just thinking out loud....well....on paper

if you have followed me for long (and really---who among us hasnt?)---then you know i have the need to be clever---if i cant be clever---i dont write it----and i am DARN clever in my mind as i drive down the freeway---so when there is a lull in what you have to follow (a clever way of saying "i havent posted in a while)---it usually means i'm not feeling clever.

you also know i dont send out christmas letters---altho i LOVE getting them---i always feel the need to be ---hmmm---how to say it cleverly----BLATANTLY honest about what is going on in my life....

lull...

milo is back in florida after 3 weeks with us---david & i shared custody---i had him everyday---then i'd hand him off to david so i could go to rehearsal everynight.

rehearsal---i'm in Big River---musical about Huck Finn by Roger Miller (old country singer from the 60's)...beautiful and CLEVER music...based on ---duh---mark twain's book.....i get to play 2 parts---act 1 i play a bible-thumping slave owner that takes in Huck Finn to civilize him----act 2 i play a backwoods slave owner that wants to take in Huck Finn to civilize him.....hmmm...see a pattern?...maybe the director knows i am a book of mormon thumper who took in children and made them do chores....if you are in the area---come see me.

dancing moose---yes--we continue to do our ethics shows---the guys are in the process of writing another show---yes---still the best job EVER----and no---i dont get tired of travelling.

blackberry vs iphone4s....not even a discussion

jasmine is carrying my 9---COUNT THEM---9th grandchild---the oldest is 3---i watch hoarders and worry----

i'm in the primary presidency at church now----i'm always surprised how much i like little kids---which is good since i have 9 grandkids 3 and under

i have 2 kids i dont talk much about---no way to be clever about this---but they are adults and get to make their own lives---and so do i---relationships have to be mutually respectful......wow---that wasnt clever at all.

i waffle up and down on the same 20 lbs---i'm on the up right now---OH MY GOODNESS---WAY TOO BLATANT FOR MY SELF-ESTEEM....and i have long hair--- i hatehatehateHATEHATEHATE it.... but a little hairspray makes it look fuller---and i'm told i look younger with it....and i'm letting it go back to blonde with white highlights because a haircutting reality show said that lighter haircolor makes your thin hair look fuller because your SHINY WHITE scalp doesnt show thru as much

i'm in my mid-50's......hmmmm....no way to clever that up either.....but its not really bad...really.

i'm ready for my closeup

the family---left to right back row---me, leah with porter (squirrel!) lyric and pyper, jasmine and beth
front row---david, ace with jonas, joe and cannon, ben and milo, david and ben....
MERF---WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? YOU LOOK LIKE YOU BELONG IN THE 1940'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!

milo (2 yrs 4 months) on the slide---he thinks before he moves

always my favorite picture---pick a pose

nelson clan---they live in houston---joe is in his 2nd year of medical school---leah chases boys all day...and night...and day...much like she did as a young girl (whoa---did i really say that!?! love you little girl! :)

in the leaf pile----front to back---ben, cannon, jonas and milo

porter nelson----4 1/2 months

Jonas (2 yrs old) LOVES being outside---LOVE LOVE LOVE

Ah----the change in the family this year---the addition of estrogen! Pyper (3 1/2 months) and Beth (10 months)

ben and milo on the slide---milo is a clone of his dad---yay?  lol!

best uncle EVER---ace loves his nieces and nephews---you can see how thrilled pyper and porter are to have joined this group....jonas doesnt look very secure either!

Beth----i think she thought she was in a playground made of jelly beans!

milo and ben---joy

its a good picture of david, cannon and porter---ben is trying to escape---milo is yelling at someone---beth and pyper are looking at something (someone over to the right?)---and jonas looks like he's ready to go

ace 17 1/2---just finished high school and started college! woot woot!
(note to ace---shave your neck)

the fam--wow! got a decent picture of everyone! not easily done!

Team Webb---living and loving life in Orlando---ben is a doctoral student in optics and lasers (dont worry---our eyes all glaze over at this point) and lyric is going to school full time (3 semesters left) in early childhood education....milo and pyper give her plenty of opportunities to try out what she's learning.

and the Halls---david is an engineer at Valero's refinery near New Orleans---Jasmine is also 3 semesters from getting her degree in education....and she's growing another student---due July 28, 2012!

joe and jonas---anything better than that face?

Halls used this picture to announce the coming of "tiny" Hall

david and ben----hmmmm---who has a brighter smile?

