Happy Friday!

Good morning! It’s looking to be a rainy, gray day. Actually, I think the entire weekend is supposed to be somewhat rainy. That’s such a blessing because we’ve had so little rain this year. I know everyone is praying for a change in that pattern in the new year.

I love the weekend before New Year’s because that’s when I get into Organizational Mode. I’ll sort through my files, shredding things no longer needed, making new labels and new folders, and vowing to do a better job of keeping up with the filing. I actually did well this past year until the last few months. That would explain the pile of paperwork on top of the file box. Oh well.

We’ll also put away the Christmas decorations and give the house a good cleaning. I need to figure out a new way to decorate my mantle and I’ll pull out the few Valentine’s Day decorations that I have. There are some super cute placemats and towels at Target that I might get. The towels have pink cupcakes on them. They’ll go perfectly with my new mixer. Heehee


I also need to box up a bunch of Brady’s old toys. DH refuses to totally get rid of them, so into the attic they’ll go until they’re either needed again or sent off to college with Brady in 16 years. We’ll see which comes first.

So that’s our plans for the long weekend. We don’t usually do anything flashy or exciting for New Year’s Eve. Normally I’m sound asleep by midnight. Last year I made ribs for New Year’s Day along with some black eyed peas and collard greens. We’re doing the ribs again, but passing on those particular veggies. I’ll take the chance of bad luck versus eating black eyed peas.

Happy New Year! See you in 2008!

After Christmas Shopping

I didn't do much after Christmas shopping, but I did find one big score at Target:

They had one of these left in a twin size. Since Brady is getting a twin bed for his birthday, this will be perfect for next Christmas. Doesn't it remind you of the holiday bedding at Pottery Barn Kids? This was only $20! I'm so excited!

The Day After Christmas

We survived! Another Christmas is behind us.

Monday I ended up working a half day and then we drove down to my parents. The plan was to leave at lunch and Brady would nap on the way there (it’s an hour and 15 minute drive). Well, he didn’t fall asleep until 7 miles from their house. He was reasonably good for the day considering he was operating on very little nap. We stayed through dinner and dessert. Jourdan and the girls opened their gifts, the money I had cleverly rolled up in boxes with little tags that said “Pull Me!” We got home and got Brady into bed without any problems (he slept the entire way home) and then put out the Santa gifts. There was much discussion this year as to whether Santa gifts were wrapped or unwrapped. I lost the fight, er, discussion, and the Santa gifts were wrapped in lovely red polka-dotted paper.

Christmas morning I got up around 7am and got ready and started breakfast. DH and Brady got up at 7:30am. It took a few minutes before we sat down to start opening gifts. Brady opened his first package, which was a stack of books, and sat down with the first one and started reading. We said “Buddy, you have a ways to go before you can do that!” He finally got into it and started opening his boxes. Anything that was encased in industrial strength plastic had to be opened immediately or we heard “Open it, Daddy, Open it!” over and over. He was pretty worn out by the end and we had to open his last 3 gifts for him. He even took his nap before lunchtime!

The day was relatively quiet overall. We had lunch and I started reading my new book, Home to Holly Springs, by Jan Karon, while Brady napped. When he got up we played with him and his new toys. We have our big holiday meal in the evening, so I got started on that at 4pm. We all went to bed early last night in preparation of returning to work today.

Here are a few pictures from yesterday morning:

This was the first picture I took. Obviously, Brady wasn't that awake yet.

Here's when he wanted to stop and read his first gift.

Opening his Patriots shirt from Uncle Rob.

Smilling for the camera!

Opening yet another gift.

The aftermath.

Memories

Christmas memories

What are your Christmas memories? What traditions do you hold dear to your heart? I’ve always been big on tradition, but even more so since Brady entered our lives. I want him to grow up and think back on things we did and say “It wouldn’t be Christmas if we didn’t………….”

Here are some of mine:
- One thing we did which is rather odd, but we always went to the beach in December. There was no sunbathing or playing in the surf (well, maybe a little playing in the surf), but we did do a lot of fun things. We went to Atlanta Beach, NC, right next to Morehead City. We always went to the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores and I always insisted on doing the nature walk. We’d go eat at this same restaurant in Beaufort every year until it closed. We’d walk along the beach and collect shells, go grocery shopping at the Food Lion, see a movie or two, and take a trip to Ft. Macon. There was the trip we got the stomach flu and had to stop in multiple parking lots and bathrooms. Then there was the trip where we had to fight an ice storm to get there.
- We always watched the Peter, Paul and Mary Christmas concert. It just wouldn’t be Christmas without Peter, Paul and Mary and “Puff the Magic Dragon.”
- Bourbon balls and Cornish game hens
- Trying to be the first one to yell “Christmas Gift” on Christmas morning
- Walking into the dark living room, illuminated only by the Christmas tree, and trying to figure out which stack of gifts was yours and hoping that one special gift was waiting for you.

We’re starting some new traditions now with our own little family. I’m sure as the years pass we’ll add a few and maybe take a few away. So far:
- We watch Meet Me in St. Louis every Christmas Eve before going to bed.
- Stockings go in the bedrooms, not on the mantle.
- Trips to Roper Mt. Holiday Lights and Hollywild Lights
- The Big Baking Extravaganza
- Opening one gift on Christmas Eve
- We put up a Christmas tree in the dining room and tie all of the cards on with a ribbon.

I hope everyone has some good memories to reflect on this Christmas.

Christmas Movies

Have ya’ll seen this movie?



I’m not a huge fan of Tim Allen’s other holiday movies (the Santa Claus series), but Christmas with the Kranks is hilarious. We watched it last night and were almost in tears at parts, especially when he gets the botox injection and all of his food keeps falling out of his mouth. Too funny! It’s a lot of fun and perfect for when you’re overly stressed from holiday happenings.

We watched this over the weekend:



It was cute, but I don’t think it’s a movie I’d buy and have to watch every year. I love Matthew Broderick and he plays the part of the uptight guy obsessed with having Christmas perfectly planned out so well. Kristin Davis is lovely (she’s been great since Sex and the City) and Kristin Chenoweth is great, too. I loved how they had her sing at the very end (she’s a Tony award winning actress and was in Wicked on Broadway).

I think we’re watching Christmas Vacation Friday night. Classic!

Day of Gratitude
I’m thankful for my city. We moved here almost 4 years ago and while at times I thought we might have made the biggest mistake of our lives, it’s all turned out for the good. The area is beautiful with the mountains in the distance. The seasons are gorgeous. People really take pride in the area and it shows. We feel safe here and we’re glad this is where Brady is going to grow up. There’s so much to do and see within a few hours drive. It’s a great little corner of the world and we feel so blessed to live here.

Wednesday

I’m telling you, the days are flying by so quickly. We had a moderately busy weekend ( I know, it’s Wednesday and I’m just now posting about the weekend). Saturday morning DH took Brady for his pre-Christmas haircut while I hit Walmart for our big grocery trip. Both were huge successes despite the traffic and miserable weather. DH headed off to work and I started on the baking, as Saturday was my Big Baking Extravaganza. We did have to make a few changes to my baking list. The peppermint bark got scratched because I could only find gourmet white chocolate and I wasn’t quite up to spending $15 for 2 pounds. Call me cheap, but that’s what I was that day. And my gingersnaps would not rise for anything. I tried to make some iced ginger cookies earlier in the fall and had the same problem. Everything’s been replaced, including the ginger and I even had a new cookie sheet this time, so I have no idea what the problem might have been.

So we had cranberry-orange bread, orange blossoms (little bites of heaven!) and sugar cookies. Brady had a lot of fun with the sugar cookies and I did, too, once I quit trying to micro-manage the process. I have some cute pictures of Brady covered in flour that I hope to get posted soon.

