Small Screen Memories
Ok, I love me some tv. I admit it. I’m not a mom who tells her children television is bad. How could I, given how much I watch? Ok, so you get it, right? I love tv. I have fond memories that involve tv.
My friend, LeeAnn, and I used to watch scary movies when we were teenagers, and then we’d be so scared we couldn’t go to the kitchen alone. I never think of “Nightmare on Elm Street” without thinking about her and her parents’ house… some cold pizza and a Coke. (And yes, I know it wasn’t a tv show, but we watched it on a tv, ok?)
My friend, Mika, and I lived together for years in college, and we learned the fine art of compromise through tv. I liked “Guiding Light,” and she liked “Days of our Lives,” so we taped and watched both. Each of our grandmothers watched those shows, and we had a family history there. We also watched every episode of “Twin Peaks” together.
When I was pregnant with Griff, I watched reruns of “Boy Meets World” every afternoon after work while I waited for Mike to get home. He’d arrive to find me sobbing to the show. He just shook his head, and now it’s the family joke that I get all weepy when BMW is on.
When Mike was traveling home in rural Mississippi on Tuesday nights, he would call me to talk after his doctoral classes. I’d talk for a while but then have to tell him I had to go because Ozzy couldn’t figure out how to get the trashbag in the can or he was about to throw a ham at his neighbors & I couldn’t miss it.
I spent seven years in front of the television every Tuesday night watching “Buffy.” The first season it wasn’t on, I couldn’t figure out what to do with my Tuesday evenings.
Mandy and I watched “Trading Spaces” for years, laughing at how we could sign up since we lived next door to one another. Inevitably either Mike or Josh would point out that we’d cheat and tell the other what was going on and that I’d never make it… that I’d cave and complain about the work.
Mike and I have watched the Astros on Fox Sports Southwest for years. We got satellite when we moved here for the specific purpose of seeing the games. Griff took his first steps during the last game the Astros played in the Astrodome. We were watching.
My friend, Linda, and I laughed and laughed about a quote in our local paper one morning at work, and she submitted it to Leno’s Headlines, and it ran! I was so excited the night I saw Jay Leno holding up Linda’s highlighted newspaper column. (It’s now a bit of urban lore… I’m pretty sure you’ve seen it in one forwarded email or another.)
Here in Florida, lots of folks speak Spanish. When someone at work asks if I do, I tell them that I learned all of my Spanish from Dora.
I like nothing more than crawling into bed and watching a marathon of some groovy tv show with Mike. I like that last season’s “Project Runway” brought me closer with several people at work that I wouldn’t have really known otherwise.
Recently, in an effort to cut back some to afford gas, I let my TV Guide subscription lapse. It wasn’t easy. Still isn’t. I once submitted a question to TV Guide Online, and Matt Roush - THE MATT ROUSH, TV GURU - emailed me back. Seriously, I have an email from Matt Roush. Still makes me a little atwitter thinking about it.
I have favorite shows that Griff watches… shows that I hate that Eliza watches… shows that I obsess about. I love tv.
When I started this, I think I meant to tell you the shows I’m currently adoring, but I got off track. Maybe tomorrow I’ll tell you about my faves for the moment. Until then, go and watch something. Tonight’s the last night of So You Wanna Be An Old Supermodel. Enjoy.
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I’d like to buy the world a Coke…
Or just make it a Coca-Cola cake. My nephew, Hayden, didn’t believe me that there was such a thing as a coca-cola cake, so, of course, I had to make one to prove him wrong (Much like the chocolate pie).
I had Eliza, Griff, Hayden, Hannah, and Griff’s friend, Cody, help me make the cake. Everyone got a turn.
Cody, Hayden, Hannah, me (needing some color on my hair & a cut to my bangs!), Eliza
Griff (sitting on a stool… still can’t stand for too long in one place), Hayden and Eliza
Eliza and me
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Love is… 20 minutes alone
Mike’s a stay-home dad during the summer, running errands and doing laundry and cleaning and keeping up with the kids. He’s also become the neighborhood mom. This one little boy has all but moved in with us, and so some days, Mike’s here with three kids. Unless this boy’s brother comes over, too, and then the number climbs to four.
