I Know - Really?!?!?!

I know what you're thinking - "She gets all caught up and then falls off the face of the Earth." And you would be right. I don't know why - it just seems to be my pattern of late. I'm not happy about it. I've tried to analyze my motivation - or lack of it. But no answers have come my way.

There have been suggestions that I might need to quit this blog. But I know if I quit, then I will not get back to it. And then my identity as a writer will be no longer in existence.

And so instead, I shall work at getting caught up. Again. And maybe once that happens, I'll get back on track. I just have to catch up by Friday - I'm going on a cruise then, and you KNOW I'll be current for that week!!

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Today is a gift because: Sounds game with Steve and Sam

Lindley Shopping Day #2

This morning we sorta slept later and watched "Annie" (the Jamie Foxx version). Once that was over, we put on our daytime clothes and headed to the Brushfire Pottery to paint pottery. Lindley chose a cupcake shaped holder that will be used to hold her teeth for the Tooth Fairy (another one is loose) while I chose a teeny-tiny vase. Which I'm sure everyone will want, once it has been fired. Because I am such a wonderfully gifted artist - wait, no I'm not. And all it takes is a trip to any pottery place to remind myself of my lack of artistic genes. Anyhow, we painted our respective pieces and left them with the real artists at the store to be fired - we'll pick them up in about 10 days (I hope they call me when they're ready).

Our next stop was Target, but I decided to stop at the Carters store first. They are having an amazing sale, and I also had a coupon. We first found matching outfits for Baby and Bitty Baby, and then proceeded to look for clothes for their mommy. We found quite a few on the sale rack (plus they were an additional ?% off) and a few other things like $5 t-shirts. We racked up quite a bit, and then headed to Target. Where we bought one on-sale shirt and one on-sale pack of My Little Pony Pops (because we did the math and these were a great deal - at least according to the 5-year-old genius with whom I was shopping, although she does keep track of my spending by asking if I have enough money to buy whatever it is we are buying).

Once finished, we quickly headed home for a bite of lunch (of course I heated up the mac and cheese, just a portion of what I thought Lindley would eat, and of course she wanted more when she was done, but since we were headed to pick up KB for an airport run, I convinced her to wait until we got back). Lindley miraculously also had time to assemble the Pop Ponies - and eat lunch. I told you she was a genius! We had plenty of time to pick up KB and drop her off for her fun weekend in Denver.

We got back to the house and had dessert (who wants mac and cheese when you can have a bowl of cookie dough ice cream). Lindley changed Big Baby and Bitty Baby into their new matching outfits and soon Lynnette arrived to pick up Lindley and return home (they have to pack for their trip to Dallas to see Grandmom and Granddad).

Steve and I had some dinner before heading to the Sounds baseball game, where a family of Amazons sat next to us (really - they were all about seven feet tall and fill out proportionately). Our seats are on the end of the row, so we had to get up about a dozen times for them to go get food - apparently when you are large,  you need to eat a lot. The other down side was when one of their friends came to chat awhile and decided to chat while she was standing up - right in front of us, blocking our view of the field. We probably would have asked her to sit her carcass down, but we were rather in awe of the size of the family, so we didn't. After five innings, we decided to leave. The Sounds were winning, but ended up losing in extra innings.  Oh well - tomorrow night we will return again and guess what - free blanket giveaway night (who doesn't need a blanket in 90 degree weather!).

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Today is a gift because: shopping with Lindley; taking KB to the airport; baseball game with the giants; nice saleslady at Carters store

Lindley Shopping Day

Since Lindley will be starting kindergarten in the fall, I told her that I would take her shopping for some back to school clothes (my mother-in-law did this for my girls). Since Lindley and I both have very busy schedules for the next few weeks, it seemed that today would be our best day. Her daycare days have ended, and Sam and Lynnette had to work today, so I went over this morning and picked Lindley up. We first stopped at my house for a bit before the outlet mall opened and headed there. And now I will give you a pictorial of our day ...

Post outlet mall, Pre- regular mall
Busy day means napping whenever possible!

Lunch with LaLa at Panera
Mac and Cheese and required flip-flop cookie!

Lindley's first trip to the American Girl Store
I told her the store only sold dolls.
I don't think she quite got the picture.
Until we got there. Overwhelming might be an understatement!

Yeah, we might have bought a few things ...

Bitty baby of her choice!
I love Bitty Baby!
And after 20 years of not buying anything,
I'm still in their computer system (smart on their part!).

The aftermath of shopping - yay for sales at H&M and Old Navy!!

Lindley's favorite doll, Baby, with her new little sister, Bitty Baby.
Lindley put them both in time out later because they were
arguing over the fairy wings.

New sandals from Old Navy - half price!!

Our day ended with a sleepover.
And watching "Cinderella" - the Brandy version.
What a great day!!

