Are You Ready to Get FESTIVE?

OK, this post is going to be short.

Not that you guys aren't ultra important to me, but I have somewhere to be 9:00. And that's already not going to happen.

Tonight is the fall festival at our church. I'm so excited! I promised I'd be there around 9:00 to help out, so...

I'm late, I'm late for a very important date!

The above picture is one of my contributions to the cake walk at the festival. They are ginger pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese icing and a candy corn on top, and, honey, they are good! I thought I'd post them even though there is the possibility that some of you may think I need to go to a support group for pumpkin fans.

My take: Hey, I love pumpkin, what can I say? Also, whatever you're doing tonight, I hope you're doing it with family and good friends. Have a great time and be safe!

No West for the Reary

I'd like to start today's post by sayihg to all those affected by Superstorm Sandy, I am praying for you all and hope to see things restored quickly. Although I have never been through a superstorm, I have been through 2 large hurricanes, so I have some idea of what you're going through. God is with you.

Now, the above picture is not of me. I don't think it is, anyway, but it might as well be. Here's the thing: I'm still exhausted and I don't really know what to do about it.

Do you ever go through periods of your life where you just can't keep up? Please tell me you do, I'd hate to think I'm out here by myself. I honestly feel like I'm wandering through some maze and only turn down the next row when I bump into the wall.

I'm serious, I'm just wandering through life right now, running to whichever fire seems like it might be the one to burn the house down. A few weeks ago I really had a good routine going, really felt like I was getting things done most every day. Now, not so much. AND, my stupid foot is still hurting.

I think it all started with the fact that I took 2 really quick trips, hours away from home. You know how trips are; when you get home, you have to catch up. The trouble is, I have so much going on NOW, I don't have time to try to catch up on the things I missed. Plus, you're tired from all the driving. So, I usually just end up lying on the couch in the fetal position singing Kum Ba Yah. And....that doesn't help much. AND, my stupid foot is still hurting.

What to do, what to do? And, what's worse...THE HOLIDAYS ARE COMING!! Now, here's the thing, I LOVE THE HOLIDAYS!! They are my absolute favorite time of the year. But, if I don't get a handle on things and get some real rest, by the time the fat man shoves himself down my chimney, I will be tucked away in some quiet little nut house. Hopefully a clean one with Direct TV. And WiFi. And a really good cook. Where do I sign up?

Another depressing thing is that it's been cold here the past 2 nights (YAY!), but it's supposed to warm up some tomorrow (BOO!), and we haven't been home in the evenings to make a fire (DANG.) Talk about kicking a girl when she's down. AND, my stupid foot is still hurting.

Things aren't going to get much better this week, I can tell you that. I have my first PAYING writing assignment due on Monday and that's going to take precedence over EVERYTHING else this week. Except tomorrow, when I head down to church to help get ready for our first outreach, a Family Fall Festival (hereafter known as FFF...I'm in a hurry, OK?) AND, my stupid foot is still hurting.

My take: Maybe I can stay in pajamas on Saturday if I get all my writing done. That's definitely motivation for me!!

Time to Appreciate

October is Pastor Appreciation month, did you know that?

Well, it is and that's just what we did yesterday at our church.

I have mentioned that we have just recently changed churches. The process was very difficult because I'd been at the same church for over 40 years. But, now that the change has been made.....ahhhhh, it's so good!

Our new pastors are one of my best friends and her husband. They are the kind of people others flock to for two simples reasons:
1. They love people
2. They are real

In the 3 short months the church has been in existence - they always say they started with a building with carpet, nothing else - already over 100 people call it their church home! We are having so much fun! Our pastor is awesome. His sermons are funny, powerful, and relevant. The worship is amazing and the service seems to fly by each week. They go to all kinds of events with us, including youth events, like football games, UIL competitions. Most of our church family also eats lunch together EVERY WEEK after service - how cool is that?

The thing is, our pastors want to be a part of our lives, not just on Sunday. They want the whole package - to journey through life with us. In short, life is just better.

My take: I'm so thankful to be a part of a church FAMILY, a place where we all can just live this life together, through thick and thin, good and bad, holy and not-so-holy. Here'a a shout out to my pastors, Brent and Terri, I love and APPRECIATE you! So, so thankful for you! Greater things are to be done in this city...

Goodbye, My Lovely Youth

People.

I'm exhausted.

No, seriously. Exhausted. I think what little youth I still had left in my body has officially checked out. And I have yesterday to thank for it.

It began like any other weekday, with me taking Riley to school. I have to stop here and say that one of the things that has really helped my fatigue level this year is that Riley now wakes up on his own. I know, amazing. It's really been a very easy transition for someone who, true story, slept through an earthquake this summer in New Zealand.

When I complimented him on this very thing and asked him how he'd done it, he said, "Easy. I just set like 10 alarms, every 10 minutes, and eventually, I hear one of them." Whatever works.

So, at least this year I don't have to wake at 6, go up and down the stairs to his room 5 times, threatening sudden death, to get him up. Ah, progress.

Anyway, I regress...

After my shower, I voted. I felt very American and highly recommend voting to all of you other Americans out there. I mean, you know, people died so we can vote. Here's where it gets a little crazy:

10:30 - ran home to put washed clothes in dryer

10:45 - ran by school district office

11:00 - got nails done

12:25 - ran by bank

12:35 - drove thru Chick-Fil-A for lunch

1:00 - 4:00 - counseled at not for profit organization

4:15 - 1st trip to grocery store

5:00 - picked up Riley

5:30 - still waiting on Riley

5:45 - forgot car seat for Charlotte, take Riley home, get car seat

5:55 - pick up Charlotte

6:10 - start dinner

6:25 - 2nd trip to grocery store

7:00 - dinner

7:10 - Charlotte's first "I'm going to fwow up" episode

7:15 - Charlotte's second "I'm going to fwow up episode

7:20 - pot and towel next to Charlotte for third "I'm going to fwow up" episode

7:25 - Charlotte: "I have to poo poo."

7:30 - Robert gets home, (Robert as I'm walking back to the bathroom with Charlotte, "What are you doing?" Me: "I have no idea.")

