Just a few random thoughts from the weekend spent on the beach with the family...
*I know where you weren't on Friday night - Wild Water and Wheels, Surfside Beach, SC. How do I know this because everybody else that lives in the state and everyone from Ohio (everyone knows no one lives in Ohio anymore, they all moved here) was at the water park. Amazing what a $10 entry and the last day of vacation for families will do for park attendance. They made an absolute killing in entry fees from 5-8 (park is open extended hours on Fridays 5 - 9 for water park and until 10 for the rides. We waited in line for 15 minutes to enter the park and they had 6 lanes selling tickets and we stayed until 8 when they number of people reached it's peak and me and LA were starting to contemplate drowning a couple of kids.
*Pretty sure Saturday at the beach was the hottest day of the year and the UV index had to be off the chart
*The amount of stuff people bring to the beach now keeps growing every year. It used to be a couple of chairs was good enough...then it was chairs and umbrellas...now it's all of the above plus a "game day" easy up tent.
*AUCE shrimp at Gilligans is a waiting game...don't let them wait you out - stay strong and remain committed
*Ladies just because they sell a bikini in your size doesn't mean you should buy it and wear to a public place (a pool, beach, water park...etc). Let's keep that at home behind closed doors.
*Men you are not exempt either...No mankini's, no brief shorts, no banana hammocks. It gross, disgusting and there is no lady going to talk to you in that thing. If your wife/girlfriend is talking to you she is saying "take that thing off". Any one wearing one evidently has a hearing problem and can't not hear their wife/girlfriend.
*Am I the only one that wonders what is hitting my feet when swimming in the ocean?
*It is SHARK WEEK...maybe that is what is nipping at my feet.
*After watching a guy swim with sharks without a cage, anyone in a cage is gutless...if you want someone to watch you've got to kick it up a notch (how about hand feeding one while free swimming).
*A golf cart ride late in the evening or before nap time is night night medicine for kids
*Ladies the American flag bikini is not an exception to the above rule. Thank you for your patriotism but...
*Pretty sure most of the people come to the Myrtle Beach area just so they can shoot fireworks. We are evidently the only state that still allows them to be shot. I avoid the beach at night for that reason during the summer.
*Happy 30th birthday to fellow blogger, young pastor 2011 - Jenn Williams.....Your best years are ahead of you. 30 is the new 21 (just what everybody wants another shot at 21!...don't waste it). Your still a young adult (for another year) according to the UMC and most of the other countries in the world. 30 is better than 40 (you're 20 years away from 50 instead of 10). These next 10 are your last chance and everything still thinking you are "young" (you can act young at 40 but everyone knows your 40)
*I still have an outstanding prediction for 2011...Do you and Clark have anything to tell me, Jenn?
*College football season is 34 days away
*Hootie and Blowfish 2011 - 13 days away - looking forward to a fun evening at the Family Circle Cup on Daniel Island
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Mail Bag
Since I took an unscheduled vacation, my mail box and email are full of questions, so I picked one to share today...
Dear OurLife,
My kids (ages 2.75 and 1.5) love the water and love the water park. They are fine in the shallow pool(s) and the kiddie slide. Can the go in the lazy river, it seems pretty harmless?
Thanks for the help,
Waterlogged
Dear Waterlogged,
The water park is a great place to spend a day or an afternoon. My kids love it and always have a blast. However, you have to be careful with the seemingly calm lazy river. The rules say you have to be in a tube and it seems like and easy enough task to get in a tube and start floating. I would recommend having someone hold your child/children while you get into and situated in your tube. Why, you ask? Tubes sometimes don't want you sitting on them and like a bucking bronco will flip you out in about .2 seconds (forget about an 8 second ride) and if you have your child in your arms while getting in the tube, you now have successfully flipped out of the tube and taken your child under the water with you (you might want to let him/her go so the life jacket they have on will allow them to float while you flop in the water like a fish on land trying to stand up). Not sure about your kids but mine haven't grown their water gills quite yet and don't like going under the water for an extended period of time. Get a friend, grandparent, spouse, uncle, aunt, stranger, anybody to hold your child, get in your tube, take your child, get comfortable and go for a "relaxing float" while trying to keep them in your lap in your tube.
Remember this tip and you and your children should be fine....be safe and have fun on the lazy river!
Good Luck!
Dear OurLife,
My kids (ages 2.75 and 1.5) love the water and love the water park. They are fine in the shallow pool(s) and the kiddie slide. Can the go in the lazy river, it seems pretty harmless?
Thanks for the help,
Waterlogged
Dear Waterlogged,
The water park is a great place to spend a day or an afternoon. My kids love it and always have a blast. However, you have to be careful with the seemingly calm lazy river. The rules say you have to be in a tube and it seems like and easy enough task to get in a tube and start floating. I would recommend having someone hold your child/children while you get into and situated in your tube. Why, you ask? Tubes sometimes don't want you sitting on them and like a bucking bronco will flip you out in about .2 seconds (forget about an 8 second ride) and if you have your child in your arms while getting in the tube, you now have successfully flipped out of the tube and taken your child under the water with you (you might want to let him/her go so the life jacket they have on will allow them to float while you flop in the water like a fish on land trying to stand up). Not sure about your kids but mine haven't grown their water gills quite yet and don't like going under the water for an extended period of time. Get a friend, grandparent, spouse, uncle, aunt, stranger, anybody to hold your child, get in your tube, take your child, get comfortable and go for a "relaxing float" while trying to keep them in your lap in your tube.
Remember this tip and you and your children should be fine....be safe and have fun on the lazy river!
