A Toy

As part of my Trophy Wife/Mom/Target Shopper lifestyle I downloaded the Target cartwheel app that gives you coupons. Downloading an app for my phone was a pretty big step for me - R calls me his little Luddite - but I’ve been pretty excited about using coupons, especially at Trophy Wife Park. Today I noticed a discount on a toy that I had wanted to get Squirms but had not purchased because my normal store was out of that specific toy. I mentioned this to R and he looked at the inventory for our other local Target - yes, we actually live within three miles of two different Target stores….which is why my two and half year old called a streetlight a “star” this week - and they had the toy.

I had told myself that I would go for a walk during their nap. But I went to Target. I returned the smaller version of the toy I had bought to console myself and walked DRP-fast with a red buggy to the toy section. DRP-fast is full stride extension fast walking for those of you who might not recognize my father’s initials, or have never gone on a walk with him. I consciously stopped myself from cutting several people off and tried to be polite and smile at a woman who stopped and turned suddenly in front of me, causing several seconds of needless pausing on my part - it is Christmas, and this is about the birth of Jesus, and I am a follower of Jesus, these are people, be nice to other people, breathe deeply. Adrenaline rush. Would there be a toy on the shelf when I arrived? 

There was one toy.

I was elated when the toy was in my buggy. Calmer, able to remember that we also needed a light bulb and tape. 

I will admit that this experience is one that I’ve never imagined having. Being excited, slightly anxious, hurriedly trying to find the right aisle that the toy would be on, and hoping that it was still in stock. Perhaps it means I am not focused on celebrating Christmas? Perhaps it means I am just a mom, wanting to surprise her child with a gift? 

But, even stranger, is that this trip was not for the Set of Barbie Disney Princess Dolls that I had wanted to buy her and also had a coupon for. No, this trip was to buy the “Massive” Excavator, that has sounds, moves, and includes rocks. 

An Excavator, my daughter’s favorite construction equipment. 

Squirms calling a street light a star should probably be it's own blog post. One of me sobbing.

Yes. I bought a toy that "includes rocks".

Squirms adores construction equipment. I don't understand it, but she's just so cute that I will watch construction sites around town with her, at least for a couple of minutes.

 

91 One Years, Yesterday. And a Party, Last Year.

Yesterday my Granny turned 91. This lady, who loves to laugh, really laugh, is such a part of me that I am unable to write about her life without writing about mine. We cannot be untwined. And I believe all of her grandchildren would agree - she is beyond special to us. R calls me Granny when I hum unaware that I'm doing so, and when my eye brow hairs get especially crazy. We reference Granny when we add an unusual ingredient (or just think about it but aren't brave enough to try it) to a recipe because we're out of something. Her crocheted ornaments are on our Christmas tree, and her reminders to rock my babies echoes in my head whenever the Great (a rather big baby now) wants to be rocked to sleep and I consider the house work I should be doing or book I want to read. 

My thirty one years only covers the last third of Granny's life and as an adult I have appreciated her sharing stories from the first two thirds with me. I am still impressed that she lived in San Fransisco while my grandfather was serving in the Navy (in the Pacific) during WWII; that some her of childhood memories include killing a chicken for dinner and her adult relatives brewing their own beer (she says it was very low alcohol - she is a Southern Baptist woman); and that she and my grandfather got married in December of 1941, after the day that will live in infamy, and immediately moved away from their families and home.

The one third that I am getting to be a part of includes ice cream afternoon snacks on the front porch, the tire swing, baseball (ish) with my cousins in her front yard, learning to crochet, sleeping on her couch when home sick from school, waiting for the school bus with our cousins in her front yard, her picking me up from basketball practice, borrowing her books, and Sunday lunch after church. And while I don't get to eat lunch every Sunday with her anymore, I do cherish our phone conversations (in which she tells me to give more hugs to the babies and about her coffee habits when she was working) and the short visits we have with her when we're in Alabama. 

And have I mentioned that she is funny?  

Last year, for her 90th birthday, my mom and aunt threw her a Party! So, one year later, here are the photos.

Her eldest great-grandchild ready to welcome guests.

Birthday girl and her cake.

The Great being held by his third cousin (or fourth cousin?....their grandparents are first cousins).

