It has been a long time since I have had time to sit down and write, but today seemed like the right time to start up again. This is mainly because I am sitting here after making Christmas goodies with Alyssa and putting to much peanut butter in the second attempt at something called tiger butter. Don't ask about the first batch I will leave Alyssa out of that one. Life has given this family alot of ups and downs in the last few months. I used to think it was more downs than ups but in the big picture I think they even each other out. I know God uses trials in life to make us stronger, but who will I be in the end? Super Woman, Super Mom, Amazon Tammy, tick me off and I'll kick you off? I don't know and don't care as long as God is happy with me in the end.
Christmas is only 3 days away. Wow it has happened so fast this year I'm not quite ready for it. Anna is the newest furry addition to the house. Maybe I should say she is the newest furry remodel to the house. No matter where she goes disaster usually follows. I can't wait to have her trained in the way a dog should act at home.
I thought of posting a poem that would set the mood for this month. Think I'll give it a try.
The calendar said December,
The weather said May.
Both lawnmowers were broken,
That blew my day.
Someone said Christmas was coming,
I thought already? To soon.
Went shopping with Jeffery,
The wrong thing to do.
The presents were bought,
The closet was full,
I really hate wrapping,
Now what do I do?
Of course add a huge dog to the mix,
If we all get lucky she won't eat St. Nick.
There were no sugar plums to dream of at night,
To look at the kitchen just gives me a fright.
Finally at last I just gave in,
Wrapped all the presents,
Forgot to add name tags,
Made goodies to die for,
I hope that's a gag.
When Santa arrives,
The whole family we'll see,
We'll sit down for dinner,
And smile with glee.
We'll give God our thanks,
For another year with each other,
It will last for a moment until Alyssa fights with brother.
The dishes will pile high in the sink,
I'll go and hide and wish I could drink.
A new year will come,
Another year will have passed,
I hope you all have one better than the last.
When times get tough just remember this year,
The Mayans were wrong,
Whoopie!!!! We're still here.
Merry Christmas!
Not my best but I guess it will do,
If your a critic then poo on you.
;-)
Friday, December 21, 2012
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
My Mind When Rain Changes Plans
Well, got up to more rain this morning. That wouldn't bother me so much only I have 3 tomato plants and a zucchini plant that is growing in my living room. Even that wouldn't be bad if they were in pots but they are in these little pods like something from the movie where everyone was being put in a pod and coming out different. I don't know about you but I don't want my zucchini and tomatoes plotting to put me in one of those things to teach me a lesson. Rain is nice though it makes everything look clean and pretty except the cars and the dogs. Both of which seem to find mud holes a nice play place.
I've had enough rest though sitting around waiting on the ground to dry out. I am ready to get down to some serious business with this landscaping and yard work. I would love for most of it to be done before vacation. Plus it seems to speed up my weight loss to get out and work in the yard. There is not a piece of gym equipment on the market today that can take the place of a workout you get when you have to push mow your grass. I even have a plan that involves tilling up the dirt in the ditch that surrounds the property so I will quit having waterfalls in the yard every time there is a down pour. This place is starting to look like the rapids on the Ocoee River when it rains. All the soil is washing away and the tree roots are starting to show. Thanks again to my wonderful neighbor who thinks only of herself. If she really wants a beautiful yard with lots of grass CUT DOWN THOSE PINE TREES! It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that it is cheaper to get rid of a few trees and let the light in than to have thousands of dollars of cross ties and dirt thrown on the property and from the direction I have to see it from it looks, hum how can I put this...TACKY.
Weather man says I have to put up with this for a while longer though because it is going to rain spacing out intervals of sun just enough that there is not going to be any dry top soil for me to get for a while. Maybe I should just get a huge billboard to set in the backyard where the garden and the top soil is suppose to go and have it painted like I want that area to look. Then when I look outside it will always be beautiful, the grass will always be cut, and I can eat cookies and listen to the birds sing while my behind just keeps getting bigger.
Speaking of the birds singing. We have this wonderful little creature that has decided to build its nest just above the door to the carport. Me and Kelcy are just waiting until it flies out and poops on our heads as it tries to leave the nest. When it does we agree we will no longer care about birds. Look everyone has to have a place to live, even in the wild, but bird poop on my head? Not cohesive to you and I getting along.
Well the dryer just buzzed signaling that it is time to put down my coffee and fold clothes, and there are always a thousand things to be done around here if you only look. Guess I will start some of those things that way I won't feel like I wasted my entire day. I feel just a little sneaky though. Kelcy has been picking on me for weeks now. If I could only find some way to get her back before she gets up...I can fluff the clothes. Hehehe
I've had enough rest though sitting around waiting on the ground to dry out. I am ready to get down to some serious business with this landscaping and yard work. I would love for most of it to be done before vacation. Plus it seems to speed up my weight loss to get out and work in the yard. There is not a piece of gym equipment on the market today that can take the place of a workout you get when you have to push mow your grass. I even have a plan that involves tilling up the dirt in the ditch that surrounds the property so I will quit having waterfalls in the yard every time there is a down pour. This place is starting to look like the rapids on the Ocoee River when it rains. All the soil is washing away and the tree roots are starting to show. Thanks again to my wonderful neighbor who thinks only of herself. If she really wants a beautiful yard with lots of grass CUT DOWN THOSE PINE TREES! It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that it is cheaper to get rid of a few trees and let the light in than to have thousands of dollars of cross ties and dirt thrown on the property and from the direction I have to see it from it looks, hum how can I put this...TACKY.
Weather man says I have to put up with this for a while longer though because it is going to rain spacing out intervals of sun just enough that there is not going to be any dry top soil for me to get for a while. Maybe I should just get a huge billboard to set in the backyard where the garden and the top soil is suppose to go and have it painted like I want that area to look. Then when I look outside it will always be beautiful, the grass will always be cut, and I can eat cookies and listen to the birds sing while my behind just keeps getting bigger.
Speaking of the birds singing. We have this wonderful little creature that has decided to build its nest just above the door to the carport. Me and Kelcy are just waiting until it flies out and poops on our heads as it tries to leave the nest. When it does we agree we will no longer care about birds. Look everyone has to have a place to live, even in the wild, but bird poop on my head? Not cohesive to you and I getting along.
Well the dryer just buzzed signaling that it is time to put down my coffee and fold clothes, and there are always a thousand things to be done around here if you only look. Guess I will start some of those things that way I won't feel like I wasted my entire day. I feel just a little sneaky though. Kelcy has been picking on me for weeks now. If I could only find some way to get her back before she gets up...I can fluff the clothes. Hehehe
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Really??
In recent months I have learned alot of things. The biggest thing I have learned is to put my trust in God because He is the only one really in control. I see prayers answered in my family that have amazed me and made me look around at the world in a whole different way. I also ask God to meet me half way sometimes when things aren't working out so well.
You know what kind of things I'm talking about. We have all made plans or wanted to do something and no matter what we did the day was gone and nothing was accomplished. Well yesterday was one of those days. I borrowed a tiller from a really good friend. Bless her heart she hadn't used it in forever so she had no way of knowing that the fuel lines had dry rotted and needed replacing. I carried it and had it fixed in no time. Got back home and tried to crank it and guess what? The primer bubble was also in bad shape. I sat down looked at the area I planned for my garden and just laughed. Then I started to pray. I looked up and asked God why all the obstacles? All I was trying to do was grow the plants He placed on this earth to nourish our bodies and I made sure to read my Bible to nourish my soul. I sang praises to him in church couldn't He at least meet me half way so I could get these things done? Amen. Kelcy had been listening and she said, "you know God only has three answers." I asked what they were. She said, "yes, not now, or I have something better in mind." So always remember we are on God's time He is not on ours and there is a reason for everything.
I'm going to try to do everything again today. We'll see what happens. Either way I'll probably have my feet knocked out from under me. Either by the tiller jerking me around or God doing what he does best which is leading me in the direction He wants me to go whether that is where I was headed or not. Thank you God. I'm glad to have you in my heart and on my side.
You know what kind of things I'm talking about. We have all made plans or wanted to do something and no matter what we did the day was gone and nothing was accomplished. Well yesterday was one of those days. I borrowed a tiller from a really good friend. Bless her heart she hadn't used it in forever so she had no way of knowing that the fuel lines had dry rotted and needed replacing. I carried it and had it fixed in no time. Got back home and tried to crank it and guess what? The primer bubble was also in bad shape. I sat down looked at the area I planned for my garden and just laughed. Then I started to pray. I looked up and asked God why all the obstacles? All I was trying to do was grow the plants He placed on this earth to nourish our bodies and I made sure to read my Bible to nourish my soul. I sang praises to him in church couldn't He at least meet me half way so I could get these things done? Amen. Kelcy had been listening and she said, "you know God only has three answers." I asked what they were. She said, "yes, not now, or I have something better in mind." So always remember we are on God's time He is not on ours and there is a reason for everything.
I'm going to try to do everything again today. We'll see what happens. Either way I'll probably have my feet knocked out from under me. Either by the tiller jerking me around or God doing what he does best which is leading me in the direction He wants me to go whether that is where I was headed or not. Thank you God. I'm glad to have you in my heart and on my side.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
A Beautiful Day Can Turn To Old Memories
Let me start by saying that it is a beautiful day today. That always makes me feel great when I wake up in the morning and you can almost hear that it is going to be a wonderful day. There is yard work to be done and I love working in the yard. I have been know to hunt things to do to stay busy outside. This is one of those days. I planned to get up this morning, have some breakfast and start cleaning the leaves away from the house. There is house work to do too but it can always be done when it's dreary or raining outside. The reality set in. Doctors appointment at 1:15. Now most people wouldn't see that as a big problem but I do. Once I get into a big project I want to spend the whole day on it. Not stop an hour early to get a shower and get dressed to go to the store or go to the doctor. I thought seriously of calling my whole day a bust. Now I'm down to the indoor dreary chores. I can't even do the really dirty things you do when you start Spring cleaning because again that would require getting into something heavy duty and having to quit. I'm going to make the bed, get Kelcy to get up early and start picking up the upstairs while I wash a few dishes and sweep, maybe run the vacuum cleaner. Then I can be like June Cleaver and take off my little thin half apron, pat my hair in the mirror, run upstairs for a little lipstick and out the door we go.
That brings up another question. Did anyone ever believe she was just going upstairs for a little lipstick? Really? You know Junie had to go potty before she left the house. There is not a female alive that has not been trained by their mother to go potty before leaving the house. I still remember mother saying as we were going out the door, "Did you use the bathroom?" I never really understood this until I became a mother. I mean why did my mother automatically assume I had to go to the bathroom between leaving the house and a quick trip to the store and back? This is the woman that would send me out the door in the morning, tell me if I needed water to get it from the hose pipe. (That's right the hose pipe I am from the South) This woman that would not see me for hours while I rode my bicycle, played next door with the chickens and helped plant seeds in the neighbors garden, asking if I needed to go to the bathroom for a little 10 minute trip to the store. Where on earth's little green acres did she think I went the rest of the day? When I think back on it, kids back when I was little must have either been really dehydrated or had bladders the size of a gallon jug! I don't remember having to go pee half a dozen times in my childhood during the summer. Now school was different anytime things got boring everybody had to go pee, even though they lined us up like cattle ever time we drank a sip of water or ate lunch, and it was mandatory you at least went inside the bathroom even if you didn't use it. But when you got bored and raised your hand to go the first words out of the teachers mouth was always, "You didn't go when the whole class was carried before did you?" I wish I had thought about it then, I should have just told her my theory. That when it's summer time your bladder expands due to the fact you are having fun or you don't go because you are just dehydrated and in the winter time the cold makes it shrink so you have to go more often. But I guess then I would have had to pee anyway because I usually get that reaction when someone threatens to beat my behind like I am certain she would have done for my smart mouth. Either way it never really mattered. I got to go to the bathroom and she would stare as I walked out like she could read my mind.
