Vivid Imagination

Here I Am

2009-05-29T12:22:00.008-05:00

Hello! Remember me? No...I didn't think so.

Some of you may be asking, "Where in the wide world of sports has she been?" Others may not have even noticed that I've been away. I have been away and I apologize. "Life" has gotten in the way.

I thought that I'd give you the top 10 reasons that I abandoned you, left you out in the cold, turned an uncaring eye from you, those 2 people who actually read this, and left you in the dark.

The Top 10 Reasons I've Been Away

10. Kite Flying

9. Heroes(Thank you David & Rachael)

8. Children's ministry at Church

7. The French Open

6. 3 Baby Showers

5. My Dad's surgery

4. My very good friend has a very sick baby - please pray for Luke

3. Housekeeping

2. Teaching Miss G

and the number one reason I've been absent...

1. My daughter has hijacked my social calendar

I appreciate you, my 2 readers, for hanging in there and believing that I would eventually post again. I'll try to post more often although I will be without my camera for a bit. At the kite flying event mentioned above, the chair on which my camera was sitting blew over and now my camera doesn't work properly. Back to Nikon it goes and hopefully they'll be able to fix it.

We have lots going on this summer...swimming lessons, visiting relatives, family reunion and a trip to Florida. I'll try to update much more often. Miss G does keep things exciting and I know that you'll be waiting with bated breath...or not.

Now I'm going to have an infusion of "Diet Dr. Coke" and tackle the laundry. Anybody want to help? I thought not. "Miss G! It's go time in the laundry room!"

Earth Treasures

2009-04-20T13:35:00.006-05:00

The screen door creaks open and I hear the familiar sound of little feet running down the hallway.

"Mommy, I need to wash my hands."

I think this an unusual request because that action isn't something she usually announces, but I decide to wait to see what develops.

Listening carefully, I can hear the water running in the bathroom with some muffled discussion. Since she's an only child, talking to herself isn't that unusual but after the water has been running a mysteriously long time, I begin to speak. Suddenly the water shuts off. Closing my mouth to listen, I hear nothing. All is quiet. I can almost hear her brain grinding trying to decided what to do. And then I hear,

"Mommy, look what I found."

A little panic rises in my stomach when a think about all the things that she could have dragged into the bathroom to wash. Swallowing hard, I ask her to come in and show me.

Oh, thank goodness. It's only an earthworm. A nice, harmless earthworm who has just suffered the ultimate earthworm humiliation of being forced into a bath. Poor worm!

"Oh, yes!
Very nice, Miss G.
Were did you find him?
Oh, yes, that is a good spot.
Thank you for showing him to me.
No, it's okay. I don't need to hold him.
Now, please take him back to his home so he's safe and sound."

After you have imagined the worst, a little earthworm dirt in your bathroom sink seems like a very MINOR inconvenience.

Thomas

2009-04-09T16:02:00.006-05:00

We spent a wonderful day with Thomas and our cousins, Aunts & Uncles, and Grandma & Popaw.

The day was full of energy and the kids were plugged in.

Miss G and Cousin S ran at it full force.

Cousin Z took his time. Savoring the better things like a red sucker and corny dogs.

Cousin S did slow down enough that Popaw could show him the trains.

The triangles were a hit.

We actually got to ride Thomas.

Aunt S made yummy cupcakes to celebrate cousin S's 3rd birthday.

We all enjoyed them but Z was the most exuberant.

His joy was expressed in his every feature.

When I look out my window...

2009-03-25T10:21:00.005-05:00

this is what I see.

I wish you all could see them in person. They are amazingly vibrant, shifting through the pinks as the wind blows them about.

There is something about azaleas that renews hope in me every time I see them bloom. They don't just show their love halfheartedly. The normally small, somewhat scraggly plant can only display their love in over abundance. What a blessing!

Weeds

2009-03-20T14:00:00.003-05:00

Daddy thinks these are weeds. I think they're flowers. I think Daddy can tell they're flowers but for some reason he calls them weeds. Daddy is SO silly.

Welcome spring!

Beautiful!

2009-03-19T11:55:00.004-05:00

It has been a long time since I've seen snow covered mountains. I had forgotten how amazingly beautiful they are.

This was Miss G's first experience with skiing. She loved it. Her favorite part was "going fast." She kept telling me, "Go faster, Mommy. Go faster!"

The chairlift was another favorite. She seemed fearless and wanted more asking to go higher up the mountain.

Riding the lift with her was a moment in time that I'll always remember. Her joy was overflowing. Her giggling was contagious as she waved and called down to the people below us. She told me knock-knock jokes that made absolutely no sense and we laughed and hugged and I tried to imprint that memory deep into my mind.

She would tell me she needed to rest which was really a big excuse to gather up snow for a snowball.

The only thing that would have made this trip better was if we could have shared it with Mr. Reserved. Unfortunately, he had to work as this time of the year is a busy one for him. We really missed him.

Children's Day - Tennis Clinic

2009-02-23T12:41:00.004-06:00

Every month our church schedules an activity for the young children. This month we organized a tennis clinic for them.

We had great participation and the children loved it. I was suprised by how well they listened to the instruction and how long they stayed with it. We gave them instruction on how to hit a forehand and a backhand and then they played some games. We started at 12:30 and the kids were still hitting tennis balls at 2:30.

The kids loved interacting with some of our "seasoned" tennis players. I think the older ladies loved it too.

We talked about being a good sport and that Jesus said that we should treat others like we want to be treated.

At the end of the day one little boy who doesn't attend our church ran up to me and said, "Can we do this again? I loved it."

It is such a joy to work with children and watch their eagerness glisten in their eyes. They soaked up our every word. How wonderful it was to spread some of God's word into their lives through the physical abilities He has blessed us with. What a blessing it was to us, the instructors, to be encouraged by their pure and open hearts. God truly blessed us with a great day.

Quick-change Artist

2009-02-17T17:07:00.004-06:00

Miss G ran up to me today.

"Look, Mommy. I'm the President of the United States."

"Oh, wow. It's nice to meet you Madame President."

She spun in a circle and said,

"No! Wait! Now I'm the President of the World.

No! Wait! Now I'm the President of Outer Space.

No! Wait! NOW I'm the President of Heaven."

I raised my eyebrows and began to object when she said,

"No! Wait! I'm REALLY the President of Mexico."

Since I'm now confused and unsure how Mexico has obtained a higher level of status than heaven, I began to object again when she dropped to the floor and said,

"Now I'm a turtle and I'm scared of people.

I can't open my eyes because I'm so scared.

No! Wait! Now I'm me back to being me...but I'm asleep."

I think she needs to be in theater. Maybe she could do a one person play where she could be the whole cast. Several presidents, a turtle and a sleeping child...WOW...now that could be an interesting storyline. Stay tuned. If she writes the play, I'll let you know.

Refusing to Read

2009-02-11T21:31:00.004-06:00

And not for the reason you might be thinking.

Miss G and I have been concentrating on her reading. She usually loves to read her silly sentences but today she told me she was not going to read a couple of my sentences anymore.

A couple of you may know that Miss G is full of drama. So full, in fact, that as we practice her reading flash cards she MUST act out or give an example of each word. This truly defeats the "flash" part of the card because it takes us a long time to get through them. She can read them all. She just has to act them all out. I've tried to keep her on task on many occasions but it's against her nature to mechanically read them.

Today, I wrote the following sentences for her to read:

I will not step on a squid and squish it.

And...

The mud went squish under my feet.

After she read the sentences she announced that she couldn't possibly read them again because they were too gross. And this is from my dirt lover.

I guess they weren't too gross because she re-read them to her Daddy tonight. Being gross and giggling about it must be different with your Daddy. There must be a gross acceptance level that mommies just don't have. It's just another perk of being a daddy.

So, when your children must be themselves and learn to read in their own dramatic way, try to turn it to your advantage instead of forcing them into a traditional school mold. It's taken me awhile to relax to her learning style, but I'm finally learning even if Daddy is the only one who can write gross sentences.

Italian Cream Cake

2009-02-11T08:53:00.007-06:00

My favorite cake is Italian Cream Cake. My family LOVES this cake (except for Mr. Reserved and only because it has nuts and coconut). My mom would make us any cake we requested for our birthday and we all asked for this cake. We looked forward to our day just so we could taste this delicious cake.

Last Sunday, I made this cake for one of my dear friend's baby shower. It was so yummy that I thought I should share the recipe.

I'm sorry I forgot to take a picture of it. So instead, you get a picture of the shower flowers.

Mom's Italian Cream Cake

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
5 eggs, separated
2 cups cake flour
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup angel flake coconut

Cream butter & shortening. Add sugar gradually. Add egg yolks one at a time. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk. Add vanilla, pecans & coconut. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Bake in 3 greased and floured 8" cake pans at 350 for about 25 minutes. Frost after cake has cooled.

Frosting:

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese (at room temp)
1/2 cup butter (at room temp)
1 lb. box powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Soften cream cheese and butter. Mix cream cheese and butter until well combined. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix in walnuts or sprinkle on top of cake.

This cake is best when made ahead one day and served cold.

On a side note: I make this cake in 9" round pans and it turns out fine. I also usually just spray the pans with Pam baking spray instead of greasing and flouring them. If I'm decorating this cake, I usually double the frosting recipe just so I have enough icing to use to make frills.

Go make this cake! Only your hips will regret it.

P.S. I noticed that I had taken a picture of the "food" table and you can see part of the cake. Sorry it's not a very good picture but you can see the basic cake.

Glasses

2009-02-07T23:35:00.003-06:00

Do you have some of these at your home? These are the 3-D glasses that come with your ticket for "My Bloody Valentine, 3D". My crazy husband and his crazy friends went to this movie on their last guys night.

I think the best thing about the movie was that Miss G got to have another accessory for her dress-up box.

And as you can she, they suit her.

Her Mommy picked up a pair of glasses for herself just last Friday. I've bought magnifying glasses before to do some embroidery but it seems lately that I need magnification to read (either that or shorter arms). I'm afraid that my 40's are catching up to me. In an effort to stifle the mini mid-life crisis that reading glasses are causing me, I bought red ones. I guess that's better than buying a red convertible. Although I'll never be as cute as Miss G, I think the red ones suit me too.

Sick

2009-01-29T09:26:00.007-06:00

Shel Silverstein

Sick

"I cannot go to school today,"
Said little Peggy Ann McKay.
"I have the measles and the mumps,
A gash, a rash and purple bumps.
My mouth is wet, my throat is dry,
I'm going blind in my right eye.
My tonsils are as big as rocks,
I've counted sixteen chicken pox
And there's one more--that's seventeen,
And don't you think my face looks green?
My leg is cut--my eyes are blue--
It might be instamatic flu.
I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,
I'm sure that my left leg is broke--
My hip hurts when I move my chin,
My belly button's caving in,
My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained,
My 'pendix pains each time it rains.
My nose is cold, my toes are numb.
I have a sliver in my thumb.
My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,
I hardly whisper when I speak.
My tongue is filling up my mouth,
I think my hair is falling out.
My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight,
My temperature is one-o-eight.
My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,
There is a hole inside my ear.
I have a hangnail, and my heart is--what?
What's that? What's that you say?
You say today is. . .Saturday?
G'bye, I'm going out to play!"

Today I feel like this poem minus the Saturday part. I've run fever since Sunday night and my head is set to explode any minute.

Last night, as I was trying to sleep in our recliner, this poem popped into my head. My mom read Shel's wonderful, silly poems to us when we were little and although I hadn't thought of this poem in years, last night it came back to me. Maybe in my misery I just missed and wanted my mom OR maybe I actually know that I'm pretty sure that I might have ALL of those symptoms. Have you guessed that I'm not a good patient? I don't do sickness well or with grace even though I try to be good.

We (the household here in Texas) are VERY ready to be well. One or all of us has been sick since the beginning of December. We went through 9 boxes of tissues in two weeks. That's an average of 3 boxes a piece. Note to self: Buy stock in Kleenex. We grateful accept the "Outstanding Nose Blowing Household" award from the Kleenex brand company. It will have a place of honor on our mantel...right beside the big, enormous box of Kleenex.

Thank you for commiserating with me. And if you've made it through this miserable post this far, as a bonus here's a little bit of Shel Silverstein trivia for you.

Did you know that Shel Silverstein wrote the music and lyrics for "A Boy Named Sue" which was performed by Johnny Cash and for which Silverstein won a Grammy in 1970?

Two words...

2009-01-22T15:10:00.005-06:00

Australian Open!

Go watch some great tennis.

Go Roger!

PAR-TAY

2009-01-17T18:55:00.005-06:00

And now....a post especially for the grandparents.

Miss G had her birthday party today at a bounce house. A good time was had by all. Wish you could have been there.

Birthday Girl

2009-01-15T21:16:00.002-06:00

Happy 5th birthday, Miss G.

Thumb Sucking Solution

2009-01-14T15:51:00.002-06:00

Here's my girl with her Du-dad and her yellow pillow. The very yellow pillow that we believed contributed to her thumb sucking. She held it next her her nose while she sucked her thumb.

Miss G has always sucked her thumb. She found it a few days after she was born and has been sucking it ever since. By the way, the right thumb is no good. It must be the left.

We tried everything to get her to quit. We took her yellow pillow away. We continually reminded her to stop. We promised treats. We did everything short of putting something nasty tasting on her thumb. Nothing worked.

A friend saw us getting on to her the other day and suggested keeping a band-aid on it. Band-aids don't taste very good. An extra bonus for us is that Miss G HATES to have band-aids pulled off. We started putting band-aids on her thumb 3 days ago and so far so good.

I've watched her lift her thumb to her mouth and once there stop because she doesn't want the band-aid in her mouth. Ta-da!! Success!! Something besides me reminding her not to suck her thumb.

Such a simple solution for such a big problem. Thank you, Jennifer! You may have saved us horrific orthodontist bills!

If you have a thumb sucker, try it. It may work for you too.

Weary

2009-01-11T19:58:00.007-06:00

I've been out of touch and I apologize. There is a weariness that has settled over me and I haven't felt like burdening you with this grayness. I always feel a little sadness after the Christmas rush slows down. It's not just that the anticipation and excitement of Christmas is over but now it's the loss of not being able to share that time with my mom. I miss her greatly.

I have also been sharing a troubling and terrible diagnosis of a dear friend's unborn baby. She is now 21 weeks and the doctors believe that the baby will not make it. This our friends' first baby.

I think it was very providental today that I was asked to fill-in and teach a Bible class this morning on Naomi and Ruth. For those of you that don't remember, Naomi suffered great sorrow. Not only did her husband die, but both of her sons did also. She was so grieved that she changed her name. Her daughter-in-law, Ruth, returned to Naomi's homeland with her and there was blessed with a loving marriage and a son. Naomi's joy returned with the birth of her grandson.

