Party With Social Distancing

We are on the letter P. Let’s Party! Be forewarned that this will be a photo overload since this is the best way I have right now to share all these photos with family and friends who could not join in for the fun.

Our daughter-in-law sent a text to 7 of us to invite us up to their mountain to help celebrate Jaymison Joshua’s first birthday. It was a conditional invitation with social distancing a requirement. The party was held on the front porch with no one going inside their home.

JJ’s party was going to be a big event on this day (April 18th) with a good crowd enjoying the Lumberjack themed festivities like ax throwing and log rolling but the Corona virus halted all those plans. Some had flights already booked.

Seated on his party throne for the duration!

Let’s start with paper…I mean presents.

The spectators and gift givers and happy celebrants. They are smiling behind those masks! Granny Linda, Gramps, Uncle Scott, Great Granny Florence, Grandpa Jim. Aunt Rhonda was on phone duty keeping other family who joined us on their phones up front seeing and listening to all the festivities. Uncle Andrew, Auntie Katie, Uncle Joshie and Auntie Lolo.

Time for cake!

This next photo is one to illustrate the pain this Baba feels when her little grands don’t understand Social Distancing.

That face, those hands, ugh…the pain is real.

Here are some other photos taken by JJ’s mommy on his birthday.

What a wonderful smile!

Sitting on his sister. It’s going to be fun to see their interactions in the future. Happy Birthday Jaymison. What fun it was to celebrate with you even at a distance!

Number One Grandson!

Here’s our Number One Grandson, Jaymison. Today is his first birthday. Sweet boy won’t care that he isn’t getting a birthday party because of the pandemic. All the adults that love him dearly will miss watching him enjoy wrapping paper and and tissue. We’ll miss him enjoying cake and ice cream. Jaymison, Baba and Gramps love you so much. You are showing more and more of your personality and we enjoy seeing you grow. You are very talkative and we can’t wait till you can put into words what you want us to hear. You had a scary glitch in your first few weeks of life and we praise God that you are growing and learning well and on track now.

Jaymison Joshua (JJ). His middle name is given him in honor of his Uncle Joshua (Joshie).

Here is the closest photo I have to your first birthday so far with your mommy. Just 2 days shy. What wonderful smiles!

We enjoyed seeing you from a distance on Easter for a little while.

You can still be close to mommy, daddy and Addy.

Enjoy your in home small celebration with your mommy, daddy, and Addy!

Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear JJ, happy birthday to you!

We pray that God will bless you and keep you and make His face to shine upon you and give you peace.

Keepsake Quilt

We are on the letter K and I’m choosing Keepsake for my post.

This is a quilt my mother in law made before Alaska and Hawaii were part of the United States. It was in 1959 that Alaska and Hawaii became states so Verna made this quilt well before 1959. Rex and Verna got married in 1945. Verna was a one room school teacher in Kansas during World War II.

Each of the 48 states were represented with the state bird and state flower.

Verna’s children, grandchildren and great grandchildren live in the states of Washington, New York, California and North Carolina as of this date.

Verna with my hubby long before we met. This is probably 1966 or 1967.

Dear’s Parents, Rex and Verna with their 4 grandchildren in 1982. Two more granddaughters were born in 1985 and 1991. Rex passed away in 1985 before they were born.

Rex, Verna, Dear, Josh me and Dan in 1982.

This photo was taken in 1988 or 1989 at our first home in Washington State. Verna was living with us at this time. My folks, sister and her girls were visiting from California.

This collage is of Dear’s only brother and him and Rex and Verna. I put this collage together to show the similarities the two sons have with their parents. Terry with Verna and Dear with Rex.

We had an unusual social distancing gathering on Easter at our kids home to exchange Easter meal goodies and to see JJ and Addy at their Easter egg hunt. It was a different but good Easter celebrating our Risen Savior! Later in the afternoon we had an extended family Zoom meeting sharing our highs, lows and buffaloes with each other. It was so good to see many of the family units from Texas, Indiana, California and Washington and sharing some prayer requests. I trust you all had a good day.

