Or a nickname??
Do you have nicknames for your children? Do you and your significant other have some sort of funny little name you call each other?
In our household we really don't have nicknames, per se for each other - and what we do have a tendency to call one another really aren't the kinds of names that I should post on my blog...if ya' know what I mean?
Growing up I didn't have any nicknames and neither did my sister or parents, for that matter. Oddly enough while my parents survived their teenage years flouncing around in poodle skirts and red tabbed Levis, both made it to their adult years, yet to having been called a Skip or a Buffy. (For this, we can be thankful! :))
Our parents simply called us by our first names; I definitely never called my sister, Sis or heaven forbid, Sissy (I can feel the squinty stare from my mother, even as I type that horrid word). I can most definitely assure you that our southerness style (not really the right use of adjectives, but it works for me) of raising would have not allowed for a Bubba in the family either! Even though Paula Dean has given a new sense of dignity to the use of Bubba, it still wouldn't have passed in our household.
All this time I never thought much about nicknames until I called Briley by her nickname last night and she looked at me with this cute little smile and asked me why I always called her 'Fred'?
Yes, it's true...I call her FRED! Well??? Tallulah just wasn't working for me, so Fred seemed to fit? I have no idea why, but I have always called her that - not so much as a direct address to her, it's more like if we are about to leave the house, I'll just simply ask her, "Ready to go Fred?"... she just usually ignores me and we go on about our way. Even when she and I are playing around or snuggling while watching TV, I still call her Fred. Hopefully I haven't scarred her too badly? Oh who am I kidding, that child is exposed to so many other things, I'm sure a harmless nickname will be the least of her worries when she needs therapy!
I was about 8 or 9 years old when I heard my dad referred to as something other than his proper name, David. My grandmother, his mother called him 'Dave'! GASP!!! I had never heard anyone ever call him anything other than David - that was his name - that's what my mom called him, that's what people at church called him... just David. Who was this 'Dave' persona? As time went along, I heard several other members of his own family refer to him as 'Dave'? What the heck?? What did this mean? Did his friends call him 'Dave'? Did it mean he was sorta hip, a cool guy, or have some sort of other personality than what I had known of him as 'daddy' or 'David'? Odd how your mind works when your 9 yrs old? Right?
Along this same time in my life, I discovered that maybe it wasn't quite the norm to have an Aunt BooBoo (short for Beulah)?!? Wait, it gets better!!! We had an Aunt Cap (I don't remember what her real name was), and Aunt Lonie {long o} As if LONIE wasn't bad enough, my grandmother and the other aunts called her DUCK??? Yes that's right - as in quack quack!!!
Didn't everyone have great aunts with these crazy names? On the other side of our family we had an Uncle Dude and an Aunt Punk, never thought anything was odd about this. Aunt Punk is still living and everybody calls her Punk! It's just her name...isn't it?? Oh, I realize she has a 'real' name, but it's just always going to be Aunt Punk to me.
So there you have it- I can't help my crazy randomness of calling Briley 'Fred', because it's just the way I am. So for as long as she continues to answer me, it's FRED!
Monday, March 29, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Fish Sticks, Ranch Style Beans, and Mac n' Cheese
Now that's what I call good eating!! (Hey - don't judge me!)
Yes, I realize it's certainly not the most sophisticated taste pallet, but it works for me and I consider it a comforting meal when the stresses of life get to me or just when I'm lazy and don't have the desire to think about cooking and couldn't care less if anyone else in the house eats or not!!
While I have several other comfort meals that I can whip out of the pantry and freezer, with a moment's notice, and as any of my girls will tell you I am the queen of ground meat and noodles (the homemade version of hamburger helper); I do occasionally reserve for myself a hardy helping of fish sticks. :) ((For the record, I don't care if they are minced fish or whole fish.... just crispy fish sticks cooked in the oven on a cookie sheet will work fine for me.))
With that said, I wasn't raised on quickie freezer foods or processed and packaged meals, but occasionally we would have fish sticks and out of the cabinet would come the blue box of mac n'cheese and a can of Ranch Style beans. I'm sure this was a quickie meal that my mother prepared in desperation and boredom from cooking each evening or it was a quick fix option for the nights when we were rushing out of the house to some after school activity. The fish stick meal was most definitely long before the idea of drive through fast food and I never remember having a happy meal on the way to anything!
If you were to ask my kids what quick fix meal option they would prefer, one will always want McDonald's and one will beg for Taco Bell (the smell of either of these makes me gag), while the other daughter will turn her nose up and say with the most defiant look, "NEITHER"! UGH - it's never easy in my world! NOT ONE TIME can they all three agree.
I can assure you that NONE of them will go for the fish stick idea!! I don't care how many times I've tried to encourage them (i.e...forced it on their plates), each has turned their nose up at me. Not only do they detest fish sticks, but a Ranch Style Bean isn't going to cross their lips? Where did these children come from?
They are such food snobs? Why don't they appreciate the thin orange greasy film on the top of the beans in the can? Why???? Where did I go wrong???
Oddly enough I can slice up weenies and fry them in a pan and throw out some blue box mac n'cheese and all three of them use to gobble that stuff up! (another gagging moment for me, but hey - whatever floats your boat?)
Anyway, where was I going with this .... OH yes.... comfort foods, quick easy fix comfort foods. What are yours? You can tell me... no judging here! I promise not to call Child Protective Services, or think any less of you if you tell me that you secretly indulge on a can of Vienna sausages?
Yes, I realize it's certainly not the most sophisticated taste pallet, but it works for me and I consider it a comforting meal when the stresses of life get to me or just when I'm lazy and don't have the desire to think about cooking and couldn't care less if anyone else in the house eats or not!!
While I have several other comfort meals that I can whip out of the pantry and freezer, with a moment's notice, and as any of my girls will tell you I am the queen of ground meat and noodles (the homemade version of hamburger helper); I do occasionally reserve for myself a hardy helping of fish sticks. :) ((For the record, I don't care if they are minced fish or whole fish.... just crispy fish sticks cooked in the oven on a cookie sheet will work fine for me.))
With that said, I wasn't raised on quickie freezer foods or processed and packaged meals, but occasionally we would have fish sticks and out of the cabinet would come the blue box of mac n'cheese and a can of Ranch Style beans. I'm sure this was a quickie meal that my mother prepared in desperation and boredom from cooking each evening or it was a quick fix option for the nights when we were rushing out of the house to some after school activity. The fish stick meal was most definitely long before the idea of drive through fast food and I never remember having a happy meal on the way to anything!
If you were to ask my kids what quick fix meal option they would prefer, one will always want McDonald's and one will beg for Taco Bell (the smell of either of these makes me gag), while the other daughter will turn her nose up and say with the most defiant look, "NEITHER"! UGH - it's never easy in my world! NOT ONE TIME can they all three agree.
I can assure you that NONE of them will go for the fish stick idea!! I don't care how many times I've tried to encourage them (i.e...forced it on their plates), each has turned their nose up at me. Not only do they detest fish sticks, but a Ranch Style Bean isn't going to cross their lips? Where did these children come from?
They are such food snobs? Why don't they appreciate the thin orange greasy film on the top of the beans in the can? Why???? Where did I go wrong??? Oddly enough I can slice up weenies and fry them in a pan and throw out some blue box mac n'cheese and all three of them use to gobble that stuff up! (another gagging moment for me, but hey - whatever floats your boat?)
Anyway, where was I going with this .... OH yes.... comfort foods, quick easy fix comfort foods. What are yours? You can tell me... no judging here! I promise not to call Child Protective Services, or think any less of you if you tell me that you secretly indulge on a can of Vienna sausages?
Monday, March 22, 2010
Dear Mother Nature,
I'm writing to you today with much concern over the recent developments in our weather. Have you consulted with your calendar? Have you checked to see that we are already in Spring? Do you realize that you've sent snow to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area in MARCH? Uh hello... is this thing on?
I've included a couple of pictures to submit to you as evidence that you're having technical difficulties on this end or that maybe your server is down? Whatever the cause of all of this icky white stuff, I would respectfully request that you fix this!!!
In case you need a point of reference to work from, our normal temperatures at this time of year are in the 70's... NOT 40* with 20* wind chills!!! While we enjoy a cold blast of winter and a mix of snow/ice during January and February, we've already had our yearly allotment. I do hope this doesn't mean that we will have a debit of cooler temps and have to repay with an extremely HOT summer?
