Wednesday, August 20, 2008

I found it!

Does anyone else remember when "I found it!" was a religious slogan - - - and a very popular bumper sticker?

Well, it wasn't religion I found yesterday (and anyway, I'm theologically reformed...so my bumper sticker would have to say something like "HE found it, and gave it back to me before I even realized it was missing, wretched worm that I am."), but I did find my camera. It's been missing since we got back from Savannah over a week ago.

I did what I always do when I'm desperate and have looked everywhere for something...I offered a $5.00 reward to the person who found it. So, tomorrow I'm going to go get a chocolate chip frappacino with the reward money that I paid myself for finding it.

Next time I just might offer a big enough reward to buy myself a brand new camera. (My children are taking logic at the classical school, but, lamentedly - it's too late for me to start making sense.)

That's my excuse for posting these pictures so late (with no blogging in between)-and that's why my kid's scrapbooks (if they had them) would have to say "Fourth Day of School Pictures", unlike Lea's kids who have a Scrappin' Mom if there ever was one. She also makes a mean dish of blackberry grits, which she served Jodi and me at the Boo Hoo Breakfast on Monday, after we all abandoned, er....dropped off our kids at school. None of our kids go to the same school so it was fun comparing notes.

And as far as I could tell, no one did any Boo Hooing. I did almost cry when one of my children came home and excitedly told me they learned the Greek alphabet that day ...I'm guessing that would be the same Greek alphabet I had taught them JUST LAST YEAR! But really, I don't mind sharing the credit with a new teacher they'd never even met until four days ago. Really. I'm not about getting the glory. It's perfectly fine that I've pretty much sacrificed every spare minute of my life for the past 8 years, had no hobbies, and pretty much ruined my mental health. Share the glory. That's my new motto.


But back to Savannah, where we visited our married daughter, Jacqueline, her husband Nathan, our Granddogs Zulu and Bella (pictured below with their "Pop", aka Bo, aka HOH), and our new grandchild (also pictured below.)

I just happened to squeeze in time to visit Paula Dean's completely adorable gift shop. I didn't want to seem like I was in there to try and get a glimpse of her (supposedly she comes in about once an hour), so I purchased a bottle of her water (not pictured, because someone ....someone who obviously doesn't know a Dasani from a Lady and Sons spring water... put the bottle in the recycling bin! It's amazing what kids don't know these days. I mean how hard is it to distinguish an overpriced souvenir bottle of water from some indistinct plastic container?)

I stood in line for 15 minutes to get the doggone bottle of water so I'm understandably bitter about the recycling snafu. I only bought the bottle of water so I could show it to you (always thinking about you, dear readers...even when I'm on vacation...It's just part of who I am.)

And anyway, I'm not stupid enough to stand in a long line just to buy a dumb ol' bottle of water. I picked up a cute, embroidered linen dish cloth on my way to the checkout counter. I had hoped to get a picture of me holding that special dish cloth, but the newly-found camera isn't currently working. Even though I just put new batteries in it Very Recently.

My friend, Jodi, whose side-job is to help me out with spiritual accountability - reminded me that I have complained about my camera quite a bit in the past. She didn't come right out and say that God might have put the whammy on my camera, but the insinuation and accompanying guilt was blatant. So I want to publicly confess that I have taken my camera for granted in the past and that if God will heal my Kodak Easy Share I will never complain about the way it eats batteries, or the fact that you have to take action shots WAY Before the action actually starts, and I'll try not to compare my camera with Lea's or Jodi's perfect cameras ever again. Sounds sort of like a camera's death bed conversion, doesn't it? :)

OK, as usual I'm trying to make up for all the non-blogging days by telling you everything all in one long post. In the comment section for last week's post (which btw, was very entertaining and makes me One Proud Blogging for Dummies convert), Lea suggested we motivate ourselves to blog more often by having a September to Remember contest. Hey, I'm game for another free lunch! Just let me know the rules and where to meet to eat my prize.



Here's all the kids (except Daniel who is headless because my camera's view window is much larger than what you actually 'get'), going up the stairs from the Riverwalk near downtown Savannah.


This is Bo pointing to some stranger's boat. Even if we were done investing in uniforms, braces, school supplies, piano lessons, food and deodorant for our four current teenagers,(and maybe a new camera)...we still probably wouldn't buy a boat.
But a man can point, can't he?



Can you see my grandbaby? Jacqueline has always been thin, so it's fun to see her with a little bump. My bump is bigger than her bump, but we won't go there.



