Those of you that read Billy Liggett’s blog know that some people take their daily comics very, very seriously. Personally, I think comics like Garfield, Beetle Bailey, Mary Worth, Blondie, Peanuts, Cathy, Hagar, and (dare I say it?) Dennis the Menace need to be retired. There have to be tons of brilliant comic strip writers out there who are just dying to break into syndication. I would like to see more comic strips like Get Fuzzy, Mutts and Rose is Rose featured in our papers.
That being said, I stumbled across the tumblr site “Garfield Minus Garfield” which makes the strip 10x funnier simply by removing Garfield from the strip. Go check it out. Here are some of my favorites:
February 27, 2008 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: comic strip, comics, garfield | Leave A Comment »
My “Moment of Truth” blog helped me to get a record number of hits today. Seventeen people found my site by using “moment of truth” in a search engine. I had visits from Canada, Israel, Singapore, France, Korea, Japan, and 20 US states. Although most of my US visits came from NC, Illinois and New Jersey are close behind. It almost makes me want to write about future episodes…but that would require me watching them and I just don’t know if I can do that again after this last episode.
Now, if only I could get more people to comment!
UPDATE: By the way, if you want to know what happens now for Lauren and Frank, you can read about it here. In a nutshell, she admits she did it for fame and fortune, Frank admits he knew everything before the show, she wants to get back together, he is not so sure.
February 27, 2008 | Categories: Television | Tags: blogging, frank cleri, lauren cleri, moment of truth, Television | 2 Comments »
If we knew then what we know now, we surely would have named Buster “Houdini” instead. Buster is still a kitten and does not know yet that he can’t just jump up on or scratch away at anything he wants. For that reason, he is limited to the girls’ bathroom and the playroom while we are out of the house. There is a couch in the playroom that he can lounge on the back of while watching the comings and goings on our street. He has food, water, toys, a scratchy thingy (articulate, I know), and his kitty litter box. But is he satisfied? Oh no! He is not happy unless he has the run of the whole house. We will close all the doors before we leave and test the locks and yet, we still come home and find him out and about. Yesterday while checking the mail, I could see his little head peeking out from between the curtains as he lounged on the back of the “good” couch. Today I came home and found him lying next to the dogs’ kennel. I’m sure they just love it when they are locked in their kennel and he is prancing around outside the kennel.
An aside here for anyone who thinks we are terrible for having our dogs in a kennel while we are gone for the day. When we are home, all they do is drape themselves over the furniture and sleep. They can do that just as easily in a kennel. They have a large kennel to share and they like to snuggle together. We have tried letting them be out in a room or two and they will find SOMETHING to destroy. They only do this if we are not home.
Anyway, Buster is just remarkable at opening latched doors. Granted, our house is 88 years old this year so the mechanisms are not the best, but still…I am a little in awe of him. We close our bedroom doors at night and almost every night we will hear a squeak alerting us to the fact that Buster has opened the door and is off wandering the house. I love to watch him on his back working his paws under the door to get it open. He will also do it when he is trying to get to us. If you try to close the door on the bathroom, it won’t be long before you see his little white paws come under the door.
Buster can also hear you getting the milk jug out of the fridge. If you so much as TOUCH the milk jug, he comes flying into the kitchen in the hopes that you will either give him a taste or leave your glass unattended so that he can sneak a taste.
We’re still learning about living with a cat!
February 27, 2008 | Categories: Pets | Tags: cat, dog, houdini | 2 Comments »
It happened again. I went into our bedroom last night and “Moment of Truth” was on TV. Before I could change the channel, I got sucked in.
For those of you who don’t know, the contestants on this show are asked 50 true/false questions while hooked up to a polygraph machine. Of those 50, 24 questions are chosen. The contestants are asked the same questions in front of a live audience including friends and family members. The friends and family members have a button they can push to throw out a question if they do not want to hear the answer. They can only use the button once…and they of course have no idea if the replacement question could be even harder to hear than the original. If the contestant knows they lied on the polygraph, they can change their answer once they are asked in the studio. They can stop at any time, but must answer a question once it is asked.