7:45 - gave up on finishing dinner

Get the picture? And, to make matters worse, THE YELLOW JACKETS ARE BACK!!! What the heck? And, we're playing the 4th best football team in the whole area tonight. Joy.

So, yes, I'm exhausted...but, not too exhausted to share a recipe! I think I mentioned that while I was at my cousin's house, we made homemade pesto sauce. It was SO YUMMY!! I absolutely love it and highly recommend you try it. Happy Weekend!!

Homemade Pesto

Ingredients:
4 C fresh basil leaves, stems removed and washed
3 garlic cloves, halved
3 T pine nuts
1/4 - 1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
1/3 C Parmesan cheese, shredded
1/3 C Romano cheese, shredded
1/8 tsp salt

Directions
1. Place a few basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts and a little oil in blender or food processor. Cover and puree until leaves begin to look crushed.
2. Continue adding basil leaves a few at a time with small amounts of oil to food processor, using a rubber spatula to help combine pureed mixture.
3. Add Parmesan and Romano cheese and salt. cover and process until pesto mixture is smooth.

The Attack of the Yellow Jackets

OK, so you guys are not going to believe this one.

I'm not sure you can tell because the above picture is, well, terrible, but that is my hummingbird feeder, about 2 feet from my back door, covered in YELLOW JACKETS! Seriously, all of the dark area on the red hummingbird feeder is yellow jackets, like 25 of them. Ick.

At this point in the post I feel that I should share some personal information with you. I, in fact, am allergic to insect stings. You know, the bad kind of allergy where I have to carry an epi-pin. Several years ago when I was still teaching school, I was stung at recess one day and had an anaphylactic reaction. Oh, it was loads of fun.

So, my new dishwasher ended up being delivered yesterday instead of Friday, which is GREAT, but I had to take everything out from under my sink in order for the guys to be able to install it. I was taking things out when I ran across a container of hummingbird juice or food, or whatever it's called. I have to admit that I am not the world's best when it comes to the feeding of the hummingbirds. The biggest problem there is that my feeder is very deep and the hummingbirds have a hard time getting to the liquid if the feeder isn't completely full. But, it has been pretty sad lately when the hummingbirds come for their nourishment, and, alas, there is no nourishment to be found. So, I decided yesterday would be the day I ended their hunger.

I took the feeder down and filled it to the brim. Actually, I filled it OVER the brim, which meant I had red, syrupy liquid all over me, my countertop, the floor, AND all over the outside of the feeder, which is an important part of this story. I finally went out and tried to hang it up, again spilling it all over me and all over the patio. Yeah, it was pretty.

So, apparently what I didn't realize is that there was a yellow jacket nest somewhere in our back yard, which is a little scary to begin with. A few minutes after hanging the feeder I walked out back to do something and in flew a yellow jacket. My mom was here at the time, and between the two of us, we killed it without knocking either one of us out with the broom.

About an hour later I happened to glance out my kitchen window and the picture above it what I saw: about 25 yellow jackets all over the hummingbird feeder and about 10 or so more flying all around it. I almost bit through my tongue.

So, then I got a little freaked out. Could the yellow jackets get into my house under the door? How about down the chimney? What would I do if either of those happened? And what about Cassie? I couldn't put her out there with those killers! I kept replaying these horrifying scenes from B-grade Sci-Fi movies where people have indeed been eaten to death by insects. So, I finally broke down and called Robert. That's Hubby, I'm tired of him not having a name, too.

So, after talking to Robert, I felt better. He told me that there was no way the yellow jackets could get into the house without me opening the door, and he advised me not to open the door. And I didn't. By the time I got home from church, he had taken the feeder down and washed the outside off for me. I'm keeping him forever!

My take: apparently, the yellow jackets around here are moving in on the hummingbirds' grub! Maybe someone should invent a yellow jacket feeder...no, that's dumb, who wants to encourage yellow jackets to nest 2 feet from your back door?

I'm Baaaacccckkkkk!

Good morning, world, I haven't fallen off!

Yes, I'm back in my happy, little home after a very successful trip to Dunwoody, GA. In case you missed my last post, I drove my mom and great aunt to Dunwoody to visit my cousin for the weekend.

It was so good to see my cousin, Kate. I don't think I'd seen her since Riley was about 3, which is almost 13 years, so, you know, it was time.

Anyway, we had a great time just hanging out at their house, shopped a little, AND ate really well, which is always a plus in my book. I even learned to make pesto sauce and I'll be sharing that recipe with you on Friday, so don't forget to check back for that.

Kate is married to John.

And, they have two daughters, Meredith on the left, Victoria on the right.

Victoria is a senior this year and Meredith is a sophomore. They both play softball and are actually going to the championship tournament this weekend!!! Go, Wolves!!! They also play LaCrosse, which kind of frightens me, but hey, "Go, Wolves!"

The girls were great because they actually hung out with us old people and didn't really act like it was too painful. I wonder what Kate's secret is? I sure would like to cast that spell on Riley!!!

My mom and Aunt Jeannnie seemed to have a great time, too, and we're hoping Kate's family might come to our house between Christmas and New Year's.

So, with all of that said, I'm going to close for today. I have a writing project that I'm in the middle of and don't have much time to finish it. Yikes!!

One more thing: if you're wondering why I keep posting the "Welcome Fall" pumpkin picture at the beginning of my posts it's because I thought maybe if I keep welcoming fall, maybe fall will GET HERE ALREADY! I mean, please, I think my car said the temperature yesterday outside got up to 90 degrees. Are you kidding me? It's almost November, for crying out loud!

Road Trip

Yes, I'm going on a road trip today.

I'm taking my mom and my Aunt Jeannie to Atlanta to see my cousin, Kate. I'm super excited because I haven't seen Kate in a long time, so the trip should be great. Once we get there, anyway.

We're driving. Well, actually, I'm driving. Which is fine by me, because, trust me people, we'll get there much faster. My dad has a route all lined out for me from Mapquest. As I was backing away from him slowly, nodding my head while trying to leave church last night, he was hollering extra tips and instructions on which exit to use in Atlanta to miss some of the traffic, etc. Thanks, Dad.

The other somewhat challenging issue will be my mom's hearing. Or lack of hearing. I'm thinking of putting her in the front with me, so she can hear me and Aunt Jeannie will just have to scream a little. It'll be fine. I hope.

I did want to tell you that we've finally picked out a dishwasher! Praise be to God from whom all blessings flow, know what I mean? We're going to have it delivered sometime next week after I get back. Don't worry, I'll post pictures.

Here's one funny story from yesterday, then I have to finish packing: I went through the drive-thru at McDonalds for a drink yesterday, half diet and half regular Coke - that's my new thing, we can discuss it later, but it works for me. I paid my $1.08, then drove to the next window and got the drink. As I'm driving off, I happen to look down and realize the lady gave me a large WATER! Uh, WHAT?? Yeah, so what do I do? I back the car up, Baby, I paid for a soda and a soda I will have!

I get to the 2nd window, nobody there. So, I proceed to back up, remember, not my strong suit, to the first window, nobody there either. So, now I'm getting a little ticked. Where, oh where is my half diet half, regular COKE, for crying out loud? Finally, I see someone at the speaker and think, A ha! Now, someone will be at this window. Sure enough, here she came, with me flagging her like I needed medical attention. I explain, she rolls her eyes, and hollers for Chiquita to fix my drink.

I drive to the 2nd window, where an unhappy Chiquita is waiting for me. I hand her the drink and start to explain and she says, "I got it now." O...K...She gets a new cup, and starts filling it. It appeared to me that she was only putting one drink and not my Coke cocktail in the cup, so I motion to her and mouth the words "half diet and half regular," to which she says, "I know!" Uh-huh...

My take: What happened to customer courtesy, especially when you make the mistake, Chiquita?? Please! Anyway, it was kinda funny.

I may not be blogging much over the next few days, but check in from time to time so you don't miss anything. Have a great day!

All Over the Grid

Yesterday was an experience in many ways. I don't know about you, but me? I just can't get everything done.

I did have a NEW experience yesterday that I wanted to tell you guys about: my first time on an elliptical machine. I've been having some foot pain, don't know exactly what's causing it, but I have decided that after running on Friday in my neighborhood, then having excruciating pain in my foot all weekend, running is just not for me. I'm really kind of sad about it, because I really feel like I was making progress and I can definitely tell I've lost weight. So, I wish I could keep running, but unless I can figure out a way to "channel my pain," it's just not going to happen. Enter the elliptical machine.

I've always heard what a good workout you get on the elliptical, but everytime I've tried it, I can only do it for, like, 1 minute. Now the elliptical workout may indeed be good, but let's face it: you can't go eat Mexican food if you only workout for 1 minute.

Nevertheless, putting the past behind me, I decided to make a concerted effort on the elliptical. I mean, I've been working out, lost some inches and weight, I'm sure it'll be much easier than before. Ha, ha, ha, ha! I really am funny...

I get on the elliptical, first of all and can't get it going. No lights on the dashboard thingy, and I can barely move the pedals. So, I go get the 8-year-old boy who works at the front desk of the gym to help. He jumps on the thing, starts practically running and gets it started right away. Then, he turns to me and says, "Yeah, these things are kinda hard to get going." That should've been a red, flashing light for me. And yet, I press on.

I finally get going and within my 1 minute benchmark, my quads are ON FIRE!! I mean, like Backdraft movie fire, OK? I find myself promising God that if I can just "stop this crazy thing," I will only eat Mexican food, like once a week. And yet,I press on. The other interesting thing is there was this lady on the elliptical next to me. She was probably late 50's or early 60's in age. She had her headphones on and was doing the exercise with her EYES CLOSED!! So, while I'm having leg cramps, bargaining with God, I'm also alert and ready to catch this lady with her eyes closed when she falls off the elliptical. Which I'm sure she will do because that's what would definitely happen if I tried to do it with my eyes closed. Anyway, I made 12 minutes. 12 minutes, people. But, I will say, I burned more calories than I ever did running for 12 minutes. I don't know if that matters...

THEN I ran to the store to pick up supplies for Riley's - that's Son, I'm tired of him not having a name - English project: making a map of the island from Lord of the Flies, which is the picture at the beginning of the post. (I know it looks like a question mark right now, but with paint and stuff it's gonna look like an island. I think.) Yep, picked up paint, paint brushes, the cream of tartar for the map. Everything except for SALT, which is a must for any SALT DOUGH MAP. The best part is that I didn't realize I didn't have enough salt until Riley and I are mixing up the recipe for the salt dough. Uh-huh...so we dart out in the rain to HEB for salt. With Riley driving. In the rain. Where's my glass of wine??

We make it back just in time to mix up the recipe. Then Riley made his map while we watched the debate. If that's what you want to call it. By the time it was over, I was about to have a nervous breakdown. Debate? How about two 5-year-olds arguing. I seriously wanted to send each of them to a time-out corner and hang a medal around the moderator's neck.

My take is this: Please, gentlemen, ACT LIKE GENTLEMEN! No one can understand anything either of you is saying when you're talking at the same time. Didn't your mothers ever teach you that? Give me a break. And that glass of wine, please.

Breakfast at Tiffany's, Sort of

Guess what I forgot to do?

Yep, I forgot to take the pictures of Hubby's new car. Bummer, right? I know, I know...and the worst part about it is now I can think of very little to say...shocking, I know.

This morning I did have breakfast with my best friend, Tina. We wanted to get together, but are both super busy and decided just to get together this morning for breakfast.

I'd love to tell you that we ate in this beautiful mansion and dined on caviar and Eggs Benedict. But, that would be a lie.

Actually, we ate at my regular house, in my regular dining room, then had to wash the dishes ourselves in my regular sink since I STILL don't have a working dishwasher. And, THAT, my friends, is beginning to be a real pain in my side.

As for our menu, we ate fried eggs, toast, and deer sausage, which Tina loves. I'm OK with it. After Hubby and Son go hunting every year, WE, including ME, process our own meat. Even if I didn't have an aversion to blood, it would still not be my favorite way to spend several hours. And I DO have an aversion to blood, and would rather even have my gums scraped than process deer meat. So, after all the processing, the eating just kind of brings back questionable memories...but, it is pretty good, all things considered.

The thing about getting together with such a close friend is that there's no pretense. Observe:

Neither of us had "gotten ready" - no showers, both wearing t-shirts and sweats, yesterday's hair. Plus, she cooked the eggs, I cooked the sausage and toast, then SHE washed the dishes!! We talked easily during the cooking about everything from friends to co-workers to husbands. And, guess what? I didn't even make my bed before she got here!!

My take is this: I'm so thankful to be blessed with such amazing friends. There is something so comforting about knowing that Tina knows me, EVERYTHING about me, and just loves me anyway. That's what life is about: journeying on together, through thick and thin. And not having to wash the dishes by hand AGAIN by myself.

Weekend with the Whirligig Beatles

Hubby bought a new car this weekend...while we were supposed to be playing with our grandkids.

No, actually, it was fine. Hubby's been "looking" at new cars for about..., oh, 3 years now. So, when he finally decided he'd found one, I was ecstatic. There's only so many times I can say, "Babe, you can't find a suburban-sized car that gets 30 MPG in the city, it just doesn't exist." Whew, glad that's over...

His car is beautfiul. He bought another suburban, he loves to haul stuff to Warren, you know, with black leather interior. The funny thing is that it has just about every bell and whistle on it you can think of, which means that Hubby is finally going to be forced into the wonderful world of technology!! Yay!!! Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of the new car, but will try to get one for tomorrow. It's a beaut.

We really did have a great time with our kids this weekend, too. We went to a total of 3 games - 2 baseball games for P and 1 soccer game for G. Above is P at bat...that's his dad, the coach, and my son-in-law, standing close by. He's really becoming a hitter...and spending less and less time playing in the dirt when he's fielding...that's a rite of passage for any boy playing baseball, really.

Then there was the 3-year-old soccer game, there's G above. Her team was called the Whirligig Beatles. I swear, that was the name. I don't even know what a whirigig beatle is, but apparently they're pretty cool because the whole hands in, "1, 2, 3, WHIRLIGIG BEATLES!" was the girls' favorite part of the game. They did it about 10 times before I stopped counting. G did well. She still can't figure out why the girl in the purple shirt insisted on taking the ball away from her and making a a goal every time SHE was trying to make a goal, but isn't that one of life's unanswered questions?

Then, we took the family to two major grandparent/grandkids hot spots - Chick-fil-A and Peter Piper Pizza. And, finally, the kids spent the night at the hotel with us and we took them swimming. And guess what? No one drowned!

My take: PaPa and I still got it!!! Pics of the new car coming tomorrow! Happy Monday!

Fun Friday: Alvarado Edition

Hubby and I are going on a little road trip today.

We are going to Alvarado, where our daughter and her family live. It's the one weekend where both grandkids have a game on Saturday.

P, my grandson, plays T-Ball, and G, my granddaughter, plays soccer. Both of their parents are coaches...over-achievers. Actually, they are great parents in every way and we LOVE to spend time with them.

Plus, Hubby has been working SO HARD lately, it's going to be good for him to get away from the office and live a little. He's so tired that HE actually said last night to ME, not the other way around, that he really needs to rest before tax season starts.

Who are you and what have you done with my husband?

Anyway, we're supposed to leave around 3 today, which, in all honesty, will probably be about 3:30.

I'm missing Son's game tonight, but I don't think he minds much. I got points when I went to Houston last Saturday for the marching contest. It is hard, though, sorting it all out sometimes. I went from 1 kid and myself to 1 husband, 5 kids, some spouses, and 3 grandkids! It's been quite the adjustment. AND, he's staying with HIS grandparents, my parents. He'd probably move in with them if he could and never once miss me. So, it's a win-win in my book. I think...

Here's my take: life is super short and there are just not enough hours in the day, you know? All we can do is our best to build strong relationships with those we love, whether family or friend. When I worry that maybe someone is not getting enough attention, but I know I'm trying hard, I just trust that God knows my heart and will make up the difference. Hey, I'm only human, am I not?

What's your take?

Check out this week's recipe! It's a family FAVORITE around here, people. So good!!! It has cheese in it, need I say more?
Happy weekend!

Cheesy Sausage Meat Loaf

Meatloaf Ingredients:
1 beaten egg
3/4 C bread crumbs
1/4 C milk
1/4 C finely chopped onion
2 T finely chopped bell pepper
1 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 lb ground beef
1/3 lb bulk Italian sausage
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 3x1x1/2-inch sticks

Creamy Tomato Sauce Ingredients:
3/4 C chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T butter
2 14.5 oz cans whole Italian-style tomatoes
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 C whipping cream or light cream
2 T snipped parsley

Meatloaf Directions:
1. In a large bowl, stir together the egg, bread crumbs, milk, onion, bell pepper, oregano, and garlic salt. Add the ground beef and Italian sausage and mix well.
2. Place waxed paper in shallow baking pan. On waxed paper flatten meat mixture into a 10-inch square. Lay cheese sticks end to end near one edge to within 1/2 inch of the sides.
3. Beginning with the edge with the cheese sticks and using the waxed paper to lift meat, roll up jelly-roll style. Seal ends. Unroll onto pan, placing roll seam side down; discard waxed paper.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until juices run clear.
5. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Sauce Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan cook onion and garlic in hot butter until onion is tender, but not brown.
2. Carefully stir in the undrained tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to boiling; then reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 30 minutes or to desired consistency, stirring occasionally.
3. Slowly add the cream, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 3 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley.
4. Pour sauce over meatloaf to serve or your favorite pasta.

The Off Day

Yesterday was an off day.

On the one hand, I got some really great news! There's this company that I've been wanting to write for for, like...forever. And, yesterday, I got an email from them saying they are offering me a contract! YAY!!! I can't tell you how excited I was...kinda.

