Kids, Cakes, Dishes, and Laundry... in that order (but knitting trumps all)

A Typical Day?

2011-09-28T19:37:00.002-06:00

This was the conversation today at our house while cleaning out the kids drawers and trying to reorganize life...

One of the Boys: (can't remember which one) "I need some, blah, blah, blah...(I wasn't really paying that much attention)"
Me: (after an hour of working on the SAME 2 drawers with the boys...and their bickering and griping)
"I need to get some new kids."
Benji: "Where would you get new ones?"
Me: "Craig's List"
Benji: "They don't have kids on Craig's List."
Me: "They're about to have 4 of them."
Jon: "Mom really could be a comedian."

:)

I Have No Title

2011-09-15T11:04:00.000-06:00

I know, I know, I said I'd be around more...have you ever heard the quote, "We plan, God laughs." Well, yeah, that's true. I have pages of daily schedules, weekly plans, and yearly calendar appointments, and yet I don't think I've successfully completed one day of my plans in the last....well, ever! One reason for the chaos, is Emmitt. He is the Miniature Schnauzer puppy we got for Jonathan back in June. He was a 6 lb. floppy eared snuggle muffin when we got him, and I had a hard time doing anything, but cuddling the little guy.

Now, he's a 12 lb. snuggle muffin with a LOT of energy and we spend at least an hour every day at the dog park letting him play with the other dogs and run around and around and around, and around and.......

Dave has decided he wants to learn to knit like Mommy and Maddie...he's working on practice rows, but he thinks it's a sweater. :)

Maddie got her very first Pointe Shoes and has started dancing on pointe at the studio this year. (That's her AMAZING ballet and pointe teacher, Ms. Deidre. She came with us to make sure the fit and the shoes were just right for the girl...I told you she was amazing!) And pointe is just ONE of her ELEVEN classes at the studio this year. She takes her dancing VERY seriously! :)

I tackled Entrelac Knitting for the first time, and then I felted it to cover up all the mistakes, which resulted in one of my favorite projects ever..this purse.

I liked it so much that I made another, slightly bigger and more "fallish" version...and gave it away to my friend for her birthday--that's how much I love her.

Then I pulled out the Cashmere/Merino Wool yarn that I bought for another project that didn't wow me once I got it started (the project, not the yarn) and I made this adorable little boy sweater and hat set for a couple at church about to have their first baby! (Sorry, I forgot to rotate the picture before posting...and now it's too much work to go back and do it again.)

I thought this button was fabulous, even though the picture doesn't show the colors well at all! The sweater is a lovely neutral oatmeal shade and the button has several tans and rust colors all swirled around on it.

So, I added a tan stripe to the matching hat, just to make it worthy of the sweater! ;)

And THAT'S what I've been doing since I "saw" you last.

Currently, we're still homeschooling 4 days a week. The Texas fires have stayed away from us, but threatened my folks and some friends for awhile there....too scary! We're dancing full force again with daily classes and weekend rehearsals every other Saturday. I have two pair of socks on the needles in various stages of completion, as well as David's ninja mask which I put down when it got too hot for him to wear, but will need to pick up again to be ready for the winter...if winter even shows up around here this year! (I have my doubts.) And another felted purse is in the works to add to the Etsy store since I've gotten more oohs and ahhs over the two I finished than I have over anything else I've made.

So how about you, what have you been up to? Fill me in...I'm so out of the loop!

In Case You Were Looking for Me....

2011-08-08T12:52:00.005-06:00

I've been on Etsy. At least that's where I've been internet-wise.

I've been to Dance Intensives with the girl, Motorcycle Competitions with the boys, 3 day long Birthday Bashes with the girl and her friends, and I've been to Dallas a time or two for Kidney Stuff...sigh.

At any rate. I am going to try to stop by here a little more often, but I must warn you, the cakes and cookies will be few and far between. I have found that making them for other people is quite stressful and tiring for me and with a 3% loss in my kidney function over the last year, I don't need to add stress. So, from now on, I'm only doing them for VERY special occasions and for immediate family. The knitting on the other hand, is more relaxing and fun for me, so plan to see a lot more of that around here. :)

With that in mind, I've opened up my own little Etsy shop! It's in the VERY early stages right now, and I hope to do more aesthetic work on it soon, but I'm just trying to get it stocked with some merchandise at the moment and start generating some sales.

An interesting little story about the name of the shop...As long as I've had an "At Home Business", (from Tole Painting to Cakes to Knitted Items) my business has been called "Linen and Purple". I took it from the verse in Proverbs 31 which says something to the effect of "...she clothes herself in linen and purple by the works of her own hand." With that in mind, I entered that as the name of my new little Etsy shop and guess what? Someone else already had a shop by that name! AND they referenced the same Bible verse. Kind of cool that someone out there thinks like me, but kind of a bummer to lose my name after all these years. However, I thought about it, and I decided that I've become so connected with the name "Kids and Cakes" that I'd just stick with that name. It's how I'm known here in the blogosphere, it's my name on Ravelry, and I even use it for my email address, so why not keep it over in the world of Etsy? And that's what I did. If you want to find me over there, you can look me up at http://www.etsy.com/shop/kidsandcakes.

I've only got a few items up right now, and I have actually made a couple of sales locally to people who saw my items and contacted me for special orders. But here are some pictures of the types of items that are/will be available for purchase. The felted purse in the picture above I made for the girl, but I intend to make several of these, so they will be available soon!

A 4 Piece Kitchen set: 2 crocheted double-layered potholders and 2 hand-knit dishcloths

Hand-Knit 100% Cotton Cardigan and Hat for a Newborn Baby Girl (sold)

A Combination Knit/Crocheted Market Bag With a Variety of Uses

And Finally, 2 Styles of Elfin Hats for a Newborn Baby Boy (these were a special order, and are apparently a new trend in baby-wear)

Ditto Kelli...

2011-06-02T07:23:00.007-06:00

So I just read Kelli's latest post and I say, "Ditto". Every time I sit down to fill you in on all that's happened since surgery, something else takes over my brain and since I can only focus on one thing at a time these days, the blog goes (again) to the back burner.

So, as a quick summary (while my brain is focused here) I had the surgery, but it didn't accomplish much. The problem wasn't in the tube leading into my kidney, it is in the condition of my kidneys in general, and while my doctor and very good friend tried his best to make it better, I ended up septic in the hospital with
peylonephritis. It was not fun. I don't every want to do it again. And the doctor says that because of this development, he won't do that surgery on me again. Which means, the next time I am blocked, well, I'm not sure what we'll do about it...sigh. But I'm better now, and that was just an update for those who have been wondering what happened to me after surgery.

Now, on to one of the other things that keeps me away from the blogoverse...my daughter's dance schedule. She was in 11 different dances in this year's Spring Show. She is taking 11 classes this year including the performance troupe at our studio which participates in MANY performances and competitions throughout the year. For those of you who think that is too much, and I should lighten her schedule, here is how the conversation went in the car last week:

Maddie: Mom, what am I going to do for dance for the next 2 weeks until summer classes start?

Me: Well, I can just take you up to the studio and you can practice whatever you want while I work.

Maddie: But I NEED a teacher to teach me!

Me: Don't you just want to enjoy a little break before you start up again?

Maddie: NEVER!!!

And this year she choreographed her solo for troupe tryouts completely on her own. She chose the song and planned the entire thing by herself. I didn't even get to see it until the day before the tryouts. I do have a video taken while she was still working out the choreography. It's not danced full out as she was still figuring out parts of it, but it will give you an idea of what kind of dancer she wants to be...and why I don't mind taking her to the dance studio almost every.single.day.

FINALLY got the video to work!

Ups and Downs and All Arounds...

2011-02-28T17:23:00.003-06:00

I haven't been here in a week or three. Yes, I've been busy, but it's more than that. I've made cookies and cakes, I've knitted socks and ninja masks, and I've traveled and chaperoned the most amazing group of dancers EVER. Yes, I've been busy, but the reason I haven't been here is not the busyness of life. It's the in-between stuff.

I've been having kidney troubles again. And while I've managed to fulfill my responsibilities thus far, in between each of those events, I've been crashed on the couch...recovering. Last weekend, while I was in San Antonio for the ShowStoppers Dance Competition with the girl, it became unbearable and I knew that something would have to be done--soon. So, I am here to announce that I am having surgery to remove blockages in my kidneys tomorrow, March 1st at 3:00pm CST. If ya'll want to say a prayer, that would be awesome.

However, my problems are NOTHING compared to my friend, Kelli. In my last post, I wrote that after 5 agonizing years, a possible donor was found to give Kelli a new kidney. Yesterday, that donor was rejected. She was the last one on a list that began with 50 or so candidates, and they turned her away. The search begins again. My heart is broken for my friend and her family. So while you're saying those prayers, please send one up for her as well, and if you've ever considered being a living kidney donor, please, please, please head on over to

The Best News EVER!!!

2011-02-05T09:50:00.003-06:00

Last night, I was in my car listening to an audio book, when it paused and chimed indicating that I had a new email. I paused the book to check the email,(Calm down, I was just sitting in the driveway listening to the end of the chapter--not driving!) and it was from Kelli! And it contained the best news EVER!!!

WE HAVE AN APPROVED KIDNEY DONOR!!!

WE HAVE AN APPROVED KIDNEY DONOR!!!

SURGERY IS TENTATIVELY THE END OF MARCH!!!!

5 YEARS FROM THE DAY I WAS FIRST LISTED!

We just got word that Sarah has been approved, and should be flown into Cedars in the next 2 weeks or so.

Surgery is tentatively the end of March, but we will know more as we go.

Are we excited? Yes/No. I think with all we have been through it will be a "once I am on the table" thing.

I will need to be going to LA for treatment starting the first of March for 3 treatments, one week apart.

So, now, we just have to kick fund raising up to the moon to get all this paid for.

Ok God, sell a few of those cows on the hill please :)

YOUR PRAYERS ARE SO APPRECIATED OVER THESE LAST 5 YEARS EVERYONE. You have sustained us through so much fear and doubt and and and and and ....

Thank you.

Thank you.

Yeehaw!! Woo-Hoo!! WOOT-WOOT!!!

I am sooooooooo happy for my friend who will hopefully have kidney function within the next two months and then perhaps she can get those legs to start working again! The road is far from over, but the light is bright and shining at the end of a very, very long tunnel.

You can pop on over to Kelli's Blog to get more details, or to get to know this amazing friend of mine a little better, or to make a donation to help her pay for all of the travel and surgery and whatnot.

Did I say Yeehaw???

An Update on Baby Lily...

2011-02-03T13:10:00.004-06:00

As you can see, she is a peaceful little thing.

Since I last posted on her, she has been taken off the ventilator, but apparently still "forgets" to breathe sometimes and will go quite pale--which scares her mama quite a bit. But, she was up to 2 lbs. 4 oz. at her last weigh in and is eating quite well.

She has brain scans regularly to look for infections and other problems common to preemies. So far, they have all come back clean. However, her last test showed a potential problem. Here is the post from her mama.

Please pray especially for healing for Lily. Her brain ultrasound came back with evidence of small cysts in her frontal white matter which is known to cause cerebral palsy. The doctors said we have to wait to have an MRI done for a more conclusive diagnosis, but it will not be done until she is closer to going home. These cysts can go away which is what we are praying for.

Please join us in praying that these cysts disappear on her own and that Lily continues to grow and develop normally as she would have in the womb.

She is getting so big, I think you'll be seeing some pictures of "big girl" knitting projects popping up here soon! :)

Therapy...

2011-02-01T13:27:00.004-06:00

Recently, a conversation was had at my parents' house. It began with a discussion of the newly released movie, The King's Speech. I had heard there was a lot of profanity in the movie, and my father was explaining that it was a necessary part of the story as apparently, just as stutterers can sing without stuttering, they can also curse without stuttering. So in this particular case, the cursing was...therapy. (Upon hearing this, my husband cheered.)

The conversation then took a turn and we began discussing the socks I was knitting, and the fact that I had recently walked into a yarn store to find no fewer than 5 men knitting along with the ladies in a knitting group. Now I had heard that there are men out there who knit, but I'd never actually seen them in real life. It was fabulous!

Anyway, this led the conversation around to the rumor that Russell Crowe is a knitter. And it was suggested that perhaps he used the knitting to control his temper--as opposed to the therapy described above. :)

At any rate, I did manage to finish my January socks with one day to spare, and just in time it seems. Yesterday we had a high of 81 degrees--today the expected low is 18!!! There are two things that make this forecast bearable: 1) This is Texas, and it can be 18 degrees today, but chances are that before the week is out, it will be closer to 80 again, and 2) I have a lovely pair of Merino Wool socks to wear with my boots to keep my tootsies toasty!

I also finished the stocking cap for the neighbor boy and yesterday I found the yarn to finish his matching scarf. I'm betting he's wishing I had found that yarn a bit sooner right about now...brr! (I'll get a picture once both are finished.)

I also finished the beret for the birthday party TWO DAYS EARLY! It is modeled here by my lovely daughter--I've not yet seen the birthday girl with it on...but perhaps now that it's frigid outside, I will!

And I was able to finally get a picture of my mother-in-law in the sweater that I knit for her this Christmas.

Yesterday, I started on my February socks. I am making them for the girl for Valentine's Day. They are made from a beautiful fingering weight wool/bamboo blend in a muted red that does NOT bring the Nebraska Cornhuskers to mind, and therefore does not make me twitch. The pattern, however, has caused much twitching, gnawing of fingernails, and gnashing of teeth.

This pattern is apparently not for the beginning knitter, or even the somewhat-experienced knitter, this pattern is definitely for the advanced knitter--which I am not. I managed to work 13 rows of a 16 row pattern before I dropped 3 unrecoverable stitches and had to frog the entire thing...sigh.

I cast on again and managed 3 rows of ribbing before I noticed that I had cast on too few stitches and had to start over....again.

At this point, I am seriously considering switching to that other form of therapy....

Seen and Heard...

2011-01-26T11:50:00.003-06:00

I was having a conversation with Dave the other day. It went something like this:

Dave: "Just one more baby Mom, please!"

Mom: "No Dave, you are the last baby. No more. But when you grow up and get married, you can have your own babies."

Dave: "I can have my own babies?"

Mom: "Yes. When you are married."

Dave: "How many can I have?"

Mom: "As many as you and your wife decide to have."

Dave: "I'm gonna have a thousand babies!"

Mom: "Wow, that's a lot of babies."

Dave: "Yeah, God doesn't have enough pieces to make that many babies!"

A Little Holiday Cheer for You

2011-01-21T12:55:00.005-06:00

I know, the holiday season is over, but as we have already established...I've been missing on the blog for a little while.

Yesterday, I managed to finish sock number one. And may I say that it is amazingly comfortable and the perfect sock to wear with my winter boots. I am pleased.

I have also made some good progress on the birthday beret--I told you they were easy and quick. (Don't judge me, it is from a 9 year old girl to a 9 year old girl...black and sparkly hot pink are all the rage.)
So, while I'm off to continue working on the hat--in between the school and the dishes and laundry, of course--I thought you might enjoy a little Nutcracker video. Since the girl made the competitive dance troupe this year, she was moved up from a Snowflake to a Chinese Dancer--representing the spice of tea. This is the video from just one of their performances at a local elementary school. My girl is in the front on the far left at the beginning of the dance. Enjoy!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

2011-01-20T09:10:00.004-06:00

I am still furiously working on that sock. And then, of course I still have to knit the other one--which is the problem with socks...you have to make TWO! And I'm not yet finished with the scarf, and I haven't started the hat, AND I've decided that a beret would be an excellent gift for a birthday party that the girl is going to on Sunday (they are quick and easy...really, they are). Oh yeah, and I'll need to be educating the children too. In other words, I'm a tad swamped over here--or buried beneath a pile of yarn--whatever.

So I thought I'd just post some pictures of things you all missed while I was, um, NOT blogging.

I knit my very first cardigan! Believe it or not, I made it for MYSELF! If you click on the picture to enlarge it, you may be able to see that on the yoke are two little longhorns knit right into the fabric. I found out how to put designs into the fabric like this while browsing through a book, so I plotted some longhorns on graph paper and added them to my sweater...they just seemed to belong on a burnt orange cardigan. :)

I also designed my first ballet shrug. It is seamless with thumb holes so even the hands can stay warm in when it's cold in the studio. I also knit a matching hat with a ponytail hole in it. This design was something I saw on one of my knitting programs on DIY network, but I added the ponytail hole.

And because I know you miss the cake pictures....I made a few cakes! I'm not going to post all that I did over the past 6 months, but I did do another wedding, and the cakes were rather unique.

The bride's cake was 4 tiers of alternating flavors--vanilla and chocolate. Yum!For the groom's cake, all I was told was to put a motorcycle on it. So I came up with this. I found a bride and groom cake topper with no heads, and I made helmets out of fondant and gumpaste. Then I made a "Just Married" sign for the back of the motorcycle (which you can't see in this picture) and tied little tiny Coca-Cola cans to the back.

The cake was Red Velvet with Cream Cheese Buttercream icing....DOUBLE YUM!!!!!

Now, I'm off to finish a sock...oh, and teach the kids some stuff!

The Knitter's Dilemma

2011-01-19T13:28:00.003-06:00

You've heard of "The Prisoner's Dilemma"? Well, every knitter has at one time or another been faced with "The Knitter's Dilemma". It is the point in a project when you must decide whether to frog the whole project and start again, keep going and hope it turns out right, or just toss the whole thing aside and start with a fresh ball of yarn!

Remember that lovely Merino Wool sock I was knitting?

Well, I decided to go ahead and finish it and hope it all turned out right....it didn't. I've knit socks before--lovely socks for my girl, and they turned out just beautifully. Apparently, the girl has normal feet that just fit a normal pattern. And apparently, I. do. not....sigh.

So, I got myself a brand new ball of yarn, and started again.

I also decided that I wanted a different pattern for my lovely Merino Wool socks, so I went with these lovely Sugar Maple Socks. It is sort of a mock cable pattern that keeps it interesting without being tedious.

I've been furiously knitting away on them as I've joined the self-imposed "Sock of the Month" club and need to have them finished before the end of the month. I am also still working on the red scarf and hat which really also need to be finished this month, so I will be knitting every spare moment of my time for the next couple of weeks....like I don't do that anyway! :)

Right now the kids and I are listening to "The Lord of the Rings" audio book everyday after lunch...which is now, so I'm going to sign off and try to finish the gussets on this sock before we finish chapter 5!

So what are you filling your spare time with these days?

Sorry, I Got a Bit Sidetracked...

2011-01-14T17:17:00.009-06:00

I've been a bit busy for the past couple of days. I have been working on a couple of different knitting projects this week. There is this scarf for the neighbor kid that asked for a solid red hat and scarf. It's really a simple 2x2 rib, but it gets a bit boring AND I can only stand to look at Nebraska Corn husker red for so long before I start to twitch....
So, when I need a break, I work on this lovely pair of charcoal grey boot socks...FOR MYSELF! I rarely knit for myself, so I'm anxious to get these finished and on my feet! They are a merino wool/bamboo blend and so very, very soft and just lovely to work on. However....
...I still managed to get sidetracked into knitting this little, itty-bitty, baby had and socks.
And just in case they don't look all that itty-bitty in the picture, take a look at this...
That's a 16.9 oz. bottle of water, and the hat fits it just perfectly.

And right about now, you are probably wondering why I made them so tiny. Well, I would love to introduce you to Lily Claire! Below is Lily's very first picture! Isn't she beautiful? She was born at only 25 weeks gestation and weighed 1 lb. 11 oz. She is a miracle, but look at how big that hat is on her head! She most definitely needs a new one, don't you think?

Her mom has been keeping us up-to-date on her progress via Facebook. The following pictures and quotes are from her page.

Well we started 2010 wanting a baby more than anything in the world and today we are ending 2010 next to our beautiful and strong little girl. She is a miracle!!!

Look at how tiny her hand is as she grabs on to her daddy's finger!

Lily had another good day today. I could not see her tonight because I had an elevated temperature, but Luke comes back with a huge smile on his face every time he sees her. She truly is an amazing and perfect masterpiece. We are hopeful for her recovery and are counting down the days to when she can come home.

I just LOVE this picture of her daddy hugging her incubator before they were allowed to hold her...I think he likes her! :)

Lily is doing well. The doctors and nurses are amazed at her strong lungs. She has been able to breathe on her own since she was born. They keep telling us how feisty she is. We can not wait til we can hold her and bring her home. Thanks for all the prayers, we feel God's presence among us.

See how tiny her feet are? I had to come up with my own pattern to make socks that little that wouldn't fall off...at least I hope they won't!

Today was a long day for us. It gets harder and harder to leave Lily and come home empty handed. They had to up her oxygen because her lungs were a little deflated and she is back on her beliruben light. I wish that it was time to bring her home already or at least just get to hold her.

This is her daddy's wedding ring around her WRIST!

I just saw my daughter without machines all hooked up to her face. Her eyes were opened and she wrapped her tiny finger around mine. It was a breathtaking moment...she is absolutely beautiful!!!

