Weekend Happenings

Good Friday morning!

I'll apologize ahead of time... This is a LONG post. But everything is in categories, so you can skip anything you're not interested in reading. (I can't imagine what that would be, but every one's different, aren't they?)

ROXIE MADE THE THIRD CUT! There are seven 6th graders left, and the Coach told them she would have less than six on the team. There will be a final cut tonight. Also, since we will not know who made the final team until Saturday morning, I will be doing something never done before on A Simple Life... There will be a Saturday post! It will not be posted at 6:00 a.m. Saturday morning. It will probably be around 8:00 or 9:00 a.m. It will be one sentence, but it will be a post. (Hopefully, it will be a happy one.)

For all the scrapbookers out there, Crazy for Crafting under my Blog List posted a website Wednesday (www.peachycheap.com). Every day, this website offers a scrapbooking product for 70% or more off the regular price. There is a $4.99 shipping fee, but for what you get, you are still saving money, and you are buying new products which may not be available in your local scrapbooking stores. The last two days, they have had some very pretty supplies. I haven't bought anything yet, because they haven't really had anything that jumped out at me, but as we all know, every scrapper is different. What you love, I may not necessarily ever use. Check them out.

Also, when they run out of the product, that's it. First come, first serve!

(I don't know if they offer a new product on Saturdays and Sundays. I'll be checking this weekend to see.)

Weekend Happenings

A busy weekend is staring us in the face. Friday night, I am going out with some girls to celebrate a friend's upcoming wedding. It's been a long time since I've been invited out with the girls, so I am very excited. I'm even planning an outfit... very Roxie-like! Now do I wear my hair super-curly or super-straight? Do I wear mascara on the top and bottom lashes? What shoes? What purse? (I would ask the expert, but I'm afraid we wouldn't agree on all the answers.)

It is definitely a movie weekend for Josh. He's going to see the new Star Trek movie with a new friend Friday night, and another movie Saturday with another buddy. (I hate when several good movies come out the same weekend.) He's worked so hard this week with spring training and cutting three or four yards, he deserves to sit in a nice cool theater with a tub of popcorn and a soft drink... even if he does do it twice.

Speaking of yard cutting, it is taking up a great part of the weekend. The guys did a yard Wednesday before church, and they are doing one yard Friday and another Saturday morning before Austin heads to work at the Chick. They are trying to get as much done before Austin leaves next week on his band trip to Virginia Beach. As it stands now, Josh will have spring training, homework and two yards next week by himself... which won't be easy, but he gets ALL the money.

My sister, Bev, and I are taking my Mom to Miss Rosemarie's Tea Room Saturday morning for the Mother's Day Tea. The menu looks delicious, and Bev and Mom have never been before, so I think it will be enjoyable. After that, we're planning on shopping at The Summit for a little while before heading home.

While the guys are cutting yards, and I'm having tea, Mikie and Roxie are attending the Gumbo Gala on a date. I'll let you know how that turns out Monday. Roxie will take her camera, and I will give her strict instructions to take a picture of a Swamp Poppa. (She's not shy, either. She'll walk right up to one and snap away. I see a career as a paparazzi in her future!)

Sunday finds us going to see Mike's Mom for gift delivery and a visit. After we leave there sometime Sunday afternoon, we will head over to Bev's for my brother-in-law's birthday celebration. (Tommy will be 46!)

And then two guesses where we'll end up. That's right. The last episode of Amazing Race is Sunday night, and we're planning on being there.

It's going to be a busy, fun, family-filled weekend. The best kind. Hopefully, I'll have pictures from some, if not most, of the things we'll be doing. (Oh, and don't worry about Austin. I know he had to work a lot this weekend, but he's off next week for his trip, so his fun time is definitely coming!)

TV Reviews

Amazing Race - It came down to mere seconds! And finally, someone on that show had to go to bathroom! And having to go to the bathroom is what caused the sisters to lose the Amazing Race. When it dawned on them why they had lost, I kept hoping the older sister would be kind and forgiving toward the younger sister who had just eaten slugs and scorpions, and had drank FOUR large water bottles to get everything down... and she was. Great sister!

Also, it has just answered the question that has been bothering me over and over all these seasons. Is one of the requirements of being on the Amazing Race being able to go 72 hours without EVER having to go to the restroom? And obviously the answer is NO. This means I could now try out for the Amazing Race. Let's face it... the only thing stopping me was the bathroom situation. (I'm kidding. There are so many reasons I couldn't be on that show it would take a month to list them all.) This last week should be good. All three teams are worthy... even the redheads who get so aggravated because they cannot understand foreign languages. We'll see. We'll see.

My money is on the brother/sister team. They are working so well together, I think they could go all the way.)

Celebrity Apprentice - Well, Joan Rivers came back and Donald Trump fired everyone but two. Yep... Obnoxious Annie and Joan Rivers. I know Joan is a tough lady, but Annie is the most conniving woman I've ever seen in my life. I guess if I had to choose a winner, it would have to be Obnoxious Annie. We'll see if I'm right!