The contestant for this episode was a woman named Lauren. She had her husband, father, mother, brother, and sister with her. Mark Whalberg is the host of this fiasco. He said that taping this episode was “most uncomfortable I have ever been on television” – and this is from the man who hosted Temptation Island. In the middle of the episode after Lauren had won $25,000, he explained that if he had had his vote, the episode would not have aired. He also warned that the rest of the episode was very hard to watch. Oh, like I could change the channel after that!
At the beginning of the next round, Mark hinted to Lauren that it was going to get bad and tried to give her an out. She confessed that she wasn’t concerned about the money, she was interested in getting everything she needed to off her chest. She said her loved ones may not like the answers, but they would eventually appreciate the answers. Honey, have you ever heard of just TALKING to the people you love? You really did not have to humiliate your husband and your family on national television.
Going further into the episode, Mark again tried to nudge Lauren towards stopping. He said he did not know if he “had the stomach for this.” He told her the next question was a “doozy”. He said, “I can’t talk you into stopping, can I?” Lauren said Mark was making it worse than it was, to which he replied, “I don’t think I can make this worse than it is”…and then her ex-boyfriend came out to ask the next questions. The first question he asked was: if he wanted to get back together with her, would she leave her husband? Her sister used the button to stop Lauren from answering (even though her husband wanted to hear the answer). The replacement question wasn’t much better. The ex asked, “Do you think I am the man you should be married to?” After answering that question, her husband told her to keep going. As he said, “What else is there to tell me?” Her mom told her to stop. She chose to keep going. Let me remind you…she KNOWS the questions. She has been asked the exact same questions before.
Mark told her that some of the questions he had asked up to this point were over his line, but that the next question went WAY over the line. He told her she knew what was coming next and asked her if she still wanted the question…which she did…the question was if she had ever had sexual relations with another man since she got married.
The damaging information Lauren revealed:
1. She blames her husband for her lack of close friends.
2. She knows something about her father that she has kept from her mother.
3. She has taken off her wedding ring to appear as if she was single.
4. She was in love with an ex-boyfriend on her wedding day.
5. She thinks her ex-boyfriend, Frank is the man she should be married to.
6. She has had sexual relations with another man while she was married.
She was obviously committed to telling the truth…and yet in the end, she lost everything. She lost the money, and most likely, she lost her husband and her marriage.
That’s right…she won NOTHING. When asked if she thought she was a good person, Lauren said “yes”…which the lie detector found to be false.
Well, she did say she wasn’t interested in the money.
February 26, 2008 | Categories: Television | Tags: mark whalberg, marriage, moment of truth, polygraph, Television, truth | 1 Comment »
About 98% of the time, Leah is very, very good about listening and following directions…but, she is 2. This afternoon was part of the 2%. As we were walking into the Y to get Hailey, Leah asked me if she could have a treat. I asked her if she thought she deserved a treat.
Leah’s answer?
“I think no”
yep, you think right.
I took them to the library this afternoon. Hailey said it was her favorite place (Hailey’s favorite place is wherever she happens to be at the time…she even loves the dentist). Next time, I will just take Hailey. Leah hid in the corner, told me every book I showed her was scary, wanted to go the opposite direction from me, and refused to talk quietly. I used to LOVE getting library books. I love the crinkly sound the plastic dust jackets make. I love the smell of a book that is brand new or has not been opened in awhile. I am so glad that I have passed on my love of books to Hailey.
February 26, 2008 | Categories: Family, Haileyism/Leahism | 1 Comment »
Because of our age difference (I won’t say how many years so that I don’t get in trouble), I didn’t always have my oldest sister, Julie, around. When she was around, I was either pestering her (I would hide behind the furniture in the living room when she had dates over and annoy her) or she was mean to me (sorry, Julie…you were…you played hide and go seek with Jo Ellen and I and you did not seek…that is just plain mean).
When Ed passed the bar exam and was looking for a job, he decided to call the DA for the 11th district just to see if they had any openings because we loved Sanford, knew Julie and her family loved it, wanted to live in a small town, and wanted to be able to see Julie, Jimmy, and our nephew, Jay, often. We were thrilled to learn that there was in fact an opening in the Lee County DAs office and Ed got the job. I feel very fortunate to have lived in the same town as Julie for the past seven years. I have been able to watch her parenting style with her two boys and much of how Ed and I parent is based on what we learned from Julie and Jimmy. Here are some of my favorite things I have learned from Julie:
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Laugh – no matter what is broken, ruined, stained, or lost…find a way to laugh about it because in the grand scheme of life, it really doesn’t matter.
