Libby was telling about lions and how Simba says "RAWR"! The then looks at the fire and said "and the fire says, 'Ahh! I'm on fire!'"
Libby likes drawing the letter "W". She calls them "double me's". One day she said she was drawing "double Libbys". Then she drew some "double 'timmys" (Kimmys), and some "double mamas"
One evening Libby wanted to watch her belly dancing video, so Kim set it up for her. Later she was in the hallway crying. "What's wrong?" Kim asked. "I just want to wear my stupid bra!". (She couldn't find her sea-shell bra, like Ariel wears, and you obviously should never belly dance without one.
Libby has informed the family that she needs to use the big potty seat because she has a "big bottom".
Libby and Katie were making chocolate chip cookies and Libby said, "chocolate and cookies I am eating, but not salad!"
Kim was singing "Burn Baby Burn" to Julianna and Libby asks, "Kim is the baby burning?"
Joke by Elisabeth: "What do frogs say?" "I don't know, what?" "MOOOO!" (She thinks that is hysterical)
One day Kim asked Libby is she was taking a "cat nap" or a "mermaid nap". Libby replied, "I'm taking a princess nap because I'm a princess!"
Libby: "I am helping daddy fix your light Kimmy"
Kim: "OK, just don't get in his way."
Libby: "Well, I am NOT in his way, Kimmy, I am not in his way. I am in MY way."
Kim: "You're in your way?"
Libby: "Yeah, this is my way...and I am in it!"
Kim: "That's pretty cool, Libby"
Libby: "Well, I AM pretty cool!"
One Sunday, Libby was upset with Kim because Kim wasn't wearing her "Sunday Shoes", (she was wearing close-toed flats instead of her normal heels). Kim said "I am wearing shoes on Sunday, so that makes them 'Sunday shoes'".
Libby glared and said, "No Kimmy, those are your 'neakers."
Kim's home-teachers drop by to visit and they brought some cookies. Libby was sitting naked on the couch, so as Kim is dragging her to the back room she points and yells, "Kimmy! That one has food!"
Monday, September 6, 2010
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Celebrating the 4th
The afternoon of July 4th found us at a friends house having a BBQ. Afterwards we all went over to the baseball fields to wait for the annual fireworks display. This years display was quite good. It got a little slow in the middle and there weren't quite as many of the "specialty" mortars, but the finale was spectacular so overall it was a really good show.
George, and Lisa Morgan and Dalton, (their charge)
Danise Cook and her granddaughter.
Keith and Dalton
Some weird guy having some chips. The chocolate chip cookies, (the box on the ice chest), are next.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
My Very 1st 5K Race!
The Annual Beecroft 5k run is held every year on Memorial Day and has reached its 30th consecutive year. This year I wanted to participate in it. Running in a 5K race was something that I wanted to accomplish for my self. Kathy decided that she would also run in the race.
We decided to go as a family and we even took Charlie with us. Keith walked with Charlie along side the bike path that is used for the course. But Charlie didn't like the fact that Kathy was running off with out him and he eventually got away from Keith and ran along the course path until he found Kathy. Charlie then ran alongside Kathy, escorting her through to the finish line.
My time was 39 minutes and 15 seconds, finishing 127th out of 202 participants, (12th in my age group). Kathy finished in 42 minutes and was 4th in her age group.
We decided to go as a family and we even took Charlie with us. Keith walked with Charlie along side the bike path that is used for the course. But Charlie didn't like the fact that Kathy was running off with out him and he eventually got away from Keith and ran along the course path until he found Kathy. Charlie then ran alongside Kathy, escorting her through to the finish line.
My time was 39 minutes and 15 seconds, finishing 127th out of 202 participants, (12th in my age group). Kathy finished in 42 minutes and was 4th in her age group.
Kathy, Keith, myself, (and Charlie), before the race.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Happy Mother's Day Mom
As Mother's Day approaches I want to tell you a little bit about my Mom.
She was born and raised in Denmark, during the time of the Nazi occupation. She has told us stories of what it was like to live as a little girl in a country occupied by a violent, Fascist regime; a country later racked by the violence of a world war. I won't recount the stories here but I will say that I am amazed at some of the horrible things she witnessed and experienced.
