Sunday, March 25, 2012

If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all.

I haven't been blogging because I have been spending every minute outside with my child who is ready to explore the world from sun up to sun down. And I'll tell you what... that can really wear a person out.

He thought it would be better if he ate the
bread instead of the ducks!


My sister recently spent a few days in Savannah, GA. When she got home I was scrolling through the pictures she took and she took a picture of a church sign that said, "Spend your time counting your blessings, instead of airing your complaints." I love to complain and I'm not really sure why. It's not that I am an unhappy person, it just seems like I would rather tell somebody why I am upset or if something is bothering me rather than say something nice. Maybe it's because when I was a little kid whenever I would say something mean, my mother would say to me, "Now Emily, what does Thumper say?" And I would have to respond with, "If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all." So maybe I am just catching up on all the times I wasn't allowed to say something negative, but that's probably not it... even though I wish it were.

So anyway, I don't know if other people are like me or not, but complaining just comes so easily to me. (see the post below) Ever since seeing that picture, those words have been flitting in and out of my thoughts on a regular basis. I figure that maybe it's time I give it a try because it's clear to me that the picture was meant for my eyes. It's not that I don't recognize my blessings because I do. I just don't seem to verbalize my appreciation for them enough. I find myself at the end of the day when Walter is asleep and Justice is sleeping too and the house is quiet, silently thinking to myself how lucky I am. I think about how blessed I am to have a wonderful husband and a beautiful, healthy child, a family that loves me and that I love back so very, very much. I may not have everything my little materialistic heart desires, but I know I have what really matters. From this day on, I am going to start spending my time counting my blessings and NOT airing my complaints.

Friday, March 9, 2012

How to order a pizza... CORRECTLY

This blog is going to help all of you people out there in the blogosphere that haven't worked at a pizza place and therefore, may need help in knowing how to correctly order a pizza. First off, if you ask if they have any specials right now, LISTEN to what they say. It's very, very annoying to have you ask to immediately repeat the specials. Mind you that we are asked this by every customer so it's nice to not have to say it 1,678,943 times in one night. Secondly, we know that you are calling to order a pizza so you do not have to declare this. You can say something like, "I would like to order a pizza for pickup/delivery." That is actually a helpful sentence and not just a giant waste of air. Thirdly, if they are running a special that is something like a large pizza with two toppings, don't just say "okay, I'll have that." If you would like to order the special with two toppings, you have to ACTUALLY tell us which two toppings you would like. We aren't mind readers so we don't just know and if you don't want to tell us we will gladly choose for you... double anchovies. A few other things that we don't enjoy when you call us include, having a conversation with your family about what to get. We don't want to hear you screaming to people in the background, it's rude. Also, your not the only person calling to order a pizza, so while you're keeping us on the line and making your mind up, the other phones are ringing and we're not able to answer them. So please discuss with your family beforehand and then give us a call. Another option would be to ask for our specials and say, "Thanks, I'll call back." If you're going to use a coupon, that's fine just tell us what it's for. We don't have all of the coupons memorized, so when you say I have a coupon for a large pizza, we don't know which one it is... so please tell me. Say I have a coupon for a large two topping pizza for $12.00, or I have a coupon for $1.00 off any pizza, or whatever it might be that your coupon is for. The same things goes as before, if your coupon is for a pizza with a certain amount of toppings please tell us what you would like... I do not want to have to ask you for this information.  You should be expecting that I would need to know, so just tell me. Also a specialty pizza isn't a pizza, it's a type of pizza, such as, deluxe, meat, bbq chicken, veggie, etc. If you would just like any specialty pizza, sure I'll pick that for you too.

Now I personally deliver pizzas, so just a quick few pointers for getting your pizza delivered. It is nice to tip us, gas isn't free and we pay for our own. Don't order pizza for delivery and then not have your address anywhere to be found on your house. We don't instinctively know where you live. If it's dark outside please turn on your porch light right after you hang up the phone and then immediately get your money around. Sometimes we arrive sooner than expected so it's nice for you to be ready. If you order your pizza to be delivered, don't act surprised when we get there like you weren't expecting us. If the weather is crappy outside, i.e. really rainy, windy, hot, cold, etc. please invite us inside the door. We don't want to come any further in your house because it makes us as uncomfortable as it makes you. If your house is too dirty to invite someone in and you would be ashamed to have them inside your door, well then that's on you and fix it for the sake of yourself. I'm not talking like a little messy from a few out of control days with your kids or just normal clutter from living. I'm talking about 28 piles of dirty laundry, food boxes everywhere, horrid pet smells, so much crap that you couldn't sit on your couch if you tried, clean that up because your just chopping away at your life expectancy from living like that. And lastly, just because you wanted your pizza delivered doesn't mean you don't have to have on clothes. It's honestly disgusting and uncomfortable to see you in your underwear or no shirt or sexy pj's or whatever you're prancing around your house in. I am a stranger and don't know you. There are people I know well whom I don't want to see in outfits like that, so just be respectful.

Thanks for reading, now go enjoy your pizza! TIP YOUR DRIVER!

Saturday, March 3, 2012

I am Blessed.

I was just blessed to have my first experience with a sick, vomiting child. I won't go into specifics because I know no one wants those details. Walter had a 24 hour stomach bug and woke up at 4 a.m. sick... poor little guy! It's funny to me how little changes from the time you're 1 in regards to how you react to being sick. My little man who wouldn't and/or couldn't sit still to save his life, wanted nothing more than to just sit in my lap. A little whine here and there, but mostly just quiet self pity. After each time he got sick he would follow it up with a, "mama mama" in the most sad pathetic baby voice. That's when I realized that no matter how old I get, I also want my "mama" whenever I am sick. I want her there to comfort me, put a blanket on me, and get me something to drink that will calm my belly. Now obviously that doesn't happen when I am sick, but it doesn't stop me from wanting that. There's nobody in the world that can take care of you like your mother (especially when you're sick).

It was such a special moment for me to realize that I am at a point in my life where I am that person for someone. Everyday since I have had Walter it sinks in a little more that I am a mother and a parent. I am responsible for loving him, taking care of him, teaching him, being there for him, the list just goes on and on. But what a special list that is. Being a parent can be very hard and frustrating at times, but that bond you create with your child by really being a parent, I mean really being a parent... a good one, is just unbelievable. I am lucky to have that relationship with my parents and even beyond that, to have the relationship I have with my in-laws. I often forget that most people aren't blessed to have such wonderful parents, who care about them as much as mine do and that truly love them unconditionally. I just hope that one day Walter will feel that way about myself and my husband. However, just looking at who our role models are, I know we have a pretty good shot.
My sick little man.