All Things Considered

2008 wasn't exactly all that I had hoped for. In some ways it was terrible. In other ways it was great. As I look towards 2009 with a hopeful eye, I remember the lessons I have learned from this past year and feel both humbled and proud.

Changes I Made in 2008 -

1. Went from self-absorbed "tennis mom" to cool homeschooling mama who helped her daughter master phonics


2. Finally decided to wear my glasses all the time like I'm supposed to - but bought saucy red frames that make my eyes pop!


3. Rediscovered friends and rekindled friendships with some from long-ago. I Enjoyed a much happier Christmas because of it!


4. Joined Facebook and discovered that high-school drama does translate into adulthood.


5. Began 2 blogs which I have managed to keep up with some regularity, thus inspiring my writing once again.


6. Made the decision to leave Athens and move back to Atlanta in search of fame and fortune (well, fortune anyway)


7. Welcomed two cats into our home and converted my husband into a bona-fide cat lover.


8. Learned the extent of family support and found more love and concern than I ever imagined


9. Started reading voraciously - something I'd like to keep doing
   
10. Became much better at discerning when to say "yes" and when to say "no" which may, actually, be the key to inner peace!

Changes to look for in 2009 -

1. >A more fit me (or mii, rather) as Baxter and I embark on a Wii Fit journey towards fitness


2. Healthier recipes on my Food Blog


3. Better pictures on both my blogs


4. Feeling great as we make a smooth transition to Atlanta


5. Financial freedom


6. Taking the plunge back into creative writing and starting my book


7. Learning to take more risks


8. Being more silly with my kids


9. Watching way-less TV


10. Taking on more responsibility

Well, there you have it. It may sound a little vague on here; but I have things more specifically laid out in my internal dialogue. My book will be my 2nd attempt. The first one was chewed to bits by my Jack Russell. Every disc was destroyed and that's when I became super-paranoid about saving my work. I have since written one and a half terrible screenplays and a couple of children's books that I have never bothered doing anything with. I consider all of these great practice. Now I want to really go to it and write something real. If I can make the time, then I know I can do it. Of all the changes I want to see in the coming year, this one is the most important one to me. In a way, all of the others depend on it.

I encourage you to take a look at 2008 and decide which parts make sense to keep, which things you would like to make better, and which things you need to toss. The new year offers a great opportunity to clean out our closets, both physically and emotionally. The greatest thing you can do for yourself is to be open to change and growth. I will continue to share my own personal growth and search for joy around every corner.

Savor Christmas

I could paint a picture for you of Christmas day but my post would be 10 miles long. Instead, here is a list of some of my favorite Christmas moments that I would like to remember:

• Our 1st annual Christmas Eve Weenie-Roast complete with smores, board games, and a viewing of "A Christmas Story"
• Reading "The Crippled Lamb" by Max Lucado and the poem "A Visit From St. Nicholas" to Ford and Abby before bed
• Tracking Santa on the NORAD web site and hearing Ford say, "we'd better go to bed or he's going to skip our house!"
• Watching "It's A Wonderful Life" with Baxter while we put together all of Santa's toys
• Watching the kids play and wonder at all of the toys left for them
• Leaving our stockings so overflowing that we had to stick stuff up on the mantle and realizing that since stocking treasures are from us and not St. Nick, it made it their favorite part the whole morning
• Baxter, once again, blind-siding me with a Christmas surprise in my stocking. He really gets me every year!
• Playing Wii all day in our pajamas
• Driving remote control cars up and down the street
• Sharing food, drink, and merriment with friends whose plans changed last minute
• Driving around looking at Christmas lights
• Feeling so blessed by God that if I spent too much time reflecting on it, tears would come to my eyes, and just allowing my heart to be warm and thankful and completely happy surrounded by all those I love

The Hat

We had a marvelous time at my brother's house and enjoying Christmas with my family in Smyrna. He started hosting this big party maybe 10 years ago and it's become my favorite part of the holiday season. It's very casual, everyone arrives at 6 and brings a dish or two. There is always too much food and a lot of variety. We meet and greet each other (both our family and my sis-in-law's family - together it's about 30 people.) We bless the food, eat, have dessert and coffee and then comes the best part...Dirty Santa. This has been a long-standing tradition that has evolved over the years and absolutely makes the party. You probably know how a dirty Santa gift swap works. We go in order and there's stealing of presents and lots of laughter. This year, the presents were especially nice. There was a very cute garden gnome, a really nice leather handbag, a tool set and more. My Dad unwrapped some dried elephant poop coasters - yuck! There is one thing about this gift-swap makes it special and unique from other ones. Now I must tell you the story of "The Hat":





Back in the 1960's and1970's, my sis-in-law's mother used to sew A LOT. She made a bunch of their clothes back then. One time, she got this bolt of brown, furry-like fabric on sale and decided to make winter hats for her family. The hats she made were very large and Russian looking and about the ugliest things you'd ever see in your life. Imagine a hat made out of a German Shepherd, if you will, with flaps over the ears. Eight years ago, Sadie was coming to the party and needed a dirty Santa gift. While digging around for something, she discovered that she still had one of these hideous hats. She wrapped it and gave birth to the best Christmas tradition our family has. When Jennie's brother Tommy unwrapped the gift, the two of them, along with their Mom Sadie and Jennie's sister Becky began to laugh and regale stories about having been forced to wear these ridiculous hats that Winter many years ago. There was laughter and merriment and Tommy "left The Hat behind" before going home to Elijay. Baxter and I stayed at my brother's a little late that night and began another tradition of sitting around playing poker, drinking something festive and making each other laugh. Baxter donned The Hat and we made a party of it. I sported a top hat, my sister a fez and so on... We took The Hat home and vowed to bring it back the following year.


The next year was the Christmas after 9/11. Baxter and I had just been married and everyone looked forward to the joy of the season as it can only be celebrated at Jim and Jennie's annual party. When The Hat came back (with pictures from the year before) it brought with it the same feelings from the past year as we laughed and shared our new bond between the two sides of the family.


Every year, The Hat has gone home with someone new. Every year, The Hat is worn by the recipient wherever they travel and pictures are placed in its unassuming black photo album. The Hat has been to New York, San Francisco, Puerto Rico, and even competed in the Boston Marathon. The Hat may someday be famous - but for now it remains a legend in the Parks/Moore family as it fills the air with a special sense of anticipation. This year The Hat has gone home. Sadie's long-term beau, Charles unwrapped The Hat. While in their 80's, Sadie and Charles have quite a night-life and we expect to see The Hat out dancing at some local Marietta hot spots next year. Until then, we can count down the days and rest easy knowing that no matter what happens between now and then, The Hat will return and usher in the Christmas spirit as nothing else can.

4 Years Gone By

I hate to sound cliche, but they just grow up too fast. My son is four. I am starting this post before his birthday because I know it will take me this long to do properly without having to stop and cry. Yes, I'm one of those mothers. My kids will probably ban me from recitals, championship games and graduation. I just can't help it. The mere thought of them doing something wonderful, a certain smile, a profound statement or question - and on come the waterworks. We all watched ET together recently and I always cry twice for that one. Ford turned to me and asked why I was crying and I felt a little silly. Then he came and climbed into my lap and everything was right with the world.


