G It's The Hodgepodge

Welcome to another week in the Wednesday Hodgepodge, and if you're keeping up, it's also week two in the April A-Z Blog Challenge. Today's post is brought to you by the letter G and you'll find my thoughts for the A-Z in the random thought space aka question #6. 

1. Egg on your face, putting all your eggs in one basket, a good egg, walk on eggshells, nest egg, or a tough egg to crack...which eggy idiom currently applies to your life in some way? Explain

None particularly feel like they relate to my life at the moment so let's go with 'a good egg'. 

My hubs is a good egg. 

2. April 7th is National Beer Day...are you a beer drinker? If so do you have a favorite? Beer battered fish, beer bread, beer can chicken, beer brats...which one sounds good to you? Have you made any of these? 

I've never been a beer drinker but I do like all the recipes mentioned that call for beer. I don't think I've ever made beer battered fish but have certainly eaten it many times. Hubs is in charge of brats here and he makes them using beer because our Wisconsin friends tell us that's the secret to a perfectly cooked brat. 

3. Do you have siblings? What's the best thing about being your sibling? If you don't have siblings, what would you say are the pros and cons of being an only child? 

I do have siblings, two sisters and a brother and I'm grateful my parents had a bunch of kids. I guess four counts as a bunch? Well I'm sure it felt like a bunch to them. 

The best thing about being my sibling? 

Dear sibs...You're my lifelong besties, my confidantes, my memory keepers and I hope you consider me the same. I always root for your success, and you can count on me to love and pray for you forever and ever amen. 

4. How do you feel about floral scents in products? Do you have a favorite?

I'm not a big fan of floral scents unless we're talking actual flowers. I particularly find anything labeled rose scented to be way too much. I do like the scent of lavender so that one might be an exception to my no floral rule, but so often floral scented products are too heavily scented for my taste. I prefer citrus and I suppose lemon trees bloom so maybe that is technically a floral.  

5. What's one thing in your home that begins with the letter G that you would say is a keeper, something you'll hold on to? Tell us why. 

I've used my random thought today to answer this question. One does what one must when trying to blog through the alphabet and also host a weekly link up.  

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I'm still at this A-Z Blog challenge thing (for details go here-) and today we've reached the letter G. 

Day 7-G is for a Grandchild's Countdown Calendar 

Today I'm talking about this sweet little countdown calendar my daughter1 made for us when she was pregnant with our first grandbaby, known here as The Mancub. 

He turns nine this summer but I hold on to it still. 

The months before he was born I kept this little calendar on my kitchen window sill and couldn't wait to flip the blocks as the weeks and months were counted down. 

Once he was here I kept the set on a shelf in my closet, until two years later when grandson number 2 was on the way. 7000 miles and an ocean between us, but still back to the windowsill it went. 

Not quite three years passed before grandson number three joined the party...

And then a few short months later our first granddaughter...

 And then another quick year went by and we were celebrating the arrival of granddaughter number two. 

You should know I'm in two different states, four different cities, and one foreign country in these pictures. We get around-ha! This little calendar has spent a lot of time on my windowsill in the past nine years, and now grandbaby number 5 is two years old. 

So do I keep it? 

Of course. I mean I don't know if there will be more grandbabies here, but I know this little calendar is a sweet reminder of some of the happiest days and years of our lives. 

It's back in my closet for now, and who knows? Maybe one day I'll gift it back to my daughter when she's preparing to welcome a grandbaby of her own. Wouldn't that be fun?! 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 648

Here are the questions to this week's Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here on Wednesday (April 8) to share answers with all your friends and neighbors. See you there! 

 

1. Egg on your face, putting all your eggs in one basket, a good egg, walk on eggshells, nest egg, or a tough egg to crack...which eggy idiom currently applies to your life in some way? Explain

2. April 7th is National Beer Day...are you a beer drinker? If so do you have a favorite? Beer battered fish, beer bread, beer can chicken, beer brats...which one sounds good to you? Have you made any of these? 

3. Do you have siblings? What's the best thing about being your sibling? If you don't have siblings, what would you say are the pros and cons of being an only child? 

4. How do you feel about floral scents in products? Do you have a favorite?

5. What's one thing in your home that begins with the letter G that you would say is a keeper, something you'll hold on to? Tell us why. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Top 'O The Monday To You

Another full busy week here, and then the weekend was party party party. Let's catch up...

Friday I finally got the tax organizer submitted to our accountant and it felt so good to have that job done. I needed a block of time to finish it up and Friday morning was pretty much the only block of unclaimed time I had all week. From the post office I went directly to the salon for a long overdue, much needed, mani/pedi. It was wonderful. 

Friday evening hubs and I went to a St. Patty's Day get together in our neighborhood clubhouse. They called it stews and brews and everyone brought either a soup, bread, salad or dessert. 

So many yummy soups with a lot of variety. The organizers brought both small and large containers, so you could have a bowl of one or a flight of several. 

The room was decorated for St. Patrick's Day and two neighbors set up an Irish Coffee bar which was fun and festive. Hubs and I wore our matching tees but I forgot to snap a picture. Pretty much par for the course here. 

We were up early on Saturday to make the trek to Tennessee for still more celebrating the birthday girl, aka my mother-in-law. Last weekend she was at the lake to spend time with all her great grands, but this weekend was all about her own children. 

I snapped this picture on our drive over on Saturday morning. This road repair and construction as a result of Helene (a year and a half ago!) has got to be one of the biggest ongoing projects in the country in terms of size, cost, manpower, and plan. 

We arrived at my brother-in-law and sister-in-law's home about 2. There was a big Bass tournament happening on the river all weekend long, and we had fun watching the fishermen from their deck. 

We had a lovely family dinner Saturday night at a nice restaurant (Foothills Milling for the Tennessee peeps reading here), and it was so good!

My sister-in-law made a fun bingo game and when she called a square everyone told a story about my mother-in-law that fit the topic. Hilarious. Our server heard more than she ever wanted to know too lol.

Sunday morning coffee on the deck before we all headed to church together.  Right after the service there was a lovely little reception in the atrium for her many many MANY friends to come have a sweet treat and visit. She's been a member of this church for over 50 years and is very well loved. 

Mary (Life In A Small Town)  came by the reception too and it was fun to see her there. She and her sibs went to school with hubs and his sibs and we were all glad she stopped by. My mother-in-law loves her whole family and she brought her a sweet hyacinth which was so thoughtful. Did we take a photo or were we slacker bloggers? You decide. 

Once the reception ended hubs and I along with one brother and sister-in-law went to a nearby brewery to meet up with some college friends of ours.  A great day and always fun to see some of our favorite people who knew us when. 

Again, we forgot to snap a picture. Oops. We did have a photographer my sister-in-law knows come take some pictures at the church and a few family shots too, so I'm sure I'll add one to my blog once we get them back. 

We hung out at my brother-in-law and sister-in-laws house Sunday evening and will be home by lunchtime today. 

Barring crazy weather or crazy traffic of course, both of which are possible. 

Hope you had a nice weekend spent with people you love. Linking today's post with Holly (Pink Lady Blog) and Sarah (Sunshine and Books)  for their usual Monday morning party. Why not add your link there too? 

Showered With Love

We have had the craziest start to the new year. End to last year? I cannot believe it's almost February and I still feel like I'm racing to catch up with the calendar.  

Is it annoying when people go on and on about how fast time is passing? 

It's flying y'all. I cannot seem to get my foot on the rung that is this new year. 

We have a new granddaughter joining the party (yes, we're a party) very soon. We're anticipating a  February arrival, but she may make her appearance sooner, and how in the world is it already February???

Technically it's not, but I've already made the leap into the next month because this one has me bamboozled.  

Also, I'm getting another granddaughter (insert all the heart eyes and emojis here).

