And the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, saying: Ask what you will that I should give you.  ~1 Kings 3:5  /  2 Chronicles 1:7

While Kyle was texting me, I took a picture of this display in Barnes & Noble & sent it to him. 4/22/12

This story was too cute to pass up and I had to share it.  About a month ago my sister was home and we were watching TV, one of Kyle’s shows.  Just then a commercial came on regarding a Toys-R-Us shopping spree.  Kyle’s face instantly shined while ‘Alleluia’ played in his head. Immediately, he went to the computer to look it up and to get the details.  Nicole helped him search high and low and behold, there it was, Kyle’s dream contest.  Naturally, he had Nicole enter him right away.  Now the Toys-R-Us shopping spree remained the topic of all of his conversations for the remainder of the weekend.

Nicole and I were working on the details for a Thrill of the Hunt scavenger hunt for a client in Austin, Texas.  We really needed to be focused, yet Kyle kept interrupting us with ideas and dreams of what he was going to get.  Not what he had the opportunity of winning, but what he was sure he was going to receive.  Kyle immediately believed he was going to win this contest, hands down.  I’ll give him credit, when he wants something he puts his whole heart into it and believes it with all of his being.

As we sat around the kitchen table, every topic out of his mouth was Lego related.  Not unlike most days, but this one was intense.  He had it mapped out of what he was going to add to his cart first.  He said, “I’ll start off with the really big Legos and then I’ll hit the Skylanders and if I have time I’ll get some other stuff.”  What a stinker!  Now, me being the realist and personally I was sick of hearing about this contest already, turned to Kyle saying, “Don’t you think you need to first worry about winning?  It’s a long shot Kyle.”  Then mom chimed in saying, “Yes Kyle and I don’t want you walking around pouting if you don’t win.  And getting upset over something you don’t need.”  Kyle not wanting to argue because he was so full of enthusiasm and excitement tried to put us at ease by saying, “Yes I know, but I could have a chance at winning.  And I know I may not win, I understand.”

So now I’m going to take this opportunity to help instill goodness in Kyle, trying to shut out the constant desire to always want stuff and to stop a possible tendency for greed.  Don’t get me wrong, Kyle is not a greedy person, at all!  He does have issues with always wanting and wanting more, but my concern is to avoid him walking down a greedy path.  Reiterating what everyone knows to be true, I said, “Kyle you don’t need any more toys.   You have rooms full of them!”  It’s like he could read me and was preparing for this conversation because he said, “I know Aunt Heather but I don’t have ALL the Lego’s and you know how I like to build.”  Continuing on trying to set an example, I retorted “You know what would be nice?  If you won the contest and you donate it to some kid that has nothing.”  Looking mortified, Kyle said, “Yes Aunt Heather but I really want to do the shopping spree.  I know I can do it.”  Meeting him halfway I responded, “Ok, but what if you donated all your toys to the kids that have lost everything during Hurricane Sandy.”  Being a quick thinker, who wants his own way, Kyle said, “Umm ok, how about his.  I’m sure I’ll get some of the same Lego’s, ’cause you know I do have a lot.  I can donate those toys that I already have and keep the ones I don’t.”  What a stinker!  Kyle almost got the point.  I was trying to have him think of others before himself and make a small sacrifice.  It’s not a sacrifice if your heart isn’t into it and if you still benefit.  I’m going to continue trying on that topic.

Then to really kick my efforts to the side, Nicole said, “Ok Kyle if you win and donate the toys, I’ll match that amount and give you the $1,000 to do your own shopping spree.”  Kyle instantly corrected Nicole, “Aunt Nikki it’s up to $5,000.  It’s a 10 minute shopping spree in the Toys-R-Us store in New York, up to $5,000 of toys.”  The reality hit and Nicole said, “Ya no, I’m not giving you that.”  Mom again jumped into the conversation saying, “Kyle!  You don’t need anymore toys, you have plenty.  You have more than most kids.  Be happy with what you have.”

Kyle seemed to hear us, but I don’t think he was really listening.  There was a wall of ‘Shopping Spree’ and ‘Lego’s’ blocking anything else from entering his thoughts.  Needless to say he continued on this idea, ALL weekend.  At one point I heard him talking to my dad and dad commented, “Well, someone has to win it.”  As if he needed more fuel to that fire.  We all yelled at dad and he defended himself saying, “Well someone does have to win!  I hope it is Kyle!”  Every one of us would be happy for Kyle if Kyle did indeed win, but dad was missing the point that Kyle has too much and he needs to stop obsessing over toys, specifically Lego’s.

At one point, I stepped into a conversation already long on its way and I heard Kyle stress about getting his toys home.  Really?  Keep in mind he didn’t win the shopping spree.  Dad said, “Don’t worry buddy, if we have to rent a truck, I’ll get your toys home.”  Am I hearing this correctly?  Yep!  Seriously what could I say that I  haven’t already.  So, to instigate a little further I said, “We’re going to have to add on another wing to the house.”  Dad jumped in my by saying, “I’ll do that for Kyle if we have to.”  Kyle just stood there nodding his head with a look of ‘Pappy’s got my back’.  Are you kidding me?  He really does believe that!  In a way, I believe dad meant it too!  Are these guys loosing their minds?

