Good Wednesday morning!
The Gallery Pics are from the Old-Fashioned Picnic we had last Friday celebrating the last day of school. Since it had rained the day before, I changed the "sitting on a blanket on the wet ground" idea. And since it had been 20 years or more since I had been to Star Lake, I wasn't sure if it was still the nice picnic spot I remembered or not.
But I knew Aldridge Gardens was a good spot. And it had bathrooms. CLEAN bathrooms.
So we took the girls to a beautiful picnic spot with geese, ducks, turtles and high/dry picnic tables and benches. And we had fun.
We ate fried chicken, cheese and crackers and fresh fruit with dip. We threw any and all leftovers to the ducks, geese and turtles. We took pictures. And then we did what all picnickers have done since the beginning of time. We went to Yolo's Dessert Bar for gourmet cupcakes.
Yep. All that was missing was our Little House on the Prairie bonnets and Pa yelling for us to "Get in the wagon." Good times. Good times.
RANDOMNESS - I was ready to make the Chicken and Potato Pancakes last night for supper. Yes, I was! The family unit was preparing themselves for yet another culinary delight.
However, we had a guest in our home, and when I mentioned the dinner choice for the evening, he just stared at me. Contrary to popular belief, I am a pleaser by nature, and while I will subject MY family to strange and exotic dinner choices, I hesitate to put someone outside of the Faulkner Five through that experience, too.
I hesitate a lot. Mainly because I don't want another family talking about me behind my back like my family does... or how I think they do. Have you heard anything?
Long excuse, short... I didn't flip Chicken and Potato Pancakes last night. We ordered "Wednesday night" pizza (on Tuesday night), and that means I'll be cooking dinner before church tonight. Ugh!
I hate it when I put others first AND I'm flexible. It's a bad combo for me.
Pics tomorrow!
Wednesday Wisdom - Enjoy the plethora of quotes I have chosen for you this lovely Wednesday. Also, enjoy the word "plethora." I don't get to use it as much as I would like.
"History will be kind to me for I intend to write it." Winston Churchill (Brilliant! That is why I call myself "The Enchanting Belinda." I'm not "enchanting," but because I refer to myself that way, other people now call me that, too!)
"To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance." Oscar Wilde
"I paint objects as I think them, not as I see them." Pablo Picasso (This explains so much.)
"Man's heart away from nature becomes hard." Standing Bear (I don't think I've ever used a quote from a Native American. Hmmm.)
"I installed a skylight in my apartment... the people who live above me are furious!" Steven Wright (Fun fact for you... I love Steven Wright! I may devote next week's Wednesday Wisdom entirely to him.)
Supper Swap
I found this idea in the same old Southern Living Magazine which had the Chicken and Potato Pancake recipe. I like the sound of this. What do you think?
You want to prepare exciting, nutritious meals throughout the week, but busy schedules often mean the same ho-hum recipes. Wouldn't it be nice to have a fresh, home-cooked supper delivered a few nights a week? A cooking co-op could be the answer, and it's easier to set up than you might think.
"The idea is pretty simple," says nine-year co-op veteran Leigh Fran Jones of Indian Springs, Alabama. "You cook a big meal once a week to share with your co-op and, depending on the number of people in your group, you get two or three in return. That means you save trips to the grocery store and really only mess up the kitchen once," she says with a big smile. For the rest of the week, Leigh Fran and fellow co-op members take advantage of leftovers or prepare simpler meals.
Since I have had a few days to think about this, I believe I would do the following:
1. Find two friends interested in swapping meals.
2. Have everyone meet and bring five or six recipes they enjoy making for their family. (I would show the other girls the recipes I use for Chicken Casserole, Chicken Pot Pie, Pepper Steak and Mushrooms, etc., etc.) Everyone has to make sure the dishes are something the other families would enjoy eating.
3. Decide on the first week's recipes the three of you will be using.
4. Decide on the days of the week you will be swapping. (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday sound good to me.)
5. The week of the swap, prepare THREE separate dishes of your chosen recipe. Go ahead and cook in disposable pans. Cover and refrigerate all three of them.
6. If your day to "swap" is Monday, arrange a time to drop off the two meals to your friends. (To save time, you can pick up the meals they have prepared for your family as you drop off.)
You may choose to do this once a month, or once a quarter... or maybe just during the months of May and December (busy, busy months). Whatever you and your friends decide, be flexible and enjoy!
Have a wonderful Wednesday! I'll be back Thursday with Blog Linkage, a date idea, a picture or two and Randomness.
Take care, and I'll talk to you in the morning.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Showing posts with label Party/Event. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Party/Event. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
End-of-the-Year Party Ideas
Good Wednesday morning!
ANNOUNCEMENT! ANNOUNCEMENT! ANNOUNCEMENT! My server is down. That means I cannot post on the ORIGINAL "A Simple Life." I have created a TEMPORARY "A Simple Life." Until I tell you otherwise, the address is wwwwbelindafaulkner.blogspot.com. (There is no "." between "www" and "belindafaulkner.") As soon as the problem is resolved, I'll put this post and all future posts on the ORIGINAL A Simple Life!
RANDOMNESS - Over the last five or six days, Mikie has had to take over the wifely/motherly duties of the household as my time has been spent hither and yon. He has done an excellent job. Laundry, dishes, ironing, more laundry, more dishes, herding teenagers, more laundry, keeping in touch with The Boy, keeping Roxie happy, reminding Josh of his daily grass cutting schedule, etc., etc., etc. (I did leave him a casserole to pop into the oven and a really good crock-pot meal. I didn’t want you to think I let them starve.)
But Mikie is tired. When he arrived home last night, the smells of Italian sausage lasagna (Stouffer’s) and garlic toast (minus the garlic… I forgot) greeted him at the door. I was dressed, coiffed and made up (mainly because Roxie and I had to attend a mandatory Volleyball meeting). He hugged me and said he appreciated me. All righty. Mission accomplished.
And then he asked the question I’ve been trying to figure out for years and years. “Where do all the dishes come from? It was just me, Roxie and Josh and we were gone during the middle of the day. But every night I had to wash three loads of dishes in the dishwasher.”
“I know. What’s up with that?” I eagerly responded. Finally, someone understood my pain.
“And the clothes. My goodness. How many different outfits do these kids where every day?”
“I know! I know! I’m not even giving them clean towels, rags, socks and underwear any longer. They just drip dry and go directly for the outerwear. But I’m still washing three loads a day!” I was getting excited now. He not only understood my pain, but he was willing to whine about it with me. Oh, yes!
“And have you noticed how a room looks when they leave. It’s like a bomb blew up. And I’m always telling them, ‘Pick up your mess. Pick up your mess.’ It’s just exhausting.” Okay. He was starting to get on my nerves a little now.
“Well, it isn’t that bad. They’re just messy teenagers. They do a good job on their chores. It won’t always be like this.” I countered.
“Are you kidding me? You don’t just tell them once… You have to tell them 100 times!” Mikie was starting to get hysterical, and I was contemplating slapping him.
He took a deep breath and told me what I already knew… “I don’t want your job.”
“Good. You’re fired,” I said in my best Donald Trump voice as I put a load of clothes in the washer, and I wondered aloud once again, “Where do all these dishes comes from?”
Wednesday Wisdom - It is graduation week in the South. I thought it would be appropriate to share thoughts about the subject.
“A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that 'individuality' is the key to success.” Robert Orben
“Your families are extremely proud of you. You can't imagine the sense of relief they are experiencing. This would be a most opportune time to ask for money.” Gary Bolding
“Commencement speeches were invented largely in the belief that outgoing college students should never be released into the world until they have been properly sedated.” Garry Trudeau
“Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing worth knowing can be taught.” Oscar Wilde
End-of-the-Year Party Ideas
Roxie and Friends have an End-of-the-Year Party/Get-Together every year. We have had a Mystery Party, an Around-the-Town Scavenger Hunt, a Rockette Party (the name of our local dance team), etc., etc. We have gone out to eat, seen movies and shopped.
This year we are having an Old-Fashioned Picnic by the lake. The girls will feast on fried chicken and fixins, feed the ducks and have their pictures taken a million times (which they love). We’ll end this school year by going to a NEW favorite cupcake restaurant called Yolo’s.
Here are a few more ideas I found this morning surfing the web!
1. Go Hawaiian Party - Play limbo, make and wear leis, create island snacks (pineapple skewers, coconut treats, etc.) and dig for beach finds in a kiddie-pool filled with sea shells. Use the sea shells you find, glue them on a Dollar Store picture frame and take a group picture of the friends for a party favor. (You may have to deliver this gift the next day in order to get the pictures printed and allow the shells to dry.)
2. Wet and Wild Party - Water, water and more water! Come up with as many outdoor water activities as you can. Water balloons, water shooters, sprinklers (several), kiddie pools (several), water baseball (soaking wet sponge ball), bubble blowing and more. Choose snacks that are okay around water like apple slices and dip, carrot sticks and Popsicles.
3. Recent Learning Fun Party - Ask your child’s teacher what they have been studying recently. If the answer is animals, host a jungle or zoo-themed party. If it is American history, host a colonial-themed party with old-fashioned games kids played 200 years ago like hoops and jacks.
4. Post Card Grab Bag - I love this idea. Use it as an activity for any of the above parties. Keep kids in touch over the summer and encourage them to practice their writing. Each child writes their address on three post cards and drops them into a big cloth bag. One by one, kids choose three cards (not their own). They then agree to mail their classmates silly summer news in the coming months.
Our Old-Fashioned Picnic is scheduled for this Friday. Of course, I’ll let you know how it turns out… the good, the bad and the ugly!
Have a fun Wednesday. Don’t forget to encourage someone today… either by word or deed. I’ll be back bright and early Thursday with Blog Linkage and a fantastic end-of-the-school year date.
Take care, and I’ll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
ANNOUNCEMENT! ANNOUNCEMENT! ANNOUNCEMENT! My server is down. That means I cannot post on the ORIGINAL "A Simple Life." I have created a TEMPORARY "A Simple Life." Until I tell you otherwise, the address is wwwwbelindafaulkner.blogspot.com. (There is no "." between "www" and "belindafaulkner.") As soon as the problem is resolved, I'll put this post and all future posts on the ORIGINAL A Simple Life!
RANDOMNESS - Over the last five or six days, Mikie has had to take over the wifely/motherly duties of the household as my time has been spent hither and yon. He has done an excellent job. Laundry, dishes, ironing, more laundry, more dishes, herding teenagers, more laundry, keeping in touch with The Boy, keeping Roxie happy, reminding Josh of his daily grass cutting schedule, etc., etc., etc. (I did leave him a casserole to pop into the oven and a really good crock-pot meal. I didn’t want you to think I let them starve.)
But Mikie is tired. When he arrived home last night, the smells of Italian sausage lasagna (Stouffer’s) and garlic toast (minus the garlic… I forgot) greeted him at the door. I was dressed, coiffed and made up (mainly because Roxie and I had to attend a mandatory Volleyball meeting). He hugged me and said he appreciated me. All righty. Mission accomplished.
And then he asked the question I’ve been trying to figure out for years and years. “Where do all the dishes come from? It was just me, Roxie and Josh and we were gone during the middle of the day. But every night I had to wash three loads of dishes in the dishwasher.”
“I know. What’s up with that?” I eagerly responded. Finally, someone understood my pain.
“And the clothes. My goodness. How many different outfits do these kids where every day?”
“I know! I know! I’m not even giving them clean towels, rags, socks and underwear any longer. They just drip dry and go directly for the outerwear. But I’m still washing three loads a day!” I was getting excited now. He not only understood my pain, but he was willing to whine about it with me. Oh, yes!
“And have you noticed how a room looks when they leave. It’s like a bomb blew up. And I’m always telling them, ‘Pick up your mess. Pick up your mess.’ It’s just exhausting.” Okay. He was starting to get on my nerves a little now.
“Well, it isn’t that bad. They’re just messy teenagers. They do a good job on their chores. It won’t always be like this.” I countered.
“Are you kidding me? You don’t just tell them once… You have to tell them 100 times!” Mikie was starting to get hysterical, and I was contemplating slapping him.
He took a deep breath and told me what I already knew… “I don’t want your job.”
“Good. You’re fired,” I said in my best Donald Trump voice as I put a load of clothes in the washer, and I wondered aloud once again, “Where do all these dishes comes from?”
Wednesday Wisdom - It is graduation week in the South. I thought it would be appropriate to share thoughts about the subject.
“A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that 'individuality' is the key to success.” Robert Orben
“Your families are extremely proud of you. You can't imagine the sense of relief they are experiencing. This would be a most opportune time to ask for money.” Gary Bolding
“Commencement speeches were invented largely in the belief that outgoing college students should never be released into the world until they have been properly sedated.” Garry Trudeau
“Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing worth knowing can be taught.” Oscar Wilde
End-of-the-Year Party Ideas
Roxie and Friends have an End-of-the-Year Party/Get-Together every year. We have had a Mystery Party, an Around-the-Town Scavenger Hunt, a Rockette Party (the name of our local dance team), etc., etc. We have gone out to eat, seen movies and shopped.
This year we are having an Old-Fashioned Picnic by the lake. The girls will feast on fried chicken and fixins, feed the ducks and have their pictures taken a million times (which they love). We’ll end this school year by going to a NEW favorite cupcake restaurant called Yolo’s.
Here are a few more ideas I found this morning surfing the web!
1. Go Hawaiian Party - Play limbo, make and wear leis, create island snacks (pineapple skewers, coconut treats, etc.) and dig for beach finds in a kiddie-pool filled with sea shells. Use the sea shells you find, glue them on a Dollar Store picture frame and take a group picture of the friends for a party favor. (You may have to deliver this gift the next day in order to get the pictures printed and allow the shells to dry.)
2. Wet and Wild Party - Water, water and more water! Come up with as many outdoor water activities as you can. Water balloons, water shooters, sprinklers (several), kiddie pools (several), water baseball (soaking wet sponge ball), bubble blowing and more. Choose snacks that are okay around water like apple slices and dip, carrot sticks and Popsicles.
3. Recent Learning Fun Party - Ask your child’s teacher what they have been studying recently. If the answer is animals, host a jungle or zoo-themed party. If it is American history, host a colonial-themed party with old-fashioned games kids played 200 years ago like hoops and jacks.
4. Post Card Grab Bag - I love this idea. Use it as an activity for any of the above parties. Keep kids in touch over the summer and encourage them to practice their writing. Each child writes their address on three post cards and drops them into a big cloth bag. One by one, kids choose three cards (not their own). They then agree to mail their classmates silly summer news in the coming months.
Our Old-Fashioned Picnic is scheduled for this Friday. Of course, I’ll let you know how it turns out… the good, the bad and the ugly!
Have a fun Wednesday. Don’t forget to encourage someone today… either by word or deed. I’ll be back bright and early Thursday with Blog Linkage and a fantastic end-of-the-school year date.
Take care, and I’ll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Book Swap Party
Good Wednesday morning!
You lucked out today. I have "people" pics in the Gallery... Roxie and friends making the Volleyball Team. The muffin photos will have to wait.
As for the new GIANT photo welcoming you to A Simple Life at the top of the blog, do not be frightened. It is indeed an insect (I think a moth is an insect), but I do not plan on changing the name of the blog to The Bug Blog anytime soon. I just liked that picture. (I'm hoping to get a shot of a colorful butterfly when the temps rise about 60 degrees.)
ANNOUNCEMENT TO DAWN! - I haven't forgotten your candle. I still haven't been able to get them on the phone, so I don't know if their store was damaged by the storms. I know other places of business less than a block away from the store were hit. I just wanted you to know (publicly) I am still trying. Thank you for being patient!
RANDOMNESS #1 - Yes. Yes. Roxie made the JV team. Of course, we are beyond thrilled AND excited AND relieved. We are feeling all of those emotions 14 year-old females feel when something great happens. Actually, "she" is feeling all of those emotions. I have found those emotions to be totally and completely exhausting for 49 year-old mothers. I have decided to just be happy for her.
And do you know what one of the most "exciting" things about being on the JV Volleyball team is? Do you? The fact that the locker room is called "Women's Locker Room" and not "Girls' Locker Room." Once again, it's the little things that bring the most joy.
Roxie is ready for high school. I am not sure high school is ready for Roxie.
RANDOMNESS #2 - Thanks to my friends, Jonella and Jennifer, I am also starting a Wicked envelope. If all goes well with the envelopes, the family will be seeing Cirque Dreams Holidaze in December... and probably two of us will be seeing Wicked in February. (I'm thinking me and Roxie or me and Mikie... or me and somebody. As you can see, I'm 100 percent sure I will be attending the performance!)
Wednesday Wisdom - Did you know there is a website that gives you FIVE quotes for the day... every day? I didn't, but somehow I stumbled onto this site, and today I give you a smorgasbord of quotes on several different subjects.
Quote of the Day
"Nobody got anywhere in the world by simply being content." Louis L'Amour
Love Quote of the Day
"People protect what they love." Jacques Yves Cousteau (Fun fact for you... When I was a kid, I LOVED Jacques Cousteau. I always watched his TV specials, and until I saw Jaws as a teenager, I wanted to be a marine biologist. After I saw Jaws... not so much.)
Art Quote of the Day
"Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing." Salvador Dali
Nature Quote of the Day
"Earth laughs in flowers." Ralph Waldo Emerson
Funny Quote of the Day
"At my age, flowers scare me." George Burns
Book Swap Party
I totally borrowed this idea from eighteen25 under My Blog List. It's a great idea for a Girls' Night Out with your friends... or a party for your teen's chick friends.
Every couple of months or so, the women meet for a Book Swapping Party. They gather at a restaurant to eat, swap books and chat for a few hours.
When they meet back in two months, they return the book they borrowed to it's rightful owner.
I think you could select a theme for each Swap (Favorite Christian Book, Favorite Humorous Book, Favorite Classic, Favorite Fiction, Favorite Biography, etc., etc.). The list could go on and on.
If you have a group of "reading" friends (or your child does), plan a Book Swap Party in the very near future.
It sounds like a fun and easy idea, doesn't it? If you're interested in more details, click on eighteen25 under My Blog List and read today's post entitled "Library Cards."
Have a lovely Wednesday. For some reason, I keep thinking today is Thursday. I have got to get my act together. I have Blog Linkage and a date for your enjoyment tomorrow.
Take care, and I'll talk to you in the morning.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
You lucked out today. I have "people" pics in the Gallery... Roxie and friends making the Volleyball Team. The muffin photos will have to wait.
As for the new GIANT photo welcoming you to A Simple Life at the top of the blog, do not be frightened. It is indeed an insect (I think a moth is an insect), but I do not plan on changing the name of the blog to The Bug Blog anytime soon. I just liked that picture. (I'm hoping to get a shot of a colorful butterfly when the temps rise about 60 degrees.)
ANNOUNCEMENT TO DAWN! - I haven't forgotten your candle. I still haven't been able to get them on the phone, so I don't know if their store was damaged by the storms. I know other places of business less than a block away from the store were hit. I just wanted you to know (publicly) I am still trying. Thank you for being patient!
RANDOMNESS #1 - Yes. Yes. Roxie made the JV team. Of course, we are beyond thrilled AND excited AND relieved. We are feeling all of those emotions 14 year-old females feel when something great happens. Actually, "she" is feeling all of those emotions. I have found those emotions to be totally and completely exhausting for 49 year-old mothers. I have decided to just be happy for her.
And do you know what one of the most "exciting" things about being on the JV Volleyball team is? Do you? The fact that the locker room is called "Women's Locker Room" and not "Girls' Locker Room." Once again, it's the little things that bring the most joy.
Roxie is ready for high school. I am not sure high school is ready for Roxie.
