I guess I'm not superwoman after all...

This morning I woke up sick as a dog. I hadn't slept well all night, my whole body was aching, I had the worse headache ever, and my throat was burning. I had no energy, but I couldn't stay in bed. I had to get the older children ready and off to school. When I came back from dropping them off, I took a quick shower, then took Charlton to his doctor appointment for his one year check up. The doctor said that Charlton is growing beautifully. As if I needed a doctor to tell me that; just a look at Charlton and you would have no doubt that he is growing beautifully. He did have to get some shots, and it always breaks my heart when my children get their vaccinations. One moment they are looking at you peacefully, and the next moment their faces are in shock and pain. I feel their pain. I hate shots myself. Well, Charlton did cry, I think mostly out of shock and anger, but after a few seconds he was himself again. He did have a bit of a fever, so when we got back home, I gave him some Tylenol and put him down for a nap. I gave James a bunch of books and coloring pages, and then dived into my bed myself with whatever strength was left. Elijah took a break from work to bring me some Gatorade and medicine. I took the medicine, drank some Gatorade, and went back to sleep.

You see, my cousin was flying in today from Connecticut, and was planning to stay with us for a few days. I really wanted to enjoy her stay, since I don't get to see her often. We grew up together and have many wonderful memories of our childhood. We are the same age, and although we have plenty of differences to keep our friendship exciting, we like a lot of the same things. Every time I'm on the phone with Blerta, we talk for hours--and half of those hours are spent laughing with all my heart. She is funny and smart, and I love her. I truly enjoy our friendship. I said a prayer while in bed to get to feeling better so I could have a good time with her while she was here.

I picked her up around 1:00p.m., and I still wasn't feeling well. After talking for a little while, I had to go back to bed. I really needed some more rest. She didn't mind. James kept Charlton busy playing in their room, and I continued my rest. I was so grateful to James for helping me today and not complaining or bothering me even one time. I was so humbled to see the goodness of James radiate through his actions. He knew his mother was sick and needed some time to rest, and he made sure I got it without being interrupted. Thank you, James.

I was feeling better about the time I had to pick Gillian and Jefferson. Gillian started Activity Days today alongside her friend, Mary. Amy dropped them off, and I picked them up. Elijah had made some lasagna last night, and I made some salad and bread, and dropped some of it off at one of my friends. She is in her last couple of weeks of pregnancy at the moment, and having been pregnant many times myself, I know that during those last days you just don't feel like cooking. After she gives birth, lots of people will bring her meals, and so I thought this would be a nice treat for her now. Thank goodness Elijah had made a delicious lasagna to share with others.

After we ate dinner ourselves, Blerta and I got to ready to attend Monica's birthday party at an ice-cream place. Elijah was surprised that I decided to go, but no sickness can keep me away from a good party!

I might not actually be superwoman, but I think I do have some drops of her blood in me...or I may just be plain crazy. Either way, I love life!

Looking forward to September...

August is ending soon and September is finding me lagging behind with my reading goal. Furthermore, it's not really the distance between me and my goal that upsets me, but the fact that I haven't been able to find the time to do my favorite thing, reading. Even for these few books that I was able to read, I had to stay late till the wee hours of the morning to finish. I know I shouldn't be hard on myself, considering I've had guests everyday for two months, I've thrown parties and celebrated three birthdays the past month or so, I've traveled high and low with family and friends, and I've taken care of the needs of my family and our guests. I've really enjoyed having had this chance to entertain family and friends this summer. My children have been able to enjoy the company of their extended family as well as that of our close friends. And I've loved being a hostess. It has been exciting to find new places to see and new things to do. And I know there are many more treasures to be discovered in this area, so friends and family, don't hesitate to come and visit us. We would love to see you all and try to make great memories together. For now, however, I'm truly looking forward to more reading and less sightseeing. My passion for books is fiercely jealous and I've ignored its wailing long enough. Here is the short list for the month of August:

52. The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (This book is so entertaining and fun; it'sa good read for anyone. However, those of you who love and read classics will especially love this book. Not wanting to spoil the plot to those of you who would like to read it, it takes place in a contemporary world, one filled however with advanced sciences that have taught people to pass through time as well as through books. Individuals can enter original manuscripts of classics and, depending on your desire to just be a visitor or destroy the plot as the antagonist wants to do, interesting things happen. The story has a few other subplots, one of them being the love interest of the main character. The author has written more books continuing with the same theme, which I haven't read, but plan to read a few in the future. I recommend this book if you are in the mood for clean, entertaining fun. I really love the idea of visiting various books and interacting with the characters, but for now I'll just be satisfied with reading about it.)

