No Smoking in This Area ... or that one ... or that one, either ...

I have become the Smoking Nazi at the neighborhood pool.

It's really bad.

But I'm not ashamed of it at all.  I've always prided myself on being a non-smoker.

Well, OK, so I was not a non-smoker for a few months in college when tobacco was the only "bad" thing I could legally purchase, but I digress.

I can honestly say that since becoming a mom, especially, I have noticed smoking more ... when others are doing it ... I can smell it on anyone who has been within a mile of a smoker in the last 48 hours ...

I often find myself thinking, "Oh my gosh, that's what I smelled like for 7 years of school.  Eww."

Anyway, like I said, since becoming a mom, I have taken on this Warrior Princess of the Non-Smokers role.  I absolutely cannot stand it when I see pregnant women smoking.  I am appalled when I see parents smoking with their kids in the car.  Let it be known, Tim and a friend of ours did not invite a smoking-pregnant-mom friend on our boat a few years ago because we didn't like the message it sent about us and our families.  Also, I have not allowed Kendall to go to a friend's house more than once because I knew her parent's were smokers.

And yes, I have gotten out of my car, more than once, in the car pool line to tell someone that he or she wasn't supposed to be smoking on school grounds.

I just can't tolerate it.

I mean, if you KNOW that it WILL kill you -- not it might or it may -- it will, why would you do it?  And better yet, why would you do it to your kids????

Anyway, so I noticed earlier in the summer that there are a lot of smokers in our neighborhood (not really our neighborhood, but the neighborhood across the street with which we share amenities).  Now while the smokers are generally also the ones who do not hold back the swearing while they drink from glass beer bottles in the pool while their un-pottitrained kids are not wearing swim diapers (OH, I know I just ticked somebody off -- I'm not saying all smokers are like that.), let's just say they are easy to spot at the pool.

And it could be that they are usually sitting directly between two signs that say, very plainly, "No Smoking in This Area."

So, me being the nosy, pushy, and rule-following super parent (Don't laugh!), I have taken it upon myself to remind people (just in case the smoke is affecting their eyesight and they cannot read the signs) that they are not to smoke in that area.  And yes, I've even gone so far once as to tell the same person, "No, not that area either."

Don't you love me?

Sorry, dude, but I just can't let you break the rules at the expense of my kids' health.

So get over it.

And find somewhere else to puff that smoke.

A Post Secret for Your Sunday

Posted on Post Secret, June 20th, Father's Day, 2010

This "secret" is something I've thought about.  I often hear women say, "I hate it when he says I'm just like my mom," and I wonder what the big deal is.  I love it when people compare me to my mom ... she's pretty spectacular!

The Passing of a Friend ...

... or two ... or 362.

Last week, I said goodbye to some friends.

OK, so I wouldn't say they were really "friends," as in we talk on the phone and see each other all the time.  But still, some of these people were people I did "talk" to every day, about one thing or another.

Unfortunately, I "talked" to many of these people at the expense of sharing things with my husband.  So Tim and I have decided to trade in our Facebook accounts for some real face time with each other.  Hopefully, this face time will extend to many of our "friends" who have recently become just pictures on the computer monitor.

I like to believe I wasn't addicted to Facebook the way Tim thinks I was.  I didn't think I was online too terribly much during the day -- I mean, I was still taking care of the house and taking care of the kids who run amuck around here.  I was still doing laundry and feeding the animals.  Occasionally, I was still cleaning up all the bodily fluids that seem to find places to reside around here.  Dinner was still cooked every night at 6 PM, baths were still given at 7, and the kids were still in bed by 8:30.  But then Tim and I would sit, one on the couch and one in the recliner, clicking on our phones while the TV was on in the background.  There was always the usual, "How was your day?" with the constant, "Fine.  It was work."  But that was it.  And that's no way to share your daily events.

So I have said good bye to Facebook for a little while.  After a few weeks of withdrawal, shakes, and constant nausea not having a connection to the outside world, Tim and I will re-evaluate the importance of Facebook and clean house, leaving only friends, and start over.  I mean, who really needs to be friends with the girl from high school who wasn't your friend in high school???  And is it necessary to be friends with someone just because they live in your neighborhood??  Or because they are friends with your parents?  Anyway, if you are lucky enough to remain on the friends list, feel honored. ;0)

What do I miss most about Facebook?  Not necessary knowing what everyone is doing at all hours of the day (though that was pretty awesome) ... but I miss seeing pictures of everyone ... I miss parenting advice ... I miss the coupons and freebies that come through when you become a "fan" ...

But I don't miss all the Farmville and Mafia Wars crap. :0)

Favorite Photo Friday

Tim & Tanner - April 2009

A Day Out With Thomas

I love, love, love this picture.  I mean, how could I not?  My two favorite guys on one of my favorite days as a family.  We took the kids to see and ride Thomas the Tank Engine in Tennessee last spring, and we had such a good time.  Of course, it was characteristically HOT, as usual in these parts.  But it was such a joy to see Tanner's eyes light up when he saw that big, useful engine!!

This outing, which isn't something we get to do very often due to cost, was so worth the money.  The anticipation on the way to the train station was almost too much for Tanner to bear.  We hoped he and his sister would take a nap on the way there, but he would have none of it!  Once there, we saw the sites, visited some train tables and tattoos stations, picked out some ice cream and treats from the train tent.  So much fun.  No matter how hot it was or how long we had to stand in line to actually ride Thomas, it was worth it.

And while I wasn't sad to see the Thomas stage leave our house (Oh, who am I kidding?  Thomas is still around every once in a while.), I am happy Tanner went through the train phase ... no matter how hard I tried to keep Thomas out of our house!!