I Like the middle

I am a middle child. I know that I am supposed to whine about that, but I really kind of like that spot. There is something about being in the middle that is comfortable for me. It is like I am protected by a sibling on either side! It's nice.

This post isn't about that kind of middle, though. It is about THIS middle...

Have you seen this show!?  Apparently it has been on for five years, but I only just started watching it. I think I'd seen a second or two of it once but didn't watch long enough to appreciate it. It is really funny! There is something about it that is really kind of familiar. 

I have a favorite character, too. Her name is Sue! Mike thinks she and I are a lot alike. Here's her photo...

She's a a goofy, awkward character and I think Mike refers to a resemblance to tease me.  Little did he know, I'm taking it as a compliment! That actually kind of proves he's right. That Sue would also perceive an insult as a compliment. I like her spirit and her insistence on being joyful and kind. So, thanks, Mike!

I'm thinking this actress must have a blast playing that sweet but silly character. Watch this little clip...

After watching her in several episodes, I decided she was really a very talented actress because I was totally believing in her character. She's a great comedic actress, even at that young age. She is made to look really homely on the show, but you can still tell she's a pretty girl. Tonight I decided to look her up on the internet. I wanted to see what she looked like in real life. Click here to see the transformation.

So, have you all already been watching this show? Are we the last ones to notice it? Who is your favorite character?

The Three Amigos!

Lori (my cousin-in-law)

Sue (my sister-in-law)

 Joe (my brother-in-law)

Don't you wish you had a hat like that?

Relaxing in the Sunshine

Not long ago Mike and I cooked up a plan to take my sister, Tina, away from winter for awhile. We picked her up from her home, just a few hours away from our own. We then drove to Rapid City, South Dakota and spent a pleasant evening in a hotel and relaxed a bit. The next morning we took to the skies and flew to Arizona in our search for the sun.

Tina gets around in a wheelchair. She does very well but I'm here to tell you that I think it must take a great deal of courage for her to go on such a trip. She has to submit herself to being strapped into a funny, skinny aisle wheelchair just to get to her seat on an airplane. It looked a bit scary to me! She handled it all with good grace, though.

We were visiting Mike's Mom (Carol) and one of his sisters (Sue) and her husband (Joe). They were so welcoming and gracious, they made Tina feel right at home. 

Early in the week Sue and I took Tina on a long walk around the neighborhood. When you are from Wyoming, it is such a treat to see all the things that grow in warm places! I think this was one of Tina's favorite types of cactus.

We all enjoyed this bottle brush flower.

There are a lot of these pretty little quails (I really don't know if that is what they are, but maybe?) around.

 I felt Tina needed to have her photograph taken by one of the pretty pool areas.

We didn't go swimming but maybe we should have.

There is even a ramp for a wheelchair to go easily down into the pool.

Maybe next time.

 Sue showed us this cool cactus.

Do you see it as a waving bunny?

When we walked back, we found Mike and Joe out enjoying the warm day as well.

While it was sub-zero in Wyoming...

...and while the Wyoming wind was howling...

We felt pretty fortunate to be relaxing in the sunshine.

Blongo Blog!

Say this three times fast... Blongo Blog, Blongo Blog, Blongo Blog...

I find ways to entertain myself.

My mother-in-law, Carol, recently purchased Blongo Ball. Do you know about Blongo Ball? Well, that is why I am writing a Blongo Blog, so that you will know and understand the game of Blongo Ball. Trust me. You are going to enjoy this game! It is easy to learn the rules, but challenging as you attempt to perfect your skills.

The game is played with two goal apparatuses. It is a bit like horsehoes without all that clanking and dust. My husband and my brother-in-law were the first to break out the box. Each got three sets of blongo balls. These are basically golf balls with holes drilled through them and an attaching string tying them in pairs. There are three yellow sets and three orange set.

I was proud to capture blongo balls in mid-air with these photos.

All you do is throw them toward the goals. If you can loop them onto the top bar, it is one point, across the middle bar it is two points and if you manage to wrap it around the bottom bar, three points. If you get it to bounce off the ground and up over a bar, it counts as 5 points. The first player to 21 wins. Easy enough, huh?

Well, it turns out that you really do better if you can kind of "whip" the blongo balls as you release them. I had a little problem with control. Let's just say that I am grateful to my husband for chasing down blongo balls gone wild.

Sometimes, you need to resort to distracting your opponent. My brother-in-law, Joe, was good at that!

Although it looks like Mike is pretty good at just tuning him out.

He practices that skill on me.

I'm not sure Mike even noticed all of Joe's efforts.

Later we got my sister-in-law, Sue, involved.

She was a natural.

Although we got a little wild, don't worry,

we had adult supervision.

Thanks, Carol!

 Blongo Balls were a fun idea!

Looking Back - Me

And to wrap up my "looking back" series, this is my class from 1st grade.

Can you tell which one is me?

Christmas Eve Photographs

We have a weird family tradition of going out for Chinese food just before our Christmas Eve Service.  That started the first year we came to Wyoming.  Mike was doing two evening services with just a little time in between for a meal.  Since there was a Chinese buffet nearby, that was where we went.  Since our congregation moved to a larger facility we can all fit for just one service.  Still, we choose to go out for Chinese.  It may be weird but it works for us.

