Well, the last few weeks have been a whirlwind. We took our first roadtrip as a family of four. We drove 16 hours to see my grandparents in Lapwai, Idaho for Thanksgiving. The kids did great, and we kept a running tally of wildlife we saw along the way:
2 moose
3 bald eagles in 2 states
20 wild turkeys
50 champion bull elk
Hundreds of deer
Over 2,000 antelope (no exaggeration; they are like herds of cattle across Montana and Wyoming. Beautiful!)
Then we drove from Idaho back to Denver (15 hours) and flew from Denver to Tulsa, OK to attend the funeral for my pastor that I grew up with. We spent four days there and then flew home. We were gone a total of 12 days and the kids did amazingly well.
While in Idaho, my Grandma Weezie (Louise Wilson) and Grandpa Daniel Wilson (whom I'm named after--Daniel Wilson Grothe--and whom we named our son, Wilson, after) sent me home with my maternal great-grandfather's old, oak, roll-top desk. His name was Haralombos Athanasios Asimakopolous. Without speaking a word of English, he got on a boat when he was 12 years old and immigrated from Greece to the United States. And he did it all by himself at the behest of his mother, who thought he'd have a chance at a better future. Upon landing at Ellis Island in New York (the Statue of Liberty), he changed his name to Harry Smith, which was the most common last name in the phone book at the time.
The roll-top desk is nearly 100 years old and is in exquisite condition. I had to disassemble it to get it in the door, and when I did a small piece of paper fell to the ground. I picked it up to find it was a stamp, in mint condition, from 1941 that said "Merry Christmas." The desk, to me, is a symbol of the great family heritage that we are blessed to have.
And now I'll leave you with two Lillian-isms:
1. Lillian recently discovered how to pick her nose. We're trying to break her from it, and it's an every day battle. We've told her how gross it is, etc., etc. When she finds a treasure, she gets grossed out and screams for one of us to take it away to it's eternal doom.
The other day she picked one and screamed for us to relieve her of it. Well, apparently we weren't moving fast enough, so she laid down a serious threat, a threat in that mischeivious tone of voice residing universally within humans ages 1-5. And her threat? "Mommy, I'm going to eat it."
Thankfully, she didn't really care to eat it. She just wanted quick movement. And she got it.
2. Last night Lisa went out with a few girlfriends for a Christmas party. So I was at home having a party with Lillian. We watched Monday Night Football together with our friend, Drew Macalmon, who is a Green Bay Packers fan. As she sat at the kitchen table this morning, she informed her mother that she got to stay up late to watch the Packers play the "Baltimore Raisins."
That's about all. We'll keep you posted! Much love,
Daniel, Lisa, Lillian and Wilson Grothe
08 December, 2009
09 November, 2009
Lillian-isms
Our nearly two-and-a-half year old daughter, Lillian, is becoming increasingly well known among our friends for her attentiveness and (very) random statements. Thus one of the reasons for this blog. Here are a few things she has said lately that struck us as funny:
1. Saturday morning, Lillian was sitting at the kitchen table coloring on a piece of paper. We suddenly noticed she was walking upstairs. Here's how the conversation went: "Mommy, I'm going to get a wipe." "What do you need a wipe for, honey?" "I'm just going to get a wipe." "What do you need a wipe for, Lillian?" "Mommy don't look at the table." Lisa then looks over at the table only to find Lillian had been coloring on our wooden table. I guess that's why she needed a wipe.
2. Sunday afternoons are football afternoons around our house. Lisa, being from Chicagoland, is a Bears fan. I'm a Cowboys fan. When Lillian woke up from her nap yesterday, we were downstairs watching the Giants vs. Chargers game. We hadn't said a word about what we were watching or who was playing. Lillian stumbled down in her sleepy stupor to the living room, looked up at the TV and said, "the Giants are playing." We have no idea how she knew that. It was weird.
3. This morning, before Lillian's gymnastics class, she was running around the house in her birthday suit as is her custom many mornings. Lisa looked over to find Lillian touching her naked bottom, so she told her to stop. Without skipping a beat, Lillian retorted: "Mom, I'm just putting germs in it." I guess she thought that would comfort us. She was wrong.
That's all for now. I'm sure we'll have some more interesting stuff in a few days. Much love.
Daniel, Lisa, Lillian and Wilson
1. Saturday morning, Lillian was sitting at the kitchen table coloring on a piece of paper. We suddenly noticed she was walking upstairs. Here's how the conversation went: "Mommy, I'm going to get a wipe." "What do you need a wipe for, honey?" "I'm just going to get a wipe." "What do you need a wipe for, Lillian?" "Mommy don't look at the table." Lisa then looks over at the table only to find Lillian had been coloring on our wooden table. I guess that's why she needed a wipe.
2. Sunday afternoons are football afternoons around our house. Lisa, being from Chicagoland, is a Bears fan. I'm a Cowboys fan. When Lillian woke up from her nap yesterday, we were downstairs watching the Giants vs. Chargers game. We hadn't said a word about what we were watching or who was playing. Lillian stumbled down in her sleepy stupor to the living room, looked up at the TV and said, "the Giants are playing." We have no idea how she knew that. It was weird.
3. This morning, before Lillian's gymnastics class, she was running around the house in her birthday suit as is her custom many mornings. Lisa looked over to find Lillian touching her naked bottom, so she told her to stop. Without skipping a beat, Lillian retorted: "Mom, I'm just putting germs in it." I guess she thought that would comfort us. She was wrong.
That's all for now. I'm sure we'll have some more interesting stuff in a few days. Much love.
Daniel, Lisa, Lillian and Wilson
31 October, 2009
An Oldie But a Goodie
Due to a snow delay at work, I found myself with a little extra time yesterday morning. It was perfect for laying around for 30 more minutes. Lillian, our two year old, woke up during that time and came into our room, climbed up on the bed and proceeded to jump, crawl, and roll around on me until I got up. It was precious, in a very groggy kind of way.
As I lay there and braced myself for her dive-bombs and WWE-style wrestling moves, it hit me: I'm my Dad. I remarked to Lisa, "I remember doing this with my dad. Being a three year old, I thought he was a huge, old guy." No doubt he is a big guy at 6'6'' tall. But old?
My dad, whom I thought was old when I was three, was just barely older than I am now with my two year old daughter and ten week old son. It's funny how things change over time. In my mind, dad is just getting started at the good age of 54. And I'm still his young son...who just happens to have two little kids.
Still, I'm left to assume the inevitable: Lillian, for the time being, thinks her daddy is old. I've never been more okay with that.
Other Random Happenings: At the breakfast table this morning, Lillian said she wanted salt and pepper. We assumed it was for her scrambled eggs. Turns out it was for her yogurt. Wow.
As I lay there and braced myself for her dive-bombs and WWE-style wrestling moves, it hit me: I'm my Dad. I remarked to Lisa, "I remember doing this with my dad. Being a three year old, I thought he was a huge, old guy." No doubt he is a big guy at 6'6'' tall. But old?
My dad, whom I thought was old when I was three, was just barely older than I am now with my two year old daughter and ten week old son. It's funny how things change over time. In my mind, dad is just getting started at the good age of 54. And I'm still his young son...who just happens to have two little kids.
Still, I'm left to assume the inevitable: Lillian, for the time being, thinks her daddy is old. I've never been more okay with that.
Other Random Happenings: At the breakfast table this morning, Lillian said she wanted salt and pepper. We assumed it was for her scrambled eggs. Turns out it was for her yogurt. Wow.
28 October, 2009
What is Today?
Here it is, the beginning of my first blog. I have never really thought that a blog would really be my "thing," but now that my kids are providing numerous opportunities of sayings and happenings that I would like documented for me, I decided this might be worth spending a little time on. My dad likes to call and ask if there are any "Lillianisms" for the day. Our darling two year old provides plenty of laughs in a day. Motherhood has been the sweetest adventure I could have ever embarked upon and sharing this adventure with my incredible husband makes me know that I am one blessed woman!
Well, now back to this blog. There seems to be some sort of added pressure with my first blog but I don't really know where to start, except with today. Tonight we were all sitting on the couch, kids were freshly bathed, and we were watching the Game 1 of the World Series, when Lillian asks "what is today?" I proceed to fumble through an answer when I look to my partner for some assistance. He continues with a long-winded (sorry babe) yet thorough explination of what "today" is to our two year old, while she stares at us with her thumb in her mouth and rubbing her pink bunny. We try to tell ourselves that kids think so simply but these questions that kids present their parents with are far from simple. I mean really, I could say "Well Lillian, today is 24 hours" in which she may respond with "what are hours?", in which I could go back with "its how we measure time and we get time by the rotation of the earth spinning on its axis as well as how long it takes earth to orbit around the sun, which takes 364 1/4 days and that is why every four years we have a leap year...etc." Wow. Really Lillian, I have no idea what is "today."
My "todays" sure looks a lot different than it did just a few years ago. My mom reminded me the other day of how much my life has changed in a little over 4 years. A little over 4 years ago, I was teaching 6th grade in Tulsa, Oklahoma, living with my parents (which I loved every minute of living with them), to now, living in Colorado, married to the man of my dreams, and staying at home with my two fantastic children (and all that brings along with it). As Daniel and I recounted the last 4 years together and all that has gone on, we both agreed that the next four years do not need to be quite so eventful!
At the end of each "today" my goal is that my family feels loved and valued and that I have honored and served my Lord.
Well thats it, end of blog one. It will only get easier from here, right? :)
Well, now back to this blog. There seems to be some sort of added pressure with my first blog but I don't really know where to start, except with today. Tonight we were all sitting on the couch, kids were freshly bathed, and we were watching the Game 1 of the World Series, when Lillian asks "what is today?" I proceed to fumble through an answer when I look to my partner for some assistance. He continues with a long-winded (sorry babe) yet thorough explination of what "today" is to our two year old, while she stares at us with her thumb in her mouth and rubbing her pink bunny. We try to tell ourselves that kids think so simply but these questions that kids present their parents with are far from simple. I mean really, I could say "Well Lillian, today is 24 hours" in which she may respond with "what are hours?", in which I could go back with "its how we measure time and we get time by the rotation of the earth spinning on its axis as well as how long it takes earth to orbit around the sun, which takes 364 1/4 days and that is why every four years we have a leap year...etc." Wow. Really Lillian, I have no idea what is "today."
My "todays" sure looks a lot different than it did just a few years ago. My mom reminded me the other day of how much my life has changed in a little over 4 years. A little over 4 years ago, I was teaching 6th grade in Tulsa, Oklahoma, living with my parents (which I loved every minute of living with them), to now, living in Colorado, married to the man of my dreams, and staying at home with my two fantastic children (and all that brings along with it). As Daniel and I recounted the last 4 years together and all that has gone on, we both agreed that the next four years do not need to be quite so eventful!
At the end of each "today" my goal is that my family feels loved and valued and that I have honored and served my Lord.
Well thats it, end of blog one. It will only get easier from here, right? :)
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