Older Does Mean Wiser

I've got nothin'.... nothin' earth shattering to share on this here blog. So today I have resorted to use someone else's words. I received an email today that was chock full of good advice written by a little old lady who has lived a lifetime and can share her wisdom with those of us who think we know it all...but don't.

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, Cleveland, Ohio. To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone..
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first pay check.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion, today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

I can learn a lot from this list.

I especially liked #37 and #38... so true.

Here's to 45 more!

Forty Five years and counting...
My parents are celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary today!

Just saying that sentence makes me happy.
In this day and age, it's quite an accomplishment.
I'm so proud of you and thankful you were always a strong unified front all my life.
Thanks for always showing me how important it is to stick together, be supportive, LAUGH at one another, make compromises, and love your spouse!

You are inspirational and I hope Connor and I are lucky enough to wake up one morning and say "Happy 45th dear!"

Have a wonderful day... I hope you spend it doing what makes you both happy.

Lost tooth + boat ride + mammal sightings = BEST DAY EVER

(This is Commencement Bay in Tacoma, I love this photo because of Mount Rainier and parasailers in the distance.)

Nolan's sentence pretty much summed up our day yesterday...

"This is the best day ever."

Connor's mom and Joe invited us for a cruise around the Puget Sound on their new boat.

So with the sun shining, we packed up our bags and a lunch to share with everyone on board.

Joe and Pat

(AKA The cap'n and his first mate)

Here we are on the Foss waterway in Tacoma, just chillin' on the front of the bow.
Their boat is lovely. It's a 29 foot Sea Ray with two sleeping cabins, a galley, and a cool open air deck with table and booth in the back. It's was a blast.

One of the reasons Nolan thought this was the BEST day ever was because he lost his final baby tooth. That tooth has been hanging by a thread for weeks. Here he is pointing out the spot where that nasty yellow tooth once held residence. (loose teeth rarely get brushed)

I have to admit that all of these photos came from this gal on the right... Shannon. She has an awesome camera and some killer photography skills.

We had fun chit chatting the day away.



Connor and Nick


Connor doing what he does best...torturing his niece, Nita.
This girl has no fear.
She was crackin' up the whole time.




Here are a few sea lions perched on a log outside Pat and Joe's marina.

We also saw a seal and some small porpoise while on our tour.

(Yet another reason Nolan thought it was the best day ever.)

Here are the cutest deck hands around.
Nolan, Nick, Jay, Jessica, Nita, and Ben.

We docked the boat on Maury Island to let the kids run and play at a playground. The boat ride is fun, but even little legs need a break from being confined.

Nothing beats a sunny day in the Northwest.
When the sun finally comes out, everything is lush, green, and almost glowing in the sunshine.
It was the perfect way to spend a day on a Memorial Day weekend...
I can guarantee you we will all remember this day.

Ninety years ago....

Happy Birthday Grandma Salty!

This lovely lady is my Grandmother.

Ninety years ago on this day she was born!

She is my father's mother and has always been a source of inspiration to me. She's the type of person you meet that can't help but make other people smile. Her wit and fun loving ways light up the room and keep people laughing. I love her dearly.

As a kid, we would visit her and grandpa at their beautiful house in Minnesota. It was built by my grandfather and was nestled in the trees on a small hillside along the banks of one of 10,000 Minnesota lakes.

I have fond memories of this place. I still cannot play dominos to this day without thinking of my grandma. I remember waking up each morning to a smorgasbord of breakfast goodies, but my all time favorite was grandma's toast. I swear she made the very best toast...it might be that it was made from white bread which we NEVER had, that was a big treat!

They had a pool table in their basement where my brothers and I perfected our game. When I wasn't playing pool shark you could find me sitting at her organ performing such tunes as Moon River and Que Cera Cera...

I loved fishing with her everyday, we'd hop in their little metal boat and cruise around the lake early in the morning trying to catch something yummy. I usually ended up catching a bunch of seaweed and she would always say.... "Looks like Kelly is serving salad tonight!"

My grandma has the best sense of humor. She even had a fishing hat that she embellished with sequin letters that said "Happy Hooker". Gotta love that crazy lady!

