A Week with 3 Boys

We've had the DeShong boys here for a week while their parents were in New York. It was such a blessing to be able to care for them. As we prepare to pass them back off to their parents this afternoon, here are a few observations about being little boys:

It doesn't hurt to ask for soda with every meal, no matter how unlikely it is to get it.

If you have any pain, the minute you swallow pain medication, you instantly feel better.

You might as well leave the bathroom light on for the next time you come (and the seat up as well).

There is never any need to wash your hands because they will just get dirty again anyways (and if you do wash them, don't bother with soap).

You can help out Aunt K by washing out your ice cream sundae bowl in the jacuzzi.

Three boys can never agree on one box of popsicles.

If you don't like the food being served at a meal, say you have a stomach ache.

Contrary to popular belief, Vance does not know how to tie his shoes.

No matter what time you go to bed, always try to wake up by 6:30 a.m.

Playtime is most fun when ALL the toys are out at once. And, even better the further they are scattered.

Changing your underwear daily is a waste.

Using an indoor voice is a great accomplishment (so is not running).

"But my mom lets me do that" carries no weight at Aunt K's house.

Swimming with Drew is the most fun you'll ever have.

Anything can be accomplished with a candy bribe.

And, now I will end with a brief story from our Costco trip this week. We had quite the load. By the end of our trip, the food was piled so high in the cart that you could no longer see in front of it. You had to pull the cart from the back. As I loaded the last item into the cart, a 2-pack of milk, I had to remove the 3 pineapples I had and asked the boys to each carry one. Here are the differences between the boys. Austin quickly found a strategic place in the cart for his pineapple and was perfectly hands free. Luke carried his pineapple with no complaints whatsoever, and thought nothing of it. And Vance, well, he lagged behind, whining in loud voice, "this pineapple is TOO heavy!" (give me a break - did he see the cart I was pushing??)

So, it's been a lot of work, but a lot of fun, and a real privilege to know my nephews so well and to spend time with them.

Kitten update

It took a few days, but Jack has finally made a friend out of Fiyero. Jack wanted to play, play, play with Fiyero, but he would just hiss and growl constantly. But now, as shown in the photo above, Fiyero has decided Jack is actually pretty fun to hang out with. They wrestle and play all day, until both kittens drop from exhaustion!

Yes, we are crazy

Cute little Fiyero - 6 weeks old.

Yes, we know. We are crazy. ANOTHER cat. But, isn't he sooooo cute?

It all happened this way. In the morning when we called the vet to make an appointment for our kitten Jack (now 14 weeks) to get another round of shots, the receptionist asked me, "Would you like another new baby? We just found a mother and her 6 week old kittens Thursday and they need homes..."

Sadly, our beloved cat Blue disappeared Saturday and has not returned. Unfortunately, we had a sinking suspicion right off the bat that we wouldn't be getting her back, as it was not her habit to be gone but an hour or so if we ever let her outside. She was just a homebody, who loved to be where we were. She was usually found wherever the family was conjugating. We don't know what could have happened to her, but we all felt heartbroken. It was in the back of my mind that the only cure for this type of heartbreak is replacement. I just wasn't thinking that replacement would be so soon. But, it is hard to find a kitten, and here was one just at the right moment. You know the rest of the story!

It is our custom to name our cats for cheeses (cats eat mice, mice eat cheese...). However, the only three cheese names we liked were not universally agreed upon. Rich wanted Ricotta, to be nicknamed "Rico" (BAD Napoleon Dynamite connotation), Emma and I wanted Stilton (Rich bagged on that), while Drew favored Colby (kind of cute but didn't fit him). So today, we got the idea that he'd make a cute Fiyero (character from WICKED). So Fiyero it is (pronounced FEE-AIR-OH). So far, he's been a little nervous but seems to be coming around gradually. He is starting to warm up to the other cats and us. He didn't hiss or growl nearly as much today! He's got quite a repetoire of funny sounds! We are all anxiously awaiting his first purr!

Austin with Fiyero

We miss you, Blue. We love our Boo-Boo girl.

