Cris's Birthday

On July 29, 1962, my brother, Cris, was born. Cris was my mom and dad's third child, and the first boy. I've heard mother jokingly say more than once that if Cris had been born first, she wouldn't have had any more children - he was quite "adventurous". (Mom did end up having two more children, me and another son.) Cris's full name was Donald Cris Melvin. Donald was our dad's name, and he had some of my dad's characteristics - somewhat of a temper, a good story-teller, and a hard worker. He could also be a little stubborn. An example of his stubbornness is when he was told by the dentist that he couldn't ride his bike when he got home from an appointment because he would be drowsy from some medication he was given. My mom said that all the way home from that appointment, Cris said, "when I get home, I'm gonna ride my bike. When I get home, I'm gonna ride my bike." So when they got home, Cris immediately got out of the car, walked over to his bike and started riding. Well, he ended up wrecking the bike and going over a brick wall.

As he grew up, Cris had so many friends. He was a very likable kind of guy - very popular at school.

Cris married young, became the father of three beautiful children, and established a successful career in construction. At the age of 44, Cris was diagnosed with esophagus cancer. He died at the young age of 45. Cris was a Christian, so he's spending eternity with Jesus. But he died too young. He will always be my brother, though. He's just not living on the earth with us. I loved him and he'll always be a part of our family.

Today would have been his 46th birthday. He died too, too young.

Have you noticed . . . .?

. . . the reduction in packaging of goods lately? I first noticed this a few weeks back when I bought a can of Pringles. They were on sale for .99 cents. Since I'm a price shopper, I knew that was a good buy. The potato chips I normally buy have gone up about .50 a bag. When I opened the can and took my first bite of the chip, I immediately noticed that it was actually a thinner chip. Ah-ha! That's why I can still buy a can of Pringles for .99 - I'm getting a thinner chip! Thinner chips mean less ingredients! And less ingredients, means savings by the Pringles Corporation (or whatever company makes them).

I had read an interview of a local cookie company executive several weeks ago. The executive was explaining how the packaging of his cookie was being reduced due to the higher cost in flour, sugar, etc. So I'm sure other food companies are doing this as well.

But you know what? It's not just the food manufacturers reducing the packaging of food we buy at the store. Clothing manufacturers are reducing our clothes! No, really, I'm serious! I went shopping this afternoon for a pair of pants. Almost every pair of pants I tried on were too tight across the bottom! Manufacturers are putting less fabric in our clothes. Now surely my bottom isn't expanding! I mean, I've been drinking a diet drink (instead of the real thing) every morning with my honeybun? And I try to drink a bottle of water everyday when I have my mid-afternoon snack. And I did go walking a couple of weeks ago. And surely . . just because I'm a 44 year old woman whose metabolism has decided to go on strike, surely that doesn't mean that I'm getting as broad as my refrigerator!

As I was walking through the department store, feeling so frustrated, this sweet young woman asked if she could help me find something. I came very close to saying, "yes, I'm looking for the wide bottom pants!" After becoming more and more frustrated, I just decided to buy something that didn't have to stretch across my backside - a cute little necklace.

Now I know what you're thinking. . . is she just going to accept her bottom expansion and not do anything about it? And my answer to that question is "NO". This shopping experience has been a wake-up call. I'm going to continue drinking my morning diet Mt. Dew but only WITHOUT my honeybun. And I will continue to drink my bottle of water, but WITHOUT my afternoon snack. My water WILL be my afternoon snack. And I will not continue blaming clothing manufacturers for my problem. I'm accepting that I do have a problem. So I've taken the first step - admitting my problem. Yes, I am 44 years old but I don't have to live mid-life with a "wide-load". I'm going to walk more and eat less. My metabolism may have slowed but my motivation is in high gear!

I'll keep everyone posted on my progress!

Mistaken Identity

(Some of the names in the following paragraph have been changed to protect . . . well, not necessarily to protect but to . . . well they have just been changed.)

I can talk to a wall. Ask anyone who knows me, and they'll tell you that I'm not a bit shy. No matter where I am, and especially if I'm by myself, a lot of time I feel compelled to strike up a conversation with someone. Even if that "someone" is a total stranger. Or as in the case last night, someone who isn't a "total" stranger, but someone who I apparently thought I knew but, in fact, only "sort-a-kind-a" knew. Here's the scene: I'm at the grocery store about to get in the check-out line, and this lady is just ahead of me in the same line. She looks at me, smiles, and says "hey". I say "hey" back. I knew she was "someone's" mom, but I couldn't quite remember whose mom she was. So since I knew she had a child in school with mine, I felt bold enough to continue my hello with, "summer's creaping by, isn't it." "Sure is", was her reply. Okay, I should have left it at that. But, nooooo, Miss Have to Talk to Everyone just HAD to continue taking chances and continue my idle chit-chat. "Will "Suzi" be in the 8th or 9th grade this year", I asked. The "mom" looks up and says, "tommy - I'm "tommy's" mom. And "tommy" will be in the 9th." Okay, I made a complete fool of myself. . . I tried to explain, without coming across as too ditsy, that I thought she was "Suzi's" mom. She said she understood, but what else was she going to say, right? Here she is saying hello to me because she actually KNOWS me, and I'm SURE she actually KNOWS who my child is and then here I am PRETENDING to know her and her child.

I've learned my lesson: when in doubt, keep my mouth shut (do I actually believe I'll do that. . . probably not, but at least I'll try to keep the conversation on a non-personal level unless I'm sure of who I'm speaking with.)

FCC Lost

I heard on yesterday's news that an appeals court overruled the large fine the FCC charged CBS regarding the "wardrobe malfunction" incident which occurred during the 2004 Super Bowl half-time show. I'm extremely disappointed in the court's decision. I truly believe that this overruling will now help fuel even more indecency on television. This is not only a victory for CBS but a victory for any other network wanting to "push the button" when it comes to airing what they may feel is entertainment but what those of us with moral values consider vulgar. I was watching that Super Bowl show at the time of the "malfunction", and I couldn't believe what I had just witnessed. I specifically remember how shocked I was by the occurence, and also how outraged I was when it happened. In my opinion, it was not a malfunction but a planned action on the part of the performers. There is a battle going on in America between the individuals with morals and those without morals. Yesterday's ruling was a victory for those without.

The Invasion

They're EVERYWHERE! In my carpets, in my car, in my washing machine, in my dryer, and I even found one in one of my candles! What are "they"? Rubber bands . . . tiny, little rubber bands. The tiny little bands that my son is now wearing 24/7 in his mouth. My son has been so good about making sure he wears them, and I'm so proud of him for doing so.

When Dr. B. told him he was going to have to wear rubber bands as part of his orthodontic treatment, I imagined a tug of war between me and my son on a daily basis. It seems like I have to remind him to do everything else he's supposed to do (clean your room, take your allergy medicine, take out the trash, finish your homework, etc.) but he always remembers to wear his bands. So good for him. He looks like a vampire when he talks because they're attached to both his top and bottom teeth. I'm sure it's difficult to talk with them in. And it surprises me that they don't pop everytime he opens his mouth. They're strong little suckers. But I do think they're taking over our house. I find them in my son's pockets, under his bed, and on his bed. They're on his desk, dresser, and entertainment center. They're in our living room, bathroom, and kitchen. And yes, last night when I was lighting a candle that was sitting on the living room table, there sat a lone little rubber band. I don't know how it ended up in there, but I lit the candle anyway (leaving the band in there). That's now just one less band I have to throw away.

Weekend in Review

I had a great weekend! Friday night was Family Night at church. This night concluded the week of VBS. Our 13 year old son helped at VBS in the music department, teaching the cute songs to the kids. On Saturday I was in an "HGTV" kind of mood (i.e., what can I do to change up the house. So I painted our computer desk. I painted it a bright red . . . I've always wanted a piece of red furniture in our house. It turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself. I was still scraping red paint from my hands and finger nails on Sunday morning. Sunday morning we had a wonderful church service with a great crowd! I then had a leisurely Sunday afternoon with my husband and son.

Life is good!!

Generation Gap

I consider myself pretty "hip" (is that word used anymore?) You know, I try to be the "cool" mom, without losing the authoritative control I try to always maintain as a mom. It's hard sometimes succeeding at both. For instance, I recently ordered concert tickets online for my teenage son. As a bonus for placing my order with the ticket outlet, I was given two free "itune" downloads. Cool, right? I was so excited because I just knew my 13 year old would be excited about that. So, this morning I said to my son, "hey, when I ordered those tickets I received two free "itune" downloads." There was a pause in our conversation. "And I should be excited about this because . . . ", was my son's response. My thoughts: What? Of course you should be excited about that! I'm excited about it, and I'm the mom! Then my son continued his response, "Mom, I don't have an Ipod." Oh, so that's what the "i" in "itune" means. Ohhhhhhh. I get it now. Hmmmmm. I'm trying to be the "hip" mom, but apparently I still have things to learn.

Thus, the generation gap lives on.

Favorite smells

My favorite smells:


Fresh cut grass

Cinnamon toast

Peaches

My son's and husband's cologne

Summer rain

and my all time, favorite: coffee!!!!!!!

(I'm heading for the pot right now!)

Economy

If I weren't such an upbeat gal, this could be a depressing day. Gas prices rose again today, a large bank has been taken over by the government, it's payday and my creditors are all waiting to receive their share, AND, oh yeah, there's still a war going on in the middle east. But since I am an upbeat kind of person, I won't let the gloom and doom of July 15, 2008 get me down.

In all honesty, I truly don't remember a more unstable economic time during my adult years (the years when groceries, power, mortgage payment, etc. have been partly MY responsibility). But the generations before me have experienced economic turmoil and recovered, and I'm sure that "this too shall pass." I believe during this time that it's important to stay focused, i.e. focused on maintaining our day to day lives as best as possible. Life goes on, right? I have to admit that it would be a bit scary if I were just now starting out - that is, if I were a younger woman, let's say in my early 20's, and possibly even expecting my first child. But, I'm a woman who has been a part of this wonderful working society for over two decades, and I know I can live creatively (like planning my errand routes so as not to backtrack, preparing meals economically, looking for ways to trim the household expenses). I'm not going to allow the state of the economy to change my outlook on life: life is a blessing from God, one to be enjoyed. I am a blessed human being. I choose to live life abundantly (but being frugal while doing so)!

Suds

If you're a female baby boomer, like I am, I'm sure you can relate to this discussion. I grew up on SOAPS (or, as the older generation calls them, "stories"). I don't remember a time before SOAPS. During my childhood (60's and 70's) there were only three major networks, and my mother watched the stories which ran on ABC. I continued watching those same SOAPS during my young adult years and then stopped watching them during my 30's (never had enough time). Well, now thanks to cable t.v., I'm back watching them again because one cable station allows me to watch the stories I enjoy most at a time other than the middle of a weekday afternoon when I'm at work. Sure, soaps aren't realistic and sure most all of the characters live their lives in a way which is total opposite of my moral beliefs, but they're entertaining to me. And they also keep me connected to the earlier part of my life since some of the characters have been around since my childhood.

Oh, got to go. . . . one of my favorite stories is about to come on.

The List

"Are you going to leave me a list tomorrow?" That was the question my 13 year old son asked me last night. I've borrowed a wonderful idea (not an original one though, but just one I haven't ever tried) from a friend of mine who leaves her children lists of chores to do. My list isn't an everyday occurrence nor is it a long list. But once every couple of days, I leave a list with numbered items (mostly 1 through 5). Clean your room, wash the dishes, etc. The first day I left the list, I wanted to make certain that I put it in a place where it could definately be found. I just imagined leaving the list, and then my son saying, "well, I didn't get my chores done because I didn't see the list." So, I found that the perfect place to leave the list is taped to the t.v. screen. A 13 year old in the summertime will DEFINATELY find the list left THERE!

The list is a success!