Out to Lunch…

Some Results from the Seniors Hands-on Photography Class at Imaging USA 2012

My photography buddy, Marie, and I arrived early in New Orleans to attend a special all-day hands-on photography class at the Imaging USA 2012 convention. It consisted of two classes, one in the morning, one in the afternoon, each taught by different photographers.

The first class was taught by Kibbie Walton of Artisan Portraits. (click on his link to see some of his work) His Senior portraiture is really spot-on and lovely.

He worked with us on lighting and posing, but covered a gamut of photography-related topics. I loved that he was so approachable and knowledgable. He also possessed a quick wit.

Imaging USA provided us with two models for the morning session, which was quite helpful. It allowed us to practice what Kibbie was teaching. It was good to hear him and watch him work with the models as he moved them through different poses and such.

Here are two photos I took during the class:

(I added my copyright mark, but only because I was using a particular action in Photoshop that adds it. I need to make it clear, if I haven’t already, I took these portraits in a teaching/learning environment.)

The only touchups I made were slight brightness adjustments, contrast and adding pop to the eyes. I did re-touch, very minimally, the female’s skin. But, barely. She had beautiful skin to begin with, but her hands were a bit splotchy, so I touched up that area.

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Then, after a lunch break, we returned to find a new teacher, Chuck Arlund. This guy was a trip! VERY artsy and creative. In fact, when he first began speaking, I honestly thought to myself, “There’s no way I can sit through this for 3 hours and follow him; he’s all over the place!” But, I’m telling you, after about 30 minutes of a hit-or-miss introduction, we left the classroom and got to work. He was great! Very personable, like Kibbie Walton, and effective in helping me understand some lighting/flash techniques.

I liked him a lot.

Please check out his work, as well. It’s amazing! (Please note: Chuck is a high fashion photographer. His work includes some shots of models in small articles of clothing, sometimes not big enough to cover all the parts. Please do not look at his work if you have small children at your knee.)

For this class, we were given another young model to practice with. Chuck was walking us through some lighting set-ups, but to practice with his set-up, we had to wait our turn to use his equipment/flashes. I decided to snap a couple shots of the model without the flashes. I wanted to practice some backlit situations and this is what I got:

I did not re-touch this model’s skin. I only played with the contrast and darkened the blacks a bit. Very minimal re-touch. (Again, the above two portraits were taken in a learning/teaching situation.)

The teachers/photographers at the convention were all fantastic. In fact, it was somewhat over-whelming receiving so much information is such a short amount of time. I am still sorting through hand-outs, ads, tips, dvds, photos, etc., etc., etc.

Even though I am still combing through all the information I was given, I am so thankful I got the opportunity to attend. All the piles of papers and sorting is worth it.

I’ve already begun saving for next year!

Have a super day!

Tags: Artisan Portraits, Chuck Arlund, Imaging USA 2012, Kibbie Walton

Catching up…

Photo Title: I Wish. I Want.

Whew! I am still trying to catch up after being gone for 5 days to New Orleans for the Imaging USA 2012 convention.

Why does laundry seem to expand and multiply after a trip? And, it’s not even all MY laundry??

I needed a break from the laundry, so I thought I’d show you a couple shots I took with my phone while in New Orleans. They are mostly food pictures. But, I promise you, we did more than just eat. In fact, we didn’t really eat that much. I just made sure I took pictures of some of my favorite spots/meals.

Photo Title: BBQ Shrimp and Grits: You Complete Me.

We walked over to Bourbon Street to eat at Red Fish Grill (basically at the corner of Canal Street and Bourbon Street). I had the most delectable, creamy, mouth-watering shrimp and grits I’ve ever tasted.

I’m telling you, even if you don’t like grits, you would swoon over these babies. Ahhhh-maaaazzzz-ing.

Marie and I liked Red Fish Grill so much, we returned the next night!

We were told the night before by a waiter named Scott, that we missed their signature dessert and we should come back just for that. Oh, and for their steak. He was so convincing, Marie and I returned only to find no Scott the waiter working. Fortunately, Jonathan was much obliged to serve us. (I didn’t take a picture of the steak on the second night, but let me tell you…I could cut it with a butter knife. Oh.My.) The Double Chocolate Bread Pudding (they are “famous” for it) was divine. Worth the trip back. (I’m not a huge bread pudding fan, but this was tops in my book.)

By the way, if you ever visit Red Fish Grill, I can safely and highly recommend the BBQ oysters, the Zapp’s fish (crunchy potato chip topping), BBQ shrimp and grits, their steak, and, for sure, end with the bread pudding…but, share it; it’s very rich and filling.

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Photo Title: I wish I were as creative as the people who think to advertise between the escalators. Genius.

It has been a long, long time since I’ve been to a convention of any sort. I was truly amazed at the creative displays and advertising that happened all over the convention center. There was not an empty space without some kind of ad plastered on it. I get hanging signs and booths, etc., but it takes a keen eye and quick imagination to be able to spot places like the center of the escalators, to place strategic advertising.

I rode up and down those escalators for 5 days and I stared at the MpixPro ad every single time. All the way up. All the way down. Finally, I snapped a picture on the way down.

M r smart people, m r.

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Our first night in New Orleans, we took a chance and tried Mandina’s in the Garden District. My friend Robin was told about this restaurant while flying to New Orleans. It was worth it. Packed with people wearing all their Saints garb and filled with smells of good Creole food.

I had a fish filet covered in crawfish etouffee. So, so good.

Photo Title: Mandina’s, until next time.

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Robin and Marie and I walked around the Expo for a little while on Sunday, the day it opened. There were a trillion booths with an absolute over-load of eye candy for the photographer. Everywhere you looked, there were beautiful set-ups with furniture and chandeliers all meant to sell their photo albums, or booths full of lens and cameras, photo jewelry, printer companies, etc., etc., etc. It was hard to land on just one booth; they were all so appealing.

But, this one booth stood out from the crowd and held us captive; they had the most unusual “hook” for grabbing our attention: snakes and an albino alligator.

Unfortunately, their hook was more attractive than the actual product. None of the three of us could remember the product they were selling!

(For my neighbor Stan: I could have wrapped myself in two boa constrictors, along with holding the alligator, but I refrained. You’re welcome.)

This was a good learning lesson: never have too good of a distraction/attraction that it takes away from the product you are selling!

Photo Title: No, I was COMPLETELY sober! And, yes, she’s ALIVE.

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Okay. So you cannot visit the Big Easy without making a trip to Cafe Du Monde. It’s a must.

(I’m not keen on posting so many pictures of myself on my blog, but, golly, it is what it is. I was making memories with good friends and I’m so glad we had some pictures taken.)

We did not have to wait in line on that Monday night, but even if you visit and it’s got a line forever, stand in it. Wear good shoes. Wait. You will not be disappointed!!

Have beignets and some of their Chickory coffee, or hot chocolate, or, like me, milk.

Be sure your hands are clean, because you WILL be licking your fingers.

Also, do not wear black, as seen above. You will leave with a fine dusting of powdered sugar all over you.

Order more than one beignet order. You will want to eat more than one beignet. I promise.

Photo Title: Happy. Bliss. De-lish. Oh.My. More, please?

I’ll post some more, soon, from the hands-on class Marie and I took during the pre-conference classes.

Now, back to the laundry.

Have a super Monday!

Tags: bourbon street, chocolate bread pudding, Imaging USA 2012, Mandina's, NOLA, Red Fish Grill, shrimp and grits

A Cooking Tip. Part Two. Was I WRONG????

Recently, I discussed the failure of a tip.

The tip was, if you place a wooden spoon over a pot with boiling liquid it will prevent it from boiling over.

I said it was silly, a myth, and did not hold water.

Snort! I crack myself up…did not hold water…get it? huh? huh?

In the comments, my neighbor and good friend, Stan, questioned my results, basically accusing me not following the rules.

He pointed out the utensil I used was not a wooden spoon, but rather a wooden handle with a plastic spatula.

Now, I will say in my defense, the plastic was not over the water, but Stan was right.

I’m a little on the competitive side and felt I needed to prove to the world (or to the 3 people who actually read this drivel) that I was right.

I knew, KNEW, there was no way the wooden spoon thing was going to work.

Wives tale. Myth. Hogwash.

I re-tested it at home and without giving you all the gory details, I found it to be inconclusive. I used a fully wooden spoon and I boiled the snot out a pot of water. I even added a piece of chicken. But, as I said, it was inconclusive. It did, in fact, boil over, but it was a miniscule amount. The problem: it boiled over–that very same miniscule amount–both WITH the spoon and WITHOUT. There seemed to be no change.

Fast forward to Christmas.

I’m at my sweet mother-in-law’s house and we are discussing the whole wooden spoon thing while preparing Christmas lunch. I told her it was inconclusive.

My mother-in-law saw that as a challenge.

So, when she made the macaroni and cheese, she tested the wooden spoon theory while boiling the macaroni.

Low and behold, the water never boiled over! And, I’m telling you, it wanted to. Real bad.

I believe her test worked like it was supposed to.

So….I’m hear to say a couple of things:

1) I was wrong. I admit it.

But don’t ever expect me to admit that ever again, on any topic. Ever.

My apologies to the writer of Kayotic Kitchen, where I first read about the stinkin’ idea. (Her blog is a neat cooking site.)

2) I had read some research on the topic, and yes, it has been tested and found to work.

If I remember correctly, it has something to do with the bubbles holding in heat and the wooden spoon allows the bubbles to attach themselves to the handle, thereby popping the bubbles. This, in turn, prevents the boiling starchy water from boiling over. (I am in no way, shape, or form a scientist, so please forgive me if, by chance, a really, really smart person stops by to read this drivel–because, really, you can’t be too terribly smart if you actually return to read this blog on a daily basis…wink/wink/smileyface/jk!!– and he/she reads the above sentence, and freaks out because I did not describe it correctly, or give the proper terms to the scientific happenings, blahblahblahblahblah….)

3) I saw it work with my own to eyes.

Pinky promise.

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Now, you try it! And, please, let me know your findings. I’m really curious if it ends up working for others.

Yours ’til the par boils,

P.S. Look the question up on the internet. It’s interesting! I think this would be such a cool science project (with adult supervision!).

Tags: does a wooden spoon prevent a boil-over?, wooden spoon boil-over test, wooden spoon over boiling pot

Packing for a trip

I am so excited, I can’t stand it!

I am headed to New Orleans for the Imaging Expo, a photography convention that promises to be all that and a bag of chips! I’m riding along with a fairly new friend Marie (we’ve known each other for a couple of years, but just now growing our friendship), who is launching her own High School Senior Portrait business.

And, we’re meeting up with my longtime friend and college classmate, Robin, who has a wedding photography business in Nashville.

When I say it will be fun, it will be F.U.N.!

I will tell you more about our trip later. But, for now, I want to show you how I packed for the trip.

I know. Weird.

And, who cares?

I do!

I purchased packing cubes back in 2010 a little before our international trip to Jordan. I bought green for me and blue for ThrillCam. He was beyond excited. Not.

BUT, I used them with great success.

Since then, I’ve packed in the little zipper pouches mainly for bigger, longer trips. I believe they allow me to pack more and more efficiently. But, they’re great for short trips, too.

For this upcoming trip to New Orleans, I sort of took it to a new level…at least, for me.

I designed the outfit I wanted to wear for, say, Monday…

…made a little sign to remind me which day I wanted to wear it…

…snapped a picture with my phone-camera…

…and zipped it up.

I did that with each and every outfit.

I even had an extra packing cube to put all my “evening” outfits in, for nights out on the town.

Now, when I get to New Orleans, and I’m sharing a room with two other ladies who will each have enough clothing and items for 5 days, I can keep all mine stuff in one place, ready to go.

Easy-sneezy.

I purchased my packing cubes from Ebags (via Amazon), but you can find versions of them on TravelSmith’s website, as well as so many other places. Just Google “packing cubes.”

I am not an organized person in any form or fashion, but these little packing cubes make me feel like I am.

P.S. None of these sites or companies know me from the man on the moon. They did not pay me–wish they had–to advertise for them. I just like the things!

Tags: Imaging Expo 2012, New Orleans

Instagr.am

I’ve told you before about the app, Instagr.am. It is a favorite of mine and I’ve found that I use it almost daily.

Well, I use it daily, now, for sure.

You see, I’ve decided to participate in the Instagram’s 366 project.

Okay, here’s where I show my stupidity: I didn’t understand why it was called Instagram366…

But, I just went along with it, because I figured the folks at Instagram knew what they were doing when giving the year 366 days.

I figured we would take one last picture on the first day of January 2013, for some odd reason.

So, did YOU know 2012 was a Leap Year??

Hence, 366.

Duh.

I’ve found using my iPhone to snap a picture daily is easy. There’s no list of topics to take pictures of, so there’s no pressure to “make” a shot. On the other hand, there are just so many shots of Starbucks’ cups and my dog that I can take before it becomes boring and redundant.

Boring and redundant equals quitting.

So, I think I may loosely use the list I saw on my friend Lana’s blog. It’s a list to help you be more aware of the gifts, joys, blessings around you. And, you can use your camera to help capture those gifts (the book encourages you to write the gifts down, daily).

Check out the book and app, One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. (I am hoping to start reading the book in a couple of weeks. Join me!)

And, thanks, Lana, for making me aware of this book!

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And, before I leave you, I had to post one last picture I took with my phone and posted on Instagram yesterday.

I follow Trey Wingo of ESPN on Twitter, who also happens to be a Baylor grad. He tweeted “Adios, RG3,” or something like it.

No official announcement has been made, yet, but an ESPN reporter broke the news that Robert Griffin III was going pro.

The Baylor Nation will be sad to see RG3 go, for sure. It’s been a great run with him at the helm, but he will go on to do great things for Baylor by being in the NFL. He will be such an important and positive ambassador for Baylor, for which I am glad.

I’m really happy for him.

Keep an eye on this kid. He’s one to watch…

Sic ‘em RG3!!

I interrupt this blog to bring you an important message…

I was recently made aware of the following blog post written by Jeanine Thurston, a wedding photographer from another state, whom I have never met. I hope you will take a moment to click on the link to read a letter that was written to her by a client.

http://fototails.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/a-letter-on-my-doorstep-portraits-are-more-than-paper/

P.S. I am in no way saying high priced portraiture is the only way to preserve memories…far from it. Just take pictures, or pay someone to take them for you…either way, take them!

More favorites of 2011 (Part 2)

I am continuing this series of posts highlighting a few favorites from last year. Just click on the month to read the post.

Enjoy!

June:

June brought the end of school and the completion of our pool. It was also the month of ThrillCam and my wedding anniversary–do a search in June if you’d like to read the bizarre story of our great-grandfathers.

Those were all fun to tell you about, but the most alarming, I think, was the day I was violently attacked, right in my front yard…

July:

July was busy for our family; we were traveling a lot for our sons’ summer baseball season and summer camp. But, for me and ThrillCam, the highlight was our anniversary trip to Chicago. The purpose? Yes, to celebrate 20-something years of marriage, but mainly to see ~~our combined crush: Bono~~ U2. It had been a longtime dream of ours to see them in concert. So we did. And, boy, were we not disappointed.

August:

August was so doggone hot. As was the rest of the summer. It cooled off, though, the day our son and his friend decided to go mud-diving…

I had to choose another favorite for August, simply because it continues to get a lot of hits from viewers.

My neighbor, Stan, despises snakes. With a passion….

The Honey Badger Controversy.

September:

September was the beginning of football season, which meant Homecoming, which meant mums.

This was my favorite post about Homecoming mums, simply because I was so astounded by the enormity (in many ways) of the mum world…

The last installment of 2011 coming soon…

Some Favorites of 2011, Part One

It feels sort of weird tooting my own horn, but I thought I’d list a few links back to some of my favorite posts from last year.

Grab a cup of coffee, or a sweet tea, and kick up your feet.

Read and enjoy.

And, thank you.

Thank you for giving my little alcove of the internet the time of day.

(to read the posts, click on the months above the pictures)

January:

Who did you have hanging on your wall? This post has actually continued to generate quite a bit of traffic. Weird what folks are searching for on the internet…

February:

February is always filled with stories from our neighborhood’s annual Hunks vs. Punks Game. And, every February I worry my husband and his Hunk friends will land themselves in the E.R.

So far, the old guys have beat the odds.

This particular post is “interactive!”

March:

My mother passed away on the 1st of March.

My father had already passed away in 2008.

Then there were two.

April:

Even though I was still feeling sucker-punched after my mother’s death, there were some joyful times to follow. Like my youngest’s birthday.

You can’t help but laugh and have fun with HUMONGUS boxing gloves…

May:

There were some fun posts in May. (At least, I thought they were fun.) In fact, I had a hard time choosing which one I wanted to highlight, but eventually I settled on this one.

I got a lot of feedback from this particular post.

To be continued…

Grandma’s Secret

If you’ve read this silly blog for very long, then you’ve become acquainted with my grandmother, who passed away in 2010. She was a mess, but I loved her.

So, recently, I was looking through some old photos and I stumbled upon these…

This was my grandmother; she was almost 91 when she died.

While visiting her over the Thanksgiving holidays one year, we discovered upon a dark secret about this woman….

She opened a drawer and pulled out some items that she wanted to give to us. In the process, we found some unusual things that led us to think my dear old granny was leading a double life.

Check out this little pretty:

You tell me, what 90-year-old woman, living in a nursing home, needs an item such as this??!

I don’t even have one of those! And, I’m not even close to being 90!

You can imagine the EXTREME embarrassment of my two sons at the very open display of a woman’s skivvies…add to it the very thought that our grandmother was sporting such finery.

I’m not here to judge, but I found it a little unusual that a woman in her NINETIES would even need a red, lacy bra…especially in the nursing home.

I’m just sayin’.

After much discussion, hand-wringing, and interrogation, we found out the truth from my grandmother.

The bra wasn’t even hers. It belonged to her former roommate, Alice, who had been moved to another room.

Honest mistake, right? My grandmother’s roommate moved and forgot an item or two, no?

No. Not the case.

My grandmother, bless her heart, had sticky fingers. She was a klepto.

She was.

We’d find things in her room, all the time, that didn’t belong to her.

She was practicing recycling, I believe.

In fact, one time, the nursing home caught her taking potted plants and flowers out of other patients’ rooms and taking them to completely different patients, saying something along the lines of, “Look what I got for you!”

She was, after all, making some folks quite happy, which is a good thing, yes?

A regular Robin Hood.

The red, lacy bra, though, had to have been the most shocking find…

So, the question begs to be asked:

Why?

Why, Grandmother, do you have such big eyes and such sticky fingers?

And, why, Grandmother, do you need such titillating underthings?

And why, Grandmother, would you even take another woman’s bra from her, in the first place?

And to WHERE, Grandmother, would either of the two of you wear such fancy lingerie?

Suddenly, an image of either one of those two women scooting along with their walkers, pulling their oxygen tanks, entering BINGO night with a little extra swagger, robes unbuttoned one button lower than usual, the red lacy bra just barely peeking out, BINGO game faces on….

This is not something that helps me sleep at night.

But, I guess the take-home value, for me, is, I hope that when I’m 90 I’ll be brave enough to ditch the 18-Hour and opt for the red lacy version.

Hopefully, though, it will be my own and not someone elses.

Fashion Police

Dear Friends, my posts may be a bit sporadic over the next little bit. Check in frequently, or, subscribe to the RSS feed… or, sign up (over to the right) for an email alert when I post. And, thanks for stopping by my little bloggity-blog! Love, E.

Since I have two stinky ol’ boys, I never had the opportunity to dress a little girl in cute, frilly pink outfits and such. So, when I’m out shopping, I often find myself drawn to little girls’ clothing.

I just like to look. Dream.

…Be amazed.

Don’t get me wrong; I love my boys. I wouldn’t trade them for anything and actually figure they are a little easier than girls, especially in the clothing department. But, it doesn’t stop me from looking at the girls’ fashion offerings.

So, when I was out the other day, I decided I would snap a few pictures of some of my favorites, with my iphone camera.

For example:

Isn’t that the cutest?! If I had a daughter, I could totally see her wearing that jacket, over a white turtleneck, black tights, and some black Uggs, or the likes.

I was so smitten with these precious little outfits, until ThrillCam pointed out the fact that we were not in Target, or at the Mall.

He reminded me we were at PetSmart; these precious little outfits were for dogs. Not humans.

Bathing suits for a dog? Seriously?

Aren’t dogs born with their own personal swimsuits on already? How can a dog, in good conscience, honestly go poolside wearing one of these?

I don’t understand this new phenomenon–to clothe your dogs in designer duds–because I could never, ever confuse Bear with a human. He’s so completely a yellow lab. And, if I ever got even the slightest bit close to forgetting that, I’d just have to lean over and take a whiff of the dog.

He stinks! I mean, he rolls in cow poo and jumps in tanks. I don’t think even OxyClean could get that combination out of dog clothing.

Another thing…. He sheds. I can create, daily, an entirely new dog with the hair he drops on my floors. I don’t like having all that hair on my own clothes, so why would I want it all over his?

(That is a pair of blue jeans, complete with rhinestones…)

And, he drinks out of a toilet.

That should, right there, end the conversation. What if my dog were to be caught drinking out of a toilet while wearing his smart little tuxedo dog jacket? How embarrassing! How uncouth.

Lest we forget: Bear can clear out a room in seconds with odors that rival any natural gas plant. (Although, I do have two teenaged boys, so this argument may not hold up in a court of law.)

Honestly, I would never dress Bear in cute, trendy clothing. I couldn’t. He’s just not suited for it. (ha! get it? suited for it?! I crack myself up…)

I really think he would be utterly and completely mortified…

But, if he weren’t, I would.

“The finest clothing made is a person’s skin [dog's fur], but, of course, society demands something more than this.” ~Mark Twain

Tags: dogs

H.o.p.e.

We wait in hope for the LORD;
he is our help and our shield. Ps. 33:20

I took the above picture with my phone while at the Holocaust Museum, in Washington, D.C., last Spring. My youngest son wrote HOPE while viewing the permanent exhibit, “Daniel’s Story.”

I am continuously amazed by his innocence, honesty, trust, and insight….

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My friend Brad texted this verse to me the other day:

But God will never forget the needy;
the hope of the afflicted will never perish. Ps.9:18

I am not forgotten, nor is my mother. That brings me relief…and hope.

My friend Angela, who has been a constant encouragement to me, texted this verse:

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 2 Tim. 1:7

I like that verse, too.

Especially the power part.

And the love part.

Not so much the self-discipline part…. _________________________________________________________________________________

I do not hope for a miracle cure for my mother; it’s not going to happen. That’s the reality of her cancer–she has lung cancer that has metastasized, to her spine (again) and brain.

But, I do hope (and pray) for protection from pain and discomfort, as she continues this journey from earth to heaven.

I must also hope that heaven, as I’ve read in the bible, is better than here.

It has to be.

It must be.

Because, this, right now, is not heaven. Surely, this is hell.

At least, hell on earth.

And, where my mother will begin living again, soon, will be heaven.

How fortunate she will be!

And, complete, and whole.

And deeply, deeply missed.

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I apologize to those of you who are not used to me focusing so much on my faith; many of you would rather me go back to the humor and silliness. I will…in time.

In moments of life and death, though, one’s faith is often the only thing one has to hold onto for strength and stability. At least, that’s true for me.

Faith.

Family.

Friends.

Each is priceless and irreplaceable.

And gives me hope…

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I am exhausted. My sister is surely equally exhausted. …mentally, physically, emotionally…. It’s overwhelming. But, we are exactly where we need to be. Exactly where we should be.

We are by her side.

And, it’s going to be okay.

Eventually.

I have hope.

Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint. Is. 40:30-31

sadness and… joy.

My mother went home, yesterday.

She is finished with the cancer; no longer does her body have to fight.

She is whole, complete, healed, and with Jesus.

She’s with all the other saints who have gone before her: her parents and grandparents. She’s finally meeting all the relatives she’s done research on in her genealogy

I hope Daddy was right there with open arms, as well.

Suffice it to say, she’s having a good time right now.

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Now, it’s just my sister and me….

Jawbreakers, anyone?

We are going to make it.

We have each other.

“…weeping may stay for the night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Ps.30:5b

It’s been a hard couple of weeks, to say the least.

I think it’s going to take more hard weeks just to process what my sister (and my husband, boys, and uncle) have gone through with the recent passing of my mother.

I wish I could write how I feel, but I think it’s a little too personal and a little too fresh.

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All I can say, right now, is, even with the sun shining outside, it still feels a little dreary inside.

I am sad.

And tired.

And sad.

I know, though, with much prayer, time, and the beautiful and life-giving love of friends and family, this, too, shall pass.

The sun will shine again.

Eventually.

And, it will shine brightly.

Eventually.

“You will lose someone you can’t live without,and your heart will be badly broken, and the bad news is that you never completely get over the loss of your beloved. But this is also the good news. They live forever in your broken heart that doesn’t seal back up. And you come through. It’s like having a broken leg that never heals perfectly—that still hurts when the weather gets cold, but you learn to dance with the limp.”
— Anne Lamott

Tags: lung cancer

Seeing the World…

That is my mother in Morocco, in November of 2009. That seems like such a long time ago to most people, but to me, it seems like yesterday. In fact, I almost wrote 2010, instead of 2009–it just doesn’t seem right that she was on that trip nearly 2 years ago. I guess that shows you how quickly time flies. Or, maybe I am just now understanding how much her cancer dominated so much of our lives over the last year–2010 went fast and with distraction.

She had a great time on the Morocco trip, unaware that there was something growing inside her, something greedy and cruel.

I like that she was smiling and happy.

She got to ride a camel! It was something she had wanted to check off her bucket list, although, I don’t think she really had a bucket list, per se. She used the picture of her on the camel for her Christmas card that year. It’s now one of my favorite photographs of her.

She loved to travel and she passed along that love to me, as well. I will forever be grateful to her instilling in me a desire to see more of the world than my backyard and the local mall. I mean, I love being home and the comfort it brings, but I also love seeing new places, meeting new people, learning all the many things that make up this great big world.

The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. ~St. Augustine

Right now, with the unrest in the Middle East, I have an even greater appreciation for the experiences ThrillCam and I had in Jordan, last November. The people, the food, the dust, the stones, the antiquity, the history…all make for a wonderful and unforgettable trip. And, I realize I may never have an opportunity to go back to the Middle East, again. At least, not for a good while.

I would never have even considered going to Jordan, had Mother not sent us. She had planned to go–the trip originally was to be a girls trip including my sister. But, then my mom was told she had lung cancer. She decided to back out of the trip (as did my sister), and she sent ThrillCam and me, instead.

And, why Jordan?

Mother and I both wanted to see Petra.

She wanted to see a man-made wonder of the world.

I wanted to photograph it.

She wanted me to fulfill that wish.

So, I got to.

I look back on the trip with a new tinge of sadness, though. I think…what if she had been feeling well enough to go, what memories would we have made together, what conversations would we have had, what photographs would I have to cherish of the two of us together?

But, I can’t dwell on the what ifs.

She wouldn’t want me to.

What my mom would want, is for me to dream about the next place I want to visit…and then find a way to get there.

And that’s the wonderful thing about family travel: it provides you with experiences that will remain locked forever in the scar tissue of your mind. ~Dave Barry

Tags: Jordan, Petra

Unbelievable…

My baby, who’s really not my baby, because my baby-baby is about to be 12…. This baby is 17.

Today.

I gave birth to this humongous human being 17 years ago. Thank the Lord he was not as humongous then. I mean, that would be torturous, would it not? He’s over 6 feet tall, now! His head is as big as his whole body was when I pushed him out, leisurely, while languishing in the effects of an all-powerful epidural.

Look. I don’t claim to be Super Woman.

I have nothing to prove.

In fact, I believe I am the wiser, more intelligent one when compared to my friends who brag that they gave birth without any meds.

I wouldn’t say it to their faces; I just smile and nod and say, “Oh my. You are woman, hear you roar.” But, secretly, I am thinking, “What big dummies! What does that prove? It just proves they were not thinking clearly enough to ask for an epidural! I was the smart one! I was the comfortable one! I had drugs!” (In fact, I told my anesthesiologist that I loved him. I did. ThrillCam was out of the room while he administered my shot. I said, “I love the father of my baby more than spit, but right now, at this very moment, I love you more.” And, it was true.)

But, let’s not get sidetracked.

My boy is 17. Which is so very hard to believe. How can it be that my oldest son is no longer sleeping in my arms, or playing for hours with his NASCAR Hot Wheels, or wearing his Teen Titans Robin costume, or jumping his ramp on his bike or skateboard? How is it that he is driving and his voice is low and his body is tall? How is it that he is quiet and reserved, has feelings and thoughts I’ll never know about? How is it that one day, he will confide those thoughts and feelings to a girl who will love him unconditionally….but never, never as much as his momma?

How can it be that he will soon, too soon, be leaving our happy, little nest.

(And, yes. He WILL be leaving.)

I plan to cherish every moment we have left with him–about a year and a half, at this point. Because once he’s gone to college, he will no longer belong to me. He will be the world’s, so to speak. I will, from that point on, have to compete for his attention and love. And compete, I will.

I console myself with the fact that I’m his momma. Only me.

No one, ever, will have that privilege, or honor, of holding that title, just me alone.

Happy Birthday, son. I am proud to be your mother.

Hello, again, hello

Hello, everyone! I apologize for taking so long to get back to the blog. It’s been a rough month or so, and I know you understand, but I am sorry for being so sporadic in posting.

I am beginning to feel human again, after such an intense 3 weeks by my mother’s side, but also after a week or two of unsuccessfully trying to catch my breath. Time has played tricks on me. While it seems to just creep by, at the same time, my head is spinning at how quickly time has passed…weird.

I don’t pretend to believe my mother’s death will be easy to get over, but I also sense my body regaining its strength and my brain beginning to think more clearly, as well. Yet, again, answered prayers.

One day, when I’m a little more fully recovered–do you ever fully recover from losing a loved one to death?–I will attempt to list the vast number of answered prayers throughout my mother’s cancer battle.

___________________________________________________________________________________

On a lighter note, though, I wanted to pass along a funny, time-wasting blog I found. I discovered it on my mother’s computer–she probably visited the site occasionally.

You see, my mother was a stickler for proper grammar and sentence structure, at which I fail, consistently. I ain’t no good, but she does.

How is it that I am the daughter of an English major and married to an English major, and yet, I cannot spell or write to save my life?? Maybe the question should be why I even attempt to contribute to a public blog in the first place, only to embarrass myself (and mother and my husband) on a very regular basis….

Anyway, my mother did rub off on me enough that I find myself pointing out misspelled billboard advertisements or unnecessary quotation marks, frequently.

Or, paid-for signs, like: “If it’s in stock, we’ve got it!” That one kills me every time.

If you cringe at signs and quotes like the above, then you need to visit this site: The “Blog” of “Unnecessary” Quotation Marks.

Enjoy!

Two Bits! Four Bits!

As you know, I was a cheerleader, back in the day.

I loved it.

But, it wasn’t cheerleading like we see these days.

I cheered at my high school, only. My small town did not have a gym where I could learn tumbling and club cheerleading.

I barely knew how to do a cart-wheel.

That’s not the case for one of my nieces.

She recently invited me to watch her compete in a cheer competition. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world!

Her team has only competed a few times this year and they range in age from Kindergarten to, I think, 4th grade.

(My sister-in-law is the owner of the brand-spanking new cheer and dance gym where my niece is trained–I’m so proud of both of them!)

I also stayed to watch the gym’s older team compete, as well.

My sister-in-law would probably not like that I’m posting a picture of her team that does not show the perfect synchronization that she is used to and capable of bringing out in her girls. But, she is also a realist. Her gym is only a few months old. They aren’t going to be perfect…yet. The very fact that she has teams competing is, in my opinion, amazing.

Her staff and girls are working hard, and her gym is growing by leaps and bounds–pardon the pun–so, I won’t be surprised when next summer rolls around and her teams are sweeping the competitions.

Can I just say, this whole cheer/dance world is completely and utterly out of my realm of thinking and understanding?

I don’t do bows, and makeup, and glitter.

I have stinky ol’ boys, remember?

We play in the dirt and ride things with motors and skin things that have been caught or hunted….

Sometimes I forget what it’s like to be a girl.

…until I get some girl-time with my niece.

I love her.

I hope she never forgets her Aunt E.

In fact, in honor of my niece’s budding career in cheerleading and my need for her choose me as her favorite, I’ve decided to write her a cheer.

