I Am My Beloved's, and My Beloved Is Mine

In honor of it being my 18th wedding anniversary today, here are 18 things in a somewhat random order about Big D & Lil D.

1. We met at the Wal-Mart Big D worked at with my then stepmother. Then we spent the day at a water park with Coastie Brother & 2 other guys. I was 18 and he was 22.



2. My then stepmother wanted to introduce me to her coworkers (about 4 young guys) thinking if I had a boyfriend, I wouldn't be at home much. This theory backfired on her.



3. I dated Big D's roommate for about a month first.



4. To Big D's horror, my stepmother is actually the one who asked me out for him. That is so what he didn't want her to do which means she did it on purpose. We went to see Who Framed Roger Rabbit. And we make a point to watch it on or around July 15th every year.



5. I remember how impressed I was that he opened the car door for me. He also opened the doors and allowed me to enter the building 1st. To this day, he still does both. Even if he's mad.



6. My stepmother described the guys like this: K is the cutest. J is best all around. Stay away from M. Big D is the one with the most money. I'm pretty sure she thinks that's the reason why I chose him.



7. Because of her being the Wicked Stepmother and all, Cinderella is my fairy tale. And Big D my Prince Charming.



8. December 31st is not the date we wanted for our wedding date.



9. My family was the only family members in attendance at our wedding. Have I ever mentioned that Big D is an only child?



10. In the course of our marriage, we have owned 6 cats and 2 dogs (all at different times). We've had Cleo & Ty longer than any of the previous pets.



11. It has not always been Happily Ever After.



12. My family (mainly my brothers) says if we ever get divorced, they get Big D.



13. The 1st 2 times we went to Disney World together, I became pregnant shortly after we returned home. Lamb is a Disney World baby. Bear is not.



14. Coming from twice divorced parents, the thought of 'forever' was a hard concept for me. I figured if we could make it 10 years (longer than either parent had been married at the time), we would make it 'forever.' We did and I got a new wedding ring setting. I kept my original diamond and still wear the original wedding band. The original band cost less than $20, btw. Big D's cost $29.



15. 15 is our special number. For our 15th wedding anniversary, we went to Vegas and renewed our vows. On the date we wanted for our wedding date. Just the 2 of us. We chose the Graceland Chapel. See that? Jon Bon Jovi was married there as well! Elvis did NOT officiate our ceremony tho.

16. We were married (original wedding, not Vegas one) by the same man who baptized me. He also married my parents. Bad sign? Nah.



17. I was pregnant with Lamb when we celebrated our 4th anniversary. I'm pretty sure I was pregnant with Bear when we celebrated our 7th anniversary.



18. There was a time when Big D was working 3 jobs so I could stay home with Lamb. Luckily, that didn't last long. Before that, he worked 2 jobs so I could work part-time and go to nursing school. No, I am not a RN.

Big D still writes me poems. He still makes me laugh. He still takes care of me. We still enjoy each other. I was 19 and he 23 when we married. No one thought it would last. 18 years. It boggles my mind because I still feel like that 18/19 year old girl.

Introducing H³

Appearing nightly at the H-Land Family Nightclub.

Come rock out with the newest Rock Band..... H³

with Lamb on lead vocals

Bear on guitar

&

Big D on drums

Cleopatra Diva & Ty Bo tried out, but didn't make the band.

*no cover charge but donations greatly appreciated! ;)

7 Things That Happened in 2007

Saw this meme somewhere. I wish I could remember where exactly... I decided to do it anyway. ;)

1. Took Lamb to see Wicked. It was wicked fantastic! The look of joy & excitement on her face makes it one of my favorite days of 2007.



2. Went to New York City, a dream of mine finally fulfilled. Everyone's dream pretty much happened on that trip. Big D got to see the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, Bear with his baseball games,, and Lamb seeing Phantom of the Opera on Broadway on her 13th birthday. The tears in her eyes when it was over was worth every penny spent.



3. Saw Bear make his very 1st ever stand-up triple during a baseball game. The look on his face will forever be etched in my memory. Batting is something he has to work hard at so when he connected with that ball, finally, it was a sight to behold.



