May 31, 2006
Good Lord...
When I got up this morning, Mikyla informed me that she and Mallory had been planning on getting up, getting their swimsuits on, and walking to Granny's to go swimming, before I woke up. They were gonna 'sneak' out, but I woke up and spoiled their plans. I don't know if they'd really attempt that or not, I have top latch locks on the doors, but Mikyla is smart enough to get a chair or stool and unlatch them now...so they really could get out if they were sneaky enough.
Over 10 miles!
I sleep pretty lightly, and usually hear them when they stir, but what if I don't?
That revelation of hers scared me.. so.. we fixed their butts - we put individual alarms on the outside doors, that scream to high heavens if the doors are opened, and one on my bedroom door too, so they won't be sneaking out. If that door opens, the whole house will wake up. *laughs* Watch me forget that alarm sometime in the night and give us all a good scare.
Kids will do anything!
Some Pictures from Nikki!
Alyssa and Kaitlyn
Alyssa
Baby Christopher
Alyssa
Nikki
This Little Rascal
This bird was freaking me out today at Mom's. It wasn't afraid of us, it wasn't scolding us like it had a nest nearby, it was just hopping right up to where we were, as if to say howdy or something. It seemed to just be watching us. On the side of the pool, on the swing out front in Mom's yard. Hopping around the pool like a pet. Very Peculiar!
I really like Rob Thomas & Matchbox Twenty :)
Rob Thomas & Matchbox Twenty Give Money for Music Education
May 30, 2006
Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes?
Written by T. Seals and M.D. Barnes
You know this old world is full of singers
But just a few are chosen
To tear your heart out when they sing
Imagine life without them
All your, radio heros
Like the outlaw that walks through Jesse's dream
No, there will never be another
Red-headed stranger
A Man in Black and Folsom Prison Blues
The Okie from Muskogee
Or Hello Darling
Lord I wonder, who's gonna fill their shoes
(Chorus:)
Who's gonna fill their shoes
Who's gonna stand that tall
Who's gonna play the Opry
And the Wabash Cannonball
Who's gonna give their heart and soul
To get to me and you
Lord I wonder, who's gonna fill their shoes
God bless the boys from Memphis
Blue Suede Shoes and Elvis
Much too soon he left this world in tears
They tore up the Fifties
Old Jerry Lee and Charlie
And old Go Cat Go still echoes through the years
You know the heart of country music
Still beats in Luke the Drifer
You can tell when he sings I Saw the Light
Old Marty, Hank and Lefty
Why I can feel them right here with me
On this Silver Eagle rolling through the night
Who's gonna fill their shoes
Who's gonna stand that tall
Who's gonna play the Opry
And the Wabash Cannonball
Who's gonna give their heart and soul
To get to me and you
Lord I wonder, who's gonna fill their shoes
Dotty West died 9-04-91
Eddie Rabbit died 5-7-98
Ernest Tubb died 9-6-84
June Carter Cash died 5-15-03
Hank Snow died 12-20-99
Boxcar Willie died 4-12-99
Conway Twitty died 6-5-93
Buck Owens died 3-25-06
Johnny Cash died 9-12-03
Charlie Rich died 7-25-95
Johnny Paycheck died 2-18-03
Grampa Jones died 2-19-98
Skeeter Davis died 9-19-04
Tammy Wynette died 4-06-98
Hank Williams died 1-1-53
Keith Whitley died 5-09-89
Jimmie Davis died 11-05-2000
Waylon Jennings died 2-12-02
Marty Robbins died 12-08-82
Tennessee Ernie Ford died 10-17-91
Chris LeDoux died 3-09-05
Faron Young died 12-10-96
Chet Atkins died 6-30-01
Roy Acuff died 11-23-92
Patsy Cline died 3-05-63
Carl Perkins died 1-19-98
Burl Ives died 4-14-95
Gene Autry died 10-02-98
Shelly, remember the good old days? When Mamaw was alive, and Papaw had some heart? I know you have to remember the endless country 'shows' on the old black and white television set papaw had us sit and watch with him, the Grand Ol' Opry - Hee Haw (remember Jr. Samples and Minnie Pearl, and Grampaw Jones? Hey Grampaw, what's for supper!?) - Louisiana Hayride, and the Porter Wagner show - That Good ol Nashville Music - The Dolly Partin Show. Anything country would be playing on the television, on the radio, 8 tracks and old vinyl albums.
Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, Glen Campbell, Tanya Tucker, Roy Clark and Buck Owens, Ernest Tubb, *laughs* Oh how I loved to hear Ernest Tubb! (I'm Walkin' The Floor Over You...) I went on so many trips with them chasing after 'hillbilly concerts', to Bucklake Ranch, and I will NEVER forget seeing Loretta Lynn live at Tombstone Junction.
Remember that autographed picture of Bill Monroe Papaw had? He was all, Bill's my friend, I knew him from way back before he was famous. I never believed him until I went with him to a Bill Monroe concert with Papaw and Mamaw, again, at Tombstone Junction - folks were writing down requests on slips of paper and handing up to Bill to sing, but Papaw didn't need a slip of paper, I was in awe when Mr. Monroe's eyes scanned the audience and he spotted Papaw, smiled and said something like, Sol, I know which one you want and this one's for you. I don't even remember what he played, I was too busy being in shock that he addressed Papaw like that to know what was played. How sad. Maybe someday I'll remember what it was. *laughs* Papaw was giggley and nudging me just nodding and bobbing his head to the song, Tolja, I tolja!" He said.
I remember one trip with them vividly. I was 5 or 6, and Mom let them take me with them to Nashville to the Grand ol' Opry. Lonnie was what, maybe 15, 16.. it was the 4 of us. I don't remember what kind of car it was, but the back seat was as big as a couch, and I can remember the drive from Michigan took forever, and I remember Lonnie sleeping on the seat, and the floorboard back there was big enough for me to lay down and sleep on too, using that hump in the middle for a headrest. I can remember stopping to eat at what I believe was an Arby's or something like Arby's...and I can remember mamaw taking an onion out of the glovebox (she always had an onion in there for just such an occasion) and 'doctoring' up her roast beef sandwich. She said they were good but they just needed a little onion to make them better. When we finally got there, boy were we disappointed. They hadn't checked to see if the Opry was open or not, and it turned out that it was closed for renovations or something like that that weekend. *laughs* Ohhhh how Mamaw fussed at Papaw about that. It was a good trip though. I did, with my own eyes, get to at least see the building that housed the "Grand ol' Opry".
I never took Sarah and Bonnie to a hillbilly 'show'. I wish I had. I'm gonna take these little ones sometime. I'm really gonna - they need to see them and hear real country music. Give them a real taste of a little bluegrass. Mikyla likes Alison Krauss and Union Station. She and Mallory both can sing "Let's go down to the River and Pray." - it's a pretty song. It's a shame Tombstone Junction is gone now, maybe we can go to Renfro Valley sometime this summer.
What brought this on? The movie "Walk the Line". Mikyla has watched it twice now, and she's taken to singing Johnny Cash songs, particularly "Folsom Prison" blues. You'd get a kick out of how she pronounces "Reno". She's truly interested in the music, and now she wants to hear "A Boy Named Sue." Nana told her about that one today. She sang to Grampa and Granny this evening, and then Mom got out some George Jones cd's...and then Dad started singing and by the way, his singing is why she was making those odd googly eyes in the photos I posted earlier this evening, while she appreciated George Jones, I think she was hoping Grampa would hush and let her hear the pure music. *laughs* I got a kick out of that.
Ah well. It's getting late and I need to get some sleep. G'nite world!
May 29, 2006
May 28, 2006
Middle Easterners...
I didn't know there were so many of them in Kentucky. There were 10 to every one of us hillbillies at the falls today. I don't know where she got it from but Mikyla passed them, she'd smile and say "Mid-ah-Gish-ka!" A greeting.. *laughs* In their 'language' - that she made up. She cracks me up. I said, Mik what are you saying to them? I thought it was something she might have learned from watching 'Dora the Explorer'. "Iono".. she replied... then nodded at another family of them.. and said it again. She's nuts!
Cumberland Falls
We took the kids to see the falls, and to get them some rock candy on a stick. Mikyla could still remember the last time we took her.. she didn't remember the falls, but she remembered waiting on the bench outside while Dips went in to buy her a stick of the white rock candy. :)
They really enjoyed that - we all did!
May 26, 2006
Holy Moly What a Day
Not the Electric Slide (1.06 MB)
Maegan favors her corn on the cob with butter, salt and pepper. She's not a bit greedy though...
Mallory was quiet for the longest time today, she was in back of Mom's house getting roses to decorate her car with.. it's her 'Rosemobile'...
She has eyes you could get lost in... and mercy me does she use them a lot to get out of trouble.. she's as mean as a blacksnake!