Psalm 30:11 says, "You turned my sorrow into dancing." Can God do that? I believe he can. Sometimes His plan unfolds in a matter of days. Sometimes His plan unfolds over the course of years. Sometimes we never do see it clearly. Remain steadfast...remain faithful. He has a plan.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

The above verse is my favorite verse in the Bible. It has pulled me through some very difficult times and I hope that it will be a help you as well.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T23:38:00.008-06:00

I bet you've been thinking..."Now why don't she write?"

It has been a great month but a busy one. Why...we've been to the North Pole and back!

The Texas State Railroad out of Palestine has a Polar Express ride. We took a magical journey full of hot chocolate, singing and story telling. We also got to see Santa Claus as he passed out sleigh bells.

The conductor also punched our tickets!

It was a great trip. We highly recommend it.

We also had an awesome church Christmas party but it deserves a post all its' own.

The best day of all was the day the cousins came.

This is "Z".

This is "S".

I believe you know the character on the right.

After they left Miss G cried off and on the rest of the day.

Miss G & I have also been baking....lots....and lots.

As she likes to tell you, "I'm a good egg cracker."

We made Santa and the relatives some sugar cookies. Miss G insisted that we write Santa a note.

We hope that you have a wonderful holiday too.

Sending our love,

Mr. Reserved, Mrs. Dabbler & Miss G

That Elusive Christmas Picture

2008-12-09T16:17:00.005-06:00

You all know what I'm talking about. That perfect picture you try to capture to send to your friends and family. You've all been there. The one that doesn't even come close to an actual representation of your family or your daughter. In a true representation, Miss G would be covered in dirt with her stray ponytail hanging in her face. She would have breakfast on her shirt and lunch in her hair.

Today we tried to capture the "perfect" picture. It's a ritual that she is subjected to every year. I'm sure she'll need counseling for this someday.

I wanted to make her smile. I succeeded in making her laugh so hard that she had tears in her eyes and her face turned red and splotchy.

We took some deep breaths and moved to the Christmas tree. Nothing says Christmas like that big ol' green tree.

All I got there was a very serious Miss G.

Here is an interesting face.

Cute but where did her lips go? Also, if you'll take a closer look, you'll see spaghetti sauce stains in the corners of her mouth. Despite trying to take the perfect picture, we now have an actual representation of the way we roll.

How does one counter spaghetti sauce stains in the corners of one's mouth?

Either wipe them away before you take 100 photos or just rely on your trusty photo editor. Can anyone say Photoshop?

Butterhorn Rolls

2008-12-03T21:18:00.005-06:00

Ah, my friends...you are in for a treat. The following recipe is from my mother-in-law's mother-in-law and is the most scrumptious roll I believe I've ever tasted. I was privileged a few times to eat at Mamaw's table but unfortunately these rolls were never on the menu. I believe that she made an awesome apple pie too that I never had the pleasure to taste. My husband still speaks of it with fond remembrance.

I make these rolls often but especially during the holidays. Miss G loves to help and in the process she's learning to make bread. Her favorite duties involve flour. I think it holds the same fondness for her as dirt. It's tactile and smooth. You can spread it and throw it. It rubs well into her skin and clothes. What's not to love?

I feel that a key ingredient in any roll is butter. Can a roll have too much butter? These rolls have butter not only in the dough but you spread melted butter on them before you roll them up AND once you take them out of the oven. Butter lovers unite! These are the rolls for you.

It truly isn't necessary to dive head-first into the flour like Miss G does to make an excellent roll, but it does make for great fun.

Tomorrow we'll dust the kitchen.

And these...my lovelies...are the pre-cooked visions of buttery perfection. As Miss G would say, "Seriously, you gotta try these."

Butterhorn Rolls

1 pkg. Dry yeast dissolved in 1 cup warm water. Add: 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup melted butter, 1 tsp. salt. Beat 3 eggs really well & add to yeast mixture. Then add 5+cups flour. Add all the flour you can to the mixture; put remaining on board and knead all of it in (or...you can add all to your mixer with a dough hook and mix for 5-7 minutes.) Put dough in well greased bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Divide dough into 4 parts & roll out like a pie crust. Spread with melted butter & cut into 8 wedges (this works great with a pizza cutter). Begin with large end rolling toward point & place on buttered pan. Let rise 2 hours. Bake @350 for 20-22 minutes. Butter top of each roll as soon as you take them out of the oven.

These freeze well before rising. Set out of freezer and let rise 2+ hours.

Enjoy!

A Thankful Group

2008-11-24T14:12:00.006-06:00

Have you ever had a gathering at your home? Have you ever had a crisis or two 20 minutes before they arrive? Ahhh, welcome to my world.

Some of the children from church came over Saturday to play some backyard games and to learn about being thankful. About 20 minutes before they arrived, I was warming 1/2 a gallon of hot chocolate on the stove. I was warming it in my favorite glass carafe. The carafe that I use day and night. The carafe that I hadn't noticed was worn out. While scurrying about the kitchen trying to wrap everything up before the guests arrive I hear a sizzle. I think to myself, "Why is that sizzling? I'm pretty sure it's not overflowing." I ignore it continuing to tidy up. A couple more sizzles later I decide I'd better go see what's up on the stove. I grasp the handle to check underneath and all that comes with the handle is the top part of the carafe. One half gallon of hot chocolate pours out everywhere. The carafe has broken clean in two. Hot chocolate covers the stove. It covers the counters on both sides of the stove and it covers the floor. I stand still for about 5 seconds and then yell for help.

My good and kind husband helps me clean up the mess and in less than 10 minutes we have cleaned all the visible surfaces. I grab a metal pan and fill it with 1/2 gallon of milk and turn on the burner. From the pantry I retrieve the Nesquik and start walking to the stove. My momma always told me never to carry things by their lids. She was right. Almost to the stove the bottom part of the Nesquik container drops from its' lid and chocolate powder flies everywhere. My good and kind husband who has psychically lingered near me starts to laugh. Right after I throw the yellow Nesquik lid at him we frantically clean up the powder which has stuck to the freshly mopped floor. Miraculously, we manage to clean everything up before our first guest arrives.

Everyone really had a good time. The kids played. The adults visited and everyone roasted miniature marshmallows on pretzel sticks. (note to self: buy large marshmallows) We learned about being thankful and everyone loved the hot chocolate. It was truly a great day.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. Psalm 136:1

Another day...another crazy hat

2008-11-19T18:47:00.005-06:00

You might be wondering where Miss G gets all her hats. I sometimes wonder that myself. Miss G loves hats and it seems that others have noticed. People have started giving her hats for no apparent reason other than when she wears them she makes people smile. It's hard to resist a smile when you encounter a four year old wearing pink cowboy boots and a dalmatian fur hat. (I neglected to capture a picture of her boots. My apologies.)

Are you a person that makes people smile? This question was posed to a ladies' group this past weekend. It stuck with me and caused me some serious self analysis. The speaker specifically asked us, "What would people hear if our thoughts were broadcast over a loud speaker?" Ouch. "Would people hear your judgemental labels? Would people hear your negative self talk? Would they hear you blaming others for your issues? What would they hear?"

These questions actually made me lean back in my chair like I had just smelled a foul odor that I couldn't get away from fast enough. They struck a nerve and made me squirm. Are we actually in control of that rolling monologue in our heads? You know the one that's always making excuses for everything. The one that's rationalizing our every decision. That voice that beats up our self esteem because we think we don't measure up to the standard. Just what is going on up there in our big ol' brain?

Maybe we should disconnect that monologue from our brain and ask God to take control of it. How different our life would be if we were constantly fed by love instead of self doubt, anger and judgement. What if we heard...

"I made you in my image."

"I made you just the way I want you."

"You can do all things through me."

"Ask, seek and knock."

"All who come to me and keep my commandments are saved....for ever and ever and ever and ever."

"I love you."

Now that seems like a better way to live. Plug this into your life. Ask God to take control. You may not have a dalmatian hat, but I bet you can make someone smile. You are a precious gift. Pass it on.

Diet Update

2008-11-14T08:39:00.002-06:00

Weigh-In:

Mrs. Dabbler has lost 13 lbs.
Mr. Reserved has lost a little (I'm actually not sure of the #) and
Miss G is down from 390 lbs to 380 lbs.

Her and her daddy weighed a couple of days ago. She ran up front yelling,

"Mommy, mommy guess what? I weigh three hundreds and ninety pounds!"

"Oh really? Do you mean three hundred ninety or 39?"

"It's three hundreds and ninety. Really. I'm serious."

"Wow. That's great, Miss G."

Yesterday they weighed again.

"Mommy, mommy, I now weigh three hundreds and eighty pounds."

"Wow, that's great. You're amazing."

"Yeah, I know."

We really didn't intend for Miss G to lose weight on our new way of eating. I am encouraging her to make healthy choices and so far she is doing great. If you only weight 39 pounds and you lose one pound, that's a pretty big percentage of your weight. I'll have to up her quantity of the good stuff.

Miss G has always loved broccoli. The other night I roasted cauliflower for dinner and she just glared at it until I told her it was like white broccoli. That was all it took. She gobbled it up like there was no tomorrow and then she begged me to buy it again the next time I went to the store. Kids really will eat vegetables. You just have to keep giving them opportunities to eat them. It seems like I've come to this crucial piece of information the hard way but at least I've finally got it.

My dear mother tried for years to cook healthy for us. It's only taken me 40 years to realize the wisdom of her ways. I guess that makes me pretty stubborn and a lot of other adjectives I'd rather not say.

I hope that you've decided to make some healthy choices. You'll feel so much better and who knows, you might go from 390 to 380 too.

It's Autumn

2008-11-10T19:05:00.007-06:00

Today was a blustery, leaves blowing, wind howling, Winnie-the-Pooh kind of day. It wouldn't have taken much for a person to lose their balance and end up in a Poohesque head-over-heels roll. Fall has officially arrived.

While out in this world today, Miss G found "the most humongous leaf in the whole wide world!" I think I'm in agreement with her because it was quite a bit bigger than her head.

Fall is my favorite season. I love to feel the first chill in the air and to see the gray clouds roll across the sky. Sipping hot drinks becomes my pastime. Miss G also seems energized by this change in our world or maybe it's just her new shoes (thank you, Ryann).

Recently my favorite fall drink, coffee, has been replaced by peppermint tea. I am a new convert to peppermint tea and I don't think I can stress to you enough how wonderful it is. Besides opening up your stuffy head, it tingles your mouth and makes your tummy sing. It's truly lovely.

Miss G enjoys the always reliable and ever so yummy hot chocolate. Today she especially enjoyed her cup because it contained colored marshmallows. Miss G and Mr. Reserved are marshmallow officiados. They KNOW their marshmallows. Miss G would eat them straight out of the bag if I'd let her. Their favorite dessert contains these babies and is a Christmas treat made for them by Grandma, but we'll get to that at Christmas.

Today's chill made our drinks extra yummy which I now invite all to witness in the following picture.

I hope you all enjoy your drinks so much that you have a chocolate-like beard after you've had them. Cocoa is an experience, not just a drink.

Go ahead! Try a chocolate smooch ever once in a while. The calories are next to nothing.

Changing

2008-11-07T09:11:00.008-06:00

Please excuse my absence. I've been changing my life.

Our family has been changing our eating habits. I'll be the first to admit that I have not fostered a healthy diet for the three of us. We were always stopping for fast food or at restaurants. At home I would cook a couple of times a week but the rest of our meals, I'm sad to say, were full of junk.

All this junk was making me sick. I hurt all the time and felt like I had arthritis. I think the big "eye opening" moment came several weeks ago on the tennis court when I felt a tweak in my knee. I DON'T want to blow out my knee. Some of my teammates have issues with their knees and they hurt with every step. It's time to lose weight and get healthy while my knees are still strong.

For two weeks and one day I have radically changed my diet. My husband and daughter are not quite on board yet. We'll just say their change is more gradual. Until we are at our goal weights we will try not to eat/drink any dairy, red meat, flour or any gluten product, caffeine, soda, white rice, white potatoes and salt. We are eating all that we want of fruit, vegetables, brown rice and other grains, and beans. We are also drinking lots of herbal tea and water. It is a radical departure from the items we had been eating and it's working.

My new lifestyle is healing my body. My aches and pains are gone. I have more energy and I've lost 10.5 pounds in 15 days. My mood has lifted and life just seems brighter. My skin looks better too. Everything is a positive.

To eat this new way I have had to radically change my routine. Once again, I'm learning to structure and plan a part of my life which is a big departure from my norm. It's been a slow process but I'm starting to get the hang of it. I go to the grocery store a lot more often now but buy less so that we can have fresh produce. I'm starting to crave fruit and vegetables and think that fast food restaurants stink...literally. My body was so depleted of essential vitamins and nutrients it is now rejoicing at the over abundance that it's fed every day. It's a wonderful way to eat and live.

Now it's time for you to try it. Go make yourself a mango, apple and banana smoothie. Your body will thank you.

Warning! Deranged Pirate Ahead

2008-10-31T15:40:00.008-05:00

Don't let the picture above draw you in and cause you to let your guard down. Anyone who looks like a pirate should be considered dangerous.

Their moods can change with the wind. And do you see that parrot? He's worse than his master. He'll bite your finger off in a second.

Now you've really got them cross. Aaarrghhh!

But wait! They've scared you. Now they'll have to switch their tactics and try to subdue you with their charm. They'll try the innocent smile trick.

Oh, they look lovable. They pretend to be lovable.

They'll even try the "isn't my parrot cute" trick to lure you in. They're full of all types of tricky pirate tricks. But once you're close enough...

...you'd better watch out. They'll use the ol' hook to capture you and then you're done for.

Let's all sing...

What do you do with a scurvy pirate,
What do you do with a scurvy pirate,
What do you do with a scurvy pirate?
Make him walk the plank! (Thank you Backyardigans.)

Hope you have a great Halloween. Aaarrghhh!

A Week Away

2008-10-26T10:29:00.006-05:00

Mr. Reserved is gone. He's been gone since last Thursday and he won't be home until next Wednesday. Sigh..........it seems like a long week.

He has gone to the land of hunting some 8 hours west of San Antonio. He has gone to the land of no cell towers. He has gone to the land where if you want to contact him, you have to call the ranger's station and they'll go find him. His excuse for this outing is that he needs to go take care of his brother which is really a lame excuse since his brother is perfectly capable of taking care of himself. The reality is that he needs to go be with the boys and.....well....be a boy.

