Category Archives: Family Stuff

I grew up with four funny, fabulous sisters who couldn’t be more different. We’re loud, creative, rambunctious, hilarious and competitive, especially when croquet or boardgames are involved. We’re a mixed bag, but we fit together really well. Yes, my family is kind of kookie, but we wouldn’t want it any other way.

May 27, 2011 · 8:27 AM

Hot Fun in the Summer Time

I’ve been holding on to these photos since Mother’s Day. Every time I look at them, I start giggling again. You have to understand, most days it’s just me, TCP and the dog around here. It’s quiet in our home. Very quiet. But when My Baby and Bama Boy visit with our two grandkids, all heck breaks loose. Fun, fabulous heck. Hilarious, giggly, exhausting fun. Mother’s Day weekend was no exception. Especially when The Complete Package, aka “Papi”, erected a DIY water park in the back yard. Since daily temperatures in Houston are hovering in the 90’s, it was an oasis. It started with the kids playing in the inflatable pools.

Then it moved to the new Slip-N-Slide. I don’t think I’ve seen one of those things since I was in high school. They’ve been greatly improved since the early ’80s. Gone are the days of a simple piece of plastic and a garden hose. Now they have a blue bumper down the side that shoots water to keep the slide slippery, and a “cushion” at the end so you get good and soaked as a reward for your courage.

We had a great time getting soaked with Jonah Bear and Lilly Bug. But the most amusing part of the day had to be the to-the-death, no-holds-barred Slip-N-Slide grudge match between our daughter and her husband. It was amazing. And cut-throat. And hysterical. Thank you, God, for high-speed digital cameras.

Oh, to be young and enthusiastic! I’m not saying who won because we were all winners in my book. I will tell you that the grandkids were not the only ones to take a nap that afternoon. So, how are you planning to keep cool this summer?

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May 5, 2011 · 1:50 PM

In Honor of Mother’s Day

Sunday is Mother’s Day, and in honor of my mother and families everywhere, I’m re-publishing my “Tale of Five Sisters” page. It’s a glimpse into my childhood with four sisters and a mother who is our touchstone and our heart. Here’s to her and to mothers everywhere. Thank you for all you do!

“A Tale of Five Sisters”

I have four sisters.  Yeah, I know.  I don’t know what my parents were thinking, either.  They look so young and innocent, don’t they?   

Mom & Dad on their wedding day

My Mom & Dad - Their Wedding Day

 Actually, we all blame Dad.  He had that “I Want A Boy” syndrome that drives women to drink.  After five daughters, though, even the old man had to give it up.  I don’t know how my parents survived it.  Well, Dad was in sales and the Bass Club of America, so he was away a lot when I was little.  In truth, I don’t know how Mom did it.  I’m not even sure how some of us girls survived it (especially the teen years).   

Growing up, we were naturally divided into two groups – the “big kids” and the “little kids.”  Sister #1 and I (yes, I am #2 – keep your comments to yourself, Peanut Gallery) were the big kids.    

"The Big Kids"

"The Big Kids" - NanaBread & Sister #1

 We were born 15 months apart, and grew up with that “we were friends first” bond that first siblings share.  Sister #3 came along almost 4 years later and started the “little kid” explosion.  Every 18 months or so, Mom gave birth to yet another girl.  We started to think she was in the “Baby of the Year” Club, like the Weekly Reader program, but for infants.  What can I say? Mom’s initials as a kid were M.O.M. – she should have seen this coming.    

Sisters 3, 4 & 5

"The Little Kids"

 She finally threw in the towel at 5 daughters, and who could blame her.  Not to be graphic, but do you realize how many feminine hygiene products that woman had to buy over the years?  It’s insane!  She should have invested in Kimberly Clark and Midol.  Dad invested in MGD (Miller Genuine Draft) and fishing gear.  That was his escape.  But we made it.  We all made it through.   

The Five of Us

 Years have passed now and we all have families of our own.  It amazes me that we all grew up in the same house with the same parents and yet we all are different and unique.  I like that about us.  We all have different interests and tastes.  We all had different experiences in school and participated in different activities.  We had separate interests and hobbies.  We played different sports or practiced different arts.  We picked completely different types of men as spouses (or no spouse at all).  We all raised our children differently.  And yet, we all click when we come together.  All those differences are like pieces of a worn, favorite puzzle.  All that diversity makes us all fit.  I still don’t know how my Mom pulled it off, but she raised five smart, independent, creative girls who love to laugh.  Sarcasm and humor are part of our DNA.  It’s our coping mechanism.   When we’re together, hilarity always ensues. 

