Just Three Words...

DENIM AND DIAMONDS

This guy was decked out in my favorite ensemble at the Denim and Diamonds Brigade Ball.

Of course Nick and I didn't take any pictures together. :( Here I am with my girlfriend, Misty.

Nick and his Battalion Commander, LTC Ninness, after taking a shot together. :-P

17 months old!

Our baby girl turned 17 months old today! She has been enjoying her vertical vantage point for the last six weeks (or so) and is getting nearer to running each day. She's a climber and a dancer (she bobs her head to the music) and loves to go down the big slides at the park. Emmy's proven to be a friendly little monkey, calling out "hi" to whomever is in ear shot. She repeats herself until she is heard and responded to in kind. She blows lots of kisses, which has led to a few talks about not giving her precious kisses away for free.

She has so much to say. I am overjoyed that she most clearly articulates the word "happy." Other favorite words are: "Mama," "Dada," "Emmy," "Mol-Mol," "Darda," "ball," "cheese," "bye," and "baby." She loves to sing songs, and claps appropriately when we finish. She now likes to wipe her face with a napkin at meal time and blows on her food to ensure it's cool before consumption, even if it wasn't heated. The meals that she is most likely to finish is homemade chicken soup and black beans and rice. She's usually far more interested in what's on my plate than what's on her own (even if it's the same meal.)

Unfortunately, we are beginning to get a taste of the tantrum phase. She gets frustrated when we don't understand her "words" (even with her clapping, pointing, and increasing volume) or if we take away whatever inappropriate object has caught her fancy. Luckily, she is easily distractible and can be quickly calmed with a song or offering an alternative play toy. I have a hunch it wont be this easy forever, I am bracing myself now! We have enjoyed small victories lately, though, as she has begun to respond to our lessons on manners. In the last couple of days, I have noticed a recognizable "pee" (for please) and "tae-tu" (for thank you). Hallejuah!!!!

I caught it on "film"! Her "up to no good look!"

She is sabotaging my best efforts to keep my flowers alive!

Grand-Mother's Day

It seemed so appropriate that I fly home to California to celebrate my Grandma Odell (GiGi to Emmy) on Mother's Day Weekend. Her health had been declining for a few years now, so her passing was not a surprise. Instead, there was a great sense of relief that she was no longer in pain.

Despite the fact that she was ready for this passage, it doesn't diminish how dearly she is missed. The entire family, minus my great Aunt Dort and my cousin, Clare, (who was proctoring the AP test to her students in the Bronx) gathered at Lone Tree Cemetery in Hayward, at her grave site, right next to Grandpa's, on Friday, May 6th at 10 am. Kris wore Grandma's most prized possession: her Christian Dior hat. Grandma had a flair for the dramatic, and I am quite certain that she was smiling in Heaven seeing Kris adorned in her beloved floral head piece. Father Rusty presided over the meaningful ceremony. Aunt Kerry shared a list that she, Dad, Uncle Kent and Uncle Kevin had compiled the evening Grandma died as to what is in Grandma's Heaven. It was hilarious, and a tradition that I think should be incorporated into every funeral. Even in death, Grandma had us all in stitches, as we appreciated many of the unique preferences that made her the Grandma we love so intensely. Uncle Kent read an inspiring poem about death, of which they'd found two copies in her home and believe may have provided Grandma comfort in the wake of Grandpa's untimely death in 1986.

Grandma always had long goodbyes. There was never a question as to how much she cherished you, because our conversations were always riddled with "I love yous" and "I'm so proud of yous," especially as our conversations were winding down to an end. It was always unclear as to when was the right time to hang-up the phone, because there was always another "I love you" being said. When entering her home, Grandma would always greet us at the door, and one by one, she'd cup our faces in her hands and give the gentlest kisses. She'd linger a moment longer and hold us close, cheek to cheek before releasing us. "Oh my babies are here!" she'd exclaim. Her giggles were infectious, and often times came out sounding more like a "hoot." Grandma was, even up to our last conversation in July, the sharpest-witted person I know. She was never without a playful comeback or a thoughtful limerick (she was quite the poetess.)

