This year we celebrated Christmas with our best friends, The Tyldesleys. They have three kids under the age of 7 and when we walked through the door, it was ON!
We played football video games, we shot Nerf guns over the catwalk and we played with princess dress up clothes.
We ate homemade sugar cookies with frosting and sprinkles BEFORE dinner!
The house was loud and messy and, in all ways, it was perfect!
Our Christmas at home was low key and sweet.
Our Christmas with our friends was loud, messy and fun.
And when we got home, Scott and I enjoyed the silence of our home, with our kid nose deep in her new Kindle reading.
It is funny, to me, how two families, who really have a differnet kind of life than the other, can come together and appreciate what each other has and enjoy each other so much!
This year's Christmas was perfect!
In every way!
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Christmas Future
When I was pregnant with Courtney I made the rule that my family would not travel at Christmas. I did not want her worrying that Santa would not be able to find her. I also did not want to pack everything in a car or on a plane and travel with a small child. So, I told family and friends that while we would not travel, our home is open to any and everyone who wants to come to us. Scott and I will do the cooking and the cleaning; all they have to do is come.
After her very first Christmas, where she received WAY too many gifts, Scott and I decided that we would only get her three things. After all, Jesus only received 3 gifts, and she certainly isn’t any better than Jesus.
And we have stuck to that rule every year since.
She is 15 now, and Christmas lasts about 15 minutes in our house. Maybe 20. When you only get a limited amount of gifts, it is hard to stretch the morning out and make Christmas last.
This now has me thinking about traveling at Christmas.
I think, maybe, that next year we will rent a cabin in the mountains and do our Christmas there. Or maybe rent a condo in Florida and have Christmas on the beach. Maybe it is time for this family to experience Christmas outside of this house. Of course, this is in my head and I have not run this by Scott, so who knows…
Christmas Future….
I wonder what it will hold for us
After her very first Christmas, where she received WAY too many gifts, Scott and I decided that we would only get her three things. After all, Jesus only received 3 gifts, and she certainly isn’t any better than Jesus.
And we have stuck to that rule every year since.
She is 15 now, and Christmas lasts about 15 minutes in our house. Maybe 20. When you only get a limited amount of gifts, it is hard to stretch the morning out and make Christmas last.
This now has me thinking about traveling at Christmas.
I think, maybe, that next year we will rent a cabin in the mountains and do our Christmas there. Or maybe rent a condo in Florida and have Christmas on the beach. Maybe it is time for this family to experience Christmas outside of this house. Of course, this is in my head and I have not run this by Scott, so who knows…
Christmas Future….
I wonder what it will hold for us
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Christmas Past
While we were decorating for Christmas today, Scott asked Courtney and I what our favorite Christmas memory was.
Courtney wasn't sure. True to form, her favorite memory is the most recent. Not that she doesn't remember fondly on things that have happened, she just can't wrap her mind around the whole concept of looking back father than an year, so she goes with what she knows.
Scott's favorite memory was from Christmas 1989. He had just finished boot camp and was going home for the first time since he joined the military. Home was Valdosta, GA. For those of you who do not know where that is, it is just over the Florida border. He had two wishes that year; To be home for Christmas. And snow. Now, the chances of getting snow in Valdosta is SLIM. But that year he got snow. And not just the snow that came out of the sky and melted when it hit the ground, but the snow that stuck and could have snowballs made out of it.
I have many favorite memories. Like how every Christmas morning we got up, opened presents and then when to my Aunt Deanna's house for brunch. Or the year Courtney was 5 years old and she wanted cow girl boots. Santa brought her red ones, and she wore them all day with her pajamas. Or how we were all set to decorate when we were living in Key West and it was too hot to get in the decorating spirit so we walked down to Duval Street. I was pregnant and wearing a sundress in December.
So clearly, for this family, it is not the gift that makes the holiday or the memory special.
It is snow.
It is brunch.
It is staying in your pajamas all day.
It is family.
What is your favorite memory of Christmas past?
Courtney wasn't sure. True to form, her favorite memory is the most recent. Not that she doesn't remember fondly on things that have happened, she just can't wrap her mind around the whole concept of looking back father than an year, so she goes with what she knows.
Scott's favorite memory was from Christmas 1989. He had just finished boot camp and was going home for the first time since he joined the military. Home was Valdosta, GA. For those of you who do not know where that is, it is just over the Florida border. He had two wishes that year; To be home for Christmas. And snow. Now, the chances of getting snow in Valdosta is SLIM. But that year he got snow. And not just the snow that came out of the sky and melted when it hit the ground, but the snow that stuck and could have snowballs made out of it.
I have many favorite memories. Like how every Christmas morning we got up, opened presents and then when to my Aunt Deanna's house for brunch. Or the year Courtney was 5 years old and she wanted cow girl boots. Santa brought her red ones, and she wore them all day with her pajamas. Or how we were all set to decorate when we were living in Key West and it was too hot to get in the decorating spirit so we walked down to Duval Street. I was pregnant and wearing a sundress in December.
So clearly, for this family, it is not the gift that makes the holiday or the memory special.
It is snow.
It is brunch.
It is staying in your pajamas all day.
It is family.
What is your favorite memory of Christmas past?
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Dreams
I don't dream.
Let me clarify that...if I do dream it is SELDOM that I remember them.
And I don't dream in color, everything is in black and white.
Monday night I dreamt A LOT. They were short dreams and I would wake up after each one, look at the clock to see how much time I had before I had to get up, fall back to sleep and go right back into another dream.
Crazy.
The last dream I had really bothered me. I dreamt that my best friend, Diana Kelly-Miller, had a baby boy (which she does, he is just in 1st grade, not a baby). I was at his Christening, which was at my home church (which is crazy, because she is Catholic and we aren't). I was carrying him and dropped him down the side of the wall at the back of the church and bloodied his face pretty good. He was crying when I picked him up and then I woke up.
It was 4:00am and I refused to go back to sleep after that. I really, really bothered me.
I haven't slept well since then because I am afraid that I am going to have that dream again.
SO this morning, I did some research on dreams through the wonderful world of GOOGLE. This is what came back on my search:
To dream of a crying baby symbolizes a part of yourself that is deprived of attention and needs to be nurtured. Alternatively, it represents your unfulfilled goals and a sense of lacking in your life. If you dream that a baby is neglected, then it suggests that you are not paying enough attention to yourself. You are not utilizing your full potential. Alternatively, this dream could represent your fears about your own children and your ability to protect and to provide for them.
Oh....that clears it up!
Anybody who knows me, knows that I do not need to be nurtured, I can take care of myself. So we can rule out that.
Unfulfilled goals and lacking in my life...um....what? I have a husband, kid, house and job. That is more than a lot of people. So no...not that.
This dream just makes no sense to me. I wouldn't hurt a kid on the face of this earth and I would never drop them down a wall.
I just don't know why I cannot let this go.
All I know is I am tired and want to sleep, I am just afraid of what will happen when I do.
I liked it better when I didn't dream, or at least, didn't remember them!
Let me clarify that...if I do dream it is SELDOM that I remember them.
And I don't dream in color, everything is in black and white.
Monday night I dreamt A LOT. They were short dreams and I would wake up after each one, look at the clock to see how much time I had before I had to get up, fall back to sleep and go right back into another dream.
Crazy.
The last dream I had really bothered me. I dreamt that my best friend, Diana Kelly-Miller, had a baby boy (which she does, he is just in 1st grade, not a baby). I was at his Christening, which was at my home church (which is crazy, because she is Catholic and we aren't). I was carrying him and dropped him down the side of the wall at the back of the church and bloodied his face pretty good. He was crying when I picked him up and then I woke up.
It was 4:00am and I refused to go back to sleep after that. I really, really bothered me.
I haven't slept well since then because I am afraid that I am going to have that dream again.
SO this morning, I did some research on dreams through the wonderful world of GOOGLE. This is what came back on my search:
To dream of a crying baby symbolizes a part of yourself that is deprived of attention and needs to be nurtured. Alternatively, it represents your unfulfilled goals and a sense of lacking in your life. If you dream that a baby is neglected, then it suggests that you are not paying enough attention to yourself. You are not utilizing your full potential. Alternatively, this dream could represent your fears about your own children and your ability to protect and to provide for them.
Oh....that clears it up!
Anybody who knows me, knows that I do not need to be nurtured, I can take care of myself. So we can rule out that.
Unfulfilled goals and lacking in my life...um....what? I have a husband, kid, house and job. That is more than a lot of people. So no...not that.
This dream just makes no sense to me. I wouldn't hurt a kid on the face of this earth and I would never drop them down a wall.
I just don't know why I cannot let this go.
All I know is I am tired and want to sleep, I am just afraid of what will happen when I do.
I liked it better when I didn't dream, or at least, didn't remember them!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Nana
Her birthday was Monday, October 16th. She turned 93.
93! That's a long time to walk the face of this earth!
She grew up singing on the radio with her two sisters. Her daddy was a preacher and I remember every get together we had growing up, someone would play the piano (I think Aunt Jeanette)and old hymns would be sung. That is the reason I prefer the old hymns to today's more popular music.
She had 2 kids - both girls, 7 grand kids - 6 boys and 1 girl and 9 great-grand kids - 5 boys and 4 girls.
She was a bank teller when I was growing up. My mom took me to her bank on Halloween on year and everyone at the bank had dressed up. There was a co-worker dressed up as a big Indian Chief and I remember he scared me. She thought that was funny.
She wanted to teach my brother how to roller skate. There they were, both on skates, skating down Whiting Avenue. Their skates got tangled up and they both fell. She damaged her elbow pretty bad.
When she would sit down next to me at church, she would pat my leg in a certain rhythm. She told me they were love pats!
She always had gum in her purse.
When I was older and living on my own, there was a time that I would go to dinner with her once a week. It used to drive her crazy that I would park in front of the fire hydrant outside her apartment. She just knew I was going to get a ticket.
She outlived two husbands; My granddaddy - they were nuts about each other and her and a nice man named Desmond.
She died today.
My parents and my aunt were there with her.
The last several years have been hard with Dementia stealing her mind.
And when she got to Heaven this afternoon, I know she was greeted by Granddaddy, her sisters and my Uncle Wayne.
And I am sure that there is singing and dancing and no pain.
And I hope she tells Granddaddy that I named my daughter after him.
And I hope she looks down on me everyday and that she is proud of the person that I grew up to be. And that she knows that she helped make me that person.
And I hope she knows, without any doubt, that she was a great Nana and that I loved her very much
Enjoy Heaven, Nana! You deserve it!
93! That's a long time to walk the face of this earth!
She grew up singing on the radio with her two sisters. Her daddy was a preacher and I remember every get together we had growing up, someone would play the piano (I think Aunt Jeanette)and old hymns would be sung. That is the reason I prefer the old hymns to today's more popular music.
She had 2 kids - both girls, 7 grand kids - 6 boys and 1 girl and 9 great-grand kids - 5 boys and 4 girls.
She was a bank teller when I was growing up. My mom took me to her bank on Halloween on year and everyone at the bank had dressed up. There was a co-worker dressed up as a big Indian Chief and I remember he scared me. She thought that was funny.
She wanted to teach my brother how to roller skate. There they were, both on skates, skating down Whiting Avenue. Their skates got tangled up and they both fell. She damaged her elbow pretty bad.
When she would sit down next to me at church, she would pat my leg in a certain rhythm. She told me they were love pats!
She always had gum in her purse.
When I was older and living on my own, there was a time that I would go to dinner with her once a week. It used to drive her crazy that I would park in front of the fire hydrant outside her apartment. She just knew I was going to get a ticket.
She outlived two husbands; My granddaddy - they were nuts about each other and her and a nice man named Desmond.
She died today.
My parents and my aunt were there with her.
The last several years have been hard with Dementia stealing her mind.
And when she got to Heaven this afternoon, I know she was greeted by Granddaddy, her sisters and my Uncle Wayne.
And I am sure that there is singing and dancing and no pain.
And I hope she tells Granddaddy that I named my daughter after him.
And I hope she looks down on me everyday and that she is proud of the person that I grew up to be. And that she knows that she helped make me that person.
And I hope she knows, without any doubt, that she was a great Nana and that I loved her very much
Enjoy Heaven, Nana! You deserve it!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
25 Year Later
When I was in high school, it was a big social place for me. I was always disappointed at the end of the day because I had to go home - don't get me wrong, my home life was not bad AT ALL - it is just that my friends didn't live in the same house with me.