It really is good that he takes this week every year to go be a boy. He needs this renewal, this back to nature adventure. He needs to be with other men to discuss.....men things. He needs to see the stars and feel the dirt and walk the hills. Being so close to God's creation renews him like nothing else can. Although he's physically tired when he returns, his mind and soul are refreshed and he's a better boss, husband and father.

Miss G and I are getting along pretty well. We've had a slumber party every night. We've read lots of books and played lots of games. This year has been an extra challenge for us. It seems that Miss G has gotten the chicken pox and we are now quarantined to the house. Although Miss G had her chicken pox vaccinations, she has had a break-through case. It's a very light case, but she is still contagious. Her spots are starting to blister today and they seem a bit more itchy.

This week opens my eyes and renews me too. It renews my appreciation and love for Mr. Reserved. I miss his physical presence. I miss seeing his face. I miss hearing him breath and his occasional speech. My partner is gone and I feel incomplete.

Miss G and I will survive. Good friends are helping us out and bringing us things from the store. My mother-in-law has kindly offered to come if we need her. We really don't need anything. We want Mr. Reserved. We are trusting in God to bring him safely home and are trying to wait patiently for Wednesday. As Miss G says...."Only 3 more days. That's not a very long time."

THE Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

2008-10-22T16:18:00.005-05:00

My mother-in-law, God love her, makes the best chocolate chip cookies on the planet. She's a good cook in general, but these babies are guaranteed to keep you coming back for more.

And to the delight of every chocolate chip cookie lover in the world, here is the recipe...

Mary Dean's Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. shortening
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. flour, unsifted
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 c. chocolate chips or M&M's

Cream 1st six ingredients together. Sift dry ingredients and combine with creamed mixture. Mix in chocolate chips or M&M's. Place on cookie sheets.

Bake at 375 for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies.

**Additional thoughts ~ When I make these I put parchment paper over my cookie sheets. It keeps the cookies from sticking. Also, when I use my large cookie scoop, I up the temperature to 385 and bake them for 11 1/2 minutes. Mexican vanilla makes these cookies extra special. Actually, Mexican vanilla makes anything extra special. If you can find it, buy it!

Enjoy! These are delicious!

McCain is My Man...

2008-10-16T16:06:00.007-05:00

...at least for this election. And yes...I know the above photo is NOT him. She's quite a bit cuter, in my humble opinion. She does relate to this post however, so I'm leaving her photo there.

This is my one and only election post and I'll try to make it as short as possible.

At the risk of sounding repetitive, I'll repeat...McCain is my man for this election. I'm not 100% behind all of McCain's ideas, but he's the only one with a chance against Obama.

My decision against Obama was final once I learned his stance on abortion. In Michael Gerson's article at the Washington Post, Michael writes,

Obama's record on abortion is extreme. He opposed the ban on partial-birth abortion -- a practice a fellow Democrat, the late Daniel Patrick Moynihan, once called "too close to infanticide." Obama strongly criticized the Supreme Court decision upholding the partial-birth ban. In the Illinois state Senate, he opposed a bill similar to the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, which prevents the killing of infants mistakenly left alive by abortion. And now Obama has oddly claimed that he would not want his daughters to be "punished with a baby" because of a crisis pregnancy -- hardly a welcoming attitude toward new life.

Many, but not all of you, may know that Miss G is adopted. Her birth mother is my hero. I thank God every day that she did not think of Miss G as punishment and decide to abort her. Babies are not punishments. They are gifts from God. When I think of all the gloriousness that is Miss G, I can't imagine that she might not have existed if her birth mother had chosen abortion. Miss G's exuberance, energy, vitality and joy could have been snuffed out in a few seconds. Every hour and every minute the world looses out on these children....these precious gifts from God. They are God's creations and we are killing them.

For additional information and a video that will stay with you the rest of your life go here.

Please vote. Lives depend upon it.

The Great Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-11T18:26:00.006-05:00

Our children's group from church went to a fantastic pumpkin patch today. There was so much for the children to do that we didn't know where to start.

Here's some of the motley crew.

There was a giant slide that the kids and some of the parents went down.

There was a play fort area with kid-size buildings and fun games.

They had a petting zoo area where the kids could feed the animals.

The kids and adults played for hours and had the best time.

We rode a hay ride and a barrel train.

There was also a pumpkin launcher where some of the kids played when it was not being monopolized by the Dads. I think the men had more fun with it than the kids.

The kids had their faces painted and decorated a pumpkin.

Although a few kids couldn't make it at the last minute, we had a great turn out and fun was had by all.

A special thanks to our sponsor who made it all possible.

Fish Tails

2008-10-07T13:34:00.007-05:00

Don't you sometimes wonder what animals are thinking?

These three were eye-ballin' this cute, little innocent gull. Of course, we know that it's innocent because it's cute and little.

They were actually jockeying for position to catch the fish remains after the guides had filleted the fish.

It looks like the little one can hold his own.

And now he's had his say.

All this posturing was because my dad and my husband had limited out on almost every fish you can catch in the gulf and there were tons of fish tails to fight over.

I also caught three big redfish of my own...22", 24" and 26". They put up quite the fight and were really fun to catch. They are now in my freezer and heading for my frying pan.

The sunsets were amazing over the water.

It was a wonderful holiday.

Sea Joy

2008-10-06T12:31:00.007-05:00

Sea Joy

When I go down by the sandy shore
I can think of nothing I want more
Than to live by the booming blue sea
As the seagulls flutter round about me

I can run about - when the tide is out
With the wind and the sand and the sea all about
And the seagulls are swirling and diving for fish
Oh - to live by the sea is my only wish.

Jacqueline Bouvier

We went to the sea this past weekend.

It was glorious.

The sun and the wind and the bright blue sky warmed us from inside-out. Miss G couldn't resist and jumped in clothes and all.

We loved hearing the peaceful sounds of the water breaking on the beach, the call of the seagulls and the wind pushing past the palm trees .

Those feelings, smells and sounds were so foreign to us.

What a joy it was to awaken those remembrances once again.

Faith vs. Belief

2008-10-02T07:59:00.009-05:00

be·lieve - [bi-leev]
–verb (used without object)
1. to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so: Only if one believes in something can one act purposefully.

–verb (used with object)
2. to have confidence or faith in the truth of (a positive assertion, story, etc.); give credence to.
3. to have confidence in the assertions of (a person).
4. to have a conviction that (a person or thing) is, has been, or will be engaged in a given action or involved in a given situation: The fugitive is believed to be headed for the Mexican border.
5. to suppose or assume; understand (usually fol. by a noun clause):

faith –noun
1. confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another's ability.
2. belief that is not based on proof: He had faith that the hypothesis would be substantiated by fact.
3. belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion: the firm faith of the Pilgrims.
4. belief in anything, as a code of ethics, standards of merit, etc.: to be of the same faith with someone concerning honesty.
5. a system of religious belief: the Christian faith; the Jewish faith.
6. the obligation of loyalty or fidelity to a person, promise, engagement, etc.: Failure to appear would be breaking faith.
7. the observance of this obligation; fidelity to one's promise, oath, allegiance, etc.: He was the only one who proved his faith during our recent troubles.
8. Christian Theology. the trust in God and in His promises as made through Christ and the Scriptures by which humans are justified or saved.

We have been studying/debating faith vs. belief in our adult Bible classes. Some believe that they are the same thing. Our minister believes they are the same especially as used in the old testament. In Greek, both believe and faith can be translated as:

Pisteuo- (pist-yoo'-o) - Verb

1. to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in
- of the thing believed
- to credit, have confidence

- in a moral or religious reference
- used in the NT of the conviction and trust to which a man is impelled by a certain inner and higher prerogative and law of soul
- to trust in Jesus or God as able to aid either in obtaining or in doing something: saving faith - mere acknowledgment of some fact or event: intellectual faith

2. to entrust a thing to one, i.e. his fidelity
- to be entrusted with a thing

Many in our class disagree and believe that faith and belief as used in modern-day language are different. They extend faith's definition to beyond its' classification as a noun and moved it into verb status. They believe that faith implies a relationship with God which requires action on our part. Many people believe in God but still do not have a relationship with Him.

Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23 Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

It's the "I never knew you" part that is troubling to me. Sometimes I catch myself going through the Christian motions. I go to church. I go to church events. I participate in communion but am I really 'knowing' God? Am I spending time in His word? Am I spending time with Him in prayer? Am I listening for Him? Am I obeying Him? Sometimes the answer is yes and sometimes no.

I think we all have spiritual peaks and valleys. Our spirituality is in a constant state of flux. I think we are either moving toward God or away from Him. Hopefully, we are moving closer to Him the majority of the time. It's part of our walk to struggle and have hardship. It makes us rely on Him. Whether we think that faith and belief are the same thing or not, it pretty much boils down to this...

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

Homeschooling Update

2008-09-30T08:06:00.013-05:00

Shhhh....she's sleeping......and her lips aren't moving. She is, however, making noise. Yes, she snores. My, how I love that noise maker!

I thought I'd give you a little homeschooling update. We are several weeks into our fall semester and it is going well, although, Miss G will tell you she hates to "do" school. Once we get going in the mornings she really gets into it, going so far as to hug and kiss her "History" binder.

In my continuing effort to upgrade my level of organization to Miss G's advanced level, we have made great strides this week in our scheduling. I now know not only what we're doing for the day but more importantly, according to Miss G, at what time we will do these things and in what order. The main subject that Miss G is focusing on this school year is reading. We are using "The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading" by Jessie Wise and Sara Buffington for our reading curriculum. Miss G is doing very well with it. I really like it too. The lessons are brief but thorough with reinforcement of previous lessons built into each subsequent lesson.

After we have concluded the daily lesson we also read short, mommy-made-up sentences to reinforce what we've just learned.

An example...

No! Grandma did not fib.

After Miss G finishes reading the sentence, we, of course, debate the sentence.

Miss G reads, "If I am six, I am big."

"Mommy, that's not true. You're not big when you're six. You have to be much older to be big. Jay (a little boy at church) is six and he's not big."

Next sentence, "The big hog bit him."

"Did it bite Daddy? Who did the big hog bite? I hope it wasn't Daddy."

Another sentence, "All the bad pigs bit all the good hens."

"Why would the pigs bite the hens? They shouldn't bite the hens. That would hurt them."

"Mommy fed the pig on the bed."

"Mommy! You shouldn't feed the pig in bed. That would make a mess. How would a pig get up in your bed? Did you pick it up? Daddy wouldn't like crumbs in his bed."

I'm not sure that Ms. Wise and Ms. Buffington intended to include debating principles into their beginning reading curriculum, but that's what happens at our house. Crossover curriculum....that's what I like to call it. Incorporating multiple subjects at once is a goal of mine....not really....I just made that up. Education is not a destination....it's a journey. (Does that sound better?) Oh well...we'll keep trudging forward. Something is working. Miss G is reading and that is NOT debatable.

Extrovert vs. Introverts

2008-09-26T11:53:00.007-05:00

We're looking for some middle/common ground in our family and in an effort to better understand Miss G and ourselves, we took a Myers-Briggs personality test. Our blossoming daughter is an extrovert. I know you're all shocked. Mr. Reserved and I are.....surprise, surprise.....introverts. The test also labeled Miss G as a "thinker" and "judgemental".

I am one laid-back mommy. We don't have a set schedule. We don't even get up at the same time every day. Sometimes we eat breakfast when we get up, sometimes we don't. I don't even do her school subjects in the same order every day. We do them all, just not necessarily in the same order. In my world, the next book on the shelf is our next subject. I'm learning that although this works fine for me, it really bothers Miss G. She wants to know the exact time that we will do something and in what order. She wants to know what we're having for lunch...tomorrow. She wants to know who will be at tennis...next Tuesday. She is a planner and she is an organizer, although it's an organization that only she understands. She MUST know what is going to happen next.

Evidently extroverts get their batteries charged by going out and being with other people. While I treasure the days we don't leave the house, Miss G hates them. When I want to be quiet and relax, Miss G nags me until we are talking or playing or going.

It bothers my maternal side that she is so concerned with the details of our upcoming week and month. Why can't she just relax and enjoy the moment? Please let mommy worry about the time we need to leave to get to our next event. I'll remember to get my purse too....and my phone....and my keys....and gas for the car.

I am making an effort, which is VERY against my nature, to make our days more organized and structured. I am also trying to stay home only two days a week. She needs to get out and be with other people. I get it. Ughh...I'll do it....I mean I'd be glad to do it!

After all, watching her interact and play is highly entertaining.....even for an introvert.

Wii Fun

2008-09-22T20:09:00.006-05:00

For all those unaware, I'm a Wii professional bowler. Yes........it's true. It's an achievement I'm REALLY proud of. Actually, our family does enjoy playing Wii together. Wii Sports is our favorite. We love to play tennis, bowling and golf. It's crazy fun. Something about those medals they give out keeps bringing us back for more.

Our family does a lot of trash talkin' too. Tonight as we were talkin' smack, Daddy said that he was going to beat us all. Miss G said,

"I'm going to win."

I said, "Not tonight, baby. Bring it on!"

Miss G, inclined to state the obvious said, "But Mommy, you have to TURN it ON before we can play!"

"It's on now, you little smart aleck. Ohh.....it's go time!"

That's her "YOU can't beat me" face.

Ahh....good times. Wii trash talkin' on a Monday night. What could be better?

Expect Goodness

2008-09-16T17:32:00.009-05:00

My mother gave me a gift that I have only recently come to appreciate. Her gifts were that she had an unswayable positive outlook on life and that she expected goodness from everyone. She tried to pass both of these traits on to me but I only caught the later.

I try to have a positive outlook but I let things get me down too easily. I do expect goodness from everyone though and I'm genuinely surprised when people behave badly. I know what you're thinking...."She must not get out much!"....but I do. Although, in my old age, I have learned to surround myself with good people.

Today, someone I know well, was ugly to me and my daughter. Since I always expect the best out of people, sometimes I don't even realize what just happened until several minutes later. The full impact of their insult sometimes isn't realized for hours. I think, "They couldn't have meant that. Surely I misunderstood." The more I dwell on it, the more angry I become. Their hate planted a seed in my heart that grew into full blown fury. After much counseling from my husband and good friends and after many, many prayers, the fury subsided and God showed me that the problem isn't me or my daughter, it comes from the person that harbors hate in their heart.

It's upsetting when such occurrences happen to you. It's exponentially upsetting when it happens to your child. I think that is what bothered me the most about the scolding this woman gave Miss G and then ultimately to me.

This woman hates homeschoolers. I have actually heard her rant that anyone who would homeschool their children are "absolute idiots". I believe, at the core, this was the reason for her attack. My daughter, who was not in the public school system as she should be AND who was on the tennis court in the middle of the day, had the audacity to tell her that she was doing wrong. As this lady was exerting herself, she exclaimed, "Oh, my gosh!" In our household, we try really hard not to say that because we feel that gosh is just a slang term for God and we try really hard not to take the Lord's name in vain. Miss G, being shocked at hearing such language, blurted out, "We don't say that! You shouldn't say that." Unfortunately, I was on the next court over and didn't hear this exchange. The woman quickly told Miss G that she didn't say "Oh, my God." and that Miss G was not to tell her what she could or couldn't say. Miss G may not say that in her house but she could and would say that if she wanted to. Needless to say, Miss G was shocked into silence, which is rather hard to do.

I know all this because this woman kindly told me the conversation word for word and then scolded me for having a daughter who would dare to tell an adult what to do. I quietly listened to this woman not knowing quite what to say. The woman kept asking me what we teach in my house about "gosh" and "God" which I knew better than to get into with her. As she continued to rant and since I'm the world's worst debater, the only thing I could think of to say was, "You certainly have the right to say 'Oh, my gosh' if you want." But, I couldn't help think that Miss G also had the right to say what she wanted to. My daughter was standing up for what she believed in. She was standing up for God and for probably the first time, but certainly not the last, she was being persecuted for it.

The maternal side of me feels like I let my daughter down. I wasn't there when she was being scolded for her beliefs. My wise husband said that Miss G will have to face those kinds of people all her life and that we should be proud that she stood up for what she believed in.

Will I still expect good from people? Yes, I will. Will Miss G? I believe so. Although Miss G isn't biologically related to my mother, she caught both her optimistic outlook and her expectation of good. Miss G has a zest for life that can't be squelched by a woman whose heart is full of hate. I do believe that this woman has done some good. Miss G has survived her first defense of our Lord and has come out the other side unscathed and undaunted. I'm one proud Mommy!

Our Darling Enigma

2008-09-09T14:24:00.013-05:00

These are the "toys" that Miss G picked out at the store today. They ARE quite lovely.....I'm sure ..... yes.....quite. Miss G tries really hard to be a girlish-girl, but it doesn't come naturally. Please check that picture again. Anyone notice the dirt under her fingernails? Now that is truer clue for understanding our fascinating enigma named Miss G.

Remember, this is our dirt lover. This is the girl that was fascinated by watching her Daddy and Popaw clean birds this weekend. She wanted to see their hearts. Where were their heads? Why do you take their wings and legs off. When she's older, Daddy can take her hunting too...right?!?

And then she plays for hours out of a dress-up doll suitcase from Grandma's cool stuff.

When discussing the endless costume possibilities for an upcoming Halloween event, I threw out several suggestions that were quickly shot down.

"How about a princess or a fairy or an angel? See how pretty they are?"

"No. I don't think those are right."

"Well, what DO you want to be?"

"I want to be a pirate with an eye-patch. May I have a sword too?"

So you see, she tries really hard to be a girlish-girl when she'd really rather have an adventure on the high seas, preferably covered in dirt. I guess she's a tom-boy in a pink skirt. It's like she always tells me..."God makes you just the way he wants you."

Life Comes at You Fast...

2008-09-02T19:48:00.005-05:00

...sometimes it's best to duck.

I've ducked and dodged several things in the last couple of days. Yesterday a ducked several high velocity tennis balls during drills. I was only hit once which is about normal. I always say that it hasn't been a good day at doubles unless you get hit by the ball. The very nature of doubles requires you to aim for the net person. Getting hit is inevitable. It's part of the challenge and part of the fun.

I made another good dodge yesterday. While trying a new apple pie recipe my dear daughter threw up while helping to make it. Nothing kills your appetite faster than having your child throw up. She missed the pie but got the stove and floor. Thankfully I jumped back in time to save myself another shower. I almost scrapped the whole pie but continued making it after cleaning up and bathing her. It's not a recipe I think I'll keep. I think my opinion has been tainted and it's probably not fair to the recipe but I still can't keep the recipe or the pie. Yuck!

For those that aren't aware, the U.S. Open tournament is underway. My favorite player, Roger Federer, dodged a tough opponent yesterday to remain in the tournament. Go, Roger! I'm afraid my tennis preferences are transferring to Miss G. She watched some of his match yesterday and decided to draw a picture of him.

The lines above his eyes are his sweat band.

And this is how she feels when he wins!! Go, Roger!

The things I'm not dodging right now but trying to face head-on and head-strong are homeschooling and a Fall Festival I'm organizing for our church. Both are proving to be fun and fulfilling. Miss G is enjoying "doing school" even though she grumbles sometimes. The light in her eyes and joy in her smile when she "gets" whatever we're doing encourages me like nothing else could. What a blessing to be home with her.

What are you ducking and dodging lately? Sometimes you need to duck and sometimes you need to face things head-on. Sometimes it's hard to decided which to do.

There will be times when you take a hit and it may leave a mark. Sometimes you can miss the full blow but still be negatively affected. Sometimes you just need to be brave and take that leap of faith into the unknown. That leap of faith is a whole lot easier if you'll rely on God. Don't know what to do...pray. God can resolve situations in ways you can't even imagine.

What's the moral of this story? Be aware and duck incoming shots. Be wary and dodge negative influences. Be brave, rely on God and pray...a lot. Life is so good when we walk in step with Him.

A Girl and Her Daddy

2008-08-29T07:27:00.010-05:00

I'm feeling a little sentimental this morning and wanted to take a trip down memory lane. Please forgive my indulgence.

What spurred this sudden emotional trip? I went over to a girlfriend's house last night so Mr. Reserved and Miss G went on a date. There's something about a daddy and his daughter on a date that tugs at your heartstrings.

They have always been close. They have a bond that was initially grown through their love of napping. No...seriously...their hearts are just connected by that strong Daddy/Daughter bond.

Mr. Reserved has always been good with her.

Last night they went to dinner and ice cream followed up by a healthy dose of football.

I have been indoctrinating Miss G into the ins and outs of tennis, especially some of my favorite pros. Mr. Reserved has some catching up to do with his favorite sport...football.

I love watching them together.

Especially when they're both asleep.

They snore in unison.

And Miss G snores louder than Mr. Reserved.

They love to wash the Jeep and go for a drive together. Doors off, top down and wind in their hair is their favorite ride.

Mr. Reserved has passed on his love of computers to Miss G. They spend hours playing computer games together.

What a blessing they are to me. What a blessing they are to each other.

The Ant Killer

2008-08-25T11:25:00.008-05:00

From Miss G's bedroom....

"Oh...my...stars! It's an ant!"

I hear little feet running down the hall to the kitchen. The pantry door opens. After much rummaging, the pantry door shuts and the little feet return down the hall.

From Miss G's bedroom...

"Smack. Smack, smack, smack."

Evidently, she has found the fly swatter. Then she says,

"That's my first one. MOMMY, I killed my first ant!"

More running feet enter the study.

"Mommy, I killed my first ant and it's my first one. Isn't that great?"

"Way to go, baby! Where was this ant?"

"It was in my room on my armoire. I killed it dead."

"Excellent. You'll make a great ant hunter."

"Yeah...I will. Watch my moves."

An overabundance of self confidence in a four year old is a good thing. Right?

That's what I'll keep telling myself.

A Day at the Water Park

2008-08-24T20:25:00.008-05:00

Our church group had a wonderful day at the water park this Saturday. We stayed the entire day and despite the layers of sunscreen, all had slight sunburns to show for it. It was the good kind of sunburn. The sun kissed checks and noses that remind people of God's golden creation. Our youth group plus the younger children played and laughed and reveled in the day.

Thank you to all who went and all who made the day possible. It was a great day!

Sea World

2008-08-22T14:21:00.008-05:00

We had a great day at Sea World. Miss G was amazed by all the animals, especially the playful dolphins. They swam curiously close to us. I think they were checking us out just as much as we were checking them out.

This guy obliged and stopped by for a photo op.

Miss G didn't want to touch them but she was fascinated by them. She went to see them twice.

We also went to the aquarium. It was full of sharks and other exotic wildlife.

These are poison dart frogs. They are tiny.

The sea lions at the next show were so funny. I was amazed at their speed in the water and how quickly they could jump from the water to the stage.

One of the trainers kicked back and let the sea lion swim in circles.

After the sea lion show Miss G ventured on her first roller coaster ride. She has pronounced that it will be her last. Mr. Reserved said that she never even looked up.

We also went to the water skiing show. Personally, I am in awe of anyone who can water ski. I like to think of myself as pretty athletic, but I could never water ski. I couldn't get up out of the water and on to the skis. Needless to say I was amazed by these performers.

Before the performance they asked all the kids to come down and play on the beach. Miss G ran down and quickly made a friend. She didn't want the playtime to end but the show soon started with some amazing tricks.

One of the last things we did before heading to their water park was to see the big man himself. The great Shamu and associates gave a great performance. In your mind, you know that these are big killer whales. I just didn't realize how BIG they truly are.

By the way, the title "Splash Zone" is a little misleading. Those tails can displace more water than a Sumo wrestler doing a canonball. Thank goodness we sat above that zone. The people below us were completly soaked.

Uno

2008-08-20T11:09:00.007-05:00

It's such a joy to watch your children grow and learn...until they start beating the pants off of you. Miss G and I played 8 games of Uno in a row. I am 0 for 8. I don't know how she does it, but she's good.

I grew up in a very competitive family. We played tons of games and everyone, parents included, were out to win. I'm not one of the moms who just lets their children win all the time. I believe children should be gracious in winning and losing and they need to experience both sides. What I'm trying to say is I don't let her win on purpose. I really try to win. I just can't seem to beat her.

You want to know what's really sad. We've lost her card holder and I can see all her cards and I still can't win. I really try not to use her cards against her, but I still find myself reaching for cards she doesn't have. I guess the old adage is right. Cheaters never prosper.

We're going to move on to a game where I might have a chance. I'll let you know how Candy Land goes.

Gaining Confidence

2008-08-15T23:22:00.009-05:00

We are safely home from our vacation. It was our first family vacation together and we had a wonderful time. It's not often that Miss G and I get Mr. Reserved all to ourselves for such an extended time. We reveled in the experience. Miss G especially enjoyed her Daddy and I know that Mr. Reserved's arms are sore from so much carrying and catching of our little diva.

The two made quite a pair. Watching them interact, Mr. Reserved always patient and instructive, Miss G completely inexperienced and unsure, was one of the highlights of my trip. The following sequence of pictures shows how the complete trust of a little girl in her Daddy's love can within one day transform her from a scared, teary-eyed, stand on the ladder holding up the line shrieker into a confident, self assured, cutting in line bulldozer.

This frog's mouth was her first attempt at a water slide. She actually stood up and went back down the ladder. After watching other kids on the slide and a lot of coaching from her Daddy, she finally made the leap straight into her Daddy's arms.

This was another slide with another petrified look.

After several times down the frog slide, Daddy convinced her to slide with him on the big blue slide. The water depth in this pool was 2' 6" so she was able to stand up, head above water, for any slide going into this pool.

I think she had her eyes closed the whole time.

Daddy made sure she didn't go under water.

Although we had tears, after a few minutes she was ready to go again.

She continued to go down the slides and Daddy continued to catch her. Her confidence grew all day long and by the end of the day she didn't want us to catch her. We were relegated to the grown-up chairs at the edge of the pool not even near her. I realized watching her from so far away that we had made a fundamental switch that day. Our little baby was not a baby anymore. She was big enough to catch herself.

I know as parents it is our goal and responsibility to grow our children to become independent.

I just didn't realize that it could happen so fast.

What a wonder it is to watch them bloom.

We have interrupted this program...

2008-08-10T07:52:00.003-05:00

for some important announcements.

We are on vacation this week.

We are headed for sun and water and animals and games and laughter....and several other "ands" that I just can't put into words I'm so excited.

We'll report in soon with our many adventures.

Have a great week.

Lapbooks

2008-08-07T08:03:00.005-05:00

I have been without Miss G this week...(sniff, sniff)... so I have been working on her curriculum for this fall. Since she is only four years old, we are going to dive into all things that interest her. Right now that includes drawing, coloring, cutting and anything that has to do with glue. Can a person have too much glue? Not according to Miss G. Oh how she loves the stuff. She "accidentally" gets it on her fingers and then she pulls them stickily apart. It's great fun. I vaguely remember a time when yours truly was just as enamoured with the sticky white stuff. And don't get me started on paste! Do they still make that stuff? I'm going to have to look for it. Oh what fun we...I mean she could have with that.

But I digress...one of the tools we are going to use this fall is a lapbook. It's a book that you create about any subject you're studying. This website explains the concept much better than I could. I know that Miss G will thoroughly enjoy making her own book about subjects that interest her. We have already made a trial, "pretend" book and she loved it. We put the book together and she put stickers all over it. She carries it around with her stopping to read it from time to time. One of the benefits about creating these little books is that your student can re-read their books to reinforce the material they have learned.

You can also create little games with these books. While Miss G has been away, I created a matching number game for her. She can already count and recognize numbers and now it's time to recognize the number words. In the picture above, she'll take the numerals out of the envelope and put them by the correct number word. We're still working on our phonetics too so this will be a good way to reinforce phonetic reading of our number words.

The possibilities are endless for lapbooks. They're like little scrapbooks for your mind. Try a few in your life.

Miss G's Favorite Place

2008-08-05T08:29:00.005-05:00

We are without Miss G this week. She is visiting her Grandma and her Popaw and she is in heaven.

Grandma and Popaw found her a bike and she is learning to ride. She has played on the slip-n-slide, in the pool and in the yard water. She has played games and dress-up dolls. She has ridden her bike with her new helmet and her new "fast-running-shoes". Today they are going to the library and to shop for a new horn for her bike. I believe that she is also eating them out of house and home. The food always tastes better at Grandma's. She hardly ate a bite in the previous week and now at Grandma's it's ALL good.

I know how she feels. We love going home too. At your own house you fret and stir thinking of things your should be doing, never truly relaxing. It feels good to have someone else take care of you for a few days. I sleep so soundly at their house. We call it the napping house.

Grandma is also an excellent cook and we always end up eating way too much there. I rarely cook elaborate meals just for the three of us. Grandma spoils and pampers us by cooking our favorite foods.

What's not to love about Grandma and Popaw's house? All your favorite things are there, especially your favorite people. Ah...it's good to be loved.

P.S. Thank you Grandma for the picture.

