4th of July

Just a lazy morning, puttering in the garden, watching the birds, enjoying the nice breeze.
I've also made the sangria for later...


A few photos from the yard this morning:

clematis

pink asiatic lilies

black-eyed Susan

volunteer sunflower from bird seed

pair of finches

my newest bowling ball

the front sidewalk

Tammy needs...

Okay, if you go to Google.com and type in "(your name here) needs", Google will show you what you need. Here goes:

Tammy needs:
Constant care
Your prayers and good wishes
To know
The help of other dog lovers like you and I
More opportunities to be creative
All information by January 5th
To balance out

Hmmm...

What do YOU need?

Happy Birthday, baby girl!

Happy Birthday Jessica!

It's official.

She's no longer a teenager.

As of 3:21 p.m. today, the girl is 20 years old.

Born on a Tuesday, 6 days overdue. Labor and delivery full of stress and drama, but everything ended up okay.

When she was newborn, I called her my "angel baby", convinced I could never be mad at her. Ha!

She has provided our family with spunk - she's the risk-taker, the one who makes me cringe with worry. Sometimes with good reason.

She's also brought laughter and fun.

She's compassionate and kind and loving.

She knows all the words to the classic rock songs we love, and we crank the car stereo and sing our lungs out together.

She steals my library books and (gasp!) reads them!

She's creative and dramatic and musical.

She can quote almost the entire script of a movie after having seen it once.

She is still finding her way in the world and I feel privileged to be along on the ride once in awhile.

Welcome to the Family!

Cousin Jeff and his lovely wife Shannon have added a new member to our family - Case William Anderson was born on Friday, June 22. We cannot wait to meet him!

Congratulations to the new parents, and to his GRANDMA!

First day of summer

This is what a slice of it looks like in my back yard. :o)

More than meets the eye...

We're looking forward to the new Transformers movie due out the first week in July. At the theater we try to decorate the candy case to reflect either a current movie or the season. We just put away our pirate treasure chest and set up "Transformer town" last night. These are Nick's Transformer toys, circa late 1980's. We had such fun setting them up last night, playing with transforming them from cars, planes, etc. to robots. He still remembered how to operate each one - "Yeah, I didn't spend hours playing with these..." he told one of the guys. :o)

Can you tell which are Decepticons and which are Autobots?

(FYI -The construction paper skyscrapers are intended to look cartoon-ish.)

We finished the display at about 8:30 last night, then had several guys come to see the late shows - it was fun to hear them talk about the toys, remembering their own, or how they watched the cartoons when they were kids. Tonight we had several small boys ask their moms to buy them. :o)

Being Crafty

I had to wait to post these photos of Ben and Abbie decorating bowling balls. They made them as a surprise for their parents. I made one, too, so Tonita snapped this photo just before they left last night. (I wasn't unhappy, she just took the picture before I was ready. :o) ) We used GE Silicone II (in a caulking tube) for the glue. The kids each chose their own stones. I used some glass pieces I purchased last summer.

(Grace just loves these - she calls them "pretties" and rubs her hands over them again and again.)

My other roses

The other two rose bushes are blooming now, and both are the correct color. :o) The yellow is from my co-workers when my dad died. The orange rose was a mother's day gift a long time ago. The one that bloomed red last week, also has some white buds, so I'll get the correct color roses after all.

Cabela's Adventure

We fulfilled one of Ben's dreams today when we took him to Cabela's near Omaha. When we first walked in the store, the greeter wanted me to apply for a Cabela's card. I told her no thanks, that we live 100 miles away and just brought the kids to see the store. She gave us each free tokens for the laser shooting ranges instead. :o) We walked through the aquarium and Ben knew which fish was which without looking at the signs.

Then we went back to the shooting range and each took a turn shooting at the fake animals. Greg won a free turn. We can't figure out why. Ben and I each had more points than him, but he got a free turn. :o)

Then we found the animal display and had fun finding all the little hidden creatures.

Ben and Greg shopped while Abbie and I took a sit-down break in the cafe. We could have eaten bison, ostrich, or several other kinds of exotic meats if we'd had lunch there. Instead we chose to share a piece of chocolate cake. :o)

Now Ben REALLY wants to go to the Cabela's near Forth Worth, so be prepared Tonita! :o)

I'm so proud

And so should their parents be! :o) This is what happens on a 13 1/2 hour-long drive home from Texas. We must entertain ourselves...

