What's That, Judith Day, RT Day AND Almost Everyone's Birthday Celebration

Good Wednesday morn!

RANDOMNESS #1 - What's That? - I believe I've talked in great detail about how much I HATE HAVING MY FACE TOUCHED by any human (big or small).

Also, I may have mentioned when Roxie was a tot, she loved getting as close to my face as was humanly possible and touching it with tiny fingers, so I am no stranger to a little girl's fascination with older faces.

Judith LOVES to touch my face. It is her favorite activity when she is visiting. This past week, she held my cheeks, checked on my chin(s), softly stroked my eyelashes, and I was good. I really was.

I answered all of her questions about freckles and wrinkles and beauty marks, etc., etc.

And then she asked me the one question that strikes fear into any Nana while being examined by a three year-old walking/talking microscope.

"What's that?"

She was staring at my nose, but I knew it wasn't going to be as easy as that.

"You know what that is, Judith," I replied.

She didn't blink. She leaned in and gave me a little kiss.

Then she sat up straight and said, "It's like Daddy's mustache, but not as big."

Then I sat up straight and said, "NO WAY!" and ran to the bathroom mirror.

Honestly, I could not see anything at all mustache-y under my nose or above my upper lip.

Nothing.

Nada.

"You're wrong, Judith. There's nothing there," I told her.

"But I 'seed' it, and I 'feeled' it," she said.

Obviously, an eye exam and electrolysis are in my near future, and the sooner I accept the fact I am NOT aging gracefully, the better.

Also, I am thinking about purchasing a fun mask to wear when the Grand-Tots come over to play.

But then I would get hot...

And we all know how much I hate to be hot!

I think the only logical solution to this problem is to distract them with candy of their choosing when they start staring, touching and asking questions. I am pretty sure I can handle Grand-Tots on sugar highs much easier than constantly scheduling elective non-invasive facial procedures.

Yes.

That is most definitely the wisest course of action!

RANDOMNESS #2 - Judith Day - Last week, as is our custom, Judith and I met her Pop at Chick-Fil-A for some mid-day nourishment which always includes ice cream.




Miss Priss has a unique way of eating ice cream.

It either ends up in her nose...


Or dripping down her chin.

There is no "in between."

RANDOMNESS #3 - RT Day - Little Man is in the phase of his life where he is ever-changing.

His personality, his face, his sense of humor.

If you blink, you'll most definitely miss something.


When I look at these pics years from now...


All I am going to be thinking...


Why did I put a five year-old in a Pack and Play?

Seriously though...

This is not the face of an almost two year-old!

Is it?

RANDOMNESS #4 - Almost Everyone's Birthday Celebration - Courtney, Roxie and Josh have birthdays in September and October which are incredibly close together. A couple of years ago, I started having a little combo birthday celebration because hosting three separate birthday parties in a 20-day span just isn't doable for me.

It's crazy, actually.


Roxie turned 22.


Courtney turned 27.


And Josh turned 25.


Judith. (First one to the big table!)


Uncle Tommy.


Sawyer.


Zac, Sawyer, Roxie, Judith's sweet cousin, Judith, Courtney and RT.




Aunt Bev reading a story to Judith in the midst of birthday chaos!


This guy plays hard, but when he needs a little break, he'll empty and climb into this particular toy basket.


It would appear someone else needed a little down time in a toy basket.


I am happy to report they "shared" this space without incident.

Basically, two toddlers in a smallish toy basket at the same time have the ability to appear totally unaware of the other's presence.

I think they are both destined for very happy marriages one day!

Just maybe not to each other.


Sawyer and RT talked and made some plans to get together for Thanksgiving.

I think.

They can be pretty hard to follow sometimes.






Oh! Did I tell you this year I made birthday pies.

Courtney wanted an apple pie...

Josh wanted a pumpkin pie...

And Roxie wanted pecan.

(Melia supplied a delicious chocolate cake in case autumnal pies weren't everyone's favorite.)