Your Aunt E.(clap, clap)

Is the Best! (clap, clap)

Her love, you better not mess…with.

The Glitter! (clap, clap)

The Bows! (clap, clap)

Your Aunt will buy you the Mooooosss….t.

Nana is great.

GrandDebi is too.

Your mom is fine.

But, who loves you?

Aunt E! (clap, clap)

Aunt E really, really love you!

It needs some polishing, but I think she’ll get the idea, don’t you?

The X-Games Factor

My youngest punk is really into skateboarding right now.

My oldest punk went through the same exact phase at the same exact age.

Just like his older brother at that age, my youngest now aspires to be the next Tony Hawk.

Well, actually, the new skateboard It Guy is Rob Drydek.

Don’t ask me. I have no idea. I’m sure he’s a nice guy.

Yes, you can vote for me for Mother of the Year at anytime, the lines are now open.

So, the other day, my youngest asked me to take some shots of him and his punk friend skateboarding; they needed new pictures for their Facebook pages. I guess the looking-at-yourself-in-the-bathroom-mirror-with-your-shirt-off-shot is now bourgeois…run-of-the-mill.

They needed something more captivating and “beastly.”

So, I stood out in our cul-de-sac for about an hour, as the sun went down, trying to capture just the right action shot.

Then, I played around in Photoshop for another hour or so, just trying out fun effects.

I like the zoom effect. Kinda fun.

But, after all was said and done, I’m not sure that either one of them chose a picture to use for FB….

Oh well.

No skin off my back.

We had fun.

And, I figure I’m prepared if the producers of the X-Games call and say they need some photos of when the boys were little and just starting out.

PW’s Braised Short Ribs…Mmmm, mmm, mmm good!

The only home-cooked meals my family has eaten in probably a month have been meals given to ThrillCam and the boys while I was away at my mother’s or the meals brought over to us after her death. My poor kids, who, sadly, haven’t complained one time, have forgotten what it’s like to sit down at the kitchen table as a family and share a meal out of an oven, not a deep-fat fryer. Our recent trash output has exponentially increased due to the vast numbers of take-out food bags and cartons….

But, that’s changing. Because, I’m baaaccckkkk!

I feel like part of my grieving process actually includes getting back into some semblance of a routine.

Now, routine is relative during baseball season, but still, I’m finally in a better place, where I feel like cooking again.

Eating a home-cooked meal (or any meal) together as a family, at the table, not in front of the tv, is very important to ThrillCam and me. And, while I don’t usually cook anything fancy, I think it’s important to cook on a regular basis, especially since I work from home, most days.

So, the other day, I was inspired to make PW’s Braised Short Ribs.

I implore you to make these.

I decided to take a few pictures, but because I had already started the cooking process, I decided to just take photos with my phone camera. This might just be my new thing: cooking pictures with the iPhone, rather than dragging out the “big” camera. The photos aren’t super in quality, and the color is off at times, but it sure is easier while cooking a potentially messy meal!

This recipe is actually quite simple. Yes, there are a number of steps, but even at that, it’s not hard.

Just allow yourself enough time for the prep and the long cooking time.

First mistake: I purchased beef ribs that were not “Short Ribs–bone-in,” as PW suggested. My ribs were certainly cut short, but they turned out to be way too fatty. I never found a package called “Short Ribs–bone-in.” I even asked the butcher at the grocery store. She assured me I could substitute the ribs I purchased for Short Ribs. I’m thinking, had I gotten the correct cut of meat, the too-much-fat issue would not have occurred. So, be sure to ask your butcher for the correct cut of meat.

So, I set out the ribs and salted and peppered them.

Then, I dredged them in flour, like PW said to do.

Second mistake: I chose a bowl that was too small…it got a little messy.

Real messy.

Please note: I am skipping steps here! The Pioneer Woman does a fine job of showcasing her recipes with step-by-step pictures, so refer to her site when you actually decide to cook this recipe. …Because you will cook it.

…You must.

In fact, once you cook this, you might even be inclined to name your children after me. Not PW. That wouldn’t make sense, because I’m the one who showed you the way. Right? Right?

Hellur….anyone there? Hello?? Yoohoo?

Ree used Pancetta; I didn’t. I just used regular bacon. I couldn’t find the pancetta at my grocery store. Odd. But, the bacon was just fine.

Bacon’s always just fine.

Always.

So, I just fried up about 6 slices of bacon to render the fat. I didn’t take a picture.

Do you have one of these?

I got this from Pampered Chef, but I’m sure there are other brands out there that are good, too.

I love, love, love my chopper. It makes for a quick chop or dice, and I’m all about quick.

The dice ain’t too purrty, but it gets the job done. Plus, you get to take out all your frustrations by pounding the thing with the palm of your hand. And who really cares if the dice isn’t perfect? All you’ll be thinking about, while you are eating this, is, “I don’t need no stinkin’ napkin, ’cause these are finger-lickin’ good!”

Here’s another shortcut I take, often:

I purchase pre-chopped frozen onions. Huge time-saver for me! (Now, I did chop my own shallots, but again, I used the chopper. Easy-sneezy!)

I buy generic and store brands, a lot, by the way.

(Some things, you don’t skimp on, like a good pair of heels and a sturdy bra. They deserve name brands, but not canned cream of- soups and frozen, chopped onions.)

So, I put the seasoned, floured ribs in the grease.

Oh, look! I had help in the kitchen.

Silly ol’ Bear…

Bear was there because he liked the smells coming from the ribs being seared in bacon grease….It’s a shame I didn’t swing my camera around and take a picture of ThrillCam, who was also being seduced by the bacon smells wafting through the house.

I have also taken the liberty to cheap out when it comes to cooking with wine. I know all good cooks say use the good stuff, but I’d rather drink the good stuff, than cook with it.

Is that so wrong??

So, I buy the little bottles to add to recipes, or to stash in my carry-on bag for a long flight.

(I’m keeeding!)

So, here are the ribs…basking and bubbling in their delectable, divine, yummy, flavorful cheap wine bath…

I wish this was smell-o-vision. Your kitchen will smell divine as you are cooking this recipe.

Okay…so, here’s the bummer part. I was so excited about eating the meal, I forgot to take pictures of the short ribs when they were done.

I know, I know…. I’m sorry.

(I also made PW’s Creamy Mashed Potatoes, which by the way, makes enough to feed Cox’s Army, so plan on having left-overs.)

But, I did take a picture of the aftermath of my cooking adventure:

Update: I forgot to mention that after you’ve braised the meat and added all the ingredients, you will then place a lid on your oven-safe pan/pot and put it into the oven, at 350 degrees, for two hours. After that, reduce the heat to 325 degrees and cook for another 30-45 minutes. Allow it to sit for 20 minutes or so, lid on, then skim off grease before serving. Or, you can allow the pot to cool before placing it in the fridge overnight. Then, before reheating it, remove the grease.

(I actually forgot to skim off the fat before serving, and we were just fine. No one complained about it, I promise.)

It was messy, but oh-so-worth-it!

This meal was beyond delicious!

Make it, tomorrow night!!

I mean it.

Or else.

Tags: Braised Short Ribs

The Best Chicken Recipe in the World

I do not type that title lightly.

This is a recipe my mother used to make for us, for special occasions. Now that I see how blessed easy it is, I don’t wait for special occasions. In fact, it’s funny that this recipe became a “special occasions” recipe. Nowadays, I’d rather have a fabulous prime rib (medium rare, thank you very much) for a special occasion.

I think my sister was the first to ask for this for her birthday meal, but I quickly hijacked that and I remember it fondly being for me, and me alone.

I would ask for my mother to make this for my birthday dinner, and then, it would never fail that the meal was followed by a Dixie’s Coconut Cream Pie.

Birthday complete.

This recipe is so simple. And yummy.

It’s what I would lovingly term: a “dump” recipe. You just dump all the ingredients in, an voila!, you’re done. Dump recipes almost always include a Cream Of soup….

Add the following to chicken, and Bob’s your uncle!

(photos taken with phone camera–not the best quality or color…sorry!)

Now, I warn you: this recipe is nowhere near being calorie-free.

It has butter in it.

Lots. and. lots. of. butter. Yum!

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Put the chicken in a large, oven-proof bowl. I happened to have packages of wings and breasts, but normally, I use a whole cut-up chicken. (In fact, I prefer a whole cut-up chicken, because I like the dark meat and ThrillCam likes the white meat. How else do you think our marriage has lasted all these years??)

Throw in a stick of butter. (I don’t usually cut it up, but since I was taking pictures, I decided it would look better, more chef-like.)

Place your bowl in the oven and cook the chicken and butter at 425* for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, take out the bowl and reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees.

I then added a little fresh ground pepper. (I didn’t add salt, because the rest of the ingredients add a salty flavor, so be careful and wait to salt after you’ve cooked it.) You, of course, can add the pepper earlier, I just forgot.

Pour one can of Cream of Chicken soup (or Cream of Mushroom, your choice), undiluted, over the chicken.

Pour 1/4 C. cooking sherry or white wine into the soup can and swirl it around to remove the left-over soup.

Of course, it’s your choice as to whether you use cooking sherry or wine; both work equally well. (This time, I cooked with the sherry and drank the wine).

Pour swirled sherry/left-over-soup all over the (glowing, yellow!) chicken.

Throw in a can of (drained) mushrooms. (Or, if you’re a better cook than me, use fresh mushrooms.)

This recipe is all about your freedom of choice.

Stir, gently, to combine soup, melted butter, wine (or sherry) and mushrooms; coat chicken pieces, but don’t worry if you can’t cover them completely.

I’ve even been known to mix the soup/sherry/mushrooms in a separate bowl and then pour it over the chicken. But, I was being lazy–I didn’t want to wash another bowl.

(Don’t expect your version of this recipe to glow quite so brightly…it takes a special kind of cook to get results like this…. I guess I bumped up the exposure a little too much…ya think?)

This is where I tweaked the recipe a bit. You see, I love the gravy that is produced in this recipe. So, I added an extra can of Cream of Mushroom soup and a little more wine. But, you don’t have to; you can leave the recipe as is and just drink the wine. It’s your call. (hiccup)

Send the chicken back to the oven, this time, for 2 hours at 300 degrees. Stir it, only if you think of it, once or twice throughout the cooking process. But, stirring is not required.

When there’s about 20 minutes left for the chicken to cook, make some rice.

Or pasta.

Or mashed taters.

Again, your choice.

It’s a free country and I shudder to think I’ve held you back or squashed your spirit by telling you what to do.

So, be free!

Be happy!

~~Drink some more wine~~!

Here’s a shot of the final product. Not the best picture, but you get an idea.

This really is an easy recipe to throw together. You just have to give yourself 2 1/2 hours for cooking time.

Make it, tonight! You’ll thank me tomorrow.

Tags: The Best Chicken Recipe in the World

Birthday Boy

Son, you outgrew my lap, but never my heart. ~Author Unknown

My silly, charming, talkative, goofy, dorky, too smart for his own good, freakishly tall, quick-witted punk, who’s about to get braces, is 12.

Today.

When I gave birth to this giant, he was almost 10 pounds! He was huge, compared to all the other teeny-tiny precious babies in the newborn ward, at the hospital.

When family members of other new moms looked through the window at all the newborns, their eyes could not help but be drawn to the gigantic baby sitting up, eating solid food.

Okay…maybe he wasn’t already sitting up.

I tend to exaggerate, sometimes.

Suffice it to say, it looked like we brought him back to the hospital for a visit.

Even, now, at 12, he attracts the attention of others…

He’s unusually tall for his age.

He’s overly goofy and animated.

And loud.

And fun-loving.

Did I mention goofy?

…

But, my eyes are drawn to him for other reasons.

I see more than his contagious smile or his tall body that hasn’t quite grown into itself, yet.

I see a tender and compassionate heart.

I see a keen sense of humor.

I see a desire to do what’s right, sometimes missing the mark, but usually willing to make it right.

I see great potential.

But, I’m kind of biased, you know.

Don’t wait to make your son a great man – make him a great boy. ~Author Unknown

I see a great boy.

Happy birthday, son!

I love you.

…and I’m proud to be your mother.

Flash Bus Tour

I recently attended the Flash Bus Tour, co-hosted by Joe McNally and David Hobby, sponsored by Adorama.

Now, if you aren’t into photography those names mean absolutely nothing to you. But, if you are interested in learning more about flash photography, or photography in general, you’ve more than likely seen those guys’ names.

Joe McNally has been shooting for National Geographic for years. That should tell you plenty. He’s good.

David Hobby is the newer kid on block, compared to Joe, but he’s carved his own niche in the photography world. He’s best known for his lighting website, The Strobist.

I am at a place in my photography life where I want to learn how to use flash and light better. I’m quite comfortable with natural light. I love natural light. But, there are times when a flash is needed.

A flash on your camera, though, can create really harsh light sometimes. I knew from much research that just the simple act of moving your flash OFF your camera can make a huge difference. I just didn’t have to capability or equipment to do so.

(I am not saying you must remove the flash to get good shots…if you have a Speedlite, or the likes, you can take super photos with it on your camera.)

So, to learn a little more, I signed up for the Flash Bus Tour.

Boy, am I glad I did!

Joe McNally and David Hobby approach lighting a subject from very different viewpoints, but that’s what made it so educational for me. What seemed daunting and confusing, is now clearer and within reach for my little pea-brain.

I won’t go into their different approaches, here, but I do hope pass along some of what I learned, in later posts.

I guess, because I’m not really giving any new information or new tips, I want to encourage you to keep learning and experimenting. Not all of us can go to all-day workshops. It’s not that easy… Believe me, the cost and time factors are not lost on me. But, I do know that there are a TON of free or relatively cheap ways to keep learning your hobby and honing your skills, whether it’s photography or not.

Couple of photography ideas:
• grab a friend and join your local photography club (they’re free, usually, and meet once a month, usually)
•KelbyTraining.com (online) is a great place to watch videos on lighting, photography, Photoshop, & Lightroom. you can purchase a month’s subscription for $25. Or, you can purchase a year’s worth.
•Lynda.com is just like KelbyTraining.
•TheStrobist.com is David Hobby’s site for learning lighting. I must admit, though, until I watched him in person, much of what he discusses was lost on me. BUT, I know that I understood more because I had already been visiting his site. It’s really a great site, so check it out. His Lighting 101 class is very informative. And, it’s FREE!
•my mother will come back to haunt me if I don’t mention your local library as a valuable source for photography books/help
•Texas Photo Forum, online, is a huge resource for me! I’m sure other states have forums as well, but they won’t be as big or as good. (okay, I apologize…I didn’t have to trash talk, did I?)

The Interweb is chock full of help, so keep looking and learning! And, I hope to help you along the way, as well.

Happy Shooting!

Tags: David hobby, Flash bus tour, Joe McNally

Saturday (not so much life-changing) ramblings

I have a trillion excuses as to why I haven’t blogged much this week, but the two main ones are: it’s Senior Portrait season, and I’ve been out of town.

I know dedicated, smart, disciplined bloggers write every day, without giving excuses, but I’m not one of ‘em. I keep hoping, as the weeks pass, I will get back into the swing of things, but I’m just not there yet. Soon, I hope.

In the meantime…

some meaningless ramblings:

1. I record many tv shows, one being American Idol. And, since I was out of town this week, I was unable to watch it. My dear friend, Kevin, who actually got me hooked on Idol, texted Thursday night saying he may never watch Idol again, after the results show. I screamed via text for him to not tell me the results, I hadn’t watched yet! The next day, I saw on Facebook all these status updates ranting against Idol and the American people. Thankfully, no one wrote the name of who was voted off.

I got home yesterday, went to two baseball games, then finally plopped down on the couch, late last night, to watch Idol. All the while, I was thinking Casey was voted off, after his very dramatic save last week.

Spoiler Alert! If you are like me, and have lived in a cave for a few days and don’t know who was voted off, please scroll past the next couple of paragraphs!

Thankfully, it was not Casey, who I believe is terribly talented! It was Pia.

Yes, she’s extremely gifted with that voice. Yes, it’s a singing contest. No, she was not, in my humble opinion, American Idol winner-worthy. She is beautiful, yes. She can sing, yes. Sweet, yes. But, when she was onstage, I thought she was boring. Even her “peppy” song choice was a let-down, not because she can’t sing, but because she lacked charisma and chutzpah.

I don’t doubt she’ll be picked up and coached to get there. In fact, I could see her being the next Celine Dion. You heard it here, folks. I called it.

ALTHOUGH, I can’t understand why Stephano and Haley are still there, and Pia is not. THAT does not make sense to me. And, I think that is why the judges responded so dramatically. They, like me, hoped it would be Stephano, out of the two left.

Oh well…

2. My sister got a new puppy. She is adorable! (above photo courtesy of my sister’s iphone) But, aren’t all puppies adorable? Sophie is an English Setter, a bird dog. Although, my sister has zero inclination to go bird hunting. Sophie has razor-sharp teeth, puppy breath, and silky soft hair…exactly what a puppy should have.

Bear would have loved her. Too much. That is why he did not go with us to visit my sister this week.

Bear would have said, “Just what I always wanted. My own little bunny rabbit. I will name her George, and I will hug her and pet her and squeeze her…and pat her and pet her and…and rub her and caress her and…”

Too much.

3. Today is another baseball day. We drove home, yesterday, in time to watch our oldest play. So, today, we will spend our time watching our youngest play. It’s supposed to be very windy and warm, today, which means, for me, it’s a cap day. And, probably a no-makeup day, as well.

4. While sitting here typing, I spilled coffee down my front. Twice.

Off to change clothes.

Have a super weekend!

Photography Tip–Pop-up Flash Fix

Back when I first started this blog, I had attempted to post a photography tip once a week. I made it for a while and quit. I’m not sure why. Probably, it was just my general inability to stick with something I start. I tend to procrastinate sometimes.

I plan to work on that starting next week.

I promise.

Anyway, I thought I’d try, once again, to throw in a tip every once in a while, but maybe not commit to an every-week-kind-of-thing. I thought I’d make it a little more flexible and spontaneous…like me!

So, if you saw my post about The Flash Bus Tour, you know I have been learning more about using off-camera flash, as well as how to use multiple flashes at once. We’re not going there, just yet.

Let’s just start with your point and shoot flash, shall we?

I think about the results that often come from taking pictures with that awful pop-up flash. Often times, the photos are harshly lit, with your friends’ and family’s eyes glowing a freakish red… But, what do you do if the point and shoot/pop-up flash is all you have? How do you solve the problem?

Just about everyone has a point and shoot camera, or at the very least, they have a phone with a camera included. If you have a more recent “smart” phone, you may even have a flash included–I do. So, I’m actually going to show this tip using my phone camera. But, this flash tip can be used with equally good results using your point and shoot pop-up flash, or sometimes, even your DSLR and a Speedlite.

Here’s your tip:

TURN YOUR CAMERA UPSIDE-DOWN.

I mean it. It’s that simple.

Just the act of turning your camera upside-down will help lessen the harsh lighting that tends to come from the attached pop-up flash on your camera.

Here’s an example, using my phone camera:

without flash

It’s not that great of a picture. It’s sort of blurred, the color is sort of blah, and there are shadows all over the wall that are distracting.

with flash, right-side up (normal positioning of the camera–flash is oriented to light the main/upper half of the subject)

On the iPhone, the flash is located on the right of the phone, so most of the light goes to the right–see the greenish, hot spot on the wall, to the right of the flowers? Your pop-up flash is similar, in that, it is focused to throw all its power at the subject’s face, or the top-half of your subject, which can, sometimes, be too harsh.

with flash, but camera turned upside-down (flash is now oriented to light the bottom half of the subject)

This example is subtle, I understand. But, I think you are able to tell a difference in how the light reflects off the fake flowers and the wall. Compare the last picture to the top picture. With the flash, it was brightened a bit (duh), and the shadows were decreased a tad. Makes for a slightly better looking photo. The light is not thrown directly at the subject, but the subject is still lit. Pretty cool, huh?

I was at a photography workshop, last year, where the photographer showed us an example of a bride and groom that were positioned up on steps, outside, about 15 feet away from the photographer. He took the picture with a flash (Speedlite) attached to his camera. The bride and groom’s faces were harshly lit, and the bottom of her wedding gown was too dark, due to the fall-off of the flash (the light didn’t reach all of her dress–that equals one mad bride who spent a lot of money on that dress!).

His solution? He turned his camera upside down and took the same picture. The picture was much more pleasant; the bride and groom’s faces were not washed out, and her gown was now fully lit, because the light from the flash was being thrown from bottom-up.

Of course, after uploading your pictures to your computer, you will have to use one of your computer programs to rotate the photos back to the proper orientation. But, that’s easy enough. (Or, some cameras allow you to do it in-camera.)

Anyway, try it out, more than once. It takes a little practice to take a picture with the camera upside-down, but after a while, it gets much easier, with better results.

Let me know what you think!

Happy Shooting,

Tags: Flash bus tour, pop-up flash tip

It’s Senior Portrait time!

This is Kyle.

I can’t believe he’s a Senior….

I’ve known his family for many years–love them! Needless to say, I was quite honored to take his Senior Portraits.

We actually have something planned for a second shoot, in the very near future…it’s gonna be awesome! I’ll be sure to show you.

More Seniors to come…

Adrian! Yo, Adrian!!

Initially, all I could find were huge pink castles and bright red Transformer-related ones.

That just would not do for my (goofy!) birthday boy.

While he, surprisingly, wanted a big, bouncy thing for his birthday party, he didn’t want a little kiddie, simple box type moon walk.

He wanted something more interactive.

Something different.

So, this is what I found:

A big. huge. blowup. boxing. ring.

Perfect for a group of 12 and 13 year old boys with excessive amounts of energy and testosterone.

My boy was quite happy with his surprise.

I think all the boys were.

I mean, look at those boxing gloves! They are huge!

Almost every boy at the party jumped at the opportunity to take a swing or two with the gloves on.

My son even had his own personal trainer, coaching him from the side.

“You’re gonna eat lightnin’ and you’re gonna crap thunder!”

(Name that movie! …Sorry for the crap reference.)

It was hilarious watching the boys swinging those humongous gloves!
SOCK!

Trainer: Your nose is broken.
Fighter: How does it look?
Trainer: Ah, it’s an improvement. (Same movie. Know it?)

POW!

At one point, my son made the mistake of getting in the ring without the protective headgear on…

BIFF!

OOOF!

They wore themselves out and eventually had to take a break, deciding to compete in a slam dunk contest. (The ring also had basketball hoops in two corners.)

I believe a good time was had by all…

Do you hear that sound? It’s me, patting myself on the back.

I am not always the best at planning parties, but in this case, I think it was a success!

It’s good to be 12. And goofy.

Shrimp and Wild Rice

Have you ever played Guesstures? It’s a fast-moving, fun game of charades, basically.

Some girlfriends and I played Guesstures at our friend Barbie’s house, last month. You see, Barbie was the Hostess with the Most-ess of our monthly Girls’ Game Night. And, while Barbie’s team lost (by a LOT!), in the end, though, we were all winners; there was good conversation, lots of laughter, a little wine, and a very yummy meal.

Barbie served her mom’s Shrimp and Wild Rice, along with a scrumptious salad and bread on the side.

Meal complete.

Of course, I asked for a copy of the recipe. Thankfully, she was very gracious in sharing it with me, and even gave me permission to share it with you!

So, everyone join me in saying thanks to Barbie.

One. Two. Three.

“THANKS, BARBIE!!”

I think she heard us.

This is really a nice, simple recipe that would make for a really nice, simple weeknight dinner. Or, it could stand in as a very filling side dish.

Either way, it’s de-lish.

Here are the ingredients:

As in the past couple of recipe posts, I have taken all the pictures with my phone, which, of course, means, poor color and quality, especially in the not-so-great-light of my kitchen….

(I forgot to show the bags of frozen, chopped green peppers and onions that I used. Oops!)

Saute’ 2 T. chopped onion and green peppers, each, in 2 T. butter, until soft. (I actually thawed the onions and peppers in the microwave for a little bit and then drained off the water.)

While the onions and peppers are getting better acquainted, cook a box of Uncle Ben’s Wild Rice, according to box directions, including seasoning packet–give yourself about 20-25 minutes to cook the rice.

Also, if you are using frozen raw shrimp, you can place them in a bowl of cool water for about 10-15 minutes to thaw. If you are using fresh (which, living where I do, I should have had fresh, but I was in a hurry–frozen worked just fine), go ahead and peel and de-vein the shrimp. Then, boil shrimp for about 3-5 minutes, until the little shrimp-ees are opaque. Season and set aside.

(Guess who forgot to boil her shrimp? Nope, not me. It was my sous-chef. But, because I’m a good friend, I will not mention her name or show her face. I will protect her….It was an honest mistake that anyone could have made, including me. But, it wasn’t me. It was my sous-chef…who comes to my house, mid-day, on Wednesdays, to help me cook. Every week*. I know you wish you had a sous-chef, too. Maybe one day you will. Then, you can blame your cooking mistakes on her, as well.)

Once your onions and peppers have softened, add 1 can of Cream of Mushroom Soup (I’m the Queen of Dump recipes, I’m telling you!), 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tsp. dry mustard.

Add 1/4 tsp. pepper (I eyeballed most of these amounts).

Add 1/2 C. grated mildcheddar cheese.

Add 1 T. lemon juice. (Again, I used bottled, only because I had not purchased real lemons today while at the grocery store. But, hopefully, soon, my lemon tree will begin to produce lemons for me, so I don’t have to rely on the bottled stuff.)

Stir gently to combine sauce ingredients.

Once your rice is cooked, and your shrimp are boiled, add both to the sauce.

Or, if you’re a loner and a rebel like me, you add your sauce to your rice and shrimp….

“There’s a lotta things about me you don’t know anything about, Dottie. Things you wouldn’t understand. Things you couldn’t understand. Things you shouldn’t understand. You don’t wanna get mixed up with a guy like me. I’m a loner, Dottie. A rebel.”)

(Name that movie.)

Stir it gently, but thoroughly.

By the way, I added a little Tabasco.

It just felt right, you know?

But you don’t have to. It’s a free country.

Pour the entire concoction into a greased casserole dish.

Now, spread the love around.

Bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350-degree oven for 30-35 minutes.

Here’s the result:

Yum!

( I really should have tweaked my pictures before posting them…it really is much more appealing in real life!)

Next time I make it, I’m going to add mushrooms (maybe a small can, drained–or fresh, sliced and sautéed with the onions). I might try a different cheese (maybe a mild, white cheese). I could easily see adding a splash or two of white wine, to round out the flavors…maybe. What if I added Boursin Cheese instead? Or, cream cheese?

The sky’s the limit!

Here’s the recipe, as written, by Barbie:

Happy Eating!

P.S. Mine turned out absolutely perfect, even without boiling the shrimp first. I’m sure, if I had used larger shrimp, it might have made a difference, but honestly, I don’t think it matters. The shrimp were cooked all the way through after 35 minutes in the oven.

P.P.S. I’ve made the recipe again, since writing this post, and this time, I cooked the shrimp beforehand. It was equally as good.

*I ain’t got no sous-chef.

Tags: Shrimp and Wild Rice

A List

1. On the road again…

Since December, I feel like I haven’t been home for an extended time, but I know it’s just the season I’m in. I’m missing my boys and ThrillCam…
This too shall pass.

2. A photography gig…
The reason I’m out of town this week is for a photography gig! My sister-in-law asked me to photograph her dance teams, at her new studio/gym. I am flattered and honored, but I have to admit, it’s new for me; shooting inside a gym with lights is very different from using natural lighting, outdoors.
I appreciate her willingness to let me learn…I really want to do well by my sis-in-law.
Wish me luck; I’ve got two more days to get it right!

3. Buc-cees!!

So, if you’ve ever driven between Dallas and Houston, on Interstate 45, you’ve, no doubt, passed Buc-cees, in Madisonville.
It is a sight to behold. A sight to be seen. A sight to….oh, you get the idea. You must stop!!!

Whenever we travel north from Houston, we have two different routes to choose from to get to either set of grandparents’ homes. Either way road out of Houston leads us past a Buc-cees. We always stop, whether we need to or not.
More on Buc-cees, later.

4. Also along I-45…

This statue.

Of Sam Houston.
What? You’ve never seen a statue quite that large before? Didn’t you know all statues in Texas are this big?

5. Went to Tar-zhay to other day for the first time in months…
I love Target. But I just haven’t been in forever. So, first the first time in about 3 month, I went. By myself. All morning. No, I mean, ALL morning. I looked and shopped, and sipped my coffee, and looked some more. It was therapeutic. Sounds crazy I know.
Except I did find myself crying in Target, at one point.

Mother’s day is approaching.

6. Speaking of crying and my mother…
Just as I was climbing into my Jeep to head out of town, a gift arrived at our house. It reminded me of my mom. I left poor ThrillCam helpless, as I got into the Jeep bawling. The gift was wonderful, and yet, it broke my heart. I guess those are things I’ll be dealing with for awhile now.

7. This.

I can’t wait to tell you more about that. Oh. My.

8. And, this….

Elvis was in da house!!
More on that soon, too.

Have a wonderful Monday!!

Elvis was in da house!

No one was watching. At least, I don’t think anyone was.

I would place the needle down on the record, crank up the volume, and dance around our living room to “Hound Dog” by Elvis. Every time the song would hit that major drum roll–you know, right after, “…and you ain’t no friend of mine”–I would do a version of a cart-wheel up, or down, the last few steps on the staircase that led into our living room. It was my signature move.

I loved that song and it will forever be a lovely reminder of my parents, who both loved Elvis.

So, recently, ThrillCam and I had an appointment for a brief meeting with our neighbor, Stan.

Stan’s an architect. He’s helping us with some drawings for our backyard. (more on that soon)

Just as we pulled into the parking space, I subtly nudged ThrillCam to tell him to look over to our right. “Check out the guy getting out of his car.”

“No way, is he for real?” said ThrillCam, as we watched a man with dark, slicked back hair, and a jacket covered with rhinestones get out of his car. He was headed to Little Caesar’s Pizza, next door to Stan’s office.

As we were staring, the man looked back at us, made eye contact, and smiled the biggest smile you’ve ever seen. It was as if he knew we were gawking at him and wanted the upper hand.

We immediately smiled and waved at him, as if we saw that kind of get up every day of the week. He caught us.

Also, he didn’t go to the pizza joint. He headed straight to Stan’s office. Same as us.

ThrillCam asked me if we should go in or just leave and come back later.

Too late. Stan saw us and motioned us in.

I think Stan wanted some moral support–he honestly thought the guy was about to strip!

I’m so glad we stayed.

No.

Elvis did not strip.

He sang.

And sang.

You see, it was the office’s 20th Anniversary! Apparently, one of his clients sent Elvis to celebrate their accomplishment.

The show was quite entertaining and enjoyable. But, what made the day was getting to see Stan’s face as he took in the whole situation.

It was a super, fun way to celebrate a company’s success.

Congratulations, Stan and staff!

And, thanks for letting us crash your party!

P.S. Had I known we were going to see Elvis that day, I would have used my Love Me Tender Shampoo!

Happy Easter

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.

They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.

In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?

He is not here; he has risen!

Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”

Then they remembered his words.

Luke 24:1-8

Senior Moment: Jaycob

Say hello to Jaycob!

Jaycob was an offensive lineman on the Varsity football team, the Chargers.

But, don’t let his size deceive you; he’s big guy with a big heart.

Quiet and so very kind.

You would like this young man, I promise.

It was an honor, Jaycob!

Sneak Peek: Senior Moment…Lauren

This young lady made my job quite easy.

Lauren, our local high school’s Homecoming Queen and all-around sweet girl, allowed me to commemorate her Senior year…

Thank you, Lauren for a really fun evening, even with all that wind whipping around!

You did a fabulous job!

Mustang Mama…

If you’ll recall, our oldest purchased a truck, back in May 2010, a little before he got his license.

Here the link to my post about his truck.

Well…

Unfortunately, what we thought to be a great vehicle for our son turned out to not be so great. It’s been in the garage, or on the driveway (much to our neighbor’s delight [insert sarcasm]), sitting.

Not driving.

Not moving.

Not anything.

His fender-bender didn’t help matters.

But, he and his father (mostly his father) got the thing running again, only to have it stall out, once again.

So, after much prayer and deliberation, ThrillCam and I decided to try again.

This time, though, we think we chose wisely.

(My son actually took these pictures! I was rather impressed with his composition. Also, please note: the above picture is a more recent photo of his car, with the new black tires/rims–he would probably want me to point out that fact.)