RANDOMNESS #2 - Thanks to my friends, Jonella and Jennifer, I am also starting a Wicked envelope. If all goes well with the envelopes, the family will be seeing Cirque Dreams Holidaze in December... and probably two of us will be seeing Wicked in February. (I'm thinking me and Roxie or me and Mikie... or me and somebody. As you can see, I'm 100 percent sure I will be attending the performance!)
Wednesday Wisdom - Did you know there is a website that gives you FIVE quotes for the day... every day? I didn't, but somehow I stumbled onto this site, and today I give you a smorgasbord of quotes on several different subjects.
Quote of the Day
"Nobody got anywhere in the world by simply being content." Louis L'Amour
Love Quote of the Day
"People protect what they love." Jacques Yves Cousteau (Fun fact for you... When I was a kid, I LOVED Jacques Cousteau. I always watched his TV specials, and until I saw Jaws as a teenager, I wanted to be a marine biologist. After I saw Jaws... not so much.)
Art Quote of the Day
"Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing." Salvador Dali
Nature Quote of the Day
"Earth laughs in flowers." Ralph Waldo Emerson
Funny Quote of the Day
"At my age, flowers scare me." George Burns
Book Swap Party
I totally borrowed this idea from eighteen25 under My Blog List. It's a great idea for a Girls' Night Out with your friends... or a party for your teen's chick friends.
Every couple of months or so, the women meet for a Book Swapping Party. They gather at a restaurant to eat, swap books and chat for a few hours.
When they meet back in two months, they return the book they borrowed to it's rightful owner.
I think you could select a theme for each Swap (Favorite Christian Book, Favorite Humorous Book, Favorite Classic, Favorite Fiction, Favorite Biography, etc., etc.). The list could go on and on.
If you have a group of "reading" friends (or your child does), plan a Book Swap Party in the very near future.
It sounds like a fun and easy idea, doesn't it? If you're interested in more details, click on eighteen25 under My Blog List and read today's post entitled "Library Cards."
Have a lovely Wednesday. For some reason, I keep thinking today is Thursday. I have got to get my act together. I have Blog Linkage and a date for your enjoyment tomorrow.
Take care, and I'll talk to you in the morning.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Picnic Party
Good Wednesday morning!
The Gallery Pics are from TWO events yesterday. Josh received the Academic Achievers Award (Top Twenty), and we went to a very nice luncheon with him (chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, rolls, salad and WONDERFUL pies). And last night, we attended Roxie's Basketball Banquet (Full Moon Barbecue). Mikie and I enjoyed both very, very much. Great memories, AND I didn't have to cook.
And tonight is Pizza Wednesday, so I'm not cookin' tonight either! Don't worry. I'm only taking a little culinary break. I'm doing the Taco Salad thing for Thursday night. (I put it in writing, so now I'm obligated!)
RANDOMNESS #1 - Fun fact for you... Josh has a new job. He will be working at the Chick in Trussville beginning TONIGHT. That's three out of our six... all working at Chick-Fil-A restaurants (Austin, Brad AND Josh). I'm thinking it is now a tradition and Katie, Roxie and Zac will need to work at a Chick, too.
We'll see. We'll see.
RANDOMNESS #2 - Our Mother's Day sermon this past Sunday was on the subject of "Stress." How perfect was that!
I've thought a great deal about stress the last few years, and while I know everyone reacts differently to stress, I have been able to put mine neatly in a timeline. In decades, no less!
21 to 30 - I thought I had stress (finishing school, moving into an apartment, joining a new church, dating, blind dating, working, deadlines, getting engaged, getting married), but I was wrong! That was fun stuff. Really, really fun stuff. And while there was stress going on, it was exciting, adrenaline-rushing stress. (Yes. In my 20s, I had adrenaline!)
31 to 40 - I thought I had stress (giving birth to three babies, raising three babies, preschool parties, birthday parties, play dates, stomach viruses, camping, cooking, cleaning, laundry, LAUNDRY, LAUNDRY), but I was wrong! That was wonderful stuff. Really, really wonderful stuff. And while there was stress going on, it was funny, ever-changing, sweet memory-makin' stress. (Just so you know, I could definitely tell my adrenaline level was getting lower and lower during that decade.)
40 to 49 - I thought I had stress (family illnesses, loss, children becoming teenagers, teenagers leaving home and becoming semi-adults, gravity, GRAVITY, GRAVITY), and this time I WAS RIGHT! I had STRESS! Big time! (And if you are in your 20s and 30s reading A Simple Life right now, let me just tell you... in your 40s there is NO adrenaline left!)
But I didn't have more stress than others around me. In fact, I could usually find someone who was much more stressed than I was at any particular time.
Stress is a fact of life, and quite frankly, I do not care for the "40 to 49" decade of stress. I do not care for it at all! But it's up to me to handle it the right way. I can worry about it, wrestle with it, cry, lose sleep... and wake up with it bright and early the next morning... OR I can follow God's plan for handling stress.
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7
"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." John 14:27
"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." John 16:33
See? God has given us the key to stress-free living. Am I good at this? NO. I am not. But it's a moment-by-moment, day-by-day thing for me... and I hope from 50 to 60 I get much, much better dealing with stress.
We'll see. We'll see.
Wednesday Wisdom - I know it isn't Summer yet. It is still Spring... technically. But if you have gone outside the last few days, it definitely feels like Summer. And if you talk to your kids, Summer cannot get here fast enough for them... or me either! Here are some perfect (to me) Summer quotes to get everyone in the mood!
"Beach sand, perfect tans. Day walks, night talks. Sleepless nights, pillow fights, and spending every day with those who matter most.”
“Here’s to the nights where the sand is your seat, the waves kiss your feet, and your friends outnumber the stars."
"A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.” (This is Josh's quote for the summer.)
"The tans will fade, but the memories will last forever.” (And this one is Roxie's!)
Picnic Party
It's that time of year. The END OF SCHOOL! I always have a little End of School fling of some kind, and this year, I was thinking, "Maybe an old-fashioned picnic? Hmmm."
Of course, with teenage girls, there will need to be something else (picture-taking, shopping, tanning or movies), but for the "meal" part of the event, a picnic sounds pretty good, doesn't it?
Below you will find a checklist from Real Simple Magazine of all the things you need for the perfect picnic. For our little gathering, I'm thinking three or four blankets/quilts to give us plenty of room, fried chicken fingers and all the fixins' and I'm looking for a location near water under a big, shady tree. (It's been awhile, but Mikie and I used to have lovely picnics at Star Lake in Hoover. We could even feed the ducks!)
The key is keeping it simple, delicious AND fun.
1. Casual foods, preferably sandwiches or other things you can eat without utensils. Avoid foods with mayonnaise. Pack everything in lightweight, resealable containers.
2. Ice pack or bags of ice. Food can spoil and harbor bacteria when not stored at the right temperature. Keep everything cold with refreezable ice packs or fill a couple of resealable bags with ice cubes. They’ll chill food as it’s transported. Add the ice cubes to your drinks during the picnic.
3. Drinks. Bring an assortment of beverages, such as bottled water and sodas.
4. Condiments. Some ketchups and mustards come in mini jars that are small enough to throw in your tote. (Keep the jars to refill at home for your next picnic.)
5. Salt and pepper. Allow everyone to season their food to their liking on the spot.
6. Cups and plates.
7. Utensils, if needed. Opt for reusable utensils.
8. Serving utensils, if needed. If you’re serving salads, you may need tongs or serving spoons.
9. Cutting knife. Look for one with a cover for safe transporting. Or wrap the blade in a kitchen towel.
10. Small cutting board. It’s always handy to have a firm surface for slicing meat, cheese, and bread.
11. Napkins.
12. Trash bags. Don’t leave a mess behind. Dispose of everything you bring to the picnic site.
13. Moist towelettes. When you don’t have access to running water, these make it easy to wash up after eating.
14. Paper towels. Keep a roll on hand for mopping up spills and wiping bowls, containers, plates and utensils before you pack them back up.
15. Blanket(s). It should be large enough to comfortably hold all your picnic-goers and food. A light one that folds small is a bonus.
16. Tote, backpack, or picnic basket. Stow everything in a lightweight, roomy carrier.
Have a lovely Wednesday. I have a little Blog Linkage to share Thursday, as well as a nice little date. I guess I will also have more Randomness AND pics, too. I like things to stay the same (day after day after day), and for some reason I assume you like it that way, too.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery Pics are from TWO events yesterday. Josh received the Academic Achievers Award (Top Twenty), and we went to a very nice luncheon with him (chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, rolls, salad and WONDERFUL pies). And last night, we attended Roxie's Basketball Banquet (Full Moon Barbecue). Mikie and I enjoyed both very, very much. Great memories, AND I didn't have to cook.
And tonight is Pizza Wednesday, so I'm not cookin' tonight either! Don't worry. I'm only taking a little culinary break. I'm doing the Taco Salad thing for Thursday night. (I put it in writing, so now I'm obligated!)
RANDOMNESS #1 - Fun fact for you... Josh has a new job. He will be working at the Chick in Trussville beginning TONIGHT. That's three out of our six... all working at Chick-Fil-A restaurants (Austin, Brad AND Josh). I'm thinking it is now a tradition and Katie, Roxie and Zac will need to work at a Chick, too.
We'll see. We'll see.
RANDOMNESS #2 - Our Mother's Day sermon this past Sunday was on the subject of "Stress." How perfect was that!
I've thought a great deal about stress the last few years, and while I know everyone reacts differently to stress, I have been able to put mine neatly in a timeline. In decades, no less!
21 to 30 - I thought I had stress (finishing school, moving into an apartment, joining a new church, dating, blind dating, working, deadlines, getting engaged, getting married), but I was wrong! That was fun stuff. Really, really fun stuff. And while there was stress going on, it was exciting, adrenaline-rushing stress. (Yes. In my 20s, I had adrenaline!)
31 to 40 - I thought I had stress (giving birth to three babies, raising three babies, preschool parties, birthday parties, play dates, stomach viruses, camping, cooking, cleaning, laundry, LAUNDRY, LAUNDRY), but I was wrong! That was wonderful stuff. Really, really wonderful stuff. And while there was stress going on, it was funny, ever-changing, sweet memory-makin' stress. (Just so you know, I could definitely tell my adrenaline level was getting lower and lower during that decade.)
40 to 49 - I thought I had stress (family illnesses, loss, children becoming teenagers, teenagers leaving home and becoming semi-adults, gravity, GRAVITY, GRAVITY), and this time I WAS RIGHT! I had STRESS! Big time! (And if you are in your 20s and 30s reading A Simple Life right now, let me just tell you... in your 40s there is NO adrenaline left!)
But I didn't have more stress than others around me. In fact, I could usually find someone who was much more stressed than I was at any particular time.
Stress is a fact of life, and quite frankly, I do not care for the "40 to 49" decade of stress. I do not care for it at all! But it's up to me to handle it the right way. I can worry about it, wrestle with it, cry, lose sleep... and wake up with it bright and early the next morning... OR I can follow God's plan for handling stress.
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7
"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." John 14:27
"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." John 16:33
See? God has given us the key to stress-free living. Am I good at this? NO. I am not. But it's a moment-by-moment, day-by-day thing for me... and I hope from 50 to 60 I get much, much better dealing with stress.
We'll see. We'll see.
Wednesday Wisdom - I know it isn't Summer yet. It is still Spring... technically. But if you have gone outside the last few days, it definitely feels like Summer. And if you talk to your kids, Summer cannot get here fast enough for them... or me either! Here are some perfect (to me) Summer quotes to get everyone in the mood!
"Beach sand, perfect tans. Day walks, night talks. Sleepless nights, pillow fights, and spending every day with those who matter most.”
“Here’s to the nights where the sand is your seat, the waves kiss your feet, and your friends outnumber the stars."
"A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.” (This is Josh's quote for the summer.)
"The tans will fade, but the memories will last forever.” (And this one is Roxie's!)
Picnic Party
It's that time of year. The END OF SCHOOL! I always have a little End of School fling of some kind, and this year, I was thinking, "Maybe an old-fashioned picnic? Hmmm."
Of course, with teenage girls, there will need to be something else (picture-taking, shopping, tanning or movies), but for the "meal" part of the event, a picnic sounds pretty good, doesn't it?
Below you will find a checklist from Real Simple Magazine of all the things you need for the perfect picnic. For our little gathering, I'm thinking three or four blankets/quilts to give us plenty of room, fried chicken fingers and all the fixins' and I'm looking for a location near water under a big, shady tree. (It's been awhile, but Mikie and I used to have lovely picnics at Star Lake in Hoover. We could even feed the ducks!)
The key is keeping it simple, delicious AND fun.
1. Casual foods, preferably sandwiches or other things you can eat without utensils. Avoid foods with mayonnaise. Pack everything in lightweight, resealable containers.
2. Ice pack or bags of ice. Food can spoil and harbor bacteria when not stored at the right temperature. Keep everything cold with refreezable ice packs or fill a couple of resealable bags with ice cubes. They’ll chill food as it’s transported. Add the ice cubes to your drinks during the picnic.
3. Drinks. Bring an assortment of beverages, such as bottled water and sodas.
4. Condiments. Some ketchups and mustards come in mini jars that are small enough to throw in your tote. (Keep the jars to refill at home for your next picnic.)
5. Salt and pepper. Allow everyone to season their food to their liking on the spot.
6. Cups and plates.
7. Utensils, if needed. Opt for reusable utensils.
8. Serving utensils, if needed. If you’re serving salads, you may need tongs or serving spoons.
9. Cutting knife. Look for one with a cover for safe transporting. Or wrap the blade in a kitchen towel.
10. Small cutting board. It’s always handy to have a firm surface for slicing meat, cheese, and bread.
11. Napkins.
12. Trash bags. Don’t leave a mess behind. Dispose of everything you bring to the picnic site.
13. Moist towelettes. When you don’t have access to running water, these make it easy to wash up after eating.
14. Paper towels. Keep a roll on hand for mopping up spills and wiping bowls, containers, plates and utensils before you pack them back up.
15. Blanket(s). It should be large enough to comfortably hold all your picnic-goers and food. A light one that folds small is a bonus.
16. Tote, backpack, or picnic basket. Stow everything in a lightweight, roomy carrier.
Have a lovely Wednesday. I have a little Blog Linkage to share Thursday, as well as a nice little date. I guess I will also have more Randomness AND pics, too. I like things to stay the same (day after day after day), and for some reason I assume you like it that way, too.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Party With a Purpose
Good Wednesday morning!
The Gallery Pics are NOT a tutorial of the Strawberries and Cream Mini Muffins I said I was going to make yesterday. Nope! Didn't happen. But I did buy the strawberries and other ingredients, and today is a new day... so maybe. Hmmm.
No. Today's photos are of my family's FAVORITE dessert. I can spend an hour making Strawberries and Cream Mini Muffins, and MAYBE three out of five of the Faulkner Five will love them. However, I can spend five minutes making cupcakes from a box and icing them from a can and everyone is happy. Very happy.
Like I'm always saying... It's the simple things!
Wednesday Wisdom - Fun fact for you... I LOVE The Hobbit. It's my favorite book written by J.R.R. Tolkien. My boys would argue one of the three Lord of the Rings books is by far the best... but they would be wrong.
My favorite character? Bilbo Baggins. He was a simple hobbit who did extraordinary things.
I was always a little miffed they made they Lord of the Rings movies, but not The Hobbit. However, they are rectifying that HUGE mistake as we speak, and I am looking forward to seeing that movie very, very much.
Here are just a few words of wisdom from Mr. Bilbo Baggins... Hobbit Extraordinaire!
"No hat, no stick, no pipe, not even a pocket handkerchief. How can one survive?" (How, indeed?)
"We hobbits are plain, quiet creatures. Adventures make one late for dinner." (I love the way he thinks.)
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve." (You have to read this one three or four times, but eventually you will get it. Or if you are smarter than the Enchanting Belinda, you may get it the very first time!)
Party With a Purpose
Since the storms hit our state last Wednesday, everyone (young and old) has been helping those in need. Here are just a couple of ideas for get-togethers with family and friends which would also help the victims.
1. If you have young children, plan a Picnic in the Park Party for their friends. Everyone needs to bring their own food, drinks, etc. Before the children meet at the park, each Mom should take their child (or children) to Wal-Mart to pick out one toy for a little boy or girl who has lost everything in the storms. Make sure they pick out something they would enjoy themselves. Don't rush them.
NOTE - Take a picture of all of the children around the toys they brought for the storm victims. Make sure to print a picture for each child who attended the party. It will be a great lesson for them. "No matter how young, I can still help."
2. If you have teenagers, plan a bonfire (wienie roast) for their friends. Before the evening of the bonfire, talk to a local distribution center to see what items they need. Ask each friend to bring that item. When everyone arrives, bag (or box) the items and deliver them to the distribution center that night or the next morning.
NOTE - Again, be sure to take a picture of all of the kids around the items. Print a copy of that picture for each teenager to keep.
3. Host a Girls' Night Out at a local restaurant. Ask each girl to bring a $5 bill. Use the money to buy $5 gift cards at a local restaurant (Chick-Fil-A, McDonald's, etc.). Pass the gift cards out (door-to-door) to victims of the storm. Ask the person who answers the door how many people live there, and give them that number of gift cards. When everything in life is so chaotic and uncertain, something as simple and normal as taking your family out for a hamburger could brighten their day... just a little.
Have a wonderful Wednesday. Take time to encourage someone today. There are SO many people who desperately need encouragement after last Wednesday's storms. Always look for opportunities.
I have many, many links to share with you tomorrow, as well as a date for you and yours. Visit again if you have the time.
Take care, and I'll talk to you in the morning.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery Pics are NOT a tutorial of the Strawberries and Cream Mini Muffins I said I was going to make yesterday. Nope! Didn't happen. But I did buy the strawberries and other ingredients, and today is a new day... so maybe. Hmmm.
No. Today's photos are of my family's FAVORITE dessert. I can spend an hour making Strawberries and Cream Mini Muffins, and MAYBE three out of five of the Faulkner Five will love them. However, I can spend five minutes making cupcakes from a box and icing them from a can and everyone is happy. Very happy.
Like I'm always saying... It's the simple things!
Wednesday Wisdom - Fun fact for you... I LOVE The Hobbit. It's my favorite book written by J.R.R. Tolkien. My boys would argue one of the three Lord of the Rings books is by far the best... but they would be wrong.
My favorite character? Bilbo Baggins. He was a simple hobbit who did extraordinary things.
I was always a little miffed they made they Lord of the Rings movies, but not The Hobbit. However, they are rectifying that HUGE mistake as we speak, and I am looking forward to seeing that movie very, very much.
Here are just a few words of wisdom from Mr. Bilbo Baggins... Hobbit Extraordinaire!
"No hat, no stick, no pipe, not even a pocket handkerchief. How can one survive?" (How, indeed?)
"We hobbits are plain, quiet creatures. Adventures make one late for dinner." (I love the way he thinks.)
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve." (You have to read this one three or four times, but eventually you will get it. Or if you are smarter than the Enchanting Belinda, you may get it the very first time!)
Party With a Purpose
Since the storms hit our state last Wednesday, everyone (young and old) has been helping those in need. Here are just a couple of ideas for get-togethers with family and friends which would also help the victims.
1. If you have young children, plan a Picnic in the Park Party for their friends. Everyone needs to bring their own food, drinks, etc. Before the children meet at the park, each Mom should take their child (or children) to Wal-Mart to pick out one toy for a little boy or girl who has lost everything in the storms. Make sure they pick out something they would enjoy themselves. Don't rush them.
NOTE - Take a picture of all of the children around the toys they brought for the storm victims. Make sure to print a picture for each child who attended the party. It will be a great lesson for them. "No matter how young, I can still help."
2. If you have teenagers, plan a bonfire (wienie roast) for their friends. Before the evening of the bonfire, talk to a local distribution center to see what items they need. Ask each friend to bring that item. When everyone arrives, bag (or box) the items and deliver them to the distribution center that night or the next morning.
NOTE - Again, be sure to take a picture of all of the kids around the items. Print a copy of that picture for each teenager to keep.
3. Host a Girls' Night Out at a local restaurant. Ask each girl to bring a $5 bill. Use the money to buy $5 gift cards at a local restaurant (Chick-Fil-A, McDonald's, etc.). Pass the gift cards out (door-to-door) to victims of the storm. Ask the person who answers the door how many people live there, and give them that number of gift cards. When everything in life is so chaotic and uncertain, something as simple and normal as taking your family out for a hamburger could brighten their day... just a little.
Have a wonderful Wednesday. Take time to encourage someone today. There are SO many people who desperately need encouragement after last Wednesday's storms. Always look for opportunities.
I have many, many links to share with you tomorrow, as well as a date for you and yours. Visit again if you have the time.
Take care, and I'll talk to you in the morning.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Bonfire Party
Good Wednesday morning!
The Gallery Pics continue to tell our Spring Break story... slowly, but surely.
RANDOMNESS - Roxie and I are on our way to the "pin removal" doctor (also known as the surgeon). Mikie was supposed to take her this time in case the doctor decided to pull more METAL RODS out of her tiny body in my presence. Mikie's not going. Heavy sigh.
I'm not eating this morning, so at least I won't throw up on the "pin removal" doctor's shoes... again.
I know when he reaches for the eyebrow tweezers he's going to remove a pin, so he won't surprise me this time. I'll look away.
I'm pretty sure I'll still scream. Yep. That's a given.
And I will once again leave with a prescription for medication to calm my delicate, frazzled nerves.
All in all, it should be a pretty good day.
Wednesday Wisdom - Since it is Encouraging Wednesday here on A Simple Life (this week and every week), I wanted to share an Eleanor Roosevelt quote which should make at least some of you feel better about yourselves. (I know it helped me immensely!)
"The only advantage in not being too good a housekeeper is that your guests are so pleased to feel how very much better they are."
You're welcome!
Bonfire Party
I hosted this party recently for Roxie and company, and while I was nervous about the age of the kids (13 and 14), the number of attendees (15), the gender of the guests (boys AND girls) and the length of the party (3 1/2 hours), it turned out really, really well.
This age group wants to be left alone. Of course, you DON'T leave them alone, but if you have the right equipment, the kids will stay as far away from you (the adult) as they possibly can. (Code for THEY COME IN TO USE THE BATHROOM AND THEY RUN OUTSIDE AGAIN.)
Here are some ideas for having a successful Bonfire Party for your teenager's friends.
The Essentials:
1. A fire pit is great. You can still have a fire without the fire pit, but the pit contains the fire in one small area. Much safer.
2. Have as many camping chairs as guests around the fire.
3. Have a table set up with hotdogs, buns, chips and s'more fixings. We only had five "sticks" to use for roasting hotdogs and marshmallows. If all 15 kids have a hotdog roasting and marshmallows catching on fire at the same time, someone is going to get burned.
4. Have a huge cooler set up with plenty of water bottles and canned soft drinks. (If you have 15 guests, you need around 45 drinks.)
The Entertainment (Any or all of the following will work.):
1. Basketball goal. (This was the guys' favorite. At least two or three guys were constantly playing basketball. Usually more.)
2. Pool table.
3. Air hockey table.
4. Foosball table.
5. Trampoline.
6. Ping pong table.
7. Music is a must for the chicks in the group. (Radio, CD player, etc.)
Honestly, we didn't use the air hockey table, foosball table or the trampoline. We only used the basketball goal and the pool table. I'm pretty sure they would have been happy with JUST the basketball goal.
How to Chaperone:
Every parent will have good ideas for this one, but this worked for us.
1. The first 30 minutes is drop-off time. All the parents are talking and hanging around. No problem. (Our only injury happened during the drop-off time, and the young man wasn't doing anything wrong. He was playing basketball and landed the wrong way on his wrist.)
2. We divided the next 150 minutes (2 1/2 hours) into ten minute rotations. Mike went outside talked, checked drinks, checked the fire and came back inside. Exactly ten minutes later, Josh went outside, roasted a marshmallow, shot some baskets, talked and came back inside. Ten minutes after he returned, I made the same trip.
3. I also opened the windows on that side of the house so I could listen to what was going on, and our upstairs windows looked down on the party, so I could check on the fire, kids, etc. from that vantage point, too.
4. The last 30 minutes of the party is similar to the first 30 minutes. It is time to be picked up, so there are parents all over the place visiting for a few minutes before they take their teenager home.
All in all, it was an easy, fun party. It was not very expensive either. Most parents asked if they could bring anything, so if you want to throw this kind of party, feel free to ask them for drinks, buns, chips, etc. to offset the cost.
Will I do it again? In a heartbeat! (But not next weekend!)
Have a delightful Wednesday. Remember to encourage someone today... in person, by text, by telephone. Pick your form of communication and make someone's day! Visit A Simple Life in the morning for this week's date idea and some new Blog Linkage.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery Pics continue to tell our Spring Break story... slowly, but surely.
RANDOMNESS - Roxie and I are on our way to the "pin removal" doctor (also known as the surgeon). Mikie was supposed to take her this time in case the doctor decided to pull more METAL RODS out of her tiny body in my presence. Mikie's not going. Heavy sigh.
I'm not eating this morning, so at least I won't throw up on the "pin removal" doctor's shoes... again.
I know when he reaches for the eyebrow tweezers he's going to remove a pin, so he won't surprise me this time. I'll look away.
I'm pretty sure I'll still scream. Yep. That's a given.
And I will once again leave with a prescription for medication to calm my delicate, frazzled nerves.
All in all, it should be a pretty good day.
Wednesday Wisdom - Since it is Encouraging Wednesday here on A Simple Life (this week and every week), I wanted to share an Eleanor Roosevelt quote which should make at least some of you feel better about yourselves. (I know it helped me immensely!)
"The only advantage in not being too good a housekeeper is that your guests are so pleased to feel how very much better they are."
You're welcome!
Bonfire Party
I hosted this party recently for Roxie and company, and while I was nervous about the age of the kids (13 and 14), the number of attendees (15), the gender of the guests (boys AND girls) and the length of the party (3 1/2 hours), it turned out really, really well.
This age group wants to be left alone. Of course, you DON'T leave them alone, but if you have the right equipment, the kids will stay as far away from you (the adult) as they possibly can. (Code for THEY COME IN TO USE THE BATHROOM AND THEY RUN OUTSIDE AGAIN.)
Here are some ideas for having a successful Bonfire Party for your teenager's friends.
The Essentials:
1. A fire pit is great. You can still have a fire without the fire pit, but the pit contains the fire in one small area. Much safer.
2. Have as many camping chairs as guests around the fire.
3. Have a table set up with hotdogs, buns, chips and s'more fixings. We only had five "sticks" to use for roasting hotdogs and marshmallows. If all 15 kids have a hotdog roasting and marshmallows catching on fire at the same time, someone is going to get burned.
4. Have a huge cooler set up with plenty of water bottles and canned soft drinks. (If you have 15 guests, you need around 45 drinks.)
The Entertainment (Any or all of the following will work.):
1. Basketball goal. (This was the guys' favorite. At least two or three guys were constantly playing basketball. Usually more.)
2. Pool table.
3. Air hockey table.
4. Foosball table.
5. Trampoline.
6. Ping pong table.
7. Music is a must for the chicks in the group. (Radio, CD player, etc.)
Honestly, we didn't use the air hockey table, foosball table or the trampoline. We only used the basketball goal and the pool table. I'm pretty sure they would have been happy with JUST the basketball goal.
How to Chaperone:
Every parent will have good ideas for this one, but this worked for us.
1. The first 30 minutes is drop-off time. All the parents are talking and hanging around. No problem. (Our only injury happened during the drop-off time, and the young man wasn't doing anything wrong. He was playing basketball and landed the wrong way on his wrist.)
2. We divided the next 150 minutes (2 1/2 hours) into ten minute rotations. Mike went outside talked, checked drinks, checked the fire and came back inside. Exactly ten minutes later, Josh went outside, roasted a marshmallow, shot some baskets, talked and came back inside. Ten minutes after he returned, I made the same trip.
3. I also opened the windows on that side of the house so I could listen to what was going on, and our upstairs windows looked down on the party, so I could check on the fire, kids, etc. from that vantage point, too.
4. The last 30 minutes of the party is similar to the first 30 minutes. It is time to be picked up, so there are parents all over the place visiting for a few minutes before they take their teenager home.
All in all, it was an easy, fun party. It was not very expensive either. Most parents asked if they could bring anything, so if you want to throw this kind of party, feel free to ask them for drinks, buns, chips, etc. to offset the cost.
Will I do it again? In a heartbeat! (But not next weekend!)
Have a delightful Wednesday. Remember to encourage someone today... in person, by text, by telephone. Pick your form of communication and make someone's day! Visit A Simple Life in the morning for this week's date idea and some new Blog Linkage.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
15 Rainy Day Activities for Preschoolers
Good Wednesday morning!
The Gallery Pics are a few more BLAST photos left over from this past weekend. Believe it or not, I have about 40 more (very similar to what I have already shown you). Chicks LOVE having their picture taken!
As promised, I'm re-posting yet another camping story. Feel free to skip ahead if you've read it before. (I'll have a new story to share next week, I am sure!)
Where, Oh Where, Are All the Campers?
We eventually tried an out-of-state camping trip with the family we usually camped with. Roxie was three or four, so she was along for this one. We went to a campground in the beautiful state of Tennessee known for it's hiking trails, waterfalls and beautiful foliage. The pictures on the brochure were lovely, picturesque even, and we looked forward to spending a fall weekend in the great state of Tennessee.
When we arrived, we were surprised to see the "set-up" of the campground. There was a huge circle and campers set up tents and pop-ups under trees as you went around the circle. In the middle of the huge circle, across a grassy field, was the BATHHOUSE. There were no trees in between the tent and the BATHHOUSE, but it was still quite a little hike. However, the campsites were great. Picnic tables intact, fire pits ready to go, level spots to pitch the tents. We were excited.
As the guys got busy with unloading, Roxie, the other mom and I made our way to the BATHHOUSE to check it out. Oh, my! "Rustic" is a kind word to describe the facilities. Very kind.
"Well, maybe there's another bathhouse we can drive to and use," we reasoned. There was... and in comparison, it was a twin. Hmmm!
"Did you bring flip flops?" we both asked. We had, so once again, we decided to trade in the beautiful scenery and great weather for a less than perfect bathhouse. (MUCH less than perfect!)
The first night of our trip was peaceful and relaxing. The weather was great and after our trek to the Bathhouse in the Middle of Nowhere, we bedded down. We had planned on hiking to a waterfall the next day, so we knew we needed our rest.
The following day was gorgeous, and after breakfast we set out on our hike to the famous waterfall. On this hike, we had to go across a swinging bridge (always interesting), through creeks, and up the famous Tennessee mountains. When I say up, I mean up the entire way. We hiked forever... and then we hiked some more. Roxie and Grant (both three or four at the time) were troopers and thankfully, did not ask us to carry them. That would have been very difficult. Several hours later (or maybe just 90 minutes), we came upon the waterfall. Yes, it was beautiful. We looked at it for about five minutes.
Then we noticed how many people were with us looking at the waterfall. We hadn't hiked up the mountain with all these people. They weren't hot and sweaty. Some of the women even had on make-up and their hair was done. Some of them had the nerve to be wearing cute shoes, too! Who were these people? Where had they come from? Why were they looking at OUR waterfall?
So I asked, "Did you hike up here?"
"Uh, no. We drove," was the smug reply.
"What do you mean you drove?" I asked.
"There's a main road right over there." I turned around and there it was. A perfectly good paved road.
"Where did you come from?" I inquired.
"Oh, we're staying in a RV down at the campground," Miss Priss answered before she walked back to her BMW!
Before she could get back into her car, I yelled, "How long a drive is it from the campground?"
"About five minutes give or take a minute," she called over her shoulder, and then she was gone.
"I think I hate her," I mumbled to Mikie.
He assured me that 90 minutes up a mountain would translate into 30 minutes going down the mountain. That made sense. And at this point, hot, sticky and more than a little grumpy, what was 30 more minutes.
Down we went, and 60 minutes later (NOT 30), we were back at our campsite. We stayed in our little cluster of tents for the rest of the day hydrating ourselves.
On Sunday, we decided to just hang around our campsites and play which was fine with the six kids. But we started noticing something strange around the noon hour. It was like an exodus of some kind. Everyone was leaving.
"Well, just because Alabama has a three-day weekend doesn't mean Tennessee has a three-day weekend. Everyone has to go back to school and work tomorrow," Mikie reasoned.
That was fine, except by 2:00 p.m. we were IT. I mean NO ONE was left in the huge circular campsite. It was like we had been dropped off by a helicopter in the wilderness.
"Do we have a gun or a knife or a big stick or something in case there's a wild bear attack or a bunch of hillbillies descend upon us," I asked Mike.
"I have my pocket knife, and we have those plastic knives you bring to spread peanut butter," was my husband's reassuring answer.
"This could be a very long night."
And it was. Just the last walk to the bathhouse alone was unnerving because someone (one of the people leaving... probably Miss Priss) had turned all the bathhouse lights off before heading out, and we walked across a field in pitch blackness looking for the building. And, of course, when we found it, it hadn't changed a bit... still very gross.
We went to bed a little early, and I think the four adults slept with one eye open. (I was, again, unable to pass out and painfully aware of how vulnerable we were in the middle of nowhere with no communication or weaponry of any kind... unless you count throwing screaming children at whatever is attacking you as "weaponry.")
I have never been so happy to see the sun in all my life. We ate breakfast and packed up our campsite in record time to head home. Think, think, think of the Good Things from this trip.
Good Thing #1 - Roxie and Grant were WONDERFUL hikers. If they had been even a little less sturdy, it would have been the end of the adults as we took turns carrying them up to the top of the mountain.
Good Thing #2 - The waterfall was pretty... not Niagara, but pretty, just the same.
Good Thing #3 - We weren't bitten by any of the spiders in the bathhouse... and there were a lot of spiders in the bathhouse.
Good Thing #4 - We weren't attacked by any bears or hillbillies. I think this is huge.
Good Thing #5 - That's it. Once again, I did the best I could to come up with Good Things #1 through #4.
And for some reason or another, we have never even discussed camping in Tennessee again. I'm not sure, but I think it was the bathhouse. I may forget dates and events, but a bad bathhouse... that's burned on a woman's brain forever!
DISCLAIMER - If you are a hillbilly (or are related to a hillbilly), I meant no offense by the reference above. I'm just saying if a hillbilly had happened to come out of the woods in the dead of night in Tennessee in an abandoned campground, it would have been very, very frightening. (In all fairness, it would be frightening in Alabama and Georgia, too.) Again, no offense.
Wednesday Wisdom - Bobby Bowden was interviewed on the Rick and Bubba Show yesterday, and he was very entertaining. For some reason, I like "coach" quotes. They can be so inspiring, don't you think? And I love the way the quotes can often apply to life in general.
“He doesn't know the meaning of the word fear, but then again he doesn't know the meaning of most words." Bobby Bowden (I just thought this one was funny.)
"If somebody mistreats you, treat ’em good. That kills ’em." Bobby Bowden (See. A "life in general" quote.)
"The thing that I'm the most proud of is that we never stopped working. We were patient. We never saw anybody get rattled." Gene Chizik (It's too late for me, but this would be a nice way to be described by others, wouldn't it? The parts about patience and never getting rattled do not apply to the Enchanting Belinda!)
"Size is definitely overrated. Speed is the great equalizer." Gene Chizik (If this is applicable to "life in general," I'm in a lot of trouble.)
"There are two pains in life. There is the pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment. If you can handle the pain of discipline, then you'll never have to deal with the pain of disappointment." Nick Saban (I think this is a great football quote, but not necessarily a "life in general" quote.)
Can you tell I live in a house FULL of football fans?
15 Rainy Day Activities for Preschoolers
Ahhh. While I love gray, rainy, blustery days, I well remember the days with two or three preschoolers and toddlers playing inside. It can be a lot of fun... or it can be a disaster.
I'm going to share 15 FUN, EASY and AFFORDABLE indoor activities for your little ones on days just like today!
1. Fill a large plastic bin with different shaped dry pastas, dry beans and rice. Give them cups and "sand" toys and you have a rainy day alternative to the sandbox. NOTE - Spread a sheet under the bin. The spills can be gathered up in the sheet and poured back into the bin.
2. Have several books on tape from the library.
3. Make a book of favorite animals, trees, bugs, etc. You can use color sheets, stickers or cut pictures from old magazines. Use glue sticks to mat the pictures on pieces of construction paper to make a "Puppy Book," "Butterfly Book," "Beach Book," etc.
4. Set up an obstacle course in the living room or the basement using chairs with pillows over them (kids crawl under), different things to make circles they can step in with different feet, a jump rope and a mini-trampoline.
5. Have an indoor "snowball" fight. Divide into teams. Give each team a stack of newspapers. When you yell go, have them wad up the sheets of newspaper into "snowballs" and throw them at each other. Great fun! For clean-up, see who can gather the most balls into a trash bag!
6. Use large dry beans (limas, etc.) and school glue and let the kids glue beans onto heavy paper or old folders. You can dribble out a line of glue in the shape of something fun (car, snowman, house, etc.) and then let them press the beans onto the glue line.
7. Let the kids paint on large sheets of aluminum foil.
8. Make and send a card to someone who needs encouragement. Pray for that person before you mail the card.
9. Finger paint with chocolate pudding on a paper plate. Then lick the plate clean.
10. Bake cookies or a cake for Daddy's dessert.
11. If you have a fireplace, have a hotdog roast and make s'mores.
12. Have a picnic inside on the floor.
13. Give them a wide roll of masking tape and let them make "roads" for Matchbox cars.
14. Put some water in the tub or sink (plus a little blue food coloring), and let the kids play with their dinosaurs or plastic animals. (Or they can float boats.)
15. Let them wash dishes in the sink. Use warm, soapy water, some plastic bowls and cups and let them stand on a chair and play.
Have a wonderful Wednesday! I already have a date planned and Blog Linkage ready to post first thing Thursday morning. I'll also re-post another camping story since that is definitely where we're headed sometime next week!
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery Pics are a few more BLAST photos left over from this past weekend. Believe it or not, I have about 40 more (very similar to what I have already shown you). Chicks LOVE having their picture taken!
As promised, I'm re-posting yet another camping story. Feel free to skip ahead if you've read it before. (I'll have a new story to share next week, I am sure!)
Where, Oh Where, Are All the Campers?
We eventually tried an out-of-state camping trip with the family we usually camped with. Roxie was three or four, so she was along for this one. We went to a campground in the beautiful state of Tennessee known for it's hiking trails, waterfalls and beautiful foliage. The pictures on the brochure were lovely, picturesque even, and we looked forward to spending a fall weekend in the great state of Tennessee.
When we arrived, we were surprised to see the "set-up" of the campground. There was a huge circle and campers set up tents and pop-ups under trees as you went around the circle. In the middle of the huge circle, across a grassy field, was the BATHHOUSE. There were no trees in between the tent and the BATHHOUSE, but it was still quite a little hike. However, the campsites were great. Picnic tables intact, fire pits ready to go, level spots to pitch the tents. We were excited.