The Three Billy Goats Gruff Debate

2008-08-01T12:38:00.008-05:00

Anyone who has ever read a book to Miss G knows how difficult it is to finish the book without a debate or a "what if" statement. I am grateful for her curious mind but her questions are constant and exhausting. Most of the time her questions come right in the middle of your sentence. I pause, try to answer the question, wait a few seconds and try to continue. While reading Charlotte's Web yesterday, I started the same sentence 4 different times only to be interrupted by a question. "Why did Avery want to capture Charlotte? Why did Templeton want that egg? Why does Wilbur like manure? That's gross. What if Charlotte can't save Wilbur?"

Today we have been debating the Three Billy Goats Gruff. Miss G asked...

"Why did the billy goats want to go across the bridge?"

"They thought the grass was better on the other side."

"Wouldn't the grass be the same on both sides?"

"Ah...and now you've hit upon an age old, human conundrum."

"What?"

"I think the grass is the same on both sides but maybe they have eaten all the grass on their side."

She thought a moment, twirled around in a circle and said,

"Why did the troll sink like a stone?"

"Maybe he couldn't swim."

"But Mommy...he lived UNDER the bridge."

"Oh...yes...so he did. Well...maybe when the biggest billy goat gruff hit him he killed him."

"Yeah....he killed him dead." As she wilted to the floor and rolled her eyes to the back of her head said, "and he sank like a stone...blub, blub."

To Nap or Not to Nap

2008-07-29T22:00:00.002-05:00

We have arrived at a difficult age with Miss G. She has always been an excellent sleeper. She slept six hours a night by 8 weeks old. We have recently hit a bump in the road. She loves her "sun nap" and has begrudgingly started to give it up. If she doesn't nap, she's really grouchy and cranky by suppertime. If she does nap, she can't go to sleep at night. I know that it's just a phase and it will resolve itself soon, but today she had a nap and now Big Momma's got trouble.

Tonight, she snuck into the study dragging her yellow pillow.

"Miss G?"

"Mommy....(insert long, dramatic sigh)....I saw a scary shadow and heard a noise and now I can't sleep."

"What did it sound like?"

"I don't know....but it was REALLY scary."

"I think it was just an outside noise. We're safe and there are no monsters in here and it's time to go back to bed."

Cue pouty lip and teary eyes.

"Miss G, you really need to go back to bed. Let's go. I'll take you."

Cue clinging on the legs and guttural throaty, crying noises.

"Miss G, please stop. Let's not have hysterics tonight."

She froze, thought a moment and squeezed her eyes tightly together several times. Then she reached up and touched her tears and said,

"See, these are REAL tears. I'm NOT fake crying!"

She's definitely saving the drama for her momma! It's only 9:52 and counting....9:53....9:54....

The Power of Words

2008-07-28T16:33:00.010-05:00

A little something to help cool you off.

It's 101 degrees here today. Does the stifling heat cause harsh words and bad attitudes or have they been festering in our hearts and we use the heat as an excuse to let them out?

I am reminded today of an old hymn we often used to sing...

Angry Word

Angry words! O let them never
From the tongue unbridled slip;
May the heart's best impulse ever
Check them ere they soil the lip.

Love is much too pure and holy,
Friendship is too sacred far,
For a moment's reckless folly
Thus to desolate and mar.

Angry words are lightly spoken,
Bitt'rest tho'ts are rashly stirred,
Brightest links of life are broken
By a single angry word.

Love one another, thus saith the Savior;
Children, obey the Father's blest command;
Love one another, thus saith the Savior,
Children, obey the blest command.

Growth is painful. It's physically painful when we're young. It's emotionally painful when we're teenagers and it's spiritually painful when we're older. Our church is involved in an epic (and what I'm beginning to believe is a traditional) battle between what I will call the old and the young. Youth brings energy and passion for God. Age brings wisdom and knowledge and ...well...money. Trying to find a balance between these groups is extremely difficult for our church.

Angry words kill energy and passion. Angry words negate wisdom and intelligence. When angry words cause hurt feelings, small trifling matters become blown way out of proportion and can kill a church or a family or a marriage.

Change for the sake of change isn't necessarily a good thing. Resistance to change because we've always done it this way isn't necessarily a good thing. There has to be a middle ground and it has to be Christ centered.

How do we find this middle ground? I think we could start with kind words of encouragement. We could appreciate each other's opinions. I think we could really listen to one another. I think we should truly communicate. One "thank you" or "you're doing a great job" or "you are inspiring" can go a long way. Let's not be complacent and come to expect nurturing and care. If someone is working hard and trying their best, then they deserve our thanks not our criticism.

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5-6

Please continue to pray for our church.

Critters

2008-07-26T14:30:00.005-05:00

Below are various critters that can be found in our back yard from time to time. If anyone can name them, please let us know.

?????????????

I believe this is a cicada shell.

This spider looked like it had a crab shell attached to its back.

This big daddy was very scary looking. He was probably 3 inches long.

Oh wait....that's no critter. It's just Miss G with a rubber snake in her mouth. Who knew?

Prayer Request

2008-07-25T17:29:00.002-05:00

Please pray for our church.

The curriculum director and the youth minister both left our church this week. There is a feeling like the whole church is about to implode. A serious negative undercurrent is running through this church which stifles any attempt at growth. Much prayer is required.

Mixed-Up Words

2008-07-23T07:54:00.015-05:00

The members of our household speak mostly Texan which is a special version of English that is long and drawn out with a special twang. Mr. Reserved speaks a unique dialect of Texan which I call West Texan. When he speaks, which isn't often, he speaks quietly and slowly with long pauses in between words. It used to drive me crazy to wait for him to complete a sentence. Now I've grown to appreciate his words because they are so few and I eagerly await them.

The first hint that I might have a problem understanding him came when Mr. Reserved and I started dating. We were over at his parents' house and his mom said something from the back of the house. I didn't have any idea what his mom said but chalked it up to her being in another room. To my surprise, Mr. Reserved not only understood her but answered her. What was really disturbing was that I didn't understand Mr. Reserved and I was standing right beside him. Since our relationship was still new, I just smiled and determined that I would learn this language they spoke and I have, almost. Occasionally he'll speak and I'll look right at him and will have no idea what he just said. I think he believes that I haven't understood because I'm not paying attention, but I really didn't understand his words. They didn't translate.

I speak a unique version of Texan. You could say that I have come full circle as a Texan. I was born in Austin and lived in Texas until I was eleven. Then we started moving and I lived in 4 different states by the time I was 18. The greatest linguistic challenge came when we lived in Pennsylvania while I was 15 years old. Since I was a teenager just trying to fit in, I dropped my accent right after I embarrassed myself in choir practice. I had only been in school for 4 days when I handed my shared sheet music over to one of my fellow altos and said, "Y'all can have mine. I'm fixin' to leave." Their jaws dropped open and one of the girls actually said, "Say it again. I want to hear you say that again." I resolved at that moment to never use my Texas accent again. I began saying "Yous guys" and "Come with" and anything else that didn't have to do with Texas.

Now that I have lived in Texas for the last 22 years, my Texas accent is in full swing again with only a few holdovers from my other states. I insist on saying "pen" for the writing instrument instead of "pin". I also say "ten" for the number instead of "tin". As for the rest of my words, they are just as Texan as the rest the citizens' in this great state.

What has this done to Miss G? Poor child, she had no chance. With half her family speaking West Texan and her mother with her own strange brand of accent, why, she's just convoluted. It will take her the rest of her life to undo her raising. You should hear her say "boy". It has 3 syllables and takes about 3 seconds to say. It's no wonder she gets her words all mixed up. In Texas we also use Spanish words, especially Spanish food words. In the pictures above she has just made me a "chin-cha-lada". I said, "Baby, do you mean enchilada?" No, of course, she didn't. She meant chinchalada. She also called a tortilla a "tee-a-da" and worst of all an orangutan a "nine-orphan". I've just decided to have her hearing checked.

Our accent, our speech, is part of what makes us...well, us. Do I want to get rid of my accent? No. I probably couldn't now even if I wanted to. Does it make it difficult to talk with people who aren't from our region? Yes. I knew English. I had lived in Texas but I still had to learn Mr. Reserved's language. Will Miss G speak Texan? She already does. Her brand is different than anyone else, and that's okay. Her smile is universally translated as a welcome which she generously hands out to all especially when she serves you a delicious chinchalada.

Lemons

2008-07-20T15:05:00.017-05:00

I've been craving tart things lately. It happens about this time of year. Texas is hot and sweaty and tart flavors are refreshing. It doesn't hurt that I enjoy tart flavors, but especially in the heat they seem to quench your thirst. We have been going through gallons of lemonade and a limeade from Sonic is a wonderful treat. I mourn for those in this country that don't have Sonic. A moment of silence please.

Okay....where were we? Ah...yes...tart things.

Below are some of my favorite lemony recipes. See if you can spot a pattern.

Recipe #1

Unbelievably Good Fruit Dip

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 lemon, juiced

In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice until creamy. Cover and chill before serving.

Recipe #2

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened
11 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 (16 oz.) box powdered sugar
2 tsp. lemon juice

Beat all ingredients until fluffy.

By the way...this recipe is good on anything. The usual cake and cupcake is fine, but boring. Try it on a cookie.....or.....some ice cream......or......a spoon. My sister-in-law and I polished off the last of my mother-in-law's cupcakes so we got the "extra-icing" bowl out of the refrigerator and began to experiment. She was several months pregnant and I was....... being supportive. Trust me. It's good.

Recipe #3

Lemon Icebox Pie

2 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 carton of cool whip
1 small can of frozen lemonade concentrate

In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add condensed milk and lemonade concentrate. Mix until smooth.
Combine with cool whip. Pour mixture into crusts. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Stay cool and add some lemons to your diet. You can leave out the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk. Just put some in your water and enjoy.

The Un-Baby

2008-07-16T22:54:00.010-05:00

Miss G keeps telling me that she's growing up. Each day I am visually reminded of that very fact. Her legs look longer. Her shirts keep getting shorter. I have always called her "Baby" but she's starting to take exception to that name.

"I'm not a baby, ya' know."

"I know your not a baby, but I've always called you Baby. Do you want me to stop calling you Baby?"

"No...that's okay. You can call me Baby. I'm growing up, ya' know."

"Yeah, I know."

"I'm gonna' grow up and move away."

"Will I get you see you a lot?"

"Well, not every day. That would be too much."

"I thought you were going to grow up and marry Daddy or Uncle B and we were all going to live together. What happened to that plan?"

"I can't marry Daddy. I'm going to marry a grown up man like my Daddy only different and we're going to have twenty children."

"Twenty?!? That's a lot."

"Yeah, it is. But that's okay."

"Maybe you'd better discuss that with your husband."

"Why?"

"Uh....uh....uh....don't you think he'll want to have a say in how many children you have?"

"Why?"

"Most men do."

"He'll think twenty is okay. Well....maybe if I have twenty children you can come live with us."

"Sweetheart, if you have twenty children, I'll come to visit every once in a while. Every day would be too much."

WALL-E

2008-07-15T14:20:00.001-05:00

We took Miss G to see WALL-E the other day. Mr. Reserved and I really enjoyed it. Miss G liked it but lost interest toward the end. I think it's really better suited for an older audience.

This is one of the few, if not only, animated movies I've seen that actually made me uncomfortable about the direction we humans are moving and what we are doing to the earth and ourselves. It's been several days since we saw it and I'm still dwelling on the movie's futuristic illustration of us. Granted it's an animated exaggeration but it hit a nerve.

Part of Rebecca Murray's review:

The Story
In the not so distant future, humans have quite literally trashed the planet to the point it's uninhabitable. With no means to sustain themselves – the plants have all died or are buried under miles of garbage – humans have fled in luxurious spaceships where their every whim is satisfied by robots. After hundreds of years living in space not having to move a muscle, we've devolved to the point of being fat couch potato globs that vaguely resemble the Pillsbury Doughboy.
Back on Earth, WALL-E (short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) goes about his lonely job of compacting trash. It's what he was built for and programmed to do, and there's no reason for him to stop. He was inadvertently left turned on when everyone took off, so he goes about his work each and every day with only an indestructible cockroach named Hal for company.
And after hundreds of years of this, WALL-E has developed a personality. He's an inquisitive little guy who collects weird items of trash that he then uses to furnish and decorate his home. He's also developed an affection for Hello, Dolly! and watches the old VHS tape over and over again.

Hello, Dolly! has taught WALL-E about holding hands and falling in love, and the lonesome robot has dreams of finding that someone special. After endless years of waiting, WALL-E's shot at love appears in the form of a glistening egg-shaped drone named EVE. EVE was sent to Earth to check for any signs of life, and our little WALL-E falls head over wheels for this state-of-the-art metallic cutie. He wants nothing more than to make a connection with this beauty, but EVE's not on the same wavelength. Fortunately, WALL-E's a persistent suitor and when EVE's sent back to report her findings to the people on board the Axiom spaceship, WALL-E goes along for the ride. Nothing will stop this starry-eyed robot from being with his EVE, not hundreds of thousands of miles of space travel, evil robots, or weird jelly-ish people who've lost all concept of what life on Earth was like before their ancestors all but destroyed our planet.
The Bottom Line
There are a number of important messages contained in WALL-E, but fundamentally it's a touching sci-fi love story. Yes, you can take from it the lesson of protecting our environment. And it's definitely a cautionary tale about our reliance on technology to do everyday tasks for us. But above all, WALL-E is simply one of the most romantic tales ever put on film.
With few spoken words, WALL-E relies on the movements of a trash compactor wearing binoculars to convey emotions and move forward the story. And because of the skills of the master storytellers and animators at Pixar, within 5 minutes WALL-E is no longer a mere robot but a real flesh/nuts and blood/bolts creature who feels things as deeply as humans. The animation is stunning. The sound design is perfect, the little dialogue there is is witty, and the story flows smoothly without a single unnecessary minute to slow things down. And talk about pleasing an audience… The preview screening I attended sounded like a rock concert when the credits rolled. I've never heard an audience react so strongly to a film as they did at the end of WALL-E. The applause was loud and sustained, and people were all smiles as they exited the theater.
WALL-E's such a joyous film you can't help but be totally caught up in the world of a lonely robot looking for love. Pixar's put together yet another movie to be enjoyed by all ages and one sure to go down in history as one of the best animated movies ever created. I know those are strong words, but I believe they are completely justified.

Screen shots from here.

Heart and Soul

2008-07-13T20:59:00.014-05:00

(picture by CannonZ)

Miss G...

"Mommy, what is the name of that lady that lost her job...I mean got FIRED...for playing the piano?"

"Her name is Rhonda."

"Is she our relative?"

"Yes."

"She must have played REALLY bad, huh?"

"I think she was just teasing you at the reunion."

"But she really could play the piano."

"So you think she played well?"

"No. She kept playing the wrong notes and besides...she got FIRED. What was the name of the song she was playing?"

