I played hooky today to take the girls to the LBJ Presidential Library and Museum in Austin.  There’s a Walter Chronkite exhibit in addition to the permanent Presidential/Texana displays.  Awesome!

Not a bad drive – less than two hours.  And blessedly overcast as Texas awaits the arrival of Hurricane Alex.

Great Minds

I explained to Hannah:  I was in second grade when JFK was assassinated.    A neighbor – Bobby Dyer – shared the news as I rode my bike home.  I called him a dirty liar and beat him up.    A few years ago, I entered the Kwik Copy he managed with his wife.  He recognized me and quickly hunched and raised both fists.

We talked a lot of WWII history on the way home, including PT109, LBJ and his fellow Congressmen called home after a few months of military service, the role of the GI Bill in post-war America, etc.

A wall of campaign buttons.  I have dozens (hundreds?), the oldest of which is a 1900 McKinley/Roosevelt.  At the 1984 RNC in Dallas, I had an opportunity to buy a Lincoln  Daguerreotype for $125 – and I didn’t.  I wish I had.  Those were the days when I had time and money.

The Civil Rights displays totally mystified and captivated Julia, whose best friends (and our next door neighbors) are black.

Tricky Rachel, who says she’s not a crook – though not all my change comes home from the grocery store

Animatron Lyndon cracking jokes freaked the herd of daycare kids.

Lois liked the memorabilia in the Cronkite exhibit, including NASA models of space craft.  My dad worked at NASA and we had two of those models.  I have no idea where they are now.  (sigh)

Lots of Cronkite’s notepads, teletype sheets, spirals, etc. on display.  Julia said, “Mom, his handwriting looks like yours,” to which Rachel responded, “No, you can read it.”

A little post-museum break for Hannah.  Julia was confused by the fountain geyser, thinking it was somehow related to the coming hurricane. Lois somberly confirming with a “Yes, Julia, it is – and we’ll probably have a tornado, too” didn’t help.

Many out-of-state plates in the parking lot, including those belonging to Twilight fans.

Ever heard of Flip Happy Crepes?  It’s about two miles from the museum.  Keith watched a “Throwdown with Bobby Flay” episode featuring the Flip Happy trailer, crew and delicious crepes!   We messaged poor Keith several photos while he slaved away at work, munching the lunch I packed before we left.

Flip Happy’s owner – Tessa – featured on the Bobby Flay program graciously stepped out for a photo.  Nice lady.  And tasty, tasty eats! Necessary to build our strength before an afternoon stop at the Tanger Outlets on the drive home. Everything at the Old Navy Outlet – 40% off today.  We did damage.

A great museum, fantastic exhibits, wonderful lunch and jaunt through the outlet mall – well, my fellow Americans - “That’s the way it was.”

After 16 months of planning – we’ve done that “something really special.”   We’ve just returned from a week-long Caribbean Christmas cruise sandwiched between eight sunny days in Puerto Rico.  The cruise is why we didn’t send Christmas cards (and why I need to hurry and order New Year’s cards!)  The peeps we chat with daily knew about our going, but we didn’t make a big deal of announcing it, especially online.  (“Yes, the house will be empty.  Please come rob it.”)

Before the cruise…..three days in San Juan, including its historic forts:

Iguanas exhibit no fear of Castillo San Cristobal (fort) tourists.   The reverse can’t be said for the tourists.

Julia strutted through the forts, usually leading our way.  I’ve long referred to her as “my little engineer” but after watching her obvious enjoyment of all things military, I started thinking:  “What about West Point?  What about The Air Force Academy, or the Naval Academy?”  She’s certainly smart enough and athletic enough to excel in a military profession.  Something to consider for a few years from now…..

A pensive moment for Lois, reflecting on Old San Juan.

A little post-fort shopping in Old San Juan with a stop in front of a statue of the Three Kings.  We saw imagery of Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar all over Puerto Rico.   Locals told us Christmas day is important religiously, but their family celebrations usually take place on January 6.  I saw no Christmas “stuff” half-price after December 25; I’m betting it doesn’t hit clearance until January 7.

Keith spent 16 months researching and booking all our Puerto Rican side-trips and ship excursions, including this Friday night swim with millions of bioluminescent dinoflagellates.   We took a fast boat across a bay, then jostled by bus off-road to a landing for the more gentle boat ride to the inky-black bio bay.  As we swam, the glowing, glittering dinoflagellates swirled around us, clinging to our skin.  At one point, I lifted my glittery arms to the starry heavens and seemed to meld with the sky.  The girls enjoyed the swim; for me, it was a spiritual experience.  How can anyone look at the tiny creatures lighing that bay and the beauty around and above it and believe there is no God?

We boarded the Carnival Victory Sunday, December 20.

Keith, Julia and I lodged in a balcony room; Rachel, Lois and Hannah shared an inside room across the hall.   Julia and Keith spent hours relaxing on the balcony, watching the ship pull away from and into port, spotting other ships and the occasional fish, identifying constellations, etc.

Christmas morning view from our balcony – the sun rising over St. Kitts.

Buckle up, Buttercup!  Have you seen the Carnival commercial featuring the water slide where you “scream like a little girl?”   No screaming from us – but lots of “Whoo-Whoos!”

Part of the fun of returning to the ship every day:  Towel animals on our beds!  Omigosh, I loved coming back to a tidied room and fresh towels every day.  I”m thinking of hanging my pilfered “Cruising” placard on my bedroom door knob tomorrow when I leave for work and see if it still works its magic…..

Deck the halls!  Carols above the lounge on Christmas Eve.

Santa delivered a Disney stocking for each of the girls, hanging from Julia’s swing-down bunk.  High School Musical for Julia; Hannah Montana for Hannah; Nightmare Before Christmas for Lois; and Cars for Rachel.

Every night at dinner, the waiters would gather to perform a bit’o'choreography.   I did a bit’o'chair’dancin’ myself.

We enjoyed two “elegant nights,” which is the only reason pantyhose defiled my suitcase.

We loved the ship, but the real thrills were on the excursions.  Like Dominica, which is the single most beautiful place I’ve ever been. We explored its charms with Woody, a 1996 Olympic swimmer and our tour guide.

The girls fought to take turns riding in the back of Woody’s jeep, which – thankfully – had seat belts.

We’d never seen poinsettias this big!

Jacko Falls, where we first tasted “Sweet Sop,” an insanely declicious fruit.  The girls became obsessed with it, insisting on frequent Sweet Sop snow cone stops.

Woody took us off-road to a little-known beach.   Incredibly beautiful – and we had it all to ourselves.

No noise, no litter, no vendors, no blaring music – nothing but absolute, totally private beauty.  Keith and I stood in chest-deep water and could count our toes.

Woody cracked open coconuts with a machete.   Yum!

Lois discovered schools of blue and orange fish, as well as gorgeous shells.

None of us wanted to leave Woody’s paradise – especially Rachel, our most enthusiastic beach buddy.


On New Year’s Eve, we recounted our trip adventures.  Rachel, Hannah and I voted “Woody’s Beach” the highlight.

Barbados - far more modern and industrialized than Dominica – was rich in history and roadside vendors.   The vendors appealed to the girls.  The history….well….

Keith and I visited the oldest church in Barbados, St. James Anglican, established 1648.  Its cemetery was fascinating.  The girls were so intrigued, they stayed in the car.

A Barbados hill-top warning.

Julia and Hannah went ape over vendors’ monkeys.  Julia created a “theme song” for the trip when she spotted locals butchering hogs for Christmas dinner.  She chanted, “Pigs, pigs, roasted pigs” in a sing-song voice, a mindless melody repeated countless times by Woodworth females (much to the irritation of the Woodworth male.)

We toured the rain forest of St. Lucia in an aerial tram – so relaxing.

I wish the tram ride had been hours long instead of 70 minutes – better than a massage!

Unfortunately, Rachel purchased this Rastafarian cap in St. Lucia.  You get my thanks if you can snatch it and burn it.

Christmas morning, we headed to Cockleshell Beach in St. Kitts.

A Christmas Star…Fish!  Rachel found it.  I’d never seen a live one in its natural habitat before.  She and lois braved skinned knees and bruises to retrieve four big shells from rock crevices.  We brought three home, but the fourth had a sand crab that refused to be dislodged.

Antigua – what views!  And “sea puppies!”

Eric Clapton owns a home on the island, per our driver.  I hummed “Layla” the rest of the day.

