Red Dirt Rocker

Red Dirt Rocker
Y/A novel by Jody French--Inspired by the adventures of musician- Forrest French

Monday, October 31, 2011

Foliage on fire and Halloween!

It is a gorgeous day here in Oklahoma!  The trees are fiery red and almost neon yellow and orange in some areas.   It's Halloween today, and the little trick or treaters are going to have a wonderful night collecting their candy loot.  So glad they don't have to wear their coats over their cute and scary costumes...Forrest is still dressing up.  I think he said he was going to be a "Red Neck Tinkerbell"---go Forrest!  So glad he's not too cool to do silly things.

My little Grand baby goblins are going to be a tiny kitty, (Clara Jane), an adorable lion cub, (Landon), and Rio the parrot, (Eddie Jett).  We went to a barn Halloween party out in the Choska Bottoms this weekend, so had a trial run with the costumes and took lots of pictures.  They were so freaking cute!

This weekend I got my kitchen on, making owl cupcakes, orange pumpkin and purple star cookies, and mummies in a blanket, (beef hot dogs wrapped in Pillsbury crescent dough to make them look like mummies.  I put tiny dots on the eyes with food coloring.  They are the funnies things...I think they also look a little like Baby Jesus' wrapped in swaddling clothing too.  Guess I can break them back out for Christmas!

I'm on my way in to the Heritage Middle School to sub for the 6th grade for half a day.  Cannot wait to see all the kids.  They make me feel like a celebrity when I haven't seen them in a while.  I love getting mauled on the playground, with hugs and, "Mrs. FRENCH--S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am blessed to be able to work with them.

Hope everyone has a fun, creative, make-believe, and safe time tonight.


Thursday, October 27, 2011

I love teenagers

My husband came home late from work, (he works for U.P.S....imagine that?!), and accidentally ate ALL the servings of dinner.  Forrest was the only one that had not eaten yet.  I came into the kitchen, to see Forrest rolling up a bag of chips.  He said, "Man, I feel really stupid...my dinner was Ruffles and a cupcake."

Gotta love teenagers!!

Need to Breathe..."Somethin' Beautiful" ~~ and owl cupcakes!!

Wonderful, blessed day!!  Made little owl cupcakes from one of the pinterest sites, for Halloween--(I will credit them in my next blog--)  Also made my Miss Clara Jane the most adorable Halloween headband---I got creative with black tulle scraps I had left over from a tutu I made her for her baby shower, and put sparkely purple and orange stars and polka dots on it along with a loop of metalic purple pipe cleaner.  She looks most precious in it!!  I'm going to post pics on my facebook...

I also blew up a small beach ball for Eddie Jett and Landon to throw around the house, since it's a rainy, cold day.  Brought a little sunshine into the house.  And Forrest is teaching guitar lessons this afternoon.  He has his excellent student, Calton Sidebottom in his music room now.  Calton is 11 years old, I believe, and the kid can ROCK!  They are playing, "Something Beautiful", by Need to Breathe.  If you have not heard the song, you should Youtube it.  It is incredible and such great background music for my wonderful day.

Little Landon is handing me my book that's in a box, (which could dump at any moment), so I'd better scoot!!

Who says rainy days are boring?

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Top 5 reasons I should not have joined Pinterest!

                   TOP 5 REASONS I SHOULD NOT HAVE JOINED PINTEREST



1.  My son and husband still need groceries bought and baked or fried in the form of diner

2.  I still need to shower and brush my teeth

3.  I need to go to work

4.  I keep dreaming of all the amazing projects I can do, but there is not enough time in my day

5.  Yesterday evening, I was watching my 2 year old Grandson, Landon, but was also pinning the most amazing recipe for "Bang-Bang shrimp" (that, btw, I will probably never make), and looked down at the end of my bed to see him stripping his final piece of clothing off.  He then
proceeded to pee in my bedroom floor.

Dang you Pinterest!!  

Monday, October 24, 2011

Candy Corn---

I made chocolate frosted brownies decorated with cute little candy corn...I've EATEN way too many chocolate frosted brownies with cute little candy corn--

I'm blaming the cute little candy corn.  Way too inviting.  Thanks a lot Brachs!


Sunday, October 23, 2011

Lazy Sundays

Had a good group in our Sunday School class this morning.  My husband and I teach the seniors in our youth department.  They are such a blessing to us.  Interesting to see where their lives will take them once they graduate this spring.  Forrest is in our class too.  Time sure flies.  Seems like just yesterday I was teaching his pre-school class.

It's a gorgeous day today.  Monty and I grilled for the family.  Meats-n-More rules!  They have the best brauts and chicken breast.  Just got in from watching Landon slide and play in the back yard.  He was counting for us.  "Six, two, ten, seven"...gotta love 2 year olds.

My daughters are I are laying around in my room now having some good lazy time.  They are talking about tattoos.  They each have several.  Some people have hang ups or harsh opinions on tattoos.  I think they are an artist expression when tastefully done and have great meaning.  I have one on my right upper back.  A fighter jet with the words "Black Bird Fly", (my favorite Beatle's song), around it with 3 little tiny stars.  I got it after  Eddie Jett was born and had had his medical issues.  We all got a "jet" themed or airplane tattoo.  I need to go back and get little tiny blackbirds trailing for each of my grand-babies.  Will be interesting to see how many blackbirds I'll end up with.

"Black bird take these broken wings and learn to fly..."  That song brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it now. Long live the Beatles.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

October and scary movies!

The weather has turned really cool here in Oklahoma this week.  I'm ready for a scary movie marathon.  The chill outside makes me want to break out the afghans and cuddle up on the couch with popcorn and the t.v. remote control. I love my Netflix.  I think Skylar and I are going to watch, "Case 39" tonight.  I watched it with my husband two weeks ago.  It was so creepy, I want to share it with others.  The child actress in the film was amazing.  She had me scared of the dark for at least two days after I saw the movie...and scared of children too; (not really).

I'm still zonked from the drive to New Mexico and back.  Tomorrow, I will get back out into the big, wonderful, amazing world.  Tonight, it's yoga pants, my leopard slippers, and a scary flick with a creepy kid in its cast of characters.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Home sweet home~~

My sis and I drove straight through from New Mexico yesterday.  Good to be back home in Cow-town.

As I was unpacking my toothbrush, trying to muster enough energy to actually brush my teeth before I fell into my comfy bed, Forrest yelled for me to come back to his room.  He was excited to show me the start of the new song he's written.  He's pretty amazing with a Mac laptop and some production software.  The song gave me tears.  Can't wait to see how it flows as he continues to work on it.  I'll let you know how it turns out.  I'm sure he'll put a video on facebook.  For some reason he's been locked out of his youtube account, forrestfrenchmusic, for several months.  He can't figure out why, and is unable to upload new videos.  I'm sure he'll eventually figure it out or start a new one.

While I was gone, my precious Eddie Jett learned how to nod his head "yes" when Skylar asks him if he loves  Mama!  Before, he would always shake his head "no" to most everything.  I think he was just being ornery!  School is going so wonderful for him.  Skylar and I are just thrilled.  Every new thing he learns, no matter how big or small, is a gift from God.

My daughter Jessica has two adorable angels as well.  Landon, who just turned 2, and our brand new little miss Clara Jane who is 3 months old.  Landon is the cutest little mighty-might.  He's 2, but is still wearing some 12 month old clothing  He also has the most precious teeny, blue plastic glasses since he inherited his mama's far-sighted condition.  He pretty much stops traffic at the mall as does Eddie Jett.  Eddie Jett has an endearing smile that lights up an entire room, and absolutely cherub-like blonde, curly locks.  Baby Clara Jane is at the stage where we're all on pins and needles waiting to see what her permanent features are going to be like.  Is she going to have curly or straight, light or dark hair... are her gorgeous, sparkely eyes going to stay sky blue or turn aqua greenish?  I'm guessing curly, golden spun locks and  light, ocean blue eyes.  She's just started laughing out loud, so the family sits around her for entertainment making fools of ourselves to get her to cackle.

Landon and Eddie Jett call me Ga-Ga.  Apparently, Landon was asking for Ga-Ga quite a bit while I was gone.  A couple of weeks ago Landon came to his mama in his diaper and t-shirt, crawled up on their couch with his tiny sandals, velcroed them on all by himself and said, "Ga-Ga's???"  It was bedtime by the way.  I so would have gone and picked him up!

Ga-Ga is glad to be back home sweet home!!

Monday, October 17, 2011

The Love Boat

Still in Albuquerque New Mexico visiting my mom.  My sister and I are having a blast---
Laying in the hotel room getting delirious from only about 7 hours of sleep in two days.

We just named all the characters on "The Love Boat" like it was our children's names.
Funny what valuable information your brain holds onto!

Going to sleep like a non-colicky baby tonight~

Sunday, October 16, 2011

On the road again

It's now 7:40 p.m. Albuquerque New Mexico time on Sunday night...I haven't slept since 8:45 a.m on Saturday morning...Drove straight thru with my sister Shannon and my two crazy fun 6 and 7 year old nieces, Ella and Avery to see my ailing mother here in New Mexico...

We just go back from the pool.  The girls tell me they are the next Rachel Rays, popping microwave popcorn, and making tiny lunchable microwave pizzas.  I just got a mini cheese pizza stuffed in my face while I was on face book...It was incredible!

We have had a blast!  Had a wonderful visit with my mother who had to have her left leg amputated after five failed knee transplants.  She has healed well, off most pain meds and doing so incredible.   My sis, Shannon is recovering from breast cancer.  She is a traveling trooper.  She never slows down.  Has finished her last chemo treatment two months ago and is stronger than ever!  Just did a calendar shoot for the greater Tulsa area for turn Tulsa Pink Month...She's Miss December!!!  Rocking the "no hair" look and all!!  Just gorgeous!

What strong women run in the Puckett family.  I am very proud....and having an amazing time here in Albuquerque, New Mexico!  Whoops---gotta go.  My nieces, Ella and Avery are championship wrestling on my bed---about to knock my computer over.  Happy trails!  Correction...Ella told me it was not wrestling.  According to her tae-kwondo instructor, it's called grappling...I stand corrected.   P.S. she also informs me, she is a three stripped "white belt"!   lol...I;m sooo delerious

Friday, October 14, 2011

HOMECOMING

Coweta High School's football homecoming is tonight.  My husband and I certainly thought Forrest would be playing football in his senior year of high school.  He had played since 1rst grade, but had to give it up because of his music career.  I remember when he was 10 years old he broke his wrist in practice.  His  father, btw, was his coach.  Forrest was trying not to cry, but from the sidelines I could tell he was hurt. My husband Monty made him run his laps at the end of practice anyway, with Forrest holding his arm up to his side.  Needless to say I was incredibly upset when after I insisted we run him into the emergency room and found it was broken!! Forrest was so tough, my husband just thought it was a sprain.  A mom  knows better...After Forrest began touring and recording he just couldn't chance a broken hand or arm since he plays guitar.  It was tough decision for him.  We are a football family, but high school football comes and goes, but the songs that Forrest has written and recorded will be around forever.  I'm so proud of the Coweta Tiger's football team.  Ty Daniels, a linebacker that will eat your lunch, is one of Forrest best friends.  I'm so proud of Forrest for his achievements off the field too.


