Lydia Time

Lydia fed the ducks.

She would toss a piece of bread and say,
"Here you go ducks! Here's some bread for you!"


Old Goosey Lucy and Lydia stood eye to eye.



This is a Chuck, a cross between a chicken and a duck.
Kidding! I made that up, but he did look part chicken with the red on his head. He was a little intimidating because he was hissing instead of quacking.
Poor Chuck, he was really ugly!

Lydia had a great idea: "Let's go to McDonalds!"

She ordered a Happy Meal with chicken nuggets, french fries and chocolate milk. When I asked her if I could have a french fry she said, "No, not one!"

Lydia noticed the spots of tar on my car and said,

"Grandma, I love the polk-a-dots on your car. They look really good! When the rain washes them off, you can put some more on!"

Lydia was explaining the grandparent situation to me.

"There is Grammy, you're not Grammy, you're Grand-MA.

Then there is Grandpa."

I asked, "How do you know if you're talking about Grandpa Barber or Grandpa Cruze?"

Lydia: "Grandpa is Grandpa, but we can call Bacca whatever we want."

And by the way, pink is her favorite color!

Fun in the Sun

The yard looked soooo good after I raked the leaves!

The streak of sunshine caught my attention,

So I got my camera...

Stepped into it...

And had a lot of fun!

Katie's Challenge

No sugar: Desserts and candy
October 24th - December 15, 2009

The addicts: Katie, Kay, Rachel, Mandy, Katina and Suzi

My sugarless life:

1. After committing to no sugar I am filled with thoughts of temporary insanity. Thoughts of cheating fill my mind. The only thing that keeps me going is not to be the first addict to cave and my determination to win the $25 prize!

2. All my chocolate stashes flashed before my eyes.
E-v-e-r-y-o-n-e of them!

3. Utter panic and the cold sweats kick in when I think about being stash free.

4. The first real challenge: The chocolate birthday cake I made screams, “Eat a piece!” But I didn’t have one piece, not one bite, not one crumb!

5. I bought Halloween candy marked 50% off and laid it on the kitchen table and stared at it all afternoon. Addiction is tough.

6. The sneaks and emotional eating set in. After spending 2 hours with twelve 11 year old girls the stress relieving Hershey Kisses are all I can think about. I circled the candy dish a couple of times telling myself, “I could eat just one and no one would know.” But, I didn't!

7. Wandering aimlessly around the kitchen, looking in Oinky, opening the pantry door looking at the Oreo’s and chocolate covered grahams – is there anything, something that is sweet that would qualify as a sugar free snack. Nada.

8. Hormone levels cause the worse kind of sweets craving there is. Chips, crackers, popcorn…nothing helps. It was a bad junk food day…

9. Consoling one of the other competitors with words of encouragement, “If this is stressing you out, just quit. Maybe one snack a day would be better.” After feeling her pain for a few minutes I finally offered the right support and encouraged her not to give in. STAY STRONG! You can do it! She reminds me several times she is not a quitter.

10. I’m hoping the worse is over when grapes give me the same satisfaction as eating a piece of chocolate. When eating a banana or apple is as exciting as a piece of cake, but I’m still working on the veggies, their not the same as a cookie…yet!

I am enjoying the impressed look of the scoffers and skeptic’s who thought it couldn’t be done!

And oh, the sweet words of Shane saying, “Maybe I should stop eating sweets too…after I eat all the Chocolate Covered Grahams!”

A Toast Tutorial

Are you tired of toast that has crunchy edges?
Make perfect toast every time!

Grandma Clawson said, "I don't care how much butter you put on,
just make sure you get butter all the way to the edge."

Toast Tutorial

Ingredients:
Butter, softened
1-2 slices of bread

Toast your bread to the desired toastedness
(Yes, that is a word, I made it up.)

Using a butter knife, spread butter all the way to the edge.
Don't rush, take the time to butter ALL THE WAY TO THE EDGE.

Enjoy!
Grandma knew what she was talking about.

I'm going to make me a peice of toast right now!

Is there anything lovelier...

then
a
baby
sleeping?








or
a
duck
taking
a nap?

Hey, Guess What?

Jingle Bells

Jingle Bells...

Jingle all the way

It'll be here before you know it!

New York at Night

In the middle of a New York night I heard Cyrus crying.

Then I hear Wyatt shout, "No, I not go to Memaw!"

For a few seconds I thought about ignoring those sounds, but then I came to my senses and remembered I came to help Katie.

Flipping open my cell phone I was jolted by the 3:38 a.m. time I was looking at.

Rolling out of bed with my eyes sort of open, I climbed up the stairs, opened the basement door only to find all the lights on. I instantly thought, "This can't be good."

Hearing noises in the kitchen I sleep shuffled in there finding Wyatt eating bologna. He was way to awake for me! I quietly told him he could finish his Bologna, and thankfully in three bites he was finished and we were on our way to bed.

He snuggled right in and was sleeping soundly within minutes.

I listened to his breathing and enjoyed the moment until...

• I woke up with his feet in my back
• Him lying sideways in bed
• His arms on my head
• His face in my face, Bologna breath and all

Feeling crowded in my bed, I was awake at 7:00 a.m.

Wyatt slept soundly until almost 8:30 a.m.