Here's the kinda part: I had a migraine yesterday. Yep, a migraine. Now, something you may not know about me yet is that I, unfortunately, am a headache girl. It's ridiculous how often I get a headache. Like, every day I have at least a hint of a headache. I have allergies and I attribute most of my headaches to them. Then there's been the at least two other periods of my life where my hormone level was off, no comments from the peanut gallery, and I had horrible migraines then. The funny thing is that it only took me, oh, 8 months to notice a pattern with these horomonal migraine headaches, where I actually vomited so much that blood vessels in my EYES broke. And, it's really not that funny, actually...But, once my hormone level was adjusted, the migraines eased.

That brings us up to about a year ago, when one of my husband's partners thought it would be fun to push between Hubby and I as we were ICE SKATING in Utah at the Olympic Oval. I took the most violent fall EVER, hit my head on the ice, and ended up with a concussion. Someday when I don't have anything else to write about, I'll tell you about my EMT people. I think they were people...Of course after the concussion, more headaches and my memories of skating in the Olympic Oval were forever tainted.

But, yesterday was the first migraine I've had in a long time. At first I thought, "This isn't a migraine. I'm just going to keep going like it's a regular headache." Then I get in the car to drive to Beaumont and wonder if I'm going to have to pull over to vomit or if I can make it home. So, I spent most of the afternoon and all evening on the couch, catching up on DVR'd shows.

So, when I got the email about the writing work, I wanted to jump up and down and run through my house cheering, but that would've sent me straight to the bathroom. So, instead, I just laid on the couch and tried real hard to smile and think happy thoughts. With the light off it was hard to tell how successful I was.

Yeah, it was an off day. Such an off day, that when I went to pick my granddaughter up to take her to her mom for "Tumble Tots," which is why I had to drive to Beaumont, the day got even more off.

When I went out to the car, I noticed the booster car seat was gone. Let me stop here and tell you that Hubby and I switched cars yesterday so that I could get his car inspected - yes, it was late - and so he could get new tires on my car. I couldn't find the booster seat, so I had to settle for a toddler seat. This seat is really too small, but, hey, I had a migraine, so everyone should be thankful that I thought to even put a seat in the car. And, in my book, some protection is better than no protection.

So, off I go to pick up C, horrible headache, tummy churning. I get her, put her in the seat, ("Why you bwing dis seat? Dis seat for babies."), and head to Beaumont. As I make the first turn onto the highway, I hear this little concerned cry from C. I look back and she is laying completely over on her side in the seat! I panicked, pulled into a parking lot and sat her upright again. Then, I start driving again. Remember, I have a migraine, so it doesn't dawn on me yet that the reason the seat fell over is because the seat belt strap was too loose. So, we repeat this scene, seat falls over, I pull over to fix it, 3 more times, until I finally realize the strap is too loose and tighten it. By this time we are five minutes from our destination and C has her legs braced against the back of my chair and is holding onto her seat for dear life.

My take:...yeah, it was an off day...

What's your take?

3 Pressing Questions and an Essay

Good morning!

Today's post is going to be a little different. I thought I would share my son's essay with you. He is a great writer, just fabulous...of course, he gets it from me...

He had to write an essay for his pre-AP English class about a time when he faced a conflict in his life and how he dealt with it. Being the kind of involved mother that I am, I gave him all sorts of ideas on what he could write about. And he chose to write about how difficult it is to choose which hamburger to order at his favorite hamburger restaurant in Austin. It's hilarious. His teacher, the tough one everyone talks about, said it was her favorite essay of all, that she laughed out loud when she read it, and read it to his class. Nice job, Son!

But, before we get to the essay, I do have 3 questions for you to ponder. Ponder is a word I seem to like these days...

Question #1: Why is it that the one time you go to the grocery store AFTER working out, just because you only need 3 things and don't want to get out again because you're having a party at your house this same night, you run into someone you know? AND, it's usually a MAN you know, who, upon seeing you, says, "Hey," and stops himself just before "Wow," comes out of his mouth?? Why, oh, why, I want to know...

Question #2: Who the heck is Theresa? She apparently is "Under pressure," "Lashing out at her family," then yesterday "Was having a breakdown." I see her face everytime I go to check out at Wal-Mart, Target, or the grocery store and I have no idea who she is. Will someone please help me here? I feel like I'm missing out...

Questions #3: Why is it that my husband, who is 13 years older than me, can eat 5 pieces of cornbread and not gain an ounce? Why? Why? Why? I need to know...

My take: Life is full of questions to ponder, is it not? Here's the essay. Have a great day!!

A Burger to Build a Dream On
The door opens, and an aroma of grease and other assorted fried food fills my nostrils. Men have seated themselves all around, eyes glued to the football game that the television monitors display. Slowly, I enter the establishment. Walking to the waiting area, I glance up to one of the monitors. The Oklahoma-Texas game graces my eyes with joy, bringing pleasure to myself and my father, who love the Longhorns. I casually look around for a waitress to bring us to our table.
The setting? Huts, one of the best burger joints in Austin. Usually when I eat with my father on a Saturday in Austin, we go to Huts to watch the Texas football game. A perfect combination of football, burgers, sweaty (and very loud) men yelling at the game, and the typical weirdness of Austin makes this place great. After about five minutes of waiting, a waitress asks if we need a table for two. Once we get to our table, I realize our ever-so-kind waitress has positioned us directly in front of a television screen. When I point this out to my father, he smiles and nods at my glorious revelation.
As I take my place at the table, the menu fills my eyes. I ignore most of what it has to offer, instead choosing to look at the burger section. Memories flood my mind as I look at the twenty different options. My dad had started taking me Huts about five or six years ago. I had instantly fallen in love with their big, tasty burgers. Also, over the course of time I knew I would consume every single one the joint had to offer. The problem with this would present itself to me after the eleventh or twelfth burger: some of the options just, well, didn’t sound that appetizing. Take the Beachboy’s Favorite, for example; it comes with pineapple. I do not consider myself a huge pineapple fan. Now, why not just take it off? Because Hut’s rule number one (in my book): you must eat the part of the burger that gives it the name. Another example: The Mr. Blue. Mr. Blue gets its name from the blue cheese that you can find melted onto the meat. If I did not eat the blue cheese, then why say I ate Mr. Blue?
And so, the problem unfolded in my brain. It was simple, really: What burger to get? My mouth began to water as I pondered the menu. Too many choices! Everything sounded appetizing. The Sink Burger comes drowned in two different sauces, but the Wolfman Jack is served with diced green chilies and bacon! A glance back at our table and…wait, when did we get our drinks? The internal clock inside my head counts out the minutes until the return of our waiter. The tribunal inside my head heckles each other with reasons and rebuttals as to what hamburger must fall into my stomach. The palms of my hands begin to sweat; the waiter is coming back! The very fabric of life seems like it will unravel if I do not make my choice, and within the next five seconds. Our waiter’s heavy footfalls reach my ears, and time itself seems to slow. Looking around the restaurant, all eyes seem to fix themselves on me, begging me to make a decision. Time is up as the waiter arrives at our table. Franticly, I motion for him to take my father’s order. After all, respect your elders.
“Yes, I’ll have the Dagburger please. Eh, everything except onions. I’d like a side order of fries as well. What’re you having, pal?” he says to me. The waiter turns, ready to write down my order.
The moment of truth; the ticking time bomb in my head is about to go off, and I still have no clue as to what I will be dining on this evening. Texas has the ball, marching down Oklahoma’s field to score, making an even bigger reason for me to hurry it up.
“Yeah, well,” I shakily begin, “…the Fats-Domino Burger sounds great. Dry, please, but leave the New Orleans seasoning on. Thanks!” the waiter nods and walks away, taking our menus. I breathed a heavy sigh of relief. At that moment, Texas scored, sending the crowd at the game, as well as in the restaurant cheering at the top of their lungs. Though this applause may support the Texas players, I accept some of it. I had just faced a colossal task, and I had passed with flying colors. While I cannot say it was the biggest decision of my life, it certainly was a tasty one. +

