I was outside ALL WEEKEND LONG! It was cool. It was brisk. It was invigorating. I'm feeling very Pooh-like today!
RANDOMNESS #1 - I spent a couple of hours Saturday taking pictures of my beautiful niece, Katie. Katie is a Senior this year, and she wants pictures taken in different outfits in different locales to commemorate this special time in her life.
I am an Aunt who loves to take pictures... in the Fall... of anyone, anything, everything!
Put those things together, and you have a very happy Enchanting Belinda.
While I am not in any way, shape or form a professional photographer, Katie was happy with some of Saturday's pics... and if Katie's happy, Aunt Belinda is happy, too.
Our next location is Morris Avenue/Railroad Park. Katie will be sporting navy blue sweaters and scarves, as well as her Roll Tide clothing.
We'll finish off our three-location photo series with "the chair in the middle of the field wearing a feminine dress and cowboy boots" at a place called Turkey Creek (Katie's suggestion).
I can't wait.
RANDOMNESS #2 - Yesterday, my cousin, Amy, and I took Roxie and Monica to Six Flags to celebrate their 16th birthdays. (They were born just a few days apart.)
It was overcast, blustery and very cool (my favorite kind of day EVER), and we had a blast.
For some reason, the crowd was low (even though it was the last day the park would be open for the year). We waited for rides, but not for any great length of time. We walked into the little restaurants around the park for lunch and dinner and sat down INSIDE to eat (almost immediately).
We had a hot chocolate on the way back to the parking lot at 8:00 p.m. (Alabama time) and headed home.
We were tired, but very satisfied.
Did you notice how I got the roller coaster in the background? Did you?
Pretty good, huh?
One of my favorite rides EVER at Six Flags Over Georgia... The Runaway Mine Cars. The ride has a new name now, but several decades ago, it was known as The Runaway Mine Cars... and I'm sticking with that one!
Check out the photo bomber in this shot. (I'll take my nephew, Zac, jumping in my pictures over this guy any time!)
This guy takes Buford Buzzard's place during the fall months at Six Flags. He's just as "mean-spirited" as Buford... which is why I never sit on any bench within 100 yards of this spot.
I'm much too sensitive and insecure to take a direct hit from Buford OR Mr. Grumpy.
Just for the record, Amy and I rode Batman. As I've stated before, I do not have any problem riding roller coasters, Wheelies, etc., etc.
The last four or five years of my amusement park visits, I have found closing my eyes for the entirety of the ride makes it not only less stressful, but almost relaxing. A nice, gentle 180 mph breeze flowing through my hair... 3 Gs of gravity pulling my face all the way back to my ears (giving me that 20-something look once again)... Ah. That's good stuff.
However, when the Batman ride stopped and I opened my eyes, it was a little disconcerting to see everything was upside down.
That's right. I thought we were still upside down because that was the image registering with my brain.
"Amy? Do you think we're upside down right now?"
"Uh, no. But my legs are wobbly."
"But your legs aren't upside down?"
"No. And neither are yours."
"Well, that's good to know."
I started asking myself when I put my head to pillow last night, "Is 51 too old to ride roller coasters? Is it possible Batman is the last roller coaster I'll ever ride? Can I put away my foolish dreams of conquering Superman AND Goliath AND The Hulk at Universal before I die?"
Aging is tricky.
Yes, I may have to put my roller coaster "To-Do" list away... but that gives me more time to pursue my ziplining, dolphin swimmin' and meeting Tom Selleck dreams.
And let's face it. I need much more time for those important things.
A final decision hasn't been made yet, but I'm definitely leaning that way!
Does the Bat Signal look upside to you? Does it?
RANDOMNESS #3 - I FINALLY made Josh text his Guntersville picture to Mikie, who in turn e-mailed it to my computer. FINALLY! But not before Josh deleted ALL of the other Guntersville pictures.
He obviously did not get the "never delete a picture from your camera" gene from me.
Thankfully, the one picture he did save was a good one!
If I Could Turn Back Time - If I could turn back time, I would NEVER tell Austin or Josh they had to change from their superhero garb into "real" clothes before heading to the grocery store or Wal-Mart.
I now know and appreciate the beauty of wearing underwear on the outside of your jeans while sporting a cool terry cloth red or blue towel (pinned to the shoulders of your superhero pajama top) as a flowing cape.
I cared a little too much about what others would think of me as a Mom, and not enough about how much it hurt to take your superhero finery off just to go pick up toilet paper and Pop Tarts.
Would I let them wear underwear on the outside of their pants now (at 21 and 19 years of age)?
No. No, I would not.
But ages two through five... Well, that is really age-appropriate casual wear, and I was too uptight to know it!
Blog Linkage - Please, please go to www.kellehampton.com and read Friday's post entitled "Easy Pumpkin Carving Party." She threw a surprise Pumpkin Carving Party together in two hours for her daughter, Lainey... and it was beautiful.
Horseshoe Blessings Tradition
I read this in this November's issue of Southern Living. It was written by Ruth Graham Lotz, daughter of Bill Graham.
"Over the years, our Thanksgiving has become like a family reunion. My father, Billy Graham, has 5 children, 19 grandchildren and 40-something great-grandchildren. Thanksgiving has grown so large - last year we had 70 people, and that wasn't even all of us - he has the feast catered so the burden won't fall on anyone.
"After dinner, we set chairs in a horseshoe and put Daddy in the middle. Each person shares something they're thankful for, a blessing they experienced in the past year. Not just the adults, but the kids, too. If we finish eating at 2, we might be there until 4:30.
"After the last shared blessing, someone reads Psalm 100, and then Daddy closes with prayer. Sometimes he prays with more energy, like he's preaching. But now that Mother is gone - she passed in 2007 - it seems more reflective.
"When he's praying, it's like he has one foot in Heaven. It's like we have a link, like we're overhearing a conversation between Daddy and God. And, to borrow from Psalm 100, that's a joyful noise."
What a legacy Rev. Graham has made for his family. Oh, how sweet to have a child describe their parent's prayer as "overhearing a conversation between Daddy and God."
My prayer for my family and yours? May we all have more traditions like this one in our own families.
Have a magnificent Monday. I'll be back Friday with more Thanksgiving "things." Is it just me, or do the Fall months have a way of slipping through your fingers before you know it. (Kind of like kids!)
Take care, and I'll talk to you Friday.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
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