Brady’s had a cough this week, so we had to skip the living nativity Monday evening. It was a shame because he was really excited about it. He kept naming off all the animals he’d see, even though I don’t remember an elephant or a turtle coming to visit the Baby Jesus.

So that’s where we are with less than a week to go. Is your shopping finished?

Today’s Gratitude

I’m thankful for my son! Sweet Brady has changed our lives so much. Granted, I’m still not the most patient person in the world and I do lose my temper more times than I should, but he has completely changed me. At one time, someone suggested I probably shouldn’t even have kids, that I wasn’t cut out for it. I’m so glad they were wrong. He’s just the greatest thing. His smile just lights up the room and he’s always so happy to see us if we’ve been gone. My favorite times with him are on weekend mornings when we don’t have to go anywhere early and we can snuggle on the sofa and watch cartoons. He’s so cute in his jammies and he’ll curl up right by you with his milk. I can’t wait to see how we both grow up together.

Big Holiday Baking Extravaganza

So I said yesterday that I’m doing my Big Holiday Baking Extravaganza this Saturday. Every year I pick one day where I know DH will be home to keep Brady occupied and that’s when I do all of my baking for family and friends.

Here’s my list for this year:
Cranberry Orange Bread
Gingersnaps
Sugar Cookies
Orange Blossoms
Peppermint Bark

This is my first year doing the Peppermint Bark, so I’m excited to see how those turn out. Brady will get to help me decorate the sugar cookies, so I know he’s going to have a ball with those. Hopefully he won’t take a bite out of each one like he did when we iced cupcakes recently.

I always send a big plate of goodies to DH’s work and to mine. I’ll also send a plate to our Sunday School class Sunday morning and mail a few boxes off to friends. This year I’m also planning on taking some goodies up to our local fire station. They always go up to Brady’s school for Fire Safety Day and are so good to the kids, besides doing their job of fighting fires in general. Brady will get a kick out of going up there, too.

Day 2 of Gratitude
I’m thankful for my husband. We’ve been together almost nine years and definitely had our share of ups and downs. I’m sure many people had bets going for a while on if we’d even stay together. But after 9 years I can’t imagine life without him. He can make me laugh until tears run down my face. He can also make me so mad I could just beat him with a rolling pin. But in the end it’s all good. He’s gone beyond anything I could ever have dreamed of as a father to my child, especially considering he didn’t have one of his own to look up to. He can finish my sentences and I can finish his. He may drive me crazy somedays, but he’s mine. I love you, honey!

Less Than Two Weeks!

We’ve got less than two weeks until Christmas! I was talking to someone the other day and we were saying how when you were a child, Christmas seemed to take forever to arrive. Now that we’re adults, it comes too fast! There never seems to be enough time to get everything done. And you try so desperately to slow down and really enjoy everything.

Things still on my list to do:
- Get gift certificate for Brady’s Sunday School teachers
- Finish my family’s gifts
- Finish Christmas cards (buy more stamps)
- Mail packages to out-of-town people
- Get stuff for Lennon’s stocking
- Holiday baking (I’ll talk about that tomorrow)

I’m sure there are other things I’m forgetting, too. Most of the things on that list will be done by this weekend, so that’s good.


I read a blog the other day where the girl was doing “30 Days of Gratitude.” I’m a little late to do 30 days, but I can start today and go to the end of the month. I guess that would make it “19 Days of Gratitude.”

Day 1
I’m thankful for my God. He loves us when we are most unlovable, when most people would throw up their hands and walk away. He’s there with us when the storm is so bad and the night is so dark. He’s always there to lead us through to the morning. The gift He gave us by sending His Son on that Christmas morning to save the world is beyond comprehension. We’re so undeserving of that gift, but He gave it anyway. Without Him we would be nothing.

And that’s what I’m thankful for this first day.

The most wonderful time of the year

Good morning! Okay, I really have to get better about this blog thing. Seriously.

We’ve been super busy with all the activities and events that surround the holidays. Friday night DH went to an Xbox 360 party that our friend Mike was having. He had about 16 guys (yes, adults!) there! Three of the wives came over to our house for the evening with their kids. The kids watched tv and played and we got to sit around and chat and drink hot cocoa. It was a late night, but lots of fun.

Saturday morning we had our Sunday School Christmas brunch at Stax Omega. They opted to do a brunch this year because it was getting too hard to get everyone together for an evening event. We had such a good time visiting with everyone. So often when we see each other on Sunday morning or Wednesday night, everyone is rushing to drop people off or get somewhere. It was so nice to just sit. It was also couples only, so we got a babysitter and were able to almost finish our Christmas shopping afterwards.

Saturday night was our monthly “Date Night.” We have a babysitting swap with two other couples. It’s been such a blessing because we get a regular date night and no one has to pay for a babysitter. I did feel bad leaving Brady again, but I figured one day wouldn’t hurt him. Plus, they were taking the kids to Hollywild to see the holiday lights and feed the reindeer. He had a great time. We went to Chili’s and then to see “Enchanted.”

I LOVED THAT MOVIE. Yes, I know it’s a Disney film and such a chick flick, but I absolutely loved it. My face hurt by the end from smiling the entire time. Even DH found it funny.

Sunday was Sunday School and church and then DH had to work. Brady and I was so tired, we spent the rest of the day at home. He took a 3 and a half hour nap, which is unheard of for him. He obviously needed the rest, though. I could have used a nap, too!

So that was our busy weekend. I’m looking forward to a few quiet evenings this week before things pick up again. But I do love being busy and having things to do. Plus spending time with family and friends this time of year really makes the season, don’t you think? But don’t forget the true reason for the season – Jesus!

The Bean Salad Strikes Back

Do ya’ll remember my post a few months ago about the Bean Salad I was making for church? If not, I’m sure you can find it because I’m not sure how to link to my own post.

The mother of a guy in our Sunday School class died yesterday morning, so last night they were coordinating food for the funeral on Tuesday. Susan comes up to me and says “Could you make that bean salad you made a few months ago?” It was all I could do not to laugh. I was thinking “Seriously? You want me to make that bean salad? People actually liked it?” Of course I agreed, but still. This bean salad is going to haunt me for the rest of my life!

Thankful for Health Insurance

It was the longest weekend ever. Here's a recap:

Wednesday night - Brady and I both had a fever and were feeling very yucky.

Thursday (Thanksgiving) - I go to the Urgent Care Center at 8am for my neck. They just say it's a bug and to take ibuprofen. By the time I get home, Brady's neck is so swollen he can hardly turn his head. So I take him to the emergency room. He had some infection (apparently the same thing I had), so they give him antibiotics.

Friday - Brady starts feeling better in the afternoon and we run a few errands to get us out of the house.

Saturday and Sunday - Brady feels fine. The antibiotics make him hyper,
so he is literally running circles around the house. My neck is still
swollen and sore, but not as bad.

Sunday night - Brady is still so hyper from his medicine that he doesn't go to bed until 10pm, only to wake up at 3:30am demanding to watch tv, which I let him do only because I'm utterly exhausted. I finally got him back to bed at 5:30am. The alarm goes off at 6:20am.

I have an appointment with my doctor this week. For some reason they didn't give me antibiotics, so my thing is still hanging on.

And did I mention that Lennon had to work every night at GardenRidge? I finally called him Saturday night in hysterics because I felt awful and Brady had been a complete handful and I was about to go jump off a bridge somewhere.

So, that was my weekend. Gone were my dreams of making a special breakfast for us to eat Thursday morning while watching the Thanksgiving Day parade and making turkeys out of construction paper. Gone was a trip to the mall for shopping with 10,000 of my closest friends on Friday morning. Gone was the trip to my parents (which is a whole different story) on Saturday to let them have some Brady Time. And gone was any hope of getting to sleep in once during my four-day weekend.