As if not satisfied with the truck to bring all the toys back and the new wing added onto the house, Kyle turned to me and said, “Can you get Mikey to make me a large wooden table to display all my Legos?”  I actually was completely stunned!  He was planning that far in advance.  All I could do is smile and say, “Yes Kyle, if you beat out all the nation’s children who also entered the sweepstake, and you get too many Lego’s to be supported in this house, when pappy builds your new wing I will have a table made for you.” Unbelievable, and this was just on Saturday.

All Saturday night while I took him around trick-or-treating Halloween Takes A Turn! he kept bringing up his winnings.   His fictitious booty.  Maybe there’s something I don’t know.

You would have thought his mindset would change by Sunday.  Nope!  I had to threaten him, letting him know if I heard one word of this contest during church he would be grounded.  He knew I meant business.  Church is no place for self-indulgence and to act self-centered, it’s a place of reverence, reflectance and a chance to be humble.  I’ll give him credit, he did good.  I mean it probably killed him that he couldn’t mention the shopping spree, but he certainly made up for it the minute we walked out of church and the rest of the day on Sunday.

Kyle and I went to early mass and then to CCD.  Mom and Nicole went to the later mass.  So to help mom out Kyle and I went to our weekly run of Giant Eagle, picking up a few needed items for dinner.  Then we started cooking, trying to get it ready for noon when mom and Nicole would be arriving.  The entire way through the food prep and food assembly, Kyle just stood there beside me in front of the stove chattering on about all his potential winnings.  Finally I turned to him and said, “Kyle the only person who can guarantee you winning this contest is God.  And that’s only if He wants you to have it.  So I’d better start praying really hard if I were you.”  He looked at me thinking intently and said, “Ok Aunt Heather I’m going to pray everyday really hard for me to win!  Would you say a prayer for me too?”  What could I say to that?  I smiled and said, “You got it buddy.  But I will also be praying for a deserving kid to win.”

Aunt Nikki’s Facebook post

As Kyle was suppose to be helping me cook, he ditched me for a new mission.  All of a sudden I heard Kyle say to my dad, “Pap pap, I know you don’t go to church, but would you do me a favor and say a prayer for me so I win this contest.”  That was too cute and sincere on Kyle’s part!  Dad, without missing beat said, “Yes I know I don’t go to church, but I always pray for you buddy, and yes I will say a prayer that you win this contest.”  As I was standing there stirring the chili, I couldn’t help but wear the biggest smile.

Kyle was sporting the same smile when he walked back in the kitchen with a look of, ‘Mission Accomplished.’  Too funny!  Unbeknownst to me at the time, I guess Kyle cornered mom and Nicole for the same prayers.  Gotta love his spirit!

Later on that day, I heard Kyle start to plan out who was going with him on the trip.  Initially he said that me, Nicole and dad would go with him, because there would be a lot of walking so his Gigi couldn’t do it.  Relieving some of his unnecessary stress I said, “We will pay for Gigi to go too and we’ll take care of getting her around.”  He actually seemed relieved with my declaration.  Then, he started looking into the hotel that was to accompany the winner.  He commented that it was really expensive.  Again, to put his mind at ease I said, “Don’t worry buddy, we’ll pick up all extra expenses so we can all go.”  He nodded and agreed with excitement.

He must have re-read the package deal and saw that the child has to be accompanied by a parent.  He said, “O no Aunt Heather I have to take my mom, so then who are we going to use the other two tickets for?  I guess you and Aunt Nikki!”  Without waiting on a response he went in the living-room, with his head hanging low like he has to share some bad news and said, “Pappy, you and Gigi will have to stay at home.  I don’t have enough tickets.”  Keep in mind, there is no winnings at this point!  Dad simply said, “That’s ok buddy, whatever you want to do.”  You have to admit was have nothing but love for our little man!

His thoroughness didn’t just stop at prayers and outlining the itinerary.  O no!  He seriously covered all bases, even going as far as asking my dad if he would give him WD40 to grease up the wheels so he would wiz through the store faster.  To get a reaction out of Kyle I asked, “If you win can I train you?”  Immediately he said, “Yep, Aunt Heather I will listen to you and you can train me, I don’t care.”  He continued by saying, “Can we maybe practice in our Toys-R-Us?”  I was dying!  He really was thinking of EVERYTHING!  I encouraged him by saying, “Yes Kyle, I will make you, your very own simulated store and prepare you.  Don’t worry, I can get you ready, but you need to listen to me.”  Encouragingly he said, “I will, for this I’ll even run!”  After that conversation I told my sister and my parents what just unfolded.  Kyle just stood there radiating an confirmation smile.

