Athena barked early yesterday morning, and somewhere in the dark recesses of my sleeping brain, I heard it! Then I promptly forgot about it and continued my dream about scaling life-sized Lego skyscrapers. Then I heard Cassidy, or what I thought was Cassidy, whispering “Downstairs, downstairs!” I was confused and turned around in bed to find myself face to face with DES!
Of course I took a photo! I reached for my phone under the pillow oh so fast it made my head spin. I wasn’t in time to take a photo of his stuffed lambie blanket stretched across his face. Drat. There’s always an interesting way to wake up in this house. Dog barks loudly for no reason. Loud dog barking wakes up boy who wakes up father who brings boy upstairs into king-sized bed, all unbeknownst to the sleepy mother – who is still dreaming her Lego-sized dreams. She’s dreaming her dreams.
Then I woke up to a nearly Lego-ized existence, as we have to get ready for the kids’ Lego-themed birthday party. I brought Des downstairs, fed him, fed the dog, fed the cat and scooped some litter too. I let Scarlet sleep and I listened to Cassidy talk about the broken or maybe not broken central air-conditioning and then he got ready to leave and I promptly burst into tears. It’s day one of summer vacation. My life is changing for the time being, and I’m excited and scared, and there’s this Lego-sized party to pull off, and Cassidy is going away for four nights soon and I felt so overwhelmed that I cried on his shoulder. Then I wiped away the tears, retrieved Scarlet, did major errands with major kid-whining, went off to a long real estate job (was FUN), came home, put down my camera, sang a little ditty about Jack and Diane, and came up here to write this.
The tears felt great, by the way. There’s something so right with feeling the feelings. It made me think of the movie Inside Out, which I still haven’t seen. I can’t wait to treat myself to a solo nighttime movie next week, after some of this craziness has been washed away. I like to think of sadness as a partner to joy, and not an arch-nemesis. I like to know it’s ok to be happy and sad at the same time – about everything turning with every season and every reason. Speaking of which, Scarlet has agreed to be interviewed for today’s Ask Away Friday. Isn’t this photo (below) from school fantastic/hilarious?
I saw this wonderful interview on Kenya’s blog – link HERE – in which her son, Christopher – age 10 – answered questions about her. I had my own fun using this with my very willing five-year-old, who does everything on her own time, in her own way.
#AskAwayFriday was created by the amazing Penny from Real Housewife of Caroline County and Amber from Bold Fit Mom, as a way to connect with other bloggers with a great Q & A session of 10 questions and 10 answers, between two bloggers! This is a wonderful opportunity to get to know others while allowing others to get to know you and of course there is also the added bonus of making great friends along the way which is one of the best parts of this online world! Ask me if you want to swap!
Tiffany from Mrs. Tee Love Life Laughter,
Christy from Uplifting Families,
Stacey from This Momma’s Ramblings
and
Echo from The Mad Mommy
1. What is something mom always says to you?
“I love you!” “You’re a goozle berry.”
2. What makes mom happy?
Let me think. When I do this thing where I say, “I can’t leave you!” and I won’t let go of hugging her. She’s also happy when I clean up my room.
3. What makes mom sad?
When Dada comes home late.
4. How does your mom make you laugh?
She calls me and Des “Gush Gush Girl” and “Gush Gush Boy.” And “Goozle Berry!”
5. What was your mom like as a child?
I don’t know! What a question.
6. How old is your mom?
33.
7. How tall is your mom?
I’d say 100 inches.
8. What is her favorite thing to do?
Being a photographer. Being a mom. Being a writer.
9. What does your mom do when you’re not around?
She does work on her computer and sometimes goes to photo shoots.
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
Taking the BEST pictures in the world!
11. What is your mom really good at?
Photography. Didn’t I answer that 100 times already?
12. What is your mom not very good at?
Driving those cars at Six Flags! She was so bad at that! It was fun, though.
13. What does your mom do for a job?
Writer. Mama. Photographer. Chocolate Eater. Put that in too. Did you put that in??
14. What is your mom’s favorite food?
Chocolate. (giggles)
15. What makes you proud of your mom?
Being a mama. A great mama. The best. And I really like her dresses. I do. A lot.
16. If your mom were a character, who would she be?
The Queen from Sleeping Beauty.
17. What do you and your mom do together?
Go on dates to see movies and go out to breakfast, lunch and dinner.