But I am very thankful for my health insurance. Here's looking to next year!

100 Things About Me

I'm a little late doing it, but here it is! Enjoy!

Yes folks, this is a list of 100 things about me.

1. I have a wonderful, funny husband
2. I have one adorable, hilarious toddler-aged son
3. My favorite ice cream is key lime pie at Brusters, but the Red Velvet Cake ice cream from Publix is a close second.
4. My favorite color is pink
5. I hate getting up early6
. Growing up I wanted to be a fashion designer
7. I’m currently a Project Accountant for an environmental engineering firm
8. I’m going back to school in January to finish my degree in Business – Human Resources Management
9. My ultimate dream is to open a bakery
10. My first car was a Mazda MX6
11. My dream car is a VW Jetta wagon (I don’t ask for much!)
12. I do not play sports
13. My favorite foods are key lime pie, shrimp and my mom’s chicken & dumplings
14. I can't drive a standard car, even though several people have tried to teach me.
15. I tried smoking for 3 months, but quit because it caused my skin to break out
16. My best friend and I have the same birthday
17. I'm afraid of snakes and spiders
18. I've traveled to New York City, Boston, San Antonio and Orlando
19. I really, really want to go to France
20. I teach 2 and 3 year olds in Sunday School
21. I believe the most useful skill I learned in high school was typing
22. I hate math.
23. I can't go to bed without washing my face.
24. When I was little, I was mistaken for a boy while shopping in a store, even though I was wearing a shirt that said I AM A GIRL.
25. I have never broken any bones.
26. My first “real” job was at Methodist Healthcare in Memphis, TN.
27. My boss hired me at Methodist as a secretary even though I didn’t even know how to use the fax machine.
28. He was my favorite boss and I’ll always be grateful to him for taking a chance on me.
29. White shoes are a pet peeve of mine
30. I hate driving at night because I’m afraid something will jump out, like a deer or a possum.
31. I have hit a possum.
32. I like reading celebrity gossip
33. I love to cook and entertain for people.
34. I always wear my seatbelt.
35. I can't stand clutter and am constantly picking things up, even if I don’t live there.
36. I consider myself a type A personality.
37. I am extremely gullible
38. I sleep on my side, curled up into a ball
39. Poor customer service and rude people irritate me.
40. I love fashion and try to stock my closet with classic pieces that won't go out of style.
41. I also love jewelry, especially chunky necklaces and anything silver
42. I'm a Democrat
43. I was on student council my senior year, even though I did no campaigning because I was out sick with strep throat
44. I was in one beauty pageant. I didn’t win
45. I've had brown hair, red hair and blond hair.
46. My favorite music is bluegrass/country
47. I cannot play any instruments
48. I took 3 years of French
49. I was on MTV once.
50. I also want to go to Austin, Texas
51. My dream neighbors would be Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Garner
52. My idea of relaxation is sleeping in
53. I love all holidays, but especially Thanksgiving and Christmas
54. My Christmas colors are gold and crystal with splashes of red
55. I am a magazine junkie.
56. I would love to take a cooking class at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris
57. I don't like to be touched on my neck.
58. I can be a restaurant snob.
59. Hotel comforters make my skin crawl.
60. I really do like Paula Deen
61. My idea of a rainy Sunday is watching Food Network in my pj's baking cookies and drinking hot cocoa with my family.
62. I'm addicted to chap stick.
63. I'm have curly hair, but wear it straight quite often.
64. I have a Mountain Dew every morning.
65. I can't stand soap operas.
66. I’m a member of MOPS of Greenville (Mother’s of Preschoolers)
67. My goal is to bake my own pie crusts this year
68. My favorite vegetables are home grown tomatoes.
69. I am a backseat driver.
70. I hate my husband’s driving
71. I love all things monogrammed.
72. I worked at O’Charley’s and Cracker Barrel restaurants in high school
73. I get a lot of my decorating ideas from the Pottery Barn catalog.
74. I want to be P.T.A. president one day.
75. I enjoy a summer thunderstorm as long as there aren’t any tornados
76. I enjoy making people laugh.
77. My favorite flowers are daffodils and tulips
78. I would rather send a letter than email.
79. I am addicted to stationery.
80. My husband and I have been married for almost 7 years
81. I was horrible at swaddling Brady when he was a baby. My husband could do it like the nurses at the hospital. Go figure.
82. I love Dancing with the Stars, Grey’s Anatomy and The Office
83. I got my driver’s license when I was 15
84. I’ve hit two cars in my lifetime and neither was moving.
85. I lived in Memphis for 10 years
86. I’ve never been to Graceland.
87. I’ve never seen Elvis.
88. I am intimidated by cooking a turkey.
89. The best concert I've ever been to was a Dave Matthews concert.
90. Brunch is my favorite meal.
91. I am a Baptist
92. My son is a great sleeper and very happy
93. I hope that one day my son's wife will like me.
94. I detest hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup.
95. My favorite movies are Meet Me In St. Louis, Sweet Home Alabama and Pride and Prejudice (Keira Knightly version)
96. I was a peer counselor in high school.
97. I hate vodka
98. I love sweet tea
99. I try to drink 8 glasses of water everyday, but I don’t always succeed.
100. I hope you’re still reading at this point.
101. I can't believe I came up with 100 things about myself.

A time to be thankful

I don’t know about you, but it seems like Thanksgiving has really crept up on me. Is it earlier this year? Who knows, but it’s a week and a half away and all I’ve done is make the grocery list!
Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays, especially since I got married and started my own traditions. Ever since our first Thanksgiving together, my husband and have always sort of “collected” people. The first year we had about 10 people at the apartment, various friends who had no plans for the day. We didn’t even have a table and chairs, so people sat around with plates balanced on laps.

Over the years, it’s always been interesting to see who would be there. One year it was DH’s mom and step-dad, another year it was his mom and step-dad and another couple who were both having family issues, so they decided to skip their respective families and eat with us. Melissa and I went to the Egg Bowl at Ole Miss that night for the big football game. Another year it was the Gibney’s. I remember that particular Thanksgiving DH’s mom and step-dad were there (they came often) and I was a little stressed out, shall we say, and Chris walked in and said “It looks like you need a drink!” That was also the year with the gas leak.

It’s always been fun planning the menu and making the desserts and anticipating a good time with friends and family. We always watch the parade in the morning while the initial preparations are made. Lennon makes the turkey as he has this special technique where he periodically rotates it while it cooks. Whatever it is, it works! It’s always so good! Thanksgiving night we start watching the Christmas specials that always seem to be on tv. In recent years, Lennon has had to work at GardenRidge Thanksgiving night, so Brady and I go up to visit him and take in all the madness of the people getting a jump on their shopping and decorating.

This year, however, it will just be our little family. It seems everyone has a place to be. The menu is shorter and the house may be a little quieter, but I know there will be just as much love and joy and thankfulness.

Gingersnap Sweet Potatoes

I've made up my Thanksgiving menu and these are always on my list, even though my husband hates sweet potatoes. Oh well, more for me!

Gingersnap Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

6 Sweet potatoes (4 pounds)
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, melted
1/3 cup half-and-half
2 Large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tbs. all-purpose flour
¼ cup cold butter, cut into pieces
32 coarsely crushed gingersnap cookies

Cook sweet potatoes in a Dutch oven in boiling water to cover over medium heat 30 minutes or until tender. Cool; peel and mash potatoes.

Combine mashed sweet potato, ½ cup brown sugar, and next 4 ingredients in a mixing bowl; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Spoon into a greased 2 ½-quart or 13”x9” baking dish.

