Ain’t That The Truth!

  1. People who’ve had three 10 lb. babies should be exempt from coughs.
  2. People with chronic migraines should be exempt from coughs.
  3. People with coughs should be exempt from allergy attacks.
  4. Puppies with huge, gaping surgical wounds should be exempt from tummy problems.

Puppy and I have spoken. Let it be.

Stay Groovy!
Lisa Marie Mary

Picnic Games for Kids

Water Bombs filled with waterImage via Wikipedia

Picnics bring to mind memories of playing games and running about in wide open spaces. Kids still love to run and play. Use these picnic game ideas to keep your kids occupied during the next family outing.

When several kids are present, group games can be played. Divide the kids up into teams. A little friendly competition will get the appetite going. Choose games that are easy and fast paced.

Two such games are the potato sack race and the three legged race. With the potato sack race, kids can compete in teams of two or three. Each player hops to the opposite line and tags their partner who then completes his/her leg of the race. Once the final member of the team completes their segment, the race is over.

The three legged race can be played with kids and adults. Kids can pair up with their parents or each other. Tie a string or a scarf around one leg of each partner. The teammates will have to hang on to each other to keep their balance. When the whistle sounds, each team runs as fast as they can to the finish line at the other end.

Kids can test their catching skills with the water balloon toss. Each team of players starts the game facing each other in the middle. With each toss, the tossing partner takes one step backwards. This continues, until there is one team remaining whose water balloon has not burst. Be sure to bring a few towels to wipe off the participants. Water balloons can be filled at home and transported to the picnic venue in a container.

Older kids and teens will want to play games with a bit more action. Sporting goods stores sell outdoor game kits like badminton and volleyball. It takes very little time to set up the net and you are ready to choose your teams. Choose a parent to act as referee and score keeper for the games. In cooler weather, touch football will keep the blood flowing.

Young kids would be happy with simpler activities. Bubbles are entertaining to them. Instead of using the small wand that comes with a bottle of bubbles, purchase the big wand that creates bubbles of all sizes. Soak the wand in the bubble solution and let the kids run behind you and try to catch them.

Games give kids something to occupy their time at a family picnic. Pack your game equipment the night before so that nothing is forgotten. Don’t forget the first aid kit-you may need it.

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Nicole Dean welcomes you to www.ShowKidstheFun.com β€” a free website filled with activities to make memories with your children and www.ShowMomtheMoney.com β€” a fun and informative resource for moms who want to make money from home.

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How cute are your tax deductions?

Are your tax deductions this cute?

If they are, and they were born in December 2007, you better head on over to the Turbo Tax contest website! They are holding a America’s Cutest Last Minute Tax Deduction contest!

The winning adorable ‘tax deduction’ will receive a $5,000 United States savings bond, which will be up to $10,000 upon maturity! Wow! That’s awesome!

You better get over there fast, though, because, the contest ends January 9!!

Go! Go now!

I miss my Grandma Clare Mae

My maternal grandmother was one of my dearest friends and one of my biggest fans. She was just the coolest. It was funny, because, we were so different, but, no matter what – she loved me fiercely. No matter what whacked out, goofy ideas I came up with – she loved me. Her acceptance of me was incredible. This is hard to write. I’ve been missing her like crazy lately. It’s not just that it’s been Christmas, because, every holiday season that she’s been gone hasn’t been like this. She did visit me in a dream lately and it was so intense. She was hugging me and she just would not let go. (There’s no crying in blogging, Lisa!) Yeah, ok – pulling myself together, really – I am. I’m cool.

369-6765 That was the first phone number I ever memorized, and the first phone number I ever called by myself. 369-6765 That number will be in my head (no crying!) forever.

I keep ‘pieces of Grandmamom’ all around me at all times, often even wearing her watch. Everywhere I look in my house, there is a part of Clare Mae. In my kitchen, I have her beautiful milk glass lamp. Isn’t it pretty? (I know, a lot of people really detest these – I don’t care.)

One of my favorite things of hers that I have is her train case. Such a lovely reminder of a different time, you know? I always think it’s a Samsonite, but, it’s an American Tourister. Isn’t it so pretty?

And you know what’s super cool? I just discovered, that, apparently – train cases are coming back in fashion! A girlfriend and I went into a little boutique here in town, and they had the cutest modern, but old-fashioned, train cases! It was really cool – it was the perfect mix of old and new. And I absolutely love that they are coming back in style!

Gawd, I miss her, though! Sometimes it feels as if she died this morning, it hurts so bad. She passed away, though, on December 9, 1996. Three weeks after my daughter, Sammie Clare Mae, was born.

I just can’t wait to get to Heaven so I can hug her again. I love life, I love being alive, but, I am so looking forward to seeing her again!

(And I’m not crying! I swear! There’s no crying in blogging!)

Make Daddy take back our presents….

“….so then we’ll have money, and Aunt Tracy can come here.” You know, like – we could send her money to travel here.
Crying 11
There are some moments when I regret with every fiber of my me-ness, moving out here. There are some moments when I just ask myself, “what in the hell were you thinking?!” And I physically ache to go home.

My brother and his wife, Tracy – were so involved in these kids’ lives. They were so much a part of their existence.

Am I nothing but pure evil to take them away – to separate them?

Oh gawd, I gotta think about something else – this hurts too much.

House full of in-laws, belly full of grease

The in-laws came over yesterday for none other than a fish fry! The food was absolutely delicious, but, there was so much of it! And most of it greasy! I got so incredibly full, that I was hurting long into the night and morning!

We had fried catfish, homemade hush puppies (YUMMM!), potato salad, macaroni, and gosh knows what else! All I know is there was a lot of food to pick from, and it is so hard when there are so many dishes, because, of course, you want to try them all! I’m telling you, eat some good Southern cookin’ too often, and you will not be fitting into any bustiers!

Here is a picture of one of our desserts – a chocolate merengue pie made by Aunt Lisa. (No, not me Aunt Lisa, the other Aunt Lisa. Heehee) Pretty, isn’t it? She wants me to help her do a portfolio of all of the wonderful, yummy things she makes. That should be fun!

Well, we had a fun afternoon, but, boy was it painful! We enjoyed just hanging around and talking with the family, though. And then later on in the evening, it was just a cousin left with her hubby and one of her sons, and we had a fire outside and all sat out there talking and laughing and cutting up. I learned some interesting new phrases that cracked me up! (That, no, I shall not repeat here on the blog!) LOL!

DJ LOVES his personalized music!!!!

I recently told you about sending my nephew in Dallas a CD of songs personalized just for him. Well, I got the call I’d been waiting for – he got it! And he LOVED it!!!

My brother called yesterday and was telling me all about it! I’m so excited!

The CD came from PersonalizedStories.com and it is so cool! They didn’t have DJ, so I chose Daniel. And on the CD, like ..actually …physically – on the CD is his name. You know, on the label. So DJ knew that his name was ON the CD, but when he heard the people actually singing his name, he completely flipped OUT! So cool!!! Oh gosh, I wish I could’ve been there!

But knowing DJ so well, and hearing my brother describe his reaction, I felt like I was there!

And when more and more of the songs played – singing his name – he said,

Dad! Aunt Lisa told ALL those people my name!”
ROFL 10

It cracks me up just typing it! Man, I love that kid! He said another cute thing, but, now I can’t remember it – I knew I should’ve posted this yesterday!

And, I was quite amused and quite pleased to hear that his favorite of all the songs was, “You’re A Winner!” And it tickled me absolutely pink to tell Patrick that when he got home from school! Fourteen-year olds – what do they know, anyway?

Grandmamom’s old red traincase

I have my grandmother’s old red traincase on my dresser and I just love it and love having it there, out in the open like that! I miss the old luggage sets, the way they looked when I was a kid and when my grandmother was a young woman. But also, having it in here, in plain view, makes me feel like I have a piece of my grandmother in my room with me. And that just fills my spirit with warmth.

I also think of the days when my grandmother and her sisters and brother would ride the train to go somewhere. Traveling was a big deal then, a big affair. Everyone would get dressed up and it was a real treat. The journey itself was actually part of the trip.

I know the one time that I took the train, I absolutely loved it! I cannot wait until I can take my own kids for a train ride. Even if we only go a short way like I did (from Dallas to Austin) we will have so much fun!

I know we have a lot of totally cool modern conveniences in this day and time (the internet! could NOT live without it!) but, there are just some things about the past that seem so special and so magical. And I see a little bit of that ‘magic’ in my mind’s eye every time I glance over at my dresser!

Family gathering

We had the family over yesterday for two birthdays, that of an aunt and one of the cousins. We really lucked out, because, the aunt’s daughter did all of the work. She even cleaned up – it was awesome, especially since I had a migraine. But we had a nice time hanging out with everyone. Some people were in the kitchen. Some people were relaxing in the dining room. Some of the kids were playing out front. Still more of the kids were playing out back. Still more of the kids were playing video games downstairs. Most of the menfolk sat outside under the pecan tree, around our firepit. And it was just a really nice evening. When Mark’s cousin was leaving – the two of them were talking about getting together to grill some fish. I don’t know what kind of fish and I don’t know what kind of grilling. Maybe they were talking about using a billet grille. I don’t know, though – I don’t really even know at whose house they were talking about having it. I guess I will just find out when I find out.

Personalized children’s books and such

I just got the coolest music CD for my nephew, Scooter Pie. I can’t wait for him to hear it. His name (other than Scooter Pie) πŸ˜‰ is DJ. They didn’t have DJ, but, they did have Daniel. I am hoping that he gets called Daniel enough to appreciate the fact that the singers are singing to/about him. It is a good thing I am not the only one I’m relying on to have him familiar with the name Daniel, because, pretty much the only time I use his full name is when I’m disciplining him! πŸ˜‰ I’m pretty sure he’s already working on writing out Daniel, though. So if I’m remembering that correctly, all will be good.

I got him the CD called “You’re a Winner” and it is all about having positive self-esteem and knowing that you are unique, and indeed, a winner! I can hear him in my mind walking around the house singing the songs! And I sure do hope my ‘visions’ come true! The CD is en route to him through the USPS right now, but, I will report back when he gets it and listens to it. I listened to the whole thing before I sent it and I really liked it! (My fourteen-year old, rotten teen that he is, had good fun making fun of it! No worries – I’ve got plenty of goods on him! HA!)

There is a really cool Spiderman one that I would love to get him, as well! And then, of course, I want to pick out some for my nieces, too!

And I wouldn’t just have to pick CD’s for them, they have a large selection of personalized childrens books that I would love to get for them! And they also have the personalized baby book that I have been looking for since my second child was born. When my first was born, the hospital was giving them away. Then by the next year, they were no longer doing that, so my other son and my daughter don’t have one all about the day they were born! πŸ™ So I have been trying to find one all this time and I’m thrilled that I can finally do that, too!

And you all know that I am a self-proclaimed children’s literacy advocate, and there is no better way to get a kid excited about reading than to put him IN the story! I just love personalized books, especially for hesitant readers!