Well, Lily for sure does not have any infections. She went down in weight and is having blood sugar problems, but they say it's normal We did get to see her whole face and eyes opened but just long enough to get a picture, then the breathing apparatus went back on. I am beginning to understand these next few months will be a roller coaster ride!

This is the first time her mama got to hold her, and the first picture that really shows how tiny she is. I think the water bottle may be bigger than she is!

This is the most recent post from her mom.

Please pray for Lily today. Last night she had to be put on a ventilator and they think she might be septic. She has worked so hard these last two weeks to breathe on her own and while the ventilator is giving her lungs and brain a rest, it can still be damaging to the lungs and of course we hate to see her in pain. She has fought so hard so I just ask that you pray for God to give her strength and give us peace.

They are working on getting Lily her very own blog, but they gave me permission to share her with you here. When they get her blog up and running, I'll be sure to link to it for anyone who wants to keep track and to pray for her. In the meantime, I decided that a plain, pink cotton hat and socks just weren't fancy enough for such an amazing little girl, so I started on this little set that is just a touch fancier, and as you can see, I still have one more sock to make...so I'm going to get off this thing, and get to knitting!

Because I'm Really Competitive, That's Why....

2011-01-12T18:04:00.003-06:00

My friend, D and I have sort of an unofficial competition with each other. It's a medical competition. You see, when we first became friends, about 15 years ago, (gosh D, you're OLD!) I was very pregnant, and pretty much miserable all of the time. Then she went off to Russia on a mission trip for a l-o-n-g time, which, much like pregnancy, can be both rewarding and kinda miserable all at the same time. When she got back, she started having pains and things very similar to those I have with all my kidney stones.

It turned out that she had endometriosis and had to undergo a few different surgical procedures to deal with it. In the meantime, I had a few more kidney stones, and 2 more kids. So, she went ahead and got married, and then had 2 kids of her own. Then I developed the endometriosis for myself. Then we both had one more kid each--which puts me ahead in the kid department, but we were pretty much even on the whole medical complication issues.

Since then we've continued to go back and forth with various odd ailments as well as some common ones, like ear infections...but always really close to being the same thing--at the same time. The oddest one being that shortly after I was finally diagnosed with stage 2 kidney disease, she started having kidney issues as well--although hers were said to be "over-active" while mine are, of course "under-achievers".

So, this brings us to December 2010 when I did something obnoxious to my foot.

The first suspicion was that it was a stress fracture, but x-rays showed that it was just a pulled/swollen tendon, and after 2 weeks of steroids, and a month of wearing only flat shoes (oh how I miss my cowboy boots!), I would be just fine.

Then D decided to one-up me and crack a rib or two a couple of weeks ago in what must have been a really spectacular fall in her laundry room.

Not one to give up easily, I somehow managed to hit myself in the face hard enough to knock my glasses off and apparently BREAK MY NOSE! (And yes, I remember getting hit in the face, but I can't for the life of me remember how I did it...sigh.)

So, now I can't wear my glasses...which means I can't really see all that well, so who knows what I'm really typing here...AND we're right in the middle of Cedar Fever season here, so I'm having to blow my nose about 62,000 times every day--OUCH!

So now the question is...who's ahead? Does a broken nose beat cracked ribs, or do I need to step up my game just a bit???

P.S. (By the way, right after I wrote yesterday's post, I went by Sam's Club and saw no less than THREE people buying flat screen tvs! Guess they must be a tad more reasonable these days...I haven't priced them in awhile, lol!)

I Do Love a Good Gadget

2011-01-11T09:15:00.004-06:00

It's 9:15am here deep-in-the-heart-o-Texas. We start school at 9:00am. I wake everyone up at 8:00am. They all get up and get dressed and then get to watch some tv or whatever else they want to do until 8:30am when breakfast is served. Everyone eats, thanks me for the wonderful breakfast, brushes their teeth and eagerly prepare to start their schoolwork. Really. I'm not kidding. It says that on my schedule!

However, here it is now 9:18am and the only one awake, dressed and fed is the 5 year old...because he likes to get up early and invade my private, quiet time with the house to myself.

The girl is sleeping because she has been sick and I decided not to wake her, but to let her rest and get better. The boys are asleep because when I came home from my knitting group last night, the husband was asleep in the recliner, and the boys were playing Call of Duty--Modern Warfare on the PS3....WAY past their bedtime. The 5 year old and I have gone in to wake them up twice so far, but to no avail. On the one hand, this is frustrating...on the other hand, I'm free to write this post...so I'm not trying all that hard to get them up at the moment. Most of the country isn't even having school today because of all the snow. So really, is it fair that we should have to have school just because we live in a place where the sun is shining and it's quickly approaching 50 degrees outside? Even in Dallas they aren't starting school until 10:00am. I think 10:00am is a lovely time to start school today, so 10:00am it is!

So, back to the original purpose of this post--I Do Love a Good Gadget. A couple of years ago, thanks to a generous gift from one of my husband's clients, I received a lovely iPod Nano with Nike Plus that totally transformed my then-running, now-walking life. I was able to listen to my favorite music, or even audiobooks while I got my daily exercise all while my mileage and speed were being tracked and recorded online for my future knowledge and use. It was by far my favorite gadget of all time, and it still holds a very special place in my heart.

However, there is a new contender.

It has long been my theory that the people who need the most recent technology are those who can never afford it, while those who have the funds to purchase all the new wonders don't really need them. For example, flat screen tvs. Those of us who live in tiny houses with way too many people in them, could most certainly use a lovely flat screen tv that hangs on the wall and doesn't take up much needed square footage on the floor. However, the only people that can afford these modern technological marvels are those who have large houses and possibly even an entire media rooms to put one in. You see my point?

I have felt the same way about all the new hand held reading devices on the market today, like the Kindle and the Nook. For those of us with absolutely NO bookshelves in our homes, and no where to put one if we had it, who also happen to love books, this is the best invention EVER! However, even though the prices have started to drop in recent months, they are still a bit in the pricey range.

Enter the smartphone app.

Several months ago, Amazon released a FREE Kindle app for the Android phone. Did I mention that it was FREE????? I couldn't download that thing fast enough! And then I started reading...and reading, and reading, and reading! Basically, no matter where I am, I have a book to read, and believe me--unless I'm in a place where I could be knitting--I'm reading, baby! I even used it way out in the middle of nowhere to download a book to read to David while on a fishing trip with the family. He got bored and wanted to come and sit in the shade with me. I searched the Kindle store from my phone, found a FREE book of classic children's fairy tales, downloaded it within seconds and began reading to my boy!

I currently have one Diana Galbaldon novel, A Daily Devotional from Oswald Chambers, an Andy Andrews book for teens that my boys are reading for school, and my favorite--Lisa McKay's book "You Can Still Wear Cute Shoes" all on my Kindle ready for reading whenever I want...no bookshelf required.

So how about you, do you love gadgets too, what is your current favorite?

So, what do you think?

2011-01-10T08:04:00.004-06:00

Mondays are a tad busy around here. We don't have school on Mondays. (I just love 3 day weekends WAY too much!) But we do work. The plan on Mondays is to recover the house and our lives from the weekend. So we do our major housecleaning on Mondays. I also kinda-sorta have a job but not really, and it usually has to be done on Monday mornings. Then I have a standing accountability meeting on Mondays. The girl has 3 dance classes on Mondays (although she has classes every day that the studio is open, so I can't really blame that on Mondays). And I have my amazing knitting group, the Needlers, on Monday nights--which I absolutely, positively DON'T like to miss. So...I probably don't have time to sit here and write a post, but.....

I did play around with a new blog name and design. I also purged some stuff. And I added some stuff. I'm not sure I'm completely satisfied with it all. And I'm pretty sure I'm not finished changing and tweaking. But I just thought I'd get a little input from ya'll.

What do you think? Do you like the new title? Is it lame? How about the new look?

Go ahead and weigh in, and I'll keep messing around with it...in-between all the cleaning, and working, and being accountable, and dancing, and knitting, and stuff.

Apparently, it's a new trend...

2011-01-07T10:23:00.003-06:00

Okay, so in addition to NOT writing on the blog for half a year, I also haven't been reading blogs all that much. As most of you probably know, Facebook has kind of taken over as the way we all stay in touch with each other. It's so much easier to post a quick status than to, you know, compose an ENTIRE post that will hold the interest of whomever might stop by to read it.

So, with my new commitment to actually show up here and try to produce some sort of post every now and then, I decided to go ahead and check in with some of my old favorite blogs and just see what everyone else has been up to. Here's what I found...

1) at least 1/3 of the blogs I used to read daily haven't posted in at least 6 months either and some have been silent for more than a year!

2) another 1/3 of my former favorites, have abandoned their previous blogs, and started new ones under a new name.

3) the final 1/3 are still posting regularly and are as amusing and delightful as ever to read! It's good to visit with old friends again, I might add. :)

So, while I actually thought of some things to post about this morning...as I was NOT sleeping, but should have been (which could mean that I may not have had any good ideas at all...and could really just use some sleep), I began to think about the fact that this blog-o-mine really needs a good old fashioned overhaul. I need to clean up the sidebar and get rid of somethings that are no longer priorities for me, and add some new things that currently delight me. I need a new background and header. And I'm perhaps in need of a whole new blog name. I'm just not sure that the title still reflects life around here as accurately as it did when I began this blogging adventure. Of course, the kids still come first--mostly, but I'm backing off from the cakes and cookies, and let's be honest, the dishes and the laundry are merely pipe dreams that will perhaps be all caught up in the year 2025 when the last kid finally flies the coop...or Jesus comes back, whichever.

So, what do the two of you who might be reading this think? Should I archive this blog and begin again? Should I just overhaul this one, name and all and move forward? Or should I just leave it alone and get to posting something interesting for a change???

Comments will remain open until someone posts an answer I like. :)

Hello...hello....is anybody out there?

2011-01-04T11:21:00.004-06:00

I was recently accused of abandoning my blog. I was told that I have let people down. Personally, I have no idea why these accusations are being made. I mean, really, I JUST wrote a post on....JULY 16, 2010!!! Good grief!

In my defense, I did try to get on and post once or twice and couldn't log on. But really, there is no defense. Well, nothing other than a total lack of anything to say. I don't know why. For some reason, I just haven't really had much to say. I've still been making some cakes, although I've greatly cut back. I still have all four of the kids, and I still homeschool them. I've also taken up knitting, which quite frankly might be the biggest culprit. Instead of taking my little Netbook up to the dance studio and blogging while the girl dances, I've been knitting...and knitting...and knitting some more. It's an addiction. But one that produces something tangible that makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something while I sit.

It all started with a scarf, and then a hat with a hole in the back for my ponytail, then I learned how to knit cables, and I knit an entire afghan, and they whole thing just started to snowball. I've moved on to actual items of clothing, including socks and sweaters...and I'm totally hooked! My kids are requesting items...the neighbor kids are requesting items.

So....although I'm sure that a post about my new-found love of knitting, is not exactly what my accusers had in mind. It's a start....and a post...and hopefully, it will be the start to getting back on track with keeping the blogosphere up to date on the oh-so-exciting things we've been up to over here. :)

A Reason to Dance

2010-07-16T12:44:00.005-06:00

You all know by now that my daughter, Madeleine is a dancer. This summer, a week or so after her dance recital, she was finally old enough to audition for the competition/performance troupe at her dance studio. This past year, she was in a performance only troupe with other girls who were too young for the competition troupe as well. I am proud to announce, that she did make the competitive troupe, and is the youngest girl in it (by 2 days, lol).

However, I am even more proud to show you all a video that I recorded of her practicing for the audition. There were several elements to the audition, but the climax was the performing of a solo dance. The girls were allowed to either choreograph their own piece, or perform a dance from the year's recital. Maddie chose to choreograph her own piece. She chose the music, "Call on Jesus" by Nicole C. Mullen and the style herself, and if she ever got stuck on ideas for steps, she asked one of the older girls for help. Then she just kept working at it and changing it until it became her dance. This is a video I took of her rehearsing a week or so before the tryout. Can you say, "Proud Mama"? [And yes, she is sliding a bit in places...she had shoe issues that day, but didn't want to have to do the whole video thing again. :)]

When All Else Fails...Post Pictures!

2010-04-06T21:20:00.002-06:00

My baby boy isn't so much a baby anymore....doesn't he look big?

And if you've been reading here for awhile, you've seen this dress twice before. It was her flower girl dress about a year and a half ago...when she was just 7! Then last year, I altered a hat to match the blue sash, added full length gloves, and it was her Easter dress when she was 8! This year, I took up knitting, so I made her a little shrug to wear over it just one more time for Easter...and now she's 9! This will be the last Easter for her to wear it...but I'm going to miss seeing this...

You can click on any of the pictures to get a closer look if you want to.
Hope you all had a fabulous Easter!

Happy Easter Everyone!

2010-04-03T16:30:00.004-06:00

Yesterday morning, I was working on the computer and Dave (4 yo) came in and brought my glasses to me.

He said, "Here you go Mom. You need you glasses."

I said "Thank you, David." And I put them on.

He said, "There! Now I can see you!"

HaHaHaHaHa!!!!

Hope you have a Happy, Happy Easter and dye some eggs...even if you don't have kids!

I Actually Baked a Cake...Imagine That!

2010-04-01T21:09:00.001-06:00

Not the best picture of it, but I made this for a pink and brown baby shower. Couldn't get all fancy because it is my famous "Margarita Cake" and the icing on that particular cake is all light and fluffy and can't be manipulated like buttercream or fondant. The bow I made out of chocolate fondant and gumpaste, and the ladybugs and butterflies are gumpaste that I molded and then painted pink and brown. And now I must go clean up the giant mess I made while baking and decorating said cake!

Cannot Get Enough!

2010-03-29T08:35:00.003-06:00

I was surfing the Internet recently, looking for a good recipe for sweet potato fries, when I accidentally came across this avocado dip recipe from Ingrid Hoffman on the Food Network Website. It is the recipe for a dip that she eats with her sweet potato fries. I didn't have all the necessary spices for her version of the fries, but the dip recipe looked really, really good, so I decided to make it anyway and now the girl and I are totally addicted!

We eat it on carrot sticks mainly, but also on "Hint of Salt Saltine Crackers"...because I'm allowed to eat those. I have also put it on my breakfast tacos, and it was amazing there too. I suspect it's pretty good on chips, although I'm not allowed to eat those, so you'll have to try that one out for yourself. I still haven't tried the version of sweet potato fries that are supposed to accompany the dip, but I have several sweet potatoes just waiting to be made into fries, so I'll be checking that out soon too!

As with most recipes, I did change things up just a bit to fit in with my diet needs as well as palate choices. So you can click the link above to get the original recipe, or if you like a bit more avocado and a lot more kick, you can try my version below. One tip I will point out is to use Haas Avocados in this dip. In Ingrid's recipe she mentions that Haas Avocados will produce a smoother dip...she is correct! I used a different kind on my latest batch because they were on sale, and the dip came out with small chunks that I could not process out. It still tastes good, but smoother is just nicer with a veggie dip. Also, the original recipe calls for you to remove the seeds from your jalapeno before adding it to the dip. Ahem. We are Texas women over here, and that would have just been sacrilegious...plus, the girl likes her heat!

TEXAS-STYLE AVOCADO DIP

Ingredient List:
2 Haas Avocados (be sure they're ripe...aka soft)
1 jalapeno
1 tablespoon diced red onion
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1/3 cup cream cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
ground pepper

Putting it all Together:
Slice the avocado in half and remove the pit. Scoop the meat of the avocado out of the skin with a spoon, cut into chunks and toss in the food processor.
Slice the jalapeno in half-lengthwise, then in half-lengthwise again, then dice into smaller bits and throw it all into the food processor with the avocado...seeds and all!
Mince the clove of garlic and add it and the onion to the food processor as well.
Cut the cream cheese into small chunks and throw it in with everything else.
Add the mayo and the lime juice and get ready to blend!
Process at high speed until all ingredients are well blended and smooth.
Add pepper to taste.

DIG IN!

*Note: the above picture is random, not an actual picture of this dip. This dip will be a lovely pale, pale green and very smooth. Also, I have tried this with low-fat cream cheese, and light mayo. I kept the light mayo, but went back to regular cream cheese because it made the dip too runny to use the low fat version...AND the low fat/fat free cream cheese has more salt in it than the regular version. While I'm allowed a very small amount of dairy each day, salt is a big no-no, so that influenced my choice as well. But feel free to experiment with what you like and make it any way you want!

Please Help Spread the Word!

2010-03-24T14:23:00.002-06:00

My dear friend,Kelli got some more bad news last week regarding her quest for a new kidney. The living donor that was looking so promising has been ruled out, and they are running out of people to be tested. This is just one in a several setbacks Kelli has faced on this journey, and she reveals many of them, including how YOU might possibly help in this post. If you can't do anything else, could you please help by spreading the word through your Twitter, Facebook, and blogs? You never know who is out there reading who may be able to save the life of one of my best- friends-that-I've-never-met. :)

Thank you so much!

There's Something in the Air

2010-03-23T05:04:00.003-06:00

As I've been lying around doing a whole lot of nothing other than coughing and moaning pitifully, I managed to catch up on my blog reading. I have missed visiting everyone and it was fun to get back in touch. But this post by Bev had me in stitches! Just trying to picture Bev shooting snakes and scorpions from the safety of her front porch was a mental video worth watching, but this little paragraph hit home the hardest.

"My Dad tells me you need to stand at least 12 feet away from a skunk before you shoot it. He learned this after pelting one with a big rock, and coming home to have his mother strip him bare naked in the front yard and put him in the horse trough before she'd let him back in the house. I'm taking his word for it when I deal with the skunk we've seen on our carport twice already."

You see, last week, my next-door neighbor told us that a skunk had gotten into her garage and sprayed the place (perhaps one of her bajillion cats gave it a scare, who knows), but the spraying was strategic. It was almost like an episode of "24" if, you know, terrorists were, in fact, really skunks.

Said skunk, not only stunk up her garage, but managed to get the spray into the heating system of her house!

We had a little cold snap here recently.

And now her whole house smells like skunk.

She said she couldn't even sleep there. I'm thinking that would be the least of my concerns. I mean seriously, I bet that smell is in everything: the furniture, the walls, ALL OF HER CLOTHES!!!

I'm also thinking she's probably really glad she's got that camper parked in her driveway so that she at least has a place to breathe. But I bet she's wishing she had put a few extra sets of clothes in that camper right about now....and maybe that Jack Bauer had been on the case...those terrorist-skunks wouldn't have had a chance!

Hey There, Remember Me?

2010-03-20T17:17:00.003-06:00

Well hello there strangers! I know, I know, I've been MIA for a month! When I last posted, I told you we were all sick over here. We were sick for 2 weeks! BLAH! Then, once we started to feel better, I was spending all my time trying to catch up on schoolwork and housework around here. Then just as I began to see a light at the end of the tunnel, we got hit with another virus...UGH!I'm telling you, my kids are rarely sick, and never for more than a day or two, but this winter has been awful! I know there's a lot going around, but good grief!
Anyway, I decided it was time to at least poke my head in over here and check in with everyone.
Besides being sick, we have been extremely busy around here since Christmas. I've drastically cut back on the number of cakes I'm doing because life was getting out of control, but I did do this one for my church friend's 40th birthday surprise party. She loves flowers, so I was able to put to use that gumpaste flower class I took 2 years ago. :) Unfortunately, this was right after I had burned my thumb and I found it really difficult to form the roses, so there aren't nearly as many on here as I would have liked.

I made another cake for a wedding shower during this time, but I don't have that picture on this computer, so I'll have to post that another time.
Both the girl and the #2 boy had birthdays at the end of January, and while the boy wanted nothing special, and no fancy cake, the girl had other ideas! She had her first-ever sleepover party with two of her friends.

There was lots and LOTS of Disney's Sing It on the Wii.

After they were all sung-out, they all got in their jammies with popcorn and their new Knifty Knitters (party gifts) and watched The Game Plan.

And of course, there was cake. Mmmm, chocolate microphone!

And then, in my spare time...lol...I've taken up knitting! It started as a way to avoid snacking while I watched tv with the family, and has ended up a passion. I started with hats due to the fact that the girl and I needed stocking hats with ponytail holes in them. I mean really, have you ever tried to wear a stocking hat with a ponytail...it looks like a tumor growing out of the back of your head! So I made a few hats and scarves, and then I made a couple of shoulder shrugs for the girl. Then, I got an invitation to a baby shower and decided to try and make my first baby blanket. I've got to find out how to take those really good pictures that show the detail of the stitches, but for now...here you go.
And that should pretty much catch you all up on life around here lately. We are heading toward the Spring Dance Recital for the girl, and she will dance 10 times in this year's recital! So that's going to be a blast, and the boys are off this weekend for another motorcycle event. They all got trophies at the last one, so the year has started off well for all of our extra-curriculars...now if we could just quit getting sick...2010 will be a MUCH better year!

Late to the Party...as usual

2010-02-18T13:55:00.002-06:00

Hey there, I'm lying here sick as a dog and catching up on email messages when I saw that I had missed a very important message.