First day in the pool this summer!
It's been one heck of a day, my goodness the 4 kids all.. ALL of them seemed like they were wired for sound. EGADS, it was like some unseen force was feeding them tons of sugar and chocolate right under my nose!
We went to mom's to let them swim.. Nick helped me take them one at a time across the pool and back but my GOD was that water cold to me. The kids swore it wasn't.. and the thermometer said it was 76 degrees, but it felt like 76 below zero to me!
They're gone to spend the night at Nana's tonight.. Mikyla just called me.. Mammy, can I get my hair dyed? Well Mikyla, it's your hair.. MOMMY, MAMMY SAID I CAN! Sarah got on the phone and chastised me, WHY did you tell her she can?! I didn't, I just said it's her hair.. tell her she has allergies tho, and that stuff burns, it's apt to burn her hair right off her head. *laughs* She changed her mind, I heard her say, No, Nana, I think I'll pass on that, I'm too little for it. The next thing I heard was Nana saying in this tentative voice.. Sarah, they're.. Sarah.. Sarah look they're .. stop it girls, get out of that, wait, no, Sarah they're .. they've locked it oh my.. I broke up laughing. I don't know what they were into, but I know how fast they are. I sure hope Nana has a key to ever what it was they locked.
G'nite world.
The Flip
Mikyla can't flip over the rings unless she borrows Mallory's back and shoulders. *laughs*
She's bottom heavy...and gravity doesn't help!
Swim Time!
The water's still too cold for the rest of us, but Nick isn't wasting any time!
May 25, 2006
Cute Shots...
She likes Chicken Noodle soup. ALOT!
I just liked this one too...
Mamaw's Roses...
I mixed them in with some yellow flowers, because yellow and blue are the colors the family decided to put on the grave for Memorial day...
Maegan's Journey
Mom put a swing just for her in the tree with Mikyla and Mallory's swing, and after swinging in it for a long time, I got her and was holding her on the porch, when she squirmed down from my lap and onto the grass. She was going BACK to her swing! *laughs*
Maegan is so funny...
That child just keeps me laughing, she's in love with life, so curious, and she knows just what she wants...already! TO GET INTO 'STUFF'!
I didn't realize just how sick and twisted I really am, until just now...
It's late, the house is quiet, everyone is sleeping except Joel.. and he's watching the Chronicles of Narnia. Bored, I was just looking at my site meter, and upon seeing that a visitor had looked at quite a few pages on my site, I looked to see where they came in at, and it was Donna in her coffin. More curious now, thinking it was a relative, I clicked to see what referred them and found that they came in from a Yahoo search - they were looking for "beautiful coffins".
It was the first time today that I laughed out loud. They were looking for beautiful coffins at almost midnight and there's my aunt Donna. I couldn't help it, imagining them wince because that had to be unexpected, just made me laugh.
God above I am warped.
Today was the 24th and I put 17 roses on Mamaw's grave. I can't believe it's been 17 years.
I visited 4 cemeteries today - and I took over 300 pictures by day's end.
It seems like I've been on the go all day. I had to go with Sarah to visit a "water hole".. a creek on the side of the road. It looked crystal clear, but I couldn't help wonder what the heck kinds of bacteria were thriving in it, waiting to get into a scratch in the skin. Can we say paranoia? I did get some pretty pictures of the kids there though. They were having a grand time throwing rocks into the water.
Mikyla didn't go to school today, but Jordyn, her cousin did. They go to the same school, and they had an assembly today to pass out more awards, and Jordyn came home and had to call to tell Mikyla that she'd won the award for the best behavior in her class. She was the only one who hadn't gotten a "bad choice" chastisement the whole year. I was so proud of her, she IS a very well behaved little girl! Boy did her little chest puff out when she found out about that. :)
Her teacher had this little bag made up for her students, I found it in the car this morning, and peeked inside.. it was the cutest thing - a note saying how she enjoyed getting to know each student, and it explained what was in the bag. A bandaid for the ouchie Mikyla may get this summer, a pencil and eraser for writing the teacher a letter.. a recipe for play dough to make on a rainy summer day, a sucker to show how sweet Mik was..and hershey kisses for kisses and hugs when needed. I thought that was precious - it had to take her some time to make those bags up for those kids.
I went and bought her a few trinkets and put them in a gift bag with a thank you teacher card from Mikyla and left it in the office for her. I hope she gets it.
Bonnie brought me the movie "Walk the Line" the Johnny Cash story to watch a while ago, I think I'll post some of my pics here and then go watch it. G'nite World!
May 24, 2006
For Crying Out Loud
I just read on MSNBC.com that Some Smiling Idiot Mowed Down Children at Mcdonald's In Covington Georgia What the hell is this country doing spending time, money, and losing soldiers in other countries fighting 'terrorism' while some of our own citizens are terrorizing us right here in the United States? I think President Bush should do something about the crime here before he heads out to other places with our tax dollars to clean it up in other countries. This shit is getting old. We take a risk with our kids by just going out into the yard with them to let them play, much less taking them to Mcdonald's Playland. When is enough going to be enough and something is done to prevent things like this?
Maegan Today
This is one of the new little outfits Mom bought for Maegan yesterday. It fits her perfectly! Thanks, Mom!
Mom and I met Brenda, Shan, Ashley and Bailey and Josh today at the cemetery...we got the graves cleaned up and ready for Memorial day. I forgot to take my camera with me though. My memory loss is beginning to worry me. It's worse than usual lately.
The kids are all here, all sleeping, and the house is quiet. That pic above is the only one I got today.
Mik got her report card today.. she passed and is officially in 1st grade come fall. That's unbelievable. Mal will be going into Kindergarten. Mikyla's teacher told the kids they don't have to go tomorrow if they don't want to, and can go if they want.. naturally Mik chooses not to go.. bless her heart, I'm so glad this year is over for her. Maybe she'll like 1st grade better. I sure hope so.
If anyone knows the whereabouts of a Bertha Spurlock's grave.. who died about 54 years ago in a house fire in Knox County Kentucky, please, email me and let me know. imdhari@alltel.net Thanks!
G'nite, world!
May 22, 2006
Today...
Was a good day, but a long one. Maegan not only shared her 24 hour virus with Mom, but I found out Dad was sick as a dog in the night as well. It hit me about 3 this morning -- egads, I thought it was impossible to get one virus along with another one. Fooled me. Anyway, I'm much better this evening, and I think I'm gonna be fine to go clean up the cemetery with the family tomorrow.
Poor Mom, I just have no sympathy for her when she's sick, I can't, never could. She's always been so strong, I know for a fact she has brass ovaries and she's always worn iron brassiers, she's strong - and for her to get weak with a sickness just always made me mad. *laughs* She understands what I mean, so don't think I'm heartless. She was on her porch yesterday looking like she was on death's door, she said, "Juel, I think I'm gonna die." I just scowled at her and said "Ah, just go lay down a while!" *coughs* She made me mad being sick and talkin' dying. She's better today, thank God! Dad is too. Now Lisa and Nick will get this and cry like babies.
Bonnie took a wild hair at me night before last and fired me from babysitting Joel.. but she changed her mind and called back to apologise this morning at 2:30. She woke me up, said she had me on her mind and wanted to say she was sorry for being so mean and hateful, she was having a bad day. I said hell Bonnie, that's the first time I ever got fired from a job I don't even get paid to do, that was wild! *laughs* I forgave the lil shit, but ohhh the guilt trips this one's good for! *warms hands with anticipation*
Sarah came and got Maegan and Mallory this evening, she said she's gonna keep them tonight, so I just have Joel and Mikyla right now. But.. Bonnie's off tonight, so she'll be here shortly to get Joel, that just leaves Mik.. who will be in school tomorrow so when we go to the cemetery, I'll be kid-free. Right now, Joel and Mikyla are in here with me watching "Chicken Little".
The weather here is starting to clear up. It was so nice out there today, the kids played in the yard all day. I didn't feel good though, so I didn't go camera crazy.. didn't even take it off the dock today. I'll have some pics to post tomorrow though, I'll take it with me to the graveyard.
Wednesday is Mik's last day of school.. she's been LIVING for Wednesday, that child hates school. She had an ear infection Thursday and Friday and missed, then her banquet for getting her trophy for being a Dance Kitten was on Saturday but she didn't feel like going.. wouldn't go, just refused.. she said she would just get her trophy today, and she was right. She got the cutest little trophy with her name and date on it. :) That was neat!
I got the neatest mail today, Tiffany if you still read here, thanks, I love the cemetery pictures! I'll have to find a scanner, I don't have one, but I loved those! Now I'm gonna have to go shopping for some very very peculiar socks! It tickled me to death to get that letter! Thanks Tiff! I wish I could catch you on yahoo or icq. I'm not usually on here until after midnight though, sometimes in mid-afternoon, but I think you and Gera are working then.
