Showing posts with label Christian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christian. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
So much to talk about, so little time! lol!
Last week, following the 2 weeks at Second City Training Center at Chicago, Christian wasted NO time in finding a creative outlet. He went on Monday and spoke with a local child care facility about doing a “mini camp” for the kids to do a comedy segment for the talent show in August. Hopefully, after this the kids will have an interest to keep meeting as a ‘club’ once a week or every other week, something like that... Keeps his chops ready, plus when next summer rolls around, it might help him with going to Second City again he will have more experience.
My DS also registered at our local community college and will be starting classes there later in August. His first semester is 12 hours and I think that will be a good way for him to ease into transition from High School to College... He also spoke with the people our local comic book/video/video game store and I think he will look into working for them part time. I’m officially the mother of a ‘COLLEGE STUDENT’ how did that happen?
On a personal note, fueled by the excitement of all my Grandpa Gil’s information, plus Dad coming home from Italy, I am trying to connect with our family in Texas. As of yet, they have not been responsive, but I have hopes that they eventually will. My Aunt HAP has been sharing older family photos, some of which she didn’t even remember having! What a blessing!
My Grandpa Gil and Granny Anderson divorced when my Dad was younger, we never knew them together. When Grandpa Gil died he had Grandmother Margaret and thanks to our trip to North Carolina I have some pictures of them together now I get to see a younger Gil and my Granny Anderson, young, words can’t describe the happiness I see in her eyes. She has his Marine uniform coat, look at their feet! How CUTE!
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Happy 18th DS!!!!!
Today is a very special day. 18 years ago today, I woke up at 5:30 and felt pain and the need to walk. By 6:30 I decided I was in labor, it was time to go to the hospital. I remember me telling my DH after our walk that I was for sure in labor and this was just after our walk and we had decided to take showers before the walk. He stood there naked except one shoe and asked, "Do I need to put the other shoe back on or can I take a shower?"
Needless to say, there was plenty of time to shower and head to the hospital. On that day 18 years ago in Little Rock at 7:45 in the morning it was raining. I was laying back in my seat of our Corsica, looked over and noticed that we were going 40 mph, my DH was being extra cautious on this special day, until the next pain. Finally we are going 60 mph on the interstate in the rain... Arriving at the hospital around 8:00, greeted by picketers regarding abortion, they check me in and we are off to our room.
At almost 5 p.m. we meet our DS, Christian. He is greeted by many family members and friends. The are all ushered into the room and as was caught by the video, you can hear the nurse say as they weigh him "8 lbs. 5 oz." Without missing a beat you can also hear my Dad say, "Well, that's a wall hanger!" That's right, my Dad liked to bass fish and if my DS would have been on his hook, you guessed it, he would have been on the wall. ;) Happy tears were shed meeting the first grand and for some of our families the first great-grand.
18 years later, here we are. Christian has just graduated High School, been accepted to the local Community College and just completed a 2 week training session at Chicago's Second City. Yesterday was the finale and I sat there beaming bc like his mother before him, he was on the stage... And even though having a comedy set was on my bucket list, I wasn't envious of his comedy set, I was proud. You see, my time will come, this is his time.
Our 2 weeks in Chicago have been a total blessing to me. We have made memories that will last his lifetime. I know they will bc I will write everything down for him, including receipts and make him a scrapbook of our trip,so in the years to come he can look back at the book and remember his 18th birthday and Graduation trip.
At almost 5 p.m. this afternoon we will be watching Blue Man Group, his 'gift' choice of the day, and there is no one I would rather spend time with. He's the best gift anyone could have ever blessed me with. The realization is REAL that we are in a time of change, transition if you will. But one thing is for sure, I never take a moment for granted with him. And though I might have felt different when he was a tornado from the ages of 2-8, I look at the young man he has become and I'm thankful that I had him when I was younger so that we could grow up together, because I enjoy spending time with him as a person. Sitting in the hotel room my DH and I just woke him up saying "HAPPY 18th Birthday!" It's 8:30 a.m. here and I ask if I can get in bed and cuddle with him, he says, "as long as I can sleep, okay...." Thank you Second City, his comedy training was successful! Half asleep and he can still throw a one-liner...
Happy 18th Birthday Fred! Mommy LOVES YOU!!!!!
More on our trip to Chicago later!
Back to Bucket List Living! Thanks to everyone for their patience in my lack of posting!!!!
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Where to begin?
A family friend allowed my DS to drive his Camaro to prom… Yes, my bucket list item #86 is Buy a Bumble Bee Car (Chevrolet Camaro). I had the pleasure to drive the car some over the 24 hours we had it and I am officially removing that from my bucket list. I will still lovingly refer to my current car (2003 Santa Fe) as the Wanna Bee until I can determine a new ride that is appropriate for me. The car rode GREAT. But blind spots, OH MY WORD! The WHOLE vehicle is a blind spot!
Back to graduation prep… Invitations have been sent. Decorations are being gathered. Food planned…. Oh, my and medication ordered… For the milestone of watching your one and only child accomplish such a HUGE change in life… oh, geez! Prayers please!
Also, to note – Trip to Chicago is being finalized for DS to go to Second City and participate in an immersion session. Trip to Italy – tickets PURCHASED! And itinerary being finalized by the best tour guide in the world – ME! Watch out Italy!
Monday, January 9, 2012
Goonies never say DIE! So THERE!
Okay, so let me just say, YES, I know it is lame, but ONE of my fav movies of all times is Goonies. The only thing I can figure is that I can relate to the Goonies. They were from a small town. They were a group of friends that had a lot of history between them. And they were about to be forced to move away from one another. Everything in their lives was about to be changed. They had the opportunity through one last adventure to fight to keep things the way they were.
As I have grown older I appreciate the fact that they took actions when even grownups had given up.
There’s a point in the movie where the Goonies end up at the bottom of a wishing well, there they are in the midst of all of this shining money, a fraction of what it would cost for them to keep their homes, but it is easy money for the taking. They realize where they are in Astoria (they had been traveling underground LOST); it is a place where they have been before. Looking at the opportunity they start gathering up money to take back with them when Brand the older brother tells them they can’t take that money b/c it is someone’s wish. Mouth has a monologue there stating he wants to take the money back. He says “this one here's my wish, it was my dream and it didn't come true, I'm taking it back, I'm taking them all back.”
Wow, is that what happens to bitter grownups? They get to where they are in life and they realize that they haven’t lived their dreams; they become bitter and start taking other’s dreams and wishes to make themselves feel better? Or they make comments about your dreams that are discouraging. DON’T LET SOMEONE STEAL OR SQUISH YOUR DREAMS!The goonies were a group of multi-faceted albeit nerdy and goofy kids who came together. They related to and protected one another. Why do I love them so much? It's a great reminder to fight for those things worth fighting for! A few years ago I got strange looks and comments from my family when I asked my sisser's new boyfriend if he was a goonie.. He didn't understand and I wasn't going to give him the answer...
A few years ago I had the opportunity to go to Portland, Oregon for a conference at work. I believe it was 2004. I decided to leave a few days early for a jaunt to Astoria, Oregon. Originally my DH Dean was supposed to go with me, but finances got tight and I had to make the trip alone. I had the opportunity to see the Goonies house and other filming locations in the area, let me just say, there’s more to Astoria than the Goonies and I enjoyed all of it!
I have a small collection of Goonies stuff that I used for a movie party I had for myself in 2007, if you can’t tell I LOVE MOVIES! Haha! And I believe when your children outgrow birthday parties, have one for yourself! J
More ab Astoria – http://www.oldoregon.com/ (Note the year after I was there they had an anniversary event, I called the chamber and they sold me items from the event) Oh, just checked the site and they had more stuff from the latest event… So of course I had to add to my Goonie collection… This was set up, you know it, in the bathroom, with the Goonies playing on the portable DVR... Yes, I am OVER THE TOP! Hahaha!
Where I stayed in Astoria and what inspired a room makeover at home! www.hotelelliott.com (side note, this is where the stars stayed years ago when Goonies was being filmed)
Just today, I’m going through my e-mails and I have a message ab Thor's Well: a sinkhole at Cape Perpetua, Lincoln County, Oregon. I had NO IDEA it was there. Now, added to my bucket list is visiting Cape Perpetua to see Thor’s Well! Can you see how close I was and didn’t even know?!?!?
Astoria is here –
Cape Perpetua is here -
When I go I hope to take Dean and Christian. I hated Dean was unable to join me for sleeping, cuddling awesomeness at the Hotel Elliott. And I hated that Christian was unable to experience the Goonie area with me since I raised him on the movie as well.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Dear Granpa... Grandpa..
Dear Grandpa When I was just 1 year old, my dad's dad died. I never had the opportunity to meet him and Dad didn't talk about him much. As I began working on compiling this list over the last several months he has been on my mind.
Here are some interesting things I found out ab Grandpa Gil:
- he graduated from McDonald's Hamburger U
- he was retired from the US Marine Corp
- he was amazing with animals - training dogs etc. he even trained a cat to do what he asked!
- in Vietnam Korea (corrected by Dad) he had a pet rooster that alerted them of incoming fire, seriously!
