Amy Currioman

Although I try to support local small businesses as much as possible, I like to surf the Internet to see what is new and trendy in the world. My son helps me keep up to date by sending me links to a variety of websites that he thinks that I’ll find interesting. One link that he sent me was for Geek News and Promotional Coupons so that I could see a variety of interesting gadgets. I thought that website was awesome – that was the first place I’d ever seen the new gloves that are designed specifically for people who want to use their electronics while they are out in the cold. Personally I don’t text, but I sure could use a pair of those gloves to wear in the car when I’m trying to program my GPS when I first get in the cold car in the winter time! Definitely put a pair of those on my Christmas wish list!

And then he sent me the website uncommongoods.com, along with the link to Uncommon Goods source codes which is actually a page that leads you to discount codes for the uncommon goods website. I still haven’t figured out why the discount code is being called a source code. Could someone explain that one to me please?

And, knowing how much of a comic hero fan my hubby is, he sent me the link to SuperheroStuff promo codes which is a coupon page for the superherostuff.com website. I used to think my hubby was difficult to shop for, but with this superherostuff website, I think I could just close my eyes and play “pin the donkey” with that website and my hubby would be thrilled with anything I picked out!

Thanks for the help Jonny Boy!

I know that there were many days and nights that I was worried about something one of my kids had done (or not done) and that I suspected they were doing (or not doing,) that I wondered if I would survive their teenage years. They were all basically good kids, but parents worry and kids do make mistakes. But that’s how they learn, after all.

I had an older woman working with me at the time and she used to tell me to just hang in there and keep telling them that I loved them. She would tell me stories of her own sons and how she was frantic for almost a year that one son who was fighting depression might try to kill himself. She made a tremendous effort to spend as much time with him as she could, often going for long drives at night, just the two of them in the car. She kept talking to him about the future and how he had so much to look forward to, and that she loved him. And eventually he developed some new interests and friends ,and he gradually came out of the depression. Now he is a healthy and vital young man with a family of his own.

I often think back on how much those conversations with her meant to me and inspired me to help my kids get through their bad times. I owe her a huge debt of gratitude.

About 30 years ago I was working in an large office full of women.  As you can imagine there was frequent gossiping about everyone and everything! Up until that point in time I used to think that it was terrible when people referred to group of women as cackling hens, but I have to admit that when this group of women got to talking and laughing that’s exactly what it sounded like.  Most of the talk revolved around family; the women would show each other pictures of their kids and grandkids and ooh and ahh over how cute everyone looked. 

One thing about these group conversations that always stuck in my mind was the phrase that someone told me once when they were talking about how in one particular family all of the children were short and in another particular family and all the children were tall – she said “when you plant corn you get corn; when you plant peas you get peas.”

I don’t know why that saying stuck in my mind, but I have found that I frequently repeat that saying when someone comments to me how tall my sons are!  Living out in the country it has been a real challenge getting clothes that fit my very tall guys.  There are no Tall Mens Clothing stores within an hour’s drive!  And it seems most of the local stores are dedicated to the short and stocky framed guys.  Growing corn can be challenging!

Authored by Rickey Combs

My kids absolutely love everything on VH1. I know when I was growing up VH1 was kind of a fuddy duddy channel but they’ve really done a lot to rehab their image over the last few years. My son James likes all those Decade shows where they count down the best stuff from each year and my daughter likes some of the original programming. Ever since we got satellite from http://www.direct.tv last year that’s all they’ve wanted to watch…I was a little confused since they’re teenagers and I thought I was going to have to fight with them over watching MTV! At least they’re not watching anything too bad that I feel is giving them messages they shouldn’t be learning! I wish they’d get outside and do something physical a little more but at least when they’re in the house I know where they are and I don’t have to worry about who they’re hanging out with or what they’re doing. It’s better to have them here and inactive than out and about!

Today is my dear niece’s “M” birthday. She is now twenty five years old. I can remember her from when she was a baby, and it is just amazing how quickly time flies and how much she has grown. And the year that she came to live with me when she was a rebellious fifteen year old. I think that experience has created a special bond between us; one that I will always treasure.

When I was a kid I remember hearing the adults talking about how quickly time flies and thinking it was all a bunch of rubbish. Somehow having kids of your own (and nieces and nephews!) makes you realize how right they were about that.

Happy birthday sweetie!