GiGi's View of the World

Visiting the "Low Country"

2007-10-15T09:03:00.000-07:00

I ventured out on my first trip since arriving back in Georgia, after loss of my hubby. Each day does seem to get a little better and of course, Mick and Mack were my biggest reasons for getting up each morning. The little critters are absolutely a joy to be around. But then we have our moments and feeling the need to get away, I took off for South Carolina's low country, mainly Hilton Head, to visit with my sis and my brother who also came from Kansas. First time I ever remember the 3 of us being together without the folks. They were missed but we enjoyed re bonding after so many years of raising families and being without kids was really great. My first night there I checked into my hotel and left the next morning due the seeing "the bugs" in my room. And I don't mean flies, roaches or whatever but THE BUG! (the one that begins with "S") So if you leave a comment, please dont type that word where I can see it, lol. My sis and her hubby and I relaxed on their deck, ate supper outside and talked, it seems, like forever. That area is so damn dark at nite, reckon they dont believe in night lighting, that my sis turned out to be my chauffeur every day. (specially since I dont have a sense of direction) The next morning as I was checking into the Days Inn, my sis came to get me and my brother and his wife also showed up. We headed to their place, and planned the days menu, and everyone freaked out of the ball games. My sis screaming for Bama and my brother screaming for Kansas State. Bama won but Kansas didnt. Tough day at the ball game for my brother. Bobi had made a huge pot of spaghetti sauce so we had "sketti", garlic bread and key lime pie. Oh yum. We all sat on the deck til long after dark and enjoyed not being pestered by bugs. Guess the ocean breeze keeps them away. Rehashing the ole growing up tales was lots of fun for all 3 of us. Jim and Ruth didnt feel left out cuz they pitched in with their old stories too. I was planning on coming home on Sunday, but we were having such a good time I decided to stay til Monday. Sunday am my brother Pat cooked us a sumptuous breakfast of fried taters, bacon, eggs, and biscuits. OMG he is such a good cook and we all pigged out. Pat and Jim went to play golf only getting back right before dark but I think its because the cart girl kept them "entertained" with the cart wares. In case you all dont know what that is, its called "booze" lol. Bobi, Ruth and I went shopping which isnt my favorite thing in the world to do, but wanted to get something for the boys. Ruth enjoyed seeing all the shops as I dont know if she had been to Hilton Head before. That blew the rest of the afternoon, so we headed back to the house. When the guys got back, we grilled steaks, had a few toddies and stayed much longer than we should have. I believe the trip was good for us 3 kids, for once getting together without sadness being the cause. They were both there for me in July when I needed them, and this time we came together just cuz we could. The trip home wasnt bad at all and my new Saturn Vue really gets good gas mileage. You can bet we won't wait for a long time til we do this again.

Grandparents and Grandchildren...

2007-09-13T03:36:00.001-07:00

She was in the bathroom, putting on her makeup, under the watchful eyes of her young granddaughter as she'd done many times before. After she applied her lipstick and started to leave, the little one said, "But Gramma, you forgot to kiss the toilet paper good-bye!"

My young grandson called the other day to wish me Happy Birthday. He asked me how old I was, and I told him, "62." He was quiet for a moment, and then he asked, "Did you start at 1?"

After putting her grandchildren to bed, a grandmother changed into old slacks and a droopy blouse and proceeded to wash her hair. As she heard the children getting more and more rambunctious, her patience grew thin. Finally, she threw a towel around her head and stormed into their room, putting them back to bed with stern warnings. As sh e left the room, she heard the three-year-old say with a trembling voice, "Who was THAT?"

A grandmother was telling her little granddaughter what her own childhood was like: "We used to skate outside on a pond. I had a swing made from a tire; it hung from a tree in our front yard. We rode our pony. We picked wild raspberries in the woods." The little girl was wide-eyed, taking this all in. At last she said, "I sure wish I'd gotten to know you sooner!"

My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, "Grandma, do you know how you and God are alike?" I mentally polished my halo while I asked, "No, how are we alike?" "You're both old," he replied.

A little girl was diligently pounding away on her grandfather's word processor. She told him she was writing a story. "What's it about?" he asked. "I don't know," she replied. "I can't read."

