My Beautiful Children

This is usually the sort of thing that you would see on My Beloved's blog. But so people don't think that I am without pride for our wonderful children Scarlett & Bubba, here are some recent photos that we had taken of them. They're so darned cute!!!

Christmas in the Classic Home

I figure that it's been too long since I have posted and this is a perfect time to do so. It's Christmastime and the air is cold, but filled with the Spirit of Giving. Stores are flooded with people doing their last-minute shopping, and probably spending way too much for gifts that, had they thought about it a few months ago, they could have purchased for much less.

But that is not the case here in the Classic/Not-So-Classic home

My Classic wife, my Beloved, truly makes Christmas a bargain. Always on the lookout for the best deals, looking for coupons (then doubling and even TRIPLING their values at times), making cookies, and thinking about what those people in our lives and on our hearts would really enjoy, Classic Mama does Christmas right!

She understands that Christmas is about giving. And not for the sake of spending money on people, but to make someone that means so much to her feel loved, to let them know how special they are to her. And that she does it all while doing her usual bargain-hunting means a lot to me.

I am blessed to have such a thoughtful, loving, giving wife who really understands and (all-too-often) puts up with my "stuff." And I want the world to know that next to the Original CHRISTmas Gift, she is the best gift that Father could ever give to me.

I love you, Sweetheart. Thank you for your generosity and for all you do for me, our family, and so many others in this world. You are a gift!!

The Classic Gym Teacher

So, I went home for lunch today as I always do (I love living 3 minutes from work!), ate a wonderful baked mac and cheese with broccoli, and enjoyed the hour with my Classic Family. Then Scarlett asked My Beloved if we could play the game that they played yesterday.

Background:

In our backyard, we have a 50-foot black walnut tree that is in full fruit right now. If you have ever had a black walnut tree, you know these three things:
1) You have an abundance of squirrels;
2) You have an abundance of black stains on anything flat that is near your tree; both because
3) You have a yard full of ankle-twisting, mower projectile, green tennis-ball sized NUTS!

Because of the abundance of these nuts, keeping them under control is not possible...but it can be fun. Classic Mama decided to help me out by collecting the nuts and putting them into our yard waste barrel while at the same time, giving Scarlett credit for Phys-Ed.

The Game:

Start as close as you want to the barrel and throw a nut into it. Easy. Then take a step away from the barrel and throw another in. Keep doing these two steps until you miss the barrel, at which point you have to run a lap around the back yard and back to the beginning position. Keep doing this until all of the nuts are gone or until Classic Mama says it's time to stop.

It was a fun and energy-boosting game. I am so proud of My Beloved for not just going out and playing with our daughter, but for inventing a game that should be taught in all Phys-Ed classes in every school (at least those that have black walnut trees near them). And I love her all the more because she is getting those darn nuts off the ground! Thank you, My Love!! And thank you, Scarlett and Bubba!

I wonder if the next level of the game includes climbing the tree, fighting off the legion of evil squirrels in order to get the nuts before they hit the ground...

Rhema...from a 10-year old!

Our Pastor at church like to use the phrase "There's no such thing as a junior Holy Spirit" when referring to children and their ability to hear from God. Well, our dear, young Scarlett hears from the one and only Holy Spirit often. And today she wrote something in her journal that will stick with me for a long time to come:

"God doesn't care about what we did. He cares about what we do next."

How many times are we faced with temptations that seem so great? What about the words we say that can either encourage or cut down someone around us? Or falling back into the thing that we despise most about our past? It's not what we've done that makes us who we are, it's what we do next (more accurately, Whose footprints our next step will fall into) that give us identity.

Out of the mouths of babes....

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

In not-so-typical Not-So-Classic style, I am going to speak very briefly about a classic film (this one's for you, Beloved...in more ways than one!) Do you remember that classic B&W turned color turned B&W film "The Wizard of Oz" and the scene where Dorothy accidentally throws water on the wicked witch? What does the witch scream? If you know the answer, then you know what many of us are experiencing.

WE'RE MELTING!!!

