Life is Really Hard for Seth

First of all, his wife never buys him cool flowered shirts with snaps. Secondly, he never gets to meet totally cool celebrities and try really hard not to look down their weird dresses in photos. Poor guy.

The Many Reasons I Haven't Posted Since May

Well, it's been a long time since I have gotten anything put up here, but I promise there has been much going on that kept me from all my (2) loyal readers. The end of school was pretty much a blur. Events almost every day and night from musicals to graduations, to field day to the carnival, you name it. And once the kids were out of school, the summer activities began. These are the activities that I thought would keep them busy over the summer, but forgot to take into account they would also keep me busy all summer. And then there's Olivia. She got a week of baseball, swim and dive in before she broke her leg. She has fractures in her tibia and femur. It's quite a cast as you will see below. Although now (entering week 4) it's getting pretty nasty and the novelty of it has worn off for her. We are hoping she will get it off at the end of this week, or at least get a less expansive one. The other kids continued in their sports. Adrian plays baseball with Nall Hills. His good friend Adam is on his team, so he likes that. He's quite a hitter, actually! It's much more fun to watch than soccer if you ask me (no offense, soccer). Olivia and Harper play baseball. Olivia hits off the tee from her wheelchair and uses a pinch runner, but at least she gets to be part of the action with no water sports allowed. Harper does well in baseball and swim, but she really shines in diving. We are expecting her to win her age group at the next meet as she's been knocking at the door with 2nd place finishes her last two meets. Adrian swims and dives as well and enjoys them both, although he could do without the 7 a.m. practices. Kameron feels the same. Both boys went to scout camp. Adrian went to day camp and had a great time. He just raved about it. He may go to a 2 night sleep-away camp next month with his friend Harrison. And speaking of sleep-away camps, Kameron was gone for TEN days to Bartle Scout Reservation about 2 hours south of us. He had a great time and learned so much, not a bit of homesickness (except just a little at the end of visitors' day) but I had Kameronsickness so bad I could hardly function. I was not ready to loosen the apron strings, I can tell you that much. But I should have had faith. Kameron has a good head on his shoulders and survived 10 days away no problem. The second half of summer may bring some traveling, but definitely a lot of catching up on missed swim time for Olivia when she gets her cast off. More soon, I promise!

Olivia Destined for Soccer Greatness?

If the tongue is any indication...I say yes.

Father-Daughter Sock Hop

So, the Girl Scout troop at the school held a fundraiser per the the above and I must say, we had some pretty cute sock-hoppers here in the Blomquist-Peck household. See for yourself and I think you will agree:

Someone I know is EIGHT today!

I will give you a hint. His name starts with "A" and ends with "drian".

Who authorized this? I do not approve!

Oh, look, there goes Seth being all famous again

What’s in the water out there?’
Some Kansas City area writers and artists, and the books they’ve worked on or created:
•Jason Aaron, writer: Wolverine, Ghost Rider, Scalped, The Other Side

•Hector Casanova, artist: Screamland, The Lurkers

•Nathan Fox, artist: Batman: Black & White, Pigeons From Hell, Fluorescent Black

•Matt Fraction, writer: The Invincible Iron Man, Immortal Iron Fist, Casanova, The Five Fists of Science

•B. Clay Moore, writer: Superman Confidential, JSA Classified, 76, Hawaiian Dick

•Tony Moore, artist: The Exterminators, Fear Agent, Walking Dead, Battle Pope

•Jai Nitz, writer: Batman Strikes, Blue Beetle

•Ande Parks, artist/writer: Superman Confidential, Daredevil, Green Arrow, Union Station, Capote in Kansas

•Seth Peck, writer: 76, Sorrow

•Steven Sanders, artist: The Five Fists of Science

•Harold Sipe, writer: Screamland

•Freddie Williams, artist: The Flash, Robin, Mister Miracle, Aquaman



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For the full article, about Seth's friend, whose mix CDs Harper and Olivia like to get funky to:

On a Happier Note...

ROCK CHALK!!!!!!

RIP Sugar

Our guinea pig, Sugar, died last night. He was a very nice pet and we will miss him very much.

Saint Louie Louie

So Saint Louis. Well, we neglected to find out they were having a marathon in the city on the same weekend we were going. Also a Blues game and a Cards game...so downtown was nuts. On the upside, the City Museum was pretty much deserted for the first three hours we were there.

Highlights were watching Psycho T get shut down by the Jayhawks' big men and Roy getting his britches all bunched up about a million times:





Seeing Keith Tkachuck make his 498th and 499th career goals at the Blues game (the 500th would come the next day in Columbus), and various kick ass hockey fights. Like with actual punches and stuff! I think the fighting cheered Greg up after all the downtown traffic.


And family bonding at the City Museum which was totally cool as always:


Untitled from Kristy Blomquist-Peck on Vimeo.