53. From the mixed-up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by e.l.konisburg. (I had heard of the author before, but I had never read any of her books. Gillian's book club was reading it for this month, so I decided I would read it too. It was a quick read, but I really enjoyed it. The main characters of the book, a sister and a brother, leave home and spend more than a week in hiding at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Of course, this story takes place many years ago when streets were safe and museums were free. The books deals with their adventures in the museum and in the city, as well as the growth and understanding of her own heart and self that happens to the main character. All in all, a beautifully written book, entertaining characters, great references to art, and a deep, but simple message for all ages who need to know their own self. I recommend it to any age group.)

54. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (I'm sure all of you "Hunger Games" fans read and devoured this book when it came out. I finished reading it under the disturbing light of a flashlight while visiting Yosemite. I didn't want to wake up my kids with the normal light, since we were all sleeping in the same room. It didn't matter, though, because regardless of the dim light, I loved it. I'm still rooting for Peeta, and although I can't hate Gail for anything, I'm a team Peeta fan. The third installment has just come out, and I can't wait to read it. I like the interesting idea behind the book, and I'm enjoying the love triangle, but I have to say, in the end, it is just another young adult book. If you are looking for an easy and entertaining read, this trilogy is for you. This book was great for me when I had no time or brain cells left at the end of the day to otherwise enjoy a deep and fascinating classic.)

55. Frindle by Andrew Clements (This is Gillian's book for her September Book Club. Although it's written for middle school kids, it was as fun to read for Gillian as it was for me. Frindle has received over 35 awards throughout the country, and is well loved by many middle school age children. If you are asking yourself about the meaning of the word Frindle, don't hurry to your dictionaries yet. It is a made-up word. Nick Allen, a 5th grader and the main character of the book, is dissatisfied with the explanations of the dictionary, and he longs to change the names of various objects. He thought Frindle sounded better suited for pen than the word pen, so he changed it and received a following among his classmates. His English teacher, however, doesn't have as big of an imagination as Nick, and doesn't approve...so a war starts between them. This book reminded me of my younger days when I started my love affair with words. Funny and easy read.)

56. Artemis Fowl - The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer (I couldn't help myself from checking out the rest of the Artemis Fowl series. The author has created such fun characters, from the underground hidden trolls, goblins, fairies, leprechauns, to a boy genius and his loyal, but mysterious bodyguard. And then what's not to like when these magical creatures team up with Artemis to fight a common enemy, the Russian Mafia. Wow, James Bond for the middle school-age readers out there! My favorite thing about the book is the way the author explains the different kinds of magical creatures and how real they seem to be.)

Five out of my average eight isn't that good, especially considering this seems to have been the norm for all three months of summer. However, I'm not discouraged. September promises to be a good literary month. Enjoy reading, and don't forget to share your favorites with the rest of us.

Goodbye friends, hello school!

The Cannon family left yesterday. We had a wonderful time together. Our children and Paul's children get along well with each other, and we didn't hear any bickering between them the whole time they were here. We all enjoyed Yosemite and San Francisco, parks and mountains, waterfall and water fountains, restaurant food and home cooked meal, as well as each other's company. We'll miss the Cannon family.

My children's school started on Wednesday, but because we had guests and we were going places with them, I kept them out of school. With the Cannons leaving yesterday, I thought it wise for the kids to attend school. Actually, I wanted to keep them out today as well, being hot and all, but they were too excited and happy to meet new friends. Gillian started 3rd grade and Jefferson is attending 1st grade. Gillian's class has about 20 students, Jefferson's class has about 14, and 10 of them are kindergartners that finish around 11:30 a.m. With four students in the classroom for the rest of the day, Jefferson gets as much attentions as if he were at home. I love this charter school. I put Gillian's name in the list; maybe she'll get in next semester.

