The Wilson 6 Chronicles

This is approximately how many miles we walked this weekend on our maiden voyage to the land of Mouse. One of the conditions of moving to Florida was that we got a house with a guest room, a house with a pool, and tickets to go to Disney World. We 2 out of 3 ain't bad. So this weekend, we finally sucked it up, threw down enough money to make my head spin (something not easy to do) and heading westward to the land of Mouse. And it was Fabulous. We surprise Zachary with the trip, telling him that we were going to go shopping at a big outlet mall in Orlando. This was enough to ruin his entire month since he hates shopping with a passion. The trip seemed to take forever because 1. I hate keeping surprises a secret and 2. I really really really wanted to go to Disney. When we finally got off the interstate, Zachary started asking questions about Orlando and it was really hard to keep up the charade, then once we saw the Pearly Gates, I mean the entrance to Disney, the game was up. And I yelled surprise and was rewarded with the biggest smile I have ever seen.

So I can't remember a time in my life when I didn't love to read. I'm sure there were a few early years when reading wasn't as important as say, learning to walk or pee in the potty but otherwise, my love affair with books has been a long and meaningful one. Just walking into a library or book store is like an addict walking into a crackhouse. I take a long deep breath- I love the smell of books, the looks of books lines up on shelves, I love the way a new book crackles when you open it up and the way an old book feels- like it's made just to fit into your hand. When I was a sophomore in high school, we were assigned a book to read called The Year the Lights Came on by Terry Kay. It was a pretty good book about the things that divide a small town (the haves from the have-nots, if you will) and the change that is brought about when the Rural Electrification Administration bring electricity to the have-nots. Well, there's more to the story but that is moot in my anecdote. Anyway, there was a mom of a girl in my class who has issue with the book because it contained profanity. If I remember correctly, a character used the word damn. Gasp, the shock. So my English teacher (who was one of my favorites) was under fire and the book was going to be banned from being taught in my school. So, I stood up for my teacher, wrote a long essay on the merits of the book, and took it before the school board on why I thought it shouldn't be banned. And it wasn't banned. To this day, that is one of my proudest moments because aside being a book lover, I am also a flaming liberal and feel that there's a reason why we have the First Amendment. While there are a number of things out there I don't choose to read for whatever reason, at least I have that choice. And in that vein of thought, let's all gear up to celebrate Banned Book Week. Pick out your favorite banned books (many of which I have read and loved), pick it up and read it. Read it in public, tell people you are reading. I personally recommend To Kill a Mockingbird (it is in my Top 5 of favorite books Ever) but there are tons of great ones out there.

Today I had the chance to do something that I have wanted to do for a long time- volunteer at my kid's school. Many of my clearest memories of school are set in the background of my Daddy's constant presence. For as long as I can remember, my Daddy was a parent volunteer at my school- not just any volunteer, but The Volunteer. You know, the one that knew all the parents, all the teachers, all the janitors. He would get off of work after a long 3rd shift, take me to school (Shannon too) and then volunteer. He would copy papers, run security back when the biggest threat to school safety was that there "might" be some vandalism in the boys bathroom, run the PTO- anything that he needed to do, he did it. It never occurred to me to be embarrassed because my dad was always at school. I just remember being proud to walk down the hall of Daniel Morgan Elementary School and peek into the copy room and see my dad there. And when I left elementary school and he left 3rd shift for the 1st shift, we adapted to our new surroundings. He would show up at my junior high and direct traffic. He would come to my marching band practice and volunteer to run the concession stand. That was just the parent he was- the one who was there to help. And since Zachary has started school, I have desperately wanted to be that parent myself. But being pregnant and/or caring for an infant made the logistics a little hard- until this year. At our new school, the PTO provides a Preschool Co-op for parents with children too young to be enrolled. And today was my first day. Sure, today I just manned the co-op but soon, hopefully soon, I'll get to stand in the copy room and make copies. Just like my Daddy.

Since Eleanor has become obsessed with walking everywhere and at anytime, I felt like she needed a little more sole between her feet and the ground. So, off we set out in search for shoes- sounds easy, right? WRONG! Why is it that every pair of shoe for a little girl has to be PINK? Why is that? Don't get me wrong, I love dressing her up in little pink outfits as much as the next mama, but let's be honest, pink shoes with a pink outfit- not only is it pink overload but the pinks don't match. So after going to a million different stores and ending back up at the first one we went to- Eleanor finally had 2 pairs of shoes. A pair of red canvas Last weekend, I decided that it was time for Eleanor to have a real pair of shoes. No leather soft soled shoes like her Robeez, but real honest-to-goodness shoes. Now that she is so adamantKeds and a pair of leather saddle oxford Stride Rites. And she wouldn't wear them to save her life- she screamed and kicked and wanted nothing to do with them. Until a few days ago and now, my friends, it appears that I have a shoe addict on my hands. Leave a pair of shoes laying around and she is putting them on her feet. And trying to walk in them. Loves them- she just spent 20 minutes putting on Zachary's red Crocs and trying to take a step in them- until she got mad at them and threw them across the room. I guess that will teach that pair of shoes to cross the Shoe Queen. I hope they learn they're lesson.

So after making my first solo trip home from SC to FL (well, not entirely solo- Zachary played the role of Navigator and Alden and Eleanor play the roles of Instigators), I came to some conclusions about the music in my CD changer. There are just some great CDs that are not great for travel- especially when you are driving 9 hours and need something that keeps you humming. Case in point, 10,000 Maniacs from MTV Unplugged. Yes, this CD is decade old at this point but after a lengthy separation from it, I was excited to listen to it again on my way to FL. Natalie Merchant has such an awesome and unique voice but man oh man, it was a hard CD to listen to at about 12:30 at night (or would that be in the morning?) Anyhow, so I skipped up to Pink's I'm Not Dead. Now that is a CD that can keep you awake. I love Pink's kiss-my-ass attitude and her potty mouth (being blessed with a potty mouth of my own). Is it just me or does anyone else want to drive to Washington to kick W's ass whenever you listen to "Dear Mr. President"? It really gets me in the mood to elect a Dem in 2008 (oh wait a minute, I am always in that mood). And it just doesn't get better than harmonizing by the Indigo Girls. Which leads me to the next 2 CDs in my changer- the Indigo Girls 1200 Curfews. Oh my God- these CDs just never get old for me. I've had these since I was in 11th grade and was fortunate enough to be exposed to the awesomeness that is Amy and Emily and I am surprised the CDs still play. I am generally not a fan of live music on a CD (except for the previously mentioned 10,000 Maniacs Unplugged as well as Nirvana Unplugged) but this CD is great enough to stand on it's own as just a plain old great CD. Up next, Liz Phair's Liz Phair. This CD always make me giggle because when Zachary was 3 years old- in the back of the car one day, he belted out "who the hell are you?" which is a line from Liz's awesome song "Extraordinary." To this day, one of my favorite songs and probably one of my favorite CDs as well. So that leaves my last CD in the changer- Fergie 's The Duchess. Yes, I said Fergie. I would have to thank Kelsie for my recent appreciation of Fergie. As I am typing this, I still have "London Bridge" floating around in my head. Where it will probably hang out for the next few days until I can find something new to replace it. Well, at least it kept me awake and out of the median.

One of the best things about our move to Florida is our close proximity to the beach. We can drive a few miles and be at the beach- a real beach. One with water that is clear enough to see the bottom of the ocean and water warm enough to not give you cold chills as soon as you step into it. And the kids love it. Actually, love it might just be an understatement. Alden wakes up everyday demanding "beach! beach!" and Eleanor starts to squeal as soon as we put her bathing suit on. And Zachary- that's a whole 'nother ball game- he has now decided that he is going to be professional surfer, open a surf shop, and love at the beach the rest of his life. As someone who liked the beach growing up, I had kind of had a falling out with it in the past few years. I mean, you likes grainy sand and cold ocean water- plus wearing a bathing suit. But watching Eleanor crawling towards to ocean like a baby turtle has renewed my love of the beach. What can be more fun that walking along the beach after a big storm with your pants rolled up because you decided to make a spur-of-the-moment trip to the beach to try to find shells. Zachary picking up the flat shells and trying to skip them across the water, Alden trying to go as deep into the surf as possible without getting in trouble, Eleanor tied on my back and kicking my ribs with excitement every time a wave comes crashing in, the sight of Justin with his pants rolled up to his knees trying to find a sand dollar. Some days, I think, life just doesn't get any better than this. Well, if they served margaritas on the beach, it might...

Me: "Alden, who do you love?"
Alden: "Uh, I wuv Nelnor."
Me: "You love Eleanor? Who else do you love?"
Alden: "Uh, I wuv Zackwee."
Me: "You love Zachary? Who else do you love?"
Alden: "Uh, I wuv Aldeen."

At least he has high self-esteem.