4. Both children had success stories. Lamb: inducted into the Jr. National Honor Society (lost the pictures tho, sorry, Coastie Bro, couldn't resist). She also had a massive growth spurt and is now as tall as I am. Bear: made 100s on BOTH state tests. And I can feel Bear growing away from me. Things are suddenly embarrassing now. I have not had to sing You Are My Sunshine at bedtime in months. I knew this day would come, but it still makes me sad. My one bright spot? He still calls me Babycakes.



5. Suffered some hard knocks with Hubby's job. First, the traveling stopped which meant no more mileage checks (they paid his car note), then his pay went from bi-monthly to weekly (you'd be surprised at how hard that is to adjust to), and the final straw, going back to nights after having almost a year on the day shift. I miss him. With all his alone time, he did finish the quarter round in the 2 rooms. Next up...the hallway!



6. Made ourselves even more 'destitute' by having BOTH kids get their braces. :)



7. My brother was deployed AGAIN. I started blogging to give him some sort of fun &/or boredom (depending on his mood ;) ) and 'met' some really cool & funny people who I think are great.

Messy

This is one of my very favorite pictures that I never show off because of the MESSY floor!! Bear did have his hand resting on the entertainment center too. As I was getting ready to click, he started to lose his balance and pulled it back to his 'reading' material. They are still two peas in a pod.

Blogging Through ½ a Year!

I found this neat meme from Patois, writer of Whee! All The Way Home. She posted the 1st sentence (or 2) of her 1st post for the 1st day of each month in 2007. I thought that was a clever idea. I haven't been posting a full year, but figured I'd give it a whirl anyway, with links even!

June: I am not much of a writer, nor an entertainer, but I am going to try and do my part.

July: After listing 8 things that I know, I got to thinking about ALL the things I don't know.

August: I can't believe it's already August. [I have such a way with words, no? ;) ]

September: Cross country meet held the day after heavy rain.

October: Bear threw up after his orthodontist appointment so that meant no going to school for him.

November: We celebrated a successful Halloween last night and have the candy to prove it!

December: Hand-blown Italian glass that I covet.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer
Name 2 things you would like to accomplish in 2008.

1. Paint the living room walls
2. Be more in the moment; not always worrying/thinking what needs to be done

Soup
With which cartoon character do you share personality traits?
Cinderella, of course!

Salad
What time of day (or night) were you born?
wee hours of the morning

Main Course
Tell us something special about your hometown.
My best friend, Shonda, & I could walk or ride our bikes for hours and our moms never had to worry that something bad would happen to us. Those are some of my best memories. The town isn't too small nor is it really big. And it's only about 45 minutes away from the big city of Little Rock. ;) I haven't seen it in years but I hear that it has really changed. There is no way our children could walk around the town now.


Dessert
If you could receive a letter from anyone in the world, who would you want to get one from?
Any friend I haven't heard from in a long time.

Tale of TWO Digital Photo Frames

There once was a girl named D...who really wanted a digital photo frame. She was known for taking millions of pictures yet never getting prints made. A digital photo frame would be a perfect gift, she said.

There once was a boy named Big D. He was known for trying his best to give the girl, D..., her heart's desire. If it was a photo frame she wanted, by golly, a photo frame she shall receive!

Unfortunately, the company said photo frame was purchased from conspired against them. An email stating: BACK ORDER was soon received in the boy's, Big D, email inbox. Drat that company, thought Big D.

Never fear! Our boy, Big D, is a hero after all! He searched and searched for another. But, alas, all places said the same thing. Sold out, sold out, sold out. 'Til finally a store much like Buy More informed him YES! Our warehouses are sold out but certain store locations still have some in stock. Our hero was a happy boy.

While the boy, Big D, and the adorable little children, Lamb & Bear, were out shopping. D... was home alone enjoying the bliss of silence. When suddenly there was a knock at the door and the wild barking of Ty the Dog. What could it be? she wondered. As she opened the door, she realized it was the package that Big D had been waiting to arrive. Hmmm....thought she, Let me not ruin his surprise. So she closed the door and went about her business.

When the family returned, she kept the secret close to her heart. She could tell her family was amused and pleased. That pleased the girl, D.... Afterwards, there were sly little jokes about how sad it was that what she really wanted would have to wait until sometime in January. She played along and acted very bummed.

Christmas morning arrived full of fanfare and happiness. The girl, D..., opened the last 2 gifts. As she unwrapped one digital photo frame, she exclaimed: You lied!! It's not on backorder. The boy, Big D, just smiled. The last present was unwrapped and it revealed yet another photo frame! Now D... was really surprised. Two!

The same day the boy, Big D, bought the digital photo frame, he came home to find the original one sitting on the front porch. Rather than returning one of them, he decided to give the girl, D..., two of what her heart desired.

Rainbow

Here is a rainbow (& couple in love) we ran across while checking out Coney Island.

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Merry Christmas from our house to yours!

Perfect Presents

Last night we exchanged gifts with the Bubba's Sis Family. Bubba's Sis has been saying for about a month now that she had *THE* perfect gift for me and she didn't lie! See the D Scrabble piece pendant? How perfect is that? It matches my avatar AND it's what I always call Big D & myself. D2, 2 Ds, D squared, all of the above. I Y it! Also, her son touched my heart too. At Disney, he traded one of his pins for the Cherry Mickey face pin because it reminded him of me & he thought I'd like it. He was wrong. I don't like it, I LOVE it! The fun doesn't stop there tho! We also got the Cinderella's castle puzzle to work on during the long (cough) winter days when nothing is on t.v. due to the writer's strike.

It was a lovely night filled with good friends, laughter, apple pie, & presents!

I hope each of you has the Merriest of Christmas', homes filled with love & laughter, and hearts filled with joy over all the 'gifts' your lives hold.

Merry Christmas

Light

The light fixtures at the state capital building in Austin.

It's All In A Name

When I married hubby, the dream of giving my kids unusual names went out the window. His last name is unusual enough. I couldn't saddle them with an odd first name as well. So what I did was give them common names but chose the least common way of spelling them. Actually, that's not true. I did choose Lamb's spelling but Bear's was all Big D's idea (that's a fact I don't let him forget either). I knew that their names would be misspelled often, but I still wanted to give them something unique.


I'm fine with people who don't know how they spell their names getting it wrong. Like I mentioned, I expected that. Not a big deal if you've never been told how their names are spelled. What I have a problem with are the GRANDPARENTS messing up. A certain granny who is not blood related to me has suddenly forgotten how to spell Bear's name. Very minor, I know, but frustrating nonetheless. I suddenly want to email her or send her a card, casually mention Bear, and put it in ALL CAPS. Maybe make it bold with an underline, idk.

My poor kids. Their last name gets butchered, their first names get misspelled. And, in Bear's case, sometimes his FIRST name AND his last name get butchered in the pronunciation. For the record, his name isn't uncommon at all nor is the spelling way out there. I don't get why a lot of people can't seem to get it right. And now, his granny can't even spell his name. It can all be very vexing.

Bear-ism

If you read the 10/26/07 post titled Of Apple Pies, Orphan Trains, and Dancing Dogs on Bubba's Sis' blog, then you know the kids get paid $5 for cleaning up animal fluids. After eating all of Cleo the Cat's food, Ty the Dog had an upset tummy. As Lamb was running to get him outside, I heard Bear say, "Leave him inside! I can get $5 if he throws up in the house!" Ever the entrepreneur, that Bear. Luckily his sister has higher morals.

Now to show his gentler side. After 2 years of being 'smothered' by a school friend, he has finally been able to break free of the friendship. Now he has a group of school friends where they are all equals; two boys, a girl, & his crush. He decided that he wanted to get his friends a little token. For the boys, he chose wrestling cards (he has discovered that wonderful entertainment this year). For the girls, he chose a pen in their favorite color & an eraser. That way, they'll always think of him in school. ;) Ok, he didn't say that part. However, he did say that he would put his name on the boys' gifts but he wanted the girls' gifts to be anonymous. Cuz that's just embarrassing to give a girl a special gift.