I talked to my aunt Brenda on the phone today. I got a kick out of what she told me about an alarm clock/calculator. It's never been set, never been used, but has been sitting on the dresser in her room and has been since they got it. She said she was watching a sad movie on tv, and couldn't sleep night before last, and James told her to get to bed but she just sat right on watching that movie, when she heard Brahm's lulliby being played. She said that it actually fit the theme of the movie she was watching, and thought at first that it was in the movie.. but then it kept playing. She said it was after 1 in the morning and she muted the tv to see if it would stop but it kept playing so she went to see what was playing the song. She collects music boxes so thought maybe it was one of them that had gone off... but it wasn't. It was that alarm clock. She said it wasn't set, so she jokingly said, "Okay Mom, if you want me to go to bed now, I will." and she said the music stopped. She got her butt in bed. *laughs* She said she thought maybe the clock was set so put it by her bed last night to see if it would go off again, but it didn't. Mamaw was letting her know to get her butt to sleep. Too funny, I know she laid there with eyes as big as eatin' plates after that clock did that. I know I would of been! *laughs* A Mom never goes away, Brenda!
Now a little about the kids. I'll go from littlest to biggest. Maegan.
She's just today started taking steps on her own, from the couch to the table, from the walker to the couch, just a few little steps, but she's finally bravening up enough to test out her legs. She's standing alone for longer and longer periods, looking at what she's holding in her hands, and she's starting to talk, just a little, but intentionally saying "Lyyyyla, and Maaaammy".. she has the sweetest little soft voice... it's adorable to hear her call for us. So far we're the only 2 she's calling for. Though she's been sick, she's still been all smiles and giggles. She has a temper though, I found that out the other day when I was mopping my kitchen floor.
I blocked off the steps to the den so she couldnt' go down them and then I got my bucket of pinesol and my rags and sat down to mop like that, so I could get it good and clean and dry it as I went. I gave her a cloth too so she could "hep" me and that was okay with her, but what she really wanted was that bucket of water. I kept moving it as she crawled along beside me trying to reach it and she literally got so angry and frustrated that she was gritting her gums. *laughs* She'd cry out her rage and then go after it again. She's gonna be a wild child.
Joel is getting tall, he's on a growth spurt and he just seems to be taller to me every day. He's losing his baby fat and starting to talk more plainly and lord you can tell he's a boy because he never stops making those noises. A ship's rudder, an airplane engine, mouth bubbles, chimpanzee noises.. the sounds never stop.. even while he sleeps. It could be maddening, but I think right about now, I'm already so nutty nothing else could reach me. *laughs* Boy Shelly, what you have to look forward to, twin boys. Double the sound effects. If you're not as crazy as a shit house rat now, you will be!
Mallory is doing very well, she's been seizure free for almost 2 months now. I do think she had one in her sleep because of how she acted the next day, lethargic, sleepy, cross, that was about a month ago, but we didn't see for sure so we're not counting it as a seizure. She's been looking bad though to me in the face, in her eyes for the past 2 days and she's not sleeping well.. thrashing and moaning again. I hate it when she does that. Maybe she'll sleep better tonight.
Speaking of Mal, she's here now, for the night. I have all three girls back because Sarah said they're going job hunting in the morning. I'll just have to load them up and take Mal and Maegan with me to the graveyard tomorrow.
Mikyla is the most stubborn, mule headed little girl I've ever known! *laughs* I have NO idea where she gets that from! If she doesn't want to do something, I doubt the sweet Lord Jesus could swoop down from Heaven and convince her to do it. It's a miracle we've got her through Kindergarten, she hates it. You tell her she can't do something, she'll break her neck to prove that she can. Her baby years are all gone. Look out world, here comes another 'opinionated' young woman! YOU GO MIKYLA!
Things in the news that caught my eye:
Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks thinks Bush doesn't deserve any respect whatsoever. *laughs* Say it. Mean it. Stand by it. For goodness sakes stop blowing whichever way the wind blows. Had you stood firm, you coulda looked back at yourself as a pace-setter instead of a fence straddler.
Dixie Chicks Natalie Maines
This is really neat, looky here!
7 Year Old Swims from Alcatraz Isle to San Francisco The lil guy did it in 47 minutes. Isn't that something else?!
An explosion at Darby Mine Number 1 in Harlan killed 5 miners a couple of days ago. 3 of them survived the explosion, but suffocated while trying to escape the mine.
