Monday, April 11, 2011
Button, Button, Whose Got the Button!!
I'm proud to present my blog button! If you have a blog of your own you can grab my cute little button and post it on your sidebar if you so choose! Thank ya kindly!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Life Lessons From a Tree...
I am passionate about reading and I have a serious love for children books. I think they are beautiful, sweet, innocent, and can evoke emotions better than any country song at times. You HAVE to know what I'm talking about! C'mon "I Love You Forever"? Where the momma sings to her baby until he is no longer a baby, and then the grown son rocks his dying mother and sings that same lullaby to her?? That book can bring a grown man to tears!
One of my favorite books in this world is The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. This sweet children's book has a myriad of themes and filled with lessons to learn. It's a story about selflessness, selfishness, generosity, greed, discontentment, but above all, unconditional love. Some people are givers, some are takers, but I think we all can tend to be both at times.
I have typically focused on the Boy.The story has actually made me mad at times. The boy always seems greedy, ungrateful, wanting everything and giving nothing in return. As the Boy grows older, his demands grow to be greater. And the Tree has frustrated me as well, because I feel that she enables the boy, giving in to his every whim, receiving nothing in return. The boy's constant discontentment is exhausting and aggravating! And even though the boy can stand to be taken down a peck or two, and deserves a spank on that ungrateful hiney, he does love the tree. He enjoys the Tree, uses the Tree, depends on the Tree. And that make the Tree happy.
But I have started to see this story in a different light now. I still think the boy needs to experience the Grace of God so he can truly be content/happy(I could go on forever about my thoughts on the theological themes in this book, but don't worry, I won't), but I have found a new respect for the Tree. The relationship the Tree has with the Boy is very symbolic of the Parent/Child relationship. If you read the book (which, if you haven't, you MUST) you will see that the Tree is TRULY happy to give to the Boy. In fact, the only time the Tree is sad is when she thinks she has nothing left to give the Boy and fears he won't return. It is her joy to give to him and she will give to him until she is nothing but a stump. And if you are a parent, you know what this kind of love is like. You are there for your kid, come hell or high water. And thank goodness parents don't wait for reciprocity before they give to their child, because they will be waiting a loooong time! Parents give without expecting anything in return and it's their joy to do it. I know there are times that I hurt my parents, disappointed my parents, used my parents, asked for things and never gave in return, but I also know that they love seeing me and the rest of their kids enjoying life and they would give anything to make sure that happens...well, almost anything, they aren't quite as crazy as the tree! They also see that NOT giving in to EVERY desire teaches more important lessons that last much longer than "stuff". Man, I could go on forever! I'll stop now... 
Deep thoughts, I know! Read the book and tell me what you think, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Happy Weekend!
One of my favorite books in this world is The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. This sweet children's book has a myriad of themes and filled with lessons to learn. It's a story about selflessness, selfishness, generosity, greed, discontentment, but above all, unconditional love. Some people are givers, some are takers, but I think we all can tend to be both at times.
I have typically focused on the Boy.The story has actually made me mad at times. The boy always seems greedy, ungrateful, wanting everything and giving nothing in return. As the Boy grows older, his demands grow to be greater. And the Tree has frustrated me as well, because I feel that she enables the boy, giving in to his every whim, receiving nothing in return. The boy's constant discontentment is exhausting and aggravating! And even though the boy can stand to be taken down a peck or two, and deserves a spank on that ungrateful hiney, he does love the tree. He enjoys the Tree, uses the Tree, depends on the Tree. And that make the Tree happy.
But I have started to see this story in a different light now. I still think the boy needs to experience the Grace of God so he can truly be content/happy(I could go on forever about my thoughts on the theological themes in this book, but don't worry, I won't), but I have found a new respect for the Tree. The relationship the Tree has with the Boy is very symbolic of the Parent/Child relationship. If you read the book (which, if you haven't, you MUST) you will see that the Tree is TRULY happy to give to the Boy. In fact, the only time the Tree is sad is when she thinks she has nothing left to give the Boy and fears he won't return. It is her joy to give to him and she will give to him until she is nothing but a stump. And if you are a parent, you know what this kind of love is like. You are there for your kid, come hell or high water. And thank goodness parents don't wait for reciprocity before they give to their child, because they will be waiting a loooong time! Parents give without expecting anything in return and it's their joy to do it. I know there are times that I hurt my parents, disappointed my parents, used my parents, asked for things and never gave in return, but I also know that they love seeing me and the rest of their kids enjoying life and they would give anything to make sure that happens...well, almost anything, they aren't quite as crazy as the tree! They also see that NOT giving in to EVERY desire teaches more important lessons that last much longer than "stuff". Man, I could go on forever! I'll stop now... 
