Good Thursday morning!
The Gallery Pics are called "Chillin' on the Deck." As you can see, I've become so desperate for photos around here I'm taking pictures of the dogs, the kids AND appliances... all in the same five-minute period. (I'm counting Mikie's new phone as an appliance.) I think the phrase "epic summer" means (for me) doing absolutely nothing picture-worthy. Or so it would seem.
RANDOMNESS #1 - I watched Meredith's last day on The Today Show yesterday. I love send-offs, and this one did not disappoint. Lots of tears, video montages of all the funny things that happened to her over the past five years, special surprise guests, more tears... Good television!
While I liked Meredith and I hate to see her leave, I am glad Ann Curry is getting a turn to sit on the couch with Matt. She has waited a long, long time for her chance at the "big time."
And that's all I have to say about that!
RANDOMNESS #2 - I haven't mentioned it on the blog because I didn't want you to think less of me, but I have not been to Body Pump in over two weeks. In fact, I haven't done any sort of structured exercise in over two weeks.
My inability to exercise without a buddy has caused this little slump. When Cam has been able to go, I have had something scheduled. And vice versa.
And my exercise buddy has had a little bit on her plate the last few weeks. Her baby graduated from high school. Her second child graduated from college. Her future daughter-in-law graduated from college. Oh. And did I mention her second child is marrying her future daughter-in-law in a couple of weeks.
Talk about an "epic summer." I need to camp out in her driveway for a few days. I'm pretty sure I would have some pics for the Gallery. (And now, with all that is on her plate, she will have to worry about me sitting in her driveway waiting to take pictures. I'm just kidding, Cam!)
I've said all the above just to point out I am very sore... because Cam and I did go to Body Pump yesterday. And the only thing worse than being sore from REGULARLY attending Body Pump, is being sore because you've missed over two weeks of Body Pump.
My core (whatever the heck that is) is killing me!
Blog Linkage - I have three links for you, and I hope you like them.
1. Go to eighteen25 under My Blog List and scroll down to the post entitled "Father's Day Tie Box" dated June 6. I thought this was a pretty cute gift idea for little ones to help make for Dad.
2. Go to Coal Creek Farms under My Blog List and scroll down to the post entitled "June = No TV!" dated June 3. This family turns off the TV every June and reaps the benefits of spending time playing board games, reading good books, talking to each other, etc., etc.
We have never turned the TV off for an entire month at Faulkner Farms (circa 1842). And I really couldn't have done it this month. You know. Because of Meredith's big send-off on The Today Show and all. However, the idea has always intrigued me.
While we have gone a day or two or three without TV because of other activities, a month seems a little daunting. One might even use the word "epic."
No promises, but I am going to think about the possibility.
3. Google Birmingham Bargain Mom today and any other day you have a free minute. Scroll through her vast list of freebies and discount bargains. Click on Entertainment on her sidebar and find specific things to do this weekend with your date OR family. She never disappoints.
Huntsville Space and Rocket Center Fireworks Date
Speaking of Birmingham Bargain Mom... This idea came straight from her website!
You'll need to go to www.spacecamp.com/store/fireworks-celebration to order your ticket(s). Print the invoice off and present it at the gate. The invoice will show the number of tickets you ordered. There is a limit of 6 tickets per family.
The following is Bargain Mom's description of the event:
For the first time ever, two of Huntsville's most iconic destinations have joined forces to give the greater Huntsville community a 4th of July celebration not to be missed. The Space and Rocket Center and Bridge Street Town Centre will host a day of events culminating in a dramatic duel fireworks show at dusk.
The Museum will be closed after 5:00 p.m., but gates to the facility re-open at 7:00 p.m. for the first 2011 people to go online and reserve a prime spot for fireworks viewing. Until the show starts, you can enjoy the following:
Space Shot and G-Force
Kids Cosmos
Continuous "Create-Your-Own-Rocket" Launches
Family Photos with Space Camp mascots
Food and beverages for purchase
Rocket City Jazz Band live underneath the Pathfinder Shuttle
The Fireworks Show begins at 8:45 p.m. and lasts for 20 minutes. It is synced with Bridge Street's show.
This sounds like a fun "family" date. Something new. Something different. Something memorable. Something FREE!
There are only about 1,000 tickets left, so if you want to go, reserve your tickets today!
BONUS - I've mentioned this several times on A Simple Life, but it is such a simple, fun way to plan a date with one of the kids.
Google "National Holidays in June" and click on one of several websites which list all of the official holidays for the month. Here are some crazy days you can celebrate with your date.
June 10 - National Yo-Yo Day - Go to your favorite fast food joint for dinner and then head to a store to purchase TWO yo-yos. Have a good time introducing your date to this classic toy!
June 20 - Ice Cream Soda Day - Need I say more? If you don't have a local ice cream store that makes ice cream sodas, head to the grocery store with your date to purchase the ingredients and make them at home.
June 22 - National Chocolate Eclair Day - Oh... my... goodness! Why can't every day be National Chocolate Eclair Day? Go to a nearby bakery and purchase two of these wonderful desserts!
June 24 - Museum Comes To Life Day - Pick a local museum you have never visited (or maybe a favorite) and spend an hour or two enjoying the exhibits.
June 26 - National Chocolate Pudding Day - Carve out some time in the kitchen and make your own chocolate pudding. OR you could go to the store and buy several different kinds of chocolate pudding. Take them home and have a taste test. Find the best tasting chocolate pudding EVER!
June 28 - Paul Bunyan Day - Check out an age-appropriate book about Paul Bunyan and his Blue Ox, Babe. Find a cozy corner and enjoy some reading time together.
June 29 - Camera Day - Give your date the camera and take them wherever they want to go to take the perfect picture of the day!
Have a great Thursday. Plan a June date TODAY! I'll be back tomorrow with Weekend Happenings... and pictures of my friend, Cam, taken from my special spot in her driveway!
Take care, and I'll talk to you Friday.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Showing posts with label Dates. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dates. Show all posts
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Thursday, June 2, 2011
A Peanut Date
Good Thursday morning!
The Gallery Pics are from my cooking experience last night. The Chicken and Potato Pancakes were a Five Star Faulkner SUCCESS! We will be having them again because they are easy, tasty and fun to make. (Plus, the recipe makes a TON of batter, and I can refrigerate it and use it for fresh-tasting leftovers later in the week.)
Oh, and there's a good picture of Roxie wearing her new summer hat I thought was cute. She saved her money for this hat, and we discovered something in the process... the chick can rock a cap!
RANDOMNESS #1 - Yesterday I spent 94 minutes in line at the high school registering my son for his Senior year of school. I've always done this for Austin and Josh. I think of it as my little gift to them. They will have a lifetime of registering and filling out paperwork, whereas I only have 18 years for each child and I will officially be DONE!
I wish I had recorded Austin's first telephone call after he registered for college classes all by himself... on the Internet... in his air-conditioned dorm room... in his pajamas.
"Well, that was a major pain," he whined.
"Really? Really? How long did it take you, Son?" I asked testily (AFTER he told me he had registered on the Internet... in his air-conditioned dorm room... in his pajamas).
"Ugh. That's 32 minutes I'll never get back," he groaned.
Thirty-two minutes! Thirty-two minutes! I seriously thought about getting in the car and driving the 83 minutes to his college and hitting him over his head with his computer.
But, no. I wasn't going to waste another second with HIS registration. I had to put on my extra deodorant, tube top and bathing suit bottoms to go to high school AND middle school registration for my remaining children. My gift to them for a year of hard work and good grades.
I hung up on The Boy. He assumed something was wrong with the telephone lines because he couldn't imagine someone being angry enough to hang up on HIM... and he took a nap because he was exhausted, you see... from registering on the Internet... in his air-conditioned dorm room... in his pajamas.
RANDOMNESS #2 - Today I'm registering Roxie for her FIRST year of high school. Girls are a little different from guys. She is going with me because she wants to be sure she gets in line with her friends AND has a locker next to all of them.
I'm going to teach her well, and next year I'm dropping the chick off! There's no sense in both of us sweating off five pounds. (I WISH!)
This is a big year for me. My last registration year AND my last carpool line year. I need to to do something big to celebrate. Any suggestions?
Blog Linkage - I have three links for you today from three of my favorite bloggers. I'm also investigating a new food blog, and I might add that to the mix next week. It looks very promising.
1. Go to Big Mama under My Blog List and read her post entitled "Wherein I reach the end of my Internet rope" dated June 2. I, too, am having major Internet problems. I am typing my blog posts on The Boy's computer, because although I've tried, I cannot get an actual person to help me... and I do not understand the things the "troubleshooting" website is trying to tell me... and I am frustrated beyond belief. But Big Mama makes it funny. (I am too close to the situation to find the humor in it yet. Maybe one day.)
2. Go to Nesting Place under My Blog List and read the post entitled "18 Summers" dated June 1. It's short, sweet and to the point. I love the message.
3. Go to Confessions of a Pioneer Woman under My Blog List and read the post entitled "A Different Perspective" dated June 1. She hands her child a camera and looks at the world through HER eyes. I love it!
Enjoy!
A Peanut Date
You read the title correctly. A Peanut Date! It wouldn't be a long date, and it wouldn't be an expensive date, but it would be a fun date... and maybe a little tradition would begin.
If you have a little one who likes an occasional peanut, head to The Peanut Depot, 2016 Morris Avenue in Downtown Birmingham (205-251-3314). They are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
The following is what they have to say about themselves:
The Peanut Depot has been roasting nuts the old-fashioned way for over 100 years, and still supplies legions of ballparks around the United States.
Take a factory tour, or just purchase some freshly roasted goobers (the Cajun blend might be a little too spicy for little ones).
I called the number to find out about the tours, and it is VERY laid back. The gentleman on the phone said to call first, and if they weren't too busy they would be glad to show you around.
Since he was SO laid back, I asked about the cost of the tour. He chuckled and said it didn't cost a penny... which led me to believe it's not going to be a super-structured learning experience. But a tour which ends with fresh, hot roasted peanuts is a tour worth taking, I always say! (What? You've never heard me say that? We need to start hanging out more!)
Call first, and enjoy what the place has to offer... and have fun with your date! (While you're there, take a few pics of your date on Morris Avenue. More fun!)
And the tradition I spoke of above... It might be a place you and your son or daughter go to purchase fresh bags of peanuts before watching a big game on your television set... or before you go camping as a hiking snack... or (you fill in the blank).
Have a cool Thursday. We are sweating a lot in Alabama, and it looks like the fun has just begun. I'll be back tomorrow morning with Weekend Happenings, pics and Randomness.
Take care, and I'll talk to you Friday.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery Pics are from my cooking experience last night. The Chicken and Potato Pancakes were a Five Star Faulkner SUCCESS! We will be having them again because they are easy, tasty and fun to make. (Plus, the recipe makes a TON of batter, and I can refrigerate it and use it for fresh-tasting leftovers later in the week.)
Oh, and there's a good picture of Roxie wearing her new summer hat I thought was cute. She saved her money for this hat, and we discovered something in the process... the chick can rock a cap!
RANDOMNESS #1 - Yesterday I spent 94 minutes in line at the high school registering my son for his Senior year of school. I've always done this for Austin and Josh. I think of it as my little gift to them. They will have a lifetime of registering and filling out paperwork, whereas I only have 18 years for each child and I will officially be DONE!
I wish I had recorded Austin's first telephone call after he registered for college classes all by himself... on the Internet... in his air-conditioned dorm room... in his pajamas.
"Well, that was a major pain," he whined.
"Really? Really? How long did it take you, Son?" I asked testily (AFTER he told me he had registered on the Internet... in his air-conditioned dorm room... in his pajamas).
"Ugh. That's 32 minutes I'll never get back," he groaned.
Thirty-two minutes! Thirty-two minutes! I seriously thought about getting in the car and driving the 83 minutes to his college and hitting him over his head with his computer.
But, no. I wasn't going to waste another second with HIS registration. I had to put on my extra deodorant, tube top and bathing suit bottoms to go to high school AND middle school registration for my remaining children. My gift to them for a year of hard work and good grades.
I hung up on The Boy. He assumed something was wrong with the telephone lines because he couldn't imagine someone being angry enough to hang up on HIM... and he took a nap because he was exhausted, you see... from registering on the Internet... in his air-conditioned dorm room... in his pajamas.
RANDOMNESS #2 - Today I'm registering Roxie for her FIRST year of high school. Girls are a little different from guys. She is going with me because she wants to be sure she gets in line with her friends AND has a locker next to all of them.
I'm going to teach her well, and next year I'm dropping the chick off! There's no sense in both of us sweating off five pounds. (I WISH!)
This is a big year for me. My last registration year AND my last carpool line year. I need to to do something big to celebrate. Any suggestions?
Blog Linkage - I have three links for you today from three of my favorite bloggers. I'm also investigating a new food blog, and I might add that to the mix next week. It looks very promising.
1. Go to Big Mama under My Blog List and read her post entitled "Wherein I reach the end of my Internet rope" dated June 2. I, too, am having major Internet problems. I am typing my blog posts on The Boy's computer, because although I've tried, I cannot get an actual person to help me... and I do not understand the things the "troubleshooting" website is trying to tell me... and I am frustrated beyond belief. But Big Mama makes it funny. (I am too close to the situation to find the humor in it yet. Maybe one day.)
2. Go to Nesting Place under My Blog List and read the post entitled "18 Summers" dated June 1. It's short, sweet and to the point. I love the message.
3. Go to Confessions of a Pioneer Woman under My Blog List and read the post entitled "A Different Perspective" dated June 1. She hands her child a camera and looks at the world through HER eyes. I love it!
Enjoy!
A Peanut Date
You read the title correctly. A Peanut Date! It wouldn't be a long date, and it wouldn't be an expensive date, but it would be a fun date... and maybe a little tradition would begin.
If you have a little one who likes an occasional peanut, head to The Peanut Depot, 2016 Morris Avenue in Downtown Birmingham (205-251-3314). They are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
The following is what they have to say about themselves:
The Peanut Depot has been roasting nuts the old-fashioned way for over 100 years, and still supplies legions of ballparks around the United States.
Take a factory tour, or just purchase some freshly roasted goobers (the Cajun blend might be a little too spicy for little ones).
I called the number to find out about the tours, and it is VERY laid back. The gentleman on the phone said to call first, and if they weren't too busy they would be glad to show you around.
Since he was SO laid back, I asked about the cost of the tour. He chuckled and said it didn't cost a penny... which led me to believe it's not going to be a super-structured learning experience. But a tour which ends with fresh, hot roasted peanuts is a tour worth taking, I always say! (What? You've never heard me say that? We need to start hanging out more!)
Call first, and enjoy what the place has to offer... and have fun with your date! (While you're there, take a few pics of your date on Morris Avenue. More fun!)
And the tradition I spoke of above... It might be a place you and your son or daughter go to purchase fresh bags of peanuts before watching a big game on your television set... or before you go camping as a hiking snack... or (you fill in the blank).
Have a cool Thursday. We are sweating a lot in Alabama, and it looks like the fun has just begun. I'll be back tomorrow morning with Weekend Happenings, pics and Randomness.
Take care, and I'll talk to you Friday.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Thursday, May 26, 2011
End-of-the-Year Family Date
Good Thursday morning!
The Gallery Pics are from our Family Date last night celebrating the END-OF-THE-SCHOOL-YEAR! It's a simple tradition, but fun... and it is something you can do with your kids from preschool until high school graduation. More on this date below.
RANDOMNESS #1 - The Boy is officially finished with his "Maymester" today! He is also a Junior in college. WOW! And again... WOW!
He's coming home to a three-day anniversary celebration with the lovely Melia. They have been dating for three years now, and from what I hear from both camps, they are going to have a very good weekend.
RANDOMNESS #2 - Josh isn't graduating this year, but I still get to attend part of graduation. I'm going to help serve the graduating Seniors and their families during the reception following the ceremony. I'm really looking forward to seeing all the caps and gowns... and all the guys and gals I have known the past 17 years.
Who knows? I may have some graduation pictures in the Gallery tomorrow. That would be pretty cool, wouldn't it?
RANDOMNESS #3 - Speaking of graduating, Josh will be a Senior this coming year. Roxie will be a Freshman and as I mentioned above, Austin will be a Junior.
I am older than dirt.
Blog Linkage - Today's list is a little on the small side, but here are three links for you to enjoy today.
1. Go to Big Mama under My Blog List and scroll down to Previous Entries. Click on her post entitled "This only adds to my issues with chicken" dated May 25. It reminded me of my last Field Day/May Day three years ago. I LOVED Field Days as a little girl, and I enjoyed working them as a parent for my three as they were coming up through the ranks. Tie-dye shirts, snow cones, relay races, etc., etc. Good times. Good times.
2. Go to Confessions of a Pioneer Woman under My Blog List. Click on Home and Garden at the top of her page and scroll down to the post entitled "Knockout" dated May 24. I have seen these roses EVERYWHERE this year, and I thought Knockout was just a nickname. Obviously not.
3. Now click on the Cooking portion at the top of her page. Scroll down to the post entitled "Big Fat Bacon Sliders" dated May 25. Nuff said. I'm making these this weekend. Oh, yes. I most definitely am!
End-of-the-Year Family Date
This isn't an extravagant or memory-making date in and of itself. However, it can become a family tradition... so it's a good thing.
On the last day of school (for all of your kids... it may vary from school to school), plan on taking everyone out to eat to celebrate and reconnect.
This past school year has been very tiring... for the kids AND the parents. Since Josh and Roxie were both finished with school the same day, I checked the "Date" envelope and announced we were going out to eat. The kids and Mikie looked at me with weary, red-rimmed eyes and said, "Really? That would be great."
As I said before, it wasn't extravagant. We went to Logan's. But it was needed. We talked a little about the past school year, but the majority of the conversation revolved around what we wanted to do this summer... on our own and as a family.
We took our time eating, talking, planning and headed home for a movie night. It was a good night. We needed to acknowledge the past year, but spend time looking ahead at what the kids hope will be an "epic" summer.
Add this as one of your annual dates. Take the kids to breakfast the first day of school, and treat them to dinner the last.
Have a good Thursday. I'll be back in the morning to post Weekend Happenings. I'm scared to say for certain, but I think tubing might be in our immediate future. (I hope. I hope.)
