Pep Talk

Sometimes we all need a little pep talk...even if we have to say it to ourselves:

To all my amazing women friends:

10 Facts Every Woman Should Know:
1. Everyone has rolls when they bend over.
2. When someone tells you that you’re beautiful, believe them. They aren’t lying.
3. Sometimes we all wake up with breath that could kill a goat.
4. For every woman unhappy with her stretch marks is another woman who wishes she had them.
5. You should definitely have more confidence. And if you saw yourself the way others see you, you would.
6. Don’t look for a man to save you. Be able to save yourself.
7. It’s okay to not love every part of your body….but you should.
8. We all have that one friend who seems to have it all together. That woman with the seemingly perfect life. Well, you might be that woman to someone else.
9. You should be a priority. Not an option, a last resort, or a backup plan.
10. You’re a woman. That alone makes you pretty damn remarkable.
-Mary L. Leonard

Jackpot

I certainly hit the jackpot in the grandchildren lottery. This little guy makes the whole world smile when he does....at least our Facebook world.  I'm pretty sure he's working on a few teeth as the drool factory is open for business.  He had a bad day last week and absolutely NOTHING made him happy...not even a bottle and a bottle always makes him happy.  He's happiest when he has something substantial to gnaw on but he hasn't quite gotten the message that his hands can make those necessities stay in his mouth.  He's pretty smart so I think he'll get it soon.  He loves to be outdoors and his Daddy and Pops are building him a deck to enjoy. His Mima takes him outside to play and swing and go for walks. He's a lucky little boy.  Pretty sure we ALL hit the jackpot with this little guy!                                                                         Notice the blue book helping him sit up....It's a year of my blogs.  Anything I can do to help!

"Do you have any homework?"

Unfortunately, this is often the first thing parents (and grandparents) say to their kiddos when they get home form school.  Research indicates that maybe homework for elementary age kids is not all it's cracked up to be.  The idea is/was to instill responsibility in school age kids.  Homework would reinforce what was taught that day and give it another chance to sink in..........or would it.  There's a whole lot of school time coming in the next 10 years.  Let's let our 5- 10 year olds have a little time to be 5-10 year olds.  Especially now, with the onset of the nasty Common Core, which by the way makes the common cold enjoyable, more stress on these little minds is hardly a great way to start their learning adventure.  And who declared that pencil to paper was always the best way to teach?  Maybe the first thing to say to returning kids is, "I've missed you. How was your day?"  Once again, dinner conversation is the best.  You learn to socialize (even with just family,) you learn to share, you can openly complain about or praise the things (or people) that you enjoyed (or not).  You learn manners, communication and patience.....all things that are still home work but exactly the things that you should be learning at home!  I still contend that the decline of family dinners is a real detriment to a well rounded family.  I understand that often parent's jobs, kid's sports and single parent families are limited in family time....maybe even one day a week to say this is it.  We're all going to share a meal, share the chores, share some conversation and share a little love...Too little of this and too much emphasis on homework sets a poor example for the next 10 years.  Let's raise good kids.  It might take a village but it starts on your street and in your home!

Good advice

We all like to give advice but most of us bristle a bit at taking it.  My philosophy is....if you ask for advice, listen intently, let it settle in and decide whether the advice is worthy of practicing.  If you don't ask for the advice, listen intently, let it settle in and decide whether the advice is worthy of practicing.  Sometimes the best of intentions just aren't right for you and your situation.

Right now I'm wrestling with a minor situation that Bailee has had a school with a classmate.  The little girl called her weak, a brat and said I (her grandma) liked her more than Bailee.  Well anyone who knows me knows that that statement is just insane.  I must remember that I am 64 and this little girl is merely 9.... Then why in the world is this sticking in my craw so very deeply?  It's been a tough few weeks for Bailee and she's taking it in stride like an adult.  every Grandma instinct I have wants to tell this child she's entirely full of crap.  It seems to bother me WAY more than it bothers Bailee. SO, to keep peace, I'll just vent a little here and share this advice that I saw on Facebook this morning.  It pretty much hits every important (and unimportant) rule for life.   So read it and let it settle in and then decide whether the advice is worthy of practicing ;-)

She's Here!