Last October, the Classic/Not-So-Classic family was incredibly blessed with a house much closer to work and everything else, just in time for the gas-price's ride to the moon. When we looked at and walked through the house to consider buying it, it was nice and cool inside. Well, summer has begun to beat down upon us and we are HOT!

So I am posting today in hopes that some of you may be able to help by recommending a good individual or company who installs central A/C.

I've clicked my "ruby slipper" clad heels together and said "There's no place like home." But right now, there's no place like the library or the grocery store or work or the pool or...

Thanks! Stay COOL.

Again with the tagging!

Based on the obvious fact that I don't often post to my blog (let alone read other's) my dear Beloved Classic told me yet again that I have been tagged. When I was a kid, I remember playing tag...but I was always aware that I was actually PLAYING!! Anyway, in the spirit of having some good clean fun, I will join in the game...again.

Melissa tagged me with a "7 random things" bit, but if you know me, I'm sort of an open book. If you don't know me then you are much safer that way! However, I am going to take the tag thrown to me by Classic Mama, which is a modified version of Melissa's tag.

7 of my top favorite movies (not in any particular order either):

#1. Hoodwinked. The story of Little Red Riding Hood...in a severely twisted form!! LOVE IT!! Plus, Patrick Warburton is one of the characters and anything that "Putty" says always makes me say "R-I-G-H-T"

#2. Meet the Robinsons. Disney movies can be somewhat predictable at times, but this one was hilarious. "Grandpa" and his arm-hung woodchuck...oh what a hoot!

#3. That Thing You Do. Some movies are pop, and some are too "cult-ish" but this was an obscure one that seemed to keep my attention. Plus, when I began dating Classic (for that week and a half) I quoted lines from the movie to her. She was surprised because, as she said, "I've never met anyone who has seen the movie, let alone memorized it!" I am Sparticus!!

#4. The Princess Bride. No explanation needed.

#5. A Beautiful Mind. This story about Nobel-Prize winner John Nash is absolutely riveting. To see a man struggle with the things he did and overcome them (while not eliminating them) is a great picture of the power we have over the enemy who will always try to distract or defeat us in our journey.

#6. Good Night and Good Luck. The George Clooney directed film is a phenomenally done story of Edward R. Murrow vs. Joe McCarthy in the age of blacklisting. To see a man stand up to the powers-that-be in government and broadcasting to say that they are wrong (and they were) and succeed is such an encouraging symbol of the battle that we should all be fighting...standing up for what is right.

#7. The Count of Monte Cristo. Again, one man fighting against injustice and enduring extreme pain and hardship all the way through to the end. Like Lance Wallnau says, "If you're going through hell, keep walking."

Tag, I'm It!

As I have not been blogging for quite a while (and reading for even longer) my Beloved Classic Mama clued me into a fact that I would have never discovered...I've been tagged!

Thrills tagged me and a number of "The Husbands" probably because none of them would know it on their own, but rely solely on the snickering and pointing of their wives who would proceed to tell us that we've been tagged. So, thank you, Thrills. I will indulge your (and possibly others') curiosity and answer these very thought-provoking questions.

What if I could meet someone in the art world to chat with?
M.C.Escher. He's crazy!! And the impossibilities of many of his pieces intrigue me.

What if I could have one wish granted for the benefit of all mankind?
ALL mankind? I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony. I'd like to buy the world a Coke.... Actually to have everyone sing in harmony would be nice...it's hard having really good pitch!

What if I could travel anywhere in the world?
Rome, Australia, and Shady Maple :)

What if I could live in a period other than the present, for 24 hours?
Tomorrow

What if I could make over three areas of my body?
My gut, my center area, and my mid-riff.

What if I could become an animal for 24 hours?
Either a wolf (they are so cool!) or any bird of prey like an eagle.

What if I could bring someone back to life for 24 hours?
Princess Diana: She's been gone for over 10 years, and the media still covers her death like it happened yesterday. I think that she would tell everyone to "get on with their lives!" And if she didn't, her resurrection would be an actual news-worthy event.

Tomorrow's my birthday and we are fulfilling one of my "what-if's" by going to Shady Maple for breakfast. So much for the gut.