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery Pics are from our Family Date last night celebrating the END-OF-THE-SCHOOL-YEAR! It's a simple tradition, but fun... and it is something you can do with your kids from preschool until high school graduation. More on this date below.
RANDOMNESS #1 - The Boy is officially finished with his "Maymester" today! He is also a Junior in college. WOW! And again... WOW!
He's coming home to a three-day anniversary celebration with the lovely Melia. They have been dating for three years now, and from what I hear from both camps, they are going to have a very good weekend.
RANDOMNESS #2 - Josh isn't graduating this year, but I still get to attend part of graduation. I'm going to help serve the graduating Seniors and their families during the reception following the ceremony. I'm really looking forward to seeing all the caps and gowns... and all the guys and gals I have known the past 17 years.
Who knows? I may have some graduation pictures in the Gallery tomorrow. That would be pretty cool, wouldn't it?
RANDOMNESS #3 - Speaking of graduating, Josh will be a Senior this coming year. Roxie will be a Freshman and as I mentioned above, Austin will be a Junior.
I am older than dirt.
Blog Linkage - Today's list is a little on the small side, but here are three links for you to enjoy today.
1. Go to Big Mama under My Blog List and scroll down to Previous Entries. Click on her post entitled "This only adds to my issues with chicken" dated May 25. It reminded me of my last Field Day/May Day three years ago. I LOVED Field Days as a little girl, and I enjoyed working them as a parent for my three as they were coming up through the ranks. Tie-dye shirts, snow cones, relay races, etc., etc. Good times. Good times.
2. Go to Confessions of a Pioneer Woman under My Blog List. Click on Home and Garden at the top of her page and scroll down to the post entitled "Knockout" dated May 24. I have seen these roses EVERYWHERE this year, and I thought Knockout was just a nickname. Obviously not.
3. Now click on the Cooking portion at the top of her page. Scroll down to the post entitled "Big Fat Bacon Sliders" dated May 25. Nuff said. I'm making these this weekend. Oh, yes. I most definitely am!
End-of-the-Year Family Date
This isn't an extravagant or memory-making date in and of itself. However, it can become a family tradition... so it's a good thing.
On the last day of school (for all of your kids... it may vary from school to school), plan on taking everyone out to eat to celebrate and reconnect.
This past school year has been very tiring... for the kids AND the parents. Since Josh and Roxie were both finished with school the same day, I checked the "Date" envelope and announced we were going out to eat. The kids and Mikie looked at me with weary, red-rimmed eyes and said, "Really? That would be great."
As I said before, it wasn't extravagant. We went to Logan's. But it was needed. We talked a little about the past school year, but the majority of the conversation revolved around what we wanted to do this summer... on our own and as a family.
We took our time eating, talking, planning and headed home for a movie night. It was a good night. We needed to acknowledge the past year, but spend time looking ahead at what the kids hope will be an "epic" summer.
Add this as one of your annual dates. Take the kids to breakfast the first day of school, and treat them to dinner the last.
Have a good Thursday. I'll be back in the morning to post Weekend Happenings. I'm scared to say for certain, but I think tubing might be in our immediate future. (I hope. I hope.)
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Thursday, May 19, 2011
10 Summer Dates
Good Thursday morning!
The Gallery pics feature food today. Strawberries and Cream Muffins. It's an English recipe... and they taste wonderful. If you're interested in making them, I posted the recipe three Tuesdays ago. You can click on Recipes on my sidebar and scroll down a little until you come to the post entitled "Strawberries and Cream Mini Muffins." Try them. I think you'll like them.
RANDOMNESS #1 - Roxie is trying out for the high school Junior Varsity Basketball Team this afternoon. I know what you're thinking. "Didn't she just try out for JV Volleyball two days ago? Are they trying to kill these kids?" The answers are, "Yes" and "Yes." (And I'll tell you. It's no picnic for the parents either!)
Results will be posted in the morning. It's a one-day try-out, so I'm not sure how much rest we're going to get tonight. (And just in case Roxie didn't hear that correctly in the meeting, Mikie is taking the camera when he picks her up in case they post the JV Team tonight... and she happens to make it.)
As always, no pictures will be taken of the "agony of defeat." Roxie will not allow it, and I'm not going to fight her on this one.
RANDOMNESS #2 - I know I haven't posted anything totally riveting in the past few weeks, but life is happening all around, and I've decided to stick with the basics here on A Simple Life. The blog is, and always has been, a very nice little "release" for me, and hopefully, I'll have something with more depth and humor to share in the coming days and weeks.
But being the "giver" I've always been, I'm steering you toward some really good blogs today. As always, feel free to visit, but don't forget about me!
Blog Linkage - I'm sharing entertaining linkage AND useful linkage.
1. Google Birmingham Bargain Mom. (This is easier to me than remembering the website). Click on the first site that pops up. Click on Entertainment on her sidebar. She has TWO lists of FREE and $1 summer movie lists already posted. Check and see which movies you and your kiddos would enjoy and go, go, go.
2. Go to Nesting Place under My Blog List. There are lots of posts to scroll through before you get to "A Painted Coffee Table" dated May 13, so enjoy those, too. But READ "A Painted Coffee Table." I love her easy, breezy way of making her house a really pretty home.
3. Go to Big Mama under my Blog List. Just for fun, scroll down and click on "Previous Entries" until you get to the one entitled "I Walked the Line" dated May 18. It's light and funny reading for a day such as today.
4. Go to Confessions of a Pioneer Woman under My Blog List and click on Photography at the top of her page. You'll be able to see the "Action Shot" Contest winner. There are some really pretty and interesting photos to scroll through.
Enjoy.
10 Summer Dates
Here's a little challenge for you. Put this list on your refrigerator the last day of school, and see how many of these dates you can actually take with your kids. Make as many of them one-on-one dates as you can, but use them as family dates, too.
1. Pick your own... whatever. Find a farm with blueberries, strawberries, tomatoes, flowers, etc. and get picking.
2. Play outside in the rain. Smell the rain on the pavement. Splash in puddles. Make mud pies (and pictures).
3. Make your own rain. Douse everyone with the hose or sprinkler.
4. Camp in. Put the sleeping bags on the floor and have a family slumber party.
5. Stargaze in the backyard.
6. Catch lightening bugs, and then watch them flicker away into the night.
7. Play a word game. Think Scrabble, Boggle or Bananagrams. (Just the two of you.)
8. Take an early morning bird walk. Choose the right field guide.
9. Teach the kids a game you haven’t played since you were a kid. (I was a huge Hopscotch player back in the day.)
10. Visit a historic house. Kids will be amazed at what the old-timers lived without.
Have a terrific Thursday. Love on someone today. It's the perfect day for that kind of thing. I'll be back in the morning with Weekend Happenings!
Take care, and I'll talk to you Friday.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery pics feature food today. Strawberries and Cream Muffins. It's an English recipe... and they taste wonderful. If you're interested in making them, I posted the recipe three Tuesdays ago. You can click on Recipes on my sidebar and scroll down a little until you come to the post entitled "Strawberries and Cream Mini Muffins." Try them. I think you'll like them.
RANDOMNESS #1 - Roxie is trying out for the high school Junior Varsity Basketball Team this afternoon. I know what you're thinking. "Didn't she just try out for JV Volleyball two days ago? Are they trying to kill these kids?" The answers are, "Yes" and "Yes." (And I'll tell you. It's no picnic for the parents either!)
Results will be posted in the morning. It's a one-day try-out, so I'm not sure how much rest we're going to get tonight. (And just in case Roxie didn't hear that correctly in the meeting, Mikie is taking the camera when he picks her up in case they post the JV Team tonight... and she happens to make it.)
As always, no pictures will be taken of the "agony of defeat." Roxie will not allow it, and I'm not going to fight her on this one.
RANDOMNESS #2 - I know I haven't posted anything totally riveting in the past few weeks, but life is happening all around, and I've decided to stick with the basics here on A Simple Life. The blog is, and always has been, a very nice little "release" for me, and hopefully, I'll have something with more depth and humor to share in the coming days and weeks.
But being the "giver" I've always been, I'm steering you toward some really good blogs today. As always, feel free to visit, but don't forget about me!
Blog Linkage - I'm sharing entertaining linkage AND useful linkage.
1. Google Birmingham Bargain Mom. (This is easier to me than remembering the website). Click on the first site that pops up. Click on Entertainment on her sidebar. She has TWO lists of FREE and $1 summer movie lists already posted. Check and see which movies you and your kiddos would enjoy and go, go, go.
2. Go to Nesting Place under My Blog List. There are lots of posts to scroll through before you get to "A Painted Coffee Table" dated May 13, so enjoy those, too. But READ "A Painted Coffee Table." I love her easy, breezy way of making her house a really pretty home.
3. Go to Big Mama under my Blog List. Just for fun, scroll down and click on "Previous Entries" until you get to the one entitled "I Walked the Line" dated May 18. It's light and funny reading for a day such as today.
4. Go to Confessions of a Pioneer Woman under My Blog List and click on Photography at the top of her page. You'll be able to see the "Action Shot" Contest winner. There are some really pretty and interesting photos to scroll through.
Enjoy.
10 Summer Dates
Here's a little challenge for you. Put this list on your refrigerator the last day of school, and see how many of these dates you can actually take with your kids. Make as many of them one-on-one dates as you can, but use them as family dates, too.
1. Pick your own... whatever. Find a farm with blueberries, strawberries, tomatoes, flowers, etc. and get picking.
2. Play outside in the rain. Smell the rain on the pavement. Splash in puddles. Make mud pies (and pictures).
3. Make your own rain. Douse everyone with the hose or sprinkler.
4. Camp in. Put the sleeping bags on the floor and have a family slumber party.
5. Stargaze in the backyard.
6. Catch lightening bugs, and then watch them flicker away into the night.
7. Play a word game. Think Scrabble, Boggle or Bananagrams. (Just the two of you.)
8. Take an early morning bird walk. Choose the right field guide.
9. Teach the kids a game you haven’t played since you were a kid. (I was a huge Hopscotch player back in the day.)
10. Visit a historic house. Kids will be amazed at what the old-timers lived without.
Have a terrific Thursday. Love on someone today. It's the perfect day for that kind of thing. I'll be back in the morning with Weekend Happenings!
Take care, and I'll talk to you Friday.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Civil War Date
Good Thursday morning!
I only have one Gallery Pic this morning... and it's a leftover from Monday night's Choir Concert. It's just a photo of one of Josh's many fans!
RANDOMNESS - I am Randomness-Free today. I am without Random. Usually, Random is all that flows through my head at any given time, day or night. Very, very odd. If anything pops into my head today (anything at all), I promise to re-post during the day.
Blog Linkage - I just have a couple of links to share with you today, but they are good ones.
1. Go to Nesting Place under My Blog List and scroll down to the post entitled "Process: Slow Decorating" dated May 11. This girl makes a lot of sense to me. I like her style, and her lovely "lived-in" home.
2. Go to Confessions of a Pioneer Woman under My Blog List and click on Photography at the top of her page. She has another contest underway, and this is a good one. It is entitled "Action." She's already posted two days worth of "Action" shots, and she'll have Days 3 and 4 today and tomorrows. I LOVE looking at these pictures.
Enjoy!
Civil War Date
It has been documented on A Simple Life, so this will not surprise you. I have THREE history buffs in in the family. That's right! Three Plaque Readers! And while this is a HUGE source of irritation for Roxie and me whenever we travel, Mikie, Austin and Josh do enjoy a good plaque from time to time.
If you have a history buff tween or teen in your family, this may be the date for you.
Tannehill Civil War Reenactment - Tannehill and the Alabama State Militia Artillery will host the 12th annual Civil War Battle and Living History Reenactment May 28 and May 29. There will be more than 500 reenactors present. Camps open at 9:00 a.m. with the battle beginning at 2:00 p.m.
You and your date can shop for unique Civil War collectibles, jewelry, clothing, uniforms and more in the traveling merchandise tents.
Try some of Doc Bell's Wizard Elixir. (Hey! Be sure and check the ingredients of this Elixir before you give it to your kid. I'm assuming it's family-friendly, but do NOT take a chance!)
Step into Colonel Jon's Kitchen for some delicious Indian fry bread.
See swordsmanship, marching and firing demonstrations.
Hear live Civil War music from the 5th Alabama Regimental Band.
Admission is $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors (62 and older) and $2.00 for children (ages 6 to 11).
Tannehill is located 12 miles below Bessemer off I-20/59, Exit 100. You can see photos of last year's reenactment at www.tannehill.org. For more information, call 205-477-5711.
NOTE - As I mentioned above, the camps open at 9:00 a.m. and the battle begins at 2:00 p.m. The event is over at 3:00 p.m.
Have a terrific Thursday. I'll be back bright and early Friday morning with Weekend Happenings, Randomness and one or two more pics to finish this busy, busy week. Feel free to stop by and visit awhile.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
I only have one Gallery Pic this morning... and it's a leftover from Monday night's Choir Concert. It's just a photo of one of Josh's many fans!
RANDOMNESS - I am Randomness-Free today. I am without Random. Usually, Random is all that flows through my head at any given time, day or night. Very, very odd. If anything pops into my head today (anything at all), I promise to re-post during the day.
Blog Linkage - I just have a couple of links to share with you today, but they are good ones.
1. Go to Nesting Place under My Blog List and scroll down to the post entitled "Process: Slow Decorating" dated May 11. This girl makes a lot of sense to me. I like her style, and her lovely "lived-in" home.
2. Go to Confessions of a Pioneer Woman under My Blog List and click on Photography at the top of her page. She has another contest underway, and this is a good one. It is entitled "Action." She's already posted two days worth of "Action" shots, and she'll have Days 3 and 4 today and tomorrows. I LOVE looking at these pictures.
Enjoy!
Civil War Date
It has been documented on A Simple Life, so this will not surprise you. I have THREE history buffs in in the family. That's right! Three Plaque Readers! And while this is a HUGE source of irritation for Roxie and me whenever we travel, Mikie, Austin and Josh do enjoy a good plaque from time to time.
If you have a history buff tween or teen in your family, this may be the date for you.
Tannehill Civil War Reenactment - Tannehill and the Alabama State Militia Artillery will host the 12th annual Civil War Battle and Living History Reenactment May 28 and May 29. There will be more than 500 reenactors present. Camps open at 9:00 a.m. with the battle beginning at 2:00 p.m.
You and your date can shop for unique Civil War collectibles, jewelry, clothing, uniforms and more in the traveling merchandise tents.
Try some of Doc Bell's Wizard Elixir. (Hey! Be sure and check the ingredients of this Elixir before you give it to your kid. I'm assuming it's family-friendly, but do NOT take a chance!)
Step into Colonel Jon's Kitchen for some delicious Indian fry bread.
See swordsmanship, marching and firing demonstrations.
Hear live Civil War music from the 5th Alabama Regimental Band.
Admission is $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors (62 and older) and $2.00 for children (ages 6 to 11).
Tannehill is located 12 miles below Bessemer off I-20/59, Exit 100. You can see photos of last year's reenactment at www.tannehill.org. For more information, call 205-477-5711.
NOTE - As I mentioned above, the camps open at 9:00 a.m. and the battle begins at 2:00 p.m. The event is over at 3:00 p.m.
Have a terrific Thursday. I'll be back bright and early Friday morning with Weekend Happenings, Randomness and one or two more pics to finish this busy, busy week. Feel free to stop by and visit awhile.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Thursday, May 5, 2011
LATE POST!
Good Thursday morning!
I am sorry, but today's post will appear late this afternoon... around 4:30 or 5:00, I think. I apologize, but I have an unusually full day, and I just didn't get up early enough to "get 'er done!"
Forgive me, please!
I've added a couple of "Roxie in Her Honor's Tapping Dress" photos in the Gallery to hold you until later today!
I'll talk to you this afternoon.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting and Very Sorry Belinda
I am sorry, but today's post will appear late this afternoon... around 4:30 or 5:00, I think. I apologize, but I have an unusually full day, and I just didn't get up early enough to "get 'er done!"
Forgive me, please!
I've added a couple of "Roxie in Her Honor's Tapping Dress" photos in the Gallery to hold you until later today!
I'll talk to you this afternoon.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting and Very Sorry Belinda
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Volunteer Date
Good Saturday morning!
I posted a favorite pic of Josh and Roxie this morning. Nothing you haven't seen before, but I wanted to "add" something to the Gallery... because I always do.
As I told you yesterday, it may be Saturday, but as far as today's post is concerned, it is THURSDAY. That means Blog Linkage and a Date!
It will be a little shorter than usual. Randomness seems a little frivolous right now in Alabama with so many people hurting. There's a time and place for everything, and today we're just sticking to the facts.
Blog Linkage - I only have two this week... one practical and one very interesting (to me at least). I'm also checking out a new blog to add to My Blog List. I have a little more reading to do, but I think you'll like it. Maybe next week.
1. Go to eighteen25 under My Blog List and scroll down to the post entitled "Thanks a 'Latte'" posted April 27. This is a very, very cute idea for that coffee-lovin' teacher in your life. It's useful AND enjoyable.
2. Go to www.andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com and read the Mom's post entitled simply "6" dated April 29. This is the family with four little ones who recently adopted a three year-old from Ethiopia. I am enjoying her blog very, very much. It leaves me feeling exhausted (five chicks under the age of seven), but I find most days I feel exhausted anyway.
Maybe five chicks under the age of seven EQUALS two teenagers and one "practically-an-adult" male. Hmmm. I may be on to something here.
Volunteer Date
For today's date, here are just a few simple ideas for you and your child, tween or teen to help with the all the needs following the devastation and destruction caused by Wednesday's tornadoes in Alabama.
1. Bake muffins together and take them to families in the area who are still without power for breakfast or snacks.
2. Go to a local distribution center and get a list of items needed. Take your date shopping for the items and drop them off at the center together.
3. Get up early in the morning and "sneak" into an elderly neighbor's yard. Pick up and/or rake any debris you find, and take it away before they ever come outside.
