Family Rocks!
I recently got to spend some quality time with the family. No matter what, I never seem to get enough time for just hanging out and enjoying each other. This vacation, Jacey and Jackson spent time watching the workers on their house, taking pictures (more fun for me than them), playing outside, and going to the movies to see the Lorax. Nice. I added pictures and videos, including Michael and Jackson doing some science. Check out the picture of Jacey at 7:00 A.M. She takes the art of bedhead to a whole new level!
Family,babies, and apples...a great weekend.
Mom and I made a quick jaunt to Somerset to see the family. It had been three years since she had been able to make that trip and she was really missing everyone. She definitely made up for it in a 24 hour period. Every single available minute was spent visiting, with only a few hours for sleep between 2:00 A.M. and 8:00 A.M. Saturday morning! It was a virtual extravaganza of baby rocking, sister (and brother) hugging, chaotic chatter, giggling, and outright belly laughs. One way or another, she was able to see Aunt Wanda, Uncle Howard, Aunt Marg, Uncle Greg, Ann, Bob, Bobby, Francis, Linda, Cassie and family, Billie Wayne and family, Donna, Jo, Angela and family, Uncle Bill, and Faye. (If I missed anyone, I am sorry, it was a bit of a blur.) Most everyone made a great effort to come and see her, and then she only had to travel out to see those who couldn't make it to her. That was very nice.
The visit ended with a visit to an apple orchard on the way out of town with 3 sisters and a brother causing a bit of hoopla, buying bushels of apples, eating fried apple pies, and otherwise enjoying a beautiful afternoon. Ann and I shared singly the best caramel apple ever created (which was kind of her, since it was really hers.) See photos.
Catching Up!
I have been so busy, I have neglected to keep the blog up to date. I guess that is not so bad, since I don't have much to say. However, I realized I had lots of pictures that chronicle our family get togethers that I had not posted. Time to remedy that.
In a nutshell (Gee, the crazy peanut phobia has me cautious of even saying the word nut...), I have missed Keegan's birthday, Stacy's birthday, and lots of talking, reading, computing, swimming, hanging out, playing games, playing the wii, and otherwise goofing off together. The people included over the last few weeks (sorry if I miss anyone) are me, Mommaw, Michael, Stacy, Jess, Joel, Jackson, Jacey, Lori, Taylor, Keegan, Paul, Mady, Miss Vickie, Wyatt, Adam, Jennifer, Alexandria, Elizabeth, Chris, Charla, Connor, Courtney, and Dan.
It is so funny to look at the pictures and see all of the computers, ipods, kindles, ipads, and iphones that are being used. Sometimes we had 3 ipads, 2 laptops, 3 kindles, an ipod, and five iphones going in one night! I have heard it voiced that "todays" kids lack rich reading opportunities because families always use computer games instead of pulling out books to read with the kids. We are guilty of overcomputing, but NOT of under reading. Often, the techno gadgets are used for reading and the page turning books are available in abundance! I try to get a picture when I see someone reading, specifically for our family reading blog (T.V. Alternative) so everyone is in the habit of snapping photos when they see someone reading. It is not uncommon for us to have pictures of kids being read to by various adults in various parts of the house throughout a night. As I have stated before, I think we balance the new and old technology pretty well.
The letters are saying things to Jackson!
In my earlier entry, "Kindergarten Rocks," I shared that early this summer Jackson was frustrated that he had to keep asking what words in a book "said." He asked, "When will the letters start saying things to me?" They are saying things to him now. It may be a whisper yet, but it will only get louder! For the last few weeks, he would "help" read a book as we would read aloud and point to each word as we read. He would quickly read all of the words he knew before I could say them. The list of "his" words got longer and longer. Recently, he made a little book at school that had a short story rich with his words. He read it to his mom and dad. Then, on family night this week, he brought it to read to all of us. I heard him shouting when they pulled in the driveway, "Daddy, I need my book, I need my book!"
He then read it to me, Mommaw, and Jacey. (And our kind pizza delivery lady who arrived as he began and listened attentively until the story was over. She cheered with us!)
He anxiously waited for someone else to arrive...
Then, he read it to Uncle Mike and Jacey.
Then, he read it to Aunt Lori, Mady, and Taylor.
Then, he read it to Miss Vickie, Mady, and Jacey.
Then, he read it to Aunt Stacy.
Then, he read it to Keegan.
Then, he read it to Uncle Paul.
Family night is always filled with reading. This night, a new reader joined our ranks. You could not have found a family that was more proud and blessed!!!
The family gives a big thank you to Mrs. Riggins, Jackson's teacher for buttered popcorn words and for helping the letters begin to "say things to Jackson!"
Pictures and video provided!
Kindergarten Rocks!
Jackson is off and running at Kindergarten. He has attended for one hour (with parents in tow) and will go one day a week for two weeks then full time! This gives teachers time for testing with only a few Kindergarten kids at a time, and then the whole class will attend together after that. He says his teacher is, "the best teacher EVER!" He got to sit on the "J" on the carpet, oh yeah, and he listened to a story as his teacher read a book. He heard he is going to learn "gym, art, and music." AND, he will get RECESS on the PLAYGROUND! Life doesn't get any better than this. Earlier this year he asked me when the "letters will start saying things to him." (Because he always points to words and asks, "What does this SAY.") He wants it so badly. I assured him that since he is FIVE, this is the year. By the end of the year, the letters will make words, the words will make sentences, the sentences will make paragraphs, and the paragraphs will make whole STORIES. Don't worry Little Man, those letters will SAY things to you. And once they start talking, the world has no limits!
On family night of the first day of school (hour, as the case may be) we had some new books to read that celebrated going off to school. Thank you Amazon. Stacy (being the resident expert Kindergarten teacher), read Mrs. Bindergarten goes to Kindergarten and The Kissing Hand. The photos reflect all the reading going on. We are a family who loves that the "letters say things to us." What a lucky family.
Good luck, Jackson! We are proud of you!
Happy Birthday Mommaw!
Mommaw's birthday is always a grand occasion, but this year we really enjoyed the quality family time and a chance to gather and eat! Well, we really don't need an occasion in order to gather and eat, because habitually, if we gather, we eat. However, getting to celebrate with Mommaw was super special. Ms. Vickie made an official cake for candle blowing, it was a yellow cake with strawberries, and she also made a big tray of her famous pumpkin bars that are always a big hit with the crowd!
The house was crowded, with everyone scrambling for a place to sit, often the floor, and elbowing and bumping into each other as we passed. Just the way we like it. Most of the normal crowd was there, Mike, Stacy, Lori, Taylor, Paul, Mady, Keegan, Ms. Vickie, and me! Jess, Joel, Jacey, and Jackson did not make it to the shindig in person because Jackson had a fever. Have no fear, they did not miss the festivities, they face-timed in using the iphone and helped sing Happy Birthday and shared in the candle blowing out ceremony. (Check out the pictures!)
Uncle Howard and Aunt Wanda were able to make it for family night and helped celebrate! Not only did they party hearty with us on family night, Uncle Howard did a little shooting at the range with Paul, and Aunt Wanda spent some time with Mommaw and me gabbing and swimming! Great Fun!!!
Mommaw enjoyed it but took about two days to recover from the family overload!
Beware the Ides of Summer...
This is really only mid-summer if one considers the equinoxes not school vacation. For teachers, alas, not I, who has no summer vacation, summer is nearly over. Preparations are in full swing for the beginning of school and the halls of the buildings are abuzz with teachers training and planning. I decided to pause and look at some of the most sunny summer experiences we have had this summer. First, Jackson has had a monumental swimming summer. He started years ago wearing a life jacket, swim wings, AND a swim ring. He couldn't sink nor could he really learn to swim since most of him never touched the water! This year he SWIMS! He has shed all of the floatation devices and has begun to dart swim from side to side with the greatest gusto. Many thanks go to Ms. Whitney, his swim coach, who comes to my house to help him, Jacey, and Bayle (Brandandi's neice) with private swim lessons. Peanut free lessons! That is a wonderful thing. He has already progressed to the point I hoped he would reach at the end of the summer...who knows what he will be doing by then now that his confidence and skills have progressed so far! As a matter of fact, Michael offered Jackson a dollar to jump off the side, go under, then come up and swim to the edge. He was still a little fearful about jumping in, so he asked for more than one dollar. Michael told him, no, only one. He said, "Okay, just one dollar, but I want it to have a 5 written on it." Nice. He got his dollars.
The pool has been really busy this summer as Jacey, Jackson, and Mady can't get enough. There has probably been more swimming this year than ever. Due to the extreme heat, Mommaw hasn't spent much time by the pool, but Jess and Joel tried really hard to remedy that. They got a cabana for Mommaw and installed it poolside. That with a stout fan and she can watch the kids swim from time to time. As a matter of fact, her doctor has given her the okay to do some swimming if the weather is right and she doesn't do laps!
Mommaw has spent most of the summer spraying for wasps (I believe all of the wasps in Tennessee live beneath my deck) and watering the new grass we had planted in the spring. Jackson and Jacey, on the other hand, spend their time outdoors riding bikes, swinging on the tire swing, picking fruit (from the pear tree) and flowers, climbing the rock wall, and otherwise downright frolicking. I love that part. The frolicking. Well, I like to watch it, not do it.
One other interesting thing is the introduction of the Tuesday Vegetable Basket ( I made that name up) and our better eating due to it! We have a friend who has a friend (you know how this goes) who journeys each Tuesday morning before daybreak to Amish country and visits several farms to gather vegetables and fruits that have been picked the day before. She then divides it into baskets for all of her friends! Each Tuesday is like Christmas. We never know what will be in our basket but it is always brimming! We have been eating like royalty (well, royal farmers, anyway.) Sweet corn, blackberries, peaches, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, potatoes, green beens, sweet peppers, bell peppers, cabbage, watermelon, canteloupe, green onions, yellow squash, pattipan squash, banana peppers, and more! I am so lucky that Mommaw knows what to do with all of it.
I hope we can squeeze a bit more out of this summer and spend as much time as possible with the family. I hope everyone else does, too!
Happy Shamefully Belated Birthday Ms. Vickie, Paul and Joel!
Happy Birthday guys. Thanks for sharing your day with us! There is nothing like blowing out candles with all of your favorite kids. No wonder our cakes are always so damp. Speaking of sharing, Michael and Stacy brought back a few gifts from the Honeymoon... flowered outfits for Jacey and Jackson, chocolate covered pineapple from the Dole plantation for everyone, and calendars for Ms. Vickie, Mommaw and me. Mommaw's calendared featured flowers from Hawaii. Mine and Ms. Vickie's featured other natural wonders...most of which boasted a six pack and were scantily clad! Thanks guys. Welcome Home.
Football, anyone?
Hopefully, we will get it together and football season will start on time this year! I hope so, I need to get my name on the Flynn Family Fantasy Football League trophy. I want my name on there badly. I can't say that I want it on my mantle, because it is already there. Joel earned it this year and brought it to stay at my place. It is almost like coming in second place. The great trophy exchange took place after Mike and Stacy's wedding, thanks to a great effort by Uncle Jim and Aunt Sandy. I have heard tell that Suzanne and Jeff may be getting a new house...that may make them more determined to get the trophy, note to self. Anyway, with luck, we should be getting ready to rumble pretty soon! Get your game on Flynn Family! (see pics)
Michael is married.
Well, Michael has tied the knot. He and Stacy were married last weekend and have just landed in Hawaii for a tropical honeymoon! Their wedding day dawned dark and stormy with torrential downpours throughout the day. Amazingly, just before the outdoor ceremony was abandoned, blue skies and sunshine appeared. I am honored and delighted by the friends and family members who braved distance and weather to share the day with all of us and grateful to everyone, those in attendance and those who were unable to attend, for the gracious support and encouragement they have given Michael as he begins this new chapter in his life. We are so blessed!
The old fashioned farm setting was a beautiful background for the celebration, but technology advances were clearly evident! Uncle Bobby took the main pictures for them Saturday afternoon and copied his artistic work to my computer that night. Uncle Jim, Lacey, Jennifer, Chris, Charla, and I all took photos as well, so I don't think they will lack for photographic documentation of every moment of the night! I made them a wedding website where all of the photos will eventually be loaded and we are asking other friends and family members who were wielding cameras and phones to upload any candids they would like to share. Boy, have times changed! In the olden days, you had to wait for the pictures to be developed!
Stacy was a beautiful bride and Mike, Joel, Jackson, Jess, Jacey, and Taylor looked pretty spiffy, too! I guess it can be said that this family cleans up pretty well. Everyone even behaved themselves. Nice. I kind of thought it would be a sad occasion, but it turned out to be festive and often funny. I will share some of the funniest...Joel and Jacey both shared the flowergirl responsibilites and Jackson showed off his karate moves in his suit. Jess ran around in her fancy dress and bare feet, and the small crowd that persevered until the grand exit (well, fake grand exit) had a great time blowing bubbles even when the bride and groom weren't around.
After a great rehearsal dinner Friday night, complete with New York chefs (thanks Katie and Matt) and the long wedding day on Saturday, I am exhausted. All this socializing and partying is hard on a body. I think I will just relax tonight and look at the pictures we have so far, about 1000 of them!
I thank EVERYONE for all of the support and kindness. I would also like to give a special thanks to:
Mike and Stacy for giving us a joyful reason to gather.
Steve for officiating.
Bobby for pictures.
Jim for pictures.
Lacey, Jennifer, and Chris and Charla Pugh for pictures.
Caroline and Jordyn for the videos.
Damon for the sand.
Katie and Matt for the wedding and rehearsal dinner food.
Helen and Shannon for the decorating and help at the rehearsal dinner.
Sara for the best spring cleaning ever and helping me hold it together.
Vickie for sticking with this family and for the elbow grease.
Loretta and Dale for help in general.
Lori for being family and staying late.
Debra and Brad for running interference.
Jessica for being Jessica.
Joel for being the kind of son-in-law who can carry tables with a barbie in his pocket.
Yvonne for believing in Michael and giving him the opportunity to meet Stacy.
Billie, Nancy, and my East Montgomery pals for always being there!
Jennifer and Adam for pictures and best manning.
Dan and John for meaning it.
Stacy's family for everything, including Stacy.
Mom for the family tree.
Jacey and Jackson for the entertainment.
And, most of all, God for the chance, and for Grace.
Mother's Day and Miscellaneous...
I am thankful for my kids and my mom so Mother's Day is special. This year, Joel grilled out and made amazing grilled pork chops and veggie skewers. It was our first deck dinner this year even though it was too cold to swim. For my gift, Mike, Jess, and I are reading a book together via skype. As they grew up, we read together all the time, now we still do it, but it is hard to find the time. We are reading Hunger Games...check out the reading page for pictures and info! Since the kids aren't mac people and we didn't all have the same video accounts, you should see how complex we made a simple three-way video conference. I added some other pics as well...
First IN!
We have a tradition around here, the first person to brave the cold water and get in the pool each season earns the coveted title of "First IN!" This year, the award goes to Taylor, who slowly and painfully worked up the courage to move from the side, to the ladder, to the water. It took alot longer for her to dunk and swim! Joel, Jacey, and Jackson were next in and spent a very few minutes enjoying the frigid water and basking in the glow of anticipation for the warm days to come! Me, I am waiting until the water is 80!
Wedding...
Mike and Stacy's wedding is drawing near. Things are beginning to speed up and I know it will be upon us before we get everything done the way they want. The nice thing about it is, ready or not, married they will be! This past weekend, Jess gave Stacy a shower at my place. It was lots of hustle and bustle, but it came off without a hitch. Jess has a knack for making things work out. The food was pretty and delicious, thanks to Jess, Vickie, Mommaw, and Jennifer...I was not asked to make any food. Probably a good thing. It was a great party and we all hung out by the pool until way-too-late for a school night. It was good to see everyone have a good time. Stacy looked adorable and happy. Michael was able to come by when he got off work and enjoyed the food and festivities. All the kids made it by before it was over...supposedly to help clean up, but this family hates to miss a get-together! I have added a picture here but you can see them all at
http://hooverhighlights.shutterfly.com/photos/1429
Happy Retirement!
Recently, the faculty and friends of East Montgomery celebrated the retirement of several of my friends! Congratulations to Nancy, Connie, and Carol Ann! I have to say, Nancy was one of the most influential mentors and helped mold my career. She, Billie, and Jeraldine guided me, forgave me, and laughed with me though many trials and tribulations! Connie and I shared a classroom and a philosophy that made my time at EMES better! No matter how skimpy our budget, Carol Ann managed to buy every book my students requested, every single one. Thanks to you all! It was nice to be back among so many friends. With so many changes in our lives, it is nice to know that some things are the same.
Easter Excitement!
This was a dramatic and eventful Easter weekend in the fashion only this family can muster. We had our family Easter celebration scheduled for Friday night, expecting the whole crowd. Lots of kids, baskets, eggs, and food for everyone. Jackson put a crimp in that by having an asthma attack that sent him to the doctor's on Friday afternoon, Lori had guests from out of town stop in, Stacy had an appointment to pick up her dress in Nashville...and as you imagine, the crowd dwindled to just Mommaw, Ms. Vickie, and me. Ms. Vickie brought mexican (bean burrito and other super soft stuff for me since I was still on soft food and only back at work for a day...) It was nice to have the small group, we just talked and talked like a bunch of women. ;) Fun! But, I hadn't seen everyone for awhile since we had missed last week for my surgery, so I missed the chaos.
Saturday, Jacey hung out with me and Mommaw while Jackson, Jess, and Joel went to a tee-ball game. When they got to my house, Jackson was breaking out "a little" so he had benedryl and a bath. Then he broke out "ALOT"! Well...we thought it was alot until he got up Sunday morning and was broken out "REALLY ALOT"! Apparently, there was exposure to peanuts or treenuts at the ballfield. (Seriously, you have to see the pics to appreciate how many bumps can fit on a little guy!) I don't even want to think what it might have been like if he hadn't been on all the breathing meds after the asthma thing.
We never do a family thing on Easter Sunday, that is the day the kids do their own family things. Vickie had invited us to her family Easter meal and then we rescheduled with just Lori and kids plus Jess and Kids for egg hunting. Stacy was at LBL with her family and Michael had to work and then tutor. It stormed so much Easter morning that Mommaw tried twice to head out but never made it to Church. Vickie's power went out for several hours but she managed to get the luncheon made anyway. We did get to her place during a lull in the storm and ate a wonderful meal with her and her family.
We didn't get the egg hunting in...we ended up meeting Jess at the doctor's to get Jacey while Jackson had a recheck on his still exploding allergic reaction.
The night ended quietly with the Easter Baskets still tucked away in the guest room, a few leftovers and McDonald's for the kids when they came to get Jacey, we played outside for a few minutes as Jacey and Jackson enjoyed the evening air in between storms (Jackson just scooted and scratched...apparently you can use a scooter with hand) and then Mommaw and I watched a movie on the Hallmark channel.
Everybody healthy enough, everybody happy enough, and everybody safe enough. After thinking about it, it was a beautiful, perfect Easter. I am thankful that Christ died for this family, so that we can go through this life, through the thick and thin, and know that it is all small stuff. And, we don't sweat the small stuff. I am so thankful, today and everyday.
Check out the allergy pics! Also, notice the new firetruck nebulizer!