My dear, dear blogging sister Kelli has been waiting almost 4 years for a new kidney. Obviously, this is an issue close to my heart. It is time for Kelli to get her kidney. Things are finally in place to test donors and the search has begun to save my friend's life. Since, as I mentioned, I'm really sick and coherent thoughts are not possible, I'm just going to copy and paste the information I received.

If you don't know Kelli, I highly recommend that you spend some time in the archives of her blog Living in Grace. After you get to know her, please consider how you might be able to help. Not only does Kelli need a living kidney donor, but she also needs financial gifts to pay for expenses associated with the whole process that insurance doesn't cover. Thanks for taking the time to pray for and help my friend.

I will now return to my not-quite-but-really-close-to-death bed.

Thank you for offering to be a part of the call for living kidney donors, and to help with our fundraising efforts. It is a true blessing for this family, and we love you all.

Here is the basic info on being a living kidney donor and the process. Feel free to put in out in whatever way you see fit, letting me know if you need further info or anything.

1) I will be listed with OHSU in Portland, OR. If someone is interested, they should contact us at jkbach@comcast.net and we will get them the contact info they need.

2) Because of some complications, I will most likely not be able to use a cadaver donor, although I have been listed with another hospital on the UNOS list for 3 years.

3) I will need donor with the A or O blood type. If you don't know your blood type, they will have you get tested.

4) All medical costs are billed directly back to OHSU where my insurance covers 100% of all incurred costs. This allows the donor candidate to have all testing up to the end done at their local hospital or Dr. office at on charge to them.

5) Pre-screening involves an over the phone health questionnaire, then a simple blood test where my blood and theirs are combined and cross-matched. If that is ok, then they will have a series of tests done locally to them and billed directly to my insurance.

6) All this will lead up to a scheduled date for everyone to meet in Portland for transplant. The process, from the time a suitable candidate is found, is about 3 months to the actual surgery.

7) Fundraising is currently under way for all costs not covered by insurance (all non-medical). This includes things like travel and lodging for the donor, my housing and support for the month or more I am required to stay in Portland after surgery, etc.

We are going to be using giveitforward.org for the fundraising efforts.

The fundraiser is located at:

http://www.giveforward.org/kidney4kelli/

Thank you again everyone, and please let me know if I can give you more information.

Kelli

She's Back!

2010-02-03T09:10:00.002-06:00

P.J. Sugar that is! If you recall, two of my favorite fiction characters by Susan May Warren are Josey, and P.J. Sugar. Both are intriguing, insightful, and very, very funny. So, I was absolutely delighted when I received my copy of the second book in the P.J. Sugar series, "Double Trouble"! The story picks up almost where the "Nothing But Trouble" left off, so I don't feel as if I've missed out on anything while waiting...patiently, ahem...for the second book. :)

The story is filled with all the things I loved about the first book: P.J. getting herself into dangerous situations that she thinks she can handle by herself, but never can; two guys fighting both to protect, and love her--one a former Navy SEAL, and her boss-- the other, her high school sweetheart and fellow trouble-maker turned police detective. Romance, mystery, and lots and lots of laugh-out-loud humor make this yet another of my favorite Susan May Warren books. It's a fun and entertaining read that holds your attention and leaves you wanting more.

And more there is! Susan is giving away an amazing prize package to celebrate the release of the book, and it is just as fun as the book itself! You can click on the "Double the Sass" button above to enter the Double Trouble Prize Package Giveaway! The giveaway ends February 28th, so hurry up and go enter! Details are below.

Prize Details

Double Trouble, the brand new PJ Sugar novel by Susan May Warren, is in stores now! To celebrate the release, we’re running a HUMDINGER of a contest!!

One Grand Prize winner will receive a $150 SUPER SLEUTH prize package that includes:

* A brand new iPod Shuffle (perfect for those all-night stakeouts)

* A $10 iTunes gift card (we recommend the ALIAS soundtrack)

* A $10 Amazon gift card (why yes, they do sell spy pens)

* A $10 Starbucks gift card (for fuel, obviously)

* A pair of designer sunglasses (be stealthy AND super chic)

* A gorgeous scarf from World Market (can also be used as a blindfold, and/or for tying up bad guys)

* AND signed copies of both Nothing But Trouble & Double Trouble. (romance! danger! intrigue! sooo much better than Surveillance for Dummies!)

We’ll announce our super sleuth winner on March 1st.

Giveaway Going on Over at The Preacher's Wife!

2010-01-19T21:51:00.003-06:00

One of my all-time favorite blogger/friends has written a book! I can't wait to read it myself, and I definitely plan on buying a copy or three for some friends of mine. But Lisa is also giving away copies at her blog, so go over there and check it out!

Compassion International Disaster Relief Updates

2010-01-13T20:37:00.003-06:00

Through Compassion International, I was able to give just $35 and provide food and clean water to a family of Earthquake victims in Haiti for an entire week. There are many other ways to help if you want to as well. If you have a link or information to share, please feel free to leave it in the comments.

Sad and Proud....all at the same time.

2010-01-11T09:04:00.004-06:00

It's no secret to any of you that I'm a fan of The Texas Longhorns. But this past 4 years, I've become not only a team fan, but a player fan as well. For the past 4 years, my team has been led by Colt McCoy. This picture is my computer desktop wallpaper. And I chose it because it's obvious that Colt is giving God praise, but when I opened the thumbnail in full screen for the first time, I liked the picture even better. If you click on it to enlarge it, and then look at Colt's right arm, you will notice a wristband that reads, "I Am Second". I wear that same wristband. It's a testament to the world, that in my life, and Colt's :), God is first...always.

In fact, Colt doesn't just wear the wristband. He recorded a video for the "I Am Second" project. Here is what he had to say about both God and football.

Just words? It's easy to sit in a room full of Christians and talk about living out your faith on the football field, but how easy is it to actually do it? After being injured in the opening drive of the biggest football game of his life, and having to endure the suffering of watching the team he has led for 4 years fight for victory and come up just short of football glory, this was his response to the world.

And it isn't just Colt either. His favorite receiver and best friend, Jordan Shipley, openly shares his faith, as does field goal kicker, Hunter Lawrence. In fact the two of them are known for sharing scriptures with each other before games, and during games for encouragement, and confidence.

All in all, this has been a wonderful class to be able to cheer for at The University of Texas. So, while I am sad that they didn't get to bring home the national championship, I'm very proud to be a Longhorn fan at this particular moment in time.

Oh, and Colt, if you're reading this, I have an amazing daughter who is about to be nine, if you could just hold off finding Mrs. Right until she is old enough to date, I'd really appreciate it. :) [It's only going to be about 15 to 20 years...you can wait that long, right?]

Seen and Heard

2010-01-08T16:52:00.003-06:00

Today I was working with Maddie on a History review. The material was comprehensive including all that we have studied so far this year. Since we take off school from Thanksgiving through the New Year, it's been a little tough to get back into the swing of things. And some of that material from way back in September can elude the 8 year old brain, you know?

So, taking this into consideration, I was trying to prompt her with some leading questions to see if she couldn't bring some of that long ago information back to mind.

Her question read something like this, "______________ time is when the farmer prepares the meat for us to buy in the market."

She was struggling to remember, so I prompted her with this question.

"What do you call it when they kill the pig to get the meat?"

Her answer, "Pork?" :)

"Well yes, the pig meat is called pork. How about the man in the market who cuts the meat so we can buy it. Do you remember what he is called?"

Her answer, "The Pork Chopper?" Bwah-ha-ha-ha!

*By the way, the answer is Butchering Time... in case you were wondering. :)

Ask and You Shall Receive!

2010-01-07T17:38:00.003-06:00

Okay, so after having absolutely NOTHING worth posting yesterday, I had my eyes wide open for anything that might be remotely interesting to post. Lo and behold.....

On our way home from dance class, we had to stop for a red light. As we were sitting there, the lady one lane over and one car up from ours, opened up her door. My attention turned to see what she might be doing, and I noticed that she was holding in her hand a travel mug. I assumed that she was about to pour an old beverage out onto the street.

But I was wrong.

As I watched, I noticed that she was dipping a tea bag up and down in her cup. I was wondering why she was about to pour out a cup of tea that she had seemingly just made? It occurred to me that perhaps it wasn't the tea that she was pouring out, but I just couldn't fathom that I could be right about the only other possible thing she could be doing.

But I was right.

She then proceeded to squeeze the tea bag and DROP IT IN THE STREET!

She then closed her door, the light turned green, and she drove away!

Honestly, have you ever seen anything like that?

I've seen people toss apple cores, chewing gum, banana peels, etc. out of a car window on the highway, but I've never seen someone make a cup of tea and drop the tea bag onto Main Street and drive away. Definitely a first for me!

So tell me, what is the strangest thing you've ever seen on the streets of your hometown?

Well this is embarrassing...

2010-01-06T17:46:00.002-06:00

For the life of me, I can't think of anything to blog about! Life seems to be so totally crazy/busy, and yet, I can't think of anything interesting enough to share with you....ho-hum.

I have taken up knitting. And I'm reading the sequel to the wonderful book, "The Friday Night Knitting Club", which is titled "Knit Two", and I'm enjoying that. But neither is really good blog-fodder just yet. I'm not good enough at the knitting yet to show off any projects. And I'm not far enough into the book yet to give it a decent review.

I am excited about the new season of 24, LOST, American Idol, and Burn Notice! But since they haven't started yet, there isn't much to talk about is there?

The Biggest Loser did start last night, and that was fun. It's always fun watching Bob and Jillian torture OTHER people. :)

The grandparents bought the kids a Wii for Christmas, so Ben bought the Wii Fit Plus for me. (Because I asked, NOT because he thought I needed it!) ;)

When I had my first "Wii Fit" Session, it told me that my "Wii Fit Age" was 46...oops! But after only one week, I've brought that down to 34--and since that is 10 years younger than my actual age, I'm liking the Wii Fit just a bit more this week. :)

I'm still not making much running progress, but I did join a "Lose it for Life" class at my church, and we do a 3.2 mile walk together once a week before the class starts, and although the hills are still kicking my behind, I'm able to hang in there with the rest of them, and have worked up to walking an average 18 minute mile. Which is about 2 min. per mile better than I was able to walk before. I'm not sure if it's the kidney issues or what, but my leg fatigue just isn't getting better fast enough for me to be able to jog for more than a few minutes, and then if I go ahead and try to push through it, my recovery time is way too long and I end up not going at all. My doctor recommended that I just stick to walking so that I could be more consistent with it, so I think I'll take his advice on that one.

So that's it. I told you I had nothing interesting to say! I think I need to take some time to go and catch up on reading some of my favorite blogs and try to get some inspiration!

I did make some cookies and one cake over the holidays, but I don't have pictures ready to post, so I can't even offer you that! Sigh.

I think I'll give up now and just sign off, and hope that something GOOD happens for me to share with you all tomorrow! :)

The God Boots

2010-01-04T16:29:00.001-06:00

As you know, the weeks just before Christmas were a bit crazy with dancing and whatnot, but what you may not know is that the weather was even crazier. We have had the coldest, and wettest Fall in a sweet forever around here. In fact, it's felt more like Seattle than Texas lately!

Well, as you can imagine running a girl to dance class in cold, wet weather was not pleasant. Add to that the fact that her normal flip-flops were not working to go to class in, and her only boots are made of a very nice suede. So each day, it was a decision to freeze her toes off, or ruin her good boots...sigh. (It is important to wear shoes that are easy to get on and off, because they have to change into their various dance shoes when they get there.) I mentioned to the girl that it would be really nice if we could find her some waterproof boots that were also warm before she had to start her crazy Christmas schedule of 8 dance performances in 9 days! She agreed.

Unfortunately, we were low on cash, and with Christmas fast approaching, new boots didn't seem like a "necessary" expense. So I told the girl that we were just going to have to ask God for new boots. She looked at me and said, "Mom! You can't ask God for BOOTS!" I explained to her that God didn't just provide the basics for His children, but that He loves to bless us as well, and that anything that we need, we can ask Him to provide.

Fast forward to the very next day!

I was making a Sam's Club and she was still at home getting ready to go to yet another dance class. On my way into the store, I stopped to walk around a giant puddle of water, and noticed the corner of a bill sticking up out of the water. I picked it up and it was a $20 bill. I wasn't really sure that we could get what we were looking for with only $20, but I was convinced that this was God's provision for her new boots, and that He knew just how much they would cost.

I called her up and told her to be ready a few minutes early because we had a stop to make on the way to class. It occurred to me that we had not yet looked at Academy Sports for boots, and since there is one right near our house, I decided to try there. I picked her up, told her how I'd found the money and that we were going to see if it would be enough to get her some boots.

We walked to the shoe department and right on the end-cap was a display of weather-proof winter boots ON SALE FOR $17.99!!! They had her size, and they had her colors...pink and black. We bought the boots and with tax and everything, it was just under $20.

What an amazing testimony to my daughter, (and myself!) that God truly wants to bless us, not just with our "daily bread" but with our wants and desires as well. :)

MISSING TEEN IN THE AUSTIN AREA

2009-12-16T10:25:00.002-06:00

This message was sent to my church this morning from another church. If you live around here, please be on the lookout for this boy.

Family and Friends,

One of the boys in our youth group at Northwest Fellowship church has been missing since 7:00 PM last night. Please forward this email to everyone in your address book. He was last seen wearing a grey sweatshirt and black basketball shorts. May have put sweatpants on since. He is driving a 1997 Isuzu Rodeo SUV. License plate 432-FMC. He is 17 and some might think this is just normal behavior for a 17 year old but it isn't for Isaac. He is a very responsible and conscientious young man. He was last seen driving East on FM 620 headed toward Hwy 183 in Austin. His name is Isaac Crone. If you have any information - please contact Matt Zurek at 512-233-9817 or Joe Elliott at 512-736-7059.

Thank you so much!

Once Upon a Time, in a Galaxy Far, Far, Away...I Baked a Cake

2009-12-12T13:54:00.004-06:00

R2D2 is vanilla cake with Rice Krispie Treat Legs and everything is covered in a mixture of Fondant and Modelling Chocolate, and painted with petal dust and finally steamed to make it all nice and shiny! :)

The response when I delivered it? "Wow, it's so much better than I expected!" Which is what I like to hear! It's so much better than, "Wow, I expected it to be better than that!" :)

Hello. Is anybody there?

2009-12-08T16:12:00.006-06:00

Hello everyone. I'm so sorry for the unannounced bloggy break. It was an equipment failure this time. My computer power cord went bad, and I was not able to use the computer to get on and post. :( The new cord came in today's mail however, and here I am!

Sadly, I only have 16 minutes until the girl is out of dance class, and so I don't have time to catch everyone up on the past few weeks. I do have some Nutcracker pictures for you though. I hope to have a good video to post later in the week, but the one I took last week didn't come out right, so I'm going to try it again this week. Until then, here a a few pictures of my beautiful snowflake as she's both waiting for her turn to dance, and rehearsing before the performance. :)

I Bought the New Switchfoot CD....because Chris Sligh Told Me To!

2009-11-16T10:19:00.001-06:00

If you don't know by now that I'm musicaholic...you really haven't been paying attention. I mean seriously, my name is MELODY for pity's sake. It's kind of a given don't you think? When Ben and I decided it was time to switch churches several years ago, I had two criteria for wherever we were going to attend: A good children's program, and a strong youth group with leaders that I could trust, and an amazing worship team! I didn't care so much about the quality of the singing, just the quality of the worship. I learn the most in church from the worship, not as much from the teaching--although the teaching is a factor as well, I can do alright when the teaching is weak as long as the worship isn't. (Pastor Jack, in case you're reading this, I didn't have to compromise on either when I found NHCC...you both rock!)

At any rate, I said all that to say this... I LOVE MUSIC!

And I'm always looking for new music to add to my collection. I need different music for different seasons in my life. Dennis Jernigan got me through a tough time years ago. Chris Sligh brought me back to the place of wanting to be a vessel that God not only uses, but is pleased with. Mandisa gives me hope and reminds me that God not only loves, but He forgives, and restores.

But I was ready for something new. I was tired, and apathetic toward life. I needed a boost. I wanted to be able to play music that the kids wouldn't think was lame, but would still lift up the Lord. And then Chris Sligh sent out a tweet on Twitter that said, "I just bought the new Switchfoot CD, and you should too."

The last CD I bought that Chris Sligh recommended was really good, so I felt like maybe I should check this one out....besides, I follow Switchfoot on Twitter too, so I'd heard lots about this new album already. And while my daughter and I both love gospel and country music, my boys and my husband are rockers. So I thought perhaps Switchfoot would be something good to introduce them to as they are entering into their teenage years...you know, rock-and-roll-without-the-rebellion. And immediately after Chris's tweet, Kris Allen sent one about how good the CD was, so I took that as a sign from God. :)

So, I bought it. And while I was in the store, I saw the new Carrie Underwood CD...and I bought that too. (See love for gospel and country music above.) Then a few days later, I found Taylor Swift's Christmas CD at a really good price, and since I always allow myself one or two new Christmas CDs each year, I bought that too.

Then this past weekend, I went to the Women of Faith Conference, and Steven Curtis Chapman was there and blew me away. So when I was purchasing my book/music package, I chose his newest CD and Sheila Walsh's newest...because I love her, and we got to choose two!

The last day of the Women of Faith Weekend, Nicole C. Mullen sang...and knocked my socks off--which was tough to do because I was wearing boots. So when I got home, I had to use my Family Christian Stores 25% shopping spree to pick up a couple of her CDs and to order her DVD concert. I needed the DVD so I could show my kids the dancing. And also because somewhere in the back of my head I am hoping that if I could learn to do those dances--in the privacy of my bedroom mind you--perhaps I could look like she does! I mean seriously, we've both had 4 kids...but I actually look like I've had 4 kids...while Nicole most definitely does NOT!
(While I was at the conference I sent out a tweet that I wanted to be Marilyn Meberg when I grew up, but now I need to qualify that statement. I want to be Marilyn with Nicole's arms! ) :)

So, how about you, do you have any new music that has just knocked your socks off? I have decided that I like each of my new CDs for very different reasons, and there are different songs on each one that speak to me, so I am planning to write several different posts over the next few weeks or so, introducing you all to some of my favorites. I hereby declare Mondays to be "Music Mondays" from now until I run out of stuff to say about music! Want to join in? If you are interested, I can post a Mr. Linky and we can all share our music with each other. Leave me a comment if you are interested, so I'll know to invite Mr. Linky along for the ride!

And now, I'm going to leave you with my absolute favorite song from Carrie Underwood's latest CD--Play On. I have reminded myself many, many times since I heard it, that this is not where I belong...it's just windows and rooms that I'm passing through...

Talk About a Lost Mission....

2009-11-15T09:36:00.004-06:00

I need your help. I dropped a ball. My friends at Litfuse sent me a book to read and share with you, and I totally let it slip through the cracks that are my life. So, here's where you can help me out. Go out and buy yourself a copy of this book, then buy another one to give to a friend (Christmas is coming you know), and maybe even another one to donate to your local library. Then go around and tell everyone that you know that you found out about this book here, and maybe I can redeem myself to those who send me these books! :)

But seriously, let's talk about this book. This book is quite different from most of the fiction that I read. I read a lot of what I call conversational fiction-- books that read like normal, everyday conversations. This book isn't like that. This book is more like the combination of a spiritual journey on an archaeological dig. And you have to pay attention, or you're going to miss the details.

"Lost Mission follows Lupe de la Garza, a simple shopkeeper in a mountain village in Mexico, on a quest guided by her people's greatest treasure: an altarpiece painted by the eighteenth century Franciscan friar who founded her village after fleeing the mysterious destruction of his California mission outpost. When Lupe is distracted by desire for a young minister who rescues her from certain death in the Arizona desert, and when her preaching in a southern California beach town inspires only apathy and laughter, she begins to lose faith in her quest. Then the slumbering evil that destroyed the friar's Franciscan mission rises up again after two hundred years, and Lupe once more looks to the altarpiece for guidance, only to find he true purpose in the midst of her single greatest fear.

Lost Mission was inspired by news of bishops from Africa and Latin America traveling to the United States to offer guidance to churches, and churches in South Korea sending more missionaries around the world than America. Dickson began thinking about what it means to go from being a country that offers spiritual help to other nations, to being a country that needs spiritual help from some of those nations, and thus the idea for Lost Mission was born."

The book tells two different stories at the same time. Two stories that happened centuries apart, but are linked by a spiritual and generational connection. The story is so complex, that it can't be categorized into one label. The press release on this book says that it "Explores Generational Consequences", but it is so much more than that. How do you feel about illegal immigration, and border patrols? What about our relationship with other nations? Could your personal choices today affect many generations in the future? If you aren't interested in exploring those questions, then don't read this book....because this book will make you think about those things. This book will make you pray about those things. And this book will make you truly consider that you CAN make a difference in this world.

The question is, what kind of difference do you want to make?

About the book: What haunting legacy awaits deep beneath the barrios and wealthy enclaves of Southern California?
A billionaire
driven mad by grief.

A pastor
in love with the wrong woman.