4. Dads... take your teenage son with you to help remove limbs and fallen trees from a yard.
5. Dads... take your teenage son or daughter with you to help distribute supplies to the families and workers who are helping with clean-up efforts. (You will need to check with distribution centers to see if and when they need help with this task.)
These aren't just "fun" dates. They are much more important than that. Working as a family or one-on-one with your children teaching them the importance of being a good neighbor is a monumental lesson. Hopefully, one they will never forget.
"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Colossians 3:12.
It's time to teach the young people in our lives how to dress themselves... again. With "compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience" toward others.
I'll be back Monday morning with a short and sweet Mindless Monday. April will be a memory, and I'll begin sharing "end-of-the-school-year" ideas, dates and traditions. May is always an EXTREMELY busy month on A Simple Life.
Take care, and I'll talk to you Monday.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
I posted a favorite pic of Josh and Roxie this morning. Nothing you haven't seen before, but I wanted to "add" something to the Gallery... because I always do.
As I told you yesterday, it may be Saturday, but as far as today's post is concerned, it is THURSDAY. That means Blog Linkage and a Date!
It will be a little shorter than usual. Randomness seems a little frivolous right now in Alabama with so many people hurting. There's a time and place for everything, and today we're just sticking to the facts.
Blog Linkage - I only have two this week... one practical and one very interesting (to me at least). I'm also checking out a new blog to add to My Blog List. I have a little more reading to do, but I think you'll like it. Maybe next week.
1. Go to eighteen25 under My Blog List and scroll down to the post entitled "Thanks a 'Latte'" posted April 27. This is a very, very cute idea for that coffee-lovin' teacher in your life. It's useful AND enjoyable.
2. Go to www.andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com and read the Mom's post entitled simply "6" dated April 29. This is the family with four little ones who recently adopted a three year-old from Ethiopia. I am enjoying her blog very, very much. It leaves me feeling exhausted (five chicks under the age of seven), but I find most days I feel exhausted anyway.
Maybe five chicks under the age of seven EQUALS two teenagers and one "practically-an-adult" male. Hmmm. I may be on to something here.
Volunteer Date
For today's date, here are just a few simple ideas for you and your child, tween or teen to help with the all the needs following the devastation and destruction caused by Wednesday's tornadoes in Alabama.
1. Bake muffins together and take them to families in the area who are still without power for breakfast or snacks.
2. Go to a local distribution center and get a list of items needed. Take your date shopping for the items and drop them off at the center together.
3. Get up early in the morning and "sneak" into an elderly neighbor's yard. Pick up and/or rake any debris you find, and take it away before they ever come outside.
4. Dads... take your teenage son with you to help remove limbs and fallen trees from a yard.
5. Dads... take your teenage son or daughter with you to help distribute supplies to the families and workers who are helping with clean-up efforts. (You will need to check with distribution centers to see if and when they need help with this task.)
These aren't just "fun" dates. They are much more important than that. Working as a family or one-on-one with your children teaching them the importance of being a good neighbor is a monumental lesson. Hopefully, one they will never forget.
"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." Colossians 3:12.
It's time to teach the young people in our lives how to dress themselves... again. With "compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience" toward others.
I'll be back Monday morning with a short and sweet Mindless Monday. April will be a memory, and I'll begin sharing "end-of-the-school-year" ideas, dates and traditions. May is always an EXTREMELY busy month on A Simple Life.
Take care, and I'll talk to you Monday.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Living Social Dates
Good Thursday morning!
The Gallery pic is borrowed from Belinda's Project Life. It's the only picture I took yesterday, and I decided to tell some of that story today. See below.
RANDOMNESS #1 - Roxie's finger is still healing. What was supposed to be a six- to eight-week "thing" has turned into a three month "thing," and the chick is not pleased. However, we did find out when the high school volleyball and basketball tryouts were being held... May 16 and May 19, respectively.
Roxie will have a little surgery to remove the pins from the finger May 2, and according to the surgeon she can start practicing with that hand the next day.
I hope for his sake, he's right.
RANDOMNESS #2 - After church last night, Roxie and I claimed the den and settled down to watch Tangled. Roxie had already seen this movie with some friends, but she was nice enough to watch it with me one more time.
I LOVE a good Disney movie... and this is such a good Disney movie.
Did you know out of the Top Ten Biggest Grossing Movies of 2010, SIX of them were family/kid movies? SIX. (Seven if you count Iron Man 2.) I think that should be a huge indicator of what America wants to watch with their families. HUGE!
RANDOMNESS #3 - I'll finish yesterday's "stitch" story this morning, and tomorrow I'll be sharing a new one with you regarding my inadequacies in the "nursing back to health" department.
With Austin settled in the car holding a clean dressing to his still bleeding eyelid and Roxie buckled in her car seat, we headed to the Emergency Room. I called the doctor, Mikie and the grandparents... in that order. We headed to Montclair Hospital. (It has a new name now, but I can't keep up with all the changes.)
When we pulled into the parking lot, Mikie and the grandparents were waiting. We walked into the EMPTY waiting room with my bloody little boy, and we were told to sit down. So we sat. And we sat. And we sat some more.
We sat so long, the bleeding finally stopped. We looked around. We were still the only ones in the waiting room.
Since Austin was calm and no longer losing massive amounts of blood, the grandparents left to pick up Josh from preschool and take Roxie and Josh home with them for lunch and a nap... and Mikie and I sat with The Boy some more.
After a while, we questioned the medical professionals about stitching Austin up so we could make it home before bedtime. After this line of questioning, they put us in a room. Out of sight, out of mind.
Lunch came and went (peanut butter crackers for everyone), Mikie slipped out to attend a board meeting and planned on coming back in time for the stitches. It was just me and The Boy.
"When are they going to see me?" he asked.
"I don't know," I replied looking out the window at the nurses and doctors. "Soon, I think."
"I'm tired of being here," my wiggly little boy said.
"Me, too. But it's almost over," I reassured him.
What happened next caused me to jump a couple of feet off the floor... and run to the nearest bathroom. With my back turned to him, my hand on the doorknob, I was about to walk to the nurse's station to see if there was a problem.
"DOCTOR! DOCTOR! I NEED A DOCTOR IN HERE STAT! IT'S AN EMERGENCY! CALL 911!"
The Boy had some lungs on him. I spun around to see him sitting on the table grinning. "I saw that on a TV show. What does 'stat' mean?"
"If you don't know what it means, do NOT yell it at the top of your lungs," I retorted.
I hate to say it, but it worked. We had a nurse and doctor run in to check on us, and they decided to stitch him up and get him out of the hospital then and there.
"Where should I be?" I asked. You know... first time with stitches and everything.
"Oh. You'll need to hold his hand and talk to him. He can't jerk or move his head."
Great. I grabbed his little six year-old hand as they numbed the area. It was very unpleasant (for him, too, I am sure), but he didn't move.
They then put a covering over his face with just a hole open over his injured eyelid. I told him to close his eyes.
And then, with my face ever so close to Austin's little ear as I murmured comforting words to him, they started stitching him up. RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME! Sewing on my first-born!
"Do you have another one of those 'face covering' things?" I asked.
"He just needs the one," the nurse told me.
"No. I think I need one," I replied.
"You'll be fine. Just close your eyes. We're almost finished."
"Pass out, Belinda. Pass out. This would be a great time to just pass out," I thought to myself. But as I've stated before, I do not possess the "pass out" gift.
"Are you okay, Momma?" Austin asked.
"Yes, Babe. Momma's just trying not to throw up on the nice nurse and doctor." That worked pretty well. They finished up in record time and told us we could finally leave. (I have found that threatening to throw up on people usually does get some quick results. I don't use it often, but it has helped me on several occasions.)
And as a mother of three small children, I quickly learned to use whatever tools were at my disposal. A good gag reflex is just one of my many little tricks.
Tomorrow I'll share an experience I had at a drive-thru pharmacy. I found out it wasn't like going through the McDonald's drive-thru. There are RULES! Go figure.
Blog Linkage - Oh, my. You really don't have time to read A Simple Life today. I've got too many other sites for you to visit. And you really MUST visit them!
1. Click on eighteen25 under My Blog List. Scroll down to the post entitled "Past Teacher Appreciation Projects" for some great, creative, inexpensive ideas for teacher gifts.
2. Click on Nesting Place under My Blog List. Scroll ALL the way down, down, down to the post entitled "Lived in Chic: It's Beautiful" and look at the pictures of these homes which have small children. They are not perfect, but they are beautiful. They also have some "messiness" tips to share along the way. I liked it! (I really admire this woman because she has small children, a large black dog AND white sofas. I don't think I could ever do that. EVER!)
3. Go to Confessions of a Pioneer Woman under My Blog List. Click on "Photography" at the top of her page and scroll down to see the finalists and winner of the "Brothers" photography contest dated April 17. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these pictures. I don't think I could have picked a winner.
4. Go the www.andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com. Read everything on the page... especially the post entitled "Adoption Questions." The pictures are beautiful of this little family and their new addition, Elsa.
5. Go to Nitty.Gritty. under my Blog List and read the post entitled "Not just a box..." dated April 19. That's the lesson this blog always leaves me with... Tell people you love them TODAY. Enjoy the little moments TODAY. Don't miss TODAY by thinking about yesterday, tomorrow or next week. "TODAY is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!"
It's the only April 21, 2011 we'll ever, ever have.
Get busy. You've got a lot of reading to do!
Living Social Dates
Okay. This is not one specific date, but it is a good way to stretch your dating dollars.
If you go to the website www.livingsocial.com, you will come to a page with a "deal." For example, this week's deal is for Smith's Variety Toy and Gift Shoppe in Mountain Brook. You will have to sign in if you are interested in buying this coupon.
After you sign in, you will be able to purchase a $10 coupon to this store. However, when you shop there, you will be able to buy $20 worth of products from the store. (Perfect for Easter shopping.)
This would not be a date, but it is what you will find on the website today as well as a deal for Johnny Ray's Barbecue (kid or spouse date for half the price), Vestavia Bowl (family date which includes shoe rentals for six, two hours of bowling, pizza and soda for $36... that's dinner AND entertainment, folks) and Pelham Civic Complex (another family date which includes skates and two hours of ice skating for four for $15, and it usually would cost $36).
Once you are signed in, you will receive e-mails when new deals appear.
Last week's special deal was a $20 coupon for Yolo's Dessert Bar, but you only had to pay $10. That would be a GREAT kid date. The expiration date is several months away, so if you purchase the coupon in April, you can still plan the date in the summer months. No pressure.
I am sitting on a $20 coupon I purchased for $10 for O'Carr's Deli in Homewood for a Saturday lunch date with Mikie. Ten dollars for a meal and some window shopping in Homewood is a cheap, but fun date.
Check it out. It really works, and the different coupons they offer each week may give you some new date ideas.
Have a lovely Thursday. Friday will be full of Weekend Happenings, Randomness and pics from tonight's festivities... something I haven't talked about yet on A Simple Life.
Take care, and I'll talk to you in the morning.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery pic is borrowed from Belinda's Project Life. It's the only picture I took yesterday, and I decided to tell some of that story today. See below.
RANDOMNESS #1 - Roxie's finger is still healing. What was supposed to be a six- to eight-week "thing" has turned into a three month "thing," and the chick is not pleased. However, we did find out when the high school volleyball and basketball tryouts were being held... May 16 and May 19, respectively.
Roxie will have a little surgery to remove the pins from the finger May 2, and according to the surgeon she can start practicing with that hand the next day.
I hope for his sake, he's right.
RANDOMNESS #2 - After church last night, Roxie and I claimed the den and settled down to watch Tangled. Roxie had already seen this movie with some friends, but she was nice enough to watch it with me one more time.
I LOVE a good Disney movie... and this is such a good Disney movie.
Did you know out of the Top Ten Biggest Grossing Movies of 2010, SIX of them were family/kid movies? SIX. (Seven if you count Iron Man 2.) I think that should be a huge indicator of what America wants to watch with their families. HUGE!
RANDOMNESS #3 - I'll finish yesterday's "stitch" story this morning, and tomorrow I'll be sharing a new one with you regarding my inadequacies in the "nursing back to health" department.
With Austin settled in the car holding a clean dressing to his still bleeding eyelid and Roxie buckled in her car seat, we headed to the Emergency Room. I called the doctor, Mikie and the grandparents... in that order. We headed to Montclair Hospital. (It has a new name now, but I can't keep up with all the changes.)
When we pulled into the parking lot, Mikie and the grandparents were waiting. We walked into the EMPTY waiting room with my bloody little boy, and we were told to sit down. So we sat. And we sat. And we sat some more.
We sat so long, the bleeding finally stopped. We looked around. We were still the only ones in the waiting room.
Since Austin was calm and no longer losing massive amounts of blood, the grandparents left to pick up Josh from preschool and take Roxie and Josh home with them for lunch and a nap... and Mikie and I sat with The Boy some more.
After a while, we questioned the medical professionals about stitching Austin up so we could make it home before bedtime. After this line of questioning, they put us in a room. Out of sight, out of mind.
Lunch came and went (peanut butter crackers for everyone), Mikie slipped out to attend a board meeting and planned on coming back in time for the stitches. It was just me and The Boy.
"When are they going to see me?" he asked.
"I don't know," I replied looking out the window at the nurses and doctors. "Soon, I think."
"I'm tired of being here," my wiggly little boy said.
"Me, too. But it's almost over," I reassured him.
What happened next caused me to jump a couple of feet off the floor... and run to the nearest bathroom. With my back turned to him, my hand on the doorknob, I was about to walk to the nurse's station to see if there was a problem.
"DOCTOR! DOCTOR! I NEED A DOCTOR IN HERE STAT! IT'S AN EMERGENCY! CALL 911!"
The Boy had some lungs on him. I spun around to see him sitting on the table grinning. "I saw that on a TV show. What does 'stat' mean?"
"If you don't know what it means, do NOT yell it at the top of your lungs," I retorted.
I hate to say it, but it worked. We had a nurse and doctor run in to check on us, and they decided to stitch him up and get him out of the hospital then and there.
"Where should I be?" I asked. You know... first time with stitches and everything.
"Oh. You'll need to hold his hand and talk to him. He can't jerk or move his head."
Great. I grabbed his little six year-old hand as they numbed the area. It was very unpleasant (for him, too, I am sure), but he didn't move.
They then put a covering over his face with just a hole open over his injured eyelid. I told him to close his eyes.
And then, with my face ever so close to Austin's little ear as I murmured comforting words to him, they started stitching him up. RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME! Sewing on my first-born!
"Do you have another one of those 'face covering' things?" I asked.
"He just needs the one," the nurse told me.
"No. I think I need one," I replied.
"You'll be fine. Just close your eyes. We're almost finished."
"Pass out, Belinda. Pass out. This would be a great time to just pass out," I thought to myself. But as I've stated before, I do not possess the "pass out" gift.
"Are you okay, Momma?" Austin asked.
"Yes, Babe. Momma's just trying not to throw up on the nice nurse and doctor." That worked pretty well. They finished up in record time and told us we could finally leave. (I have found that threatening to throw up on people usually does get some quick results. I don't use it often, but it has helped me on several occasions.)
And as a mother of three small children, I quickly learned to use whatever tools were at my disposal. A good gag reflex is just one of my many little tricks.
Tomorrow I'll share an experience I had at a drive-thru pharmacy. I found out it wasn't like going through the McDonald's drive-thru. There are RULES! Go figure.
Blog Linkage - Oh, my. You really don't have time to read A Simple Life today. I've got too many other sites for you to visit. And you really MUST visit them!
1. Click on eighteen25 under My Blog List. Scroll down to the post entitled "Past Teacher Appreciation Projects" for some great, creative, inexpensive ideas for teacher gifts.
2. Click on Nesting Place under My Blog List. Scroll ALL the way down, down, down to the post entitled "Lived in Chic: It's Beautiful" and look at the pictures of these homes which have small children. They are not perfect, but they are beautiful. They also have some "messiness" tips to share along the way. I liked it! (I really admire this woman because she has small children, a large black dog AND white sofas. I don't think I could ever do that. EVER!)
3. Go to Confessions of a Pioneer Woman under My Blog List. Click on "Photography" at the top of her page and scroll down to see the finalists and winner of the "Brothers" photography contest dated April 17. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these pictures. I don't think I could have picked a winner.
4. Go the www.andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com. Read everything on the page... especially the post entitled "Adoption Questions." The pictures are beautiful of this little family and their new addition, Elsa.
5. Go to Nitty.Gritty. under my Blog List and read the post entitled "Not just a box..." dated April 19. That's the lesson this blog always leaves me with... Tell people you love them TODAY. Enjoy the little moments TODAY. Don't miss TODAY by thinking about yesterday, tomorrow or next week. "TODAY is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!"
It's the only April 21, 2011 we'll ever, ever have.
Get busy. You've got a lot of reading to do!
Living Social Dates
Okay. This is not one specific date, but it is a good way to stretch your dating dollars.
If you go to the website www.livingsocial.com, you will come to a page with a "deal." For example, this week's deal is for Smith's Variety Toy and Gift Shoppe in Mountain Brook. You will have to sign in if you are interested in buying this coupon.
After you sign in, you will be able to purchase a $10 coupon to this store. However, when you shop there, you will be able to buy $20 worth of products from the store. (Perfect for Easter shopping.)
This would not be a date, but it is what you will find on the website today as well as a deal for Johnny Ray's Barbecue (kid or spouse date for half the price), Vestavia Bowl (family date which includes shoe rentals for six, two hours of bowling, pizza and soda for $36... that's dinner AND entertainment, folks) and Pelham Civic Complex (another family date which includes skates and two hours of ice skating for four for $15, and it usually would cost $36).
Once you are signed in, you will receive e-mails when new deals appear.
Last week's special deal was a $20 coupon for Yolo's Dessert Bar, but you only had to pay $10. That would be a GREAT kid date. The expiration date is several months away, so if you purchase the coupon in April, you can still plan the date in the summer months. No pressure.
I am sitting on a $20 coupon I purchased for $10 for O'Carr's Deli in Homewood for a Saturday lunch date with Mikie. Ten dollars for a meal and some window shopping in Homewood is a cheap, but fun date.
Check it out. It really works, and the different coupons they offer each week may give you some new date ideas.
