Joys of Grandmothering

Today I went shopping with my daughter Holly and her youngest son Alexander. He is 2 and very full of himself. Today he is my favorite grandchild in the whole state of Tennessee. I can say this because two of my other grandchildren are in Louisiana and the other two are in Kentucky.

As Holly and I were browsing in Cato's, she decided to check Alexander's diaper. Imagine her surprise to discover he wasn't wearing one! When I asked him where his diaper was, he grinned and said "Mommy's house". Then he proceeded to pee all over himself. Yeah, this is not one of the things I miss about having small children. Though I'm pretty sure my kids never did anything like this. They weren't real big on the getting undressed in public thing.

To add more embarrassment to this situation, Holly had no extra diapers or clothes for Alexander. Poor kid had to wait till we could run to a nearby Walmart and get something for him to put on.

This is even funnier--because I'm the grandma!! I doubt if I could have seen the humor if I was the mom.

Guilty!

Julie Ann Barnhill is an author I've recently discovered and who has quickly become a favorite. The first book of hers that I read was One Tough Mother. The title captured my attention immediately. --off topic for a minute--What attracts you to a book? When you're browsing at Barnes and Noble, not looking for anything in particular, what makes you choose one book over another? I am first attracted by the title of a book. But if I don't like the picture on the cover, I'll put the book back. I'm sure I've missed out on some great reading due to this habit. --okay, back on track--

One Tough Mother is very funny, but also quite insightful. It's one of those books I wish I'd had when my kids were little. One I truly wish one of my daughters (who doesn't read this blog) would read and take to heart. But again, I digress.

Not long ago, I read another of Julie Ann's books entitled She's Gonna Blow. Again, very helpful, though not as funny as the first. Now I am reading Motherhood: The Guilt That Keeps on Giving. Every mother I've talked to admits to guilt in one form or another about something. This book focuses more on what we as mothers are doing RIGHT and what we're NOT guilty about.

Which leads me to ask you a question Julie Ann asks in the book. What do YOU not feel guilty about as a mother?

I found that as I pondered on this question, I could think of several things, but I always seemed to add a disclaimer or qualifier to the end of my sentence. Such as, I don't feel guilty for providing my children with a clean home, but I wish I'd spent more time playing with or doing things with the kids. One of my favorite sayings is: 'No' is a complete sentence. I think when thinking of things I'm not feeling guilt over, I need to remember to end the sentence before I can add a 'but'.

So, answer my question. Or rather Julie Ann's question. What do you not feel guilty about as a mother?

And The Envelope Goes To.....

My First Award!!! Why do I feel like Sally Field all of a sudden??

Thanks, Dawn of Bee and Rose (listed on the sidebar). She is hysterical and has a lovely daughter you all need to meet.

Here's the scoop...

1.Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find brilliant in content or design

2. Show the 7 winners' names and links on your blog, and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with "Honest Scrap", the nifty icon they can display proudly on their blog.

3. List at least 10 honest things about yourself.

Ok...here's my scrap

1. I hate confrontation. Both before and after I can think of all kinds of snarky things to say, but in the moment I'm usually fighting back tears and trying to breathe normally, so I can't say anything.

2. Every tooth in my head is a sweet tooth. I can (and do) buy a package of cookies and eat the whole thing on the way home from the store. Then I have to stop somewhere to dispose of the 'evidence'.

3. I was never faithful to any boyfriend till I met the man who is now my husband.

4. I am very competitive, but hate playing games. Don't like cards and I think board games should be spelled bored games.

5. The house we lived in in NC was haunted by a little blonde girl about 7 years old. I saw her on many occasions and Darrell thought I was nuts till he saw her, too. I've seen and felt spirits around me all my life. These are not the same as the voices I hear in my head.

6. I used to shoplift as a young teenager. Almost got caught once and that cured me.

7. My favorite movies are from the 30s and 40s. The movies today have nothing on those classics. The clothes, the sets, the men.... Hang on while I fan myself.

8. My idea of the perfect kitchen is a microwave sitting on top of an apartment fridge. I would eat out every meal if it was prudent.

9. I tend to mentally rearrange other people's furniture when I visit their homes. Sometimes my palms even itch to just move that one thing....

10. Okay, here's the biggie--no pun intended. I stuffed my bra in jr high and high school. It was a survival thing, you know. In 7th grade a boy called me a pirate's dream (a sunken chest). How about a carpenter's fantasy (flat as a board)? Where was Victoria's Secret when I needed her?

Guess this all goes under the heading be careful what you wish for. You just might get more than you bargained for!

Next, I'm supposed to choose 7 blogs to pass the torch to. Here ya go. Enjoy and remember--be honest!

Long-Winded Lauren

5Ls

Up On My Soapbox

Memoirs of the Queen Bee

Inside My Heaven

Dance Like Nobody's Watching

Is It Just Me?

Okay, there you have it. Get busy letting us all in on your juicy secrets. (Rubbing palms together eagerly!) Can't wait to read 'em all!!

I've Been Tagged--Again

Thanks a lot, Tamara! Okay, I'm supposed to go to the 5th folder in my picture file and post the 5th picture. That's asking a lot of someone like me, but I'll give it a try. Then I'm supposed to describe the picture. Here goes.....