For the first year EVER, I didn't take pictures of the birthday desserts until AFTER we had started eating.

You can't tell, but Courtney's apple pie had a big pastry "C" in the middle of it. (A big pastry "R" and "J" graced Roxie and Josh's pies.)

My only excuse... If Courtney is 27 and Josh is 25 and Roxie is 22, that would make me 57!

We're lucky I remembered to bake the pies in the first place!

I hope y'all have a good week and a great weekend. I hear the temp is going to be below 90 degrees, and I think that is absolutely thrilling.

Talk to you soon.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda

P.S. I'm missing a pic of our newest addition, Carly Beth (Sawyer's baby sister). I tried, but at three months, she is very good at pulling her dress up over her face every time I snapped. I will remedy this in the next week or two. I'm going to go hold this little one for a bit. (Her Mama said I could!)

Nana B Stories - The Joys of Water Play AND 4th of July Festivities and Pics

Good Monday afternoon!

RANDOMNESS #1 - Nana B Stories - The Joys of Water Play - I am not saying they do not exist, but I have yet to find a young child who doesn't enjoy some sort of water play in all my years of working or being around little ones.

That being said, I wanted to share MY personal favorite forms of water play...

1. Frozen water in a tray - A couple of weeks ago, I froze 9" x 13" aluminum trays filled with blue water, ocean animals, coins, etc.

A beach towel per child, a small tool (wrenches work well) and 20 minutes under a shade tree turned out to be a lot of fun.

NOTE - Because using a real tool is kind of mandatory, the beach towels were spaced far apart. No accidents allowed.

2. Indoor swimming - Young children (two and three year olds) on a rainy day like putting on swimsuits and "swimming" in a bathtub filled with water and blue food coloring.

A handful of plastic ocean animals and three or four cups for pouring, and we're talking 20 to 30 minutes of fun!

I kid you not.

3. Two inches of water and 200 balls in a baby pool - Judith is 18 months old.

Judith loves baby pools and balls.

Loves them, I say.

4. Water balloon wars - We used to have water balloon wars when my kids were growing up with other families and the neighborhood kids.

As a Mom, you were responsible for a certain amount of water balloons per each of your kids (30 to 50). We met in a specific backyard, and with just a few rules to follow, we let the war ensue.

NOTE - No hitting above the neck was a HUGE rule.

HUGE!

5. Sitting in a tub with constantly running water - My kids liked this when they were between one and two years-old. Judith likes it now.

As long as there is water running out of the bathroom faucet, the kids are happy clapping in the "waterfall," splashing in the "waterfall" and drinking from the "waterfall."

Another 20 minutes well spent before naptime or bedtime!

6. Bathroom sink - A box of dinosaurs and a bathroom sink filled half-way with murky green water is heavenly for the three and four year-old boy crowd. Austin and Josh would stand on stools in front of the sink and play with their dinosaurs FOREVER. For some reason, the mirror makes it more fun, too.

Yes. I had to wash a load of towels when they finished, but the floors and the countertop were pretty clean!

7. Hose pipe wars - My kids and the kids across the street loved playing hose pipe wars on hot summer days. Garbage can lids and swim masks were used as protection.

At the end of the war, there were lovely, giant water puddles at the end of both driveways, too.

Any kind of action figures OR plastic animals OR dinosaurs in the puddles, please.

8. Puddle jumping - Nothing better for the "just started walking" crowd.

Nothing better at all.

RANDOMNESS #2 - We celebrated the 4th of July at my house this year.

Along with the things we did below, we watched three patriotic YouTube videos before and after lunch.

One of them was an old Red Skelton monologue about The Pledge of Allegiance, and it was very, very good.

Another was the acapella group singing Lee Greenwood's "I'm Proud to be an American." Beautiful!

The videos definitely set the mood for the rest of our day together.


Judith knows how to dress for the 4th of July.


And The Chick knows how to make a patriotic pie!


Last year I gave away a car wash to the person who wore the best 4th of July garb.