Grandpa, let's go outside and play.

Granny and one of her nephews (and neighbor). Also the man who took me to my first Auburn football game!

The Great and EC.

Lots of family and friends came to celebrate! 

And the kids found the playground.

So much change in just one year.

Cousins. I refer to them as brothers.

I don't get to hold my children when we travel.

This girl is pretty awesome. Granny's second great-grandchild.

Granny and a couple more great-grandchildren. And L.

Granny's three children and their spouses, her five grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren (last year's count) were all at the party. (Not all in this picture)

Granny's little brother telling a story about her from childhood.

Like I said, she loves to laugh.

I'm so very fortunate to have wonderful grandparents who are so loving and involved in their grandchildren's' lives. Yay for 90th birthdays! 

And YAY for 91st birthdays!

Ten Things

1. We LOVE Christmas time.

2. One of R's patent applications (through his work) was Issued today! He's cool. And the U.S. Government thinks so too.

3. Tonight R was trying to get Squirms to stay in bed. This is what happened:
R: "Do you remember what I said? Do you want to get in trouble?"
Squirms: "No."
R: "What do you need to do if you don't want to get in trouble?"
Squirms: Smiles, leans over and kisses R's cheek. "Give you a kiss."
Parents - 0, Squirms - 1.

4. I wore Christmas socks today, with a penguin and a box present on them. My mom has put socks of this nature in our stockings for the past several years and today, the weather dipping into the 50's, I wore a pair. I felt so fun.

5. R sang in the church Christmas program last weekend. The program was excellent, a great way to start December - singing, playing, dancing to celebrate the first coming of Jesus.

6. The Great's activities this week include: climbing onto the kitchen table, taking one bite of an apple, then throwing said apple, then repeating with another apple until the fruit bowl is empty; climbing onto the couch, pulling down the back cushions, pushing the cushions into the floor, sitting very satisfyingly for three seconds against the back of the couch to enjoy his victory, then trying to get the Christmas tree lights; playing in the mud and trying to eat acorns.

7. I may have to give away some of my shoes. Today, Squirms saw the brown shoes I had taken off and left in the hall and said "Daddy's Home! Daddy's shoes!". And then she didn't believe me when I said they were Mommy's shoes. Maybe she thinks I only wears flip flops or heels?

8. Squirm's preschool update, in her words, "I play with cars. Red, orange, white cars." Last week she played with cows. She definitely puts more importance onto the toys they play with than story time, music time, or art time. The artwork that they send home melts my heart. Her preschool has quickly become my favorite thing about Central Florida.

9. We got to witness two of our friends get married last Saturday. It was a moving ceremony (and my first time attending a Catholic wedding ceremony) and an intimate reception. R and I had so much fun getting to see our genius friend marry his beautiful, adventurous bride - and we got half the credit for setting them up on their first date! Two of the most intelligent people we know, and two of the most considerate and selfless people.

10. We hung a wreath on the door of our laundry room, which of course is also the way to the garage, and every time I go through I get to smell the pine branches. What could be better?
Happy Christmas.

A Central Florida Thanksgiving

This could be considered an excessive photo upload blog post. We cooked our first Thanksgiving turkey and hosted R's family so I was quite excited and took a lot of pictures of things like our maple tree and the table top.

We planted this Maple Tree our first year in the house, and it has survived one tropical storm.

The leaves turned color this year!

And fell on the ground!!

Leaves! For the first time in nine years we raked leaves!

My grandma graciously shared her Thanksgiving recipes with me: she told me to follow the instructions that come with a Butterball turkey, and thankfully, told me that sometimes there are two cavities; I took lots of notes on how to make her dressing; and she explained that yes, I had actually been eating giblet gravy (gravy with the heart and liver of the turkey) for the past 30 years. I did have to make one phone call to Grandma while making the dressing, one phone call to my mom to discuss the dry-run of my gravy (I had never made gravy before and it was suggested I try it before the actual day), and one phone call to my Aunt L to figure out where I had gone wrong while making icing for her coconut cake recipe.

We picked flowers from the front yard for the table.

Looking so handsome it was difficult for me to do anything but kiss his cheeks.

Our turkey!