Under the knife again...
I am really going to try to break the bad habit of needing to have body parts removed. First the gall bladder, now all of my wisdom teeth. It would not have been such a big deal if I had had the courage to have them taken out 20 years ago, when they first gave me trouble. Instead, I waited, coaxed, managed, and maneuvered my way through 20 years battling infection and pain. That is a choice I would do differently had I an opportunity to do it over again. Since I waited, it required an in-hospital procedure, sedation, and a breathing tube! Now, on day three of recovery, I am feeling much better and can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I even had a few mashed potatoes today...it tasted like Thanksgiving dinner after only jello and milkshake for two days.
Mommaw, Michael, and Jess did a good job of taking care of me. Mommaw has waited on me, hand and foot. Michael drove me home and spent the first day with me, and he and Jess took turns reading a book to me until we got it finished. They have always read to me when I was sick and I like it. It is a nice tradition. (the reading, not the being sick).
Thanks to everyone for the support and encouragement!
Happy Birthday to Jacey, Michael, and Me!
We did a triple celebration this family night and it was an interesting and festive event! Mommaw made a great Foofa cake for Jacey and Baby Cakes for Michael. I asked for an uncake, and I got Vickie's famous bean dip instead. It was awesome! There was lots of present opening, including a motorized bike, some NASA inspired underwear, and a case for my iPad that won't be here until April 27th (the iPad, not the case). We don't usually give out gifts to the kids whose birthday it is not, but we did this time. Mady and Jackson were glad. My theory was that it is one thing when one person gets birthday presents and it is not you...but it is entirely something else when there are three birthday celebrators. Then it might just seem like EVERYONE is getting presents but you! The discussion was animated and heated as usual...something about the Government shutting down and how to address those with a doctorate were the loudest, but I have to say it was louder overall than usual! The whole house sounded like we added surround sound and cranked up the volume! All in all, a sweet birthday for all, with the exceptions of Jacey's fever and Mady's pink eye!
BTW, I added a few pics I haven't posted from other family nights...and yes, that is a robotic arm Michael built that he was using to assist in reading the question cards from a trivia game.
Family...
This past few weeks was eventful for the family! Aunt Wanda and Uncle Howard came by for a visit and hung out with the whole family on Family Night! They seemed to enjoy the chaos...as much as possible, and it was fun to spend some quality time with them! Taylor found everyone, especially Aunt Wanda, to be very entertaining and a bit hilarious. She even picked up my camera and took some shots of me and Aunt Wanda to commemorate the evening!
Taylor and Mommaw went to see Hamlet (the play version) at the Roxy. Apparently, they enjoyed the rendition even with the changes our local theater chalked up to artistic license.
Finally, Jackson and Jacey had new allergy tests done last week. We were hoping that Jackson's allergy would have minimized and we could stay diligent but be less worried. Not so much. Jackson is still super allergic to peanuts...and Jacey, too. Sigh. I guess we just stay diligent.
"It was a strange night....with Hamlet, Chinese, and chocolate..."
To quote Stacy, "It was a strange night...with Hamlet, Chinese, and chocolate." Indeed. For those who follow the TV Alternative blog on the family page, I had posed the idea to our ragged group, to consider starting a read-aloud on family nights where we read a few pages or chapters of a book aloud, taking turns reading, until the book is finished. I suggested it be age and gender neutral so that from the youngest to the oldest, we might all enjoy. First, let me say that no one responded to my request or commented in any way...however, lots of folks admitted that they had been giving it some consideration. Then, on family night this week, quite coincidentally, Taylor was telling everyone about her class in high school that is studying Hamlet. Yes, of Shakespeare fame. She whipped out her book and began to read a bit to us from Scene 5.
Let me pause here to share how profoundly moving and powerful I found that moment. To hear Taylor attempt to voice such classic words warmed my heart. I think a family who often gets caught up in the speed and frenzy of the world took pause to appreciate the enormity of the small things.
Here is where it began to get even more entertaining. Everyone jumped on the opportunity to begin the family read-alouds...right here on this night, with Taylor and Shakespeare. It started with Taylor reading from her one copy of Hamlet. Jess disappeared downstairs and returned with a paperback copy of the Complete Works of Shakespeare, copy two. Michael, in turn, disappeared downstairs and emerged with a hardback copy of the same, copy three. Within 10 minutes, the group had downloaded four additional iPhone copies, one Kindle copy, and one iPad copy. Nine copies in ten minutes. Impressive, in a "marriage of technology and old school print" kind of way.
The group then proceeded to take turns reading and discussing until we had digested the first two scenes. It was fun in a way that studying Shakespeare often is ....Taylor noted it was less boring with the whole group. Nice.
Now for the Chinese food and chocolate. We had take-out Redwood Chinese food for dinner. In the regular way that this family can make the most simple things complex, I dropped by Redwood at lunchtime and placed the order. That evening, they delivered it to Ms. Vickie's house (which is in their delivery zone, unlike my house), then she in turn, brought it with her to our house...along with McDonalds for the little guys...not because they don't particularly like Chinese (Jackson is a pro with chopsticks) but because even though they don't use peanut oil, the is just too much of a grey area to make it seem safe. For dessert, we had Pepperidge Farm Chocolate cake, which I got free for buying a frozen lasagna at Food Lion. You can now see how it all came together.
I must say, it was a beautiful, odd night that reminded me why I love these people. My brother would have been keenly satisfied with this moment and this family. Then he would have eaten Chinese and chocolate.
Our sympathies to Joel and family...
Joel recently lost his "Mammy" and our hearts go out to him and his family. Mammy left a beautiful legacy...she wrote poems and messages to the kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids that she had written for each of them on or near the day they were born. That is precious. But, even more precious was the gifts she gave the rest of us...her son and two grandsons that Jess brought into our lives are good men. No, really. How powerful is that! In a world where it is acceptable to be bad in so many ways, to raise good men to add to this world is special. We thank her.
Family Night
Family night this week was a blast! All the regular crew, plus Wyatt, Erica, Adam, Jennifer, Alexandria, and Elisabeth! Anytime there are that many babies, there is sure to be a lot of rocking going on. Ms. Vickie did the cooking, Jess made dessert, and everyone else did the eating. We played the kid version of Headbandz...if you haven't tried it, you should. It is a fun game where you ask questions to determine the picture on the card you place on your forehead with a band...or without one, as Jess proved could work. We have it in the kid and adult version, but so far, I am tapping my resources just managing with the kid one. Check out the pics, Alexandria conquered the Rubix Cube, Michael has become an Apple Guy, and Ms. Vickie gave Jackson lessons on using his new inhaler. Family night is my favorite night of the week. You should come.
The Last Snow of the Season, maybe...
They say this is not the snowiest winter. Apparently, we have had triple this much on occasion. However, it certainly FEELS like the snowiest. So far, we have missed about 11 days of school, and that is entirely too much. Here is our last round of sledding pictures. Enjoy or ignore.
Happy Birthday to Jackson and Jessica!
This is our busiest birthday season! Most recently, Jackson and Jess celebrated their special days in a joint party at Mommaw's house. Once again, Mommaw outdid herself with the cakes...Jackson's was a PowerRanger cake and Jess had a beautiful pyramid of baby cakes. Sweet. Jackson's favorite gift was a Buzz Lightyear automatic backpack with retractable wings. Again, sweet.
At the end of the evening, while giving goodbye snuggles, I noticed that Jackson had a fever. It was the precursor to raging fevers that both he and Jacey dealt with over the next few days...three trips to the doctor's. Poor Jackson even had to cancel his birthday party with his friends and all of the inflatables that they were having set up at the church. It isn't fun to be puny, and it is especially not fun to be puny on your birthday. One bright side was that neither Taylor nor Mady have picked up their virus....yet.
I think I might have the next birthday. Since Mommaw has been so creative with the cake making, I wonder if she can make me an uncake. I don't really like cake, so an uncake would be ideal.
Snow, again.
You know, I love snow as much as the next gal, but even the sledding and snowball fights are getting a little mundane this winter. I do love our new (new since Jackson's birth) family tradition of sledding at my place anytime we get a fresh snow. It is fun to watch the chaos as a mountain of snow gear is wrapped around two little kids (and a few big kids) and everyone makes the pilgrimage to the best snow hill. I have to say that we live in a beautiful place...snow covered trees, rustic barns, galloping horses, and romping kids. {Everything but the romping kids is actually on our neighbor's property...but beautiful none-the-less!} I have to say that we have tried every type of sledding apparatus imaginable and we are becoming experts at predicting the best sledding equipment for every type of snow. We are, as you can tell in the pictures, becoming a bit reckless as we get over accustomed to all this snow. I saw a documentary that made the interesting point that very responsible parents that would never let a child ride a bike on a flat surface without a helmet, don't think twice about letting that same kid careen down a steep hill on a sheet of ice at 40 miles an hour without a helmet. We are they. We might need to rethink that.
Well, check out the snow pics before I have to upload more. There is more snow in the forecast, you know.
Bon Voyage, Aunt Sara!
Sara is off on one of several trips abroad that she has planned for this year. This one is a three week cruise to a bunch of countries, which was intended to include Egypt. Due to the REVOLUTION the tour company decided maybe they should forgo Egypt and try Turkey. Good idea. The last thing we needs is Sara getting in to the middle of things. Have fun and be safe!
340 Undecillion IP addresses...nice.
Family and Snow, Snow, Snow!
We had additions to the normal family night group, with Chris and his family joining us for some cold KFC chicken and games. The kids got along wonderfully, you can really tell how grown up the boys have become. The girls are not as grown up and did a little pushing and shoving...but it never came to blows. For two-year-olds, that is getting along!
We have had more than our fair share of snow already this year...and missed way too many school days in the process! I wish it would only show the beautiful, big, fat, snowflakes that stack up six inches in a few hours....but only on Saturdays, so we don't miss out on school, and only on the grass...I like the roads to stay clear and safe!
We did get in some sledding this time, except for Jacey and Mommaw, who opted to stay in where it was warm. As always, we were not graceful or artistic in our sledding styles, but it was great fun, none-the-less. After sledding, everyone took Jackson on a hike through the woods (no snakes during the winter, you know) and then feasted at Mommaw's on warm chili and homemade snow cream.
I love winter with my people.
Happy Birthday Taylor and Lori!
We are blessed to have a growing family that often has to celebrate birthdays in pairs...January and February give us 4 in about a 3 week period...so party we do! This year Taylor turned 17 and it absolutely boggles my mind...next year she will be able to vote! Lori, Taylor, Paul, Mady, Crystal, Jess, Joel, Jackson, Jacey, Mike, Stacy, Mommaw, and I make for a pretty large gathering and it was fun to get to help Lori and Tay celebrate their special days. Mommaw has been getting pretty creative with the cake baking, and surprised everyone with her replica of Taylor's new macbook!
Happy New Year!
May 2011 be safe, healthy, and happy for everyone! The dawning of a new year always brings hope and reflection. My 2011 stated with babysitting...I wonder if that has some deep meaning? Jacey, Jackson, Mommaw, and I rang in the new year by hanging out, eating, and playing until the wee hours ( that would be 9:30 P.M. for Jacey and 11:30 P.M. for Jackson) and then we had a "sleepover" that, quite fortunately for me, did not wake up until almost 8:00 A.M. I can't imagine starting the year any better and I hope everyone had as much fun as we did!!!
Merry Christmas to ALL!
We were able to celebrate our family Christmas on Christmas Eve, as is our tradition. It was cozy and crowded, bustling and busy, and packed with good food. This year we even had our first white Christmas in quite some time (17 years, officially), but it started as sleet and caused us to rush through the dinner and festivities so that Lori and family could get home and off the roads as soon as possible. Just as they were leaving, it turned to a pretty snow, with the big fat flakes that remind you how much you love snow!
We were in such a rush, we forgot to open our stockings first! It was great to see the smiles on the kids faces (big kids and little kids) and everyone seemed to be happy to get to share the time together.
On Christmas morning, Jess and Mike ( with families in tow) came by for a Christmas morning breakfast and a present or two. Back when all of or celebrating tended to happen at Mommaw's and Poppaw's on Christmas Eve, the Christmas morning breakfast and one present was the ritual for my house. We have kept it up, even though the partying came with Mommaw when she moved out here. It may be the one tradition that fades away as the kids grow their own families and become too busy to make it here both days. I really enjoyed the chance to have everyone together and share some time and snow!
Merry Christmas everyone! (I only posted a few pics her on my blog, to keep from blowing up the readers of those who think 200+ pics are too many! Here is a link to the rest of the pics!)
http://hooverhighlights.shutterfly.com/photos/687
Happy 3rd Birthday, Mady!
Not only did we get to celebrate an early Christmas with Uncle Bob and Aunt Wanda, but we got to celebrate little Mady's birthday, albeit a bit belated. Mady is currently obsessed with princesses, and Mommaw took that as a hint when deciding on her birthday cake. I must say, she completely outdid herself and created a beautiful princess cake that Mady LOVED! Mommaw saw a video online showing how to make the cake, she added her own little twists and created a masterpiece...I wonder what she will do next? I have never seen anyone as excited as Mady when it comes to opening birthday presents. She literally jumped up and down for 45 minutes and I was beginning to wonder if she would give herself a concussion. It was fun!
"The Present People" - Aunt Wanda and Uncle Bobby bring the sleigh...
We got an early Christmas as Uncle Bob and Aunt Wanda came down to celebrate with the family and bring the bounty that the kids missed from the family reunion! It was extreme! You should have seen the kids' eyes light up when they saw all the presents under the tree and Aunt Wanda dressed as Mrs. Claus! Even more special was the time with Bob and Wanda, we don't get them to ourselves very often. The biggest hits were the Dora van and the magnet blocks....the van kept Jacey and Mady busy and the blocks kept everyone else busy! Thanks to everyone for a great night!!!!
First Snow!
The first snow of the season kept us away from the family reunion. It closed schools, closed some roads, and made things otherwise tricky around here. We were originally only expecting an inch, but my ruler says differently!
Damon!
It is funny, (not in a ha ha way) how funerals bring people together who don't often get to see each other. Damon and Shellie came in to support Lori during this time and we were able to visit with both of them at the services. Damon was even able to drop by family night to hang out with everyone for a bit. It was nice. Every time I watch Damon interact with my kids, I think it sounds like it would sound if Kevin were talking with them. It is nice. Creepy, but nice. It also reminds me that no matter what, Kevin would have liked Mike and Jess. Not just a little, but really, really, liked them. The things that annoy me most about their personalities would have made him snicker and the he would have been annoyed, too. And, that would have made him happy. He and I discussed that my kids would not be duds (meaning boring) and I think they have succeeded in that.
Michael shared some books with Damon that he thinks are terrific reads and we are going to read some of them now in the family book club. When Damon expressed interest in reading them, Michael dashed downstairs and combed through his shelves until he found them. There is nothing as sweet as the sharing of a book.
Big Surprise, Big Help!
Uncle Howard and Aunt Wanda made the trek to Clarksville to attend the visitation for Ms. Betty. It was good to see them and good to have them be a part of the services. Aunt Wanda brought Mommaw an early Christmas present (just in case we didn't make it to the reunion, and boy, did that turn out to be a good call) that she and Aunt Marg had made for her.
It was a beautiful handmade quilt created from the t-shirts and other cloth items from my dad, my brother, and the rest of the family. It is truly a story quilt telling a lifetime of tales. Mommaw was very happy to have it and is using it as a couch quilt!
Aunt Wanda and Uncle Howard also volunteered to take all of the stuff we had here for the reunion so we would not have to have out car packed so tightly when we came down. That again was a good call. That way our stuff could be there when old man winter kept us away.
Not only is it useful to keep warm (and you know we are blanket people) but it also is wonderful for adding color and warmth to her home. She had mentioned that she felt like her place was too sterile and lacked color and homey-ness. This was perfect!
Thank you Aunts Wanda and Marg for finding the perfect gift and for the time and energy that it took to make it happen.
Family Thanksgiving.
This has truly been a year of blessings. I thank God everyday for every family member and friend that make my life worthwhile. This Thanksgiving feast was the first at Mommaw's new place. The table stretched on for miles and I think we had about 20 people, give or take. That included the kids table (How blessed are we to need one!) and the baby-on-the-way. {Little Elizabeth was born less than ten days after that meal (pay up the $5, Michael) and we congratulate Adam and Jennifer on their new addition. } The table looked festive, especially since I found enough colored crystal goblets that matched the ones Mommaw and Poppaw bought in Japan for everyone! It was nice to spread out a little with one group congregating at Mommaw's for holiday chatter and another at my dinner table for games. I was in neither group, since I used this occasion to make the first attempt at Christmas pictures with the kids. It was not very successful and I think we will have to make another try. It was definitely something for everyone! We have been too busy since Thanksgiving for any deep thinking, but I do truly believe that the people that gather around our table are the most extraordinary and eccentric around. I wouldn't swap any of you for a million dollars. Check out the pics...I added comments to describe some of the activities! I also added a new page, called PHOTOS, to post group shots so that the hundreds I take do not hit on anyone's reader!!!
Family.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Lori and her family as they mourn the loss of her mother, Betty Rey. Thank you, Ms. Betty, for loving my brother's child with all of your heart.
A Time of Thanksgiving!
I am thankful everyday for my family, friends, health, safety, and the countless other blessing rained down upon this family. This year we gathered on a couple of occasions to feast and fest..it was great fun and gave us all lots of opportunity to hang out and share time. This year's dinner included Mike, Stacy, Jess, Joel, Jackson, Jacey, Lori, Paul, Keegan, Mady, Taylor, Ms. Vickie, Adam, Jennifer (and baby due any day), Alexandria, me, and Mommaw! The table seemed endless (and rainbow-like with the new multi-colored goblets I found to match those that Mom and Dad got in Japan!) There was lots of talking, games, rough-housing (thanks to Mady and Jackson who got wilder as the night went on...what happened to getting sleepy?), and of course, picture taking. I managed to take Christmas jammie pictures of Mady, Jackson, Jacey, and Alexandria. Jackson only did a few, Jacey almost none, and then I forced Keegan, Taylor, Mike and Stacy to have a couple. We capped off the night with a group photo via the remote for the camera (Thanks, Uncle Bobby!) All in all, a great night. I am thankful to everyone and for everyone.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
Happy Thanksgiving to one and all! We postpone the festivities until Saturday evening so that all can attend, so we are just gearing up for our get-together tomorrow! Food, family, and friends make for the perfect time to count our blessings!
Update on Mommaw
Mom was admitted to the hospital today to have another cardioversion (heart shock)... all went well and she is feeling much better! Hospital food has improved dramatically, you have a real menu from which you may choose appetizers, entrees, sides, desserts, etc...and it is delivered upon request. Nice. Hopefully, she will be eating at home by tomorrow. Yesterday, while she was feeling sick, she managed to cook a whole pot of homemade vegetable soup so our supper will be waiting for us when we arrive home!
Happy Birthday, Alexandria!