This year, I changed it to craziest 4th of July hat...

AND the prize was TWO movie passes.

Courtney won last year, and she and Josh came to play the game again this year.


However, so did Zac and Mallie. I don't know if you can tell, but they had tiny toy soldiers and a flag on top of their hats...

Which looked exactly like the Hiroshima Monument in Washington, D.C.

Thankfully, our neighbors were home, so they became the judges and delivered the news to Josh and Courtney.

Zac and Mallie won.

Courtney's already thinking about next year, so we'll just have to wait and see!


Also, because of the massive heat outside our front door, we opted for a cool game of BINGO inside for our mid-afternoon entertainment.

A movie pass, two car washes, candy bars and free Red Box coupons were the prizes, and everyone played until the last prize was gone.


Not one, BUT TWO, baby pools were set up for Judith under the shade trees in the front yard.


And while she waded...


A few others played Spike Ball.

Some with shirts on and others...

Not so much.


Excuse me.

Does anyone see Judith in the pools?


Anyone?


Austin and Melia.


Josh (with a shirt) and ME!

Also, my hat wasn't meant to be crazy as much as festive...

And I didn't plan on wearing it the whole party, but when I tried to take it off mid-way, I found I had MASSIVE hat hair.

I don't know why, but I just thought you would want an explanation.


Mallie and Zac.


Katie and Bev.

Here is a look at what's coming up!

Stephanie and Brad's babe, Sawyer, will be here before we know it. We attended a Baby Shower for him this past weekend, and I will share a few more of those pics next post.


Roxie, Bev and Katie.


Roxie, Stephanie, Katie and Melia.

We have some very pretty girls in our fam.

Just sayin'.

Have a great day. I'll be back in a few!

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda

Nana B Stories, Pinterest Stuff (The Flour Game), Stick of Butter Rice AND Weekend Happenings

Good Friday afternoon!

RANDOMNESS #1 - I went through the drive-thru at McDonald's and picked up my 10:32 a.m. Friday morning medium, sugar-free, French vanilla, iced coffee.

It's kinda what I do.

And on Fridays, I usually have the same guy prepare AND hand me my beverage of choice.

Well, get this.

I am almost 115 percent sure when the guy handed me my coffee today, he said, "Love ya."

Not, "Thank you, and come again."

Not, "Have a nice day."

"Love ya."

Don't get me wrong.

It wasn't said in a romantic way. I am most definitely old enough to be this kid's super young Mom.

Yet it wasn't said in a flippant way either.

He said it with gusto, and a big grin.

You can imagine my dilemma.

Having declared my love to my one and only 28 and a half years ago, I do not flippantly throw around the phrase, "Love ya," to just anyone.

Mikie, children (mine and those I come across in my day-to-day travels), relatives and girlfriends receive these words on a regular basis, and when I utter them, I try to be sincere.

Really.

Truly.

I do.

This guy is most definitely a significant part of my life.

I have a rather important decision to make before next Friday.

Right now, it is between these two...

"I, too, am fond of you, Coffee Server Extraordinaire!"

OR, as The Chick would say...

"I like you like a fat kid likes cake."

I know. I know.

I'm going to have to find another McDonald's.

RANDOMNESS #2 - I attended a Baby Shower for my new great-nephew-to-come, Sawyer, this past Sunday, and I have two things to say...

He is going to be a very snappy dresser; AND...





I, along with many other people, cannot wait to meet him in person in August.


Katie, Stephanie and Bev.


Daddy and Mommy...

Or as I have been referring to them these past few years, Brad and Stephanie!

NANA B STORIES - I just wanted to let you know about a couple of activities that have REALLY, REALLY worked for me during my interaction with the two, three and four year-old crowd.

1. As you already know, the Water Table is a wonderful thing.

Wonderful!

I work with a two and three year-old who, with a little bit of "extra," will play with the water table for an hour...

Or more.