As soon as my broad band lets me upload my photos from yesterday I’ll share them.

Grandchildren

For Wednesday April 8th we are on the letter G and I’m choosing grandchildren and grandmothers for my theme.

Both of our daughters in law are the cream of the crop. During this distancing time Jamie had Addy and JJ’s hand prints made for the sweetest hugs I could get when hugs are out of the question. This is the note that came with the handprints connected with yarn:

Here is a hug with a handmade touch. Reminding you I love you this much!

So sorry but the internets at this country bungalow are not uploading my photos of my handprints. boohoo. As soon as I can I’ll add them to the post.

In the meantime here are the latest photos of the grands that I have from our DIL.

We’ve had some beautiful sunshiny days and the grands have enjoyed the sunshine. Addy is enjoying painting rocks and JJ is supervising.

The whole family have enjoyed some walks in the sunshine.

Addy received her birthday present from Uncle Andrew and Auntie Katie and this is one of the creations from these magnet blocks.

This little guy is 9 days shy of being a year old! He will not have his epic 1st birthday party on his day or anywhere near his day. It was going to be a lumberjack birthday with ax throwing and log rolling for the adults!

Here’s the latest photo of me, the paternal grandmother/baba of these two…

Here I am in the mask I made from my Beatrix Potter fabric that is from my stash. It’s over 40 years old.

The following photos were posted randomly as they showed up in my media library. They are not in chronological order. With my internet issues right now this is the way it is…

This is a photo of me with my mother and maternal grandmother. We called her our little Babushka. This is in the early 70’s. April 8th was our mom’s birthday. She would have been 97 today.

After our little babushka had an apartment of her own that was just a few doors down from the Russian Baptist church that we attended we’d enjoy Christmas breakfast before church services at her apartment. The photo above is of her with our sister Lana.

Photos from our wedding at the end of 1974.

My paternal grandparents at my sister’s home in Huntington Beach in the 70’s.

Our maternal grandmother with all of her grandchildren in the mid fifties. She would enjoy 5 more grandchildren born in the late fifties and early 60’s. Our mom only had one brother who survived into adulthood. Our mom’s only brother, Uncle Paul and Aunt Nina had 4 children. Our parents had 4 more children after the time of this photo which happens to be an Easter photo.

Our little babushka is in this group. Can you find her? This was taken at our second home in Huntington Beach where our 2 sons were born. Our little Babushka Vera died in March of 1980.

These photos with me and my babushka are at my 9th grade graduation and 12th grade graduation, 1965 and 1968.

Our maternal babushka had a more hands on relationship with all of us but that is not to say we didn’t have a relationship with our paternal grandparents. We honored them and loved them but we didn’t enjoy as close a bond with them as with our dear little Babushka. Since she immigrated as a widow she was more free to spend lots of time with us.

I’m sure all grandmother’s are looking forward to spending hands on time again with their grandchildren. We are missing those sweet hugs and face to face interactions.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

If you are visiting from the A to Z Challenge please scroll down below Wednesday Hodgepodge. Cheers!

1. Has spring sprung in your part of the world? How can you tell? Did March come in like a lion where you live? Going out like a lamb or something more ferocious?

March is definitely going out like a lion. I was in Southern California for the beginning of March and it was calm enough except for the escalating worries over COVID-19. Panic shopping and hoarding had begun. In our part of Northeastern Washington Spring comes slowly. We see some green poking up and there are buds forming on some bushes. Our best sign of Spring is our granddaughter who was born on the first day of Spring in 2017.

She’s busy with Spring clean-up!