Keith, Julia and Lois voted swimming with the stingrays on Antigua the trip highlight.   The first time a stingray approached Rachel, she emitted a high-pitched scream and splashed back to the boat.  Julia stayed firmly affixed to Keith’s back, but we would pet them when they came by.  One thought Keith’s shirt was a food source and attached itself to him.   He did not appreciate my suggestion to join the La Leche League.

Hannah liked the stingrays so much, she nicknamed them “sea puppies.”  They’re very soft.

After the cruise (sob!), we decompressed five days in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico – much smaller than San Juan.

At a local grocery store…you know, that whole “Christmas with the Kranks” thing….fighting over Mel’s Hickory Honey Ham…..

Lois’ suggestion for a room snack.  No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no – that’s one for each tentacle.

A sign at Crashboat Beach, where we went almost daily.   It either says  – “In the event of a tsunami, get to high ground, ” or “In the event of a tsunami, lean way over and kiss yourself goodbye.”  You choose.

The best food in Aguadilla was served at Crashboat Beach.  Local vendors grill skewers of tasty chicken or fish.  Two skewers and a piece of bread – $5.  Yum! Keith also enjoyed mofongo, sort of a plantain and chicken stew.

Sandy Bottoms – er – Hannah at Crashboat.  The waves were very, very strong.   When Keith hobbled in from the surf one afternoon, he announced, “I was just handed my keester.”  The waves took two pairs of our goggles and a pair of Rachel’s sunglasses.

Our last day at Crashboat – New Year’s Eve.

So long, Crashboat.  Hope to see you again.  And feel free to give back those sunglasses.

So that was our trip.   What we’d spent 18 years saving for, and 16 months seriously planning.  The credit goes to Keith, who researched every possibility to the nth degree.

We were melancholy leaving the boat, and then five days later in the San Juan airport.  But as Rachel reminded us -

Don’t be sad because it’s over.  Be glad because it happened.

Something really special happened.

I’m glad.

So we answered the call this Spring Break weekend and headed to Progresso, just across the border in the all-important Rio Grande Valley area of South Texas that supplies most of our fruits and vegetables.  And knock-off Prada bags.  Keith found us a strict maximum-of-five-guests motel room for $89/night (including breakfast) so by packing light, stopping at Wal-mart to replace the pajamas he forgot, eating breakfast in shifts, sneaking in an air mattress and quickly shoving Julia in the closet or behind a sister whenever staff was around – we managed two nights in one room pretty darned economically.

I really push the girls to take securely-closing backpack purses.  Leaves your hands free to signal, “That’s too much!”  The bridge between the U.S. and Mexico seems a lot shorter earlier in the day, when you’re not toting 10 lbs. of Talavera and the morning breeze is still blowing.

Some of my happiest memories are of wandering Laredo with Judy and Sarah, and later with Keith and the girls – but no more.  Drug lords have destroyed Laredo for decent people, including tourists, as they have with so many other border towns.  While the girls were distressed at the soldiers manning armored vehicles and automatic weapons at the entrance to Progresso - I found them – and the signs scattered about that explained their presence – vaguely comforting.  Maybe the Mexican government is serious about keeping criminals from taking over Progresso.  They were certainly searching enough cars for drugs – and that’s on their side of the border, apart from the checks on the U.S. side.

Rachel, Lois, Hannah and I all bought new purses.  Prada, Chanel, Dooney & Burke and D&G were the most prevelant. - some Kate Spade – even a few Juicy, though they were way too high ($75)  because of scarcity.  Good quality, though, I’ll say that.  Our purses’ average cost was about $20, with matching wallets going in the $5 – $10 range.

The heroes of any shopping trip in Mexico:  Plastic-webbed shopping bags.  They sell for about $1 – $2@.  We’ve had ours at least 15 years, maybe longer – I’m not sure they can be destroyed. You can tell the experienced shoppers on the bridge walking over because they bring their own.

Hannah and Rachel, who lamented, “My lips wouldn’t fit.”  Personally – not knowing whose lips had been masked before – I wouldn’t have even tried it on.

Question:  “For my room?”  Answer:  “No.”

Keith will – from time to time – catch a scene like this and mutter, “Stinks around here,” meaning, “She’s so spoiled.”  I generally respond, “What’s your point?”

Lunch time!  And tank you, too!