Those summers spent in Minnesota have created fond lasting memories that I will never forget.

I can't help but smile when I think about her, she's just so special. For ninety years now she has spread her joy and I'm so thankful she's in good health. I have no doubt she is celebrating this milestone with a smile on her face and a spring in her step.

I love you Grandma!

Oh the places we'll go!

For once I really don't even care that my photo is hideous...

I opened the mailbox today to see a couple of very official envelopes waiting for me. After a second or two, I knew exactly what they were and a smile stretched across my face.

Can you believe Connor and I just received our very first passports today? How lame is that? I know... pretty lame. But now we have the ability to hop on a plane and go ANYWHERE in the world and that, my friends, is NOT lame.

I am happy to have this tiny little booklet with my ugly mug on the first page for many reasons. First off, it means that my trek to Mexico is getting closer and that I don't have to worry about this passport thingy anymore. And second, it means that Connor and I will be able to see the world as we have talked about countless times over our life. It just makes me happy knowing we have one less thing stopping us from reaching our goals. We can jet off to London if we really want to... Or, climb aboard a cruise ship bobbing in the Mediterranean Sea.... Or, scale up the side of Machu Picchu to see the amazing lost village. SO COOL!!

Who knew that a little blue booklet issued by the American government can bring such joy!

Now, I just need to get Nick and Nolan their very own little blue books so they can see this amazing world right along side us!

Mother's Day 2009

Happy Mother's Day!

I hope all the mom's I know are thoroughly enjoying their day. My kiddos haven't let me lift a finger except for the one attached to my fork. They made me a wonderful breakfast of french toast, sausage, and hash browns. YUM.

Nick gave me a little book filled with poems he wrote... some funny and others more serious. I love it.

Nolan painted a lovely picture with watercolors and use a black sharpie marker to draw a meadow of flowers. It's so pretty I'm going to frame it.

Have a wonderful day and take a minute to watch one of my all time favorite you tube videos made especially for mother's day.

It's so stinkin' funny!

Schmoopy

My friend and fellow-blogger, Karen, had one of the best ideas to keep in touch with her hubby.

Yes... please take the time to read her fantastic idea before going any farther...

See what I mean?

Brilliant.

Simple.

Sweet.

Perfect.

So, even Connor was sold after reading her post and asked me when we were going to get a whiteboard?

Well, we are now the proud new owners of what we like to call the "schmoopy board".

(A gazillion years ago, on the sitcom "Mad About You", whenever Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt were being sweet and doting on one another they used to say they were being schmoopy. My sister-in-law, Shannon, started using that phrase on us whenever she caught Connor and myself holding hands or hugging. She says "Oh...look at the Schmoopifers!" and then usually rolls her eyes. :) )

Yesterday...Connor wrote his very first note.

It cracked me up and made me smile.

Then apparently Nick found the note...

Spoken like a true twelve year old.

This too, make me crack up and smile.

Maybe our schmoopy board isn't in the best location...but we really do not have a place in the house where only Connor and I would see it. That's OK... It'll be fun to see the added commentary from time to time.

Soak up the Son

The other night while we all sat on the couch watching the latest installment of America's Funniest Home Videos it hit me like a rock...

My boys are getting older at a pace I'm not entirely happy with. It wont be very long at all before they get to the point that sitting with mom and dad watching the tube just wont float their boats. I need to absorb every last bit. I need to take them up on every invitation they throw my way. I need to put my busy work aside to play the Spongebob Edition Life game whenever Nolan begs me to. (And some of you know how I despise the game of Life.) When they ask me to sit and watch the newest episode of Ben 10, I will happily oblige. Watching cartoons just isn't my thing, but I need to remember hanging with my boys IS my thing.

Somehow these thoughts washed over me as Nolan lay happily in my lap begging me to play with his hair while we watched and laughed at the crazy people doing stupid things on TV. Nicholas curled up on my other side and seemed as happy as a clam to be cuddled up on the couch with his family. It made me SO VERY HAPPY! But at the same time, made me a little sad to know these days are numbered.