Grandma made holidays even more special. In my childhood, I remember all of us grandchildren getting our own piece of paper with a unique, hand written limerick. It was our hint as to where we'd find our Easter baskets. Half the fun of the game was reading each other's poems. Grandma would also make a "Daddy Cookie Cake" of chocolate wafers and whipped cream on Christmas Day and would then light candles and lead us in singing "Happy Birthday to Jesus." Another one of my favorite childhood memories was, after a long day riding my decorated tricycle in the neighborhood Fourth of July parade, we bundled up and sat on Grandma's front patio to watch the several firework displays taking place simultaneously over the San Francisco Bay. It was the best seat in the house, with, undeniably, the best company in town. I can now appreciate all of the time and effort that Grandma put into making the holidays special for us, she established family traditions that will not soon be forgotten.

I always loved spending the day at Grandma's house when mom needed help with babysitting. Grandma always had a wide assortment of foods that Mom never let us eat (corn dogs! 7-up! American Cheese! Yum-o!) Not to mention, we'd always create a fun new clay sculpture (one that was baked AND painted!) as a souvenir from our day at Grandma's. We'd spend hours raiding her well-stocked dress-up box and put on shows from the elevated walkway at her home as she cheered us on from her cozy chair in the living room below. Two of our favorite ensembles were the "traditional" African dresses she sewed for us for a school play. Grandma had a special fondness for the Royal Family (she was a history buff, earning a degree in that area of study at the same time my mom and Aunt Kerry were in college, of course Grandma kept her accomplishment under wraps and, instead, directed all praise to the younger college co-eds). In one of our afternoons together, Grandma, Kris and I wrote Princess Diana a letter. A few weeks later, we got a response (from an assistant)! The excitement we three shared is something that has stayed with me all these years. If only she'd been witness to William and Kate's wedding as she was for Prince Charles and Princess Diana's. Pictures show that she and Aunt Kerry celebrated the earlier wedding with tea, crowns and crumpets in the wee hours of the morning just as Mom, Kris, Clairey, Emmy and I did last month. Great minds think alike. ;)

She knew better than to take life too seriously, and derived great joy in hearing about drama in the lives of others, better still, embellishing those stories when she retold them. Grandma was a rebel in every sense of the word, which is proven by the fact that my dad, Brian, was the only one of their four children that my Grandpa gave her free reign to name. So, what did she do? She broke the "K" tradition of Kent, Kevin and Kerry, which followed behind Grandpa's siblings "J" tradition with John, Jim and Jane. Grandma also had wonderfully thoughtful advice to share (with me), most notably on how to land a husband and to conceive a child. Only with Grandma would that not be an uncomfortable conversation. I will forever cherish our candid gossip sessions, her brilliant creativity and her gentle, loving demeanor.

After burying her ashes, we all gathered at her home to recount the good times. It's the first time I can recall being with my whole family without Grandma physically present. Kris and I made a bee-line to her bookshelf and spent the better part of a couple of hours flipping through the pages of Grandma's photo albums. We found warm comfort in reading her clever captions, it was as if she was telling us the story herself. Best of all, though, was seeing her beautiful, smiling face:

Grandma in High School

Nursing School picture

Grandma and Grandpa, a doctor, met at Denver General in 1948. (This man is NOT Grandpa!!) It seems that Grandma was always up to something news-worthy! We found at least 4 newspaper clippings including her lovely face and recognizable name.

Grandma sent this picture to Grandpa when he was in Japan & Korea as Navy Flight Surgeon in 1952. Grandma had been proposed to by 5 different men before she accepted Grandpa's hand in marriage. Quite the catch! :)

Handsome pair...I think this is my favorite picture of them. :)

So happy!

