Tag Archives: family

Family Get-togethers

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Front, daughter Carolyn holding grandson Nolan, sister-in-law Tammie, sister-in-law Susannah and brothers Michael and Mark; and back, son-in-law Jason, nephew Samuel, daughter Liz, parents Ray and Susan and husband John.

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Me in the middle, trying to keep my brothers under control. As always.

Oh, wow — how many times does the whole Wood clan gather in one place? Not many, that’s for sure. My parents and my two younger brothers and their families got together with the Alabama side at my older daughter’s apartment in Huntsville, and we had a blast. My son-in-law, Jason, was such a good sport to give up his Sunday afternoon/evening to the Wood invasion, and my husband was equally good natured about sharing his one day off. Thanks, guys! We did the Wood favorite things when we meet in the Rocket City: eat at Bonefish Grill and shop at Fresh Market. We also got in plenty of talking, Nolan admiring and even a game of football — which the girls won, by the way. And I also got a photo of my favorite people in one place at one time. Priceless!

Family Reunion

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fall-2007-057One of the best things about the holiday season is families gathering together — for me, anyway! I love all my various families that graciously have allowed me to be a member but of course the one closest to my heart is my original family: the Wood clan. With everybody scattered — me and my family in Alabama/Mississippi; middle brother and family in Chattanooga, Tennessee; younger brother and family in Portland, Maine; and our parents still in Wood Family Headquarters in middle Tennessee — we only can manage a full get-together every year or so. The most recent was this past Thanksgiving, and even then my newspaper-sports-editor husband was missing since Thanksgiving is a big day in his line of work. So we’re trying again today and it looks as if everybody will be there — even almost-eight-months-old Nolan, who hadn’t quite made his appearance in the 2007 photo. Dinner tonight kicks off an anticipated week of friends, family, food, feasts and fun. Can’t wait!

Kota the Triceratops

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triceratops-dinosaur1Oh my goodness. Have you seen the TV ad for Playskool’s Kota the Triceratops? This thing is a riot. My college-student daughter and I thought it was a joke when the ad came on — as if we had somehow unknowingly wandered into Saturday-Night-Live territory. We literally were rolling on the floor laughing — mainly because we were already sitting on the floor watching TV, but still. This 2 1/2-foot baby dinosaur roars, moves his head, blinks his eyes and opens and closes his mouth. Kids can climb on his back, give him hugs and even feed him (it is a him, right?) with greenery he comes with. I mean, I realize that kids love dinosaurs and as far as we know, a triceratops never actually ate anybody, but I don’t know — the image of sweet little children jumping up and down and squealing with the delight at the sight of a three-horned foot-stomping plant-chomping dinosaur is somewhat unnerving. As is the $300 price tag. Check it out yourself at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10RTgbPlgqU

baby-in-box-0071On the other hand, almost-8-months-old grandson Nolan Thomas Behel was content with chewing on an empty box of diapers the other day. In fact, this was more than a chew toy (and let’s not dwell on possible toxic components of diaper-box cardboard). His mom — my older daughter — looped one of her stretchy exercise bands (you can see a bit of the green in the photo behind Nolan’s head) through one of the box’s handholds and pulled baby and box around their apartment, thoroughly delighting both mom and baby and befuddling the confused cats. I can only imagine what the cats would think of a roaring, laughing and blinking baby dinosaur. And would chewing on a triceratops be as much fun for Nolan as chewing on a box? I don’t think so. Whoo-hoo — $300 and cats’ sanity saved!!!!

How Old Are Your Spices?

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Are you like me when it comes to spices? Digging through the jumble of your spice drawer is an archaeological dig of your culinary life: Oh, there’s that bottle of tumeric you needed when a Middle Eastern recipe called for 1/8 teaspoon — and you haven’t used it since. There’s the dip mix you bought at a friend’s home-selling party and the remains of your prolific sesame-seed bread-baking period. (Who knew you could get tired of sesame seeds?) There’s the souvenir pink Hawaiian sea salt you never opened. And what the heck is ground coriander seed anyway? Perhaps you need to do some spice cleaning. Or, you may have your spices neatly labled and constantly updated. If so, would you please come do that for me? I’ll even bake you some bread with sesame seeds on top! In the meantime, if you have McCormick spices of unknown age but you vaguely remember wearing shoulder pads when you bought them, go to the McCormick Web site — http://www.mccormick.com/Spices101/HowOldSpices.aspx — and type in the code on the bottom of the jars. Just be prepared. Apparently I still have a bottle of McCormick Chili Powder I bought when I had only the one child — and my second child is 22. Ouch. I do not want to find out what 23-year-old chili powder tastes like. I see spice-drawer cleaning in my very near future.

Be Scene

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huntsville-halloween-and-scene-005Yikes! I was wrong that this weekend is fall’s last stand, because winter has taken over already. It’s cold and windy here in northwest Alabama and the perfect Sunday for staying inside, wondering why LSU had to stage a comeback to beat Troy (Troy!) and contemplating the news that our president-elect believes in college-football playoffs. Or, you could start stressing about the upcoming holidays and desperately try to remember the place where you put the Christmas CDs this past January so it’d be easy to find them this year.  (The box of outdoor decorations? Wrapped up in the Christmas stockings? And speaking of the stockings, I wonder where…. ) Or, you could bundle up and go to the huntsville-halloween-and-scene-0031Scene Lounge at Monaco Pictures at Bridge Street Town Centre in Huntsville. This bar/restaurant adjacent to the movie theater is the spot to go if you believe that nothing new ever happens around here — the warm and sophisticated space is unlike anywhere else. With its plush banquette seating and sleek pedestal tables, Scene evokes the feeling of old-school glamour back when going to the movies was an event. This is where James Bond would stop in for a drink before saving the world. Conversely, it’s also where my daughter and I can take a baby and a stroller in and enjoy some of the best sushi this side of the Pacific. Go figure. The fun part is that you can order anything to go and then take into the theater. Or, claim a table on the patio where you’ve got a front-row view of Bridge Street shoppers. Everything I’ve had here is good, and I especially like the hummus, which comes with roasted vegetables and pita chips. The Scene rightfully has become a Huntsville gathering spot and offers wine tastings and theme parties coordinated with movie premieres along with other special events. Check out the Web site at http://www.sceneatmonaco.com/home.asp

Pouting But Still Cute

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pouting-baby-005My 7 1/2-month-old grandson, Nolan Thomas Behel, was not having a pouting-baby-002good day. His mommy had just tried to suction out his stuffy nose, then she put a hat and scarf on him and then put him in his stroller to go shopping with his Aunt Carolyn and his grandma (me). This was the first time we’d ever seen him cop a bit of an attitude, and it was hilarious. He was so mad at us — wouldn’t even look at us or smile! We just laughed at him. Poor baby! Actually, I’ve seen this exact same expression on my husband when I make him go shopping, although I don’t make him wear a hat and scarf. And even though Nolan and his step-grandpa are not related by blood, it’s further proof that all men, no matter what their ages, share the same DNA.

American Girls

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samanthaMy 22-year-old daughter and I were looking through the latest American kirsten1Girl doll catalog this weekend and started getting nostalgic. Back in the early 1990s — about 15 years ago — when we lived in Athens, Tennessee, she and her now 24-year-old sister loved these dolls. Me, too. Every birthday and Christmas we added to our collection with clothes, accessories, books and furniture. I even made some of the doll clothes and — I’m embarrassed to admit this, but it’s true — on a few occasions we were a complete mother-daughters-dolls matching set. Ouch. But we had fun. Among the three of us, we had the original three dolls: Kristen, the pioneer girl; Samantha, the Victorian girl; and Molly, the World War II girl. We then added Felicity, the Colonial girl; and Addy, who escaped slavery with molly1her mother. Almost all of our friends in Athens had them, too, and we’d have lovely tea parties with girls and dolls. Wonderful, wonderful memories. But the girls got older and gradually put away “childish” things. When we moved to north Alabama in 1995, the dolls stayed packed up and I’ve only sort of peripherally kept up with new American Girl dolls and the shifting emphasis from historical characters to contemporary Just-Like-You dolls. But when I noticed this past Christmas that the newest doll is Depression-era Kit Kittredge whose date is 1934, I knew she’d be perfect for my mom, who was born that year. The doll even looks like my mom, and Kit’s clothes and accessories seem straight from my mom’s Illinois childhood. My daughters and I are having fun getting back into American Girl collecting. I can’t wait until I have granddaughters to buy for, too. We’re sad beyond belief, however, to hear that Mattel — which owns the company now — is retiring Samantha. That’s a shame. Seems as if learning from the past is more important than ever. So long, Samantha. Thanks for being such a vital part of my daughters’ childhood. We’ll miss you. Click here to read more Samantha farewells: http://americangirlstories.typepad.com/american_girl_stories/2008/09/test.html

Baby Holiday Fashion

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Seven-months-old grandson Nolan Thomas Behel was a Pirate Baby for Halloween — that’s his mom, my older daughter, Liz, demonstrating a pirate hook. Nolan seems to love dressing up (read “not mind”), so I think we’ve got some fun times ahead of us. And now that Halloween’s over and we’re into November already and we’re speeding into the holiday season, we (read “Grandma”) can legitimately start thinking about Christmas wear. (Sorry, Thanksgiving, for shortchanging you this year.) And of course, as a new grandma, I’m thinking ahead. I snagged this adorable Christmas onesie at Baby Gap earlier this fall as soon as I saw it. I love the cap. Who could resist? Definitely not me.

Bicycle Earrings

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I love these earrings! A friend of my college-age daughter gave them to her for her birthday and they are so incredibly cute. My daughter rides her bicycle everywhere she can, so these earrings were the perfect gift. They came from Sojourns in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. Check out the Web site at http://www.shop.adventureartpeace.com. Sojourns is a Fair Trade retailer and gallery that offers handmade clothing, gifts, housewares and food from around the world. I’d like to adopt Soujourns’ theme: “Adventure – Art – Peace.”  But of course I’d add “Coffee and Chocolate” to the list. I’ve got my priorities, after all.

Alabama Renaissance Faire

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Come to the Alabama Renaissance Faire in Florence this weekend. You’ll love it! I promise there’s more than bellydancing there, but I can’t help bragging on my older daughter, who performs at the faire with her dance group from Huntsville. The Alabama Ren Faire is meant for families. It’s in the small downtown Wilson Park, renamed Fountain on the Green for the faire, and is very easy to get around. There’s no alcohol allowed, and everyone is friendly and helpful. And it’s free! You can come in costume or not. Everything has a Renaissance flair. Vendors selling jewelry, art work and crafts are in costume and all entertainment is Renaissance-style, with juggling, magic, singing and other music as well as bellydancing. The faire is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Check out http://www.alarenfaire.org/ and http://www.myspace.com/alrenfaire for details and other photos.