Lessons from a 94 year old woman!

 

Hey you guys! Happy Tuesday! I wanted to take a little time tonight to honor a very special lady in my life.  I will be on the road to a football game (YAY IT'S BACK) on Thursday, but before I do that, I will be calling my Granny to wish her a Happy Birthday.  She will be 94 years young this week and I'm so glad that she is around and still being all snarky in her later years.

 

Look at how beautiful she is:

 

Can y'all believe she is 94? I hope I look that good if I live to be her age.

She's all smiles because she just got some new teeth this week.  I mean, who wouldn't be happy about some new dentures?

My cousin Maranda posted on Facebook the other day: "This sweet, outspoken, opinionated lady has a birthday this week!!! I feel beyond blessed to have her in my life. She never fails to make me laugh. I'm not sure she knows she will be 94 on Thursday because she doesn't act a day over 60."

This is so true about my sweet Granny.  Even though she's slowed down over the years, it's hard to believe it's 94.  And I think she has a hard time believing it too.

I'm writing my post tonight with her in mind and some of the things she's taught me over the years.  Like my cousin mentioned, she is outspoken and opinionated (I wonder where I get that from???).  Here are a few life lessons that I would like to share with you guys straight from Granny P.

1. Always take good care of your skin because you only get one face.  I've watched this lady sit at the kitchen table at night, pull out her face mirror, and slather on Estee Lauder face crème.  This is her ritual.  She hasn't deviated from this unless maybe she's in the hospital, but even if she is, she's asking for the face crème.  And it's paid off.  Her skin is so beautiful at her age.

2. Don't be afraid to do want you want when it comes to planning your funeral.  Ok so a few years ago, Granny, my mom and I went on one of our usual Saturday shopping excursions.  Little did I know, we were shopping for her burial outfit.  That's because every year, we all get this line "Well, I'm not going to be around much longer...so we better be prepared".  She said that when she was 80... Anyway, her shopping adventure lead to the purchase of some really nice pink...pajamas, and a matching robe.  And no shoes.  She said her feet her hurt enough here on earth that she was not going to enter the pearly gates with shoes on.   Upon making her outfit purchase, it's since been wrapped in tissue paper and lays in a drawer so we all know where to find it one day.  That adventure still makes me laugh to this day and I will always smile when thinking about how Granny wants to wear PJs when she passes. 

3. Never be afraid to speak your mind.  Now...for those of you that know me and my mom, you know that we don't hold our tongue.  We get it honest from her.  And I'm really thankful for that.  I mean yeah, she's said things before like "Woah, Rebecca, you are getting fat, what's going on?".  But I'm so thankful for her honesty and the fact that she doesn't hold back.  Sometimes, I shake my head and laugh, but she's earned the right to say what she wants to.  She also DOES NOT EVER want to go to a nursing home. 

4. Always be generous.  If it's one thing about Granny, she was always either giving away money, buying people things they needed, even if it was a thrift store find or an expensive gift.  She was her church treasurer up until recently, and she always accounted for every penny.  She also knew when the congregation could afford to give a gift. 

5.  Don't cheap out on shoes.  Miss Snazzy 94 has a closet full of really NICE designer shoes that put my closet to shame.

6.  Always get final "man approval" from Granny.  When Jarrett and I first started dating, he came home with me one weekend to visit her for Mother's Day.  We all went to church.  He tried to put money in the offering plate...she politely (and loudly) told him to put it back, that the church already had enough money.  She called him Jason all day long :)  But after I went back home, I called her up, thanked her for her hospitality and I got this "I like that Jason.  You better marry him.  And don't wait too long, you're 30 now". 

And finally...

7.  It's ok to have a bad day and live to tell about it.  This woman has been through so much in the past 15 years.  We lost my grandfather when he was 80.  She was a few years behind.  She kept telling us that she was the next to go and was really sad when he wasn't with us anymore.  But then she kept on living and has managed to persevere.  She's fallen, she's broken some an ankle and a shoulder bone and still managed to not quit.  She did have her weak moments.  I was there for a few of them.  The best part was, I got to see her cry and get mad, but at the end of the day, she was still with us and eventually came out on top of the situation. 
 

Happy Birthday, Granny! I hope that I get the privilege of leading a long, full life.  I hope that I leave an impact on my grandchildren one day like you've left on mine.  There are a lifetime of memories including baths in the kitchen sink, the best soup on the planet, pecan pie hidden in a secret location, picking figs off the tree in the yard, and always taking time to feed the cows in the pasture.  More than anything, I will always remember how you were always honest no matter what.  And I love that about you.

Night y'all!

Kansas City Recap and how I feel about airports...

 Hey y'all!  Ok I know it's been a long time since my last post, but I traveled for work this week and I was busier than a one legged man in a butt kicking contest.  Apologies for the lack of words and pictures, but I'll make up for it tonight.  This week's trip took me to Kansas City, MO (well KC, Kansas, that's where the hotel was located), and it was FUN.  This is me being all professional the other day. 