Parody of Errors

I hope you all had a great Columbus Day, I know I did. Honestly, the only reason I knew it was Columbus Day is that when I went to check the mail yesterday, there wasn't any, then I remembered, "Oh, yeah, it's Columbus Day." But, hey, kudos to you, CC, on, you know, finding the new world and all...most impressive. Plus, the low temperature here was 49 overnight!!! Heck, yeah! I even made red beans, rice, and cornbread for dinner last night: full-on fall mode. I may pull my boots out today. Before the temperatures return to high of 85 tomorrow.

Actually, I did have a good day yesterday. A few weeks ago, several of my closest friends and I started a Bible Study together. We're doing the Beth Moore study on James "Mercy Triumphs." I would tell you that it's a fantastic study, but, sorry, fantastic isn't strong enough. It's utterly amazing, wonderful, life-changing...if you're still not feeling like YOU wish you were doing this study, I'm sorry, because, I'm telling you, you'd love it.

What we're doing is we meet each week at a different lady's house. Some of us are kind of spread out home-wise, so we thought it'd be good for each of us to be the one to drive occasionally instead of just one or two people. I was all for that until yesterday, when I was the one having to drive, but fair is fair.

Anyway, two of us were supposed to meet at one friend's house who lives like two minutes from me, then I would drive the three of us and pick up another friend about 15 minutes on the way to the friend's house who was hosting yesterday. It was a fail-proof plan, you might think. Yeah, you'd think that if you still don't know me very well.

The problem happened when I didn't check my phone yesterday morning. Actually, I forgot to even bring my phone when I left the house. Now everyone, just calm down. I am a proud iPhone owner, I text, I talk on the phone, I check the weather, I am normal...in that way at least. But, first of all, I am not a morning person. Secondly, I really don't like to TALK on the phone that much. If I have something to talk about, that's fine, but just to stay on the phone like a teenager, negatory. That's why texting is my friend. Thirdly, if I am at home, I don't carry my phone around on me. I know I probably should, but I just don't. I'm usually busy doing something and lay it down somewhere, then have to have Son call it so I can find it. And, usually it's on vibrate, so everyone has to be super quiet so I can even HEAR it to find it. But, hey, sharpening my hearing, right?

Here's what happened: AC's son got sick and she had to make a doctor's appointment for him yesterday, which meant she couldn't go to Bible study. She sent me a text message saying AG was just going to meet at my house. She also tried to call me. Twice. Then, AG sent me a text to make sure she was just supposed to come to my house. She also tried to call. Twice. So, I leave my house at about 8:25 and think, I guess I should call AC and tell her I'm on my way. That's when I realized that I didn't have my phone. I'm at the stop sign of my edition as I'm pondering this very thing, when AG pulls into my edition as I'm pulling out. Never saw her. I was pondering, I told you. I'm only able to do 2 things at the same time before 10am. Pondering and driving.

I get to AC's house, walk in the door, to her saying, "Uh, apparently you didn't check your phone." Nope, sure didn't. So, AG had already called AC and told her that she had just passed me and that she'd turn around and come to her house. I was pretty embarrassed, but, thankfully, they thought it was funny. That's why they are my friends.

THEN, as if that wasn't enough crazy, we picked up TA in Beaumont, about 15 minutes away. On the way, AG says, how is BG, our other friend who lives in Beaumont, getting there? I say, I don't know, let's text her and see if she wants to meet us. We did, tried to call, but no response. So, after waiting for a few minutes, we get on the freeway to head to Mid-County, and what do you think happens? BG calls and says, "Oh, yes, yes, I want to ride with y'all!" So we tell her to get off at this certain exit and pull into the Chili's parking lot. Great plan. Except for the part where she missed the exit. So, she pulls into some random office building parking lot to wait for us. I have to circle back around and try to find her. It was pretty hilarious!

Anyway, we finally made it to TS's house and really did have a great study. I've never done a Beth Moore study before - yes, I know that's almost blasphemy - and it's SO GOOD!!!

My take: ALWAYS CHECK YOUR PHONE BEFORE NOON!!! There IS life going on in the morning in some people's homes. Just not mine...

Fun Friday: Homecoming Edition

Yes, it's homecoming here in our little town, complete with all that goes with homecoming in a small town.

