A Mini Piano Concert Today

On Sunday afternoons, Abe has sometimes been asked to play the piano for the little church service at the home. They hand out hymn books with no music and he accompanies them by ear. At 86 he is quite amazing!
A few Sundays ago, they asked him to play something just for fun after the service and he played a favorite Spanish melody called Cielito Lindo. I will share a segment here, because if you listen carefully, you  can hear my mom humming or singing in the background.
I was not trying to get her voice in there, but when I heard her ever so faintly here, the sound reminded me of how she used to sing in the kitchen as she worked. A beautiful memory!

Photo Sharing

My H sent me some photos he captured recently

and it struck me how different the scenarios ...

sharing with the oldest in the family

to sharing with the youngest.

 I brought mom an old album of hers

in which she had photos of  a holiday spent with

siblings in South America. 

It gave us a little bit of something to do 

and she enjoyed it

even though the concept of pictures confuses her.

Then comes our littlest one ... intrigued with the photos on my phone.

 Again and again he leaned back to see if I was liking them

as much as he was!

I have no idea of his concept of photos,

but at this point it's the interaction,

whether old or young, 

that's special.

Happy 10th Birthday, Makenna!

Dear Makenna ... 

as I've been going through memories of February 29th, ten years ago 

and all the years since, 

I cannot believe what a treasure chest, overflowing full, of times 

we've had with you on both sides of the world.

You were the tiniest of all our grand babies, cute as a button!

My thoughts go back to visiting you on your first birthday 

and how you decided to start walking while we were there! 

Your smile has always come easy, feeling loved and secure in who you are.

Today, I want to share some of those times, some being
just baby steps to a relationship that began before you even remember:

the gift of you falling asleep in my arms

story reading, time and again

swinging, racing, twirling, eating in our back yard

patio picnics with cousins

swimming in a pool in Jakarta

baking together 

a river cruise - checking out the orangutans

dressing up to greet us at the airport

baking buns in a hot humid kitchen, a cookbook photo

warming up by the fireplace 

cereal and real milk in Canada

cousin time

pretend dress up play and dressing up for real to be a flower girl

play times, barbeques, swim time, overnights, 

marshmallow roasts and boat rides at the Lakehouse

water slides at Lake Chelan and camping

more cousin time

matching pj's at Christmas with all the girl cousins

birthday parties

Build-a-Bear date

book signing with Grammy

dates, to the park, to the corn maze, to the zoo, 

hiking, mini golfing

Papa's stories

playing in the leaves
decorating sugar cookies
hiking the desert

Disneyland with cousins
sharing Popsicles

Easter egg hunts and twirling in a pretty dress

picnic at Fishtrap Creek

bridal and baby showers for aunties

American Girl store shopping with Papa

tea parties

Cousin sleepovers at the Lakehouse

extended family gatherings

gondola rides

cartwheels where ever possible

fancy shoes from Canada

exotic beaches and lake shores adorned with water lilies,

and so much more!

How we would all love to be at the table with you to celebrate you today

but from here, we thank God for the gift of you 

and for the way you so easily adapt to any and every circumstance. 

You take life as it comes and reach out to make friends. 

May the Lord keep and  protect your whole being ...

and continue to give you many more reasons to smile. 

Sending love and hugs,

Papa and Grammy

♡♡♡

Beauty in Imperfection

I did not take a photo of this bouquet when my cousin brought it over ...

beautiful in its perfection, all standing straight, barely opening.

But, these last few days, whenever I walk through the family room

and see this array of blooms stretching out  ...
portraying a bit of an attitude ...

I smile inside. 

There is a beauty even in this, right?

Seeing Double

Since I posted the pictures I was going to post here

on the recipe blog,

I'll share a bit more of that day ...

when just the three-year-olds came to play.

Oh, and maybe I just have to go back to these ...

I think this container was about three quarter full when we started.

Now check it out in the next photo ..

... the inside scoop, is what you get here.

Evy decided a baby spoon would help.

Wishing you all a Happy Valentines! 

New Office Help

 My experienced staff keeps busy with coloring
on top of the desk beside me while I sit in my chair.

He's not there yet ... but no worries.
auditing my trash is keeping him busy for now
and may keep me accountable in a whole new way.