We've Got Baggage

Prepping already for next week's air travel--first time with both children.

Carseats and boosters and strollers, oh my! Just how much of this stuff can we bring?

For spelling it all out and relieving my stress because yes, we will be able to manage with these child-friendly allowances, delta.com, you've just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

Happy Weekend!

The Hippy-Hippy Shake

WE INTERRUPT THIS OTHERWISE HUMBLE BLOG FOR A MOMENT OF VANITY:

Hey, hmm... I'm walking down my hallway, towards the full length mirror at its end, and I notice something: I have hips.

I have definable, curvy hips. How cool is that? I didn't have hips before the babies. Dare I say I'm moving into "Coke Bottle" territory? I look good! :-)

Pregnancy twice over that made these hips possible, you've just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

WE NOW RETURN YOU TO THE HUMBLE SPIRIT OF THE THANKS RANKS, ALREADY IN PROGRESS.

Miracle Whipped

I've loved Miracle Whip for as long as I can remember. When I was growing up my mother didn't buy it, so we never had it in the house. But my aunt in Niagara Falls, NY did, and it was one of the reasons I looked forward to going there during the summer. Late night fridge runs for Miracle Whip spread on a single slice of bread--mmm-mmm... It was "dessert" enough for me, and always made me happy.

Today I had the pleasure of introducing two mom-friends of mine to the, "great tangy zip of Miracle Whip," over cold cuts--as one had never heard of it, and the other had never tried it. When I was questioned, "What is it?" I hestitated to answer because I've loved it for so long I don't know, except to say, "salad... dressing...". I'm afraid to really know what it is. Ingnorance is definitely bliss in this case. It's been a good, long relationship between Miracle Whip and me. I don't want to mess it up now with any probing--I just want to continue to love it as I know it (or don't really know it, as is likely the case.) :-)

For the yummy in my tummy (plus 0 grams trans fat and 0 grams saturated fat per serving) that takes me WAY back, Miracle Whip: you've just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

Happy 37th, Mom and Poppy!

Buff Puff

"Body by Yardwork" has just been added to The Thanks Ranks. :-)

Turning A Corner

Hey-Hi!

So usually I take the weekends off for "good behavior" in blogging consistently on the weekdays. But I was a little spotty this past week, so, here I am. :-)

And here's where I've been:

I started The Thanks Ranks when I was in a foggy, funky place in my life. In committing to this project, I thought it might prove therapeutic if I forced myself to look for and acknowledge my blessings, however great or small, and note them in cyberspace. I am happy to report that it has, with results that I would have never been able to expect or anticipate.

And in fact, this week (as Mary J. Blige framed it in the title of her award-winning CD title), I experienced "The Breakthrough". Clarity and revelation came to me re so many things I've questioned or avoided over the years. So I was marveling and sitting with that--and not so much blogging. This week was one for which I was extremely grateful, just not so willing to share so publicly.

As time goes on, and I get more comfortable in this new space, perhaps I'll end up sharing bits and pieces of it in my posts.

But in the meantime, I want to thank all of you who have been along on this journey with me and developed your own appreciation for living with an attitude of gratitude. I'm a genuinely happier, clearer-eyed gal because of it, so you've just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

Right Tool for the Right Job

This sweet baby right here allowed me to make the most of today in my yard, on the longest day of the year. What fun I had. It's just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

Happy Summer!

Class of '89

I just can't bring myself to upgrading my status on Classmates.com to a paying Gold member to learn who you are and read what you said...

But to the "mystery signer" from my high school past who wrote something in my guestbook, bringing my total profile views to 60 (is that good?)--for thinking of me--you've just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

Feel free to email me at lisa@thethanksranks.com. Mustangs Forever. :-)

Happy Birthday, Pamela!

Dude!

It's a kids' movie (wink, wink). For the "follow your dreams" lesson for big kids, Surf's Up, you've just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

Two-Track Mind

Yesterday, running my errands at a clip that was very necessary to adhere to, I found myself in downtown Decatur at the start of an oncoming train stop. This was not what I needed at the moment.

Particularly because, if you can picture this, I was the second car in the right lane who wanted to make a right turn. Which would have been easy to do, if it weren't for the car in front of me whose intention was to go straight. Which they couldn't do, because of said train stop.

