Random Thought #53....

• I bet you have no idea WHAT this is a picture of...............

Oh, I'm sure you can guess what the objects in question are.

• And I have no doubt, upon closer inspection, you can even decipher what is inside the objects. Maybe I should re-phrase the question:
  

• I bet you have no idea WHY I am showing you these pictures. (But let's just be real, here, folks.....y'all probably have no idea WHY I do anything, right? :) )

Well, I just wanted to share a little known fact that was brought to my attention earlier last week after coming off Spring Break Road Trip '09, incurring bronchitis, feeling absolutely exhausted, and not having any groceries:

• FYI = children (or at least my 3) can thrive on these two foods alone. For days, if necessary. I'm not saying they pack a high nutritional value, I'm just telling you the facts of survival. Shoot, by the time I get these monkeys raised, they will be able to give Bear Grylls (the guy from "Man vs. Wild") a real run for his money.

P.S. ----for any grandparent, aunt, other relative or family friend, or people who may work at DHR......I did eventually seek out the aisles of a grocery store and purchased some staples. They now have milk to go with their dry cereal. Small steps, people. Small steps.

P.P.S ---Don't you just love the photo of Trix? --- so colorful. I get happy just by looking at them. That's all. Carry on.

ROCKETS AND ROUND-OFFS......(better known as Sate Meet with too much stimulation! :)

We ventured out this weekend for a stay in Huntsville. Tyner Beth had a state gymnastics meet there and we would be staying overnight. So, we made a weekend of it and planned a trip to the Space and Rocket Center for Saturday afternoon. Two of Tyner Beth's team members and their families met us there.

The weather was perfect and all the kids had a great time. They rode all the rides their height would allow. Many of them multiple times. Toured the museum, ate some dippin' dots ice cream, and just had some good ol' fun being a kid.

The kids rode the smaller version of the "space shot" (they were too small to ride the big one) --- but they got their money's worth--I bet they rode this over a dozen times!

• They rode the "G-Force" several times, too. It made me dizzy the first time around, so I declined the next offers to tag along inside for another spin! As described on the space center website = experience three times the force of gravity as you spin like crazy in the G-Force Accelerator!

Rivers, being older and much taller, sought out the big rides.....and he, Temple, and Haven's dad (Tyner Beth's best friend from gym) all strapped in to ride the SPACE SHOT. This ride will rocket 140 feet up in the air in 2.5 seconds. Sounds fun, right? I was able to catch Rivers' face right when they 'shot' upward!! Classic.



Doesn't this look say it all? But wait, there's more. He talked me into going on the ride.......

The exception being, when my turn in line came, I was by myself, with no one to hold on to.......so I grabbed the harness really tight, and Temple was so proud to get this classic shot of me!! I made friends fast with the two girls sitting with me, both veterans of the Space Shot, who as you can see, did not feel the need to scream at the top of their lungs for 2.5 seconds.

Good for them, that's what I say, because if I go back and do it again, you'll see this reaction every time. I don't think they will be sending me into space at anytime in the near future. I might be more of a distraction than anything else.

Saturday night, after eating supper, we walked over from our hotel to watch the higher level optional gymnasts compete. The older girls from Bama Bounders were there and we wanted to offer our support. Tyner Beth, with my help, had made them all chocolate covered pretzel rods that said "stick it at state"......too cute. She really looks up to those older girls and they are so sweet to her, too. Anyway, after watching them (congrats girls, they did great by the way), we retired back to the hotel for slumber.

Then on Sunday around noon, Tyner Beth and her team hit the floor for State competition.

Have you ever had an "off" day? Me, I have them frequently, but that's a whole other post in itself. Well, today, at the competition, Tyner Beth had a completely "off" day.


She would start out well at a rotation, and then by the end have a catastrophe. Here she is on beam.....doing well, smiling beautifully.

And even later in her routine......she did the best handstand on the beam she has ever done in competition....straight up in the air, toes pointed, good form.......

Oh, no.....hold on Tyner Beth......but she wasn't able to save it.....and thus, she fell off the beam. A first for her in competition, but I'm sure it won't be the last.

• And here she is doing so well on her favorite event, bars. She did her routine really well, almost perfect, until the end. The final last millisecond. She is supposed to swing her feet up to the bar and then spring forward for the dismount. Well, her feet went all willy-nilly and never even hit the bar, so she couldn't perform the dismount. The judge had to penalize her not as doing the dismount improperly, but since her feet never touched the bar, it was like she didn't even attempt the dismount, so she received no credit at all for that portion of the routine. A big deduction and thus a low score for my gal. But she stilll looks cute to me!! :)

I think they awarded up to 5th place in some events, and up to 7th in others, and Tyner Beth was never on the podium in any event. So, sadly, no medals were won for her at State Meet. But, that's okay, because she came out with a good attitude, still smiling. And although she had a fall on beam, and a major dismount problem on bars, we were still proud of her accomplishments. It was an honor just to get to go to state.....she had scored high enough at an earlier meet that qualified her for this competition. And as she has told me several times....."mom, these are just 'practice' meets for us. Coach Jennifer just wants us to get used to competing so we will be ready in the fall." :) Something good from the day's scoring was that she did happen to get her highest score yet on floor routine!!

A bright spot in it all was that Nana, Pappy and Aunt Elizabeth came to see her compete! Thanks Y'all!!! That made the day worth it all anyway......but we were sad that they didn't get to see little TB shine as she had in previous competitions.

• Here's my little gymnast all tuckered out in the back seat after we arrived home. She fell asleep shortly after departing Huntsville, and was totally tired. Her face was even scrunched up into the seat belt area and she didn't care.....her body had reached it's limit.

When we finally got her out of the car and everything unloaded, she walked back out to the driveway and sat down, almost in a daze....just waking up. I said,

"I wonder why you were having such an off day today? Everyone has off days, even the girls at the Olympics. But I'm proud of you for keeping a good attitude and there's always next time! Maybe the whole weekend was just too much, the space center, and the big girls competition last night, and having to wait to compete this morning, being nervous about it all......"

She looked up at me with those eyes and said... "Mom, I think it was that G-Force ride....it had my brain all messed up!"

Then she gave a big snaggle tooth smile, and I couldn't help but laugh out loud. Good times.

SATURDAY SHOWCASE......a good foundation.

Temple began work on his shop this past winter. Actually, shortly after Thanksgiving, the foundation was laid. Look closely in the photo above......see the rebar inside the concrete? You wouldn't have known it was there if I wouldn't have taken this shot before all the concrete was poured on top of it just moments later.

The concrete covers it all up. But we know what's underneath. Temple and his crew put it there. They know what this shop is built on.....a good foundation. It's stronger than you think because it is reinforced by those pieces of rebar.

• Are you standing on a solid foundation? Have you been building your life, your marriage, your parenting, your friendships, your forgiveness of others, your service to others, your joys and encouragements......have you been building all of this on a firm foundation? On the one and only true, solid, foundation......in the Lord? Because, if you are......you have reinforcements too. You have a family of believers who support you......and above all else, you have the Master Carpenter on your side.......and belief in that reinforcement can carry you through eternity!

Isaiah 33:6 = "He will be the sure FOUNDATION for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure."

Cooking Camp......quick and easy Mexi-dip, with a laugh out loud vegetarian side story!

Usually, one night every week at the House of Bowling, we have either spaghetti or taco salad. 1) because these are both kid favorites and 2) when running this fast, crazy rat-race of life, a week night meal that is quick and easy.....well, that's a must have.

Tyner Beth asked for taco salad and I decided they could make the side dish of refried beans for their installment of cooking camp. They had fun layering it up. Although this recipe is easy and simple, it tastes just divine. Tyner Beth and I love to layer it up with all sorts of great things, but the boys, not so much. I even add avocado slices to the top of mine--yum! And although it is so, so simple.....it is truly the best because of a secret ingredient. This little jar of heaven on earth, right here: (I feel sorry for those of you who can't get it locally---it's just as the label says..."For people who like their taste buds to dance with delight!"

Actually this is Aunt Lana's Famous Mexican Dip, and she's the one who turned me on to this lovely salsa. She could live off of this bean dip.....mainly because she loves it that much, but also because she is a......v.e.g.e.t.a.r.i.a.n.......but you didn't hear that from me. Sure, I've seen her eat a bite of two of a really good chicken salad at a ladies luncheon or something, but that's it. I don't think a piece of red meat has touched her mouth in many decades. I'll tell you how I found out this fact.....it scarred me for life because it occured much earlier in my youth. You know, before I became an adult, and had to act all adult like with things.

You see, it was in the early 80's and Lana was with us on our yearly end of summer trip to get new school clothes. Every year, mom would trek us all up to the factory outlets in the northeast part of the state. We'd all get a couple pairs of good jeans from the Levi Factory, some shirts and a jacket from somewhere else, shoes from another place, and the ever popular stop at Vanity Fair Outlet for new panties!!! And when I was old enough, the coveted trainer bra. Yea. The luxury of every 12 year old around.

Anyway, it was after one of these long trips of driving hours that morning and then shopping ALL day that we would begin our evening home with a stop for supper. This particular summer night, we pulled in to the local McDonald's in Boaz, AL. We all lined up to place our order. When it came Lana's turn, I saw her lean in real close to the McDonald's worker behind the register. It was almost like she was whispering her order to him. I thought it very odd, but I was 11, what did I know.

Anyway, I remember him shouting into the mike beside the cash register and saying, "Big Mac, fries and a medium coke". And then Lana discreetly moved in toward his face again and whispered a little more adamantly, something, although I couldn't hear what she said. And I think that she wanted it that way, thus that's why she was whispering and blocking us off from lip reading by leaning in so close over the counter.

• The McDonald's worker looked at her very oddly for a few seconds, almost ashamed of what he was being asked to do, but eventually he gathered himself and shouted into the mike again..........(please remember back to your youth, if you were a youth in the 70's or 80's, with not the technology of computer monitors that bleep the order form the register straight back to the workers without a word being uttered. Instead, put yourself in 1984 and think about those bendable microphones on the counters beside the registers---and when you placed your order, they shouted it back for all the world to hear. Because, that's the point of a microphone, it will amplify your words.)

"Um, make that BIG MAC with no meat"....... and everyone in the entire joint stopped what they were doing and turned to stare at such a request. Spatulas were just hanging mid-air, the lady digging in her purse to make the correct change spilled her pennies all over the grease covered floor, and the drive-thru window smashed closed on an apple pie when the worker turned around to see what the heck was going on.

Somebody, somewhere is tampering with McDonald's SIGNATURE hamburger. Somebody just ordered the most famous hamburger in the world...WITHOUT THE BURGER part!!!! Do you not remember the liveliest little jingle known to the hungry folks back in the day.....I know you can still sing it too......

"Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun".

It was over for me. She wanted the Big Mac without the main ingredient, minus the two all beef patties. What was the world coming to? I giggled at the looks on everyone's face. And giggled at Lana's neck that was red with embarassment. And then I slid in behind my mom because I thought, everyone knows she's with us now. Oh, my word. We have a VEGETARIAN in our group. What will they think? I mean, I thought vegetarians lived in California, I had no idea there was one amongst us.

But I survived that day, and many more with my favorite little meatless eating friend. She's not so bad afterall. Besides, she whips up this fabulous dip for me often when I'm visiting at her house!! Embrace the vegetarians of the world.....they are merely misguided, but need love all the same. Enjoy the dip..... the recipe will be added over at the House of Bowling recipe blog. Click here to see it or click over in the right-hand column to go to our recipe blog.

I write this post 2 shots and 3 prescriptions later......and to inform you that I did not die from Dad's elixir.....

• I'm thinking I should have requested for some real shooters.....instead of shots. Jell-0 shooters, maybe. I love some good jell-o. But I even tire of it, after having orange jell-0 as my side dish to chicken broth while in the hospital last month, for every meal.

So, if you followed the road trip of '09 from last week, you may or may not have read that I was sickly while traveling. If you stayed in the Country Inn and Suites outisde Cincinnati or Dayton for any of that time, I'm certain you heard that I was sick, whether you read the blog or not. Because clearly, the bronchial tubes I have can express sound vibrations that almost replicate a sonic boom. Almost. So, maybe you folks near Wright-Patterson Air Force base have grown accustomed to such obnoxious noises, and my extreme coughing spells did nothing for your numb ears......but, to the rest of hallway 301-326.....I apologize.

• I went to see the doctor today. Finally. After two weeks of the consumption, I gave in and sought real medical help. Clearly, Temple and his doctoring skills were not getting the job done. I went to my favorite little doc-in-a-box---where the staff and I have become close friends as they have seen me quite frequently for the last two months. I settled in to my paper covered bed table and waited for the Doctor's arrival. Only a few minutes passed, and he arrived, white coat and all. Because you know, despite popular belief, they are real doctors, and thus can wear the white coat with honor. We talked about all the symptoms, the chameleon like abilities for my mucus to change colors, yada, yada, yada. And he asked about the length of the illness. I wanted to shout, oh I've been crazy for about 30 years now, but I realized he was referring to this present junk in my chest, head, & throat, so I repressed the desire to speak of the mental issues.

So, the duration of this illness. I quietly said, "it's been two weeks now". Instantly, I felt like I needed to clarify why in the sam hill I would wait to be treated.....and always one for honesty, I blurted out....."you see, we were traveling on spring break with our kids last week, taking them to states they have never seen before, and I'm just not sure I trust yankee doctors, so then I've been busy getting settled back in at home, and that brings me to today and why I'm here to see you, because this stuff is still hanging on....."

