Ode to small town livin: Glenpool, OK

I have a blank canvas, and I was scouring Pinterest to come up with a new project to work on. I saw this cute subway art on Tulsa, Ok which Glenpool is a small town to the south of Tulsa.



As cute as I thought the subway art was, I got the giggles thinking what our small towns subway art might look like.



Our town is small, so we don't necessarily have "areas". We have a few stores, that made me giggle, but it also made me start thinking what did make my small town special?



Our town is unique, it was started out as a oilfield/make shift town. It has grown but it is still classified as small town.



(*note: not actual road sign)


I think it's not the areas of a small town that makes it special, but the people of the small town and how we come together and interact and where we interact. So if that's the case here is what my subway art of my small town would look like:


We have Warrior pride (our school's mascot), we have hometown parades, the town almost closes down for Friday night football games, we still have a local paper, a local marquees that brags about our kids, local churches, and our hometown carnival/fair called Black Gold days.






I have lived in this town for 16 years and have fallen in love with it's ways. Now don't get me wrong not everything is perfect in a small town. There are a few sayings I have found true:

"There are about the same percentages of amusing, gifted, humorous, boring, stingy, and malicious people in every social drawer"
-Emily Whaley, South Carolina

So true we have our mix of funny, kind hearted, sweet, upstanding, cranky and angry people here in Glenpool just like I'm sure you have wherever you live, no matter what size your town is!


The second is:
"In a small town, if you don't know what your doing someone else does"

Funny but true. Here in a small town, you just have to pick up the phone and call 2-3 people to find out a background check on little suzy's family that had asked your child over for a play date.

The third, is:

"Everyone dies famous in a small town"

That is so true! I realized the other day that I have not attended a funeral in my small town. No one I know has passed away. However, when there is a funeral in town. I hear stories funny ones, sad ones, praising ones all about the person who has died. What a tribute to the person who has passed.

Also, I just love hearing;

"How's your momma?"

I love that living in a small town, people really know people and their people!

In such a busy, world that is growing more global every year. It is nice to still live in a small town!

If you don't have the privilege to live in one, you might want to take a drive one weekend, grab a drink (a lot of small towns have Sonic's) and look around. If you don't enjoy it, it will at least make you appreciate your hometown.

Y'all all have a good day & come back now!

My mom makes the best...

I've actually hosted a party with the exact theme before for a Mom's Night Out. It was a lot of fun & a great way to get to know each other better. But let me not get off subject.
My Mom makes the best Chocolate Frosting and Chocolate Pie!

Her frosting will ruin you for store bought kind!! So warning "serve this at your own risk!!!" Cuz, honey once your family has had a taste of this frosting they will grumble & whine every time you try to serve frosting from a tub!!!!


My Momma's Chocolate Frosting:
1/2 stick of margarine
3 T Cocoa powder, heaping Tablespoons!!!
1lb of powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 C milk* (warning read directions before adding!)

Melt margarine in microwave, set aside. Place powdered sugar in medium mixing bowl. Stir in cocoa, add melted margarine, vanilla, & *****1/2 the milk.

Beat with mixer, if needed add more milk SLOWLY till you get the right consistency. Frost cooled cake.

Now you will remember that I did boast that my momma also made the very best you have ever had Choclate pie but I am going to save that recipe for when I cover another lady. (Since my momma did learn this recipe from my father's side of the family-)




This is my favorite picture of me & my mom. It was taken on one of our "girl's day out". It holds such a special memory for me!

My momma taught me so much! Ha!, besides All of the basics, potty training, no hitting, sit with your knees together, sit up don't slouch, ladies don't spit, please don't chew with your mouth open, don't wear white after Labor day, and no white shoes until Easter, etc... (are you getting the idea that I was a handful, it's because I was! I was 5'7 by 6th grade! My momma had a challenge of turning me into a lady, for that alone I am thankful.).

