Happy 42nd Anniversary!

On December 17th Gary and Arlene Komm will celebrate their 42nd Wedding Anniversary. I discovered this picture in my Grandma Komm's scrapbook last year and I think it's a classic. Don't you love how my mom's hair is a perfect beehive even at the lake and my dad is wearing ultra-cool cutoffs? So 60's chic!

Favorite Family Picture

This family picture hung on a wall in our home while I was growing up. I adore this picture of my young parents. Obviously being the baby in the picture, I have no memories of this event, but I have often wondered what my parents thought and hoped for at that time in their lives. Is it a lot of the same things I hope for and dream about for my daughter? Katherine, by the way, thought that I was my mom when I showed her this picture. I do see myself in her, in more ways than physical. For example, only the offspring of Arlene Komm would be sewing nativity costumes in the two weeks before Christmas. In 1971, wearing her perfect helmet hairdo, did she ever think or hope her daughter would grow up to be so much like her in many ways?

A Christmas Kindness

After dropping off our UPS Christmas packages, Katherine and I went into the Rite Aid to pick out a couple of Christmas cards for her relatives living in other states. While we were looking for a card, a woman who was also looking at cards had her cart parked right in front of the Christmas selection. I talked loudly with Katherine about the kind of cards we were looking for, hoping the woman would get the hint for her to move out of the way. She didn't and so we settled for two generic cards.

Then we picked up a couple of other items and went to the cash register to find ourselves behind this same woman again. I thought, "Great, this is going to take forever!" When she was finished with her complicated purchases (were all of the Santa lights the same colors???), she turned to me and asked if Katherine would like to have the little stuffed moose she had received as a gift with purchase. I said, yes, and that it was very kind of her to notice us and to share. I instructed Katherine to tell the woman thank you and to wish her a Merry Christmas.

Immediately I felt guilty for being annoyed with her at the card aisle and then I started to think her charity for us was related to our disheveled appearance. I had no make-up on and Katherine had been dressed by Greg, which means NO COAT. (Remember: he is the crazy guy in the neighborhood known for shoveling snow with shorts and crocs on.) Anyway, my first thoughts were not what they should have been. I should have thought of this woman's kindess and her example of Christian charity.

The experience made me very happy, but it made Katherine confused. All the way home she asked, "Why her give the moose to me, mommy? Why, why, why? Mommy, tell me why her give it to me!" So, during the drive all the way up our hill we had a conversation about kindness and the example Jesus set for us. We explored ways that we can show kindness to others. I'm glad I had that nice teaching moment because what came next was a temper tantrum containing all or many of the following catchphrases: glass slippers, Sponge Bob, my feet itch, Cinderella dress, not like that, chocolate milk, bebe, etc.

A Sheep's Dream Book Review

My mom knew the "Crazy" (as they were referred to) LeBaron clan being raised in the Mormon Colonies in Mexico and Dr. Hatch's sav was slathered on my wounds as a child. Consequently, I was very interested to read this book as I felt familiar with the characters. In the beginning I was absorbed by the topic of polygamy, with all of its mystery and stigma, but that curiosity wore off. The details of the family's poverty and plight were exhausting and after a while I didn't care. By the end of the book I had no sympathy for this woman who took little responsibility for her choices. Throughout the book she tries to convince the reader that she was of strong character, remarkable will, but if she truly were, she would have left the clan and stood up for herself. Hardly a heroine, Irene was pathetic because she chose plural marriage as the fast-track, easy route to heaven. What's more, she really didn't understand the gospel she supposedly was following and the epilogue proves that. It doesn't seem that she ever attempted to learn the truth of Mormonism, but instead believed anything she was told, every falsehood. As a Mormon, I found that the most offensive aspect: her sheeplike character.

Osmondmania Birthday!

My beautiful sister, Leslie, turned 35 on December 6th and we all celebrated together at The Outback. Leslie is posing with one of the gifts I gave her. I thought I was quite clever to scan the picture from the Donny & Marie record we loved as kids and transfer it onto a pillowcase. The story behind this is a Komm Family Legend. When Leslie was a little girl she wanted a Donny pillowcase, among a few other things, and my mom sent in the money and order for the items. The goods were never delivered and even worse, the Donny & Marie Show was cancelled! So, 29 years later I thought I should fulfill her childhood dream. Sweet Dreams, Leslie!

Beginning a Tradition

Since purchasing the tickets several months ago, I have been looking forward to taking Katherine to The Nutcracker for the first time.


Preparing to leave the house was a huge production. Not only did we have to get Katherine dressed and coifed, but Nellie (the doll), too. I found this adorable black velvet and gold dress with matching doll dress at TJ Maxx about 3 months ago and thought it perfect as Kat's Christmas dress. Poor Greg was enlisted to change Nellie's clothes. (If you're wondering why there is a little mattress on the floor of our bedroom, know that it is phase 1 of getting Katherine out of our bed and into her own room.)
At the theatre, Katherine was adorable in her curls, holding her doll with matching dress and black velvet gloves that she couldn't stop chewing on. Katherine was mesmerized by the production and was particularly concerned about the Rat King being killed. Our seats were on the second row in the center so we could view all of the dancers very well. I think sitting so close helped to keep Katherine's attention. She was very well behaved and very courteous to speak only in a whisper.

The beginning of a beautiful Christmastime tradition.

P.S. Please notice the fish on the Christmas tree just to the right of my head. This is the ornament Katherine picked as her ornament of the year. I tried to steer her toward a Santa or a fairy princess, but she wanted the fish.