Good Luck!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Thing That Make You Say - "Your Kidding Me"
Not that anyone that reads this blog gives a hoot about what I do or the communications industry - it does have a daily impact on your life since none of us can live without our cellphone...opps, I mean smartphones (LA and Danny are the only ones still with a flip style cellphone.) I read the blog post below the other day from Mark Crosby, President/CEO of Enterprise Wireless. He is an advocate for the private wireless industry that supports much of the infrastructure of the nation and the company's that rely on it daily to get services to you and products on the shelves.
Bad Sylvester, Bad
We have been watching with much interest for several years now the ongoing effort to minimize avian (bird) moralities that result from those unfortunate instances when migrating birds happens to misjudge and, er, fly into a communications tower or guy wires. This is a meaningful issue as evidenced by the substantial amount of time, energy and money that is being invested to come to some sort of reasonable resolution for both those that represent tower owners and users, which includes such heavyweights as PCIA, CTIA, NATE and NAB who have combined their efforts under an “Infrastructure Coalition”, and those that are representing the birds. With the growth of wireless communications, the demand for more structures supporting transmitting equipment will only increase in time. And with all of the FCC’s broadband at all costs initiatives, something seems amiss since any restrictions on towers would seem to work against that objective.
But just to show how crazy things can get here in Washington, D.C., I was reviewing some documentation that is being examined by the FCC as it seeks to prepare a “Programmatic Environmental Assessment” for its evolving Antenna Structure Registration Program. All this time, I had mistakenly assumed that communication towers were a major contributor to avian deaths. I was wrong. You know what the research indicates? That together, communication towers, planes and wind turbines (where a bird has no chance) contributes less than 1% to overall bird mortality. Less than 1% and the industry and the FCC are jumping through hoops of fire to arrive at a registration program palatable to bird representatives? Are you kidding me?
Do you know what the number one killer of birds is other than natural causes? Buildings and windows at 59%. That makes sense, and we as humans need buildings and windows. The number two contributor to bird mortality are power lines at 14%, and we need those, although it would be better if more of them were underground. Number four contributor to bird mortality are automobiles at 9%, and we need those unless we are going to revert to horses. It is my personal experience that it’s far better to run into a bird than a deer. The number five contributor is pesticides at 7%, and we need that capability so that quality food production is maximized. Fruit and vegetable sales would plummet without pesticide applications. Ever notice that there aren’t any worms in the apples you buy at the store? At this point, you are supposed to be asking yourself what makes up the missing 11% contribution towards bird deaths? The answer is cats! Cats! All this time, money, and hand wringing and it turns out that reliable research reveals that cats contribute 11 times more towards avian deaths than communication towers and wind turbines. Have the bird and cat lovers ever convened a meeting to reduce bird deaths? That would be interesting. One would think that flying into a tower would be a quick demise as opposed to being eaten by a cat. But this whole exercise belies logic and has from the beginning. Cats? You can’t make this stuff up. Incredible.
And that my friends is your tax dollars at work. Instead of telling them we have more pressing problems in this nation, millions of dollars are being wasted by the Federal Government and private company's to fight against this pointless cause. Now they have to find common ground with this group because no one will tell them to get lost. As a result, they will find "common ground" (which when the federal government is involved means more regulation and more costs and fines for those not in compliance) which directly causes you and me to to pay more...thank you (my suggestion is to find a worthier cause so you and I don't sit here shaking our heads saying "Are you kidding me!?", or as Mark put it "Incredible")
But just to show how crazy things can get here in Washington, D.C., I was reviewing some documentation that is being examined by the FCC as it seeks to prepare a “Programmatic Environmental Assessment” for its evolving Antenna Structure Registration Program. All this time, I had mistakenly assumed that communication towers were a major contributor to avian deaths. I was wrong. You know what the research indicates? That together, communication towers, planes and wind turbines (where a bird has no chance) contributes less than 1% to overall bird mortality. Less than 1% and the industry and the FCC are jumping through hoops of fire to arrive at a registration program palatable to bird representatives? Are you kidding me?
Do you know what the number one killer of birds is other than natural causes? Buildings and windows at 59%. That makes sense, and we as humans need buildings and windows. The number two contributor to bird mortality are power lines at 14%, and we need those, although it would be better if more of them were underground. Number four contributor to bird mortality are automobiles at 9%, and we need those unless we are going to revert to horses. It is my personal experience that it’s far better to run into a bird than a deer. The number five contributor is pesticides at 7%, and we need that capability so that quality food production is maximized. Fruit and vegetable sales would plummet without pesticide applications. Ever notice that there aren’t any worms in the apples you buy at the store? At this point, you are supposed to be asking yourself what makes up the missing 11% contribution towards bird deaths? The answer is cats! Cats! All this time, money, and hand wringing and it turns out that reliable research reveals that cats contribute 11 times more towards avian deaths than communication towers and wind turbines. Have the bird and cat lovers ever convened a meeting to reduce bird deaths? That would be interesting. One would think that flying into a tower would be a quick demise as opposed to being eaten by a cat. But this whole exercise belies logic and has from the beginning. Cats? You can’t make this stuff up. Incredible.
And that my friends is your tax dollars at work. Instead of telling them we have more pressing problems in this nation, millions of dollars are being wasted by the Federal Government and private company's to fight against this pointless cause. Now they have to find common ground with this group because no one will tell them to get lost. As a result, they will find "common ground" (which when the federal government is involved means more regulation and more costs and fines for those not in compliance) which directly causes you and me to to pay more...thank you (my suggestion is to find a worthier cause so you and I don't sit here shaking our heads saying "Are you kidding me!?", or as Mark put it "Incredible")
Christmas in July - Christmas 2010
Editor's Note: For some reason this post never got posted. I must have been waiting to add pictures...anyway, I went ahead and posted it because I think it is pretty funny...Merry Christmas Everyone...Live Everyday Like It's Christmas
Christmas definitely takes on new meaning through the eyes of a child and it is exciting watching the joy they are experiencing. Aubrey is probably still a year away from fully understanding Santa Claus but she understood presents and loved opening them that is for sure. Wyatt liked playing with the paper and ribbons...pretty much what we expected.
Santa Claus worked really hard getting Wyatt and Aubrey's gifts to them this year and I am pretty sure he didn't get to our house until about 4am, at least that's when I thought I heard him. Santa needs to get done earlier so he can get back home and get some rest with Mrs. Claus. Santa brought Aubrey a high chair and crib for her baby doll, jewelry box (with cross necklace inside), and pajamas. Wyatt got clothes, blocks and a learning center. Aubrey wasn't real excited about her gifts from Santa but was excited about Wyatt's learning center. Santa should have got some toys for Aubrey or pink ladder...Maggie the Elf must have got Aubrey's list messed up.
Aubrey got Leigh-Ann's old kitchen, sink and refrigerator set that had been refurbished by Nana and Gramps for mommy and daddy. She gets to cook us lots of good food each night now. It is yummy!
Aubrey and Wyatt got lots of very nice toys, clothes, mats, book bags, lunch boxes, books and way too much to list out from her grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. We are going to have to build a bigger house to hold everything...you think I am kidding. We are very blessed for our friends and family.
LA got a new car - a 2011 Chevy Tahoe, white. It is the first new car she has ever owned. She has had quite the history of cars:
Granada
Ford Pick Up (Column Shift)
Dolphin Car
Bronco
Focus
I had an elaborate plan to give it too her and it worked for the most part except for a $6.86 receipt from Hardee's in Ravenel that started to unravel my plan. Somehow, I had left it in plain view in my car and LA the detective started asking questions. To help throw her off the trail, I had her brother Wesley tell her Karissa was getting a Tahoe. Their are 4 funny parts to the story of LA getting this car - 1. The verbal beating I took at Tim and Arlette's (by all parties) on December 23rd when we pulled up and Arlette had gotten a new car that we had not seen yet and LA is still driving the old "Focus" with two children in it. 2. LA saying while at Tim and Arlette's "I don't really want a Tahoe." Oops, hope she wasn't serious about that comment. 3. LA putting her hand in her stocking and me telling her to wait (I don't even know why I told her to stop but it had nothing to do with the car) and her then putting her hand in the stocking and pulling out an angel ornament and not keys to a new car. She would later tell me that she thought the key was in the stocking and was disappointed when it wasn't there. 4. When we pull up at her Scott's house and the Tahoe is there and she says "I wouldn't have bought a white one." Oops, hope she wasn't serious about that comment. When she saw the key attached to the hand made ladder with a bunch of old keys that her brother Scott was giving her for Christmas (her list had a old ladder and old keys), she was very excited. The attempt at a complete surprise was foiled along the way but I still think she was a little surprised. I hope she continues to enjoy it for the next 10 years.
Christmas 2010 was great not because of all the gifts that were given but the time spent with family and friends. We are blessed to be able to give gifts but if there were no gifts to be given that would still be okay because the love of family and friends and time spent together is better than any gift we could give.
Now it is on to a Happy New Year!
PS - What did LA get me, you might be asking? Payments on an 2011 Tahoe (the gift that keeps on giving for 5 years)....Actually, LA got me a flip camera and some clothes that i desperately needed as my waist line continues to expand.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Happy Birthday - Momma
Happy Birthday, Mom! We love you!
KC, LA, Aubrey and Wyatt
Julie, Chris, Carter, Meghan and Katie
Today is my mother's birthday. I will refrain from publishing the year but here 23 things about her that you might or might not know about her:
1. She is the oldest and has two sisters and one brother (all still living)
2. She has two children - Julie (my older sister and she lives in Savannah) and her favorite - me
3. She has been married for 52 years to my father
4. She is from Hemingway, SC - In the country, middle of nowheresville. It was big news when they got a Hardee's in the 80s. It is a little bigger than a map dot but not much. They actually have a couple of stop lights now.
5. She spent her years growing up working on the family farm in the tobacco fields (where I spent a couple of weeks each summer)
6. She left the country for the big city lights of Charleston
7. She worked for Jack's Cookie Company
8. She was a radiologist (I guess she still is but doesn't have the certification anymore...once a radiologist always a radiologist...if we would have had an xray machine at the house that would have saved some money)
9. She still helps out at Carter Electronics...keeping me straight and pulling her hair out over our software (that was recently upgraded and I am actually pulling my hair out about it also...everyday a new "issue" appears)
10. She loves to read. If I had a nickel for every book she has read, I wouldn't be blogging or working now. I would be somewhere tropical.
11. She knows more about the Bible than most preachers (she will deny it but I know)
12. She was a circle leader for United Methodist Women for a long time and now has a circle named after her.
13. She was a counselor with my father at MYF - lots of lives touched, relationships formed, trust gained, planted seeds about having a relationship with Christ and a strong faith and to live a life worthy of the calling we all have received...I remember being the tag along on Sunday nights and on some retreats. I am sure that their example and my time spent growing at the church, led me to work with the youth for 15 years.
14. She is a great planned or last minute, short (couple of hours)/long term (days or weeks) babysitter for going out, new babies, sick kids...etc
15. She has 5 grandchildren (Carter, Meghan, Katie - all my sisters and Aubrey and Wyatt)
16. She makes some very tasty biscuits (thin and not healthy for you), great deserts - pound cake, pecan pie, lemon cake, breakfast cake, and tasty dinners - fried chicken (before everyone told us it was bad for us), roast beef, and salmon cakes with grits (yummy, in my tummy)
17. She fixed breakfast most morning for me and my sister for most of our school years - probably until middle/high school - eggs, bacon or pancakes, bacon. It is the most important meal of the day.
18. She loved laying out in the sun all day for a number of years with a book and sweet tea...I didn't get that trait from her.
19. She loves the beach. I remember yearly vacations to Myrtle Beach.
20. We had to break our own switches when we got spankings...I remember bringing back a piece of fennel one time (which is super limp) and having to go get something else.
21. She has become a master of baking bread and cinnamon rolls. She does it weekly and gives away more than she and my father eat. If you want some give me a $10 and I get you on the top of the list.
22. She was evidently born on one of the hottest day of the years (see below)
23. She not as old as you think...she still has some fun left in her - remember Wyatt's birthday party
Thanks mom for the Godly example you have been throughout your life. Hopefully, we (your children) didn't cause you to pull to many of your hairs out over the years. Hope you have a great day and many more.
(Thanks to my sister for help with the list)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
She shares a birthday with:
Jennifer Lopez
Barry Bonds
Lynda Carter - Wonder Woman
Michael Richards - Karmer from Seinfeld
Amelia Earhart
Rick Fox
Karl Malone
Pat Tillis
Carol Campbell (yes the former Gov of SC)
Oswald Chambers (author, My Utmost For His Highest)
Events over the years that happened on July 24:
Lance Armstrong retires after winning his 7th straight Tour De France
Met Vince Coleman injures 3 when he throws cherry bomb at Dodger fans (dummy)
1987 - IBM-PC DOS Version 3.3 (updated) released (we've come a long way in 24 years)
1983 - Pine Tar Game: Brett's home run disallowed against Yankees (overturned)
1978 - "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" premieres in New York City 1975 - Apollo 18 returns to Earth
1974 - Supreme Court unanimously rules Nixon must turn over Watergate tapes
1969 - Muhammad Ali is convicted for refusing induction in U.S. Army on appeal
1957 - U.S. performs nuclear Test at Nevada Test Site
1952 - 112 degrees F (44 degrees C), Louisville, Georgia (state record)
1936 - 118 degrees F (48 degrees C), Minden, Nebraska (state record)
1936 - 121 degrees F (49 degrees C), near Alton, Kansas (state record)
1925 - Scopes guilty of teaching evolution in a Tennessee High School, fined $100 and costs
1923 - Allied Powers and Turkey sign peace treaty, Lausanne
1866 - Tennessee becomes 1st Confederate state readmitted to Union
1487 - Citizens of Leeuwarden Netherlands rebel against ban on foreign beer
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Where Have You Been?
Where have you been? What have you been doing? I know what I've been doing...a whole bunch of nothing.
Over the last 64 days since I last posted, I have heard a wide range of questions: Is your blog dead?, Why aren't you blogging anymore?, When are you going to post again? I am bored at work/home (mostly from bankers, accountants, stay at home moms, teachers on summer breaks and building suppliers - they seem to have a lot of extra time of their hands each day)
To be honest (I was caught up in the rapture...speaking of the rapture - if didn't happen, we in a heap of a mess), I took the last 64 days off blogging as unpaid, unscheduled vacation days. It just happened. I got busy and wasn't feeling it to take the time to blog. This stuff just doesn't appear magically. I would like to have a voice to blog translation device and add the option for thought to blog translation (trust me a lot of very good topics have come and gone as a result of me just forgetting). I had an offer to "ghost" write for me but I turned it down. It was tempting because I am sure it would have been better than what you are getting ready to read. Thanks for being loyal, at least, the ones who are now reading this. I know who you are. I am back and we all survived the extended vacation. Some of us better than others, Aubrey and Wyatt's fish (all but one) have died. I will have to see about getting some new fish for the tank. A lot has happened the past 62 days, let me catch up you:
It's Not My...
I'm Just Sayin...Top 1,081 Songs Of All Time
It started on May 1 and went until May 31. I'm Just Sayin posted for 31 consecutive days (which is a record in my book that I promise I will never beat) and counted down HIS top 1,081 songs. It began here with this post and ended here with his number 1 song. He even let the reader(s) have a say in the list for any song that he might have omitted that they liked by giving them spot 1,081. I will be honest and say I was looking forward to the final 100 and what song would be number 1. There were a lot of comments and talk about where Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit (40) and Lynyrd Skynyrd's Freebird (3) would be on the list. He might have hurt some feelings with that ranking but I am in total agreement. I could listen to Freebird all day and Smells Like Teen Spirit maybe 3 or 4 times. Freebird is the National Anthem of the South (along with "Sweet Home Alabama"). But before I get any further in this discussion, I am not going to critique any songs placement on the list. Greg made the list, posted the list (with lyrics on most songs) and I couldn't have done it better (Well, I could but let's be honest. I just took 62 days off from blogging. The chances of me doing something like that are slim and none and slim just left town).
I hope I can talk him into doing something for ROCKTOBER. Maybe we can collaborate on something....just a thought
Good Job, Greg!
Arthur Ravenel Bridge
Probably one of the top 10 Bridges in the United States. For some reason, LA and I decided to take the kids on a walk (translation - they each rode in a stroller that LA and I pushed as WE walked up the bridge) up the bridge to look out over the harbor and enjoy the fantastic view. We started on the Mt. Pleasant side and began our journey. I don't know how far it is to the top of the tower before the down hill starts (we only went to the top and back) but it was far enough to know that I am out of shape and I need not consider attempting to run the bridge run any time soon (and realized why I probably walked a bit on the uphill and agreed with my justification at the time "why are you running, this is stupid, you know you can walk"). But that's not the point of this post. While in the "observation area", 186 feet in the air to be exact, which might as well be 500 feet because it makes me a little nervous - not scared or terrified but let's say careful and especially when I have my two kids (2.5 and 15 months old with me). LA and I are being the cautious parents and keep Aubrey and Wyatt in their strollers. While we were taking pictures a mother with a child Wyatt's age is up there with us. However, her child is free of the stroller and is crawling and walking and holding onto the rails, hands through them, trying to wiggle through them...etc - the very rails that are the only thing between you and a 186 feet fall into the water below. I looked at LA and she at me and decided this lady is crazy. Does she not know that this bridge was built by the lowest bidder and the workers that built the bridge are no longer in town. The rail seems sturdy but guess what I am not letting me, my kids or anyone I love test out the installation and maintenance of them. For all I know the day the guys were installing the rail, their supervisor was goofing off somewhere reading I'm Just Sayin, Our Life and Courtyard. We had to leave the area before I had to tell her my thoughts or call DSS. The down hill was better but keeping the stroller from grape aping down the hill was a workout. Our conversation on the downhill was focused on "What would you do, if your child fell through?"
LA: Jump in after them
KC: Don't think that would be too smart and now I am left without a child and a wife. Would you reconsider?
LA: Your right but I don't know if I could live after that happened
KC: I know...lets just not walk the bridge anymore and do what we do best, vegg out on the sofa
LA: Deal
KC: Good talk
You've been warned about walking the bridge with your kids - Do So At Your Own Risk.
The Rock
This goes back to near the end of the school year while Aubrey was still in Day Care and SBC. As a parent, each day when you pick up your child a range of thoughts go through your head as you approach the classroom door - What did they do today? Were they good today? Did anything happen? You enter and as your signing them out you see the envelope with your child's name on it or see an injury report OR the teacher come up to you and tells you what happened OR the teacher asks your child to tell you what happened today.
Ms. Kathy asked Aubrey to tell LA what happen on the playground today.
Aubrey: I got a rock in my nose?
LA: WHAT?!
Aubrey: I got a rock in my nose?
LA: How did that happen?
(The background for the rest of this story - for weeks/months Aubrey has been picking up rocks and we tell her to put them down. She is very curious about them. We have even found them in bags in her book bag, like it was some special rock. Maybe she going to be a geologist. I'd be fine with that, especially if she could fine some gold) Ms. Kathy said the kids were playing on the playground and Aubrey came running up to her telling her she had a rock in her nose and sure enough Aubrey had taken a rock and shoved it up her nose as far as her finger would push it. Fortunately, Ms. Kathy was experienced with this situation and was able to extract the rock without too much problem. Aubrey was a trooper while she got it out but I am pretty sure we don't have to worry about that happening again - fingers, yes but no more rocks.
Playgrounds
Most playgrounds have signs for recommended ages for the equipment and most are like 2 - 5 and 5 -12 and to be honest no one follows the recommendation (except for the obvious stuff - monkey bars for a two year old are not a good idea, not going to hold on very long - trust me I tried). If your child is 2 - 5, they want to play on the 5 - 12 stuff. It's just how it works (its' funner in the 5 -12 area for them and you (but remember it's not about you, parents)) and for the most part if a parent is close by to watch and help or even follow your child it's fine.
However, I would like to issue a specific warning about the playground at James Island County Park for the 5 -12 year olds. The climbing wall part of the playground that is about 8 feet high is probably not a good idea for your 2 year old to climb. Aubrey was determined to do in and I was there watching and helping her. The problem was when she still was not at the top and I was only holding onto her ankles. All I could think about was this wasn't a good idea, this is the part that makes it for kids 5 years and older, if she falls backward that is going to hurt. I gave her one last push and she made it safely to the top and slid down the slide and was ready to do it again. I suggested that we find a different route. No need to temp fate.
Questions
Aubrey has entered into the questions stage and without a doubt it could be the end of LA and I. She can ask the most questions of anyone child I know or have known. It goes something like this...
While reading a book...
Aubrey: Awe, he's got a boo boo like me. How did he get a boo boo?
Me: He Fell
Aubrey: Why did he fall?
Me: He was riding his skateboard and fell
Aubrey: What's a skateboard?
Me: It's right there (pointing to the picture of it) with wheels on it
Aubrey: Why does it have wheels?
Me: So he can ride it instead of walking?
Aubrey: Why can't he walk?
Me: Get me another book...
Or before saying prayers...
Aubrey: You have a mole on your face. Why?
Me: I don't know
Aubrey: Why don't you know? It right there (touching it)
Me: God made me this way?
Aubrey: Why did God make you with it?
Me: Because we are all different
Aubrey: Why are we all different?
Me: Because God didn't want us all to look alike
Aubrey: Why?
Me: Dear God thank you for this day...
You can put any other topic you can think of...wish us luck on surviving this stage.
Space Shuttle
An era has ended with the landing of the Atlantis Space Shuttle ending the Space Shuttle Program. The Space Shuttle program shows what we can do when we put our mind and dollars behind it...too be able to design and successfully launch and land and aircraft like the Space Shuttle show that we can do anything we (The greatest nation in the world - The United States) want to when there is a desire and dollars to fund it. If your not impressed that we could design something that big and put it into space, you need to get your impressive meter checked out. As you all are aware, I am old enough to remember the beginning of this program (from the test flights to the first launch, the fascination and intrigue this nation had with it, our lackadaisical attitude after so many successful launches, to the crashes, to the last launches and landings) and it is sad to see it come to an end. Fortunately, I got to see a launch as a kid and I will never forget it. I don't remember which space shuttle it was but pretty sure it was Columbia since Challenger didn't launch until 1983. I remember the numerous times during the week we were on vacation that we traveled to see the launch and it would be cancelled. We made one final journey back for the launch and it launched and I will always remember the power from liftoff. We were not anywhere close and I remember my pants shaking from it taking off. I am anxious to see what is next for the US space program.
