The Big 21

  (Published on surfKY News on January 19, 2012)

“When they are little, they step on your feet. When they grow up, they step on your heart”. If you have had any part of raising a child, you are probably familiar with this quote, which is one of my favorites. Another of my favorites was quoted by the infamous television father, Cliff Huxtable, “I brought you into this world......and I'll take you out!”

When I was pregnant, I did a lot of reading and researching on parenting. With all this information, I just knew that I could be a wonderful parent and have a terrific child. I forgot the part about the child having his own brain!

13 X 3

 (Published on surfKY News on January 12, 2012)

The new year is not even two weeks old and we are already facing our first “Friday The 13th”. Any month that begins on a Sunday will have a Friday the 13th. We will have three of these days of superstition in the year of 2012, which is the most that can happen in any given year.

Paraskavedekatriaphobia is the fear of Friday the 13th. If you have this phobia, you may stay home on this day, stay away from ladders and black cats, and you may try really hard not to break a mirror. If anything bad happens to you on this day, you may always associate bad luck with this day.

Many cities do not have a 13th street or avenue and many buildings do not have a 13th floor. Legend has it that if 13 people sit down to dinner together, one will die within the year. Some people that were not so lucky on Friday the 13th include Al Capone, who was sentenced to prison on a Friday the 13th, Tupac Shakur, who was shot and killed on a Friday the 13th and Hubert Humphrey, the 38th Vice President of the United States who died on a Friday the 13th.

Warming up for Winter

 (Published on surfKY News on January 5, 2012)

Old Man Winter made his entrance in an amazing way this past weekend. Saturday, I was wearing short sleeves and no jacket. Sunday, I was freezing so much my teeth were chattering. You know what they say about Kentucky weather, “If you don't like it, wait a few hours, it will change.”

I am like an old wasp. When I get cold, I find it very hard to do anything, which really does not make sense. I know that if I would get up and move around, I would get warmer. Seems that I, like a lot of people, complain about being too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer. I am never happy with the weather.

Chinese New Year, No…Wait…....

(Published on surfKY News on December 29, 2011)

In the past few weeks, my brain has been in “Holiday Overload”, not so much for me, but for everyone else around me. I have been around new mothers talking about their little ones getting ready for Santa Clause and I have been around grandmothers talking about struggling to purchase gifts for all of their children and grandchildren. I have talked with men that were struggling with trying to find that perfect gift and even talked to one man that was going to ask the woman he loves to marry him. I asked him if he was sure she would say yes and he said, “I hope so, I've already bought the ring.”

I remember when I used to put out dozens of Christmas decorations, several Christmas trees and bake until my eyes were crossed. But in recent years, I have stepped into a realm where I am not sure what to do. My child is an adult, well, at least on paper. He is not into the wonder of the lights and decorations like he was when he was little. He does not care about a Christmas tree or how pretty the gifts are arranged under the tree. Matter of fact, he does not care about gifts, he says envelopes are better, as they contain either money or gift cards. He still believes in the magic of Christmas, he knows what will happen if he says he does not. I still believe in the magic. I just do not have the strength or energy to do all the holiday things I used to do. But I have figured out where I am. I am in between children and grandchildren. I am at the point to where I shake my head and wonder if everything will ever come together, if the porch light will ever come on. (You parents of teenagers know what I am talking about.) But at the same time, I am not in a huge hurry to get those grandchildren. But hopefully, by the time they arrive, I will be rested and refreshed, ready to go for the next round.

Get Shorty

(Published on surfKY News on December 15, 2011)

We are quickly coming upon Winter Solstice, also known as the shortest day of the year. I am absolutely thrilled about this day and I am already starting to celebrate the fact that in one week, the daylight hours will start getting longer.

Funny how when I was younger, it did not matter what time the sun came up and what time the darkness began to settle in. But now, I enjoy the daylight hours more than ever. When it is dark at 5pm, I tend to want to go to sleep, and I hate to sleep. I will now have the next six months of increasing daylight hours. But then, just like the never ending circle, the days will begin to get shorter again. Until then, I will enjoy my extra few minutes each day.

More Christmas Cheer!

(Published on surfKY News on December 8, 2011)

This is quickly turning into one of the busiest times of the year. We are rushing around trying to find that perfect gift, planning our family get-togethers and planning our holiday menus, not to mention dealing with the growing excitement of the little ones around us.

Back before my life schedule became super busy, I used to plan for months the gifts that I was going to give my family and friends. I was a lot more “crafty” in my younger years, having more time and better eyesight for things like needlework and any craft that involved a glue gun. Several years ago, I put away my crochet needles and traded in my heated glue gun for a bottle of Gorilla Glue. But this year, I feel my crafty side itching to drag out my craft boxes, my ribbons and of course, my hot glue gun.

Naughty or Nice?

 (Published on surfKY News on November 30, 2011)

T-minus 24 days and counting. Ask any person under the age of 12 and they will tell you exactly what will be in 24 days. This is also the time of year that you can get your child to jump up and do just about any chore that needs to be done. They know this is the time of the year that Santa is making out his list of who is naughty and who is nice.

I can remember the excitement that would be brewing in my home when my JoJo was little. It was so exciting. We would put up the Christmas tree as soon as the turkey was put away and we always made a chain out of colored construction paper. Each day, we would remove a chain and each day, we would get closer to the arrival of Jolly St. Nick. There is just something magical about the Christmas season when you have a child to celebrate it with. But as we grow older, we must keep the magic going. We must continue to believe.