Second Grader!!!

It's official! Jacob is a second grader!! He looked so different going off to school this morning. He looked so much older. He wasn't nervous, scared...just excited. I have to admit....I kinda miss him already!!

Blueberries

Last week I went blueberry picking with my Mother. We drove up into the mountains off a little country road and up a dirt driveway to find a little brick house and two small pups to welcome us. There was a little old man with coveralls walking toward us from the back part of his property. My Mom shouted, "We are here to pick blueberries!" He shouted back, "Well, help yourself!" We started walking back toward the street. I finally noticed the dozens of blueberry bushes. They were huge! Probably 8 feet tall and just as big around. These bushes were loaded! Loaded with bright purple-blue berries.

My Mom started picking right away. I decided to get right in the middle. It was an amazing experience to be surrounded by blueberries. All you had to do is put your bucket under a branch and run your hand along the berries and they would just fall into the bucket. The unripe ones left on the bush for later picking. I only found one inch worm and a couple of spiders. No snakes - thankfully. It was perfectly peaceful.

After picking 3 gallons worth we walked up to the carport and paid the nice man. My Mother asked him how old his blueberry bushes were. He said he planted them in 1975. Holy cow! I am two years older then those plants!

I now have all of these blueberries. I will need to learn to bake a pie! For now we are enjoying blueberry smoothies.

Not to worry....

Not to worry....I will be back to writing soon. I know all of you have been waiting on the edge of your computer chairs for another post. Soon. Very soon!

An End To My Automated Life

There are certain 'things' that I can't live without. My dryer, a microwave, TV, the Internet, air-conditioning!!! Well there is one thing that I love.... automatic doors on my minivan! The ease if opening and closing the doors with the press of a button has made my life so comfortable. It is great to be able to open the doors and the tailgate from my little key ring when I have a cart full of groceries and two boys hanging from it. Ahhh...life is good.

Until today. I took the van into the shop because it was having trouble with opening and closing its doors. I just assumed it needed a little WD-40 and some TLC. Well, I was wrong. The door tracks are cracked and both motors are blown. Ouch. AND it will cost over two grand to fix. Double ouch! Now I will have to manually open and close both doors. Triple ouch!

It has been nice having this automated life. Good-bye doors opening at the touch of a button. Good-bye my beloved closing of doors without having to take off my seat belt. Good-bye. (tear, sniff, sniff)

It's My Lucky Day

I was in out back yard weeding and was looking around at all the weeds I had left to pull when my eyes just locked in on one spot. I couldn't believe it. Three four-leafed clovers were just sitting there!! I have never found even one before. Three! I still can't believe it. I guess today is my lucky day!

Intimidated!!!!

Living one mile from Carowinds Amusement Park has it's benefits! We can hear the thrilling screams from our front porch. We drive past it every day. Last year was our first year to get season passes. The boys and I went on a weekly basis. We would head on over about when the park opened and stay until lunchtime. Go home, nap, then head back to the water park for the afternoon.


This year is no different. With our season passes burning a hole in our pockets, we headed over to Carowinds on Sunday. Well, it is a little different. Ok...a lot different. Carowinds has introduced a new ride. A new roller coaster. The Intimidator. Trust me. It is intimidating!!! It has a 211 foot drop at 74 degrees and reaches 75 miles per hour. Terrifying. You could hear the screams from all over the park.







We went with our neighbors. We would watch each others kids while taking turns riding the rides. I passed on riding The Intimidator. I am a big chicken. Always have been. Never been a thrill seeker. Tod rode it and said it was the best roller coaster ride he has ever been on. I said, "Ok. I'll do it!" As we slowly walked over to the ride I was devising a plan to weasel out of riding this crazy ride. I opened my mouth to tell Tod that I just couldn't do it......then wham...we literally ran into another neighbor, Jake and his 8 year old daughter, Maddie. They just got off of the Intimidator. What?!?! She said that it was really cool! Tod had this smirk on his face that had, "See, even an 8 year old loved the ride!" written all over it. I have never cursed a child before...until now. Great. There was no way out of it.


Approaching the ride my heart was beating out of my chest. My knees were shaking. I could barely walk up the steps to the rides platform. Tod kept reassuring me. It is fun! You will be fine! There is nothing to be afraid of! Oh, geesh! I cannot remember ever being that scared. As I watched little boys and girls get strapped in for their ride, I saw a woman that had to be 20 years older than me getting strapped in. Well, crap! There is no backing out now.


I was in a complete panic. This in not like any other ride. You creep slowly up to the top of the first hill that towers over the park. Then plummet straight down at rocketing speeds. Then right back up again to plummet back down into uncertain doom. I had tears coming out of the corners of my eyes. From fear? From anxiety? From knowing I will never see my children again!!!! When the ride was over I couldn't let go of my safety bar. My hands were gripped so tight Tod had to pry them open. I was very giggly when it was all over. My knees shook for a while after the ride. Tod said, "I am so proud of you for riding this!!! I have never heard you make any of those sounds before too!!! " So not only did I ride the scariest roller coaster ever...I completely embarrassed myself! Curse you Maddie!!!!!

"B"

It seems like letter names are a big deal in our house. I never really noticed it until Brady came along. Let me explain...

When I met Tod everyone called him OD for O'Donnell. Honestly I thought his name was "Odie" at first and thought that was just strange! Anyway, the OD letter name stuck all through college.

Tod is actually his initials. My sister calls him T-O-D. Yep, spells it out. Yet another Letter name for him.

About 18 months after Jacob was born we realized that every other male child has the name Jacob. He needed a nickname! He didn't really look like a Jake. We even thought of him going by his initials.... J.T., but that didn't stick. So he is known by J. Not Jay. Just the letter J.

I thought having an OD and a J would be enough. Nope. Brady just kind of evolved into B. We have always called him B. He loves it. He loves having a letter name. He even lovingly named his blanket B also. Our B has a B.

The other day I was sitting in the Kitchen with B and his B. I asked him if he loved his B. He said, "Yes! Mommy, you are a "B" too!" At first I was shocked. We all know what being a B really is. TOD, wiping away tears, said, "I think he means it as a compliment!!" I sure hope so. It would be nice to have a letter name. Just not sure if I want to be called a "B"!!!