Spring Pictures

For the last several years I've been wanting to take some pictures at Nicolet College when their trees were in bloom.  We finally made it down there this year, but when we got there we realized the trees were absolutely buzzing with bees.  The sound was deafening!  We kept our distance, but were still able to get some cute pictures of the kids.

Breakfast in Bed

Eric left for his second week of business trips this month on Sunday. In order to be my "helper," Nolan has been waking me up with breakfast in bed the past few mornings - a carefully constructed PB & J. This morning, our little sandwich artist decided to branch out and made a butter and almond sandwich, which if you're not sure what that is, it's literally butter and whole roasted almonds on white bread. Fortunately, he was super excited to try it so I was able to dodge that bullet while he gobbled that sucker down in record time. 

artwork

Lately Nolan has been taking an interest in "art."  With Nolan turning into such a good reader and speller, it was only a matter of time before the potty words started to be spelled...And he's been writing them everywhere.  I even found the word 'poop' written in the dirt on my car door yesterday.  The picture above is a picture of me that he drew when he was mad at me, basically like an assassin crossing out his victim.  I'm a little scared...

This super awesome anatomically accurate drawing was at Grandpa Jim and Grandma Marcia's house.  It is having a bowel movement.  We're so proud.

Goodbye, Grandpa

My Grandpa Ralph passed away this morning. He was a man of few words, a quick wit, and unending love for his family. He was gentle and fairly quiet, but always had a twinkle in his eye because at his core he was a prankster.  Nothing harmful, of course, but he loved playing practical jokes, saying silly puns, and had quite the collection of Norwegian gadgets.  One of his favorites was a wooden cube with a slider on the top.  When you slid the box open, a toy mouse popped out on your hand.  I also remember his Norwegian "Quarter Pounder" -  which was a board with a quarter glued to it and a tiny wooden hammer triggered to pound the quarter - a quarter pounder!  He loved when someone new came to visit and he could get them scratching their head and laughing with his shelf of tricks.  

Grandpa was a dairy farmer, like his father before him.  He worked hard his whole life, but found joy in his work.  His favorite place to be was on the tractor - preferably a John Deere - and managed to keep raking hay until last fall at the age of 87.   He also loved playing cards and continued playing with friends and family many times a week, even while home on hospice care.  

I've been rather spoiled, because for the 33 years of my life, all four of my grandparents have been guideposts, cheerleaders, and supporters as I have gone through the many chapters and stages of my life.  From birthdays to piano recitals, to Sacraments to graduations, they have been there through it all with me.  As I contemplate this loss and go through the grieving process, I think about how different it will be now.  There will be an empty seat at those special events and one of my biggest cheerleaders is no longer on earth where I can see his smile and that familiar twinkle in his eye.  That will be very difficult to get used to.  The reassuring part is that I know Grandpa is looking down at the beautiful family he created with so much love and pride, and that I know that one day we will all be together again.  One of the last times I visited him, he was gazing at the grandchildren quilt that hangs in their bedroom. It is filled with the handprints of his 24 grandchildren and 36 great grandchildren. He said, "Can you believe we started all that?!" He was a humble man, who was deeply proud of his family.

We laid Grandpa to rest with so much love at his home church in Lima.  It was an absolutely gorgeous sunny day and the trees were all blooming with their beautiful spring blossoms.  The church was packed with well over 300 people.  We processed in with our whole family - all 100 of us - and it was such a powerful visual of the legacy my grandparents created.  When Mass was over, and the bells chimed, we followed Grandpa out of the church to his final resting place in the Lima cemetery.  We gathered around for the military honors and taps, said our final goodbyes, and sang his favorite song, "Sweet Violets," for him one last time.  The funeral director gave each of us a flower from his casket spray as one final gift from Grandpa.  

Grandpa, I am proud to be your granddaughter.  Rest in peace. Love you more.

