Meet The Cast

As my blog is defining itself {amazing how that works, eh?} it occurs to me that there are a cast of characters in my everyday life that deserve an introduction.  I think it is always easier to follow a story if you know the players, and since it is Saturday, I thought it'd a good time for a roll call~*

I have two teenage daughters & one teenage son {the Things}.  And with them come additional folks...allow me to explain.

Thing One~*

College student, English major, journalism minor.  She has her own apartment a few miles from our house near the college campus.  She bakes like a crazy woman and is thinking seriously of getting her BA then going to culinary school.   Her boyfriend, nicknamed Chill Joe "Muffin" McGee is a wicked cool engineering major at a big university a few hours away.

Thing Two~*

Teenager & all around comedian.  Great at history, a master of foreign accents, & an avid video gamer. His real calling is running.  He has been a cross country star since middle school & just started track this year {came in 2nd in the open 800m,  his first race of the season}.  He is currently single~*

Thing Three~*

Teenager, soccer star & photographer extraordinaire.  She takes the vast majority of the photos for my blog.  Her boyfriend, who shall here-to-for be known as Stretch, is a charming basketball star from a neighboring high school {& good friend of Thing 2 as well}.  He is 6'2", she is 5'3" which we all find endlessly amusing.

And she was wearing heels in this photo.

My Mom and Dad are big players in our lives.  At present, they live about an hour away,  but they are currently trying to sell their house so they can move closer {fingers crossed}.  For now we try to get together as often as we can.

Mom is the artistic one.  Phenomenal taste, a knack for predicting trends, a great interior decorator, designer & DIY'er, and my bestest friend.  She is also a master of the "That's what She Said," gag...you'd never guess it to look at her, now would you & that's what makes it so funny~* 

As you can tell from the photo, Dad is the wild one~*  He is smart, a wealth of advice & support, the undeniable pater familias.  His humor tends to be sarcastic & cerebral with a side of slapstick which the Things adore-- & he is the go-to guy if there is a crisis, panic or a need for emergency therapy~*

Together they are the always supportive dynamic duo of Noney {pronounced like honey with an 'n'} & Poppy, & they will often be seen at our family events...like the great unveiling of Stretch & Thing 2's Lego structure at Barnes & Noble ~*

Next is my wonderful, glorious hubby.  

He is a historian focusing on the Wiemar Republic of Germany.   He works as an adjunct professor at two colleges at present.  He is thoughtful, philosophical, brilliant, dreamy & absolutely hilarious.  We met in grad school & were friends all the way through.  He went off to Ole Miss to work on his doctorate, and we started emailing.  Then phone calling.  Then visiting. A few years after graduating we started dating & got married on the 4th of July a few years later.  

I could absolutely not function in reality without him~*

Then there is me.

Full time American history prof,  part time DIY'er.  Clothes hound, bargainaholic, Mom, wife, daughter-- and the Ultimate Answer to Life, the Universe and Everything since March 19, 2012.  You know, the usual "general lifestyle" blogger m.o.~*  

And last, but certainly not least, there is my beloved Cecilia

She isn't much, but I love her.  

If I am not teaching, mothering or playing World of Warcraft, I'm working on something for Cecilia.  She is one year younger than I am, and had been sorely and mightily abused by renters before we bought her.  When I say she was trashed, it is a major understatement-- she looked like an abandoned crack house &  she needed lots of love & she is my obsession.  I can not begin to estimate the gallons of blood, sweat & tears that have gone in to her the last 6 years.  We have literally redone everything-- and 99% of the work we did all by ourselves.  

Why is she named Cecilia?  Because back when I was pulling yet another all-nighter laying flooring & cleaning, KILZing & repainting paneling in a desperate attempt to make her safe for the Things to move in,  all I had for company was a Simon & Garfunkel CD on repeat.  And believe you me, at that time she was definitely breaking my heart & shaking my confidence daily.

This summer will be one of great work at Cecilia.  Every summer is actually-- and I will be featuring our efforts on The Closet Intellectual.

So that is us, our family.  There are others, of course,  my husband's mom {who is wonderful, beautiful & so much fun!}, my sister & her family, a variety of wonderful kids my Things are friends with, our pets {Dogs: Doc, Alice, Rascal & Poosh; Cats: Boromir & Mac}and so many more & they will, undoubtedly,  be introduced over time~*

Now you will know who I am talking about as we go on our adventures!    Who holds the starring roles in your life?  I'd love to meet 'em!