"An Intimate Evening with Barbara Morgan"

Barbara Morgan was Tahoe's 3rd and 4th grade teacher, a friend of his family's, and an inspiration his whole life. Most people now know her as the teacher turned astronaut. In August with a tiny baby Lola on my chest we watched as Barbara on the space shuttle Endeavor launched into outer space and then return safely two weeks later. In December Barbara came home to McCall to visit the schools and give presentations on her trip to the International Space Station. Tahoe was set on his baby girl meeting her. One of the evenings the McCall Education Foundation did an "Intimate Evening with Barbara Morgan"at Whitetail. Since Tahoe had a stubborn wisdom tooth removed the day before we skipped out on the presentation at the school that night and went to the one at Whitetail the next. It was a much smaller group and they served wine and appetizers. It was both fun and interesting. We were there before the room was full and waited our turn to say hello to Barb. When the people ahead of us walked away she was standing face to face with Tahoe. You could tell by the look on her face she recognized him but she looked at his name tag to be sure. She was smiling big and said, "Tahoe, no way!" She gave him a big hug and they visited for a few minutes. Later we got our picture taken with her, she wanted to hold Lola. After the presentation Tahoe had her autograph, for Lola, one of her early NASA photos that he had been holding onto for years. I am so pleased and proud to have shared such a memorable evening with my husband.

Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus

Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York's Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps.

"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old. "Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. "Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.' "Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?"VIRGINIA O'HANLON."115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET.

"VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.


*I got this from www.newseum.org

Gotta a gripe

Lola is now 131 days old! It's hard to imagine! But everyday it seems like she is doing something miraculous! With the second, third, and children beyond ; do we become so busy we forget what a miracle these small beings are? Or as they get older do we get so used to having them around we feel like we've been doing this our whole life? The reason I ask these questions is because I have decided that the rudest most annoying thing in the world is when somebody says to me "Ah, first time mother.", "That's a first time mother thing, you'll get over it." or "I used to be like that too, with my first."

Could the conversation of my "first time mom-idiosyncrasies" be left alone until I have left the room? Furthermore, anyone who knew me before could have guessed that I would be apalled if you put your finger in my baby's mouth. I woke up irritated unable to let this subject go. So instead of a "Dear Diary"-keep it to myself, I decided to blog it in hopes that my fellow bloggers whom I respect and admire as mothers could share their opinion on the subject. In the past 131 days I can't say that I have many gripes, this is my only real one. Motherhood is definitely, at times, harder than I could have ever imagined. But even sleep deprived and close to tears, all Lola has to do is smile or coo and I am cured.

I love Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas, from our home to yours!!!
I'm so excited to be sharing Christmas with Lola this year!I made this little tinsel tree!

I love how warm houses decorated for the holidays feel! Since I can't just drop in for cookies and cocoa; everyone should post pictures of their homes and towns (Georgia, Wyoming, Wine Country?) at Christmas time ! If only so I can steal some more decorating ideas :)!

Family Fun

Pics from our shower! Tahoe's cousins Melissa and Sierra (both are below with Lola) threw a baby shower for us the weekend before Thanksgiving. Lola fell asleep on the way to town with her hat over her eyes, too cute, Had to take a picture! The baby in the lower center photo is Carly Jo. She was born 15 days before Lola and weighed 11 pounds 4 ounces! Hello Dolly*@#!!! We stood our two babies next to one another and there is hardly a difference in size now. Maybe when they're in school Carly will be the little peanut and Lola will be the gigantor!

Go Bearcats!!! Skylar (holding Lola) goes to college and plays football at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. While Tahoe was over there to watch one of his games he picked up some team wear for Lola. We had to get some pictures of the three of them in their "Bear Wear"

The shower was on Saturday and Danielle's (Tahoe's aunt) birthday was on Sunday but we celebrated on Friday with a big fish fry. Sunday we spent the day recupin' from all the festivities.

Life Happenings

Before Lola arrived,with help from Mindy, I painted most of the rooms in my house. There were two walls though that I had been staring at and decided I hated; I repainted them and fell in love with my house all over again! Lola and Vinny hung out on the floor together while I painted. We also got Lola's crib. It's not a full size but I love it and I finished making the bedding I started before Lola got here. It makes me happy so I had to share it with my fellow bloggers!

Here are a couple of recent photos of Lola. She is getting so big and strong and developing quite a personality!

Here are some pictures of our little family just hangin out!

Tahoe and Lola were playing together on her blanket. Daddy sacked out first.
Lola stayed up a while and watched tv.


But she was soon out too after some warm milk and cuddling from Mama.

"Picniked" pictures

These were some great pictures that I just loved to begin with. Then I put them in the picnik program; My new favorite thing to do when I should be folding laundry or mopping floors. I wanted to post these just because I love how they turned out. The bottom picture is the baby girl I babysit. Her name is Keelee and her Grandpa was 100% Irish. Do you see any in her?

Cohen; Dancing Star

When Sacha was here she was telling us about Cohen and his favorite t.v. show; Dancing with the Stars. This was taken before the show, but it is obvious "Dancing" was going to be a hit with this pint sized Fred Astaire. This is an old video Sacha sent but just in case everyone else didn't get to see it; it is way cute!

Picture Fun

The last two weeks of October I too, took many pictures. Inspired by the absolutely beautiful fall colors, family and friends; I have about 700 pictures to go through. Some I will delete, some I will enhance and blow up, some I will pass on, most will go into photo albums and we will look at them years down the road and remember all these good times. I got on the internet picture program "picnik"-and Melissa you are right it is so cool and so much fun! Here are a couple of my works of art! Cohen Mac
This is Sequoia. He is Tahoe's cousin (duh, right?) I just love Sequoia; he is really a great person. The next two pictures are what happens playing with the doodle option on picnik, both started out as this picture.

Happy Halloween!!

Happy Halloween from our family to Yours!!!A Spooktacular family portrait! Tahoe the Scarecrow (lol), Cassidy the Witch, and their little black kitty Lola!
Meooww!!
May the force be with you!! This is not really Vinny, as Vinny is against Halloween and dressing up.
After Tahoe saves the baby from the dreadful "Kitty Cape" (which suprisingly enough she did not mind); Lola studies the face of her heroe!

Old Friends

Last Sunday I spent the day with Andria Hall, Missy Green, Melissa Roundtree (Getusky) Tana Freeman and everyone's kids. I had such a great time! Know that we will be doing it again girls! It is so important to have girl friends, and it was so fun to reconnect with old friends! I can't even put into words how special that afternoon was to me.
Mylee Jane
Andria and Jaydin
Owdin (I know I'm spelling that wrong :( Jaydin and Lola
This is Sydon. I love this picture; he was walking crazy and fell down then rolled around laughing. He didn't want to stand still for his picture, which made it so great.
Sawyer and Jaydin. All the kids played so well together!