Frustration began to mount, because I couldn't stop thinking, "If only they'd been one lane over to the left... I'd be clear and on my way..."

And so my pondering on this went for 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 5 minutes...

Big Boy had been snoozing in the backseat, but awakened.

"OOOOhhhhhh... a train!!" he exclaimed.

"Yes, Baby, it's a train," I responded to my avid Thomas The Tank Engine fan.

"Look at all the troublesome trucks!" he noted.

I have been, for the last five minutes, I thought to myself.

"They're going to the Island of Sodor!" he went on.

Not likely, but I won't burst your bubble, my thoughts went on silently. "Maybe so, Sweetie."

"This is GREAT!" he exclaimed.

I turned and looked at him, and his eyes were big as saucers watching this train go by. By this time, we were at the 7 minute mark of this impromptu boxcar parade, and something in observing his glee changed up my mood.

It occurred to me that I had my camera in my purse, so I took it out, and determined that for however much longer this took, I would capture it on film.

"Get that one, Mommy! And that one!" Big Boy began directing me, as I just let it all go and snapped away.

And soon, after a mere 12 minutes out of the history of time had passed, the gates lifted, the light turned green, the car in front of me proceeded forward, and I was able to make my right hand turn and move along my now merrier way. But not before I was able to capture one perfect shot of the train's end.

"Let me see, Mommy. Let me see!" Big Boy pleaded, and at the next light, I cued the camera's review mode and let him see the fruits of our shoot.

"Whoa..." he said in utter pride and amazement. Right back at ya, Kid. I thought.

Childlike wonder that can derail adulthood-induced irritation, you've just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

Have a great Father's Day weekend!

Glad for Dads

Yesterday the Wee Ones and I headed to the store to purchase Father's Day cards. I was particularly inspired because Hubby-Honey's best friend, career Air Force man and godfather to Big Boy, had just called from where he's stationed in Korea to check in and see how I'm doing.

Working oceans away from his beloved wife and three children that he misses dearly, and he's kind enough to think of his godson and see about what's going on in our comparatively mundane lives. Sweet. These are the kinds of men and dads that circulate in my life. I am grateful.

So when I'm in the store and checking out the selection (or lack thereof) of cards that speak to dads like these, I'm frustrated. The cards I come across seem to address dads who are/were ATM's or A-holes, who we obligatorily acknowledege on this upcoming holiday, because it's seemingly the right thing to do.

I did, after spending more time than I'd planned, manage to find cards that conveyed what I was feeling for the dads I had in mind. But the experience made me think of the call on Thanks Ranks Radio that I fielded from Kirsten during the archived May 24th show, where she noted that good dads don't seem to get the credit they deserve from the greeting card companies, or our society.

Now don't get me wrong. I know there are a lot of fathers out there who have fallen abysmally short of their duties and responsibilities. But I submit there are more good guys working diligently and lovingly at this fatherhood thing than we are seeing in the media and elsewhere.

Which prompted me to contact an author I'd just learned about earlier in the week, and see if he might be able to join me on today's Thanks Ranks Radio show that will be focusing on fathers. His name is David Manuel, and in his "spare" time, he wrote a book, I Am A Father: Celebrating African-American Fathers, that came out last month.

Turns out he's made himself available, so I invite you to tune in and see what he has to say about his experience in delving into the father-child relationship.

And for kicks, I've invited my father, affectionately known as "Poppy", to also join us on the show. He's reluctantly agreed, because that's what good dads do for their relentless daughters. :-) I don't know how much I'll get out of him, but if ever you've wondered what tree this odd apple fell from, you may be able to get half the story today!

David, Poppy: I'll see you later today on Thanks Ranks Radio at 3:00 EST. For indulging me, you've just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

Happy Anniversary, Traci and Renard (another fine father in my book)!

Voices in the Wind

Craaccckkk... WHOOMPH!

I heard it, and Big Boy heard it. Hubby-Honey wasn't home yet, and I was wishing he'd heard it so he could go deal with it. Rain, thunder and lightning were having a grand time outside, as our electricity flickered and threatened to leave us in darkness. Now something outside was amiss.

<Lean-in', lean-in'...>

"What was THAT?!" Big Boy asked, his eyes wide. I could tell he was alarmed, but was trying to play it cool.

There is nothing like being to forced to to be calm, strong and brave for a child when your first inclination is to freak out or close your eyes, put your hands over your ears and say, "La-la-la-you-don't-exist-you-don't-exist!"

<Safe and secure from all alarms...>

"Oh, no worries," I said, "Just sounds like a tree limb or something that probably fell, but we're OK. C'mere. Let Mommy hold you."

That seemed to be enough for him, and we nonchalantly continued on with our evening as the storm finally passed.

<Lean-in', lean-in'...>

Assesing what the damage was this morning, Hubby-Honey and I discovered a large tree limb, dare I say, bough, that had fallen on the back patio precariously close to the house, but thankfully not on it.

<Lean-in' on the everlasting arms.>

"Church mother" warblers and moaners long gone, whose memory and voices still influence and comfort me, you've just been added to The Thaks Ranks.

(Lower the volume on your speakers)

Happy Birthday, Myesha!

There's Just Me: One (plus four) is the Magic Number

Today marked the first day of a three-day-a-week preschool summer program for Big Boy.

From 9:30 a.m to 1:00 p.m. it was just Baby Girl and me, and she slept for a good portion of the time. Then, when we picked up the happy and sufficiently tuckered-out Big Boy, he promptly fell asleep on the drive home and napped for an hour and a half. Baby Girl said, "Oh, OK, why not?" and went down early for her afternoon nap.

That left me with essentially five--count them--five hours of time during the day to savor all to myself.

This new schedule that I believe is going to really, really work out well has just been added to The Thanks Ranks. Hooray for summer. Do I dare consider a full 5-day program for fall?

Artsy-Fartsy Etsy

I love Etsy. Just thought I'd share.

Gifted, creative minds and hands--how do you come up with this stuff? Whimsy makes me smile. You've just been added to the Thanks Ranks.

Who's Waving the White Flag Now?

"Raising kids is part joy and part guerrilla warfare." --Ed Asner

The tide of the weeklong ear infection battle is turning. Baby Girl is fever-free, smiling and laughing this morning as opposed to sweating, scowling and shrieking. I do believe we're back on the path to normalcy, just in time for the weekend. Whew!

Amoxicillin, for finally kicking into gear and fighting off the bad, bad bacteria, you've just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

Tisane Saves the Near-Insane

No Calgon in the house to take me away, but this Cinnamon and Orange Rooibos loose infusion from Whittard of Chelsea is doing the trick. It was brought with love from London, and it's like nothing I've ever tasted--Ev-uh.

Thank you, perennial Thanks Ranker Pamela. Whittard of Chelsea, I probably could bathe in a tub with this aromatic majesty I'm drinking, couldn't I? You've just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

Bug In My Ear

When my babies are sick, my whole world is put on hold 'til they're back to their happy selves.

This time, it's Baby Girl. Ear infection. She's resting comfortably now, and after fever and fitfulness, we're all ready for a nap.

It occurred to me that I'm one of a privileged global, shucks, national minority that can "just" call the pediatrician and "just" make a same-day appointment and "just" drive over to the office and "just" present a card and pay $20 for services that actually cost much more and "just" drive to the local pharmacy and "just" get the needed prescription filled by again presenting that card along with a nominal fee and "just" go buy the yogurt from Whole Foods that was recommended and "just" drive back home, give the baby her medicine and "just" put her in the room and bed that she shares with no one but herself.

Paris is reported (ad nauseam) to be "reading" The Power of Now. Think she'd be interested in my lesson pondered about the wealth I possess in this moment?

My abundance of "just" things has indeed "just" been added to The Thanks Ranks.

They're Golden

Had a wonderful 6th wedding anniversary this weekend with Hubby-Honey. While we've done better than most of the Hollywood couplings that I recall starting out around our time, I have to bow down and give respect to those like Mr. and Mrs. Cross, who were celebrated by friends and family yesterday for their 50 years of marriage. Now THAT'S saying something.

Mr. and Mrs. Cross, for your tangible benchmark of marital love and longevity, you've just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

Flix Rule!

Thanks to the DVD-at-my-door service, I got to check out Charlotte's Web last night and cry like a baby all over again just as I did when I saw the cartoon version as a youngster. The difference was now picking up the more subtle nuances re friendship that I'd missed as a child.

NetFlix is a film enthusiast's best friend. It's just been added to The Thanks Ranks.

I appreciate your friendship in checking in with me from time to time in this space. Have a great weekend!