We had a big community pep rally last night, preceded by all the different organizations setting up a booth of some sort - food, blow-ups, you name it. It was pretty fun, except I was hoping the Band Boosters, of which I am a member, would have their baked potatoes again this year. But they opted for Chick-Fil-A sandwiches and Papa John's pizza. Hmm.

Then the pep rally was really good. After last week's game, with it being kind of a near win, everyone is a little more optomistic about the team, I guess. The stands were full and everybody seemed semi-excited.

After growing up in "high school football mecca," though, I told my friend I'm not sure our community really knows what pep rallies are supposed to be about. I kind of feel sorry for our cheerleaders. Our squad is super! They win all kinds of awards at competitions and everything. But, very few people cheer with them. I do, of course, sometimes to the dismay of those sitting around me. But, what can I say? That's just how I was raised, people: when the cheerleaders say cheer, honey, you cheer!

Then, the evening ended with all the seniors lighting candles on the field, while the fire department lit a big "LHS 2013" sign. That was followed by probably the best homecoming fireworks show I've ever seen. I think the local fireworks stand owner has a senior this year. That helps.

Anyway, it was a fun night and hopefully our team is fired up and will win tonight. Fingers crossed, legs crossed, eyes crossed...just in case.

Son has a date for homecoming. She's one of the drum majors and a senior. I don't know what his preoccupation with older women is, but I'm sure it's only taking a few years off my life. Of course, they are "just friends," and she's a lovely, sweet girl. Son has great taste in women. So far. Fingers crossed, legs crossed, eyes crossed.

And, yes, we had to buy the ever-popular, ever-hideous mum for homecoming. Not sure how these things caught on, but they've been around a long time, so I guess we're stuck with them. The biggest difference is the PRICE!!! HELLO!!! But, hey, in 2.5 years he'll be gone and I'll long for a chance to buy another homecoming mum. Possibly. I'll miss him, let's just say that.

Lastly, I've tried all morning to upload the "Snake Pit" video with no success. Stupid technology!! Oh, well, hopefully before football season is over I can put it on one of my posts.

My take: Go, Raiders! Please win tonight, it's HOMECOMING, for crying out loud!!!

Check out this week's recipe. It's great, but not for dieters. Sorry, people.


Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp butter
1 small onion, chopped
8 oz cream cheese
3-3.5 C chicken
13-14 flour tortillas
2-4 C Monterrey Jack cheese
1 pt whipping cream
pinch of paprika

Directions:
1. Saute onions in butter, then add cream cheese
2. Cook and shred chicken, then add to cream cheese and onion; mix well
3. Put about 1 Tbsp of chicken mixture in each tortilla and roll up; place tortilla seam side down in greased casserole dish
4. Top with Monterrey Jack cheese
5. Cover with whipping cream and sprinkle with paprika
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes

The Technology Conspiracy

How many of you have had this happen to you? You sign up for your preferred internet provider or your preferred TV provider and it all goes something like this:

"Because we so appreciate you signing up with us, we're going to reward you with all of those wonderful rebates. Now, your bill is so low, we're almost paying you to be our customer!"

One year later...

Me: "Yes, hello to you in India, hope the weather's fine. Why the heck has my bill doubled since last month?"

Employee from India: "sdoifn siodng wedgis dgfsokdg."

Me:"Sorry, didn't get any of that?"

Employee from India: "You. webates. have. wun. out."

Me: "Seriously? How does that happen exactly?"

And, then, they take you on this carousel ride about why the rebates have run out or why the bill is higher, and the common denominator from all of these calls is that it's somehow my fault. After a while I'm so dizzy from all the talking in circles and have such a headache from straining to try and understand the person I'm listening to, that I just raise the white flag and agree to pay whatever my bill has risen to if they'll just take $10 a month off and promise to go to English language classes.

This little process is so irritating to me! Maybe I am supposed to know that my bill is going to increase after a year, I don't know. I mean, people, it was a year ago. I can't even remember what I had for dinner last night, OK? My other favorite is when they do remember to tell you that your bill will increase in a year, but you can call back and ask for more rebates or specials or whatever after the year. This you do, and they tell you, "Oh, yes ma'am, we can take $10 off your bill for 6 months starting with the next billing cycle." Uh-huh. And now my bill is still $30/month higher and I'm supposed to be happy?

Why can't they just lower their rates by about a third and keep them the same for the length of your contract? I mean, I think they'd make about the same amount of money, right? Plus, I wouldn't be so mad and want to change providers all the time AND I probably wouldn't have migraines.

And, do people in India even know what cable TV is?

My take is this: It's all just a racket, I tell you! What's this world coming to, anyway? I think I'll start collecting can goods and go live in an RV, things are so bad...

There, I feel better now.

What's your take?

Love Laws of Life

Hubby and I went to a really cool thing last night.

He is on the board of our local Better Business Bureau, hereafter known as the BBB. Every now and then we go to some sort of event for them - usually a fund raiser. But, last night was different.

We went to an awards ceremony for this program the BBB sponsors. It's an essay contest called "Laws of Life." Basically, it's for middle school students and their task is to write an essay explaining what they think the most important "laws of life" are and why. I wasn't sure what to think of it, but going meant I didn't have to cook, which is a plus since, remember, I currently don't own a working dishwasher. Off we go.

To my delight, we were there with several old friends, whom we sat with during dinner and caught up on life.

The bulk of the presentation was devoted to the eight essay finalists. Oh, wait, only AFTER Hubby got recognized as a "dignitary" - ha! Of course, he then informed me that I have to be nice to him now because he's a "dignitary." Uh-huh. Anyway, each essay finalist and their supporting teacher received cash prizes AND the students got other prizes, such as gift certificates, etc. Plus, two schools were recognized for having either the most students participate or having the highest percentage of students participate, and they got cash prizes, too. Life lesson: cash is good.

But, by far, my favorite part of the evening was the recognition of the students and their essays. I was amazed, not only by their writing skills, but by what they had already had to rise above and overcome in their young lives and the lessons they'd learned in the process. They recognized each student, awarded prizes, and gave a summary and the title of the student's essay.