24 - Jack has gone from his very effective threatening whisper to screaming his head off. Personally, I think the quiet, but deadly, whisper is much more effective. I know I would do exactly what he said! Tony is completely and totally evil. There is no hope for him. I predict Jack will kill him within the next two weeks.

LOST - Thank goodness! Next week is the Season Finale. I will talk about the only part I truly understood. When Kate got on the submarine at the last minute, and Sawyer looked at her, I actually felt sorry for Juliet. Juliet cannot compete with Kate. She's Sawyer's first love. It's sad, but true. Since I'm predicting endings, I'm going to go out on a limb and say Jack DOES NOT blow up the island with the hydrogen bomb. I'm also going to predict that the person who stops him will be John Locke. (It makes no sense, but I bet I'm right.)

(Actually, I wouldn't mind if they used the hydrogen bomb to end the whole show. Unanswered questions and all... What do you think?)

Survivor - Loved it! It's almost too obvious, but I'll go ahead and predict J.T. as the winner of this season's Survivor. And the day after... Road trip to Sampson for a "famous person" pic, baby!

Next week, we'll see how many of my predictions came true. What if I get every single one of them right? Wouldn't that be a hoot? (Really, it would be a little disturbing because it might mean I understand LOST more than I thought.)

A Mother's Day Tale

My very first Mother's Day. I remember it like it was yesterday... not 1991. Mike was determined to do everything the "right way" to make it a very special day indeed.

He knew I was supposed to have a corsage. However, when I was growing up, you wore a red corsage if your mother was living, and a white corsage if your mother had passed away. I don't know if that is a Southern tradition... or just practiced in my little part of the world. That being said, Mikie didn't know the rules.

He called our local florist in Cullman and asked for a corsage for a "first time mother." (Code for BIG!) The florist asked him, "Is the mother living or deceased?" This totally threw Mike.

He thought she was kidding, so he responded, "Now, why would I buy a deceased mother a corsage?" The florist was not amused.

"I'll take care of it," was all she said.

When Mikie went to pick up my Mother's Day corsage the afternoon before Mother's Day, he picked up the biggest orchid corsage (with matching ribbons) I had ever seen. I shouldn't have been surprised thinking back on my giant homecoming mum, but I was.

"Wow. That's quite a corsage," I said weakly.

"Yeah. The florist was a nut though. She kept asking me if you were dead or alive. But in the end, she did a great job, don't you think?" he asked, pleased. (To Mikie, bigger is always better in the corsage department.)

I didn't even ask what he was talking about because I had started wondering what to wear with the giant purple orchid. What I had originally picked out was a floral dress which would have looked wonderful with a small red corsage, but not with a giant purple one.

I finally settled on a celery green dress (solid), and while it might not have been the BEST color choice, Austin was only three months old. (Code for I DIDN'T FIT INTO ALL MY OLD CLOTHES YET, SO IT WAS THE ONLY OTHER CHOICE!)

The flower was so large, I couldn't hold Austin on my left hip because his face and head kept getting buried in the flower. Plus, he kept grabbing for the ribbons. (The only thing worse than a giant purple corsage is a dead giant purple corsage.) I balanced him on my right hip for most of the day.

A few days later, I explained the tradition to Mike. "When they were asking if the mother was alive or deceased, they meant MY mother," I explained.

"Oh," he said. He paused, thinking. "I liked that you were the only one wearing an orchid though. It made it more special." (Code for I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A PURPLE ORCHID EVERY YEAR FOR MOTHER'S DAY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!) And he has.

In the year 2009, I can count on one hand the corsages I see on Sunday mornings... even on the older women. But you can always spot me. I'm the very proud Mom wearing the slightly smaller (NOW) orchid corsage in the upper right balcony.

It's fun. It's tradition. It's a story to tell. And I love it!

Book

The Angelina Ballerina series is a wonderful set of books (over 35 individual stories, as well as puzzle books, coloring books, etc.) for little girls ages three to six. They are written by Helen Craig and Katharine Holabird.

Angelina is a little mouse with big dreams. She wants to become a ballerina... and not just a ballerina, but the best ballerina she can be. She works hard and achieves success because she earns it. These are classic stories with lessons in each and every one.

The illustrations are also very beautiful and soothing. Roxie received her first Angelina Ballerina book in hardback along with a beautifully decorated cardboard stage and an Angelina Ballerina doll.

These books would be wonderful to collect, but they are also always available at your local library. I know your little dancer would love ALL the Angelina Ballerina stories. (There's even one for Christmas called The Nutcracker. I would get this one for my Christmas basket!)

Have a magnificent Mother's Day Weekend. Spend a TON of time with your family, whether it's one-on-one or as a whole. Next week will be a busy one. We have another end-of-the-year party... a Sandra Lee recipe (I tried it last night)... a Seasonal Tradition that is simple and fun (no traveling required)... a great parent/child date... and another good read! Check in if you have time, and tell a friend. (Code for I'M STILL TRYING TO GET MY NUMBERS UP A LITTLE BIT!)

Take care, and I'll talk to you Monday.