Here's a couple of videos from the last launch:
and landing:
If you've got 17 minutes and have any interest in the space shuttle, this video is worth your while...enjoy
Camping
We have friends(who have kids our age) that have invited us to join them camping and we have politely declined. We both know what it would be like and we would never get to sleep. The other night as a "reward" for being a good girl and getting 5 big stickers we went camping KC style - inside in our living room with A/C, TV, drinks, power, lights...etc. We set up our 8 person tent in living room - we set up most of it. It was a little big and much bigger than I remembered when I last used it about 8 years ago. The evening in the tent went just about as LA and I expected. Aubrey had to explore every inch of it and try to sleep in as many different positions as she could fine and play with every zipper on the tent and her sleeping bag. She played with the doggie door. Told me not to touch her while she was going to sleep. She crawled over me. She laid down with LA. After an hour of her refusing to sit still long enough to go to sleep it was upstairs and in her bed. LA and I both laughed and thought it went about as expected. I asked LA to sleep in the tent with me but she refused and we both went upstairs to bed.
JULY 4th
Nannie had a July 4th celebration at our house complete with fried chicken and all the fix'ens. All the grandkids and Uncle Scott got their bikes decorated in red, white and blue and we all walked to the town square for the 4th of July non-motorized parade. We didn't win but we had fun.
TIDBITS
-If your not happy with your current cable provider - check out Direct TV. We switched from Dish to Direct and our bill dropped from $90 to $55 (with all the taxes) for the same service and is even cheaper now because of the "Refer a Friend Program" (paying about $35 a month). The person that referred me and I each get $10 off our bills for 10 months ($100). If your thinking about changing let me know and I can save us both an additional $100 (all you need is my account number when you sign up) over whatever kind of deal you get when you signup.
-The SC baseball team repeated as National Champs. Along the way they set a least one record that I know will never be broken because I don't that I have ever seen it happen in any level of baseball beyond high school. Two victories where the winning run was scored by the ball being thrown or ending up in the stands.
-In the category of A Fool and His Money Are Soon Parted - Did you see the dummies that actually bet Michael Jordan that he wouldn't hit the green in last weeks celebrity golf tournament. He's never not come through in the clutch. That's just throwing money down the drain.
-Best marketing idea - KFC offering D Wade his old job back since the NBA is in a lockout...promote whoever thought of the idea
-Wyatt loves Aubrey's baby dolls, purses, necklaces, stroller. He plays with more than Aubrey. I will have to get him some more tractors, baseballs, and trucks.
- A cage match AUBREY vs WYATT
Aubrey has a pretty good reverse choke hold that Wyatt hates and generally taps out from
-Dallas Mavericks won the NBA Championship - Sorry, Jeremy. I think it is inevitable that Lebron will get his ring(s) but now, I have hope someone will step up each year to deny him.
Did you see this from the Tour De France? What the...
-Aubrey told LA one day "Don't be so rude, mommy?"
-Ladies, It's not learned it's genetic. God made us this way. I can't explain it.
-When it's quite in the house. You need to start looking to find out what they are into. This time they found mommy's purse.
-Wyatt got his first haircut by Aunt Brenda- July 13, 2011
Over the last 64 days since I last posted, I have heard a wide range of questions: Is your blog dead?, Why aren't you blogging anymore?, When are you going to post again? I am bored at work/home (mostly from bankers, accountants, stay at home moms, teachers on summer breaks and building suppliers - they seem to have a lot of extra time of their hands each day)
To be honest (I was caught up in the rapture...speaking of the rapture - if didn't happen, we in a heap of a mess), I took the last 64 days off blogging as unpaid, unscheduled vacation days. It just happened. I got busy and wasn't feeling it to take the time to blog. This stuff just doesn't appear magically. I would like to have a voice to blog translation device and add the option for thought to blog translation (trust me a lot of very good topics have come and gone as a result of me just forgetting). I had an offer to "ghost" write for me but I turned it down. It was tempting because I am sure it would have been better than what you are getting ready to read. Thanks for being loyal, at least, the ones who are now reading this. I know who you are. I am back and we all survived the extended vacation. Some of us better than others, Aubrey and Wyatt's fish (all but one) have died. I will have to see about getting some new fish for the tank. A lot has happened the past 62 days, let me catch up you:
It's Not My...
So, one Saturday morning, LA and I were at the house playing indoors with the kids. LA looked out the living room window and told me “someone is coming to the door, must be about the darn dog again”. It seems like a weekly event that our neighbors (more on that concept later) dog is aimlessly walking around in the road and cars are honking horns and some get out of the car and pick the dog up and bring him to our door asking “Is this your dog?”. I go to the door with my answer prepared “No, it’s not my dog” but I got caught off guard when the lady asked “Is that you child? He was standing in the road and I almost hit him." (pointing to the corner of the street, with her truck parked in the road and other cars parked where LA and I park). I briefly paused looking at the boy who was around 2 or 3 and in his pjs. I began to think to myself “Is that one of mind?” which is weird because I know that Aubrey is inside with LA and Wyatt is upstairs sleeping. I tell her “No” and walk outside. After 3 other people ask me if he is mine, they ask me the next questions – “Do you know who he is or where he lives?” and my response is “No” which then gets me the “you don’t know your neighbors looks” from everyone. We don’t exactly live in a neighborhood/subdivision where “everyone knows your name” but I do know that immediately around us the only places a kid could come from is directly across the street or the apartments behind us. I don’t know who they are or what goes on across the street but I know that there is a herd of kids of a variety of ages and they have friends who come over and it is like a big house party most days. I know they have a sprinter van to haul everyone around and that just confirms they have a herd of kids. You don’t buy one of those for a family of four or five (a mini-van will work for that many). I decided to go across the street and a couple of other people went to the apartments. I knocked on the door and I am greeted by two kids who were playing video games. I asked for their mommy and the boy goes upstairs to get her. He returns telling me that “mommy will be here in a minute”. I asked him if he had a younger brother and at about the time he was going to answer the mother doesn’t appear but an older boy (15 or 16) greets me and I goes through the who I am and why I am here and ask him “if that is his younger brother (pointing to the lost child)?” He hits about one step out of the 15 and is down the steps and runs down the walkway. Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner – we have found the boys home…the best part is cooler heads prevailed and no one called the cops because that would have gotten messy. The mother came over a few minutes later and talked to LA, a little shaken which is understandable since she lost one of her kids on her watch - hubby isn't going to be too happy about that I am sure. It seems the older boy was playing with his younger brother on the porch and both had gone inside but the younger one figured out how to open the door and got outside and followed the dog into the street and that's where I got involved in the story. So the moral of the story is never assume why someone is knocking at your door and keep track of your kids.
