Awaiting Baby Mckenna

Well I still haven't had a baby yet these last 2 weeks are torcher. I am getting impaticent to say the least of hr arrival not so much from discomfort but with i am one ready mommy with nothing more to do fro preparation. I now just go into her nursery and look into her bed picturing a baby there. I am hanging in there so that's the good thing. I have stopped working to be able to take this last week to just be ready physically for all the changes to come. It was hard to leave all my clients but i'll stay in touch with them and i've enjoyed changing peoples lives for the last 2 years and now i'm changing mine! I will keep everyone updated and for now we all just wait, but hopefully for not to much longer! (like maybe tonight!!!! hehehe)

Spirit of Scandinavia

I am getting over jet lag though still waking up at 4 a.m. A week ago we were half a world away! What a joy it is to reflect on memories of those weeks in the Nordic countries. The theme of this Elderhostel was "The True Spirit of Scandinavia" and our leader challenged us to find out what that spirit is as we travelled. Some of my thoughts follow:
1.Hospitality--an especially enjoyable evening in Denmark was spent with a local family at their home. As we sat on their deck, a CooCoo bird sang near by. I can still hear it in my mind. Serving tea/coffee and a sweet to guests is a tradition we all enjoyed even though we certainly did not need more calories!
2. History--people in each country are very knowledgeable about the history of their country. The folk dancers in Norway who presented a program for us said it is difficult to interest young people in learning the traditional dances. Conversely, in Finland the leader of the dance group who entertained us said they have over 600 members of all ages participating in folk dancing groups in just one town!
3. Current history awareness--everywhere the people we met are very interested in our Presidential elections and President Bush. I couldn't even name their King or President.
4. Outdoor enthusiasts--bicycling is very popular for all ages. I even saw a girl in a long formal dress pushing her bike up hill. Walking, skate boardingand roller blades are also popular. Of course in winter skiing takes many to the snowy slopes. Unfortunately smoking is popular with teenagers, outdoors and indoors.
5. Environmentalists--especially in Norway everywhere was neat and clean. No yards were unkempt--grass was mowed, flowers were profuse. Recycling is common.

Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland are wonderful countries. I hope someday you will all have an opportunity to visit there. Love, Grandma/Mother

Baby Gift

This is just the coolest most amazing thin I had to share it with the rest of you. This is a gift that one of my clients made for me. Everything is hand made and everything is useable. It's just amazing!

Happy Father's Day

Caitlin, Herb, & Ayla enjoying a Melting Moments Ice Cream Sandwich after sampling chili. As Caitlin states below folks were pretty impressed that she would eat chili at this point in her pregnancy. Ayla was a trouper and tried every single chili the rest of us did. She is always willing to try something new which is great! Herb had been sick off and on most of the week so he was trying out the old Sewell cure of eating something spicy to make sure you were over it. That and they threw out the mayo that had been in the fridge during their 4 days of no power. Apparently it did not react well to the don't open the door for a day to keep the coolness in, then dry ice, then one day of generator power, then the trip over to Grandmas to try and save what was in the fridge, then back to their house when the power finally came on.

This is Jim's new SOLAR powered watch. He picked it out himself and even paid a little more to get a "green" watch. I am so impressed. Ashleigh, we are wearing him down slowly but surely.

Saturday we went for a 20 mile ride on the Falling Waters Linear Trail in Jackson County. It was a beautiful ride. There were lots of other people on the 12' wide asphalt riding bikes, roller blading, walking, and running but not so many we felt crowded. You can check this out at http://www.fallingwatertrail.org/ . Don maybe it would be fun to meet here someday for a ride together.

Happy Father's Day to all you Dad's, welcome home Mom and Dad, and good luck with your class this week Ashleigh.

This Weekend

Well this weekend Herb, Ayla, my Mom and Dad and I went to the chili cook-off which I think I impressed alot of people being as pregnant as I was and eating all that chili, but no worrries I had my Tums. Then Saturday we got invited out to our friends lake and went out there and swam and cooked out.  It was a very fun time. Then today Herb just wanted to lounge so that's exactly what we did. 

