confessions of a happy housewife

Great Whole Foods

2010-09-01T17:21:00.003-04:00

I had a mom in one of our homeschool groups email a wonderful link to me today and I wanted to spread the love.

This is a WONDERFUL, FREE, whole foods recipe collection that is geared towards breakfasts and lunches. The recipes look great and all of them are written with an eye towards getting less processed and more whole foods into our kids (and ourselves, lol!) And most recipes have substitution ideas for dairy-, gluten-, and nut-free diets.

The e-book is in easy-to-use PDF format and was put together by Alisa at One Frugal Foodie. She gathered recipes from favorite food bloggers and added some of her own. It is great, great, great food love!

New Look

2010-07-15T16:52:00.002-04:00

Well, since this blog is becoming a sewing blog (when it is anything at all, that is), I decided to go with a new quilting look. Tell me what you think!!

Barbie's New Togs

2010-04-03T16:09:00.006-04:00

I have a six year old daughter that likes pink and dressing up and shoes and dolls. Therefore, I have Barbies in the house. I know some parents have issues with Barbie, and we are not completely happy with her ourselves. But I think that with a few house rules, she is harmless.

Our house rules include keeping a tight reign on the types of clothes that she is allowed to wear. I truly believe that my daughter's playthings should reflect the type of woman that I would want her to be. Playing is, after all, practice for life. So nothing revealing, nothing that is questionably motivated (i.e.-"sexy" nurses or lingerie). Nothing that I wouldn't want my daughter herself wearing, either now or in the future as a young woman.

And this rule can be hard to enforce. If you have seen the Barbie aisle in the store nowadays, you know what I mean.We are pretty much limited to the "princess" style dolls, and even those can walk the line. Add to that well-meaning relatives that see Barbie and think "perfect easy gift" and we have quite a few dolls that come to our house needing new clothes.

Luckily, Mama loves to sew, and she especially loves to sew doll clothes!

My "new" favorite for Barbie clothes are the Advance patterns from the early sixties. These patterns were made to be sewn by little girls themselves, so they are a great place to start if you are new to sewing and garment construction. (on a side note, doll clothes are always a great place to start if you want to get your feet wet with sewing. You can learn a lot of basics that translate straight to human-sized garments. Plus, if you mess up, you've only ruined 1/4 yard of material, lol!)

The earliest patterns are just known by the letters A,B,C,D,and E(E is for Ken)and are surprisingly easy to find. Within one day of discovering the existence of these patterns, I found A,B, and a partial C in a set on eBay for less than $6.00. There are also companies online that sell reprints for slightly more, if you don't have the patience to wait.

The clothes below came from these two, patterns A and B.

I'm on the lookout for a complete C, because Sydney is wanting some wedding dresses.

Recently, I have made the Sundress and Coat from Group A and the Ice Skating "sport" outfit from Group B.

Very 50's style with the circle skirt and and attached shorts and ponytail.And yes, those are paperclip ice skates. The plastic blades broke off twenty minutes after we brought them home. Sydney says she likes these even better because they leave "figure eight" marks in the aluminum foil pond we made for the dolls to skate on, lol.

I got the wool for this coat from a thrift store "power suit" skirt. Which brings me to another reason I like making doll clothes; because the needed yardage is so small, you can work with some really incredible (read: expensive) fabrics that you wouldn't normally buy in large quantities. I also like to comb the Goodwill racks and find human clothes in natural fabrics that can be re purposed.

The Sundress is very fun. With a built-in petticoat, you get the big poofy skirt that my daughter loves, and it looks cute made up in lots of different fabrics. This is one of about twenty different quilting cottons that we bought at the local fabric store for $.99 a yard.

And something else that is very cool. Every dress and skirt pattern comes with a pattern for making matching panties, lol. I really do love these patterns!

One thing to keep in mind,these patterns were made for the "old style" Barbie body, so if you are fitting dolls made after 2000, the clothes may fit a little differently. I've had no major problems though. Just "fit" the clothes on the doll before deciding where to sew on snaps.

I can't recommend these patterns enough. They are fun and easy, even a beginner sempstress could make a whole outfit in about an hour or so. They are definitely worth looking up!

Easter Dress

2010-04-03T00:29:00.003-04:00

At the risk of this becoming a craft blog, here is the dress that I made for my daughter for Easter. I just whipped up a quick jumper-style, because you never know what the weather will bring on Easter around here. This way, we can throw on a short sleeves or long sleeves or no sleeves at all, and we are covered.

And you will only get a back view. I can't get my reluctant model to pose for me today.

Yet Another Clothing Mod

2010-03-22T19:44:00.000-04:00

I'm still sewing up a storm and I thought I'd show you all my latest clothing alteration.

My poor daughter is built much like me. Cute as a button, but round in the middle. Which means that today's kids fashions designed for thin-waisted waifs do not work. Especially when the only difference between a 4/5 and a 10/12 is 3 inches in length.

And that truly doesn't break my heart, because much of what is in the store is not what I would consider appropriate clothing for a little girl anyway, but it does leave Mama getting creative when the need for new clothes arrives.

So enter my latest fix: the side gore.

First, we begin with a knit shirt (even better if it is a 90% clearance shirt, lol).

Then we find a complimenting fabric (here I used the sleeves from a shirt that was too small). One note, if you are new to sewing, it's best to use knits with knits, and wovens with wovens. The two don't mix very well.

Cut two long-sided triangles that will reach from the underarm seam to the hem of your shirt, with a little left over to turn up and match the shirt's hem.

Using a seam ripper, undo the side seams from the hem to the underarm. Sew the triangle into place. If you are blessed with a serger, here is the place to use it. If not, use a wide zig-zag stitch that will allow the seam to stretch as the shirt stretches. Then turn up the excess to match the existing hem.

And there you have it. A cute, swing-style top suitable for comfortable, modest play and ease of motion.

Masterpiece Classics

2010-02-03T09:28:00.001-05:00

I'm not a big TV watcher.

In fact, we've lived in this house for nearly two years and have never bothered to get cable. I love it, but my husband not so much. Sydney makes do with PBS and I am grateful every day that we don't have to contend with the constant barrage of commercials and licensed products.

But every winter, the television event of the year (in my book, at least) begins. I look forward to it with great anticipation. I start checking PBS's schedule in the fall, hoping to catch a glimpse of what's to come.

Masterpiece Classics

Oh how I love costume dramas. Their "Jane Eyre" is one of my favorite movies. Last year's "Little Dorrit" was excellent. It also doesn't hurt that they have done quite a bit of Jane Austen in recent years.

And this year it's "Emma"

And I am in love.

This is such a good adaptation. I tend to collect Austen adaptations. I think that I have seen every Jane Austen inspired movie that is available here in the states. And truly, Hollywood never holds a candle to the fullness and thoroughness of a job done by the Masterpiece Theater crew. This year's "Emma" is a gem. I cannot wait for part three this Sunday night.

Right now, you can watch the first two parts online.

Psst-

Don't miss "Northanger Abbey" and "Persuasion" later this winter. They are also worth the watch!

Socks! Socks! Socks!

2010-02-02T12:05:00.012-05:00

My newly organized sewing room has me revved up and sewing away. I have several projects ready to show you guys and I can't wait to finish more!

Today's project was inspired by Disney over at Ruffles & Stuff. Oh my, do I love this blog. Disney is a wonder at reconstructing clothing. And the pink! Oh the pink!

So here goes:

Knee Socks From Tights

Sydney wears a lot of dresses and jumpers, and here in the chilly north, that means lots of thick cotton tights. And as anyone who deals with tights knows, they aren't always the most comfortable things to wear when you are an active little girl. Half of your day can be spent hauling the waistband up with both hands and scratching in less than polite places while in public (much to Mommy's chagrin, lol). Plus, heavy tights can be pretty pricey, and as with all children's clothes, they grow out of them faster than you would like. So a solution; turn them into knee socks!

This pleases Mom because she gets more life out of an item and it pleases Sydney because knee socks are infinitely less baby-ish than tights (so she tells me).

Supplies You Need

A pair of tights
1/4" wide elastic, or whatever will comfortably hold up your socks

Step one

Have the owner try on the tights and mark, with a safety pin, where you need to cut them off, remembering to leave enough extra to fold over and cover the elastic.

Step Two

Cut off the tights at your mark. (Whew! This is a tough project!)
On a side note, I highly recommend trying this the first time with a pair of striped tights. They have built in measuring marks!

Step Three

Wrap the elastic around the calf (or thigh, if you are doing over-the-knee socks like these)and decide how long of a piece you need. You want it snug enough to hold up the sock but not too tight.You also want to leave a small amount for seaming the ends. Overlap the ends and sew with a wide zig-zag stitch, making a loop.

Step Four

Place the loop inside the top of one stocking and fold over to cover. This is where you would use pins and measuring if you were a good, non-lazy sewer.

I am neither of those things.

It is important that you use a zig-zag stitch here, so that it can stretch with the fabric. A straight stitch will snap the first time that your child puts on the socks. Use a fairly long and medium spaced stitch, and sew along the open edge, folding as you go. Be sure to catch the elastic in the stitch, so that it doesn't roll or bunch up in the wash.

When you are finished, it should look like this:

only, less blurry.

Repeat steps three and four to complete the second sock.

And there you have it:

Socks instead of tights. If you take a look at Disney's blog, you will see that there are all sorts of cute little embellishments that you can add to make them extra adorable, but because the tops of these will never be seen in public after this photo (not on my watch anyway), I didn't bother. I have a few ideas about some shorter socks and bows, but that will be for another post.

"You have died of dysentery"

2010-01-29T09:28:00.001-05:00

Does any one remember "Oregon Trail"? Stocking your wagon, hunting bison, snakebites, funerals, oxen floating away at river crossings?

Classic.

I LOVED this game when I was in school. (who am I kidding, I'd love to play it now)There was something so satisfying about this game, not to mention that I was extremely nerdy (I still am) and did crazy flips for anything that remotely involved American history (I still do).

So, what does a nearly forty (!!) year old game have to do with my day to day life as a still too nerdy housewife? Easy!

Pantry stocking!

Three or four times a year we make a trek to the large Amish area in our state to pick up baking and pantry supplies. Steering away from the most tourist filled places, we shop at stores that the Amish themselves frequent, guaranteeing that we get very affordable prices and good quality products. But because we only go a few times a year, my shopping list looks like a packing list for someone making a cross-country wagon trip, lol.

Shannon's Oregon Trail Shopping List

10 lbs. Bacon
5 lbs. Rye Flour
10 lbs. Cake Flour
20 lbs. Whole Wheat Flour
1/2lbs. Baking Powder
1/4lbs. Thyme, Poppy Seeds, No-Salt Seasoning, Vegetable Flakes, Caraway Seed

We loaded everything in the 'wagon' and headed home.

And spent the next two days trying to find places to store 40 lbs. of goods, lol!

Ta-Da!

2010-01-20T12:46:00.006-05:00

I can sew.

I love to sew.

I have everything I need to churn out clothing for my whole family.

And yet I never sew.

This is why:

I have no room. Everything pertaining to sewing and my crafting in general gets thrown into this corner of the office, because it really doesn't have a proper home. And every time I feel inspired to sew, I look at this mess and promptly change my mind.

This pile not only contains my sewing machine, but fabric, patterns, a weaving loom, yarn, needles, crochet hooks, magazines, ribbon,and is that a beach ball? Goodness sakes!

So I "Did Something" about the mess.

And now:

What a change!

And I liked it so well that I bought a second shelf for the other side of the window.

This is now my favorite room! I love working in here. And my daughter's desk is near enough that I can work while she is busy with school work. I has made me so productive. I'm on a roll!

Day Two- Breads

2009-11-17T19:36:00.002-05:00

It seems as if most of my holiday/party recipes are of the peripheral/side dish variety. Easy to transport and not so important that they would be missed. This is mostly due to the fact that I am low man on the totem pole, so to speak, when it comes to holiday entertaining. There are many relatives older than me who must die before I'm allowed to host a holiday dinner. Not that I am wishing them away, but by the time I am allowed to cook Thanksgiving Dinner, I will be so old that I won't even remember what turkey is supposed to taste like, let alone how to cook it.

Which brings us to my favorite "buffet bread" recipe. Though to call it a recipe is rather generous.

Sweet or Savory Danish/Appetizers

Take a package of refrigerated crescent roll dough (or you can use those nifty little sheets that they make now), and open it but do not unroll (so you have a little log of dough). Slice into 6 to 8 rounds (depending on your application) and lay them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use your thumbs to make indentations in the center of the cinnamon-roll shaped rounds.

And here is where the fun begins.