So, my little boy is four. I have posted things about my first child and I think that's a good place to start. Enjoy...





1. Were you married at the time? Yes.


2. What were your reactions when you found out you were pregnant? I was a little worried because I knew they would be closer in age than I had planned but I was very happy!


3. How old were you? 27 when I found out, 28 when I gave birth.


4. How did you find out you were pregnant? I knew as soon as I felt queasy. I just bought one of those stick tests and - voila! I tried to surprise Baxter with the results but he figured it out.


5. Who did you tell first? Besides Baxter, Abby was the next to know. I really went to great lengths to explain it to her in words she could understand.



6. Did you want to find out the sex? Yes! Since we had a little girl and for health reasons, knew this would be our last, we really hoped for a son. Somebody up there likes me! At the much-anticipated 20 week ultrasound in which those of us who like to plan things and decide on nursery colors find out the sex of their babies, he was very obviously a boy. Immediately after the announcement, Abby hurled her sippy-cup across the room. That pretty much sums it up and works as an explanation for the pictures in my slideshow of Ford wearing a dress. She just couldn't help herself.



7. Due date? January 16, 2005


8. Did you deliver early or late? 5 WEEKS early on December 12, 2004


9. Did you have morning sickness? I got a little nauseous but I never puked with either one


10. What did you crave? Chocolate and carbs and walnuts


11. Who irritated you the most? my mother and all of Baxter's family - especially Nana who told me that my butt was big - you just can't say that to a pregnant gal!



12. What was your second child's sex? Boy


13. How many pounds did you gain throughout the pregnancy? over 40


14. Did you have any complications during your pregnancy? I was put on bedrest again. Since I had Abby early, they were concerned when I started contracting at 32 weeks again. I was reading "East of Eden" (trying to keep my mind on something else) and my parents were visiting. It was my mom's birthday, 12/11, and at about 11PM I had a pretty high fever. My doctors didn't like that and told me to come in to the hospital. He was nonresponsive on the ultrasound and we made the decision to get him out quickly. More on that later...


15. Where did you give birth? In Savannah at St. Joseph's-Candler Hospital


16. How many hours were you in labor? I never experienced labor with Ford


17. Who drove you to the hospital? Baxter


18. Who watched? Baxter


19. Was it natural or c-section? c-section


20. Did you take medicine to ease the pain? I took whatever they gave me...


21. How much did your child weigh? 6 pounds exactly


22. Did your child have any complications? He wasn't breathing and they had to rush him to the NICU. Once there, he was placed on a ventilator, then a chest tube and given several shots of surfacton over the course of several days. He popped his lung once and they almost lost him several times. The first time I got to hold him, he was almost a week old. God bless those doctors who saved my precious baby boy. I still remember all of their names and faces and I only hope they have some idea of how many times I have poured out thankfulness from my heart because of them.


23. What did you name him/her? Baxter Crawford Crane, IV - but we call him Ford


24. How old is your first born today? 4




The most amazing part of being a parent is watching your babies become little people of their own. All babies have a way about them and each one is different. But it's not until later that you start to really get to know them. I have enjoyed every day of the past 4 years and I am still getting to know Ford. He can be a moody child and I sometimes find him frustrating. He sometimes finds me frustrating too but those can be his most endearing moments. If I need him to go upstairs so I can cool off, the first thing he does is stomp upstairs and firmly shut his door. Then a few minutes later, I will usually hear him with his little push-button guitar, playing a song and singing something like, "I just wanna do what I wanna do...." or, my personal favorite, "You Get Time-Out," which he has been perfecting since he was 2 1/2. I just love that little guy. So, happy birthday Ford. You really are my sunshine.

Mama Mia

I am writing something for someone who I know will never read it. My mother does not own a computer. Even if she did, it would soon gather dust and go unused. Today, however, is her birthday and I feel compelled to write her something of a tribute. It is late and forgive me my tired words.

• To the best of my knowledge, my Mother has never stopped believing in me.
• My Mother has always told me I was beautiful, even when I teased my hair and wore clothes from the set of "A Different World"
• My Mother is responsible for my very best cake recipe
• Although she was always older than most other mothers, my Mom understood when I needed to rebel through short skirts and strange hair colors
• My Mother always knew when to ask questions and when to play dumb
• When I brought my babies home from the hospital, my Mom left because she understood that I needed space to bond with my newborns - but she cleaned the house first
• My Mom never minded mud on my shoes, torn jeans from tree-climbing, or black eyes from line-drives. She just kept buying dresses until I felt like wearing one.
• My Mother always took my side
• Some of my most precious memories of my Mom are of things she said that once embarassed me like when she used to call me her "caboose baby" or when she would tell me that I'd always be her baby, even when I was grown up. Now I tell my children that all the time.
• My Mother gave me life and then supported me through all my phases while I learned how to live it.

You're the best - Happy 76!

Elfin Country Christmas

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Driven To Distraction

I am in a very strange mood. I can't eat and I had trouble sleeping last night. I really need some good news right now. I am nervous and easily distracted. This is much like the way I felt towards the end of both of my pregnancies! I'm not getting much work these days and I really need something to take my mind off of stuff. Well, this is what I came up with:

Psalm 20

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble;
May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
May He send you help from the sanctuary,
And strengthen you out of Zion;
May He remember all your offerings,
And accept your burnt sacrifice.

Selah

May He grant you according to your heart's desire,

And fulfill all your purpose.

We will rejoice in your salvation,

And in the name of our God we will set up our banners!

May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.

Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed;

He will answer him from His holy heaven

With the saving strength of His right hand.

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;

But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.

They have bowed down and fallen;

But we have risen and stand upright.

Save, Lord!

May the King answer us when we call.

Total Friend Randomness...

I love this kind of thing, so when Jennifer mentioned me in her random friend post, I had to do it too. I have to pick someone who reads this (that may be hard!) and do the following:



1. Say something random about you

2. Tell you what song or movie reminds me of you

3. I'll say something that only makes sense to you and me.


Okay, who's first?

Jennifer

1. I missed having you in class with me and we signed up for keyboarding together with that really mean old woman, remember her? It turned out to be pretty boring and we didn't exactly get to "study" together anymore, but you are the reason why I learned how to type properly, thus I owe you a percentage of my income.

2. Brian Adams' "Everything I do" and the movie that goes with it and the movie The Cutting Edge - "toe pick!" Oh, and SNL even though it's not a movie or a song

3. I love ewe!

Baxter - (I could write a book here!)

1. I love that look on your face when you have bagged a real trophy buck. You are so excited and out of breath from dragging it out of the woods. It's very sexy...

2. Trading Places will always be "our favorite movie" of course, Braveheart, Gladiator and Last of the Mohicans always make me think of you.

3. Secret Asian Man!

Mandy

1. Cover charge at Sky's: $5, 3 Amaretto Sours: 75 cents, walking home without ending up on the nightly news: priceless

2. "You Never Even Called Me By My Name" by David Allen Coe - I have no idea why, but it does

3. Gumbys is cheap but you can't live off of it for months at a time

Consider The Sparrow

Well, I haven't written much lately because things are pretty unchanged around here. We are still painting our house and basically just trying to keep it clean and organized. With two kids here 24/7, that's an amazing accomplishment. We had to change the colors upstairs. Two rooms were a mossy green and two rooms a bright sunny yellow. Although lovely colors, neutral will sell much easier. That was the most time consuming - taping, priming, painting 2 coats. Now we're scrubbing the walls of the common areas and then we will spot paint them. We hope to finish that today. Then we will need another day or two to finish touching up the trim paint in the parts of the house we haven't hit yet. What I wanted to take one week has turned into three. It's always that way, isn't it?
Our next step is to clean the carpets and detail all the cabinets - then basically just keep it like new. That is perhaps the most challenging part. We haven't even put a sign in our yard yet or anything. I feel like this is going snail speed. Meanwhile, I have vacillated between confidence in our decision and complete lack of faith. I feel like the stock market with so many ups and downs. I have obsessively watched the news each day hoping for some good news that will either positively effect our ability to sell our home or Baxter's possibility of work. So far, nothing good has really happened but we keep painting and cleaning and getting ready for ... whatever! With home prices falling and the credit market and mortgages in the toilet, I am reminded of the story of Noah in the Bible. He just kept building the ark, everyone calling him crazy. I hope we haven't done all of this for nothing!
I am also reading two new books: Positive Discipline A to Z and The Shack. I am really enjoying both and I feel that The Shack is giving me a lot of good perspective right now. I have always believed that everything happens for a reason. I'm not one who believes in random occurrences, coincidences, or meaninglessness. Already trying to figure out this life-stage we are in and hoping that there is some great cosmic reason behind it, this book has reassured me of that fact. There is a lot of comfort in being able to lean not unto my own understanding. In fact, when you can just let go of your own notions about the way things ought to be, you are better able to see what you truly have. I have everything I ever wanted and then some. God has been good to me. Whatever the future holds, I know who I am and I appreciate the blessings I have been given. I am finally allowing myself to be the sparrow. I have always been a sparrow but somehow thought that the wanting, the struggle and the worry were helping. The truth is, none of that matters. I simply need to smile and say thank you and know that everything is working out in God's own wonderful, divine way.

EEEEKK!!! It's a bug!!!

I have to share something with you. Baxter has an old friend named Ross Gordon. He and Baxter both graduated from Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado. In his late 30's, Ross has not yet settled down. He's never been married, has no kids and has an occupation that allows him to remain as unsettled as he likes for as long as he likes (i.e., Ross is a photographer). Ross lives in Louisville, KY and they don't talk everyday on the phone. That's why Baxter only found out yesterday about Ross' latest adventure. When Baxter called him yesterday, Ross informed him that he had missed the UGA/Kentucky game and was already in Texas, heading for Mexico. Baxter had no idea what he was talking about and Ross filled him in. He has just begun his journey around the world in his 1971 Volkswagon Bug. He also directed him to the web site and blog that he set up. Reading his story was a nice break from all of the election fallderall. Please visit his web site and read what he's doing. I plan on keeping up with his blog as he makes this remarkable trip and I might even post updates myself. He is very literally driving around the world. He will have to put his Bug on a boat a few times; but the concept is very intriguing. What a great deal of optimism one must have to take on an adventure of this size? Since his web site has a place where friends or admirers can also make donations, I am assuming he is slightly underfunded as well. What will happen to him? There is no way to know. What he will see along the way? Only time will tell. But one thing is for sure; I am anxious to find out and I can't wait to see the pictures!

Around the World in my Bug

Cravings

I have to admit to some pretty strong cravings lately. Some are food related; but they all revolve around Atlanta. I never seemed to miss the big city when we lived in Savannah. Maybe being an hour and a half away is a bit of a tease. I'm close enough to get there and back in one day - but never seem to find enough time to do all the stuff I want when I get there. Anyway, we have begun the work towards moving back (painting, cleaning out etc...) and since we started, my cravings for Atlanta things are only getting more intense! I decided I should make a list of the things I have missed the most and look forward to enjoying once we return ...

1. Whole Foods - don't take it for granted, it is a virtual universe of food! The last time we went, we spent almost 2 hours basically just looking at everything. I can't WAIT to make that a weekly ritual.


2. Douceur de France Bakery - after 5 years of looking for them, Baxter found real chocolate eclairs just like we had in Paris on our honeymoon at this wonderful little spot! They also serve a wonderful brunch. Best of all - it will be just a few miles from the new homestead!


3. Culture - too many things to list here separately: The High Museum, The Atlanta Zoo, multiple concert venues (and not just those for the under 30 set), and the chance to do just about anything you can imagine without having to book a hotel or crash on my niece's tiny bed!
   
4. Hiking - I can think of a handful of places that are great for family hikes that are just a short drive away. This is something we miss every Sunday afternoon.


5. Good bargains - I love discount shopping. Whether it's yard sales, thrift shops, or warehouses full of good finds - I love getting a deal and Atlanta is the place to find them.


6. Family - maybe it's not necessary to explain this one; but I haven't lived near my family in a very long time. I left for school at UGA at the tender age of 17. Of course, I was home again pretty quickly - but only for a while. Before I knew it, I was back in Athens - then Greenville - then Savannah - then Athens again! It's been a bit of a Merry-Go-Round for the last decade or so. Being near my family is going to be nice. I miss them all and at different times of my life have had a very difficult time parting from a visit. A few things have changed since I last left home. The Parks Family has acquired quite a number of homes in the Smyrna area. If they were all clustered it could be categorized as a compound. My brother now lives next door to my parents, my sister now lives about a block away from them all in my brother's old house and my oldest niece is moving into the "old house" on Concord Road which is about a mile away. Our house will be less than two miles from all of them. Closeness doesn't get any closer than that! Apart from the free babysitting and shared meals together, it will be nice knowing that I can be there to help my Mom and Dad when they need it. They're in their upper 70s now and I will want to check in on them from time to time.


7. Cultural Phenomena - not the same as culture, cultural phenomena are the things that tend to take over in large cities WAY before they do in other places. For instance, the grunge era, although ushered in by the good people of Seattle was immediately embraced by eager Atlantans. Other examples have more to do with the retail industry. For instance, although spending quite some time helping Baxter work on attracting Trader Joe's to the Athens market, I have never been inside one. They sound awesome and I want to go to one much like people in Indonesia dream of going to a Wal Mart. (Who am I kidding, they probably have Wal Marts in Indonesia!) I also have fallen in love with IKEA over the Internet; but our fledgling electronic romance will pale in comparison to the thrill of shopping there on a regular basis. Athens is great and Athens has its own cultural draws but Atlanta is the hub and I miss that.
8. Great Meals - Nuevo Laredo Cantina (bigger and better than ever) was once one of my favorite places in the city. I also miss OK Cafe (unchanged), the burgers at US Grill, Kobe Steakhouse, Johnny Rockets and many many more!