"The song was Heart and Soul."

"Sing it for me! Pleassseee!"

"Just a second."

Google search .... Heart and Soul lyrics....

"Okay...here we go...

Heart and soul, I fell in love with you heart and soul,
the way a fool would do, madly
Because you held me tight
And stole a kiss in the night

Heart and soul, I begged to be adored
Lost control, and tumbled overboard, gladly
That magic night we kissed
There in the moon mist

Oh! but your lips were thrilling, much too thrilling
Never before were mine so strangely willing

But now I see, what one embrace can do
Look at me, it's got me loving you madly
That little kiss you stole
Held all my heart and soul."

(words by Frank Loesser, music by Hoagy Carmichael)

Homemade Wheat Bread

2008-07-13T14:37:00.007-05:00

I found a great recipe at this site. It looks like Tammy has lots of good recipes but I tried this one last night. I've made some bread before, but I'm no expert. Surprisingly, this turned out perfect. I used my mixer with a dough hook and mixed it for a little over 5 minutes. Very easy! Also, I used 2 cups whole wheat flour and 1 cup all-purpuse flour.

I must say, it's REALLY good still warm with creamed honey on it. Yum!

Homemade Wheat Bread

(Tammy's pictures)

A slightly sweet, healthy half-whole-wheat bread.

Yield:

1 loaf

Ingredients:

1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees F)
1 tablespoon milk
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons instant active dry yeast

Instructions:

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large mixing bowl; stir.

2. Add flours and yeast, and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10-15 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover with a clean towel and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes.

3. Punch dough down; knead for a few minutes until smooth and then form into a loaf. Place in greased loaf pan and cover. Let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. If loaf starts browning too soon, lightly lay a piece of foil on top of the loaf to prevent too much darkening.

5. Remove bread from oven and allow to rest in pan for a few minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cover with a cloth. Slice and enjoy while still warm! Leftover bread can be stored in an airtight bag or frozen until needed.

Enjoy!

A Worthy Cause

2008-07-10T11:20:00.008-05:00

My good friend Cindy, and nearly Miss G's favorite person on the planet, is working for a good cause and a dear little girl named Avery Grace.

Cindy's petition follows...

Dear Family and Friends,

On September 14th, I will be riding in the Texas Tough bike ride to benefit Children's Medical Center Dallas. Due to the great gratitude that Paul and Angie (Avery's parents) have to Children's for their part in saving their daughter Avery, I will be riding in her honor with the team named "Team Avery". The challenge to all riders is to raise $300.00 a piece, but as a team we are shooting for a greater goal. With that in mind, if you would like to donate to any rider listed under the "team fundraising pages", please visit here.

You can select me as an individual rider to donate to and it can even be done anonymously. You can visit my Fundraiser page here. Any amount is sincerely appreciated. Paul and Angie have chosen to designate the gifts to the Gastroenterology (GI) practice at Children's. Thank you for your support, and I will be excited to let you know how the ride goes. Please visit Avery’s page to read her updates here.

You can learn more about the Texas Tough here.

I close with my sincere thanks and appreciation for your support in this great endeavor.

Blessings,

Cindy Breen
cbreen456@juno.com

An Educational Swim

2008-07-09T07:33:00.008-05:00

Miss G has really taken to swimming lately. I must give credit to the Red Cross swimming lessons that she recently completed. Their courses and instructors were great. The level of supervision was very comforting to the parents. There were only 4 kids in her Pre-K class with one instructor, two assistants and one life guard assigned just to them. I'll take a 1 to 1 ratio any day. As a result of these lessons, Miss G has become really confident and has begun putting her face in the water. She wants to swim every day.

Yesterday was a beautiful day. A puffy, animal-shaped cloud day with an amazing blue sky. We decided to go. As we drove up to the pool, negativity started creeping into my heart. At these moments I try not to say anything out loud because I don't want Miss G to catch or learn this annoying habit I have of looking for bad things. There, parked and taking up half of the parking lot, was a big yellow school bus that said "Kinder Kare" on its side. I glanced over at the pool and sure enough the "kiddie" part of the pool was swarming with little ones. I decided that I wouldn't let this sway our resolve and destroy Miss G's happiness and we'd swim anyway.

We found a spot beside the fence for our bag and towels and ran-walked to the pool. Miss G was undeterred by this hoard of little ones, in fact, she was excited that there were so many kids for her to play with. We found a narrow entry into the pool and took our spot. As soon as I sat down in the water I was swarmed by children. "My name is Marshall. My name is Joshua. Watch what we can do!" They all began to show me how they could swim and dive underwater. They crowded in until they were touching me and they all started talking at once. Thank goodness I'm not the least bit claustrophobic or I would have panicked. As I tried to keep an eye on Miss G, they continued talking and showing and touching. I thought to myself, these kids are starved for attention. They'll do anything to have me glance their way or acknowledge their presence. As I got around to talking to all of them, the hubbub quieted and they started to play with one another again.

I looked around for the people in charge of these little ones and I found the two. They were standing a good 30 yards away guarding the 3 1/2 foot line, making sure no one got past. I think how hard their job must be. How can two people care for 25 - 30 kids from the age of 4 to 7? That is an overwhelming responsibility, especially in water.

Miss G packed 2 water guns and a boat for our trip and asked if she could get them out. Knowing the issues that 3 toys will cause among so many but unwilling to say no, I told her that she would have to share. She agreed and got the toys. Again, we were swarmed. I got them all together and told them that we could all play with them if they could follow the rules. They would have to share and they could not squirt anyone in the face. They all agreed. They happily began to play with the toys. They even took turns trading with one another. This went on for a good ten minutes when one of the caretakers noticed they were playing with the toys and told them that wasn't allowed. The children could not understand why they weren't allowed to share the toys and I couldn't either, especially when they were sharing so well, but I obliged and put the toys away.

As Miss G continued to play, the children continually approached me. They wanted to talk and be heard. They wanted to touch and be touched. They wanted to tell what they knew. One even jumped on my back in a half hug, half tackle. Was God reminding me how blessed I am to be able to go swimming with my daughter in the middle of the day?

These children seemed smart and funny. They seemed to be well rounded, except for the one who spit on me. Why would they instantly take to me? Do I have one of those motherly faces? Did they crave an adult's attention so much that they would throw themselves at me? It struck me instantly that this is exactly what I'd been mulling over in my mind for the last several weeks about our decision to homeschool Miss G. This was exactly why we are willing go against the grain and homeschool our daughter. I want to talk with her...all day long. I want to see her...all day long. I want to touch and love her...all day long. I want to know exactly who she is and what she's thinking and judging by these children, that is exactly what they want too.

Homeschooling has lots of advantages for your child's education. Curriculum can be tailored to their needs. You can advance as quickly or slowly as they need. Your child receives hours of one-on-one "teacher" time that they wouldn't receive in public education. No one will care more than you do if they actually learn. All these reasons have been listed by other homeschoolers before me. They are not new, but they are valid and a small part of our decision to homeschool. If we only wanted to grow a highly educated young woman then here our reasons would stop.

Education is a good goal. Heaven is a better one. I want to be there, everyday, all day, to help grow her into a Godly woman. I don't want a stranger to instill their own agenda into her while I'm away. I want her to learn about all cultures and all governments and all the ideas of our history from a Christian perspective. I realize that there are good schools out there that can do all those things for their students. I just want to be the one to take that walk with her.

Homeschooling isn't for everyone. There are good schools whose education is top notch. There are fantastic teachers who go way above and beyond to help their students (my mom was one of them). Not every parent wants or can spend that much time with their child...but I do. I'm trying not to have unrealistic expectations. I know that it won't be easy and there will be hard days. Will it be worth it? Absolutely! Looking into her eyes and heart everyday, watching her grow in love and wisdom, is exactly what this mother wants. Ultimately, it's what every mother wants for their child no matter what their educational choice.

A Mother's Legacy

2008-07-08T13:00:00.004-05:00

One month before my mother passed away, we took a trip to North Carolina to visit Biltmore. Although my mother didn't acknowledge the seriousness of her condition, I knew that she didn't have very much time so I booked a trip for just the two of us. I selfishly wanted to be with her, alone, for as much time as possible. I wanted to learn everything there was to learn about her. I wanted to say everything that was yet unsaid.

Mother grew up hearing about Biltmore from her father. During her father's day it was "the" American marvel of architecture and construction and the ultimate destination that he dreamed of seeing. She caught his dream and so did I.

We drove from Texas to North Carolina. It took us two days to get there. I wanted all that car time and empty airtime so that we could talk. I wanted to talk about everything. I needed to know everything there was to know about her. How else was I to go on without her if I didn't know everything she knew? I began asking her about her childhood.

Children can be selfish creatures. If there is no direct impact to them, then they are very likely not to ask or want to know. At 37 years old, I was asking my Mom for the first time what it was like to be her when she was growing up. What I found out shocked and amazed me.

My mom grew up in a home where only one parent loved her. Her mother wasted no time with her and saw her only as a servant. Her mother had a hard time showing affection and vary rarely gave hugs or said positive things. At best, Mom did her chores and was left to her own designs which were usually something outside close to her father. Mom's father was a great man who loved her dearly. He was a kind hearted man that tried as best he could to shield her from her mother. In fact, he spent most of his life trying to shield people from his wife and make up for her mischief.

During our talks I learned many things about Mom's hardships growing up. One of the things that shocked me most came out while I was reading Anne of Green Gables to her. As Mom tired every afternoon, I would read to her. Mom loved it. Granted, Anne is a very lovable and funny character, but Mom was really enjoying it. I paused one afternoon and Mom said, "This is the first time anyone has ever read a book to me." I think my heart actually stopped. I said, "What?!?!" She said, "No one ever read to me growing up." I was so astonished I couldn't speak. Listening to Mom read to us was one of my greatest joys growing up. How could no one have ever read to her? When my voice returned my egocentric self said, "But you read to us day and night growing up." She said, "I wanted you to have what I didn't."

Over the course of the trip, I found out that mom wanted us to have lots of things she didn't. She wanted us to know what it was like to have books read to us. She wanted us to have family vacations. She wanted us to have the security that comes from a traditional, loving family. But most of all, she wanted us to have and feel unconditional love. Her sacrifices for these goals were numerous and great and now as I am fully involved in raising my own child, I can better understand their depths.

My mother overcame lots of obstacles throughout her life. She was a fighter with a God-given, unswayable positive attitude. She wanted better for her children than she had and worked hard at overcoming her own mother's attitude towards her.

I learned a lot on our trip. Biltmore is truly an engineering and architectural marvel and well worth the drive to North Carolina. I learned that my mother was one of the most amazing people that I have ever known and there was far more to her than being just a mother. Her influence over people was vast and profound. The number of cards I received after her passing testifying to the impact she had on friend's lives were too numerous to count. I learned that she had overcome great hurdles to become the Godly woman that she was and that life was not very easy for her although she never showed it. I learned that she fully relied on God. I learned just how much I would miss her.

We arrived home on a Sunday. Mother went into the hospital the following Wednesday never to return home again. Less than a month later she was gone.

How do you sum up some one's life? What benchmarks do you evaluate to determine its' value? Her life was hard. She overcame a difficult childhood with a difficult and mean mother. She overcame many tough choices she had to make throughout her marriage. She lived through 10 years of battling cancer. In the end, her love for God surpassed all these difficulties. Her reward is heaven.

A couple of days before her passing, while she was in hospice, she talked about the "people" in the corner by the Light waiting for her. One morning she told me she had talked to Jesus that night and she now understood and was ready to go home. Some may say that these are the rantings of a woman on morphine. I don't believe they were. Her passing was calm and peaceful and beautiful surrounded by love. She knew what she was doing and she knew where she was going. It is just as the Lord designed. Light, peace, love and beauty are His creations and they are her rewards for her life devoted to Him.

We all have issues. We all have things we have to overcome and work through. How do we work through these issues? How can we solve our problems? We can't...at least not alone. God is the answer. He knows us and knows what we need even before we ask. Mom fully relied on Him. Yours truly is learning to fully rely on Him. You'd think that after 40 years I would be a little quicker to turn to Him but I'm not. I struggle and wallow in serious negativity until I remember that I can't do it alone. It's like my brother said, "We are sheep and sheep are stupid." Actually, I wish I was more like sheep because I think I would listen for His voice more than I do. To be only slightly smarter than a sheep is a dangerous thing. Too much self reliance will knock you to your knees and take you to dangerous depths where our problems seem insurmountable. But nothing is too big or too hard for God.

Thank you Mother for teaching me the value of relying on God. I'm a work in progress and with God's help I can grow to become a force for Him just as you were. Our issues are nothing for God. He can wipe them away and fill you with His light, love, peace and beauty if only we'll seek Him.

Freedom

2008-07-06T19:06:00.012-05:00

Many, many men and women have fought for the freedoms we enjoy in our great nation. They continue on this very day to fight on our behalf.

Thank you.

We are very thankful for the freedoms that we have. Freedom to...

...learn to swim in a State Park,

...build sand castles,

...hike to a fishing hole,

...paddle in a canoe built by my father-in-law's hands,

...order said canoe off the Internet for 1 million dollars,

...pout because one isn't getting one's way and...

...dig in dirt and rocks and get as dirty as possible.

I understand that these aren't the usual freedoms identified when discussing the 4th of July but as a young citizen, Miss G is probably more cognizant of these blessings than us old hardened folks.

We can be heard complaining a lot in this country. Oil is too high. The politicians are crooked...crime, education, economy, pollution, etc. I hope you took a few seconds this 4th and focused on what we do have; on the blessings we have in these United States. We have the freedom of choice. We have the freedom of religion. We have the freedom of speech and the right to bear arms. This is a great country founded upon the great ideals and great people. The glass is definitely half full. May God bless us.

Conversations with a Four Year Old

2008-07-02T07:56:00.009-05:00

You never know what you're going to get when having a conversation with Miss G. The subject matter is widely varied but you can count on one thing....drama.

Confab #1

We returned home from an errand this morning and I walked to our study to check my email. Miss G was busy playing and although I could hear her, she couldn't hear or see me.

All of a sudden I hear a panicked shout,

"Mommy!?!"

"Yes, my darling."

I hear little feet running down the hallway. She runs into the room and throws herself into my arms and says,

"Oh, thank goodness you're alive!"

"Did you think something happened to me in the last five minutes?"

"I couldn't hear you so I thought you were dead."

Yes...I've probably said that to her. Maybe not with her dramatic flair and I know that I didn't use the word "dead", but that's pretty close to accurate.

Confab #2

Last night while we were watering flowers, I accidentally splashed her feet with water. She said indignantly,

"Hey! You just watered Her Highness!"