A Wonderful Celebration

On one of our hikes- just us and the Pacific

We just returned from 3 glorious days at The Lodge at Torrey Pines to celebrate our 20th anniversary. This amazing craftsman style resort sits on the cliff in La Jolla overlooking a gorgeous golf course and the Pacific Ocean. We wanted a place to just relax and enjoy each other...and I can't think of a better place than this. The Lodge is modeled after The Gamble House in Pasadena, and is richly furnished in dark woods, tiffany lamps, and soothing colors such as sage and maize. We arrived on Wednesday (our anniversary) and at check in were told that they were able to "upgrade our room" (OK, go right ahead). So, we ended up with a 600 sq ft. deluxe room, with a large fireplace and patio with chaise lounges, in full view of the golf course and ocean (it's a bit overcast in the photo below). Nice!

The Views from our patio

That night, we celebrated our anniversary dinner at George's at the Cove, the place of our engagement. What a gorgeous meal. Their menu is extremely innovative -pure California cuisine. Here's our dessert - a warm pineapple upside down cake with basil ice cream - and happy anniversary written on white chocolate. Absolutely exquisite!

What better way to say Happy Anniversary than with dessert?

So as you can see these two foodies were quite thrilled. We also enjoyed two other fabulous dinners - one for Rich's birthday (day after our anniversary) at Trattoria Acqua, and Cafe Japengo for sushi on the last night. Not to mention a trip to Whole Foods for cheese, olives and other snacks. Not to mention room service breakfast every day at 8:00 a.m. (included in our hotel package). We were quite well fed. Food is always such a large part of our vacations!

The best part of the vacation was just enjoying the time together. We relished the time of leisure reading in front of the fireplace and on the patio, taking long, scenic hikes in Torrey Pines Reserve (walking distance from the Lodge), and even sneaking in a nap or two. Rich led us through a study of passages in Scripture that pertain to marriage and God's commands to husbands and wives, which allowed us to marvel in the way God designed marriage and how He blesses it richly. We reflected on our years together and how grateful we are to God allowing us to share life and serve Him together.

We finished our glorious weekend Saturday with a trip to the famous Apple Pan Restaurant in L.A.(which will have to be another blog) and a walk around The Grove. Today, it is back to reality (and a big dose as I am watching Suzanne's boys for the week). Rich is back at work, and I am under piles of laundry. But, Torrey Pines is still on my mind.

Porto's Bakery

Yum-O: tiramisu, dulce de leche napoleon, triple chocolate mousse and the rest

Aren't these gorgeous?! I just had the extreme pleasure of visiting the new Porto's Bakery on Hollywood Way in Burbank. I had to take a trip to Sheridan Gardens, and what would you know but Porto's is just RIGHT down the street. At the very moment I saw it, a strange phenomena occurred in which something like a giant suction cup got ahold of me and deposited me right into the pastry line! So I said, "Oh well, I might as well buy something since I'm here!" But seriously, boy was I glad the wait in line was 15 minutes, because I needed that much time to decide! I was glad I had a great excuse to buy something, as tonite we are going out with my dad and the DeShongs to celebrate Mother's Day, as well as a couple anniversaries and birthdays. My plan was to get one dessert for each person, but I plan to con everyone into giving me a little bite so I can taste them all. C'mon, we're family, right?

Walking into Porto's is an utterly amazing experience. You just feel like you've entered a special place. Kind of a landmark. No wonder my mom used to rave about this place. You think to yourself, I am doing something extremely cool right now. Such a simple thing, pastry. I know, I know! But, oh how the senses are evoked, particularly sight and smell. You find yourself breathing very deeply - and you can really smell things baking in the back. My eyes popped as I viewed what must be the most beautiful croissants in the entire world. (And I am very partial to croissants -just ask Emma, my partner in crime) Then, I scanned the many different incredible types of danish. Breathtaking! Then the cakes...and then what I think is truly special... little individual desserts. Each one is a masterful work of art. Finally, it was my turn, and a very nice lady helped me choose just the right ones. And just for good measure, I picked up a couple danishes and a cinnamon roll for "the kids." Another thing that explains why the place is so busy - the prices are so reasonable. Just $1.50-$2.50 each for these gorgeous individual desserts. These are the kind you get in restaurants for $12 each! I was just jumping for joy as I exited Porto's with my boxes of pastries. What a delightful experience I had today. I can't wait to go back...soon I hope!