An illegal immigrant
desperate to feed his family.
Only Lupe de la Garza can save them from the ancient evil lurking in a lost mission's ruins, but it will take an act of faith beyond all human power. An idyllic Spanish mission collapses in the eighteenth century atop the supernatural evidence of a shocking crime. Twelve generations later the ground is opened up, the forgotten ruins are disturbed, and rich and poor alike confront the onslaught of resurging hell on earth. Caught up in the catastrophe are... · A humble shopkeeper compelled to leave her tiny village deep in Mexico to preach in America · A minister wracked with guilt for loving the wrong woman · An unimaginably wealthy man, blinded to the consequences of his grand plans · A devoted father and husband driven to a horrible discovery that changes everything Will the evil that destroyed the Misión de Santa Dolores rise to overwhelm them? Or will they beat back the terrible desires that led to the mission's good Franciscan founder's standing in the midst of flames ignited by his enemies and friends alike more than two centuries ago? From the high Sierra Madre mountains to the harsh Sonoran desert, from the privileged world of millionaire moguls to the impoverished immigrants who serve them, Athol Dickson once again weaves a gripping story of suspense that spans centuries and cultures to explore the abiding possibility of miracles.

I'm Stumped....

2009-11-03T15:26:00.003-06:00

I have no earthly idea what to write about today....

Not a clue...

And besides that, I'm sitting here with Jon, trying to blog and help him with his math page all at the same time. He's not a big fan of multiplication or division...or really school in general, so it's a great big love fest over here right now.

On the bright side, The Biggest Loser is on tonight! Yea! I think this might actually be the year that Bob beats Jillian...but knowing this show, they will probably all switch trainers again before it's over, so who really knows. Last week's elimination was a tear-jerker for me, how about you? I loved Abby, and I can't imagine losing my entire family the way she did, but it was so good to see her giving those motivational speeches and to see how much weight she's lost since leaving the ranch. It's so obvious that God is helping her to get through this, and I hope that He gives her back 10 times what she lost...just like Job!

Okay, I seriously have nothing to say, so let's get a discussion going instead, shall we? Let's talk about the new season of television! What is your favorite NEW show this fall? I have been pleasantly surprised by "The Good Wife". It wasn't at all what I expected, and I really like it. However, I'm really liking the new NCIS as well. I've never been a big fan of spin-offs, and I've never seen any of the CSIs except the original, but I do like this new NCIS. I don't like it as much as the original...it is a totally different show, but I do like it. Putting Linda Hunt in the cast as "Hetty" was a great idea. I love her, and I love the way that no matter what character she plays, she invokes fear in everyone around her!

So, what's your favorite new show of the season?

I Really Should Stop Watching the Television....

2009-11-02T17:22:00.004-06:00

As most of you know, I'm a bit obsessed with crime dramas on the tv. And if you've been reading here since the beginning, you will remember that I am a little particular about the forensic evidence I have on me...just in case something happens to me, and a CSI team has to investigate.

And if you've read here in the past week, you will know that I also had to renew my driver's license recently.

And here is where the two things collide...

For the past 12 years, I've been able to renew my driver's license online. Which means that they simply take the picture that they already have on file and put it on a new license with updated dates, etc. and pop it in the mail to me....SOOOO convenient!

However, this year I was once again required to show up at the DPS office in person to renew...sigh. So, I spent many, many, hours there last month waiting to renew my license and take my new picture....HUGE sigh. (I really liked my old picture.)

Not only did I have to fill out extra forms because I have been diagnosed with a chronic disease since my last renewal, but I've also gotten glasses. Wearing glasses means that I have to take an eye test there in the DPS office so they know if I have to be wearing them when I drive. That way, they can list "must wear corrective lenses" as a restriction on my license. Well, my glasses are really more for seeing things close-up, and I don't actually need them to drive a car. So, I passed the eye test for driving just fine.

However, it didn't occur to me that when they went to take my new picture, that they would make me take the glasses off. Apparently, you may only wear your glasses in your Driver's License picture if you must wear them to drive.

I know that right about now you're thinking to yourself, "so????" Well here it comes....

One of my favorite crime dramas is "Criminal Minds" -- although I have to record it and watch it during the day, because it's too creepy to watch right before bedtime! So anyway, there was an episode last season where the team is investigating the murder of a man and his wife when they stopped their car to help another motorist. Now, as they are investigating, they look at the man's driver's license and notice that...He has NO "corrective lenses" stipulation on his driver's license, and yet he is wearing glasses! This in turn leads them to the fact that this crime was committed by a serial killer who leaves an item from his previous victim somewhere on his newest victim's person...in this case, the glasses. You can see where this is going can't you??

All I could think of when she asked me to take off my glasses was that episode! I mean really, if someone murders me in my car, the police are going to see my glasses, look at my license and assume that the killer left the glasses! It's going to completely throw off the investigation!

Now for the record, I haven't worn my forensic bracelets for some time. I've had to start wearing a medical id bracelet listing all my medical issues, drug interaction, and drug allergy information, and they don't really go together very well. So, I've had to let that obsession go... and I've been successful in doing so. And I have high hopes that soon, I will be able to get in the car to go somewhere and the first thought that runs through my mind won't be whether or not I should take off my glasses....just in case! :)

Babies and Cakes...What More Could You Ask For?

2009-10-31T09:13:00.005-06:00

A few weeks ago, I was asked to make a birthday cake for a girl turning 16. She was getting her driver's license and a new car for her birthday, so we decided on a driver's license cake for her.

I obviously had to cover up her personal information, but I wanted you to see the cake. :) I copied as much of the detail of my own license as I could do with icing to make it as authentic as possible. The funny thing was, on my way home from delivering the cake, I stopped by the mailbox, and my new license was waiting for me... it is completely different from the old one, so her brand new license looks nothing like the cake I made! Fortunately, I don't think she has hers yet, so hopefully, her dad still has the old one, and that was her point of reference also. :)
[Besides, the new format wouldn't have looked as good as a cake!]

This past Wednesday was a very busy day. I made a cake for our church's youth group "Holly"ween party. Every year they do some sort of themed party and all the youth have to dress according to that theme. This year it was a Hollywood theme as well as a murder mystery night. So, the cake order was for an elegant cake with a Hollywood/Movies theme. I got the idea from a cake I saw online, but I changed it up and added pictures of the youth group during some of their mission trips to the film reel that is unwinding around the cake. The entire thing was edible. The film reel was cake and gumpaste, the film was chocolate, and the cake was a black and white cake--each tier being one layer of chocolate and one of vanilla.

And while I was making the "Holly"ween cake, my niece was having her baby. Now, when you consider that she's been working on that new little grand-niece for the past nine months, that obviously took longer....but when you just look at the labor part, the cake took longer than the labor....by several hours. Obviously, I'd rather be decorating a cake than being in labor, but I must admit, that when I was all finished and the cake was delivered, all I was left with was a dirty kitchen and a pile of dishes. Alyssa, got this...

I think she wins.

Aspirations

2009-10-27T15:00:00.002-06:00

As I said, we had a great time in Luckenbach this weekend. I'd love to tell you all about the event, and what it is for, but I just remembered a few hours ago that I have a big cake project to make for an event tomorrow evening....yikes! So, I'm running around like a crazy person today and tomorrow to get it finished.

In the meantime, I can share with you the video that my husband took of the Trials Demonstration that two of the Mizell brothers put on for all the spectators. My boys can't do all of these tricks yet, but someday....

There's No Running in Luckenbach...

2009-10-26T15:47:00.004-06:00

Got back yesterday from a fabulous weekend in Luckenbach, Tx. The weather was perfect, the camping was fun, and my boys did well in their Trial's Competition. I'll post all about it soon, but I need to upload some video and stuff first. [Besides, life in Luckenbach is slower paced and not conducive to a post about running. :)]

In the meantime, I figure I'd better finish the running info. that I promised...just in case anyone has been on the edge of their seats waiting for it. :)

I already gave you all my training secrets, but I've picked up some race-day secrets from some real runners that have been extremely helpful in actually finishing a race strong, and I thought it might be nice if I shared them with you!

First of all, when you begin training, sign up for a race that's a month or so away to give you motivation to keep training. A 5K is a good distance for your first race, and having that goal in mind when you train can be a huge asset.

Secondly, when you start the race, your adrenaline will be pumping, and you will tend to start the race at a quicker pace than you are used to running. This will tire you out too quickly and you may find that you have lost all your juice before the race is over. A trick I learned from a running trainer is to start with smaller steps than usual, and even a slightly slower pace than you are used to. He said it should almost feel uncomfortable, like you want to break out into a full run. If you have been training and find that you can run 2.0-2.5 miles, but just can't get to that 3rd mile mark, try this approach. Generally, if you run this way for the first .5-1.0 mile, and then move into your normal, comfortable gait, you will find that you still have energy to finish that 3.1 miles. (This is what I did before my first race and it worked. The first time I tried it, I ran the full 3.1 miles and I had power to run the last 100 yards or so, full out.) The mantra is, "It's better to finish strong, than to start strong and fizzle out."

And the third tip I got from reading Kristen Armstrong's running blog. She said that during one race, she decided to stop and walk when she was handed her cup of water along the route. She walked for just a minute or so as she drank the water, and then started running again. She said that it made a big difference in her ability to finish the race strong. (I believe she was running a 1/2 or full marathon at the time.)

Okay, so that's about all I've got on the running tips. Except that if you happen to be blessed enough to own or be able to buy an iPod Nano with Nike+, do it! I received one as a gift, and it has been the best thing EVER for my running. It keeps track of your distance, and times. It can be programmed for a certain distance, or a certain amount of time. It can upload all of the information to Nike.com and keep track of how far you've run, and what is your average pace, etc. It's a fabulous tool, and I wouldn't run without it now that I've run with it! I use it for walking days AND running days, and it is very accurate and a great tool to see my progress--or lack of progress--as the case has been lately! :)

If you've recently started a walking, jogging, or running program, leave me a comment and let me know how it's going and anything you've learned along the way that might be helpful to me as well. And if anyone is interested in a little walking/running challenge, let me know that as well. I've got some ideas running around in my head for a marathon in a month that anyone could do, and it might be fun if people wanted to join in! Leave me your ideas and let's see what we can put together.

Time to Take a Break from Running and Read a Book!

2009-10-22T16:32:00.003-06:00

A few months after I started this blog, I began recieving requests from different companies to review different items or promote television programs for them. [Why these people think I watch a lot of tv is beyond me.... :) ] Some requests I accepted, and others I passed on. But when I accepted my first request to review a book from Amy at Litfuse, it was the start of something fabulous. Every so often, I get an email telling me about a new book that will be going on a blog tour and I have the option to join the tour, or pass. If I join the tour, Litfuse sends me a free copy of the book, a press release on it, as well as information on any give-aways or contests related to the book. It has been a great way for me to read some amazing books and to get aquainted with some amazing authors.

When I received the blog tour notice for Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey's historical fiction book, The Swiss Courier, I couldn't reply fast enough. In the first place, I love Tricia Goyer. I've reviewed several of her books here in the past, so you should all be aware of how much I admire her not only as an author, but as a Christian, and as a person. I knew that she had written some historical fiction (which has always been a favorite genre for me), but I'd not had the opportunity to ever read any of them before. This was my big chance....and it paid off ....BIG! I've got to admit that I'd never heard of Mike Yorkey before, but if he's writing with Tricia, he's got to be good, right?

Working as a Swiss transcriptionist for the Americans during WWII, Gabi Mueller's life changes overnight when she's recruited as a spy for the precursor of the CIA.

Asked to safely courier a German physicist working on the budding Nazi atomic bomb project to the Swiss border, Gabi feels the weight of the war on her shoulders. But who can she trust?

My whole family has been really interested in all things related to WWII lately. Benji is reading "The Hiding Place" for school, Ben received the movie "Valkyrie" for Father's Day and it has been watched many times in our house (by those old enough to handle it, that is), and Jonathan pretty much keeps the television tuned to The Military Channel whenever he gets the chance.

When I read the preface of the book and recognized the story of Valkyrie, I was immediately drawn in. The story of Gabi Mueller takes place after the failed Valkyrie endeavor, and is immediately both gripping and heart-warming. Gabi's father is American and her mother is Swiss giving her both duel-citizenship and the advantage of being multi-lingual. She is working as a translator for the OSS in Switzerland when she is asked by a superior to be a part of a secret operation. Her family is a loving, Christian family that instantly draws you in and makes you feel comfortable. Her job is dangerous and full of plot twists and surprises that keep you guessing, and turning page after page with very little regard for the laundry piles in the next room, or the dishes stacked next to the kitchen sink.... ahem.

I should state, for the record, that no child went without food or clothing during the reading of this book. Not sure about the husband, though. :)

Did you know that authors are now making video trailers for their books now? Well they are, and you can watch the trailer for "The Swiss Courier" right here!

And you can go here to read an excerpt from the book!

When you're finished with those, you can go to Christianbook.comor Amazon.com to buy your own copy!

[For some reason, I can't pull up the information on the blog tour for this book right now, and my battery is dying, so I am going to post this as is...and update with more information when I can get it to come up!]

Are you still running?

2009-10-21T16:44:00.004-06:00

I know, I've been MIA again...but on the bright side, while I was gone I got another follower here on the blog. So perhaps the trick to having more followers, is to stop writing! :)

In truth, I was having Google trouble again and wasn't able to log on to the blog last week at all. I tried a few different things, and it finally let me on today, so I'm not sure what I did, but apparently something worked, and so I'm back!

Now, I know that I promised part two of the "Running" post, but it's almost time for the girl to be out of dance class, so I need to be quick. And you all know that when it comes to running, I am no where near quick.

Thank you-- thank you-- I'll be here all week.

But I did want to mention something that happened during this past weekend's football game between OU and UT.

I noticed it during the game and found it curious, but it wasn't until church the next morning when it really hit me... the significance of it.

Colt McCoy had just made a good run down to about the 4 yard line, when the ball was knocked loose from his hands as he was hitting the turf. There was a question as to whether the ball came loose before or after his knee was down, so the play was under review.

The review came back and ruled it a fumble, and OU got the ball. Here's the interesting part. I watched as Colt looked up to the sky and pointed up...just the way a lot of sports figures do when they do something good---a touchdown, a homerun, or really any good play. It's not uncommon to see this act of "giving God the glory" for sports accomplishments these days. But this wasn't an accomplishment, this was a failure...of sorts.

Anyway in church the next day, we sang a new song. (I've tried to find the lyrics to it online, but I have a feeling it may have been written by someone in our church because I found 3 different songs with the same title online, and not one of them was the correct song.) But the song in essence says, "I will praise/bless the Lord at all times: when I'm strong and when I'm weak; when I succeed and when I fail; when I'm happy and when I'm sad...etc."

When the song started playing, that picture of Colt pointing to God even in his time of failure came to my mind, and it occurred to me. He gets it. He really gets it. And now, I think maybe I get it too. Thanks Colt for the lesson, and the example.

Oh, and Hook Em Horns!! :)

Run, Run, as Fast as You Can.....or Not!

2009-10-08T16:38:00.004-06:00

Yesterday, Spence Smith posted So You Wanna Run on his blog. I've been following Spence on Twitter since he was competing in the Iron Man competition earlier this year, so I was really interested in what he had to say about getting started running.

The article is a good one for covering the basics of getting started as a runner. And let me just state for the record that his comments on finding a Running Store to get fitted for running shoes are ABSOLUTELY correct! When I first started running 8 years ago, I made a grave "shoe buying error" and ended up having to have cortisone shots in my knees just to be able to walk...it was NOT fun.

I took a hiatus from the running after that, but decided to dive back in after the birth of child #4 and the diagnosis of my kidney disease. I wrote all about it here in case you missed it.

Earlier this summer, I went on another running hiatus to have a couple of kidney surgeries and what not, and have just recently begun to get back to it.

Spence's post got me thinking about the many different ways to train as a runner. Most of the "training plans" that I've seen weren't really feasible for someone in my condition, or with my schedule. I was recently discussing with my doctor the way I train, and he told me that it was actually a really good way to do it...surprise, I'm doing something right! :) Anyway, I thought I would share with you the basics of how I train to run, as well as a couple of tips I've learned along the way from actual, real runners.

First and foremost WALK FIRST!

I've been taught that you don't really want to stretch before a run, but you do want to walk. I can't remember the reasoning for this off the top of my head, but since I'm not really a very flexible person, I have embraced this rule! :)

Now the thing that is different about the way I train is keeping time. Unless you run on a treadmill with a fancy digital clock on it, it's very difficult to follow the "run for 1 minute-walk for 3 minutes" style of training. When you are running through neighborhoods, or even on running tracks, trying to keep an eye on your watch is difficult, so I came up with a plan that works better for me. I keep track by the songs I'm listening to.

I start my music and I walk for the 1st 2 songs that play. Then I run/jog through the 3rd. Then I walk the fourth, run the fifth, etc. When I'm nearing the end of my scheduled time, I walk the final two songs as a cool down. THEN it's time to stretch. You'll want to stretch out those leg and back muscles carefully to help keep you from getting sore. You will also want to drink lots of water throughout the day. This really helps keep the soreness at bay as well.

Now, I will stick with this routine for at least one full week if I'm running every day, and possible 2 weeks if I'm only running 3-4 days a week. Then the routine is to walk 2 songs, run 2 songs, walk 1 song, run 2 songs, walk 1 song, etc., again ending with walking and stretching. After a week or two of this, I go to walk 2 songs, run 3, walk 1, run 3, etc. Once I get to the point where I can run for 30 consecutive minutes without needing to stop and walk, I begin to add distance to my runs. If I'm training for a 5K (3.1 miles), I will begin to go that distance on my daily runs, I will run as long as I can, and stop and walk through 1 song only when I need a break. I then run again until I need another 1 song break. At this point, I finish the entire 3.1 miles and then finish by walking through one final song. This plan has worked wonders for me and I have trained and run in several 5K events and one 5 Mile event.

I'm out of time for posting today....part two coming soon!

I Ought to be Blogging, But...

2009-10-07T16:36:00.003-06:00

I left my netbook at home today...sigh.

I had Benji pack it all up.

He handed it to me.

I grabbed my purse.

I set the netbook down to get my keys.

I walked out the door without picking back up my netbook.

Sigh.

You are now free to go and read a blog where the blogger has actually posted something worth reading.

:)

Seen and Heard....

2009-10-06T14:38:00.004-06:00

This year, due to learning issues with #2 son Jonathan, I have switched part of his curriculum to Five in A Row. We used Before Five in a Row with the kids for pre-school, and Five in a Row for Kindergarten and First Grade with the older boys, but have gotten away from it as they got older. However, last year I did almost every subject with Jon using a different curriculum in an effort to determine what was going to work the best...you know, before all my hair turned gray, and then I pulled it all out. :)

So, after last year's "great curriculum experiment", Jon and I determined that he enjoyed reading something and then answering questions and doing projects based on that reading. Re-enter the Five in a Row curriculum! Since he is older now, he is doing the Beyond Five in a Row version which entails reading two fiction novels and two non-fiction books over the semester and doing applied math, science, geography, history, and writing assignments based on those books. (Just for those who are curious, all of the children use Alpha Omega's Switched on Schoolhouse for Language Arts and Bible, Madeleine and Benji also use it for History/Geography and Science. And they all use Math-U-See as well.)

Last week Jon had an assignment based on the 2nd chapter of "The Boxcar Children". In the chapter, the children happen upon a water fountain with 3 levels; the top level was for people to drink from, the middle for horses, and the lower for dogs. In the lesson, he also learned that Kansas City is known as "The City of Fountains" and we studied pictures of all the famous Kansas City Fountains.

His assignment was to then design a fountain that would provide water for people, horses, and dogs, and yet be decorative...somewhat like the Kansas City Fountains, thus mixing function with art.

I gave him the choice of building a fountain out of Lego's, sculpting one out of clay, or just drawing his fountain on paper. He chose drawing...because it's faster...and less work...ahem.

Anyway, the point of all this seemingly useless information is to tell you that when Jon brought his fountain design to me, I noticed that it had 4 levels rather than the required 3. I was curious as it isn't really like Jon to do any more than what is required...if that, but I chose to remain quiet on the issue, and simply ask him to tell me about his design.

This is what he said,

"The top has a cupid, and his hiney is facing the front. (he is a boy after all)
The bottom pool is for the dogs.
The second one is for the horses.
And the people drink... from...the...top... (about this time, he realized that his fountain had 4 levels rather than 3)
Oh, and THAT one up there is for people on horses!"

Bwah-ha-ha-ha!

You can never accuse my boy of non-creativity...nor of the not being able to think on his feet! :)

I'm Having Some Google Issues...

2009-10-05T15:58:00.004-06:00

***Update: Apparently, I misread Kelli's schedule for the week, and her surgeries didn't start yesterday. Yesterday was just a consultation to plan the surgeries. HOWEVER, she still needs your prayers, so the request still stands. :) ***

Hey Ya'll,

I'm very sorry that I've not updated in awhile, but for some reason, Herr Google, won't let me sign onto my very own blog...sigh. It keeps giving me the old "Timed Out: Google is taking too long to respond" message, and no matter how many times I hit the "Try Again" button, I keep getting the same message.

I am sending this little gem-o-information from my phone, but I honestly have no desire to type an entire post with my thumbs. Not to mention I can only post in html mode with the phone, which is beyond boring.

