Welcome to my eclectic journey of my life and delights. This year my theme is surrendering my writing pen to the true author, Jesus Christ, while looking forward to the future, reflecting on the past and dancing through my journey.




Friday, June 24, 2011

Taking Advantage of the Fun Around Us

Well you don't know our family...totally. This Wright bunch just seems to know how to stick their noses in the right place to leave behind memories, as well as marks in history.

Here are just a few things we have been involved in:

google pic
Our family made a commercial for Chevrolet.....yes, right in our own front yard.  My Sanguine husband entered us into a contest...not the first time nor the last time he has done that.  The slogan that year was "what do you do in your Chevrolet?"  We won the commercial for our region of the country.  Number 5 child was only a baby and I am not a lens hound...just keep me in the background, thank-you.  Filming crew, cameras, and an aerial camera, along with commercial ad representatives, exploded on our quiet cul-de-sac one fall day.

How did we win?  This was the story and how we ALL got on television.  We had a little Chevy pick-up, an S-10 to be exact.  The kids had taken the water hose in the summer and filled up the bed of the truck with water...they wanted a pool and we didn't have one!  They had so much fun acting like it was their new swimming pool.
My husband explained to the Chevrolet folks that we use our truck as a "car pool!"...literally!
THEY LOVED IT!!!

The filming was in the fall....can we say not a good time to go swimming with small children.  They, of course couldn't catch the scene in one shot.  Teeth chattering, along with blue lips, didn't fool the audience into believing it was summer.  So we emptied our 80 gallon solar system water heater into the plastic lined truck bed...happy children, blue lips gone... commercial finished.

The phone...(yes, we still had a home phone) rang off the hook the first night of the airing of the commercial across the state.  Past-life baseball announcer for the Texas Longhorn baseball team for years, as well as Praise and Worship leader in our city for decades made my husband's voice more than recognizable in his birth city.
*No photos taken...I had a baby and was helping with the crew all day....the commercial is on a VHS tape.
*Now I did make it on the evening news one night...but that is another story for another day.

The Wright family has a file folder full of these "taking advantage of fun around us" stories.  They have been extras on the TV show, Walker Texas Ranger, formed a tunnel for the Texas Rangers baseball players to run through and anything else their Dad could hear about or they discovered themselves...he trained them well.  Tracking down the pianos in Austin, Texas was also one of those lifetime events.

With my  Choleric personality, this stretches my comfort zone... yet later I am so glad I stepped outside my box.  As I age, I am getting better about it and usually will encourage them to go try something.

This last month provided some "taking advantages of fun around us!" events and our number 3 son, Aaron David (who is Phlegmatic), was part of each history-making event.

Mav's Win
Taken from Aaron's phone - He also played his senior basketball game on the Mav's home court, before one of their home games.

Aaron, along with over two-hundred thousand other fans, lined the streets of Dallas for the first-ever, NBA World Championship Victory Parade for the Mavs.



Later in the month, he also attended a Ranger's game that set a world record...

Yahoo image

George W. Bush and Nolan Ryan help set a Guinness World record for the most sunglasses worn at night.


Aaron was there and kept his sunglasses.


Now, isn't life just too short to miss those "taking advantage of the fun around us!" events?  It doesn't have to be an event that makes the papers or internet, but something that creates a story for everyone to tell and re-tell for years to come....the "do you remember when?" type of tales.

What "taking advantage of the fun around us" event have you been a part of lately?

30 Joining in with more words:

Rebecca said...

Wish we'd done more of that when our kids were still at home--although we DID have our share of fun, too. Just nothing so "NATIONAL"!

What a great file to keep, Janette.

If my memory serves me well, you are moving in about a week. I hold you in my thoughts and prayers today!

Karen said...

Memories made while having fun! I can't say we rank with the "Wright celebrities". But, I was caught waving behind the camera at Olympia D. in "Steel Magnolias", in the clip @ the Easter Egg Hunt, so when you see her waving she is waving at me - HA! Don't forget the movie was made in Natchitoches. :)

Debbie said...

