Rasmania 102

Funny story and correction from last week's letter.  The picture with Finn competing against the only girl on the team was a mistake.  That wasn't a girl, it was a boy.  I guess Finn's on an all-boy team after all. Nan, Christine and me.  Lunch at Wild Peru.  It is so fun to get together.  This was a treat for my birthday, but we need to do it more often than three times a year. (This activity was the week previous to this one). Christine sent this letter she found from my Grandpa Cook to my dad.  It shows that my dad started out life like most people--poor.  But he was still thoughtful and respectful of his parents. Elijah is off oxygen and looking sweet and peaceful.   The little red mark is from the tape holding the oxygen chords Zack got his first haircut this week.  Crista said he shook his head no, afterwards, so she doesn't think he liked it. I had the opportunity to go to Ollie's basketball game this week.  Because his ...

The big news of this past week is the birth of Elijah Wolf Howell, to Jennie and Jordan.  He weighed 6 lbs. 5 oz. and was 20 inches long.  He had a little bit of a rough start and is still in the NICU.  His blood sugar was low, and then he's been a little inconsistant with his breathing.  He may come home tomorrow, but if so, he'll probably come home with an oxygen tank.  I picked photos without his hat to show off his hair.  (His name is pronounced with a soft "jah"). His sister Foster has been a trooper and has slept and played at both my house and Sara's.   Foster and Ori.  Sara took care of Foster most of the time.   The timing of the Howell move into larger quarters couldn't have been worse.  The baby was due on the 5th and Jennie was hoping to get moved on the first; before the baby was born.  Instead, the doctor wanted to induce labor on the 26th.  He was born right before midnight (11:53 PM) on Feb. 26, my mot...

Happy Birthday to Thomas on the 21st This picture was taken in January 1993 by Tom Carlile and given to us after Tom's passing. Dad and I decided that it was too cold and snowy to decorate the grave, but the weather didn't stop other family members from remembering Tom.   Harvey, Mav, Bevy and Max went to a buffet as Elise has memories of eating with Thomas at "Ryans Buffet" in Alpharetta, GA. (long out of business). Adrienne took the kids to send balloons off to Tom, another long-standing tradition. Experience wtih Nick and Sara For Christmas Nick and Sara gave Roy and me an "experience" gift.  We cashed in on it on Friday evening and made homemade pasta together.  It went so smoothly.  I've tried making it before and I didn't have nearly the success we had in the class.  Of course, we had great tools to thin out and cut the pasta. We also made Alfredo sauce.  It was delicious, but how could it not be with an entire cube of butter and heavy cream?...

We had a great time with Ori and Yuna celebrating their 11th birthdays.  Ori's been patient to wait for Yuna to turn 11 so they could go together and pick out their gifts.  Yuna didn't have to wait at all; we went out right on her birthday. This was the dessert they made themselves before the waitress came over to sing to them,  birthday desserts in hand. As if they hadn't eaten enough, the waitress brought them these huge cookie-ice cream sandwiches.  Ori just moved hers around, but Yuna ate quite a bit of hers. Shopping with the birthday girls. Harvey dressed up as "purple."  Earlier he had Elise help him purchase a blue hoody with his own money (and a little bit of Elise's money, too).  When he got home he drew on a face on the hoody in permanent marker because he wanted a costume.  He watches a show called Rainbow Friends.  He wanted to be the blue friend.  Above is a picture of the rainbow friends.  Pretty good for an almost 5 year-...