Sunday night Kyle had his youth group meeting.  While we were in the car he said to me, “Ok Aunt Heather, my emails go to your email right?”  It’s true, Kyle has his own email account but I have it forwarded to my account just to monitor his iTunes purchases and any activity.  He’s too young to be set free in the land of the world wide web and encounter others that are not looking out for his well-being.  The conversation never deviated off of this shopping spree.  He even went as far as to lean in to me, to capture my fullest attention, looking me straight in the eye while I was driving, allowing me to glanced over to hear him say “I’m in it to win it!”  Classic!  I have no doubt about that!

God Speed Kyle!  I hope the Nickelodeon & Toys R Us Great Big Toy Run Sweepstakes in Times Square is all yours!

Coexistence…what the farmer does with the turkey – until Thanksgiving.  ~Mike Connolly

Me & Holsters ready to run the Turkey Trot in Latrobe 11/22/12

Today, we participated in our traditional Thanksgiving dinner.  Mom made the feast, assisted by me and Kyle.  This year, Kyle wanted to make homemade pies, including the crust.  His comment was, “Aunt Heather it will be better making them ourselves so they’re fresh and it’s healthier ’cause we won’t have preservatives in our pies.”  Now how can I argue with that?  He was right!  Not to mention we both enjoy cooking together.  Last night we went to work on the desserts, making a pumpkin (mom’s favorite) and an apple crumb (Kyle’s favorite), plus a coconut mouse brownie dessert, courtesy of Pinterest.  A little nontraditional but a nice change.

Kyle helped my mom with the stuffing by ripping up the bread.  Actually, let me clarify, he had to cut the bread into perfect cubes.  Ripping the bread haphazardly like mom is not in his nature.  He was also in charge of making the punch and setting the table.  My goodness he is getting big!  Even Nicole made a comment about Kyle’s first experience at Thanksgiving, just like it was yesterday.  (sigh)

Kyle was rolling the dough… the pie dough 11/21/12

I stepped out for about an hour to run in the Turkey Trot.  Kyle was relieved when I didn’t make him join me, but I think next year things are going to be different.

Instead of fighting the holiday traffic, the plan was for Nicole to wake up early today and drive in.  Except, Nicole slept in and got a late start.  I really thought she was going to miss Thanksgiving dinner, but alas by the grace of God she made it just before we were ready to sit down and pig out.  Our standard crew gathered together, mom and dad, Nicole, Kyle and Uncle Denny (mom’s brother).  Plus let’s not forget the rest of our family, Scooby, Seven and Storm, her first Thanksgiving.

Anyway, like most families there are popular topics of conversation that fly around the table.  On a side note dad commented, “Gigi makes the best turkey and stuffing around.”  Followed by Kyle confirming this statement and adding, “Pappy, Gigi makes the best in the world!”  Too cute!   Well as the conversations continued, this year included our trip to Forks and the time Nicole went turkey hunting with dad.  This story is so appropriate for the national holiday, I have to share.

It was Kyle’s idea to make the pies, including the pie dough 11/21/12

One year, when Nicole was in her early teens, dad took her turkey hunting.  Please keep in mind I wasn’t there so my information was heard from the those that were present, Nicole and dad.  Both versions are similar and yet slightly different.  Basically, the story goes like this.  A turkey flew past dad and Nicole while they were hunting and landed in a nearby tree.  Letting Nicole have the honor, dad told her to shoot the turkey.  Nicole’s reply was, “That’s not a turkey, turkeys don’t fly”  Needless to say the bird took off, probably hearing the conversation and laughed all the way to another tree, high up in the air.  By the time they got home, dad was beside himself because he couldn’t believe that someone really wouldn’t know that turkeys can in deed fly.  Ryan, who pretty much lived at dad’s side in the woods for all hunting seasons, just laughed.  Once my Uncle Sonny and my cousins Chad and Jeremy caught word of the story, they teased her about it until everyone forgot about it.  Not me!  Personally, I don’t think that story ever gets old!

As I brought up the story again while we all feasted on turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, dad just chuckled and rolled his eyes and said, “Yes”.  A little turkey humor for a day devoted to serving up Turkey.

Happy Thanksgiving!

P.S. The gravy boat made its appearance.  Although we couldn’t find it at first, I thought Nicole hid it from me.  But it was found and all was right in my world.

Read more on our Traditional Thanksgiving!

Read our trip of Forks from the beginning.

Pre-flight – Twilight Pilgrimage Prequal

Forks or Bust! – Twilight Pilgrimage Part 1

Rain Forest, Forks, Beach…all in a Day! – Twilight Pilgrimage Part 2

More Forks & Port Angeles – Twilight Pilgrimage Part 3

Seattle – Twilight Pilgrimage Part 4

Coming Home – Twilight Pilgrimage Part 5

I will not eat oysters. I want my food dead.  Not sick.  Not wounded.  Dead.  ~Woody Allen

Discussing food and different tastes seems appropriate to talk about, since Thanksgiving is upon us.  The day to over eat and mix a smorgasbord of flavors.