- he was a VERY good whistler - Dad said "He could warble a tune as well as an opera singer could sing an aria"
- he was a VERY good whistler - Dad said "He could warble a tune as well as an opera singer could sing an aria"
When he died he had been living in North Carolina, so I started there trying to find where his headstone was. Dad had gone to his funeral and graveside, but that was back in the 70's. On one site I found his obituary - WOW! That was a neat find... And it led me to confirm another site's direction on where he was buried. Now, to plan the trip to Graham, North Carolina to see the headstone. I had completely planned the trip there a few months ago. I had spent the day looking up information on Grandpa Gil and planning the trip. The following day was a Saturday. I received a phone call- my mother's dad, my Granpa Billy had passed away. I felt so bad. I mean, here I had been spending all this time trying to find out information on my Grandpa Gil and scheduling a trip to see him and then my other Granpa (who lived 1.5 hours away) dies. I could have spent the day with him. Hindsight is always 20/20.
From Dec. 2010 to Oct. 2011 it was not a good time for our collective family - Dec. 2011 - my dad's mom died, more on her at another time.. January 2011 my hubby's cousin died (he was 39), in May my DH's Grandma (Dad's mom) died, in June his Grandma (Mom's mom) died, then in Oct. I lose my last grandparent. This started a blur in my life.
(DH and MawMaw Collins, DH and Sean,
RIP MawMaw Collins and Sean)
DH and Mawmaw Dancer 
(DH and MawMaw Collins, DH and Sean,
RIP MawMaw Collins and Sean)
So much had been going on. In July I went in for an outpatient girl surgery and they ended up doing a total hysterectomy, hello, I'm 37! UGH! That was on a Friday, 2 days later my brother had a motorcycle wreck and ends up in ICU with a collapsed lung, broken wrist, broken ribs - a deer ran into him. This Sunday was the same Sunday that our Dad was leaving for Italy. Dad got a job offer to work in Italy doing what he loves. So, he leaves my brother in ICU, me on the couch recouping from surgery to fly to a job leaving us all behind. Thankfully we have all mended pretty well. Dad did just spend a few weeks home for Christmas, and I digress.... A few weeks after the hysterectomy, my husband let me know that we were going to be leaving the church we had been at for the last 3 years. Ministry happens, God leads, we follow... But the timing, LORD!!!!!
Now you have the whole picture, or at least most of it. Hysterectomy, Brother motorcycle wreck with deer and in the hospital for a week, Dad in Italy, leave our church, we have lost DEAR family members and now I don't have any more grandparents... But wait, there's more! Not to bore you with the family stories, I'll hit you with the highlights. Grandpa had been married for more than 30 years to this lady who wasn't so nice, but in the last few years she has gotten a lot nicer with the onset of Alzheimer's. i know it is sad for anyone to have the disease, but it has made her a nicer person. Granpa had not had a relationship with his kids of much consequence over the last several years so I felt obliged to help take care of finalizing his estate. long story longer, I have learned soooooo much about what needs to be done to prepare for death and then what paper work is needed to be done afterwards, who knew!!! (I'll have a post for that later.) I received a phone call letting me know that he was gone and that he wanted to be cremated. A few days later I received the phone call that he was ready to be picked up from the funeral home.
Granpa Billy
Can you see where this is going? Well, I couldn't... I felt like rocking back and forth in the corner, but I had too much to do. And now, I had Granpa to pick up. Please know that we do what we must to get by. And also please know that I NEVER said I was normal. For some reason, I ended up with Granpa - in a box... Hey, you can't buy that in a store!!
Good things a/b Granpa being in a box:
-he stopped smoking
- he didn't mind going shoping with me
- he didn't want anything from the fast food restaurants (cheap date)
- we could and did talk for hours
- he could come stay at my house
- we could take rides together
- he was in my closet for weeks, which makes the phrase, Granpa finally came out of the closet a real hoot!
Granpa Billy's final box...
I know this sounds strange, but Granpa in a box was quite therapeutic. I pray you never have to experience it, but if you do, embrace the moment... Make some memories. It will put the importance of a bucket list in perspective for you, that is for SURE!! Not to mention the material I got for my comedy routine! P.S. Please note that in the event "Grandpa in a Box" becomes an actual item to market, I thought of it first.. I mean Grandpa in a Box could be as big as Soap on a Rope!! For different reasons of course. Needless to say I have put the trip to visit Grandpa Gil's final resting place in hold for now. I do know where he is... I will learn more about him... And once I can have time to get a trip together, I will. Sadly Granpa Billy won't get to make the trip, he would have enjoyed it though. If you are wondering what is up with Granpa Billy, he is now in his final resting place. And my DS upgraded his box to a really nice one (see above). All things considered it went as well or better than expected. Thanks for asking...
