Alexis

Our niece Lexi is the dancer and dreamer. When she started showing her cartwheels on the beach I knew it was my chance to have some fun...

Indeedums and Egglets

1984

 Tomorrow we return to the scene of the crime. The place that took our daughter's heart - or at least a big piece of it. Who knew all those years ago ago (1984) when we first took Erin to Kalaloch that she would one day marry on that same beach.

In 1989 the kids and I returned without Mike. He was still in Venezuela getting ready for our move to Puerto Rico. We went to Kalaloch with Mike's folks, Nan & Papo. Erin was excited but concerned. Finally sharing with me what was on her mind.

1989

We had talked about hiking and looking on the beach for agates with Nan and Papo. She told me "Momma, I'm scared to go hiking. The Indeedums might be in the trees." I reassured her the Indians were not going to bother us.

Later I overheard her talking to her brother Matthew, then 3 years old. She told him how we "would walk in the sand and look for egglets with Nan and Papo".

This past year Erin found the biggest "egglet" I've ever seen. Nan and Papo would be proud!

Agate

Agate and Rose Jasper

Where does the Time go?

(Krieg vintage 1997)

Not so very long ago we lived with this young man.

My "mom taxi" took us all over the Menasha/Neenah/Appleton valley for kid's activities.
Piano, Soccer, Swimming, CCD...
I picked up and dropped off.
It was a way of life.

One particular trip Erin and I were riding in the front and

Krieg took up his position of solitude in the 3rd row.
Shania Twain played on the radio.

I peeked in the rear view mirror and noticed someone of opposite gender was singing along with us...

As we reached the chorus Erin recognized the gleam in my eye.
Just as the song reached the desired moment we turned down the radio.
And from the very back seat comes a loud and not so feminine
"Man, I feel like a woman"...

Every time I hear this song it still makes me smile.
If I'm in the car I can look in the rear view mirror and see the face in the back seat!
(even though he now looks like this...)

Coach Krieg (2011)

It's an Unexplained Oddity...

Momma and recent dimensionally inflected son Matthew.

I don't believe there is a cure. It's an unexplained phenomenon.
Our annual family trek happens every July.
Sometimes it happens - a family member cannot share in the adventures.
And yet their presence is always felt.
Their 'flat self'.
It appears they take on an one dimensional metamorphose.
This year is no different. Introducing "Flat Matt".

Sad But True...

A friend (and coworker) and I were chatting once about things that happen. Let's face it. We worked for a clinic where women received mammograms. The current topic could cover anything.

This dear friend is as short as I am tall. She was blessed with many more curves than myself too. We joked about how things sometimes get caught when dropped... for pregnant women it's the 'tummy shelf'. For her it was the bra. She shared a funny how after a movie once she discovered an extra helping of popcorn when she got home. I've always said things wouldn't slow down much if they fell down my shirt.

Last night I was carrying things upstairs and found my hands full. The sundress I was wearing had smocking on top so I came up with the idea of just sliding my cell phone between my bosom - just until I made it upstairs... I know, I know... T.M.I.

I made it about four or five steps when I heard a 'thunk'. I looked down and sure enough - my cell phone lay at my feet. I chuckled to myself and thought - "Wow, that's discouraging...".

On Winged Flight...

Last weekend was a whirlwind and many miles but worth the opportunity to visit my family.

After a long, house full Memorial weekend which followed a long four days on the road working in Challis, I once more found myself NOT working in the yard or catching up on things around the house. I took off Friday afternoon, after work, and flew into Milwaukee. My charming oldest nephew met me at the airport and we drove to Chicago where we were greeted by a sleeping household of teenagers and my exhausted sister and brother-in-law.

Desperate to get the kinks worked out of my joints I asked Di to wake me when she went for her morning run. I was ready. What I wasn't prepared for was the HUMIDITY. Holy heck! We drove to the green belt area in the park and when I opened the door I thought for sure I'd walked into the sauna. It's been a long time.

