Homecoming 2010

You don't realize how grown up your children are until they get dressed for a formal event.  They truly look like an adult in their grown up digs.  These more mature events call upon everything you have taught them in social etiquette and manners.  They dress up and step out the door leaving you in the background taking silent credit in their expected behavior.  This is based on what you have drilled into their little minds over the years - Say thank you, stand up straight, eye contact, chew with your mouth closed, and much more.  Lindsey was a picture of class and maturity on her homecoming dance night.  She wore a 1950's style dress that was flirty and fun.  She found her dress on-line while looking for a dress for different event.  I thought the most appealing about the dress was that I didn't spend hours in the mall to find the perfect dress.  Click! Click! Click!  Wa La!  We have a dress!

Her dad and I were at a little antique shop and we saw the most perfect necklace for her to wear with her dress. Her dad gave it to her for her birthday.  She loves old things and she was happy that we found such a perfect piece for her special night. 

Lindsey was escorted to the dance by a young man (notice I didn't say boy?) from her French class.  He was handsome (as much as you can be at 16) and well-mannered, but not someone she desires to date....at least that is what she is telling me.  ;-)

She and her date went to dinner and the dance with another couple.  The guy in the other couple was her date for last year's dance.  I had forgotten how small the circle of dating options are in high school. 

I did not talk to her about a curfew as I knew where she was and who she was with.  And it was a special night.  I just asked her to call when she left the dance and then when she got to the after party. She came home about 1:30am with endless chatter to tell me how much of a good time she had.  Another great memory for a great young lady.  More to come!

My baby is growing up.

The Sweet 16 party was wonderful.  Lindsey and Mckenna were delivered in a white horse drawn carriage.  Upon their arrival the party guest sang happy birthday and the dads helped them down from the carriage to begin the festivities.  The guest were in costume and mask.  Lamont, the DJ, kept the place hopping with great music.  They danced, ate, acted like teenagers and had a great time.  You could see that Lindsey and Mckenna were having a wonderful time.  They were so beautiful.  It was like looking at women and not young girls.  The girl's dad were getting a little nervous when they spotted the boys circling them and showing them a lot of attention.  One of them asked Lindsey to the next dance - homecoming. I don't think Mckenna wants to go to that dance. 

When Lindsey's head finally hit the pillow, she said she had a wonderful time and captured great memories of her Sweet 16 celebration.  She was one happy young lady when she fell asleep.  That's what it's all about. :-)

Violas Rock!

"Hey mom...school is asking me if I want to try playing an instrument in the orchestra".  "Hmmmm..sounds fun. You know.... I have strongly encouraged (actually... forced!) you to play the piano for years.  It's time you pick the instrument You want to play" I replied.  "Really?" she immediately bounced back.  That  was the beginning of her journey to find the perfect instrument.

One day during this search, I pulled up into the carpool line and saw her little framed body standing next to the curb holding a large black case.  It held her first candidate --- The Saxophone. She proudly shoved the over-sized case into the back seat and occasionally checked over her shoulder to see if it was still there.  I think she was trying to visualize herself playing this "thing".  I kept my input to myself and suffered through her attempts to make the noise sound like a song.   By the end of the week she determined that the Saxophone did not make the cut.  We went through this exercise for several weeks.  From saxophone to flute, to violin and finally to the viola.  Wa La!  She knew within a couple of days that this was going to be HER instrument of choice. I was pleased she was so happy to have found her connection to the music world.  It was going to be her way of expressing herself through music.

The first couple of years allowed her to get very comfortable with the instrument and It allowed me to see how much effort she was going to put into this.  By no way was is it a requirement from me.  But I do believe if you are going to do something, give it your best.  By the third year she was placed into Honors Orchestra.  This came with the requirement of getting a private teacher. Living near SMU gave us plenty of private teachers to pick from.  The downside was that they left after they graduated and we had to start all over again! Ugh.

With a lot of work and dedication Lindsey worked her way into Regionals where she got 2nd chair in her region! She then took it to the next level and qualified for State.  We flew down to Austin for the day for the competition (don't throw me in that briar patch!). This is when we learned she had major performing fright.  She totally froze and did not do well at the State competition.  She was not happy with herself and is now working on performing for individuals and audiences.  This is what has brought her to where we are today.  She was recommended to the LSYO (Lone Star Youth Orchestra) and within a couple of days was called for an audition.  I did not get to hear her audition but she said she thought she did "OK".  We got the call yesterday that she was accepted into the LSYO!  She was so proud of herself and sees how her hard work has paid off.

If for no other reason, I hope she continues to play the Viola to relieve stress in her life and express herself with music.  I am so proud of her!

Proud Mom

The Party is Getting Closer!

The party planning is going well.  Cream colored invitations with red velvet ribbon in an envelope that has been sealed with wax and a fleur de lis stamp will be hand delivered to the guest tomorrow.  I can't believe it is just a little over a couple of weeks away!  Where did last month go?  Lindsey is getting excited and she and Mckenna are on the phone or texting daily to put the final touches on the music list, food, hairstyle options, etc.  We found the perfect tiaras in a antique store. They are going to look so beautiful.  Mckenna's mom is hard at work making wonderful outfits for us to wear.  She is an amazing seamstress! 

The landscapers are at the house laying down flat stones in the back garden so the kids will have a nice clean surface to walk on. The guests will be in nice outfits and the young ladies will be wearing heels, so this will work out very well.  A few days before the party we are having lights hung in the back area.  There will be a professional tent installed down the driveway with carpet for the girls to make their grand entrance.  There's no turning back now --- They move into the next phase of their life!  I love it.

We have reserved the handwriting analysis lady for entertainment.  She will give the guest a paragraph to write and then she'll break it down either while they are with her or they can leave it for her to note the major characteristics.

Lamont Carlis will be the DJ for the evening.  He is ready to make this a great party for the girls and rock the house with great music.  Nothing goes together better than teenagers and good music...Remember those days?  I do. 

Kimberly (older sister) will be a guest and responsible for capturing this event in pictures.  She is the only grownup that looks young enough to fit into the crowd of teenagers without being called out as a "grownup". 

Stephen (Dad) is arriving tomorrow to spend time with Lindsey and be here for her birthday party.  There are not too many things Stephen enjoys more than watching Lindsey have a wonderful time and enjoying her life.  He wouldn't miss this for the world.  He will also be a big help at the party.  He's not too excited or even ready to get in the car with her and allow her to drive him around, but he knows it must be done.  She is doing really good on the driving after she realized that those parked cars are NOT going to move out of her way. 

Next week...We order the cake, reserve the chocolate fountain and find a few punch bowls.

Stay tuned!

The Masque Ball Plans Continue....

Party dress - check! Invitations - check! Invite list - check! DJ reserved - check! Cake - check!  Whew, and we are no where near finished.  We still need to sort out the carriage ride, food, decorations, photographer, music list, and so much more.  I'm a very organized person and I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist but if nothing else I LOVE the details.  I want every "t" crossed and "i" dotted.  I don't leave anything open for "winging" it.  It's just not my style and this is why I do what I do for a living (Business Analyst - Software Development).  I want a back-up plan for the back-up plan.

There are so many decisions to be made....Solid white lights or twinkling lights?  White or chocolate cake? Real flowers or icing flowers on top of the cake? RSVP cards or a phone number to call? Slow music or just dance music? Tarot Card Reader or fortune teller? Chocolate fountain or not? Entry music?  Yikes!  To top it off, the final answer comes from the guest of honors - two teenagers - Lindsey and Mckenna.  This is a joint party and they each have their own preferences but they have been able to work out each difference and come to an agreement quite easily.

They have decided to have a party with the theme of the "Ever After" movie.  Cream-colored invitations topped with a scarlet red ribbon and sealed with red wax will be hand delivered to each guest by a pageboy (Mckenna's brother).  The guest will be given a small satchel to bring to the party to fill with golden chocolate coins and other items left in appreciation of their attendance. The guests will be asked to wear a costume and mask or just a prom-like attire and mask.  Mckenna and Lindsey will arrive in a white horse drawn Cinderella-like carriage.  They will be announced at the entrance.  A nice song (TBD) will be playing upon their entrance. The party will be at Mckenna's house.  It will be in the main downstairs and the back garden which will be covered in solid white lights in the trees and around the fencing.  There will be vases of long peacock feathers on tables for centerpieces.  The living room ceiling will have sheer fabric draped with twinkling white lights to imitate stars.  The DJ will be playing a mix of dance and slow music.  The food will be finger sandwiches, fruit, chocolate fountain and other miscellaneous goodies.  There will be tasty punch to quench the thirst of over 50 teenagers. The guest will enjoy getting their Tarot cards and palms read.  Each girl will have their own version of the birthday cake.  Lindsey has chosen a 2-tier, butter cream icing, white cake from Cretias. It will have baby blue icing with fancy white swirls and scrolls on both tiers.  The top will be adorned with real flowers - Blue Azaleas. Mckenna's cake - TBD. The guest will have their picture taken as they enter and there will also be a group picture taken that will be hand delivered to the guest with a thank-you note after the party. 

