I probably won't have much time to blog in the next couple of weeks but wanted to let you all know what is going on.  My Grandfather was taken to the hospital two nights ago by ambulance because he was having difficulty breathing, as it turns out he has been diagnosed with congestive heart failure.  He is almost 89 years old and also suffering from Dementia. Right now he doesn't know who my Mom is or who I am...although sometimes I think he may think I am my Mom.  I spent probably the first eighteen years of my life being closer to Grandpa then just about anyone else.  When I was around four we went on one of our random drives to nowhere and came back with a pony.  Yes a real live pony.  I wasn't his only grandchild but I think because he raised my Mom on his own and because my cousins were all at least 8 years older then me we had a really special bond.  I think I inherited some of my most positive traits from him and definitely my love of hitting the open road and driving until I end up where I end up! Although since having Jack there haven't been many opportunities to do that.  He has had this Dementia for about ten years but it is far advanced from what it was then.  Even though he doesn't know who we are it is really wonderful to be able to spend this time with him.  Due to extenuating circumstances I haven't been able to spend much time with him in the last five years or so but hopefully that will all be resolved this week.  My In Laws are all out of town or living in different states so I wanted to make sure to post this so that they would know what is going on.  I don't know if I will have much of a chance to make phone calls or post updates this week but I will try to have Matt keep you all informed.  Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers.  

    When I was a little girl we didn't have a lot of money so my Mom did a lot of shopping in thrift stores.  We always had what we needed and being an only child I always had more then enough.  I can remember being around three or four years old and my Mom bringing home a small rag doll from a thrift store.  She had washed her and presented the sweet smelling doll to me.  She wasn't very pretty to look at but I thought she was the most beautiful thing in the world.  I named her Sally Sunshine.  She in a sense became my best friend.  I would talk to her and feed her, she slept with me every night and she made me happy.  I think we named her Sally Sunshine because I hated to wake up in the morning.  I was always a book worm and night owl at heart even at the tender age of four.  So my Mom would come down to wake me up in the morning and she would literally be "Sally Sunshine." She would take the doll and do her Sally Sunshine voice and instead of waking up grumpy I would wake up with a smile.  My Mother was a neat nik and you could say I was the Oscar Madison to her Felix Unger.  She insisted on washing that doll and I insisted that she leave her alone.  It got to be such a power struggle that she would wait until after I was sleeping and pry her from my arms to wash her at night.  Sometimes Sally would loose her hair during the washing process and my Mom would painstakingly sew new hair on.   She repaired that old doll more times then I can count until one day Sally didn't make it out of the washing machine in one piece.  I was heart broken. 

 I  remembered all of this as I was walking back home after walking Jack to school this morning and I happened to glance up at a house that rests on the corner from ours.  My mind was all of a sudden flooded with memories of being inside that house as a little girl. My Mom felt terrible after we had to lay Sally to rest and when she caught wind of doll maker that lived on the corner from us she took me over to her house so I could pick one out.   I was taken to a large room that was filled to the gills with Raggedy Anne and Andy rag dolls.  Even at such a young age I recognized the quality and craftsmanship that went into making so many dolls. They were not cheap but my Mom didn't balk at the price because in her way she was trying to make me feel better by replacing Sally Sunshine.   There were big ones, small ones, medium sized ones, tiny ones..well you get the picture.  I choose one that wasn't quite small but not medium either.  That doll sat on my bed for years after that, probably until I was in my twenties.  The funny thing is that I don't ever remember playing with her, she was bright and shiny and new always but she didn't have any personality, she wasn't Sally Sunshine.  Mom and I both new it but we didn't talk about it and I was grateful for a new doll especially one I knew we couldn't really afford but the magic was lost with Sally.  I don't think I ever had another toy that meant so much and I realize as an adult it wasn't really the doll but my Mom that made her come alive and seem so special.  