9. Friends - there are many friends in the Atlanta area that I would love to see. Jennifer, of course, comes to mind - Jen Curtis, Mandy, Melinda, Angie, the list goes on and on...The funny thing is that I had lost touch with all of them until just a few months ago. I'd call that pretty good timing. A year ago, I wouldn't have any clue if any of my old friends were still around or how to get in touch with them. In fact, it might feel a whole lot scarier than it does. At least if I feel like running away from the craziness of unpacking for a few minutes, I know some folks I can call on!
10. People and traffic. There - I said it. As much as I used to hate it and as much as I CANNOT BELIEVE I am saying this: I actually miss all that hustle and bustle! There is something very satisfying in negotiating the big city. I never lost my internal map of all of its' suburbs and I know a thousand shortcuts. After all of these years, I sometimes still find myself calling Baxter to ask him the best route from one point in Athens to another, "should I go through five points or take the loop?" It's almost like there isn't any room left up there for another city. Maybe my brain held onto all of those highways and byways for a reason. Now that I'm moving back, I'm going to need them! Besides that, I really do like the massiveness of the city. There is an anonymity that exists in Atlanta that you just can't get here. Today at Target, I saw no less than 4 other choir moms shopping the aisles. Last time I was there, I ran into 4 or 5 people I knew. Now, don't get me wrong, I like that a lot! I love seeing my friends and feeling so closely connected - most of the time! But it would be nice if I could leave my house without my makeup just ONCE and not see a dozen people I know!

My list would be longer but so much of Atlanta and Smyrna have changed. I could hope to find things the same at every little place that holds a memory for me; but that would be disappointing. I know things in the city never stay the same for long. It's sometimes sad but that ever-evolving reality is part of what makes me love it so much.

We're actually getting stuff done around here. I just loaded up Baxter's car with a ton of stuff to donate to Goodwill. We have painted our dining room and master suite and we're starting on the upstairs tomorrow. We will be signing our listing agreement on Monday. Baxter is still looking for a job but now that the election is over, he is starting to hear back from people. I hope that he will have some interviews lined up soon and we can really get this ball rolling. I will continue to report our progress, our hopes for the future and even our consternation. Thanks to everyone who has been praying for us during this great time of transition. It means a lot to know you hold our family in such high esteem.

I Love To Get Tagged...

Mandy tagged me! So here goes...
(I preface this by saying that I'm in a strange mood right now)

4 Things I have done today...
1. Watched my ebay auctions close and sold 8/11 items - decent
2. Clipped coupons
3. Cuddled with the kids in our PJs
4. Read for an hour for pleasure


4 Things on my "To Do" List
1. Go to the Post Office to ship stuff
2. Paint my entire house and finish getting it ready to put on the market (ugh!)
3. Work on George's web site & finish scripts I'm working on
4. Have some fun

4 Guilty Pleasures
1. Tea (drinking decaf chai tea right now)
2. Wine
3. Blogging
4. Long phone conversations - long conversations period actually!

4 Random Facts About Me
1. I enjoy other cultures and would love to live in an exotic place
2. I am a terrible grouch when I'm hungry
3. I love my children beyond measure
4. Sometimes I still feel like I don't know what I'm doing

4 Favorite Movies
1. The Apartment
2. Every movie Bill Murray has ever done
3. Empire of the Sun (thus began my obsession with Christian Bale)
4. The English Patient

4 Places of Employment (what a resume!)
1. Gulfstream Aerospace
2. Harry Bissett's New Orleans Cafe
3. Chili's
4. Applied Media Technology Corporation (current)

4 Things Always With Me
1. Jesus Christ
2. The love I have for my family
3. My tattoo ;-0
4. Type 1 Diabetes

4 Favorite Memories
1. The day Baxter and I got married
2. The day Abby was born
3. The day Ford came home from the hospital
4. Tie: The day I first met Baxter and confused him with his twin brother AND the day I realized Baxter was realizing I was interested in him and overheard him talking to Jeff Chesser and I blushed from head to toe and I am pretty sure I already knew I was in love with him...

4 Things I Couldn't Go a Day Without
1. My true love
2. Talking to God and working on it all
3. My exquisite children
4. Lipstick

Okay, so I'm going to tag someone here...how about Jen Curtis?? Let's hope she's reading...

Just Posting...

It's Halloween and the kids are finally in bed. It's been a busy day for me - painting the dining room, organizing dinner and trick or treat activities and our normal stuff too. Baxter in down in Cordele at an 800 acre plantation/hunting retreat with a bunch of his buds. He missed trick or treating tonight and we missed him too. Even though Anna and her boys came, it didn't feel the same with Baxter gone. He's staying down there to watch the Florida game and will come back Sunday. I don't know how wives routinely miss their husbands. My friend Mindi's husband travels a bit with his job, Jennifer's hubby is on the road a good portion of the year and I've known a couple of military wives who really know what it is like to do it all on their own. I don't take Baxter for granted at all. I miss him. I knew I would miss him and I do. Abby and Ford also missed him. Life just isn't the same without him. For his sake, I hope he brings home a big trophy - although we already have three...

I have just posted a venison recipe on my food blog. I'm trying to catch up there after leaving a couple of drafts unpublished for too long. I'll probably post again in a few days there.

Trick or Treating was fun - I even dressed up as a bat (sort of). I have a lot of candy to go through tonight. Here are some cute pics of my kiddies...

On Solid Ground

Everybody likes to feel the ground underneath their feet. Just ask anyone who had been on a very turbulent flight or signed up for a cruise that lasted more than 4 days. The earth feels good. When we are grounded, we are reassured: we aren't falling, we aren't drifting and we aren't cast away. Sometimes life does unexpected things. Sometimes we experience turbulence of one kind or another and we feel our lives are out of balance. For some time, a part of our life has been very much uncertain. With the economy tanking and the promise of a blossoming career in real estate fading away, everything began to get out of sync. Baxter was distracted and discouraged, I was distracted and confused and the kids were beginning to show the signs of worry and strain. Even my prayer life and closeness to God began to feel estranged. I didn't know what to pray for. I didn't know what to ask for. There didn't seem to be any answers. It seems that just at the point that I realized how distant I felt from my Lord, He brought me back. He gave me answers to my questions and He showed us a way out. Like an epiphany, suddenly everything seemed clear. When I was riddled with anxiety, He brought me rest. Instead of feeling like we had no way out of this mess, all I could now see was the light shining from the doorway. If you have ever felt like God picked you up and placed you in the palm of His hand and carried you to solid ground, you know what I'm talking about.