Kyle’s 1st Birthday…hanging with pap 7/2002

Kyles tastes are certainly changing the older he gets.  Personally I love it!  It’s neat watching him develop his own likes and dislikes for food and really expanding his pallet.  My favorite is watching his new discoveries with specific edible items.  Is this a new behavior for Kyle to try new foods?  Nope!  Not even close.  Ever since he was little, we always encouraged Kyle to at least sample an unknown taste.  Our deal was, if he tried it and didn’t like it, he would never have to eat the unfavorable item again and I would never say anything about his choices in sustenance.  You know what?  He lived by that deal.  Sometimes he would turn his nose up to certain items or shy away from the sheer mention of a food, but when it came down to it, he always gave it a shot.  Surprisingly, whether he liked the item or not, he was proud of himself for giving it the good old college try.  Then, when he discovered a new favorite taste, he bragged about it and would go off on a tangent. He would even push the food on us to try it if he felt it was a new discovery.  I was always content with Kyle just trying.  My belief is, how can a child make a decision without knowing all the facts?  I guess more people should use that belief with everything in life.

What really cracks me up about Kyle is his consistent behavior.  Kyle is now eleven and he’s been like this for years.  He has his “usual” at specific places.  There was a time when he would never deviate from the “standard”.  I mean, I know other adults who do this, but for a child?  No one can say that I’m like that, not at all!  I like to change things up, try new items, crave different foods. I like to explore the menu and try the specials.  When Kyle only orders his previously established standard, set by himself, he reminds me of Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory.  He’s the uptight genius who has to have everything a certain way, being very consistent and particular, especially with his food. That’s Kyle.  Well, maybe not that extreme, but not far off the mark.  I will give Kyle credit though, he has a much better sense of humor and personality!

As I mentioned, for the longest time, Kyle had his favorite items at certain places.  I say places because that includes mom and dad’s house, my house, his Aunt Nikki’s, plus different restaurants and gas stations etc.  However, I’ve noticed he’s been trying new items and changing it up a bit.  Not a lot, let’s not get silly, but subtle changes.  Now indulge me while I outline a few examples.  Instead of his “usual” items he gets at these  places… he’s been introducing his pallet to new flavors and variations of the food.

Kyle actually makes this face!

Dairy Queen.  Ever since Kyle was eating ice-cream he was known for eating a twist on a cake cone with rainbow sprinkles.  Done!  He only deviated on the different sizes.  When we would treat ourselves for ice-cream, Dairy Queen was generally the place to go.  If we did go to another ice-cream establishment, Kyle would order the same.  Heavens forbid if they didn’t have rainbow sprinkles!  It was like his world was crumbling into a pile of melted ice-cream.  In fact, mom and dad would get him rainbow sprinkles and cones to eat his ice-cream at home.  Way to fuel Kyle’s obsessive behavior mom and dad!  Me, I’m the opposite, instead of catering to him, I would intentionally screw with Kyle to force him to try something new.  I’m fine with the arguments and the kicking and screaming that accompany this situation as long as I was opening his mind.  Not to mention, this fuels my nature to instigate.  Our last few visits to the Dairy Queen included Kyle experimenting with different toppings.  He has branched out to the waffle cone, caramel, hot fudge and nuts.  Not that junk food should be promoted and praised, but it’s a start.

Once when we were at the TastyLand this past summer, he said to me “Aunt Heather I think I’m going to try a chocolate dipped cone instead of sprinkles.”  That may not sound like a big deal to anyone else, but that was a profound statement.  And you know what?  He did and he loved it!  Then he said, “I think this will be my new cone when we come to TastyLand.”  Again, it’s a start.

Moving off of the important sweet tooth to something hardier.  Let’s discuss Subway. Normally I don’t allow Kyle to dine at fast food restaurants.  I try to direct him to eat healthier choices by making our meals, but there are those times when we’re running around on serious crunch time.  In those cases, we try to eat a little bit healthy by hitting up the local Subway.  His usual was a ham and cheese sub with lettuce and black olives.  Over the last year he has branched out to include turkey, ham, pepperoni, bacon with his standard lettuce, cheese and olives, plus onions.  Yes!  Kyle has acquired a taste for onions.  Not a lot, but a few mixed in his food are fine by him.  I don’t know how that happened, but I’ve informed Kyle that onions are good for the heart and he seems pleased with his new staple.  My sister always comments on how disgusting this sandwich is, not that I disagree.  Sometimes I make Kyle omit the pepperoni or the bacon to cut down on the fat.  Although, he never adds ranch or any dressing and he always gets a multi-grain bread.  I can live with that!

Admittingly, I do like the Sheetz Tomato Basil panini sandwiches and the one with Pesto.  Kyle tried them and surprising was not turned off by the hot sandwiches.  This, coming from the boy who has proclaimed his dislike for tomatoes a time or two over the years.  He said “Umm it’s ok, maybe without so many tomatoes.”  That statement actually put me in shock!  His comment was almost unfathomable!  That’s the first I’ve ever heard Kyle speak of tomatoes in any positive manner, not including sun dried tomatoes Cooking With Kyle – Aunt Nikki’s Hors d’oeuvres.  These are all positive steps!

