Rebecca's Blog

I am a terrible, terrible aunt/sister.  I have neglected my post of adoring aunt and glided right over a very important event in the Ord family.  Although I hope they will forgive my poor record keeping as it is not only this that has taken me so long to write about, but my own children as well.  This whole blogging thing has all but gone out the window for me thanks to my growing lack of time.

ANYWAY, no excuses.  I am making up for it now with an entire post dedicated to just this special event.

So, in December, my brother, Chris, and his wife, Triana, had their second precious addition to their family.  That makes blood nephew number 2 for me.  This little bundle of joy entered his mortal existence just days before Christmas, enlarging the hearts of all those who meet him.  He is definitely a much desired blessing.

That being said, I would like to introduce you all to Anders.

We met Anders when he was 3 weeks old.  The girls just adored him.

Big brother, Gavin, loves him too and holds him as often as his parents will let him.

The first weekend in March we were able to travel to little Anders’ baby blessing.  We loved getting to stay with my brother’s family and spend some quality time with them.  They are a beautiful little family – and a lot of fun.

My brother’s family.

Thank goodness for church things like blessings and baptisms.  Without them we may never get photo opportunities like this.  Pictured above are all the Ord grandchildren plus one little princess who wanted in on the fun.  Notice how they’re all looking one direction?  I don’t know what we wouldn’t do without Aunt Annelise at times like this to perform the now famous shark song and dance.

This year was a big birthday year for Sariah.  My second oldest baby turned eight and got to enjoy all the celebrations that come from turning such a wonderful age.

Of course, with every birthday comes the inevitable family party.  We had dinner of Sariah’s choice – lasagna – and cake and ice cream at Papa and Gaga’s house.  To make it all the more special, Uncle Chris and Aunt Triana were down with their kids and Great Grandma and Great Aunt Suzy came, so it was a nice size celebration.

A couple weeks later we had the friend party.  Sariah decided she wanted a mystery party.  At first I was at a loss as to how to have a “mystery” party, but it turned out great.  A “rich client” came to visit us at the SBI (Sariah’s Bureau of Investigation).  Dressed to the nines and completely decked out in all her fancy duds, she threw her coat at me and told her story to the agents in her hoity-toity voice.

Not two days before, she threw a garden party.  While having the time of her life, someone stole her precious jewels.  She had to have them back.  She entreated the agents to PLEASE solve the case and return them to her as soon as possible.

Once our client left, we went to work.  I quickly gave them all the evidence – information about the guests – and showed them pictures of the various suspects.  Then, partnered up, the agents searched the crime scene looking for further evidence.  They needed to find out who did it and where they hid the loot.

This “loot” turned out to be the makings of their treat bags – bead necklaces and ring pops.  The rest of the time was spent decorating cookies, eating cupcakes, opening presents and starting a movie.

Finishing off the celebrations was a very special occasion.  Having turned eight, Sariah was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Family came from California and Utah to celebrate this momentous occasion.  We had a lovely luncheon afterward, spending time with many we don’t get to see as often as we’d like.

That evening we went to dinner at Papa and Gaga’s house for Chinese food, seeing more of the Ord cousins and jumping on Papa.

Then and Now:

I can’t believe my little baby girl grew up so quickly.  I remember watching my little newborn in her crib, thinking how perfect she was and praying that she would live a long and happy life.  I pray every day that this sweet little girl will remain close to her Heavenly Father and that she will always be safe.  I am so proud to see that she is already choosing to make the decisions that will help her to receive all these blessing.

I love you, Sariah!!

Yes, I am well aware that there is repeatedly nothing new on my blog.  My only access to the internet is through my kids computer due to my computer no longer working.  This leaves me without pictures to post any updates.  However, I have started a new blog that requires no pictures.  If you are interested, go to my facebook page and look under my status updates for the link.  I will not share the link here, as it is an anonymous blog and I don’t want anything linking that site to this one – my family one.  If you aren’t on my facebook, either befriend me or email me and I will send you the link.

Should you decide to read my other blog, please remember that it is a sensitive subject matter and be considerate of my feelings as well as anyone who may decide to comment.  And, above all, please do not make any comments about my family or location on my page – remember, it’s anonymous.

