10:09 pm
ricky bobby is gettin' mauled by a wild cougar in his daddy's car
(watchin' this movie is like watchin' a good ole fashion' train wreck with the baby jesus; i love it and watch it like i've never ever seen it one million times before every time it's on)
jlo and emily are playing office... about to camp out in their super cool fort I built them
(I am a goooood fort builder - tonight I ripped a bedsheet - which was both the coolest thing of the night and very bohemian)
i served double stuffed oreos as a bedtime snack.... double. stuffed.
sb and megan are camping in the living room - stalking myspace and texting all their middle school buddies. sb just informed me that she really isn't that bored she's just lazzzzy.
landon is snoring in the bedroom
and life is good very very good
as ricky bobby would say "this is about a damn perfect evenin' right now."
Friday, February 27, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
happily ever after.
I have been busy working on a Memory Book for an 85th birthday. The recipient, Hulda, is sweet and dear, and I love her to pieces. Having mentioned that she is turning 85, I should also mention that she lives in southern Florida, drives herself everywhere, and refuses to wear a hearing aid.... Why bother with that when you can have the television so loud even I can hear it here in Atlanta? QVC is her favorite channel (where all your Hanukkah gifts come from) and she has more clothes and handbags than you can shake a stick at; all purchased with a coupon.
Hulda is one of my favorite people on Planet Earth. Landon was recently blessed enough to settle in her arms here at work. I think the boy can sniff a Grandma out in a crowd.
So her sweet daughter in law (my boss) is sending her a little gift for her birthday... having sorted through hundreds of pictures to find only a handful to sum up Hil's (as we call her) life in pictures...
I hope I am blessed enough, at 85, to know the things Hil has known... to have held the grandbabies she has held, and to have been loved as much as she was. I hope my children grow up to think of me as wonderfully as her children think of her - and that they too love me enough to let me go without a hearing aid, just because I don't like the way they make my hair look. Seriously. Who cares if I accidentally think my son-in-law just died of a heart attack because I wasn't wearing them? Jesus. That sentence doesn't even do that whole story justice.
One day, when I am 85, I want to be cruising around the Mexican Riviera with my grown children... having asked them because they are the people I most want to spend every second with. I hope to be able to call my grandson and tell him I'm sending him the certificates I have for some kind of stock something or other with some company called AT&T. I hope to be wearing fabulous clothes and sunning myself on my patio.
Her pictures have taught me much about my life this week... where I am going, where I hope to end up, and how I want to live everyday for the rest of my eighty five years. Without worry and without regret. With the person who loved me the most beside me, and my children holding my hands the entire way. With a family.
Because, despite the heartache, the tragedies, and the mistakes, Hil has lived a life full of one thing for certain... love. I gotta find the same thing. No more wasting time. And I am certain that Hil would tell me, if I called her today, expressing my woes, to get my sweet ass in gear.... that is of course, if she could hear me over the television.
Hulda is one of my favorite people on Planet Earth. Landon was recently blessed enough to settle in her arms here at work. I think the boy can sniff a Grandma out in a crowd.
So her sweet daughter in law (my boss) is sending her a little gift for her birthday... having sorted through hundreds of pictures to find only a handful to sum up Hil's (as we call her) life in pictures...
I hope I am blessed enough, at 85, to know the things Hil has known... to have held the grandbabies she has held, and to have been loved as much as she was. I hope my children grow up to think of me as wonderfully as her children think of her - and that they too love me enough to let me go without a hearing aid, just because I don't like the way they make my hair look. Seriously. Who cares if I accidentally think my son-in-law just died of a heart attack because I wasn't wearing them? Jesus. That sentence doesn't even do that whole story justice.
One day, when I am 85, I want to be cruising around the Mexican Riviera with my grown children... having asked them because they are the people I most want to spend every second with. I hope to be able to call my grandson and tell him I'm sending him the certificates I have for some kind of stock something or other with some company called AT&T. I hope to be wearing fabulous clothes and sunning myself on my patio.
