Making a Memory

I have to first start off by admitting to you that I must have watched The Parent Trap {the original...not the Lindsey Lohan knockoff} at least 500 times as a kid.  No...I'm not kidding.  I was obsessed.  I could probably recite the entire movie to you.  While I loved every part, I loved when Susan sniffed her grandfather's coat and this conversation ensued...

Grandfather: My dear, what are you doing?

Susan: Making a memory.

Grandfather: A memory?

Susan: All my life when I'm quite grown up I will always remember my grandfather and how he smelled of {sniffs again} tobacco and peppermint...

Perhaps it's the nostalgia enthusiast that lives within me but this quote stuck with me all of my life.  Perhaps one of my little reminders to take it all in...making memories as I go along.  To me, it's important to value the little things in life.  Those are the things that make life, well...perfect.  

I started this rambling journey down memory lane for a reason...Rick's grandfather, Walter, turned 93 this week...but if you ask him, he's going to be 94 soon.  That happens the day after his birthday every year.  He's quite a character and I've loved him as long as I've known him.  He has the most incredible stories...mostly of the Navy and his days as a sailor.  Every now and then he talks about things more local, more at home...like the Chi House Restaurant.  I wanted to make a memory with PopPop there...at the Chi House.  I could just picture it...a dimly lit diner full of characters, like Walter, all with stories to tell.  And so we went to celebrate PopPop turning 93 {going on 94}.  Just as I expected, in a strip mall, next to a barber shop, with a window air conditioning unit sat the Chi House...

A quaint little diner with a 1950's glitter-flecked counter adorned with a fresh baked chocolate cake in a domed cake stand, mouth-watering cinnamon buns wrapped in cellophane, and Herrs potato chips hanging from a rack.

The faux brick wall was adorned with a white erase board filled with daily specials.  But perhaps the best feature were the colorful, summery, plastic tablecloths...none of which having a match in the place.  

As we sat down, PopPop strolled down memory lane about the many times he took his grandchildren {Rick, his brothers and all of his cousins} to the Chi House.  "Gizmos"...he declared..."they used to always order Gizmos".  And so, there was no choice but to order Kayla a Gizmo.  It was nothing more than an egg, cheese and bacon sandwich...but what it represented was more than what the meal actually was {and thank goodness Kayla loves eggs more than just about anything right now}. 

We sat, we talked, we ate, we laughed...and we made memories.  And yes, while most of the stories PopPop told were old Navy stories that I've heard before, there is always something I take away from the story from hearing it all over again.

We made other memories this week...our friend Amy and Kal-El were home visiting from Virginia Beach...

These two kiddos have come a long way since our first Buddy Walk when they were just a few months old...

It's so great to have friends that you share the most wonderful joy of your life with.  Having friends to share the ups and downs of life and that extra magical chromosome makes this journey so much easier.  Learning as we go, together.  And in the end, you realize there are far less differences between our children and a typical child.  They love to be loved, play, jump, run {sometimes away}, learn, and make friends.  And while they do it in their own time, doesn't every child?  Lessons learned...friendships made...so thankful to be a Mommy.

Oh...and Mommy lesson #7234...don't promise something you may not be able to deliver...
I tried to make this...and I failed miserably.

My octopus resembled an ink splat...perhaps one of those psych tests...not that I've ever taken one but you know what I mean...the one you have to look at the page and analyze what you think it resembles.  I know one thing, it definitely didn't resemble an octopus.  The biggest problem was the hype I created.  I told Kayla we were going to make really fun pancakes.  You can't promise that to a five year old and then deliver round ones.  What to do?  What to do?  I've made Mickey heads at least a dozen times before and the hype I created called for something far more creative...Ahh....a K.  I can probably make a K and so I did.  Then for some reason in my half-asleep state, I decided to try other letters - perhaps making a reading lesson out of breakfast and so I did.  I  created AT and then decided on letters that could make AT into words...We had fun reading and eating with our fingers.  So while my original plan failed miserably, we were able to have even more fun with our brightly colored letter pancakes.

We have big plans this weekend...ok, a hint?  Picture Toddlers & Tiaras only less drama, no fake teeth or spray tans and Kayla.  Got you curious?  You'll just have to hang in until next time...
Go make a memory or two, friends.