Touch a Truck

In yet another example, of how things in Germantown, just seem to always be "done better," on Saturday, we took our Little Man to the Touch a Truck event at the library. There, children could actually get in/climb on just about every imaginable vehicle: police car, ambulance, fire truck, tractor, bulldozer, ice cream truck, garbage truck, etc. They also got to experience vehicles that are not so mainstream and let's hope never seen in real life such as the "Emergency Command Center" a mobile home that would be used in the event of a plane crash when an extensive investigation would take place, or the SWAT vehicle on loan from the Federal Government we saw that could withstand bullets and grenades (it's shared by three states the officer told me) so thankfully, not something that "in demand." Even the wheels are bullet proof.

Little Man wasn't all that into it believe it or not, although mommy was WAY impressed at the turn-out and organization of it all and best of all, this event was free and Mama loves the free you know.

And God Created the Smack-Down too…

Had lunch with a friend who’s the mom of a toddler like me. Being she is a devout Christian, it’s important to her to raise her son in the church and thus go to church regularly to instill a good habit. Recently, a friend of hers approached her after Sunday services to tell her and I quote: “There is a reason God created nurseries.” She was so embarrassed. Now her toddler sits in the nursery during church.

I guess if the child were particularly unruly then “her friend” would have had a point (not the case my friend says, her son was not acting a fool). And some might argue that it’s more important that the adults “get” the message of the sermon and that children are a distraction.

But if Christians are supposed to act like I don’t know, like Jesus would, then I doubt you’d see Jesus suggesting a nursery. In fact, sing it with me, Jesus loved all the little children…all the children of the world. So what would I have done if someone had approached me with an “I’m a better mommy than you are because…” statement? I’d start singing them the Jesus loves the little children song…and then give a prompt verbal smack-down. Kidding. Jesus wouldn’t do that last thing either.

Tunnel of Fudge Cake

Back in the 70’s, Pillsbury made these boxed “Bundt” cake mixes and my favorite flavor was the “Tunnel of Fudge.” It was a chocolate cake with an oozey pudding filling. This was long before anyone had invented any sort of “chocolate lava cake.” In the 80’s, they stopped making that whole boxed “Bundt” line. Kind of wish they’d bring it back.

But never fear, Williams Sonoma will sell you a boxed “tunnel of fudge” concept for $80.00 (kidding). So, five eggs and three sticks of butter later, here it is. Yum, yum, yum.

How does it compare to the original, circa Pillsbury 1978? Well, it was good…but somehow, everything dessert was just better when we were kids. Why is that? Is it because our pallets just weren’t as evolved or that anything sweet was a sensation to us? I wonder. Just not the same this go round.

New Year's Resolution - Achieved!

For most, a New Years Resolution includes a vow to eat less. Not me. Mine is to eat more. Okay, let me explain. eat out more--with a toddler.

In 2009, I vowed that I would make a diligent effort to take Little Sugar out to lunch more so that he could get used to eating out and someday know how to behave in restaurants. Well May 23, 2009, we did it! We went to Swanky's. I give the outing a C+. He didn't have a melt down at all and only ran around like a banshee twice and only once ran underfoot of a woman with a tray full of drinks but fortunately, disaster averted.

I've never been one to schlep the kid around. I have lots of fears. The obvious of course, that he will be kidnapped at gun point in some parking lot...and the less likely, he'll have a total melt down and the entire store/restaurant/auditorium will have all eyes on me--the mommy who can't control her child. It doesn't help matters that the Toddster took him to story time at the library one time and the librarian gave him the smack down for "not controlling the child" because he climbed on something, a shelf I think. I mean come on, aren't there plenty of shelves in a library to go around? But I digress.

I was a nervous wreck today at lunch. Who can relax around a burrito with a toddler? But hopefully, in time, with more outings...I'll get used to it.

The Gypsies are like the Amish really...

I had occasionally seen the “gypsies” that reside in Memphis at random places around town. They are easy to spot, all gussied up those girls are, with their pageant hair & make up and lots of fancy purses and bling. And I had heard they lived in a trailer park out by the airport, but in general had only mild curiosity.

