Year's End

It's been a good year. I've run many races and skipped a few others. I've met new friends and reconnected with old ones. I've visited my siblings in Mississippi and Maryland and we've partied at Disney. I successfully utilized my WDW Annual Pass so that I got my money's worth. I've raised money for good causes and voted for a new President. I've watched good and lousy movies, read interesting and boring books, and written thought-provoking and yawn-inducing pieces. I've been busy and lazy, felt happy and sad, and laughed and cried. It's been a good year.

At the end of every year, it's good to look back. It's good to think about the year past and the year ahead. But it's best to remember the things that mattered most to us, because then we know where to start tomorrow. We set our hopes and dreams for the new year based on what mattered most to us this year. And hopefully on this day next year, we can say again, "It's been a good year."

Sam's Top Ten

Today Sam is 28. Twenty-eight years and one day ago, I had no idea what it meant to be a mom. I'm not sure I have any better idea today, but I do know I like it. And speaking of like, these are the Top Ten Things I Like About Sam:

10. He plays golf with me and shares my golfing ideology, which is, "So I only hit it two feet - at least it's straight! We're having fun!"

9. He's always up for a moving furniture adventure, no matter where or how much, and he doesn't worry about the availability or capacity of the moving vehicle.

8. He's always up for a family adventure, no matter how lame-brained it may appear.

7. He's an enthusiastic supporter of made-up games, including made-up stories.

6. He's a great writer.

5. He mixes all his food together in a big bowl.

4. He never tells his mother what he's really thinking about her latest idea, and supports her in her efforts.

3. He's inventive and creative and humorous.

2. He's been there for many of my firsts - first child, first marathon, first house, to name a few.

1. He's Sam, a total package of things to like.

God At The Right Time

Today was an example of God giving me what I need when I need it. He does this quite often and I don't really take notice, but today I did.

It all started this morning. I have a half-marathon in two weeks, and I have been following my current training plan - meaning nonexistent. I knew that I really needed to get in 10 miles - and sometime soon. I meant to do it last week, then last weekend, but didn't do either. So I really planned to get it in today. But after I got up and had breakfast, falling back asleep seemed like a much better idea. I woke up in time to debate when I would get dressed and go (actually if I was going to do it at all).

The next thing I know, Lynnette called and said she was parking at our house to walk 10 miles today on our old 3-Day training routes. God had my number and provided the incentive and a walking partner to get my keister off the couch and out on the road. We did the ten miles and were both glad we did.

Later I was planning to spot-clean the bathroom and needed the toilet disposable wand thingy to complete the task. I had used this device yesterday when cleaning the litter box (don't get crazy - all I needed was the wand). I looked and looked, but couldn't find it. On my way through the kitchen, I saw two of my jackets on the bar seats, and decided to hang them up. As I picked them up, I noticed on the seat hidden by the coats, was the wand in question.

Maybe you could say these were coincidence or happenstance. I won't. I know God is in charge of my life, which works so much better when I let him be in control. I think He just sends me days like this so I don't forget.

Just An Old Christmas Card Tradition

I don't have a lot of Christmas traditions. But this is one that has hung around for a little over 20 years. It's a Christmas card that I first sent my sister back in 1986. The only reason I know that for sure is because I wrote that I was "getting settled and unpacking" when I mailed it the first time. The next recorded date on the card is 1988 and the only move we made before then was in 1986.

For some reason, I got the card back (Marilyn may know the reason), and in 1988 I mailed it back with a heartfelt "Ditto." Over the years the card has made its way hither and yon, from Chile to Mississippi to Tennessee to Maryland, and maybe even a few other places. We haven't managed to write anything earth shattering, but we just keep sending the card back and forth. When it is in my possession, I try to keep it in a safe place (one that I can find) so I won't forget it the next year (which doesn't always work). This year it will be on my bulletin board by my desk. Not only will I remember it, but it will be a happy reminder for me of my sister and the fun we share.

Maybe that's what traditions should really be about. Not about doing something for something's sake, but doing something because it's really meaningful. Doing something that will bring a smile or a laugh just because you're doing it again. Meaningful because it may be only meaningful to you.

It may look like just an old Christmas card, but it's not. It's a link between sisters, between lives, and of love. What better tradition could there be?