18. How are you and your mom the same?
Our eyes. They’re hazel. Our teeth are the same whiteness.
19. How are you and your mom different?
She has black hair and I have brown hair. She wears dresses every day and I don’t. I like to go on scary rides and she doesn’t.
20. How do you know your mom loves you?
Because she kisses me and hugs me and says she loves me. Every day.
21. Where is your mom’s favorite place to go?
The cookie store.
22. How old was your Mom when you were born?
I do not know. No guess. Ok.. 23!
Be sure to check out our Facebook page “AskAwayFriday” for a great place to meet up and send out a #BuddyRequest if you need a partner to swap with or to just talk about anything #AskAwayFriday!
Would you like to join in on the #AskAwayFriday fun as a co-host? Click on the link below and fill out the form!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1UhIFHDZT8-hFtNjHU7v5HHqM1N9JWq7eSd_5aO_MOdY/viewform
By adding your email to this link up, you will be added to email correspondence that may be sent by one of our hosts, you may opt out at any time.
Hosts reserve the right to remove any links that do not pertain to the #AskAwayFriday theme.
Awwww – that is too, cute. Scarlet & and you – together, you are just too much cuteness 🙂 And Scarlet has got one thing (well, actually a lot more than one thing) right – you’re a great photographer!
Thank you for the smiles this Thursday evening 🙂
Aw, thank you! She totally made my day with that. I put these out verbatim.
Glad they brought smiles! They did for me too.
Aw my heart, miss you all! Can you imagine if you were 23 when you had her!?
ha, no! She’d be 11 now. Well, Dion’s daughter just graduated high school! Craziness.
I love that you dream in Lego. That pic is hilarious. Your daughter is brilliant. I’m still not caught up…but going backwards again.
That’s kind of like a dream in Lego – going backwards. I like it. I have one tonight, in fact!
Aw, perfect answers, especially how old you were when you had her 😉
ha! Right? You and my sister caught that really fast. She’d be 11 by now! And probably full of attitude..
What an amazing Q & A! I might even consider stealing this to do mine…if you don’t mind! 🙂 I always loved waking up and seeing the bright and beautiful faces of the kids. That pic of Scarlet with the ice cream, so awesome! Hope you have an amazing weekend, my friend!
I don’t mind at all! I’m so glad you did it.
The ice cream photo was from the Harry Potter part of Universal Studios. She’s crying a bit in the photo, which makes me feel badly, because the dragon on top of Gringott’s had just roared and startled her!
The Queen from Sleeping beauty!? oh, that’s good! I think as long as my kids didn’t say Ursula the sea witch we could still get along. Happy day 1 of summer vacation. I hope that ac gets fixed before your summer break is over, or maybe it wouldn’t matter anymore at that point. Good luck on that LEGO party!
ha!! Ursula. Yeah, I wouldn’t live that down either.
Day 3 of summer vacation here! The AC is a non-factor because it’s.. 63 and rainy. In June. Can you imagine??
I enjoyed Christopher and Scarlet’s prompt, very honest and funny answers. Kenya’s “I love you to pieces” and your nicknames for Scarlet and Des are words and names the both of you will always remember. “Little Eddie” and “church mouse” were my nicknames. I liked being called both. I feel the way you do Tamara about the happy and sad coexistance, and that it’s okay to feel both at the same time. You say this so well: “There’s something so right with feeling the feelings.” I think there’s something so right about dreaming your dreams too.
Little Eddie and Church Mouse! Those sound so endearing. My nicknames were “NuNu”, “Tammy” and “Boogernose” by my Aunt. Nice, right?
Something so right for sure. xoxo.
I am so loving this today. Those are fantastic answers by Scarlet and I just love how Des wakes up with you in the mornings. Reminds me of Madison sneaking into my bed early almost every morning. She thinks I don’t know but it’s hard to miss when a foot is in your face. 🙂 btw I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in anything other than dresses, but you’re adorable in them so no need to change ever.
haha! That’s so cute. Des is still in his crib, if you can believe that. He hasn’t figured out a way out yet, or doesn’t want to get out, so we’re keeping him in. I wonder if he’ll sneak in after the switch!
I totally wear pants all winter long and I HATE it.
