Eagle Eye Cole

We have a routine on Tuesdays when Cole and Emory come.  The first thing they want to do is look at the Waldo books.  We have looked at them so much that it doesn't take Cole too long to find Waldo, so I try to point out new and funny things each week.  He will remember them from week to week. Today it was three owls in the tree and here is the conversation from there:

Cole:  They have glasses on.

Me:  Do owls wear glasses?

Cole:  No, that's silly.

Me:  Do you know what owls eat?

Cole:  No I do not.

Me:  They eat mice.

Cole:  Mice?  My Dad doesn't eat mice.

Me:  What does he eat?

Cole:  Onions.  He likes onions.

Me:  Do you like onions?

Cole:  No I do not.

Summer Reads

What is summertime without a good book or two?  I just finished this one.  It was a very interesting and thought-provoking book.  Very compelling.  It is the true story about a Lutheran minister who enlists, at the age of 50, as a chaplain in World War II.  After the war is over he is assigned to administer to Nazi high ranking officials at the Nuremberg Trials.  Their crime - conspiring to commit crimes against humanity.  Pastor Henry Gerecke was asked to do something that had never been done in the history of the Chaplain Corps - to provide religious counseling to enemies of our country.  As I read about how he cared and administered to these men who had committed such heinous crimes, I was touched by this man's Christian discipleship as found in Matthew 25: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat:  I was thirsty, and he gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and he visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Just What You Wanted to Know . . .

Another Tuesday morning with Cole and Emory has come and gone.  Cole suffers from allergies and autumn in Utah is notorious for ragweed and sagebrush.  So we went through a few tissues today.  And this is what I learned from Cole:

• "Infection is gross"
• "Cole has a bubble in his nose"
• "Cole has double noses"

Words of wisdom from a three year old.

Oddities in the Garden

We found some interesting things growing in the garden this year.  If I missed going down for a day or two I never knew what I'd uncover.

The zucchini on the left was larger than normal, but the one on the right was a 10 pounder.  That blimp went right to the trash can.  That's even too big for grilled stuffed zucchini, which has become one of our favorite ways to use the zukes.  Here is a link for the grill instructions.  The beauty of this recipe is the versatility.  I have used rotisserie chicken, hamburger, pork, quinoa, rice, a variety of veggies, spices and cheese.  So good!

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/08/grilled-stuffed-zucchini/

Sometimes my tomatoes get wedged around the wire cage and come up with the oddest shapes.  We were debating what this one looked like.  It made me think of a vulture.  It you twisted it a little it looked like a lopsided mustache.  It has been a good year for the tomatoes.  We have picked close to 3 bushels and they are still producing quite well.  Lots of salsa and spaghetti sauce lining our shelves.

Beach Fun

Megan wanted to take us to a different beach this time - Carpinteria.  She said we had to see the amazing sunsets.  She was right!

 

I love the sounds and smells of the ocean.  I love the mist and walking in the sand.  It is so calming and relaxing.  It is also fun to play.

 

 The week before we came to California we had seen a special on TV about the movie Frozen.  Ever since that time the song "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" keeps coming into my brain.  It surfaced again on the beach and I wondered if we could build a sand snowman.  This was the best we could come up with.  She was charming.  We used bits of seaweed for her hair.  There was a long strand of another type of seaweed that we wrapped around her waist.  Some of the seaweed looked like carrots and that is what we used for the nose.  Lizzy and I had done most of the sculpting and Lincoln came and helped us put the hair and finishing touches on.  When we left she stood as a sentinel.  I'm sure she washed away with the next tide.

Do you want to build a sandman?

 



A Flood, Flight and Fun

This is southbound I-15.  The route that takes us from here to California.  The route we were going to take to drive down to Lizzy's baptism last week.  When I listened to the radio last Tuesday morning, I discovered I-15 had been damaged and was closed.  We were supposed to leave the next morning.  I texted Megan and told her the situation.  She put the responsibility of telling Lizzy on me.  Aren't children wonderful??  The only alternate route was to take I-80 across to Reno and then come down to Stevenson Ranch.  It would have added hours onto the drive in both directions.  I got online and looked at flights.  We caught a flight to LA Tuesday night and pulled up to Megan's door about 9:00.  It was a moment we will never forget! 



To say that we surprised them might be an understatement.  Shock, maybe?  Megan's reaction was, "you FLEW??"  Yes, we flew.  It was easier to get on a plane than to have to tell Lizzy we wouldn't be at her baptism.  I had been with Megan and Lizzy in May when she tried on her dress and picked this one out.  She looked beautiful and we were so glad that we were able to be a part of it.  Because Megan was coaching Ross' soccer game, I was given the responsibility to help Lizzy at the church with her baptismal clothing.  It took me back a few years to when Megan was baptized!

Due to a knee injury, Michael was on crutches.  He and Lizzy had practiced at home and he was able to do the baptism balanced on his good leg.  He did a great job and we knew prayers had been answered.  Megan gave a terrific talk, Ross bore his testimony and their family sang a song. 

 



Tuesdays with Cole

When Cole gets tired or when he's very engrossed with the book I read him, his thumb drifts into his mouth.  This was the conversation last week:

Me:  Cole, why do you suck your thumb?

Pause . . .

Cole:  Because it tastes good.

Me:  What does it taste like? 

Cole:  Chicken nuggets.

Stay tuned . . .

Temple Visit

A couple of weeks ago we had the opportunity to tour the newly renovated Ogden temple.  We met Bonnie and her family and enjoyed going through with them.  The grounds are beautiful and the inside is stunning.  I love the art work they chose and the color scheme.  What I love best about the temple is the peace I feel when I am inside.  There is no place on earth I would rather be than in the temple . . . with our family.

Red Sky in the Morning

I remember this adage when I was a kid:

Red sky at night, sailor's delight; red sky in the morning sailors  take warning.  When I got up yesterday morning I noticed there was a pink tinge to the sky.  The winds blew and you could tell a storm was coming in.  Then when I took in the whole vista from the back of our house I was treated with this:

It started as just a half rainbow and then grew longer and brighter.  As I continued to watch, another one began to form!

How blessed I felt to enjoy Heavenly Father's creations right from my home.

The Conversation

Summer is over and that means I get to spend Tuesday mornings with Cole and Emory.  Crystal drops them off at about 9:00 a.m.  They hadn't been here very long before the following exchange begins:

Cole:  I am hungry.  I need a snack.

Me:  What would you like?

Cole:  I don't know.

(I do know what he wants, but I tried to get him to eat something different)

Me:  Would you like some fruit snacks?  (opening the pantry door)

Cole:  Those aren't fruit snacks.  I don't want those.

(Oops, they were Costco dried fruit which he does like)

Me: How about some tomatoes?  (We have delicious cherry tomatoes)

Cole:  Cole doesn't like tomatoes.  Cole likes French fries.  (According to his Mom he won't eat them)

Me:  Well, I'm not sure what you would like . . .

Cole:  Open the refrigerator door and let's check it out.

He knows I keep green yogurt which he has to eat with a purple spoon.  Soon he was a happy boy having eaten his "yogrut".