54 Years Later - Nana Finally Gets Someone Who Resembles Her

Little baby Angie

by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

Actually, it is 53 years - until my birthday in November. Why am I making myself older than I am???

A tiny baby girl was born 53 years ago. When that girl was married, she had 2 children, a boy and a girl. Neither resembled her. YES. She was there for the birth, so she knows they are hers.

Much later, the boy and girl both married their lifemates and produced wonderful grandchilden. None of which looked even the slightest bit like the Nana. Rather, they looked like mommy or daddy or this cousin or that one, or even aunties and uncles. No one resembled short little Nana.

Until now. Nana giggles and rubs her hands together with glee.

Little Autumn, the youngest princess, coming in at barely 3 months old, finally shows signs of having something in common with the Nana!

Autumn's eyes look like Nana's eyes. A family resemblance - how nice for me!

Little Autumn and her Nana eyes!

This Nana is happy with even the slightest hint of "she has my eyes." I would be fine if she had Papa's height and not my lack. Actually, I am very happy that she is healthy. A slight resemblance is just eye-cing on the cake. Wink, wink.

Yippee for grands.

Do your children resemble you? How about those grands?

Just chatting with my Nana.

It's Cherry Time!

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

It's cherry picking time in the Yakima Valley.

A total of 7 children and adults plus our tour guide Mr. T. visited a local fruit ranch to pick not-quite-full containers of fresh ripe delectable cherries.

Not only did we have fun traipsing through the cherry trees and orchard rows, the young fruit pickers learned several new things.

Picking cherries is harder than it looks.

It's takes lots of cherries to fill even tiny buckets. Lots.

It's more fun to visit and play than pick cherries.

Don't use the port-o-potties (as advised by Mr. T.).

It was a great outing. Plus I have a big bowl of the yummiest cherries just waiting to be gobbled up.

Fresh and raw, pitted and baked. Any way, any time.

Cherry season!



 

Come, Have Tea with Me!

The inside of one of the barracks at Fort Simcoe

by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

Do weekends go faster and seem busier than the rest of the week, or is it just me?

Pull up a cup of your favorite tea and let's chat. I am drinking PG Tips with a tiny swirl of honey in the bottom. If I really wanted to be reminded of my visits to England, I would add a dash of milk and use raw sugar instead. Delish!

Here's what I'd share with you about my weekend:

On Friday, I went grocery shopping. This is only worth mentioning because of the crowds! It was insane. But I did have my pint-sized helper, Miss Khloe. She assisted me as we grazed our way through Costco.

Nana with her 5 grands, from 5 weeks to 7 years-old.

The Quantrells took Fort Simcoe by storm on Saturday for a birthday plus a birthday plus a graduation picnic day. It was very nice, but it turned into a HOT day as the temps kept rising. We were done by 1, back in the cars, and on the road seeking AC. We enjoyed hanging out together. Nana especially loved having the grands in one spot, though it only lasted for 5 minutes. And then they were off and running.

Saturday was a free National Park Day, so we wanted to take advantage of the special day by visiting Fort Simcoe. You can read more about Fort Simcoe here.

We saw:
- a passel of squirrels, rolling and tumbling all over each other
- no snakes (Amen)
- no bears (double-Amen)
- cows (yes, cows - and plenty of cow-pies, ick!)
- old buildings
- 2 springs
- canons
- a tiny museum
- a parade of Model T's that also traveled out to Fort Simcoe for a picnic
- a park worker in a golf cart chasing away the poopy-cows who wanted to graze (and poop) on park grounds
- the location of my son and daugther-in-laws' wedding

On Sunday, we continued our celebration of graduates at church with a relaxed gathering where we viewed photos, chatted, and shared cake.

Our beautiful graduates!

My honey and I went on a lunch date. This was followed by relaxing in a cool theater and watching a movie. We migrated home, dodging the heat, and stayed inside and under shade. Temps were in the triple digits, so there was no working outside or going for a walk. Nope.