2. The last thing that caused you to spring to your feet?

Springing to my feet might be a thing of the past but something that made me get up as fast as I could to my feet was our grandson. We have a room at our country bungalow that has been designated as the playroom. It is one of our guest rooms so it has a queen size bed and two nightstands and a dresser and bookshelf besides some toys. I was reading to our granddaughter (sitting properly on the floor as per her instruction) when I saw grandson had walked around the bed to the flimsy lightweight nightstand and the lamp was tottering. I shifted Addy off my lap and got up as fast as I could which is hard from a sitting on the floor position. I got to him in time and moved him away. I then put a sturdy chair in front of the nightstand to block his access to it. Tragedy averted. Next time we are playing in there I will be prepared by moving the chair to block that nightstand forthwith.

For those of you Hodgepodgers who don’t regularly follow my blog, this is our grandson who was born in April of 2019 which is one of the best things that happened during the Hodgepodge hiatus since September of 2018. His older sister just turned 3 and he will turn 1 on April 16th with no huge 1st birthday party because of the virus. He won’t care but it’s tough on the adults in his life.

3. Do you have a spring clean to-do list? What’s one chore on the list you’ve already managed to accomplish? What spring clean chore do you most dread?

I do not have a Spring clean to-do list. We go with the flow.

We managed a good head start on cleaning up our fall brush pile and getting the yard ready for Spring growth. Using my hedge trimmer to clean up leftover dead growth around the former pond and throwing everything on the burn pile was very satisfying.

This winter we had a huge amount of branches and pine cones fall from all of our trees in the front yard. We finished picking up those branches along with some of the cones and they went on the burn pile, too.

I’m not dreading any Spring cleaning chore because I don’t have a big list of things I only do in the Spring. Should I make a list? Maybe I should clean out my closets and drawers??

4. Tell us something you’ve learned about yourself or the wider world as a result of social distancing/the virus crisis.

I’ve learned that concentrating is harder these days. Even though I don’t feel like I’m anxious the uncertainty of where this is all going is unsettling. I’m a person who can get a lot accomplished if I have an incentive like a dinner party, or a trip coming up, or company coming to stay. There’s none of that kind of planning right now so one day just flows into another and my concentration has gone out the window. Hodgpodge helps and blogging helps and having my music on helps, and listening to sermons online helps, too. By the way y’all today is Wednesday just in case you were wondering. Anyone else having to ask, “what day is today?”

5. Something you love that’s the color pink?

My Lenten Rose (Hellebore) that I had to leave behind at our former home in Kenmore. It brought me such joy year after year when it would bloom during the season of Lent. Speaking of leaving things behind, here are my pink rhoddys that I hope are still thriving in Kenmore.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Some good quotes from trusted authors/pastors/Bible that I’ve read this week:

“Faith is not a power which you possess to create your own future. Faith is a God-given ability to trust the future that God has promised you.”~ John MacArthur

“Because of Christ, death is not final. It is a passage from one world to the next.” ~ R.C. Sproul

“Judas heard all Christ’s sermons.” ~ Thomas Goodwin

“Bene orasse est bene studuisse” To have prayed well is to have studied well. ~ Luther

Proverbs 3:25, 26(ESV) ~ Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.

Linking up with Joyce at From This Side of the Pond for Wednesday Hodgepodge. I’ll add the direct link on Wednesday.

Father and Daughter

These images our daughter-in-law captured of Addy working with her daddy put a big smile on my face.

We had some decent weather this weekend to work outside in. Getting those Spring cleaning chores done before new growth begins full speed ahead.

Hope you all are coping well with staying at home. My computer is exhibiting charging issues so I hope things don’t digress. If you don’t see new things from me you’ll know my computer is a mess.

Some comforting words from Psalm 27;

One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock…

I believe that I will look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

Kitchen Before and After

We decided to change up our kitchen by painting the majority of the cabinets white. Some of you might cringe but our eyes have not enjoyed oak lately, mostly on cabinets.

We are keeping the island as it was.

The pantry has not been painted yet but is next on the list.

The process is not easy but Dear found it a good job to do while the temps are freezing outside which makes it hard for him to work the construction of his shop.

We are pleased with the new look. I’m thankful for a husband who is not afraid of hard or tedious work.