I swear I haven’t left the planet.

I swear I will blog again.

I swear I have stuff to blog about.

I swear that I’m going to start swearing at my computer if it doesn’t start working again soon.

I swear that if I have lost all my pictures I will cry.

OK, so I don’t really swear, but you get the point.

(Song:  I Love You from Barney)

As I look through my pictures I have to ask myself, “Why?  Why does my husband feel the need to take pictures like this?”

They are horrid, unflattering pictures.  Granted, it does focus on one sleeping angel, but does he need to include the monster behind him?  I, at least, take pictures of people in more flattering poses.

Oh well, such is life.

OK, well, here’s one cute one.

Today’s Mission:  To become doggy prepared.

Reason:  I came home from my night out last night to a dog sleeping with Sariah.

How it Happened:  On my way to my mom’s house last night, I stopped by Cujo’s house to ask what kind of a dog he was.  What can I say?  My curiosity needed to be satisfied.  They told me pomeranian.  (Again, I don’t think so.)  Anyway, they asked why I wanted to know and I told them my kids had fallen in love with it, which is true – all five of them including a certain 32-year-old.  This is what I was told:

Keep it!!!  The little girl that lives there was given it from a friend, who didn’t ask the parents’ permission.  The dog is an indoor dog and they are gone from 4 am until 7 pm.  They don’t have the time and don’t want the dog.

Knowing that Ryan and the kids wanted the dog, I called him on the cell and told him what I had found out.  We agreed that we would consider it and talk about it when I got home.  Fearing that the dog would get out again and NOT make it to our house, Ryan and the kids headed over after dinner and asked about the dog.  The owners promptly handed it over.

Why We’re Idiots:  We just got rid of a dog for SEVERAL reasons – one big one being a little package that will be arriving mid-June.  Granted, it was a different breed that did NOT fit in with our family at all.  This one seems to be a better fit, at least so far.  We’ll see how it goes.

What is needed:  First and foremost, we need to have an idea of what KIND of dog it is and how big it will get.  Once we know that, we know what to feed it, how to groom it, what kind of care it will take and how to train it – all of which are needed along with a collar, leash and name tag.

* If you have not read the post “Multiple Personalities,” (or you have forgotten it) you will not understand this post.  Also, all white lettering indicates links to the referenced posts.

Dear Concerned Readers and Sister Personalities,

This is Sarcastic Susan writing.  First, let me preface this letter by stating that Dim Whit is making me write this to unblemish the reputation of the body who houses all us personalities.  She received a call the other day from a friend who was concerned after reading the post revealing Rebecca’s multiple personalities to the world.  She was told that some readers were worried after reading the post, afraid that something was wrong with Rebecca.  I assure you that ALL of us housed in Rebecca’s body are fine (we are neither mentally insane or depressed), but I, Sarcastic Susan, apparently have some repenting to do.

Upon receiving the phone call, Dim Whit searched through the archives on Rebecca’s blog and was astounded to see the amount of posts I had written – which I thought funny, but other’s without my sarcastic sense of humor may not appreciate.  Upon finishing, she consulted the others on what was to be done with me.

Paranoid Paula was mortified and worried far too much about what readers may think of her.  Motor Mouth Molly was uncharacteristically stunned into silence.  Helpful Hanna suggested that I be reasoned with. Needless to say, Witchy Wanda took that as permission to seriously rake me over the coals – and did so as she agrees that such frivolous writing causes more harm than good.  Intelligent Ingrid and Tired Tilly said nothing.   Intelligent Ingrid thinks herself above such nonsense and Tired Tilly, well… she just doesn’t care.

Among the many indiscretions written by my hand was the post in which I referred to a penis as a hot dog.  Then there was the whole Twilight obsession.  Maybe going so far as to believe that there was a vampire war in my backyard was a little over the top.  AND, perhaps, posting the picture of a half naked man and writing about chest hair was too racy for some.  I cannot, however, apologize for posting pictures of poop ridden walls.  That one is among my favorites and is without reproach – no matter how disgusting some might think it is.

