Bobby Bryson

I didn't go to my 20th High School Reunion because we had some fun stuff going on around here that I didn't want to miss. I wish I had gone. I wish that for many reasons, it will probably be another 20 before we do it again. But today I'm wishing it for another reason.

I lost an old friend on Wednesday. Bob (Bobby is what I call him) Bryson, someone I've known since pre-school/Kindergarten, died yesterday. I'm so shocked and saddened. We had known each other since we were little kids. We had gone to the same school (there was only one school in our town) all of our lives, all the way through high school.

There are a lot of us like that. Peachtree City was a very small town, growing as we grew up, but very small. We went to the same church, our parents were friends, he lived near another friend of mine so we would all play outside together when I was over at her house. In High School, our church youth group would all go to the beach together, every summer. I even pierced his ear on one of those beach trips, yes with 2 ice cubes and a gold ball bought at the souvenir shop. He and I would practicing driving a stick shift by taking turns in Chris Kendall's green Datsun B210. Good crazy memories.

Bobby and I weren't inclined to keep in touch after High School, I guess because as our high school grew we hung around with some different people, plus we'd each always been around. One of those things you don't think about, they are just there. So I still feel like we were friends, even though we hadn't seen each other in a very long time. I think time stands still for friends like that, they've been there your whole life, you figure you'll see them again sometime and just pick up where you left off. I wish I had gone to my reunion, just to say hello, just to hear what he'd been doing, how his family is, see pictures of his kids etc...

I've recently just gotten into facebook and enjoyed it but not given it much thought. Today, I think it is a wonderful tool. I'm sad to say that Bobby wasn't on FB or if he was, he and I had not made that connection, but I have reconnected with so many people from my past and right now I am so glad!! Why does it take such a tragic accident to make you realize you miss a person.

To Lisa, Dylan, Colt, David, Martha, and Gene, I'm so sorry to hear this news and will be thinking about you and praying for you. I will miss him.

Advice

Don't let your 5 year old go to sleep with Silly Putty in his hand.
I'm just sayin it might not make for a good laundry day the next day.

Honest Scrap

Okay, I've been tagged again. 10 honest things about me. Here goes.

1. I'm actually pretty smart, but I hide it well. If I'm interested in a subject, I can learn it pretty quickly. I am just not very up on important things, like politics, economics etc... I call myself a democrat, because of the social issues. I think I'm pretty liberal. Maybe that makes me a Libertarian but I don't know because I don't know what that is...duh....I'm not stupid, but for some reason, never got to that place in my life where I turned on the news instead of HGTV. I think I might be getting there soon though...After they give away the HGTV Dream House.

2. I don't watch football. I know I might get arrested for living in this town and saying that, but I don't. I love tailgating, but when it is time for the game to start, I head home...to watch HGTV, or to the mall, it is really not very crowded on certain Saturday's around here. I was thrilled when Jack asked Joe to go to the Auburn v Alabama game in Tuscaloosa this year because that meant I could pretend it wasn't even happening. And I did, I think the kids and I went to a movie.

3. I have control issues. I think some people would say "What!?" to that because I come across as pretty laid back. But I think if you ask my husband or my daughter they would agree. I can't delegate or give chores because I think I have to do it all myself or it won't get done right. I try to nicely suggest things for my daughter to wear to school, but when she rejects my idea, I get all in a tizzy. It's bad, and Kate suffers for it.

4. I wish more than anything I could turn the clock back to right after Wheeler was born and be less of a Mommy Dearest to Kate. I would turn it back even further if I weren't afraid it would change the fact that Wheeler is here or something Back to the Futurish like that.

5. I second guess every thing I say. After I have a conversation with anyone, I go over it in my head and think "I shouldn't have said that", or "I hope that didn't sound like I meant...",

6. I love staying up late. Sitting around with a group of friends girls or couples and just talking.

7. I can remember almost anything. I can tell you what grade I was in when a song was popular. I can remember a story you told me about people I don't even know, and can probably remember their names. I can remember all of my teachers from High School, Junior High and Elementary School. I can probably remember all or most of my classmates in those classes. At least through Junior High.

