Sherry Ellis's Blog, page 104
September 4, 2012
Very Inspiring Blogger Award
I would like to give a heartfelt thanks to Medeia Sharif for bestowing the "Very Inspiring Blogger" award to me. If Medeia had not already been selected, I would have definitely chosen her for the award. She is one disciplined writer! She's also a very nice person - always featuring other authors on her site. If you don't already know Medeia, be sure to visit her!If you get this award, here are the rules:
1. Thank the person who nominated you.
2. Nominate bloggers whom you find inspiring
3. List seven things about yourself
Inspiring Bloggers:
1. Dana - She's such a warm and friendly lady, and her Sunday Inspirations are truly inspiring!
2. Christine Rains - Christine is one busy writing mom. She's an amazing lady!
3. Journey of Life - Always has great thoughts and fabulous places to visit.
4. Arlee Bird - Well, this A-Z challenge creator is a blog master. I don't know how he has time to write so many blogs and keep up with all the commenters. Definitely inspiring!
5. Alex Cavanaugh - Captain Ninja himself. Is he not inspiring? If you don't know him, go meet him. You'll be inspired!
6. Michelle - This lady has a way with words. She can take a writing prompt and turn it into something amazing!
7. Archna Sharma - Her poetry is magic. You have to read it!
Useless Information About Me You Probably Never Wanted to Know
1. I never broke a bone until I had kids. Now I break toes all the time, tripping over my kids' and husband's clutter.
2. I can do a headstand, but I couldn't do a cartwheel if my life depended on it.
3. I am Hungarian and Norwegian.
4. I'd rather read than watch TV.
5. I logged over 1000 dives when I was a SCUBA diving instructor. That's a lot of time underwater!
6. Skydiving is on my bucketlist.
7. I'd like to visit Antarctica before it melts.
So there you have it. Inspiring bloggers, and uninspiring info about me. I hope you get to visit these great people. I'd love to add all of you, but if I did, this post would be ridiculously long!
September 3, 2012
Have a Little Corn with your Butter
To celebrate Labor day, we had a barbecue, which included corn on the cob.
I of course, buttered my corn by cutting off a little pad of butter and spreading it with my butter knife. My husband? Well, he's not quite as civilized as me. He took his ear of corn and rolled it in the whole stick of butter. My son saw that, and thought that was the greatest thing in the world.
"Can I do that?" he asked.
"Sure, Bubba," my husband said.
I groaned as I watched my boy grab an ear of corn and start rolling. He rolled. And rolled. And rolled.
"Bubba," I said. "That's enough!"
"No, it's not!" he said. "I haven't even gone through a half a stick."
By the time he was done, he had used up almost the entire stick.
"Bubba," I said. "Next time have a little corn with your butter!"
I of course, buttered my corn by cutting off a little pad of butter and spreading it with my butter knife. My husband? Well, he's not quite as civilized as me. He took his ear of corn and rolled it in the whole stick of butter. My son saw that, and thought that was the greatest thing in the world.
"Can I do that?" he asked.
"Sure, Bubba," my husband said.
I groaned as I watched my boy grab an ear of corn and start rolling. He rolled. And rolled. And rolled.
"Bubba," I said. "That's enough!"
"No, it's not!" he said. "I haven't even gone through a half a stick."
By the time he was done, he had used up almost the entire stick.
"Bubba," I said. "Next time have a little corn with your butter!"
September 2, 2012
Bushwhacked Again, and Again, and Again
I don't know if you recall the 7 Up incident a year or two ago. If not, here's a quick recap: We were having a party at my house, and I had gotten Seven-Up and Fruit Punch for the drink. The refrigerator was packed, so I balanced those bottles rather precariously on the shelf. Well, my husband opened the refrigerator, and out fell the Seven-Up bottle. The cap popped off, and there was a mighty explosion. It sprayed everything. In fact, there are still spots on the ceiling from that little incident. Anyway, my husband vowed vengeance.
