Christmas Part Deux

We started with a house-full: Missy, Becca, Chantz, Kristen and Mitch. Then Ryan, Megan and Atreyu arrived. We could hear Ronnie bumping from up the block long before he pulled into the driveway, as usual. First round of lasagna was just served when Nichole and Michael got here, and it was a full house. Lots of presents. Flowers. The History of All that is Bionicle (thanks to Atreyu). And football - of course.



Finished out the evening with a video chat from Papa and Grandma in Salt Lake City. Seems their new computer cam is working just fine. They got to see our Christmas tree and meet Becca's boyfriend, Chantz. Isn't technology amazing?

Still two presents under the tree for Uncle Randy and JR.

Onward to the New Year!

Oh, the tree!

The holidays are here and the family is rallying to celebrate. With tree and gifts and family love.

The cycle of the sun is marked here in the Pacific Northwest. With the passing of the Winter Solstice, we celebrate the return of light and the new year ahead of us. Our noble fir reminds us that the cycle is eternal and that light returns.

I am grateful for our time together this winter. We have so much, and our lives are rich with joy and family.

Happy holidays to us all.

Sherri

thanks for the family

I have thanks every day for my family. Every day is thanksgiving.

The Momgoose

 

 

two seniors

Graduation 2010 is going to be a big event here. Becca and Kristen will both be finishing high school. They recently had their senior photos taken and the first set delivered for the yearbook deadline. We will get a full package for them both closer to the Christmas holiday.

 

 

The Momgoose

cousin jim comes to visit

Cousin Jim came to town for work, so we took him on a traditional tour of the city: Mississippi Pizza, a walk across the street to the Rebuilding Center to see the Community Trees sculpture that Missy helped build, Powell's Books (yes, Papa, we went there without you), and Voodoo Doughnuts. Our final stop was in Jantzen Beach at the local Target where Jim and Missy found a pair of footy-pajamas to take home to Stephanie.

Solomon (and his mother, Mary) had pizza with us, and I think Missy has a new admirer.

 Jim got the traditional Voodoo doughnut with jelly filling.

Becca selected the Cap'n Crunch, I have the Bacon Maple bar (for Kristen), and Missy opted for the Sour Grapes. Then she hissed at me when all I wanted was just a taste. Hissed at her own mother!

Come back soon, Cousin Jim. We love you.

Sherri

i'll go with you

For my one true love. My darling husband, Rick.

Con Te Partiro

Quando sono solo
sogno all'orizzonte
e mancan le parole
si lo so che non c'e luce
in una stanza quando manca il sole
se non ci sei tu con me
Su le finestre
mostra a tutti il mio cuore
che hai acceso
chiudi dentro me
la luce che
hai incontrato per strada

Con te partiro
paesi che non ho mai
veduto e vissuto con te
adesso si li vivro
Con te partiro
su navei per mari
che io lo so
no no non esistono piu
con te io li vivro

Quando sei lontana
sogno all'orizzonte
e mancan le parole
e io si lo so
che sei con me con me
tu mia luna tu sei qui con me
mio sole tu sei qui con me
con me con me con me

Con te partiro
paesi che non ho mai
veduto e vissuto con te
adesso si li vivro
Con te partiro
che io lo so
no no non esistono piu
con te io li rivivro
Con te partiro
su navi per mari
che io lo so
no no non esistono piu
con te io li rivivro
Con te partiro
lo con te

I'll Go With You

When I'm alone
I dream on the horizon
And words fail
Yes, I know there is no light
In a room where the sun is absent
If you are not with me
At the windows
Show everyone my heart
Which you set alight
Enclose within me
The light you
Encountered on the street

I'll go with you
To countries I never
Saw and shared with you
Now, yes, I shall experience them
I'll go with you
On ships across seas
Which, I know,
No, no, exist no longer
With you I shall experience them

When you are far away
I dream on the horizon
And words fail
And yes, I know
That you are with me
You, my moon, are here with me
My sun, you are here with me

I'll go with you
To countries I never
Saw and shared with you
Now, yes, I shall experience them
I'll go with you
On ships across seas
Which, I know,
No, no, exist no longer
With you I shall experience them again
I'll go with you
On ships across seas
Which, I know,
No, no, exist no longer
With you I shall experience them again
I'll go with you
I with you

Be safe, my love, while you are out in the world. And come home soon.