Having had so many visitors for two months non-stop, I decided yesterday was going to be a relaxing day. I tidied up a little and rested, read, and took care of the children. Today, I had every intention to wash sheets and towels, clean bathrooms and mop floors, and whatever else needed to be done. However, when I woke up this morning, our water heater wasn't working, so we had no hot water. Since I couldn't do my laundry, I decided I would rather go to the birthday party we had been invited than do any other chores. I know it doesn't make sense; I could have at least finish the other cleaning. I guess I hadn't had enough fun yet. I can actually imagine Elijah as he reads this post saying a shocking "What!!!" and shaking his head at the mention of the word 'fun.'

The children had a wonderful time playing with their friends that they hadn't seen in a while, and I enjoyed talking to my friends that I hadn't seen in a while. There isn't anything better to get you of the house than knowing you'll get to see and talk to your friends. Here are some of the pictures I took at the park:

Sweet children, special moments

Yesterday, Elijah and Paul took the children on an exploration of San Francisco. They had a wonderful time taking the sights of this city and letting the children run free. I stayed home with Charlton, since he wasn't feeling very well. He did take two long naps and that helped him be his happy self again. I cleaned and did some laundry, as well as cooked some delicious dinner. We've had good food these past days, but it has been restaurant food. I thought all of us would appreciate homemade rolls and oven roasted chicken. I also made a birthday cake for Paul, since his birthday was yesterday. We pretended we didn't remember that it was his birthday, so when he came home and saw the cake and the presents, Paul was totally taken by surprise. He was touched and grateful for good friends.

My camera was still in the bag of rice.

Today, being their last day here, we thought it would be best to take it easy. We let the children play, and we adults just rested or talked to each other. My camera started to perform and I was back in business.


Later in the day, we decided we would take the kids to the park and let them run around and jump up and down and do whatever else they wanted. Heather Farm Park is a good park for children and adults alike, because it offers plenty of fun playground entertainment, as well as many pleasant paths to walk and admire the flowers. Charlton enjoyed being pushed as he sat on the swing, and the other children didn't care what they did or where they were as long as they were together.

After playtime came lunch. While we had our picnic, Charlton enjoyed playing with wood chips under the shade of a tree.

As soon as the picnic was over, we went for a walk around the lake and through the rose garden. As we walked through the gardens, the children found a little creek and pond and started to play in the water. Next to it, there was this big gazebo that offered the much needed shade for us adults. The children enjoyed playing there for quite some time, especially after they took their shoes off and immersed their feet into the pond.


When we were ready to go back to our cars, most of the children were half wet and stunk of pond water. However, none of them minded it, since they were all having fun and spending time with each other. Jefferson was very satisfied to get his feet wet, although that wasn't the only part that got wet.

When we arrived home, I noticed the hot water wasn't running, but I had the children take showers anyways. I felt bad, because the water wasn't particularly warm. It wasn't particularly warm later this evening when I tried to take a shower myself. We'll just have to see what's wrong with the hot water system tomorrow. The Cannons are leaving tomorrow, and we allowed all the children to play with each other a bit longer. Tomorrow is also going to be Gillian's and Jefferson's first day of school. They are looking forward to it. We've had a great summer and we've enjoyed our visitors. We'll miss the Cannons and all of our family members and friends that visited us so far. Give us a month to recuperate, but after that I think we'll be ready to host some more. So, make plans and come and visit us!

Waterfalls and water stains

One of the places we wanted the Cannon Family to see while visiting us here in California was the Yosemite National Park. We had made reservations for two cottages located down in the valley, and we were all excited to experience Yosemite together. I was looking forward to capturing beautiful sunsets over the glorious mountains and gorgeous waterfalls down in the valley.

The ride down to Yosemite National Park was very relaxing, and although I really enjoyed watching the different kinds of evergreens and red woods as we passed them, this time I was also attracted by the spectacular view of the mountains. Often times, I would find myself thinking we were in the Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory and those mountains were not really mountains but luscious chocolate cake.