As the guys got busy with unloading, Roxie, the other mom and I made our way to the BATHHOUSE to check it out. Oh, my! "Rustic" is a kind word to describe the facilities. Very kind.
"Well, maybe there's another bathhouse we can drive to and use," we reasoned. There was... and in comparison, it was a twin. Hmmm!
"Did you bring flip flops?" we both asked. We had, so once again, we decided to trade in the beautiful scenery and great weather for a less than perfect bathhouse. (MUCH less than perfect!)
The first night of our trip was peaceful and relaxing. The weather was great and after our trek to the Bathhouse in the Middle of Nowhere, we bedded down. We had planned on hiking to a waterfall the next day, so we knew we needed our rest.
The following day was gorgeous, and after breakfast we set out on our hike to the famous waterfall. On this hike, we had to go across a swinging bridge (always interesting), through creeks, and up the famous Tennessee mountains. When I say up, I mean up the entire way. We hiked forever... and then we hiked some more. Roxie and Grant (both three or four at the time) were troopers and thankfully, did not ask us to carry them. That would have been very difficult. Several hours later (or maybe just 90 minutes), we came upon the waterfall. Yes, it was beautiful. We looked at it for about five minutes.
Then we noticed how many people were with us looking at the waterfall. We hadn't hiked up the mountain with all these people. They weren't hot and sweaty. Some of the women even had on make-up and their hair was done. Some of them had the nerve to be wearing cute shoes, too! Who were these people? Where had they come from? Why were they looking at OUR waterfall?
So I asked, "Did you hike up here?"
"Uh, no. We drove," was the smug reply.
"What do you mean you drove?" I asked.
"There's a main road right over there." I turned around and there it was. A perfectly good paved road.
"Where did you come from?" I inquired.
"Oh, we're staying in a RV down at the campground," Miss Priss answered before she walked back to her BMW!
Before she could get back into her car, I yelled, "How long a drive is it from the campground?"
"About five minutes give or take a minute," she called over her shoulder, and then she was gone.
"I think I hate her," I mumbled to Mikie.
He assured me that 90 minutes up a mountain would translate into 30 minutes going down the mountain. That made sense. And at this point, hot, sticky and more than a little grumpy, what was 30 more minutes.
Down we went, and 60 minutes later (NOT 30), we were back at our campsite. We stayed in our little cluster of tents for the rest of the day hydrating ourselves.
On Sunday, we decided to just hang around our campsites and play which was fine with the six kids. But we started noticing something strange around the noon hour. It was like an exodus of some kind. Everyone was leaving.
"Well, just because Alabama has a three-day weekend doesn't mean Tennessee has a three-day weekend. Everyone has to go back to school and work tomorrow," Mikie reasoned.
That was fine, except by 2:00 p.m. we were IT. I mean NO ONE was left in the huge circular campsite. It was like we had been dropped off by a helicopter in the wilderness.
"Do we have a gun or a knife or a big stick or something in case there's a wild bear attack or a bunch of hillbillies descend upon us," I asked Mike.
"I have my pocket knife, and we have those plastic knives you bring to spread peanut butter," was my husband's reassuring answer.
"This could be a very long night."
And it was. Just the last walk to the bathhouse alone was unnerving because someone (one of the people leaving... probably Miss Priss) had turned all the bathhouse lights off before heading out, and we walked across a field in pitch blackness looking for the building. And, of course, when we found it, it hadn't changed a bit... still very gross.
We went to bed a little early, and I think the four adults slept with one eye open. (I was, again, unable to pass out and painfully aware of how vulnerable we were in the middle of nowhere with no communication or weaponry of any kind... unless you count throwing screaming children at whatever is attacking you as "weaponry.")
I have never been so happy to see the sun in all my life. We ate breakfast and packed up our campsite in record time to head home. Think, think, think of the Good Things from this trip.
Good Thing #1 - Roxie and Grant were WONDERFUL hikers. If they had been even a little less sturdy, it would have been the end of the adults as we took turns carrying them up to the top of the mountain.
Good Thing #2 - The waterfall was pretty... not Niagara, but pretty, just the same.
Good Thing #3 - We weren't bitten by any of the spiders in the bathhouse... and there were a lot of spiders in the bathhouse.
Good Thing #4 - We weren't attacked by any bears or hillbillies. I think this is huge.
Good Thing #5 - That's it. Once again, I did the best I could to come up with Good Things #1 through #4.
And for some reason or another, we have never even discussed camping in Tennessee again. I'm not sure, but I think it was the bathhouse. I may forget dates and events, but a bad bathhouse... that's burned on a woman's brain forever!
DISCLAIMER - If you are a hillbilly (or are related to a hillbilly), I meant no offense by the reference above. I'm just saying if a hillbilly had happened to come out of the woods in the dead of night in Tennessee in an abandoned campground, it would have been very, very frightening. (In all fairness, it would be frightening in Alabama and Georgia, too.) Again, no offense.
Wednesday Wisdom - Bobby Bowden was interviewed on the Rick and Bubba Show yesterday, and he was very entertaining. For some reason, I like "coach" quotes. They can be so inspiring, don't you think? And I love the way the quotes can often apply to life in general.
“He doesn't know the meaning of the word fear, but then again he doesn't know the meaning of most words." Bobby Bowden (I just thought this one was funny.)
"If somebody mistreats you, treat ’em good. That kills ’em." Bobby Bowden (See. A "life in general" quote.)
"The thing that I'm the most proud of is that we never stopped working. We were patient. We never saw anybody get rattled." Gene Chizik (It's too late for me, but this would be a nice way to be described by others, wouldn't it? The parts about patience and never getting rattled do not apply to the Enchanting Belinda!)
"Size is definitely overrated. Speed is the great equalizer." Gene Chizik (If this is applicable to "life in general," I'm in a lot of trouble.)
"There are two pains in life. There is the pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment. If you can handle the pain of discipline, then you'll never have to deal with the pain of disappointment." Nick Saban (I think this is a great football quote, but not necessarily a "life in general" quote.)
Can you tell I live in a house FULL of football fans?
15 Rainy Day Activities for Preschoolers
Ahhh. While I love gray, rainy, blustery days, I well remember the days with two or three preschoolers and toddlers playing inside. It can be a lot of fun... or it can be a disaster.
I'm going to share 15 FUN, EASY and AFFORDABLE indoor activities for your little ones on days just like today!
1. Fill a large plastic bin with different shaped dry pastas, dry beans and rice. Give them cups and "sand" toys and you have a rainy day alternative to the sandbox. NOTE - Spread a sheet under the bin. The spills can be gathered up in the sheet and poured back into the bin.
2. Have several books on tape from the library.
3. Make a book of favorite animals, trees, bugs, etc. You can use color sheets, stickers or cut pictures from old magazines. Use glue sticks to mat the pictures on pieces of construction paper to make a "Puppy Book," "Butterfly Book," "Beach Book," etc.
4. Set up an obstacle course in the living room or the basement using chairs with pillows over them (kids crawl under), different things to make circles they can step in with different feet, a jump rope and a mini-trampoline.
5. Have an indoor "snowball" fight. Divide into teams. Give each team a stack of newspapers. When you yell go, have them wad up the sheets of newspaper into "snowballs" and throw them at each other. Great fun! For clean-up, see who can gather the most balls into a trash bag!
6. Use large dry beans (limas, etc.) and school glue and let the kids glue beans onto heavy paper or old folders. You can dribble out a line of glue in the shape of something fun (car, snowman, house, etc.) and then let them press the beans onto the glue line.
7. Let the kids paint on large sheets of aluminum foil.
8. Make and send a card to someone who needs encouragement. Pray for that person before you mail the card.
9. Finger paint with chocolate pudding on a paper plate. Then lick the plate clean.
10. Bake cookies or a cake for Daddy's dessert.
11. If you have a fireplace, have a hotdog roast and make s'mores.
12. Have a picnic inside on the floor.
13. Give them a wide roll of masking tape and let them make "roads" for Matchbox cars.
14. Put some water in the tub or sink (plus a little blue food coloring), and let the kids play with their dinosaurs or plastic animals. (Or they can float boats.)
15. Let them wash dishes in the sink. Use warm, soapy water, some plastic bowls and cups and let them stand on a chair and play.
Have a wonderful Wednesday! I already have a date planned and Blog Linkage ready to post first thing Thursday morning. I'll also re-post another camping story since that is definitely where we're headed sometime next week!
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Continue to Build a Strong Foundation for Tweens and Teens
Good Wednesday morning!
The Gallery Pics continue to tell the story of our weekend Mountain Trip. Enjoy... or endure! I guess it depends on your attitude today!
RANDOMNESS #1 - The Boy (Austin) is 20 years-old today. This is significant for several reasons.
1. I have now been a mother for two decades. I feel I should be full of wisdom, but alas, that does not appear to be the case.
2. Austin is excited about being 20. Some might say ecstatic. I remember being excited about turning 20. It was almost 30 years ago.
3. Because my firstborn is now 20 years-old, it means I am now officially older than most dirt. It's a very sobering thought.
4. I am also older than the wheel and fire.
5. Even though I forget many things, and I'm distracted beyond measure most days, I can remember that day 20 years ago like it was yesterday. I remember his face, his little hands, the way his head smelled after his first bath... EVERYTHING! I miss that tiny little human... but I like the 6'4" giant he has become, too.
Happy Birthday, Austin! I'm coming to see you tonight... You lucky, lucky 20 year-old! And when I see you, I'm going to give you a big, fat "Happy Birthday" KISS! (Something to look forward to... or not.)
RANDOMNESS #2 - I know you thought I would NEVER finish the Mikie and Belinda story, but I'm going to go ahead and share the Engagement Story with you today. It's a little shorter, and since we're still in the midst of the Love Month, I feel I must.
Mikie and Belinda - The Engagement
As I told you a few days ago, Mike and I began dating in March of 1987, and we were engaged by August of that same year. It seems fast, doesn't it?
When we met with Dr. Carter for counseling two months into our "courtship," his advice to us was to date and be together for four seasons (an entire year) before becoming engaged. And he believed in a fairly long engagement, too. I think those were extremely wise words. It was his way of saying we needed to know each other, to become best friends, to see not only the good, but the bad as well.
Mike and I didn't dismiss his words, but we had already put in three years of being best friends. (That's 12 seasons!) We had seen each other's "ugly" side several times. We had both been in relationships with the wrong people, and we had no doubt we were with the person God wanted us to marry. No doubt at all.
That being said, Mike went ahead and spoke with my Dad in early August. I knew he had talked to him, and I knew Dad had given his blessing. Now, I just needed my ring.
Little birdies told me Mike had decided to forego the jewelry store engagement ring. Instead, he designed my ring himself. Little birdies also told me when the ring was ready, and that he had it in his possession. (Aren't girlfriends wonderful?)
Did I mention my birthday is in August. August 26. Considering it was only 22 days from the day he spoke to my Dad, it was a no-brainer. I should have gotten my ring on my birthday. But that was not how Mikie's mind worked. Birthdays, Christmas, Valentine's Day... too obvious. He wanted the surprise.
Every day for two weeks when he stopped by the apartment coming home from work, I was dressed to the nines. Make-up... totally redone. Hair... totally redone. Outfit... totally different from the one I had worn to work that day. Deodorant... totally reapplied. (I was a little nervous, and was having some flop sweat problems.)
Every day I would greet him at the door looking for ring box bulges. Nothing. Nada. Let's just say I was getting a little frustrated.
One night, he came in and I just pinned him to the door. "I want my ring. I have all the bridal magazines. I want to start making plans. I want to try on dresses. I want to pick out cakes. I want to register for china. AND I CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT THE RING!" I had totally lost it.
"I wouldn't give you the ring tonight if I did have it," he responded. "You're going to have to settle down a little." He smiled, gave me a peck and slipped out the door. (He had just seen a new "ugly" I had never revealed before. He had just seen a new "ugly" I didn't even know I had!)
After that night, I stopped dressing up every day. In fact, when I got home from work, I put on t-shirts and jeans, and didn't even brush my teeth or comb my hair before he arrived. I had lost the will to groom.
"How about coming over for dinner Saturday night before we go to the Sunday School party? I'll fix everything." I knew he was just trying to soften the blow that I wasn't going to get my ring until some time after my birthday... you know, for the surprise factor.
"Okay," I agreed half-heartedly.
I arrived wearing a T-shirt and jeans, minimal make-up and combed hair. I was clean. "Hey. I ran out of milk, and I need it for the mac and cheese. Do you mind running to the corner store and getting half a gallon for me?" Okay. This was a sure sign the ring wasn't in the picture. Mac and cheese? I had to get the milk?
"Okay," I agreed again half-heartedly.
When I returned, the table was set nicely, but not with candles. We sat down to eat, and I took the napkin off the center of the plate (which for some reason had a napkin ring around it), and in one swift movement slipped the napkin ring off and snapped my napkin and put it in my lap.
"NOOOOO!" Mike screamed.
"AHHHHH!" I screamed back, terrified. And then I heard it. A little ping, ping, ping sound. Mikie was on his knees covering the air conditioning vent on the floor beside the table. I was on my feet. "What's wrong? What's wrong?"
"You shot the ring out of the napkin. It kept ricocheting off of things, and I don't know if it went down the vent or not."
"AHHHHH!" I screamed again. By now, we were both on the floor looking for the ring and praying the last ping we had heard was not the ring bouncing it's way down the vent.
"I FOUND IT!" he yelled.
"LET ME HAVE IT!" I yelled back.
He wasn't actually on one knee as much as collapsed in a heap at my feet sweating profusely. "Belinda, will you please marry me? Just say 'Yes.' I can't take much more of this."
And that, my friends, is my ultra-romantic engagement story. The ring was (and is) beautiful, and I was thrilled. Mikie done good! (I know that's grammatically incorrect, by the way.)
And I never eat macaroni and cheese without smiling to myself and remembering that night a little over 22 years ago when I yelled, "Yes!"
Wednesday Wisdom - I heard some people quoting Ronald Reagan yesterday, and I liked what I heard. Here are some quotes from (in my opinion) a very wise President.
Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.
Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged. (Amen!)
Heroes may not be braver than anyone else. They're just braver five minutes longer.
I have wondered at times what the Ten Commandments would have looked like if Moses had run them through the United States Congress.
If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.
Continue to Build a Strong Foundation for Tweens and Teens
Over the last 600 or so posts, I've talked about having devotion time with your kiddos on a daily basis, in odd places, at birthday parties, etc., etc. Today I want to give you three specific resources to help you continue to add a strong spiritual foundation for your tween or teen to stand on during this difficult time in their lives. (And it is a very difficult time!)
Last night, our church hosted Tailgating With Pam Tebow, Celebrating God's Team: Faith, Family & Friends. I spoke with a couple of mothers this morning who attended this event with their teenage daughters. I've heard the word "amazing" describe this event by several friends on Facebook. Roxie and I were unable to attend the event, but as usual, it "got me to thinking."
As a Mom, my job is far from over. Even though Austin is 20, Josh is 17 and Roxie is 14, I have a lot of HARD work left to do, and now is not the time to get lazy or "zone out."
I'm going to urge all parents of tweens and teens out there (myself and Mikie included) to diligently look for and attend as many Christ-centered events as possible in the years to come.
And I'm not going to leave you hanging either. I'm going to tell you where these events can be found!
One excellent resource is the Birmingham Christian Family Magazine. Not only does it advertise special events like the one mentioned above, but it also has a monthly calendar with activities which may interest you and yours. The magazine is free and available at libraries, churches, etc. in the Birmingham area. There may not be something every month, but you can always check.
Another good resource is www.rickandbubba.com. Click on Events at the top of their website, and they have a list of activities which may interest you.
One more, and I'm done. We are blessed to have MANY large churches in our immediate area. You can contact any of these churches and ask if they have any concerts, conferences, special speakers, etc. in the coming months which would appeal to your tween or teen. (Shades Mountain Baptist, Church of the Highlands, etc., etc.)
As I have reminded myself just this morning, now is NOT the time to relax... now is the time to keep adding spiritual bricks to our children's foundation!
On Thursday, A Simple Life will have Blog Linkage, a date for you and your tween or teen (see above), more photos from the mountain trip and even more Randomness. Fascinating, I know!
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery Pics continue to tell the story of our weekend Mountain Trip. Enjoy... or endure! I guess it depends on your attitude today!
RANDOMNESS #1 - The Boy (Austin) is 20 years-old today. This is significant for several reasons.
1. I have now been a mother for two decades. I feel I should be full of wisdom, but alas, that does not appear to be the case.
2. Austin is excited about being 20. Some might say ecstatic. I remember being excited about turning 20. It was almost 30 years ago.
3. Because my firstborn is now 20 years-old, it means I am now officially older than most dirt. It's a very sobering thought.
4. I am also older than the wheel and fire.
5. Even though I forget many things, and I'm distracted beyond measure most days, I can remember that day 20 years ago like it was yesterday. I remember his face, his little hands, the way his head smelled after his first bath... EVERYTHING! I miss that tiny little human... but I like the 6'4" giant he has become, too.
Happy Birthday, Austin! I'm coming to see you tonight... You lucky, lucky 20 year-old! And when I see you, I'm going to give you a big, fat "Happy Birthday" KISS! (Something to look forward to... or not.)
RANDOMNESS #2 - I know you thought I would NEVER finish the Mikie and Belinda story, but I'm going to go ahead and share the Engagement Story with you today. It's a little shorter, and since we're still in the midst of the Love Month, I feel I must.
Mikie and Belinda - The Engagement
As I told you a few days ago, Mike and I began dating in March of 1987, and we were engaged by August of that same year. It seems fast, doesn't it?
When we met with Dr. Carter for counseling two months into our "courtship," his advice to us was to date and be together for four seasons (an entire year) before becoming engaged. And he believed in a fairly long engagement, too. I think those were extremely wise words. It was his way of saying we needed to know each other, to become best friends, to see not only the good, but the bad as well.
Mike and I didn't dismiss his words, but we had already put in three years of being best friends. (That's 12 seasons!) We had seen each other's "ugly" side several times. We had both been in relationships with the wrong people, and we had no doubt we were with the person God wanted us to marry. No doubt at all.
That being said, Mike went ahead and spoke with my Dad in early August. I knew he had talked to him, and I knew Dad had given his blessing. Now, I just needed my ring.
Little birdies told me Mike had decided to forego the jewelry store engagement ring. Instead, he designed my ring himself. Little birdies also told me when the ring was ready, and that he had it in his possession. (Aren't girlfriends wonderful?)
Did I mention my birthday is in August. August 26. Considering it was only 22 days from the day he spoke to my Dad, it was a no-brainer. I should have gotten my ring on my birthday. But that was not how Mikie's mind worked. Birthdays, Christmas, Valentine's Day... too obvious. He wanted the surprise.
Every day for two weeks when he stopped by the apartment coming home from work, I was dressed to the nines. Make-up... totally redone. Hair... totally redone. Outfit... totally different from the one I had worn to work that day. Deodorant... totally reapplied. (I was a little nervous, and was having some flop sweat problems.)
Every day I would greet him at the door looking for ring box bulges. Nothing. Nada. Let's just say I was getting a little frustrated.
One night, he came in and I just pinned him to the door. "I want my ring. I have all the bridal magazines. I want to start making plans. I want to try on dresses. I want to pick out cakes. I want to register for china. AND I CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT THE RING!" I had totally lost it.
"I wouldn't give you the ring tonight if I did have it," he responded. "You're going to have to settle down a little." He smiled, gave me a peck and slipped out the door. (He had just seen a new "ugly" I had never revealed before. He had just seen a new "ugly" I didn't even know I had!)
