Grocery Assistant

Typically Ethan is the one who is willing to go grocery shopping with me.  He seems always ready to go out and embrace the world as we wander the aisles throwing things into our cart for the weekly food supply.  Perhaps it is because he usually sees a friend or two and he enjoys this a lot.

Last weekend as we were shopping he asked if he could purchase a couple of lemons.  "Sure."  I replied.  He likes lemonade so I thought perhaps he wanted to try and squeeze some by hand.  Who knows?  But if you have ever been grocery shopping with me, by the second 15 minute quarter my eyes have started to glaze over and although my list is in may hand I can't wrap my brain around what we need or what's for dinner let alone field the requests for random things, in this case lemons.  He caught me at a weak moment when no explanation was required for the lemons place into our cart.

The next morning as Kevin is pouring his breakfast cereal, those two lemons come back to haunt me as they roll out of the cereal box.   Ethan, quick as a whip, chimes in, "Well, I guess you could say that life sometimes gives you lemons."

Moan.

Very punny son.

He's here all week folks.  And the week after that.  And the week after that. 

Signs of the Times

Ethan and I enjoyed a good laugh when we saw this fix-it job on our local Walmart store.

For heavy duty duct tape, see aisle 13.

Fundraisers Smundraisers

We have been in school a total of 108 days.

To date, with 3 children in the system, we have been responsible for selling 18 fundraisers.

To name a few, we have "sold" magazines, cookie dough, pepperoni rolls, butter braids, Christmas chocolate, chocolate bars (Did you get one in your christmas stocking?), miscellaneous plastic items in a catalog, school logo items, hoagies, popcorn and Easter chocolate.   OH MY!

Wouldn't it be fun to win the lottery and fund all of the extracurriculars?  Things like basketball, band, ski club etc that make our children well rounded, but aren't required?

Maybe I should start playing.   I will have to work it into my sales schedule.

My Current Project

I have high hopes of someday being the knitter my mother was.  Not there yet.  I can knit an awesome baby hat that looks like an apple and have completed several scarves, hats, fingerless clothes and of course, the dishcloth.

Yesterday I started a new project.  Check it out.

It has good karma.  The knitting needles are Kevin's sweet Grandma Rosemary Forestal's (lovely, lovely lady) and the yarn comes from my Mom (also lovely).  These two strong, sweet kind women are contributors to the hat I am attempting to knit for my dear college friend, Tami, who underwent her first dose of chemotherapy on Thursday after her lymphoma diagnosis.  It's my first chemotherapy hat.  

With each stitch I am praying for healing and calling on those heavenly angels, specifically Rosemary and Sarah to keep her safe and healthy in these next few months.    The yarn has a very striking resemblance to Tami's eye color, I might add.  She is one of the best people I know.  

100

Today is the 100th day of school.  Woo hoo!

Will wanted to wear something fun, so we heated up the glue gun and go to it.

I told him to stand close to people all day long and ask, "Do you hear something buzzing?"  

He's just the kind of kid to do it.

Happy 100th day!

For sale:  100 gently used plastic flies.  Cheap. 

Update

Star date January 10, 2017

You know you are living in the gray winter of Southwestern Pennsylvania when your solar operated Japanese beckoning cat can't even muster up one single wave.

My Mom loved, loved, loved her younger brother Donald.  They were 18 months apart and therefore played together and most often took care of one another.  Donald and his family have lived in North Carolina for many years.  When I was young they were the cousins you couldn't wait to see.  They would visit during the summer and at Christmas time as Donald's wife, my Aunt Barbara (Aunt B Ann) also grew up in Waynesburg and they would spent time with both sides of the family.

When an opportunity arises to see Uncle Donald, I grap at it like a dangling carrot.  This fall Dianne and I rode along with niece Abby as she was attending a Medical School interview in North Carolina.  We spent the night with Uncle Donald, visiting with cousins and having Donald tell us stories about his experiences during the war and also growing up with Mom.

Over Christmas, Kevin, the boys and I were spending time with K's family in Columbus, when I learned that Uncle Donald and his family would be in town for a brief visit to attend a memorial service and burial for Aunt B Ann's sister, Martha.  Dianne said, "You don't have to come back for it."  My reply, "Well, of course I am coming."

Traveling alone in a mini-van is a lot different than traveling with your family.  For 3 quiet and peaceful hours I listened to music of my chosing and to a podcast series called Serial.  Even though they were here for less than 24 hours, I so enjoyed visited with Uncle Donald and his family.  We visitied the cemetery where many of our relatives are buried, even though we nearly froze to death.  Also we went on a drive around the hills and he showed me a house where my Grandmother lived when she was growing up.  I had never been introduced to it before so I was happy to learn some new family history.

I understand why Mom loved him so much.  At 90 years young, he is a pretty lovable guy.