Google will, however, allow me to read other blogs, so I'm heading out to catch up with those, and I'll keep trying to gain access to my own blog so I can once again bore you with the details that are my life! :)

Oh, and if you get the notion, please pray for Kelli today. I believe she is having the first of several surgeries today, and not a one of them is to give her a new kidney...sigh. I can't do the whole linky-thing within the post since I'm on my phone, but there are a couple of links to find her on my sidebar. She is the Kelli in "
Find a Kidney for Kelli", as well as "Living in Grace" on my Blog Roll, AND she is listed in my prayer list. So if you want to go check out her story or leave her an encouraging note, please do! Some of her issues are related to the kidney failure, and some are just extra stuff to make her life even more difficult than it already is...in other words, she can use your prayers AND encouragement. :)

Football and Fiction...What More Can You Ask For?

2009-09-29T14:41:00.003-06:00

You all should know by now that I have a great love of fiction books. I like all kinds of books, but fiction is my favorite...and humorous fiction is even better! It's no secret around here either that Susan May Warren is one of my favorite fiction writers. (And not just because she sends me Starbuck's Gift Cards and Pop Rocks in the mail!) :) I love everything I've ever read of hers, and I especially love when she's funny. I've probably said this about her Josie Series before, but reading her books are like reading some of my favorite blogs. They are real and often her characters are thinking exactly what I would be thinking in the same situation.

And, if you've read here for any amount of time, you should also know that I am a HUGE football fan. I love many different sports, but football is the only sport that I will watch no matter which teams are playing. I love to watch Andy Roddick play tennis, and I try to always watch my Astros, and my Spurs. I watch NASCAR, but only the events that Jeff Gordon participates in. But I will watch anybody play football.

So imagine my delight when I went to my mailbox, and found The Great Christmas Bowl by Susan May Warren! The Sub-title reads: "One mother's hilarious quest to serve up the perfect holiday" Have you been there? I know I have! As a mom, I always want everything I plan to be perfect...don't you?

A few years ago, I read The ~~Worst~~ Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson to my kids during the week between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year, I plan to read The Great Christmas Bowl instead. :)

It's the story of a mom who (although grudgingly at times) does everything she can to make those around her happy while learning the true, biblical meaning of the word "hospitality". It's funny, yet powerful in teaching the reader this lesson as well.

If you're looking for a fun yet purposeful story to share with your family this year, or a great Christmas gift for a reader you know, this book is a fabulous choice, and I highly recommend it!

Share your Favorite Christmas Story and Recipe!

Do you have a favorite Christmas Story? How about a favorite family recipe? Share your memories with the Great Christmas Bowl family! Click here to submit your story and recipe, and YOUR post will be featured here, on the GCB blog! Then, download the entire recipe book at the GCB Tea Party, Saturday December 5th! While you're there, you can also read the stories and recipes that have already been submitted.

If you submit a story and recipe, be sure to come back and leave a comment letting me know, so I can go and check it out!

It Was a Beautiful Wedding...

2009-09-28T17:59:00.003-06:00

...the bride's colors were a lovely shade of aqua blue with hot pink accents. All the bridesmaids were dressed in aqua blue strapless dresses with a wide hot pink band at the empire waist level. The accent tables were covered in aqua blue with a wide hot pink band around the top. The tables that had white cloths had hot pink roses on them.

And this is the groom's cake she had me make...

That's right, a red and black Texas Tech themed cake! Fortunately, she did use white rose petals on this table so there was no immediate clashing going on. :) (You can click on the picture to enlarge it if you need to.)

The original idea came to me because she was planning to decorate the groom's table with pictures of she and her man at Texas Tech University...where they met...and fell in love. She thought that a Texas Tech cake in the center would be fitting. But, she wanted cake for 75 people, and seriously, I love my niece, but a Texas Tech cake that big goes against every Longhorn bone in my body. :) So I came up with the idea of making a Texas Tech yearbook, and adding photos of the two of them in the yearbook...that way, all I had to do was put a little Texas Tech logo in the corner--it gets the point across without being too offensive. :)

So, she sent several photos for me to choose from, and I picked what would fit on the cake, and that I could come up with catchy-yearbooky-phrases for.

It really was a beautiful wedding, and the bride was gorgeous. I'll try to post more pictures from the wedding later in the week, but the girl is out of dance class now, so I've got to get home and get supper on the stove for the family.

Tomorrow, I'll tell you all about "The Great Christmas Bowl"...

If Yesterday Was "Ugh"...Then Today Is Just "Blah"

2009-09-23T17:13:00.003-06:00

Now THAT got you all excited to read today's post, didn't it? :)

I am feeling a bit better today than I did yesterday ear-throat-infection-wise. (I love how you can add hyphens, and come up with all new compound words whenever you feel like it...at least in Blogland anyway.) But surprisingly enough, it's raining...again. I KNOW! Deep in the heart of Texas where we spent our entire summer as well as the end of our spring season with temperatures well above 100 and not a drop of rain for months, it's been raining for days...and it did it a couple of weeks ago too...so it feels like it's been raining for weeks. And as much as I am enjoying the 60 degrees, and being able to wear my fall clothes (because they are my favorites), I don't really enjoy the rainy days. Especially when I can't curl up on the couch with some apple cider and a good book, or a movie, or even a DVR full of my favorite tv shows. No, life has had to go on as usual, and I'm sick, and it's raining, and everything is muddy, and dirty, and BLAH.

So, I decided that I needed a couple of things to perk myself up today. 1) A Caramel Apple Spice from Starbucks--courtesy of a gift card from Susan May Warren 2) Something to either remind me what an amazing blessing it is to be a mother or Something to make me laugh.

So Caramel Apple Spice? CHECK!

And as for being reminded of blessings or laughing out loud, I decided to go with both! The following posts were written by two of my favorite bloggers who just so happen to be related to each other! The first reminds me of why I love being a mother, the second makes me laugh...and inspires me to do a better job at keeping my house clean! Sometimes, I stay away from these two particular blogs because I can begin to feel completely inadequate at mothering, teaching, housekeeping, and even blogging for crying out loud! But, on days like today (or weeks like this week) they are comforting friends that help to get me back on track.

So, if you need a reminder of the magic that is motherhood, come with me to In the Midst of It and read the first blog post I ever read, and one of my all-time favorites My Tattooed Soul.

And if you just need a good laugh and a swift kick in the pants, come with me to A Chelsea Morning and read another of my all-time favorite posts, I Febreze My Dog.

Or if you have the time, do like I'm doing, and go read both!

And if you can fenangle yourself a Caramel Apple Spice from Starbucks...I highly recommend that too! :)

Ugh....

2009-09-22T14:30:00.004-06:00

Did I mention yesterday that I was having an issue with my ear?

Well I am.

And I finally went to the doctor today, and it is infected....sigh.

Needless to say, I'm not feeling very well so I think I'll take a break today and instead of writing here on the blog while the girl is dancing, I'll go and catch up with some of your blogs...something I don't get to do nearly enough of lately!

I started antibiotics today, so hopefully I'll be in a better frame of mind for writing tomorrow. :) At least I have the season premier of NCIS to look forward to from my couch tonight!

Oh, and while I am here, I have a question for all of those out there who are smarter than I am.

When I go to my Google Reader...which I love...most of the blogs I read have the whole post there on the reader, but some of them only have an excerpt, and I have to click to the actual blog to read the post. I generally use the Google Reader when I'm reading on my phone, and while I can access the blogs, they take FOREVER to load on the phone. Does anyone know if there is a setting that I can change to enable full posts to show up, or is that something the blog writer has set on their end?

And if that last paragraph made no sense to you, you probably can't answer my question anyway, so just ignore me and move on. :)

The Weekend in Review

2009-09-21T15:49:00.005-06:00

Hello Blogland. I hope you all had a great weekend!

Football-wise, mine was great! Both my Longhorns and my Texans won this weekend...WOOT!

I made my standing "UT Football Season Cookies" and other assorted goodies on Friday for my friend's tailgate party, but I totally forgot to take pictures...again. Sorry about that. Truthfully though, you've all seen my longhorn game day cookies many times before, so even though I do different ones on different occasions, you have pretty much seen them all.

On Saturday, Ben and the boys had a Trial's Motorcycle competition. They were here in town for a change, so the little kids and I were able to go out and watch them. Ben and Benji got off to a slow start, and finished 3rd and 6th in their respective classes, but Jon had a great run and won 1st place for his class. :)

Generally, Jon has at least one really good wreck during a weekend competition. He didn't have any this weekend, but he did manage to fall out of a tree...sigh. He was finished with his run and wanted to get up in this tree to watch the other competitors from a better angle, and the branch gave way as he tried to swing up onto it. He was still in full riding gear, including his helmet (thank you Jesus!), so he escaped with a decent road rash on his back and some bruising, but nothing major. I think he'd be safer staying on his motorcycle! How often do you hear a mother say that? :)

Other than that it was a pretty quiet weekend at the Casa de KidsandCakes. I've got some sort of ear issue going on, and planned to go see the doctor about it this morning, but woke up feeling much better, so I decided to give it one more day and see how it is tomorrow. All the pain is gone, but it still keeps closing up on me and it makes it hard to hear anything. Not to mention that it makes my own voice sound so loud in my head, that I've been talking very quietly. The kids keep having to ask me to repeat myself which is really frustrating!

This week promises to be another busy one. My niece is getting married on Saturday, and I'm making the groom's cake for the wedding. There is also another Longhorn home game this weekend, so I should be making the cookies and things again, but I'm going to have to see how my week is going before I agree to that with the wedding and rehearsal dinner also on my plate.

I got a comment on my Facebook from a friend who tried the Vidalia Onion Casserole. She used the original recipe rather than my version, but she did a mixture of different cheeses. She said, "It Was To Die For!" :) She put it on ribeye steak....yumm!!! I'd love to hear if anyone else has tried it and how you used it. So leave me a comment and let me know if you do try it.

I think that's about it for my weekend. How about you? Did you do anything fun this weekend? Did your favorite football team win? Leave a comment and let me know!

It's Been a Busy Week...

2009-09-17T16:33:00.002-06:00

The new homeschool year is in full swing at our house, and since little Dave was added to the list of active students in my house, I've been having quite a time trying to fit everyone in! This week went a little more smoothly than last week, but it's still pretty crazy. And with Maddie starting up dance classes 4 times a week now too...I'm not sure I'll ever get my head above the water!

If you have been wondering about the fact that I have actually posted something for the past 4 days in a row, that would be due to the dance classes. Three afternoons a week, I am up here with her for an hour long class, and then one class a week is only 30 minutes. So, I figured out how to tether my cell phone to my netbook and run the internet from the phone onto the netbook, and while she dances, I write drivel!

However, there are no dance classes on Fridays or the weekends, and so I will warn you now that those days will be spent trying to catch up on things at the homestead, so I'll be scarce again until Monday. You can, of course, always keep up with me on Twitter. If anything exciting happens....or if a commercial makes me angry....it will show up there! (I believe Jack-in-the-Box was the subject of my last Twitter-rant.)

The problem I'm having today is that I have absolutely nothing to tell you of any interest at all!

I guess I could tell you why I'm boycotting Blockbuster....not an exciting story....but a rant too big for Twitter at any rate.

Okay, here's the story....

My boy rented a video game from Blockbuster. When the date came to return the game, I specifically asked the boy to check the case to make SURE the game was inside before I drove all the way over there. (The Blockbuster close to our house didn't have the game, so his dad took him to a store further away to rent it, and the idea of driving all the way over there for nothing was not appealing to me.) The boy brought the case to me and assured me the game was, in fact, inside.

I took the game to the Blockbuster, and before I stuck it in the return box, I double-checked to make sure that the game really was there....because I've had that boy for awhile now. Satisified that the game was inside, I returned it, looked around the store for a bit, and went on my merry way.

A week or so later, I got a phone message from Blockbuster informing me that I had returned an empty case...WHAT????????

So, I began to doubt my memory...because it has been known to fail me at times, and I made the boys go through every single disk and case in the house to look for that game....it was not there....reaffirming my faith in my memory skills.

I called the Blockbuster, and informed them that there must be some mistake because that case was checked twice and the game was in there when I returned it.

"No ma'am. I have an empty case here with no game. You must have misplaced it."

Aargh! So I told her that we had torn apart the house, and it wasn't here. I was sure that it was in the case when I returned it, but since she wouldn't believe me, what was I supposed to do next? She told me to come in and just pay for the game. Again...aargh! The game happened to be an older one, so the price was only $4.99....I think we paid more to rent the stupid thing!

So I headed up there a few days later to pay them....

"That will just be a $5.40 late charge."

"Fine, but what about paying for the game itself?"

"Oh no, there's just a late fee, the game was returned 2 days ago."

"Um, what? It wasn't returned by me...I tried to tell you people that someone else had your game!"

"No, you must have found it and brought it in."

"Um, NO, I didn't."

"Well then, it must have been your husband."

"Um, NO, it wasn't."

"Well, it had to be one of you, because you returned an empty case, and you owe us $5.40 late charge."

And that my friends is why I will no longer give my business to Blockbuster!

And I hate to end on that bitter note, but the girl is out of class already, and I must get home and get dinner on the table! Anyone else that wants to rant about something, feel free to put it in the comments! Misery loves company and all that jazz! :)

Have a great weekend, and I'll see you all on Monday!

Oh, and HOOK 'EM HORNS--WRECK TECH! :)

Surprise...Another Cake!

2009-09-16T16:44:00.004-06:00

I have 2 friends at church, who I actually met when I was about 11 or 12 years old, but we became reacquainted recently when they began coming to the same church I attend.

Anyway, the husband is an amazing artist and he makes the most magnificent banners for our church sanctuary. So when his wife called and asked me to make his birthday cake, I knew it was going to have to be something different than I've ever done before.

We knew he'd like a cross and lots of bright colors, but as far as a design, there was no plan. I remembered in the back of my head that I had seen a cross cake done in what looked like stained glass before, and I thought that might be a good way to use all those bright colors without using flowers and other "frou-frou" decorations.

When I mentioned the idea to his wife, she told me that he actually MAKES STAINED GLASS items himself! Can you say, "PERFECT!"?

So, I hit the internet looking for a picture to use as an example to get me started, and I came up with this design.
The cake itself is red velvet with a bright white buttercream icing. The "glass panes" are made with colored piping gel and outlined with black buttercream mixed with silver petal dust. The bright white buttercream allows the gel colors to remain pure rather than cloudy or muted. I piped the "beads" with the bright white buttercream mixed with an edible pearl glaze to help them stand out just a bit. The scroll work was also done with this mixture. The dove is painted in black buttercream on a fondant disk that was allowed to dry until firm.

Oh, and pay no attention to the dates on these pictures...my son changed the batteries in the camera for me, and I forgot to tell him he'd need to reset the date! I only just noticed that when I posted the picture! :)

A Funny Story

2009-09-15T14:26:00.002-06:00

Those of you who know me in real life will probably remember that my husband, Ben, wore the same glasses for the past 10+ years. He's not a big fan of change...ahem.

Anyway, a little over a year ago, he needed to get his prescription updated, and consequently had to get new frames as well. When we went to Lenscrafters to choose the new frames, he immediately gravitated toward those that were similar to the ones he had. I kept trying to get him to branch out and try some different styles, but he just kept resisting.

When I asked the lady working there if she had suggestions for him, she chose a pair that were TOTALLY different and looked wonderful on him! He hemmed and hawed for awhile, but eventually decided that they did look good, and he would get them. (Yippee!)

Fast forward to just last week...

My number 2 son, Jonathan, came to me after Youth Group last Wednesday, and told me that he had had trouble reading the Bible that evening. He said the letters were blurry, and he had gotten a headache trying to read it. I asked him if it had happened before, and he said it had, but since he was just reading to himself, he didn't really care---if you know Jonathan, this should not come as a surprise to you...ahem.

So, on Thursday, I called the eye-doctor and scheduled an appointment for him to have his eyes checked. They concluded that he was mildly farsighted and had astigmatism in one eye, and that while he could see fine, this condition causes eye strain and after doing his schoolwork on the computer along with the reading and writing assignments, by the time he got to youth group, his eyes were worn out. The answer to this issue was to give him glasses to wear whenever he is on the computer, reading, or doing any other "close up" type of activity.

We headed to the Lenscrafters to pick out his frames, and the same lady who had helped Ben find his glasses was working that day. She led him to the kids' frames, and he looked at a couple of different styles. She looked at him, and pulled out a pair that she thought would look good....

THEY WERE ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME PAIR SHE CHOSE FOR BEN!

I started laughing, because of all the kids, Jon is just about a carbon copy of his dad. If you look at Ben's childhood pictures, you will see Jon...

And here are the clones...aka Thing 1 and Thing 2....now all Jon needs is a mustache! :)

Vidalia Onion "Sweet Texas Onion" Casserole

2009-09-14T17:38:00.006-06:00

I do believe that I promised y'all some “Vidalia Onion Casserole” goodness a little while back….and I’m finally going to deliver!

Now this obsession-o-mine all started one Sunday afternoon when someone posted on Twitter that they were "so thankful for the ladies church for making Vidalia Onion Casserole"….and my mouth began to water.

So I immediately googled “Vidalia Onion Casserole” and discovered a veritable cornucopia of recipes for “Vidalia Onion Casserole” I chose this particular recipe because it looked like it would be the easiest to prepare, and was easily adaptable to my stupid diet restrictions…humph!

I have taken a few lessons from Barb, and will be posting my own “healthier version” of this recipe in tutorial form…with pictures! Now, you can use the original recipe at the link above if you like, but if you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or you know, chronic kidney disease...you're welcome to try out my version! :)

When I was touring with “The Trinity Singers” to try to recruit students and funds for my college, I had the privilege of tasting the renowned Vidalia Onion at a Baptist church somewhere in Georgia, and so I knew that it was a larger, sweeter variety of onion. Therefore, when I went to my local H.E.B. and didn’t find any Vidalia Onions, I decided that “Texas Sweet Onions” would work just fine…and they do.

Since I did need to alter the recipe to accommodate my low-sodium, practically-no-dairy, low-fat diet, AND since I didn’t use Vidalia Onions, I’ve decided just to rename this recipe completely, and I call it:

Texas Sweet Onion Casserole

Ingredients:

4 large Texas Sweet Onions
1 sleeve of “Ritz ‘Hint of Salt’ Crackers” ( real life saver for the low-sodium dieter!)
¼ cup (½ stick) of “Smart Balance 50/50 Butter” (all the butter flavor without all the fat and cholesterol!
2 tablespoons of Coconut Oil (it has less of the "bad" fats, and more of the "good" ones, plus it has a nice sweet flavor)
Grated Parmesan Cheese
“Butter Flavored Crisco Cooking Spray” (or whatever non-stick spray you prefer)

Preparation:

Slice onions thin (I cut my onions into fourths before slicing so I had smaller pieces….just my preference)

Add butter, coconut oil, and onions in a large saucepan and saute over high heat until onions are translucent, soft, and just starting to brown. (Normally, I just use my 14” skillet, but I had loaned it to my neighbor for the evening. J ) This will take about 20-25 minutes…generally.

Crush the crackers until they resemble coarse bread crumbs. (I used a Ziploc bag and a rolling pin the first time I made this, but I used my food processor this time!)

Spray a 2 quart Casserole Dish with non-stick cooking spray.

When your onions are ready, add ½ of them to the bottom of the casserole dish.

Top with ½ of the cracker crumbs, and lightly sprinkle a layer of Parmesan cheese over the crackers. (Because I can’t have much cheese, I just used the Kraft version in the shaker, but I am willing to bet that if you can eat cheese, that REAL GRATED PARMESAN would be amazing!)

Now add another layer of onions, crackers, and Parmesan cheese and bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or until the cheese is brown and toasty! I put the Cooking Spray and Parmesan in this picture because I forgot them in the ingredient photo, and I didn't want them to be left out. :)

Now, this dish is categorized as a side-dish, but at our house, we tend to use it more as a condiment. J

We put it on top of pork chops, steak, meatloaf, and on this particular evening, on baked chicken. YUM!

As you can probably guess, there is a lot of casserole left over when it is only used as a condiment…and THAT is all part of my plan people. For the next week, I will enjoy the leftovers in various forms. Of course, if there is any chicken left, there’s that, but I also top my Spanish beef and rice dish with it...

...and my FAV is to make a plain baked potato and put a healthy helping of the casserole on top and stir it all together. It totally makes up for not being able to eat a loaded baked potato (no sour cream, no cheese, no bacon…you get the point).

So there you have it, my latest culinary discovery! If you decide to try it, please come back and leave me a comment... especially if you come up with something else I can eat with it! :)

Is Life at Your House "Boy-sterous"?

2009-09-12T19:03:00.003-06:00

"Raising boys isn't easy. Life with them is loud. If it's quiet, they're probably up to something. Boys are messy, competitive, fearless, and proud. Living with them pretty much guarantees that you're in for an adventure."

Does that paragraph resonate with you? It does with me! As the mother of three boys and only one girl, as well as the wife of one large boy, it rings extremely true for me.