Deep thoughts, I know! Read the book and tell me what you think, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Happy Weekend!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Po' Man's Lemonade....
Coming from a family of 8 kids we NEVER ate out (which is one of the reasons we were able to go to Disney World so often) and when we did, we only ordered water. We would never dream of ordering anything but water. As a matter of fact, when the server came to our table, my mom would just say "we'll have 10 waters". I don't even know if the little ones know that restaurants serve anything BUT water. And IF by chance my mom buys a case of coke at home, it is gone within the hour and then, that's it, no more, you won't see it again until she has a coupon.
This frugal tactic has been extremely effective because the kids will choose water over soda 9 times out of 10 (it would be me or my brother Sammy who would choose a coke), and because I married El Cheapo, we have adopted the same rule. And since this has been a way of life for almost 26 years, I have found a yummy way jazz up my ice cold glass of FREE water!
This frugal tactic has been extremely effective because the kids will choose water over soda 9 times out of 10 (it would be me or my brother Sammy who would choose a coke), and because I married El Cheapo, we have adopted the same rule. And since this has been a way of life for almost 26 years, I have found a yummy way jazz up my ice cold glass of FREE water!
The Rookie's Po' Mans Lemonade:
ask for a glass of ice cold (FREE) water
ask for lemon
look on the table for some splenda (not sweet-n-low...blah. and not real sugar, because it won't dissolve)
and VOILA!
ask for a glass of ice cold (FREE) water
ask for lemon
look on the table for some splenda (not sweet-n-low...blah. and not real sugar, because it won't dissolve)
and VOILA!
Kidd-O wishes you a Happy Friday!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
My Monday Mind Dump...
1. I betchya thought I forgot all about My Monday Mind Dumps, but I didn't....ok, maybe I did.
2. This past weekend was filled to the rim with awesomeness! Complete with fake lashes and some major chops!
3. We celebrated my sister and her 21st birthday!
4. We celebrated my sweet cousins 50th birthday with a totally righteous 70's party! My dad and I impersonated Sonny and Cher, which almost didn't happen because after preparing all week and about 3 1/2 min. before we were to "go on" I realized I forgot my wig at home! Can you believe it?! Well you should. Mr. Clean was the bomb and went and fetched it for me and was only a little frustrated with me.
5. But the BEST thing that happened this past weekend and pretty much the coolest thing to happen EVER was going with my mom to see Stevie Nicks and Rod Stewart in concert. But wait, it gets better (which if you don't like either of those people you are hoping it does gets better)! She was given free tickets, but the stinky part was that they were nose bleed seats, and pretty much couldn't be farther from the stage, BUT as we were walking to our seats this British guy asked if we wanted closer seats, and if front row was close enough...he then asked us not to scream!! Turns out, Rod buys out the front row and gives them to ladies on the night of the concert! IT WAS AWESOME! Of course, I forgot my camera, but the sweet ladies behind us snapped a couple on her iphone and emailed them to me.
6. I asked Mr. Clean to repeat something he had said earlier in the day, but the poor guy said he didn't want to because he was afraid I would blog about it. He should have just told me because look what just happened.
7. The ONLY thing "diet" that tastes good is Diet Dr. Pepper. The rest is garbage. I vow to only buy real butter, real mayo, real sugar, real salt, real yogurt, real sour cream and nothing that says "lite" on it lest I gag. All things in moderation, including moderation at times, is what I say!
8. My 5th phone of the year died this morning, and I've been downgraded again by Mr. Clean. That iphone is just moving farther and farther out of reach.
9. I went for my annual eye exam today and the Dr. discovered 4 tiny infected sores on my eyeball...no wonder it's been killing me lately!
