I Heart This Chair!

Faced with our upcoming move from Cairo, I am taking inventory of the actual furniture we own. It isn't much. We moved here with a crib, a twin bed and a toddler bed. And our wonderful La-Z Boy. We put our queen sized bed & a little table with 4 chairs in the company provided storage. **That's it. That's all, that's all there is!** Our place here is furnished. So, I get the enviable task of choosing furniture for the next place of residence. I've got a little folder in my "Bookmarks" tab labeled, "Stuff I like". Oh, I like, I like a lot! Some stuff, too much. So there's the "Reality furnishings" and "Dream Furnishings". This chair is borderline. Ideally, I would have my own powder room & walk-in closet. This little beauty would be in the corner just exuding awesomeness! But right now, I just don't have a place for it. So there it will sit, in my dream furnishings folder, waiting for the right time.






**name that song!**

One flew over the Cuckoo's nest

I thought I'd branch out a bit and do a movie review. This movie, though, isn't going to be around, in the form that we own, for much longer. There are quite a few variations of CleanFlicks around. We even went through this Canadian video editing company. All of them do a great job. Unfortunately, they are going out of business. ALL of them. We've amassed our collection due to their going-out-of-business sales. And really, at $6.97 a DVD, that's cheaper than renting it twice (which happens frequently b/c Mommy didn't finish) We received a new batch just after the New Year and so began our sojourn into "new movie" nights.

So far, we've only managed to see 3 in the last month. We watched "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest" on Tuesday night. The main character is Jack Nicholson circa 1975 so he looks like a baby. Although, if we're going to start calling names, the rest of his groupies in the mental institution (Danny DeVito, Christopher Lloyd and Vincent Schiavelli to name a few) looked like newborn babes compared to him. I liked the story; it took a little figuring out though, which I kind of like. Is Jack Nicholson really crazy or is he pretending? Spence & I made bets early on whether or not he is or isn't. The premise is that R.P. McMurphy (Nicholson) is brought to the mental institution to be evaluated for mental instability. Up until 10 minutes earlier, he had been incarcerated.

I thought the whole movie was a hoot. Was it supposed to be a comedy? I don't think so. I don't know, there could have been A LOT more character development. It was easy enough to follow. I'm sure it wasn't intended as a complete comedy, but really, every time Danny DeVito walked into the scene, he only comes up to everyone elbows! This was definitely before he became a big ticket movie star and the camera was banned from doing full body shots. Oh my, and his character was this squinty eyed guy with the mental capacity of a 3 year old. If he wasn't slapping the monopoly hotels down wherever he wanted; he was shoving the dice in his mouth faster than Lifesavers.

(playing BlackJack)
Danny: "Hit me!"
Jack: "You don't need a card, you've got 20."
Danny: "Hit me! Hit me!"

My other favorite character was a huge bear of a guy that Nicholson called "Chief". Supposedly, he was a deaf/mute Indian. Jack treated him otherwise; teaching him how to play basketball, including him in "group activities", etc. Chief plays dumb, but I called it, he really can hear and talk. I still don't completely know why he was in there. Probably because I was too busy giggling at Christopher Lloyd egging on the paranoid, neurotic playing Monopoly with a drooling Danny DeVito! Chief is a loyal friend to Nicholson, staying by him through wild parties and double lobotomies. In the end, he does R.P. McMurphy a favor and puts him out of his misery. I'm sure the unedited version has much more language and filth; but from what I saw, it was an enjoyable, albeit at times, odd movie evening. Stay tuned for future reviews!

It's all about the numbers . . .

Ok, this is it. My 100th post. I've been putting it off, wanting this to be a real "something" and the problem is . . . I think I have too many ideas! It would be easy if this blog were food themed; I'd pick my top 100 recipes. Or if I only did crafts, pictures, movies, book reviews or underwater basket weaving. I thought about all of my interests, there are waaaay too many (thank you ADD) and I can list my #1 from each category for this past year. (except for the basket weaving)

#1 Recipe: It's so hard to pick just one. Do I go fancy or simple? Dinner or dessert? Here it is. I picked something simple and sweet. (is there any other combination?) And DO strain the curd, it makes a world of difference. Oh, and it takes about 15 minutes MAX. I dolloped this on a Nilla wafer, sprinkled a tiny bit of the zest on top and it looked seriously professional. Like I really knew what I was doing!