Mckenna's mom is making our costumes.  She is also making Mckenna's gown to look like the ball gown in the movie. Amazing! She has done this for theaters and schools. She is looking forward to making these and I'm sure they will be breathtaking.  I'll stick to invitations and other party details. :-)

So that's it. October 2nd will be a day to remember for Mckenna and Lindsey. Just helping plan this event makes me want to convince Lindsey to elope when it's time for a wedding!

McKenna Garrison

and

Lindsey Wilhelm

Request the honour of your presence 

At a masque ball

To celebrate their 16th birthday

on the eve of 

the feast of St. Adalgott

the 2nd of October

in the year two thousand and ten

You are cordially invited to join us in celebrating our 16^th birthday on October 2^nd at the Sandford Castle. Festivities will begin at 8 o’clock and continue until the stroke of midnight. We encourage you to wear 16^th century costume, or, for those unable to do so, prom-like attire.

Please find enclosed a satchel. It has been provided for you to bring to the party and collect golden coins and other trinkets left by the royal family to show their appreciation of your attendance.

Individual pictures will be taken upon arrival to the castle (until ~half past 8) and then a group photo will be taken at ~half past 9, so please arrive in time so we can get everyone in the picture. You will receive a copy of the picture.

We hope you will come and enjoy the music provided by a DJ; have your handwriting analyzed and feast on sumptuous fare.

Please instruct your carriage driver to bring you to 2908 Stallion Avenue at promptly 8 o’clock.

In lieu of gifts....

Their Highnesses request that you please bring new or gently used clothing and shoes for orphaned girls and boys, and new toiletries to benefit the Genesis Women’s Shelter.

Mckenna Garrison and Lindsey Wilhelm

Worth it? No. Never!

A very good friend, Kay, has had a great loss in her life.  A great loss for a senseless reason.  She has a tight knit family who she is very close to.  Her family has lived in the same house since she was 2 yrs old.  Those years provided her the opportunity to build strong relationships with people in the community.  After time it was hard to remember if they were just friends or relatives. One in particular, we'll call him Jay, was always intertwined in the family. It just worked well for everyone. He was there for a last minute ride to school, a badly needed bike repair, or a dinner guest who added conversation and laughter. Jay was a good man with a kind and giving soul.  On Tuesday, Jay was taken from all who love him in a terrible and senseless accident. One that could of been avoided. Please allow me to outline the incident and you can be the judge.

Kay's sister and her husband continue to live in the McKinney area.  They have a large ranch where Jay was hired to manage 22 yrs. ago.  The day Jay died was like all others.  He had put in a day's work and then called his oldest daughter to "chat".  She was at her home after a tough day at work.  She saw that her dad was calling and decided she was just too tired for a conversation and possible lecture from a previous conversation. She pushed the button and his last words to her went into voice mail.  There was no way of knowing this would of been the last conversation with her father.  Of course, she regrets not taking that call.

Dinner was over and the day was cooling down.  Jay turned to his wife and said "Hey, want to ride into town with me and pick up that part?"  "Nah, I'll just stay here and get some laundry done." she said.  Jay asked a few more times only to get the same response.  Once again, there was no way she would know that this would be the last time she would speak to her husband. Jay had been given a Harley by the family for his many years of devoted service.  He put on his helmet, jumped on the Harley and started down the road.  He came into a s-curve that he was particularly careful with.  He could not prevent what was about to happen.

Unfortunately, I don't know this level of details on the other driver.  He was driving a large pick-up truck on the same s-curve form the opposite direction. Before he got into the curve he was talking on the phone.  He dropped the phone and reached down to pick it up. He crossed the road and hit Jay head-on. Jay died on the way to the hospital.  He never regained consciousness.  He was pronounced dead on arrival to the hospital. The other driver did not have a scratch, at least not on the outside. He told the police exactly what he had done. The family could tell he was hurting.  A hurt that is deep inside the soul.  A hurt that will not go away any time soon.  

I'm happy that 2 people didn't die. But I am upset that picking up a cell phone is what caused another person to die a senseless death. I have vowed to not talk while driving and in fact I have made it a new rule to turn off the phone and put into the center console.  I hope that everyone will do the same.  No call is worth causing someone to lose their life, or lose your life.  

My prayers are with the man who caused the accident, and the family and friends who Jay left behind.  They are all hurting.

What was God thinking when he made teenagers?

