Pass The Torch Tuesday

This is DaHubby and my siblings-in-law. Twenty years span from oldest to youngest.

I still don't know how my MIL did it! *wink* Particularly since she had all 3 girls before she was 21! LOL And, by the time she was the age I had Flicka, her oldest was nearly married! LOL

But, seriously, these are a cool bunch of people including David who is no longer with us. All sweet, smart, crafty, creative, and organized (well, the "organized" doesn't really apply to DaHubby. He must've missed that gene! *wink*) And, they with all their cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. really blew my socks off this past weekend at Relay For Life.

I just wanted y'all to know today that I'm really glad that they will be part of passing their torches to the Vikings.

And, to DaHubby, thank you for sharing these crazy folks with me!

Pass The Torch Tuesday

Well, this one is more of a sentimental one than anything the Vikings have done recently. LOL

I grew up in a typical middle-class suburb on the west side of Detroit. I was able to walk half of a block to the closest park, two blocks to my elementary school, and four blocks to our neighborhood pool. I also could walk three blocks to my neighborhood library - one branch in a bigger city-wide system.

When I started junior high (this was before middle schools, of course LOL), I had to cross a major thoroughfare (6 lanes of 45 mph traffic with a grassy median) to get there. My halfway point? That neighborhood library. And, being the only child of a divorced, working mom, that library became a home away from home.

From what I can recall, it was those years from fourth to eighth grade that really solidified my love of reading. And, they probably planted the seeds for the middle school language arts teacher I would eventually become 20 years later! LOL

My best memory of my little library that seemed so huge and full of information, stories, data, pictures, and future dreams was that my grandma worked there! LOL Coming in a close second was participating in the summer reading programs year after year.

The summer I remember best was the one where I was determined to read the entire Nancy Drew mystery series. At that time, there was "only" 34 of them. I don't remember if I did anything else that summer (other than my annual trip to camp) than read!

And, yesterday, for the second year, I signed up Pojke and Flicka for our local library's reading program which is opened for ages 18 months to 8th graders! *sniff, sniff*

One of the best traditions my mom instilled in me was reading lots and writing well. And, I know my grandma, the 20+ year library employee, was also a reader. So, it really touches my heart to know that Flicka is a fourth generation young lady learning to love to read! And, I'm hoping that my grandma, now in heaven, is looking down smiling!

(a pic from 2004)

For more captured Pass The Torch moments and ideas, stop by Kelly's place today!

How to pass the torch in an area you are weak in?

I feel VERY deficient in this area but, with only a handful of relations long since out of the service and only one or two of my friends having served in any capacity, I have have less than average experience with our country's awesome armed forces.

In spite of that, I am determined to install a sense of thankfulness and pride in the Vikings for all our military families do for us as citizens. And, what is a better example of Christ's love for us than a military force who is willing to lay down their lives to keep us free.

So, the Vikings, my in-laws, and I made sure we got to our small town's downtown on Friday for our Memorial Day parade.

Just as this car went by, I nudged Flicka to say that those solider had bee working to keep us safe. Flicka then yelled "thank you!"

What else could we say?

I just hope it is enough.

For more Pass The Torch Tuesdays, stop by Kelly's site.

Pass the Torch Tuesday

Flicka the bargain hunter! Dave Ramsey would be thrilled that we're "changing your family tree"! LOL IF ya can't read it, my girl used her own money at her favorite store (Family Dollar) and got her new $3 doll for .99 cents! LOL

For more Pass the Torch posts, visit Kelly today!

Pass The Torch Tuesday

DaHubby has made friends with "the new guy" at work - it's like they were twins separated at birth! LOL One thing they share is a love of outdoors. So, when we visited Mr. H's to pick up some scrap wood he was going to burn from which DaHubby will make garden beds, Mr. H offered to take Flicka and Pojke for a quick ride around his property while DaHubby loaded wood in the minivan.


So, even though it wasn't Daddy, another seed sown...

For more Pass The Torch Tuesdays, stop by Kelly's place today!

Pass The Torch Tuesday - late but not out

Spent the morning and afternoon enjoying some quality time with Pojke so I wasn't on the computer this morning. Yet, I wanted to share something from today. "Garden fever" has struck at the Viking household!

DaHubby is planning and plotting and pacing the backyard. He's started about 40-50 "pods" with seeds in my kitchen window. He's got a computer program telling him what to plant, where to plant it, when it'll sprout, when we'll be able to harvest, etc.

And, he's raising up another "garden fever man"...
For more Pass The Torch, stop by Kelly's place to see her post today.

Pass The Torch Tuesday

Don't know if this is what Kelly had in mind (LOL) but it was so cute, I couldn't help it..