Birthday in Paradise

Brady enjoying shrimp at The Crab Cooker, Summer 2002

Today, May 11, would have been Brady’s 18th birthday. You could let your mind wander as to how this day might have been if Brady had never been diagnosed with cancer. He would be weeks away from graduating high school and preparing for college…He would have earned the right to vote by reaching this monumental age…There would no doubt be a great celebration for both of these milestones. But, he is not here, so none of this will take place. Sad? Yes, in a way. But ever since Brady left us in early 2004, we have been deeply grateful that he spends his days (though not “days” to him) with the Lord Jesus Christ. How insignificant to Brady that today is his 18th birthday! Compared to living in eternal joy and peace with God in heaven, a birthday party or graduation has zero appeal.

Rich and Brady outside the restaurant

Our family always does something on May 11 to commemorate his birthday. It is usually something that Brady enjoyed doing. One of his favorite places on earth was the beach. And his favorite beach restaurant was The Crab Cooker in Newport. I can still see the greasy butter sauce on his chin as he enjoyed his shrimp plate (see photo for detail!). So today, we are heading south to celebrate his birthday and life. We’ll hang out on the beach for awhile, perhaps catching some waves. Then we’ll head over to the Crab Cooker for a most familiar meal of red clam chowder, skewered grilled shrimp, parmesan mashed potatoes topped with paprika, and coleslaw. On the way home, we’ll probably make a stop on Balboa Island for a famous Balboa Bar. It will be a special family day as we remember Brady most likely with laughter as well as tears.

Join us in praising God for the gift Brady was to us, the way he touched our lives forever, and for the faith God granted him, so that his home is in heaven. His birthday today will truly be paradise!

I have a question...about Jack Jack

That question is, how cute can one kitten be? We just love this little kitty that joined our family a little over a week ago. And he has made himself right at home, giving us lots of love, and having a blast playing with Brie and Blue. He has made Blue his honorary mother, and sometimes she obliges by bathing him. Other times when he's annoying her she clearly has a look on her face that says "I didn't sign up for this motherhood thing." He is not intimidated by anything! He loves to sleep in his little basket, or anywhere he happens to be when he runs out of energy. He also likes to use humans as a ladder, as you can see by the photo of him climbing up Drew! He's soooo cute, I wish he wouldn't grow up.

Everything's coming up ROSES!

"Pearl Essence"

"Paradise"

"Chris Evert"

Just thought I'd post some beautiful shots taken in Emma's rose garden this morning. I was about to cut some roses for vases but then ran back inside to get the camera - they are too beautiful not to share.

Wish there was such a thing as "smell-a-blog" because these smell incredible! Be sure to supersize them (by clicking the photos) for full effect!

What a blessing to be able to enjoy God's amazing creation like this.
I give Him all the glory for the pleasure of these aromatic flowers!

An even MORE Wicked evening!

Right before the show: four excited people!

Well, on my post about a Wicked Evening last week, I half-jokingly mentioned that we might try and win the Wicked lottery....well....we just had to try....once or twice....

Well, the saga began on Saturday, when Rich and Drew were attending the men's breakfast at the Master's College. Emma and I had planned on a day of shopping, but instead, decided on a whim at breakfast time to go try the lottery for the 2:00 matinee. So, we got dressed up, drove down to Hollywood, and gave it a shot. Basically, you show up 2 1/2 hours before the show (they do this for every show), put your name in a lottery and 2 hours before the show they call the names of 13 happy people (each winner gets two tickets) who get to go to that show- sitting in the FRONT row for only $25/ticket and most importantly also winning the coveted green button that says "I won the Wicked Lottery!" We found ourselves in the company of about 100+ other people trying as well. Well, unfortunately we weren't one of the 13 happy people whose name was called. So Emma and I said "oh well," came home, put on our sweats, made goat cheese and broccoli omelettes, and turned on Food network. That was that!

