Wednesday, October 26, 2016

I'll Be Home for the Hodgepodge

Future ballerina with her parents
I make discoveries every day about things Baby M loves and doesn't love. Just the other day, I discovered she loves ballet! This is quite exciting to me since I too love the ballet but haven't had anyone dance ballet since Deanie was in high school (please don't get me started on how disappointed I was that she stopped dancing to go to college...no, I didn't tell her that at the time but, dang, that girl was awesome on her toes! But we have to let our kids make their own life choices...I almost tried to step in on that one but I didn't.) Anyway, when Baby M got a bit cranky yesterday, I found, SWAN LAKE on YouTube and put it on the television. Baby M was mesmerized for about 31 minutes until she drifted off to sleep. SCORE! Deanie and I have already made plans to get Baby M to the ballet as soon as she's old enough to sit through it! Ok, time to settle down and enjoy the Hodgepodge!
How exciting that our lovely hostess-with-the-mostest, Joyce, is finally moving into her brand new home next week?!?! 

1. Besides your very own house, describe a place where you feel most 'at home'? My grandparents' house and my mother's house. I always know I'm home when I go to either place. 

2. When did you last 'hit a home run' with something? Grandparenting! Explain. I can do this grandparenting thing pretty darn good, y'all! It seems all that is required is a whole lotta love for the grand-love and that, I have! Now, on the whole age and lack of energy thing? Not so much a home run on that one. :)

3. Tell us about something you love in your house or kitchen that is 'homemade'. I cherish the Christmas quilt that Birdie made me a few years ago. No one else is allowed to so much as touch it! ;)

4. 'A man's home is his castle'...which of the world's ten most captivating castles (according to The Travel Channel) would you most like to visit and why-
Mont Saint-Michel (France), Edinburgh Castle (Scotland), Neuschwanstein Castle (Germany), Glamis Castle (Scotland), Windsor Castle (England), Chateu de Chambord (France), Hampton Court Palace (England), Prague Castle (Prague), St. Michael's Mount (England), Leeds Castle (England), and Swallow's Nest (Ukraine)

I'll have to go with Edinburgh Castle or Glamis Castle in Scotland since I have strong Scottish heritage on my mother's father's side and Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany since I have strong German heritage on my mother's mother's side. 

5. What's a recent or upcoming plan or project that's required you do a little homework before getting started? It seems that everything requires a bit of homework before a project can start. This is mostly because I have to have things in order before I can focus enough on a project to see it through to completion. And the fact that I don't always know how to 'do' a project. Did the homework cause you to abandon your plan or adjust it in some way? No. If I don't do the homework first, the plan won't happen. I like my ducks in a row, y'all and that includes knowing what the heck I'm doing. Ha!  

6. In your opinion, is homework an unnecessary evil or a valuable practice? I see it both ways. I see it as a good way to keep the momentum going when a new lesson is introduced and when more time is needed to really grasp an idea or when more practice is needed. However, I do not see the need for homework to take up another 4 or 5 hours of students' time after school. I also am not thrilled when homework is given because teachers do not have enough time in the day to teach everything the district or state requires them to teach. Seriously, the powers that be need to back the h#$% off. Should schools be done with homework? Maybe, maybe not. Why or why not? Perhaps the best thing would be to reevaluate how much homework is given. No more than 30 minutes/night sounds good to me. I feel like that was a very confusing answer. Sorry.

7. Share a favorite memory of your childhood hometown. I liked that we could walk to town without an adult. We lived on Main Street in the house my dad's parents lived in so town was right up the street. But we didn't need our parents going with us or taking us to a friend's house (unless they lived further away). It was a simpler, safer time. And our parents were not helicopter parents. They taught us to be responsible and trustworthy and smart enough to not get into serious trouble. Not to mention that everyone knew who everyone's kids were so we really couldn't get into that much trouble. Ha! 

8. Insert your own random thought here. I'll just leave y'all with this one, in honor of Joyce and her move-in day! 




Have a great rest of the week, y'all! 

31 comments:

  1. I, most definitely, have to have my 'ducks in a row' before starting a project. And I don't need to be rushed, either---take my time and figure it out first.Have a great day.

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    1. YES! I agree! If I'm rushed, forget about it. The thing just won't turn out right. I had to go back in and reword my answer. I misread the question to be 'housework' instead of 'homework.' I hope that isn't an indication of how my day is going to go. LOL Thank you! Have a wonderful Wednesday!

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  2. Pam, congratulations on your grandchild! How wonderful! Your blog looks great. So glad things are going well for you.

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    1. HEY! Thank you! How are things going for you these days? Any new books I may have missed?

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    2. Unfortunately, no. Been taking care of my ailing father and freelancing. Maybe sometime soon.

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  3. A ballet loving grandgirlie is a joy! That was a fun story about her falling asleep watching Swan Lake. Some things must just be in the genes.