In the years following the war, she watched as her mother slowly died a painful death from a condition that now can be easily treated and cured.
Mom wanted to come to the United States to forge a new life for herself so she put in the time and effort going through the legal process to obtain the required visas. Once here she worked hard in factories, faced bigotry, and went through the long legal process to obtain her citizenship. She became a citizen and eventually married.
In her determination to "become an American", she refused to speak anything but English in the home or abroad, (except when she didn't want us kids to know what she was saying) and staunchly followed American cultural traditions so that we would be a "typical American family". "I am an American" was her mindset, and she was determined to do things the "American way".
During much of my childhood, the same disease that killed her mother was slowly ravaging her. Living with pain was a normal part of her days. She would have died during the 1970s, except that the world of medicine had advanced enough that they were finally able to properly diagnose and treat her condition. Even with all that, she still managed to raise, (and put up with), 5 boys.
So on this Mother's day, I honor my mother's courage, determination, and dogged perseverance. Because of her I can say, (as the son of an immigrant), I AM an American.
She was born and raised in Denmark, during the time of the Nazi occupation. She has told us stories of what it was like to live as a little girl in a country occupied by a violent, Fascist regime; a country later racked by the violence of a world war. I won't recount the stories here but I will say that I am amazed at some of the horrible things she witnessed and experienced.
In the years following the war, she watched as her mother slowly died a painful death from a condition that now can be easily treated and cured.
Mom wanted to come to the United States to forge a new life for herself so she put in the time and effort going through the legal process to obtain the required visas. Once here she worked hard in factories, faced bigotry, and went through the long legal process to obtain her citizenship. She became a citizen and eventually married.
In her determination to "become an American", she refused to speak anything but English in the home or abroad, (except when she didn't want us kids to know what she was saying) and staunchly followed American cultural traditions so that we would be a "typical American family". "I am an American" was her mindset, and she was determined to do things the "American way".
During much of my childhood, the same disease that killed her mother was slowly ravaging her. Living with pain was a normal part of her days. She would have died during the 1970s, except that the world of medicine had advanced enough that they were finally able to properly diagnose and treat her condition. Even with all that, she still managed to raise, (and put up with), 5 boys.
So on this Mother's day, I honor my mother's courage, determination, and dogged perseverance. Because of her I can say, (as the son of an immigrant), I AM an American.
Mom. Post war Denmark, about age 16.
Denmark, (age unknown)
Starting a new life in America.
Visiting Grandma/Grandpa Ashby, (late 1960's), (I'm on mom's right, Scott on her left)
My Grandmother's Nazi issued identification papers. There was a razor blade hidden in the little ID case they are carried in.
Posted by: Duane Ashby
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Stand and Devour
Thursday I was in Los Angeles with my Regional VP, (Scott), for some meetings at the convention center. We got out at 5 pm and decided to eat dinner at the original Tommy's at Beverly and Rampart streets in LA. This is the very first Tommy's. It is a little building, (12 by 18) right on the corner. This was the original hamburger "stand" and it got that name because you either eat standing up or in your car. Around the edge of the parking lot is a wall that has a 2 X 12 plank placed about 3 1/2 feet off of the ground. You set your food there and stand and eat it.
One of the other things that has made Tommy's famous is their chili. It is like no other, very thick and stiff, and tastes great. It is one of those things that you only should enjoy as a rare special treat because you can feel your arteries hardening as you are eating. This particular Tommy's is open 24 hours and pretty much non-stop busy. I was talking to one of the people that work there and she said that every 2 hours they re-fill the wall mounted paper towel dispensers, (used for napkins).
Here is the "shack" at the corner of Beverly and Rampart Streets, (small white building w/ red roof on right side of photo). Notice it is right next to the street and it is open air and the cars and busses go whizzing by.
Here I am about to order a double chili cheese burger and fries.