She made sure she was wearing an apron like Dad.

I made a cooking schedule for Thanksgiving week; I felt like I was creating an integration plan for our first time hosting. It was important that I use day-old cornbread in the dressing, defrost the turkey on a certain day, and let Aunt L's coconut cake freeze before the final icing. Thanksgiving morning we put the turkey in the oven and then got to do fun things like set the table with our china and mismatched napkins.

I love to use our dishes!

Ready to eat.

Ready to eat....maybe.

The best part of our Thanksgiving was being joined by family. We were so happy when they said they wanted to visit and spend the holiday with us! I had prepared myself that we would be without extended family this year - so it was a lovely surprise and R had help putting up Christmas lights the next day.

Auntie C, the glowing bride.

Our men.

Mrs. MHJ had fun playing in the accidental caramel-like substance I made during my first icing attempt.

C made a pecan pie, yes, that crust is from scratch.

My attempt to recreate Aunt L's coconut cake.

My lap top battery is at 15%. Two more photos.

P.S. It's 80 degrees here today.

Wednesday Already?

R caught this moment at the Blue Angels Air Show

On Monday I thought about writing a blog post titled Trophy Wife Mondays. As a trophy wife, Mondays are now filled with possibilities: to get up before the children and have coffee, to run, to practice the violin, to read more books and watch less cartoons, to research potty training, to eat less sugar. Trophy Wife Mondays are very different from Engineer Cubicle Mondays or Manufacturing Floor Mondays. While I don't always make decisions that lead me to be the person I'd like to be, Mondays are now full of the chance to do so. 

This past Monday, during which I thought about writing the aforementioned blog post, the Great woke up from a long nap with a high fever, and after consulting the on-call nurse at our pediatrician's office (because of his fever and other symptoms) we took a family evening outing to the Urgent Care clinic. The Great will be okay - he actually had two different issues that ended up not being related which really was better - and we all got to sleep in our own beds that night. 

And now for a fire breathing dragon....

This past weekend ALM and MMD and myself went to Harry Potter world at Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure. It was wonderful. Diagon Alley is the newest attraction and we explored the alley, rode the new bank ride, and then took the Hogwart's Express to Hogsmeade and explored there too. I did manage to remember my dear husband and children and brought back awesome souvenirs.

Yesterday I thought I was capturing a sweet moment - Squirms coloring while I did the dishes.

Awwwwwww, my child is so calm and constructive. She likes to color.

Less than two minutes later I took another photo.

what. just. happened.
She likes to throw colors.

I should mention that before bedtime she was very helpful while we cleaned up this creation. She was very excited about using a wet paper towel to clean crayon marks off the floor....so enthusiastic really, that I'm considering calling that a game and getting her to help clean up around the high chair after the Great eats.

Ten Things

1. I know we're back home in central Florida because yesterday only 1 out of 6 people waved back to the Great and I while we jogged around the neighborhood. Our normal percentage is 33%. I started counting how many people wave, or don't wave, because I thought maybe I was overestimating my disappointment in the lack of what I like to call Southern Culture, or friendliness. But, it is not my homesick imagination. Most people choose not to wave to a smiling, waving, out of breath woman pushing a double stroller. At least no one has hit us.

2. H moved into a new apartment, with a roommate, several weeks ago. And she still doesn't know her address. This concerns me.

3. The Great has been enjoying the toddler-size playhouse in our back yard. He prefers to slide face first, on his belly; and today he learned that the ladder is not a slide that you should go down face first. He took his lesson well, with surprise but no tears.

4. Squirm's growing vocabulary is enlightening us more and more to her growing personality. She's just delightful. After our gulf coast visit she has been talking about cons (pecans), caroline's wedding, acorns, jets, and boo boo from running with Gran. Preschool highlights right now include toy cows and horses, apples that crunch, and growing pumpkins.

5. I finished Stephen E. Ambrose's D-Day. I really don't know what to write about it. Epic. I read it slowly, I could not read it quickly. I almost always needed kleenexes. The quotes from oral histories - from Eisenhower interviews to lieutenants to privates - made me proud, heartbroken, awe struck, and reflective. Ambrose is analytical in his review of the preparation and execution, and he brings the reader to understand the depth of this one day with the stories of the men who were there. He also accomplishes a feat of organization in how he takes the reader through the day. I suppose it's not that I don't know what to write about this book - but that I don't feel a short review from me would do it justice. Read it.