After that night, I stopped dressing up every day. In fact, when I got home from work, I put on t-shirts and jeans, and didn't even brush my teeth or comb my hair before he arrived. I had lost the will to groom.
"How about coming over for dinner Saturday night before we go to the Sunday School party? I'll fix everything." I knew he was just trying to soften the blow that I wasn't going to get my ring until some time after my birthday... you know, for the surprise factor.
"Okay," I agreed half-heartedly.
I arrived wearing a T-shirt and jeans, minimal make-up and combed hair. I was clean. "Hey. I ran out of milk, and I need it for the mac and cheese. Do you mind running to the corner store and getting half a gallon for me?" Okay. This was a sure sign the ring wasn't in the picture. Mac and cheese? I had to get the milk?
"Okay," I agreed again half-heartedly.
When I returned, the table was set nicely, but not with candles. We sat down to eat, and I took the napkin off the center of the plate (which for some reason had a napkin ring around it), and in one swift movement slipped the napkin ring off and snapped my napkin and put it in my lap.
"NOOOOO!" Mike screamed.
"AHHHHH!" I screamed back, terrified. And then I heard it. A little ping, ping, ping sound. Mikie was on his knees covering the air conditioning vent on the floor beside the table. I was on my feet. "What's wrong? What's wrong?"
"You shot the ring out of the napkin. It kept ricocheting off of things, and I don't know if it went down the vent or not."
"AHHHHH!" I screamed again. By now, we were both on the floor looking for the ring and praying the last ping we had heard was not the ring bouncing it's way down the vent.
"I FOUND IT!" he yelled.
"LET ME HAVE IT!" I yelled back.
He wasn't actually on one knee as much as collapsed in a heap at my feet sweating profusely. "Belinda, will you please marry me? Just say 'Yes.' I can't take much more of this."
And that, my friends, is my ultra-romantic engagement story. The ring was (and is) beautiful, and I was thrilled. Mikie done good! (I know that's grammatically incorrect, by the way.)
And I never eat macaroni and cheese without smiling to myself and remembering that night a little over 22 years ago when I yelled, "Yes!"
Wednesday Wisdom - I heard some people quoting Ronald Reagan yesterday, and I liked what I heard. Here are some quotes from (in my opinion) a very wise President.
Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.
Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged. (Amen!)
Heroes may not be braver than anyone else. They're just braver five minutes longer.
I have wondered at times what the Ten Commandments would have looked like if Moses had run them through the United States Congress.
If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.
Continue to Build a Strong Foundation for Tweens and Teens
Over the last 600 or so posts, I've talked about having devotion time with your kiddos on a daily basis, in odd places, at birthday parties, etc., etc. Today I want to give you three specific resources to help you continue to add a strong spiritual foundation for your tween or teen to stand on during this difficult time in their lives. (And it is a very difficult time!)
Last night, our church hosted Tailgating With Pam Tebow, Celebrating God's Team: Faith, Family & Friends. I spoke with a couple of mothers this morning who attended this event with their teenage daughters. I've heard the word "amazing" describe this event by several friends on Facebook. Roxie and I were unable to attend the event, but as usual, it "got me to thinking."
As a Mom, my job is far from over. Even though Austin is 20, Josh is 17 and Roxie is 14, I have a lot of HARD work left to do, and now is not the time to get lazy or "zone out."
I'm going to urge all parents of tweens and teens out there (myself and Mikie included) to diligently look for and attend as many Christ-centered events as possible in the years to come.
And I'm not going to leave you hanging either. I'm going to tell you where these events can be found!
One excellent resource is the Birmingham Christian Family Magazine. Not only does it advertise special events like the one mentioned above, but it also has a monthly calendar with activities which may interest you and yours. The magazine is free and available at libraries, churches, etc. in the Birmingham area. There may not be something every month, but you can always check.
Another good resource is www.rickandbubba.com. Click on Events at the top of their website, and they have a list of activities which may interest you.
One more, and I'm done. We are blessed to have MANY large churches in our immediate area. You can contact any of these churches and ask if they have any concerts, conferences, special speakers, etc. in the coming months which would appeal to your tween or teen. (Shades Mountain Baptist, Church of the Highlands, etc., etc.)
As I have reminded myself just this morning, now is NOT the time to relax... now is the time to keep adding spiritual bricks to our children's foundation!
On Thursday, A Simple Life will have Blog Linkage, a date for you and your tween or teen (see above), more photos from the mountain trip and even more Randomness. Fascinating, I know!
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Basketball Party
Good Wednesday morning!
The Gallery Pics are from the basketball game last night. The final game of our middle school career. We played a good, hard game, but in the end, the other team won. The team that won was a class act. Our team was a class act. The other team's coach was extremely professional. Our coach was extremely professional. I was proud of all the girls involved... on both sides. (That being said, I was really, really hoping we would win. Heavy sigh! And I don't care what you say. I am NOT living vicariously through my daughter. Well... maybe just a little.)
ANNOUNCEMENT! ANNOUNCEMENT! ANNOUNCEMENT! - It's a LONG post today. However, everything is labeled, so pick and choose what interests you.
RANDOMNESS - Fun fact for you... Basketball is my favorite spectator sport. The games are exciting, fast and just because you're down by 10 goals at halftime, it doesn't mean the game is over. (In football, if you're behind 10 touchdowns at halftime, most of the stadium starts emptying out.)
I don't watch a lot of March Madness now, but I ALWAYS make sure I watch at least part of the last game and the final song when they show all the clips.
I always cry when I see a player tear up and hang his head in disappointment. I always cry when the winning team starts taking turns cutting pieces of the net. I always cry when I see the teammates hug each other, rub each other's heads or jump in each other's arms (whether from defeat or joy).
And if a member of the winning team walks over and hugs a member from the losing team, forget about it! I usually have to take my "Austin is in College, Josh is Driving and Roxie is a Teenager" meds and call it a night.
It's as emotional for me as the Christmas Hallmark commercials and the Mother's Day Show Regis and Kelly have each year.
There's no point to the above. That's why it's called "Randomness." Read on, please.
Wednesday Wisdom - Guess what our quotes are about today. Just guess...
"We can't win at home. We can't win on the road. As general manager, I just can't figure out where else to play." Pat Williams, Orlando Magic general manager, on his team's 7-27 record in 1992.
"There are really only two plays: Romeo and Juliet, and put the darn ball in the basket." Abe Lemons
"Fans never fall asleep at our games because they're afraid they might get hit by a pass." George Raveling
"Kids are great. That's one of the best things about our business, all the kids you get to meet. It's a shame they have to grow up to be regular people and come to the games and call you names." Charles Barkley (This is my favorite... and not just because it came from an Alabama boy!)
Basketball Party
I looked around and found some of these ideas on various websites. It would be a great party for a basketball lovin' son or daughter.
Invitations
Make your own basketball party invitations to look like basketball tickets. Copy some authentic tickets and then add your party details. Write 'Admit One' on both sides of the tickets.
The wording of your basketball party invitations can say the following:
Are you ready to come have a ball with us? Please join us at center court as we celebrate (your child's name) _th (age of your child) season in what proves to be an exciting home opener!
Arena: (your address)
Tip-Off: (time)
Post game reception to follow. RSVP to coaches (parents' names). Please dribble up court for what we hope to be a Slam-Dunking good time!
Other Ideas
1. Encourage your party guests to wear their favorite team jerseys.
2. It's ideal that you have a basketball hoop outside. If not, try to borrow one for a day or two. Hang a sign "Welcome to Bartow Arena" (or use the arena name of your favorite team) outside your front door.
3. If you have any basketball memorabilia, display it in the party room to set the mood. Hang basketball posters, jerseys, hats and other basketball-related items.
4. Place basketballs all over the party room to use for later games.
5. Play "Jock Jams" or other sports-themed music during the basketball birthday party to add excitement and basketball game atmosphere.
Party Favors
Balls
Whistles
Basketball Key Chains
Hats
Tattoos
Mesh bags
Basketball Birthday Party Games
Loony Locker Room: Before the party, fill a large box with clothing items you can find in lost-and-found (the funnier the better, big clothing items, too).
At the basketball birthday party, explain to the group that somebody got into the locker room and stole all the players' street clothes. Since the players can't wear their jerseys on the street, they have to find suitable clothes in a lost-and-found box.
Have the kids stand in a circle. Play the party music and get the kids to pass the box. When the music stops, the person holding the box must take an item from the box and put it on as fast as possible. Play continues in the same manner until all the items are gone. Take a group picture at the end of this basketball party game.
Training Camp: Everyone needs to get in shape before the season. This basketball birthday party activity allows the kids to do just that. Start the game with jumping jacks, push-ups, crunches and some sprinting drills. Then move to passing the ball around, dribbling it around the cones and shooting it in the net. Be sure to have some stopwatches and whistles handy.
O-U-T: One player starts this game by shooting the ball from anywhere on the court. If the ball goes in, the other players have to score from the same place. (Have a draw to determine shooting order.) Kids that make the shot are safe. Those players who miss get an "O." If they get "O," "U" and "T," they are out of the game.
If the first player doesn't make his or her first shot, the second player takes over the lead position. The last player remaining wins the game.
Chase the Dog: For this basketball birthday party game, you'll need bandannas and basketballs for all the players.
Each player has to tuck in a bandanna into his or her back pocket (to resemble a tail). On the command "Go!" all the players must start dribbling the ball. While staying in the designated area and continuing the dribble, the kids must try to grab the other players' bandannas. Whoever looses his or her "tail" is out of the game. The last person left standing (top dog) is the winner.
Nothing But Net: Mark the free throw line with a masking tape. The purpose of the game is to make as many free throws as possible in 30 seconds. Whoever makes the most baskets, wins the game.
Space Jam: Let your basketball birthday party guests watch Space Jam (or other basketball show) to unwind at the end of the party. They can do this while waiting for their rides.
Food and Drink
Basketball Cake: Prepare and mix batter according to package directions. Grease a 2- or 3-quart oven-proof bowl and pour in batter.
Bake a little longer than the recommended baking time. Flip the cake onto a large platter. Now you have a basketball cake. Sprinkle platter with yellow-tinted coconut to form the basketball court.
Prepare orange food coloring (or combination of red and yellow coloring) to white frosting to achieve the desired color. Frost the basketball cake. Add black frosting or licorice for "basketball lines". You can write a "Happy Birthday" message if you choose to.
Basketball Birthday Party Food Ideas
Hotdogs
Nachos
Giant Pretzels
Popcorn
Power Bars
Ice Cream
Basketball Birthday Party Drink Ideas
Sideline Smoothies: Put 1 1/2 cups orange juice, 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt, 1 cup ice in a blender. Blend well and serve. You can also serve Power Drinks like Gatorade, Powerade, etc.
NOTE - You can use any of the ideas you like, but you can also attend a local high school or college game for minimal cost. You can plan on eating cake and "party food" before or after the game.
Devotion
A certain man and his two sons had been looking forward to going to a basketball game for a long time. They drove most of Saturday to get to their destination to see their favorite two teams play.
They rushed to check into a motel. In a hurry, they made it to the game just before tip-off. The problem was they were still standing in line outside. But that really did not bother them. They knew they were going to see the majority of the game. What they did not know was all the seats were filling up while they stood outside. In fact, just before they came to the ticket window, the sales person put up a sign: "Sorry, no more tickets. Sell out."
They could not believe their eyes. This man and his sons had traveled most of the day to get there. This was supposed to be the "highlight" of their vacation. The man rushed to the window. He pleaded for three tickets. But all the lady at the window could say was, "I am sorry. We are sold out." When he tried to explain to the lady how important the game was to him and his two sons, and how far they had driven to be there, the lady said, "Remember, if you want to be assured of a ticket to an important game, you need to make sure you have a ticket ahead of time." The man knew she was right.
There are some events in life that are so important we should make sure we have whatever it takes to get in the door.
Jesus told three parables about having the proper tickets. One was about some maidens who were not allowed to attend a wedding party because they had neglected to prepare their lamps with oil (Matthew 25:1-12). Lighted lamps were their tickets.
Another guest was put out of a wedding party because he had either refused or neglected to wear the wedding garment that was furnished him when he came to the party (Matthew 22:11-14). That special garment was his ticket.
Then Jesus told of a group of people who refused to come to their king's party because they had other priorities (Luke 14:15-24).
Those who did not value the "ticket" or the invitation they had received never enjoyed the blessing of feasting with the Lord.
Do we realize the value of a ticket? Do we realize how blessed and fortunate we are to be able to freely attend church each and every Sunday AND Wednesday evening? Do we take that opportunity for granted?
Each time we say no to attending church, are we throwing a valuable ticket away. A ticket which would allow us to worship God in His house with other believers.
It's an important ticket, and no matter how old we are, we don't need to take it for granted!
Have a lovely Wednesday. I have to tell you my Blog Linkage for tomorrow's post is very, very good. I'm not bragging or anything (because basically it's all about great stuff other people wrote), but it is good nonetheless.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery Pics are from the basketball game last night. The final game of our middle school career. We played a good, hard game, but in the end, the other team won. The team that won was a class act. Our team was a class act. The other team's coach was extremely professional. Our coach was extremely professional. I was proud of all the girls involved... on both sides. (That being said, I was really, really hoping we would win. Heavy sigh! And I don't care what you say. I am NOT living vicariously through my daughter. Well... maybe just a little.)
ANNOUNCEMENT! ANNOUNCEMENT! ANNOUNCEMENT! - It's a LONG post today. However, everything is labeled, so pick and choose what interests you.
RANDOMNESS - Fun fact for you... Basketball is my favorite spectator sport. The games are exciting, fast and just because you're down by 10 goals at halftime, it doesn't mean the game is over. (In football, if you're behind 10 touchdowns at halftime, most of the stadium starts emptying out.)
I don't watch a lot of March Madness now, but I ALWAYS make sure I watch at least part of the last game and the final song when they show all the clips.
I always cry when I see a player tear up and hang his head in disappointment. I always cry when the winning team starts taking turns cutting pieces of the net. I always cry when I see the teammates hug each other, rub each other's heads or jump in each other's arms (whether from defeat or joy).
And if a member of the winning team walks over and hugs a member from the losing team, forget about it! I usually have to take my "Austin is in College, Josh is Driving and Roxie is a Teenager" meds and call it a night.
It's as emotional for me as the Christmas Hallmark commercials and the Mother's Day Show Regis and Kelly have each year.
There's no point to the above. That's why it's called "Randomness." Read on, please.
Wednesday Wisdom - Guess what our quotes are about today. Just guess...
"We can't win at home. We can't win on the road. As general manager, I just can't figure out where else to play." Pat Williams, Orlando Magic general manager, on his team's 7-27 record in 1992.
"There are really only two plays: Romeo and Juliet, and put the darn ball in the basket." Abe Lemons
"Fans never fall asleep at our games because they're afraid they might get hit by a pass." George Raveling
"Kids are great. That's one of the best things about our business, all the kids you get to meet. It's a shame they have to grow up to be regular people and come to the games and call you names." Charles Barkley (This is my favorite... and not just because it came from an Alabama boy!)
Basketball Party
I looked around and found some of these ideas on various websites. It would be a great party for a basketball lovin' son or daughter.
Invitations
Make your own basketball party invitations to look like basketball tickets. Copy some authentic tickets and then add your party details. Write 'Admit One' on both sides of the tickets.
The wording of your basketball party invitations can say the following:
Are you ready to come have a ball with us? Please join us at center court as we celebrate (your child's name) _th (age of your child) season in what proves to be an exciting home opener!
Arena: (your address)
Tip-Off: (time)
Post game reception to follow. RSVP to coaches (parents' names). Please dribble up court for what we hope to be a Slam-Dunking good time!
Other Ideas
1. Encourage your party guests to wear their favorite team jerseys.
2. It's ideal that you have a basketball hoop outside. If not, try to borrow one for a day or two. Hang a sign "Welcome to Bartow Arena" (or use the arena name of your favorite team) outside your front door.
3. If you have any basketball memorabilia, display it in the party room to set the mood. Hang basketball posters, jerseys, hats and other basketball-related items.
4. Place basketballs all over the party room to use for later games.
5. Play "Jock Jams" or other sports-themed music during the basketball birthday party to add excitement and basketball game atmosphere.
Party Favors
Balls
Whistles
Basketball Key Chains
Hats
Tattoos
Mesh bags
Basketball Birthday Party Games
Loony Locker Room: Before the party, fill a large box with clothing items you can find in lost-and-found (the funnier the better, big clothing items, too).
At the basketball birthday party, explain to the group that somebody got into the locker room and stole all the players' street clothes. Since the players can't wear their jerseys on the street, they have to find suitable clothes in a lost-and-found box.
Have the kids stand in a circle. Play the party music and get the kids to pass the box. When the music stops, the person holding the box must take an item from the box and put it on as fast as possible. Play continues in the same manner until all the items are gone. Take a group picture at the end of this basketball party game.
Training Camp: Everyone needs to get in shape before the season. This basketball birthday party activity allows the kids to do just that. Start the game with jumping jacks, push-ups, crunches and some sprinting drills. Then move to passing the ball around, dribbling it around the cones and shooting it in the net. Be sure to have some stopwatches and whistles handy.
O-U-T: One player starts this game by shooting the ball from anywhere on the court. If the ball goes in, the other players have to score from the same place. (Have a draw to determine shooting order.) Kids that make the shot are safe. Those players who miss get an "O." If they get "O," "U" and "T," they are out of the game.
If the first player doesn't make his or her first shot, the second player takes over the lead position. The last player remaining wins the game.
Chase the Dog: For this basketball birthday party game, you'll need bandannas and basketballs for all the players.
Each player has to tuck in a bandanna into his or her back pocket (to resemble a tail). On the command "Go!" all the players must start dribbling the ball. While staying in the designated area and continuing the dribble, the kids must try to grab the other players' bandannas. Whoever looses his or her "tail" is out of the game. The last person left standing (top dog) is the winner.
Nothing But Net: Mark the free throw line with a masking tape. The purpose of the game is to make as many free throws as possible in 30 seconds. Whoever makes the most baskets, wins the game.
Space Jam: Let your basketball birthday party guests watch Space Jam (or other basketball show) to unwind at the end of the party. They can do this while waiting for their rides.
Food and Drink
Basketball Cake: Prepare and mix batter according to package directions. Grease a 2- or 3-quart oven-proof bowl and pour in batter.
Bake a little longer than the recommended baking time. Flip the cake onto a large platter. Now you have a basketball cake. Sprinkle platter with yellow-tinted coconut to form the basketball court.
Prepare orange food coloring (or combination of red and yellow coloring) to white frosting to achieve the desired color. Frost the basketball cake. Add black frosting or licorice for "basketball lines". You can write a "Happy Birthday" message if you choose to.
Basketball Birthday Party Food Ideas
Hotdogs
Nachos
Giant Pretzels
Popcorn
Power Bars
Ice Cream
Basketball Birthday Party Drink Ideas
Sideline Smoothies: Put 1 1/2 cups orange juice, 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt, 1 cup ice in a blender. Blend well and serve. You can also serve Power Drinks like Gatorade, Powerade, etc.
NOTE - You can use any of the ideas you like, but you can also attend a local high school or college game for minimal cost. You can plan on eating cake and "party food" before or after the game.
Devotion
A certain man and his two sons had been looking forward to going to a basketball game for a long time. They drove most of Saturday to get to their destination to see their favorite two teams play.
They rushed to check into a motel. In a hurry, they made it to the game just before tip-off. The problem was they were still standing in line outside. But that really did not bother them. They knew they were going to see the majority of the game. What they did not know was all the seats were filling up while they stood outside. In fact, just before they came to the ticket window, the sales person put up a sign: "Sorry, no more tickets. Sell out."