I didn't know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet, so I decided to test her. I would point out something and ask what color it was. She would tell me and was always correct. It was fun for me, so I continued. At last she headed for the door, saying sagely, "Grandma, I think you should try to figure out some of these yourself!"

When my grandson Billy and I entered our vacation cabin, we kept the lights off until we were inside to keep from attracting pesky insects. Still, a few fireflies followed us in. Noticing them be fore I did, Billy whispered, "It's no use, Grandpa. The mosquitoes are coming after us with flashlights."

When my grandson asked me how old I was, I teasingly replied, "I'm not sure." "Look in your underwear, Grandpa," he advised. "mine says I'm four to six."

A second grader came home from school and said to her grandmother, "Grandma, guess what? We learned how to make babies today." Th e grandmother, more than a little surprised, tried to keep her cool. "That's interesting," she said, "how do you make babies?" "It's simple," replied the girl. "You just change 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'."

Children's Logic: "Give me a sentence about a public servant," said a teacher. The small boy wrote: "The fireman came down the ladder pregnant." The teacher took the lad aside to correct him. "Don't you know what pregnant means?" she asked. "Sure," said the young boy confidently. "It means carrying a child."

A nursery school teacher was delivering a station wagon full of kids home one day when a fire truck zoomed past. Sitting in the front seat of the truck was a Dalmatian dog. The children started discussing the dog's duties. "They use him to keep crowds back," said one child."No," said another, "he's just for good luck."A third child brought the argument to a close. "They use the dogs,"she said firmly, "to find the fire hydrants...

I received all these in an email.....wonder if I will get lucky enough one day to say my grandchild said.........

Tykes in motion!

2007-08-29T07:20:00.000-07:00

One set of squirmy arms and legs is easy but two sets is a wrestling match! Geez, this is exhausting......two to the high chair, two to change, two to bathe, two to rock, and best of all: TWO TO LOVE!!! The daily routine be damned with these little critters. They wake up with giggles, play for a while, then scream for food unless I beat them to it, which I try to do. After that it's more diaper changing, bottle making and nap time (if I am lucky, lol). Then more giggles, more playtime and resuming schedule again. But when they look up at you, arms outstretched, or squealing with new found fun and treasures they come across all over the living room floor then the whole schedule can be damned cuz they are so much fun to play with. They have the ability to push the past few weeks to the back of my mind so I now look forward to each morning once again. They both are on the verge of really crawling and then we will be on the run constantly. Here is Mick on the run, cuz Mack is chasing him and Pixie is chasing both of them with the camera. These two critters can move fast even when rolling around on the floor.

We have a huge living room, but let me tell you its wall to wall BABY........thank goodness the Pix is gonna participate in a yard sale and soon some of this will be gone. They have outgrown a bunch of stuff so we gotta make room for more. Ut oh, I am being paged from the nursery, seems the critters just woke up again......Til later!!!!!

ROLL TIDE!!!!!

2007-08-25T05:05:00.000-07:00

Hubby would have loved this one!

Four football fans go rock climbing one afternoon. An Alabama fan, an Auburn fan, a Tennessee fan, and a Mississippi State fan. They had been arguing all the way up the mountain about who among them was the most die hard fan. Upon reaching the top of the mountain, the Tennessee fan proclaimed to the other three "This is for the Volunteers!" and promptly threw himself off the mountain as a form of sacrifice, screaming "Rocky top" as he fell to his death.

Not to be outdone by the Tennessee fan, the Mississippi State fan jumped up and shouted "This is for the DAWGS" and threw himself off the mountain barking Woof..woof, woof, woof! As he crashed on the rocks below.

Refusing to be out done by the Tennessee and Mississippi State fans, the Alabama fan rose to his feet and yelled at the top of his lungs "This is for THE CRIMSON TIDE!" and without hesitation, pushed the Auburn fan off the mountain shouting---Fly War Eagle! Fly

Beginning a new chapter.....

