Tires

Today I had to take my car to Discount Tires to get a tire replaced that had a nail in it.  (Me + Discount Tires is already the beginning of a horror story in my book.)  At any rate, though the guy helping me was super nice, I just wanted to get in and out of there with a fast quote on how much it would cost to order my new tire so Robert Skeet Taylor could go get it later.  Unfortunately, Enthusiastic Tire Guy had different plans.  He proceeded to teach me everything I never wanted to know about tires and tire pressure.  He showed me a whole bunch of stickers on the inside of my car door that I didn't care about, he told me all sorts of numbers for correct air pressure in my tires, he showed me a bunch of charts about green, yellow, and red tire tread zones, and then he talked for over thirty minutes about the Georgia Bulldogs and their football season.  Anyone who knows me well knows that if there are any TWO things in the WORLD that I have NO interest in AT ALL, it's CAR PARTS AND SPORTS TEAMS. Though I smiled and said "cool" to this barrage of "fun facts," I began secretly wishing I had nails in my ears instead of my tire!  For that hideous hour, I truly thought the Ascension had happened and I had not been chosen, because I'm pretty sure I got a glimpse of HELL today at Discount Tires. 😂😂

Cake

(2013) Grammie and Papaw are coming over for supper tomorrow for the FIRST time since Mom's fall and surgery!  We're all excited and we're making one of their favorite meals, roast with potatoes and carrots and onions in the crockpot. We're also baking a special cake ... but I am driving all of us insane because I can't quit singing "If I knew you were coming I'd have baked a cake."  It's a curse really!!!

Bribe

(2011) Had to "bribe" the kids to get in the tub tonight by adding some red and yellow food coloring to the water ... they now have a bright orange "Halloween" bath!  They jumped right in after that!

Ug.

(2010) Remember my new pink cell phone I was so excited about?  Brandon left it on the back of my Jeep and I ran over it this morning.  Ug.

Trick or Treat

(2011) I am losing my mind!  Lily Claire has rung the doorbell about 1000 times now and keeps screaming "Trick or Treat!"  She's not quite understanding that today is NOT Halloween!!!!  AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!

Fortune Cookie

Hahaaa! A funny memory from a few years ago! ...
We went to our favorite Chinese restaurant tonight and when it came time to read the fortune cookies, we had a hilarious faux pas!  Lily asked to read Skeet's fortune out loud to all of us and, without any help, proceeded to read, "You will have good-looking personal affairs."  WHAT?!!!  Skeet was LOVING that fortune, until I snatched it and said, "Sorry mister.  It actually says, 'You will have good LUCK in your personal affairs!"   Oops ... letting a first grader read your fortune may alter your fate quite a bit, apparently!!  Hahahaaaa!

Men’s Sunday

(2011) GREAT Men's Sunday service at church today!!!  The theme was  "God's Power Tools" which Dylan really loved and listened to.  One funny thing though ... a men's chorus sang the upbeat chorus  "At Calvary" and Dylan thought they were singing "At Halloween."  He was very inspired!  :)

Costume

Sooooo much work ahead of me to make Bran into decent husband material one day ... case in point:  Tonight I walked into his room with all this highlighting product goop in my hair, my head covered with a huge plastic bag, moisturizer cream on my face, my pink robe on, and my black glasses.  My husband is smart enough not to comment (years of training).  My son, however, says, "What the heck, Mom?!  Is that your Halloween costume?!!!"  Yes, I did swat him!

Dress

I have a sweet hubby ... You know I've been searching for a formal dress this week and I was bemoaning the fact that I'd tried on a dress I had ordered and it looked HORRIBLE when I actually put it on.  I texted Skeet dramatically, "UG! My new dress looks super horrible on me and now I hate myself!!!"  He instantly texted back, "Must be something wrong with the dress."  Made my day!  Thanks, buddy!

Dora

(2010) Lily Claire has recently gotten interested in watching Dora the Explorer ... Dora asks us all these questions and pauses a long time so we can shout out answers.  I got a bit too theological for Dora last night when she asked, "Who do we ask for help when we don't know which way to go?"  I screamed "GOD!" but Dora, Boots, and Lily screamed, "The map."  Oops!  I thought my answer was better.

Burping

A funny school story today...
In our classroom, we have lots of talks about being polite and
using manners, especially when ladies are present. This is a whole new concept for third grade boys in particular!!  Today, we decided to eat lunch together in the classroom, and halfway through the Magic School Bus episode, I noticed two of my boys had left the classroom and were standing out in the hallway. I called out to them and said, "Guys ... why are you in the hall?"  Very seriously they said, "Mrs. Taylor, we had to step outside because we were burping A LOT around ladies."  I could hardly keep a straight face while thanking them for their admirable courtesy!! 😂

Parenting

Had a heartfelt moment with my teenage son tonight, which for those of you who live with "stoic" men like mine, know those can be pretty rare.  Bran had gotten in some trouble this week and we had doled out the consequences, which were a lot more stiff than others.  Bran accepted the consequences without argument and faced up to his mistakes in a brave and honest way, but it was a tough on all of us.  Tonight as he and I were quietly talking things over again, I said, "I know we're probably the strictest of all the parents."  Bran replied, "Yeah .. but I think it's because you care the most."  Parenting is a tough job and I teared up hearing that from him  ... not something you think your 15 year old son would understand or realize in the moment.  He will never really know how fiercely we do love and care and how very, very proud we are to be his parents.

Oldness

Today I was sitting outside on a bench at recess and had my ankles crossed.  One of my students was talking to me and then looked down at my ankle and said, Oh no, Mrs. Taylor, what happened?!”  She had seen an unsightly spider vein on my leg and thought I had been injured.  “Oh it’s nothing,” I said, “It’s OK. I’m  not hurt or anything.” Another student who was standing nearby overhearing the conversation rushed over to reassure me. “Don’t worry, Mrs Taylor! That just happens because of oldness.” Wow.  I felt much better thanks to that encouraging diagnosis! 😂😂😂😂

Love

A father's love ... Bran called home around 8 PM and said,"Mom, I'm as sick as I can ever remember. My head and chest and eyes are hurting so bad and I can't stop coughing."  My next words, "Come home. You need to sleep and go to the doctor in the morning."  Bran replied miserably, "I don't think I can drive home feeling this bad, and I don't have any cough medicine left. What should I do, Mom?"  Without batting an eye, Skeet said, "Tell him I'm on my way."  An hour and a half drive one way at night to EC after a long day at work ... but not a moments hesitation. I love how much Skeet loves us and shows it in a million little ways every day. And I'm so relieved Bran will be home soon to get well. I wouldn't have slept so well tonight otherwise!❤️

Lovely

Guess Lily was giving me a hint that I've been cleaning the house too long today in my raggy PJs with my hair a wreck when she said in a very sweet voice, "Mom, are you going to get dressed soon?  You always look lovely when you're not in pajamas."  Hahahaaa!

Chick Fil A

(2013) The boys are all at the BHS football game and Lily wanted me to take her to Chick Fil A.  When we got there she wanted to stay and play on the playground but I had just planned to go through the drive thru.  I told her, "Lily, I didn't bring my Kindle or any book to read while you play!  I won't have anything to do!"  She thought a minute and suggested, "Well, you could sing a little song and play with my pink Webkinz beaver."  Hmmmm ....  I'd like to see the looks I'd get in Chick Fil A if I were to sit alone in a booth and do that!  Hahahahaa!

Bored

Lily complaining while doing a page of math out of her math book tonight ...
“What is WRONG with this McGrawHill person?! Does he just WANT us to be bored??!!”  I’m cracking up!!! 😂😂😂

Five

(2013) I love five year olds.  I showed Lily an online picture of the baby panda cubs from the Atlanta zoo and she stood by the computer petting them (on the screen) and talking to them in a soft, high, sweet voice for about five minutes.  Precious.  Wish she could stay little forever.

Grits

(2011) I have succeeded in raising my kids as true Southerners!  I told Lily I was going to go order pizza for supper and she said, "No, Mom, let's order grits!"  That's my girl!

Tater Tots

I am amazed at the apparent rapid rate of tater tot evaporation ... Anytime I send Brandon Taylor to Sonic to get some for me, half the pack is somehow gone by the time it gets home to me!!!!!  Hmmmmmm......  :)

Girl Cheese

(2011) Grammie and Papaw came over tonight for homemade chili and to watch a movie. I was asking everyone if they wanted a "grilled" cheese sandwich with their chili and Lily shouted, "YES! I want a "girl" cheese sandwich!" Papaw laughed and said, "I want a "girl" cheese sandwich, too!" Lilly put her hands on her hips and said, "No Papaw, you have to have a BOY cheese sandwich!"