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You are never going to have enough money to have children…money isn’t important, family is.
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Don’t scrimp and buy cheap cat food or you will pay for it later.
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Pay attention when filling out your address on work-related orders or you might just come home to find huge boxes of prom stuff on your front porch.
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If your kids want to just eat Cheerios and milk for every meal…let them. They won’t do it forever.
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If your kids want to sleep in your bed now and then…let them. They are only little once.
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Don’t stress about potty training. They’ll get it on their own time.
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Every child is different and you have to relate to them differently because of their differences.
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If someone offers to buy something for you…let them.
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Help your children discover their passion and listen when they tell you they aren’t interested in an activity.
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Finding a good deal on a great purse is reason to celebrate.
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You should buy yourself a birthday present.
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Let your children make their own mistakes…they’ll learn.
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The adventures you have with your children are more important than the “stuff” you give them.
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Kids heal…don’t stress.
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Petri dishes are a cool way to keep your matching jewelry together.
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Instant mashed potatoes can taste better than the real thing – and they are a heck of a lot easier.
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You can never have too many earrings.
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When you are pregnant, no one, and I mean, no one, will take care of you like Wesley Tyler, CNM.
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If you aren’t the best cook…marry someone who is.
February 25, 2008 | Categories: Family | Tags: birthday, cat food, cats, cheerios, children, cooking, earrings, Family, food, humor, jewelry, kids, laugh, midwife, potty training, pregnancy, purse, Sanford, sisters, Wesley Tyler | 2 Comments »
My husband’s blog is all about UNC but it seems that I just can’t keep Good Ol’ Roy from making appearances in my blog as well. We were in the car tonight while the UNC coaches’ show was being broadcast. I did not hear the question, but it must have had something to do with the players listening to the radio show. Roy responded that the kids all had ipods and listened to music and they had no reason to listen to Roy and Woody talk on the radio each week. He said they had plenty of other things to be spending their time on and that when he was in college, he certainly wouldn’t have been listening to a coaches’ show on the radio. So what would Good Ol’ Roy be doing with his time instead? He would be “sparking Wanda” (his wife). Roy, I love ya, but that was just TMI (although it did give me a very good laugh)!
February 25, 2008 | Categories: UNC | Tags: basketball, carolina, coach, radio show, roy williams, tar heels, TMI, UNC, Wanda WIlliams | Leave A Comment »
Hailey has two nasty bruises on her arm. I asked her if she knew where she got them. She looked at me very seriously and then said, “I have things written in my head and that might be written in the back.” She punctuated this remark by grabbing her head in both of her hands and twisting her head. Once she had successfully dislodged the memory from the back of her head, she gave me a 5 minute discourse on how she got one of the bruises. It involved sliding on the floor, a box, a somersault, and various other crazy things…but to be honest, I tuned out after the second minute.
During Hailey’s first week of kindergarten, she was having a hard time remembering her classmates names (actually, it was only the female names she had a problem with. Hailey never forgets a boys name!) I gave her several tips that I hoped would help her. The next day, I asked her if she remembered any of the girls names that she played with. She told me she could not remember. She even “taped it to her brain, but it fell off.”
Next time she should try duct tape.
February 24, 2008 | Categories: Family, Haileyism/Leahism | Tags: children, duct tape, Family, funny, girls, hailey, haileyism, humor, kids, kindergarten, memory | Leave A Comment »
This movie did not get very good reviews, but I loved it. It is based on a true story which feeds my need to peek into other people’s lives. A recently widowed science-fiction writer (John Cusack) has the opportunity to adopt a 6 year old little boy (Bobby Coleman) who was abandoned by his parents. The little boy says he is from Mars and believes it with every cell in his being. He even wears a weight belt made with duct tape and batteries so that he won’t float away because Mars is trying to pull him back. When we first meet him, he is spending his days inside an Amazon box so that he is shielded from the sun.