Family night this week was a celebration for Alexandria's 1st birthday! It served as a great excuse for doing what we do, eating, hanging out, and goofing around. Taylor, Mady, Jacey, and Jackson put on their Halloween costumes and posed (however uncooperatively) for a few pictures. Taylor is Sacajawea, Mady is Ariel (of mermaid fame), Jacey is a ladybug, and Jackson is Ironman. Michael and Joel surprised Jackson by trying on portions of their homemade costumes and having a little "battle" on the front porch! To compliment Jackson as Ironman, Michael is Whiplash, and Joel is someone I can't remember but looks pretty scary. I can't wait for Halloween, I have lots of candy ready for the kids, although I usually don't have a single trick-or-treater that isn't related to me!
Pumpkin Patch 2010
Recently, we took our annual trip to the Pumpkin Patch. In this case, it was Honeysuckle Farms a short drive from our town. It was fun, as usual, but it was very different from last year. If you recall, last summer was the wettest in years and set records for levels of rainfall. So, the Pumpkin Patch was lush and healthy with green grass, orange pumpkins, yellow, red, and orange leaves, covered by a deep blue sky! This summer was the complete opposite with drought conditions and long stretches with absolutely no rain. That turned our lush pumpkin patch into a dust farm. There was not a single blade of green grass and every step sent up a puff of dust. (Miss Vickie did not go because she has bad asthma...good call.) Even the pumpkins were less orange in part to lack of rain and in part to the thin layer of dust that covered them.
I will say that we did not let those conditions deter us from romping, playing, and pumpkin hunting, but it did make for a hot, dusty, sticky afternoon.
More Family!
Family times around here are always interesting! Sometimes it is funny, sometimes sad, sometimes happy, and sometimes mad, but always interesting! Here are some pics of our latest antics. Some highlights: Dan brought a girl...it was good to meet Jennifer...he has never brought a girl before so she must be special! Billie and Nancy came to hang out! Michael's whip entertained the boys another night...funny, one would never imagine how much fun a whip can be! This time they tried to pop balloons without much luck. Dan and Jennifer even gave the whip a whirl...I am glad to say it was an injury free whip evening for all. Oh, and Michael did a bit of an experiment with a glass, two forks, and a match...you will just have to see that one to appreciate it.
Vegas! Happy Birthday, Sara!
I was honored to be a part of the 1/2 Centennial Celebration for Sara's birthday! I met up with Sara and friends in Vegas to ring in the second half of her century with some fun in the sun! Everything from the hotel room to the view was extraordinary and I won some money. Well, then I lost it and a little more. But that is still winning, I think. It was great fun! Thanks for being my friend for 25 years!
Soccer Season!
Soccer season is upon us. Joel and Michael decided they were such a good coaching team in T-ball that they would try their hand at coaching Jackson's 4-Year Old soccer team, The Super Hero Squad (self named, of course). So far, so good. Jackson scored 4 goals during the first game, but he since decided it might be less fun than expected. We will see if his inner athletic spirit overcomes the pushing, shoving, chaos that is preschool soccer. Actually, no one keeps score, the team divides into two groups and plays on two separate fields at the same time (so everyone gets to play) and the games last only 30 minutes. This might be soccer perfection.There is a lot of cheering, tear wiping, and yelling, "other way, go the other way"... and, "our goal is the other goal"...and when you are four it is awesome to score a goal, even if it counts for the OTHER team!
Family Nights Rock!
I love the concept of Family Night...it is wide open! You never know who will drop in, what we will eat, what we will play, if we will fight, what experiments we will do, or who will read to whom. It is my favorite part of the week and one thing the world could definitely use a few more of. I have added pics of a couple of different family nights from this month, Jaime, John, John Michael, and Wesley joined the regular crowd and the kids spent most of the night finding different ways to jump. Jackson and Wesley jumped on bouncy balls, then they all jumped in the bouncy castle, and sometimes they just jumped around on the floor. What a great way to spend the evening. (Well, there was the asthma incident, but other than that, it was a good evening.) Michael and John Michael played Lazy Man's Wii...that consisted of both of them sitting in recliners in Mommaw's living room and playing tennis and bowling by moving only the muscles in their writsts. It was a sight to see, and I would have to say if Lazy Wii was a sport, they would be Olympians! P.S. I took a bunch of pictures of Jess and family on the back deck. All of the furniture had been stored for the winter and the kids decided that an empty deck is a stage and they danced the night away! We took the opportunity to try to get some family pics of them, but Jacey discovered that nose-picking freaked everyone out and was thus the most fun thing to do EVER!
Happy Birthday, Stacy!
Stacy shared her birthday with us, I think she must be getting used to having us around. Jess baked the cake and I wrapped the presents. (Well, Dillards wrapped the presents, and I never would have put those colors together...but it worked!) Everyone appreciated the excuse to PARTY!
Geocaching Adventure!
Michael and Stacy have decided to take up a new hobby, geocaching. For those who may not know, that is a pastime in which objects are hidden at secret locations for participants to find using GPS positions posted on the Internet. When you find a hidden box, there is a trinket left inside by the last "finder" and you take that trinket to add to your collection. Then, you leave a trinket of your own to be found by the next finder.
With this in mind, Michael coincedentally received their GPS on the Family Night this week. He randomly checked the internet and found that there was a cache located within a mile from our home! That sparked a 30 minute preparation period in which flashlights, hiking footwear, and high socks to ward off chiggers were collected! Then, Michael, Stacy, Joel, and Jackson went off to seek their fortune.
Rumor has it they braved high grass, dark woods, barking dogs, and the creepy backroad darkness to find the first treasure. Thanks to Stacy, they came back with some good pictures, but that is ALL they came back with. Apparently, they are better "searchers" than "finders".
UPDATE: Michael went back in the daylight and still had NO LUCK finding the cache. Although, he did agree to open up his closed truckbed to show the owner of the property that he did NOT steal the bike that was missing. It turns out the property owner's son set the cache, not him. He did tell Michael he was free to keep looking.
This hobby could be more interesting than I anticipated. But, does anyone know how much bail it might take to free a trespasser? ;)
Last Swim!
As you know, we celebrate those who dare to be the first to swim and the last to swim each season! This year, the First Swim honors went to Curtis, and the last swim went to Joel, Jackson, and Jacey. In fairness, I TOLD THEM it was TOO COLD, but no one ever listens to me. They managed a few minutes, and I have to say that Jackson was the one with nerves of steel. He begged, "Can we just swim five more minutes?" to which Joel responded bravely, "No." Then meekly added, "Maybe ONE more minute!" Way to go family, you are so BRRRRRRRRave.
Misc Family...and call for reading pics!!!
Ok, Family! I am making an all call for pictures of the family and friends reading! On the "TV Alternative" page there is a folder of pictures devoted just to pictures of those we love doing that which we love! I am posting some misc. family pictures here, including some reading pics that will be posted also in the reading folder. But, I am taking this opportunity to ask everyone to catch some snapshots as we do what we do and add them to the folder on TV Alternative. I know you are doing it! Prove it! We need some Kindle pics, too!
Blessing Countin'
As I was going through the pictures on my camera, I came across a set of pictures I had taken and forgotten. Every one made me smile and it made me take a minute to really count the blessings in my life. There are a few pictures of Jacey and Jackson playing outside on a pretty evening that they were sharing with Mommaw and me. Just playing. Some barefoot, some with shoes, some running, some climbing, some just being. I noticed how much they enjoyed my home, yard, porch, and my company (well, as always, they enjoyed Mommaw's company more, but that is as it should be). Somehow, I remembered when we bought this house, there was a discussion about how this house could grow with our family and that our kids and grandkids would love it. I didn't know at that time that it would be only me that would see that dream come to fruition. But I did. "How lucky am I?" OR, "How lucky I am." Both work.
Brandandy!
You never know where you will find our globe trotting friend (well, nation trotting anyway), but she turned up on our front porch! It was good to get to see her and hear all of the details of her upcoming wedding! She had not seen Mommaw's finished home so she did the ewwwwing and awwwwwing and then we visited and caught up! It was sure good to see her and to share a fastfood meal at Mommaw's!
Hide and Seek....
Michael decided to pull out all the stops and challenge the kids (Mady, Jacey, and Jackson) to a rousing game of hide-and-seek. Michael isn't what you would call the best hider ever...but he gives it a good shot. His theory, apparently, is, "If I can't see you, then you can't see me." Everyone laughed and made fun of him (which is how we show love and encouragement in this family), however, his strategy proved to be much more effective than we first thought. They searched forever before finding him each time! I think he could have stayed hidden all night if it weren't for Jacey. She was the super-hunter of the bunch and then she would point him out to all the others. Check out the pics, it is rather unbelievable.
Remember...
Remember when everything in life was exciting. Check out Jackson...watching for the pizza man.
Hahahahhahahaha! Enough said.
The Trophy Presentation!
The Flynn Family Fantasy Football league is about to launch its second season! Joel took the Space Center trip as an opportunity to present the trophy to Aunt Sandy (of Sandy's Thugs fame) so that she could enjoy it briefly before it ends up back on MY mantle. This year is going to be fun, especially with all of the new folks coming on board!
We did get to spend a little time at the Flynn house...they pulled out all of the old toys they could find to help occupy little minds (and hands)! Good call.
It was good to see everyone, hopefully they will be up here soon. And hopefully, Aunt Sandy will not get too attached to the trophy!
Space Center and Star Wars Exhibit!
The Space and Rocket Center is pretty awesome all by itself, but throw in some Star Wars and it is even better! Most of the family took a super quick trip to Alabama to take in the sights (Mike and Stacy were missed...sigh) and enjoyed every minute of it.
I don't know what to say about the Star Wars items except that everything looked just like it should. It still fascinates me how they meshed life size and miniatures to create the overall effects! Jackson enjoyed it all and couldn't soak it in fast enough...Jacey couldn't really care any less but thought it was fun to run with the family!
Ms. Vickie and Wyatt made the trip, too! Wyatt was a big help with Jackson and was really patient!
Check out the pics! I am sorry about the quality...no flash allowed in the dark is hard for someone without steady hands!
Speaking of birthdays, Happy Birthday Keegan!
Happy B-Day Keegie! Check out the pics.
Happy Birthday, Mommaw!
Mommaw celebrated her birthday with family and friends in her new home! Michael was in charge of the cake, he brought two, both of which showed his personality! It was great to have everyone enjoy the new place, but as always, we spilled over into my place, the back deck, the pool, and the front porch. I am glad we have a spillable family. I have recently started back on an exercise regimen, well, at least for a couple of days, mostly due to seeing myself in pictures "racing" Jackson back and forth across the front porch on birthday night. Yikes. By the way, he won. I was looking back through the pictures and noticed that Jacey was appeared to be missing, but she wasn't. Just sleeping. Maybe by Mommaw's next birthday we will have some pictures hung on her wall...baby steps.
The Unc baton has officially been passed.
Michael and Jessica loved Uncle Kevin and called him simply Unc. Unc did all of the cool things that their parents would not, rarely disciplined them, was always on their sides when they were in trouble, and shared with them his love of reading and his quirky hobbies.
Michael has officially become Unc. He shares his love of reading buy buying and reading books with Jackson and Jacey AND by sharing his hobbies, quirky and otherwise.
You can catch him playing board games, yard games, soccer, jedi training, and whipping (is that the right term for practicing with his homemade Indiana Jones style whip?) I am going to add pics to the album called UNC as I see him doing and sharing just as his Unc did for him.
P.S. Helmets and safety goggles may be required.
The many faces of Jacey.
Jacey is one of those children who communicates most effectively though her expressions! Check out the pics. Notice the one that really shows her two curls, one on each side of her head. I love those curls, it makes one think that when she does start talking up a storm, it might just be in yiddish.
Summer is drawing to a close.
Summer is, in fact, drawing to a close. However, it is not easy to see that considering we have had several weeks of hot weather that boasts heat indexes over 100 degrees! That is not just hot, it is stifling! It has been very hard to enjoy the outdoors considering that heat is an enemy to the health of this family. Mommaw has to plan her activities around the rising and lowering of the temperature, and Jackson even had a bad asthma attack. Although it did not put him in the hospital (yah!), it did keep him indoors and out of the pool. Rumor has it that he was given the go-ahead by the doctor to swim again, late in the evening, so I expect the pool use will increase dramatically in the next few days! It is hard to imagine that, by this time next month, the cool nights will cause the pool to be nippy!
Even with the heat, we did manage to sneak in a little of the activities that define summer. Check out the pics of the kids working in the garden, drawing with sidewalk chalk, and otherwise frolicking!
Ms. Vickie's Birthday!
Ms. Vickie had another birthday! It happens to the best of us. We were very happy that she chose to celebrate her day with us. Ms. Vickie is a regular at family night, and for reasons we cannot comprehend, she seems to enjoy the chaos and crisis that comes from this crowd! We believe she has recently had another adventure, this time to Alaska, but we haven't seen any pictures yet so we can't say for sure that it was not imaginary. Ms. Vickie and Jacey are currently having a bit of a relationship crisis. Jacey sees Vickie coming and runs for cover. This is a short lived phenomenon that has appeared on more than one occasion with the children of our family. Not all directed toward Vickie, of course! When Jackson was small, we had a period of about 6 months where I was his least favorite person in the world! Don't worry, my friend, this too shall pass! We enjoyed the birthday festivities and Jackson helped blow out the candles...that has become one of his birthday obligations!
Swim, Swim, Swim...
I know. It is summer and you just can't have too many pool pictures, right? Here are some pics of the folks swimming, as always, lots of fun! Look at the frog pics. Jackson was enjoying a swim with a tree frog...note the pic where Jackson is making ribbit sounds back to the frog. Uncle Mike suggested that he close his mouth. Good call. A frog in the mouth could be traumatic for both boy and frog.
Puny Moony
This journal entry is a little out of the time/date sequence...but I have some sweet pictures of Jacey that I want to share. Not too long ago Jacey went through another sick spell. Lots of high fever and feeling really puny. There is nothing in the world more pitiful than a sick baby. This particular day, Jackson had a ballgame so Mommaw and I took care of our little Jacey (My pet name for her is Jacey Cakes...put when she is sick she is Puny Moony...). Well, mostly Mommaw took care of her because she likes her more than she likes me, particularly when she is sick. Mommaw had to carry her around all morning because she was just too clingy and sickly. When she finally went to sleep in Mommaw's lap, she held her for an hour or so. Each time she tried to put her down she would stir and cry. Finally, she was able to sit by her on the couch and as long as Jacey could touch her she was okay. So, Mommaw sat on that couch, in the same spot for nearly 4 hours as Jacey got her healing sleep. You can see in the pictures that she would wiggle and scoot until she was half on and half off the couch and half on and half off of Mommaw. How do you spell love? M-O-M-M-A-W. I know, because I had a Mommaw too.
*Passed Final Inspection - Check out the Eye-on-the-House page!
Happy Father's Day to JOEL, the "Ideal Dad!"
Our local newspaper, The Clarksville Leaf Chronicle, ran a Father's Day Essay Contest where readers could write an essay nominating someone for the Ideal Father feature to be run on Father's Day. Jess wrote an essay about Joel and it, and thus, Joel was chosen for the feature. It was beautiful and very well written. It did a good job of describing the father and man that Joel has become. I admit, when it comes to raising my grandchildren, I love to interject my opinion whenever requested, and often when not requested. But, never let it be said that I do not give Joel his due. I have often said that he is the single most loving father I have ever met, and he has the heart of a natural nurturer. I am proud of him and very happy that his energy envelopes this family, and my grandchildren. I hope that Jackson is paying attention and is learning how to be a man and a dad from his own. See side for a link to the newspaper article.
Here is Jess's essay, as it was submitted (printed with her permission, of course):
Ms. Leiser,
I am writing in nomination of my husband, Joel Morris, for The Leaf Chronicle's Father's Day feature. I want to tell you a little about him, and what an inspiring parent he is, not only to me, but to those who know him best, and some who know him very little.
Joel is the type of father who truly realized his life changed with the birth of our first child. So many mothers spend countless hours awake in the middle of the night feeding and rocking their babies. Not me. My husband worked on a rotating schedule, so that we could each sleep for several blocked hours while the other pulled parent duty. He changes diapers, sings songs, rocks babies and kisses foreheads. He always has, from the beginning. He laughs and cries with me, and them, and sees a special moment, a gift, in them every day, never taken for granted.
Anne Geddes wrote, as I have read that it was her, that any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a daddy. This rings true with my husband. Not only does he allow his life to revolve around his children, but he does so in a way that makes him a hero to them. Joel is creative and imaginative. If there ever is a game to be played, he is willing. Not only willing, but above and beyond devoted. Joel is the best "pretender" any child could ask for. Never shying away from imagination, he has pretended to be pirates, bad guys, super heroes, bus drivers, animals, etc. You name it, he has pretended it. Regardless of hour, place or level of crowding, he is willing to play right then and there. And the costumes....so many parents create costumes for Halloween or special events. Joel creates them for Wednesday, or whatever day it happens to be when my son asks him to, or sometimes as a surprise. He has created a Batman costume to my son's Robin, and just recently, spent hours working on a homemade "Rody" costume to be the sidekick for my son's most recent Iron Man obsession. Not for Halloween. Its June. Just because it would be fun.
Joel is willing to watch the same kid shows over and over; and not only to watch, but to learn the words to the songs, and dance the dances. He listens, and talks about the lessons being taught later. He spends hours playing whatever sport we are addicted to today, outside or inside, rain or shine. He has most recently been acting as coach to my 4 year old's brand new tee ball team, and throughout the heat, and the moments where the kids are playing ANYTHING but tee ball, he has loved being a part of it.
Last November, following the Clarksville Marathon, my husband, and my son, were pictured on the front page of the Leaf Chronicle. Having trained to run his first 5k, my husband was excited, but my son was so much MORE excited. How awesome it was that his Daddy would be running a "race"! He watched him practice, and when we got to the 5k, we took pictures of them together. Then we waited. We stood on the side waiting for my husband to pass the finish line, and just as he was running up, he did the most unexpected, loving thing. My husband picked up his son, his "Buddy", mid-stride, and carried him over the finish line. It didn't matter that it added extra seconds to his time, but that my son would love it. And he did.
My daughter just turned 1. Already she has realized that her Daddy loves her more than life. As with my son, my daughter follows him around, loving him, showing him things, and worshiping him. He will eat ANY type of shared food....pretend, or baby food, or even sometimes soggy 1 year old mush, shoved into his mouth by his baby girl. She rides him like a horse, plays drums on his bald head, and gives him kisses even when she is crying over something she thinks is horrible. Daddy is her favorite word, and he loves it more than she does.
My husband plans unnecessary trips because my son mentioned something about something that sparked an idea. He does "Daddy" days for both kids, to ensure that my son never feels replaced by his baby sister, and that she never feels second best. He draws, paints, colors, runs in the sprinkler, gets hurt, recovers, and plays some more. Whatever it takes.
Basically, apart from all of these things, Joel has found a way to be a better man than even I thought possible. Women hope to marry a man who will be a wonderful father, but I had no idea. There are times I become jealous of the hero worship, but I never cease to be amazed at the love that pours from him. He can't help it. He isn't "trying". He just DOES love them that much. He does discipline, but in a way that teaches a lesson, not a fear. He emphasizes the importance of family in everything that he does, and would never dream of turning down a promise for something else. He skips some of his own favorite things to make lunch dates at McDonald's because he said he would. Joel never apologizes for his parenting, because he believes that everything he does is in the best interest of his children and family. And it is.