I guess the best way to deal with this predicament is to just soak it all in. I love these kids and the thought of them not being kids makes me sad. I know they will be great adolescents and adults when the time comes, but for now I need to remember childhood is fleeting. So bring on the Battleship playing, Bug catching, Baseball throwing, snake viewing, stick widdling, and whatever boyish fun is due to come my way!

Boys and "Girls"

OK... I've been hemming and hawing about even including this post, but it cracked me up and someday I will look back on this and laugh so here it goes....

Last week, the four of us were sitting around the dinner table shooting the breeze and eating our meal. You just never know what topic might come up at our dining room table these days. We usually talk about what the boys did at recess or what crazy things have been happening at work lately. But this particular night was a little different.

Somehow we got on the subject of words and meanings. I can't for the life of me remember why but that is how this how thing starts.

Connor started talking about onomatopoeia's and was trying to explain to the boys just what an onomatopoeia was. In case you need a refresher, they are words that sound much like the word they represent. To get Connor's point across he chose a few words as examples. "Drip sounds like a drip of water..." "Bubble sounds like a bubbling pot of water..." etc, etc, etc...

This is when my pre-teen throws out his own version. Mind you, he has just finished the health unit at school that talks about the birds and the bees... "Oh, you mean like boob?, not only does it sound funny, it even looks like the word it represents...round and curvy." I shudder to include that I think he even cupped his hands to make sure we all understood what he was saying.

This is when my jaw dropped and Connor busted out laughing. I think Nolan even had to keep from spewing his food from laughter. This is when a proper mom would have squelched this inappropriate discussion and moved on to another topic, but not me...all I did was laugh 'til I had tears coming out of my eyes.

Sadly, this isn't the first time mammaries have had a post dedicated to them. I just find it a little odd that my little boys have been the instigators (even without knowing it) of all posts about the "girls". Should I be worried? Is this normal? I suppose it is. Although, I certainly don't remember my brothers talking about such things at the dinner table.

Kodak Moment

I was browsing through some old photos the other day and came across this one.

It was taken back in the summer of 2005,

We hosted a big family gathering for Connor's side of the family.

I love this picture for many reasons...

1.The dark clouds mixed with sunshine.

2. I love my yard when it's the middle of summer and everything is pretty.

3.I love the range of activity going on...

(Everything from Uncle Terry video taping the gathering, to kids running with balls strewn around the yard, to Sarah holding her newborn baby by the picnic table.)

4. It reminds me how important family is to me.

5. It makes me feel happy.

Summer Daydreams and Hamster Wheels

While the rain drips outside my window, (Um, excuse me, let me state the fact that the rain is now mixed with SNOW) I will think to the future months ahead that have great fun and much sun in store for me.

As soon as school lets out for Nick and Nolan we will be heading to central Oregon to spend some quality time with these folks...

We've rented a house in Sunriver that is nestled next to a slow flowin' river in a beautiful pine forest. We'll be spending our days riding bikes, swimming, rafting down a river full of rapids, laughing and having a grand time. We LOVE vacationing with my brother and his family... We rarely get to see them, but when we do...it's like a tornado of fun! I can not wait!!!!

My parents are planning on joining the fun and that just makes it even better!

A month after that fantabulous trip, Connor and I will be jetting off to spend some quality time in this lovely locale with the funnest people gracing this planet. It will be a vacation to remember I'm sure. Sunshine, sandy beaches, great friends, and never ending laughter make for a memorable vacation.

I can not wait for the summer to roll around! I've had it up to my eyeballs with nasty sideways rain, slushy drips, and wind blown hair. I need warm sunshine against my back, flip flops on my feet, and a cool margarita in my hand.

I will be spending the next few months preparing for these trips by daydreaming and hopping on this little fella...

This is my pal, "Dreadmill", He's supposed to help whip my derriere in shape for my upcoming trips. That is no easy task! Wish us luck as we spend quality time together almost every day. If the sun ever shows it's head in these parts, I'll give dreadmill a break, and actually run outside...what a novel idea!

I hear him calling my name... So I must go. I'll daydream about crashing ocean waves and river rafting all the while!

Spring Break In a Nutshell

Another Spring Break has come and gone.