Lemon Curd <-- it's a linky to the original recipe

Ingredients
2 Tbsp finely minced lemon zest (about 2 medium lemons)
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
3 large whole eggs, lightly beaten
1 stick/4 oz/8 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup granulated sugar (about 6 oz)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2-3 medium lemons)

Method
1. Whisk all ingredients together in a medium stainless steel saucepan.
2. Place the saucepan on the stove and turn on heat to medium (or medium-low if you are more timid). Stir constantly with a whisk until it starts to thicken a little. Make sure you are standing by your stove the entire time. Trust me, this is not the time to take breaks to watch tv or check on your laundry.
3. Once it starts to thicken, switch to a large flat-bottom spatula and stir frequently, making sure to scrape the bottom of pan so that the curd thickens evenly without burning the bottom.
4. Continue to stir and cook until very thick (about 6-10 minutes, if you're cooking on medium heat). It's pretty quick if you do it this way though you need to be vigilant for that time. It took me 8 minutes tops on medium heat.
5. Strain the curd (yes, you must do this if you want a really smooth and pretty lemon curd) into a bowl.
6. Cover with plastic wrap right on the surface of the curd (to prevent a skin from forming) and chill.

Favorite posts about the kids:
Eliza - - This is a wonderful poem she wrote.
Mairyn - - She made a lovely comment insinuating that I am a 3 armed alien.
Grant - - One of my favorite Grant-isms.
Jacqueline - - This is a video of her saying her name.

#1 Craft: I made quite a few of these dolls. I found the pattern in this random "Easy-to-make Early American Folk Dolls" book I got at a gift shop in SLC. They are so simple. I'll do a future post about the process next time I make one.


#1 Picture: Again, the dilemma proves daunting. Nature, people, things, etc. Don't worry, you'll get more in the future. This picture is of a column in Aswan, Egypt at the Philae Temple that I took in February 2008.


#1 Movie: Oh geez, picking a favorite movie. Well, since we don't have current shows here, we don't really watch that much T.V. or cinema. My favorite find this past year was the series Lost. Seriously. I. Love. It. Period. And it's so much better watching it on DVD than live, that way we can just move right on to the next episode to see if Locke really is going to die. But start from the very beginning or you're lost right along with them. Ha, I kill me.

#1 Book: As I said before, picking a favorite something would be like choosing a favorite child (although there are days when one shines above the rest! ;-) This book shines above the rest in recent memory. It's called "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls. Great book, read the wiki page. 'nuff said.

**This has been a 100th post by Lydia and I approve this message**

Milestones

Well, this is a milestone I've been in a little bit of denial about. I kind of thought the calendar just ended on January 25th, 2009 and that's that. Then I would never turn 30. I don't know, birthdays are weird. When I turned 18, I thought, ok, now I'm an adult. But I didn't feel any different than if I was 16. Then when breached the barrier into the 20's, still no "change". I had a real identity crisis when I was 25 and had 3 kids and a minivan! Yikes. But even now, I still don't "feel" like the adult. Should I? I don't think so. It reminds me of this car commercial. I don't remember the car or anything, all I remember is this guy narrating & saying,

"When did I become the person saying, 'Don't eat that off the floor!' when I'm really thinking, '10 second rule.'"

Exactly. Also, I was a little disappointed that I didn't reach another milestone today. I was trying really hard to make the two coincide. My 30th birthday and 100 posts. I am at 99 posts with this one today. I just didn't have anything to post about and I can't post just for the sake of numbers. I had already named this post & I couldn't think of a better title so it stayed that way. Besides, I wouldn't want to waste all the celebration on just one day!

Sunday Quotations

"Home should be a haven of love. Honor, courtesy, and respect symbolize love and characterize the righteous family. . . . "Where love is, there is no disputation. Where love is, there is no contention. Where love is, there God will be also."

President Thomas S. Monson

I've been thinking a lot about home lately. "Home is where the heart is." (or wherever your household goods are delivered!) We are in the process of getting our house in order; ready to be packed up this April. We have A LOT of crap. (future posts on that) But this all is more in the category of your "house or apartment". Home really is a state of mind, feeling or sense of being. Home is where you feel safe, home is your sanctuary, a hide-away from the world. And I think it is one of the things I protect most. When I get overwhelmed by mess or chaos in the house, I have to remind myself to take a step back. Then I ask myself this these questions, "Are my kids happy? Am I happy? Is this going to matter in the eternities?" If the answers are "Yes, yes and no." then everything o-kizzay. I actually have two quotes today. The other is from a book (that is no longer in print) called "Families are Forever . . . if I can just get through today." By Janice Madsen Weinheimer. She had 9 children; a girl, twins (boy & girl), twins (boy & girl), triplets (3 girls) and then 1 girl. And the book is generally about her tips and tricks to raising a large family. This is one quote that I call to mind frequently. When she was overwhelmed by the mess and temporal trials, she would tell herself,

"You can't take this clean house with you when you die."

That's right. When your children are grown and gone, will they remember if the Tupperware was organized or that you took the time to have family game night or a movie just because? Will they remember that their underwear was ironed and folded? (although i don't know in which dimension that would EVER be a reality) Or that they felt cherished, loved & safe? Think about it.


*this last summer's family picture, NOT my favorite, but everyone else looks great.

Two weeks later . . .

**Warning: Grant's Fingers Ahead**

Now, I'm not grossed out by his healing fingers. Some may not share the same opinion. The only time his injuries made my stomach churn was when it first happened. Spencer came running to me with Grant in his arms, holding out his smoking fingers. There was black, gooey plastic melted all over his fingers and in his wounds, and yeah, I just about lost it. That's when we knew it was time to call the doctor. It's surprising, I'm not that squeamish anymore. I remember when my sisters would throw up and I'd feel like heaving, too. I'd wonder, "How does my Mom do it? I couldn't scoop up barf and NOT lose my own cookies!" And needles, ugh, I could hardly look at one when someone else is getting poked. So naturally, when I'm pregnant, I need lots of shots. Rhogam, etc. Now, I just roll up the sleeve (or pull down the waistband) and take it! Bloodshed? I'm fine. Grant's bitten through his lip again? Wipe it up and give him a popsicle. My kids have done it all: stitches, casts, IVs, burns and bumps. I don't know if I've reached the point where I can give a shot to one of my kids, but I can at least look at the needle or blood and not feel faint.

This was supposed to be a complete collage. It is not. See the little blue, blank space in the corner? That's where the "healed" picture was supposed to go. I haven't been able to pin Grant down and get a non-blurry one yet. And if I don't post this, I never will. But, he has healed up nicely. He's got a wicked cool scar on his left index finger. It wraps around from top pad of his fingerprint down to around the front of his second knuckle. It looks very Frankenstein-ish. The left thumb and right index finger & thumb have these little windy valleys on his fingerprints. And really, I don't think these scars will last past his teens. I got burned once on the underside of my arm when I was 7 or so. It was big, blistery, yuck. I had a scar about the size of a silver dollar. It turned silvery and when I'd get cold or in the pool, it would turn purple. Vividly so. Then, late teens came I noticed that it had gone away. Poof! So, we'll see what's left in 10 years. I did read somewhere that women are more attracted to men with scars. Rrrar.

I feel pretty, oh so pretty!

It was time. The mane grew out of control. As was the girl. Day after day of fighting tangles, tears, wailing and gnashing of teeth. Enough, I say. Something has to be done. Jacqueline has been shorn of her long locks. But don't shed any tears for her (she did enough of that), it will be easier, for both of us!

Whoop-de-doo!

I belong to this photography group on Facebook. Every week is a different theme. This last week was Toys & Games. And I won! It's called Amateur Photography Contest; for point & shoot cameras. For those of us who don't have one of them there "special" cameras (i.e. DSLR). And the winner is posted on the group blog. No prize money or press conference, but it does feel good!

Wordy Wednesday

Awkward

Pronunciation: \ˈȯ-kwərd\

Function: adjective

Etymology:

Middle English awkeward in the wrong direction, from awke turned the wrong way, from Old Norse ǫfugr; akin to Old High German abuh turned the wrong way

Date: 1530

1obsolete : perverse
2archaic : unfavorable , adverse
3 a: lacking dexterity or skill (as in the use of hands) --awkward with a needle and thread-- b: showing the result of a lack of expertness -- awkward pictures --
4 a: lacking ease or grace (as of movement or expression) --awkward writing--b: lacking the right proportions, size, or harmony of parts : ungainly --awkward design--
5 a: lacking social grace and assurance awkward newcomer> b: causing embarrassment awkward moment>
6: not easy to handle or deal with : requiring great skill, ingenuity, or care awkward load-- awkward diplomatic situation--

Ok, I picked this word for a couple of reasons. One: I was spelling this the other day and it dawned on me how weird the spelling of this word is. I went to the dictionary (online, my hard copy is getting dusty. :-( Really? A-w-k-w-a-r-d. Hmmm. I was right, much to my chagrin. Not that I wanted to be wrong, it just 'felt' wrong. Two "w's" in one word? It would be ideal for Hangman . Although if someone guessed "w" then it's all downhill from there. Two: Try explaining "why" to a six year old. The word came up in a conversation, and Mairyn asked,

"What does awkward mean?"

And so I told her. And then she asked how it is spelled.

"That *pause* is wrong, Mommy. It can't be like that."

We wrote it down, looked it up and heard it pronounced online (that is something our paper version can't do. Yet. ;-) She finally conceded that this was, in fact, really a word. Thank you, Mairyn. I think. This word is, in more ways than one, awkward. Ha!

**P.S. I'd like to know on what accent they base the pronunciation of a word. I mean, not everyone in the U.S. says, "Cuba" the same. (sorry, just saw 'JFK', I still giggle a bit when I hear "cuber". ha!) I guess someone knows. Potato, Potato, Tomato, Tomato.

The 99 Things Meme

The 99 Things meme

Ok, ok, I told myself that I'd swear off memes for a while, but it does get the creative juices flowing. I've got about half a dozen ideas for future posts! And consider yourself tagged if you feel like doing it too! It is nice to look through and see what I have done, though.

What I’ve done: bold
What I’d like to do: italicized
What I haven’t done and don’t have any particular wish to do: plain text

1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars.
3. Played in a band.
4. Visited Hawaii.
5. Watched a meteor shower.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disneyland/world.
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sang a solo.
11. Bungee jumped.
12. Visited Paris.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch.
15. Adopted a child.
16. Had food poisoning.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty.
18. Grown your own vegetables.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
20. Slept on an overnight train.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Hitch hiked.
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill. (to go skiing!)
24. Built a snow fort.
25. Held a lamb.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Run a marathon.
28. Ridden a gondola in Venice.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise. Does the 3 day ferry/boat from Vancouver, BC to Haines, Alaska count?
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors. I'll eventually make it to Germany, Russia & the British Isles
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language. Huh? I've learned new languages. Do they mean something like Klingon or Elmo-ese?
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing.
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David in person.
41. Sung Karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant.
44. Visited Africa. Um, I've gone beyond the visit.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.
46. Been transported by ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted.
48. Gone deep sea fishing.
49. Seen the Sistine chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling.
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater.
55. Been in a movie.
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business.
58. Taken a martial arts class More like, studied for 5 years.
59. Visited Russia.
60. Served at a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies. I’ve bought plenty, though!
62. Gone whale watching. Does having seen Orkas on the boat to Alaska count?
63. Gotten flowers for no reason.
64. Donated blood.
65. Gone sky diving.
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp.
67. Bounced a check.
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten Caviar.
72. Pieced a quilt.
73. Stood in Times Square.
74. Toured the Everglades.
75. Been fired from a job. Not fired, just had my position & another person’s rolled into one. And I wasn’t the one that stayed.
76. Seen the Changing of the Guard in London.
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person.
80. Published a book.
81. Visited the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car.
83. Walked in Jerusalem.
84. Had your picture in the newspaper.
85. Read the entire Bible.
86. Visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating. Say “Yum” for venison
88. Had chickenpox.
89. Saved someone’s life. I was 7 & my sister was 4 & choking on a peppermint in the backseat of the car. I whacked her over & over & when she could breath again, hit me back & told Mom that I hit hard! I didn’t get in trouble for that!
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous.
92. Joined a book club.
93. Lost a loved one.
94. Had a baby.
95. Seen the Alamo in person.
96. Swum in the Great Salt Lake. Does wading to the knees count?
97. Been involved in a law suit.
98. Owned a cell phone.
99. Been stung by a bee.