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Today is a gift because: shopping with Lindley; American Girl store and Bitty Baby; lunch at Panera; watching "Cinderella"

Steps To Enter A Disney Race (Especially The Girl Ones)

First of all, you might be asking yourself the following questions - what and why? And even if you're not, I'm going to tell you.  First the "what."

Disney races are foot races held at Disney parks. The distances range from 5Ks to full marathons (26.2 miles). You can do them all, or any combination of them. The "girl races" are those that are focused on the females of the Disney empire - think Tinkerbell and Princesses (yes, men can do these races, but they are in the minority - even though some do dress in princess attire!).

Now the "why." BECAUSE THEY ARE FUN!! You get to run (or amble, as is my case) through the parks when no one is there (because they start at butt-crack dawn early in the morning). People are dressed in costume and the medals are awesome.

So now that you know these questions, let me tell you one more thing - they are a task to enter!! Why? BECAUSE EVERYONE WANTS TO ENTER THEM!!

For all the races, DVC members and AP holders (if you don't know what those are, then you really don't like Disney and needn't be concerned with what those are) get an early registration day, about two weeks before the actual registration day. But, it's just as crazy as the regular registration day, with people trying to register and the site crashing and people generally going crazy.  So, with that in mind, I thought I would give you a few pointers ...

First of all, have as many computers available as possible. Last year, a friend had two (at least) of her co-workers on their computers, and I understand they were running back and forth and screaming at each other down the hall (last year's Princess registration was particularly taxing - but she got in!). Why have so many computers open and ready? Because you never know which computer is going to decide not to work, or which browser will have a meltdown, or just what catastrophe may happen, so the more machines you have at your beck and call, the better.


Next, do some deep breathing. Because once registration opens, you will be on full-fledged alert. You will start about two minutes before the actual opening time (yes, you have a specific time that registration opens), refreshing the web page. Finally, once the actual registration page opens, you have to get busy - LIKE NOW!!!

Hopefully, like last week, you've already registered on Active.com and have an active account. This will be necessary because the new rules say you need an active account since only one person can register per active account (this prevents Jane Doe from registering 200 of her closest friends and family on her account, thus nabbing all the registrations and time and gumming up the computer system).

Anyhow, by now you should be logged on and ready to register. DO NOT LOLLYGAG OVER ALL THE RACES!! You should already know exactly which race you want to enter and/or which challenges you want to enter (now we're getting into technicalities, which are not important - just know what you are going to register for). AND START REGISTERING! Because you only have a few minutes before they decide you are too lazy and slow to enter their race and boot you off the system. In addition to having an active account, you also need to know your t-shirt size (enter what you really are, not what size you're hoping to be by race day), your gender, an approximate pace, and whether you are in the military or not. There is also merchandise to purchase, but skip it unless you really have money to burn - the clock is ticking!!

On the final page is payment. Now is not the time to locate your wallet to find your charge card. It should be right there, card number and expiry date and verification number ready. And if you did it all right - VIOLA!! You are ready for the race. Now it's time to think about training ...

Certainly worth all the trouble - don't you think!!

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Today is a gift because: Everley-sitting; Sounds game with Steve, Maribeth, and Everley; dinner with Everley, Sam, Lynnette, and Lindley to celebrate the end of Lindley's day-care career; getting Molly and I registered for 2016 Tinker Bell!

Clean Up Day

Lately facebook and I have not been the best of friends. There has been a lot of mean talking and posting and pointing fingers and sad stories. Because I am a reader, I was compelled to read it all - my friends' statuses, what they liked (because it would appear on my page), and whatever they were reading. I spent much of the day reading and being sad and/or angry because they were sad and/or angry about things that also made me sad/angry. It was very exhausting and frankly, demoralizing. So I decided to clean things up.

No, I didn't delete anyone. Mainly because I don't really have any fbook friends that I would care to delete (also because a person I thought of as a friend did that to me and I had my feelings hurt). But I did choose to "unfollow" them - which means we are still friends but I don't see every single thing that person had to pontificate about or accuse someone or whatever. I don't have to read another sad story that has absolutely nothing to do with me. It freed up my time and my brain.

I kept all those friends with whom I have a real relationship with and care about their daily goings and coming. And I may add back some of those others. And if I don't comment on your postings, it's not because I'm not following you - in cleaning up my followings, I'm also cleaning up my time by less of it on the computer.

Now if only I could clean up my house ...

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Today is a gift because: 90 minutes at Massage Envy with Nikki

The 2015 Showing

I have a group of hydrangeas outside my front picture window. I've had them for several years. They are the "Endless Summer" variety because they're supposed to bloom - all summer. However for the past few years, they have not bloomed as expected. Usually by the end of the summer, I might have a few blooms. Certainly not like the fluffy, multitude of blooms that I see all around town. I had pretty much give up on this year, until finally one little bloom has decided to show its face. Maybe it will encourage all the other plants to show theirs, too - but I highly doubt it. Apparently I have the variety of Endless Summer hydrangeas that are late bloomers - or just plain non-bloomers.

