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“Gingers got no souls.”

What?????  Images of Gilligan, Marianne and Ginger immediately filled my brain.

“When you dropped me off at soccer, the boys on the team asked if you were my mom.  I said, ‘yeah.’ Then they said, ‘Gingers got no souls.’”

Aside from the atrocious grammar, I was dumbfounded that this is what 13-year old boys would say about another kids’ mom.  Stammering for something to say to my son in (my?) defense, he chimed in, “Don’t worry, mom, I told them it was not your real hair color.”

“What????”  I was momentarily aghast, then I immediately broke out laughing, realizing that my teenage son had defended my soul.

“Custom Handbags with Beauty and a Soul.” – Lucy Grey

Have you ever thought that the only way you will ever find the perfect handbag would be to design it yourself?  Now you can at lucygrey.com.  Choose your bag design, fabrics, and strap options. I chose the Saugatuck with couture fabrics and an extra long strap so it can be worn as a messenger bag.  You can buy online or host an event – a purse party.  Party on!

2. Jet skiing in the ocean is both an upper and lower body work out. Especially when you ride with two kids who are clinging to you for dear life while screaming, “Faster! Go Faster!” even though you have hit 57 mph and are barely hanging on yourself!

3.  You are never too old to try something new – especially on vacation.

Recently, my teenage son spent a few days with my parents. Upon returning him to me safe and sound, my mother had also gone through her extensive library of books and pulled together a selection she thought might be helpful. What you must know is that my mother loves books and does not “get rid” of them after reading them or let go of them lightly. Having not thought of this fact in years (since helping her clear out the magazine collection dating back to 1960), I was once again gifted with this knowledge as I howled with delight at the unique selections she bequeathed upon me to deal with my boys. Now. In the year 2010. Following is a selection of my favorites:

Hi There, High School! by Gay Head (seriously). @1953. With chapter titles like “Come and Get It” and “Heads – You Win,” this little gem alone has provided for hours of amusement – among the adults only, mind you, anything else would be bad parenting.

How to Live With Your Teenager by Peter H. Buntman and Eleanor M. Saris, ©1979, states 31 years ago what every parent I know proclaims today: “Never before has it been harder to be a teenager. It’s harder still today to be the parents of a teenager.” I can’t help but ride my high horse on this one and wonder how it could possibly have been hard in 1979 as compare to now. But then again, I suppose everyone in the “now” thinks their situation is harder/different/unique/more difficult – making the “now” irrelevant. In reality, there are probably more similarities than differences, regardless of when “now” is. So, I dismount to join the conversation.

And, not that it has anything to do with parenting, per se, but the TWA Flying Library book (OMG, does anyone else remember those? And the free playing cards/pins/activity books/pillows they used to give kids on airplanes?) Jump Ball by Oscar Robertson, ©1972, brings up a few key points that resonated…”…To play a winning game you should have it (confidence) in great abundance. And you will, if you believe in yourself. Your confidence will grow as your skills grow. You’ll feel it happening.” Lord knows I have developed parenting skills over the last 14 years. And if I were to start all over again with what I know now, that baby would probably have a different up bringing. But, honestly speaking, the basis of my beliefs and morals that I have tried to instill in my kids so that one day I can release them out into the wild as good human beings, probably would have dominated any ancillary changes I made with that new knowledge.

Perhaps the best advice I read for raising kids is again by Oscar Robertson, and although he may be talking about basketball, no one is ever really just talking about one thing, are they?

“The only rule is to avoid using any fake twice which didn’t work the first time.”