Her pictures have taught me much about my life this week... where I am going, where I hope to end up, and how I want to live everyday for the rest of my eighty five years. Without worry and without regret. With the person who loved me the most beside me, and my children holding my hands the entire way. With a family.
Because, despite the heartache, the tragedies, and the mistakes, Hil has lived a life full of one thing for certain... love. I gotta find the same thing. No more wasting time. And I am certain that Hil would tell me, if I called her today, expressing my woes, to get my sweet ass in gear.... that is of course, if she could hear me over the television.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
unfortunatley.
Cool Google game... Google the word "unfortunately" with your name following. Post the top five results.
1. Unfortunately Rachael really uses it as a garbage bowl (yes, my life is the garbage bowl)
2. Unfortunately, Rachael having to take second place (don't I know it)
3. Unfortunately Rachael saw things a little differently the stress of child birth and parenting drove her crazy (ha ha - I got your crazy)
4. Unfortunately, Rachael, I did not find the blog (so sorry)
5. Unfortunately, Rachael had to scratch somewhere around the halfway point.
Sundays. Plenty of room for blogger boredom. :-) Sorry.
1. Unfortunately Rachael really uses it as a garbage bowl (yes, my life is the garbage bowl)
2. Unfortunately, Rachael having to take second place (don't I know it)
3. Unfortunately Rachael saw things a little differently the stress of child birth and parenting drove her crazy (ha ha - I got your crazy)
4. Unfortunately, Rachael, I did not find the blog (so sorry)
5. Unfortunately, Rachael had to scratch somewhere around the halfway point.
Sundays. Plenty of room for blogger boredom. :-) Sorry.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Dear Landon. Month Four.
Today you are sixteen weeks old. And I could still just eat you with a spoon. I think this feeling wears off sometime around nine or so, when I will be helping you pack the bag you plan to run away from home with. Don't forget clean underwear. For now, though, I am relishing every second of this deliciousness that is... you.
Four months ago today wanna know where I was? Sitting in the labor / delivery suite... praying. Just for you. For me. For us. It was quiet and still. Just you and me. Waiting. I could never say enough about those moments between the time the doctors said "let's have a baby" and the time the room filled with people. They were surreal - the seconds before ... before the girls became big sisters... before I became the Mother of a Son... before your daddy became a father. Quiet moments. Tremendous moments.
You are smiling and laughing at everyone and oh-so-ticklish. You are outgrowing every article of clothing you own. You and your cousin Jackson have discovered the magic of each other. Faces and people have now become familiar characters. You know your Mama and Daddy, Mimi, Pa - Sisters - heck, even the dog. You watch and observe and are probably wondering how in the world you ended up with this lot as your Relatives... but, all the same, we like you a lot. So just bear with us. We're learning.
This month you spent some extra time with your other Grandmother. The one who will undoubtedly let you runaround barefoot with mismatched clothes and frogs in your pockets. The one who will teach you how to make mud pies and who will dip your feet into the lake with hers. The one I can't wait for you to love as much as I love. And because you've been listening to all my stories about her - you smiled and laughed and cooed and kicked until you fell sound asleep right beside her from all the excitement. Right then, I pictured you in six or so years, wet hair, swimming trunks, barefoot, sunkissed... passing out next to her on the boat. Contentment. Just remember. When your dad and I screw things up... when we make you the maddest you've ever been... when you're busy packing your runaway bag... you always have your grandmothers.
Oh. And where are you celebrating your big day? Well. I must confess. Today is your second day with The Babysitter. No. Not Mimi's or even Jennifer's or any other even distantly related relative. A wonderful, delightful, caring Babysitter. Who doesn't even have a wart on the end of her nose. Who even told me you had FUN yesterday. Where, I might add, you are surrounded by several other children who have made you the center of attention, which I AM SURE is only causing you to miss your mother EVEN MORE. Mmm-hmm. I am sure that's exactly what you are doing.
Love.
Mama.