As for an excuse for my careless writing, I have none.  I try to look at life with a sense of humor, causing some to look at me as bizarre.  As stated in my original post about our personalities, I am often misunderstood. . .  I guess I proved it.  I also apologize for tarnishing the names of all my sister personalities, except Silly Samantha and Fun Fanny who are having just as much fun with this as I am.  I am truly sorry if I offended or concerned anyone.

I offer my best wishes for the health and happiness of all personalities reading this, including my own,

Sarcastic Susan

* Disclaimer:  This post was not really written by Sarcastic Susan, but by Rebecca, who is not, in fact, suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder – nor is she seriously depressed or struggling.  “Multiple Personalities” was satire, humorously looking at the various aspects of personality and how each aspect comes out at different times.  I apologize for any confusion or concern.

Kay all you Wuster descendants, here is the third installment of Gertrude Wuster’s memoir.  I’m sure there are a ton of typos because I was typing at super sonic speed.  A lot of the grammatical errors are from the memoir itself.  Hope you enjoy!!!

For part one, click here.

For part two, click here.

This school had the boys entrance on 66th St.  The girls entrance was on May St.  Girls and small girls could play jacks on the cement, walk or play jump without being pushed and shoved around by the boys who could do their thing and playing on their own entrance walk.  There were monitors at all stairways and halls.  They were older girls or teacher.  We had very little trouble.  Our school had no real basement as it was on the street level.  That was where the Kindergarten was and on the east side entrance and the little ones went into the girls entrance.  Then through the hall was the large room with water hydrants and basins all along the east wall and benches on north and west walls where the youngsters could eat their lunch on days that were too cold or rainy to walk home and get back on time.  Then from there a large room where the stools each enclosed back and sides which gave privacy for each girl.

The janitors rooms, furnace and tools were in a large room in the center dividing the boys lunch room and the rest room.  The janitor kept that building wonderfully clean in fact the building was painted inside and repaired every summer during vacation.  All the rooms had large windows.  After the main entrance when kindergarten was there were three more floors from room 25 to room 1.  Also on the third floor a good sized auditorium with a very good sized stage with drawn drapes.  When there were plays or concerts, graduation the west wall of from 3 & 4 would be rolled up to make room for the crowd.  You see each room had 6 rows of seats and desks and nine in each row, making 54 students in each room and one teacher to a room.  However when music time came once a week, our principle Mr. Ormsby would come in and visit each room to supervise and taught.  He had majored in music, himself quite a musician.  He helped me greatly and the others, I am sure.  We were all able to read music and all our songs by the time we were in 7 & 8th grade, 4 part songs.

Visiting the schools today and watching children in rooms I would say they were  more sincere, more polite and kind to one another.  I might add this school was in a poor neighborhood, black, white and all nationalities, religion.  In fact in all my rooms, a Harry Mosely, a black boy, sat in back of me.  We were always in back because we were tall.  Many times I walked home well as far as he went, together talking about grades and lessons.  He was very bright and as he grew older became an attorney in Chicago following his father’s footsteps.  then there was Annie, Willie, Charlie also dark youngsters lived on Throop St. in back of us a couple doors down.  The mother was a very neat German girl who was married to a Black Man, chef on one of the trains.  When ever they had a new baby, Annie would ask me to come in and see it.  I loved to and so did little Daisy, my playmate.

When asking my mother why some were dark and some almost black, mother just very simply said climate and God made people so they could withstand the heat or cold and God was our creator.  We all played together all went to different churches.  We were raised to understand all of our parents were working hard to get along.  Some of our neighbors earned about 7 to $10.00 a week.  But all had some sort of garden, some potatoes and onions and two blocks down our street was a big cabbage patch.  The folkes across the street from us had a cow and pastured it in the large grass space on other side alley which divided our place for the future building to be on 63rd St.  Then our neighbors and their relatives who lived in building next door to them would chip in and buy the meats and make sausage in a smoke House in the yard like they had done in Europe.  It smelled very good and then the smell of chili sauce, pickles, other foods like bread baking, especially Friday and Saturday was cleaning and bake Kaffeekuchen some with apples some peaches when in season.  Everyone pitched in all these neighbors ate good their salaries and many raised their vegetables had a few chickens for eggs and chicken stew.  Yes they worked.  When my Papa came home from work, I brought him his wool jacket.  Took off his shoes and brought him his slippers and evening paper.  We loved our Papa.  He was kind and a soft spoken man.  Mama was the one brought discipline into the home and order.  But she told us with 4 children and Daddy to take care of we had to work together.  She could do many nice things for us if we obeyed and helped her.  Daddy certainly did his share.  He worked hard and long hours away from home and most of the time he left 6 am in the morning and got home at 7 pm.  Mama also told us he provided well for us.  He earned at that time $25.00 a week but looking back I know mother was a very good manager and saved so we could have good food, clothes and many a dance and party was given by my two sisters.  By the time they were 13 & 15, it was nothing for them to bring the church choir home with them after practice, the kitchen table was shoved in corner and with the piano for dancing, they would dance and sing.  There always was much laughter.  Mother would always serve something or they would pop corn, make candy.  I was 5 & 6 yrs when they started having good times and the boys taught me how to dance and I loved their watching her girls happy and having fun while Papa was gone helped so much and Papa wrote Mama how the sun had made him brown and his coughing was less and he was gaining weight which news with endearing words made Mama feel better too.  I knew the love was in those letters because Mama would blush and she would stop reading it all to us.

This year Elizabeth was blessed to have, what I believe to be, one of the best teachers on the planet. Ms. Norman pulled all the strings she could to give the best education to each of her students. Aside from pushing the kids academically at their own levels, Ms. Norman strove to provide a fun environment that taught about other cultures and the world around them. We will truly miss her next year.

On the second to last day of school, Elizabeth received awards for being one of the top readers and passing the timed math tests with the principle.

Ms. Norman wanted the kids to enjoy school and express themselves. The celebrated Mardi Gras and had and Egyptian funeral. Below is a picture of the class participating in the school talent show. All but 3 students decided to dance to “Go Around the Corn Sally.”

To cap the school year off, Ms. Norman put together a slide show of the year. Here is the link if you would like to watch it. It’s only about 10 minutes long and there are some darling pictures and video of Elizabeth.

A week ago last Saturday, we started putting together a backyard. We went to a rock place and ordered like 16 tons of rock to be delivered the following Monday. This meant that Monday was spent preparing the back yard for the work that we would be doing that evening – placing brick and distributing rock.

Monday morning, after all the kids were fed and dishes were done, I called my sister-in-law, Becky, about something and then proceeded to bring the dog inside, while still on the phone, so that I could clean the yard without a hyper, spaz dog jumping on me and ripping my poop bag to shreds. (Yes, I clean dog poo while talking on the phone.)  Anna poops in the corners of the yard and then, sometimes, around the fence line. As I was making my way along the back fence after cleaning one of the sides, I came across a strange sight. A piece of unfamiliar granite was laying in my yard. The conversation that followed went something like this:

“There is a piece of granite in my yard and I have NO idea how it got here!” I exclaimed. “It’s not the same kind of granite we have in our house.”

“Maybe it’s a piece of a vampire,” she said. “Maybe there was a vampire war in your backyard last night.”

I laughed. “Funny you should say that,” I said. “It is white.”

“You should take a picture!! You could blog about it!” she suggested.

“I’m not taking a picture of a piece of granite,” I asserted.

“Then take one and send it to me and I’ll blog about it!”

Becky then proceeded to do a little begging for me to take a picture and send it to her. After quite a bit of laughter I finally agreed. It wasn’t until a few days later that I decided to do a blog myself. So, if any of you would like to know what, exactly, Bella is snuggling up to when she cuddles up to Edward, feel free to look below.

Becky… This is for you!!

P.S. – For those who may be confused about a vampires description, the skin of a vampire is white, cold, smooth and hard like granite – at least in the first two books.  In the third book, however, Meyer switches to marble as the description for their skin.  She probably saw how spotty granite really is and decided it wasn’t the best description.