Fill each indentation with the filling of your choice. Need an easy morning danish? Add your favorite fruit pie filling and drizzle with an easy icing sugar glaze when they come out of the oven. Need a tasty hot appetizer? Fill with a little cooked sausage and a sprinkle of cheese and red pepper. Your imagination can be as free as it likes. Only two rules; one, make sure the filling is cooked. No raw meats or veggies. And two, make sure it can stand up to the heat of the oven. So, traditional chocolate custard pie is out, but maybe you could tweak it a little and make some tasty fudge centers. The sky is the limit.

Bake the rounds at the temp directed on the package and remove when they are golden brown. The filling you choose will affect the cooking time. Also, the thicker your slices, the more "bread-like" your finished product will be(no kidding !?!). So for danish, a little thicker, but if you want a nice crispy platform for say ham or mini pizza, thinner is better.

Holiday Recipes

2009-11-16T13:58:00.004-05:00

Today is Day 1 of Julie Mom's Holiday Recipe Party, and I am SOOOOOOOO excited! Day 1 is Main Dishes and my recipe is not for the "Big Day" per se, but for those days surrounding the holiday that may pose a different culinary challenge.

This is what I call a 'Pantry Meal'. It's one of those dishes that I always have the ingredients on hand. You can take the sausage straight from freezer to skillet and ditto for the cheeses. Add an easy garden salad and some frozen garlic bread and you have dinner for six adults. If you want to up the veggie content you can add green peppers, onion, zucchini, or mushrooms. Anything that you like in lasagna, you will like here.

My One-Pot Oh-My-Goodness-My-House-Is-Full-Of-People-And-I-Forgot-To-Take-Something-Out-Of-The-Freezer Lasagna

1 lb. Shaped Whole Wheat Pasta (Penne, Farfalle, or Rotini)
1 lb. Ground Italian Sausage
1 quart of Your Favorite Tomato Paste Sauce
1/2 cup Pepperoni
1/2 cup Shredded Mozzarella
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan

Cook pasta according to directions, drain, and return to pot. Simultaneously, brown sausage in med. skillet. Once pasta is back in the pot, add sausage, pepperoni,and sauce. Mix thoroughly. Add cheeses and mix again. Serve with grated Parmesan and Red Pepper Flakes.

Come back tomorrow and every day this week for more recipe fun.

Early Christmas Gifts

2009-11-09T17:37:00.004-05:00

I've just returned from a short visit with my sister, who lives in Georgia. Sydney and I went alone, and my poor husband had to rough it on pizza and his mother's delicious home cooking while we were gone. Poor Baby, lol!

But now we are back, and I was greeted with an early Christmas surprise.

Chickens!

I've wanted chickens for ages. I'm not sure why. I just love the idea of having my own little backyard flock. And now that we live in the "country", I've been lobbying hard to make those dreams a reality. My husband, being the loving wonder that he is, has rolled his eyes and humored me.

So now I have a little chicken coop and three fat beauties.

And eggs!

We've gotten two eggs so far. Aren't they gorgeous?!

I would show you pictures of the girls themselves, but the little darlings/demon spawn are cooped up for a few days, until they learn to roost here in their new home.

And by the way, if you were driving past my house this morning about 7:00 AM and saw me flapping round in my pink nightgown, trying to get my new chickens into their coop after their return from being away all night, I offer my apologies. No one should have to see such things

The Untold Secret of Christopher Columbus

2009-10-14T10:44:00.004-04:00

This is what happens when you have a princess/ballet crazed five-year old in your house. She automatically sees a tutu and sparkles.

Poor Chris. Nice gams though.

I guess this also explains the very fashionable sails.

Ouch.

2009-09-23T20:20:00.002-04:00

Note to all of you homemakers out there:

If you are putting up some seasonal produce and it includes peppers,
wear gloves.

No matter how hard or often you scrub your hands, there will still be hot pepper oils under your nails that will inevitably find their way to your eyes.

The 10 pints of salsa and 3 pints of relish are a happy sight though.

Or would be if I could see through my stinging eyes.

Tomatoes

2009-09-16T18:14:00.003-04:00

I had written off my tomatoes this year. The horn worms wanted them, the slugs wanted them, and I am a squeamish pest battler to say the least. I figured that though my vines were prolific, I just couldn't keep the pests at bay without spraying all sorts of chemicals.

Add to that the fact that we only had 3 days this summer when the temperature rose above the 90 degree mark. We just hadn't had enough sun to ripen them properly.

Imagine my surprise tonight when I was on my way out to the compost pile and noticed quite a bit of red peeking through the jungle that had developed when the pole beans decided that the huge tomato vines would make a good trellis.

Tomatoes!

Ripe Tomatoes!

Piles of Tomatoes.

Sydney and I filled three dutch ovens and my biggest colander with plum, cherry and a few globe tomatoes. She kept saying "It's a tomato fiesta!".

I'll have enough for 9 pints of salsa and 4 or 5 quarts of sauce. I can taste it already.

I almost hate to eat those beauties above because they are so perfect!

No Shampoo

2009-09-10T19:55:00.002-04:00

Lest my friends think I am insane, here is a little explanation post that was sparked by a comment that I left on another blog.

All my life I have had straight hair. Super straight hair. Hair so straight that I have had perms that lasted less than twenty four hours. So straight that for high school prom, the beauty shop slicked my whole head with gel, wrapped my hair in curlers, and baked it under the dryers. I had the lovely, high-piled, curly up-do that was all the rage then, but my hair was as hard as a rock. Completely stiff. It took five washings to return it to normal.

So, as anyone with straight hair can tell you, I have always had a struggle with hair products. Almost anything (that I am willing to pay for) weighs down straight hair. Even the wrong kind of shampoo can leave your hair stringy and lifeless. This has led to a lifetime of less-than-enthusiastic hair care. Why bother when no matter what you do, it looks the same.

But...

About a year ago, I had someone suggest to me that I stop using shampoo altogether. After I looked at them like they were crazy, I did a little research and found out that my friend was not as crazy as I thought. So a new regimen was born (and has continued).

So here's what I do:

For my "shampoo"
I mix one tablespoon of baking soda/bicarb with one cup of warm water.

The ratio is important. If you want to mix more at a time, you can, but just keep that 1T to 1C ratio. I use a whole cup when I wash my hair, but I have long hair (four or five inches past my shoulders), you may not need as much. Too much baking soda/bicarb and you will have crispy, dry hair. Too much water and it may not clean effectively.

For my "conditioner":
I mix one to two tablespoons of vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar)to one cup of warm water.
(I actually make a double batch because I find that I need more for rinsing my long hair)

I mix this up fresh every time I wash my hair. It only takes a few seconds. But if you want to mix up more and keep it in bottles in your bathroom, just follow the ratios and you'll be fine.

So I wet my hair thoroughly and pour the soda mixture over my scalp a little at a time gently working it in as you go.

This is the part that may throw some of you because there is no lather. We have been conditioned to think that foamy bubbles=clean. But trust me it is working.

I let it stand for about a minute and the rinse out with cool water, completely flooding your scalp. Don't skimp on the rinsing. I made that mistake once after I had been doing this for a few months and afterward my scalp was so itchy that I though I was having an allergic reaction, lol! (the vinegar also helps with this because it neutralizes the soda)

After my hair is well rinsed, I pour on the vinegar mixture, and massage into my scalp. Let stand for one or two minutes. Then rinse with cool water.

Towel dry and you are done.

A few notes:

Cool water is important. It calms your scalp and is nicer to your hair than hot water. I normally wash my hair in water that I would consider too cold for a shower, wrap my head in a towel, then crank on the hot and finish my shower.

There is an adjustment period. Your hair has to "detox", especially if you use a lot of product. For about a week or two, you find your hair feels or acts different. The same is true if you are traveling and the water has different mineral content, so be aware. I'm not talking "Bride of Frankenstein" different, just a difference in texture and touch.

If you use styling products (i.e.-hairspray, mousse, gel) you should comb out your hair before washing. It helps to loosen the gunk and allow the soda to do it's thing.

This will make your hair clean. Literally "squeaky" clean. I find myself going longer and longer between actual washings. At this point I only actually wash my hair two times a week with warm water rinses whenever I shower in between to remove dust and dirt.

Yes, in the shower, your hair smells like vinegar, and I know that this is a smell that most people don't like. But it fades as soon as your hair is dry, I promise. Your hair will smell like clean hair, which is to say, like nothing. No perfumes or scents. If you like a little "smelly" for your hair you can add a few drops of essential oil to the rinse. Lavender and citrus are nice, Tea Tree can even help with dandruff and scalp issues. I've even used Vanilla extract. Experiment.

Why this works:

Traditional shampoo is a detergent. So, by it's very nature it strips your hair of everything, both good and bad. That's why we need conditioner; to put back all of the natural oils that the shampoo stripped away. That is also why your hair gets greasy. Your scalp is trying to compensate for all of the missing natural oils.

Baking soda/Bicarb doesn't do that. It removes the dirt and debris and leaves your hair and it's oils alone to do their own thing. The vinegar makes your hair shiny and soft, while also neutralizing the soda.

So there it is. My foray into the "crunchy" hippie lifestyle. I love it. My hair has never been healthier or shinier. It actually has body and doesn't go flat two hours after I leave the bathroom.

And the icing on the cake?

IT IS CHEAP!!!

Here the Midwest US the supplies cost me about six cents a wash, and they keep on the shelf indefinitely. Take that, $35 dollar bottle of shampoo!!

Firehouse Tour

2009-06-03T00:57:00.001-04:00

Now you know why I post so rarely.

We're always on a field trip, lol!

Field Trip!

2009-05-12T23:00:00.002-04:00

Scenes from a recent field trip to a local airport. Although, it's only technically an airport. It has a runway and hangars, and a few die hard local pilots; and that's about it.

But the kids had such a good time. They even got some pilots together to take off and land every five minutes or so while the kids were out by the runway. It was magical!

Pita- The Recipe

2009-05-11T13:38:00.003-04:00

Heavens! I didn't even think of giving you all the recipe!

I originally found my recipe here at The Fresh Loaf.

And let me tell you, if you are interested in baking your own bread, of any kind, this is the place for you. Along with recipes and tutorials, they have a forum where people just like you have made the same mistakes that you have made and they discuss how you can fix it. It's kinda like having an experienced bread baking mentor right there in your computer.

I've done things a little differently though.

I use 1 1/2 cups AP Flour and 1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour. I add my honey and warm water together, then bloom the yeast in the resulting mixture. And the biggest change, I cook mine in a very hot cast iron skillet instead of in the oven.

The rising time is much shorter than conventional bread (I can do a whole batch, start to finish, in under two hours) and I actually split my dough into 12 pieces, instead of 8, because we use them for sandwiches. In fact, this is the only bread that I bake some weeks, lol!

Enjoy!

Pita

2009-05-08T15:02:00.002-04:00

My very homely but oh-so-delicious homemade pita bread. I can't believe I ever bought this stuff ready-made. It's so easy to make and so much more tasty than store-bought. The whole house is addicted. Sydda even eats it plain!

Picture Post

2009-04-27T21:52:00.005-04:00

A little pictorial evidence of what we have been up to lately.

My new pantry shelves. A huge improvement over what I had before.And I even have an empty shelf left!

Our raised beds. The green that you can see in this photo has already doubled, even though this was only taken two days ago. Way in the back you can see my new compost bin. A lovely custom design that takes advantage of the giant slope that is our yard.

The inaugural load of wash hanging on my new clothes lines.

The last board being nailed in place on the new bridge. And..

Ta Da! All done.
Everything pictured so far was built and designed by my husband. And not only that, everything except the pantry shelf was made from repurposed materials, so the costs were minimal. Sometimes it's like I live with this magical genii. All I have to do is ask and POOF, he creates it! I'm so blessed!

And finally, the lovely view of God's handiwork that the last few days of warm weather have made possible. I love opening the curtains in the morning!

Productive

2009-04-20T12:59:00.005-04:00

Oh April, how you tease!

Today it is grey and rainy. After a lovely weekend of working outside and our first sunburns of the year, we are once again stuck inside. But we have been busy.

My husband is constructing a bridge to cross the little stream at the bottom of our hill. Now we will be able to take better advantage of the rest of our property.

The raised beds are constructed and cold-weather lovers planted. We should see the peas, spinach, and lettuce poking their heads up soon with all of this rain.

My tomatoes, peppers, and marigolds are flourishing in our livingroom window. I love the big southern-facing windows that are in our main room! I use them for so many things.

My ever-continuing home bread experiments are going well. Although, the lack of sun today has led me to find an alternative heat source for my rising dough. I'm giving my crock pot a try. I placed three drinking glasses inside the heating element, turned on low without the crock, and placed my loaf on a plate balanced on the glasses. It seems to have worked very well, and the loaf just came out of the oven looking beautiful.

