What I love! | Peaches Prattlings

{June 18, 2015} Hap hap happy birthday CKM

Today is a very special birthday!

My friend CKM celebrated her birthday today! This is the first time in a few years we aren’t getting to celebrate together, feels weird…we’ve done some great things on her birthday!

Thirty three, it was a three day celebration, dinners and an outdoor concert. One year we went to Savannah for the weekend and got sunburned on the beach, so worth it! Last year, I was able to fly her to Ann Arbor for the weekend and we had a blast! We went to some new restaurants and some favorites that I had discovered by then, a lot of talking and laughing and just a good time.

CKM is such a fabulous person, we’ve known each other for a long time, almost 9 years, I think, she’s so much better with dates, she always tells me what I’m doing when! I always said that if I hit the big money lottery I would hire her as my event planner and keeper of my calendar, she would be paid very well for that! [Oh, there are a whole slew of people we figured out who I would hire to do what!]

She is a master at event planning, she’s helped coordinate and run a few major festivals in Atlanta, huge successes there, she has had three to four jobs at any given moment and has a really hard time saying no! One of her current jobs is event coordinator [and I’ve probably got the title wrong, but queen bee of everything was taken] at one of Miss A’s schools.

Don’t get me started on her photography, it’s fabulous! She has such an eye for detail, colors, placement and all that other stuff you need to do to be a great photog! I’ve bought some of her stuff and given it as gifts, one had been hanging in a gallery and it went to my dad for Chanukah. I remember when I bought a bunch of her packs of note cards to give as gifts one Christmas/Chanukah and she said “You had better not be giving me my own notecards as a gift!” ha ha…

Speaking of gifts, whenever she gives a gift, it’s a treat, she really thinks about what she’s giving to that person and we have exchanged some awesome gifts, even contributing to my bag obsession, but if they were the gift bag, then it doesn’t count!

We’ve done some amazing things together, taken some fun trips, I’m still waiting to hit the big money, I promised to take her to Italy to see Andre Bocelli! She’s one of the few people who will actually do some fun runs with me, and by fun runs, I mean mud runs! We’ve done the Dirty Girl twice, had a blast! I might still be getting mud out of my clothes! We’ve done The Color Run at Atlanta Motor Speedway, The Electric Run at Atlanta Motor Speedway, that one we got to go on the track! We even did the Anything is Possible! That started at 2am when the clocks changed, so we finished before we started!

She is also a steadfast volunteer, remember when I said she doesn’t know how to say no? We have volunteered together at Race Expos, giving out race bibs or at the start of the Peachtree Road Race with the elite runners. We volunteered for 5 years in a row together, we have the pins to prove it! And we’ve participated in the Peachtree Road Race together six years in a row, this will be the first year we don’t do either together and I’m definitely going to miss it! Especially the shopping! We always spend time walking around the expo buying cute running skirts and dresses and all sorts of stuff, we always have a good time!

Speaking of cute running skirts, she is a fashionista if I ever met one! Everything is coordinated! I like to wake up and show up, not this girl! Even when she’s dressed down, she looks put together, it’s always quite impressive and I would love to shop in her closet some day, of course, even if I did, I wouldn’t come out looking that good! I have solicited her opinion on more than one occasion and now you know why I look so fabulous! sometimes…

CKM is a fantastic daughter! She and her mom will have girls weekends a few times a year, sometimes her mom comes to Atlanta, but most times, she goes to see her mom in NC and those are fun times, they hang out, eat, shop, do girl stuff and mother and daughter stuff. Her mom got remarried a few years ago and it was so much fun listening to the stories of CKM getting to know the new guy in her mom’s life and how quickly they became a family unit. I love seeing the pictures of their weekends, I always wish I could be there!

So, you know she’s a great event planner, volunteer, photographer and daughter, she’s also a great friend. She is someone who is there for you when you need her, no questions asked and will drop everything if you need her. She has sage and sound advice and will ask for advice when she needs it. She’s fun to go to the movies with, or not go! One time she was at a laundr-o-mat and while the loads were in, we sat in my car and watched movies on my iPad!

We’ve had sleep overs, no sleep sleep overs, road trips, mani/pedi days, we are horrible shoppers, we keep buying stuff, but it’s almost always on sale! There are times we could get on the phone and talk for five minutes, but then there are times we talk for five hours! When we would go out, we’d talk and chat and do whatever and then when it was time to get in our cars…talk for another hour, freezing or having to go potty! Never running out of things to say!

