Secret to Living to 96 years old and longer. . .

Grandpa Vernon receiving a Father's Day present June '09 with Marina (4 yo)

Alright, I am not going to tell you the secret, yet. I have to discover it, which I plan to do today. I will be sure to share with you my very secret and exciting findings. How? You ask. My grandpa Vernon turns 96 today (well really yesterday, but the party is today) and I am going to do us all a favor and ask him a few questions.

96 years of life is certainly something to celebrate. Here are a few things about Vernon: he lives on his own (alone), goes out to dinner at his favorite restaurant most of the week, is clear and quick mentally, has a keen sense of humor, doesn't eat his greens, walks a bit, and drives.

Perhaps living to a ripe 100+ doesn't need to be so uncommon? I plan to ask him some interview questions today at his 96th birthday celebration, and get some pictures of him and the littlest family members-- baby Ida (10 days old) and baby Stella (1 1/2 years). So until then, the mystery resumes . . . what is his secret to healthy longevity? It just might not be so hard to accomplish after all . . .

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUCY'S PUPPIES!

It has been one year since we had 12 puppies born in a large whelping box on our kitchen floor. What an amazing experience it was. A one-time-experience, for that matter. No more puppies for us! You can probably imagine the shock when Lucy kept having puppies one after another:

Awww, six puppies, perfect!
Uh, okay, seven. Wait, she looks like she's having more . . .
Is 10 some sort of record?
Wait, I think there's more . . .

There were actually 13 born, one died in the night. We managed to find loving homes for all of the puppies. It took a lot of effort on our part, postering up the whole town and showing the puppies to potential owners, many of which, perhaps realizing the gravity of puppy ownership, declined to buy one. I learned a lot about dogs, puppies, people, and everything in between. Like how to:

~ be a doggy midwife
~ put a pillow over my head to tone down the squeals and yelps of hungry puppies nursing in the kitchen while I tried to sleep
~how wonderful the smell of puppy breath, as sweet as any infant. I can still remember the new puppy smell . . .
~how quickly you can go through a bag of dog food when you are feeding 13 dogs
~walk 10+ dogs once a day
~keep an infant and toddler safe from 13 dogs
~carry two young children while walking, feeding, and taking care of 13 dogs
~the fine art of poster location and design
~the difference between a dominant and submissive dog
~the difference between 12 black Labradors by personality and little white markings alone
~that each dog really does have a distinct and predictable personality
~people have many interesting reasons for getting a puppy or for looking at one
~some people just want to come play with your puppies, but not buy them
~how to feed a pack of dogs salmon berries on a walk

. . . and so much more, but you get the point.

Be sure to check out our puppy and kitten blog at: http://www.lucyhaspuppies.blogspot.com

Every 3 year old child's dream: PUPPIES!!

2 days old (ABOVE & BELOW)

Happy Birthday Marina, 4!!

Carrot cake just like Auntie Rachelle likes and at the beach for lunch



dinner and presents


birthday flowers and balloons

Left foreground: Marina's birthday rooster, Right: at the Langley beach for birthday lunch

An amazing 4 years it's been- a lifetime already! Or it seems like it. How life has changed for me and for you. You who insists on being called a "big girl." So much has happened in the span of 4 years. Here are some birthday pictures from today! And some words to remember the landmark by:
~pink, blue, and white
~big girl
~ballet-dance-theater-soccer
~your thank yous before meals go something like this: thank you for my ponies caspian and Joey, umm, PJ, Kiki, nanny, mommy, daddy, baby stella, grampy, great grandpa, PJ, kiki, and caspian and joey
~what kind of meat is this? Vegetarian leanings. . .
~baby sis has been growing up and you now chase her around the house, her running and giggling and tripping and falling.
~You wanted a rooster from daddy for your 4th birthday (see above pictures) and you named him: Black dot white

Stella's Birth: Peace and Love :)) What's Your Favorite Stella birth pic? Vote!

PICTURE #1 (above)

PICTURE #2 (above)

PICTURE #3 (above)

Want to vote for your fav of the above 3 pics? Post in the comments. Also, looking for a good title for the picture. Thanks!

Vicky's Birthday Chocolate Cheesecake with Red Berry Syrup Recipe (wheat & gluten free!)

A special birthday calls for a special cake. My mom's birthday celebration was on June 1st and she requested a chocolate cheesecake. Here is a wheat and gluten free recipe that we all loved. The crust is Ginger cookies and it adds a nice zip. I added a raspberry-strawberry-cherry syrup on the side and it really made the dessert! My daughter Marina enjoyed helping me make the cheesecake. Her favorite part was stirring and testing the chocolate that was melting on the stove top. I melted extra chocolate to make the words on the top of the cake. (If you want to do this just melt bittersweet chocolate and using a spoon or fork draw the words or pictures).

Cheesecake Crust:
1 package of Mi-Del Ginger Cookies
1/2 to 1 stick of butter, or enough to form the crust

Preheat oven to 350F.
Put cookies in a blender, when completely blended add chopped butter and blend into a ball. Butter a pie dish and then press cookie-butter mix into a regular sized pie pan, starting from the inside and moving to the outside and then up the sides. Bake pie shell for 10 minutes. cool completely.

Chocolate:
8 oz bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate
1 TBS butter

Melt chocolate and butter on low heat, preferably on a double-broiler until completely melted. Allow to cool, but not solidify!

Cheesecake Insides:
2- 8 oz cream cheeses
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar

Mix the sour cream, eggs, sugar and vanilla in blender until well mixed (30 sec). Add 1 cream cheese at a time, blending between each. Then add cooled chocolate and blend.

Put it all together:
Pour cheesecake insides with chocolate into the cooled pie crust and cook in preheated 350F oven for 35 minutes or so. I check frequently and notice when the cheese part feels solidified and dry-ish to the touch. It should jiggle, but when you touch it there will be no moisture on your finger. Turn off oven and leave cake in for another 10 minutes. Place on a cooling rack when you remove cake from the oven. Refrigerate for several hours before serving, or overnight.

Serve with Berry Syrup:
1 cup any berries (I used frozen raspberries, cherries, and strawberries)
1/4 cup sugar

Place berries in a pan on low heat. Bring berries to a slow boil and add sugar, stir frequently and cook for 5 minutes on low-medium heat. Cool and pour into small pitcher or used (but cleaned) vinegar or similar pouring container. Refrigerate and serve with cheese cake.