Peace

Christmas morning before all the hoopla began......

Music to My Ears

Lamb is one of those children who has tried a little bit of everything before finding her passion in the theatre. Since she was three, she has tried: gymnastics (twice), dance, soccer (several times), jazzercise, cross country, track, and violin. Yes, violin. Her choice. I wanted her to take piano lessons and she wanted to take violin lessons. She really has a natural gift for it. She would NEVER practice yet could fool her teacher into thinking she'd been practicing all week. After 2 years, her teacher quit and Lamb decided it was a good time for her to quit as well. Plus, her track practice was going to interfere with the lesson time.

That was a year ago. To the best of my knowledge, she did not pick up the violin again until her cousin Pumpkin asked her to play a song during her visit. Until this week.

I have been addressing Christmas cards (running late, I know) while being serenaded by Lamb's playing Christmas carols on her violin. It's made my heart sing!

However, it did not make Cleo the cat's heart sing. It hurt her ears and she took it out on ME. She got behind me and would nip my arms. That was not as pleasant as the music Lamb was making.

10 New Year's Resolutions

Here are 10 New Year's Resolutions that I may or may not keep. ;) I don't really 'do' resolutions as my spirit is willing but my flesh is weak. I think I can manage most of these, however.

1. Eat out more (which will not help #8 much)




2. Keep track of the books I read in 2008




3. Finish the blanket I've been crotcheting for Bear the last 2 years




4. Start Lamb's Washington DC scrapbook (she went 3 years ago)




5. See Coastie Brother get married in January




6. Spend less time worrying




7. Find a new church




8. Manage my time/finances/sleeping better




9. Learn how to do something new




10. Have a wonderful Get-Away

Answering a Request

Check here for then.

Here are the kids now:

Happy Birthday to ME!!

Yesterday, my mom came over to drop some things off. One of which was a birthday present. We went to Bear's drama club Christmas party a couple of weeks ago & I saw something that I immediately started to covet. It was a Graceland Christmas village. It came with the gates, a pink Cadillac, his Santa yard decoration, lighted trees, and, of course, Graceland. The only thing it didn't come with was his life-size Nativity scene. I came home and started to research where I could find one for myself. Much to my dismay, I found that it retailed for $165 and was now retired. That meant that the price was much higher on ebay or other re-sell places. Sigh. It would never be mine.

I lamented to my mom and she told me to keep looking. I would probably find one for a good deal. With my chin back up, I did just that. And found one for ½ the cost of the original price. My mom, being the generous soul that she is, bought it for me. With the caveat that it would be a birthday present since she already had my Christmas present. Fine with me!

It's lovely. Big D looked at it and found it cheesy. But, see, it reminds me of home. It's Memphis. It's where I fell in love, it's where I started my married life, it's where my babies were born. It's the place where all my dreams came true. How can that be cheesy? And, besides, who doesn't love Elvis?

* My birthday is in April.

Small

This picture was taken exactly 6 years ago when the kids were small. My, how the kids have grown in those years! They are decorating the last live Christmas tree we had. And, yes, it's December and Bear is in SHORTS & Lamb is in a sundress. This December 15th is a tad chillier, thank goodness!

Friday's Feast

Appetizer
Make up a word and give us its definition.
Shucking. I know it's a real word but I used to use it like I'm shucking (kidding, teasing, playing around) you!

Soup
What is currently your favorite song?
Oh Holy Night by Michael Crawford with Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Sarajevo/Christmas Eve a close second.

Salad
What’s at the top of your Christmas wish list this year?
a digital photo frame which I know I'm getting

Main Course
Name a scent that reminds you of someone special in your life.
I'm hard of smelling so I don't really relate to scents. I will say the scent of red roses will always remind me of Big D.

Dessert
Who is someone on television that you feel probably shouldn’t be, and why?
New York from the VH1 show I Love New York; what's the point? I'll admit, I've only seen a snippet of her show but I don't understand how/why she even has one, much less multiple, seasons!

