Pajama Parades and Tea Parties

Saturday was an interesting day…

First, it was the hubs’ birthday.  He celebrated the 20th anniversary of his 18th birthday.

(I know.  That’s math.  I had to think about it, too, when I overheard him talking to my mother on the phone.  He’s 38.)

He had a project to do and left before I arose from my deep slumber.  (Because for whatever reason, no matter how tired I am by the time Friday rolls around, I feel the need to stay up late and act like a teenager.  I pay for it every Saturday morning, when I’m forced to be a grownup and cart these things to all the activities they are involved in.)

But Saturday morning bought several events to our little area here in Southwest Virginia including the Strawberry Festival, the Chili Cookoff and the Cinco de Mayo celebration…. all taking place Downtown.

So, in a stroke of pure genius, the Rescue Mission (something so near and dear to my heart) decided that since there were going to be SO many people downtown, they should do something to draw attention to the 477 children served by the Mission last year.

Genius.  Pure genius! I only wish I were that smart…

So they organized a Pajama Parade.  And we went and participated with a few others from our church.

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Why yes, that would be Thing 1 in the giraffe pajamas that he loves so much.  I won’t even tell you how much they cost.  My pajamas are just the pants the hubs got me for Christmas and my Jesus girl shirt that I got at the Beautiful Life Conference last year.  (I’m going this year as well, are you?)

I hate to admit it, but the giraffe stole the show.

We ran into some beauty queens.  (Is that what you call them?  I don’t know.  They had crowns and sashes.)

and then someone they were with suggested, perhaps, they all kiss the giraffe.

Poor Thing 1.

He’s not that kind of boy.

The face turned beat red.

He stated he had a girlfriend.

But here were these girls… giving the giraffe kisses.

But my favorite picture from the Pajama Parade?

I know.  Heart. Melt.

After the parade (in which we really just walked 5 blocks up and back on the streets of downtown allowing people to ask us (a) why we’re in our pajamas and (b) what the 477 stood for, we partook in a little strawberry shortcake.  Unless you’re a giraffe.  And then you opt for Kettle Corn.. fresh from the kettle.

I took one home to the hubs.  It was his birthday after all.

And from there, I needed to change out of my pjs and into something suitable for my very first tea party.

Seriously.

The ladies from my church had a tea party to honor our pastor who is retiring and another woman, who was the president of the ladies group for 10 years… she just stepped down.

It was fun…

And the food was… of course… amazing.  (The biggest benefit of an older congregation in the south.. nothing was picked up at Kroger on the way to the tea… it was ALL home made.)

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Yeah.

Probably not the best thing to go to when you’re supposed to go out to dinner with your hubs and friends.

I was rather full when I left there…

But head home I did, a quick change into something more comfortable (read: jeans) and then out to dinner and back to play games…

and of course, by 9:30 I was ready to don those pajamas again.

So… what did your Saturday look like?

Until next time…

 

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The Latest Commercial That Irks Me

I worked in television sales on the local level for most of my career.  So I pay attention to commercials.

So have you seen this one?

If you don’t wish to watch, that’s okay (I don’t blame you).  But it’s for the Vaseline Spray and Go.  The woman literally goes from under clothes to completely dressed (complete with hat and shoes AND lotioned up – arms and legs) and ready to walk out the door in less than 30 seconds.

Have we, as a society, become so busy that this appeals to us?  That we don’t have the 5 minutes to apply lotion?

I would venture to say that if I purchase this and I was running late to begin with, I still wouldn’t take the time to use it.  I skip a morning of lotion.

So weigh in… do you use this?  Does this product appeal to you?  I’d love to know if I’m alone in this!

Until next time…

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Gideons: More than just the people who leave Bibles in hotel rooms

A month or so ago, my boss (the pastor of the church) told me that she had scheduled a time for the Gideon’s to come and speak to the church.

She’s big into skits and the like and asked if perhaps my Sunday School kids (ranging from 1st grade to 8th grade) would like to act out the story of Gideon from the Bible as a way to introduce the Gideon.

“Gideon was in the Bible?” I asked.

Youth leader of the year, right here.

Apparently, he is.  And so, instead of acting it out in a skit, we made a little movie.

It’s low budget, but I can honestly say that they will NEVER forget this story from the Bible…

…and the men from the Gideons?

LOVED it.

Until next time…

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48 Things You Probably Never Wanted to Know About Me

questionOne would think that I would be bursting with things to tell you but I got nothing.

In fact, I’ve been trying to catch up on all the blog posts that I’ve missed in addition to being gone for a week.

So while about halfway through my Google Reader I came across this post from Marie at SuperMom Challenged.

She told me to play along and so I’m going to… because clearly I have nothing better to do… (never mind that my suitcase STILL isn’t unpacked!)

So here goes…

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?