Oil changes with a 4 year old assistant! LOL And, they changed the Focus's oil after the van! And, the first words out of her mouth when Papa came to pick her up this morning: "Papa, *I* changed the oil in the van last night!"

To see more examples of passing the torch, look here.

Pass the Torch Tuesday

Pretty self explanatory...doing dishes at Grandma's a couple Sundays ago. Have no idea what my father-in-law is talking about in the background (LOL) but DaHubby caught his girl showing that we may be passing the torch! *wink*




I'm so proud of Flicka's and Pojke's helping lately! Their "helper chart" mentioned here and here has been a big blessing so far. For more PTT moments this week, stop by Kelly's site today.

Pass The Torch Tuesday

More results from our "helper chart" experiment...

My little kitchen helper making mashed potatoes...

And, my "window washer"! LOL

To see more examples of "passing the torch", stop by Kelly's place today.

Pass The Torch Tuesday

Our church's children's program has undergone a huge overhaul. In 4 years, the church has gone from Flicka being the only person under 12 in the congregation to a program with 4 age-divided rooms (0-2, 3-5, 6-8, 10-12) and over 30 total kids.

With the recent restructuring, they begun taking offerings from the kids each Sunday. And, while we've been kicking around the idea of "commissions" for the Vikings (like an allowance), this change nudged us to commit and put it to paper. The kids have to be EARNING money to be GIVING money! LOL

So, both Vikings now have a "helper chart" that shows 2-3 things a day they can do around the house. For each thing, they receive a quarter. They can earn about $3 a week with $1 going to church. They have the option to refuse (but no money then! LOL) as well as the right to ask for more "chores" (although I'm trying not to use that word too much! LOL). But, a dollar still goes to church no matter what.

So, the last few days have been spent teaching each skill so that it's done well enough to earn their quarter. Guess what one of Pojke's new responsibilities is:


For more Pass The Torch moments captured this week, stop by Kelly's place today!

Pass The Torch Tuesday: Guacamole TIme!

Been making a conscious effort to include the kids more in meal preparation - despite my phobia of sharp knives and the ensuing mess! LOL The result: a surprising amount of fun! The photo is pretty self-explanatory!


Stop by Kelly's today to see what's up in her PTT world!

Pass The Torch Tuesday

While part of me SOOO looks forward to the cool things Kelly's kids (who are older than the Vikings) get to discover, I'm trying to remember to remain "in the moment" with what the Vikings can do now. So, while out Pass the Torch moments may not look exactly like Kelly's (*wink*), they are important nonetheless! LOL

One of the most important developments lately around here: self toothbrushing!

While it hasn't been happening solo every night, it's definitely a step in the right direction of relieving "Mommy" of the nightly double-struggle of trying to brush the teeth of the toddler equivalent of whirling dervishes! LOL

For more PTT moments, stop by Kelly's place today!

Pass The Torch Tuesday

Following a small maintenance project on the computer, we realized that the PC's fan now seemed to be working overtime. So, the cover came back off as DaHubby, a design engineer and his shop's one-man computer maintenance department, investigated what was the problem. And, just like at the shop as people stand and watch and look over his shoulder asking questions, he had his "helpers" asking some too! LOL


Another generation of computer-geeks being brought up "techie"! LOL

Stop by Kelly's today for some more PTT moments!

Pass The Torch Tuesday - a little early

Vikings are still snoozin' and I was going through photos to bring our 2007 time capsule up to date and found this pic was for Kelly's PTT this week!

Since Financial Peace University and renewed frugality have hit here like a hurricane, the weekly grocery preparations have become a 1-2 hour thing. Most Monday evenings I spend significant time going through the Sunday ads and our Monday newspaper (in which two of our grocery stores' flyers come out) looking for sales and comparing prices.

Since Flicka was subjected to 6 hours round-trip of Dave Ramsey radio show mp3's to and from Detroit two weeks ago, she has started randomly, for no apparent reason, screaming "we're debt free!" throughout the house. (If you've never listened to Ramsey's radio show - people will often call in immediately following paying off all their debt at which time Ramsey leads them with a 1-2-3 to scream "we're debt free!")

Not to be outdone, Pojke is now "assisting" with my grocery preparation - naming each item as we go:

At this point, I don't know if Kelly is posting tomorrow due to the holiday. But, stop by her place just in case!

Pass The Torch Tuesday

It was one of those evenings last night. Flicka had been gone all day at DaGrandparents house - filled with all the food and sugar she wanted and she proudly declared that she had had no nap.

Pojke was past his bedtime and having a "momma-clingy" day. Bedtime preparations were a nightmare; routine wasn't helping. He had a dry butt, clean PJ's, teeth brushed...and stood screaming in the crib.