All my love,

Sherri

harvest

If there is some tactile memory that is my teenage years in Shelley, Idaho, it is of the spud harvest. I can still taste the sweet-dirt grit that soaks through all your clothes and your skin and hair every day of the harvest and into your dreams at night. Pulling boards, driving truck, dropping lines, but mostly picking on the combines, day after day, until all the potatoes are safely away before the frost.

"harvest"--rough cut from Idaho Falls Magazine on Vimeo.

the family adventure continues

My darling husband has gone off to work in various parts of the world again, now until Christmas pretty much. My job in the meantime is to hold the fort down, keep the home fires burning, leave the light on. You know, start the dishwasher and put the garbage out.

Life is good. All three girls are in school at the moment. Son is working up to it. Grandson is being mainstreamed. All progress, and all good.

I have been writing every chance I can get. Which makes for a poor social life, and sometimes, or more than sometimes, my family has to make their own dinner. Hope to have the first draft finished and reviewed by December. Taking it to conference in February - at least that is the plan.

Rick has been working non-stop, including weekends. Someone over in Portland has a really great new tiled bathroom and shower, and someone else has a really great shed that humans could probably comfortably live in. He can post here to clarify, but I believe his job now is to put a routered edge on some new laminate tabletops for some hotel television stands.

Next weekend, Becca, Kristen and I will be driving up to Seattle to visit some of the little sibs and all their new (and old) progeny, as well as Papa and Grandma, who are flying up from Utah for the weekend. A mini-family gathering: Papa, Grandma, Amy, Seth, Sam, Ellie, Jayne, Scott, Amy, Susanna and baby Andrew Golden. It should be an adventure.

Family always is.

Sherri

first snow on st helens

09-08-09 089
Originally uploaded by c.updegrave

I get thinking that I am too busy, and I usually always regret the two minutes it would have taken me to stop to take a breath and enjoy my life. Today I rushed out of my office and off to the dentist where I waited for 20 minutes in a closed waiting room next to a woman who kept sniffling. I should have stopped to take this photo myself because it is exactly what St Helens looked like from the parking lot at my school. I was lucky that someone else captured the first snow on the mountain.

Our weekend at Rainier was rained and snowed-out. Rick's climbs were canceled first, and then we polled the children about camping in the rain, the rain report increased, the snow level dropped, and we bailed on our plans. Next year.

Instead, Rick and I went and saw District 9. Good flick. Invokes thought. I was on edge for the entire movie - it's like that.

I am starting another round of writing class tomorrow evening. My goal is still to have the entire novel ready for submission by end of year. Spent much of the long weekend writing and revising.

But for tonight there is a pause in my headlong rush. Rick and I visited the local detox center and spent some time talking to some people there. People just like me. And time talking to my dear friend Ronnie - the girls fondly refer to him as their Mexican Godfather. It reminds me that my life is sometimes too amazing for words. My husband is the love of my life. I love all of my children and grandson - Trey, Nichole, Missy, Rebecca, Ryan and Kristen. All. And there are great miracles in my life every day.

Like seeing the first snow on Mt. St. Helens. Beautiful.

Sherri

my cowboy

I always told my dad I was going to grow up and marry a cowboy. Isn't he adorable?


Rick - circa 1959

Sherri

If God has a garden...

I just spent three days in it.

(again with the lost photos from Flikr....or maybe God removed them.)

Takh Lakh Lake anniversary trip

Twelve years ago, we stood in a meadow at the foot of Mt. Adams and made vows to each other and to our children to be a family from that day forward. Every year, we make the trek back to the meadow to remember. This year was another beautiful trip of memory and remembrance.

(this was a Picasa slide show, also lost)


For those who were at our wedding, you might also remember the mosquitoes. I believe that this year was in special memory of those mosquitoes. In fact, we cut our trip short by a day. In all our years of camping, fishing and visiting Takh Lakh, the bugs have never been so thick. This year, they win.

Score:
Hoffman Clan - 12
Mosquitoes and biting flies - 1

Wait until next year...

Sherri and Rick

Powell's Books

Love that place.

Sherri and I had a little time to kill this afternoon, and we wandered in. I had no money and no intention of buying anything...and bought two brand new books (a rarity, I prefer used usually), spending over $30.

Getting in line at the cash register, guy on cellphone:
"This place is worse than cocaine, I have to put this phone down and get out of here now."

Ayup.

to utah

So we went to Utah and spent some time with the recently expanded Wangsgard family. Which was very fun. We made some food, changed some diapers, celebrated Papa's birthday, went to an ABBA concert. How great is that?






The Momgoose

"Living it up in Flagstaff"

Uh-huh. Yeah, right. Sitting in the motel room. Sure, it's The Embassy Suites, a $200 per night room, comped...San Francisco Peaks out the window and clouds drifting by, with what looks like a possibility of an afternoon thunderstorm brewing...and I do love Arizona thunderstorms...

But I was supposed to be home a week ago. And virtually nothing else has gone as planned on this project. Didn't work yesterday, not today, not likely tomorrow...although if we don't I think I can commandeer the car and get over to Sedona for a bit in the afternoon, which would be cool. We drove through there yesterday on the way back from a run down to Phoenix to do a site survey on the next project, which I have begged off from being part of. YAY!!! I miss my wife, and I want to go home.

I've been to The Grand Canyon for a day on both previous weekends. It remains one of my most favorite places on earth....even though they've paved over the path I walked 30 years ago, from Canyon Village to Hermit's Rest...and I know that because I walked it again that Sunday, re-connecting to something so big that even paved paths can't diminish it...and I'm not talking about what the natives around here refer to as "the hole in the ground".

The second trip was with two guys from the crew, one of which had never been there. It was fun watching him experience it. Along the way, we were approached by a Park Ranger who was no doubt aware of some of our forays to exposed heights along the edge. She counseled caution, informing us that she'd just received radio advisement that someone had fallen back up the trail a little ways, where we had been. She wasn't sure of how far or serious a fall it had been. Then she said,"I don't get what everyone's fascination with the edge is."

It's the Grand Canyon, duh...


Back here and now, the rumble of thunder in the distance has begun...

it's a wild night at the hoffman house

Trying to contain all the craziness here. Chinese takeout and popcorn for dinner. The dishwasher is running. Nothing on TV. Too sleepy to start a movie and too tired to go over to my friend Mary's for Movies on the Wall tonight. Kids are all out for the evening doing their kid thing. Rick is living it up in Flagstaff, AZ. What a life.

Becca started her first job this week as a part-time staff photographer at my school. Now all my little ducklings are employed. Even though Missy is trying to get a new job, she is technically still employed.

Rick is still in AZ doing the carpentry thing. It's a slow job, so he's been to the Grand Canyon twice, Phoenix and a drive-by of Sedona today.

I am still liking my job, working the 9-to-5, doing the mom thing and holding down the fort in Rick's absence. Last week I went to see my doctor, and she cut my blood pressure meds in half since I am doing so well. It has been the goal to be more healthy since last November when she first put me on them, so this is a good milestone. One of the side-effects is that none of my clothes fit (too big), so at some point I will have to break down and buy some new ones. The consequences to the contrary seemed far worse, so it's not so bad.

Looking forward to seeing Lori and Jeremiah and troops next week. Papa's birthday is next Sunday. We are all excited to meet the twins. Lor says Caleb broke the 6 lb mark this week: 6 lbs 1 oz. Peter is close behind. Look at 'em grow.

So my wild evening ends with tea and maybe a chapter in my latest book - re-reading Hiroshima Diary. I first read it when I was about 11 from Papa's library. Even though I was young, it touched me deeply. I found a first edition at Powell's a while ago. Just reading it again now. Still deeply moving.

Life is good. Definitely good.