Hubs and I trekked to Tennessee Thursday afternoon so we would be available Friday morning for baby's momma to visit the doctor without her toddler in tow. Remember when going to the doctor, followed by a stop at the grocery store by yourself was a real treat? 

We spent the morning indoors because it was something like nine degrees outside. We stacked blocks and read books and played 'baby pretend to go night night' in the great big blanket, and then Nana did 600 laps behind the tricycle on the living room-dining room-kitchen circuit. 

Little man sat so quietly and was so happy on that trike seat that we just kept doing the loop. At one point I asked hubs to take his picture and we discovered sweet baby J was sound asleep. Sitting up on his tricycle.

He is so precious. 

My daughter's in-laws arrived Friday afternoon and my son-in-law grilled wings and we had them with a nice charcuterie for dinner. Saturday morning we girls headed out in the bitter cold to attend a shower for baby girl. My daughter has the loveliest, kindest, most wonderful friends who made the morning so very special. 

They started the shower by going around in a circle and reading scripture and prayers for momma, dad, and baby. Not only for her physical health and development, but each one also tied to her spiritual health and development. They were very specific and absolutely beautiful. Made me quite teary actually. 

We had tea sandwiches and a pasta salad along with fruit skewers, baked brie, and a delectable assortment of sweet treats too. 

My daughter is so very fortunate to have these friends, and even though my baby is having a baby she's still my baby. I love that there is a circle of friends to support her and to be 'on call' should any need at all arise. 

 

What a gift! 

While we were at the shower the men were out doing manly things lol. They had Mexican food before coming home and little man was napping when we walked in the house. We spent the afternoon reading, chatting, and watching basketball, then dined on some super delicious ribs my son-in-law grilled. 

We headed home on Sunday and are now playing the guessing game as to when baby girl will celebrate her birth-day. I have plans to go back sooner rather than later so I'm in the house with the soon-to-be big brother. Having your second is easier in some ways, fewer surprises at what your body is capable of, but then so many feelings about your first born too.

I want to remind my daughter of her big sister's reaction when she first laid eyes on this new little person who was suddenly part of her life. The big sister who became her very best friend for always. Who knows her like no other. Who has loved her since she was rolled into the hospital visitors room and we were quickly commanded to 'gimme dat'.

Be still my heart. 

May this new little one be loved so well. 

In The Middle Of The Hodgepodge

Yup. Still here. Still smack dab in the middle of a strange season, still at that thing we know and love called The Wednesday Hodgepodge. If you've answered this week's questions add your link at the end of my post. Then be a good neighbor and leave a comment for the blogger linking before you since that's what good neighbors do. Here we go-

1. August 12th is National Middle Child Day...are you a middle child? If not, where in your family do you fall in terms of birth order? Do you hold true to the typical characteristics of oldest-middle-youngest-only child? (A quick list can be found here) Elaborate.

Am I a middle child? Sort of. What's the middle of four? I'm the third child, but the middle daughter so I think that qualifies. 

As far as holding true to the characteristics of the middle born, I'd say mostly yes. I'm for sure a peacemaker which seems to be a trait common to all the lists I checked. I'm also independent, make friends easily, know the importance of alone time, and can sometimes be a tad melodramatic. I know how to negotiate and compromise, but will add that I cannot recall ever feeling left out in terms of my family. 

2. Tell us about a time you felt like (or you actually were) in the middle of nowhere.

I read something a journalist I follow (Salena Zito) said when reporting on the last election and it was this-

"...In my estimation, there is no patch of geography in this country that is the 'middle of nowwhere'. This is America; everywhere is the middle of somewhere." 

It was an interesting reflection on how the people living in the middle of America, in a multitude of ways, are regularly and unfairly maligned as being 'less than' the people who reside in our large coastal cities. 

Anyway, back to the question...there have been quite a few places but probably standing in the middle of the moors back in 2007 tops the list.  

It seemed like hubs and I might be the only two people on earth. 

3. What's something you're smack in the middle of currently?

Besides a pandemic? Wedding planning. The two live side by side in 2020. 

4. What's a food you love to eat that has something delicious in the middle?

The first thing that popped into my head was an ice cream sandwich so I'll go with that. A jelly donut would be a close second. 

5. Share a memory from your middle school days, or junior high if that's what your school dubbed kids somewhere between grades 6-8.

Back in the day we called it Junior High, and in our town that meant grades 7-8. In grade 6 you were still in the elementary school and you were king. Grade 7 brought you back down to earth. I disliked grade 7, but cannot tell you precisely why. Everything was awkward and confusing. Somehow the world was right side up again by the time grade 8 rolled around. 

Thankfully my mom did not include a bunch of pictures from that era in the scrapbook she made me, but here's one for you...

Appropriately I am in the middle. The one in the pink mini skirt with legs the size of toothpicks. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I have a collection of random thoughts (in my head) that I planned to compile into a blog post on Monday, but then Monday came and went and now here it is Wednesday and I still haven't gotten to it. I'm thinking Thursday is the day, so my random thought currently is I don't have a single random thought today, but if you pop back here tomorrow I'll have more than a few. 

Life, time, and blogging are all a little wacky in the age of Corona. 

Hodgepodge Questions-Volume 381

Here are the questions to this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge. Answer on your own blog, then hop back here tomorrow to share answers with the universe. See you there!

1. August 12th is National Middle Child Day...are you a middle child? If not, where in your family do you fall in terms of birth order? Do you hold true to the typical characteristics of oldest-middle-youngest-only child? (a quick list can be found here) Elaborate.

2. Tell us about a time you felt like (or you actually were) in the middle of nowhere.

3. What's something you're smack in the middle of currently?

4. What's a food you love to eat that has something delicious in the middle?

5. Share a memory from your middle school days, or junior high if that's what your school dubbed kids somewhere between grades 6-8.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Wednesday Medley With A Capital I

I might be stretching my A to Z Challenge theme with today's post, but it's my blog so I can. We're on Day 10 and if I want to keep up and enjoy this month of all things wedding I need a smallish break thrown into the mix now and then.

I is for I miss my weekly hodgepodge peeps and am going to participate in The Wednesday Medley today, hosted by Terri. The medley replaced the hodgepodge and it seems I rarely have time to play along, but today I'm playing along.

Terri asks the questions and we answer. Today's post is all about National Sibling Day which happens to be April 10th, and I believe she found this week's questions here.

1. How many siblings do you have? Are you rivals or do you support each other in all you do?

I have three siblings and feel like we're all supportive of one another. We're all different, but we enjoy one another and we all get along. We're bound together by shared childhoods and strong family ties. We're not rivals and I sincerely and genuinely care about their lives and happiness. I think they would say the same about me. 

2. Have you heard of the Birth Order Book? What are your thoughts on the premise that your birth order affects everything you do in life?

I've heard of the book and I'm the third of four children as far as birth order goes. There's a 5-year gap between my brother and I (he's five years older) and a one year gap between my younger sister and I. In a sense I'm the middle child since my brother is the only boy. 

Mostly I think I fit the stereotype of a third/middle child. Adaptable, independent, people-pleaser, peacemaker. I also read where middle children tend to be attentive to rules and structure and that might describe me-ha! Also an age gap can skew your descriptors so it's possible I have a few first born traits in me too.  

As far as your birth order affecting everything you do in life, probably not. I'm sure it plays a significant role, but there are so many factors that influence who we are and who we become. Our parents and the circumstances we encounter along life's way, just to name two. 

3. Is there something you still do that drives your siblings crazy?

Probably, but you'd have to ask them. 

4. Would you dare to tell an embarrassing story about a sibling?

Not here, and definitely not without permission. The bonds of sibling-hood run deep and strong. 

5.  Tell us something random about your week.

In keeping with my A to Z Challenge theme of delight-

Less than three weeks til our precious little Miss becomes a Mrs!