Day Sixty-Whatever: An Ode to Princess Lindsey

Today is Lindsey's 16th birthday! That makes me feel very old because I was 16 when she was born. Anyway, Lindsey was the first grandchild born in the next generation in my family... and I had been the youngest for 16 years... so I didn't much like that I lost my "spot" when she was born... but I loved her anyway... for which I know she is so grateful. :-)

After I got over the fact that I was no longer the baby and learned to like small kids, I decided that Lindsey was, in fact, a lot of fun because I could teach her all sorts of bad habits. She was a funny kid, and very smart, so we bonded.

All these years later, we are probably closer than we've ever been. Lindsey and I have a lot in common, like our uncommonly translucent skin and our royalty complexes, and she makes me laugh. She has turned into an amazing young woman despite the fact that I probably scarred her severely by tormenting her while she was growing up.

Because I love her so much (and she reminds me to update my blog when I forget), I am making today's blog all about her. Happy Birthday, Iz! :-)

1. The time Lindsey came to stay with us in Knoxville, and I lost my keys in Target. Zelda the Fierce and my cell were in the car; Lindsey was at my house -- which was in a strange city... which freaked her out. I know she didn't think it was funny, and it wasn't at the time... but thinking about it now makes me laugh because she called my mom -- three states away -- for help.

Like Mary could find her way to Knox-Vegas by herself.

2. Lindsey's love of reading. I'm an English nerd, and I love that we can discuss books. We don't always agree -- she hated Twilight, and I loved it -- but it's always a good time.

3. Having the best-ever baby-sitter built into my family. My kids L.O.V.E. her, and I love her, too. She's like the SuperGirl of baby-sitters.

4. Lindsey's funny quirks. I love a quirky teenager -- shows that they can think for themselves. Lindsey can definitely do that -- just ask her. She has an opinion on everything...

5. Lindsey. In general, she makes me happy, and I love her. The end.

WHAT?!?!

Where'd the underline go? It was there a minute ago, I swear!!!!

Days 63 & 64 & 65 & 66 & 67 & 68

Why is everything underlined while I'm typing it? Is it going to post this way? These are the kinds of things that drive my OCD alter-ego crazy. I'm not even sure I can finish the post because THERE'S NO UNDERLINE OPTION ON THE TOOLBAR SO I CAN'T TURN IT OFF.

Day 63:

1. Feeling warm beach sand between my toes.

2. Sunglasses as a hair accessory.

3. Big purses.

4. Long dresses. I don't have to shave, AND I don't have to sit gracefully.

5. Making progress.



Day 64:

1. Sam saying "DADADADADADA" -- especially in the middle of the night.

2. Good sales on Diet Coke.

3. Salt & vinegar chips.

4. Organizing my closet.

5. Knowing spring is just around the corner.


Day 65:

1. Laney's pigtails.

2. Laney's faux hawk. One of her top 10 hairstyles ever.

3. Ethan in his wrestling singlet.

4. When Ethan shows his muscles.

5. Sam's love for his bouncer thingy.


Day 66:

1. Popples.

2. My Holly Hobby sink and stove.

3. My pink Big Wheel.

4. Monchichis.

5. My Barbie Dream House with the elevator.


Day 67:

1. Getting dressed up after I've worn my hair in a bun/knot on top of my head for 574 consecutive days.

2. Grown-up nights out on the town.

3. Laughing my head off with my girls.

4. Taking over the Ta-Ta ball.

5. Killer heels that don't hurt my feet after a night of dancing.


Day 68:

1. Warm nights.

2. Bare legs and sundresses. At this point in my life, I'm past the point of caring that my skin is maybe only slightly darker than this computer screen. I hate wearing tights/leggings.

3. Turning the air on for the first time since the fall.

4. Being mistaken for a 20-something. With 3 kids and a mini-van, I take my kicks where I can get them. :-)

5. Having a To Do list that is achievable.

Days 61 & 62...

