You're Only Young -------------- As Long As You Choose

Ready to Rumble

Cole Thomas in gear.

When my kids were growing up we didn't have disposable cash so we learned how to make fun from nothing. We had traditions like burning the Christmas tree in a bonfire on New Year's Eve to avoid the fee for pick up and shooting bottle rockets into the woods when the kids had a friend sleepover.

Camping took the place of hotel vacations and it was always a blast to pop the pop corn maker (without the top on) in the middle of the living room after we had covered everything with old sheets.

We could make a huge bowl of pop corn balls at Christmas for pennies and the grown up children's friends still reminisce about what a treat they were.

One of the little girls (my namesake) who spent many adventures with my boys has become the mom of my grandson's best friend. She decided that a fun activity for Noah's birthday party could be a "Food Fight". Let the dollar store condiments fly.

From the photos above I think they liked it -- don't you?

My friend Judy always says "These are the harvest years."

All that we invested in climbing that mountain of motherhood comes full circle.

My best friend's daughter has become the best friend of my daughter-in-love Annie. Our grandsons have become best friends and it looks like the tradition of making fun out of nothing continues.

Wonder what the rich folks are doing?

We couldn't care less.