Eat Mor Chikin-Offishul Chikin Eatin Day: July 10, 2009

Christopher and Victoria decided they would teach Clara how to read. This sounded like a really great idea, so while Christopher was deployed last year Victoria bought "Hooked on Phonics" and set about the task. Well, Clara tried, but she and Victoria sometimes butt heads, and this was one of those times, and Clara didn't get as far as she wanted. When Christopher returned home he was able to get Clara more interested. Christopher is very patient with Clara and many times he can get Clara to do what others, including her mother, cannot. Christopher set about teaching Clara to read, and in no time at all Clara was reading books.

Now everywhere Clara goes she reads everything she sees--billboards, signs, messages on bags, anything she sees. She is such a smart Princess, you know. Well, this may have even gotten to a point that it is a "watch what you wish for" moment. Christopher is once again deployed, and Victoria is doing all she can to keep the children busy so the time will pass quickly until their Daddy comes back home. A few weeks ago Victoria took the kids to Chic-fil-A for lunch--Victoria absolutely loves Chic-fil-A, and has ever since she worked there. While they were there Clara saw a sign for an upcoming event--"Offishul Chikin Eating Day", which was to be held July 10, 2009. If you dressed up as a cow and went to Chic-fil-A you got a free meal!! Well, Clara read the entire sign, and was very excited. She insisted they had to do it, and from that day until July 10th she kept a countdown of the days. She just KNEW this would be the best day.

This was the "offishul" sign to advertise "Chikin Eatin Day". All the Chic-fil-A stores had them, you know. Victoria found costumes for all of them--she borrowed hers from the CO's wife, and was very lucky to find cow raincoats on clearance at the local Target. Clara and Jonathan were just TOO excited. They KNEW they would have a good time.

And here are my three cows. They added faces and ears and when they walked into the store they were just the hit of the place. The people who worked in the store took their picture, and other people in the store--complete strangers--did too. They just thought Clara and Jonathan were so cute and made such good cows. They thought Victoria made a good cow too. Clara and Jonathan just kept mooing and having such a good time. Clara said she had never realized how good free chicked tasted. She had never before had free chicken.

Jonathan had fun posing for the camera and showing off his sign. He was just too excited for words, and of course he was the cutest cow you've ever seen.

Clara was also so very cute--but then Princess Cows are, you know. She just marveled over how wonderful the free chicken tasted. Of course, it has a much better taste when you get it free than when you pay for it.

They even had Cow Tablecloths and the people from the store took their picture so they could display it in the store. Clara and Jonathan said it was just the best day ever.

They got to meet and have their picture taken with the Chic-fil-A Cow--they just love him(I guess it is actually a she) sooooo much. The cow was really impressed with them too and thought their outfits were just wonderful. No one wanted the day to end.

After the people in the store took their picture--including Victoria--they put it on the poster by the front door for everyone to see. If you look on the left corner next to the black cow with the white spots you will see them. You may have to click on the picture to enlarge it so you can get a good look. It was such a wonderful day and everyone was full of all the free chicken and had such a fun time. I'm sure they all can't wait until next year to do it all again. Maybe next year Daddy and Clara and Jonathan's new baby brother can participate too. Maybe Clara should start making plans now.....

Clara and Jonathan's Busy Weekend

Clara and Jonathan had a busy weekend last weekend. Their Daddy left the week before for a 4-5 month deployment and so they were a little sad that he was gone. They know they are going to really miss him. But they were also excited because Clara was having her first dance recital.

Clara had to have lots of pictures taken so her Daddy could see all of her poses and how beautiful she looked in her outfit.

She posed this way, and she posed that way, and she made sure she had pictures taken from every angle.
She even had a few pictures taken where she just stood so everyone could see how wonderful she looked. Clara also knew that Grandma Yonka and Grandpa Michael were very interested to see her pictures and her lovely outfit.

But then she went back to posing--you know Princesses know how to pose in the best way and are just absolutely perfect in every way.

She tried every position and every spot to find just the perfect pose, and did a really fine job of all.

And actually eventually got a little tierd of posing because Princesses have other things to do too, you know.

Even Jonathan thought she did a great job of posing, especially when he put on his Joe Cool Shades and acted like this was no big deal for him. He could do all that posing too, if he wanted to, but right now he's just so cool he doesn't have to pose, he just has to be in the picture.

But he did think Clara did such a fine job of posing and looked so beautiful in her outfit that Jonathan gave Clara flowers. Of course the flowers were in pink and purple, which Jonathan knows are Clara's favorite colors.

