Combining Birthdays Combines the FUN, too!

                                                                                                        My two daughters were born almost two years apart, but exactly three weeks apart. So, as a single mother, I find it easier to get them to agree upon where they both wish to have the party. We live in a very rural area, so planning the party around Louisiana weather makes the INDOORS decision easy, but the actual location an issue! You can see by the photos who their 'BFFs' are, and ironically they're also sisters and the same ages! That makes things nice for their Mom, Tiffiny, and I!

Naturally, there were more girls than boys, and in this 'time of political correctness' (in a recession), it is required that every child in the class be invited, or no invitations can be passed out in class! With 20 children in each class, that was frightening to me @ $12 per child! I had hoped for maybe 10 or 12 to show, especially since another of Gabrielle's classmates was also having a party.
Well, the weather changed things drastically. The other classmate's Mom called me, sad for her son, who had planned an OUTDOOR party....so you know what that meant for us, since it rained! We ended up with 24 children (in addition to my own two); many of them calling to see if it was too late to come to our party!
Now, considering the fact that my 'Virgo' nature, has me there an hour EARLY, yet, the party ahead of us had arrived an hour LATE! I had called at 10:00 am, giving them PLENTY of time to prepare for the additional amount of children who would be joining our group. By nature, I am 1st: POLITE, 2nd: POLITELY RUDE, 3rd: RUDE, and yes, there is a 4th: UNPREDICTABLE, especially when it involves my children!

I wish I were extremely wealthy, for I would turn that Bowling Alley into a GOLD MINE! The manager stepped up, upon realizing the complacency of his employee at the counter. HE, of course, couldn't see anything but $$$$$$ (dollar signs), and began to bend over backwards to make us happy. Too many 'Southern Moms' coming up to that counter, who'd come early to help me (knowing that I am a single parent); and that's not what ANY man wants coming at him! LOL

I had reserved only two lanes, one for each daughter, but the manager made sure that we had three, and that every child there had their name on ONE of those lanes! It appeared that we simply took over the Bowling Alley (and in a way, we did). I was really proud that so many 'Dads' showed up with their children; and surprised that so many of these little country kids had never been bowling before! It was chaos, but I'd asked Pierson's Dad (Bob, whom I'd just met~for he is the father of Gabrielle's uh-hum, boyfriend) to take the video camera, so that I could take the still photos! He complied, and seemed to be grateful to be kept busy! He was able to capture everyone, for my head was spinning (and I was in pain and had no idea at that time, exactly WHY)!

We were given 2 hours for the party. The first hour was for the actual 'bowling', and the other hour was for hot dogs or pizza (we chose hot dogs~because I don't like eating cardboard with tomato sauce) and the cake, and gift opening. Of course, I wasn't surprised to find out (from the manager) that they didn't have enough hot dogs or buns, and he had to send someone to the store to get more! So we got extra hot dogs, as well!

THEN, it was time to sing "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" and cut the cake. Unbeknownst to my children, Mommy had bought the 'trick' candles, which caused all of those little ones to go crazy! Bob discreetly told me NOT to eat any of the cake (for there were some wet sounding blows coming from some of the kids trying to help mine blow out the candles)! That was just too funny!

It was so refreshing to me to see my girls have so much fun, outside of school. Being not only a single parent, but an ONLY parent, makes it difficult to 'do' many things, due to my ultra busy schedule. It is a bit overwhelming, but they are my life! It was like Chrismas to my babies, and that didn't include the gifts they got from their friends! It was the sheer joy of having good clean FUN!

Let's ALL give THANKS for what we HAVE!

Now, when people think of Thanksgiving, it seems the TURKEY is the most important aspect. Well, this beautiful, healthy little girl, named LEAH JANE NAVE (my first Great Niece) was born just in time for all of us to be EXTRA thankful at this awesome time of year. She took her time, and the doctors finally induced her labor. My poor brother flies for Chevron, and was unable to be there (being late as she was), but how can you not look at such a beautiful little miracle like this and NOT SMILE???

Our immediate family is rather small (and slow moving on the making babies); so this little ANGEL is 'my' Grandmother's only Great Great Grandchild! My Grandmother is 93 years old, and thought she'd never see "ME" have children, much less the great grandchildren! Of course, we haven't been able to HOLD little Leah yet, but hoping that Christmas will be when that happens!