Have a lovely Thursday. Friday will be full of Weekend Happenings, Randomness and pics from tonight's festivities... something I haven't talked about yet on A Simple Life.
Take care, and I'll talk to you in the morning.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Easter Sound, Light and Water Show Date
Good Thursday morning!
Well, Sparkle made it into the Gallery this week. Hopefully, things will begin picking up "excitement-wise" at Faulkner Farms (circa 1842) in the next day or so... but don't hold your breath.
RANDOMNESS #1 - CONTEST! CONTEST! CONTEST! I greatly underestimated the number of people who really, really want a Butt Naked Candle. The list continued to grow in the Comment Section AND Facebook until 11:30 last night.
I will be purchasing two Butt Naked candles next week from Yucatan Trading in Bluff Park... one for me and one for the WINNER of this contest. The scent is non-negotiable. Believe it or not, it is wonderful. (NOTE - The name of the candle does not appear anywhere ON the candle. That makes it even more perfect.)
All you have to do is leave your name in the Comment Section. Put the word "CANDLE" somewhere in the comment. This is a short contest. Today is the last day to enter. (The contest ends midnight, Thursday, April 14.)
I will be drawing the name of the winner Friday morning. Go ahead. You know you want that candle!
ANOTHER NOTE - You can also enter via e-mail and Facebook.
RANDOMNESS #2 - My "sweet" friend, Jonella, sent the following to me yesterday. It is very... Hmmm. What's the word? Timely! That's it. Timely!
RULES OF CHOCOLATE EASTER EGGS
1. If you get melted chocolate all over your hands, you're eating it too slowly.
2. Chocolate covered raisins, cherries, orange slices and strawberries all count as fruit, so eat as many as you want.
3. Diet tip - Eat a chocolate Easter egg before each meal. It'll take the edge off your appetite, and that way you'll eat less.
4. If you cannot eat all your chocolate, it will keep in the freezer. But if you can't eat all your chocolate, what's wrong with you? (That's a very good question.)
5. If calories are an issue, store your chocolate on top of the fridge. Calories are afraid of heights, and they will jump out of the chocolate to protect themselves. (Oh, if only this were true.)
6. Money talks. Chocolate sings. (Hallelujah!)
7. Chocolate has many preservatives. Preservatives make you look younger. (I should look 13 years-old.)
8. The problem - How to get two pounds of chocolate eggs home from the store in a hot car. The solution - If you eat them now, they won't melt. (I love creative problem-solving.)
9. Why is there no such organization as Chocoholics Anonymous? Because no one wants to quit. (Amen, and AMEN!)
Blog Linkage - Okay. I've got crafty linkage and "tug at your heartstrings" linkage. Take your pick!
1. Go to eighteen25 under My Blog List and scroll down to the post entitled "You Gotta See This" dated April 8. I liked everything, but ESPECIALLY the Rice Krispie/Peep bars. Easy, festive and delicious.
2. Since you are already there, scroll UP to the post entitled "Bunny Tails" dated April 13. Oh, to have preschoolers again. I would totally send a bag of Bunny Tails to my child's class.
3. Go to www.andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com and scroll down to the post entitled "The Elsa Questions" dated April 13. This is the family of five who recently (very recently) adopted a three year-old girl from Ethiopia. The mom answers a ton of questions about how Miss Elsa is doing these days. Sweet, sweet family.
4. I saved the best for last, I think. Please go to Confessions of a Pioneer Woman under My Blog List and click on "Photography" at the top of her page. The assignment was simply called "Brothers." Enjoy all of these beautiful pictures. If you're a "Boy Mama," expect to be a little emotional here and there. Also, if the Pioneer Woman tells you to click on the picture to read the caption... click on the picture to read the caption. Trust me.
Enjoy!
Easter Sound, Light and Water Show Date
I have not taken a child to DeSoto Caverns for this event, but it does sound fun. More importantly, it tells the story of Jesus' life, death and resurrection in a different way.
The Childersburg Easter Sound, Light and Water Show will be held at DeSoto Caverns Family Fun Park, April 11 through April 24. This special show commemorates the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The show is presented on every hour long cavern tour.
For more information call 256-378-7252 or visit their website at www.desotocavernspark.com.
Admission will be charged. Desoto Caverns is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Think of all the one-on-one conversation time you would have with your child... talking about anything and everything on the drive to DeSoto Caverns, and talking about the true meaning of Easter on your way home. Priceless!
Have a great Thursday. Don't forget to enter the Candle Contest. The winner will be announced in the morning.
Take care, and I'll talk to you Friday.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Well, Sparkle made it into the Gallery this week. Hopefully, things will begin picking up "excitement-wise" at Faulkner Farms (circa 1842) in the next day or so... but don't hold your breath.
RANDOMNESS #1 - CONTEST! CONTEST! CONTEST! I greatly underestimated the number of people who really, really want a Butt Naked Candle. The list continued to grow in the Comment Section AND Facebook until 11:30 last night.
I will be purchasing two Butt Naked candles next week from Yucatan Trading in Bluff Park... one for me and one for the WINNER of this contest. The scent is non-negotiable. Believe it or not, it is wonderful. (NOTE - The name of the candle does not appear anywhere ON the candle. That makes it even more perfect.)
All you have to do is leave your name in the Comment Section. Put the word "CANDLE" somewhere in the comment. This is a short contest. Today is the last day to enter. (The contest ends midnight, Thursday, April 14.)
I will be drawing the name of the winner Friday morning. Go ahead. You know you want that candle!
ANOTHER NOTE - You can also enter via e-mail and Facebook.
RANDOMNESS #2 - My "sweet" friend, Jonella, sent the following to me yesterday. It is very... Hmmm. What's the word? Timely! That's it. Timely!
RULES OF CHOCOLATE EASTER EGGS
1. If you get melted chocolate all over your hands, you're eating it too slowly.
2. Chocolate covered raisins, cherries, orange slices and strawberries all count as fruit, so eat as many as you want.
3. Diet tip - Eat a chocolate Easter egg before each meal. It'll take the edge off your appetite, and that way you'll eat less.
4. If you cannot eat all your chocolate, it will keep in the freezer. But if you can't eat all your chocolate, what's wrong with you? (That's a very good question.)
5. If calories are an issue, store your chocolate on top of the fridge. Calories are afraid of heights, and they will jump out of the chocolate to protect themselves. (Oh, if only this were true.)
6. Money talks. Chocolate sings. (Hallelujah!)
7. Chocolate has many preservatives. Preservatives make you look younger. (I should look 13 years-old.)
8. The problem - How to get two pounds of chocolate eggs home from the store in a hot car. The solution - If you eat them now, they won't melt. (I love creative problem-solving.)
9. Why is there no such organization as Chocoholics Anonymous? Because no one wants to quit. (Amen, and AMEN!)
Blog Linkage - Okay. I've got crafty linkage and "tug at your heartstrings" linkage. Take your pick!
1. Go to eighteen25 under My Blog List and scroll down to the post entitled "You Gotta See This" dated April 8. I liked everything, but ESPECIALLY the Rice Krispie/Peep bars. Easy, festive and delicious.
2. Since you are already there, scroll UP to the post entitled "Bunny Tails" dated April 13. Oh, to have preschoolers again. I would totally send a bag of Bunny Tails to my child's class.
3. Go to www.andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com and scroll down to the post entitled "The Elsa Questions" dated April 13. This is the family of five who recently (very recently) adopted a three year-old girl from Ethiopia. The mom answers a ton of questions about how Miss Elsa is doing these days. Sweet, sweet family.
4. I saved the best for last, I think. Please go to Confessions of a Pioneer Woman under My Blog List and click on "Photography" at the top of her page. The assignment was simply called "Brothers." Enjoy all of these beautiful pictures. If you're a "Boy Mama," expect to be a little emotional here and there. Also, if the Pioneer Woman tells you to click on the picture to read the caption... click on the picture to read the caption. Trust me.
Enjoy!
Easter Sound, Light and Water Show Date
I have not taken a child to DeSoto Caverns for this event, but it does sound fun. More importantly, it tells the story of Jesus' life, death and resurrection in a different way.
The Childersburg Easter Sound, Light and Water Show will be held at DeSoto Caverns Family Fun Park, April 11 through April 24. This special show commemorates the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The show is presented on every hour long cavern tour.
For more information call 256-378-7252 or visit their website at www.desotocavernspark.com.
Admission will be charged. Desoto Caverns is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Think of all the one-on-one conversation time you would have with your child... talking about anything and everything on the drive to DeSoto Caverns, and talking about the true meaning of Easter on your way home. Priceless!
Have a great Thursday. Don't forget to enter the Candle Contest. The winner will be announced in the morning.
Take care, and I'll talk to you Friday.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Farmer's Market Date
Good Thursday morning!
I've added a few more pics to the Gallery for the "A Day in the Life... of ME!" segment. I'm changing the name of the blog to A Mundane Life. I had no idea until I saw it in picture form how simple my life had actually become. And the sad part is I really, really like it that way. A lot.
RANDOMNESS - During my legal secretary days, clothes were a top priority. I loved to shop, and since my hey-day as a legal secretary took place in the 1980s, most of my clothing had HUGE shoulder pads, HUGE belts, every color imaginable matching pumps (even yellow and green), etc., etc. It goes without saying my hair was HUGE, too.
Clothing malfunctions were not unusual. Runs in hose... broken heels from stepping on grates or cracks... too full skirts flying over your head on a windy day... wandering giant shoulder pads which took most of the day to locate.
However, my worst faux pas (or one of them) occurred in a hallway waiting for an elevator.
I was all alone in the hallway. It was totally and completely deserted. I was delivering files to a client, and as always, it was URGENT. I didn't have time to go to the restroom to "adjust" things, so I looked around once more, and in the privacy of that very quiet hallway I put the files and my purse on the floor, reached up the side of my skirt and discreetly pulled my blouse down on each side so it would be smooth and properly tucked.
Before you judge me, remember this was a time when slips, pantyhose AND giant granny panties were not just acceptable attire. They were REQUIRED attire. I was more than decently covered, believe me.
I had successfully pulled my blouse down neatly on one side, and I had just started pulling it down on the opposite side when the office door behind me burst open!
Now, if I had been a calm person, I would have simply smoothed my skirt down, picked up my files and purse and walked onto the elevator. No one would have ever known what I had been doing.
But, I wasn't calm back then. In fact, I was fairly jumpy. So when MY attorney burst through the office doors, and I screamed in his face (and he screamed because, of course, he wasn't expecting me to be adjusting my blouse and skirt in a main hallway of a busy office building), I took the defensive.
"WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU MEAN SNEAKING UP ON ME LIKE THAT?" I demanded.
"I'm just going down the hall. What were you doing?" He was laughing now.
"I was making myself presentable. Everything is always so URGENT, I don't have time to go to the restroom and re-tuck... and stuff." I indignantly replied. "I don't appreciate you scaring me like that either."
And then, with my HUGE hair covered head held high, I walked onto the elevator, delivered the files and contemplated turning in my notice via telephone. I did NOT want to go back to the office.
Thankfully, he didn't say anything until the end of the day when he stopped by my cubicle to tell me he and the partners had declared the hallway in front of the elevators a "No Slip Showing Zone."
And that, my friends, was the last time I ever wore anything "tucked in." In case you're wondering, I'm solely responsible for the long tunic movement that began in the early 1990s. You can thank me later.
Blog Linkage - Okay. For all of you crafty people out there, I have some Easter goodness listed below. And for all of you who enjoy a sweet story about a growing family, I have that, too!
1. Go to eighteen25 under My Blog List, and scroll down until you come to the post entitled "You Gotta See This" dated April 1. They have several Easter ideas, but the one that caught my eye was Bunny Nails. What a cute way to decorate your little girl's nails for Easter. (I may do mine, too.)
2. Since you are already reading eighteen25, stay there. Scroll up to the post entitled "Pickle Jar Project" dated April 4. Once again, too cute for words and it looks very easy. Festive and simple. Love it.
3. Go to www.andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com to read about this sweet family and their new addition, Elsa. They adopted Elsa from Ethiopia and she has been with them for a few days now. It is fun to watch their family grow literally overnight, and with THREE boys and TWO girls, they are going to be having a lot of fun and a lot of adventures. It's a good thing this mom looks like she has a ton of energy. She's going to need it!
Farmer's Market Date
Back in the day... Once upon a time... A few years ago, I participated in a Food Co-Op. There were several women involved, and once a week, one of us would go the Finley Avenue Farmer's Market early in the morning and buy fresh vegetables and fruit for the group, divide it up and set it outside for the other women to pick up sometime during the day.
I love the Farmer's Market. Especially in the fall when the pumpkins come in!
But I was reading about this place, and it seems like it has a little more going on, and it might make a very good date. Read on!
Visit our region's farming families at the Pepper Place Saturday Market. They grow vegetables and flowers, bake breads and cookies, cakes and pies, tend the bees and drive into the Lakeview District of Birmingham to sell the fruits of their labor.
In addition to farmers, bakers and beekeepers, you can enjoy local musicians on two stages while sipping a fresh cup of coffee or enjoying a light breakfast. There is a cooking demonstration at 9:00 a.m. every Saturday morning by Birmingham's finest chefs.
The Pepper Place Saturday Market season begins April 16 and ends December 17, 2011.
For more information, visit their website at www.pepperplacemarket.com. They are located at 2829 2nd Avenue South in Birmingham, and their phone number is 205-802-2100.
Whether you go with a child or a spouse, this sounds like something fun to try. In fact, I think Mikie and I may go in a couple of weeks, and I'll report back to you.
Have a tremendous Thursday. I hope you have a VERY productive day. I'll be back tomorrow to finish off the week with Weekend Happenings, Randomness and a couple more pics.
Take care, and I'll talk to you in the morning.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
I've added a few more pics to the Gallery for the "A Day in the Life... of ME!" segment. I'm changing the name of the blog to A Mundane Life. I had no idea until I saw it in picture form how simple my life had actually become. And the sad part is I really, really like it that way. A lot.
RANDOMNESS - During my legal secretary days, clothes were a top priority. I loved to shop, and since my hey-day as a legal secretary took place in the 1980s, most of my clothing had HUGE shoulder pads, HUGE belts, every color imaginable matching pumps (even yellow and green), etc., etc. It goes without saying my hair was HUGE, too.
Clothing malfunctions were not unusual. Runs in hose... broken heels from stepping on grates or cracks... too full skirts flying over your head on a windy day... wandering giant shoulder pads which took most of the day to locate.
However, my worst faux pas (or one of them) occurred in a hallway waiting for an elevator.
I was all alone in the hallway. It was totally and completely deserted. I was delivering files to a client, and as always, it was URGENT. I didn't have time to go to the restroom to "adjust" things, so I looked around once more, and in the privacy of that very quiet hallway I put the files and my purse on the floor, reached up the side of my skirt and discreetly pulled my blouse down on each side so it would be smooth and properly tucked.
Before you judge me, remember this was a time when slips, pantyhose AND giant granny panties were not just acceptable attire. They were REQUIRED attire. I was more than decently covered, believe me.
I had successfully pulled my blouse down neatly on one side, and I had just started pulling it down on the opposite side when the office door behind me burst open!
Now, if I had been a calm person, I would have simply smoothed my skirt down, picked up my files and purse and walked onto the elevator. No one would have ever known what I had been doing.
But, I wasn't calm back then. In fact, I was fairly jumpy. So when MY attorney burst through the office doors, and I screamed in his face (and he screamed because, of course, he wasn't expecting me to be adjusting my blouse and skirt in a main hallway of a busy office building), I took the defensive.
"WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU MEAN SNEAKING UP ON ME LIKE THAT?" I demanded.
"I'm just going down the hall. What were you doing?" He was laughing now.
"I was making myself presentable. Everything is always so URGENT, I don't have time to go to the restroom and re-tuck... and stuff." I indignantly replied. "I don't appreciate you scaring me like that either."
And then, with my HUGE hair covered head held high, I walked onto the elevator, delivered the files and contemplated turning in my notice via telephone. I did NOT want to go back to the office.
Thankfully, he didn't say anything until the end of the day when he stopped by my cubicle to tell me he and the partners had declared the hallway in front of the elevators a "No Slip Showing Zone."
And that, my friends, was the last time I ever wore anything "tucked in." In case you're wondering, I'm solely responsible for the long tunic movement that began in the early 1990s. You can thank me later.
Blog Linkage - Okay. For all of you crafty people out there, I have some Easter goodness listed below. And for all of you who enjoy a sweet story about a growing family, I have that, too!
1. Go to eighteen25 under My Blog List, and scroll down until you come to the post entitled "You Gotta See This" dated April 1. They have several Easter ideas, but the one that caught my eye was Bunny Nails. What a cute way to decorate your little girl's nails for Easter. (I may do mine, too.)
2. Since you are already reading eighteen25, stay there. Scroll up to the post entitled "Pickle Jar Project" dated April 4. Once again, too cute for words and it looks very easy. Festive and simple. Love it.
3. Go to www.andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com to read about this sweet family and their new addition, Elsa. They adopted Elsa from Ethiopia and she has been with them for a few days now. It is fun to watch their family grow literally overnight, and with THREE boys and TWO girls, they are going to be having a lot of fun and a lot of adventures. It's a good thing this mom looks like she has a ton of energy. She's going to need it!
Farmer's Market Date
Back in the day... Once upon a time... A few years ago, I participated in a Food Co-Op. There were several women involved, and once a week, one of us would go the Finley Avenue Farmer's Market early in the morning and buy fresh vegetables and fruit for the group, divide it up and set it outside for the other women to pick up sometime during the day.
I love the Farmer's Market. Especially in the fall when the pumpkins come in!
But I was reading about this place, and it seems like it has a little more going on, and it might make a very good date. Read on!
Visit our region's farming families at the Pepper Place Saturday Market. They grow vegetables and flowers, bake breads and cookies, cakes and pies, tend the bees and drive into the Lakeview District of Birmingham to sell the fruits of their labor.
In addition to farmers, bakers and beekeepers, you can enjoy local musicians on two stages while sipping a fresh cup of coffee or enjoying a light breakfast. There is a cooking demonstration at 9:00 a.m. every Saturday morning by Birmingham's finest chefs.