Someone else I know was going to lose their house and told me it would take a miracle to keep it from being auctioned. Desperation all over their face, I felt almost selfish for my new happiness and miracle at our own time of crisis. I prayed for them. Don't believe in miracles? Maybe you should, because they got one. These are uncertain and difficult times but God has a plan. There has always been a plan. God didn't plan everything up until now and leave us with an open-ending. If you are facing a crisis, believe in the power of prayer and let go of your doubts. I have always believed that everything happens for a reason. Do not question His ways. He loves you and He may not give you exactly what you want - but He will undoubtedly give you what you need. Whatever that is, embrace it and thank Him for it.

We aren't completely out of the woods yet here. We still need to sell our house and move. Baxter is frantically searching for a job in Atlanta. But the worry is gone. I am confident that whatever happens will be for the best. We have everything we need already.

Thanks for reading this far. I hope that sharing this has been some comfort to someone.

Be Joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

In My Opinion

I recently saw a book about Political Cartoons (which I love) titled, "Everyone Has the Right To My Opinion." It really made me laugh because I feel that way sometimes. Who cares about my blog, anyway? It's just basically a place for me to give my unending opinions on all sorts of topics - and I'm not printing it in the daily newspaper! So, everyone has the "right" to my opinion - but not that many exercise that right. I just read a great post on Jennifer's blog about politics and I wanted to spread the word to anyone reading. She is a big fan of author Lisa Samson and there is a new group on Facebook called "No Matter Who Wins". I just joined it and the concept is great. No matter who wins the office of the Presidency, we need to pray for that person. I love politics and I love debating. I love giving my opinions on candidates and issues. I love the whole thing. But so much of what I love has gotten out of hand. I can no longer stomach the personal attacks on these people. I can no longer sit idly by while Baxter muddles through the long list of emails - most of which I find either irrelevant or disturbing - without saying something. We cannot hear God when we're screaming at each other all the time! No matter what your "hot-button issue" is, no matter if you live in a "battleground State" a red state, or a blue one: we can all do more for ourselves and our country if we really try to do what was commanded of us in the Bible in the first place - to love one another. We take for granted the fact that we live in the most free country in the world. We take for granted the fact that all of the candidates are good people, with good intentions, who want what is best for us. If somehow I am wrong about this and one day we end up with a dictator, our system of government is set up in such a way that he or she would not remain in power for very long. The people are in charge, we should never forget that. Even more importantly, God is in charge. That's right, He is. And there is nothing anyone down here can do about it. How do we reconcile ourselves as Christians, in this heated political climate, to these facts? Prayer. Simple, wonderful, prayer. If you are interested in transcending the rhetoric and holding on to your faith, I encourage you visit Crossroads or if you are a member of facebook, join the group "No Matter Who Wins" to find out more.

Big, Big Decisions

The time has come for change (no, this is not a political speech). The change I'm talking about is huge, though. How much can I manage to change in just a year? I mean, one year ago, I was completely sucked into the sport of tennis. I was taking a clinic once a week, playing in a rec-league, playing on a team and playing with friends "for fun" once a week. How self-absorbed does that sound? I still had my copywriting job and I was part of a really intense year-long bible study that took up lots of time just to stay on top of the reading. My kids were both at GABC Preschool and the thing I cherished most were those mornings to myself. After a tumultuous time the second-half of the school year in which we all had the flu, Ford's surgery in February and many problems for my Abby in the classroom, I was happy when Summer came. I felt we all needed to slow down. Then, like a lightening bolt, it hit me. The year, although a building one for me, wasn't all it was cracked up to be for my kids - or Baxter, for that matter. That's when I was led to the decision to homeschool Abby. That decision alone caused so many changes in our lives. The self-absorbed me has been replaced by one who is in almost constant contact with her kids and save for a few trying moments, I have loved it. I haven't picked up a tennis racket in months but I am reading more and I feel better connected to the reality of our lives.
So, what's the big decision now? What is the change to come? We are moving. We came to Athens three and a half years ago with hopes of building our wealth. He joined the family business (real estate) and we have had the opportunity to grow closer to his family here. We have forged some really wonderful friendships here as well. Unless you live under a rock, you are well aware of the problems in the current market. Real estate had taken a huge hit and it was dwindling already. That, coupled with other problems in the business, has forced Baxter to make the decision to start over again - again. It just so happens that Atlanta, one hour and fifteen minutes away, is the best place for us to do that! These are uncertain times for many people. He has no job offer yet. He almost did - until the company announced a hiring freeze. Now, we are moving without definite prospects, and that's a little scary. In fact, it's a lot scary. Still, I know we are doing the right thing. The other night when I began to have some doubts, God sent me the comfort and reassurance I needed. So now I am trusting. Now it's an act of faith.
Our plan is to buy my grandmother's house near downtown Smyrna. It's a great location and we can see ourselves living in this area forever once we build a house. For now, we have to live in Grandma's house. It's really, really small. So small, in fact, that you would probably think I was out of my mind to even try to squeeze us all in it. But it is an opportunity. It is a chance for us to save everything. There are simply no more opportunities here in Athens. It appears that our move here was only meant to be a Season in our lives and it is time to move on. God gave us an answer when this opportunity presented itself; but there are still challenges to be met. Whoever out there reads this blog - I am soliciting your prayers. We need them. I need them.

Breaking Glass

Yesterday was my birthday. It was a wonderful birthday! It began with breakfast in bed (home-made blueberry pancakes, thank you very much) along with sunny birthday greetings from Abby and Ford. I was allowed to do everything I wanted - and nothing I didn't. When one of our dogs pooped and peed in the house and then later another dog puked all over the floor - Baxter had to clean it all up. (Not typical, by the way!) When the children were misbehaving, Baxter handled it without having to be coaxed. And when I wasn't ready to leave the house until after 11AM, no one was urging me to hurry up. It was lovely. I think that must be what it is like to be a Princess. I certainly felt like one. Taking my time, leisurely deciding to have a second cup of coffee or choosing our lunch destination since our picnic was rained out. I felt relaxed, low-key and very comfortable. Late in the day, I read a beautiful birthday blog-post, written by my dear friend Jennifer. I love tears of joy.

Baxter delivered the final blow to a birthday knock-out by serving me his Baby Back Ribs and a delicious bottle of champagne (my favorite meal). Of course, this was followed by a chocolate Kahlua cake from Cecelia's and a lovely present that he and the children picked out. Perfection.


At the end of the evening, long after the children had gone to bed, it was time for us to retire. I picked up our wine glasses and whisked them off to the kitchen where I promptly knocked one over. They are reliably sturdy glasses and I have to say - it bounced three times before it finally broke! It was easy to clean up and I wasn't terribly upset. Somehow, it just felt like a sign or something. Being in a good mood and not wanting it ruined, I almost put the thought out of my head. Still, these things eat away at me sometimes. I decided to google it. What I found, of course, was all about the meaning behind the breaking of a wine glass in Jewish wedding ceremonies. Today is Yom Kippur if you didn't already know that. Anyway, it intrigued me. The symbolism is poignant and appeals to me on so many levels. The breaking glass is supposed to serve as, "a reminder that even in times of great joy, there is sadness. That life will bring sadness as well as joy."