And I've never loved my doc-in-a-box anymore than in that moment when he stopped writing on my chart and looked up at me and smiled...."I just don't trust yankees, period." See, there are those in the world who understand me.....his main residency must have been in psychology.

• Anyway, I do have bronchitis and an infection which may or may not have been the result of the flu. The nice nurse came in to give me two shots. The first lasted about 13 minutes.....dang, that thing was filled with molasses that took forever to flow into my bloodstream. Of course, she pierced me through my backside.....thus it could have took so long because of all the fat cells it had to get past.

And I left with a prescription for 3 drugs. 3 legal drugs. I only clarify that because I have been asked at home by Temple and my mother to take some "illegal" medicine. In the form of my Dad's homemade cough elixir. It's homemade, and all I can say is it doesn't have an expiration date. That stuff is so stout, I bet it could have outlived Methusaleh and his 969 years. And it may have, if I hadn't seen my Daddy mix it up before my very eyes this past winter. I've seen him mix some up for folks, even letting them choose their flavor, kind of like watching kids in Baskin-Robbins. There are those who favor the honey-lemon, and still others, the classic peppermint. And I have always encouraged those who are almost disabled from their bronchial spasms, to 'drink it up'....it will certainly cure what ails you....or kill you trying.....either way, you will stop coughing. But that has always been from the sidelines....I've never had to be the one who had to take a shot of the hard stuff.

That scenario changed on Saturday night. When we arrived back home last weekend, after our travels stateside, Temple insisted on curing my coughing spells, and brought back in the bottle of cough suppressant in question. Then this sideline cheerleader became the man in the ring with the spotlight on my cough. Temple made claims that he couldn't afford to be kept up at night by my hacking.....which is a complete joke. A complete joke. While in the hotel, I coughed so long, so hard, so much.....and no one moved a muscle. I even WOKE him up one morning at 4:30 to inform him I was leaving to go scald my throat nerves with hot coffee. He barely mumbled, and it was nothing remotely coherent.

• However, to appease him, I tried taking Dad's mixture before bedtime. I tried taking a swallow of the homemade knock-out punch, kept in a not so discreet bottle.......and I only survived one tiny swig. And Lord, help me, I have no idea how my body survived the 90's......where I actually paid money and called it f.u.n. to throw back shots of all manner of liquids that could be made into a homemade elixir. Because Saturday night.....I think my first layer of muscle was scorched right off my epiglottis when those droplets of home brewed robitussin hit.

Today, I've never been happier to see the CVS pharmacy girl bring that brown bottle of manufactured cough syrup to the window with a sticker that says "may cause drowsiness"..... because clearly, my days wrangling with the hard stuff are over. Or at least next time I'm trying the peppermint flavor.......and asking for a chaser.

The Power of PINK....

• Recently, Tyner Beth had the opportunity to be on the floor of the Coliseum at the University of Alabama. She, along with several other girls from the Bama Bounders competition team, performed in a tumbling exhibition before the Auburn/Alabama gymnastics meet began. The Power of Pink meet is a big fundraiser for Breast Cancer Research. Here she is dancing with her "Power of Pink" pom before tumbling.

This was a big deal for Tyner Beth.....an opportunity she thoroughly enjoyed. I can only say it would be very similar to your son's pee-wee football team getting to run a few plays on the football field prior to the kickoff of the Iron Bowl.....and all the mommas would be taking pictures! :)

• Look at this little cutie who came out to see her cousin do some flips.....it's AK!! Thanks Anna Katherine, Aunt Jackie and Uncle Jonathan, for coming out to support Tyner Beth!

Sweet little touch.....ooohh, babies, they are as soft as butter.

• Tyner Beth had already "warned" me what her group would be doing at the end of their exhibition. And sure enough, they huddled up and gave a big, hearty......"Roll Tide Roll" before coming off the floor. Upon returning to her seat, I washed her mouth out with soap, because we just don't say those words. No, of course I'm not that kind of mother. But I may or may not be the kind of mother who secretly prayed my child did the "Milli Vanilli" approach and gave a good "lip-sync" instead of ACTUALLY saying such nonsense aloud!

(Bonus points to any of you who even remember who Milli Vanilli was!!)

• Who knows, Tyner Beth may wind up like these gals one day....

But even if she wears the other colors, I'll still be around, cheering her on, and taking lots of pics from the sidelines!!

Tyner Beth and her best friend from gymnastics, Haven.......pretty girls!

Day 6 -- Spring Break Road Trip '09

We are making our way back home.....back through Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky..... we made our last stop today.....near Hodgenville, Kentucky. Another great historic site....and the future project idea for one of the kids history projects!!