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    1. She loves football, too! That makes her just right for our family. LOL I can't wait to take her to her first ballet. She'll be at her first football game way before that though. :) Thank you! Have a wonderful Wednesday!

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  4. Aw, you opened with such a sweet family photo. Keep Baby M inspired with the fine arts. I have a similar experience with a daughter who gave up the violin. But we can't live their lives, and I think it's good parenting to realize that and let it go (with a few secret tears).

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    1. Aren't they cute? They came over after the pumpkin patch and wanted pictures. They did not have to twist my arm. LOL I know, we can't live their lives. YES to the secret tears. She was so gifted! Of course, she's gifted in her area now too, but I loved watching her dance.

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  5. Great song! Neuschwanstein is an amazing place, I think more the setting than the actual castle. In a fun tie in to your thoughts on ballet, the inspiration for the ballet Swan Lake came from Swan Lake at Neuschwanstein Castle. Have a great day!

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    1. NICE! Love that little bit of history. I had no idea. :) Are you remembering to breathe? :)

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  6. What a catchy title you came up with, today! Wow, baby M is growing like a weed... time slow down! That's interesting that she likes ballet. Our granddaughter was mesmerized by those Baby Einstein videos. They saved my daughter's sanity on 'cranky days'
    If you find a solution to the 'lack of energy' thing, please share. I have the same problem.
    Kathy (Reflections)

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    1. She really is, isn't she? Cranky days...Baby M has her cranky hour and it starts around 4:00. I'm going to pick up some Geritol soon. I'll keep you posted. LOL

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  7. How nice that Baby M like ballet. I think its nice all of the thing you wrote about where you feel at home. It made me remember that too.
    Seeing your video, made me remember that when Ron and I were dating we went to his parents house and he just sat at the piano and started playing that. I knew right then, I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him and his two cats in the yard. :) Thanks for all of the great reminders this morning.

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    1. I have loved listening to CSN (and Young) since college. They were before that time but they never get old. I still listen to them all the time. And Neil, of course. I can't believe Ron can play that! What a sweet story! Baby M loves those guys too. She fell asleep to her Uncle Ben and The Wild Feathers this morning. :)

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  8. Things don't get done around here unless I do the planning and then drag Mr BC out of his chair.

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  9. Listening to your CS&N selection as I write this comment, it's a family favorite. My sister even had it as part of her wedding music (it wa a very untraditional event). Each week as I learn more about you I find that we are kindred spirits...I love ballet and took lessons when I was young. My career as a project manager has made me ultra organized and I need to research everything (literally) before I start anything. This makes my sweetie a little crazy, but in the long run being prepared for any contingency has made our life so much smoother. I enjoy reading your hodgepodge each week and look forward to future posts.
    Cheers!
    Lori in Blue Ridge, GA

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    1. I do love CSN (and Young, of course)! I listened to them all the time in college. Even though they were 'before my time' they never get old. I love them to this day! I think it's great that your sister had that song as part of her wedding. :) It's nice to know that I am in good company. :) Have a wonderful Wednesday!

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  10. I love you memories of your hometown! Thanks for stopping by :)

    Colletta

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  11. Oh how I love Crosby Stills Nash and Young singing that song! You and I must have grown up in the same kind of small town. It was a great way to grow up and learn about responsibility. So Baby M will be a ballerina!! I see a Nutcracker performance in her future! Another fun Hodgepodge!!

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    1. Me too! I would love for her to be a ballerina but, sadly, I have to let her choose. LOL Her Auntie Claudia danced in the Nutcracker when she was growing up! Fingers crossed... Thank you!

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  12. As a child my nan & pop's house was a second home, now for me home is where Tim is as long as he is with me I feel like I am home.

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    1. Awwwww, that's so sweet that Tim makes you feel that way. :) I loved being at my grandparents' house. They were the best. I still feel that way when I go there. My aunt lives in the house so I get to visit and enjoy my memories. :)

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  13. I'm so glad the grandparenting is working out so well for you. I also loved that we could walk to the store or be gone all day and our parents didn't worry about us. It was a great time to grow up.

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    1. It really was a great time to grow up. I miss those days. Well, some of them. LOL Grandparenting is easy- you just give love. :)

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  14. Love that your granddaughter was entertained by Swan Lake! Such a fun post - I love hodgepodge Wednesday but I always forget about it!

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    1. Wasn't that great? Maybe she'll dance when she grows up. :) I love it too and I used to forget at first. Thank you for coming by and have a wonderful weekend!

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  15. LOVE Swan Lake! Maybe she'll be a ballerina someday! Enjoyed reading your Hodgepodge today - better late than never! Have a great weekend! - Jessica

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    1. Wouldn't that be great? But so would a soccer star. LOL Thanks! You have a good one too!

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment! It makes me feel connected to everyone even though we may live far apart! Have a wonderful day!

 
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