Day 61:
In honor of our March 2 snow day...
1. building a snowman with my kiddies. Nevermind that I do all the work, nor that my snowman-building attention span will only allow me to make one snow "little person." The point is that my kids think it's the greatest thing ever. The building of the snowman is superseded only by the putting on of the face. Two years ago, we used Lifesavers... which -- f.y.i. -- bleed when placed in snow. This year, we used raisins, the end of a cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and some cappuccino pirouine cookies. Would've been great, but I kept having to remind Laney not to eat the face-making supplies... plus, the hair (cookies) and nose (cucumber) and part of the mouth (tomatoes) fell off approximately twenty minutes after completion.
2. making snow angels. The post-snow angel chill from snow in your pants and wet clothes plastered to your back is totally worth it.
3. exhausted post-snow adventure sleep... for the kids as well as myself.
4. wrapping my kids up in 27 layers of clothes so that they look like the kid from "A Christmas Story."
5. the way fresh snow looks... you know, before dogs/kids/vermin make tracks across it.

Day 62:
It's been one year today since my Pop died. I am not normally one to observe these kinds of anniversaries; I never understood, until now, why people dwell on the day they lost a loved one. Pop is the first person in my immediate family to die in all of my 31 years, and I'm here to tell you that while you learn to function again, it still hurts just as much today as it did when my dad called me at school last March. Some days are good, and I can talk about him without tearing up. Some days... not so much. Every day, though, I am aware of his influence on me, of the zillions of things that I loved about him, of how blessed I am that I had so much time with him... and those are the things I celebrate.
1. Pop's love for hats. Bless him, he didn't have much hair (ever) when I knew him, so he always wore hats when it was cold. My favorites were the ones that looked like those newspaper reporters wore back in the day... specifically his black & white tweedish one... but he was also known to wear a newsboy cap every now and then.
2. Pop's smile. I've probably blogged about this before, but Pop had a great smile. Lit up his face. When he walked into a room, whether it be on a visit or into a sanctuary, his smile could almost physically light up the room. It was amazing. I learned a lot about presence from him. He definitely had it, and his smile was part of his secret formula.
3. The Bible he brought me from the Holy Land. It's one of my most treasured possessions.
4. The way he loved my grandmother. Y'all, you've never seen a man sit on as many mall benches, waiting for the woman he loved to shop. I don't ever remember hearing him say one cross word to her or about her. Even when he wasn't quite aware of what was going on or who was who, he always knew and asked for my grandmother.
5. Pop's funny little habits. Until the last few years of his life, I don't ever remember seeing him wear anything other than a dress shirt and usually a tie. He walked really early in the mornings, and he carried a stick. Just in case. He always wore a bathrobe and slippers around the house. He wore the same aftershave for as long as I can remember -- some version of Old Spice. He took a nap in the recliner on Sunday afternoons. He loved to trade cars. He didn't listen to the radio. He loved sweets and nuts. He often cracked himself up, which cracked me up. He couldn't hear worth anything as he got older, and he did not like wearing his hearing aid. These are the things I love to think about, to remember, to laugh about with my family because Pop was just Pop. You got exactly what you saw, nothing more, nothing less.

Days 59 & 60

For the record, I didn't publish that last post until Friday. It was originally "A Week's Worth... Plus 1 Day," but when I didn't finish it on Thursday, I had to change the title. I'm not cheating, I promise.

Day59:
1. unexpectedly running into old friends.
2. finally being able to wear that really cute dress I bought.
3. finding a purple shirt to wear with my orange & purple scarf.
4. my orange and purple scarf. Whoever designed it knew that I have a hard time finding clothes for Clemson games.
5. scarves on clearance... which means I can buy 47 scarves for the price of 1. Doesn't make me feel guilty.

Day 60:
1. SNOW DAYS!!!! I really don't like the idea of having to go a day when it's warm to make up the time... but snow days, minus that, rock!
2. huge, ginormous snow flakes.
3. making snow cream. I have no clue how to make it, really, but we used to make it with Hazel when I was little.
4. the 12'2" snowman that Aaron L. made for us (being Jay, Julie, Jenn, and me) when we were little. It was beyond huge. We have a Polaroid of it somewhere.
5. my red snowsuit. I loved that thing; begged to wear it even when it wasn't snowing. (Mary refused that request every time.) It was a one-piece snowsuit with white furry stuff around the hood. I could make snow angels all day and never get snow in my pants.