Simplicity took the rear exit

Awww... I remember the days when the only choices I had to make was how long to workout for, where I wanted to eat lunch and what to make for dinner.  As well, excitedly exploring the next options for the upcoming winter trip. Or better yet, just taking a beach chair, towel and SMALL cooler for an uninterrupted all day beach event!

When did simplicity get so darn hard to come by?  Can I just buy one bottle of it?  I like simple. Simple use to like me.  Not sure where or when our relationship took a turn. But I sure miss it.  Acutally, I long for it.  

If I think back, the day simplicity went out the door was when the "bag" of alphabet soup showed up with a never ending expiration date.

Day in and day out my life involves speed bumps, pot holes, detours, and even u turns.  Don't get me wrong,  there are also great seconds, moments and sometimes hours.  I hold on to these great, happy times and can say I truly cherish them and hold them deep in memory.  There is a reason God blessed me with Seth and his bag of mix, but honestly, I sometimes wonder if I am capable and worthy of the job.  This makes me sad.  But no self pity here, I just remind myself how blessed I am for all that we are blessed with and how much worse things could have been.  There is a special reason and purpose God made him, him.  I pray that he will find his purpose and will greatly flourish in it.

Here are just a few photos from many of our good moments in time....

Acting like Momo (his step-grandfather)

The super hero family.

Catching a morning sunrise 

First year wrestling at age 5. He LOVES to wrestle.

Boxing his step dad, Shane for fun and exercise via the Outer Banks Bootcamps Family Fitness!

A morning of family fun exercise with Outer Banks Bootcamps Family Fitness!

With that said... I long for simplicity but until we meet again, I will not be holding my breathe for this reunion. It may be awhile and I have learned to be ok with this. Until then... I tread lightly.

Noise and peas please

Noisy eater.

Is it in the genes? My father was a "noisy" eater.  When his palate was tainted with delicious food, he moaned about it while eating. Arousing his taste buds to the highest level.  His sounds told a story about how delicious his food was and one just knew how much he was enjoying every single ingredient that his taste buds had just encountered.  As a young kid, I was totally embarrassed of my father's noises.  Now when I think back to it, it was like my father was having a romantic interlude with his food. That's when he should have pulled out the table sign "Privacy Please" and "Do Not Disturb".

My father would have been a great sidekick companion for Anthony Bourdain. Traveling the world in search of great eats. The two of them sipping their cocktails and spirits while romantically tongue fondling their food. Licking every last morsel from their fingertips to prolong the inevitable....  The last moan. Ha!   

30 years later it came to haunt me again.  Twelve months after the arrival of my son, Seth, the noisy eater came alive in a kitchen in Kill Devil Hills.  Stage 1 foods.. peas, bananas and pears.  Mmmmm,  moaning and chanting have been apart of my son's eating ritual.  Add that to his bag of alphabet soup.

As well, when his palate dislikes something his tongue comes out with food still attached. Then is followed by gagging sounds, coughing, hands on neck, excess saliva and then the expelling of food into the trash can with the occasional vomiting. He puts on quite a production with an over-the-top performance. *Seth now dislikes peas. 

His noises have continued but have been less pronounced with his daily food intake except when a new totally awesome food/ingredient hits his palate. Watch out and grab your ear plugs.   

Pop-pop Mark passing the "noisy eater" gene down to Seth.
This was taken back in the day in Manteo, NC