Birthday Book

Good Monday morning!

If you live in Central Alabama, you have probably guessed by now my Showcase Pic is going to be related to SNOW! This is what we woke up to Sunday morning! Beautiful. March 1 and we get our one and only snowfall of the year. Of course, we were beyond thrilled. This is what Alabamians live for.

At 3:00 o'clock Saturday afternoon, I went to Wal-Mart for my normal weekend shopping, and was shocked that almost all the registers were open and they were all six or seven people deep. It took over 30 minutes to get to a register to check out. "Why?" people who don't live in Alabama may ask... Because James Spann (our local meteorologist) said the word "snow." He's a very powerful man in our community. We listen to him. We run to our basements when he tells us tornadoes are coming. We turn the heat on when he tells us the first frost is on its way. And we buy bread and milk whenever he says the word "snow." There is no bread or milk to be found in Central Alabama today!

The Gallery Pics for this week are just a hodge-podge of this and that. Nothing specific! Roxie took a good picture of Copper, so we had to use that one. Since we used one of Copper, we had to take one of Sparkle. I don't like the ear being turned inside-out. It's like a bad hair day for dogs, but Copper always pushes her ears inside-out. I don't know why. I think they know it annoys me.

Of course, we have the obligatory "Dogs in Snow" pictures as well. I also have pictures of the Birthday Party "Gift" which is our subject for today. I'll explain it later in the post. Oh, yes. I can't forget... I've added a picture of my March Flag.

Remember what I said about empty weekends filling up in the nicest way. Well, it happened this weekend. Mike decided he wanted to go to the new Bass Pro Shop in Leeds on Saturday, and all the kids wanted to go with him. I let them head on without me, and cooked a little extra for Saturday night and Sunday dinner. It was so peaceful. They had a great time with their dad.

After Austin's date with Melia Saturday night, they came back to the house and we played Apples to Apples. I didn't win (Melia did), but it was still fun... (although not as fun as it could have been, if you know what I mean).

Since Sunday was a snow day, I figured we would all stay inside, nice and cozy for the day, but in true Alabama form, by 2:30 all the snow was gone and the sun was shining. Church was cancelled for Sunday night, Roxie went shopping with a friend, and Josh had two friends over to play X-Box. I baked cookies, and snoozed during Rock Band (as best I could). Mikie worked on computer stuff. And we all came back together for Amazing Race. It was truly a wonderful weekend. I hope you had the same!

My Readership Count was at 36 hits (average) a day. It was down the week of February 15, but I usually have a few more readers when I have a "theme" for the week, and last week was a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Kind of like this week will be. As always, I'm handling the disappointment remarkably well.

I'm still receiving e-mails regarding Josh's Story, so I'm pleased about that. The more aware we are of different situations and illnesses, the better prepared we will be to teach our children the compassion and sensitivity they need to deal with kids they come in contact with every day... whether they're six or 16, boys or girls.

We are on Week Seven of our Esther study. Last week was the first week I had a little trouble with the lesson itself. (The homework was fine.) However, the lesson was one of those "deep" ones. I will give Beth credit though. She made it as interesting and funny and easy to understand as she possibly could. She even had two visuals (one of them using dinner plates) to make it easier for the "brain-matter challenged." (Also known as mothers of more than one kid.) It is still a fantastic Bible Study, and I think if I were two decades younger, I definitely would have understood it more quickly. So far, the "Mean Girls" lesson has been my favorite.

My Story of the Day -- Belinda, the Great

As most of you know, I am officially a great-aunt thanks to my niece and nephew-in-law, Brandi and Jared. Matthew (my great-nephew) can say several words, and most of them are not normal "first word" type words. He says things like "trash" and "light." Most kids say things like "no," "mama," etc. He's exceptional. So I decided to start working on what he will soon be calling me. And since I'm legally a great-aunt, I was teaching him to say "Great-Aunt Belinda." I know, I know... five syllables is a little much. Everyone told me so. "Aunt Belinda is going to be fine," they said.