My husband, Joel, amazes me. My children have NEVER doubted him, or his love. It is a constant. A definite. What more could I ask for? Actually, come to think of it, I guess I have a little of that hero worship thing for him, too. Please consider my husband for your feature. He wouldn't say that he is the best Daddy, because he doesn't know that there can be another way. See, his Dad was pretty great, too, and would certainly be my nomination for a Grandparent's Day feature. Love like this; that genetic, unbelievable love, deserves a feature spot. Joel is the most incredible, deserving, loving and special father I know. He is a best friend and hero to my children, and the most amazing father I have ever seen.
Sincerely,
Jessica Morris
Family Night!
Last family night was a blast...it was the usual pleasant chaos. We had 18 people swimming, eating, playing, crawling, walking, and generally hanging out! We celebrated birthdays for Paul and Joel, so cake and ice cream aplenty! Jess, Joel, Jackson, Jacey, Michael, Stacy, Ms. Vickie, Mommaw, Lori, Paul, Keegan, Crystal, Taylor, Mady, Adam, Jennifer, Alexandria, and I scrambled to find a seat, bumped into each other passing as we moved from room to room, and otherwise enjoyed the fabulous crowdedness. I love this family. Thanks to everyone for making family night important. P.S. Thanks to the boys for working under the deck!
Lighty and Brighty -The Story of How Bigs and Jackson Remember to be Lights of God!
Jackson helped his Bigs teach a small children's sermon at church a couple of Sunday's ago. After watching the video...I want to do a better job at being a light for God. I was also reminded to be soooooo thankful that our little guys are so loved, and cherished, and adored, not only by God, but by everyone in this family.
Flynn Family Fantasy Football!
Last season was the debut of the Flynn Family Fantasy Football League! It took a bit to get the crowd into it, but by the end the competition was tough and the intensity was rising! Joel was designated as the official trophy designer and he outdid himself by creating a very nice trophy that will last us for a decade of competition! It is very heavy (and is heaviness not the proof of a fine trophy?) and it has room to add the winners for each year.
Aunt Sandy and her "Sandy's Thugs" was the first winner and awardee of the trophy! We have yet to decide how to get it to her for her reign. There was, however, one minor snafu...Joel's memory failed him, and he put Aunt Sandy's name with the team name of Freakin' Frogs. Uncle Jim may find this a little more entertaining than Aunt Sandy.
Joel is going to remedy that post haste!!!
I really enjoyed the league, although I spent most of the season trying to figure out how to manage the team! I am looking forward to this next season! I just wish I could get plenty of Titans. Sigh.
T-Ball Wrap-Up
T-Ball is ending today...unless of course the Yankees win for the second time this season, in which case they would play one more game. It has been a family affair, with Joel and Uncle Mike coaching, Jess being a team mom, and all of the rest of the family being Jackson's personal cheering section. Bigs, Deba, Bobo, Mommaw, Aunt Stacy, Miss Vickie, and some of Jackson's aunts and cousins watched him play whenever possible. I sure can say that the little members of the Yankees made great progress thoughout the season! Jackson's strength is clearly batting and he often "whacked" it without the T. Outfield was not his friend. It is boring, or beige and unexciting, as he explained it. I am linking to some of my favorite Jackson action pictures (of the 500+ that were taken) and I am also putting a link to a photo book I created for him in Snapfish ( you will have to click the link, sign in to your snapfish account, and then click preview or slideshow...it will be worth it, I promise!)
It was hilarious to watch most of the time, but the parents and grandparents did get a little crazy and carried away toward the end. Winning one game turned the intensity up a notch, for sure. It was hard to remember that they are just 4! Well, until you watched them drawing in the dirt, dancing in a world of their own, laying down on the field, picking grass, or dashing off the field to "potty"!
Thanks, Jackson, for giving me such entertainment for a whole season!
Memorial Day Weekend!
Memorial Day weekend was kind of quiet. Mommaw and I had already been to the graveyard and placed the new flower baskets we have made on the graves at Greenwood. Aunt Wanda is taking care of all of the family graves at the Quinton and Blue John graveyards. This year Curt happened to drive up as we were leaving so he went to the cemetary with us. It was nice. When we did a little looking around and noticed some new "neighbors," I think my friend Karla's mom is buried next to Dad and Kev. Funny how nice that is. Anyway, I haven't been by to see yet, but the boy scouts always go out and put flags on all of the graves of Veterans. We did have some time with friends and family, although not all at the same time. Thanks to Vickie for including us in her dinner with her dad. It was great to eat at the Catfish House with 8 of her closest family friends. Her dad was great, as always, and I must say he is the best house guest ever. Vickie said they spent the day doing home upkeep and repairs! I guess that is why she picked up his dinner tab (it was the LEAST she could do), especially since he was bandaged on his arms from love scratches from her puppy Kacey! We also spent some time with Mike and Stacy this weekend as they helped take care of some home responsibilities of our own. Finally, Jess, Joel, and the kids came by for some Memorial Day swimming! All in all it was a decent weekend and I even got a little spring cleaning done. I hope everyone had a great holiday and spent a few moments remembering those who have passed before and those who served this great country!
All in - 2010!
The group came by for the "All In"...Taylor was absent, and was sorely missed. She will have to get in the pool this week! Jacey took to the water like a fish and seems to be a bit of a daredevil. Jackson boycotted the lifejacket WITH floaties, and talked his folks into letting him swim with just the lifejacket. He has really come a long way this year and is truly enjoying it. There were a few incidents with some mystery dunking which were not, in fact, Uncle Michael's fault, but the shooting in the face with a water blaster was! Stacy made her pool debut and seemed to have a good time and an instinct for when to duck. It was great fun! So, officially, the POOL IS OPEN!
First In - 2010!
Every year there is the question of who will be "first in" when the pool is ready. It is pretty cold most of the time. Although there is no official count, I have to say that Taylor holds the record with the most "first ins" and also for the coldest "first in." This year it was a bit unexpected. The pool was ready and the thermometer was still in the chilly range. Curt dropped by as he was passing through one evening and decided to jump in clothes and all. He apparently handled the temp okay, so it was decided that the next night would be time for "all in." Which is what it sounds like!
Family, Food, Fun, Walking, and a White Kitten...
Family night was a blast! We pigged out on all the good food, including Ms. Vickie's homemade pies from homemade fruit! Then, Jacey entertained us all by deciding that tonight would be a good night to start WALKING! Well, not all of the time, but alternating from kneewalking to walking. Mommaw figured out that by holding the back of her shirt instead of her hands, she would take off and then not notice if you let her go. She even began to master the pivot and could take off and then change direction. I think this will be a fast go, once she figures it all out! Finally, Mike and Stacy brought their new white kitten over to meet the family. It was very kittenish and slept most of the time. Once it woke up, it ran all over and kept heading for the stairs, which caused Mommaw to contrive many different devices to keep it from leaping to a grizzly end. I think it was a hit. Jackson, talked Ms. Vickie into reading a book (which is not really a very hard thing to do) then he picked the "Complete Give a Mouse a Cookie" series which is ALL the books combined. And yes, they read every one. I think he told her that there were a "hundred" stories in that book. Not quite, but it kind of feels like it when you read them all at the same time. Oh, and everyone liked my new bedroom and bathroom decorations (great sale...a $450 24 piece ensemble I have been eyeing from Macy's for months went on sale for $89! WhooooHoooo. It completely redecorated my bedroom and bathroom. Jackson was the most impressed. But, I am not sure his compliments are very complimentary. It went something like this, "Oooooh, Bobo, I like your new covers, and your new curtains, and your new towels, and your new rug, and the different clothes you have HANGING ON THE EXERCISER!" Sigh, maybe I should put the clothes away and actually exercise on the exerciser. I love family night. See pics and videos!
Music and Mayhem!
I wanted to upload a few videos of Jackson, Jacey, and Joel rocking out! I don't know if they have much of a future in music, but stand up comedy might just work out! See videos!
Music and Mayhem!
I wanted to upload a few videos of Jackson, Jacey, and Joel rocking out! I don't know if they have much of a future in music, but stand up comedy might just work out! See videos!
Frogs Galore!
Frogs Galore!
Recently, Jackson entertained us all by being enthralled with a tree frog we found by the pool. Stacy was kind enough to scoop it up for him and he spent a long time in delighted friendship with the poor thing. It was luck for both the frog and Jackson that he didn't stomp on him in all of the excitement, because there were definitely a few close calls! I posted a sweet video on FB but wanted to post the pics here. I love summer.
500 Year Flood!
I guess everyone knows we have been sinking, or at least we have been floating around here. We have had the worst flood ever for this area. The Red River and Cumberland Rivers beat their record flood stages by about 15 feet! That is not really a record you want to beat. Our family, personally, has fared well. All people and houses are fine. We actually had plenty of food, water, and (when they asked for rationing of sewer) we could still shower and flush because we are on a septic system and not city sewer.
The city proper has been devastated. I am posting some of my favorite pictures and hope to give everyone a good idea of what it is like here. We have missed Mon-Wed of school, and we don't know if we will go back at all this week, yet. As far as I have heard, all 31 schools are in good condition.
We are considered in a State of Emergency, complete with curfews and police presence everywhere. That hasn't really effected us because the two bridges that provide the only way from my house to town have been closed and we have been, in effect, on an island. That is okay. We have gas stations, grocery stores, and post office out here. I guess we could go the long way through Dickson, hit the Interstate and come back to town that way (but there is currently only two open main roads into town! It would be about a 60 mile drive, but doable, I guess.
I think at least one bridge will be open tomorrow so maybe I can get in to work even though there is no school. We will see.
Jess, Joel, Jacey, and Jackson came over on the first curfew night. We had a great time and Joel even hung Mommaw's curtain rods in her place for her. We ate frozen pizza (cooked of course) to commemorate the event. I recall being under curfew once before during the Riots in Frankfurt Germany during the late 70's. We did not eat pizza then. We probably ate Wursts and Pommes Frites. Still, it was actually fun. Jackson was disappointed that Michael didn't make it, but it is a good thing. The bridges closed shortly after that and he would have been stuck on the island with us. Instead he was in town and able to go to work everyday, although it did take him over an hour to wind around finding enough open roads to get to Krogers.
Lots of people have lost jobs, homes, and even lives during this event. I pray for everyone!
Check out the pics...or check out www.theleafchronicle.com there are plenty to see and it is quite amazing.
Indiana Hoover!
Well, Michael found an article on how to make your own authentic whip. Yes. Whip. As in cowboy or Indiana Jones fame. He made one of his own that truly looks very authentic. And, I mean that. He brought it to the last family night and he, Joel, and Jackson tried their skills! They all did pretty well. It was, however, discovered that whips are considered weapons for a reason. They can be quite dangerous. I overheard Michael tell Jackson that if he tried it out, he might accidentally whip himself and it would hurt. "But not forever?" Jackson asked. He was told that it would not hurt forever. That was before we knew just how dangerous it could be. Michael discovered it, or proved it, as the case may be. A line from an old Christmas movie, comes to mind..."You don't need that....you will shoot your eye out!" It goes for BB guns and equally well for whips. See pics.
Family Nights Apr/May
The last two family nights have been busy! Ms. Vickie, Adam, Jennifer, Alexandria, Mady, and Curtis hung out with the crowd on one or more of the last two family nights. We had fun blowing bubbles, playing outside, enjoying the porch, and just having fun together! This last Friday, the crew brought in the heavy furniture to Mommaw's new place and it really has begun to look like a home! We even ate our dessert on Mommaw's dining room table to commemorate the event! I can't wait until we can get the After pictures posted! It sure was fun to watch the kids do summer kid stuff.
Oh, and check out the pics of the flowers I planted on Vacation!
Twins!
Uncle Mike and Jackson look so much alike they could be twins! Well, so Jackson thinks. Mommaw bought Uncle Mike some new shoes. They are the running/hiking sandals that are popular this year. She wasn't sure if he would like them. As it turns out, he loves them. I guess it is due to all the running and hiking he does. Ummmm, well, anyway, he likes them. So much so that he bought Jackson a pair almost identical to his! They were comparing their feet, and you can see how hard it is to tell them apart. Mike's feet are the ones on the left.
Hanging with Mommaw!
Here are a few pics of the kids hanging with Mommaw one afternoon. It sure feels like spring has sprung. There is nothing more springlike than a kid on a tire swing! Soon it will be summer and I will be bombarding you with pool pics, because nothing says summer like a kid splashing in a pool! That being said, the pool is currently closed and grundgy...it eagerly awaits its rebirth...which would have already happened it the construction was complete. The new deck does not yet have a trap door to the water spigot so we have no place to hook the hose. I think that will happen this week! Then I will be calling all hands for pool cleaning and opening duties! As far as the house goes, I haven't posted any new pics on Mom's house page lately because I am waiting for it to be finished. The upstairs should be done today and the basement is really within a week. We are so close! The next pictures posted will be the "AFTER" pictures and then later the "AFTER Move IN" pictures! Keep your fingers crossed.
I did not get to use much of my vacation for helping put furniture in Mom's place like I hoped. Although, the plan is for Friday, the gang will assemble and bring in the large furniture items and get them placed. That should help it begin to look like a home. I did have a good time on vacation and planted both the front flower boxes! They look awesome...or as awesome as my flowers ever look before they die. My neighbor's dog promptly dug up the flowers...Mommaw had to chase it away with a broom. It then barked at other neighbors walking down the street and they were mad at us. They thought it was our dog. It is NOT our dog. I do not know if chasing the dog with a broom will help. However, I do think that chasing the NEIGHBOR with a broom might just work.
Jackson's First T-Ball Game!
Jackson had his first T-Ball game of the season and of his life! He did remarkably well, he had an RBI, got on third base once, got at least one run, and did a little fielding. He also did a short stint as catcher. Not bad for a first day. He also wandered around a bit, cleaned some litter off the outfield and dropped it over the fence to the neighboring field, and took a bathroom break (all during the game, of course). Joel and Micah did a great job coaching, better, I must admit, than I expected. The kids were mostly all smiles, some tears, and some looks of utter confusion. It was as it should be. Fun, kind, and enthusiastic! Thank you, God, for our little ones!
Family Night!
This was a fun family night. Jess, Joel, Jackson, Jacey, Michael, Mommaw, and I had a great time hanging out. The Pugh family dropped in and shared in some hardwood floor sliding and Star Wars playing (I saw a nerf dart or two fly by, as well)! This looks like the last weekend before we start moving Mommaw in to her new place. It is really almost finished! I will post some "AFTER" pictures in the next week or so! See pics.
Birthdays!
Last Friday, Jacey, Michael, and I celebrated our 1st, 27th, and 44th birthdays, respectively. It was great fun. Sadly, Lori and crowd were missing, but we wish her mom good health and a speedy recovery! It looked like Christmas with all of the presents, but it doesn't take many each to make a pile when you celebrate 3 at a time! Jacey wasn't sure about her cake...she sobbed at the sight of it and it took a long time for her to warm up to the idea that she was supposed to eat it. She finally did get the hang of it and dig in! Michael and I were very happy with our shoes from Mommaw. She never fails to make sure we have a new pair so we can run fast and jump high!
It was great to celebrate with family and friends! Vickie was here...and we enjoyed the famous dip! John Daniel dropped in for a surprise visit...it was so good to see him! Jackson toured him around Mommaw's place and allowed him to participate in the sock slide and towel slide ritual they do on her new hardwood floors! It will be disappointing when all the furniture is in there and it no longer looks like a skating rink!
Birthdays!
Last Friday, Jacey, Michael, and I celebrated our 1st, 27th, and 44th birthdays, respectively. It was great fun. Sadly, Lori and crowd were missing, but we wish her mom good health and a speedy recovery! It looked like Christmas with all of the presents, but it doesn't take many each to make a pile when you celebrate 3 at a time! Jacey wasn't sure about her cake...she sobbed at the sight of it and it took a long time for her to warm up to the idea that she was supposed to eat it. She finally did get the hang of it and dig in! Michael and I were very happy with our shoes from Mommaw. She never fails to make sure we have a new pair so we can run fast and jump high!
It was great to celebrate with family and friends! Vickie was here...and we enjoyed the famous dip! John Daniel dropped in for a surprise visit...it was so good to see him! Jackson toured him around Mommaw's place and allowed him to participate in the sock slide and towel slide ritual they do on her new hardwood floors! It will be disappointing when all the furniture is in there and it no longer looks like a skating rink!
Down on the Farm....and Knife throwing!
After a great Easter celebration on Friday night, we managed to muster enough energy to get up and take the kids to a farm on Saturday! We thought we would get rained out, but luckily the storm rolled in before daylight and the sun peeked out around 9. We got to the farm pretty early and, as it turned out, we were one of the first to give it a try. We had the farm all to ourselves for an hour or so, until other families ventured out for mud and sun. Jackson and Jacey spent the morning doing farm things. For those, like me, who don't really get a mental image. They fed animals, ran though fields, climbed haystacks, hunted easter eggs, dug in a corn bin, went on a tractor pulled hayride, and otherwise frolicked on the farm!
Later that day, Mike and Stacy discovered a set of throwing knives in Michael's old bedroom. Yes, all sharp things were locked away for years...but we have moved past it, and Michael has perfected his wall repair techniques. Anyway, once discovered they needed to give them a try. They found the old basement door that has been replaced by the contractor and carried it out into the yard for a target. It was a cross between a vaudeville act and a scary movie. I did make Stacy promise not to stand in front of the target with a blindfold no matter how much Mike might plead. She laughed, but indeed the subject did come up. (Maybe it is time to lock up the sharp things again.) The were both pretty good at it, but I wouldn't be giving up my day jobs if I were them. (Of course, there are pics.)
Family Easter!
We were blessed with time. Time with each other. Of course, that always means chaos and eating and playing! We did manage to color some eggs. And, to quote Stacy..."This family is odd. They hunt Easter eggs in the dark wearing Halloween costumes." Next year we will get her a costume. We tried dying and painting eggs this year...and Michael's Mexican eggs filled with confetti for breaking over the heads of unsuspecting family members were a big hit! Check out the pics!
Easter Photos...yes there is a bunch!
We spent Friday evening taking some Easter snapshots of the kids. There are bunches of Jacey...apparently not walking makes you more cooperative when doing photo shoots! Jackson and Mady were a little less enthusiastic and there are not as many of them. However, they are pretty sweet if I do say so myself! Check out the pics....come on, can you possibly see too many pictures of a baby with an apple?
Relaxing Weekend...