CAVOC

I spent my Wednesday with Nolan's class at CAVOC - Rhinelander School District's outdoor classroom.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day - sunny skies, 80 degrees and not a cloud to be seen.  We made binoculars out of toilet paper rolls, went on a nature hike, had a picnic lunch, played with the parachute, and went on a scavenger hunt.  Nolan's classmates are so sweet - it was fun to get to spend the day with them and have the opportunity to see Nolan interact with them.  He is a good friend, which makes me very happy. Everybody had a great time and was very worn out by the time we returned to school.  I'm so glad I had the opportunity to be part of it!

Quirky Livi Lu

Our little Livi is certainly a character.  Her antics make us both laugh and cringe, but here are a few of her latest quirks/sayings:

Lately she's taken an interest in tasting people.  She sticks out that big tongue and gives you a lick and then says, "You taste like honey."  I have no idea where she got this from.  It's equal parts hilarious and horrifying.

The other day I was in the church office making copies when she loudly said, "Is that your nipple?" while poking my boob repeatedly.  I tried to inconspicuously redirect her, but she only asked it louder and louder until there was no doubt everyone in the square block could identify where my nipple was.

She's been kind of stinker lately about bedtime, and insists that she's not sleepy.  On some of the more frustrating nights, she'll lay down for about 10 minutes and then walk out into the living room and say, "I sleep good," meaning she's had a full night's rest and thinks it's morning.

She calls  guacamole, "Rocky-Rolly"

She absolutely insists on feeding Eric his breakfast.  She sits on his lap and feeds him bite by bite, each time saying, "Do you yike it? Do you yove it"

Along with her not wanting to go to bed, she's been waking overnight - sometimes as many as 4 or 5 times.  The weird part is that she doesn't actually get me.  She opens the door to my room and then lays near it in the living room on the hardwood floor.  Sometimes she whispers my name, but other times she just lays there - sometimes for hours if I don't hear her.  You'd think she would just walk the 3 more steps to my bedside, but I guess not...

She says, "Watch me go" on her swing, slide, or bike.

Her most used phrase lately is "I do it with myself," meaning she does NOT want help.

She calls a hula hoop a "yoo-hoo" and it's the cutest thing ever.

Oh Livi Lu, we love you so!

Week 20: Comfort

On the walk to the cemetery for Grandpa Ralph's burial, I happened to catch a glimpse of this beautiful purple violet growing in the grass.  Grandpa's favorite song was "Sweet Violets," which so perfectly told the story of his life.  He sang this song at each of his grandkid's weddings - such a sweet and precious memory.  Seeing this beautiful little flower made me smile and remember that nothing can sever the bond of family.  He is still with us and part of us until we are all united again.  And that is a most comforting thought.

Sweet Violets

Sweet violets

Sweeter than all the roses

Covered all over from head to toe.

Covered all over with sweet violets.

There once was a farmer who took a young miss

in back of the barn where he gave her a lecture

on horses and chicken and eggs

and told her that she had such beautiful manners

that suited a girl of her charms.

A girl that he wanted to take in his 

washing and ironing and then if she did

they could get married and raise lots of 

Sweet violets

Sweeter than all the roses

Covered all over from head to toe.

Covered all over with sweet violets.

The girl told the farmer that he'd better stop

and she called her father and he called a taxi

and got there before very long

'cause someone was doin' his little girl

right for a change and so that's why he said

"If you marry her son, you're better off single,

'cause it's always been my belief 

marriage will bring a man nothing but.."

Sweet violets

Sweeter than all the roses

Covered all over from head to toe.

Covered all over with sweet violets.

The farmer decided he'd wed anyway

and started in planning for his wedding suit

which he purchased for only one buck

but then he found out he was just out of money

and so he got left in the lurch

standin' and waitin' in front of the 

end of the story which just goes to show

all a girl wants from a man in his

Sweet violets

Sweeter than all the roses

Covered all over from head to toe.

Covered all over with sweet violets.