Mustaches are fun

We got some fake mustaches from an online joke shop. Originally, they were planned as part of the festivities for our New Year's Eve party. Then at 20 to midnight, I remembered them. Other people did get their chance to get their 'stache pic, but I won't post them here out of courtesy to them! I did, however, take pictures of my kids sporting them and no matter how goofy they look, they are fair play! Grant was not in the mood to sport a 'stache, so there aren't any of him. But we'll get him soon, mwa-ha-ha-ha! Lots more opportunities for family fun!

Things I've learned

That nice fuzzy stuff on pipe cleaners turns into molten hot goo when electrocuted and then hardens into evil little hard patches.

That I am never going to buy pipe cleaners again. (at least while I have a child under 5)

That outlet protectors don’t work on curious 4 ½ year old boys.

That Grant is a resilient little boy.

We made it through the evening relatively well. No pain on Grant's part (alhamdul'allah) but he is not pleased with the "boxing gloves". We had to feed him, hold his cup for him and help him "do his business". Not pleased at all.

"Mommy, I can't touch my planes!"

He's crying this out to me as he comes running up, grasping his two favorite planes with his fingertips sticking out of the gauze wrappings.

"Oh, Grant! You have to keep that on!"

He is not having any of that. I re-wrapped the hands, drugged him with the codeine and put him to bed. We haven't heard a peep and hope it stays that way. Saturday Morning: I did some re-wrapping and this job is staying put. It's not easy making an active 4 1/2 year old NOT use his hands. His doting sisters have been very good to him; they fetch him his Spiderman, give him bites of waffle, scratch his nose and make puppet shows. Wow, how can I get some of this action? It sounds like a sweet deal!

What happens when . . .

. . . you stick a pipe cleaner in the electrical socket? Grant found out the hard way. We were spending a quiet afternoon at home today when the peace was broken by Grant screaming at the top of his lungs. I had been taking a nap when Spence came running in saying,

"Lydia, Grant burned himself!"

Oh great. This is the boy that doesn't pass a week without shedding any blood. (Last Friday he bit through the corner of his lip.) I came out to assess and his fingers were black. There was a lot of confusion as to what happened, but Mairyn reconstructed the story as best we can tell. So, her and Grant are in the bedroom playing. Mairyn was up on the bunk bed ladder and Grant was sitting on the floor by the wall. He stuck a pipe cleaner in the wall socket, we don't think he got shocked, but the wire heated up, burned the fuzz, the wire burned his fingers and the fuzz melted to his fingers. He threw the wire and it melted through the curtain and into the carpet. The curtain flamed up, but was out by the time we got there. (we now have a nice, loopy 'S' burned there) I called the RMO (regional medical officer. say it with me: we love acronyms!) and they said to meet them at the Maadi Health Unit.