Our Mother

 In closing, I’d like to say “thanks, Mom!”  You are our rock and our foundation.  You taught us to cook, clean, sew, do laundry and dishes, fish, dig a camp toilet, fend for ourselves, pay our bills and be fiercely independent.  You showed us how to use common sense to solve life’s challenges.  You taught us to love things like coupons, greenstamps, Tupperware, chocolate, fresh vegetables from a garden, homemade jelly, handmade quilts and antiques.  You also helped us find the humor in everyday life, and that’s really important.  Thanks for being honest with us when we screw up and cheering for us when we soar.    

For good or bad, you left an indelible mark on the world when you unleashed the five of us.  Sorry, world.  No take-backs!

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April 15, 2011 · 8:14 AM

A Picnic with the Alligators

No, it’s not a children’s book or a gangster movie. When Mom and two of my sisters were here last week, we packed a picnic and went down to Brazos Bend State Park south of Houston to spend an afternoon under the live oaks. It was a gorgeous day with temperatures in the low 70’s, sunny skies and a great breeze. We went on a Wednesday, so we practically had the entire park to ourselves which made it even more peaceful. We found a picnic table under a big live oak tree dripping with Spanish moss and spent a relaxing afternoon enjoying the scenery and each other’s company. It was beautiful. It was glorious.

There’s something about a picnic on a lake, under a live oak with nothing but the sound of birds chirping that’s just good for the soul. I can’t describe how relaxing it was. While we ate, we broke out the Pente board. Pente was really big back in the early 80’s, if you’re old enough to remember it. We played Pente several times while the girls were here. If you’re not familiar with posts about my family, we’re big into playing cards and board games. Sometimes we even break out the 1,000 piece puzzles. Scrabble, Phase 10 and Cranium rate high on our list, too. Subconsciously, I think we’re all hoping that this ritual of working our brains will help keep senility at bay. Check back in 20 years, and I’ll let you know how that worked out. But on this day, we kept our brain cells hopping with a little low-level strategy and bead stealing while we fed the ravens and grackles.

When lunch was over, we packed up the picnic and game board and took a stroll around the lake in search of alligators. Welcome to south Texas, ladies!

It’s not like we planned to wrestle them, or anything. We just wanted to see if we could find them and take pictures. Baby Sister said that our nephew, Gabe the Babe, would get a kick out of it if we could find and photograph some alligators. As soon as we started down the path around the lake, we found one about 6 feet from the shore. Some days, we just get lucky like that. Guess I should have bought a lottery ticket, too. Woulda. Coulda. Shoulda.

Our gator was kind enough to pose for pictures. It’s hard to tell from the photo, but I think he was about 6 feet long, a Pisces, and into red meat, small woodland creatures and macrame. But I’m just guessing. Hello, handsome!

Big Sis took this awesome close-up shot. She wasn’t the least bit afraid to get close enough to get a good picture with her zoom lens. Here’s the proof:

Our Baby Sister was right there with her. Which reminds me…. I forgot to tell them to run in a zig-zag pattern if the gators decide to come out of the water and chase them. Oopsie. Hehe (nervous laugh). Another 10 feet down the path, we ran into a blue heron. Such pretty birds. They really are blue, you know.

There were other gorgeous birds, as well. Like the ibis with his long bill (also seen on ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs) and these beautiful red-billed ducks.

The big lake at Brazos Bend is beautiful. It’s wild, marshy and untamed like me (wait…marshy?) and it’s teeming with flora & fauna. The banks of those little islands on the right are home to all sizes of alligators, turtles and birds. I wish I could adequately describe how lovely it is. It’s so peaceful there.

Those decks over the water make an excellent place to stop and take photos.

We took lots of photos. There were so many things to look at. Favorite flower:

These were growing on tall, thin reeds like cattails. I don’t know what they are, but they were absolutely lovely. Favorite trees? Definitely those gorgeous live oaks. They grow low and wide, like big green umbrellas. When they’re covered in Spanish Moss, they’re just magical. They’re one of my favorite trees.

Favorite critter? This baby alligator captured by Big Sis and her zoom (again).

This little guy was perched on a stump. He couldn’t have been a foot long. At least, what we could see was about a foot long. What is it about little baby animals that make them so stinkin’ cute? Even the deadly ones. Baby lions? Cute. Baby hippos? Cute. Baby cobras? Trick question!! No snakes are cute!!

Thank you Mom, Big Sis and Baby Sister. I can’t begin to tell you how much I enjoyed your visit. I enjoyed the antiquing. I enjoyed the baking. I enjoyed that big honkin’ sirloin we grilled up with that baked potato casserole. I enjoyed the chick flicks, the board games, and the pajama nights. But most of all, I enjoyed our picnic in the woods and the chance to just hang out and be ourselves. And laugh. And belch like guys and giggle about it. And swap stories. And relax. It was lovely. And I miss you already. We should totally do this again sometime. And next time, we’ll see if we can’t get all the sisters and My Baby to join us!

