50s Housewife

It's a Good Kind of Busy

2011-09-12T17:39:00.000-05:00

Thanks so much to those of you who were concerned about our welfare and asked if we were near the Texas wildfires. We aren't and we are safe, but I would appreciate your prayers for Texas! The drought is just SO bad! At least we had a break in the heat which is wonderful. I can't wait to break out my boots and sweaters.

I've been so busy lately with my family and grad school that blogging has taken a bit of a back seat. I miss it and all of you, but there just isn't always time for everything I want to do. Normally I'm a fan of having lots of white space in my calendar, but I'm actually enjoying this busy season in my life. Maybe it's because the things on my calendar are things I really want to do, not things I feel pressured into doing. Well, band bus chaperone isn't the most fun thing I've ever done, but getting to know my kids' friends and spending time with them in these last few years I have them at home IS.

Plus, you want to know one of the best things about being in school? I get to SIT DOWN! Crazy, huh? Oh AND I have a great excuse to be on the computer. "I'm writing a paper honey, can you fold the laundry?" I might have a tab open to read blogs or browse Amazon, but that's only so I can give my brain a break every now and then.

Have a great week!

Getting Older Rocks!

2011-09-02T08:36:00.000-05:00

Female Pilot

The media tries to tell us that once we hit 30, our best days are behind us. Not so! I'm in my 40s and in many ways I'm happier than ever! Starting this graduate school adventure has been one of the scariest things I've ever done (hence the picture of the pilot), but it's also made me realize that I am more courageous than I give myself credit for. I feel full of possibilities and not old at all. I am free to enjoy where life takes me. Who needs botox? Let's enjoy the age we are and don't forget how to have fun.

French Toast Bread Pudding

2011-08-23T06:39:00.001-05:00

I try to make something special for breakfast every year on the first day of school. This year it was sausage cheese balls and French Toast Bread Pudding. Both recipes are easy to put together the night before. It's nice to have everything ready to go for the first day of school so I can spend my morning taking pictures. :)

Yes, I know this isn't exactly the healthiest breakfast out there, but it sure is delicious for a special occasion!

Famous French Bread Pudding
1 loaf white or wheat bread
1 quart half & half
6 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 stick butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cups chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a glass pan. Break bread into small bite-sized pieces and place into pan. Beat eggs and egg whites in a large bowl. Add half & half, sugar and cinnamon; mix well. Pour over bread. Top with powdered sugar and additional cinnamon. Slice butter and place on top. Sprinkle chopped pecans over all. Cover pan with foil and bake for 40 minutes; uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes. If you want to make it even more decadent, serve with whipped cream and caramel sauce on top!

You can also put everything together the night before, cover with foil and keep it refrigerated over night. Then bake as directed.

Do you make a special breakfast for the first day of school?

Bust Summertime Boredom with 10 Wallet-Friendly Ideas from Primrose Schools - Guest Post

2011-08-22T06:13:00.001-05:00

By: Kathleen Thomas

What could be worse than a rainy summer day, when your children are cooped up inside and you have nothing planned? For parents, even sunny days that seem filled with endless opportunities, still yield the inevitable “I’m bored!” Undoubtedly, your children will utter those words at least once during the upcoming summer months.

Studies show that without stimulation, children can lose up to 60 percent of what they learned during the school year. Primrose Schools, a family of 200 accredited private preschools, suggests the key to overcoming summertime boredom and the “brain drain” effect is to encourage imaginative play and have a plan in place to keep children engaged during the summer months.

“It’s important to keep children’s minds active during the summer, but it doesn’t take an expensive activity or big vacation to capture their attention,” said Dr. Mary Zurn, Vice President of Education for Primrose. “After all, imagination is free.”

Summer is a great time to encourage children to let their imaginations soar. School schedules can sometimes be demanding and time for less structured, imaginative activities is often scarce. The freedom of summer gives children large blocks of uninterrupted time to create projects of their own choosing that can last several days or even longer.

Here are 10 ideas parents can use to keep young minds active during the summer months:

1. Beat the Boredom Jar: At the beginning of the summer, sit down with your family and brainstorm a list of activities that can be done alone or that you can enjoy doing together. Encourage your children to share their own ideas and help you decorate and label a simple jar as the family “Boredom Buster Jar.” They’ll feel more involved in the project and more likely to think this is a “neat” idea, if they participate in the creation and idea generation. Next, write everyone’s ideas down on slips of paper and as a group decide which ones should go in the jar. Anyone in the family can pull any idea out of the jar to fight the summertime boredom blues.

2. Stories Alive: It sounds too simple, but reading is one of the most important ways to keep young minds engaged during the summer. Make reading even more fun by finding ways to bring the stories to life. For example, in the book Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran, children create a make-believe town in the desert out of rocks, boxes, and their imaginations. Read the book with your children and then challenge them to create their own town with materials they find in the backyard.