Ok, I could go on and on and on…but I want to post this before her birthday is over.

Happy happy happy birthday CKM, many many many more happy returns. You are most loved, by everyone who knows you and mostly, me!

{June 17, 2015} Ramadan Mubarak

“Fasting is, first and foremost, an exercise for identifying and managing adversity in all its forms. With faith, in full conscience, fasting calls women and men to an extra degree of self-awareness.” –Tariq Ramadan

Tonight begins the celebration of Ramadan, the fast for 29-30 days, based on the sightings of the crescent moon. The fast symbolizes the commemoration of the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad.

This takes an amazing amount of commitment and faith, to fast from sun up to sun down, but it also is a chance to reconnect with your faith, maybe even your beliefs, to center yourself.

I know there are people I have crossed paths with who celebrate Ramadan, but on this project, I have become friends with two people who celebrate, SF and HH. HH and I have become good friends and have learned a lot about each other and from each other.

As Ramadan is starting tonight, we have spoken many times about it, but last night was more in depth, I learned so much from her. We talked about being away from home and family during Ramadan, what it’s like to fast from sun up to sun down, especially when the days are so long. The challenges of having to fast while at work, while everyone else around you is eating, especially when you know there are snacks everywhere. Thank you for sharing that and so much more.

To everyone who is beginning their celebration of Ramadan, I wish you Ramadan Mubarak.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramadan

{June 16, 2015} Girls night in…it’s theraputic!

Thanks.

Today was a little better than yesterday, I am going to admit it, I’m having a wee bit of a pity party, no you are not invited because it’s a party for one, I love this clip from The Muppet Movie, 2011, “Me Party” much happier than I am feeling, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXH3Gnvxpw0, but I digress.

I think everyone is allowed to have a pity party, if something goes wrong, stew for a while and then get over it, move forward and be done with it, I’m not quite there, and I’m ok with it. I do want you to know that I am not letting on, I’ve only told a few people who I confide in and then it will be over, but I’m allowed!

The thank you is to my friends and family who were concerned and asked me what happened and what can they do to help and those who just kept me company, made me laugh and forget all my problems, at least for a moment.

Tonight was great, a lot of things happened after work, but there were some cool things that happened at work…I learned something new, pretty stoked about that, well, two new things, really cool! And later, I got a really nice email thanking me for my hard work, positive attitude and adaptability, it was so unexpected and it made me feel so good, thank you!

After work, I went for a walk around the property with CH, we talked, caught up, let loose, laughed and got things out that we wanted to talk about without fear of reprisal, it feels great to have friends like that you work with!

Then, HH came down to my room and watched a movie! We had been talking about The Breakfast Club earlier today and then I realized I had a copy and left it for her at the front desk. We decided to watch it together, but then I realized, after she got to my room, that I don’t have a blue ray player! Oh no! So what were we to do? Turns out I had a dvd of Mamma Mia! So we watched and promised not to get offended by each other when we sang along! because who doesn’t love ABBA!!! Don’t answer that!

Today was not bad, but turned into pretty good with a Girls Night In! I haven’t been able to do that with my girl friends in a really long time and I miss them, this was so much fun! Thanks HH, when’s the next one!?

{June 14, 2015} Sleepover, no training wheels, swim test, bbq

Another crazy, busy day! So what else is new?

The sleepover continued, it really was a fantastic experience, I got a little choked up a few times, don’t tell EJS! We snuggled down in the bed and lights out about 10:30pm, shhh…don’t tell mommy and daddy!

About 5:45am, I realized that I couldn’t move her to her side of the bed anymore, she was all spread out! So, I got up and went to the couch to watch movies and wait for her to get up, which happened about 6:30 when she realized she kicked me out of bed, apologized and fell back asleep! About 7:00 she got up and asked when breakfast was and what time.

We watched a Disney movie, go figure, and paused it about 7:30 to get some breakfast. In the middle of eating, she realized we could bring food back to the room!? Yup! Away we went to finish our breakfast in the room, on the sofa, watching a movie! This is the life!

After the movie, back to the pool for some fun and frolicking, what a great swimmer she is! After a while, back to the room, no hot water for showers, the boiler was busted. Ok, so manis and pedis anyone? You know it!