2007-08-23T05:18:00.000-07:00

Today I am going to try to begin a new chapter to my life. I have been thru hard times but nothing will ever come close to this, I hope, regarding a terrible sense of loss. Fortunately both my parents are still alive even tho they are in their 80's. From this devastating loss have come some positives in my life. My son, whom I was separated from for several years (his choice, not mine) has come back home to Mama, not in the physical sense of living with me but in the realm of mother/son relationships. He is quite the man and really stood beside me and we found the wonderful friendship that we lost many years ago. Pixie came home to roost by herself and has turned into one special "mama" to her boys. My youngest son, has a new home and new found faith and friendship with his brother whom he has been missing terribly. I cannot bear to live in the home I had with my hubby, so my parents are moving south to be near our family, and moving into my house. Out of bad things, we learn there are good things to come. What the future holds, who knows, but I am taking it one day at a time and relishing every memory I can and hope to share those with my children. No one ever said life was easy but then again, no one ever told me it could be so bad. However, I am a survivor, and will continue to be the best mama I can and Gigi to my grandchildren so that they may have everlasting memories too.

One Window to My Life Has Closed Forever....

2007-07-25T07:21:00.000-07:00

I have been trying for days to understand how something like this can happen. It only happens to others, not to me, BUT it did! I lost my husband of 37 years on July 9, 2007. The details don't matter, only the terrible sense of loss I have experienced which has totally shocked me. He was 9 years older than me, but even that doesn't matter. What matters is how one gets past this, to form and shape a new future which is totally unknown. Security in life is so vital to everything we do, and now this security is gone so unexpectedly. He was a good man, a good father, and good husband. We had our moments just like all of you do. If there is one lesson that was driven home to me, it's dont take one moment with your spouse for granted. You may get angry, you may have a love/hate relationship but remember that you married them for some reason and you need to hug that reason close to your heart. I still have not gotten past the shock and fear of the unknown, but with my children's help, God willing I will get there. So to all my friends, even tho I haven't been online, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers, kind thoughts and best wishes you have extended. Pixie has gone home without me and it's been hard on her not to have my help with the babies but she will persevere. Hang in there honey, it will get better. I will be back after the fog on my window clears.

HMO's WHAT THE HELL....

2007-06-27T17:53:00.000-07:00

Without going into reasons, I would like to know how in the world HMO's became so prominent in deciding what is right, in our health care system, when the majority of them are nothing but overzealous money hungry dogs................

Yep.....I am talking about you Ali !

2007-06-27T17:13:00.000-07:00

If I had one wish to fulfill in my lifetime, it would be to fly to Nova Scotia to meet this gorgeous gal..... I met Ali 10 years ago and became almost instant friends. I would never have guessed I could meet someone on the internet that I could claim as family and as she says, I adopted her! That may be the case but if so, what a great addition to my family this wonderful lady has been. There are so many things she has done for me, and one of the best has been bringing my sense of humor back to the surface when I thought it had left me. They say laughter is good medicine, well this ole gal and Ali have shared many many moments of laughter. Coming out of a bad relationship, she helped me pull myself back up, gave me encouragement when I needed a job, and oh so much more that can't be put into words. Finding ways to talk without long distance seemed insurmountable, but on the internet we found a way. She knows my kids, my hubby, and likewise I have had the pleasure of watching her family grow up too. Her nutty hubby is a riot, and such fun to tease. She went thru the whole pregnancy being my sounding board about the Pixie, and never once said "I don't want to hear any more of this". She is one busy gal, what with the kids, her job and stuff she does, but always comes online no matter what to say hi, good morning, or goodnite going to bed. Other than being away on vacation when she can't get access to a PC, we have talked everyday for these past 10 yrs.

So with that said dear Ali, just know I love you and am damn glad I claimed you for my family!!

Oh ya! Are ya having lobster tonite you ole hussy, lmao.....

Return to Normal?

2007-06-25T03:46:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks have been very stressful for this household. We are lucky to get one good day and then one bad day, no rhyme or reason why! Tickled to have Mick and Mack here but who knew the amount of work, time, energy and sheer exhaustion involved. Today we have a new "normal" in that the Pixie has returned to work. I gave her pep talks, lots of love and left her a note last nite which I hope helped her smile this am. Told her to go get herself a Starbucks coffee, which she dearly loves, before work. After yesterday I do believe this am at work is gonna be a bonus for her. A little rest and peace and quiet away from the boys should do her wonders, "I hope"!!!!! A friend of mine was here last week so that gave me a break before Pixie returns to work. She took over alot of the care that I normally do and also did the late night feeding for the Pixie cuz she is truly a night owl. On top of that, she also took me out to eat at Longhorn Steakhouse, and oh my gosh, it was sooooo good and a real treat.

