Happy Birthday Big Brother!

  Happy birthday to the one who picked out my first teddy bear for me when I was less than a day old (by the way, I still have it!), the one who pushed my stroller around the block on sunny afternoons.  Happy birthday to "my protector" when kids were making fun of me on my way home from school one day (tackling one of them and pinning them down to the ground sent a pretty strong message), you always looked out for me even though you're the same one who drew a mustache on my face with permanent black marker while I was asleep (mom scrubbed my upper lip so hard I'm surprised I still have an upper lip!)  Even after you grew and got married, I could always count on you to be there for me.  Everytime my car broke down you dropped everything to pick me up from where ever I was stranded without hesitation.  I will never forget when you asked me to be in the delivery room with you when your first child (my awesome nephew) was born!  I will also never forget when you walked into my dressing room right before my wedding, and you saw me standing there in my wedding dress, and this wonderfully big smile came across your face and you said "you're beautiful!"
  I know there were times growing up when we fought and I wanted to "put you up for rent, cheap" especailly when you accidentally shot me in the arm with your bb gun!  But then I also remember the time when you were shot in a hunting accident and we almost lost you!  I couldn't imagine not having you in our lives!  Especially my life!
  You were and you still are the best big brother anyone could have!  I talked to you earlier today and wished you Happy birthday but I didn't get the chance to tell you how much you mean to me.  I love you!  Happy Birthday!!!!

Picnic and Butterflies!

  Spring is really here finally!  Today's sunny weather was just perfect for today's picnic!
  I went to a picnic for lunch today and it was wonderful!  Today's picnic was the" annual spring picnic" that my cousin's daughter's elementary school hosts each spring.
  This picnic had a couple of clowns walking around entertaining the kids, along with some game booths with prizes.  They had water balloon games, three legged races, potato sack races etc... They also had a couple of clowns making balloon animals, also they had great BBQ! 
  My cousin's daughter is in kindergarten and her name is Emily (she's adorable if I do say so myself)!  With the variety of things to do there, Emily was fixated on one thing only!  She just "had to have" a balloon animal!  Nothing else would do!  The lines for the balloon animals were so long, my cousin Julie and I tried everything to change her mind, neither of us wanted to wait that long in line with her. 
  Julie went with Emily first hoping the line only looked long but would move quickly, it was moving, but very slowly.  Julie waited until she needed to sit and get a drink, but Emily would not budge!  I took over the line duties with Emily.
  The line took almost an hour in total wait time.  We get up to the balloon animal making clown and Emily decides she doesn't want an animal!  Emily shyly & sweetly tells the clown she wants "butterfly wings".  The clown thinks for minute and says "butterfly wings it is"!  i've never seen a child's eyes light up the way Emily's did that minute!
  A few twists and squeaks of the balloons later, the clown turns Emily around and carefully pulls her arms through a couple of balloons, and before you know it she's got 2 big "butterfly wings" strapped to her back!
  Emily then took off running with her arms flapping as fast as she could flap them!  She went running for her mom Julie and told her "mommy, my wings aren't working!  I still can't fly like a butterfly!" 
  Emily warned everyone that came near her to be careful around her butterfly wings she didin't want them to "get broken" .  After a while one wing did pop on it's own, but it didn't stop Emily from believing she could fly like a butterfly!

  I just love a child's imagination!

Another resolution: Continue "page turning"

One thing that was a common sight during my childhood was that of my mother reading a book. My mother was and still is a voracious reader. She would spend many weekend and vacation days lying in the California sun reading. At night while my dad, older brother and I watched T.V, you could find her curled up on couch reading. She is the only person I know of that actually brings a book to read when at a major league baseball game! My mom recently told me she normally finishes a book in a week. I don't read as much as I should (even though I do enjoy reading)I always seem to find an excuse for not reading such as "don't have time" etc... at my age, my mother was a married woman with 2 kids and a full time job outside the home. What I admire was that she either found or made time to do something that she loves! Well no more excuses for me! So here I go!
 
In a recent post I mentioned one resolution I made around New Years to become more disciplined. One of my other resolutions is to read more. Towards the end of 2009, I was going to get a jump start on this resolution. I friend of mine invited me to join her book club! I immediately accepted and read the book they were currently reading which was "The secret lives of Bees". The book club would meet at a different member's house once a month to discuss the current book, and a different member would then chose the next book and so on.... The club was a lot of fun, but around the holidays everyone got busy and the club "feel apart". I didn't read anything in January and February (shame on me). This week I started a book called "Carry me home" by Sandra Kring, I'm about 1/4 the way through it, very good story, I will not reveal any details until I'm done.
I thought it would be kind of fun to start my own little book club here. I will keep my blog updated as to which book I'm reading. When I'm done with the book I will discuss it in my post. If anyone wants to read along with me, "the more the merrier!"

Question of the day

The question of the day is:


What items do you wish you had from your parents' living room?


When thinking about this question, there are three items I would love to have from my parents' living room:

1. The round end table/curio cabinet.
My parents had a wonderful end table with a beautiful wood finish, that also had a glass curio cabinet in the body of the table. My mother housed her animal firgurine collection in this table. I used to love to open up the cabinet door, reach in and switch on the little light inside the cabinet. Next, I would turn off the lights in the living room, and enjoy the "glow" of the table. I've always thought it was really exquisite and beautiful!

2. The curved sectional couch.
The most eye catching item in the room was the huge 4 piece curved sectional couch. This couch played host to many family Christmas mornings, childhood "tents", and cozy book readings. I remember my dad telling me he bought the couch at a garage sale in the mid sixties for only $25.00! The couch was always in perfect condition, never showed any wear. My brother Mark and I used to take bed sheets into the living room, lay them along the top of the couch secured with pillows, carefully extend the sheets out to make a tent. We brought in a small TV and watched movies underneath in the tent while we ate popcorn.

3. Great Grandma's rocking chair.
My Grandma was rocked to sleep in this chair as an infant, as was my mom, my brother and I, and my nephew & niece. A family heirloom and the best rocking chair in the world! As a little girl I rocked my baby dolls to "sleep" in this chair also. It was a "magical" chair!