All together now

Yes, I'm at work right now

Today was the funeral for Ezra Sherman. For the full story on Ezra go to www.ezrasherman.blogspot.com

It was one of the most uplifting funerals I've been to, and definitely the largest. In a nutshell, Ezra's family has been in our ward for years, and Joe has know his parents Ryan and Kandice since the University ward days, and Kandice and I worked in the RS presidency together. Ezra was suddenly diagnosed with leukemia on January 30th and had massive uncontrolled bleeding in his brain. He died less than a week later at the age of 10. It's hit everyone really hard, and it still seems unreal that we just went to his funeral.

The service was mostly songs, which was so appropriate for Ezra. He was a happy kid who always had a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye that meant he was thinking up some devious plan with his twin brother Milo. He loved music and singing and being onstage. He was also kind and helpful and had a strong testimony of the gospel.

There were probably 300 or so people there, including kids from his 5th grade class, from Guide Dogs for the Blind, from Broadway Bound, church, and family. At the beginning the music was very stoic, with an operatic version of How Great Thou Art, and Luka and her choir-mates singing a beautiful and mournful song in German. Then it got down to business with a bluegrass trio doing I'll Fly Away. There was a smattering of applause from the non-LDS people in the crowd, unaware of our stodgy traditions in the Mormon church. After that was a primary song from the cousins which was very sweet, then came the Beatles. I'll Follow the Sun and a sing-along version of Let it Be. The 5th grade music teacher was jamming on his acoustic guitar, leading the kids in rousing versions of Get Together and Put A Little Love In Your Heart (not the Beatles, but still a little more lively than most church songs).

I think it was the first time we had a guitar, a banjo, clapping, and audience sing-along to the Beatles in the chapel. And if President Olson has anything to do with it, it will be the last. When the music teacher started going nuts on his guitar I could see it written across the stake president's forehead: I've lost all control of this meeting and my chapel is being turned into a concert stage. Joe was thoroughly enjoying it all, especially that aspect of it. And really, everyone in the audience was enjoying it. It was appropriate and upbeat.


But still, that's the last kid funeral I want to go to. Ten years is too short of a life.

Origami mommy (or should that be mami?)

Crystelle was asking me how to make those little origami building blocks with which you can make a little box or spiky ball. Here are step by step instructions:

Tucking the pointy end of the 1st piece into the pocket of the 3rd piece will start making a cube

Notice the center point on the ball. There are five ridges encircling it. For a cube there are only three ridges going around the points. I can't remember how many building blocks it takes to start a ball and get the requisite 5 ridges, but just experiment. Every center point on the ball (where it's open slightly) should have 5 ridges around it.

This pattern is courtesy of Luka Sherman.

Thirsty Koala

Oh man, this is too much, I can't handle it. He's holding the little burned paw!

Here's the video. Thanks for the tip Jenny

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XSPx7S4jr4

Picture dump

Two posts in one day!

Unloaded the Christmas and New Year pictures from the camera. Here are some of my favorites...


Christmas eve dinner table


Sushi feast later that week. Joe makes a mean sushi roll.





Kayla getting blown over on windy Mt Bachelor



Cheeks chapped by the icy wind



The Ranks know how to party like it's 1999



AH-mazing new fingernails


Teo skating on her own



Plus some from Thanksgiving - you can make these bigger by clicking on them



Only a few closed eyes


Teo with hair straightened by Tess and Christy. Did I mention how much Teo loves hanging out with the cousins?


Thanksgiving day with John and Mary's kids, minus Rebecca who was feeling ill.



Teo and Frida after their dance recital

Stalkerrific!

We had a fun visit last weekend with Amy and JBB, aka Julie B. Beck, General Relief Society President. Too many funny stories to tell, but Amy getting the shout out from JBB while she was on the stand Saturday night was hilarious and awesome.

Thinking about JBB...







Here's Joe, Lamby, and Clara riding the T-Rex

Teo was pretty excited to have a house guest and really enjoyed playing with Amy, and riding in Amy's electric blue convertible!

Amy's super excited about riding with the top down

Friday night we went to our new favorite pizza place, Veraci pizza where they make thin crust pizza in a wood-fired oven. http://www.veracipizza.com/

These pictures don't do justice to Amy, who was usually wearing something very chic.

Monday we went to Stevens Pass to go skiing with Frida and her dad Mario. On the drive up we stopped in Gold Bar for treats so everyone was loaded up with sugar and grease and unnatural ingredients. That combined with winding mountain roads and video games led to suprisingly explosive results for poor Frida. While we were paying for the ski rentals it all came out - all over her gloves and coat and the floor. She ended up hanging out with Mario for a couple hours while Joe, Teo and I went up for a few runs. Too bad, I think it was really disappointing for her.

Teo is really getting a feel for the skis. After a couple tumbles and crossed ski tips she started zipping down the mountain in a perfect pizza wedge.

My tummy feels full although it's not really showing yet. Just the usual bowl full of jelly. I've started to feel the sharp jabs of round ligament pain, as the book What to Expect When You're Expecting calls them (thanks for sending it Liz!). Guess that means something's growing.

I know, I know

Grease is not very appropriate for kids - especially Greased Lightning - but the songs are so darn catchy. It's hilarious to hear Teo singing "it's hyyyydromatic" or "Saaandyyyyiy!" or "hopelessly devoted to youuuuuuuu". I didn't get it when I was a kid. I just kept leaning over in the theater and loudly whispering "what did he say?"

I've been looking at Joe's old textbook on embryonic development. He only wanted me to look at the stages of development, but I can't help looking at the other chapters on abnormalities and birth defects. It's horrifyingly fascinating. Can't look away. I'll go to the library this weekend and get that What to Expect book.

Also, if anyone knows of a good antidote for love potion Teo could use it. One of the boys in her class is dropping hints about giving love potion to her and some other girls, and one boy. Ha ha ha!!! I told her to just drink it, then she won't mind giving him hugs and kisses.

Grease is the word

Tonight Teo declared her favorite movie to be Grease. We've only watched about a third of it, but she has the entire soundtrack memorized. We listened to the CD several times on the way down to Sun River, Oregon last week, and on the way back. She listened to it for three hours straight between Vancouver and Seattle and was happily singing all the way about her "ginger tea" (listen to the song Sandra Dee again and you'll see where a six year old would get that).

I told the RS presidency about the pregnancy last night and they were of course very excited and eager to share stories. I need to talk to more pregnant people. I don't know what to expect or what to plan for or anything really. So for those of you who have gone through it please feel free to share your advice.

Joe's latest name suggestion is WooWoo - for a girl, of course.