I showed you the wheel barrow that we bought our granddaughter for her 3rd birthday. Her she is hard at work outside. This photo was taken yesterday by her mom.

This family works hard together and they are not afraid of dirt! Anybody else out there who calls a wheel barrow a wheel barrel?

And yes, it is still cold outside here in Northeastern Washington State!

Stay safe and keep the Faith!

Daniel the Tiger, Finally!

Here’s our birthday girl in her custom made Daniel the Tiger dress that her mommy made for her.

Her mommy and daddy constructed the Daniel the Tiger Trolley for her birthday party.

Brother is not quite sure what all of this means.

Addy and Gramps opened Addy’s present from us.

She knew exactly what to do with a wheel barrow and will have fun in the garden with her mommy as soon as weather permits. We also gave her a whale pool and a new bathing suit along with a Daniel the Tiger book.

Little brother thought the tissue paper was cool. He did not understand why Baba was not picking him up or giving him kisses. Ugh. The yucky part of this COVID-19 curse!

Addy, enjoying her Daniel the Tiger book from Uncle Joshie and Auntie Lolo.

The Wheel Barrow was a hit. We informed her she could not put her baby brother in the barrow!

Addy was singing along with all of us when we sang “Happy Birthday to You”. So sweet.

For those of you who don’t know who Daniel the Tiger is here’s a description.

The first series inspired by `Mister Rogers Neighbourhood’, `Daniel Tiger’s Neighbourhood’ features 4-year-old Daniel Tiger, son of the original programme’s Daniel Striped Tiger. Every day Daniel puts on his red sweater, ties his shoes, and invites a new generation of preschoolers into the Neighbourhood of Make-Believe. Daniel shares his daily adventures with pals O the Owl, Katerina Kittycat, Prince Wednesday and Miss Elaina. With the help of Daniel and his friends, preschoolers have fun and learn practical skills necessary for growing and developing.

Here’s our birthday girl with O the Owl, Katerina Kittycat, Prince Wednesday, Miss Elaina, and Daniel. Uncle Joshie and Auntie Lolo sent her these stuffed play friends because of the theme of her birthday this year.

I was so happy that these photos finally uploaded to my computer. I believe it has something to do with our satellite broadband that is a lot stronger as soon as the new monthly charge is paid. All these photos were taken on Saturday March 21st, the day Addy’s Daniel the Tiger Birthday party was supposed to happen. We have not seen these dear ones since the 21st. Sad face…

Daniel the Tiger Birthday

This is the Daniel the Tiger Cake Jamie made for Addy’s birthday party.

Addy’s Daniel the Tiger birthday party was supposed to happen on Saturday the 21st of March. Because of the Corona Virus and Social Distancing it was cancelled. We delivered presents on Saturday morning and kept our distance. If you are familiar with the Daniel the Tiger series you might have seen the trolley that is used on the show. Our daughter in law and son created a trolley from large appliance boxes and I took a few photos of it and the Daniel the Tiger dress that Jamie sewed for Addy. A lot of planing and creating that I was happy to be able to photograph. Now my computer and our broadband service won’t let me upload those photos. I’ll add them to this post when things improve.

These photos I’m posting were the photos after our morning gift time taken by our kids. The kids took a hike down their driveway and then enjoyed Addy’s birthday cake. So happy to have them and to see what a good day of sunshine they had together as a family.

On Sunday morning we had church online and it was good.

Two quotes from our online sermon from First Baptist Church Colville this morning:

“God’s glory has to be more consuming than our comfort”

“The presence of anxiety is unavoidable but the prison of anxiety is”

Stay out of prison dear ones.

We are taking this new lifestyle one day at a time. We have all we need at home and are grateful for connections via phone and social media. Our neighbors reached out to us in a text today to make sure we were doing okay. We are the “older folk” in our 5 household community who share a well. Hope all is good in your corner of the world.

Stay safe and keep the Faith!