How to squish your Aunt & swipe a cell phone from your Uncle

 

If you are on the floor then it is dog pile time!

 

 

If I pull on these strings really hard what happens?

 



Foot to the throat

 

 

Rolling over does not save you

 

Oooohhh!  you have sparkles on your bottom!!

Wow that is cool

Can I see it?

 



I won't slobber on it.  Promise!

 

I will bring it right back

 

Now who should I call?

 



West Tulsa

Other small little snips of childhood memories.

Here are a few from when we lived in West Tulsa in government housing apartments.

My little sister won a dollar bill.  I don't remember what it was she did to win the money.  I do know that it was a huge thing to her to win that much money.  My mom took it and bought a gallon of milk.  It broke Lisa's little heart but she shared the milk with us.

I got caught playing doctor in a closet with a little boy.  (Insert wicked smile here)  I was only 5 years old at the most.  So it wasn't like we were having too much fun.

My big brother learned how to sneak out of the house at the of 6.  Yes, 6 years old and he was sneaking out his bedroom window after being put to bed.  He set such a good example and taught me how to do this also.  I would have been 5.  We were both excellent examples and taught our little sister this trick too.  She would have been 3 years old.  Did I mention that my brother's bedroom window was on the second story?  Yep.  We climbed out the second story window.  There was NO way we were gonna stay inside and go to bed when mom put us to bed at 8:00.  It was still light outside and there was still lots of playing to do. 

I remember my mom had a date come over to our house one night.  He had dinner with us and stayed and watched tv.  We did not sneak out the window that night.  We did sneak downstairs and giggle at our mom sitting on the couch with him.  I don't remember if they were kissing or not.

A tornado came through late one summer evening.  Mom hid us kids in the closet under the stairs.  I remember her opening the windows in the apartment.  I couldn't understand why she was opening the windows when it was raining.  Once I got a little older I remember the weatherman telling people to open windows to equalize the pressure in the house.  It was a very powerful storm with lots of lightening and very noisy winds.  Once the storm passed mom let us go outside.  There was damage to some of the other Apt buildings but ours was not damaged.  I remember being fascinated by the green tint to the air outside, that the air was completely still after blowing so hard just minutes before and it also had a metallic taste to it.  I have read that can be caused from lots of lightening. 

I remember riding in my mom's car on interstate 244 going west.  There were 3 very large industrial structures that I though looked like hair dryers.  I always wondered why anyone would need hair dryers that large.  Don't judge me to harshly.  Remember I would have only been 4 or 5 years old. 


 

Little flashes

A little flash of memory from my childhood.

This one came from one of the times when we were all staying with Grams & Gramps.  I am not at all sure but I think I was about 5-6 years old in this memory.  I know Mom was not locked away in the mental hospital yet. I wish I was able to pin point the time frame better.  It just isn't that big of a memory.  It comes from just a few minutes late one night when I was supposed to be asleep. 
My brother, sister and myself all slept in the back bedroom.  It was not completely dark in the room because of bright moonlight shining in from the two bedroom windows.  I was almost asleep when a noise in the doorway caused me to look that direction.  There in the doorway stood a large dark object with several glowing white spots scattered all over IT.  IT moved only enough to make me realize that what ever stood there was alive and real.  I remember being terrified.  What was IT doing there?  Was IT going to "get" me or my brother or little sister?  What did IT want?  What if IT realized that I was awake and that would cause IT to come "get" me first?  As I kept watching the white spots seemed to float slowly from one side of the door frame to the other.  I was terrified.  I tried to hold as still as possible, barely daring to breathe.  My poor little heart hurt from beating so fiercely.  What should I do?  Should I just keep still?  I think I must have made a noise as my fear continued to build and build.  It was at that moment IT stepped away from the doorway and came towards the bed.  I didn't think my heart could beat any faster or hurt worse but it seemed to double its rapid beat.  Another step closer IT came.  The white spots floating closer and closer to me.  It was all I could do to keep breathing and I don't know if I would have been able to run or if I would have just held still and let IT get me.  Luckily as IT continued to come closer and closer to me IT finally stepped in to a pool of moonlight and I was able to see IT. 
IT was my mother.  Standing in the doorway watching her children sleep.  I guess when she heard me making noises she moved closer to check on me.  She was wearing a blue pant suit that had white velveteen patterns sewn all over the shirt.  There had been just enough light to reach the doorway that had caused the white areas on her shirt to glow.  My poor little girl's mind had made a monster of those glowing spots. 
I don't remember anything past the realization that IT was only my Mother.  I don't know if she soothed me or if once I realized there was no danger I was able to calm myself.  I guess it is the horrible fear that I felt that made this small moment memorable. 
There are other little memories.  I will try to write more of them down soon. 

Dreaming

Dreaming about spring.  Dreaming about gardens, and about fruit trees.  Dreaming about chicken coups and chickens and about having enough outside space. Dreaming about a simpler life where I am worn out from growing food and keeping my home together instead of dealing with the stress of the dark, ugly, or sad choices strangers make.  Dreaming about not having to wake up at 5am unless it is to sooth a baby grandchild.  Dreaming of a day when I don't have to worry about what to wear other than to consider the outside temp.  Dreaming about the day I no longer have to talk to creepy sex offenders.  Dreaming about spending weeks pouring through seed catalogs and trying to find the best tomatoes that will grow in my yard.  Or the best squash, garlic, peas, peppers, beans, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, potatoes, or herbs.  The many types of flowers that I could grow to sooth my soul and encourage bees to come visit my garden. 
Dreaming about not ever, ever, ever having to read another report where a child has been injured or killed.  About never seeing another photo of a person that has fallen to the very end of their road and taken their life.  About never having to find the words to explain to loved ones how to get copies of these types of reports.  About never having to listen to the absolute heart break of a stranger that now faces the choices made by their family members or loved ones.  Dreaming about the day I no longer have to speak to a person that is so angry at the world that the hate seeps from their skin like sweat.  Or to the person that is just simply frustrated from one thing after another that has knocked them down but expects me to smile while they talk to me like shit.  Dreaming of the day I no longer have to answer a telephone unless I recognize the number as belonging to friends or family.  I can't wait for the day I no longer have to put up with the "holier than you" people that think I am not worthy of their regard since I am JUST A PUBLIC SERVANT.  Because we all know that if I was good for anything I would have a much more prestigious occupation.  Beside since they pay my "salary" they can expect special treatment. 
Winter better not last much longer!  I am in pretty desperate need of a positive recharge.  If the cold wind, snow and single digit temps last much longer I might have even more difficulties in stopping long ranting rambles about things that I cannot change. 
Warm air, soft winds, green leaves and flowers blooming would help.  I need a long walk where all I see is God's creations.  It would be nice if some friends or family are along to share the enjoyment with.  I think I need a LONG vacation in a warm spot that has more plants than people.  Then maybe once I have been recharged I could face going back to the job that I have to keep going to so that the bills can be paid. 
Can you tell I get a little bummed out over the winter? 

No words

 I am all out of creative thoughts, words, feelings...... 
Ya know
 All that kind of stuff. 
So here are a few pictures from the last month or so.

 

 

 

Mid January already?

I am beginning to wonder if we are all going to be sick until spring.  I am not sure if we are just sharing back and forth or if it something new that keeps finding it's way in to our house.  I know I am tired of snotty noses and it just hurts to cough.  Little guy was well enough to get his shots this past week.  Poor little man has bruises on his legs where the needles poked him and he is a bit fussy.  But nothing so horrible that it has ruined his appetite.  That boy can eat!  Doc says he is 30 inches tall which is in the normal range for his age.  No surprise that he is about 5 lbs heavier than the normal range.  I didn't need that info to confirm that he is heavy.  My arms and back already know that. 

Almost 13 months old now. 

 

I am fighting to stay motivated.  I can't seem to keep any momentum to get anything beyond the basic things done.  I need to review everything in my house.  Get rid of things no longer needed. Do a real clean in every room instead of the quick clean that I have been getting by with.  Once upon a time I could spend one day and my house would be pretty clean.  Now I do good to get a few loads of laundry done and the trash taken out.  I have had so many demands for my attention, stress from work, and problems with my own health that I have fallen in a funk.  It is past time to pull myself up, straighten my panties out and get back to "normal".  I need to stay busy for the next few weeks anyway.  Busy hands help distract me from a sad heart.  We had to put our German Shepard down.  She had developed cataracts and her hips were causing her so much pain.  It is still so hard to make that decision and say goodbye to her.  She was a sweet friend.  The vet was very kind and said that we were making the right decision.  She has been my shadow for 11 years and it will take awhile to get used to her absence.  I will be cleaning up her hair in my house for a long time yet.  I swear she shed enough hair to make a puppy each week. 

Good bye sweet friend

 

 

 

 

How to fix & test the new ride

The new ride-on toy is getting some use. 

 

Here is how to maintain a riding toy.

 (According to Alex the expert mechanic-to-be)

 

If you find yourself having problems maintaining the wheels there is special way to handle that issue.  Simply use your teeth and chew on them.  (I believe he might be working on more teeth, 12 are not enough..... apparently.) 

Mainly it gets turned on its end or side and explored.  Then if there is time a quick tour of all the buttons and noise makers on the dash.  Then maybe a few fancy riding tricks.  I don't think he has figured out why I move all the toys off the floor around him when he is trying out his tricks yet.  I feel I should let him try the tricks but I don't want him to land on any of the hard edges of the toys.....

I wasn't sure if I should move the wagon or if it was what was holding him up?  He also put his hands in the air but I missed that picture when I put my camera down to move the blocks on the floor away.  He did end up falling when the whole thing fell over on it's side.  He landed on the carpet flat on his back.  He didn't cry but he did make his "I am not happy sound".  I looked at him and said "Did you go boom?".  He just grunted, got up and went back to playing.  I am just glad he fell away from the furniture.  I know we will not always be that lucky! 

So...... how do you like the shirt and sock look? 
He was wiggling so much I didn't bother putting his pants back on after the last diaper change. 
I kinda like the socks without pants look. 
It shows off his cute chubby little legs.
Not that they are near as chubby as they used to be. 
He is losing his baby fat rolls quickly. 
Before we all blink he will be driving and whistling at girls.  *sigh*