Decisions, Decisions

Poor guy, I've had days like this too.

All about some shoes

I write a lot about my oldest grandson but that's just because he has so much to say. The youngest who we call Biddy isn't saying much yet - he's a man of few words but he gets his ideas across.

Biddy is all about some shoes as most kids his age are. He is always trying on his older brothers shoes and it doesn't matter if they match or not.

He is just getting to the point where the look he gives you tells you more than any words ever could.

Check out his shoes. At least he picked out shoes that match his clothes.

That amazing kid

My oldest grandson is 3. He amazes me everyday. He talked early and is very verbal. If you tell him something once, he won't forget it - he may choose to ignore it but he won't forget it. He counts and he's not just repeating numbers - he will point at objects and count. If you take some away he knows how many and will tell you what the new count is.

He asked to see my camera Friday night - this is not the first time. He knows how to turn it on, how to view the pictures and he knows how to take a picture. (he took the photo of me)

His mother told him today that dad had to fix the cable so he needed to get dressed so he could help his dad cut the grass. My grandson said they couldn't cut the grass yet that dad hadn't fixed the cable. My daughter-in-law was talking about the cable tv - my grandson thought she meant a cable on the lawnmower - how many 3yr olds know there are cables on a lawnmower?

The kid is amazing.

I am a Blessed Woman

Went to visit with the kids and spent about 1hr with them. I got ready to go and my oldest grandson yelled "NOoooooo! Give me your purse Nona"! He took my purse and told me "now you can't go home". I am truly a blessed woman.

Nonas garden growing

I started out planting vegetables for my grandsons. They enjoy checking out the plants and how much things are growing. Now I get great enjoyment from checking the progress of my garden including my beneficials - yes the babies are growing.

I also have some dragonflies I didn't introduce - they are just there and I enjoy watching them and my dog Belle chasing them.

Falling in Love with Oldies

I normally listen to country music but when I went to camp it was 5 hrs away from home so I had to find a radio station in my cabin and I put it on a country station to wake up by. When I got home, I plugged my clock radio in at work and there was this oldie station.
I fell in love. I haven't listened to that type music since I was, well...younger.
Today is Saturday, I'm cleaning house and dusting to the oldies. I am actually having a good time - as much fun as one can have dusting.
It's the MUSIC! Boy do those songs bring back old memories. Not to mention it's a faster pace and I seem to be getting more done.
Gotta Love those Oldies
I still have the country music playing in my car - keeps me going the speed limit.

very good cornbread

If you were at camp and tried my Very Berry Cornbread, I have decided to share the recipe. If you didn't get to try it, well you missed out.

Very Berry Cornbread
8-10 servings or 9-12 muffins
bake 30 min at 450 degrees in cast iron skillet or 15-18min in muffin tins
2 cups self-rising cornmeal or cornmeal mix
1/3 cup sugar
5 large eggs
16oz sour cream
1/2 cup melted butter
3 cups fresh berries

preheat oven to 450 degrees
stir cornmeal and sugar in a large bowl
mix eggs, sour cream and butter and stir into cornmeal mixture
and add berries.
pour batter into lightly greased cast iron skillet bake 25 minutes or until pick in center comes out clean or 15-18 minutes in muffin tins.

I put fresh blackberries in the muffins I took to camp
but you can use raspberries or blueberries.

Enjoy and let me know what you think.

No emply bowls in this house

I guess I need to introduce you to my companions. Henry is 14 and Belle is 3. They are the most wonderful dogs in the world and I tell them every day at least 10 times. It doesn't matter if I have been gone a week or just out to check the mail, they throw a welcome home party for me when I walk in the door.

One of the most important parts of my job is to keep the food bowl full. I have one of those pet buffet stands with 2 bowls - one for water and one for food. Well, they are both constantly filled with food. If a bowl is empty, one or the other will rattle that particular pan until I put something in it. The other can be full but since one is empty, it too needs to be filled.

Therefore, no empty bowls in my house.

Adoptive/Foster Camp

I recently participated in one of the best, most organized camps ever. JG is the director of the camp for 100+ adopted children and their foster/birth siblings. It is held in Jackson's Gap, Alabama at Camp ASCCA. This camp is held to give adopted and children in foster care the chance to associate with other adoptees/foster children and and give the deserving parents a rest.



I was cabin counselor to 15 girls age 8-10. I had two wonderful assistants who worked hard and really connected with these girls. Thanks C and L. You were the best!

This was my 5th year as a camp counselor and every year I learn something new. I learned to create changing rooms which helped keep clothes off the shower floor which in turn kept them from getting wet. I learned to get the girls to put their dirty clothes directly into their laundry bags which helps on the last night when we have to pack. I learned to ask for help with homesick girls. I learned that while plastic tablecloths may make interesting evening wear for the red carpet night it's extremely hot and it can embarass the campers. I learned that activities/crafts during rest time instead of naps helps the girls sleep at night. I learned that you can survive no a/c though it is uncomfortable (broken the first day-fixed the second)

Children are precious and deserve the best life has to offer. Thank you to all adoptive and foster parents who make the lives of these children better.

jellybean rewards

My daughter-in-law was in the process of potty training my oldest grandson and was rewarding him with 5 jellybeans each time he successfully completed a transaction on his potty. One day he came running inside and said "moma you know what? I just missed out on 5 jellybeans - I just poo'd in the back yard.
Happily for everyone he doesn't miss too many jellybeans now.

Little Boy Tow Hooks

As I have mentioned before, my grandsons are all about some big equipment. My oldest grandson was playing with the youngest boys hair one day and said to his moma, "look at bitty's tow hooks". He was pointing to the curls on the back of the baby's head. For those not familiar with big equipment - a tow hook is on the back of a tow truck.

Nona's grandsons

I love watching my grandsons. They are full of questions, smiles and energy. Both love all things "big equipment". Their birthday parties revolve around big equipment and being in the great outdoors. I was one of those parents who edited tv time and thought kids learned more and interacted better playing outdoors with neighborhood children. My son and daughter-in-law are of the same mind set. My oldest grandson likes to be outside helping dad "do good work" in the yard. My youngest likes to be a part of it too.

It's amazing to watch them grow.

over achiever - definitions

Have you ever wondered what defines an over achiever?

I recently spent 5 days preparing for and assisting with a youth camp experience. The camp grounds are very nice. Each cabin has a theme and when I was assigned a cabin weeks in advance, I researched information on my theme, printed out photos, ordered decorations, created informational pages and such for the young children in my cabin. I also planned on activities for the down times when the children were expected to rest - coloring pages, crafts, and other things to keep the children from getting bored and missing home. I also prepared for and took the things I might need while away from home for a week. As others visited my cabin, comments were made with a negative tone that I was an "over achiever". After hearing this several times throughout the week, I began to wonder...what is an over achiever?



Is it someone who goes beyond what is expected of them? Is it someone who prepares in advance? Is it someone who wants to insure the work they do is acceptable and exceptional?



I know the definition of an under achiever so what is the definition of someone who isn't either?



The ones who do just what is expected of them. The ones who don't put any extra effort into a job. The ones who plod along never doing anything more than is asked of them. The ones happy with just doing the minimum. The ones just getting by. What type achiever are they.



Even though the term "over achiever" was used negatively, I have decided I will just be the odd man out and continue to be that "over achiever".

Beneficial Bugs

If you read my blog about my grandson eating my lettuce, you will understand my fascination with beneficials. My grandson ate my lettuce straight from the planter. Picked and ate the first raspberry but I'm not sure how he will feel about the turnips. Like his father, he hates tomatoes but if it's edible, he wants to pick it and try it.

In order to keep from using pesticides, I purchased beneficial bugs. Yes, you can buy them on line and have them shipped to your door. I purchased live lady bugs and preying mantis egg casings. I released the lady bugs from their box but I had to wait on the mantis to hatch. The instructions said it would take 6-8 weeks in the heat for them to hatch and unless you were lucky enough to catch the hatching, you'd never know.

Well, you can imagine my excitement one morning when I walked outside on my patio and found these strange stringy things hanging from the egg. As the mantis hatched they came out like small worms and then as they dried, they folded their front legs in the praying stance. I was amazed and excited by this peek at nature.

Nona's garden

My grandson loves to visit and play in my back yard. He likes to know the names of all the plants. He found a planter of lettuce and asked "Nona, is this salad? can I eat it?" I planted more.