Clara thought Jonathan was so wonderful to give her the beautiful flowers that she just had to give Jonathan a big kiss to thank him.

Clara's Mommy was also very proud of her and also a little jealous that Clara was getting all the pictures taken and doing all the posing. She said she remembers when she was a Princess too--her Daddy always thought she was a Princess, and even now still calls her "Little Girl".

Grandpa Vic and Grandma Ginia came from Arizona to see the recital, which was also exciting to Clara and Jonathan. They love to see their grandparents and so they thought they would pose with them too.

Clara had expressed the wish to have her hair cut. She wanted a new Princess hairdo. Her Mommy talked her into waiting until after the recital so she could get Clara's hair up in a bun. Clara agreed, but it had to be right after the recital. This is a picture of "before" the new do.

They went to the hairdresser and sat Clara in the chair. Of course, all the ladies in the salon were very pleased to have a real live Princess in their shop.

The lady made sure both sides were even and everything was perfect--just like it should be for a Princess.

And here is the final product. Isn't she absolutely beautiful???

Of course, with a new hairdo every Princess has to pose some more.

And you have to give that Princess Wave to all your constintuents.

And then on Monday Clara and Jonathan's Mommy had a 4D Ultrasound so all of us could meet Baby Boy Stein.....

...who will be born in August 2009. Through the amazing technology of 4D Ultrasound and E-Mail these pictures were taken yesterday and sent to me so we could meet my future grandson even though his family lives in California and we live in South Carolina. How can you not be amazed? How can you not be touched? How can you not feel blessed?

Our Mimosa Tree---What a Mess!!

We have a fairly large back yard, and we really do like it. Michael, on a weekly basis, tells me all the things we are some day going to do in our back yard and to our house, and I just let him talk and say "Yes, Dear." at the appropriate time and it seems to keep him happy. He has talked about a pool, a shed, extending the back of the back of the house, and who knows what all--like I said, I just answer at the right time and it keeps him happy. We have a HUGE mimosa tree in the back yard. In the summer when all the branches are full they actually touch the ground and it is difficult to walk out there. Gunney, our English Bull Dog, likes to go outside and grab the branches in his mouth and walk backwards with them and then let them go. In the summer we can actually get him go go outside when it rains because the tree is so big and thick that he doesn't get wet. In the fall, though, when all the leaves start to fall he can't understand why he gets wet. Michael doesn't like the tree because it is so big. Mimosas grow very fast, and this one has taken over. I think it is pretty when it blooms--it gets beautiful pink flowers on it. In fact, I was looking for a picture we took of it last year when it was in bloom and out entire back yard was pink. If I find that picture I will still post it, but I can't find it right now.

Last Tuesday I was sitting here in the den not doing much of anything. Michael's work schedule is just a little different than mine, and there is one Monday night that he works and I don't, so he had worked the night before and now on Tuesday morning he had just gone to sleep for a while. As I said, I wasn't doing much of anything, and Gunney was doing even less--sleeping too, which is one of his favorite pasttimes. All of a sudden he started barking. He does this once in a while, and sometimes when I'm here by myself and he does it and scares the heck out of me. I don't ususally tell him to stop barking though, because I figure if it is someone outside the house his bark is loud enough and sounds "mean" enought to deter someone from trying to get in my house. He doesn't usually bark for long, and most of the time when he does it is because he's looking out the window and sees a cat in the driveway--we have about three neighborhood cats who seem to like to sleep in our driveway and the next door neighbor's yard. Anyway, I didn't pay much attention to him barking, and he soon settled down and went back to sleep.

About 20 minutes later I got up to go in the kitchen and looked out the back door and could not believe my eyes. The mimosa tree was laying all over the back yard. It had not made the loud cracking noise you would think a tree this big would make, nor did it hit any part of the house or even the fence of the neighbor next door. The tree didn't fall over--the roots are still in the ground. It was like a canopy of tree just fell straight down from the tree to the ground. The following pictures aren't real clear, but it will give you some idea of how big this tree is. The funny thing is, it was raining when this happened, but there wasn't a lot of wind or anything. It was one of those quick summer showers that come up in South Carolina, where it rains for 20 minutes, then afterwards it's like walking into a sauna. But it wasn't windy or even thundering and there was no lightning. I guess the tree has some sort of disease and has rotted. But, we were really lucky it didn't hit the house. Now Michael tells me he's going to buy a chain saw and take this tree down. I've said my customary "Yes, dear" but I hope once he gets this saw home I can still say there is no damge to the house or neighbor's fence!!!!!!!

