Cowgirl Monday

I couldn't blog about the New York cowboy without letting you know he has a sister who is a little cowgirl as well.  She gives the little cowboy's a run for their money when she needs to but she's all "girly girl" and that's close enough to perfect for me!

I love to the see the little cowgirl when she travels down to Kansas to see her Nonnie & Papa.  Since New York is so far away and we only get to see them a few times a year the telephone has to give me my girl fix.  Saturday evening did just that as the little cowgirl had me in stitches.

The phone rang Saturday evening and it was the New York cowboy calling to give the Kansas cowboy the opening day deer season report from New York.  It seems that there were no deer to be seen (in the backyard) but all in all it was a pretty productive first day of deer season.  When asked what his favorite part of opening day deer season was the New York cowboy replied, "I guess just sitting there waiting on a deer!"

Since the Kansas cowboy wasn't home the New York cowboy handed the phone to his little sister who is the light of my life.  She has so much exuberance in her voice that you can feel her wiggling with excitement when she talks to you on the phone.  She had just put her PJ's on and was fresh from the bath with "good smelly lotion" as she calls it, that her Nonnie got for her at the Mall.  She told me she had pink lotion, blue lotion, and some purple lotion that smelled like flowers that she had chosen for tonight.  We both love Bath & Body so we had quite the conversation about our favorite scents. 

The little cowgirl went on to say that she not only looooooooovvvved Bath & Body good smelly lotions but that she loved Strawberries that were red all the way through, bananas, and sweet pickles which she had enjoyed on her ham shamwhish (sandwich) from this evening.  "What are you having for supper, she asked"?  I said the boys were getting tater tot casserole and homemade bread.  Excitedly she stated that she also LOVED homemade bread with butter and she told her mom when she was in Kansas next I would make her some so she could eat it at Nonnie's house.  She then went on to say, "You know what I really love ~

I really love my Nonnie"!

We then went on to discuss the little cowgirl's travels to Old McDonald's Farm on her field trip for school this past Friday.  She went on a tour of the Farm seeing all of the animals and got to visit the pumpkin patch.  She saw cow's, goat's and she actually got to pet the goat, and then she whispered in a very low voice, and I even think I saw Reindeer!  Her mom verified that there were actually Reindeer at this farm so the little cowgirl was correct.

We ended our conversation with a promise to talk tomorrow night as the Kansas cowboy will be calling to give his farm report of planting wheat with his dad.

After I hung up the phone I thought about my conversation with the little cowgirl.  I thought about her excitement about her travels and exploration of Old McDonald's Farm.  I thought about how she enjoyed smelly lotions and the joy it brought to her and I then decided that I had forgotten how much I love to soak in a tub filled with bubbles and how much I love good smelly bath lotion.

Today's post is about doing something indulgent that doesn't involve food.  So many times we use food as celebration.  Think about it . . . . We have a birthday meal, a congratulation meal, a get together with friends involves a meal, and as an Italian family we have a

MEAL BEFORE A MEAL.  Let me explain.

The hubby's first exposure to the loud Italian family was at my parents home at a holiday celebration.  Our family tradition is to have lots of our favorite snack items, appetizers, & dips out for everyone to munch on.  As tradition all of our family arrives to my parents house around 11 a.m. and we usually eat the true meal around 12:30 p.m.  The hubby hits the door and sees the smorgasbord of food and of course mom says, "fix a plate" and he does.  Actually he fixes several plates.  Then promptly at 12:30 p.m. mom brings out the ham, potatoes, ravioli, bread, and all the fixin's for the dinner.  The hubby eats very little of that and on the ride home I asked him if he didn't like ham and he said,
"I didn't know we were having a meal before a meal or else I
 wouldn't have eaten so much"!

This week I want your focus to be on celebrating but not with food.  Celebrate by talking to a friend you haven't visited with for a while, celebrate by getting a new smelly good lotion, or by spending some time playing a fun game, or going for a walk
or bike ride to enjoy the beautiful fall colors.