Sherri

missing my best friend

( youtube video no longer available)

Come home soon, love.

<3

Sherri

along came july

Hard to believe it is July in a few days. Happy early-birthday to Uncle Brad on the 1st. Happy 8-weeks early for Peter and Caleb. My birthday present arrived via UPS today - thanks! darling husband!! Hooray for Deadliest Catch, my most favorite show ever, and the Time Bandit, most amazing crab fishing boat and crew ever.

Feeling tired and a bit down. One of the girls' friends died yesterday, drowned in the Lewis River. The news report says he and another boy were in a canoe, not wearing life jackets, and capsized. The other boy was able to swim out. The next couple days may be difficult for the girls. I remember how odd and frightening and sad it was to be young and lose a close friend. Everything will be different from this point forward for them. It always is.

If you've been following the blog, you know that Rick has been in Flagstaff AZ since last Thurs. I think we're both still slogging through some sleepless nights - it gets better after about day 6, so we're close.

Rick reports that he may actually begin work tomorrow. Some gliche in the project management, waiting for materials, yada yada. Sound familiar? Just like D.C. last Christmas, only warmer. A lot warmer. I don't expect him home by the 4th as originally planned, but maybe soon after.

On a good note, Rick got to go to the Grand Canyon yesterday. We were talking about it last night and figured out that he and I may actually have both been there in the summer of 1977. That would make me 12 and him....about to be married. No, not to me. I was only 13 when Ryan was born. You didn't actually think that was me, did you?

The girls and I are still on target to road trip to Utah for baby-support on the 17th. Hang in there, Lori! I heard rumors that Amy was heading down this week to do a shift. And I talked to Papa just before he left for Ghana, and he said the babies were growing and eating and growing. Always a good sign. I am excited to spend some time with my baby sister and all her babies. Good old "Ant" Lori.

Wondering if taking my tired self to bed will do any good....

Sherri

Instructions

Well, it doesn't show up very well...but these are the "instructions" for assembling this year's model TVs to the stands...

Here in Flagstaff, totally snafu'd as the job isn't clearly defined and the arguments over the definition and scope go up and down the chain of command...

the saddest duck ever

Aaaaaaawwwwwwww. :-(

The Momgoose

hey! I got a new shirt!

I was so excited to get a bit of birthday money so I went out and bought a new shirt! What do you think?!

I'm sure Papa and Grandma will love it.

xoxooxox

Sherri

project introspect

School is almost over, and Becca presented her core project: Introspect. She selected a word that described herself from a compilation of words collected from her friends and family.

Then she drew her artwork to represent herself and her word. She transferred the drawing to a piece of wood (what luck that Rick is a carpenter!).


Finally, for almost three weeks, she burned the drawing into the wood with a wood burner.

Now there are only seven school days before summer break, and nothing left to do. Final final today. Nothing but the end-of-year parties left.


Never fear—English 101 begins on June 30. The children will not be bored for long.

The Momgoose

Caleb and Peter

This from Lori:

"Just wanted to send out some first pictures of our little babies born Saturday May 30. They were eight weeks early, but are doing well and making progress for thier size. They will be in the NICU at Davis Hospital for 3 - 5 more weeks. Thanks for all your support; we can feel it! "

Caleb Michael Wangsgard. 4 lbs 4 oz and 17 inches long. Older brother by eleven minutes.

Peter Robert Wangsgard. 4 lbs 4 oz and 161/2 inches.


They carry some names of power and spirit with them.

We already love them both.

And Happy Birthday to Lori! My baby sister is 29 today. (sigh)

Sherri

pokemon!

Becca and Kristen performed in the ASL Showcase tonight. It was the final performance of their language classes, and it was all done in dance, song and poetry. The girls presented a duet of sorts of the Pokemon theme song. They signed all the words and backed it up with some fancy choreography. It was EPIC.


Becca also performed So Happy Together with another pair and Michael Jackson's Thriller, complete with zombies and the traditional Thriller dance. Our girls will be well prepared now should they need to translate Japanese cartoons or bad Michael Jackson song lyrics.

