Impromptu Family Reunion

[Ronda] My sisters came to visit this weekend, and we invited all the cousins in the area to join us with their families . Here are a few snapshots of the day:



We think we are all beginning to look a little like our mother!



Catching up on family news...



Getting acquainted with all the little ones...








One family left before this picture was taken, and another came later. However, the families of all six siblings were represented. We enjoyed seeing everyone, strengthening family ties and renewing friendships. Lorraine and Marvin would be so pleased and thrilled!

A Birthday Tribute to Bob

[Ronda] Our journey together began 40 years ago.

We were joined by five girls and one boy--providing untold soccer games, basketball games, dance and music lessons. With five girls there was so much emotion, and clothing discussions. Bob survived by escaping to the hospital.




He spent many long hours at the hospital. He has saved numerous lives, and given hours and hours of service to relieve the suffering of those who came into the ER. Everyone loved "Dr. K." for his kindness, and his sense of humor. Being married to a doctor meant we most always could see a doctor when we needed one, and that was a great blessing.

We only had one boy, and it was fun for Bob to share his love of the outdoors, and hunting with
David.

This is a trip to the Wind River mountains.


Elk Hunting trips were the source of exciting and funny stories. We have an imposing elk head hanging on the wall downstairs that intrigues and alarms visitors!









To bring home an elk, and to be able to use the meat for our family was a rewarding experience for both Bob and David.






Bob has cherished memories of the days he spent with his horse, Shadow, enjoying the peace and beauty of nature.

Now Bob is a wonderful grandpa to 11 grandchildren. He loves to tell the grandchildren silly jokes, and the strange things he eats. It is a special time when he can read to them, because he wants his grandchildren to love to read.



Bob's birthday is tomorrow, and I want to say, "I love you Bob"

Gardening and Grandchildren

Ronda: I love early summer mornings in my garden. I marvel at the beauty of God's creations, and wonder at the potential and miracle of a tiny seed. This summer I discovered the joy of sharing my garden with my grandchildren. When raising my own children, the garden was something I wanted, but for them, it was a place to learn to work. With my grandchildren, however, the garden has become a place to explore, experience, and learn. (Ah, the wisdom that comes with added years!) Exploring is much more fun than working.

This spring (when it finally dried up enough to plant), Eliza, Sami, and Ali helped me plant the pumpkin seeds. Each place a seed was planted was identified by a metal marker, on which each child wrote their name. At Sami's next visit, she eagerly ran outside to see if her seeds were growing. Soon the seeds started to sprout, and the girls were thrilled to see the bright green leaves of a young pumpkin plant pushing out of the dark soil.

This July, Maya and Ethen came from Malaysia to visit. I smiled as Maya said, "Let's go out and see what's growing in the garden." Maya was excited to see that we had planted a "rainbow of peppers": red, yellow, orange, green, and purple.
[Bob]The poor purple pepper plant is a paltry pepper producer!

Maya was even interested in helping me weed the garden, and even more so when I found a pair of gloves her size. She stayed with me about 15 minutes as I showed her the weeds to pull. I explained we pull out weeds because they make it harder for the good plants to grow. It was an obvious choice of good over evil. Pull out the bad weeds!

I told her about pulling weeds with my brother when I was a young girl--weeds taller than I was, and we pulled so hard that we fell down when the weed finally came loose.

Ethen loved just playing in the dirt

In August, when it was time to pick the beans, I enlisted the help of my visiting grandchildren. I offered to pay them a penny for each bean they found and picked. Tyler and Ali were diligent workers, earning the most money--about 50 cents each. Eliza picked 14 beans and then was off for another adventure. Ali was very proud of being able to pick the beans without pulling up the whole plant, (and so was I)! The next time she was at my house, she wanted to pick more beans (and get paid for it, of course!) The grandchildren love looking for lovely flowers to pick, and the older ones, like Lizzie, love to climb in the red maple tree.

This summer I learned how to make hollyhock dolls. I remembered my grandmother making them, but didn't know how to do it. I searched online, and with a little experimentation, I discovered how to make them. I made one for each of the girls, and Eliza kept hers in a box in her bedroom. Several weeks later, she showed it to me and it had dried, and shriveled to about one inch tall, but still looked like a pretty, little doll. I was amazed!


It's now September, and we are searching for new pumpkins. When we see a big yellow flower, we know a pumpkin will soon be forming. When the pumpkins are green and small, I carve a grandchild's name on a pumpkin for each of them. As the pumpkins mature, the names scar over, and are easily read as the excited children hunt among the vines for the special pumpkin with their name on it.

I love growing a garden, but even more so, growing grandchildren!

Our New Adventure

Hi! We have started a blog! It is a new adventure for us and that is why we have chosen to call our blog “Your IQ Demands It”. I was raised by a mother who used this as her motto in life and Ronda married into a clan that was always quoting it.

My Mom felt that life was meant to be lived, enjoyed and a source of knowledge, adventure and experience. She loved to try and experience new things and wanted her children to do the same. Thus she always told us to be willing to try something new because “Your IQ demands it”. In other words, take advantage of life and grow your knowledge and experience. Go places, eat new and different foods, read and look at your surroundings with an eye for the different, new and unusual.

As I have now retired from the full-time practice of emergency medicine, Ronda and I want to do more things together, go more places and have new experiences. I will still work part-time, but more free time is open to us. Since I made the transition the end of July, I have taken a week and built a new play set in the backyard for the kids.

We are going to travel more, we have started to clear space in our home and I have a pile of books to read. Many of you have already been blogging and we love to follow them. You are welcome to follow our blog and perhaps we can open some new vista or experience for you, because “Your IQ Demands It”.