It’s a used–slightly used–6-year-old Mustang.

It’s stick shift.

And, it has great potential to be fast.

…every teen-aged boy’s dream.

(My praying has become quite fervent, with a great deal of pleading with God for protection and grace….)

So, yesterday, ThrillCam took my Jeep across town, which left me with his big diesel truck–I don’t like driving it much–and my son’s Mustang.

I needed milk. Because we were out.

And batteries. Because the XBox remote was dying.

And some reading glasses. Because I’m old.

I asked my son if I could take his Mustang to the CVS to pick up the above items.

With much vacillation, he agreed to let me drive his car.

It would be the first time I had driven it. In fact, it would be the first time I had even really sat in it.

It has racing bucket seats.

My tush is a little large for racing bucket seats.

Somehow I fit myself in.

Honestly, though, it ain’t the getting in that’s the problem–it’s the getting out!

So, I drove to the store and heaved my body out of the car as gracefully as I could.

It was not pretty.

Nor was it cool.

I did not look the part to be driving such a hot car.

Here’s the kicker, though.

I squeezed myself back down into the car after purchasing the items at the CVS, and begin the drive back home.

As I enter the neighborhood, a bright, red Jeep approaches me, full of young, virile, teen-aged boys. Their windows are down. The music is blaring.

They either recognize my son’s car or just think it’s a good-looking vehicle and want to get a better look. Maybe they see that there’s a female driving the car.

Is she as hot as the car?

They slow down as they are about to pass, and throw their hands out to wave, heads leaning out the windows in anticipation.

Suddenly they see me.

There’s an old lady driving the car.

An old, jiggly lady.

With reading glasses.

And no makeup.

Smiling a big, goofy grin.

Waving back at them.

All while grinding the gears, trying to find third gear.

(Do you hear the sound of the needle scratching across the record?)

I had no idea a Jeep could drive that fast.

Needless to say, it was a real boost to my ego.

My dog-niece

Sophie is her name. She’s my sister’s new puppy.

She’s grown a ton, already. And, her spots are beginning to appear.

She’s so dog-gone cute!

God love it…

She’s already gotten her bed a little dirty, but she doesn’t care, not a lick.

She just wants to be loved on.

Loved on and played with. That’s all.

Well, and maybe the occasional nap.

Like human-aunt, like dog-niece.

We don’t require a lot folks; just a little love, some playtime, and daily naps.

That’s all.

Is that too much to ask?

A list …of meaningless stuff

I’ve been swamped with photography post-work, so today’s post will be a collection of random thoughts…

1. I love Pandora Radio. You know, the radio station app? You can also listen to it on your computer. It’s the bomb.

You pick what type of music you like, or a certain artist you like, and then it chooses music that is similar in style and taste.

Right now, I’m listening to my Simple Minds radio station. Very 80′s. It chooses bands like Tears for Fears, The Cure, Depeche Mode, etc.

My other favorite station is the Cory Hart station.

Oh, and Boston.

And, I even have a Madonna and a Bananrama station, each.

Yes, I’m stuck in the 80s. And I can’t get up.

(Does it help that I have Coldplay and John Mayer stations? They aren’t from the 80s…)

2. We have a surprise happening this week! I can’t tell you yet. I want to take some pictures, first, and let you walk along with us, on our soon-to-be adventure. Hold tight!

3. It has been cloudy here for the last couple of days, but nary a drop of rain has fallen. We are really desperate for the stuff. Usually, we are having to mow our yards almost twice a week, because of all the rain we get by this time. I’m really afraid our yards are going to shrivel and burn up…because I’m too cheap to start watering the lawn, yet.

4. I’m called the orthodontist for our youngest son. It was time. He’s gone as long as he possibly can without braces. You really should go back and read about the time he knocked out his two front teeth. It’s great fun.

5. Is it weird to you, that after 10 years, Osama Bin Laden is dead? They finally got him? Amazing. And, as the story unfolds, it makes me, yet again, grateful to our military for their daily sacrifices.

I read a lady’s blog, the other day, that discussed how Christians should not gloat over another human being’s death, even an evil human being such as Bin Laden. I’m so very thankful he has been stopped, ended, finally…but is it odd that I find it sad that his soul is in hell…forever? (deservedly so, yes, but still…)

My brain isn’t good with deep thinking, so I think I shall go eat an Oreo.

6. Oreos are good. But, Double Stuff Oreos are the BEST!

7. My eyes, right shoulder, and right wrist are aching and very sore. It’s from all the post-work (Lightroom and Photoshop) I’ve been doing on Senior Portraits and my sister-in-law’s Dance and Cheer teams. I’m spending hours in front of the computer. I love that I’ve had so much work, but I’m going to have to purchase a new and more ergonomic chair to help with my shoulder issues.

I already purchased reading glasses in hopes the magnification would ease the strain on my eyes.

I really don’t like this getting old stuff.

8. What are you reading right now? I finally finished the Hunger Games series. Highly recommend it! It’s written for young adults/teens, but honestly, I felt it read more as an adult series. I wanted to see what my youngest son was so interested in, so I picked them up and finished before he did. I liked them very much. The story is pretty intense at times, with quite a few deaths, so be forewarned.

9. Speaking of intense and quite a few deaths…we saw Hannah, the movie, last week. Ugh.

I am someone who doesn’t get out enough to see movies, so when I see one, I want it to be good. Entertaining.

Guess what. I despised it. I wish I could get the over-two hours and all the money we spent on tickets and food back. What a waste.

10. It’s an absolutely be-u-tiful day out there! Get out and enjoy!

It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want – oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! ~Mark Twain

…arise and call her blessed

I started this early on Mother’s Day morning, but just couldn’t finish it…my heart was a wee bit heavy. So, here it is a day late.

Yesterday, I attended my great aunt’s burial service. It was a small, intimate occasion; the larger memorial service will be next week. It was a lovely funeral. By that I mean, while I am sad for my cousins and their families, it was lovely to see them, it was lovely to honor their mother/grandmother with them, it was lovely to see the love they had for this great lady, it was a lovely, intimate service.

My aunt will be missed.

But, what really made an impression was not the message from my cousin’s pastor–it was meaningful, hopeful and comforting–the moment that stood out was when my cousin stood up and spoke about her mother. Diane told a story about my aunt that I never knew, describing in detail how her mother was dedicated to not only the success of her husband, but, also to the success of her children. It was quite touching and personal. Then, my cousin used this word to describe her mother: strength.

My thoughts immediately went to my mother.

(She’s pregnant with my sister in the above picture.)

I, too, would use the word strength to describe my mother, but maybe for different reasons from how my cousin spoke of her mother.

My mother was strong in many ways; strong in her independence, in her confidence, in her ability to lead, in her use of words…. She was strong-willed, but not necessarily in a negative manner. And, she was intensely private.

*Her laughter was undeniably contagious. My sister and I both inherited her loud cackle. I’m sure my loud laugh embarrasses my sons, just as my mother’s embarrassed me when I was younger.

*I wish I had known my mother when she was in high school and college! She sounded like a very fun friend.

From the moment people started arriving for the visitation, after she died, the stories of her past were being shared. It made me long to know her before there was me, if that makes sense.

She had a mischievous and daring spirit. She was sort of a ring-leader, so to speak. And, her classmates and roommates loved her for it. They apparently did things they never would have thought of, had it not been for my mother’s pioneering approach to life….

I’ve never been a big risk-taker. I wish I had more of that attribute of my mother.

*My mother has always been a loyal friend. I saw it over and over throughout the years. She kept in touch with so many people.

Over the years, we would vacation with old neighbors from Dallas, we would meet for Homecomings at Baylor with her college suite mates and their families, we would have families from all over come visit us after we moved out to the country, her library friends were invited to my wedding, we would travel to Bowl games during football season and meet up with all our aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. The list goes on.

*She kept in touch and nurtured those relationships. And they were all quite different from each other: she had her high school friends, her college friends, her neighborhood friends, her small-town friends, her library friends, her family members… My mother was able to move through very different circles of people and befriend them, for life.

It was an amazing thing to watch.

*My mother gave back to her community. She started our small town’s library 35-plus years ago. Besides her dedication to my father and to my sister and me, I believe that is the one area where I will always be the proudest of her. She gave a community of a little over 300 a library they could be proud of. I didn’t really appreciate that until I was quite a bit older. I’m slow like that.

*She loved her Baylor Bears…

There’s so much more to my mom…more than just football and loud laughter. But, some things are meant to be held close to the heart. I can’t share much more than I am, at the moment, because I need to hold on to some of the more private and beautiful aspects and characteristics of my mother. Plus, I’m sure there’s much more I won’t even understand about my mother until I am much, much older.

As I wrap up, I am brought back to the scripture Diane read about her mother. She read from Proverbs 31. A beautiful chapter in the bible.

And, while many women strive to be the Proverbs 31 woman, I believe there are a few who actually achieve it.

I guarantee my Aunt Dorothy was probably one of the very few who truly lived out the whole chapter.

Diane ended with, “Her children arise and call her blessed.” (The Message version says, “her children respect and bless her.”)

Aunt Dorothy was blessed.

And, so was my mom.

And we were all blessed by knowing them, loving them, and being loved by them.

I hope, one day, when my children are reflecting on my life, they will be able to arise and call me blessed, too.

Happy Mother’s Day,

We have guests.

Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love! ~ Sitting Bull

This isn’t the first time it’s happened, but I love it when the doves decide to make one of my hanging baskets their home.

This Spring is no different.

(Please excuse the horrible excuse for a backyard–our banana trees need a little TLC.)

I have been photographing this new family for a few weeks, now.

More to come.

Have a happy Tuesday!

His new Facebook profile pic…

I’ve had my nose to the grindstone, working on Senior Portraits and putting together a baseball banquet slideshow…busy, busy.

I stumbled upon this photo, while doing post-work on a Senior portrait session.

My youngest! He was my assistant that day.

I had forgotten I had taken some pictures of him while we waited on a Senior to change clothes for the next phase of his photo session.

He makes my heart sing.

One a Day, plus iron

My friend Kent has taken it upon himself to take at least one picture a day. But, he’s not participating in a daily photo challenge in same manner that most people participate. (You can find beau coups of photo challenges on Flickr, for example.)

It started when Kent began posting completely random and not-so-everyday pictures on his Facebook page (ex: a man wearing a motorcycle helmet while driving his car). His friends encouraged him to keep it up and find something unusual to photograph at least once a day. So, Kent took on the challenge.

But he doesn’t use a big, fancy camera. He strictly uses his phone-camera.

Remember when I posted this on Valentine’s Day?

Yes, that’s an example of Kent’s “work.”

And, I’m amazed he’s so quick on the draw! I mean, it’s not hard to capture the above picture because meat doesn’t walk or talk back to you. He’s gotten pictures of people without them knowing (i.e. man in helmet in car), and they are pretty decent shots. In other words, if I tried to take some of the same pictures, I would be so obvious and clumsy, the person I was photographing would come over and take me down like some actor and the paparazzi…

Take for example, yesterday. I was driving home from running an errand and saw two folks exercising on bikes. Not unusual, right?

Well, the lady was riding a regular bike, but her partner was on an extra large unicycle!

Now, a unicycle is unusual! Especially, an extra large one.

But, I wasn’t Quickdraw McGraw, like Kent. I thought about pulling over and waiting for them to pass, but I was afraid they’d recognize my Jeep as the one that just passed them. So, I chickened out, even though, I thought how funny the picture was and how I would have loved to share it with you.

While I didn’t take the unicycle picture, I am taking some cues from my friend Kent, and I am trying to be more attentive to the unusual and notable things around me. I’m going to take more pictures with my phone-camera.

Like this.

I saw these planters at one of my favorite places, Frazier’s, in Hempstead, Texas.

They’re awesome, aren’t they?!

Awesomely huge.

You just don’t see big foot planters everyday….

Or this.

I actually turned the Jeep around, and got out to take that picture. It’s not the best, because, again, I was nervous the owner of the car was going to run out in the parking lot and yell at me.

Although, if you put big, long eyelashes on your car, you are probably used to people stopping and staring.

I wish I had taken the picture from straight on, to give you the full effect.

I could see those on a VW Bug…how cute would that be?

Lastly, we are making some changes around the house, doing some re-decorating, etc.

So, what better way to decide on products you like and want to remember, than to snap a picture with your phone-camera?

You see, I’m thinking of going with an Asian theme in my living room.

And, I stumbled upon some tables I really liked.

So, what did I do?

I took a quick picture, so I could remember them, in case I want to go back and purchase them.

What do you think?

I think I have a pretty good sense of humor, but even I’m not brave enough to put that in my living room!

Not even for the sake of a good laugh.

But, I am willing to take more pictures when I see something odd, quirky, out of place, or just down-right funny (assuming no one gets hurt).

So, be like Kent, and so many others, and take more pictures with your phone-camera!

You never know what you’ll find out there.

Happy Shooting,

Meet some friends…

It seemed forever as we walked through the labyrinth of sterile hallways–although attempts had been made to make it kid-friendly, it still had an intense clinical feel and smell about it. Taking multiple elevators, constantly looking for signs that would direct us the right way to go, finally we reached our destination. ThrillCam and I spoke in hushed voices, wondering what we would say when we saw them.

Opening the door, the first thing we noticed was how bright and friendly the room was. It was filled with comfortable sofas and chairs. Homey. Nothing like the hallways. We had obviously entered a new area, it was warmer, friendlier…the never-empty pot of coffee brewing in the corner.

The Ronald McDonald House. You know if you are visiting someone there, it’s pretty serious business.

We hugged, spoke the usual hellos and how-are-yous, then settled into chairs surrounding a table and just looked at one another. They looked tired, but good. Lana offered us, I believe, a muffin or cookie, something sweet, as I recall. Thank you, but no thank you.

Even exhausted and worried, Lana was the consummate hostess. She thought of our needs, not her own.

Ryan and Lana brought their very sick, brand new, precious baby to the doctors and nurses at Houston’s Texas Children’s Hospital for treatment.

I don’t think, at the time, I had an inkling the fear, the worry, the pain, the stress, the sleep deprivation that surrounded that sweet couple. All I knew was, they were friends, we missed them, we cared about them, their baby was super sick, and we wanted to hug and pray with them.

We needed them to know we loved them, even if it had been a long time since we had seen one another.

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ThrillCam and I were working in student ministry outside of Austin, Texas, when we met Ryan. He was this tall, good-looking singer, who was trying to make it in the music industry. He had the voice, that’s for sure. And the heart, the drive. We just knew he was going to be famous one day. There, by his side, was his beautiful wife, Lana, with a smile that would light up the room.

We all hit it off immediately. Ryan and ThrillCam had a love for music that made an immediate connection for them. And Lana had a keen sense of humor and an easy way about her that made it impossible not to like her.

Over the years, ThrillCam and I have watched, from a distance, as God moved Ryan on to many different areas of ministry, including leading worship, publishing books, doing a radio talk show, and presently, as a Senior Pastor of a large church in Austin. Lana has been alongside Ryan, supporting him and loving him and their kids through each job/life change.

They are good, good people. As good as it gets.

Over the years we’ve tried to get our families together to visit–those visits being further and further apart as the years marched on, both of us raising our two kids, each. Ryan and Lana had their two daughters and we, our two boys. Both the boys and the girls growing up quickly…becoming teenagers with their own busy lives.

Then, about four years ago, Lana and Ryan were given an unexpected bit of news.

They discovered Lana was pregnant with their third child, another daughter.

Lily. Or Lily Bird, as they call her.

Lily was the precious baby we visited at Texas Children’s Hospital.

Thank the Lord, she made it.

Thank the Lord, they all made it.

And they’re all that much better for it.

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I recently found Lana’s blog, Along Came the Bird. She started it a little over a year ago, I believe, but I didn’t know until just a few weeks ago. As you can imagine, I’ve been playing catch-up.

It’s been great fun to rediscover an old friend and her family! I’m so excited!

Oh, you need to know: Lana’s blog is not silly and meaningless, like mine. Hers has a purpose, laced with humor and kindness and real-life daily struggles and achievements that come with having a special needs child.

Even though I do not have a special needs child, I have close friends and family members who do. Her blog has great insight and information. I can assure you, her sharp wit is sprinkled throughout. (Oh! And, she’s been known to throw in a recipe or two!)

I invite you to pop over to her blog. Scroll back a couple of posts and read her short series on What You Should Know About Special Needs Kids. Each post is short, but chock full of helpful tips and advice. Even if you don’t have a special needs child, it will be of great value to you.

(photos courtesy of www.ellabellaphotos.com)

I want you to get to know them. Lana and her entire family are super great folks. I think you’ll like ‘em!

I do.

So, grab a cup of coffee and head over to Along Came a Bird. You won’t be disappointed.

Tags: special needs kids

Meet some other friends…

Cards are flying, trash talking abounds, and laughter rings into the night. There are just some memories I will never forget; memories of almost weekly games of Nerts being played while sharing good food and building friendships that last the test of time. I will cherish those memories forever.

Some might say it was doing ministry side by side that brought our two families together, but I would argue that it was the game of Nerts.

ThrillCam and I met Doug and Margo when we lived right outside Austin, many moons ago. ThrillCam was leading worship and Margo was the Children’s Minister. Two areas that really had nothing to do with one another, but Margo and ThrillCam seemed to click. They thought alike. They dreamed alike. They spurred each other on. It didn’t hurt that Margo’s husband Doug and I were also similar in personality. While ThrillCam and Margo did the heavy lifting, Doug and I served together on the drama ministry team.

Oh, don’t get me wrong; Doug was and is a heavy lifter, himself. I think of Doug as a fantastic utility player–he can plug into just about any area of ministry and serve honestly and openhandedly. And, he serves well.

Eventually, our time in Austin was cut short. Our family and Doug and Margo found God leading us all in different directions, but not severing the bond and respect we had with and for each other. The dream ThrillCam and Margo dreamed together was being reshaped, expanded…neither one knowing exactly what was in store for their futures.

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Doug and Margo did not have kids during those years in Austin. They simply poured into our boys and so many others kids. Margo continued her work with children whether it was teaching college courses to Education Majors, to serving children in Mexico, in orphanages. She truly is one of those hands-on type of person with a heart that beats for the less fortunate.

Part of Doug and Margo’s dream was to have children of their own. But, for some reason, only God knows, they could not have them.

Finally, though, in their early 40′s, God answered their prayers, and they adopted. Twins. From Guatemala. And, can I just say, they are the cutest, greatest little kids ever?

To know that these two were rescued out of such abject poverty with no parents or family, to now, being held every night by loving and Godly parents is beyond words.

(Did you know that there are an estimated 140 million-plus orphans in the world? And, that’s just an estimate…it’s probably much, much higher than that.)

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Fast-forward to this year.

Our friends for life, Doug and Margo, and their twins are about to take on, yet another, leap of faith to serve the needs of others.

They are basically selling everything and moving to Honduras. From the time Margo was a young girl, she has wanted to be a missionary. And, she was blessed with a husband who supports her dream.

So, off to Honduras they go!

I am thrilled for them.

Humbled by them.

Inspired by them.

Our family is already making plans to visit them and help pour concrete floors for single mothers, hand out medical supplies along with the medical brigade, as well as love on and play with the orphans. But, it will be awhile before we can go do that, since Doug and Margo aren’t there yet.

Our youngest has already decided to take Spanish, in 7th grade, next year, so he will be able to communicate with the kids at the orphanage. That right there is inspiring to me and tells me that there is no way we could not go to Honduras.

(Did you know that Honduras is just a 2-hour flight from Houston?)

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I’d love for you to check out the organization with whom they are going to serve: World Gospel Outreach.

Of course, if you feel led, you can help support the Turners on their new journey by visiting their personal website that also ties into the World Gospel Outreach site: www.Turners4Honduras.com

But, if you’d like to contribute in a different way, you can always purchase the coffee that the orphanage harvests and sells to raise money for the orphanage and the surrounding village. (The children that end up working the coffee fields must be at least 12 years old, have good grades, a good attitude, and they are paid for their work–it is not slave labor.) All the proceeds from Honduras Cloud Forest Coffee go directly to the orphanage, which in turn, helps the surrounding village and community, which in turn, will help all of Honduras.

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I know this is not my typical type of post, but I just wanted to share with you a family that has over the years both impressed and encouraged me. Their latest venture has now inspired me. I guess I just wanted you to know about what they are doing, in case you were wanting to help the needy but not sure where to start.

Of course, praying for the Turners (and the other house parents at the orphanage) is always a great start. (The Turners’ greatest prayer request at the moment is to sell their home in the Little Rock area.)

Maybe you, too, can join me in Honduras next summer!

Have a great day!

“He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?”
Declares the LORD. Jeremiah 22:16

Guess what we’ve been up to?

Our Spring has been maddeningly crazy. Every Spring is. The winding down of the school year combined with two boys playing a ton of baseball makes every April and May super hectic and harried. Add to that my unstable emotional state, still, after my mother’s death, and you’ve got complete and utter chaos.

So, what did we do, right in the middle of our completely and utterly chaotic April and May?

We decided to build a pool.

(photo and design courtesy of Bradley Custom Pools)

I’ve always, always wanted a pool, even when I was growing up out in the country. But, it’s just never been in the cards for us. It was never the right time, never the right house, and never the right money.

Well, it appears that the stars have aligned for our little family, so we took the plunge (pardon the pun).

(all photos taken with my iphone)

We knew we wanted it to be finished by the time the boys’ school ends for the summer, so that meant finding a pool builder we liked and trusted, and fast.

The fact that it hasn’t rained in a thousand months certainly helps.

No rain is good for pool building, but good for nothing else.

Our backyard has undergone a major transformation, and we aren’t even close to being finished yet! It’s a mess out there.

But, to be honest, our backyard was a huge blank nothing, so even a mess is better than nothing.

I just hope our neighbors (sorry Heather and Jim! sorry Tammy and Kirk!) haven’t hated us throughout the process. It’s been rather loud at times, especially those early Saturday mornings….

It’s gone fast, though! And I get more and more excited as the days pass.

I can’t wait to give you the completed tour.

But, first, a little sneak peek.

I’ll show you more, soon!

Some Random Thoughts on Some Random Things…

I’m glad the world did not end the other day.

Although, to be honest, it wouldn’t have been all that bad, I don’t think. I wouldn’t mind being in heaven right now.

It’d get me out of doing the laundry.

Plus, I’d get to see all the saints who have gone before me.

I really think heaven is going to be way more fun than we can even imagine, you know?

So, I guess I would have been okay with it all, had the rapture happened as predicted (once again).

I will say, I am glad I didn’t sell all my worldly possessions like one couple supposedly did.

Now what? I mean, if the world was coming to an end, why even bother to sell off all your possessions? Wouldn’t the end of the world mean the end of everything, including your worldly possessions? Or, did they worry that someone left behind might profit from their left-overs?

Not sure on that one, but I’m glad I didn’t follow suit.

I didn’t do much to prepare for Y2K, either.

See?

There are some positives to being a procrastinator.

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A friend sent me a link to, well, you’ll just have to see if for yourself…in case you were concerned about your pets after the rapture…. I’ve always hoped pets would be in heaven with us?? I haven’t done any research on that topic, in the Bible, so I’m not sure. But, just in case they don’t go with us, you can have your pets cared for while you’re gone.

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A couple of months ago my youngest requested a dry erase board for his bedroom; he wanted to write reminders to do homework and such.

I ended up getting him a black board with neon-colored dry erase markers. It’s been fun for him to use.

Every couple of weeks, he’ll change the message to remind himself of upcoming events or areas to improve.

So, a week or so ago, this was his message–I snapped a picture with my phone-camera:

I’m thinking he’s got the secret to a successful life down pat:

1. Chalone (read: cologne) (read: soak your body in Axe Body Spray and leave a trail behind you of people passing out, gasping for air)

2. Clotles (read: clothes–I think he forgot the hook on his H) (read: pick up from floor, attempt to shake out wrinkles, sniff to see on a scale of 1 to 10 how bad it smells, wear again anyway)

3. Hair (read: shake head around numerous times; comb hair; shake head again; comb; shake head once more; comb; work hard to achieve a perfect sweep of bangs across forehead; quickly spray with hair spray to hold in place; walk slow and pray it’s not windy on way to bus stop)

4. Look good (see all of the above)

5. Be freakin’ awesome (some come by this naturally, others must work at it; my son believes it is something he was born with)

and,

6. Give glory to God

I like it!

I think he should write a book, no?

P.S. My son really does know how to spell better than what is represented!!

P.P.S. My son has since gotten a hair cut–it’s way too short to shake anymore. I’m kind of sad; I’m going to miss the daily morning hair routine….

How long has it been since you’ve had these?

How long has it been since you made these?

(photo taken with camera-phone…when will I learn that food photos with the phone-camera just don’t turn out so great?? It’s just so darn convenient….)

I don’t even know the name of these cookies. No Bake Chocolate and Oatmeal Something-or-Other Cookies. With Peanut Butter.

I think.

That’s how I Googled the recipe.

Sort of.

(I was too lazy to pull down one of my 20 thousand small-town community/church cookbooks to find the recipe. ‘Cuz you know the recipe is in every single civic and church group cookbook ever written! Of which I certainly appreciate, because we need those recipes written down from our childhood, no matter how easy and simple they are.)

I’m tellin’ you, last night, I had an over-powering craving for something sweet and chocolate-y at about 10:30pm.

That should have been my sign to go to bed.

But, no.

I still had some work to do at the computer, so I decided to whip up a batch of the No-Bake-Oatmeal-Peanut-Butter-and-Chocolate-Thing-a-ma-jig-Cookies.

Took me approximately 15 minutes from start to finish.

Actually, it takes a little longer than 15 minutes once you add in cooling time.

But that didn’t stop me. I didn’t wait for them to cool completely.

I just scooped two warm, gooey No-Bake-Peanut-Butter-Chocolate-Butter-Laden-Oatmeal-Whatchamacallit-Cookies onto a plate and spooned it into my mouth. Yum.

I told you I had a craving. And, nothin’ comes between Mama and her cravings. Not rain, sleet, wind or snow. I’m like the Postman!

Or something like that.

I did refrain from having one for breakfast this morning. Although, don’t think it didn’t cross my mind a time or two. They would have been delish with a cup of coffee…mmmmm…..

But, I was a good girl.

I’m waiting.

I’ll have one or two, or 40 after lunch.

And, then I’ll hide about 20 somewhere in the fridge, so my two big, strappin’ boys won’t eat them all in one sitting after school, like they tend to do.

(I don’t have any idea where they learned that. I would never do such a thing. Must be a boy thing, surely.)

So, I’ll have a few No-Chocolate-Bake-Peanut-Extract-Butter-Butter-Sugar-Oatmeal-Vanilla-Bake-Doohickey-Cookies saved for later.

I’m like a Boy Scout…Always Prepared.

Or is that the Army?

Or Oprah?

Oh well, all I know is, I’ll be prepared when the next craving hits.

UPDATE: A friend told me that if I was going to post a recipe about cookies, I had better post the recipe. So, here you go, Elisa!

No-Bake Chocolate, Peanut Butter & Oatmeal Cookies

Yield: 2 to 3 dozen cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cooling Time: 30 minutes

½ cup (1 stick) butter
2 cups granulated sugar
½ cup milk
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
½ cup peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups quick-cooking oats

1. Add the first four ingredients (through the cocoa powder) to a 4-quart saucepan.

2. Bring to a rolling boil and let boil for 1 minute.

3. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth, then stir in the oats.

5. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto wax paper-lined baking sheets.

6. Let cool until set.

7. Enjoy!

I even thought the next time I might try to make these with Nutella! I also read somewhere to try Almond Extract, instead of Vanilla Extract.

Tags: Chocolate-Peanut Butter-Oatmeal No Bake Cookies, No Bake Cookies

Our destiny. Or something like that.

It was a warm, sunny May afternoon in 1923.

The McKie No. 1 had just come in–the oil was flowing somewhere between 5,000 and 8,000 barrels of oil a day, with 20,000,000 feet of gas.

It was black gold. Texas Tea.

Somewhere around 2 pm the next day, it was time for the crews to change–approximately 25 men–one crew going home, one crew coming to work.

This was a typical day for these crews, working the oil-rich east Texas territory, in the early 1920′s. In fact, nearly everyone in that area was in the oil and gas business, in some form or manner.

This particular well, the McKie No. 1, was looking to be a very profitable well.

Then, tragedy struck.

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This June, 2011, ThrillCam and I will have been married 21 years.

I might be even happier and more in love with him today than I was when I married him, if possible.

At the risk of sounding terribly sappy, I have never doubted we were meant to be together.

Our lives, and families, joined together, forever.

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It was early Spring, our Sophomore year, 1987. ThrillCam’s roommate, John, who was in the theatre department with me, introduced us. We probably never would have met, had John not been the middle man.

ThrillCam was in the honors program, an English major, very smart.

I was in the theatre, not smart, and far removed from the main campus and the “normal” folk.

The story goes that ThrillCam looked at John, after meeting me, and said, “I’m going to marry that girl.”

I have to be honest: I thought he was cute, but didn’t really think much of him after we met. I couldn’t. I was too involved in the theatre to worry about boys at the moment.

(ThrillCam, by the way, is my nickname for my husband from our college days–David Letterman had a segment during the late 80′s where he would strap a camera onto an animal or an inanimate object and show the footage from that camera. One of the cameras was the Late Night Monkey Cam, and one was dubbed the Late Night ThrillCam. I began calling him ThrillCam, and it stuck.)

So, when ThrillCam asked me out on a date, I declined.

He asked again. I declined again.

I’m not sure how many times he asked, but each time I turned him down, due to my schedule. I was flattered that he wanted to go out, but I just did not have the time.

ThrillCam gave up and never called again.

Finally, the last main stage show of that Spring wrapped up. I called ThrillCam; I had felt bad that I was unable to go out with him during that entire Spring semester. I figured I owed him a date….

Fortunately, for me, he did not hold a grudge and said yes.

We went out on one date.

I paid. (not because he wouldn’t, but because I asked him out–it was only right)

We ate at the one and only Japanese restaurant in town.

We had a great time.

Then, summer hit.

We didn’t see one another that whole summer. In fact, I dated a few other guys during that time. (I’ve never asked him if he dated anyone else. I’m sure he didn’t. I’m sure he was pining away for me. Surely….)

Finally, the next Fall, once we both returned to college, he asked me out again. I accepted.

He was a perfect gentleman.

I was smitten.

A fire had been lit.

The rest, they say, is history.

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On May 9, 1923, around 2pm, as two crews were changing, a worker approached the McKie No. 1 derrick; he began applying a control valve.

In the process, the worker’s hammer struck a rock.

The hammer impacting the rock created a spark.

The spark, in turn, ignited the oil and gas, which led to the detonation of both:

The explosion and fire which followed instantly caught every workman on and around the derrick platform. They had no chance. The sheets of flame caught them as a sudden dust storm might envelop a group of travelers. Twelve of the victims met instant death. Another died in a hospital soon after he was snatched from the caldron of burning oil.

Tonight the fire is under control, but from 2 o’clock this afternoon until 6 o’clock this evening 1,000 barrels of accumulated waste were on fire and the full flow of the well, 5,000 barrels a day – continued ignited.

(from, I believe, the Corsicana Daily Newspaper, or the Kerens, Texas newspaper–not sure which.)

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ThrillCam’s great-grandfather worked on one of the crews that fateful day.

He was the man, mentioned in the above newspaper article, who was “snatched from a cauldron of burning oil” and taken to the hospital.

He was able to describe what happened and said he believed he and one other man were the only two to survive.

The other man did not live through the night.

ThrillCam’s great-grandfather died the next day.

He left behind a wife and three children.

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My great-grandfather was an owner of the McKie No. 1 oil well.

He owned the oil well that killed my husband’s great-grandfather.

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To say ThrillCam and I are greatly impacted by this story is to say the least.

It’s just so surreal.

And sad.

I understand that my great-grandfather had no control over the freak accident. It was just that: a freak accident.

But, I know that my husband’s family was changed forever after that explosion. The course of ThrillCam’s grandfather’s young life was affected dramatically when his father died in the oil well fire. That, in turn, affected my husband’s mother, and eventually had an effect on my husband. There was a lot of bad and good that came out of the sudden death of his great-grandfather.

I wonder, though, had his great-grandfather not died in the oil well fire, would we have ever met and married?

Would ThrillCam have turned out to be a very different human being had his great-grandfather not died so abruptly and tragically?

Because, the man I know and love is such a good, good man. …and a good, good husband. …and a good, good father.