Combine ½ cup brown sugar and flour. Cut in ¼ cup cold butter with a pastry blender until crumbly. Stir in crushed gingersnaps. Sprinkle streusel over sweet potato. Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 25 minutes or until streusel is lightly browned. Yield: 10 servings.

Christmas Lists

What’s on your Christmas list?


This is #1

The Kitchen-Aid Artsian Mixer in pink. Actually, this has been on my Christmas list for the past few years. This year looks to be the one!


Various books:

Of course, cold, hard cash is always welcome! And gift cards. I love gift cards. My mother-in-law is also getting me a subscription to Southern Lady. Don't you just love Christmas?

Color

This home is featured in the November issue of Cottage Living (one of my favorite magazines) and I just love the use of color. The article also grabbed me because the home is obviously small, like mine, so it gave me some good ideas on how to utilize space. And I love the letters in the little girl's room.

Halloween Recap

So our Halloween was relatively quiet. We participated in Trunk or Treat at church and had a really good time. There weren't just tons and tons of kids that showed up, so we all had plenty of time to sit around and chat while the kids gorged themselves on massive amounts of candy.

I think Brady's favorite part was the miniture golf set that the couple next to us set up for the kids.

Here are a few pictures of the fun:

Plus, here are a few pictures from our trip to the pumpkin patch last week:

The Monday after Judgement House

We Survived!

It was a long, exhausting, crazy weekend of Judgement House, but it was also incredible.

Over the course of the weekend, 1,011 people came through to see Judgement House. In case you’re wondering, we performed 16 times on Friday night, 26 times on Saturday night and 27 times on Sunday night. By the time Sunday rolled around, we were all beginning to get a little crazy. It was almost like being in that “Groundhog Day” movie with Billy Murray, as we kept doing the same scene over and over again. But I can’t even begin to tell you what fun we had. Spending that much time together locked in a room really brings people together. I think we had 7 people in our room and we know far more about each other now than we ever dreamed!

Funny Moments and Bloopers from the weekend:

- Wayne introducing the grieving parents as “Charles and Douglas Peterson” (we’re an alternative church)
- The insane amount of food that was brought in over the weekend that resulted in the mortuary smelling like brownies and the hospital smelling like Zaxby’s chicken.
- GrandDad getting his jacket caught on the chair and almost having to drag it up to the podium with him.
- Satan being sighted walking down the hallway with half a pound cake.
- The African-American church group whooping and hollering when they got to Heaven,
- The two girls wearing bunny ears (and tails) that completely distracted us during one scene
- The importance of 3 Knocks vs. 2 Knocks (those poor, poor children!)
- Jason forgetting to knock at the hospital scene and one group just walking in to see the grieving parents kicked back, listening to the football game.
- The paramedics looking at the victim’s head and referring to it as a chest fracture


Did I mention that the casket in our room was blue velvet? We kept expecting Elvis to pop out at any moment. We finally decided that it must have been the clearance casket.

But after all the fake crying, people choking on hot dogs, a round of the stomach flu, lots of fog machines and Satan walking down the hallway with half a pound cake, what matters is that 82 people came to know the Lord. 62 people on Sunday night alone. So that made all the long hours worth it.

I’m already looking forward to next year!

Rainy Tuesday

Well, I’m feeling some better today. The throat doesn’t seem to be any worse and maybe slightly better, so we’ll see. I plan on hitting the bed early tonight and getting as much rest as possible.

I did leave work a little early yesterday so I could catch up on some things around the house and get some chores done since this week is going to be so busy. While I was taking laundry to the laundry room, I noticed a taxi cab parked at the end of our street and the taxi driver yelling at someone. I was just about to call the police when our neighbor came out (this was happening in front of his house) and then I saw that the person in the cab was my next-door neighbor, an elderly man named Mr. Williams. He was dressed in a hospital gown and looked horrible. Our neighbor got him out and up to his house and before too long, Mr. Williams’ son arrived. About two weeks ago I had seen his son bring him home one afternoon and he was dressed in a hospital gown then and seemed very out of it.

A little while later John came up to the door (neighbor) and explained what had been going on. Mr. Williams has been suffering from dementia and has been leaving his house during the night and wandering around the neighborhood. Apparently he wakes up and doesn’t realize where he is, even though he’s lived in that house for 50 years. John found him on his front porch a couple of nights ago and then again Monday night, except this time Mr. Williams was barely dressed in the freezing cold and covered in blood. He had fallen somewhere. John had to carry him up out of the woods and before long the police, fire department, ambulances and a news truck were on the scene. How we (at least I) slept through all of this I don’t know. They took him to the hospital and his son didn’t even know until he was called yesterday afternoon after the hospital discharged Mr. Williams, threw him in a cab and sent him home. This situation just breaks my heart.

For some reason his son keeps bringing him home to live by himself. Now DFS has gotten involved and will be making home visits, so this might be the wake up call his son needs to finally get a full-time nurse to live with his father or make the decision to move his father to a nursing home. It’s all so sad, but Mr. Williams obviously can’t stay by himself anymore. Who knows what could happen? A car could hit him or he could fall into one of the wooded areas. And it’s getting colder at night now.

That was our drama for the evening yesterday. A very sad situation that I hope has a happy ending.

I cannot be sick

All last week I was feeling the slightest sore throat coming on, but I kept ignoring it. I thought it was just some fall allergies and would go away. Let’s just say it hasn’t gone away. It’s gotten worse over the weekend and I’m starting to get that “I just want to lay down and sleep” feeling.

I cannot be sick. Not this week and not next week. We have Judgement House at church and I have a part and we’re tied up with it Wednesday-Sunday evenings. I just cannot be sick. Next week is Halloween (trunk or treat at church), a MOPS meeting, and then we’re going out of town to visit my grandparents. So I’m sitting here drinking some hot tea and giving myself until tomorrow afternoon to get a doctor’s appointment.

I hate being sick.

Finally Friday!

Is it Friday already? This week seems to have gone by really fast. Between dentist appointments and flu shots, time flies.

We’re taking Brady to Boo at the Zoo tonight. It’s Member’s Night, so hopefully the lines won’t be as long. I am a little worried about the rain, though. We desperately need it, so if we have to postpone to one next week then it wouldn' t be the end of the world. It’s a great event that the zoo puts on every year. The kids get to wear their costumes and walk through the zoo at night, collecting candy from various groups along the way. Lots of fun and not scary at all. Plus we have fun as well. Brady had a blast last year. I think a lot of zoos are doing things like this now.

Saturday – I’m not really sure what’s going on tomorrow. I know I have to do some grocery shopping and make a stop at Old Navy. I’d also like to get Brady some pumpkins. Lennon may or may not be working, so we’ll have to see. I also need to prep for the Sunday School lesson.

Sunday – Busy day! Sunday School and church in the morning. I might be lucky enough to get a quick nap in the afternoon before my Bible Study at 4pm, church at 6pm (we’re keeping the nursery) and a fellowship afterwards.

Next week gets really busy with Judgement House activities Wednesday-Sunday. A few prayers for good health and a little rest would be appreciated!

Have a fabulous weekend!

A short giraffe

Remember my great idea to have Brady dress up as Elvis for Halloween? Then that idea didn’t really work out, so I decided on a cowboy? The search for Brady’s Halloween costume quickly rivaled the search for Three Bean Salad a few months ago.

I couldn’t find any cowboy costumes I liked (have I mentioned before that I am rather particular?), so I kept looking and eventually found a Peter Pan costume from Disney.com that was really cute. Well, Lennon hated it. I picked 3 or 4 other costumes, including an astronaut, a bee and a lion, for Lennon to pick from. He picked the lion. I went to order it online the next day and wouldn’t you know, it was totally sold out.