A big part of our Christmas celebration is our worship service at our church.  I love it.  We sing... a lot!  I like that.  Our church was full.  It was fun to see people we haven't seen for awhile. I enjoy seeing all the grown children who have come back for the holiday.  Mike's sermon was about children and how they can accept their gift of faith with such simplicity.  Near the end Mike told the story I'd told on my blog here.  He include those photos up on the big screen.  Cordelia likely hadn't seen those photos before and when she saw herself up there her reaction was great concern! I was surprised but she had a worried look on her face and repeatedly said, "Why is that me?" It was sweet.

One of the traditions during our service is the lighting of candles.  Everyone gets a little candle in a holder, the ushers light the candles of those seated by the aisles and soon we've passed the light down the rows and the room looks beautiful!  Then, we sing Silent Night.  It's a tender part of the tradition.

After the service, it is time for some photographs, home to finish Christmas Day preparations then off to bed.  Tomorrow I will tell you more about our Christmas Day.

My friend, Allen, would appreciate your thoughts and prayers today as he is back in the hospital. Please pray for his comfort.  Also, the whole holiday season, joyful for many, can be especially difficult for others. Some are dealing with a loss while others are just far from family and friends and feeling lonely.  I want you to know that I do not take for granted what I have here and now.  I wish you peace.  

Special thanks to Maria, Eric and Jim C. for taking photographs Christmas Eve

I don't often get photographed with my "baby", Sam.

I love him.

It was a happy night.

Elise was ready to be done but Cordelia and I were feeling the joy!

Sometimes It's the Small Things

My sister-in-law, Sue, recently gave me the sweetest gift.  She gave me a bowl.  Yes, a bowl.  It is such a pretty bowl!   She suggested I use it for chips, ice cream, cereal, whatever.  I absolutely love it!  She knew me well.

Do you have a special bowl, cup, glass or even silverware that just makes you a bit happier simply by using it?

Maybe just looking at it makes you a bit cheerier?

This bowl does that for me.

Thank you, Sue!

Pretending to Be My Age

When I was younger I knew, of course, that there were people of all different ages.  What I didn't understand, though, was that a lot of those people didn't really feel like they belonged in the age category to which they found themselves assigned.

Am I making sense?

Well, here's the thing.  I know in my head that I am now in the middle-aged category.  To be honest, I've been in that category for awhile now.  How did that happen?  You see, I still think of myself as a young mother.  I feel I should be about 32 or so.  I feel like I kind of got mentally or emotionally stuck there.  I feel comfortable there.

Don't get me wrong.  I'm not really complaining about being in my 50's.  It's just that I feel like I'm only pretending to be in my 50's, like I'm wearing a costume or something, but inside I'm still 32.  It feels kind of weird to know that people I meet don't realize that.

This happened to me when I was 14 as well.  Someone asked me how old I was and I blurted out that I was 12.  I was horrified at my mistake.  What 14 year old wants to be 12?  Well, I think I liked being 12.  I felt comfortable being 12 for several years.

I was thinking about all this and remembered something I read a long time ago.  I read that inside every person is that person from every age they'd ever been.  That is, even a middle-aged person still has inside of them the memory of who they were at a younger age and really, they are that person still.  It's kind of true, don't you think?

Next time I look at an elderly person I'm going to be wondering if deep down they feel like an imposter.  Maybe they feel like they are 25 and just pretending to be old since they are stuck wearing an old costume.  Something to think about, right?

Mike and Me in Our Early 30's

A Party for Elise

Saturday evening the family gathering continued at our house.  You'll be surprised (not) to know that I took a lot of photos!  Lucky for you all, many of them were blurry or otherwise flawed.

Elise and Maria
(I love this photo!)

Our son, Sam, and our son-in-law, Eric

Elise with her great uncle, Joe

Great Aunt Sue had her turn as well.

A lot of visiting, game-playing and eating took place.

Sunday was Elise's baptism.  Wearing a family gown that is 117 years old, Elise looked beautiful.  To read more about that gown, please click here.  Our daughter, Maria, already wrote up a nice post about it.  The gown was made by Elise's great-great-great grandmother!

It was fun to have so much family together at a church service.

Cordy

Me with Elise

Karen, Mike, Carol, Sue

(Mike with his mother and sisters)

Elise and her parents

After church we enjoyed a lovely meal at Maria and Eric's home.

Erin (our niece) with Maria

My handsome husband, Mike

Cordy giving Grandma Carol a Hug

 Elise 

  Our son-in-law, Eric, visiting with our brother-in-law, Gregg, and Mike's sister, Karen.

Some of the family had to leave yesterday afternoon 

but the rest of us gathered at our home last night.

Grandma Carol with Elise

Yes, we do know how absolutely blessed we are to have so much family supporting and loving us!

Fun With the Rellys

We've been soooooo busy the last few days, but it's busy in a good way.  We've been visiting with relatives, going on picnics and just having a good time.  Here, let me show you...

This first picture is Mike and Cordelia crossing the river in a covered wagon.

OR, it may be a replica set up at an interpretive center.

The interpretative center had fun things for Cordelia to enjoy.

She kept taking the pieces of the kid displays and putting them in better order.

She prefers her cows and things to be in lines or rows, rather than just milling about.

Eric had the day off and was able to picnic and play with us as well.

You won't believe this but this is one of Mike's sisters...Elise's great-aunt, Sue. 

She looks the same as when I met her about 37 years ago!

How does that work?

Cordelia was like an energizer bunny, running and playing.

She's pretty outgoing. 

At the park she saw some older girls

and chased after them saying,

"Hi!  It's me, Cordelia!"

Eventually, though, I think we wore  her out!

She told me she was just going to sleep right there on the bridge.

We don't have all our family here this week but we've got a 

good-sized group, representing multiple states.  

We're so grateful for family!