Let me begin by saying I have the ALMOST perfect teenager, and she deserves the best I can give her - within reason.  Teenagers are a challenge in many ways....but also rewarding.  I've raised a couple of children before Lindsey so I'm a "master" at figuring out their multiple personalities, sleep deprivation behavior and the little lies, almost lies, twisted truth and saying nothing to avoid the repercussion of the parent - Me.  Each day brings on a new personality trait.  Sometimes I ask - "Lindsey, is that you?  Am I talking to someone else?  Do you have a name? Can you get Lindsey for me? :-) 

Having intelligent children bring its own challenges.  They think fast to rebuttal.  They find holes and challenge your time-proven reasoning.  They have fresh and accurate data to throw back at you. So, in the end, that is why we say so often "Because I said so!".  I tend to say "hmmm..." a lot so I can either get on the computer and Google for better information or call my life line (friends) before I confront her again. 

It's time to plan the BIG Sweet 16 birthday party. Ugh.  Lindsey's best friend has been traveling the world for the past year with her mother and 3 siblings.  Lindsey and McKenna (BFF) have stayed in touch over the year and have been planning their joint sweet 16 party.  It has gone from a simple gathering at the park to an elaborate party at the local posh hotel, with a DJ and costumes!  Now you had your first clue (...traveling the world...) as to why this may work for her friend's mom, but me being the poor parent in this formula, there is a limited budget. Mine is the party-in-the-park budget.  Of course teenagers think that money just falls from the sky and they are not real clear on why some families have more than others.  We are working on that.

We are stepping into this slowly and I'm really trying hard to not upset her over this event.  I want her to have good memories but I also want to take care of my other needy children - VISA, MasterCard and American Express.  They need love too.  And they could get nasty if I don't show them the love they deserve.

The party will be in September so I have a little time to figure out a few ways to cut back or start selling my extra organs.  Let's see...I know I have an extra kidney, I don't use both lungs.... I know! I know!  I'll stand on the corner with a sign and a cup.  I hear that it can capture fast, tax-free income. I could turn in my foot and drag it a little to get pity funds.  No?  Probably not.  She would be scarred for life if I did that. Our goals as parents are to get them into the world with very little emotional baggage.  Given the teenagers and society in this day and time, I'm not convinced that I can do that.  I'll just keep pressing on and deal with the multiple personalities, eye rolling, and sighs and continue to show her how much I love her and hope for the best.

Ta!

Let us take a moment to show appreciation to the person who invented air conditioning....

These are the days that I like to stay inside my little (air-conditioned) house, watch great movies and patiently wait for first cold-front of the fall.  I have never been one to embrace, or even like, the intense Texas heat.  Actually, I get a little cranky and a bit ill if I get too hot.  I'm that middle-age woman tucked under the umbrella to keep my skin from becoming well-done on the walk into Walmart.  You can even find me flapping a fan to keep the breeze moving. Yes, people look, but I'm at the age where I don't care.

When we were in France and/or Austria, I periodically stopped; stood still; closed my eyes and concentrated on the cool breeze against my skin.  I wanted to lock in that memory to recall upon when I got home to the heat.  Europeans would ask me about the heat in Texas.  Apparently it is known to them to be uncomfortable at the least, and deadly at the most. I'd like to take a moment to show appreciation to the person who invented air conditioning....

When I was a child, I spent a lot of time outside in the sun - indirectly, of course. It was hard to escape its overbearing presence while playing. People would think I was Mexican because my skin was so dark.  It only made sense - dark hair, dark eyes and dark skin. My tolerance for the sun quickly got less and less as I got older.  I didn't grow up with air conditioning.  I didn't know it then, but A/Cs were mainly for the rich, well, at least richer than us.  We lived on a homestead with plenty of shade and cool breezes.  The temperature was at least 20 degrees cooler in the yard than in the house sometimes!  One of my favorite things to do was to climb into the fig tree where little or no sunlight could touch me.  I would eat figs until my tongue burned.  When mama would call, I knew it was time for dinner.  Play time was over and time to get down to the routine of getting ready for bed. That always meant a nice cool bath or a quick rinse from the water hose (fun!).

We are going to experience extreme heat this weekend.  Temperatures that will make us feel like we are in 106-109 degrees - ouch!  I guess you know what I'll be doing.  The movies have been selected; my favorite chair is waiting and cool drinks are readily available. I'm looking forward to a Audrey Hepburn or Jane Austen movie marathon.  I hope everyone will heed the heat warning and stay safe and cool.  Preferably in the air conditioning, drinking icy, cold libations and letting the dog days of summer get by. 

Ta!