My most favorite part of traveling is the fun airport people-watching. My dad and I used to play this game when I was little in the mall called "Spot the Funniest Person".  It was usually a version of fast mall-walkers, either with our without hand weights and sweat bands.

 

I've carried this game over into real adult life and LOVE to play it in airports and make fun observations about travelers.  So here goes.

 

Let's start with what people do in the terminal that is either (1) annoying or (2) strange or (3) I just have no idea...

 

 

 People that just plop in the MIDDLE OF EVERYTHING.  Not out of the way, not up against a wall, but in the middle of where everyone needs to walk to board the plane.  Oh and while we're at it, her bag exploded everywhere while she was sitting.  Let's take up more space than necessary and not do anything about it.  Airports are busy places, either find a chair or a corner and keep your belongings inside the car at all times.

 

Moving on to this chica...

 

 

 

Sooooooooooo this just doesn't look like the most comfortable outfit to travel in at all.  I felt like this girl was going to have a perma-wedgie the entire flight, while simultaneously flashing lots of butt flesh.  When I travel, it's usually in something stretchy and loose.  Those shorts definitely don't fit the hands-by-your-side short length rule in the 7th grade.

 

Then there was this couple...

 

 

I think they knew I was taking their picture, but there was a lot of hugging and smooching going on prior to this.  All while checking his cell phone.  It was like "oh honey I'm going to miss you sooooooooo much, but let me send my bros this one text..." Boyfriend-fail.

 

And then I took a picture yesterday of everyone that hovers in the terminal around 20 minutes prior to boarding the plane...

 

 

This is by far my travel pet-peeve.  I am one of those people that will wait to board the plane dead last.  WHY? Because of these folks.  They block up the gateway, just standing around, and they're usually in like zone 200.  I know that it's usually due to carry-on space and the flight just being packed, but I just can't handle it.  The more they hover, the more I start to hyperventilate.  Or want to trip them all.

 

So while all of that was amusing or annoying (depending on the amount of sleep that I had), KC was a great visit.  We ate some fantastic BBQ.  I happen to live with a self-proclaimed BBQ snob and now that I eat to his standards, I like to think that I'm pretty selective.  It was ALL delish.  If you're in KC, MO you have to go eat at Jack Stacks or Oklahoma Joe's. 

 

 

We had some amazing scenery in our conference room.  I love a downtown city area that you actually can experience while not being massive and crazy like NYC.

 

 

 

 

Work trips are exhausting, but we visited some great clients and had a wonderful time.  I think no matter where you go, you have to be open-minded and just have some fun on your own. 

That's all for now.  I'm sporting a pretty nasty fever blister and feeling kinda blah since getting back, but it's time to get back on track with the clean eating and working out next week.  These legs are DYING to go on a run, so healthy posts will be on tap for this week.

 

Until then, happy Saturday and enjoy your weekend!

 

 

 

 

Accidental Recovery Week

Hello everyone!!! I'm back from a few days of unplugging to start up the week with a fun post for your Monday.  Welcome to how I accidentally decided to not work out for a week and totally enjoyed it.

 

Every once in awhile, I just hit a fitness wall.  I think I definitely hit it recently when I started coming home to see my laundry look like this almost every day...full of sweaty clothes...could not wash them fast enough...and it was just gross.  Trust me, it was STANK!

 

Exhibit A:

 

I mean no matter how much I washed clothes, it was like Groundhog's Day all over again.  So around Tuesday of last week, when I would normally go to my small group training class, I decided to just come home and enjoy a little peace and quiet.

 

Tuesday turned into Wednesday...then Thursday...then the weekend got here and GASP...I didn't even make it to my Saturday workout (which I rarely miss).  This is exactly how I felt:

 

 

What I did have time for were things that I don't normally enjoy...so I'll share...I bought wedding shoes on a whim...SOMETHING BLUE! (Jarrett took one look and was like, um, they're blue.  He did not appreciate the significance but oh well).

 

 

I won a blog giveaway, my first EVER! Shout out to Morgan at Fat to Fit Confessions.  She is a mom losing weight and she is kicking butt and also giving away CUTE cute cute pieces of jewelry from time to time.  I've checked my mailbox everyday for my prize and can't wait to wear them!!!

 

 

I enjoyed this view...the weather finally cooled off some and it was SO nice and cool outside.  It felt like fall, which is by far my fave time of year.

 

 

We got our season tickets for USC Football, and I have stared at these things a few times just for fun.  CAN'T.  WAIT. 

 

 

I realized it's 4 months until our wedding as of last Thursday, so I worked on making my mom's veil look more white than yellow :) Still have a ways to go but this is a major improvement. 

 

 

All in all, I just did things that I wanted to do.  I didn't set a schedule.  I didn't plan to not work out.  It just kind of happened.  And you know what, I felt rested, relaxed and when today rolled around, I was ready to hit up the gym. 

 

Sometimes you just need to stop for a second and recover.  I don't know about you guys but my life is physically and mentally demanding.  I work hard so I can play hard.  But sometimes I work too hard and I can just feel myself becoming tired and not energetic.  Working out is supposed to give you energy, which is a major difference I've noticed in the past few months.  My energy level is way above where it used to be before I started losing weight.  But one of my last workouts before my recovery week made me sore, tired, and I just knew I needed to take a brief rest. 

 

One of my spinning instructor friends said it best one time.  She taught a recovery ride to a very busy class on a Saturday morning, which is prime time gym time for most hardcore people.  As soon as the words "recovery" slipped out of her mouth, you could feel the energy in the room shift.  Everyone was expecting a crazy ride, full of sweat puddles and stanky air.  But that's not what she went for.  And she said this: "I am not a good instructor if I don't teach you how to recover.  I am doing you a disservice if all I do is whip you day in and day out and don't show you how wonderful recovery is".

 

It was one of the best rides I remember.  I felt at peace, relaxed, and even pretty sweaty by the end of it.  Listen to your body.  It's there to tell you when you can push your limits and when you can slow down.  I'm so glad I listened to mine last week. 

 

Happy Monday y'all!

 

 

 

 

 

.

 

I'm not ready to birth babies but I love my nephew for teaching me this

So I've posted a lot of serious things lately, mostly about working out and being mentally sound.   I felt like posting something funny tonight, so here goes.

 

Jarrett and I had a very awesome and tiny little guest spend some time with us yesterday.  Our favorite (and only) nephew Brody stopped by to hang out for a bit while his mom had her hairdo did.  I mean, how can you not love those cheeks and big huge eyes???

 

  Anywho, this little guy inspired my blog post today. 

 

 

 

I'm sure a lot of you just read the title of this post and thought...."OMG is she???" Let me dispel the rumors by saying NO, I'm definitely not with child.  I'm sure my parents are breathing a big sigh of relief. I will not be pulling this move come December:

 

 

(Although truth be told, I did just purchase a maxi skirt from Target this weekend and it was so cute, that even when realizing it was for the pregnant ladies, I bought it anyway.  It was on sale and comfy.)

 

Brody blessed us with his presence this past December and has been the center of the Davis family ever since.  I must admit, having a nephew for the first time REALLY brought on some baby fever for both me and J.  We've always said we'll be married awhile and see what happens.  It's funny, I feel like the rest of the world always wants to know what's going on in Uterus-ville.  I feel like that happened right after we got engaged, which struck me as odd.  We pretty much had only a few wedding ideas and we started getting the whole "so, any plans for a family?" question.   I felt like my ovaries were on the outside of my body or something. 

 

So it's a pretty big life event we know we want to happen, but just not sure when.  Babysitting this little guy yesterday definitely was a great reality check. Not to say that we were like "OK YOU CAN GO NOW" when his mom showed up.  No, but it did show us how much work babies are.  So here are a few things I learned, along with gratuitous cuteness overload.

 

 1. Babies need a lot of attention and distraction.  See all those toys? He would play with one for about 5 minutes, then be done with it.  Pick up another, play, laugh, then be done.  That's like 10 minutes of distraction.   And then he looked at me like "Now what, funny lady? What else you got?"

 

 

 2. They have to be fed every few hours.  Sometimes, I look at my cat's food bowl and if it's still halfway full, I'm like "meh, she's ok", and then I leave her be.  (Then she meows furiously when I get home and demands that her bowl be filled to the rim, which will take several days to finish off).

 

 

3. They fight sleep HARD.  This little guy did.  No matter what lullaby I would sing or how much I dimmed the lights, I would sneak a peek at what I thought was a sleeping baby and find that he was wide awake and staring at me. 

 

4. They poop and pee a lot.  I didn't take any pictures of that.

 

5.  They really like fans and lights on the ceiling.  There was a lot of looking upward and he was mesmerized by the fan moving around.  I guess inside a little mind, that is really cool.   See? He loved it!

 

 

6. Once they are semi-mobile, they will roll around like baby alligators trying to escape their captor.  And it's hard to stop the roll once it starts.  You just have to eyeball them CONSTANTLY once they hit the phase where they are almost ready to crawl.  I mean this kid is not even walking and I felt like I ran a marathon with him yesterday with him rolling on the floor.

 

 

All in all, I felt like I learned a LOT.  It was really eye-opening, so much to the point that it made me rethink my potential baby-having timeline. I'm sure all the potential grandparents are like....sigh, ok, we'll wait a few MORE years I guess..  I think J was even thinking, yeah, we got some time.  I know that children are a blessing and will enrich our lives, but I'm also ready to enjoy being married for awhile with our one furry child.  Maybe 2 if we get ambitious about getting a dog. 

I will say, after the Brodster left yesterday, the house was really quiet and I was slightly sad.  There were no baby coos, no sweet giggles, and no toots coming from the below the belt region.  Life returned to normal for the time being, but I can't wait to see that little stinker again soon.  And I really hope that I can be a good aunt and a good influence on his life.  He brought me so much laughter yesterday.

 

Just a little Gone With the Wind to end this post...Happy Hump Day!!!