At The Zoo

We had a great time at the zoo watching Maddie enjoying the animals. We saw otters and seals playing in the water, a dirty, sleepy polar bear, peacocks walking freely, ducks begging for food, we walked amongst the kangaroos and wallabies and watched the monkeys grooming. Maddie wanted to see the giraffes and it took us so long to get to where they were at the back of the zoo, that by the time we were approaching the giraffes she wanted to see the lion!

But my favorite part of the day was watching her chase after a squirrel and calling to the squirrel, “Wait squirrel, squirrel wait!”  She chased it quite a ways over to a tree. Daddy was taking videos as Mommy picked her up so she could see the squirrel  and she was so excited to tell Grandpa, “Grandpa the squirrel’s up the tree!” and “Grandma, he’s up high!”  There’s no better way to enjoy the zoo than with a little one along to show you how fun it can be!

Looking at the seals

Sleepy polar bear

Watching the peacock

Looking at the ducks with Daddy and Grandpa

Kangaroos and Wallabies

Sleeping lion

Monkeys

One of the giraffes

Refrigerator Art

Tucked inside a card we received from Phil there was a drawing that Annika had made. 

Now I can use the refrigerator magnet I received from a friend when she found out I was going to be a grandma!

Thank you Annika for the beautiful picture!  

A few days later we received a special decorated Thanksgiving card!

Thanks Annika, Phil and Rachel! They are treasures!!!!

Thanksgiving

Ben, Christy and Maddie arrived the Saturday before Thanksgiving and stayed until Wednesday. We had a wonderful time visiting with them and seeing how much Maddie has grown. It was so fun to have conversations with her and understand most of what she said to us!  We celebrated her 2nd birthday, went to the zoo, played with the boys’ old Fisher price toys (the barn, Main Street, zoo, western town and airport), sang, danced, shopped, ate, laughed, watched children’s videos and hung out together.

We started out celebrating Maddie’s 2nd birthday with cupcakes and presents. Unfortunately I didn’t discover my camera card wasn’t accepting pictures for the first day or so even though it showed it had space.  But I don’t think I’ll forget her eating her birthday cupcake on Grandpa’s lap. A grandfather’s love overlooks the crumbs and frosting all over his shirt front, sleeves and collar from all the hugs and laughs while eating cupcakes together. And what fun it was to watch her open her birthday gifts from us.

Thanks Ben, Christy and Maddie for making a true “round” trip (around Lake Erie) to visit us for a few days! We loved having you at the BK Bed and Breakfast and hope you had as much fun as Grandma and Grandpa did.  

Bumblebees and Butterflies

We were able to see our two beautiful granddaughters on Halloween this year and bring them candy from Grandma and Grandpa! What a special treat for us!!!!

Bumblee Annika

 

   

  
Butterfly Maddie

Ordination

October 30, 2012, what a special day. We were able to witness Phil be ordained as a Lutheran minister.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy a group of family and friends were there to witness this holy celebration.  Bob and I were so proud and honored to not only witness this but to be a part of the service. Bob read the New Testament reading and I was able to help with the communion. What an awesome experience to have our son, a newly ordained minister’s first act of service be to serve us communion.

We are so proud of Phillip and the hard work he has put toward this achievement and proud of Rachel and Annika for their support.  It was great see Rachel put Phillip’s stole around him and to see Annika’s precious little hand rest on her Papa’s shoulder.  Rev. Neil Kattermann spoke a beautiful personal message to Phil and his brother-in-law and grandfather-in-law were able to take part along with  Bishop Jerge who was there to officiate.

It was an unforgettable evening.

 

 

 

Published!

Many months ago Christy showed me this website where you could have your blog published in book form. Being technology challenged I put it off. But for my birthday they gave me a coupon for that website.  I finally took the time to look into it and now I have a book form of my blog from our time in Australia!

I was able to pick out the dates to be included, the cover design, the photo for the front and back covers and I was also able to include a dedication. So I spent some time working on the dedication. After finishing, I was disappointed to find that I was restricted to 150 characters so I had to work and work on editing it to include what I wanted to convey. I had to cut out a lot. So I decided to print the full dedication here in my blog.

 

Living Upsidedown   - a blog about being displaced on the other side of the world

This is about an empty-nest housewife and her adventures on being transplanted to Australia for a few months while her husband was on a temporary work assignment for his company.

To my husband Bob, I could never have imagined the wonderful journey we would share together when we began our life together over thirty-three years ago.  It has been an amazing one of laughter and tears, ups and downs, joys and sorrows.  We have traveled near and now far and it has been a wonderful life. I appreciate your love for me and our family, your hard work to support us, and your character to be true to the God you love. Bob, you are my love.

I thank Ben, Phillip, Christy, Rachel, Maddie and Annika for your love and support. Rachel and Phil, thank you for your help in getting my blog started. Ben and Christy thank you for your help in getting my blog in book form. Thank you Maddie and Annika for your love, laughter and the joy you have brought to my life.

Thank you to all who followed and encouraged me on my daily journey. It felt like you all were there with me every step of the way!

Collecting Quarters

In 1999 the state quarters were launched.  Bob, Ben and Phillip bought me a coin holder for all 50 quarters. Ten years seemed a long time to be looking and collecting quarters but I slowly began. Not only did I collect quarters for myself, I thought it would be nice to collect a set for Ben and Phillip. So the quarter hunt began. Every time we received quarters in change we looked at them to see if it was one we needed or one that could be spent elsewhere.