For several years I read up and took care of the hydrangeas on my own. I pruned when and how it was suggested (basically these were supposed to be the easy-care version of these plants). I didn't seem to be doing such a good job, so we hired a company to take care of all the plants in the yard. They haven't had any better results (and we also had a differing opinion as to what we liked in a yard), so we parted ways. Next week a new landscaping company is taking over. I've been able to chat with them, so we're all on the same page about the yard - and about the hydrangeas. New Landscaper thinks it's a matter of fertilizer. I'm willing to give them one more year, but then I just might have to move on to something else. I'm all for giving things a chance and even understanding late-blooming, but at some point you've got to do what you're supposed to do! We'll see what the new landscapers decide - but I really think my hydrangeas should bloom where they are planted!!

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Today is a gift because: brunch with Everley, Lindley, and Lynnette; Target and Pop Ponies; Steve's safe trip back from GDiz

Movie Review Time!!

Since my goal with my Movie Pass is to see at least four movies a month, I want to be a responsible movie-goer and offer you my insights into the movies I am viewing. Because even with my reviews, should you go to see the same movie, my review and your viewing and resulting opinion will probably have nothing in common. Anyhow, on to this month's movies ...

"Minions". I didn't go see this with Everley and Lindley and their parents. Which was probably a mistake, since I ended up seeing it by myself. And with the other three people that were in the theater (that's what I get for seeing it at lunch time on a week day). Anyhow, it's about these little yellow dudes from "Despicable Me", versions 1 and 2. This movie is about how they got started and eventually ended up with Gru. Sandra Bullock voices the villainess. It's cute, it's funny, it's entertaining - even though I did want to take a nap in the middle ...

"Trainwreck". Totally a switch from "Minions". In other words, NOT a kid movie. Lots of explicit talking about sex. Lots of main character Amy having sex with a bunch of different dudes. Basically Amy's life is sort of a mess and then she meets a doctor dude that she's supposed to be interviewing for her magazine. They sort of start liking each other, but because her life is a trainwreck (hence the title of the movie), things get a little complicated. Not to worry, as it has a good ending. Just brace your ears and eyes if you've just come out of an Amish existence.

"Paper Towns". Based on the book by the same author as "The Fault In Our Stars." Both books are about teenages. And since it's been eons since I was a teenager, and only a little less time since I was rearing teenagers, I found the movie a bit slow. In the movie, "Q" is a senior in high school. A girl named Margo moved in across the street when they were kids, but once they found a dead guy and she wanted to go to Sea World in the middle of the night, so Q decided he couldn't go, so they went their separate ways as they grew up. Except he had a crush on her all the time. Then in their senior year, she sneaks in his room in the middle of the night and gets him to go with her on a revenge mission because her boyfriend was a cheat. And then she disappears and Q and his quirkly friends go in search of her. I spent some of the movie reading on the internet about the movie, since I was going to have to leave early for my mammy-gram. There was a lot of teenage dialog, which made me sleepy. If this dude writes another book that gets turned into a movie, I will probably just wait for it to be on HBO.

"Infinitely Polar Bear". I'm not sure about how to describe this movie. It's about a dad and mom and their two school-age daughters. The dad is bi-polar (hence the polar bear reference). It's set back in 1970s and shows how mental illness evolved over the years - kinda. Basically the dad has an "episode" and goes into the hospital so the mom and daughters have to move to a rent-controlled apartment. Then the mom gets into graduate school and the dad takes over care of the kids. There are a lot of side stories that made me ask a lot of questions. That didn't get answered. The movie was very interesting and sweet and a little odd. But it kept me interested because I didn't need to check the internet or want to take a nap.


I hope to see another movie or two before the month is out, but I figured four reviews was about all you could take in one sitting. Happy movie-going!!

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Today is a gift because: going to the movies; quick visit at Everley's house to drop off her stuff; getting tasks completed

Squeezie, Squeezie!!

Since yesterday it was time to get the downtown checked out, today it was time to get the boobies squoze in the mammary machine. Again, it's a simple test (at least for someone of my boobage) to check for cancer, so it's a no-brainer for me. Today's mammographer was a sweet young girl who got the job done as efficiently as possible.

I hope that any woman who reads this and is of the correct mammogram age, has had or is getting her mammogram for 2015. Because a few minutes of squishing is certainly worth a lifetime!

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Today is a gift because: watching "Paper Towns" with Maribeth and Molly; getting mammogram and sweet people at that office; watching "5 Flights Up" and "Unbroken" at home

Another Sign of Time Passing ...