I don’t like science fiction, but by the end of the movie, he had me questioning if just maybe he could be from Mars…he could taste the color of M&Ms…that just isn’t normal human behavior!
I love John Cusack and thought he was very realistic in his awkwardness and uncertainty that he was doing the right thing. Bobby Coleman was awesome. Look to see more of him in the future as he proved himself as a serious actor.
Amanda Peet and Joan Cusack also star in this funny, heart-warming movie about parenting, relationships, trust, and the struggles of a special needs child trying to fit in.
February 22, 2008 | Categories: Movies | Tags: amanda peet, bobby coleman, joan cusack, john cusack, M&Ms, mars, martian child, movie, movie review, science fiction, Special Needs | Leave A Comment »
I don’t like hate secrets. I hate when people tell me they know something I don’t know but they can’t tell me. Why tell me you know something if you aren’t going to tell me? It drove me nuts when I thought my older sisters knew something I didn’t. Thinking about it, that is probably why I love to read blogs…it is like finding someones diary and reading all about their secrets. Of course, people are putting their thoughts out there for all to read, but you get my point.
I love Google. I love that no matter what the question is, within seconds, I can type a word or phrase into the search bar and find the answers I am looking for.
However, there is still one secret that even Google can’t answer for me and it drives me crazy. I have been intrigued by Gimghoul Castle in Chapel Hill and the Order of Ginghoul since I first saw the castle as a freshman at UNC. From Wikipedia, I know the following:
[The Order was founded in 1889 by Robert Worth Bingham, Shepard Bryan, William W. Davies, Edward Wray Martin, and Andrew Henry Patterson, who were students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The society is open to "notable" male students (rising juniors and higher), and faculty members by invitation.]
Okay…but what do they do? Why is it secret? How are the members chosen? What do they do inside the castle? What does the inside of the castle look like? What kind of secret rituals do they have? How much of the legends are true? Is it really haunted…and if so, what makes them think so.
I hate secrets.
February 22, 2008 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: chapel-hill, gimghoul castle, order of gimghoul, secret | 5 Comments »
Being a parent means a lot of different things. In our house, it means trying really hard not to laugh at our children a good percentage of the time. I think my kids are pretty darn funny…unfortunately, sometimes they say or do things that make me want to laugh…but I would prefer they not repeat the behavior in public or at school so I try hard not to laugh so as not to encourage the behavior.
The title of my blog comes from Hailey. There was a time not so long ago that if you were saying something she did not want to hear, she would say, “All I hear is blah, blah, blah.” I have no idea where she got this from but you have to admit that objectively, it is pretty funny. Not how you want your child to talk to you, but funny nonetheless. She quickly learned NOT to say that to us, but now I find myself saying it in my head when I am listening to something (or someone) I really don’t want to listen to.
February 22, 2008 | Categories: Family, Haileyism/Leahism | Tags: children, kids, parenting | 1 Comment »
Reposted from 5 Minutes for Mom
During the week of March 7-14th, the blogosphere will be party hopping – jumping through our Mr. Linky list of participating bloggers, meeting new friends and partying blogger-style at the Ultimate Blog Party 2008, here at 5 Minutes for Mom.
Are you going to be there?
Last year’s Ultimate Blog Party was a blast with almost 1000 participating bloggers. So make sure you don’t miss out on this one. It is a fantastic opportunity to introduce your blog to a bunch of new people and to find new blogs that you will want to read regularly.
As well, The Ultimate Blog Party features tons of prizes. The prize list is constantly growing – check it out! Thank you to Pamela, from Happy Panda, who is coordinating the prizes and will draw the winners.
Last year we made the prize draw only open to participating bloggers. But this year, because we have so many faithful non-blogging readers at 5 Minutes for Mom who may want to join in on the party hopping to find some great new reads – we have decided to open up the party – and the prize draw – to non-bloggers as well! For more about prize eligibility read on and visit our prize page.
February 21, 2008 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: 5 minutes for mom, blog, blogging, females, friends, invitation, mom, Mr. linky, party, prizes, ultimate blog party 2008, women | 2 Comments »
This has been a loooong day. I got up way too early and left for Charlotte before 7. I took 24/27 all the way into Charlotte and it was a beautiful drive. The houses in Carthage and Troy are just incredible. They are huge and beautiful and exude charm. I drove through Locust and Red Cross. Who names these places? Can you imagine writing Locust, NC as your address?