Four months ago today wanna know where I was? Sitting in the labor / delivery suite... praying. Just for you. For me. For us. It was quiet and still. Just you and me. Waiting. I could never say enough about those moments between the time the doctors said "let's have a baby" and the time the room filled with people. They were surreal - the seconds before ... before the girls became big sisters... before I became the Mother of a Son... before your daddy became a father. Quiet moments. Tremendous moments.
You are smiling and laughing at everyone and oh-so-ticklish. You are outgrowing every article of clothing you own. You and your cousin Jackson have discovered the magic of each other. Faces and people have now become familiar characters. You know your Mama and Daddy, Mimi, Pa - Sisters - heck, even the dog. You watch and observe and are probably wondering how in the world you ended up with this lot as your Relatives... but, all the same, we like you a lot. So just bear with us. We're learning.
This month you spent some extra time with your other Grandmother. The one who will undoubtedly let you runaround barefoot with mismatched clothes and frogs in your pockets. The one who will teach you how to make mud pies and who will dip your feet into the lake with hers. The one I can't wait for you to love as much as I love. And because you've been listening to all my stories about her - you smiled and laughed and cooed and kicked until you fell sound asleep right beside her from all the excitement. Right then, I pictured you in six or so years, wet hair, swimming trunks, barefoot, sunkissed... passing out next to her on the boat. Contentment. Just remember. When your dad and I screw things up... when we make you the maddest you've ever been... when you're busy packing your runaway bag... you always have your grandmothers.
Oh. And where are you celebrating your big day? Well. I must confess. Today is your second day with The Babysitter. No. Not Mimi's or even Jennifer's or any other even distantly related relative. A wonderful, delightful, caring Babysitter. Who doesn't even have a wart on the end of her nose. Who even told me you had FUN yesterday. Where, I might add, you are surrounded by several other children who have made you the center of attention, which I AM SURE is only causing you to miss your mother EVEN MORE. Mmm-hmm. I am sure that's exactly what you are doing.
Love.
Mama.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
These two are headed for trouble.
Let's talk about some preciousness for a minute. JUST for a minute, ok?
Lookie. It's Jackson and Landon. Jackson, much like the girls, has now discovered that Landon is in fact, interactive! And Landon has discovered that maybe SOMEBODY finally gets it. And it's Jackson.
Right now, Landon is hoping that in fact, JACKSON has the bottle he's been asking for for the past thirty minutes. While his Mama was busy with the camera. AGAIN.
Jackson likes to ssssqqqquuueeeeze Landon he's so excited to see him. I think one day his guts might pop right out of his eyeballs while this is happening. Seriously. Isn't that gross?
See? Jackson is just wantin' a little lovin.' That's all. And maybe if Landon (note fabulous sleeper) would just give in already, he wouldn't get so sqqquuueeezed for it. It's all fun and games until someone gets him out of the carseat.
Lookie. It's Jackson and Landon. Jackson, much like the girls, has now discovered that Landon is in fact, interactive! And Landon has discovered that maybe SOMEBODY finally gets it. And it's Jackson.
Right now, Landon is hoping that in fact, JACKSON has the bottle he's been asking for for the past thirty minutes. While his Mama was busy with the camera. AGAIN.
Jackson likes to ssssqqqquuueeeeze Landon he's so excited to see him. I think one day his guts might pop right out of his eyeballs while this is happening. Seriously. Isn't that gross?
See? Jackson is just wantin' a little lovin.' That's all. And maybe if Landon (note fabulous sleeper) would just give in already, he wouldn't get so sqqquuueeezed for it. It's all fun and games until someone gets him out of the carseat.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
sense of purpose.
"To change a habit, the motivation has to begin with a deep and abiding sense of purpose, and your goal must fit into that big picture. So. Start by asking youself, when all is said and done, what do I feel must have happened for me to have lived a life of significance? Once you get that connection to your ultimate mission, you have the Holy Grail of change."
By Jim Loehr, author of The Power of Story:Rewrite Your Destiny in Business and Life.
*********************************************
By Jim Loehr, author of The Power of Story:Rewrite Your Destiny in Business and Life.
*********************************************
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Perception.
"There's a point where you can give up on winter--when temptation can enter your soul, prying its way in like cold air through the cracks in your cabin--around January sixteenth or so, and this can make you realize that February's coming, and beyond February, March.