My handy husband is also midway in building a new set of shelves for my pantry. All of my cans, bags, and boxes have been moved and dusted in anticipation of their new home.

I guess that we have been productive enough to make up for our rain delay.

Man's Best Friend?

2009-04-05T18:03:00.002-04:00

The drive home from church today found me, as it usually does, chatting with my daughter about her Sunday School lesson. With this being Palm Sunday, I was pretty sure what to expect.

Me: So what was your lesson about today?

Sydda: Um... I don't remember. (also usual, lol.)

M: Did you do anything special today? (I knew they were supposed to have a "Palm Parade")

S: Yeah.

M: Like...?

S: Um... Oh! We talked about Jesus riding into town on a dog.

M: A dog?!

S: Yeah, a dog.

M: Do you mean a donkey?

S: No mom. A dog. (said with her best teenage disdain)

M: Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.

S: No, I'm pretty sure that my teacher said a dog. And everybody shouted
something at Jesus and threw down their plants.

M: Oh? They threw down their plants?

S: Yeah, and shouted something... I can't remember.

M: Hosanna?

S: Yeah! That was it!

M: Sweetie?

S: Yeah?

M: Jesus rode a donkey, not a dog.

S: ...

S: Oh.

And then ensued a discussion of the Palm Sunday story. It's funny how mishearing a word can change your whole perspective of a story, lol.

Clean Home Carnival

2009-04-01T09:24:00.010-04:00

I haven't posted since President's Day?!

Goodness!

Well, today should be entertaining anyway.

My friend-for-oh-so-long, juliemom, is hosting a jumpstart to spring/fall cleaning on her website today. And here is my contribution.

First, let's start with an exerpt from a letter that I sent to juliemom a few weeks ago.

"...I also wanted to tell you that the Lord used you and your pots as a wake-up call today.

We have been living the 'drop-it-and-run' lifestyle lately. It's seems as if I am never home, running from playdate to program and my home has been suffering. It's been making me feel restless but I just kept telling myself that I was too busy and there was no helping it. And I've been noticing that look in Brian's eye, the one that says "you are dropping the ball around here, but I'm not going to say anything
because you will just snap at me and tell me how hard you work everyday and that I just don't understand". I HATE that look, mostly because it is perfectly justified and I don't like having my shortcomings as a wife and mother pointed out to me.

I've been praying for peace about my running around and half-finished tasks, knowing full well that the unease I've been feeling is straight from God. It's so strong that I can almost literally hear Him speaking. "You are not doing this the right way. Your job is to nurture your family and teach your child, not play keep-up with the other homeschoolers. I gave you Brian and Sydney to care for, not to ignore and blame. Slow down and do what you know is right. Stop this busy-ness. It's not what you need or want."

But, as per usual when I'm feeling chastised, I played dumb and and ignored the wisdom being sent my way. All the while, praying for a change.

And, as per usual, God gave me exactly what I needed. A good swift kick in the behind. Well, actually, the ankle.

As I was running around today, desperately dashing in from a shopping trip, trying to come up with something for lunch in the hour before Brian had to leave for work (because I have been too busy to do my meal planning lately), Sydda asked for a glass of water. My first reaction was annoyance, "Why does she always want something from me when I am my busiest?". So I half-stomped into the kitchen peeved and distracted "Why do I never have enough time!", and... I fell over a can of paint. (Paint that my husband was nice enough to go and pick up for me so that I could finally finish my part of the bathroom refurb that was begun over a month ago (because I was too busy to pick up the paint or to do the actual painting)). And when I say fell, I mean FELL, arms windmilling, body twisting, frantic grabbing for anything within reach, and a mighty crash.

Sydney came running in from the living room, asking if I was alright. I sent her out to the garage for Brian, thinking that by the feel of it, my ankle was broken. I crawled over to the cupboards and propped myself up, pulling off my sock and trying to catch my breath. The ankle was already purple, the faint outline of the can's handle bail showing in the bruise. I was sore and embarrassed at my lack of gracefulness, seething at one more thing making me run behind.

Brian came in, took a look at the ankle and deposited me on the couch with some ice and assurances that he would order a pizza for lunch. I was told to sit and rest. "Oh great! Just what I needed. Yet another delay in my already busy day. I don't have time to just sit around." But I sat and rested as I was told, for really the first time in two weeks. And that's when I noticed it... my house...

MY HOUSE IS A COMPLETE WRECK!!!!!

It looked as if no one had really cleaned in weeks. Sydney's copywork on the whiteboard were the same words that we had worked on two weeks ago. There were Valentines and envelopes still stacked all over the coffee table. A mountain of library books were piled on the floor near "my end" of the sofa, unread and over due, even though we make two trips to the library a week. The dust was thick on the TV and stand, and Sydney had drawn pictures in it. The carpet was so covered with crumbs and hair that I can't believe we were brave enough to walk on it barefoot! Truly disgusting!

And now, I was stuck on the couch and could do nothing about it! Great!

But then I realized, at the rate I had been running around, I probably wouldn't have noticed the extent of the mess until we were about to have company. Which, with Brian's schedule, wouldn't have been for another month. I would have continued to plow my way through the house only picking up what was necessary to keep us from tripping (ha ha) because I was too busy.

Well, since I had all this time on my hands and I was feeling guilty about the state of affairs, did I pray and ask for guidance? Was I grateful for the situation being brought to my attention? Of course not. I picked up my computer and proceeded to ignore and squash down my feelings. Hiding in my email inbox and my blogroll list. I wasn't about to admit that this was a message created especially for me, as an answer to my prayers and guidance as to the way I knew I should go. A forced slowing so that I could actually see the damage I was doing to my husband, daughter, and home.

Ignore it and it will go away.

But God is ever patient and persistent. And He knows that it takes a few beatings over the head sometimes to get me to listen.

Here is where you come in. Browsing around, I came upon your half-hour pot scrubbing pictures and I was inspired by your Spring/Fall cleaning. (kudos by the way, your pot looked spectacular!) There are no such things as coincidences. God was not allowing me to mentally run away and forget. ("Look! I will not let you brush this off yet again.") Your post reminded me of why I was so uneasy with the state of affairs around here. Why it bothers me so much that we run, run, run and never get anything accomplished.

God was saying, "Remember, you enjoy being a wife and mother. You enjoy serving your family. All of this other stuff is just busy-work created by the world and yourself. That is why you are so unhappy and unfulfilled. Because running around and ignoring your home and family is not my plan for you or for wives and mothers anywhere. You know this is true. Wake up. Pay attention"

And so I woke up.

Brian had taken Sydda outside to play, so I was alone. I had a good pray-n-cry, felt my conviction renewed, and started to make a list.

So thank you. Thank you for the reminder, even though that's not what you meant it to be. God did. Also thank you for being there for me to send this ridiculous ramble to. Your friendship to me over the years has meant so much.

And here is where I need to ask you for one more thing. I need someone to be accountable to. I know myself and all of this new conviction can fade very easily if I don't have someone checking in on me. I am planning on taking a whole batch of 'before' pictures first thing in the morning and I'd like to send them to you. You can just ignore them if you like, but I'll send them on anyway. As I finish, I'll be sending you 'after' pictures. I've given myself a week to deal with the actual "dirt" and two weeks for the clutter. Also, I have decided to cut any and all playdates, homeschool outings, and out-of-the-house lessons to two days a week. This includes library trips. If we can't do it in those two days, we are too busy. I need to schedule home time much more than yet another playdate. This is actually perfect timing (is God awesome or what?) because it is time to renew a few of our commitments, and I plan to drop them cold turkey. I would like things to be running smoothly again by Easter, so here goes..."

Reading over that letter, I am reminded again of how really desperate I was feeling, but, out of a misplaced sense of obligation to my daughter's "education" I was ignoring the feelings. I am now happy to report that things are running more smoothly.

I managed to get everything major done in one week, with just a few organizational projects left (pantry, I'm looking at you). Of course, scheduling a Mom's Night get together at my house helped to keep my conviction running high. And also a renewed desire to have my daughter learn more about helping around the house has given us both a reason to clean and enjoy it.

So, here are a few before and after photos for your entertainment...

Our living/diningroom before

And after...

My office before...

And after...

And the project that has had the most impact on my daily life,

The Homeschool Closet!

Before...

After...

Mostly, things have stayed under control. I have noticed a few areas that tend to collect stuff (mainly my desk) that I have to be extra vigilant about keeping clean. All in all, it's been a much happier home for all of us.

I think the biggest help has been actually staying at home. I've made good on my plans to keep all homeschool/play running down to two days a week. It has made for a much calmer and more productive week.

So, there it is, my mess and recovery. It feels wonderful to have a neater and more organized home. If you are feeling inspired, go on over to juliemom's blog and leave a link to a story and some pictures of your own.

Happy Cleaning!

President's Day is Delicious

2009-02-13T08:25:00.001-05:00

Celebrate Lincoln with brunch!

Enough Already!

2009-01-30T09:42:00.002-05:00

More snow.

We now have about 15 inches on the ground.

Don't get me wrong, I love winter. I'm always so happy when the temperatures start to drop.The snow is beautiful and our home is cozy, but this year has just been so COLD!
And the snow just won't stop coming.

It's usually late February/early March before I'm this fed up, lol.

All of this glorious deep snow, and it's too cold to go outside and play.
I can't find anything to read (which in and of itself is a sign of the Apocalypse).
We've watched all of our movies over and over.

Ennui has set in.

Be Still My Wannabe Archaeologist's Heart

2009-01-24T19:56:00.005-05:00

I love Playmobil toys.

I love the hundreds of tiny pieces.

I love the variety of themes.

I love that my daughter can make up stories about Santa visiting a band of pirates and helping them plant a garden, and she has toys that she can use to act them out.

So imagine my joy when I opened my inbox to find the new Playmobil catalog and this staring back at me.

IT'S A PYRAMID!!!!!

With collapsible stairs, and secret chambers, and treasure, and mummies, and trap doors, and Snakes ("Why'd it have to be snakes!")!

This set doesn't come out until August and I can't wait ~~to play Indiana Jones~~ see the joy in Peanut's eyes while she plays.

Do you think I could convince my husband that it is a purchase to help me teach history?

Snow Woman

2009-01-23T23:04:00.002-05:00

This was taken about a week ago when the temps were in the mid twenties for the day. The lovely woman in the photo with Peanut is my mom. They made a snow woman, complete with purple shawl, because the snow just wouldn't roll into a nice round ball. My mom molded the skirt in the bottom and Peanut later made stick arms.

She has stood outside my kitchen door looking elegant all through our snow storms and negative degree weather. I brush her off every time I walk past. There's nothing like single digit weather to make your snow creations last!

Kiss by Ted Dekker

2009-01-23T23:01:00.003-05:00

I recently had someone pass "kiss" by Ted Dekker and Erin Healy my way and ask me what I thought about it. So I said I'd tell you all too.

It was an intense book. Lots of mystery and twists centered around the main character, Shauna McAllister, who wakes up after being in a coma for six weeks unable to remember anything about her recent life. Add in a distant father who is a presidential candidate, an abusive step-mother, a boyfriend of whom she has no memory, and a brother who suffered brain damage in the same car wreck that took Shauna's memory, and you have a twisty tale of a family with a closet full of dark secrets. Shauna also discovers that the accident has left her with a strange new ability which leaves her not sure who she can turn to or trust.

The was very suspenseful and definitely kept me interested to the end. The mystery aspect of the plot was excellent and I might be interested in reading some of Dekker's other books, based on this one.

That being said, I am a little confused. This book is marketed as Christian suspense but as far as I can see, it doesn't really fit into that category. The only real "Christian" aspect of the story line is the main character's exploration of pain vs. perspective when it comes the things that God brings into our lives. The book is not bad, I just think the marketing it to a Christian audience is a little misleading.

Check it out for yourself and tell me what you think.

And I Thought That I Loved Winter

2009-01-16T08:17:00.002-05:00

Yes, you are reading correctly. My kitchen thermometer reads -13 this morning. That's -25 for my non-Fahrenheit friends. Which would not be such a big deal if I lived in say, Minnesota or Alaska. But here in Ohio, this is not the norm.

And notice the inside temp. 50 degrees. Inside. We have the thermostat set on 60 to conserve energy. But the only place in the house that is actually 60 degrees is the hall where the thermostat is located. The extremities, like the kitchen and bedrooms, are considerably colder.

So I, who is normally thrilled when the temperature drops, am cranky as a badger poked from its den this morning. I spent the night with a hacking cough, stuffed up head, and a flailing 5 year old who joined us in our bed because it was cold. I watched the sunrise through the completely frosted over window next to my bed, and then stumbled downstairs to breakfast the Peanut.