The Graduate

We're in Texas right now, having attended Caleb's graduation yesterday and the church banquet in his honor today.

Lots of fun family time and an abundance of good food as is usual with our family gatherings. :o)

Pride

I think this photo should be the poster for Father's Day 2007. Doesn't he look happy?

(The jacket looks great, Al! LOL)

Introducing...

Taylor Rae Regier

Friday, May 25, 2007

2:21 p.m.

7 lb., 4 oz.

20"

Another birthday!

I know Jan is spending her birthday in Denver with Jeff and Shannon. She will become a grandmother next month and we're all so excited for the entire family!

Confused?

I have a rose bush that usually blooms with white roses. This year, they are blood red. What happened?

I'm posting these photos for Lesley, my friend from England. She is a phenomenal gardener and I think I'm correct when I say she has a special affinity for roses. The first is the usual color. This photo was taken last summer.

The second is what is blooming right now. They are beautiful, but what happened to the white ones?

Baby birdies

These baby birds were hatched in a nest built in our Christmas wreath that was mounted on the garage. Yes, the wreath was left on the garage until way after Christmas. Okay, it's still up. I was going to take it down several weeks ago and I noticed the mama robin up there. I figured there were eggs, so I left it alone. This photo was taken a few days ago. I didn't see the babies today, but I'm not taking the wreath down until I know they've flown away. :o)

Twenty-six years ago

We were so young, and had a great deal of growing up to do, but we did it together.

Happy Anniversary Honey!

'Tis the season!

Peony bushes

The peonies have burst forth these past few days. I love to bring them inside, but enjoy them just as much as a sea of pink in the back yard.

This purple iris came from Angela's mom last year. I'm surprised it bloomed already, but I just love it.

Yellow iris - I bought these at a garage sale several years ago. They are really big and smell like grape pop.

The weigela bush

The backyard garden is a sea of weeds with a few flowers mixed in. It's just overwhelming to think about the work, but it will get done. Eventually. You know what they say about "one year of seeds, seven years of weeds"? Is that cumulative? So, I have 2 years of seeds, so 14 years of weeds? I hope not - or I'm doomed...

Birthdays Keep Coming!

Abbie is 11 years old today! Hope you have a wonderful birthday - we'll see you soon!

It's Greg's Birthday!

Jury Duty

I got the postcard a little over a week ago - Jury Summons. I don't mind serving on a jury, I look at it as my responsibility as a citizen, and take the duty seriously. It just came at a bad time. Angela's about to give birth any minute and I have many hours scheduled to work this week if I'm not in Sioux City being Auntie to the new baby. :o)

However, neither reason is dire enough for me to be excused. So I went to the courthouse this morning and joined the many other citizens fulfilling their obligation to this responsiblity. It took less than an hour for a 6-member County court jury to be selected, and I was NOT one of them. Whew!

Now I'm just waiting for the phone to ring so we can meet that baby!

Mother's Day

Me with the kids. Yes, I am the shortest person in our family...

The Lott grandkids - Nick, Hannah, Sara, Jessica

Brothers snuggle time?


Lott family photo

My Birthday Boys

Okay, after a rather sad blog post earlier this morning, then singing "Borning Cry" in church, it's time to light things up a bit. Today is Tucker's and Max's birthday. :o) Yes, I got them some presents - new toy mice with feathers, and they love them. No, I didn't make them birthday cake, though I did think about having Wyatt, Garett, and Grace over for a birthday party. They do love the "TITTIES!" - that's what Grace screams when she walks in the house, and the cats scramble to find a piece of furniture to hide under. Yesterday when I visited the kids, Grace came to me and said, "I go Tammy's house, Tucker Max." Yes, she came home with me for the afternoon. Tucker was the courageous cat and allowed lots of petting and snuggling and Grace was delighted. Tucker was tolerant. He's a good boy. Max hides. He's a smart boy. :o)

For My Mom

There is a lot going on today: confirmation at church, Mother's Day, my kitty boys' birthday, and the tenth anniversary of the day my mother died.
That day seems so long ago, yet so fresh. I didn't sit vigil next to her bed for hours, but I was there with her when she passed away. She fought it, struggling, until I told her to go, go see Grandma and Grandpa, and she would get to see Arlan again. She seemed to relax after I said that, and slipped away a moment later. The last words she heard in this world were "I love you".
There is much more about that day in my heart, but I'm not ready to write about it yet. For today we just remember she didn't want to leave us, and we will see her again.

Belated Anniversary Wishes!

