Hip, Hip, Hooray!

So, one of the first signs of fall is upon us....the start of the college football season.

{Insert picture of me inhaling deeply and smiling biggly}

Living here in the Deep South, I get to experience college football mania. People check dates of major games prior to setting wedding dates, for goodness sake. Or they include large screen TVs in their reception decor.

I'm not even kidding.

Going wild over football was something I just didn't grow up with in the Midwest.

And, OK.... I went to Iowa State. Not known for its stellar football team.

But I love those Cyclones anyway.


What I love most about college football Saturdays is the socializing.

Much like my time in college, come to think of it. Forget about the football win/loss record or class schedules or grades. I was all about who was going where when and with whom. And I was darn good at keeping up with it all.

As the weather gets cooler, we'll have late afternoon gatherings at our house. We'll fire up the grill, put some beer on ice and gather round the TV to see the week's big game.

For me, life doesn't get much better than cheering (and jeering) with friends, eating wonderful food and making memories together.

So, if I don't quite bleed cardinal and gold anymore, you can be assured that I'll be bleeding chili, Corona and a darn good spinach-artichoke dip.

Wordless Wednesday - "NASCAR 2 year old Style"

For more Wordless Wednesday, visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

Changing of the Guard

Yes dear, we had lots of fun.
Many wonderful days of sun.
But now I'm putting you away
Your time will come again some day.

Can't say I'm sorry to see you go
That is...until my skin begins to glow
From being so lilly white
That I glow even in the night.

And I say this every year.
That the next time I draw you near.
I hope you are too large
And I'm not as big as a barge.

You and me girl, we'll meet again.
But have fun under the bed 'til then.
Tucked away in the plastic bin.
'Til summer comes again.

More Bloggy Goodness

I've been blessed by more bloggy goodness this weekend.

First off, I received the positively preppy package I won from KK over at Preppy Pink Crocodile. The adorable preppy tote was filled with note cards, napkins, party supplies, the Essentially Lilly Holidays book, and this adorable apron...among other things.


Thank you! This was fun and I appreciate your thoughtfulness so much.

My dear friend Kat, whom I've met in person twice (so far!) passed on this award to me. I'm supposed to list six things that make me happy, and then pass the award on to six people. Besides the obvious family, friends, and faith... these particular things made me very happy this weekend:

1. Spending time with my family and meeting a new family member for the first time (more on that this week!)

2. Freshly washed and ironed sheets.

3. Coconut cream pie with a cup of decaf coffee.

4. A glass of red wine with a little taste of chocolate

5. Newly cleaned and organized kitchen cabinets.

6. The spectacular Olympic Games. Makes me very proud to be an American.

I would like to pass this award to the following:
1. Leigh Ann at Learning to Live and Living to Learn
2. Belle at a Life of a Southern Belle
3. Melissa at Mel's World
4. Lynne at Lynne's Little Corner of the World
5. Melene at Sing for Joy
6. Stacy at Vader's Mom

So I'll Just Go Ahead and Embarrass Myself...

I've been tagged several times recently by some dear blogging friends and so I figured I would go ahead and combine all that bloggy goodness into one post.

Lisa at Take 90 West tagged me to sum up my life in 6 words. Lisa said, "This meme originated over an idea that was prompted by the book written by Larry Smith & Rachel Fershleiser, Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six Word Memoirs by Writers Famous & Obscure. It’s a compilation based on the story that Hemingway once bet ten dollars that he could sum up his life in six words. His words were, 'For Sale: Baby Shoes, Never Worn.'"

Then, A Southern Accent tagged me to tell six unspectacular quirks about myself.

So, being the quirky thing that I am, I decided I'd combine these two memes and write six unspectacular things about myself that are exactly six words long.

1. My left thumb is double jointed.

2. Raised in Midwest; don't like meat.

3. Can't stand the taste of cilantro.

4. Never learned to drive stick shift.

5. Read Charlotte's Web at age four.

6. I'm legally blind in right eye.

Finally, Jillian (love the name! hee-hee) tagged me to list five songs I listen to that could be considered embarrassing. Since my taste in music tends to linger somewhere around 1990's country, I have to say this one was not hard at all.

1. Swingin' by John Anderson: Gotta love a song that includes these lyrics:

Her brother was on the sofa eatin chocolate cake

Her momma was in the kitchen cuttin' chicken up to fry

2. Love Will Keep us Together - by Captain and Tenniele: This was the first 45 record I owned. I bought it for 25 cents. I literally played it until I wore the record out. Which is a concept that today's kids don't understand. Which makes this even more embarrassing.

3. Through the Eyes of Love (The Theme Song from Ice Castles) - by Melissa Manchester: Who didn't cry over that movie?

4. I Knew the Bride When She Used to Rock and Roll - by Nick Lowe: Maybe in her later years she could give up the rock and roll and just go swingin'.