I start out with a little water in the water table. I use a LARGE plastic bowl (from The Dollar Tree) and fill the bottom with plastic frogs, fish, lizards and snakes. I cover them with half a can of shaving cream (also from The Dollar Tree). The kids "wash" all of the animals and put them in the clean water.

I then use the shaving cream plastic bowl to add two or three more bowls of water to the table.

Now, we're ready for food coloring. They pick the first color, second color, etc., etc. As I drop more and more color in the water, they stir it with their hands and arms.

When the water turns black (which it inevitably does), we tip the water table onto it's side causing a large waterfall.

Then, it is time to fill it up again and repeat the above process over and over until they start getting tired.

But, wait!

It is time for the big guns...

Measuring cups, drinking cups, more bowls, washrags, etc.

We pour, measure, pour some more and start washing anything and everything in the area...

Chairs, play cars, the deck floor, etc.

Are they still interested?

Yep.

Time for a good water table rinse and some "new" water...

And the Swedish Gummy Fish (also from The Dollar Tree).

Using toddler forks or easy-to-use "kid" tongs, let the kids fish for the Swedish Gummy Fish.

Let them fish by color first. "Let's catch ALL of the red fish!"

After they have caught all of the colors, it's time to release them back into the water and fish some more.

Just between you and me, your fish supply will dwindle the longer you play this little game.

I like to call it Swedish Fish Sushi!

Clothes are wet...

Kids are clean and a little tired...

And it's time for dry clothes, a snack and reading time.

2. For the four and six year-old crowd, we were recently working on a transportation "unit." As I was leaving the library after checking out books, I noticed a shelf of FREE magazines. I picked out five.

The next time we were together, we spent 15 minutes tearing out pictures of any and all kinds of transportation.

The tearing was wild and wonderful, but the pictures were HUGE.

I told the kids to pick a color for poster board...

RED. They picked RED!

I took the pictures home and trimmed them.

The next time I met with these particular kiddos, I came prepared with RED poster board, glue sticks and much smaller pics.

They spent 15 minutes independently working on a really, really cool "Transportation Poster."

3. Fly Swatter Painting is fun for all ages. Fifty-somethings included.

I use three paper plates and put a blob of different colored paint on each one.

Using white poster board and The Dollar Tree fly swatters, dip the swatter in a color and start slapping the paper.

And so on, and so on, and so on.

It doesn't take long, but you can make multiple paintings, and it is easy, breezy!

Pinterest Stuff

The Flour Game

To play this game (according to this family’s version), you fill a teacup with flour and pack it firmly. Flip it over onto a plate, and place a Lifesaver candy on the top of it.

Each person sitting in a circle takes a turn cutting the flour with a knife.

If you make the Lifesaver FALL during your cut, you have to fish it out with your mouth!

No hands allowed!

NOTE FROM ENCHANTING BELINDA - As you can imagine, I can't wait to try this one. It may be one of our 4th of July activities. (Blue plate, white flour, red Lifesaver.) I don't think I can actually wait until Christmas.

Stick of Butter Rice

You will need the following:

1 cup uncooked white rice (NOT instant)
1 can of condensed French onion soup
1 can of beef broth
1 stick of butter, sliced

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. In a 9" x 9" baking dish combine rice, soup and broth.

3. Cut butter into thin slices and place on top of the mixture.

4. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

5. Remove cover and bake 30 minutes more.

I made this last night, and it was a hit. I'm pretty sure this is a side I will make again and again and again.

Weekend Happenings

1. Roxie is having some college friends over for a couple of days.

I am finishing up THE BIRMINGHAM LIST as we speak (100 Fun Things To Do Around the Magic City - Enchanting Belinda Style), and I will give them their individual copies tonight.

After Senior Year, the Chick who has the most things checked off her list will win a very special prize.

2. On Saturday, while the friends are doing this and that, and going hither and yon, I will be cooking, Estate Sale shopping and birthday party planning...

3. Because Mikie's 55th Birthday Celebration is happening this Sunday after church.

That's right.