I'd printed a copy of a picture of Leah from my phone, and enlarged it for the "family circle of prayer" before we ate. Here in the south, we may not have other 'things' but we ALWAYS, and yes I mean ALWAYS have good food to eat, and plenty of it. My mother and I do all of the main dishes, and we make a 'list' of what we're making, so that cousins, my sister-in-law, and my Aunt, can decide what they'll bring.

I usually bake the turkey, but at 60c a lb, I bought a 22 pounder! And with the pains from the UTI, "I" couldn't lift it (the 4 times I would have needed); so I prepared it at my Mom's, and she baked it. We'd also ordered a 'Cajun Fried Turkey' (much smaller), and my Aunt baked a ham.  Add some veggie casseroles, my sweet potato casserole, baked macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes AND rice...it all comes down to YUM, but ends with TUMS!!

And of course Sandi had to make her Banana Split Brownie...not a calorie in it, UNTIL you try to eat the WHOLE thing! You bake the sheet brownie, spread Philadelphia cream cheese on top of that. Then add strawberries (sliced), bananas (sliced), pineapple chunks, and maraschino cherries. And if that doesn't sound good enough, add whipped cream on top of that, with cherries to decorate and add color, and OMG! I'm sighing just thinking about how miserably full I was but still hurried to get some before it disappeared!

I realize that the holidays can be a rather 'melancholy' time for many~especially those who have lost loved ones. There's an 'emptiness' in their eyes (and hearts); and we gather those relatives with us, to remind them that we love them, and we still have SO much to be truly thankful for! We still have each other!   =)

2nd Place in yet another Art Contest

Well, upon arriving (for the second time) to retrieve my daughter's painting from the Wildlife & Fisheries Exhibit, we searched for Gabrielle's painting, but could not find it. The only logical explanation was that her Talented Art Instructor had come by and taken it. That was confirmed when I called him. He wasn't too thrilled that I wanted to 'matte and frame" it, for he had already entered it into another contest.

St. Tammany Parish hosts an Annual 'Three Rivers Art Festival' on N. Columbia Street in downtown Covington (Louisiana). Our parish's local branch of the JUNIOR LEAGUE sponsored an Art Contest for the youth. Of course my mother and I are 'not' artsy-fartsy people by any means, so we just didn't 'get' some of the art, you know? Oh, I can 'appreciate' it, but I wouldn't BUY it!

Once we found the 2nd grade group, we were happy to see that she placed, 2nd place, at that. But, in reviewing the others (including the 1st place winner), we also wondered who did the judging!? I will leave it to you, as well, to decide for yourself which shows the most potential for true artistic ability here. And honestly, I am NOT just being a biased Mom. Others in there with us made some of the exact comments that we did (amongst ourselves, of course).
Well, as a parent, I decided to just be happy she placed at all; and make a big deal of it. I proceeded to walk around and view the older grades' entries, only to find that some of them were a bit 'out there'; others obviously from the same 'mold' and just 'finished' differently.
So that gave me the 'bullet' in my gun, to constantly shoot out that 'Gabrielle had nothing to look at while sketching this', and 'Gabrielle had only used watercolors at home before painting this', and 'Gabrielle's hummingbird came from inside' and 'Gabrielle's colors didn't bleed'....all when describing 'her' artwork to others. And when I recognized someone while walking down N. Columbia, I made certain I told them~ha! BRAGGED~that she won 2nd Place; and to please go see her work at the JUNIOR LEAGUE!
At times, she was really oblivious, being only 7 years old when she did this; but somehow it felt like my 'duty' to boast and brag and show off what 'my baby' could do! Of course, I had to hear all of the comments from other artists in order to better understand JUST how great this painting IS, for a 7 year old! But armed with that information, I can do my duty as a bragging MOM, and make certain that she gets recognition!
And knowing that some friends of ours had only recently opened their new restaurant~ ON N. Columbia~3 weeks earlier to be exact; and that my nephew was working a double at the back bar; we decided to try it out. WELL, they were a bit overwhelmed! It turned out that two of the waitresses had just walked out and QUIT, not being able to handle the crowds!
Poor Sandra (the owner) was a bit frazzled, but when she saw us there, she was thrilled! She made certain that we were taken care of, but we were just happy to be sitting down! The stuffed portabello mushroom was delicious, as was the REAL muffaletto and the garlic stuffed roast beef panini! I really enjoyed the Merlot that I felt I needed (and was SO glad I'd had when I got home).