School was a time to visit, joke around and goof off. I did my school work, and my grades were good, I graduated with a 3.5 GPA (they were good if you don't count my first quarter as a freshman where I failed English and had to work my butt off to get my grade back up and was grounded for the whole rest of the semester - even from talking on the phone. Hello! Have you met me? I am on the phone CONSTANTLY even now).
When it was time to prepare for college, I knew I wanted to be an interpreter for the deaf. I also knew that I wanted to interpret in the court system, which would require extra classes. All of my classes were at night, so I worked as a receptionist during the day, and went to school at night Monday thru Thursday. (I also went out with friends on Friday and Saturday.) (You should probably note that this is also the time I got mono for doing too much all the time, and was really sick and my mom made me "cut back" on the going out on the weekends so much.)
After a couple of years I graduated and instead of taking my legal classes that I needed to take to be able to interpret in the courts, I just continued working my office job. Twenty five years later....I am still working an office job. Right now it is in the telecom industry. (Because, you know, deaf people use the phone so much and interpreting over the phone is in high demand!)
I look back on my high school days and I think of all the plans I had for myself back then and what I was going to do. Then I look at my life right now, and it is SO different.
Do you think anyone ever thinks to themselves in high school, I am going to pay to go to school, not use my degree, get a job that I can't advance in and then retire.
Not so much.
If I could just talk to that 18 year old girl and talk some sense into her...
But I can't.
So I will just work the rest of my life and probably die at my desk.
And my headstone should read...Here lies Melissa...I hope there are telephones in Heaven because that is all she enjoys doing.
And I hope Jesus like coffee. I make a mean pot of coffee!
School was a time to visit, joke around and goof off. I did my school work, and my grades were good, I graduated with a 3.5 GPA (they were good if you don't count my first quarter as a freshman where I failed English and had to work my butt off to get my grade back up and was grounded for the whole rest of the semester - even from talking on the phone. Hello! Have you met me? I am on the phone CONSTANTLY even now).
When it was time to prepare for college, I knew I wanted to be an interpreter for the deaf. I also knew that I wanted to interpret in the court system, which would require extra classes. All of my classes were at night, so I worked as a receptionist during the day, and went to school at night Monday thru Thursday. (I also went out with friends on Friday and Saturday.) (You should probably note that this is also the time I got mono for doing too much all the time, and was really sick and my mom made me "cut back" on the going out on the weekends so much.)
After a couple of years I graduated and instead of taking my legal classes that I needed to take to be able to interpret in the courts, I just continued working my office job. Twenty five years later....I am still working an office job. Right now it is in the telecom industry. (Because, you know, deaf people use the phone so much and interpreting over the phone is in high demand!)
I look back on my high school days and I think of all the plans I had for myself back then and what I was going to do. Then I look at my life right now, and it is SO different.
Do you think anyone ever thinks to themselves in high school, I am going to pay to go to school, not use my degree, get a job that I can't advance in and then retire.
Not so much.
If I could just talk to that 18 year old girl and talk some sense into her...
But I can't.
So I will just work the rest of my life and probably die at my desk.
And my headstone should read...Here lies Melissa...I hope there are telephones in Heaven because that is all she enjoys doing.
And I hope Jesus like coffee. I make a mean pot of coffee!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
A Post That Won't Mean Anything To Anyone
I know I talk a lot on here about Autism.
It is because it consumes our life all the time...and lately it has been consuming us more than we would like.
Courtney,in case you don't know, has Asperger's Syndrome. While she is super smart, she struggles socially. Really struggles. And the older she gets, the more she struggles. And the more she struggles, the less I can help. And it is killing me.
She is 15. This is a hard age for any girl on the face of this planet. I look back on when I was this age and THANK GOD that I no longer am. However, over the last year, Courtney has really started realize (and this is a pretty big step for her) that she is different...and she is not coping well with it. *I should also note that it didn't help that we decided to change her meds during all of this, which started off as an EPIC FAIL, but the doctor got us back on track like 5 days before school started...so it was a ROUGH summer*
But while she has been realizing things, Scott and I have been coming to realizations of out own. We see all of our friends and their kids and we realized this summer that she won't be going to the Homecoming Dance, she won't be driving a car any time soon, she won't be going to football games with a bunch of friends. And to see all of the posts on Facebook really makes brings it home.
She is seeing her friends and family members getting their permits to drive. She asked how old you have to be to get a permit. I told her she had to be 15 and she had to have it for one year and one day before she could take the driving test. She asked me why she can't get a permit. I told her because she wasn't ready and that I wasn't saying no...I was saying not now.
You should have seen the look on her face. It broke my heart.
She didn't argue with me...she just didn't talk about it anymore.
I chose to believe that one day, she will leave home, live on her own, come over for Sunday dinner and to do laundry.
Her doctors tell us we need to start preparing her for that transition now. I tell them that I would like to get through the school year successfully.
They just smile that all knowing smile.
I swear, if I was her, I would not leave the house sometimes. But she gets up every day and tries again.
And because she does, so do we.
It is because it consumes our life all the time...and lately it has been consuming us more than we would like.
Courtney,in case you don't know, has Asperger's Syndrome. While she is super smart, she struggles socially. Really struggles. And the older she gets, the more she struggles. And the more she struggles, the less I can help. And it is killing me.
She is 15. This is a hard age for any girl on the face of this planet. I look back on when I was this age and THANK GOD that I no longer am. However, over the last year, Courtney has really started realize (and this is a pretty big step for her) that she is different...and she is not coping well with it. *I should also note that it didn't help that we decided to change her meds during all of this, which started off as an EPIC FAIL, but the doctor got us back on track like 5 days before school started...so it was a ROUGH summer*
But while she has been realizing things, Scott and I have been coming to realizations of out own. We see all of our friends and their kids and we realized this summer that she won't be going to the Homecoming Dance, she won't be driving a car any time soon, she won't be going to football games with a bunch of friends. And to see all of the posts on Facebook really makes brings it home.
She is seeing her friends and family members getting their permits to drive. She asked how old you have to be to get a permit. I told her she had to be 15 and she had to have it for one year and one day before she could take the driving test. She asked me why she can't get a permit. I told her because she wasn't ready and that I wasn't saying no...I was saying not now.
You should have seen the look on her face. It broke my heart.
She didn't argue with me...she just didn't talk about it anymore.
I chose to believe that one day, she will leave home, live on her own, come over for Sunday dinner and to do laundry.
Her doctors tell us we need to start preparing her for that transition now. I tell them that I would like to get through the school year successfully.
They just smile that all knowing smile.
I swear, if I was her, I would not leave the house sometimes. But she gets up every day and tries again.
And because she does, so do we.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Making Memories
There is a song out on the radio right now called Just Fishin by Trace Adkins. It talks about a dad out with his 6 year old daughter fishing...and while SHE thinks they are just fishing, he is banking this day in his memory.
It reminds me a lot of Scott and Courtney. I remember when we lived in Key West, he would take her to fly kites. She was in a stroller and he was out with his kid flying kites. When we moved to Georgia, he would, and still does, take her fishing. She had a pink Scooby Doo fishing pole and they would fish and chat about life.
It makes me realize that when she was 3 or 4, and we were trying to get her diaganosed, trying to figure out what was wrong, I thought she was so hard. I look at her now, at her 15 year old attitude, and wish for my 4 year old again. For the child who was happy to go fishing or for ice cream. To read Go Dog, Go! and Are You My Mother?
School started Monday. I remmber her first day of school like it was yesterday. She didn't weigh 25lbs and the school had to get her a special desk and chair. She is a sophmore now. Her freshman year was SO hard on her. People were so mean to her. When Scott pulled into the parking lot on the first day, she looked out the window and said "Dad...I am really nervous."
But she has come home the last couple of days with a smile on her face. Scott asked me how long I thought this honeymoon period would last. He is giving it two weeks. I am praying for the entire school year.
I hope she looks back fondly on the time that Scott spent with her when she was little...
I know he does!
I’m lost in her there holdin’ that pink rod and reel
She’s doin’ almost everything but sittin’ still
Talkin’ ‘bout her ballet shoes and training wheels
And her kittens
And she thinks we’re just fishin’
And she thinks we’re just fishin’ on the riverside
Throwin’ back what we could fry
Drownin’ worms and killin’ time
Nothin’ too ambitious
She ain’t even thinkin’ ‘bout
What’s really goin’ on right now
But I guarantee this memory’s a big’in
And she thinks we’re just fishin’
It reminds me a lot of Scott and Courtney. I remember when we lived in Key West, he would take her to fly kites. She was in a stroller and he was out with his kid flying kites. When we moved to Georgia, he would, and still does, take her fishing. She had a pink Scooby Doo fishing pole and they would fish and chat about life.
It makes me realize that when she was 3 or 4, and we were trying to get her diaganosed, trying to figure out what was wrong, I thought she was so hard. I look at her now, at her 15 year old attitude, and wish for my 4 year old again. For the child who was happy to go fishing or for ice cream. To read Go Dog, Go! and Are You My Mother?
School started Monday. I remmber her first day of school like it was yesterday. She didn't weigh 25lbs and the school had to get her a special desk and chair. She is a sophmore now. Her freshman year was SO hard on her. People were so mean to her. When Scott pulled into the parking lot on the first day, she looked out the window and said "Dad...I am really nervous."
But she has come home the last couple of days with a smile on her face. Scott asked me how long I thought this honeymoon period would last. He is giving it two weeks. I am praying for the entire school year.
I hope she looks back fondly on the time that Scott spent with her when she was little...
I know he does!
I’m lost in her there holdin’ that pink rod and reel
She’s doin’ almost everything but sittin’ still
Talkin’ ‘bout her ballet shoes and training wheels
And her kittens
And she thinks we’re just fishin’
And she thinks we’re just fishin’ on the riverside
Throwin’ back what we could fry
Drownin’ worms and killin’ time
Nothin’ too ambitious
She ain’t even thinkin’ ‘bout
What’s really goin’ on right now
But I guarantee this memory’s a big’in
And she thinks we’re just fishin’
Sunday, July 24, 2011
A Vacation Recap.
This past week was spent in Florida vacationing on the beach.
Usually, we split the cost of renting a condo with Scott's parents. This year, we rented our own. Scott's younger brother, Brandon, stayed with us and Scott's parents, along with his Aunt Carol and Uncle Dave, rented the condo directly below us.
We arrived on Saturday afternoon. Aunt Carol and Uncle Dave landed from Chicago around the same exact time. Scott has another aunt, Faye, that lives in the area that we were staying, along with her children and their families.
Saturday night we all went to dinner at The Thirsty Marlin where the conch fritters were just about as good as Key West and the lobster quesadilla was too yummy! Scott's cousin, Tyler, ordered the all you can eat crab, and I think that Scott "helped" with the all you can eat part!
Sunday Scott's cousin. Trish, and her husband, Alex, had all of us over for a big BBQ and the food was delicious. Alex smoked chicken wings and a beef butt that melted in your mouth. Sunday night all of the boys fished off of the pier until late into the night.
Monday was finally spent on the beach! The sun was out and the water was warm!! We swam with two schools of stingrays. Each school had about eight stingrays and they swam all around us!!! All of us spent the entire day either by the pool or in the ocean. Monday night, Scott and I went out by ourselves to a little pub we like to go to when we are in town. We got home in enough time to watch the sun set and took a walk on the beach.
Tuesday, while eating breakfast on the balcony, we watched two dolphins swim pretty close to shore. We spent the entire day on the beach and decided that if we win the lottery, we are moving down on the beach. Tuesday night we went to dinner with Scott's grandpa whose wife just passed away. Also at the dinner was Grandma's two sisters and their families. It has been two years since I was able to visit with this side of the family, as I was not able to attend Grandma's memorial service. It amazes me how two years doesn't seem like a long time until you see how much people have aged during that time. I hope that another two years does not pass without visiting with these aunts and uncles again. Scott's grandpa came back to our condo for coffee and really seemed to enjoy himself.
Wednesday, Scott and I took two chairs and planted them in the surf. That is where our butts stayed for the entire day. It was VERY hot and being in the water with the ocean breeze made things so much better. That night we went to dinner with Scott's dad's cousin, Susan and her husband John. Afterwards, they came back to the condo to swim and Scott and Brandon took Grandpa fishing. I stayed behind and texted them the score of the Tampa Bay Rays game. While they didn't catch anything, they had a good time just being together.
Thursday, I woke up looking like Mush Mouth from the Fat Albert cartoon, as my lips were swollen and burned. I decided to take a break from the sun. Everyone came to our condo for lunch then we went to John's Pass to do some touristy shopping. We grabbed some ice cream as well. That night we all went to dinner to Grandpa's favorite restaurant, Leverocks. Grandpa had us back to his house for KEY LIME PIE!He makes the best pie, and even though I protested, I had to share it with everyone. We spent the evening looking through old family photos. There was a story that went along with each photo. A lot of laughter and a few tears were shed. Memories, while they are good to have, can be painful for a man who lost the only woman he ever kissed and spent the last 67 years married to. Hopefully, time will make it easier for him, but I just don't see how a heart as broken as his can ever be whole again. I try to force myself to remember that we will all be reunited with our loved one at Heaven's Gate...but that seems too far away.
Friday, we spent our last day on the beach. Brandon flew his kites. Courtney looked for sand dollars, but couldn't find any. That night for dinner we went to GiGi's Pizzeria. This is a place that Scott's parents started going to in 1969, and I am pretty sure the decor hasn't changed since then. The pizza was fabulous and it was a great way to spend our last night as a family!
Saturday we said our goodbyes and got on the road. We picked the dogs up from the kennel, and Oliver spent the entire ride home rotating between all of our laps.
As vacations go, this will go down as one of my favorites. The nightly stories of Scott growing up in Chicago has made us start making plans for our vacation next year. I think, after 18 years of marriage, it is time to go see where he grew up. It is time to be introduced to Chicago pizza, a cubs game and a hot dog from a street vendor. Time to see the Sears Tower, Navy Pier and the Brookfield Zoo.
It is time to revisit those memories and to start making new ones!
Usually, we split the cost of renting a condo with Scott's parents. This year, we rented our own. Scott's younger brother, Brandon, stayed with us and Scott's parents, along with his Aunt Carol and Uncle Dave, rented the condo directly below us.
We arrived on Saturday afternoon. Aunt Carol and Uncle Dave landed from Chicago around the same exact time. Scott has another aunt, Faye, that lives in the area that we were staying, along with her children and their families.
Saturday night we all went to dinner at The Thirsty Marlin where the conch fritters were just about as good as Key West and the lobster quesadilla was too yummy! Scott's cousin, Tyler, ordered the all you can eat crab, and I think that Scott "helped" with the all you can eat part!
Sunday Scott's cousin. Trish, and her husband, Alex, had all of us over for a big BBQ and the food was delicious. Alex smoked chicken wings and a beef butt that melted in your mouth. Sunday night all of the boys fished off of the pier until late into the night.
Monday was finally spent on the beach! The sun was out and the water was warm!! We swam with two schools of stingrays. Each school had about eight stingrays and they swam all around us!!! All of us spent the entire day either by the pool or in the ocean. Monday night, Scott and I went out by ourselves to a little pub we like to go to when we are in town. We got home in enough time to watch the sun set and took a walk on the beach.
Tuesday, while eating breakfast on the balcony, we watched two dolphins swim pretty close to shore. We spent the entire day on the beach and decided that if we win the lottery, we are moving down on the beach. Tuesday night we went to dinner with Scott's grandpa whose wife just passed away. Also at the dinner was Grandma's two sisters and their families. It has been two years since I was able to visit with this side of the family, as I was not able to attend Grandma's memorial service. It amazes me how two years doesn't seem like a long time until you see how much people have aged during that time. I hope that another two years does not pass without visiting with these aunts and uncles again. Scott's grandpa came back to our condo for coffee and really seemed to enjoy himself.
Wednesday, Scott and I took two chairs and planted them in the surf. That is where our butts stayed for the entire day. It was VERY hot and being in the water with the ocean breeze made things so much better. That night we went to dinner with Scott's dad's cousin, Susan and her husband John. Afterwards, they came back to the condo to swim and Scott and Brandon took Grandpa fishing. I stayed behind and texted them the score of the Tampa Bay Rays game. While they didn't catch anything, they had a good time just being together.
Thursday, I woke up looking like Mush Mouth from the Fat Albert cartoon, as my lips were swollen and burned. I decided to take a break from the sun. Everyone came to our condo for lunch then we went to John's Pass to do some touristy shopping. We grabbed some ice cream as well. That night we all went to dinner to Grandpa's favorite restaurant, Leverocks. Grandpa had us back to his house for KEY LIME PIE!He makes the best pie, and even though I protested, I had to share it with everyone. We spent the evening looking through old family photos. There was a story that went along with each photo. A lot of laughter and a few tears were shed. Memories, while they are good to have, can be painful for a man who lost the only woman he ever kissed and spent the last 67 years married to. Hopefully, time will make it easier for him, but I just don't see how a heart as broken as his can ever be whole again. I try to force myself to remember that we will all be reunited with our loved one at Heaven's Gate...but that seems too far away.
Friday, we spent our last day on the beach. Brandon flew his kites. Courtney looked for sand dollars, but couldn't find any. That night for dinner we went to GiGi's Pizzeria. This is a place that Scott's parents started going to in 1969, and I am pretty sure the decor hasn't changed since then. The pizza was fabulous and it was a great way to spend our last night as a family!
Saturday we said our goodbyes and got on the road. We picked the dogs up from the kennel, and Oliver spent the entire ride home rotating between all of our laps.
As vacations go, this will go down as one of my favorites. The nightly stories of Scott growing up in Chicago has made us start making plans for our vacation next year. I think, after 18 years of marriage, it is time to go see where he grew up. It is time to be introduced to Chicago pizza, a cubs game and a hot dog from a street vendor. Time to see the Sears Tower, Navy Pier and the Brookfield Zoo.
It is time to revisit those memories and to start making new ones!
Friday, July 15, 2011
Parent Handbook, Page 3
When I was growing up, my parents did not MAKE Jeff and I get a job. As long as our grades were good, they really did give us the money we needed for everything...going out with friends...clothes...everything.
However, that did not mean that my dad would not give us a guilt trip every time we asked for money.
When we asked for a few bucks, he would tell us to bring him his wallet. He would give us cash, and as we were thanking him, he would say "I will just go out to where the money tree grows and get some more." Every time!
Last week in our weekly sales meeting, the sales people were talking to the president of the company about offering an incentive for customers to order from us. A CASH incentive. Paul, the president, just sat there listening to every one's ideas. When there was a lull in conversation, a sales person used that opportunity to ask Paul what he thought. He said...
"I will just go out to where the money tree grows and get this for all of you."
I was taking a drink of water at that point, and it was all I could do NOT to spit it across the table.
I told him he just channeled my dad. He informed me that ALL dads use that phrase. That it is in the Parent Handbook.
Kinda made me miss being young...
Really made me miss my dad!
However, that did not mean that my dad would not give us a guilt trip every time we asked for money.
When we asked for a few bucks, he would tell us to bring him his wallet. He would give us cash, and as we were thanking him, he would say "I will just go out to where the money tree grows and get some more." Every time!
Last week in our weekly sales meeting, the sales people were talking to the president of the company about offering an incentive for customers to order from us. A CASH incentive. Paul, the president, just sat there listening to every one's ideas. When there was a lull in conversation, a sales person used that opportunity to ask Paul what he thought. He said...
"I will just go out to where the money tree grows and get this for all of you."
I was taking a drink of water at that point, and it was all I could do NOT to spit it across the table.
I told him he just channeled my dad. He informed me that ALL dads use that phrase. That it is in the Parent Handbook.
Kinda made me miss being young...
Really made me miss my dad!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Deliver The Letter The Sooner The Better
When I was young, my mother enrolled my brother and I in some music class called Yamaha. The teacher was named Miss Barbara, I think. It was at her house and she lived in Orange. Later, when we were older, Jeff took guitar lessons from her. Her window in the room where she gave the lessons was the type that you couldn't see out of it, but you could see in it, so when we were waiting outside for Jeff to finish his lesson, we could see them and what they were doing. I thought that was a pretty cool window.
One night after our lessons, we stopped for dinner at a Mexican restaurant. On the radio was the song...that I don't know what the exact title is, but it goes...Stop! Wait a minute, Mr Postman. Apprently, I was singing along and was being too loud because my mom had to tell me to be quiet.
Whenever I hear that song, I go right back to that restaurant.
Whenever I am in town and we drive by where that restaurant was, I go right back to that day, singing the song, and mom hushing me.
And both of those things make me smile!
One night after our lessons, we stopped for dinner at a Mexican restaurant. On the radio was the song...that I don't know what the exact title is, but it goes...Stop! Wait a minute, Mr Postman. Apprently, I was singing along and was being too loud because my mom had to tell me to be quiet.
Whenever I hear that song, I go right back to that restaurant.
Whenever I am in town and we drive by where that restaurant was, I go right back to that day, singing the song, and mom hushing me.
And both of those things make me smile!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Eat Fresh
Dear Family That Was Ahead of Me at Subway Last Night:
I know you have been here before, because all of you knew what kind of sandwich you wanted. You knew what kind of bread you wanted and if you wanted it toasted or not.
However, you did leave me a little baffled over a couple of things:
1. Chips. The chips are placed at the beginning of the line that you got into to place your order. They are also placed all along the glass where you are having your sandwich built. They are there for you to grab. So WHY didn't you grab them when you were in line? WHY did you have to walk back over my feet to get your chips?
2. Condiments and Fixins. You know they are going to ask you what you want on your sandwich. So WHY did you act surprised when they did? And then you, all three of you, stood there and stared at the fixins like you have never seen lettuce and tomato before. REALLY? You should know how you like your sandwich and should be able to tell the employee what you want on it. You also should be able to do this quickly. It is a fast food restaurant. Hurry up!
3. Paying. If you are going to go into any establishment, whether it be a restaurant or any other retail chain that takes credit cards, you should always know just how much you have on your pre-paid credit card. There is no excuse for you to get to the end of the line and hand her your card, tell her you don't know how much is on there and then, when it is declined, act shocked. Also, if you don't know how much is on the card, have a back up plan. But to just walk away from three sandwiches that took 30 minutes to make absolutely baffles me. did you know that the establishment had to THROW YOUR FOOD AWAY? What a waste!
On a side note, you should tell your daughter that super short shorts and a tiny tank top makes her look trampy, not sexy. Just sayin...
Good God, I hope that was your daughter.....*shudders*
I know you have been here before, because all of you knew what kind of sandwich you wanted. You knew what kind of bread you wanted and if you wanted it toasted or not.
However, you did leave me a little baffled over a couple of things:
1. Chips. The chips are placed at the beginning of the line that you got into to place your order. They are also placed all along the glass where you are having your sandwich built. They are there for you to grab. So WHY didn't you grab them when you were in line? WHY did you have to walk back over my feet to get your chips?
2. Condiments and Fixins. You know they are going to ask you what you want on your sandwich. So WHY did you act surprised when they did? And then you, all three of you, stood there and stared at the fixins like you have never seen lettuce and tomato before. REALLY? You should know how you like your sandwich and should be able to tell the employee what you want on it. You also should be able to do this quickly. It is a fast food restaurant. Hurry up!
3. Paying. If you are going to go into any establishment, whether it be a restaurant or any other retail chain that takes credit cards, you should always know just how much you have on your pre-paid credit card. There is no excuse for you to get to the end of the line and hand her your card, tell her you don't know how much is on there and then, when it is declined, act shocked. Also, if you don't know how much is on the card, have a back up plan. But to just walk away from three sandwiches that took 30 minutes to make absolutely baffles me. did you know that the establishment had to THROW YOUR FOOD AWAY? What a waste!
On a side note, you should tell your daughter that super short shorts and a tiny tank top makes her look trampy, not sexy. Just sayin...
Good God, I hope that was your daughter.....*shudders*
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Stuck A Feather In His Hat And Called It Macaroni
I swear on all that is holy, we are the only family that budgets for the 4th of July holiday.
Scott, and his two brothers, Rick and Brandon, are all pyro-maniacs. All. Three. Of. Them.
So, while Brandon was visiting last week, Scott and him made a trip to South Carolina to buy fireworks. Not just any fireworks, fireworks that are loud and colorful and expensive. But while they were shopping, they were told there was going to be a sale in a couple of days, so they put everything back. Scott and Courtney made the same trip this past Thursday and bought the supplies.
I don't know how much money was spent, nor do I want to. This is Scott's thing. I knew it when I married him. It's not going to change. So I just go with it.