I can’t imagine marrying and having children with anyone else.

What would our lives be like, had our great-grandfathers not had that awful past association?

How different would life be for either one of us?

So, while I’m saddened and disturbed that our great-grandfathers’ lives were connected in such a catastrophic and sad way, I am eternally grateful to God that He orchestrated our families’ paths to intersect once again…

Three generations later.

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P.S. What’s so amazing about this story is, none of our parents knew the historical connection between our great-grandfathers.

My mother, who passed away in March of this year, was a very astute genealogist, but she never caught the connection in all her research. My mother-in-law, who I love dearly, knew her grandfather was in the oil and gas business, and knew he had died in an oil well explosion, but also never made the connection. It just never occurred to either of them, because they didn’t know the names of either family’s ancestors. No need to.

ThrillCam just happened upon the information last week, thanks to a conversation he had with my sister, who off-handily mentioned our great-grandfather’s oil well fire. ThrillCam decided to read up on the explosion, just out of curiosity, and saw the list of victims, including his great-grandfather’s name….

Memorial Day 2011

I hope you have a day full of family, fun, and yummy food!

But, more than anything, I hope you join me in taking a moment, with your family, to say a prayer of thanks for those who have served and sacrificed for our country’s freedoms.

A moment to remember. And honor those who died serving our country.

God bless America.

Retraction. And other stuff.

“There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.” ~Albert Einstein

First of all, thank you, so much, for all the kind words concerning the story about ThrillCam’s and my great-grandfathers! You were all so kind! Most of you saw the smallness of our world and how God has a master plan for our lives.

It really is amazing how our families intersected, again, generations later.

Thankfully, no one concentrated on the tragedy.

But, I did have a college classmate of mine point out that I was making myself, my husband, and her much older than we actually are! I said, in my post, that ThrillCam and I met in 1983. Typo. (I went into my post and corrected the date immediately.)

We all three were still in high school in ’83.

ThrillCam and I met in 1987. (Sorry, Robin, for aging us!!)

I also had a family member comment on the fact that ThrillCam allowed me to pay for our first date. She was not at all impressed with that point.

Well, because my “remember-er” is not the greatest, I got the timeline of events mixed up.

ThrillCam actually did not allow me to pay for our first date. He reminded me that our very, very first date was actually right after we had met at the record store, where our mutual friend John had introduced us. I remember the details of the date very clearly, it’s just that I thought it had happened later.

We went out on our first date, right after we met. ThrillCam paid–it was very romantic and chivalrous–then, summer hit and we did not see one another.

It was during the FALL semester, not the Spring semester, that he had repeatedly asked me out again, and I declined due to my theatre schedule.

That’s when he gave up and quit asking me out.

Finally, I asked him out at the end of that Fall semester and I paid for the date. Which, again, as I said, was only right, since I was the one doing the asking.

So, there you have it; the corrected story.

I know, you probably didn’t care a lick about the details, but I wanted to get the facts straight.

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~~We should be getting wet by this weekend!! And, I don’t mean by rain.~~

~~Our pool is almost complete!~~

~~I’ll show you pictures next week.~~

We were supposed to be getting wet by this weekend.

Unfortunately, as construction things go, it looks like we will have to wait another few days before we can take full advantage of the new pool.

Boo.

But, I will still show you pictures next week.

(There will not be a single picture of me in a bathing suit, by the way. You can thank me later.)

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Today is the last day of school for my boys.

Sing it with me:

“School’s out for summer! School’s out forever!…”

I think I love summer as much, if not more, than my children. Our summer will continue to be busy, but not quite as structured, which is a relief for me. I enjoy having a break from getting up early and making lunches every morning.

What are your plans for the next three months?

Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability. ~Sam Keen

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More construction, pool and landscaping crews are to appear in our backyard, all throughout the day, today.

It’s made me appreciate, so much, the hard-working men who do such back-breaking and undesirable jobs.

…especially in this heat.

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Yep. It’s a hot one out there, today.

Supposed to hit 100 degrees!

And, still no rain in sight.

Yuck and double yuck!

Hope you’re finding a way to stay cool.

Summer has set in with its usual severity. ~Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Happy Summer, y’all!!

Bee, Won. Elizabeth, Zero.

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. ~Mohammad Ali

Saturday morning was promising to be unusually hot, thanks to the weather pattern we’re in…no rain in sight for weeks on end. I jumped in the shower, knowing that before the day was out, I’d need another one to wash away the dirt and grim accumulated after a day of baseball and over 100 degree temperatures.

And, since we’ve had no rain for 20,ooo months, give or take a few, I knew I would need to take care of my potted plants in the front yard.

After my shower I wrapped my wet head in my trusty pink twisty towel. When I walk around with my hair in the towel, all I’m missing are big hoop earrings and a flowered mumu housedress. Oh, and terry cloth slippers.

Don’t think I’ve not thought of it. It sounds extremely comfortable….

Fortunately, though, I put on shorts and a tee-shirt instead. I haven’t digressed to the mumu. Yet.

So, I stepped out on the front porch, hair up in the pink turban, not a stitch of makeup on, ready to give a drink to my thirsty plants. I was hoping against hope none of the neighbors would be outside.

I almost got off the porch when I spotted my neighbor Jim, who was watering his yard. I tried to duck back in.

Dang it. He saw me.

Now, Jim is a chatty neighbor. And, so am I. So, if we’re both out in our front yards, there’s going to be a conversation, pink turban or not.

As I filled the pots with H2O, I waved a quick hello to Jim, hoping he wasn’t in the mood to talk.

Not only did Jim wave and say hello back, he asked a question.

Pooh.

I like Jim, but I didn’t want him to have to see me in my pink head covering.

Jim’s question drew me away from the comfort and safety of my front porch, out into the yard, into the open air, visible for all to see.

As I spoke to Jim, though, I forgot about my turban and began describing all the work being done in our backyard.

While I was talking, a buzzing insect circled my head a few times, before I finally used my hand to shoo it away.

Instead of flying away, as I had commanded the bug, it landed on my right check, just below my eye.

I’m not really one to run away from insects, even the stinging kind, because I figure the insect is more scared of me, and I assume it will go on its merry way, neither of us needing to bother the other. (Unless, of course, it’s a hornet or a yellow jacket, both of which do not shy away from a swatting hand. Rather, they tend to find it a challenge.) But, in this moment, I did not think it was a hornet or yellow jacket–its buzzing sounded different, more like a big horsefly.

I automatically reached up to knock the intruder off my face.

Unfortunately, the insect, whatever it was, did not take to being swatted from my face. I only made the thing mad. Rather than flying away, it grabbed hold of my cheek and laid claim to it. Hard.

In an instant, it felt like the insect had driven a stake into my face as if grabbing land in Oklahoma.

It stung the snot out of me!!

For, like, 30 minutes, it stung me. Maybe an hour.*

Suddenly, I was doing a jig in my front yard, yelling, something along the lines of, “Oh, sweetbabyJesus, what in the world is happening to my face?!,” ”Satan, get thee behind me and off of my face!!” and, “Owwww! That hurts!!!,” all the while thrashing and flailing my arms about. My pretty-in-pink turban came off as I doubled over in shock and awe.**

(Don’t forget my neighbor Jim was taking this all in, still watering his yard.)

Finally, I grabbed my turban up off the ground. (I needed to make sure I grabbed my pink headdress; I couldn’t just leave it lying there in the front yard, even if I was being attacked by a swarm of angry bees…what in the world would Jim have thought about my littering the yard?)

I gathered myself, and my turban, and began my quick dash into the house.

I think I may have been yelping and calling back to Jim something between a “Oh my goodness, he stung me! He stung me!! What was it, a giant flying scorpion? Help me, I think I’m going die!!!” and, “Bye, Jim, I need to go in right now. I enjoyed chatting with you.” ***

That stinkin’ devil bug continued to chase after me!! He dive-bombed me at least a hundred more times**** as I swung my pink turban around my head as if I were competing in a ribbon dance in the Olympics. It was beauty in motion, I’m sure of it.

(I’m just sad Jim will be kept awake at night with visions of me doing the bee dance.)

Yes, that’s my pink turban! It’s pretty, yes? And, that’s my pink bee sting. It’s pretty, too, no?

Maybe if I add some big earrings and a few pieces of fruit, I’d resemble the Chiquita Banana Girl….

(Below was later in the day, on Saturday. The swelling had not gone down, yet. In fact, the swelling wasn’t too terribly bad, but it hurt, deep in my cheek.)

Come to find out, I was not the only one in the neighborhood who was a victim of the evil, angry, awful, flying, attacking, stinging, insects.

Apparently, another neighbor had removed a large hive from her backyard on Friday. By Saturday morning, the straggler bees, who quickly became aware their home and queen had been removed, joined forces and began running rampant throughout the neighborhood, attacking innocent bystanders, like me. They were mad.

It was Bee Against the World.

And, in my book, they won.

Below, is my face on Sunday morning, before heading out to church. My under-eye bag was even larger than its normal, puffy, red self.

No amount of concealer could cover the wound inflicted upon my face.

If you are brave enough, you can look below and see that even by Sunday night, after a long day at the baseball fields in over 100 degree weather, the after effects of the sting were still present. Maybe even more swollen.

By the way, these pictures do wonders for my self-esteem….

This Monday morning, I woke up, rolled over and wiped the sleep out of my eyes, only to notice my big, baggy, swollen eye, was not changed much.

So, as a last resort, I tried cold compresses. (Serving spoons placed in the freezer for a few minutes, then placed on the under-eye area.)

Didn’t help.

I guess it will just take a few more days for the poison from the bee sting to absorb into my face, and the swelling to subside.

Boo.

Any suggestions on how I can speed up the process?

Anyone?

Bueller?

I am not a fan of the bee at the moment.

* I might be exaggerating a wee bit.

**Again, a slight exaggeration. But, only slight.

***Okay, maybe I didn’t say all those things, but I certainly thought it. I’m sure that in the heat of the moment, while I was unable to get the niceties out, in my heart, I felt it.

****I was dazed and confused. How could I possibly know how many times the bee attacked me? It all happened so fast…. Really, I think it was close to a hundred, but it could have been 7. Maybe.

Tags: Bee sting

Bee sting update, a recipe, and other musings…

I received some great tips for treating my bee attack, which I appreciated, mucho.

Gracias!

I actually had applied the baking soda paste the instant I was safely back in the house.

Using baking soda and a little water has been a technique I learned years ago when my mother would apply it to my occasional scorpion stings (long story for another day). So, thankfully, I was clear minded enough to grab the baking soda and apply it to my sting.

Here’s proof:

(Like how the baking soda was dripping down my face? It wasn’t pretty, but it certainly helped ease the initial pain.)

I must not have gotten the stinger out, although, I do remember thinking I should grab a credit card or the likes to scrap at the wound, but I was too busy mixing up the baking soda paste. Plus, I think my natural response was, if I scrape the spot where it is throbbing with pain, won’t that make it hurt even more?? And, besides, at that point, I was still not convinced it was a bee that hit me. I honestly thought it was something else, until I spoke with my neighbor Tammy, who reported multiple neighbor-bee-victims.

But, as far as getting the swelling to go down, it is taking its own sweet time.

The good news: I’ll live.

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Today, we had some rain!!!!!! It wasn’t a whole bunch, but it gives me hope that maybe, just maybe, we’re moving into our usual June afternoon rain shower pattern, where it gets really hot, clouds form, and a quick afternoon shower appears.

I’ve never wished for that weather pattern before, but, boy do we need the rain.

The very unfortunate result of rain, though, will be mosquitoes.

So, I’m torn between my grass dying a slow and painful death and being forced into a city-wide water rationing, or being eaten alive by mosquitoes the size of small Pterodactyls.

It’s a toss up.

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The pool is still not complete.

Boo.

The stone guys are here to top the table in the pool with flagstone.

Yea!

Then supposedly, plastering will happen. Not sure if it will happen today, though.

I’m not getting my hopes up.

I’ve had to quit doing that.

I just tell myself it will be done soon enough.

But, try telling your teenaged sons they have to wait, yet another week….

Boo, again.

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The other night, I had another craving for something sweet and chocolatey. But, I didn’t want to bake anything big, like a cake or brownies.

Truth be told, I didn’t want to wait that long.

So, I adapted and combined a couple of recipes for a tasty and EASY toffee treat.

My quick toffee fix:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cover a baking sheet with foil.
Line graham crackers, as many as you’d like (I filled the baking sheet), in a single layer.
In a saucepan, combine and heat 1 C. butter (2 sticks) and 3/4 C. packed brown sugar to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 to 3 minutes, until sugar has dissolved and incorporated into the butter.
Remove from heat and pour over the graham crackers, smoothing it out with a spatula/spoon, to cover all the crackers.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 7-10 minutes, until bubbly. (Watch it closely after the first 7 minutes, to be sure the toffee layer doesn’t burn.)
Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle 1 C. milk chocolate (or semi-sweet, or dark chocolate) chips over the top of the warm graham crackers. Allow the chips to melt a little and become shiny. Gently spread the chocolate over the toffee layer.
Now, you can choose your favorite nut (about 1/2 C. chopped) and sprinkle on top, or you can do what I did for a different twist: I sprinkled about 1-2 teaspoons of sea salt over the top of the chocolate before it hardened. It was subtle, but yummy!
Then, place the toffee in the fridge to cool and harden.

Finally, break the pieces up and dig in! (I kept mine in the refrigerator when I was not scarfing down the stuff, but that’s not required.)

(I’ve seen versions of this recipe using saltine crackers. And, it seems everyone has different amounts of butter to brown sugar, so you can play around with that, depending on how many crackers you use for the bottom layer.)

Enjoy!

Cement Pond!

Due to out-of-town baseball tournaments and our recent (almost) completion of our cement pond, I have been away from the computer. And, that means, I’ve been away from blogging.

I will put up some more pictures of the pool and the process, hopefully, over the weekend and into next week. (They won’t all be taken with my iPhone camera. Nor will there be a bucket of rocks in the pictures. Lastly, I’ll have better perspectives.)

But, for now, I need to get out there and check the water…to make sure it’s still cool and wet.

Happy Summer!

Happy Father’s Day!

(in England, with my daddy)

Happy Father’s Day to all those hard-working, hard-loving, and oh-so-fabulous dads out there!

I hope you are celebrated and lifted up in the manner you deserve.

I know I join my boys in showing their dad how much he is loved and appreciated; we’re going to let him lie on the couch and watch golf.

Twenty.

Him: An Honors student in the English department. Loved reading, music, club dancing, water and snow skiing. Spun records, on the side, for various college dances/formals. Loved his steaks well-done.

And, he sported a mean 80′s ‘stache, a semi-mullet, and Ray-Ban Wayfarers….

Her: An average student in the theatre department. Loved acting, club dancing, water skiing, and traveling. Worked, briefly, at The Gap, but made no money, because she spent her paycheck, and then some, on clothes. Loved her steaks medium-rare.

And, she sported a fantastic 80′s perm, multiple colorful Swatches, and a collection of Units clothing, with scrunched-down white socks.

It was meant to be.

He: has taught her a new understanding of a great, big God, how to love bigger, how to better parent two super boys, and lots of new words to use in sentences (although, she still hasn’t mastered the spelling of them).

She: has taught him to order his steaks to be cooked, at least, to medium, rather than burned.

The rest, they say, is history.

Happy Anniversary, ThrillCam.

Here’s to twenty-plus more.

Transformation

A great, big, empty and ugly backyard only served to fan the flame of a longtime dream of mine to have a pool.

There were the occasional discussions about the possibility of having one when I was much, much younger, but living out in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by gravel roads, open pastures, and cows, it was out of the question, at least in my parents’ minds. I guess they figured, if I really wanted to jump into to something wet, there were plenty of tanks around for me to use.

Then, I married.

I hoped maybe ThrillCam would be my ticket.

But that was out of the question, as well, especially in the earlier years. And, even into the later years of our marriage, it just wasn’t meant to be.

Until now.

And, I’m so excited!!

And grateful.

And thankful.

And grateful.

And thankful-grateful.

It’s simple, not fancy.

…It’s just right for us.

Pssst…

I have plans for my pool, it just doesn’t know it, yet.

At the risk of sounding, I don’t know, weird, I believe the pool, for our family, means more than just plain fun. Much like one end of our pool, it holds deeper implications.

Spiritual applications, if you will.

You see, while the pool is 100% pure fun and entertainment on one level, it’s also going to provide a new place for us to invite our neighbors to hang out, get to know one another better, and relax. We’ll get to know each other better, which translates into serving and loving one another better.

It will also be a great location for our church’s Table Group (our version of a small group) to meet and enjoy great food and conversation.

I also hope there will be a baptism or two in our pool.

I’ll be sure to take pictures of those events.

But, before then, we have figure out where to put the noodles, floats, and other pool toys that are quickly littering our backyard.

You see, the pool is finally swim-able!

Our boys have been busy breaking it in on a daily basis, even though the backyard transformation is far from over.

We have a few things to do, mainly around the perimeter of the pool, before the backyard is complete. But, it’s coming together, slowly, but surely.

Once the dust settles, and summer baseball season slows down, I am hoping our neighbors and friends will help keep us company.

More photos to come.

Have a great day!

The Annual Last Day of School Water Balloon Attack!

My neighbors, Scott and Beverly, are so good about keeping up a fun tradition that the boys in our neighborhood have grown to anticipate and love: The Annual Last Day of School Water Balloon Attack!

Each year, on the last day of school, Scott and Beverly fill a couple hundred water balloons and store them in multiple water coolers, all for the purpose of bombarding our sons with water balloons. It’s a celebration of the last day of school!

I don’t even know what year Scott dreamed up this crazy plan, but he has not missed a year since. And, I foresee, it will continue for many years to come.

This is the second year I’ve taken my camera out to document the event.

Once the balloons are filled and secured, all the parents and siblings load up on balloons, find a good hiding place, and then they wait…

The boys get off the bus, just like every other day of the school year.

They walk home, just like every other day of the school year.

But, on the last day of school, the boys are a little more on edge, a little more aware of their surroundings.

They’ve come to expect the unexpected.

Once they spot their parents and brothers and sisters, they know it’s ON!

No one is safe.

…Not the boys.

…Not the parents.

Not even cheerleaders.

It’s pure mayhem in our neighborhood for approximately 30 to 40 minutes, depending on how many balloons Scott and Beverly fill.

I think the older siblings enjoy it as much, if not more than their younger brothers.

There’s just something about the idea of pelting your little brother (or his punk friend) with a water balloon…

…it brings such joy.

The boys love it.

The parents love it.

I love it.

It’s just one more reason why I heart my neighborhood.

Twenty. Give or take a few.

Thank the Lord my husband loves me and puts up with me…

Yesterday, I put up some funny pictures of ThrillCam and me from our very early years together, because yesterday was our anniversary.

“Twenty” was the title of the post.

That implied, rightly so, that we have been married twenty years.

It’s a logical conclusion.

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So, yesterday, on Facebook, a number of my friends wished us a Happy Anniversary, which was very kind.

And, there, in the middle of the good wishes, Marcy, my roommate from college, wrote something along the lines of, “Call me crazy, but I thought y’all were on twenty-one.”

Marcy is crazy.

Because, we got married on June 23rd, 1990.

1990 from 2011 is…

Um.

No.

Wait.

Um…

Oh.

Yeah.

Come to find out, we’ve actually been married TWENTY-ONE years….

Maybe Marcy isn’t crazy after all.

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Yep. I got my anniversary wrong, in a great big public way.

Lovely.

Isn’t that the universal joke about husbands, that THEY have no idea how long they’ve been married?

Well, I’m the exception to the rule.

As usual.

Just call me Dingbat. A big dummy.

Fortunately for me, ThrillCam didn’t read my blog yesterday.

Whew.

He’ll never know.

Update: I decided to confess to ThrillCam that I couldn’t remember how many years we had been married. First, though, I asked him, before admitting, how long we had been married. He hesitated, then said “twenty!” Followed by, “Twenty…no…Twenty-one.”

I don’t feel so bad, after all.

I heart Bono.

…and Edge, and Adam, and Larry.

Ahhh….U2.

Amazing.

This was the whole reason for our trip to Chicago, to see U2. Seeing the little band from Ireland had been something we’ve wanted to do since our college days.

So, for our 21st anniversary, we did it.

By golly.

We did it.

And, boy am I glad we did!

As I said, it was amazing.

…especially since Bono sang directly to me the whole night.

More soon.

P.S. I made a photo book, but the style of my blog has limited the size of the pages (example: first set of photos). I will see what I need to do to tweak the photos, so they are larger, like the one above. (I believe you can click on the photo to see it larger.)

Where have you been all my life??

Cold brew tea.

Who knew?

Well, besides the millions of people who are way more attentive and astute than me?

I certainly didn’t know about it.

But, now I do. And my life is complete.

The brand I purchased was H.E.B.’s store brand.

I’m sure there are other brands, but H.E.B.’s store brand is cheaper, and tastes just fine (to me).

If, like in my neck of the woods, it’s too darn hot to stand over the stove to boil water, then wait for the tea to steep, then wait for the tea to cool down (so it doesn’t melt all your ice cubes), then, you should, by all means, get thee to a nunnery!

Huh?

Get thee to the grocery store! And purchase thyself some cold brew tea bags.

(I’ve found that it does take a couple more minutes to brew, than the 5 listed on the directions, to get a good flavor. Five minutes, in my opinion, makes for too-weak tea. But, other than that, I love how fast it is to make a pitcher of iced tea.)

Of course, once your tea is brewed, add about 3/4 C. of sugar to the pitcher and stir well, until all the sugar is dissolved. Fill your tall glass with ice and a sliver of lemon or lime, and slowly pour the tea over it. Then, sit back and put your feet up.

Relax.

It’s gonna be a good day.

The Windy City!

I don’t know why Chicago is called the Windy City; I always heard it was because of the politicians.

Others say, it’s because of the wind that blows in, off Michigan Lake.

It’s even been said the Chicagoans were known as braggarts about their great city, hence, the Windy City.

Well, I didn’t meet any politicians full of hot air while there, nor did the wind off Lake Michigan feel horrible and cold, so I guess I’ll have to go with the last one.

But, after being there this past week, I say, BRAG ON, CHICAGOANS! BRAG ON!!

ThrillCam and I went to Chicago to celebrate our twenty-something anniversary. My wonderful husband surprised me with a last-minute trip.

He’s a good man, that guy.

Chicago has it all: scrumptious food, unique architecture, loads of history, culture, a thriving night life, and a super transportation system…you name it, they’ve got it.

I’ve been going through my pictures over the weekend and I look forward to sharing some of them with you.

After I finish all the laundry….

Tags: Chicago

Happy Independence Day!!

You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks,and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism. ~Erma Bombeck

Whether or not you throw a Frisbee, or stuff yourself on iffy potato salad, I hope your Fourth of July is super!

In honor of Independence Day, here’s a brief recap of what it is all about (credit goes to History.com for the following excerpt–had I written it, it would have been three times as long and full of incorrect information, so I decided to go with someone reliable. And, it never hurts to have the occasional refresher course.):

“In June 1776, representatives of the 13 colonies then fighting in the revolutionary struggle weighed a resolution that would declare their independence from Great Britain. On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later its delegates adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson.”

(Stained glass window of The Reading of the Declaration of Independence to Washington–as in George–1776, at Mount Vernon.)

I thought I’d list a couple ideas for things to do on the Fourth of July. Of course, by now, you’ve probably already made your plans, but just in case you forgot something, here you go.

July Fourth ideas:

Of course, fireworks. If your city has not banned the firing of them due to no rain, then you should absolutely grab a lawn chair and some Off! and go watch them.
Take pictures of the fireworks–don’t forget your tripod!!

Shoot manual and at a slow shutter speed: allow for long exposures of many seconds to 30 seconds, or you can even try the bulb setting
Use a quick release trigger for the camera, if you have one. If not, try setting your release to a 2 second or 10 second delay, especially if the fireworks are being shot off at very regular and quick intervals. You can press the shutter button and allow for any shake to subside before the picture is taken.
Shoot at a low ISO 100-200
Pretend the next number on my list is 3.

Eat some watermelon. I don’t know why, just do it! Because it’s so yummy! And, it just goes with Fourth of July, that all.
Ask some neighbors over to grill some burgers and hot dogs, and play some games.
Have a neighborhood parade–decorate the bikes and wagons and play some loud patriotic music (like John Phillip Sousa), and take your parade through the neighborhood. If you want to throw out candy, like at a big parade, let your kids throw out all your old Halloween candy. It’s a great way to get rid of it, and I consider that recycling! What? You didn’t keep all your old Halloween candy? No one keeps candy for that long? Really? Oh.
Play horseshoes, ladder golf, washers, or cornhole. All four are fun games to play outside, while eating your watermelon.
Hang a flag in your front yard somewhere.
HAVE FUN!!

Happy Independence Day!

God bless America,

Hard Rock Hotel

While in Chicago, we stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel. It had a great location, within walking distance of most anything downtown, and a funky vibe.

We thought it apropos to stay in a music-themed hotel when we were there for the U2 concert.

We’re weird like that.

Supposedly, one of the perks, besides the location, is the free guitar you can borrow while you stay there. Unfortunately, all the guitars were checked out, so ThrillCam did not get to strum in the room. He was a little disappointed, but it was not a big deal.

The rooms were fine. Fairly contemporary and simple. Nothing fancy. Very clean. It’s housed in a very cool building. And, as I’ve mentioned, great location.

I wish I were at my home computer, because I have some pictures I want to show you of the room. But, I don’t want to use the travel book shots, like above. They are too small, in my opinion.

I’ll have to get back home to my computer to upload the photos.

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Please say a little prayer for me; I’ll be traveling, alone, to pick up our youngest from camp, today. Lots of hours of driving. I love to drive and I even love the alone time, but I do worry about the what ifs of car trouble. So, please join me in praying for safe travel to and from Missouri.

I can’t wait to see my boy!!

Have a super day,

So much to say, so little time….

It’s killing me that I haven’t been able to appropriately blog, these last couple of weeks! We’ve been blowin’ and goin’ so much, I just haven’t been able to get to my home computer to upload pictures.

And, I like to add pictures to my stories.

I’m kinda simple like that.

More like, simple-minded.

So, after I finish up on my son’s camp laundry (does it ever end???), I will post some new photos of the recent weeks.

In the meantime, I’m cooking a peach cobbler while a load of whites is washing!

I’ll let you know how it turns out.

The cobbler, that is.

XOXO,

Peach Cobbler

Ingredients

3 fresh peaches – peeled, pitted and sliced
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 cups boiling water
3 tablespoons butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 10×10 inch baking dish.
Stir together peaches with cinnamon and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together shortening and 1 cup sugar. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt alternately with milk. Pour into prepared pan. Top with peach mixture. Drop butter in boiling water and pour all over peaches.
Bake in preheated oven 40 to 45 minutes, until golden brown.

I made this cobbler (late one evening) after returning from picking up my youngest son from camp.

I always, always purchase fresh peaches from a roadside stop in Missouri or Arkansas. This year was no exception.

I needed a good cobbler recipe for all the peaches I brought home.

I found the above recipe on AllRecipes.com.

I had never made a cobbler where you pour in boiling water!

Well, the cobbler tasted absolutely fabulous, BUT, I will say this: if you like a flakier (or even a “chewier”) crust, don’t use this recipe. The boiling water and flour mixture make a more cake-like batter. Yummy, but not my personal favorite.

But, if you like that type of batter in your cobbler, by all means, dive in and make this puppy.

You will not be disappointed. We certainly weren’t. Our family just about depleted the casserole dish before the night was over! Add a little vanilla ice cream, and Bob’s your uncle!

(Sorry for the dark photos–I shot these that evening, after any decent light had left my kitchen….)

Food, glorious food…

Sadly, when I travel, many times the overall response to, or final rating of a city or place is dependent upon how good the food was.

“The food was fantastic, ergo, we loved the city we visited!”

I think that is why Italy is my favorite place in the world. I’m just not sure any other location can compete, foodwise.

But, I’m happy to say, Chicago is one of those places that can certainly boast about its food offerings…ergo, we liked Chicago!

(Ergo is my word for the day. Ergo, I like using it in sentences.)

That was a steak salad from Smith and Woolensky, next to State Street.

The steak absolutely melted in my mouth. (They dry-age their steaks for 28 days, which allows for an incredibly flavorful piece of meat.)

ThrillCam ordered a plain, ol’ steak. A plain, ol’, melt-in-your mouth-juicy-delicious steak…

A simple presentation with an out-of-this-world taste.

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For lunch one day, we found ourselves in a little hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant, Allende’s.

We sort of just stumbled upon this place.

ThrillCam and I love to eat at local places, rather than chains, especially when traveling.

Allende’s is not pretty. It’s not fancy. But, it’s decent, filling food.

And the place was full, which is always a good sign. Janitors, professors, and students from close-by DePaul University entered and ordered, keeping the cook busy. (My iPhone app, UrbanSpoon, gave it high ratings from the locals.)

My friend, Tim, who lives in Chicago, laughed when I showed him pictures of the restaurant. He said his friends love Allende’s for the occasional “late-night drunk food.”

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One of our favorite places was suggested by a couple of college girls we met at the U2 concert.

Portillo’s.

On Ontario Street, downtown.

The place was hoppin’!

The decor is busy and fun–items taken from old buildings from in and around Chicago.

A fun place to meet friends, or take the family. Nothing stuffy about this place. Plus, the prices were really, really reasonable.

I had the Italian Beef with their Sweet and Hot Relish (much like a Philly Cheesesteak). It was quite de-lish!

ThrillCam had the Polish Sausage Dog with grilled onions. He loved it.

(By the way, there were plenty of fries for the two of us, with a large order.)

But…the topper was this:

It was highly recommended that we try the chocolate cake while there.

No need to ask me twice.

At first glance, the cake kind of under-whelmed me. It didn’t look much different from a cake I could make at home…

Can I just say, looks can be deceiving?

Ohmygoodnessgracious.

I think what I loved about the cake was its slight salty flavor. I know that sounds odd, but it wasn’t too sweet. It was just right, not-too-sweet chocolatey, with just a hint of a salt, if that makes sense.

I promise you, you should give it a try.

No, I mean, for the love of Pete, EAT THIS CAKE!

And don’t forget the frozen custard on the side. You won’t regret it.

You will go home fat and happy.

I love Chicago.

Update: Portillo’s has numerous locations, all over Illinois, and a couple in California. Smith and Woolensky has locations all over the country.

Tags: Allende's, Chicago, Chicago Eats, Portillo's, Smith and Woolensky

Hard Rock Hotel, part deux

While in Chicago, for our twenty-something anniversary, ThrillCam and I stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel.

It had a funky and hip vibe.

The rooms were very streamlined and contemporary.

Even the bathroom had a rock ‘n’ roll attitude about it.

It was clean and modern.

But, not necessarily homey-feeling.

We were a little put off by the large and looming portrait of Marilyn Manson, following our every move, with that one creepy eyeball and the pasty, white skin….

All in all, though, the hotel is great place to stay. Once. For the experience.

But, I think for our next visit to Chicago, we’ll check out another hotel.

Cons of Hard Rock Hotel:

One of their touted perks is getting to check out an electric guitar when you check in. You can take it up to your room and have a little jam session whenever you like. Only, every single day we were staying at the hotel, there was never a guitar available. Bummer.
The Marilyn Manson image was only slightly disturbing. I completely understand that the hotel’s theme is all about musicians and music, but M.M. did not bring about a serene, comfy feeling I desired after a long day of walking and sight-seeing. Granted, we could have been in a room with a photo of Madonna, Steven Tyler, Elvis Presley, Pat Benatar, or even Gene Simmons…who knows? And, they probably would have been equally as freaky and/or disturbing. So, really the picture was not a huge deal. Just creepy. And disturbing.

Pros of the Hard Rock Hotel:

Great location for downtown sightseeing. We walked to just about everywhere we needed to go. We never felt nervous or scared. It was a block from the El (elevated train) and a block and a half from both Millennium Park and Magnificent Mile.
The staff was very friendly and helpful.
Very clean rooms.

So, while we may choose another hotel next time we go to Chicago, I am still very glad we stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel for a few nights. And, if you ever have the chance, you should too.

Tags: Chicago, Hard Rock Hotel

Purrrty colors…

Years ago, ThrillCam went to Canada a couple of times with my father and some of my father’s friends. They went solely to fish.

I’m thinking there are far more exciting things to do in Canada, but those fishing trips will forever be some of my husband’s fondest memories.