Yesterday was Tonita's and Daniel's 21st wedding anniversary. I thought about it several times during the day, but never when I had computer time. So they're getting belated wishes from us!

More Dental Drama

Yeah, more trouble with the root canal tooth. Had to have another repair done today on the "fake" part. Jessica told me to tell him, "This has reached the point of ridiculousness. Just pull it!" I had to laugh.

Then, I went to the office. There was a woman in the waiting room who I've known for several years. Her adult daughter was in the exam room with a root canal tooth gone bad, and the dentist was trying to pull it. (he didn't do the root canal - a Boston dentist mucked it up.) Anyway, she was really in pain, and we all heard her yelling, then crying, then SOBBING. Yes, sobbing. I felt so bad for her, and so much did not want to walk down that hall myself. They finally decided to take her to surgery later in the afternoon and pull the tooth under general anesthesia, and she and her mother left.

All tolled, I was in the chair for only 15 minutes or so, and the tooth was fixed. No way I was asking him to pull it.

When he got done, he told me there was no charge for the repair today and I told him thank you.

Then I said, "Thanks for not making me cry."

He replied, "Thanks for not making ME cry." :o)

Belated Birthday Wishes

Things have been so crazy this month that I'm playing catch-up on my Happy Birthdays. Ben turned 13 on the 12th, and Leslie's birthday was the 2nd.

Prom Remembered

During my spare time this week, I've been working on some scrapbooking, putting together pages about my high school years. I don't have many photos, and many of the mementos I kept have no meaning because I didn't journal about why I kept them... So my high school scrapbook will be lean, but I will have saved what little bit I do have.

Last night I put together 3 pages, and two of them were about my Junior Prom. As I worked, I looked at the dates to document that on the pages, and realized that my first prom was held 29 years ago today. Yikes!

Prom was pretty simple back then. My dress was a Gunne Sax (I LOVED that dress, and I still have it!), I think I paid $60 for it, which was quite an investment for me. No special jewelry, no fake nails, and I did my own hair. Greg was my date, and wore his suit and his platform shoes.

We had a delicious dinner in the courtyard at the Camelot Inn, then danced downstairs. The theme was "Grand Illusions/Come Sail Away" from the Styx Album. The album cover was recreated by an artistic classmate as a wall mural and was incredible.

We went to a party after, then had breakfast at a friend's house.

What fun - but you couldn't pay me to be in high school again! :o)

Never borrow from your brother...

I've been going through old scrapbooks and photo albums this week and rediscovering some childhood treasures. This particular art piece came to me from Alan, a.k.a. "the Greatest" (and he obviously had some help from Tonita - the comments surrounding the beautiful sketch).

I had borrowed his winter gloves for some reason or other, I don't remember, but it was only for a few minutes. He must've needed them while I had them on... I found this "anonymous" note in my room shortly after.

How can a girl help but feel special when her siblings go to so much effort to communicate with her? :o) I'd like to say this was a one-time event, but Alan must've gone through a phase of needing to draw my picture. There are a few more. I'll share those in the near future.

Easter wishes

Wishing you all a wonderful Easter holiday full of worship, celebration, family togetherness, and lots of chocolate! (Except for Sara and Angela - I don't wish you any chocolate. :o) )

Wonderful Last Night

We went to Omaha and saw Eric Clapton at the Qwest Center last night. A much different concert from Bob Seger. Mr. Clapton is not one to interact with the audience much, a "thank you" after several songs, but that's about it. He just got up there and played. Oh, did he play. This man doesn't just play his music, it flows from him. You don't just listen, you absorb it.

I didn't know most of the songs he played during the first half of the concert, but it didn't matter. It was great music.

Then he played "Wonderful Tonight" and the rest of the songs were old favorites. He played "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out", "Layla", and then the encore songs were "Cocaine", which lasted over 10 minutes, and "Crossroads" where he was joined by Robert Cray.

Robert Cray opened for Clapton, and I enjoyed his set just as much as the rest of the concert. I'll be looking for some of his music to buy.

I'm put up a short video on YouTube of the first couple minutes of "Wonderful Tonight" - you can watch it at the bottom of this post. The photo above is what we saw - we were sitting way up high...

Even though this concert was much different from what I expected, it was still awesome. I am so glad to have gone. The lady sitting next to me agreed that there aren't too many artists we'd pay this much to see, but Clapton left no hesitation.

I did think of one more - Peter Frampton. I'll be looking for him. :o)