3. Art Treasure Chest: You’ll need to gather basic art supplies–child safe scissors, glue, markers, tape, and construction paper. Put them in a special box along with empty oatmeal boxes and paper towel rolls, colorful magazines, and bits of aluminum foil. Occasionally add a special surprise like chalk, stickers, or stamp pads so there’s always something new for the children to find. Even if you normally have these supplies around the house, it‘s fun for children to know that the Art Treasure Chest is just for them. They’ll probably have some good ideas of other household items that can be recycled to fuel their creative energies.

4. Family Performances: Break out old clothes or costumes and encourage children to make up characters and create a play to act out. They are the directors, actors, and producers. They can also make musical instruments out of pots/pans, wooden spoons, empty canisters and have a parade; or everyone can play along to your family’s favorite songs. Record or video the performances, and enjoy the replay. You’ll also be capturing a bit of family history everyone will enjoy for years to come.

5. Fort Building: Children love to build all kinds of structures--from small towns to large towers. Constructing forts or tents is an activity that can keep children focused and problem solving for hours. All the items you need can be found around the house–some chairs, cushions, blankets… and of course adult supervision.

6. Cookbook Fun: Have you ever shared your favorite cookbook with your children? Take it out and ask your children to choose a recipe to try. Measuring can be a fun and easy way to keep math skills fresh.

7. Summer Scrapbook: All you need for this project is a spiral notebook. Encourage everyone in the family to draw pictures of favorite activities and collect mementos from special events throughout the summer. Children love to go back through scrapbooks and albums and tell about what happened at each occasion. They will also be building their storytelling skills at the same time.

8. Listening Game: Lie down in the backyard, in the den or at the park and listen. What do you hear? Do you hear what I hear? Can you imitate the sound? This is similar to watching the clouds and naming the shapes, and it encourages everyone to slow down and focus on listening.

9. Camping Out: Pretend to campout in the backyard. Plan a meal, pack a backpack and set up a campsite. You might even decide to spend the night!

10. Scavenger Hunt: Make a list or picture cards of common household items and have your children find the items on the list. Invite friends or neighbors to join in the fun to make it a competition.

Parents can use this list of ideas as a starting point for summer activities that offer a balance between the freedom of child-initiated play time and more structured activities.

“Keeping children engaged with open-ended activities that stretch their imaginations during the summer months helps them develop their independence, creativity, and thinking,” said Dr. Zurn. “We want to help parents keep the “brain drain” at bay while their children play.”

When preparing for a brain-drain-free summer, remember to suggest or provide age appropriate activities. Many times, children say they are bored because the activity they were doing was either too simple or too advanced to keep them occupied for long. Activities should be fun and challenge what they know, but should keep in line with the interests and developmental levels of your children.

Ultimately, we know every child is different, with different interests and learning styles so having a variety of ideas is a great way to be prepared during the summer months. Involving children in the planning of ideas gives them an opportunity to express their individuality and creativity.

So with these tips in mind, sit down with your family and make a plan for an engaging, imaginative and fun summer.

Sunday

2011-08-21T13:48:00.000-05:00

Country Church Service

“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”
-John Wesley

Happy Sunday!

Connie Francis

2011-08-13T07:42:00.002-05:00

I just love her voice and this is such a cute song!

Have a great weekend!

Happiness

2011-08-12T17:52:00.000-05:00

"I am a happy camper so I guess I’m doing something right. Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder."
— Henry David Thoreau

A Simple Life

2011-08-10T09:05:00.000-05:00

In these tough economic times, what's a girl to do? To quote Thoreau "Simplify, simplify".

Bake homemade bread (maybe not much cheaper than store bought bread but oh such much more satisfying)
plant a garden and save the seeds for next year
eat at home
hang the clothes out on the line
re-use or re-purpose instead of buying new
carpool when possible
throw away the TV (OK, not really, but watching less means more time with the family and less ads telling us about all the things we "need")
cook from scratch
start making Christmas gifts now
Volunteer in your church and in your community
Appreciate the gift of now

Everything may not be the same, but it will be OK.

Lunch Box Ideas

2011-08-09T10:51:00.000-05:00

Young Girl With Lunch Box on Sidewalk

I feel like we didn't even get a proper summer this year. We didn't have much time for sleeping late and no one got bored. What kind of summer is that?

Marcia and Bobby have started high school summer band, so we are already in "back to school" mode. They have to pack a lunch ever day (the cafeteria isn't open even if they wanted to eat there) and it's too expensive to let them do what some of the kids do and drive to the nearby Sonic for lunch.

They pack their own lunches and I try to have things that are fairly healthy and easy to pack as they often wait until the last possible second, no matter how often I suggest they pack them up the night before.