While on one particular trip, one of my father’s friend commented on something that really captured his attention. He said it was “mez-merl-alizin!”

Instead of mesmerizing.

Example: “I was plumb mesmeralized by the beauty of them Walleye!” (For those not in the aquatic-know, a Walleye is a type of fish.)

So, now, any time I want to use the word “mesmerize” in a sentence, I catch myself. I must think twice. Three times even. I just know that one day, I will trip up and show my true red-neckedness and say “mez-merl-alize.”

You see, I’m finding myself using the word more and more often to describe my pool.

Well, my pool lights, to be specific.

The new LED pool lights change colors. I think there are 9 or 10 different colors/settings!

(Shutter Priority Mode: Shutter speed 32 sec, f/18, ISO 200)

Every night, when we swim, my family must decide what color (or color combination) they want the pool to be.

I’m telling you, watching the colors change is sort of like staring at a lava lamp.

(Canon 5D MarkII, Shutter Priority, Shutter Speed 8 sec., f/4, ISO 200.)

It’s…it’s…mezmeralizin!

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I should have used a tripod, but I was too lazy to go inside and drag it out. So, instead, I propped my camera on a level, steady chair and used a seat cushion to help in holding the camera in place. (I have yet to purchase a shutter release cable, so I had to risk the movement caused by pressing the shutter button.) One way to possibly prevent the extra movement is to turn on your self-timer for a 2 second, or more, delay. That way, you can press down the shutter button, move away and give the camera time to settle before the shutter opens to take the picture.
I set my camera to Tv Mode (shutter speed priority). In this mode, I chose the shutter speed, and the camera chose the aperture.
I chose very slow shutter speeds, sometimes even up to 32 secs–Notice the water movement and palm trees look cloud-like, soft in your photo. And the movement of my son and husband, or my dog, who might move in front of the camera while the shutter is open, look blurry, almost ghost-like. Kind of a cool effect. (Try this: ask a friend to stay put, focus the camera on him/her, then allow a small child or a pet to run around the stationary person. Talk about cool effect!)
I also did not bump up my ISO. I left it fairly low. Remember, having the shutter open for such a long time allows good light in. If I had upped the ISO, it might have created a much brighter picture, which is not what I was shooting for.(Ignore the ugly power lines…)

I played with taking photos for quite some time, that evening. You should try it! Just make sure you have a tripod or the likes (because you can see in the red pool, especially, that I would have had a sharper image, had I used a tripod).

Footloose and fancy free…

A couple of weeks ago, I made the near 13-hour drive to pick up my youngest son from camp, all on my own.

I was quite content to drive all by my lonesome. I relished the quiet. On the other hand, I loved cranking up the Classic Rock and Alternative 80′s stations when I needed a little pick-me-up. Pandora, the music app, was my constant companion.

Then, of course, there was the hotel room…

Quiet.

Freezing cold.

Big, fluffy comforter.

No ESPN.

No Nickelodeon.

No pillow fights.

Just me and the…

Blackout curtains.

And, no alarm.

One night of pure, unadulterated aloneness and bliss.

Sigh….

The next day, I drove the last 3-4 hours and met my sister- and brother-in-law. They were there to get their two kiddos from camp, as well. My brother-in-law, Gregg, was going to one camp, near town, to get their daughter, while Sherri and I drove about an hour out of town to gather our boys.

While driving out to the camp, she and I discussed how much fun the boys must have had while at camp. …how sad they would be to leave. …what they learned, both spiritually and in their basketball specialty clinic… and …how different this year’s experience at camp was different from last year’s experience… We couldn’t wait to find out all about it!

We knew it would take the boys a few days, maybe weeks, for us to hear all the gory details about camp; they are boys after all. But, Sherri and I were excited to share in their experiences, even if it was a little bit at a time. So, we asked a few questions on the ride back to the hotel.

Here’s what we learned about the boys’ camp experience:

The boys did have more fun than imaginable this year.
They were sad to be leaving.
They learned a great deal about God and His love for them.
And, yes, this year was even better than last year! (Sorry, Disney, camp is the happiest place on earth!)

But, that’s not all.

Sherri and I also enlightened by the following:

No matter how many times you tell your son before he leaves for camp to hang up his wet board shorts and to NEVER put them in his laundry bag with the dry clothes, he will forget. Every single year.
Did you know a boy can go two weeks without actually using shampoo? Rinsing off in the shower and chlorinated pools apparently suffice.
One whiff of a laundry bag full of dirty, sweaty, mildewing camp clothes can knock the breath out of you for a good 6 minutes; it’s quite terrifying and revolting. I suggest you never, ever try it. Even if your son dares you to smell the laundry bag….
Did you know a boy can go two weeks wearing the same 3 shirts and the same two pair of shorts?
Never send a boy to camp with new tennis shoes; they will not return in a condition worthy of keeping. Burn them immediately.

And, most importantly…

Did you know a boy can go two weeks at camp without wearing underwear? It’s apparently quite possible. But, I don’t want to think about it anymore.

The End. Forever.

MOVE. THAT. BUS!!

Today, we dropped off our oldest for Young Life Wilderness Camp. He’s going to spend a week backpacking and roughing it in the mountains of Colorado, hopefully making new friends, learning a lot about himself, and seeing God’s glory through His creation.

I just know he’s going to have the time of his life! You know, there’s something quite liberating in pitching tents, sleeping on the ground, sitting around a campfire, and pooing in the woods.

But before he could get to the backpacking, he had to get on the bus…

Here’s how our very last exchange went just before he climbed aboard the bus:

Me: “I love you son! Have a great time and we’ll catch you on the flip-side.”

Him: “I love you, too. Huh?”

Me: “It’s just a silly expression. Okay, buddy, hop on the bus and have a great time! Bye!”

Him: ”Hold on. Let’s take one more picture together; I just can’t get enough pictures of me and my parents together.”

Me: “Okay, look, son, you can get on the bus now. No more pictures; we have enough. They’re waiting.”

Him: ”But, I don’t want to go! I love you and Father too much! Please don’t make me go!”

Me: “Son, we love you, too, but you’ll be just fine while you’re away. It’ll be good for you. A little freedom and time with your friends.”

Him: “Yes, but how will I make it for a full week, in the wilderness, with my friends, but not you?”

Me: ”You’ll have fun, I promise! Now, cut the umbilical cord and GET. ON. THAT. BUS!!! Your friends are starting to stare.”

Him: (crying uncontrollably) “I don’t care what my friends think! They should only wish they had a mother as wonderful as you! They should see what it really means for a son to love and honor his mother! I will miss you Mother! I love you!!”

Me: “Yeah, yeah. Now move it, buster. I’ve got things to do and people to see. Ba-bye.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

At least, that’s how I remember it.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

ThrillCam disagrees.

He says it went like this, but I don’t believe him:

Me: (while hugging my son tightly, his eyes bulging, his face turning blue) “I love you, son.”

Him: ”I love you, too, Mom. Bye.”

Me: (squeezing tighter) “I’ll miss you.”

Him: “Uh-huh.”

Me: ”Don’t get eaten by a bear.”

Him: “Um, okay, Mom. Bye. …Mom. Stop hugging me. I’ve got to go. You’re hurting me!”

Me: ”Please promise me this one thing before you leave your loving mother: Promise this will be the very last time you’ll ever leave me and your father. Promise. Promise!”

Him: ”Mom, I can’t promise that. You know that. What about college next year?”

Me: “You don’t need college! You’re smart enough! Just stay home. Wait! I can home school you! You can get a job. I’ll keep doing all your laundry, cooking all your meals, and giving you all the gas money you need!”

Him: “Don’t be ridiculous! I can’t stay home! I need to be on my own! I need the freedom! You’re crazy, woman!”

Me: ”Crazy about you, kiddo!”

Him: ”Mom, really. I’ve got to go. My friends are waiting, they’re staring. You’re making a scene.”

Me: (crying uncontrollably) “Okay…But call me!”

Him: “Mom. I can’t call. I’ll be backpacking. In the wilderness. We can’t use our phones. I’ll be fine, Mom.”

Me: “…Okay… Then, text me.”

Him: “Whatever.”

Me: “Wait! Don’t put beans up your nose.”

Him: “Right. Good-Bye, Mom.” (Steps on bus, peeling me off his legs as he is climbing the steps…) ”Daaaddd, would you get her out of here?”

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I think ThrillCam is wrong.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Either way, I pray my son has a great time, is safe and protected, and seeks God’s face while far away from his home, sweet, home.

Have a happy weekend, y’all!

A TRUE bus story…

This summer has been busy for our family. I’ve found myself packing and unpacking a lot of suitcases and trunks for trips to camp, baseball tournaments, anniversary trips, etc. I’ll probably be quite ready for school to start, when it actually does, simply to get back into some sort of routine.

One of my earlier driving trips was up to the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. My youngest son, with his two cousins, were taking a bus from Dallas up to the Branson area. The camp offers chaperoned chartered buses for the kids. It’s quite helpful and convenient. Much easier than the first couple of years when ThrillCam and I would drive our oldest to camp, spend two weeks camping in Missouri and Arkansas, then returning to Branson to pick him up from camp. We would spend our whole vacation time driving to and from Branson, basically.

Nowadays, all we have to do is drive up to Branson to get them from camp. Much better. Less time-consuming.

This year’s drop-off of the cousins went without a hitch. My sister-in-law Sherri, her husband Gregg, and I woke the kids up at 4 a.m., shoved Pop-Tarts into their groggy bodies and drove to Dallas to meet the buses. We got the trunks loaded on the buses, the kids in their seats, all seemed to be going as planned.

Then, as Sherri, Gregg and I were walking away from my niece’s bus, we noticed a little girl, standing just outside the bus door, crying. Hard.

I said to Sherri, “Aww, you know, if your daughter were out here, she’d totally make that little girl feel better about going to camp.”

Sherri said, “You know, you’re right. I’m going to get her and see if she can come out and console that little girl.”

By this point, all the parents were moving back, to give the buses room to get out of the parking lot. The rest of the buses’ doors were closed, locked. They were ready to roll.

All but one.

The little girl’s parents were trying to convince their daughter to board the bus–it was the right combination of love and reassurance, while nudging her to take flight from the nest.

She just did not want to go.

I knew, though, if anyone could pursaude the sad little girl that camp is the happiest place on earth, my niece could.

You see, my niece is one of those little girls everyone wishes they had. She has such a sweet, sweet spirit about her. She’s a friend to everyone, never says an unkind word, and loves anything with four legs and covered in fur. I want to talk my sister- and brother-in-law into trading one of my boys for her, but I just haven’t figured out how to do it.

Yet.

So, Sherri goes onto the bus and calls her daughter to come outside. She tells her that there is a sad, little girl outside who is scared to go to camp. My niece leaps into action.

They join the, now inconsolable little girl outside the bus.

We are all watching and waiting.

Holding our breath.

Will she stay or will she go?

We start humming.

It’s quiet at first, but grows with intensity…

“Should I stay or should I go?

Should I stay or should I go?

If I go there will be trouble

And if I stay there will be double

So come on and let me know…”

By this time, the parents have begun to circle up and are taking bets.

“Twenty says she stays!”

“I’m with Mitch. Put me down for twenty, too.”

“Oh, now, Bob, that’s just mean. She’ll go. That other little girl and her mom will win her over. Put me down for $30 to go.”

It was getting ugly out there in that parking lot.

My sister-in-law looks to the little girl, and says in a caring and loving voice, “You know, my daughter was really scared her first year, too! But, now, she loves going to camp! And, you will too!”

The little girl, with huge crocodile tears falling down her face, looks squarely at my sister-in-law and almost yells, “It’s not my first year to go! It’s my THIRD!!!!”

Oh dear.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

True story. (Maybe not the singing and the betting part, but the rest, all true.)

And, I’m happy to announce, the little girl did, in fact, get on the bus bound for camp.

Just as she climbed the stairs, my brother-in-law leans in and says quietly, “Shut the door. Shut the door.”

They should have shut the door.

Because, about 5 minutes later, the same little girl leaps off the bus, tears streaming down her face, arms flung open, heading straight to her parents.

There is an audible rolling of eyes in the parking lot.

The exchanging of money commences….

But, this time, she gave her parents a hug, and turned right around and got back on the bus.

It was a happy moment.

And, this time, they shut the door.

Finally the engines roared on, and slowly, slowly they began the long journey to camp.

We waved goodbye to our children as they drove out of the parking lot, praying for safe travel and hoping the $5 tucked into their carry-0n bags would be enough for lunch…all the while, knowing they were headed toward a couple of life-changing weeks of fun.

World Wide Photo Walk is Approaching!

Last year, I went down to Galveston and participated in the World Wide Photo Walk, brainchild of Photoshop guru, Scott Kelby.

It was great fun! Along the way, I met some new friends and saw parts of Galveston I had never noticed before.

Well, on October 1 of this year, I will be joining the fun, again!

The Galveston Photo Walk is not full, yet, so if you want to join me, go here to register. It’s free!

All you need is a camera–any camera–and a good pair of walking shoes.

Let me know if you sign up. We can grab a cup of coffee together before the Walk!

P.S. If you are unable to join me in Galveston, but still want to participate, go to the same link, above, to find a Walk near you.

I wish I were there right now…

Instead, I’m doing laundry and going to the grocery store and vacuuming dog hair and watering my vegetables and cleaning toilets and sweeping the pool and making salads and wiping down counters and grilling chicken and shaving my legs.

Hope you’re having a great day, too!

P.S. More on the above deliciousness, soon.

Less is More

(photo courtesy of CloudAve.com)

Google Reader is my way of keeping up with my favorite blogs. It automatically feeds any new blog post into one spot and allows me to read them all at once. I love it. (You can do the same with my blog! Or, you can subscribe–over to the right of this article…)

And, because I am still building my photography business, a ton of the blogs I read pertain to the subject of photography.

One new blog I’ve started reading is by Andy Bondurant, who writes The Collective. It creatively combines topics of photography, business and life.

While catching up on some of Andy’s past posts, I discovered this one, entitled “Can You Say it in 6 Words?“

In his article, Andy links back to Smith Magazine, the originator of the idea; Smith asks if you can write your personal memoir in 6 words. In other words, can you sum up your entire life in 6 lousy words?

Or, does it have to be your entire life? Could it be this particular season in life?

Either way, are you able to concisely tell another person who you are in 6 simple words?

Hmmmmm……

I decided to give it a shot.

First, I went the spiritual route, because that is important to me:

Loved. Child of God. Seeking. Heaven-bound.

Then, I thought, I’m a wife, so maybe I should focus there:

Opposite. Best friend. A Team. Forever.

And, I’m a mom, which is also important:

Surrounded by testosterone, farts, Monty Python.

What about my photography business? That’s been such an exciting change in my personal life, recently.

Creatively capturing life moments. Memories preserved.

Of course, I have a social life. I love my friends and family and all that comes with having close, loving relationships.

Food. Friends. Fun. Laughter. Listening. Love.

I need to address my physical…um…attributes.

Two children and laziness makes flab.

So, how in the world do I narrow it down to only 6 words??

Here was my first attempt at combining the many thoughts above:

Stinky Food together, makes lasting love.

Wait. I’m missing being a child of God…

Child loves farts, pictures, and food.

Um. No.

Loved creatively by God, Hubby, Punks.

Yes. But, no.

I laugh alongside faithful, flatulent friends.

Partially true, but no.

I am flabby, creative, fertile, loved.

All true, but not what I want as a memoir.

Food, Friends, Family, Faith–I am.

Picturing and living a lovely life.

Creatively loving and being loved. Always.

Living life; seeking, loving, creating, laughing.

Ahhhh!!!!

This is hard! You try it.

I’ll keep working on it and I’ll add my completed 6-word Memoir either at the end of this post or in the comments.

Post a comment with your own attempt(s).

Have. a. great. and. glorious. day!

Tags: 6 word memoir, Smith Magazine, The Collective

Apps I Love

Sorry for the apparent repeat! I didn’t mean to publish this post when it went out the other day! I’ve tweaked it a bit and added some pictures, in hopes of making it a little more interesting than the previous rough draft! E.

It’s amazing how attached I am to my phone. I am guilty of being one of those people, who my sister complains, “…can’t go through a meal without placing her phone next to her on the table, just in case someone texts or calls.” My phone, sadly, has become an added appendage.

As if I really need to add anything else to my body….

When I first purchased the iPhone, my goal was in no way, shape or form, to have the latest and greatest gadget. In fact, at the time, I thought it was absolutely ridiculous to have a camera on a phone.

All I wanted, when I got the iPhone, was a phone that included a capable calendar, could make calls, and would allow me to text. Period.

You see, I was just starting to schedule more photo sessions and I needed a phone with a large, readable and user-friendly calendar. The iPhone fit my criteria.

If I had liked the calendar on a different phone, I would have gotten it. But, when I looked at, and worked with, the iPhone calendar, it seemed to be just what I needed at the time.

Sold.

Then, as I carried it, I came to realize how nifty the entire iPhone was/is. Not that I think the iPhone is the be-all, end-all…. I mean, my sister-in-law loves her Droid, equally. My friend June loves her Blackberry equally. I guess it’s what you get used to.

But, no doubt, the iPhone has changed the way we all do things, and phones in general.

One of the greatest aspects of these new-fangled, fancy smart phones is the ability to add the apps. Apps for fun, apps for work, apps for research, apps for music, apps for health, apps for finance, apps for just about anything the mind can consider….

So, I thought I’d create a new list of some of my favorite apps, to date. Of course, come next week, the list will change, because there are always new apps being created, daily.

Please add a comment, below, and let me know your “can’t live without” app.

Favorite Apps for Photography:

Kelby Training (great for the iPad) (must have a monthly or yearly subscription)

As mentioned above, you must have a paid subscription to the web supported learning tool. You can pay by the month, or yearly. Either way, the app allows you to watch the videos on your phone or iPad, which is quite convenient when you’re away from your home computer.

The videos are very well produced and they will teach you just about anything you want to know about photography, Photoshop, Lightroom, and more.

The app is FREE. (But, remember, if you get the free app, to use it, you must first subscribe online at www.kelbytraining.com.)

Snapseed, again, for the iPad.

Oh, my. I have fallen for this app and I’ve had it for only a week. It’s a photo editing app. I really didn’t think I needed a new one, but of the ones I already own, this one beats them, hands down. It works on the iPad and is super!

I’m hoping to do a post showing you some of the editing possibilities, next week. We’ll see… Even so, you should really check out this app if you need or want a new editing tool in your app/iPad arsenal.

The app costs $4.99. WORTH IT!!

Instagram (I use this app on my phone):

Instagram has become one of my favorites among my favorites! It allows you to tweak your phone-camera pictures, if you’d like, and then either save them to your photos’ file on your phone, or share them on Facebook, Twitter, or through Instagram’s own social sharing program.

When I first started using it, I just used it for the photo editing, but then I realized there’s a whole social network of folks behind the concept! Instagram has grown faster in its first year, I believe, than just about any other social networking program out there. (Don’t quote me on that….)

It’s great fun! I just started following a few folks, like MizBooshay, the Pioneer Woman, and Zach and Jody Gray, for example. If you use your camera to take pictures, a lot, then this app is for you!

The Instagram app is FREE!!

Photography Tips:

I started following this guy, Jimmy Beltz, a couple years ago, online. Then, I began to download and listen to his podcasts. Then, I added his app to my phone. I guess I was an early groupie, of sorts. But, not in a weird, creepy, stalker kind of way.

The app allows you to watch his video podcasts on your phone. They stream directly to the app.

He’s a self-proclaimed country bumpkin from Oklahoma, who knows his photography. He’s becoming a more polished teacher/podcaster as the years go by, but his desire to share his knowledge is what has been impressive to me–also, he seems quite accessible, and friendly. (He has a lively and helpful photography forum online, but I haven’t spent a ton of time there.)

His app is $1.99.

LightTrac:

LightTrac allows a photographer to see exactly where the sun will be at any given time of day. It also tells you sunrise and sunset times. I love this app! Very helpful.

The app is $4.99…worth it, in my humble opinion.

The Weather Channel:

Why is a weather app under the subject of Photography? Well, as someone who does the majority of her shooting outdoors, I need to know what the weather is forecasted to be at any given moment.

Love this app. Use it daily.

It’s FREE!

Favorite apps for fun and/or relaxation:

Pandora:

Pandora is one of my all-time favorite apps. I prefer this app over my Satellite Radio! It has maybe one commercial per hour, it lets me create my own stations based on the type of music (or artist) I’m interested in at the moment…. I love, love, love this FREE app.

Words with friends:

Okay, if you still haven’t downloaded Words with Friends, you are truly missing out! You can play Scrabble with your friends at any time, day or night. My sister and I have a minimum of 6 games going at all times.

So fun! Addictive! Get it!

The “commercial free” version costs $1.99. I like it way better without the ads. But, if you’re even cheaper than me, go for the FREE version.

(I haven’t jumped on the Hanging with Friends bandwagon, just yet. Too many reviewers were frustrated with the crashing. I will get it, but just not right now.)

(Hanging with Friends is Hangman and works the same way, where you can play with others at your leisure.)

Angry birds:

You can’t have a smart phone and not know about Angry Birds. I’ve even noticed television shows makes references to the game in their scripts…. It’s a fun game that will make you angry, as well. It’s worth the 99 cents.

Trainyard:

Okay. This game is HARD! Well, at first, it’s not. But, as you progress, it gets harder and harder to get the trains into their prospective stations.

You can see above that I have absolutely no idea how to solve the puzzle!

I would have a hard time explaining this game to you in a short, concise manner, so I won’t. Just suffice it to say, it’s a good brain teaser game, if you’re into that sort of thing.

It’s also $.99.

Bejeweled 2:

The opposite of Trainyard.

If you are looking for a mindless game with little or no challenge, this the game for you! I play this all the time.

I think it’s $.99.

Favorite apps for retail:

Target:

I used this app a lot when I was shopping for accessories for our new backyard/pool. It was quite handy. (The app lets you search for items at Target, both at your local store and online.)

I needed 4 more solar lights to match the 4 we had previously purchased, but we didn’t realize we needed them until summer items were disappearing from the shelves. With this app, I was able locate a store a little further away that still had the lights. Score!

The app is FREE!

Groupon:

I have yet to purchase a coupon deal from this app, but I love looking at the deals. There are some really good ones out there. And, you can search for deals in most locations, so if you are traveling, you can look up any local deals there. It’s a FREE app.

Grocery IQ:

I use this app weekly, sometimes daily. It allows me to create lists for whichever grocery store I choose to shop. Then, as I check the item off my list, the list shrinks, and eventually, you can “checkout” which erases your list. You can place items in Favorites, so you’ll remember what you buy, often. You can also create different lists for different stores.

In the beginning, when you create a new store list, you can also organize the order of your list based on the order of the store’s aisles.

I really use this app a ton.

It’s FREE!

Netflix:

We have this app loaded on our iPad, so I didn’t capture a picture with my phone. It’s been very useful when we travel–we can download movies to the iPad and watch them on the plane or in the hotel room, etc.

The app is FREE!

Redbox:

I must admit, I have not used this app as much as I should. But, then again, I go through spurts as to how many movies I get to watch. But, I do like that I can look up what movies are available, and at what local Redbox… It’s FREE.

Favorite apps for recipes and health:

AllRecipes Dinner Spinner:

This has become one of my favorites for looking up recipes on the fly.

I tend to wait until the last minute to decide what to cook, if I cook at all. And, I’ve discovered this app quite useful for perusing recipes. The Spinner is fun, but usually, I just choose the type of food, the ingredient and the time, and it searches for matches, rather than spinning.

Like it, like it. And, it’s FREE!

UrbanSpoon and/or Local Eats:

Both apps do basically the same thing.

If you are traveling and looking for a good place to eat, or you just want to find something new close to your home, you can usually get a good feel for a restaurant based on the critiques by other folks. I use both apps. Not sure why, just do.

I like both equally.

Urbanspoon is FREE. Local Eats is $.99.

Favorite apps for social networking:

TweetDeck (for Twitter account):

This was the first app I purchased when I first started tweeting and it’s what I got used to. I like it.

Then, when we got the iPad, I tried the Twitter app. I think, because I had been using TweetDeck already, I decided I didn’t like the Twitter app.

I just like TweetDeck. Is that so bad??

TweetDeck is FREE!

Facebook:

Do I really need to even explain the Facebook app?

FREE.

WordPress:

WordPress is who I use for this blog.

Sometimes, though, I’m away from my computer, but I still want to post a picture or write a blog.

What’s a girl to do?

Why, get the WordPress app for her phone and the iPad, that’s what!

The app does what I need it to do (allows me to write and save a blog post draft, or even publish a post, while away from the home computer). Though, I’m sure there are improvements that could be made. But, to be honest, I don’t really worry about improving the app, because I’m so happy with the blog.

WordPress app is FREE-ola!

Flipboard (on the iPad):

I cannot say enough about Flipboard!! I absolutely love, love, love reading Facebook, Twitter, and even the news through this app. It’s glorious!

You “turn pages” by swiping across the iPad screen. The pictures are big and beautiful, it links to original articles, it compiles all my favorites in one place. (In fact, I did not add the Facebook app to the iPad. Didn’t need it, since I can read Facebook status updates–and comment or “like” them–from the Flipboard. That may be another reason I didn’t really like the Twitter app on the iPad.)

By the way, it’s utterly and completely FREE!! Costs you NADA!

Pinterest:

My good friend and neighbor, Stan, told me, first, about StumbleUpon. It’s a computer search and gather site, very similar to Pinterest. He swears by it. But, because Pinterest had an app, I went that direction.

Both sites require you to sign up for it. It’s free, though. But, the idea is for you to list your interests, then, you allow the website to gather pictures and links to items that might be of interest to you. It’s also a social network, of sorts.

It’s still very new to me, but I must say, I love the beautiful pictures. I have even collected some yummy-looking recipes.

I have the Pinterest app on the iPad.

The app is FREE.

GooglePlus:

I can’t really call this a favorite, because I have only recently gotten the Google+ account. But, I wanted to list it in case others of you have joined. I’m interested in knowing more about it. (I’m usually WAY behind the trends, so I thought I’d jump on board in the infancy of this new networking concept.) Please tell me more, if you know more!

The app is FREE (but the invitations to join are few and far between at present).

Just Plain Helpful App:

Dictionary.com:

Says it all. Easy to use. Has a thesaurus, too!

It costs nothing.

Flashlight (I think this app is for the iPhone 4, not earlier versions):

The Flashlight app is straight-forward. It lights my path when I need extra light to get around in the dark.

I use this app nightly.

I think it’s FREE. I think.

Favorite App for spiritual growth:

Jesus Calling:

This app was brought to my attention by another blogger and friend, Lana R. I love the perspective the author takes on these short, but meaningful devotionals.

The author of this app has written a book of the same title and content. I ordered the book from Amazon.com and actually gave some to a few of my friends. The app is not cheap, but you get the same content as the book, for $9.99. (There’s a Lite version app for $.99.) And, I find I use the app, daily….possibly more than if I had in book format only??

Well, that’s all folks!

I have more apps, but these are my favs.

What are your “I can’t live without” apps?

XOXO,

A little late…

“Just climb up on the table and place your leg right here. You will just need to relax and lie still, placing your hands on your stomach.”

“Ok.”

“You can just take a little nap.”

Laughter.

“Ok. Sounds delightful.”

Eric, the kind technician, then added, “You’re not claustrophobic, are you?”

“No. Not at all.”

“Ok, then. Here are your earplugs. Enjoy your nap!”

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

There’s a cool breeze coming from inside the tunnel, like the air being pushed through a tunnel before the train arrives. It’s cool and constant, somewhat comforting. It’s hot outside, after all.

Then, Eric’s muffled voice is heard telling me the machine will begin the process of taking the pictures and that I will feel a slight surge as the machine moves me further into the tunnel.

It’s at that point the knocking begins.

The noise.

It’s not too terribly loud, probably because I have earplugs, but, still, I could see how someone would find it disconcerting. Especially, if they’re nervous that the MRI is to determine something deadly….

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I had my very first MRI, today. It was for my knee. Nothing major. Probably, the doctor says, a torn meniscus. Don’t ask me what a meniscus is. All I know is, it’s somewhere around my knee. I’m guessing this, since that’s where the pain is located….

So, at the moment, according to the doctor, my meniscus might be torn, which is not life threatening.

Having an MRI makes it seem lots more important, though. Because MRIs are for really serious stuff. At least, that’s what I always think. Right? Many times, if you have an MRI, it can be to find something deeper in the body that X-rays can’t detect. …Bad stuff.

But, in my case, it’s just to find a little tear.

Thankfully.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As the machine slowly moves my entire body into the chamber, the noise and vibrations begin to increase.

Suddenly, I’m transported back to a conversation following one of my mother’s very last MRIs.

“I never want to do that again. It was so loud. That knocking. That noise. It hurt so bad. I wanted to cry.”

And, my mother was not a crier.

Initially, as I moved into the tunnel, I thought, this isn’t so bad. It was loud, but not deafening. I had earplugs, after all. And so did she.

I even closed my eyes for a few moments, thinking I might just take a little nap.

But, as I closed my eyes, two tears slowly rolled down the sides of my face, catching on the little earplugs Eric had given me.

I’m suddenly fully aware of what my mother must have felt, listening to the same knocks and feeling the same vibrations, as her middle section was being photographed. Pictures not producing smiles and laughter, like I take for my photography business, but pictures of cancer cells…pictures of tumors that were rapidly spreading and gobbling up her insides at lightening speed.

I couldn’t help myself. I was sobbing while lying still…I couldn’t wipe my tears for fear of messing up the pictures the MRI was taking of my knee.

When I finally opened my eyes I realized how terribly lonely that tunnel is…

I was all alone. …Alone with my thoughts and the stupid, loud thumping of that machine.

What did my mother think of, besides how much it hurt to lie still for so long on her diseased spinal cord?

No wonder it was uncomfortable to her. Excruciatingly uncomfortable.

So, she lay there, in pain, listening to the noise…the noise of the machine, the noise of her thoughts, her fears, reminding her, with each and every vibration, that she was in that tunnel to find out just how bad her cancer was….

Alone.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How do you explain to Eric, the kind technician, that, no, you weren’t uncomfortable, no you weren’t claustrophobic, no you weren’t in pain?

How do you tell a complete stranger that you were just sad?

Sad that you understand…now.

Only now is too late.

Tags: lung cancer, small-cell lung cancer

Follow-up

Boy, after Wednesday’s heavy-hearted post, I need to lighten things up a bit! Sorry for dumping that on you, but I really do find writing about some of the tougher moments following my mother’s death therapeutic.

My blog becomes the couch, figuratively. You, the psychologist, pen and paper in hand.

I wish I had experienced an MRI before my mother found she had cancer, so that I could have been more empathetic to her pain and complaints, but, as with most of my life, I’m a slow learner. I’m usually a little behind the 8 ball when it comes to really understanding and grasping the important things in life… Sigh.

But, thank you to those of you, who offered encouragement and love. It means a great deal to me, as always.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

So, what about my knee?

The MRI revealed that I had a partial torn ACL, not meniscus.

In my opinion, I dodged a bullet–I know too many folks who have had ACL surgery and it ain’t pretty, or fun. Thankfully, mine was not completely torn, which means no surgery! That really is an answer to prayer. No surgery and X-rays showed no arthritis…both praises in my book.

I must wear a very fashionable brace for 6 weeks and participate in rehab….

MUCH better than surgery.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I told my friend, June, that I believe this is one more sign to me that I must, not just need, MUST get into better shape. I have already been praying about losing some weight and getting more physical. Having surgery would have given me one more excuse to put it off, I believe.

I’d appreciate prayers. This will not be overnight for me. It will a long and very hard process, but my health depends on it.

(In fact, yesterday, I was a bit grumpy. Unfortunately, grumpy=eating…a lot. Yes, I ate 4 BombPops in one sitting. Who, in their right mind, binges on BombPops??? My mouth was blue for a long time afterward….Evidence.)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This next week I hope to show you some pictures of the pool I took at night, as well as tell you about a late-night adventure that happened right behind our house.

Oh! and…Did you know I have a raised garden? I do! Sort of. More on that, too.

Thanks for stopping by and reading this drivel. You are a kind soul.

Have a beautiful, happy Sunday,

An exciting story. Sort of.

ThrillCam was already sawing some logs by the time I climbed into the bed, the other night. As I got into bed, I decided, as I do just about every night, to play a couple rounds of Words with Friends and to read a little, before falling asleep. It was around 11 pm.

