perfect mate.
I like to see little tidbits of the way that John and I live life in each of the girls' married lives. We love a scenic route like Courtney and Paul and we appreciate sweets and junk food like Alissa and Nathan. We love TV, don't care much for reading, are organized, and hate clutter. We are not green, we pray and go to church, embraced being parents, and are conservative. We like to run on a schedule and get places on time. I think we lean a bit more toward Alissa and Nathan's life style, but with a few of Courtney and Paul's ideas thrown in for good measure. A good choice all the way around for all of us!

So, in closing, I want to say thanks to my two son in laws. I love both of you for all the ways you make my daughters happy. It makes a mother's heart happy to know they are happy!

Our vacation on the "North Side" in Mercer

Okay, I am having trouble with this picture, so please insert it in the space below as you read. Sorry, I guess I need to study up on this. Anyway, carry on...

We just got back from a week up in Mercer, way up in the north woods of Wisconsin. Tizita calls it the North side, thus my title. I am just trying to remember all the wonderful things packed into one week and my main reason for this entry is to have a way to record those memories with a few photos added, so here goes...

The lake home was absolutely beautiful and there was room for all twelve of us. That is right, twelve of us. Me, John, Courtney, Paul, Tiz, Alissa, Nathan, Kev, Mal, Vikki, Nick, and of course, Marge. It was quite the crew but all went well.

Mallory was our in house expert fisherman. We arrived on Saturday and there were immediately poles in the lake. Mal put worms on the hooks and took fish off for the rest of us. Throughout the week, we continued to fish. Some of us fished from the pier while others headed out to sea to try their luck. Even Tizita got in on the fishing fun. Our rental included a canoe, row boat, swim raft, a kayak, and two sailboats so we had lots of opportunity to enjoy the water.

On Sunday night after a day of swimming and fishing, these six got in the row boat for a three hour cruise. Paul and Nathan each had one oar, but I am told by other passengers that they could not synchronize their strokes very well. At one point, Nathan fell off the bench. Tiz found this very funny. After they were safely docked, we had a campfire, one of many. We used the new huge marshmallows to make s'mores which were not only yummy, but very messy!

(Insert or at least look at top photo here so you can see everyone in the boat)

One of many fun campfires. Here we are roasting our over sized marshmallows from Nathan.

On Monday, we all (minus Lis and Nathan) took a day trip to a beautiful park on Lake Superior for a picnic lunch. After lunch Mal, Kev, Marge, Vikki, and Nick headed back and the Van Aukens and John and I continued on to the Porcupine Mountains where we hiked up to Lake of the Clouds and then to the falls at Presque Isle. Both very picturesque areas. John, Tiz and I are standing by one of the falls.

When we passed the falls, we took a trail that led right to Lake Superior. What a gorgeous spot! We enjoyed wading in the Lake. I had hurt my little toe on a root while hiking in flip flops and the cold lake water felt so good on that toe!

We headed back to our lake home where we enjoyed some gin fizzes made by our in house bartender, Nathan. He and Alissa had their own little area in the house complete with TV, bar, kitchen, bathroom and a beautiful veiw of the lake right out the windows. Those of you who know Nathan know how much he enjoys a bar! His signature drinks are the best. Nathan also made us home made cinamon rolls one day and they were awesomely delicious, too.

On Tuesday, we all enjoyed a shopping trip at the Wampum shop in downtown Mercer. Once we discovered this store we didn't need any other shopping, this place had everything you needed from cheap soveniors with Mercer stamped on them to cedar boxes, moccasins, shirts, and other nicer items too. Truly something for everyone in our group of 12. Tiz found a kid's shopping cart that was actually for sale and she proceeded to push that around and fill it with all the goodies she wanted. I wanted to buy her candy cigarettes like I used to "smoke" as a child, but her mama put the cabash on that one. I did buy her some candy sticks which looked just like candy cigarettes and when she had one in her mouth while sliding down a slide at the park, she looked just like my dad, but I digress.

Anyway after the Wampum shop, Courtney, Alissa, and Mallory took off for some shopping in Minoqua (obviously the Wampum shop was not enough for them) I hear they needed mucklucks and an old time photo. John, Tiz, Marge, and I discovered a little museum where we could go in a real caboose, go in jail and see a school and a barber shop.

After the museum, John, Tiz, and I headed to Minoqua to meet the girls and go to a zoo that came highly recommended from Mallory. Alissa chose to return to Mercer since she would rather twist off her won ankle than go to a zoo.

The zoo was awesome. We had never seen such happy animals!

Mal and Tiz fed the black bears some special bear soda. The bear drank it right out of their hands.

Then it was on to the birds to feed them. We all had a great time interacting with all the animals at this zoo.

That night brought some beers, a campfire, and the end to another fun filled day in the north.

Mercer is the Loon capital of the world and we often saw loons like this one on our lake. We heard them all the time, too.

Wednesday brought a bike ride for John and I. We saw lots of deer and enjoyed a nice lunch in Mercer. More canoeing and boating and swimming for all of us.

We ended that day with watermelon martinis created again by our house bartender. Wow, they were yummy!

Thursday, it was more biking and canoeing. The weather was always so perfect, sometimes a bit of rain in the early morning, but sunny skies all afternoon and evening and the temps were to die for. We did have to fight off mosquitos and mosquito spray became our best friend, but as long as we bathed in the spray, the mosquios stayed away.

We celebrated Nathan's birthday on Thursday with personal pizzas that we made ourselves thanks to Courtney and a frosting bar requested by the birthday boy. We all ate ourselves into a sugar coma and finished the night with a viewing of The Great Outdoors.

Friday, our last day brought a picnic in the park and some more swimming.

Here is our group minus a few before going out for beer and burgers on Friday night.

This is one of many bald eagles we saw soaring over our lake.

Here are Tiz and her papa as they kayaked over to the park on Friday for our picnic lunch. John and I biked over while the others drove.

Here is Tiz enjoying a root beer at the bar with grandpa.

I will end this post with Tiz and her overly done marshmallow. I have so many more photos, but could not post them all at this time. Maybe I will do a few future posts on some of the other photos.

It was a most memorable vacation and besides the mosquito bites we only brought back a ton of happy memories from the "North side."

Some Random Adoption Thoughts from Grandma

A friend of mine with two adopted children, Lily and Eli shared this message on her FB status and I knew when I read it that I needed to do a post around it. I think it is a beautiful statement.

"We witness a miracle every time a child enters into life. But those who make their journey home across time and miles, growing within the hearts of those who wait to love them, are carried on the wings of destiny and placed among us by God's very own hands."

What a miracle it has been to be a grandma to our precious Tizita. I could not love her more under any circumstances. I expected that to be the case, but with adoption being a new thing for me, I wasn't 100% sure what it would all feel like. Well, I don't have anything else to compare it to, you know, like the biological birth of a grandbaby, but I can't imagine it being any better than it is.
In ways it feels like Tizita has been a part of my life forever and I think in many ways she has been, in my hopes, in my dreams, in my longing for a grandchild. Mabye she didn't arrive in quite the way I envisioned, but she arrived! I will never forget the way she walked right into my life from that plane on that tarmack in Appleton. Such sweet memories.
In other ways, it seems like only yesterday that Tizita made that trip into my life. I guess that is because the memories are so fresh to me.

Tiz and I have done so much in the one and a half years she has been home. We have made memories, created traditions, and learned to appreciate each other. I cannot wait for her visits and her hugs and her wittiness. I miss her when she is not here and I always keep her close in my heart, thoughts, and prayers.

She already exhibits many of my characteristics, some desirable, some not so, but that is the way it is with learned habits. That is what a grandma teaches her grandchild, whether adopted or biological, right?

One other thing that I want to share with myself on this blog is that I do not see color. Before Tiz arrived I remember Courtney asking me if John and I would be okay with a black grandchild when it came to taking her out with us. The answer was easy at the time, but who really knew? Well, I am proud to say that I do not see color at all. Sometimes Tiz and I compare our palms and talk about how they are the same and I tell her I am trying to attain that pretty brown color from the sun this summer. She and I both know that the important stuff like our hearts and our feelings and our love for each other are the same. We are color blind!

We are waiting for our second grandchild. Courtney and Paul are on the waiting list and the list is long so the wait is going to be long, too, but we know that God already knows just who that child is going to be and there is comfort in that. We know God will take care of "our" grandchild until he/she is safe in the arms of all of us who love them. Mind boggling to think that God knew all about Tizita long before she was even a tiny thought in our minds and so it is with our second grandchild. As soon as I know more about a time line for this next child, I plan to write a special blog for him/her, too, just like I did for Tizita. Can't treat one differently than the other now, can I?

And so I enjoy Tiz and I wait...

Meeting a real live hero!

About two or so years ago, I started following the caringbridge site of a little boy named Sam who had been critically injured in a riding lawn mower accident. I originally found out about Sam through an Ethiopian forum that I was following at the time to educate myself on adoptions in general and especially on Ethiopian adoptions. One day a post appeared asking for prayers for a little three year old and that my friends, was Sam.
He was med flighted to Children's Hospital in Milwaukee, my first clue that he was from this area of the state. As I began to read his mom's daily postings I realized that they lived in or near the Helenville, Sullivan area which is very close to Watertown. Sam's story is nothing short of a miracle. I eagerly read each new post as he began to heal. Sam had only been home here with his forever family for a few months when the accident occured so he had to do much of his bonding with hospital staff as opposed to bonding with his family in a home setting. It is difficult enough for a three year old to adjust to life in a new country, new home, with a new family, but imagine having to do it in a hospital recovering from a serious accident. Mind boggling to say the least.
Well, the story has a miraculous happy ending. Sam did lose both legs and an arm in the accident, but he came home to a waiting, loving family which included his biological brother, Paul and a few adopted sisters to boot. Surrounded by their love and care, he healed and adjusted and thrived. I didn't read the caringbridge site much anymore and his mom didn't update it much anymore, after all the serious medical stuff was pretty much over.

Well, here comes the exciting part of my post. Yesterday John and I were at Walmart doing our usual shopping. I noticed a black boy and an asian girl about Tiz's age. I figured they had both been adopted. I spotted their mom in the boys section. Didn't think much of it, I am just more aware of adopted children these days. John looked at me and I think we both had the same thought, is that Sam? I guess we noticed his "happy legs" as he calls them or maybe his arm which was in a sling, not sure, but we both just knew it was him.
I went over and asked if he was Sam. He flashed his big eyes and gorgeous smile and said, "Yes" while he offered his hand for a shake. I am pretty sure he gets treated as a celebrity wherever he goes as well he should. We chatted with his mom for a bit and admired his beautiful legs. He showed us how he can jump and run and he told us he likes the Badgers and the Packers.

I felt so happy and privileged to have met this little walking miracle. He is my hero! I am expecting he will do some pretty important things one day and I am going to say, "I met him one day in Walmart."