They could not believe their eyes. This man and his sons had traveled most of the day to get there. This was supposed to be the "highlight" of their vacation. The man rushed to the window. He pleaded for three tickets. But all the lady at the window could say was, "I am sorry. We are sold out." When he tried to explain to the lady how important the game was to him and his two sons, and how far they had driven to be there, the lady said, "Remember, if you want to be assured of a ticket to an important game, you need to make sure you have a ticket ahead of time." The man knew she was right.
There are some events in life that are so important we should make sure we have whatever it takes to get in the door.
Jesus told three parables about having the proper tickets. One was about some maidens who were not allowed to attend a wedding party because they had neglected to prepare their lamps with oil (Matthew 25:1-12). Lighted lamps were their tickets.
Another guest was put out of a wedding party because he had either refused or neglected to wear the wedding garment that was furnished him when he came to the party (Matthew 22:11-14). That special garment was his ticket.
Then Jesus told of a group of people who refused to come to their king's party because they had other priorities (Luke 14:15-24).
Those who did not value the "ticket" or the invitation they had received never enjoyed the blessing of feasting with the Lord.
Do we realize the value of a ticket? Do we realize how blessed and fortunate we are to be able to freely attend church each and every Sunday AND Wednesday evening? Do we take that opportunity for granted?
Each time we say no to attending church, are we throwing a valuable ticket away. A ticket which would allow us to worship God in His house with other believers.
It's an important ticket, and no matter how old we are, we don't need to take it for granted!
Have a lovely Wednesday. I have to tell you my Blog Linkage for tomorrow's post is very, very good. I'm not bragging or anything (because basically it's all about great stuff other people wrote), but it is good nonetheless.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Alabama Theater Party
Good Wednesday morning!
What can I say? The Gallery Pics are just Christmas "things," and will continue to be so until next Tuesday's Gallery.
The tenth inflatable will make an appearance later today. I would like to thank Tonya and Evelyn for "getting on board" with The Twelve Days of Inflatables, and scouting out neighborhoods for me to visit. I'm planning on checking out Tonya's suggestion today!
RANDOMNESS - Last night, I hosted an Alabama Theater Party in my home. Below you will find all the specifics you need to host this party next year.
However, this little tidbit was not mentioned in the planning of the party.
On our way home in the Big Gold Reindeer, the girls wanted to stop by a house in Fultondale. This house has it's very own radio station. You turn your radio to the station, and the lights go on and off with the music. It is very elaborate and pretty.
We stayed for two songs. As we were pulling back onto the road, I saw police lights in my mirror. Since we were the only other car on the road, I looked at Mikie and asked, "Are they pulling us over?"
"I don't think so," he replied, but he pulled over to the side of the road. The police car pulled over behind us, and an officer got out of the car.
As you can only imagine, the girls were shrieking. Never mind we had not been speeding or "ding-dong ditching" or swerving all over the road. In their minds, we were going to jail... all of us.
The police officer came to the front of the van, but he had his flashlight out and looked at all the girls as he came to Mikie's window. We went from high-pitched shrieking to total, complete silence. (It was a little piece of Heaven, I tell you!)
The police officer had noticed our van pulled off to the side earlier, but he was going on a call. When he came back from the call, he wanted to make sure we weren't having car problems. When we told him the girls wanted to look at the lights, he said, "Aren't they beautiful? They've been doing that for a while now. It's really something special. Y'all have a Merry Christmas!" He waved and walked back to his car. A nicer police officer I have yet to meet!
As soon as he left, the shrieking commenced again. "I thought we were going to jail for sure." "Did you see his flashlight?" "We are so lucky."
Needless to say, the Alabama Theater Party paled in comparison to being pulled over by Fultondale's finest on the way home.
Oh, well. A memory is a memory, I guess!
Wednesday Wisdom - Today's Wednesday Wisdom comes in the form of an e-mail Christmas card I received from Roxie's basketball coach. I loved it, and it fits perfectly with our "theme" for the month.
If You Look for Me at Christmas...
You won't need a special star.
I'm no longer just in Bethlehem,
I'm right there where you are.
You may not be aware of Me
amid the celebrations.
You'll have to look beyond the stores
and all the decorations.
But if you take a moment
From your list of things to do,
And listen to your heart, you'll find
I'm waiting there for you.
You're the one I want to be with.
You're the reason that I came.
And you'll find Me in the stillness
As I'm whispering your name.
Love,
Jesus
This was such a perfect reminder (for me) of the "Reason for the Season."
Alabama Theater Party
Do you want to throw a fun, easy, festive party for your teenage chick? Well, this is the party for you.
We are fortunate to live close to The Alabama Theater... a beautiful, grand 83 year-old theater with a stage, marble floors in the lobby, red carpet and unbelievably high dome ceilings. I could go on and on.
Each year, The Alabama has a Holiday Movie Series featuring Christmas movies. They show everything from Miracle on 34th Street to Elf.
The movies begin at 7:00 p.m. The ticket office opens at 6:00 p.m. It gets crowded very, very quickly, so I would suggest being there 45 minutes to an hour before the movie begins to get a good seat.
The following is the timetable for this party:
5:00 - Girls meet at your home for a candlelight dinner.
5:45 - Girls pack into the Big Gold Reindeer and head to The Alabama.
6:05 - Girls are dropped off at the front of The Alabama with a couple of adults, purchase tickets and find seats.
6:30 - Girls buys snacks and drinks (and take pictures in front of the giant Christmas tree in lobby).
7:00 - The organ rises from under the stage. The entire theater participates during the Sing-A-Long. The girls sing with an amazing amount of gusto.
7:15 - The movie begins. Although everyone has seen Elf many, many times, it is better at The Alabama. The crowd participates in the appropriate places with cheers (snowball fight) and singing ("Santa Claus is Coming to Town" in Central Park as they try to get Santa's sleigh into the air).
9:15 - The girls run downstairs to meet the organist and get a close-up look at the beautiful organ.
9:30 - We head home.
Will we do it again next year? Yes. Will it become a tradition the girls can share into their college years and young adult years? We'll see. Should you host a party like this next year. Uh, YES!
Have a fantastic Wednesday. I hope to get so much done today. Wish me luck. Thursday's Blog Linkage and date are wonderful. Don't miss out!
Until then, Gloedelig jul. (Danish for Merry Christmas!)
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting and Danish-Speaking Belinda
What can I say? The Gallery Pics are just Christmas "things," and will continue to be so until next Tuesday's Gallery.
The tenth inflatable will make an appearance later today. I would like to thank Tonya and Evelyn for "getting on board" with The Twelve Days of Inflatables, and scouting out neighborhoods for me to visit. I'm planning on checking out Tonya's suggestion today!
RANDOMNESS - Last night, I hosted an Alabama Theater Party in my home. Below you will find all the specifics you need to host this party next year.
However, this little tidbit was not mentioned in the planning of the party.
On our way home in the Big Gold Reindeer, the girls wanted to stop by a house in Fultondale. This house has it's very own radio station. You turn your radio to the station, and the lights go on and off with the music. It is very elaborate and pretty.
We stayed for two songs. As we were pulling back onto the road, I saw police lights in my mirror. Since we were the only other car on the road, I looked at Mikie and asked, "Are they pulling us over?"
"I don't think so," he replied, but he pulled over to the side of the road. The police car pulled over behind us, and an officer got out of the car.
As you can only imagine, the girls were shrieking. Never mind we had not been speeding or "ding-dong ditching" or swerving all over the road. In their minds, we were going to jail... all of us.
The police officer came to the front of the van, but he had his flashlight out and looked at all the girls as he came to Mikie's window. We went from high-pitched shrieking to total, complete silence. (It was a little piece of Heaven, I tell you!)
The police officer had noticed our van pulled off to the side earlier, but he was going on a call. When he came back from the call, he wanted to make sure we weren't having car problems. When we told him the girls wanted to look at the lights, he said, "Aren't they beautiful? They've been doing that for a while now. It's really something special. Y'all have a Merry Christmas!" He waved and walked back to his car. A nicer police officer I have yet to meet!
As soon as he left, the shrieking commenced again. "I thought we were going to jail for sure." "Did you see his flashlight?" "We are so lucky."
Needless to say, the Alabama Theater Party paled in comparison to being pulled over by Fultondale's finest on the way home.
Oh, well. A memory is a memory, I guess!
Wednesday Wisdom - Today's Wednesday Wisdom comes in the form of an e-mail Christmas card I received from Roxie's basketball coach. I loved it, and it fits perfectly with our "theme" for the month.
If You Look for Me at Christmas...
You won't need a special star.
I'm no longer just in Bethlehem,
I'm right there where you are.
You may not be aware of Me
amid the celebrations.
You'll have to look beyond the stores
and all the decorations.
But if you take a moment
From your list of things to do,
And listen to your heart, you'll find
I'm waiting there for you.
You're the one I want to be with.
You're the reason that I came.
And you'll find Me in the stillness
As I'm whispering your name.
Love,
Jesus
This was such a perfect reminder (for me) of the "Reason for the Season."
Alabama Theater Party
Do you want to throw a fun, easy, festive party for your teenage chick? Well, this is the party for you.
We are fortunate to live close to The Alabama Theater... a beautiful, grand 83 year-old theater with a stage, marble floors in the lobby, red carpet and unbelievably high dome ceilings. I could go on and on.
Each year, The Alabama has a Holiday Movie Series featuring Christmas movies. They show everything from Miracle on 34th Street to Elf.
The movies begin at 7:00 p.m. The ticket office opens at 6:00 p.m. It gets crowded very, very quickly, so I would suggest being there 45 minutes to an hour before the movie begins to get a good seat.
The following is the timetable for this party:
5:00 - Girls meet at your home for a candlelight dinner.
5:45 - Girls pack into the Big Gold Reindeer and head to The Alabama.
6:05 - Girls are dropped off at the front of The Alabama with a couple of adults, purchase tickets and find seats.
6:30 - Girls buys snacks and drinks (and take pictures in front of the giant Christmas tree in lobby).
7:00 - The organ rises from under the stage. The entire theater participates during the Sing-A-Long. The girls sing with an amazing amount of gusto.
7:15 - The movie begins. Although everyone has seen Elf many, many times, it is better at The Alabama. The crowd participates in the appropriate places with cheers (snowball fight) and singing ("Santa Claus is Coming to Town" in Central Park as they try to get Santa's sleigh into the air).
9:15 - The girls run downstairs to meet the organist and get a close-up look at the beautiful organ.
9:30 - We head home.
Will we do it again next year? Yes. Will it become a tradition the girls can share into their college years and young adult years? We'll see. Should you host a party like this next year. Uh, YES!
Have a fantastic Wednesday. I hope to get so much done today. Wish me luck. Thursday's Blog Linkage and date are wonderful. Don't miss out!
Until then, Gloedelig jul. (Danish for Merry Christmas!)
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting and Danish-Speaking Belinda
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Family Thanksgiving Party
Good Wednesday morning!
The Gallery Pic is of Roxie with two of her teammates, Kelci and Claire, after the Tip-Off Tournament last night. As you can see, Miss Kelci is on crutches for a couple of weeks, but she can still light up a room with that mega-smile. We may not have won last night, but we're looking forward to next week's game. I have a feeling it's going to be a good season!
TOPIC OF THE WEEK - Matters of the Heart - Today's post is a little "lengthy," so we'll continue the Topic of the week first thing in the morning!
NOVEMBER SPECIAL GUEST - ROXIE FAULKNER - PART THREE - The week is flying by, and it's already time to say good-bye to Miss Roxie. She was a very cooperative guest, and it was fun seeing "this side" of her.
21. Where is your "happy place?"
In the car on the way somewhere fun... listening to my I-pod.
22. Who are you most like... your mother or your father?
Mother. (Sorry about that, Chick.)
23. What is your favorite holiday, and why?
Christmas. I love the smells and the warm feeling inside because you are giving to others as well as receiving.
24. What is one food you cannot force yourself to eat?
Hominy. (We had canned hominy one night with a meal because I saw it at the store, and I remembered how much I liked it as a kid. Austin, Josh and Roxie have all been scarred for life because I made them take a bite of HOMINY! They even shudder when they hear the word... which I think is HILARIOUS! I say it all the time just to see their reaction.)
25. Are you a "glass half-full" person or a "glass half-empty" person?
I think this is a dumb question. (Perhaps for a 14 year-old, but most adults know exactly what they are.)
26. If you were an animal, which animal would you be?
Chinchilla. (I didn't even ask. I'm assuming it is because they get to wear a fur coat all year long.)
27. What is your favorite book of the Bible?
Proverbs. (Good one.)
28. Are you a morning person or a night owl?
Night owl. (But what she doesn't realize yet... Being a night owl is the reason you are NOT a morning person!
29. What is your favorite cereal?
Marshmallow Maties. (Well, the secret it out. We eat cereal by the BAG, not the BOX!)
30. Name your three best physical features.
Hair color, freckles and my hands. (She does have pretty hands. Very graceful.)
31. What is your current obsession?
Uh, Basketball, basketball, basketball!
And now you know everything you've always wanted to know about Roxie... or at least the important stuff. If she ever comes over for dinner, be sure and put a big bowl of hominy on the table. It's fun to watch her squirm!
Wednesday Wisdom - "Thanksgiving" shall be our Wednesday Wisdom word for the entire month of November. I'll start out with a few witty insights on this most wonderful holiday.
"What we're really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?" Erma Bombeck
"Thanksgiving is an emotional holiday. People travel thousands of miles to be with people they only see once a year. And then discover once a year is way too often." Johnny Carson
"May your stuffing be tasty,
May your turkey be plump.
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize.
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off of your thighs!" Anonymous
Amen... and Amen!
Family Thanksgiving Party
Some of the following ideas are from Family Fun Magazine November, 2010. I've added a couple of extra ideas to keep it interesting!
Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday season when families take a break from busy schedules and come together for good company and great food. Treat the day like the party it is by incorporating fun activities into the festivities. There are plenty of ways to celebrate beyond feasting.
Start a Thanksgiving tablecloth. Upon arrival, ask everyone to sign in on a Thanksgiving tablecloth using different colored fabric paint pens. Beside their name, ask them to write their age and one thing they are thankful for. You can add to this tablecloth year after year after year.
Have EVERYONE help with the meal. (If there are five members in one family, each member can contribute something!) Consider going potluck so that everyone, including the hostess, is free to enjoy themselves.
Play together. After the dishes are done and everyone's finished a second helping of pie, the lure of the couch is especially hard to resist. Ward off stuffing stupor and cranberry coma with some all-ages games, and serve up some wonderful post-meal memories. Play a few rounds of Pictionary, test everyone's familial knowledge with Family Trivia or head outdoors for fun with touch football or a basketball game.
Prepare an Operation Christmas Child Shoebox as a family. After you have chosen the sex and age of the child the shoebox will be delivered to, talk to the adults about the basic gifts (toothpaste, toothbrush, socks, etc.). Let the children in the family pick out the "fun" items (small toys, coloring books, food items, stuffed animals, etc.). Have each member of the family bring a gift for the shoebox. Take a picture of the family standing around the items and the box. After you seal the box, have each member of the family go around in a circle and pray for the child who will receive that most marvelous gift. Pray for their health. Pray for their family. Pray they have enough food to eat. And lastly, pray for the child's salvation... so one day your family will be able to meet them face to face in Heaven.
Write a Thanksgiving letter. If you have a family member or loved one who lives away and is not able to participate in your Thanksgiving festivities, have everyone take a moment or two to write them a paragraph or two on some festive stationery. Set up a card table in a corner of a room, and sometime during the day encourage each member of the family to sit down and write. The letter can simply be an "I miss you" type message or it can be an encouraging letter. Anything goes. If you have ten family members at Thanksgiving this year, it could be a three or four-pager... which would be wonderful. NOTE - If there are children who are too young to write, have crayons available for them to add a little artwork to the written word!
Have a windy Wednesday. It is definitely a blustery day in this "neck of the woods." I'm looking forward to the return of Mikie this afternoon. He has been gone TOO LONG, and I've definitely missed him... A LOT! Thursday's date will be fun, and as always, I have some Blog Linkage to share.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery Pic is of Roxie with two of her teammates, Kelci and Claire, after the Tip-Off Tournament last night. As you can see, Miss Kelci is on crutches for a couple of weeks, but she can still light up a room with that mega-smile. We may not have won last night, but we're looking forward to next week's game. I have a feeling it's going to be a good season!
TOPIC OF THE WEEK - Matters of the Heart - Today's post is a little "lengthy," so we'll continue the Topic of the week first thing in the morning!
NOVEMBER SPECIAL GUEST - ROXIE FAULKNER - PART THREE - The week is flying by, and it's already time to say good-bye to Miss Roxie. She was a very cooperative guest, and it was fun seeing "this side" of her.
21. Where is your "happy place?"
In the car on the way somewhere fun... listening to my I-pod.
22. Who are you most like... your mother or your father?
Mother. (Sorry about that, Chick.)
23. What is your favorite holiday, and why?
Christmas. I love the smells and the warm feeling inside because you are giving to others as well as receiving.
24. What is one food you cannot force yourself to eat?
Hominy. (We had canned hominy one night with a meal because I saw it at the store, and I remembered how much I liked it as a kid. Austin, Josh and Roxie have all been scarred for life because I made them take a bite of HOMINY! They even shudder when they hear the word... which I think is HILARIOUS! I say it all the time just to see their reaction.)
25. Are you a "glass half-full" person or a "glass half-empty" person?
I think this is a dumb question. (Perhaps for a 14 year-old, but most adults know exactly what they are.)
26. If you were an animal, which animal would you be?
Chinchilla. (I didn't even ask. I'm assuming it is because they get to wear a fur coat all year long.)
27. What is your favorite book of the Bible?
Proverbs. (Good one.)
28. Are you a morning person or a night owl?
Night owl. (But what she doesn't realize yet... Being a night owl is the reason you are NOT a morning person!
29. What is your favorite cereal?
Marshmallow Maties. (Well, the secret it out. We eat cereal by the BAG, not the BOX!)
30. Name your three best physical features.
Hair color, freckles and my hands. (She does have pretty hands. Very graceful.)
31. What is your current obsession?
Uh, Basketball, basketball, basketball!
And now you know everything you've always wanted to know about Roxie... or at least the important stuff. If she ever comes over for dinner, be sure and put a big bowl of hominy on the table. It's fun to watch her squirm!
Wednesday Wisdom - "Thanksgiving" shall be our Wednesday Wisdom word for the entire month of November. I'll start out with a few witty insights on this most wonderful holiday.
"What we're really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?" Erma Bombeck
"Thanksgiving is an emotional holiday. People travel thousands of miles to be with people they only see once a year. And then discover once a year is way too often." Johnny Carson
"May your stuffing be tasty,
May your turkey be plump.
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize.
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off of your thighs!" Anonymous
Amen... and Amen!
Family Thanksgiving Party
Some of the following ideas are from Family Fun Magazine November, 2010. I've added a couple of extra ideas to keep it interesting!
Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday season when families take a break from busy schedules and come together for good company and great food. Treat the day like the party it is by incorporating fun activities into the festivities. There are plenty of ways to celebrate beyond feasting.
Start a Thanksgiving tablecloth. Upon arrival, ask everyone to sign in on a Thanksgiving tablecloth using different colored fabric paint pens. Beside their name, ask them to write their age and one thing they are thankful for. You can add to this tablecloth year after year after year.
Have EVERYONE help with the meal. (If there are five members in one family, each member can contribute something!) Consider going potluck so that everyone, including the hostess, is free to enjoy themselves.
