The ABC's of Beckie

So I get these "About Me" lists all the time on Facebook and email. It seems there are more ways to tell people about yourself than Carters has little green pills! (wow, that dates me! My mom used to say that!) I think they are kinda silly, kinda fun, kinda entertaining. So, humor me as I list the ABC's of ME!

A - Age:
51 (OH MY GAH!)

B - Bed size:
Queen, because I am the Queen...

C - Chore you hate:
Cleaning the toilets...ew

D - Dad's name:
Ralph Conrad. Love you Daddy!

E - Essential start your day item:
COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE and MORE COFFEE

F - Favorite actress:
Oh my gosh...ONE? Choose one? Impossible. I couldn't. I can't! Judy, Toni Collette, Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet, Rosemary Clooney, Jennifer Coolidge, Meg Ryan, Anne Hathaway, Kristen Chenoweth, Abigail Breslin...I could go on and on and on....

G - Gold or Silver:
Silver - however, white gold with my diamonds...actually, platinum is even better!

H - Height:
Short. 5'2". If only I were 5'8". I would not be overweight at all! I would be perfect! 6 inches. All I need is 6 more inches....oh...that kinda sounds naughty. Sorry.

I - Instruments you play(ed):
Flute and Piccolo - One time at band camp....

J - Job title:
Mom, teacher, cheerleader, nurse, therapist, taxi driver, personal shopper, cook, maid, activist, social director, sex kitten and in my spare time an Administrative Assistant.

K - Kid(s):
3 boys, 1 girl, 2 girlfriends, 2 beagles, 1 fat cat.

L - Living arrangements:
I live with Meaghan and David in our car as we commute to and from work/school each day. Actually our home is in Rancho Cucamonga where I live with my husband of 32 years (yes, 32 years. I was a child bride) 2 of my sons, my daughter, our 2 beagles and a cat! Sometimes there's an army of ants living with us too...ew

M - Mom's name:
Vivian Margaret Ann. Love you mama. Miss you.

N - Nickname:
Oh so many...BecHO, Becca, Becksters, Anastasia Beaverhausen, Elphie, Elphabec...I pretty much answer to anything...

O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth:
When I was 9 years old I had my tonsils out; Spent a week in the hospital when I was pregnant with Austin; the deliveries of my 4 beautiful babies (not all at the same time!); and an emergency postpartum stay after Evan for about a week...scary.

P - Pet Peeve:
Pot stirrers (not to be confused with pot stickers and kitchen utensils)

Q - Quotes you like:
"No Good Deed Goes Unpunished" - Elphaba, from Wicked
"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."
- Mahatma Gandhi

R - Right or left handed:
Right handed, but politically left.

S - Siblings:
1 younger brother.

T - Time you wake up:
Weekday mornings...4:30 am
Weekend mornings...whenever I feel like it...

V - Vegetable you dislike:
Canned peas, Asparagus, Canned spinach, Yams, Mushrooms...this list is gonna be too long...it would be better if I listed the ones I like...much shorter list, much less typing, much less time to read...

W - Ways you run late:
Uh...when someone doesn't give me the correct directions or when mapquest tells me to turn left when I should have turned right; traffic; oversleeping....I'm just sayin...

X - X-rays you've had:
UTERUS(don't ask! okay, you can ask, but I warned you!) chest, teeth, I think thats it...

Y - Yummy food you make:
Baked Mosticiolli, Swedish Pancakes, Brownies, Chili, Meat Loaf...

Z - Zodiac (as in constellation born under)-
TAURUS- but I am definitely NOT bullheaded and stubborn! There is absolutely no way on this earth that I would ever be thought of as stubborn. Never. Nope. Not me. ;)

REAL Friends

"No person is your friend who demands your silence, or denies your right to grow."-- Alice Walker


I have often said "I know lots of people, but I have very few REAL friends." This statement was confirmed for me today when I opened an email from a very old 'friend'.
A person that I have known and cared about for over 30 years that seemingly finds it too difficult to listen to my hopes, dreams, passions, fears, joys, sufferings, concerns...and would prefer I be silent. A person that appears to be frightened by my growth and the growth of others. A person that has allowed this fear to stunt their own personal growth. A person that seems unable to accept me - the me I have always been and the me I have become - the real me.

The email from this 'friend' caused me to think about who my REAL friends are. Those that pick me up when I am broken, love me without condition, provide a shoulder for my tears, love my children as their own, accept me completely and unconditionally for who I am (no matter how embarrasing I may be!)We have wept together and laughed together. We know each others strengths, weaknesses and secrets. These REAL friends have walked in front of me, behind me and beside on my journey of growth. My REAL friends, allow me to be myself. The person I have always been. The person I have become. Me.

It is the phone call, the email, the text message or hug that comes at just the moment I need it most. It is being secure in the knowledge that I can make a fool of myself and they will still love me. It is the smile that ALWAYS appears on my face when I hear their voice. My REAL friends.

My REAL friends are my water and sunlight. I need them to grow and thrive. Their presence in my life is a blessing to my soul. Thank you friends. REAL friends. You mean more to me than you will ever know.