New Year's Resolutions

... for your cat. I have read them over and attempted to discuss them with Shaggy the Cat, but I don't think he's interested. He's probably thinking of resolutions for me, like learning to read his mind so I know which type of canned cat food he likes this hour, or not getting so nervous when I hold the door open for hours on end waiting for him to decide to peer out to see if he is actually going to go out, or sleep more during the day so I can get up and let him out (or at least stand guard at the open door at 2am waiting for his going-out decision). That Shaggy - he's a thinker!

The Day After Christmas

'Twas the day after Christmas,
When all through my house;
Not a creature was stirring,
Not my kids or my spouse.

Sam and Lynnette
Were with the Ogles down in Texas;
They went to the zoo and to see "Annie"
And played Scrabble with many X-es.

Steve and Molly
Flew to Orlando for the sun;
There were bargains to be bought
And more shopping to be done.

Maribeth flew out
To meet Mathieu mid-trip;
A lost passport and late flight
Only caused a minor blip.

Only the pets were at home
And left in my care;
One dog and three cats
In three houses here and there.

Missy tolerated my visit
Opie chased the ball;
Blackie never showed up,
And Shaggy meowed in the hall.

It was quiet in my house,
But it was nice in a way;
It was soothing that nobody
Had anything to say.

But silence isn't always golden
As noisy voices fill the air;
Because home isn't home
Until my family is there!

Christmas at Redbox

It all started because I thought it would be a good night to sit in my pajamas and watch a movie. Maribeth suggested getting online and reserving my movie of choice at a local Redbox. It seemed like a good idea, so I proceeded to choose the movie and the closest Redbox location.

Naturally, the closest location to my home that happened to have the movies I wanted also happened to be in a "sketchy" part of town. Maribeth was on the road, and when I called her to tell her I had reserved them, she asked if she would be safe. Being the mom I am, I said I would retrieve the movies, since it was just getting dark.

I set off in my movie quest and soon arrived at the McDonald's, the location of the Redbox. As I drove up, I noticed one truck, one car, and one police car. No action, just sitting. One man was at the Redbox, returning movies. Of course I could have decided that maybe my $2.16 was not worth the potential future CSI or Law and Order episode, but I decided to just wait and see.

The current consumer returned his movie, and then proceeded to take his sweet time choosing three more movies. In the meantime, the car and its occupants decided to leave, followed by the police cruiser. This left just me and Hispanic Consumer in Truck. A few minutes later, another car drove up with three African American males. I am not trying to sound prejudiced, just setting the stage. Of course then there's me, who is driving a red car, that my sister-in-law believes is a drug car because in Mississippi she says all red cars are drug cars.

Anyhow, HCT finished his transaction, and I got out of my car, wondering if the other people are going to challenge my place in the Redbox line. As HCT is returning to his truck, he says, "Merry Christmas" to me. I complete my two minute transaction (speedy since I had reserved the DVDS) and the men sat in their car until I finished. As I was going back to my car, the driver got out of his car, and I wished him a Merry Christmas, to which he responded the same.

I guess this will become a favorite Christmas story of mine because it tells me all about goodwill and peace toward men. Three very different people met at a Redbox, and wished each other good thoughts. It proves to me that the love that this day is all about, is very much alive in this world - we just have to be the one to pass it along.

Linus Says It Best

One Hundred Things?

Today in The Tennessean, I read a story about a guy who plans to live the year with 100 things. His name is Dave Bruno and I think he may be on to something, at least for me.

I don't know that I could live with only 100 things, but I've thought a bit about it since reading this article. Certainly during this time of giving and receiving, living with a limit is very intriguing.

I do want to really check this idea out and see how it may work for me. For instance, I have a few boxes of clothes in my closet, waiting for my hips to fit into them. Are they really worth keeping, since somebody else could be enjoying them, and maybe my hips deserve a gift when they are that size? I have some other stuff that sits around mostly to gather dust - couldn't it be gathering dust somewhere else?

I don't think it's necessarily it's a matter of simply living with less and frugality. For me, it's a matter of surrounding myself with the things I love and that are important to me. It's certainly an idea I'm going to ponder for the next week. Maybe I'll come up with my own list of what I've kept and what I've let go. Maybe I'll still have too much to keep a list, but at least I'll know what I have.

It's one way of knowing what things matter. I'll bet that some things that I thought mattered really won't matter at all, and the things that really matter were being overlooked.

It's an idea, and a good one to end 2008 and being 2009.

