Tween/Teen Foundation Building Date

Good Thursday morning!

Another day, another set of Mountain Trip photos. (Don't worry. We were only gone three days. It's almost over.)

RANDOMNESS #1 - Since The Boy turned 20 yesterday, Mike, Josh, Roxie and I made the trip to Jacksonville to take him out to eat (his choice), give him a gift to hold him until the official family birthday party Sunday afternoon and fill his truck up with gas (a surprise gift... and probably his favorite).

He looked exactly the same as he did Monday when we dropped him off at his dorm coming home from our trip. He was only 19 then. Ahhh. Nineteen. I miss 19. For him AND for me!

RANDOMNESS #2 - A friend forwarded this to me yesterday. I love it for several reasons. I LOVED Paul Harvey. I like people with common sense, and he had a lot of common sense. I love LeAnna, the friend who forwarded it to me, and knew I would enjoy reading it.

Being a simple person who writes a blog called A Simple Life... this appealed to me very much.

We try so hard to make things better for our kids that we have made them worse. For my grandchildren, I'd like better.

I want you to know about hand-me-down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches.

I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.

I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car.

And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.

It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.

I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.

I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.

When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him/her.

I hope you have to walk up a hill to school with your friends, and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.

On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.

If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.

I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.

When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.

I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a boy/girl, and when you talk back to your Mother that you learn what soap tastes like.

May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.

If a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he/she is not your friend.

I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma/Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.

May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.

I hope your Mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window, and that she hugs you and kisses you at Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.

These things I wish for you... tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.

Thank you, Mr. Harvey!

Blog Linkage - I have a few links for you to check out today.

1. Go to Nesting Place under My Blog List and read today's post entitled "Final Thoughts on Thrifting." Be sure to click on "Read More" at the bottom of the post. She has some very good ideas about shopping and saving.

2. If you want a new and improved Nacho Cheese Dip recipe, go to eighteen25 under My Blog List and read today's post. It's the basic Nacho Cheese Dip I've had 100 times, but she adds a little extra... and it looks pretty good!

3. If you didn't see all of the "Love" photos submitted in Confessions of a Pioneer Woman's Photography contest, check those out today. They are beautiful. Remember, just click on "Photography" at the top of her main page.

Tween/Teen Foundation Building Date

Since I spoke about this yesterday, I thought today's date should come from one of the sources I shared (www.rickandbubba.com).

Plan today to take your tween or teen to StadiumFest at Spain Park High School, April 2, 2011. You will find all the information you need below.

The gates open at 11:00 a.m.

You will need to bring the following:

A blanket for sitting on the playing field area
A seat pad for sitting in the bleachers
Sunscreen

Do NOT bring the following:

Folding chairs
Fireworks
Firearms
Alcohol
Tobacco
Backpacks and large containers

Admission to StadiumFest is FREE. No tickets or registration are required. You can make a donation if you like.

The following is the schedule for the day. Pick and choose which events you will want to attend:

Bronner Burgess Playground - Noon to 3:00 p.m.
Children's Activities
Jump Zone
Veggie Tales' Bob and Larry
James Spann

Bello the "Worlds Only Comic Stuntman" - 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Main Stage - 3:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Kevin Derryberry
Rick Burgess
TobyMac
Bill "Bubba" Bussey
Scott Dawson
Casting Crowns

Fireworks - 9:00 - 9:15 p.m.

(That's a pretty good line-up, guys.)

Parking will be on-site at Spain Park High School. If overflow is needed, a free shuttle will be provided from Oak Mountain High School.

Go ahead and plan this date in ink with your tween or teen. It's "foundation building," and it would be a wonderful experience to share with your "aging" child!

Have a very blessed Thursday! On Friday, I will have Weekend Happenings, Austin's Birthday photos, Randomness and a little more. (Always... a little more.)

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

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda