Graduation Festivities, Part One

Well, it was a whirlwind week around here. To keep things simple, I will just do a review in pictures with a little commentary. Okay, maybe a lot of commentary.


This is me with the graduate at the senior/parent Sunday school breakfast at Thompson Station Park on May 18.

Parents and Sunday school teachers pray over each child individually. This picture is what I like to call Sweet Hour of Prayer. During this prayer time you could hear another church singing because they were having church at the park and you could hear the Methodist church bells ringing. It was a very sweet moment in time that I will never forget.

This is Andrea and PT during the senior recognition service. Yes, I walked up on the stage to get this picture because I work there and I can do these things. The perks are endless.

A few days later, I hosted my senior picture carnival. Thank you to: Alicia, Erin, Heather, Ashley, Sonja, and Teresa. Did I get everybody? I was quite pleased with the participation:)


A few days later, Craftymama, Wingtips, Tammy Faye and Sanjayah knocked on the door. Sanjayah saw me and wanted to get the heck back in the car, but everyone else wanted to see me so he had to stay.


This is me and Tammy Faye gettin' our feet did. Tammy Faye was very annoyed that they charged $9 extra to get a french tip. I told her that I don't like gettin' a french tip because it makes my toes look big. I have big toe paranoia.



This is me trying a new recipe. Emphasis on the word trying. I got a recipe from AC and I did something wrong. Something very wrong. If you were at my house on Friday night you know how wrong it was. Yes, I still put this out on the table because I wanted some points for trying. This was supposed to be my big hit recipe of the night. The one they would all be talking about for days to come...how pretty, you made this, where ever did you get this recipe, can I get this recipe, what's in this? Didn't exactly turn out like that, but that's how I planned it in my head.

The next morning the graduate had a senior breakfast and graduation practice so we headed off to...

Yes, of course, we went to Cracker Barrel. Obviously, some people thought we were in Vegas.

Get out of the chairs people. We have places to go, things to get done. Let's get moving. We need to go to...

Yes, we went to the Superb Target. This is Big Nanny's House after all. When in Rome you do as the Romans do. Tammy Faye was quite impressed with the Superb Target.

Later on that night we all went to the graduate's baccalaureate service at the church. Wingtips and Craftymama enjoyed the service. All of it except for the standing. I thought they would think the music was too loud or wouldn't care for the Bible version that was used. Nope, after all these years I find out that they have deep convictions about standing too long during worship. I told them I would bring this up at the next staff meeting. Note to self: Old people like to sing sitting down.

After the service we had a little party for the graduate. Cute black dress. She found it in the back of her closet. Someone gave me this dress. Who gave me this dress? Please let us know in the comments if you were the giver of the dress.

And then, the moment that CraftyMama had been waiting for...she got to meet her favorite blogger.

To be continued...

We are a family...

Well, in a few more minutes the Bell clan will be here so I thought I would take a few minutes to give you a brief description of the people in the picture above. I have decided that today is the day that they will recieve their blognames.

Blonde chick on the left. That's my sister. She is twelve years younger then me, but sometimes people think that she's older than me. When we are together we always hear these three words: Are you sisters? Or sometimes we here these three words: Are y'all sisters? Today I will anoint her with her blogname: Tammy Faye. Yes, that's right. Tammy Faye. She has a way with the mascara wand and likes to tell me that I don't wear enough eye makeup. Last summer she told me that my mascara application was all wrong.

Red head in the middle. That's my mom. She doesn't care to cook but when she does cook you can guarantee that your gettin' lasagna or some form of a carb. She is a craftin' junkie and I could call her up and tell her that I need 50 handmade cards by Sunday and she would whoop it out. She should have a bumper sticker on her car that says: I brake for Michaels, Joanns, or rummage sales. Yes, she calls it a rummage sale. Not a yard sale, not a garage sale. Rummage sale. When she's not babysittin' her rowdy grand boys, she likes to read her favorite blog. Her blogname is: CraftyMama.

Bald man in middle. That's my dad. He likes to read the Bible, clean his car, obsessively label things, make lists and wear wing tips. Mmmmm. I don't know anyone else like him. When he and Lawnmower Man get together there will most likely be a trip to the computer store so that he can add the latest something or another to his computer. There will also be lots of talk about gas prices. They try to out do each other with the "I found the cheapest gas." His blogname is: Wingtips.

And then we have this little guy...Sanjayah! He already has a blogname. He is two now and I can't wait for the two year old thunder to roll in here and do the funny things that toddlers say and do. He has never really cared for his Auntie Ang and I believe that it's because I'm the one that handed him over to the nurse to be circumcised. Tammy Faye couldn't do it so Big Nanny had to step in. I insisted that it must be done because I've read about it in the Bible. Anyhoo, he's not my biggest fan.

Well, I hear a knock at the door and it must be Wingtips, CraftyMama, Tammy Faye and Sanjayah!

Portrait of a School Girl

Yes, this is me in 1988. Don't hate me because my wings are bigger than your wings. So, here is the challenge: It's graduation week round here and I want to see your senior picture on your blog. Don't you want to make me laugh? Don't let me down people!

P.S. I tried to do one of those Mister Linky links, but I couldn't figure it out.

Keeping You Informed: PGDD

I have a condition and it’s very serious. And I feel that I should share it with you so that you will be well informed. That’s what I’m all about here. Keeping you well informed.

Anyhoo, it’s called PGDD or Pre Graduation Depression Disorder. Very real. This condition is similar to the Post Partum Baby Blues. Only mothers can get it. Crying jags. Everyday. The least little thing can set me off. A commercial, a song , a picture, or graduate riding home in my car from church. It doesn’t take much. And I’m not talking a tear or two, I’m talking a full on ugly cry. I can usually feel it coming on and get it under control, but everyday it’s getting harder to deal with.

I have ten more days to deal with this. I know I should be excited. I would really have something to cry about if she were flunking out of school and not graduating…that would be stressful. I should be excited and feel honored to have a straight A, honor class takin’, board game playin’, almost graduate living in my house. But I’m not excited. Not right now. I’m wallering in my PGDD the next ten days. I've been playing that Pomp & Circumstance at that Pre-K graduation for the last seven years and making those mommas cry. And now it's my turn. I hate that music. That music makes me not want to go to the graduation. I would rather go get a bikini wax ice cream than go hear them play that music. I know that it signifies a new beginning. But this week, right now, it signifies the end. You always plan on your child graduating. You just always think it's a long way off.

I know I should be doing some cartwheels because at the end of this very week I will have one less lunch to pack. And we all know that the hardest thing in the world about being a mother is packing that lunch box.

Oh I kid. Not really but that would be an appropriate place to put that sarcastic “Oh I kid” thing that everyone does into my writing.

Oh and then I have this to deal with…


I just hung it up a few weeks ago. I kept it in a box for several months because it was too much for me to take. I know its b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l. But she has a black drape and pearls around her neck and I don’t like it. I don’t like it one bit. I didn’t like it the day it happened and I still don’t like it. Not one bit. I have to look at it everyday when I walk through the living room and I don’t like it. Sometimes I just sit on the couch and stare at it. I still don’t like it. It’s taunting me. Nanananabooboo, I’m going to graduate and you can’t stop me. I’ll love it on May 25. But not right now. Not one bit.

Everyday I think…I had the power to hold this child back a year and I didn’t. That was so stupid. Her teachers never recommended that I hold her back a year, but I could have. But I didn’t. All you moms that did that…smart thinkin’. That was a smooth move. Only wish I had thought of it.

I just like to keep you informed. Your day will come Big Nanny blog readers. Your day will come. I will be here to walk you through it. If your child is going to kindergarten in the fall and you are sad. I can’t muster up and ounce of sympathy for ya. Not a single ounce. Because I’m having my own little pity party over here at Big Nanny’s House.

She's come a long way baby!

Chattanooga or bust!

Today the Lil'Nanny is on a bus to Chattanooga. Without me. For those of you who know what I've been through with this child...you know this is a big deal. Two years ago, she wouldn't get on any bus. One year ago, she wouldn't walk into the door of her school without me. And here she is today off to the big city. I decided at the beginning of the year that I would not go on this field trip. My goal was that she would go on this FT without me. Honestly, I didn't want to sit for two hours on a bus with screaming kids. I went on the class field trip at the beginning of the school year and wanted to sit this one out. I also knew that her friend's mom was going and she would be in her group. She has been talking about this trip non stop for weeks now. She had to be at the school by 5:45 this morning. She was so worried that we wouldn't wake up and she would miss the bus. So, to put her mind at ease, we set three alarm clocks. Now, I wake up every morning by 5 a.m.. Without fail. But she started talking about how it would be so horrible if she missed the bus, what would we do, yadayadayadayada, she led me down the road to anxiety. If she missed the bus, I would have to chase the bus down or drive her to Chattanooga. So we set three alarms. One in her room and two in my room. I woke up several times in the night wondering if I had overslept.

We made it to the school by 5:35 and here she is...


Yes, that's a charter bus with televisions. I guess that makes this trip a really big deal. They could bring iPods, Nintendos and movies. I don't think they will play with any of those things. I think it will be nonstop girl talk the whole way. Or maybe they'll sing some songs...that's what I would do:)

They are off to see Ruby Falls, the Aquarium and the Imax. I think she's going to sleep well tonight.

I think her shackles are gone and I just want to praise HIM!