Actually, I was touched by the grace and beauty of their movements. I know some ASL at a basic conversational level, and both Becca and Kristen were clear and their movements concise. Plus, they actually danced, so you could tell there was music - just in case the non-hearing audience couldn't hear it.

Root beer floats all around!

~ The Momgoose

p.s. Tomorrow is Becca's 16th birthday. Although the real story is that she was born at 11:55 p.m. on June 2, but the doctor bumped the time over the date line so that I would be able to stay a full 24 hours in the hospital due to insurance regulations. So even though her birth certificate says 12:05 a.m. June 3, we know she is actually 10 minutes - or a whole day - older. It's a good birth story to have. ~ M

the twins are coming!

A little early perhaps. And with Papa and Grandma still in Budapest. All I know so far is that Lori and Jer are at the hospital. More news later.

Sherri


UPDATE: Are Here!

2-2:30 pm. It's a boy...and another boy! Despite all the ultrasound predictions that it was a boy/girl. Ha.

The first baby was 4 lb. 4 oz. 17 inches and the second baby 4 lb. 3 oz. 16 1/2 inches. Lori and Jer and all the babies are fine. Even big-brother Jamus, who didn't get to go to the zoo today.

Now - what are their names?

Sherri

becca is skipping

Skipping school that is. Not in a bad way - she has just been matriculated as a senior at the School for Arts and Academics, which means that she will be skipping a grade and graduating a year early, all things being equal and she stays on current track.

Only Kristen is mad because that means Becca doesn't have to do both a Junior and a Senior project.

In the end, it just means that we will have two seniors next year, Kristen AND Becca. That puts Atreyu the next in line. What a world.

It also means that my college commitment has just doubled. I wrote out the tuition check for Becca's first college class yesterday. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the education funds - we couldn't do it without you!

The Momgoose

cousin jim

The other great thing that happened last weekend when I went to Utah was that I got to spend time with Jim.

There's something great about having a close cousin - it's kind of like a sibling, but without all the rivalry. Maybe because we are the oldest of the grandkids or the fact that we were around when all the rest were just babies. We've got dirt on each other as far back as almost 40 years....that's what I'm talking about.

It was always a much anticipated visit to/from the Wests, and that was long before the twins and Michael. Back when it was just Jim and Tom, me, Debbie, Brad and Sandi. Back when we could all crush into the back seat of Aunt Linda's VW Bug. We've floated canals together, hiked all kinds of trails, shared birthday parties, pinatas (is there still the infamous film?), Easter egg hunts, picnics, frog ponds, baseball games, snowball fights, Thanksgiving dinners, fishing trips, weddings, funerals, births, middle-of-the-night phone calls, writing, emails, thoughts, fears, prayers, triumphs.

More than once last weekend, I was cared for through Jim's perceptive awareness - he took me to get coffee twice, driving around until we found a place the first time. Without stress or drama, he moved us all through a busy evening of nickle arcade, pizza, burgers, movies, and another round of cake at Grandma's. I watched him prepare breakfast for everyone Sunday morning.

I have so much love and gratitude for Jim. He is a man of depth and generosity. He has given me nothing but unfailing love and support.

Thanks, cousin. I carry you in my heart.

Sherri

extreme sheep herding

A long time ago, I was a dog groomer. Poodles, terriers, cocker spaniels. It's true. As a result, I became really good friends with one of the other groomers, Pam. She lived on a couple acres just outside of Hill AFB, and I lived just up the hill - right under the flight path to the AFB runway, to be exact. Pam had a border collie named Bob (named so because he had no tail) who was so persistent about herding anything that moved that she finally bought him a flock of ducks that he would herd to and from the pond at the back edge of the horse pasture.

Bob has since made it into several of my stories, most notably as himself (Bob - played by Bob) in the burning cockroach story - A Burning Thing (published in Dark Sky magazine summer 2007).

This video totally reminds me of Bob. I couldn't pass it up without sharing it somewhere.