I grew up in a house with only sisters, so this "boy's life" thing is completely foreign to me. When I was received Jean Blackmer's book Boy-sterous Living I was ecstatic. In this book, Jean relates stories of mothers and boys. A few of them brought tears to my eyes, most of them had me laughing out loud, but all of them made me nod my head and say to myself, "YES! That's EXACTLY what it's like!"

Reading Boy-sterous Living felt like getting together with other moms and sharing stories. It was therapeutic, and eye-opening, and fun all at the same time!

If you have a house full of boys, or even if you just enjoy a good story, you will LOVE this book!

Have your own funny stories to share?

CONTEST: Enter your grossest or funniest moment as a mom of a boy (No boys? That’s okay – we still want to hear your story!) and you could win movie tickets and a snack for you and a friend to escape! Share your story by emailing your entry to amy@litfusegroup.com or posting it on the Moms of Boys facebook page!

Want to know more about Jean Blackmer?

About the author: Jean is currently the Publishing Manager for MOPS International and she's been free-lance writing for 16 years. She has been published in a variety of local and national publications, including: Guideposts, MomSense, Today's Christian Woman, Christian Parenting Today, American Girl, Proverbs 31 Woman, Chicken Soup for the Mother and Son Soul, Chicken Soup Cookbook for the Busy Mom's Soul, Focus on the Family's Teen Phases, Guideposts Miracle Series, and others.

She also co-authored her first book, Where Women Walked: Powerful True Stories of Women's Perseverance and God's Provision. (Tyndale/Focus on the Family, 2004) This book was nominated for a Gold Medallion Award.

Jean graduated from the University of Colorado in Boulder with a Bachelor's (1987) and a Master's (1992) degree in Journalism. She lives in Boulder with her husband Zane; three boys, Josh, Jordan, and Jake.

Author website: http://www.jeanblackmer.com

Want to see what other bloggers have to say about Boy-sterous Living?

http://www.litfusegroup.com/latest/current-blog-tours/89-boy-sterous-living-blog-tour

Another Diaper Bag Cake

2009-08-31T14:40:00.005-06:00

Are you getting sick of cake posts yet?

Well, I actually have a couple of different things I want to post, BUT this has been a crazy weekend full of activities, so I just popped in today to post a picture real quick for those who had asked to see this cake.

Two years ago I made a diaper bag cake, and I was fairly happy with it. Not completely, but I thought it turned out pretty good. But when I made that cake, it was for a baby shower I was attending, so I just purchased a baby bottle and a few toys to stick in the bag and those were part of my gift to the expectant mom.

This year, I didn't know the mom, and was not attending the shower, so I decided to make all the toys and baby bottle edible. (Don't get too excited, I use molds for most of it, and just paint on details. I'm not very good with scuplting things!) :-) This time I was much happier with the final result.

The cake itself is french vanilla with buttercream filling. (I stay away from the fruit fillings with cakes that are stacked like this as they tend to slide around when they get tall like this.)

Next time I promise to post the goodness that is Vidalia Onion Casserole! Yummm.....

Virtue is En Vogue!

2009-08-21T10:39:00.004-06:00

Last year my friend Linda got me involved in making cakes for the annual Virtue En Vogue Event that is put on by Vicki Courtney's Virtuous Reality Ministry. Last time, if you recall, I made this "fashion show" cake with real working lights along the red carpet.

Last year, however, they had an additional 150 people buy tickets at the door, and they ran out of desserts! And no, I was not the only one bringing desserts, I was merely one cog in a machine of bakeries and organizations and individuals that were all donating. So this year, when they were again asking for volunteers to donate desserts, I enlisted the help of my local cake supply/bakery All in One Bake Shop and they were nice enough to donate 100 cupcakes to the cause. I also asked my friend from church if she would help out since she is also a cake baker, and is known throughout our church for her yummy cake balls. She jumped on the band wagon, and along with other volunteers/bakeries we had plenty of desserts for the almost 500 guests this year!

And since my daughter was old enough to attend the event this year, she and I took our daughters with us and we all had a great time!

My struggle this year was in trying to decide what to make for the display cake. Last year, I made the above cake for the main table and then just made plain cakes to be sliced and served and therefore didn't require any fancy decorating. My inspiration for this year's cake came straight from the flyer promoting the event.

I decided to make this girl standing on top of a simple 2 tiered white cake with pink lettering.
I made her out of gumpaste that I colored black and then used pink icing to make her waistband and black icing to add dimesion. I totally forgot my camera, so I had to take this one with my phone, but hopefully, you'll get the idea!

We all had a great time at the event, and are looking forward to next year....but I think I need to start thinking now about an idea for NEXT year's cake now!

If you want to know more about this annual mother/daughter event, you can check out Vicki's Blog, Virtue Alert.

Can you say, BORING?

2009-08-17T20:37:00.002-06:00

Hey everyone. Today has been totally boring...

I played some Farm Town, did some housework, and baked some cakes, but I've had this wicked acid reflux thing going on the past couple of days, so I didn't really accomplish all that much. Not sure what the deal is, but it's annoying!

And since I only baked cakes today, and didn't decorate them yet, I don't even have any good pictures for you...sigh. But I do have a couple of movies to recommend to you!

I've seen 3 movies in the past couple of weeks, and two of them were fabulous, and one of them was so totally aggravating that I wanted to a) get my $9.00 back, and b) hand out copies of the book to everyone in the theater who hadn't read it yet. I really liked the book "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Piccoult, and the ending totally caught me by surprise, so I was very excited to see the movie. But in the movie, they changed the ending and made it a totally different story....so in a word, AGGRAVATING!

On the other hand, the movie version of "The Time Traveler's Wife" was WONDERFUL! I was nervous about how it would translate to the screen...especially after the disaster that was "My Sister's Keeper", but they really did an amazing job with it. They left out all the little side stories from the book (which I didn't care for all that much anyway), and they focused on the love story between the main characters. It was really, really well done.

And then just last night, I saw "Julie and Julia", and I LOVED it! I laughed and laughed through the whole thing. Meryl Streep was perfect, and while I was disappointed to learn that Julia Child was not happy about Julie's blog, that was real, so it didn't affect my love for the movie.

So there you go, a lazy day for me, and a bunch of movies for you to go out and see (or NOT see as the case may be).

So how about you? Seen any good movies lately, or read any good books? Let me know in the comments if there's something I should be seeing or reading!

Hi Vanessa!

2009-08-15T20:08:00.003-06:00

Hello there everyone, and especially Vanessa (because she told me last night that she clicks over here every day, and I never write anything any more)!

Well at least I've been productive while I was gone this time...

Here are my latest 3 cakes, and believe it or not, I have more coming up! So, if nothing else, at least I'll have cake pictures to post! :)

This one was for my great-nephew's 2nd Birthday...He's a big fan of "Wow Wow Wubbzy" (and after doing my research for the cake, so is my little Dave!) It's a little tough to see from this picture, but the reason there is only 1 candle on the cake that is on the cake (confused much?) is that the pink bunny, Widget is holding the second candle and is about to add it to the cake....just wanted to make that clear. :)

As for the particulars square cakes on the bottom are chocolate, the circular cake is white chocolate, the whole thing is covered in buttercream and then covered in fondant. The Wubbzy and the "kickety kick ball" on the top were formed out of rice cereal treats and then covered with a combination of fondant and modeling chocolate.

This is just a white chocolate cake with raspberry filling covered in fondant with a chocolate fondant bow for a friend's baby shower. Sorry, I took the picture before I brushed off the extra powdered sugar off the bow...I'm a true professional aren't I? :)

And finally, this was a chocolate cake with raspberry filling and iced in buttercream. The butterflies and dragonflies I made out of gumpaste and then painted with food coloring mixed with lemon extract. It's hard to see in a 2D picture, but they were all on sticks, so they stuck up from the top of the cake as though they were flying above it.

And that's it for now. It's been a long week, and another long day tomorrow, so I'm heading off to bed for now. But hopefully, I made Vanessa smile when she clicked on here today! :)

Sunday Sing-a-Long

2009-07-26T19:14:00.002-06:00

This is one of my all-time FAVORITE songs off of Mandisa's newest CD. I love this song because it's about worshiping and giving God praise even when you don't think you have anything to bring to Him. It was my anthem when I was going through my latest kidney battle.

Every time I've heard it over the past few weeks, I've thought of Kelli and other friends and family who are going through some life-changing and scary medical issues. So, I thought I'd share it with all of you today just in case you might be going through something that makes it difficult for you to praise God right now.

I hope it blesses you as much as it blesses me each and every time I hear it. :)

It Really Shouldv'e Been Called "Squished Like Playdough"

2009-07-24T09:05:00.004-06:00

Or maybe "Mangled Like Play Dough"

Or even this old favorite from my childhood "Folded, Spindled, and Mutilated Like Play dDough"

And the reason I say that is only because the title to my latest favorite book is called "Blue Like Play dough" and that title totally went over my head! Add to that the fact that while the cover of the book is, in fact, blue...the play dough on the cover is ORANGE! Personally, I think Tricia just likes messing with me....but really the color of the play dough doesn't matter one bit. Because this book isn't about the color of the play dough at all! It's all about the manipulation of the play dough. The shaping of the play dough. The molding of the play dough into a useful vessel to achieve a certain purpose. Can you guess what the play dough is? It's a mom! Actually, it's all of us moms, but this is the story of one mom in particular...my Twitter/Facebook friend, Tricia Goyer.

Tricia and I are both moms, (duh!) but we both became moms under completely different circumstances. I got married less than 3 months before my 27th birthday (I know, an old maid by some standards...and a young chick by others!), I was married for 3 years before I got pregnant with my first child, and I gave birth to that first baby 3 weeks after I turned 30 years old! Tricia, on the other hand, was an unwed teen mom who married a man who was not the father of her child when she was hardly more than a child herself.

Two completely different stories, yeah? And yet I told Tricia that after reading just the first 4 chapters of this book, I was laughing out loud at how "the same" we are. :) Now, I could go not only chapter by chapter, but probably page by page, and share with you the different things that God spoke to me through Tricia's story, but I won't. You're welcome!

I am going to restrict myself to just one thing that I took away from this book because it hit me as the most accurate description of motherhood I've ever heard. And yes, that includes "It's the hardest job you'll ever love" which has, up til now, held that distinction.

Being a mom is the equivalent of being in Junior High....all over again!

That is not a direct quote. Tricia puts it much more eloquently...'cause, you know, she's a writer! Here is the paragraph that made me want to stand up and shout "AMEN!"

"What my son also doesn't know is that the awkwardness of that eighth-grade Madonna wannabe didn't go away like my hairstyle did. The truth is, being a mom brought with it a level of intensity to match the intensity of those junior high days. From the moment the two pink lines on the pregnancy test told me I was expecting, my body and emotions have been in a constant, awkward state of change."

I know, right? All those feelings of wanting to be liked, and accepted, and successful at the politics of junior high are now transformed into wanting your kids to be liked, and accepted, and thereby stamping a seal of approval on yourself as a mother. Whoa, that's deep.

In this book, Tricia tells her story. It is the story of a girl who struggles with making the right choices and learns to let God make those choices for her. She just says "yes" when she hears His voice and His call. And she reveals how every time she does that, He takes care of all of those little details that she thought she had to concentrate on to receive that stamp of approval as a mom. It's the story of how God redeemed a life of poor choices, and turned it into a life of helping others make better ones....mine included.

Reading about how God has formed and shaped Tricia, like a lump of play dough, has encouraged me so much. I am encouraged not to worry so much about the appearance of being a good mom, and concentrate on just trying to be the mom, wife, daughter, and woman that God wants me to be. Because you know what? His is the only opinion that matters, and when that is the one that we care about, He will take care of all the others! When I look at Tricia Goyer, I don't see an unwed teen mother. I see God's glory. And that's what I want others to see when they look at me.

Next week the ladies in my church are getting together for dessert and a book exchange. I wasn't really sure which book I was going to bring, but I think after seeing how much better I feel as a mom/person after reading "Blue Like Play Dough", I think I'll be bringing a copy of it to pass on to another mom who needs a lift! I just don't think it will be my copy! I think I need to hang on to it for awhile! LOL...

Read an excerpt from the book: http://triciagoyer.com/cmsdocuments/Blue_Like_Play_Dough_Prologue_CH_1.pdf

A note from Tricia: Are you a mommy who feels squeezed by Motherhood? Could God be shaping something beautiful in you?

In my new spiritual memoir, Blue Like Play Dough I invite women to discover the extraordinary in the ordinary! To learn to see God's hand lovingly at work in every aspect of your life---from laundry-folding to the umpteenth reading of Goodnight Moon.

And now I’m inviting YOU to come bring your stretched self and attend a fun Facebook Launch Party for Blue Like Play Dough! I know you’re busy (and tired) so I’m bringing the festivities to you! So grab your comfiest chair and slip away from that long To-Do list and join me for a two hour Play Dough Party. I’ll be sharing some of my mothering experiences (the good and the bad), hosting a fun trivia contest, giving away Mommy Play Dough Packs, answering questions, and getting to know YOU!

I’d be honored to have you as my guest – and to prove it I’ll be giving away 2 ginormous Mommy Play !Dough Packs to two party attendees at random! The winners will be announced at the end of the party. Grab your friends and let’s party! oh, and don't forget your camera! Snap pictures during the party and upload them during the festivities. I'll be giving a prize away for the best photo!

So come join me on July 27th from 5-7 pm (PST)! Friend me on facebook and join the fun!

FACEBOOK Launch Party (http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/event.php?eid=206503170034)

Want to get to know Tricia better? Go and check out her website!

Author website: http://www.triciagoyer.com watch a video and read the endorsements

Want to purchase your own copy of the book?

Link to purchase the book: http://triciagoyer.com/store.html

Want to read what other bloggers have said about this book?

Blog tour schedule! http://www.litfusegroup.com/latest/what-is-new/87-blue-like-play-dough-blog-tour

It's Better Than No Title at All...

2009-07-22T15:20:00.003-06:00

I thought I'd stop by and give you all a bit of an update...just for fun! :)

Okay, so first I guess I need to explain what the surgeries were for and what they were supposed to do.

The first one was a laser cystoscopy--which means that the dr. goes into the kidney with a camera and a laser and blasts any stones that he finds blocking the kidney.
This was done in both of my kidneys.

However, the dr. said that there were too many stones both in the kidney filters and deep in the kidney tissue as well....sigh. So he decided to do an experiment and do an extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy--which means that they send shockwaves through a bag of silicon into the kidney to break up stones in there. It is usually done on just one stone, and it has to be precisely aimed at that stone over and over until it is broken up into pieces small enough to pass. Since I didn't have just one stone, the idea was to try to break up as many of them as possible to clear out my filters and help my kidneys to work a bit better and relieve some of the pain and hopefully the nausea.

I was hoping that they would be able to clear the kidney of all those little suckers completely, but apparently there were just too many. They are only allowed to give you 2500 shocks per procedure, and apparently that wasn't enough. And since there is the possibility that the shockwaves could also cause damage to the kidney, I won't be able to have it done again anytime soon. My doctor, however, told me yesterday that while there are still a bunch of calcifications in my kidneys, they were able to get out more than he had expected them to get. :)

Today and tomorrow I am having a kidney function test to determine how well my kidneys are functioning. I will continue to have those tests on a regular basis and will repeat the above surgeries as needed, and as often as can be tolerated I suppose, to try to preserve my kidney function.

And that's where we are right now. :)

Now it seems that every time I've posted about something that is medically wrong with me, my friend Kelli posts something even worse! So, in order to help out my buddy, who insists on "one-upping" me all the time, I think I'll just start feeling better and post happy things for awhile! :) (And I won't even mention the mammogram or the bone density tests I had yesterday!)

For a minute there, I thought I was back!

2009-07-15T08:41:00.002-06:00

Well, I posted twice since my kidney surgery in June, and I thought I was going to be back to regular posting, but then the sickness hit again, and I was just getting through the days again...sigh.

So, last Friday, I had a different type of procedure done on my right kidney to see if it would help me out any. The jury is still out on whether or not it did the trick, but at least the recovery has been better. I just feel bruised on that side--like someone beat me up. But I've only had one really bad day of nausea and fatigue with it, so for that I'm extremely grateful!

I'll have an x-ray here in a day or two, and then I'll meet with my doctor to see whether or not this last procedure did what he hoped it would. If it did, then we might do it on the other side sometime this year (while my medical deductible has been met!), and then hopefully, I'll be good to go for awhile at least.

Thanks for all the prayers, and I hope to get back to blogging and reading blogs soon! I miss visiting you all more than I miss coming here to write! :)

Getting Schooled by Aunt Ruby

2009-07-02T09:39:00.002-06:00

At the family reunion last week, I was sitting and talking to my Aunt Ruby. We were discussing our shoes. I was wearing my everyday pair of Nikes and she was wearing some sort of walking shoe. She mentioned that she liked my shoes and wasn't really happy with hers but that they seemed the most practical for the conditions. I agreed that I normally would have been wearing my Crocs flip flops, but the rocky terrain had persuaded me to pull on the Nikes instead.

She told me that she always wore heels in the past, but that she just couldn't do it any more. (I believe Aunt Ruby is somewhere near 91 years old.) I mentioned to her that I could no longer wear heels myself for more than an hour or so before I was completely miserable. Then I mentioned to her that my mother-in-law still wears heels and she is 77 years old!

Aunt Ruby's response to that? "Well, of course, I did too when I was that young!"

We're Not in Kansas Anymore....Literally!

2009-07-01T07:28:00.003-06:00

My sister and I just got back from a 4 day road trip. We were in Sabetha, Kansas for a family reunion on our bio-dad's side of the family. We had a really great time, and I got to meet lots of family that I'd never seen before. It was a lot of fun.

But it was the weather that was the best. We left Texas at 107 degrees and arrived in Kansas at 75 degrees! It stayed in the mid-80's during the day and high 60's at night while we were there. It was fabulous!

I went for my first walk since before my surgery at 7:00 this morning and it was already near 80 degrees! And so, with Dorothy I say, "I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, Toto."...sigh.

I'm having my next procedure a week from Friday. I appreciate all of you who have been praying for me. I'm doing MUCH better than I was right after the surgery, and a little better than I was before it. The goal is to be feeling A WHOLE LOT better after then next procedure! :) Thanks so much for walking through this with me.

Well, it's 2 minutes until the alarm goes off to start our school day, so I need to get moving on that. You all have a great day!

Are You Looking for an Update?H

2009-06-14T13:54:00.005-06:00

Hello all my Bloggy-Friends!

I thought I'd take a minute and give a quick update for those who don't follow me on Twitter.

The surgery was a week ago last Thursday, and when I woke up, my doctor was there telling me that he had "stirred up a hornet's nest". Not sure what that meant, but judging from the rough recovery I've had, I don't think it was good!

All I know right now is that I'm still not up to snuff, and my kidneys are in pretty bad shape and it looks like I'll be going to Dallas soon to see yet another specialist for yet another proceedure. I don't have the details on that yet, though.

Anyway, tomorrow I go back in for my "post-op" appointment and see where we go from here.

Thanks for checking in on me, and I hope to be back soon!

I Have No Title Ideas....

2009-05-24T21:35:00.006-06:00

***Update: I wanted to stop in and let you all know that my surgery will be this Thursday at 8:00am...ugh! I know I'll be miserable for awhile when it's all done, but I'm looking forward to feeling better soon!***

I just wanted to stop in and explain to you all why it is that I'm not here...this time. :)

As you recall, I mentioned that I do have some kidney stones, and the doctor told me that he would remove them when they started causing problems. Well, they are now causing problems....sigh. I'll be calling the doctor this week to try to set up the surgery, and of course, I'll update you all when that happens, but in the meantime, when I'm not feeling too sick to get out of bed, I have lots of things to do around here. When I'm sick, things get out of control, so when I'm feeling better, I have to spend my time catching up! When I'm stone-free and have reclaimed my house, and my kids' schoolwork, I'll be back.

In the meantime...I did manage to make a couple of cakes that were already scheduled before the sickness started.

This one was for a First Communion...duh!
And this one was for a high school graduation. It was supposed to represent all the things that he really enjoys...reading Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, writing with an old fashioned pen and ink, and on the paper is a favorite Tolkien quote. The ink and pen are chocolate, and the books are chocolate cake and fondant. The paper is rice paper...so the entire thing was edible. This was one of the most fun cakes I've gotten to do so far.
Okay, that's it for now. I'll be in and out with updates over the next few weeks, and then hopefully I'll be all better and back to my normal bloggy self! :)
And this

Nothing But Trouble

2009-05-16T18:30:00.004-06:00

I know what you're thinking...this is going to be a post about the little guy. I can understand why you might think that, and I could most certainly write that particular post today (don't ask...it's not pretty), but no, this is not a David post. This is about a book by one of my most favoritist authors, Susan May Warren! I have read several of Susan's books and reviewed a couple of them here on the blog. Susan has created many memorable characters, but my favorite was Josey...until now. PJ Sugar is most definitely giving Josey a run for her money in falling backwards into messes of huge proportions! Is it evil of me to enjoy reading about other people's struggles? Maybe, but I've gotten myself into enough similar situations that I take an odd delight in the fact that others do the same...or worse! :) PJ Sugar delights me to no end!

