23

 How can it be that the baby in our family is 23?   Wasn't he just a baby a few days ago? 

Hiding from Grandma behind his knees!

I was almost 50 when he was born...I am a tad older now. 

With his parents in Hawaii.

Mostly he avoids my camera.  

Adam and his gal Courtney last Christmas.  Since then Adam has moved to Western North Dakota.

Happy Birthday Adam!  23 is a great age!  You will never be younger!  Love you lots! 

Grandma

7

 How in the world did our Great Grandson get to be 7 years old?  He just completed First Grade now onto Second Grade in the Fall.  His birthday was a few days ago. 

His Mom took this photo on the last day of school.

Happy Birthday Hey Mikey!  Hope you have a really good Summer. 

Great Grandma

52

 Our oldest daughter, Trica is 52 today.  It has been 16 months since we last saw her.  She came for her Grandfathers Funeral but not for her Grandmothers. 

Here she is with my Mother about two years ago. 

Trica has a life of her own, with very little contact with family members. It is the way she wants it.

We love her daughters and grandchildren very much, of course we cannot fill her shoes but we can hug them all and tell them that they are loved. 

Happy Birthday Trica, we all love you!

Mom

26

 Maddie our middle Granddaughter is 26 today!  I was privileged to be present at her birth and cut the umbilical cord.   I then went with her to the nursery.  One time she asked me if she could have been switched at birth...I said " No way, I was with you from the time you were born until you were safely with your Mom." 

Maddie and Chance in 2009. Maddie was 11 years old back then. She and Chance were best friends.

Here she is with her husband Brenton. 

Maddie is a busy Mom working full time and taking care of three children. 

Happy Birthday Maddie!  Love you now and forever!

Grandma

25

 Our youngest Granddaughter is 25 years old today!  

I have no idea how she got to be 25 in the blink of an eye. 

Can you tell she hated my camera?  Sometimes she would hide from me.  I think she was 12 in this photo. 

Here she is when she was still 24, in the photo is her fiancee Cole and Cole's little Dachshund Rosie.

Happy Birthday Miss Paige...we loved you even when you hid from the camera, you have grown into a beautiful young lady who we are very proud of.  Love you now and forever!

Grandma

63 years ago

March 26 1961 my baby brother was seven years old, my other baby brother was five months old and I was 9 1/2. 

It must have been close to Easter that year as my baby brother has a bunny amongst his seven candles. 

Not sure who the hair dresser was most likely my Mom...those bangs of mine will take a long time to grow out..those curls were made with those spongy pink hair rollers.

Happy Birthday to my baby brother! Welcome to your 70's.

Far Side

22

 Our youngest Grandson is 22 today.  Hardly seems possible that "The baby Grand is so old and tall!"

This is the photo I put on his birthday card.   The photo was taken in July.

Adam is attending college at UND.   His course of study in Engineering.  He is working part time and going to school full time so he is a busy guy. 

We enjoyed seeing him for his birthday supper on Friday.  (His day off)

I was privileged to be there for his birth 22 years ago and to hear him cry for the first time and count his fingers and toes.

Happy Birthday Adam! 

Far Side

Happy Birthday Trica!

 Our oldest daughter Trica is 51 years old today.  

Recently I ran across this photo from the summer of 1972. Much happier times.

The babies were born in the Spring.  Far Guy's Paternal Grandmother Tracie is holding our daughter Trica, my sister Julie is holding Kathy. Kathy is a Granddaughter of Tracies.  Trica and Kathy had matching dresses.  I believe the photo was taken at the summer cottage on Straight Lake that belonged to Kathy's parents Archie and Liz.

Our oldest daughter Trica is not in good health.  She has been in and out of the hospital most of the winter with ovarian cysts, bowel blockages, dehydration, kidney stones and kidney/liver issues. 

 If I could wish or pray her healthy and happy I would. 

Today I can only wish her a happy birthday!

Far Side

Happy Birthday Maddie!

 Our middle granddaughter and number two Grand is older today.  How can it be that she is 25 years old?

It seems like only yesterday that I watched her take her first breath and cut the umbilical cord.  She was beautiful then and still is!

Now she is all grown up: has a husband, two children with the third due in July, she works full time and takes care of her busy family.

Happy Birthday Maddie! 

Far Side

So Many Birthday Wishes!