On the upside, it is achingly beautiful out, with the sun on the snow and the neighbors chimneys laying out streams of smoke.

But who wants aching beauty when you have an aching head?.

Ahh, The Cake

2008-11-18T07:34:00.004-05:00

Everyone keeps asking about the cake in the background of my daughter's photo.

Yes, I made it myself.

It took me three days.

EIGHT CUPS of ICING!

As I see it, I only have a few more years when the things that I know how to do will wow my child, then I will become boring old Mom and "Why can't I have a cake from the store like everybody else?" I have to score points while I can, lol. And believe me, she was wowed. She was in five-year-old heaven!

Here are a few close up pictures. They aren't very good, because, as I found out later (after the cake was devoured), the settings were off on my camera. Enjoy!

5!!!

2008-11-16T23:12:00.002-05:00

Well, my Peanut had her fifth birthday party this weekend. I uploaded these pictures tonight and I just can not believe how grown up she looks. It makes me excited and sad at the same time. I look forward to knowing my little girl as a young lady, but I will miss her so much when she's grown and gone.

Although, if you ask her, she has no plans of ever leaving me. She tells me that she is going to stay with me forever and cries at the thought of having her own house and family. I keep telling her that one day she'll change her mind, but she doesn't quite believe me.

Notice Anything Different?

2008-10-31T08:44:00.002-04:00

The blog has had a makeover!

My good friend juliemom, whom I have known since kindergarten (and who, by the way, is looking very svelte and healthy. Yea Jules!) worked her digital fingers to the bone in creating a new look for my much ignored home. I love the new color combinations!

Thanks Jules!

Retro Food

2008-10-24T16:40:00.002-04:00

So, with the economy crunch and things in general being a bit mad, I'm trying to be more responsible with our resources. Trying to get every penny's worth from the money we spend on groceries. And for us this means utilizing the deep freeze in the basement. We're lucky enough to live in a very agriculturally centered area. We are surrounded by farms big and small from whom you can get quite a discount if you buy in large amounts. So I stock the freezer.

But...

Just because I put it in there, it doesn't mean that I remember to take it back out. Which is just like throwing money away.

So when I noticed a lonely pack of hot dogs languishing towards the back of the top shelf, my guilty concience kicked in and forced me to pull them out and serve them up. The only problem was how?
Generally, hot dogs around here are summer fare. Either roasted on a campfire or cooked on the grill, slapped into buns and slathered in condiments. That is usually the extent of our hot dog cuisine. And lets face it, they're not exactly a gourmet specialty. But with the banishment of highly processed carbs from the house, we haven't seen a hot dog bun in months and the weather was not compatable with outdoor cooking.

So what did I do with a sad pack of wieners that must be used up?

Beans And Wienies Casserole!

I haven't eaten this stuff in decades, and I don't think that I want to put it into regular rotation on the menu, but it was kind of yummy! And I tried to make it all "Betty Crocker Cookbook, circa 1965" beautiful with the 'fillet o' frankfurters' on the top. Very scary! Very orange! But we finished it off with no leftovers.

One More Thing Crossed Off My Winter Prep List

2008-10-09T10:33:00.004-04:00

One flannel gown covered in marching elephants that is finally finished, just in time for my daughter to grow out of it.

Check

Visitors

2008-10-01T21:42:00.002-04:00

Earlier this summer, we had daily visits from a small flock of turkeys. They came down to enjoy a dust bath in all of the newly dug earth at our construction site. We asked around the neighborhood to see who the owners of these "free range" birds were and apparently they are ownerless. The story goes that someone made a dump and drive of the poor mother turkey earlier this spring and she hatched four eggs. The flock now wanders the "neighborhood" on a daily basis and tends to roost for the night on our neighbor's garage roof.

We've gotten a kick out of seeing them for the last few months, strolling around like posh Edwardians on holiday. Of course, I can't help but look at them and think Thanksgiving.

This afternoon, I walked into my kitchen to put a glass in the sink, and there they were, all five of them, perched on my deck railing, just outside my kitchen window. I was shocked at just how big they really are. Of course I had to get my camera, although they weren't too happy about my opening the door and they quickly took off flapping for the yard.

Maybe if I spread some cracked corn I can keep them coming until November.

Number five seemed to elude my camera for every shot

Birthday

2008-09-30T12:55:00.004-04:00

Tonight at 12:01 AM I will be 32 years old. And as usual, mentally, I feel no more than 15. I'm just as geeky now as I was then. It's just different categories of geeky-ness now. I hold no hope of ever growing up.

Peanut crawled into bed with me this morning and said, "Daddy is coming to get me from playgroup today and we are going shopping. Don't even ask where we are going." in her now, nearly perfected, teenage voice. She has already learned the knack of making her words drip with sarcasm and disdain. (Hmm, I wonder where she gets it from? LOL!) The present hunt is officially on.

Tomatoes, Ugh!

2008-09-25T20:36:00.002-04:00

Canning season is upon us.

The family and friends are coming round with the excess produce that they can't bear to waste, thinking that we, with no garden, are in desperate want of it. And I am grateful, really. With the price of groceries in general and produce in particular, every little bit helps. I just wish it didn't mean that I had to drop everything and preserve the bounty before fruit flies began to fill my kitchen.

Last weekend it was a pile of peppers and two boxes of tomatoes, which I translated into 10 pints of salsa; five canned and five fresh. All of that boiling, peeling, chopping and onion tears. My husband will probably finish it all off before the end of October.

Maybe I should take my FIL up on the offer of more tomatoes.

2008-09-16T20:45:00.002-04:00

Tonight is a dreaming night.

The laundry is undone.
The dinner dishes are still sitting and waiting to be washed.
Today's mail lies unopened on the table.

Maybe it's the crisp change in the weather.
Perhaps it's that the moon is just past full and glorious to see.

Likely, it's just that I have been rereading the "Anne of Green Gables" series lately.

Whatever it is, I'm not anxious to break the misty little spell that has fallen over my house tonight and has me staring at stars and planning in my head. I think I'll just enjoy it.

The dishes will still be dirty later.

Stoned

2008-09-10T18:40:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was spent in the ER having my first CAT scan. My husband made a silly joke about feeling like the jelly in a doughnut. I thought I was going to leave the hospital with frostbite, the ER was so cold.

It turns out I had a kidney stone.

I say had, because as of this morning, I no longer have a kidney stone. But for the last four days, it was all that I could think about. All I can say is "Ouch!". Don't get one of these if you can help it.

I've had my gallbladder removed, I've endured labor pains, and I've gone through a scary hemorrhaging miscarriage. This was less fun than all three.

But now things are fine and my bladder isn't making me do the twelve-trips-to-the-bathroom dance all night long.

Now if I could only get my daughter to be as considerate about my sleep.

Short Vowels and Miracles

2008-09-05T22:38:00.003-04:00

This has been the week of "Zac the Rat". Next week it will be "Peg the Hen".

Yes, we are working our way through the short vowels.

It's funny, but I expected this to be the most boring part of our homeschooling years. I thought that the interminable repetition and struggle that comes with laying down the foundations of reading would frustrate me, but it just isn't the case.

Seeing my daughter's eyes when she realizes that all of those sounds that I have been forcing her to learn actually make words when she says them out loud together is priceless. Walking through the grocery store and noticing that she is actually reading the signs for "milk" and "eggs", carefully sounding out each letter, is such a thrill.

I love that I get to be here for those moments and that they are not wasted on some exhausted teacher with 38 other minds to mold who has seen it so many times before that it is no longer miraculous to her.

I love that the miracle is mine.

Autumn

2008-09-02T20:37:00.002-04:00

The first Canadian geese were sounding their call over the house tonight on their way south. My heart heard them and instantly thought, "Ahhhh, Autumn!" My favorite season of the year is nearly upon us. I am so thankful that we live in a place where we actually have a change of seasons to enjoy, instead of where my husband would love to be (Utah anyone?). The changing leaves and crisper air just call to me.

Also, that other inevitable is upon us, the new school year. Peanut and I have officially started kindergarten this week. I'm being blown away by how much that little mind can retain when it's something she enjoys (Reading, Yay!) and how stubborn she can be when it's something she feels challenged by (Handwriting). I don't know if it is because I fill double duty as Teacher and Mother or if it's just that my child is stubborn as mule, but when it is time for something that she considers work, the excuses and the guilt trip come trotting out.

"My tooth hurts."
"I'm thirsty."
"My pencil is too small."
"My pencil is too big"
"I already know that, Mama."

And the child hates to practice. Unlike a lot of children, repetition is not her strong suit.

Except when it comes to her favorite books. Now, those I have to read over and over and over.

So I feel safe in saying that I think I have a reader on my hands. Which comes as no surprise to anyone who knows me. In fact, it was probably inevitable. But my heart is joyful at the thought!

Hello! I'm Back!

2008-08-28T21:23:00.004-04:00

Well, I'm back!

If there is still anyone around to care, lol.

It was the strangest thing. I was sitting around tonight, wading through my oceans of email and I had a sudden longing for my blog. "I wonder if you have anything to say?" piped a little voice in my head. "It's been so long. Should you bother?"

I decided that I should. I've missed my blog many times over the last year-plus, but everything else in my life has been so double-helix-crazy that I guess I just couldn't make sense enough of my thoughts to share them out there in the big, wide, webiverse. Things that were very scary, dark, and bad just couldn't find a voice here. But now it is time to emerge from the cave and allow the sun to warm my pasty frame.

Let's see...

We are now settled in the new house. I could sing to you "The Ballad of the Septic System That the EPA Just Couldn't Love" and regale you with "The Tale of 15 Months With the In-Laws". I could move your heart with "Termite Damage Tales From Beyond" and bring you to tears with the rollicking ditty, "Your Boxspring's Just Too Big, and It Ain't Gonna Go Up Those Stairs", but I won't. We wouldn't want to add too much entertainment value to the blog too fast.

But we are here and we are getting comfortable. The new house is perfect. Not in looks (goodness no) or in an impressive way, but it is the most homey place I've ever lived, including my childhood homes (which weren't very homey, by the by). It's as if all the horrible, rotten delays and set backs that we had to endure were bringing us to this house at this time. It's truly our 'home', the home that Brian and I have been waiting for our whole married lives.

I can't wait for the discoveries to be made in this new house. I can't wait to see our lovely wood turn blazing soon. I look forward to winter's coziness. Next spring's garden will be so much fun with all of our new-found room. And raising my Peanut here, watching her grow and learn, will be the sweetest gift of all!

So. I'm back. And I think I'll be around for awhile.

I've Always Known I Was Born in the Wrong Era

2008-07-16T14:51:00.001-04:00

As a 1930s wife, I am
Very Superior

Take the test!

Vintage Lust

2008-03-12T21:04:00.004-04:00

I so heart this velvet cloche. I've been staring at it for days now, trying to talk myself into buying it. It looks so Lizzie Bennet to me :)

Read It!

2008-03-04T15:20:00.001-05:00

2007-10-05T17:59:00.000-04:00

Wonderful Pink Fun For a Good Cause And Sorely Needed Backup

2007-09-25T19:19:00.000-04:00

Scoot on over to 5 Minutes for Mom and enter for your chance to win a cute new Dyson or a snazzy new Western Digital Passport External Hard Drive.

What I've Been Up To-Continued

2007-09-24T15:59:00.000-04:00

Brian came home the second week of June, very weak and still very sick but improving daily. We were getting very frustrated with the deal on our house, but I was ecstatic that Brian seemed to be feeling better. The bigger struggle was for him. He had lost 50 pounds in one month, most of it muscle. He was barely strong enough to walk down the hall. Being unable to do even the simplest things made my usually active, go-getting husband grouchy and depressed.

Then during the last week of June, Brian began running fevers in the 103 range. The fluids in his still healing abdomen had become infected. It was back to the hospital. Our local hospital was unable to work out what was wrong, so they transferred him to the big city hospital 30 minutes away. Brian spent 10 more days in the hospital, less than happy with the situation.

When my husband came home, he had two drains and an IV line. We had to administer high doses of antibiotics intravenously every morning. He was also continuing to lose weight at the rate of about a pound a day, despite drinking nutritional supplements between every meal. And guess what was happening with our house during this time.

Nothing.

Still Nothing.

Every week there was a new excuse as to why things weren't closing. The new buyers couldn't find insurance, their broker was sick, a water line broke in the lender's office and they had to close for a week, the list was unending. And so was our frustration.

But at home (well, actually my in-laws' home) Brian was getting better. Slowly he was able to do more and more. He was still on a barrage of antibiotics and other medicines, and now has to take daily shots of insulin(his pancreas was irreparably damaged by the pancreatitus, so it no longer functions correctly), but he was getting stronger and better every day. And that leads to the here and now.

