Still Sleepless In Michigan

As I wrote on the Comfort Zone, I am totally sleepless. I recently ran into some problems with hives from and allergic reaction and I was prescribed some medication that causes you to have trouble sleeping. But, at this point I will take sleepless over itching anytime. I can always catch up on my sleep later.

The funny thing about having problems sleeping is that it seems like your mind goes off into places you wouldn't normally go, the thoughts flow seamlessly and you find yourself eating cold fried chicken at three in the morning. The funny thing about eating cold fried chicken is it always reminds me of my mother. It's one of those funny little habits I picked up from her. Along with the crazy little things I say to my kids, biscuits and gravy on Sunday mornings, right down to insisting the family eat dinner together at the table for dinner, big dinners on the holidays and trying to make Christmas and Easter perfect for the children. Both of my parents worked hard to make the holidays fun. My father was always the one who would go outside when the kids were little and ring bells and yell Ho,Ho,Ho Merry Christmas. The tradition got passed on to my husband who now sneaks outside on Christmas Eve to be Santa Clause flying through the air.

Now, my father on the other hand is the prankster of the family, I got that trait from him. I sure my husband and children love that qaulity that got passed onto me as they are walking out of the bathroom or are sitting there quietly watching the television when I jump out and scare them. I even startled the dog once, but I scared the poor thing so bad he peed. The cat would have to be one of my favorite ones to startle, she jumps straight up into the air. But, she always manages to get her revenge on me by pouncing on me in the middle of the night after a bathroom run. The prankster gene got passed onto my son. He spends his money on mints that taste like fish, itching powder and the modern day trinkets that make the same sounds as the whoopee cushions we had when we were children. When he came home with the toy that makes noises that sounds like someone burping or passing gas. I told my husband, "that is something my father would buy."

I also got the love of barbecues and cooking on the grill from my father. Family barbecues are one of my favorite things to do. There is nothing better than getting family and friends together and having a big barbecue with more food than you can eat, a fire going in the fire pit with the kids sitting around the fire roasting marsh mellows and letting off fireworks in the air. I always try to make it fun for the kids, because those are the memories they will always remember and remind them of home.

 Some how those funny little traits gets passed onto our children. It's funny how we can see those traits in our children that are just like our parents or our sisters and brothers. We all get those funny little habbits from our parents that we didn't even realize until we are grown and have children of our own and we find ourselves sitting in the kitchen eating cold chicken thinking of our parents.