Dads are cool!
I wish I were a dad sometimes.
I could be the "fun one."
I could be the one to play "tickle monster" without worrying that the kid is going to fall off of the bed and break his neck.
I could be the one to play video games with the kids for hours instead of worrying about the mounds of laundry that needs to be done.
I could also be the one who says "yes" when they ask go to get ice cream...an hour before dinner.
And dads really don't care about making messes (or likely cleaning them up) so they're pretty open to doing whatever.
But if it's cool to be a dad, it must be really cool to be a grandpa. That's being a dad in super-duper-hyper-overdrive.
But the really cool thing about being a grandpa has nothing to do with the kids. Nope. It has to do with all the cool things that you know how to do and fix. Grandpas have had years to figure out how to fix stuff.
And when they come to your house to visit or stay, you reap the benefits of their boredom.
And the grandmas are ever so happy to have the grandpa out of their hair and occupied so that the grandmas can 1) do whatever they want with the grandkids and 2) have one less "big kid" to deal with.
And by "deal with", I mean referee and keep the grandpa from going into cool-dad-hyper-overdrive. If you're a grandma, you *know* what I mean!
So, when they come to your house, you can either have a list of things for them to fix. Or, if you're lucky enough, they just get bored and start fixing things themselves.
Either way...it's a win-win situation for everyone involved.
Some people get mad if others come into their house and start fixing stuff. Well, not me and surely not Ken. That's one less thing that I have to do...and one more thing I can check it off of my list!
And, frankly, that stuff probably never would have gotten done had it not of been for the bored grandpa.
So anytime a grandpa wants to come to my house and fix things, they are welcome to it. Because I surely appreciate it!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
The Not So Funny Joke
The joke starts out with a little boy who wanted to take a shower with his dad. Little boy humor (on the dad's part, of course) ensures and he ends up teaching the little boy a new name for his private part.
The joke goes onto include the name of the dad's private part (a snake), the mom's private part (a jungle) and the boy getting scared in the middle of the night and sleeping in his parents bed.
This is an age old joke that I heard when I was a teenager but it included a car and a garage instead of the snake and jungle.
Unfortunately, this joke wasn't a memory and it's not as funny anymore.
No. This not-so-funny-anymore-joke was one that Shane told me the other night because he thought it was hysterical.
Meh.
The joke goes onto include the name of the dad's private part (a snake), the mom's private part (a jungle) and the boy getting scared in the middle of the night and sleeping in his parents bed.
This is an age old joke that I heard when I was a teenager but it included a car and a garage instead of the snake and jungle.
Unfortunately, this joke wasn't a memory and it's not as funny anymore.
No. This not-so-funny-anymore-joke was one that Shane told me the other night because he thought it was hysterical.
Meh.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Hey! Hey! Hey!
Was there anything better than as a kid growing up in the 1970's than rewarding your long hard school week with Saturday morning cartoons?
Unlike our kids today who have access to more cartoons and choices than we ever did through both TV and the internet, we only had three channels. Saturday morning cartoons were special because that was the only time that you got to see cartoons.
And there was no laying on the couch clicking away trying to find something to watch (while complaining that there was NOTHING to watch!) If we wanted to watch something different, we really had to hate what we were watching enough to get off of our lazy butts and change the channels. We WERE the TV remote!
Most of the time, fights over what my sister and I were going to watch were settled by who was the least lazy of the two of us and would get up and change the channel.
And was there anything better than Fat Albert? Seriously? I loved that show!
Happy Saturday morning!
Unlike our kids today who have access to more cartoons and choices than we ever did through both TV and the internet, we only had three channels. Saturday morning cartoons were special because that was the only time that you got to see cartoons.
And there was no laying on the couch clicking away trying to find something to watch (while complaining that there was NOTHING to watch!) If we wanted to watch something different, we really had to hate what we were watching enough to get off of our lazy butts and change the channels. We WERE the TV remote!
Most of the time, fights over what my sister and I were going to watch were settled by who was the least lazy of the two of us and would get up and change the channel.
And was there anything better than Fat Albert? Seriously? I loved that show!
Happy Saturday morning!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Three Days And Counting
If you know Shane, you know that he's a sugar addict. Plain and simple. The boy loves him some sugar. He would probably eat it straight out of a cannister if we let him. In fact, he probably has and we just don't know it!
So a few days ago, Ken bet him that he couldn't go without sugar until Halloween. Ken bet him $10 and Shane took the bet.
The first day home from school, Shane looked at the box of Good and Plenty he had received for a prize at school and wandered out loud whether the $10 was worth it or not. He mulled it over and then decided it wasn't.
He admitted that he almost caved in the laundry room when he saw a pack of fruit chewies sitting unattended.
The first night, we put him to bed and he came back into our room and told Ken and I that he was really sad and depressed and didn't know why.
After a 20 minute discussion, Ken brought up the fact that he's probably having a craving reaction to the lack of sweets and is having sugar withdrawals.
Shane agreed that Ken was probably right.
So yesterday, (day 2), Shane had a tough tennis lesson. Art was really pretty hard on the boys (he takes a group lesson) and was making them do a lot of footwork drills.
After the lesson, Shane said that he had had it with Art and he had no energy because he hadn't had any sweets.
He then told me that he was having mood swings because of no sugar and he's an emotional wreck. He went onto describe in detail the chocolate cake that he could have had at lunch. It had chocolate frosting AND chocolate chips.
So we're on day 3 of no sugar. He's having addiction withdrawal but he's sticking with it. Poor kid. I wonder what he's going to come up with next though. He's been pretty adult like in his self-diagnosis of his addiction and reaction to it.
Hopefully he'll remember this and won't get sucked into the sugar again. Cross your fingers for him that he's strong enough to resist the fruit chewies and will get his $10!
So a few days ago, Ken bet him that he couldn't go without sugar until Halloween. Ken bet him $10 and Shane took the bet.
The first day home from school, Shane looked at the box of Good and Plenty he had received for a prize at school and wandered out loud whether the $10 was worth it or not. He mulled it over and then decided it wasn't.
He admitted that he almost caved in the laundry room when he saw a pack of fruit chewies sitting unattended.
The first night, we put him to bed and he came back into our room and told Ken and I that he was really sad and depressed and didn't know why.
After a 20 minute discussion, Ken brought up the fact that he's probably having a craving reaction to the lack of sweets and is having sugar withdrawals.
Shane agreed that Ken was probably right.
So yesterday, (day 2), Shane had a tough tennis lesson. Art was really pretty hard on the boys (he takes a group lesson) and was making them do a lot of footwork drills.
After the lesson, Shane said that he had had it with Art and he had no energy because he hadn't had any sweets.
He then told me that he was having mood swings because of no sugar and he's an emotional wreck. He went onto describe in detail the chocolate cake that he could have had at lunch. It had chocolate frosting AND chocolate chips.
So we're on day 3 of no sugar. He's having addiction withdrawal but he's sticking with it. Poor kid. I wonder what he's going to come up with next though. He's been pretty adult like in his self-diagnosis of his addiction and reaction to it.
Hopefully he'll remember this and won't get sucked into the sugar again. Cross your fingers for him that he's strong enough to resist the fruit chewies and will get his $10!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Just Being Prepared, Mom!
The boys have a book fair at school this week and Shane's class goes today to it. If you haven't been to a book fair, it's basically a temporary bookstore where the kids can purchase books and other miscellaneous things that I tell them not to buy (erasers, pencils, posters, etc.)
Shane has been saving his money (shocker, I know!) and I told him that if he wanted to buy books, he had to use his money...not mine.
So, I sent him upstairs this morning to get his money. He comes back down with it tucked into an envelope and had used a stamp to seal it. (I should charge him for that stamp!)
I asked him how much money he was taking.
He replied $135.00. :eek:
When I asked him why, he said that he wanted to "be prepared." :p
I then told him that he was not going to take $135 to school and made him take out all but $20.
At the last bookfair, one little girl brought $200 in her purse to buy books and the parents who were working it freaked out. I remember one mom making the comment that she didn't understand how a parent didn't know that the child had $200 in her purse.
Well, now I know how. The parent was busy getting the kids ready for school and told the child to get some money for the bookfair.
And the child brought enough money so that she was prepared "just in case" she needed 200 erasers. ;)
Shane has been saving his money (shocker, I know!) and I told him that if he wanted to buy books, he had to use his money...not mine.
So, I sent him upstairs this morning to get his money. He comes back down with it tucked into an envelope and had used a stamp to seal it. (I should charge him for that stamp!)
I asked him how much money he was taking.
He replied $135.00. :eek:
When I asked him why, he said that he wanted to "be prepared." :p
I then told him that he was not going to take $135 to school and made him take out all but $20.
At the last bookfair, one little girl brought $200 in her purse to buy books and the parents who were working it freaked out. I remember one mom making the comment that she didn't understand how a parent didn't know that the child had $200 in her purse.
Well, now I know how. The parent was busy getting the kids ready for school and told the child to get some money for the bookfair.
And the child brought enough money so that she was prepared "just in case" she needed 200 erasers. ;)
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Your Best Vacation As A Kid
When you were a kid, what was your favorite family vacation? For me, I loved going to Oconee State Park with our RV and camping. We did this quite a bit. Several of my parents friends had RV's too so there were always other people there.
I loved driving up through Walhalla. As soon as we passed Cuzzins general store, we knew that we were almost there. We would go there on Saturday nights and listen to the old men who hung around and played bluegrass.
My parents friends had kids our age so my sister and I had people other than ourselves to play with. In the morning, Susan, Lisa (our really good friend) and I would make monkey bread for breakfast and then set off on our adventures where we would roam around the park on our bikes and explore the woods around us.
I'm glad that I grew up in an era where you could still do that! During the day and in the evening, the park had a pavillion where they had clogging and square dances. Sounds kind of geeky but it was super fun!
