AND THEN THEY WERE 50

AND THEN THEY WERE 50!!!

Happy birthday to my twin son’s… 50 years! Wow

It doesn’t seem like that long ago that I brought you home from the hospital.

It has been a ride for sure.  See with twins there are two kinds..  Identical and Fraternal, and thankfully mine where fraternal..   I had visions of feeding the same baby twice thinking I fed both of them.

But mine were as different as night and day.. and still are.. One was dark brown hair… and the other is blonde… One is taller than the other.. Those who know them..  and know my other kids..  now confuse them.. but not with each other, but their older brothers.  The dark haired one looks like my oldest son and the blonde looks like his just older brother. In fact their aunt was telling some one at the blonde’s wedding that they were the twins.. when the darker hair one came by at that time.. and said.. “I’m sorry Aunt Pat, but I am his twin… and they all laughed.

Raising twins can be an adventure.  First off I was reading about letting them have their own individuality, so don’t dress them alike..  So I stopped that.  Also to have two cakes on their birthday, so they don’t have to share one cake.

And it has worked..  even to this day… at the age of 50, they are as different as can be.  Different attitudes, different life styles.   And can be closer to an older brother who looks similar to them.  Also said not to call them... THE TWINS. 

so it was rare that I ever referred to them as the twins. 

When they were from 5 to 12, they were fight like their siblings but seem more so…  Seems the other boys would stop sooner, because the younger one would give up and the older one won… but with twins, there is no older one or younger one, so it is a continuous battle..  So I came up with the idea of boxing gloves.. which was kind of a weird results. It seems they would battle back and forth, push back and forth, an occasional punch.. driving me nuts.. but as soon as the gloves came out.. then they decided neither one of them wanted to fight.. So after a few slugs, and telling me they didn’t want to fight, I would have them stop. And tell them, then stop fighting all together.. or I would bring out the gloves. Which would work for about 2 or 3 weeks..

It has been a great 50 years…. And I wouldn’t miss it for the world..   I am very proud of them.. each one. As I am my other children.  Each has turn out well, each are great husbands, each are great fathers and do well in their each occupations.

So HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GUYS… you might be 50, but you are still my boys… 

Be careful what you say to a 2 year old...

Be careful what you say to a 2 year old.

This boy is getting me into trouble..

I am just being myself.. I was a stern mother, so I was a stern grandmother.. and well, it continues on to me being a stern great grandmother. 

I think you should start off at the git go.. Because what you laugh and think is cute at 2, will come back to bite you later.    Also when they show they understand, and can tell you NO… then you know there is reasoning in there..

One day, my great grand son who I should refer to as my shadow, lil man… was acting up..  (throwing food on the floor from his high chair)…after several, No, don’t do that.. picking it up,…  I had it.. so when he did it the 4^th time.. I turn and glared at him with THAT LOOK.. (you all know it, you have used it)…and said NO.. NO..  Which he straighten up and didn’t throw it any more..  This happen, maybe twice??   Well, he has come up with his own rendition of it, according to my daughter (the grandmother) and blames me.   As he looks at you sternly, with his own glare look and say…NYET…  well it sounds like that.  I told my daughter I never used a Russian word… I said NO..  Of which she laughed and pointed at him… and said..  do you see..  the look?  That is YOU MOM… just because he doesn’t have No down pat … (he does now) doesn’t mean it isn’t you, Mom..

Then there is the day, we were outside.. watching  birds and setting up his pool…  there were two small black birds… with white around their eyes.. that I don’t like…  So I went CAW  CAW  CAW.. like a crow.. and the black birds took off. …He loved that.. and later, as he is resting in his chair…. Two small black birds came and he stood up fast and said.. CAW CAW CAW.. and even running after them.

Now my daughter says I am teaching him prejudice. What?  She said did you do it to the light brown bird?  Or the one with yellow on it.. or even a robin.. And I said well, no, just the ones who chase off the other birds from the feeder.. She said.. see.. prejudice. But I am using the call of the black bird called a crow..  She said no difference… the little black birds are being chased off.. 

I got to figure this out..  do I stop being me.. or stop having my daughter around. Lol….   Guess I will keep them both….   BUT can’t wait until lil man picks up some of his father’s or grandfathers words.. have warn both of them.. but they haven’t slowed down while in the garage.. 

See how grandma handles that one... although she straighten out Poppa when her son was young.

THE TALKS.... USA AND THE KOREANS

THE TALKS..  US. AND KOREAN

When the first time there was serious talks of maybe talking to  each  other, besides the slings of words… I thought, yeah, right… What is the little man up to? Is he going to pull the rug out under Trumps feet at the last minute to make Trump look like fool?

But then South Korea got involved.. and they met. It actually looked like there might be peace between the two of them. Which is nice.. after all they are countrymen…Families could rejoin their love ones that got split years ago…   

And then there is the 3 that Korea let go, that are American citizen… I thought wow, maybe there is something to this.. And when he said he would get rid of his nukes..  I thought..WHAT?  What is going on. No way..  The man is not an idiot…. There is more to this.

And now.. things don’t look so healthy.. it is getting shaky…  And they were suppose to meet with the South Korean again.. and cancelled. What a shame there.. hopefully they will keep what they agreed on before…

But as for us.. I could not and still don’t think Lil man is going to give up his nukes..  And to be honest, I don’t think he should..   Not test anymore.. ok.. not make more.. maybe… but give up what he has? No way.

You see if you and your neighbor have been fighting for years… and one day he comes up to you.. and says, You know I am tired of fighting with you.. I don’t expect you to be my best friend.. but would like to have it so we respect each other.. and just give each other space to do our own business… And you agree…….. but then he adds a zinger… he wants you to get rid of all your guns… Sell them, give them away.. but get rid of all of them.. BUT he plans on keeping his..  Now would you do that? Would you for the sake of peace give up your weapons.. I think not.. and I wouldn’t.. and I don’t think the North Koreans should either.

Like I said.. stop testing, yes… stop making yes… but keep what you have.  Also the US.. if that is what they want.. they too should stop making missles and stop testing them.

And now the military for the North Koreans have said they aren’t getting rid of theirs.. (it is like they finally read the fine print) .. I never had faith in these talks.. you have two belligerent  and arrogant men.

THE TRUTH... WHAT IS THE TRUTH?

THE TRUTH… WHAT IS THE TRUTH?

As children we got into trouble when we lied. Many of spankings were given because of lies.

We teach our children how important telling the truth is.  I know I sure did..  How important your word was. That if your word was not trustworthy, then you were not either..

Even when you go to court… you swear on the bible, to tell the truth, the whole truth .. so help you God.

Yet today, we have alternate truth? What the heck is that?  We have people in high places of government who tell out and out lies.. yet are not accountable for it.  That does that tell the children of our nation?

For me.. truth has been a big thing.. and I will continue to tell it that way…it is a matter of  personal pride… after all I have to look at myself in the mirror.

What goes thru my mind, when they ask for the truth is the famous line of Jack Nickleson, from the movie.. and Few Good Men..............THE TRUTH?  THE TRUTH?  YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH?    guess the nation can't now either.

LOST IN THE 50'S 2018

This year is a little different .. I was in the parade.. so took pictures of cars at the line up and then the crowd as we were traveling..  only a small section of them as there were thousands...  So enjoy the cars and the crowds.... and etc..    in no particular order