The beach at Savannah was disappointing. It's been years since I've been anyplace so crowded. There were four 'tiers' of beachgoers, and we were just a little too close to each other for my oceanic comfort. Plus everyone, and I mean everyone, had a tattoo. It's an artsy town with the Savannah College of Art and Design located there, plus two armed service bases nearby. Apparently servicemen and art majors are very into decorating their bodies. And naval piercing- It's all the rage with teeny boppers. And smoking. Even the non-tattooed people were smoking.

My children showed their "artsy" side by sculpting a dolphin in the sand.










My daughter lives very close to all kinds of cute shops. This soda shop had the most amazing chocolate malts. Jax has given up coffee and replaced it with slushies, so the owner knows them by name.


We can make almost any spot look very popular just by all going there at the same time :)



Pop (in the Hawaiian shirt), Zulu (naked) and Bella.




I walked into the kitchen and saw Jacqueline eating a pickle and couldn't resist snapping this pic. Isn't her apron cute?!





This is the happy pregnant couple on the ferry at the Riverwalk. Nathan looks handsomer without the scrunched up face, but Jacqueline is photogenic 24/7. And I'd say that even if I wasn't the Grandmother of her baby :)

Stay tuned for Back to School Pix and the much-anticipated answer to the burning question of the day:

What's it like to be alone in your house for the first time in 27 years?
The answer may surprise you.

Debbie

25 comments:

lea said...

ooh, glad to know you might be onboard for a september to remember. i will have to email you my super secret idea of what i will be blogging about...

Unknown said...

Jacqueline is so beautiful! When is the baby due?

Jax said...

Why thank you homeschoolerz. :) I'm due January 19...seems so far away still!
Mom, great post -- I love posts with pictures (especially pictures of me)!
Can't wait to hear about your "home alone" time.

Laura said...

How do we get in on this blog contest thingy? I could stand an fancy French luncheon!

Kelley said...

I LOVE the picture of all the kiddos on the stairs! Too bad it cut off Daniel's head (I think you said Daniel?).

Yay, I'll look forward to having 7 minutes of each day in September occupied with reading your posts:-)

Your blog gets fancier and fancier every time I come back!

Mrs. Pittman said...

I am definitely up for a multi-blogger contest. The more the better! Bring it on, girls!

(I do need to point out, however, that we have no idea what we're competing in... It may be least words per blog post, in which case I'm in deep trouble, or maybe we'll have to give up something near and dear to us (like Coke!) for the whole, entire, long month of September.
Oh..I better stop giving Lea ideas!

Debbie

Meg in Tally said...

I'm in for a contest...I won't even complain about it...like OTHERS who did it in MAY did!!!

Jacqueline...enjoy your pregnant time. Everybody treats you special and it has a lot of perks. After the baby gets here...well...you have to share!

By the way, the pictures were great.

Anonymous said...

i too love the blogs with photos.... and the stair photo is perfect could we photo shop his head into the shot somehow??????
Jacqueline is glowing, and we are all excited for grandbabies on the way.

Sorry there were so many tatoos there (ha ha)

Kara said...

I'm glad you found your camera, because I loved the pics of your beautiful family.

I understand your camera woes, I am using a digital camera, that my DH dropped last Christmas and broke the LCD display. I have been forced to take pictures through the view finder! How awful! ;) But it would be nice to be able to change settings on my camera, that I can not do, since there is no prompting menu from the broken LCD display. We want a new one, but there is this whole money issue thing. So, there! I've whined about my camera to make you feel better! LOL! :)

Anonymous said...

you know how tempted i am to play the lottery just so i could buy YOU a new camera with my winnings. our realtor in ny was given a lottery ticket by a client and he ended up winning enough to put new carpet in his church (he didn't feel right keeping it as he was a christian and all)....so it would be fitting for me to spend it on you, don't you think?

i love savannah.... and isn't jax planning on becoming a grandmother around the same time she'll be holding her baby in her arms? or is that not happening now. and have you gotten my emails this week? or are you ignoring me?

Mrs. Pittman said...

I've decided to only correspond with people through the comment section of my blog, so I'm not ignoring you Jodi - I was just waiting for you to speak to me in the appropriate place :) :) :)
(those three smiley faces will have to take the place of Laughing Out Loud, because apprently that's HTML and not allowable.

Just kidding, Jodi- I've been waiting for the time to give you the attention your emails deserve - and it's non existent right now.
Today the kids are home from school (a FL snow day), and even Bo is home! But he's painting the kitchen, so I'll forgive him :)

sally said...

