Lessons from the Table

(In coming back to my bog after so long, I noticed this draft that I had started when we were in Oklahoma--not sure why I didn't post it before, but I'm sharing it with you all now. Man, I miss my grandparents!)

Many of you know that my granpa was a very wise man and had a wealth of knowledge--even when we didn't want to hear it! Uncle Scott asked me to find/write a poem for Granpa's service. Well, Sis and I looked online for a poem and the ones we found were just too, well, just not right. So, I had been thinking a lot about all the things Granpa taught us over the years. When we would need to talk to Granpa, we would always find ourselves sitting at the kitchen table and talking (hence the title that Greg came up with). So, I asked everyone for some of the things that they leaned from Granpa and then I tried to put everything down. I thought I would share it with eveyone because, for those who may not have known my granpa...

We learned that all that’s at stake is your reputation….that we’re all doing better than we deserve….that when you’re young, the best gift is the jingly change from the grocery store.

We learned about death from going to see the bunnies at the cemetery….that someday you’ll be 40 anyway….the importance of the stock market in all our lives….and that his house was Luzetti’s House.

We learned that the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing….that someday you’ll love each other….that we must be quick to think and slow to react….to raise our own children with the “sistent” sisters: Insistent, Consistent and Persistent.

We learned to lead, follow or get out of the way….that the man is the head of the house, but the woman is the neck….that each of us needs to have a one-, five- and ten-year plan….that you’re either part of the problem or part of the solution.

We learned to always listen for the snap….the true meaning of, “Wait until your father gets home”….to just do something you love because then you’ll never work a day in your life….that it’s more fun to start a project than to finish it.

We learned how to make picture frames….the importance of the 10-minute power nap….that no man is an island….how to create something beautiful from pieces of stained glass.

We learned that family is a benevolent monarchy….that the answer to any question is seven….and that the most important thing is to wait on God.

Now, you know I'm really procrastinating!

I posted the last batch of pictures realtively quickly so I decided to post a few more....homework and laundry awaits and I will get to it....in just a few minutes. ;-) Above is a picture of Mia from November, when we went to Scott's parents house for a visit. This is one of the CUTE winter jackets that Kay bought Mia for her birthday. Cute, cute.

And this is Mia at one of the many belt tests that we've gone to for Annie and Christina. (They are actually testing for their green belts tomorrow!) But, this is a good shot of her sprout--which isn't able to be done anymore--her hair is too long, not.

That's Annie all the way on the right getting a Language Arts Award at school. She's doing great in school, we're very proud. In May, she got the Math Award. She's also been chosen for lunch with the principal both this year and last year (for good citizenship). Just a little bragging on my part... :-)

And the Big-Annie-Smile in the dental chair. We went back to the same dentist we were seeing before we moved to Wisconsin. Annie, unfortunately, has my teeth--and a small jaw. Yep, braces are in her future, for sure!!

Annie's Band Performance

These are out of order. I've been spending the last few minutes trying to fix it and can't figure it out so whatever. I have homework waiting and it's the girls' first day of summer break. YAY!! So, sorry, but, you guys are smart-you can figure it out! ;-) (This one is supposed to go at the end, if yuo'd like to read ahead, it may make more sense...ugh.) Not surprisingly, Mia got very antsy and I finally took her outside to run through the big lawn in from of RHS. I tried to get a picture of her and finally snapped this one. Look familiar? Annemaire used to do this when she was little. If I call Mia's name, she will turn and say, "Huh?" and give me this look.....love her!

Annemarie had her end-of-the-year band performance a few weeks ago so we all packed in Clock Auditorium at Redlands High School. Above is the only picture I was able to get and of course yuo can just hear, "Mom, what?!?" Anyway, the band sounded really good and she played in the final piece so we were able to hear the middle school and high school bands, as well.

Needless to say, Mia was interested in the bands' performances for about 2.2 seconds. But, with Samantha and Christina there, too, she did ok for a while. A while ago, Mia started closing her eyes, for no apparent reason. Sometimes, she tries to walk around the house with her eyes closed.

This is her new face. She makes it when she takes a big bite or if the camera flashes. But, it's really cute! Mr. "A" directing the All-District Elementary School Band. Annemarie is in that see of faces, somewhere!

Heehee...

I don't know why, but if you Google images for T.S. Eliot (which I did for a PowerPoint presentation for school), this comes up. And I laugh everytime I see it, so I thought I'd share!

Update Time-FINALLY!