Then at night, we would sit around the campfire and roast marshmellows before our parents would send us into the RV's so they could have "adult time" ...ie, so they could drink beer. :p
Someone had a small TV where we would watch Saturday Night Live even though we were told not to. We had a look out and as soon as we heard or saw them coming, we would turn it off. Sorry, mom. :)
Yes, I realize that's coming back to me trifold. Susan, Lisa and I are *really* sorry.
So, that's my best vacation memories. So, we're looking at taking the kids on vacation next year. We'd like to take them to somewhere they've not been so here's where you come in.
What was your favorite family vaction? Any good recommendations on where to take them or what to do? We've done Disney. We've done NY. We're looking for something different and fun.
So...what say you? If you could relive any vaction, where would it be?
I loved driving up through Walhalla. As soon as we passed Cuzzins general store, we knew that we were almost there. We would go there on Saturday nights and listen to the old men who hung around and played bluegrass.
My parents friends had kids our age so my sister and I had people other than ourselves to play with. In the morning, Susan, Lisa (our really good friend) and I would make monkey bread for breakfast and then set off on our adventures where we would roam around the park on our bikes and explore the woods around us.
I'm glad that I grew up in an era where you could still do that! During the day and in the evening, the park had a pavillion where they had clogging and square dances. Sounds kind of geeky but it was super fun!
Then at night, we would sit around the campfire and roast marshmellows before our parents would send us into the RV's so they could have "adult time" ...ie, so they could drink beer. :p
Someone had a small TV where we would watch Saturday Night Live even though we were told not to. We had a look out and as soon as we heard or saw them coming, we would turn it off. Sorry, mom. :)
Yes, I realize that's coming back to me trifold. Susan, Lisa and I are *really* sorry.
So, that's my best vacation memories. So, we're looking at taking the kids on vacation next year. We'd like to take them to somewhere they've not been so here's where you come in.
What was your favorite family vaction? Any good recommendations on where to take them or what to do? We've done Disney. We've done NY. We're looking for something different and fun.
So...what say you? If you could relive any vaction, where would it be?
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Comic Strip Time
I love it when a comic strip makes me laugh out loud. This is one of them. The humor is just so dry and funny. I'm sure that a few of you will laugh at it too. And identify with it no doubt!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
The Bug Slayer
As I was coming down the stairs this morning, I came around the corner and stopped dead in my tracks. There was a huge cricket-like bug on the hall stairway. It was so big that I could see it without the lights on. Um. Ewwww.
I pondered what to do with it. It was so big. And scary! I resisted the urge to scream like a little girl.
Since Shane has been learning to be the bug slayer (and prides himself on this role), I yelled for him. He would save me from the big bad bug. I yelled that there was a bug and asked him if he could come and get it. He said sure and went and got some paper towels.
I was still pondering what to do with this huge bug when Shane rounded the corner and turned on the lights.
He saw it and said "OH MY GOD."
Then he said..."yeah mom. Dad wouldn't get that and neither am I" and hands me his one little napkin and says good luck.
Some bug slayer he turned out to be.
But he did clean up the aftermath.
LOL.
I pondered what to do with it. It was so big. And scary! I resisted the urge to scream like a little girl.
Since Shane has been learning to be the bug slayer (and prides himself on this role), I yelled for him. He would save me from the big bad bug. I yelled that there was a bug and asked him if he could come and get it. He said sure and went and got some paper towels.
I was still pondering what to do with this huge bug when Shane rounded the corner and turned on the lights.
He saw it and said "OH MY GOD."
Then he said..."yeah mom. Dad wouldn't get that and neither am I" and hands me his one little napkin and says good luck.
Some bug slayer he turned out to be.
But he did clean up the aftermath.
LOL.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Happy Birthday To Me...And To You!
Lots of Birthdays today. So Mary Mayken wanted to sing them a special birthday song.
Happy Birthday to Mommy, Aunt Kem, Scott, Amy, Chuck's Daughter (otherwise known as "Chuck's Arbor")...Happy Birthday to you!
Owen asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I said for him to clean up after himself and don't fight with his brother.
He responded that he'd rather give me a present. lol
Happy Birthday to Mommy, Aunt Kem, Scott, Amy, Chuck's Daughter (otherwise known as "Chuck's Arbor")...Happy Birthday to you!
Owen asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I said for him to clean up after himself and don't fight with his brother.
He responded that he'd rather give me a present. lol
Friday, October 2, 2009
Someone Call The Cops!
I am watching my (about to be) three year old niece Mary Mayken. We walked Shane and Owen to the bus stop this morning. On the way back, she noticed my neighbor's Yukon in her garage.
She pointed at it and yelled "Someone stole daddy's Yukon Aunt Kem!"
I couldn't convince her that Rachida hadn't stolen her daddy's Yukon and there was no need to call the cops.
lol. So cute!
She pointed at it and yelled "Someone stole daddy's Yukon Aunt Kem!"
I couldn't convince her that Rachida hadn't stolen her daddy's Yukon and there was no need to call the cops.
lol. So cute!
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