If you’d like more information on visiting Brazos Bend State Park, go to:
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/brazos_bend/

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April 14, 2011 · 6:00 AM

Ode to Our Momma, on her birthday

Our Momma is special; our Momma is neat
From the top of her head to the soles of her feet.
She made us wash dishes and laundry and floors;
And then made us iron (which I still abhor).

She taught us to cook, and make jelly and sew,
And dig a camp toilet (just thought you should know).
She taught us to laugh and love music and art
And board games and antiques, but that’s just the start.

Most of all, our Momma taught us to see
The humor in all things, which we all agree
Makes life so much sweeter and funny, and glorious.
We’re lucky to think that life should be uproarious!

So thank you, sweet Momma for raising five girls
Who continue to grow as their own lives unfurl.
Thanks to you, we have families & dreams of our own.
And thanks to you, also, there’s no place like home.

Happy birthday, Momma. We love you.
poem written by your favorite

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March 28, 2011 · 11:09 AM

My Baby’s Big Day in Austin, Texas

My Baby & friends at the finish line. Why don't they look like they just ran 6 miles?

My Baby ran her first 10K this weekend – the Austin Statesman Capitol 10K. It’s the largest 10K race in Texas, and the fifth largest in the nation. It was really impressive to see that many runners in downtown Austin. There were couples in tutus, a group in Gumby costumes, the entire cadet class of the Austin Police Department, a cadet corps of Aggies, a few luche libres, The Mario Brothers, two friends dressed as Dr. Seuss’ Thing One & Thing Two, a couple that got engaged at the finish line and a guy dressed like a cast member from Braveheart.

They may take this guy's dignity, but they'll never take his freedom.

But we were there for just one runner, and in a sea of more than 13,000+ participants, our beautiful daughter crossed that finish line with a smile on her face and her arms over her head in victory. I wish you could have seen her.

Jonah Bear was yelling like a maniac when he saw his mommy come around the corner and cross that line. It was an exciting moment. Not only did she finish with flair, she was able to text us as she ran so the kids could follow her progress on the race map. Now that’s talent. She ran the 10K (6.2 miles) in 1:14:52. Congratulations, honey. We may be proud parents, but you are a rock star!

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March 23, 2011 · 12:33 PM

Hoegarden 2011: Favorite Cocktail

For two years running, our favorite Hoegarden cocktails have been Mexican Martinis and Lemon Drop Shots. While we did enjoy a few pitchers of Mexican Martinis, I wanted to try something new. Actually, I tried several new ones, but nothing blew our skirts up like the Reggae Rainbow. It’s one of those layered cocktails that needs to be prepared in a certain order to give you these lovely layers. Because of the layered effect, it works better to make them one at a time. A word of caution: this deceptively cute cocktail packs a punch, so plan accordingly. Now, let the fruity fun begin!

NanaBread’s Reggae Rainbow
(makes one)

1 cup of crushed ice
2 ounces of coconut rum
1 ounce of green melon liqueur
3-4 ounces of pineapple juice
1 ounce of grenadine

For best results, place crushed ice into a tall, skinny glass. Pour the coconut rum over the ice and allow it to settle. Slowly add the melon liqueur; it should sink to the bottom of the glass. Slowly add the pineapple juice and allow it to settle, then slowly add the grenadine. It will sink to the bottom, moving everything else up. If you want to get fancy, garnish your Reggae Rainbow with a wedge of pineapple and a maraschino cherry. And don’t forget that paper umbrella! Now go, my children…smear on some Hawaiian Tropic sunscreen, pull up a lawn chair, relax and take a trip to the eye-lahnds (Bob Marley music not included, but highly recommended). Yah, mahn.

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March 6, 2011 · 10:40 AM

Pioneer Woman Photo Contest: Sisters

A photo I submitted has made it to the finals in the latest Pioneer Woman Photo Contest. I’m stunned, but thrilled to pieces. The photo assignment theme was “Sisters” and I submitted this photo of Sister #1 and I, taken on our grandmother’s porch in the summer of 1963. We were sharing a bowl of berries with cream. I’ve always loved this photo. I love the colors, the clothes, the sweetness of us sharing a special sisterly moment. But I also love the concentration on #1’s face, and the fact that she’s sharing, but keeping that bowl close. If only we’d known there were three more sisters to come. We might have eaten faster.