Saturday morning we got up and made the 4 hour journey to his parents house. Scott's Grandpa made the 4 hour journey from Florida. Scott's brother, Rick made the 2 hour journey from Jacksonville.
I can count on one hand how many times, in the 18 years I have been married to Scott, I have been around Rick and his family.
Rick is the eldest of all the boys. He was in the Navy like his grandfathers before him. He is the quietest of all the boys, but don't count him out of the mischief that the other two seem to find. He is right there with them!
His eldest son, Philip, is 19 and has the most gentle soul. Super nice. He is also my God Son! His dad and uncles introduced him to the whole firework thing this weekend and they now consider him a true man.
His middle child is 7 months younger than Courtney. Her name is Christina. Both of the girls are named after their dad's sister who died shortly after birth. Christina is half Filipino half American. At 14, she is strikingly pretty and tall. But she is just as smart as she is pretty!
His youngest child is Michelle. This one is 6 years old and commands attention when she walks into a room. She has a passion for Oreos and Vera Bradley purses. She has super curly hair and doesn't like to be hot, which is hard not to be in July in Georgia.
Saturday night was spent talking and getting acquainted with everyone. This is the first time that Ray and Judy had all of their sons and their families together in something like 6 years. There were a total of 6 dogs - A blood hound, husky, lab, dachshund, dachshund/beagle mix and a chihuahua mix. There was a lot of arguments between the 6 of them as to who was the leader. Surprisingly, the chihuauha won most of the battles!
Sunday was spent waiting for the sun to go down so the guys could do their "show". Mid afternoon I took the two older girls to the movies to kill some time. Judy made a ton of food and homemade chocolate pie. FINALLY the sun set and the show started. Luckily, we did not have to take anyone to the hospital and everyone left with 10 fingers and 10 toes.
Monday morning, Judy made a big breakfast and sent all of us home. I am sure the house seemed empty and quiet after we all left. and I know for a fact that plans are being made to meet up and do it again.
Family - it doesn't matter how long it has been since you have seen each other - it matters what you do when you do see each other.
For this family, it is blowing things up, setting things on fire, eating too much, talking too loud and over each other and laughing very hard!!
And then making plans to do it again!
Scott, and his two brothers, Rick and Brandon, are all pyro-maniacs. All. Three. Of. Them.
So, while Brandon was visiting last week, Scott and him made a trip to South Carolina to buy fireworks. Not just any fireworks, fireworks that are loud and colorful and expensive. But while they were shopping, they were told there was going to be a sale in a couple of days, so they put everything back. Scott and Courtney made the same trip this past Thursday and bought the supplies.
I don't know how much money was spent, nor do I want to. This is Scott's thing. I knew it when I married him. It's not going to change. So I just go with it.
Saturday morning we got up and made the 4 hour journey to his parents house. Scott's Grandpa made the 4 hour journey from Florida. Scott's brother, Rick made the 2 hour journey from Jacksonville.
I can count on one hand how many times, in the 18 years I have been married to Scott, I have been around Rick and his family.
Rick is the eldest of all the boys. He was in the Navy like his grandfathers before him. He is the quietest of all the boys, but don't count him out of the mischief that the other two seem to find. He is right there with them!
His eldest son, Philip, is 19 and has the most gentle soul. Super nice. He is also my God Son! His dad and uncles introduced him to the whole firework thing this weekend and they now consider him a true man.
His middle child is 7 months younger than Courtney. Her name is Christina. Both of the girls are named after their dad's sister who died shortly after birth. Christina is half Filipino half American. At 14, she is strikingly pretty and tall. But she is just as smart as she is pretty!
His youngest child is Michelle. This one is 6 years old and commands attention when she walks into a room. She has a passion for Oreos and Vera Bradley purses. She has super curly hair and doesn't like to be hot, which is hard not to be in July in Georgia.
Saturday night was spent talking and getting acquainted with everyone. This is the first time that Ray and Judy had all of their sons and their families together in something like 6 years. There were a total of 6 dogs - A blood hound, husky, lab, dachshund, dachshund/beagle mix and a chihuahua mix. There was a lot of arguments between the 6 of them as to who was the leader. Surprisingly, the chihuauha won most of the battles!
Sunday was spent waiting for the sun to go down so the guys could do their "show". Mid afternoon I took the two older girls to the movies to kill some time. Judy made a ton of food and homemade chocolate pie. FINALLY the sun set and the show started. Luckily, we did not have to take anyone to the hospital and everyone left with 10 fingers and 10 toes.
Monday morning, Judy made a big breakfast and sent all of us home. I am sure the house seemed empty and quiet after we all left. and I know for a fact that plans are being made to meet up and do it again.
Family - it doesn't matter how long it has been since you have seen each other - it matters what you do when you do see each other.
For this family, it is blowing things up, setting things on fire, eating too much, talking too loud and over each other and laughing very hard!!
And then making plans to do it again!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
I Want To Be Loved Like That
Every Tuesday night I work at Weight Watchers.
It is in a shopping center that has a hobby store, a hair studio and a couple of restaurants.
Every Tuesday night, as I am getting my computer turned on and our meeting opened, I see a little old man pull into the same parking space. He gets out and walks around to the passenger side and opens the door for a little old lady. He is always in dress slacks and a pressed shirt. She is always in a dress. The walk together, holding hands, to the all you can eat southern buffet.
Every Tuesday night.
I imagine that they share a meal, as neither one of them are big people, but I don't know that.
I never see them leave, because I am knee deep in my job at that time, but I imagine that they shared a piece of pie and had a cup of coffee.
I love to watch them walk to the restaurant. I love the fact that he still holds her hand. It might be to keep each other from falling,but I choose to believe it is because he loves her and she loves him.
I hope when I am their age that Scott will still take me out and hold my hand.
And I hope we share a piece of pie.
And I hope we look just like that couple on Tuesday nights!
It is in a shopping center that has a hobby store, a hair studio and a couple of restaurants.
Every Tuesday night, as I am getting my computer turned on and our meeting opened, I see a little old man pull into the same parking space. He gets out and walks around to the passenger side and opens the door for a little old lady. He is always in dress slacks and a pressed shirt. She is always in a dress. The walk together, holding hands, to the all you can eat southern buffet.
Every Tuesday night.
I imagine that they share a meal, as neither one of them are big people, but I don't know that.
I never see them leave, because I am knee deep in my job at that time, but I imagine that they shared a piece of pie and had a cup of coffee.
I love to watch them walk to the restaurant. I love the fact that he still holds her hand. It might be to keep each other from falling,but I choose to believe it is because he loves her and she loves him.
I hope when I am their age that Scott will still take me out and hold my hand.
And I hope we share a piece of pie.
And I hope we look just like that couple on Tuesday nights!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
18 Years And Counting
Scott and I celebrated our 18th Wedding Anniversary on June 19th.
18 Years.
That sounds like such a long time, but if I really think about it, it doesn't seem like that long at all. But things have certainly changed over the years.
Like when we first started dating, we used to love to go eat at The Sizzler (a California restaurant chain). Now we prefer non chain places that no one has ever heard of, but that the owners come to our table and chat for a few minutes.
Friday nights used to be come home from work, change clothes and go out. Stay out super late and sleep half of the day away on Saturday. Now Friday night, we order pizza, watch a movie and fall asleep in the chair.
Home cooked meals used to be hot dogs and mac and cheese. Now it is a variety of meals that invlove way more than two steps. (But we still do an old school throw back of hot dogs every now and then.)
Bed time consisted of being wrapped up in the sheets and each other. His breath on my neck. Now it is a bigger bed, with way more expensive sheets and a dog somewhere in between us.
But there is plenty that hasn't changed.
Like when I am gone all day and pull into the driveway to see him stop and smile at me when I walk in.
How I don't have to even open my eyes or say a word and he knows when to pull me close and we fall right back to sleep together...sometimes only for 20 minutes.
How I can't even IMAGINE what life would be like if I wasn't with him and, truth be told, I can't remember what it was like before him.
18 years ago I thought I married the best man on the face of the earth, but I was wrong.
He just keeps getting better and better. I can't wait to see what the next 18 years brings me!
18 Years.
That sounds like such a long time, but if I really think about it, it doesn't seem like that long at all. But things have certainly changed over the years.
Like when we first started dating, we used to love to go eat at The Sizzler (a California restaurant chain). Now we prefer non chain places that no one has ever heard of, but that the owners come to our table and chat for a few minutes.
Friday nights used to be come home from work, change clothes and go out. Stay out super late and sleep half of the day away on Saturday. Now Friday night, we order pizza, watch a movie and fall asleep in the chair.
Home cooked meals used to be hot dogs and mac and cheese. Now it is a variety of meals that invlove way more than two steps. (But we still do an old school throw back of hot dogs every now and then.)
Bed time consisted of being wrapped up in the sheets and each other. His breath on my neck. Now it is a bigger bed, with way more expensive sheets and a dog somewhere in between us.
But there is plenty that hasn't changed.
Like when I am gone all day and pull into the driveway to see him stop and smile at me when I walk in.
How I don't have to even open my eyes or say a word and he knows when to pull me close and we fall right back to sleep together...sometimes only for 20 minutes.
How I can't even IMAGINE what life would be like if I wasn't with him and, truth be told, I can't remember what it was like before him.
18 years ago I thought I married the best man on the face of the earth, but I was wrong.
He just keeps getting better and better. I can't wait to see what the next 18 years brings me!
Monday, June 13, 2011
It Is All About Respect
Yesterday Scott and I went to the pool. Courtney chose to sleep through pool time. I swear that kid can sleep like no one else!
When we arrived and were walking to our chairs, I heard my name. I looked down to see two women sitting in the pool with their kids. They were talking about their friend who is named Melissa.
Apparently these two women and their families got together with Melissa's family the night before. After Melissa got home, she called her two friends to tell them that her son had a fever.
Now, we have all been there...you get notice that your kid hung out with another kid who is now sick and you watch your kid for the next week making sure they don't get sick too. And if you really stopped to think about it, your kid can get sick just by going to the grocery store. The only difference is you don't have a mom calling you to warn you.
The two women proceeded to sit and talk not so nicely about their "friend" and her parenting. They even went on to say that her son looks like a girl and they feel sorry for him.
Not even 30 minutes later, Melissa shows up to the pool with her son, who does not look like a girl, he looks like a toddler. The two women were sugary nice to her.
I hate that. If you don't like someone or don't want to hang out with someone, respect them enough to tell them or cut your ties with them. Don't sit there and talk about them in a public forum where anyone can hear and then be fake to them.
I think friendship is a lot about respect. Respect the friendship enough to always be honest, to address issues when they arise (and they will arise), to forgive because you will want to be forgiven and then to also forget and concentrate on the positive.
Scott and I don't have a lot of friends by choice. Those we do have we respect enough to be 100% honest with them.
And I think they respect that about us!
When we arrived and were walking to our chairs, I heard my name. I looked down to see two women sitting in the pool with their kids. They were talking about their friend who is named Melissa.
Apparently these two women and their families got together with Melissa's family the night before. After Melissa got home, she called her two friends to tell them that her son had a fever.
Now, we have all been there...you get notice that your kid hung out with another kid who is now sick and you watch your kid for the next week making sure they don't get sick too. And if you really stopped to think about it, your kid can get sick just by going to the grocery store. The only difference is you don't have a mom calling you to warn you.
The two women proceeded to sit and talk not so nicely about their "friend" and her parenting. They even went on to say that her son looks like a girl and they feel sorry for him.
Not even 30 minutes later, Melissa shows up to the pool with her son, who does not look like a girl, he looks like a toddler. The two women were sugary nice to her.
I hate that. If you don't like someone or don't want to hang out with someone, respect them enough to tell them or cut your ties with them. Don't sit there and talk about them in a public forum where anyone can hear and then be fake to them.
I think friendship is a lot about respect. Respect the friendship enough to always be honest, to address issues when they arise (and they will arise), to forgive because you will want to be forgiven and then to also forget and concentrate on the positive.
Scott and I don't have a lot of friends by choice. Those we do have we respect enough to be 100% honest with them.
And I think they respect that about us!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
I Am Sorry, What Did You Say?
Being born and raised in California like I was, I have hard time understanding people who talk with an accent.
The first time Scott took me to meet his parents in Georgia, we went to a Cracker Barrel for dinner, and the waitress came to the table, said something and stared at me. I sat there for a minute, looked at Scott with a puzzled expression and he told she asked what I would like to drink. I didn't understand a word she said. She was speaking English, just with an accent.