When we approached the valley, we were all silent as we each observed the magnificent creations made by the hand of God. When we stopped, we let the kids stretch their legs. Elijah and Paul took them to hike this little hill, while I volunteered to stay in the car with Charlton, who was taking a nap. The real truth was that I wanted to finish reading the second installment of "Hunger Games." I had been so busy with guests and field trips and parties, that my passion for reading had been subdued involuntarily. Since the third installment was coming out today, I was determined to finish the book before I got back home. I did take some pictures in between my reading and the children's hike.


After visiting a few other places, we went up to see the Bridal Veil Waterfall. Last time we went to see this fall, it was overwhelming with water since the snow from the mountain had just melted. Yesterday, the day was clear and there wasn't as much water rushing from the waterfall down the rocks. While Elijah took care of Charlton, Paul and I took the kids for a hike all the way up to the waterfall's edge. The climb was splendid. We couldn't believe our little ones, especially Piper and James, who are the same age, made it all the way with very little help. Jefferson and Taylor would compete with each other who would get higher faster. That was so dangerous because you could fall and hurt yourself if you weren't being careful. Gillian and Natalee were very caring and often times would try to help the younger ones. We rested for a little while at the base of the waterfall. This gave me a chance to take a few pictures.


I was really enjoying this hike. We wanted to reach the edge of the waterfall, and the children were all for it. However, as we were all getting ready to continue our climb, something happened. My spirits dampened as I watched my camera fall from my wrist and immerse itself in the water of the pond near the base of the waterfall. After I got it out of the water, I tried to make it work, but the only thing I could see were water stains throughout the screen. Needless to say reaching the edge of the waterfall had lost its appeal on me. Nevertheless, we reached our goal and got back down safely. Elijah said that it took us more than an hour to get up there and back. I was sad that my camera had been ruined, especially considering we were at the beginning of our exploring the park. I felt heartbroken thinking of the many opportunities I would miss capturing with my camera. My memory would have to suffice this time.

We stopped by a pond that had been converted into a beach with sand around it, and the children took their shoes off and without delay dived into the cold water. It was hot and that looked very refreshing. I wished I had brought my swim suit; I would have done the same. We stayed there for quite some time, the adults talking and the children splashing each other. Just the right thing to do under a full moon.

When we all felt it was time to eat, we walked toward some good restaurants found near our cottages. We had a delicious dinner, and after relaxing and enjoying the fresh air of the mountains, we headed to our cottages for some needed rest. After teeth were brushed, pajamas put on, and prayers said, we turned the lights off and went to sleep. When I felt that everybody was truly asleep, I turned my tiny flashlight on and tried to finish my book. It was hard reading under a tiny light, but I was so enjoying the story that the hardship was worth it. Later, I closed my book feeling excited to read the next installment.

Today we drove through Yosemite National Park. Our goal was to hike toward Mariposa Grove, where a bunch of giant sized sequoias are found. We parked and then hiked for a few miles. It was very hot, but it seems the heat didn't bother the children. However, I was glad I had some water with us, especially after seeing that Charlton wasn't feeling well. The heat wasn't helping him much. I poured some water all over his face and then gave him some continuously. We all enjoyed seeing the 600 year old Giant Grizzly, as one of the oldest red woods is called. We took turns going through the California Tunnel Tree, another giant sequoia that has a big hole cut in the base of the tree for people to walk through it. It was actually cut in 1895 to allow coaches to pass through, but now of course it's been used as an attraction for tourists.

After finishing our hike, we got back into our cars and headed home, stopping on the road later for supper. Glorious sunsets greeted us as we drove through this beautiful state. As soon as I got back home tonight, I put my camera in a bag full of rice. Paul had mentioned that one of his friends had done something similar and his camera had worked after a couple of days. We double checked on line, and we read same results. Without delay, I buried my camera in the bag of rice, and prayed that it would work. Taking pictures with my phone isn't that much fun.

With the exception of my camera's damage, the trip was fabulous otherwise. We all had a great time hiking, talking, and enjoying the gracious beauty of our Heavenly Father's creations.