The end of the summer berries - Sister #1 and NanaBread

If you’d like to see the other finalists, all of which are fabulous, you can go to:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/photography/2011/03/sister-photo-finalists/

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February 28, 2011 · 6:35 AM

Nothing is better than family time.

The kids came to visit this weekend. Nothing is better than time with our kids. Lilly Bug is now 17 months old. She’s such a bubbly, sweet little pixie. She wakes up happy and the rest of the day just gets better from there. She’s a little chatter box, and is just starting to put together a few full sentences. Her vocabulary is expanding at an alarming rate. She laughs at everything, sings at the drop of the hat, and thanks to Jonah Bear’s toy harmonica, she learned to play hobo songs about life riding the rails with her Papi (The Complete Package). I love those curls.

Jonah bear turned four just before Christmas. That blows my mind. Where does the time go? He’s not a baby or a toddler anymore. Our first grand baby is a boy now, and his ability to think at such a strategic level amazes us. He’s a deep thinker and problem solver, and yet he’s also a sweet, compassionate soul. He is a boy who knows what he wants, and this weekend he wanted blueberry pancakes and fruity push-up popsicles. I love his sweet boy hugs & his big, beautiful brain.
And of course, it wouldn’t be a family weekend without My Baby and Bama Boy. We ate too much, we played Scrabble, we shared popcorn & ice cream while we watched Megamind. It was awesome. But my favorite thing was watching Jonah Bear’s face light up when he mastered the pedals on My Baby’s old bike with all of us out there cheering him on. It was one of those priceless family moments. Speaking of priceless family moments… Sorry, honey. Mommy loves you.

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January 31, 2011 · 2:55 PM

Another “I Heart Faces” Photo Contest: The Faces of January & Our Lilly Bug

This is Lilly Bug, my precious grandbaby, daughter of My Baby, and sister of my buddy, Jonah Bear. She’s the baby in our family, and she’s destined to rule us all. She’s our sweet, happy, giggly girl and she’s my entry for the I Heart Faces People’s Choice “Best Face Photo of January” contest. You go, baby girl!

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January 31, 2011 · 8:00 AM

I love my mother-in-law. I know…sounds crazy, right? But it’s true.

I love my mother-in-law, and I’m not ashamed to say it. The Complete Package and I have been married for almost 29 years, and I have never had a cross word with her. In fact, we actually enjoy each other’s company. Maybe it’s because we both love TCP so dearly, or maybe it’s because we live 10 hours away from each other, or maybe it’s because we just appreciate each other and the friendship we’ve developed over the years. TCP likes to say that if forced to choose, his parents would pick me over him. I’m not sure that’s true, but I like to think it is. Here is just a sampling of what I love about my mother-in-law:

1. She’s tenacious; her nickname is “Toughie”
2. She’s famous for her chili “3-way” with spaghetti, chopped onions & cheese
3. She loves her kids, grandkids & great-grandkids fiercely
4. She makes pecan tassies; if you don’t know what those are, you’re missing out
5. She’ll share a 2-lb Whitman’s Sampler box, but not the 5-lb box we got her
6. She was in love with Max from Dancing With the Stars until “he got cocky”
7. She now hopes Troy Aikman will call, since he’s about to be single again
8. She cares deeply for her two sisters, who are her best friends
9. She cared for my beloved father-in-law until he passed away 2 years ago
10. She still refers to him as the love of her life; some love stories are eternal
11. She has our 2 nieces over for sleepovers, just like when My Baby was little
12. She makes me laugh; she’s funny and feisty and sassy, and I love that

She came to visit just before Christmas, and we took her to Austin to visit My Baby, Bama Boy and the great-grandkids, Jonah Bear & Lilly Bug. She had the best time. At four and one, the kids are fun and exhausting, but she never complained. She just soaked it all up like a sponge. We also took her to restaurants she doesn’t have at home so we could spoil her and fatten her up. She loved it – from Mexican to seafood to steaks, she enjoyed eating out in one of America’s greatest restaurant cities. I even put a Whitman’s Sampler box on the nightstand in the guest room for her. She threatened to send for her things and stay forever, but I wouldn’t mind. She’s not leaving Tulsa, though. Her sisters are there, as well as TCP’s sister, her husband and their 2 daughters. She’s a Tulsa girl. Always has been; always will be. She’s deeply rooted there, but we’ll still try to get her to come visit as often as she’s willing. One last thing. While she was here, we helped her create a custom Christmas card to send to family and a few close friends. It has since gone viral in her little circle. It was a hoot. It featured two photos of her – past and present, with a caption of “Just rolling in to wish you a Merry Christmas.” It captures her personality perfectly, and makes me love her even more. As if that’s possible. This one’s for you, Toughie.

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