Then there was the day in 6th grade when my teacher decided to prove a point about bathroom breaks. Let me stop here and say that names have been changed to protect the innocent, or pitiful depending on how you look at it. Those of you who went to school with me will remember this story. I still think it may be part of the reason the school was later condemned and a new school built miles away. Back when I was in Elementary school they believed in saving and combining all the vegetables from the previous week and making the worst vegetable soup ever made in the history of mankind. The only thing to look forward to was the dessert or the peanut butter sandwiches made out of that commodity peanut butter. Yum Yum. Well on this particular Friday dessert was stewed plums. Yep there are very few people at a young age that has a taste for stewed plums but Donald was an exception to this rule. Now Donald was a little taller and looked a little older than the rest of the 6th grade kids. You know it's that awkward age when everyone starts taking growth spurts, so he had a little trouble fitting in. This day of all days is when Donald decided to make his mark on the 6th grade by taking a dare. We were all a part of it not just the 6th grade but everyone in the lunchroom that day. We didn't know the affect that stewed plums had on the bodys' digestive system so we dared him to set a record for the most stewed plums ever eaten at one sitting. Back then we had a little over an hour for lunch so this gave Donald plenty of time for the word to spread and everyone to pass their bowl of plums to Donald. There were 4 plums in each bowl and he ate 26 bowls of plums, plus drank the juice. In case your math is bad that would add up to 104 plums. We all applauded him and thought he had really done a great thing and no one would ever be able to match a record like that much less beat it. We all lined up went to the cattle line for the bathroom and returned to class. A short time later while we were doing our work quietly at our desk there was a really strange sound. It was sort of a low moan. Everyone looked around but no one said anything. Then there was a louder moan and a groan from Donald. The teacher was no in a good mood that day and was trying to prove a point she just said, "whoever is making that noise stop right now and do your work." Then there was a much louder groan and Donald raised his hand and asked to go to the restroom. The teachers reply was we had only been back to class for a few minutes and he would have to wait. Of course by then we all knew something was wrong with Donald's stomach, so being the curious 6th graders we were, we hid behind our books and looked over the top to watch Donald. His face had started to turn a light red and beads of sweat were starting to break out. One more time Donald raised his hand and asked to go to the bathroom and again the teacher told him to wait, he told her he really needed to go and she again said no. If she had only looked at Donald she could tell there was a real need for him to leave the classroom his face had now started to turn a bluish color and the sounds from his stomach were getting louder. Several of us at this point tried to get her to let him leave the room afraid that we would be treated to whatever was going on inside Donald landing on us. At that very moment Donald cut one loose to this day I swear not only did the paint start to peel from the wall but I think the chalkboard started to melt! The teacher started swearing and opening doors and windows and asking who in the world had such bad manners. Donald had finally reached the explosive point. No longer caring what the teacher said or done to him later he was going to the restroom. Which by the way it would help to know was at the other end of the building and down the stairs. Yep quite a trip if you really had to go. Obviously Donald did, because he started going the minute he stood up and left a trail to follow all the way down the hall and stairs to a stall in the bathroom that they closed for a week. The smell was even more foul that the original that he had let loose. Teachers were coming out of classrooms and opening windows throughout the school and all it was doing was stirring it up and making it worse. Of course at this point we thought we were all going to get into deep trouble for giving him all those plums at lunch so no one said anything. The teacher was very concerned about Donald because she had never seen or smelled anything quite like this so she sent our only male teacher, Mr. Roby to check on him.
The janitor came through with that kitty litter stuff and started to try to soak up, (yuck) what he could before beginning to clean and the teachers stood in the hallway wondering what could have been wrong with Donald, I mean would it turn out to be a virus that put us all out of school and behind on our work? Back then there wasn't a teachers aide that helped grade papers if a student or students got behind that meant the teacher was behind on her grades too.
Mr. Roby that went after Donald came back up the stairs with him and asked the office lady to call his mother to pick him up he would have to go home. Donald had a cold wet cloth on his head. (Never understood that either. No matter what hurts put a cold cloth on your head.) Now they had been gone a good long time and everyone thought when they saw Donald come back upstairs still alive that this would be the end of things. But halfway up the hall Donald turned around with a loud horn like noise from the sitting area of his body and back down the stairs he went. All the teachers of course gathered together out of earshot of those of us wondering what was going to happen and discussed what Mr. Roby had found out from Donald. We did hear the usual questions like had he been sick when he came to school, had he been running a fever, was anyone else in the house sick? Mr. Roby was the best teacher at the school but showed very little emotion so you never knew what he was thinking. He started talking to the other teachers and all of a sudden one of the teachers grabbed her chest jumped back from the crowd and yelled, "What? You have got to be kidding!" Mr. Roby then began to laugh as he described what Donald told him. None of the female teachers could believe that we didn't know what we were doing and it was just a cruel prank.
Donald went home as soon as his mother got there and heard the story. She actually found it funny and said at least he learned a valuable lesson. I wish our teachers would have taken it the same way she did. We listened to the longest lecture and we were made to sit and smell that awful smell for the rest of the day. When it came time to go outside for time on the playground, (yes playground ain't that better than the gym?) we had to stay inside and write get well notes to poor Donald who according to the teacher we almost killed that day.
Donald came back Monday morning smiling but not quite knowing what anyone would say about Friday's events. We all picked on him a little but he knew it was all in good fun and would laugh with us and we never carried to far for fear of hurting his feelings. When the school served stewed plums after that they only put 3 in a dish and a strict no sharing allowed was issued. We still would ask Donald if he wanted us to sneak him a few.
Donald and all of us formed a special friendship that year that has lasted until today. I saw him a few years ago and he smiled gave me a hug and said, "don't worry you can squeeze tight I haven't eaten any plums today." We laughed caught up and went on our own way. We have a mutual friend that stays in touch with everyone we ever met in school I don't know how she does it. I can't remember what I looked like much less some of the people I met in 1st grade but she does. She keeps me up with all the going on in every ones life. Think I'll call today and scrape the housework and find out if she has heard from Donald lately.
I wish our kids could get along with each other like we did back then and have the friendships that last through time even if you don't see each other everyday.
That brings up another question. Did anyone ever believe she was just going upstairs for a little lipstick? Really? You know Junie had to go potty before she left the house. There is not a female alive that has not been trained by their mother to go potty before leaving the house. I still remember mother saying as we were going out the door, "Did you use the bathroom?" I never really understood this until I became a mother. I mean why did my mother automatically assume I had to go to the bathroom between leaving the house and a quick trip to the store and back? This is the woman that would send me out the door in the morning, tell me if I needed water to get it from the hose pipe. (That's right the hose pipe I am from the South) This woman that would not see me for hours while I rode my bicycle, played next door with the chickens and helped plant seeds in the neighbors garden, asking if I needed to go to the bathroom for a little 10 minute trip to the store. Where on earth's little green acres did she think I went the rest of the day? When I think back on it, kids back when I was little must have either been really dehydrated or had bladders the size of a gallon jug! I don't remember having to go pee half a dozen times in my childhood during the summer. Now school was different anytime things got boring everybody had to go pee, even though they lined us up like cattle ever time we drank a sip of water or ate lunch, and it was mandatory you at least went inside the bathroom even if you didn't use it. But when you got bored and raised your hand to go the first words out of the teachers mouth was always, "You didn't go when the whole class was carried before did you?" I wish I had thought about it then, I should have just told her my theory. That when it's summer time your bladder expands due to the fact you are having fun or you don't go because you are just dehydrated and in the winter time the cold makes it shrink so you have to go more often. But I guess then I would have had to pee anyway because I usually get that reaction when someone threatens to beat my behind like I am certain she would have done for my smart mouth. Either way it never really mattered. I got to go to the bathroom and she would stare as I walked out like she could read my mind.
Then there was the day in 6th grade when my teacher decided to prove a point about bathroom breaks. Let me stop here and say that names have been changed to protect the innocent, or pitiful depending on how you look at it. Those of you who went to school with me will remember this story. I still think it may be part of the reason the school was later condemned and a new school built miles away. Back when I was in Elementary school they believed in saving and combining all the vegetables from the previous week and making the worst vegetable soup ever made in the history of mankind. The only thing to look forward to was the dessert or the peanut butter sandwiches made out of that commodity peanut butter. Yum Yum. Well on this particular Friday dessert was stewed plums. Yep there are very few people at a young age that has a taste for stewed plums but Donald was an exception to this rule. Now Donald was a little taller and looked a little older than the rest of the 6th grade kids. You know it's that awkward age when everyone starts taking growth spurts, so he had a little trouble fitting in. This day of all days is when Donald decided to make his mark on the 6th grade by taking a dare. We were all a part of it not just the 6th grade but everyone in the lunchroom that day. We didn't know the affect that stewed plums had on the bodys' digestive system so we dared him to set a record for the most stewed plums ever eaten at one sitting. Back then we had a little over an hour for lunch so this gave Donald plenty of time for the word to spread and everyone to pass their bowl of plums to Donald. There were 4 plums in each bowl and he ate 26 bowls of plums, plus drank the juice. In case your math is bad that would add up to 104 plums. We all applauded him and thought he had really done a great thing and no one would ever be able to match a record like that much less beat it. We all lined up went to the cattle line for the bathroom and returned to class. A short time later while we were doing our work quietly at our desk there was a really strange sound. It was sort of a low moan. Everyone looked around but no one said anything. Then there was a louder moan and a groan from Donald. The teacher was no in a good mood that day and was trying to prove a point she just said, "whoever is making that noise stop right now and do your work." Then there was a much louder groan and Donald raised his hand and asked to go to the restroom. The teachers reply was we had only been back to class for a few minutes and he would have to wait. Of course by then we all knew something was wrong with Donald's stomach, so being the curious 6th graders we were, we hid behind our books and looked over the top to watch Donald. His face had started to turn a light red and beads of sweat were starting to break out. One more time Donald raised his hand and asked to go to the bathroom and again the teacher told him to wait, he told her he really needed to go and she again said no. If she had only looked at Donald she could tell there was a real need for him to leave the classroom his face had now started to turn a bluish color and the sounds from his stomach were getting louder. Several of us at this point tried to get her to let him leave the room afraid that we would be treated to whatever was going on inside Donald landing on us. At that very moment Donald cut one loose to this day I swear not only did the paint start to peel from the wall but I think the chalkboard started to melt! The teacher started swearing and opening doors and windows and asking who in the world had such bad manners. Donald had finally reached the explosive point. No longer caring what the teacher said or done to him later he was going to the restroom. Which by the way it would help to know was at the other end of the building and down the stairs. Yep quite a trip if you really had to go. Obviously Donald did, because he started going the minute he stood up and left a trail to follow all the way down the hall and stairs to a stall in the bathroom that they closed for a week. The smell was even more foul that the original that he had let loose. Teachers were coming out of classrooms and opening windows throughout the school and all it was doing was stirring it up and making it worse. Of course at this point we thought we were all going to get into deep trouble for giving him all those plums at lunch so no one said anything. The teacher was very concerned about Donald because she had never seen or smelled anything quite like this so she sent our only male teacher, Mr. Roby to check on him.
The janitor came through with that kitty litter stuff and started to try to soak up, (yuck) what he could before beginning to clean and the teachers stood in the hallway wondering what could have been wrong with Donald, I mean would it turn out to be a virus that put us all out of school and behind on our work? Back then there wasn't a teachers aide that helped grade papers if a student or students got behind that meant the teacher was behind on her grades too.