The Pepper Place Saturday Market season begins April 16 and ends December 17, 2011.
For more information, visit their website at www.pepperplacemarket.com. They are located at 2829 2nd Avenue South in Birmingham, and their phone number is 205-802-2100.
Whether you go with a child or a spouse, this sounds like something fun to try. In fact, I think Mikie and I may go in a couple of weeks, and I'll report back to you.
Have a tremendous Thursday. I hope you have a VERY productive day. I'll be back tomorrow to finish off the week with Weekend Happenings, Randomness and a couple more pics.
Take care, and I'll talk to you in the morning.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Animal Lover Date
Good Thursday morning!
I've organized a little. If you have ever been in the entryway of my house, you know it looks like giant Asian people live here. (Code for WE TAKE OUR GIANT SHOES OFF AT THE DOOR.) I'm tired of tripping over the giant shoes, so I neatened the area up a little. We'll see if it works.
RANDOMNESS #1 - Today I'm meeting a friend for lunch downtown. This may not seem like a big deal to you, but I am filled with trepidation (good word).
I love my Big Gold Van. I can find it in any parking lot. I can look eye-to-eye with most 18-wheeler truck drivers. When someone asks if they can have a ride, I can always say, "YES!"
However, the Big Gold Van is definitely a suburb vehicle and not a downtown vehicle... and that would be because of the parking situation. I cannot parallel park the Big Gold Van. Depending on the parking deck, I may or may not be able to get in... and I may or may not be able to get out. (Been there, had to have an attendant drive it out, done that!)
What is my plan? I'm leaving 50 minutes early and looking for a meter parking space on the END. Do you know how rare those are? I worked downtown for ten years. You could find a dinosaur bone easier than a meter parking space on the END!
Ahh. But there's more. I'm planning on parking eight blocks away (in the less desirable part of town) and hoofing it to the luncheon destination. See? I'm always thinking.
And I'm thinking about taking my Survivor knife with me... just in case!
RANDOMNESS #2 - Tonight is a big night for us. The Faulkner Five are having our church directory picture taken. It has been almost five years since the last directory picture, and while we've had plenty of family shots made, this one will be in a BOOK which will be seen by literally THOUSANDS of people. (Code for IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE A GOOD PICTURE.)
I've picked out a good color scheme, I think. Black, green and two different shades of blue. We're working around Roxie's new dress.
I'm also practicing the word "NO!"
"Ma'am. Would you like to purchase the Platinum Package for $1,500, or can I just sign you up for the Tin Package which will only cost you $1,499?"
"NO! Just give me my complimentary 8" x 10"! NO!" How does that sound? Pretty good, huh?
Do you remember me talking about our train trip vacation to New Orleans this summer? Do you? I'm pretty sure after tonight we'll be having a "stay-cation." But that will give us plenty of time to look at our pictures!
RANDOMNESS #3 - If you're wondering, the No-Bake Chewy Peanut Butter Bars didn't happen yesterday. Miss Brilliant misread the ingredients. In my head I thought it said "5 large marshmallows." In reality, it said "5 cups of large marshmallows." Don't worry. I'm buying marshmallows today after lunch... if I make it back alive.
Blog Linkage - I have old and new links for you to read today. I think you'll like them all.
1. Go to www.andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com. This young family of six (Mom, Dad, three boys and a little girl) have been going through the adoption process. This week, their new addition arrived from Ethiopia... a beautiful little girl named Elsa. Scroll down to the video of Elsa's arrival in the airport. It is so sweet and beautiful. I cannot wait to follow this family's journey with FIVE small children. It should be very interesting.
2. Go to Nesting Place under My Blog List and scroll down to the post entitled "How to Yard Sale... For Buyers and Sellers." If you've never gone to yard sales, this post will be extremely helpful. And if you frequently go to yard sales, you still might pick up a few tips.
3. I think I'll be adding this blog to My Blog List in the very near future. Go to www.tidymom.net. There isn't a specific post I want you read. Read ALL of it. Tips, crafts, recipes, etc., etc. This chick has it all.
Enjoy!
Animal Lover Date
WARNING - This is a very specific date for our area only. Sorry!
This is a two-part date. If you have an animal-lovin' kid in your family, plan on a Birmingham Zoo AND movie ALL DAY DATE.
First, the new Trails of Africa exhibit featuring a bachelor elephant herd, red river hogs, giraffes, rhinos and antelopes (wildebeest, impala and kudu), along with zebras and ostriches, will be opening the weekend of April 22. Trails of Africa will also include ground and aerial observation opportunities providing education and entertainment to hundreds of thousands of visitors who will enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience.
Sounds wonderful, doesn't it? But wait! There's more!
There is a new IMAX movie coming to McWane Center. Born to be Wild is a documentary/movie about baby orangutans and baby elephants raised by humans to be released into the wild. I saw this trailer at Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2 and it looks wonderful. Although the release date for the movie is April 8, McWane Center has it listed as "Coming Soon."
How fun would it be to experience Trails of Africa in person, and then head to the IMAX later that day for the movie?
It will be a little pricey. I know I try to keep dates on the inexpensive side, but I'm giving you some time to save a little money for this one.
Believe me. Being a mom to an animal-lovin' kid, I KNOW he would have LOVED this date 14 or 15 years ago. (And in case you don't know which kid I'm talking about, The Boy was an animal-lovin' freak back in the day!)
I'll keep checking the IMAX showtimes, and I'll post as soon as they release the date of the movie. I'm almost positive the Trails of Africa exhibit and the movie will coincide. They just have to!
Have a tremendous Thursday. I hope all goes well for you today! Tomorrow is April Fool's Day, so I'll be sharing a couple of old April Fool pranks I've played on the Faulkner Five over the years, as well as Weekend Happenings.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
I've organized a little. If you have ever been in the entryway of my house, you know it looks like giant Asian people live here. (Code for WE TAKE OUR GIANT SHOES OFF AT THE DOOR.) I'm tired of tripping over the giant shoes, so I neatened the area up a little. We'll see if it works.
RANDOMNESS #1 - Today I'm meeting a friend for lunch downtown. This may not seem like a big deal to you, but I am filled with trepidation (good word).
I love my Big Gold Van. I can find it in any parking lot. I can look eye-to-eye with most 18-wheeler truck drivers. When someone asks if they can have a ride, I can always say, "YES!"
However, the Big Gold Van is definitely a suburb vehicle and not a downtown vehicle... and that would be because of the parking situation. I cannot parallel park the Big Gold Van. Depending on the parking deck, I may or may not be able to get in... and I may or may not be able to get out. (Been there, had to have an attendant drive it out, done that!)
What is my plan? I'm leaving 50 minutes early and looking for a meter parking space on the END. Do you know how rare those are? I worked downtown for ten years. You could find a dinosaur bone easier than a meter parking space on the END!
Ahh. But there's more. I'm planning on parking eight blocks away (in the less desirable part of town) and hoofing it to the luncheon destination. See? I'm always thinking.
And I'm thinking about taking my Survivor knife with me... just in case!
RANDOMNESS #2 - Tonight is a big night for us. The Faulkner Five are having our church directory picture taken. It has been almost five years since the last directory picture, and while we've had plenty of family shots made, this one will be in a BOOK which will be seen by literally THOUSANDS of people. (Code for IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE A GOOD PICTURE.)
I've picked out a good color scheme, I think. Black, green and two different shades of blue. We're working around Roxie's new dress.
I'm also practicing the word "NO!"
"Ma'am. Would you like to purchase the Platinum Package for $1,500, or can I just sign you up for the Tin Package which will only cost you $1,499?"
"NO! Just give me my complimentary 8" x 10"! NO!" How does that sound? Pretty good, huh?
Do you remember me talking about our train trip vacation to New Orleans this summer? Do you? I'm pretty sure after tonight we'll be having a "stay-cation." But that will give us plenty of time to look at our pictures!
RANDOMNESS #3 - If you're wondering, the No-Bake Chewy Peanut Butter Bars didn't happen yesterday. Miss Brilliant misread the ingredients. In my head I thought it said "5 large marshmallows." In reality, it said "5 cups of large marshmallows." Don't worry. I'm buying marshmallows today after lunch... if I make it back alive.
Blog Linkage - I have old and new links for you to read today. I think you'll like them all.
1. Go to www.andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com. This young family of six (Mom, Dad, three boys and a little girl) have been going through the adoption process. This week, their new addition arrived from Ethiopia... a beautiful little girl named Elsa. Scroll down to the video of Elsa's arrival in the airport. It is so sweet and beautiful. I cannot wait to follow this family's journey with FIVE small children. It should be very interesting.
2. Go to Nesting Place under My Blog List and scroll down to the post entitled "How to Yard Sale... For Buyers and Sellers." If you've never gone to yard sales, this post will be extremely helpful. And if you frequently go to yard sales, you still might pick up a few tips.
3. I think I'll be adding this blog to My Blog List in the very near future. Go to www.tidymom.net. There isn't a specific post I want you read. Read ALL of it. Tips, crafts, recipes, etc., etc. This chick has it all.
Enjoy!
Animal Lover Date
WARNING - This is a very specific date for our area only. Sorry!
This is a two-part date. If you have an animal-lovin' kid in your family, plan on a Birmingham Zoo AND movie ALL DAY DATE.
First, the new Trails of Africa exhibit featuring a bachelor elephant herd, red river hogs, giraffes, rhinos and antelopes (wildebeest, impala and kudu), along with zebras and ostriches, will be opening the weekend of April 22. Trails of Africa will also include ground and aerial observation opportunities providing education and entertainment to hundreds of thousands of visitors who will enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience.
Sounds wonderful, doesn't it? But wait! There's more!
There is a new IMAX movie coming to McWane Center. Born to be Wild is a documentary/movie about baby orangutans and baby elephants raised by humans to be released into the wild. I saw this trailer at Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2 and it looks wonderful. Although the release date for the movie is April 8, McWane Center has it listed as "Coming Soon."
How fun would it be to experience Trails of Africa in person, and then head to the IMAX later that day for the movie?
It will be a little pricey. I know I try to keep dates on the inexpensive side, but I'm giving you some time to save a little money for this one.
Believe me. Being a mom to an animal-lovin' kid, I KNOW he would have LOVED this date 14 or 15 years ago. (And in case you don't know which kid I'm talking about, The Boy was an animal-lovin' freak back in the day!)
I'll keep checking the IMAX showtimes, and I'll post as soon as they release the date of the movie. I'm almost positive the Trails of Africa exhibit and the movie will coincide. They just have to!
Have a tremendous Thursday. I hope all goes well for you today! Tomorrow is April Fool's Day, so I'll be sharing a couple of old April Fool pranks I've played on the Faulkner Five over the years, as well as Weekend Happenings.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Sibling Dates
Good Thursday morning!
The Gallery has moved on to a different Spring Break event. Camping pictures are SO OVER! Brad's birthday party photos from Sunday take the spotlight today.
RANDOMNESS #1 - For anyone wondering how Roxie's doctor's appointment went yesterday, I am happy/sad to say there was no pin removal. I am happy, because I did NOT want to see any more pins removed from my baby. I am sad because she is sad. Instead of a six to eight week recovery, our doctor has told us we are looking at a ten to 12 week recovery.
Looking at the X-ray, the bone fragment is much, much closer to the desired destination, but there is still a tiny little crack where it should fit like a puzzle piece... in four to six more weeks.
Her pin removal is going to happen just days, perhaps hours, before volleyball/basketball tryouts. But she is running and starting to do her drills with her left hand, so she'll be ready in that regard. She's nervous and a little high-strung. (I don't know where she gets that from!)
RANDOMNESS #2 - Fun fact for you... They've started putting fiber in Fruit Loops. Is nothing sacred any more? I fully expect to see fish oil listed as one of the main ingredients in Captain Crunch with Crunch Berries in the very near future. It's a travesty, I tell you.
RANDOMNESS #3 - On the way to school this morning, Roxie asked me the "question of the day."
"If you could change one thing on your body, what would it be?"
Geez! What a way to start the day! I thought a minute or two, and then I mentioned one of my 32 problem areas. I then went on to give her a talk about not dwelling on the problems, accentuating the good stuff, being happy with the way God made you, being content in all areas of your life and taking care of what you've got.
Today is pretty much shot because I will now be totally focused on the "problem area" I mentioned... no matter how hard I try to think of other things. And I was all set to focus on my shoulders all day... because that's one of the things the Body Pump instructor keeps telling us will be marvelous very, very soon.
I didn't mention my pre-baby body because I didn't want to scare Roxie into deciding NOT to have children one day. One of the few things I'm living for these days is the hope and dream of nine grandchildren. (That's right. I said nine.)
RANDOMNESS #4 - I bought a 12-ounce Diet Coke. (I'm a Diet Dr. Pepper drinker, but I didn't want to deviate from the recipe by using a Pepper.) I have chicken and a cup of ketchup. I'm trying this week's recipe tonight. There will be a pictorial in the morning.
Blog Linkage - I have a few links for you to check this week.
1. If you want to try some exciting new recipes, click on eighteen25 under My Blog List. They've listed some of their favorite food blogs and recipes. Let me know if you try anything new.
2. Keep up with www.andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com. Within the next few days, they will be adding a new child to their home... Elsa from Ethiopia. It could be any day now. This cute, young mom of four has three little boys and a little girl, and her blog is a lot of fun on any given day. However, this is going to be a pretty exciting event as this little girl meets her new family for the first time. I can't wait.
3. If you're old friends with Jeff and Sara Phillips, click on The Phillips Home under My Blog List to see what they've been up to recently in their new home in Canada. It's always fun to see Jeff, Sara and the kiddos in their new environment, and catch up with them and their ministry there.
Sibling Dates
This is one of the transition traditions I talk about from time to time. Mikie and I have diligently "dated" our three kids since they were two and three years-old. Now, at 20, 17 and 14, we continue to "date" them one-on-one as often as possible. We have seen definite benefits from the one-on-one time over the years even though it has not always been easy.
Sibling dates are for your older teens. As with most things in life, Austin never really thought about taking Roxie out one-on-one on his own. I had to "plant" the idea.
We started small. When Austin started driving, he would take Roxie out to shop for Josh's Christmas gift. He would then take Josh out to shop for Roxie's Christmas gift. I suggested adding a Starbucks coffee drink or milkshake to the outing.
From there, we went to the movies. Mike and I dropped out of the mix, and Austin drove Josh and Roxie to the movies where the three of them enjoyed that time together. (Roxie has said her favorite thing is to go to the movies and sit in between her big brothers. It is the MOST fun.)
Okay. Let's take it a little further. JSU is playing football at 1:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon. We drop Josh off at a mid-way point, and he spends the night with Austin in the dorm, hangs out with him and his friends AND stays up all night playing X-Box and watching movies with his brother. He LOVES it!
Once again, all of these things have been instigated by me or Mikie, and I was beginning to wonder if the siblings would ever suggest something on their own.
Wonder of wonders, it was Josh who began the instigating. He came in from school a couple of weeks ago, and without checking with me, went straight to Roxie and asked her if she wanted to grab a milkshake after dinner for their dessert. She happily agreed and off they went.
Josh also called and asked Austin to go to a concert with him last weekend. (Of course, he had asked several friends before he called Austin, and they all had other plans.) But Austin readily agreed, and the two of them had a great time.
I think if it is at all possible, sibling dates should be encouraged during this "older-teen" time of their lives. Everyone is going in different directions. You don't know where in the United States (or in another country) your brothers and sisters will end up as they graduate from college, get jobs, marry, etc.
In many ways, no one will ever know you better than your brother and sister. (This can be good or bad.) It's a special relationship.
DISCLAIMER - A sibling date can also go downhill VERY, VERY fast. Most siblings don't have a filter with each other. They can quickly and LOUDLY voice their opinion, and not really care they are in public.
I always tell them as they are walking out the door, "Be sweet to each other... even if it kills you."
And I always ask them upon their return if they behaved. Austin once answered this question by saying, "We were in Hoover... and we didn't see anyone we knew."
All I can say is I hope they didn't see anyone I KNEW!
Sibling dates... It can be a good thing!
Have a great Thursday. I will be posting Weekend Happenings first thing Friday morning, more pics and more RANDOMNESS.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery has moved on to a different Spring Break event. Camping pictures are SO OVER! Brad's birthday party photos from Sunday take the spotlight today.
RANDOMNESS #1 - For anyone wondering how Roxie's doctor's appointment went yesterday, I am happy/sad to say there was no pin removal. I am happy, because I did NOT want to see any more pins removed from my baby. I am sad because she is sad. Instead of a six to eight week recovery, our doctor has told us we are looking at a ten to 12 week recovery.
Looking at the X-ray, the bone fragment is much, much closer to the desired destination, but there is still a tiny little crack where it should fit like a puzzle piece... in four to six more weeks.
Her pin removal is going to happen just days, perhaps hours, before volleyball/basketball tryouts. But she is running and starting to do her drills with her left hand, so she'll be ready in that regard. She's nervous and a little high-strung. (I don't know where she gets that from!)
RANDOMNESS #2 - Fun fact for you... They've started putting fiber in Fruit Loops. Is nothing sacred any more? I fully expect to see fish oil listed as one of the main ingredients in Captain Crunch with Crunch Berries in the very near future. It's a travesty, I tell you.
RANDOMNESS #3 - On the way to school this morning, Roxie asked me the "question of the day."
"If you could change one thing on your body, what would it be?"
Geez! What a way to start the day! I thought a minute or two, and then I mentioned one of my 32 problem areas. I then went on to give her a talk about not dwelling on the problems, accentuating the good stuff, being happy with the way God made you, being content in all areas of your life and taking care of what you've got.
Today is pretty much shot because I will now be totally focused on the "problem area" I mentioned... no matter how hard I try to think of other things. And I was all set to focus on my shoulders all day... because that's one of the things the Body Pump instructor keeps telling us will be marvelous very, very soon.
I didn't mention my pre-baby body because I didn't want to scare Roxie into deciding NOT to have children one day. One of the few things I'm living for these days is the hope and dream of nine grandchildren. (That's right. I said nine.)
RANDOMNESS #4 - I bought a 12-ounce Diet Coke. (I'm a Diet Dr. Pepper drinker, but I didn't want to deviate from the recipe by using a Pepper.) I have chicken and a cup of ketchup. I'm trying this week's recipe tonight. There will be a pictorial in the morning.