 Thank you for all the wonderful birthday comments.  I had people singing to me all day long...beginning with my husband when I was barely awake, then my baby brother and his bride, Far Guys Sister and then Jen...along with a few emails too.  

We began celebrating the night before my birthday as my other baby brother and she who sees robins first baked rhubarb cake!   Then on my birthday we took DQ blizzards to share with my parents.  My Dad has memory problems...I asked him "How old am I Dad? " He said "34"...I said I will take that.  Then he was quiet and you could tell he was thinking real hard...and he finally got a big grin on his face and said "You are really old!" He remembered that he was in Korea when I was born.  

We drove around a bit before stopping for a proper late lunch or lupper.   When we got home my baby brother and his bride came in singing!  ( Baxter was not singing,  he was looking for treats!)  Later in the evening I had calls from Miss Paige, Jen, Andy and Adam. 

Cards from family and friends.  Thank you all! 

Far Side

The last teenager

 Our last teenager turns twenty today...all our Grands are in their twenties now.  I gave him a couple of early hugs for his birthday!  He wasn't so sure about turning twenty.  He is our Grand that always makes me smile.  I was so fortunate to be there when he was born...those are special moments a Gramma never forgets.

This was the photo I chose for his birthday card.  I took this photo in 2011 when he was ten years old!  He has grown some since then and is now the tallest person in our family.   

He attends a Community College with an undecided major.  He has a gal...but we have not met her yet...maybe someday. 

He has planned a dinner out with his brother and his parents for his birthday. 

Happy Birthday Adam!  You are one of my favorite young gentlemen!

Love you!  Gramma

Happy Birthday Paige!

Our youngest granddaughter is 21 today.   Seems like it was only yesterday that she was born.  The youngest of our three grandgirls and a prelude to the grandboys.

Chance and Paige 2009 Miss Paige was ten years old...Chance was five years old.

Summer of 2019 at her sisters wedding. 

Paige is doing well.  Presently she is waiting to see if she will get into a Dental Hygienist School. 

With the Pandemic ... schools and most businesses are closed here in Minnesota so Paige is temporarily unemployed.

We haven't seen Paige in awhile...but she calls often! 

Happy Birthday Miss Paige!  Love you lots!  

Grandma

Wistful Wednesday: 1958 My 7th Birthday

In September of 1958 I was 7 years old.

In 1958 I was in first grade, and my baby brother was four years old, my other baby brother was not even a twinkle in my Dad’s eye yet nor was my sister. My Dad would have been 32 years old that Fall.

My Mother took this photo and baked the birthday cake.  We are standing on the south side of the house in front of the Honeysuckle bush/tree.  This was the old house before it was remodeled.  That is my bedroom window, my room was just off the living room, it was small with just room enough for a single bed and a dresser… My brother was probably still sleeping in his crib.

Back in 1951 I was born at 1:20 AM and weighed 7 pounds and 11 ounces and was 21 1/2 inches long.  My Dad was in Korea when I was born. I would go home with my mother to my Maternal Grandparents home.

Yes I am older today.  You can do the math. 

Later today Far Guy will take me out for a late lunch/early supper where I will have a half strength frozen original margarita to celebrate.  (Full strength makes me sleepy and looking for a place to nap it off.)

Happy Birthday to me!

90

My Dad was ninety yesterday.  We celebrated with a open house gathering in the afternoon at church.  Cake, ice cream, cookies, nuts, mints, lemonade and coffee.  I will guess that just about 200 + people came to the celebration.

We had eight huge cakes.  Spice, lemon, white with lemon curd, strawberry, chocolate of several kinds.  We served gluten free cake and cookies also…my Mom baked a gluten free cake and Aunt Anna made the gluten free cookies.

My grandaughter Paige took photos with my camera.

We sang happy birthday!

My Dad and Mom

My Mom will celebrate her 87th birthday in four days.  My parents celebrate for a whole week in October between their birthdays and anniverary.

Guests came from all directions and from all sides of the family.  Trica, Richard, Madison, Paige, Andy, Jen, Noah and Adam were all there. ( Savannah had to work.) They all helped in the kitchen along with my brother and she who see Robins first and my sister. It was a great kitchen crew.

It was a good afternoon, my Dad said “I can’t believe that so many people showed up for my birthday!”

My Dad is the oldest living person in his family.  His sister Anna is younger than him…they are the remnant.

Dad says there was a snowstorm and it was 20 below zero back in 1926 and he weighed in a whopping twelve pounds.