My family and I will be at the game tonight rooting the Tigers on to victory.  Forrest has been voted by his classmates to be on the Homecoming Court---quite an honor.  Our whole family will be there to see who get crowned king and queen for the night.  I can't believe my baby is a Senior in high school.  Can't wait to get pictures for the memory book.

GO TIGERS!!!!  

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Special little Angels~~ (and back -splashes)

Yesterday I had the privilege of attending my Grand son's very first field trip ever with his special needs class from Southside Elementary.  Eddie Jett has P-136 deletion syndrome.  It's an extremely rare, genetic disorder.  Our little buddy is almost 4 years old, and just took his first steps this past summer.  He's walking, (almost running), everywhere now, but has little battle wounds because of his balance issues.  Eddie Jett had to have a Mic-Key button implanted when he was just a couple weeks old.  This enabled us to feed him through a G tube directly through his stomach.  When the button would come out on occasion, my daughter Skylar was such a trooper, able to reinsert it like a pro.  It came out last winter during the massive snow storm we had here in Oklahoma, and Eddie Jett must have hidden it.  Since Sky couldn't get him to the Dr. she decided to leave it out and start feeding him everything orally...eating and drinking without Mic-key button...check!

The syndrome has affected his speech, but he communicates like a charm.  Skylar loves to sing the song by Allison Kraus, "You Say it Best When You Say Nothing at All".  She sang this as her talent when she won the  Miss Fall Festival Pageant in her Junior year of high school.  Well, Eddie Jett doesn't have to say a word.  We totally understand him with the sign language he is, (and we are), learning and the precious emotions he displays.  He's so smart.  So tough.  So determined.  So perfect.

Sitting in the Pizza Hut with all the adorable and amazing special needs children and their families, I felt so blessed.  It took a bit longer to get where we were going.  It was loud.  Table manners were a toss up.  It got a little messy.  But it was the most fun I've had in a long time.  There are no facades put up with these families.  There is no competition over who has the highest scoring honor student, or the highest scoring athlete.   There was only love, compassion and pure joy.  I'm not saying there aren't heart breaking moments for these families.  We've had our share with little Eddie Jett, but the little, simple moments in life mean so much and you learn to  enjoy each and every accomplishment and take on every challenge with your head held high and hands held tight.

I've found myself developing an intolerance for certain things since Eddie Jett's come along.  A few days ago I  was doing my hair and had the Home Channel was on.  There was a gentleman going on and on and on about how he was flipping a house and the back splash had not arrived to be installed for his open house that week.  He had put in marble countertops, expensive wooden floors, etc. and was complaining as though it was the end of the world because his exquisite kitchen backsplash had not arrived.  It was going to RUIN everything!  I mean he was back-splashing this and back-splashing that...He was SO utterly UPSET...this was going to completely DESTROY his entire project, not having this perfect backsplash!  He just knew the house would NEVER sell because of the late arrival of his high dollar back-splash.  After a few minutes each time he said the word, "backsplash", it felt like someone was piercing my eardrums-

Well, I came out in the room, stared at the T.V. in basic disgust, and  promptly snapped it off with the remote. I wanted to shove the word "backsplash" down his throat.  I know that sounds harsh, but it was just such a selfish, display of someone that is apparently hung up on material things.  That gentlemen, needs to go to Pizza Hut and the Pumpkin Patch with Eddie Jett's amazing, brave and precious class.  I think he would see back-splashes in a whole new light afterwards.    

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Busy day-

 Had a busy day.  Physical therapy for a neck injury I received this summer first thing this morning, then off to sub for an amazing 4th grade class at Coweta Heritage Intermediate...they got a great note to the teacher, and
was told by the adorable little girl with curly hair and wire frame glasses that could hardly resist visiting with me for most of the day, that they just might get a popcorn party for being sooo good!  I love it.