Let me tell you about his paybacks. Last month, he had left his suitcases in the middle of our bedroom floor. I ended up tripping on them and whacking my foot on a chair. The result was two broken toes. Let's just say that walking the dog has not been easy! That was bushwhacking number one.
Yesterday, my husband made dinner. That was a good thing, because he's a really good cook. But he doesn't like to clean up the dishes afterwards. He saves that job for me. I commenced dishwashing operations and picked up a stainless steel lid that was resting on the stove top. Little did I know that the burner underneath was still on. Talk about some serious pain! My hand blistered up immediately. "Owww!!!!" I hollared.
My husband came running. "What happened?"
"You bushwacked me!"
Of course he was very apologetic. "Now I guess I deserve another bushwhacking."
Yeah.
Fast forward to the evening. I was tucking my daughter in for bed. She had to make some final adjustments on her stuffed animal collection, so I thought I would sit down on the floor in front of her bed and rest my broken body. I grabbed one of her magazines off the dresser and started looking through it. When she completed her arranging, I put the magazine back on the dresser.
"Mom, that's not how it goes!" She jumped off the front of her bed - right onto my leg. More pain!
"What the heck!" I shouted.
I can't take it anymore! They're trying to kill me over here. Somebody save me from the bushwhacking!
Let me tell you about his paybacks. Last month, he had left his suitcases in the middle of our bedroom floor. I ended up tripping on them and whacking my foot on a chair. The result was two broken toes. Let's just say that walking the dog has not been easy! That was bushwhacking number one.
Yesterday, my husband made dinner. That was a good thing, because he's a really good cook. But he doesn't like to clean up the dishes afterwards. He saves that job for me. I commenced dishwashing operations and picked up a stainless steel lid that was resting on the stove top. Little did I know that the burner underneath was still on. Talk about some serious pain! My hand blistered up immediately. "Owww!!!!" I hollared.
My husband came running. "What happened?"
"You bushwacked me!"
Of course he was very apologetic. "Now I guess I deserve another bushwhacking."
Yeah.
Fast forward to the evening. I was tucking my daughter in for bed. She had to make some final adjustments on her stuffed animal collection, so I thought I would sit down on the floor in front of her bed and rest my broken body. I grabbed one of her magazines off the dresser and started looking through it. When she completed her arranging, I put the magazine back on the dresser.
"Mom, that's not how it goes!" She jumped off the front of her bed - right onto my leg. More pain!
"What the heck!" I shouted.
I can't take it anymore! They're trying to kill me over here. Somebody save me from the bushwhacking!
September 1, 2012
All Tied Up
"Mama," my son said. "I need a new bike."
"What do you mean, 'you need a new bike?'" I said. The kid had gotten a new bike a year ago, and it seemed to fit him just fine.
"Well, somebody left some 20 pound test line in the way, and it ended up in my chain and wheel."
Uh oh. That didn't sound good. I went outside to investigate the situation. What I found was a serious mess. An entire reel's worth of fishing line was wrapped around my son's back wheel and entwined in his chain links. "Let me get the sissors," I said.
I came back out and started working on that thing. Let me just say, it took almost an hour to cut out all that fishing line and get it out of the chain. When I was done, my hands were covered in black chain grease. I was not a happy camper.
"Listen here, kid," I said. "You make sure that 'somebody' doesn't leave fishing line hanging around on the ground anymore, because if that 'somebody' does, this 'somebody' isn't going to be very happy!"
"What do you mean, 'you need a new bike?'" I said. The kid had gotten a new bike a year ago, and it seemed to fit him just fine.
"Well, somebody left some 20 pound test line in the way, and it ended up in my chain and wheel."
Uh oh. That didn't sound good. I went outside to investigate the situation. What I found was a serious mess. An entire reel's worth of fishing line was wrapped around my son's back wheel and entwined in his chain links. "Let me get the sissors," I said.
I came back out and started working on that thing. Let me just say, it took almost an hour to cut out all that fishing line and get it out of the chain. When I was done, my hands were covered in black chain grease. I was not a happy camper.