Play together. After the dishes are done and everyone's finished a second helping of pie, the lure of the couch is especially hard to resist. Ward off stuffing stupor and cranberry coma with some all-ages games, and serve up some wonderful post-meal memories. Play a few rounds of Pictionary, test everyone's familial knowledge with Family Trivia or head outdoors for fun with touch football or a basketball game.
Prepare an Operation Christmas Child Shoebox as a family. After you have chosen the sex and age of the child the shoebox will be delivered to, talk to the adults about the basic gifts (toothpaste, toothbrush, socks, etc.). Let the children in the family pick out the "fun" items (small toys, coloring books, food items, stuffed animals, etc.). Have each member of the family bring a gift for the shoebox. Take a picture of the family standing around the items and the box. After you seal the box, have each member of the family go around in a circle and pray for the child who will receive that most marvelous gift. Pray for their health. Pray for their family. Pray they have enough food to eat. And lastly, pray for the child's salvation... so one day your family will be able to meet them face to face in Heaven.
Write a Thanksgiving letter. If you have a family member or loved one who lives away and is not able to participate in your Thanksgiving festivities, have everyone take a moment or two to write them a paragraph or two on some festive stationery. Set up a card table in a corner of a room, and sometime during the day encourage each member of the family to sit down and write. The letter can simply be an "I miss you" type message or it can be an encouraging letter. Anything goes. If you have ten family members at Thanksgiving this year, it could be a three or four-pager... which would be wonderful. NOTE - If there are children who are too young to write, have crayons available for them to add a little artwork to the written word!
Have a windy Wednesday. It is definitely a blustery day in this "neck of the woods." I'm looking forward to the return of Mikie this afternoon. He has been gone TOO LONG, and I've definitely missed him... A LOT! Thursday's date will be fun, and as always, I have some Blog Linkage to share.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Family Fall Party... With Additions
Good Wednesday morning!
The Gallery Pics are just some more of my favorite fall things. Enjoy!
RANDOMNESS - Last Saturday, I went to the JSU football game with Melia, her mom, Lisa, and her little brother, Payton. It was a good day. We had beautiful weather. The band was fantastic. The football team was winning. We were going out to eat after the game to celebrate homecoming. Like I said... a good day.
With about two minutes left on the clock, the score was 56 to 3 in JSU's favor. Suddenly, I heard a man shouting at the top of his lungs, "Hey! Number 15! Take your skirt off and play some football!"
"I feel sorry for that jerk's mom," I thought to myself.
Then I noticed Melia giggling and texting. I looked over my right shoulder and two sections away Austin was standing up in all of his 6'4" glory yelling one more time at Number 15. I was mortified.
"Melia. Please text him and tell him I said to sit down and be quiet!"
Melia laughingly obliged. I watched as Austin opened his phone, read the text and looked over at me... grinning ear to ear.
He gave me a big wave. I snapped my fingers twice and pointed to the seat which, as everyone knows, is the Universal Mom Code for "Sit down, and don't let me hear you say another word."
That made all the band guys sitting around Austin laugh... and they waved at me, too.
I was just about to march over and ground him from tooting his horn when the game ended... 56 to 3.
When we finally talked face-to-face after the "end of the game" show, he still showed no remorse. "What is wrong with you? What if Number 15's mom had been sitting where she could hear you? Have you no shame? Were you raised in a barn? Have you learned NOTHING in 19 years about proper football etiquette?" And then one more time for emphasis, "What is wrong with you?"
He never answered any of my questions. He threw his head back and laughed and laughed. "Was that a great game or what? Let's go eat."
And that's how we left it. All I can do now is focus on Josh and Roxie... pounding everything I want to teach them in the next few months and years into their brains.
And knowing at the end of the day, they are just going to retain the information they want to retain. (Heavy sigh!)
It's almost depressing.
Wednesday Wisdom - It's still a "Pooh" kind of day here in the South. I know I've shared Pooh quotes before, but for a "bear of little brain," he is quite smart, you know.
If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you.”
“If ever there is a tomorrow when we're not together... there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." (Every college student should have a pillow with this embroidered on it in their dorm room. And except for the fact the male college student would probably be beaten up if anyone saw it in his dorm room, it is very appropriate.)
“It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like 'What about lunch?'”
"If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.”
“You can't stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”
The last one is my favorite... because it is so very, very true.
Family Fall Party... With Additions
This is a re-post from last year... with a few additions.
Plan an early afternoon party for just your immediate family. Here are a few suggestions for a couple of hours of enjoyment in the fall.
Make a mini scarecrow to decorate your front door by stuffing old baby or doll clothes with hay and using a stuffed sock for the head.
Set up a row of pumpkins and take turns trying to land a hula hoop or a circle of rope around one.
Have a harvest slalom race in which runners must weave through a line of potatoes or turnips. (Or parsnips! You could use parsnips, because believe me they would be much better on the ground in a slalom course than on a dinner plate on your dining room table. I'm just saying.)
See who can squirrel away the most acorns or pine cones in ten minutes.
Get one ear of dried corn per player. First, hide the corn around the yard, choosing spots that are neither obvious or too hard to find. Now round up everyone and explain the object is for each contestant to retrieve an ear and remove all of its kernels. The first one to succeed is the winner. Once everybody in the group has accomplished the task, you can feed the kernels to the squirrels and the birds.
Plan an afternoon of leaf raking for the whole family. Make sure you have enough rakes to go around and get busy. After a couple of hours of hard work, reward your family with an old-fashioned hot dog roast. Sit around a fire eating hot dogs, marshmallows and drinking hot chocolate. (And don't forget to let the kids jump in the biggest pile of leaves. That's kind of the whole reason to rake in the first place, don't you think?)
Taken from Family Fun Magazine, October, 1999.
Okay. Here is the "With Additions" part...
End the evening with an appropriate "scary" movie. If you have little ones, Disney's The Haunted Mansion would be good. If there are teenagers in the house, try Signs or a DVD of old Twilight Zone episodes. Watch them outside under the stars.
NOTE - If you decide to watch Signs, there is a devotion in the book Movie Night for Teens. It is also on the Focus on the Family website. It is very, very good.
Divide into groups of two or three and have a pumpkin carving contest. (Not for speed, but for originality.) If you have little ones, use paint, thumb tacks, hot glue (adults only using the hot glue gun) and ribbons.
If you have little ones, end the evening reading The Pumpkin Patch Parable for your devotion.
Have fun with the family. Put the same effort and energy into your family party as you would a gathering for friends.
Have a wonderful Wednesday. On Thursday I'll be sharing interesting Blog Linkage and the obligatory "fun date." Some things never, ever change.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery Pics are just some more of my favorite fall things. Enjoy!
RANDOMNESS - Last Saturday, I went to the JSU football game with Melia, her mom, Lisa, and her little brother, Payton. It was a good day. We had beautiful weather. The band was fantastic. The football team was winning. We were going out to eat after the game to celebrate homecoming. Like I said... a good day.
With about two minutes left on the clock, the score was 56 to 3 in JSU's favor. Suddenly, I heard a man shouting at the top of his lungs, "Hey! Number 15! Take your skirt off and play some football!"
"I feel sorry for that jerk's mom," I thought to myself.
Then I noticed Melia giggling and texting. I looked over my right shoulder and two sections away Austin was standing up in all of his 6'4" glory yelling one more time at Number 15. I was mortified.
"Melia. Please text him and tell him I said to sit down and be quiet!"
Melia laughingly obliged. I watched as Austin opened his phone, read the text and looked over at me... grinning ear to ear.
He gave me a big wave. I snapped my fingers twice and pointed to the seat which, as everyone knows, is the Universal Mom Code for "Sit down, and don't let me hear you say another word."
That made all the band guys sitting around Austin laugh... and they waved at me, too.
I was just about to march over and ground him from tooting his horn when the game ended... 56 to 3.
When we finally talked face-to-face after the "end of the game" show, he still showed no remorse. "What is wrong with you? What if Number 15's mom had been sitting where she could hear you? Have you no shame? Were you raised in a barn? Have you learned NOTHING in 19 years about proper football etiquette?" And then one more time for emphasis, "What is wrong with you?"
He never answered any of my questions. He threw his head back and laughed and laughed. "Was that a great game or what? Let's go eat."
And that's how we left it. All I can do now is focus on Josh and Roxie... pounding everything I want to teach them in the next few months and years into their brains.
And knowing at the end of the day, they are just going to retain the information they want to retain. (Heavy sigh!)
It's almost depressing.
Wednesday Wisdom - It's still a "Pooh" kind of day here in the South. I know I've shared Pooh quotes before, but for a "bear of little brain," he is quite smart, you know.
If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you.”
“If ever there is a tomorrow when we're not together... there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." (Every college student should have a pillow with this embroidered on it in their dorm room. And except for the fact the male college student would probably be beaten up if anyone saw it in his dorm room, it is very appropriate.)
“It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like 'What about lunch?'”
"If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.”
“You can't stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”
The last one is my favorite... because it is so very, very true.
Family Fall Party... With Additions
This is a re-post from last year... with a few additions.
Plan an early afternoon party for just your immediate family. Here are a few suggestions for a couple of hours of enjoyment in the fall.
Make a mini scarecrow to decorate your front door by stuffing old baby or doll clothes with hay and using a stuffed sock for the head.
Set up a row of pumpkins and take turns trying to land a hula hoop or a circle of rope around one.
Have a harvest slalom race in which runners must weave through a line of potatoes or turnips. (Or parsnips! You could use parsnips, because believe me they would be much better on the ground in a slalom course than on a dinner plate on your dining room table. I'm just saying.)
See who can squirrel away the most acorns or pine cones in ten minutes.
Get one ear of dried corn per player. First, hide the corn around the yard, choosing spots that are neither obvious or too hard to find. Now round up everyone and explain the object is for each contestant to retrieve an ear and remove all of its kernels. The first one to succeed is the winner. Once everybody in the group has accomplished the task, you can feed the kernels to the squirrels and the birds.
Plan an afternoon of leaf raking for the whole family. Make sure you have enough rakes to go around and get busy. After a couple of hours of hard work, reward your family with an old-fashioned hot dog roast. Sit around a fire eating hot dogs, marshmallows and drinking hot chocolate. (And don't forget to let the kids jump in the biggest pile of leaves. That's kind of the whole reason to rake in the first place, don't you think?)
Taken from Family Fun Magazine, October, 1999.
Okay. Here is the "With Additions" part...
End the evening with an appropriate "scary" movie. If you have little ones, Disney's The Haunted Mansion would be good. If there are teenagers in the house, try Signs or a DVD of old Twilight Zone episodes. Watch them outside under the stars.
NOTE - If you decide to watch Signs, there is a devotion in the book Movie Night for Teens. It is also on the Focus on the Family website. It is very, very good.
Divide into groups of two or three and have a pumpkin carving contest. (Not for speed, but for originality.) If you have little ones, use paint, thumb tacks, hot glue (adults only using the hot glue gun) and ribbons.
If you have little ones, end the evening reading The Pumpkin Patch Parable for your devotion.
Have fun with the family. Put the same effort and energy into your family party as you would a gathering for friends.
Have a wonderful Wednesday. On Thursday I'll be sharing interesting Blog Linkage and the obligatory "fun date." Some things never, ever change.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Thomas the Train Party
Good Wednesday morning!
The Gallery Pic captures my ongoing battle with the chipmunks... I think the chipmunks are winning!
RANDOMNESS #1 - I feel the need to purchase a mum today. A burgundy mum. A big burgundy mum. It's not a "want." It is most definitely a "need." I'm 49 years-old. I know the difference!
RANDOMNESS #2 - How wonderful to watch the reunions of the miners with their loved ones as they are slowly brought out of the mine... one by one. I'm praying all 33 will be safe and reunited with their families by today's end. I cannot imagine what they have been through the past two months. It helps me put things in perspective today, October 13, 2010!
RANDOMNESS #3 - This is a forward I received from my friend, Melaney, LAST YEAR. It's time to share.
Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all the yucky stuff... including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves a new smiling face for you, and puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see.
I liked this enough to send it to all the pumpkins in my patch.
Happy Fall!
Wednesday Wisdom - The "Fruits of the Spirit" theme continues in Wednesday Wisdom. Today's fruit is "faithfulness."
“I do not pray for success, I ask for faithfulness.” Mother Teresa of Calcutta
“Nothing is more noble, nothing more venerable than fidelity. Faithfulness and truth are the most sacred excellences and endowments of the human mind.” Marcus Tullius Cicero
“There are three faithful friends - an old wife, an old dog, and ready money.” Benjamin Franklin (Mikie has one out of three... and if he says otherwise, he is in a whole heap of trouble!)
“No better relation than a prudent and faithful friend.” Benjamin Franklin
“Words are easy, like the wind; faithful friends are hard to find.” William Shakespeare
“Faithful friends are gifts from heaven. Whoever finds one has found a treasure.” Anonymous
Thomas the Train Party
My great-nephew, Matthew, is very interested in trains at the moment. Even though his third birthday is several months away, I wanted to share some Thomas the Train Party ideas. I helped a friend many years ago with this party, but I also gathered some new ideas from other websites I found this week.
As the children arrive, give each one a conductor's hat and a sturdy cardboard Boarding Pass. The Boarding Pass will be carried from Station to Station, and the adult at each Station will punch a hole in their Pass when they arrive.
You will need to have an even number of three and four year-olds at this party (if possible). They will go from Station to Station with their "buddy." Each Station will last five minutes. At the end of five minutes, an adult will blow a train whistle. When the children hear the whistle, they will take their cardboard Boarding Pass to a Station they have not yet visited.
NOTE - You will need an adult at each Station to help steer the guests to their next Station.
Station 1 - Have a table with two or three age-appropriate train puzzles for the two "buddies" to put together. They can work as a team or individually.
Station 2 - Frost your own train-shaped cookie. Make the sugar cookies ahead of time. Have different color frosting in small individual cups. (You can buy Milo's sauce cups and lids. The frosting in these cups will be JUST enough frosting for a cookie, and the kids will not be tempted to eat spoonfuls of frosting while they work.) Have M & Ms and other small candies to help decorate.
NOTE - Decorate the cookies in individual shallow aluminum cookie sheets. It keeps the mess contained and the child's name can be written on the cookie sheet and kept separate until snack time. This will ensure they get the cookie they decorated.
Station 3 - Have a comfortable corner with pillows ready for a short, age-appropriate Thomas the Train book reading.
Station 4 - Have a train ride. Fill a wheelbarrow with quilts and pillows. Tape a Thomas the Train paper plate to the front of the wheelbarrow. Take your two passengers on a ride... blowing a wooden train whistle as you go.
NOTE - The kids love this, so at the end of the party offer more rides. Daddy needs to be the Conductor because it can get very tiring. Be sure your Conductor is animated and calls out, "All Aboard!" for each and every ride!
Station 5 - Play the game Steam Puff Toss. You will need three laundry baskets and four to five white pillows (all different sizes). Each child will take a turn standing on a line. The laundry baskets will be arranged in three different positions... one fairly close to the child, one a little farther away to the side and the last one even a little more difficult to reach. The child will toss the pillows (steam puffs from the train) and try to get at least one in each basket while standing on the line.
When all of the groups have gone to ALL five "play" Stations, it is time for EVERYONE to go to Station 6!
Station 6 - It's time for lunch! Have hot dogs (Toot Toot Dogs), hamburgers (Choo Choo Burgers) and chips (Chugga Chugga Chips). For drinks, serve soda for the adults (Train Oil) and serve the children juice boxes (Conductor Power Juice). You can use a cupcake stand and decorate individual cupcakes for each child with a small Thomas the Train toy on top of each one (washed and dried, of course). This toy will be added to their Favor Bag before they leave.
NOTE - Before you eat, take a minute to share a short, short devotion. This devotion is more of a reminder for parents. Say the following:
"Before we eat our lunch, I want to share a verse with you. The Bible says, 'Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.' That means because we are your Mommy and Daddy we are going to take you to church, read Bible stories to you, pray with you and teach you as much about Jesus as we can while you live with us. That's our job.
"When a train is moving, how does it know where to go? (If you need to, help the children with answer.) That's right. It stays on the track. If the train stays on the track, it will go to the right place.
"That is exactly why God made your Mommy and Daddy. He wants us to help you stay on the right track so you will go to the right places and do the right things.
Where is a good place for you to go on your track? (Church, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, etc.)
"What are some good things for you to do while you stay on your track? (Pray, obey Mommy and Daddy, listen to Bible stories, etc.)
"That's right. Let's take a minute and pray for _______________ and all the boys and girls here today."
Say a short prayer mentioning each child by name and thanking God for something specific about each and every one. (Example - Thank you for Sam and his sweet, sweet smile. Thank you for Billy and the way he always shares. Thank you for Tommy and his energy. He makes everything so much fun. Etc., etc.)
Party Favor Ideas - The children already have a Conductor's hat and a Thomas the Train toy from their cupcake. You can also give them a train whistle, bandanna, bubbles and train stickers.
NOTE - When it is time for your child to open gifts, have all of the guests sit in a circle on a Steam Puff Pillow. The birthday boy will need to sit in a chair. Remind the children they will receive a prize if they sit still while the birthday boy opens his gifts (a pack of sugarless gum, a piece of candy, etc.).
Call on a child to stand up and give the birthday boy the gift they brought. He/she can stand beside the birthday boy while he opens his gift. This will be a great time to take pictures of the two.
After the gift has been opened, the child returns to his Steam Puff Pillow, and the gift is quickly put in a large bag. The next child will be called to bring his/her gift, etc., etc.
When all the gifts have been open, quickly take the bag to a bedroom and close the door. This will help avoid MANY skirmishes and tears as the children try to play with all the new toys before the birthday boy has a chance to enjoy them.
IMMEDIATELY offer more train rides. The kids will line up for this activity!
Have a wonderful Wednesday. I have some sweet linkage and a fun date or two for Thursday's post.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery Pic captures my ongoing battle with the chipmunks... I think the chipmunks are winning!
RANDOMNESS #1 - I feel the need to purchase a mum today. A burgundy mum. A big burgundy mum. It's not a "want." It is most definitely a "need." I'm 49 years-old. I know the difference!
RANDOMNESS #2 - How wonderful to watch the reunions of the miners with their loved ones as they are slowly brought out of the mine... one by one. I'm praying all 33 will be safe and reunited with their families by today's end. I cannot imagine what they have been through the past two months. It helps me put things in perspective today, October 13, 2010!
RANDOMNESS #3 - This is a forward I received from my friend, Melaney, LAST YEAR. It's time to share.
Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all the yucky stuff... including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves a new smiling face for you, and puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see.
I liked this enough to send it to all the pumpkins in my patch.
Happy Fall!
Wednesday Wisdom - The "Fruits of the Spirit" theme continues in Wednesday Wisdom. Today's fruit is "faithfulness."
“I do not pray for success, I ask for faithfulness.” Mother Teresa of Calcutta
“Nothing is more noble, nothing more venerable than fidelity. Faithfulness and truth are the most sacred excellences and endowments of the human mind.” Marcus Tullius Cicero
“There are three faithful friends - an old wife, an old dog, and ready money.” Benjamin Franklin (Mikie has one out of three... and if he says otherwise, he is in a whole heap of trouble!)
“No better relation than a prudent and faithful friend.” Benjamin Franklin
“Words are easy, like the wind; faithful friends are hard to find.” William Shakespeare
“Faithful friends are gifts from heaven. Whoever finds one has found a treasure.” Anonymous
Thomas the Train Party
My great-nephew, Matthew, is very interested in trains at the moment. Even though his third birthday is several months away, I wanted to share some Thomas the Train Party ideas. I helped a friend many years ago with this party, but I also gathered some new ideas from other websites I found this week.