WOW!! What a fun story! How exciting that had to be for all of you...wish I could see it. : ) Your soo right of course. There IS "fun" things all around us. That is one of my kids favorite things to do whenever we are all together...."Remember when..." LOVE it! Have a wonderful week-end Janette! HUGS

GLENDA CHILDERS said...

Janette, what a creative and fun environment you provided for your kids. I would love to see that advertisement.

Isn't it "great" when our husbands are opposite of us? My husband is the adventuresome one is our family, too, and often drags me happily off to some new thing.

How is the packing going?

Fondly,
Glenda

http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

YAY for the Wright family! And, Yay for the Mavs!!

I love the adventure spirit! One of the most fun things our kids did was watching a commercial one night at nearly midnite of a drive in hamburger joint in Dallas. My husband said 'let's go' and off they all went for burgers and fried at midnite! Another time was when Canton flooded, it was during the summer, but all the creeks and parking lots were like running rivers. We went right out into it all and crossed the bridge that was now covered in gushing water, we were all screaming and having the time of our lives. A catfish washed up into a guy's booth and was swimming around. We still talk about how much fun it was to be up to our waists in that rain water. Talk about crazy! :)

xo

Vee said...

How interesting! Your hubby sounds like a go-getter. How many "take advantage of the fun" moments have we enjoyed? Just one. And it was nowhere near close to these.

Mary said...

this was so much fun to read...to get to know a bit more about you and your family.

great memories that's for sure.

we have had a few commercials shot here too...the last one was a Texas Pete Hot Sauce commercial that I have yet to see!!! Isn't is something, how much work goes into those...

xxoo

Unknown said...

Oh what fun, I love the way you tell the story...
Blessings!!!

Unknown said...

A warm hello from the UK and Pleased to meet your fantastic family. What great fun loving folks you all are. I found you while browsing and blog here in the UK so as I always say you are only one 'click' away from someone really exciting. If you fancy a browse and click yourself then you will find a warm welcome and virtual cuppa at my space.
Take care, keep safe, be happy
Beverley xx (UK)

Trisha said...

Dearest Janette,
Your posts always make me smile. I love how you and your family love life. My children will enjoy hearing the stories about the "car pool." LOL! Love and hugs!

Farm Girl said...

So cool, and that just amazes me all that you have done, I just love the story about the truck.
You made me laugh.

Theresa said...

Wow! That is such fun! My husband is more of that type than I. When there was a tea party demo. and he drove by he made sure the kids carried one of the signs, even if just for a minute!

Suzy said...

Didn't know I had a blogger friend that is a movie star !!!

no spring chicken said...

Listen to you! Who would have guessed...

I love your inspiration. Being of the melancholic persuasion I too shy away from some of the things encouraged in this post. As you say, I'm thankful for my sanguine hubby who brings us out into the world of fun!

Blessings, Debbie

Debbie Petras said...

Janette, your husband is such a good balance for you. How fun to be involved in a commercial and these other activities. I love that you stepped out of your comfort zone to take advantage of the fun around you.

As for me, I've tried to take advantage of the fun around me by enjoying the children I've been teaching. I believe the Lord has been showering me with LOVE through the children.

In the past:
~ I was in a commercial for a rug store and it ran in the drive-in movie theater for years.
~ Greg and I were on HGTV "Homes across America"
~ I was interviewed for a backyard segment of Sonoran Living, which is a local TV show in Phoenix.
~ I was chosen from the audience of a local TV show to have my makeup done

Right now, Greg and I are planning to see the movie "From Paris with Love" tomorrow to stay out of the heat. We will also get to see views of some of the places we visited in Paris years ago.

Blessings and love,
Debbie

Nancy said...

What a great day to come to meet you and visit your blog.....What a great story and what happy memories you have and continue to make with your family......

