Proper Tea – One-Liner Wednesday

Sitting here, listening to my nephews (from my two eldest sisters) discuss the correct way to make tea.

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Seriously, I’m listening to two teens and an 8-year old discuss all the many ways you can make tea, but which is the ‘correct’ way and just how much sugar should or shouldn’t be added.

It’s just been the four of us during the day this week and thought there are times when I’m super frustrated, I am finding that it’s actually pretty fun. I have never in my life been so outnumbered by boys.

Check out the original One-Liner Wednesday.

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They Will Feed And Clothe You – Thankful Thursday

So, my sister’s youngest boy has this thing where he needs to feed people. Usually people that he knows, but I have known him to steal all of our cracker packets and fruit snacks (back when we did bagged lunch at the first elementary school they went to before we moved) and then take the to school and give them to other students who, and I quote, “looked hungry enough.”

Even now, he likes to make things (sandwiches, hot dogs, breakfast burritos with eggs and potatoes that he’s cut up and fried himself) and then ‘discover’ that he’s made ‘too much’ and then start handing them out to anyone at the house. The last five breakfast burritos that I have had were because he ‘made too much and don’t I always tell him not to throw away perfectly good food?’

Seriously, my nephew likes to feed people.

His older brother is like that, sort of. He likes to make sure people aren’t thirsty. Every time someone comes over he asks them if they want milk or water or herbal tea or hot chocolate or juice or whatever we currently have in the house. Even if it requires him taking the time to heat up the water and then mix it all up. He gets this kicked puppy look if you don’t accept the drink, waits for you to grasp it (even if you were only going to take a sip of his soda) and then he runs off, yelling that you can’t give it back now.

He likes to give things away that are his if you even look like you like it.

My sister’s boys, I tell you. Someday I’m going to walk out of a store and see them feeding people while my niece is trying to convince those with less warm clothing to put on one of the jackets or other warm clothing that she’s holding.

One time when I was in high school, early high school, I fell over (this was after The Accident and it happened a lot) and she worried that I would get too cold because I couldn’t move for a while. So my little three-year-old niece (at the time) went for the nearest thing she could find to cover me so that I wouldn’t get too cold. I had fallen over by the tea cart that had these really long drawers where we kept all of our table linens and napkins. So my little niece, who didn’t want to leave me in the room along long enough to get a blanket, emptied the drawers and placed every single table linen and napkin over me. She hunkered down next to me to share body heat and together we waiting for someone to come.

She still likes to wrap people up whenever they look cold.

So this week I am grateful for the generosity that lives in my niece and nephews which is something that they share all year ’round but also during Christmas time.

Check out the original Thankful Thursday. (I will add the link to this week’s post for the original when it’s up.)

EDIT: Proper link has been added, go check it out!

Stout Stick

Whenever my eldest niece and nephews get all dressed up for something (weddings, funerals, church) I look at them and think, “I’m going to need a good, stout stick soon.”

I’d never understood just why that would be necessary whenever I ran across such a saying in popular culture (i.e. – movies, books, etc.) but I started to understand as soon as I realized that my niece was going to be quite the looker when she reaches dating age.

Remembering – Thankful Thursday

Thirteen years ago today, I was in a U.S. History class, watching the news and waiting for class to start.

Thirteen years ago, my second eldest sister and her husband were getting ready to fly out to their new posting in Germany.

Thirteen years ago, my eldest niece was my only niece and she was barely learning how to crawl.

Thirteen years ago, for the first time in my life, I feared losing not just my sister, but my brother-in-law.

Thirteen years ago, I prepared for my niece to possibly have to live with us and without her parents.

Thirteen years ago, their posting didn’t change, but their way to get to it did.

Thirteen years ago, my sister’s family had to drive across the country and catch a military flight instead of a commercial one.

I am thankful this day not only for those who died saving people from harm, not only for those who continue to fight and protect today, but also for the knowledge that my niece didn’t have to pay the same price that so many other children have had to.

Thank you to all those who work towards the safety of not only citizens of this country, but others as well.

image: sister’s phone

These are her children, two of which were born several years after September 11, 2001.

Make sure to read the original Thankful Thursday as well.

Remember… – Thankful Thursday

Have you ever sat and wondered at all the things people take for granted?

Have you ever thought of the things you, yourself, take for granted? The people?

I have. I’ve found myself sitting sometimes thinking, “Why did I do that? What was wrong with me?”

So just, for a moment, remember.

Remember that dog that slept nearby so you wouldn’t feel alone.

image: Sissy and my eldest nephews

Remember that animals want some cuddling on the couch too.

image: Cotton and Granny

Remember that cat that wanted to share the massage roll.

image: Cotton and Granny

Remember the first time the cat and the dog got along.

image: Sissy and Usako

Don’t forget the little moments that made the big moments possible.