Our folks arrived in the midst of party preparations. My oldest niece and I planted flowers in the beds around the patio area. Our little brother (ha I love calling him that - he's nearly 42!) drove in from Virginia. Hail, hail the gang was all there.

We helped to celebrate J's graduation from high school and L's graduation from 8th grade with a big party for family and friends. Storms cleared out the humidity the night before and temperatures were perfect.

I have two nephews. The oldest who is adventuring into a new era at college - moving into his own apartment with roommates. The younger one who just graduated high school and will be starting off on his own new life in the Fall on a college campus. The older one is our IT brain. "K, can you fix this? K, why is this not working? K..." He's the family genius - "plug it in Mom...", "Power off and then power on..."

J is our sports nut. He can make a competition out of anything and generally does. Being just a tad competitive myself I tend to jump in with both feet for my feeble attempt at a high score. Presently he's beating me at not one but TWO 'Words for Friends' games on our phones. Guess I thought if I started a second game I might have a chance...

Both of these guys look out after their little sisters. They are such good young men. Smart, loving, easy-going.

As the testosterone levels dwindle in their household the estrogen sky rockets. I have three teen-age nieces. Pray for their parents. The oldest is N, my alternate daughter. Blond. Sassy. And parallels many facets of our daughter. N just got her driver's license last month. She proudly shared her newest photo ID with us - I said "Amazing we both weigh 120 lbs!". She's social. Has discovered the opposite sex (and they hae discovered her too). She's so much fun. She's a dancer and I love to watch her routines. N has a summer job as a life guard. In only her first week of employment being an authority figure, she hasn't quite got reality of her new power. Mostly she spends her pre-work time playing hide and seek with her whistle. But I predict by the end of the summer she'll have that whistle permanently attached to her hand and be using it to direct her family members around having figured out how well it works for her at the pool!

L is my sister's mini me. She's the middle daughter. Trying to please. Quiet at times. Very athletic and slender. She's starting high school and would rather wear her hair up in a pony tail and skip make up than bother with either. She has lots of friends and I can't wait to see the grown up version. She's tender and caring, loves her animals, was so good with Taten when he was around. She's also an estrogen filled female going into high school...

M, or Sunny, is and always has been a spit fire. Like most babies of the family she runs the show. But she's such a hoot. It's still amazing to me to see her as a teen-ager when I remember this little toddler with jet black/brown eyes who would warm your tired soul with her smiles and then clear the room with her screams!

I have the neatest nieces and nephews. Ok so I'm partial. I just wish I were closer so I could cheer them on at their sporting events and follow them around with my camera. You all rock! It was a fast weekend. Home again Monday night. I wouldn't have missed it for the world. I love you all!

Sleepover at Gramma & Papa's...

Last weekend was Matt & Brit's 4th anniversary. They decided to spend it clearing boxes from the garage and moving things into their new home - and let Taten hang out with his grandparents.

Taten arrived Saturday afternoon. We played in the backyard, enjoying one of our rare days of sunshine. His lacrosse stick and Riley's ball kept him entertained for quite awhile until he decided to upgrade - to the fish net from the pond and the four square ball. Typical Shaw - do it up BIG.


Taten is sporting his very first major 'booboo'. This past week he fell into the window sill and had a bump and bruise on the side of his eye socket. Now his eyelid is black and blue and varying shades of yellow. It doesn't slow him down.


He followed his Tio around in the evening, falling asleep on the bed while Tio showered after work. During the night he woke up confused and Gramma put him in bed with her, taking full advantage of the situation.


Sunday we had a leisurely morning - comics with Tio and rocking with Papa. We wandered in and out of the house, depending on the weather. It was fun to have Tate around again. Even though I knew they were buying a house and we helped with the repairs, it was still a bit of a shock to me when Matt, Brit and Taten stayed in their home for the first time. I couldn't believe they weren't coming 'home' to us. I'm adjusting. Soon Papa will be closer to 100% and back to his regular Taten-sitting during the week. We miss the little stinker!