Mr. Roby that went after Donald came back up the stairs with him and asked the office lady to call his mother to pick him up he would have to go home. Donald had a cold wet cloth on his head. (Never understood that either. No matter what hurts put a cold cloth on your head.) Now they had been gone a good long time and everyone thought when they saw Donald come back upstairs still alive that this would be the end of things. But halfway up the hall Donald turned around with a loud horn like noise from the sitting area of his body and back down the stairs he went. All the teachers of course gathered together out of earshot of those of us wondering what was going to happen and discussed what Mr. Roby had found out from Donald. We did hear the usual questions like had he been sick when he came to school, had he been running a fever, was anyone else in the house sick? Mr. Roby was the best teacher at the school but showed very little emotion so you never knew what he was thinking. He started talking to the other teachers and all of a sudden one of the teachers grabbed her chest jumped back from the crowd and yelled, "What? You have got to be kidding!" Mr. Roby then began to laugh as he described what Donald told him. None of the female teachers could believe that we didn't know what we were doing and it was just a cruel prank.
Donald went home as soon as his mother got there and heard the story. She actually found it funny and said at least he learned a valuable lesson. I wish our teachers would have taken it the same way she did. We listened to the longest lecture and we were made to sit and smell that awful smell for the rest of the day. When it came time to go outside for time on the playground, (yes playground ain't that better than the gym?) we had to stay inside and write get well notes to poor Donald who according to the teacher we almost killed that day.
Donald came back Monday morning smiling but not quite knowing what anyone would say about Friday's events. We all picked on him a little but he knew it was all in good fun and would laugh with us and we never carried to far for fear of hurting his feelings. When the school served stewed plums after that they only put 3 in a dish and a strict no sharing allowed was issued. We still would ask Donald if he wanted us to sneak him a few.
Donald and all of us formed a special friendship that year that has lasted until today. I saw him a few years ago and he smiled gave me a hug and said, "don't worry you can squeeze tight I haven't eaten any plums today." We laughed caught up and went on our own way. We have a mutual friend that stays in touch with everyone we ever met in school I don't know how she does it. I can't remember what I looked like much less some of the people I met in 1st grade but she does. She keeps me up with all the going on in every ones life. Think I'll call today and scrape the housework and find out if she has heard from Donald lately.
I wish our kids could get along with each other like we did back then and have the friendships that last through time even if you don't see each other everyday.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Spring means different things to everyone
Today looks like it is going to be a beautiful day. If all the allergies would clear up I would love to be outside working in the yard and getting all the Winter mess out of here. Instead I will be taking the car to get a face lift at the body shop from hail damage we got in Florence during the tornadoes, and buying some groceries. Can't forget that Kelcy made me promise Chinese food for lunch.
But beginning today I can really start some projects I have been putting off for a long time. I can get the living room ready for a new coat of paint. I have a new comforter and curtains to hang in the bedroom. Checking on getting a used stove installed that will be bigger than the one I have now. I want to get my hair done in a color I have never had before but think I will really like. If not maybe I have the guts to pull it off like I really don't care when people stare at it. I want to get the pool and deck sold and moved out of here and maybe get at least a couple of trees cut down and a built up garden area built. I know I'll have to wait a little while for the veggies to get put in but can't wait to start on that either. In the meantime I'm going to start Spring cleaning on the house and get the stale air out and the fresh air in. This usually means a trip to the doctor in a few weeks for shots and antibiotics and some time for me to stop hacking my head off. I have no idea why doing the things I love to do in the Spring tries to kill me. Maybe if I say enough prayers this year God will show the germs another place to light instead on me and my family. Not asking for forever just one Spring.
I think I got in this mood when I went for a walk with Alyssa Saturday before we left. We just walked and talked and looked at all the pretty houses and the birds on the streets up there aren't scared of you. We were standing in touching distance of a blue bird and it just chirped and hopped around. Easter is in a couple of weeks and that is when I usually start looking forward to the prettiest weather. I know it has snowed here as late as April but I am holding out hope that doesn't happen again for a long, long time. But I have to admit the weather has been strange this year.
I wish I could learn how to post a picture on here so you could see just how pretty it is outside. But then again with all the brown leaves and dead looking limbs, maybe I'm just seeing the potential it has right under the surface waiting to bust out and show everyone else. And that's ok too I hope me and mother nature have some of the same ideas. I know I have been seeing her work in a different way lately. Excuse me but I think I just added one more thing to my to do list.
But beginning today I can really start some projects I have been putting off for a long time. I can get the living room ready for a new coat of paint. I have a new comforter and curtains to hang in the bedroom. Checking on getting a used stove installed that will be bigger than the one I have now. I want to get my hair done in a color I have never had before but think I will really like. If not maybe I have the guts to pull it off like I really don't care when people stare at it. I want to get the pool and deck sold and moved out of here and maybe get at least a couple of trees cut down and a built up garden area built. I know I'll have to wait a little while for the veggies to get put in but can't wait to start on that either. In the meantime I'm going to start Spring cleaning on the house and get the stale air out and the fresh air in. This usually means a trip to the doctor in a few weeks for shots and antibiotics and some time for me to stop hacking my head off. I have no idea why doing the things I love to do in the Spring tries to kill me. Maybe if I say enough prayers this year God will show the germs another place to light instead on me and my family. Not asking for forever just one Spring.
I think I got in this mood when I went for a walk with Alyssa Saturday before we left. We just walked and talked and looked at all the pretty houses and the birds on the streets up there aren't scared of you. We were standing in touching distance of a blue bird and it just chirped and hopped around. Easter is in a couple of weeks and that is when I usually start looking forward to the prettiest weather. I know it has snowed here as late as April but I am holding out hope that doesn't happen again for a long, long time. But I have to admit the weather has been strange this year.
I wish I could learn how to post a picture on here so you could see just how pretty it is outside. But then again with all the brown leaves and dead looking limbs, maybe I'm just seeing the potential it has right under the surface waiting to bust out and show everyone else. And that's ok too I hope me and mother nature have some of the same ideas. I know I have been seeing her work in a different way lately. Excuse me but I think I just added one more thing to my to do list.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Leap Year
I am doing something for the next few days that was actually an idea I got from facebook. Since it is Feb. 29th I am doing a time capsule. The actual suggestion was for you to gather all your information from today. But I have decided the way my family is scattered and working it will take a few days to get everything together. I did print off the gas prices for today and a Mcdonald's Big Mac meal menu to put in just to see how inflation is in 4 years. I thought this is not only going to be fun but it will be exciting to open up next leap year and see what has changed. They suggested things like family pictures, pictures of the house and pets, a newspaper from today. But I don't want all of todays news just the things I think are going to be really changed in 4 years. I do plan to see if I can get each of my family members to write down things in a letter like what they expect to be doing in 4 years. Where do they see their self living, working, going to school, just in general what they see their life being like in 4 years. Then we will seal the envelopes without looking at each others, put them in a can and seal them and no one gets to peek until next leap year. Then we can all get together and see what we have done or not done and how close we followed what are in the letters. Oh and no one should forget to put in these letters all the things they hope they have accomplished or things on their bucket list they want to complete. This could be a fun family project. Don't forget to add pictures of you and a friend or two either so you can see how each of you have changed.
I have just the container in mind and I can't wait for everything to go inside and be sealed up for the next 4 years.
I have just the container in mind and I can't wait for everything to go inside and be sealed up for the next 4 years.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Where to go from here
There are days in your life that you wish you could crawl back into bed and start the day over in lets say a week from now. Today has been one of those days. Not a bad day really just one of those days when things are off. I have a feeling I should be doing something really important and then I begin to wonder, why? No one is going to stop by here and offer to come inside and do an interview for 20/20. I haven't witnessed a murder, as far as I know all the nice people in the neighborhood haven't been digging any deep holes in the yard or hauling strange things away in the middle of the night in pick up trucks. Without knocking out walls that I can't put back up there is not alot left in the way of changing the house around. Yard work is out of the questions since we are expecting a monsoon in the next two days. Besides I'm getting old and my arthritis just tells me one word. NO! I think I have just found one thing exciting though looking out the window. Around here me and mom would always look outside everyday and look at the very tops of some trees across the street and when they would turn red it would take no time at all before you would start to see leaves on trees and the grass turning green. Hotdog today is that day!! Those tops are red and Spring has got to be on its way! Of course every other day feels like Spring this year. I can still dream that these trees have more sense than some of the other plants that were just waiting to be the first to bust out with flowers and color. Afterall the trees I'm talking about have no color except at the very top and when it is gone there are only green leaves left. If you didn't take the time to look up you wouldn't even know the color had ever been there. Maybe that is my little lesson today. Always look up. I used to lay on the grass and look up at the sky all Summer at the clouds passing and would just relax and have no worries. I remember sitting beside at tree trunk with a bologna sandwich covered in mustard and eating chips with some cold kool aid, just watching the wind blow the leaves.
Life has gotten so busy. Why??? All I can really think of is the fact our parents believed you only bought things if you needed them and could pay cash for them. You didn't throw anything away if it could be fixed cheaper. Remember the key phrase is fixed cheaper not more conviently. You only ate out maybe once a month when everyone loaded up for a family drive on a pretty Sunday morning and headed out to no place in particular. You never bought junk food at the store because that was a waste of money. If you were young and behaved really well sometimes, not everytime you would get some little something they were selling at the register.
Everyone now wants everything they want, not necessarily need. I admit to being guilty of that. I think making the change of buying nothing on credit is a pretty good start to reverseing a bad habit. I would like to have a hot tub, but I'll settle for a nice little garden of vegetables that I can work in. I would like to have a bigger kitchen, but really why? My kids are growing up and moving out on their own so all I really would need is a small table to add to the arrangement I have now, so I would have some baking space. A larger oven if it is possible would be nice to lessen the time I spent in the kitchen when I needed to cook large meals. Besides the one I have is so old it is starting to fall apart and it will be cheaper to replace than to repair.
Starting today I am going to begin to declutter my life. I have gone about things the wrong way all these years and maybe its not to late to make changes and still show my kids how good things come to those who wait. Patience has never been one of my strong points I don't expect that to change over night but I can work on it. God will give me what I need. Just as He always made sure that my family had what they needed when I was growing up. We didn't have the biggest house around, or the fanciest clothes. But there was always food on the table. Money in the bank for emergencies and enough left out of the paycheck in case someone got sick or had a "need". There were times when I wondered why we couldn't have all the things my friends had but when I look back they were happy then and I see them now and they don't seem as happy. I sometimes wonder if it is because they never had to want so they never learned to appreciate. I know I probably accumulate clutter and give in to my children because I didn't have that luxury growing up. But that really isn't doing anyone any favors.
Today I start a list of needs and a list of wants. Lets see which list is longer and which one wins.
Life has gotten so busy. Why??? All I can really think of is the fact our parents believed you only bought things if you needed them and could pay cash for them. You didn't throw anything away if it could be fixed cheaper. Remember the key phrase is fixed cheaper not more conviently. You only ate out maybe once a month when everyone loaded up for a family drive on a pretty Sunday morning and headed out to no place in particular. You never bought junk food at the store because that was a waste of money. If you were young and behaved really well sometimes, not everytime you would get some little something they were selling at the register.
Everyone now wants everything they want, not necessarily need. I admit to being guilty of that. I think making the change of buying nothing on credit is a pretty good start to reverseing a bad habit. I would like to have a hot tub, but I'll settle for a nice little garden of vegetables that I can work in. I would like to have a bigger kitchen, but really why? My kids are growing up and moving out on their own so all I really would need is a small table to add to the arrangement I have now, so I would have some baking space. A larger oven if it is possible would be nice to lessen the time I spent in the kitchen when I needed to cook large meals. Besides the one I have is so old it is starting to fall apart and it will be cheaper to replace than to repair.