Company going, company coming

Rebekah, Sarah and Jacob left early this morning around 8 a.m. Last night as Rebekah started to pack, Gillian, who was getting ready for bed, realized that the time for Rebekah to leave was approaching and she started to cry. She was truly sad and as she wept she kept begging Rebekah to stay and not leave for college. My heart broke. This morning as they were all packing Gillian started to cry again, and truthfully she didn't stop even after they left. I'm glad she loves her aunts and uncles.

After Elijah's sisters and brother-in-law left, I had a few hours to get the house ready for the other group of visitors. The Cannon family were flying from Virginia and were going to arrive around 6 p.m. I had sheets and towels to wash, beds to make, bathrooms to clean, bedrooms to tidy up, dinner to cook, and children to take care of. As if I didn't have enough to do, I thought it was a good time to rearrange Gillian's room by putting her chest of drawers inside her closet, and take all of her play kitchen set out in her bedroom. I wanted Gillian and the Cannon sisters to have things to play with. Well, this was a mistake since it took me the whole day and I had to hurry to accomplish the rest rather quickly. However, the room did look very nice and Gillian was very pleased. She kept telling me how blessed she was to have a mother who was so thoughtful. I guess having to work so hard all day was worth it in the end as long as it made my daughter happy.

Paul and his children arrived around 7 p.m. The children played for a while and then we had a late dinner. Tomorrow is going to be a rest day, and then we start another week of fun entertainment.

Master Charlton Donald Garmon turns ONE!

My sweet Charlton turned one today. We are so happy he is part of our family. He is happy, curious, and fun to be around. He doesn't walk yet, but likes to climb up and down the stairs, enjoys getting from one place either by crawling fast, or by holding on furniture. His favorite means of transportation is being held by someone. My back is killing me, since he weighs more than 1/4 of my body weight, but I sure like snuggling with my little boy as I hold him. The word adorable was created to describe Charlton. We all want to kiss and hug him all the time. We can't help ourselves. It's fun to see my older boys giving him kisses while Charlton, tired of it all, smacks them on the head. They continue to kiss him and tell him how adorable he is, unfazed by the smacks on the head. This boy is going to be so spoiled.

Having had company for quite some time now, and having had many birthday parties and anniversary celebrations every week it seems, I had not thought much about Charlton's birthday party. This morning I finally sat down and thought of a quick plan. I got on the phone and invited a few of our friends, made a yellow cake with chocolate frosting decorated with Charlton's favorite fruit, strawberries, and asked Elijah to order some pizza. Then, I rummaged some party favors from the left overs of the other parties, and I was ready.

Rebekah, Sarah, and Jacob left in the morning for the Jelly Belly Factory, while I planned to take Charlton for his first haircut, and then take all the children to a fun park with rides for little kids, just right for Charlton's age. However, Charlton had other plans. I put him down to take a nap around 10 a.m. and he didn't wake up till 2:30 p.m. I got to take care of all the stuff at home, the cleaning and the cooking while he was asleep. Charlton gave me a sweet present for his birthday. He was rested and ready to start his party,as well. I don't know if he enjoyed his cake, but I do know he really liked playing with it.

Happy Birthday, Charlton. We are so blessed to have you in our family.

The fast and the fearless, Gillian Garmon!

Everyone was excited to go to Six Flags today. This amusement park has so many rides and attractions, that we never go twice to the same thing, unless we want to. I asked Jacob and Sarah to take Gillian with them, since Gillian wanted to ride the big rides and not the kiddie ones. I stayed to see her ride one of them, and almost had a heart attack. These rides are crazy, and although I consider myself a very adventurous person, riding those rides doesn't seem like a great adventure to me. So, I left with my boys to the kiddie areas of the park. I was told later that Gillian rode every single roller coaster, with one exception, and you had to be a bit taller for that one. Sarah and Rebekah enjoyed themselves, but I think Jacob and Gillian got their money's worth by riding some of the roller coasters many times over. I'm so happy Gillian enjoyed herself. She is truly a fun and fearless girl.
I took my boys to some animal attractions. They got to see African penguins, touch sting rays and dolphins, play pirates, and enjoyed pretending they were a certain cartoon character.

