30 Minutes of Wonderful

Wrapping up a pretty good weekend tonight. Nothing terribly exciting, but good, nonetheless. Owen and I started Friday with some shopping in Houma. I had to make a return at Target. The travel mug in the Grinch Christmas mug set I bought the day before was cracked. Unfortunately, there were no more in stock. Sad, because I love me some Grinch and looked forward to drinking my coffee with him every morning. Ah, well. I'll check back soon. Ended up hitting the dollar spot, though. Bought Owen a few books & picked up 2 magnetic Christmas note pads and a set of A Christmas Story pens for myself. (I'm a sucker for pens & stationary.) Also bought O two cute plates--one Christmas and one Thomas the Train. Oh, and I picked up a clearance nail polish. Because, you know, the 100+ other polishes I own aren't enough. It's "Kardashing Through the Snow" from Nicole for OPI. I've been on a glitter kick lately. We stopped at the mall for cookies (Great America...

my backyard I live in south Louisiana and grew up on the bayou. It was literally my back yard...named after my family & flowing along the 18 acres my grandfather owned. Lots of great adventures there over the years, but this one stands out in my mind.  I was 15, a sophomore in high school. There was a huge square chunk of concrete in the water, right along the bank, that had a smaller square on top of it. It was a perfect seat for reading. I spent a lot of time out there, book in hand or just watching the water. On this particular day, I sat reading while my German Shepherd, Sasha, wandered along the levee. The property across the bayou from us was a small farm. They had goats, sheep, and ducks. I saw a mama duck & about a dozen ducklings drop into the water for a swim. I smiled at how cute they were and went back to my book. Then something else caught my eye. An alligator popped up behind the ducks. Mama Duck went into a frenzy, trying to get her ducklings to safety....

My Wednesday started off with a funeral. My great-aunt passed away on Monday at the age of 85. She had been sick for awhile. I'm glad she isn't suffering anymore, but I'm sorry that my great-uncle and cousins now have to go on without their matriarch. My dad, my son, & I went show our support this morning. Owen was incredibly well behaved and friendly. Being a toddler, I'm never quite sure how he'll react to a bunch of relative strangers. Sometimes he's Mr. Social and sometimes he's hiding behind mommy. But today he was happy to greet everyone & give high-fives.  I don't believe in sheltering children from death. It should absolutely be handled in an age-appropriate manner, but I think that the earlier children know about death, the less scary it will be for them. Owen is two and has been to a few funerals already, although today was the first time he ever went up to the casket. I expected him to ask if Aunt E was asleep, but he said nothing. H...

I go eons without blogging and when I do it's a sad one. But such is life. To quote a former co-worker of my husband's, it isn't always "candies & balloons".  My husband's uncle passed away yesterday, quite unexpectedly. I didn't get to spend a whole lot of time with with Uncle R. Just a few family functions. That was enough to prove to me what a kind, caring soul he was. I thought of him as the Gentle Giant. An exceptionally tall man, as all in my husband's family are, yet with a quiet air about him that belied his seemingly hulking form.  When I got word yesterday that he was gone, I was immediately saddened. The more I think about, the less I can understand the reasons. I suppose we all have own battles, many of which are fought inwardly. It makes me sad to know that this is likely what took Uncle R's life. I also feel angry. It seems such a selfish way to go. His burdens are lifted, but what about those left behind to mourn him? Ever...