It happens every year. I go for my yearly gyno check, get weighed, and swear by next year I'll have lost so much weight that the weight-checking nurse will probably faint. And yet every year that has yet to happen. Maybe it's because the year passes so quickly that I barely have time to get a diet regime in place. Maybe it's because I'm worried about the nurse fainting. Whatever the reason (and it has nothing to do with zero effort on my part), today another year has flown past with zero weight loss - the nurse was safe again for another year.

I don't mind having my gyno appointment - by this time in my life, it's really not a big deal. And if it's one more way to have a cancer check, so be it. And so I go. And get weighed in. And swear that next year I will have lost significant pounds of weight. And since next year will be rolling around pretty quickly, I just hope the nurse has her helmet on her head!

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Today is a gift because: visit with Dr. N and her nurse; getting a prescription for a shingles shot since Walgreens won't give me one without it; going to see "Trainwreck" at the movies

Naps - They're Not Just For Kids!

One of the best things about getting old is the ability to take and fully appreciate naps. In this case, when a certain somebody gets home from work, a nap is in order - how else will he last through the rest of the day?!

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Today is a gift because: Steve's burgers on the grill (after his nap!); orders delivered

My Current Workout Plan ...

Yeah, I don't know why I'm not losing any weight either ...

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Today is a gift because: nice concierge lady at the Toyota place; getting Maribeth's van serviced and cleaned; Everley time; two miles with Molly and KB

Swimming Lessons

Today Steve and I met Mathieu and Everley at the YMCA. It was going to be her first swimming lesson this year, and we were going to take over so Mathieu could get to class. There were about six kids in her class and there was quite a wide spectrum. On one end was a little girl who happily jumped in when it was her turn and swam to the instructor and back to the side. On the other end was a little boy who screamed and cried whenever a drop of pool water hit his skin. By encouragement and threats from his parents (and maybe a little of actual pushing him in on their part), he did get in the water and the instructor pulled him out in the water a bit - while he was screaming and crying the entire time. In the middle of this group was Everley and about three other kids - non-swimmers who liked the water and were content to kick about while the instructor pulled them around.

I'm not sure exactly what kind of instruction was offered - it looked more like just the adult pulling the kids around in the water (with the exception of the swimmer and the screamer). Oh well, Everley had fun, so I guess it was a success!

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Today is a gift because: watching Everley's swim lesson; getting some stuff mailed

A Busy Sunday

KB is having a yard sale (not for a 3-Day Walk, thank goodness), so Molly and I volunteered to take our junk treasures to her house. I mean, we think she may make an extra $23.50 off our stuff! So I picked up Molly and somehow we managed to cram chairs, boxes, a stroller, and who knows what else into the back of Steve's car (so what if we had to keep one door window open so that one chair's legs could stick out). We made it to KB's and unloaded the car. We think it was probably around 120 degrees. But we got it unloaded, and are pretty confident that KB will be able to retire on the proceeds.

As we were leaving KB's, we started getting texts from Sam and Maribeth, inquiring about lunch plans. Sam also mentioned that Lindley was asking about her matching money (I had told her I would match whatever the Tooth Fairy left from her missing tooth). Molly told Sam that I had the $5. I told Molly to text (I was driving) that if Lindley would pull out the other tooth that was super-loose, I would double it. And the next text from Sam said, "Um, That worked. Better have the $10. Seriously. She saw blood. Mini trauma. $10 will be the only cure." Apparently once told the reward, Lindley started fiddling with the tooth, and it popped out - but this time it was found because it popped onto the hassock!!

We all met up at the pizza place Blaze, and I paid my debts. The good news is that there are no more super-loose teeth at this time, so LaLa has time to get some more reward money!!

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Today is a gift because: Molly helping to take stuff to KB's for her garage sale; lunch at Blaze with Sam, Lynnette, Lindley, Molly, Maribeth, and Everley; Everley time; Lindley's loose and subsequently lost tooth; visit from Jeff with cards from his sweet girls

Just Another Saturday

We started the day by going to Sonic for a little breakfast with our favorite carhop Charity. It was already getting warm, so we didn't hang around long. The heat has hit Nashville this weekend!

After lunch, Steve came into the bedroom where I may or may not have been taking a nap. He asked if I had noticed what was going on at the neighbor's house across the street. He went out and started chatting with a dude who was obviously involved with whatever was going on. As it turned out, they were filming part of a movie about Rachel Joy Scott, the first student killed at Columbine.

We watched for awhile, then went back inside (the heat was still very thick). A little bit later we went to the Sounds baseball game, joined by Molly and her friend Melissa. It was free bag giveaway night! Unfortunately, the bag was burlap, which is not a fabric I like, so Molly got them all (who knows what she did with them). The crowd was pretty thick in our section, which meant very little air flow, so we didn't stay for the entire game (we preferred to get some fresh air). The Sounds won even without our support!