5. Stand by Your Man - by Tammy Wynette: If I had a dollar for every time my mom and I listened to this song on cassette while riding in our 1969 red Chevy Impala, I'd be swingin' somewhere on a porch on a ranch in Wyoming.

And I'd invite you all over and we'd eat chocolate cake and dance to embarrassing songs.

Now it's your turn...

Wordless Wednesday- "Summer by the Years"

Summer 2008

Summer 2007

Summer 2006
For more Wordless Wednesday, visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

For the Love of a Child

My father-in-law is visiting us for a week or so, and I thought this would be a nice time to re-run this post about him (and my husband!) that I originally wrote in February 2007.

****

Doug's dad, Leon, has been visiting for a little over a week, and we've sure enjoyed having him with us! This is only the fourth time I've seen Leon, and the first time I've been able to spend so much time with him.

I've really relished getting to know my father-in-law, and seeing my husband through someone else's eyes.We've laughed and even shed a few reminescent tears this week. We've said "remember when" too many times to count.

We've played numerous hands of UNO. And Adam, the busy 1-year old, has had a willing target for all of his "let-me-hand-this-to-you, now-you-hand-it-back-to-me" escapades.

I thought I'd share one very touching story:

There are three kids in my husband's family: Darlene is the oldest. Next comes Cindy, and then Doug. Cindy and Doug are adopted. Originally Doug's parents thought they might not be able to have any children of their own and had begun the adoption process with Catholic Charities (CC). Part of the CC requirements was that a couple had to adopt two children, and Doug's parents agreed to that.

Then, along came Darlene, so they said they were just interested in one more child, a boy. However, since they now had a child of their own, they were not eligible to adopt at all through Catholic Charities.

Some time passed, and they found an attorney in Dallas, TX who handled private adoptions. They told him they would like a boy. And then they waited.... One day Doug's mom received a call from the attorney that a newborn was available, but it was a girl. Of course she could not contain her excitement and convinced Doug's dad that it didn't matter that it wasn't a boy. They immediately drove to Dallas from their home in Houston and were united with Cindy.

A little more time passed and they still wanted a boy, so they called the same attorney. He happened to be working on a case and said he and his wife were also wanting to adopt, but they wanted a girl. So, if the baby was a girl, they would take it. But if it was a boy, Doug's parents could have the baby. And....it was a boy....my husband.

Adoptions in Texas at the time did not become legal until 6 months after the baby was placed with the adoptive parents. The same judge handled the legal proceedings for both Cindy's and Doug's adoptions. He happened to also be the judge the presided over the Jack Ruby murder trial in Dallas.

With tears in his eyes, my father-in-law concluded by telling us that, at the end of the court proceeding to finalize Doug's adoption, little Cindy reached out in the judge's direction at the front of the courtroom. Not knowing exactly what she wanted, Leon walked with her towards the judge. She shyly placed a kiss on the judge's cheek. She wanted to thank him for the gift of her baby brother.

My husband gave an elequont eulogy at his mother's funeral two years ago. In it, he mentioned taking the call of a family acquaintence at the house after his mother passed away. She said, "You're their adopted boy." And my husband's words at the funeral were... Yes, he was adopted. But his parents never made him feel anything but made from their hearts.

What a wonderful gift Doug's parents gave so many....even a girl from Iowa who, years later, would thank God for that baby boy adopted in Dallas in 1962.

For the love of a child....who is now my husband.

A Bottomless Tank

Last weekend I got a new (used) SUV. I'd been thinking about getting a new (used) SUV for awhile, but I wasn't thinking about it too seriously.

But then all of a sudden I woke up on Sunday morning and said, "I am going to buy a new (used) SUV."

And so I did.

Do not take this the wrong way, but I am not all that concerned with gas prices. I'm a little concerned, but not concerned enough to buy a hybrid car instead of a big 'ole SUV. Besides, I like the concept of buying low. SUV's are not popular right now, so you can get them at a good price.

And anyway, I'm sure sometime soon Barack and Hillary will turn this pitiful country completely around and gas will be 76 cents a gallon and John Edwards will be in charge of educating our children on morals and good behavior.

I love my SUV.

Adam loves it too, because not only does my SUV have a key that flips out when you "push 'da liddle button" , my SUV also apparently toots.

The little bugger is hearing some sort of noise in the SUV that sounds like a toot.

And I cannot, for the life of me, hear it.

At first the little two year old strapped in the back seat was accusing me of tooting!

Then I told him mom's do not toot.

Which somehow made him decide all girls are toot-less and only boys toot.

And I pretty much agreed. Because, quite frankly, after working for ten hours I did not have the patience to explain the birds and the bees of tooting to the two year old strapped in the back seat.

But the toot lessons... they did not stick.

Because the next day he started in on me again about the tooting.

Was it me tooting?
Why was I tooting?
Could he toot, too?
And could we toot together.

And then I had to remind him that I do not toot, nor do I cuss, or drink, or eat ice cream directly out of the carton, or take a huge handful of mints at Longhorn then slip out the door.

I'm clean. Lily white. Perfect.

I simply do not toot.

But I'm starting to think perhaps I should investigate this tooting a little more.

Wouldn't that be a toot and a holler.....

An SUV that never runs out of gas!

Wordless Wednesday "Ready. Set. Splash."

For more Wordless Wednesday, visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

First Day of "School" 2008

Will I Ever Learn?

Yelling from kitchen to living room wherein three hungry children sit.

"There are two pancakes left. Who wants them?"

Why oh why do I do this?

The drama that ensued was epic.

I'm 40.

I should have learned the numbers game by now.

M -A - Double Hockey Sticks

There was a time when I loved The Mall.

Any Mall. All Malls.

All those stores together under one huge roof!

Food vendors dropped like cookie dough down the center.!

And Sunglass Hut there in the center, too. Can't forget about Sunglass Hut.

(If I had a dollar for every pair of over-priced sunglasses I bought at Sunglass Hut and promptly lost, I could probably buy another overpriced pair of sunglasses from Sunglass Hut.)

And then I fell out of love with The Mall.

I go there only when there is no other choice.

(And I stopped buying sunglasses that cost more than $10 a pair because I lose them. Constantly.)

So last week I had no other choice but to go to The Mall because I had to go to Neiman Marcus. Not to buy something for me, but to buy something for someone else. Because I personally refer to Neiman Marcus as Needless Mark-ups. The stuff in there is just way too expensive.

As I exited Needless Mark-ups I was suddenly overcome with large masses of people. More masses than normal at Lenox Mall here in Atlanta.

And then it dawned on me.

Tax-free Weekend.

I should have high-tailed it out of The Mall but I really needed eye make-up remover.

The kind I use can only be purchased at The Mall.

So I ventured down to Macy's.

And after I bought eye make-up remover and some lip gloss and some shower gel I decided I'd just take a gander at the clothes.

You know...just to see if the fall clothes were starting to come out. Just in case I might be interested in trying on a sweater while it's 100 degrees outside.

And I happened to find a couple things I wanted to buy. (I KNOW! Imagine that!)

And I couldn't find anyone to help me for a long time. And then when I did finally find someone to help me she never really said anything to me. She was too busy complaining about her job to another co-worker.

I wanted to launch into a big hissy fit about:
* getting another job if you don't like this one
* how bad it is to complain in front of a customer
* how rude it is to not even greet me
* how much life can suck sometimes but you gotta suck it up
* how much of my time she was wasting

But I didn't because, even though it takes a village to raise a 20-year old who should be pretty much raised already, I'm prone to run away from the village and wander into the country with only my eye make-up remover.

Four or five years ago I got to know the regional-something-or-other of Macy's Southeast and one time she was telling me about their new customer service initiative and blah-blah-on-and-on.

And after she stopped telling me about it I said, "Does this initiative start after they get off personal phone calls on the sales floor or after they finish doing personal shopping while on the clock?"

And she said to me, "You rolled your eyes when you said that."

And I said to her, "Why yes. Yes I did. Because your initiative does not seem to be working. Nor do your sales people."

And I didn't hear from her for a long time. But I recently got an email from her saying she is now working for Ritz Carlton. At least there they acknowledge your presence. And probably fewer people roll their eyes at The Ritz Carlton than at Macy's.

And their beds are much more comfortable.

So, all I'm trying to say is my dislike of The Mall was not changed one bit last week.

It just took me awhile to get to my point.

Much like it took me awhile to find someone to ring up my dress and put it in a bag and give me my receipt.

The end.

Wordless Wednesday - My Desk. Long Day.

For more Wordless Wendesday, visit 5 Minutes for Mom.

Doubly Good Week Giveaway Winners

What a fun week! You all made my Blogiversary Celebration so much fun. Thanks for commenting and visiting me this week.

Without further ado, here are giveaway winners. Please email me at jillianinc at yahoo dot com with your mailing address and I will get them in the mail this week.

(Chalk one up for me - except for the books and Vera, I have everything here on my desk waiting to be mailed. A small miracle in advanced planning and organization.)

$10 Starbucks card
#22 - Pink Potpourri
#35 - Lauren @ Baseballs and Bows

$25 Target Card
#4 - Caffiene Court
#50 - Lisa@ Take 90 West

$25 Borders Card + book of your choice (make sure to let me know the book you want!)
#34 - Tammy
#40 - 5 Bickies

$50 JCrew card
#11 - Pink in a Sea of Blue
#25 - Buford Betty

Vera Hipster (let me know if you have a pattern preference or want me to choose!)
#7 - Just Mom
#12 - Maggi

2 Year Blogiversary - Doubly Good Week (Day #5)

Well, we've made it. Five days of giveaways and I've had so much fun!

Today's Doubly Good Giveaway is a Vera Bradley Hipster Bag. (Two people will each receive a hipster). Winner can specify a pattern or let me choose.



Thank you so much for celebrating with me this week!

Tune in Saturday to see who has been chosen.