Starting today I am going to begin to declutter my life. I have gone about things the wrong way all these years and maybe its not to late to make changes and still show my kids how good things come to those who wait. Patience has never been one of my strong points I don't expect that to change over night but I can work on it. God will give me what I need. Just as He always made sure that my family had what they needed when I was growing up. We didn't have the biggest house around, or the fanciest clothes. But there was always food on the table. Money in the bank for emergencies and enough left out of the paycheck in case someone got sick or had a "need". There were times when I wondered why we couldn't have all the things my friends had but when I look back they were happy then and I see them now and they don't seem as happy. I sometimes wonder if it is because they never had to want so they never learned to appreciate. I know I probably accumulate clutter and give in to my children because I didn't have that luxury growing up. But that really isn't doing anyone any favors.
Today I start a list of needs and a list of wants. Lets see which list is longer and which one wins.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Baby Moves Out
I remember back when I first found out I was going to have Alyssa. I was so excited I could hardly wait to start getting a nursery ready. I painted the room this awful primary yellow color on the top and a horrible primary green on the bottom and then put the cutest border around the whole thing that had teddy bears holding what else but primary colored beach balls all the way around the room. Looking back my friends were right that room is probably why she wears contacts today. Those colors were probably more than her little eyes could handle. But is was so sweet to buy baby stuff and wash it and put it away to wait on her to get here. We moved not long after she was born to and it was still an exciting time to put the nursery back together in a different house. (without the colors) I hung up all the little frilly dresses and carried in all the toys. Everything except one toy she called Baby. Baby is still very special. Alyssa never went anywhere without Baby. Granny bought Baby for her before she was born. She took to it right away. She had surgery to put tubes in her ears twice. Both times baby went into surgery with her. Anytime she was sick Baby always stayed in her arms. Baby was one of those toys that can't be washed so you can only imagine what Baby started to look like over the years. I mean Baby went on vacations, to the store, to daycare. One night baby was accidentally left at the daycare and we had to call someone and beg them to open up long enough for us to get Baby or there would be no sleep that night. Baby was accidentally again left when we were running late leaving Chattanooga coming home from vacation. Alyssa was excited by the trip and didn't notice Baby was missing until she became sleepy around Gadsden. Yes we pulled over and called the hotel. One of the cleaning ladies said she had found Baby under the couch and saw how much "loving" Baby had been given and put her back knowing someone would come looking for her. They sent her UPS to the house. Alyssa did not leave the front door for 3 days waiting for her return. Then there was the day that I went to pick Alyssa up from daycare and she was screaming and crying worse than I had ever seen her in my life. You would have thought she had seen a family member or a pet get run over by a car. It was almost worse. She had accidentally dropped Baby in a bucket of Pine Sol water around lunch time and the daycare lady wouldn't give her back she put her in a plastic bag and laid her in the window sill. Alyssa could see her but thought they were going to throw her away. I know you aren't suppose to let a child have a plastic bag but when I walked in I gave her Baby plastic and all. She immediately stopped crying. We took Baby home and put her in the washer to get rid of what we could of the germs. Of course this was done by me holding Alyssa and the button to keep the washer running so she could see Baby the whole time. The hard part was while she sat in front of the dryer with her head laying against the door humming the word Baby over and over again until we got her out. I think it was as traumatic for me as it was her. But the reunion was wonderful all was right in the world again. Baby still took trips and went everywhere. It was hard to explain when Baby couldn't join the first grade with Alyssa but we promised she could sit on the couch and wait on her to come home. And she did everyday without fail. Then the call at work came from Granny one night. Baby had been loved to the point her head came off and Alyssa was crying her eyes out. She cried herself to sleep holding Baby's head and body close to her and was waiting on me when I walked in the door the next morning to make everything ok. I was able to talk her into letting me take Baby with me to work that night by telling her Baby was going to the hospital to be fixed. I can't sew and by this time Baby was in pretty bad shape, but I spent most of the night between calls stitching that dolls head back on. It was so delicate by this time and so nasty looking I stopped by the store and bought it a preemie outfit to wear hoping to save what was left of the poor thing. When I got home I explained to Alyssa that Baby was very fragile and would have to have special care from now on. That is would be best if she wore the outfit that way if she got dirty we could wash it without Baby having to go into the washer. This seemed to make her happy and it must have because Baby still wears that outfit today. From then on even though Baby slept in the bed with Alyssa for many more years she was always placed on a pillow to herself and if company ever came over Baby was always in a crib that was made for her.
Baby has been as much a part of my life as she has been Alyssa's. I knew that it was special to Granny because Alyssa loved something she gave her so very much. Baby has always been special to me because when my daughter needed someone she trusted to be with her in surgeries in areas where I wasn't allowed to be, Baby would be the last "person" she saw when she went to sleep and the first one there when she woke up. I guess somewhere in my mind I have always believed as long as baby was close by Alyssa wasn't far away. I had always figured that as Alyssa went to college and got her life underway Baby would always be here waiting for her to return until she married and moved away for good, then she would take Baby to her new home and share her with her family. That all changed this weekend. I was standing in Alyssa's bedroom at her new apartment and as she was unpacking she gently took Baby out of the box. Yes, I cried. I cried hard. Alyssa has grown up and moved out and I guess that means Baby has finally grown up too. They both have a new home and Baby has a special place of honor in Alyssa's new home. It's really silly but I never knew I was growing as attached to that little stuffed doll as much as the little girl that gave her all the loving care for the last 19 years. In my heart I know its not really attachment to Baby but what she has represented all these years that I will miss. My little girl has grown up. I know holding Baby hostage is not what would keep her coming home, its the love she gets here. But the house sure feels emptier this morning.
Baby has been as much a part of my life as she has been Alyssa's. I knew that it was special to Granny because Alyssa loved something she gave her so very much. Baby has always been special to me because when my daughter needed someone she trusted to be with her in surgeries in areas where I wasn't allowed to be, Baby would be the last "person" she saw when she went to sleep and the first one there when she woke up. I guess somewhere in my mind I have always believed as long as baby was close by Alyssa wasn't far away. I had always figured that as Alyssa went to college and got her life underway Baby would always be here waiting for her to return until she married and moved away for good, then she would take Baby to her new home and share her with her family. That all changed this weekend. I was standing in Alyssa's bedroom at her new apartment and as she was unpacking she gently took Baby out of the box. Yes, I cried. I cried hard. Alyssa has grown up and moved out and I guess that means Baby has finally grown up too. They both have a new home and Baby has a special place of honor in Alyssa's new home. It's really silly but I never knew I was growing as attached to that little stuffed doll as much as the little girl that gave her all the loving care for the last 19 years. In my heart I know its not really attachment to Baby but what she has represented all these years that I will miss. My little girl has grown up. I know holding Baby hostage is not what would keep her coming home, its the love she gets here. But the house sure feels emptier this morning.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
The Devil Made Me Do It
Wow, life sure changes fast from day to day. I have this uncontrollable urge to paint the living room today. I have an idea for an accent wall in a kind of chocolate color. Hmm wonder if that will just make me want to eat more? Got the diet going, well started, I don't think the word going will work until I see the weight coming off. Speaking of which I'M STARVING!!!!!! I could argue about how much weight I have gained but lets face it. It is all my fault. I opened my mouth and inserted doughnuts, cupcakes, chocolate, and anything that tasted good. Now I have to promise myself to eat right and get this junk off. My joints can't take much more and I am running out of sheets to cover the mirrors so I don't have to see myself in them. Can you say denial? I did buy an skirt and blouse that is my inspiration outfit for Easter. I just hope we have a late Easter this year or I'll never get into it. I just thought of something...I have a ton of things I could be doing that would require burning calories around the house but look what I'm doing. Computers are from the devil he wants you fat so you will die a slow lingering death and he thinks he will be able to get you to turn to the dark side and come with him. Ok just to prove I'm going to win this thing I'm stopping here and will pick up on a slow day.
HeHeHe The devil is not wasting my day, throwing out the fat stuff and well since that's all that is in the pantry I guess I'll lose some weight. The exercise of throwing it out will burn calories. So come on devil you ain't won yet. LOL
HeHeHe The devil is not wasting my day, throwing out the fat stuff and well since that's all that is in the pantry I guess I'll lose some weight. The exercise of throwing it out will burn calories. So come on devil you ain't won yet. LOL
Monday, February 20, 2012
Whine, Wine and Life Lessons
This past Friday I spent the day in Florence helping Alyssa look for her first apartment. It was exciting we rode around and talked and spent quality time together. We only went inside 3 apartments but the first one was the one we both liked the best and it was closer to the campus. She can ride her bike to school on pretty days and save gas, get exercise and just ride around and get to know the area.
I am proud of her and all the things she is growing up and accomplishing and we were both really excited to sign the lease. I have to admit that she has finally felt the first pains of growing up. When signing the lease for a full year she got a little pale and anxious but in the end it was o.k.
The reality though didn't really set in with me though until we got back home and had to stop to pick up boxes for her to pack. Sending her off to live in a dorm was sad but at least I knew for a fact she had to come home several times a year because when the dorm closed she had no where else to go. When we started talking getting a uhaul and getting all of her things packed from her room here and then even her bed was leaving. WOW!! Yes I cried. I will probably cry alot when I see the room empty. I know she will be coming home but it will be alot easier now for her to say hey I think I'm just gonna stay home and come in a little later this week. I'm really expecting that sentence if you can't already tell. Not to mention there is a boy involved in her life now that kinda scares me. Just because she is growing up and we may not always be number one in her life like we have been for the last 19 1/2 years. I can no longer hold control over what she wants to do with her life. Just hope that she will come to us before any major decisions and just talk about them first. I won't try to talk her out of anything just be the devils advocate for the side she may have not quite looked to closely at.
It's really hard to see someone you have been so extremely close to all your life, a person that you have carried under and inside your heart for 20 years become an adult. I guess now I am finding out what it really means to start having an empty nest.
I only hope that her Dad, Granny and I have given her life lessons that she will keep with her forever and they will lead her down a path that will make her the happiest person alive. I want her to have it ALL. A job she loves, a man who will put her on a pedestal and never break her heart with unkind words or deeds, and a family of her own one day. But I also want her to know that she has alot of family that will always be there to help pick up the pieces or just listen. The family part she will enjoy she loves kids so very much, but here is the warning all mothers should be given before they even think of a family...One day you will be where I am, proud, happy, sad, glad, confused, and praying everyday that you gave the right advice, and enough love to keep your child safe and happy.
I know this is not like the rest of the posts I have added to my blog, but it was just what was in my heart today as I realize my baby has grown up to be an independent woman.
I have by no means shed all the tears I expect to shed over the next few weeks, or for the next few years I'm sure as she continues to mature and go her own way.
Someone said a mothers job is never done. I don't know who would ever want it to be done, because I want to be there for my children forever.
Well I guess it's 5'oclock somewhere and after this I should probably break open the wine. Hmmm...wonder what it would cost to invest in a vineyard it has to be cheaper than by the bottle.
I am proud of her and all the things she is growing up and accomplishing and we were both really excited to sign the lease. I have to admit that she has finally felt the first pains of growing up. When signing the lease for a full year she got a little pale and anxious but in the end it was o.k.