A full, hot day for a Saturday!!

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Today is a gift because: breakfast with Molly and Charity at Sonic; Sounds game with Molly and Melissa and free bags; 

40, 58, Whatever!!

I just read this list about "31 Things You Learn By The Time You're 40." Since I will be turning 58 next month, I thought I would revise it

Being tired and ready for bed at 9 p.m. is more than OK.
Seriously? Being tired and ready for bed anytime is OK. And hopefully you'll be able to sleep through the night.

The days are long but the years are short -- and any time in the doctor's office with kids feels like years and days.
Being in the doctor's office isn't so bad - as long as you can remember why you're there. And you don't have to "weigh in."

A well-fitting bra is important, and should be off your body no later than 9 p.m.
What's a well-fitting bra?

Actually, 5 p.m. is good, too.
Again - well-fitting?

When in doubt, don't buy -- especially when it comes to shoes and lipstick.
Especially since you can only walk in old-lady loafers and that tube of lipstick you bought two years ago still has some life in it.

Sometimes you take your kid to "Disney on Ice" because you know he or she will really love it, not because you will. And certainly not because you like paying $7.50 for that souvenir mug of tepid hot chocolate.
Your kids are in their 30s, and if you take your grandkids, then money is no object, especially since you no longer are buying shoes and lipstick.

Stale popcorn is also very expensive at "Disney on Ice."
But you get grandma points for purchasing it!

You can totally do your own pedicure, but it's much more relaxing to have someone else do it.
Duh. And here's another point - nobody cares if you shaved your legs or not - you're old!

Chores for kids are a really good idea.
Especially if they're young enough to believe that $1 is alot of money.

Exercising is essential, but so is eating a bag of kettle corn popcorn occasionally. It's all about balance.
I stopped caring about balance in my 40s - now it's just a matter of getting my body uncurled enough to get on the treadmill thingy.

According to your kids, the "good old days" are any of the days that were pre-Internet.
It doesn't matter when the "good old days" were - nobody really is listening to your stories anyway.

Red paint takes three to four coats.
As long as you have lipstick and shoe money to pay somebody to paint, who cares how many coats it takes?

Mirrors are kinda dumb, but good for convincing children that you have eyes in the back of your head.
The grandkids will believe anything, just about, that you say. Enjoy it while it lasts!!

Cookies are not dumb at all.
In fact, it's one of the new food groups.

However, laundry is the dumbest.
It's really not that bad. Because the kids are out of the house. And you wear the same yoga pants for a week, anyway.

The size of your house does not matter, but the size of the love inside its walls does (cheesy, but true).
The size of your house gets smaller as in-laws and grandchildren get added to the family. In fact, it's pretty amazing that a house that small can hold all that love that comes with each new family member!

Marriage is no piece of cake. But it is worth it to get to taste the anniversary cake.
At some point, you will realize that you've been married over half your life - and it's the best part of your life!

You are old enough to be the mother of the cute lifeguards at the pool.
Try grandmother. But you're convinced that the boy lifeguards are still checking you out (we won't say exactly why, though).

Having babies is a big deal, but raising them to be adults you admire and respect is a much bigger deal.
Having kids is hard, from the very beginning, and just gets harder. Mainly because with each day those kids get older, the love you have for them gets greater, and you become more determined that nothing and nobody should cause them any harm or distress.

The term "low-rise" on clothing can be translated to "no buy."
Just find me something that covers up all the loose jiggly parts.

Mom jeans (my version is jeggings) have their merits.
Just find me some that hold all my assets in without busting a button.

Eating an entire pint of cookie dough ice cream on the first day of your period is totally acceptable. And if it isn't, TOO DAMN BAD!
And menopause means you can eat whenever you want to - just test me on it.

Your period can sometimes feel like the devil.
And menopause can make you feel like an angel - at least half the time before you need to go find a box of Kleenex.

Being yourself is the best person to want to be and to actually be.
Looking back, you can see all the yourselfs you used to be, and realize they all were pretty okay.

Drop-off birthday parties are the best.
Any birthday party is the best, because it means one more year you were given to cherish your blessings.

It's better to have your husband talk to your pre-teen son about the "hair down there."
At this point, you can talk to anybody about anything - just ask.

Writing your thoughts down right away is a really good idea, because otherwise, they could be gone in less than the blink of an eye.
Now if only I knew where the pencils and paper is ...

Wrinkles are sneaky.
At least I can express my feelings and you can figure them out without me saying a word.

A good hairdresser is key.
Or just one who is willing to tackle that mess on your head.

Quality time spent really listening to your loved ones is priceless.
Any time is quality time when you're with those you love.