Scott and his brother, Brandon, like a British TV show called The Young Ones. They think it is hysterical and quote lines from it all the time. I have tried to watch it on more than one occasion, but I can't understand what they say, so the show really loses it's effect on me.
Last night, Scott and I rented The Godfather. Neither one of us had seen the movie before. I must of asked Scott to pause it a million times to tell me what was said, because I could not understand. It was a good movie, but I probably would have enjoyed it more could I have understood and not had to stop and start the movie all the time. Not to mention that it made a three hour movie much longer than three hours.
People here in Georgia never fail to ask me where I am from. They point out that I don't sound like I am from around here. But I would like to point out that at least they understand what I say when I talk to them....
Unlike me, who can only understand you if you were born and raised in California as well.
The first time Scott took me to meet his parents in Georgia, we went to a Cracker Barrel for dinner, and the waitress came to the table, said something and stared at me. I sat there for a minute, looked at Scott with a puzzled expression and he told she asked what I would like to drink. I didn't understand a word she said. She was speaking English, just with an accent.
Scott and his brother, Brandon, like a British TV show called The Young Ones. They think it is hysterical and quote lines from it all the time. I have tried to watch it on more than one occasion, but I can't understand what they say, so the show really loses it's effect on me.
Last night, Scott and I rented The Godfather. Neither one of us had seen the movie before. I must of asked Scott to pause it a million times to tell me what was said, because I could not understand. It was a good movie, but I probably would have enjoyed it more could I have understood and not had to stop and start the movie all the time. Not to mention that it made a three hour movie much longer than three hours.
People here in Georgia never fail to ask me where I am from. They point out that I don't sound like I am from around here. But I would like to point out that at least they understand what I say when I talk to them....
Unlike me, who can only understand you if you were born and raised in California as well.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Birds Of A Feather
A couple of weeks ago we hung two ferns on the front porch. Within days a pair of House Finches took up residency and laid some eggs.
We did not know they did this and when we were taking the ferns down to be watered, one of the eggs fell out of the nest and broke, leaving only two eggs.
Every time we go in and out of the front door, the parent Finches yell at us. When we are working in the yard, they sit on the neighbors roof and yell at us. I know they are telling us to hurry up and not to even think about bothering their home again.
Spring skipped us and Summer came early and with a vengence this year. It has been too hot for her to sit on her eggs, so she just sits next to them, guarding them.
Thursday Scott was out watering and took a look inside the fern to see that the two birds have hatched. We did quick research to find out that they should be out of the nest in 15 days. That seems really fast to me, but all of the research we have done swears it is true. Can you imagine if you only had to parent for 15 days?
Research also told us that the couple will brood again, and can brood up to 3 times this season. While it has been an intersting experience, I am not too sure I am up for 2 more rounds.
Scott wants to get a camera and mount it to the roof so we can watch them through a live feed. I can't imagine that would be too interesting for too long.
So we are the proud guardians of two baby House Finches. Now if they would just let us have our fern back or at least quit yelling at us when we want to water it.
We did not know they did this and when we were taking the ferns down to be watered, one of the eggs fell out of the nest and broke, leaving only two eggs.
Every time we go in and out of the front door, the parent Finches yell at us. When we are working in the yard, they sit on the neighbors roof and yell at us. I know they are telling us to hurry up and not to even think about bothering their home again.
Spring skipped us and Summer came early and with a vengence this year. It has been too hot for her to sit on her eggs, so she just sits next to them, guarding them.
Thursday Scott was out watering and took a look inside the fern to see that the two birds have hatched. We did quick research to find out that they should be out of the nest in 15 days. That seems really fast to me, but all of the research we have done swears it is true. Can you imagine if you only had to parent for 15 days?
Research also told us that the couple will brood again, and can brood up to 3 times this season. While it has been an intersting experience, I am not too sure I am up for 2 more rounds.
Scott wants to get a camera and mount it to the roof so we can watch them through a live feed. I can't imagine that would be too interesting for too long.
So we are the proud guardians of two baby House Finches. Now if they would just let us have our fern back or at least quit yelling at us when we want to water it.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Simple Things
There is this little white church that sits in the middle of a field and you can see it from I75. It has a steeple and a cemetery.
We pass it every time we go to visit Scott's parents.
And if for some reason I am not paying attention, Scott points it out for me. And I always threaten to make him stop so I can take a picture of it to have for my own.
I don't know why, but I love that church.
It could be that it is picturesque. It could be that it is very simple, and I like simple things.
When we drive by I picture the people that attend there, or are buried there. I just know that they sing all of the old hymns...Amazing Grace, Shall We Gather At The River, The Old Rugged Cross...I have romanticized it in my head for so many years, that to go there now would, I am sure, ruin it for me.
Simple things....
Like my husband enjoying going fishing last night for an hour.
Like my daughter making a pencil box out of a cereal box that she saw on line.
Like laying in bed and watching the lightning bugs in the backyard.
All of those things, as simple as they are, make me happy.
And I think it is worth WAY more than all of the money in the world.
We pass it every time we go to visit Scott's parents.
And if for some reason I am not paying attention, Scott points it out for me. And I always threaten to make him stop so I can take a picture of it to have for my own.
I don't know why, but I love that church.
It could be that it is picturesque. It could be that it is very simple, and I like simple things.
When we drive by I picture the people that attend there, or are buried there. I just know that they sing all of the old hymns...Amazing Grace, Shall We Gather At The River, The Old Rugged Cross...I have romanticized it in my head for so many years, that to go there now would, I am sure, ruin it for me.
Simple things....
Like my husband enjoying going fishing last night for an hour.
Like my daughter making a pencil box out of a cereal box that she saw on line.
Like laying in bed and watching the lightning bugs in the backyard.
All of those things, as simple as they are, make me happy.
And I think it is worth WAY more than all of the money in the world.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Taylor Swift Should Write A Song Entitled Why You Gotta Be So Stupid!
Dear Man Driving the Mini Van on 985:
Remember how in Driver's Ed they taught you that an "On Ramp" is to gain speed so that you enter the Freeway/Interstate at the same rate the cars are traveling at? Do you remember also that the reason for this is so not to become a traffic hazard for you and those around you?
Yeah...you should apply that.
No where in your driver's manual does it say to break the entire length of the on ramp and have 16 cars all backed up behind you and then to get in the fast lane when you do finally merge going like 12 miles an hour.
Seriously, I could walk faster than you were driving.
Please either stay home or only travel on surface streets.
On a side note, any man who drives a car and has one of those stick figure families on the back window with the note that reads "All Because Two People Fell In Love" should have their man card pulled and never given back. Ever.
Just Sayin....
Remember how in Driver's Ed they taught you that an "On Ramp" is to gain speed so that you enter the Freeway/Interstate at the same rate the cars are traveling at? Do you remember also that the reason for this is so not to become a traffic hazard for you and those around you?
Yeah...you should apply that.
No where in your driver's manual does it say to break the entire length of the on ramp and have 16 cars all backed up behind you and then to get in the fast lane when you do finally merge going like 12 miles an hour.
Seriously, I could walk faster than you were driving.
Please either stay home or only travel on surface streets.
On a side note, any man who drives a car and has one of those stick figure families on the back window with the note that reads "All Because Two People Fell In Love" should have their man card pulled and never given back. Ever.
Just Sayin....
Saturday, June 4, 2011
The Landromat
Our washer broke.
Just as we got home from being out of town for the long weekend visiting Scott's parents.
With a suitcase full of dirty laundry.
So a trip to the laundromat was in order.
First we had to find one. Cause really who knows where one is unless you need it? Turns out there is one right up the road from where we live. SCORE!
Keep in mind, I have not been to one of these places since I had moved out of my parents house. Even when Scott and I got married, we had our own washer and dryer.
It took us a minute to figure out everything, but figure it out we did and set about loading the washers and getting them started. I was shocked to see that a load of laundry in the small washer cost $2.25 per load!!! That seemed really expensive to me.
There was a lady there doing her laundry. She was older than Scott and I - maybe like our parents age.
*Now keep in mind, in my head I think that only young single people use a laundromat. Also keep in mind that sometimes I lack a filter between my head and my mouth*
The lady starts to converse with us. Scott explained that our washer broke and that is why we are here. I just ASSUME that this lady's washer must have broke as well, because why would someone her AGE be her otherwise. And I proceed to say to the lady..."I don't know how poor people afford to do their laundry here. $2.25 a load is really expensive."
She looked at me and blinked and replied with a "why yes, yes it is."
The conversation ended kind of abruptly, but really, what does one talk about with strangers while doing laundry?
As we finish loading everything in the washers, Scott kept giving me a look and I can't for the life of me figure out what it means. When we finally go sit down, he says to me...
Scott: "way to insult the lady over there"
Me: "what?"
Scott: "Look at her, Melissa, she is wearing a house coat, she has 6 washers going and brought all of it in garbage bags. SHE IS POOR!"
Me: *Silence* *Blank Stare* *Crickets Chirping*
Me: "OOOOHHHH!!!!" Do you think I should apologize? I didn't mean it like that. I don't want her to think I think she is poor!"
Scott: "No! Don't say another word!"
Needless to say, the lady didn't talk to us anymore...not even while the clothes were drying.
Just as we got home from being out of town for the long weekend visiting Scott's parents.
With a suitcase full of dirty laundry.
So a trip to the laundromat was in order.
First we had to find one. Cause really who knows where one is unless you need it? Turns out there is one right up the road from where we live. SCORE!
Keep in mind, I have not been to one of these places since I had moved out of my parents house. Even when Scott and I got married, we had our own washer and dryer.
It took us a minute to figure out everything, but figure it out we did and set about loading the washers and getting them started. I was shocked to see that a load of laundry in the small washer cost $2.25 per load!!! That seemed really expensive to me.
There was a lady there doing her laundry. She was older than Scott and I - maybe like our parents age.
*Now keep in mind, in my head I think that only young single people use a laundromat. Also keep in mind that sometimes I lack a filter between my head and my mouth*
The lady starts to converse with us. Scott explained that our washer broke and that is why we are here. I just ASSUME that this lady's washer must have broke as well, because why would someone her AGE be her otherwise. And I proceed to say to the lady..."I don't know how poor people afford to do their laundry here. $2.25 a load is really expensive."
She looked at me and blinked and replied with a "why yes, yes it is."
The conversation ended kind of abruptly, but really, what does one talk about with strangers while doing laundry?
As we finish loading everything in the washers, Scott kept giving me a look and I can't for the life of me figure out what it means. When we finally go sit down, he says to me...
Scott: "way to insult the lady over there"
Me: "what?"
Scott: "Look at her, Melissa, she is wearing a house coat, she has 6 washers going and brought all of it in garbage bags. SHE IS POOR!"
Me: *Silence* *Blank Stare* *Crickets Chirping*
Me: "OOOOHHHH!!!!" Do you think I should apologize? I didn't mean it like that. I don't want her to think I think she is poor!"
Scott: "No! Don't say another word!"
Needless to say, the lady didn't talk to us anymore...not even while the clothes were drying.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Getting Back to Basics
Okay - so most of you know that I am closing my Facebook account.
I think I just need to do that - and there are many reasons why. Some of them are dumb reasons and some of them are super personal. I will lay them all out here for you in hopes that you will understand, but don't necessarily expect you to.
And that is okay.
One reason is I am now working two jobs. It isn't many hours, but it is still hours away from Scott and Courtney. I feel like when I am home, I need to be more checked into them.
Another reason is some people have been using Facebook to not be really nice to me or my family, and it is starting to effect me. So much so that I have put on 6lbs. I know that is not a lot of weight with the amount that I have lost, but it is enough to make me know that I don't want to be fat again. And if people being mean is going to do that to me, I am going to stop that part of it.
Another reason is my marriage. Scott and I have been going through it really hard for a really long time. Somewhere along the way, we lost what made us a great couple - the ability to laugh and have fun no matter what our situation is. The love for each other is still there, but it is buried so deep that it is going to take some work to get it back to the surface. Work that we are both MORE than willing to do.
Another is Courtney. She had the most awful school year to date. 9th grade was too hard for her socially. She was actually told by another child that she was "nothing but a failed abortion". No child on the face of this earth deserves to be told that and no child deserves to have someone think that of them. And yes, they are just words, but words hurt her more than being hit. Gone are the days that Mom could make everything better just by spending time with her. She is realizing that she is different, even though we have been explaining it since she was tiny, and it is killing her. We are working with doctors (still) and praying that her sophomore year goes a little better. Scott and I also came to the realization (although I thought we had before, but we didn't) that Courtney will not have a normal high school excperience. She will not go to the prom, footballs games and dates. And while I thought I had come to terms with it a long time ago, apparently I hadn't. And that wound that I keep covered up and hidden is open and bleeding right now.
