Happy 80th Birthday, Grandpa!

On Monday we're off to Delaware, OH to surprise Flying Baby's great-grandpa for his 80th birthday. This will be my son's first long roadtrip. I'm kind of worried because usually what hour happens during car rides is he falls asleep. While I know that this is good in one way, a 6 hour nap might not be such a good idea. Hopefully things will work out alright that when we stop to nurse he'll be awake enough where it won't mess up his schedule. At least he normally takes a big nap during part of the time that we are traveling.

Anyway, back to where we are going. Delaware, OH is home of the Delaware County Fair and home of the Little Brown Jug, a famous harness horse race. My grandfather (my son's great-grandpa) has NEVER missed a Jug since 1947, and it started in 1946.

He's a pretty amazing man. Grandpa grew up on a cattle farm in Delaware County, Ohio. When he was a little older (in his 20s), Grandpa's father took an interest in Standard Bred harness horse racing and became a trainer and driver. I guess this is the time when Grandpa started to really develop a love for this great sport and hasn't stopped since. Grandpa worked for the Sunshine Biscuit Company from 1956-1962. While on the job, he fell off a latter and seriously injured his back. While reading a Harness Horse Magazine, which he was an avid reader of, he saw and answered a job ad for the magazine and soon became the Associate Editor of Harness Horse Magazine from 1962-?. He stopped working for the magazine sometime in the 1960s and worked for Hempt Farms, a horse breeding farm, in the advertising and public relations area. In 1976 he became the Deputy Executive Secretary for the Horse Racing Commission of Pennsylvania, and he was also a judge. He retired from the Commission in 1991 as a well respected man of harness horse racing, and he is still a well known and respected man of this sport today.

Grandpa, even though I know you won't be reading this post I want you to know that I am a proud granddaughter. I wish I was an author or writer who could document your amazing life in a book. My short paragraph doesn't do justice to your life and legacy. I hope that someday someone will help you write a book on your life. I would be the first one to buy a copy and I'll definitely want your autograph!

HAPPY 80th BIRTHDAY, GRANDPA! I can't wait to see your face when we surprise you next week!

Guinea Pig

Well I finally got my hair cut. It had only been 5 months. I went to Hair Cuttery on Monday afternoon with Flying Baby while he was fast asleep in his carrier. When you go to Hair Cuttery usually you do not have the same person cut your hair unless you request them. It had been 5 months so I figured it didn't really matter to me.

I had this nice young lady with pink and blonde hair cut my beautiful locks. The usual layering and blowdrying straight. Unfortunately, when I got home I noticed that one side was at least a half an inch longer than the other. Oh dear! No wonder it felt funny on my neck. Well I thought I could live with it, but it was really bugging me plus my hubby noticed. So I called Hair Cuttery back and told them of my hair dilemma, and they said I could come back and they'll fix it for free. YAY!

So I went back with Flying Baby in tow (Oh the things we do for beauty) and had another lady cut my hair. Thank goodness pink and blonde lady wasn't there. This new lady was really nice, and she had 30 years experience. She also told me that pink and blonde was new at this. So pretty much I was one of her innocent guinea pigs sent to the chopping block. Oh the poor souls who had to experience her hair cutting "expertise". Never again!

So, the 30 years lady fixed my hair and now everything is just splendid! It's amazing how much better my hair looks now that someone actually did it right. Thank you Hair Cuttery!

Hopefully it won't be so long before my next hair cut.

Until next time. . .

Sugar, How I Love Thee, Let Me Count The Ways

Tomorrow, my husband, son, and I are going up to my grandparents to celebrate my dad's 65th birthday. Of course, me being the nice person that I am, offered to bake a birthday cake for my dad. He likes Key Lime Pie right now, so I found a cake recipe that has a butter layer cake with sweet lime curd filling and buttercream frosting. I jazzed the buttercream up and put lime juice and lime zest in it. Well, the cake is all put together and setting up in the fridge.

You might be wondering why I started this post with "sugar, how I love thee, let me count the ways". Let's just say that during the whole process of making the cake some of it landed right into my mouth. Now I'm am currently trying to loose my pre-baby weight, and so far I've lost 15 pounds of it. But who can resist the luscious texture and taste of yummy butter cake batter and buttercream frosting right off the spatula.

Yes, I have a weakness for sweets. If they were in my house 24/7 I would consume them daily. How come things that taste so incredibly are so incredibly bad for you (if you eat them in massive amounts)?

After I put the crumb coat on, I popped a piece of gum in my mouth and chewed on it while I frosted the cake. Funny thing is I still was in the habit of taking a swipe of the creamy frosting with my finger and sticking it in my mouth. Some how minty chewing gum and lime frosting just don't mix.

Fed up with myself and feeling a little guilty, I quickly stuck the mixing bowl in the sink and filled it with soapy water. Ha! That ought to teach me! Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately, he he), I must confront my addiction tomorrow at my dad's birthday party.

But it will be alright. I can definitely handle it. I guess wanting to loose 5o more pounds is a bit of a motivator because I want to get back into my size 8 jeans I wore in high school. Slowly but surely the pounds are coming off thanks to Weight Watchers, Curves, and walking my dog, Anakin, and son, the incredible Flying Baby.

I feel like a new supermommy!

-mommaladybug