Pelley Family Blog

The neatest thing happened during the holidays.  One of Mike’s fraternity brother contacted him - after thirty years!  Mark and Deb were passing through Cleveland a couple of weeks ago, and stopped by for dinner.  They are a homeschooling, Bible-Quizzing family as well.  We had so much in common.  Who would have ever believed that God could take two beer-drinking buddies from Rensselaer and transform them into Godly husbands and fathers?  Isn’t Good good!?

Old and new friendships

Food continues to be an issue for Ruby.  She still eats chicken soup most mornings for breakfast.  She still hates pizza.  Yesterday we went to the West Side Market.  Joanna has been wanting to take Ruby there ever since she arrived.  It’s a neat place - with lots of vendors selling their wares.  Fresh produce.  Cuts of meat that are not found at grocery stores.  Incredible bakeries.  I gave each gal $10 to buy what they wanted.  Grace bought pepperoni bread and German pretzels.  Joanna bought handmade pasta (eggplant, pumpkin, goat cheese ravioli).  Ruby bought a Chinese meat stick, Chinese jello, and a piece of sugar cane.  Last night we ate some of the pasta.  Joanna and I were the only ones that knew what flavors there were.  We decided it was best that Ruby & Grace did not know what they were eating.  But - as we ate, the truth came out.  Ruby had goat cheese ravioli in her mouth when we told her what it was.  She just about died.  She told us it tasted like goat!  We had a big laugh!  After dinner, she and Mike attacked the sugar cane.  She wanted us all to try it.  Interesting.  Like chewing on sweet wood!

Sugar Cane

I guess it is proper to rip the skin off with your teeth

I like to celebrate - anything.  So - we celebrate the kids’ half birthdays.  Nothing big - they get to choose the evening menu and a dessert.  Grace chose lasagna and an ice cream cake.   Grace is reminding us that in just one year, she can get a driving permit.  Now there’s a scary thought!

One delicious lasagna

Nothing like a Baskin Robbins ice cream cake Must have been good because Ruby was licking the bowl

Mike still reads to our girls at night.  They just finished The Holy War by John Bunyan.  It was decided that, now that Ruby understands a lot of English, we should read a book she could understand.  It didn’t take long to decide on The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.  We are what some people call “Narniacs.”  We LOVE them - and you can often hear random lines quoted around our house to fit the occasion! After a long search, I was able to get all but one of the books for Ruby in Simplified Chinese.  As we were reading the other night, she disappeared to her room, and came back with her Chinese version in hand.  She’s been following along.  The only thing unusual about this picture is that there is so much room between Ruby and Mike - she’s usually right on top of us!  She must have been concentrating!

Night time reading

In January, I (Kathy) had a missions meeting in Louisville, Kentucky.  It was Grace’s turn to go with me on a trip, so off we went.  We left a few days early and spent the weekend in Cincinnati and enjoyed the Creation Museum and Jungle Jim’s Grocery Store, Springdale Church and Big Boy Restaurant!   We had a great week together!

Grace inside the Ark at the Creation Museum

One of the international markets at Jungle Jims

Wacky decorations everywhere at Jungle Jims

Just wanted to say the next few blogs are MANY in number.  If you are a casual watcher, I won’t be offended if you skip a lot!  This is a way of communication with my friends and family, and Ruby’s China friends as well. While most of you won’t be interested in all of the details, there are a very few who will!

Cats will be cats. 

Christmas at my parent’s house is a BIG DEAL   My Mom really gets into Christmas.  She works year round for this event.  Most of our gifts are gag gifts (things from her attic, flea market, or free convention give-aways), although there are many very nice gifts thrown in.  Our gifts are identified by picture, not names.  She has free reign of whatever pictures she can get her hands on - from baby pictures to recent ones.   We hide many of the gifts, and the hiding is brutal - even in ceiling tiles.  When the kids were younger, we acted out the Christmas story rather than just read it.  Last year my sister quoted it (she memorizes it every year) and we took breaks for appropriate songs.  This year our three girls took turns reading parts of it - even Ruby read some - and Ruby sang a song.  We were low in number this year - my nephew Andy and his wife Susan are in India for a year.  Austin (another nephew) just took a new job in Chicago).  Joy and her family didn’t make it from California.  It was SO QUIET.  My mom took advantage of the extra room to invite her brother Earl, and his daughter Carol to join us.   Earl is suffering from Alzheimers and Mom thinks this may be the last Christmas he even recognizes any of us.   He hung in there for our ALL DAY affair - as we go around the circle and take one gift at a time.  The girls can’t wait for Mozart Christmas every year - and it was fun even without our missing family. 

Ruby with gifts for Grandma and Grandpa

Joanna received a doll she played with as a tot

Joanna with her toilet seat frame

Joanna is the fourth person to receive the famed toilet seat frame! 

Phil with a miniature Big Boy

For those who need an explanation - my grandparents were in the grocery store and restaurant business - and owned a Big Boy Restaurant.  We spent a considerable part of our childhood at the store and eating at Big Boy.  Phil is an avid Big Boy fan - and really wants a full sized one from the front of somebody’s restaurant!!  Mom found this miniature in an antique shop.

Opening gifts

Grace received this HUGE gift with an equally HUGE picture on the front

The gift was a beautiful picture of a horse that Grace has wanted for a long time

Phil playing with the blow up guitar that Ruby received

Mom with her brother Earl

Grandma teaching the girls to direct music

During Mike’s time off, he’s been transferring our old videos over to his computer.  We’ve had a blast watching our girls grow up again!  One video was of a Parkside Christmas musical from 1993 - with Mom directing.  She had so much fun watching it - and was at the same time trying to teach Ruby how to properly direct music.

Skyping with Andy and Susan

Dinner at Five Guys before going our separate ways

Being silly at Five Guys