And...
40 is just a number.
And the further you get away from 40, the more you realize what a silly number it was!!

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Today is a gift because:  lazy Friday although I did accomplish something; free aprons from the Sounds game (although I didn't actually attend)

Oh Good - More Stuff!!

Tonight at the Sounds baseball game, the first 2000 (or so) spectators were treated to Sounds salt and pepper shaker sets. And of course Steve and I made sure to get there in time to get our set(s) - yes sets because each person with a ticket gets a set!!  And yes, I yap all the time about having too much stuff, having too much stuff that is free, blah, blah, blah. But yes, these were free and I got them!!

Aren't they cute??!!

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Today is a gift because: free salt and pepper shakers at the Sounds game; expert dude behind us sharing his expertise on Dollar Tree and Sounds information; Krogering with Steve after the game; funnel cake

Trees and Apples

Once again, I realized that the apples in my family don't fall far from the tree ...

Many, many years ago, like maybe around 30, our oldest child Sam was five years old. He had a loose tooth, his first, and since it was his first tooth to lose, none of us were really sure of how to get it to come out. As parents, we didn't want to hurt his precious little first-child mouth by pulling too hard or traumatizing him (or us). So we were just letting it get looser and looser until hopefully it would just fall out. One night he was playing with his little sisters, crawling around chasing them (they were toddlers). He had a shoestring in his mouth, and as it happened, he pulled on the shoestring with his knee, and out popped his tooth. It went flying into the air - and promptly disappeared. We had lovely deep shag carpeting at the time (it came with the house we could barely afford much less replace the carpeting) and we never found it. And believe me, as first time parents, we looked for it (possibly because we were afraid we would get parent points marked off at the next doctor's visit, or that we would be listed as horrible parents in his permanent record).

Anyhow, fast forward 30 years (and looking back, those 30 years have certainly flown past). Lindley is five and has two very loose bottom front teeth. Today I picked up her and Everley at school. As has been my habit lately, I've asked to look at Lindley's loose teeth and touch them with my pinkie finger (so that she would be assured I was not trying to pull them - still not trying to traumatize anyone as a LaLa now). When I peeked at her teeth, I could see one was barely hanging on for dear life. I decided that maybe once we got home, I would ask to see if I could "hold" it and hope that it fell out between my two fingers.

As is required when I pick them up, I had snacks for Lindley and Everley (I made the mistake of picking them up one day sans snacks, and it was not a very pretty sight). Today I had premium snacks - chocolate chip muffins (no they were not homemade - mini muffins in a pre-packaged pack) and Capri Suns. They were happy and munched and drank all the way to my house (which is better than arguing about things).

Once we got home, they decided to go upstairs where all the toys are and change clothes (each has a dresser with clothes in it). They played for awhile, and then came down for drinks and maybe more snacks. I decided this would be a good time for the "let me feel your tooth" experiment. I called Lindley over and asked if I could feel her tooth. She said, "Sure," and opened her mouth. I got ready to feel the tooth, except that there was no tooth to feel!!  It had disappeared!! I asked if she had felt it coming out, or had spit it out, or even knew that it was gone. She was as surprised as I was. And a little distraught - not that it had come out, but that we did not know where it was!! We looked inside the house, outside the house, and inside the car, to no avail. The tooth had come out and was gone. I suspect it went the same way as the chocolate chips in the muffins, but we didn't mention the fact that she probably swallowed it.

Of course Lindley was a little upset at the thought of having no tooth to offer the tooth fairy. So she wrote a letter to the tooth fairy explaining that her tooth was MIA. And it helped that her daddy's first tooth had met the same fate. We texted the news and photos to Lynnette and Sam, who were as surprised as we were, and they assured Lindley that the tooth fairy was used to circumstances like this, and would still be able to complete her tooth fairy duties, even sans tooth.

So I guess, in the end, just as apples don't fall far from the tree, maybe it good when teeth fall out in similar ways. It makes things okay and establishes that sense of family and memories. Maybe those magical teeth even meet up in tooth heaven!!

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Today is a gift because: picking up Lindley and Everley from school; chatting with Ms Lui at school; Steve's burgers on the grill

Just Another Day Bloodletting At The Red Cross

Today was my regular visit at the Red Cross to donate a pint of blood. So far I've donated 36 pints of blood over my bloodletting history, which isn't all that long, especially when compared to James Harrison, who has complete 1,106 donations (seriously, read his story). I try to go every time they give me a call - which I'm glad they call because otherwise I would probably forget about it. Anyhow, today was just another day to go, proceed through the preliminary steps (read the material; get the finger stick, temperature check, and blood pressure check; take the online questionnaire), and then sit a spell while they take my blood.