Monday with Missy

It's not Tuesdays with Morrie, and I stole this picture from Lynnette. But since I did actually get to spend 5 minutes with Missy today when I was checking on Sam and Lynnette's house, I thought I would post her Christmas portrait (it has nothing to do with the fact I have no thoughts in my head tonight). And no, she wasn't dressed up for me this afternoon - although she clearly looks quite festive.

I refilled her water dish, so she allowed me a 60-second period of allowing me to hold her and scratch her back. It was also enough for me to go to The Cat Shoppe to buy her new trinkets for my visit tomorrow. She definitely has my number!

It's Been A Slow Blog Day ...

A Girl (okay, middle-age lady) Can Dream!!

Davidson Disney Dining Christmas

Well, it was going to be hard to compete with 2006's Cereal Christmas and last year's Magic Bullet Christmas, but I think we came close. The plan this year was for everyone to choose a Disney recipe, either from the cookbooks we have or on the Internet. We also devised a typical convoluted procedure for giving gifts. With our two main objectives set, off we went!

Item Number One: The Usual Complications.

Molly (whose assigned dish was dessert) has been out of town for two weeks, opening a Sonic in some little town close to Cincinnati. She drove into town this afternoon, found her Disney dessert recipe book missing, so we had Mickey push-ups from Kroger.

Molly also was hosting her Christmas party for her peeps at her house, so time was at a premium.

Maribeth had been called in to work at Walgreen's, so our Christmas gala had to begin, transpire, and end all within her dinner break. Guess it was good that Molly didn't have some fancy schmancy dessert after all!

Item Number Two: The Meal

Every family member chose a part of the meal to create but the recipes were of their own choosing. Of course, every meal required many ingredients that nobody had, so it got to be a game of finding a meal with everyday ingredients, a task equal to that of finding hidden Mickeys.

Maribeth and I spent 30 minutes looking for Gruyere cheese. It would have been less had I been willing to accept the cheese dip she suggested that listed this cheese as ONE of its ingredients.
Nevertheless, everyone found a dish. I should have just suggested that everyone bring a "white" dish, since we had potatoes, couscous, and mac and cheese. The mac and cheese listed no real measurements for anything, so it came out sort of soupy. My choice was to cook a pot roast, roasted with burgundy wine. I think I should have just drunk the wine and ordered McDonald's. In the end, Sam had the best idea - just lump it all together and eat.

Of course, no Disney meal would be complete without our Disney dining ware. Yes, these are technically Thanksgiving plates. But only because I haven't found any Christmas ones I like!

Item Number Three: The Gift Exchange

Without causing an Excedrin headache, let me briefly describe our system. Each person had every other person's name. However, there were five categories that each person would receive a gift in. The categories were food, entertainment, wild card, make-it-yourself, and charity (there are five people each person had to buy for). It all worked out sort of okay until it was time to pass out the presents, and nobody could remember what category they drew the name for. So, it was kind of like a game - "Who had Sam for food?" And the giver would ponder then say, "I did." Really - it was sort of pathetic! But everyone got neat gifts - mostly - and the whole party was over in time for Maribeth to return to her register and Molly to party hearty.

In the end, it was another Davidson early Christmas. We think we'll leave the Disney cooking to the Disney chefs and think harder for a more complicated gift giving for next year. As for next year's theme? I can tell you the front runner tonight - Liquid Christmas Dinner!

See you in 2009!

Top Ten Things I Love About Christmas

There are a great many things to love about Christmas. The first and most important is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. And while that certainly should be an all-inclusive deal when it comes to loving Christmas, I have to admit there are at least ten things I especially love about this time of year.

1. Peppermint Mocha Twists from Starbucks - hot or cold, it's just a holiday delight

2. Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes - I also hate them

3. Christmas books at bookstores - I could buy them all, but I just enjoy looking at them on display

4. Salvation Army bell ringers - it's such a selfless job, and I decided to thank each one that I pass (as I put a donation in!)

5. All-Christmas, all-the-time radio stations - a happy way to pass the time in holiday traffic

6. Christmas movies - my faves being The Gathering (an oldie but goody), Prancer, The Santa Clause, Miracle on 34th Street, and Scrooged, just to name a few

7. Red velvet cake - a Christmas tradition at my grandmother's house - wonder if they have a macrobiotic version?

8. Christmas everything at Disney World - loveliness and joy in every way

9. Christmas 5ks - festive and fitness - what a pair!

10. Davidson Family Christmas - you never know what to expect - stay tuned tomorrow!

Little Things

Last Saturday, after a week of drying out, my first new cell phone was revived. Maribeth put the battery and Sim card back in, turned her on, and once again I was in business. My second newer cell phone was put on hold, should the first decide to take another swim. I was so thrilled with the resurgence of my phone (and the return of all the phone numbers that I had stored in it) that I felt compelled to reward it with a new screen saver (my choice should not come as a shock to anyone).