A cold bottle of Coca-Cola Light – the best!  Fun to have a bottle instead of a can.  Filtered ice cubes, of course – we always ask.  Unfiltered could mean a very, very long night in el bano.

Cabrito, we think.  Which we didn’t order.

Julia was fascinated by this artist hand-painting scenes on the bowls of bent spoons and even asked to have this picture taken with him.  I’m going to count the silverware when we unload the dishwasher tonight.

Car Wars.  When you’re trying to turn attention away from the fight you just started, break into “Jesus Loves Me” at top vocal capacity.

Lois can read in a moving vehicle, an activity guaranteed to have the rest of us reaching for the plastic bags.  She’s re-read the “Zombies Survival Guide” in preparation for the 2010 release of “World War Z,” which she and I intend to see opening night.  We both belong to Lost Zombies and maybe this summer, we’ll finally make our own video to post.  We meant to last summer, but what with battling the Solanum virus and all….

Home again!  And Talavera critters waiting to join the herd on the back fence.  The alligator was almost as challenging to tote across the bridge and pack for the ride home as was the snake five years ago.  We bought two cheap ($3@) blankets, strictly for packing.

Hasta la vista, Progresso – see you next year?!

We’ve just returned home from a week at the beach – always the highlight of our summer.  This is Julia’s third time for a real vacation, so she knew what to request (sugared cereal), what to bring (crackers for the ferry ride) and what to expect (lots of uninterrupted family time.)

The ferry ride from Galveston to Bolivar is part of the whole experience.  We have driven the long way’round to Crystal Beach via I-10 when we’ve had to do so – but it’s sure not as much fun as spotting dolphins and feeding the sea gulls.

Our neighbors just returned from a cruise out of Galveston, and we passed a huge Carnival ship.  Julia ran to the front of the ferry to get a better view.   Gulls can only be fed from the back of the ship to prevent aerial decorations on the dozens of cars.

That last handful of chipotle cashews – ummm – not so wise.

Julia’s not spoiled.  Really.

We’ve caught hundreds of “herminy crabs” in a day on past trips, but this year, the most we ever contained in a sand zoo was 11.  Hannah prefers to hunt in the traditional squatting method, while Rachel gets on her elbows.  Julia runs them to shore.

Sarah brought Laura (in her lap) and Sweet Baby James down to splash.  Hannah and Julia are spending this week with her family, wihch proves Sarah is brave as well as beautiful.

Rachel and Keith usually swim out pretty deep.  This year Rachel met a jellyfish, just below both of her knees.  Recommended treatment:  Poured vinegar, followed by vinegar compresses (phew!) and leg shaving.

The home of the friend in which we stayed is part of an absolutely gorgeous beach front neighborhood, separated from the gulf by a gated walkway.   This smelly, rusting trailer was parked just outside the walkway on the public beach.  As the girls and I watched from the water, a muscle-shirted guy with plenty’o'tats and drooping cigarette pulled up and pasted a notice to the door.  (Rachel named him “John Jimminy Bing Bang.”)  As soon as he pulled away, Rachel and I dashed to read it.  “To the County of Galveston – DIBS!!!  If this is an anbandoned trailer, I’d like to claim it.  Please call…..”  Rachel and I dared to peek inside.  A torn up counter – empty booze boxes – a tiny radio with aluminum foil on the antenna.  And disgusting smells.  “DIBS???”  We were having trouble picturing exactly what “DIBS” would get you.  After lunch and naps, we were back in the water when John Jimminy and a few of his tatt’ed friends arrived with a bigger truck to haul it away.  Watch for it to reappear in a trailer park near you.  Say “howdy” to John Jimminy for us, ya hear?

Just trying to help Julia get ahead.

Quotes from the dunes:

Lois, explaining why I had to be her biological mother:  “I’m so much like Dad, and you’re the only woman who could stand to be with him.”

Rachel, commenting on Julia’s tears shed over some injustice:  “Ohhh, they’re salty!  Too much beach!”

Lois, with a hearty sigh that no one was endorsing her suggestions for games to play:  “My leadership skills are going to waste.”

Rachel, noting that we did not stay long when we dropped her off at the Edwards’ Pearland home to visit this week:  “You know, you could have just kicked me out of the car and not said anything.  Like the baby Moses policy.”

And finally -

Rachel, after several minutes of sibling fighting in the car:  “Dad is counting backwards from a million and Mom is singing hymns.  We may have gone too far.”