Eighteen

Maddie was eighteen years old yesterday. 

It seems like only yesterday that she was born.  She once said she was switched at birth.  I told her “I was there when you took your first breath, I cut the cord and I left Intensive Care with you and your nurse when your Mom had to stay behind.  I didn’t leave your side until you were given back to your Mom.” Switched was not a possibility.

Our oldest daughter Trica with Savannah and Maddie. April 1998

When she was little some of her hair stood straight up.

She is still trying to find out what color hair she should have, yesterday it was black.  She is planning a trip to Wyoming to check out a school there.  She thinks she wants to be a Vet Tech now, a few weeks ago she thought about being a Nurse, I am not certain she knows exactly what she wants to do…but she will figure it out.  She says now that she is an adult she can get a tattoo or piercing without parental permission and she can get into the casino.

We went out for Sunday dinner to celebrate the birthdays.  Maddie was eighteen yesterday and today her Mother is …well older than she was yesterday.
Happy Birthday Trica and Maddie!

Happy Birthday To Me!

Yes siree another year older, oh well it is better than the alternative …

I totally skipped 63 as I was 62 for two years…not sure how that happened but it did.  Funny how your mind works…or doesn’t work.

Wasn’t it the Beatles “Will you still need me, will you still feed me when I’m sixty-four?”

How’s that for an ear worm that will drive you nuts today?

Not sure what we will do today, maybe a Sunday drive with my best guys.

This card from a friend made me laugh out loud! 

Chance's Birthday

I wonder what it was like, if it was day or night, if he was born first or in the middle or was he the very last. Was he hind legs and butt first or did he enter the world like a diver..with his little paws tucked by his head? Did he breathe and squeak right away.. or did his Mom have to rub him half to death with her rough tongue. Was it cold in the barn? At least it was dry, and safe. Those first few weeks of his life, the small children must have handled and played with him every day. He loves children, except when they cry, crying makes him nervous his ears go down and he moves away. That day in the barn when we went just to "look" he walked right up to Far Guy. The rest is history. As for his name, I had the name Chance picked out for a number of years..John Wayne had a dog named Chance in one of his movies. So he was named a long time before we actually got him. We were dog-less for three very miserable years, there is nothing worse than two dog people without one. He ended our dog-less life and our daughters finally got a brother.

December 26, 2004

A Chance Story: We got him on December 26, 2004, he was just eight weeks old. That next spring, he became a greenhouse dog, he would go back and forth between the two greenhouses. One day, I thought he was with Far Guy, and Far Guy thought he was with me..we started hollering..I blew my whistle ( Whistle means Come=Cookies). He was not showing up.. my heart was in my stomach..where could he be? Was he asleep someplace? Did we lock him in somewhere? He was nowhere to be found. Then I saw him at the edge of the driveway, all stretched out in a peculiar position. Far Guy said "OH SHIT, DID HE GET HIT BY A CAR? " Maybe, but he was moving. Far Guy ran, I kinda ran, I am not a good runner. Chance was stuck. He was definitely alive ..but stuck..trapped in a tomato cage.. one of those wire ones with a tapered end..he went in just fine..but couldn't escape out the other end..he was too scared to back out. He was in a real pickle. He had managed to inch the cage out of the woods little by little..trying to get to us. Far Guy and I were his heroes, rescuing him from his unexpected confinement in a very evil tomato cage. Needless to say, we collected all the evil things and put them away in the grain bin. In retrospect it was pretty funny, at the time ..it was not funny at all. He is not a very vocal dog, he never barks unless someone or something strange comes in the yard, he is not a yappy barker like the Shelties were. He is quiet, sometimes too quiet..although he does whine and cry and carry on like he has just lost his best friend when Far Guy leaves without him. It is so pathetic, and might even make me shed a tear or two..if it weren't so over dramatic. He should be in the movies!

Chance in Duluth October 12, 2009

Chance is a pretty lucky dog, we have the time to spend with him, to throw his ball for him and to take him on little adventures. We take him almost everywhere with us. He wakes up every morning, raring to go..excited just to be awake and more than happy to wake us up so the adventures can begin.

Chance October 24, 2009

Today Chance is Five Years Old! We will probably take him into town to celebrate today..possibly to his favorite place.. Burger King for some French Fries! He doesn't get them very often, and when he does we make them last for about three days! :)