Last week as I was out shopping, I saw a little crown laying beside my car. Naturally, I couldn't just leave it on the ground. I picked it up and put it in my car. I haven't found a home for it yet, but I will. I want to put it somewhere to remind me that little surprises are everywhere, if I will just open my eyes and look.

Two seemingly little things that turn into happy thoughts and big smiles every time I see them. It's amazing what little things can do, if we just let them.

Lessons from a Rocking Horse

The place that I take my recycling also has two trailers that collect things for Goodwill. The other day as I was dropping off my plastic and cardboard, I noticed a little rocking horse looking out of the trailer.

It looked rather forlorn and I thought about its plight. I wondered who had once owned it and then discarded it. I wondered if the child who once rocked on it would miss it. And I wondered what would be come of the little solitary rocking horse.

Then, as most things do, the rocking horse taught me a few lessons about life, which are:

1. Most of the time you have a choice in life. You can be sad about what once was, you can mope about what currently is, or you can look forward with hope about what may be.

2. You can sit in the back and wait for something good to happen, or you can get out there in plain view in the front demanding attention. If you know your value, don't be afraid to show it.

3. Sometimes you have to get out there and toot your own horn by yourself. But there's nobody who knows you better and should be prouder than you - so toot away!

4. Time passes and people move on to other things. But if you really mattered, you won't be forgotten. Just have faith that the heart you once belonged to will always have that spot that belongs just to you.

5. It may not always seem like it, but there's always somebody who cares - even if it's just a lady who thinks you're too precious to pass on the opportunity to take your picture with her cell phone! The fact is, you matter!

Why I Hate Oreos

Yesterday while I was at the grocery store, I decided to pick up some snacks for Steve. Going down the cookie aisle, I pulled his favorites - Chips Ahoy and Oreos. These are cookies that pose no threat to me, because I don't really like them. I even made a point to pull the Double-Stuff Oreos, because those are the ones Steve prefers.

Imagine my surprise when I got home and started putting away the groceries, when I discovered that the Oreos I pulled were double stuff, alright, but they were DOUBLE STUFFED PEANUT BUTTER OREOS!!!

Needless to say, when peanut butter and chocolate choose to cohabit in the same bite, it has my name written all over it. I tried them, and (as Maribeth pointed out quite disgustedly) a empty center section later, I was hooked. I confessed my transgressions to Maribeth, who put me out of my misery and tossed them in the trash (after squirting lemon juice in the package).

I could not afford to save them, since neither Steve nor Maribeth was interested in consuming them. The likelihood of the cookies remaining intact until a willing consumer entered my kitchen was slim, because until that moment happened, the evil cookies would sit and call my name until I did indeed suck them all down. And yes, I looked carefully at every ingredient listed, and could find nothing that even remotely was suggestive of a macrobiotic ingredient.

So the war continues. Just when I thought I had bested Little Debbie and her wretched Christmas Tree Cakes (okay, so I've consumed a few this holiday season), here comes Oreos. The cookie industry is out to get me, and Oreo now has my number!

January 1 Is A New Day!

With yesterday being my last race for 2008, I completed my sidebar list of "Events I've Wogged in 2008." It was a fun way to document a year full of races of different lengths and in different places. With the new year weeks away, I wondered what I would put in the "race listings" place. I didn't want to do the race list again and pondered new ideas, waiting for the right one to come along. And then it came to me. Literally.

Cool People Care has just released their new book, Today is a New Day!. This book is a "collection of doable difference-makers ... one for every day of the year." As soon as I had my copy in my hand, I knew what my new sidebar would contain.

Every day I am going to look at that day's suggestion and share a little of it online, then describe what I did to make a difference. Maybe some days I'll be able to follow that day's suggestion completely. Maybe some days I'll have to tweak it a little. Maybe some days I'll do something that is connected only in my own mind to that particular day's suggestion. In the book there are some days that are blank, waiting for me to choose my own "difference-making deed." But no matter what I end up doing for that day, I will be doing something. I will be making a difference and I'm going to let you know about it.