See, I don't yet realize that March will be the hardest month. Early February's the coldest, and often the snowiest, but March, strange, silent March, will be the hardest.
The danger in yielding to thoughts of spring--green grass, hikes, bare feet, lakes, fly-fishing, rivers, and sun, hot sun--is that once these thoughts enter your mind, you cant get them out.
Love the winter. Don't betray it. Be loyal.
When the spring gets here, love it too--and then the summer.
But be loyal to the winter, all the way through--all the way, and with sincerity--or you'll find yourself high and dry, longing for a spring that's a long way off, and winter will have abandoned you, and in her place you'll have cabin fever, the worst.
The colder it gets, the more you've got to love it."
~Rick Bass fr. Winter -Notes from Montana
See, I don't yet realize that March will be the hardest month. Early February's the coldest, and often the snowiest, but March, strange, silent March, will be the hardest.
The danger in yielding to thoughts of spring--green grass, hikes, bare feet, lakes, fly-fishing, rivers, and sun, hot sun--is that once these thoughts enter your mind, you cant get them out.
Love the winter. Don't betray it. Be loyal.
When the spring gets here, love it too--and then the summer.
But be loyal to the winter, all the way through--all the way, and with sincerity--or you'll find yourself high and dry, longing for a spring that's a long way off, and winter will have abandoned you, and in her place you'll have cabin fever, the worst.
The colder it gets, the more you've got to love it."
~Rick Bass fr. Winter -Notes from Montana
Thursday, February 5, 2009
The Farmhouse Interviews / February / Sarah Beth
I recently took a minute and wrote down a few questions for my children to answer for you, adoring public. I thought this was creative and effective use of our time together... and yes, I did threaten them not to use any one word answers in their responses. Or the words "I don't know." This, as you can imagine, went over much like a ton of bricks would have.
My apologies in advance. Thank you so much, dear Internet, for humoring me for a second.
With any luck, for you of course, these will get more interesting over time. Otherwise, you are more than welcome to skip these posts entirely. Too bad I can't record the whining and moaning when I asked them to be CREATIVE with their answers... because, honestly, who has time for CREATIVITY when Spongebob is on television? WHO?!?
In any case, since she's the oldest and all, Sarah Beth's interview is first. Enjoy.
*********************************************************************************
Q. What is your full name?
A. Sarah Elisabeth Thackston (you are my mom you should know this answer)
Q. Your mom, who is awesome, almost named you "Zoe." Do you like "Sarah" or "Zoe" better?
A. yes, like Sarah Beth better.
Q. What is the best part of living next door to your grandparents?
A. Don't know... when I get mad I can go over there.
Q. The worst part?
A. I think that losing things. You have to walk back and forth until you find what you're looking for.
Q. What do you shove all your dirty (and CLEAN) clothes under your bed? WHY?!?
A. Because I don't want to do laundry; I can call it clean a month later; I'm lazy
Q. What is your favorite thing about your new brother?
A. He's cute, smiles... um, and some other stuff.
Q. Which animal is your favorite (of all our pets)?
A. All of them thank you very much I don't single them out
Q. If you could have three wishes, what would they be?
A. To have all the wishes, To have a jillion dollars, to have one more wish
Q. Is your locker clean or messy?
A. MESSY. :-)
Q. Do you love your mom?
A. YES
Q. PInk or Blue?
A. Blue. Just because I did eenie meenie miney moe.
*****************************************************************************
Monday, February 2, 2009
Family Guy Wisdom.
My favorite quote from The Family Guy tonight?
"You can't spell OVERREACT without OVARY. You're a girl."
Hmmm. This might explain a lot.
Of course, then there is ... "This could be more trouble than a moose on the interstate."
Which doesn't explain much, but it's funny. Right?
"You can't spell OVERREACT without OVARY. You're a girl."
Hmmm. This might explain a lot.
Of course, then there is ... "This could be more trouble than a moose on the interstate."
Which doesn't explain much, but it's funny. Right?
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