A Very Special Day for Sydney and All of Us!

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit...

Proud parents with sponsor Kathy Chapin.

Leon, Gretchen & Sydney Jameson

Grandpa and grandma Staude with the Jamesons

My girls and their girls... Gretchen & Sydney, Katrina & Rhylah.

All our Kids & Grandkids! What a happy day!

Today was a very special day for our entire family. Sydney Grace Jameson was baptized at 10:45 a.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church. Our whole family was together for this event. Kathy and Jon came from Michigan. Carol and Barry Jameson were there from Colorado, and Kate, Nate and kids all made it (in spite of the snow) from Wisconsin! What a day! We had a brunch at the Jamesons following the service. It was a wonderful and unforgettable day! We are so happy everyone could share it with us!

Trimming Time Again...

Spent the entire day at the vineyard today... it's trimming time. Hopefully, the lack up crop due to last year's April freeze will mean a great harvest this year. And by the looks of the piles of trimming we're accumulating, it will be. Some say the amount of wood you cut away can be weighed to predict the coming harvest. We've never tried it, but all the while I was out there today I kept thinking, "Please don't let the buds freeze again... or the drought come again!" We've haven't had a full crop since we put in the 2nd acre of grapes, so I am hoping against hope that we can see that this year at long last! It would be nice. No photos...just the sound of clippers clipping, wind blowing, and the sun shining. Can spring be too far away?

Sydney Comes to Dinner

Last night, Sydney and her parents came over for dinner. This was a deliciously relaxing LONG weekend for us. Three-day weekends are the BEST! They are almost as good as snow days for unwinding... In my book, any work week without a Monday is worth cheering for!

This photo was taken by my son-in-law, Nathan, who is one superbly talented photographer! When I look at it I just want to know "What is that little girl thinking?!"

A Morning Spent at a Rally

Had an interesting day.... Got up early today and went to south St. Louis for a John Edwards Rally. While the man is currently running a distant 3rd in the Democratic primary races, he has some very interesting ideas about what America could be if it lived up to its true ideals. I find his willingness to confront the machine of corporate America refreshing... I hope more people will take the time to hear what he has to say. I was fascinated to watch him one-on-one talking with citizens from the crowd who wanted to say a few things to him. He listened to them with focus and took the time to respond to them and then listen some more.

Sydney Gets Visitors!

Grandma Carol Jameson and I show off Rhylah (3 mos) and Sydney (8 days).

Rhylah:"Okay, Sydney, it's my daddy with the big camera again! Just wave and smile and he'll go away."
Sydney:"Got it! Hey, you're right; this photo shoot stuff is a piece of cake!"

It's been a whirlwind of a week. However, this weekend was extra special! Sydney got visitors from the West and the North. Leon's mom arrived on Friday to get her first chance to cuddle with her first grandchild and then Aunt Kate and all Sydney's cousins arrived to admire her on Saturday!

What fun! Lot's of photos by Uncle Nathan ensued and he was good enough to share some with me. I'll have more to go up in the days ahead!Cousins Sydney and Rhylah already look like they are putting their ideas together for how to outfox Gabriel and Asher.... watch out, guys... there's girl power in the family now too!

Day 4: Changing Each and Every Day!

Every day brings new and better things with little Sydney Grace. She's been home for 48 hours now and everyone is doing great! I am having 3 days of "prime grammy time"! It's wonderful!The photos tell the whole story... so just enjoy!

More Joy in the New Year!!!

January 3rd was a very special day in our family. We welcomed our newest grandchild, Sydney Grace Jameson, into the world! She arrived a bit by surprise at 5:14pm... all 7#2oz. and 20.5 in. of her!!! She had been "scheduled" for next week... but this little lady has a mind all her own when it comes to schedules. (We'll have to see if that continues as she grows up... hmmm....)

Everyone is doing great! Gretchen and Leon are loving every minute of cuddling with their little girl. From the top of her fluffy little head (dark hair!) to her cute little toes... we love every inch of her!

Papa Staude holds his newest grandbaby.

Look at those fluffy brown curls!

The happy Jameson family!

Cocoa is MAGIC!

One of the most fun things we did while our grandkids visited us was taking Gabriel ice skating at Steinberg Rink in Forest Park. There we discovered the magical powers of COCOA! Gabe started out clinging to Papa and the side rails... and after one exhausting trip around the rink which took easily 30 minutes, he GOT IT! Then, after a "cocoa break" - he went back out onto the ice and he REALLY got it! My grandson can now ice skate! It was SO much fun!