Maybe.  But the beach – ahhhh, the beach was just far enough. ]]> http://thisreminds.me/2008/07/19/hello-from-sandy-cheeks/feed/ 0 http://thisreminds.me/2008/04/22/were-off-to-see-the-musicals/ http://thisreminds.me/2008/04/22/were-off-to-see-the-musicals/#comments Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:52:23 +0000 beckyww http://thisreminds.me/?p=959 When I’m singing in the shower, I sound just like Linda Ronstadt.  If I were a cleaner person, I could be famous, I’m sure.

(sigh)

Last weekend, I didn’t have to do much singing.  Everyone else was doing it for me.

We took off to Mexico for our annual “purses and earrings” jaunt this weekend.  We used to go to Laredo – l-o-v-e-d Laredo - but the whole drug-lords-with-automatic-weapons thing turned us to the valley crossings near MacAllen.

The girls poked fun at my new. ultra-svelte Sketchers walking shoes, perfectly designed to navigate congested, uneven sidewalks.  Jealous.  That’s what they were.  Just plain jealous.  We spent Friday evening wandering Reynosa – no fun.  Too many snowbirds – too many fixed-price Wal-Marto-type stores.

Quatro hermanas in Progresso, where we scooted Saturday.  Plenty of snowbirds there, too, but fewer proportionately.  Lots more stores.  Note Julia’s orange mustachio, the result of sugary orange soda (which mean Mamacita does not buy at home.)

Different hats, different countries – 2 years, 1 week and 2 days apart

Hungry?  How about some Bob Esponja creamy goodness?  The girls love this mush.  They swiped it out of the individual containers with their fingers, not realizing little plastic spreaders were included.  But what the heck – all that stuff under their nails – a snack for later!

I’d never seen fist-sized marshmallows before.  Fortunately, we bought none.

The tie-on name braclets are sold everywhere, but surprisingly, “Julia” wasn’t to be found.  “Lois” never is, and Rachel coveted a “Wyoming.”  So for $14, we got a custom-made “Julia,” :”Lois,” and “Wyoming,” plus a pre-made “Hannah.”  This guy was really fast.  Took him about three minutes to whip one out.  And while we were waiting on the bracelets….

…..Keith bought a gynormous terra cotta turtle “for the pond.”  Started off at $90.  By the time we were finished, it was $60, and the owner got an associate with a green card to walk it across the border (to our car) for us.  When I post pond pictures again, expect to see it.

Our mostest favoritest purchase – wrapper purses and wallet.  This satchel-sized (“Judy-sized”) bag belongs to Rachel.  Lois and Hannah got smaller sizes.  We waited until we found the best selection, then bartered a deal for three bags and a wallet – $60 total.  I think I could have gotten him down $5 lower but I was embarassing Keith.

Wanna see “Jumper?”  Us too!  $5.  Special price for you, lady.

Dramamine for everybody ensures a quiet ride home.  It’s this mother’s little helper.

Quotes from the weekend:

Lois, describing some scene from a movie: “It’s so cute.  Like kittens drowning in ice cream.”

Keith, trying to determine the way to the border:  “The sun rises in the east.  It’s mid-way on the horizon.” Hannah:  “It’s by the Burger King.”

Lois, describing her friends at school:  “I’d really hate to be around anyone like myself because then I’d know how really annoying I am.”

Rachel:  “So what do you call a foot doctor?  A p*dophile?”

Keith, listening to Julia sing “Island in the Sun” in the back seat:  “So – she’s taking art in middle school?”

Rachel, explaining why she likes Mexican candy so much:  “It’s got the most salt and lead.”

Lois, after I said I was sure that with enough training, I, too, could create a name braclet in three minutes or less:  “No, Mom, you’d set it on fire and walk away.”

Rachel to Hannah, who was announcing every minute that she needed a pit stop:  “I don’t want to hear childbirth noises back there.”

“Adios!” ]]> http://thisreminds.me/2008/02/25/are-we-there-yet/feed/ 0 http://thisreminds.me/2007/07/29/my-nickname-was-flash/ http://thisreminds.me/2007/07/29/my-nickname-was-flash/#comments Sun, 29 Jul 2007 23:19:38 +0000 beckyww http://thisreminds.me/?p=1117

Tonight I was fishing through an envelope of old photos, hunting an appropriate print to scan into a greeting card for a friend.  Rachel peeked over my shoulder and muttered, “Wow.  You used to be good.”