Blog Linkage - I have a few links for you to check this week.
1. If you want to try some exciting new recipes, click on eighteen25 under My Blog List. They've listed some of their favorite food blogs and recipes. Let me know if you try anything new.
2. Keep up with www.andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com. Within the next few days, they will be adding a new child to their home... Elsa from Ethiopia. It could be any day now. This cute, young mom of four has three little boys and a little girl, and her blog is a lot of fun on any given day. However, this is going to be a pretty exciting event as this little girl meets her new family for the first time. I can't wait.
3. If you're old friends with Jeff and Sara Phillips, click on The Phillips Home under My Blog List to see what they've been up to recently in their new home in Canada. It's always fun to see Jeff, Sara and the kiddos in their new environment, and catch up with them and their ministry there.
Sibling Dates
This is one of the transition traditions I talk about from time to time. Mikie and I have diligently "dated" our three kids since they were two and three years-old. Now, at 20, 17 and 14, we continue to "date" them one-on-one as often as possible. We have seen definite benefits from the one-on-one time over the years even though it has not always been easy.
Sibling dates are for your older teens. As with most things in life, Austin never really thought about taking Roxie out one-on-one on his own. I had to "plant" the idea.
We started small. When Austin started driving, he would take Roxie out to shop for Josh's Christmas gift. He would then take Josh out to shop for Roxie's Christmas gift. I suggested adding a Starbucks coffee drink or milkshake to the outing.
From there, we went to the movies. Mike and I dropped out of the mix, and Austin drove Josh and Roxie to the movies where the three of them enjoyed that time together. (Roxie has said her favorite thing is to go to the movies and sit in between her big brothers. It is the MOST fun.)
Okay. Let's take it a little further. JSU is playing football at 1:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon. We drop Josh off at a mid-way point, and he spends the night with Austin in the dorm, hangs out with him and his friends AND stays up all night playing X-Box and watching movies with his brother. He LOVES it!
Once again, all of these things have been instigated by me or Mikie, and I was beginning to wonder if the siblings would ever suggest something on their own.
Wonder of wonders, it was Josh who began the instigating. He came in from school a couple of weeks ago, and without checking with me, went straight to Roxie and asked her if she wanted to grab a milkshake after dinner for their dessert. She happily agreed and off they went.
Josh also called and asked Austin to go to a concert with him last weekend. (Of course, he had asked several friends before he called Austin, and they all had other plans.) But Austin readily agreed, and the two of them had a great time.
I think if it is at all possible, sibling dates should be encouraged during this "older-teen" time of their lives. Everyone is going in different directions. You don't know where in the United States (or in another country) your brothers and sisters will end up as they graduate from college, get jobs, marry, etc.
In many ways, no one will ever know you better than your brother and sister. (This can be good or bad.) It's a special relationship.
DISCLAIMER - A sibling date can also go downhill VERY, VERY fast. Most siblings don't have a filter with each other. They can quickly and LOUDLY voice their opinion, and not really care they are in public.
I always tell them as they are walking out the door, "Be sweet to each other... even if it kills you."
And I always ask them upon their return if they behaved. Austin once answered this question by saying, "We were in Hoover... and we didn't see anyone we knew."
All I can say is I hope they didn't see anyone I KNEW!
Sibling dates... It can be a good thing!
Have a great Thursday. I will be posting Weekend Happenings first thing Friday morning, more pics and more RANDOMNESS.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Nursery Date
Good Thursday morning!
The Gallery Pic this morning is of the "Spring Bud." I was going to try a day-to-day pictorial, but this is a very stubborn bud (as you can tell). It's been a week since the last picture was taken. I may have inadvertently picked a "Spring Bud" which is a dud... and if that is the case, I'm sorry I have wasted your time!
ANNOUNCEMENT! ANNOUNCEMENT! ANNOUNCEMENT! - Please support Roxanne Adams and her family by eating at the Gardendale Chick-Fil-A TODAY! Receipts from breakfast, lunch, after school and dinner will benefit Roxanne for her ongoing treatment of dysautonomia. (She will receive 20 percent of the receipts.) Be sure to turn in your receipt, and tell your cashier, "This is for Roxanne!" The store will be playing Spin the Wheel from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. for prizes! Tell all your friends!
RANDOMNESS - I have three kids. Three teenagers. No... two teenagers and a 20-something. Over the years, these three "people" have been taught to do any number of household chores. They can load a dishwasher, clean a toilet, do a load of laundry, make a bed you can bounce a quarter on, wash cars, dust, vacuum, etc., etc., etc. You get the general idea.
However, there is one thing all three of them do that drives me to the edge. When they transfer wet clothes from the washer and put them into the dryer, they do not turn the dryer on. They leave the wet clothes sitting in the dryer... and they do not push the button. ONE BUTTON!
What does this mean? Is it genetic? Are they afraid of the dryer? Are they trying to make me cry... out loud... a lot? I don't know. It's very perplexing. It's like washing a whole car... except the left rear tire.
Now, if you tell me your teenager does the same exact thing, I will feel better. Misery does indeed love company. But if you tell me this never happens in your household, I don't know what I will do.
Knowing my children will one day be in charge of everything in their lives (paying bills, holding down a job, raising a family, planning vacations, etc.) while wearing soaking wet clothes because they didn't push ONE BUTTON is very discouraging.
Until I can find a way to blame this on Mikie's side of the family, I'm going to start feeling like a failure. I just know I will!
The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia (a/k/a The Night Mom Tried to Pass Out in Georgia)
Yea! Another camping story! I have a million of them!
We had been to Stone Mountain many times, but never on a camping trip. We planned a trip with two other families and headed for the park which is only two and half hours away. When we arrived, we were very pleased with what we saw. Beautiful campsites, places for the kids to ride their bikes, the lake within viewing and walking distance... and a brand new bathhouse. We pitched our tent as close as possible to the brand new bathhouse.
Everything was going well. The kids were playing great. We had a good dinner. We sat around the fire and told stories and ate s'mores. Josh, age five, ate too many s'mores... way too many s'mores.
It was time for bed, so we brushed our teeth and climbed into our nice, warm sleeping bags on our nice, soft air mattresses smelling of campfire smoke and other outdoorsy smells. Everyone dozed off.
We were awakened by the unmistakable sound of a child being sick in the middle of the night. It's probably mean to say, but when you're in a tent, you can hear everyone and everything within ten campsites of your own tent... so in your heart of hearts you're kind of hoping it's a kid in someone else's tent. No such luck! "Which one is it? Which one is it?" Mike and I were already climbing out of sleeping bags to assess the damage... and damage there was.
It was Josh. "Please tell me he didn't get sick in our shoes?" I asked Mike feebly since he was already up and trying to find the lanterns.
"Nope. Just him, his sleeping bag and one coat." Minimal damage in camping terms.
Mike stripped Josh down, tossed him over to me for a change of PJs and illness assessment, and headed out the door with the bag, coat and Josh's clothes. (We decided to toss the PJs.) Mike spent an hour in the new bathhouse cleaning the nylon sleeping bag and the coat, and came back for the verdict.
"No fever. No stomachache. My professional opinion is too many s'mores."
"How many did he have?" Mike asked.
"I would have to say from the damage report... more than one or two." And then we slept. The next morning, Josh woke up happy and well, and we decided to count our blessings we did not have a stomach bug. (Not to mention, we gave him a s'more limit he was to abide by for the rest of his life... 1 or 2 per sitting. NO MORE!)
We spent the day hiking, exploring and playing with the other families. It was a good day. We were grilling hot dogs and hamburgers for our dinner, and I was setting the picnic table when I looked over at three year-old Grant. His flushed cheeks and droopy eyes could have been the result of playing hard all day, but there was something else... something I had seen before. "Grant, are you feeling... ," I started to ask... but never got to finish. Grant got sick all over the picnic table. I knew for a fact no s'mores had been eaten yet, so I feared this might be something more serious.
His mom came over to check him out and in our professional opinions, Grant had a stomach bug. As the dads cleaned the table, discussions were held as to what we should do. Grant's family decided to pack up and head to Alabama as quickly as possible so they could be home in the event other family members came down with the illness, also. One problem. It is not a five minute job to take down a tent and pack everything up, so it was decided Mike, Grant's mom and dad and all the boys available would help pack up... and I would hold and comfort sick little Grant.
I sat in a chair away from the commotion and held the feverish little boy for a little over an hour knowing the possibility of my catching his illness was going to be huge. (To this day, I can't hold a sick little boy and not kiss the top of his head, rub his back and whisper in his ear that everything is going to be okay.) So in my mind, I knew in just a few hours I, too, would be in the brand new bathhouse at Stone Mountain, Georgia throwing up. I just decided to "go with it."
We said good-bye to Grant and our friends about 10:30 that night, and once again headed to bed. No s'mores had been eaten. Everyone seemed to be feeling okay. I was feeling okay. Maybe, just maybe, we had dodged a bullet. We all dozed off.
We were awakened by the unmistakable sound of a child being sick in the middle of the night. I'm sorry to say, I again hoped it was some other kid in some other tent down the way. And unfortunately it was not. "Which one is it? Which one is it?" Mike and I were climbing out of our sleeping bags trying to assess damage. This time it was Austin. "Please tell me he didn't get sick in our shoes?" I asked.
"Nope. Sleeping bag, two coats and PJs." Mike was already gathering everything to head to the bathhouse (Mike is a GREAT dad and husband), and I held a shaking, feverish little boy in my arms. This wasn't a case of too many s'mores. This was the dreaded stomach bug.
Mike and I decided to nickname our tent the "Death Tent," because... well, to be honest, it had lost that woodsy smell two nights earlier and things were not getting any better. We stayed up with Austin most of the night, and the next day he and I stayed in the brand new bathhouse while Josh and Mikie took our campsite down.
There really isn't a moral to this story. It was a weekend of just trying to survive... trying to have a good time in a really bad situation... being a family looking for the blessings in a series of very unfortunate events and living to tell the tale. If it had been our first camping experience, no doubt about it, it would have been our last. But we had several great camping trips under our belt, and we considered this one a little bump in road. I guess if we sat down and tried to think of the good things that weekend we could come up with one or two.
Good Thing #1 - No one ever got sick in our shoes. That was a biggie for me.
Good Thing #2 - No one else in our family got the stomach bug, which was pretty much a miracle considering our close quarters.
Good Thing #3 - We discovered at an early age that Josh can't hold his s'mores (and this fact has helped during other camping trips).
Good Thing #4 - I'm sorry. I think I'm going to have to stop at #3. I can't seem to think of Good Thing #4. (It's taken me ten years to think of Good Things #1 through #3.)
If you're wondering about the title of this story (The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia), we found Georgia is incredibly dark in the middle of the night in a campground when you're wandering around trying to clean sleeping bags and such. And part two of the title (The Night Mom Tried to Black Out in Georgia) refers to my inability to pass out until all the bad stuff stops happening. I'm just one of those people who is going to be painfully aware (and fully awake) of any situation I'm in... good or bad. Not a very good trait as far as I'm concerned.
Blog Linkage - Okay. Here are three very different links for you to check out today. One for St. Patrick's Day... one to look at beautiful photos (no reading required)... and one comparing a two year-old to a junior high teenage girl (very, very funny).
1. Click on eighteen25 under My Blog List. Scroll down to the post entitled "Gotta See This" dated March 4. The girls have shared several good St. Patrick's Day ideas for parents of little ones.
2. Click on Confessions of a Pioneer Woman under My Blog List. Click on "Photography" at the top of the page. The Pioneer Woman had a photo contest entitled "Sisters" last week. Take your time and look at these beautiful, photos. (My favorite didn't even make the finals!)
3. Click on Big Mama under My Blog List. Read today's post entitled "Have Car, Will Travel." Feel free to laugh out loud!
Enjoy!
Nursery Date
My new friend, Kristel, left a comment in the Comment section last week talking about an idea she found in the Family Fun Magazine. She and her kiddos are going to plant grass seed in a plastic tray or glass baking dish, watch the grass grow, trim the grass and then let some of their favorite "tiny toys" play in the homegrown yard. (You can find this idea on page 66 of the March 2011 issue.)
That little comment made me think about my trip to Leaf & Petal Nursery behind the Summit (in Cahaba Heights) last week. Not only was it a nursery, but it had a very pretty store attached, too. You can call them at 205-871-3832 for specific directions.
Why not take one of your little ones on a date to pick out a special flower, bush or tree to plant in your yard this Spring. (Remember the lemon tree my friend bought? How cool would that be?)
A lemon or lime tree may be out of your price range for a date, but there are always smaller plants and flowers you could purchase. Spend a little time shopping for the perfect plant before heading to lunch. If you want to stick with the theme (nature, Spring, etc.), plan on taking your date to a restaurant which serves fruit, salads, etc. (Uh, that would be O'Carrs Restaurant only 30 seconds away from the Leaf & Petal Nursery in Cahaba Heights!)
But wait! There's more! Once you get home, it will be time to get your hands dirty. Make sure you and your child follow the instructions and plant your flower, bush or tree in a special place.
And by all means, have fun!
Have a blessed Thursday! Friday afternoon will mark the beginning of Spring Break. YEA! I'll have one more camping story, another pic of two and Weekend Happenings to share.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery Pic this morning is of the "Spring Bud." I was going to try a day-to-day pictorial, but this is a very stubborn bud (as you can tell). It's been a week since the last picture was taken. I may have inadvertently picked a "Spring Bud" which is a dud... and if that is the case, I'm sorry I have wasted your time!
ANNOUNCEMENT! ANNOUNCEMENT! ANNOUNCEMENT! - Please support Roxanne Adams and her family by eating at the Gardendale Chick-Fil-A TODAY! Receipts from breakfast, lunch, after school and dinner will benefit Roxanne for her ongoing treatment of dysautonomia. (She will receive 20 percent of the receipts.) Be sure to turn in your receipt, and tell your cashier, "This is for Roxanne!" The store will be playing Spin the Wheel from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. for prizes! Tell all your friends!
RANDOMNESS - I have three kids. Three teenagers. No... two teenagers and a 20-something. Over the years, these three "people" have been taught to do any number of household chores. They can load a dishwasher, clean a toilet, do a load of laundry, make a bed you can bounce a quarter on, wash cars, dust, vacuum, etc., etc., etc. You get the general idea.
However, there is one thing all three of them do that drives me to the edge. When they transfer wet clothes from the washer and put them into the dryer, they do not turn the dryer on. They leave the wet clothes sitting in the dryer... and they do not push the button. ONE BUTTON!
What does this mean? Is it genetic? Are they afraid of the dryer? Are they trying to make me cry... out loud... a lot? I don't know. It's very perplexing. It's like washing a whole car... except the left rear tire.
Now, if you tell me your teenager does the same exact thing, I will feel better. Misery does indeed love company. But if you tell me this never happens in your household, I don't know what I will do.
Knowing my children will one day be in charge of everything in their lives (paying bills, holding down a job, raising a family, planning vacations, etc.) while wearing soaking wet clothes because they didn't push ONE BUTTON is very discouraging.
Until I can find a way to blame this on Mikie's side of the family, I'm going to start feeling like a failure. I just know I will!
The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia (a/k/a The Night Mom Tried to Pass Out in Georgia)
Yea! Another camping story! I have a million of them!
We had been to Stone Mountain many times, but never on a camping trip. We planned a trip with two other families and headed for the park which is only two and half hours away. When we arrived, we were very pleased with what we saw. Beautiful campsites, places for the kids to ride their bikes, the lake within viewing and walking distance... and a brand new bathhouse. We pitched our tent as close as possible to the brand new bathhouse.
Everything was going well. The kids were playing great. We had a good dinner. We sat around the fire and told stories and ate s'mores. Josh, age five, ate too many s'mores... way too many s'mores.
It was time for bed, so we brushed our teeth and climbed into our nice, warm sleeping bags on our nice, soft air mattresses smelling of campfire smoke and other outdoorsy smells. Everyone dozed off.
We were awakened by the unmistakable sound of a child being sick in the middle of the night. It's probably mean to say, but when you're in a tent, you can hear everyone and everything within ten campsites of your own tent... so in your heart of hearts you're kind of hoping it's a kid in someone else's tent. No such luck! "Which one is it? Which one is it?" Mike and I were already climbing out of sleeping bags to assess the damage... and damage there was.
It was Josh. "Please tell me he didn't get sick in our shoes?" I asked Mike feebly since he was already up and trying to find the lanterns.
"Nope. Just him, his sleeping bag and one coat." Minimal damage in camping terms.
Mike stripped Josh down, tossed him over to me for a change of PJs and illness assessment, and headed out the door with the bag, coat and Josh's clothes. (We decided to toss the PJs.) Mike spent an hour in the new bathhouse cleaning the nylon sleeping bag and the coat, and came back for the verdict.
"No fever. No stomachache. My professional opinion is too many s'mores."
"How many did he have?" Mike asked.
"I would have to say from the damage report... more than one or two." And then we slept. The next morning, Josh woke up happy and well, and we decided to count our blessings we did not have a stomach bug. (Not to mention, we gave him a s'more limit he was to abide by for the rest of his life... 1 or 2 per sitting. NO MORE!)
We spent the day hiking, exploring and playing with the other families. It was a good day. We were grilling hot dogs and hamburgers for our dinner, and I was setting the picnic table when I looked over at three year-old Grant. His flushed cheeks and droopy eyes could have been the result of playing hard all day, but there was something else... something I had seen before. "Grant, are you feeling... ," I started to ask... but never got to finish. Grant got sick all over the picnic table. I knew for a fact no s'mores had been eaten yet, so I feared this might be something more serious.
His mom came over to check him out and in our professional opinions, Grant had a stomach bug. As the dads cleaned the table, discussions were held as to what we should do. Grant's family decided to pack up and head to Alabama as quickly as possible so they could be home in the event other family members came down with the illness, also. One problem. It is not a five minute job to take down a tent and pack everything up, so it was decided Mike, Grant's mom and dad and all the boys available would help pack up... and I would hold and comfort sick little Grant.