I'll definitely be back.....

Lisa said...

Janette,
Ya'll have surely done it ALL! LOL! I love the "car pool" idea! I bet that was the cutest commercial. You need to post that video. :)

A multi-dimensional life said...

I love reading about all of your adventures! Yes, it's great to remember all the fun around us!
Sometimes we get too caught up in just getting it done...that we miss out on all the joy!
I love, love, love the "carpool" story! Cracked me up! Thanks for sharing these moments, pictures, and reminders!

Anonymous said...

What a fun post to read and how exciting.

Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers Janette.

Sandy said...

What a sweet and happy post! I
enjoyed it and feel I know you
and your family better now.
Hugs,
Sandy

Sally said...

Hello, I stopped by through Shanda's Pause on the Path blog. We were in Austin this past weekend for Freshman Orientation, our son is heading to UT this fall. He is our only so there is change ahead. Good luck to you.

Canadagirl said...

Your family sounds like you are good at living on the edge. [o= I enjoyed your reference to the personality temperaments. I used to study them when I was 19 yrs old. I am a Sanguine Choleric.

PS: Thank you for your prayers I can tell you are praying b/c the Lord is doing a lot of healing. I am on the up end now. ((HUGS))

Blessings and ((HUGS))
-Mary

Debbie said...

Now, I have to go back and review the personality types because I can't remember one from the other.

I loved this and wish so badly that I could see your commercial. I would like to know how to transfer old family movies from videos to DVDs but just as surely as I do it, the DVD will be come obsolete too.

I guess memories need to be most cherished in the mind.

Personally,I can't think of anything right now. My head is still hurting from a two day "spell" of bedridden bad health.

Yeah, right through the anniversary plans. Oh well...

Tanna said...

You have a rich, rich memory box to keep your family bound together and loving it!! Kudos to you and your family, Janette! blessings ~ tanna

Maria said...

Hi Janette!
Well this was sooo fun to read and so interesting ~ your family IS fun!

and
You know that Chris and I are taking advantage of the fun here in Austin!
We went kayaking this afternoon in Lady Bird Lake and walked to and from the lake ... The heat isn't too bad, so much less humidity than in NY State right now!

We're taking a little late afternoon break and are now heading back out for a little hike nearby Jason's apt. and then off to dinner!
Austin is beautiful! I love it and am so glad to be here close to Jason!
~Maria
ps. We kayaked right under the bridge where the pianos were {Chris told me} Someone was playing saxophone under the bridge near one of the pillars!

Christine said...

I LOVE your theme (title)!
It says so much about how we can spend time with family and friends.

Would you mind if I used it for my Summer theme this year?

GratefulPrayerThankfulHeart said...

Those sure are fun times stories!!! My husband is phlegmatic/sanguine and I am choleric/melancholy... yup couldn't be more different.

Sharon said...

My goodness - I had no idea that you were famous! WOW! Loved the *car pool* story - it was adorable. And it sounds like Aaron is keeping up the family tradition well!

Hmmm...trying to come up with a good story here. Well, I guess I'll share this one. It isn't funny - but it's a great example of taking advantage of opportunities. My husband and I heard that the traveling Vietnam Wall was in our area. So, we decided to go see it. What a wonderful day - as we chose to honor brave men and women who died for our country. We also enjoyed visiting with a few of the veterans.

There are countless opportunities out there every day - for taking advantage of fun, and just to experience how God works in the *randomness* of life.

GOD BLESS!

Leslie @ Farm Fresh Fun said...

Coooel! Here's to many more happy memories in your new home!
xo
Leslie

Cecilia Marie Pulliam said...

Wow, how cool is that! These kind of memories become legends in families. I was once on stage with the Drifters, thanks to my daughter. Actually got to dance with them in front of the entire audience. I was pulled from my seat by one of the members and escorted on stage. Talk about literally being pulled out of your comfort zone! Great post, Janette!

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