Cottontails

Good Thursday morning!

After a gorgeous Wednesday, we are in for a stormy Thursday. James Spann will be my friend for most of the day today.

Things are really cranking up in the Faulkner household. For the last few years, I have declared May the new December. There is not one day in May that doesn't have an event or special activity on the calendar. And now, because of Graduation, April is filling up, too.

Austin told us Monday night at 7:00 he needed a white dress shirt for cap and gown pictures the next morning. We have light blue, aqua and mint green dress shirts. We do NOT have a white dress shirt. Mike ran to J. C. Penney's (which thankfully is now only five minutes away) and picked one up. Crises averted.

Because of the dress shirt announcement and a couple of other things going on Monday night, I forgot to pick up (and pay for) the Graduation Reception tickets which were ready from 5:00 until 7:00. At 8:00, I was calling people trying to get them to hold my tickets. (They did.)

Tuesday night, I took Austin shoe shopping for comfortable, yet dressy, black shoes to go with his new suit. After an hour, we found comfortable, yet dressy, black shoes. Not bad. It could have been much, much worse.

As it stands right now, the Band Banquet is Saturday night. Austin's pants are being altered here in Gardendale. Austin's suit coat is being altered in Hoover. Austin's socks, shirt, tie and underwear (and now his shoes) are here at the house. It's coming together. Slowly, but surely. What am I going to wear to the Banquet, you may ask? I have no idea. That is on the schedule for Saturday morning at 7:00 a.m. (But we're looking forward to the Banquet. We always enjoy it very much, so as soon as all the pieces of clothing we need are in the house, I'll be able to breathe a sigh of relief and be able to enjoy the event.)

And next week starts over with a whole new batch of special end-of-the-year activities.

I'm changing the name of the Blog from "A Simple Life" to "A Simple Life (Except For the Months of April, May and December)."

NOTE: And just for the record... On May 28... the day my baby graduates from High School... the day my heart breaks into a million pieces... the day I had planned on staring at him from the time he wakes up until the time he goes to sleep... Well, it just so happens, that is Roxie's dress rehearsal for her dance recital at the BJCC. Can you say STRESS! Thankfully, her dance teacher saw that the two events fell on the same day, and she called and got the coveted 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. time slot before the other teachers had a chance. Thank you, thank you, Miss Kim!

But that's another day. Today is Thursday, April 2, and after looking at the calendar, I can handle today!

100 Things To Do Before 90

Where to go? Where to go? There are a few places I've always known I wanted to see in my lifetime. Even from a very early age. So here are my top ten choices.

1. The lane in Connecticut in the fall (I know what you're thinking. What lane? Every scenic view calendar ever made has a picture of a lane in Connecticut in the fall that is absolutely breathtaking. The color of the leaves. The horse looking over the wooden fence. The road with just enough leaf coverage to look inviting and not messy. That lane.)

2. The San Diego Zoo (I love zoos. I've been to the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, the Atlanta Zoo and, of course, the Birmingham Zoo. I want to see the best... and San Diego has the best. Also, I might see Jim Fowler there, and he would count as a famous person. You've got to think these things through!)

3. The Washington, D. C. Zoo (Same as above... except for the Jim Fowler part.)

4. Visit Prince Edward's Island (I want to see where Anne of Green Gables lived. It seems like it would be a beautiful, peaceful place, and I love the name. Very royal and regal.)

5. Visit the Magnificent Mile in Chicago and shop (When I say "visit," I also mean stay in a luxury, five-star hotel ON the Magnificent Mile. I wanted to make that clear. I'm not just going to drop in for a day trip. I'll need to stay in the luxury, five-star hotel for four or five days at least.)

6. Visit Niagara Falls (I don't care which side. American or Canadian... it doesn't matter to me. I want to get close enough to feel the spray on my face. Do I want to ride in the boat to the edge of the Falls? Nope. I just want to see it and feel the spray. That's it!)

7. Go on an Alaskan cruise (I'm a lover of cold weather, and I think Mikie and I both would LOVE an Alaskan cruise. And if I could see Russia from somewhere on the trip, that would be a plus, too. You know. Like Gov. Sarah Palin said she could see Russia from her front porch. That would be pretty cool!)

8. Spend a week in New York City (Surprise. I'll probably spend a day at the Central Park Zoo while I'm there! The polar bear exhibit is supposed to be fantastic!)

9. Go to the Florida Keys and spend a week on a houseboat and swim with the manatees (If I'm going to swim with dolphins, I might as well swim with the sea cow. I read about this trip in a FamilyFun Magazine several years ago, and it is something I want the Faulkner Five to do together. It sounds very different and fun.)

10. Visit the New Orleans Zoo (I visited New Orleans 21 years ago. After I visit the Zoo, I have every intention of eating at Emeril's. Another two-fer!)

And just two or three more odds and ends on the list that do not really fall under a specific category...

1. Be a part of starting an OCD support group (And not just any support group. I would like the group to have sessions that include siblings, grandparents, friends of the family, etc. Anyone and everyone associated with the person suffering from this illness, so understanding and compassion can come sooner instead of later. This is very near and dear to my heart, and I hope I can mark this off my list in the very near future.)

2. Own an RV (A very big RV. To be able to drive anywhere -- even around town -- and have access to my own personal bathroom... Ahh. What a thrill!)

3. Own diamond earrings (Only 1 carat each. That would be a thrill, too!)

Tomorrow, I will share a few of the remaining items on my list. The rest have more to do with family, health and spiritual goals than what I've mentioned earlier this week. I also had a thought that's been on my mind for over a week now, and I wanted to share. So check in one more day, and then we'll be done with this topic.

Cottontails Arts and Crafts Festival

This is an annual arts and crafts show held at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center. It is very well advertised on TV, radio and billboards, so even if it slips your mind, you'll probably hear someone talking about it prior to the date. This year it was held March 6 through March 8. They have over 450 booths of arts, crafts, gifts, food, etc. If you have young children, they can have their picture made with the Easter Bunny, too.

There is a food court inside, so you can take your daughter and look, shop, sample and then have a nice little lunch before you finish up and head home.

Roxie and I have been to this several times, but the ones we attend as an annual date are Christmas Village and the Southern Women's Show. We've been going together since she was five, and although her shopping stamina wasn't quite what I wanted it to be when we started, at age 12 it is something we both enjoy doing together very much. And I can definitely see us going for years to come... even as she becomes a "total teenager."

With three such events in the Birmingham area each year, I think it will be great because with a teen's (and young adult's) busy schedule, if she can't go to one, we still have two others we can work with. I just think spending the time at least once a year (and talking, talking, talking) will make this a date you and your daughter will look forward to again and again.

Please have a good Thursday. It's the best day of the week, you know. Tomorrow, I have an Easter book to share for younger children... and a reminder about a book mentioned several months ago that would be perfect reading for Easter, too. Oh, and don't forget the end of the week TV Reviews. Only five this week, but it's still a lot to cover!

Talk to you tomorrow!