Eventually, we headed to the house to see MGS riding her bike without training wheels!!! They said it didn’t take long and she was off! So excited! Then EJS went to softball tryouts and I went with GES and MGS for swim lessons. I was invited because I haven’t seen her swim lesson in a while, she was great! Got all her stickers!

Back to the house to hang out and as there was so much bbq left over, neighbors were invited over, PSM showed up on his bike, and a backyard bbq we had. A great time was had by al!

Then it was goodnight kisses and drive back to the hotel to my furry babies who were waiting to greet me. Well, it’s more like they looked up when I walked in the door!

What a great weekend, my sister was so thrilled by the party and today was great…one great time after another! You should join us some time!

{June 13, 2015} What a day! It started with a party, ended with a sleepover!

What a day, what a day, what a day!

I told you that GES turned 40 this past week and it has been a week of celebrations continuing today! Up early, off to Costco to pick up cake, burgers and beer, yesterday was hotdogs and buns.

Back at the house, finish setting up, blocking off the street and getting ready for the throngs of people to arrive and arrive they did. There were over 100 yes responses and if we didn’t have 100 people, I’d be surprised! There were neighbors and friends, young and old, there to celebrate my fabulous sister! Even one of her college roommates was there with her family! So great to see NM, her two daughters and her beau.

AS was in the kitchen cooking up a storm, she made a food truck, without the truck! Everyone was happier than happy! There were crab salad sandwiches, sausages, chicken and so much more! Everything cooked to order! Outside on the grill, ACS was cooking up dogs and burgers, not to mention veggie burgers for the non meat-eaters in the crowd.

Everyone brought something to share as always. We had great salads, both veggie and fruit and some a mix of both, there were desserts and a cake to share, fabulous! After things died down, we read some toasts to GES, I read my blog, it seemed to be a hit, dad was awesome as always, LaLa and ACS and some others, a fabulous tribute to a fabulous woman!

After the shindig, I got in the car, picked up EJS from a softball game she was watching and we headed to Lexington to meet PSM for dinner at a Chinese restaurant, then back to the hotel, into the pool, back to the room for showers and now we’re sitting in bed on our very first sleepover! EJS asked me this morning if she could come and spend the night with me at the hotel! My very first auntie-niece sleepover! I have been waiting for this for a very long time!

The cats are so happy to see her, Jymy is curled up next to her! I’m so excited she wanted a sleepover, I can’t wait for the next one!!! I hope breakfast is good, she’s been asking me about it all night!

What a day, I am going to fall asleep with a smile on my face, I hope you do too!

{June 12, 2015} A birthday dinner celebration

The celebration continues.

Tonight, we went to dinner to celebrate GES’ birthday. It was a tapas place with a Spanish theme and so much to share, the nice thing about tapas is small plates for everyone to share and unless you have too many plates, nice proportions.

Dad and LaLa got in just before we left, JS and AS were at the house when I got there and PSM met us at the restaurant. I had LaLa, GES and EJS in my rental car. The first thing out of EJS’ mouth, just like MGS was “It’s so clean!” Yup.

We had a nice chat on the way to the restaurant, great conversation, good food and lots of fun toasts honoring the woman of the hour, GES. Everyone made fun toasts or had great anecdotes about GES and tomorrow there will be more. The celebration never ends!

Happy Birthday GES!

{June 9, 2015} My BABY sister is 40!!!

What? My baby sister, the little teeny thing I held on the way home from the hospital? Is 40? Oh my!

Yes, my sister is 40 and fabulous and wonderful and amazing and…and…and… Where do I start? Let’s see…in 1975 my mom was pregnant with someone who would turn out to be the best friend I could ever hope for. I always tease her and tell her she’s here because of me. People used to ask what I wanted, a brother or a sister, I wanted a sister, so here she is! You’re welcome!

I hated it when my mom was in the hospital, I just wanted my mommy back, but I knew when she came back things would be different and awesome. June 9, 1975, my mom had my sister and the day we brought her home from the hospital, I got to hold her, in the back seat of the green beetle bug, see my love for beetles is not a new thing!

Ok, so maybe my memories are skewed and I didn’t get to hold her the entire way home on my lap, but that’s what my 3.5 year old brain remembers and that’s how it’s going to stay! We brought this bundle home and I was so excited! I was mommy’s little helper, I wanted to be just like her! There is a picture of me, somewhere, showing my mom nursing my sister and I nursed my baby doll, just like mommy.

