Fun Fact Friday

In this very special edition of FFF, our fearless author posts facts that are not about her at all!

*Gerald is a native Texan. So is Maddie. My yankee-ness is totally outnumbered.

*Gerald was a Navy/Marines medic assigned to a marine air wing. He’s got lots of medical knowledge. I’m always asking him, “Hey, what is this weird thing on my body?” His answer is invariably, “I dunno. Go to the doctor.”

*When he was 19, Gerald invented a drink he called “Dr Sparkles.” It consisted of Dr Pepper and Peppermint Schnapps.

*He used to be in a swing band and a jazz band in Washington state. (He plays the trombone.) His band even recorded an album that got air time.

*He was *this close* to being named “Wayne Dean.” I frequently call him that with a thick southern accent. Sounds like a serial killer name, doesn’t it?

*Maddie loves music and singing. She fusses if we’re in the car and the radio’s off.

*At the pedicatrician’s office yesterday, Maddie grabbed the doctor’s shirt and lifted it trying to see her bellybutton.

*She loves broccoli and vacuuming. I think there may be something wrong with her.

*Maddie’s a total clown. She loves to make people laugh. If she does something that makes someone laugh, she’ll do it 100 more times.

*She loves to be scared, which I don’t understand at all. She cracks up when she gets startled. Consequently, we’re always popping around doorways yelling “BOO!” She’s going to be a thrill seeker when she’s older. This does not bode well for us as parents.

I’m in love

I just found tattoo artist Dawn Grace and I think I love her. Too bad she’s in Chicago and I’m in Texas. Otherwise, I’d be covered in her tattoos.

Celebration Recap

The beginning of May is a busy time around here. Our anniversary, Mother’s Day and my birthday are all in the same week. We call it “mothersbirthaversary.” It saves time.

For Mother’s Day, I got a gorgeous ring from James Avery. (Garnet is Maddie’s birthstone.) I love, love, love it! James Avery is my very favorite jeweler. I have this, this, a retired ring that looks a lot like this one, and a charm bracelet with tons of charms. The headquarters where they make all the jewelry happens to be right down the road from Gerald’s parents’ house. It’s like going on a pilgrimage for me.

I also had a delicious breakfast that morning. Gerald made his fantastic french toast and some sausage. The rest of the day was pretty normal, but I felt very loved and appreciated. HOWEVER: I feel that way most of the time. Gerald does a great job of telling me that I’m a wonderful mother and wife. Mother’s Day just came with a little extra.

We didn’t do much for our anniversary… just went out to dinner as a family. But it was really nice.

Yesterday, Gerald took Maddie and I out for lunch and I got a free birthday sundae. Of course, I shared with both of them. Maddie sat there going “yum! yum! yum!” in between bites. She also decided to laugh out loud as often as possible all through lunch. She sounds completely off her rocker when she does it. I’ll have to get it on video for you one of these days.

I also got one of the best birthday presents ever. Before my birthday, Gerald was going to get me another James Avery ring but I changed my mind at the last minute. Then, he was going to get me some chocolates that I’ve wanted for the past two years, but I changed my mind again. He felt bad that I did’t have a present on my birthday, but it was just fine. The only reason I didn’t have one was because I couldn’t make up my mind, after all. Well, after lunch, I left Maddie with Gerald and I went to Target for a few things. After that, I was going to get a manicure before I headed home. While at Target, I was given the opportunity to help someone out. I’m not going to tell you what I did, because that’s not the point. The point is, I gave someone else the equivalent of my birthday present. It felt so unbelievably good. I smiled all the way home and was filled with such happiness. Who knew the best gift I could have gotten was to give one to someone else? Let me be honest here…. while I like to give people gifts, I like receiving them, too. Especially on my birthday. I LOVE presents. So, forsaking a present for myself and instead giving something to a total stranger doesn’t really seem like something I’d do. But it felt GREAT and I’m so glad I was in the right place at the right time to be able to help.

I think instead of just donating money to charities, I’m going to get more personally involved. Seeing someone’s face when you’ve helped them in some way is just so rewarding. I finally understand the concept of “be the change that you want to see in the world.”

Wow. Look at me. Growing up at the age of 32.

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday love of my life.  May it be the best year yet!

Love

Hubby

P.S. It’s her 21st.  That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

And the winner is….

Sarah! I don’t have your email address and couldn’t find in on your blog. Will you email me your address, please? (erica @ andnoplacetogo . com)

I’m going to assume the underwhelming number of entries into my contest was because of the prize and not that I have such a pathetically low readership, k? I think I’ll give the contest thing another shot at some point in the future.