"Listen here, kid," I said. "You make sure that 'somebody' doesn't leave fishing line hanging around on the ground anymore, because if that 'somebody' does, this 'somebody' isn't going to be very happy!"
August 31, 2012
The Romantic Encounter
You may recall that a few days ago, my son opened a fortune cookie that had the message, "You will soon have a romantic encounter." I was slightly concerned, but really didn't think he'd seriously have one.
I was wrong. The boy now informs me that he thinks he has a girlfriend.
"What?' I said, hardly believing my ears.
"Yeah. In school today, we were allowed to pick one person to hug. A girl picked me. She's really nice!"
Um. Okay.
So this revelation came yesterday. Today, I went into the classroom to help the teacher. The kids were sitting on the carpet as I walked in. I noticed my boy was sitting next to a girl.
Hmmm.
Then, when the teacher walked over to me to give me my instructions, I glanced out of the corner of my eye and saw my boy playing rock, paper, sissors with this girl.
Now I know I'm in trouble!
One announcment before I close: Tomorrow, September 1st at 10:00 AM EST, I'll be a guest on this radio show reading my book, That Mama is a Grouch. If you want to hear the story, or listen to me yap, please stop by!
I was wrong. The boy now informs me that he thinks he has a girlfriend.
"What?' I said, hardly believing my ears.
"Yeah. In school today, we were allowed to pick one person to hug. A girl picked me. She's really nice!"
Um. Okay.
So this revelation came yesterday. Today, I went into the classroom to help the teacher. The kids were sitting on the carpet as I walked in. I noticed my boy was sitting next to a girl.
Hmmm.
Then, when the teacher walked over to me to give me my instructions, I glanced out of the corner of my eye and saw my boy playing rock, paper, sissors with this girl.
Now I know I'm in trouble!
One announcment before I close: Tomorrow, September 1st at 10:00 AM EST, I'll be a guest on this radio show reading my book, That Mama is a Grouch. If you want to hear the story, or listen to me yap, please stop by!
August 30, 2012
Hunger Games
First of all, I want to let you all know that I'm a guest at Mum and Babies. It's a repost of last week's interview, but this time the site is working so you can comment. If you want to visit, great. If not, I certainly understand - been there, done that!
Today's post is kind of disturbing. My son came home from his friend's house with a homemade bow and arrow. It was actually pretty good. He had found a bowed stick which he sanded. He carved some notches at either end so it could be strung. Then he found a long rubberband and attached it to the bow. The arrow was a stick he had sharpened with a stone.
"Bubba, that's a really good bow and arrow," I said, "but why did you make it?"
"I'm in training," he replied.
"In training for what?"
"The Hunger Games."
"WHAT?" I couldn't believe he even knew about the Hunger Games!
"Yeah, we're having them in 2013."
"You absolutely ARE NOT having the Hunger Games in 2013, and you ARE NOT training for them!" I went on to explain that the Hunger Games were very dangerous and that the kids in the movie got hurt and killed doing them.
I am appalled that 8, 9, and 10 year old kids are thinking that it would be fun to emulate what was in the Hunger Games movie! Am I over-reacting here?
Today's post is kind of disturbing. My son came home from his friend's house with a homemade bow and arrow. It was actually pretty good. He had found a bowed stick which he sanded. He carved some notches at either end so it could be strung. Then he found a long rubberband and attached it to the bow. The arrow was a stick he had sharpened with a stone.
"Bubba, that's a really good bow and arrow," I said, "but why did you make it?"
"I'm in training," he replied.
"In training for what?"
"The Hunger Games."
"WHAT?" I couldn't believe he even knew about the Hunger Games!
"Yeah, we're having them in 2013."
"You absolutely ARE NOT having the Hunger Games in 2013, and you ARE NOT training for them!" I went on to explain that the Hunger Games were very dangerous and that the kids in the movie got hurt and killed doing them.
I am appalled that 8, 9, and 10 year old kids are thinking that it would be fun to emulate what was in the Hunger Games movie! Am I over-reacting here?
