Baby Beach Bum

Doesn't this picture just beg for a blog? Logan is so relaxed--not asleep, but chillin' and enjoying being wheeled around. Life is great for him. His every need is being cared for by loving parents, and occasionally, by doting grandparents and aunts and uncles.

I started to think about the times in my life when I have been this relaxed. What about you? What relaxes you?

For me, laying on the beach on a perfect day--not too hot, not too cold--a breeze blowing, the sound of sea gulls and kids laughing and playng (not mine so I don't have to care what they are doing) in the distance, the sound of the surf lapping at the shore. That will do it for me.

Sometimes I can get like that with meditation, but not always. And usually when I am picturing myself at the beach (see above paragraph).

I have felt like that sitting around with friends laughing and talking nonsense--camping, at home, at an outing. Just forgetting the problems of the world for a short period of time and living in the moment. Jimmy Buffett has a song called I Love the Now which describes being in the moment--not worried about the past or the future. We should all try to do that more often.

Sitting on a rock by a mountain stream hypnotized by the flow of the current and the quiet sounds of the forest around me. The cool air and the woodsy smells add to the charm.

So what makes you this peaceful? Another of my grandsons, Benton, was being pushed in a stroller and was also loving it. I told him it was his turn to push me and he looked shocked and that he couldn't do that. I said that he could because he was now 3 and a big boy. He thought for a minute and then told me, "Mema, I am still a little big boy." He wins.

Parrotheads on Parade

Where is the only place in the world where you can see sights like these?

Where can you sing Rocky Top, spin a Hula Hoop, and get a cold Tequila shot while standing in the same spot? Isn't my daughter in law cute doing the hula hoop?? The handsome gentleman behind her is my Monty.

Last week we loaded the decorated vehicles with food, grills, various adult beverages, soft drinks, and our iPods. We then made the annual pilgrimmage to dance at the feet of the King of Caribbean Soul.

It was a very hot day and we even carried enough water with us to fill a small wading pool--thank God! If you see the picture of the wading pool and see milk jugs in it, well there is a story to that. I decided the pool water should be cold so I filled some jugs with water and froze them. But when we got there, no one had a knife to cut off the plastic--so I just stuck the whole thing in the water. It was cold--and healthy!!

We had margaritas and Cheeseburgers in Paradise--not that I really think the parking of the amphitheater is paradise. Just go with it...! We had cold watermelon and lots of water to drink.

Grass skirts were not in short supply, nor were Hawaiian style shirts or leis. Laughing and joking with all kinds of people we did not know in the parking lot is always a blast and this year held true to form.

Why is this in a parenting blog? Every year whichever of my kids are available and I go to the Jimmy Buffett concert. I started when they were in middle school--but back then they only went for the concert, not the tailgate. Happily when I married Monty, he enjoyed it as much as the rest of us. It is more special that he can share the festivities.

When my kids got into high school, they started inviting their friends who invited their parents...!! Who would have thought that?? I remember one year when we had 40 people--all kids and their parents at the show together.

So we have kids and parents having a great time together. We laugh and sing and dance and act silly. We wrap our arms around each other in the evening and sing along with Buffett, swaying to the rhythm of the music.

It is a bonding time; a time when you just enjoy being together. Thoughts drift to my kids who could not be with us for this show, and somehow we are all connected. Memories of earlier shows when they joined us fill my head and my heart sees them.