Wordless Wednesday – A Birthday Trio

Last month was my birthday. And not just any birthday. It was special because I was able to celebrate with the two people who share my birthday: my Daddy and my Aunt J (his younger sister). Through the years we have never been able to be together on our birthdays, so this was a first. And maybe a last. Time and distance makes it difficult for us to get together this time of year. Regardless, it was a precious time of celebration and I will be forever grateful that we were able to be together on our birthdays!

For more Wordless (or as in my case not so wordless) Wednesdays, visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

Since We’re On the Subject of Driving

This past weekend I attended a family wedding. That meant driving 3 1/2 hours into the mountains of NC and across a particularly steep and winding piece of highway known as Caesar’s Head.

I enjoy driving through the tight curves and switchbacks that this road provides, and Saturday was a beautiful, sunny day. The views across the mountains and through the valleys were breathtaking. However, the memories of making this trip as a child tell a much different story.

We made the trip from Georgia to North Carolina quite often to visit family when I was growing up. I never minded the ride except when we got to Caesar’s Head. That’s probably because  I was prone to getting a little car sick and so were my sister and brother. I always thought it was genetic, but as I got older I was quite sure it was my father’s driving style that tended to turn our gills green.

You see, Daddy liked to drive fast and he loved trying to straighten out those  hairpin curves on that mountain road. As an adult who drives just like her father, I can appreciate the driving pleasure he got from racing across that stretch of road. But as kids, there wasn’t enough Dramamine in the world to conquer our nausea.

Mom was prepared, though! She improvised by providing her own version of the air sick bag provided by the airlines. She used empty bread bags with a couple of paper towels shoved in the bottom for good measure. And they weren’t just any kind of bread bags. They were Sunbeam bread bags. Sunbeam white bread.

There were many trips I can remember having my head inside one of those bags while hearing my Daddy squeal with glee as he slung the car around another curve. Mom would reprimand him to slow down because he was making the kids sick, and if the truth were told she was looking for a bread bag of  her own.

Do you know to this day I can’t eat Sunbeam bread? Even the faintest whiff of the inside of a bread bag starts my stomach churning. And Sis and I have compared notes and it seems she has the same affliction; an aversion to white bread and bread bags as a whole.

All these memories came back to me Saturday as I made the drive over those familar roads with Sis and Mom. My Daddy can’t drive anymore due to health problems and I know he misses those opportunities. So, in his honor, I made sure I drove a little too fast through those curves and I even gave a squeal of delight at one point as I rounded a turn.

Of course, it had nothing to do with the fact that my mother was in the back seat clutching her arm rest and looking a little pale. Sorry, Mom. Next time I’ll bring you bread bag.

Is It Safe?

There is a whole lot of talk about the safety issues of talking on cells phones while driving. And now we have to worry about TWD (texting while driving). Both of which I am guilty. Although, I will say that I use my speaker phone/hands free feature almost exclusively while talking  and I almost always text while sitting at red lights. I know – I said almost.

I am a huge advocate of safe driving, but I also have to admit that talking on the phone and texting are probably the least of my safe driving violations. In fact, while talking to Sis the other day, she reminded me of some of the things we used to do while driving.

Of course the first two things I perfected while driving were eating and drinking. That may not seem like a big deal, but it was to me at age 16, especially in a car with no cups holders (‘66 Ford Mustang). I did finally resort to one of those cup holders that you have to roll your window down to hang on the door. Yes, I was VERY cool!

Later I impressed passengers with my ability to eat and drink while driving… a five speed! It is not easy to juggle a drink, fries, a steering wheel and a gear shifter all at the same time. It’s a gift, people. A gift!

I was also able to remove my t-tops and throw them in the back seat on sunny days while sitting at traffic lights. I had actually forgotten about this, but Sis reminded of this talent because evidently she was in car with me one time when I did it. What can I say? I like to feel the wind in my hair.

And as a woman driver I have applied make-up while driving. I don’t really recommend doing this unless there is a cosmetic emergency. Trying to apply lip stick and mascara are both dangerous activities to attempt while driving. So unless you want lips that look Bozo the Clown or want to risk losing an eye, I say put on your face at home in the safety of your bathroom. Besides, the lighting is much better there!

I think the riskiest maneuver (on many levels) that I ever made while driving was removing my pantyhose in a car with a manual transmission. In rush hour traffic. My only defense is that it was a hot summer afternoon and my air conditioner wasn’t working. Or maybe I had taken the t-tops out at the last intersection. Who knows? Either way, I realize it was a risky move and not the safest thing to do while driving.

So when you see me coming in my big SUV, texting and talking on the phone (hands free!), let me put your mind at ease by saying, I hardly ever wear pantyhose any more!

How do you multi-task while driving? Tell us in the comments.

5 For Friday – Spring Cleaning

Five things I learned last week while cleaning:

1. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. I chose one room each day to clean. And when I say clean, I mean move the furniture and rediscover your baseboards kind of cleaning. So while one room a day sounds wimpy, believe me when I say it was plenty to tackle.
2. Don’t use Swiffer Wet Jet or Orange Glo or any of those other advertised hardwood floor cleaners. You will be sorry you ever did! I am. At first I loved the shine on my floors and the way my house smelled after using them, but over time I noticed a scummy, build up on my floors that only hands and knees and scrubbing like Cinderella would get rid of. Only water and vinegar on my hardwoods from now on!
3. Don’t forget to take breaks and pamper yourself during large cleaning projects. Ok, so I didn’t do such a great job with this one myself, but I did take time out to watch a few movies with the boys and I ate a few bowls of ice cream. And popcorn. And Little Debbies. In fact, if I stayed home all the time I think I would instantly gain 15 lbs. from all the available snackage around the house. Good thing I went back to work this past Monday, huh?
4. Don’t be too hasty to put the winter clothes away just because it’s Spring Break! We had a little cold snap and actually had some sleet and snow last week. I know it’s crazy, but this is Georgia and like they say, “If you don’t like the weather, stick around because tomorrow it will change.” Ba dum bump! Thank you, folks. I’m here all week.
5. Don’t get distracted while you are cleaning and start rearranging furniture. Why is it that when I’m cleaning it suddenly becomes a good idea to start moving furniture, pictures, lamps and accessories around? I don’t know! It just does. Maybe it’s the adult version of ADD.  One minute you’re dusting and polishing the next thing you know two hours have gone by, and you’re still working in the same room, but all the furniture is in the middle of the room and you’re thinking the couch might look really good along that other wall. Not that this has ever happened to me or anything.

Someday maybe I’ll listen to my own advice.

Wordless Wednesday – Long Live the Snuggie!

With weather dipping down into the 30’s again last week (spring break) we were still getting good use out of our Snuggies!

Wait! That's not all. You also get a FREE book light!

Wordless Wednesday is sponsored by 5 Minutes for Mom.

Another Milestone

Last week was Spring Break for our boys and I took the week off to stay home and do a little spring cleaning and to hang out with my “men.”

One of them deserted me, though. The oldest felt like he would have a better time going to the beach with his girlfriend and her family. Go figure.

I wasn’t really keen on the whole idea at first. I like my chicks to be in the nest when I’m around, but as M has started reminding me on a regular basis lately, “He’s not a baby any more.”

As his lanky, 6 feet tall frame hovers over me as he speaks, I realize that he has a point.

However! I’m still the mom! So I did what every good mother does in these types of situations and used it as a way to get him to improve a grade in a specific class that has proved to be a challenge to him. We told him that if he didn’t raise the grade to an agreed upon letter in the alphabet, he would not be going to the beach. With his girlfriend.

Ah! Motivation at its best. I’m proud to say he succeeded in achieving the academic goal we all agreed upon and he spent a (well chaperoned) week on vacation with another family.

It made me realize that we are not the entirety of his world any more. At age 17, there are times when he would rather not be with his family. While that realization is not easy to accept, I am getting better at handling it. And I am learning to appreciate the moments that we do get to spend together as a family, because I know that as my boys continue to grow they will want to spent more time outside the nest.

And that’s something this mother hen will just have to get used to.

Dinner Time Conversations

Experts say that the most important thing families can do to stay connected is to eat dinner together on a regular basis. We do, but based on recent dinner time conversations, I don’t know if it is having the intended effect on my family.

These are snippits of recent conversations from our dinner table.

The players: Son #1 (age 16), Son #2 (age 13) and Son #3 (age 9)

Son #2: Mom, what does “going to hell in a hand basket” mean?

Me: It’s just an expression.

Son #2: Yeah, but what does it mean?

Son #3: It just means you’re going to hell.

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Son #3: I’m going to be surprised when I get to heaven and see my family there.

Me: Don’t you mean excited? You’re going to be “excited” to see your family in heaven.

Son #1: No, I think he’s in for a few surprises, mom.

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Hubby: What kind of baked beans are these?

Me (who doesn’t eat baked beans): I don’t know. They’re baked beans.

Hubby: Yeah, but are they homestyle or regular?

Me: I don’t know. They came in a can and it said baked beans on the side of it. Does it matter?

Hubby: Well, yeah. There is a difference.

Son #1: Yeah, these taste funny.

Son #3: Don’t worry everybody, they’ll still make you fart.

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Ah, those precious moments that family memories are made of.                   Bon Appetit!

The Gift Trifecta

Hubby and I will be celebrating our 19th wedding anniversary this month. I was sort of forced into choosing the month of February for our wedding because of sports’ schedules. And my inability to handle weather with temperatures over 76 degrees or any type of humidity.

I was never destined to be a June bride. Or July. Or August. Or the first half of September for that matter. It’s just too hot.

March wasn’t an option because Hubby informed me that was when March Madness took place. April had spring breaks and Easter (usually) to contend with and May had Mother’s Day. December and November were never really contenders because of the holidays.

Besides, I had always wanted a fall wedding. Fall is my favorite time of the year and I had decided October would be the perfect month to get married. Except I didn’t take into consideration the fall college football game schedule. And it quickly became my nemisis.

(about to be) Hubby informed me that were no good Saturdays in October for a wedding because it would be too difficult to get his groomsmen to attend our wedding instead of game day at their alma maters.

I asked about away games, looked for a by week, all in an effort to have my wedding in Ocotber. It soon became clear that I was losing the battle, and we finally comprised on the sports deprived month of February.

I knew I would live to regret it eventually because I suspected I had a lifetime of combination Valentine’s and anniversary gifts ahead of me.

Oh, Hubby made the valiant effort the first years of our marriage. He brought home the Brach’s chocolates in the heart-shaped box for Valentine’s Day and the occasional grocery store bouquet of flowers for our anniversary, but then, in all the sports minded brilliance he could muster, he created The Gift Trifecta.

He made me the promise that each year he would surprise me with one big gift that was intended to cover Valentine’s Day, our anniverary and my birthday. And even though my birthday falls almost a month after our anniversary, I was willing to agree.

So for the past decade I have been receiving my Trifecta gifts. I start to get all giddy this time of year with anticipation because some of my past gifts have been the kind of fun toys that take the sting out of receiving a combination gift. (digital camera, MP3 player, cell phone, Palm Pilot, etc.)

I may have lost the battle for my wedding date back in 1990, but I have definitely won the war! Long live The Trifecta Gift!

5 Things Friday #3

 

5 Things I’ve learned this week:

1.  More than anything, my 9 year old still wants his mommy to tuck him in at night.
2. More than anything, women like bright, shiny objects. Only in my case it happens to be a new set of stainless steel pots and pans.
3. More than anything, I love the way my husband knows exactly how I like my coffee.
4. More than anything, I want to be able to take away the pain, failures, and disappointments that my children experience. And knowing they have to go through these situations to grow as men doesn’t make it any easier.
5. More than anything, it’s comforting to know that when someone you know leaves this world that they are safe in the arms of the Savior.

What have you learned this week?

 

 

 

 

5 Things Friday #2

I was looking for 5 interesting news stories for this Friday, but we all know the press was only interested in one this week, so I thought I would turn off the TV and turn on my MP3 player. Except I didn’t turn off the TV. I recorded my favorite shows and fast forwarded through all the commercials. Life is so good!

But I do spend a lot of time listening to music. I listen while on the treadmill. I listen in the car. I listen at work. There is usually a song of some sort drifting in and out of my head (or mouth) most of the day.

I love music. And most types of music. I’ll listen to everything from blues to bluegrass, Southern rock to Southern gospel. I like jazz, rock ‘n roll, swing, country, and you can throw in a little funk every once in a while because I still like to shake my groove thing around the kitchen while I’m cooking.

I know – not the mental image you wanted to carry around with you today. You should see the look on my kids’ faces when I do it. They’re always telling me to stop and not ever do it again. Just like when I try to use “cool” teenage slang words. Somehow it doesn’t come out all cool and hip. Just like my dance moves!

Anyhoo. As I thought about what I was listening to this week and trying to come up with a “5 Things Friday” post I figured I would mesh the two together. So here are the 5 songs that have received the most play time in my ears this week.

And you will be relieved to know that there hasn’t been much groove thing shaking going on in the kitchen. Just sayin’.

Going Home – Sara Groves

Faithful One – Brian Doerksen and Kathryn Scott

Heavenly Day – Patty Griffin

I Belong – Kathryn Scott

Angel Doves – Mindy Smith

Leave me a comment and tell me what you’ve been listening to lately. I’m always looking for new tunes. Have super weekend.