Blueberries - Monday, August 24, 2009

Amber invited us to go berry picking with them on Monday August 24th.   We went to two different farms, one for blueberries and another for raspberries.    We did really well at the blueberry farm, but just about struck out at the raspberry farm, as it is the end of the season and the vines were really, really well picked out.   But, we had fun.   After picking, we went back to Amber's house for lunch, then I read a few books to Isaac and Abigail and they went down for their naps, at which time we headed home to Scappoose.    Monday night I made my first blueberry pie - a success if I do say so myself, and Tuesday morning I just could not resist making blueberry muffins - and they were really good also.   Must be the berries. . . . . 

Ribs and other goodies - Friday, August 21, 2009

On Thursday, Aug 20th, Chris, Amber, Isaac, and Abigail went to Seaquest State Park in Washington to go camping in a yurt.    The Springers, Christina, Steven and their kids Alora and Elijah went with them, and all 8 stayed in the same yurt.   DeeDee and I stayed comfortable at home in Scappoose in our house, happy to be sleeping in our own bed.   The plan was that the Korenthals and Springers would then come to our house Friday afternoon and spend the night, so that Amber and DeeDee (with me if needed) could watch all four children on Saturday while Chris went to work and Steven and Christina had a "day without children".    

So, Friday evening, after all the campers had finished bathing and showering, washing 37 1/2 tons to dirt off of their bodies, we all sat down to a feast of BBQ ribs, home made potato salad, and corn on the cob basted in a butter/cilantro/lime sauce.    I guess I underestimated how good my ribs were, cause the four little kids (with Isaac the oldest at 3 1/2) ate twice what I thought they would - there were 9+ pounds of ribs, but next time I will cook one more 3 lb rack, just in case.   We all had enough, but everyone would have kept eating ribs if there were more.   Several times during dinner Isaac looked over at me and said, "Papa, you make the best ribs."   We didn't get photos of the ribs being eaten, but from the photos you can tell that the corn was just as big a hit as were the ribs.   Isaac is doing a number on his corn and has some BBQ sauce on his cheek and right hand to show that he knows with to do with ribs also - as you can see from the rib on his plate; Abigail in the pink bib at 19 months does a good job with her corn; and Elijah in the blue bib at 21 months took care of his corn as well.

After dinner, great campers that they are, the Springers were going to sleep in our tent in the back yard, as while they had been camping in the yurt, the kids had never actually slept outside in a tent before.   Well, Elijah lasted about 20 minutes, so Steven brought him back inside and they slept on the couch in the living room, while Christina and Alora "roughed it" in the tent on air mattresses and in sleeping bags.   After a make-your-own breakfast in the morning, they all went home, and again DeeDee and I said to each other, "WHAT'S THAT SOUND --SILENCE!!!"

Emily's 5th Birthday at Great Aunt Susie's

Our oldest daughter, Jennifer, took the three kids still at home:  Ian -13, Emily Jane - 5, and Elizabeth Susan Ann (who will be 6 months old on Aug 24th) to Vista, CA to visit my sister Susie.   Susie's husband Russ's last name is Pfaff, and over the years we have come to call their home and property the Pfaff Pfamily Pfarm.    While at the PPP, they had a birthday party for Emily's 5th birthday (Aug 9th).   A special guest in attendance was my Aunt Gia, Emily's Great, Great Aunt.   While Jen and the kids were visiting, Susie took them to Quail Botanical Gardens - Emily loved it and Ian said, "Once was enough", and of course, they went to THE BEACH, where Ian and Emily were taught how to ride a boogie board by Great Aunt Susie.    The birthday was a great success and Elizabeth managed to get her cute little self into some photos also. 

Not being able to take part in Morse family stuff in California is what I miss the most now that we are living in Oregon.   But, hopefully family will be able to visit again this Fall, and maybe our oldest grandson Aaron , OUR MARINE, may even get a chance to get up here while on leave in November before a non-combat deployment that will take him to several Asian countries.

We watch the grandkids for 5 days and 4 nights: Aug 3-7, 2009

 

Christopher treated Amber to a Monday through Friday in Las Vegas for her 30th birthday - WITHOUT CHILDREN.  That meant that someone (Gramma and Papa) needed to take care of Isaac and Abigail while their Mommy and Daddy were out of town.    So, all four Korenthals came to our house on Sunday August 2nd, where they all spent the night.   I took Amber and Chris to PDX Monday morning for their 6:55 AM Southwest flight to Las Vegas.    

DeeDee, Isaac, and Abigail and I all had a great time while Mommy and Daddy were gone.   There are lots of adjectives and descriptors that can be used for what went on during our five days together, depending on the time of day, attitude of the grandparents or the grand children, activities going on, what was on TV for them to watch (thank goodness for the Noggin and Sprout channels and their wonderful pre-school shows), happy, sad, grumpy, smelly (poopy diapers), sleepy,, hungry, "WATCH ME PAPA, WATCH ME", LOOK AT ME GRAMMA, LOOK AT ME", etc.   Our next door neighbor's 3 year old daughter, Shelby, came over one day to rubber stamp with Isaac in Gramma's Craft Studio - they played very well together, while Abigail stayed on the floor where she colored with crayons on some craft paper, which kept her out of the ink and rubber stamps.  

Isaac only had one "time-out" the whole 5 days and was very obedient most of the time.   Abigail at 19 months has learned how to push our buttons and is very versed at trying to get her own way - but it's not too hard to get past that, as long as one doesn't fall for the cutest smile and look she gives when she really wants something.   Amber and Chris have really been working on making sure the kids use "please", "thank you", and "you're welcome" and we worked very hard on reinforcing that during the week.   It was fun to watch Abigail "work" Gramma (I'm sure Gramma had as much fun watching Abigail working me too).   One evening while Gramma was fixing dinner for the kids, Abigail was standing next to her, little arms raised, saying, "Up", "Up".   Gramma told Abigail she had to wait because Gramma was busy.   Abigail just stood there, arms still upraised and said in the sweetest, most demure, appealing, drawn out voice, " PEEEEESE" (for please), which just melted Gramma's heart and Abigail was immediately swept up into Gramma's arms.

The kids really like staying overnight at our house with out their parents, but this was the first time they had stayed at our house overnight, and away from Mommy and Daddy, for more than one night at a time.    They are so comfortable with us, that we didn't have any problems and no requests for Mommy, Daddy, or to go home.    Amber and Chris had a perfect time away, with out worry, knowing that the kids were well loved and taken care of, allowing them to really relax, enjoy each other's company, and do what they wanted, when they wanted, WITHOUT INTERRUPTIONS.

Isaac slept in until 8 AM Friday morning and took a good 2 hour nap from 2 to 4 in the afternoon, so he could go to PDX with me to pick up Amber and Chris when their flight got in at 9:40 PM.   He and I had fun walking around in the airport.  He had a Jamba Juice Pomegranate Paradise: pomegranate juice, peaches, mango and banana instead of strawberries (which he has every time he goes to PDX), he got me to buy him a toy plane in one of the shops, and he made friends by saying "Hi" to people around us, telling them, "My name is Isaac Samual Korenthal, I-S-A-A-C.   When we left the airport he didn't stop chattering with Mommy, who was in the back seat with him, all the way home.

All six of us had a great week, four of us in Scappoose and two of us in Las Vegas.   The photos are a snapshot of our adventures during the week.