Make sure to check out the original Thankful Thursday.

(All pictures from martha0stout’s phone.)

Camp Fire

Can you remember those once a year times?

And recall what it was like, just a night with you and Dad?

Maybe you slept in a tent or under the stars.

Put out fire embers int he morning and packed up.

Only maybe you didn’t have a dad to take you,

Until your Uncle stepped up to the plate instead.

That’s going above and beyond the call of duty for family.

Ohana means family. Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten. -Lilo and Stitch

Sometimes your own father isn’t there to be a father to you. If you’re lucky enough, someone else will step up and be there without trying to replace what you’ve lost.

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Inspired by the last FreeWriteFriday prompt: http://kellieelmore.com/2014/06/27/fwf-free-write-friday-image-prompt-18/

There are some pretty awesome people out there who just want you to not miss out on something. Because they love you.

Moment of Serenity

Yesterday I went swimming for the first time this year. It was at my sister’s apartment complex with another sister, two nieces and two nephews (not all of the kids from the same siblings.)

At one point I decided to just float there for a moment and enjoy the sky above me. My nephews were roughhousing nearby and I, somewhat irritably (and with affected frustration) snapped that I was having ‘a moment of serenity’ and to pipe down.

I should not have said this within hearing of my second eldest sister.

With a grin, she marshaled her three children and they proceeded to have a splash battle with them on one side and me on the other. At the end of it, with me spluttering all over, she said:

“I know we’re not the crew from Firefly, but how was your moment on Serenity?”

It was perfect.

Never Over – Poetry Prompt 16

So that time is almost over again!

Come see the end of what we began.

How those days dragged on,

Or in the blink of an eye, they were gone.

Only now that I look back

Longing shows me what I lack.

Best days of my life.

Don’t forget walking between classes with friends.

Always remember that I learned from the ends,

Yet remember that those days are now gone.

So keep in mind what you had all along.

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Written for Pooky’s Prompt for yesterday: http://pookypoetry.wordpress.com/2014/05/16/poetry-prompt-16-school-days/

School had a lot of interesting phases for me. Elementary school was a time of bullies and learning not to let the other kids get to me while also learning everything else. Middle school was about learning that people might still try to bully you, but that they lacked the imagination of kids in the younger grades (still don’t know why that was), but also learning that everything I learned in elementary school had a lot more to teach me while making me learn to accept that each teacher has a different set of rules. High school taught me that things are going to be hard, some times will be harder than others, but that it’s worth the end goal of being able to walk down that aisle with my friends and throw a cap in the air. (It also didn’t matter which cap you picked up from the floor at the end, because they were all the same, no one wrote their names in them. We were all the same in the end even while the cords on our robes were all so different.)

School was a fun learning experience and I really enjoyed it except for a few times and incidents, but I learned that even those will only last so long. There is always going to be more to life and it will come along at random and inconvenient times and I just have to live with it. Complaining takes too much time and energy, but it also has it’s time and place. I also learned that everyone can take a refresher course when their kids (or their siblings’ kids) need help with their homework.

Been Looking Forward – Thankful Thursday

It’s that time again this week, the time where I post pictures of things I’m grateful for! I hope that they are as enjoyable for you as they have been for me.

Here I go:

Eggs on homemade bread

 

Star quilt made by Mom with love

 

 

Family Game Night

 

 

 

Nephews’ School Christmas Program

(the kid in the green shirt facing the camera waving is my eldest nephew…if you can see him)

 

 

My elder sister’s talent and sense of humor

 

image: drawn by my sister

other images: from the phone of martha0stout

This Thursday has been a good day for me emotionally but kind of dizzying physically. (Just one of those days where my vertigo is worse than usual.) But even with that, I’m happy today, happier partly because I just am and partly because I’ve been looking forward to this posting challenge for the past few days.

If you haven’t read the original Thankful Thursday post (http://mithriluna.wordpress.com/2014/05/15/thankful-thursday-a-mothers-day-story/) head on over and check it out! It certainly brightened my day! (grins)

What’s in a Window Well?

What will you find in here?

Inside there is a treasure trove of things.

Now don’t forget that there are dangers as well.

Do be cautious when climing on through

Or you might be surprised by a spider with red on her back.

Without gravel to kill it quick, you’ll be singing in a high pitch.

Try to be curious while being sensible.

Well, don’t forget the moments of childhood with these;

Ever had to learn the difference between poppy leaves and mint?

Let me give you a clue if you’re unlucky enough, ignore the fuzz.

Left of the window well of my childhood, lay the garden of herbs.

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Written as a response to this week’s FreeWriteFriday: http://kellieelmore.com/2014/05/02/fwf-free-write-friday-word-bank-10/

Also, listening to my niece and nephews do their housework and yard work. They’ve been cleaning out the window wells these past few days and it reminded me of the window wells around my childhood home.