After about 30 minutes, the sound of a revving engine can be heard. Must be kids messing around behind our house…no biggie…school sure needs to start…

But, as I lie there, it becomes increasingly obvious that someone has gotten stuck in the mud behind our house. (Our house backs up to a dead-end street. The street ends at a small canal.) I heard the tell-tale signs of a vehicle’s revving engine and spinning tires. Back and forth. Back and forth.

Now, this is nothing new. People get their vehicles stuck back there all the time. And, usually at night. They never seem to see the ditch…and down they go. (To be honest, we are constantly befuddled as to how people get stuck back there, because the ditch is a good 15-20 yards from the street. They almost have to go looking for it to get stuck…)

Finally, I quietly crawl out of bed, and look out our back door, just to confirm my suspicions. My oldest son was suddenly by my side; he had heard the ruckus from upstairs.

So, I, in my kerchief, him in his shorts, flew open the door to see what was the matter….

Sorry.

We snuck around the pool in the dark and watched through holes in the fence–I felt very Mrs. Cravitz-like.

It was, to be honest, a little humorous watching the driver of the truck dig himself deeper and deeper into the ground.

Back. Rev, rev. Forth. Rev, rev. Back. Rev, rev. And forth. Rev, rev.

My son finally turned to me and said, “You want me to get dad’s truck and just go pull them out? He’s just making a mess.”

“No. I’ll go wake your father and y’all can both go help. It’s obvious that guy will never get out at this rate.”

Just as I was walking back into the house, I see ThrillCam, who was up, dressed and ready to go. The noise had woken him up. He knew if he wanted to get any sleep, he would need to go help.

So, our oldest exits through the back fence to tell the man his dad was coming to the rescue.

My son sees and approaches another man who was standing to the side of the ditch, watching his friend desperately attempt to get out of the mud.

My son says, “Hey. Y’all need some help?”

The other man stands there, staring at the rocking and revving truck, pulls out a cigarette, lights it, then finally says, “Yeah. We got stuck.”

Ya think?

(We came to the conclusion, after much observation, that this man was three sheets to the wind. Thank goodness he was not driving–I would have called the cops, if that had been the case. He was in no shape to be behind the wheel. Below is a picture of the flip-flop he left in the mud, after he fell in…Honestly, he could have his own story, but I’m not giving him the space on my blog.)

Long story, short: ThrillCam pulled the truck out. The driver got his drunk, muddy buddy back into the truck. The driver says, for the twentieth time, “I promise, we’re not losers. I’ll come back tomorrow and pay your $100 to fix this all up. ” And, off they went.

My family went back in the house and laughed about the bizarre situation for a few minutes, then we each went back to bed.

The end.

It seemed much more exciting at 11:30 pm….

Yes! We have no tomatoes…Or, do we??!

So, if you’ve been reading my blog from the beginning, you know my love/hate relationship with the tomato.

Well, not really the tomato. I love tomatoes. It’s the growing of the tomato that has given me fits. And, honestly, if you’ve ever grown a tomato, you know it’s not rocket science. It’s quite easy.

You see, I attempted growing my tomatoes, two years ago, in the very unreliable Topsy-Turvy Tomato Planter. You can read here and here about my tumultuous past with the Topsy-Turvy. Unfortunately, I have written FAR too many posts on the dumb ol’ Topsy-Turvy–you can do a search, over to the right, with the word tomato…. It’s something I’d like to forget:

I realized, I needed to “put [my] past in [my] behind,” so I begged and pleaded with ThrillCam to build me a raised bed in our newly transformed backyard. I was determined to grow a healthy crop of tomatoes!! No more Topsy-Turvy for this girl!

Looky here:

As you can see, it’s not very pretty, but it’s a start.

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We waited until our pool was complete to begin this project, so we were sorely behind on the Spring planting season. Sorely behind.

In fact, I had a very hard time finding any seed packets and/or plants when I finally started planting. But, I figure I live in the Southeast of Texas, where the sun warms us a little longer than most areas of the country, so hopefully, I’ll get a few veggies at the end of the summer season. (My problem is making sure the little plants get enough water in this unbearable heat!)

I planted some peas, green beans, squash, basil, and a couple of tomato plants to begin with. All but the green beans seem to be trying very hard.

Here’s my squash:

And, look at the beginnings of my tomatoes!!!

I’m so excited. I really wish I had gotten more plants, but, as I said, it was too late.

And, look at this!

Corn! I’ve always wanted to grow my own, sweet, fresh corn! I can’t be guaranteed that it will even grow and produce in time, but at least, I’ll know it can be done.

So, when next Spring rolls around, I’ll order my seed packets early. (I happened to find some seed packets at another store, out of town, so I added corn, cilantro, carrots and spinach. Sadly, the day I planted the seeds, I forgot and left the sprinkler on–I think many of the seeds drowned. Sadness ensued…)

But, as you can see, I’m learning.

If you have any tips, please feel free to share.

I know, I know…Plant your corn in the Spring.

Happy gardening,

Another dirty story…

While our oldest punk was away in Colorado, backpacking, ThrillCam and I took our youngest punk and a friend to visit my sister out in the country.

Like so much of the rest of the nation, it is so terribly dry. When I say it’s dry, I’m telling you, it’s dry.

Bad dry.

Crops are dying. Cracks are appearing. Tanks are drying up.

Like this one:

That used to be gathering place for cows.

Now it just looks like the landscape of another planet.

It’s dry. Bad dry.

But, for two 12 year old boys who have free use of a Mule (utility terrain vehicle), a dry creek bed looks like a playground…

It’s dry, after all.

Right?

Unfortunately, the very center of what used to be a tank full of water is still a wee bit soggy.

Um, help please?

“Yeah. (pause for dramatic effect) We got stuck.”

But, I promise, we’re not losers!

ThrillCam and the little red tractor to the rescue!

(This is where I want to insert video, but I’m too cheap to pay for the upgrade…)

And, they’re off!

The End.

Pasta with Shrimp and Basil

Oh. My. Goodness.

This recipe is super easy, and unbelievably scrumptious!

And, I think, a very pretty dish.

The tomahhhtoes are bright red, with a sprinkling of green basil running through, mixed in are big shrimpees…. (Yep. I said tomahtoes and shrimpees…)

Then, it’s topped with a yummy helping of Parmesan cheese. MMmmmm-mmmm!!

You really could serve this to company, and yet, the recipe is so simple, it’s great for a family meal.

Guess what! It’s a fairly healthy dish, to boot.

I found the recipe on my AllRecipes.com Spinner app. But, you can find it on the AllRecipes site, as well.

I’ve made a few tweaks, which I will share with you before listing the ingredients and the original recipe by PAL:

I cut back on the olive oil. I didn’t think I needed it in the pasta water, nor did I use as much for sauteing the garlic and shrimp. In my humble opinion, it didn’t need so much. But, if you want that much olive oil, and since this is a free country, Oil On, baby!
I also used two cans of 14.5 oz. cans of diced tomatoes, which was plenty. Trust me. And, I love me some tomahhtoes. (There. I did it again.) I think the next time I make it, though, I will use petite diced tomatoes, or I will give the already diced tomatoes an even smaller dice. Remember, I love me some tomahhtoes, but for some reason I felt they could be a wee bit smaller. (You won’t go wrong with the original size dice, though!!) Also, while we’re talking tomahtoes, I did not drain them–the first time. (The 2nd time I made it, I did drain them. And, I used one large can petite diced tomatoes. Am I totally confusing you??)
I didn’t have any fresh or even dried parsley on hand (gasp!), so I just upped the basil a bit. (It needed more, anyway.)
I used frozen, raw shrimp, simply because I had some in the freezer. I just thawed it in a bowl of cold water for about 10-15 minutes. (I’ve heard you shouldn’t thaw them under running water.)
I added a little extra salt, pepper, oregano, and a little red pepper flakes for some added oomph.
(And, the second time I made it, I added 1/2 C. to 1 C. heavy cream (or 1/2 and 1/2 will do) after the wine had cooked down….YUMmmmmyyyyyy!!!)

Other than those small adjustments, I followed the recipe to the T.

(Don’t you love that? ”I followed it exactly, except for a few tweaks here and there. So, really, it’s not even the same recipe anymore and I created my own new recipe, but I really, really loved this recipe!!!”)

Ingredients:

1/4 C. olive oil, divided

1 (8 oz) package angel hair pasta (or thin spaghetti, or bow tie–again, Pasta On!, baby!)

1 t. chopped garlic

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (or, how about chicken breast, sliced?)

2 (28 oz.) cans Italian-style diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 C. dry white wine (or, maybe chicken broth? The sky’s the limit! Own it, baby!)

1/4 C parsley, chopped

3 T. fresh basil, chopped

3 T. Parmesan cheese, grated (or more!)

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil, add 1 T. olive oil. Cook pasta until al dente. (Save a few tablespoons to 1/4 C of the pasta water for the sauce.) Drain and set aside.

2. Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic; stirring constantly. Do not over-cook; cook for about 1 minute. Add shrimp and cook for 3-5 minutes. Again, do not over-cook! Remove shrimp from skillet, and set aside.

3. Stir tomatoes, wine, parsley, and basil and a little bit of the pasta water into the skillet. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by half, about 8 to 12 minutes. Add shrimp and continue cooking until shrimp are heated through, about 2 or 3 minutes.

4. Serve shrimp sauce over pasta. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Servings: 4-6 (Our family of four–including strapping teenaged boys–could not eat all of this in one sitting. So, I would say it feeds at least 6.)

Tags: Shrimp and Basil Pasta

Bak 2 Skool Poem

My kids go back to school, tomorrow.

Summer break is over.

Chaos disappears.

Schedule and routine return.

I should be happy.

But, no.

I am sad.

I love summer.

And cream cheese.

We interrupt this programming for an important message: IT’S FOOTBALL SEASON!!!

Yessiree, it’s that time of year!

It’s still a little too hot outside, but, gosh, even with the heat, I’m excited for football season. I love being on the sidelines of our local high school team, photographing the action.

And, this year, I’ve been given the green light to join the coaches on the sidelines of our intermediate school, as well! I’m very, very excited to have the opportunity!

You see, our youngest is playing football for the first time. Like his older brother, when he reached 7th grade, he has chosen to join the ranks of stinky, sweaty, grunting football players.

(All photos taken with a shaky iPhone camera.)

Yesterday was his first day at practice. (No, ThrillCam and I were not there to help him with his gear–these were taken at the equipment distribution night.)

To say he was exhausted after his 1st practice is an understatement.

To say he has hit his first real challenge is not quite adequate enough.

To say he smelled, well, let’s just say there are no adjectives that describe the stench that wafted from his freakishly tall, filthy body.

That smell.

That smell that permeates every crevice of a boys’ locker room and then some…

That smell that soaks itself into socks and jock straps and shoulder pads and knee pads and refuses to let go…

That smell?

It burns the hair out of your nostrils and eats into your sinuses, leading to the attack on your brain and your lungs with the voracity of a million piranha!

Truly, it’s something I will never, ever, ever get used to.

Nor, will I ever want to get used to it.

I also never, ever want tire of watching my sons, and so many other’s sons, play the game of football (and baseball). I just enjoy the heck out of it.

Smells and all.

Happy Football Season, y’all, whether it’s junior high, high school, college, or pro!

Are ya ready??

Where’s the Honey Badger when you need one??!

So, I’m actually swimming a few laps in our pool, when I happen to catch something in the corner of my eye. Something moving in the pool, along the wall.

I thought, at first, it was a frog, but frogs don’t have long tails that go back and forth, back and forth, in an easy gliding manner. Frogs have legs and sort of scissor kick when they swim.

Holy Moly! There’s a snake in my pool!!

Needless to say, I got out quick!

(Our neighborhood backs up to a canal, where a number of poisonous water snakes live and thrive. And, we had been warned that our pool, even being close to a canal full of water, might attract snakes, especially because of the drought.)

The little snake swam straight into the skimmer and got stuck in the swirling water.

I didn’t get him out immediately; I decided to go inside and change clothes before dealing with our visitor.

When I got back outside, the snake was gone.

He was no longer in the skimmer.

Uh-oh.

I decided to check the other skimmer, just in case he had moved to that one.

I lifted the lid and I find, not one, but TWO snakes in my pool!

I WAS SWIMMING WITH TWO STINKIN’ SNAKES IN MY POOL!!!

Not sure if you can see both of them; one is down toward the bottom, while the smaller of the two is the more obvious on the right. (All photos taken with my iPhone camera.)

Yes, they are small, but who cares?? They’re snakes!!!

I texted both my husband and our neighbor Stan, who both claim to be the Honey Badger, to ask for their help.

Neither one showed up.

Chickens.

In fact, Stan texted me back: “BURN ‘EM!!” (Stan hates snakes with every fiber of his being.)

Real helpful, Stan.

I was alone.

I didn’t see how I could burn the snakes, beings as they were swimming in water, and, unfortunately, when I tried to get the smaller of the two snakes out, he just slithered right back into the pool and ended up getting sucked back into the skimmer.

So, I just waited until my fearless hubby returned to save the day.

By the time ThrillCam got home, the larger of the two snakes had somehow gotten out of the skimmer and completely out of the pool.

No clue where he went.

Lovely.

Good thing we had determined the snakes were not poisonous.

ThrillCam got the smaller one out and released it back out to the wild (behind our house).

We said goodbye to it and told it to go swim in the canal.

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The next morning, ThrillCam was out swimming laps. I hear this loud, “Whoa!”

You guessed it.

Another snake in our pool.

Great.

We actually think the same smaller snake from the day before had returned. Once again, he was stuck in the skimmer basket.

Unfortunately, this second attempt at releasing the little fellow was not as successful as the first.

We’re not sure where he is now, but he slipped off the shovel head and into the grass in our backyard.

We lost him.

Although, I’m happy to report, he has not returned to our pool.

Scared of the Honey Badgers, I’m sure.

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Honey Badger, you say?

Okay….here’s the back story:

Stan killed a snake in his front yard a few months ago. After his triumphal murder, he texted us to claim he was the Honey Badger. We had no idea what he was talking about.

We then watched the YouTube video. Now we know.

A couple weeks later, ThrillCam was working at my mom and dad’s place, and killed a 4-5 foot snake by chopping off its head. He took a picture and sent a text claiming HE was the Honey Badger.

I, of course, got them both a t-shirt:

We’re mature like that.

And, so the Honey Badger references continue…

Probably forever.

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If you are wondering about the references to the Honey Badger, you can watch it on YouTube.

WARNING: there is language that I, personally, would never, ever use, so if you have young, impressionable children close by, or are easily offended by cursing, or would just rather not hear dirty words, please DON’T click on the Honey Badger link above. (I don’t usually link to something that could be offensive, but the references to the Honey Badger are so very prevalent with our neighbors, I wanted to give you a point of reference.)

Of course, you can watch many other videos on YouTube about the Honey Badger, without the bad language, and get a very good idea about how tough a Honey Badger is. They aren’t the prettiest creature alive, but they sure are mean and tough….They really don’t care.

Honey Badger Controversy

Apparently, my discussion of Honey Badgers and snakes in my pool, yesterday, created a little buzz in my happy, little neighborhood.

Okay, to be perfectly honest, the controversy is just between me, ThrillCam and Stan, my neighbor.

And, as someone who knows the best way to resolve a conflict is to address the problem at the root of the issue, and to talk directly to the person with whom she has conflict, I will now attempt reconciliation.

On my blog.

In public.

You are my witnesses.

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First, Stan.

Stan was somewhat impressed withThrillCam, who after killing and beheading a rather large snake, called himself a Honey Badger. But, after Stan read my blog, yesterday, he has decided ThrillCam does not bring honor to the name of Honey Badger. Therefore, ThrillCam cannot call himself a Honey Badger, even though, ThrillCam has proof that he did, indeed, strike down a snake:

Stan basically challenged that ThrillCam cannot call himself a Honey Badger, much less THE Honey Badger, if he captured and released our pool snake back into the world.

Stan, professes HE is the undisputed, one and only, Honey Badger in our neighborhood, because, and I quote,

“I will certainly do whatever it takes to kill, eradicate, eliminate, obliterate, destroy, murder, torture, slay, execute, slaughter, exterminate, etc….any snake of any size or type (although ALL snakes are 6 ft. long and are water moccasins; even cobras are 6 ft. long water moccasins).”

He went on about snakes being evil creatures, he even quoted the Bible, and made mention that all snakes procreate and make MORE snakes, which is very, very bad in his eyes, so one should never, ever release a snake back into the wild, especially near his home.

He said because he holds this view of snakes–that all snakes should die–that, in and of itself, qualifies him to be the ONE and TRUE HONEY BADGER. Surely, no real Honey Badger would ever, ever let a snake get away…alive!

Then, in his rant, he went on to say that, yes, HONEY BADGER DOES CARE!

How does Stan know whether the Honey Badger cares or not? Does he have some creepy otherworldly connection to the Honey Badger? Does he secretly commune with the Honey Badger? Are they one and the same? Honey Stan Badger??

I think not.

Honestly, Stan is kind of cuckoo.

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Now, ThrillCam.

He’s all pouty because I told the world (all 13 of you) that he caught and released a snake, rather than kill it.

He thinks it makes him look bad. Wimpy.

He just wanted me to show the picture above, of the snake hanging on the fence, proving he can slay a snake, bare-handed, ripping its head off with his teeth….

He’s mad that I even have a stupid blog.

To be honest, ThrillCam is kind of cuckoo, too.

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While I’m at it, the Honey Badger is cuckoo.

Update: You may look up the video of which my husband and friend refer to on YouTube. Just look for Honey Badger, narrated by Randall. WARNING: the video contains questionable language, which I, personally, would never, ever use or condone. So, if you are easily offended, or just would rather not hear dirty words, please don’t choose that particular version of the Honey Badger videos. Otherwise, you may watch numerous other videos on YouTube about the Honey Badger that fully describes how mean and tough the little booger is!

Tags: Honey Badger

Check out my video!

I’m too cheap to pay for a video upgrade for this blog, but I not for my business blog.

But, I thought I’d put in a plug for a new video I created for my Senior Moments campaign. It highlights some of my former high school senior models.

Check it out! Click on this SENIOR MOMENTS link.

Enjoy!

(And, if you know any high school Seniors looking to be a model, send ‘em my way! Thanks!)

Happy Saturday!

Be Inspired.

As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been too cheap to pay for an upgrade to embed videos into this blog. But, that’s all changed.

Why?

Because I’ve been inspired by three little videos that I wanted to share with you.

I want to do what’s these guys did.

But, I want to do it over a longer period of time.

Stretch it out.

Live it for a long while….

Here’s the description of their creative and beautiful videos:

3 guys, 44 days, 11 countries, 18 flights, 38 thousand miles, an exploding volcano, 2 cameras and almost a terabyte of footage… all to turn 3 ambitious linear concepts based on movement, learning and food ….into 3 beautiful and hopefully compelling short films…..

= a trip of a lifetime.

move, eat, learn

Rick Mereki : Director, producer, additional camera and editing
Tim White : DOP, producer, primary editing, sound
Andrew Lees : Actor, mover, groover

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Of course, I can’t go to 11 countries in 44 days.

I have children who need to be nurtured.

I have a husband who needs to be loved.

I have a photography business that needs to be grown.

And, I have a dog who needs to be fed.

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Nothing replaces actually getting to leave your little cocoon–it breathes new life into you.

It allows you to see how other people live.

It opens up your horizons and can remind you our God made a great, big, beautiful world….

So, what if you can’t leave your little world, your daily routine, right now?

Well, you’d be amazed at what’s around you, right in your own backyard…or very near by….

For example:

I can try new foods right here in the fourth largest city in the country. In fact, I could probably eat a new foreign food once a day, for a year, if I tried, and still have plenty to choose from.

I can meet people from different countries right in my neighborhood (or where I work) and feel like I’ve left America for a few minutes.

I can always, always learn from others around me, or in workshops, or classes, or on the internet, or by just sitting across the table from someone and asking questions and then just listening…

It just takes being intentional, aware, willing, trusting…

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I hope the following videos push you a little to try something new, today, whether it’s a new food, to sign up for a workshop to learn something new, or just to introduce yourself to someone very different from yourself. You might be surprised at what happens! (Watch them on a full screen, if possible! Click on the bottom right of each video clip to expand.)

Watch and be inspired….

MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

LEARN from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

EAT from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

Happy Monday, y’all!

P.S. Thanks goes to Andy Bondurant over at The Collective for making me aware of these short films.

Tell the WHOLE story.

You know I love, love sports photography. It’s a kick!

Every week, as I stand on the sideline, I imagine capturing that one, special shot. You know, the Sports Illustrated photograph…

But, what I’ve learned over the years is while that super, fantastic action shot is super and fantastic, it is not the complete story.

If you are the parent of a child who competes or performs on or with a team, then you know there’s more involved than just what’s going on, on the field or stage.

Part of the excitement of a football game, for example, is hearing the band play some loud, driving drum line–you find yourself clapping your hands or tapping your foot to the beat.

Or, you get caught up watching the girls on the drill team do their hand motions while in the stands, pom-poms glittering in the stadium lights.

Of course, there are the cute cheerleaders climbing upon each other, yelling their little hearts out.

Yes, the focus is the football game, but there sure is a lot going on all around the game.

I’ve discovered I can tell a much more complete story of each event if I capture moments not on the field.

Look around you; take your eyes of your child for just a moment.

What do you see?

If you son or daughter competes every week, then you’ll start noticing, if you’re intentional, there’s more going on than the game.

Does one set of parents always bring the same beat up lawn chairs that you can’t help but wonder when they’ll eventually fall through? Snap a shot of the chair! Maybe from an odd angle.

(I don’t know! Pretend you have to bend down to tie your shoe, then snap the picture! You don’t have to be obvious about it.)

Right now, with the heat being what it is, do you see a trillion umbrellas and covers all along the sidelines of your daughter’s soccer game? Back up and take a wide-angle shot; it’ll remind you of our horrible drought and heat wave. When you look back at that picture with your daughter, you can remind her how blessed hot it was and ask her how in the world did she ever play in that heat!

Does your son’s coach bring a bag of footballs to each practice?

Or, does your team wear a special patch, hat, or color to commemorate something special?

Our varsity football players show their support for Breast Cancer Awareness in October, each year, by wearing pink!

(I still assert that pink and football don’t go together, but I very much appreciate their desire to bring about awareness.)

What about the girls’ gymnastic’s bows? Are they all the same? Well, line up the girls and take a shot of the bows from behind, and to the side.

Sort of like the shot below:

(I love repetition photos, can you tell?)

REMEMBER: Faces and whole bodies don’t have to be in every shot.

Tell a larger, more creative and more complete story by snapping a picture of a tradition.

For example, I know that at the end of every game, the boys on our high school football team will lift their helmets in tribute, as the school song plays. Sometimes, it’s a joyful occasion and the helmets are held high, sometimes, not. But, the helmets will be up. No matter what.

It symbolizes their dedication to the team and to their school…

So, next time you go to one of your child’s sporting events, grab your camera and a new mantra: I WILL TELL THE WHOLE STORY THROUGH MY PICTURES!

Happy Shooting!

Carnitas

So, I made Carnitas earlier in the week and I was so excited, I forgot to snap a picture of my incredibly scrumptious tacos. I’m sorry, too, because it would have made your mouth water.

I mean it.

Last night when I was preparing left-overs, I realized that in my fit of cleaning for trash day, I had thrown away all the tortillas. Bad mistake. Bad, bad mistake.

What’s a girl to do?

Make nachos, that’s what!

Usually, when I make nachos, I drown the tortilla chip with beans and sharp cheddar cheese. Meat is never necessarily required.

Beans and cheese? Required.

And, jalepenos. Most definitely.

But, with the meat left-over from the Carnitas, I chose a different route.

This time, I smeared refried beans on each tortilla chip, then I topped each with some of the Carnita meat. (What’s carnita meat? Just plain ol’ pork shoulder roast; slow-cooked.) Then, I slapped those babies into the oven, under the broiler, for a few minutes.

Then, I added the toppings. With this batch of nachos, I went with lighter, fresher toppings.

Chopped sweet yellow onion, fresh cilantro, avocado, and a smattering of goat cheese. (I didn’t have any Cotija cheese–Mexican cow’s milk cheese–so, I went with the goat cheese. It was great!)

I highly recommend you make Carnitas this weekend!

I am!

I loved this easy recipe so much, I’ve decided to serve it on a taco bar this weekend, for my friends.

Have a fun Labor Day!

Carnitas Recipe:

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (4 pound) boneless pork shoulder roast
2 bay leaves
1 onion, quartered
2 cups chicken broth

Mix together salt, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, and cinnamon in a bowl. Coat pork with the spice mixture. Place the bay leaves and onion in the bottom of a slow cooker and place the pork on top. Pour the chicken broth around the sides of the pork, being careful not to rinse off the spice mixture.
Cover and cook on Low until the pork shreds easily with a fork, about 10 hours. Turn the meat after it has cooked for 5 hours. When the pork is tender, remove from slow cooker, and shred with two forks. Use cooking liquid as needed to moisten the meat.

Next time I make it, I will double the spices (except the cinnamon), and add a couple whole, crushed garlic gloves, as well.

Labor Day List

Hello, y’all!

My youngest hooligan asked me, yesterday, what the Labor Day holiday actually celebrates. I told him what I knew, then went to the trusty internet for a little more information.

1. Labor Day is a holiday that is basically a celebration of American workers’ economic and social achievements and contributions to our country.

2. The first big holiday was, of course, celebrated in New York City.

3. But, the first state to adopt it as an annual holiday was Oregon.

4. That was in 1887!

5. It became a federal holiday 1894.

6. For many, the holiday has morphed into a celebration of the end of summer.

7. Hence, the BBQs, parties, and parades.

8. That was the case for my family; we had folks over last night, to celebrate the long weekend, and just plain friendship.

9. The Carnitas, tacos, sangria, and pool time made for a fun evening.

10. Today, I plan to celebrate a day of NO labor.

11. No babies being born here.

12. Been there, done that.

13. Twice.

14. Nor, do I plan to work, today.

15. In fact, the only work I will do is to sit next to my pool and work on my tan lines.

16. And, while I’m lounging, I will say a prayer of thanksgiving for the many workers in the past and present, who have helped shape and improve our country.

17. Finally, I will say thank you for the opportunity to live and work in the best country in the whole world.

Happy Labor(less) Day!

That’s my boy!!

Okay…may I brag a little on my youngest punk?

He made TWO big tackles for losses in his very first football game, this week!!

It was a proud moment for all of us!

Go Panthers!

(Okay. Thanks for accommodating me…)

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My other boy, my Senior, is preparing for Homecoming this coming weekend.

While he is deciding where to take his date to dinner, and finding the sharpest looking vest and tie that goes well with her dress, I am left trying to (last-minute) find her a mum.

I’ll tell you more about Homecoming mums, next week.

(I’ve already told you about my high school mums.)

Take a look at a few mums from last year’s Homecoming:

And, those are fairly tame comparing to some mums!!

I think I have my work cut out for me…

Wish me luck!

Whew! I was busy!

This past weekend was a full one! It was my son’s high school Homecoming, and boy, was it busy!

I purchased (and tweaked) a mum
I shot the Homecoming football game (and got a little sunburned and a lot HOT)
I captured shots of my neighbor, who was on the Homecoming Court (yea, Brooke!)
I took pictures of my son’s group of friends before their Homecoming dinner out
And, then, I spent all day, yesterday, doing post-work on the pics
But, I promise, I’m not complaining! It was fun doing it all!!

I’ll have more for you, tomorrow, and throughout the week.

Have a great day!

My son (far right) and his friends, all gussied-up for dinner out, after the game. They looked fabulous!

Homecoming!

My sweet neighbor was in the Homecoming Court this past weekend!

I was so excited for her!

She looked absolutely as beautiful on the outside as she is on the inside.

Psst! That proud papa on her arm is our good friend Stan.

(You know, Stan. He claims to be THE Honey Badger…but, that’s another story.)

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

My oldest punk, who is a Senior this year …

…hold on.

I’m all verklempt…

It’s just so hard to write that sentence…

He shouldn’t be that old…

I shouldn’t be that old!

Well, okay….if you must know, in reality, I’m not that old; you see, I had him when I was 8 years old…

Give or take a few years…

Yes. Yes, it was a miracle, indeed.

Anyway…

My oldest punk, who is a Senior, had a great time with his buddies…

They all cleaned up, right nice, and went as a large group (with dates) to dinner after the football game.

I love group dating. How fun is that?!

There’s just nothing like a pair of good buddies.

(My good-lookin’ punk is in the middle.)

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Of course, there’s also nothing like a fabulous pair of shoes, either!

Tomorrow, I’ll give you the mum low-down. (I saw something I’d never seen before, mum-wise, this year, and I can’t wait to show you!)

Happy Thursday!

Extreme Mum Makeover!

My friends who have been transplanted to Texas find this whole Homecoming mum thing…um…shall I say, interesting? Every year around Homecoming time, when the topic of mums comes up, it never fails that an out-of-stater says, “We never had mums where I grew up. This is all completely new to me….”

It’s usually said in a tone of sarcasm, maybe even malevolence.

Bless their hearts, they can’t help it; they just don’t understand.

When in Texas, one must eventually come to grips with the fact that football rules, hair is big, and mums are even bigger.

To be perfectly honest, though, I can’t say that I completely understand it all, myself.

Things have changed, somewhat, from when I was a mum-wearing girl of 17.

I loved receiving a mum for Homecoming, back when I was in high school. It was part of the fun of it all.

My mums consisted of one single real Chrysanthemum flower (nowadays they are fake), lots of streamers (still do that), and fun, little doo-dads (still do that, as well).

But, I gotta tell ya, mums have been taken, as so many things in our society, to a whole new level…

Let me show you…

Here’s the one we got for my son’s date:

It was simple.

Cute.

Maybe even a little understated.

I added a couple of things to it, to personalize it, a bit.

But, overall, it was a fairly average, as mums go. My son’s date is not the showy-type, so she requested simple. Plus, I refused to break the bank (although some of you would choke on what folks can and will spend on a Homecoming mum!).

My son is one of few words, but he seemed to think his sweet date liked her mum okay.

(He took it to her on Friday morning, so she could wear it all day, at school. It jingled, jangled, jingled, as he walked, because I added a ton of bells to it.)

I hope she liked her mum. And, I’m sure she did. She’s sweet like that.

But, if she wasn’t happy with it, I can completely understand.

I mean, a girl could acquire a bad case of mum-envy, if she’s not careful…

Look at this one, for example:

By the way, no longer can you just pin on a mum. The mums are too big. Now, girls need harnesses to hold their creations up–like halter tops!

They really are amazing pieces of, dare I say it? Art?

You can get them in all different shapes and sizes…

I’ve seen heart-shaped mums, big circular mums like the ones above, large double-circular mums, simple one-mum mums…

But, this year I saw something completely different.

New.

The Mother of all Mums…

Just look at that thing! It’s HUGE! Like a donkey, huge!

(She had to be sweating like mad, under that thing! It was so hot out there at the game.)

It was gorgeous, too.

People, all up and down the bleachers, stopped this young lady to admire her…mum.

Can I even call it that?

It feels like an insult to downgrade it to such a piddly little description?

I mean, the thing went on and on!

Never-ending!

It was bigger than the sweet girl wearing it!

Look!!

It went all the way over her shoulder, and onto her back!!

She has taken mums to all-time new level. I thought the big, huge double mum with a harness was the be-all, end-all.

Nope. Not any more. This young lady has demolished those, in my mind. Creamed ‘em.

It’s crazy.

But, I must say, no one else at the party had the same dress on as her. She won.

(I cannot imagine the amount of money spent on that creation…upwards of $250, $300, maybe?)

You know, what? This discussion of mums has inspired me.

I think I’m going to save up my money and make myself a cape made of mums for next year’s Homecoming…

I will walk along the sidelines, taking action shots, while wearing my mum cape.

All will admire me.

I shall crown myself Miss Amumica.

Miss Mumiverse.

No. Wait.

I’ll be the HomeMumming Queen!

The Queen Mum…

Okay… so, I know I have a history of taking one subject and dragging it out WAY too long…

But, while I’m on the subject, I just had to post a short video trailer about Homecoming mums.

This was shot at a huge in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area high school.

I only thought the mums were big in my part of the world…

Um, yeah.

Have a great weekend!

I am craving this….

ThrillCam and I made a point to stop at Garrett’s Popcorn while in Chicago.

Of course, I had made sure to bring some Chicago Mix home to my boys.

It’s both cheesy popcorn and carmel popcorn, mixed together.

Its sounds weird, I know. But, I’m telling you, it’s so, so yummy!!

Guess who ate most of it?

Not me.

Really.

It wasn’t me!

I promise.

Really.

Believe me?

No?

Me neither.

Bitter and Angry.

I took these a winter or two ago in my backyard. (All SOOC–straight out of camera.)

Can you even remember what cool or cold weather feels like? I can’t.

I don’t necessarily want ice and frigid cold, but I would love for the temps to drop about 5-10 more degrees.

Is that asking too much?

I mean, it has been a brutal summer, wouldn’t you agree?

I guess I’m just tired of sweating.

No, I know I’m tired of sweating.

I’m tired of opening my front door and getting hit, at 8am, with heat and humidity.
I’m tired of walking from my front door to my car, climbing in, and immediately wiping my upper lip and sopping my brow, followed by looking at myself in the rearview mirror to see if my makeup has slipped off my face and into my lap.
My back is tired of sweating.
I’m tired of purchasing 50+ brassieres every month, so I can change clothes every three hours, due to sweating.

and…

And…

AND, I have discovered, that even though I have sweated, repeatedly, daily, for the last 30,000 days of our sweltering summer, I have not lost one single, itty-bitty pound of weight.

Not one.

And.

that’s.

just.

not.

right.

Sweating and bitter in Texas,

Oh my mind, lately…

I will forever say Italy is my favorite place on earth to visit.

But, lately, my mind has been wandering back to Jordan.

It will be a year, exactly, on October 31st, since ThrillCam and I were there.

I’ve been re-visiting my photos…

…thinking about the warm, friendly people…

The fresh, yummy food…

The beautiful sites…

The camels…

The fresh, yummy food…

(Why does it always come back to the food with me???)

Jordan, You are a place I’d like to visit again, one day.

Tags: Jordan, Petra

Evil and Certain Death…

At exactly 10:30 a.m., this very morning, I will be dying a very slow and painful death.

I’m not kidding.

You see, my husband and I have signed up for a “buddy” workout.

…with a smallish woman named Cheri.

If the exercise doesn’t kill me, my “buddy” might.

Or, I might kill my buddy.

Not sure yet.

ThrillCam and I really enjoy each other’s company on a daily basis. We are different enough that we balance each other out. We laugh together. We respect each other. We truly enjoy being together.

We love one another.

But.

We do not exercise together.

Or compete together. Against, yes. Together, no.

Well, except in Nerts, the card game. We can destroy others when we play together.

But, exercise… I’m not convinced it’s going to be pretty.

I’ve said for years, we could never, ever compete together on a show like The Amazing Race. Our differences would make for very enjoyable television, but divorce would be at the other end for us.

Oh, don’t worry! I will, for sure, give you all the gory details.

That is, if I can lift my body up off my cool tile floor, where I will most likely fall in a heap as soon as I get home from the gym.

In fact, you might not expect a blog post from me for a couple of weeks.

I think I might be in traction, which will prevent me from writing anything.

Wish me luck.

No.

Wait.

I don’t believe in luck.

Say a prayer for me.

Yes.

And for my husband. For protection.

Not sure who the protection is for, but God will.

Oh.

And, for our children.

We’ve already warned them that we will both be in a great deal of pain and very, very cranky today, so they better not mess with us.

You might also pray for our trainer.

Cheri.

She seems all sweetness and light now…

In reality, she is a lioness.

Mean.

And hungry.

Blood-thirsty.

She scares me.

I’m thinking there’s something quite evil lurking in that perky, little body of hers….

So, yes.

Pray for her, too.

And, pray she shows me…us… kindness.

And compassion.

And, maybe that she gets a flat tire this morning.

So, then she’ll have to cancel.

Yes! YES!!!

Pray for that.

If not, it was nice knowing you,

Short Ribs…

I made The Pioneer Woman’s Short Ribs with Wine and Cream, recently.

It was quite tasty and quite satisfying.

Very, very rich.

(Photos taken with my iPhone…even with some post-processing with an app, the colors and quality are blah. Don’t let the pictures keep you from cooking this recipe.)

Here are some tweaks/pointers/opinions on the recipe:

I did not have, believe it or not, heavy whipping cream on hand. I only had Half and Half. So, I used what I had. The sauce didn’t thicken as much, probably, as the original recipe, but I am here to say, it did not mess with the taste, at all.
I finally used REAL short ribs! The last two times I’ve made PW’s Braised Short Ribs recipe, I’ve used what I thought were short ribs. Apparently, they were not. I found real short ribs at Sam’s! (Just so you know, short ribs are on the fatty side, but boy are they tasty!)
The recipe is very easy. The only, slightly, time-consuming step, is the browning of the short ribs. Otherwise, it cooks on the stove, or in the oven, for 2-3 hours. Then, you add the cream and let it simmer a little longer to thicken. And, voila! you’re done!
I’m not one for telling people to go out and spend extra money, but if you don’t own a dutch oven, I would really suggest you get yourself one…some day. I paid about $25 for mine and picked it up at the grocery store! It’s red! I love, love, love it!!! I don’t know how I cooked all these years without it. (It’s what I cooked my short ribs in.)
In PW’s post about the recipe, you’ll see that she chose to place the short ribs on mushrooms, rather than pasta or her “famous” mashed potatoes. I did not have the mushrooms, but I did have the ingredients for her mashed potato recipe. So, I made them. The short ribs are very, very rich…so, I would not suggest making PW’s heavy on the cream cheese, butter, and cream mashed potatoes, like I did. (If I recall, she basically says this, but did I listen? No. So, don’t be like me and take heed.) While we absolutely loved the taste of the meal, we all walked away from the table over-full and extremely heavy feeling. If you must make mashed potatoes, don’t add all the other heavy stuff. Keep it light.
I roasted asparagus to go alongside the short ribs. So, fresh and great tasting! All I did: snip off the tough ends of the asparagus, place the tips on a foil- or parchment-lined pan, spray or drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with S & P (or Paula Dean’s House Seasoning). Cook for 10 minutes in a 425-degree oven. So easy! So fantastic!! (Even if you’re not a regular asparagus eater, I implore you to try it roasted. You will thank me for it.)

Again, please don’t base your decision on whether to try this recipe or not, on my photos. They, admittedly, are horrible. But, I wanted to show you proof that I actually cooked the recipe.

It’s a great recipe. And, it’s fairly easy, too.

Have a great day!

Stranger Danger?

Last Saturday, I wrote that, recently, I have been thinking a lot about our trip to Jordan, last November.

Well, over the weekend, I received the nicest comment on that post.

A stranger wrote me to say if I ever find my way back to Jordan, I should drop him a line before I go, so he could tell me more places to visit while there.

I love that.

I don’t think that’s weird at all.

I think it’s kind.

And thoughtful.

And, if I ever return to Jordan, I will write a note to that kind man.

Who knows?

I might make a new friend along the way.

Yesterday.

(Update: I wrote this post last night while my muscles were still relatively happy and content with their existence. They had had a little workout and were okay with that…yesterday. This morning, after a good night’s sleep, though, they have decided to revolt. I’m having a muscle mutiny. My thighs and shoulders, especially, have chosen to abandon all functioning and are sending shooting, screaming pain signals to my brain with every move I make. So, yes, I survived, but I’m wishing I had not…)

I survived.

ThrillCam survived.

Cheri, our perky, little trainer was also spared her life.

All in all, I must admit, it was great.

ThrillCam and I worked out together, for the first time and I think we both enjoyed it.

Well, as much as one can truly enjoy exercise.

We both came home a little shaky and somewhat fatigued, but felt good knowing we had done something good for our bodies.

During our workout, Cheri decided we needed to use the TRX system and incorporate kettlebell weights throughout the training time.

What’s TRX you ask?

(I didn’t know either, so don’t feel bad.)

This:

(I’d truly love to give credit where credit it due on this photo, but I found it in Google images with no name.)

You basically use the straps/handles and your own body weight for the exercises.

And, because I have a lot of body and a lot of weight, I lifted a TON!!!

I actually liked the TRX exercises Cheri introduced us to, and look forward to doing more.

…I think.

Then, in between the TRX exercises, she’d tell us to swing the kettlebell weights.

What are those you ask?

These:

You don’t lift them like dumbbells; you swing them.

So, while you are using your muscles to lift weight, you are also getting a aerobic workout, as well.

These little puppies about killed me.

I’m not kidding.

They look innocent enough, but if used properly, they are deadly!!!

(There was only one 5 minute moment that I thought I would pitch my cookies. But, Cheri was kind enough to allow me to regain my composure before continuing the torture.)

The super news is, I already am feeling different, after just one workout.

Lighter.

In better shape.

That perky, little Cheri is a true miracle worker, I’m telling you…

In fact, ThrillCam snapped a quick photo of me while I was working out.

Can you see the difference already??

Pretty cool, huh??!

(Okay, okay. I admit it. That’s not really my body. It’s some insanely fit 20-something year old, showing off. One day, though, I’M gonna look like that. Really. No, really. I am. Oh, never mind.)

Home!

Our little band of 7 made it home, safely, from Honduras, yesterday.

I left Tegucigalpa yesterday morning, leaving behind a bit of my heart–some with our dear friends who are serving as missionaries, and some with 35 children whose faces will forever be etched in my brain.

Today, I’ve been doing laundry (as usual) and working on my pictures from the trip. I will post one or two, tomorrow, and give you a brief update on our trip.

I’m still trying to process it all…. asking God what I am supposed to do with this new knowledge and information, these new relationships… how is it to translate into my daily, very American, very blessed life?

See you tomorrow!

No See ‘ums…

I’ve really, really wanted to write about our trip to quick trip Honduras, but, I honestly have not had the time this week. When I do sit down to write about it, I want to think about it and give Honduras the credit that it is due. I don’t want to be silly. At least not initially. But, I also don’t want to be Debbie Downer, either.

So, if you will pardon the long interruption in my blogging and allow me to continue to process our trip, I’d really appreciate it. I promise I will post some pictures soon. You must see the precious faces of the children we had the privilege of spending time with.

In the meantime, I have to tell you that while we were there in Honduras, quite a few of us were bitten/stung by No See ‘Ums.

I don’t know what type of bug they were, because none of us ever saw the little buggers.

While they bit us all over our bodies, for some really odd reason, the bites seem to be more concentrated around our elbows and knuckles, of all places. Weird, huh?

When they bit me, I wouldn’t feel anything. It wasn’t until I started noticing small dots of blood, like little blood blisters, scattered around my arm that I realized I had been stung. We were told to remove the stinger and to also kind of “cut” open the spot with our fingernails, to release the poison, to prevent the itching.

I never got any stingers out.

So, now, I just itch.

And, itch.

I swear to you that the stingers have a built-in time release, because I’ll be going along, minding my own business, and suddenly, my entire right elbow will itch like crazy. And, off to scratching I go.

It’s very ladylike, by the way.

Same thing, about 2 hours later, on my left arm.

It’s very, very weird.

And, very, very annoying.

We were told to expect the itching to last about a week.

I’m not sure I can last that long….

I really wanted to take a picture, but it was sort of hard to take a picture of my elbow by myself. Then, when I did actually contort my body into a position where I could snap the picture, I realized my elbow is really rather ugly. Add to that a bunch of raised, red bumps, that look like chicken pox, and I came to the conclusion that maybe you wouldn’t want to see a picture after all.

Sorry.

I guess I’ll just have to scratch in private.

Huh?

Off to find the Cortisone cream…

Happy Saturday! Happy Weekend!

I just thought I’d share a couple of pictures of some of the kiddos we met in Honduras at Rancho Ebenezer.

How can you not just fall in love with these faces?

(This guy was a favorite of mine. I called him “Sweetheart” soon after I met him. He lit up and said that was now his special name! So, of course, I called him my sweetheart for the rest of the trip.)

These are SOOC (straight out of camera), no editing. I know some are on the blurry side, but I am working on the others, so I just went with these. Sorry. I knew you wouldn’t mind terribly.

God love it.

I’ll have more to share this coming week. Thanks for being patient with me as I gather my thoughts on our trip.

Have a happy Saturday!!

Adios,

Snippets

It seems like I’ve had zero time to get to my computer this past week. Just spurts. This week may be the same, so I’ll try to give you some insight into our trip to Honduras, in small doses, which is probably preferable anyway.

These people are the reason we went to Honduras, in the first place:

Doug and Margo, longtime friends of ours, followed their hearts and their dreams and made a 4 year commitment to World Gospel Outreach, to serve at Rancho Ebenezer, right outside the city of Tegucigalpa. (Tay-goose-a-gal-pa) Because of them, we found out about WGO and Rancho Ebenezer.

And, for me, a geography-illiterate, they helped me find Tegucigalpa.

Okay, I admit it. I had to look up Honduras on the map, as well.

Teguc (Tay-Goose–as folks call it) is the largest city in Honduras. They estimate 2 million people, but honestly, I’m not sure how they can even count the people properly.

The city is located in the mountainous region. No skyscrapers, occasional tall-ish apartment buildings.

It does have pockets of wealth, but those are few and far between. In fact, they estimate that 60% of the people do not have jobs. The average highest level of education is 5th grade, so the kids can get out and try to find a job. We saw many kids out on the streets, when they should have been in school.

The government is corrupt, for the most part. And the police take bribes, for the most part. So, fairness and justice are not real options, for the most part.

It’s heart-breaking and over-whelming, and even scary, at times.

Here’s where I confess: I am so thankful and grateful for people who are not over-whelmed or scared like me. I’ve done service projects close to my home that have been beneficial and helpful to the needy, but I’ve never gone deep into another country (other than for fun travel) to serve the poor or the homeless. I’ve relied on others, whether it’s been from my church or from my government, to do the dirty work.

I even had small reservations about going to Honduras.

That was, before we went.

I’m sad that it took 44 years for me to get past my fears to finally go and do.

Because, while I know our presence there was a blessing to the Mission House, Rancho Ebenezer, and to Doug and Margo, I was blessed tenfold. I came home with a new confidence: I can do it! I can serve in areas in which I’m unfamiliar. I can look beyond myself to see the needs of others! I can! And, I did!

And, to be honest, and probably sinful, I’m proud of myself.

And, very, very grateful to God.

There will be many more opportunities for me to go back, for which I am excited!

I look forward to how God will use me (us), and grow and expand me, in the very near future.

More to come,

Random Thoughts on a Chilly Morning

1. This weather is absolutely fabulous! Cool mornings and nice, pleasant, sunny days…. More, please!

2. My dog Bear barks at nothing. Nothing! It’s maddening.

3. He also chases dragonflies. And doves. Any flying object must be removed from his yard. So, he leaps and barks and leaps and barks, and chases, and growls, and raises his hackles…at dragonflies.

4. My elbows are finally just about done itching. I still have little red bumps all over them (from the biting/stinging no-see-um’s in Honduras), which make for even lovelier elbows than usual.

5. If I had to choose my most ugly body part, I’d most definitely choose my elbows.

6. No, scratch that. (Ha! I’m so PUNNY!!!) I’d choose my toes. I have super ugly toes. What’s sad is, I’ve been wearing a toe ring for years, like 10 years, which just draws even more attention to my very ugly toes. But, I love my toe ring. Just not my super ugly toes.

7. Do you know anyone with super pretty toes?? I don’t. Name one person that has super pretty toes. I bet you can’t.

8. I’m missing the State Fair of Texas this month. I am sad, sad, sad about that. I’m tempted to ask a Dallas friend to overnight me some Fletcher’s Corny Dogs just to get me through the year.

9. I love musicals. A few of my all-time favorites are: Singing in the Rain, Calamity Jane (I love, love, love Doris Day in that movie), Wizard of Oz, and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. And, White Christmas. Those are just a few. I could go on for days listing musicals I love…. I wish we all would break out in song, at a moment’s notice, don’t you?

10. My boys have never seen Singing in the Rain. I feel I have failed as a mother and as a human being.

11. I’m working out, this morning, with Cheri, all by myself. Please say a prayer for me.

12. Did I tell you, last week, that I threw out my back after my workout? I was attending our youngest’s football game later that day. I had to go to the restroom. I was about to stand up from finishing my business, and I felt this sudden and excruciating pain shoot up and down my back. I sat there for a minute, then got up and was okay. (By the way, did you know that my son’s Intermediate School has bathroom stall doors that are shorter than usual? So, when you walk in, the stall door comes up only to about shoulder height? It’s a rather odd sensation to have short stall doors. I always feel like Andre the Giant when in those bathrooms…) Anyway, throughout this past week, it would occasionally feel like it was “caught” and would hurt like the dickens, then it would be okay. But, on Tuesday, Cheri, our new perky trainer, took it easy on us and my back seems to be much, much better.

13. Since ThrillCam is gone, Cheri, our perky trainer, will be able to focus all or her energy (and torture) toward me today. I am very, very afraid. I’ve already ordered the traction body suit to be delivered later today.

14. By the way, did you know you have muscles in your upper arms? I had no idea until mine started hurting after my last workout.

15. Workout is a dirty word. You should never, ever say it or do it. Learn from my mistakes, Grasshopper.

16. I love Fall clothing. It just doesn’t get cold enough here to really go out and purchase a ton, but oh, how I love Fall clothing.

17. What I don’t love is wearing Fall clothing for one day, then wearing shorts and a tee-shirt the next. It does something to the psyche. And, it makes everyone sick.

18. I’m ready to start making soups!! I love that about the Fall, as well. (I recently saw a new yummy-looking recipe for a soup that has sweet potatoes in it! I’ll be sure to share once I’ve made it.)

19. Pinterest is a time-suck. But, I love it! Follow me and I’ll follow you! (www.pinterest.com)

20. I really wanted to ask my mom a question, the other day, and reached for the phone, but then realized I couldn’t call her. What a sad, and sort of lonely, feeling. I miss both of my parents. I’ve been told that doesn’t go away. But, that it does get better.

21. On a happier note, my iPhone went berserk on me this week. Suddenly the LCD screen went out. Plus, it had a small crack in the top corner, but I could live with that. No screen? I could not live with that. Also, my oldest son, tossed his phone onto his bed and inadvertently tossed his belt in the same direction–the belt buckle fell smack-dab on the face of his new phone and smashed the screen. (Here comes the happier part…) Thanks to a friend on Facebook (yea, Sarah!) who had mentioned the Cell Phone Doctor, we now have working phones again! Much cheaper than replacing the whole phone. Whew. (By the way, when did “yea” become “yay?”)

22. It is interesting how dependent we are on our phones. I felt lost without mine, for ONE day! Worried I was missing something. Crazy. (But, I didn’t feel that way while in Honduras, because I knew my phone wouldn’t work. It was nice being unplugged for a few days.)

23. I think I might try putting my phone away, when home, in the evenings. Just unplug. I think I may even tell the rest of my family to do the same. You know, from say, 6pm to 9pm. Hmmmm…. I’ll let you know if it works or not.

24. Thanks for joining me on this fantastical ride of ridiculous-ness, today!

I hope you have a fantastic day, today! You are the best, you know it?

XOXO,

Starbucks, Schmarbucks

Who needs a $10 cup of coffee, when you can get this??:

I am not kidding!

This stuff is some of the best in the world. It was rated by some highfalutin’ coffee testers to be in the top 2% of the world’s best coffee.

The coffee is high altitude, shade-grown (which is supposed to make for really yummy coffee), hand-picked and processed.

These are the coffee beans. They are not ripe, yet.

(See the trees and bushes surrounding the school? The coffee is grown there.)

We gave some to our perky trainer Cheri as a ~~bribe~~ gift, and she loves it. She liked it so much, she went to the website and ordered 9 more pounds of the stuff. (She loves her some coffee.) (I really need to introduce you to Cheri–you’d love her!)

I love coffee, too. I drink it every morning.

Annnddd, I’ve been known to put a little cream and a little sugar in my morning hit.

Not much cream and sugar, mind you, (ThrillCam says I drink “treats, not coffee”), but, I’ve noticed I’m putting a little less cream and sugar than usual. I think it’s because the coffee is so doggone good!

It’s not acidic, or too strong-tasting.

(Oh, what do I know? You could melt coffee ice cream and put it in a mug and I’d think it was my morning java.)

No, honestly, if you’d like a fantastic cup of coffee, you should order some of this stuff.

Now, don’t go looking for decaf or fancy-flavored coffee, because it’s not there. It’s just regular coffee. Whole bean or ground. (I order whole bean and grind it a little at a time, because it lasts longer. But, if you want ground coffee, go for it! It’s a free country.)

Plus, it goes to a wonderful cause! (It supports Rancho Ebenezer in Honduras, where kids are removed from horrible situations and put into homes with two loving parents, and given a full 12 year education.)

It’s a win-win in my book.

See the little coffee plants? They’re so cute!!

Here’s the link to Honduras Cloud Forest Coffee.

Let me know what you think!

I’m sorry if this sounded too much like a commercial. I didn’t mean it that way. I really, really do love this coffee and I just wanted to share it with you.

And in the morning, I’m makin’ waffles!

When our oldest son was about 12 or 13 we gave him a waffle maker for Christmas.

Sounds weird, yes, but you should have seen how his face lit up with joy!

I’m not kidding.

The kid loved waffles. So, it only made sense that we give him a waffle iron of his own.

Right?

The kid still loves waffles.

So every once in a blue moon, I get out of bed before noon and make him some.

(We were out of town this weekend for both a wedding and some baseball, and I told my son if hit a home run, I’d make him waffles Monday morning. Well, he didn’t hit a home run, but it was sure close, so I got my hiney out of bed and made him some waffles!)

Usually, I use the recipe in the little booklet that came with the waffle iron. It’s a simple recipe that produces good waffles.

But, this morning, I opted to search the interweb for a new recipe.

What I found included an extra step of beating egg whites before adding them to the batter. It made for an easy and quite tasty recipe.

So, grab yourself a waffle iron, some butter and syrup and give yourself about 20 minutes for prep time.

Soon you’ll have some crispy, yet moist, yummy waffles in no time!

(Sorry I didn’t take pictures along the way. It was too early and I was in a hurry to get the waffles cooked before my sons had to leave for school.)

Waffle Recipe (Rumor has it, this recipe originated in the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.)

Ingredients:

1 3/4 C. all-purpose flour

1 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

2 eggs (separate the whites and the yolks, set whites aside)

1 3/4 C. milk

1/2 C. oil (I used Canola)

1. Preheat waffle iron.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Create a well in the center of the flour mixture.

3. In another bowl, beat egg yolks, slightly. Then, add milk and oil.

4. Pour yolk/milk mixture into flour mixture and stir until just moistened. It will be slightly lumpy. And, that’s ok.

5. In another small bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

6. Gently fold egg whites into the flour/egg yolk mixture, leaving a few puffs of egg whites. Do not over-mix.

7. Follow waffle iron directions for how much batter to pour into iron and for how long to cook the waffles.

Enjoy!!

P.S. I cannot sleep until noon. It’s hard for me to sleep until 9 a.m. on the weekends. I’m hoping that will change once the boys are out of the house and I’m living on an exotic island in the Pacific.

Tags: waffles

Salt Lick

My deepest apologies to my dear friends in south Austin; I’m sorry, Sally, Sheri, and Lana that we did not call you while in town. It was a very fast over-nighter. I promise we will make a point to returning, SOON, just so we can catch up!!

A couple weeks back, my family drove to Austin for a family member’s wedding. The wedding was on Friday night, so that opened up our Saturday for lunch in Austin, followed by a drive to Brenham for some ~~ice cream~~ baseball. (We tried to get to the Blue Bell Creamery, but the stars did not align for that particular tour.) Our oldest, who is a Senior, has been hitting many of the Fall baseball scouting try-outs and tournaments, and that weekend was no exception.

We didn’t have a ton of time in Austin, but we did make time to eat lunch at The Salt Lick.

We owed it to our sons.

They deserved to eat mighty good barbecue.

So, did I.

The original Salt Lick is located in Driftwood Texas, just south of Austin.

It had been years since ThrillCam and I had been there. I’m not even sure our oldest ever ate there when we used to live in the Austin area back in the 90′s.

As we expected on a Saturday, there was a bit of a wait.

But we didn’t mind; there was fresh-squeezed lemonade to be had!

The wait was eased not only by the fresh-squeezed lemonade, but also by the live band performing on that way-beautiful day.

We could not have asked for better weather, I’m telling you.

Finally, we stepped inside to partake of some finger-lickin’ good BBQ.

(My shots inside didn’t turn out so great, but they give you an idea of what the place is like. …I was using my point and shoot, which I don’t use very often, so I haven’t really figured out how best to shoot with it. I guess I should just put it on Automatic…would be so much easier.)

There’s, of course, meat. And, lots of it.

Pies. Yum.

And, of course, some darn good, finger-lickin’ barbecue.

Sorry for the blur. It was a moving target; my oldest was very impatient to take a bite…

Let’s just say, the boys were quite happy with our little detour.

If you are ever in south Austin and have a little time to kill, by all means, make the drive to the Salt Lick. (I believe they have multiple locations, now, but the original is always a winner in my book.)

Go.

Eat.

And be not disappointed.

Tags: Austin, The Salt Lick

You’ll thank me later.

I have always loved to take pictures, but I never really discovered my passion until my husband convinced me to switch to the new-fangled digital concept. He purchased me a Canon Rebel. I was hooked.

Now, we have cameras built into our phones. They say, the phone camera will, one day, be as advanced as some DSLRs we see on the market, today. Everyone, it’s predicted, will be carrying an amazing camera in their pockets.

Right now, though, I know lots of friends who just don’t take pictures. Ever. They forget. Or, they don’t understand how the camera works. Or, they just don’t like taking pictures. They have lots of excuses.

And, I guess it could be said that they are in the moment. They are sealing what they see in their memories and are not being bothered or distracted by a camera.

Yes, that is a valid argument.

But, not good enough in my book.

I think everyone should take pictures, often.

Even if all you have is a phone camera, you should take pictures.

Do not worry if they are professional quality.

They just need to be taken.

You will thank me one day for pushing you to be more disciplined about taking photographs.

You will thank me one day when you look back at photos you snapped of your grandmother in the nursing home….

You will thank me when you are remembering fondly of the different stages and interests your children went through during their younger years…

Or…

Your kids will thank me when they look back, one day, at pictures of you and their father/mother…before children…

You will thank me when your friends have moved away to another city, or country, and you miss them fiercely…

You will thank me when you are thinking back on the funny and crazy times you shared with neighbors and friends…

You will thank me when you are celebrating the braces coming off, and are reminded to be grateful your child even had teeth to put the braces on…

You will thank me when you need snapshots of your children playing their favorite sports or activities…

Take pictures.

Just because.

You will thank me, for you never know what will be the last picture of a loved one…

Preserve those memories.

P.S. Click on the video below:

Throned

Last week, I drove home late from a photography workshop in Houston, only to discover a toilet in our front yard.

Apparently, our oldest had been “throned.”

I snapped these pictures with my phone camera (as you can tell).

Lovely, huh?

Actually, it’s a pretty cute idea the our Project Graduation committee is using to raise money this year. You can rent a toilet for $25.00. The committee will then place the toilet in whomever’s yard you choose. It will stay there for a few days before the toilet is retrieved. Or, if the toilet gift-ee wants to pay $25.00, he or she may then have it moved to another friend’s yard.

It’s all in good fun.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

On a quick side note, today is Halloween!

Both of our kids are dressing up today. Our Senior went dressed in high-waters, glasses and pens in his pocket for Nerd Day at school. Our youngest is dressing up, hoping to squeeze out one last night of trick-or-treating, as Dwight K. Shrute from The Office.

I’ll have pictures tomorrow.

We really like Halloween. Not for the obvious reasons, though. We view Halloween as an opportunity to hang out with our neighbors. Passing out candy is secondary.

Last year, ThrillCam and I had to miss Halloween–we were on our way to Jordan!–so we were unable to hang out with everyone.

Halloween can provide a really great opportunity for you to meet and greet your neighbors, especially if you’ve never been able to in the past. Halloween is your excuse!

Just ask them to bring out their lawn chairs and their bowl of candy. (We’ve been known to have snacks to munch on while we visit.) Then, the ghosts and goblins walk past for their candy. It’s really way more fun than watching tv and having to pause your show to get up every 2 minutes to open the door. It makes Halloween fun again, even if you don’t have kids. You can turn off your porch light, but still participate.

This requires no prior planning, just a quick ring of your neighbor’s doorbell this afternoon or a poster board announcing where to join you. Make it easy on yourself and your neighbors.

Try it! Even if you can’t get anyone to join this year, you’ve planted a seed. Next year, your neighbors may be more open to the idea.

On a side note, today is also my mother’s birthday. I’m not really sad, though. It’s just a sweet reminder, like every September 16th (my daddy’s birthday), when I think a little more about them than usual. But, that’s a good thing.

Have a super Monday!

And, HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

District Champs!!!

We are quite excited around here.

Our Chargers have gone undefeated in district and are now DISTRICT CHAMPIONS!!

Way to go, Chargers!!

Yeeeeesssssss!!!!!!!

Weak.

Everyday this week I’ve felt it was a day earlier. Like today. I keep thinking it’s just Wednesday, when in reality, it’s Thursday.

And, since it’s Thursday and not Wednesday, I shall make a list.

1. We saw our perky trainer Cheri, today. Can I just tell you? I can barely type this silly list of thoughts, because she KILLED us on the arms. I feel like Stretch Armstrong…with my arms all stretched out and dangly.

Remember Stretch Armstrong?

“S-t-r-e-t-c-h him and he returns to normal size!”

Only my arms are not returning to normal size. They are hanging down by my side, heavy and hurting, unable to perform the most menial tasks….

Just imagine our perky-trainer-Cheri doing the above to us…With a smile on her face. In fact, I think the examples above are where she got her ideas for our workout today….

2. Now that we’ve been working out with our Perky-trainer-Cheri, we’ve decided it might be worthwhile to change our eating habits as well. So, I went the grocery store this morning and purchased more fresh fruit, some organic foods, and leaner meats and fish. I’m thinking this will help tremendously with our new attempt at getting healthy.

3. In fact, Perky-trainer-Cheri challenged me to not eat chips and salsa for a week. (She asked us to name the one thing we struggle with, food-wise. Since I couldn’t answer EVERYTHING, I settled for chips and salsa. A true weakness of mine.) This, of course, means no Mexican food at all for a week, because I cannot sit at a table where Mexican food will be served and NOT have chips and salsa. I can’t. So, therefore, I must abstain from Mexican food as a whole. …Which will be very hard for me. …Which equates to a very, very cranky Elizabeth for a week.

4. ThrillCam cannot have any Dr. Peppers for a week. Which will be hard for him because he nurses a 32 oz. Dr. Pepper once or twice a day, everyday. It’s his crack, if you will.

5. After he agreed to not drink any Dr. Peppers, he tells Perky-trainer-Cheri that once he cuts out his Dr. Pepper, he’ll probably lose about 8 pounds.

6. SAY WHAT??!!! I think that is absolutely ridiculous and utterly unfair!!! I cut out soft drinks YEARS ago, and do you think I lost any weight when I did? NOOOO! Of course I didn’t.

7. In fact, this is what will happen: ThrillCam will lose 8 pounds by cutting a soft drink out of his diet for one whole week and Elizabeth will GAIN 4 pounds by merely breathing.

That’s how that works.

8. This will also make for a very, very cranky Elizabeth.

9. On a happier note, our youngest made the school basketball team! I knew his freakishly tall body would pay off at some point. (Actually, he seems to be doing pretty well with shooting, so I guess it’s not based solely on his height. But, it sure doesn’t hurt.)

10. Does anyone have any tips on how to keep a dog off the couch at night? Bear has suddenly decided he likes leather. (We may just have to start kenneling him again, at night. But, if you have any great advice, send it my way via email or in the comments section below.)

Stinkin’ sweet dog.

10. And, on that note, I am outta here! Sorry for such sporadic posts as of late, but I just can’t seem to crank them out on a daily basis right now. I have a ton to tell you, so hopefully I’ll be able to post more starting next week.

11. Y’all are the best! Hope you have a grand and super day, week, weekend!

Yours until Niagra Falls,

Busy Sports Weekend! How about you?

My oldest has a baseball tourney and our local high school has football play-offs this weekend! Both exciting and fun!! I can’t wait!!

Go Miracles!

Go Chargers!

What do you have planned for your weekend? I hope it will be spent with family and good friends.

Have a great weekend, y’all!

