Ah, the honesty of youth...

Everybody says they love the honesty of kids. And I do too. Even when it "bites me in the butt" so to speak.

Tonight, I was buckling Ben into his carseat to drive home from church (he often rides with me when I'm up in Keller) and he calmly says to me, "Gramma, you are fat." Well, this is true - and something that came up soon after his discovery of the book "One Fish, Two Fish" - remember the line, "This one is fat. This one is thin." Or something to that effect. Anyhoo, soon after that book, Ben asked me, "Gramma, are you the fat one?" It was cute, it was true, it was humerous - it was reality.

Now tonight, I decided that while some things are TRUE, some things are NOT to be pointed out (I was thinking ahead to the inevitable "why does that man have no legs? where is that lady's hair? where is that man's eye?" sort of thing.) So I decided in my best grandparenting voice to do a bit of coaching here. "Yes, Ben - it's true I am fat. But it's not polite to tell people they are fat. You might hurt their feelings." Ben thought about that for a moment and then solemnly announced he was sorry.

I smiled, confident in my "still with it" parenting skills when he then said, "So you're big. Really big."

That's my Ben! Gotta love it!! :)

Deck Them Halls, Y'all!

Well, it's been two weeks since I last posted and for obvious reasons - tis the Season and we've all been decking our halls, right? We are having Christmas in Keller this year in our new second home and spent time last week getting it all gussied up for the holidays. And I admit - I've had a blast! It's been fun not the least because it's the first time I've seen some of this stuff since 2001! Many things have been in the family for years and years - they were moved to England with us when we moved back in 2000. But then the family grew - the kids started getting married and we started having Christmas back in the States instead of London. So these memories lay in storage in the attic of our house in England (called Brown Gables - the house, not the attic - we didn't have a name ffor that unless you want to call it home to mice!) until we moved in December 2005. Even then, they stayed in their plastic time capsules awaiting a glimpse of sunshine. They sat in a warehouse in England until January 2006, then sat in a warehouse in Houston until February of 2006, then sat in the "Texas basement" (a room finished attic for those of you with UNDERGROUND basements) until last month when I hauled them into my trusty "Gramma car" (aka "the Pilot") and brought them up to Keller, which we've appropriately dubbed "Brown Gables", to finally see the light of AMERICAN day for the first time in 11 years last week. (I won't tell you how they gasped for breath when I unpacked them nor the names they called me...)

Anyway, the old is blended with the new (that being GORGEOUS stuff I got at the Accessory Place half-price sale after Christmas LAST year) and we have Christmas in the making! Being the big head I am about decorating and the holidays, I decided to share photos of our home and hopefully inspire you to create your OWN brand of magic (if you haven't already done so) for this fun, Fun, FUN time of year! And if any of you are baa humbug types, go read blogs about deforestation or the demise of the ubiquitous dundee flea (okay, I made that one up) - just don't rain on MY parade!

And have a HAPPY holiday season - enjoy it to the "nth" degree and don't let traffic, crowds or Visa get you down!

So deck them halls, y'all! And have a bodacious Christmas!!!

Happy Birthday, Megan!

Today is Megan's birthday. She is Tim's beloved, so therefore is one of ours as well. Although she had a "ticket to get in" this family (again, Tim...) she has, on her own, carved out a space in our hearts. And, as I've always told Tim, if they get into an argument, we will ALWAYS take Megan's side so "don't go there". :)

From her willingness to take family vacations with us before she and Tim got married (first few photos are from a trip to the Cotswolds in England - 2003), traipsing through Walt Disney World with us when Tim was working, spending time in Katy with us sans Tim, trusting us enough to keep Kennedy for a few days on our own to her heartfelt thank you notes, webcam sessions (when we lived in the UK), times with the grandchildren, times with her and phone calls, she's been a real sweetheart!

So Happy 27th Birthday - yes, I can post ages 'cause you are so stinkin' YOUNG! We love you!!

HGTV.com

Okay, I'm an HGTV addict. And my electricity went out the other day right before the "reveal" on an Edwardian bedroom redo on Divine Design. I didn't realize my show had been compromised till I watched it on TiVo yesterday and discovered, 20 minutes into the show, no more signal! AAARGH!!

So I went to www.hgtv.com to see if I could find the program details on it (which I did - lovely room, I might add) and also found this "Rate My Space" thing. You upload photos of your house - otherwise known as "space" I'm finding. "I use this space for" or "utilizing the maximum potential of my space"...when I was growing up SPACE meant one thing - OUTER space! But space now has a totally different take on it. But I digress.