Happy Birthday Michael

First Happy Birthday to Michael. One of our group had a birthday in Sweden and the leader sang in Swedish, "We hope you live to be 100" then we all shouted Hooray, Hooray, Hooray. Sorry to be missing the homemade ice cream!

This has been a superb trip. After a lecture this morning we go to Helsinki for two days and then home. It will be good to see everyone and catch up on our news.

I have meant to tell you about the excellent bicycle/walking paths in Scandinavia. As wide as a one lane road, they go miles out into the country. They are very well used. Yesterday we saw a fellow on roller blades with ski poles going like he was cross country skiing. This folkschool has been a lovely place to stay.

love, mother

Website Live

The new McDaniels website went live yesterday. Check it out at http://www.gomcdaniels.com/. It is really impressive and user friendly. Under kitchen views where the 360 pictures are the "Affordable Kitchen" is the new kitchen at Jim's sister's house and the commercial kitchen is at Don & Barbara's church.

Tonight Jim, Herb, Caitlin, Ayla and I are going to the Annual Board of Water & Light Chili Cookoff. It is held at Riverfront Park near the market and features 40 different resturants and their versions of chili as well as an amatur cook-off contest. For $5 you get to taste chili all night, listen to music, and participate in lots of fun stuff. The event is a fund raiser for several Lansing venues -- Impression 5 Science Museum, Adopt a River, and the Hope Scholorship program. I wanted to check it out to see if it might be something McDaniels might be able to participate in either as a co-sponsor with one of the participating resturants or in some other way since it seems like a natural tie-in. Kitchens + cooking + fun with family/friends. Hopefully the weather holds out and the rain and high winds predicted for this afternoon stay away. Either way we will probably go because you gotta eat anyway.

After that Don invited us over for homemade ice cream and birthday cake with Michael to cool our palates off.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHAEL!!!

Finland

We leave in a few minutes for an all day field trip to a middle ages town where Finland's President spends the summer. Then an afternoon tour of Turku. I tried the sauna last night but couldn't breath in all that heat so I left in a few minutes. I was chicken to go in the swimming pool, some of the Michigan gals said it felt like Lake Superior. The lupine is beautiful on the roadsides. The bathrooms have heated floors which is really nice. I also like the duvets on the bed--cozy to sleep under and easy to make. We are finally able to wear our cold weather clothes, Finland is a little chilly and cloudy. Love, Mother

New Colander

This is the colander I comissioned from a potter at the AA Farmer's Market when Ashleigh was home. Just as I was leaving for work Denise called and said she had it done and would be at the market today so I got to pick it up. I have been tryng to limit my use of plastic especially when it comes in contact with hot food or water. This is such a great size and will be used a lot I am sure. Now my old plastic colander can become a sand toy for Mckenna.


This is some of my haul from the market today. I forgot to put in the Lebanese zuchinni before I cut it up for the grill. It was very good just like the man said. It is a little more dense than the regular green zuchinni and not as "watery". It does seem weird not to find tomatos anywhere. Guess it will be several weeks before the "home grown" ones are available. Tomorrow is the Manchester Farmer's market so I will check them out before the gazebo concert. We are hoping to be able to ride our bikes in for that so I won't be able to buy too much! I haven't purchased any saddle bags for my bike yet.

Stockholm

Every day is ideal weatherwise and this is exceptional weather for Scandinavia. Lucky us!

I enjoyed Tivioli Gardens in Copenhagen by myself because Dad thought it too expensive for an hour. It was but I may not be back. There are many restaurants, entertainment venues, amusement park and beautiful flowers. I enjoyed it all while Dad waited for me. We had a good train ride from Copenhagen. The Tollare Folkschool is about 10 miles outside Stockholm with a view of the water. A lovely woodsy setting with birds singing all around us. The first evening we had a neighborhood walk which was through the woods, out on a rocky outcroping like the Canadian Shield with a lovely view of many boats going between the islands.