Sherri

grandma is all a-glitter

My darling grandma celebrated her 90th birthday with a whole bunch of us, thanks to mom, Aunt Linda, Uncle Bob and Aunt Jan, and all the grandkids who pitched in. What a great party!!

Amy took some great pics of Grandma, all stunning in her yellow sequined party dress. Stacy (and Krista?) made an awesome slide show of 90 years of pics - yes, that was baby Grandma in the big white bonnet. Debs played guitar and sang along with a whole batch of great-grandkids. And then sang with Susan and Carolyn - Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy - Debs attributes her dancing skills to Dad's "groovy dance," and truly, the similarities were quite apparent. Carolyn nailed "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" in a big way - I was beyond impressed. Sandra played the piano. Children sang. There were speeches. There was crying (way to go, Ames). Brad ate three (or four) pieces of cake while we were talking through the NBA playoff scenarios.... all in all, an amazing party.

(Quiz: can you spot which ones are siblings?)

Later that night, a bunch of us went over to Grandma's for the party after the party. Grandma had MORE cake (carrot - her favorite) and we watched the end of the Chicago/Boston game. It's been a lot of years since I just hung out at Grandma's house, and I can't remember my grandparents living anywhere else.

Grandma was adorable. Her party dress was stunning. Her hair was perfect. She is a lady full of grace and beauty. Cousin Jim rocked the apple cart when one of the guests introduced herself and said that she played bridge with Grandma, and Jim replied "Oh, you must be the one she always beats." Oh, that was certainly NOT her, the lady replied. "I beat her all the time." Sorry, Grandma - there may be ongoing repercussions from that little conversation.

Becca and Kristen and I organized a gift book for her: Things that are as Old as Grandma. She loved it. Here's a sampling:

Lillian May Belliston Farrell
May 4, 1919


Things that are as Old as Grandma:

• dial telephone
  
• Spanish flu
  
• parachute patent
  
• followed closely by the first parachute jump (made to prove that one could do a delayed free-fall jump without becoming unconscious)
  
• rodeo bucking chute
  
• neutrons - not the neutrons themselves, just the theory
  
• Grand Canyon National Park - just the "park" part
  
• Einstein's theory of relativity is proven
  
• zipper
  
• gas tax - $ .01 per gallon enacted by the state of Oregon
  
• pop-up bread toaster

Things that happened in 1919:

• Black Sox scandal
  
• Spanish flu killed more people than WWI (that had just ended)
  
• The horse Sir Barton won the Kentucky Derby
  
• Prohibition began
  
• Jackie Robinson, Red Buttons, and Eva Gabor (and Grandma) were born
  
• The average salary was $750 per year
  
• The Zeigfeld girls made $75 per week
  
• Milk was $ .32 per gallon
  
• Whiskey was $3.50 per gallon
  
• The U.S. population was 92,407,000
  
• 30 million people went to the movies every week
  
• There were 76 lynchings that year
  
• The tango was banned in Boston, New York City, and Cleveland for promoting loose morals, lipstick, and leg exposure
  

It was good to see some of my cousins that I haven't seen in a long time: Tom, Krista, Stacy, Carolyn. It dawned on me too late who Bobby was, and he was already gone. I don't think I've ever known Cousin Tyler - how did I end up with children older than my own cousins? It's beyond difficult to sort out the great-grandkids, but they were all adorable. I did recognize Stacy's littlest one from her family blog, and she's just as darling in person, too!

Spent the night in Ogden at Aunt Linda and Uncle Roy's along with Jim, Stephanie, Carolyn and all the kids. It was the first time I've met Stephanie in person for the first time, and she is a beautiful, amazing woman of strength and depth. I adore Jim - and not only did he make me breakfast the next morning, but he drove me to get coffee. Cousin Jim ROCKS!

Got to spend Sunday dinner with Marne and Scott and the little ones. Thanks to my mother for pulling together a meal after my impromptu invitation.

I came home late Sunday night with lots of gratitude and love for my enormous family. Thanks to mom and dad and Marne for getting me there, dad's truck to get me around, and for then for getting me on a plane when my return flight fell through at the last minute. (Rick also thanks you for that)

Sherri