Well, it's not fine. I mean if you go to medical school and become a doctor, you want people to call you Dr. You even correct them if they call you Mr. I waited a long time to become a Great-Aunt. I earned that title. (Remember "30 for 30," Brandi and Jared? Remember?)

Anyway, I was telling some friends about my little problem. You know, how Matthew will be three before he'll be able to say my entire name/title because it's so long and awkward (even though he is exceptional)... and they had a great idea. "How about 'Belinda, the Great,' or something like that? Would that work?" they asked.

LOVED IT!

"You could even use it for your grandmother name," they said.

Hmm. I have had my grandmother name picked out since Austin was born. I like Nanna. It's easy to say. It's soft. It's pretty. "What if the other grandmother has already chosen that name," Mike once asked. Not a problem.

"I will be known as Nanna B," I said serenely. "What do you want to be called?"

Mike thinks this is something that doesn't have to be decided right now (or 18 years ago for that matter). "I don't care. Pee-Paw is fine with me," he said WITHOUT ANY THOUGHT AT ALL!

"Well, that will not work. Nanna B and Pee-Paw are two names that do not fit together," I told him. This was an argument we had 18 YEARS AGO, and we're still having it today!!!

DISCLAIMER - I do not dislike the name Pee-Paw. It is a fine name. I just don't like it paired with Nanna B. If you are a Pee-Paw, or if you have a Pee-Paw, please do not take offense!

So now, I have this new option that would cover everything. All of my great-nieces and great-nephews from both sides of my family as the years go by, AND my grandchildren AND great-grandchildren could call me "Belinda, the Great!"

However, the only thing that sounds worse than "Nanna B and Pee-Paw" is "Belinda, the Great and Pee-Paw." It is a dilemma. It needs to be settled soon. I have suggested Papa (but with the European pronunciation). I don't know how to write it, but if you have my number you can call me, and I'll tell you how it should sound.

The more I think about it, the more I like it. And let's face it... the odds of the other grandmothers in my extended family being called "_____________, the Great" are pretty slim.

I know what you're thinking. "You are the one always saying, 'Don't miss a moment.' 'Don't blink or the kids will be gone.' 'Don't take a minute of your day with your family for granted.' Don't you think picking your grandmother name when your first child was born 18 years ago should be considered NOT living in the moment? Don't you think you could have used the time and energy you spent on that little matter doing something truly meaningful and wonderful with your newborn baby? Don't you think you should practice what you preach?"

To which I will answer, "I've got my grandmother name already picked out... AND YOU DON'T, so there!" (I have issues, I know.)

Let's talk about the Birthday Book, shall we?

Birthday Book

Roxie and I started this gift tradition many years ago with her friend, Kendall. Roxie and I would pick out an activity for the girls to do together and we would add a "spend the night" to the package. However, we wanted to make it more than just a homemade gift certificate put in a card, so we created the Birthday Book. Each page is handmade and decorated with one part of the surprise. As you can see in the above pictures, we had six pages this year.

Another good thing about this book is the first page serves as the Birthday Card. You don't have to spend the extra $3 to $5 on a card. The Book is the gift AND the card.

Kendall loves this gift. Every year she saves it for the last gift she opens. And she also started making Roxie Birthday Books. They never know what the other has planned. They have had pedicures, gone to movies, rode horses, etc., etc., etc. This year, Roxie found a coupon for Alabama Adventure, and if we go on a certain day of the week in April, the tickets are $15 which just happens to be our birthday limit. We threw in the Argo Drive-In because it is $10 per carload and our whole family (plus Kendall) can enjoy that activity together.

Every book has been different and special. Each year the girls put a lot of thought into what activity they want to pick for their friend.

If your child has a special friend or cousin or sibling in their life they would like to start giving Birthday Books as gifts, this is the year to start. It's never too late. (Although Kendall's mom and I are in trouble... The girls have declared there is nothing left to do in the State of Alabama. Oh, well. I guess we're off to Georgia!)

Tomorrow I have a dessert recipe I know will please. Have a great Monday, and I'll talk to you Tuesday.