That white blur in the middle of this picture is Gunney. He just didn't know what to make of this.
And that's Gunney too.

This picture is actually on the opposite side of the yard from where the tree trunk is, so it gives some idea of the size of the three.

This is also on the opposite side of the yard from where the truck is. This is really a big tree.

This is our neighbor's fence. When we first moved in this house there was a different family in the house next door. They had two pit bulls, and we live around the corner from an elementary school. There were some kids that on the way home form school would tease these pit bulls, and one day the dogs really got upset. The house next door is on the corner, and one of the neighbors in a house on the cross street got upset. He called the animal control officer because he felt the pit bulls were going to go after the kids--but again, not that I think the dogs should be vicious or anything, the kids were teasing the dogs. At this time the only fence around either our house or theirs was a chain link fence. Well, these pit bulls could have jumped the fence with no problem had they really wanted to, so they actually were pretty good dogs. But the owner was tired of the kids constantly teasing his dogs, so he put a privacy fence up all around his yard. Notice there is a bend in the tree limb that goes over the fence. There was a huge limb in his yard but no damage done to the fence--the bend in the tree was at just the right height to not hurt the fence.

This is looking from the very back of our yard toward or house.

Happy Anniversary to Us

This is a picture of my mother and father on May 21, 1972. My dad was 56 years on on this day. My mother had turned 55 just seven days before. My Mother has since passed away. She has been gone for more than 20 years, but today my Dad is 95 years old. What a legacy. I find him absolutely amazing. He forgets things--but I think a bigger problem is that since he doesn't hear at all, it isn't that he's forgetting things, it's that he never heard you tell him. He tells me he forgets his children's birthdays. That's OK. We remember when our birthdays are. The picture above was taken at my wedding reception. Yep. I got married on my father's birthday. In this picture my father and mother were younger than I am now. Happy birthday Dad.

And this is Mike and me. Were we ever so young? We have been married 37 years today. Mike must think I'm worth keeping around--I got jewelry, roses, a card and he is about to serve me a surf and turf dinner. I feel we have accomplished something that in this day and age is rare--we stayed married. We have not always seen eye to eye, and we don't always agree. But Mike has seen me at my best and worst and accepts me both ways. He doesn't try to make me what I'm not. He knows my faults and is OK with them. He is supportive and all I have to say is "I wish I had. . . " and I'll get it. The people I work with say he treats me like a queen. Funny, my mother used to say the same thing. "Monica, he treats you like you're made of glass and would break if he isn't careful." Well, here's to another 37 years. I mean this in only the best way. I have been married so long I don't remember not being married. Mike is my husband, and my best friend. I also know he would do much better without me than I would do without him. I hope we never have to find out. Happy Anniversary.

Celebrating Mother's Day

Today is a very special day--Mother's Day. I am a little late posting this because the day seemed to get away from me. I was supposed to work today, but got an unexpected day off, so I decided to do something on my blog.

I have been interested in researching my family for many years. I have found information on my family that we did not know before and found extended members of my family. It has been a wonderful trip through my history and I have learned a lot about myself and why I am who I am. In looking at pictures I have had passed down to me from various members of my family I realized I had a number of generations of pictures. Many years ago there was a song done by the Judd's about a photograph of family members and how they could see some of the same characteristics through the generations. I began to take a closer look at some of my pictures and could also see likenesses and differences. I decided since today is Mother's Day I would honor some of the women in my family. Here, then, is where I came from, who I am and where I am going. I hope all of you enjoy my pictures as much as I have enjoyed putting this together.

This is my granddaughter, Clara Elizabeth Stein. She is the oldest child in her family, having one brother, Jonathan Michael, and a new brother to be born in August. Clara is 5 years old and my very special princess. She will always be special no matter how many grandchildren I am blessed with, Clara will always be my first.

This is my daughter, Victoria Regina Mullikin. She is my second child, having an older brother, Christopher Michael. Victoria will be 33 in October. Victoria is a very special person also. She is a fantastic daughter, wonderful mother. Clara was so excited to be Victoria's daughter she decided to come about six weeks early. Victoria and her husband raise their children with love, patience and caring. They do only what is best for the children and are very active in all parts of their lives.

This is me--Monica Cecelia Small. I am the youngest and only girl in my family. I will be 59 in August. I have been spoiled and I am sure there were times when my brothers totally resented me. I have always been "Daddy's girl" and knew it. My mother always made me know she was proud of me no matter what I did, as long as what I did I did to the best of my ability.