He is wildly excited he will now be considered a "senior" at certain establishments, and will be given the dreaded "Senior Discount."

I am wildly determined to pay full price for everything as long as I possibly can.

At least until I am 70!

4. After all the party people leave the house Sunday afternoon, Judith is going to hang around and spend the night.

Happy, happy am I about this particular weekend.





Have a great weekend, Guys. I'll talk to you in a couple of days!

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda

P.S. I am going to leave you with a few Charleston pics The Chick took last week.




Roxie, Natalie and Ellie.

Nana B Stories, Quotable Quotes AND a Little More New Orleans

Good Tuesday evening!

RANDOMNESS #1 - Nana B Stories - I ran yesterday.

And when I say I ran yesterday...

I wasn't running from a rabid dog or a mean person.

I was running because a cute five year-old boy with a lopsided grin and fly-away hair challenged me to a race from his driveway, across an empty lot to the brick wall of their neighbor's house.

What can I say?

He threw down the gauntlet.

A five year-old boy gauntlet...

But a gauntlet nonetheless.

The good news is I didn't get out of breath at all.

The bad news is I think I may run like a 54 year-old woman now...

As opposed to the last time I ran...

When I was only 52, and I ran like a 52 year-old woman.

Needless to say, he won and he must have thought I had a chance of winning because he truly looked relieved each and every time he glanced over his shoulder to check my progress.

"You didn't let me win, did you?" he asked when I finally crossed the Finish Line.

"Nope. I don't believe in letting kids win just because they are kids," I replied.

And just from looking at his ear-to-ear grin, I feel pretty safe saying he didn't believe in letting 54 year-old women win just because they were 54 years-old.

If you see me loping around The Dale the next few days, just know I'm in training. I don't really have time to stop and talk to you and yours.

Unless, of course, you want to give me a ride back to wherever I parked The Big Gold Van.

And that would be lovely.

RANDOMNESS #2 - New Orleans - Day Two - Mike didn't have any meetings until Wednesday night, so our second day in New Orleans was spent walking, walking, walking.

And these are just a few of the things we saw...


I wasn't expecting all the palm trees. They were beautiful AND everywhere.


The horse-drawn carriages were all over the place, too.


I especially liked the fancy hooves...


And the beautiful flowers the horses wore behind their ears.


But my favorite thing was definitely the different street performers.


I call him "Silver Guy."


He could dance AND sing.


And I was super excited when Gold Guy came over to talk to Silver Guy for a few minutes.

It was obvious they were very good friends.


This performer was standing this way with no help from strings or invisible wires.

I call him "Stands at a Slanty Angle Guy."


One day, Guys.

This is on my Bucket List.


And this is Mighty Mike and the Mississippi.


We ate at Mother's for lunch because...

Well, World's Best Baked Ham.

And I am happy to report, the sign did not lie.


Mike and I found a Boutique Hotel on Bienville Avenue we liked very much.

It was beautifully decorated and had the most relaxing courtyard.



And just so you know, that isn't a fountain for the tossing of coins.

That is a "full-size" swimming pool.

Let's just say, we wouldn't be staying at the hotel for the swimmin'.


And this last pic from Day Two in New Orleans is our view out of our floor to ceiling windows.

And, yes.

That is an iron and ironing board.

My name is Belinda, and I am an ironer.

Even on vacation.

RANDOMNESS #3 - Just because I can, I'm going to share a few new Judith pics.


Judith and Aunt Melia.


Judith and Eunice...

Nana B's fake basset hound.


Judith in her Disney Princess Ball Pit.


Judith reading upside down.


I don't know what this face means...

But it scares me just a little!

Quotable Quotes - I found this little paragraph in my reading today. Ann Voskamp definitely has a way with words.

"Spend the whole of your one wild and beautiful life investing in many lives, and God simply will not be outdone. God extravagantly pays back everything we give away and exactly in the currency that is not of this world but the one we yearn for: Joy in Him."

I hope y'all have a blessed week, and I will talk to you soon.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda