Catchin' Up

Nothing much new in the Land of Chockleys but we're busy passing the time while Phillip is gone. We've been in MT for 3 weeks now and having a blast. I had the opportunity to go with Mom and Dad to the Montana State University at Billings annual fundraiser which is a Wine and Food Fest. It's mostly about the wine! They have 2 nights of events. The first night is heavy hors d'oeuvres and wine tasting along with a silent auction and then the second night is a sit down dinner, more wine tasting, more silent auctions and a live auction. There wasn't a durn thing I could afford at the auction but it was fun to watch. After living in Italy I now find it amusing to see and try what caterers refer to as Italian antipasti. It's usually way too dressed up, overly marinated or a combination of the two. But for the most part the hors d'oeuvres were luscious!

Our friends Jay and Michelle headed out here with their two boys for a few days. Ella falls in between James (4) and John Michael (2) so it was a great time for all. We went Memorial Day over to Cody, Wyoming, home of Buffalo Bill. There is a large museum there honoring Native Americans, the life and times of Buffalo Bill and a large gun museum. While we were there Buffalo Bill made an appearance; Ella and the boys had their picture made with him. He really looked just like him. It was pretty neat. Ella informed him her daddy was in Iraq and that "he is brave." Buffalo Bill was taken back and said, "you're gonna make me cry!" He was so sweet about it and told her that her daddy IS very brave. He was wearing an Americana scarf and he explained to her that he wears it in honor of those that serve. He actually served during Vietnam. Ella has no idea what "brave" really means, but it's something Mommy has told her about Daddy since he left but to hear her little 3 year-old self declare, "my daddy's brave!" makes me melt every time. She told me a few weeks ago that she needed to go get Daddy some "green medicine." When I inquired why daddy needed "green medicine" she said because he wouldn't have to be "brave anymore." I think she thought if daddy took some "green medicine" (her favorite color) then he wouldn't need to be brave and therefore he could come home.

I could write a book about Ella and her sayings or philosophies on life. Sometimes they make me laugh so hard I could cry and sometimes they just make me cry. Kind of like Forest Gump and his box of chocolates, with Ella, you just never know what you're gonna get. I love sayings like "next behinds me", Ella speak for "will you sit beside me" she clearly mixed beside me and next to me together. She also says, "I want different else" again, a mixture of something else and something different. I've also learned that Ella has no concept of when we're in a public restroom that it's best to just not talk at all. I'm so thankful for stall walls between us and those next to us. I'm certain there were a few ladies that just about lost it as Ella declared to the entire bathroom that she and I had matching pink panties, and if I thought her Uncle Micah was wearing pink panties as well. Now, if I could just remember to keep my purse closed as it sits beside her in the grocery cart, I'd be good to go. That's a story for another day! I do praise the Lord that I've out grown my easily embarrassed phase as a result of my 3-year-old. I think the man behind me at the check out counter and the cashier were far more embarrassed than I could have been. Ahh, good times!

Josie has discovered Nash and of course she loves him. He didn't seem to mind the attention either. Bless his heart she got his hair pretty good a few times and he just looked at me like "Honestly, is that necessary?" SHE IS STRONG!

Well, until next time...