I have been wanting to try Chick-Fil-A Chick-n-minis ever since they came out. I was hoping all the way to Charlotte that I would see a Chick-fil-a so that I could get breakfast. You would have thought I won the lottery when I found one right as I got into Charlotte. They were even better than I thought they would be! Why, oh why, can’t we get a free-standing Chick-Fil-A???
I had a directors meeting at our Charlotte office until a little after 3. I don’t do well with meetings. I hate to sit still and I always get a headache. It didn’t help that I had to get back in the car and drive another 2 1/2 hours.
I came home and saw my girls for the first time today, checked my email, and walked across the street for my book group. I had a great time as always. It was just what I needed to end the day - good company, good wine, good food and lots of laughs!
I tried to watch American Idol but like my blog title, all I heard was blah, blah, blah.
Hopefully I will have something more interesting to talk about tomorrow!
Random note: WordPress spellchecker tells me that “blog” is not a word…
February 20, 2008 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave A Comment »
I love Roy Williams, I’ve discussed that before. It made me laugh to read this article this morning and see that Coach Williams actually said something other than “dadgum” (although he says it with his next breath).
That dadgum Coach K.
Williams miffed by Coach K’s comment
By AARON BEARD
AP Sports Writer
CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina coach Roy Williams apparently doesn’t think too highly of Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski’s views on injury reports.
In a small tiff that has added the latest spice to college basketball’s most intense rivalry, Williams took exception to a comment made by Krzyzewski on Sunday that the Blue Devils don’t discuss injuries “unlike other schools.”
While Krzyzewski never mentioned the thirdranked Tar Heels specifically, Williams felt the statement was a subtle jab at his team, which has had a much-publicized run of injuries and ailments in the past two weeks.
It was enough to have Williams, in a comment on his weekly radio show Monday, telling an unspecified person to “coach their own damn team, I’ll coach my team.”
On Tuesday, Williams found himself discussing the comments again instead of focusing on the Tar Heels’ game at North Carolina State on Wednesday.
“It’s not like I’m getting a dadgum plane and flying it around to say, ’Roy fell against a wall and banged his nose’ or anything,” Williams said in a news conference. “We have to do those things (talk about injuries) and everybody’s hurt. But there’s different stages of being hurt.
“If you’re hurt and missing games, that’s not exactly like having a hangnail.
And so we do have some people that are getting hurt and missing games. I don’t think that somebody should say we’re putting it in front of the public.”
When a reporter attempted to ask a followup question, Williams said he didn’t want to discuss the comments further and have “battles through the media.” But when the news conference ended, Williams came back to the topic once more.
“I said before we played Duke it’s impossible to have any more respect than I do for Mike,” Williams said, “but I felt like that comment was aimed towards us.”
Duke team spokesman Jon Jackson declined to comment Tuesday, one day before the fifth-ranked Blue Devils travel to Miami.
Krzyzewski’s comment came in a radio interview after Duke’s loss at Wake Forest. While noting that freshman Nolan Smith had been playing through a knee injury for a few weeks, Krzyzewski added, “unlike other schools we don’t release our injuries,” according to the Web site for radio station WRBZ-AM in Raleigh.
February 20, 2008 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: basketball, carolina, chapel-hill, coah k, dook, duje, roy williams, tar heels, UNC | Leave A Comment »
Erin Gillum and Charlene Penick were selling cookies to raise money for a trip to Colonial Williamsburg and Busch Gardens.
From WRAL.com:
Fayetteville, N.C. — Fayetteville police are looking for the man who stole from a couple of girl scouts. The thief got away with $600 as the young scouts looked on.
Erin Gillum, 9, and Charlene Penick, 10, were selling cookies Sunday afternoon outside the Wal-Mart at 1550 Skibo Rd. when they say a man kept lingering about.
“At one point in time, he came over and looked like he was about to buy something, but his phone rang,” Erin said. “He walked over and sort of stared at the cookies for awhile,” Charlene said.
Then the man went for the metal tray of cash.
“And for half a second, I stood still, but then I ran after him. But my mom told me to come back,” Charlene said.