Brian is so much better. He has put back on 20 pounds of the 65 total that he lost. He's happily back to work and we are swinging into our normal routine. Well, as close as we can come while living in the back bedroom of my PIL's house. Because yes, you guessed it...

OUR HOUSE STILL HASN'T CLOSED!

We have been scheduled to sign paperwork 4 times now. Each time, we get within hours of the meeting and something goes awry on the buyers end. Mystery paperwork that has a 48 hour waiting period, emergency trip to the hospital, grandmother passes away, broker goes into the hospital, the lending bank's sister bank goes out of business. Unbelievable.

With all of our personal turmoil this summer, we have never once played the "sick card". The buyers seem to think there is nothing weird in taking 5 months to close a deal on a house that costs less than $100,000. They seem content to let this thing drag on to infinity. While I'm here pulling my hair out, waiting to buy a new house!

ARRRRGGGGGGGGG!

What I've Been Up To

2007-09-23T08:40:00.000-04:00

I've been putting off this post for a long time and I'm not sure why.

We've had a very bad summer. It started out so promising. It looked like things were finally moving our way and that we were about to have quite a few dreams come true, and then...

Back on May 4th, we finally found a buyer for our house. Brian and I were euphoric. After years of unsuccessful on-again-off-again marketing of our house, it was going to be sold. The new owners wanted a quick closing, so we agreed to have everything wrapped up by June 12th.

Over the next seven days we happily began packing, rented storage space, and put in a bid on a new house with which we were very pleased and that also had the additional bonus of being about $70,000 less than the other houses we had been considering. We were finally going to have enough room and enough quiet.

In the early hours of May 12, my husband woke me up to say that he needed to go to the emergency room and that his parents were on their way to take care of our daughter. He had been vomiting for about an hour, and I hadn't heard anything.
So I rushed into clothes, stumbling around in the dark, worried and imagining the worst.

Our local hospital is only ten minutes away, but we still had to pull over several times so that Brian could be sick. The more we drove, the more afraid I became. I helped Brian inside and they lay him down on a gurney. By this time he was writhing in pain so the nurses took his info and started administering morphine.

The doctor who initially saw him was convinced it was just an acute appendicitis, and as they whisked Brian off for an ultrasound, he assured me that there was no reason to worry. So I sat there alone, ratty t-shirt, last night's skirt, no bra, grungy ER surroundings, trying to take comfort in the doctor's words but unable to get the sight of my husband's pale pain-filled face out of my mind.

After spending three hours in the ER, watching my husband's breathing get more and more shallow, they finally came back with a diagnosis of Pancreatitus. He was moved upstairs and yet again I was assured that everything would be fine. The vigil continued, the whole time listening to my husband's shallow breaths and moans.

After a few more hours, my husband seemed to quiet. It was nearly noon at this point and the nurses urged me to go home to rest and refresh. They assured me that the amount of pain meds they had given Brian would have him asleep for quite some time. So, thinking of my poor parents-in-law waiting at home with my daughter, I went home feeling a little relieved that Brian seemed to be doing better.

About 6 PM My MIL called to say that my FIL was coming to get Peanut and I was to come to the hospital immediately. At some point during the afternoon, they had moved my husband to intensive care and, because my PIL were there, the hospital hadn't notified me. I knew something was extremely wrong.

Pancreatitus is a disease that affects the pancreas (hence the name). Simply put, the pancreas has two functions, controlling insulin production and producing digestive enzymes. Though, unlike the liver, when these enzymes are produced they have nowhere to be stored. They must go immediately into the digestive system or they will damage the pancreas. With pancreatitus, the small ducts that transfer the enzymes become clogged and the digestive secretions, with nowhere to go start to digest the pancreas itself and the other surrounding organs. The disease is usually linked with a history of alcohol abuse but can also, in some rare cases, be cause by other factors. My husband was one of those rare cases. His high cholesterol was the cause and also why the attack was so sudden with no warning.

When I arrived at the hospital, my MIL led me into a small, darkened alcove that was my husband's room in the ICU. I did not recognise him. The man that I had left sleeping quietly only a few hours before was now attached to a myriad of machines and fighting through the pain for every breath. The nurses told me that some of his organs were shutting down due to shock because of the pain, which he was still feeling through the massive amounts of morphine they were giving him.

My strong, 32 year-old husband, who just the day before had been happily hefting boxes on to the moving truck and joking with his daughter, was dying. You could look at him and see him slipping away. I was horrified. How did this happen?

Why did this happen?

I stayed at the ICU waiting room until the wee hours of morning, unable to watch my husband fighting for every painful breath, but also unable to bear being more than a few steps away. "What if he died and I wasn't there? What would I tell my sweet little daughter if her Daddy died? How could our lives go on?" So there I sat, knitting blindly to the end of the skein of yarn in my purse, ripping it out, and starting all over, desperate to keep my hands and mind busy.

Brian made it through the night, but did not improve. In fact his condition stayed the same for nearly a week. He spent two weeks in Intensive Care before he was moved upstairs to the hospital proper. He then spent another two weeks on the noisy main floor with not only the usual hustle and bustle of a teaching hospital, but also the nuisance of renovation.(he was moved three times in two weeks, to accommodate the construction) All this time unable to eat anything.

Meanwhile, back at home, I was trying to keep things together. My PIL were such a help with the Peanut, but between caring for her and daily trips to the hospital and enough worry to give me a constant stomach ache, I couldn't really focus on packing and moving. Then I got a call...

The buyers wanted to take possession of the house early. They were renting an apartment and didn't want to have to pay for another month, so could we please be ready to close two weeks earlier than expected? Our realtor advised us to not mention Brian's illness, fearing they would use the info to leverage for a lower price, thinking we were desperate to sell.(which we were, lol) But speeding things up would give me NINE DAYS to move out of my house with a husband in the hospital and a three year old to care for. Unable to discuss things over with anyone, but knowing that Brian unequivocally wanted rid of this house, I agreed.

Let me just say that we are blessed with wonderful friends and helpful family, without whom, I would have ended up lying in a bed next to my husband, a babbling crazy-person. My MIL kept watch on Peanut while my FIL came daily to help pack up everything in my husband's garage and wood workshop. The guys that my husband works with and some of our friends from high school gave up their holiday weekend to clear out the house and put everything in storage (which they managed in an amazingly short few hours. THANK YOU GUYS!) We were all cleaned up and moved into my PIL's house with a day to spare. And then...

No word from the buyers or their broker. The title company had called to confirm some deed info and have a few documents faxed (the last thing I did before packing up the computer). We had a copy of the closing statement mailed to us that the buyer's bank had requested. We had all of our ducks in a row, in spite of some serious goings-on in our lives.

Nothing.

For three weeks.

These people who were so anxious to take possession of their new home that they forced me to pack up in nine days, this broker who ensured us that there would be no problem wrapping up the legal aspects of the deal before the first of June, would not return our agent's calls. June first came and went and we still heard nothing from their camp. The housing market in our state was going down the tubes and it looked like we were it's next victims.

(To Be Continued On Monday)

So Disappointing

2007-07-20T11:59:00.001-04:00

Boo, New York Times, Boo!

Bikini Muffins

2007-07-12T21:05:00.000-04:00

Peanut and I whipped up these muffins to while away a long, hot afternoon this week. She has dubbed them "Bikini Muffins" (I suppose 'zucchini' sounds like 'bikini' to a three year old, lol)

Peanut's Bikini Zucchini Muffins

(yields 24 muffins)

3 Eggs
1 c. Olive Oil
1 1/2 c. Granulated White Sugar
1 T. Vanilla
1 T. Cinnamon
1 1/2 t. Nutmeg
2 c. Shredded Zucchini, unpeeled
1 Medium Sized Apple, peeled and diced
2 c. unsifted all-purpose Flour
1 1/2 t. Baking Soda
1 1/4 t. Kosher Salt
1/4 t. Baking Powder
3/4 c. Unsalted. Shelled Sunflower Seeds
1/4 c. Flax Seeds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Beat eggs and combine with oil and sugar. Add vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg. Mix in zucchini and apple dice. In a separate bowl, mix soda, salt and baking powder with flour. Add flour mixture to wet mix and stir until just blended (it will be very lumpy). Stir in seeds. Fill standard muffin cups 2/3 full and Bake for 18 to 20 minutes.

Beautiful

2007-06-25T14:29:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to post about a wonderful new artist that I have recently met.

Melissa Muir at Kelsi's Closet Jewelbox.

Her jewelry combinations are beautiful and the workmanship is meticulous. On top of all that, she is a wonderful woman! Do yourself a favor and go take a look. (you'll love her prices!)

I Asked...

2007-06-23T19:11:00.000-04:00

Tonight's conversation during the post-bath, pre-bed melee:

Me: Peanut, what has gotten into you tonight?!

Peanut: I ate some boogers and it put me in a mood.

Sometimes there are questions you really don't want answered.

Pie For Breakfast Anyone?

2007-04-25T10:46:00.000-04:00

Blushing Peach Pie
My tribute to the newly arrived warm weather.

My Visual DNA

2007-04-24T09:47:00.001-04:00

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

The Ants Go Marching...

2007-04-24T09:25:00.000-04:00

Warm weather has finally come to Ohio for good (I think). After a few teasing days, followed by Easter snow that killed all of my spring flowers, I think that it is becoming safe enough to put away the winter coats.

On the downside though, all of God's little creatures are waking up. Yellow Jackets are everywhere. Grubs are squishing along. I even had a spider swing down from the ceiling last night and land right in my lap. Generally, I don't mind buggy little things, but this time of year they make my skin crawl. They seem to be everywhere!

The worst of it is the ants. They have decided to move in. Completely ignoring the fact that we are trying to get someone to buy this house, and therefore would prefer that prospective buyers don't look down and see a corner full of their writhing little bodies. I hate the idea of any spray, but I'm becoming a little desperate. Anyone have a spare anteater they would lend me?

Anyone Have a Basement To Rent?

2007-04-22T23:11:00.000-04:00

With the house up for sale again, I've been trying to get to some of those little (and big) jobs that you tend to ignore during the day to day. Cleaning out the freezer, organizing the cabinets, etc., etc.
But the biggest job by far is cataloging all of our media (books, DVDs, magazines, and such). I've found a wonderful, easy to use, FREE site called GuruLib and a little :CueCat Scanner to help me on my way. I love that I can organize books and movies on to different digital "shelves", so that I can say, keep track of Peanut's books with out having to wade through everything we own.

This job has brought me to several realizations though.

1. We have A LOT OF BOOKS!!! and movies.

2. There are so many more books and movies that I want to own, lol.

While doing manual searches for things we do have, I was reminded of lots of great books that we don't. My wish list has quintupled tonight alone! Maybe I should just finish with a blindfold on, lol.

Books...Again!

2007-04-16T20:01:00.000-04:00

I've just finished reading two books that I found very inspiring. The first, "Unbroken" by Tracy Elliot, is the story of Mrs. Elliot's struggles through life and her ability to keep her faith in God, even when she wasn't a 'perfect' person. She delivers, in very candid detail, the emotions and inside workings of her faith while dealing with abuse, despair, suicide, and addiction. She also shares her joy in her family and her joy in doing God's work and will. Even if you are not a Christian, you will respond to her strong, unwavering faith in a God who loves us and provides for us, even in the worst of times.

The next was Bono's "On the Move", a print copy of the speech he gave at the 2006 National Prayer Breakfast, urging Americans, and the world at large, to take a stand and start changing policies and taking action to help the suffering people of Africa. The speech itself is moving and thought-provoking, and when coupled with the pictures taken by Bono himself on an earlier aid trip through Africa, you will find your mind stirring to think of things that you can do to aid relief. His call to action is strong and touching. A very emotional read!

As an aside, I know that this blog seems to be nothing but reviews of good books that I have read lately, and I apologize for that. I think I'm going to move my reviewing to a site of it's own (as that seems to be the only thing interesting enough to talk about in my mind lately, lol) and see if it doesn't jump start my posting here at Confessions. We'll see what happens. I promise to become better about more timely updates!

Randy Alcorn

2007-03-16T08:49:00.000-04:00

I just had a chance to read two new books by Randy Alcorn and found them enjoyable. "Wait Until Then" is a lovely illustration filled book about a young boy with disabilities and his ailing Grandfather who both love baseball, and are not able to play. The Grandfather teaches the boy and his family about anticipating heaven and our new bodies and lives.

"Heaven for Kids" is a child-friendly version of his book "Heaven". It gives accessible answers and explanations for many of the questions that children (and adults) may have concerning what the bible has to say about heaven. Very easy to read and understand, he also uses many excerpts from C.S. Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia" to illuminate his meaning.