Our little man falling asleep with his once coveted bottle… drink of choice c.2002

Even his usual Egg Sandwich Spectacular! has been pushed to new limits.  He asks for different vegetables to be added to the mixture.  That’s very amusing since he still won’t eat most cooked vegetables, let’s not even discuss the raw ones.  The other day Kyle went into a dissertation on why he thinks he is going through a growth spurt.  You see he is at least a head and a half shorter than all the kids in his class.  Let’s not even discuss that he’s the only one with baby teeth, half of them to be exact.  His height has been the topic of many of his conversations, brought up solely by him.  So when he turned to me and said, “I think I’m growing Aunt Heather.  I think I’m going through a growth spurt.  Maybe I’m going to be tall like my dad.”  I quickly shot back, “Maybe, your dad was around six foot, but I know you won’t grow right if you don’t start giving your body what it needs, like fruits and vegetables.  Your body needs those minerals and vitamins to grow properly.”  He looked at me almost horrified and then said, “But I eat meat and that’s protein for the muscles!  I eat fruit!”  To give him the big picture I said, “Yes, but it also needs other nutrients, the ones found in all the foods.  Even the ones you say you don’t like.”  I could tell he was thinking it over but didn’t say anything else on the subject.

Speaking of foods he claimed to not like.  One root vegetable that I have never understood his disgust for is the potato.  I love potatoes!  Mashed, parsley, baked, home fries, french fries, scalloped, you name it, I eat potatoes.  For the longest time Kyle would never eat the tuberous crop.  Really?  Yep, except french fries, naturally.  He wouldn’t even eat mashed potatoes.  Who turns their nose down to a bowl of mashed up starch with butter, milk, salt and pepper?  Especially at Thanksgiving!  Let’s not forget the potato cakes made from the left over mashed potatoes.  YUM!  It wasn’t until a year or two ago that he started eating mom’s potato cakes.  In fact, every now and again he’ll say, “Gigi can you make some potato cakes?”  They are really good!  I love them really, really crispy!

Since the discovery of the potato cake, Kyle all of a sudden started eating mashed potatoes.  What?  After all these years, he’s acquired a taste for mashed potatoes?  To be honest I think it was the mashed potatoes he initially tried that made him turn away from the side dish.  I don’t ever remember Kyle eating mom’s mashed potatoes until he was asked to by mom.  Then like magic, he was a big advocate of mashed potatoes!

I know tastes change but everyone should follow Kyle’s example.  Give everything a little try and don’t be turned off by something, even if at first it’s not to your liking.  Give it another go.  Maybe it was made differently or your pallet has matured.  I don’t expect Kyle to eat everything and it’s really not that important to me, but it is important for Kyle to give it go.  That’s with everything.  If he has an opportunity to try something I don’t want him to assume he doesn’t like it or worse, afraid to go out of his comfort zone.  I also don’t expect Kyle to be like that alone, everyone in my family lives by the “try it” rule, well within moral reason.

For the record, I eat oysters and muscles.  I especially love muscles!  I don’t care how they are prepared, whichever way desired by the chef.  In fact, I love seafood!  Just like my dad most everyone in the family.  There are very few foods I will not eat.  My pallet is a lot like my dad’s.  Although sometimes I wish I was disgusted by sweets and pastries.

I think children are like pancakes.  You sort of ruin the first one, and you get better at it the second time around.  ~Kelly Ripa

My cousins Bill, Denise & Zach Olczak

Two Sunday’s ago, mom made the batter for buckwheat pancakes.  I totally love buckwheat pancakes!  They are a little bit thinner and crispier than regular pancakes and in my opinion they have a hardier taste.  What’s the difference between regular pancakes and buckwheat cakes?  Basically the buckwheat.  So next question what is buckwheat?  Truthfully, I had no idea so I did a little digging around.  Naturally, I did what every person sitting at a computer does, I Google’d it.  In my little bit of reading, and we all know the internet doesn’t lie or contain false information, (sarcasm) I found that buckwheat is a fruit off of a plant.  Then it’s ground down into flower.  It’s considered a hardy and nutritious fruit, rich with omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, minerals and essential amino acids.  I also read:

“Buckwheat is a member of the grass family whose seed is high in calcium. Buckwheat seeds are ground whole into a flour before used in cereal, which result in the appearance of small, black specks in flakes. Buckwheat is gluten-free.”

Does all that really mean a lot to me?  Yes and no.  I already liked the pancakes prior to this knowledge and if buckwheat wasn’t really healthy, I still wouldn’t give it up, just be mindful.  Of course, with this knowledge tucked away in my brain, it actually causes more damage.  Now I have it in my head that I can eat the entire batch, which is not healthy either.

So why the rediscovery for buckwheat pancakes?  Pretty simple actually.  Dad just purchased the buckwheat flour with the intent of making buckwheat pancakes.  The entire family is a fan of the hardy food, well Kyle is he just forgot.  Did the internet tell me this piece of information?  Nope, I actually have proof on this statement.  Every year, we try to make it to the Flax Scutching Festival, (65th Annual Piper Reunion) where incidentally they sell buckwheat pancakes.  So I know Kyle has tasted buckwheat over the years and if he disliked it in any way, we would have heard about it.  Kyle is not shy about voicing his opinion.  Yep, we are all fans of buckwheat!