Old School

I am an old school elementary school teacher and proud of it!  I am pleased to say that tonight I rummaged out my "candy corn" earrings and my pumpkin vest for the upcoming season!  Now all I need to find are those cute socks with ghosts and black cats on them!!! Eat your hearts out, you young whipper snappers!!

Glue Globber

(2013) Lily loves to make crafts, but tonight she came to me looking completely dejected with some sort of foam ball drenched in Elmer's glue and moaned dramatically, "OH NOOOO!!! Mom .. I am a GLUE GLOBBER." It is apparently a TERRIBLE crime. I just can't believe my sweet baby girl has turned to a life of glue globbing villainy at such a young age.

Glitter Glue

(2013) Lily is laughing so hard she can hardly stand it .... she needed me to open a glitter glue pen for her and I couldn't get it open, so I squeezed it, thinking it might have a hole in the top where the glue came out.  Of course it did NOT, and the lid popped off real loud and flew off, and the glitter glue splatter all over my face and hands!  We both just sat there stunned for a minute, then Lily Claire died laughing!  Yep ... she's my child!

Waffle House

So I’m going to make a confession. Waffle House grosses me out, and I hate to go there.  My husband knows this, so he was in shock today when I texted him that I took the kids to Waffle House for breakfast because the boys LOVE it! One of those sacrificial mom moments, I guess. 😂 Anyway everything went fine, it was SORT OF clean, we ate our food (though they only have cold syrup and serve hashbrowns with everything, even a hamburger) and I was starting to think, “Ok, this wasn’t so bad...”.  Just as I was entertaining this positive thought, the waiter next to me dumped an entire gigantic bucket of bleach water on the floor right next to where I was eating. Classy. Couldn’t quite swallow down anymore waffle with the bleach fumes floating over the greasy floor by my feet.  Check, please.  😂😂

Bears

(2011) Great.  Dylan talked me into watching a show with him on Animal Planet called "Viking Wilderness."  One whole part was this long footage of these big bears mating and Dylan said, "Awwwwwww!  Mom, look!  That bear is hugging the baby bear!!!"  Of course I quickly agreed it was "super cute" and then tried to change the subject!!!!

Texts

I signed Bran up a few years back for text messages from a Youth Group at one of our local churches.  They text Bible verses, etc.  Anyway, his phone went off right in the middle of class today and the teacher looked mad.  Bran said, "Sorry, church is texting me" and the teacher said, "Oh ... ok then, go ahead and answer."  That cracked me up!!!!  Guess when God texts, by george, you ANSWER!

Crazy

You know you've been raised by a Southern mama when .... your husband rehires the cleaning service to help you around the house and you are frantically cleaning the bathrooms and kitchen so they won't be dirty when the cleaning lady shows up!!! 😂😂😂 As we say around here, "Your crazy is showing .. better tuck it back in!!!"

Jail

(2015) Funny story from today!  Dylan and Lily were playing "cops and robbers" and they had created this fort thing out of blankets, etc, that was supposed to be the "jail."  Apparently, Lily was the criminal who had been apprehended and put in the "jail."  A while later, Dylan crawled in the jail with her and I heard her say really seriously to him, "So ... What are you in for?"  I laughed out loud!!!!

British

(2013) Dylan walks through the family room tonight and asks, "Mom, why do all your shows have British people in them?"  Guess I've been watching too much PBS lately!!!

Ebola

(2014) I know the disease is not a joke, but Bran just asked me if he'd be able to skip school if he got Ebola. Nice try, Bran ... You ARE going to school tomorrow!

Buffalo

(2012) Got a huge laugh at Dylan's parent/teacher conference today!  His teacher was sharing with me a piece he had written about which Native American tribe he would like to have been part of in early America.  Dylan chose the Pawnee because "he wanted to hunt buffalo and use buffalo for his tent and clothes and he really loves eating buffalo wings."  He seriously wrote that and was dead serious!  We were cracking up!!

Ring Pop

Funny conversation in my class today after handing out a small treat that the kids had earned ...

All the kids ... “Thank you, Mrs. Taylor!!! You’re the best!!” 

Me: “We’ll it’s because you guys are the best...”

One student after taking a big lick of his Ring Pop and a long, thoughtful pause,”No ... actually you’re really a lot better than us, Mrs. Taylor.”

I completely cracked up!!I’m sure the big Ring Pop candy swayed things in my favor considerably!!!! 😂😂😂