All in all both were very enjoyable and very kid-centric. I would definitely recommend them, although, as with any book of faith, they are best enjoyed with someone who can help the child answer any questions that may arise while reading.

Snickerdoodles

2007-02-21T08:43:00.000-05:00

Shishyboo from Australia wrote to ask what Snickerdoodles are and if they have something to do with the Snickers candy bar. Well, sadly no, Snickerdoodles have no chocolate, but are very delicious just the same. They are a cinnamon and sugar cookie created by the Dutch and German communities (like so many of our best desserts here in America, lol). The recipe is a very easy one and oftentimes is the first cookie that little bakers make on their own.

Snickerdoodles
(from Allrecipes)
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, soft
1/2 cup shortening (non hydrogenated), soft
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and shortening, gradually adding the sugar until mixture is fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, followed by vanilla extract. Gradually mix in the flour at low speed until a dough is formed.
In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Roll 1-inch balls of dough in the mixture and place on baking sheet. Cookies will spread, so leave about 2-inches between cookies.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until set.
Remove to a wire cooling rack immediately.
Store in an airtight container when cool.
Makes about 4-dozen.

But...

I do have a couple favorite recipes involving Snickers Bars.

One that is rather involved but worth the work:

Snickers Pie

Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
4 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Fudge Layer:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (about 8 1/2 ounces) 1/2-inch pieces
of Snickers bars

Cream Cheese Layer:
10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:
2 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons heavy cream

For the crust: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch deep-dish glass pie pan.

Combine crumbs and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Add melted butter, stirring until well incorporated. Press mixture evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of prepared pan. Bake for 5 minutes, until crust is set. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Keep the oven temperature at 350 degrees F.

For the fudge layer: Combine butter, semisweet and unsweetened chocolates in the top of a double boiler; set over simmering water and stir until melted and smooth. Remove top insert and cool slightly.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl.

Using an electric mixer, beat together sugar, egg and egg yolk in a large bowl for 1 minute, until slightly thickened. Add vanilla and cooled chocolate mixture and mix until well blended. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour into crust.

Bake for about 15 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with moist batter still attached. If crust browns too quickly, cover with foil.

Transfer pan to a rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Evenly arrange Snickers bars over the top.

For the cream cheese layer: Using an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add egg and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Carefully spread mixture over the Snickers bars. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cream cheese is set. Transfer to a rack to cool.

For the topping: Combine chocolate and cream in the top of a double boiler. Set over simmering water and stir until chocolate is just melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Dip a spoon into mixture and drizzle decoratively over the pie.

Refrigerate until well chilled. Serve cold. The pie may be prepared up to 3 days ahead. Cover loosely with foil and keep refrigerated.

Serves 12 to 16.

And one that is easy and a little bit different:

Snickers Salad recipe

6 Granny Smith apples (or any tart apple)
6 large Snickers bars
12 ounces Frozen Whipped Topping
Chocolate sprinkles

Chop the apples and Snickers bars into small bite-size pieces. Mix thoroughly into the whipped topping. Use the sprinkles for garnish over the top. For best flavor, refrigerate for several hours.

Needless to say, neither of these is low fat, but they are both oh-so-good!

The comic fangirl rears her ugly, nearsighted head

2007-02-20T09:02:00.000-05:00

I'm going to interrupt the usual housewifely tone of this blog to geek out a little bit. I have always been a nerd. I did well in school, I dig comic books, I tend to salivate over good sci-fi/fantasy, I have very questionable fashion sense, etc. And throughout my marriage I have been slowly dragging my ultra-cool-guy husband over to the dark side, introducing him to the joys of graphic novels, Harry Potter fandom, and entertainment that doesn't involve cars, horses, or heavy metal. Now my husband is the one who tells me what happens on the TV shows that I miss and who drags me to every Marvel movie that is released. Which leads us to the actual topic of this post.

We went to see 'Ghost Rider' this weekend.

Squeeeeeeeee!

Can I just say that Nicholas Cage's eyebrows deserve their own credit at the end? I LOVED this movie! So well done. The shots and effects we're beautiful. The story was quick-paced and enjoyable. The characters well cast and developed. I couldn't have loved this movie more if I had written, directed, and produced it.

Admittedly, this isn't a book that I have more than a general knowledge of, so I'm not sure how well it stays true to the original story, but that hasn't effected my enjoyment of most other comic movies and definitely not this one. The story line is a bit scary for little ones, so no one under thirteen, but everyone else, go see it this weekend!

And now we return to posts about aprons and the funny things that kids say.

Snow

2007-02-17T08:40:00.000-05:00

Finally, we received enough snow to sate even Peanut's desires for winter fun!

Housekeeping Meme

2007-02-11T08:05:00.000-05:00

I was tapped by the lovely thicketdweller over at Today's Lessons for this fun housekeeping meme. Read and be appalled at my daily habits, lol.

Aprons - Y/N? If yes, what does your favorite look like?

Yes. I tend to collect aprons at the same rate as dust bunnies. I had my husband install a coat hook on the wall next to the fridge, just so there was somewhere to keep them close by. My favorite is a small purple half apron that my grandmother made when she was a new bride. It has a large burn down the front that has a great story to go with it and I smile every time I see it. My everyday apron is a voluminous yellow striped affair that I made with leftover fabric from my sister's baby shower tableclothes.

Baking - Favorite thing to bake: Pies and cookies. Especially Apple Crumble and Snickerdoodles.

Clothesline - Y/N? NO! And I have been begging for nine years now. My husband always has some excuse as to why we can't have one. I've even drawn up plans for a removable version that we could attach to our deck so that he wouldn't have to mow around it and we could put it away when we were not using it, but still no dice.

Donuts - Have you ever made them? Not since I was a girl. My husband is diabetic, and that sort of thing is just too much temptation. But when I was little, I used to help my dad make them. He has this great bread dough recipe that has been passed down through the men in our family. There are no measurements, only a handful of this or that, and he has adapted it for other uses such as doughnuts and sweet rolls.

Every day - One homemaking thing you do every day: Put away mountains of toys and books.

Freezer - Do you have a separate deep freeze? Yes, and it is indispensable. I would have several more if I had the room.

Garbage Disposal - Y/N? Yes, but I don't use it very often.

Handbook - Home Comforts, which has info on anything housekeeperly that you could ever need and my Betty Crocker Cookbook which reads like a textbook on basic cooking and has helped innumerable times.

Ironing - Love it or Hate it? I love ironing but there are so few things in our everyday wardrobe that need it. I do get excited when it's time to press napkins (sad,sad,sad)

Junk Drawer - Y/N? No, my husband has a thing about jumbled drawers, so our drawers are neatly organized and labeled with containers for every little screw, nail, and twist tie.

Kitchen - Color and decorating scheme? Light oak cabinets with darker floors and periwinkle walls. I had the color made to exactly match the shade of twilight sky that we stood under when my husband first told me that he loved me. (I know, sickly romantic) It's a color that makes me feel so happy! There are lots of bottles and pitchers and cobalt glass sitting around. I like my decor to also be functional.

Love - What is your favorite part of homemaking? I love organizing all of our household stuff and researching the best way to do something. I don't know why I don't do it more often.

Mop - Y/N? No, but I wish. With a three year old in the house, the old rag and knees is the only way to get all of the grime and miscellaneous food that gets scattered around.

Nylons - Maybe three time a year. I'm a long skirt and knee socks kinda gal.

Oven - Do you use the window or open the door to check?- I open the door due to the fact that there is a disgusting layer of burnt grime on the window that I inherited with the house and have never been able to remove.

Pizza - What do you put on yours?- We put on whatever happens to be in the fridge, but the favorite around here is the old mozzarella, pepperoni, bell peppers combo.

Quiet - Read, read, read and think.

Recipe card box - Y/N? Y What does it look like? I have three stacks of cookbooks on the kitchen shelves that I use most often, plus two large three ring binders of loose recipes and a small photo album to hold my hand-written recipe cards, AND two small index boxes of cards, one of which was a home-eco project in high school and I still use it to this day (thank you Ms. Stealle!). I also have half a shelf of what I call "fun, but not on a weekday" cookbooks in the livingroom.

Style of house - What is the style of your house? Eensy-weensy 1950's cookie-cutter Ranch.

Tablecloths and napkins - Y/N? Yes, which my husband fought me on at first ("Can't we just use paper?") but I notice that now he can not eat without a napkin, even when he's eating in front of the television.

Under the kitchen sink - Organized or toxic wasteland? The front row of things that I use on a daily basis is beautiful, but behind that, scary.

Vacuum - Not much, most of our floors are wood.

Wash - How many loads of laundry do you do per week? 4 0r 5

X's - Do you keep a list of things to do that you cross off?Always! Lists make me feel like I am accomplishing things.

Yard - Y/N? Who does what? My husband does the mowing and the heavy work, I do the planting, weeding, and planning.

Zzz's - What is your last homemaking task before going to bed? Making sure that the timer on the dishwasher is set and choosing what to thaw out for the next day's meal.

"The Yummy Mummy"

2007-01-12T08:16:00.000-05:00

This past week I had a chance to review a new (to the US) book, being published by Hyperion this month; "The Yummy Mummy" by Polly Williams.

I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised. Most reader moms could tell you that "Mommy" fiction is all the rage right now; 1."Oh motherhood is so hard", 2."I'll try harder and apply myself to being better/prettier/thinner", 3."It worked and now my life is perfect!" is the usual rough format. And that is exactly what I expected going into this book. What I didn't expect was the true clear voice that Ms. Williams brings to her main character, Amy, and therefore motherhood itself.

Amy is a new mom of an adorable little daughter, Evie, but at six-months, she is fighting a major case of the baby blues, dissatisfied with herself, her looks, and her life in general. She also fears that Joe, Evie's father, is having an affair. So, when she meets Alice, a mom who seems to have it all together, she is inspired to make herself over, in Alice's and the other 'yummy mummy's' images.

She soon realizes though, that 'yummy mummy' life is not all it seems to be and not the answer that she thought it was. Life seems more complicated and problem filled, not less. And we, as readers, join her on her journey through the ins and outs of finding yourself after becoming a mother.

What struck me most about this book is the trueness and familiarity of Amy's thoughts and feelings. I found myself constantly saying "that sounds like me!" Amy's struggles could be the struggles of any new mom. And though most American moms would be thrilled at the idea of a year's worth maternity leave and a maternity stipend, the cultural differences are not off-putting or overly obvious. Amy is an 'any-mom'.

Some of my favorite bits:

"I change Evie into a fresh nappy, ready for her sleep. Her skin is soft and feels damp. Her eyes are locked into mine, following me around the room. Sometimes this dependancy makes me dizzy with love. Other times, like today, it brings on a strange, cloying claustriphobia. I have to push down the clawing desire to break free, to run, to dance, into the pit of my stomach. And there it stays, a silent creature spitting up disorienting vapors, tastes of freedom."
***********

On lying awake long after man and child have fallen asleep:

"I pretended I was asleep when he came to bed. Four hours later I'm still here, fiercely awake, thoughts rattling in my head: Mum, haven't phoned; Grandma, haven't written; Evie needs a teether. Why is it that I have a brain like a cocaine-fueled city boy yet I supposedly don't even "work"?"
**********

"Does motherhood really require a complete sublimation of self, or just the bits that are public?"
*********

In "The Yummy Mummy" you will find almost all kinds of middle-to-upper class mother represented. Whether it be in the yummy mummies, the local playgroup mums, Amy's own mother or in Amy herself. I guarantee you will find something that strikes a cord of your own 'mother's heart' in this book.

Polly Williams. com

Hyperion Books

De-Lurking Week

2007-01-11T17:34:00.000-05:00

Well, here it is, De-Lurking Week. I know that I am no one to complain about people being silent, but I'd love to hear from you guys! Leave a comment about yourself and a URL or email so that I can get back to you and thank you for de-lurking.

Yea!!

2007-01-08T09:28:00.000-05:00

We are getting some snow!

It's very light and not sticking much, but it's snow just the same!

I'm sitting here on my beautiful new log bed (a wonderfully extravagant Christmas gift from my in-laws ), watching the flakes drift past the window, and feeling like I'm at a mountain lodge enjoying a vacation.

I love Winter!

Lack Of Snow

2007-01-07T07:07:00.000-05:00

My daughter has been very disappointed in our unseasonably warm winter this year. She jumps out of bed in the morning and runs to the window to see if we have somehow had a miraculous blizzard in the night. She always looks so crestfallen at the sight of mud and rain.

I feel the same way. I've also been wishing for some cold. My husband tells me that I'm crazy to wish for bad weather, but I long for some snow and ice. I just don't feel normal without that change of the seasons.