I don't know what you have planned for 2009. But maybe if we all did a little something every day, then not only would we be making a difference for somebody else, but we would be making a difference in our own lives. By this time next year, not only will I be able to literally count my blessings, but I'll also be able to know that on December 31, 2009, I will have done at least 365 things that made a difference.

2009 is looking pretty exciting already!

This morning I wogged my last race for 2008. I've already got races booked through March of 2009, so it's not like my career is over - it's just done for this year. It's been a good wogging year. I didn't accomplish everything I wanted to, but I accomplished a lot. In fact, I thought I'd put the year in perspective (and verse)!

My Twelve Months of Wogging

In the twelve months of 2008,

I wogged the following miles:

Eighteen 5k races with some family in my sight;

One creepy 13k on a dark and spooky night;

One Minnie 15k which is now a defunct race;

An irregular training schedule without a steady pace;

Eight half-marathons in seven different states;

Fifteen blinging medals from which pride emanates;

Six various races at Mickey's sprawling compound;

One sprained ankle that probably should be bound.

Three completed races without an official race certificate;

Races that raised money for very worthy causes to get.

Souvenirs that were bought and the race fees that were paid;

But the best things were the memories that were made!

Christmas Pics #3 - Christmas Lights

So maybe they're not exactly the lights at my primary residence, but they are the lights at my second home!!

My 2008 Pink Book

In 2007 on this blog, I started listing the "Gifts of the Day," which were things that were good about my day. I wanted to celebrate the good rather than bemoan the yicky things of the day. It helped me appreciate the value and joy that each day holds, even if it's just one little bright light in the midst of an otherwise dark and dreary day.

At some point, Steve suggested that I should keep a written list of each day's things so I could remember them. I decided to do that in 2008, and got my "pink book." Each day in this book I list what is now known as "Why ______ is a Great Day." I started counting today to see how many good things I have recorded, but stopped when I was already up to 50 and had barely gotten past the first week in January. I think I have probably averaged 5 a day (some more, some less). According to my calculator, that will end up with 1,830 good things that I will have experienced this year.


But the best part of recording my events is that it has helped me remember the great things I probably would have otherwise forgotten. Just now I turned to June 19, and I see that I sent John's birthday invitation and had a nice flight to Duluth, among other things. While it may seem insignificant, I remember how good both things made me feel.

I've enjoyed keeping track of my good things this year so much that I've already purchased my calendar for next year, appropriately already titled, "Each Day Is A Gift." I can't wait to see what will be written on next year's pages.

Each day is truly a gift - don't ever forget it. And if you think you might, be sure to write it down - a gift is always worth remembering!

My New Toy

When I talked with the macrobiotic counsellor lady a month ago, she asked me if I had a juicer. I tried to at least look intelligent when I replied that I didn't (which I thought was better than shrieking, "A WHAT?").

While I was in Orlando over Thanksgiving and trying to decipher the macrobiotic language, I decided to buy a juicer. Naturally, I completed the first step which was taking it out of the box. A week later I packed it and brought it back to Nashville, washed all the parts, and let it "season" until today.

The m-c lady suggested I drink carrot juice, with perhaps a slice of apple in it. I had a carrot and an apple, so I got out the machine, read the pertinent parts of the book, and started a-juicin'. I had to stop momentarily because the juice collector cup was not against the machine close enough, and my precious juice was spilling all over the counter. As health conscious as I would like to imagine I may eventually be, I am above lapping it off the counter like a cat. After my cleanup on Counter One, I put the carrot in the appropriate slot followed by a whole (although quartered) apple, and in a matter of minutes I had juice. It really tasted pretty good, and I was very happy and proud of my accomplishment.

I was so happy and proud of myself that after Curves this afternoon, I rewarded myself with a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Twist. I don't think it's macrobiotic, but they use fancy machines there also, so in my deluded mind, it's a go!

Christmas Pics #2 - Santa

So it took me almost 50 years to get a picture with Santa. But based on Maribeth's experiences, I don't think I missed much!

I Did and I Didn't

Today I managed to stay busy, get a few things done, and check some stuff off my list. Unfortunately, writing an intelligent, thought-provoking, world-changing blogpost was not on the list. Try again tomorrow.

Anyway, shouldn't you be making some Christmas candy or purchasing some Christmas gifts?