8. I try my best to avoid Name Brand Items. At least if there is any type of logo showing. I don't want my son walking around with a Tommy Hilfiger flag on his chest. You'll probably never see me in a Lexus or a Mercedes. Honda or Nissan is more my speed.

9. I have no will power at all. I can not resist cookies or candy. My latest vice is a calorie packed coffee from Starbucks. The good thing about this is I knew this about myself from a very early age. (Because I could eat a pound bag of M&M's in an hour and never blink) And because I knew this about myself, I knew never to try any drugs, I was so afraid I would like them and would never be able to stop.

10. I don't want to go back to work. Not yet, Although there are some jobs that are very appealing. Even though Wheeler is now in full day Kindergarten. I am such an unorganized person I feel that this is possibly my chance to get a handle on things around here and have a somewhat neat house, laundry done, and bills that are paid on time, etc...I'm working on food on the table at night but that might be when he starts junior high. I am hoping to just get rich and famous from this blog. Help me Out!!

So who am I tagging. Well I think my close little circle of bloggers is all taken so I'm branching out. Dona Markert, I bet you are a pretty good writer. A at the Hinesly House, (maybe this will get you back on the wagon), Dani at My Little Munchkins http://icrafty.com/, Searcy Kelly, it will be interesting to hear honest thoughts from a brand new mom as so much of life as you know it changes once a baby comes, ditto for you too Elizabeth Spratlin. One more, Lea Davis Roark I think I saw that you have a blog and it has been a while since you posted, so maybe this will make you want to write.

I Love a Good Ghost Story!!!!!!

You usually think any ghost story is going to take place in an old, turn of the century house, right? Well is 2 1/2 years old enough for ya!

I have a neighbor who lives across the street. She has been in her house right about 2 1/2 years. One night probably about a year ago, somehow, all the girls are together and we get on ghost subjects. Probably because another neighbor's husband grew up in a true antebellum home and his brother was interviewed by Katie Couric or the today show about the ghost in their house. (But that is a story for her to blog about) Anyway, the subject comes up and my friend J says, "We think we have a ghost in our house". What!!! The house you live in right now? The brand new house, that our other neighbor just finished building!!

"Yep. We hear running up and down the halls and the kids are all asleep, once I was in the playroom on the computer and I heard someone sneaking up on me but when I turned around to say "gotcha" there was no one there."

OOOhhhh! We all say. Well some of the girls are done with that conversation. Don't want to hear anymore of that, it's freaking them out. Not me, I want to hear more. I'm getting all into this! Love it!

So she goes on to tell us that the morning after someone snuck up on her, her 6 year old son says at the breakfast table. "There was a girl in my room last night". J-"What, did you have a bad dream?" K-"No, there was a girl in my room last night" J-"No, I think you were dreaming" K-"No, I wasn't she had long dark hair, and she was blue". J - "Well then why didn't you come and get me?" K-"Because I didn't want her to know I was awake".

That was a year ago, and that child has not slept in that room again. He has been sleeping on the couch for a year now.


So, now, another neighbor, who has been living in the neighborhood less that a year has a blog, she doesn't know J's story, and today... Here is her post:

"Yes, these are drawings on my kitchen wall. (Linzi, make a note to secure all writing utensils out of reach), but this story is NOT about toddler creativity with markers, nail polish, yogurt, toothpaste..... This is about Camryn and her Witch. I'm capitalizing Witch, because Witch is now part of our family. Camryn had been talking about the witch in her room for quite some time, Saturday after Thanksgiving to be exact. Black Friday was my last night of uninterrupted sleep in my own bed. Every night since, I have been either woken by Camryn calling to me or just slept in her bed with her. I know many of you are thinking that she is using the witch to sleep with Mom and Dad, but I'm not sure that's the case. The first time the witch showed up, it was in the afternoon. Camryn was "scared" of the witch in her room. I told her witches weren't real, they were just cartoons. Every time after, she would tell me she wasn't scared of the witch in her room, it was just a cartoon, and then wake in the night crying about the witch. When I told her she couldn't leave her Big Girl bed and come in Mommy and Daddy's room to sleep, we found her sleeping on the Hardwood floor outside our room. It broke my heart, so I decided that making her feel safe was more important than the stigma of a child that won't sleep alone. Over the last couple of months, Witch has shown up in the kitchen mid-day, in the corner of her room, on the ceiling in the hall, but always out of the blue. We've swept Witch out the back door, vacuumed Witch up, scolded Witch away, but Witch has become a permanent resident.
The great thing about Witch is that "she" is not scary or mean. She's purple, with long hair, and a girl. After being asked so many times about Witch, Camryn finally decided to draw her (maybe life-size) on the kitchen wall. I'm sure she'll eventually go away, but until then, every day, as darkness falls, pajamas are put on , Camryn asks me "you sleep in my Big Girl bed?". And I do... hoping that night will be my last. So if anyone would like to adopt a nice, female, purple witch with long hair you can inquire under Camryn's bed. She's free to a good home! "


OOOOOOOOOOHHHH!!! So how about that! Did you get Chill Bumps cause I sure did. I love this stuff, but if the Indigo Girl comes to my house (both of these houses are within 150 yards from my house)...I'm puttin this thing up for sale! Well, it's gettin late and time for me to go to bed. I think tonight, I'll leave a few lights on and make the dog come upstairs to sleep by the bed.

My Son!!

Okay, if you read yesterday's post you know that I had to take W to the doctor to get playdough out of his ear! But playdough in his ear is only one example what an adventure his life must be for him everyday.

Yesterday I went to check him out of school to go to the doctor and as he is coming down the hall, I think..."He has got jelly all over his face." No, he's all scratched up, and his lip is busted.

"What happened?" I say

"Well, I was jumping off of the playground and my foot got tangled up in Adrevian's head, and so I did a flip and landed with my face in the bark."

Which reminds me, right before Christmas, I went to school to have lunch with him. Right after lunch is recess, so out we go to the playground, now I hear Wheeler and Beckett talking about skydiving but I don't know what they are talking about. I'm sitting on the bench with his teacher who suddenly nudges me and says "You gonna let him go that high?" (He is standing on the top of the monkey bars). I say, "well, I don't know, is it against the rules, is it gonna cause problems with the other children?" She says, "Your his mama, if you wanna let him go that high, it's ok with me". Just then he jumps! Lands on his feet, sort of, and goes again.

A few weeks ago, a good friend of mine was having a birthday party for her little man. About 40 minutes after I dropped him off, she called to lovingly say "I'm just calling to tell you that I could not be his mother!"

"Oh, I thought you were calling to tell me he got hurt"

"No, but he should be. He has fallen out of the treehouse, backward and has gone higher on the rope swing than anyone has ever gone before.

"

Whew!!! I love that little monkey! Like I said, adventure. These are just a few, and I mean a small few, examples. I'm so glad I get to be his mother.

My Son

We are going directly to the doctor when the kids get home from school today. Why? My son shoved playdough in his ear...during Sunday School.

Not According to Plan

My friend at http://greengrassgrowshere.blogspot.com/ just posted about family game night and how she had pictured 4 happy children playing games and being great sports with each other ....(I wish I knew how to spell the sound effect of a vinyl record scratching)...it wasn't like that.

Meanwhile, just across town...The Garretts are planning "Family Movie Night".

We had been out of the house all day. Wheeler's basketball game was at 8:15 am on Saturday morning. Then it is off to eat breakfast at our favorite restaurant, Kate and I have to run buy a birthday present, go pick up a friend and get back to her basketball game by 12:00. Kate's game is over so Wheeler and I run Kate and her friend to a skate party at 2:00. We have some errands to run and so I think "I am looking forward to a nice family meal, curling up on the couch and watching some happy, family friendly movie while the rain pitters on the deck outside.

So I let Wheeler pick the movies, with some guidance. At first he wants Ninja Turtles. I say, no you need to think of something that we will all enjoy, you are the only one who will enjoy Ninja Turtles. So he goes back. After lots of no's he finally picks 3...Speed Racer, Inspector Gadget 2, and Firehouse Dog. Yes, he is a boy.