So when Peanut called to me from across the house that she was having a snowball fight, my curiosity was piqued. I walked around the corner and there was one of the biggest messes she has made to date. Peanut had gotten into my sewing supplies and pulled out a huge bag of polyester fiberfill that I have on hand for stuffing soft toys and pillows. She had emptied the whole bag and spread it all over. The living room really did look as if it had seen a few inches of snow!

Peanut balled up a fistful of fluff and threw it at me. I didn't have the heart to scold her for the mess. We had a fluffball fight and made fluff angels on the rug and left the cleanup worries to later.

I guess the heart finds happiness where it can!

Of Cats and Kittens

2007-01-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

My daughter has devised a new way of getting my attention.
One that makes me out of measure crazy!

When I was growing up, we had two cats. One was very playful and would curl up in your lap to purr and play anytime of the day. The other would not come near when you wanted him to, but let yourself get interested in a book or newspaper and he was there. In your face. Between the print and your eyes.

And now my daughter does this.

I am a stay at home mom. I am not an obsessive cleaner or cooker. I don't run around shopping or committee-ing all of the time. The lion's share of my effort and attention is invested in my daughter. Most of my days are spent in entertaining my very imaginative, very bossy, only child, princess. Whether it is directly, in the form of games, dress-up, or playing the paitent/king/shark/baby stand-in for her myriad of imaginings; or indirectly by choosing fun classes, playgroups, trips, or activities for us to do. I am there, being Mom, Sister, Brother, Cousin, and Friend all-in-one.

But I am also a grown-up person in my own right. I like to read. I like to knit. I like to occasionally browse my favorite internet sites. It is nice to think about something for more than three seconds.

Peanut doesn't think so.

The minute that I sit down with a book, or my knitting, or at the desk, she slithers up into my lap, between me and whatever it is that I am doing. It doesn't matter what she herself is doing or where in the house she may be. If she senses that my attention has wavered, she is there to break up the party. And it is starting to bother me.

I don't know why I find it so annoying. Most of the day I enjoy having her along, helping me cook or sweep, or empty the dryer. I try involve her in the workings of our household routine so she perceives all of us as a family and not "Peanut's Entourage". Still it seems she feels that she must be the center of MY attention.

When we are with groups of other children, she plays nicely and is part of the group. When my husband sits down to watch television, she sits quietly on his lap or at his feet and entertains herself. She is a pleasant, happy child who is a joy to have around. I think the problem lies with me.

The older I get, the more I tend to resent interruptions. Maybe it is because my thought processes seem to take so much longer than they once did. Maybe I am not quite the multi-tasker I once was. Maybe I'm just having a hard time getting through this phase of Peanut's development. I think it's a combination of everything.

Maybe we need to find more children to play with.

Maybe I need to take up drinking in the afternoon, lol!

A New Year

2007-01-03T08:05:00.000-05:00

Here I am. 2007.

A new year full of possibilities.

I wonder what is in store for me and mine this year?

If my husband could choose, it would be a huge cash windfall, endless warm weather, and a wife who doesn't nag about all of his "Jeep time".

If my daughter could chose, it would be picnics every day, a large hole to dig in, and the human race suddenly developing the ability to do without sleep.

For me. I'm not sure what I would chose. There are so many good things about my life, that everyday I feel thankful just to be where I am. But, like everyone else, there are things that I wish would just disappear, never to bother my thoughts again. Sometimes the struggle seems as if it will overwhelm the "me" that resides inside this mother/wife, and I'll become a laundry washing, nose wiping, floor sweeping, food cooking, toy tidying automaton.

I also realize that the struggle is life. I wouldn't know I was alive if it weren't for the maddening ups and downs that make up my daily existence. I try to look at each of these crises as a whetstone that is honing my patience and kindness. Not that I am always successful at looking to the positive. I'm lucky if I manage a "glass half full" attitude even 30% of the time. But each new victory should be cause for celebration. In this instance the trying is just as beneficial as the achieving.

So what am I trying to say in this post that started out serious but has ended up sounding like an advert for some pharmicutical company? I guess it's that my new year's resolution this year is to continue to be human. No SuperMom or RoboWife. Just a woman who loves her family and friends, who is doing the best she can to leave this world a little better for her exsistence.

Christmas Gear Up

2006-11-29T20:36:00.000-05:00

Well, the season of Joy is upon us. Our tree is up, much to my daughter's delight. The stockings are hung and the wreath is upon the door. I keep finding shepherds and kings scattered all over the house because Peanut is convinced that our Nativity scene is her own personal "Baby Jesus Action Figure Set" Baking is being planned, cards addressed, and soon wrapping will begin. And through it all I've been feeling like a fraud.

I care about my family and what impact we have on the world at large. I try to be caring and responsible. I feel the need to live life simply and happily. But often it seems that everything in my life is working against the ideals that I have set for myself. This becomes especially obvious at Christmas.

I go overboard when it comes to gifts, particularly when it comes to a certain little girl. I tell myself that we are not going to go all gift crazy this year, all the while, there are mounds of gifts waiting for one little three-year-old. A three-year-old who doesn't really want anything. A child who, when asked what she wants from Santa says, " Candy" or "Mail" or "Snow". She isn't old enough to have contracted the 'gimmies' yet. She wouldn't care if there was no more than a book or a doll under the tree. But, for some reason, her Momma does.

I find myself buying all sorts of nonsense that I will be tired of picking up off the floor before Twelfth Night. Piles of books, multiple Barbie dolls, Play-doh, Playmobile, Polly Pocket, as if trying to fill some void with toys that we don't need; and I'm not sure where it comes from.

Is it because I didn't have much as a kid? Am I trying to compensate for some area that I feel is lacking in my mothering? Am I just completely neurotic when it comes to Christmas?

I have these flashes of joy and peace sometimes, like tonight, sitting here with the lights off and the tree on, and it feels the way Christmas did when I was a kid. A kind of warm, glowing, happiness and anticipation. But the older I get, the fewer they are. It seems that all of the grown-up, commercial worries of the holiday tend to dominate my thoughts. As if the shinning, joyful, true meaning of Christmas gets covered up by all of this 'fake' stuff. Maybe that is why I buy so much. Maybe that is why I feel so fake.

I hope that I can get it together before the big day gets here.

Skirts! Skirts! Skirts!

2006-11-16T21:10:00.000-05:00

I have found a new favorite in sewing books! "Sew What! Skirts" is absolutely wonderful for anyone who wants to sew, but hates following patterns.

I know that when I start out to make something, I'm very careful and precise, cutting out all of my pattern pieces and thoroughly marking them. But by the time I get around to the actual sewing part, I've either lost interest or have made so many changes that I might as well have not wasted my time with the pattern in the first place. I'm very much a "make it up as I go along" crafter. This book has 16 different skirts that anyone (and I mean even you out there who just took their sewing machine out of the box five minutes ago) can make, without a pattern. In fact, some of the easiest styles use a clever little dot-to-dot, follow the numbers method that I think is ingenious!

The best part of this kind of sewing is that you get to have all of the fun of mixing fabrics and embellishments without getting bogged down by the technical stuff that tends to put so many people off sewing. Plus, you get to make clothing in fabrics that you love and that are custom fit to your body. It's clothing sewing at it's best!

Go check it out!

Trick or Treat 2006

2006-11-15T21:26:00.000-05:00

Peanut trying to see the end of her sucker.

Peanut, my sister, and my twin niece and nephew posing in the bright, bright, sun before taking a trip around the neighborhood.

Peanut's Pumpkin Party

2006-11-15T20:51:00.000-05:00

Peanut hosted her very first party this October, and although it was nothing fancy and the guests spent most of their time jumping on the beds instead of decorating pumpkins, a good time was had by all. In fact, no one would stand still long enough to have their picture taken. So, as a result, I have more shots of the food and decorations, than I do of the actual party, lol.

Here they are painting and stickering away. Five minutes after this shot, everyone
dashed out the back door to run around in the mud and chase the Dads huddled around the "Dad's Fire" that my husband had built as an excuse for the guys to group together and feel "manly". lol

My "Sea Monster Sandwiches""Rrraaarrrwww! Anyone seen Nessie?"

Answers

2006-10-03T19:47:00.000-04:00

First of all, thank you guys for the questions! Keep them coming! I always find it easier to write in response to someone. My ideas tend to be muddy and incoherent if they are made to develop all on their own, lol!

Because I had so many responses, I thought I would just run down the list.

Heather,

Our house hunting and selling are put on hold indefinitely. The house is still technically for sale, but we aren't trying. I don't know about everywhere else, but our little corner of the world is overrun with houses for sale. In fact, some people with higher priced homes in our area are adding time-share vacations and cars to the deals in order to make the sell. We've decided to stay put for awhile.

Yes I have done some canning this year, but not much. Two batches of apple butter and then a batch of hot pepper jelly in which none of the jars sealed, so I had to find homes for it quickly, but that wasn't a problem, lol. I put most of my vegetables up in the freezer, but last week, Peanut was playing around in there after I put my groceries away and she turned the deep-freeze off. We didn't find out until two days later when my husband opened the door and about a gallon of water splashed out on his feet. We lost everything, lol.

My socks are now to the ribbing on the legs. My mother has convinced me to enter them in the fair next year, so now I'm paranoid about every stitch, where before I was just looking at them as a learning experience. My husband gave me this slick set of interchangeable needles for my 30th on Sunday and I have been itching for some new projects. Today I cast on for a soft grey scarf for him as a thank you present. I did knit the sundress and panties for Mina, my daughter's 'Knitted Babe', but Peanut is just getting to that "changing clothes" doll phase so I hadn't bothered to do anything else. I'm sure in the doldrums of January, I'll pull it out and look for a quickie project. I'll post some pictures of Mina in a few days, if I can get my dying camera to co-operate. I'd say go right ahead and make a 'Babe' they are easy and fun! And don't forget to post some pictures so that we can see!

thicket dweller,

I'm afraid I don't have any good recipes for red beans and rice. In fact, I must come clean and admit that I don't like rice, save risotto. It started with the nasty concoctions my Mom used to make when I was a kid. Since then, I have tried rice every once in awhile, but I have found that I still can't stomach much white rice. I do like some long grain wild rices, and we eat brown rice and raisin salad here for dessert on occasion, but most rice dishes I abhor. I embarrass my husband to no end when we eat Chinese and I sit at the table and pick every grain off of my food. Maybe someday I'll grow up, lol!

Anonymous,

You are probably going to hate me, but I'm already mostly done for Christmas. I embroidered dresser scarves for most of the ladies on my list, and I'm just finishing up my last one. My shopping is all finished except for my husband, who always tells me he doesn't know what he wants, so I'm usually stumped for awhile. A few years ago, I started the habit of trying to be done shopping and crafting by the end of October, and I have found that it has made things so much less stressful. I also tend to spend less and miss the money less by spreading it out over the year, as long as I keep a running list of what I have already bought in my purse at all times. Woe is me if I don't keep track, because I always end up buying too much. I'm wracking my brain and digging through old 'Family Fun' magazines to find a craft that Peanut can make for the Grandparents, but now that most of my list is out of the way, I don't feel the pressure so badly, lol.

Happy Housewife,

It's true that I do love to sing, but my voice is only fit for babies and my own car, lol! I used to sing in school and church choir (like all good little Baptist girls, lol) until I was married, but I never sing in public if I can help it anymore. I love to sing and I belt out everything from hymns to showtunes, but only for mine and Peanut's pleasure. Although, she usually says "Mama, don't sing. I sing". She already loves the spotlight. As far as uploading something that I have sang, don't hold your breath, lol! I'm not cruel enough to inflict that on the general public!

Stumped

2006-09-26T21:21:00.000-04:00

I am at a brick wall with my blogging.

Everything I start to write sounds boring and over done. I just haven't felt any inspiration lately.

What would you readers like to hear about?

Any questions that you would like to ask? Any recipes that you are looking for? Any subject that you wouldn't mind me blathering on and on about?

Let me know. I'm drowning here!

County Fair Treats

2006-09-11T14:32:00.000-04:00

There is nothing like our local-dairy-made ice cream on a warm autumn day at the fair!

WIP Friday

2006-09-07T22:30:00.000-04:00

Here is my submission for WIP Friday; my "Two at a Time, Toe Up" socks. The yarn and the pattern both come from KnitPicks, although this particular color of self-striping sock yarn is no more.When I started these, it was a little like wrestling an octopus, because you have two balls of yarn and two circular needles to keep straight, but like most projects, one you get a little more yarn on the needles, it's not so bad. I chose a two at a time version, so that I will hopefully side-step my procrastinating ways and actually have a complete pair when I'm finished. I know that if I were to try my first pair of socks one-at-a-time, I'd never have more than one, lol.

This yarn is a dream to work with and I love the stripes. I have a few other colorways of this yarn put away and I'm thinking that one of them might make great mittens. Maybe that will be next?