They tried a bunch of rides, some new to them and some that they had tried before. I was really happy that the brothers were having so much fun playing together and asking each other where they would want to play next.
I had Charlton try the merry-go-around, and he seemed to like it. When it was time to get off the camel, he decided he wanted to stay. So, we went for another ride. I had to distract him with food for him to get off the second time. Speaking of food, Charlton had this nectarine he kept eating and throwing on the ground and then chasing it rolling on the grass and then put it in his mouth. I didn't do anything about it. He seemed to be enjoying the whole process of eat and chase. That's what happens when you are a fourth child! Toward the end, I left Charlton with the adults, and I took my older children on a couple of water rides. Now, those I can handle. I love the water. While I was having fun with Gillian, Jefferson and James, Jacob took Charlton on a kiddie ride, and Rebekah was able to take a picture of them having a good time. I love the name of the ride. It truly explains why Jacob is so smitten with Charlton. Just kidding, Jacob! I'm glad you and Charlton got along so well.

San Francisco, here we come! Oh, wait, we've been there before, many times.

I took Rebekah, Sarah, Jacob, and the rest of my family to San Francisco. I know you are asking yourself how many times can someone go to the same place and still enjoy it. Well, my trick in enjoying the same places over and over again is by seeing an extra new thing each time while showing the same other sights to our visitors.

So, today, I started our San Francisco tour by stopping by Pier 39. There are myriads of unique stores and restaurants located on this pier, as well as one can enjoy a fabulous view of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. I wanted to take Rebekah, Sarah and Jacob to see Alcatraz, but the tickets for this entire week were all sold out. We had to be satisfied by seeing Alcatraz from afar. Maybe when they come next time, we'll be more prepared and order tickets in advance.

We stopped at many stores and wasted our money on special Christmas decorations, funny magnets, weird socks, San Francisco sweatshirts, and other unnecessary, but fun souvenirs. We entered puppet stores for the kids, knives store for Jacob, purse bouquet for Rebekah, seashell assortments of products store for all of us, an Irish store just for fun, and many other interesting shops that we wouldn't visit in otherwise. Being a tourist is so much fun!
Then, tired of shopping and strolling, we decided to get something to eat. Hard Rock Cafe was close by, so we entered and ordered some lunch. We had fun looking at all the guitars and other original pieces of the many rock bands and rocks stars. Jefferson and James loved looking at the guitars and choosing their favorites. Charlton made us laugh by pretending he was the quitest and sweetest baby ever. I guess he doesn't to pretend much, because he is quit and sweet.After we finished our lunch, our bodies demanded some more walking to digest all that food we ate. We strolled to the end of the pier and enjoyed the view of the Golden Gate Bridge, the salty breeze, and the funny roar of the sea lions bathing under the sun nearby.

The other new thing I was going to try today was the Arcade Museum located a block away from the Fisherman's Wharf. We had taken the children to the submarine next to the museum before, but had never entered the museum itself, and I had heard it was a fun place to visit. The admission is free, but you have to have money to play the machines. They didn't cost much, just a quarter or so per machine, but, believe me, there were so many fun games and jukeboxes and all sorts of other arcade machines, that you honestly wanted to try them all. They all dated in the 1900's and it was so fun introducing the kids to something that interesting and old.

We had to finish our tour of San Francisco by stuffing our faces with the delicious chocolate from the Ghirardelli Factory. Now, this sightseeing and mouthwatering spot is something I will never get tired of sharing!


I will share with you a secret. I really loved spending time with my children and Elijah's sisters and brother-in-law. I truly had a good time exploring San Francisco. However, my favorite thing happened toward the end of our trip. As I was driving home and going over the Bay Bridge, I see a spectacular view of San Francisco from above. I was determined to take some pretty pictures. The photographer in me made me take the Treasure Island exit and park by the bay. The artist in me couldn't have enough of the breathtaking sunset, the refreshing breeze, and the salty water of the waves splashing onto the rocks and somehow some of it reaching my face. So, when you look at the pictures below, I would like you to have a three dimensional experience by imagining all that I described above. Isn't it glorious this nature that God has provided for us! Now, breath the ocean air!