10. Ya know what? I've had my blog for almost a year now and I still haven't reached 100 followers, but I know you're out there because I can see you...ok, not really, but I can see how many people read my posts and it's well over 100! So, c'mon and follow already! I'm dying to see who you are! It's not hard, I promise! All you have to have is an email address...actually, I don't even think you need that! No pressure. Ok, maybe a little pressure. Just think of it as an early one year blog anniversary present...or my 26th birthday present (which is sometime next week). But seriously, no pressure.
2. This past weekend was filled to the rim with awesomeness! Complete with fake lashes and some major chops!
3. We celebrated my sister and her 21st birthday!
4. We celebrated my sweet cousins 50th birthday with a totally righteous 70's party! My dad and I impersonated Sonny and Cher, which almost didn't happen because after preparing all week and about 3 1/2 min. before we were to "go on" I realized I forgot my wig at home! Can you believe it?! Well you should. Mr. Clean was the bomb and went and fetched it for me and was only a little frustrated with me.
5. But the BEST thing that happened this past weekend and pretty much the coolest thing to happen EVER was going with my mom to see Stevie Nicks and Rod Stewart in concert. But wait, it gets better (which if you don't like either of those people you are hoping it does gets better)! She was given free tickets, but the stinky part was that they were nose bleed seats, and pretty much couldn't be farther from the stage, BUT as we were walking to our seats this British guy asked if we wanted closer seats, and if front row was close enough...he then asked us not to scream!! Turns out, Rod buys out the front row and gives them to ladies on the night of the concert! IT WAS AWESOME! Of course, I forgot my camera, but the sweet ladies behind us snapped a couple on her iphone and emailed them to me.
6. I asked Mr. Clean to repeat something he had said earlier in the day, but the poor guy said he didn't want to because he was afraid I would blog about it. He should have just told me because look what just happened.
7. The ONLY thing "diet" that tastes good is Diet Dr. Pepper. The rest is garbage. I vow to only buy real butter, real mayo, real sugar, real salt, real yogurt, real sour cream and nothing that says "lite" on it lest I gag. All things in moderation, including moderation at times, is what I say!
8. My 5th phone of the year died this morning, and I've been downgraded again by Mr. Clean. That iphone is just moving farther and farther out of reach.
9. I went for my annual eye exam today and the Dr. discovered 4 tiny infected sores on my eyeball...no wonder it's been killing me lately!
10. Ya know what? I've had my blog for almost a year now and I still haven't reached 100 followers, but I know you're out there because I can see you...ok, not really, but I can see how many people read my posts and it's well over 100! So, c'mon and follow already! I'm dying to see who you are! It's not hard, I promise! All you have to have is an email address...actually, I don't even think you need that! No pressure. Ok, maybe a little pressure. Just think of it as an early one year blog anniversary present...or my 26th birthday present (which is sometime next week). But seriously, no pressure.
Have a fabulous week, my friends!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Andie Shea!
I had a friend growing up that had the BEST big sister EVER! She was so nice, she would drive us to the mall, take us to eat, chat with us and she just loved her little sister. I always looked up to her and hoped that I could be a big sister like that. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case...I was the complete opposite.I was almost 5 when I got my first sister. Andie Shea was and is everything I'm not. She is generous, kind, selfless, she prefers others more than herself, and she can be pretty shy. And boy, was she the most beautiful baby too! WAY cuter than yours truly (it's true, just ask my mom)! All of those great qualities really "cramped my style" when we were younger.
I don't have many regrets, but the ones I have are because of the way I treated my little sister. If I could go back in time, I would most certainly change how I treated her. I cringe when I think back on those times, when I think about my selfishness and impatience. Thankfully, I believe I was more like the sister I wanted to be to my other 6 siblings, and that's only by the Grace of God.Andie is 21 today. A real adult. It is hard for me to accept that she is a grown-up, because I still think of her as that little girl who LOVED The Wizard of Oz, and would dress up as Dorothy DAILY, complete with ruby slippers and a basket for ToTo!
It has taken a while for our relationship to mend, but I think it's healing quite nicely. She is a GREAT aunt to Kidd-O, and in true "Andie form", she has selflessly given of her time to watch Kidd-O whenever I've been in a jam. I'm so thankful to have her in my life and I'm proud to have her as a sister and now, a friend. The world definitely needs more Andie Sheas!