Yes!  Heather comes from the heroine in the book my mom read while pregnant with me… The Flame and the Flower.  My middle name is Barbara-Ann… a combination of both of my great grandmas on both sides.  (Reality, they wanted to name me Heather Ann but my mom had the forethought that my initials would spell HAM so Ann became Barbara-Ann.  I can assure you, I would’ve rather been HAM than have strangers take one look at your ID and then back at you and start to sing… bar-bar-bar… bar-bar-berann.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?

a week ago.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?

love it!  and it changes often.  because I like change.  But I LOVE to handwrite things.  And I LOVE to fill out forms!

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?

Lebanon Sweet Balogna.  I can only get it when I go to Tennessee or Pennsylvania… at the Amish stores.

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?

Four… we call them the Things… Thing 1 (Boy, 16), Thing 2 (girl, 13), Thing 3 (boy, 10), Thing 4 (girl,8)

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?

YES!  Because I’m fun.. and a riot…

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?

Me?  NEVER!  (HA HA HA HA)

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?

Yes

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?

I love to think that I would.  But I know better.  I would never do it.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?

Rice Chex.  With a little bit of sugar and whole milk.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?

I have one pair of shoes that require me to tie them… I like slip on everything… but I don’t untie them when I take them off.  (I do however get on my kids about un-tying their shoes before taking them off.  But they wear them everyday and they ruin them when they do that.  Yes.  I’m quite the hypocrite!

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?

You are only as strong as you have to be.  But I’ve been through quite a bit in my life.  Just about the time I don’t think I can handle anymore, I’m given something else and I seem to get through it…

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?

any with peanut butter in it.

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?

Eyes and teeth.  I’m so weird.

15. RED OR PINK?

Red.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?

My lack of organization and focus. I just sometimes feel like I am all over the place and nothing is really every being accomplished! (I totally just left Marie’s there… she said it best!)

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?

My mom.  She’s not dead.  But she doesn’t live close to me and while I do talk to her almost every day, I want to be able to see her more often!

18. WHAT IS THE TECHNIQUE THAT YOU NEED TO WORK ON THE MOST?

Saying no….

19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?

brown… boots!  I looked sassy today!

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?

BBQ ranch chicken salad… yum!

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?

The Biggest Loser is on in the background but that’s only because I turned Dr. Phil of for background noise 5.5 hours ago and never turned the channel or turned the TV off… I don’t watch reality TV.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?

Maroon

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?

the ocean… the way the house smells when the hubs gets out of the shower…

24. HOW IMPORTANT ARE YOUR POLITICAL VIEWS TO YOU?

Pretty important…

25. MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAY OR BEACH HOUSE?

BEACH!  I live in the mountains… and I love the water!  (From a distance!)

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?

Football

27. HAIR COLOR?

I just realized it’s more grey than I thought… but it’s supposed to be chestnut…

28. EYE COLOR?

hazel (green/brown)

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?

Have tried and I just couldn’t… so I just wear glasses….

30. FAVORITE FOOD?

a potato made any way

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?

Happy endings.. I’m a scaredy cat!

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?

Pitch Perfect… for the 100th time

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?

Maroon

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?

SUMMER!  I love it!

35. FAVORITE DESSERT?

ice cream

36. STRENGTH TRAINING OR CARDIO?

Do I have to pick one?  I guess if I have to, Cardio

37. COMPUTER OR TELEVISION?

Both… I’m normally on the computer while watching TV.  I like way too many TV shows.

38. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?

I’m not really reading any.. but have five on my to be read pile.

39. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?

I haven’t used a mouse pad in YEARS!

40. FAVORITE SOUND?

Silence

41. FAVORITE GENRE OF MUSIC?

Christian

42. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?

I think Mexico.. which was just last week.

43. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?

Pissing my husband off.  It’s a gift, really.  :)

44. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?

York, PA

45. WHERE ARE YOU LIVING NOW?

Roanoke, VA

46. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR HOUSE?

Brown

47. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR CAR?

Grey

48. DO YOU LIKE ANSWERING 48 QUESTIONS?

eh.

So there you go… want to play along?  Have at it!  And let me know!  I’ll come read it!

Until next time…

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For My Mamma…

I know I said I wasn’t going to be grateful for people all month long… and I’m not, really.  But if you knew the history here, then you would understand.  You see, I’m tee-totally-grateful for my momma.

Seriously.

She makes me laugh like you wouldn’t believe… sometimes intentionally and sometimes, just because she is who she is.

She’s the only person I know who can make any bad day better just by hearing her voice.

She finds the NEATEST little presents to send… like the nose pencil sharpener that sits on my desk.  (So when you sharpen the pencil it looks like you’re sticking the pencil up the nose.)  And others have this same sharpener.  Because she likes to give little gifts.

She has a heart bigger than Texas and is always thinking about others.

She has an amazing bed side manner and ANY patient would be lucky to have her as their nurse.

She’s an amazing role model (even though she won’t say so.)

And she’s pretty amazing as a Nana to her SEVEN grandchildren.

I watched her care for her father in a way that I don’t know I’ll ever be able to care for her.  She amazes me all the time.

She’s just an AMAZING women.

And today, on her 29th birthday (again), I want you know how awesome she is…

I’m grateful that I get to see my mama next week!

Until next time…

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