TTFN (Ta-Ta for now),

New and old favorites

1. It’s baaacccckkk!! It’s Fall, so that means pumpkin-flavored items have returned.

My neighbor Beverly and I pretty much eat and drink all the pumpkin we can until we are basically burned out on the stuff come January. Fortunately, the flavors of Christmas and eventually Spring have begun to take over by then, and it allows our tastebuds to recover from the pumpkin overload.

In the meantime, I’m adding a little Pumpkin Spice creamer to my Honduran Cloud Forest Coffee.

All is well with my soul.

By the way, I’ll be making my yummy Pumpkin Soup, soon, too!!

2. For about two weeks last month, we had an absolute hostile take-over by mosquitoes. I’m not kidding. You could not walk out the door without them literally swarming and attacking you. It was the worst I’ve ever seen. And, believe me, it’s been bad around here.

Like during the weeks following Hurricane Ike. The mosquitoes were HUGE and everywhere.

(sorry for the too dark, not-so-in-focus photo…took it a few years ago, for my Facebook page, following Hurricane Ike.)

During this most recent mosquito plague, I discovered Cutter Yard Spray.

A-mazing.

So far, I don’t think I’ve seen one mosquito in our backyard since I sprayed.

The label says it also kills other annoying pests, like ticks, spiders, and ants. Those? The verdict is still out. I’ll let you know if it helps with the other pesky pests or not.

3. Pinterest

If you haven’t heard of it by now, you are probably living under a rock. It’s taking the internet by storm.

It allows you to collect pictures from interesting articles, blogs, websites, etc. and compile them on “boards.” You “pin” an interest to a “board” in your account. Others can follow your pins and either “like” them, or even “re-pin” them onto their own boards.

What I have enjoyed is finding great ideas for home decorating and designing. The only custom house I’ve ever lived in was my parent’s house. Every other home has been a cookie-cutter design. (Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining!) But, I do enjoy looking at what creative designers and architects can and have come up with on custom homes. So, I’ve created a board called, “Dream House Ideas” for my fantasy dream house.

I’ve also been collecting new recipes. Some healthy, some not. (Don’t tell Perky-trainer-Cheri!! She’s already taken away my chips and salsa! She might decide cream cheese is next!!) The recipes are pinned on two different boards of mine: Yummy Recipes (origninal, no?) or Healthy Choices, depending on taste and fat-levels. Needless to say, I have way more recipes collected on my Yummy Recipes board than the Healthy Choices.

BUT, I’m trying!!!

Are wanting new ideas for Christmas decorating? Do a search. You’ll find all kinds of ideas for the season!

If you want to look me up on Pinterest, I’m under esimmonsphotog.

By the way, is it P-interest or PIN-terest or PIN-interest? I’ve heard it pronounced several ways.

4. L’oreal Double Extend Mascara

I’ve written about this before. But, I’m hoping lots and lots of ladies buy this mascara so L’oreal will never discontinue it.

You apply the white end first, then follow with the red end. It creates “tubes” around your eyelashes. It does not flake. It does not smear. I love, love, love it. I love it so much I want to marry it.

Not.

When you take it off, it literally comes off in little rubbery-like tubes, easily. It’s hard to explain.

Try it! You’ll like it!

Take a tip from me!

I tried it. I liked it!

A mascara victory!

5. Elf Youself! by OfficeMax.com

Can you tell it’s been a few years since I elved (??) ourselves? ElfYourself really a fun thing to do, if you haven’t. Just go to www.elfyourself.com to join in on the fun.

Hope your week is super, just like you!

Yours til the banana splits,

I have good news, and I have bad news. Then, I have good news.

Which do you want first?

Okay. The good news: My youngest punk had surgery on both feet on Friday. It was just a simple out-patient surgery to permanently remove his reoccurring in-grown toenails. That’s not necessarily good news.

But, the good news about him having surgery is that he did great. The surgery on both toes apparently went well.

He was so scared, poor guy. He had never had surgery before, so his little brain immediately went to worst-case-scenario-mode for days leading up to the surgery.

He even asked when he would be able to walk again. If ever.

(I had to explain to him that he was not having toes removed, just cut on. Small incisions. One or two stitches per cut. Didn’t help. We even used his good buddy Blake, whose appendix ruptured and had to have emergency MAJOR surgery, to explain to him that he’d be okay. Still didn’t help.)

All of the above is not really good news.

But, it’s not really bad news, either.

It’s just how he felt. I don’t want to tell you he even cried a little, but I will tell you that I did. But, not in front of him. I was a good soldier, don’t you worry.

The good news?

The anesthesiologist gave him some, um, shall we say, “happy juice?” before he went in for the surgery.

Suddenly, he was laughing.

Like hysterically.

Like he couldn’t stop laughing.

He’d laugh at himself laughing.

He’d laugh at us laughing at him laughing.

Then he’d quote that YouTube video, “Unicorns after Wisdom Teeth.” (a must watch)

Then, he’d laugh some more.

The bad news? I can never let him out of my sight when he leaves for college. In fact, I will have to homeschool him during those years. Because, if he ever decides to go to a party where alcohol is served, the dude will seriously be on YouTube that night, possibly the nightly news.

I’m telling you, he will be the most entertaining, fun-loving, hilariously stupid drunk EVER.

(Needless to say, I’ve already been praying for my kids for their future choices, but now? I am asking for the Bat Phone to God….)

So, fast forward. Surgery goes well, we get him home, and he sleeps a lot.

And, he takes his pain meds, which helped. Plus, they didn’t make him loopy, thank goodness. (I don’t know what was in that i.v. at the surgery center, but I might have to order me some….)

We get through all day Friday and almost all day Saturday, then boom.

Bad news.

My poor kid, who just had his two big toes cut into (I know it’s not that big of deal, but it is painful–they scraped the bone, for goodness sake!–and makes for unwieldy walking), begins to throw up violently.

Nope. Not the meds.

He’s got a stomach bug.

So, now he can’t take his pain meds.

His toes are throbbing.

His head is throbbing.

And his stomach is revolting on him.

We couldn’t even leave for our scheduled Thanksgiving travels because we were not going to put him in a car and drive 4 hours. How miserable would that be??

Ah, but since this blog is meant to entertain and hopefully always leave folks in a good mood, I am happy to say, the stomach virus was fast-paced and he’s already doing much better!

Yea!

Maybe, one day, he will give me permission to show some of the video we took of him before his surgery….

Until then, I guess I’ll leave you with the quite fashionable shoes he gets to sport for the next week or so:

Happy Tuesday!

Football Weekend

Our beloved Chargers lost by 3 measly points, yesterday, in a hard-fought game. It was heart-breaking for the Seniors, especially, but everyone was sad to see it end.

I’m really proud of the boys. And the coaches. It’s been a privilege to stand alongside them on the sidelines.

Pete’s Chicken and Rice

How was your Thanksgiving?! I hope your week continues in a manner of gratitude and an awareness of all the things you are thankful for. E.

What makes a recipe a favorite?

What makes it memorable?

Is it only because it tastes good?

Yes, of course.

But the taste buds aren’t the only thing involved.

For me, personally, some of my recipes are favorites not only because they taste yummy, but because they hold special significance.

What causes a recipe to have significance?

Usually, at least for me, it rests in the fact that it was given to me by a friend. And, sometimes there’s a memory attached to it.

Take for instance, my mother’s dressing. It is/was the very best dressing ever. Ever.

And, I’ve eaten some good dressing.

In fact, every Thanksgiving and Christmas I practically gorge myself on my mother-in-law’s turkey and dressing. It’s that good.

But, as much as I love both my mother-in-law and her dressing, it doesn’t top my own mother’s. Now, that can’t be said for many things my mother-in-law cooks, because she’s a darn good cook. But, my mother’s dressing,simply because it was my mother’s, will forever go down in history as the best. It’s incredibly simple and sage-y, not soggy, but with the right amount of moisture…I would eat the turkey and other offerings to be polite, but to be honest, I could have eaten her dressing and gravy only, every single time.

Of course, now that both of my parents are gone, I’m sure the dressing will take on even greater significance, especially since my sister and I made it without our mother’s assistance this year.

I must say, it was de-lish, but I admit, it was missing something: my mom and dad.

Poppyseed Chicken is one of my family’s all-time favorite recipes. (I’ll have to post the recipe soon.)

My kids will request Poppyseed Chicken over just about anything else, if given the choice. It’s even the “special” dinner request for birthdays, etc.

The recipe is stupid-simple. I can make it blind-folded, with items from my pantry. There’s just something about the chicken, cream cheese and cracker topping that takes this recipe over the top.

Why is it such a cherished recipe, though? I mean, it’s a normal make-on-a-weeknight kind of recipe. Nothing special. Except for the fact that my friend Margo gave it to me years ago. She would make it for us, often, when we would gather together, almost weekly, to play our favorite card game, Nertz. When I make it, I always give Margo credit while silently mouthing the words, “thank you” as I scoop another spoonful onto my plate.

That brings me to a more recent favorite that I want to share with you.

But, before I give it to you, I would like to ask you to do me a favor: please make this chicken and rice recipe, but share it with friends. Gather around the table and pass the plates. Then, savor the simple, but oh-so-tasty meal over a long, meaningful conversation, while filling your bellies.

You see, that’s what we did the first time we had Pete’s Chicken and Rice. Pete cooked it for my family during a season when he was living with us during the week, working a new job, while his sweet family was back in the Austin area trying to sell their home. It was a long number of months for his family, but it was a real treat for ours! Pete’s Chicken and Rice was his mother’s, maybe even his grandmother’s recipe, so it takes on more importance simply because it means a lot to Pete, and we love Pete.

I think swapping recipes can bring people together. The recipes that friends have given me, especially if there is a sentimental value to it, seem to taste better. It reminds my family to thank God for our friend(s), every time one of their recipes is placed on our dinner table.

(To be honest, I’ve never quite understood folks who don’t want to share recipes, even family “secret” recipes…especially since you can find just about any recipe on the internet these days, so nothing is really truly secret anymore. But, that’s neither here nor there.)

So, without further ado, here is Pete’s Chicken and Rice:

(These are not exact measurements, they are pretty much eye-balled. This recipe can be easily tweaked to suit your needs. Also, this is a one-pot meal!)

1 to 2 pkgs skin-on Chicken thighs (and/or drumsticks) (I’m sure you can use chicken breasts, but I am a lover of the thigh and leg.)

2 T. Crisco or vegetable oil

Tony Chachare’s Original Creole Seasoning (or favorite all-purpose seasoning)

1 small to med onion, diced

2 C. rice, uncooked

4 C. chicken broth

1/2 t. fine ground pepper

1. In a dutch oven or large pot, melt Crisco (or heat oil).

2. Season chicken pieces with seasonings, then brown both sides of chicken, in batches, in heated oil (don’t cook through, just brown).

3. Once all the chicken pieces are browned, pour off all the grease, leaving about 2 t. to 1 T. oil.

4. Saute’ onion in oil. Sprinkle with pepper while the onion cooks.

5. Once onion is soft, add uncooked rice to saute with the onion for a of couple minutes.

6. Add 4 C. chicken broth. (If you think you need a little more liquid, add up to 1/2 C. water.)

7. Place chicken pieces back into the pot, layering if needed.

8. Put a tight-fitting lid on and simmer for about 20 minutes. If the liquid is not evaporated and cooked down after 20 minutes, cover and cook a little longer.

Please, for Pete’s sake, try this!

Make a memory.

Then, pass the recipe on to another friend.

I just can’t help it…

I just can’t help it. Those of us who love Baylor University are still reeling from the upset over Oklahoma last Saturday.

What an amazing game!!

I grew up loving the Bears.

I think I was born with Green & Gold blood coursing through my veins.

You see, my mother, her father, his two brothers, his sister, almost all their children, my uncle, and many other cousins all attended Baylor. In fact, our family has been given the First Families of Baylor Award commemorating the multiple generations in our family that have attended Baylor.
(I even married a Baylor Bear!)

Baylor was my one and only choice, when it came to deciding where to go to college.

(That is me and my Freshman roommate, Marcy, the first day we met.)

To say I love my alma mater is an understatement.

Football has always been a big part of my Baylor history, as well. I attended games during our winning years, back in the 70′s while Grant Teaff was coach.

But, the same could be said of the lean years, after Coach Teaff. Just about every weekend in the Fall, I could be found near the 50 yard line in the alumni section at Baylor’s football stadium.

We’ve even followed the Bears to different locals all over the country.

…to play Army

…UConn
…Georgia, Notre Dame,& UNLV, just to name a few
…bowl games like The Liberty Bowl, The Sun Bowl, The Bluebonnet Bowl, The Alamo Bowl…the list goes on.

And, of course, we attend games right there in Waco, still today, sitting in the very same seats my grandparents purchased when the stadium was built.

Needless to say I have a long history with Baylor. And when they do well, as they’ve done in basketball over the last few years, and now football, I find myself standing a little taller, a little prouder. (Let me say for the record, I am proud of the academic & artistic accomplishments the university has made, as well.)

(Robert Griffin, III for Heisman!!)

Even if you don’t watch much football, you might enjoy this fairly short highlight reel from the BU/Oklahoma game. The commentator (Baylor alumni John Morris) makes it quite exciting! (As if the game itself wasn’t exciting enough on its own.)

Enjoy!

And, Sic ‘em Bears!

Tags: Baylor Bears, RG3 for Heisman

When was the last time you…

…had Jello?

I made some for my youngest son while he was recuperating from both the toe surgery and the untimely and awful stomach virus. (My oldest got the same stomach bug while we were out of town for Thanksgiving. It’s equally torturous watching your over 6 foot tall boy being so miserable…I hate it when my kids are sick.)

Sorry. I digress.

Back to the Jello.

I forgot how much I like Jello.

It’s sweet and light.

It’s a party in your mouth, if I may say so.

So, today, I implore you: make some Jello! Cut it into little cubes, like they do at Luby’s Cafeteria (is that a regional thing?).

Add some Cool Whip!

And, then, have a party! In your mouth!

Hope you have a wiggly, jiggly J-E-L-L-O day!

(By the way, I have wiggly, jiggly T-H-I-G-H days, everyday…)

(The photos were taken with my phone camera, which has been greatly improved with the most recent upgrade!)

Fancy Nancy

Fancy Nancy.

If you have a little girl in your life, whether it be a daughter, niece, or granddaughter, then you’ve probably heard of the charming books by Jane O’Connor. They are absolutely delightful books!

Delightful is another word for adorable.

I sound very hoity-toity, don’t I?

Hoity-Toity is another word for assumed importance.

I don’t have a daughter, but the books sort of hold a special place in my heart because my mother’s name was Nancy, so she would occasionally receive Fancy Nancy books from me or my sister on special occasions.

Well, yesterday, my friend Shannon drove me across Houston to a Fancy Nancy book signing.

My friend Shannon absolutely loves, loves, loves Fancy Nancy books, so come hell or high water, she was going to be at that book signing! (She was like a little girl, giddy with excitement. Unfortunately, she forgot her tiara.)

Both Jane O’Connor, the author, and the illustrator, Robin Preiss Glasser, were on hand to read one of their books, and to autograph pre-owned or newly purchased books.

Here’s Jane O’Connor reading to the kids. She was sweet and very entertaining.

(all photos taken with my shaky, hand-held camera phone…sorry!)

We joined about 75-100 other Fancy Nancy-lovers, including a bunch of sweet little tiara-wearing girls who obviously all know Fancy Nancy well.

I’m glad I tagged along with Shannon.

Had I not, I would have missed another lady completely obsessed with Fancy Nancy:

I would have missed seeing both the author and illustrator all dressed up in “fancy” clothes…

..and tiaras!

…saying things like, “Bon jour!” and “Merci!”

(“Bon jour” is a fancy French word for “good day.” And, “merci” is another fancy word for “thank you.”)

(You must read the books to understand.)

Most importantly, I would have missed seeing my friend being tickled pink.

Tickled pink is another way of saying, quite happy.

P.S. If you are in the Houston area, I highly recommend visiting Blue Willow Bookshop, off of I-10. It’s a small, wonderful locally-owned (support those locally-owned shops and restaurants!!) bookstore that brings in authors on a very regular basis. (They were the ones who brought in The Pioneer Woman to sign her cookbooks and her children’s Charlie book.) They usually get a few extra copies of author-signed books, so if you miss an actual signing, you can usually swing by and pick one up after the fact. Or, I think you can even pre-order a signed book, as well.

TGIF

It’s Friday!

Already.

Where did the week go??

Did yours fly by, as well?

Mercy.

Well, because it’s Friday and the week is almost over, I shall make a list.

1. I had a birthday this week. It was quite uneventful, which is, I think, a good thing. ThrillCam was out of town on my birthday, but he was very sweet and sent me these:

He’s a keeper, that man.

They have such a beautiful aroma and thankfully, it covers the dirty-socks-stacked-up-dirty-dishes-fast-food-sacks-in-trash-can smell that usually permeates my house…

2. Guess where I’ll be this Saturday?

I’ll be in the rain and cold, cheering on my Baylor Bears! This will actually be my first game to attend this season. I’m both excited and somewhat apprehensive.

Why apprehensive? Well, this will be the first game I will attend without my mom being by my side.

I don’t think I’ve been to a Baylor game, ever, where she was not in attendance. And, believe me, I’ve been to a LOT of Baylor games over the years.

It’s just going to be weird, you know? And, sort of sad. Mainly because she would have been ecstatic over the Bears’ success. And, we would have already been talking about, speculating over, and planning for the Bowl trip that will surely be in our future.

But, it’s going to be okay.

I will cheer on my Bears even louder than usual to make up for her absence.

And, I know that if we beat UT, she will be smiling down on us from Heaven, as she and Jesus are yelling “Ehhhhhhh, Sic ‘em Bears!” (Because, I’m sure Jesus roots for Baylor more than UT.)

(One more time: RG3 for the HEISMAN!!)

3. My youngest had his stitches removed, yesterday.

WARNING! If you are squeamish, scroll quickly past the following picture.

I took it about a week ago.

It shows my son’s stitches and a little dried blood.

My sincere apologies.

4. This was what appeared on my Words With Friends screen the other day.

Maybe I should have saved the picture for April 15th. (You may see it again…)

If you want to play me in WWF, look me up! esimmonsphotog is my WWF screen name.

5. I got tired of Bear, our yellow Lab, sleeping on our couches.

So, I got this:

It’s huge! But, I love it because it doesn’t look like a dog kennel.

Well, it doesn’t look like a typical dog kennel.

He seems to like it.

Then again, he has no choice but to like it, because that’s his bed at night.

6. I have not started my Christmas shopping, yet. I feel rather un-inspired this year.

Do you have any great ideas for an almost 18-year-old ~~boy~~ young man, that doesn’t include a motor, wheels and high acceleration?

My almost 13-year-old has already revised his list 4 times, since September. No worries there.

7. I haven’t put up our tree, yet, either.

I’ve decided, this year, that I am going with the bare minimum for decorations, indoors.

I do have plans for the front yard, but I need ThrillCam to help in that area, so that all happens next week.

How are you doing on your decorating and shopping? Are you procrastinating, like me?

8. I have been slowly working on re-vamping my photography website (no changes are visible just yet).

I am hopeful that it will be much hipper (is that a word??) than what I have now.

Due to so many changes going on with our family this year, I have to admit that my photography business has not been a top priority for me. But, that’s going to change this coming January. I’m attending a photography convention in New Orleans, which I know will be a fantastic shot in the arm, plus, I’m looking forward to the Senior Portrait sessions I’ve got planned for the Spring!

It’s all going to super fun and exciting!! Stay tuned!

9. Well, I have to get going. I think our pool needs to be backwashed?? I’ve forgotten how to do that process, so I must call someone for help.

(Have you ever felt like you needed to be backwashed? I know I have. …T.M.I., sorry!)

And, I need to gather the rain gear for the game.

And the tickets.

And, I need to brush my teeth.

(I have Honduran coffee breath!!)

(photo credit: Sarah Glenn, Getty Images)

(I just wanted to post that picture again. I think it’s the best picture EVER!!)

On that lovely note, have a super weekend!

XOXO,

Yes, I cried.

The only way to tell was by touch and taste; warmth and salt mixed in with the raindrops, making it hard to distinguish.

All emotion could be hidden by the hood on my raincoat.

None of the record turnout for the game knew.

Except my sweet husband.

And, maybe my uncle, who could certainly understand.

Thankfully, I was able to silently mourn the loss of my mother, once again, this time, surrounded by noise and excitement, cheerleaders and bands.

It was surreal and ironic.

And, I think, cathartic.

I know it’s silly, and most folks would think it’s just plain weird that I would be sad at a football game, but I just couldn’t help it. Baylor football (and most things Baylor) have always included my mother. Period.

My daddy was at almost all the games, as well, but he did not graduate from Baylor, so while he supported the Bears, it was not the same. He supported the Bears because he loved my mother, and she loved her Bears.

I followed in her footsteps.

So, as you can see, getting through my first “live” Baylor game without my mom by my side was hard.

…I guess all the “firsts” are.

Thankfully, it didn’t take long for me to be distracted. My tears of sadness were replaced, after the second play of the game (a BU touchdown!), with tears of joy.

It was a fantastic game!

If you haven’t heard: WE WON!!!

We beat the longhorns.

For the second year in a row.

(For me, personally, this win trumps all wins–I loathe the longhorns–a trait I inherited from both of my parents.)

teehee.

hoho.

(photo credits: Tony Gutierrez)

haha.

It was like a balm to my soul.

(Our oldest sat with a friend in the end zone, so he was unavailable for the family photo op. I doubt he was sad to miss it.)

Listen.

I appreciate you.

I do.

Thanks for humoring me and allowing me to share my excitement over my alma mater’s winning season. You’ll have only a few more posts (this year) to suffer through.

Of course, I’ll post more when RGIII wins the HeIIIsman!

(photo credit: ?? Ap Photo??)

(photo credit: Sarah Glenn, Getty Images)

And, finally, I’ll tell you all about our trip to the ALAMO BOWL after Christmas!!!

Oh. Wait.

I forgot.

Baylor has superior basketball teams….

Sic ‘em.

Have a great Monday!

To be continued…

Tags: Baylor Bears, Baylor football, Baylor University, RG3 for Heisman

Santa likes football, too!

You know, recently I mentioned on my personal Facebook page that I am pretty certain Jesus cheers for the Baylor Bears more than the longhorns (or any other team, for that matter).

After all, the Bible does mention bears, but not a single longhorn is to be found…. I know. I did a search.

(You know I’m kidding.)

(sort of.)

(I really did do a search, though.)

Well, I have proof that Santa loves the Bears, too!!

With this kind of backing, we should be playing for the National Championship….

P.S. Santa looks a little dazed, no? Maybe the long, exciting (and quite WET) game was a bit much for him–he’s probably been working some late nights, recently. This is his busy season, after all.

Same brand! New look!

Well, I went and pulled an old switcheroo on you, didn’t I?

I obviously changed the look of my blog.

I’m not sure I’ll keep it this way, but I wanted to try something new for a week or two.

Why?

Well, this particular theme allows me to post larger photos, like the one above.

What do you think? You likey?

Give it a few days before you blast it; see if it grows on you. (Of course, I’ll have to see if it grows on me, as well.)

Until then, thanks for playing along!

Yours ’til the banana splits,

P.S. I had forgotten about the snow flakes! They automatically began drifting down on December 1st! Sort of annoying? Yes. Sort of fun? Yes. Turning them off? No.

He did it!!!

Robert Griffin III won the HeIIIsman!!!!!

Congratulations to Robert, Coach Briles, the Baylor Bear football team, & all of the Baylor Nation!
He’s such a fine young man; smart, articulate, and has, seemingly, great character.
I couldn’t be prouder.

Sic ‘em Bears!

(I’m a little late in posting this; it was meant to go up on Tuesday, after David Letterman… Oh, well…better late than never…)

Tags: Baylor University, Heisman, RG3, Robert Griffin III

Wove. Twue Wove…

Starbucks’ Caramel Brulee Latte.

Where have you been all my life?

I want to marry you.

And, why did I wait until December 16th to purchase you?

I.Am.Complete.

Tags: caramel, latte, starbucks

A Preview of Next Week’s Posts!!

I figured if I write a post claiming I will write more posts next week, I might actually write. More posts.

Write more posts. Posts, posts, posts. Write. Might. Posts….

Post is an odd word.

Here’s what you can look forward to next week:

1. Bucket O’ Meat.

Need I say more?

(I’m so sorry if I’ve ruined your morning coffee with that picture. It’s almost as bad as the picture of my son’s infected toe… I am vile and disgusting like that, and I need help. Psychological help. Soon.)

(I blame it on the fact that I live with three males. Any estrogen and/or natural female tendencies have all but vanished due to the high levels of testosterone wafting, walking, and wending its way through my everyday life. I am but a shell of a woman. The color pink, nail salons, and shopping have little appeal to me…Gross, disgusting, weird, fast and revolting things have replaced any desire to be girly.)

(I can’t wait to show what ThrillCam, our friend Pete, and I did with said Bucket O’ Meat!!! It’s vile and disgusting. ‘Cause I’m like that.)

2. A cooking myth debunked!

3. A breakfast recipe that would be great for the holidays!

4. A Christmas decorating tip that you will thank me for…um, next year, since I waited too long this year before telling you. My bad. (Unless, of course, you wait until the week of Christmas to actually decorate, then you’ll love me this year!)

5. And…and…who knows what crazy things I’ll talk about on the week before Christmas?!!!

Looking forward to seeing you next week!

P.S. All the photos in next week’s post will be taken with the phone camera! It’s that exciting…

A Cooking Tip. Not.

I was perusing one of my new favorite cooking blogs, Kayotic Kitchen, where she described, no, promised, if you place a wooden spoon across a pan of boiling water, and it will not boil over.

I had never heard this cooking tip.

Ever.

My momma never mentioned it.

Paula Deen never mentioned it.

Rachel Ray never mentioned it.

Alton Brown never mentioned it.

Giada de Lalkafeksajfnea never mentioned it.

But, honestly, that means nothing. There are many, many cooking tips I have not a fat clue about.

(Ask my husband and boys; they can attest to that fact.)

Anyway, I decided to give it a try.

It certainly was simple enough.

I mean, who can’t appreciate a pot that doesn’t boil over?! (Is that a double negative??)

I know I certainly appreciate a pot that doesn’t boil over.

So, I put my wooden spoon across the pot full of boiling water.

It boiled over.

Twice.

The End.

Tags: cooking tips

Breakfast Pizza

9 a.m.

Saturday morning.

Mascara smeared.

Breath stinks.

Belly’s growling.

3 left-over, dried-out, stiff, cold pizza slices on counter.

Breakfast!

So, maybe that was acceptable when I was 20 years old and in college, but no longer do I find rigid mozzarella and dried-out pepperoni appealing.

But, give me a slice of pizza for breakfast that includes eggs, cheese, sausage, bits of bacon, and country gravy, and I’m all over that!!

This would be a great recipe to make for Christmas morning!

I found this recipe on AllRecipes.com.

I think.

(I apologize that I am not sharing the exact link. But, if it makes you feel any better, I tweaked the recipe some, so it’s not really the original. In fact, it’s one of those recipes you can look at once, collect the ingredients and make it. It’s that easy. You can even pre-cook everything the night before (with exception to the eggs) and just assemble it all the day your make it.)

You’ll need the following items:

8-12 eggs, scrambled (if you use two cans of Crescent Rolls–see below–then go with 12 eggs.)
1/4 C. to 1/2 C. milk
salt and pepper, a dash or two
1 lb. ground sausage (your favorite flavor/type of meat), browned
1/2 C. onion, diced
Bacon Bits (or the real thing, a few slices cooked and crumbled) (optional)
1 Country (Cream) Gravy, dry packet (make according to directions) (or, if you have the time and inclination, make it from scratch)*
1-2 C. grated cheddar cheese
1 or 2 cans Crescent Rolls (or a can of pizza dough, or a pizza dough round) (I didn’t need 2 cans, because I wasn’t feeding a bunch of folks, but if you have more than 5 people to feed, I’d go with 2 cans and 12 eggs.)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Roll out Crescent Rolls to create one large rectangle. Place it on a baking sheet or pizza pan. Set aside. (If using pizza dough or pizza round, follow directions and pre-cook, if needed.)

3. In a bowl, place eggs, milk and salt/pepper. Whisk until scrambled.

–Cook eggs in a pan with a little butter or margarine, until just firm. (Remember, the eggs will continue to cook after you take them off the stove. You really don’t want hard, rubbery eggs. Allow them to stay soft and fluffy, like a good scrambled egg should be.) Remove from hot pan and set aside.

4. In another large pan, brown the sausage. Drain grease off. Set aside. (Do the same to a few slices of bacon, if you are not using Bacon Bits.)

–after browning sausage (or during) cook onions until translucent (I used the same pan as the sausage.) Mix cooked onions into browned sausage.

5.Mix up the gravy according to packet directions. (Or make your own from scratch.) Set aside.

6. Grate your cheese, if needed. Set aside.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Okay! Now that you have your mise en place (oohhh, I’m getting all fancy on you…it’s a French culinary phrase for “things in place”), you may begin assembling your breakfast pizza:

Smear the gravy all over the rolled out crescent rolls (or pizza dough).

Spread the eggs over the gravy. (Excuse the bit of sausage; I got ahead of myself.)

Scatter the sausage (and onions) over the eggs

Strew the cheese over the sausage.

Sow the bacon bits over the cheese.

Now…

8. Slap that baby into the oven and cook about 12-15 minutes.**

ENJOY!!

*The original recipe called for Cream of Celery soup as the base/pizza sauce. I opted for cream gravy, instead. The reviews of the Cream of Celery soup were great, so I’m sure it tastes equally as good. But, I took a risk and tried it with gravy. Next time, I’ll try the soup.

**I cooked mine a little longer, even though the edges browned a little more than I would usually allow them. But, the middle of the pizza crust, especially if using crescent rolls, tends to stay a little dough-y. My boys didn’t mind the softer crust, but I prefer it to be cooked just a bit longer. (Next time, I will move the pizza lower in the oven, which should help to cook the crust thoroughly, while not burning the edges.)

P.S. Once again, I’ve used my phone-camera to snap pictures as I cook something. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but when you have poor lighting, like I do, the phone-camera just doesn’t hang. Sorry for the blur and the off-color!

Tags: Breakfast Pizza

Bucket ‘O Meat

**Warning: Yucky, gross things related to meat processing in this post.

If that makes you queasy, please visit the blog tomorrow when I will make no mention of meat parts or anything remotely connected to a dead animal.

I will discuss the topic of the holidays.

It will be sweetness and light.

Not disgusting and grody.

I promise.

And…I’m sorry.

See that above?

That was what I just about tripped over when I walked into my kitchen the other night.

Meat.

A bucket of it.

A Bucket ‘O Meat.

Bones.

Parts.

You see, ThrillCam shot a deer and decided to process it himself.

Well, himself …and a friend.

Pete.

Pete is a good friend like that.

Pete doesn’t mind meat and bones and parts.

Pete is a hunter, as well.

He and ThrillCam believe in hunting to eat.

So, whenever they get a hog or a deer, it always goes to feed their children.

And, their wives.

Okay, and themselves.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

So, what do you do when you ask a friend to come over and help you process a deer in your kitchen?

Why, you invite them over for dinner, first!

Because if you give a mouse a cookie, he’ll want a glass of milk…

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pete’s whole family came over.

We made a party of it.

A Meat Processing Party!

It’s all the rage.

Not.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pete’s wife, Beverly, and I did not join ThrillCam and Pete in the kitchen after dinner.

Instead, we drank a glass of wine and chatted.

And laughed.

And completely ignored the fact that my kitchen had been converted to a butcher shop.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

So, fast forward.

The next day, Pete was not there.

The next day, there was still meat to be dealt with.

The next day, sausage had to be made.

Guess who was enlisted to help…

Yep.

Me.

I pressed the meat into the grinder and, together, ThrillCam and I created these cute little things:

Are you impressed?

You should be!

I certainly am!

I’ve never made sausage before.

Have you?

And, thanks to ThrillCam, Pete, and even me, we now have venison sausage and backstrap to last us a few months!

I’m very excited.

Although, we cannot eat the venison for at least a month after freezing it. Not sure why, but that’s what I was told.

So, I ain’t touching it until next year!

I’ll be sure to let you know how it tastes when we try it.

And, so, in honor of our meat-packing, sausage-making awesome-ness, I give you this:

Go Meat!

Tags: Go Meat!, venison, venison sausage

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Ingredients

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