The scouts’ mothers, along with a few bystanders, also chased the thief.
“Absolutely, and if I could have caught him, I would have done ugly things,” mother Jennifer Penick said.
In the end, the man made off with the scouts’ money, leaving folks asking what kind of person would steal from children?
“I don’t know. I would like to think the best. My daughter said that he must have really needed the money, but I don’t know. I think he just saw some quick cash,” mother Debbie Gillum said.
What a great kid! She has $600 stolen from her and she gives the thief the benefit of the doubt. Me…I don’t care how badly you need the money, you always have choices and stealing from Girl Scouts should never be on the list of choices. That is just shameful and appalling.
February 19, 2008 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: girl scout cookies, girl scouts, shameful, thief | Leave A Comment »
Big Brother has been one of my favorite shows since I started watching it in season 2. I love it for the same reason I love blogs…the psych major in me loves to peek into other people’s lives and watch personal relationships evolve and change. I love to try and figure out what makes people tick and why they do what they do.
Big Brother decided to shake things up this year and change the timing of their show. Since I rarely watch TV, I had NO idea this change was made until I saw a commercial on Sunday. Now I am completely behind and don’t know what is going on. I meant to read up on the first episodes before tonight’s show but never had the time.
Within the first few minutes it was very clear that BB once again wants to torture us with housemates that have annoying, grating voices. Listening to Amanda is like fingernails on a chalkboard.
The BB “twist” this year is that everyone is competing as couples. Apparently they are all single and “looking for love.” What they don’t know is that thanks to a detailed personality assessment, they have been paired to play the game with someone who could be their soul mate. The couples have to compete together, win Head of Household and Power of Veto together and face eviction together. There is a real-life couple in the house but they are not teammates. From what I can gather, this has really upset the house. Not to mention the fact that it is weird that they are both sleeping in the same bed with someone else of the opposite sex in the same house. That’s right…the couples have to share a bed. BB loves their night-vision cameras.
I really don’t know if I can stand to watch Jen and Ryan all season. If I was in the house, I think I would totally lose my patience with them.
Parker just called Matt his BFF. Guys say this??
I’m starting to wonder if I am going to be able to stick with this show this season. I have loved this show in the past. I loved that they always had a mix of ages, races, and cultural backgrounds. Now we just have 16 shallow twenty-somethings wanting to jump in bed with each other. Oh wait, I forgot Sheila…she’s 45. Not really sure what BB was thinking with that casting. She is SIXTEEN years older than the next oldest housemate (who is supposed to be her soul mate). Ironically, she has a 16 year-old son.
I should have just stayed with American Idol!
February 19, 2008 | Categories: Television | Tags: big brother, CBS, reality tv | Leave A Comment »
I love American Idol and now that it is down to 24, it is going to get even more interesting. I can’t carry a tune and have no idea what they mean when they say someone is “pitchy”…but I know what I like so here are my thoughts.
David Hernandez – Not a fan – very stiff. I can’t tell if it is his voice I don’t like or just the song choice. Hmmmm…Simon was positive so I guess it is just me. Poor thing had to go first.
Chikezie – He wasn’t terrible, but I did not enjoy the performance. I don’t see him lasting very long. But I like his personality and that he stood up to Simon.
David Cook – I really liked his performance and the way he mixed it up in the middle. Still waiting for a “wow!”
Jason Yeager – First of all, I LOVE the smile. I like his voice but hope that he does bring the “spice” he promises to his next performance because it was a little bland. Simon thinks it was “cruise ship”…he does know this is sixties night, right? Of course it is going to sound like a cruise ship (she says like shes ever been on a cruise ship).
Robbie Carrico – LOVE HIM. My favorite so far. I will try to ignore that he toured with Britney Spears.
David Archuleta- I love his energy, I love his excitement and I love that he puts his whole self out there. Sorry, Robbie, but a 17 year old just knocked you from my top spot. I finally got my “wow!”
Unfortunately, I can’t listen to the rest because Big Brother is calling! Why do the only two shows I care about have to come on at the same time??