This was a greatly needed relaxing weekend! The only thing that might have made it better would have been UT making it to the Final Four. Oh, well. Thursday night Billie and Nancy came by for dinner and it was fun to catch up and share pictures! (I forgot to take a picture so I had to add an old one from Billie's retirement dinner to commemorate the occasion!) Then Friday night was fun but small. Michael and Stacy were off to Florida for Spring Break (and, as always I am glad to have them safely back in town and I look forward to seeing ALL the pictures and hearing about their adventures), and Joel had to "work" (that is code for staying home to watch basketball without distraction since it was really going to be a girls night {and Jackson} at our house! Mommaw, Ms. Vickie, Billie, Jess, Jackson, and Jacey, and I spent the whole evening playing, reading, and just hanging out. (Yes, we were watching basketball, too!) Ms. Vickie made her famous casserole and we had a real sit-at-the-table meal, since it is easier to do with so few folks. Billie brought a huge cookie and Jackson decorated it with gusto! He was very proud of his cookie art and couldn't wait to take some home to his daddy. I heard later that Joel was very pleased to get to eat the awesome cookie that night at 9:45 since Jackson couldn't wait for him to try it, but he would have preferred casserole first! There was lots of reading and kiddie games and good old fashioned front porch chatting. Ok, it was too cold to sit on the front porch....but Spring is here...it won't be long! Check out the pictures and the videos. I posted two of Jacey. In one, she is knee-walking. Since she doesn't walk just yet, she crawls like crazy and occasionally knee-walks! It is hilarious to watch, since clearly she gets the walking concept, her time will come and soon! Also, there is a quick video I was trying to catch her actually crawling (and I did), but she became quite distracted by the UT game and had to stop for a while and cheer! Jackson entertained us with a rousing rendition of a Justin Beiber song, but the video was too long to post...I will have to figure that out. Thanks all for being my people.
Happy Shower to Shannon!
The work family shared some excitement over the impending arrival of Shannon's new baby boy! We can't wait!
Unexpected Adventure!
Mommaw and I had an afternoon of errands and adventure. We ran some mundane errands and awaited a call from an old friend to meet at the coffee shop. Not for coffee, but to pick up some signed books for Jacey's birthday presents. A dear friend and educator that has worked with Mommaw, Miss Vickie, and me, in the past, has grown up to be a renowned author of 12 or more children's books. Mike Shoulders turned his passion for writing children's books into a career that takes him all over the country! When we missed our connection at Starbucks, he offered to have us drop by his house and pick up the signed books. The next hour was a beautiful and powerful immersion into the world of an artist and a unique opportunity to catch a rare glimpse of the passion and power of the process behind the finished pages. He not only shared special insights and information about the text and illustrations of the books we purchased, but when we shared our excitement about an upcoming book that he has coming out (that we think will be a great present for Alexandria's first birthday), he used his computer to pull up the pages of that book. He shared illustrations and read parts of the book to us. How rare to get a glimpse of a yet unprinted book and hear the words in the author's own voice! I wish I had had my iphone and I could have captured the moment with a picture, including his big, beautiful dog that wanted to love all over us! Instead, I have grabbed a picture from Mike's webpage and posted a link to get you there. I know many of you have some of his books....and some of them were gifts from us! Familiar or not, I encourage you to check out his site! What a good day.
http://www.michaelshoulders.com/
Another Friday at Family's
If last Friday's pictures showed how much we love reading, the theme this week is babies, babies, babies!!! The life cycle is supposed to turn in a fashion that always has a new baby coming along to be rocked, read to, and cuddled. Check out how much fun the family and friends had just hanging out and playing, playing, playing! Michael did debut his newly invented version of chess. There was some serious play as Joel and Adam played out his ideas for the first time and Michael documented it all on the computer for analysis and review! Mommaw and Jess made Poppaw's famous fried chicken and rice. It took them all day, but it was indeed worth it as we all managed to eat our fill. It is nice how the smell and taste of food can remind you so much of the people you love. Poppaw would love to see his growing family crowded around eating one of his favorite meals, especially watching Jackson perfect his chopstick skills.
Tonight the crowd included Mommaw, Me, Jess, Joel, Jackson, Jacey, Miss Vickie, Michael, Stacy, Lori, Taylor, Keegan, Mady, Adam, Jennifer, and Alexandria! If you missed it, you missed out!
Unexpected Visit!
Today we had a rather impromptu dinner with Uncle Bobby. He was in Bowling Green for a ball game and met us for a quick dinner in Russellville. It was great fun, and he got to hang out with Jacey and Jackson...as a matter of fact, it was the first time he had ever seen Jacey! He handed out presents as we were leaving (a spiderman motorcycle and a baby doll)...Jackson remarked that everytime he sees Uncle Bobby it is just like Christmas! I hope the team he is covering wins, if so, they may play again this weekend in Nashville and we can catch up with him again!
Friday Night at Family's!
After not getting together last Friday because of schedule conflicts, it was especially nice to have everyone gathered around this week. There were lots of old faces and a very special new face added to the bunch. Mommaw, me, Jess, Joel, Jackson, Jacey, Ms. Vickie, Michael, Stacy, Dan, Adam, Jennifer, and Alexandria spent the evening hanging out and catching up. This was little Alexandria's debut visit and she fit right in...as a matter of fact, she appeared to think the shenanigans were pretty funny!
Jackson shocked everyone by sharing a new skill he had learned from a t.v. show....he can hang a spoon from his nose. This turned out to be pretty interesting as the whole crowd had to attempt it as well. It is a good thing we had some plastic silverware available for dessert...between eating Mommaw's homemade vegetable soup and the spoons used for nose hanging, there wasn't a clean spoon in the silverware drawer.
Check out the pictures! You will notice that many of them appear to be taken with a style that is different than usual...that is thanks to Dan, who hijacked the camera and captured the evening with his unique 'eye'....
A special thanks to Jess and Ms. Vickie who made more grilled cheese sandwiches than I have ever seen in one place!
Also, it made me smile to look through the pictures and see how many showed people reading. Boy, you can tell we are a high energy crowd when our idea of great fun is a mass read-a-thon! With all the reading going on, there was even some that did not get captured on camera. I think Jackson had Uncle Mike read to him before the night was over ( even though Dan and Adam had already read 15 or 20 books to him) and I believe I noticed Adam engrossed in an unabridged copy of the Scrabble Dictionary and the girls (Jess, Jen, and Stacy) were perusing the internet searching for wedding info! This made us look back at pictures from other family nights and see all the reading going on. We added some of the other photos that captured people reading! This makes me think...Family and Friends, when we get together so often, we are sending the message to the little ones that family is important. When we read to them so often, we are sending the message that reading is important. Thank you to all the messengers...those messages matter.
Rite-of-Passage
When Mike and Jess were about 4, I taught them to eat with chopsticks. Not just barely, but comfortably. I wanted to make sure that they would feel confident in any situation, and living on a military post offered many cultural experiences. I thought it would be a difficult process, but they took to it easily and even today are as at home with a set of wooden chopsticks as they are with a fork. Now, stainless steel chopsticks are another story. We can do it, but it is a bit more tricky...well, more slippery! Chinese or Japanese food is a regular around here, and one of our favorite family dishes is a fried chicken and rice mixture that Poppaw brought back with him from a tour to Asia. Mommaw still makes it for us, now and again, but it is rather expensive to make for a large gathering and takes hours of focused cooking time. (Heads up family...I saw Mommaw buy all the ingredients at the commissary this weekend, so I think a batch of chicken and rice is in our future!) Anyway, Jackson decided that the last Friday Family Night was the time he was going to focus on mastering the chopsticks. He struggled for only a bit, then Joel fashioned him an impromptu pair of chopstick "trainers" with a big piece of champagne duct tape. He then took to it like a fish to water. Uncle Mike had already researched how to make homemade "trainer" chopsticks on the internet, and made him a new set for next time. He was a natural, just like Uncle Mike. Good Job, Jackson!
Last Snow?
Could it be that the snow is behind us for this year? The weatherman says maybe not...and a possible 4 inches loom. Either way, this has been a great year for sledding. We have posted hundreds of sledding pictures so far. Here are a few more! We are becoming experts, I think!
Jacey Cruises!
Jacey is on the move. She goes where she wants when she wants...and you better keep you wits about you, or she will leave you in her dust! We strategically place stools, furniture, and gates in an attempt to keep her safe and somewhat trapped. I don't think it will be very long until she starts walking!
More Snow!
We got our second big snow of the season...this time I went out EARLY and got some pics before anyone had time to mess it up. The tracks are just mine and the deer.
Make-up Birthdays for Jess and Jackson!
Since the family get-together for Jess and Jackson's birthdays were snowed out last week, we managed an abbreviated version this week. Cake, presents, candles, lots of food, and some good ole hanging out proved a good way to celebrate!
Snow Day!
Mommaw and I have had an eventful snow day, especially since we haven't left home. Calvin (the contractor) came early to pick up his dozer and plowed the driveway! That was very kind. Then, the city plow went through and plowed one side of my road...we noticed that it didn't come back, which is strange since my road is a dead end. Two hours and several trucks later, they pulled him out of the ditch and got him back on his way.
Jackson and Joel came by to sled. Jackson's sled was a no go on the powdery snow, but Bobo saved the day by blowing up a pool float that proved to work like a rocket! Jackson had a blast! We decided this was the perfect snow for fun and play. We have six inches of soft, powdery snow, but no dangerous ice or heavy wet snow that breaks limbs or causes wrecks and power outages! That also means Joel doesn't get called in to work so he can play! They had a great time. Tomorrow this snow should be perfect for snowman building!
Mike and Stacy came by to take some pictures in the snow...they are cute. Maybe one will be cute enough for an ENGAGEMENT picture! Michael had to work, so no sledding for him. Maybe tomorrow. He gets off at 6:00, it will be dark, but everyone knows this family is famous for night sledding!
Jacey and Jess didn't get to play. Jacey is still sick. We really have to get that girl figured out. I hate it when she is puny!
Mommaw made a million homemade Holsomebacks today (only the old family members will know about them) , which proved to be a great after-snow lunch. Maybe we have taken an old favorite and started a new tradition!
That is about it, so far. Now everyone is gone and Mommaw and I are curled up in front of the fireplace, drinking hot chocolate, and watching the Kentucky vs. Vandy basketball game on ESPN. Uncles Bob and Jim are there taking pictures. We THINK we see them sitting on the floor behind the Vandy goal. Go Kentucky! Uh....Go Vandy! I think, in the spirit of world peace it is appropriate to vote for BOTH sides!
I love snow days.
See pics and videos.
Happy 4th Birthday, Jackson!
Jackson has become an expert in stretching out a birthday celebration! We haven't yet had his birthday party with the "family"...it was scheduled for tonight but was snowed out! However, he has already had a party with Joel's family, with the daycare friends, and with his kid buddies. The latter was held at the gymnastics studio with the beloved Coach Megan in charge! He had a great time flipping, bouncing, and jumping with his favorite crowd! Check out the pics!
Happy Birthday to Lori and Taylor!
Lori and Taylor celebrated birthdays on Family Night! Taylor "rang" in her Sweet 16th with a new cell phone and we all gorged on cake and icecream! Check out the pics!
Facebook Fridays!
Michael has started a new trend of placing an open facebook invitation for Friday night get togethers! I think it rings in the New Year with a spirit of fun, friends, and family that I really enjoy! Come on by...you never know what we will be up to! This Friday was especially nice! Billie Jean dropped in to hang out with the gang, catch up on news, and finally meet Jacey (which, by the way, was LONG overdue!). Everyone was thrilled to have her in the group! We didn't do much...mostly sat around talking and watching the boys play Yathzee Jr. and wii with Jackson and watching Jacey be cute (which she does pretty well!) There was a little bit of Jedi training for Jacey...check out the video! Those of you who follow the antics of the family know that periodic Jedi training seems to be an intregral part of hanging out, as the past photos of Jackson and Uncle Mike, and Jackson and Joel in training would prove!
Christmas Chaos!
We have enjoyed the holiday and spent the days enjoying each other...especially the little ones. Check out the pics...there aren't as many as usual (which is probably good since I usually do overkill) but they do give a bit of a picture of the family Christmas.
Posed Christmas Pics...my favorites!
Jess had me take Christmas Jammie pics of the kids at my house, in front of my tree. Then, she had me take her family Christmas pics at her house, in front of her tree. It was hectic and chaotic...but what cuties! Here are just a few dozen of my favorites!
Flynn Family Reunion 2009!!!!
The reunion was a blast once again! Most everyone was there and we enjoyed food, fun, and family! Mom wasn't feeling well (this was pre-heart shock) so she had to stay behind, as did Jess and her clan and Lori due to illness (hopefully everyone is now feeling better and back up to par). However, Michael, Stacy, Taylor, and I represented this branch of the family as best we could and we did our best to have enough fun for everyone. Mom was able to Skype in and watch some of the merriment, especially the visit by Santa and Mrs. Claus! I did notice that the family seems to be aging, myself included, and that several were battling health issues. I am sure glad Aunt Wanda gives us all this opportunity to come together and remember how important family is! Check out the pics!
Thanksgiving Visit!
As noted on the main page, we had a fabulous Thanksgiving with lots of folks tucked around the table! Aunt Wanda, Uncle Howard, and Cujo joined the festivities! (See pics) Aunt Wanda presented Mommaw with a wonderful gift! She and Aunt Marg created a quilt for her that was the farm girl pattern. That was beautiful all by itself. But, what made it even more special was that they cut out the monogrammed names from a bunch of my Dad's old fishing tournament shirts and added them to the quilt in the shape of a cross! It was truly a work of love!
Mom had mentioned that it was very hard to decide what to do with the numerous monogrammed shirts that he had. Most of his stuff was given away or taken to Goodwill...but it just didn't seem right to give away shirts or jackets with this name on them. It would be very weird to run in to someone out in town wearing one! She had said it also did not seem right to burn them, which is what she had to do with some of this military garb with his social security number in them. The aunts Wanda and Marg figured it out for her. Beautiful...(see pics)
What a great time!
Catching UP! Again.
There has been so much going on lately that I have not had time to make calls, send email, or write on the family blog! As things slow down, I am determined to remedy that! Mommaw has been sick off and on for a long time. This past week has seen two major trips to the cardiologist as they try to get her heart in a happy place. Also, little Jacey was sick...first pneumonia, then ecoli/kidney infection, then virus....so about ten days of high fever, several trips to the doctor, and eventually to Vanderbilt in Nashville for super tests.
If that wasn't enough stress, I (and two of my colleagues/buddies) presented at our first major conference...this was the TETC in Nashville. It was great fun, and although we did not expect to have any participants (due to our session being on a Friday morning at 8:00 am in a lost hallway), we ended up with roughly 35 people! (See pic!)
I am hopeful that everyone's health is on the mend and that things will begin to slow down as the holidays approach! I can't wait for my two week vacation.
Now we're cooking!
Today, I got a new stove. Well, actually, my family got me a new stove. Just because they love me...(and the unfortunate small fire incident that Mommaw experienced yesterday...) Mom and Jess went shopping and picked one they knew I would like. Then, Joel picked it up, delivered it, and installed it. This included getting if from his truck into the house without a dolly or any help much. And Michael, who was working during the delivery and set up stage has volunteered to haul the old one to the dump, which is nice since it is currently sitting in the front yard. Jackson pointed out that he helped pick it. He liked this one best because he liked the way the door opened. Hmmmmm. Me, too. It has a timer and a digital screen and lots of buttons I have never seen and probably will not use, it is sweet! The best part is that it is white and not the almond color from the 70's that my old one was! I would write more about it, but I feel the need to go cook something.
So True!
This was posting on the wall in a 5th grade classroom that I visited the other day. At first, I thought that it was a little harsh for elementary school. However, after giving it some thought...I wish we told it too them even earlier. Life can be harsh, but we are in charge of what we do with our lives.
The Bottom Line
Face it.
Nobody owes you a living.
What you achieve or fail to achieve in your lifetime
Is directly related to what you do
Or fail to do.
No one chooses his parents or childhood
But you CAN choose your own direction.
Everyone has problems and obstacles to overcome
But that, too, is relative to each individual.
Nothing is carved in stone.
You can change anything in your life
If you want to badly enough.
Excuses are for losers.
Those who take responsibility for their actions
Are the real winners in life.
Winners meet life’s challenges head on
Knowing there are no guarantees
And give it all they’ve got.
It’s never too late or too early to begin.
Time plays no favorites
And will pass whether you act or not.
Take control of your life.
Dare to dream and take risks.
If you aren’t willing to work for your goals,
Don’t expect others to.
Believe in Yourself!
Anticipating Ridley!
The "Work Family" got together today to celebrate the impending arrival of little Ridley. Helen's grandma shower was a hit and it was great to spend some time with everyone! Check out the pics!
I think the quote applies to our family...
“If you wish information and improvement from the knowledge of others, and yet at the same time express yourself as firmly fix’d in your present opinions, modest, sensible men, who do not love disputation, will probably leave you undisturbed in the possession of your error”
--Benjamin Franklin
Halloween!!!
Halloween was a blast this year! Normally, Halloween is a little bit boring...but not this time. We had an impromptu dinner with Vickie's pumpkin bars and Mommaw's spaghetti. Jackson transformed into a snazzy laser wielding Jedi, Joel in to Darth, and Jacey into a sweet strawberry. Too precious. After they went off to seek their fortunes, Mike and Stacy hung out for hot chocolate and cookies...and Curt dropped in for a random visit. All in all, it was a great day.
Check out the pics...as usual, there are too many. :)
Pumpkin Patch!!!
Last weekend, there was just enough break between rains for a quick jaunt to the local pumpkin patch. The whole family made the caravan style journey to Honeysuckle Hill Farms and spent the whole afternoon. It was a little brisk and breezy but perfectly sunny! We had to wait in line, apparently we weren't the only family to get the idea to make the trip, but it was worth it. There were cow train rides, phenomenal bouncy pillows, super slides, swings, pig races, bike rides, tractor rides, corn field mazes, uhhhhh...oh yeah, and pumpkins. Everyone had a great time, even Mady who cried through most of it! The crew was Joel, Jackson, Jacey, Jess, Stacy, Mommaw, Lori, Paul, Taylor, Crystal, Mady, Ms. Vickie, and me.... check out the pics, they are awesomely cute!!!! ***Warning**** There are 201 of them. ;)
I've been through Dover with a dog with no name....(la la la la)
Ok...that was a bad rip off of an old song. Today, I shared an adventure with Miss Vickie...we made the three hour trek to West Tennessee to pick up the newest addition to Vickie's family...a 12 week old white shepherd girl pup. It was soooooo interesting to watch the adoption process and the sweet way that Vickie and little No-Name picked each other. (She won't always be No-Name...she will get a name later, after they get to know each other better.) Anyway, it was a chilly, drizzly, sometimes-sunny, beautiful fall drive through the south, complete with hay bale Halloween spiders and mile upon lovely mile of cotton fields. The pup made the journey quietly and seems to have a pleasing personality (well, there were the THREE episodes of power puking...apparently car rides don't sit well with her) and seemed leery but happy to arrive at her new home! Check out the pics...it was a sweet day and I am sooooo glad to be feeling well enough to to reenter the world!
Happy Birthday, Billie!
Billie had a birthday.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY! It served as a great excuse for her to invite Nancy and me over for a homemade dinner and some quality friend time! I may not always show how much I appreciate them...but I am always smart enough to recognize how lucky I am to have them in my world! See ya'll next time! And, it doesn't have to be an event as big as a birthday to get us together!
Interesting...if you like Chuck Lorre...
IF you have Tivo...at the end of each Chuck Lorre's shows...there are vanity cards that give his opinion about "whatever"...but you have to be able to go screen by screen at a time. Try the Big Bang Theory. Funny. Funnier if I had Tivo.
On the Mend...