Here's a list of lunch box foods I like to keep on hand that can be combined in all sorts of ways:

whole grain sandwich bread
tortillas
peanut butter
tuna
cheese sticks or those Mini Babybel cheeses (we all love those but they're more expensive than cheese sticks so I don't buy them as often).
yogurt
applesauce or fruit cups
lunch meat
whole grain muffins
crackers
carrots
apples
granola bars
tortilla chips (they can add a small container of salsa too)
bananas
plums
hard boiled eggs (I don't make these very often, but they love them)
Tea (is that weird?). They love Snapple Lemon Tea, but it's too expensive for everyday. They also like homemade tea packed in a water bottle or a re-purposed Snapple bottle. You can freeze it the night before and it will be nice and icy cold at lunch time.
oranges
Leftovers (which are rare around here)
And of course the occasional oatmeal cookie or slice of banana bread

Do you have any other good ideas for lunch box foods to keep on hand?

Despite the Heat

2011-08-03T22:15:00.001-05:00

Despite the fact that all I want to do is lie under the ceiling fan, eat ice cream, and spritz myself with cold water, I've actually been incredibly busy the past two weeks. Friends and family have been visiting, Bobby and Marcia have started 7:00am marching practice and I've been helping Mom paint her fixer upper in small town, Texas. There's not a chain store or traffic light in her town, but there are three churches.

I love small town churches. I wonder what their attendance is on a Sunday morning? 15? 20?

I'm happy living in my relatively big city with it's restaurants, movie theaters, universities, and symphony, but there's something so appealing about a little town.

I haven't seen a gas pump like that in years.

Look what my mom has right outside her back door!

Turkeys! I can't believe how close they let me get.

More and more of these windmills are popping up on the Texas landscape. I pass lots of them on the way to Mom's house. They're huge and somewhat bizarre standing in the middle of a cotton field (cottonless due to the drought) - lonely yet compelling.

Are you having a busy summer too? Hope you're all staying cool!

Weekend

2011-07-25T16:24:00.001-05:00

Greg is home (he recently returned from Afghanistan) so it has been a weekend of food and family! My favorite!

You Know You're a Reader When...

2011-07-21T22:23:00.000-05:00

You can't get through cooking dinner without a book nearby.

Tie Dye

2011-07-20T06:59:00.000-05:00

In our continuing "Summer O Projects" the girls and I made tie-dye t-shirts. We bought white t-shirts on sale for half price and a neon tie-dye kit. There are all sorts of suggestions in the pamphlet that comes with the kit, but we decided to do a traditional tie-dye style. We folded the t-shirts up accordion style and tied them with rubber bands (then twine when I ran out of rubber bands).

Then we sprayed on the dye. The dye in the kit comes in handy little spray bottles so no mixing which is nice. The girls had fun deciding which color to put where.

We let them dry tied up overnight and then hung them up to finish air drying the next morning. After they were completely dry I set the dye with an iron.

They turned out really cute and the dye has survived the wash with no running or fading. Next on the list, tie-dyed socks!

On a side note, you should have seen the smiles we got when the three of us wore our matching t-shirts, friendship bracelets, and dyed shoes. I'm just hoping we didn't look like craft crazy clowns and people were just smiling because we looked like we'd been having fun!

Small Changes Make a Big Difference

2011-07-19T06:18:00.001-05:00

Our little kitchen will never be in a decorating magazine, but I love it just the same. It's an eat-in kitchen with big pretty windows, a breakfast bar, a pantry, and a dishwasher. Plus it's colorful and fun. What more could I ask for?

Even though I love it, it's still fun to add little touches or change things up occasionally. Tweaking the decor of my house (always on a tight budget of course) is a great joy for me. I'd been admiring the "tin" backsplash at Lowe's for ages and finally bought two panels to put behind my stove. It was super easy and I really like it, plus it won't be a big deal to take down if I get tired of it someday.

Before (excuse the funky lighting - I took these pictures at night):

And after:

Another "after" view so you can see more of the kitchen.

You can click on the pictures to enlarge them. So what do you think?

Thinking Ahead

2011-07-18T06:32:00.004-05:00

"Flowers for Teacher," September 7, 1946

After noticing that the stores are already setting up their school supply displays, I checked my calendar and realized that school starts 6 weeks from today and summer band starts in 2 weeks (I'll have 2 in the high school marching band this year)! That means our summer is almost over, which in turn means it's time to start thinking about back to school. Whew! How did that happen so fast?

Ideally, I start planning for school a month or so before it starts. Last minute panic is no fun and makes for a stressed out family! Here is what I hope to accomplish in the next few weeks:

Dental check ups and cleanings for the kids (they've already had their annual checkups with the doctor)
Go through their jeans and school clothes to see what still fits and make a list of what's needed.
Check the school website for registration dates and "Fish Camp" date (for my incoming freshman).
Make sure school phone numbers are in my contacts list on my phone
Start going to bed earlier
Make sure the kids finish up their summer reading
Take the kids for haircuts (me too if I can find the time)
Declutter - this is an ongoing project around here
Gradually start shopping for school clothes and supplies

Have you started your back to school organizing yet?