Back-to-work Monday has arrived. Triple digit temps are in the works as I type. I think I hear the beach calling me, if only it weren't 5 hours away.

Thanks for stopping by. I've so much enjoyed tea with you.

Lavender from my garden and a tea cup we received as a wedding gift (31 years ago)

What did you do during the weekend? I'll make another cup and you can tell me about your weekend.

Home

Home. What a big word.

Home is . . .

where I reside
the body I wear
the spouse I adore
my family of love
the animals I adopt
the nature that surrounds me
the future I hope for
my faith that centers me
friends who nuture me
fellow writers who encourage me
the city of my residence
the state and country of my belonging
the planet I inhabit

Home is a big word.

What does home mean to you?

I Love Hand-Me-Downs

I'm not above totally enjoying digging through a bag of my sister's hand-me-downs to pull out new-to-me favorites.

(That would be a literal hand-me-down, as I am older but much shorter than she.)

I also thrill to the seek-and-find treasures I discover at local thrift shops. In fact, the sweater (Mr. Roger's style cardigan, come in the house-trade the coat for a sweater style) I wear all the time is my best ever purchase from Goodwill.

Seriously. I think my family may be a tad bit exhausted of seeing me wear the same old sweater. Every. Single. Day.

But it is the best sweater! I know I look more granny-like wearing it, but it is comfy, broken in, not too hot, not too cold, but just right.

I've had this sweater for over 5 years, conservative estimate. It appears to be well made and may last for another 15. Score! I think I paid $1.99, maybe $2.99.

My husband and I enjoy keeping clothes long past the expiration date (yes, we are THAT couple). One of our favorite games is counting back to find out who is wearing the oldest outfit.

"I've had this shirt since Chelsie was 3," I said.

"Well, I bought these sweats when we were in England," replies the hubby.

"But I had this dress for Easter when we were in Wapato," I counter.

And on and on goes the battle.

It is our game. And our life. We are not ones for top of the line, current fashion, get rid of the old and buy new all the time. Some of you may be saying, quietly in your heads, "YES, we know! Go get some new clothes!!!" Maybe you are even yelling that, hoping we will hear.

It's OK. We are happy with our little game. I think, at heart, we are children of the depression, though we are not really old enough. We use every little thing until it is beyond use. And then maybe we can still find a use for the scraps that remain.

I'm thinking that's being a good steward of natural resources and God's providence. Recyling, repurposing, reusing.

Besides, it's fun.


I'd love to hear where you find your favorite clothes. Are you a scavenger like me? Let's share tips.

Being Thankful

Another Thanksgiving has passed us by.

I'm always a bit sad when it is gone. It's such a long year until the next Thanksgiving and I love having a reason to reflect on those things for which I am thankful.

We had a quiet day of celebration with a grand total of 11 people (plus 1 in utero, so I could count that as 12) at our table. It was a wonderful day.

Here are some 'things' for which I am thankful.

 

Grandbaby number 5 and her/his mommy, Jamie Lee, the talented seamstress and teacher

 

Shoes by the door

 

My Donavyn, who can figure out how to open anything (I mean anything)

 

Donavyn and my baby playing cars

 

My Hayden (6 and in 1st grade)

 

My Miss Khloe (4 and in preschool)

 

The meal

 

My baby girl, Mommy and future college student

 

My baby's baby, My Gage

 

My baby boy, Mr. Mechanic, daddy of 1 and another that's getting ready to surprise us

 

Mr. Collin, daddy of 3, 4-wheelin' dude (trying not to be in the picture)

 

My honey (who recently, uhm, went dumpster diving when he accidently dropped in his glasses) - don't worry, he washed his hands a million times

 

Mommy naps

 

Bonding boys

 

Popsicle prince

 

Popsicle princess

 

Papa and his 'silly' hat

 

Grandma Carole

 

As you can see, I am thankful for quite a few things, er, people. I just have to remember to be thankful throughout the year, not just on the fourth Thursday of November.

 

Did you notice all of the 'my's? I claim relationship with these blessings in my life.

