Isabelle: Historian

Seventh grade at our school means one thing: Cultural Fair. It is a project that takes months to complete.The kids research a family member and write an 8 page essay, create a presentation and visual aid, get interviewed by their teacher at the presentation and give their "talk" to everyone who comes by during a 6 hour period! Isabelle researched my dad's mom who began her teaching career as the Great Depression began. Isabelle talked about the struggles of Grandma's life and the struggles of America during that time.

Here she is talking to some first graders and making sure she doesn't say anything too confusing for their little brains. See the quilt on the table? My Grandma sewed that for me when I was three. She made most of her clothing at that time and used the scraps to make the quilt. I love looking at the crazy polyester patterns and imagining them as her pants!

Morrie and I both stopped by, as did my parents and my sister. We also had a very good friend stop by who knew my Grandma. Bernice is the local librarian so many of the 7th graders knew her as well, but she is really a part of our family- so we have dibs! Isabelle gives her presentation to Bernice and then Bernice pulls something out of her bag. She tells Isabelle that Grandma gave Bernice this candlestick holder years ago and Bernice wants Isabelle to have it. Grandma bought it on one of her travels to Isreal. I was a big boo-hooing mess that day.

First of all- when did Isabelle get old enough to be a part of Cultural Fair? Secondly- I miss my Grandma- she passed away at 90 years old in 2001. I was a big boo-hooing mess then too. She was a fantastic lady. Just ask Isabelle.

Lovin my Pioneer

I love Pioneer Farms near Eatonville- and families can go on the weekends through the summer! So much fun is had there. Sadly, for Maria, much work was had there as well. I wanted her to know how HARD those kids worked back then! Welcome to your new kitchen...

She is busy grinding wheat into flour.

Catching her own dinner.

Making a table leg (what? Someone has to do it!)

Guess what this makes me?

Happy Mama!

Ancestry.com

A few weeks ago- when I had hours upon hours of internet "playtime" I got slightly hooked on Ancestry.com- verrrry addictive. I found loads of cool stuff. For instance- my dad's dad had 15 siblings- from the same mother!! Why did she stop at 15? Well, for one, her husband passed away. She never remarried. Can you imagine? The babies came one right after the other. She must have been one tired-ass woman.That's why she never remarried- it was 1919 and she was like "I am soooo done with MEN!". Her family has been traced back to the 1700's- neat stuff.

I also looked up my mom's mom. Jackpot! Her family has been traced (thank you family member somwhere!) back to 1520 when a boy was born in the Netherlands, and his son immigrated to the U.S.

The U.S. Census reports that you can look up are from 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. You can actually review the actual report. I found out that my grandma Alleda went by "Leta" when she was little, because that is the name her parents gave the Census taker (who had great hand writing by the way). I also found out that one relative had 2 small children really close together, and had her 12 year old sister move in with her - presumably to help- because the 12 year old is written down as living with her sister in 1920 instead of living with her mom- who lived in the same town. The 1940 census won't be publicized until 2012. I know you were dying for that little tidbit of info.

One last bit of fascinating factoid for you- I looked up my Grandpa Dexter- who was in WWII as some kind of hospital worker- paramedic driver- the stories aren't totally clear. Pictured below is the paperwork showing he boarded USS Enetrprise on 4-21-1941 and was headed from San Diego to Pearl Harbor. He survived Pearl Harbor- but I can't imagine what that day must have been like for him working to save people.

After I had spent 2 days on this website- I told Morrie and my parents what I had found out. The next morning I asked Morrie how late he was watching tv because I never remembered him coming upstairs. He said he was "On that darn Ancestry.com" until the wee hours of the morning. I am telling you- super cool stuff out there. I even found pictures of family members from the early 1900's. Stuff my dad didn't even know existed, he was pretty excited.

Random Notes

I have all these thoughts running through my head. I think, "Oh, I should put this on Facebook" and then I realize I can't post on FB a new status every hour...so you guys get my "updates":

1. Hmm...My child is pretty sensitive to Benadryl. Good to know.
2. Overheard a 17 year old say (in a shoe store) "It doesn't matter what shoes I get, I am going to be the best looking one at Prom anyway". WOOOOOOOOOOOW. So glad they teach humble attitudes to teenagers nowadays. She was with her MOTHER who made no comment.
3. First friendly scrimmage with Maria's new team was great. Mom is glad to be back in soccer season!!!
4. We killed it! I mean Isabelle killed it with a perfect score on her huuuge project/presentation/essay at school. It was for Humanities, we are still waiting for the art grade (in case you were wondering).
5. Shopping with a 10 year old and a 12 year old might have resulted in Mom purchasing a unusually bright green sweater for herself. May have to re-evaluate my shopping partners in the future.
6. However, shopping with those two has an up side: They think everything looks GREAT. Mom's self esteem likes to have them around.
7. Wait, that's how I got the ultra green sweater. Back to re-evaluating those two kids.
8. Field trip with the 4th grade was great, pictures coming soon. Didn't take pictures of the horrible traffic problems going both directions though. Sorry. I was trying to hang myself with the camera strap.
9. Do you know what the Benefits department forgot to tell me about my new job? That I would get home an hour after my husband, thus forcing him to make dinner every night. I don't know what they are going to charge me for that little number, but whatever it is, I'll pay it!!
10. Oh, the Sounders WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON! Life is beautiful.


World Trivia To-Go:
The capital of Malawi is Lilongwe (lah-long-way). I like to say it. A lot. It's pretty.

Working Woman

I am a working woman now. JUSt like these gals here:

I am THIS fashionable and I always have my town car pick me up and drive me home after a long day of wearing these cute heels. WHAT?

No really, this job has been a gift.

Sorry, I couldn't resist!!

What if someone did this to you? I would probably not go back to work. Have they ever heard of "Going Postal"? Seriously. I have to go and iron clothes for work- I am trying to pretend I have nice clothes so I hope by ironing what I do have, nobody will notice my cut off shorts and a tube top. It will be ironed!!

Favorite things

I love me some art supplies!!! One of my favorite things is a new package of pens, they can be sharpies, or markers, the the fabulous smelly Mr. Sketch pens, I love them all!!
I also love colored pencils, these I don't use as much, but when I HAD to get the package of 120 pencils to color my anatomy book in massage school, it was a little guilty pleasure.

Those cute fantastic smelling tiny erasers drive me nuts!! I always suggest the Maria give them as a birthday present just so I can go to the store and hold some for a while.

Speaking of smells, the smell of a new box of crayons is delightful. When I was little and my parents would go away for the weekend, they would always purchase me a new coloring book and a new box of crayons. The first thing I would do would be to dump them out and arrange them all by color. How can you even use a box of crayons if they aren't color coded???

Mmmm....I think I need to go to the store now.

College has paid off!

I went to college for 3 years. I studied Art History- I love art and I love history- GENIUS! I really enjoyed the High Renaissance in Europe. Guess who had a school assignment for art this week that included profiling an artist of her choice? That's right- Isabelle did!! She is so smart. Smart enough to know that if she picks an artist that Mom likes, Mom may be persuaded to help out a little. I am so glad that all that all the overpriced books, college essays and time spent studying slides of artwork have found their use. Finally. Phew- and I was worried that my college years had been wasted!

Just wait until I show you the second tri-fold presentation she had to make this week. Nothing like stressing out my kid with 2 huge projects!! Thanks to the teacher that told the kids to "suck it up". Awesome. In the past week I have spent 4 nights working with Isabelle - 3 hours each night- on reviewing her essay, cutting paper, helping arrange pictures, we are POOPED. I can't wait to see what kind of grades we get. I mean SHE gets.

My Favorite Things

Over the next few months, I will be sharing with you a few of my very favorite things. Today it is all about my favorite color PURPLE!