We were hustling Flicka around the house cleaning up the last of her debris. LOL Got her changed, cleaned up, and all appropriate parts brushed and Pojke was still crying.

DaHubby's been working on a project for Etsy that needed attention and had to go out to the garage for the next step leaving me alone with the Vikings...so we tandem rocked. An old favorite for both that we rarely do anymore. The Vikings are getting so big that all three of us b-a-r-e-l-y fit in the rocking chair that my mom rocked ME in! LOL

Pojke still would not quit whimpering and boo-boo-lipping. So, Flicka did another one of those things that makes me hold me breath in its perfectness...

She sang him a song...a made up one...about baby Jesus. TWO verses. LOL I wish I remembered all the words. I DO remember..."_________, don't worry, God is here...He'll protect us."

*sigh*

What started out as a potentially horrendous bedtime turned into the best one in ages!

Stop by Kelly's place to see what other PTT moments folks had this week.

Pass The Torch Tuesday

Well, I had a *really* cute shot of my mom and Flicka from T-giving but it is still on DaHubby's camera's memory card *sigh* No download yet. But, this was a close second! LOL

We start 'em young here! Especially when you're the child of Yooper! LOL Too bad that makes Momma's a "troll"! *wink*


For more PTT moments, see Kelly's site today!

PTT Tuesday: I've been replaced LOL

No cute picture to go with this one. Just one of those moments that freeze in time. When you realize just how fast they are growing. And, that maybe...just maybe...you are doing something right. You may just be building and encouraging enough love between them that it will survive despite all the recent and seemingly constant sibling struggles.

First, in a desperate negotiation to get Momma to take them to Dairy Queen yesterday (which has a really cool inside play area), Flicka suggests that first we should go home and have lunch THEN Momma can take us. She also agrees to use her recently started "commission" (aka allowance) to buy her own kiddie scoop/bowl of ice cream (swirled with sprinkles and a face, please!) Not only that but she agrees to buy one for Pojke as well! LOL

Then, after we've arrived, ice creams have been acquired, bites have been tasted and it's off to play. I hastily holler to Flicka - remember to take your shoes off! I turn to de-shoe Pojke and he refuses.

Preparing for a mini-battle with him, he instead says "no Momma, want _____" He promptly walks over to where Flicka has begun playing, taps her on the shoulder, and lifts his foot to have HER take his shoes off!

I hold my breath...hoping she'll not do something recently typical like running screaming in the other direction or knocking him over as he tries to keep his 22-month body balanced on one foot.

And, my heart melts.

She says "What, _____? Oh, you need your shoes off? Let me do it."

He smiles...holds still...then switches feet for her...she puts his shoes in the cubby next to hers...and off they go.

*sniff, sniff*

Stop by here today for other Pass The Torch moments and make sure to wish Kelly's daughter a happy birthday! I'll still be here wiping my eyes and sniffling.

Pass the Torch Tuesday

He is truly Daddy's boy when it comes to the piano.


Maybe he'll lead praise and worship someday like his daddy? Or maybe he'll be a "band geek," play clarinet and sax, and get to travel like his mom?

Regardless, one of my hopes since I can remember was making a home filled with music. Step one complete! LOL

Stop by Kelly's today and see what is getting passed along and/or who is passing it down!

Pass The Torch Tuesday

...the Vikings' technology edition! *wink* I don't know if this is a good thing we should be passing down or not but it is funny nonetheless! LOL

Background: DaHubby generally calls home as he leaves work and we chat while he drives home and I finish up dinner or cleaning up or whatever. Better to chat then than try to talk to each other over wrangling the Vikings through dinner at this point!

Anyway, this particular evening DaHubby worked really late to avoid having to work a half day on Saturday. The Vikings had already eaten and I needed to warm up something quick for DaHubby to eat. And, Flicka insisted on talking to DaHubby during his drive home. So, I put my Bluetooth earpiece (which I use to make all those in-the-car calls and it also allows me to change diapers, wash dishes, rotate laundry while on the phone at home! LOL) on her. And, then she grabbed her Disney play cell phone. And, this is what I got...

(photo removed for safety concerns)

Not only did she talk to Daddy the whole 20 minutes but she paced back and forth through the house just as DaHubby and I do when we are on the phone! We can't sit still either! LOL

So, stop by Kelly's place today for more (hopefully more mature! *wink*) folks passing the torch.

Pass The Torch Tuesday

Better late than never...
our internet is up but is currently running at slower than the slowest dialup! *rolls eyes*

Good thing this pic is pretty self-explanatory! LOL

And, for those who are worried about Flicka's safety...she's rinsing away our frugal toilet cleaner of baking soda and vinegar!

For more PTT, see Kelly's blog today!