(Debbie, this post is for you, especially! It was great to see you... ;-) and thanks for all your prayers!) As it's been so long since I've blogged, I thought I would take a few minutes to do a REALLY quick update! The picture above was taken a few weeks ago at church. (Annie still doesn't mind dressing like her sister, but I'm sure that will change very soon!). Both girls are doing well. Annie is finishing up 4th grade, has joined Girl Scouts, and is now a purple belt in Karate (Hap Do Sool) and testing for her green belt next week! She's been seeing an allergist since September and he's been tinkering with her medication for her allergies and asthma. She's allergic to trees, grasses and flowers (many different kinds of each). She's not had any acute asthma attacks since being on her new inhaler, but her lung function is still low. She's also had a lot of breakthrough symptoms SOOO, she'll be starting allergy shots soon. ugh. Twice a week to start, then once a week, then moving towards once a month for maintenance during the winter. But, it will be nice for her to not feel so miserable. She's also just had another growth spurt and is the tallest in her class--again. Mia is also getting very tall--35 1/2 inches (and 32 pounds at 2 years, 8 months)! She's been discharged from gross/fine motor therapy but will probably stay in speech threapy for a bit still. Although, her speech has come such a long way in a relatively short time. She's putting together 4-word phrases and has even learned how to be sarcastic (a long-standing family tradition!). Her dad taught her to say, "Uh, nooo." Nice. She's doing great in school and has even started to talk there, as well (Mia pretty much keeps to herself at first. Like Annie, she takes a bit to warm up to her surroundings.) Mia had tubes put in her ears in February and just got the "all-clear" (tubes are clear and all the infection is finally gone!) a few weeks ago. We pray the tubes do there job and no more trips to Urgent Care!! I'm finishing up the spring quarter at Cal State-yah. I am not taking summer classes-I need a break and we have Church Camp, VBS, the State Youth Invasion, Sports Camp for the big girls (Christina, Samantha and Annie), etc....so I'll start my LAST year in September!! Yah-yah! Although, I will need to credential for a year after that, but at least I will have FINALLY finished my degree! Praise God!! Scott is working, working. He started a new job in October and is very happy with the new company. He's also started playing racquetball with some of the guys at work (and occasionally, Tony joins them). He's also keeping busy painting for friends and family--which he actually finds very relaxing, but whatever! ;-) That's the quick and dirty version...I'm off to school now--Shakespeare and Literary Theory await!! I will try to be better about posting--really I will!

This is Mia using her nebulizer (for asthma). At first, it was a nightmare getting her to use it, but once we put Dora/Wonder Pets/Diego on the tv, she's good. She'll even dance while ding her treatments!

This next picture is Mia and kay at one of the girls' Christmas program (hence the red, chapped Mia-cheeks). Kay loves Mia so much--and Mia loves her too, even if she's shy about telling Kay that!

And now, Mia with her vacuum (thanks to Nana and Papa!). Whenever I do the floors (and with the dog, that's OFTEN), Mia will get out her vacuum to help.

I Eat Paint!

Yes, we are still here....

So, I thought I would jump on real quick and add a couple photos (of Halloween and Christmas Eve) to let everyone know we are still here! I am in school full-time, Scott started a new job (as Manager of the Vista Paint store in San Bernardino), Annie is doing well in the 4th grade and Mia is doing great (albeit, prone to numerous ear infections and at least one cold per month, etc...). But, now that I have Internet on my desktop (where my pictures have been stranded for a few months), I am hoping to blog a little more regularly. And there is ALOT to blog! SO, please bear with me, and I will try to just pop on and put up what I have time for. For now, this will have to do.... homework awaits!!

Granpa

As some of you know, my grandfather, Harry Breckley, went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, Sept. 21st. He had been living in Oklahoma for the last few years, so Sis, Nic and I left Wednesday morning and are headed back to California tomorrow morning. The visitation/viewing was in Mtn. View, OK on Thursday night and then the service and graveside was in Gotebo, OK (my grandmother was born and raised in Gotebo--it's small!) on Friday morning. The services were very nice. It was also nice to have the family together again and we were able to visit with some cousins we had not seen in a LONG time. Granpa will be missed greatly, but we know that he is with the Lord, now, and that we will see him again someday. (My camera battery died Thursday night and I didn't bring my charger, so I don't have any pictures beyond Thurday night, but I'm sure my sister will be blogging the ones we took, soon!)

Thursday night, after the visitation service, everyone went back to the home of a cousin for some food. We ended up gathering in the living room and singing out of the "blue book" (Heavenly Highway Hymns). It was a lot of fun and I was able to meet some famliy members that I had never met before.

Aunt Liz with Winnie, my grandma Doris' cousin. Winnie is 94 (and someone correct me if I am wrong) and spry! She is really funny and has some great stories about the family!!

Nicholas, my brother, Ken, and my dad singing!

The next posts are of Travel Pig--Christina now has 2 Travel Pigs and they travel with the family when Christina has to stay at home. So, I chronicled Pig's journey until, like I said, my camera died!

Pig Goes to Oklahoma, Oklahoma, Oklahoma, Oklahoma, Oklahoma.....

And Pig thought she would travel in my carry-on! She was sad because of why we had to go, but excited to see the family and the sights of Oklahoma!

As soon as we checked into the hotel room in Weatherford, Pig thought she would take a little nap on the comfy, cozy bed....

And then Pig thought she would sit in the window and enjoy the view......of the Weatherford Regional Medical Center! At least Pig knew that if anything happened, she was in walking distance of the hospital!!

Pig enjoying salsa at the "Mexican Restaurant" we ate at--although it only served Mexican food in theory, in reality it was, unfortunately, bland and dry and disappointing (but, I won't mention who chose the restaurant.....they know who they are ;-) ). But, Pig enjoyed visiting with the family, anyway....

Then Pig decided to take a nap in the chip bowl when we ran out of chips....

And then Pig went to Wal-Mart with Nic, Greg and Brian.....wa-hoo!

And Pig also went to Mtn. View with us on Thursday night. The scenery was very nice, albeit flat!

Casting Crowns

Scott and I saw Casting Crowns when we lived in Wisconsin, but we didn't take Annie. So, when I found out that they would be in concert in Corona, we decided to take the girls and then we decided to just make it a big outing and so Scott, Sis, Tony, Nic, Kay, the girls and I went. We had such a good time and the music was incredible and now the girls would like to go again!

I guess I caught Samantha by surprise!

Sis and Tony

Aren't they sweet!

I figured I should include a picture of Scott and I.....

Nic and Kay

Tony proving that he and Scott are the most patriotic as they were they only ones that wore their red shirts for "Red Shirt Friday". Or maybe they just wanted to be matchey-matchey...

One of Annie's favorite things is to hold the camera out in front of us and take a picture.... I wonder where she got that from....