However, my mom taught me some other "life" lessons along the way: the importance of attending church, the value of having girlfriends in your life, and you never outgrow creating! You should do what you love be it: art, writing, dancing, music. You should enjoy life as your passing through it! And like my momma always said to me in times of crisis, taken from one of my favorite movies from my teen years (Gone with the Wind) "well Scarlet, tomorrow is another day!". Meaning this too will pass & even if it "felt" like my world was ending (oh the dramatic life of teenage girls!) life would go on! (wether I wanted it to or not) another very important lesson!

I am very thankful for my mom!

What did your momma make that you loved?

What can you boast about, "My momma makes the best________!".
I would love to know!

Hope your beating the heat wherever you are! (it's supposed to be at least 100 degrees here today in Oklahoma)
Amy

My Summer Bucket List

1. Swim
2. Eat Popsicles
3. Take each daughter (I have 3 remember) on 2 one-on-one time at Starbucks.
4. Go see the new spiderman movie that opens in July
5. Go see the new movie Brave, about the red headed girl (hum, I wonder why?!)
6. Surprise my girls with a late night run to Josh's snow cone shack
7. Go to a museum for the afternoon
8. Make string art with daughters for their room
(will post on this later)
9. Make cool crayon art with each daughter for her room
(will post on that in more detail later)




(see pics above of the cool artwork that I want to do with each daughter)
10. Sleep in
11. Stay up late
12. Open my house up & have friends over
(I truly believe this is the only way to build closer friendships!)
13. Watch my daughters try to catch fireflies in a jar
14. Read the books on my summer reading list!!
15. Encourage my daughters to read their 2 books each! (see previous post for details)
16. Take all the girls out for a fun outing of Toilet papering someone else's house (no damage to property just good clean fun)
17. Mail something fun to each niece or nephew of mine or my husband's over the course of the summer.
18. Paint middle daughters bedroom
19. Recover bench for my sitting area (aka known as the "bubble" to my girls..aka "can't talk to mom right now, she is in her bible study/ prayer "bubble". Let's come back in 15 minutes). I love that my girls are seeing that spending time with God is important!!
20. Be a good role model & exercise consistently (I have not been doing so good on this but I am determined to master this!!!) (pray for me!)
21. Leave a sweet romantic note or do a romantic gesture for my husband every 2 weeks!!
22. Get out on a date with my hubby alone at least once a month (it's a little more difficult in the summer months because that is the time he also takes each daughter out on a date!! I love that about my husband!! He wants to teach each daughter how she should expect to be treated, as well as filling up their love tanks!!)
23. Visit with my grandma once a week.
24. Go to a drive in movie!
25. Go on a hike!
26. Watch the sunset!
27. Watch a sunrise!
28. Make a smash book (like an art journal but mine will focus on God's promises!)
29. Be a good friend
30. Declutter my house some!!!
31. Memorize 10 scriptures!!
32. Make a piece of subway art for my house
33. Make "game day" deco for prep for Football in the Fall y'all!
34. Go to Pops! (an amazing little store in Oklahoma that has EVERY type of pop, that you have never ever heard of before!!!
35. Write some old fashioned letters and snail mail them to people. (don't you just love fun mail!!)
36. Make some "home-made" ice cream!
37. Buy some tennis rackets for daughters to play some tennis!
38. Hopefully get to eat a homegrown tomato washed, sliced, & salted all by itself right after picking!!
39. Remember to enjoy where I am at, not to be busy rushing through my life!!

Hope you all are enjoying your summer!!

What are you planning on doing this summer??

Margins- having room for friends!

Margin is having more than what is needed. Once a week I try to report how I am doing, or what I am learning while trying to install, make room, or make adjustments in my life. This last week I have been thinking a lot about my girlfriends! Girlfriends are so important in life, yet they are just a portion of my life. One that can quickly be pushed aside if I am not careful to make sure that I make the time to connect with my girlfriends!