I never know if my iron count will be high enough (twice it wasn't in one finger on one hand, but they immediately checked a finger on the other hand and all was fine - go figure). I always wonder if this will be the time that I will get up too soon after my donation is over, and pass out (hasn't happened and hope it won't). I never know if I will get a seasoned nurse or one who is just starting out (had one of those one time - I thought she was going to have to get out her manual). I never know if I will have a bruise afterward (either large of small - have had both) or no bruise at all. I never know if my blood will go to an actual person or be used for some other reason.

But in the end, all these questions and wonderings really don't matter. What matters is that I have the ability and opportunity to possibly help somebody else by giving a pint of blood. After Maribeth had Everley, Maribeth needed two pints of blood in the hospital. So maybe my blood will go to help another new mother. Or to somebody who was in an accident and needed blood. Or maybe it will be test blood for a machine that will insure that all donated blood is safe. It really doesn't matter - because I know it will help somebody in some way. What better way to spend some time sitting?

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Today is a gift because: nice nurse at the Red Cross; Everley sitting

Smart Is As Smart Does. Or Something Like That ...

Today I was at the grocery store and when I got ready to check out, I realized that I could not read the produce number on the tomatoes. I wear contacts and need my "readers" for reading close up. I was somewhat in a quandary and about to ask the lady at the checkout next to me for help (we were at the self checkouts). Then it came to me - I could take a photo with my phone, enlarge it, and then be able to see the numbers. I did, punched in the numbers, and completed my grocery shopping. Of course once Maribeth saw my facebook announcement about this, she mentioned that I could have just scanned the tomato since it had a bar code on it, and the scanner would have known the price. Whoops.

I guess it just goes to prove that you're only as smart as you think you are. And apparently when you think you're pretty smart, you really aren't so smart. Which means that even if you think you're smart, you're probably not. So just quit thinking you're smart. Because you're probably not. Smart that is ...

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Today is a gift because: adequate massage at Massage Envy; Everley sleepover

Friends In The Front Row

I know I've got friends with whom I can let my bloomers fly in the front row - hope you as blessed as I am!!

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Today is a gift because:  breakfast with KB and Molly; Everley time; Steve's safe return home from Columbus

Just A Little Wog In The 'Hood

Since Maribeth is working today and Mathieu has National Guard, Everley spent the night at my house. This morning, Molly came over and we decided to walk to the playground - a mile away. In oven-like weather (meaning I think it was 350 degrees). Everley opted for the stroller, at least until she needed to jog a little with Molly. Eventually we made it to the playground and played a little while - until we were all pretty much baked (although we did remember to sunscreen Everley - and maybe ourselves). And we also remembered to take water - which isn't all that delicious once the ice melts and the water warms up to a nice boiling point ...

At one point, Molly decided she would do some weight training, so she hoisted Everley on her back and wogged a bit. And then persuaded Everley to return to the stroller. Before Molly passed out from the added weight and heat.

And where am I during all this fun? I was either (a) pushing an empty stroller, or (b) walking ahead so that I would not be too far behind when Molly and Everley caught up with me and surged ahead, or (c) walking far behind the other two.

At least I wogged today ...

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Today is a gift because: Wogging with Everley and Molly; getting some grocery shopping done; watching Redbox movies; swimming with Everley and Sam and Lindley

Flags

A lot has been said lately in the news and on facebook about the flying of flags. The two flags that are being flown (or not flown) are the Confederate flag and the rainbow flag. It seems that some people are very upset about the flying of flags. And there are some that are very vehement about it. I understand. And that's the whole point, if you ask my opinion (which you haven't, but I'm going to give it to you anyway). The point is - I understand. The question is - do the flag people understand?

I understand the history of the Confederate flag. I understand what it represents. I know that the Civil War was not about slavery but about states rights. My home state of Mississippi has the confederate flag as part of the Mississippi state flag. When I was in the 6th grade, our class play was "Seven Flags Over Mississippi." (I'm fifth from the left on the bottom row). I'm current on why the Confederate flag is important to some people. But when that flag becomes a symbol of hate against a certain segment of our fellow brothers and sisters on this Earth, should we be thinking about why we deem it so important? And if it wasn't so important to some flag-flyers last year (who might not even have owned the flag), then why has it suddenly become so important? I understand why people feel it's important to their history, but what about the people for whom it represents hate? Would it be the same if a person of German descent decided to fly the Nazi flag in a Jewish community? I have read every argument on the pro-Confederate flag issue - and I understand. But again, when it's being used as a symbol of hate, does it do any good in terms of representing the South when some are adamant about keeping it flying? Wouldn't it be a better representation of Southern love and genteelness if it were just put away instead of flaunting it in the feeling of "By Gawd I'll fly what I want?"

