Words that sting!

My oldest is very bold.  He has a way of saying pretty much what is on his mind.  Some examples:

"Mom, when we were little did your singing sound that bad?" 
 OR
"Mom, did boys like you in high school even though you looked like a boy?"

He holds nothing back...especially with me.  He is a little more reserved with his dad and I am glad that I have that kind of relationship with my son, however...he asked me something the other day that stung a little more than the previous two comments...

"Mom, do you like to laugh?  I don't know what your laugh sounds like."  That hit me hard.  I don't want my kids not knowing what my laugh sounds like.  As a child/teenager, I like to think of myself as mostly happy.  Quiet but happy.  If someone in our family was in a bad mood, I would act goofy or silly to try and make them happy. My goal this summer - for my son to know my laugh even when I am no where near. It won't be long before he is off at college, alone, away from his family for that long of a time for the first time.  He will need to know what his mama's laugh sounds like!

Thank you Pappy & Bear Grylls

Since we no longer have "real" television, we watch some shows as re-runs on netflix...one of our favorites is man vs. wild.  This man is insane.  He gets dropped off in the wildest of wildernesses (I know that those are words but work with me here - creating a mood) and then survives...at least so far.  Well, there was an episode where he shredded a pine cone with his bare hands and then proceeded to eat the tiny little seed out of the middle.  We have pine trees people, in our yard, lots and lots of pine trees.  So as David and I were working in the garage one day last week, the kids come running in exclaiming "Can we eat this?"  They too had shredded a pine cone with their bare hands and found the tiny seed.  I said no.  however, dad said yes and so they ate.  No stomach problems and it has been a few days so I'd say we are clear!  Earlier in the week, we were at Lala & Pappy's (David's mom & dad's) eating dinner and he found some mint growing in his yard.  Of course we had to all try it (well the kids anyway).  No big deal right?  That is until we went to my parents this past weekend for my grandfathers 94th birthday when i notice Rielyn is outside chewing on something.  I go out and ask her what she has in her mouth.  She replies with "Mint" - totally not mint.  It was a fern - one of my moms planted ferns.  Not mint.  We quickly spit it out and followed it down with a large glass of milk.  Again no stomach problems - so we are clear.  All i can say is "Thanks, thanks a lot!"