Pepsi Dust

I bought several sets of these wings for a 4th birthday party for Katherine this next summer. As I was cleaning out the toy closet she found them and pulled one set out. She asked, "Mom, are these dragonfly wings for me?" The wings were out of the bag, so to speak, so I let her play with them. As I continued to clean she tried flying around the room but was so disappointed the wings weren't working. She decided that what she lacked was Pixie Dust. I told her I didn't have any Pixie Dust, but I had some Pepsi Dust. So, she took a sip of my Diet Pepsi (terrible, I know) and climbed on a chair and jumped off, exclaiming, "I'm flying! I'm flying! Mom, the Pepsi Dust works!" Yes, sweetheart, I feel the same way when I drink the Pepsi Dust.

It Goes to Eleven!

This week I got the call from Duke, as in the PET Imaging Duke, to schedule my semi-annual scan. Duke informed me that I would be having my ELEVENTH scan and that it is the most ever done at Cancer Care Northwest. Actually I'm tied with 2 other people, but still, it's a pretty good sign that I'm still around to have had eleven scans.

As much as I like Duke, I don't like getting the call to make an appointment. It makes Greg and me very nervous that my cancer may be back, that I may have to go to through more chemotherapy or radiation. So, for 24 hours after the scan until we hear from Dr. Nichols, we are anxious and nervous, waiting for the results.

GOOD NEWS! There isn't any activity anywhere except for one small blip at the site of my last surgery in October. It may be due to the surgery, may be a lymph node, but I'll have an abdominal scan to make sure. At least there is no liver activity and it's not in my bone. Woo-Hoo!

For those of you who aren't familiar with the PET Imaging procedure, I'd thought a little info may be useful and perhaps interesting.


"Positron emission tomography, also called PET imaging or a PET scan, is a diagnostic examination that involves the acquisition of physiologic images based on the detection of radiation from the emission of positrons. Positrons are tiny particles emitted from a radioactive substance administered to the patient. The subsequent images of the human body developed with this technique are used to evaluate a variety of diseases. PET scans are used most often to detect cancer and to examine the effects of cancer therapy by characterizing biochemical changes in the cancer. These scans can be performed on the whole body. "

That's the technical information, but I just call it my 2 hour nap!

Tagged

I've been "tagged" by my friend, Heather, to post 7 little known facts about myself:

1) My secret desire is to sing in front of a big band, dressed in a fabulous 40's gown. I'd sing the oldies like "Someone to Watch Over Me," "As Time Goes By," "L-O-V-E," etc. When I'm alone in the car I play my Natalie Cole or Frank Sinatra CD's and belt out the tunes, imagining being on stage with a fabulous brass band accompanying me. I must have watched too much Lawrence Welk when I was a kid.

2) Whenever I fly, I always take two "trashy" magazines with me to read on the flight: People and In Touch. The duration of most of the flights allows me to get through both of the mags and their crossword puzzles. Reading about celebs and catching up on the gossip keeps my mind off being in the airplane, the time going by and other traveling stresses.

3) I actually enjoy doing laundry. I like sorting, working out stains, folding, ironing. The smell of warm clothes coming out of the dryer is comforting to me. Putting the clothes into neat piles after folding satisfies my need for organization. I use fragranced linen water when I iron so there is a pleasant smell as I work out the wrinkles. What I don't enjoy is emptying the dishwasher; it makes me feel like I'm moving in reverse.

4) I'm a book snob. Snobbish not only in the books I choose to read but about the books' condition. I recently bought a book on Amazon that had a big food stain that seeped through several pages. It grossed me out and I began imagining the slob who couldn't even wipe off the sauce, left it and then sold it to me claiming it to be in "like new" condition. I seriously had to put the book down for a while and then contemplated using alcohol and a Q-tip to remove the offensive marks. To avoid such angst-filled situations, I usually buy new books, chosen carefully for their unmarked and perfect covers. I like crisp, clean pages and the new smell when the cover is opened. It's a drug for me. And when I read a book, I don't bend the pages or crease the binding so that it remains truly LIKE NEW and can be sold on Amazon.com if I don't want to keep the book or share it with a friend.

5) After reading #4, you may be surprised by my next little-known fact: I like Wal-Mart. I go at least once a month to stock up on essentials and I enjoy the experience. I like the prices, the selection and I really like that our Wal-Mart has added groceries.

6) I'm addicted to selling on ebay. I am quite a shopaholic and ebay is my cure to shopping mistakes. It also helps to buy new things by selling my used items. For example, I earn the money to buy Katherine's Gymboree clothes by selling the used collections. I come out about even on the cost since I only buy sale items, and usually at the end of the season for the next year. I'm in the middle of a BIG SALE right now and just sold 35 lots=Christmas money and paying off my last trip to the Park City Outlets.

7) I have never made bread without the aid of a breadmaker. Yeast scares me. In 8th Grade Homemaking the teacher did a demonstration on breadmaking and it freaked me out. Something seemed so complicated about it, but I have no problem dumping yeast in my breadmaker to make dough for cinnamon rolls or breads. I must get over my fears.

I'm tagging Marja, Lynette, Tifani, Kristina, Tristan, Kimberly and Missy

3 Ways to Sled Down a Hill. . .

There's a great sledding hill in the vacant lot across from our house. Leslie and Kimberly brought their kids and we tried some sledding, 3 methods:


1) Preston & Corbin in long sled


2) Kimberly attempts the saucer

3) Free form rolling by Katherine (she did this intentionally)