    It has been awhile and in honor of such a monumental day I thought I would blog but not about politics!  One of my two mother in laws has been bugging me to post something..anything really that has to do with her grandson and seeing that I am one to please here goes.  This will probably take a couple of blogs so be sure to check back this week for more. 
    We have been really busy these days.  Jack has been busy with school and I have been busy working on helping him with concentration and focus.  This is really fun to do with a four year old let me tell ya but seeing that he is going to Kindergarten next year I know it is important.  So what does that entail?  Well we have been working on writing his alphabet, reading short books (he does the reading and I do the listening), cut and paste projects and lots and lots of art.  His teacher has told me that he has a lot of talent in the art department and really puts a lot of detail in his drawings so we are trying to nurture that and we will see where it goes.  I am a bit artsy myself but didn't discover it until I was seventeen.  My Mom recently reminded me that she used to give me a really hard time about coloring inside the lines, she said I hated to color because of that....thanks Mom!  No wonder I didn't discover I had any artistic ability until later in life. LMAO! In keeping with the Art thing I think Jack and I are going to take a pottery class together in March.  There is a parent child class that I can enroll us in and it really sounds like fun. 
    Backtracking a bit the holidays were wonderful!  Matt, Jack my parents and I had a wonderful time on Christmas.  I cooked standing rib roast which turned out beautifully but I am sad to say I didn't get a picture of it and all of the trimmings that went along with it.  We missed Matt's Mom quite a bit this year as we always do but we were able to talk with her quite a bit over the holidays and that was really nice!  A little birdy told me she is planning a trip up along with L in August so that is something to look forward to.  New Years Eve wasn't what it usually is because Jack came down with the flu.  My best friends Emily and Lindsay were still able to make it over tho so that was nice.  Emily stayed until after midnight and she Matt and I had a really nice time catching up and sharing a midnight toast.  Poor Jack stayed in bed most of the day and night and Matt was sweet enough to look after him that evening so that I could spend time with my friend.  Matt was on vacation from work over the holidays for about 3 weeks.  Jack was in seventh heaven to be able to spend so much quality time with his Dad!  That brings us to the present when Matt went back to work and Jack had a really, really hard time adjusting.  Going back to school was really hard for him because he knew Daddy would be at work when he got home and he really had a hard time understanding all of that.  He is adjusting and all of the work he and I have been doing together really seems to be paying off.  Luckily for me he loves to do "homework" types of things and projects so I don't have any resistance from him on that.  In the last week or so I have also jumped back into the Ebay thing so this had made for an even busier life but a good one.  We have another trip lined up for the week after next with just Jack, My Mom and myself and then hopefully by the end of next month Matt and I will have our trip worked out and he will have the days off to take it!  Well this is only a snippet of what I want to say and I have literally over a hundred photos to post at one time or another but this system is not cooperating with me so I shall try to do more later. Tonight I am going out for Coffee with my Mom because I am in need of a little down time, maybe we will hit up a thrift store or two?  Either way I am looking forward to it!  Hope your new year has started off in a positive light. 

I am watching more snow fall from the sky!

    I almost think my title is an understatement!  We have had snow storm after snow storm this past week and I honestly do not remember ever seeing this much snow in the city in my life time!  We have over a foot of snow in our yard right now and according to weather.com there is another smaller storm coming late tomorrow evening.  I know a lot of people are thinking so what is the big deal?  Well we live in Seattle, right smack dab in the middle of the city and us city folk are ill equipped to deal with all of this white stuff. 
    On a happier note, Jack loves this weather!  Even though we have been house bound for the most part he is really enjoying all of this snow and you should see the delight in his face each time it snows again.  His response after the first snow began to melt was "Momma and Daddy I am mad at winter!  Winter is rude!"  Well needless to say he doesn't think winter is rude anymore.  We have been playing in the snow every day, sometimes twice a day.  Matt is on vacation from work right now (Thank Goodness!) and we are all enjoying this time spent as a family.  Matt, Jack and I went sledding the night before last and kind of got caught in the storm.  The snow was lightly falling when we left and got heavier and heavier as we decided to come home.  Never in my life have I had that feeling of trudging through the snow and feeling like everything was getting further and further away.  Needless to say we have gone through lots of hot chocolate and hot cider. 
    I am so thankful that I had the foresight to finish my Christmas shopping early this year.  I wasn't so on top of it with my Christmas cards but still managed to get the important ones out the door as well as the packages that needed to be shipped to the post office before the storm.  We are planning on having a quiet Christmas dinner at our house with my parents and perhaps a friend or two but I am fearful that none of them will make it down here.  The main roads are looking pretty clear but the side streets are still a mess, our bus service is only running at about 50 percent and from what I hear they are loosing about one bus a night because the vehicles just aren't made for this kind of weather.  I do have a back up plan.  If we get snowed in for Christmas I plan to make a simple dinner and enjoy Christmas with Matt and Jack and plan on having another celebration with my folks when weather permits.  In the mean time we will just trudge along and enjoy the snow while it lasts.  That has been quite the conversation between Matt, Jack and I...Jack just doesn't understand that this snow is a rarity and not the norm.  I think if we don't get any snow next year he is going to be very disappointed.  Matt and I have been marveling about the lack of children out playing in the snow.  I remember when we were kids even if we only had an inch or even less everyone would bundle up and go outside to play.  I guess it really is the video game generation.  The parks and roads have been fairly empty.  The only other reason I could come up with is that people are just unprepared for the weather and perhaps with the economy being what it is people just can't afford to go out and buy snow boots, hats, gloves, etc. for kids to wear in the snow.  One thing is for certain we couldn't keep Jack inside if we wanted to.  He is having the time of his life and you know when it gets right down to it Matt and I are having the times of our lives too!  I am so glad winter isn't being rude anymore