Hey Debbie....you redeemed yourself by having such a lovely, newsy blog post! I love hearing what's going on with your family and your observations about life in general. Glad you found your camera because the pictures are so much fun! Keep up the good work!

Kahlua Keeping Koala said...

What happens when no people post comments?

Anonymous said...

blog contest is shaping up... and there will be rules people AND prizes....

Mrs. Pittman said...

Ummmm....Lea, sweetie pie, and dear, TRUSTED friend - I'm just wondering if it's in ALL of our best interests if YOU make up the rules, give out the prizes, AND participate. Maybe you need some kind of governance committee....just for a little accountability, ya know.

Upon further consideration (at least 2 seconds worth), I do want you to be completely in charge of the prize. You are definitely the #1 gift giver I know, so I'm sure the prize can be solely at your discretion.

But you might want to run the RULES by some of us other 'people', not so we can start cheating or get a head start or anything....but just so later no one can contest the whole thing if (by some slim chance) you beat me (this time.)

Just looking out for you, friend....:)

Anonymous said...

Oooh, oooh, pick me! I'll be the referee...as a firstborn I love to be in charge of the rules! :) I definitely think Lea should handle the prize and come to think of it you really should get a 3rd party to decide on who is following (and breaking) any blog rules you create. Esp. since this blog occasionally has guest writers who are related to the author.

Cute pictures of Jax...you've come a long way from just three years ago when I showed up with maternity clothes on and you asked me whatever happened to those tent shirts that covered the rear. ;-) Glad those days are over!

Mrs. Pittman said...

Well, I find myself in one of those rare times when I feel the need to defend myself (cough:cough:and hoping not to get hit by lightening).

When I commented about the lack of butt covering that Brite's maternity shirt was providing - it was just an observation, not a criticism. Surprising how they remember these things THREE WHOLE YEARS LATER.
(watch out, younger moms, your words WILL be held against you!)

And you can ask Jax, I wasn't really complaining when I asked her if her too-tight pants might be making my (peanut-sized) grandchild uncomfortable. My only concern was their comfort, of course.

And in her defense - I made her pull up her shirt a little to reveal the baby for the picture. I take full responsibility (this time and this time only) for any immodesty portrayed on my blog (except those people behind us on the beach....)

Anonymous said...

i am thinking of rules whilst tropical depression stuck in my home (trees down across one road, another road flooded)... i have a good idea, so be ready. and prizes will be NO problem, i know great places to shop AND eat lunch...

Anonymous said...

Jax had only lovely things to say about your visit- and I admit she looks a LOT cuter in tight pants than I ever did/will. And if you ask me to lift my shirt up a little for a belly shot when I'm there this weekend, I will definitely refuse. Just giving you the heads up. :)

Anonymous said...

brite is coming this weekend!!!! yipee!!!! how long will she grace us with her presence? i will be at the beach house for most of the weekend, so i hope she will be here long enough to come over for a cup of tea or some blackberry grits...

Anonymous said...

i got all debbie-like and replied to your comment on my blog. ooh, i love how it just makes your comment totals go up by... well, up by one comment.

Meg in Tally said...

Could you just post a new post already??

Actually, I'm jealous of the 20+ comments! I can't even get 10! Of course, I'm uncouth and don't reply to my commenter's comments in the comment section...I generally send them a sweet e-mail instead... That's kind of like sending a written "Thank You" note instead of calling them, right?

Okay...I don't ALWAYS send e-mails...but I DO return the favor by commenting on THEIR blogs!!!

Kara said...

So this is where all the action is! In the comment section. Maybe I'll try that on my blog and bumb up my comment totals. :)

Kelley said...

Is this September to Remember blog thing going to happen? With various contestants?

I'm already looking forward to reading the various blogs on a daily basis and I've been thinking...what if you held a daily-poll on a third-party blog for those who are not participating to vote on what they think is the best blog post for the day? (I would willingly offer my time/services and blog if all of the participants liked/approved of the idea). Or is this too competitive? Being the eldest of 9 the whole competitive thing comes a bit too naturally :-) Anyway, the poll could be restarted each day (with the third party keeping track of the votes) so that the winner would be a surprise in the end. You ladies might have already come up with a plan of action...but just thought I'd throw my idea into the mix anyway!

Anonymous said...

i like the contest idea... of course i will only like it if i am winning... but it does sound competitive, which means debbie will LOVE it....