Family portrait in 1984

Halloween 1985

1985...I love this one! My favorite part might be Mom's hair.

Christmas 1985

(from left: Uncle Kevin, Aunt Nora, Uncle Kent, his then girlfriend, Mom (with me), Dad, Aunt Kerry, Grandpa, Grandma (with Kris).

Grandma (left), Aunt Dort (center), Aunt Bodie (right)

Skipping ahead 25 years (I still have a bunch of photo albums to go through)...

Grandma meets Emmy, February 2010

Last visit, July 2010.

Kris wearing "The Hat" for Grandma. We were certain she was smiling down on us.

In Mom’s Heaven . . .

(By Kent Odell, Kevin Odell, Brian Odell & Kerry Odell)

Dad is waiting to whisper endearments in her ear like “I love you FartFace.”

Someone else always does the cooking.

There are no freeways or bridges or roads at the edges of mountains.

There are unlimited numbers of babies to hold and toddlers to amuse with "forts" and Olympic track-and-field courses.

All movies star either Spencer Tracy or Sean Connery.

Deer only eat weeds.

Beds are warmed before you ever get into them.

All cheese is American.

The permanent Republican majority is a fact.

She can tap dance to more songs than "It's a Grand Ole Flag"

She gets a new Lillian Vernon catalog every day and can pick something out for Brian.

The ground can be dug without a rock hammer.

Dad will never “wait until the last dog is hung” before coming home for dinner.

When she yells at the TV, they can hear her.

There is nothing on which she can stub her toe.

All sandwiches are made on squishy white bread, and the bread is always buttered.

Everyone knows that Richard the Third is innocent of killing the little princes.

Gardenias are easy to grow.

Everyone speaks up.

There is always a guy around to whom she can say “You stink, you stink, you stink.”

It rains at naptime.

They are still making new episodes of “Upstairs, Downstairs” and Mr. Hudson serves her snacks.

She actually gets to meet Great Caesar’s Ghost.

There is no Cool Whip – only real whipped cream – and the jello is always red.

There are soda can holders so that “she can make that Coke last for f***ing ever.”

There is always room for another person at the table.

Chugga Chugga Choo Choo!!

Out of our nearly one month of block leave, we set aside one week to go on some fun family outings!  We went to the park, we went for a long walk on the Greenway and we took Emmy to the train exhibit at Cheekwood Botanical Gardens in Nashville...My only complaint is that it went by way too quickly!

Just Three Words...

MY MOUNTAIN MAN

After one month of facial hair growth, this was my new husband.  His clean shaven face was the only benefit of block leave coming to a close. :-P

Food is overrated.

Long story short, I have a nervous stomach.  I wont go into gross detail, but, since I was a little kid I've regularly complained of belly aches (legitimate ones.)

I learned of a highly recommended holistic medical doctor here in town, whose focus is on wellness and health maintenance.  I figured now was as good a time as any to get to the bottom of this issue.  My initial appointment went well, as my new doctor spent exponentially more time with me than any other doctor I've seen in my whole life.  Bold, but true, statement.

I left with a binder and a prescription: I was to be on a detoxification/restoration diet for the next month.  At the end of the month, I would begin reintroducing foods, one by one, and maintaining a food journal to note how they make me feel.  This would help me (and my doctor) to identify any trigger foods.  Excited for the prospect of a belly-ache-free existence, I practically skipped out of the office ready for the challenge.

Then, I arrived home and actually reviewed the diet outline.  I (naturally) got nervous.  I was expected to cut out: dairy, wheat, gluten, corn, soy, eggs, sugar, preservatives, red meat (except lamb and venison), shellfish, most fish, citrus fruits, tomatoes, eggplant, mushrooms, peppers, peanuts, cashews....etc. The list goes on and on.  Unfortunately, I also arrived home with a trunk full of groceries, most of which fell on my "avoid" list.