So what about the rainbow flag? I understand that it offends those who oppose anything but relationships between two people of the opposite sex. With the recent decision of SCOTUS legalizing same-sex marriage, the flag and its colors have been flying. Not to offend, but to celebrate. Yes, I have read about some people who have been celebrating in ways that I don't understand. Yes, I understand that some are pulling quotes out of the Bible to solidify their condemnation of this ruling. I've stopped and spent some time thinking about all these arguments, because first of all I am a follower of Christ and believer in God. But all I know is that in the Bible, when Jesus spoke and acted, He did it all in the name of love. Period. The only ones He judged were those who were too busy judging instead of loving and helping. I am happy that all of my friends and family are now free to marry whomever they wish. And no, it does not mean that next you will be able to marry your dog, or you will be forced to attend a wedding for those you disapprove. It just means that once again, we're trying to make things equal for everyone in our country.

So, if you're still reading this, offended by what I'm saying or not, here's my bottom line.

If you have a Confederate flag, fine - keep it. But just keep in mind that it's been used more for hate recently than for love or the brotherhood of all people. If you are proud of it, that's fine, too. Just be clear of why you're proud and how you wish to proclaim it. And if you see one flying that offends you, then talk with the one who is flying it. Hopefully the two of you can have a real conversation about the flag and life and liberty and love. The same goes for the rainbow flag. If you disagree with what it represents, try to look beyond the flag. Look at the people it represents. They are your brothers and your sisters in Christ. And He chose love over judgement every time.

John 13:34-35New International Version (NIV)

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

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Today is a gift because: quiet evening at home; Everley sleepover

And I'm Back

This morning, Maribeth and Everley decided to leave early from Gatlinburg - like at 4am. This did not seem appealing to Lindley, Lynnette, and me, so we decided to wait until Lindley woke up and then leave. Which we did. Just after I packed the car ...

In case you didn't know, I drive a Prius C, which is a little car. I like it because it is little and I can't haul stuff for other people. However, I did not take into account what I would be taking back to Nashville, or I probably would have suggested that Maribeth take some of the stuff back with her - in her Toyota mini-van. After seeing the three suitcases and the valet cart full of the other stuff that was going to have to go in my car, I began to envision the drive back to Nashville looking something like the car on the left ...

 However, once again my little Prius C showed out. Not only was I able to get all three suitcases in the back hatch, I was also able to load everything else into the car, and still leave room for Lindley and her various dolls and ipads and blanket and pillow. And Lynnette even had room in the front seat! We made it back to Nashville with only a few stops here and there.

All in all it was a great trip to Gatlinburg and Dollywood. If only I didn't have to deal with this now ... Not only do I have the Gatlinburg luggage and stuff, but I also have the Disney World luggage and stuff that Molly brought back with her. If there's anything I love less than packing, it's unpacking. Oh well, maybe I'll get it done by day's end - how's that for a goal!!

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Today is a gift because: safe travel home to Nashville; successful car packing; finding a bathroom (but not mac and cheese) when needed on the road

Our Last Day In Gatlinburg

The Screaming Eagle. Or something like it.
Lynnette and Maribeth are on the fourth row from the back - in red.
I (along with Lindley and Everley) am on the ground, watching.
I don't know the balding dude in front of me, but I hope he has on sunscreen.
It was very hot and sunny today.

And it goes up, up, up before it goes down, down, down.
And around, around, around.  All very fast.
I like being still on the ground.

 

Finally a ride that I would consider riding.
Except that I volunteered to man the strollers and the refillable cups.
Of which one disappeared.  A refillable cup, not the stroller.
Not to worry - they sold us three new refillable cups.

Maribeth and Lynnette decided to ride another twisty turny flippidy-do-dah ride.
Again, the three of us - one chicken and two little chicks - sat it out on the ground.
In the shade this time. But it was still boiling hot.

Being patriotic and visiting the bald eagle, who clearly was not impressed with us.
I would be pretty ticked off too, if I had to sit in a cage all day
while strangers gawked at me.

Finally something on my level - The Bubble Show.
Some dude had a bunch of bubble machines and made lots of bubbles.
It was sort of dark but in the air conditioning.
I would have been content for him to read the dictionary, as long as the ac was working.

For dinner, we went to the Lumberjack Dinner Show Feud.
First some banjo string band serenaded us.
Then they loaded out the food - first a biscuit, then soup, then half a chicken,
then new potatoes, then an ear of corn. And a peach popover for dessert.
It was pretty cool, and our lumberjack team won!
And we got to see a horse with a diaper on.

Last activity of our trip was to play on the playground.
It was lovely because there were no other kids playing on it.
And there were rocking chairs for old grannys to sit in.
And it was in the shade!

 And in the end, a good time was had by all!!

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Today was a gift because: fun times with Lindley, Lynnette, Maribeth, and Everley at Dollywood and the Lumberjack Feud Dinner Show; fun with Everley and Lindley at the playground; it's Maribeth's birthday!!