I settled on this one for the card – a yellow rose shot in a neighbor’s yard.

Here are my favorite photos pulled from that envelope….

This bud’s for you, Judy….especially since a print of it is hanging in your hall bathroom, thanks to the annual Houston Azelea Trail.  I used to have Saturdays to do things like that.  Now – ummm – not so much.

The rain drop intrigued me.

Did you know tulips started off in Asia – not Holland?  I didn’t, until I heard it on the  Azelea Trail.  I’ve always found green the most soothing color, and sought it for backgrounds.

Moving right along – and up north – to this Indiana hay field in 1985.  Only after I visited in fall did I understand my mother saying, “I miss seasons.”

Fireworks from the rooftops during Houston’s sesquicentennial celebration in 1986.  Sarah, her friend Eileen and I spent the night in a downtown hotel so we could catch the primo views.

No rooftops here – just 14-year-old Sarah twirling sparklers in front of my apartment in 1986.  This was way before Photoshop, people.

Choo-choo!  The Galveston Railroad Museum.  I had prints of these statues color washed in green and later copper.  Quite dramatic.  A green wash hangs framed in our kitchen.

And finally – a Santa Barbara coastal sunset.  When I see this print, I think of ”Now the Day is Over,” which we often sang as a parting hymn in church of Christ Sunday night services.  “Now the day is over.  Night is drawing night.  Shadows of the evening steal across the sky.  Now the darkness gathers.  Stars begin to peep.  Birds and beasts and flowers soon will be asleep.”   Sometimes I miss acappella harmony so badly, strains trickle from my lips unconsciously.  So if you hear me singing bits of a harmony solo, forgive me. And just tell anyone else I’m off my medication.

Now, most of my shots are of Vacation Bible School, or a kiddo’s birthday party.

So maybe I did used to be good.

But now I am good and happy.

Our friends the Watsons came down Monday for grilled chicken (marianted in a cryoseal bag with Asian ginger dressing) sandwiches   My sister Judy, my niece Sarah and her kiddos Laura and (Sweet Baby) James came down Wednesday for hotdogs with homemade chili.  Judy brought two dozen cupcakes from Sam’s which meant lots of little faces sporting white lips and secreted stashes of the decorations.

(l-r) Lois, Hannah, friend Sarah and Julia built a fortress and moat for captured “little alligators,” a.k.a., hermit crabs…or, as younger Hannah used to call them, “herminy crabs…..”

….of which we caught an astounding number….here’s Rachel with #216 and #217 on Tuesday (names gave out around #20.)

Julia’s nickname is now “Sandy.”  Last year, Julia’s English was minimal.  This year, Keith and/or I frequently mumbled, “Now why did we want her to learn English?”  “Papa” has become “Daddy,” and she likes to go out deep with him.  ”Mama” has become “Mommy,” and she knows I am a sniveling coward who’s not going out past my waist, and I’m not letting her go deeper than her chest when she’s with me.  Sorry for the yellow stripe running down my back, it’s a side effect of securing four birth certificates.

Why do I always find younger women – like our great niece Laura – hitting on my husband?

Three things I have learned at the beach:

1.  Sunglasses lost to a wave will not wash to shore.

2.  Sand anywhere means sand everywhere.

3.  It is best to place your robe on the wall of the outdoor shower rather than on the picnic table 15′ away.

Quotes from the week:

Rachel – bored with Keith’s and Lois’ discussion of different dragons portrayed in Harry Potter – “So are dragons real?”

Lois – unhappy about Sleepover being selected for a car movie – “Ugggh.  I’ll have to wash out my eyes with hot bleach.”

Julia - irritated at the popcorn bowl being moved – “What the?”  That’s all.  Just “What the?” in a hugely indignant tone.  (Now where could she have learned that, hmmm, Rachel?)

Rachel – responding to my audibly debating the need to buy more bottled water – “Mom, water, my gosh – we’ve got a whole ocean.”

Julia – to Lois, as they shared the couch – “You have too much spot.  Give me some spot.”