I sat in a chair away from the commotion and held the feverish little boy for a little over an hour knowing the possibility of my catching his illness was going to be huge. (To this day, I can't hold a sick little boy and not kiss the top of his head, rub his back and whisper in his ear that everything is going to be okay.) So in my mind, I knew in just a few hours I, too, would be in the brand new bathhouse at Stone Mountain, Georgia throwing up. I just decided to "go with it."
We said good-bye to Grant and our friends about 10:30 that night, and once again headed to bed. No s'mores had been eaten. Everyone seemed to be feeling okay. I was feeling okay. Maybe, just maybe, we had dodged a bullet. We all dozed off.
We were awakened by the unmistakable sound of a child being sick in the middle of the night. I'm sorry to say, I again hoped it was some other kid in some other tent down the way. And unfortunately it was not. "Which one is it? Which one is it?" Mike and I were climbing out of our sleeping bags trying to assess damage. This time it was Austin. "Please tell me he didn't get sick in our shoes?" I asked.
"Nope. Sleeping bag, two coats and PJs." Mike was already gathering everything to head to the bathhouse (Mike is a GREAT dad and husband), and I held a shaking, feverish little boy in my arms. This wasn't a case of too many s'mores. This was the dreaded stomach bug.
Mike and I decided to nickname our tent the "Death Tent," because... well, to be honest, it had lost that woodsy smell two nights earlier and things were not getting any better. We stayed up with Austin most of the night, and the next day he and I stayed in the brand new bathhouse while Josh and Mikie took our campsite down.
There really isn't a moral to this story. It was a weekend of just trying to survive... trying to have a good time in a really bad situation... being a family looking for the blessings in a series of very unfortunate events and living to tell the tale. If it had been our first camping experience, no doubt about it, it would have been our last. But we had several great camping trips under our belt, and we considered this one a little bump in road. I guess if we sat down and tried to think of the good things that weekend we could come up with one or two.
Good Thing #1 - No one ever got sick in our shoes. That was a biggie for me.
Good Thing #2 - No one else in our family got the stomach bug, which was pretty much a miracle considering our close quarters.
Good Thing #3 - We discovered at an early age that Josh can't hold his s'mores (and this fact has helped during other camping trips).
Good Thing #4 - I'm sorry. I think I'm going to have to stop at #3. I can't seem to think of Good Thing #4. (It's taken me ten years to think of Good Things #1 through #3.)
If you're wondering about the title of this story (The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia), we found Georgia is incredibly dark in the middle of the night in a campground when you're wandering around trying to clean sleeping bags and such. And part two of the title (The Night Mom Tried to Black Out in Georgia) refers to my inability to pass out until all the bad stuff stops happening. I'm just one of those people who is going to be painfully aware (and fully awake) of any situation I'm in... good or bad. Not a very good trait as far as I'm concerned.
Blog Linkage - Okay. Here are three very different links for you to check out today. One for St. Patrick's Day... one to look at beautiful photos (no reading required)... and one comparing a two year-old to a junior high teenage girl (very, very funny).
1. Click on eighteen25 under My Blog List. Scroll down to the post entitled "Gotta See This" dated March 4. The girls have shared several good St. Patrick's Day ideas for parents of little ones.
2. Click on Confessions of a Pioneer Woman under My Blog List. Click on "Photography" at the top of the page. The Pioneer Woman had a photo contest entitled "Sisters" last week. Take your time and look at these beautiful, photos. (My favorite didn't even make the finals!)
3. Click on Big Mama under My Blog List. Read today's post entitled "Have Car, Will Travel." Feel free to laugh out loud!
Enjoy!
Nursery Date
My new friend, Kristel, left a comment in the Comment section last week talking about an idea she found in the Family Fun Magazine. She and her kiddos are going to plant grass seed in a plastic tray or glass baking dish, watch the grass grow, trim the grass and then let some of their favorite "tiny toys" play in the homegrown yard. (You can find this idea on page 66 of the March 2011 issue.)
That little comment made me think about my trip to Leaf & Petal Nursery behind the Summit (in Cahaba Heights) last week. Not only was it a nursery, but it had a very pretty store attached, too. You can call them at 205-871-3832 for specific directions.
Why not take one of your little ones on a date to pick out a special flower, bush or tree to plant in your yard this Spring. (Remember the lemon tree my friend bought? How cool would that be?)
A lemon or lime tree may be out of your price range for a date, but there are always smaller plants and flowers you could purchase. Spend a little time shopping for the perfect plant before heading to lunch. If you want to stick with the theme (nature, Spring, etc.), plan on taking your date to a restaurant which serves fruit, salads, etc. (Uh, that would be O'Carrs Restaurant only 30 seconds away from the Leaf & Petal Nursery in Cahaba Heights!)
But wait! There's more! Once you get home, it will be time to get your hands dirty. Make sure you and your child follow the instructions and plant your flower, bush or tree in a special place.
And by all means, have fun!
Have a blessed Thursday! Friday afternoon will mark the beginning of Spring Break. YEA! I'll have one more camping story, another pic of two and Weekend Happenings to share.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Build a Kite Date
Good Thursday morning!
The Gallery Pic today is completely and totally SPRING! I know. I know. We may have a blizzard next week, but today it is warm and breezy and oh, so springy.
RANDOMNESS #1 - Yesterday, Roxie and I went for her post-op appointment. You know. The little appointment where they check the part of your body they performed surgery upon, and tell you things look good, etc., etc.
Well, Roxie's appointment went a little differently. Her finger had been hurting off and on since last Thursday. The wound was clean, and she was changing the bandages twice a day as instructed. We couldn't figure out the source of the pain. It took the surgeon two seconds.
"Well, one of the pins is working itself out. That's causing the discomfort."
"Pain," I corrected. "Not discomfort. Pain." Medical professionals tend to think procedures don't hurt, and I feel it's my duty to tell them the truth.
True Story - When I was having my C-Section staples removed after giving birth to Austin, it was quite painful. The nurse told me I was NOT in pain... just a little discomfort. (They like to use the word "discomfort." A lot.)
However, as I was leaving the room, I picked up a nearby stapler, inserted a couple in her upper arm and asked her to let me know if removing them was "painful" or "slightly uncomfortable." I think I made my hormonal point.
DISCLAIMER - Okay. The first paragraph is true. The second paragraph is what I wish I had done. Oh, if I could turn back the clock...
But I digress.
The surgeon said the X-ray looked great, the bone was healing, and he was going to remove the pin that was causing the "pain." The other two pins were doing their job holding the bone fragment in place.
Okay. So I'm thinking a new scheduled appointment, IV, Loritab, etc., etc. Imagine my surprise when the doc takes a pair of eyebrow tweezers out of the drawer and holds Roxie's tiny, delicate hand in his.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" I calmly asked... in a very loud voice.
"This won't hurt, and it just takes a second," he responded without looking at me.
And before I had time to turn my head, he pulled the wire/pin/metal object holding Roxie's finger together out... right in front of me. I have to admit... it was more than a little traumatic.
"Roxie, are you okay?" I weakly asked.
"Yes. It feels much better now. And it didn't even hurt. It felt funny... but it didn't hurt," she replied. "Are you okay?"
"I don't know. I can't stop shuddering, and my hands are shaking... and I flushed all of your left over Loritab down the toilet. This is bad. This is real bad."
"Maybe we can get him to write you a prescription," she said.
Yeah. That's the ticket. I need a prescription because my daughter had a tiny wire removed from her finger. It's good when someone understands you!
We kept the wire/pin/metal object for Show and Tell later. (I wanted Mikie to know how brave I had been.) I also made a mental note of which parent was taking her to her next pin removal... and his name starts with "DAD."
RANDOMNESS #2 - Chick-Fil-A is now serving a Banana Pudding Milkshake. I feel it is my responsibility (nay, my DUTY) to inform you of this fact. Let me know what you think!
RANDOMNESS #3 - I have a blogging friend who lives in Michigan. She has a Project Life Blog, too. I noticed she had a picture of a Shamrock Milkshake from McDonald's as one of her Pictures of the Day. I had not seen that on our menu board, so I called the two closest McDonald's to my house, and guess what? They are NOT serving Shamrock Milkshakes.
I Googled the McDonald's Shamrock Milkshake recipe, and even though it isn't Tuesday (Recipe Day), I thought I'd share it with you so you could add it to your St. Patrick's Day menu.
You will need the following:
2 cups vanilla ice cream
1 1/4 cups low fat milk
1/4 teaspoon mint extract
8 drops green food coloring
Combine all ingredients in blender and blend on high until smooth. If needed, stop blender and stir with a spoon to help blend in ice cream. Makes 2 servings... or 1 if you don't want to share.
Your welcome!
RANDOMNESS #4 - One of my new friends, Kristel, left a comment yesterday regarding National Days in March. I left off one of the most important days. March 20... the First Day of Spring.
Kristel and her family are celebrating as follows:
1. They are having a Welcome Spring Party.
2. She is serving green cupcakes with candy flowers on top...
3. On flower-shaped plates...
4. With pink lemonade.
5. There will be paper/paint/glitter decorated kites hanging from the ceiling.
Sounds like an excellent party! Thanks for sharing, Kristel... and I'll be there around 6:00!
Blog Linkage - I have some interesting stuff to share today.
1. Click on eighteen25 under My Blog List and scroll down to the post entitled "I'm So Lucky" dated February 28, and "Lucky U" dated March 2. These posts show you how to make two very cute, inexpensive and fun St. Patrick's Day gifts for your kiddos. I loved them both.
2. Click on Nesting Place under My Blog List and scroll down to the post entitled "Gallery Walls." I love looking at these pictures of how people decorated their bare walls. Just beautiful. I thought you might get a kick out of it, too.
3. Go to www.myjobchart.com. I read about this website on eighteen25, and checked it out. It has wonderful ideas about getting your kids to help around the house, age-appropriate chores, rewards, charts, etc. If you have little ones, this would be a great place to start teaching them all about chores!
Enjoy!
Build a Kite Date
Beginning Saturday, March 12 through July 30, the Southern Museum of Flight will be hosting a Colorful Kite Tales Exhibit.
The Colorful Kite Tales Exhibition chronicles the colorful history and science of kites. These sixteen panels and an array of kites detail kite basics and historical kiting events.
After you and your date spend a little time looking at the exhibit, you can then hand-make your very own kite. Materials and directions will be available.
The exhibit and kite-making activity cost $7 per person.
The address is 4343 73rd Street North, Birmingham. They are open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
For more information, call 205-833-8226.
I haven't personally gone to this Exhibit or built a kite at the Southern Museum of Flight, but it does sound like fun, doesn't it?
NOTE - You can finish off the date with a Banana Pudding Milkshake at Chick-Fil-A! That's what I would do! Just saying.
Have a sunny Thursday. I'll finish the first week of March on Friday with Weekend Happenings, Randomness and a few more SPRING pics! I have to get them before the next hard freeze sets in!
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery Pic today is completely and totally SPRING! I know. I know. We may have a blizzard next week, but today it is warm and breezy and oh, so springy.
RANDOMNESS #1 - Yesterday, Roxie and I went for her post-op appointment. You know. The little appointment where they check the part of your body they performed surgery upon, and tell you things look good, etc., etc.
Well, Roxie's appointment went a little differently. Her finger had been hurting off and on since last Thursday. The wound was clean, and she was changing the bandages twice a day as instructed. We couldn't figure out the source of the pain. It took the surgeon two seconds.
"Well, one of the pins is working itself out. That's causing the discomfort."
"Pain," I corrected. "Not discomfort. Pain." Medical professionals tend to think procedures don't hurt, and I feel it's my duty to tell them the truth.
True Story - When I was having my C-Section staples removed after giving birth to Austin, it was quite painful. The nurse told me I was NOT in pain... just a little discomfort. (They like to use the word "discomfort." A lot.)
However, as I was leaving the room, I picked up a nearby stapler, inserted a couple in her upper arm and asked her to let me know if removing them was "painful" or "slightly uncomfortable." I think I made my hormonal point.
DISCLAIMER - Okay. The first paragraph is true. The second paragraph is what I wish I had done. Oh, if I could turn back the clock...
But I digress.
The surgeon said the X-ray looked great, the bone was healing, and he was going to remove the pin that was causing the "pain." The other two pins were doing their job holding the bone fragment in place.
Okay. So I'm thinking a new scheduled appointment, IV, Loritab, etc., etc. Imagine my surprise when the doc takes a pair of eyebrow tweezers out of the drawer and holds Roxie's tiny, delicate hand in his.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" I calmly asked... in a very loud voice.
"This won't hurt, and it just takes a second," he responded without looking at me.
And before I had time to turn my head, he pulled the wire/pin/metal object holding Roxie's finger together out... right in front of me. I have to admit... it was more than a little traumatic.
"Roxie, are you okay?" I weakly asked.
"Yes. It feels much better now. And it didn't even hurt. It felt funny... but it didn't hurt," she replied. "Are you okay?"
"I don't know. I can't stop shuddering, and my hands are shaking... and I flushed all of your left over Loritab down the toilet. This is bad. This is real bad."
"Maybe we can get him to write you a prescription," she said.
Yeah. That's the ticket. I need a prescription because my daughter had a tiny wire removed from her finger. It's good when someone understands you!
We kept the wire/pin/metal object for Show and Tell later. (I wanted Mikie to know how brave I had been.) I also made a mental note of which parent was taking her to her next pin removal... and his name starts with "DAD."
RANDOMNESS #2 - Chick-Fil-A is now serving a Banana Pudding Milkshake. I feel it is my responsibility (nay, my DUTY) to inform you of this fact. Let me know what you think!
RANDOMNESS #3 - I have a blogging friend who lives in Michigan. She has a Project Life Blog, too. I noticed she had a picture of a Shamrock Milkshake from McDonald's as one of her Pictures of the Day. I had not seen that on our menu board, so I called the two closest McDonald's to my house, and guess what? They are NOT serving Shamrock Milkshakes.
I Googled the McDonald's Shamrock Milkshake recipe, and even though it isn't Tuesday (Recipe Day), I thought I'd share it with you so you could add it to your St. Patrick's Day menu.
You will need the following:
2 cups vanilla ice cream
1 1/4 cups low fat milk
1/4 teaspoon mint extract
8 drops green food coloring
Combine all ingredients in blender and blend on high until smooth. If needed, stop blender and stir with a spoon to help blend in ice cream. Makes 2 servings... or 1 if you don't want to share.
Your welcome!
RANDOMNESS #4 - One of my new friends, Kristel, left a comment yesterday regarding National Days in March. I left off one of the most important days. March 20... the First Day of Spring.
Kristel and her family are celebrating as follows:
1. They are having a Welcome Spring Party.
2. She is serving green cupcakes with candy flowers on top...
3. On flower-shaped plates...
4. With pink lemonade.
5. There will be paper/paint/glitter decorated kites hanging from the ceiling.
Sounds like an excellent party! Thanks for sharing, Kristel... and I'll be there around 6:00!
Blog Linkage - I have some interesting stuff to share today.
1. Click on eighteen25 under My Blog List and scroll down to the post entitled "I'm So Lucky" dated February 28, and "Lucky U" dated March 2. These posts show you how to make two very cute, inexpensive and fun St. Patrick's Day gifts for your kiddos. I loved them both.
2. Click on Nesting Place under My Blog List and scroll down to the post entitled "Gallery Walls." I love looking at these pictures of how people decorated their bare walls. Just beautiful. I thought you might get a kick out of it, too.
3. Go to www.myjobchart.com. I read about this website on eighteen25, and checked it out. It has wonderful ideas about getting your kids to help around the house, age-appropriate chores, rewards, charts, etc. If you have little ones, this would be a great place to start teaching them all about chores!
Enjoy!
Build a Kite Date
Beginning Saturday, March 12 through July 30, the Southern Museum of Flight will be hosting a Colorful Kite Tales Exhibit.
The Colorful Kite Tales Exhibition chronicles the colorful history and science of kites. These sixteen panels and an array of kites detail kite basics and historical kiting events.
After you and your date spend a little time looking at the exhibit, you can then hand-make your very own kite. Materials and directions will be available.
The exhibit and kite-making activity cost $7 per person.
The address is 4343 73rd Street North, Birmingham. They are open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
For more information, call 205-833-8226.
I haven't personally gone to this Exhibit or built a kite at the Southern Museum of Flight, but it does sound like fun, doesn't it?
NOTE - You can finish off the date with a Banana Pudding Milkshake at Chick-Fil-A! That's what I would do! Just saying.
Have a sunny Thursday. I'll finish the first week of March on Friday with Weekend Happenings, Randomness and a few more SPRING pics! I have to get them before the next hard freeze sets in!
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Thursday, February 24, 2011
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
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
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Favorite Date
Good Thursday morning!
The Gallery pic is Austin and Melia's Valentine's Day photo taken by her Dad. Good looking couple, aren't they?
CONTEST! CONTEST! CONTEST! - LOOK FOR THE COLOR WORD IN THE POST TODAY!
All you have to do is read A Simple Life Monday through Friday (February 14 through February 18). Every day this week, I will use a color word SOMEWHERE in the post.
After you read Friday's post, you will need to send me a comment in the Comment Section, an e-mail or Facebook message giving me the list of colors mentioned in the posts that week.
Your entry should look something like this:
Monday - Red
Tuesday - (The color word I use in the post that day.)
Wednesday - (Same as above.)
Thursday - (Are you getting the idea now?)
Friday - (Please say you understand!)
The FIRST person who leaves me a comment, e-mail or Facebook message with the five correct color words in the correct ORDER will win... A GIFT CERTIFICATE TO OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE! How about that? Pretty cool, huh?
NOTE! NOTE! NOTE! - I accidentally had TWO color words in Wednesday's post. You may use either word in your answer, and it will be counted as CORRECT! Don't worry. It was my mistake. It was not a trick. I promise... I'll be much more careful today!
RANDOMNESS - The saga continues. Most people could probably tell their courtship/engagement story in a day. However, what should have been so simple and natural was complicated by Mikie's refusal to see the obvious! (I know I sound bitter, but I'm not. Really. Well, maybe just a tad.)