I am always trying to find the joy in things. I feel that in some way it is my personal responsibility to do so. This new perspective is refreshing and eye-opening for me. We all experience sadness and I can be too quick to brush it aside, choosing instead to ignore the dark cloud inside the silver lining. However, too much of this attitude leads to self-denial.


For today, I took it as a sign that although my birthday was full of so much joy in so many ways - both little and profound - there is some sadness as well. I toasted my 31st year as my best ever. I grew so much in the last 12 months and am very proud of myself for the personal accomplishments I have made. I suppose I am a little sad to see it go. Hopefully, I will feel exactly the same way on my next birthday.

Dark Clouds & Silver Linings

For me, this was a long break from blogging. I have been editing some future posts here and there (especially on my food blog!) but I haven't really had much to say here. The stress monster has reared its' ugly head and I've been pretty worn-down. If you don't talk to me often, you may not know all the different hats I've been wearing lately - housewife, homeschooling mom, short-order cook, gourmet chef, soccer cheerleader, yoga practitioner, yoga instructor, physical therapist, part time copywriter, part time secretary, ebay seller etc... Of course, the Fall is always a little bit like this for me. Last year I took on a new job, a new sport, a very intense Bible study and more. This year must be more demanding than I realized because I feel very taxed right now. Many times over the last week I would have rather been blogging - but was just too busy. It has started to really effect me physically. Last night, for no apparent reason, I woke up at 1AM with a panic attack! Maybe that's TMI - but there it is. Baxter took the kids off my hands this afternoon so I could catch up with some writing and I feel better but MAN I hate being a grown-up sometimes!

In keeping with the theme of this blog, I am trying to think of a silver lining to this dark cloud hanging over my day - but it's a little hard for me. I guess, like my last post, that would be Baxter. He is always willing to step in and help me out when I've taken on too much. Honestly, what would I do without him? As far as the panic attack goes, it may be less related to my stress level and more to the fact that I'm turning 32 on Wednesday. Yuck.

More than anything, maybe I just need to remind myself of my own mantra. Maybe I need to remember that joy is all around us. I just have to be open to it. Well, here's to stopping to smell the roses...

The Substitute Teacher

So, what do you do when you get sick? It's an important question and one I thought I might have asked myself before now. However, it somehow escaped me. Today I was sick. I had a fever and chills, dizzy spells and was sweating. Not pretty. Instead of having to stick my kids in front of the TV, Baxter stepped in. He took them to the Botanical Gardens by our house, read a book on leaves and collected some specimens on a nature hike with the kids. How wonderful is that? So despite my still queasy stomach and loss of equilibrium, I wanted to dash off a few lines for Baxter, the father of my children and the best substitute teacher any homeschool mom could ask for. I thank God for him daily.

Raising a Little Cain of My Own

Well, I finished the book, Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys, the other day. It was not very long but it took me a long time to read. I had to pause after each section and reflect. It's one of those books. I feel like my eyes have been opened. I feel like I can finally, truly, understand my son. What a blessing! It had been on my reading list for a long time - ever since I saw part of the PBS documentary based on the book way back when I was pregnant with Ford. I knew I wanted to read it eventually. I was under the impression that as long as I read it before he was 12, I'd be okay. I basically thought those parental pitfalls would occur later, not sooner. Now, I wish I had read it then, while I was pregnant, instead of East of Eden. I know there are things I do - have done - that are flawed. I expect different things from Ford than from Abby. Like the book suggests, I expect less of him and more of him (but not in the good ways). Let me explain. I expect him to be more aggressive and I chalk it up to "boy-ness" and view it as normal (lower expectations) while at the same time, I expect him to be tough when he's just a 3 year old (higher expectations).
I have been blessed with a son and a daughter. In many ways, this is ideal. We often quip that we have "one of each". But my children are not Happy Meal prizes to collect. They are different in many ways and to finally be able to recognize the real differences and put aside my own stereotypes is a very powerful thing. Baxter...wait for the drum roll...is reading it too. As much as I got out of it, I think he will gain far more insight.
After a frustrating time of misunderstanding Ford, now I feel equipped with the right set of tools for raising the man that he will someday become. If you have a son, or simply work with boys in a classroom or other setting, take a little time to read this wonderfully insightful book.

Seven years

Seven is kind of a magic number. According to superstition, when you break a mirror, you have seven years of bad luck. There are seven days in the week, seven seals to the apocalypse (at least according to that 1980s Demi Moore horror movie) and according to another movie starring Marilyn Monroe, after seven years of marriage, you've got an itch.


No matter the scenario, seven years has a sort of ominous tone to it. I was very pregnant on our first anniversary and we spent it hiking all over Cumberland Island before settling down to a French Provincial picnic. Our subsequent anniversaries have been shared by our children and all have been very special. We always do our best to make it an intimate and sweet occasion, much like our wedding was. I'm looking forward to our 10th anniversary. I explained to Baxter that I'm expecting one of those "eternity" bands as well as dinner at The Dining Room and a night at the Ritz - just like our wedding night. In fact, a trip to Paris afterwards would be just about perfect. That Honeymoon was fabulous and I've wanted to go back ever since.


But not for the 7th. The 7th is just a strange number - too many years to be called newlyweds and too few to be called old-timers. So how are we commemorating that gorgeous September day seven years ago? I guess we'll have dinner, spend the evening talking, maybe look at our wedding or honeymoon albums - then scratch each other's itches.

Baxter & Joy Crane

September 22, 2001

My New Blog

Well, I may not have time for it - but I started a blog all about food. My buddy, Jennifer, has a food blog and I've wanted to start one for a while now. Today, I finally did it. I often think up great blog ideas related to food and one or two have made their way here. Now, I have a forum for just such topics. If you're interested, it's called Kissin' Don't Last, Cookin' Do and there's also a link to the left of my posts under "blogs of interest". I have several friends who read my blog but don't post comments, which is fine. If you find yourself browsing my food blog, I'd like to know what you like and don't like and what you'd like to see in the future. Whether you post comments to my blog or email me directly, I really value your feedback. I hope to really have fun with it and maybe make it a place to share recipes and food ideas with each other. As always, thanks for reading!

Starting Over

Sometimes, you just have to start over. Have you ever met someone for the first time and made a terrible impression by saying or doing the wrong thing? How I have wished I could walk out of the room, walk back in again and start all over with the introductions. Sometimes, we are better off beginning again. The other day, I got terribly lost going to a birthday party in Bishop, GA. There are only about 6 streets in Bishop - so to explain how this happened would reveal me to be, perhaps, the biggest idiot in Northeast Georgia. I was terribly late, holding very vague directions Baxter had given me and I had no network coverage. Before I got myself into a real pickle, I came all the way back to the last place I was familiar with - and started over.

We all have days like that, where for one reason or another, plowing through is just not the answer. It is often better to close your eyes, take a deep breath, clear your head and start over again.