One of my friends told me that we must do a drive by of this neighborhood as apparently, it’s a little outside of the norm. So we did. I think if I were to relay all that I saw, it would have to be a ten part series and I'll spare you that…instead, I will focus on one area that I found interesting. And it is this. In many of the yards, there are these mini-billboards. And on the billboards there is a picture of a little girl all “toddler and tiara.” I’m assuming it’s the toddler that resides in that particular trailer. Picture Jon Benet with dark hair. And they have these Disney princess type names: Gisele, Ariel, Jasmine…and with each little girl, there is a tag line, like: “can’t top perfection” or “sassy and sweet.” And what’s more, the signs have been bedazzled in beads and glitter. I assume some sort of competition is going on…who has the cutest kid.

Sidebar: I think I may have found my Plan B career. Gypsy yard sign maker. With my affinity for the glitter, this may be it. Meanwhile, my friend is moving out of town. So I made a sign for her (see above, click on it to see it "big"). That's her face. She can put it in the yard of her new home…I’m sure that’s her plan with it.

So in summation, I do think the gypsies are somewhat like the Amish. They keep to themselves, have devout religious beliefs, would prefer you not go driving through their neighborhood gawking, and in general spark interest from those of us outside their little world.

Now, for Little Sugar’s sign in my front yard.

Life Stages

Finally! A no rain Saturday so Papparazza an I were back on for our family photo session "in the grotto" at Memorial Park Cemetery. As I've said before this is THE place now for outside photos. I had no idea how pretty it was, and it's only been there for what, 50+ years and is a mile from my front door? Go figure. Sometimes you need to be a tourist in your own city.

As I was observing all the other people taking pictures there, I kept thinking of how life was coming full circle seemingly in that one place. Here we were with our toddler. Next to us was a teenager getting her graduation pictures done. Later comes all the prom couples. Then a bride. Then over a ways there was a family getting their pictures done with their college age kids (and precious dogs). And here we all sit in a cemetery "posing," in undoubtedly our final resting place for some in that crowd. Most of life's stages, represented around a little pond with a fountain next to a cave--all in a span of an hour's time.

Tom's BBQ - on Getwell at Raines

I’ve lived in Memphis all my life but had never heard of Tom’s BBQ until I saw it on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives several months ago. So today, we checked it out on our lunch break in the spirit of going to “someplace new.” New to us anyway. It's actually been around for 50 years.

At Tom’s we experienced large portions, yummy BBQ sauce, high quality big chunks of pork and all reasonably priced. We were also impressed by all the many choices the menu had to offer—something to please most anyone. But best of all, Adam (the man pictured at left) who now owns Tom’s (got that?) was delightful. He’s one of those proprietors that every company wishes they could bottle and sell. Loves his customers, knows people by their first name, greets everyone with a smile and is passionate about his food—with a constant “you gotta try this” or “what can I get for you?” Like I always say, personality can’t be trained. You either have it or you don’t. Tom, I mean Adam, has it.

Field Trip

Remember when you were a kid and there was a field trip? I sure do, with our “sack lunches” with the grape soda cans wrapped in aluminum foil “to keep them cold” our mother’s would say…

These days I keep holed up in an office from 8a – 5p so I always get a little excited when there is an offsite meeting or business partner to visit. Today, I had the pleasure of attending a photo shoot for one of our upcoming promotions. Photo shoots are my favorite! Not sure why…maybe it’s the inner Tim Gunn in me who would love to instruct the models to the “Loreal Paris make up room where they will only have 20 minutes to be runway ready” or maybe it’s because I have an interest in photography in general. Or maybe it’s because it’s just nice to work offsite from time to time.

Alas, today’s shoot was great. It’s a kid promo and I worked with three delightful Memphis area children. And once again to prove that Memphis is the biggest small town on earth, one of the girl’s moms I used to work with and one of the other moms and I share a mutual friend. Given that Memphis and the outlying suburbs are 1mm plus people, I find this kind of thing always remarkable. Don’t ever damage your professional reputation in this town as you’re bound to know someone who knows someone and you’d have to move far away to ever find gainful employment. 'tis true!

Bob

Ever since Little Sugar was born, there has been a go to bed ritual that consists of: rocking chair, lullaby CD, bottle, blanket, mommy and baby—in that order. As a working mom, this 30 minutes or so in the evening, is the favorite part of my day as I get to hold my little guy and just snuggle, unwind and relax. Just him and me.

He’s over two now and I recently mentioned to the Toddster that the days of rocking may soon be over as he’s getting almost too big to rock for both of us to be comfortable. These words were a bad omen. Last week, Little Sugar started cutting the rocking time down to say five minutes and then demanding that he be put in “BED!” and that I sit in “CHAIR!” So in other words, watch him go to sleep, not rock him to sleep. Arg. Why do they have to grow up? I was ill-prepared for this change in ritual.