Happy Birthday, Andie Shea! Enjoy your day!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Hot, Ready and Run!
Spring is finally here and that means a couple things!
#1: You don't have to hear me whine anymore about wishing it were spring...at least until October!
#2: Break out those Ray-Bans, because the sun is here to stay!
#3: De-crustify those toenails. dust-off your sandals, and let those piggies BREATHE!
#4: Play outside!
But DON'T eat the grass because that's yucky!
#5: Polish off the last of those girl scout cookies, but savor them, because you won't see 'em again until NEXT spring.
#6: It's time to register for the Peachtree Road Race! And that also means I need to get my butt in gear! But a 10k aint no thang! My momma worked her booty off all winter, and it paid off! She completed her very first half marathon this morning! Way to go Momma!
And while she was running her 13.1, we supported her buy eating Krispy Kreme's!
And ya know what? There aint' nothin' better than a "Hot-and-Ready" doughnut (or 2...or 12) from Krispy Kreme! All I could hear in my brain was the P90x dude yelling at me for eating one (I can't stand that guy)...but ya know what? FORGET HIM!
Hooray for Spring! I'm so excited about it I can hardly stand it! What does Spring mean to you, dear reader?
#1: You don't have to hear me whine anymore about wishing it were spring...at least until October!
#2: Break out those Ray-Bans, because the sun is here to stay!
#3: De-crustify those toenails. dust-off your sandals, and let those piggies BREATHE!
#4: Play outside!
But DON'T eat the grass because that's yucky!
#5: Polish off the last of those girl scout cookies, but savor them, because you won't see 'em again until NEXT spring.
#6: It's time to register for the Peachtree Road Race! And that also means I need to get my butt in gear! But a 10k aint no thang! My momma worked her booty off all winter, and it paid off! She completed her very first half marathon this morning! Way to go Momma!
And while she was running her 13.1, we supported her buy eating Krispy Kreme's!
And ya know what? There aint' nothin' better than a "Hot-and-Ready" doughnut (or 2...or 12) from Krispy Kreme! All I could hear in my brain was the P90x dude yelling at me for eating one (I can't stand that guy)...but ya know what? FORGET HIM!
Hooray for Spring! I'm so excited about it I can hardly stand it! What does Spring mean to you, dear reader?
Thursday, March 17, 2011
I didn't find a four leaf clover...
But I did find a heart shaped chip!
And boy do I love some chips!
But not just any chips.
potato chips!
I typically like plain old LAYS.
Not ruffles, not doritos, definitely not pringles, not sams club, nor any other brand. Not sour cream and onion, not sour cream and cheddar, not bbq, but sometimes salt-n-vinegar.
I like PLAIN, "bet-ya-can't eat-just-one," LAYS!
I like to see the bag being opened with my own 2 eyeballs, and usually won't eat from a bag that is more than a week old.
They are best with PB&J's...and a cold glass of milk.
However, I have been mackin' on some kettle cooked, sea salt and cracked black pepper chips.
yum.
With an ice cold coca-cola classic (never pepsi, or big K, or sams club, or diet anything).
Even more yum.
Love 'em,
and they love me too!
Oh, and no one is paying me to say these things...although that would be cool if they did.
And boy do I love some chips!But not just any chips.
potato chips!
I typically like plain old LAYS.
Not ruffles, not doritos, definitely not pringles, not sams club, nor any other brand. Not sour cream and onion, not sour cream and cheddar, not bbq, but sometimes salt-n-vinegar.
I like PLAIN, "bet-ya-can't eat-just-one," LAYS!
I like to see the bag being opened with my own 2 eyeballs, and usually won't eat from a bag that is more than a week old.
They are best with PB&J's...and a cold glass of milk.
However, I have been mackin' on some kettle cooked, sea salt and cracked black pepper chips.
yum.
With an ice cold coca-cola classic (never pepsi, or big K, or sams club, or diet anything).
Even more yum.
Love 'em,
and they love me too!
Oh, and no one is paying me to say these things...although that would be cool if they did.
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