February 19, 2008 | Categories: Television | Tags: american idol, chikezie, david archuleta, david cook, david hernandez, jason yeager, music, robbie carrico | 2 Comments »
I did pull Buster off of Daisy and make him leave her alone…but not until after I got these pictures. When we first adopted Buster, Daisy went ballistic. The first night we had Buster inside, Daisy chased him under the bed and was barking furiously. She went from constant barking and growling to just shaking all over and whimpering (while being held) to her current state which is being terrorized by Buster. We think she likes it.
February 19, 2008 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: animal, animal humor, beagle, cat photo, cats, dog eating cat, dog photo, dogs, funny, jack russell | 5 Comments »
OK, so it has really been a while since I had a baby. Leah stopped drinking out of a bottle when she was 1, stopped sleeping in her crib when she was 2, and was completely potty trained shorty after she turned 2. Still, it really hit me tonight that Leah is a little girl, not even a toddler anymore. Hailey’s school had a workday today so Ed took her to my parents house in Raleigh for the day. Because of timing, it made more sense for Leah and I to have dinner together before Ed and Hailey got home. I had been at work since 7:30 and did not feel like going home and making anything so I asked Leah where she wanted to go to dinner. She chose “Dr. Andy’s” aka Andy’s Cheeseburgers. (She kept wanting to know where her “friend” Dr. Andy was. Our family was devastated when Dr. Andy from Sanford Peds moved to Tennessee. He was the best.)
Anyway, Leah and I walked hand in hand into the restaurant. She was super cute today in jeans, a denim jacket with pink snaps, a pink “what happens in preschool stays in preschool shirt” and pink plaid tennis shoes. She walked into Andy’s like she owned the place. She chose a booth and sat across the table from me. My baby sat by herself on the big bench. No highchair, no booster, no lap…just her and miles of bench.
What really got me though is that we had a conversation. I felt like I was talking to a 4 or 5 year old, not a child who will not even be 3 for 3 more months. She told me all about her day at school. I got basically a play by play of what she did, who she played with, what her teachers said, and what she ate. Leah likes to use phrases like “uh huh, sure can”, “how about that?” and “is that okay mommy?” She answers questions with full sentences and remembers to say please, thank you, and you’re welcome. She makes her thank yous so much more meaningful because she says what she is thanking you for…”thank you for letting me have ice cream mommy and daddy.”
I had just a few things I needed at Wal-Mart so we walked in together. No cart. No stroller. Just me and my little girl walking hand in hand. We did have a touchy moment when she laid down on the floor and said she was staying there. She was very tired. But all in all, it was a very pleasant experience.
I feel so blessed to have such wonderful, fun, caring, and crazy children. Every day is an adventure. It makes me sad sometimes (okay, rarely) that I will never have a baby again, but it is so cool to be able to go anywhere without worrying about the diaper bag, a place to change diapers, a private place to nurse, bottles, baby food, etc. Besides, when I need baby time, all I have to do is walk down the hall at work!
February 18, 2008 | Categories: Family, Haileyism/Leahism | Tags: Andy's, baby, children, Family, Sanford | Leave A Comment »
We recently had our water cut off temporarily (along with many other Sanford residents I am told). I don’t know if it is related or if it is a coincidence but soon after this our plumbing went screwy. When we would run the washing machine or the dishwasher, the water would drain out into the tubs and the toilets. We would hear loud gurgling sounds and soap bubbles would appear…lots of soap bubbles. This made it very hard to…ummm…you know…flush. (A certain couple I know is once again saying “thank God we did not get that house” right now.) Anyway, we tried the liquid stuff for several days and that did not work so we had to have a plumber come out and snake the pipes. That may work long term or we might have a break down by the street. If that is the case, it will take a back hoe, taking down the fence, and LOTS of money to make the repair. The plumber suggested that we only use 1-ply toilet paper. If you read my post about favorite products, you know that I will not part with my Charmin. This is where my wonderful and wise mom came in with a head slapper. Why don’t we just buy the 1-ply stuff for the girls and the good stuff for us? Duh! What a great idea! They are the ones that use the most TP anyway.
If Miles ever visits my house, he better keep away from the Charmin!