Don’t Forget

to comment on the contest post below if you’re interested in winning season six of 24!

Thank You

January 12, 1977 -

Erica – there are no words that can express the love I feel for you. How proud I was when you cut your first tooth and took your first steps. You are a beautiful baby and you are very alert and active – you make my days full. Years from now you’ll think all of the things you did were silly and your mom’s silly for being so sentimental. Only the birth of your baby will make you understand the way your mother feels now.

May 11, 2008 -

Mom – You were absolutely right. I had no idea how much you loved me until my own daughter was born. I gushed over her first tooth and her first steps and you weren’t there to see it. I wish you could see your granddaughter. She’s a little spitfire just like I was. She plays “stinky feet” and likes to pull up people’s shirts to find their belly buttons. I can imagine you watching her and telling me how I did the very same things when I was her age.

I miss you so much, mom. When the person who loves you most in the whole world is gone, there’s a void that can never be filled. I know that you’re with our Heavenly Father and have no earthly concerns, but I do hope you’re allowed to peek in on us every now and then. I hope you’re proud of the woman I became and the mother that I am. I hope you know that I think you were a wonderful mother and I always felt loved.

I will tell Maddie stories about you and show her your picture and your legacy will live on. You’ll never really be gone, mom. Not in my heart.

I love you as big as the sky the last number of times.

Erica

How many hours in a day?

Announcing the first ever All Dressed Up contest! I know! It’s very exciting, isn’t it?

The prize is Season Six of 24 on DVD. Brand-new, unopened and resplendent in all it’s Keifer Sutherland glory.

All you have to do to win is leave a comment on this post before Midnight CDT on May 12th. I’ll randomly select a winner and email you the glad tidings. (So, that means make sure to leave your email address in the comment if it’s not normally listed.)

In case it’s not patently obvious: If you enter, there is a chance that you’re going to win and have to give me your personal info. I hereby solemnly swear not to use that information for evil.

Have a great weekend!

America’s Favorite Mom

Gerald and I have a good friend who’s one of the finalists in the America’s Favorite Mom contest. She was on the Today’s Show and everything this morning.

Do me a favor? Please take a few minutes and go vote for my friend Gwen Beauchamp, ok? You can vote up to 10 times today. She really deserves this and I’d love to see her win. Thanks!

Fun Fact Friday

* I failed the driving portion of the driver’s license exam the first time I took it. I ran a stop sign. In my defense, though, it was totally hidden by a willow tree and I’m pretty sure the jackass instructor took kids on that street on purpose. We moved from Ohio to Missouri right after that and I passed with 100% in St. Louis. Ironically, St. Louis has more stop signs per square mile than any other city in the U.S.

* I am currently reading four books at the same time. Well, not at the SAME TIME, but rather, concurrently. They are:
Marley & Me by John Grogan
Sleep No More by Greg Iles
Son of a Witch (sort of a sequel to Wicked) by Gregory Maguire
Real Vampires Have Curves by Gerry Bartlett

* I have very small hands and feet for someone of my build. In the winter, I actually have to wear either those cheap-ass stretchy gloves or kids’ gloves. I wear a size 6 shoe.

* My birthday cake is always German Chocolate with Coconut Pecan icing. Coincidentally, this is also Gerald’s birthday cake.

* I hate tomatoes.

* If humans had keyboards on their bodies, my caps lock would be on ALL THE TIME. I live in all caps.

* I am still shocked at the fact that I am someone’s mother. The other day, I was cutting up two cantaloupes for Gerald and Maddie (Bonus fact: I hate cantaloupe, too.) and I thought to myself, “GAH! Why am I having to do this? I don’t even like this damn fruit! Isn’t this someone else’s job? MY MOM always did it.” Then it hit me: I am the mom. Crapspackle.

* When I was a little girl, I wanted to grow up to be two things: A Solid Gold Dancer and a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader.

* My sophomore year of high school, I fell out of the car on the way into the Homecoming dance. I was with my best friend Andie, her date and my boyfriend. I fell right out of the car in front of EVERYONE. I had bruises on both shins from knees to ankles. (I landed shins first on the curb.) It is officially The Most Embarrassing Event of my teenage years.

* I once smoked a joint with the boyfriend mentioned above in a park in Cleveland. It was near dusk and we laid in the grass and looked up at the sky watching the stars come out. We were so still and quiet that a bunch of deer surrounded us in the grass. All of the sudden I started laughing and yelled, “DUDE! I CAN HEAR THEM EATING!!” I then dissolved into hysterical laughter at the sound of deer chewing. The only other time I’ve been high, I got stuck in my washing machine. Because doing laundry seemed very important to me at the time.