Fortunately for us, there is an ER docter here on TDY (temporary deployment, meaning he's just here for a month or so). He had dealt with burns before and handled everything beautifully. Grant was in a lot of pain, so they gave him a shot of morphine right in the rear end. He protested, kicked the nurse in the stomach and then about 7 minutes later, was VERY relaxed. Dr. Dave began by soaking his hands and then debriding the wounds, peeling off the plastic and extricating it from the burns. Grant was very calm throughout the process (thank you, morphine). The Dr. Dave wrapped both of his hands up like boxing gloves, loaded us up with gauze, tape, burn goop and codeine. Yay for codeine.

So now Grant is the proud owner of two hands wrapped up like boxing gloves. Also, he will have very unique fingerprints from now on. The wire burned into his flesh on both index fingers and thumbs. The wire curved around and left diagonal tracks on all of his finger pads. They are 2nd & 3rd degree burns, but insha'allah, he will be fine. We're just praying for no infection and a patient boy.

The First Book of the Year

I have finished my first book of the year. It wasn't a hard one. Spencer got it for me for Christmas (read: it was on my list of things I wanted). I gave him a list of possible options, all of which, with, I would be equally pleased. It is called "The Year of Living Biblically" by A.J. Jacobs. It's about an agnostic journalist that tries to live the Bible as literally as possible for one year. And might I say, it is a very enjoyable read. He describes himself as "Jewish - in the same way that the Olive Garden is an Italian restaurant." The book itself is arranged in chapters chronologically by month, his day to day journal entries composing each chapter. And each chapter is made up of small, palatable vignettes. Very easy to pick up and put down at a moments notice. (what's that? you need -- insert child's want/need --.) It was in the top picks of 2008 on Amazon.com. AND, my big thing when it comes to picking books, it was a best-selling title. Some people see a book with the author's name preceded by "New York Times bestselling author" and snatch it right up! So what? A bestselling author can write a book that is no good and still have bragging rights to that moniker. A bestselling TITLE, while not always a slam dunk in the literary sense, is a better bet when picking reading material. The TITLE has sold such-and-such amount. Anyway, it's a great book I can definitely recommend and endorse.

**This message has been approved by me.**

Word Wednesday

I don't have a single word for this week, more like a word thought. Here we have two words: dejected and rejected. I'm no English major (ask my SIL or Sara for that kind of info), but don't they have the same root? This "ject", what does it mean? I looked it up in the dictionary (online) and in Wikipedia. Nada. De- and re- are prefixes to this odd word "ject". There is reassigned, inappropriate, return, reverse, demote, promote, all of these words that can have the front part chopped off and still have a meaning. Why not these two little odd semantical abberations? I guess they would have the opposite meaning of their first incarnation.

"Gosh, I'm sure feeling jected! I could jump for joy!"

or

"He jected me! He jected me! We're going to the dance together!"

You see, as I mentioned before, I'm no genius of the English language, but this only seems to make sense. Although, English never does make much sense. Looking at it from a non-English speakers point of view, it is a dang hard language! I mean, take these words for instance: fish and phone. Why oh why do they make the same beginning sound but have different letters? I could pull out a dozen different examples, but then we would both be bored! Am I right? So, to wrap up this wordy Wednesday, the English language makes no sense, but gosh I'm glad I speak it!!

Happy Birthday, Eliza!

Wow, when did she get to be so old? 9 years old is hard to believe. At least for me. Eliza is such a joy in our life. She has always been a loving sister & daughter, willing to help and so caring. As I was hunting through pictures (mental note: organize non-digital pictures), I really couldn't believe how far she's come. One minute she's the same size as a Tickle-Me-Elmo and the next she's that angel in the top left of the collage.

A short narration of the above pictures; starting at the top row, left corner: This December in the Nativity as the angel Gabriel; (straw hat) 3 1/2 years old at Yellowstone; 3 days old; about 15 months old; bottom row, left: about 3-4 weeks old; almost 4 years old; with the straw, 10 months old; kindergarten picture, almost 6 years old.

Happy Birthday, my Eliza Claire! My oldest daughter and first joy!