After a hungry night of recipe research, menu planning, consulting with Kris and the wonderful Jen Landgraf (both have adhered to restrictive diets), and shopping trips to the health food aisle at Kroger and Whole Foods (in Nashville), I was ready to go!

The timing has certainly been a challenge considering it fell during Nick's block leave and we just so happened to have a number of social events where there was plenty of "to be avoided" food present.  My self discipline has never been so tested, but, I am a stubborn woman who is sick and tired of tummy aches!  I am three weeks in, and feeling GREAT!

There's a lot to be said for just eating healthy, natural foods.  I now have greater empathy for those people who suffer from food allergies and the scrutiny with which they must look at the nutrition labels.  I have also appreciated the opportunity to sample foods I wouldn't have otherwise known about, especially coconut milk, rice flour and almond butter.  While I am very much looking forward to eating bread again, I am grateful to have better insight into healthier options with which to feed my family.  I have much greater perspective now as to the power of your diet on you overall health and well being...

3 Men and a Baby

As we planned out our block leave month, quality time with Ben and Grant topped the list of must-dos.  Lucky for us, Grant already had plans to head to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby, so all we needed to do was coax Ben into coming out this way, too.  Mission: Accomplished!!

Nick was like a kid in a candy shop preparing for his brothers to arrive.  I readily admit that he was more than ready for some good old fashioned guy time, as the estrogen level in our house is exceedingly high; not to mention Ben and Grant are a couple of the coolest cats I know.

They enjoyed two nights out on the town, played some frisbee golf, and an impromptu firebowl gathering well past midnight on Tuesday night.  (I know this because the flickering firelight penetrated both my bedroom blinds and my eyelids.)  Nick also peer-pressured them into completing a workout with him in his new Crossfit garage gym.  Emmy and I were more than happy to serve as cheerleaders!

Ben and Grant could not have been any more doting on our Emmy girl, between playing in the yard, finger painting, and navigating the play structure at the park.  They got to spend even more time with her while in the car en route to Louisville.  Given that Nick had to drop me off at the Nashville airport before dawn last Thursday, the timing was a little off for the two and a half hour roadtrip to deposit Ben at the Louisville airport and Grant at the Derby.  Emmy was fresh off her naptime when they pulled out of the drive way.  Her renewed spunk led to Uncle Grant, who must've drawn the short straw requiring him to be her seat mate, needing to entertain and feed her continuously for the duration of their trip.  Of course Nick's not one for play-by-play explanations (unlike myself), but the image I have in my head of the three boys, I mean men, tending to Emmy that day brings a giant smile to my face.  She is one lucky girl!

 Watch out Uncle Grant, here I come!

Slid right into Uncle Ben's loving arms!

It takes a village.

Watching Daddy, Uncle Grant and Uncle Ben's high intensity frisbee game!

 Where's Emmy??

 There she is!!!

If you're happy and you know it clap your hands!!

 Emmy's favorite way to kiss.

Uncle Ben taught her how to "pass" the ball, although it doesn't look like it in this picture.

Meet me in Salt Lake!

Kris and I chatted on the phone as she sat at the airport in Indy and I hung out at Nashville International before traveling to California for Grandma's burial service.  Before hanging up, I decided to get the details of her travel day:

A: "Where's your layover?"

K: "Salt Lake."

A: "Wow, me too!"

K: "Are you on Delta?"

A: "Yeah!  What time does your flight leave?"

K: "11:10, do you leave then too!?!?"

A: "YES!! We're on the same flight!!!"

K: "What seat are you in? I'm in 14F!"

A: "17F!!!!"

Of course, we changed our seats so that we could sit together just as soon as we arrived to the gate.  I can't remember the last time I got to fly with Kris without kiddos, it was positively blissful! We chatted the whole way, making the 2 hours flight seem like nothing at all!  It was the most wonderful way to start off our family weekend!

My Kris!!!!