Being a little unsure about the buckwheat pancakes, Kyle helped me flip them anyway.  Partially because he takes pride in trying new foods and experimenting with cooking methods, and because he really enjoys cooking with me.  I must admit, it has become a favorite of mine too.   Mom mixed up the batter the night before and Kyle helped me man the griddle, well he started to for a little bit until he helped himself to the fresh hot cakes with maple syrup while I finished up.  On a side note, nothing beats real maple syrup, 100% genuine maple syrup!  I don’t really care for the store brands that are loaded with a list of ingredients.  Anyway, I don’t mind cooking at all, plus it gave mom a break, considering she definitely has more hours invested in front of the stove than I do.  But no matter who’s cooking, the conversations seem to surface.  While I was standing there flipping the cakes, I was talking to mom about the best pancakes in history, courtesy of my uncle Walter.

Uncle Walter & Family. My grandpap Chester is on the far right

My uncle Walter was one of my grandpap Chester’s brothers.  He was truly a great guy!  Uncle Walter lived down the hill from us on the farm and was a huge part of our lives.  He had cows and chickens and he made hay, just a simple farm boy.  Not to mention he and my aunt Mary had a greenhouse where they sold soil and plants.  In his younger days, uncle Walter was a merchant marine in the navy.  His job?  A cook of course!  There is no doubt those guys were very well fed!  I’m sure Uncle Walter’s life reads like an impressive resume, but I just wanted to give a synopsis.

As mom and I stood there babysitting the buckwheat pancakes, I brought up one of our trips to Erie, that’s where the story of the best blueberry pancakes takes place.  My cousin’s Bill and Denise live in Erie, Pennsylvania.  Casey’s dad, Jim and Bill are brothers, both sons of my Uncle Walter.  They are all on my mom’s side of the family.  One weekend, all of us including my cousin Casey’s crew and my whole family took a road trip to visit that branch of the family.

It was so much fun!  We went to Presque Isle and ran around on the beach.  We hung out at Bill and Denise’s and fished from their pond off the dock,  paddled the canoe around the water (being mindful of the drain), checked out the beavers living near the water and visited their goats.  Incidentally, that was the first time I ever had goat milk.  I am not a milk drinker but that trip opened my eyes to the love of goat cheese and ever since then, I am a dedicated fan and advocate.  At the time, I don’t remember if they had their horses, but it certainly was an adventure.  Even down to the sleeping arrangements.  Since there were so many of us, all the kids camped out in tents in the yard, making the trip even more exciting and fun.

Mom & dad sitting by the pond at Bill & Denise’s 7/4/85

That Saturday morning, I remember waking up early to the smell of breakfast, blueberry pancakes!  To this day I can describe the fluffy spongy texture of the pancake that encapsulated the juicy sweet blueberries, perfectly spread throughout the circular treat.  As uncle Walter flipped the hot cakes, I stood behind watching his technique.  I was amazed that they never stuck and the pancakes seemed to be perfectly round.  As I was staring, uncle Walter just gave me a smile and asked if I wanted some.  To be honest I was just content watching him make the pancakes, although they smelled so good my stomach told me differently.  What I really wanted to do was assist him, but I didn’t want to screw up his system.  In no time at all, I gave in to hunger and ate my beautifully sweet, heavenly blueberry pancakes.  To this day, I just remember how awesome they were!  No other pancake has touch his, ever!  I’m sure there were other meals that weekend, and I’m sure uncle Walter helped out, but nothing stood out in my head like those pancakes, except maybe the introduction of goat cheese.

With all the running around and the excitement of hanging out with family, we had a great weekend!  Ever since that weekend in July 1985, 27 years ago, we kept saying we are going to head back up and visit Bill and Denise.  But alas we never made the time.  I think we are past due, and this spring Bill and Denise are going to get some visitors, including one who’s never been to Erie, our little Kyle.

Uncle Walter with one of his five kids

Just to give a short bio on Bill and Denise.  Besides being a pillar in the community, they are great role models and a testament of what one family and one dream can become.  Even though the desire and knowledge to start Mystic Mountain was always in their hearts, it didn’t come into fruition until 2001.  They opened Mystic Mountain Training Center, a nonprofit organization for children and families to learn mentoring, discipleship, and teamwork.  So what do they do?  Besides offering equestrian, shooting, and drama, they inspire and bring families together.  I can’t image growing up and not knowing what the countryside is like or riding a horse.  Bill and Denise developed programs to bring inner city kids to Mystic Mountain to experience all the benefits of God’s country and the beasts of the earth.  I believe being a part of nature, especially being around horses energizes the soul and helps to develop a new respect for life.  Keep up the good work guys!

Mystic Mountain Training Center

Interested in experiencing Mystic Mountain Training Center for yourself or would like to make a donation?  They would love to hear from you.   Go to www.mysticmtc.com.  Tell Bill and Denise Aunt Heather sent you!