The reality though didn't really set in with me though until we got back home and had to stop to pick up boxes for her to pack. Sending her off to live in a dorm was sad but at least I knew for a fact she had to come home several times a year because when the dorm closed she had no where else to go. When we started talking getting a uhaul and getting all of her things packed from her room here and then even her bed was leaving. WOW!! Yes I cried. I will probably cry alot when I see the room empty. I know she will be coming home but it will be alot easier now for her to say hey I think I'm just gonna stay home and come in a little later this week. I'm really expecting that sentence if you can't already tell. Not to mention there is a boy involved in her life now that kinda scares me. Just because she is growing up and we may not always be number one in her life like we have been for the last 19 1/2 years. I can no longer hold control over what she wants to do with her life. Just hope that she will come to us before any major decisions and just talk about them first. I won't try to talk her out of anything just be the devils advocate for the side she may have not quite looked to closely at.
It's really hard to see someone you have been so extremely close to all your life, a person that you have carried under and inside your heart for 20 years become an adult. I guess now I am finding out what it really means to start having an empty nest.
I only hope that her Dad, Granny and I have given her life lessons that she will keep with her forever and they will lead her down a path that will make her the happiest person alive. I want her to have it ALL. A job she loves, a man who will put her on a pedestal and never break her heart with unkind words or deeds, and a family of her own one day. But I also want her to know that she has alot of family that will always be there to help pick up the pieces or just listen. The family part she will enjoy she loves kids so very much, but here is the warning all mothers should be given before they even think of a family...One day you will be where I am, proud, happy, sad, glad, confused, and praying everyday that you gave the right advice, and enough love to keep your child safe and happy.
I know this is not like the rest of the posts I have added to my blog, but it was just what was in my heart today as I realize my baby has grown up to be an independent woman.
I have by no means shed all the tears I expect to shed over the next few weeks, or for the next few years I'm sure as she continues to mature and go her own way.
Someone said a mothers job is never done. I don't know who would ever want it to be done, because I want to be there for my children forever.
Well I guess it's 5'oclock somewhere and after this I should probably break open the wine. Hmmm...wonder what it would cost to invest in a vineyard it has to be cheaper than by the bottle.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Things that are the most important to me
by Tammy Hall Parker on Tuesday, November 2, 2010 at 3:33pm
My family comes first, middle and last with me. They are the most important thing in my life and they are what keeps me going from day to day. Without them I wouldn't have humor, love, sanity,friendship,and most of all peace in life. The kids have reached a point in life that one has found his way and is going to start a family of his own. This makes me both happy and sad. Even though I know that he needs to spread his wings and I couldn't have hoped he would find such a special young woman who I have grown to love in a very short time as if she were my own,to spend his life with. I will miss the ability to feel as though I can keep up with his comings and goings and look forward to the little things we enjoy together.
Then there is the oldest daughter who is just starting to find her way. She has larger than life ambitions and the tenacity to stick with it. She is looking at colleges and chasing rainbows just like all young people should as long as they can. Life has a way of getting harder as you grow and sometimes those rainbows are harder to find but she seems to find beauty in all things and I believe this is what sets her apart from most people her age and will take her far in life. And when things seem to be too much she knows she only has to come to us and we will try to restore some of the faith in mankind that she always seems to find even when others wouldn't even bother to look.
Then we come to the youngest. She is learning to drive. Oh how I worry what doors this will open. She hasn't decided her lifes path yet but she is still young and very carefree. I think that is the way young people should be. Adulthood comes sooner and sooner and they should enjoy all that childhood has to offer.
Then there is the man in my life. He is not last in this note but he is by far the glue that holds us all together. I love him beyond measure and I don't tell him often enough how much he means to us all. We have loved each of our children, tried to instill good morals in them and somehow I think we have done just that. The day he said I do I don't think he ever imagined what he was getting himself into but I think he has handled it well. I don't know what my life would have been without him and I look forward to spending the rest of our lives together. I love him more now than the day I married him. I never believed in love at first sight and I never thought my heart would still skip a beat after all these years just from seeing him walk in the door or just holding me in his arms. It always feels like the first time that I have ever felt such love for another person. So honey if you're reading this just know I look forward to a long life with you and I want to have as much fun with you in our old age as I have had over the years with you since the day you made me say I do.lol By the way thank you for talking me into that. I loved you then, I love you now, and I love you forever.
The four of us in probably the last group photo for a long time.
Me and Zach my oldest and dearest son. Finally all grown up
Then there is the oldest daughter who is just starting to find her way. She has larger than life ambitions and the tenacity to stick with it. She is looking at colleges and chasing rainbows just like all young people should as long as they can. Life has a way of getting harder as you grow and sometimes those rainbows are harder to find but she seems to find beauty in all things and I believe this is what sets her apart from most people her age and will take her far in life. And when things seem to be too much she knows she only has to come to us and we will try to restore some of the faith in mankind that she always seems to find even when others wouldn't even bother to look.
Then we come to the youngest. She is learning to drive. Oh how I worry what doors this will open. She hasn't decided her lifes path yet but she is still young and very carefree. I think that is the way young people should be. Adulthood comes sooner and sooner and they should enjoy all that childhood has to offer.
Then there is the man in my life. He is not last in this note but he is by far the glue that holds us all together. I love him beyond measure and I don't tell him often enough how much he means to us all. We have loved each of our children, tried to instill good morals in them and somehow I think we have done just that. The day he said I do I don't think he ever imagined what he was getting himself into but I think he has handled it well. I don't know what my life would have been without him and I look forward to spending the rest of our lives together. I love him more now than the day I married him. I never believed in love at first sight and I never thought my heart would still skip a beat after all these years just from seeing him walk in the door or just holding me in his arms. It always feels like the first time that I have ever felt such love for another person. So honey if you're reading this just know I look forward to a long life with you and I want to have as much fun with you in our old age as I have had over the years with you since the day you made me say I do.lol By the way thank you for talking me into that. I loved you then, I love you now, and I love you forever.
The four of us in probably the last group photo for a long time.Me and Zach my oldest and dearest son. Finally all grown upMy granny and my mom
by Tammy Hall Parker on Saturday, November 13, 2010 at 5:49pm
I just wanted to take a minute to reflect back on when I was a little girl. I remember growing up my whole life in Adamsville and my granny lived in Bessemer right next door to the fire station where Jeff works now. (funny huh?) Anyway we didn't go see my granny very often because mother hated to drive very far and she was always so busy around the house. My dad worked long hours so she had to do all the yard work and the house work. We only had one car for a long time and that is another reason we never got to go see my grandmother. Then even though later on when we got a second car it seemed to just add to the work because now she had all the errands to run during the week. But my granny, God rest her soul, didn't look at it that way. She figured we had another car so that would free my mom up to come visit more often and bring me to see her, see I was the baby grand-daughter too. I would hear my mom every now and then on the phone with granny telling her there was no way we could come visit that day because mom had too much to do. My PaPa died long before I was born and granny was getting so far along in years that most of her friends had either moved away or passed away. My granny was in her early 90's when she passed. All of her children had grown up and moved away and sad to say there were a couple of them, like in every family, that didn't come visit because they didn't want to be reminded that they came from a farming family that could barely make ends meet with so many kids during the depression. My granny was a funny lady though. She always smiled at everyone she met and she never met a stranger. When I first met Jeff I met his fire chief he said he remebered granny because she always used a broom to sweep the grass clippings off her yard so they wouldn't leave spots. She was beautiful, short, curly white hair, big smile,wrinkles all over her face, and what I like to think of as fluffy around the middle. lol I can't remember what color her eyes were but I can still remember thinking I hoped when I got as old as her my eyes would dance with mischief like hers did. She always wanted me to spend the weekend with her and mother wouldn't let me. When I asked her why she said because granny would let me have my way and it would take her a week just to straighten me out again. Just to let you know how sneaky my granny could be there were several times mom would come running out of the house with her purse yelling "get in the car granny says she feels like she is dying and we need to get to Bessemer fast." We would jump in the car and take off as fast as we could to granny's house. When we came running in granny would yell from the back of the house where the kitchen was to hurry up and get in there. We would walk in to find a table covered in food that she had been cooking all day so we would come eat. lol This little stunt worked on mom several times. She always said she would never be as sneaky as granny. Right. My mom is so much like her lately that I can see granny everytime I look at her and I know how mom felt when granny would pull a stunt. My granny would say she was dying my mom just sneaks around and tries to get up and walk when she knows she can't so we will have to be on constant watch. Same idea different tactic.
I still remember the last time I spoke with my granny it has been about 27 years since she passed. She had cancer. It was on the back of her tongue and back then when you got cancer they cut it out but most of the time you passed away from it anyway because they had no real treatment especially for people her age. She told the doctor if he cut it out she couldn't talk and she was going to be able to speak her mind until the day she died. Mom finally found time to go see granny, we would go every weekend to the nursing home. When we saw her the last time she wanted a milkshake and a fried pie. It was 8:00 in the morning and no one was serving milkshakes and pies at that time of day. There was a Jack's resturant on Bessemer Super Hwy and when we told the manager what we wanted and who it was for he made up two shakes and fried some pies just for granny. He wouldn't take a dime for any of it or his trouble but told us to call ahead anytime and he would have them ready for us when we got there. When we got to the nursing home and gave them to granny that was the last time I saw her smile,and her eyes dance. She could barely talk but she told me to find someone to love and to take care of my mom the way she had taken care of her. We talked to granny for a while and left telling her we would bring her more fried pies and milkshakes the next weekend, little did we know that there would be no more weekends. We walked in right after the funeral home had come for granny. I was about 18 years old. I thought about what she had told me and I told my mom right then that I would always take care of her and she would never be alone. See there was no one there when granny passed away and I have always wondered how she felt or what her last words would have been. But I'm sure of one thing in the end when she saw my papa she smiled her beautiful smile as he led her home. And I know that when granny sees me taking care of her baby, my mom, she smiles now too. My mom has granny's eyes and when she smiles I still see granny in her. I also see the mischief that she always said she would never pull come out from time to time. Sometimes these memories are what gets me through those rough days when I feel like I can't keep on going anymore. Sometimes I think granny just gives me a little nudge to let me know I can do it. No matter what it is or how things turn out I loved my granny and I love my mom and when everything is said and done there will be no regrets in my heart because I will be here to hear her last thoughts or see her last smile. I will hold her hand when she is scared and I will try to make her happy when she is sad. When she gets mad at me because our roles have changed and now I take care of her instead of the other way around I will try to be understanding.
Granny, I hope you are looking down here and giving me all the little nudges and sometimes the little pushes I need. She was your baby in the family. I am her baby, and I am trying to keep the promise I made both of you many many years ago.
I still remember the last time I spoke with my granny it has been about 27 years since she passed. She had cancer. It was on the back of her tongue and back then when you got cancer they cut it out but most of the time you passed away from it anyway because they had no real treatment especially for people her age. She told the doctor if he cut it out she couldn't talk and she was going to be able to speak her mind until the day she died. Mom finally found time to go see granny, we would go every weekend to the nursing home. When we saw her the last time she wanted a milkshake and a fried pie. It was 8:00 in the morning and no one was serving milkshakes and pies at that time of day. There was a Jack's resturant on Bessemer Super Hwy and when we told the manager what we wanted and who it was for he made up two shakes and fried some pies just for granny. He wouldn't take a dime for any of it or his trouble but told us to call ahead anytime and he would have them ready for us when we got there. When we got to the nursing home and gave them to granny that was the last time I saw her smile,and her eyes dance. She could barely talk but she told me to find someone to love and to take care of my mom the way she had taken care of her. We talked to granny for a while and left telling her we would bring her more fried pies and milkshakes the next weekend, little did we know that there would be no more weekends. We walked in right after the funeral home had come for granny. I was about 18 years old. I thought about what she had told me and I told my mom right then that I would always take care of her and she would never be alone. See there was no one there when granny passed away and I have always wondered how she felt or what her last words would have been. But I'm sure of one thing in the end when she saw my papa she smiled her beautiful smile as he led her home. And I know that when granny sees me taking care of her baby, my mom, she smiles now too. My mom has granny's eyes and when she smiles I still see granny in her. I also see the mischief that she always said she would never pull come out from time to time. Sometimes these memories are what gets me through those rough days when I feel like I can't keep on going anymore. Sometimes I think granny just gives me a little nudge to let me know I can do it. No matter what it is or how things turn out I loved my granny and I love my mom and when everything is said and done there will be no regrets in my heart because I will be here to hear her last thoughts or see her last smile. I will hold her hand when she is scared and I will try to make her happy when she is sad. When she gets mad at me because our roles have changed and now I take care of her instead of the other way around I will try to be understanding.