Christmas Pics #1 - The Kids

Christmas family photos are great. You line the kiddos up in front of your holiday decorations and take the photograph to commemorate that year's holiday. When I was young, it was all about putting on our Sunday clothes and taking the picture just before we went to my grandmother's on Christmas Eve (which was next door). In the case of my own children, it involved finding an outfit that was remotely Christmasy, corralling them in the same space, and hoping for the best. And in the end, it didn't really matter how it turned out, because we thought it was the best picture ever. And it always is.

Real Customer Service

Today my cell phone took a swim in my cup of hot tea and immediately went into cell phone failure, which meant a morning trip to the AT&T store. Of course I had not purchased insurance on my now-convulsing phone of only a few months, so my only option was to pay full price for a new phone, the cheapest of which would have been around $250 (and this was the most basic phone - a duplicate of the one I had would have been another $100).

The salesman who helped me suggested that I go down the street to Radio Shack and get a "Pay As You Go" phone and have them put my current SIM chip in the new phone. While all of this sounded Greek to me, I trusted the man and did as he suggested.

At Radio Shack, the two guys there were very helpful. They showed me their collection of phones and I chose one of the cheapest ($60). They also suggested how to let the wet phone dry out in case it becomes salvageable in a few weeks. In a short time I was up and running again, with a lot of phone knowledge. And insurance.

It's nice to receive some real customer service, particularly in this time of economic uncertainty and fear. All the salesmen I encountered today could have been after my money, in hopes of getting as much as possible for their companies and themselves. But instead, they were looking after me, the consumer. Because of that, I'll stay a loyal customer. All it took was thinking of the other person's needs first, a lesson that was probably the best thing I got out of this whole experience.

I Didn't Really Want To Do It ...

...but I did. The Rudolph 5K, that is. This is a race that is held just before the Nashville Christmas Parade, at 6:30 at night. Tonight it was downright chilly, and I seriously considered bailing on it. But Steve, Sam, and Lynnette were committed to doing it, so I decided to go ahead and participate. Yes, it was cold, but it was fun. Yes, the other three in my party finished well ahead of me, but I finished. Yes, I was at the back of the pack, but when I turned to run around the back of the Titans stadium, the fireworks started, and I got to see the people actually setting them off. Yes, I'm glad I did it. I guess it just goes to show you how God will bless you if you will just get out and do something!

There's a Tree For Every Taste - Literally!

I'm not sure, but does this count as a eco-friendly Christmas tree? You can certainly recycle it on December 26!

Somebody's Getting Ready For Christmas!

Shaggy the Cat spent half the day under the Christmas tree, presumably waiting for gifts with his name on them. The other part of the day was bundled in my lap watching tv, something he rarely does. Wonder if he's trying the get on the "nice list"?

Christmas is Coming!

Christmas decorations and lights are showing up on houses as I pass them. I've got my list of family names I've pulled, and am starting to think of the gifts I will buy. My car radio is tuned to the all-Christmas, all-the-time station. It's definitely beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

I just have to remember to enjoy each day of this holiday season. I have to remember that it's not about the gifts or the decorations or the parties. It's about the celebration of family, and a little baby boy in a manger.

As Dr. Seuss said,

"It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
"It came without packages, boxes or bags!"
And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!
"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store.
"Maybe Christmas ... perhaps ... means a little bit more!"

Lynnette's Top Ten

In honor of Lynnette's birthday today, I thought of the Top Ten Things I Like About Lynnette:

10. She's a fellow wogger (although she's turning into a jogger).

9. She's always up for a challenge, like a 3-Day 60-mile walk, an 11-hour car ride with the family, non-traditional holiday celebrations, and just about anything the Davidson family can come up with!

8. She likes all things Disney World.

7. She likes cats, in spite of her allergies.

6. She never asks more of me than I can give and she accepts me as I am.

5. She's very smart and a semester away from finishing her second Master's Degree in counseling. Wonder if marrying into our family had anything to do with her choice of study?

4. She's a great tent partner - in putting it up, figuring up how to rig extra stuff, and sleeping in a very small space with bags, books, etc.

3. She is full of good ideas, like taking a picture a day, that inspire me to do the same, or something like the same, or just to appreciate her good ideas.

2. She loves my son - what more could I ask?

1. No matter what she is doing or where she is, she remains true to herself. She's Lynnette, and there's everything to like about that!