You then write descriptions about aspects of said "space" and then folks who are likewise addicted come and rate your space and leave comments! Within 1 hour of posting my kitchen, over 200 people had rated my space (I'm glad to report I'm a solid 4 out of 5 stars). Later on that night I posted the powder room (the only two rooms I had photos for) and same thing happened.

So now I'm kind of in a double bind - I love the attention, love the comments, love the instant gratification of it all. But on the other hand, why am I spending so much time on this and why are OTHER people spending so much time on it?? It's addictive so tread lightly (or logon when you either (a) are sick and (b) have the kids at grandmas for more than a few hours). But having said all that, go rate my space!

And I thought we were so YOUNG (for early 50's that is)...

I've been gone "up north" (otherwise known as going up to Keller). Mike's been half-way around the world. We both got back after a two week separation and did what any loving couple would do (get your mind out of the gutter - I'm not talking about THAT!) We decided to go on a date and see a movie. We have two Alamo Draft Houses here in west Houston (why can't they have an Alamo Coke House? Oh wait, that sounds WORSE!!!). I digress....

Anyway, we went to West Oaks Mall, bought our tickets after a walk up and down the mall (gotta get the circulation going before sitting for a couple of hours eating food that will clog our arteries and further impede said circulation - a pre-emptive move of little benefit I'm sure considering the cheeseburgers, french fries and chocolate shake that was to come) and headed into the theater. I looked on the left side to see our theater and Mike said, "It's over here - on the far right!" So we walk over, walk in and sit down. Now we were there to see "Dan in Real Life". Theater was empty. We ordered food. We watched all the kitch they have before the trailers (why are they trailers when they are BEFORE the movie - shouldn't they be called "leaders"?) and it was like sitting in the Sci-Fi Dine In Theater at MGM Studios, Disney World. All these old gory movies from the 50s, 60s and some 70s. I thought, "hmm, Halloween leftovers?" as it was just this week. I even mentioned to Mike that for a PG-13 movie, the old trailers seemed a bit extreme for possibly having some youngsters in the crowd. Our food comes, we start chowing down and then the aforementioned trailers start.

Now folks, that should have been our 2nd clue - the 1st being the old horror movie kitch while waiting. But no, we sit there waiting, confident our lovely little light movie will be on shortly. And you must understand, there's a good reason I don't watch horror movies - the first being I wasn't allowed to growing up (Thanks, Mom!) and secondly I get nightmares from them. I mean, I can get nightmares just from looking at my American Express bill (okay, NOT a good example...our Amex bill would give ANYONE nightmares). I saw "Carrie" with Cissy Spacek and Amy Irving (Steven Spielberg's first wife - triva for the day) when Mike and I had been married a few years - it was on TV so I thought "how bad could it be?". I couldn't sleep for a week and when I finally did, every time there as a flash of lights from someone's car driving by, I'd wake up and freak out. So there's a good reason to NOT have Cheri watch horror movies (if you live with her and plan on sleeping with her so that narrows it down to about...hmmm....one). So there we are, hope springing eternal, when the trailers come on. I'm again thinking, WHY are they showing this stuff before "Dan in Real Life"?? (have now finished salad and cheeseburger and fries are next). I'm wondering why I even ORDERED food as my appetite is quickly waning in the wake of all this gore on upcoming films. I turn to Mike and ask, "Are we in the right theater?" He says he thinks so. Then the movie starts.

Imagine the surprise on faces of the waitstaff in the lobby when two "early-middle-aged" patrons come busting out of the theater, food in hand, look up at the marquee over the door and see "Saw IV" on it and blanch! "We're in the wrong movie!" They looked at us like we'd spring antlers and say, "You didn't want Saw IV?" (I'm personally thinking at this point, "can't you TELL???" as I'm almost frantic at this point, wondering if some zombie or serial killer is going to follow me out of the theater).

They direct us to the right theater (which was, DOH!, right next door) and we settle in to the handicapped places (it was full by then, movie about to start) and proceed to enjoy a very likeable film (which I highly recommend by the way, not to rub your faces in the fact that we DO go see movies not having little ones anymore - mixed blessings and all that).

Later, after the movie was over, as we walked hand in hand out to the car, we discussed how much the movie was so much fun, how it was nice to finally get a good movie (after several disastrous choices earlier in the year - Wickerman - we actually paid money to see Wickerman - and a dumber movie I've not seen) and finally how EMBARRASSING it was to get the wrong theater. I don't think we've ever done that before but it did give us pause and make us wonder if we were on the cusp of "losing it". But no, I did find the Ladies Room on my own ("in time" I might add), we did find the mall okay, we remembered where we parked and we canNOT seem to forget we went into the wrong theater! So I guess we're okay.