I am well on the mend from my surgery and starting to really see an impact on my quality of life! I didn't realize how long I had been struggling with the gall bladder issue, nor did I realize how feeling badly had negatively impacted all aspects of my life. Now that I am feeling better...I am beginning to make up for lost time! I have not taken NEARLY as many pictures of Jacey as I did of Jackson at that age, so she is a photo priority! In the attached album, you will see a beach photo shoot....yes it was staged by me and Mommaw because she never made it in the pool and I didn't take any of her outside while it was warm! You will find that she is a cutie patootie bathing beauty!!! There are also some pics of Jacey and Jackson enjoying the rebirth of the jumpy castle....Jackson realized recently that he "used to have a jumpy castle at Mommaw's old house"...so we dug it out of storage and found that it fits nicely in the basement living room without moving much furniture!!! Take special note of the two or three pics that show Mommaw and Jackson using the "Force" on each other....Keep your eyes posted for more pics...I am on a roll!!
Family Nights...
The Friday night game nights have become quite the events. It is just a good time for everyone to eat, play, and talk. Sometimes we play games, sometimes we don't. But, it is always a good time. I have posted a few pictures that show the essence of Friday nights....if you are in them, we are glad to have you. If you are not in them, then come on out, we would love to have you! Some pics to note....ummmmmm Yes, Lori does have a cat on a plate. All I can say is, "no comment." You will see one of Jackson striking Michael across the face with a glove...this is appropriate. It is the politically correct way to challenge someone to a duel. Although, I must say that I am not sure it is supposed to be a gardening glove. You will see Jacey jumping...she does that a lot. And, you will see general good will amongst friends and family.
Big Wedding!
There is a big wedding coming up for our family. Suzanne is tying the knot...in Huntsville. Now, I don't mean "big" as in, necessarily, the size of the actual wedding...but "big" as in monumental importance. You see, Suzanne is the last of my generation to get married. Well, I don't know if we are actually considered from the same generation...but we definitely sit squarely on the SAME branch of the family tree. We are FIRST cousins....and, although there are quite a few who can boast to be such, Suzanne is the last of the "firsts" to go off in the world and seek her fortune. We don't yet know if she will build her house of straw, sticks, or bricks, but we can all see the importance of this event. I think it means the life-wheel is spinning and somehow we are all a little further along in the loop. Life is progressing, as it should, and the offspring of the offspring of Maw and Paw are making their mark on the world. Congratulations, Suzanne!
Jacey joins the e-Family!
Mommaw and I helped pick nursery furniture and bedding over the internet. We have oohed and ahhed at Jacey on Skype many times...and digital pictures on the cell phone and computer are abundant. We have always included her in the eFamily...but she really was never particularly impressed. Tonight, after virtual good night smooches with Jackson and a chance to look at the first family picture he has ever drawn, he went off to bed. Unexplainably, Jacey decided the whole scene was pretty hilarious. For the first time ever, she demanded some virtual goodnight smooches of her own! (although I must say she did not look very sleepy to me.)
Labor Day
I had fun with the family, today...Jess and Joel cooked a great dinner at our place and we hung out. That means 25 Star Wars laser battle videos on Youtube with Jackson, well, actually it was really only three or four of his FAVORITE videos OVER AND OVER! Mike and Stacy hung out, too...Stacy brought brownies. When Jess and family went home, Mommaw, Stacy, Mike and I had a rousing game of SCRABBLE, which I won.
Oh, then Jess skyped back in...she doesn't want to miss out on the conversations. It is hilarious...she is on my laptop and when the conversation gets interesting she keeps shouting..."Turn me around, turn me around..." We are the e-family.
Titan's vs. Packers
Talk about missing out...due to work obligations, I was not able to attend the Titan's vs. Packers preseason game with Jackson, et al. Thanks to digital photography...I was able to enjoy it vicariously. This was Jackson's first pro football game...and he enjoyed it tremendously. Two of his very favorite teams were going head to head! Uncle Bobby sent him a cheesehead to wear to the game...which he did, along with a Packers undershirt and a Titan's jersey (he was struggling to decide which Jersey to wear on top!) I talked to him on the phone on his way home and he gave me a very detailed description of the night....he was one happy little athlete.
Jacey Eats!
Jacey is learning to love veggies...and to make messes. She does it in style!
The Dentist
Remember when going to the dentist was a pretty scary thing...usually accompanied by wailing and hollering of the extraordinary kind. Jackson recently went to the dentist and his experience was truly 21st century. He was given royal treatment and a new cool pair of sunglasses to protect his eyes. While his cleaning was going on, he enjoyed videos of Dora the Explorer that played on the ceiling! We have come a long way baby!
A Pear.
For Seventeen years we have watched our little pear tree struggle. In the beginning, we would see 20 or 30 little pears but they would always drop off, get eaten by bugs, or get eaten by deer. Never was there a pear that lived to maturity. I guess it was hard for the little tree to "bare" and it looked more and more puny each year. Finally, I talked about having the little blighted tree dug up...and then, there it was. One pear. Hmmmmmmmm...
Good Friends, Good Food!
Tonight, Mommaw and I had the grand opportunity to eat dinner at the Catfish House with Vickie, her dad, John, Joan, and Ann Harris. It was a fun time with lots of laughs!
Jacey Jump-Up
Jacey has earned her right of passage...she jumps up! Not the new fangled way they do it now...but the good ole fashioned dangle from the doorframe kind of jumping up!
Perfect Pool!
Kudo's to Watson's! As you know, our pool sprung a leak...leaving it bone dry when Mommaw and I looked out last Saturday morning. It appeared that the seam at the bottom had separated leaving a six inch gap. You always hear people say that things leave them speechless...well...Mommaw and I were truly speechless. Although, Mommaw was the first to regain her composure and masterfully state the obvious. She simply said, "The pool is empty." Upon checking my purchase documents, I found that I bought the pool exactly three years ago, and it had a two year warranty. The warranty card said I could update to a ten year warranty for FREE by just mailing in the attached postcard. Sigh. It was still attached..apparently I neglected to do that. I was pretty worried. Then, when I called Watson's, fully prepared to yell and scream, then cry and plead, they informed me it was STILL COVERED! We just had to cut out the defect and bring it in to the store...only 55 miles away. No problem. Joel came by and cut out the piece on Saturday. On Sunday, Mike and Stacy drove the piece to Nashville. Tuesday, the new liner was in, and the pool looked better than ever!!! It is now filling...slowly...but should be ready for chemicals tomorrow and swimming on the weekend! Yeah!
Jedi Training!
Jedi Jackson and Jedi Uncle Mike spent a long hour in training this evening. They started with light saber training in high grass, then ended up doing some obstacle training that involved trees. As I understand it, Jedi Jackson broke Jedi Uncle Mike's custom saber and thus earned the title "winner"...the saber was signed, dated, and retired to hang on the library wall.
Jacey's Bath
After playing outside today, Jacey took her first bath at Bobo's house. She is cute when she is dirty, but even cuter squeaky clean!
Jacey....
Jacey had an eventful time at the birthday party. She attempted to enjoy a few bites of "cereal"...hmmmmmm...apparently it was not as good as we expected. Note that she grimaces at every bite and eventually gags. To prevent her hurling...Jess gave up for the day and gave her a bottle. Yummmmm, formula....it is almost as good as spoon-full-of-cookie....NOT! Also notice her sweet little jammies...does anyone else see her resemblance to Cindy Lu Who? All the babies in Whoville will be jealous.
The Championship Belt, Round 1!
So, the big weight loss challenge is underway! Michael and Joel both donned their "weigh-in" clothes and hit the scales. Joel came away with the belt for now and proudly placed his name in it's rightful and well earned spot. Michael pointed out that he had been vacationing in New York so he was at a bit of an eating disadvantage. Joel, ever so gracious a winner, took his picture with the belt and with his defeated foe. Facebook and Twitter rumor that Michael now has a personal trainer...GAME ON!
Spoon-full-of-Cookie Makes a Comeback!
Much to our delight...the Sun Butter worked great and Spoon-full-of-Cookie tasted just as we remembered it (with the ever-so-slight aftertaste of sunflower seeds)...it was FABULOUS, comforting, and downright long overdue. Everyone appreciated it's return...although the significance of the occasion was lost on Jackson who declined to try it! Geezzzzzz....it is, afterall, on his behalf that it had been absent. Jackson preferred a thin mint. Go figure. At least the rest of us could enjoy it without the fear of giving him a smooch that might be deadly! It sure was good...yummmmmmm.
Happy Birthday Mommaw!
The whole crew made it for Mommaw's Birthday...except Keegan, and she was missed. Mommaw had homemade carrot cake made with love by Lori and spent the time surrounded by chaos. Jackson helped blow out the cake...and Mady helped open presents. She loved her computer accessories...but she mostly got the IOU's she asked for...she wants us all to pitch in and get window treatments for the new house, hopefully, it will be ready before her next birthday! We had some new additions to the crowd...Vickie's family, Erica and Wyatt, were in from Illinois and came to help us celebrate!
Adam and Jennifer plus 1!
As everyone knows, Adam and Jennifer are expecting their first child...it is so strange for me to watch as the "gang" grows up and becomes real people. Whoever would have thunk it... ;) I took this family picture to document the occasion. Jennifer says she thought she would be this "big" at 9 months, not 6. Sigh....that's what we all thought when we went through it...she will be surprised how often babies will exceed her expectations!
Skyping...
Tonight, Jackson Skyped Mommaw and me to tell us about his day. Apparently, he had a dentist appointment where he "did a really good job" and had some fun. While they cleaned his teeth, he watch Dora on a TV on the ceiling...and they gave him a toothbrush and toothpaste! He then hung out with Uncle Mike and Mommy at Chuck E. Cheese's where they played games and earned enough tickets to get some great bounty! It was a great conversation...what made it most interesting was all the things he "showed" us while he was talking. He showed lots of toys and then he began donning various costumes as we spoke. I must say, it keeps the conversation lively! We talked until bedtime so he blew us Skype kisses and hugged the computer before heading off to bed. I love technology. (I think Jess will have dentist pics on her page...but check out the Skype pics here!)
"I Spy..."
Jackson and I had an evening together the other night. While Mommaw entertained Jacey, and mostly watched her sleep, Jackson and I hung out and played together. When dusk arrived, he wanted to sit on the front porch and wait for the "dark to fall"...which we did. While waiting on the dark porch as night enveloped the yard and trees, we played our first ever game of "I Spy." I am not sure if Jackson had ever heard of the game before, but I told him the rules once, and he caught on right away. He was really good at figuring out what things that I spied. However, he was not as good at giving clues to things that he spied. Example 1, he stood on a stool and looked out across the yard and into the darkness...."I spy," he said, "something big and grey and makes a "ernnnnnnnnnerrrrrrrr" sound." Hmmmmmmmmm, apparently he spied an elephant. Example 2... "I spy," he said, " something round and round, and rectangle, and square." When all of my guesses were incorrect, I finally conceded and asked him what he spied. He said, "Aw, I don't know." I am not complaining...it was great fun. I can't wait until our next chance to spy together.
Hope Reigns Eternal...
With Jackson's life-threatening peanut allergy, we all learned the basic law of physics...every action has an equal and opposite reaction. With the birth of the allergy...came the death of a favorite family tradition....Spoonful of Cookie! History- Mommaw used to make no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies for Kevin and me...when we were small. They were "okay"...but when we moved to the mountains of Colorado...someone forgot to tell her about the necessity of changing recipes to account for the high altitude! So the no-bake cookies that she made would not get firm. They stayed runny....yummmmmmm. Kevin coined the phrase "Spoonful of Cookie" because you had to eat them with a spoon! Over the years, this came to be a favorite desert...and a comfort food. Often requested in stressful times, happy times, or just plain hungry for sweets times. Much of the credit goes to Mommaw who had to figure out how to "keep" them runny when we moved back a bit closer to sea level!
Anyway, since one of the main ingredients is Peanut Butter, the ritual died a sudden and gruesome death when Jackson's allergy reared it's ugly head. Peanut butter is the devil...and the devil has been purged from our lives. (Although, we have agreed that if a person is out of state...they can eat peanut butter while naked, then shower and brush teeth {throw away the toothbrush}...and bring home no deadly residue! )
Now, Jess has discovered on a strong review on a Peanut Free website that suggests that although Soy Butter is disgusting...Sun Butter (made from Sunflower seeds) is pretty good. The example they gave was, yes, yes, yes,....No-bake chocolate cookies!!!! It is said the substitute makes a pretty good alternative. We are doubtful but HOPEFUL! Jess has ordered two jars...and when they come in, we will use the next game night to give it a try.
Those who love us...keep your fingers crossed and come on over for the experiment....Can it be that "Spoonful of Cookie is BACK?"
The Challenge is ON!
You know the competitive nature of the boys in this family (and some of the girls)! Michael has spent the last year loosing a lot of weight...he is looking pretty good, I have to say! Joel decided that he would do the same...and for motivation he challenged Michael to a weight loss duel! Apparently, to a life-long duel. Not to be accused of doing anything half way...Joel sealed the deal by purchasing a championship belt. They have picked a weigh-in deadline, and the one who weighs less gets the belt, with name plate! The way I understand it, at any time, the "loser" can challenge the winner to a re-weigh...and the belt can change hands...and names. Hmmmmmm....we will see. I must say, it is working to motivate them both so far...But, does anyone else get a creepy vision of two dueling 80 year olds...drinking slimfast and fighting over the added weight of the cane needed to keep them standing upright on the scale???
Star Wars Birthday!
Connor the clone trooper turned five! He invited all of his friends from the Empire to help him celebrate! Jackson the Jedi had a great time...the pool noodles made great light-sabers and were the "hit" of the party, no pun intended! Joel's costume was the best at the party...my meek attempt at Amadala was rather pitiful, but sincere! The home-made Death Star pinata and R2D2 cake were great. Ms. Charla even made it special for Jackson, NO PEANUTS! Some pics from my iPhone are attached...more to follow from Jess's camera!!!!
Brandandy goes under the knife!
Brandandy had her tonsils out last week. It is my understanding that she made it though with flying colors and has enjoyed a week of R&R at her Mom's, being waited on hand and foot, no doubt. Rumor had it hat she was pampered and petted by her boyfriend, whom I have yet to meet, so he is still imaginary until otherwise proven. I am glad she is on the mend and maybe this will keep her from getting sick this school year! From all, Mend Well! (PS See photo for illustration...professional actor used to protect the innocent.)
Dedication.
Jackson and Jacey were dedicated today at their church. Family, friends, and church family pledged support for them as they grow up. I can only speak for myself...but I am truly honored to be a part of the ceremony, and more so, the upbringing of those two! It was great to see everyone collected for such an occasion. Uncle Michael took lots of pictures...sigh...I probably should have told him that it might be considered uncouth in some circles to get up on the stage (behind the preacher) to take pictures, especially during PRAYER. Maybe he was praying while he was clicking. But with the usual flashes galore, we promised, we pledged, and we all prayed for their hopes and dreams. What a family.
Google and Advertising....
I recently received a gift from Google. Yes, the GOOGLE. It was not really a personal gift, it was a conference trinket given out on a national technology conference vendor floor! However, I just had to say that it made me stop and think. GOOGLE is famous for innovation, forward thinking, creativity, AND being on the cutting edge of technology! And, instead of giving out some cool, creative, NEW technology related gadget, they branded their name on a tried-and-true gadget of the PAST. I find that interesting. Although, I have to admit that although it is old technology, it is still COOOOOOOL!!!!!!!!!! See, that is how GOOGLE harnesses the creative genius of the young and the old...some 24 year old geek, making six figures a year probably threw the idea out during a meeting while they ate brownies and shot some hoops. Any other company execs would have poo-pood the idea. GOOGLE embraced it. The result....it is the only conference trinket that sparked ANY additional thought, conversation, or interest. Sigh. Give the geek a raise and add another zero to his paycheck.
Catching Up...Pool Pics!
This has been a busy June and with all the things going on, I haven't posted pictures as often as I would like. I had a slow day today, hanging out with Mommaw, and catching up on housework and the like. I also got caught up on uploading photos...I had a bunch from the pool...not too sure if they are all on the same day or a few different days. Anyway...enjoy. Click on the album...you will see comments on some of them that way. I had to add comments because sometimes it is just hard to figure out what this crazy family is doing! Take special note of a few of them...I won't say which. Joel asked me to do a couple of special photoshop projects for him...;)
Budding Photographer!
About 35 years ago, my Dad got a new camera. That is not so remarkable...my Dad loved "gadgets" of all kinds. What was remarkable...he gave the "old" one to me. It was a Petri 35mm with multiple lenses, a flash, filters, and other cool accessories. (As a matter of fact, I had that camera, in working order, until about a year ago...when it just plain wore out.) After giving it to me, everytime we were off taking pictures (which happened a lot since we were in Europe), he took his and I took mine. He spent lots of time helping me frame shots, giving me photography advice, and teaching me all about f-stops, and meter readings! He couldn't have known that he was creating a photo monster!!!
(*Actually, my Uncle Jim helped, too. For a long time, no matter how hard I tried, MANY of my photos came out blurry and we just couldn't figure it out. Until, Uncle Jim noticed that when I took some of my pictures, I would take my glasses off to see better through the view finder. Everything looked good to me, because I would focus with the camera. But what looked focused to me without my glasses, was CRAZY BLURRY for everyone else when printed! So, note-to-self, wear glasses when taking pictures.)
Both Mike and Jess have inherited my love of photography (supported quite a bit by their benevolent Uncle Bobby)...and now...
Jackson has finally been bitten by the photo bug! He asked to use my camera to take some pictures at the house the other night. He was very excited to use my prize possession and He is a NATURAL! I hope a budding photographer has emerged...and I hope that I can continue the legacy and make a PHOTOMONSTER out of him! I have uploaded about 20 of his pictures...unedited, just as he took them. This guy has TALENT!
E-Family...of course.
We recently talked about how we, as an example e-family, use technology to communicate, share, create, learn, teach, and explore. The ways that technology connects the many members of our family is pretty impressive. For example, last night, we Skyped Aunt Wanda and Uncle Howard to let Jackson show off a "bruise" on his little finger and explain that he no longer needs a floatie in the pool, he "can do it by myself"...(with a life jacket). Jacey had her first "virtual" visit with her great-great aunt and uncle! We got to see Cujo and Cuddles and catch up on the doings in Somerset, including their recent near miss during tornadic weather. I love that so many of our family and friends are keeping up with the family blog and keeping track of the progress on Mommaw's house!
Here is the new development that is taking the e-family to a new level. Michael accidently stumbled across an educationally informative blog written by my boss. He communicated his appreciation for the usefulness of the information...and gave suggestions for improvements to the site. His idea was heeded. Then, he and Helen (the boss) began discussing technology and its impact on education and realized that they share many technological interests so they "exchanged" delicious addresses and now each follows the social bookmarks of the other. HMMMMMM...my worlds collide once again!
It is funny how technology allows people, who would otherwise not meet, or, if they did, certainly not collaborate in a meaningful manner, to connect, share, and collaborate effortlessly!
During an office visit lately, Chris (who shares an office with me) Googled Michael's email name (Sorrack) to see what the meaning of the name might be. (This is the same email name that Michael has used since middle school...I think it was the name of a character in a book he was reading)...anyway....When he Googled "sorrack" Michael Hoover was the FIRST item to come up! Which means, if you go to Google and search "sorrack" you can then hit "I'm feeling lucky" and there he will be.