In the meantime, this past week Suzanne and I had made the decision to take my dad to see Wicked for his birthday on May 20. We talked through many options for tickets. We couldn't find many good seats at this point searching Ticketmaster, so we decided that Rich and I would go down Sunday (yesterday) afternoon to buy tickets at the Pantages box office. Then a little *light bulb* went off in my head. Why not go at Lottery time (4:00) to visit the box office, and give it a try before purchasing tickets for May 20th? In my mind I thought that it would be completely unlikely that we could win four tickets....but why not try? My sister was put on alert, but we would be surprising my Dad with tickets for that night. It made me a bit nervous, not knowing where my dad was that afternoon, but we decided to go for it.

So, the four of us (Rich, Drew, Emma and myself) arrived, and much to our relief, only about 40-50 other people showed up as our competition. We all entered the lottery....and who's name should happened to be called?? DREW HARASICK! Scream!!! So, we had two front row seats! I decided to go to the box office and just see if there were any tickets left for that night's performance, and amazingly there was a single ticket in the 2nd row (right behind the two winning tickets) and another orchestra seat a few rows back to the side. BINGO! We had four tickets so Emma called Suzanne. She hopped in the car. Then I called my Dad. Roadblock! He had just been at a memorial service reception in Pacific Palisades, but was just starting on his way home with some friends who lived in Glendale. After much brainstorming, it was finally decided that his friends would just drop him off at the Pantages. He showed up around 5:30 and Suzanne showed up about 10 minutes later. My heart could rest - everyone made it in time for the 6:30 show. Everyone was so excited! It was an absolutely wonderful evening - my dad and Suzanne enjoyed the show immensely, and sitting in the front row was certainly a thrill! Plus, the spur of the moment-ness of it all made it even more exciting! We felt so happy that my dad enjoyed it and that we pulled off the surprise!

Megan Hilty and Emma

One more exciting part for Emma was that right before they began the lottery, Megan Hilty (Glinda) came out where we were waiting, to walk a couple of friends out. She was trying to be incognito with sunglasses and baseball hat, but when I saw her I knew it was her. So, Emma got a chance to briefly talk with her and get a photo. Quite exciting indeed!

Well, this probably won't be the last of our Wicked blogs. Rich and Drew felt kind of left out, and plan to try the lottery sometime.... the show has been extended through March so I'm sure they'll get another try - especially if Drew enters his name!!

Megan as Glinda

A new baby!

Scared you for a moment, didn't I? Well, it's not ME having the new baby, but rather some unknown cat that did the honors. We just adopted baby Jack from the animal shelter yesterday.

Emma and Jack

He is a 9 week old white kitten with a black spot on his back, a black tail, and a gray striped tiger face. What a cutie! He was named Jack because our last two cats were named for cheeses: Brie and Blue, so we continued with the theme. We mulled over several names, such as Colby, Cheddar, and Stilton, but Jack seemed just right for him. Since we got him yesterday he has been a complete and utter spaz. He accidentally fell asleep twice yesterday, but other than that he never stops moving. He is very cute and sweet, loves to play and purr loudly. We just love him!

In case you didn't know, we are big time cat lovers in this house. In addition to Jack, we have three other cats: Boomer, the original cat of the house, is a brown tabby who loves the great outdoors (and all the critters contained therein). Last week he brought us two (partial) mice, as well as a lovely arrangement of selected "parts" displayed artfully on the back patio. (I did take a picture of it but it is probably too graphic to be posted on the blog.) Boomer is known as "Drew's cat" as he adores Drew and loves to snuggle with him. He is the world's perfect cat. Then there are Brie and Blue, sisters we got from one of Suzanne's litters of kittens. They are adorable, sweet and cuddly. Brie likes her independence, but can be very affectionate when it's her idea. Blue is always in clear view of us. She has earned the nickname "door jamb" as she loves to plop herself down in the doorway of whatever room we're in. She loves to play with paper wads, and comes running from the other end of the house if you wad up a piece of paper for the trash. She sleeps spread out on her back - quite the character. She's a mama's girl for sure!

Blue in usual form.

Boomer and the girls (as kittens). He tolerates the other cats.

We can't imagine life without our cats. They don't ask for much but give us a lot of pleasure.