Once Phillip started college and we made 13 trips back and forth to get him to college we started collecting quarters for another reason, the tolls to and from college. At the time, the tolls were in dollar and/or fifty cent increments, so it was natural to use quarters for the small amounts we paid at each toll booth. Years ago I learned that a 35mm film canister holds exactly $7.00 in quarters, so we kept our quarters for the trip in a film canister. We would check each quarter to see if it was for the state quarter collection or the toll booth collection. Toll prices increased little by little and we added a second film canister for quarters. And so the years went by.

After college graduation, we continued to collect for the state quarters and for tolls back to New York but we added another quarter collection.  Once we purchased our new car, we now take it to a self-wash car wash instead of the drive through to keep it from getting scratches, waxing film build up on the windshield and the door locks from freezing. All problems we faced with our old car from going through the drive through car wash. Believe me it is not fun to have to get in the back seat of a Daewoo in Sunday clothes with your long winter coat on, climb over the seat (with headrests) to get to the driver seat and start the car. Then you would either have to stay in the car, or climb back out and back in again to let the car warm up so hopefully you wouldn’t have to repeat the process in the church parking lot. Not a real graceful way to arrive at church.

Naturally with Hawaii being the last state, we were seeing the end of the hunt when excitedly we found the last Hawaiian quarter. We were at our usual car wash where Bob had put $5 in to get change and replenish our change supply when he happily announced he had a Hawaiian quarter.

Excitedly I went home and put my last quarter in, and was thrilled I had completed not only my collection but the boys’ collections as well. Or so I thought.  When looking at the boys’ collection, I discovered that I was short one Oklahoma quarter and had recently discarded one I had thinking I was all set. So the hunt began again.

Finally after not just ten years but fourteen years I have completed all three state quarter collections.  I’m not sure what will happen to mine since the boys will each have their own set, but it was a fun hobby.

The funny thing is I still find myself looking at quarters when I receive change. I understand they are doing quarters for some of the national parks. Another collection maybe.....no, I think I will try a new hobby. 

Family Weekend/Birthday Celebration

Recently we were back in Webster to celebrate Ben’s 30^th Birthday. Christy had planned a series of surprises for him and it was a great weekend. We were able to be with Ben, Christy, Maddie, Phil, Rachel, Annika, Brian and Grandma Wanda. 

We had a great time just hanging out, laughing, eating and spending time together. The guys were able to go to a Red Wings game Friday night while the girls hung out at home. Saturday we were together again. The guys pulled out a tree; we took pictures, played Gripe and laughed, cooked out and went to church in the evening followed by dessert at LuGia’s!

Sunday we had a quiet morning before hitting another favorite spot for lunch at Krony’s! Then we headed back home. It was a great weekend of food, fun and most important family!

 

The Birthday Guy

 

 

The Grillers

 

Christy and Maddie

 

 

 

Rachel and Annika

 

Hanging out with Brian

 

Grandma Wanda and two of her boys

 

 

Family

 

 

 

Busy But Fun Weekend

A couple of weekends ago we traveled back to New York again. It was a busy weekend but we were able to see a lot of family.

First we went to the cottage and were able to see Dad on his birthday and visit with my niece Kelly whom I hadn’t seen in a year.

Next we traveled to Rochester and were able to celebrate Christy’s sister’s wedding.

 

Afterward we were able to spend some time with Maddie and went out to dinner with Phil, Rachel and Annika.

It was so much fun to see the two girls play and have an opportunity to be with them both.

Being a grandma is the best!!!!

Birthday #55

Last week I celebrated my 55th birthday. Bob worked from home that morning and I enjoyed the beautiful morning reading on the patio, talking to both my boys and I even was able to watch Annika walking via Skype!  At noon, Bob finished his work then we went out to lunch at DiBella’s for a delicious sub sandwich.

We tried a different theater over in Birmingham. Google search on Bob’s iPhone misdirected us and we had to stop and ask for directions.  WARNING!!!!  Be careful when entering addresses-- there is a difference between Woodward Avenue and Old Woodward Avenue. We found downtown Birmingham and were happy with the small town feel.

The original theater was built in 1927 and renovated in 1996 into eight theaters but still has the old style charm. We were the only ones in that theater and thought we would have a private showing just for us but just as previews started we had a dozen or so people arrive to watch with us.

After the movie we headed to another favorite place we like to go to BD’s Mongolian Grill. We debated whether to go there or to the Outback as we like both. A quick survey to the kids a few days before and BD’s won hands down. They all love to go there when they come out to visit!

We headed home for presents and Bob had made a delicious cake. I went off my low sugar policy for a few days to enjoy it. (Extra exercise over the next few days kept me from feeling guilty!).

It was a great day spent with Bob and I was able to talk to both my boys and all my sisters before the day was over! Thanks Bob for a great day and to everyone for all the well wishes!

Vacation and Sunrise

The last day I finally went out and captured the sunrise. I’m so glad I did because the clouds came in and we had some much needed rain that morning before we left for home.

What a wonderful two weeks I had at family camp and then vacation at my parents. I already have my reservations in for next year!!!!

Vacation – Animals

While out on my morning walks I saw many animals. I never brought my camera along, although it would have made a nice weight to work off a few more calories. I heard and saw many birds, bunnies, bullfrogs, chipmunks, squirrels and even saw a couple of deer. Just watching from the cottage you could see many animals as well.

Canadian geese

 We enjoyed watching seven swans a swimming (they were in groups of five and two).

 

The tree swallows were active in the birdhouse, but the last few days we didn’t see any sign of them. We didn’t know if something attacked them or if they just moved on.

I loved watching the hummingbirds.

One day two hummers were battling over who was to eat first!

The ducks found the bird feeders and came ashore to find the seeds the birds dropped.

There were also numerous goldfinches that visited the feeders as well.

Each evening we began to notice the seagulls flying above, heading out to the lake.