It's only 6:45 am and no human being should be up this early - UGH! - but reckon I will get used to it. Amazing what we grandparents do for our children, but then THAT is part of the joy of being grandparent, lol.

So Pixie, have a great day and hope your "bucks" started your day off well for ya!!! I love you.

Whew! No more Company

2007-06-10T10:10:00.001-07:00

It's been an endless 3 weeks of company. I loved seeing my boys, cuz haven't seen them since Oct. last year, due to helping the Pixie. The first weekend, my oldest son came down from Tenn. as he hadn't seen the boys yet but when he got here, he was ill. They didn't get to stay as long as they would have liked but it was a quality visit even under the circumstances. The next weekend, my youngest son and family came to see the boys. They stayed 3 days and we had great fun. I was thrilled to see my grandaughters too. When they went home, we got to keep the oldest girl for 2 weeks. Seal (her alias) is a doll but typical 12 yr old. She was a little goofy, but had a really good time, playing with the boys, going shopping and learning to make jewelry with her Aunt Pixie. Saturday, the Pixie, took Seal halfway home where she met her mother with double what she arrived with. We outfitted her with clothes, and all kinds of jewelry stuff to get her going back home. Ah, family is grand but when being used to the quiet, it wears on the nerves after a while. Hmmmm, but then why do I cry when they all leave, lol !!

Old Fashioned? Me? Yep!!!!

2007-05-28T13:19:00.000-07:00

Having been outta the baby business for many a year, progress has left me behind finally. Little did I know about all the new advances they have made for babies in products to lure parents in. Some good, some not so good. When they are fussy, great toys, gadgets and even something called "Gripe" water, lmao. I thought Pixie was nuts when she told me about it. But then what do I know, I am only Gigi ! However, kudos to whomever told her about it and bless them, they even sent us a bottle. Ok so score one for the new stuff. Then looking around for a plate that suctions onto the high chair tray that you put hot water in to keep dinner warm, cant be found in stores. Bless the internet for that. So score one for the web and the old fashioned. Then there is the "magic mat", score one for the new. Then you got your bouncy seats, playpens (smaller versions), cribs and old fashioned stuff and on the other hand you have high chairs (old and new) including the one we have thanks to friends that strap onto your regular dining chairs. So score one for the new there. However, I won't bore you with the rest of my comparisons as you probably already know most of them. This weekend the Pixie got some new ideas from her sister in law. I thought most were awesome but couple of them made me realize I AM old fashioned. One is a bottle you put their cereal or food in and leave them to suck it out instead of feeding and not seeing that ooey gooey mess all over them and everything in sight, lol. When you talk to them and they goo goo back at ya, with that big ooey gooey smile that just makes your heart expand with love. She asked me didn't I think they were neat and I told her guess I am just old fashioned but ya, guess they are. So I let her be the new generation and do her thing but I will continue to be old fashioned and feed with a spoon. Hell ya, I am old fashioned and DAMN PROUD OF IT, but I loves ya my pixie!!

Reason for my "funk"

2007-05-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

Our mornings, afternoons, evenings, and life is dominated by 2 baby boys and its exhausting. Then they smile at you and you forget how tired you are. But it goes beyond their smiles and the love and joy I have in my heart for them. There was never a moment to myself and it finally weighed on me to the point of almost total exhaustion. I could not show how I felt to the Pixie, cuz I knew she was as tired as I was, cept I am helluva lot older than she. Now I know why only the young should have babies. They are finally getting older, and with it comes a little more calm, and Mick is finally coming out of his constant crying and fussiness. Mack fortunately didnt get that bad, so it did give us a minute of respite. As thrilled as I have been to have them in my life, it finally got me down. Thank God, that parts over with.

I have several hobbies I have been wanting to pursue. I can sew while taking care of them but cant paint, and now that I can finally, I have to wait on my steady stick. I completely turned all care over to Pixie cuz she is going back to work in couple weeks, and then I will have them daytimes so no painting. Knowing that she is returning to work, she will miss them but will give her lots of one on one time with them beforehand.

My Weekend Surprise from Pixie!

