Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Today, Lucy asked why I had an "M" on my cup. I told her it was for Mommy. Vincent and Sophia went on about my other names that start with "M"...mom, Marcie, ma. Being a smarty pants, I chimed in with "MARVELOUS". Lucy jumped in with "that is a fancy word for mommy!" :-)!
Vincent says she is reading too much Fancy Nancy!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Number 1
VINCENT
Plays soccer, likes to go to grandma's, plays with my toys
Brother of Laura, Sophia and Lucy
Who'd like to see George Washington
Who loves toys, Lucy and the beach
Who dreams of having a million dollars
A student of Mrs. Hagan
Vin-Vin
Number 2
Cookies
Holiday
Reindeer
Icicles
Sleigh
Tree
Merry Christmas
Angels
Snowflake
Hope you enjoyed these!
Monday, January 19, 2009
A Day at the Races - Cub Scouts style
The "Wolf" Pack - not quite Dale, Jr, JJ, Carl, Kyle and Tony!
The Wolf's cars - Vincent's was the first in line. All of them were pretty cool!
Still love the Duck though!
Another angle of the cars!
Gentleman, start your engines! Vincent in the first lane, ready to go!
The "cars" in the open race! The squirrel was pretty fast! Lucy's car was the spotted car next to the squirrel and Laura's was the wedge next to that. Laura actually got third place in design!?
Vincent's car is in the middle, tearing up the track!!
Monday, January 5, 2009
Being Silly
Lucy needing to work on her serious look.
Dad needing to figure out the difference between serious and scary! Beware, the Evil Eye!
Christmas Lights - Around Columbia
One of our friends told us about this house. It is located about 1/2 mile from our house, but we never knew it existed, because it is on a street we don't travel. Some of the things the kids like about this house is the angels you see above the rest of the display are hanging in the trees in the front yard and actually go out over the street. It probably has 100 angels throughout the trees. The display, itself, has lots of lights, always a big hit with the kids. But, it isn't a hodge-podge of decorations (Santa, reindeer, snowman, Nativity, Grinch, etc.), it is all about Jesus and His birth. I don't know how many pick up on it, but I did and love how it declares, loudly and, yes, gaudily, "the reason for the season" Again, more impressive/gaudy in person.
We hope everyone had a very Merry and Blessed Christmas and wish you the best for this New Year!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Laura "Versace" Elfrink, designer, seamstress
Laura modeling her Christmas stocking and ornament
Laura modeling her funky shorts
Laura modeling her 2 drawstring bags
Laura and her friend Joyce modeling their skirts. Laura and Joyce arrived for a sewing class with the same fabric and the intention of making a skirt!
More skirts!
Laura began sewing classes this summer after many months of pestering us! She is loving them! They are taught by this wonderful instuctor named Rocci Kendall. She is super talented and super patient with the girls. Laura has taken 3 classes and completed 2 drawstring bags, a pair of shorts and a skirt. In early November she completed a sewing camp where she made a Christmas stocking and an ornament. She also spent a Sunday with her Aunt Paulette sorting through Grandma Elfrink's quilting material. She chose some colors and made a quilt top throw pillow. Laura is always creating and making something for her sisters or a doll. Lack of a pattern has never stopped Laura from designing and sewing clothes for her American Girl doll. Hopefully, the lessons will help her combine her creative eye with some sewing basics!
Lestat, 1992-2008
With heavy heart, we have to share the news that Lestat, our beloved pet, had to be put to sleep in late November. It was a tough decision we hated to make. He was the best dog you could ask for.
I would like to share some moments...
we picked him up from the Humane Society way back in March or April of 1993. They said he was somewhere between 9 months and a year old. His name when we picked him up was Nevada Snow, so we knew we had to improve it, naming him....Lestat!?
Right away, we realized he was a very smart dog, pretty well behaved, and, best of all, potty trained (is that what they call it for pets?) He never grew anymore after we got him. He started with us at 45 pounds and in his heyday, he was up to 51 pounds.
He was fast as lightning and loved to play fetch/catch. He was so smart, that when he played catch and got tired (yes, he actually did get tired) he would lay down AFTER he chased the ball but BEFORE he returned it to me. I would take a ball on the ground and he would stand "ready", down on his front paws and hind quarters in the air, waiting for me to flick the ball with my foot/toes. Which ever way I shot the ball, he would snatch it right away, catching it like a good shortstop. If I flipped it over his head, he would catch it "with his back to the infield"
He was so well behaved, also. For instance, if we were having company over, he was never bothersome after the initial contact. And, if we were having appetizers, put them on the coffee table (just at the right level) and we would leave the room, he would not bother the food. However, if we came back and gave him the food, he would eat it then.
One of his tricks was for him to lay down, with his paws in front of him, and then for him to "stay". I would put a treat on his paws, tell him "NO" and he would not touch the treats. If I held him too long, he would look down at the treats, but still wouldn't touch them, not until I said "Okay".
When we traveled, he knew when we were getting ready. He'd be following us around, keeping an eye on our progress and when he figures it was time, he would climb into the vehicle, lay down in a small area and we would never hear from him. When we would stop to eat, we'd leave him in the car/van (with the windows cracked, of course). While we were in eating, he would sit in the driver seat and watch for us, looking like he was driving the van. Later on, after he was knocked down a notch or two on our list (read: once we started having children), when we traveled, the kids would drop things on the floor, and he still wouldn't move, almost to the point of being covered completely with "stuff".
He had unbelieveable control of his facilities, to the point of us taking advantage of it. There were many times when we would leave him alone all day, for over 12 hours, if not longer, and he would NEVER have an accident. Not until the last 6 months.
He never snapped at anyone, wonderful with the kids, smart enough to just get up and walk away if the kids got too friendly.
Our kids go over to my brother's house, where he has a young dog, around a year or so old. The kids have so much fun with him and his energy. I keep saying it was too bad they missed Lestat in his prime, they would have had a blast with him, too.
We were so lucky with him, we will never find another pet like him.
We'll miss him!