"Blue Screen"

In our latest episode "At Papa's Cabin" we put Anders' in front of a "blue screen" to make it look more woodsy?! I hope you like the effect!
(this swing actually hangs from the corner of the cabin. Doesn't it look fake?)

FFA

Gunnar's been saying lately "when I grow up, I want to be a farmer!" in fact he said "I will be the farmer on grandpa Bob's farm". Thought this might make his grandpa happy. Someone to inherit the farm. He has a reflective personality, he's not given to book learning but much more hand's on. He's precious.....and if he wants to be a farmer.....than have it Gunnar! You've got lot's of forefather's paving the way!

"Objects in Mirror are cuter than they appear!"

This weekend we sent to Bryan, TX to visit our children's "adopted Texas grandparents". Lee's (our brother-in-law) parents live in Bryan (affectionately known as Nana & Papa). Our kids love to go for many reasons but especially the "cabin". They have some property, a little hand built cabin and some livestock. It rained the whole weekend! We went for a little bit to play in the cabin and the kids rode in the back of the truck while Papa fed the horses and goats. I was in the truck and got a glimpse of the cutest little kids in Texas!

"Adenoidectomy" (sounds like a good episode?

The day started with fasting. THis was his attitude the entire way into Houston. "Mom, if you're not going to give me milk, ya gettin' no love!"
I can handle this, a weird green frog that says "get well", some funky pajamas, and a lot of serious technical equipment I can get into! Anders actually was going a little "crazy" at this point because it was now nearing 9am and still no food and still no doctor in sight. The anestesiologist suggested a little "calming" medicine!
45 minutes later, no adenoids, tubes inserted and a "sinus lavage" we walked into recovery. When we walked into recovery I could hear him from the door! NOT HAPPY! He screamed and fought for over 30 minutes until the nurse gave him "something to calm down!" IN true Anders fashion....he didn't go down without a fight!! This was a few minutes of still we had when it kicked in. Moments later he was back to crying!

Last Days....

In our lives I suppose we have a lot of "last day". We have last day of kindergarten (as was true for Audra this morning). She'll never do kindergarten again. It will now serve as a memory of firsts for her. Someday she'll have....the last day of fifth grade (as is the case for her dear cousin Greta) who will be entering the doors of Junior High next Fall. She'll have a last day of middle school.....her cousin Tyra gets that this year!! She gets to start her Freshmen year in High School. Her cousin Joey soon...gets his "last day" of Freshmen year.... WE have last day of college, last day at a job, last day of being single, last day before becoming parents....last day to before being a home owner. The list is endless. For Audra....today it was sweet. for me...it was the last day of "rollerblading!" for this year. Almost every morning Audra rode her bike and I rollerbladed, pushing the boys to school.....
Happy "last day" to all of you......

The Ladies of Univeristy Baptist Adult 1 ...

And here they are....
Women at the "water well".

"Brunch after Lunch"

Saturday I had fun hosting "brunch after lunch" for the women in our Sunday School class. In true "Pam" fashion there were cute plates/napkins, good gooey food, a few tasteful decorations and a little music. It's not often we get to host these days. The whole reason it had to be "after lunch" was because all these women have kids in sports!!!!! Thus no one could do it Saturday morning. Is this where we're headed? Can women no longer meet "at the water well, or by the river" because they're children have "things'! Ugh....women unite! Can we make a priority to spend time together as women have done for centuries before us or will we be relegated to carpools and carseats?
Aunt Colette & our sweet neighbor Cecily across the street helped with food. Cecily's husband brought over a gaggle of roses that when placed in my mom's old Swedish coffee maker made a beautiful centerpiece!

Graduation Day!!

Yesterday was Audra Colette Carlson's graduation day from Kindergarten! Congratulations Audra..... You made it with 6 less teeth and lots more knowledge!

They sang this song for the parents to the tune of "New York, New York":
(sing it out loud yourself with a shy little voice, slightly off tune and you'll get the idea)

Start spreading the news
we're leaving today
we want to be a part of it, first grade, first grade
we worked very hard
and aren't we all proud
so open up those doors for us, first grade, first grade
we know our alphabet and all our numbers too
we all can write our names and tie our shoes
so when summer's done and school's begun
you can come find us here again but in first grade
If we can make it there, we'll make it anywhere
So here we come first grade, FIRST GRADE!!!!!!!!!

O Happy DAY!!!:)

Cast change....

The part of "teenage Jann" is now being played by Audra Carlson. Audra's other performances include "I'm so blue I don't know what to do", "I have enough drama for the lott-a-ya" and "When do I get to be a grown up!". Stay tuned for critic reviews....

Birthday Girl

Happy Birthday Nana!

Happy Mother's Day 2007....

