I always enjoy checking to see what my niece over at Superheros and Stilettos, post on her "What I Want Wednesday" blog. She has great taste and style and I love seeing what she has put together each week. I like that idea for a blog so I am borrowing it. When I saw this picture, I fell in love!!! The weather is beginning to change a bit and tomorrow is the first day of fall. I could picture myself cuddled up with a book or magazine relaxing the day away. I really, really want this porch swing but first I need a big southern home with a big wide porch. A girl can dream, right?? Ahhhhhhh!! Now would somebody please bring me some sweet iced tea??
My little guys love being outdoors and they love going to playgrounds. I was thinking about how much playgrounds have changed since I was their age. I really don't remember visiting many playgrounds as a child other then the one at my elementary school. The playgrounds I remember have little in common with the plastic jungle's our children and grandchildren play on today. My favorite piece of equipment, the merry-go-round, is hard to find these days. I loved playing "King of the Mountain" on it. A few kids would spin the merry-go-round as fast as they could then everyone would jump on and see who could get to the center first. You really had to be careful and get a good grip when you jumped on or you could get thrown off. Guess that was a little dangerous and that is probably why they have removed them from playgrounds.
Most of the equipment on older playgrounds was made of metal like those big shiny slides that would burn your legs if you were wearing shorts. They were really tall and had no safety bars on the sides of the ladders. We would shimmy up the metal poles of the big tall swing sets and hang from across the top before dropping in the thick white sand below. Today's playgrounds are mostly made from wood or plastic with safety and fitness in mind. We didn't have the big colorful jungle gyms and fancy play equipment that entertains our kids. We had to use our imagination. As a child, I played a lot of hopscotch and jump rope. Sometimes I draw hopscotch on the driveway with chalk for my little guys and we practice jumping from square to square. It holds their interest for a short time but I can remember jumping hopscotch for hours as a child.
I grew up in a house that was surrounded by pine trees. That was my Father's business but I will save that for another blog. My neighbor and I would entertain ourselves by raking the pine straw and arranging it on the grass in the shape of a house. We would pick up pine cones and outline the walls then put baby dolls in each room of the house.
We also spent many hours playing school. There was a wooden shed (between our two homes) that had a dirt floor. We salvaged a couple of tables and chairs that our parents weren't using and set up a classroom. We even had a chalk board on a stand. We were both school teachers and any child that showed up to play would get recruited to be a student. It didn't take long for word to get out that we were mean teachers and you didn't want to be a student in our class. We had a big thick board that was our paddle and we did have to use it a few times. We mostly had imaginary students and we would beat the paddle on the walls of the old shed to get their attention. It's a wonder the shed didn't collapse.
Believe it or not, my old playmate is now a principal in the town I grew up in and her sister is a Math teacher at the high school there. (She was once a student of ours!)
Sometimes we see or experience something that helps put life in prospective. I was reading reviews on books last night and came across the book "The Gift of An Ordinary Day" by Katrina Kenison. I thought it was very well put. It reminded Mothers to treasure each day they have with their children. Yesterday was a perfect example of why we should cherish every day. A friend lost his 6 month old baby to leukemia. The video is heartfelt so please take a few minutes to view it. Oh, you might better grab a tissue.
I feel so honored and privileged to be able to provide childcare for my two grandsons several days each week. I think grandmothers know better than anyone how precious those little lives are. You know, we are older and wiser! We remember when we were caught up in the fast track of parenting and were just keeping our head above water. Motherhood can be a stressful and draining job and we don't always take time to appreciate those little moments. Now that I am a grandmother, I know everyday I spend with my little guys is precious and a true gift from God. Today, I promised the 3 year old that I would take him to the park after we ran a couple of errands. While we were out, we went to Whole Foods to pick up a few snacks for school and our fresh fruit (organic of course). While we were there, the little guy was amused by the wady (lady) in the baftub (bathtub) so I told him I would take a picture so he could show his Mommy. We must have spent about 20 minutes with the wady (smelling all of her soaps and bubble baths). (see pic)
On the way home, we stopped by a park that we have never taken the kids to. There was also a butterfly garden and a barn with hay but no animals. Well, just the squirrels, and they were way too friendly. You really had to watch out for them as they would walk right across your foot. They were getting into all of the baby strollers that were there. (see pic)
We got home in time for lunch so we cut up a delicious fruit salad with peaches, strawberries, apples, grapes, banana and kiwi. I do believe the boys could live on fruit alone! It is our go to food when they won't eat anything else. We seared whole wheat pita in a tiny amount of olive oil and had it with a scoop of garlic hummus. Another favorite of the boys! (see pics) For dessert we had a chocolate chip cookie(or two)!
We took the dog for a walk, put a puzzle together, painted a few pictures and it was time to pick the kindergartener up. It was a wonderfully "ordinary day" and I know we are making some really great memories that I will certainly cherish and hopefully my little guys will too.
I awoke this morning to learn about the death of little Mason Norvell. Heaven received a precious angel this morning. Mason has been battling leukemia for the last month and I had pictures of him on a previous blog. He was only 6 months old but he touched so many hearts in his short life. Why God? Why take a precious little child away from a family that loves him so dearly? I don't know why children die. I don't think we will understand it while we are on this earth. I do trust that the God I believe in, the God I pray to, the God I worship.....is in control.
I do believe that everything that happens in our lives goes through God's hands first. God can take the worst situation and turn it into the greatest blessing. Because I believe in God and his word, I find comfort knowing that we will see our loved ones again.
"God saw you were getting tired and a cure was not to be so he put his arms around you and whispered, "come to me". With tearful eyes we watched you and saw you pass away. Although we loved you dearly we could not make you stay. A golden heart stopped beating, hard working hands at rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us, he only takes the best."
Amanda Quesenbury Barber
Rest in peace baby Mason. Godspeed.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Sorry about the coloring and the missizing of the header on my blog. I will continue to post but I am under construction for a few more days. Hope it will be straightened out soon. Thanks for your patience. Kathy
Our 5 year old had his very first T-ball game at 9:00 this morning which meant that KK and Pop Pop had to leave their house at 6:45 to trek through the woods and make it by game time. I am not complaining because I would have driven 10 hours to see our little guys play any sport. Their great grandmother even drove from Ocala to see his baseball game. He played an awesome game! (in his exact words). He really did play well and had a good time too. He played shortstop and got to bat twice and got hits both times. I think those two gloves he "had" to have really helped with that. He also had to slide when he came into home because he almost got thrown out. The ball was on the ground behind second base but it was a real close call. (No outs in T-ball!) After sliding in, he pointed to his knees and had a big grin on his face. After the game, he was so excited to show us how dirty he had gotten the knees of his pants. (You know, it's just not a good game unless you get to slide in a couple of times!) It is so much fun watching those little guys and gals play T-ball while they are still so innocent and without all the pressure to win they will have all too soon. The little guy playing first base hollered to his Mom in the stands that he was really getting tired and wanted to know how much longer the game would last. Oh to be 5 years old! Guess you know where we will be for the next 7 Saturdays. (and I can hardly wait!)
The little guy got a history lesson this week when we spent some time walking around downtown St. Augustine. I have a few pictures of points of interest that I would like to share with you. I decided instead of our usual beach day I would take advantage of the beautiful weather and take a stroll through history. I hope he learned a little along the way.
St. Augustine is a city, located in the North Eastern section of Florida, near the Georgia border. It was founded August 28, 1565, by spanish explorer and admiral Pedro Menedez de Avilis. It is the oldest city and port in the United States. In the years after the founding, the city shifted to British rule for a period then transferred back to Spanish control in 1784. The cities population today is approximately 12,500. St. Augustine is the headquarters for the Florida National Guard.
St. Augustine is home to the United States oldest wooden school building. It is located at 14 St. George Street near the city gate. (see pic) The exact date of construction is unknown, but it first appears on tax records in 1716. The house is encircled by a large chain and anchor, placed there in 1937 in case of a hurricane. The walls are made of cypress and red cedar held together by wooden pegs and hand made nails. The schoolmaster and family lived on the second floor above the classroom and the kitchen was located in a seperate building to reduce heat and threat of fire.
In 1668 St. Augustine was attacked . In the aftermath of this raid, the spanish began the construction of a more secure fortification, the Castillo de San Marcos, which stands today as the nations oldest fort. (see pics from an earlier visit this summer with the boys)
Today, the city is a popular tourist attraction for it Spanish Colonial buildings as well as elite 19th century architecture. There are many original homes along historic St. George Street. The St. Augustine Alligator Farm, incorporated in 1908, is one of the oldest commercial tourist attractions in Florida as well as the Fountain of Youth which dates from the same time period. Another landmark is the St. Augustine lighthouse which was built in 1874. (see pic) Horse drawn carriages clip-clop through the historic area carrying tourist. Occupying a stretch of coastline and white sand beaches along the North Florida Atlantic, St. Augustine attracts thousand of visitors each year who enjoy the history, community, beauty and ambience of America's oldest city.