2007-05-28T09:05:00.000-07:00

Been in a bit of a funk lately, but feeling back to normal once again so back to posting. Couple weeks ago, Pixie told me not to plan a thing cuz she had made plans for us. The day finally comes, still sitting here in my lounging gown cuz nothing going up and lightbulbs go off in my head cuz my friend from Fla. is not online.......BINGO....surprise solved. About 5 minutes later she runs to the door, after keeping me away from the window and in walks my friend Susie from Fla. Omg, I was excited and thrilled. She and I met about 9 yrs ago in a game room on the web and didnt talk to each other for about 2 yrs cuz I lost her somewhere in web outer space, lol. Went to another game room and one day saw the same name so asked her was she same one and she said yes. Well, we hooked up that day and havent lost touch since. Last March we finally got to meet in person after 8 yrs of chatting on the web. Pixie came home from Korea and I met her in Fla where she was attending some school thing, so we decided to see if Susie could meet us. Here we were having lunch on the bay.

When she came this year, knowing I love seafood, she brought a cooler full of fresh gulf shrimp that she picked up that morning on her way here. We had a great time, ate like fools, shared a few drinks, talked alot and laughed alot. Pixie took this when she arrived. She is a great friend and I dont plan to lose track of her again!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

2007-05-12T14:28:00.000-07:00

Could not resist posting this email I received today so for all you Moms out there, heres to all of us that survived, lol !!!! Oh ya....I am proud to be a "mean mom"!!

Mean Moms

Someday when my children are old enough to
understand the logic that motivates a parent, I will
tell them, as my Mean Mom told me: I loved you
enough . . . to ask where you were going, with whom,
and what time you would be home.

I loved you enough to be silent and let you
discover that your new best friend was a creep.

I loved you enough to stand over you for two hours
while you cleaned your room, a job that should have taken 15 minutes.

I loved you enough to let you see anger,
disappointment, and tears in my eyes. Children must
learn that their parents aren't perfect.

I loved you enough to let you assume the
responsibility for your actions even when the
penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart.

But most of all, I loved you enough . . . to say
NO when I knew you would hate me for it.

Those were the most difficult battles of all. I'm
glad I won them, because in the end, you won, too.
And someday when your children are old enough to
understand the logic that motivates parents, you will tell them.

Was your Mom mean? I know mine was. We had the
meanest mother in the whole world! While other kids
ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal, eggs, and toast.
When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches.
And you can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was
different from what other kids had, too.

Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all
times. You'd think we were convicts in a prison. She
had to know who our friends were, and what we were
doing with them. She insisted that if we said we
would be gone for an hour, we would be gone for an hour or less.

We were ashamed to admit it, but she had the nerve
to break the Child Labour Laws by making us work. We
had to wash the dishes, make the beds, learn to
cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry, empty the trash
and all sorts of cruel jobs. I think she would lie
awake at night thinking of more things for us to do.

She always insisted on us telling the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth. By the time
we were teenagers, she could read our minds and had
eyes in the back of her head. Then, life was really tough!

Mother wouldn't let our friends just honk the horn
when they drove up. They had to come up to the door
so she could meet them. While everyone else could
date when they were 12 or 13, we had to wait until we were 16.

Because of our mother, we missed out on lots of
things other kids experienced. None of us have ever
been caught shoplifting, vandalizing others'
property or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her fault.

Now that we have left home, we are all educated,
honest adults. We are doing our best to be mean
parents just like Mom was.

I think that is what's wrong with the world today.
It just doesn't have enough Mean Moms!

Author Unknown

Rotavirus

2007-04-24T16:55:00.001-07:00

Until 4 weeks ago, I never even knew this existed. My children had all the normal vaccinations, and when Pixie and I took Mick and Mack, I didnt realize things had changed soooo much! The last one they got was for "rotavirus" and she had to sign a form of some kind saying she understood it. Duh, can she read??? Hell ya, she aint un educated! Strangely enough, the following week my daughter in law in Ala, called me to say that our youngest grandaughter was in ER with "rotavirus". They kept her there for 9 hours, she received 3 IV bags of fluids and finally sent her home when they got her temp to break. Two days later she was back in ER again.
Seems this is a very dangerous virus and is becoming commonplace in all the ER's. Strangley enough, I then read in our local news from home that the ER's are full of children who have contracted this. After being treated, all clothing, bedding, toys and such have to be sterilized for a full week so as not to contract it again. Sure hope you all don't have to worry about this! Fortunately for us, our girl is well again and was able to celebrate her 5th birthday a week late.