She's here in all her puppy glory.  Lee thinks "she might be pretty smart!" .........which is the ultimate confession in a totally male way of saying he likes her.  She is working really hard at letting me know when she needs to go out.  As with all babies, sometimes shit happens!  I've decided that keeping her fed twice a day on schedule helps with the potty training. I'm jockeying around with her food.  I forget that pups will eat till they burst...

She is definitely not picky about her snacking choices... So far I've confirmed that she enjoys styrofoam, toilet paper, dust bunnies, shoes, scarves, goose, chicken and peacock shit, walnuts, chair legs, and anything else that is floor level or hanging precariously 2 inches above it.  On the plus side, she keeps all crumbs cleaned and has the softest tongue in town as she licks every ounce of Jergens lotion off my hands and legs.

I'm contemplating invisible fencing to keep her away from the woods and to keep me from having to go outside 10 times a day.  She does love the great outdoors.  We have yet to introduce our feathered critters to her.  I think there might be a few nips and cries if she get too close to any of the roosters. Not sure how Old MacDonald did it but we'll figure it out here at EIEIO.

A Doggie Dog World

Well tomorrow night I should know if I'm a happy camper or have totally lost my mind.  Jess is riding with me in the morning to pick up Paisley.  It will be a quick trip as I have to watch Jett at 9 and will be bringing home a rolly- polly, hairy pal that pees and poops as much as he does.  Paisley the pup will spend her first day away from her brothers and sisters. B is spending the night so she can help babysit and keep her company.  We haven't had a dog in over a decade but I presume that puppies still pee and poop where you'd rather they didn't, chew everything in sight and always destroy at least one thing that makes you cry and have that atrociously, adorable puppy breath.

She'll be my Mother's Day present to me and my new companion.  Someone who will love me in my sweatpants, curl up on my lap for a night of Grey's and Scandal and enjoy every Sunday filled with football.  She WILL love football!  It should be fun to introduce her to Baby and the rest of the feathered flock.  I'm thinking they may scare her more than the other way around. It should be a fun first week.

Only took 64 years!

Last week was Spring Break  (obviously Mother Nature didn't get the memo.)  Bailee had her friend Reagan over for a sleepover at Grandma's. The plan was originally to sleep out in the cottage.  They spent some time in the theater and the plan changed to sleeping down there.  By sleeping there, if they happened to wake up in the middle of the night, they could just watch a movie.  As it was beginning to grow dark, they decided they'd head outdoors to swing and commune a bit with nature.  I suggested they be in the house by 8:00.  They bargained for 8:30.  At 8:31, they scrambled through the door, eyes as big as saucers, rambling on about something white in the woods!  They exclaimed in their 9 year old voices that "Slender Man" was in the woods.  Really?  "Who the hell is Slender Man?"  A bit disgruntled that they had to explain this phenomenon to me, I acquiesced that it, indeed might have been Slender Man and it was probably best that they stay inside.  No argument ensued!  Once again, the sleeping destination changed.  They were now sleeping in the living room, comfortably close to where the adults were bedding!  The best laid plans of ice cream in the middle of the night and a movie marathon dwindled as 2 little cherubs were sound asleep by 9:30.




Morning arrived and I awoke to Bailee staring at me asking if it was time to get up.... It was now!  I got to listen to stories of sleep walking, sleep talking, snoring and thankfully no Slender Man sightings!  We had breakfast and dropped the girls off at Bailee's for a dental appt.  Now there's a real bummer in the middle of Spring vacation!!!   Back to Grandma's after ice cream.  Every child should have ice cream directly after a dental cleaning!! ( oops)  Once again, outside was the preferred destination. No arguments from me... Anything that takes their eyes of a screen for an extended period of time is A-OK in my book.  Soon they decided it was time to head back inside. They scurried through my den door leaving a trail of mud, leaves and freshly cut grass.   "WHOA," bellered!! They stopped in their tracks and looked down where I was pointing.  In an instant, as I looked at their red cheeks and guilty little smiles, I thought to myself,  "Really? They've been outside swinging, laughing and singing.  They haven't been stuck inside glued to some electronic device.  You have a broom! It's only leaves and grass. They're NINE! Sweep it up!"

It only took 64 years to figure out that they were here, they'd made me smile for 2 days and I was perfectly capable of sweeping some grass into a dustpan.  I sent them on their way (minus their shoes) and smiled as I took 1 minute from my very busy day to clean up some childhood!