I said,

"Oh really? Her Highness?"

"Yes! I am the Queen."

"The Queen of what?"

"Of Highnesses."

"Yes, of course. I'm sorry your Highness
of.....er.....Highnesses. Where do you reign?"

"What?"

"Where is your kingdom?"

She grinned really big, threw her head back and as she rotated her wide-spread arms said with contented certainty,

"Right here."

I guess that makes me her loyal subject. And...it makes Grandma her royal seamstress.

Goodness, my life would be dull and boring without her. Without my loves who knows where I'd be. I'd probably be some grouchy, old-before-her-time woman working in a toll booth listening to Duran Duran on my walk-man chewing on strawberry Bubalicious trying not to break my glittery Lee press-on nails while taking people's money. I'd be stuck in the past and stuck on myself. Thank you Lord for my daily dose of what's truly important, especially broadcast in high drama just for me, Miss G.

Family Reunion '08

2008-06-30T08:20:00.017-05:00

For the Witts...

You were missed.

Gifts of Goodness

2008-06-24T20:19:00.013-05:00

There's something undeniably good about shelling black-eyed peas. You tear off one end of the pod pulling part of the spine with it. Then the pod opens easily to reveal those little, perfect, black-eyed globes of edible goodness. The repetitive, monotonous nature of shelling peas frees your mind and calms your soul. It takes me back to my Grandmother and Grandad's farm and the summers I spent there learning about gardening and goodness.

I learned about gardening from my Grandmother. To a kid, her garden seemed enormous. I'm really not sure how big it was but I know that I shelled two brown grocery bags of peas every evening along with snapping two more of green beans. I didn't really like picking the peas or beans but I loved to shell and snap them. I think I liked opening them. It was as if I was waiting for a surprise. You cracked open that faded and worn exterior and inside were these bright, shiny gems. My brothers and Grandmother were surprised by my tenacity as I always finished my bags. I wanted to see what was inside.

I learned about goodness from my Grandfather. My, he loved the Lord. He also loved to sing. His voice was deep and clear and he always had a hymn on his lips. I would beg to stay near him as he went about the farm just so I could hear him sing. I think that is why I'm always singing around our house and why Miss G can be heard belting out "If I Were a Rich Man" from Fiddler on the Roof while she plays with her baby dolls.

Grandad constantly talked to me about the ways of the farm and of nature. He talked even more about right and wrong. He talked a lot but the way he walked, his Godly walk, said even more. His skin was worn but worn a rich, tough wrinkly brown. His hair was gray and thin. He wore glasses and had a big nose and ears and I thought he was the greatest thing I'd ever seen. He was my gem and I loved him so.

I hope that I caught some of his goodness to pass along to Miss G. What a joy it will be to walk with him again someday listening to him sing enveloped in his goodness.

Swimming Lessons

2008-06-24T11:13:00.004-05:00

My focus/organization has been less than stellar lately. Recent tests have shown my hormones to be less than balanced and I'm blaming all my dysfunction on them. So there.

Because of this lack of focus, I've been trying to be prepared early. As a result of these efforts we were ready for swim lessons 30 minutes early today. Early is normally a good thing unless your child is chomping at the bit to go. I tried to stall as long as possible taking this opportunity for some photos.

As you can see, all I got was cheese in her impatience to GO SWIMMING!

I like to think that this pucker was a kiss of love for me, but alas, it's truly a face of impatience.

And this is what you get when you leave for the pool early and arrive 15 minutes before class begins and your child can't get in the pool.

Ahh....bliss.

She won the backstroke race across the pool.

Victory!

The Garden Update

2008-06-21T15:10:00.008-05:00

Despite our complete inexperience at growing fruit and vegetables, our garden is thriving. It just shows you the perfectness of God's design. We planted things at the wrong time and way too close together and they are still growing strong. He knew how wrong we'd get it and designed it to grow anyway. There's a lesson there but I'll let you dig that out.

Speaking of digging...Miss G loves dirt. Do all children love dirt or is it just mine? She rolls, sifts, rakes and wallows in it. She can't get enough.

She doesn't just go out back for a quick swing. She always ends up looking like this.

Thank goodness for the great equalizer...soap & water.

We have a very robust crop of black-eyed peas. For those of you who have never seen a black-eyed pea bloom, here is one. It almost looks like an orchid bloom to me. No detail is too small for God to make it beautiful.

Miss G is very excited because the cantaloupe are about ready too.

Yum!

P.S. The cats were no where to be found this morning. Someone let the cat out of the bag! **Oh...that's funny. I crack myself up!**

The Great Cat Hunt

2008-06-20T18:17:00.009-05:00

We have kittens.

They were harmless enough when they were first born...but they've grown. At first, they were extremely shy and would hide at the least sound. Now, they have grown less and less leery of us. It might have something to do with the tuna fish I've fed "Mashed Prunes" (the Momma cat) but all the same we have grown on them. They now feel quite at ease eating my strawberries and playing in all my plants. They poop at the end of the deck steps and I think they have fleas...which Miss G, catching only half of the conversation at a restaurant tonight, announced loudly to the whole room "We have fleas in our house!?!"

Just a little factoid about me...I turn completely bright, beet red when embarrassed. It's Texas. It's 94 degrees and I was wishing for a turtleneck sweater. But enough about me...

Miss G and I would love to adopt those kittens but Mr. Reserved's allergies can't tolerate them. So we have found a home for them but we have to catch them first. The hunt has been set for tomorrow morning.

I've never been cat hunting. Actually, I've never been hunting at all. Mr. Reserved is bringing a cage. I'm bringing my tuna fish. Miss G is bringing her glorious self in all her safari attire.

Wish us luck.

Photo Opportunities

2008-06-18T07:56:00.000-05:00

What a great week this has been!

Only one girl will mug for the camera and that's Miss S. The other girls have started ducking out of the pictures. I'll admit it...I like to take pictures and they are such wonderful subjects that I can't resist. I did manage to capture a few of the cousins...

The Blue-eyed Girls

2008-06-16T13:03:00.000-05:00

The last three children born into my side of the family have all been girls. All three of these girls were born with amazing blue eyes. I have a particular fondness for brown eyes, but it's hard not to notice and appreciate the clarity and vividness off their eyes. Miss G, the oldest girl, has a deep, rich blue color. Miss N, the next oldest, has a deep aquamarine color and Miss S, the baby, has a liquid blue color with a hint of gray.

Miss G

Miss N

Miss S

God made their eyes as unique as their personalities. They are full of life and love and possibilities.

The baby, Miss S, and I have already settled into a routine. She has me sit on the couch and slowly, very slowly reach to tickle her feet. She says "Ready!" and is in hysterics before I even touch her.

Mr. Reserved had them all lined up after bath time last night brushing their teeth. He told them to make sure they brushed all their teeth even the ones in the back. Miss S smiled and took her toothbrush out of her mouth, reached around behind her and began brushing her back. Everyone fell into giggles and smiles.

I love having them here with me. God has truly blessed us.

The Greatest Things About Daddy

2008-06-15T10:00:00.000-05:00

I asked Miss G...

"What do you like best about your Daddy?"

She said...

"He's handsome. I like it when he reads to me. I like it when he splashes me in the pool. I like it when he colors with me and he helps me play my computer games. He's silly and I love him all the way to Pluto and back."

I love him all the way to Pluto and back too.

Happy Father's Day, Mr. Reserved.

2008-06-13T08:03:00.000-05:00

Amy's Cilantro Cream Sauce

"This cilantro cream sauce can be used as a dip, or as a sauce for fish or chicken. Taste and add additional seasoning if necessary. Tomatillo sauce is usually spicy, so be prepared!"

INGREDIENTS
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 (7 ounce) can tomatillo salsa (green)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

DIRECTIONS
Combine cream cheese, sour cream, salsa, pepper, celery salt, cumin, garlic powder, cilantro and lime juice in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Place in a serving bowl.

*I modified this recipe some. I cut the cumin from 1/2 to 1/4 teaspoon. I also added several tablespoons of sour cream and a 10 oz. jar of tomatillo sauce instead of a 7 oz. jar.

It was delicious! It would be good on a burrito or a chip or ......your finger.

Thank you, Amy!

Silly Sentence Challenge

2008-06-11T20:58:00.000-05:00

Miss G loves books. Any story to engage her already rampant imagination is welcomed by her. The picture above was taken at 15 months and by the carnage inflicted upon the spine you can tell that it was well loved.

I know I'm not the greatest conversationalist but it's hard to hear at lunch,

"Mommy, may we eat in the school room so I can listen to a story? Please!?!"

We do love stories from Audible.com.

Today she did her best giant stomp and said,

"Feet, five, fo, thumb. I smell the blood of an Englishmum."

She pointed her broken light saber at me and said,

"I've stolen your golden egg and now you're going to starve."

I raised my eyebrows as high as I could muster and summoned my superior wit and said,

"Oh yeah?"

and she said,

"Yeah! And my favorite food is grilled boys on toast."

"Well...I guess it's a good thing for me that I'm a girl."

As she stomped off down the hall I felt like I'd escaped a close one. I only have to be a half step ahead of her...right? I have the study of logic planned for her future curriculum. I'd better cross that off the list.

But...I digress...

Miss G is learning to read and Mommy is learning phonics. I grew up in an area and age when phonetic reading/spelling wasn't encouraged. We memorized words. Those that know me well know that my mind is like a steel sieve and for my mind to hold a memorized anything is near to impossible. I am hoping that as I learn the spelling rules, by teaching them to Miss G, I will finally be able to put some logical order to spelling.

Miss G has learned all the sounds of the alphabet and the short vowel sounds. I write "silly" sentences so she can sound them out and read them to me. Example:

The red dog sat on a big hot cat.

And now for the challenge...please send any and all "silly" sentences that you can think of to Miss G. She would be delighted to hear from everyone and read their sentence.

Also, if anyone has recommendations for first readers, please pass those along too. A person can never have too many books to read...or eat.

The Phone Prank

2008-06-09T07:24:00.002-05:00

Right after 9-11, when flying was very restricted and there were uniformed men everywhere holding assault rifles, my younger brother flew in for the holidays. We had been assigned to pick him up from the airport which was no easy task since you couldn't park and wait and you couldn't go inside so you drove in endless circles until your target appeared. Our parents had directed us to bring him home for the holidays. We dutifully pick him up and began to drive to our parent's home.

My Mom, who worried about these sorts of things, called me as we were heading over.

"Have you got him?"

I'm not sure what possessed me but I said,

"Who?"

"Your brother, of course!"

I said,

"I thought you were picking him up."

With doubt creeping into her voice she said,

"Didn't we ask you to pick him up?"

I repeated,

"I thought you were picking him up, but it's okay. We'll turn around and go get him."

"Oh, thank you. Please hurry. His plane should have already landed."

I hung up my cell phone and without hesitation or discussion my brother, from the backseat, called our Mom from his cell phone.

"Mom, where are you? I thought you were going to pick me up."

"You thought we were going to pick you up?"

She was completely confused at this point and said,

"Well...Mr. Reserved and Mrs. Dabbler are on their way and should be there soon."

"I've been standing here awhile and the guards are starting to look at me funny. I think they want me to move on."

"Oh, my...well...yes...of course...just stay out of trouble."

She hung up and began to harangue my poor father who was already in bed asleep.

"They thought we were suppose to pick him up and now he's in trouble. Were we suppose to pick him up?"

My poor father got up and began to quietly dress, preparing for some future "trouble".

I called my mother.

"We're almost there, have you talked to Brother B? Has his plane landed?"

"Yes, his plane has landed and please hurry because they've started looking at him funny."

"Who's looking at him funny?"

"Those policemen"

"The policemen are looking at him funny? Why? What did he do?"

"He didn't DO anything."

With desperation in her voice that only a mother can feel when she thinks policemen are looking at her baby funny she said,

"Please find him!"

Since the new report was that we are almost to the airport and the crisis had been averted, my father undressed and went back to bed.

My brother waited a couple of minutes and called her again.

"Mom, I still don't see them. Are you sure......hold on Mom......the policemen want to talk to me. I'll call you back."

Mother panicked. Dad dressed...again.

"Hi, Mom. We can't find him. Has he called?"

In an unusually calm voice she said,

"Yes, he called. The policemen wanted to talk to him because he'd been standing there so long."

"Really?"

"Yes, really!"

"Okay. We'll keep looking for him. I'll call you when we find him."

Brother B laughed and then called her.

"Mom, tell Mr. Reserved and Mrs. Dabbler to park because they have taken me inside to question me. They want to go through my bags."

Mom continued to panic. Dad began to pace.

Brother B waited a few minutes and called Mom back.

"Well...the policemen don't believe my story so they're taking me downtown. I'll call you when I can."

Mother, in a tither, called me and said,

"THEY'VE TAKEN HIM TO JAIL."

Barely able to stifle my laugh, I said,

"To which jail?"

"The downtown one. I think your father and I are going to head down there."

And as we walked through their front door I said,

"No, no... we'll find him and bring him home."

The three of us fell out laughing as my parents glared unappreciatively at us and our elaborate hoax. Needless to say, we were in trouble. It was several minutes before my parents could laugh but eventually they did.

At that moment I couldn't fully appreciate their angst for their baby boy. Even though he was a college graduate with a job and "on his own" he was still their baby boy and whatever happened to him happened to them.

Parenthood changes everything. Mr. Reserved and I were married 12 years before God blessed us with Miss G. We were grown but I'm not sure that we were mature or at least we weren't selfless. Children cause their parents to be servants which in turn makes you selfless. I know I didn't fully appreciated how wonderful serving could be until Miss G rocked our world. God commands us to serve in whatever work situation we find ourselves just as if we were serving Him. Sometimes your rewards for service aren't immediate but God promises that you will be rewarded. Watching Miss G's smile as she thanks me is reward enough.

Will I think that her future pranks are rewards? Probably not at that particular moment. I do pray I will always be thankful for the blessing of her life joined with mine. She is such an amazing reward to me that I pray I can be thankful even at the worst of times, even if it is just an elaborate prank.

Ahh...Water

2008-06-07T12:09:00.000-05:00

A few fun water facts...

-Water is the only substance found on earth in three forms solid, liquid, and gas.

-A person can live more than a month without food, but only about a week, depending on conditions, without water.

- 66% of the human body is water; 75% of the human brain is water.

-Ancient Egyptians treated water by siphoning water out of the top of huge jars after allowing the muddy water from the Nile River to settle.

-Hippocrates, known as the father of medicine, directed people in Greece to boil and strain water before drinking it.

-The first United States water plant with filters was built in 1872 in Poughkeepsie, New York.

And...

You can swim, splash and dunk in it as Miss G and her Daddy did this morning.