Then on Mother’s Day, Grandma (he calls her Mama) brings over a Spongebob Squarepants pillow (he calls him “BOB!”). The last two nights, he wants no rocking at all and there are no demands for “MOMMY-CHAIR!” He wants “BOB!” in “BED” and lots of “BOTTLE!” Sniff, sniff. So I cave in, give the bottle and then creep in there to retrieve it after he’s asleep. And sleep soundly he does on the Bob pillow. But it’s sad to me. The baby stage is fast eroding.

Book Review #1 – A Year of Living Biblically

Rating: 4 Couch Butts (see “butt on the couch” for my definition of the rating system)

I feel like some background is necessary before I start this particular review. When it comes to religion, I have a very moderate view point. For example, if there were a ten point scale and say snake handler was #10, and atheist was #1, I’d be about a 5. I was raised Baptist and in my formative years went to Sunday school, then church, and then evening services weekly without fail. The bus came to pick me up because my parents weren’t church goers themselves. After church, the bus drivers would buy us bubble gum at the 7-Eleven or on some rare and fabulous occasions to an 8 year old, buy us Krystal burgers when they had their 25 cent special going on. Vacation Bible School was my favorite event all summer.

I have zero regrets about this upbringing. Church taught me morals and how to be good to others and lots and lots of guilt about sin. As one pastor used to say, “I’d rather scare you into heaven than lull you into hell.” These days, I’m not convinced there is heaven or hell, but I do believe in God and the power of prayer. I also believe that a fervent belief in any brand of religion that is too strong and closed minded to other points of view, can cause lots of problems in the world. Just sayin’

In the true story, The Year of Living Biblically, the author tries to literally follow the Bible as much as humanly possible. It’s engaging, laugh out loud funny and a very intelligent read. It’s written like a diary (day 1 – day 387) and I like books with short chapters, so this format was good for me. It’s one of those books that you’ll read a passage and have to pause for a moment and reflect on what you’ve just read. I loved it because it reminded me of my Sunday school days and all the great stories that the Bible taught about righteous living that I had since forgotten (e.g., the Good Samaritan, Jacob and Esau, the Prodigal Son, etc.) and some new ones I’d never heard. And with the author’s team of advisors on his quest, they provided interpretations of the stories and different points of view about them from all walks of faith. With these interpretations, there were many Oprah style A-Ha moments for me. His passages about his trip to Israel are fascinating and the side-bar about his neighbor Nancy, extremely moving. The book demonstrated how a literal interpretation of the Bible this day and age is virtually impossible—or we’d be stoning our friends that work on Sunday, beating wives if they spoke in church, etc. And we’d have to give up bacon. That would be extremely difficult.

If you read books, this one is a must. Enjoy it! Send me a comment and let me know how you liked it.

Butt on the Couch

I try and read a book or two a month and have the pleasure to be part of an awesome Book Club. So for blog purposes, the inner author in me will write the occasional book review. I thought a rating system would be in order so you would know at a quick glance if I’m recommending a book. For the record, I always finish every book I start, no matter how horrendous it may be. The only exception was Wicked. Thank heavens the author made a fortune on the musical because he might be in the soup line otherwise (kidding of course, Gregory Maguire has actually written one of my favorite books of all time, so I think that’s why Wicked was such a shock.) I’m also one of those weirdos who is creeped out by The Wizard of Oz, so it was doomed for me from the start.

Now back to the rating system. I will impose a “butt on the couch” thematic as follows:

Four Butts on the Couch = Four days out of seven that my butt was spent on the couch, completely engrossed in the book. It’s one of those books that I will “tell everyone I know who reads” to read.

Three Butts on the Couch = Three days out of seven that my butt was spent on the couch reading; very engaged with the book. I will be selective however in who I recommend this book to.

Two Butts on the Couch = Two days out of seven that my butt was spent on the couch reading. At this point, the book is more of an assignment for Book Club than a reading pleasure. Mildly entertained, not likely to recommend.

One Butt on the Couch = Just one day a week with my butt on the couch reading. I’m suffering through this one, hoping it will soon be over so I can say I finished it.

Look for my first book review tomorrow!

He Should Have Left Sooner

One time, I was driving to lunch with my friend AC and someone had the nerve to honk at me b/c I wasn’t blazing through a yellow light or something. She said in her sassy voice, “he should have left sooner.” The simplicity of that statement was just so profound and funny to me. You know what? Most road rage stems from the fact that the person raging, just should have left sooner. Period.