The Mikie and Belinda Story - Part Three
Yes. Mike was very... hmmm... what's the term? Enamored? Besotted? Crazy about? Anyway, he really, really liked this chick... and I was getting really, really tired of hearing about their dates, etc. So I kind of backed out of the picture. Not in a bad way. I just went about my business... without Mikie.
A month or so later when the relationship ended because (EXCUSE ME) he wasn't dating the person God wanted him to date, we were able to pick up where we left off in our friendship. But, I was no longer happy JUST being Mikie's friend. It was pretty frustrating.
During this "frustrating" time, Mike's best "guy" friend and roommate (who was also a good friend of mine) called me. Kerry had talked to Mike about dating me. It was apparent to all of our friends that Mike and I were supposed to be "together," and Kerry wanted to know what I thought. I agreed. Then Kerry told me some unsettling news. He had already to talked to Mike about asking me out... and Mike had said no. "We are best friends. If something goes wrong, it will mess up everything."
I told Kerry I would handle the situation.
I called Mike and asked him over for Sunday dinner. I cooked a slow cooker pot roast with all the fixings. (I loved my slow cooker even back in my single chick days.) I set the table and had a flower centerpiece. I had candles even though it was in the middle of the day. My presentation was dead on!
This wasn't Mike's first pot roast Sunday dinner at my apartment, but I made sure it had a little extra! As he sat in the den watching the races on TV, I fixed the glasses, etc. and worked up my courage to talk to him. My roommate was due back from church any minute, so what I had to say had to be said quickly and succinctly.
"Mike. Stay on the couch. Do not get up," I yelled from the kitchen.
"Uh. Okay." I could hear the confusion in his voice.
"Why don't you ask me out on a date?" I yelled again.
I heard the couch squeak. A sure sign someone was getting up when he had been told NOT to move.
"Do NOT come in here," I repeated.
The couch squeaked again. He had sat down. "Well. What if it didn't work out? It would ruin everything. It would make everything awkward at church. It would make everything awkward with our friends. It would just be awful."
"You're wasting a lot of time and money dating a bunch of girls you are NOT supposed to be with. If it doesn't work out, we'll deal with it, but we both know we're supposed to be dating each other."
Another squeak. "I'm not telling you again. Sit down! Do not come in here."
And then I put his mind at ease. "I've thought about the church thing. If for some reason we're wrong and we're not supposed to be together, you will have to go to Dawson. They have a good Singles Department and their pastor is wonderful. I know several people who go there, and I will introduce you to them if it gets to that point."
He started laughing then, so I had to add, "I am NOT kidding."
And then he was at the kitchen door. "Okay. You're right. We need to be dating." And he was smiling and looking amused, and instead of feeling happy and triumphant, I was just mad.
"Since you didn't handle this part well, I expect you to take over from here, and I'll be waiting for your call. I'm not supposed to ask you to ask me out. You're going to have to man-up!" (I may not have used that exact term, but you get the idea!)
"So I don't get Sunday lunch?"
"You may have Sunday lunch, but then you must leave, and we will never speak of this again."
In walked my roommate, and we sat down to pot roast and fixings and one of the strangest meals I've ever shared with Mike Faulkner.
When I walked him to the door, he smiled and said, "I'll be calling you soon."
To which I replied, "Whatever."
You would think with that auspicious beginning, everything would just fall into place, wouldn't you? We still had to overcome a few bumps in the road, but we'll talk about those tomorrow.
Oh, and the only reason I'm telling this story after I specifically told Mikie we "would never speak of this again" is because... Well, he told everyone!
Blog Linkage - Beautiful photographs, housekeeping tips and crafts! Oh, my!
1. Go to Confessions of a Pioneer Woman under My Blog List. Click on Photography at the top of her page and take a gander through all of the pictures which represent "Love." She is having another photo contest, and the entries are breathtaking. I've enjoyed looking at them this week... and there's more to come!
2. Go to eighteen25 under My Blog List and scroll down to the entry entitled "Keeping House." I love her house, but I also love her attitude. Check out the word on the chalkboard in the family room. What a sweet word for "home."
3. Go to www.andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com and scroll down to the post entitled "Emily did something crafty. Holla." dated February 15. These Valentine's Day mailboxes are precious and would make a wonderful family tradition for years and years to come. Love the idea!
Favorite Date
Today is your day to share YOUR favorite date ever with your special someone. It may have been a once in a lifetime date, or it may be the date you look forward to again and again and again.
Either way, SHARE, SHARE, SHARE and give the rest of us some great spouse date ideas!
MY FAVORITE DATE EVER - My first date with Mikie was my favorite date. We went to Milo's and I dribbled Milo's sauce all over my brand new, way too expensive, blue and white striped outfit... and then a movie. There are two reasons it was my favorite date.
1. I was with Mikie... my future husband and best friend.
2. I love going out to eat and then watching a movie in a dark movie theater. Future husband or not, I've always ENJOYED those two things. (Mikie was a definite bonus.)
MY FAVORITE "DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN" DATE - If and when all the kids are out of the house at the same time (very rare), Mikie grills a rib-eye for him and a tuna steak for me. I bake potatoes. We have a very nice, simple, quiet meal together. We play backgammon. We go to Books-A-Million and wander through the books and magazines before sitting down for coffee/hot chocolate, etc.
MY WORST DATE EVER - I had a blind date with a nice young man I had absolutely NOTHING in common with. He picked me up at 7:00 a.m. (IN THE MORNING, PEOPLE), and we spent the day at the lake with his family and friends. I returned home at 10:00 p.m. (IN THE EVENING, PEOPLE). There were multiple reasons this was my WORST DATE EVER.
1. It wasn't with Mikie.
2. My date didn't speak. I mean, he could speak. He just chose to ride in unbearable, uncomfortable silence all the way to the lake and all the way home.
3. Did I mention the drive to the lake was over two hours long? Yeah. That's right. That's over 240 minutes of my life I'll never get back!
4. A 15-hour date (unless it's with Mikie) is usually going to be a huge mistake. HUGE!
5. A blind date at the lake where at least part of the time you are required to wear a bathing suit... in front of strangers... Need I say more? Shoot me now!
6. After a few minutes in the boat, you have boat hair. Nothing you can do about it. Boat hair is there to stay!
MY FUNNIEST DATE EVER - I had the boys put the tent up in the backyard. Each night, a different group of people spent the night in the tent.
1. Austin and Josh
2. Austin, Josh and Roxie
3. Josh and friends
4. Roxie and friends
5. Me and Roxie
6. Mike, Austin and Josh
And then I had a brilliant idea. How fun would it be for me and Mikie to have an all-night date in the tent? We could pretend we were in the woods camping... just the two of us. The kids were old enough to stay in the house alone. It would be fun. NOT!
We ate, watched movies on the computer, talked and talked and talked, checked on the kids and got ready to go to bed on the nice, comfy air mattress.
We were almost asleep when Mikie said, "I think we're on a slant. I feel like my head is lower than my feet."
"Mike. You're imagining things. This is a perfectly level part of the yard. We're fine. It's your imagination."
The next morning (when we were fortunate enough to wake up), I looked over at Mikie and was shocked at how red his face was. I asked him if he was okay. "I have a killer headache, and my feet are freezing."
Hmmm. I also had a killer headache, AND my feet were freezing. Sitting up had a dizzying effect on both of us. It appears Mikie was right about the slant situation. All the blood had flowed to our heads during the night... and our lily white feet were lacking the red stuff. A few minutes later, we were all good... kind of.
I've learned when Mikie thinks we're on a slant, we are most definitely on a slant!
So share. The good, the bad and the ugly. What's your story?
Have a fun Thursday. Find the color word in today's post. Hopefully, there is only one, but if I've slipped in another one, you know the drill. Just make sure you mention at least one for Thursday's post in your Contest answer.
Tomorrow's post will have Weekend Happenings, the last part of the Mikie and Belinda Story AND the last color word. Be sure to put them in the correct order. I'll announce the winner of the Outback Gift Certificate before noon!
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery pic is Austin and Melia's Valentine's Day photo taken by her Dad. Good looking couple, aren't they?
CONTEST! CONTEST! CONTEST! - LOOK FOR THE COLOR WORD IN THE POST TODAY!
All you have to do is read A Simple Life Monday through Friday (February 14 through February 18). Every day this week, I will use a color word SOMEWHERE in the post.
After you read Friday's post, you will need to send me a comment in the Comment Section, an e-mail or Facebook message giving me the list of colors mentioned in the posts that week.
Your entry should look something like this:
Monday - Red
Tuesday - (The color word I use in the post that day.)
Wednesday - (Same as above.)
Thursday - (Are you getting the idea now?)
Friday - (Please say you understand!)
The FIRST person who leaves me a comment, e-mail or Facebook message with the five correct color words in the correct ORDER will win... A GIFT CERTIFICATE TO OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE! How about that? Pretty cool, huh?
NOTE! NOTE! NOTE! - I accidentally had TWO color words in Wednesday's post. You may use either word in your answer, and it will be counted as CORRECT! Don't worry. It was my mistake. It was not a trick. I promise... I'll be much more careful today!
RANDOMNESS - The saga continues. Most people could probably tell their courtship/engagement story in a day. However, what should have been so simple and natural was complicated by Mikie's refusal to see the obvious! (I know I sound bitter, but I'm not. Really. Well, maybe just a tad.)
The Mikie and Belinda Story - Part Three
Yes. Mike was very... hmmm... what's the term? Enamored? Besotted? Crazy about? Anyway, he really, really liked this chick... and I was getting really, really tired of hearing about their dates, etc. So I kind of backed out of the picture. Not in a bad way. I just went about my business... without Mikie.
A month or so later when the relationship ended because (EXCUSE ME) he wasn't dating the person God wanted him to date, we were able to pick up where we left off in our friendship. But, I was no longer happy JUST being Mikie's friend. It was pretty frustrating.
During this "frustrating" time, Mike's best "guy" friend and roommate (who was also a good friend of mine) called me. Kerry had talked to Mike about dating me. It was apparent to all of our friends that Mike and I were supposed to be "together," and Kerry wanted to know what I thought. I agreed. Then Kerry told me some unsettling news. He had already to talked to Mike about asking me out... and Mike had said no. "We are best friends. If something goes wrong, it will mess up everything."
I told Kerry I would handle the situation.
I called Mike and asked him over for Sunday dinner. I cooked a slow cooker pot roast with all the fixings. (I loved my slow cooker even back in my single chick days.) I set the table and had a flower centerpiece. I had candles even though it was in the middle of the day. My presentation was dead on!
This wasn't Mike's first pot roast Sunday dinner at my apartment, but I made sure it had a little extra! As he sat in the den watching the races on TV, I fixed the glasses, etc. and worked up my courage to talk to him. My roommate was due back from church any minute, so what I had to say had to be said quickly and succinctly.
"Mike. Stay on the couch. Do not get up," I yelled from the kitchen.
"Uh. Okay." I could hear the confusion in his voice.
"Why don't you ask me out on a date?" I yelled again.
I heard the couch squeak. A sure sign someone was getting up when he had been told NOT to move.
"Do NOT come in here," I repeated.
The couch squeaked again. He had sat down. "Well. What if it didn't work out? It would ruin everything. It would make everything awkward at church. It would make everything awkward with our friends. It would just be awful."
"You're wasting a lot of time and money dating a bunch of girls you are NOT supposed to be with. If it doesn't work out, we'll deal with it, but we both know we're supposed to be dating each other."
Another squeak. "I'm not telling you again. Sit down! Do not come in here."
And then I put his mind at ease. "I've thought about the church thing. If for some reason we're wrong and we're not supposed to be together, you will have to go to Dawson. They have a good Singles Department and their pastor is wonderful. I know several people who go there, and I will introduce you to them if it gets to that point."
He started laughing then, so I had to add, "I am NOT kidding."
And then he was at the kitchen door. "Okay. You're right. We need to be dating." And he was smiling and looking amused, and instead of feeling happy and triumphant, I was just mad.
"Since you didn't handle this part well, I expect you to take over from here, and I'll be waiting for your call. I'm not supposed to ask you to ask me out. You're going to have to man-up!" (I may not have used that exact term, but you get the idea!)
"So I don't get Sunday lunch?"
"You may have Sunday lunch, but then you must leave, and we will never speak of this again."
In walked my roommate, and we sat down to pot roast and fixings and one of the strangest meals I've ever shared with Mike Faulkner.
When I walked him to the door, he smiled and said, "I'll be calling you soon."
To which I replied, "Whatever."
You would think with that auspicious beginning, everything would just fall into place, wouldn't you? We still had to overcome a few bumps in the road, but we'll talk about those tomorrow.
Oh, and the only reason I'm telling this story after I specifically told Mikie we "would never speak of this again" is because... Well, he told everyone!
Blog Linkage - Beautiful photographs, housekeeping tips and crafts! Oh, my!
1. Go to Confessions of a Pioneer Woman under My Blog List. Click on Photography at the top of her page and take a gander through all of the pictures which represent "Love." She is having another photo contest, and the entries are breathtaking. I've enjoyed looking at them this week... and there's more to come!
2. Go to eighteen25 under My Blog List and scroll down to the entry entitled "Keeping House." I love her house, but I also love her attitude. Check out the word on the chalkboard in the family room. What a sweet word for "home."
3. Go to www.andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com and scroll down to the post entitled "Emily did something crafty. Holla." dated February 15. These Valentine's Day mailboxes are precious and would make a wonderful family tradition for years and years to come. Love the idea!
Favorite Date
Today is your day to share YOUR favorite date ever with your special someone. It may have been a once in a lifetime date, or it may be the date you look forward to again and again and again.
Either way, SHARE, SHARE, SHARE and give the rest of us some great spouse date ideas!
MY FAVORITE DATE EVER - My first date with Mikie was my favorite date. We went to Milo's and I dribbled Milo's sauce all over my brand new, way too expensive, blue and white striped outfit... and then a movie. There are two reasons it was my favorite date.
1. I was with Mikie... my future husband and best friend.
2. I love going out to eat and then watching a movie in a dark movie theater. Future husband or not, I've always ENJOYED those two things. (Mikie was a definite bonus.)
MY FAVORITE "DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN" DATE - If and when all the kids are out of the house at the same time (very rare), Mikie grills a rib-eye for him and a tuna steak for me. I bake potatoes. We have a very nice, simple, quiet meal together. We play backgammon. We go to Books-A-Million and wander through the books and magazines before sitting down for coffee/hot chocolate, etc.
MY WORST DATE EVER - I had a blind date with a nice young man I had absolutely NOTHING in common with. He picked me up at 7:00 a.m. (IN THE MORNING, PEOPLE), and we spent the day at the lake with his family and friends. I returned home at 10:00 p.m. (IN THE EVENING, PEOPLE). There were multiple reasons this was my WORST DATE EVER.
1. It wasn't with Mikie.
2. My date didn't speak. I mean, he could speak. He just chose to ride in unbearable, uncomfortable silence all the way to the lake and all the way home.
3. Did I mention the drive to the lake was over two hours long? Yeah. That's right. That's over 240 minutes of my life I'll never get back!
4. A 15-hour date (unless it's with Mikie) is usually going to be a huge mistake. HUGE!
5. A blind date at the lake where at least part of the time you are required to wear a bathing suit... in front of strangers... Need I say more? Shoot me now!
6. After a few minutes in the boat, you have boat hair. Nothing you can do about it. Boat hair is there to stay!
MY FUNNIEST DATE EVER - I had the boys put the tent up in the backyard. Each night, a different group of people spent the night in the tent.
1. Austin and Josh
2. Austin, Josh and Roxie
3. Josh and friends
4. Roxie and friends
5. Me and Roxie
6. Mike, Austin and Josh
And then I had a brilliant idea. How fun would it be for me and Mikie to have an all-night date in the tent? We could pretend we were in the woods camping... just the two of us. The kids were old enough to stay in the house alone. It would be fun. NOT!
We ate, watched movies on the computer, talked and talked and talked, checked on the kids and got ready to go to bed on the nice, comfy air mattress.
We were almost asleep when Mikie said, "I think we're on a slant. I feel like my head is lower than my feet."
"Mike. You're imagining things. This is a perfectly level part of the yard. We're fine. It's your imagination."
The next morning (when we were fortunate enough to wake up), I looked over at Mikie and was shocked at how red his face was. I asked him if he was okay. "I have a killer headache, and my feet are freezing."
Hmmm. I also had a killer headache, AND my feet were freezing. Sitting up had a dizzying effect on both of us. It appears Mikie was right about the slant situation. All the blood had flowed to our heads during the night... and our lily white feet were lacking the red stuff. A few minutes later, we were all good... kind of.
I've learned when Mikie thinks we're on a slant, we are most definitely on a slant!
So share. The good, the bad and the ugly. What's your story?
Have a fun Thursday. Find the color word in today's post. Hopefully, there is only one, but if I've slipped in another one, you know the drill. Just make sure you mention at least one for Thursday's post in your Contest answer.
Tomorrow's post will have Weekend Happenings, the last part of the Mikie and Belinda Story AND the last color word. Be sure to put them in the correct order. I'll announce the winner of the Outback Gift Certificate before noon!
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
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Friday...
Finally, some new basketball action shots.
The JV team had two 40-minute games Friday, so I thought I would just go ahead and start filming now!
And here's the obligatory Bryant Tuggle pic. He's a HUGE supporter of our baskeball team. Always has been... always will be. Well, until he gets his own driver's license!
Saturday...
We spent the day with the cousins Saturday. Monica, Amy, Roxie and I shopped at Brookwood, ate at Yolo's and went to the movies (Pirates 4). It was a great day, but the best part was our celebrity sighting...
That's right! Will Ferrell! (Please feel free to use your imagination. I know we did!)
Sunday...
Mikie's 50th Family Birthday Celebration! Everyone knows 50 year-old men LOVE the Green Lantern...and their wives really like Ryan Reynolds! (How cool would it be to have your picture on a birthday party plate package? Another goal, perhaps?)
What do you give a 50 year-old guys for his birthday? Cards... filled with money, Ricky Skaggs' concert tickets, a True Grit DVD and a Red Devil's Food Cake with Divinity Icing (from his Mom). It was a very good day!
Lovely Melia gave him the True Grit DVD. (I LOVE that movie!)
And it wouldn't be a birthday without a hug from Roxie!