Christmas Joys

It goes almost without saying that this Christmas was a very special one for us. We had the whole family together for an entire week of fun and laughter. There's nothing quite as good as having little ones around to make the entire holiday seem much brighter and happier.

Gretchen and Leon continue to await the arrival of their little girl. Will it happen in the New Year or before? We wait and see. Meanwhile, everyone was home and happy and healthy!

This goes into the record books as one of our top Christmases ever!

Things You Can Learn from the Flu

In no particular order... these are things I learned in the past 24 hrs.

10. Germs are no respecter of persons.
9. Tossing up one's cookies is less fun than baking cookies.
8. You can't do crossword puzzles or grade papers with a flu-induced headache.
7. Daytime television is a vast wasteland.
6. Dogs can't catch the flu; so they make good company while you have it.
5. Yogurt for 3 meals a day is boring.
4. Flat Vernors is a flu victim's best friend.
3. My husband is the best sympathy giver there ever was!
2. After 8 hours of nausea, eating a slice of bread is like having steak.
1. Thinking you dodged the flu a week after your spouse had it is a piece of fanciful but false logic!

Things worth smiling about

Today (this morning actually) marked the end of a delightful visit by our daughter Kate and family. Since Dec. 2nd we had her, Rhylah, and Asher with us as they came down to be at Gretchen's baby shower. Then on the 8th, Nathan and Gabe came down too in order to take Gabe to his first Boar's Head Festival at Immanuel. It was SUCH a fun week. We just had all the time we wanted to visit, play with the kids, relax, and enjoy one another's company! It was wonderful. Rhylah was a delight - she's changed so much already even at only 8 weeks old! They all went home this a.m. - but in less than 2 weeks they'll be back for Christmas! We can't wait!

Pumpkin Pies and Thankful Hearts

As I write this, the smell of pumpkin pies baking is wafting through the house. It is late on the night before Thanksgiving and I am the only one still up. Gretchen and Ed completed stage one of feast preparation tonight in a cooking extravaganza in her kitchen. Listening to them laugh and talk as they worked made my heart light. They have so much fun in the kitchen that it ought to be illegal! They sure can't call it work! Tomorrow we will definitely be eating ourselves silly, and so tonight I can't help but feel a bit more reflective.

There are many things that I am thankful for this year... and it is good to be able to say that. My husband, my kids, my grandchildren (and soon to be arriving grandchild), my work, my students, my home, my church, my community, my country.... wow, it's all mine! I am rich beyond measure!

Thanksgiving is and will always remain one of my very favorite holidays. No stress beyond a dinner, no shopping beyond the groceries, and nothing to do all day but enjoy the food and fellowship of those we love. THAT is a perfect holiday! I keep promising myself that I'll find a way to make Christmas a less complicated holiday too... so far with much less success... but it's something to strive for. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! May your blessings outnumber your cares and may we ALL have more thankful hearts in the coming year!

Ahhhh Fall!

Fall arrived in Missouri since my last post. It was a long-awaited thing too. Finally the temps cooled, the trees started to turn into something quite gorgeous, and the it was sweater and bonfire weather. Weekends at the vineyard became something to look forward to as they meant relaxing and enjoying a sunset with friends. Check out the latest shots!

The true things... or "Tag, I'm it"

I was tagged the other day by a good friend whose blog I regularly read and challenged to post Seven True Things about myself. Interesting.... well, at least hers were interesting... and she "tagged" me to go and do likewise. So here goes:

1. I have never walked past a bookstore without at least dipping a toe into the place for a few minutes and browsing. Is there a technical word for a "book addict?"

2. I have an insatiable fondness for noodles and butter... specifically Creamettes brand elbow mac and Land O' Lakes butter.

3. I am deathly afraid of open high spaces... which makes the idea of flying on a dragon with Dawn G. a bit impossible for me. (unless when the magical dragon arrives my fear also magically goes away.)

4. I have a soft spot for animals... which is how I came to have 2 cockatiels of which neither my husband nor I are excessively fond, but in a moment of weakness..... well, let's just say they live a LONG time.

5. I plan to put a stamp in my passport at least once a year from my 50th year until I can no longer hobble onto an airplane. (I really love flying... planes are ENCLOSED heights!- see?)

6. I deeply admire the women my daughters have become.

7. If I could do one thing for an entire week it would be KNITTING! Ahhhh... that would be grand!


Next, I TAG Katrina and Gretchen.... Time to post your seven true things! I'd tag my best buddy Carol... but she only READS blogs and doesn't write one!

The Importance of Being Earnest... and Finished!

Last night was the closing performance of the LHS Fall play, The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. Gretchen directed and the show sold out both nights. The challenge of all this was balancing our concern for Gret with her need to see this project through to completion. I am happy to report that all went well, Gret is fine, and the show was quite a hit with the audience. I must also add that I will totally enjoy this coming week so much more having done last week.... I am beginning to appreciate being able to say that I am a bit too old to run that sort of schedule anymore. Fun as the show was, I am ready for some down time and I KNOW Gret is!

My Buddy...

In honor of him being "almost 2" this post is dedicated to my adorable middle grandchild... Asher. His dad caught these shots for me while he was standing near the back door on our last day there earlier this month and I just had to collage them. I love his expressions! Every little nuance of his feelings just comes out on his sweet little face. It captures my heart just to look at him!

Aaaahhhh Chooo... and Silence is Golden

Well... I hab a code!
Fortunately, I came down with it well after I left my grandchildren last Friday.
Unfortunately (or depending on who you are) it has given me laryngitis, partially plugged ears, a nasty cough, and a stuffy head. YUCK! So today...I missed work, which I was not planning to do since I "burned" all my personal days last week. So my cold is costing me about $60 (unless I can convince my boss to feel sorry for me). The worst part is.. I HATE BEING SICK!!!! (but I guess I can't name anyone who likes to be sick... never personally met a hypochondriac!) Sigh, sniffle... so my husband and students are enjoying a day without the lilting sounds of my voice.

Just one more picture...

Tomorrow I go back to work after a truly unforgettable week of time spent with my grandsons and my new granddaughter. It was wonderful to be able to share such a special moment with Katrina and her family in Sheboygan. Ed and I were again amazed at the miracle of God's gift of life. So tiny, so alive, so beautiful! I miss the kids like crazy already and just had to post one more pick taken on Thursday before we left. Enjoy!

Welcome Home Rhylah!

Rhylah arrived home just a little past noon today. We were all very excited to welcome her! She was all dressed in pink and slept through all the excitement, however.

Grandparents Day

Yesterday (Oct.10) we got to go to our first Grandparents Day! Gabe attends Kindergarten at Trinity Lutheran School in Sheboygan. We spent the morning visiting class and even got to eat lunch at school. It was a weird sort of feeling being on the opposite side of the "teacher fence" as it were.

After the morning festivities, we stopped up to the hospital to visit Kate and Rhylah. Asher got to "hold" the baby with a little help from mom and grandma. It was a special time for him and he's totally infatuated with his "baby Ree-lah", as he calls her.

It's been such a perfect day!

Katrina and Rhylah have completed most of their first day together. It's been a lovely day in Sheboygan... sunny, warm, and SO happy. We visited with the baby and Kate this morning and then went back to the hospital after dinner and spent another hour. Gabriel can't get enough of holding the baby. He just grins so sweetly and rocks her. This has been the most fun to watch because when Asher was born, Gabe was just three himself and he was too shy to hold the baby. Ash, being two, is a bit oblivious the all the hooplah. He walks around saying "Real-ah" and "Baby" and has touched her hands and kissed her cheek. However, he is more concerned with snuggling up next to his mommy when we visit the hospital. I am sure once his new sister comes home, he'll figure out that this "new baby" thing is long term and for real. All in all a most exciting and perfect day!

Welcome to our world, Rhylah Sabrine!

The photos say it all... Little Rhylah arrived with a healthy cry at 7:40am... she weighs 9#15oz and is 21.5" long! And she's already stolen her big brothers' hearts!!!

I Love a Parade!

Homecoming was lots of fun this year. The newest thing done was the first ever LHS Homecoming Parade! Now, mind you, this wasn't the longest parade you will ever see... but it was certainly well attended and everyone who came had fun! And, in spite of all the jokes made earlier in the week, as soon as the drum line started the march cadence, everyone stepped a little livelier and excitement was in the air! You have to love a parade!!!