The cutest ever. Kids don’t miss a beat! Love how you accept tears — I love how you described them- my exact feelings put so eloquently in your beautiful words. I’m gonna have to quote you at some point. Xo
Please do! And my post tonight is about tears too..
So so sweet! I want to do this with Eve when she is older. I could definitely see you being famous for your photography. And your writing.
Ah, thank you!! I often feel so.. mediocre. I don’t know. Scarlet keeps me in check, in both directions. Interviewing kids is fun! I can’t wait to get better answers from Des.
My favorite Ask Away Friday by far! 🙂 Adorable!
Thanks! That makes me happy! Ask Away Friday has been on the decline and I have to keep it up.
She is adorable and I love her answers. But I would be afraid to ask some of them of my daughter. I fear she would not be so kind. And sorry your summer has gotten off to a rough start. It’s so funny to me that your is just starting, and mine’s almost half over!
Aw! I can understand. Scarlet is only five.. so she still thinks I hung the moon! (and I certainly haven’t)
Summer is just starting now! And so far, so good now.
She got you spot on with the writing, photography and being a mom! Go Scarlet! I love her answers—100 inches lol! And looks like someone is happy to wear dresses this season 🙂 What an awesome blog post and an even sweeter girl.
I’m totally happy about the dresses! I missed them all winter and most of spring! It’s my time!
This was a nice post for me – I needed a feel good one.
An answer to question number 5/. Your mama was a gush gush girl!
haha, yes!! I should have told her.
Aw, what a great idea,Tamara! I love Scarlet’s answers. This put a big fat smile on my face. But before that I felt a little sad remembering how hard it was when my kids were little and my husband (wasband?) traveled all the time. I felt so very alone and overwhelmed. I had no family anywhere near me—zero. I remember the kids both got chicken pox at the same time and their dad was away. Memories…like the corners of my mind…
Oh sheesh. Well I’m one of five and we all got chicken pox at the same time. Not the same day but it ran through us like waves over a period of a week.. or two.. or three.
that is so nice of you daughter – cute answers about her mamma 🙂
Thanks! I sure hope her opinions of me don’t change too much with age..
This is such a fun interview!! You have a wonderful and cute daughter!
Melanie @ meandmr.com
Thanks! She’s totally fun and definitely full of attitude sometimes, but it cracks me up.
Awww I can imagine Scarlet answering the questions. What a smart, smart girl! I love the innocence!
It was really fun! I nearly couldn’t keep up transcribing her thoughts and words.
This meme brought a smile to face. What a cutie!
Thanks so much! It was really fun to write.
THAT WAS AWESOME!! Oh, I just love that Scarlett!! She’s got pizazz… just like her mama!
“Photography. Didn’t I answer that 100 times already?”
“I don’t know! What a question.”
She does have pizazz, doesn’t she? I love that she found the questions repetitive.
Too freakin’ cute – such a girl, so so mature. With the tilt of her head in that first photo she looks like Cassidy. Thanks for the tag!
Yeah, she has a lot of good Cassidy expressions!
Thanks for the great blog post idea!
I forgot to say 100 inches was my favorite answer.
Me too! I swear I am 100 inches.
This is the cutest AAF! I love how her attitude comes out in the answers 🙂
ha, thanks! It really does. The questions were a bit repetitive.
She’s so adorable! Great answers! She’s got you pegged too. Except maybe the hight thing. And being 23 when you had her 🙂
When’s the Lego party??
What? I’m not 28 anymore? News to me!
The party was yesterday! It was fantastic! I did it!
I loved this matchup with Scarlet. Her answers were adorable. It’s always funny to get inside the minds of little people.
The theme for this year’s Summer Reading Club is “Every Hero has a Story”. So we have been talking about different kinds of hero’s and my son thinks I’m hero because I’m good at cooking.
Aw! Well you are a hero! Providing nourishing food for kids is no easy task.
this is too much cuteness in one place. what a sweetheart.
I didn’t know you were a Hobbit!!! 🙂
You didn’t?? Surely, you suspected!
I love this post and Scarlet SO much. This is the BEST. Isn’t it crazy how your kids think of you and what they notice? My hubby asked my eldest what is mommy (as in what nationality I am) and he said Mommy is a Blogger! I say this to say our kids can easily tell where we are happiest. <3
ha! The best nationality of all! We are cut from the same cloth, my dear.