She'd hired a one man band, per se, who was playing his cello as we dined. Rebekah really seemed to enjoy the entire experience, whereas Gabrielle was asking for Subway! Rebekah even mimicked the man~using straws~and seemed to really get into it. Hmmm, could this mean music lessons are in her future? Maybe it does!

A Mom's gotta brag!

Having been told that I may never be able to conceive, you can imagine the elation when I confirmed that I was pregnant! And when I heard my little ANGEL crying, I'd ignored all of the people in the room in order to turn my head to her and say "It's alright my baby, Mommy's right here"...only to have her jerk her little head toward my voice and stop crying!

I had talked to her throughout the pregnancy, rubbed my belly, sang to her, listened to classical music, actually all kinds of music...while playing in that 'baby room'! Any Mom out there can understand that awesome feeling...I even had a spray that smelled like baby powder! She was my "miracle" from GOD! And I mean that literally!

Being alone with her, I had the time to work with her daily. I'd purchased every "Baby Einstein" tape available. We had our routines, but I made time to sit with her, in her playroom in order to have our 'one on one' time. I had a small two-sided easel that we worked on. In chalk I would write letters, numbers, animals and such, and ask her to tell me what they were. And before I knew it SHE was drawing the animals and asking 'me' what they were! She had an ability to put on paper -in the form of a picture- what was on her mind. From the age of only 2, she could 'draw'. I encouraged it very strongly. I made her aware of the 'gift' that GOD had given to her, but she had to study and practice to become better. So I enrolled her locally in Art Classes. The instructor normally didn't begin with students until they were at least 7, but accepted Gabrielle at 5. She's big for her age, and rather shy; but she blended well with the others in the class. She looked forward to the classes each week.

So, needless to say, I was crushed to have to end those lessons for lack of ability to afford them! Without child support, it was impossible for me. My father helped now and then, as well as my grandmother, and I was thankful. But, don't despair, almost at the time that she would have begun a new session, I chose to have her tested at school. Someone from the state came in to test her, see some of her artwork (including something she made on her own) and in no time I received the call to take her to be tested at the next level. The teachers at school~in preparation for NOT being accepted~told me not to worry if she wasn't selected the first time. They told me that it usually took 2 or 3 times! She was accepted the first time, at age 6.

GOD had BLESSED her again, and the timing could not have been more perfect. There were 4 in the school last year. One moved on to the Jr. High, and another should be testing to replace her. Gabrielle is covered by the State of Louisiana until she graduates from High School!

So, her classes this year are on Mondays. I ask her what they did in class, and it's like pulling teeth! "I got to paint with watercolors today"...she replied..."And what did you paint?", I ask.

She tells me, "A hummingbird". And I realize that she took that from watching the hummingbirds (and the bees) linger around the feeders at "MawMaw's house". Nothing more was said really, except that she loved getting to paint. And then I get a message on my phone. I hadn't recognized the number while I was working, so I didn't answer it at the time. The caller was from the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Compound in Lacombe! She proceeded to inform me that "Gabrielle has won FIRST PLACE in our 'WILD THINGS' Art Contest in the 5-8 year old painting category! We're having a Presentation of Awards on Saturday October 17th, and her painting will be on display in the Visitor's Center. She will receive a check for $50 and a First Place Blue Ribbon."

At first, I only had a half grin...then, I listened to the message again! Then I hung up, called my mother and boasted like a Proud Peacock displaying his feathers! My baby, my Gabrielle had won a contest I didn't even know she was entered into! Isn't that funny? I called her in the room to tell her, and she even hesitated with her response. Then SHE, too, had to hear the message.

The next day her Gifted Art teacher called to confirm the details. This of course was not the first time one of his students had won a First Place! I immediately ask if I'll get to KEEP the painting, for I had not even SEEN it yet! It's still on display, but I'll get it back (to matte and frame) for her "gallery"!

Speaking of galleries, an old friend of mine saw my FB posting of the photos from the WILD THINGS fest at Wildlife & Fisheries, and commented that he was there. He's about to open a new GALLERY in Mandeville (which is about 20 miles from us) and wants to feature a 'children's section'. He asked me to look for a sponsor for her, and we could possibly display some of her work! MY BABY!!! My brother works for Chevron, so my fingers are crossed there; and I volunteered with the YSB (Youth Service Bureau) for 12 years!

Yes, I've already emailed them both! So thanks for listening to a bragging Mom! She is SO blessed! What a gift so close to her birthday (November 11th)!