So Scott and I had a long talk and we decided that we need to start worrying about The Colemans, and not so much about everyone else. We had an eye opening experience when Scott's grandmother passed that made us realize what is important to us, and nothing is more important than each of us is to each other.
So we are getting back to basics in the Coleman Family. We are on a journey of sorts to discover us again and to find the balance that works for us, where people smile and laugh a whole lot more than they cry or are frustrated.
We are going to learn to tell others "No", which I am sure will make friends and family mad at us, but that is a risk that we are willing to take. We have to take.
I am sure there are going to be some GREAT stories that come from this journey. And if you know me at all, you will know that I will post the good, the bad and the ugly all on this blog. So check back here and leave a comment to tell me you stopped by.
Today I am taking my first step of sorts, and I will admit that I am a little scared to see if we have what it takes, but we have to start somewhere...
and there is no better time than now!
I think I just need to do that - and there are many reasons why. Some of them are dumb reasons and some of them are super personal. I will lay them all out here for you in hopes that you will understand, but don't necessarily expect you to.
And that is okay.
One reason is I am now working two jobs. It isn't many hours, but it is still hours away from Scott and Courtney. I feel like when I am home, I need to be more checked into them.
Another reason is some people have been using Facebook to not be really nice to me or my family, and it is starting to effect me. So much so that I have put on 6lbs. I know that is not a lot of weight with the amount that I have lost, but it is enough to make me know that I don't want to be fat again. And if people being mean is going to do that to me, I am going to stop that part of it.
Another reason is my marriage. Scott and I have been going through it really hard for a really long time. Somewhere along the way, we lost what made us a great couple - the ability to laugh and have fun no matter what our situation is. The love for each other is still there, but it is buried so deep that it is going to take some work to get it back to the surface. Work that we are both MORE than willing to do.
Another is Courtney. She had the most awful school year to date. 9th grade was too hard for her socially. She was actually told by another child that she was "nothing but a failed abortion". No child on the face of this earth deserves to be told that and no child deserves to have someone think that of them. And yes, they are just words, but words hurt her more than being hit. Gone are the days that Mom could make everything better just by spending time with her. She is realizing that she is different, even though we have been explaining it since she was tiny, and it is killing her. We are working with doctors (still) and praying that her sophomore year goes a little better. Scott and I also came to the realization (although I thought we had before, but we didn't) that Courtney will not have a normal high school excperience. She will not go to the prom, footballs games and dates. And while I thought I had come to terms with it a long time ago, apparently I hadn't. And that wound that I keep covered up and hidden is open and bleeding right now.
So Scott and I had a long talk and we decided that we need to start worrying about The Colemans, and not so much about everyone else. We had an eye opening experience when Scott's grandmother passed that made us realize what is important to us, and nothing is more important than each of us is to each other.
So we are getting back to basics in the Coleman Family. We are on a journey of sorts to discover us again and to find the balance that works for us, where people smile and laugh a whole lot more than they cry or are frustrated.
We are going to learn to tell others "No", which I am sure will make friends and family mad at us, but that is a risk that we are willing to take. We have to take.
I am sure there are going to be some GREAT stories that come from this journey. And if you know me at all, you will know that I will post the good, the bad and the ugly all on this blog. So check back here and leave a comment to tell me you stopped by.
Today I am taking my first step of sorts, and I will admit that I am a little scared to see if we have what it takes, but we have to start somewhere...
and there is no better time than now!
Friday, May 6, 2011
A Mother's Day Post
Random Things My Mother Taught Me:
1. How to stand on my head
2. To always extend my right hand when shaking someone’s hand and to look them in the eye NOT at their hand
3. You wear white from Memorial Day to Labor Day
4. When having my picture taken, to always stand with one foot forward
5. Butterfly kisses
6. That she was not put on this earth to entertain me
7. That she could rip my arm off and beat me with the bloody end should I do something wrong
8. That church was more important than a sleep over at someone’s house
9. When wearing open toed shoes, to always have my toe nails painted
10. That jewelry can pull together an outfit
11. That I can be friends with someone, or even related to someone, and not agree with them 100% of the time
12. That it truly is better to give than to receive
13. That there is a time I should speak up and a time to not say anything – even if I am right
14. To make my bed every day
15. That it doesn’t matter what a person looks like, it matters is how the person treats me
16. To spend $5.00 on a gift that someone would love rather than spend $50.00 on a gift just because it cost more
17. Going barefoot in the summer time
18. How to harmonize
19. How she didn’t enjoy her History classes when she was in school either, but I still had to pass them with a C or better
20. Don’t let anyone tell me I can’t do something just because I am a girl
Thanks, Mom!
Happy Mother’s Day!
1. How to stand on my head
2. To always extend my right hand when shaking someone’s hand and to look them in the eye NOT at their hand
3. You wear white from Memorial Day to Labor Day
4. When having my picture taken, to always stand with one foot forward
5. Butterfly kisses
6. That she was not put on this earth to entertain me
7. That she could rip my arm off and beat me with the bloody end should I do something wrong
8. That church was more important than a sleep over at someone’s house
9. When wearing open toed shoes, to always have my toe nails painted
10. That jewelry can pull together an outfit
11. That I can be friends with someone, or even related to someone, and not agree with them 100% of the time
12. That it truly is better to give than to receive
13. That there is a time I should speak up and a time to not say anything – even if I am right
14. To make my bed every day
15. That it doesn’t matter what a person looks like, it matters is how the person treats me
16. To spend $5.00 on a gift that someone would love rather than spend $50.00 on a gift just because it cost more
17. Going barefoot in the summer time
18. How to harmonize
19. How she didn’t enjoy her History classes when she was in school either, but I still had to pass them with a C or better
20. Don’t let anyone tell me I can’t do something just because I am a girl
Thanks, Mom!
Happy Mother’s Day!
Monday, May 2, 2011
Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree
I met her the night she flew to town to go to our wedding.
She was a small, petite thing with very pretty eyes.
She had already had her stroke, so I didn’t know her any different.
Between the wedding and the time of the birth of my daughter, I had only been with her a couple of times. She lived in Florida and us in California and then Key West.
I remember when she came to Key West after the baby was born. It was Palm Sunday and we were having the baby Christened. It was quite an event to have all the kids walking in with their palm branches and Scott and I following with Courtney in her Christening gown. When I laid Courtney in her arms for the first time, she looked and Scott and me and said “Oh, My! Isn’t she beautiful!”
She had me wrapped around her little finger ever since then.
She would sing songs to Courtney and whenever we were at the dinner table, all of her grandsons were to remove their hats.
According to her grandsons, she was the best Grandma on the face of the earth. She would make them homemade waffles and plop a scoop of chocolate ice cream in the middle of it. She kept Cracker Jacks in the pantry. She loved her boys!
Even when we visited this past Thanksgiving, and she had no idea who Courtney was, her face lit up when she saw her.
She passed away this morning. I am sad to think that I will never see those pretty eyes again, or hear her sing Don’t Sit Under The Apple Tree.
But I am excited that she is in Heaven!
And I am positive when she got there, she looked around and said “Oh, My! Isn’t it beautiful!”
She was a small, petite thing with very pretty eyes.
She had already had her stroke, so I didn’t know her any different.
Between the wedding and the time of the birth of my daughter, I had only been with her a couple of times. She lived in Florida and us in California and then Key West.
I remember when she came to Key West after the baby was born. It was Palm Sunday and we were having the baby Christened. It was quite an event to have all the kids walking in with their palm branches and Scott and I following with Courtney in her Christening gown. When I laid Courtney in her arms for the first time, she looked and Scott and me and said “Oh, My! Isn’t she beautiful!”
She had me wrapped around her little finger ever since then.
She would sing songs to Courtney and whenever we were at the dinner table, all of her grandsons were to remove their hats.
According to her grandsons, she was the best Grandma on the face of the earth. She would make them homemade waffles and plop a scoop of chocolate ice cream in the middle of it. She kept Cracker Jacks in the pantry. She loved her boys!
Even when we visited this past Thanksgiving, and she had no idea who Courtney was, her face lit up when she saw her.
She passed away this morning. I am sad to think that I will never see those pretty eyes again, or hear her sing Don’t Sit Under The Apple Tree.
But I am excited that she is in Heaven!
And I am positive when she got there, she looked around and said “Oh, My! Isn’t it beautiful!”
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Really?
Dear Man in the Blue Truck That I was Driving Behind on the Way to Work Yesterday:
I see that you have a big sticker on the back of your truck window that says "Hang Up and Drive". Imagine my surprise when I pass you because you are going like 12 miles an hour and see that YOU ARE ON THE PHONE. Really? Perhaps you need to take a nickles worth of your own free advice, my friend.
Dear Man Who Was Driving Behind Me on the Way To Work Today:
I see that you almost rear ended me twice today. Imagine my surprise when I started watching you and what you were actually doing seeing that YOU WERE SHAVING. Really? Perhaps you should do that at home and not on the road.
Dear Woman in the Mini Van on I85:
My God Woman! What is wrong with you? What makes you think it is okay to be on a major interstate and eat TOP RAMEN WITH CHOPSTICKS while you are driving. Really? Clearly you had no hands on the steering wheel as you were holding the bowl with one and chopsticks with the other. You take the cake for idiot drivers. If you are so damn hungry eat before you get in the car!
All of you should have your driver's licenses pulled. Clearly you are too stupid to be on the road. If I had enough money, I would ram you with my car just to make a point. But my car is paid off and Scott says I have to drive it until the wheels fall off because he doesn't want another car payment.
If it weren't for that, you'd be suckin!
I see that you have a big sticker on the back of your truck window that says "Hang Up and Drive". Imagine my surprise when I pass you because you are going like 12 miles an hour and see that YOU ARE ON THE PHONE. Really? Perhaps you need to take a nickles worth of your own free advice, my friend.
Dear Man Who Was Driving Behind Me on the Way To Work Today:
I see that you almost rear ended me twice today. Imagine my surprise when I started watching you and what you were actually doing seeing that YOU WERE SHAVING. Really? Perhaps you should do that at home and not on the road.
Dear Woman in the Mini Van on I85:
My God Woman! What is wrong with you? What makes you think it is okay to be on a major interstate and eat TOP RAMEN WITH CHOPSTICKS while you are driving. Really? Clearly you had no hands on the steering wheel as you were holding the bowl with one and chopsticks with the other. You take the cake for idiot drivers. If you are so damn hungry eat before you get in the car!
All of you should have your driver's licenses pulled. Clearly you are too stupid to be on the road. If I had enough money, I would ram you with my car just to make a point. But my car is paid off and Scott says I have to drive it until the wheels fall off because he doesn't want another car payment.
If it weren't for that, you'd be suckin!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Summertime Memories
Growing up, in the summer, we would go stay a couple of weeks with my Grandmother in Porterville, CA. Doing this, we also got to stay with my Uncle Bill and Aunt Clidella.
Uncle Bill is my dad’s older brother.
His house was very cool to be at. Not only were my cousins, Luanne, Suzanne and Shannon there, but they had cats! My parents wouldn’t allow us to have animals and my Uncle always had cats and I loved cats!
My cousins were in FFA and raised sheep. One summer, I got to go with them to have the wool sheared off of the sheep. I thought that was cool.
They lived across the street from a huge orange grove and one time my cousin, Shannon, packed a picnic lunch and we went into the orange grove and sat under the trees and ate it together.
They had a pool in the back yard and every morning my Uncle would clean the pool. He would get the frogs out of the filters and he would have me get in and get the leaves he couldn’t get off of the bottom.
My Uncle owned a liquor store and when I went to store with him, he let me get candy and I didn’t have to pay for it. I was SO impressed with that!
He was a gruff man, like my dad, but always very nice to me.
He passed away yesterday and my mind flooded with all of these memories and more.
Even though I haven’t seen him in years, I will miss him.
I take a certain pleasure in knowing that he is with my Grandma now.
And that I have memories of all those summers!
Uncle Bill is my dad’s older brother.
His house was very cool to be at. Not only were my cousins, Luanne, Suzanne and Shannon there, but they had cats! My parents wouldn’t allow us to have animals and my Uncle always had cats and I loved cats!
