The Nudist on the Stairwell

Tonight was quite the night for the Nee Nees.

As you may know, I babysit for the Nee Nees- three kids that can be a handful, but always an entertainment. There was an event held at the house with caterers, a large amount of important adults, and a nice sound system.  The kids were even more energetic than usual because of all the excitement.

When they were eating dinner in the kitchen, I gave the three of them orange cream soda to keep them occupied while I went scavenging for anything they may eat from the large amounts of food in the other rooms. As I was piling on little pigs-in-a-blanket, and large amounts of cheese (there was no way the kids would eat any of the other foods) I got curious glances at the dressed up adults who were digging into the shrimp. Who was this random girl dressed like a sweaty hobo stacking her plate with a bunch of covered sausages and cheese cubes?

While eating, several of the guests came into the kitchen to get a good look at the house. The Nee Nees are blessed with a beautiful home and it is hard not to roam around and explore. The Nee Nee children, being the social squirts that they are, made sure to tell each and every person who came in that they were drinking orange cream soda, and insisted to demonstrate how loud they can burp from it. Most of the spectators laughed or said something lame like, "Wow, excuse you!" with a joking tone. There was one snooty woman in particular though, that after a unhelpful comment from her part, scowled at me before she left the room. I turn to Smarty and instead of getting mad or embarrassed, I kiss him right on the top of his head.

Me: "Great burp Smarty! I think that was your best one yet." He gives me a big open smile and I can see the orange fizz in his mouth.

Once it was time for bed the kids were going bonkers. Sissy was in the family room upstairs away from everyone trying to do her math homework while I was trying to get her little brothers tucked in for the night. Smiley rips off his diaper immediately and swings it in big circles before throwing it high into the air. Thank the Lord I have good reflexes and dodged that thing before it landed right in front of me.

Here was my situation. Smiley was running around their room without any clothes on and I noticed he grabbed a large beaded necklace that the family got in summer vacation over seas. He puts it on his neck and the necklace goes past his belly button. As he was racing in circles, I was trying to get Smarty's shirt off over his head so we can put his PJ's on.

Then, I heard the crowd of people downstairs much more clear than I had a moment ago. I had shut the door when the boys and I first came into their bedroom, and it was definitely not this loud sounding. I glanced over quickly to the boy's bedroom door and to my despair, see that the door is wide open and Smiley is no longer in the room.

This means that Smiley is butt naked somewhere in the large house and there are guests downstairs that can potentially see him. I will tolerate orange cream soda burps on occasion...but I will not tolerate naked three year olds posing for a Morocco necklace to a group of important adults.

I sprint out the room and ahead I see Smiley on the top of the ornate stairwell that leads down to the front door of the entire house. The guests by now had gathered in the foyer downstairs by this very door and the dining room nearby. Basically, if anyone does anything as to glance up, they will see Smiley, stark naked on the Stairwell. I cautiously move toward him as if he were a ticking time bomb.


Scene of the crime...

Me: "Smiley, please come over here. Let's go pick out a book to read."

It doesn't work though.Smiley just gives me a mischievous smile and looks down below at all the guests downstairs. By this time Smarty is right behind me on the floor laughing at how funny his brother looks, and this only encourages Smiley further ,who had unfortunately begun to dance. I saw him inching down the first step.

I knew there was no way I could get Smiley by persuasion before he would run down the stairs and greet the crowd. I had to act fast.  I literally charged at Smiley, scooped him up, and ran back to the safety of his room. Smarty followed and closed the door like the smart little guy he is. Inside, we all tumbled to the floor-me mainly because I was out of breath- Smarty and Smiley were laughing hysterically.

I couldn't help it. I just laughed right along with them. The absurdity of the entire situation was so funny, and the fact that little naked baby caused all of this, made it that much more ridiculous to me.

After the boys were tucked in, read a story, and given their kisses goodnight, I spent a good deal of time with Sissy on her math homework. She was "slap happy" as we call it, so it was a tedious process for her to do all 24 of her problems, but she eventually got through it all.

Although it may seem ironic, the Nee Nee children help keep me sane. Even those nights that there is a nudist on the stairwell.

Until Next Time,

Snoodle Doodle Jr.