Pet Peeves

2007-04-24T07:49:00.000-07:00

Everyone has one!! What's yours. I received an interesting website about pet peeves so decided to check it out and see which ones rate the highest. Seems that cell phone talkers and lousy drivers top the list so far. There is nothing worse than some idiot talking on the phone, not paying attention to their driving, going from fast to slow and back to fast again, sitting at a red light when it's green, not using their signals and double trouble when they eat while talking. It used to be folks putting on their make up but that dropped way down the list now. I absolutely detest cell phones in cars whether hand held or mounted, cuz they represent the same amount of distraction, lack of concentration. While I know many of you may disagree with me, I am not condemning your using them, but I wont while I drive. I prefer to "ARRIVE ALIVE"!!! And yes, Pixie absolutely rolls her eyes when I say don't talk on your cell and drive when I am in the car!!

Grandma s Are:

2007-04-19T09:29:00.000-07:00

Grandmas are moms with lots of frosting. ~Author Unknown

What a bargain grandchildren are! I give them my loose change, and they give me a million dollars' worth of pleasure. ~Gene Perret

Grandmothers are just "antique" little girls. ~Author Unknown

Perfect love sometimes does not come until the first grandchild. ~Welsh Proverb

A grandmother is a babysitter who watches the kids instead of the television. ~Author Unknown

Never have children, only grandchildren. ~Gore Vidal

Becoming a grandmother is wonderful. One moment you're just a mother. The next you are all-wise and prehistoric. ~Pam Brown

Grandchildren don't stay young forever, which is good because Grandaddies have only so many horsey rides in them. ~Gene Perret

Grandmother always made you feel she had been waiting to see just you all day and now the day was complete. ~ Marcy DeMaree

Grandmas never run out of hugs or cookies. ~Author unknown

Grandmothers hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our hearts forever. ~Author Unknown

If I had known how wonderful it would be to have grandchildren, I'd have had them first. ~Lois Wyse

My grandkids believe I'm the oldest thing in the world. And after two or three hours with them, I believe it, too. ~Gene Perret

If becoming a grandmother was only a matter of choice, I should advise every one of you straight away to become one. There is no fun for old people like it! ~Hannah Whithall Smith

It's such a grand thing to be a mother of a mother - that's why the world calls her grandmother. ~Author Unknown

Grandchildren are God's way of compensating us for growing old. ~Mary H. Waldrip

You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother. ~Proverb

An hour with your grandchildren can make you feel young again. Anything longer than that, and you start to age quickly. ~Gene Perret

The best baby-sitters, of course, are the baby's grandparents. You feel completely comfortable entrusting your baby to them for long periods, which is why most grandparents flee to Florida . ~Dave Barry

I wish I had the energy that my grandchildren have - if only for self-defense. ~Gene Perret

Grandmother-grandchild relationships are simple. Grandmas are short on criticism and long on love. ~Author Unknown

Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children. ~Alex Haley

Grandmother - a wonderful mother with lots of practice. ~Author Unknown

A grandparent is old on the outside but young on the inside. ~Author Unknown

One of the most powerful handclasps is that of a new grandbaby around the finger of a grandfather. ~Joy Hargrove

It's amazing how grandparents seem so young once you become one. ~Author Unknown

If your baby is "beautiful and perfect, never cries or fusses, sleeps on schedule and burps on demand, an angel all the time," you're the grandma. ~Teresa Bloomingdale

Grandparents are similar to a piece of string - handy to have
Around and easily wrapped around the fingers of their grandchildren. ~Author Unknown

What is it about grandparents that is so lovely? I'd like to say that grandparents are God's gifts to children. And if they can but see, hear and feel what these people have to give, they can mature at a faster rate. ~Bill Cosby

Grandchildren don't make a man feel old; it's the knowledge that he's married to a grandmother. ~G. Norman Collie

This was passed to me by a family member, and have to say I think it's all true!
"NUFF SAID"

No posting lately.....