When you have small children, these days are common. They usually involve either having planned too much to do and falling way behind schedule - or planning too little to do and leaving yourself open to misbehavior and boredom. Very early on in my life as a parent, I felt the need to find a way to quickly get over mornings like this and I found an excellent solution - one that I want to share. Very simply, when I realize that one or all of us has gotten off on the wrong foot - I scramble up some cheese-eggs, pop in some frozen biscuits and fry up some bacon or sausage and we have breakfast for lunch. I always explain to the children that we are starting over and we're going to turn around our day. Inevitably, this always works to change everyone's mood - including my own.

Often, the days that we conquer are the ones we cherish the most. We have even had breakfast for dinner many times over the last few years. Just remember, it's never too late for biscuits and apple butter.

Down on the Farm

A look back at the weather...



Monday: Beautiful



Tuesday: Fair to partly cloudy



Wednesday: Thunderstorms all day



Thursday: Pleasant



Friday: Clear & sunny







As you can see, the week went mostly well for our little homeschool family. Wednesday was frustrating, but we have had days like that before homeschool. In fact, I think we had more of them before homeschool started. But, I won't drag you through the mud with me. Let's focus on the good times. Endless joy, right?



Monday was great. We started off our week going to a friend's farm. They are local growers of organic produce and their place is literally about 5 minutes from my house. That tells you just how out in the sticks I really am! We were invited to "help ourselves" to an overabundance of green beans and boy did we! We filled a small basket and had I brought a larger vessel - would have had no problem filling it up. I think we gathered that from two or three plants alone. Anyway, the kids were smitten with the idea of being on their friend's farm and asked a lot of questions about what it would be like to live on an actual farm. It was a great learning experience for us. Despite the fact that we wore jeans and long socks and heavy shoes, Abby still managed to find the ants we were forewarned about and suffered several nasty bites. Still, that didn't ruin our day and we snapped and enjoyed our beans with a roasted chicken and black eyed peas. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm.



The Lewis' have a nice little spread and I have to admit, I envy the lifestyle. Their kids have a vast wilderness to play on compared to our microscopic yard. Although easy to keep "tidy", I am becoming disenchanted with the idea of having to take my kids somewhere in order to really play outside. How nice it would be to open the door and send them out to get good and dirty before we begin our studies every day! I definitely think they wouldn't have much of a problem sitting still after a good romp in the grass, chasing locusts or butterflies. Abby still wants to milk a cow and we may have to work that into another week later in the year if we find a good place. But, thanks to Lisa and Geoff, we had a great start to our week of study.



Other great moments - Abby strugging through and finishing Green Eggs and Ham, Abby learning to count by 10s, Ford helping me snap green beans, playing mummy on the playground with both of them and remembering just how truly sweet my kids are.



BTW - I promise to write something non-homeschool-related very soon! Sorry if you're bored!

This Political Season Excites Me...

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words....so here are three for you to enjoy....

Week One - Seriously Fabulous

I don't quite know what to say. Our first week has been extraordinary. I thought things would be tough and hard to manage. I imagined the two of us butting heads a lot and not getting much accomplished. Boy was I wrong!
Instead of butting heads, both kids were excited and eager for me to teach them. It felt a little like a game for them, I am sure. Still, the topics were interesting and the hardest thing about it was keeping up with their desire to learn!
Thursday, we took a trip to The High Museum of Atlanta. I used to love going there in High School and I hadn't been in an awfully long time. I have never taken a child there and I was a little worried that we were going to break something. I gave them a little talk before we climbed into the car and another one in the parking garage when we arrived and I made my expectations clear. They were both so good that if I had the money in my budget, I would have showered them with presents from the gift shop! Abby asked questions about various pieces and Ford played right along. They both paid attention to the things I pointed out to them and it was a really wonderful learning experience. I read a book to her Wednesday about the ancient Greeks and we discussed their pottery and urns. At the museum, she saw actual examples of the things pictured in the book. Talk about a learning experience!
Meanwhile, they never whined or complained they were hungry even as 1:00 passed us by! We got to enjoy the family gallery where kids can intereact with a wide-variety of objects and even create a little art themselves. We also did the special kids' project downstairs and brought home two great examples of "fringe" art like we saw in the modern art gallery. So, if you're ever near midtown with your kids, plan a trip to the High and I think you'll be pleasantly suprised at how much fun you all can have in a museum! Cost was reasonable - $18 for me and kids 5 and under are free! My only complaint - I forgot my camera. So, no great pictures to post along with this - sorry.
We've got another big tailgate to prepare for - even though I'm not going to the game :-(
We will have to be satisfied watching it on TV - Go Dogs!!

Homeschool...Here We Come!

Two nights ago, Baxter and I made a decision that seems last minute; but was actually simmering long ago. We decided not to go ahead and send Ford back to preschool this year. Taking inspiration from Jen, Beth and others and adopting a "what's one more" approach, I realized that it was really the best thing. So, as we began our first official day as a homeschooling family, I had two at the dining room table.

What once seemed daunting and terrifying turned out to be absolutely wonderful. We were very successful today. We had already completed reviewing the phonics and math skills she acquired before this year. Today we set out to learn something new. We began with a devotional which was really more of a lesson on imagery than anything. Using a book I found called Images of God, I taught them about God as a light image (light of the world etc...) and then they made pictures of something they loved that they never wanted to be in darkness. Then we discussed the calendar and sang songs about the days of the week and months of the year and I had her copy the date from my dry erase board. Abby watched two videos on NatGeo online to introduce her to people of Ancient Civilizations. Next, we headed off to the library for storytime.

We had a nice time there. They are both very comfortable at the library and really enjoyed themselves. I picked up some books that we needed for the rest of the week and I allowed them each to pick out two books each. As soon as I got home to make lunch, Abby went straight to the bag and pulled out her new basic reader she picked out. She sat down on the sofa and started reading it. I know she couldn't read it all on her own but she was enjoying the book independently and without my suggestion ----SUCCESS!!!

Later, we read through a book about the Ancient Greeks to get ready for tomorrow and finished off her day with a letter to her pen-pal, Alex. Ford participated in most of the activities in his own way and enjoyed it too. When he couldn't do what she was doing, he played on their vtech notebook or with Mr. Potato Head. It was so much fun that I'm actually looking forward to tomorrow!

I love my kids!!!

Hurricane Lesson

So tomorrow is Labor Day, but we don't have a lot of big plans. It looks like we're going to watch the hurricane make landfall and I wanted to use it as a lesson. I found a great link to free NASA videos about the birth of hurricanes. Abby is pretty intrigued about the naming system and I think I'm going to help her go through the alphabet and come up with some hurricane names of her own. (She thought Katrina was a "cute" hurricane name!) I may have to dig a couple of 2-liters out of the recycling and make a bottle-cyclone too. I guess we're starting our week a day or two early!