This is kind of a random picture but the only one we took on Mother's Day that is horizontal!!
My ode to Mothers....
I have a lot of mother's in my life. I have my mom (Pam mother of 5), my mother in law (Bubbles, mother of two-loving husband included), Nana (Italian mother of two and my children's "Texas Nana") my grandma GG, mother of two and Grandmother, (mother of three!) my sisters, Jann & Jill are both Mothers of two amazing children (my precious nieces and nephews, my sisters-in-law Elise & Colette each have two children (more amazing nieces and nephew). My cousin Michelle (mother of one and one on the way from another country no less!) There is my friend... Amanda who mothers Olivia & Dylan with grace, my friend Kirsten, a tender picture of motherhood, mother of Simone, there is my entire MOMS group that has met for three years....pushing, praying, cheering each other on....Monica (mother of three), Beth (two and one on the way!), Misty (baby #1 on the way!), & me, Amanda & Colette. There is an entire fleet of Lindaman girl cousins that are moms (and boy cousins' wives!) All of them....a picture of motherhood.... Lori, Lisa, Karen, Karlynn, Nicki, Michelle, Sandy, Kym, Linda, Camie, Cara, Carla & Crystal! All MOMS!!! then there are their mothers....my aunts....Auntie Jean Ann, Auntie Theda, Auntie Jan, Auntie Ellen, Auntie Carol, Chris' precious Aunt Jan and Bubbles Beloved Sister Aunt Nancy (mother of three and already with Jesus!) Then there are "moms" like our precious Gail who has never given birth but has mothered more babies than she could count!
Should I go on?
Here is the tribute....When you're a mom......you don't make the Who's Who's list?! You don't get praise and compliments for how many times you pack a lunch for school, or change a dirty diaper, or potty training, or driving boys to baseball practice. You don't get a standing ovation for sitting at gymnastics watching your girls, or teaching your child manners. Nobody beats down your door to say.....Hey...I've seen how hard you are working with your kids and I'd love to just compliment you (and give you two hours off). There is not a lot in the way of "encouragement" day to day as a mom. Our children say things like "that's not fair, or I want more, or NO MOMMY" and our husbands are busy at work. But somebody was Einstein's mom, and CS Lewis, and Churchill. Some mother prayed for John Wesley, for Martin Luther King. Somebody was a mother to the cashier we see at Randalls every week and somebody worked so they could feed their children, stopped working so they could be a mom. One common thought among moms is.... " Every other mom has it together but me!" and that is the bubble that needs to pop. Everyone has laundry, grocery lists, unmended clothes, bills to be paid, meals to be cooked, apologizes to be said, merchandize to return, guilt and children who think they are the "most beautiful mom in the world".
Here's to the moms in my life. For paving the way, for coming along side, for being real, for sharing the load. Here's to real women everywhere that GOD ordained, or as it says in Timothy "enabled us for this ministry" (I'm wondering if it's a ministry, if we could get a little extra funding and some volunteers??). Here's to motherhood ladies and a few good hours of rest!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO OUR MOMS!!
It's hard to imagine that you don't really really really appreciate fully what your mom did and does for you until you have your own children. THEN you get it. Thank you mom (both of our moms) for all that you are. We celebrate you today......both in New Mexico & Minnesota!
We love you.....

For Mimi...

Today was Auntie Colette's Spring piano recital. She teaches a handful of children piano and this year she added to her list, her precious Katherine (Audra's best bud and cousin). These were taken today. I know Mimi wishes she could have been so I wanted to send her some pictures! We missed you Mimi...

The Anatomy of a Smile...

Admittedly not her "best look". Audra has lost her second top tooth. She now has three big ol' permanent teeth, awaiting the arrival of the second top one. It is so comical to me to witness the "struggle" Anders is going through to give birth to his 1 year molars, while Audra is parting ways with hers....already! We just got these things? Isn't there a warranty? Some sort of "grace period" where we don't have to deal with teeth for awhile? The dentist said....oh for sure she's going to need braces. Just no way around, too many teeth, not enough room (just like her mom). She lost that tooth this week and in a flash it seems we said goodbye to our "baby girl" and hello to our new "big girl". She graduates from kindergarten next week....way to go Audra!

Summer's Back

Just like that.....the humidity returns to Houston. It sits over us like a heavy blanket. The kind you want to kick off when you get too hot at night. only....You can't!! It waits for you, when you open the door it wraps itself around you, clinging to your neck. It even surpises you by being there early in the morning when you open the door expecting to catch a fresh breeze, it says...welcome to a new day of sweating my friend! It stakes it's claim until October. It's here...to stay.
Summer.....Ice Cream....Gotta have it!

Episode #115... The Petting Zoo!

Did somebody say Goats? in my backyard?
yes.....there were goats in my backyard yesterday (is the episode!) More details to come on this one. Cousin Lucy was the star of this episode. she's an animal lover, even goats!

Just a cute pic...

Here were the three amigos ready for church yesterday morning. Anders got a "summer cut". The lady who was cutting kept getting shorter and shorter and said "is it ok to make it this short?" I replied...."My husband says the difference between a good haircut and a bad haircut for a boy is about two weeks! So sure...short is fine!:)"

Prince Charming alive and well...

For every beauty waiting to be rescued, here is where Prince Charming lives. Although he's not quite 3 feet, he's handsome, strong and tenacious! He might be a real catch when's he's potty trained! (P.S. he dressed himself)

Backyard Beauty

We planted this "Oleander" in the backyard to shade our AC unit in the dog-days of summer. But each year it gives us a little "something, something" to look at and savor. The droopy pink bloossoms hang on for a short while and then drop to the ground to be mowed over and return to the earth. But we wait with anticipation late in the Spring for their return.

Field Trip

Imagine for a moment pulling up to the Zoo parking lot and thinking "Oh there is my child's bus". No, that's Angelton ISD, oh no that's Fort Bend ISD, huh...there is Goose Creek, Katy, Houston ISD!!!!! Finally.... we see Clear Creek ISD school buses pull up and I am here to tell you there were no less than 50, maybe 100 bus loads of kids at the Zoo today! Audra had her field trip to the Zoo and I chaparoned. This was our group of 5 girls. Squirrelly but fine... The highlight? Was the River Otter! There class is called the "Otters!"