Now I was getting desperate. I was about to make the child a pirate for the second year in a row when I found an adorable giraffe costume. Everyone liked it and it was actually available in his size. I ordered it and it was even cuter in person. The problem? Brady wanted nothing to do with it! Over the past week we’ve been trying to get him to wear the costume every night. The first night he just put it on his head. The second night he would put his head and his arms in it. By last night he was actually wearing it for short periods of time. My hope and prayer is that he’ll at least wear it for Boo at the Zoo Friday night and trunk or treat at church. This has been quite the ordeal!



This, of course, isn't Brady. I just wanted to post a picture of the costume so you could get an idea. I'll post pictures of Brady wearing the costume (hopefully!) at Boo at the Zoo sometime next week.

I’ll be so happy for next year when he’ll pick out his own. That will free up some of my time to worry about other things, like the news we got this morning from the dentist that Brady has an overbite and will eventually need braces. Don’t you think they could have waited until he was 4 or 5 to give us that news????

It's back!

I am a magazine girl. Really, it’s an obsession. I can sit and read magazines for hours. My favorites include Southern Living, Cottage Living, Southern Lady, Parents, Country Home, Redbook, InStyle, Marie Claire…………………. Need I go on?

A few years ago, one of my most favorite magazines was discontinued. But thanks to the fine people at Hoffman Media, Victoria Magazine has been brought back to life! I’m so excited! This magazine is simply gorgeous and provides such a blissful escape from everyday life. Their premier issue is a holiday issue and I can’t wait to dive in later tonight with a cup of tea after Brady goes to bed.

So if you’ve never seen Victoria, go look at your local bookstore. You won’t be disappointed!

Autumn Apple Pork Chops

I found this recipe last year in one of those free magazines at Publix. It was all about apples and this looked so good, so I finally made it last night. Four stars!!!!!!

Autumn Apple Pork Chops

Ingredients:
4 boneless pork loin chops
Salt and pepper
1 Tbs. flour
2 Tbs. butter
½ cup sliced onions
1 cup apple juice

Season flour with salt and pepper and lightly dredge pork chops in the flour. Cook in a skillet with the butter on medium heat until browned on one side. Flip pork chops and add onions and apple juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 7-9 minutes.

This recipe was super easy and quick. We served it with broccoli and potatoes.



* Don’t forget today is Boss’s Day! Happy Tuesday!

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday!!!! We are having absolutely fabulous weather here in Upstate SC. Low 70’s in the day, mid 40’s at night, and “abundant sunshine” as the weather man said. Perfect fall weather for all the great outdoor activities going on this weekend.

Our plans:
Lennon is off tonight (amazing!), so we’ll be hanging out at home with Brady and watching “Little Children” (after B. goes to bed, of course).

We’ll be having wings for dinner and enjoying the rest of our Great Pumpkin Dessert later on.

Saturday – Brady and I are going to the zoo while Lennon works a bit, then we have Date Night! J&B are keeping all the kids this month and we’re planning on heading downtown to our favorite Italian restaurant and do a little wandering around.

This weekend is Fall for Greenville and the place will be packed. I’m sure we’ll be able to find some fabulous dessert at one of the stands.

Sunday – Sunday School (the lesson is about Samuel hearing God’s voice in the night), church, some lazying around in the afternoon, my Bible study and church that night. A busy day, but in a wonderful way. Then it’s back for another work week.

And to all my "Belle" friends who are meeting up in Gatlinburg this weekend, have a great time and be careful!

Chat with you Monday!

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

Well, not quite. But this "Great Pumpkin Dessert" recipe is super yummy and super easy, too. I hope ya'll enjoy it and this GORGEOUS fall weather we're having.

Great Pumpkin Dessert:
1 14 oz can pumpkin
1 12 oz can evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 c sugar
4 t pumpkin pie spice

Combine all with a whisk. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan.

Sprinkle one box of yellow cake mix over the top of the pumpkin
mixture. Drizzle 3/4 cup melted butter over the top of the cake mix.
Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of chopped walnuts or pecans over the butter. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Serve with cool whip

Pink Ribbons

In case you haven’t heard, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Last night at our MOPS meeting, we had a representative from the Susan G. Koman Foundation speak to our group. The statistics are staggering and while the number of deaths from breast cancer has fallen recently, it’s still a disease that will affect a million women in the United States this year.

Early detection and screening is so important, especially the older we get. Don’t pass on those monthly self exams and those yearly mammograms. You’re the best person because you know your body and you know what has changed from month to month.

Save the Ta-Ta’s!

My Man

I copied this off of some other blogs:

1. Who is your man? James (Lennon)
2. How long have you been together? We had our first date 8 years ago on February 22 and have been married for 6 years.
3. How long did you date? We dated for a year and 9 months before we got engaged. We were engaged for 5 months. We got married on April 25, 2001.
4. How old is your man? 33
5. Who eats more? Oh, he does without a doubt! When we were first dating, he would be on his second huge plate of pasta and I’d be halfway through my little dish. I thought I was dating someone with a tape worm!
6. Who said "I love you" first? I honestly don’t remember.
7. Who is taller? He is. He’s 5’10” and I’m 5’.
8. Who sings better? Neither. We’re both equally bad.
9. Who is smarter? He is. He was valedictorian of his high school class.
10. Whose temper is worse? Mine. He’s extremely easygoing.
11. Who does the laundry? We both do.
12. Who takes out the garbage? We both do.
13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? He does. Don’t know why, it’s just always been that way.
14. Who pays the bills? I do.....unfortunately.
15. Who is better with the computer? Me! I sit in front of one all day.
16. Who mows the lawn? He does. I’ve never mowed a lawn in my life and I don’t intend on starting now.
17. Who cooks dinner? Whoever gets home first.
18. Who drives when you are together? He does most of the time.
19. Who pays when you go out? Whoever isn’t wrangling Brady. If it’s just us, it’s whoever grabs it first.
20. Who is most stubborn? No comment.
21. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Me.
22. Whose parents do you see the most? Mine because they’re only an hour and a half away. We see his mom about once a year (she lives in Texas).
23. Who kissed who first? He kissed me.
24. Who asked who out? He asked me. I already had plans that night and he told me to cancel them. So I did.
25. Who proposed? He proposed to me in the Japanese Garden at the Memphis Botanical Gardens.
26. Who is more sensitive? Me.
27. Who has more friends? Probably me. But we have many mutual friends, too.
28. Who has more siblings? He does. He’s the youngest of five and I’m the oldest of four.
29. Who wears the pants in the family? He does. But I definitely try to put them on somedays!

I love you, Honey!

Seriously

Seriously, Grey’s Anatomy was back on last night! I don’t know about you, but I’ve been waiting all summer for the return of our favorite interns-turned-residents. And they did not disappoint!

Cristina – I love, love, love Sandra Oh. The way she can look at people like they’re a total moron is amazing. I’m glad she’s back to her regular Cristina-self with the exception of slightly missing Burke. And I’m so glad her eyebrows grew back! Next week should be great since “Mama” is coming back to retrieve the family heirloom.

Izzy – Okay, the deer storyline was silly but I can understand it at the same time. Poor Izzy did look like someone lost in a forest the whole episode, but I thought she looked especially pretty last night. Something about her hair. Anyway, this will be an interesting season for her and George.