"My father always used to say that when you die, if you've got five real friends, then you've had a great life." Lee Iacocca

IT GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS....

Brian: Beckie, I think your family should be on Family Feud!
Evan: Mom, I think you and dad both gave us kids the fart gene!
Meaghan: Dylan, just shut up!
Dylan: Meaghan, don't talk to me!
Katie: Evan, I think you are right!
Beckie: I don't know about Family Feud, Dad might answer too slowly!
Evan: Dad farts a lot, Mom farts a lot, and all us kids fart like crazy!
Katie: I think it is the heterozinkusliious trait.
Beckie: There is a fart gene? I didn't know there was a fart gene!
Dylan: Mom, please drive Meaghan home because I don't want to have her in the car.
Beckie: Nope, sorry. Meaghan, you are riding home with Dylan so you two can work this thing out.
Brian: Oh, Meaghan and Dylan please hug and make up.
Evan: Mom, did you get the fart gene from your parents? And did dad get it from his parents?
Brian: If my family all lived close by, I would make them be on Family Feud with me!
Beckie: Well, my parents do fart and have gas issues. But your Meema Jetta tells me that Peepa Gene (not related to fart gene) never farts. She says in ALLLLL their years of marriage she has NEVER heard him fart! He only burps!
Evan: Thats not normal!
Katie: Never?
Beckie: Never.
Katie: Meaghan doesn't burp! She gurgles! But she farts a lot!
Dylan: We need more diet coke.
Beckie: Dylan, will you get the pitcher refilled please?
Beckie: Brian, did you hear my Zuzu had another seizure?
Brian: Yes! What happened?
Evan: Dylan, look at this picture on my phone. Really funny.
Dylan: Ha!
Beckie: I am so worried about her. Makes me really sad. But they say she doesn't feel any pain, she just goes blind and is paralyzed.
Beckie: Let me see!
Evan and Dylan: NO!
Evan: You will be offended.
Beckie: Whatever. Will you guys please be nice? There are other families around!
Beckie: Dylan took her to the vet and the vet doesn't want to start her on meds yet.
Brian: Why not?
Dylan: Because she is not having them regularly enough, and once she starts the medication then she has to be on it for the rest of her life and it can cause liver damage.
Beckie: Look at the Gummy Bear's Booty Shakin!
Katie: His crack is showing!
Beckie: Do you think the Gummy Bear Farts?








Transcript from pizza night at Roundtable following clogging class. The names HAVE NOT been changed because NO ONE there was INNOCENT ;)

Happy 75th Birthday

Happy Birthday Mama. I love you. I miss you. xoxo becca

I AM NOT THE BIGGEST LOSER!

But I am a LOSER...and so is my David Honey...we have lost 9 lbs each!
We are eating healthier, controlling our portions, supporting and encouraging each other and getting healthier as we lose weight together!
Austin's girlfriend, Dennice (Thankyou D!), rounded up a group of friends and family for a BIGGEST LOSER Competition and last Saturday was our FIRST weigh in! In the first 4 weeks of the program everyone in the group has lost weight! Congratulations to all of us!
Dennice's Biggest Loser was just the kick in the patooty I needed. I no longer take the elevator to my office, I climb the stairs. I am back in my clogging class. I am walking more.

I have a long way to go, but I am taking it one day at a time. And at the end of each day I am proud to say I AM A LOSER!

Evan James Wallace

My son Evan just completed his final theatrical performance of his college career. He portrayed an uptight-anal retentive-nerdy bookworm-book publisher-upper middle class-middle aged husband and father in Edward Albee's "At Home At The Zoo". I know I am his mom, but he was truly amazing in his performance.
Actually, he has been remarkable and amazing in every performance. From his early days of theater in elementary and middle school (MacBeth, Lucky Dollar etc) to his community theater performances (Paper Boy, Borders Explorer, Romeo etc) to high school (Working, The Odd Couple, Laramie Project,Wizard of Oz where he was the greatest Lion since Burt Larr) to his days with Disney as a character and host (Pluto, Tweedles, the Story Teller and more) to college (Fuddy Mirrors, Formicans, Laramie Project, Valley Song, Little Shop of Horrors, Homebody Kabul, Laundry and Bourbon...)
He acts, he sings, he writes, he directs. He is amazing.
His final performance was a bittersweet moment for me. Enjoying the performance immensely and yet when the reality hit that this was the last time I would see him on stage before he graduates, I was overcome with emotion. I wanted to hold onto the moment as long as I could. Remember it. Cherish it.
As I reflect on his acting career, I can't help but smile. He has brought great joy to our family and to countless audience members. His thought provoking, inward looking performances have also brought me to tears on more occasions than I can count. And ALWAYS he brings us to our feet!
Now I am looking forward - to Evan's future - where I seen nothing but bright lights and applause.
Evan, you are an amazing actor, but you are so much more than that. You are a fine young man and the most wonderful son any mother could hope for. I love you.
Break A Leg!