The Big Ol' Heart of Football

I grew up in a state where football is up on the scale next to God and the Republican Party. Papa Doodle was a high school football and baseball coach when I was a little girl, so I have vivid memories of being dragged to a practice or games occasionally.Up until the age of about 12 we only had one TV in the entire house, and it was just a well known fact in the Doodle household that Papa had the TV on Sundays, Monday Nights, and sometimes Thursdays.

You would think that being surrounded by football, I would love the sport and be knowledgeable in it.. The honest truth is that I'm really not at all. Now, I probably know more than the average American female, but coming from the state that I am, and the Papa who raised me, I don't know diddly squat. The thing is, those days when Papa Doodle had the TV I was bitter we had to listen to the obnoxious commentators and the roar of the fans, instead of my precious cartoons. Football was inevitably around me always. When we would visit Meme and Papaw Doodle, you can guarantee you'd hear a "How bout them Cowboys?" coming from one of my uncles. If anything, being surrounded so much by the sport made me want to avoid it all together.

Fortunately for my football IQ, it was almost a social expectation to attend the high school football games that were at my town's stadium- our prized possession. Through middle school and high school I would have been spotted on a Friday night among the crowd of the town, and I grew to enjoy the sport more during these times because I understood the game more and I was hanging out with all my friends. There even came a few instances where I would watch college games with Papa Doodle on our TV, and when I would make a comment or even mention a name, Papa Doodle unglued his eyes from the screen for a moment to give me a small surprised looked.

So these days I've had Koto on my hands, and he is on top of NFL, and apart of a fantasy football league with his friends like many other guys this time of year. One thing I like about Koto is he is the type of person that wants you to learn and know as much as possible. He doesn't even realize it but he loves to express his knowledge (and not in a boastful way whatsoever) just for the fact that everyone around him will know it as well. That being said, Koto has been giving me a crash course on the National Football League, and I am proud to say I am doing pretty well in it so far. I find myself looking forward to the outcome of games, or following the teams I like.

This upcoming weekend I'm excited for my Texans against the Saints, and I am interested to see how Romo plays against those Redskins. For the first time, I feel apart of this League and I can really appreciate all the work and energy that goes into it from all sides. From the players, to the coaches, the media, and the adoring fans, there is such love and devotion to this sport. I kind of wish that I came to this realization when I was living back home, where there is such support system for it.

There is something so beautiful about an enormous amount of people who have this devotion to a sport. And, yeah, they may not think it is as pretty as I do, but maybe deep down, all of the football lovers know how special this community really is.

Until Next Time,

Snoodle Doodle Jr.

Movin' On

Sometimes I think we all need a little push to move on. At this very moment I don't feel any support in any way whatsoever. Don't you hate that when you don't need anyone or anything it's all there right in front of you, but when you need it most you feel completely alone. I write this as a symbol of my time of confusion and frustration, my will to move forward, and my hope that everything is just going to work out in the end.

I believe that we don't always have to explain everything. Things can actually be expressed with few words. So today, I just want all to know I'm only going to be stronger for moving on this way.

Just writing that down was the push I needed.

Until next time,

Snoodle Doodle Jr.

Give it up to God

Today my favorite watch broke.

Well, actually it's my only watch (was) and it isn't even that nice. I got it for $15 at Target one day last year and wear it all the time. (wore)  I took it off when I went to go workout today and accidentally dropped it on the tile floor and it just broke. Just like that, my beautiful watch that I wore faithfully broke. I find myself glancing at my bare wrist and feel embarrassed for it because it is so naked now.

I was still bitter on my walk home from the gym when I thought about something Mama Doodle taught me. She said everything you have-it can be a physical item, a friendship, or a trait you have yourself- you "give it up" to God.

I learned this lesson one morning when I dropped Mama Doodle's favorite sugar bowl when I was trying to put sugar in my coffee. The small bowl matched perfectly with our grape themed kitchen and I knew how much she liked it. I was scared she would get on to me but I knew I had to be honest. So when she came into the kitchen a few minutes later I told her the truth.

Me: "Mama Doodle I accidentally broke your favorite sugar bowl! I'm so so so so sorry! I'll do the dishes for a week!"

To my surprise she just laughed.