Mining Deaths in Kentucky I didn't know any of these men, but my condolances to their families.
Okay, that's enough for tonight. I have to get up early in the morning. G'nite, World.
May 21, 2006
May 20, 2006
May 19, 2006
Nick's 6th Grade Prom
I never heard of a 6th grade prom, but this one was special, seeing as how it's the last year for Nick at this school. In fact, the rumor is that it's the last year for anyone at this school, they're closing it down. Maybe that's why they had a prom for them this year.
Nick went lookin' slick, he was the Prom King! YOU GO NICK!
You looked awesome, and I'm glad you had a good time. :)
The Superswing!
We made a homemade swing and put it high in the limbs of a pine tree. It doesn't look a bit safe, it bounces, it goes as high as the sky and it scared mom pale. *laughs* Needless to say, the kids love it.
Mallory's Wee Ball Game Yesterday...
She was a little late, but then Sarah is always fashionably late.. we were waiting in the lot and almost left when they pulled in. The game had already started, but Mal got to play after all. She does great out there!
May 18, 2006
Gators Will Eat You.
I saw some of these creatures when I was in Flordia. On the sides of the road, in ditches like where we have craw-dads, they have these big assed angry looking alligators. If there's a creek, I swear to God, there's a gator. Sometimes 3 and 4 - I know because Dad was a gator fan, the second he'd spot one he'd have to pull over and have a look, take a picture. Sometimes I was in the car with him. Those blasted things don't look none too friendly. Here...in a creek bed...a craw-dad will pinch your finger.. there, a gater... in a creek bed... will bite your head off.
Egads, what are those joggers thinking? I mean, they have to know those things are right there runnin' beside them. Heck I can feel when someone's staring at me, I know I'd know it if one was stalking me for prey.. there'd be this big loud thumping and you know, those things roar too. I read where one of those gals who was jogging, then eaten by a gator, just before she went missing, she was seen resting, dangling her legs over this swamp, Duh! Didn't she have an inkling that she could possibly be Alligator Kibble in the blink of an eye?
Hell, I wouldn't open the door to Dad's apartment all the way, first I had to do it a little, peek out to be sure there were no gators in the parking lot...cuz I KNEW they were in the vicinity, they aren't invisible, they don't even bother hiding! When you visit a community...and there ain't hide nor hair of a cat, or a dog running loose ANYwhere, it's just common sense to wonder why, and to keep looking over your shoulder to be sure that "why" isn't behind you looking for a snack!
Dad worked with the road crew there - they were pushing back swamps, paving, taking territory which by rights belonged to the gators. He was worried about them. He told me that they were being re-located as they were found, but a lot of them, he reckoned, would move away from the roadwork on their own, and into the towns, their turf disturbed, they have to go somewhere, and he reckoned that folks in the towns would be visited more than they wanted to be. He's still rooting for the gators. Like I said, he is a gator fan. Not that he's glad folks are being eaten, he's just hoping the gators get moved to a nice place where they can live their own natural alligator lives.
I've posted these before, but I thought they would be just right, right here...
May 17, 2006
Joel - Gone Fishing!
Bonnie took Joel to the pay lake last week and he caught this great big catfish! She said Joel was thrilled! He looks like he was having a great time, doesn't he?
May 15, 2006
Spring?
I wouldn't know it by the temperature. It's about 40 degrees, and raining and feels more like fall out there. I suppose this is Blackberry winter.. we've already had Dogwood winter. There's one more winter to come, I think, Redbud, if I'm not mistaken. I wish they were finished, I'm ready for some warm weather!
I had a good Mother's day, I got to spend time with my girls, my grandkids, my sister and my Mom.. I got some roses, and went out to eat, and Lisa bought me a robomaid, (coolest little thing!) and Sarah and Shannon each got me a braided hibiscus. It was a wonderful day! Thank you Everyone!
Mikyla and Mallory got to go with Jordyn to the Knoxville Zoo today, they had a really good time, and came home exhausted. They were both sleeping tonight before 10...which is rare for them. Maegan is sleeping too. I don't have Joel tonight - Bonnie doesn't have to work. She's off tonight and tomorrow. There's no school tomorrow either so we don't have to get up early. YAY!
School around here lets out for Summer vacation on the 24th, so that means there's only 6 more days of school left. Mik will be thrilled.. have I mentioned on this journal anywhere that she absolutely hates school?