My Non-Garden

2006-08-11T09:18:00.000-04:00

The lovely thicketdweller over at today's lessons has invited us all to her garden party, the challenge being, to post pictures of your garden for all to see. I personally have a non-garden this year, due to the fact that the house is for sale and has been since January, when I usually plan things and order seeds and plants. I keep kidding myself that I am giving the soil a resting year, but the truth is, I'm just too lazy, lol!

So here it is, my lovely garden.

2006-08-11T09:17:00.000-04:00

My algea crop

2006-08-11T09:11:00.001-04:00

My Jurassic-Sized hostas that desperately need dividing,

2006-08-11T09:11:00.000-04:00

2006-08-11T09:06:00.001-04:00

2006-08-11T09:05:00.001-04:00

2006-08-11T09:05:00.000-04:00

2006-08-11T09:04:00.000-04:00

2006-08-11T09:03:00.000-04:00

2006-08-11T08:57:00.000-04:00

Marigolds that are waiting for me to de-seed them.

Work Done

2006-08-04T21:49:00.000-04:00

My Peanut's favorite pastime is 'mommying'. She loves dolls and strollers and diapers. We have an acre's worth of Cabbage Patch Kids, Bitty Baby's un-bitty wardrobe, and more naked babies than Woodstock. It often looks as if we are running a doll's hotel around here.

But, being that Peanut is only two, we haven't had much interest in Barbies.

Until now.

The other day, a friend of ours gave Peanut a Barbie as a gift, and she seemed intrigued. She brushed her hair and took off her clothes, and generally played happily for 20 minutes or so.

And I thought, "Here it is, the time has come". So I dug under the bed for my treasure of treasures from my childhood, "The Barbie Box". Here was my sacred stash, quietly hoarded away from the prying eyes of my two sisters after I had outgrown my 'Barbie' days. Lovingly dressed, combed, and wrapped against the day when I could pass the Barbie torch to my own little girl. I don't know if it was the sentiment or the dust, but I was definitely misting up, lol.

I presented the box to Peanut and got that wonderful, awe-filled expression that two-year olds do so well. I felt like I had just given her the moon. We emptied the trunk and I sat and watched as she lined them up in rows and pretended to go shopping. It was truly a hallmark moment.

Inevitably, after Peanut had stripped them all naked, she brought them to me to redress. That's when I made a startling discovery. Barbie has had work done.

She definitely had a breast reduction and lyposuction on her hips. I think she also had a tummy tuck. When we put the new Barbie in the old clothes, she looked like Barbie's little sister playing dress up!

I remember reading an article a few years back about how they were resizing the doll to more realistic proportions so as to not foster a bad body image in young girls, but I never considered what that would mean for my secret stash. I guess I'm going to have to dig out the old doll clothes patterns and see if we can tailor them to fit Barbie's new look!

Squeeeee!

2006-07-31T19:23:00.000-04:00

I was so excited upon the trip to the mailbox today. My new harvest bible is here!

I regularly order Ball's Blue Book every few years, just to keep up on the latest techniques, but this little beauty is making my mouth water and my hands itch to get started. I can tell you that I'm not going to be churning out just quarts of tomatoes this year!

Crimson Honey Grapefruit anyone?

Relaxed

2006-07-31T08:50:00.000-04:00

Well, I have returned from my surprise vacation.

To make up for the fact that both of our vacations this summer were ruined by the weather and microbial interlopers, my husband surprised me with a weekend away in Pennsylvania. While he was out riding the trails all day, I spent my time reading, knitting and catching up on 'me' time. Clean towels, crisp sheets, great food, and I didn't have to lift a finger to produce any of it!

I also want to give a shout out to the great state of PA and all of her wonderful people! The scenery was gorgeous all of the way across the state. It felt like a scenic by-way instead of a highway. And your roads are so smooth! For someone used to the Swiss cheese that passes for roads in Ohio, traveling through your great state was pure bliss!

The Calm Before the Storm

2006-07-17T15:10:00.000-04:00

Indisposition

2006-07-17T08:36:00.000-04:00

I'm still here!

Things have been extremely surreal around here lately, but now I feel as if I can come out from under my rock.

We went on our family vacation to Myrtle Beach last week and things could have been better. I'm afraid that is wasn't very restful. Peanut refused to sleep anywhere except on top of either my husband or I. We only saw the beach for a total of two hours over the span of five days. And my husband contracted a nasty stomach virus.

Which he then passed on to the rest of us.

Due to Brian's discomfort, we cut our trip short by two days, and I am very thankful for that fact. No sooner did we finish unloading the van, than Peanut began to vomit (or to use her new word for it "yuke") all over the living room floor. And she continued to yuke all night long. So on top of a dozen bags to unpack and my mountains of sandy, wet laundry I now had mountains of smelly, wet laundry.

And then I got sick.

This particular bug was not content to ravage our stomachs and leave us be. It felt the need to party in our intestines also. It was a good thing that no one felt like eating much, because no one had the strength to go to the market for groceries. Things were pretty bleak.

Then, as if my figurative plate wasn't full enough, I was scheduled to host our family's annual ladies' Christmas in July party on the 15th. Which meant that I had to cook and prepare Christmas crafts for 20 people, all while feeling less than well.

In the end, everything worked out and we are getting back to our normal routines around here.

Now, if I could only find out how to get rid of all of this sand that I keep finding all over the house...

Made-up

2006-06-29T08:39:00.000-04:00

This was the sight that greeted me upon being torn from my dreams this morning. My Peanut has definitely been flying her toddler flag lately.

I said a few posts ago that I don't regularly wear make up. But I do actually own some, for the rare occasions that I find it necessary. And what I own is expensive (I have very sensitive and picky skin). I can't even think about the cost of my daughter's clown mask this early in the morning. And the lovely new wall mural in her room... and the hand-painted skirt on her changing table... and the three (white) towels she used to wipe her hands... and the pillow and pillowslip she sat upon (Miss Muffet style) while applying her 'face'... and the 'Picasso-ed vanity table...

Comfy In More Ways Than One

2006-06-26T22:25:00.000-04:00

Today I made the trip to our local thrift store. I hadn't been in quite awhile, what with one thing and another, I hadn't made the time. But today found me with a free morning and a willing Daddy to babysit, so off I went! I browsed through the children's clothes (always my first stop), found a cute jumper to put away for Peanut, and then I moseyed on over to the women's section. As I flipped through the double-knit pantsuits and stained turtlenecks, I started to lose hope that this trip would yield any fruit. And then I found it.

The Holy Grail of thrift store finds.

The Favorite Shirt.

It was a button-down-combed-cotton
perfect-shade-of-froggy-green-sleeves-roll-up-just-right dream of a shirt.

And it was half price!

I was in love! I snatched it up, rushed home, threw it in the washer, and I am wearing it right now. It is as comfortable as I knew it would be. And it clashes just right with my favorite pair of hanging around the house pink yoga pants.

I love the thrift store!

But I know not everyone does. I often hear shocked statements of disgust from people, including my own family, about the questionablility of wearing someone else's clothes. "How can you wear something that once belonged to a complete stranger?" "Why would you want to buy old, used, clothes?"

Why indeed?

For me, there are a couple of reasons that I shop thrift stores and garage sales for clothing. First and foremost is the price. I am not especially picky about things that don't matter to me, and clothing is not very high on my list of interest. I've never been a label slave, I don't care if I'm wearing the latest look, and I don't especially feel inclined to pay four times as much for an item just to have the privilege of being a walking billboard offering free publicity for some designer or company.

I do like to look neat and tidy. I do like for my clothes to be comfortable. And I do believe in looking put together. All of these things can be achieved at second-hand clothing stores.

Another reason that I shop at thrift stores is for the reduce/reuse/recycle aspect. America is the #1 trash producing country in the world. We throw away an average of 1609 pounds of garbage per person, per year. That means that in one year, an average family of four produces a little over three tons of garbage! ONE FAMILY=3 TONS! and one third of that amount is packaging from new items.

Every shirt that I buy used, but still usable, is one more that I won't be buying retail. Which is one more that the huge clothing manufacturers will not be selling. Which is one more that they will not have to make. Which is that much energy that was saved and that much cloth that wasn't sent to a landfill. And you may say that my one little shirt does not make a enough difference to matter, but I will say to you that my one shirt, plus your one shirt, plus her one shirt, plus his one shirt, all across the world, would make a difference. And it all starts with my one comfortable shirt.

Now I didn't start this post to rant about the state of our garbage problems here in the U.S. I really did only mean to tell you all about my comfy new shirt. But maybe the next time you are thinking of buying something new, with all of it's packaging and advertising, and waste producing manufacturing processes, perhaps you'll make a sidestop at you local thrift store first.

Who knows? Maybe you'll find your own favorite shirt!

Catching Up

2006-06-25T19:50:00.000-04:00

I was reminded by my blogging angel last night that I hadn't given you all any details on my little solitude trip. I'm so glad to have someone to nudge me along when it comes to blogging!
(Thank you, HH!)

In a word it was... wet.

So wet, in fact, that we came home after one night. I literally stood in a field with water dripping from my nose, fighting a losing battle with keeping our things dry, for 10 hours. We had so much rain that I had to empty collecting water out of our tarps and awnings every fifteen minutes or everything would have collapsed. I also managed to keep a fire going through this deluge, so that my hubby and everyone would have someplace to get dry (ha, ha) when they got off the trail, but only by adding wood and stoking it every twenty minutes or so. It was not exactly the most relaxing trip. When DH finally turned up, we both decided that going home would be for the best. (but I honestly think that if he hadn't broken a vital Jeep part, we would have stayed, rain or no, lol). We were lucky to be at a Jeep meeting though; our truck and trailer had to be pulled out of the muddy field by two other Jeeps! It took a week of sitting out in our back yard for all of our gear to dry out enough to put it away. Not a fun trip , but not a boring one either!

Let's hope that Myrtle Beach goes better in a few weeks!

Aren't you all impressed?

2006-06-19T22:06:00.000-04:00

Your IQ Is 120

Your Logical Intelligence is Below Average

Your Verbal Intelligence is Genius

Your Mathematical Intelligence is Exceptional

Your General Knowledge is Above Average

A Quick and Dirty IQ Test

Thanks to thicketdweller!

Father's Day

2006-06-19T08:17:00.000-04:00

We had a wonderful Father's Day weekend! My husband took us for a mini-break to the lake and we went boating and swimming. Peanut did her fish impersonation. Brian fiddled with his new iPod (his Father's Day gift). And we all just relaxed and enjoyed the sun and the breeze.

Silliness

2006-06-15T20:35:00.000-04:00

Oh if you all could have been a fly on my wall this week you would have gotten some really great laughs. I've taken up a new very fun but very silly hobby.

It all started a few weeks ago while attending the graduation party of one of my cousins. All of the 'young people' were milling about and having a good time and I was sitting in the row of lawn chairs with the other matrons, surveying the scene, as befitted my stately married-and-mommy status. After awhile the 'kids' started playing this video game that consisted of standing on a plastic mat covered with arrows and dancing in time to the flashing arrows and music on the screen. It looked like so much fun and I would have loved to give it a try, but I'm sure that the presence of someone over twenty-five (trying to dance to music that would normally give me a headache) in their midst would have been too much force against their coolness factor, and I would have hated to be the reason for the party breaking up. So I sat in the background, watching the action and making jokes with my sister, thinking that maybe I would give it a try if no one else was watching. Didn't happen.

When I got home, I remembered that we had an old Playstation 2 gathering dust and the wheels started turning. I looked up the game, ordered the gear and a week later, it was in my livingroom. And I am having SO MUCH FUN!

I would never be caught dancing like this in front of an audience, but in the privacy of my livingroom I can fumble around all that I want and still enjoy myself. The game (Dance Dance Revolution Extreme 2) isn't all new music either. They have some great dance remixes of songs that were popular when my parents were kids. It also has a workout mode that will count calories burned and set up a customized series of songs for your desired level. The mat is really easy to use (think those old dancing courses where you followed the numbered footprint shapes on the floor, only with flashing arrows and fast moves) and I'm finding more about the whole process to enjoy everyday.

Although, I don't think the designers of the game pictured the users trying to play while a two-year old dances around them like a maypole, pulling them off balance and treading on their toes, but I look at it as an added difficulty bonus, lol!

Frugality at it's Best

2006-06-14T07:49:00.000-04:00

I just stumbled across this great new website, Want Not and I am impressed. If you love ideas about saving money but are not interested in crazy stuff like washing out your paper towels and stealing condiments from the local fast food chain, this is the place for you. She has only been up and running for a few days, but everything is so great so far. She even answers questions from readers. Do yourself a favor and have a look!