George/Callie – Speaking of George, he was definitely having the “Bad Day of the Year.” Besides having to repeat his intern year, he had to deal with Izzy cornering him at every opportunity and Callie practically waving pregnancy tests in his face. I loved his scene with Lexi in the nursery, though. And when he showed up on Izzy’s doorstep that night? Wow. What’s going to happen next? Poor Callie. She was also having a crappy day that kept getting worse. Besides no one respecting her and Bailey treating her like a dog, her husband would hardly give her the time of day. After seeing the previews for next week, I can’t help but wonder if George will leave her and then she’ll find out she’s pregnant. Shondra Rimes would do a storyline like that.

Lexi – I really think I’m going to like her. You felt really sorry for her when she kept trying to introduce herself to Meredith, who obviously wants nothing to do with her. But I love what she did for George in the end in the locker room with the new interns. I think she’ll become George’s new “Meredith,” you know?

Alex/McSteamy/Bailey – Loved McSteamy’s “I came to Seattle to get you back” speech to McDreamy. I can’t wait to see what the year holds for him. Alex still loves Ava! I heard she’s coming back soon. What will happen with Bailey? Who knows.

And last but not least, Meredith/McDreamy – I swear, if anyone looked at me the way Patrick Dempsey can look at a woman, I’d be putty in their hands. How could you say no to that look, let alone break up with him? Meredith does have her issues, but I think McDreamy is the guy for her. I hope they can work things out someway, somehow.

Until next week!

The Search for The One

I took a late lunch and got my hair cut yesterday afternoon. Now if you know me very well, you know that I’m quite particular about my hair. I’ve had it numerous colors and finding a talented, trustworthy hair stylist is a big deal to me. We’ve lived here for over 3 years and after going through 3 different people, I think I’ve finally found “The One.” It was love at first scalp massage.

The first girl I went to was recommended to me by someone I worked with. The first time she colored my hair it came out this awful brassy, dingy color. I went back the next day and had her fix it, but that only halfway worked. Thankfully she announced she was moving, so I didn’t have to worry about breaking off the relationship.

The second girl I went to worked off of downtown. She was great, but the problem with her was she was very established and therefore, worked rather weird hours. She had a good clientle built up, so she knew they would do whatever they had to do to get see her. She only worked weekdays; no Saturdays or evenings. Since I work 8am-5pm like most people, it was a hassle to take off work half a day to get my hair done. So I classify this as “irreconcilable differences.”

The third girl was just rude. She did an okay job and it was easy to get an appointment, but Chickadee had a huge attitude problem. We just weren’t compatible.

Let me add here that all three of these people were recommended to me by people I worked with.

Then I found Leslee. I was at my wit’s end and just called up a salon that was about 5 minutes from my work, explained I didn’t have anyone’s name, so could they recommend someone? That landed me in Leslee’s chair and I’ve been happy ever since. It’s an Aveda salon/spa and the atmosphere is wonderful. So relaxing. She gives you a scalp massage when she washes your hair. Trust me, I could go see her everyday just for that. It’s so relaxing, I could forget my name. And did I mention she does a great job? I swear, this is the best haircut I’ve ever had and the color is fantastic, too, especially since I took the big step and went darker.

Here’s hoping we live happily ever after!

LA Ink

Has anyone watched this show yet? It’s a reality show on TLC about tattoo artist Kat Von D and her new shop in LA. She was originally at Miami Ink. I’m addicted! I guess because I’ve always said that if I didn’t have to have a real job and such, I would have tattoos and a pink stripe in my hair and work in a funky little restaurant in Asheville, NC. It’s the secret punk side of me. Punk, but girly at the same time. We all have those secret sides, right?

But since I do have to have a real job to pay my real bills and take care of my real child, I won’t be running to the tattoo parlor anytime soon. You can all breathe a sigh of relief now.

I do have one tattoo on my foot of a dolphin and the moon. It looks pretty sad compared to the stuff they do on this show. This is Kat Von D:

Isn’t she gorgeous?

So now you all know my secret punk aspirations. Don't think less of me!

I love me a fresh calendar

Can you feel it? That sweet smell of fall in the air? The cool breeze blowing across the yard and the first few leaves floating to the ground? Okay, I know the leaves are a stretch seeing as down here in the South, the leaves wait until December 1st to drop off the trees, but you get my point.

Since school has started for everyone by now, you’ve probably noticed all the handy-dandy calendars and organizers in the stores. I love this time of year. There are few things more exciting than buying a brand new planner and trying to imagine what all will fill the pages over the next year. Doesn’t that excite you?? I got a great coupon in the mail from OfficeMax, so I’m hoping to head over there and get my new calendar this weekend. I’m keeping my fingers crossed they have one like I got last year.

I love it that much. It even comes with stickers!

Along with my portable planner, I also keep everything organized on my Outlook calendar at work. Everything is on that calendar, down to mine and Lennon’s paydays, color-coded, with what bills get paid that week listed. I also list various sales that are starting at my favorite stores or special promotions, like Gymbucks at Gymboree. Since I’m at work most of the day, I can always glance at that calendar and know exactly what’s coming up, plus it’s helpful when I’m calling about doctor’s appointments, hair appointments, etc., since I do most of that at work or at lunch.

So this will count as my “Domestic Post” of the week, since I’ve talked about home organization and family management. Right? J Happy Calendaring, Ladies!

Pumpkin Apple Bread

I found this yummy-sounding recipe over at http://magnoliamama.blogspot.com . Enjoy!

Pumpkin Apple Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 can (16 oz) pure pumpkin puree
2-1/4 cups sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dices

Cinnamon-Sugar Topping
5 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temp
1 teaspoon cinnamon

For the topping, combine the sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon and blend with your fingers to an even, crumbly texture. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9- by 5-inch loaf pans. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and allspice into a large bowl. In another large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, sugar, eggs, and oil. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin, stirring to evenly mix, then fold in the apples. Divide the batter between the pans, smoothing the tops. Sprinkle each loaf with the cinnamon-sugar topping. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour.

MOPS

No, I’m not talking about those long-handled cleaning implements in your kitchen. I’m talking about Mothers of Preschoolers. If you’re a mother, then you were the mother of a preschooler at one point in time. I’m sure whether it was last year or 20 years ago, you can remember it. The struggles, the joys, the tears – both your’s and your preschooler’s.

Last year I joined my local chapter of MOPS. Brady was just over a year old and I had just come out of a very rough 18-month period. I was laid off from my job when I was six months pregnant. Naturally, no one will hire you at that point, so I was unemployed until Brady was four months old. I got unemployment checks, but we were beyond broke. Lennon was working two jobs and that left me home alone with Brady quite often. Many weeks I might not leave the house for 3-4 days at a time. As a result, I went through a very dark period of post-partum depression. By the Grace of God, I found a job the week before my unemployment ran out. It was an uphill climb at that point. We had so many bills to pay, I had to adjust to working again and to Brady being in daycare. So many things were going on. The following summer we had to move unexpectedly and once again, our lives were up in the air. God came through again and provided a place to live, even better than where we were.

Now we hadn’t been going to church since moving to Greenville. We had visited places, but nothing stuck. I worked in an office of all men. I was really hurting for some female companionship and that’s when I heard about MOPS. So I signed up and went to my first meeting. It was like a breath of fresh air (the theme last year actually was Fresh Air). Here I was in a group of women who I had something I common with – we all had children under 5. It didn’t matter whether we worked outside the home or stayed home, whether we were divorced or married, nothing. We all had a common thread. Those meetings were so great and I met some great people as a result. Don’t get me wrong, there were some days I would go and not talk to hardly anyone. That was probably more my fault than theirs. After practically being in hiding for so long, I really had to re-learn how to get out there and meet people. I had been so close to becoming a hermit, but I was slowly dragging myself out of that pit. God knew what He was doing! You can come to MOPS and be yourself. You get to eat a meal without cutting someone else’s food or having to catch the bowl of applesauce as it’s being hurled across the room. You can listen to a speaker without having to change a diaper. You might even have a full conversation with someone. We love our children dearly, but it’s nice to have a few hours to yourself to remember who you were before you became Mommy.