If you build a better mousetrap, you will catch better mice.  ~George Gobel

Me holding Rascals c. 1993

This is ironic, I keep writing about mice, yet my affection for them them is very much less than favorable.  In fact, mice in my opinion reside in the revolting and antipathy category.  Regardless, I need to sing my praises of another successful trophy over my mantel, even though it’s not quite what you’d expect.  At least I was completely thrown off of my game.

I’ve said it before and I believe it to be true, the neighborhood mice are picking on me!  I don’t get it, recently I haven’t had much food in the house.  Also my little corner of the world is very clean, I mean bleach clean.  My house is kept  junk and clutter free, I’m pretty much a minimalistic.  So let’s take inventory.  I have no food, a very clean clutter free house and I have a cat.  Why would any mouse decide to take refuse in my personal domain?  The only thing I know to be reality is that I am like my parents and I tend to come and go with the door hanging wide open.  Ok, note to self, learn to keep the door shut, especially after this last episode.

This mouse was haunting me for over a month.  What is really strange, is that I never saw the mouse before or after Storm had it cornered under my dresser.  Coincidentally, that was the same time one of my mouse sticky pads went missing, still never found it!  A few weeks ago I kept finding what I thought were mouse droppings in the strangest places.  On the backs of my couch and chair, my window seal in the living-room, and even on my window seal behind my bed.  I don’t even want to discuss the few that were on my sheets.  Ever since that incidence, it became my nightly ritual to change my sheets and check everywhere before I laid my head down.  It didn’t even look like the mouse was even in my kitchen.  What is wrong with this mouse?

Rascals playing with Dad… just like a cat

One weekend after being away, I came back to a ton of crap, literally crap on my furniture and window seals.  Keep in mind Storm was with me so it wasn’t like she was sleeping on the job. I couldn’t take it!  This meant war.  By this time, I think I had already used up an entire can of Lysol disinfecting everything.  What am I to do?  My dilemma resided in the fact that I couldn’t set out certain traps, for fear Storm would get hurt.  So late, that Sunday night I went to the store and purchased about a dozen of those hockey puck shaped plastic traps that the mouse is suppose to enter and die.  My logic, I’ll have those set out everywhere all the time and when Storm and I go to my parents, I’ll set the deadly traps.  My kitchen looked like a mind field, but I didn’t care.  I was at war and I was determined to win.

Would you believe I checked those traps a couple of times a day and nothing!  The only thing those traps were doing was entertaining my cat!  Apparently she thought I bought her toys to push around the kitchen.

On a side note, if I did believed in reincarnation, I know I can’t come back as a cat.  I am such a horrible mouse catcher!

Now the ultimate test, go away for a few days and leaving out those small sticky pads.  My plan was to leave for the weekend, actually from Thursday to Sunday, since I took off work on Friday to go mentor hunting Deer Hunter, Kyle’s First Deer, with Kyle and dad.  Would you believe, when I got back to my house there was more evidence of the varmint, but no physical body?  I can’t even describe in words how ticked off I was!  Poor Kyle, he was trying to help me disinfect my house and clean up.  He even found one of the sticky pads with hair on it that was partially under the refrigerator.  Now at least, I know I was not loosing my mind, there really was something in the house.  I guess it was a bionic mouse to get out of a trap like that!

Me introducing Jake to the new kittens

What really had me seeing red was my new discovery.  As I opened my refrigerator door, I noticed the light didn’t come on and a wall of warm air hit me.  What?  The stupid beast destroyed my refrigerator?  It did!  This was it, I was at my whits end!  First of all I hate mice with such a passion, and now one was completely terrorizing me and destroying major appliances?  In my own house?  Not right!

That week I went back to the store and decided to get the really big sticky pads and the snap traps.  I was still going to hold my ground and take back my house.  All week long, I cursed at those hockey puck shaped discrete mouse traps.  I kept going on, on how bad they sucked and didn’t work.  Whenever I described the mouse to my sister I would say, “I must have the smartest mouse of its kind in my house!  It’s like a super mouse or a bionic mouse.”  On another side note, every time I discussed the mouse I felt like I was reading from a Dr. Seuss book!  Kinda funny.  Nicole just laughed and suggested that I get an exterminator.  I’ve seen Billy the Exterminator on TV, all they would do is exactly what I was already doing.  Nope this is my war and it will be my victory!

Nicole feeding Rascals as a baby. Her eyes weren’t even open yet…I don’t Nicole’s were either….

By now I’ve learned my opponents movements pretty well.  I know the popular areas of interest and when that critter surfaces.  Now it was time to set the bait.  The following weekend, I made sure the house was unoccupied, but before I did so I set out a bunch of large sticky pads, a bunch of spring traps loaded with peanut butter and I bought some plastic traps containing poison cubes inside to allow the mouse to die within.  Of course let’s not forget the half a dozen plastic hockey shaped mouse traps.  It looked like an active war zone.  I was prepared and this battle was on my home turf, victory was in sight.

To be honest I was skeptical.  Actually, I made the same comment to several people, “If I don’t have a trophy over my mantel by Sunday night then I will seriously put my house up for sell and I’m moving out.  I can’t take this anymore.”  You know what?  I was being very serious.  I know it sounds a bit extreme, but if this was going to be an ongoing problem, then it was one I choose not be apart of.