I'm just still traumatized by the trailers....

Starbucks should pay me...

Jennifer and I have had this Starbucks thing ever since she was a senior in High School back in Katy and she worked at Munchkins Day Care. There was a Starbucks, the FIRST one in Katy, right across the parking lot. One car for both of us to use so I'd take her to work, run over to Starbucks and get us drinks and a breakfast bread of some sort and take it over ot her. Odd thing was, I didn't like coffee (then - I've been converted now.) Anyhoo, I tried for years and years to find a drink I liked - teas, coffee configurations, everything under the sun - but the main thing was, Starbucks just represented time spent together to me. Even overseas, we'd go to a Starbucks and think of the kids. I eventually got hooked on coffee (see, if you stick around something long enough, you eventually get used to it and even like it - words to the wise to all those teenagers flirting with dangers other than caffeine... ha) and have an auto-reload Starbucks card that probably gets more use than any other card in the wallet (and that's a LOT of cards, folks!)

After dinner, before a movie would start (pre-grandchildren days), to kill time, we'd all go to Starbucks! We'd get adventurous - ooooh, Republicans trying such different things as ICED Lattes! Gingerbread Lattes!! The occasional "mixed drink" (ever try a Orange Passion Iced Tea Lemonade on a 100+ degree F day??) We had 'em all! It was an orgy of coffee and tea flavors and we tried 'em all! I've since settled down and usually enjoy a nice quiet Americano (no-room, tall) with a rather old-fashioned glazed donut (no, I'm NOT going into the police academy). But through thick and thin, Starbucks saw us through. I even lost one of my favorite David Yurman earrings at a Starbucks in Waco - good times, good times.

A Sunday sometime this fall, we went to Starbucks after lunch following worship services and I snapped a few photos of Jennifer and Jason's family - it was so "now" to me as far as a great place for a family to visit, relax, spend some time. So I think Starbucks should pay me - for free advertising, for persevering to find a drink I liked and getting hooked, for being a "frequent flyer", for propagandizing (is that really a word?) the link between family and their franchise.

I'll settle for a coupon for a free drink however. Call me! We'll talk...

And Target, don't get me started on Target - it's a real sob story! My emotional life and consumerism...details at 8.

My Li'l Pun'kins

I went to the pumpkin patch they have annually at this cool farm in Flower Mound last Monday with Jennifer, Ben and Luke along with Jen's friend Denise and her daughter Madison. It was a gloriously crisp fall day and lo, the crowds had already been! The place was almost empty which was great fun for us - parking close by, no jostling (or being jostled), no waiting to speak of for hay rides - that sort of thing. Luke has been sitting up by himself "sort of" and so we got some pretty good photos of them. I think Madison and Luke were more interested in the grass and hay than anything else making it hard to get a full face shot for photos. Luke has the whole raspberry blowing down pat - reminds me so much of Kennedy at that age when he does that. It's too cute!!


Then last night we went to the Fort Worth Zoo for their annual "Boo at the Zoo". Not a whole lot of animals but there were trick-or-treat stations, live shows, train rides, lots of people in all kinds of costumes, spooky "mist" and just good SAFE fun! Ben was a pirate - but not just ANY pirate - he was a NICE pirate! He made sure I knew that - guess he'd seen some "not so nice" pirates? Luke was a "li'l pun'kin" as was Mira although she was a Pooh Pumpkin (limited supply of costumes when you go shopping the day before Halloween as I did for Mirai.)

I put Mirai in the sling when we got there just to see if she'd like it better than laying down in the stroller. After she had her bottle, she fell asleep and stayed that way all through the evening waking up just as we got to the car to go home - then she decided to be rather, ahem, "vocal" freaking Luke out a bit. Mirai can go from 0 - 60 decibels in 1 second flat - truly an experience in keeping with the whole Halloween, scary times theme. :) She finally quieted down about the time we got on I-35 north by which time Luke was pretty spooked. Ben spent the night with me, exhausted though he was, and we had a good time together. This is what being a grandparent is all about - getting to be part of their lives in slivers of "one-on-one" and nothing beats, "Gramma, I love you!" to which I reply "I love you, too!" to which he usually replies, "I love you THREE!" and so on.

Happy Halloween and can't wait to see everyone's pictures of their little darlings in full costume. And, yeah, we know about the caution on the Bumbo thing - and we were watching him all the time!!! I promise I don't spend all my time and money obtaining hazardous and/or recalled equipment and toys for the grands.