And of course our Sixmonthiversary!!! I love you guys. So glad to have such a wonderful husband and stepdaughter.

Look at Seth Getting All Complimented and Stuff!

So, yeah, Seth's story in the Tori Amos anthology is the best one. (Also her favorite, we are told. Okay fine, "one of" her favorites, but she was probably just saying that so that other people's feelings wouldn't be hurt.)

Seth Peck and Daniel Heard contribute a piece based on one of Amos’ most popular songs, “Cornflake Girl,” from 1994’s Under The Pink album. In “Comic Book Tattoo,” the song inspires what Hoseley calls “an epic horror story of otherworldly evil and maternal betrayal. It’s a dark, creepy, surreal fever dream that, like in the song, deals with the danger and pain of conformity of what ‘good and proper’ girls are like -- but in a completely unexpected way.

“The thing that blew my mind was that Seth took all these little one-off lines, little random lyrics that really don’t have anything in the way of deeper meaning in the song, and he wove this epic that seamlessly incorporates those elements as integral parts of the dialogue and narrative in a way that is pretty amazing.”



http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=15838

EASTER 2008

I really tried to get a nice picture of everyone. I promise I did. But to be fair they had sat through a REALLY long sermon at an unfamiliar church, so it's a wonder they weren't bouncing off the walls by this point:

Greg and Sara in Puerto Rico

We are not jealous. We promise. Really. We're not. Totally not. At all. I swear.

Oh, He** Yes We Can!

Just Having a Moment...

There is nothing nobler or more admirable than when two people who see eye to eye keep house as man and wife, confounding their enemies and delighting their friends.

--Homer

I LOVE YOU!!!!!

Barack and Roll!

So we caucused for Barack on Tuesday and it was insane! (Seth and I debated whether you can use caucus as a verb--we think so). There were thousands of people at our caucus location and the organizers seemed prepared for a couple hundred. Saw about a million people I knew there- Jason Peterson, my good friend from high school and senior prom date, Mrs. Brewer, English teacher from West, a bunch of Brookwood parents, including Adrian's basketball coach, a couple of attorneys I knew from court. It was really a lot of fun. The kids all came along and were very patient. Although I think now their understanding of the caucus procedure is that you go stand in a long line and get stickers. (Truly, that is pretty accurate.) Also met a really nice woman who works for KC Hospice and plan to contact her to tour their facility and volunteer. I am so drawn to that work.

In the end, the split was true to the statewide results: about 1900 for Barack and 400 for Hillary. Saw today that the Clintons just put 5 mill. of their own money into the campaign, meanwhile, Barack has raised over 7 mill. from supporters since Super Tuesday. I would love to see this man as our next President. We need someone with vision and someone who believes in this nation and its people. We've been missing that for a looooooong time (like 8 years at LEAST!)

Oh- also, I have the flu. :o(

Happy Four Monthaversary!!!!

I love you more than I have
ever found a way
to say
to you.

Next door there's an old man
who lived to his nineties,and one day
passed away in his sleep.
And his wife; she stayed for a couple of days
And passed away.

I'm sorry, I know that's a
strange way to tell you that I know
we belong...
That I know that I am the luckiest.

Well, school starts tonight. Actually, it started last Wednesday, but I was in Hutch, so I missed the first class. However, it my experience, the first class usually just consists of getting the syllabus and meeting your instructor and classmates. Fortunately, pretty much everyone from last semester agreed to enroll in classes again on Wednesday nights, so it will be the same group, and I have the same instructor for one class. I got the syllabus for that class from the course website and got all the readings due tonight from a classmate, so I should be set. After this semester, I will have one class each semester and 20 hours of practicum next year, 30 hours the following year. Then I will be done. Easy, right? HA!

Bud Pennington
(August 7, 1914 - January 25, 2008)

Bud (Russel J.) Pennington, 93, died Jan. 25, 2008, at Hospice House.

He was born Aug. 7, 1914, in Hutchinson, the son of Harold A. and Emma L. Justice Pennington. He graduated in 1932 from Hutchinson High School and attended Hutchinson Junior College. A lifetime Hutchinson resident, he was a retired farmer.

He belonged to the First Presbyterian Church, was active in Farm Bureau, and served on the boards of USD 309 and the Reno Township.

On Feb. 18, 1940, he married Maureen East in San Benito, Texas. She died May 5, 1993.

Survivors include: three daughters, Anne P. Simon, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Jane P. Gamber and her husband, Ken, Hutchinson, and Mary Blomquist, Overland Park; grandchildren, Jeff Gamber and wife, Debby, Hutchinson, Matt Gamber and wife, Lisa, Hutchinson, Tom Gamber and wife, Rachel, Wichita, Dave Blomquist and wife, Michelle, Overland Park, Richard Hefling and wife, Lois, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Rachel Hefling Dukuze and husband Augustin, Fredericton, New Brunswick; a granddaughter-in-law, Kristy Blomquist-Peck and her husband, Seth, Overland Park; and great-grandchildren, Gabriel, Aaron, Catlin, Jesse, Samantha, Allie Brittany, Kameron, Adrian, Harper, Olivia and Jacob.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Joyce Stone; and a grandson, Michael Blomquist.

Graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Eastside Cemetery, Hutchinson, with the Rev. Mark Wiens presiding. Friends may sign the register from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to noon Monday at Elliott Mortuary, Hutchinson. The casket will be open for family only. The family will receive friends following the graveside service at Bud's home from 3 to 6 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Salvation Army or Hospice of Reno County, both in care of the mortuary.

Personal condolences may be sent to www.elliottmortuary.com.

Dad spent his life on the family farm where he was born, raising crops and livestock. He was a student of nature, always learning and sharing the joy of those experiences with his family. He has re-entered the fold of the eternal, where he has rejoined his beloved wife Maureen and all those who passed through before him and awaits us who are still in this life

Olivia is SIX!!

Grandad

Grandad took a fall yesterday morning and is now is hospice care. He is comfortable and surrounded by all his family. Uncle Ken snapped a quick picture to send up to Mary's sister Anne in Canada. She was concerned about his comfort level. This is how the photo turned out.

So I promised sledding pictures

I went ahead this morning and moviemakered them into the following for your viewing pleasure. This weekend Harper is at her mom's, Seth and Kameron are on a Boy Scout camping trip. Yes, I know it is like 1 degree out. They are camping in Hutchinson at the Cosmosphere. Either that or they are spending most of their time at the Cosmosphere and sleeping at the college dorms nearby. I am sort of sketchy on the details. Currently, Olivia is at Gaga Kathy's, so it's just Adrian and me. Ade will play basketball today at 12:15. He gets better every week!

I went a little crazy with the hyperlinks, but it's all in good fun.


Untitled from Kristy Blomquist-Peck on Vimeo.

P.S. GO PACK!

Not a Fan of Email Forwards but...

This drives home the point pretty well-

Sometimes
we just need to be reminded!

A well-known
speaker started off his seminar by

holding up a
$20.00 bill. In the room of 200, he asked,

"Who would
like this $20 bill?"

Hands started
going up.

He said, "I am
going to give this $20 to one of you

but first, let
me do this.

He proceeded
to crumple up the $20 dollar bill.

He then asked,
"Who still wants it?"
Still the
hands were up in the air.

Well, he
replied, "What if I do this?"

And he dropped
it on the ground

and started to
grind it into the floor with his shoe.

He picked it
up, now crumpled and dirty.

"Now, who
still wants it?"

Still the
hands went into the air.

My friends, we
have all learned a very valuable lesson.

No matter what
I did to the money, you still wanted it

because it did
not decrease in value.

It was still
worth $20.

Many times in
our lives,

we are
dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt

by the
decisions we make and

the
circumstances that come our way.

We feel as
though we are worthless.

But no matter
what has happened or

what will
happen, you will never lose your value.

Dirty or
clean, crumpled or finely creased,

you are still
priceless to those who DO LOVE you.

The worth of
our lives comes not in what we do or who we know,


but by WHO WE
ARE and WHOSE WE ARE.

You are
special - Don't EVER
forget it." !


If you do not
pass this on, you may never know the

lives it
touches, the hurting hearts it speaks to,

or the hope
that it can bring.

Count your
blessings, not your problems.

"And remember:
amateurs built the ark .

professionals
built the Titanic.

If God brings
you to it - He will bring you through it.

Christmas

I've been meaning to post about Christmas, but it seems to be going on and on and on. We still haven't celebrated with Mary or Hi and Helen, so it's been somewhat of a protracted holiday for us. I do have some great pictures of Wisconsin and the impressive snow we got. The trip was fun for the kids, but a bit harrowing for the grownups. Christmas eve was great fun, but I think we'll be staying home next year

Happy happy Birthday Mr. Hill!!

I had the amazing privilege of being a part of my dear friend Summer's birth team for her home water birth of Ziah Storm, son #3 for the Hill family. It was a beautiful birth. Summer was a wonder and baby Ziah was born into a cozy warm environment surrounded by all those who will love him all his life. After baby's entrance, Summer and Ziah were wrapped up on the couch and I gave her a well deserved foot rub while they got to the business of nursing. Summer's dad had made an awesome fire in the fireplace and her mom was there with homemade bread and her calming presence. Summer's midwife, Fran was supportive and relaxed. Dad Casey was a champ of a coach for Summer and her sister Macklen and friend Kari were there to help with the boys and anything else they could. It was so great to be reminded what birth should look like. Gentle, peaceful, natural and empowering. I am so thrilled I was there and could help. Congratulations guys!!!