 

(Not pictured: So many people. Missed you! I claim you as 'my,' too.)

 

Happy Thanksgiving! I'd love to hear your thankful list. 

Aged

Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.

~ Proverbs 17:6 (NIV)

I am aged. Like cheese, wine, or moldy haunches of meat.

The gift of grandchildren transforms me into the category of 'aged.'

Does that make you feel old? It does me. Just yesterday I was considering how 52, soon to be 53, is not that old. 53 is a good respectable number. Now 60, that is approaching old and sounds much more mature.

LOL. Do you remember when people in their 30's were old in our young teenager eyes? No? Me, neither.

Truly, only old people accidently hit publish instead of save and throw out an incomplete post without any photos or edits. Sigh. Said the grandmother sitting at her computer blogging.

Aside from the fact that I, a grandparent, am aged, I am also crowned. My children's children are the crown of blessing deposited on my head.

And, oh, is my crown large and beautiful!

I choose to feel special and prized, just like that old cheese and wine. Prized and valued and claimed.

After all, I have a crown, gloriously brilliant with bright shiny faces, bubbling lips, gleeful hearts, and heartfelt hugs.

I am a grandparent.

Thank You, Veterans

Once our son enlisted in the Army and spent a tour overseas in Iraq, we realized the depth of thankfulness and pride we had for our son and his fellow servicemen and women.

Thank you. To each and every branch, to every single troop, to all locations of service, and to every type of work, again, I say, "Thank you!"

Thank you for your selfless service and sacrifice for our country. We appreciate you and what you have done.

Thank you for being willing to leave behind your own family - wives, husbands, parents, children, grandchildren, relatives, friends - and travel to far flung destinations. You missed much. Thank you for being willing to miss the day-to-day life events - for us.

Thank you for staring danger and discomfort straight in the face.

Thank you. From the bottom (and top and middle) of my heart, I say thank you.

And families of servicemen and women. Thank you for your sacrifice. The waiting and the missing is never easy.

For those who did not return the way we prayed, my heart is with you. For those who came home draped with a flag, my heart breaks for you and your family.

Thank you.

May we never forget.

Wrapped in Love ~ Merry Christmas at My Door!

I came home from walking in the lovely fall rain to find a package tucked neatly behind the pumpkin display.

And what to my wondering eyes (and fingers) should appear at the ripping apart of the paper but a contribution for our Wrapped in Love Christmas project.

Ten beautiful, cozy, colorful scarves burst out, tempting me to try on and touch. These 10 cozies began at our girls' weekend at the beginning of the month. I also have several other gorgeous scarves that were completed during our eating/talking/movie watching marathon. Thanks, girls! You rock!

I am feeling a little bit better about my stash of scarves, shoulder shawls, and lap robes. 94+ is a lot of cozies!

For, you see, Christmas is coming and our Wrapped in Love project for the nursing home will soon take place. You can read more about Wrapped in Love by clicking the link.

On Christmas Day, a group of us will load our packages, boxes, and bags, and go over the river and through the woods (or at least over the roads and through the neighborhoods) to Landmark. While there we hope to dispense Christmas cheer, a good bit of fellowship, a Christmas treat, and a choice of one of the warm Wrapped in Love creations to all of the residents.


Anyone not busy on Christmas Day? You are welcome to join us. If you can't make it, feel free to dig out that knitting, crocheting, or sewing and whip up a few items to add to our pile. Thank you!

And a very, merry, early Christmas!

10 Necessary Things for Getaway Weekends with the Girls

Angie hanging out on the balcony of our hotel room.

By Angie Quantrell

After a recent 2-weekend-in-a-row record for getaways with girls, several necessary requirements for a successful retreat floated to the top of my mind. Add these suggestions to your special weekends for a fantastic time.

1. Take friends and relatives. Yes, I adore having time alone. But for a million laughs and plenty of sharing and rekindling of friendships, take along friends, sisters, moms, or cousins. We laughed until our sides ached, shared until our minds went blank, and relaxed between in the quiet times.