I'm Just Sayin...Top 1,081 Songs Of All Time
It started on May 1 and went until May 31. I'm Just Sayin posted for 31 consecutive days (which is a record in my book that I promise I will never beat) and counted down HIS top 1,081 songs. It began here with this post and ended here with his number 1 song. He even let the reader(s) have a say in the list for any song that he might have omitted that they liked by giving them spot 1,081. I will be honest and say I was looking forward to the final 100 and what song would be number 1. There were a lot of comments and talk about where Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit (40) and Lynyrd Skynyrd's Freebird (3) would be on the list. He might have hurt some feelings with that ranking but I am in total agreement. I could listen to Freebird all day and Smells Like Teen Spirit maybe 3 or 4 times. Freebird is the National Anthem of the South (along with "Sweet Home Alabama"). But before I get any further in this discussion, I am not going to critique any songs placement on the list. Greg made the list, posted the list (with lyrics on most songs) and I couldn't have done it better (Well, I could but let's be honest. I just took 62 days off from blogging. The chances of me doing something like that are slim and none and slim just left town).
I hope I can talk him into doing something for ROCKTOBER. Maybe we can collaborate on something....just a thought
Good Job, Greg!
Arthur Ravenel Bridge
Probably one of the top 10 Bridges in the United States. For some reason, LA and I decided to take the kids on a walk (translation - they each rode in a stroller that LA and I pushed as WE walked up the bridge) up the bridge to look out over the harbor and enjoy the fantastic view. We started on the Mt. Pleasant side and began our journey. I don't know how far it is to the top of the tower before the down hill starts (we only went to the top and back) but it was far enough to know that I am out of shape and I need not consider attempting to run the bridge run any time soon (and realized why I probably walked a bit on the uphill and agreed with my justification at the time "why are you running, this is stupid, you know you can walk"). But that's not the point of this post. While in the "observation area", 186 feet in the air to be exact, which might as well be 500 feet because it makes me a little nervous - not scared or terrified but let's say careful and especially when I have my two kids (2.5 and 15 months old with me). LA and I are being the cautious parents and keep Aubrey and Wyatt in their strollers. While we were taking pictures a mother with a child Wyatt's age is up there with us. However, her child is free of the stroller and is crawling and walking and holding onto the rails, hands through them, trying to wiggle through them...etc - the very rails that are the only thing between you and a 186 feet fall into the water below. I looked at LA and she at me and decided this lady is crazy. Does she not know that this bridge was built by the lowest bidder and the workers that built the bridge are no longer in town. The rail seems sturdy but guess what I am not letting me, my kids or anyone I love test out the installation and maintenance of them. For all I know the day the guys were installing the rail, their supervisor was goofing off somewhere reading I'm Just Sayin, Our Life and Courtyard. We had to leave the area before I had to tell her my thoughts or call DSS. The down hill was better but keeping the stroller from grape aping down the hill was a workout. Our conversation on the downhill was focused on "What would you do, if your child fell through?"
LA: Jump in after them
KC: Don't think that would be too smart and now I am left without a child and a wife. Would you reconsider?
LA: Your right but I don't know if I could live after that happened
KC: I know...lets just not walk the bridge anymore and do what we do best, vegg out on the sofa
LA: Deal
KC: Good talk
You've been warned about walking the bridge with your kids - Do So At Your Own Risk.
The Rock
This goes back to near the end of the school year while Aubrey was still in Day Care and SBC. As a parent, each day when you pick up your child a range of thoughts go through your head as you approach the classroom door - What did they do today? Were they good today? Did anything happen? You enter and as your signing them out you see the envelope with your child's name on it or see an injury report OR the teacher come up to you and tells you what happened OR the teacher asks your child to tell you what happened today.
Ms. Kathy asked Aubrey to tell LA what happen on the playground today.
Aubrey: I got a rock in my nose?
LA: WHAT?!
Aubrey: I got a rock in my nose?
LA: How did that happen?
(The background for the rest of this story - for weeks/months Aubrey has been picking up rocks and we tell her to put them down. She is very curious about them. We have even found them in bags in her book bag, like it was some special rock. Maybe she going to be a geologist. I'd be fine with that, especially if she could fine some gold) Ms. Kathy said the kids were playing on the playground and Aubrey came running up to her telling her she had a rock in her nose and sure enough Aubrey had taken a rock and shoved it up her nose as far as her finger would push it. Fortunately, Ms. Kathy was experienced with this situation and was able to extract the rock without too much problem. Aubrey was a trooper while she got it out but I am pretty sure we don't have to worry about that happening again - fingers, yes but no more rocks.
Playgrounds
Most playgrounds have signs for recommended ages for the equipment and most are like 2 - 5 and 5 -12 and to be honest no one follows the recommendation (except for the obvious stuff - monkey bars for a two year old are not a good idea, not going to hold on very long - trust me I tried). If your child is 2 - 5, they want to play on the 5 - 12 stuff. It's just how it works (its' funner in the 5 -12 area for them and you (but remember it's not about you, parents)) and for the most part if a parent is close by to watch and help or even follow your child it's fine.
However, I would like to issue a specific warning about the playground at James Island County Park for the 5 -12 year olds. The climbing wall part of the playground that is about 8 feet high is probably not a good idea for your 2 year old to climb. Aubrey was determined to do in and I was there watching and helping her. The problem was when she still was not at the top and I was only holding onto her ankles. All I could think about was this wasn't a good idea, this is the part that makes it for kids 5 years and older, if she falls backward that is going to hurt. I gave her one last push and she made it safely to the top and slid down the slide and was ready to do it again. I suggested that we find a different route. No need to temp fate.
Questions
Aubrey has entered into the questions stage and without a doubt it could be the end of LA and I. She can ask the most questions of anyone child I know or have known. It goes something like this...
While reading a book...
Aubrey: Awe, he's got a boo boo like me. How did he get a boo boo?
Me: He Fell
Aubrey: Why did he fall?
Me: He was riding his skateboard and fell
Aubrey: What's a skateboard?
Me: It's right there (pointing to the picture of it) with wheels on it
Aubrey: Why does it have wheels?
Me: So he can ride it instead of walking?
Aubrey: Why can't he walk?
Me: Get me another book...
Or before saying prayers...
Aubrey: You have a mole on your face. Why?
Me: I don't know
Aubrey: Why don't you know? It right there (touching it)
Me: God made me this way?
Aubrey: Why did God make you with it?
Me: Because we are all different
Aubrey: Why are we all different?
Me: Because God didn't want us all to look alike
Aubrey: Why?
Me: Dear God thank you for this day...
You can put any other topic you can think of...wish us luck on surviving this stage.
Space Shuttle
An era has ended with the landing of the Atlantis Space Shuttle ending the Space Shuttle Program. The Space Shuttle program shows what we can do when we put our mind and dollars behind it...too be able to design and successfully launch and land and aircraft like the Space Shuttle show that we can do anything we (The greatest nation in the world - The United States) want to when there is a desire and dollars to fund it. If your not impressed that we could design something that big and put it into space, you need to get your impressive meter checked out. As you all are aware, I am old enough to remember the beginning of this program (from the test flights to the first launch, the fascination and intrigue this nation had with it, our lackadaisical attitude after so many successful launches, to the crashes, to the last launches and landings) and it is sad to see it come to an end. Fortunately, I got to see a launch as a kid and I will never forget it. I don't remember which space shuttle it was but pretty sure it was Columbia since Challenger didn't launch until 1983. I remember the numerous times during the week we were on vacation that we traveled to see the launch and it would be cancelled. We made one final journey back for the launch and it launched and I will always remember the power from liftoff. We were not anywhere close and I remember my pants shaking from it taking off. I am anxious to see what is next for the US space program.
Here's a couple of videos from the last launch:
and landing:
If you've got 17 minutes and have any interest in the space shuttle, this video is worth your while...enjoy
Camping
We have friends(who have kids our age) that have invited us to join them camping and we have politely declined. We both know what it would be like and we would never get to sleep. The other night as a "reward" for being a good girl and getting 5 big stickers we went camping KC style - inside in our living room with A/C, TV, drinks, power, lights...etc. We set up our 8 person tent in living room - we set up most of it. It was a little big and much bigger than I remembered when I last used it about 8 years ago. The evening in the tent went just about as LA and I expected. Aubrey had to explore every inch of it and try to sleep in as many different positions as she could fine and play with every zipper on the tent and her sleeping bag. She played with the doggie door. Told me not to touch her while she was going to sleep. She crawled over me. She laid down with LA. After an hour of her refusing to sit still long enough to go to sleep it was upstairs and in her bed. LA and I both laughed and thought it went about as expected. I asked LA to sleep in the tent with me but she refused and we both went upstairs to bed.
JULY 4th
Nannie had a July 4th celebration at our house complete with fried chicken and all the fix'ens. All the grandkids and Uncle Scott got their bikes decorated in red, white and blue and we all walked to the town square for the 4th of July non-motorized parade. We didn't win but we had fun.
-If your not happy with your current cable provider - check out Direct TV. We switched from Dish to Direct and our bill dropped from $90 to $55 (with all the taxes) for the same service and is even cheaper now because of the "Refer a Friend Program" (paying about $35 a month). The person that referred me and I each get $10 off our bills for 10 months ($100). If your thinking about changing let me know and I can save us both an additional $100 (all you need is my account number when you sign up) over whatever kind of deal you get when you signup.
-The SC baseball team repeated as National Champs. Along the way they set a least one record that I know will never be broken because I don't that I have ever seen it happen in any level of baseball beyond high school. Two victories where the winning run was scored by the ball being thrown or ending up in the stands.
-In the category of A Fool and His Money Are Soon Parted - Did you see the dummies that actually bet Michael Jordan that he wouldn't hit the green in last weeks celebrity golf tournament. He's never not come through in the clutch. That's just throwing money down the drain.
-Best marketing idea - KFC offering D Wade his old job back since the NBA is in a lockout...promote whoever thought of the idea
-Wyatt loves Aubrey's baby dolls, purses, necklaces, stroller. He plays with more than Aubrey. I will have to get him some more tractors, baseballs, and trucks.
- A cage match AUBREY vs WYATT
Aubrey has a pretty good reverse choke hold that Wyatt hates and generally taps out from
-Dallas Mavericks won the NBA Championship - Sorry, Jeremy. I think it is inevitable that Lebron will get his ring(s) but now, I have hope someone will step up each year to deny him.
Did you see this from the Tour De France? What the...
-Aubrey told LA one day "Don't be so rude, mommy?"
-Ladies, It's not learned it's genetic. God made us this way. I can't explain it.
-When it's quite in the house. You need to start looking to find out what they are into. This time they found mommy's purse.
-Wyatt got his first haircut by Aunt Brenda- July 13, 2011
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