Multiple Birthday Celebration Ideas

Good Monday morning!

NOTE TO LEANNA - There's no doubt in my mind you are correct about the cause of Austin's "silly grin." I remember grinning like that, don't you? (I also remember when he was about six months old, and I would walk into a room and that "silly grin" was all about ME!) But I'm not bitter. Nope. I just like to see The Boy happy... and happy he is!

The Showcase Pic today is, of course, from the JSU game we attended this week. And no surprise here... So are the Gallery Pics.

NOTE - My Aunt Connie gave me information leading to the ever elusive parsnip... and I bought a bag. They look like pale, sick carrots. Tuesday will be parsnip day around here as I try out the recipe I posted last March (in honor of St. Patrick's Day). Pictures and reviews will be in by Wednesday.

Although going to the game was the "big" thing this weekend in the Faulkner household, we did have a little excitement Friday. Our satellite went out (partially) a couple of weeks ago, and we scheduled to have it repaired last week. Mikie checked on prices and decided to have a "dish divver" installed. I didn't know what that was. I just knew I needed the Food Channel and the Travel Channel to work on my television set for me to be truly content.

The technician came and set up a new box in our bedroom and our family room. Then he called me from the kitchen and he was holding (GASP!) a new remote control. Great. I had never learned to use the old one except to turn the TV on and off. Inwardly, I moaned. Outwardly, I tried to put on my "I-am-a-techno-savvy-intelligent-individual" face really, really quick, but I think he saw me grimace when I saw the new remote.

"Okay. This is all you have to do," he began, holding the 400-button remote out for me to see. He quickly began pushing button after button after button. Sweat started forming on my upper lip.

"I'm sorry. Did you already tell me where the On/Off button was located?" I asked.

Short pause. "Here. The large red button on top that says 'Power' is your On/Off button."

Great. I had already used the wrong lingo. Obviously On/Off is no longer acceptable. I started glazing over (which is what I tend to do during anything techno-related) when I noticed the show on the TV was rewinding. "What's that? What are you doing? Is that a tape?" I asked, suddenly curious.

"You mean DVD, and no. It isn't a DVD. It's the actual program. You can rewind or pause to go to the bathroom and come back and not miss any of your show."

I ignored the tape/DVD correction (another lingo problem). "I've heard people talk about being able to do that with that TiVo thing," I said, hoping I was using the correct word and it wasn't DiVo or TiRo or something similar.

"That's what this is," he said, no longer even looking at me.

"That means we can record a whole season of our favorite show just by telling it what we want," I was getting it now.

"That is correct."

All right. I knew what to do now. I looked at the TV and said in a very authoritative tone, "Survivor... All Episodes." I looked at him and grinned.

Mouth slightly drooping, he stared at me. "It isn't voice activated. You have to use the remote."

"I knew that," I lied. And then I had to stand there while he gave me a 15-minute tutorial of how to record a season of episodes. When it was over, I asked him weakly, "Is there an instruction booklet... and a tape, I mean a DVD, to refer to if I happen to forget something (Code for EVERYTHING)?"

He left me a LOT of booklets AND a DVD for Mikie to read and watch... and one day in the near future (September 17, 2009), Mikie will be able to TiVo or DiVo or UhOh our favorite show. Something to look forward to!

JSU vs. Georgia Tech Game

This will count as my football story for the day. I will continue with the football story theme for the remainder of the week, but since I'm a little light in the football story department, I have to be careful and not use too many in one post. I'm sure you understand.

I just have a few observations after attending the football game this weekend. I like to call them "Three Things I'm Too Old For (and Maybe You Should Be, Too). In a nutshell, here they are...

1. Tube tops and/or strapless, tube top-like dresses at a college football game. Color is irrelevant. It's just bad. Very, very bad.

2. Heavy blue eyeshadow (even when you're wearing a blue tube top and/or strapless, tube top-like dress at a college football game).

3. And a 16-hour day which includes sitting with my knees sticking into a stranger's back... and another stranger's knees sticking into my back. It's a vicious cycle, I tell you.

Other than that, it was a lot of fun!

Austin Update

Tickets to the first college game of the season (where your son is now participating in the marching band)... $100

Parking... $5 (a miracle to find a lot only three blocks from the game this cheap)

Sunscreen we didn't need (because it rained instead)... $7.92

Bottled water to stave off dehydration... $18

Insurance co-pay for chiropractor visit because of "knee-in-back" injuries as mentioned above... $30

Seeing the back of The Boy's head in the midst of 400 Marching Southerners; little sister screaming his name; and instead of ignoring his "crazy waving" family, he turns around with a big grin on his face and "crazy waves" back... PRICELESS.

It was a great day, and the best part was being able to load him up and bring him home with us. Melia spent the day with us, and Austin was thrilled for her to be watching him march for the first time, too.

Multiple Birthday Celebration Ideas

Boy, are you lucky today. Today is so random, I couldn't just hold it down to one party or event. Today you get several ideas in just one post from Let's Make a Memory by Gloria Gaither and Shirley Dobson. I'm featuring ideas and suggestions from this one particular book several times this week (including Wednesday Wisdom).

1. Choose one gift and put it at the birthday person's place at the breakfast table to be opened as soon as his/her day begins.

2. Ask the birthday person to plan the menu for supper. (Or, let the birthday person choose a favorite eating place, as the budget allows.)

3. On each child's birthday, record a DVD of an interview with him or her. Ask him or her to describe special memories about the past year -- happy times, sad moments, fun things that happened, and other meaningful experiences. Add to the recording every year at the time of each birthday. After each interview, play back the previous years' conversations.

4. Make an Instant Party for a loved one away from home. Bake cookies and arrange them in a box with packs of party plates, napkins and several birthday cards from friends and family. Add several wrapped gifts and gift cards to the package. Wrap the box in birthday paper with a card explaining that you are sending an "instant party." Finish with an outer wrapping of brown paper and mail to that special birthday person who is living away. (Since Austin's birthday is on a Tuesday this year, I'm sending him an Instant Party box on the actual day. We'll have his family party/dinner the weekend before. It sounds fun, doesn't it?)

5. Give the Gift of What You Are. Buy large empty capsules from a drugstore or pharmacy. On strips of bright paper, have each member of the family write, "I love you because..." and sign his/her name on the back. Each person may contribute as many as he wishes. Roll strips tightly and insert in capsule. Put capsules in small box (jewelry container or match box) and wrap or decorate box. Give to the birthday person to read now or to save for special "low" days. Great medicine to counteract discouragement all year long! This gift is very special for someone away at college or in the service.

And, of course, serve the birthday person's meal on the family Birthday Plate AND hang the official Birthday Flag for the day. (I hope you're fortunate enough to own the Winnie the Pooh Birthday Flag. I've seen others, and they're okay. But everyone knows, a birthday isn't a birthday without a Winnie the Pooh Birthday Flag.)

Please have a good Monday. It's a National Holiday, you know... a real one! Enjoy your family and friends. Come back tomorrow for a recipe that will make your mouth water.

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

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda