Family Night--Ice Cream

I was so caught up in
the moment that I forgot
to take pictures. Here's a
dramatization. Chad peer
pressured us into two scoops.
Darby was the only one to
finish hers.

It's difficult to find time for living these days. Between a two-job home, house maintenance, fixing dinner, caring for the animals, homework, hockey, and other obligations, Hubby Dearest and I sometimes feel like we are ships passing each other in the night. If we feel that way about our own relationship, then you can imagine we feel even more distant from our Darling Darby, sweet surly teenager that she's become. Now we are also getting ready to incorporate volunteering into our hectic lives. We will, however, be volunteering as a family in an effort to stick together.

Nevertheless, can you guess how excited we were last week when Darby's high school e-newsletter gave us permission to have "Family Night"! The e-mail stated, "NOT DUE ON FRIDAY--Beginning this year there will not be any tests, quizzes, homework, projects or other assignments due on Friday. What this means for your student is that Thursday evenings can be a stress free evening, hopefully one spent with family, because none of our teachers will require that anything is due on Friday."

Having taught at a Plano high school, I can translate for you, "What we really mean is that 3/4 of our school are involved in Thursday night football. We know the football players, cheerleaders, band students and 10 fans attending the game will wait till the last minute if something is due on Friday and then complain that they couldn't complete their work because they were at the game 'having school spirit.' So we are cutting that squirmish off at the pass." Football is religion in Texas. Luckily, not in my household! We may go to one game as part of family night, but it won't be because Chad or I choose it.

We gave first choice to Darby. After an hour was wasted hemming and hawing about, "I don't KNOW-WAH!" We finally gave her the idea of going for ice cream. I snagged her into cooking dinner with me and we chit-chatted. After eating, Chad and I were good parents and helped her finish the chores she had been dragging her feet on. Then we were off! Nothing too exciting, but we did get away from "life" to have 30 minutes with living with just the three of us. There was talking about nothing in particular and making fun of the crazy scary murals that Baskin Robbins has on their walls. It was nice.

Next week is Chad's choice. Darby and I are frightened he really will make us play Risk. I told him no problem as long as he doesn't mind cleaning toilets when it's my turn to choose.  Not really! I am just going to use this time to play Scrabble, Phase 10 and make them teach me how to play Mario Brothers on the Wii (and NOT leave me behind to die because I don't know what I am doing). What are you ideas for family night?

Family Night--Hubby's Choice

Hubby Dearest was in charge of Family Night last night! After jokingly blaming my parents for ruining his night of excitement playing dominoes by not showing up, MyChad opted for dinner and a movie.


Our new favorite joint to patronize for yummy chicken strips is Cane's. They opened two locations in Frisco in the last couple of months and, much like In-N-Out Burger, they are starting to have ridiculous drive through lines.

I am absolutely in love with their Cane's Dipping Sauce and begged HD to ask for extra. Last time, he said they wanted $.30 extra so he skipped it. Last night, I told him I have a quarter and a nickle in my purse if he would please bring me extra sauce. I even told him he could use my account for the entire meal if he would please ask for extra sauce! That turkey showed up with extra sauce for himself as well! Ha! Even with two little shots of yummy dipping greatness, there just wasn't enough to satisfy either of us.

Also, if you're a sweet tea lover, then this is the place to go! I asked HD to get me a soda last night and he questioned why I didn't want their tea. I said, "It's too sweet. You know it's too sweet if I would rather have a coke than tea."

For the movie selection, HD and Darling Daughter found Thor on blue-ray at the Kroger Red Box. Now, had we payed $9 a head at the movie theater, I would probably not have a favorable review of the flick. Because it was just $1 for the night, I think I liked it very much. The story is predictable but easy to follow. Only you have to know a bit about mythology to understand the relationship dynamics between Thor, Loki and their father. A little explanation would have been helpful.

I think Darby and I both agree that the...er...cinematography was stupendous! Chris Hemsworth is shirtless for a good bit of the movie. His voice reminds me of the late Heath Ledger in A Knight's Tale and I could totally have seen this part going to him if life were different. For some unexplained reason, I kept waiting for Tom Hiddleston, who played Loki, to pull a Pee-Wee Herman laugh. Don't ask me why. Also, it was pee-your-pants-funny when Darby asked, "Is their dad Hannibal Lector?" Yes, sweet child, Anthony Hopkins, even with one eye in this feature, plays the great and powerful Odin. Of course he only has to sleep for a good portion of the movie, but, HEY, he's earned it.

Except for when Thor mistakenly asks a pet store clerk if he can ride a dog, cat or bird in place of his requested horse, I was quite happy that the leading ladies delivered the funny lines! Darcy (Kat Dennings) starts us off with, "I am not going to die for six credit hours." Anyone who's ever had an unpaid internship gets that one. Then she says to Thor, who is cramming down whole pancakes a bite at a time, "How can you eat an entire box of Pop Tarts and still be this hungry?" I was a little perturbed that Natalie Portman, who was kick tail in V for Vendetta, was a little whiny and complainy at times. Give me Princess Amidala or don't take the part, girl. That's what I say!

Good job on your first choice of Family Night, Chad Darling! It was a relaxing evening. BTW, I am still waiting for you to finish my love note from last week!

Family Night--MY CHOICE!!! Writing Love Notes

I know I told Hubby Dearest last week that this week would be his choice, but I was too excited about my idea to wait. In true Chad fashion, he graciously gave me ladies-first option, and I snatched it up like a fashionista at a free sample give away. Then to add salt to his wound,  I gave him his "homework" and heard him grumble poutingly, "On my night, we're going to play a game." Looking forward to it, Baby! Looking forward to it!


Anywho! Do you know what I ask for every birthday, valentines day, Christmas, etc.? Anytime gifts are involved, I ask that they write me a love note. Now don't get me wrong, my husband and daughter are the king and princess of picking out the perfect greeting cards. I just want to see their handwriting and their words. To this day though, my heart's desire is yet unfulfilled! Not after last night!


Inspired by a blog I stumbled upon, SEVEN CHERUBS, I decided to cherish my cherubs. Our family night, Mama's Choice, was to write love notes to one another! I also took this opportunity to get their help making a few greeting cards for upcoming birthdays and holidays. I figure in the spirit of being economical, we should use all these card-making supplies that have been collecting for years. I first began by giving them a couple of days leave time on their homework (it's a rough draft of ideas for composing their love notes). There was complaining, whining and statements like, "I thought family night was supposed to be fun." Darby Doo was just silent in her protest.




I then gathered all of my crafting, scrapbooking, and card-making tons-o-fun goodies together and set up a work area in our kitchen. I began the evening by taking photos of everyone to create the collage below. I was skipping around the house in great anticipation of actually getting started. It felt like when we were kids and waiting to open presents at Christmas!

After a meal of meatball subs, we settled down to the kitchen table. Using our blue homework sheets, we each wrote on a printed collage one word we use to describe the person in question. We passed the collages around and repeated the process. The we did the same for three things we love. Chad even got into the spirit by drawing little pictures on the page.



Chad's Love Note To Darby: he's
really, really, good at this!

After our collages were complete, we created two love note cards, one for each of the other people, using our favorite memory in the homework. Then we gave away our love notes and shared our homework. These sheets of paper will make neat entries in my scrapbooks. I figure if I can keep it up a few times a year, then we'll have a little family history going on as well as appreciation.


Darby's Love Note To Jaimee:
she matches designs and colors
perfectly!



Even though they gave me such a hard time, Chad and Darby really got into the card making. HubbyDearest even got misty eyed when he read his cards that we made for him. After Darling Daughter went to sleep, Chad told me, "Baby, I am really sorry I gave you such a hard time about this. You were right! This was a lot of fun and means a lot to me."

SCORE!



Jaimee's Love Note To Chad:
we made him cry!

Family Night--PPPPBBBLLLLTTTTT! We'll Try Again Tonight...

Well, man's greatest plans are God's greatest follies once again. There's nothing like a home improvement project to highjack family night. It was my choice so I planned a low key night of trying out Papa Murphy's Pizza and a card game or dominoes. PPPBBBLLLTTT! (I seem to have made lots of zerberts this week...am I reverting back to being a toddler when my plans go awry?) The pizza we did. However, with power tools about and progress being made on his dreams of repairing the long-overdue siding issues, Hubby Dearest was on his own mission.

Let's start with Papa Murphy. When you walk in their door, it's like going to QuickTrip. "Hello! Welcome to Papa's!" he says enthusiastically like I am the only customer that has been in that day. I look around in anticipation of having a take-n-bake-n-save pizza of my choosing. There's nothing fancy about the pizzas in general. You have three sizes, medium, large and family. You have all the usual toppings and the choice of hand-tossed, extra thin, or stuffed. They have the requisite specials that no one takes advantage of because it is for some specialty pizza with sausage and olives...gag!

If it seems I am being a negative nancy about this, I am. It says on their wall, "Take, Bake and Save." I figure with removing the convenience of a delivery and then having to cook the pies myself, it would cut the price in half since that is half the point of ordering a pizza in the first place. I spent the same amount of money for two pizzas and a two liter of soda as I would have by calling Pizza Hut and not having to do any of the work. THAT IS ONLY BECAUSE PAPA KNOCKED $2 OFF EACH PIZZA FOR ME BEING A NEWBIE! RIP. OFF.

I arrived home with my gold-embedded (NOT REALLY) pizza pies and hubby and Darling Daughter were excited to try something new. After I told him there was no difference in price, MyChad was less than enthusiastic. However, there was still hope that these would be the best tasting circles of goodness we'd ever had. Eh...not so much. Now we have to throw on there that they really didn't taste that spectacular, and we'll just keep it PG today and say we won't be a return customer.

As for the games, Darby and I watched our recorded shows while Chad jacked around with a stalled power washer. When he finally gave up and came in, I heard thunder. The three of us dashed back out to bring in the tools that didn't need to get wet and cover anything too big or stinky to be stored in the house.

We enjoyed standing in the back yard watching the lightening (we are such GOOD parents) and will shoot to play dominoes with Granny and Papa who will be here this afternoon. We are excited to have my parents for the weekend! Darby starts hockey practice tonight and Sosie's shower is tomorrow. I think there is a surprise in there somewhere too, but I'll never tell.

What would your ideal family night be like?

Thursdays are Happiness Reports September--Eating Healthy, Cook Every Night



Darby helped me make
Chicken Cesar Wraps

Alright, alright! It's been a good eating week in the Happy Hunter Home! High fives all around! Go team! Okay, so it's been fun for me...I am not sure how Hubby Dearest and Darling Daughter are feeling. Last week, myChad was pretty stoked about having a plan for the month that included recipes and such. He said he was thrilled (my word, can't print his) to have plans that would make grocery shopping easier. He seems to be okay with helping me out in the kitchen. Non-committal Teeny Bopper had no opinion...surprise surprise! She can, however, be counted on to say, "That smells really good!" and be my taste tester.





I almost burned the
house down with turkey
burgers on the grill

Nevertheless, I stuck to it and made (almost) every dinner this past week. We got a little thrown off schedule with a birthday celebration on Saturday and dinner with parents on Monday. Chad talked me into fast food on Sunday. Those are meals I can move over to make up for the fact that we waited too long and our hogie buns went green. I guess the point is have a plan but be flexible.


This week is about making fun lunches. Either the meals we make will have enough to spill over into left overs for lunch the next day, or they'll be quick enough to fix for lunch. I replaced our buns so tonight is meatball subs for Family Night! Chad is looking forward to Saturday's Big Fat Bacon Burgers. Although they are new recipes, he likes anything that is wrapped in bacon!


Tonight is family night and it's my night to choose!!!! I gave them a little homework earlier in the week, and upon my snooping, it looks like they did it! Yeah!






With Chad's help,
I recreated his spaghetti.

Grilled pork chops and made-from-
scratch mac and cheese.



Thank you for continuing to support this little bit of crazy each day! Visit my blog each Thursday to see how My Happiness Project is going! Here's the plan by month so far:

• August--being organized
• September--eating healthier
• October--having energy
• November--being thankful
• December--focusing on family and friends
• January--focusing on marriage
• February--focusing on parenting
• March--being creative
• April--being helpful
• May--working smarter
• June--being adventurous
• July--loving Jaimee

Family Night: Halloween

We had so much fun last night during family night. Thanks to Shawn and Amanda for joining us in Halloween Shopping! The Rangers kept us on pins and needles too, and all I have to say about that is, like Aggies, Rangers never lose although they may run out of time.


Have you been to a Halloween store lately? Darling Daughter and I both would like to know why Halloween is turning into "sexy ____" dress up day. I don't even think it's so much sexy as trashy. IN THE TEEN SECTION no less there were sexy fairies and sexy lady bugs and on and on.

I love that Darby takes after her daddy and, the scarier her costume is, the better. We still laugh about her going to a party a couple of years ago where the teens were going to go trick-or-treating. When I dropped the Darbster off in her half lizard, half monster costume, she was surrounded by boys and girls in similar costumes save one or two wearing high heals and such. Darby was ticked that they only got to go to two or three houses before those not wearing sensable shoes were too tired to continue. I think that sealed the deal for her...no sexy lizard monster for her!





















Another thing we noticed this year is that the pickings are pretty slim at the Spirit store. They seemed to have spent too much on the crazy merry-go-round with possessed babies to have purchased enough stock to be interesting. They had some pretty scary stuff though...it just cost too much! I am off in search of a yellow hoodie sweatshirt, some yellow face paint and a pair of denim overalls...I want to be a Minion and carry Dave around with me! Wish me luck!

Family Night--Darling Daughter's Choice...or WAS IT?

Shout out to Plano's Jasper High School administration for having "NOT Due Fridays." This thinly veiled admission that football games, which are on Thursday nights, are religion in Texas, is the perfect excuse for me to force our little gang of three to spend time with each other. I LOVE IT! Let's see, we've done ice cream, love notes, dinner and DVD, and now, Chili and Dollar Movie, which is really $1.50 after 6 p.m. IT'S A SCAM I TELL YOU...A SCAM!

Crockpot Turkey Chili was awesome and way easy. We threw it over cheese and Fritos to make it funner (YES, I am aware it's "more fun." I am quoting a teen). Here's the recipe: brown 2 pounds of ground turkey in olive oil. Drain and place the turkey in the crockpot with two cans of tomato sauce (not paste), 2 cans of mild enchilada sauce, , chili powder and a packet of McCormick's Chili seasoning. Easy peasy and yummy in the tummy!

Now a family of three can easily spend $100 going to the movies at the cinema. That's why we usually RedBox it for $1. However, Super 8 was on at the dollar theater and we thought its cinematography would be best admired on the big screen. Not really! Darby couldn't think of what to do again so Daddy Dearest suggested she see what was playing. Then she checked out the rotten tomatoes reviews. They texted me at work to let me know it was on and had pretty good reviews. I was in!

"Pretty good" and "Not bad" are puny ways to describe Super 8. I sat there the whole time just marveling at how J.J. Abrams had re-incarnated the beloved movies of my youth like Goonies, Stand By Me, and E.T. It was age appropriately sorta scary, and it never once lagged in story line, even with a little love story thrown in.

IMDB's synopsis: After witnessing a mysterious train crash, a group of friends in the summer of 1979 begin noticing strange happenings going around in their small town, and begin to investigate into the creepy phenomenon.

Tell me that is not a face every
mother would love! PHOTO SOURCE

Let me say, Joel Courtney as Joe Lamb, our hero, was what every mother of a teen aged daughter hopes she brings home to meet the parents so she can date him. I absolutely fell in love with his character and would adopt him in a heart beat! His rag tag gang of buddies had the requisite "Fat Kid", "Goof Ball", "Pyro/Bad Boy", "Dunce", and "Nerd". Those boys could hang out at our house any day. And look out Dakota, little sister Elle Fanning is going to give you a run for your money as a little starling! Joe's love interest Alice delivers heart tearing lines in the main movie as well as in the fake zombie movie the kids are making (BTW...stay for the credits to see their final product...it's HYSTERICAL!)

I am sure Super 8 gets its PG13 rating for the multiple stoner references and the jumping violence and spooky kidnap scenes. However, this is good campy fun scariness. It was a little tough to watch in places because little Joe's mother had been tragically killed in the beginning of the movie, and he and his dad were openly heartbroken. That kinda dug at some personal wounds but did not detract from my falling in love with the movie.

The funniest line of the movie is after the stoner store clerk who's driving the kids around town to save the day passes out from smoking too much pot, and Joe has to take the wheel but drives everyone into the war zone town. Bombs are going off, soldiers are running around shooting at what I am not sure, and tanks are shooting rounds at the kids. They can't get stoner to wake up and get out of the car. It's very intense. Martin says, "Drugs are bad!" We laughed so loud. Yes, they are, little one!

I think the best line of the movie was when Joe is grabbed by the creature. OH NO! Don't eat him! Joe screams at the alien, "We understand! Bad things happen...bad things happen...but you can still live." That really hit home. Bad things do happen. We survive them so that we can continue to live. I love that Family Night is quickly becoming a way for us as a family to keep living.

The Family We Choose

Sosie
 Last Weekend

If you are blessed, God provides you a family that you are born to. This family loves you, raises you, and teaches you how to be the person you become. If you are super blessed, God places people in your path who become your family without a shared blood connection. This family also loves you, grows with you, and shows you how to be the person you become.

Jaimee and Sarah that fateful birthday.

More than ten years ago, God placed a woman in my life who taught me this is the best kind of family...MySarah. We worked with one another at SuperPages and had friends in common. I think we truly became attached to one another when Sarah insisted, because my beau at the time had dumped me on my birthday, she would throw me a proper birthday celebration. I was blown away by her selfless joy and latched onto her as my soul sister. We soon became like peanut butter and jelly, not one without the other.

Sarah on her first trip to Texarkana
Daddy, Gayla and I took her to Milwood Lake in AR
and showed her her first live alligator.

I also soon discovered how MySarah's heart had grown so big when she introduced me to her first family. Her AuntBecky and UncleWendall became my AuntBecky and UncleWendall. Her sisters became my sisters. And in turn, I shared MyGayla and MyParents with Sar. Over the years we have grown our families ten fold.


In March, when we all lost Gayla, Sarah was the first person I called. Before I could dial her number though, I stood behind my parent's home and lost my dinner in anxiety of making this call. I knew I wasn't the only one who had lost our sweet sister, and didn't want to tell anyone because that would make it real. I still regret that I had to break Sarah's loving heart over the telephone and will never be able to take that back. In true Sarah generosity, she continues to tell me that there was no way around it.


Sarah and I became like a solid mountain together. She held me up when I couldn't stand, and I propped her up when she wanted to crumble. We melted into one another when neither of us gave a hoot. Although she is not my only hero, I can honestly say I would not have survived without her these last few months. Within hours we were working as a team to take care of the business of death. Within days her family was with me and mine taking care of needs we didn't even know we had. Without saying as much, Sarah and I had an agreement that if the phone rang or the text sounded, we took that call immediately no matter the time of day. Even today, MySarah never seems to tire of my weakness. She continues to tell me all the things I need to hear and support me when I cannot stand. I often wonder what I did right to deserve such an amazing woman in my life.

Rebekah Irene Gray
Beloved Sister
1980-2011

True to Sarah form, last night when she informed me about her younger sister Becky's passing, Sarah was concerned more about my hurt than her own. I will never understand the capacity of her heart but only sit in amazement and wonder forever. True to Jaimee form, I immediately started planning out what my family and I will do to help our dear Sarah and her family through this horrific time. I pray I am even half the woman Sarah is so that she knows how she has helped me to grow. I also beg God to make me the friend and sister that Sarah deserves.


Rest in Sweet Peace, Rebekah Irene Gray. You are loved and missed.


"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18(NIV)

Family Night--Movie and Hot Dogs

Thursdays are family nights because Darling Daughter's school has deemed Fridays as Nothing Due Fridays. In the beginning, we were all gung ho about doing things big and special on Thursdays. Now we tend to just relax and be lazy together...I am okay with that since we are still together. We made it simple dinner night too with off the grill hot dogs with chili and cheese.


However, yesterday was a pretty rough day for me so I tried to cheer myself with window shopping. I ended up renting a couple of Red Box movies instead. I say the dog Snowy in The Adventures of Tin Tin make that movie a fun family adventure...two thumbs up! Everyone should own this one (see the link below to help me with my Amazon addiction). Also as much as I love me some Justin, the movie In Time was "meh!" in the words of Darling Daughter, and I have to agree even if I don't know what it means. It was worth a $1 rental, though I wouldn't pay any more than that or the $3.99 digital download from Amazon if you want to save time and gas money of having to remember to return it (DANG IT! I FORGOT TO GRAB THEM THIS MORNING!).


I still whole-heartedly recommend Super 8 as a family adventure that you talk about for a long time. I need to own that one come to think of it (Read my review!) Don't mistake it for the uber gory 8mm with Robin Williams as a serial killer (eek!)--not family friendly or kiddie appropriate (notice no link...). Y'all have a good weekend!

That's Some Cough Syrup with a Kick!




PHOTO SOURCE

Not happy about too much last night, including that there was no family night, I was ready for sleep when my head hit the pillow. Doc Hardline gave me some codeine laced cough syrup earlier in the week to help me sleep through the coughing fits that sound like they are going to strangle me. Wow! I now know how people get addicted to this crap! It has a kick...luckily, I don't like not being in control so I am safe from ever getting so pulled into it that I call it "my precious" other other crazy pet names for vices.

Nevertheless, getting pulled into a deep sleep and held there by the sickly sweet concoction was probably the best night of rest I have had in months. Not because it was restful and refreshing because I feel like there are weights tied to each of my hands and feet this morning. It was my best night of sleep because I finally dreamed of MyGayla. In fact, I spent the whole night with her hanging out like we used to and then creating a made-up mystery for us to solve like crime fighters, a game we played as children re-enacting shows we had watched on TV.

Always the ones to point out the obvious, Sister and I discussed that this was a dream and she was actually gone in real life. After tears on both our parts, we decided together to just take the time we were given in my mind and run with it. We found the criminal, saved the day and had time for making dinner together.

On an interesting note, in my dream, we lived in a high-rise apartment, number 752. I looked up the meanings of the numbers...very intriguing! The number seven "always indicates Spiritual Enlightenment. Our Spiritual Center is our 7th Chakra." The number five is a "male number indicating sensuality, the five senses, Karma (literally learning your lessons through the five senses)." Finally, the number two is "a female number indicating balance, sharing, give and take, two way communication." I have goose bumps thinking about how the mind is a most interesting place to hang out. Don't misunderstand, I am not the hippy-hippy chick with the karma candles and incense with crystals. I just thought if a number on our apartment stuck in my mind, then it must be at least entertaining to find out what those numbers stand for.

Write on Wednesdays: Nine Ladies Dancing

It's been a month, but I am back Gill! INKPAPERPEN gives us an awesome prompt for this week! I am a little shocked at what came out when I started writing. I pray my mother and father will forgive me.

Write On Wednesdays Exercise 27 - Mel suggested that we look at the "12 Days of Christmas" poem/song and select one of the days/lines for our writing inspiration. So, whether a Partridge in a Pear Tree or Five Golden Rings, write your line at the top of your page, set your timer for 5 minutes and write the first words that come into your head.

"Nine Ladies Dancing" refers to the nine beatitudes

Matthew 5: 3-12--"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when [men] shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you."

I first learned of the beatitudes from a group of women at Northwest Bible Church. I had just moved to Dallas after graduation and a friend from Denton Bible Church had given my name to the ladies in hopes that I would be able to find a new church home in Dallas. They called me up on a Monday and left a voice mail that they were meeting on Tuesday and would I join them. The first lesson was the beatitudes. It's interesting that that group of young women numbered nine as well. 

This is one of the rare times in my life that still gives me chills to remember. That Monday night, I had given up and was contemplating letting my chronic depression win finally. I had made arrangements via letters to my family and even packed my belongings to make it easier to dispose of my life once it was over. However, the red blinking light of my answering machine caught my attention and brought me back from that non-returnable brink of disaster.

The young woman's voice still plays in my head even today, "Hi, Jaimee, this is Elizabeth. You don't know me, but I got your name from Amy at DBC. Jaimee, this is going to sound strange, but I have an almost panicked feeling that you need to call me back as soon as you hear this message. Please call me. Let's get together. We want you to join our young ladies studies. Please, please, please call me, Jaimee."

I hit my knees and cried like my soul needed to wash away my previous selfishness. After a few hours, I calmed enough to call Elizabeth back. We made plans for the next evening. I don't think I ever told her that she saved me from myself that night. I just say a prayer of thanks each night for a young woman who doesn't even know that she changed the world that night in 1997.

If you've ever thought of suicide, please reach out and ask for help. Life is too precious to give up before you get to see all the beautiful times. I am blessed that someone acted on the weight that He placed on their heart to reach out. I would have missed out on true love, being a mom, being a teacher, seeing my nephews be born, meeting and being a part of my group of friends, and helping my family survive this last year. There is so much that we don't see that is worth living for when depression tells us its ugly untruths. If you suffer, please get help.

In the U.S., call 1-800-273-8255

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Thursdays are Happiness Reports October--Having More Energy

October is about having more Energy! And how do I start this wonderful, exciting and energetic month? Well, friends, I go in with a bang and bronchitis or just a severe cold. Blah! I kept with my plan of researching the first week and wanted to share with you some of the interesting things that caught my eye. For the next week I am going to drink only water and sleep no fewer than 8 hours each night. I am going to start going to the gym but may not make it every day...that's for the next week. As for adding Zumba to my repetoir, the only day it is offered is Thursday nights (Family Night) or when I am supposed to be at work. Boo! Also yoga doesn't start till November. I am so far not digging my choices with the rec center. I will find a way though...anyone have a zumba video they can recommend? I already have pilates and yoga DVDs.

 

Interesting Have-More-Energy Tidbits:

• HYDRATE--Dr. Dave Grotto, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association in Chicago, told WEBMD that women who complain about always being tired are probably dehydrated. Have you had your 8 glasses today?
• GET NUTTY--Instead of snacking on carb-y foods, eat nuts that digest more slowly, says Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D on WEBMD.
• STAY ON A SCHEDULE--If you're sleeping in on the weekends, you're probably throwing your body's schedule a curve ball. It actually makes you feel more tired during the week and can make you feel draggy.
• GET EXCITED-- Funnily enough, having something you are looking forward to gives you energy. I totally see this when Friday rolls around and Hubby Dearest and Darling Daughter suddenly have all this energy to play, skate and fish.
• EMOTE--Trying to hold in or tamp down negative emotions depletes your energy. You need to give yourself permission to feel and then release, Dr. Christine Northrup told Parade Magazine Online.
• EAT, EAT, EAT, EAT, EAT, EAT--Almost every site out there says this is very important. We need to eat five or six small meals each day to keep our blood sugar levels pretty even. Spikes make you hyper; drops make you sluggy.
• 30 MINUTES EVERY DAY--Also a pretty common concept is activity. We need at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. That includes the weekends!
• SLEEP--I have heard it go back and forth so much that there is no telling what is the best method. I am going to go with at least 8 hours. Regardless, you have to sleep in order for your body to heal.

Thank you for continuing to support this little bit of crazy each day! Visit my blog each Thursday to see how My Happiness Project is going! Here's the plan by month so far:

 

• August--being organized
• September--eating healthier
• October--having energy
• November--being thankful
• December--focusing on family and friends
• January--focusing on marriage
• February--focusing on parenting
• March--being creative
• April--being helpful
• May--working smarter
• June--being adventurous
• July--loving Jaimee

Thursdays are Happiness Reports September--Eating Healthy CrockPot Cooking

I think this pic catures my feelings this week
perfectly! PHOTO SOURCE

Huh! Nothing like a crazy week of travel to throw off a project. Check out The Crock Pot Girls on FaceBook; they just started it on August 18, 2011, and already have 1,215,057 fans! They have a ton of easy crockpot recipes to make life a little bit easier.

Hubby Dearest is making chili for Family Night tonight in the crockpot and has a roast and porkchops on tap for sometime in the next week. We've reverted to ordering Pizza and driving through since this week has been sort of scattered all over Texas. Once again, having a plan is good but being flexible is the key to survival.

I have been down this week so it stands to reason that the happiness project took a detour. I am veering back on track and will hopefully have something better next week. I think we were supposed to focus on meals that freeze for the future. I think a few of the crock pot meals do just that. We really need to have a fish fry to clear out some space in our deep freeze, or I won't have room for future-meals.

On a special note, in preparation for next month's plan, I have joined our local Recreation Center. Gyms cost entirely too much for our family! One month of gym membership is the same price as a year at the rec center for me. Crazy!

Thank you for continuing to support this little bit of crazy each day! Visit my blog each Thursday to see how My Happiness Project is going! Here's the plan by month so far:

• August--being organized
• September--eating healthier
• October--having energy
• November--being thankful
• December--focusing on family and friends
• January--focusing on marriage
• February--focusing on parenting
• March--being creative
• April--being helpful
• May--working smarter
• June--being adventurous
• July--loving Jaimee

GUEST BLOGGER--S is for Solace

MyMama, OURGayla, Sister/Daughter-inLawDana,
JamesIII and me, March 2010

A few weeks ago, my beloved mother guest blogged "H is for Happy Home" to help me with the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. This is the second piece I told you that she wrote for me at that time. Is it possible to burst with love and pride? Each tear I shed while fixing this up for her, was filled with so much love and so much pride. Welcome back to "Aunt J-Me Says So"....my hero, MYMAMA:

When my beautiful talented daughter (that's me!) made the offer of guest blogging I looked at her list of available letters and jotted down "happiness", "home", "religion", and "William". What I write about each of these my beautiful talented daughter (that's me again!) knows she may edit change or ignore and no offense will be taken (I WOULD NEVER MESS WITH GREATNESS...okay, I'll stop now). I have complete trust that my beautiful talented ex-English teacher of a daughter (sorry, one more time...that's me!) knows the limits of my education and would not want me embarrassed by said limits (I KNOW NOT OF WHAT SHE WRITES).   So having covered "happiness" and "home", I have moved on to where my solace has come from. In times of grief, solace comes in many forms. I parted ways with organized religion many years ago. However, when we lost our oldest child a year ago, religion showed its purest and most saving grace to me. A group of people whose only connection to my husband and me was that our son and daughter-in-law were members of their church, opened their doors for our dear Gayla's memorial service. Dennis and Debbie are not just a minister and his wife. They are people who came into a stranger's home, tried to give comfort and, in so doing, renewed for me the belief in the goodness of people in general. On the day of that memorial service, my daughter-in-law's aunts served food to a flood of people who came for the BBQ that our daughter-in-law's parents had furnished. They felt our pain and our children's pain and gave the solace of their service. We will never be able to express to these ladies and the church's ladies group, who furnished desserts, how they personified the love of their fellow man to a heartbroken family. Will-I-Am and JamesIII, March 2012 The solace that is William has come over the course of the first year of his life. The night he was born was three days after his Aunt Gayla's death. I spent part of that evening trimming 100 photographs of Gayla to be stuck to her memorial programs. William's great aunts eventually helped me finish that project. His very pregnant mother had helped me write the obituary and order the photographs. The solace of having such a wonderful woman as a daughter-in-law should not be left out of this story. She and my beloved son have allowed us to keep William and his big brother JamesIII for a couple of days a week. JamesIII was born to unadulterated joy more than three years ago. Happiness followed him into this world, and the night he was born, my only tears were joyful tears. There is a movie of me grabbing my son and crying those tears of joy for all the world to see. Also, there, just at the edge of that movie, is his dear Aunt Gayla, watching in the crowd.  DarlingDaughter and HerMemaw March 2012 As much joy as came with William, there also came sorrow that his Aunt Gayla would not be there to see him born. Now at one year of age, William is the one that brings my husband's smile. He may become the family dare devil. He cannot be convinced that just because he CAN climb up on low furniture that he will not be immune from falling off said furniture.  Solace comes from my family. Our grandchildren range from one year old to fifteen years old. That is quite a spread, but where the two littlest give solace through their innocence of the pain, Darby was not spared that pain. Her solace comes in shared acceptance of what cannot be changed. She has seen me distressed and stepped a little closer to give her solace. She may not even be aware she does it, but I am.

Happy Halloween 2011!

Some thought we didn't dress
up last year...hmmm...what are
they trying to say???

When my parents were just starting out with our little family of five, they were like any other fledgling family financially. I often laugh with my husband that both of our favorite evening meals as children were when we had breakfast for dinner. Neither of us understood until we were in our parents' shoes that those favorite meals were the last ones right before pay day and grocery shopping, making do with what was in the kitchen. Some of my favorite memories are from that time when my Mama and Daddy used their ingenuity to provide for us with what they had. They taught us that happiness is not in the "things" you can get but in looking more closely at what you have. We were richly blessed with lots of love and wanted for nothing.

Our Vampire Old Lady

One of the things my parents did economically was dress us up for Halloween. I have seen 8 mm film with Sister and me wearing clown make up on our faces (probably Mama's make up used creatively) and our hair teased and ratted into the round clown hair. We are laughing and rolling around on the floor with new-born Bubba having the best time. The only down side that year was that our neighbor on the corner made cupcakes for trick-or-treaters, and we weren't allowed to eat them because there was a razor blade scare, which was the weirdest thing to me. Who was dumb enough to think razor blades were treats? Seemed like a dirty trick to me.

Darby's date last year wasn't
nearly as scary as she was!

Another memory I have is the first year Sister and I received our first vinyl dress and plastic mask costumes with the little nose and eye holes. I think they both were Barbies although I remember comparing the mask to my doll and thinking the little nose holes made her look more like Miss Piggy. We had grilled cheese sandwiches that night before our adventure out, and Gayla thought she would eat her dinner while wearing her mask. Mama or Daddy made her remove it at sometime in the meal and somehow our masks got mixed up. All I could focus on as we walked from door to door later on is, "Why does my mask smell like cheese?" Combine that with the design's structure making you create a sauna for your face, and I was never really keen on having masks again.

One of the only other Halloween's I remember is when we were all three in Elementary, and our school hosted a carnival set up throughout our classrooms. We purchased tickets to exchange for games that provided plastic trinkets or handfuls of candy to its participants. I spent all of my tickets walking around the numbered squares placed on the floor of Ms. Young's classroom in hopes of winning a cake for my Daddy. I won a huge German Chocolate confection on my first trip around and just thought that was the bees knees. I continued to play and walk each go around. After I won my second cake, I was politely asked to go find another game. I wasn't hurt because My Daddy bragged on me that night for winning him his favorite cake. In later years, I would try to win him more cake but never was triumphant.

She's talented!

Now that I am grown, I sit in amazement at Hubby Dearest's and Darling Daughter's obsession with this holiday. We probably have more Halloween decor than Christmas decor. They each have costumes that they embellish and improve on each year. Darby is even getting quite the reputation among friends and family for creative make up artistry. I keep thinking I will get into the spirit and start developing an alter ego of my own, but I have yet to catch the spooky bug. I guess I'll keep looking for a yellow hoodie sweatshirt and some overalls so I can be a Minion and carry my Dave Minion around with me.