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A Mountain Getaway

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The Hubby continues to amaze me with his love for new adventures. This past weekend we went on a mountain getaway.  We stayed at the Andon-Reid Bed & Breakfast Inn in Waynesville, NC.  This place is a little piece of heaven.  Check out the mountain view below:

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Simply beautiful!

The innkeeper, Mark and Kari, are gracious hosts.  We were greeted like family home for a weekend visit.  We were given a tour of the renovated home, which mixes  modern conveniences like walk in showers with various antiques.  Kari made sure we knew about local restaurants for dinner and made a reservation for us.  We told them that we planned to ride the Great Smokey Mountain Railroad the next morning and Kari provided the best directions to get there (about 20-30 minutes away) and gave  us an interesting history lesson as well.  Breakfast was delicious and everything was made from scratch.

We had a wonderful weekend.  The town of Waynesville is a quaint little country town and everyone we interacted with was friendly.  The mountain air made for some relaxing sleep and Mark and Kari helped make the weekend memorable.  We met some interesting couples at the inn.  We even got an astrology lesson from one of the other guest as we sat around the fire pit one evening.

Hubby really outdid himself this time.  I loved our weekend in the mountains.  I hope to go back again.

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If you are planning a trip to the mountains, take my advice and stay at the Andon-Reid Bed and Breakfast.  You will be glad you did.

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A Place Just for Me

My Writing Room
My Writing Room

I am writing this blog post from the spot pictured above. My very own writing room.  Nice, right?  I’m wondering why I didn’t think of this sooner.

I have a three bedroom house and I’ve written in every room trying to find a spot to call my own.  I used the family computer room for a while until I got complaints about hogging the computer.  I used the dining room  table with my laptop but it’s an open space and the distractions were constant.  I’ve written on the couch, in the bed and even the bathroom.  None of them were ideal.

Then 4th of July weekend I had an epiphany.  Why not use the FROG?  The furnished room over the garage used to be the kid’s playroom.  They are teenagers now and the toys have been replaced with some exercise equipment, a television and a futon.  No one goes up there.

A quick trip was made to the local Wal-Mart to buy a desk and bookcase.  An overnight assembly was required and the next morning I moved all my things upstairs.  Yes!  It is beautiful!  Finally.  A place to call my own.

What do you think?  What does your writing space look like?

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How “Orange is the New Black” Can Teach a Teen

Photo credit: Netflix
Photo credit: Netflix

I just found out that Diva, my 16-year-old daughter (not her real name), watches “Orange is the New Black”.  I’m sure  you have heard of this superb Netflix drama.  The basic premise of the show is life in a woman’s prison.  The main character is taken from a middle/upper class environment and thrown in prison for a crime she committed several years ago.  The writing is excellent and the acting is great.  You get to know all of these women and their back stories make for interesting watching.  “Orange” gives you everything from drama to comedy to tragedy.  I binged watched the entire first season over three days.  I was hyped about watching the second season.

And then Diva dropped an OITNB reference and I froze.  My first thought was to cancel the Netflix subscription.  This show has language, violence and nudity.  And sex.  It is not suitable for children.  Is it appropriate for a teenager?  No. I was going to cancel Netflix.  (Right after I watched Season 2, of course.  Priorities, people.)

Then I decided to do something revolutionary.  I talked to my daughter to see what it was she was getting from the show.  She was getting an in your face manual of what happens when you make wrong decisions and follow the wrong people.  She was getting an illustration of every lesson I have been preaching/teaching.  OITNB was acting as a teaching tool for some serious decisions.

Netflix stays.  My season 2 viewing is saved.  And I have a better understanding of the way my daughter thinks about life.  Thanks to OITNB.   Or I could be a really bad parent.  Who knows.  Diva just wants me to catch up on the season so we can discuss.

 

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Panther in the Hive

I just finished Panther in the Hive by Cole, Olivia on Kindle for Android! http://www.amazon.com/kindleforandroid/

Love this book.!

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NBA Playoffs – Round 2

I know they aren't in the playoffs! Let me live.
I know they aren’t in the playoffs! Let me live.

 

My favorite team, the Lakers are not in the playoffs this year.  See my post about the first round here.

I have watched a lot of basketball over the past week.  Not caring who wins has given me a new  perspective on the game.  I made some predictions for the first round.  Let’s see how I did.

EAST

Pacers vs. Hawks – My prediction:  Pacers in 7 (Pacers looked shaky in this series.)