So we pick up Kate and head home. We get in the house, and they start playing Lego Batman on the Wii, which I HATE! I don't hate the game as much as I hate his addiction to it. (But maybe that will be another post) and we don't say hate in this house.

Finally, dinner is ready. There is some whining about turning off Batman. We sit down for some nice family conversation, it is all between Wheeler and his best friend Macy, with some comments from Kate about...Batman Wii! Joe and I have nothing to contribute, so we just eat in silence. Dinner is over, Daddy and I are cleaning up after dinner, Wheeler is whining again about playing Batman Wii until we turn on the movie.....

Finally, movie time. Oops, Daddy forgot to buy the popcorn. Out the kids go in the rain to borrow popcorn from next door. Finally movie time. We put in Speed Racer. Everything is going well, Speed is driving fast and winning races, he is being wined and dined to a big sponsor, then (vinyl record scratches) Some scary looking men are all in this meeting room with a piranah tank beeting another man to a pulp! They are about to feed him to the piranhas! I don't know about you, but I don't remember any piranahs when I watched Speed Racer as a kid. So we skip ahead to a scene with Trixie and Speed sitting in a car talking...but the talking is getting kind of sexy... New movie choice!!!

So after some discussion and whining from my oldest child, we choose Firehouse Dog! Cute movie! I've seen bits and pieces of this, I know it is PG but I think it is fine. All is going well the boy calls the dog "The dog from H---"...Only once, I can overlook that. Then, as I am falling in love with this dog and talking about how cute he is...He jumps up on the table in the firehouse and uses the bathroom in the pot of stew the firemen are about to eat. And I don't mean Number One! Okay, If you know me, you know we do NOT do potty humor in this house. That's it. Joe is done, he gets up and he is done, not watching that anymore. Movie night is over...I finally convince him to come back, maybe that was all the tackiness. No, there was a little bit more passing gas...My children know they better not laugh at that it is off to bed for everyone. After the dog's stomach seems to regulate the movie starts getting good. Now we are getting toward the end and the boy has solved the mystery, it's getting tense, the kids are getting scared for the boy because the firehouse is on fire and the boy is inside. Wheeler wants me to turn it off, but I convince him to come sit in my lap so I can continue telling him that it will be o.k....Here come's Kate, she climbs up in Joe's lap. "C'mon Macy!"..So here she comes to my lap. I can hardly breathe...And the movie is SCRATCHED!!! We watched the whole rest of the movie in still photos. Not breathing.

Not exactly what I had pictured. Oh, well. I'm definitely sticking to G movies from now on. And I am begging any movie makers out there to please...realize that there are children out there. That not all movie watchers want sex, violence, and gas!

Sorry to be such a downer, The next post will be a happy one, I promise!!

We will watch Inspector Gadget 2 soon. It is G. So I think it will be safe, if not, it's back to Winnie the Pooh in this house.

Nothing Says Holidays Like .... The Frat House?!

Yup, that's what I said, the Frat house. We spend Christmas Eve at The Auburn Theta Xi house. Really!

It is actually great. Joe's mom is the Theta Xi house mom and all the boys are gone, so we cook a big feast and have all of Joe's sisters, brother in laws, nieces, nephews etc.... There are at least 20 of us, so it is nice...plenty of room.

Only last year, Ni Ni's christmas tree was stolen!! On December 23! I'm sure some other fraternity like Beta, or KA thought that was just a great prank...but there were no boys there to get the joke. Only NiNi, who didn't think it was funny at all. She made sweet Michelle come over there on Christmas Eve and put together another artificial tree and decorate it. The rest of us didn't help it all. But you can always count on Michelle to pull it together for the family.

I wish I knew the Theta Xi handshake, or code words or whatever brotherly secret they have. It could be our secret meaning for Merry Christmas! I wonder how NiNi would feel if we pulled out a funnell; or maybe we could just play a nice family game of three man, I might be able to remember the rules to that one. But I don't think Santa should drive his sleigh after that.