When I had small children (3 under the age of 5) I used to stay in touch with friends mainly by phone calls. I would keep track in my journal the friends I really wanted to stay in contact with and make it a goal that once every 2 weeks I would take the time, to reach out and "touch someone" verbally by placing a call. That meant scheduling!!! All my kids had to go down for naps by a certain time, my cordless phone had to be charged, and I needed use the restroom, and pour myself a large glass of Diet Coke, all before I could make my self comfortable and kick back to a fun conversation.

I also joined a bunko group - it is amazing how quickly a month can fly by when you are so busy chasing little or big kiddos around. (Don't believe me, mark something down on the calendar then try to accurately guess how long it has been since you have seen so and so, or went out to eat alone with your hubby - that is unless you have a standing date already set!)

Now days my kids are older, but I am still in a moms group (One of the most important things I ever did for myself. Scheduled, standing date for a mom, to have a few hours a month off really helps recharge mom's batteries!). I stay in contact also through facebook, as well as the mom's in my mom's group here in town meet for coffee once a week! (That means keeping the schedule open 90% of the time, as well as $5.00 a week in the budget for this outing!) However I am convinced all this purpose full set time is so important!!!

One of my favorite quotes is "Remember, the greates tgift is not found in a store or under a tree, but in the hearts of true friends" by Cindy Lee. Ophrah has said often (back when I used to watch her show) that forgiveness is a gift we give our self. But I believe a friend is a gift we give our self as well! Have you given yourself any gifts lately??????

What is better than a good time with friends?

I love an evening with good friends it really does not matter to me what we do- meet for dinner at a restaurant, meet for a chick flick movie, or spend the evening at one of my dear friends house. I think I just enjoy the connection of spending time, laughing and trading stories with dear friends who in some cases are similar to me, and in other ways very different from me. I have laughed so hard, I have cried, at other times as good friend have shared a struggle or something deeply sad -but a friendship is forged.

The only thing that I enjoy more than an evening with friends is a reminder of the evening such as a "party favor". Party favors are not necessary, but isn't it fun to see an item, or use an item given to you and reflect back on the good time you shared! My very favorite "party favor" is from Amy over at "Simply Amy"
She made each of us "Mom's" a Cd, with fun songs from SheDaisy "God bless the American housewife" to some fun songs from some movie we had seen together. Amy labeled all the CD with a cute cover and saying: "A good friend is better than therapy!" (Can I get an Amen!)

I went home listening to the CD thinking about all my good girlfriends, I have since then added it to my Ipod, and every time I play that play list I reminded how blessed my life really is!!!

diet update and the power of a good friend!

Well I am sorry that I have not blogged this last week - the kiddo's have all had back to school parties, field trips etc..... Well back to the diet update - I was on the HCG diet - that I had cleared with my doctor, and was on along with 7 other women - I alone had side effects - scary ones! I fainted at Walmart last week, and had to come off that diet - ugh! Much to my frustration. So I took the last week off - I have gained 3 pounds in that time. and was very blue - sob!!!!

However I have a wonderful girlfriend named Amy (I am on the left side, Amy is in the middle, and our good friend Jayna is on the right!) Amy's is a blogger to by the way- you can check out her fab blog here. Amy is my opposite in allot of ways, she is Green I only recycle at the whining of my children, I love chemicals: bleach, acid cleaner for grout (Funny story behind that one!) Amy also cleans with natural cleaners she is wonderful, funny, creative, and a great encourager. Amy called me, picked me up from the floor (not literally I would not want to hurt her back!) and told me I could do this! I just needed to watch my calories, exercise and almost, (emphasis on almost) every lady struggles with her weight or watches her weight- and I could to.

Having friends like Amy sure makes life more bearable - I encourage everyone to invite a friend like Amy over when you are having a pity party - she is great guest to have at one!!!! Thanks Amy! Does anyone else have a special friend that they call when they are feeling blue or does any other lady out there struggle or watch her weight? What tips do you have?