Mama Doodle: "That's okay honey it's not a big deal."

But it was a big deal. She talked about that sugar bowl all the time and I remember how happy she was when she found it at Kholes one day.

Me: "Are you sure?"

Mama Doodle: "Yes, but if you want to do the dishes then by all means go right on ahead."

She then went on to explain that everything she gets, she gives it up to God. That way it's His and she doesn't have to worry about it anymore. She said that she doesn't want to be attached to materialistic things or be too worried about what she looks like all the time. So everything she once had now belongs to God. I thought this was pretty impressive because quite honestly I am very possessive of my food and books, and I have trouble imagining giving those up to anyone.

Mama Doodle: "What's something physical that you like about yourself?"

I hate questions like these even if it is only Mama Doodle.

Me: "I guess I like my hair." (at the time my hair was frizz free ringlet curly and not the uncontrolled mess that it is today)

Mama Doodle: "Well give it up to God then. That way if it gets taken away from you, you won't be as upset about it."

This was not only way over my head, but it almost brought me to tears thinking of someone cutting off my hair or something crazy like that.

Eventually I did grasp the concept of giving things up to God and it made me a happier and more care free person. Sometimes I forget to give things up to Him, and maybe that's why my watch broke today- to remind me to be less attached to materialistic items like a $15 watch and more focused on Him.

Or maybe it was just His way of saying it's time for a more sophisticated looking watch.



Until next time,

Snoodle Doodle Jr.

Bestie

Bestie and I met in the fourth grade during swim practice. It was the local club swim team and Bestie had been on the team for a few years prior, so she was a good swimmer already. I wasn't quite on her caliber at the time so I was in a few lanes over. After a few weeks though I was forced to move into my own age group and that was when Bestie and I became lane buddies. Little did I know, we would be lane buddies for the next eight years.

That January she invited me to her birthday party, and we became inseparable from then on.  Bestie and I truly compliment one another. With out the other we are not nearly as bold and daring. In high school we would always go on "adventures" at random times, whether it be leaving school during our lunch hour, skipping class, skipping practice, or just after school.

Exhibit A...

I will admit Bestie and I would sometimes be bad influences on one another. Bestie has a huge issue with authority, and has no shame in admitting it. She will make it very clear to any authority figure who she thinks is an idiot is, well,... an idiot.There was constant back talking with our swimming and/or waterpolo coaches through the years if she thought something was dumb or that she didn't want to do it. You'd think I would tell her something like "hey bestie, maybe we should be respectful to our elders." or some other cheesy heartfelt message that you would find on Full House. But no. Snoodle Doodle Jr. always encouraged her. In fact, I would get in trouble myself from time to time. We were a tag team- always egging the other to keep on fighting.

In our defense, we have encountered many crazy people. We had a high school coach who was an easy target to make fun of because he would make the most ridiculous comments or say extremely absurd things.

For instance, one day Bestie was late to morning practice so the entire boys and girls team had to go outside for a run and other workouts. One exercise we did was where you hold your feet six inches off the ground to work your abs. There were tons of mosquitoes out there that morning and we had them all over us, but we couldn't swat them away without Crazy Coach yelling at us.

Crazy Coach: "Awe what's the matter? Are those mosquitoes?"
(He was obviously being sarcastic and facetious and I wanted to round house kick him in the face)
Crazy Coach: "Well just don't breathe! They only want your blood!"

Don't breathe? What is that supposed to even mean? With a comment as weird as that one half the team dropped their legs and just started laughing. This of course made him even more upset but we didn't care. That small laugh was worth it.

Bestie and I are on opposite ends of the U.S. now going to school and playing waterpolo, and maybe Crazy Coach was a blessing in disguise. I have complete confidence that I will never encounter a coach that was as insane or made us do so many push-ups. Refer to story below...

One time Crazy Coach told  Bestie, a few others, and I to do 25,000 push ups before...and I swear he was completely serious. We in turn were very serious indeed. Every time he came to check on us to make sure we were doing them we'd say some random number like, "18,674....18,675....18,676..." It was a complete joke to us. 

Please do not think that Bestie and I did not work hard. Because we did. In fact by the time Bestie and I were senior captains our team had won state championships three years in a row. We just had an odd way of going about things sometimes.