Nothing But Trouble!

PJ Sugar - Trouble Collection

PJ Sugar knows three things for sure:

After traveling the country for ten years hoping to shake free from the trail of disaster that’s become her life, she needs a fresh start.

The last person she wants to see when she heads home for her sister’s wedding is Boone—her former flame and the reason she left town.

Her best friend’s husband absolutely did not commit the first murder Kellogg, Minnesota, has seen in more than a decade.

What PJ doesn’t know is that when she starts digging for evidence, she’ll uncover much more than she bargained for—a deadly conspiracy, a knack for investigation, and maybe, just maybe, that fresh start she’s been longing for.

This is just the first in a series of books about PJ Sugar, and I absolutely can't wait for the next installment to hit the shelves! Here's what Susan had to say about creating the title character of her new romantic comedy/suspense series.

Behind the Pages

Sometimes, do you feel like you just don’t fit in? You look around you and if anyone knew how difficult it was just to put yourself together, to smile when you feel completely overwhelmed, to even figure out what you were making for supper, they’d know what a mess you were. Maybe you totally relate to those words in 1 Peter – God’s elect, strangers and aliens in the world. Do you feel like when you look in the rear view mirror, all you see are your mistakes?

Maybe not. But if so, then PJ is your gal. I wanted to write a story about the person in so many of us who just wants to get it right…but can’t seem to stay out of trouble. My friend and I have what we call the “stupid mouth” club…and we report our weekly foibles
(usually on Monday, after Sunday church!). PJ is our charter member. She’s the girl that changes her mind, always hopes for the best, is always discovering that she is just a little different than everyone else. PJ is us.

And that’s good news. Because God loves PJ. He loves her messiness, and her impulsiveness, her heart bent toward others, the hope that fuels her actions. And He has a plan for PJ – one that includes her weaknesses as well as her strengths.

Yep, I need to hear that – need to hear that I don’t have to be perfect for God to love me, use me, sing over me. Need to hear that although I don’t fit in, well, I’m not supposed to…in fact, I’m supposed to be a little…alien.

So, to all the PJs out there – and anyone who knows a PJ -- this book is for you. Thank you for reading PJ’s adventures – I hope you come back for her continuing craziness with Boone, and Jeremy and her PI dreams, in the next book: Double Trouble. And meanwhile, may you live with joy on the outside the unique and delightful person God has created on the inside.

In His Grace,

Susan May Warren

Can you relate? I know I can!

And Susan has a really fun contest going on in connection with the release of this book as well. If you find her book in a store, take a photo of yourself with the book, and send the photo to her, you can win an advance copy of a new novella that is coming out this fall called The Great Christmas Bowl as well as a Sugar Personal Spa Basket! For all the details on the contest, go here.

And to see what others are saying about the book, you can see a list of all the blogs on the blog tour here. Some of them are even hosting contests and giveaways of their own, so go and check them out!

Wanna Get in Trouble with Me?

2009-05-15T10:13:00.004-06:00

The celebration for Susan May Warren's first release in her new PJ Sugar collection, Nothing But Trouble, is about to begin. Join Susan for a month long Sugar Party!

The fun will Kick-off with a SUGAR BOMB on Friday May 15th. Susan is encouraging everyone to purchase a copy (and maybe a few for friends) of Nothing But Trouble anytime during the day on May 15th. Every one who purchases a copy of the book will be entered into the contest to win a Sugar Spa Basket. All you need to do is purchase a book at Amazon or CBD (or anywhere else) and then come back here (contest page at www.susanmaywarren.com) and leave Susan a message letting her know where you bought your book. Easy. And for every additional copies you buy, you'll gain an additional ten entries into the contest. So just let her know how many copies you bought.

The party will continue all month with a blog tour and chances to win copies of Nothing But Trouble from the blog tourists! View the Schedule here.

The Sugar party will conclude in a day of celebration on Friday June 19th with a day long ONLINE Sugar Bookclub Party. Susan will be giving away prizes, answering questions, hosting a live chat, and generally getting herself into some "Trouble".

I'll be posting my own review of this book tomorrow, but I wanted to make sure you all got a chance to get in on the fun today!

Tell your friends...or better yet, host your own Sugar Party!

Deuteronomy 30:1

2009-05-13T15:21:00.004-06:00

"...God, your God, will restore everything you lost; he'll have compassion on you"
Deut. 30:1 (The Message)

So, I mentioned yesterday that there was a "Part Two" to this post. And aren't you excited to hear that it gets better? Yea!

You may or may not know that I drive a Chevy Astro van, and I love my van. When we got the van, I told my husband that I wanted him to take very good care of it because I never wanted to get another car. It was perfect! I still love that van, but...

Ever since we added that 4th child, it's been not quite big enough for our family. While there is plenty of seating (with dividers between each child, praise the Lord), and while the back cargo area is about twice that of most minivans, it is just not quite big enough for all of us AND all of our stuff. This became more and more apparent when the boys started riding motorcycles and traveling to competitions. There was just never enough room for coolers, and backpacks, and all the other stuff a family needs to take on a trip like that...even just a day trip...without stuffing things beneath people's feet, and holding things in laps.

We ended up having to take two cars to each event, and that just didn't seem to be the best solution considering gas prices, limited parking, etc. So, it became apparent to me that although I still LOVE my van, we were going to have to make the move to a Suburban.

Here is my problem...I don't really like Suburbans. There has only been one Suburban that I ever really liked, and it was a 1960-something model that a friend of mine drove in high school! A bunch of us band-geeks would pile in that thing and have the most fun together. I LOVED it. I loved the all metal dashboard, and the no-frills interior. It was just cool, and I told myself way back then that one day, I'd like to have one just like it!

Fast forward a bit, and here I am explaining to my husband that I realize that a Suburban makes sense, but I still love my Astro, and the only Suburbans I really like are the 1960-something models...and good luck with that, dear!

Lo and Behold, two months ago, my husband was mentioning my love for the classic Suburbans to a friend...who just happened to know of one that was for sale. :) Now keep in mind that I wanted the old body-style...NOT the old engine, etc! The Suburban in question just happened to be a 1969 model with a brand new, fuel-injected, computer-controlled, GM 350 short-block crate motor in it....uh-huh. It also had a stereo w/CD player in the dash, and was all prepped and ready for an A/C unit to be installed. The body was in good condition with only minor details that could be improved upon as time/money allowed. In short, it was PERFECT! My only complaint was that it had been lowered, and although every "car guy" I meet says it's tough that way, I prefer Suburbans to be up where they belong! :)

Oh yeah, and the guy selling it was selling it for about half of it's value...uh-huh.

We went through a few trials and tribulations over the thing, but we both said from the first time we saw it, that if God wanted us to have it...then He would work it out.

And looky what sits in my driveway now...

God is good! And His Word is true! And I didn't even have to give up my Astro! I got both, and can use whichever one fits my need best at the time... :) He goes above and beyond, doesn't He?

"...God, your God, will restore everything you lost; he'll have compassion on you"
Deut. 30:1 (The Message)

Can I get an Amen from the choir? :)

A Bright Spot

2009-05-12T16:26:00.003-06:00

Okay, so if my last post depressed you just a bit...this should cheer you right up!

I actually have the second part of my previous post still to write... but not today. Check back with me tomorrow. In the meantime, watch the video again! And if the player is not working for you for some reason, try copying and pasting this link.

http://www.vtm.be/syndicatedplayer/maria_001.html

I TOTALLY stole this from Shalee's Diner by the way. :)

No Court of Appeals for Automobiles...

2009-05-10T18:38:00.003-06:00

This particular post has been a long time coming. I've been planning it in my head for quite some time, but have not had the time to sit and actually get it written...

Since today is Mother's Day, I've let all responsibilities go out the window, and I've spent the day doing whatever I have wanted to do: church this morning, take out from KFC for lunch, catching up on my DVR recordings, reading my email and cleaning out my inbox, and catching up with some of my favorite blogs! And now, I plan to take a break from reading blogs to actually WRITE SOMETHING on my OWN blog!

This story actually started several years ago...

When I met my husband, he spent his weekends racing his Honda CRX in local Autocross races. During one of these races, he spun out and did something to his clutch which made the car not very competitive for future races. Since he'd just met me, and we'd just started dating, the racing kind of went by the wayside as we were spending every free moment getting to know each other better, and the CRX went back to being just a regular car that took him to and from work, took me out on dates, and drove us away from the church after our wedding. :)

My husband held on to that car long after it stopped running. I think it was always in the back of his mind to get it running again and for us to be able to use it to go out on dates just for fun. Our 2nd born son had also claimed that he wanted to fix it up and let it be his car someday. But time and money didn't allow for any of these scenarios, so the car sat....

A few years ago, we got a notice that we could not have a "junk car" in our driveway, and we were given a date to appear in court to address the situation. Ben went to the court with pictures of the car to show that it wasn't a broken down "junk" car, and to explain that it wasn't registered because it wasn't being used. The judge agreed that it was not a junk car, and it didn't need to be registered if it wasn't being driven on the street, but apparently the law states that an unregistered vehicle cannot be visible from the street, so it needed to be put in the garage. She then gave him three days to make room in the garage and get the car moved into it. Her final ruling stated that the car needed to be moved by that date, or the car would be "towed and abated".

Now, right about the time that all this was going on, we discovered that we were quite unexpectedly expecting another baby! During those 3 days, I miscarried that baby, and consequently, moving the car out of the driveway became the least of our worries. The day, I had to have my D&C, a policeman came to the house with a tow truck driver to take the car away. He felt really bad about the situation, and gave me the information of where they were towing the car, so Ben could get it back when he got home from work.

Ben came home, went to the towing place, paid the fee, and they towed the car back to our house...where it was promptly put in the garage.

There it stayed until a couple of months ago when our growing collection of motorcycles forced it back out to the driveway. We had decided to go ahead and sell it despite it's sentimental value. So, we got a "For Sale" sign and put it out on the driveway. About a week or so later, a policeman came by to let us know that it would have to be moved, but we had 30 days to sell it, or move it back into the garage...

Two weeks later, another policeman came by to inquire as to where we got that car since his records showed that the car was supposed to have been destroyed....

Um, I'm sorry, WHAT????

Apparently, when the first policeman had filed his paperwork to start the 30 day process, that whole "towed and abated" thing popped up. Did you know that abated means crushed??? Yeah, neither did we. I asked the officer exactly what type of a crime a car could possibly commit to warrant the death penalty? He told me he didn't really understand it himself, but apparently when it was towed, it was supposed to be crushed and we weren't supposed to be able to get it back!

Are you kidding me???

Seriously. Mr. Policeman was very nice and tried to help us out since he couldn't figure out why it was to be destroyed either. (I'm thinking the judge didn't know what abated meant any more than we did, and was just trying to sound official!)

Through a series of phone calls and visits to the courthouse, we were eventually told that the current judge would have to rescind the original order for abatement, or they were going to have to take the car and crush it. After several MORE phone calls and visits to the courthouse, we were finally told that the current judge couldn't overrule the previous judge's decision.

Again, are you kidding me???

I made the point that even murderers had the right to appeal their convictions...it fell on deaf ears.

Deeply saddened, we stood by and watched as Mr. Policeman and his tow truck driver took away a piece of our past. While we had already resigned ourselves that we were going to have to part with it, this was not what we had in mind.

I personally think the whole thing was terribly unfair, and if my daughter is ever in the running for Miss America and is asked what she would most like to change in the world, I hope her answer will be that she will call for the rights of cars that have been unjustly sentenced to the death penalty to have the right to appeal to a higher, more understanding court! Because the cars can obviously not speak for themselves...and they need a voice in this unjust court system of ours!

And just for the record, we did look up the definition of the word abate:

a⋅bate
a⋅bat⋅ed, a⋅bat⋅ing.
–verb (used with object)

1. to reduce in amount, degree, intensity, etc.; lessen; diminish: .

2.

a. to put an end to or suppress (a nuisance).

b. to suspend or extinguish (an action).

c. to annul (a writ).

3. to deduct or subtract: to abate part of the cost.

4. to omit: to abate all mention of names.

5. to remove, as in stone carving, or hammer down, as in metalwork, (a portion of a surface) in order to produce a figure or pattern in low relief.

–verb (used without object)

6. to diminish in intensity, violence, amount, etc.: The storm has abated. The pain in his shoulder finally abated.

7. Law. to end; become null and void.

Still don't see how that means We are going to crush your car....hhmmmmph!!

Snapshot Sunday

2009-05-03T13:42:00.002-06:00

Hello Blogland,

Today is "Snapshot Sunday", so I thought I post some pics really quickly of some of the things we've been doing over the past few weeks. :)

These are close up shots of baseball themed cookies I made for a couple of cookie bouquets...

This is the large bouquet...

And this is the small one.
This was a cake for a guy at my husband's office who has been working there for 10 years. (He works in the service department...hence, the toolbox!)
And this is the back of the toolbox...had to show you the hinges! :)
This is a picture of the kids being silly just before they went out to hunt Easter Eggs at Grandma and Grandpa's house. (I love kids who don't mind being silly!)
This is David "mountain climbing" at a friend's house. He did it so many times, he could eventually do it without his sister pulling him up at the end, or his brother giving him that initial boost!

This is Jon going up that same hill on his motorcycle...(he has since gotten a REAL trial's bike, and this one is now mine. I just have to learn how to ride it!)
This is Benji on the trial's bike that he got for Christmas this year. He took 2nd place that day. :)

This is Dave being cute! :)
Okay, I guess that's it for now. I must get back to folding laundry while I catch up on my DVR!

Happy Sunday Everyone!

Well Now, That Explains A Lot!

2009-05-02T15:48:00.004-06:00

In my research with regard to my kidney disease, I read that chronic kidney disease causes memory/concentration issues in the brain. REALLY good to know since yesterday, I had some issues in that department.

You know how sometimes you will be looking for your eyeglasses only to eventually discover that they are on the top of your head? Even if it's never happened to you personally, we've all seen it on sitcoms, right?

Well yesterday, I was walking out of Target and I reached up to get my glasses off of my head, and they weren't there. I panicked for just a moment, and checked again. Can you guess where this is going?

So,
I realized after just a minute or two of this panic, that I was wearing my glasses...
ON MY EYES!!!

Yep. No joke.

Now in my defense, it is an old habit of mine to put my sunglasses on top of my head when I go into a store, and put them back on when I walk out. Problem is...these were my regular glasses. And I've been wearing them for well over a year now...which means that I haven't worn my glasses on top of my head for over a year now...geesh!

Personally, I blame it on the kidney disease....and I'd like to chalk junior high up to this disease as well. Just for the record. :)

A Must Read..

2009-04-27T16:43:00.004-06:00

I really don't know what else to say.

You.Must.Read.This.Book.

I was not asked to review this book. I just loved it, and absolutely had to share it with you all!

I first heard about this book from on Twitter. Then I started noticing "Tweets" from some of the other people I follow with quotes from this book. It caught my attention, and I knew I wanted to read it for myself.

Last Friday evening I asked Ben if I could have a G.N.O. all by myself, and he graciously agreed! :) I headed first to my favorite bookstore and asked if they had a copy of The Noticer in the store. I was directed to the proper shelf, and there was one lone copy...just waiting for me to snatch it up! (I found out this morning that the actual release date is tomorrow, but when stores got their copies, some of them just went ahead and put it out on the shelves. I am convinced that God put that lone copy on the shelf at my Hastings Bookstore for ME to read. (And yes Mom, to pass on to you! :))

After I bought the book, I headed out for a night at the movies...all.by.myself! It would have been heaven, except for the obnoxious teen aged girls who thought it was funny to through popcorn at my head throughout the entire movie! Why is that funny? I didn't even know them...

ANYWAY, once I left the movie, I really didn't want to go anywhere else, so I headed home, closed the door to my room and curled up in my rocking chair with The Noticer. I would have stayed there all night if I could have. I did NOT want to put it down!

Alas, 4 children can only get along for so long without their mom, so I had to put the book on hold. I have read it at every opportunity since then and finished it up this morning. I'm a little sad that it's over. This is a book that I wish had no end. I could continue learning all of it's little lessons for the rest of my life!

"My contention is that you are right where you are supposed to be. This may look like barren sand to you, but nothing could be further from the truth. I say to you that as you lay your head down tonight, you are sleeping on fertile ground. Think, learn, ray, plan, dream. For soon...you will become."

The official title of the book is "The Noticer: Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective."
And as you can tell from the above quote, the perspective in this book is one of hope, and blessing. The book is a narrative/allegory that leads you on a journey of finding a new perspective in your own life. Something I desperately need every time I watch the news!

I just read a review of this book by Gail Hyatt whom I also follow on Twitter. And something she mentions at the beginning of her review was whether or not she could think of 5 people with whom she would like to share this book. I started laughing when I read that because while I was reading a made of list of way more than 5 people that I'd love to share a copy with! (Incidentally, she had more than 5 too!) In her review Gail tells the story of one person to whom she did give the book to, and how it has changed his life already!

But I actually went one step further. I not only plan to give this book to several friends, and have recommended it to several others, but I went out and found every other book by Andy Andrews, and I've already dived into the first one!

Take my advice. Go out NOW and buy a copy of this book. You will not be sorry! And when you have read this book, you will understand when I say that I am a goldfish, but I married a cat! :)

Go! Buy! Now! Need a second opinion? Go read what others are saying here.

I Am Back!

2009-04-24T07:24:00.002-06:00

Hey Everyone! I have missed our little chats! I didn't plan on being gone for a month, but some things came up and I had too many plates spinning to keep this one up as well. :)

However, I believe that things are about back to normal now, so I plan to be back here on a more regular basis again. (And by normal, I of course mean, slightly less manic!) :)

I am writing this on my phone, so I'm a bit limited in what I can post, but I just wanted to stop in and say "Hi!" For a change. Later today I plan to take the kids to see the new Disney Movie "Earth", so I'll probably stop back by and let you all know what we thought of it. I really want to see the new Hannah Montana movie and 17 Again, myself, but couldn't find a way to justify them during school hours! ;) If you can think of a good reason to see them that is "school-related", PLEASE let me know! :)

Okay, I've had my quiet time this morning, I can't go for a run/walk because it's raining, and I've caught up on Twitter already, so I guess it's time to wake the kids and get this day started...sigh.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

2009-03-31T14:54:00.003-06:00

I really cannot think of a title for this post, so I went back to what I learned from Mary Poppins, "So when the cat has got your tongue, there's no need to dismay, just summon up this word and then you've got a lot to say! But better use it carefully or it can change your life..."

I don't think anything life changing is going to happen, but hey, I have a blog-post title where I had none before!

Have you ever walked into say, your kids' room, and the chaos was so great that you didn't know where to start? That's where I am with this post. I've been out of it for so long, I'm not quite sure how to jump back in...

So, I thought, I'd get back to the basics...the cakes! Part of the reason that I've been in and out so much (mostly out) over the past two months is the number of cakes and cookies that I've done for my friends and family. Baking and decorating all of them and then trying to keep up with the homeschooling and general life activities around here, didn't leave me much time to stop by and chat with you...much less post pictures. So I have come here today to do just that. Post pictures. It's a small step, but it's a step nonetheless. May the drooling begin!

I made 2 dozen of these cookies for my nephew's birthday. My niece called and wanted cookies for him, and she said "All he cares about is bowling, can you do bowling cookies?" So, here you go...bowling cookies.

Then, one of my favorite kids (whom I did NOT give birth to) was turning 6 and wanted a football cake. You can't tell from this picture, but the chocolate fondant was textured to look like an actual leather football. :) (By the way, the reason I like him so much is that he said I'm still pretty skinny for being so old!)

Another friend of mine had a brother getting married again, and he asked if I would make a small cake for a wedding at his house on Valentines day.

A few weeks ago, I was asked to recreate a baby shower cake I had made previously for a baby boy shower...but this time for a girl. I never like to do the same cake twice, so I did change it up a bit with some ideas I got at the Cake Show earlier this month.

On that same day I did a wedding cake for the daughter of our church's worship leader. It was a very simple cake, so I figured I could do both in one day....honestly, the baby shower cake took longer than the wedding cake! They didn't want any topper on it, but it was supposed to have a flower on the top...the florist forgot that little detail, so they just had me continue the leaves and vines on the top of the cake.

And finally, just this past weekend, I was asked to make a cake for a friend's niece who was getting married. The cake was for a couple's shower for both the bride and groom. They both play guitar and lead worship at their church, and the sentiment on the cake was what was written on their wedding invitation. In case it's tough to tell from the photo, the cake is a double heart....not a set of bongo drums. :)
Okay, so now you are all caught up on my cake and cookie world, and I'm hungry! Talk amongst yourselves while I go find something to snack on...

Home to Heather Creek

2009-03-15T07:16:00.006-06:00

***UPDATE***
Ya'll, I TOTALLY forgot that Tricia Goyer is giving away a set of these books on her blog as well! Here's the info...

Oh...and the best part is the EVERY FOODIE contest!