• I love some of Abe's famous quotes.....in case you can't read them:

"I happen, temporarily, to occupy the White House. I am a living witness that any of your children may come here as my father's child has."

"In regard to this Great Book, I have but to say, it is the best gift God had given to man."---- and I want to add a big AMEN, Abe.

Playing with "Lincoln Logs" outside in the visitor center waiting for our short film to begin.

Here is Abe's memorial..... In 1909 the cornerstone was laid by President Theodore Roosevelt and the building was dedicated in 1911 by William Howard Taft. You walk up 56 granite steps....for his 56 years of life.....and inside is a replica of the cabin. Our wonderful, 16th President...honest Abe....who came from a little ol' log cabin with only an equivalent of 2 years of formal education.

This is Abraham Lincoln's mother, Nancy. I think he looks like his mom. What about you?

Well, that about does it for the road trip......tomorrow is Day 7. We'll be back home. And we intend to follow the good Lord's divine lead...... on the seventh day, we too shall REST.

Thanks for coming along for the ride.......can't wait til next year.....who knows what states we'll get to mark off the list!! :)

Day 5 --- Spring Break Road Trip '09

Well, today we find ourselves in Fairborn, Ohio, right outside of Dayton.....at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. We spent the day in the National Air Force Museum--located in those 3-- BIG, HUGE, I CAN'T EVEN EXPLAIN TO YOU THE ENORMOUS SIZE.....those 3 Hangars. Let me just say for the record right here and now....I had NO idea we (as in the USAF) had so many planes. There are all varieties beginning with the Wright Brothers, through WW I and WW II, Korea, Vietnam, Operation Desert Storm, Present Day War in Iraq.....etc. It's a lot folks.

• And Temple, for the most part, can name them all. For instance.....if the kids had only me to describe planes it would sound a lot like this : "That's a big one", "There's a small one", "Look, that one has a cool picture painted on it's front", "I believe that one is a jet", "I think that one drops bombs", you get the idea. I don't speak it, but apparently the Air Force has a whole LETTER -- NUMBER language that does very well..... B-52, F-16, C-5, blah blah blah.

It was A LOT of walking.....did I mention the hangars are HUMONGOUS????.....and there are a LOT of planes. A lot.

• Here the kids are sitting in the cockpit of a F-16

• F-16 the Falcon......an awesome fighter jet

• P-40 the Kittyhawk----made famous by the "Flying Tigers".

• And one of our very own personal favorites (one of the few I can actually recognize and name)---the P-38 Lightning. This is what "Dandy", Temple Bowling III, my Temple's grandfather, flew in WW II. He was a very accomplished pilot. He served in Korea and Vietnam also. He was an even greater man.

• This bench outside the museum had te Pilot Training Class 52-A of which Dandy was an instructor.

• B-17 -- Flying Fortress -- the bomber workhorse of WW II

• An area I found great interest in was the POW exhibit. I don't know why, but this message system and subsequent message they showed and had a button you could push to hear it being tapped out.....well, it stuck with me.

• F-4 Phantom

• F-15 Eagle

• F-22 Raptor

Here's a colorful one. This was about the only one Tyner Beth was interested in......she was walking alongside me near the end of our excursion in Hangar 1 and said, "Momma, the Airplane Museum is for boys.".......... :) Bless her heart, she was a real trooper.

• A-10 Warthog

• After leaving the 3 Hangars, we drove on another area of Base......where they house the Presidential Planes---the old AIR FORCE ONES.

• Now, that's pretty cool geting to walk on the plane of former Presidents. Of course my favorite was getting to see President Kennedy's plane. This AIR FORCE ONE, pictured below, is the very plane that flew him to Dallas on that fateful day.....and a few hours later, flew him back in a casket. You can read the plaque picture below that I took. It explains that the crew didn't want to put Pres. Kennedy in the cargo hold....just didn't seem right, I suppose. So, they cut a wall area to be able to put him inside the plane....with Jackie O' sitting alongside.

• Today's day on the road trip was Rivers' birthday day. St. Patty's Day. So, Pappy let him choose where to eat......Texas Roadhouse......and he ordered him a big ol' 12 ounce ribeye. And finished it off......after he got over being nervous about having to "saddle - up" and be announced for the crowd to give a great big birthday YEE-HAW!!!

What about this little Irish cutie???? Don't you just want to kiss her? I think she's part of my pot of gold!!!

PHOTO FROM THE KID CAM:

• Just one for today. Sure, the boys took about a gazillion photos of planes. But Tyner Beth took this one of me....see, I am on the trip afterall.