In closing I would just like to say that I have always admired your timely work and always look forward to the fresh crisp green foliage that graces our landscapes with the onset of Spring and warmer temps. I certainly hope you get this little glitch worked out and hope that we can work together again in the near future.
Warmest Regards,
Temperamental Texan
I've included a couple of pictures to submit to you as evidence that you're having technical difficulties on this end or that maybe your server is down? Whatever the cause of all of this icky white stuff, I would respectfully request that you fix this!!!
In case you need a point of reference to work from, our normal temperatures at this time of year are in the 70's... NOT 40* with 20* wind chills!!! While we enjoy a cold blast of winter and a mix of snow/ice during January and February, we've already had our yearly allotment. I do hope this doesn't mean that we will have a debit of cooler temps and have to repay with an extremely HOT summer?
In closing I would just like to say that I have always admired your timely work and always look forward to the fresh crisp green foliage that graces our landscapes with the onset of Spring and warmer temps. I certainly hope you get this little glitch worked out and hope that we can work together again in the near future.
Warmest Regards,
Temperamental Texan
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
I've crossed over
To the other side of the technological world!
{You were really expecting me to tell you I had changed political views, religious beliefs, or gone to Dr. Pepper instead of Coca Cola? Weren't you??? }
In January my AT&T cell phone was up for renewal - which is amazing that I was actually able to take advantage of my OWN upgrade option because usually someone that shares my DNA, has already used my upgrade options and I get left using the oldest phone in the bunch. Now this kinda makes me irritated since I pay the darn bill.... but anyway, back to my new phone story.
I decided that I wanted to be hip - in style - and look like a cool mom. So I bit the bullet and upgraded to the new handy dandy IPhone.
I just gotta say - this phone is totally cool!!! There was definitely a learning curve for me and it did take a couple of weeks for me to figure out how to use the touch screen key pad without my fat fingers getting in the way, but once I got over the hump - I've been texting and surfing with the best of them.
I have loaded all sorts of Apps to make my life easier. Well, okay I don't know if it really makes my life easier, but it does make me feel a little spoiled. I almost feel 'cool' and like a hip mom? Almost???
The really sobering part is that while I was struggling through the 2 week learning curve, my 8 yr old brat, picked up my phone and went to town downloading game Apps, texting, taking pictures.... you name it - she was way ahead of me? What the Heck??? How did she know how to work my phone BEFORE I DID????
Are the kids of the younger generation born with some innate sense of how to use the IPhone?? Did Apple Computer put something in the water??? I was struggling with how to even make a call on the silly thing and she's over there playing some silly helicopter game??? UGH???
Last night, I mentioned to Briley that I had seen Brittany playing a game on her phone and thought we could download it on my phone for her to play. Of course I couldn't remember the name of it, but I described it to her as some sort of fish game where you can build your own aquarium. This is no exaggeration, within 30 seconds Briley had already gone on to the App Store and 'searched' for the game and was about to download it. I sure was glad it was FREE!! LOL
In the amount of time it took me to use the ATM machine and get cash - Briley had already started playing the game and had figured out how to buy fish and clean the tank and do whatever else it takes to earn points/money! Now seriously- this was within a time span of about 3 minutes!!! Unbelievable!!!!
For the next hour, Briley and Brittany were both playing their fish tank game on the IPhones and comparing notes on which fish to buy and how to build more aquariums.
I'm still struggling with fat fingers on a touch screen key pad and trying NOT to call someone back accidentally, after I 'end the call'.... UGH!!! Technology!!! Ain't it great?
{You were really expecting me to tell you I had changed political views, religious beliefs, or gone to Dr. Pepper instead of Coca Cola? Weren't you??? }
In January my AT&T cell phone was up for renewal - which is amazing that I was actually able to take advantage of my OWN upgrade option because usually someone that shares my DNA, has already used my upgrade options and I get left using the oldest phone in the bunch. Now this kinda makes me irritated since I pay the darn bill.... but anyway, back to my new phone story.
I decided that I wanted to be hip - in style - and look like a cool mom. So I bit the bullet and upgraded to the new handy dandy IPhone.
I just gotta say - this phone is totally cool!!! There was definitely a learning curve for me and it did take a couple of weeks for me to figure out how to use the touch screen key pad without my fat fingers getting in the way, but once I got over the hump - I've been texting and surfing with the best of them.
I have loaded all sorts of Apps to make my life easier. Well, okay I don't know if it really makes my life easier, but it does make me feel a little spoiled. I almost feel 'cool' and like a hip mom? Almost???
The really sobering part is that while I was struggling through the 2 week learning curve, my 8 yr old brat, picked up my phone and went to town downloading game Apps, texting, taking pictures.... you name it - she was way ahead of me? What the Heck??? How did she know how to work my phone BEFORE I DID????
Are the kids of the younger generation born with some innate sense of how to use the IPhone?? Did Apple Computer put something in the water??? I was struggling with how to even make a call on the silly thing and she's over there playing some silly helicopter game??? UGH???
Last night, I mentioned to Briley that I had seen Brittany playing a game on her phone and thought we could download it on my phone for her to play. Of course I couldn't remember the name of it, but I described it to her as some sort of fish game where you can build your own aquarium. This is no exaggeration, within 30 seconds Briley had already gone on to the App Store and 'searched' for the game and was about to download it. I sure was glad it was FREE!! LOL
In the amount of time it took me to use the ATM machine and get cash - Briley had already started playing the game and had figured out how to buy fish and clean the tank and do whatever else it takes to earn points/money! Now seriously- this was within a time span of about 3 minutes!!! Unbelievable!!!!
For the next hour, Briley and Brittany were both playing their fish tank game on the IPhones and comparing notes on which fish to buy and how to build more aquariums.
I'm still struggling with fat fingers on a touch screen key pad and trying NOT to call someone back accidentally, after I 'end the call'.... UGH!!! Technology!!! Ain't it great?
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Internet Habits
Do you have habits or rituals that you go through each day when you click on the 'blue e', that links you to the World Wide Web???
Well I do - whether you call it rituals, routines, or just OCD habits. Feel free to call them what you like, but in the interest of moving this post along I'll just refer to them as habits! :)
Each morning when I come into my office, the first thing I do is push the big round button on my CPU. Then I usually chit chat with a few folks in the office until my desk top is loaded and ready for me to begin clicking my way through the next 8 hours or so.
The first stop on my agenda is the company email. After all, they do pay me to work occasionally and sometimes there are items that I need to take care of before my work day begins. Once I get past the daily deluge of emails and junk emails, I immediately open up my Internet browser, turn on my on-line radio station, and start checking out the blog buddies that I visit each day. Next up I check the online newspaper from my hometown.
There's nothing so interesting or earth shattering that goes on in a small town with the population of 40,000 or so, but it's my hometown and I like to keep up with the folks going to jail, the divorces filed, the engagement and wedding announcements, and most importantly the obituaries! :) If I check nothing else for the day, I will always check the obituaries. Sounds kinda creepy huh? Well you see.... If I don't know the deceased person, I usually recognize or know a person listed as next of kin or relative of some sort. What do you expect in a small town? Everybody knows everybody, and usually they are kinfolk! LOL
Once I've caught up with the news in Hicktown, USA I continue on about my daily Internet habits and check bank balances for the company and move along to whatever real work I need to get busy handling. Oh and lets not forget my newly added habit/addiction - FACEBOOK! I just can't explain it, but there's something oddly interesting about reading what is on other people's minds for the day. I can't say that I really care what so-and-so from my high school class is doing this weekend, but at the same time I can't stop checking in throughout the day to 'see what's going on'? LOL Let's save the FACEBOOK addiction for another day's post...shall we??
So what are your daily Internet/Computer habits? Oh don't try to deny it - you know you have them! :)
Well I do - whether you call it rituals, routines, or just OCD habits. Feel free to call them what you like, but in the interest of moving this post along I'll just refer to them as habits! :)
Each morning when I come into my office, the first thing I do is push the big round button on my CPU. Then I usually chit chat with a few folks in the office until my desk top is loaded and ready for me to begin clicking my way through the next 8 hours or so.