Wow! How exciting is this? Here's the skinny: in April 2006 Darrell and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary in Savannah, GA. A beautiful city. We arrived on a Sunday afternoon and went on a walking tour. This is one of the pictures Darrell took. His father, my father, and Darrell are all masons and he was oddly thrilled to find this building.

I'm supposed to tag others to do this. I'll choose Nicole, Marlena (if she ever gets on the computer!), Lauren, and Erika.

100 Things To Do

Do you think you’ve really lived so far?

*This is a list of 100 activities–some I have experienced (RED), some I have not (regular). See how your list matches up to mine.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Bathed in a river
7. Been to the Taj Mahal
8. Walked on a glacier in Alaska
9. Caught and held a snake
10. Spoke in front of a big crowd
11. Bungee jumped
12. Had a whirlwind love affair that broke your heart
13. Found an arrowhead or fossil
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Rescued an animal
16. Ate sweet breads, glands or tripe
17. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hiked to base camp on Mt. Everest
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Watched an animal being born
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Learned a foreign language
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Stayed up for more than 24 hours
31. Trained a dog to do cool tricks
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Can drive a stick shift car
37. Won over $1000 in a raffle or lottery
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
42. Been serenaded
43. Visited Africa
44. Walked on a beach by moonlight
45. Broken a bone
46. Started your own business
47. Quit a job because you were totally unhappy
48. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
49. Been to the Eiffel Tower
50. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
51. Kissed in the rain passionately
52. Played in the mud
53. Gone to a drive-in
54. Been in a movie
55. Visited the Great Wall of China
56. Joined a prayer group
57. Taken a martial arts class
58. Visited Russia
59. Served at a soup kitchen
60. Gone whale watching
61. Received flowers for no reason
62. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
63. Gone sky diving
64. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
65. Bounced a check
66. Flown in a helicopter
67. Saved a favorite childhood toy
68. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
69. Eaten caviar
70. Pieced a quilt
71. Stood in Times Square
72. Toured the Everglades
73. Been fired from a job
74. Seen the changing of the guards in London
75. Broken something extremely expensive
76. Been on a speeding motorcycle
77. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
78. Published a book
    
79. Visited the Vatican
80. Got a tattoo
81. Been to a coffee shop in Amsterdam
82. Seen the aurora borealis in person
83. Read the entire Bible
84. Visited the White House
85. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
86. Had chickenpox
87. Saved someone’s life
88. Sat on a jury
89. Met someone famous
90. Joined a book club
91. Lost a loved one
92. Toured the UN
93. Hiked to Machu Picchu
94. Swam in the Indian Ocean
95. Conversed with someone when neither of you spoke each others language
96. Dirty danced
97. Been stung by a bee
98. Acted in a play
99. Had more than 5 surgeries
100. Threw a surprise party for someone

Okay, a couple of these I fudged a bit on. While I can't really drive a stick shift, I have attempted to learn. I'm just not very good at it. I haven't actually ridden in a gondola, but have been in a water taxi. Not quite as romantic.

I guess 47 isn't bad. Some of these things I never want to do--no matter what! Others I was intrigued by and would like to attempt. How's your list compare? Oh, and thanks, Tamara, for the idea!

Turkey and Black Bean Sloppy Joes

19 oz ground turkey
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 med onion, sliced
1 tsp minced garlic
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
12 oz low sodium tomato juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp chili powder
1 can tomatoes and green chiles
pinch salt
1 tsp Ms Dash Onion & Herb

Brown turkey and drain fat. Combine remaining ingredients and heat till hot and desired thickness. Serve on whole wheat buns.

She's Gonna Blow!

I just finished reading this book. It's pretty good, though a bit preachy. I've read a couple of her other books and this one is much more serious than those. Still there is a lot of good information and help for those who might be dealing with anger, especially toward their children. And we all feel that way at one time or another. Just the monotony of everyday life can drive you nuts. Add to that a willful two-year-old or smart-mouthed teenager and it's Mount St. Helen's all over again. She doesn't say we should all be June Cleavers, but she gives honest and truly helpful ways to deal with frustration and anger.

At the end of the book, is a wonderful little poem that I'm going to assume was written by the author since she doesn't attribute it to anyone else. I might get in trouble, but I'm going to copy it here.

Hearts Entrusted

These tiny hearts to me entrusted,
Soft and tender,
Pockets of soil moist with innocence,
Laden with surprises,
Giggles,
Questions,
Love,
With one blast of anger,
One word unkindly spoken,
One glare of intolerance,
I can cause these tiny hearts to....
Fear,
Cower,
Or--God forbid---
Hate.
I want to plant within their souls seeds of....
Joy,
Contentment,
Love
heaping
upon
love.
Yet, thorny briers of...
Harshness,
Impatience,
Bitterness,
I have heedlessly allowed to grow.
Remorseful?
Yes.
Able to call back?
Never.
Forgiven?
Oh yes, more than I deserve.
Lord, I don't want to fail again.
May I be found faithful to these created by You.
Praise for A-B-Cs perfected,
"Thank you," for windows cleansed with Pledge.
There are no second chances.
I cannot undo the past.
Jesus,
Sear my heart with love and devotion.
May I be a sower of seeds,
A shelter amidst the storm.
May I hear,
"Well done, good and faithful mother."
May I be found true.