We were busy but in a "let's do whatever we feel like whenever we wanna" kind of way. There were no time lines and no schedules and that is how I like it!

Our week started off with some fun time spent with my niece, Jessica. At Christmas, we gave her (and her three siblings) certificates that entitled them to a day of fun spent with the four of us and a fun-filled sleep over. The only stipulation was they had to come one at a time. She was pretty stoked about leaving her young siblings behind to come hang out with us for some quality fun! Nick, Nolan, and Jessie spent most of the day outside in the sunshine riding bikes, rollerblading, and climbing trees. Oh, to be a kid again! Then we all piled in the car and headed to a great new restaurant in town called Mizu. The chef cooks at your table all the while dazzling you with superb culinary skills. He also randomly flung food through the air to all of us to see if we could catch it in our mouths. Very entertaining. You should've seen the amount of food on the floor behind the kids! They LOVED this place! Our day/night spent with Jessie was almost like a Christmas present for ourselves...she's a great kid and we loved spending one on one time with her!



We also spent a great deal of Spring Break sharpening our Baseball playing skills. Nick will be playing baseball on a league in a few weeks so we bought him a new glove and headed to the park. It was just Nick, Nolan, and myself digging up the diamond one sunny afternoon. We had a ball! OK maybe a ton of balls especially when mom was the pitcher. :) Luckily, my kids have a lot of patience and didn't mind that the incoming pitches were less than perfect. The fun on the ball field transferred to fun in the backyard when we played catch about a gazillion times over the week. I love playing catch with the boys... they just open up and say the greatest things. For example... Nolan was pondering who would win a baseball game- Superman or the Green Lantern? He went into great detail about who would win and why. I could've listened to him all day!

The rest of the week was spent sleeping in, watching movies, going to the library, having a picnic, making Easter baskets, painting bird houses, and having fun with cousins. It ended with a rainy Easter Sunday and a few family members feeling under the weather. But we spent the day munching on chocolate bunnies and playing a board game together, it was a nice day.

The boys are sad to see the vacation end and are less than thrilled to head back to school especially because it's testing week. Big all day aptitude tests given all week long. I don't blame them for not wanting to leave this laid back, no stress week behind. It's weeks like this one that remind me how happy my life makes me. I'm a lucky gal to have such a fun, healthy, and blessed family. We have fun together and I wish they could hang out with me more often during the week. Ahhh... Summer vacation isn't too far off, I'll have to remind them of that as they head out the door tomorrow morning.

Birthday Wishes...

When I was a kid in the early 80's, my best friend Karen and I would have to come up with some creative ideas to keep boredom at bay. A typical day in our young lives would find us writing "fake letters" to each other. In these letters we would pretend we were all grown up and we would write about our day to day lives, how our "husbands" were the greatest, and that our adorable "kiddos" were the apples of our eyes. After finishing writing, we'd hand them to each other and that's when the laughter would ensue. Karen was a stellar writer even in her younger days and always managed to crack me up. We'd laugh for a few minutes then we'd head to the kitchen to grab cylinder of sour cream and onion Pringles (I swear those containers would breed in her pantry, they ALWAYS had Pringles and an endless supply of Planter's Cheez-Puffs!) then we'd march outside to swing in her hammock, much on chips, and sing silly songs. That's just what we'd do. Without that girl next door my childhood would have been B.O.R.I.N.G.





Fast forward about 26 years.... Today is her 34th birthday and I'm happy she's joined me in the mid-thirties! (Connor would totally debate this fact, he insists I'm in the late-thirties...but he's 40 and senility is affecting his better judgement.) I'm super thankful she's remained my friend all of these years. I love that fake letters are no longer needed... She's got a "real" husband that really is great. Her four kids are amazing in every way. And her day to day life is still worthy of making me crack up from time to time! She's the best mother I know, her kids know they are loved and are growing up to be wonderful little people! If you need a laugh, call Karen. She's brilliant and keeps me in stitches with every visit! I treasure her friendship like no other friend I have to this day. It's a special one that I thank my lucky stars for all of the time. We've got many memories behind us and many more to be made in the future!



Happy Birthday to one of my all time favorite people on this planet! I hope you have something wonderful planned for your big day. Wish I could be there to celebrate with you... I would totally bring some Pringles to share.