Please also do not think that Bestie and I were always happy go lucky with one another. Boy, did we know how to push each others buttons.To be completely honest, I don't think after what we both have been through, most people would still be friends with one another.

But here we are now and my life wouldn't be the same without her.

Until next time,

Snoodle Doodle Jr.

Remembering 9/11

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oOW-1OwtCA&feature=related

On September 11, 2001 I was in my fourth grade P.E class when kids were beginning to be called to go home. One after another kids began to filter out, and by the time all our four square games were done almost ten kids had gone home. I vividly remember joking with my friends that there was a secret party going on that we weren't invited to.

As I found out a few hours later, there was no party. In fact, it was quite opposite. An awful series of events occurred leading to a heart wrenching disaster.  

Since this upcoming Sunday is the ten year anniversary of 9/11, there has probably been a lot of reminiscing going on. There is just so much to think about and remember. All the lives that were taken, and the effects of families and loved ones. We also think about our own personal memories of the time of the attacks. Then there are the thoughts that go into how something so tragic could happen to America and the situation she is in now after ten years.

The next week in class after the attacks, the whole fourth grade was given a pretty piece of paper that we were to record our personal stories and thoughts about 9/11.  I remember the teachers took it very seriously and had us perfect the writing. We put all our stories into a time capsule that the teachers buried on the school grounds. I don’t remember when it is supposed to be opened but I do remember what I wrote.

In my writing I gave some details of the kids leaving early, the teachers telling us the news, and my own parents who eventually sat with me that night to go into further explanation. Even though I was young when 9/11 happened, and I did not know much about terrorism and politics, I remember in my paper I wrote that America needs to come together as one country after this.

There will always be war, famine, and disaster in the world. The important thing is how countries overcome the chaos, and I believe that being united as a country will make things easier.

I don’t even know how to comprehend all that America has gone through the past ten years…but I do know that I take pride in my country and will always remember that day.

Until next time,


Snoodle Doodle Jr.

Irene Blows Over

Hurricane Irene, like any natural disaster, is an awful thing. Lives were lost, houses were damaged, and property was flooded.

The thing that gets me though, is when these hurricanes are given so much hype. I am currently in The Empire State and the media went nuts with the news of Irene. People were told to evacuate their homes and to prepare for the incoming hurricane. When a roommate of mine went to a nearby grocery store just to get some bread and a few other items, she said there were no more water bottles at the store because they were all sold out.

Anticipating Irene reminded me of my experiences with hurricanes down south. The Doodle family has evacuated a few times, Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita being the two that stand out the most.

For Hurricane Rita in 2005, the media implied on more than one occasion that we would come back and not see our house. The Doodle family packed up in our old mini van with the dogs, cats, and our prized possessions. Mama and Papa Doodle didn't bring much while Big Doodle, Little Doodle, and I brought our books and video games.

Probably not the best experiences of my life let me just tell you. Luckily though, when we came back home, our house did not have much damage. The fence had blown over, a few shingles were missing, the electricity was out for a day or so, and there was debris scattered everywhere.

Why did the media put so much urgency into this hurricane? I do understand the issue of precaution. With natural disasters such as hurricanes you just never know what can happen so it is always better to be safe then sorry. I get that, I really do.

But my concern is that media and businesses take advantage of the anxious society. Grocery stores probably jumped for joy when rumors of Hurricane Irene were amidst. Gas stations were full of customers waiting to get their tanks filled. I remember the issue of price gauging with Hurricane Charlie in 2004. Even the media will try to get there fair share of updates on the Hurricanes whether it be actually useful to viewers or not. (Smart on their part) Just all of these possibilities in the financial standpoint can be frustrating.


This past weekend my roommates and I had a house party during Irene. It just felt like a windy rain storm honestly. The next morning this was the only damage.

The next day people were joking about how big of a deal they tried to make this and by the day after that, there was no talk at all.

I should be grateful that I am able to laugh about this because others had devastating experiences.


But then I think back on the Doodle Family stuffed in that ugly mini van back in 2005, with the smell of wet dogs and the Doodle kids constantly bickering about who saw the out of state license plate first...

I just can't help but to chuckle a bit.


Until next time,

Snoodle Doodle Jr.