Hospitality

I can recommend a good book.

I can pick out a fabulous outfit.

I love going to a great party.

But I'm not good at hospitality.

Visiting Grandma's house this past weekend got me thinking about creating a more inviting home.

I desire to be a good hostess, but it's not in me. I often spend too much time worrying about what things look like and making sure there's enough to eat that I wear myself out in the process.

Being a guarded and withdrawn introvert has something to do with it as well.  Someone showing up at the spur of the moment throws me off. I'm always apologizing about the mess or worrying about not having a candle lit that could be masking any potentially strange odor.

I'm also not good at small talk. I prefer deeper conversations and that can be hard with children running around.

How to demonstrate hospitality is something I've been pondering the past few days. I'm sure if I look for opportunities to practice, they will present themselves.

If You're Ever in Pensacola

One of my favorite places to eat while in Pensacola is the New Yorker Deli.

It's actually within walking distance of Grandma and Grandpa's house.

I first tried this restaurant when the little boy and I visited a few years back. I was delighted when I found out how good the food was, but not happy with the hubby's family for holding out on me about this place. In all fairness, I should say they didn't know how good it was because they'd never tried it (a fact I still can't believe).

We stopped by again on our way into town this past Saturday, and I had the best cup of gazpacho I've ever eaten. It had enough onion to taste, but no so much that it overpowered everything else. I think it was the finely chopped cucumber that set it apart from other gazpacho soups I've had.

There is plenty to chose from - salads, pasta, sandwiches, a kid's menu and dessert. While a large menu usually leaves me disillusioned and frustrated, I've never had trouble picking out an entree at the deli. I've also never been disappointed in my choice!

For When We're In Need of Some Place Soothing

It's a place we go to physically and emotionally unwind that nourishes our souls.

The hubby's grandparents might think the visit does them a world of good, but that can't compare to what it does for us.

My husband once remarked that being in their home is so reassuring for him because it is the one thing that has been the same since his childhood. It's a place where some of his best memories are still intact.

So while the ever-strong winds of change continue their constant swirl around us, we go to this place of refuge for the sense of comfort found only in the familiar - a place untouched by time and technology.

I've known my husband for 10 years and can remember the first time I visited his grandparent's home. I was as comfortable on that Christmas visit as I am all these years later. That's because Grandma and Grandpa have the kind of home people want to be in.

It's not a luxurious or large home. What makes it so comfortable is it's the home where two of the most pleasant people on the face of this earth reside.

Their home might not ever make the cover of Southern Living, but inside its walls, true southern hospitality is demonstrated.

It's clear others feel the same as we do because everytime I have visited, someone pops in. It's usually friends from church or neighbors checking to see how Grandpa, who is 93, is feeling. Other times people have stopped by for nothing more than a quick chat.

Two of my favorite places in the their home are the sitting room (ideal for any bookworm) and the backyard. 

The well-shaded yard overlooks Pensacola bay.

Little priss and I enjoyed the swing most of all. She couldn' get enough of Grandma and Grandpa's dog. She terrorized loved on her every chance she got.

The little boy had plenty of room to run free. I snapped this shot after he begged, for the bazillionth time, for everyone inside to come out and take a look at the water.

Beautiful, mossy trees line the back and front of the house.

I've never figured out why looking out onto the open sea is so mesmerizing and soothing. Sitting in the breeze and staring at the ocean makes time irrelevant.

It's another of God's wonderful and majestic mysteries we get to enjoy each time we visit Grandma and Grandpa.

To Grandmother's House We Go

We leave tomorrow heading to the hubby's grandparents house in Pensacola.

We've had this visit planned for a while, so we were glad that Hurricane Isaac didn't make landfall there a few days ago. I talked to Grandma today and she said they got some wind gusts and rain on Tuesday, but no flooding like in Louisiana.

It's about a 3-4 hour trip from here, but will take us longer because of the stops for the children. As long as we make it by 6 tomorrow night to watch kickoff and cheer on our team.

Have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend everyone.

War Eagle!!!!

You Say It's Your Birthday

He’s growing up and taking my heart with him.

Today he turned five.

How can this be?

Is doesn't seem possible that time could have passed so quickly. I usually don't cry on his birthday, but this evening I did.

Maybe it's the realization that in another five years he will be ten. If these five years have already slipped by, it won't be long before another five and then another five and then another five have elapsed as well.

This past year has moved especially fast. Adding another baby to the mix tends to have that effect.  In becoming a big brother he matured more than I could have imagined. His love for the sister he affectionately calls Boopsie is so pure, protective and fierce.

Having a sibling has brought out a more joyful side in him too. He’s less cautious around others. While still shy and unwilling to immediately join in the conversation, he's quicker to relax and open up.

He’s my first born, the one that taught me the real meaning of love. I thought I knew before, but I had no clue what the all-encompassing, never-ending, willing-to-lay-down-my-own-life kind of love felt like. 

It’s a wonderful thing having a son. It’s a wonderful thing being his mother. 

I've never been the mother of a five year old before. These are new and exciting waters for me.

He and I enter this new territory together dailly. While he is finding out what it means to be a rambunctious and inquisitive boy of five, I am learning (or trying to learn) more about patience and gentleness in being the mother of this extra sensitive soul.

I hope and pray that the next five years are as wonderful as these first five have been.

The only difference I would wish for is the slower passage of time. I think all parents cling to that desire.

A New Title

Her ARM SLINGING WALK,

HIP SWINGING DANCING SESSIONS,

and

MELTDOWNS OF EPIC PROPORTIONS

have given rise to a new name of late.

From here on out this cutie, formerly known as baby girl, has a more fitting title.

Let me introduce you all to Little Priss!

The Land Before Time

In a few days the little boy will have a birthday.

He's been adamant about not wanting a party this year, so I decided to spend the money I would have spent on a party on doing something new to his room.

He loves all things dinosaur and shark related. He wanted his room decorated in both, but I asked him to choose between the two. He made his final decision last month.

Dinosaurs won out.

My brother and his wife planned to come this morning to paint. Besides being a great cook, my sister-in-law is also a fantastic artist. However, a sore throat kept them at home (I strongly suspect the real culprit was a late night out after a wedding yesterday).

So instead, my wonderful husband drew pictures and we took turns painting. We've got one happy little boy tonight.

I kept calling it a pterodactyl; the little boy says it's a pteranodon

The massive brachiosaurus

This is my favorite. (L-R Spinosaurus, T-Rex, Triceratops, Gigantosaurus)

We marked a small space on the wall for the little boy to draw and then paint his own dinosaurs. It is his room after all, and he wanted in on the fun too!

We're no artists, and I'm sure what my sister-in-law could have done would have looked better, but it didn't turn out too shabby.