And here’s a quote from both Keith and me – we each said it several times -  “Boy, it’s going to be hard to go back to work on Monday.”  (big sigh)

This was a “first.”  Julia has spent the stray night away from home/parents with Keith’s folks and the neighbor girls, but never a stretch like this.  And – praise God – she did fine.

It was not that I missed Hannah less while they were gone.  It was that I worried about Julia more.

Rachel turned 16 last week – impossible, I know, since she is really just a precious widdle baby girl.

Or at least she was in 1991, as cousin Sarah snatched her up.

Sarah and Judy hosted her Sweet 16 luau-themed party on Saturday at the Junior League of Houston.  No ketchup in packets.  No half-off coupons.  No “Would you like fries with that?”   We are talking cloth napkins, People!  China.  Flowers.  Volunteer servers in hose.  And a guest list of Rachel’s old Houston posse with – to make the rest of us smile – their mamas and sisters.

Goin’ back to Houston….Houston….Houston.   It’s all us Hoffman-esque girls.  (back) Mom, Rachel, Aunt Judy, Cousin Sarah and Lois.  (front) Hannah and Julia.

It’s been a long time since we celebrated a Sweet 16 in this family….in fact, since 1988, when Sarah turned 16.  So to add a little maternal joy to the ocassion, I have documented 16 Rachel Factoids. Sort of like the Top 10, only 60% bigger, and there’s not a car commercial right before it.

16.  She has more hair and spends more time on it than anyone I’ve ever known.  It looks really good.  But still.

15.  She can spot a bottle of Herbal Essence three rows over, but the “complete” light on the dishwasher remains very, very dim.

14.  When Keith and I left her at kindergarten the first day, I cried all the way back to the car.  She never shed a tear, in fact, she kept telling us goodbye long before I was ready to leave.

13. The afternoon she wandered off from the St. George’s day care bus line to get a snowcone at school makes my heart race even now.  That whole “We’ve misplaced your child”  call – ummmm –  not so good.

12.  Every time I see or hear her middle name – Wyoming – I smile, because that was my mother’s name.  Unless, of course, it’s in the context of hollering, “Rachel Wyoming Woodworth, get in this room right now.”  Then I am generally not smiling.

11.  She’s the only one of my kids with an independent relationship with one of our Indiana kin – her second cousin Jennifer.  That does make me smile.

10.  She is my on-site Firefox/WORD/IE/Google SME.  If it involves a keyboard, a casual, “So how can I….” gets me a big sigh and eye roll accompanying an answer.  If I act pathetic enough – seldom a challenge – she’ll do it for me.

9.  She is as much responsible for Julia’s success her first year home as are Keith and me.  We got Julia here, but Rachel was anxiously waiting with bushels of affection and attention.  Plus a hair brush.

I had 11-years-older Judy.  Julia has nine-years-older Rachel.  It rocks to have a sister read to you, fix you snacks, take you on dates….oh, did I forget to mention that part, Rach, now that you’re old enough now to go out and all?

8. She can make anybody laugh – myself included.  Her texts are often my major day-brighteners.  IDK My BFF Jill indeed.

7.  She’s too tall (6’1″) for the Superman ride at Fiesta Texas now.  So at least I don’t have to listen to her crow about loving it as I cower nearby.

Rachel and my goddaughter Brittany chuckle at my fear of besting the Superman roller coaster at Fiesta Texas.  Curse them.

6.  She (3rd grade) and Lois (kinder) were both “Star Students” (one per grade per month)  at Mark Twain Elementary in Houston shortly before we moved – first time siblings had been selected together.

5.  She’s told me about a million times, “Cheez-Its, Mom, Cheez-Its.  Not Cheese Nips.”  (I still slip the wrong box in the grocery cart.  Sigh.)

4.  She was the first person after Keith and me to hold newborn Hannah.  Sometimes Rachel holds Hannah now, too, but there are generally flailing limbs involved.

3.  Her first love was Barney.  The look on her face when that purple dinosaur danced out on stage at the Natural History Museum in 1993 is forever lodged in my memory as the most marvelous look of childlike wonder – ever.  Barney was also responsible for her developing a (ahem) certain personal control, after themed undergarments were purchased.

Barney’s da man.  B.J. and Baby Bop – merely his pale, paleo-pitiful pals

2.  When she was three years old, she counted to “twenty-eleven (31).”

And now…..The #1 Rachel Factoid….

1.  This blog is a guaranteed embarassment.

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