The first stop on my agenda is the company email. After all, they do pay me to work occasionally and sometimes there are items that I need to take care of before my work day begins. Once I get past the daily deluge of emails and junk emails, I immediately open up my Internet browser, turn on my on-line radio station, and start checking out the blog buddies that I visit each day. Next up I check the online newspaper from my hometown.
There's nothing so interesting or earth shattering that goes on in a small town with the population of 40,000 or so, but it's my hometown and I like to keep up with the folks going to jail, the divorces filed, the engagement and wedding announcements, and most importantly the obituaries! :) If I check nothing else for the day, I will always check the obituaries. Sounds kinda creepy huh? Well you see.... If I don't know the deceased person, I usually recognize or know a person listed as next of kin or relative of some sort. What do you expect in a small town? Everybody knows everybody, and usually they are kinfolk! LOL
Once I've caught up with the news in Hicktown, USA I continue on about my daily Internet habits and check bank balances for the company and move along to whatever real work I need to get busy handling. Oh and lets not forget my newly added habit/addiction - FACEBOOK! I just can't explain it, but there's something oddly interesting about reading what is on other people's minds for the day. I can't say that I really care what so-and-so from my high school class is doing this weekend, but at the same time I can't stop checking in throughout the day to 'see what's going on'? LOL Let's save the FACEBOOK addiction for another day's post...shall we??
So what are your daily Internet/Computer habits? Oh don't try to deny it - you know you have them! :)
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
A Mood Change
Hot Diggity!!
Hallelujah!!
Shazam!!
We made it to MARCH!
(For you viewing pleasure I thought I would add a touch of summer flare to the boring winter blog. )
I could not be happier to have January and February behind us!!! My self imposed hibernation has come to an end and I can get back to the business of living. Oh who am I kidding, I can put the flannel pj's back into the dresser and attempt to wear regular clothes for more hours than I'm at work. For the past couple of months, I have been in a race each evening to rush home, strip out of my work clothes, grab the warm and comfy (but incredibly ugly) PJ's and retire to my cave...(i.e... bedroom) to watch countless hours of cooking shows and ridiculous TV Land reruns.
I am so ready for some warmer temps, drier air, and SUNSHINE -- Bring it on!! I promise not to complain (much) when we are reaching the 100* mark before June 1st!
Life is good again - the days are getting longer and the chances of snow and ice are soon to be out of the forecast. In other words, I've survived the worst of the worst, or as most call it... WINTER!!! Obviously I'm not a cold weather person and would much rather find myself watching endless waves on a warm beach somewhere. (NOTE - when I finally run away from home, you can start looking for me in a tropical location.)
Hopefully with this new mood change I will come up with some wonderful new ideas to post about on my blog. I mean, life in our house is never boring and always a bit out of the ordinary, so surely I can find some antic to report on that will add humor to your blog reading experience. Stay tuned - you know me and my gang of divas - drama is never out of reach!
Hallelujah!!
Shazam!!
We made it to MARCH!
(For you viewing pleasure I thought I would add a touch of summer flare to the boring winter blog. )
I could not be happier to have January and February behind us!!! My self imposed hibernation has come to an end and I can get back to the business of living. Oh who am I kidding, I can put the flannel pj's back into the dresser and attempt to wear regular clothes for more hours than I'm at work. For the past couple of months, I have been in a race each evening to rush home, strip out of my work clothes, grab the warm and comfy (but incredibly ugly) PJ's and retire to my cave...(i.e... bedroom) to watch countless hours of cooking shows and ridiculous TV Land reruns.
I am so ready for some warmer temps, drier air, and SUNSHINE -- Bring it on!! I promise not to complain (much) when we are reaching the 100* mark before June 1st!
Life is good again - the days are getting longer and the chances of snow and ice are soon to be out of the forecast. In other words, I've survived the worst of the worst, or as most call it... WINTER!!! Obviously I'm not a cold weather person and would much rather find myself watching endless waves on a warm beach somewhere. (NOTE - when I finally run away from home, you can start looking for me in a tropical location.)
Hopefully with this new mood change I will come up with some wonderful new ideas to post about on my blog. I mean, life in our house is never boring and always a bit out of the ordinary, so surely I can find some antic to report on that will add humor to your blog reading experience. Stay tuned - you know me and my gang of divas - drama is never out of reach!
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