Sister TJ goofing off at a museum stop.

 

2. Location, location, location. Choose a meeting place that has the necessaries for a bunch of girls - beds, bathrooms, showers, kitchen space (or great restaurants), activities, and lounging-and-chatting-places. My first weekend away was a beach cabin with all the amenities. The second weekend was at a spa resort complete with bells and whistles.

Beach or resort? Both are fantastic for getaways.

 

3. Plan for good food, coffee, and tea. It doesn't matter if you assign meals to each person, haul along the ice chest to save on costs at a resort, pool snacks for sharing, or dine out and let others wait on you. Some of the best times are had during meal preparation, eating, cleanup, or waiting for restaurant selections to arrive. Those early morning risers will thank you if plenty of am coffee and tea choices are read to go.

We shared meals at the beach (delicious root vegetable soup and rosemary cheese bread). We combined resources for meals and ate at restaurants during our spa weekend.

4. Prepare for fun activities. Beach walks, shopping, sightseeing, crocheting, rubber stamping, watching movies, crafting, soaking in hot springs pools, a 50th birthday party, splurging on spa treatments, getting haircuts, and sneaking to the fancy lobby in pajamas are all things I've enjoyed over the last 2 weekends. Taking it easy is also a wonderful treat.

Polly loved crochet time.

5. Carpool. Get the party started early. Time in the car chatting and stops for museums and attractions along the way add to the festive holiday atmosphere. Plus you will be saving gas and the environment at the same time.

6. Embrace the sillies. At the beach getaway, the hostess brought her  4-month old kitten. Talk about fun times (and one spoiled kitty). During the spa retreat, we surprised each other with little gifts, balloons, chocolate torte, and crazy toys. The birthday girl had a crown of glow-in-the-dark ears. My sister turned the leftovers into a runway lighted strip to lead us to the bathroom in the dark hours of the night.

Playing is good for adults!

 7. Capture the fun with photos and videos. Many of my pictures did not turn out. I really wanted photos of us soaking and being pampered though that was not possible. But looking back and sharing the shots with each other is worth hauling around that clunky camera and having to delete the ugly shots.

8. Be flexible. You will get tired or irritated at times. Let things roll off your back. Go with the group consensus or suggest everyone choose their own thing to do. Not everyone wants to go on a 5-mile hike or spend the entire weekend sitting and stamping. It's ok to do different things at the same time.

9. Enjoy the time. Who knows when the entire group will be able to get together again (if ever). Catch up, reconnect, and refresh. Make the most of the gathering. We all need times like this to take us out of the every day ruts and get our brains recharged.



We splurged on one fancy meal at the hotel.

10. Stay connected. You just spent a marvelous weekend in each others' hip pockets. Keep the love and relationship going by staying in touch through email, phone calls, texts, social media, and in person. Your mental sanity is worth the time and effort!

So pull up a chair. Let's chat.

Did I miss anything? What else would you add to the list for great girl getaways? I'd love to hear. I might just be planning my next trip...

Things You Gotta Have

 Sometimes there are just things you must have. They may not be mandatory for survival, but let's say some things are great for mental health and stress relief and a happy life.

 

In other words, you gotta have it.

Sometimes you just gotta have a tent. And snacks. And a cousin.

 

Other times you just gotta have cottage cheese. Two servings.

 

  

We all know there are definitely times we must have some shut eye.

 

On special days, girls just gotta have a party dress and pretty hair,

 

while boys make do with comfy jeans and a Mohawk.

Sometimes you just gotta have chill time in the rockin' chair.





Lots of chill time.

 



And don't forget, sometimes we need a gaggle (ducky blanket) and static hair to make our days complete.





On certain days, we just gotta have scrap wood, a million nails, a hammer,

and some grand ideas.



 

Sometimes a rocking buddy is the best plan.

 

 

You always need a little help. Gotta have it.

 

You gotta take advantage of Papa sitting on the floor.

 

 

And don't forget. You just always gotta have a Nana hug.

 

 

What do you just gotta have?