She was sooo cute! She had the tiniest little nose, just two little holes in the middle of her face, so cute. That was the only thing that was tiny on her, she was a wonderfully fat baby! Three knees, elbows, chins, gorgeous! As you can see, well, those of you who know her, but trust me, she grew out of that. She grew into this amazing and beautiful young woman before you.

And what an accomplished woman she is. All throughout her life, my sister, GES has excelled at everything she has set her mind to. She was part of a Japanese exchange program in middle school, in college, she studied in England, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. She graduated college with honors, I’m so glad that she wasn’t the older sister, what a standard to live up to!

We were best friends growing up, sometimes we were the only ones to play with. Now, don’t get me wrong, it was not all sunshine and roses, oh no! We had our moments, and many of them included screaming and yelling, two very different things, as you know, fighting, tattling. When we were younger, she had a mouth on her, I didn’t know some of the words she used, so instead of yelling back, I just sat on her, what else does a big sister do?

And then, as we grew even older, yes, we are older than dirt at the moment, especially according to her kids, my nieces, we started to mature, imagine that! And then all of a sudden, one visit, we realized that we went days without a fight, even an entire week. That was unheard of! Does that mean we were growing up?

Were we silly? You bet your sweet bippie we were silly! Did I know how to make her laugh? Absolutely! Sometimes it was with a story or a joke, but sometimes, and I am loathe to admit this, but my nieces want to hear it…with a burp or a fart! Hey, who are you to judge what we thought was funny! And admittedly, some of those things still make us laugh.

When we were growing up, there were things we had that were just the way things are. If she needed a gift wrapped, I did it, sometimes, she would send me the gift and I’d wrap it! I typed her papers until she could type, we shared a love of decorating for our parent’s birthdays at the summer house, getting the Carvel cakes and surprising mommy and daddy. Just like all little sisters, she liked to shop in my closet, doesn’t always work the other way around when your sister is smaller than you! But I can definitely borrow jewelry and that’s just fine with me.

Throughout the years we have laughed, cried, yelled at each other and together and cried together. We have supported each other through some good times and some bad times, let’s face it, there were some sh*t times in the past few years, for both of us, I don’t know what we would have done if we didn’t have each other.

I have watched this person, this pipsqueak, goofball, shadow of mine, grow into an amazing woman. I wasn’t kidding when I said she excels at everything she tries. She has become an amazing cook, a fabulous hostess, I’ve told you about the parties at her house, sometimes for a birthday, sometimes because it’s a Saturday. She has built a loving and welcoming home, everyone knows that they can knock on the door and have a place to sit. The kids across the street know they can come over and make a sandwich if they’re hungry.

She is fiercely loyal, loving, kind, silly, goofy, serious, a role model, someone you can look up to, that’s why she has so many friends that are steadfast, true and loyal to her, no, they are not all puppies, but some of them do have cold noses, but they are good friends.

She is the organizer, the planner, the go getter and ever since we were kids “what’s the evening activity”, hmmm…I wonder where EJS gets that from? Whatever it is, it’s going to be fun and probably educational somewhere along the way. That she got from our mom.

What a role model we had! My sister is such an amazing mom, she channels EMS, that would be our mom, in so many ways. She is an amazing mom, has a way with her kids that cannot be rivaled, only marveled at. She is kind, fair, understanding and firm when she needs to be. She can get down on their level when it’s warranted and rise above as well. She loves everyone else’s kids, she is affectionately known as Auntie G to all the wee tots, except for S&L R’s kids, she is Uncle G and ACS is Auntie A, I can’t wait for those titles to stick when they’re grown!

She is a an amazing wife and friend to my brother-in-law, ACS. They tease and rib each other, but they are steadfast and fierce and a unified front for their kids and there are moments you catch them sharing a tender moment when they think no one is looking. I love being down the hall and hearing them laugh hysterically at something, maybe a joke or a movie they are watching, but whatever it is, it’s great to hear. They support each other and know how lucky they are to have each other. What great role models we had for relationships, in love and dancing around the kitchen together after 30 plus years together.

She is such a fantastic daughter, just ask my dad! I know they love having the chance to talk on the phone, they are both so busy, those times are precious. The things we talk about and worry about and want to do for dad, he is always taken into consideration and included in everything. She has given him the best title anyone could have, Poppa and I think he loves it! He gave us the guidance and influence to know how to play and be silly with kids, an appreciation for opera and ballet and classical music, all of that you can see in my sister.

