Fun But No Sun

Since when has a little rain kept a child from swimming? It was only a few sprinkles but the kids had fun without the sun. Jude, Baylee and Sophia had their friend Kristen over to swim, too. Kristen's mom Jean is also a good friend of Allison's. We three adults preferred to watch instead of venturing into water that had cooled by the rain. Kids just have no fear. They jump in and know they are going to have a good time. Allison made hot dogs and brownies and everyone was happy. What fun!

The Joys of Marriage

Are you or your spouse a backseat driver? The backseat driver is the one who makes you wonder how you got from Point A to Point B while driving alone. No one is there to monitor your speed, warn of approaching vehicles, or tell you which way to turn on a road you have traveled a hundred times.

I admit I used to be a backseat driver. When Chezzy came to the USA from Brazil he brought the Brazilian driving skills with him. I feared for my life and said so. I actually witnessed a car driving upon the sidewalk to miss a traffic light when I visited Brazil. Another common hazard was laying on the horn to let everyone know you were barreling through with no plans to tap the brakes. Chezzy didn't do those things, but he did speed and tailgate. He thought having two feet between him and the car in front of him was plenty of room to stop if he had to. I loved the man to pieces, but his driving made me prematurely gray.

Then along comes Robin. He's carefree, laid back, drives the speed limit and is never in a hurry. I stopped being a backseat driver and was able to enjoy the scenery. But somewhere along the way, Robin decided to be an aggressive driver and I find it hard to keep my mouth shut. But I usually do keep my mouth shut and refrain from being a backseat driver. The tiniest gasp from me would not be taken kindly anyway.

Oh, but things change when I am behind the wheel. Suddenly, I don't know where I am unless he points the way. I'm blind to oncoming traffic unless he tells me it's there. I'm going too slow or too fast, I'm not passing pokey-butt like I should, and I'm going to kill us all if I don't listen to him. OK, this is a little exaggerated, but you get my drift.

Recently I followed Robin to a car repair shop so he could drop off his car. I drove him home....not perfectly, mind you, but we got there. I was trying to turn left at a busy intersection that had no traffic lights.

"Go, go, go! This guy is waving you through," Robin announced.

"Well, I didn't see him. I was looking at traffic in the other direction," I explained.

"You have to pull out when you have the chance. You're beginning to drive like a grandma."

"I was looking both ways. It just so happened that you looked one way while I was looking the other way."

"You should have pulled out. I must have been behind your cousin on the way over. She would slow down, then speed up when I tried to pass her. She was the self-proclaimed Road Monitor. She was going to determine who got in which lane and how fast they were allowed to go. She owned the road and tried to interfere with how other drivers drove. I finally sped up and .... oh, look to your right," Robin said. "I used to live in those apartments."

"I wish you still did," I replied.

He laughed at that and his mood changed. At the time, I didn't mean to be funny.

Happy Anniversary, Angela & Clayton!

These lovebirds are celebrating 13 years of wedded bliss. They have exciting plans for this anniversary and I can't wait to hear all about it. They will enjoy some special alone time, sans the three precious children this union produced.

Happy anniversary and continue to enjoy each other, love each other, adore each other.

Happy Birthday, Princess Juliet!

Juliet is four today! Her family has some fun activities planned for her. I would love to spend this day with our little girl. But it's only miles that separate us.
Juliet is all girl! She loves anything that has to do with a princess. As you can see from the picture, she makes into a beautiful princess herself. Her dress is a gift from Robin and me, along with the tiny tea set sitting on the table by her. Her Mom said Juliet woke her up this morning with pretend coffee, tea and muffins. That is too sweet.

There are many sides to Juliet. She can also have fun being a girl, minus all the princess trappings. She is so sweet and I enjoy how big she talks over the phone.

She is also a ballerina and knows many of the dance steps. How well rounded to be a typical little girl exploring the world, a princess dressed for tea, or fluttering like a butterfly on the stage. She's our girl and we love her dearly!

Happy Sweet 16, Camryn!

And what a beautiful, charming, fun and sweet 16 she is! Enjoy this milestone with your family and friends. The chocolate ice cream is made and on its way. I love you, Camryn!!! You are an absolute delight!

'Nough Said

Our Date with Camryn

Our annual birthday date with Camryn was just as special this time as it's always been. She's a delightful young lady with a good head on her shoulders. She's always a joy to be with.Camryn had fun trying on clothes at a trendy teen store. She chose three beautiful tops, one that can be used as a bikini cover-up. Of course Memaw thinks she looks good in anything.

I try to do a little something extra for the birthday girl who is turning sweet 16. I gave Camryn a makeup bag with nail polishes in funky colors, lip gloss, mascara, and chocolates. A girl's gotta have chocolate.

We ended our shopping spree at Chili's where the three of us enjoyed an early dinner together. Camryn asked that we not broadcast her birthday so as to spare her any embarrassments. It was hard to refrain, but we went along with her wishes.

Stay tuned for the sweet 16 birthday blog on the 8th. Camryn is such a doll!