This is my mother--Mary Bernadine Wimpling. If she were still living she would be 94 years old on May 14. My mother was one of the most patient people I ever knew. She was strong and kind and a wonderful woman. I don't know that there was ever anyone who did not like my mother. I once asked her what she had wanted to be she was a child. Her answer: "All I ever wanted to be was somebody's mother." She was--she had three children of her own and seven foster children. She is the only person I know who actually ever achieved her entire goal in life. She was a stay-at-home mom and totally content to be that. She waited on my Dad, hand and foot, and was content to do that. Though she has been gone for over 20 years I think of her every day and only hope she is looking down and is still proud of me and where her family has continued.

This is my mother's mother--Clara Marie Regler. Clara was born 118 years ago in January. She was the only grandparent I ever knew. When I was little we lived on Carey Street in Baltimore and she lived five doors down from us. Her home was as much ours and our own home was. Her parents moved into the house on Carey Street when she was about six years old and was 76 when she moved out. She grew up in the home, took care of her father and brother after the death of her mother, raised her own family, lost her husband and three of her five children while living in this home and eventually left because she was unable to live there alone. She, too, was a strong lady, dealing with life as it was dealt. She had one brother, George Henry, who was 18 months older than she. By the end of her life she lived with my family and she is another that even though she is gone 35 years I think of her often.

I don't have a single picture of my great grandmother, so this is a two-generation picture. On the left is Catherine Fahey, the mother of my grandfather. On the right is Clara Marie again. Catherine is Clara's mother-in-law. Catherine was born approximately 156 years ago in Tuam, County Galway, Ireland. For many years Catherine ran a boarding home on Pratt Street in Baltimore across from the B & O Rail Yards. Most of her boarders worked for the B & O. From what family have told me she was a strict, hard-working, no-nonsense person who ran her home with an iron glove. She married Andrew Wimpling, a man from Germany. Andrew supposedly spoke no English, and Catherine spoke no German, but at one time the two of them were servants in a home, met, and eventually married. They had a total of nine children. They were hard working, poor people who expected no more than they earned. Good people.

This is my grandmother, Winifred Catherine Madigan. She was my father's mother. She was born 125 years ago this coming July. Winifred died when I was about 3 years old, so I don't really remember her. She married Sylvester Arthur Small and they had six children. Two died as infants, the other four survived to adulthood. At this point, one, my father, who will be 95 years old on May 21st, is the sole survivor. Winifred's family came from Ireland during the potato famine. Her parents were very young when she was born, and eventually they separated. Her mother, Annie, went to lived in Hagerstown, Maryland, leaving Winifred with relatives in Baltimore. In Hagerstown Annie eventually remarried and had other children, who Winifred met when she was an adult. I don't think she ever knew her father. Again, this is a product of a poor, hard-working, strong family.

This is Bernadine Catherine Frances Kaiser. This is Clara Marie's mother. She was born in Baltimore 146 years agao. She had one sister, Maria Ann, who was older. She died when my mother was one year old. My grandmother used to tell me Bernadine used to have terrible back pain. She would lie on the floor and my grandmother would massage her back for her. Eventually she was taken to surgery, the doctor's thinking she had gallbladder disease. When they opened her they found she had cancer, and there was nothing they could do for her. They closed her back up and told her family it was just a matter of time. She continued to live for another two years, astounding her doctors. Her doctor used to make house calls just to see her and she could not understand why he kept coming--she hadn't called him. The family never told her she had cancer.

Finally, this is Maria Teresa Seiler. She was born approximately 188 years ago. She was the mother of Bernadine Catherine Frances and Maria Ann Kaiser. I once found extended family--actually the family of Maria Ann--and when I sent them a copy of this picture it seems to appear Maria Teresa may have had a cleft lip. Apparently a member of the extended family had someone born with a cleft, which is a trait that runs in families. After seeing this picture they were able to see where it came from. Maria married Heinrich Kaiser. Both Maria and Heinrich were born in Germany--I've been told Kolblentz, and I've been told Bielefeld. Heinrich was a stone mason and my grnadmother used to tell us he built a church in the city where he was born. As children we had visions of this little man building the entire cathedral single handedly. So this is the stock from which my family comes. None were outstanding in their field. None were notable. Most have probably been forgotten by all but those of us who look at the pictures and share the history. But all were proud, hardworking, honest people. What a legacy! Happy Mother's Day to all of them and to all of us. May we all live to celebrate many more wonderful days with our families and share their histories.