Have you gotten the idea that she is an amazing sister? Without hesitation, when things ended with DCM, she and ACS opened their home to me and my cats and welcomed me into the folds of their family unit, to have access to my nieces and be a part of the day to day lives. She helped me when I needed to buy work clothes, not having a clue what to get and those are fun times, we get to be silly and have one on one time, which does not happen very often, but it is treasured.

I have been here, in Boston, for my sister’s birthday many, many times, whenever I could get here, because it is so important that I see and hug my sister on her birthday and this year was no different and even more special. We have so very much to celebrate, in so many ways and this year…since I am working in Boston, I got to surprise her yet again, by just showing up after work at the front door, just in time to help put the girls to bed and just be able to hug and kiss her and wish her a happy birthday in person.

I welcomed her into the world in 1975, with hugs and kisses and smiles. Tonight, 40 years later, I got to hug and kiss and smile with my sister, hug her in person and wish her a very happy birthday.

So, in conclusion….my sister, GES, is fabulous and awesome and funny and sweet and wonderful and I know I will think of more that I want to tell you after I end this. Think this might be a bit much for a toast at her big birthday bash?

Happy 40th Birthday GES, my baby sister, I LOVE YOU!!!

{June 8, 2015} I am SO flattered

I am flattered beyond words!

You know how appreciative I am that you read my blog, some of you every day! Now, some times I get comments and I’ve been told I inspire people to do things.

Last night, I found out I inspired a friend of mine from high school to start her own blog! I am blown away, that is so awesome! I am not going to share her blog because it’s something she is writing privately, but I hope you stumble upon it!

I started reading it and it’s fabulous! it’s funny and sassy and smart and sarcastic, it’s exactly like she is! Kudos to her and I hope she keeps it up and rocks on!

Thank you!

{June 4, 2015} What makes you smile?

Everyone smiles for different reasons.

Sometimes it’s something silly, a joke, a picture, a puppy, a kitten, a fuzzy animal, a blue sky, the sun after a rainy, cloudy, cold day.It’s the first moment you see the sand and smell the ocean.

It’s the first time you see your new child, grandchild, friend’s child, grandparent, your parents after a long time away from home, your baby sister, your big brother.

For my friend MM, it’s his tarantulas and his rifle collection, for SDL, it’s watching Miss A excel at something new or a snuggle, for CKM, it’s time with her mom, for KWH it’s baby J. I have so many friends with so many joys and reasons to smile. For my sister, it’s her family, for my dad, it’s all of us, for LaLa, it’s her grandkids, for TS, it’s her daughter, for PSM, it’s his puppy and his motorcycle and, if I may be so bold, me.

For me, there are so many things that make me smile, the list is too grand to mention! But if asked, it’s my sister and her family, dad, LaLa, my furry babies and all of my nieces and nephews, both related through family and “borrowed’, my grandbabies, oh so much more. There is one other special thing. Tonight, someone saw my face after PSM left the hotel after we had dinner and she said “He makes you smile”. Now you know…

Everyone smiles for different reasons. What’s yours?

{June 2, 2015} Dinner date

Tonight I got to do something I haven’t done in a few weeks.

I had dinner with PM, just the two of us. I have joked in the past that I’ve had work husbands, well, PM is definitely one of them! And the one I seem to have had the longest! We have now been on 4 projects together! We were beginning to wonder if we were a package deal!

Now, for those of you “not in the know”…a work husband or work wife, is a man or woman you work with who you are close with, maybe you travel together, but you work closely and really well together and look out for each other. PM and I clicked when we were in Kentucky, we went to dinner almost every night, always looking for new and fun places to go.

We talk over dinner and throughout the day, checking in to see what we want to eat for dinner, taking turns driving and paying for dinner. It’s great to get out of the office and not talk about work, well not talk about work much, enjoy good food and good company.

Since we started on this project, before tonight, there was only one night we went to dinner just the two of us and I have to tell you, I had a great time! I didn’t realize how much I missed it until we went to dinner.

We went out for a very nice Indian meal and the great thing is that I can trust him to tell me when things are going to be spicy and he’s always concerned that I will be able to find things to eat, it’s a nice feeling. Oh, and he always looks to me because he wants to eat something healthy!

Here’s to dinner with friends and co-workers and work spouses!

And good food!

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