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Skydiving
In 2002, my sisser, Laura and I were driving down the road headed to Little Rock. On a billboard it said “Skydive Arkansas.” I told Laura that I had always wanted to do that. She said, “Me too, why haven’t we?” Hmmm… Why haven’t we? We made a phone call and scheduled a trip that very day. A few weeks later, we were living our dream inspired by Patrick Swayze in Point Break…
(Yes, I know my Sisser even looks cuter skydiving!) -> 
It was July and as July days are it was a HOT day in Arkansas, one my sisser and I will never forget! Neither will my parents, my hubby or the rest of the family who thought we were CRAZY! After watching our videos (yes, we got videos and still shots of the event for posterity) our Dad said the guy we jumped with looked like the guy from Deliverance and he couldn’t believe we jumped out of the plane with him, I agreed the guy looked a little rough, but my reply still stands, “well Dad, I wasn’t going to stay in the plane with him!”
 |
| Sisser Landing |
The next day I visited with my father-in-law and boasted on my recent accomplishment. At the time he was receiving treatment for Multiple Myeloma. He said to me, “You know I always wanted to do that, now I’ll never get the chance.” My heart just sank. This precious man spent decades supporting his family, finally gets to retire only to fight for his life. My FIL never beat the horrible disease, but he does still inspire me every day and he lives on in the eyes of my son.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Dunkin Donuts - really! lol!
Who knew! My poor DS Christian had never been to a Dunkin Donuts! So, this morning we are on our way to the world's oldest Dr. Pepper bottling factory and we stopped at Dunkin Donuts on the way. (Had us some breakfast that included a few donuts, the breakfast of champions.) Now we are on the road again... Here's a pic of DS at DD.... Yea, he was thrilled to have his pic taken... lol! Okay so not that Dunkin Donuts was on my list, but it made my DS happy...
You know, it's ab the little things in life... Enjoying my family, bucket list LIVING!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Beginning of the end?
Wow! Today is the beginning of the end… Or so they say… Whoever ‘they’ are… Oh, wait, they are the MAYANS. Okay, now that we have that settled – what are you going to do? There’s only 365 days left!!!!
Now seriously, do I believe that the Mayans were right? NOPE – I believe in the GOOD BOOK
Matthew 24:35-36 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
That was my soapbox for the day – that said, I do believe that it is an interesting way to remind ourselves to be reminded (and I do feel that we will be reminded a LOT!) that we don’t know how long we have left, what are you doing? You should be Bucket List Living NOW!
Bucket List work today – Oh, MY! You aren’t going to believe this! I found the oldest Dr Pepper bottler in world! I didn’t even know there was such a place! Yep, of course it had to be added to my list… I have been a fan of Dr. Pepper since I was a teenager! And even made a comedy character named Dr. Pepper! I LOVE Dr. Pepper! And with a handy dandy Groupon (http://www.groupon.com) I will be visiting Dublin Dr. Pepper Bottling Company (http://www.dublindrpepper.com/) on an upcoming mini after-Christmas vacay with my 2 favorite men – Dean and Christian-shhh - it's a Christmas surprise for them!
Now seriously, do I believe that the Mayans were right? NOPE – I believe in the GOOD BOOK
Matthew 24:35-36 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
That was my soapbox for the day – that said, I do believe that it is an interesting way to remind ourselves to be reminded (and I do feel that we will be reminded a LOT!) that we don’t know how long we have left, what are you doing? You should be Bucket List Living NOW!
Jump on in, the water is fine!
Side note – This wasn’t on my original list… However I would like to say, don’t feel like you have to stick to 1 list. The more you learn, research and experience life your eyes will be opened to new opportunities. Add it to your list! Hey, a bucket list isn’t a onetime thing! Really, that is what started this idea of Bucket List Living NOW! My gf Susan had a daughter that she had given up for adoption. Susan and I have been friends for 7 years, most of the time I have known that. Anyway, when she shared it, I felt like I was supposed to help her find her daughter. Long story short – this summer I did! More on that story later….
After that happened I wondered… Hmmm… That was on my bucket list. As were some of the other items too… What happens if I run out? Not gonna happen… I don’t live in a box where I am made to pursue only the things on my list TODAY… Nope, I make my own rules… The list is a starting point, my imagination has no end! Just sayin! ;)
After that happened I wondered… Hmmm… That was on my bucket list. As were some of the other items too… What happens if I run out? Not gonna happen… I don’t live in a box where I am made to pursue only the things on my list TODAY… Nope, I make my own rules… The list is a starting point, my imagination has no end! Just sayin! ;)
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