My cousins were in FFA and raised sheep. One summer, I got to go with them to have the wool sheared off of the sheep. I thought that was cool.
They lived across the street from a huge orange grove and one time my cousin, Shannon, packed a picnic lunch and we went into the orange grove and sat under the trees and ate it together.
They had a pool in the back yard and every morning my Uncle would clean the pool. He would get the frogs out of the filters and he would have me get in and get the leaves he couldn’t get off of the bottom.
My Uncle owned a liquor store and when I went to store with him, he let me get candy and I didn’t have to pay for it. I was SO impressed with that!
He was a gruff man, like my dad, but always very nice to me.
He passed away yesterday and my mind flooded with all of these memories and more.
Even though I haven’t seen him in years, I will miss him.
I take a certain pleasure in knowing that he is with my Grandma now.
And that I have memories of all those summers!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Only the Strong Will Survive
When Courtney was 3, her grandma bought her some summer clothes. One outfit was a pair of yellow shorts with little orange popsicles on the cuff and an orange shirt.
For some reason, Courtney LOVED those shorts.
We had only been living in Georgia for about 6 months and were renting a house. I had sent Courtney upstairs to get dressed. From the kitchen I can hear her opening and closing the dresser drawers. Each one is being slammed harder than the previous. She comes downstairs in only her Blue’s Clues underwear and announces, with her hands on her hips, that she CANNOT FIND HER POPSICLE SHORTS.
I can see her in my mind as clear as if it had happened yesterday.
It was hysterical.
I explained to her that she had worn them the day before and that they were in the wash. She decided to wait for them to get done being washed and dried and REFUSED to wear anything else until they were ready.
That was one of my first lessons in how strong willed the child was going to be.
She was in Kindergarten and she wasn’t any bigger than when she was three. She didn’t agree with what the teacher wanted her to do – coloring is clearly for babies. So she packed up her book bag set on her desk and told the teacher to call her mom to come get her.
Oh, they called me alright.
And I had to get on the phone with her and tell her that I wasn’t coming to get her and that she had to do what the teacher told her to do whether she liked to or not. She actually told me on the phone that she would stay today, but we would discuss the rest of the week when I got home for work.
She is in high school now, so clearly I won that battle.
She was in 2nd grade and was being mainstreamed part of the day with the “typical” kids. She decided she no longer needed to be in the special education class. To prove this, she decided to not spell her spelling test words correctly. She left out all of the vowels. In her mind, these words were below her and she didn’t need to take this test. When the teacher told her she failed and had to write each word 10 times, she begged the teacher to let her take the test again. The teacher agreed, and low and behold the child passed with flying colors.
She is 15 now.
And more strong willed than when she was 3.
She is the only one in the house that has a room upstairs. We have always put her stuff on the bannister. That way, she can just grab it when she is going up.
Lately, I have noticed that she isn’t taking her things up with her. So, I started putting her stuff on the actual stairs.
I kid you not – the child jumped over her things TWICE and never carried them up to her room.
When I pointed this out to her, she just looked at me and told me that she would eventually take the stuff up, just not right now.
*Take a deep breath, Melissa. Pick your battles, Melissa*
I thought it would get easier. I thought I would be able to reason with her as she got older.
Hell, I can’t even bribe her to get her to do something she doesn’t want to do.
In a way I am glad that she is strong willed. I am pretty sure that it is going to work in her favor one day.
But right now, I am pretty sure I am going to kill her.
For some reason, Courtney LOVED those shorts.
We had only been living in Georgia for about 6 months and were renting a house. I had sent Courtney upstairs to get dressed. From the kitchen I can hear her opening and closing the dresser drawers. Each one is being slammed harder than the previous. She comes downstairs in only her Blue’s Clues underwear and announces, with her hands on her hips, that she CANNOT FIND HER POPSICLE SHORTS.
I can see her in my mind as clear as if it had happened yesterday.
It was hysterical.
I explained to her that she had worn them the day before and that they were in the wash. She decided to wait for them to get done being washed and dried and REFUSED to wear anything else until they were ready.
That was one of my first lessons in how strong willed the child was going to be.
She was in Kindergarten and she wasn’t any bigger than when she was three. She didn’t agree with what the teacher wanted her to do – coloring is clearly for babies. So she packed up her book bag set on her desk and told the teacher to call her mom to come get her.
Oh, they called me alright.
And I had to get on the phone with her and tell her that I wasn’t coming to get her and that she had to do what the teacher told her to do whether she liked to or not. She actually told me on the phone that she would stay today, but we would discuss the rest of the week when I got home for work.
She is in high school now, so clearly I won that battle.
She was in 2nd grade and was being mainstreamed part of the day with the “typical” kids. She decided she no longer needed to be in the special education class. To prove this, she decided to not spell her spelling test words correctly. She left out all of the vowels. In her mind, these words were below her and she didn’t need to take this test. When the teacher told her she failed and had to write each word 10 times, she begged the teacher to let her take the test again. The teacher agreed, and low and behold the child passed with flying colors.
She is 15 now.
And more strong willed than when she was 3.
She is the only one in the house that has a room upstairs. We have always put her stuff on the bannister. That way, she can just grab it when she is going up.
Lately, I have noticed that she isn’t taking her things up with her. So, I started putting her stuff on the actual stairs.
I kid you not – the child jumped over her things TWICE and never carried them up to her room.
When I pointed this out to her, she just looked at me and told me that she would eventually take the stuff up, just not right now.
*Take a deep breath, Melissa. Pick your battles, Melissa*
I thought it would get easier. I thought I would be able to reason with her as she got older.
Hell, I can’t even bribe her to get her to do something she doesn’t want to do.
In a way I am glad that she is strong willed. I am pretty sure that it is going to work in her favor one day.
But right now, I am pretty sure I am going to kill her.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Might As Well Face It, You're Addicted To Love
Scott and I are very dear friends with a couple who can’t have children.
Several years ago they came to us and told us that they were going to go through the process to get approved to adopt a child. They had already talked to the “powers that be” and were told that while it could take forever to get a baby, they could get an older child quicker. I think they agreed that they would take a child up to 5, but I could have that fact wrong.
They asked us to write a letter of recommendation for them.
So I sat down and wrote a letter straight from my heart. It talked about how kind they both are and why I thought they would be excellent parents.
They went through the process and got approved. The day they were approved they were told it could take MONTHS for a child to be placed in their home.
It wasn’t a week later that they got a call that there was a 4 week old little boy who needed a home. His parents are addicts and he was born addicted. If they thought they might be interested, he could be in their home in a couple days.
Interested?
OF COURSE THEY WERE INTERESTED.
So I went over and picked her up and we went to Babies R Us and grabbed a couple carts. I started telling her how many of what to get just to get them started. Other friends started arranging a baby shower.
Then he arrived.
4 weeks old and his birth mother had shot up within hours of delivering him.
The saddest thing was to see him try to get un-addicted to what his birth mother forced him to be addicted to.
But this child came into a home full of love and friends and family that would move mountains for him.
Today he is a normal kindergartener with a smile who will melt you hair.
When he was a couple years old, they received call that he had a brother. This baby was 4 months old and were they interested in him?
Interested?
OF COURSE THEY WERE INTERESTED.
So along came baby #2.
Also addicted.
Just as cute!
So began the journey of getting this little one clean and sober.
Sober he got and today he is a normal three year old who is hard headed and ALL BOY. This one can do no wrong in my eyes and I enjoy watching him when he doesn’t know that I am.
Over two years ago they received a call that the birth mother is in jail and she is pregnant. Were they interested in this unborn baby?
Interested?
OF COURSE THEY WERE INTERESTED.
So two years ago this month, they brought home the sweetest little girl. Big blue eyes and the same dimples as both of her brothers.
Born addicted, but not as bad as the boys. Apparently you CAN get things in jail.
This past Saturday she turned two. She can keep up with her older brothers like nobody’s business.
You want to know what is funny? ALL three of these kids look like our friends. To look at them, you would not know they were adopted.
It’s like God, when he was making these babies, took a little bit of our friends and dropped them into these children.
And then he dropped these children into a home full of love.
And now that home is really noisy.
And toys are everywhere.
And our get togethers are not what they used to be.
And NONE of us would have it any other way!
Several years ago they came to us and told us that they were going to go through the process to get approved to adopt a child. They had already talked to the “powers that be” and were told that while it could take forever to get a baby, they could get an older child quicker. I think they agreed that they would take a child up to 5, but I could have that fact wrong.
They asked us to write a letter of recommendation for them.
So I sat down and wrote a letter straight from my heart. It talked about how kind they both are and why I thought they would be excellent parents.
They went through the process and got approved. The day they were approved they were told it could take MONTHS for a child to be placed in their home.
It wasn’t a week later that they got a call that there was a 4 week old little boy who needed a home. His parents are addicts and he was born addicted. If they thought they might be interested, he could be in their home in a couple days.
Interested?
OF COURSE THEY WERE INTERESTED.
So I went over and picked her up and we went to Babies R Us and grabbed a couple carts. I started telling her how many of what to get just to get them started. Other friends started arranging a baby shower.
Then he arrived.
4 weeks old and his birth mother had shot up within hours of delivering him.
The saddest thing was to see him try to get un-addicted to what his birth mother forced him to be addicted to.
But this child came into a home full of love and friends and family that would move mountains for him.
Today he is a normal kindergartener with a smile who will melt you hair.
When he was a couple years old, they received call that he had a brother. This baby was 4 months old and were they interested in him?
Interested?
OF COURSE THEY WERE INTERESTED.
So along came baby #2.
Also addicted.
Just as cute!
So began the journey of getting this little one clean and sober.
Sober he got and today he is a normal three year old who is hard headed and ALL BOY. This one can do no wrong in my eyes and I enjoy watching him when he doesn’t know that I am.
Over two years ago they received a call that the birth mother is in jail and she is pregnant. Were they interested in this unborn baby?
Interested?
OF COURSE THEY WERE INTERESTED.
So two years ago this month, they brought home the sweetest little girl. Big blue eyes and the same dimples as both of her brothers.
Born addicted, but not as bad as the boys. Apparently you CAN get things in jail.
This past Saturday she turned two. She can keep up with her older brothers like nobody’s business.
You want to know what is funny? ALL three of these kids look like our friends. To look at them, you would not know they were adopted.
It’s like God, when he was making these babies, took a little bit of our friends and dropped them into these children.
And then he dropped these children into a home full of love.
And now that home is really noisy.
And toys are everywhere.
And our get togethers are not what they used to be.
And NONE of us would have it any other way!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
15 Years and I Seems Like Yesterday
I woke Scott up at 4:00am and told him my water broke.
He just looked at me.
I told him to hand me the phone so I could call the doctor.
Labor had just started and she told me to get up and go walk to get it going and she would call periodically to check on me.
So walk I did.
Finally, at 11:00am, the doctor told me to meet her at the hospital. I made Scott shave my legs because I didn’t want to deliver a baby with hairy legs.
Scott not only obliged, he had already flipped the mattress, changed the sheets and prepared the house for my mom’s arrival from California.
I was pre-registered at the hospital. When I arrive, I told the attendant the labor and delivery was expecting me. He had the nerve to ask me if I was in labor. I stood there and told him that my water broke over 7 hours ago and my contractions were 5 minutes apart, so I am pretty sure that YEAH I AM IN LABOR.
They get me to my room and hook me up to everything and told me we should be done by 3:00pm.
3:00pm came and went.
The epidural wore off and they couldn’t give me another one.
4:00pm
5:00pm
6:00pm
Scott called our neighbors and they brought him some dinner.
7:00pm
8:00pm
I finally told Scott that I didn’t want to do this anymore and let’s just go home.
Apparently, that was not an option.
9:03pm she finally arrived.
They laid all 8lbs 1oz 19.5” of her on my stomach.
She wasn’t crying and the room was nice and dark.
I put my hands on her and whispered to her how I had been waiting all day to meet her.
She craned her head back to look at me, with both eyes open.
And my heart melted into a big pile of mush.
15 years later my heart still melts.
She is my life and I cannot imagine what things would be like without her.
I am SO glad she is mine!!!!
He just looked at me.
I told him to hand me the phone so I could call the doctor.
Labor had just started and she told me to get up and go walk to get it going and she would call periodically to check on me.
So walk I did.
Finally, at 11:00am, the doctor told me to meet her at the hospital. I made Scott shave my legs because I didn’t want to deliver a baby with hairy legs.