Granny, I hope you are looking down here and giving me all the little nudges and sometimes the little pushes I need. She was your baby in the family. I am her baby, and I am trying to keep the promise I made both of you many many years ago.
Thanksgiving memories being made
by Tammy Hall Parker on Friday, November 26, 2010 at 4:27am
We didn't really start having a family Thanksgiving meal until just a few years ago. My mom used to have one every year until she started to work and all of her other kids decided they would spend it with their spouses family instead. I never really thought about the dinner part of it. I mean lets face it since Jeff and I got married with what we did for a living we worked every Thanksgiving. Then I happened to be off one year (and no jokes about me being off just one year) and Jeff was home so Kelcy asked why we didn't make a huge dinner like everyone else. I thought about it and said why not. Ha now I know...I had only tried in ohhhh I won't say how many years to cook a turkey about every 4 years or so. Never really got the hang of it. On my first try nobody said it took forever to thaw a frozen turkey. On my second try no one told me there was stuff ewww inside the turkey before I cooked it, you can only guess how long it took to throw that one out. The next one went ok except the thingy that popped out and said the turkey was ready didn't automatically brown the stupid thing so it looked really gross. Now I have decided with the girls that it is not so much whether the turkey is edible or if it looks like a Martha Stewart picture, it's the fun we have together just trying to get the stupid bird in a small oven. Besides who fixed Martha a turkey while she did time? Should have been me I would have had a ball! lol I had never seasoned a turkey until a couple of years ago and since my mom won't eat anything with less than 4 legs she was no help. So I didn't get a cookbook I decided I would open the cabinet and take out whatever looked like something a t.v. cook might use. Just wanted to point out here don't lube up the turkey before getting in the pan...you would think that thing grew back feathers and learned to fly. lmao...and so were the girls. I had bought the turkey cooking bag only to learn that the stupid bird wouldn't fit in the oven with a bag once it got hot so out of the bag it flew, uh came. Anyway after an hour of prep time and alot of challenges the turkey was in the oven. I decided this year I would try to baste the stupid thing whatever you do that for, guess what it turned brown. Yea for the team! First edible turkey. I think family history was made that year and now we have decided it really doesn't matter after the last few years whether or not the turkey can be ate or if it goes out in a bag to the garbage, it was the fun we have trying to get it right. I never write down what we put in or on the bird just try anything we can get our hands on every year. And yes this means it never tastes the same but who cares when you spend a couple of hours laughing with your kids? I hope when they grow up and have kids of their own they don't write anything down just rub stuff on and pour stuff over year after year and have as much fun. A little disclaimer here...no frozen turkeys were seriously harmed while making this Thanksgiving tradition. Just a huge mess to clean up on the counters while it cooked. :) Oh, and can someone tell me what you do with that nasty stuff inside that we all look at each other and say "you get it out I got it out of Tom last year"? Just kidding I know what it's suppose to be used for but why tell them till I have to? He He He. Now I just love Thanksgiving and this is just one more thing I have to be thankful for. My family, my friends, our health and the people that put turkeys in the freezer for us to play with. lol
A special person leaves to be with God
by Tammy Hall Parker on Wednesday, December 1, 2010 at 12:06am
On November 26,2010 our mother,granny,great grandmother and great great grandmother left all her suffering and pain behind at 6:07 in the morning to go be with God and all the family she has missed for so long. She became extremely weak only a couple of weeks before this happened but told me she was tired of living without any quality in her life. She hated to be waited on because she was always the care giver in the family. She was special to each of us in different ways. But she was the rock that held the mountain together. I just can speak for this household and how it has been for us the last couple of weeks and especially the last week. I have children both grown and young that played a part in taking care of granny. Now I have one that will not cry and tries to take care of everyone else, I have one that cries over everything. Zach is just quiet as usual he keeps things to himself. I hurt in my bones I thought it may be arthritis but went to the doctor and he said I was fine except for some swelling in my feet, and fatigue. He said the hurting was from grieving. I knew I would cry, that my heart would hurt, that I would probably sleep alot even though sleep is filled with nightmares about that morning, but I had never heard of bone pain. Poor Jeff lost what he considered to be a mother to him and he has had to try and grieve and take care of us. I know it is taking a toll on him but I don't know what I would do without him. Bless his heart he has been so busy he even went to work today and it was his off day. He was always worried how we would be able to take mother someday passing away while living with us because everywhere we looked there would be a memory, but I think in some ways that is good. They say there are several steps to the grieving process and they don't come in any special order other than the final being acceptance. We are fortunate that the person that performed the ceremony was not only a family friend he was also mothers friend. Even though he suffered a loss also he was still able to perform a service I think mother would have wanted. She wasn't a person who wanted a big fuss made when she went home. Everytime she heard of someone passing away she would call me and Alyssa in and tell us just how she wanted things and who she wanted to do what. It never changed but she wanted us to be sure we didn't forget. She was in her right mind up until the end when she couldn't stand up at all. It was nice to be able to talk to her and relive memories for all of us. Each night we would take turns on different nights talking to her and making her laugh. At times when things got bad she would get on to me about making her eat exactly like she always did, same voice, and the same sentence but would finally give in. Alot of this may not seem like it is about mom, but if you knew her you know that she would consider this to be a fuss made over her. We all loved her, we will all miss her, and she will remain in our hearts forever. God has a very special person with him now and all of the questions she always wanted answered he has answered for her. She can finally dance which she always loved to do. She can enjoy family and friends that passed on before her and met her to show her the way home. She can look down and watch over all of us and we will do our best to make her proud. Most importantly all the pain and all the things that have caused her problems have all gone away and she is young,vibrant,and still as beautiful as always. This family has two very important things that will happen in the next year that she was looking forward to being here for but God had other plans. She will still be there but it will be in spirit instead of in person. But we have to remember to include her and know she is still there with us.
We all love you mom, we will miss feeling your arms around us, we will miss the goodnight kisses, but we know we will see you again. We will do all we can to make you proud of us and will always ask ourselves when we have a problem we can't solve,"what would mom say for us to do?" Don't worry about us we will be fine in time. Enjoy where you are and tell everyone we have lost that we love and miss them too. It's good to know you are with a special someone that Jeff and I never got the chance to meet. Give them a kiss for us and let them know they are thought about often with love. Just as we will always think of you. Once again we love you still, this is not goodbye this is see you later when the time is right. Goodnight mom.
We all love you mom, we will miss feeling your arms around us, we will miss the goodnight kisses, but we know we will see you again. We will do all we can to make you proud of us and will always ask ourselves when we have a problem we can't solve,"what would mom say for us to do?" Don't worry about us we will be fine in time. Enjoy where you are and tell everyone we have lost that we love and miss them too. It's good to know you are with a special someone that Jeff and I never got the chance to meet. Give them a kiss for us and let them know they are thought about often with love. Just as we will always think of you. Once again we love you still, this is not goodbye this is see you later when the time is right. Goodnight mom.
Lifes little lessons
by Tammy Hall Parker on Friday, December 17, 2010 at 5:11am
Wash clothes, buy groceries, clean house, run errands, make appointments, keep appointments, work around kids schedule, cook dinner, wash dishes, clean closets, put up decorations, cook huge dinner for family, take down decorations, water plants before they start to droop, answer the 15th phone call today,make 15 more to fit in more appointments, get mail sift through the junk to the important stuff, take garbage out before it overflows,send out Christmas cards,check those all important lists,answer questions,listen to problems, listen to the latest drama, everybody family meeting time to co-ordinate schedules, whoops booked over one that can't be changed, go back and reschudule original appointment, calendar is full start making notes in the margin, brain has overloaded start putting things to do on white board on fridge, white board is full start checking the notebook for updates and changes, keep things in perspective, don't sweat the small stuff, imagine the worst, hope for the best and pray you get through it all with your sanity intact. That's being a mom today.
Had an uncle once that always would look at any problem, think on it for just a minute if that long. Said out loud that either it would work itself out or it wouldn't he couldn't change the outcome. Never worried about politics or watched the news. Lived happily for 96 years, always smiled, still had perfect eyesight and a good mind. Drove himself to and from the doctor once a year for a physical where the doctor found nothing wrong. Always treated others the way he wanted to be treated. Always said he hoped that when his time came he would just fall asleep and not wake up. He called his grandson and said he was going to take a nap in his favorite recliner...never woke up.
Maybe we should all take a lesson from our ancestors. If you look back they worked harder than most of us in worse conditions. Lived with less money. Never worried about tomorrow but lived for today. Always treated people they met with kindness. Helped their neighbors in good times and through the bad times. Some of them lived before indoor plumbing and pulled water from a well. Grew their own food or went hungry. Pulled together as a family and counted on one another to pull their own weight. And yet they never complained and they lived longer than those of us today. Maybe they were on to something...you think?
Had an uncle once that always would look at any problem, think on it for just a minute if that long. Said out loud that either it would work itself out or it wouldn't he couldn't change the outcome. Never worried about politics or watched the news. Lived happily for 96 years, always smiled, still had perfect eyesight and a good mind. Drove himself to and from the doctor once a year for a physical where the doctor found nothing wrong. Always treated others the way he wanted to be treated. Always said he hoped that when his time came he would just fall asleep and not wake up. He called his grandson and said he was going to take a nap in his favorite recliner...never woke up.
Maybe we should all take a lesson from our ancestors. If you look back they worked harder than most of us in worse conditions. Lived with less money. Never worried about tomorrow but lived for today. Always treated people they met with kindness. Helped their neighbors in good times and through the bad times. Some of them lived before indoor plumbing and pulled water from a well. Grew their own food or went hungry. Pulled together as a family and counted on one another to pull their own weight. And yet they never complained and they lived longer than those of us today. Maybe they were on to something...you think?
New Year, New Me
by Tammy Hall Parker on Thursday, December 30, 2010 at 4:11am
O.K. so New Years is suppose to be a clean slate and a way to change the old and start out fresh and new. I think for the first time in my life I am going to try this tradition. I always listened to other people say things like how they were going to lose weight, quit smoking, spend more time with friends and family, exercise more...but I look at some of those people and realize they may have just thought they could make those promises to themselves and keep them. Don't get me wrong I don't want anyone getting mad here but statistics show most people have broken or forgotten these things by the end of the first week.