August 29, 2012
Storm Tracker
My eight-year-old son is fascinated by weather. He can spend hours watching radar maps on TV. I don't get it, because weather maps and radar screens bore me. Perhaps he will be a meteorologist someday. He'd certainly be an entertaining one!
Anyway, as you can probably guess, he has been very interested in Hurricane Isaac. When he finished his homework, he asked if he could watch the weather channel to track its progress. I turned it on, and he sat there, mesmerized by the whole thing.
I went off to teach violin lessons. I was in the middle of a lesson when the boy came barging into the room. "Mama, come quick, you have to see this!"
"Bubba, I'm teaching. I'll look at it later."
"No, you have to come now. It won't be here later."
Argh. I went in to see what the boy was all excited about. There was a radar screen on the TV. "You brought me in to show me this?" I asked, exasperated.
"Yeah, Mama. It's on the same track as Hurricane Katrina. And it's a catagory 2! People are on their roofs because their houses flooded!"
Well, I'm truly sorry for the people who are in the middle of that mess. Perhaps if you are in the way of the hurricane, you can contact my son, and he'll tell you if you need to evacuate.
Meanwhile, I'm going back to teaching violin lessons.
Anyway, as you can probably guess, he has been very interested in Hurricane Isaac. When he finished his homework, he asked if he could watch the weather channel to track its progress. I turned it on, and he sat there, mesmerized by the whole thing.
I went off to teach violin lessons. I was in the middle of a lesson when the boy came barging into the room. "Mama, come quick, you have to see this!"
"Bubba, I'm teaching. I'll look at it later."
"No, you have to come now. It won't be here later."
Argh. I went in to see what the boy was all excited about. There was a radar screen on the TV. "You brought me in to show me this?" I asked, exasperated.
"Yeah, Mama. It's on the same track as Hurricane Katrina. And it's a catagory 2! People are on their roofs because their houses flooded!"
Well, I'm truly sorry for the people who are in the middle of that mess. Perhaps if you are in the way of the hurricane, you can contact my son, and he'll tell you if you need to evacuate.
Meanwhile, I'm going back to teaching violin lessons.
August 28, 2012
Tapping at Timmy's Wok
As you may or may not know, my daughter is a dancer. Her specialty is tap dancing. (And yes, that means I listen to hours and hours of tapping noise as she practices her moves.) Well, let me tell you, that girl has a tough time keeping her feet still.
Today, we were waiting at Timmy's Wok, a local Chinese restaurant, while our order was being prepared. My daughter, the hyperactive, energetic dancer she is, started practicing fallaps and shuffle ball changes. I watched her and shook my head.
All the tapping got the attention of a toddler in the back kitchen. Apparently, mom and dad are the chefs, and the toddler was hanging out with them. Anyway, this cute little Chinese boy started watching my daughter. He was amazed. Soon that little kid was doing some toe tapping of his own. Then the little boy's sister got in on the act. She wasn't much older than him.
I'm sure you can just picture it - my big kid and two little kids tap dancing around the restaurant. Fortunately, nobody else was in the place.
"Mom," my daughter said. "I'm a really good influence on these kids."
"Hmmm," I said. "Not so sure about that. Now these kids are going to think it's okay to tap dance in a restaurant."
"At least they'll provide good entertainment for the customers."
Yeah, that they will!
Today, we were waiting at Timmy's Wok, a local Chinese restaurant, while our order was being prepared. My daughter, the hyperactive, energetic dancer she is, started practicing fallaps and shuffle ball changes. I watched her and shook my head.
All the tapping got the attention of a toddler in the back kitchen. Apparently, mom and dad are the chefs, and the toddler was hanging out with them. Anyway, this cute little Chinese boy started watching my daughter. He was amazed. Soon that little kid was doing some toe tapping of his own. Then the little boy's sister got in on the act. She wasn't much older than him.
I'm sure you can just picture it - my big kid and two little kids tap dancing around the restaurant. Fortunately, nobody else was in the place.