Lyric and Pyper---love this picture of them together

i LOVE pictures where babies/kids look like they do in real life----lots of pictures of beth and pyper smiling---gotta show the other side!

i feel blessed to have a lovely family----and they arent too bad lookin' either.

bye bye milo

....my final milo blitter---more of a blog.
its interesting----i had one grandchild for 3 1/2 months---then i had two for 6 months---then 3 for 4 months----in 13 months i went from no grandkids to 4---all boys----kinda like a litter....one born the next year---then 3 more in 2011---including 2 girls----still like a litter.  when the grandbabies are all here it is like nursery at church---you kinda sit back and watch the mayhem---catching one for a hug as they run by----cuddling the one that is crying....but not a lot of one on one time....this past year i was able to have Ben here for about 10 days just by himself---it was great---got to see his little (no, its Ben-----big BIG personality) and enjoy just him....then when leah had Porter I got to be with cannon and jonas while she was with Porter at the hospital----and since they live just---and i do mean JUST--- 4 hours away----i get to spend time with the  nelson boys more than when they were in far off Utah.

so this was milo's turn----nearly 3 weeks with him----not all partying---naps, bedtimes, baths, "no-no" to him and him right back to me----up at 1 a.m. for a sippy cup of water----got to know mr milo---he is such a chill little guy----TOTALLY his father with his adventurous spirit and his joy and curiousity---his talking jumped up ten-fold during his time here.  he loves to play outside---he has a very happy personality---he gets so excited when he is happy and he has the best sense of humor---he gets the 'joke' and loves to perpetuate it---"wheres grandpa?"----"he's gone!"----"there he is!"----we played that game for 3 weeks!

i'm going to miss finding him in the hall---wide awake---just waiting for an invitation to come out in the morning or after nap....cuddling with him when he gets up----having him call everyone grandma---but putting his arms out for me.....he loves (okay tolerates) my dogs....who is going to pull my hand so i will play cars with him or color with him....i'm going to miss the little guy who lays down and goes to bed without any struggle or argument!

i am not going to miss....1 a.m. sippy cups....trying to grocery shop with a 2 yr old that HATES grocery carts....and i love grocery shopping....going thru GALLONS and GALLONS of milk---milo and ace together are a bad combination for milk consumption.....i'm not going to miss the flailing legs refusing to have his diaper changed...nope---not gonna miss that at all.
...
i am going to miss milo....he wont remember this time together----but i will.

on the eve of turning 40++....okay 50++++

musings:

i love love love this age
i hate hate hate this body
i love love love getting away with stuff because i can (muu-muu's in public)
i hate hate hate the number
i love love love being a grandma
i hate hate hate----nope----i love love love being a mom to adults
i love love love my quiet house----unless the kids want to come---then i love love love the noise
i hate hate hate my quiet life
i love love love my freedom
i hate hate hate my hair---and the profile picture where i have to hold up my chin
i hate hate hate birthdays---not because i hate the event---just hate having to orchestrate my own   birthday.    

happy birthday to me---and if you aint hit this age yet---the best is yet to be.

no longer the only child.....his THE OTHERS

cannon, jonas and porter came to the house last night---staying for a few days over my birthday... milo was asleep when they arrived...
cannon, jonas and porter are early risers---they were up and at'em this morning...milo got up a bit later...
he was happy to see cannon, jonas and porter....and then he realized they were here here and here.

he climbed onto grandma's lap---ignoring mommy on skype...just wanted to be held.

cannon, jonas and milo went to story time at the library with grandma and grandpa....milo wanted to be carried.
milo sat in grandma's lap the whole time.

yep---he's no longer the only child.

oh! i get it----these are his THE OTHERS!

the OTHERS

Milo spent the weekend with THE OTHERS (thats what i call any of my kids' 'inlaws'---its meant totally endearing :)----i try to be very generous with OUR grandchildren with THEM----
anyway---we drove milo down to corsicana to the Jack-in-the-box on the corner of  Interstate 45 and Hwy 31----we pulled up next to THEIR car---handed off the merchandise---got us some egg rolls---and headed home for a childless weekend---well---other than ace---but he hardly counts---you know what i mean-----
anyway
we got no skype calls from milo
he didnt call us on our cells
we got no pictures on our phones
i did see a picture of HER and milo at some farm or lake or something---whtvr
monday---we go back to our 'drug-deal-gone-bad' site in corsicana---pull up to HER car (HE didnt come with HER this time----)----told milo to say goodbye to HER---he did----we put him in our car---handed him his goldfish and personal dvd player (with Planet 51 still in it)---and we headed home....
we didnt speak to milo of his time THERE
pretty sure by now there is no memory of it...notice there arent even any pictures of that time----so there will NEVER be a memory of it
my plan has worked...

news year eve chopped competition

for new years eve we decided to do a variation on the food network show "chopped"---the three couples got their kids to bed---then 'game on'.....ace, david and i were judges....
rules:
1. access to my pantry/fridge/freezer
2. $10 for a store-run to buy extra ingredients (all 3 couples piled into a van and ran to the store together)
3.@ 2 hours to make 3 courses----
     a. appetizer to be judged at 20 minutes in
     b. entree to be judged at 40 minutes after that
     c. dessert to be judged 30 minutes after that
we were fairly flexible on timing for our first venture into competitive chef-ery.

plates were judged on presentation, creativity (use of pantry etc) and taste.

2 secret ingredients---marshmallows were revealed at the onset of the competition
                                   french-fried onions were revealed about 1/2 way thru the entree course

Ace set us up a judges table and judging sheets

Team Webb:
appetizer----chicken quesadillas with a nice queso sauce---presentation was very cute
**entree---Ben grilled GORGEOUS chicken breasts outside---honey mustard grilled mushrooms were added to the side as was a rice-a-roni BOXED side dish
dessert---homemade fudge with the marshmallows----cut in a circle---mmmmmmmmmmm
.....btw----team webb does not watch food competition shows----BIG learning curve for them!  but they watched the other teams 'present' their dishes and were right there using the correct verbage.

Team Hall:
appetizer----lettuce wrap with tuna salad with diced carrots (gotta know your judges!)
entree---grilled steak with a DIVINE sauce--- with a pumpkin mash casserole with the french fried onions on top
**dessert---missionary pie----really a peach dump cake----presented in individual dishes---with ice cream on top
....btw...team Hall had just won the Hall family  2011 cupcake wars and chopped competition earlier that week in Beaumont!

Team Nelson:
----interesting this one---leah is gluten-free----Joe is vegetarian (extra funny/interesting---Cannon is a self-proclaimed non-eater at this point, Jonas is no-egg/no-dairy and Porter nurses!)---so---do they cook to please the judges or to their own dietary restrictions?
**appetizer----tomato and basil bruschetta----to perfection---so good---the topping was all from fresh vegetables and herbs---SO GOOD
entree---oops----leah made apple & sausage risotto------BIG FAN----but her brown rice never softened---so they had nothing to show---Joe made some DELICIOUS zucchini, carrot vegetable blend ----big risk here---we arent 'funny' vegetable people (except ace)----but these were SO good.
dessert----gluten free brownie (made in a waffle maker----so clever) with homemade raspberry sorbet on top

what a fun evening---will add pictures in a bit---the winner of each round has the ** next to it

final winner----TEAM HALL---their near perfect dessert, the sauce on David's steak---pushed them over the edge----
       

                                          three teams----three meals---three hours

 jasmine chopping and preparing the delicious lettuce tuna wraps for their appetizer round

 the kitchen was crazy with 3 different meals being cooked all at the same time!

 leah checking out the plating possibilities from my china closet

 team hall's steak with the pumpkin mash on the side---sauce was made of balsamic vinagarette, french fried onions, marshmallows (major creative points here) and chives

 this is team webbs chicken on a bed of rice with the sauteed honey mushrooms on the side

 the three desserts----brownie with sorbet (marshmallow/caramel spider-webby decoration) fudge with caramel underneath and missionary 'pie'---hmmmm---i didnt get any a&w----hmmmmm---that woulda been bonus points

 yeah---BIG mess----the guys helped me clean it up after we celebrated the stroke of midnight

this was fun--see you next year for round 2!

milo is an eater

2 year olds can drive you crazy with their picky-eatingness----"no" being their favorite flavor....but tonight at dinner Milo proved he could man up and really get it done..... now this video is mostly for his parents---they are missing him right now---but is there anything cuter than a 2 yr old using a big boy fork!?

copyright@merf

on this, the 10th day of January, in the year 2012---I do hereby take ownership/creatorship/copyright to the word BLITTER....any use of said word should include a check----or at least a link to my blog....

seriously...why has no one ever thought of this word?  it cant be 'bleet'---that is already taken by the sheep community---and i wouldnt want to cause confusion and delay to anyone from the sheep persuasion that might be reading this.....haha....

blitter---a short blog post---limited to a paragraph or so---maybe one picture and a caption.

sometimes i just make myself laugh....really....JUST myself.

Milo has a bed buddy

Chloe feels it is her place to lay anywhere a blanket is....and very often finds herself not alone

cuddling with Beth

finding milo's blanket and laying on it---AND HIM

pyper and chloe---and an iphone!

an off-year

all of our kids' 'inlaws' live in texas---YAY! so it has been wonderfully convenient that every other year we have everyone at our house---and the other other year they are at the OTHER's homes---then they come to our home--for a delayed christmas.  2 years ago it worked well---we slept in on christmas day---ace opened gifts---we went to brunch, saw a movie---ate out dinner---lovely.....
BUT THIS YEAR CHRISTMAS WAS ON A SUNDAY---THERE OUGHTA BE A LAW!

and----church was only an hour----WHAT THE HECK ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO THE REST OF THE DAY?

so---we went to my sister and her husband's house in Lago Vista---about 3 hours south o'here by Austin....beautiful drive---casual---let Eden cook---and she is a master---hang out and play games---watch movies---then head back on monday---after a lovely brunch and seeing the movie, Hugo----beautifully done....

eden & bill really outdid themselves---we always have a good time with them---

ace and i christmas morning---dont look at my hair---really---dont

ace continuing the tradition of coming down the stairs in age order

we moved the presents we were opening on Sunday to being under this pathetic stuffed tree

santa claus was very good to ace

ace got a Freeport (my hometown) pretzels t-shirt!

ace got my old cracked-screen itouch

 

Eden & Bill got a  cute ice cream cake for dessert

Eden & Bill live on a golf course with deer---so serene!

eden's welcoming fireplace

isnt this the prettiest table!

me taking a picture of eden and bill taking a picture of their table

whew! what could have been a plain old lonesome no good CHRISTMAS day (yes--there is a bit of sarcasm in my speech---wish you could hear it)--became a lovely and relaxing quick near-staycation!

milo video

mr milo has found ace's monkey-in-a-graduation-gown-that-sings-"Schools Out"....
we put it, of course, on a tiered plate so it can go round and round...it entertains all of us every night at dinner.....he really does sing along with it...that whole dance thing is totally his father....and the potato was NOT hot.

milo movie blip

we are  bringing only the best to milo's education----a monkey in a graduation gown singing "schools out" seems to fit the bill pretty well---milo has added a whole new genre of music to his library

milo blitter part 3

so much cuteness---middle of the night diaper changes---getting kicked out of my own bed---"Good Morning!" from a happy face---so much to choose from---so i chose this:

how many men does it take to change a 2 yr old's diaper----2----one to do the diapering (with a butt-cheek left out in the air---oops---will that language get me reported?)---and one to hold his arms up and threaten to tickle said 2 yr old---which distracts said 2 yr old enough for him to forget how much he hates having his diaper changed---but got this great picture:

mr milo blitter 2

this morning---at 6 stinkin a.m.---on a saturday---i hear milo stirring---did i mention that milo is sleeping in one of those "couch-that-folds-out-into-a-bed-foamy" things in our room?---well he is---so i hear him stirring---then kinda whining---now david and i used to play the game "maybe if i lay here the other one will hear the baby crying and get up" when our kids were little---so maybe david has forgotten the game---but he got up and tried to bring Milo into bed with us---milo said (ready for it?)--"no"----i put my arms out to  him and VOILA! he came to me---i put him under the covers and he was back asleep for another 2 hours.

okay---i know this isnt Milo---but imagine milo's face on this picture---now make it sideways---without the cringing from the flash (so in actuality---the only thing to remember from this picture is the sheets and that there is a cute little boy in it)---and that is what Milo looked like in my bed this morning.

mr milo blitter

i need to blog about christmas, chopped,---other holiday stuff----but i am starting a daily snippet blog----almost a twitter blog---so a blitter? blotter? twigger?  anyway.

history: during December southwest airlines offered a special ONE-DAY sale---buy it today or it goes---1/2 price anywhere---but you have to fly on Jan 24 or 25 or Jan 31/Feb 1-----a tues or a wednesday---so you stay over either one night or a week----not really convenient---i called lyric to see if she wanted to jump on it---but she is in school full-time---so we decided Milo could stay after Christmas and I would fly him back---but stay over only one day (i am doing the show "Big River" at Artisan Theater and that is the last week of regular rehearsals)----Milo will be here with us for 18 days---mommy and daddy and sister, Pyper, left yesterday---so today is our first full day.  each day i hope/plan/resolve to write a snippet of a milo moment.

1/06/12....milo woke up kinda realizing that some special people were missing---kinda lost----when mommy called and he heard their voices BIG SMILE! Uncle Ace took milo out to roll cars down the slide.  Milo LOVES pizza! yay!
miloism: "lucy---get out"  "stop it, lucy" (he's a big fan of lucy!)  and....milo knows how to lock the dog crates---which means that poor chip gets locked in his crate....a lot...poor chip.