6. R and I really like Panera's new online order and restaurant pick up system. (This feels like an odd thing to say after no. 5. That book is intense.)

7. Squirms saw her first, real, rainbow during our Gulf Coast trip. She was ecstatic.

8. Instead of writing this blog post, I really should be paying bills. Or ironing.

9. R is a very patient husband.

10. The Great is not a very patient baby boy. And he is awake. He probably needs some kisses.

THE Wedding and Air Show

RPPIII and C were married on 7 November. C was radiant, relaxed, and couldn't stop smiling. Her dress was soft and romantic, with a beautifully delicate lace jacket. I will confess that we didn't take a lot of pictures with our camera - but it's a wedding and they had a real photographer! Please refer to Facebook, especially my father-in-law's newsfeed because he re-shared from the photographer, for actual wedding day photos.

It's still sinking in that our extended family now has one more permanent member. Our new brother-in-law has an excellent sense of humor and adores C. I've been told he's also responsible, dapper, and enjoys skeet shooting. Squirms and the Great love him. The happy couple is enjoying Asheville, and we're looking forward to gorgeous scenery photos when they return.

My parents came for the wedding weekend and were a huge help with Squirms and the Great. I am certain I would have been found in a corner....sitting in a ball....sobbing on the day of the wedding had my parents not been there to play with and take care of our children. R and I got to participate in all the bridal party fun and I especially enjoyed getting ready with C, Mrs. MHJ, and all the bridesmaids.

The sanctuary is filled with stain glass windows, of which R captured several photos before the groomsmen had to change into their tuxedos. The beauty of the stain glass will hopefully give a small glimpse of how beautiful the ceremony was. RPPIII and C acknowledged and worshipped their Lord with every part of their wedding ceremony.

R calls this the Rose Window

The day after the wedding the kids, my parents, Senior R, R, and I went to the Blue Angels Homecoming Show. My beloved highly respects, and well, gets rather giddy about the Blue Angels. It was wonderful to see their homecoming show as a family. I had imagined that this was something we were doing for the kids; however, I think I enjoyed it more than they did. I held my breath, jumped, and my dad took a very unflattering photo of me staring in amazement with my mouth open. These pilots and planes are just simply amazing.

I requested that we take a family photo in front of the display plane. And, yes, Squirms and the Great now have toy F-18's.

Did I mention that our hotel wedding weekend gift bag included bakery-made moon pies (THE BEST moon pie ever), dark chocolate covered pecans from the panhandle, and gingersnaps baked by the bride? I'm eating dark chocolate covered peanuts from the gift bag right now.

Food, and the Pumpkins

My mother-in-law has a talent for finding wonderful cook books. The latest one she gave me is A Time to Cook: Dishes from My Southern Sideboard by James T. Farmer III. James T. Farmer III also happens to be an Auburn alum. Plus, he has a cool name that is kind of fun to type, James T. Farmer III.

 Besides beautiful photographs and lovely stories like a church member making a pound cake once a month for the pastor's family, the recipes we've tried have been very satisfying.

So far we have tried Warm Bacon and Spinach Salad with The Farmer's Vinaigrette (made using a lemon from our back yard tree!), Summer Garden Pasta (pictures below) which R has requested become a regular dinner dish, Heart Healthy Corn Chowder (he also includes a normal Corn Chowder), Sausage and Wild Rice Bake (described as a Baptist dish), Basic Whipping Cream Pound Cake (my first ever pound cake! I felt very southern), and Crisps (I've made pear and apple).

Summer Garden veggies for the pasta.

Ready for dinner.

And then there was Halloween. Our two angels were pumpkins. Squirms was very excited this year because now she actually knows what Candy is. It's refreshing really, her attitude toward candy: she treasures each piece, smells it, carries it around, wants to know the name of it, and enjoys just holding it before she ever takes a bite. It takes her twenty minutes to eat a Tootsie Roll.

Look at my shoes!

Scouting the neighborhood.

Out of focus - but such lovely excitement.

He was not impressed. At all.