Lawn Bowling

Our dear friend and SongPlay teacher, Mitzi generously gave us a beautiful teak lawn bowling set for our new yard. Of course, the kids couldn't wait to play it and that is all Cavett has been wanting to do the past couple of days. So thank you, Mitzi. I know it will get much use!

For Kicks and Giggles

I tried on my wedding dress. I am gleaning and cleaning. I saw it in the closet and decided to try it on and see what shape I am in compared to 10 years ago and 2 kids later. Actually, I was quite pleased. It was much looser, especially in the chest. I still love the dress, but it doesn't quite go with my haircut.

What a great day it was--June 26, 1999.

Shout Out Sunday

Today's "Shout Out" goes to Marion Watts Brown. Now follow this, she was my Dad's best friend's (from college) daughter and then becae my college friend. Both her Dad and her brother are the namesake for my second son, Kendrick. Now that that is straight....

It had been four years since I last saw her on her wedding day. Much had happened to both of us in the past four years. WHen she picked meup at the airport, it was like her wedding day had been yesterday. We didn't skip a beat. In fact, my face literally hurt from laughing and smiling all weekend. We are soul mates--kindred spirits as another one of my longest friends would say. We know each other so well and can confide in each other about anything. It was so good to reconnect.

And, she has a beautiful baby boy, Harrison Charles! He is just precious. I had great fun spoiling and cuddling with this dear child of God. Harrison, I hope that I see you again before you are four! We really need to remedy this situation.

I also have to give a shout out to her wonderful husband Nathan for letting us have our girl time. He was the perfect husband!

What a delight it was to see these new parents in action. Y'all are going to be great parents and I can't wait to watch your family grow.

Mother's Day

Last Wednesday Cavett had a Mother's Day Picnic at his school. We had a grand time visiting, eating PB &J's and the kids even sang a little program for us including "You Are My Mommy" to the the tune of "You Are My Sunshine." He also gave me a picture frame with the acbsolute most adorable picture in it. Good times...

Stephen on the other hand had a rough weekend. WHile I was visiting Marion, my college friend in Virginia, he took the boys to spend the night in our new house for the first time and accomplish a few tasks. Lets suffice it to say that Kendrick's blanket was lost, nobody slept the first night and in general, Mom was missed. But I so appreciate Stephen and his hard work in trying to get it all done. He managed and was even able to get all the "honey-do's" done. I'm so very proud of him.

We rounded out the weekend with our traditional "Breakfast for Dinner" Sunday night--blueberry waffles and bacon. Yum!

Song of the South

I am procrastinating by sitting here on the computer instead of cleaning out yet another cabinet. The laundry room is screaming out to me. But, Thursday afternoons have typically been my time to catch up on the computer.





This afternoon Cavett begged me to watch Disney's "Song of the South," (1946). Yes, you read it correctly. "Song of the South" has been banned in the USA, but thanks to our Unlce John who is living in China, he found us a bootleg copy.





Now, I remembered the animated parts of the movie, and so I thought I had seen it all in my very young childhood, but now I am thinking I only saw the animated parts. You know--Zippety-Doo-Dah and the Tar Baby. I was surprised to see the live-action framework around the animation. It takes place on a plantation in Georgia in the late 1800's. In watching it, I am wondering, really? Why is this banned? It is no worse than "Gone With the Wind." In fact, I think it paints a better picture of Uncle Remus (the black servant/slave) than any I have seen. He is wise and smart and has some great teachable stories to share.





There is class warfare going on, but it is historical. If we don't learn from history we are destinded to repeat it. If anything, I think that it depicts the white people worse! The "neighborhood" white little boys, Joe and Jake, are just awful in their words and deeds to others and their own sister. Joe and Jake are meant to resemble Br'er Fox or a "Cracker" and Br'er Bear "a big Bubba" from Uncle Remus's stories. Hello...cracker? Isn't that deroggatory toward whites? Nowhere in there is the use of the "N" word. When the film was first released, the NAACP acknowledged "the remarkable artistic merit" of the film. I'm not saying the film isn't without inaccuracies, but was there really a need to never release it in the USA?





Johnny, the main little boy character, befriends not only the little sister, but also a little black boy. If that is not racially and culturally tolerant, maybe I have my definitions wrong. Good grief.





I think James Baskett, Uncle Remus' character is one of the best actors ever. His eyes and smile tell you all you need to know. He is someone you just want to hang out with. It seems that the Academy also thought the same thing as they gave him an honorary Oscar in 1948.

Either way I love hearing the southern draw come out of Cavett's mouth..."Br'er Rabbit".

The Ring Master Suit

We spent the weekend in Shreveport enjoying the first of many wedding festivities for my brother and his future bride. And Saturday afternoon on our way to Lowe's I remembered that we should probably go ahead and measure Cavett for his tux, just to be on the safe side. We made a stop at Squires.

At first he was a bit skeptical about having to stop and take up some of his park time, but after we got in the store, he quickly changed his mind. He loved this "ring master" suit and even wanted to go home wearing it. He thought the shoes were for girls though. I reassured him that they were just really fancy. He was such a poser in this pic! Hilarious!

Kendrick will not be in the wedding, but he wanted to do everything that brother did, including getting measured and trying on the jacket.

Handsome boys, I have. If I do say so myself......