Roar 'n Snore

While not quite the same as a real African safari, spending the night at San Diego's Wild Animal Park ranks right up there among cool things to do -- especially if you're 5 and not in the mood for 40 hours on a plane. Danny and my dad took all three kids there yesterday for what Alyssa called "the biggest day of my life." Reagan was impressed by the baby elephants which were apparently just about her size. I guess she's right if we're talking height (2 1/2 feet), but is just a little off on the weight (24 pounds vs. 250). Aly was actually brave enough to feed the Lorakeets this time and didn't cower at the lions quite the way her little sister did. And Parker was just simply in his element. He loves animals of all shapes and sizes, and walked around with his "nock-le-ers" glued to his eyeballs. As you can see, Parker and his papa are two peas in a pod. They're now sleeping quite soundly thanks to the roar part of the Roar 'n Snore experience. Lions wake up with the sun, and so do little ones sleeping next door.

First harvest

So our house came with a dog run. The previous owners had two huge old hounds that were given their own little plot on the side of the house. Basically a maybe 10 x 12 foot (I'm awful at estimating these things, so don't quote me on the dimensions) piece of dirt sandwiched between the pool equipment and the front fence. Since we are not dog people and (knock on wood) never will be dog people, we decided to turn their former abode into a little veggie garden. This spring, with a great amount of "help" from the short ones in our family, we raked, tilled, dug out rocks, and finally planted a few envelopes of seed procured from the Big Orange Box people. I did not have high hopes for the seedlings given the incredible volume of rock contained in the soil, our hot SoCal sun, and the fact they would be completely dependent upon us remembering to hand-water them at least once Every Single Day (okay, so we got a few days off thanks to the June Gloom, but what I'm saying is that these things are needy and this corner of our yard has no automatic irrigation). Nevertheless, despite the odds, some of the seeds actually decided to grow! Our corn has really taken off, and was better than "knee high by the 4th of July" so we may get a few ears out of it. One tomato is nearly ripe and a few more seem to be on their way (though in the interest of full disclosure, we did purchase these as plants, not seeds. I had forgotten how good homegrown tomatos smell, let alone taste, and forgot to add those to the initial collection). We have several teeny tiny pumpkins that just may be full-grown in time to become Jack O' Lanterns. Parker's wish of a homegrown watermelon might come true - though the plant is blooming far from where we planted it, just at the mouth of the drain - the seed that almost washed away. And today, we harvested our first zucchini. I'm not a big fan of zucchini, or any kind of squash for that matter, but I had heard that they are very prolific and thought it would be fun for the kids. We're going to make some bread this afternoon,. Any ideas once we're tired of that? Lest you think there are any green thumbs around here though, I'll include a photo of our peas. Sad little snap peas that grew, tried to give us their fruit, but perished in the scorching summer sun. Next year we'll have to give them a little more shade and something to grow up on. Alyssa's convinced that by then our garden will be "perfect." Optimistic little one I have!

My happy place

My affection for the greatest of all stores began when I was only 6 years old. Costco itself was just a baby, and my parents became members of Costco Wholesale, primarily to purchase supplies for my dad’s podiatry business. Or maybe that was just a ruse to gain access into the businesses-only club. Either way, I loved it simply because children weren’t allowed inside. Yeah, apparently they thought we would detract from the serious shopping atmosphere they were trying to create inside their big concrete box. That meant that my mom had to bring a friend along. So she and Kim Spring alternated shopping with keeping an eye on me, my sister and Kim’s two boys. Sounds boring enough, but to a little girl brought up in home with no television, it provided a welcome excuse to watch movies on the little TV/VCR combo built into my mom’s Suburban consol (pretty high tech stuff for 1984!).
Fast forward to 1999 when Dan and I were newlyweds, eating and shopping for only two. We couldn’t understand how the store earned its nickname – the “$100 store” – because we usually managed to make it out the door for far less. However, our first condo was just moments away and we enjoyed many a date night there eating our $1.50 hot dog/soda combos while watching people check out. It was (and is) thoroughly entertaining to see exactly what people think they need a lot of. Like the family I observed walk out with a 20-pack of Spam. Yep, of all the thousands of items stocked there, they choose gelatinous “meat” packed in salt and tin. Yum. Or the guys that come in just for roses. (Did you know you can even order wedding flowers from Costco?) Just by sitting there observing shopping carts you can determine what size clothing someone wears, whether they drink or smoke, if their kids are potty-trained, and the relative health of their food choices. It’s also fun to guess what peoples impulse buys might have been. Did they really plan on buying 40 packs of gum when they walked in the door? Did they think they’d be coming home with a new pair of jeans?
Now 10 years later I have become the worst offender in the impulse-buy department. Especially on the rare occasion that I end up there without the kids - that is with time to wander and sort through the stacks of clothing to find the sizes I “need.” (Maybe they were on to something with their 80s-era rules!) I am now the one people watch, wondering “does she really need 36 rolls of toilet paper all at once? Or two dozen dinner rolls? Or 3 pounds of tortilla chips?” And the answer probably is “no,” but I’ve discovered that it’s usually cheaper to buy 6 heads of lettuce at Costco and throw half of them away than it is to buy 3 at Ralphs. 3 pairs of swim goggles cost less than one at my next-favorite store, Target. Their always-cheaper cheese, meat, and even bread freeze well. And the high-quality down pillows cost less than poly-fill ones at a department store.
So I can no longer pass Costco’s cash register for less than $100. But I always feel like I’ve gotten a good value, in addition to a cheap lunch and an afternoon’s entertainment!

Happy Independence Day!

What could be more American than a good doughnut and a hometown parade? Well, maybe corn on the cob, watermelon, burgers and homemade ice cream. Top that all off with 4 hours in the pool, time with family, and a plethora of fireworks and we'll call it a fun day!

Projects

Though neither of us are particularly skilled, Danny and I both love home improvement projects. In almost 10 years of marriage we've owned 4 houses, none of which were in bad shape but all of which were quite bland. We've expended a lot of time, sweat, and money (that old adage - it will take twice as long and cost three times as much as you'd planned - has sadly been proven true more times than I'd like to count), but have turned each condo/townhouse/house into a home we've truly loved. I've even learned a thing or two about painting, electrical, and tiling along the way. So for Father's Day, I tackled a project Danny had been dreading: outdoor lighting. The materials had been decorating the shelves of our garage for several weeks, but when all was said and done, it only took a few hours to coerce them into decorating the yard instead. Best part of all: we actually came in under-budget! I'm pretty excited about the way it turned out, and that we now get to enjoy our backyard all evening. Then to top it all off, Danny's aunt gave us these beautiful lounge chairs, which only needed a little TLC to shine (Dr. Teak's TLC, not ours, thank-you-very-much. I'm not that ambitious!). Just in time for a fun summer outdoors!

What bottom?

So I'm thrilled to say that Reagan has taken after her brother in the potty-training department. Pretty much just decided one day that she liked the toilet and has been happy to use it ever since. She's even been dry most nights since then, making for a very grateful mama! Truly, the hardest part of this process has been finding undies that fit. Funny that they just don't make underwear for a 6-12 month-sized rear! We went with pull-ups for the first 6 weeks or so simply because they stayed on, and finally had to ask my MIL to tailor some "Doras" for her. Yes, the girl has custom undies! And as you can see, even after skillful alteration Reagan just doesn't have the bulk to fill them out. Rough life, I know.
(And no, I don't usually let the kids run around the yard in their underwear, but she's just so cute!)

5!

Five years ago tonight, I was sitting in a hospital bed waiting for the birth of my sweet baby boy. Based on his knowledge of the excruciatingly long labor I endured with Alyssa, my doctor was at home napping. He only barely made it back to the hospital to help us meet Parker at 1:11 a.m. on the 24th. That blessedly short labor was only the first of innumerable ways Parker has brought joy to our lives.

As a baby Parker was truly easy - a great sleeper, quick eater, and basically happy kid. He was a fun toddler - quick to learn to walk and climb, and from the beginning, 100% boy. As a preschooler, Parker easily adopted the role of big brother, becoming Reagan's greatest source of affection and annoyance. Now only weeks away from beginning school, he has made daddy his new favorite and loves nothing more than a date with his papa. Part of me is sad to lose the top spot, but it's so fun to see Parker become more and more like the men I most love and admire. I hope and pray that, like them, Parker will learn to love, serve and enjoy our Savior, and that he will make not only his mama, but also His God, smile.

Finally Free!

Today was a fun day of "school," saying good-bye to friends, eating pizza, playing water games, and later going to Up with the grandparents. As much as Alyssa loves school, she's even more excited about being home and we're thrilled to have her here!

World's Cutest Ringbearer

or at least so thinks this mama!

My new toy

So I finally jumped on the SLR bandwagon and am loving it! I was just missing too many shots of my babies in action, thanks to a super-slow point-n-shoot. Now I'm busy trying to figure out how to take full advantage of all this camera's features. For those of you who are photography veterans out there, what are some good resources for beginners, online or otherwise? I'd love to learn more about Photoshop too. For now, I'm having fun experimenting, and driving Alyssa, Parker and Reagan crazy with my demands for subjects.

Over her head

So tomorrow my sister will become a television star! Or at the very least, we'll all get a good laugh. She and her husband will be on "Over Your Head" on HGTV at 11am e/p and their interactions with Eric Stromer are sure to be entertaining. Not because the show is funny, but because it's so far from it. The show's star didn't strike me as the most humble of individuals and Sarah's not one to humor anyone's cheesy jokes (except maybe Danny's!). I can't imagine how they're going to edit this one! The worst part is, all the work that the show did has already been destroyed thanks to a second-story addition Brian and Sarah had done after the taping. If you get a chance to tune in, at the very least you'll get to see how beautiful my sister is.

Putting the "fun" in "funeral"

Since I've known Danny, he has been dreading yesterday. His grandma has always been a huge part of his life, and her death was not something Danny's family had wanted to admit as a possibility - let alone an inevitability. She was blessed with 95 remarkably vital years, and it was only in the last 1 that we saw real proof of her mortality. God graciously weakened her, in large part I believe, to prepare all of us for her home-going. And in fact, yesterday's memorial proved that we were all in large degree, ready. Danny actually remarked on a number of occasions that it was FUN. And it was. There were, of course, plenty of tears as we remembered a godly, loving, selfless woman, but there was a great deal of laughter too. We have no doubt that Grandma is in heaven, enjoying fellowship with her Savior, so in a very real sense we rejoiced in the cessation of her pain. Most of us also have assurance through God's Word and a relationship with His Son that we'll someday be joining her. So ours is only a temporary good-bye. I don't pretend to understand the grief of those closest to Grandma or intend to diminish it, but there were no hopeless, heart-wrenching sobs filling the chapel that morning. We enjoyed our time together as a family - supported by hundreds of friends - honoring a woman who loved us beyond measure, and our God who she loved even more. This is a little bit of the tribute Danny was able to share with everyone yesterday:

"My grandma accomplished many noteworthy things in her 96 years, but she saved her best for this past year. Grandma has consistently provided the appropriate lessons for my level of maturity. When I was young, she taught me lessons like “look before crossing the street,” “stay seated at the dinner table,” and “be sure to go potty before going to bed to avoid an accident.” As I grew older (and hopefully more mature) the lessons continued, but became far less trivial. Grandma taught her final and most important lesson as she prepared for eternity with our Lord. Grandma faced her mortality with no fear of what was to come as she “watched expectantly for the God of our salvation” (Micah 7:7)."
"As we watched Grandma’s health deteriorate and her strength and independence disappear, her focus never wavered. The day before she died I was able to spend some time with Grandma and read to her from Scripture. Do you know what elicited a “two thumbs up” from her? A passage from Revelation 21 which says: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth…. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Grandma’s character was consistent to the end. She continued to love and care for us, placing our needs before her own - including graciously allowing us to address her mortality. We weren’t forced to ignore the fact that she would soon be Heaven-bound. I am so thankful for the manner in which she lived her life, but I will be permanently impacted by the way she prepared to die."
"Grandma understood that she only had a few more hours to live and it was her hope in our Savior that brought her peace and joy. Do you have that hope and peace? You can! Grandma spent her final moments reminding us of how we should live. I am grateful for all of the lessons she taught me, most important were the ones that pointed me to the One Who is worthy of our love, our hope and our life."

Pool babies

One of God's little graces to us in Grandma's passing was a trip to the desert blessedly sandwiched between her death and her memorial service. We return home tomorrow to spend time with out-of-town family, but have thoroughly enjoyed a week of little but swimming, sleeping, reading, and eating good food. My idea of a great time!

Life and Death

On Friday our family welcomed a new life.

On Saturday we said good-bye to an old one.

Scout Magnolia was born to Danny's brother and sister-in-law, and Grandma Cook held on just long enough to see her face. This photo is from Grandma's 96th birthday, at the moment she discovered the last of her 7 grandchildren would be a parent, and declared that she now had another goal in life. God graciously granted her last wish, and she affirmed that it was "worth the fight." But as much as Grandma wanted to see Scout's face, she was more determined to see her Saviour and entered His presence just 24 hours later. I'll later post a bit of Danny's eulogy, and share how much we've all learned from both watching Grandma live, and watching her die. God has been so kind to all of us as we rejoice with Peter and Emily, and joyfully grieve Grandma's home-going. Thanks to so many of you who are sharing with us in both our excitement and grief!

Gotcha!

Two years ago, half a world away, the little girl sleeping upstairs became my baby. Or maybe more accurately, over the past two years, on this side of the world, that baby has become mine. On May 15th, 2007 Ho Thi Thao Van was legally made our daughter. But she didn’t yet feel like ours. Not that we had any real bonding issues - from the first moment on, Reagan seemed to like us. By God’s grace and lots of prayer, she fit quite seamlessly into our family. I loved her then. But I know her now. Now she’s more than just a picture or some legal documents sent in an e-mail. Reagan is more than the little bundle placed in my arms on that Mother’s Day. She’s not just a child, she’s mine, with all the accompanying affection, frustrations, laughs, tears, and makes-your-heart-want-to-burst pride in the girl she is becoming. When I really think about it, it boggles my mind how God selected her to be a part of our family. But mostly I don’t think about it at all. She is a natural part of us, even though the means He used was not nature. I often forget that we don’t “match.” Usually I just thank God for the three incredible little bodies He has allowed me to mother, and rejoice in the family He has made us. Happy Gotcha Day baby girl!

Home again, home again, jiggity jig

Officially a PTA mom?

So completing a diorama on Mother's Day must be a check-mark on a "real mom" list somewhere, right? I'm sure you're all impressed with my artistic ability. Just tell me, what exactly is a first-grader supposed to learn from "helping" a parent assemble such a masterpiece?

What else?

17 nights alone... did you think I wouldn't be painting? While Danny was in Malawi last year, I passed the time with a paintbrush. By the time he returned I had painted all the common areas in our home. But do you think I've painted since then? Not so much. I guess you could say that Danny is just that entertaining. Now that he's away again, I've struck up the old friendship and my Purdy and I have been getting along swimmingly. We've tackled Alyssa and Reagan's room - with help, of course - and it is now a soft shade of pink (Parker calls it "strawberry yogurt"). Next we had a little fun with stripes in Parker's room, mimicking the cherished schooner we wrestled home from Vietnam. Finally, today I finished the guest room, which turned out quite well considering the mixing games I played with leftovers to come up with the final colors. Now if I could just drag myself up to the master bath to finish cutting in (a project Danny and I started together on a whim several months ago), every wall in the house will be complete!

Climbing the walls

Literally. I probably encouraged questionable behavior by photographing this (or rather, by asking him to do it again so I could go grab my camera!) but I'm just floored by Parker's abilities to scale walls. He's little, but he's one solid muscle. So very unlike his mama.

"Helpers"

Just because Danny's away, don't think I don't have help around here! Alyssa and Parker were diligent little painter's assistants today, and Reagan was our very charming cheerleader.