Hale and Hearty Words

May 18, 2012 · 6:00 am

We’re Not Anniversary People

Man, we haven’t aged a bit. I hope. May 19, 2001.

This weekend my husband and I will celebrate 11 years of wedded bliss.

Okay, 11 years being married, with a vast majority of those years qualifying as bliss. 🙂

The Super-Hubs and I have never really made a big deal out of our anniversary. Weird, since I’m a hopeless romantic in love with love, right?

We sort of recognize it, but we don’t do gifts for each other and we don’t make big plans or take elaborate trips.

In fact, last year was the first year since our Honeymoon that we’ve taken a trip specifically to celebrate our anniversary, and we made that happen only because it was the big number 10, and we didn’t go far. Just a couple of nights in Savannah. We really enjoyed it.

This year we’re going to dinner and to see Avengers. Now that is an anniversary celebration!

Perhaps we don’t make a big deal out of our anniversary because it falls at a bad time. It’s the end of the school year (that’s not a great time for teachers, which I was and my hubby still is). It’s exactly half-way between the birthdays of our sons, and it’s smack-dab in the middle of a month chock-full of family birthdays and other events.

I had to look up what the traditional anniversary gift is this year. 11 years is steel. Hmmm. I think I’ll dig out one of the stainless steel shell-shaped mint trays (why are those even a thing?) we were given as a wedding gift and re-gift it to him.

He’ll Love It.

To Super-Hubby: Thanks for putting up with me for 11 years and promising to put up with me for a zillion more. I love you, B.

Share with me: Are you and your spouse big anniversary people? Do you usually give the traditional gifts by year? What’s the most memorable thing you’ve done for an anniversary?

19 Comments

Filed under Marriage, Romance

Tagged as anniversary

May 16, 2012 · 6:00 am

Four Things to Inspire Your Writing Today

Announcing the winner of the Wildflowers from Winter giveaway! The lucky person to receive a copy of Katie Ganshert’s debut novel is (drum roll please) LORI DILWORTH!!

Congrats, Lori! Email me your address and we’ll get that right out to you! I know you’re going to love it!

And now on to today’s topic…

Four Things to Inspire Your Writing Today:

1. Chocolate. Lots of it. In all kinds, shapes, sizes, and *flavors. *dark, white, milk, etc. Get some. Now. Chocolate produces a special endorphin that speeds up the brain synapses and helps you up your daily word count. Okay, I totally made that up, but it does do something to help me out when I write. Maybe it has magical plot-producing properties.

2. This place. Because when you publish lots and lots of books, you’ll have enough money to buy a house with an outdoor writing room that has this view.

3. This song. Because it’s a reminder of just who should be glorified with your writing.

4. These four guys. They are now the wallpaper on my desktop and they make me feel a little bit guilty when I sit down to the computer and I’m not writing. And plus, these dudes are not bad eye-candy. That’s also inspirational. (bonus!) 🙂 (No, I haven’t seen the Avengers movie yet, but I plan to this coming weekend.)

Share with me: What’s inspiring your writing today?

16 Comments

Filed under Writing

Tagged as Avengers, beach, chocolate, worship

May 14, 2012 · 6:00 am

Mom-isms That Defy Explanation

I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Mother’s Day celebrating your motherhood, or celebrating the one who bore you.

My mom is my best friend. She’s a wonderful grandmother, and an incredible example of a godly lady. I’m thankful to get to celebrate her everyday, not just one Sunday a year.

I don’t know about you, but when I was growing up, especially in my teen years, I remember thinking, “When I’m a mom, I’m going to do things so differently…”

And yet here I am, becoming more and more like my own mother with every passing minute.

The difference is that now I celebrate it, because the maturity that comes with motherhood makes me appreciate my mom for everything she is and all that she’s done.

Becoming more and more like my mom is something I love– something I appreciate–something I strive to do.

And like many of you, sometimes I open my mouth to speak and my mom jumps out.

You know what I’m talking about. Those weird mom-isms that sometimes make no sense, but are effective tools for refereeing, disciplining, and explaining life.

You have any of those?

Here’s my personal favorite:

“I’m going to ______ your ______ in about five seconds.” (Insert WHATEVER you like into the blanks as the situation warrants.)

For example:

Kid: Mom, I’m not eating this spinach.

Mom: I’m going to spinach your spinach in about five seconds.

???

I love it. My mom used to use this phrase all the time with us kids, inserting anything and everything that applied to the moment, especially as a threat when we were acting up.

“I’m going to stink your stink in about five seconds.”

“I’m going to not get a bath your not get a bath in about five seconds.”

“I’m going to homework your homework in about five seconds.”

Yep, makes no sense.

But this phrase, when used in a warning tone, was totally, completely, and wholly effective with the three of us kids. It defies explanation.

And I totally said it the other day to my son.

“I’m going to tired your tired in about five seconds. Get up and finish cleaning the playroom.”