Claire de "Loon"

I used to dream about colors when I was pregnant. I know it sounds crazy (when have I not sounded crazy...right?) but I really did. With Kindle it was peachy orange, Kit was an aqua color, and Claire, was....well....complicated. I dreamt of periwinkle. But wait, then I would dream of dark golden yellow. back and forth like my brain couldn't control the color knob. Then, there she was...with periwinkle eyes and dark golden hair. Sweet and quiet, but also firm and determined. My life was once again changed forever for the better.

After she was born, I went and got the piano music for Debussy's "Claire de Lune". I have always loved it...with it's sometimes sensitive feeling and then sweeping movement. It was not an easy arrangement. Difficult, delicate, powerful, beautiful, and complicated...just like Claire. I felt like if I could just keep practicing...I would figure this piece out...

This is Claire when she was about 5 years old (we were driving in the van)...
"Mom I can cry anytime I want to."
(me)"you can? ok do it..."
pause...pause...pause...loud sobbing noise from the back seat.."waaahhh!"

I'm telling you people...I had to turn around to make sure she was ok...she nailed it!
Claire smiling, "see."
Tell me...as a mother what do you do with this?

Claire and her dad have a system also...they tease and tease and tease till Claire gets so upset that she starts to cry....then I step in and say "Rob...do you have to do this?" (scolding) Claire will be behind my back laughing at Rob because she got him in trouble... game over.

I secretly like it this way. I have moments, occasionally, when I actually conquer the music.
Like this time:Me and Claire at a Halloween party...(lick finger-chalk 1 up for mom...)

But most of the time, I just have to sit back...and wonder at the mystery, and allure of this most fascinating creature.



Happy Birthday, sweetheart. You have brought magic into my simple minded world.

Megan and Joseph

I just got back last night from Richland. Claire, Kindle, and I drove last week to Washington for Megan's wedding....I must share...because it was awesome! Here are a few pics:

After the ceremony, Mindy had planned a beautiful luncheon for the family...totally cool...I know who the person is behind the curtain that keeps everything running...it's Min.( she even cut the vinyl monograms for the doors) It was truly great. She did a fabulous job.



We spent the evening at a beautiful reception...laughing our heads off with the Baird family.




I made the cake....I call it the Blake cake because it is chocolate cake with almond coconut
(my take on almond joy). It was good....very good.

(I love how the coconut looks like the hydrangeas on the tables)

me and my peeps.

The McCullens

It was so nice out today that after dinner we all went outside to hang and a
baseball game broke out!!! (it is the American past-time, you know...)
I love these guys.

(click on the pics to see them up close and personal)

Even Sweet E boy got in the game...but then got distracted by the dandelion puffs that were in abundance....mmmm...yummy.

This is Jeff's impression of Alice Cullen....man I'm gonna miss this guy.

chain of fools

I told you that I had many stories to tell of daughter #3. Today she is on a pedestal. Let me explain. When Claire and Jeff got married, (sounds like a sit-com) the very first April of their married lives, Claire sat Jeff down and said that she had been having some really important conversations with me about...you know.... her "nether" regions. She said that I had advised her to see a doctor, which she did and that the Doctor told her that she had contacted Herpes. Of course Jeff completely freaked out. The thing about Claire....she can really spin it! By the time she revealed to him that it was APRIL FOOL'S day...he was already hyperventilating!

The next year, she told him that earlier in the day she had accidentally hit a car, but was so scared that she just drove off as fast as she could so she wouldn't get caught...."Oh, Jeff what if they got my license plate...." (Jeff is prostrate on the floor with a panic attack...)

Today, Jeff was really gonna get her. He was driving one of Rob's company trucks across Wyoming and called to say that he had a blow-out in the middle of no-where and there was no spare....(lame)
Claire: "...oh honey that's too bad."(yawn)


Later she calles him and says: "Jeff...Oh my Gosh, I don't know what to do!...Juniper(the dog) just bit Ephraim and they have to take him in for stitches...Kit is freaking out and I think we are going to have to put June down..."

Jeff: "WHAT!!?....Why did you let her close to Epraim...blah, blah(ready to freak)
Claire: "I can't believe it happened today of all days." (silence)

Jeff: "you are evil."

Maybe she's a good liar...maybe he makes it easy.I deem you the Queen of Fools.

Claire and Jeff

I havent had a chance to talk much about my sweet petunia. Not nearly as much has been said that should have been said about daughter #3. (upon reading this she will be shrinking and rolling her eyes...but that is why I had children...so I could talk about them behind their backs...) I have many stories about Claire that I want to share with you, my humble readers, many lovely stories...but today is Jeff's day. Meet Jeff:

Jeff is cool.

Claire and Jeff got married a couple of years ago.
It was awesome.

now they have Juniper.
very cute...pees on my carpet...but none-the-less...a cool tall red
(just like Jeff, only female)

Today Jeff took the oath and joined the United States
Air Force Reserves.



I can't believe I will have 2 sons in the military. I know it will be a sacrifice for both of them, but I also know this is going to be a blessing, too. It is crazy hard and crazy good to see your kid's growing up and making life changing decisions on their own. You just have to let them go and let God take care of the rest of it. I am praying for both of my boys.

We are really proud of you, Jeff.