I don't want to make big resolutions that I probably will not do or keep up with. I want to get some things done that I have always wanted. My knee is really having trouble. I know that sounded like it didn't involve me...but the first thing I want to do is try and restore some of its good health. Oh how I would love to be able to get down in the floor to clip coupons or just get down on my knees to find the ball the dog rolled under the furniture. That brings me to the second resolution...don't take the little things for granted. I've never been big on taking pictures just randomly of my family. This is definitly going to change. I got a small camera for Christmas and I'm learning to use it. Look out folks I will be in a livingroom or kitchen near you soon. I want pictures of the girls just hanging out. Jeff just walking through the door. Even the little crazy things they all do. I don't make a pledge to get them in an album that is to much to hope for right now, but just having them is the important thing. Most of you don't know I have a phobia about going places by myself. I don't know how this got started it just kind of happened. Well the kids are growing up and will be moving on so I guess that is one of the little things I have to get over. So I am going to try slow with running short errands and just going for rides. I will do this though when someone is here to come get me in case I flip out and can't get back alone. Oh here is where I should mention that when I say by myself I can follow people and it is not as bad I mean you're not really alone if someone is there to catch you. Important things are coming up in my children's lives this year. Alyssa has been offered a large scholarship and it is probably the first of many. This is really making me think of where she may be in what has turned into a few short months. She has also been offered at trip with People to People Student Ambassadors to go to Italy, France and Greece this summer. She went with them to Australia when she was 10 and had so much fun she still talks about it today. If she goes it will mean as soon as she returns she will be off to the college of her choice. Then there is Zach getting married to the sweetest person I've ever met. Her name is Beth and they will be married in June. He will be moving out and starting a new and exciting life himself. Just the two of them starting a long journey that every turn will take them in their own special direction, but they will make those turns together to make it their personal family journey. Kelcy will still be at home, but she is a free spirit and you never know with her which way she will travel from year to year or even day to day. Jeff will keep being Jeff and doing his thing with work and more work, with the good Lord willing to keep all of this going.
So now you see the new me is sort of like I'm going in reverse more than moving forward I guess. I started out this journey with two good knees, lots of baby pictures, and going places alone and doing things that people never thought I would accomplish. But I will have a wonderful man by my side that I can grow old with as the other people I love move on and make their lives their own. He will be here to catch me when I trip and we will be here to catch the others when they need us, just like when they were babies taking their first steps. I guess you could say I'm looking for my balance all over again. I will never be the same, some things just change you, but I will try and make the best for the New Year. I'll read this next year and see how things went.
I don't want to make big resolutions that I probably will not do or keep up with. I want to get some things done that I have always wanted. My knee is really having trouble. I know that sounded like it didn't involve me...but the first thing I want to do is try and restore some of its good health. Oh how I would love to be able to get down in the floor to clip coupons or just get down on my knees to find the ball the dog rolled under the furniture. That brings me to the second resolution...don't take the little things for granted. I've never been big on taking pictures just randomly of my family. This is definitly going to change. I got a small camera for Christmas and I'm learning to use it. Look out folks I will be in a livingroom or kitchen near you soon. I want pictures of the girls just hanging out. Jeff just walking through the door. Even the little crazy things they all do. I don't make a pledge to get them in an album that is to much to hope for right now, but just having them is the important thing. Most of you don't know I have a phobia about going places by myself. I don't know how this got started it just kind of happened. Well the kids are growing up and will be moving on so I guess that is one of the little things I have to get over. So I am going to try slow with running short errands and just going for rides. I will do this though when someone is here to come get me in case I flip out and can't get back alone. Oh here is where I should mention that when I say by myself I can follow people and it is not as bad I mean you're not really alone if someone is there to catch you. Important things are coming up in my children's lives this year. Alyssa has been offered a large scholarship and it is probably the first of many. This is really making me think of where she may be in what has turned into a few short months. She has also been offered at trip with People to People Student Ambassadors to go to Italy, France and Greece this summer. She went with them to Australia when she was 10 and had so much fun she still talks about it today. If she goes it will mean as soon as she returns she will be off to the college of her choice. Then there is Zach getting married to the sweetest person I've ever met. Her name is Beth and they will be married in June. He will be moving out and starting a new and exciting life himself. Just the two of them starting a long journey that every turn will take them in their own special direction, but they will make those turns together to make it their personal family journey. Kelcy will still be at home, but she is a free spirit and you never know with her which way she will travel from year to year or even day to day. Jeff will keep being Jeff and doing his thing with work and more work, with the good Lord willing to keep all of this going.
So now you see the new me is sort of like I'm going in reverse more than moving forward I guess. I started out this journey with two good knees, lots of baby pictures, and going places alone and doing things that people never thought I would accomplish. But I will have a wonderful man by my side that I can grow old with as the other people I love move on and make their lives their own. He will be here to catch me when I trip and we will be here to catch the others when they need us, just like when they were babies taking their first steps. I guess you could say I'm looking for my balance all over again. I will never be the same, some things just change you, but I will try and make the best for the New Year. I'll read this next year and see how things went.
Snow new and old memories
by Tammy Hall Parker on Monday, January 10, 2011 at 5:57am
It started snowing early as most people know. Alyssa and Kelcy were excited and loved it. It is 5:08 am I have been up for a couple of hours. Got up just to see how deep the snow was and what to expect for the day. It is a winter wonderland and we only got 2" but I hope I can get some pics before it gets all messed up with people walking and driving on it. I love to look at all the solid white snow and get sad when it gets all messy and slushy. Jeff is probably going to be stranded at work as usual but I have gotten used to this from being a firemans wife for so long. I'm just glad I don't have to be at work like I used to every time there was going to be road hazards and spend the night. I have almost everything I want or need right here. I have both my girls, would be good to have my boys and their special ladies here if only for a little while, plenty to eat and if the power goes out my sweet husband made sure we would have some heat before he left. He is the only thing that would make this snow day perfect. After the girls said goodnight last night I got the bright idea to go outside like a little kid and play in the snow as it was falling. You know early enough my tracks would be covered up and no one would know I went out. Since I broke my foot a year ago and I am having so much trouble with my knee, no one wants me out in the slippery ice alone. Ha I'm a big girl I took the phone in case of a fall, and a camera just to prove later that I could do this all alone. But as usual when you do something you're not suppose to I got caught. Kelcy had forgotten something downstairs and was standing in the livingroom looking at me with that I caught you face when I walked in. She almost scared me to death since I thought everyone was upstairs in bed. In a way I wish we had this to last for a week or more, but if we can't I would still like to see the snow like this a little more often. The only down side for us is that we don't ever get Jeff home to play out in the snow with. :( My future daughter-in-law or daughter as I like to think of her, comes from Missouri and is used to seeing snow all winter and alot more than we ever get. She finds us kind of funny for running out for milk and bread. They keep the schools open and drive where they want to go. I guess for her this is just a dusting. lol But I love to see her laugh at all of us running around grabbing milk and bread. She is a sweetheart and a wonderful young woman.
The memories of the 1993 snow storm are still fresh in my mind and are some of the best snow memories I have. Alyssa was only 7 months old. We stayed with my mom because she never lost power in all the years I was growing up. And if she did what better company to be with. Anyway Jeff had to go in to work as soon as the flurries started and of course it was like moving to get all of a 7 month olds stuff together to keep her occupied for several days. When the snow started in full force in the middle of the night me and mom were sleeping on the pull out sofa watching James Spann and waiting to see what happened. The snow was blowing toward the front of the house. Now here is where you need to know a little about mom. She was very chlosterphobic and has always been afaid of just a little water. Well it started to thunder and lighten so mom runs to one of the windows at the front of the house and starts yelling that we are snowed in up to the windows. lol the snow had blown against the window and that was the impression you got but I was looking out the back and could see all the way across the yard. I don't think there was any look more funny than the look on her face when she realized the snow wasn't really that deep. lol By the way I don't think anything is prettier than a thunderstorm that snows. Call me crazy but with the lightening the sky would turn pink and it made the snow look a little pink too, just awesome. Hope my kids get to see it some day. I guess that snow is why Alyssa never gets really excited about snow. First thing when daylight got there I went out and dug a hole in the snow until I could see the ground and got Alyssa and stood her in it. Hahaha the snow came up to her shoulders. She hated it, and we have pictures to prove it. She may have the chance to go to college up north and the only complaint she has is that it snows up there and she is not crazy about having snow all winter. If I hadn't been there during labor and delivery I would swear this child is not mine. My child would be sitting on pins and needles to go north.
This is just one of many fun memories I have about snow days from the time of adulthood. I have alot more of less snow but huge fun with two people that I grew up with that I think of as brothers. Like being pulled out of a warm bed and carried out in the snow, set down and them running in the house and locking me out. Pneumonia as I look back on it the week after was well worth the memories and fun we shared. Oh and Ricky and Ronnie if you are reading this I still owe you one. lol
This is just a few good memories past and present the rest I will just let stay as memories. I hope to make alot more as my list of family members grow and I get to play like a kid again with my family. Kids now may have video games, computers and cell phones to keep them busy, but I plan on teaching them the fun you can have if you put all that away and have a true snow day. I mean really how many chances do you get to do that living in the south? Remember when you were a kid and pass on the fun, it's the only way we can keep snow days the way they used to be, because snow never changes only the way people play. I think I'll go out and get my snowballs ready to throw early. Nothing like getting that head start on the kids, they move faster than me. lol
The memories of the 1993 snow storm are still fresh in my mind and are some of the best snow memories I have. Alyssa was only 7 months old. We stayed with my mom because she never lost power in all the years I was growing up. And if she did what better company to be with. Anyway Jeff had to go in to work as soon as the flurries started and of course it was like moving to get all of a 7 month olds stuff together to keep her occupied for several days. When the snow started in full force in the middle of the night me and mom were sleeping on the pull out sofa watching James Spann and waiting to see what happened. The snow was blowing toward the front of the house. Now here is where you need to know a little about mom. She was very chlosterphobic and has always been afaid of just a little water. Well it started to thunder and lighten so mom runs to one of the windows at the front of the house and starts yelling that we are snowed in up to the windows. lol the snow had blown against the window and that was the impression you got but I was looking out the back and could see all the way across the yard. I don't think there was any look more funny than the look on her face when she realized the snow wasn't really that deep. lol By the way I don't think anything is prettier than a thunderstorm that snows. Call me crazy but with the lightening the sky would turn pink and it made the snow look a little pink too, just awesome. Hope my kids get to see it some day. I guess that snow is why Alyssa never gets really excited about snow. First thing when daylight got there I went out and dug a hole in the snow until I could see the ground and got Alyssa and stood her in it. Hahaha the snow came up to her shoulders. She hated it, and we have pictures to prove it. She may have the chance to go to college up north and the only complaint she has is that it snows up there and she is not crazy about having snow all winter. If I hadn't been there during labor and delivery I would swear this child is not mine. My child would be sitting on pins and needles to go north.