It’s been a horribly rough week at work for me (but it was encouraging that I spent a lot of my time helping someone else… hopefully, that says I’m getting better), and as soon as I got home from work tonight, we took Griff and his friend to the movies (save ‘Get Smart’ for your Netflix list). By the time we got home, I was worn out.
Mike was going to run out to get take-out for a late dinner, and I asked him to take both kids with him on the ride. And he did. And it’s just me here in the house. I am NEVER alone in the house. It’s kinda nice to sit here listening to the air pump in the fish tank and just enjoy the soft noises around me.
It’s easily going to be the best 20 minutes of my day. I’m going to go read a quick chapter in my Bible and then, after they burst back into the house with all of that little kid noise and energy, I’m going to make them leave Mike alone while he watches the Astros game.
Geaux Stros.
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HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY… GRIFFIN!!!
Here it is… our Griffin’s 10th birthday. It really is hard to believe that it’s been 10 years that he’s been with us. They have been interesting and challenging and exciting years.
When he was little (and we thought he was our only child), I always told him he was my favorite boy. He is, without a doubt, still my favorite boy.
He requested that Eliza be able to skip school today and stay home with him and Mike, so the three of them hung out all day. I met them for lunch, and Mike smoked a pork roast for dinner. It’s been a laid-back day, exactly what Griff would have planned, which, I guess, he did.
Saturday, we’re having Chuck, Stacy and the kids over for birthday fun. We’ll all go see “Kung Fu Panda” and have Griff’s Cold Stone cake.
And I’ll give him his 10 Box. I’ve been collecting 10 of various things for his special 10 Box.
- 10 Dr. Peppers
- 10 packs of gum
- 10 Kit Kat bars
- 10 scratch off tickets (now, don’t tell me about how it’s wrong… if I convinced Mike to let Griff have them, we’re good)
- 10 balloons
- $10 Target card
- $10 gift certificate to the Italian Ice place
- Lists of 10 favorite Griff things from family and friends (I’ll post some of these later).
I do love birthdays. I do love Griffin Robert.
Griff’s friend, Will, and Griff when we were in Louisiana in May. Will is going to turn 10 in 10 more days. They’ve been friends pretty much forever.
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Home, Again
Griff and I had a wonderful trip. After having spent seven hours in the car and four hours on two planes with him within three days, I can honestly say he was a delightful traveling companion. I was very impressed.
Griff had lunch with me, Mandy, Josh, and Olivia on Saturday. He looks a little stoned in this picture, but it’s the best one I got of him and Olivia at the restaurant.
After lunch, Griff went to Will’s and spent the entire rest of the weekend. One of the things we miss about Louisiana is knowing the parents of Griff’s friends well. Mike went to high school with Will’s mom, Deanna, and I worked with her when she and I were pregnant with the boys. Will is 10 days younger than Griff.
The boys played and went to see the Narnia movie and went swimming and played games and stayed up late. Griff was exhausted but very happy.
While he was gone, I ate yummy foods… and played with Olivia… and shopped with Aleece (who convinced me to stop buying my fat pants quite so fat… apparently, they were way too big on me despite what I thought)… had dinner with Aleece and Linda… shopped with Mandy and Olivia… delivered a graduation present and got to hold a friend’s granddaughter. In general, I had a happy time myself.
Here’s a quick photo tour of my time…
My favorite pizza ever… and when I picked it up, the owner/manager/whatever guy remembered Mike coming to pick up pizza all the time.
Olivia, Zadie, and G, the hippest granma in town.
Tiny spicy chicken. YumO. After having dinner with me and Linda, Aleece called in a take-out order of TSC to take home to her husband. It’s that good.
Linda and Aleece… women for whom I will always be grateful
Crawfish bread. Not as good as my favorite appetizer, but they were out of it for NO good reason, and this was pretty darned good.
Catfish Acadiana. Grilled. Fabulous. God bless Copeland’s.
Olivia can say Chel, Mike, Griff, and Eliza, but I’m pretty sure she prefers Chel.
Josh, Mandy, Olivia, and Griff. Olivia threw a fit until she was allowed to sit with Griffin. I miss the three of them already.
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