Thursday, November 15, 2007

100-1=



99!!! Can you believe it?! My grandmother is 99 years old. I can only DREAM of living that long! I probably won't make it because of my lack of exercise, use of pesticides in our food, living in Provo, UT with the pollution of Geneva Steel, living in London and having black boogers--that can't be good, or living in Mexico City and all the pollution there. I think I need to do some research on what the cleanest city is and try to earn some years back on my life that I have lost.

If I were to learn from my grandmother what the keys to living to 99 are:
SALT. Seriously. She piles on the salt AND butter.
Don't eat out.
Do your floor exercises everyday.
Read the newspaper.
Keep your brain active.
Be selfless.
Be a hostess of the Southern kind (She is from Kentucky).
Laugh.

I am constantly amazed at her memory. She can recite poems and tell stories like she is 16.

She was an English teacher for years at Washington Lee High School and even taught Warren Beatty and Shirley Maclaine. Whenever she reads about them in the newspaper she just says, "Oh, Warren." She's almost famous.

We lived with her and my grandfather for about 1 1/2 years (before and after Mexico). She is an avid reader, and keeps up really well with current events, even though she has never used the internet and keeps all of her cool whip and country crock butter containers. One of my favorite questions that she asked us after reading the newspaper was, "What does "Dubya" mean?" After having a good laugh we told her that it was talking about George W. Bush.

What takes the cake? She still lives in her own house, and even took care of my grandfather until he passed away in May. She is COMPLETELY with it, minus some hearing. We love her, and my kids ADORE her (as she does them).

Friday, November 9, 2007

Fall Fun







S. played hooky from work so we could go to Cox Farm. We met up with my sister, Jeannie, Mom and some friends. It was about 80 degrees and this pregnant lady was not dressed for that! We had a fabulous time riding the slides, hayride, eating apples and drinking cider. It was pretty funny to see the kids running around yelling, "Bees!" when we were getting the cider.

Little Man's first time down one of the many slides was a little crazy, so he was apprehensive for the next couple and had to go with S. He got over it soon enough and was his usual dare-devil self. Love these moments. Why can't we play hooky everyday?

Friday, November 2, 2007

All Hallows Eve





I am a preteen trapped in a 30 year old's body. S. and I still have that 10 year-old mind-set that the one with the most candy wins. It's quite funny, because I can honestly say our kids haven't had one ounce of their trick or treating candy since All Hallows Eve (I have only had some of our leftovers). But the sheer joy of getting free candy makes my heart palpitate and my blood-sugar level rise. I think the baby in my belly even did a little dance as we walked around the neighborhoods.

The kids had a great time getting the treats, but not appreciating the few tricks they experienced. We went around our neighborhood for a little while and then headed to Gma and Gpa Mud's house for some hearty soup, homemade rolls and Hocus Pocus (well, the kids didn't watch it, they just went trick or treating some more). One of the Mud's neighbors dresses up every Halloween like someone who died that year and acts like them. It is always entertaining. Last year he was the Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin (moment of silence) and this year it was Robert Goulet. The man even sang us "If Ever I Would Leave You." Boo didn't want any candy from him afterwards--I don't know if it was his white zombie face or his singing.

At least next year the baby will let me pick out his/her costume! So much for me deciding what my kids are going to be. Apparently the kids had a theme this year--red. Boo is Gabriella from High School Musical (but she is nothing like the actress in real life--scandal), and Little Man is of course his favorite character, Elmo. He talked for weeks about how he was going to be Elmo.