This is just one of many fun memories I have about snow days from the time of adulthood. I have alot more of less snow but huge fun with two people that I grew up with that I think of as brothers. Like being pulled out of a warm bed and carried out in the snow, set down and them running in the house and locking me out. Pneumonia as I look back on it the week after was well worth the memories and fun we shared. Oh and Ricky and Ronnie if you are reading this I still owe you one. lol
This is just a few good memories past and present the rest I will just let stay as memories. I hope to make alot more as my list of family members grow and I get to play like a kid again with my family. Kids now may have video games, computers and cell phones to keep them busy, but I plan on teaching them the fun you can have if you put all that away and have a true snow day. I mean really how many chances do you get to do that living in the south? Remember when you were a kid and pass on the fun, it's the only way we can keep snow days the way they used to be, because snow never changes only the way people play. I think I'll go out and get my snowballs ready to throw early. Nothing like getting that head start on the kids, they move faster than me. lol
Baby Shower invite NO WAY
by Tammy Hall Parker on Friday, February 11, 2011 at 10:42am
At any time you become offended by reading this you can always stop and leave my notes but I tend to speak my mind and sometimes feelings get hurt, but I think this needs to be said. Let me start off by saying that I know things happen. We were all teens with raging hormones and were confused about what to do about them. But with guidance and role models to follow most of us actually had planned adult pregnancies. I know this will probably tick some of my friends off and I don't know if some of you have been in a teen pregnancy situation, if you have I understand that you had a hard time but have still raised yourself and your child and it couldn't have been easy. But my question is have we given up on teaching kids that babies should NOT be having babies? That waiting for that part of your life to start after you are grown up enough to handle everything that comes with having a baby is the way it's suppose to be? This is my rant for today because my daughter recieved an invitation this week to a baby shower being held for a child having a baby. I do mean this is a child she is not old enough to have a job but she thought she was old enough to have sex. I know this little girl about to be a mother will need help getting the things all mothers need when they have a newborn and I don't think this newborn should suffer because its mother is not able to support it on her own but I will not let my child attend nor will I let my child send a gift to this child soon to be mom. I don't even understand the thought behind the friends, family or whoever these people are that are giving her the shower that they would invite another child. It's like saying, "Oh its ok to go out and have sex as a teenager because if you get pregnant everyone will give you cute things for the baby". I was raised in a household where being pregnant or getting someone pregnant should not be celebrated but lived with because the consequences would be felt soon enough when you would give birth and have to take over a new life. This is not the first shower invitation we have recieved for someone having a baby before graduation or even during their freshman year in high school. We have got to start talking to our kids about NOT having sex not just safe sex. I am tired of hearing about how cute so and so's new baby is and when I ask where did you see it I'm told that it is brought to school because no one was home to stay with it while the mom (child) came to school. I know I'm old and things have changed but very few girls got pregnant where I went to school and those that did were old enough to get their GED and get a job. Some attended school thanks to help from family, but as soon as school was out they had to go to work not out to party unsupervised and still not caring about possibly putting themselves in the situation of having another child. In high school where the word mommy begins dating should end until you grow up. Lets not leave daddy (child #2) out of the picture either. He needs to step up to the plate along with his family who taught him to keep his business to himself and help child #1 and her parents raise this baby. These shows on t.v. make it look so dramatic and that is what alot of teenagers crave is drama. After all that is all you hear in high school is drama, drama, drama. Having a baby when you are a child is alot more than drama and friends going aww when you say your pregnant. Childrens bodies are not developed enough to carry a child. Children having children is dangerous to both mother and child. They need to be told these things before becoming sexually active. Most teen mothers have serious difficulties during pregnancy and most babies do not make it to term. In some senerios the baby comes early and ends up in a NICU unit fighting for its life. Then when they come home some of them spend the rest of thier life with learning disabilities or health issues. Some are lucky enough to carry to term and the babies are fine which I wish were the case with all babies.
We should all talk with our children both male and female. Let the males know that it is not just the girls problem but theirs too. Tell the girls about all the things that can happen when they become sexually active. Tell them the difference between love and lust. I want all children to grow up and have a chldhood to remember not have to remember how hard it was to go through school carrying a baby or an STD or both.
I hope the child who sent the invitation to my daughter is one of the lucky ones and I wish them both a good life. I'm afraid they have a long road ahead of them both growing up together. Please don't think that my children have anything to say about my opinion this is my own thoughts LEAVE THEM OUT of any problems you have with this post. If you have a problem tell me NOT them. This is my opinion and I speak my mind and at least for now I have the freedom of speech. I did not make you read this you could have stopped at anytime you felt offended as I said in the beginning. All I intended was to make mothers and fathers out there stop and think. When your child is out on a date do you know where they are who they are with and what they are doing and have you given them all the information they need to make their decisions? I hope so because I love you all or you would not be on my friend list and I only want your children to have a wonderful carefree childhood without worrying about grown up stuff. They have to deal with that soon enough anyway.
We should all talk with our children both male and female. Let the males know that it is not just the girls problem but theirs too. Tell the girls about all the things that can happen when they become sexually active. Tell them the difference between love and lust. I want all children to grow up and have a chldhood to remember not have to remember how hard it was to go through school carrying a baby or an STD or both.
I hope the child who sent the invitation to my daughter is one of the lucky ones and I wish them both a good life. I'm afraid they have a long road ahead of them both growing up together. Please don't think that my children have anything to say about my opinion this is my own thoughts LEAVE THEM OUT of any problems you have with this post. If you have a problem tell me NOT them. This is my opinion and I speak my mind and at least for now I have the freedom of speech. I did not make you read this you could have stopped at anytime you felt offended as I said in the beginning. All I intended was to make mothers and fathers out there stop and think. When your child is out on a date do you know where they are who they are with and what they are doing and have you given them all the information they need to make their decisions? I hope so because I love you all or you would not be on my friend list and I only want your children to have a wonderful carefree childhood without worrying about grown up stuff. They have to deal with that soon enough anyway.
Happy Valentines Day Jeff
by Tammy Hall Parker on Monday, February 14, 2011 at 5:20am
Soulmates
When you find your soulmate,
You find it hard to breath.
Because with every breath you take,
You breath for two you see.
For every heartbeat taken,
For every tear you cry,
You just know without a doubt,
Without him you would die.
As time surely passes,
As you grow old and tired with age,
Your soulmate sits beside you,
He always stays the same.
Then one day inside the mirror,
A stranger you will see.
But standing there beside you,
Your souldmate will always be.
When you find your soulmate,
You find it hard to breath.
Because with every breath you take,
You breath for two you see.
For every heartbeat taken,
For every tear you cry,
You just know without a doubt,
Without him you would die.
As time surely passes,
As you grow old and tired with age,
Your soulmate sits beside you,
He always stays the same.
Then one day inside the mirror,
A stranger you will see.
But standing there beside you,
Your souldmate will always be.
New Beginnings
by Tammy Hall Parker on Friday, March 25, 2011 at 1:14pm
It's Spring and with it come all the changes you see this time of year. The leaves come out from hiding and the flowers start to bloom. Families start to have new beginning too. So many things happening and so many things moving so fast. It's like a whirlwind has hit the house and I wonder where it will all end up. My oldest son Zach will be an Easter baby this year, I say baby because he will always be my baby, but from time to time his birthday falls on Easter. Then Alyssa has her senior prom the end of April. We have picked out her dress and she just glows in it. Then we get to look forward to her new beginning, she will graduate May 27th. She is already learning that being grown up carries alot of responsibility and as all teenagers do she is learning some decisions are really hard to make. Now she knows why I wanted her to enjoy every drop of being a teenager and not try to go out and be a grown up there is always time for that later. She has always been responsible enough that we didn't feel like we had to test that by making her get a job as long as she was reasonable about her wants and needs. After graduation she will start college and have a job and all the responsibility will be hers, so I hope she enjoyed being a child as long as she could. But just a week after graduation comes a huge day for my oldest son Zach and his beautiful fiance Beth. They will get married and start their life together. They will have alot to learn about married life as time goes on but I know the two of them will make it through all the tough times and will live the best times to their fullest. Zach may be lucky getting married to such a wonderful person, but I think we are the lucky ones I could not have asked for a better person to love my son enough to put up with us. She is warm, friendly, compassionate, kind and loving and we all have loved her from the moment we met her.
Where have my babies gone? It seems like just the other day I was rocking them in my arms and dreaming about all the things they may grow up to be. Now they are starting their new lives. Their new beginnings. Now its time to start thinking about what will happen when Kelcy is out on her own. The house sure is getting empty fast. That is why Jeff and I have started to think about what we will do. His retirement is alot closer than I thought a few months ago. When the girls finish college it will be time for our new beginning. When I was 18 I started looking down a road with alot of twists, turns and bends. Now a new road is being built and I am going to see where it goes, Jeff by my side and new beginnings for the both of us. But it doesn't matter where the road leads as long as we are together and our family is happy and they know that we will leave a trail on the road we take so they can always catch up to us if they need us. But isn't why there are chapters in books, so they can combine everything that is going on into one long book? Each one of us is a chapter and we each start it off with a new beginning.
Where have my babies gone? It seems like just the other day I was rocking them in my arms and dreaming about all the things they may grow up to be. Now they are starting their new lives. Their new beginnings. Now its time to start thinking about what will happen when Kelcy is out on her own. The house sure is getting empty fast. That is why Jeff and I have started to think about what we will do. His retirement is alot closer than I thought a few months ago. When the girls finish college it will be time for our new beginning. When I was 18 I started looking down a road with alot of twists, turns and bends. Now a new road is being built and I am going to see where it goes, Jeff by my side and new beginnings for the both of us. But it doesn't matter where the road leads as long as we are together and our family is happy and they know that we will leave a trail on the road we take so they can always catch up to us if they need us. But isn't why there are chapters in books, so they can combine everything that is going on into one long book? Each one of us is a chapter and we each start it off with a new beginning.
Things I Owe My Mother
by Tammy Hall Parker on Saturday, May 7, 2011 at 7:33am
With Mother's Day coming I thought it appropriate to recognize what mother said and how knowledgeable she (is) was.
1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
'If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I
just finished cleaning.'
2. My mother taught me RELIGION .
'You better pray that this will come out of the carpet.'
3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL
'If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!'
4. My mother taught me LOGIC .
' Because I said so, that's why.'
5.My mother taught me MORE LOGIC .
'If you fall out of that swing and break your neck,
you're not going to the store with me.'
6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
'Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident.'
7. My mother taught me IRONY.
'Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry
about.'
8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
'Shut your mouth and eat your supper.'
9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM .
'Will you look at that dirt on the back of your
neck!'
10. My mother taught me about STAMINA
'You'll sit there until all that SOUP is gone.'
11. My mother taught me about WEATHER ...
'This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it.'
12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY
'If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!'
13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE .
'I brought you into this world, and I can take you
out.'
14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION.
'Stop acting like your father!'
15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
'There are millions of less fortunate children in
this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do..'
16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
'Just wait until we get home.'
17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING .
'You are going to get it when you get home!'
18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
'If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going
to get stuck that way.'
19. My mother taught me ESP .
'Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?'
20. My mother taught me HUMOUR ..
'When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me..'
21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT .
'If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow
up.'
22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
'You're just like your father.'
23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
'Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a tent?'
24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
'When you get to be my age, you'll understand.'
25. And my favourite:
My mother taught me about JUSTICE
'One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out
just like you
Like I said in my status the last few days, my sister sent me this in an email. There was no way to get is all in before Mother's Day. Feel free to use any or all of these it just gives us memories and fun to think back on. At some point and time our Mom's have used any or all of these sayings and I know we have said some of them to our children.
1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
'If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I
just finished cleaning.'
2. My mother taught me RELIGION .
'You better pray that this will come out of the carpet.'
3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL
'If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!'
4. My mother taught me LOGIC .
' Because I said so, that's why.'
5.My mother taught me MORE LOGIC .
'If you fall out of that swing and break your neck,
you're not going to the store with me.'
6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
'Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident.'
7. My mother taught me IRONY.
'Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry
about.'
8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
'Shut your mouth and eat your supper.'
9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM .
'Will you look at that dirt on the back of your
neck!'
10. My mother taught me about STAMINA
'You'll sit there until all that SOUP is gone.'
11. My mother taught me about WEATHER ...
'This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it.'
12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY
'If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!'
13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE .
'I brought you into this world, and I can take you
out.'
14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION.
'Stop acting like your father!'
15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
'There are millions of less fortunate children in
this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do..'
16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
'Just wait until we get home.'
17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING .
'You are going to get it when you get home!'
18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
'If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going
to get stuck that way.'
19. My mother taught me ESP .
'Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?'
20. My mother taught me HUMOUR ..
'When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me..'
21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT .
'If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow
up.'
22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
'You're just like your father.'
23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
'Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a tent?'
24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
'When you get to be my age, you'll understand.'
25. And my favourite:
My mother taught me about JUSTICE
'One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out
just like you
Like I said in my status the last few days, my sister sent me this in an email. There was no way to get is all in before Mother's Day. Feel free to use any or all of these it just gives us memories and fun to think back on. At some point and time our Mom's have used any or all of these sayings and I know we have said some of them to our children.
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