"Mom," my daughter said. "I'm a really good influence on these kids."
"Hmmm," I said. "Not so sure about that. Now these kids are going to think it's okay to tap dance in a restaurant."
"At least they'll provide good entertainment for the customers."
Yeah, that they will!
August 27, 2012
Good Fortune
Today, a few of my son's buddies came over. They raided my pantry and found some fortune cookies.
One kid cracked open his. "Hey, I'm going to have a new exciting business adventure!"
The next kid opened his. "I'm going to have a comfortable old age!"
Then my son opened his. He started giggling. "Mine says there's a good chance of a romantic encounter soon."
Uh oh. I think I'm seeing trouble ahead!
One kid cracked open his. "Hey, I'm going to have a new exciting business adventure!"
The next kid opened his. "I'm going to have a comfortable old age!"
Then my son opened his. He started giggling. "Mine says there's a good chance of a romantic encounter soon."
Uh oh. I think I'm seeing trouble ahead!
August 26, 2012
Pokemon School
Before I start my story, I want to let you all know that I'm a guest over at Virginia Wright's blog today. You can win a copy of my book, That Mama is a Grouch. Please stop by and visit.
Now for the story. My husband decided he wanted a 3-D flatscreen TV, so he went out and got one. Of course, 3-D flatscreen TVs come in big boxes. Perfect for kids to play in. My son got a hold of that thing and let his imagination go wild.
"Mama," he said, "get in the bus!"
"The bus?" It didn't look like a bus to me.
"Yeah, Mama. Like this." He demonstrated how to get in the bus. His feet stuck out the bottom, and his head stuck out the top.
"Um, Bubba. I think I'm a little big for that," I said.
"No, Mama. You're skinny. Come on."
Well, since he put it that way...
I crawled in the box and stood up. I felt pretty stupid, but I figured we were in the garage so nobody would see me. Not for long. That boy decided to take his bus for a ride... to school of course.
"Come on, Mama. We're going to Pokemon school."
I followed along as we walked (drove) our bus down the driveway. We headed up the street. "Wait a minute, Bubba. Where are we going?"
"To the stop sign."
Negative. The neighbors had come out of their house to watch our little spectacle. "Bubba, we're staying in our yard. I'm not driving around the neighborhood in a box!"
To make a long story short, we parked our box (bus) under a shady tree in our front yard. Then Bubba taught me all about cat-like Pokemon. (Meowith and Purrloin are the only two I can remember from that lesson.) Afterwards, we drove our box back into the garage.
I glanced back at the neighbors who were shaking their heads at us. What can I say? Never a dull moment at my pad!
Now for the story. My husband decided he wanted a 3-D flatscreen TV, so he went out and got one. Of course, 3-D flatscreen TVs come in big boxes. Perfect for kids to play in. My son got a hold of that thing and let his imagination go wild.
"Mama," he said, "get in the bus!"
"The bus?" It didn't look like a bus to me.
"Yeah, Mama. Like this." He demonstrated how to get in the bus. His feet stuck out the bottom, and his head stuck out the top.
"Um, Bubba. I think I'm a little big for that," I said.
"No, Mama. You're skinny. Come on."
Well, since he put it that way...
I crawled in the box and stood up. I felt pretty stupid, but I figured we were in the garage so nobody would see me. Not for long. That boy decided to take his bus for a ride... to school of course.
"Come on, Mama. We're going to Pokemon school."
I followed along as we walked (drove) our bus down the driveway. We headed up the street. "Wait a minute, Bubba. Where are we going?"
"To the stop sign."
Negative. The neighbors had come out of their house to watch our little spectacle. "Bubba, we're staying in our yard. I'm not driving around the neighborhood in a box!"
To make a long story short, we parked our box (bus) under a shady tree in our front yard. Then Bubba taught me all about cat-like Pokemon. (Meowith and Purrloin are the only two I can remember from that lesson.) Afterwards, we drove our box back into the garage.
I glanced back at the neighbors who were shaking their heads at us. What can I say? Never a dull moment at my pad!