Scott not only obliged, he had already flipped the mattress, changed the sheets and prepared the house for my mom’s arrival from California.
I was pre-registered at the hospital. When I arrive, I told the attendant the labor and delivery was expecting me. He had the nerve to ask me if I was in labor. I stood there and told him that my water broke over 7 hours ago and my contractions were 5 minutes apart, so I am pretty sure that YEAH I AM IN LABOR.
They get me to my room and hook me up to everything and told me we should be done by 3:00pm.
3:00pm came and went.
The epidural wore off and they couldn’t give me another one.
4:00pm
5:00pm
6:00pm
Scott called our neighbors and they brought him some dinner.
7:00pm
8:00pm
I finally told Scott that I didn’t want to do this anymore and let’s just go home.
Apparently, that was not an option.
9:03pm she finally arrived.
They laid all 8lbs 1oz 19.5” of her on my stomach.
She wasn’t crying and the room was nice and dark.
I put my hands on her and whispered to her how I had been waiting all day to meet her.
She craned her head back to look at me, with both eyes open.
And my heart melted into a big pile of mush.
15 years later my heart still melts.
She is my life and I cannot imagine what things would be like without her.
I am SO glad she is mine!!!!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Sorry About Your Penis!
Dear Man In The Red Convertible:
First of all I want to say that I am sorry about your penis. Any man your age who has a car like this clearly is having issues. But there is more than just your penis. Let’s go over a few shall we?
Let’s start with your hair. Why don’t you embrace going bald? That comb over thing you are doing doesn’t work and makes you look even more stupid than you already do. Besides, that one piece flying around while you insist on driving with your top down in 30 degree weather is gross.
Now let’s talk about your car. Does it really make you feel that much better? I am sorry that you left your wife, a good woman who loved you, for your 21 year old secretary. I am even sorrier that you are shocked that the 21 year old bimbo left you because you were, wait for it, too old. But this car can’t make you younger or manlier. It is making you pathetic.
Keeping with the car, IF you are going to insist on driving this thing around, which clearly you are, get the dents taken out of it. Obviously you are refusing to wear your glasses, that you desperately need, and you have “bumped” into a few things. WHOOPSIE! That car would look much better if you took it to your local crash and dent place and get it fixed.
Let’s talk about your driving now, shall we? If you are going to get a 5 speed, KNOW HOW TO DRIVE A 5 SPEED. You wanting women to check you out while you are stopped at a light and then speed away loses its effect when you stall out at the light because you can’t get it in gear. We are looking at you alright, but we are laughing at you.
I am sorry you are old, but it is a fact of life. Happens to the best of them. A car isn’t going to make you younger.
Just get a Rascal and paint flames on the side.
Love,
Melissa
First of all I want to say that I am sorry about your penis. Any man your age who has a car like this clearly is having issues. But there is more than just your penis. Let’s go over a few shall we?
Let’s start with your hair. Why don’t you embrace going bald? That comb over thing you are doing doesn’t work and makes you look even more stupid than you already do. Besides, that one piece flying around while you insist on driving with your top down in 30 degree weather is gross.
Now let’s talk about your car. Does it really make you feel that much better? I am sorry that you left your wife, a good woman who loved you, for your 21 year old secretary. I am even sorrier that you are shocked that the 21 year old bimbo left you because you were, wait for it, too old. But this car can’t make you younger or manlier. It is making you pathetic.
Keeping with the car, IF you are going to insist on driving this thing around, which clearly you are, get the dents taken out of it. Obviously you are refusing to wear your glasses, that you desperately need, and you have “bumped” into a few things. WHOOPSIE! That car would look much better if you took it to your local crash and dent place and get it fixed.
Let’s talk about your driving now, shall we? If you are going to get a 5 speed, KNOW HOW TO DRIVE A 5 SPEED. You wanting women to check you out while you are stopped at a light and then speed away loses its effect when you stall out at the light because you can’t get it in gear. We are looking at you alright, but we are laughing at you.
I am sorry you are old, but it is a fact of life. Happens to the best of them. A car isn’t going to make you younger.
Just get a Rascal and paint flames on the side.
Love,
Melissa
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Things I Learned About Myself and My Family Being Snowed In
Here are some things I learned about myself and my family being snowed in (in no particular order):
1. Snow is pretty to look at and not that fun to be in
2. Courtney has no balance on a sledding device and even though you can tell her what to do, she will end up just a few feet away in the neighbors yard every. single. time.
3. Scott talks really loud when he is on the phone with his customers.
4. Watching the neighbor try to get his Corvette out of the driveway at 6:00 in the morning is quite entertaining.
5. Oliver likes the snow, Lucy does not.
6. You do more dishes when you are snowed in for two days then you do in an entire week of sunny weather.
7. Do not plan on going to the store for not only milk, bread and eggs, but apparently beer is in high demand when it snows. I can only assume that is because people need to be drunk to go outside in that temperature.
8. Dogs really do make yellow snow, and apparently some of our neighbors too!
9. There is nothing, I mean NOTHING good on TV from 9:00 am to 8:00pm during the week. I swear, how many shows can Maury have on Whose My Baby Daddy?
10. There is a definite difference between a snow shovel and a regular shovel. *Note to self* buy a snow shovel.
11. Snow can make the ugliest house look pretty. I bet the beer can make ugly things look pretty too!
12. Snowballs hurt and are not all fun like on TV.
13. Fake Ugh Boots do not stand up in the snow. Courtney proved that.
14. Having your husband take you to and from work because you are afraid to drive is not fun because he listens to a stupid ass morning show and you feel like you can't ask him not to listen to it since he is taking you to work and everything but the show is not funny and just makes the ride to work even more unenjoyable.
15. Snow sucks!
1. Snow is pretty to look at and not that fun to be in
2. Courtney has no balance on a sledding device and even though you can tell her what to do, she will end up just a few feet away in the neighbors yard every. single. time.
3. Scott talks really loud when he is on the phone with his customers.
4. Watching the neighbor try to get his Corvette out of the driveway at 6:00 in the morning is quite entertaining.
5. Oliver likes the snow, Lucy does not.
6. You do more dishes when you are snowed in for two days then you do in an entire week of sunny weather.
7. Do not plan on going to the store for not only milk, bread and eggs, but apparently beer is in high demand when it snows. I can only assume that is because people need to be drunk to go outside in that temperature.
8. Dogs really do make yellow snow, and apparently some of our neighbors too!
9. There is nothing, I mean NOTHING good on TV from 9:00 am to 8:00pm during the week. I swear, how many shows can Maury have on Whose My Baby Daddy?
10. There is a definite difference between a snow shovel and a regular shovel. *Note to self* buy a snow shovel.
11. Snow can make the ugliest house look pretty. I bet the beer can make ugly things look pretty too!
12. Snowballs hurt and are not all fun like on TV.
13. Fake Ugh Boots do not stand up in the snow. Courtney proved that.
14. Having your husband take you to and from work because you are afraid to drive is not fun because he listens to a stupid ass morning show and you feel like you can't ask him not to listen to it since he is taking you to work and everything but the show is not funny and just makes the ride to work even more unenjoyable.
15. Snow sucks!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
A Birthday Post
As most of you who know me, know that I shared my birthday with my Uncle Wayne. He was exactly 30 years older than me, and he would have been 72 today.
He was a big man with a booming voice that scared me when I was a little girl.
He was a lawyer and, while I never saw him in court, I bet he scared the crap out of
people on the stand.
He bought Del Taco when I was in, like, 3rd grade. I thought that made him famous!!!
As I got older, he got less intimidating, and I found myself really liking him.
When I got married, Scott immediately took to him. They had the same kind of sense of humor.
He called me after I got married and told me how pretty I looked in my mom’s wedding
dress. That is my favorite memory of him.
Birthdays are, to me, important days. These are the days that God picked especially for you to be born.
God picked for me to share my birthday with my Uncle Wayne.
I think that is pretty cool.
I know there are some people who are scared to die, but not me! I know that when I die, he will be there waiting for me. He will greet me with a smile and simply say “Hello, Melissa.” I will say something stupid and he will loudly laugh, put his arm around me and usher me in.
Happy Birthday, Uncle Wayne! I hope in Heaven you are celebrating being pain free.
And I hope you know you are missed!
He was a big man with a booming voice that scared me when I was a little girl.
He was a lawyer and, while I never saw him in court, I bet he scared the crap out of
people on the stand.
He bought Del Taco when I was in, like, 3rd grade. I thought that made him famous!!!
As I got older, he got less intimidating, and I found myself really liking him.
When I got married, Scott immediately took to him. They had the same kind of sense of humor.
He called me after I got married and told me how pretty I looked in my mom’s wedding
dress. That is my favorite memory of him.
Birthdays are, to me, important days. These are the days that God picked especially for you to be born.
God picked for me to share my birthday with my Uncle Wayne.
I think that is pretty cool.
I know there are some people who are scared to die, but not me! I know that when I die, he will be there waiting for me. He will greet me with a smile and simply say “Hello, Melissa.” I will say something stupid and he will loudly laugh, put his arm around me and usher me in.
Happy Birthday, Uncle Wayne! I hope in Heaven you are celebrating being pain free.
And I hope you know you are missed!
Friday, January 7, 2011
My Weight Watcher's Story
I have been asked to speak at a Weight Watcher's meeting tomorrow. Here is what I plan on saying. I hope it is interesting:
Hi! My name is Melissa Coleman and I have been a Weight Watcher’s member since July 1st 2010.
I became a Life Time member this past Wednesday.
Growing up I was the type of person who could eat anything I wanted. If I needed to lose any weight, I would just skip lunch and I would be fine.
Then I got married to a man who liked to have a little snack each night before bed. Who was I to tell him no, and I liked to snack, so I joined him and put on enough weight to go up a size in clothing the first year we were married.
Then I got pregnant and while I didn’t put on a ton of weight, my metabolism just stopped and I had trouble KEEPING the weight off when she was born.
A couple of years later I lost a bunch of weight and a bunch of money doing Herbalife. 2 Shakes a day and one meal. As soon as I started eating again, the weight came right back on.
Finally, 11 years later my husband told me something I already knew – he said no one can make you lose the weight but you. If you are unhappy, do something about it.
So I joined Weight Watchers. But I was determined that if I was going to do this, I was going to have fun doing it. Luckily for me, I have a leader who has a sense of humor and fellow members who like to laugh. I like my meeting for that reason. I have made friends that have helped me and I have helped be successful.
I believe in this program. If you follow it, it will work. If you put a little into it, you will lose a little weight. If you put a lot into it, you will lose a lot of weight.
If I can do this, anyone can do it.
I stand up here in front of you today, wearing a size 8 jean. 6 months ago I was a size 16. I am off of my high blood pressure medicine. I have walked in 4 5K’s and am currently training to walk a half marathon in March.
I think the thing to do is believe in yourself and surround yourself with others who believe in you and respect what you are doing.
I believe in this program and I believe in you!
Hi! My name is Melissa Coleman and I have been a Weight Watcher’s member since July 1st 2010.
I became a Life Time member this past Wednesday.
Growing up I was the type of person who could eat anything I wanted. If I needed to lose any weight, I would just skip lunch and I would be fine.
Then I got married to a man who liked to have a little snack each night before bed. Who was I to tell him no, and I liked to snack, so I joined him and put on enough weight to go up a size in clothing the first year we were married.
Then I got pregnant and while I didn’t put on a ton of weight, my metabolism just stopped and I had trouble KEEPING the weight off when she was born.
A couple of years later I lost a bunch of weight and a bunch of money doing Herbalife. 2 Shakes a day and one meal. As soon as I started eating again, the weight came right back on.
Finally, 11 years later my husband told me something I already knew – he said no one can make you lose the weight but you. If you are unhappy, do something about it.
So I joined Weight Watchers. But I was determined that if I was going to do this, I was going to have fun doing it. Luckily for me, I have a leader who has a sense of humor and fellow members who like to laugh. I like my meeting for that reason. I have made friends that have helped me and I have helped be successful.
I believe in this program. If you follow it, it will work. If you put a little into it, you will lose a little weight. If you put a lot into it, you will lose a lot of weight.
If I can do this, anyone can do it.
I stand up here in front of you today, wearing a size 8 jean. 6 months ago I was a size 16. I am off of my high blood pressure medicine. I have walked in 4 5K’s and am currently training to walk a half marathon in March.
I think the thing to do is believe in yourself and surround yourself with others who believe in you and respect what you are doing.
I believe in this program and I believe in you!
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