D...'s Christmas

I am not much of a cook. I don't really bake. A decorator is something you would never call me; in our home and for the holidays. Really, I feel sorry for my kids some days. One thing that I do feel like I do well is give them a sense of tradition during the Christmas season. My sweet friend Melissa wrote a post about traditions. I figured I'd steal her idea and list some of our traditions.

• We have two Playmobil advent calendars. One is a Nativity scene and one is a Santa Claus scene. The kids alternate years with each. They can never remember which one they did the previous year so they fight over them. No, not the Santa scene but the Nativity scene.



• Back when Coastie Brother and I were kids, the tradition of seeing a movie on Christmas Eve was started. We continue it with my kids. Christmas Eve is filled with a movie, games, singing songs, & church (if we are in town). Oh, and last minute Christmas shopping just for kicks. ;)



• We also bake a birthday cake and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus.



• We read about the Christmas Story, Twas the Night Before Christmas, and the Polar Express before bedtime. We ring a jingle bell to make sure the kids can still hear it. Big D & I still hear it!



• Before bed, they get to open one present each. That present is always new pajamas wrapped around a new ornament.



• We put out cookies (preferably Snickerdoodles), carrots, & milk. And sprinkle Reindeer food in our yard so there is no trouble finding the house.



• The kids wake up but they aren't allowed to leave their rooms until EVERYONE is awake. I have to go out & get the camera ready. Then, when the stage is set, we call them out.



• For breakfast, we always have sausage balls, "French" miniature muffins, and grits (the only time we eat grits). I have yet to perfect the grits, but, if I do say so, I have mastered the muffins.



• We play games & watch movies all day together. We talk on the phone to family members we can't share the day with. And play with all the new toys. Sadly, as they get older, the toys get fewer. The electronics are fun though!



• And, of course, we eat our scrumptious meal.



• We thank God for sending us His son and for blessing our lives with awesome children, great family, and wonderful friends. Our cup runneth over.

Urban

We love seeing all the different street performers in the cities. This Chicago performer is handing Lamb a fortune as a 10th birthday present.


* I could have done without the date plastered in huge numbers across the picture. What was I thinking?????

Ch Ch Ch Changes

Now that Coastie Brother is home and my USO dress has been hung-up til the next time, I have decided to change the blog's look & name. What I haven't quite decided is how I want it to look. Bear with me while I experiment with different looks. :)

Getting In On The Reindeer Games

Click HERE for some elfin' fun!

Long

It's been a LONG time since Bubba's Sis & I have been able to eat this. We were finally successful last night. While eating my entree of Baked Potato Soup & croissants, I had a lively hello phone call from a certain brother who knew exactly what I was eating! It's so good to be able to hear his voice again. And the pie? That was so good too!

Weekend Trip

My mom left Thursday to pick up her other grandkids & take them on a little trip. My dad & stepmom left Thursday night to meet up with my mom, the kids, and a future family member.

I'm not saying anything. But, if a certain brother was flying in to meet them, I'd certainly say WELCOME HOME!!!

It's definitely going to be a Merry Christmas for a certain Niece and Nephew of mine. And I could NOT be any happier. :)

Conversations Overheard

Here are several:



Bear: OOO Wheeee, my crush should be a cocktail waitress!

Me: Why?

Bear: She'd get a lot of tips!!

Me: And why is that?

Bear: Cuz she's FIIIIINE!

Me (to myself): Oh good grief



Bear, to hubby, while playing on the computer: Daddy, do you think I'm going to be one of those 40 yr. old virgins who lives with his parents and plays video games all day?

Hubby: I doubt that's completely you. What's a virgin?

Bear: Someone who isn't married.



Bear overheard by his teacher: I have to get good grades.

Teacher (thinking to herself): He better not say his mom expects it of him!! I know better than that.

Bear: My mom works here and that just looks bad. Besides, I just don't like to make bad grades.

Santa, You Think I'M Naughty?

Well, how do you like me now??

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Tis the Season to Re-Gift!

Courtesy of Stacey:

You Are a Self Help Book!

While your advice is not always welcome... It's always right on target.

What Crappy Christmas Gift Are You?

Bah Humbug

On this 2nd day of advent, we went to see A Christmas Carol at the Alley Theatre. It was great fun! Even though the theatre is downtown, we found it (and parking) with no problems. I was pleasantly surprised with how good our seats were. You never know when you buy 'cheap' seats! We all had a clear view of the stage and the theatre is set up so you aren't too high away from the action.

The production was so well done. We laughed, we cried, were scared, & our sense of Christmas was renewed. The gifts aren't important. The decorations aren't important. Loving others as we are loved is what's important.

The play didn't end this way, but I will as you enjoy our Christmas tree & one of our nativities: God bless us, every one.

Red

Hand-blown Italian glass that I covet. Alas, it will never be mine...

I Have No Words

I ran across this story while surfing the net. I just do not understand how a person, a mother no less, can think that what she did is a good thing. I am so saddened by this.

I hope you are able to access the link. If not, let me know and I'll try again.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer
What is your favorite carnival/amusement park ride?

Roller Coasters!

Soup
How do you react in uncomfortable social situations?
If I'm not needed, I just kind of hang back. If I am needed, I do what I can to help the situation. But, I'd rather there not be an uncomfortable social situation.

Salad
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy discussing deep, philosophical topics?

eh, not really sure, I'll go with 6. It's a nice, round, even number.

Main Course
Did you get a flu shot this year? If not, do you plan to?
No, I did not. No, I do not.

Dessert
Approximately how many hours per week do you spend watching television?

With Big D working nights now, I watch way more t.v. than I usually do. I'd say 2-3 hrs every night, except for the weekends. So, about 17 hrs/week, I'd reckon. Is that bad? ;)

Random Things

• I'm bummed. I received some disappointing news at school today. I'll adjust, but it stinks.



• I'm not feeling well. My sinuses/allergies are kicking my butt while the weather decides what it wants to do.



• I'm feeling petty. The reason Lamb is not running cross country quit cross country because her ride quit the team and she has no way to get home after practices/meets (how's that for a sentence?). Her parents certainly won't pick her up.



• I suck. I didn't feel like making dinner, but, alas, I had to. So I browned some breakfast sausage & mixed it with the Stouffer's stuffing I fixed.



• And lest you think I'm a bitter hag tonight. My girl, who I work with in Math, totally rocked long division today. We've been working on it for awhile and it finally clicked with her. Yay V!!

Futuristic

Okay, so this isn't futuristic in the true sense of the word, but it is my future. One day those sweet little kids will pack their bags, leave our home, and walk into their new lives. I hope they are happy ones. And, just like in this picture, I will be behind them...always.

Ten on Tuesday

This week's 10 on Tuesday is a list of the best games. We are a game playing family so this was fun to do. :)

1. UNO - this is the game of my childhood. I have very fond memories of sitting around playing with my large family.



2. Life - this is a game that my kids love to play



3. Monopoly - another game I grew up with and now the kids are too



4. Spades - love to play! When we play with the Bubba's Sis Family, Bubba's Sis and I are always partners. And we are undefeated!! I'm not sure if it's because we are *that* good or because Bubba's Brother-In-Law has Big D for a partner. ;)



5. Gin - my favorite card game to play on the computer



6. Trivial Pursuit - Big D thinks I sit at home and cheat by looking at the cards. I bet Coastie Brother agrees (I remember many a fit thrown). It's not true.



7. Mexican Train - another great game to play with my family



8. Skip-Bo - about the only card game that Big D will enjoy playing with us



9. Solitaire - my Grandmother taught me with real cards. Now I mostly play on the computer. But, every now & again, I'll pull out my special Vegas deck of cards and play.



10. The Penny Game - this is a made up game. My dad lived about 3 hours from us. When he'd pick us up for a visit, he'd give us some pennies. Sometimes we'd play who could guess the song on the radio the fastest. Sometimes he'd throw out trivia questions. If you got the answer right, you kept the penny. If you got it wrong, you gave up a penny.
    

The Flip Side of Lamb Being Hot

If you notice, those boys seem to have a lot of shade!