Things are Blooming!
I love the Honeysuckles...
And the Blackberries look like they're going to be plentiful this year...
But the little green apples are the best!
What are These?
They're growing wild outside at Mom's, right up close to the house. Anyone out there know what they are?
Mallory's Cadillac
Mallory was so envious of Mikyla's car, she loved it so much that Mom couldn't stand it, she had to go and buy Mallory one too. Mallory just LOVES it, thank you MOM!!!!! They had several races and Mallory crossed that lil blue finish line first every single time! That car tickled that youngin to death! Mom, you're way too much! You'll have wall to wall kids all summer! *laughs* But ohhh doesn't it look like fun!
May 14, 2006
May 11, 2006
May 10, 2006
The Sweetest Thing...
Joel came in on Bonnie's birthday and solomnly walked up to me, this bouquet of Iris's in his little hands, and he held them out to me like an offering to a queen, like they were the most important things in the world. The expression on his face was priceless, and the flowers were beautiful.
The blooms he held in front of him were bigger than his little face and as reached for them I inhaled long and with awe, and I whispered, Oh my GOODNESS how beautiful, oh Joel are these for me?!!
His little face lit up like there was 1000 candles behind his eyes, just luminating him, his little mouth turned up in the biggest smile I ever saw and he nodded, said "Yep!"
"Oh Thank YOU! They're the prettiest flowers I ever saw!"
He started babbling something about them, I couldn't understand, but then we went to put them in water, and he strutted around pointing, demanding that I put them on the counter where he specified, he stood back and stared then pointed again, for me to brag some more.. That kid's something else. :)
Bon said he picked them out of the flower bed at the Courthouse. *laughs* She did say that a police officer was standing there when Joel pointed and said he wanted to pick one, and that he told Joel to go ahead and pick them if he wanted them, so it wasn't as if he stole them...
That was precious. Thank you Joleybean, I loved them, and I love you too!
Sarah took Maegan Home Yesterday After School...
...but she left Mikyla and Mallory here. Bon was off so she had Joel. Do you know how odd it felt not having to tippy toe down the hall to keep from waking a little one? *laughs* I still find myself walking stealthily to the kitchen this morning, before seeing the empty crib and remembering that Sarah has Maegan. I kept waking up in the night to listen for her before I remembered she was with her Mom. Am I nutty or what!? Mallory is still sleeping, but she could sleep through a tornado, I don't have to be quiet around her.
Have you taken a good look...
...at the children around you lately?
I don't mean the little ones, I'm talking about those from about ages 10 to 16.
I was sitting in the car waiting for Stan to get his tobacco, in the K-mart parking lot. A woman my age pulled up in a car next to me, and she looked like she had her mom with her, and 2 young boys in the back seat. The boys looked to be maybe 8 years old and the oldest one looked about 10.
Very clean boys, a clean car, the women looked clean, well dressed. They got out and I glanced at the boys faces.. my God, my heart sank. They looked so angry, so ready to lash out. The littlest one reached into his back pocket and withdrew a cell phone and with slow deliberate motions, began to dial, put it to his ear and I swear, both of them literally swaggered, arrogant and cocky, from the car into the store.
The expressions on their faces said "Don't fuck with me." Intentional expressions, put there I felt, to make them look "cool". To make them look like some kind of gang members from some dark club of Satan.
Why do they have to look so mean? Look at the young people you see out there today. I wouldn't stop and ask them for directions, much less stop and give one a ride these days. They absolutely look like they'd just love to get at your throat with their bare hands. How sad.
I'm going to start taking my camera with me to Walmart when I go shopping, or just even down the street to store. I'm going to start taking pics of the expressions on these kids.. it's like they're anger clones. The same affected expression. Raw Hatred. Where are they getting this, what public figure are they mimicking this time?
Ick!
Have you ever...
....seen happier looking little girls? Look at that smug smile on Mik's face. *laughs* She lives to go over there to drive her car!
Mikyla's Field Trip
Mikyla's first field trip with school was yesterday - she went to the planetarium. She said she had a wonderful time, but she still hasn't told me what she got to see. She was so tired when she got home that she was cranky. Golly this kid can get grumpy when she's tired! *laughs* Dunno where she gets that from!
We took her to mom's to drive her car for a while after school, and by 8 last night she was already in bed sawing logs and slept until I got her up for school this morning. Maybe she'll tell me about her trip this evening.
Movies...