Then...back to Tulsa, (where my physical therapy was earlier), to fight Mall traffic.  Hit the stores and was successful at guessing Forrest's dress shirt size by having the nice salesman undo all the pins in the shirt and let ME try it on.  I knew just how big it had to be on me for it to fit Forrest.  (Only a mom).   Bought him dress shoes, and a tie to go with his blazer with a gorgeous filigree cross embroidered on the back.  All of this, by the way, is for Homecoming Friday night.  Forrest was honored by being voted onto the Homecoming court.  Will find out who gets crowned that evening.  So excited.  He'll look very sharp.

When I got home from the Mall, Forrest and I had a fashion show, but had to pull the pants he's going to wear out of the dirty clothes so he could try them with the blazer and shirt.  Will wash them tomorrow.  He looked great.  Then he read to me a beautiful song he wrote after school.   Just the lyrics.  No melody yet.
It's almost a tear jerker.  More info later.  I think he wrote it for a very close friend who lost his father.  It's going to be wonderful.

Stopped by my daughter Skylar's to pick up a bag of my precious Grandson, Eddie Jett's pants.  He is so tiny I have to sew a cinch at the waist.  He has his first field trip for school tomorrow.  He's going to the Pumpkin Patch, and Grammy, (or Ga-Ga as he says it), is going with him.  I cannot wait!

As much as I love summertime, I also love October.  I like pumpkins and Halloween...Forrest and his bud Ty are going as Bevis and Butt-head.  Hmmm...not sure how to help on that one. (Insert Bevis's laugh here). Cannot wait to find out what my three little goblin Grand babies are going to be.  You can bet I will burn a lot of battery on my digital camera snapping pics though!



Blessings
Jody

Monday, October 10, 2011

Well....here we go!

Hello to all fans of music, and mom stuff!!  As I type this, very heavy metal music is coming from my son, Forrest French's music room/ (really his old bedroom that we put a couch, his amps, and all his former band memorabilia in)...after his two older sisters moved out and he got THEIR room--for those of you that are not familiar with my son's music career you can google -Forrest French---he is the former singer/guitarist for the teen rock band, Crooked X.  He is now a free agent and back in his senior year of high school at Coweta High School---I'm a very proud mom.  He's a 4.0 student and amazing young man!

In our house, since he was 4 years old, it was never, "TURN THAT MUSIC DOWN NOW FORREST!!!"...it was always, "HEY, FORREST TURN THAT UP SO WE CAN HEAR WHAT YOUR PLAYING!!   Thus, I tend to say, "pardon me???" and "what" a lot...hearing loss.

I'm also the mother of two beautiful daughters, and three of the most cutie- patutie grandchildren ever!!  I'm a (young) Grammy, but not ready for the rocking chair....still rocking!

I am starting this blog to let everyone know I have written a book, "Red Dirt Rocker."  I hope to have it published and out for the world, (especially middle school and young adult readers), to see within the next year!  I am so excited to share Forrest's story.  A small town, straight-edge, country boy who has to choose between high school, athletics, and his simple life in Coweta, (Cowtown), Oklahoma, or the exciting, upside down, and thrilling world of an MTV Artist.   It takes the reader from his football practices, and band practices with his rocking buds in his Aunt Carmen's barn, to his adventures in the music scene, ultimately opening for the one and only rock legends, KISS before 35,000 screaming fans in Stockholm, Sweden!

Well, the music has died down.  I think Grandson number one kept pushing the door open and trying to get in on the practice...the babies LOVE the music!!  Nope...the acoustic session just started up with his friend Keith!  Ahhhh!  Besides the sound of a child laughing, Forrest playing acoustic guitar is my favorite sound in the entire world~~

Well. time to go cook dinner, as Forrest serenades the house with a new acoustic song he's working on---I am one lucky Mama!

So proud of Forrest and all his accomplishments, as well as my daughters.  Just remember to give them the tools of the trade, whether it be a guitar, bat and ball., computer, piano, etc. and let them AMP it up to eleven.

Rock on sports fans!

Jody French
Red Dirt Rocker Mom