Miss G & Mr. Reserved

Do you like chocolate and mint?

2008-06-06T16:45:00.000-05:00

Do you like them together?

There is only one person in our house that likes chocolate and mint together and that's yours truly. I made this recipe for a gathering the other night and they are wonderful! The recipe follows and comes from here...

Chocolate Mint Candy Cookies

3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 Tbsp. water
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 (4.5 oz.) packages chocolate covered thin mints

Directions:

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the sugar, butter and water, stirring occasionally until melted. Remove from heat, stir in the chocolate chips until melted and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

2. Pour the chocolate mixture into a large bowl, and beat in the eggs, one at a time. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the chocolate mixture. Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Roll cookie dough into walnut sized balls and place 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.

4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes* in the preheated oven, be careful not to over bake. When cookies come out of the oven, press one mint wafer into the top of each cookie and let sit for 1 minute. When the mint is softened, swirl with the back of a spoon or toothpick to make a pattern with the green filling of the mint wafer. For smaller cookies, break mints in half.

* I used a large cookie scoop and needed to bake them over 13 minutes. I also used parchment paper instead of greasing my cookie sheets.

P.S. I'll bring them to to family reunion at the end of June. Yum!

More from the Cousins

2008-06-05T10:33:00.000-05:00

Miss G and Cousin N had another great day. Although there's 9 years difference in their ages, they play wonderfully together. Cousin N kindly submits to all of Miss G's imaginative play. He was led around the house by a pink, dress-up scarf. He crawled on all fours and played horsey so that Miss G could ride him around. He also sat on the couch and watched TV with her as she clutched his arm and said,

"Cousin N, will you protect me? Scooby-Doo is VERY scary!"

She also could be heard saying,

"Three chairs for Cousin N! Hip, hip hooray!"

Every night they swing on the play fort together. Cousin N is talking and Miss G is singing. There's no need to have a conversation. They just swing and sing and talk in cooperative joy. They are old enough that they really don't need to be watched every minute, but I find myself lingering near them. I love to see their smiles and hear their laughter. I catch glimpses of their thoughts and concerns which range from which galaxy they think Narnia might be in to when the new kittens will come out from underneath the deck. Their love for life fills and renews me. To say that I love them would be an understatement. They are amazing blessings sent to me straight from God. How do I know that God loves me? Scroll back up and look at the picture.

I Just Want To Be By Him

2008-06-02T16:37:00.001-05:00

Two of Miss G's cousins are visiting us this week. Needless to say, Miss G is beside herself with delight. Cousin D was playing a game in a chair today when it was time for Miss G's nap. With a most sincere tone and big tears in her eyes she protested going to her room for her nap.

"But Mommy, I just want to be by him! Can't I sleep on the floor?"

How can a Mommy resist that kind of true love? The carpet was soft as was her "yellow pillow" and she was out in a minute.

Cousins are one of God's greatest inventions especially for an only child. Miss G was able to spend last weekend with two that live south, this week with two that live west and in a couple of weeks, two more from the southwest. To hear Miss G talk about them you would think that not only did they hang the moon but all the other planets as well.

As I type, Miss G and Cousin N are naming all the Disney characters that they can think of. Miss G has just proclaimed that Dutchess(from the Aristocats) has the prettiest hat that she's ever seen in her whole life. Cousin N thinks that Merlin's hat(from The Sword and the Stone) is the most handsome. Captain Hook's hat has been tossed into the conversation but no one has claimed it as the best. By the way, it has been decided that Minnie has a bow which is technically not a hat therefore she has been disqualified from the competition. Miss G just put her head on Cousin N's shoulder and said,

"I love it when you guys stay here with me!"

I remember many, many good times with my cousins; trying to walk the length of a rock wall without falling off, playing hide and seek in the hay barn and eating fried apricot pies made by our Granny. Watching these cousins play makes me long for those golden summer days with my cousins who loved me just for being me.

My Co-Captain & My Team

2008-05-27T22:08:00.000-05:00

Today is a sad day for me. The pretty lady in red is moving away from our area and will no longer be able to play on our tennis team. Not only is she a great tennis player (she plays line one at age 68 and wins 80% of the time) but she is also one of the finest women that I have ever known. Her heart is full of love and her words are full of compassionate wisdom. She has a rare sense of humor that can salvage the worst situation and make you laugh despite yourself. She has helped me through some difficult times with her steady, encouraging words and I will miss her terribly. I am very thankful she has been in my life.

Shall we spit?

2008-05-23T13:22:00.000-05:00

As I was watering the flowers yesterday, Miss G ran up to me and asked, "Mommy, will you teach me how to spit?" A flood of questions raced through my mind but in an effort to redirect I said "That's your Daddy's department."

"But Mommy, Daddy doesn't spit."

"Neither does Mommy."

"Yes, you do!"

"When do I spit?"

"Just the other day you spit out something in your mouth that was bad."

Okay...she was technically correct so I thought I'd try to redirect again.

"Why do you want to learn to spit?"

"Because when I spit now it goes all
over my chin."

Okay, that's a valid point. Evidently I'm not asking the right questions.

"What do you need to spit out of your mouth?"

"Anything that's bad."

And yet another good point.

"You remember that we don't spit at people...right?"

"Only by accident."

"By accident?"

"You know, when we're talking and it just accidentally comes out."

"Oh...yes...of course."

"So, are you going to teach me to spit?"

"Yes, my little lady, let's spit."

The Re-arranger

2008-05-20T19:41:00.000-05:00

Miss G has a penchant for rearranging things. It's always a surprise when I open a drawer to find a new and different item in place of the item I was looking for. Right now it's the little things like the stapler or a screwdriver or your wedding ring. Maybe the furniture will be next. Her toys have been rearranged so much that if you open Dora's house you might find a frog, a frying pan and a partial deck of cards. Grandma and Popaw gave her a Bingo set for Christmas and I have found little yellow numbered balls in nooks and crannies all over the house. They are keeping whatever they're with "comfortable". I like to think that she has an eye for re-purposing things.

She also likes to re-purpose her Daddy's money. Mr. Reserved likes to nest. All around his favorite spaces he has little piles of stuff including his extra change. While he's at work, Miss G confiscates his change and claims it as her own. Last night when he came in from work she showed him a stocking cap full of money she had "found". We asked her why she had money in her stocking cap. "Because my pink pig is full!" Believing this to be impossible, I asked her to show me her pink pig. She's right. I don't believe that we could possibly fit another dime into that pig. I asked her what she was going to buy with her found money. She grinned really big and said "Cookie-dough ice cream!" She's a girl after her own Popaw's heart.

Roland Garros Countdown

2008-05-20T11:25:00.000-05:00

4 Days:15 Hours:31 Minutes:20 Seconds

I'm not much of a TV watcher. I'd rather read or putter around the house and garden. However, there are exceptions. Four times a year I'm practically glued to the TV. The Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon & the U.S. Open are the 4 major professional tennis tournaments in a calendar year and I LOVE to watch them. Mr. Reserved loves to watch most sports... except, of course, tennis. During these tournaments Mr. Reserved and Miss G lose me to the sound of ball striking, fault calling and stat keeping that fascinates me. Meals are reduced to cold cereal and bologna sandwiches. Mr. Reserved, who loves me and encourages my interests, can be found doing most of my chores like the laundry and cleaning house. It's a time that I truly enjoy and it's rapidly approaching.

I started playing tennis when I was very young and still play almost weekly. My love of the game is influencing Miss G too. She loves for me to pitch tennis balls to her so she can hit them. One day I found her playing in the kitchen with some of my sweatbands and her tennis racket. Children really do try to become little copies of their parents. It's a scary proposition.

If you haven't watched a tennis match in a long time, check out a couple of tennis greats and watch either Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros this year.

Dreams

2008-05-19T11:53:00.001-05:00

Miss G has a recurring dream that usually begins the same but has a different ending. This morning she began telling me about her latest episode.

"Mommy, Pooh-bear was driving a blue car and I was in the front seat with him because there was no back seat except when we're grocery shopping...AND...by magic a shark appeared and he was trying to eat us. We drove to Poohbear's tree house and we escaped because the shark got lost in the forest. We put down cat footprints so he couldn't find us."

"I'm hungry. Let's go for a walk. "

So we ate breakfast and went for a walk. Along the way we saw...

pecan "worms"...

blue hydrangea...

and a new friend.

A child's heart is amazing. The freedom from worry and judgement allows children to readily open their heart to others. These two strangers met today. The little boy picked a flower and gave it to Miss G. Miss G said "I'm Miss G. What's your name?" He told her and she said "Let's play chase." An instant friendship was formed. They ran and played and giggled that beautiful innocent giggle of children until they couldn't breath. They fell into the cool grass and laid there until the adult, uneasy with this instant and heartfelt friendship, broke the spell and whisked the boy back to appointments and schedules.

I too am concerned about guarding my heart and the heart of my child. Philippians 4:7 says "...And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." If our hearts and minds are already guarded, why not open them up to others so they may see the light of the Lord inside us?

Maybe tonight I will dream about being a child again; the cricket chirping, lie in the cool grass, watching for fireflies dream. I believe it's a little taste of heaven.

There have been times when I think we do not desire heaven but more often I find myself wondering whether, in our heart of hearts, we have ever desired anything else. C. S. Lewis

Public Restrooms = Public Embarrassment

2008-05-17T00:32:00.002-05:00

Having an only child limits my frame of reference concerning children's fascination with public restrooms. I don't know if all children love them but Miss G is enamoured with them. We know every restroom backward and forward within a 30 mile radius. Miss G even remembers the stalls that were out of toilet paper and goes straight to another one. I know that all mothers go through the "please-don't-yell-out-in-public-that-you-have-to-go-poo-poo" phase. It is a challenge to be sure. Miss G has thrown this mother a couple of extra challenges.

Miss G, as some of you know, is social. So social in fact that if one of the stall doors is closed in the restroom she asks me who is in there. Since of course I don't know, she kindly starts talking and waving to them through the little cracks between the door and the wall. Of course she needs to do this to amend for the scare that she has just given them. The first thing Miss G likes to do when she enters a public restroom is to yell "Ah" as loud as she can. She likes the echo. I'm all for science experiments except when they scare the literal poop out of some one. The poor unexpecting ladies who were quietly and calmly taking care of business are now startlingly aware that a new, unexpected element has just entered the restroom. Most women don't socialize in the restroom much less try out the acoustics but most women haven't meet Miss G......yet.

The other challenge I'm afraid is self inflicted. When my darling was first learning to poop in the big potty she asked me to sing to her. Thinking I was a clever Mommy I created a song for her using the melody from an old Vacation Bible School song. Many of you might know it...

Booster, booster, be a booster.
Don't be grouchy like a rooster.
Booster, booster, be a booster
And boost our Bible school.

Well...the homemade version goes like this...

Pooper, pooper, be a pooper.
Push it out just like a trooper.
Pooper, pooper, be a pooper
And push your poop away.

I must say the song works. It works so well that now Mommy gets to sing it all the time, even in public restrooms.

So... let's review. We've scared the patrons, taken a life history of the patrons and now we're going to sing to the patrons. Still hoping that we can salvage a little dignity, I start out really soft; just a whisper. "MOMMY, sing the pooper song louder!" The red in my checks turns from embarrassment to courage and I think...YES! Why not? What have we got to lose now anyway? The patrons only came in for a little relief. Why not give them some comic relief too?

Summer Food

2008-05-16T08:33:00.000-05:00

Soon we can use the...

...tomatoes,...

...the cilantro and...

...the jalapenos...

...to create one of my favorite tastes of summer.

Black Bean & Corn Salsa

2 cans of whole corn
3 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
1/3 c. fresh lime juice (2-3 limes)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Combine all ingredients into bowl. Stir well and refrigerate until served.

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8

Blooms...

2008-05-15T12:45:00.000-05:00

...and bird seed...

...and pine cones, pine needles, rocks and more make for a great trek with Miss G. We have had a wonderful spring thanks to cooler than normal weather and abundant rain. Everything is green and lush and the garden is in full bloom. It's hard to wait for the tomatoes to turn red. After placating ourselves all fall and winter with store bought tomatoes, it will be wonderful to bite into a ripe, juicy one straight from the garden. We are very blessed.

Meet Miss Gregarious

2008-05-14T14:55:00.000-05:00

It's amazing how much I learn from Miss Gregarious. She shows me every day the love God intends for us to have and share. God created us in his image and (with apologies to Mr. Dickens) I believe that those who are so fresh from God show His love the most. Miss Gregarious is so full of love and joy that it's truly hard to contain. While in the grocery store the other day and to her Mother's uncomfortable surprise, Miss G ran up to a little, old, stooped-over man and began literally to talk at him.

"Hi! My name is Miss G. What's your name? What are you buying? I like apples. Do you like apples? I live in Texas. Where do you live?"

Her preamble was basically one complete sentence without waiting for answers. The transformation in the old man was instant and remarkable. He straightened up and began to smile. It looked like 10 years had fallen off of his shoulders. As she continued to ramble he actually started to laugh. I don't know what has happened in that man's life to cause his sad expression. I'm sure more than I even dare to guess. I do know that Miss G had given him a precious gift. She had reached out to him and shown him worth. If but for a brief second, she lightened his load and made him laugh. In Romans 12:13 it says for us to...

"Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality."

Being a dutiful Mommy, I try to instill in her the kindly morals and values from the Bible. Most of the time, however, she is already a step ahead of me. I saw the old man. I knew that he looked lost and forlorn. It wasn't the adult who treated him kindly and showed him love. It was Miss G, the four year old. To be brutally honest, it didn't even occur to me to speak to him. I was way up in my head checking my lists and not in "the moment". Thank you Miss G for continually reminding me of the important things in life.

Why Blog?

2008-05-13T11:33:00.001-05:00

I thought for a long time about my reasons for creating a blog. The first reason that jumped to my mind was a blog would chronicle my four year old daughter's vivid imagination. Her daily (almost hourly) utterances of creativity that level an adult's mind and wake them to reality. The...

"I'm a viking and I have sailed the seas to save you. Are you coming peacefully?" or
"I think that Blue jay is talking to ME! Can you hear him?" or
"If you don't listen to me, you're going to have to walk the plank! Have you said your goodbyes?"

Her exclamations drag my mind back from far away places where adults seem to dwell. I'm a planner and a scheduler and (yes, I'll admit it) a worrier. I seem to lose track of "the moment" and how precious it is. I thank God every day that he has seen fit to place this vibrant, loquacious, amazing little girl directly in my path. She snatches me back to the present, to the gift of the moment that God has given. I hope that this blog will chronicle and explore God's truth and power through the beauty of life.