Simply everyone who is anyone wants to be a #1 on a Google Search....and who actually achieved it....Sorrack...aka....Michael. I am a proud e-mother indeed!
The Cycle...
When Jess and Michael were 3 and 4 years old, they took gymnastics classes at the local university and played on a soccer team. Jackson is now 3, he cannot play soccer until his fourth birthday, but he can take gymnastics lessons! Check out the pics...what an athlete! I think I will try to find an old picture of Jess and Mike in gymnastics to post with these...what a blast from the past and what a tribute to the turning of the life wheel.
Feet...
One of my favorite poems is The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost. He states,
T
WO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
|
| And sorry I could not travel both | |
| And be one traveler, long I stood | |
| And looked down one as far as I could | |
| To where it bent in the undergrowth; | 5 |
| |
| Then took the other, as just as fair, | |
| And having perhaps the better claim, | |
| Because it was grassy and wanted wear; | |
| Though as for that the passing there | |
| Had worn them really about the same, | 10 |
| |
| And both that morning equally lay | |
| In leaves no step had trodden black. | |
| Oh, I kept the first for another day! | |
| Yet knowing how way leads on to way, | |
| I doubted if I should ever come back. | 15 |
| |
| I shall be telling this with a sigh | |
| Somewhere ages and ages hence: | |
| Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— | |
| I took the one less traveled by, | |
And that has made all the difference.
I wonder which paths Jackson's feet will find and on what journeys they will lead him. I hope he takes the one less traveled, and only joys....no regrets! | 20 |
| |
Mutual Ignore Still Works!
For those interested in how Dolly and Cat are getting along, now that the new has worn off...I have to say, Mutual Ignore is still working! Cat is eating a great deal better. First, Mommaw feeds him every day, and he likes that. Also, Dolly gets dry food like Cat, but she also gets canned food and a tiny bit of table food, like chicken breast. Mommaw always puts her "extra special" food on a plate and leaves it for her. Dolly doesn't usually eat it all, so Cat gets to clean the plate when he comes in. I know, it sounds sort of one-sided...but Cat can't complain, the food options around here have improved dramatically. I fully expect he will gain weight!
Jackson's Big Day!
Jackson had a big day, yesterday. He conquered a right-of-passage ritual and received the spoils that were deserved. Bobo and Mommaw gave him a remote control motor cycle, Bigs and Deba gave him a new bat and ball, and Mommy and Daddy gave him a catcher's mask. It was a good day!
Mommaw Retires!
It was great to be a part of Mommaw's last hooray at school. We showed a video that the kids and I made as a tribute and there wasn't a dry eye in the house. I can't wait to have everyone here for a house-warming/retirement get-together!
Congratulations to Billie Jean!
This coming year is going to be one of many changes...and not just for our family with Mommaw moving, retiring, and building...and the addition of little Jacey. East Montgomery will also see changes of monumental proportions! Billie Jean, one of my original 5th grade team members, has decided to retire and move on to another adventure. It was bittersweet to watch her say farewell to a lifetime of friends...but, as I told everyone there...the most profoundly beautiful thing about BJ is her ability to "keep people"...she calls and keeps everyone in touch. She calls back even when her messages aren't answered or her calls returned. She organizes pool parties, movie nights, or wii bowling...whatever it takes to get the group to gather together! I am very proud of her and wish her all the best! P.S. I want to add that her parting "speech" was the most unusual and entertaining I have ever witnessed, as she "willed" items to those staying behind. Her upbeat and positive attitude made the evening much more of a celebration than a farewell. P.S.S. - It is my sincere hope that the photos I took capture some of the love and respect that resonated throughout the room!
Jacey's first Tornado drill.
Last Friday, we had another round of tornadic weather. All of the schools were locked down in Tornado Drill positions, and dismissal ran about an hour late. I am sure it was pretty hectic for the teachers and the students, but better to have our 30,000 students battened down in our buildings than loose on buses or at bus stops. Anyway, I was not in a school, I was at my office. We were all hastened to the basement, along with the school kids housed in our buildings. Jess and Joel were out running errands with Jacey, when they heard the sirens and the "take cover" messages on the radio. So, they made a detour to the office and took cover in the basement with all of us. Jacey was unaware of the hoopla and seemed to enjoy her first visit to BoBo's office. She hung out with Miss Susan, Miss Donna, and Mr. Chris, but seemed to like the attention from Ms. Helen the most. We forgot about the bad weather and just watched Jacey being cute. (More Pics in the iPhone folder.)
Herding Cats!
We attempted to get all the little ones together for a photo to put on Mommaw's retirement video. Watching her play with them was like watching an expert cat herder working her magic!
The family has decided to have just a small dinner for her actual retirement, but throw her a real retirement party when her house is finished...that way people can help her celebrate her retirement and see her new abode! It should be great fun!
Congrats to Britt!
I am not very good at keeping in touch with my West Coast nephew and nieces. However, I do love them each and am always wishing the very best for them! Britt is the latest to have a celebration moment! She recently graduated with her Masters! We leap with you!
1st Try
Tonight, Mommaw and I baby-sat both Jackson and Jacey. Contrary to popular belief, either of us could "probably" handle both kids by ourselves...but it was nice to be together tonight and share the duties. Jacey was as precious as ever...she did what she was supposed to do - she ate, peed, looked around (mostly at the lights), and slept. She is becoming a great cuddler, but is also pretty happy just stretching out on her bed. Jackson was also as precious as ever.We had to take a walk outside to check out all of the strange equipment, stumps, and broken concrete that "the builder man" has left in the yard. It was very cool. He found one piece of gravel, in particular, that he wanted to give "the builder man" for a present, so he left it on the wheel of the tractor for him. Well, for a while. When it was time to come in, he decided he really needed that piece of gravel, so we brought it in. He thought "the builder man" could find a cool gravel "for his own self."
Unexpected Visit!
Curtis dropped by to see us today...he works for a trucking company and drives a van East of the Mississippi. It was fun to see him and catch up. He didn't get to see Lori and Taylor, but he had dinner at the Catfish House with Michael, Stacy, Mommaw, and me. Then, we dropped by Jessica's to see her, Jackson, and Jacey. It was a full visit.
Our Jacey...
There is nothing as soul-lifting and spirit-healing as rocking a new baby. There is nothing as cycle completing as watching your own family grow...I tell you what, this little girl has rocked our world and already seems as though she has been here for ages. She is calm and sweet, hardly makes a peep, and takes the noises associated with her three year old brother (drums, motorcycles, screeching and laughing) in stride. How blessed we are to have her! We will try to wait at least a week before we start aggravating her!
I have an App for that!
Ok, how cool is this? I just downloaded the free Kindle app for my iPhone. I then purchased the new read (The Wordy Shipmates) for $9.99. Instantly, it was on my phone....sweet. Now Jess can have my hardcover $25 dollar version. This could be addictive.
Aye, Aye, Mate! Well, I iPhone, Mates!
For my birthday, Michael, Jess, and Joel gave me an iPhone! It rocks! I already downloaded the free Skype and Kindle apps...life is good. I am still trying to learn all of the bells and whistles...but it won't take me long. Those kids sure know how to surprise a girl!
Downpour at the Sprinkle!
The Sprinkle for Jacey was a great success....well, the celebrating part was a great success! The Sprinkle part didn't work out so well. Friends and family forgot to "sprinkle" and literally "flooded" little Jacey with presents and goodwill!!! It was a fun night at the Catfish House...it may have been a little "country" or even a little "tacky" to order appetizers for each table instead of shower type finger foods....but the fried pickles, fried cheese sticks, and mountains of onion rings (a Catfish House Signature food!), were devoured! So, I guess that was okay.
The turn out was incredible...we filled our tables and kept adding on! There is no doubt that this town is full of folks who care about the family and are anticipating little Jacey's arrival!
****I give a big thanks to Brandandi! Without her love and support, hard work and effort, and good old fashioned perseverence, the Sprinkle could not have been sooooooo awesome!!!!
PS I have to say, girl stuff is cuter than boy stuff!
Friday Nights...they live!
I think it would be safe to say that lots of family members were afraid that when Mommaw moved out here, Friday nights would never be the same! Some times we have game night, some times we have movie night, some times we just hang out, but at Mom and Dad's, there was always plenty of food, conversation, interaction, and relaxation...(okay, sometimes there were "heated" discussions...but....that is still conversation!)....anyway...
last Friday night was the first normal Friday since the move. I think, much to everyone's relief, Friday's live. We ate and ate, talked and talked, chased babies, stepped over dogs and cats, told jokes (well, told "joke"...Jackson told the same one over and over), and managed to spill the dog's water bowl twice. (Sigh of relief....that is normal). Maddie and Jackson took turns following each other around the house and catching various family members in butterfly nets. Mommaw made homemade pimento cheese (yes, the real kind that Maw used to make) and baby cakes and I cooked homemade nachos (yes, the real kind with chips from a bag, and chili and cheese from jars)...Taylor helped do the cooking and gave me only a slight eye-roll when I neglected my cheese sauce stirring duties and let the cheese sauces scorch. Lori and Jess shared birthing advice as Jacey's arrival draws near, and Lori and Mommaw made plans to redo my flower bed (well...is it just a bed if there are no flowers?) that they have been wanting to do for YEARS! Joel and Jackson did a bit of bike riding and basketball playing, while the girls talked "baby talk". Michael and Stacy came by after Michael got off work! This gave Jackson a chance to show off his new stool climbing skills. Finally, we just sat around, lots of laughing (some at me, go figure), and a general good time! Nothing in the world makes me happier than the kids in the same room laughing! I even think Stacy is getting used to us and seems to be just one of the girls! Michael ended the evening on the porch or sitting in his truck...he wasn't kicked out or anything...just doing the "can you hear me now" with the Kindle so he could download the lastest new book! In summary, Friday's live!
Finally....Skype on the iPhone!!
Wow! I want it!!! Whose with me????
New Normal.
Mom and I are beginning to find a new normal. We went grocery shopping today...we got a lot of food. Mom paid. (That is not normal, no one has bought groceries for me in years...it was nice, although it was not fair. We have to work on that.) We came home and put up groceries, then took naps. Jess, Joel, and Jackson came over to hole up for a storm. "Chief Meteorologist Ron Howes called to kindly inform us that a tornado warning was issued for our area." It is very helpful and very thoughtful, even though I pay $9.95 a year for the service, is still seems very neighborly of him. When the hail started we took refuge in the basement. Jackson loved it...we read, played basketball with the laundry baskets as goals, and pillow fought with the eight small pillows from the couch (a basement tradition started by Uncle Mike). Joel was called in to work so the rest of us continued the tornado party. It is always great fun (God willing, there will never actually be a tornado that touches down on the house, that would not be fun). After the "all clear", Jackson had cheesy hotdogs and Mommaw made the rest of us home-made chicken salad with crackers. Overall, it was a good day...and it seemed normal that everyone would be hanging out here. Well, almost normal. We are getting there!
Closed.
Today Mom closed on the house. It was bittersweet to be sure. I am really glad the family is so sweet and seem to love and appreciate the house. It was strange to watch Mommaw hand over the keys. Funny, it wasn't all the paper signing, formalities, etc...that seemed to be symbolic of the permanence of the situation. It was the key exchange...the ritualistic right-of-passage that so profoundly marked this sad occasion. Maybe after we take a few days to grieve that loss, we can start looking ahead and begin dreaming and hoping. Mom said that she feels homeless...she is not. She is just houseless for the time being.
Cat.
Yesterday, I took cat to the vet. I know, he should go more often....Anyway, I took him for a rabies shot and some Frontline to help avoid the ticks and fleas that are supposed to be so bad this year. At least once that I know of, Michael has come by the house in the hopes of picking up Cat for his trip to the vet. Since Cat is an outside cat by day, he managed to always be "off somewhere" when Michael came calling. Yesterday, I drove up and Cat was sitting on the front step. I saw my opportunity...I scooped him up and plopped him in a carrier and whisked him off to the vet. He hated the carrier and Yowled the whole time. I don't know if Yowled in a real word, but Yowl he did. The last time I took him to the vet, I didn't use a carrier, just a leash. When we left the vet's office, he slipped out of his collar and dashed off toward the highway. He ran up a bush right before the road. Some pet lover rescued him for me. Thus, this time, the carrier. This trip went uneventfully. Now Cat shouldn't get rabies, fleas, or ticks. We hope.
Next to last step.
Today the realtor and the "New Family", who are buying Mommaw and Poppaw's house did the required walk-through before the closing this Wednesday. It was a little stressful for us...this is when they can make demands like fixing, or cleaning, or painting, or wallpapering, etc...
But this little family did none of that. They truly LOVE the house and can't wait to make it their home. The walked through with ear-to-ear grins and didn't ask for a thing. The Mom has cancer, has survived several surgeries, and has a colostomy bag; the Dad is a soldier and leaves for Iraq or Afghanistan on April 16th, the oldest daughter is 18 and working, the middle daughter looks about 16 (with 9 day old baby daughter), and the little girl appears about 9. They are moving in superdrive to get the family settled in the house before Dad leaves.
They are a sweet family and they told mommaw they were going to keep everything the same except the girls wanted to paint their bedrooms.
It is excrusiating to let go of the house...but it helps to know it will be loved. That big old house needs a family.
We ARE the E-Family!
I read an article this morning that discussed the emergence of a new type of family...the E-Family and the way available technology has enhanced the quantity and quality of communication between family members, both near and far!
Check it out!
Good Fences Make Good Neighbors
"Good fences make good neighbors." Or so Robert Frost has told us. The neighbors who live down in the deep dip, we call it "the hole", are rarely seen. There are two trailers...one is for a Granddad, and the other is for his son and grandkids. They live down a long, windy gravel road that disappears into the dip. Prior to today, I had not had any formal conversation with said neighbors...of course they have only lived there a few years and I am kind of busy...I do however, wave to the old man each morning as he is taking his morning stroll and I am headed off to work. I noticed lately that they were spending a great deal of money and energy fencing in their property. Hmmmmm. I wondered what they were fencing in or fencing out. So, this morning, instead of just waving as I drove by, I stopped, rolled down the window and greeted my neighbor with a hearty, "Good Morning!" (That is an important etiquette requirement before one can legitimately inquire about fence building). Turns out, they are fencing "in" goats, guineas, and a rooster! (Jackson will be thrilled to know that I have found the home of the rooster he listens to with glee each time he comes over)! He then asked about the moving van he had seen at my house. He got the short version of the story about Mom moving in and us building an addition. He asked about seeing my "boy" putting up a fence. I told him that was for Dolly. He also asked about seeing surveyors in the woods by my property a year or so back....I told him that was when Jess and Joel purchased that property. (Apparently living in "the hole" does not impair his ability to keep track of what is going on in the neighborhood!) He also informed me that the kids down the road had moved last weekend, apparently the dad did not pay his rent on time, and so they were evicted, even though they were renting from family members! I will miss those kids...they would come and swim. For people who have been neighbors for YEARS but never talked, we did some MAJOR catching up in a few short minutes. I finally had to say, "Goodbye" and head on my way. Partly because I did not want to be late for work, and partly because he looked woozy from breathing in the exhaust from my van. Maybe it would have been nicer to turn off the car while we chatted, but I did not think of it in time. When I talk to him again, in a couple of years, I will do that!
Mutual Ignore!
I am not sure if I related this tidbit or not....there was some concern as to how Dolly and Cat would adjust to being roommates. Cat is mostly an outside cat and only comes in at night. Dolly is an inside dog and stays inside all the time...except for a few romps in the yard each day. Anyway, the first night we had the front door open so Cat and Dolly could eye each other through the glass storm door. Then...cautiously, I opened the door to see if Cat would dare venture in with a dog standing by (I wasn't worried much about her courage...she is a country cat and has been known to take out animals bigger than herself...). Cat walked by Dolly and made a beeline for the food dish. No eye contact. No reaction whatsoever on either part. Complete and total mutual ignore. Nice.
Roommates!
I know that this first few days of sleeping at my house has probably been difficult for Mommaw. It will take a while for it to feel like her home, too. We have packed and unpacked so many times we can do it in our sleep, and I think that maybe we have, on occasion.
For those of you who are worried that I have moved Mommaw into a Harry Potter-like cupboard under the stairs...rest assured. She is comfortably, if not tightly, tucked in to a normal sized bedroom while we await the day we can "break ground" on her new abode. She has all of her things at home or in storage {packed and moved with love by Jess, Joel, Jackson, Lori, Paul, Keegan, Taylor, Mady, Ms. Vickie, Dale, Loretta, myself, and Mommaw herself}. Even Dolly has a new fenced play yard (courtesy of Michael and Stacy {built with love in the driving rain, no less}). Michael will agree, this great endeavor was orchestrated with the logic, strategy, and perseverance of a great chess match. As a collective, we can shout "Checkmate!" as we defeat the obstacles that interfered with our work.
Later, I will post pics of the fruits of our labors..and put to rest the cupboard rumors forever!
By the way...in a recent blog I likened our place to a family "homestead"....there has been some talk that the group prefers family "compound"....hmmmmmmm. My Pap once called it Hickory Knoll...due to the great number of hickory trees. I like it.
As the number of family members living on the place increases (and I hope it continues to do so...), the compound/homestead definitely needs a name. Any suggestions?
Moving Day!
I can't believe it is finally here! There is so much to do and so little time! The family has come out in full force to help Mommaw make the transition. Everyone has contributed and when this family rolls up it's sleeves and lets the elbow greese flow, we can move mountains! We all have a lot of different stressors right now, lots going on to keep our eye off of the prize. I just want to be sure that no matter what else is going on, we stop and smell the roses today. We see today for what it is, a milestone for this family. A happy milestone that propels the Campbell/Hoover/Morris clan in our same old direction, but with new gusto.
To Mommaw-Thank you for sharing this next part of the family journey with me. You will never know how much I admire the choices you have made in your life and the fervor with which you love this crazy family, especially when we get on your nerves or are otherwise undeserving. I love you.
Welcome HOME!!!!!
PS The combination of Michael's and Sara's comments on the prior entry sum up this family. And, Michael is right. "LONG LIVE GAME NIGHT!"
An Era Ends...and Begins...
It is so. Mommaw's house has sold. The wagon's are circled, the troops are rallied, and we hope to do a marathon moving mission Friday night and Saturday. If the Good Lord is willing and the creeks don't rise, we will be 90% or more complete by the end of the weekend. The house will be truly missed...and all of our memories will be cherished forever. For those of you who have shared in those memories, please share with us now as we grieve our loses and look forward to creating new memories on, what is turning out to be, our "homestead".
Strange but true...
We all agree that our Taylor is an amazing individual in MANY ways. But today, I learned that she is remarkable in ways I had yet to imagine. She can touch her nose with her tongue...without effort....although if she giggles, she misses. And, if that is not impressive enough, she can curl her tongue. Hmmmmmm... I think she must have all of the talent in the family!---
Update: Apparently, I was wrong about the family talent. Lori, Keegan, AND Taylor can touch their noses with their tongues. Keegan informed me that she can also lick her elbow. Hmmm. Cool. I think.
Chaos.