1. You HAVE to go see Inside Out. Disgust was my favorite. I don’t know why. 2. Do you REALLY wear dresses every day!!??
I can’t wait to see it!
I don’t really wear dresses every day but I wish I did! I only wear them in the summer because I don’t love shorts and skirts that much. It was only 58 today, though, so I wore pants!
Scarlet is such a brilliant little girl. Truly. You will love Inside Out – I cried so many times, but in a good way. It’s really an adult movie disguised as a kids movie, and it’s just perfect.
I’m planning to see it Wednesday night as a treat for myself! I have heard amazing things.
This is adorable! I love her answer to #5. I mean, what a question.
haha, I know. I had to put that verbatim and I was laughing all the while.
You’re on a roll here! ::CRIES SOME MORE::
This was too adorable for words. 🙂
XOXO
You’re on a roll too!!! xoxo.
I love to ask my children questions and hear their silly answers. It always makes me smile.
Me too! I can’t wait until my three-year-old starts to give better answers. He’s working on it.
I want to do this with my kiddos I love to hear their responses to questions about us as parents
It’s always so interesting to me because what they most remember or most think always is what I don’t expect!
I Love when kids answers questions about their parents. It is so fun to see how they view their parents.
Exactly! I’m always surprised by their answers.
these are great questions – i wonder how my kid would answer these. I bet they would all have different anwsers
Try it to find out! They always surprise me, these kids.
What great photo’s! I am sure my boys dream of Lego’s, me not so much I see too many of them during my day!
haha, me too. I guess that’s why they infected my dreams!
This is such a great idea, love the photos! I love these questions. I should see why my kiddos have to say about them! Such a fun idea.
It’s always fun to see what your kids think about things.. but especially YOU! It was fun.
This is such a sweet post and a memory you will cherish always. I love all of the questions and answers and I’d love to know what my kids would answer.
I will totally cherish it always! Thank you! It’s curious to see what they will say.
I’m all for Feeling the Feelings .. sometimes its good to get it all out. This is a cute interview …I really liked it
Thanks! My daughter was such a good sport about it.
This is such a sweet Q & A! I think I might have a little sit down with my youngest just to see what she comes up with for answers too! lol i love the idea of sadness being a partner to joy. If you don’t have one, you can’t really ever have the other!
I totally agree! What a thoughtful comment. I hope it goes well with your youngest! My youngest is still not great at interviewing..
I love your Q&A posts. Such a sweet post – motherhood is amazing.
Thank you! And I totally agree. The most amazing thing.
interesting Q and A. Some tough questions 🙂
They were a bit tough! She was taking her time answering them! Thank you!
This is an adorable way to pull a blog post together – love the Q and A concept and the answers are darling.
Thanks! I had borrowed it from a friend, but I really found I enjoyed this.
I love the interview. It is so cute and honest/
Thank you! And yes, I totally love the honesty. Kids are great for that.
We had a Lego themed party here last year for the boys and it was so much fun. AND, I love The Cranberries so much. SO much. You’ve reminded me that I should go dig my old CDs out from the basement!
Oh yeah – I loved them when I was in middle school! I even tried to see them in concert years later, but my car broke down on the way there. Not fair!
Awesome that you had a Lego themed party too.
i love this idea! The answers to the questions are adorable! 100 inches. Kids always have the greatest answers!
haha, I know! I’m pretty medium-sized but I love that I’m huge to her.
What a sweetie, her answers are priceless! I look forward to asking my kids the same 🙂
I hope you get some good answers! I’m always surprised by my daughter’s answers.
Sometimes we all need a good cry. Glad to know it helped, too. This interview is adorable. I just may have to ‘borrow’ it sometime. Kids have the best answers to these kinds of questions!
Please do borrow it! It’s a nice post for a Friday, or a day where you just need something on the lighter side.
I definitely cry way more than I used to!
Me too! Although I still have very long dry spells without crying when I wish I could.
Kids really have the best responses and we often don’t stop to appreciate what they are thinking and saying so I love the idea of doing this interview. So sweet!
I like this…its amazing the answers our little ones gives. I just may ask my little one these questions and she what her responses would be lol
Oh man, I would say dreaming about legos is so much better than stepping on them 🙂 My brother used to be so obsessed with legos growing up, so consequently they were always, everywhere!
Chelsea
Ginger Side of Life
Totally agreed! I remember being obsessed with them too but they were different when I was a kid.