At last!!!!

Do you hear the song playing in the background?? Anyway, Fall is finally HERE! Woke up to 75F and was a bit disappointed as I thought today was going to be a cooler day. I was putting laundry in the washer and getting the dogs fed when I heard a noise, looked out and it was the trees thrashing and clouds rolling in. Within an hour, we were overcast, the temps dropped down to 64F and we even had a nice old rain! Love it, love it, love it!! I hope I can get to Starbucks this afternoon and get a Pumpkin Spiced Latte!! It's finally the perfect weather for that seasonal treat!

I'm getting the house ready to "close" tomorrow when I drive up to Keller for a week and a few days. Mike's in Singapore, Grandma Crawford is heading to visit Ann and Charlie in Columbia so I'm heading north! I'll drop Mom off at the airport on my way out of town.

On a different note, Izzie (our 2nd miniature schnauzer) has finally decided that I am "hers". She wants to be with me all the time and comes up when I'm sitting, plants her front paws firmly on my lap and stares at me intently until I pick her up and pet her. After my initial "why did I get another headache...I mean dog?" I'm glad I have the two of them. They are pretty entertaining and when Mike is out of town, very good company. Of course, Izzie is still a youngster and gets into "youngster mode" quite a bit. I thought I'd come up with the perfect solution for penning them both up when I leave the house and it worked for a whole week - I'd put them in the pool bath with a couple of toys, water and their doggie bed. Well, Saturday I went to a movie with Grandma and came back to "snow" in the bathroom! Somehow she'e managed to get the FULL NEW roll of toilet paper off the hanger and it was torn up to shreds! So now I have my checklist - water...check...toys...check...bed...check...all trash and toilet rolls out of reach...check...and just to be on the safe side...close the toilet lid...check (she might decide to go swimming - you never know!) :) Oh, and I have to be careful when we drive as well - she gets carsick! What do you give a dog that gets carsick?? I finally decided to not feed her on driving days and make sure the backseat is covered up well (especially the Britax seats). But that girl's a pip! I wish I had half her energy...

Oh my...

Just how skinny is Candice Olsen on "Divine Design"? I knew the gal was tall, but I had no idea how skinny she was until today. I sat down with my afternoon snack of strawberry pop and proceeded to try all the different aspect settings on my TV - none were working. Then someone besides Candice came on-screen and then I realized it wasn't my TV - it was the girl! Everyone else looked normal, but Candice...

Now if it was just as easy to change MY "aspect" from "wide" to "normal"...and no comments about the role said strawberry pop might play in this, please. :)

Finally - it's Autumn!

I was beginning to think it was going to be summer forever - 90's and humid, 90's and humid, wash, rinse, repeat...but we had a front move in yesterday that took the temps from 80's to 64 in a couple of hours accompanied by a LOVELY (and I do mean lovely) thunderstorm with lots of rain. I woke up this morning to upper 60's temps, overcast - deliciously cool. We didn't get any days like this in September, which was a little disappointing, but it makes today seem all the more magical!

There's something about a cool, crisp fall morning that takes me back to childhood and the joy that a day like today would herald - it made me excited to think about Halloween coming, about pumpkin donuts and apple cider, about planning for Thanksgiving Dinner and making Christmas presents and putting up the tree the day after Thanksgiving, then the Christmas season culminating in the greatest even in a child's life - Christmas anticipation! I think thinking about Christmas was more fun that the actual day in a lot of respects - even as a child!

I don't have little children at home anymore and miss their excitement coming home from school to find the house decked out in Halloween decorations. I miss baking zuchinni bread, pumpkin loaf, cinnamon coffee cake and other such "cooler weather" goodies which were usually eaten within 24 hours (if I make them now, they still are eaten within 24 hours but by only 2 adults who have no business eating them and not the 5 who USED to be in residence!). And I miss coming home from school on a wet, cold fall day growing up in Lubbock to find Mom had made hot chocolate and had baked that day. There is just something intrinsically cozy to me about a drizzly, cool day in the fall. Call me crazy, but (yes, Jennifer, I can hear you say "Hey, Crazy Butt!" just like you used to) I love rainy days - and cool ones are the tiptop fav!

So I think I'll go clean out my pantry, organize my spices and think about baking, and Christmas, maybe even put some Christmas music on - who cares if it's only October? I used to put it on in July - I'm showing "restraint" here! :)

May your day be filled with that excitement and sparkle which is the substance of anticipation and hope! I love Fall...