The best thing about MOPS for me? It led us to the church we’re now attending. We probably never would have visited there if my MOPS leader and other women hadn’t invited me. After being away from church for so long, it felt so good to find a “home” We’ve joined a fabulous Sunday School class of couples our age, we’ve gotten involved in the children’s ministry and I’ve even joined the Beth Moore Bible Study on Sunday afternoons. I had forgotten what that family was like. To have people say they’re praying for you, to ask how you’re doing means so much.

I know some people who really aren’t interested in groups like MOPS. They have problems leaving their child with someone else or they just don’t have time. But I also know people who feel as passionately about this as I do. It’s a great, great organization for new moms, young and old. We need support. We think we can do it all and granted, some women come close. But most of us are being pulled in a thousand different directions and we need some friends who relate. So if you know a mom with a preschooler, suggest MOPS to her. It just may be the lifesaver to her that it was to me.

http://www.mops.org/

Just because he's cute!

It's beginning to look a lot like Halloween

If you’ve been in the stores lately, you’ve noticed that Halloween (and Christmas for that matter) isn’t far away. The aisles are already filled with candy, plastic pumpkin buckets, fake hands serving up a candy bowl, and all manner of make-up and fake blood. And costumes. These days, if you can dream it, you can dress like it.

Now I’m a little funny about Brady’s Halloween costumes (I know, I’m a little funny about a lot of things). Since he’s only 2, I still make the decision on his costume and where we buy it. One day soon he’ll want to be Spiderman or some other cheap-looking costume from Walmart (No offense to anyone whose child got their Spiderman costume from WM) and I’ll deal with that then. For now, thought, I get to pick.

The first year, Brady was a cow. Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures online of that adorable little black and white sweat suit-type outfit with ears and a tail. The thing barely fit by actual Halloween and I almost ripped his head off trying to get it one. Good times.

Last year, he was a pirate:

We got tons of compliments on this costume and many people thought I made it myself. Old Navy, people. And they have the same one this year if you’re interested. I was really worried he would burn up because it was a very heavy costume and down here in SC, Halloween can often be sunny and 85F. Thankfully, a major cold front swept in and it was in the 50’s that night. My little matey was warm and cozy while gathering his booty.

This year I really want to do an Elvis costume. I know this is probably the last year I get to pick and seeing how we’re from Memphis, Elvis would be so much fun. Can’t you just picture the jumpsuit and the cape and the slicked back hair and gold sunglasses on a two year old? I’ve searched and searched and can only find one toddler Elvis costume. And it’s tacky. I know, you’re saying “It’s an Elvis costume. OF COURSE IT’S GOING TO BE TACKY!” But this one is tacky in a cheap way. I’m still searching, but my little Hunka Hunka Burning Love may not be stepping out in his Blue Suede Shoes this October 31st. (Don’t you love these puns?!)

I’m throwing around the idea of a cowboy. That would be so easy and he’s already got jeans and a western-style brown corduroy shirt from Old Navy. Add a few accessories and we’d be set. We’ll see. I think I put way too much thought into these things. In fact, I know I put way too much thought into these things.

Hopefully everyone is getting some cooler temperatures for the weekend. Have a good one!

Domesticity

I may not mention it too often, but I’m very domestic. I love celebrating the traditions of home and family.

I love planning menus and I actually work on my grocery list for about a week before I do my shopping. It’s organized into sections with a @ by an item when I have a coupon. A little OCD, but that’s okay. That’s just how I am. That’s not to say that every night is a three-course meal with appetizers and desserts. A lot of nights we have to be somewhere or Lennon is working, so we’ll have soup and grilled cheese or hot dogs. I do like to plan bigger, longer meals for the weekend when I have the time to devote to it. But I do try to always have a dessert or snack baked and ready. Baking is one of my biggest passions, so I always enjoy creating something special for my family.

All of my housework is on a schedule:
Monday – Dusting
Tuesday – Clean bathrooms
Wednesday – Mop and sweep
Thursday – Catch up night (includes filing, organizing, bills, etc.)
Friday – Free Night

We do at least one load of laundry every night, with bedding and odd items done on the weekends. My schedule is really important to me because I hate the thought of getting to Saturday and having to spend all day on the house. Being organized and scheduled is essential whether you’re a Stay at Home Mom or if you Work Outside the Home. Since I WOTH, I’d rather spend my weekends with my family than toiling away all day on bathrooms and yard work. Does this work for every family? No, but it works for us.

I’m trying to branch into more hobbies. I love scrap booking and card making, but I find them frustrating sometimes. At least the scrap booking. I’m an “instant gratification” kind of person and I don’t always do well working on a project that is going to span a few weeks or even months. I love the idea of sewing, but every time I’ve sat down to learn, I got bored and quit. Maybe someday when I have more time. We won’t even discuss gardening. Another thing I’d love to do, but I have quite the opposite of a green thumb. Some would even call it black.

I’m going to try to do at least one post each week about something domestic. It’s really a big part of me that I’d love to share with people, or whomever is still reading this blog!

Have a great day, friends!

Remembering Sept. 11th

First, thank you so much to everyone who has been praying for my grandfather. The soonest they could get him in to the next doctor is Sept. 18, unless there is a cancellation. Right now they’re trying to manager the pain. He is eating better, but is still in a lot of pain and very weak. Today is his birthday. Please continue to keep him and all of us in your prayers and thoughts.

Today is September 11th. Honestly, I hadn’t really thought too much about the anniversary of the tragic and terrifying events that occurred six years ago. We’ve all gotten busy. Life is hectic and sometimes it’s all we can do to make it through the day. So we forget. As more time passes, the fuzzier the memories become. But we should never forget the lives lost on that day. The heroes who gave everything to save others. The prayers that were said all over the world. How people came together during the crisis. Remember how every car had an American flag on it in the weeks and months following the attacks? Everyone was patriotic. You don’t see it as often now, but you need to.

So on this anniversary of that horrible day, say a prayer and fly your flag. Be proud to be an American.

Are you ready for some football?

In case you haven't noticed, football season is in full swing! The Patriots kick off Sunday afternoon and my boys are ready:

I hope everyone's team wins this weekend!

It's that time of year

I know, it's still in the high 80's out there, but September 1st officially declares FALL for me. What about you?

It Is Well With My Soul

A lot of stress has rolled into my life in the past day or so. Some of it was expected, some of it was very unexpected. As I’ve been searching for some comforting words, for some peace in the midst of all this, the Lord led me to this classic hymn. I think it says everything.

It Is Well With My Soul

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet,
though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Going to the dark side

I’ve decided to take a darker turn for fall this year. No, not my attitude or my spirit – my hair. I had it colored earlier this week and went back to my original brunette, if not a hair (pun completely intended here) darker. This has been a big adjustment. Okay, a huge adjustment. I’ve been blonde for so long now. It just fits my personality. Bubbly and optimistic, yet smart, and sunny. But blonde is getting rather expensive and extremely high maintenance to maintain. I’m high maintenance enough without adding anything else to the mix.

Here’s a Before and After, sort of:

Before (except I wasn't that blonde):



After:



We’ll see how long this lasts. I have a feeling I’ll be back to blonde by next spring or maybe even by Christmas. That’s the good thing about color – you can always change it if you don’t like it.

Normal is as Normal does

Sheila at http://lifeatnumber17.blogspot.com tagged me for Normal is as Normal does.