Here's how some of them went:

A couple of students wrote about their parents divorcing and how they had to be brave and believe in themselves to get through that. Another very young student wrote about the courage it took after one of his parents went to prison when he was a toddler and the other parent died. He was sent to foster care for a while until his grandparents were able to take him. Then, the 1st and 2nd place winners each spoke about how the deaths of their mothers had taught them to be strong, brave, and presevere through life's difficulties. Wow is all I can say,

When I was their age, the worst thing I had to overcome was getting a zit in the middle of my face. Huh?

I was completely amazed at these students' willingness to write about such deeply personal and difficult things. The top 3 finalists actually read their essays to the audience. Lots of tears were shed. Again, wow.

My take: first of all, I applaud the BBB for sponsoring such an event. So many people have such negative things to say about this generation and are so "worried" about them. It's so fantastic that an organization like the BBB has taken an active role in helping to shape these young people into the citizens they truly want to be and that we need them to be. Bravo, BBB! And, to the students, I say thanks. You showed great maturity, depth, and courage to be able to survive these tramatic events in your few years of life, then to actually stick your necks out and tell the public about them. Keep taking those chances, be brave, be strong. I believe in you. You are our future and, I say, thr future looks bright!

The Almighty Internet

The weather is so amazing today!!! I love it. We were almost cold when Hubby and I walked around the block last night. Woo hoo!! Love ya, fall!

I heard something really interesting on the radio.

I know what you're probably thinking: she's been listening to Talk Radio. No, that would be Hubby. The only time I listen to Talk Radio is when I'm trapped in the car with him.

Actually, I've found a new radio station that I'm really enjoying. I love all kinds of music and we bounce around between FM radio, Billy Joel CD's, Veggie Tales, you name it and you can probably hear it in my car. Anyway, if you need a fresh sound, and you live in these parts, try 103.7. That's my commercial, now on to my regularly scheduled post.

I heard that doctors have confirmed that there is a new addiction: internet addiction. Huh?

Now, here's my disclaimer: I don't want to be insensitive and if you're reading my blog right now and are addicted to the internet...first of all, thanks for reading my blog, second of all, so sorry, I'll pray for you.

But...I don't get it.

I mean, honestly, I don't think my internet service even works well enough or long enough for me to become addicted. Maybe that's a blessing in disguise, but it mostly just makes me want to throw my laptop over the fence.

Said doctors reported that people who are addicted to the internet get shaky hands, start sweating profusely, and have trouble focusing when they leave the computer. Uh-huh, I know, that's what happens to me when I can't get mine to work. I thought it was called ANGER.

Take yesterday. I am involved in a Bible study with some of my closest friends. We are currently studying a series by Beth Moore on the book of James. The problem, however, is that the leader kit costs like $1,000,000 so we just decided to live stream the video lesson each week. OK, that might be a slight exaggeration, but it was expensive.

So, we go to A's for the Bible study yesterday and apparently, after my poor friend tried for half an hour to get the thing to work, we found out the internet service to Lifeway's website was on the blink...won't mention any companies here, but wish I could.

So, back to the internet addiction. Apparently, someone's internet service is much better than mine. So, now, I'm jealous. I mean, I've missed out on the chance to spend enough time on the internet to form an apparent addiction to said internet. Like I said, maybe this is all a blessing in disguise.

My take: listen, I love the internet, OK? I really do. I mean, the internet is the reason I get to talk to you everyday, right? But, honestly, I just don't have time to be on the internet long enough to become addicted. I don't think. Hmmm...

Besides, why become addicted to the internet when you could become addicted to chocolate or shopping? Food for thought, yes?

What's your take?

Scenes from "Camp Rah-Rah" and Beyond

I had a really great weekend.

Seriously, it was one of the best I've had in a long time. Don't get me wrong, I'm exhausted and completely understand why God wanted women to have children while they're young, but everything was great.

"Camp Rah-Rah" was a huge success. We made art projects, rode bikes, drew pictures on the sidewalk, played Play-Doh, dressed up as princesses and a prince, then finished the whole day off by meeting PaPa at Chick-Fil-A. What more can a pre-schooler hope for? My pre-schoolers weren't awake long enough to hope for anything else.

Then, through some supernatural intervention, our football team played very well in their first district game! Really, I'm telling the truth. After scoring only 8 points spanning over the first 3 games, they actually scored 25 points and gave their opponent a run for their money. Not a win, but we're all very encouraged. And hopeful for a Homecoming win this weekend. Plus, here's a picture of "Snake Pit," that extra band group Son is in. I'm trying to find a video I can upload for you all to see. They've added a new part, so tune in later this week to see it. It's pretty cool!

Then, yesterday, we celebrated our daughter's 30th birthday with most of our family before they left for home. Like I said, it was a fantastic weekend.

The only downer was that my dish washer died Saturday night. Now, if you'll remember my posts about our OLD refrigerators, emphasis on "old," you will understand what I mean when I say that this dishwasher was ancient - even older than both of the refrigerators combined, I think...OK, that may be a slight exaggeration, but it's old. Anyway, I went to turn it on Saturday night, as usual, right before going to bed, (mainly because it sounds like a freight train), and it just wouldn't turn on. Hubby got out of bed and fiddled with it, then, after accusing me of praying that it would die, announced we'd be buying a new one next weekend! NEXT WEEKEND???

Well, if I had prayed that my dish washer would die, and I'm not committing either way, the prayer would have been that it would die AFTER my daughter's birthday dinner, which included about 15 people, NOT before. So, we had to wash all the dishes that were in the dishwasher before church yesterday morning, then had to wash them all again after the lunch.

My mom and mother-in-law thought it was hilarious when I said we had to be "pioneer women" and wash the dishes by hand. They both took us all on a trip down memory lane, before there were dishwashers, clothes washers, indoor plumbing, and even flatware, from the sound of things. Yeah, I was born for such a time as THIS, let me tell you.

After washing all the dishes twice, and putting hand cream on to get rid of my dish-pan hands, I tried to figure out the easiest way for me to cook then clean with no dish washer all week. In other words, how irritated will Hubby be if we eat on paper plates all week? That's when I realized, after looking at the week's schedule, we're only going to be eating at home one night this week!

My take is this: I told you that I'm highly favored!!!