Sarah brought me several of them to watch, so I figured I better get busy, and I started with "An Unfinished Life" - that was pretty good, though I never was a Redford fan. I do though like Morgan Freeman. The bear plot seemed like it was borrowed from "Legends of the Fall", but all in all it was a pretty fair movie.
Tom Cruise in "War of the Worlds", wow! I really liked that movie! Talk about edge of my seat, I was on it. Those damned robot/alien things were scary! Just I know Cruise was old enough to play father to a teen aged boy, but he just didn't look old enough, and I just had a hard time trusting him to make good choices. *laughs* I kept waiting for him to screw up and get his kids fed to the aliens. I want Mom to see that one. Maybe I can con her into watching it today.
I tried to watch "The Chronicles of Reddick" but I never did like movies like that and it just couldn't hold my attention, so that one's gonna have to go unwatched.. I just couldn't sit 2 hours through it. Bleah!
May 09, 2006
May 8 - Happy Birthday Bonnie!
I'm glad you had a good one! Big 23!
Thanks for coming everyone, I'll post some pics tomorrow. It's getting late and I think Maegan is gonna sleep through the night, so I'm heading out to sleep too.
G'nite, World!
Strangeland
I had no idea Dee Snider from Twisted Sister could act. This is one of the creepiest movies I've seen in a while. I don't know how old it is, but Bonnie brought it to me tonight and egads, it's chilling. This guy plays the part of a duo personality and he's so believable.. good guy/horrible nutcase. Ugh.
If you like Psychopath/Sociopath/type movies, this would be one for you.
Egads.
May 04, 2006
Cadillac Escalade!
Mom was determined to find Mikyla a power wheels vehicle big enough for her to drive, and danged if she didn't manage to do just that. Mikyla loves it! The other kids do too. The girls tormented poor Joel, making him run behind it, but they finally gave him a turn, and it tickled that youngin' to death!
Look at Mallory's expression in this next one, when she had to get out to give Joel a turn.. ohhh she didn't like that one bit! *laughs*
Joel still can't steer this one, it has the steering wheel and he can't figure how to turn it no matter how much we show him. He does better on his little motorbike, but he lost all interest in that after seeing the Cadillac...*sigh*
THANKS MOM, you're too much!!!!
May 03, 2006
May 02, 2006
Illegal Immigrants...
Angry because it's difficult to get citizenship in the USA they decided to do a walk out yesterday to show us how much we need them. They want the immigration laws changed to better suit them. Wasn't that a good time for INS to drive up, check them for papers and then right on the spot, ship them back to their birthplaces? Why didn't we do that, I wonder?
These folks insist they're not criminals, yet they came into the USA illegally, they're living here illegally, they're working here illegally, but they're not criminals? I'm all for a better life for everyone, but an American can't just be-bop across the borders of other countries and decide to live in one without proper papers. Try it with Mexico...you probably won't get shipped back here to the states, you'll most likely land in jail there for a long time, if not forever. We can't even visit another country without proper paperwork. Do it legally folks! Don't sneak in here and then when you get the numbers of an army try to change our laws, that's just rude!
In a small town closeby, a saw mill was cited and fined a few years ago for hiring illegal immigrants for far less wages than the men who were born in this area were making. This made the mill want to hire the illegals instead, and the local gentlemen, being laid off, didn't take kindly to it and reported the mill. The situation, as last I heard had been rectified.
I'm not against immigrants. Come to the United States, make good lives for yourselves and for your families. Do it legally. Millions have. If you're here illegally, you are breaking the law. I seriously doubt you'd have any compunction about breaking other laws as it suits you. Learn to speak English. Don't expect us to learn to speak your language to accomodate you. If you want to be an American, do it right. Doing it otherwise is just a slap in the face to all the immigrants before you who have struggled and worked night and day to legally earn their citizenship here. It's difficult, harder these days than ever, but it's not impossible.
The deal yesterday, the walk out, didn't effect this area at all. In fact, we wouldn't have known it had taken place if they hadn't mentioned it on the news. But you know what I look for now? I look for Sex offenders to march. To gather in numbers and march and whine and go on about the law requiring them to register so neighborhoods know when they move in. They don't like that law either. They say it disrupts their lives because once folks find out they're sex offenders they get harrassed (boo-frickin-hoo) and have to move. If you're a criminal in the United States, take to gathering together and protest! Change the laws that made you a criminal in the first place so you're no longer in the wrong! Good God.