Normal is:
- Realizing I need a cup of milk for a recipe when I actually need a whole cup and I'm halfway through said recipe
- Knowing that no matter how bad the day has been, Brady will always be happy to see me
- Hitting the snooze button two more times
- Buying a magazine only to get the same issue in the mail a day later
- Having way too many magazines to begin with
- Always looking forward to the next season, but enjoying the season I'm currently in
- Finishing my Christmas card list in August
- Making sure I have a good supply of note cards and little "happies" for dear friends
- Looking forward to the daily email from my dad, telling me how his day is going
- Struggling to get everyone to church on Sunday mornings, but always being so thankful we made it
- Getting my goodnight kisses from my little man and my big man every night

Long time, no blog

Long time, no blog. Things have really picked up here lately in our little neck of the woods.

For starters, my in-laws are arriving on Friday and staying until Wednesday. That puts me into the usual tailspin of cleaning behind stoves, dusting ceiling fans, and sweeping underneath beds, plus a thousand other household chores. We have a whole weekend of plans including a Greenville Drive game and a trip to the NC Apple Festival in Hendersonville. We rarely have houseguests, so I like to do things up right. We’re all about Southern Hospitality at my house. There will be pecan bars ready when they arrive and fresh towels in the bathroom. It’s all those little things that really make folks feel welcome. My greatest fear would be to have guests and them feel like they’re an inconvenience or unwanted.

Fall is right around the corner, too and am I ever ready. This has been a long, hot summer. Very reminiscent of Memphis. Now the fall decorations and even Christmas trees are hitting the stores. I usually do my fall decorating Labor Day weekend, but I’ll be pushing that back a week due to our guests. I’d love to find a new wreath for the front door and a couple of fall candles. Maybe Yankee Candle Macintosh. Yummy!
This fall we’re teaching the 2 and 3 year old Sunday School class at church. This should be quite the experience, as none of us has ever taught a Sunday School class before. At least they’re too young to ask the tough theological questions. We’ll save that for the 5 year olds. I’m also doing a lot with my MOPS (Mother’s of Preschoolers) group this year. I was fortunate enough to be asked to serve on the steering team, so I get to help lead small group discussions and plan events and such. The perfect job for me! Our first meeting is next Thursday and I’m so excited to meet all the ladies in my group. I’m sending them all little “Welcome” notes this week in the mail. I love getting notes. It really brightens the day, so I hope it brightens theirs.

Well, it’s back to work. Have a fantastic day!

Bean Salad or Bust

Our Sunday School class is the Bereavement Class for August, so we’re responsible for providing the food if someone has a death or illness in their family. We had two deaths in the first week, so it’s looking to be a busy month.

Friday I got an email asking if I could bring bean salad or coleslaw to the church at 11:30am on Saturday morning. For some unknown reason, I said I’d bring the bean salad. I don’t eat bean salad, let alone make it, so I don’t know what possessed me to volunteer for that. But I found a Paula Deen recipe and planned on picking up the ingredients Friday evening so it could chill overnight. No big deal.

Brady and I run some errands Friday evening and that’s when the trouble started. We were at Barnes and Noble. Brady was playing at the train table in the children’s department (in the very back of the store) and I was sitting there, reading the newest Rachael Ray magazine. Then I smelled it. We had to go to the car, so I told Brady we had to leave in 2 minutes (trying to give him some warning). The 2 minutes were up and then I proceeded to take the Walk of Shame. He screamed, and I do mean SCREAMED, from the very back of B&N to the very front of B&N. That was one of the longest walks ever. So I get him in the car and manage to wrestle with him long enough to get his diaper changed and then he refused to get in his car seat. I practically had to sit on him to get him strapped in. I’m sure people were taking down my license plate number to call social services.

I should have known better at this point, but I had to go by the store to get the ingredients for this bean salad. We stop at our beloved Bloom store and I get Brady in his race car shopping cart which normally keeps him occupied for a short shopping excursion. Not tonight! We barely get in the door before he starts screaming for something. Remember it was 105F on Friday evening and that made things even worse. I turn right around and take him back to the car, where again I have to fight to get him in the car seat. Two teenage girls pulled up next to us during this scene and I’m sure they decided right then and there to never have children. So I go home, with no ingredients for this bean salad.

I figure I’ll just hit the deli in the morning and pick up some bean salad, put it my own bowl, and call it a day. However, I didn’t realize that bean salad should be on the endangered species list after going to 3 grocery stores and finding no bean salad, just a well-meaning stock clerk who tried to give me 3 bean soup and didn’t understand why I was about to cry onto his apron. By this time it was 10:30am on Saturday morning, I was arguing with Lennon about why I agreed to bring bean salad in the first place, I had other groceries melting in the trunk and Brady was looking for his morning snack. I say I’ll just make the bean salad I was going to make and hopefully it would be okay at room temperature, only to discover that Brady had used to recipe as a coloring page and dropped it somewhere in Walmart. So I scour my cookbooks looking for another recipe and give Lennon the list of ingredients so he could go pick them up and I could make it just minutes before I had to leave.

He comes back, I throw together this damn bean salad and finish it at exactly 11:20am, the precise time I need to walk out the door.

The moral of the story is, if someone gives you the choice between bean salad and coleslaw, always pick the coleslaw.

Random Thoughts

I don’t have anything in particular to write about today, so here are some random thoughts.

Last night I switched over to CNN and first saw the report on the bridge collapse in Minneapolis. Unbelievable. Cars everywhere, many having fallen into the river. People just stunned. I always thought about the bridge collapsing when I lived in Memphis and would drive over the Mississippi river to get to Arkansas. You just never know what’s going to happen and what day will be your last. These people were just driving home after a long day at work or school.

I know I’m way behind the times, but I recently discovered Chris Tomlin (thanks in part to Big Mama!) and bought his “Arriving” cd yesterday. It’s so good! There’s a lot of great music out there now. I’m particularly excited about the new Point of Grace cd coming out this fall.

Tonight I’m going to see “No Reservations,” the new Catherine Zeta-Jones movie. I’m going with some girls from our Sunday School class for a Girl’s Night Out. We should have a great time.

My grandmother flies in tomorrow night from Ohio and boy, will she be tired. *Ba-dum-dum* I know, that was really bad. Seriously, though, we’re picking her up. She comes every year for a week, which I think is really nice. I hope I can travel like that when I’m her age.

Found a great shirt at Target yesterday. It’s by Isaac Mizrahi and is this gorgeous shade of peacock blue. Hints of fall in the air!

Fondly,
Serah

She's alive

Hello all! Sorry there haven’t been any updates lately. I had my wisdom teeth out last Thursday and spent all weekend in recovery. As for the rest of this week, I’ve been catching up on work and life in general.

Yipee for finally getting my wisdom teeth out! Now I can move on to other things like pondering Britney Spears latest nervous breakdown or the “Furry Reaper,” the cat in New England who appears to predict the deaths of nursing home patients. Creepy on both accounts.


As for me and my house, it looks like we’ll be converting the crib to a toddler bed this weekend. I caught Brady trying to jump out last night. He had one leg over the side and was kinda stuck. I really want to prevent any swan dives onto the hardwood floors in the middle of the night. It will be sad in a way, though. He’s growing up so fast. After this, the only thing standing between him and his driver’s license is potty training. Where did the time go?

The weekend is looking pretty busy so far. There’s grocery shopping and general errands to run. We also might head up to Asheville for Bele Chere, a really neat street festival up in the mountains. Sunday we have a ice cream social with our Sunday School class. Not that I necessarily need any more ice cream after my oral surgery, but I guess a little more won’t hurt anything.

I also have my eye on the cutest denim dress at Ann Taylor Loft. Not that I need it, but it would be the perfect pick-me-up.

Blessings to everyone!Serah