Here is Scott standing in the eating area. This is why it is called a hamburger "stand"
Posted by Duane Ashby
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Classic Cars on a Saturday
On Saturday, April 10th we went to the Murphy Auto Museum in Oxnard. There are fewer vehicles there than when the museum was at its other, larger, location on the other side of the highway. The majority of the collection on display consists of vintage Packards from different eras. There were also a few cars of other makes and models, including a very nice, modern Shelby Mustang GT, (drool, drool).
The Packard touring sedans are still luxurious, even by today's standards and I can imagine how nice it would be to travel in one. One of the things that consistently impressed me was the use of real wood by the manufacturers when building the interiors of cars. It just gives the car that special something like no other.
Here are some pictures I took with my phone, (sorry about the low quality images, I forgot to bring a camera).
The Packard touring sedans are still luxurious, even by today's standards and I can imagine how nice it would be to travel in one. One of the things that consistently impressed me was the use of real wood by the manufacturers when building the interiors of cars. It just gives the car that special something like no other.
Here are some pictures I took with my phone, (sorry about the low quality images, I forgot to bring a camera).
Keith standing next to a very nice old Packard. A beautiful car. (look at those running boards)
This Packard looks pretty narrow, but it is an optical illusion of sorts because the back seat area was spacious. This version was intended to be driven by a chauffeur.
A very nice old model T.
This one is my personal favorite. A very luxurious passenger area, with lots of wood and several flower vases. This was also was intended to be driven by a chauffeur.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Dean Hal Ashby, Electrical Engineer, Writer, dies at age 78
Dean Hal Ashby, a long time resident of Oklahoma City, passed away at his home on Saturday, January 23, 2010. He was born on June 7th, 1931 in Salt Lake City, the son of William Earl Ashby and Norien Evangeline Jarvis, and was the 8th of 10 children.
He was married on June 21, 1957 and is survived by Birthe Wagner Ashby, his wife of 53 years. Dean and Birthe are the parents of five sons, Scott, Duane, Mark, Paul, and Sean. There are 11 grandchildren, and 2 great-grand children.
Dean graduated from the University of Utah in January 1959 with a bachelor's in Electrical Engineering. While in college he was a member of the Lamba Delta Signa fraternity. He was also a member of the Intercollegiate Knights fraternity. Later, he attended University Central Oklahoma in Edmond and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Computer Science.
In June 1948 Dean joined the National Guard, and was assigned to the 115th Ordinance Company. He later transferred to the 191st Air National Guard and served as a P51 aircraft mechanics Crew Chief. While in the Guard his unit was called up to active duty in the Korean War and was stationed at Clovis Air Force base in New Mexico. He went on inactive reserve status in 1953 and received an honorable discharge in 1955.
He served as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sweden from October 1953 through May 1956. As a faithful member of the church, he served in many positions through out the years.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 30th at 1:00 pm at the LDS chapel, 12020 Mustang Rd, Piedmont, (Surrey Hills area). Interment will be at the Fort Sill national cemetery.
He was married on June 21, 1957 and is survived by Birthe Wagner Ashby, his wife of 53 years. Dean and Birthe are the parents of five sons, Scott, Duane, Mark, Paul, and Sean. There are 11 grandchildren, and 2 great-grand children.
Dean graduated from the University of Utah in January 1959 with a bachelor's in Electrical Engineering. While in college he was a member of the Lamba Delta Signa fraternity. He was also a member of the Intercollegiate Knights fraternity. Later, he attended University Central Oklahoma in Edmond and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Computer Science.
In June 1948 Dean joined the National Guard, and was assigned to the 115th Ordinance Company. He later transferred to the 191st Air National Guard and served as a P51 aircraft mechanics Crew Chief. While in the Guard his unit was called up to active duty in the Korean War and was stationed at Clovis Air Force base in New Mexico. He went on inactive reserve status in 1953 and received an honorable discharge in 1955.
He served as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sweden from October 1953 through May 1956. As a faithful member of the church, he served in many positions through out the years.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 30th at 1:00 pm at the LDS chapel, 12020 Mustang Rd, Piedmont, (Surrey Hills area). Interment will be at the Fort Sill national cemetery.
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