2007-04-16T05:53:00.000-07:00

What the hey!!!!!!!!!! By the time I get a brilliant thought in my head, it is erased by long hours, irritated babies, cleaning, cooking, and playing on pc for relaxation. Now I have started making notes or drafts, so that hopefully I wont forget what I wanted to write about. I know, none of this is making sense to anyone but me so call me Gigi the blathering idiot til these precious critters calm down and life returns to normal. But then again what the hell is normal anymore. The world is screwed up, kids killing kids, family problems, topsy turvy weather, news so unpleasant we dont even watch anymore, crappy television and life so busy we cant even remember when we last turned around. I have even returned to reading once more cuz at least then I can lose myself in something I dont have to think about. This is a pleasure I thought I would never return to but sitting outside in the warm sunshine with a good book is complete relaxation (only since I cant fish here!). Reckon my window got a bit jaded lately but I see a sliver of sunshine slipping back in thru the cracks.

Sleeping babies!

2007-04-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

There is nothing sweeter than a baby after a bath or when they first wake up in the morning. It's 9am here, both boys sleeping here beside me in bouncy seats. They grin as angels wings brush their faces. So far I have been able to have 2 cups of joe, and they still sleeping. Pixie is also, guess she needed that extra dose of zzzz's. Makes me wonder why they turn into demons around 8pm every nite, lol. When I look at this photo, I wonder if they are plotting ways to get Mama and Gigi before bedtime!

An outing with twins is.................

2007-04-09T15:24:00.000-07:00

We have really gotten ambitious in venturing out with the boys. This "fun" takes an hour of preparation, 15 min to load each time going into van and out of van for every stop we make. I had forgotten what it was like to load everything but the kitchen sink when you have kids and go somewhere. Most important of all, be sure we have fed them before leaving and hope we make it home before the next feeding cuz let me tell you, these two critters are very vocal when it comes time to chow down. Mick has really grown by leaps and bounds and has voracious appetite, outweighing Mack by about 4-5 pounds. Mack loves to eat but is a piggy and gulps his down while Mack is slow and steady. I love feeding Mack cuz you have to have a sure hand cuz you gotta follow his mouth all over the place, lmao, feeding him is like feeding a moving target. We dress them up like little dolls and then cuss like a sailor cuz we gotta remove all thes "cute" clothes to get to necessary when they are wet.

They will be 2 mos old on Wednesday, and are just beginning to smile and coo. We have what I call the "magic mat" (Pixie could tell you what they really are) that plays music when they are laying on them. When they fall asleep, the music stops and when they start to sqall, and move, the music starts again lulling them back to sleep, hence my name the magic mat. God bless whoever invented these, cuz for a short period of time there was no shutting up by Mick and the mat did its magic.
I had them on the mats today, and they actually saw the little toys that hang down, and cooed at the toys, it was soooooo cute.

I got sidetracked from our trips out, OOPS! Everytime we go into a store, Pixie will be stopped by no less than a dozen people to "oh and ah" over the babies. I used to walk in front of her pushing the store buggy, but I lost her so many times cuz she was stopping to talk to everyone, that now I walk behind her pushing the buggy. Now if she isnt careful, the buggy slaps into her "tush" and I get "the look". Gotta figure out another way cuz the look is starting to burn holes in me.

My life is controlled by red dots of monitor!

2007-04-09T15:12:00.000-07:00

When I have an idea for a post, I make notes and stick them in my to do pile, on my desk. Cleaning the desk today I found my list and decided I better get on the stick again.

No doubt most of you are familiar with baby monitors, and now at age 60, I find that my daily routine is run by those dog-gone red dots, lol. I get up in the am to read my news and drink my coffee, and bleary eyed watch of the red dots to see if they go into overdrive meaning one of the babies has awakened. Some mornings with pure joy and anticipation and other mornings with pure dread......hey, I AM human after all. If I have had my first cup of joe and have one eye open, I pray for couple more minutes of quiet, however, if I have managed a couple cups and eyes fully open, I cant wait!!! Then most of the time, the babies are in here with me the rest of the day, so I can feed, burp, change diapers, change clothes, cajole into better moods, and most fun of all, just plain ole hug to death. I have also found out that at my age, that screaming cry for attention is just pure hell to my nerves. Sometimes I just wanna bang my head against the wall and cry, but then again, they say God made babies so cute that no matter how ill WE get, we still love em!!