Witmob

Today was a beautiful sunny Spring day... Finally. We had snow falling last Tuesday and I was not amused. So I welcomed this bright and lovely day with a smile on my face.

We spent the majority of the day outside. We've been promising the boys we'd take them to the local skate park that we've driven past on numerous occasions. They always ooh and aah at the thought of trying out their wheels at the park. So today they were giddy with excitement and I was not. I don't know why god thought giving me two boys was a good idea. I seriously cringe and worry with every "boy thing" they do. For instance, I was the only mom at the skate park packin' a small baggie filled with first-aid supplies. It's a miracle I don't have a massive ulcer after 12 years of being a mother of boys. Nick and Nolan had THE TIME OF THEIR LIVES and nary a bone was broken. Both of them caught on really quick and were doing tricks off the ramps and half pipes before I knew it. I must say, I actually enjoyed watching them between cringes and gasps.

Then it was off to the Green River for a small hike and to try our hand at hopping on rocks near the water's edge. I really wish I wasn't such a nervous Nellie... Why can't I just enjoy the lovely landscape and chirping birds as my children happily play alongside the river? Instead, I'm envisioning the worst case scenario of them slipping in the river only to be carried downstream never to be seen again. I talked myself out of my paranoia and discovered that I too, can huck a rock pretty far across the river. We had a grand time sitting on giant boulders surrounded by lapping water watching kayakers pass us by in the rapids. It was a lot of fun especially when Connor and Nolan both ended up knee deep in the drink. Good times. Good bone chilling cold times!

Connor said I should really rename my blog. He thinks Witnob is a far better name for me... Worried is the mother of boys. I would have to agree. But I seriously am going to make an effort at being less over protective. It's almost paralyzing and I'm missin' out on some of the fun. I just need to let my boys be boys... I promise I will not bring the baggie of first aid supplies to the park next time, I will just leave it in the car. :)

April Fools Shenanigans

We survived another April Fool's Day around here. It makes for a fun day, but also makes you feel a little paranoid at the same time.

I started the morning off trying to trick the boys. I told them to go get the milk out of the milk box that the milk man just delivered on the front porch... Nick came in with a notice from the milkman stating their cows can't produce enough milk to sustain the needs of our community... too many teenage boys drinkin' too much milk... Nick and Nolan were outraged until they saw me snickering.

Next... I was at work, when I received a phone call from CPS. The lady said they have had a few reports of Nolan coming to school dirty and smelly and that I'd have to come in to talk to them. Yeah right! I knew right off the bat that it was my old pal Suzan trying to pull a prank on me. See, I've gotten her SO MANY TIMES in the past (she's gullible that way) that she tries to get me back. Didn't work! I said "Really? And what school does my son attend?" Ha! She didn't have an answer, plus I know for a fact my kids are clean and smell just like fresh daisies every day of the year! :) Nice try Suzan!

Then...another call came in to work for me. This time it was a crazy customer who said his doctor wanted him to purchase some "Cow Butter" for his "Itchy groin". Um....yeah.... Hello Connor! I must admit, his accent was well done, but 16 years of marriage and you know your spouse's voice backwards and forwards. I have to admit that while I was laughing out loud into the phone receiver a little part of me was praying this wasn't an actual customer.

Connor also tricked Nick and Nolan by making a Russian Roulette dinner. On a few of the appetizers he made, he sprinkled Tabasco sauce for a "fun" surprise. Apparently, it made for a fun dining experience. And much milk was consumed-- mostly by Nick!

Then right before we climbed into bed, Connor opened his closet door. Inside he found a note from Nick saying "April Fool's DAD... I set your clock ahead one hour... hee hee hee" Of course, he meant for Connor to find this note the following morning after showering and getting ready for his work day. He was disappointed this morning when he found out his joke was thwarted.

He also put a bunch of hardback books in Nolan's pillowcase, hoping Nolan would clunk his head when it was time to go to bed. Nice huh? Nolan was not amused.

Ahhh... Fun times. It turns out we all need a little work at being more tricky. Which I guess is a good thing. :)