Isn't it funny? I doubt if I used the word chaos in conversation once or twice in my life...and yet I have used it on multiple occasions when blogging about my family or my life. Anyway, this has been a CRAZY month and it is only the first week. Mommaw's house is sold...at least if we can pass inspection and pull a reasonable appraisal. With it sitting on the market for five months, without much action, we were lulled into a false sense of the dulldrums and expected that it might not sell. Then BOOM, we have shown the house, had an offer (for the asking price, no less), had a repairman in to check the fireplace (it needs a part that is on order, but works), had the heat and air unit serviced, had a termite inspection done (no termites...at least THAT is GOOD news...), had a contractor begin to do some minor repair work on the sunroom and kitchen floor, AND had the VA inspectors schedule an appt. to do the inspection and appraisal. ALL IN A WEEK! Oh, and Mom has packed day and night, while teaching full time. See the chaos. Tomorrow, the contractor will be there at 7 am to finish fixing the sunroom (hopefully, cross your fingers) because today they just tore out the screens and pulled out wood rails that needed replaced. What used to be a little unsightly...is now a downright safety hazard! (Of course, we didn't KNOW the inspectors were coming when they started!) The contractors need to be finished and out by 10 because the inspectors are coming at 10:30! At least we will have some answers tomorrow. Hopefully, because all of the unknowns are stressing us all out.
Trivia
The kids have raved about Trivia night forever, (a weekly game held at the local Mexican restaurant) but I had never been. I had heard good things and bad. I heard that it was fun, lots of people participate, and that the questions are over a very broad range of topics. I also heard that, on occasion, members of "the group" would get over zealous, angry, and argumentative. I was hoping that my first try would see much more of the former and none of the latter.
Actually, our team was well rounded. The collective entity formed of the individual interests, experiences, and knowledge bases of Jennifer, Adam, Jess, Joel, Michael, Stacy, Ms. Vickie, and I created a competent and formidable team. We came in second. Not bad.
There were a few touchy spots...with a few angry remarks from one or two...but overall, I think we did okay.
We did learn that Russia straddles two continents and that there is no such thing as enough cheese sauce.
I thank everyone in the group for including me! It was great fun and I hope to do it again sometime!
*Just for the record. I admonish Adam for abandoning his Tennessee Politics blog and allowing me to fall into the abyss of the uninformed.
4D Jacey!
Technology can be an amazing thing! When Jackson was in utero, we were able to see his likeness projected on the big screen! It was like a sneak peek into the world he lived in while awaiting entry into the world in which we lived! Today, we had the privilege of glimpsing little Jacey the same way! She was precious...although a bit bored with the poking and prodding. She yawned, stretched, opened and closed her mouth, hid her eyes with her hands, sucked her thumb, and stuck out her tongue...hmmmmmm reminds me of her Mommy!
We teach.
Today I helped Michael with his logic class. It is the second time he has allowed me the privilege of sharing in their quest to find art in logic and gaming strategies. It is funny, as this family fusses and fights, fits and fumes, and tries without ceasing to point out how very different we are from one another....I find that we are truly alike. More than that. We are kindred spirits, connected by the love of learning...and the love of sharing the love of learning. We teach. We all do. We teach to children (some our own, some not), we teach to adults (and some who only think they are adult), we teach to each other (wittingly and unwittingly), and we teach ourselves (willingly and unwillingly). But we teach, none-the-less. Michael has often proclaimed that none of us treat him as an adult. That is probably true. However, his students do. To them he is solidly "Mr. Hoover", and although it sounds stiff and formal, their eyes tell a different story. They adore him. They think he is a genius. They think he thinks they are geniuses...and thus they must be...because he would know. It is a rare and wonderful thing to step out of your own shoes and see your child through the eyes of others.
Christian
I had the rare and always treasured opportunity to have a fireside chat (well no fire or side...but a chat non-the-less) with my nephew, Christian. It never ceases to amaze me when those we love grow, mature, and develop from the cartoons of childhood into the true reality of adulthood. It does appear that little Chris, the one they all picked on, stepped on (literally), blamed, pinched, annoyed, and often coerced into trouble has grown into a man of which we can all be proud. He has found strength of spirit and character, and he has possibly found the girl of his dreams. I truly admire the person he has chosen to be and I challenge him to retain those qualities as life, love, and experiences try to tarnish his sense of hope. Hang in there, my friend! I never would have thought that of the three West Coast Hoover offspring, he would be the one who dreams of the traditional family with the white picket fence and a small brood playing tag or catching fireflies in the yard. Go forth, we are behind you all the way!
Globetrotting-with a Greek Flare!
Sara is determined that the best way to prove to Father Time that fifty really is nifty is to trek across the sea whilst soaking up fun and sun. We are contemplating a journey through the Greek Isles in 2010, and although I look forward to it, it will require study. Our ports-of-call will include Venice, Split, Santorini, Mykonos, and Hiraclion...the only one of which I have ever heard is Venice! I do know that we will miss the Parthanon, it is in Athens...but will see the isles in all of their colorful glory! I think I should start preparing now...I will study my history, lose enough weight to feel comfortable in a bathing suit, buy some dramamine and imodium, brush up on my blackjack skills, and prepare a plan of attack that will maximize safety and minimize spending. We will also need a port by port Travel plan. As the Hoovers will attest, we have a family rule when traveling....You MUST do something new, meet someone new, and eat something new at every location. Geez....7 days on a Cruise and at least one day in Venice...thats a lot of doing, meeting, and eating!
Blogs, Wikis, and Threads
Today, I had the privilege of presenting at a meeting of the Mid-Cumberland Reading Association. Being asked to present to various audiences is a perk of my new job. I thoroughly enjoy it and find it challenging! Today, the topic was blogs, wikis, and threads...I met some new people and reconnected with some old friends. No one fell noticeably asleep, nor did I notice anyone playing an obvious game of solitaire on the computer. I guess that means it went okay. The idea of presenting is much like blogging. When you blog, you say something and then wait to see if anyone cares enough about what you had to say to leave a comment. Presenting works the same way, only you get to stare the commenter in the eye as the comments are made. Probably, people comment more freely on a blog. The group was attentive and hopefully walked away with something new to digest. Someone even remarked that they enjoyed my short movie review on my last post. I should get to count that in my "number of comments" on my blog even though it was a real comment and not an e-comment on the blog. Cool. *By the way, I used our family blogs as a living example of "personal blogging" and our trivialities were appreciated.
Movies and Books
Vickie, Ann H. and I took in a movie this afternoon. "Taken" was pretty good, especially if you like shoot-em-up dramas where the good guys win after wiping out a significant number of bad guys with lots of hell-fire and damnation. I think the basic plot has been done a few times before. I haven't been able to fit in many movies lately and even fewer books. Just too busy. I think I will go to BAM tomorrow and buy the book, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It was highly recommended by Suzanne and I feel the need to open a real book with pages and dogear a few corners. It has been awhile since I read a book for fun so I don't have much to recommend in return. Jackson, on the other hand, is more literary. He recently read (or rather was read) ten or twelve books Uncle Michael gave him. Two of which he found to be side-splittingly hilarious and worth 15 rereads. He memorized them on the first sitting. So, Jackson highly recommends Oodles of Noodles, and Look at That Cat.
Strange Encounter.
I had a hard day. Lots of drama, and most disturbing of all was that I had an interesting encounter and could not find anyone to tell about it. Sigh. Today, I stopped by Subway on the way home from work. Not unusual. I like Subway. However, today was different. After I had ordered my 6 in. grilled chicken sandwich with Sun Chips and a Diet Dr. Pepper, I attempted to pay for it with my debit card. That part worked well, except their machine runs debit cards as credit. Well, that is actually fine. But, after it cleared, the girl hands me a blank piece of notebook paper and asks me to sign it. Yeah, no kidding. I said, "What?" Which is what I generally say when I am bewildered by human antics. She said, "The printer isn't working for the receipts. I need you to sign this blank piece of paper, then when the printer gets fixed, I will find your receipt and staple this signature to it." To which I said, "No. I don't think that is a good idea." She said, "Its the law. You have to sign the receipt to get your food." To which I said, "Hmmmm, I don't think there is a law that says I have to sign a blank piece of notebook paper. It is even possible that there is a law saying that I should not." She said, "You have to sign it, or I can't give you your food." I said, cancel it and I will get cash from the teller (8 feet away) and pay cash." She said, "You can't do that. I already charged this to your card." I said, "Forget it. Keep the food. Just credit my account back for the price." She said, "I can't do that, it had already cleared." Hmmmmmmmm. If it wasn't so sad, it would have been funny. I said, "Honey, are you telling me you already charged the amount to my account, but you won't give me the food?" I am pretty sure there is a law against that. I then asked to speak to the manager. You guessed it. This 18 year old cutie was the manager. Nice. Scary. I asked her to call the "boss" or the "800 number" or whoever and find out the real plan because hers just was not feasible. She got tears in her eyes. I promise I was not being mean. Although frustrated, I was still amused enough not to be screaming or ranting. But, I was getting less amused by the minute. I told her I would wait while she called. She did. The mystery woman on the other end of the line said I did NOT have to sign a blank paper, and that I could, in fact, take my food and be on my merry way. That was good. I wasn't really merry. I was annoyed. In protest of this lunacy, I make a commitment NOT to ever buy a sub there again. At least until the pure convenience of the location near my house and the wonderful plus of not having to turn left out of the parking lot to go home outweighs my annoyance. That should take at least a week. That'll teach 'em.
My Worlds Collide!
It is strange indeed. Michael is dating a young Kindergarten teacher from my old school. I only worked on staff with her for a few months before leaving to take my new job, but I do remember her. I am currently her Technology Integration Coach and have had or will have her in classes! She is very sweet and seems to find Michael entertaining. I hope he is on his best behavior, we wouldn't want the teachers or principal from East Mont. to forget that they think Michael walks on water! They smile a lot...is that a good sign?
Jacey is real.
With every impending arrival, there is a defining moment when the anticipation, expectation, and exhilaration give way to an overwhelming sense of real-ness. I remember when Michael became "real"...I was two thousand miles from anyone who cared that I was having a baby any day...and I opened a small package that Mom sent to me. In it there was a blue sleeper. Nothing really special. Just a blue sleeper. I washed it, dryed it, folded it and placed it in the waiting crib. And there it was...he was real. Jessica's real moment came when I bought a new pair of baby nail clippers on impulse while standing in the check-out line at the grocery store. (I am, in fact, the reason they put items for purchase by the check-out line. I am an impulse buyer. Sigh.) Anyway, I couldn't remember where the tiny baby nail clippers were. We would need those...so I bought some. Forty cents. And there it was, she was real. With Jackson, the realness came with more drama and flare. Jess invited us all to go along for a 4D Ultrasound. (Yes, I am aware we live in a 3D world. I asked about that. The fourth D is time...they give you a video.) Anyway, everyone who was available trekked to Nashville to watch on a giant TV screen as an incredible ultrasound made it possible for us to glimpse Jackson in the womb. In real time, in a real way. It didn't hit me in the office. It hit me in the car. After watching him twist, turn, rest his clenched fist on his forehead, and grasp the cord in his mouth before casually spitting it out, I felt like I knew him. When we left in the van, I felt sad...as if we were leaving him behind. He was real. Sweet Jacey's moment of realness came with no pomp and circumstance. I bought a little three piece outfit for her on sale over the Christmas holidays. It isn't like I don't buy things...I am a grandchild shopaholic. But, as I was placing this outfit on a hanger to place in the closet in the nursery at my house...there it was. Real as can be. Soon, in that purple corduroy pentifore, a little girl will play. It comes with a onesie and a jacket. She can play if it is cool outside. How real. I can't wait.
P.S. The Drums were a hit!
Uncle Michael bought Jackson his first set of drums! It was just what Jackson wanted...a big drum with two little drums, a cymbal, and a pedal. Just like the Imagination Movers have. It was perfect. However...he is a bit stronger than expected and I don't think it was designed for continuous play (hours on end!). Uncle Michael may have to upgrade to a set made of titanium!
Can you define CHAOS?
I can. Chaos is defined as twenty two-to-five year olds bowling! Jackson's party was a hit. The kids bowled on this lane (or that lane), with this ball (or that ball), and one (or two or three) at a time. Chaos is not always bad. No one minded since no one really knew the rules or was old enough to care. Jackson bowled his heart out, ate pizza with his friends, blew out the birthday candles and celebrated turning three with gusto!
Picture Perfect!
We gave the Wii another workout on Friday night! This time we took bowling, tennis, and boxing to a new level. Mommaw, Vickie, and I all complained of sore muscles the next day! I bet everyone else was sore, too, but were just too ashamed to say so! Take a look at our Wii Mii's. I think you will be able to figure out who is who....Mommaw, Tracey, Vickie, Jess, Joel, Michael, and Jackson!!!!
Sci-fi has arrived!
In so many ways...things that used to be science fiction are now a reality! Uncle Michael got Jackson an anti-gravity remote control car for Christmas. Hmmmmm. I don't know what I expected when he told me excitedly that he had purchased it. But, the reality was definitely more than I imagined! Everyone was mesmerized by it! So...what will we do next????
H2O
Two thirds of the Earth is made up of water. Some of it was rapidly dripping from the pipe leading into my water heater...making a puddle in the basement that threatened to need updating to "pool" status. Fortunately, our friendly neighborhood plumber, whom I would recommend to anyone, (Reynold's Plumbing) saved the day. Well. Saved the day for $136. That is a pretty good price to keep the entire contents of the world's oceans from trickling across my floor. By the way, apparently, I have a leak in the roof of the front porch. Do plumber's fix roofs? Technically, it has to do with a water leak...if only when it rains. Hmmmmmm.
Broken Toe
Occasionally, everyone needs sympathy. Today, I do. Yesterday, while watching the Colts ballgame with Jackson, I did one of the things we tell the children not to do. I dashed down the carpeted steps in my socks. I was attempting to retrieve a touchdown throw Jackson made right up the middle between the tv and the couch. Unfortunately, he has a big arm, and the football sailed over the gate and down the stairs. In an attempt to get it and get back in a hurry, I slipped on the steps, and although I did not fall, I did do some toe damage. Those with nothing much to do today, feel sorry for me. Thanks, I appreciate the effort.
"Oui Oui"
Actually, I should say, "We Wii"! At our regular "Friday Night at Mommaw's" we ate spaghetti and tried to perfect our skills on the Wii. The spaghetti was scrumptious as always. The Wii was a little harder to digest. We tried bowling, tennis, baseball, boxing, golf, and another game that Jackson dubbed as "Crazzzzzzzy Bowling". It was great fun, but my right shoulder is hurting now, and I think I may have tennis elbow. We discussed the pure genius of the developers of the wii. Before now, only diehard gamers and teenagers bought video games. Now everyone from a baby to his great-grandmother wants a wii. They found an untapped market. Mommaw and I bought the basic console and one game, Joel bought extra paddles. Now everyone is deciding what to buy next. Again, I say, genius. I bet Ben-Gay appreciates the business.
New Car!
I did it. I bought a new car...It is a 2009 Journey and I think I will love it. The current state of emergency in the car industry allowed me to buy a much nicer car than I can afford...or it allowed me to afford a much nicer car than I could have bought...either way, I got a great deal. However, since I have not had a car payment for YEARS...the good deal still comes with a payment plan, and that seems less good. Hmmm
Here is the best part. It is identical to Jessica's new car! Identical in a fraternal twin kind of way not identical in an identical twin kind of way. Same year, same make, same model, same COLOR (apparently Jessica finds that annoying), but without many of the bells and whistles that hers boasts. I can live without some of them. It does talk to me, tell me where I am and where I am going, and it has a cd player. What will I do with my cassettes?
Since our cars match, I am thinking of buying Jess and me matching license plates that say "Hers" and "Her Momma's"...I find that hilarious. Again, Jessica finds that annoying.
I will let you know how I like the car. Maybe you will see me streaking by in my new ride!
Hmmmmmmmm
Minutiae. The small, precise, or trivial details of something, anything really. Here are ten trivialities of my world.
1. I like my minivan, albeit 10 years old. I still need to buy a new car. Maybe I will like it. Maybe.
2. I have learned to expunge. Some might say that I have expunged a relationship or two...but that is never real. You can not expunge people. Memories, both good and bad, linger. I have expunged peanuts. Peanuts are the devil. The devil is not in my house, it is expunged.
3. The other day, I was trying to buy the song "Yellow Submarine" on iTunes. The real one, by the Beatles. I found out you can not buy Beatles songs on iTunes. I find that strange. You can buy everything on iTunes. Well, except the Beatles. You can, however, buy knockoffs of the Beatles...like the Beetles. Sigh. It is not that I really like the Beatles or Yellow Submarine, but it came to mind and I wanted to hear it. Strangely, Jessica had the cd in her car and she brought it to me. That was thoughtful. I don't know why she had it, she had never actually listened to it. Still, it was an odd coincidence. Very odd.
4. You know I like Sci-Fi. I am a Trek fan, all generations. Not the kind of Trek fan who goes to conferences and dresses in costume, but a fan none-the-less. Anyway, recently, my mom read the blog of one of my favorite younger cousins. She is planning her wedding. She, too, dabbles in the sci-fi world. She rated the potential guests for her wedding into three categories. Category A- Those "must come" relatives, like parents. Category B- The "really-want-them-to come" group of family and friends that will only be eliminated from the list under dire circumstances. Then, finally, Category C- "The Red Shirt" group. Those, such as cousins out of state (ahem), whom she wants to invite but can be sacrificed in an away mission, if necessary. I am a red shirt ensign. I think I am flattered to make the list at all, but I hoped to be a bridge officer. Even if it had to be in a thigh showing dress-shirt and I had to lean every time the ship turned. Sigh.
5. I found out my credit score. It was 693. I am devastated. I really thought it would be much higher. I pay my bills, on time, mostly. I am a responsible citizen and take my debts seriously. Apparently, there is a formula, a mysterious worth-assessing formula by which the world is held accountable. It judged me and found me unworthy-ish. I say again, sigh.
6. We bought a wii. It is actually quite exciting, potentially. So far, opportunities to actually wii as a family have been limited, so I can not judge its value. I will let you know.
7. I bought my grandson a bouncer. It is like a huge inflatable cage with net walls where he can jump to his heart's content. I have taken a great deal of flack about it. Apparently, there are those who find it excessive. My grandson does not find it so. He finds it to be hilarious. Let only those who do not buy $80 diaper bags throw stones, I say.
8. I have noticed that, as I mature (aka age), my tastes have changed. I love green beans now. Who would have thought. I like to stay home more. Just because. I really enjoy doing nothing. Really. And I am more discriminating about how and with whom I spend my time. Time is precious. I feel younger than middle aged. But, I am only middle aged if I live to be 84.
9. I rented a storage unit. I am kind of proud of having it. You would be surprised at how many people actually have storage units. People at work often talk of taking things to and from their storage units. Now I am in the in crowd. I have felt this way before, when I had a gym membership. I think I will use the storage unit more.
10. I have recently had a conversation, many actually, with someone whom I care about a great deal. The conversation is about the criteria for being a good person. Sounds simple enough. But think very hard about the qualities you expect that to involve. It is more complex than one might think. I am pretty firm on the qualities that I find admirable. However, I have come to ponder whether or not I personally qualify. I never considered myself a great person, but I think I assumed I am a basically good person. However, is basically good really good at all? I don't know. I will have to ponder that another day.