A Great Family Day

Yes, we bleed red and black. My first UGA game was not what I had imagined. Nor was my 2nd, 3rd, or any game those first couple of years as a student here. We were being coached by Goff at the time and to put it succinctly, we sucked. I had never been exposed to much college football and I have to admit, I was a little disenchanted. Fast-forward to 1999. We were still struggling but we were getting better that year. I met Baxter that August and, without even knowing, had entered into another realm of football appreciation. I remember feeling fairly nonchalant about his invitation to the Kentucky game. I had to ask off work to go and game days were very very lucrative. But I guess I already had rent taken care of so I went ahead. The tailgate was pleasant enough and I remember being very well received by his Mom and his Dad, who I discovered had not missed a single home game in over 50 years. Whoa. As we entered the stadium and descended into the "good seats" that as a student I had never had the opportunity to enjoy, something began to stir. We had a great time. It was a date I'll never forget.



I've considered myself a die hard fan ever since. I'm not saying that I can spout off stats like Baxter or his Dad can - but I'll sit there and yell passionately with the best of 'em. If there's a bad call or if one of our players get hurt, you'll probably see me hold my hands together and say a quick word of prayer.



When we got married back in 2001, I really wanted a fall wedding. My maid of honor quickly faxed me a copy of the season schedule to where I worked...



When we decided to have kids, little changed. I paraded my pleasantly plump body to every home game. We played in the SEC championship that year and I still remember wearing my largest pair of pregnant jeans, my red,black and white pregnant sweater and my black cowboy boots and waddling my way into the Georgia Dome. Abby was born soon after on January 8th. The following season, she could get in for free! Those of us crazy enough to take a tiny baby to a football game at least don't have to buy an extra ticket for them. I have to say, she was always an angel and I have wonderful memories of her sleeping on my shoulder through all of the many thousands of decibels worth of noise - including at the GA/FL game where I had the luxury of club-level seats where we could retreat to the air-conditioned lounge. Every year we buy new cute little outfits for her and watch her grow in her appreciation of Georgia football. The addition of our son made things a little more tricky. A single kid is one thing but a toddler and a baby is quite another. That was our year to hire sitters for 8 hour stretches, spending an additional $80 per game just on babysitting - ouch! Last year, for many reasons, I didn't get to go to that many games. I missed it a lot. I told myself I didn't but I did. Baxter stayed home with me once just to make me feel better and we told each other that watching it from our living room was great - air conditioning, snacks, drinks, comfortable convenience - but it just wasn't the same.



Besides the fact that UGA was pre-season ranked #1, things have already gotten off to a great start. Originally, our plan was that Baxter would take Ford to this first game and then Abby to the game next week. Then I would go to every game after Alabama. Well, at the tailgate, we concocted a plan to get everybody in the game and it worked. I'm not going to incriminate myself here or anything but lets just all be grateful that I'm petite and can squeeze in very tight places! So our whole family got to go and it was AWESOME! I explained the game to Abby and for the first time, her cheering was heartfelt - not just because she likes cheering. She saw us running with the ball and that first wave of excitement hit her and she cheered because she wanted to, not because I told her to. Ford had a great time when the two of us walked down by the hedges and watched the end of the 2nd quarter and half-time show. It was sweltering hot and that little trooper walked all the way back up to our seats under the overhang. They stuffed their faces full of cotton-candy and roasted peanuts and sucked down soft drinks faster than you can say "where's the ATM?" and we all had a blast.



We beat Georgia Southern, of course - 45-21 Go Dawgs!!!

Just In Time!

I have just purchased a new book to help me teach Abby about the upcoming Presidential Election. See How They Run looks to be a great guide for children of all ages. In fact, I found myself learning a few things while reading it last night! Between the conventions, political ads and over-the-phone polls, we adults can get a little tired of the whole shebang. However, it is more important than ever to educate our children on the process of electing our leaders. They are, after all, the leaders of tomorrow. Some of the topics are going to be a little over her head. Still, as long as some of the language and concepts are absorbed, I'm hoping to stimulate her interest and maybe lead to a political discussion or two. I want to thank Anna and Mindy for the fiery discussion the other night - proving my belief that we're all in this together, no matter who we're voting for. So, don't forget your little ones this election season. Have a few votes in your own home, visit a monument together or even take them into the voting booth with you in November - but get them interested now and they always will be!

Just For Kids

I wanted to share a great blog written by a very smart little girl by the name of Grace Allen Polaneczky. She lives here in Athens, is 9 years old and homeschooled and she has a column in the Sunday edition of our local paper. She writes thoughtful book reviews about a variety of children's books. I have showed it to Abby who found it very inspiring! Sometimes it is nice to see little kids doing big things. So, if you've got a child who is reading or learning to read, you may want to show them her blog. I have added it to my list of blogs I like but here is a link as well:

If You Give A Kid A Bookie

A Change In Perspective

So, this is how it really was...

I've mentioned before that I was, indeed, homeschooled during 5th grade and Middle School. Eons ago, my mother pulled me out of Teasley Elementary and for reasons unknown and unexplained to me at the time, she kept me at home. When I started as a Freshman at Campbell High School, everyone was a little bit curious about the whole homeschooling thing. It must have seemed strange to them at the time - it was 1990 and not that many people were homeshooling back then. In fact, most of the other kids that I met were the very stereotypical ones in home-made clothes and such. People had all sorts of assumptions about me. One thing was true among their ideas - I was very sheltered. It wasn't that hard for me to make friends there; but when you're fourteen, things seem difficult anyway. I think I was angry at my parents and I was also struggling in math, which probably was my Mom's doing. I started to really discount the whole homeschooling experience. I made it clear that I was doing very well in all of my other classes despite having been homeschooled - like it was some miracle that I was able to keep up with the work or something. What I left out for my peers were the great learning experiences I had as a homeschooled kid. I left out how my favorite days were spent at the big library in Marietta, just browsing books until I found a subject I wanted to learn about. I left out the part about my Mother practically dragging me out of there because I was so engrossed in the wealth of information available. I left out the fact that I sometimes read three books a week and started Shakespeare in 7th grade. I knew everything there was to know about government and politics because I read the newspaper and discussed things with my parents. I'm not saying that everything was rosy and perfect - we still had our issues, believe me. Still, I haven't been fair. For years I have been leaning back on those old responses to my peer's criticisms. I can't believe I'm admitting this, but I'm still letting people like Chad Plunkett shade my story of what homeschool was like. Only now, I don't care anymore. I'm not trying to fit in. I guess I'm just used to being on the defensive. The truth is, it was very good for me. I felt little or no social pressure during those crucial years of development. I was never concerned with who my friends were. When I went on to high school, I found friends in all sorts of groups and did a pretty good job of floating above the clique system.

When I became a parent, I delved deep into the subject of "parenting" and examined my own parents with a microscope. I guess I've never really stopped. Deciding to homeschool Abby has forced me to really examine my feelings on this subject as well. Of course, the day is fast approaching when I will be waist-deep in teaching Abby and all of this speculation and conjecture will cease. Once we've started, I think it will be hard for me to find the time to write much about what's going on. I am glad to have gotten all of this off my mind. Now I must get to the more important work of finalizing lesson plans - and thanks to all of you who left comments and sent me emails about my homeschool plan for the year - your encouragement means a lot!