Heat vs. Bobcats – My prediction:  Heat in 4 (Too easy.)

Raptors vs.  Nets – My prediction:  Nets in 6 (Nets needed an extra game to get it done.)

Bulls vs. Wizards – My prediction:  Wizards in 6 (Wizards only needed 5 games.)

 

WEST

Spurs vs. Mavericks – My prediction: Spurs in 4 (Totally missed on this one.  Spurs needed 7 games.)

Thunder vs. Grizzlies – My prediction:  Thunder in 7 (Nailed it.)

Clippers vs. Warriors – My prediction: Clippers in 7 (Got this one too.)

Rockers vs. Trailblazers – My prediction: Trailblazers in 7 (Was really happy Blazers took care of the Rockets in 6 games.)

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Not too bad.  On to the second round:

Pacers vs. Wizards – My prediction:  Wizards in 7 (tough call)

Heat vs. Nets – My prediction:  Heat in 6

Spurs vs. Blazers – My prediction: Spurs in 6

Thunder vs. Clippers – My prediction:  Thunder in 7 (close call)

Let’s see how I do in the next round.

 

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Parenting Sucks (Sometimes)!

Being a parent is ……

Laying awake listening for the door to open

Knowing you can’t truly rest until the other part of your heart returns

Being a parent is ……

Setting a curfew for your teenager

Knowing at some point that your child will test the limit and forget how to tell time

Being a parent is ……

Allowing your child to mess up

In the safe cocoon of your home

Hoping they learn how to be a responsible adult

By enforcing consequences for their actions

Being a parent is ……

Having faith in a higher being to protect your heart

And releasing the breath you didn’t know you were holding

When you hear, “Mom, I’m home.”

 

2014 Michelle Rayford

 

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NBA Playoffs 2014 – First Round

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Noticeably absent from the playoffs this year is my favorite team, the Lakers.   This season was terrible.  For a lot of reasons.  It makes me tired to think of everything that went wrong this year.  The best coping mechanism is denial.  We are going to pretend this season never happened.

Since I don’t have a rooting interest in this  years playoffs,  I have decided to look at things objectively and make predictions.  ‘Cause I don’t care who wins.  Here we go for the first round:

EAST

(1) Pacers vs. (8) Hawks – My prediction:  Pacers in 7

(2) Heat vs. (7) Bobcats – My prediction:  Heat in 4

(3) Raptors vs. (6) Nets – My prediction:  Nets in 6

(4) Bulls vs. (5) Wizards – My prediction:  Wizards in 6

 

WEST

(1) Spurs vs. (8) Mavericks – My prediction: Spurs in 4

(2) Thunder vs. (7) Grizzlies – My prediction:  Thunder in 7

(3) Clippers vs. (6) Warriors – My prediction: Clippers in 7

(4) Rockers vs. (5) Trailblazers – My prediction: Trailblazers in 7

 

We’ll check back in when the next round begins to see how I did.

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My Daughter Got Her Navel Pierced so Why Does My Stomach Hurt?

Not a navel piercing.
Not a navel piercing.

My daughter, Princess, got her navel pierced about a month ago.  It’s taken this long to analyze my feelings about it.  Was I surprised?  Yes and no.  She has been rambling about wanting to get one for some time.

Princess:  “Mon, I think I want to get my navel pierced.”

Me:  “Why?”

P:  “I like them.”

M:  (again) “Why?”

P:  “I just do.”

Some variation of this conservation continued at random intervals for months.  And then she turned 18.  That means she didn’t need my permission to have it done.  Then she came  home with one.

Clip-on belly jewelry
Clip-on belly jewelry (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My reaction was mixed.  I  believe in giving my girls the confidence to make decisions about their own bodies once they reach a certain age.  They have to make decisions for themselves.  It can be as simple as considering a new hair cut or the complex decision of whether or not to have sex.  I tell them the decision is theirs.  It is not left up to peer pressure or to win the affection of some boy.  I want them to be comfortable in their own skins and learn to trust themselves.

I didn’t make a big deal about the piercing.  I told Princess I didn’t like it but it was her body.  I advised her to make sure to keep it clean.

The world kept spinning.  But I can’t help but  notice that my baby is growing up and inching closed to adulthood.  She is becoming more and more independent.  I am at times proud and terrified.

 

The other day Princess started a random conversation.

Princess:  “Mom, would you be mad if I got a tattoo?”

Me:  (deep breath)

Somebody pass me the antacid.

 

 

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