Into Stockholm this afternoon which is a city covering many islands. We toured the beautiful City Hall where the Nobel prize recipients are honored at a banquet. It is a lovely building and my photos will not do it justice. Then we had 2 hours free. The pedestrian streets were wall to wall people as far as we could see, so was a big food area where there was a festival. We browzed in a big department store and were glad to get back to the peace and quiet of the school. I'd like to return for the Scandinavian Capitols Elderhostel because these are wonderful cities but Dad won't do that.

We, rather I, had tea and cakes after our evening lecture and must get to bed to be rested for tomorrow's trip to Uppsula, all day.

Thanks Cynthia for putting these on the blog. Love, Mother

Birthday Bush

Just wanted to share these pictures of the bush in my yard. True to form it was in full bloom on my birthday.

Denmark 2

In case you haven't figured it out I am posting the emails from Mom so everyone can read them. Cindy

We have had exceptionally lovely weather, breaking the record for high temperatures this week. Today we spent in Odense seeing the interesting Hans Christian Anderson museum and an outdoor museum of peasant life (like Greenfield Village). The city is known for all the bicyclists. In the center of downtown is a counter for bikes passing that spot. When we were there at 3:30 this afternoon the count was 8,300+ for today. Tonight we had a delicious farewell dinner including entertainment by the music teacher and some of our group. So much is packed into everyday but a good sleep refreshes us. Sun sets about 10:30p.m. and it is broadlight again aound 4 a.m.

Tomorrow we go by bus to Copenhagen and are on our own for the afternoon and evening. We will celebrate your birthday in Tiviloi Gardens, Cynthia. Have a good celebration with a hug from both of us. Your light switch change due to medicine cabinets is like our loosing our medicine cabinets and needing new mirrors. Always an unexpected.

This Elderhostel is wonderful and may rank as one of our best. Next day we go by train to Sweden.

Sharon, thanks for the link to time trial tickets. I would like to be there to cheer for Andy in person but I will decide when we get home.

Love to all of you, Mother and Dad

Arrived in Denmark

The last couple days in Norway were fabulous. The boat trip into Lysefjord was beautiful, so many waterfalls cascading down sheer walls from high above us. Then we drove up 27 hairpin turns to a restaurant built in the shape of a fan, cantilevered over the edge! Sightly to say the least. Snow along the roadsides was taller than the bus in some places. Had a little snowball fight. Beautiful scenery from mountains thru farmland and back to our folkschool home.

Next day to the beach along the North Sea--wide and beautiful for miles. Dad appreciates the emails. The last place 150 children moved in for an overnight so they turned off the computers. The kids were participating in a gymnastics event.Today we got up at 3 a.m. for a 3 1/2 hour bus ride through beautiful lakes and mountains to the location where we caught the ferry for Denmark. A big ferry like crosses Lake Michigan. Calm seas and a nice ride. A bus met us and we drove through flat farmland in Denmark to another wonderful folkschool.

The dinner was superb with a lucious, creamy dessert. After a tour of the school campus we had tea, coffee, cake and cookies!!! Not just a simple cake but filled with fruits and pudding and frosted in whipped cream. This ranks with our best eating Elderhostel!! The day tomorrow begins with breakfast and 30 minutes of singing, a school tradition, then on to an interesting day.

Love, Mother and Dad

Yosemite

Brian and I along with friends Bob and Jeri Jacobs spent three wonderful days in Yosemite last week. On Wednesday we climbed Half Dome, which includes a 16 miles round trip hike along beautiful waterfalls and vistas. The picture of me was taken on top. The other is looking down the cables we climbed up. While we were eatting lunch, at the base of the dome, big snow flakes fell, adding a special beauty. There was a lot of water in all the falls, making views in all directions breathtaking. Thursday we rented bikes and rode along the valley floor, stopping often to enjoy the views. It was a great mid-week get away.

Sharon