Its been a little hectic the past week tho, cuz due to a ruptured disk in my neck, I was down for the count, and little ole Pixie had total care and control of the situation. Yesterday the imp told me she sure was glad I was well cuz she was a pooped pixie........

Thanks Pixie

2007-04-07T07:58:00.000-07:00

The Pixie reminded me that I had'nt posted in two weeks. So this will be short and sweet......Thanks honey for being my nurse for past few days.

"19 Minutes" excellent read

2007-03-26T15:28:00.000-07:00

Now that I have the patio set put together finally, we have been enjoying our morning coffee on the patio, listening to the birds. Its so peaceful and quiet here on the culdesac. We get the morning sun there so you can't stay out long but in the evenings, its a great place to kick back with a good book, and a glass of tea.

My Pixie ordered a book titled "19 Minutes". Oh my gosh, it is an excellent read.
I really don't understand all the hullabaloo about it, as unfortunately this is life as we know it today. From the moment I picked it up, I have been thoroughly engrossed. Now I am looking forward to more books by this particular author.

Not being from here, I check my local news from home about every 2-3 days. Today I read that a young man, 24 yrs old, hung himself on the side of the highway. Even worse is the fact that its a major Interstate filled with commuters and school buses. How awful for all those folks to witness this young man hanging by the interstate. Apparently Depression was the cause. My thoughts and prayers go to the boy's family.

We have really been bogged down by doc visits, and endless feedings, changings, crying and loss of sleep. Wednesday a friend of the Pixie is coming to give her and I a 2 hour outing by ourselves. Sheesh, I am soooooo ready for this. Hopefully going to find some fresh peaches, we are in peach country, so I can make a fresh peach cobbler. Also hope to find some Vidalia onions. Hell, I will look for anything for a change just to be out and free for 2 hours. Duh, but then again this is only March! Guess the fresh stuff will have to wait a bit, lol. Oh well, by the time the new grill arrives, I will have some fresh veggies to cook on it. I am an avid griller and really miss my grill from home so Pixie ordered one for us, guess she will enjoy the vittles coming off of it. Ain't nothing better than a good ole burger or hot dog from the grill.......now if I could get her to EAT the veggies, it would be a miracle.......

Time for Bigger Vehicle!

2007-03-21T14:15:00.000-07:00

Before I begin this, just to let you know, neither the Pixie nor I are BLONDES!!

We ventured out to Big Lots, looking for a table chairs to put out on the small patio yesterday, riding in her Ford Escape. 2 convertible car seats in back seat for the babies, and the stroller in remaining storage area. We saunter around in the store, picking up this and that, she with the stroller and I with the cart. By the time we got thru and decided we spent enough, we headed to the cashier to pay.
Now mind you, we just bought a boxed set, knowing it will fit in the back of the Escape, and a lightstand for the dining room along with other smaller items. We ask for help in loading the SUV and got a really nice young man to help us. When we get back to the SUV, we both looked at each STUNNED!!!! (We are both redheads!) lol There is NO room for what we bought cuz we forgot we had to load the double stroller back in!!! WE FORGOT WE HAD TO PUT BABIES STROLLER IN THE CAR, lol........BLONDE MOMENT....
Thankfully we got this really nice young man who agreed to help us figure out how the hell to get that crap in the SUV. He struggled and strained to no avail and we finally decided to take everything out of the boxes and PRAY. I bet we tried about 10 different ways to fit it in before success was achieved. Only thing is, now I gotta figure out how to get it all out when we get home. At this point the babies were screaming and fussy, probably in that never ending quest for food, and no doubt wet diapers. She's grouchy, I am grouchy, cuz we both trying to figure out best way and butting heads.

But like all good trying moments in life, it comes to a happy ending. We finally get home, and she unloads babies, while I struggle to get all the contraptions out, and put on garage floor cuz at this moment,the last thing I wanna do is the put the damn thing together cuz I too am hot and thirsty. Dont want no damn formula tho, lol, give me an ice cold beer which I promptly rewarded myself with.

Oh ya, by the way, the patio set is STILL in the garage, lmao!!!!!!

POSTSCRIPT: Pixie bought a minivan today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Enough is Enough!!!!

2007-03-14T16:09:00.000-07:00

Ok, this is short but not so sweet, lol....
I been peed on, pooped on and today they BOTH gushed their whole bottle of formula on me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "Nuff SAID!