February 18, 2008 | Categories: Family, Sanford | Tags: charmin, children, Family, plumbing, Sanford | 1 Comment »
A couple of Leahisms from yesterday:
Leah: I spell my name mommy. L-E-A-Y
Me: No, sweetie, your name doesn’t have a Y. It is L-E-A-H
Leah: L-E-Y (and a very sly grin)
Me: Silly girl, there is no Y in your name L-E-A-H
…and this went on for several more rounds. After about the 5th time of me telling Leah there was no Y in her name, she cocked her head to the side, looked straight at me and said, “why?” She is too cute and too smart.
Later that night in the car…
(this is an actual quote. I scrambled for paper and pen because this was too sweet to forget.)
The sun is down. The sky is all black now. Now the sun is fast asleep and he closes his eyes. When the sky is dark, now it is his bedtime. He got his pajamas on and he go fast asleep.
February 17, 2008 | Categories: Haileyism/Leahism | Tags: leahism, sun, why? | Leave A Comment »
The lease is signed! Page Law Office will open at 315 Courtland at the intersection of Courtland and Woodland on March 1.
February 14, 2008 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: attorney, Ed Page, law, law firm, law office, lawyer, new law office, Page Law Office, Sanford, Sanford NC | Leave A Comment »
My grandfather passed away on February 14, 1983. I remember my parents waking us up in the morning and telling us that Grandaddy was gone. I said something about him being back in the hospital and my parents had to explain that he was gone forever this time. They gave us the choice of going to school or staying home. I didn’t really comprehend at the time what was going on so I chose to go to school. I was only a month shy of 7 but I have vivid memories of sitting at my Grandmama’s kitchen table after school that day sorting through my valentines with my best friend Rachel. We had stapled together two large pieces of construction paper to make a pocket for the valentines and then glued cut out hearts on the paper. I don’t remember much else about the days surrounding my Granddaddy’s death, but I can clearly remember those moments at the kitchen table.
I wish I had been blessed with more time with my Grandaddy but I am thankful for the time that we had. I thought he was the greatest thing ever. He had emphysema and spent a great deal of his time sitting on the couch leaning forward with an oxygen mask on his face. I in turn spent a great deal of time hiding behind his back. I was painfully shy. I was the youngest of all the cousins and would get my feelings hurt quite a bit. I would run and hide behind my Granddaddy and he would threaten the older kids with the “Grandaddy stick” which was a piece of wood about 2 inches wide and 2 1/2 feet long. I still have that stick.
I stayed with my grandparents when I wasn’t in school. My Grandaddy took a wooden record player box and pulled out all the record player parts. They gave me a set of colored blocks and a set of small plastic animals and I kept them all on the record player box. If I was staying at my grandparents, the box came with me. The pink poodle was my favorite toy animal (we had a real toy poodle at the time). When I was hiding behind my Granddaddy’s back, the pink poodle would hide in the front pocket of his khaki shirt. If you haven’t guessed…I still have the record player box and the blocks. The pink poodle is in a small box on my dresser.
Even with his illness, Granddaddy still found ways to spend time with us. He would use the Granddaddy stick to point at puzzle pieces when we got stuck putting the puzzle together. He sat on his little red stool in the driveway while I searched for sharks teeth. He let us ride with him in his truck while he did farm chores. He let us ride on his lap while he drove the tractor. He held my baby dolls and let me adjust his oxygen level. He always worried about us being too cold in the room even though he needed it cold to breathe. He was a Christian and welcomed door-to-door missionaries from other faiths into his home so that he could debate religion. He loved to debate. He was a wonderful and caring man and I still miss him.
Happy Valentine’s Day, Granddaddy!
February 14, 2008 | Categories: Family | Tags: Family, granddaddy, grandfather, grandparents, growing up, valentine | Leave A Comment »
34 treat bags stuffed for Valentine’s Day - check
34 pixie stix stuck through Valentines to look like Cupid’s arrow – check
34 Valentines fastened to treat bags with twist ties – check
22 Valentines decided on and signed by Hailey – check
12 Valentines signed by me for Leah – check
24 cupcakes iced and decorated – check
43 Valentines for the kids at Stepping Stones – check (well…I still have to put some names on in the morning, but they are in my bag and that is good enough for tonight!)
one exhausted mom going to bed – check
February 13, 2008 | Categories: Family | Tags: Family, kids, school party, tired mom, valentine's day | Leave A Comment »