As the children arrive, give each one a conductor's hat and a sturdy cardboard Boarding Pass. The Boarding Pass will be carried from Station to Station, and the adult at each Station will punch a hole in their Pass when they arrive.
You will need to have an even number of three and four year-olds at this party (if possible). They will go from Station to Station with their "buddy." Each Station will last five minutes. At the end of five minutes, an adult will blow a train whistle. When the children hear the whistle, they will take their cardboard Boarding Pass to a Station they have not yet visited.
NOTE - You will need an adult at each Station to help steer the guests to their next Station.
Station 1 - Have a table with two or three age-appropriate train puzzles for the two "buddies" to put together. They can work as a team or individually.
Station 2 - Frost your own train-shaped cookie. Make the sugar cookies ahead of time. Have different color frosting in small individual cups. (You can buy Milo's sauce cups and lids. The frosting in these cups will be JUST enough frosting for a cookie, and the kids will not be tempted to eat spoonfuls of frosting while they work.) Have M & Ms and other small candies to help decorate.
NOTE - Decorate the cookies in individual shallow aluminum cookie sheets. It keeps the mess contained and the child's name can be written on the cookie sheet and kept separate until snack time. This will ensure they get the cookie they decorated.
Station 3 - Have a comfortable corner with pillows ready for a short, age-appropriate Thomas the Train book reading.
Station 4 - Have a train ride. Fill a wheelbarrow with quilts and pillows. Tape a Thomas the Train paper plate to the front of the wheelbarrow. Take your two passengers on a ride... blowing a wooden train whistle as you go.
NOTE - The kids love this, so at the end of the party offer more rides. Daddy needs to be the Conductor because it can get very tiring. Be sure your Conductor is animated and calls out, "All Aboard!" for each and every ride!
Station 5 - Play the game Steam Puff Toss. You will need three laundry baskets and four to five white pillows (all different sizes). Each child will take a turn standing on a line. The laundry baskets will be arranged in three different positions... one fairly close to the child, one a little farther away to the side and the last one even a little more difficult to reach. The child will toss the pillows (steam puffs from the train) and try to get at least one in each basket while standing on the line.
When all of the groups have gone to ALL five "play" Stations, it is time for EVERYONE to go to Station 6!
Station 6 - It's time for lunch! Have hot dogs (Toot Toot Dogs), hamburgers (Choo Choo Burgers) and chips (Chugga Chugga Chips). For drinks, serve soda for the adults (Train Oil) and serve the children juice boxes (Conductor Power Juice). You can use a cupcake stand and decorate individual cupcakes for each child with a small Thomas the Train toy on top of each one (washed and dried, of course). This toy will be added to their Favor Bag before they leave.
NOTE - Before you eat, take a minute to share a short, short devotion. This devotion is more of a reminder for parents. Say the following:
"Before we eat our lunch, I want to share a verse with you. The Bible says, 'Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.' That means because we are your Mommy and Daddy we are going to take you to church, read Bible stories to you, pray with you and teach you as much about Jesus as we can while you live with us. That's our job.
"When a train is moving, how does it know where to go? (If you need to, help the children with answer.) That's right. It stays on the track. If the train stays on the track, it will go to the right place.
"That is exactly why God made your Mommy and Daddy. He wants us to help you stay on the right track so you will go to the right places and do the right things.
Where is a good place for you to go on your track? (Church, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, etc.)
"What are some good things for you to do while you stay on your track? (Pray, obey Mommy and Daddy, listen to Bible stories, etc.)
"That's right. Let's take a minute and pray for _______________ and all the boys and girls here today."
Say a short prayer mentioning each child by name and thanking God for something specific about each and every one. (Example - Thank you for Sam and his sweet, sweet smile. Thank you for Billy and the way he always shares. Thank you for Tommy and his energy. He makes everything so much fun. Etc., etc.)
Party Favor Ideas - The children already have a Conductor's hat and a Thomas the Train toy from their cupcake. You can also give them a train whistle, bandanna, bubbles and train stickers.
NOTE - When it is time for your child to open gifts, have all of the guests sit in a circle on a Steam Puff Pillow. The birthday boy will need to sit in a chair. Remind the children they will receive a prize if they sit still while the birthday boy opens his gifts (a pack of sugarless gum, a piece of candy, etc.).
Call on a child to stand up and give the birthday boy the gift they brought. He/she can stand beside the birthday boy while he opens his gift. This will be a great time to take pictures of the two.
After the gift has been opened, the child returns to his Steam Puff Pillow, and the gift is quickly put in a large bag. The next child will be called to bring his/her gift, etc., etc.
When all the gifts have been open, quickly take the bag to a bedroom and close the door. This will help avoid MANY skirmishes and tears as the children try to play with all the new toys before the birthday boy has a chance to enjoy them.
IMMEDIATELY offer more train rides. The kids will line up for this activity!
Have a wonderful Wednesday. I have some sweet linkage and a fun date or two for Thursday's post.
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
Monday, October 4, 2010
Easy-Breezy Teenager Surprise Party
Good Monday morning!
The Gallery Pics are from our JSU tailgating party Saturday... AND a couple of Josh's birthday celebration pics. (I'll be posting the rest of those Tuesday and Wednesday.)
RANDOMNESS - I'm participating in a "Photo Challenge." Fun fact for you... I love scrapbooking websites (SHOCK), and one of my favorites offered this challenge JUST for the month of October. On Fridays during the next four weeks, I'll be sharing my October photos! I know! It's very exciting, isn't it?
OCTOBER SPECIAL GUEST - BEVERLY MARTIN - PART TWO - Below you will find a little more in-depth info about my sister, Beverly. While some of the answers Friday surprised me, I knew ALL of these!
9. If you could be an Olympic athlete, what would you be?
A tennis player. (Beverly LOVES tennis. It's one of her passions!)
10. Where in all the world would you like to visit most? Why?
Australia. I'm not sure why, but it has always appealed to me.
11. Name three things you have never done.
I have never bungee jumped, and I'm not going to! I've never flown, but I hope to one day. I have never traveled the United States, but maybe when we retire Tommy and I can do this together.
12. What is one thing you couldn’t live without?
Not counting my family, COFFEE! (She's not kidding either. She can drink coffee in one of those giant Big Gulp cups all day long! If I just look at that cup, I have to stop and go to the restroom!)
13. What cartoon character would you most like to be? Why?
Road Runner. I could do all the running around I need to do and never get tired.
14. What is the hardest thing about being your age?
The hardest thing about being 45 is realizing my body doesn’t like me anymore. (And all the "over-40" crowd said, "Amen!")
15. Describe your all-time best day ever.
The day I got married, and the three days my kids were born.
16. What would be the worst job/profession to have?
Coal miner.
17. What is the best book you've read recently, and why did you like it?
Glorious Appearing. I loved the visual of Christ coming back after the Revelation period.
18. What do you think you will be doing in ten years?
Playing with my grandkids. (And I will be playing with them, too, continuing the tradition of being the best GREAT-AUNT the world has ever known!)
19. What is the best (and the worst) thing you have ever eaten?
The best is Godiva Chocolate Cheese Cake. (Of course!) The worst thing I have ever eaten would have to be shrimp. (I totally agree with both answers... Well, except parsnips are probably a little worse than shrimp.)
20. What do you like best to do with your family? Why?
Camping. More times than not we are at our best, and we enjoy spending time together.
21. What makes you furious?
Being wrong. (I knew the answer to this one, too.)
22. What instantly puts a smile on your face?
My family (immediate and extended). (I didn't add the "extended" part. I promise.)
23. How many siblings do you have, and where do you fall in the mix?
I have one (amazing, wonderful) sister, and I’m the youngest. (I had to put a couple of adjectives in there. She accidentally left them out.)
I think I made 100% on the answers today... which makes me very happy! We'll have the rest of Beverly's interview first thing tomorrow!
Josh's Birth Day Story - Part One - "How many kids did she have?" Is that what you're asking yourself right about now? I only had three, but Josh and Roxie's birthdays are only nine days apart. Thus, you have to suffer a little as I pay homage to my babies. (And, as always, feel free to skip down to the next highlighted section!)
As I wrote on the blog last February, Austin's birth was an emergency C-Section. I didn't care for C-Sections. In fact, I thought the women I knew who had C-Sections and "loved" them were certifiably insane. I didn't like not being able to cough or laugh. I didn't like hurting if I tried to walk upright. I didn't like the driving restrictions. I didn't like the staples. I didn't like being allergic to morphine. The list could go on and on and on. (I'm a whiner. I admit it. I am NOT a good surgical patient.)
That being said, I was determined to have Josh without the C-Section. I told my doctor not once, but many, many, many times how I planned on this birth taking place.
But I've gotten a little ahead of myself, haven't I? Before we arrived at the end of the nine months, we had the pregnancy. Because I had gained 50 pounds eating powdered doughnuts and 3:00 p.m. Sneaky Pete hot dogs every day (and I mean EVERY day) during my pregnancy with Austin, I had decided to be much more disciplined with my eating habits during my pregnancy with Josh. And I did much, much better. By the time he arrived, I had gained 30 pounds... which I think is very, very good.
I had two little complications during my nine months with Josh... the first being my first bout with gestational diabetes. I had taken the test and was waiting for my results. The day I was scheduled to receive the results, I met my friend, Shelly, for lunch. I ordered the hot fudge cake for dessert when she informed me SHE was on a diet, and I absolutely could not eat hot fudge cake in front of her. Shelly was a formidable presence. I knew she was very serious. I also knew if I ordered the cake after she had TOLD me not to, she would throw it on the floor. (I am not kidding!) She was that kind of friend.
So, as a compromise, I ordered the cake "to go." She wasn't happy, but she didn't wrestle it out of my hands either. We said our good-byes and I went to my house. I was walking in the door with my box of cake making my way to the fork drawer when the telephone rang.
Now you have to understand something. I was living in Cullman at the time, and telephone calls (especially from family and friends from Trussville and Hoover) were precious. Also, I didn't have a cell phone with free weekend minutes OR an answering machine. I didn't have the option of NOT answering the telephone. Coming into the house a mere thirty seconds later, I would have missed the call altogether.
"Hello," I answered breathlessly as I started opening my cake box and reached for the silverware drawer across the kitchen. (I had one of those extra long telephone cords. Remember those?)
"Mrs. Faulkner. This Dr. Walton's office. I just wanted to tell you your test came back and you have gestational diabetes," an anonymous nurse-type person said on the other end of the phone.
"What does that mean exactly?" I asked, with a chunk of hot fudge cake and whipped cream dripping off the end of a fork right in front of my face.
"It means STEP AWAY FROM THE CAKE," she said. No, no. Not really. But she might as well have said those words. I lowered the fork as she gave me instructions, growing angrier by the minute at my EX-friend Shelly.
It was going to be a very long pregnancy without sweets... and my EX-friend Shelly was going to pay dearly for causing me to miss my LAST piece of hot fudge cake for the next 25 weeks. Yes... she was most definitely going to pay!
I'll let you know HOW MUCH she paid tomorrow.
Easy-Breezy Teenager Surprise Party
Do you have a teenager with a birthday that falls on a SCHOOL DAY this year? Yuck! Is there anything worse than having to go to school on your special day? (Well, turning 30, 40, 50, etc. can be pretty yuck, too... But when you're a YOUNG person, it's not fun!)
Because it is the week of nine-week tests, homecoming and the Auburn/Kentucky game, having a "friend" party was out of the question. So, after brainstorming for a few minutes, I made a couple of last minute calls last night. (And I used a real phone, too. I didn't text, Facebook or send messages through mental telepathy. It was liberating!)
No matter how many tests, homecoming games or college games you plan on attending this week, kids have to eat breakfast... Right?
I asked a few of Josh's friends to SECRETLY meet Josh at Chick Fil-A for breakfast before school. No gifts. No cards. Just a few sweet friends to share a chicken biscuit with him and start his birthday off on the right note! And to make it even a little more fun, his Dad and Austin joined the party, too.
This is the definition of an easy-breezy party. No clean-up, minimal cost and EVERYONE leaves happy!
If you have a super-busy teen with a birthday coming up, I highly recommend this little party. (It could even become a teenage birthday tradition! You never know!)
Have a glorious Monday. It's October... the most glorious month of the year. Check back Tuesday for a filling, yet easy, fall recipe, Part Two of my interview with Beverly, Part Two of Josh's Birth Day Story and so much, much more!
Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
The Gallery Pics are from our JSU tailgating party Saturday... AND a couple of Josh's birthday celebration pics. (I'll be posting the rest of those Tuesday and Wednesday.)
RANDOMNESS - I'm participating in a "Photo Challenge." Fun fact for you... I love scrapbooking websites (SHOCK), and one of my favorites offered this challenge JUST for the month of October. On Fridays during the next four weeks, I'll be sharing my October photos! I know! It's very exciting, isn't it?
OCTOBER SPECIAL GUEST - BEVERLY MARTIN - PART TWO - Below you will find a little more in-depth info about my sister, Beverly. While some of the answers Friday surprised me, I knew ALL of these!
9. If you could be an Olympic athlete, what would you be?
A tennis player. (Beverly LOVES tennis. It's one of her passions!)
10. Where in all the world would you like to visit most? Why?
Australia. I'm not sure why, but it has always appealed to me.
11. Name three things you have never done.
I have never bungee jumped, and I'm not going to! I've never flown, but I hope to one day. I have never traveled the United States, but maybe when we retire Tommy and I can do this together.
12. What is one thing you couldn’t live without?
Not counting my family, COFFEE! (She's not kidding either. She can drink coffee in one of those giant Big Gulp cups all day long! If I just look at that cup, I have to stop and go to the restroom!)
13. What cartoon character would you most like to be? Why?
Road Runner. I could do all the running around I need to do and never get tired.
14. What is the hardest thing about being your age?
The hardest thing about being 45 is realizing my body doesn’t like me anymore. (And all the "over-40" crowd said, "Amen!")
15. Describe your all-time best day ever.
The day I got married, and the three days my kids were born.
16. What would be the worst job/profession to have?
Coal miner.
17. What is the best book you've read recently, and why did you like it?
Glorious Appearing. I loved the visual of Christ coming back after the Revelation period.
18. What do you think you will be doing in ten years?
Playing with my grandkids. (And I will be playing with them, too, continuing the tradition of being the best GREAT-AUNT the world has ever known!)
19. What is the best (and the worst) thing you have ever eaten?
The best is Godiva Chocolate Cheese Cake. (Of course!) The worst thing I have ever eaten would have to be shrimp. (I totally agree with both answers... Well, except parsnips are probably a little worse than shrimp.)
20. What do you like best to do with your family? Why?
Camping. More times than not we are at our best, and we enjoy spending time together.
21. What makes you furious?
Being wrong. (I knew the answer to this one, too.)
22. What instantly puts a smile on your face?
My family (immediate and extended). (I didn't add the "extended" part. I promise.)
23. How many siblings do you have, and where do you fall in the mix?
I have one (amazing, wonderful) sister, and I’m the youngest. (I had to put a couple of adjectives in there. She accidentally left them out.)
I think I made 100% on the answers today... which makes me very happy! We'll have the rest of Beverly's interview first thing tomorrow!
Josh's Birth Day Story - Part One - "How many kids did she have?" Is that what you're asking yourself right about now? I only had three, but Josh and Roxie's birthdays are only nine days apart. Thus, you have to suffer a little as I pay homage to my babies. (And, as always, feel free to skip down to the next highlighted section!)
As I wrote on the blog last February, Austin's birth was an emergency C-Section. I didn't care for C-Sections. In fact, I thought the women I knew who had C-Sections and "loved" them were certifiably insane. I didn't like not being able to cough or laugh. I didn't like hurting if I tried to walk upright. I didn't like the driving restrictions. I didn't like the staples. I didn't like being allergic to morphine. The list could go on and on and on. (I'm a whiner. I admit it. I am NOT a good surgical patient.)
That being said, I was determined to have Josh without the C-Section. I told my doctor not once, but many, many, many times how I planned on this birth taking place.
But I've gotten a little ahead of myself, haven't I? Before we arrived at the end of the nine months, we had the pregnancy. Because I had gained 50 pounds eating powdered doughnuts and 3:00 p.m. Sneaky Pete hot dogs every day (and I mean EVERY day) during my pregnancy with Austin, I had decided to be much more disciplined with my eating habits during my pregnancy with Josh. And I did much, much better. By the time he arrived, I had gained 30 pounds... which I think is very, very good.
I had two little complications during my nine months with Josh... the first being my first bout with gestational diabetes. I had taken the test and was waiting for my results. The day I was scheduled to receive the results, I met my friend, Shelly, for lunch. I ordered the hot fudge cake for dessert when she informed me SHE was on a diet, and I absolutely could not eat hot fudge cake in front of her. Shelly was a formidable presence. I knew she was very serious. I also knew if I ordered the cake after she had TOLD me not to, she would throw it on the floor. (I am not kidding!) She was that kind of friend.
So, as a compromise, I ordered the cake "to go." She wasn't happy, but she didn't wrestle it out of my hands either. We said our good-byes and I went to my house. I was walking in the door with my box of cake making my way to the fork drawer when the telephone rang.
Now you have to understand something. I was living in Cullman at the time, and telephone calls (especially from family and friends from Trussville and Hoover) were precious. Also, I didn't have a cell phone with free weekend minutes OR an answering machine. I didn't have the option of NOT answering the telephone. Coming into the house a mere thirty seconds later, I would have missed the call altogether.
"Hello," I answered breathlessly as I started opening my cake box and reached for the silverware drawer across the kitchen. (I had one of those extra long telephone cords. Remember those?)
"Mrs. Faulkner. This Dr. Walton's office. I just wanted to tell you your test came back and you have gestational diabetes," an anonymous nurse-type person said on the other end of the phone.
"What does that mean exactly?" I asked, with a chunk of hot fudge cake and whipped cream dripping off the end of a fork right in front of my face.
"It means STEP AWAY FROM THE CAKE," she said. No, no. Not really. But she might as well have said those words. I lowered the fork as she gave me instructions, growing angrier by the minute at my EX-friend Shelly.
It was going to be a very long pregnancy without sweets... and my EX-friend Shelly was going to pay dearly for causing me to miss my LAST piece of hot fudge cake for the next 25 weeks. Yes... she was most definitely going to pay!
I'll let you know HOW MUCH she paid tomorrow.
Easy-Breezy Teenager Surprise Party
Do you have a teenager with a birthday that falls on a SCHOOL DAY this year? Yuck! Is there anything worse than having to go to school on your special day? (Well, turning 30, 40, 50, etc. can be pretty yuck, too... But when you're a YOUNG person, it's not fun!)
Because it is the week of nine-week tests, homecoming and the Auburn/Kentucky game, having a "friend" party was out of the question. So, after brainstorming for a few minutes, I made a couple of last minute calls last night. (And I used a real phone, too. I didn't text, Facebook or send messages through mental telepathy. It was liberating!)
No matter how many tests, homecoming games or college games you plan on attending this week, kids have to eat breakfast... Right?
I asked a few of Josh's friends to SECRETLY meet Josh at Chick Fil-A for breakfast before school. No gifts. No cards. Just a few sweet friends to share a chicken biscuit with him and start his birthday off on the right note! And to make it even a little more fun, his Dad and Austin joined the party, too.
This is the definition of an easy-breezy party. No clean-up, minimal cost and EVERYONE leaves happy!
If you have a super-busy teen with a birthday coming up, I highly recommend this little party. (It could even become a teenage birthday tradition! You never know!)
Have a glorious Monday. It's October... the most glorious month of the year. Check back Tuesday for a filling, yet easy, fall recipe, Part Two of my interview with Beverly, Part Two of Josh's Birth Day Story and so much, much more!
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!