Okay...this book is loaded with yummy food: strawberry cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, baked chicken with cornbread, chocolate cake, pancakes with homemade syrup, French onion soup, parmesan crusted chicken…well you get the idea!

So the contest for this tour will be the EVERY FOODIE contest! Leave a comment on this post with your favorite meal and a recipe (feel free to post more than one recipe for additional entries in the contest!)! I’ll choose the one that most tantalizes my taste buds to receive an entire set of the Home to Heather Creek series (books 1-7)!

Five runner’s up will win a copy of Every Sunrise (or another Tricia Goyer book of their choice).

Let the mouth-watering commence!

So, if you want to go and enter over there as well, you can do that here! You can also find links to the other blogs reviewing this book and check out whether or not they are hosting giveaways as well!

I'm not quite sure where the last 11 days went...

I posted two whole days IN A ROW, and then...nothing. I remember why I didn't post last Wednesday...it was a crazy day that started early in the morning and lasted well into the night. Then Thursday and Friday were spent baking and decorating wedding and baby shower cakes. Saturday and Sunday were motorcycle competitions in Houston for my man and my boys. This week I guess I've just been trying to catch my breath!

But, I'm back now, and I have something good to share with you! As you know (if you've hung out with me for awhile), I have gotten the chance to review quite a few books on this blog. That is my most favorite yet unexpected perk of starting this little thing 2 years ago. And you know by now that fiction is my first love when it comes to books, but Christian fiction tops the list. I like reading a book that will help me learn to live my life more like Christ, so I love reading about Christian characters that have struggles and issues and watch how they work through them and I learn from them. I figure, if I learn right along with them, then perhaps I just might be able to skip that particular lesson in my own life! :) So, whenever I read a book, I'm looking for myself in the characters and trying to discover what I can learn through them. Ya'll, this book threw me for a loop!

Charlotte Stevenson's world is turned upside down by the death of her daughter Denise. Denise ran away from home when she was a teenager, and Charlotte has never forgiven herself. Now, Denise's three children have come to live on Heather Creek Farm: Sam, fiercely protective of his younger siblings; Emily desperately missing her friends; and young Christopher, a sweet soul who only wants to fit in. Is this Charlotte's chance to make things right?

That is the premise for a series of books titled "Home to Heather Creek". I believe there are 9 books in this series...so far. The book I was asked to review was written by my Twitter friend, Tricia Goyer. I reviewed one of Tricia's non-fiction books, "Generation NeXt Marriage" some time ago, and I've been following her on Twitter for awhile as well, so naturally I was anxious to read some of her fiction. But this particular book caught my interest for another reason.

Tricia Goyer didn't write the entire series. The series has been written by 5 different authors! Each of the first 5 books in the series were written by a different author and the following 4 books have had some of those authors write another book in the series. (That is why I think the series might not be finished, Kristin Eckhardt hasn't written a second book for the series yet. :)) I believe having different authors writing the series helps each book stand alone as well as fit into the series. Although I was diving into Every Sunrise, book 7 of the series, I didn't feel lost at all. Each book stands alone as it's own story even though it is linked to 8 other stories about the same family.

In Every Sunrise, the bleak, biting cold makes February on Heather Creek Farm a test of endurance for the Slater kids, trying to make it through their first winter in Nebraska. As winter wears on, Sam becomes more and more withdrawn and unhappy, and when he sets out from the farm one night, searching for the father who abandoned them all, Charlotte has to face the memory of Denise's own disappearance all over again. The family tries to discover where Sam may have gone, and as Bob and Charlotte set off on a cross-country journey to track him down, they need all the help--and prayer--they can get to bring him home safely. This broken family needs God's help like never before, but their trials remind them all that every sunrise brings a new beginning.

Now, here's where I got thrown for a loop with this book. I fully expected to identify with Charlotte when I read this book. I expected to find myself in her as she's trying to raise 3 kids and keep a house together. And I do see myself in Charlotte...although she's much better at the whole "keeping the house together" thing. But the one I really identified with in this book was Sam...the runaway, and not just because some days I feel like running away. ;) I identified with Sam for one main reason. Sam saw events happening around him as signs that what he was doing was the right thing to do, and when things didn't go according to his plan, he took that as a sign that something was trying to keep him from doing the right thing. In reality, I believe it was the opposite.

For example, when Sam's uncle was able to figure out what was wrong with his car, and get it running again, Sam believed it was a sign that he should get in that car and go find his father. And when Charlotte gave him permission to spend the night with his friend, he saw it as the perfect opportunity to leave without being missed, so it must be a sign that he should go, right? But when he runs into trouble with the car that can't be repaired in time, he believes that he should press on toward his goal because the good things that happened to him, must have meant he was doing the right thing.

Looking at it from the outside, I saw Sam's uncle fixing his car, and his grandmother allowing him to spend the night with a friend as blessings from God. These were blessings that made his life more pleasant and easier....right there in Nebraska... on Heather Creek Farm. And when he ran into trouble with the car later, I saw that as a sign that God was trying to stop him from making a mistake.

Isn't it interesting how the same circumstances can be read two different ways? This is why I related to Sam in this book. I have been struggling lately with knowing what it is God wants me to do. There are times I've thought I heard Him clearly, but when I acted on what I heard, everything came crashing down around me. Then I was faced with trying to figure out if Satan was trying to keep me from obeying God, or if I hadn't heard right in the first place! In other words, I am Sam.

Do you ever feel that way? Do you struggle with knowing what the will of God is, or what you should do in your day-to-day life? Do you want to know how Sam dealt with his setbacks, and whether or not he ever found his father and gained that relationship he longed for so much? Or how his family dealt with his leaving and whether or not they were able to bring him back home? Well, then you're going to need to read this book! And if you get curious about what might have happened in the other 8 books in this series, then you need to get the whole series!!! And guess what? I'm going to be giving away BOTH right here on the blog! That's right, I'm going to give away one copy of Every Sunrise and one copy of The entire Home to Heather Creek series!

Now I could ask you all to leave a comment telling me just exactly how you know when God is speaking to you....but that seems a bit too deep, and I'd feel really badly if you all had it all figured out and I was the only dope in the bunch! So, to keep my fragile ego in tact, I'm just going to ask you to go to the Guidepost's Home to Heather Creek website and check out the other authors in this series. Then come back here and leave me a comment telling me if you've ever read anything from any of those authors and how you liked it! In other words, I'm always looking for new authors to read, and I want recommendations! :)

I'll leave the comments open until Friday, March 20. Then I'll use Mr. Random Integer Generator to select a winner or, just write every one's name down and put it in a hat and draw out a name...whatever works! So go, check it out, and come back and comment. I'll just wait right here for you to come back.....

Is Christmas Really Over?

2009-03-03T07:52:00.003-06:00

Since our family was conducting the great Christmas tree experiment of 2009, I took a keen interest in the times that houses in our neighborhood took down their outside lights and decorations.

There are those who seem to take them down on Christmas Day. Others leave them up Christmas Day, but they are down first thing in the morning the day after. Some leave them up until New Year's Day, and others just kind of come down here and there during the next few weeks. We have a few, who never take the lights off of their houses. They do stop turning them on at night, but they leave them up all year long.

When I'm out running the mornings, I get to observe all these different houses and guess at who might live there and what kind of people they might be.

But there is this one house that I run past 3 times on my route. It is March 3, and they still have all of their Christmas decorations up outside. I'm not talking about some lights around the roof line, or a snowman in the yard. These people have a beautiful display in their front yard. They have a wire-framed, lighted deer with a velvet collar with bells on it, that is harnessed to a sleigh in which sits a beautiful doll wrapped in a wintry blanket and wearing a white fur coat and matching hat. She holds the reigns in her hands. They have lights on the house, and they have an old fashioned lamppost that is wrapped with red ribbon and decorated with pine cones and poinsettias. They even have two pots at the end of their driveway with silk poinsettias in them.

There was one morning a few weeks ago that I was out running in some lovely drizzling rain, and I really wanted to get a rain coat and hat to put on that doll. She looked like she needed it, and I thought it would be funny at the same time.

But I find myself wondering more and more why they haven't taken down their decorations. When that beautiful doll was getting rained on, I really started to wonder. It seemed like they would at least come and get her out of the weather...unless there was another reason why they were leaving the decorations up so long.

So I began to look for signs that something might be wrong, but everything seemed to be okay. Their cars were coming and going just like normal. But I did notice one thing.

I noticed that among the Christmas decorations, there were also yellow ribbons and American flags. I'm guessing these people have a soldier, or a sailor, or an airman, or a marine out there somewhere. And that got me wondering if maybe, just maybe they were keeping up their Christmas decorations because they were waiting for that soldier, sailor, airman, or marine to return home to celebrate the holiday with them.

Obviously, there is no way for me to know why (unless I just knocked on the door and asked, but that is NOT likely to happen), but I now find myself praying for them every time I pass their house. I pray for a safe return for anyone they may be waiting for. I pray for peace in the household. And I pray for blessing on them in whatever they may be going through...

...and I watch their house and wait to see just how long those decorations will stay up.

Christmas is Over....I think

2009-03-03T07:28:00.004-06:00

Here at the house of Kids and Cakes, we took our Christmas tree down just 9 days ago....

No need to adjust your bifocals or check your calendar. Yes, I meant February 22.

There were multiple reasons for leaving it up after Christmas: celebrating the "season" not just the "day", it went up late and the kids wanted to keep it for awhile, most of my storage boxes got water damaged somehow and I needed to find new storage boxes.... Those were all reasons why it was still up in January. But the reason it was still up in February was that we homeschool over here.

You see, when you homeschool, just about everything can be turned into a lesson of some sort. And so our Christmas tree became just that...a science experiment. You see, it was still drawing water, and looking quite lovely far into January. Oh, did I fail to mention that it was a real tree? It was. So, there it was looking good, and still pretty fresh a month after Christmas....and that my friends, shouts "Challenge!" to a homeschooler.

We decided to see just how long that tree would: a) continue to draw water, b) hold onto it's needles, c) keep it's branches strong and upright, and d) keep it's lovely dark green color. And the results are in!

a) up until about the 1st or 2nd week in February
b) never did lose any needles, until we started taking off the lights, and that pulled some off. They were very brittle by then, but they hung onto the tree unless you knocked them off somehow.
c) the branches started drooping around Valentines day, but only a few ornament slid off, it still held most of them up just fine.
d) about the same time it started to droop, the color started to fade.

So, what was the lesson learned in all of this? If you buy a real Christmas tree, buy a Frasier Fir and buy it from your local Sertoma Club, because that tree was AWESOME!

The Update....FINALLY!

2009-02-28T19:45:00.003-06:00

Okay, so I've had a bunch of blog posts rolling around in my head, but the questions I keep getting from everyone are about my dr.'s appointments and my health issues. So I decided to get the update written and out of the way, so I can get back to more fun blogging stuff!

Okay, so I left you all with a brief synopsis of my particular kidney disease and the fact that I was feeling blah and my feet and legs were swollen, and I was basically pretty miserable.... right?

So, I went to my doctor in Dallas to get the results of my kidney function test, and he seemed pretty pleased with most of my test results. He basically has a chart with what my results were when I first came to him, and what they are now and he compares the two. Most everything was holding steady, so he was satisfied with that. My GFR (which is some formula that they use to determine kidney function) had dropped 9%, but it was still 1% higher than it was when I first started going to him. So basically, I'm still considered stage 2 chronic kidney disease and since the goal is to keep me from going into stage 3, he's happy. He did add a vitamin D3 to my list of pills to take because he said I was pretty low on that, and he recommended that I see my local urologist because he suspected that the drop in function and my other symptoms suggested that I had a kidney stone...although he can't seem to understand why I'm still getting them when I'm on this medicine, and this diet. (Because I'm special...that's why!) He also suggested that I see an internist to try to figure out why my blood pressure has been so high...ugh.

I made the appointment with my urologist, but decided to discuss the blood pressure issue with him rather than trying to find an internist. (Seriously, do I need another dr.?) The urologist did a CaT scan and discovered that I did, in fact, have a kidney stone...or three. Uh-huh, he said, "There are at least 3 stones in there that I can see." The good news is that they are "free floating" which means that they are not blocking anything at the moment, so they can be left alone for now....or, in other words, no surgery at this time. And in regard to the whole blood pressure thing...he said I could just go to my regular family doctor rather than an internist. He also suggested that I do so right away...

(Now here, is where we must take a little bunny-path... about 10 years ago, one of my drs. told me that they had started prescribing blood-pressure meds to patients who got multiple kidney stones and it seemed to be helping to prevent them. HOWEVER, for most of my life, my blood pressure has been extremely low and putting me on a medication that would lower it wasn't an option. In fact the only time my blood pressure has ever been even slightly elevated was right before a kidney surgery when I was almost totally blocked. That was when I was told that I needed to check it regularly because a rise in blood pressure could indicate the onset of kidney failure. Okay, we can go back to our regular path now...bunny path has ended.)

....as it turns out, it's a two-way street between the blood pressure and the kidney function. Just as poor kidney function can increase blood pressure, high blood pressure can cause reduced kidney function. Either way about it, my blood pressure was so high that my doctor recommended a very aggressive approach to lowering it....sigh. So, I am now taking ANOTHER pill to regulate my blood pressure, and he told me I needed to beef up my running and to add distance...2 miles wasn't good enough....BIG sigh.(this dude seriously runs MUCH faster than I do!)

I'm still having the kidney pain off and on (but the dr. gave me medicine for that, so it's better) and I am still swollen, though not as bad as before. The good news is that since I got my blood pressure down, I have felt a hundred times better! I'm not sluggish or tired all the time any more and the chest pains are gone. AND hopefully, the blood pressure medicine will also help prevent me from forming stones in the future.

So, does everyone feel all caught up now? Did I answer all of your questions? ....Whew! I'm tired just typing it all out! I think I'll call it a day.

Thanks for checking in on me!

1 Homeschooler + 1 Huffy Slider = Physics Class!

2009-02-25T10:55:00.003-06:00

Well Howdy Ya'll!

2009-02-23T20:55:00.001-06:00

I guess by now you've all figured out that I've been on a little bloggy break. It wasn't intentional, and I didn't feel like I needed a break from the blog, or the computer. I just had a LOT of things to get done here at the house and with the kids' schoolwork. As you know, I had been feeling pretty lousy for awhile and things were just getting farther and farther behind...

No, I'm not all caught up yet, but I am doing much better health-wise, and I'm starting to make a little progress on my lists, so I hope to be back to more regular blog-writing and reading soon! I think I've missed reading all of your blogs more than I've missed writing my own!

I just stopped in today to let you all know that I'm feeling much better (I'll give all the details about that in a future post), and I'll be back soon. I'm still updating my Twitter every now and then, so if you want to follow me on Twitter, just click the link in my sidebar. And if you are Twittering too, please let me know so I can be following you too!

Thanks for still checking in with me and I'll be back soon!

White Chocolate Covered Popcorn

2009-02-01T19:11:00.002-06:00

I totally forgot that I promised this recipe with my review of INKHEART! I deeply apologize...

This isn't really a recipe as I don't particularly measure very carefully, but rather "eyeball" it!

All you do, is pop about 1/2 cup of popcorn in an air-popper. Then melt about 1 cup of white chocolate morsels in the microwave 30 seconds at a time until completely melted. (Be careful, because you can over cook them, and they will be ruined.) Then, in a large bowl, pour the melted white chocolate over the popcorn and stir to coat all the popcorn.
Finally, spread the mixture out on a baking sheet and allow to cool. The white chocolate will harden back up, and you have a very tasty treat!

I made this for the Super Bowl tonight, and I used Wilton's Red Apeels instead of white chocolate because we are cheering for the Cardinals, and we wanted it to be red! :) It worked great and tastes really good too!

I posted a picture here, but since I'm on my phone, I can't load it here to the blog....sigh. Maybe one of these days I'll figure out how to do that!

Enjoy your popcorn, and. GO CARDINALS!

I Heart Inkheart!

2009-01-30T14:07:00.006-06:00

Sorry, I didn't get back here yesterday to post this, I had a bit of catching up to do around here after two kids' birthdays and a day in the Big D!

But here I am ready to talk some INKHEART with you all!

First of all, I absolutely LOVED this movie. I will buy it when it comes out on DVD, and I will watch ALL of the bonus features because I want more! I will also be buying a copy of the book, because I'm intrigued. I know that a 2 hour movie can never cover all the details given in an entire book, so I am looking forward to reading the book and experiencing even more of this story!

I will caution parents, however, on one small thing. The bad guys in this movie are SCARY. Most of them are just ugly, and have poor personal hygiene, like these guys.

But "The Shadow", seen here,

is a terrifying sight on the Big Screen! When he first appeared, my first thought was that I wouldn't be taking my 8 year old daughter to see this on the Big Screen. I'm still debating on the 11 year old. He's kind of funny about what scares him and what doesn't. I know however, that both of them will be fine seeing it on our television set. It's just on the giant screen that I think it would be a bit overwhelming for any child under 10, and possibly for those even older. You know your own children best, so you know what they can handle and what they can't.

The story itself was fantasy magic for me! I love fantasy books that are filled with magic and mystery and things that could never possibly happen except in a book, and this movie was full of just that.

Mo Folchart is a "silver tongue", or someone who is able, by reading a story aloud, to bring characters from that story into our world. The problem is, when a character from a story is brought into our world, sometimes someone from our world is taken into the story. This is apparently what happened to Mo's wife, and how he discovered that he had this unique ability in the first place.

So we find Mo, whose occupation is that of a "book doctor"--someone who repairs old and damaged books, searching for a copy of the book he was reading when his wife disappeared. He has a daughter who seemingly knows nothing of what happened to her mother, nor her father's unique gift, but is constantly asking questions about it. During this time, we also find out that Meggie, Mo's daughter, not only loves reading books, but also enjoys writing stories of her own...mainly about her mother, and what may have happened to her. Obviously, this is discouraged by her father who knows the power of the written word, and he warns her about making up these stories.

That is the background we are given, and then we are flung headlong into the story. I must admit that each time I thought I knew where the story was going, there was a delightful twist that kept me guessing and excited to find out what would happen next! I love it when that happens...too often I "figure out" a story and then spend the rest of my time waiting for it to happen rather than anticipating what might happen. That was so NOT the case with this movie!

I can't necessarily say that there was a clear-cut moral to the story, but there were several lessons to take away from it. Obviously, the power of the written word was first and foremost. Through the story of "Dustfinger" (played by one of my favorite actors, Paul Bettany) we learn that everyone has a choice in the decisions they make in life as well as what type of person they become. I also took away from the characters of Elinor and Meggie, that each of us has a gift, and those gifts can be used to help others in times of need. I would expand on that, but I'd have to give away too much of the story, and my friend, Todd specifically asked me NOT to give away the story in this review!

I personally found nothing offensive in the movie, and I do plan to take my 13 year old and most likely my 11 year old to see it on one of our "Mommy and Me" dates. When trying to think of another movie to compare it to when deciding what age child should see it, my very first thought was of Eragon and The Lion The Witch, and The Wardrobe. If you and your children enjoyed both of these fantasy-type movies, (and weren't too scared by some of the "darker" characters in them) I think you will also enjoy Inkheart.

If anyone has seen the movie, please feel free to leave your review/opinion in the comments!

So a HUGE THANK YOU to YouCast for sending me to see this movie! And if you have any others you want to send me to, I'll be here!

The Big Day!

2009-01-28T10:35:00.002-06:00

This is the big day...

My sister and I are on our way to Dallas to get the results of my kidney function tests, and hopefully a plan of action that will make my life a bit easier! :)

And then we're going to see INKHEART! I'm so excited!

So, I'll be back tomorrow with an update for you, as well as a review of the movie!

Have a great Wednesday everyone!

Then and Now

2009-01-27T13:15:00.004-06:00

This week my baby girl turned 8 years old! AND my #2 son turned 11! It's really hard to imagine, since this was just yesterday...

And this was just last week..
.In honor of the occasion, I put together a little slide show of the two of them. I could have included a TON more pictures, but I restrained myself.

Odds and Ends...

2009-01-23T19:22:00.006-06:00

Since I went missing for awhile there, I thought I'd take this opportunity to catch up on a few things that I never posted here on the blog. But first...

I went to the mailbox today, and look what I found waiting for me from Patsy Clairmont!

I'm not exactly sure why the picture is sideways, it was straight when I uploaded it...Anyway, I'm so excited, and David has been begging me to read the "Basil and Parsley" book to him ever since I pulled it out of the package!

Thanks Patsy!!!

And I made a baby shower cake, and a cookie bouquet awhile back, and I don't think I ever posted the pictures. So, here you go!

And the last thing I have to share with you all today, is a very, very short video that Benji and I made for his youth group meeting this week.

He said that one of the youth leaders asked him to make a 30 second video of some of the "extreme sports things" that he does. We weren't able to take videos of his trials bike events and jumps, or of his trampoline acrobatics on such short notice, but we did find some video that we had taken this past summer of some of his bicycle stunt riding. The video ended up being about 1 minute and 12 seconds because we just had to include the bloopers at the beginning...but the youth group agreed that the bloopers were totally worth the extra 42 seconds! He's was so proud to take the video for his friends to see, that I thought I'd share it with you all as well.