Three baby raccoons… only Rascals survived

Well as Sunday night rolled around, I planned on having Kyle with me, but alas I didn’t.  No worries, I became callous to the idea of dealing with a dead mouse.  In fact, I was looking forward to this nightmare to end.  As I entered the dark house, I instantly looked at the trap set by the door and the ones in close proximity, while turning on the lights.  I examined my living-room and headed back the hallway to check the few miscellaneous traps.  Nothing!

To be honest, at that point, it’s a little bittersweet.  I really don’t want to clean up a corpse but then again I don’t want to know there is still a mouse running around my house.  Just as I walked around my chair and headed into the kitchen, there it was, with its head trapped in a snap trap pushed onto a sticky pad!  Instead of getting grossed out, or cheering with victory I was somewhat flabbergasted.  I literally had to do a second and third glance, blink a few times and cautiously approach the prisoner.  I didn’t catch a mouse, like a normal person would.  Nope, I caught a chipmunk!  Yes, I caught Alvin!

At that moment I had a rush of thoughts that hit me all at once, allowing me to make sense of the actions that lead up to this point.  The crap on the chairs, which were near a window; the crap on the windows seals, which were incidentally by a window with the blinds partially up for Storm to gaze out; the reason why my small mouse traps never caught a mouse; the reason Storm was never able to kill the rodent; the ability for the animal to take down a major appliance.  It all came together!  I had no idea I was living with Alvin!  More importantly when did Alvin move in?  Well, the only important focus of this story was that he was dead!  Upon closer inspection I found out that he put up a fight before meeting his untimely death.  There were two snap traps set off and a few sticky pads moved around.  But ultimately I won this battle!

After all the shock wore off I called my sister to tell her I wasn’t moving out and I have a prize trophy.  She said, “You caught a chipmunk?  Heather that’s disgusting!”  I retorted, “I’d rather have a chipmunk on my furniture than a mouse.  I actually don’t feel so dirty now.  I’m happy knowing this.”

Since then, my house seems untouched by all creators that move around under cover of darkness.  At least that’s what I tell myself, it helps me sleep at night.  I hope since I killed Alvin, Simon and Theodore aren’t plotting revenge on me.

Read more on my encounters with mice
Of Mice and Me…
Of Mice and Me…Part 2
Of Mice and Me…Part 3

To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.  ~ Woodrow Wilson

Thank you to those who have served and those that continue to serve!

Fun facts:  When looking into this national holiday, I found out that it’s really a worldwide holiday because it coincides with Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, which are celebrated in other parts of the world.  There’s a reason it’s celebrated on November 11th.  This marks the anniversary of the end of World War I.  Why the eleventh?  Most major hostilities from the war were officially ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.  This was the German signing of the Armistice.

Ironic, we fought against the countries who we share a day for honoring those that served.

Another fun fact, according to Wikipedia, “Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans, while Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving.”

I am very proud to say that I personally know many men and women who have honored our country with their service and some who continue to do so.  Happy Veterans’ Day!  Thank you to those I know and those I may not have the privilege of meeting and personally thanking.

I just owe almost everything to my father and it’s passionately interesting for me that the things that I learned in a small town, in a very modest home, are just the things that I believe have won the election.  ~Margaret Thatcher

Roughly four years ago today, the United States citizens were voting for their next president of the United States.  In 2008, the republican nominee was John McCain (Arizona) and his nominee for Vice President was Sarah Palin (Alaska).  The Democratic nominee was Barack Obama (Illinois) and his nominee for Vice President was Joesph Biden (Pennsylvania).  In 2008, Barack Obama became the 44th president of the United States of America.  I’m glad that the people got out to vote, even though though that’s not how I voted.

Regardless, I am proud of the fact that I am able to vote, and do it safely, at least in my little area of the world.  I have never been threatened to vote or not vote.  I have never had to be escorted to the polls by men holding machine guns.  And I’ve never been afraid to voice my opinion or engage in a friendly intelligent debate with another party.  We are certainly blessed.

Today, I cast my vote again, as I do every election, local or national.  This year the nominee for the Republican party is Mitt Romney (Massachusetts) and his Vice President nominee is Paul Ryan (Wisconsin).  The Democratic nominee was the same from the 2008 election, Barack Obama and Joesph Biden.  Naturally the President and Vice President have another chance for a four year term.  The main issues facing this year’s election included unemployment, healthcare (Obamacare), and the war on terrorism.  Maybe next year, I will take Kyle in the booth with me to watch me vote.  I want him to get a feel for voting and understand the importance of his choices before it’s time for him to cast his ballot.  Kyle watches the news with me, and has an understanding for some issues, but I want him to make sure he is aware, as much as possible.  Although Kyle is not short of his own opinions.  The other day he made a comment about Obama being a dictator, or something along those lines.  I never said such a thing, but I’m sure he heard it somewhere, or maybe that was his observation.

By this time tomorrow, we will know who was elected as our 45th President of the United States.  Hope God blesses the new leader!