Now Spinning starts at 5:15 on Mondays (used to be 6:00). Oh and to clarify, Spinning is a cycling class—not to be confused with knitting yarn or the like, sometimes people ask for clarity which always cracks me up a little. Needless to say, since my quitting time is not until 5:00, it’s all I can do to get there even say 5 minutes late and still obey traffic laws.

Yesterday, it was 5:10 before my butt hit the car. I knew that I would have to drive really fast to get there as to not be annoyingly late. So of course, the lady in front of me out of the parking lot couldn’t decide if she was going right or left. Right signal, left signal, no right one; no think I’ll go left. She turned right. Anyway, I could feel my impatience level rising. Lord knows my chunky self needs that 700 calorie burn. Finally, I exit and then get to the second light and OMG is that a train coming? And it dawned on me. I should have left sooner. No one’s fault but my own. And with that, I turned the car around and decided to instead walk the trail that’s on the campus where I work. I had it all to myself and it was a perfect 70 degrees. There is something to be said about walking in silence with just the sound of birds and wind and the smell of honeysuckle to exercise the mind. No, it wasn’t a sweat fest but there has to be something said of the long term health benefits of a pure mind release and the calming that comes with chirping birds, wind and the smell of honeysuckle.

Strawberry Pie

Called Papparazza to cancel our "in the grotto" photo session because it poured down rain all day which left me with a morning with no scheduled activity. Awesome! As my Cook's Country magazine had just arrived. This is by far my favorite cooking mag out there. Even mild foodies should check it out. Why you ask? For one, it's just recipes...no ads and it’s step-by-step-with-pictures- but not so many recipes to be overwhelming and tiresome. And the recipes they do have are shall I say, normal? As I'm not a foie gras, braised sweetbreads in truffle oil kind of gal at all.

So in this June/July issue they had a strawberry pie in there. Now, keep in mind that I was raised with the red slime in the plastic tub in the banana section at Kroger kind of pie—you know the one. And if not enough Red Dye 40 and chemicals for you, we topped it off with Cool Whip. I’m not turning my nose up at that, I’m sure if I were to go to the Parental’s house, it would be served and I wouldn’t leave a drop on my plate. BUT since I’ve become a mom, I’ve tried to minimize my and Little Sugar’s intake of preservatives and words that cannot be pronounced and shall I say, return the roots of being a “country cook.” That is, one that makes most things from scratch. So this one spoke to me…you made your own red slime, from scratch, and used a combination of both frozen and fresh strawberries. And the whipped cream was whipped from scratch with cream cheese added. Brilliant! Wish I’d though of that. Of course, the Toddster didn’t eat any—something about gelatin being in it and thus horse toe nails and fish eyeballs that don’t fit within his vegetarian belief system. That’s fine, more for me and the Little Sugar—who didn’t leave drop on his plate either.

Gratis, Grotto, and Ghetto - Oh My!

So today was a normal day at work and as a bonus I got to have lunch with the Toddster at RP Tracks (okay, how is that place not packed all the time? The food is so good.) And he whips out the BOGO coupon. Gosh, I love when a meal is gratis. I actually went into labor at RP Tracks on March 19, 2007. Yep, nothing like a steak sandwich and fries to get a baby out. A year or so later I shared this with the waitress who could not have been more NOT interested in this little factoid about me. I thought, isn’t that cool? You work at a place where this very customer before you went into labor to bring new life in this world in this very spot, yet you are not impressed.


So Little Sugar gets his two year old pictures taken tomorrow at the grotto (I keep wanting to sing that word like Elvis’ “in the ghetto” song. Sing it with me “in the grotto.”) Anyway, the “grotto” is in our Memorial Park, um, cemetery. Is that weird? Believe or not, that’s the new hot spot for family photos…the grounds are supposed to be amazing and they have fountains & fish & foliage to occupy a two year old and there is no traffic, etc. Stay tuned for a future post so you can see the results of our photo session with Memphis’ best Papparaza. She asked if I would be in the photos too and I was like, only if it’s a good hair & make up day. And I only have one good hair day a week so it’s not likely, as that was last Monday.

My First Time

So here I am, an official blogger with my own unique URL and everything. According to "Blogging for Dummies" chapter 2, I'm "ready to start blogging now!" Gosh, that was a fast read.