Texas Evening

2011-07-16T22:13:00.000-05:00

I do love my state! The friendly people with their laid back attitudes, the gorgeous sunsets, the wide open spaces, the cattle, the oil wells...I love it all.

Random Vacation Thoughts

2011-07-12T18:34:00.002-05:00

Fair warning: this is going to be one of the rambling, non-cohesive type posts.

Despite leaving "clothes" off my packing list I did actually take some with me and didn't have to spend my vacation in nothing but a swimsuit and PJs. My most versatile and favorite piece of packable vacation clothing is my foldover jersey skirt. I have the dark heather gray color which is so versatile. It goes with everything, doesn't wrinkle, is light weight and cool, and the foldover waist makes the length of the skirt adjustable. I'm hoping to get a few more in different colors.

I haven't had a swimsuit I actually like in years and years. Of course that's probably because I usually just buy whatever keeps me covered and is cheap. This year I decided to buy a "real" swimsuit so I bought the hidden assets one piece at Target. The only problem is I bought it without trying it on (shame, shame...I know) and I should have sized up. It is very slimming and cute but it's a bug bear to get on and once it's wet, there's no taking it off and putting it back on. That sort of creates a problem if one needs to make use of the restroom facilities. So instead, I wound up wearing my board shorts and halter tankini top which provided no support (should have sized down...again I bought without trying on. Must be a phobia.) but was at least easy to get back on when wet.

My hair did not look cute in the humidity so I tried to stay out of all the pictures. Unfortunately my plan didn't work and I'll always have reminders of the strange ways my bangs can curl up.
Ditto on the makeup in the humidity. My skin tends toward the oily side so my makeup just slid right off my face. I finally gave up and wore Dr. Feelgood balm over my sunscreen with the addition of a little lip gloss and a swipe of mascara (I normally wear it under my foundation as a primer and it does help if the humidity is not 110%). It didn't cover up the flaws in my skin like foundation does (at least somewhat), but that's better than looking like I was melting, right?
I came home sick (airplane germs?), but I've been cleaning and decluttering nonstop since I got back. There's something about seeing your home with "fresh" eyes to make you notice things that need to be done.
I checked out In the Company of Others: A Father Tim Novel to take with me on the plane but then chickened out, because what if I lost it or got it wet or got sand in it and the library police came knocking on my door? WHAT IF? So I took my kindle instead because it actually belongs to me and only my husband and I would freak out if it were lost or destroyed (much better than freaked out librarians). I've been reading it since I got back though and I'm loving it so far. I knew I would.
I LOVE looking at churches in towns and cities that I visit. I'm always so tempted to ask if I can go in and look around. I saw so many pretty, traditional, older churches of all sizes. I'm a sucker for a steeple. :)

At Home I'm a Maid But at the Beach I'm a Mermaid

2011-07-11T22:57:00.003-05:00

Vacation is over and it's back to reality (and laundry) but I have so many sweet memories. There's just something special about spending time with my family at the beach. I love the timeless sense of fun and freedom that we get from the the waves and the long stretches of sand.

We're sleep deprived and in dire need of some vegetables (what is it about vacation that causes all nutritional concerns to go out the window?) but it was so worth it!

Wish You Were Here!

2011-07-05T16:56:00.000-05:00

I'm writing to you from the teeny tiny screen of my phone. I didn't bring my computer with me but I wanted to say hello and I'm having a great time! See you soon!

Vacation Packing Check List

2011-06-30T19:50:00.001-05:00

Family Packing Suitcases in Trunk of Car Parked on Driveway, Preparing For Vacation

As I've mentioned before, I love a good checklist. If I don't have one I'm liable to get distracted and forget something. It's bad when you pack for vacation and forget something important like underwear or PJs. Not that I've ever done something like that (ahem).

It's almost vacation time for me (yay!!) so I'm making my packing list. I thought I would share in case some of you are as organizationally challenged as I am.

Swimsuit
beach towel
camera and memory card
cell phone and charger
sunscreen
Sunglasses
Facial cleanser
toothbrush, toothpaste and floss
makeup
SPF Lip balm
Razor
Shampoo and Conditioner
PJs
Deodorant
Body Wash
Unmentionables ;)
Brush
Blowdryer
Kindle (I never leave home without it. It's all charged and ready to go)
Hair products
Pillow
First Aid Kit
Money
Assorted family members

Am I forgetting something?

Weekend

2011-06-27T16:40:00.001-05:00

Two words about the weekend: the heat! My word, the heat! I don't like cold weather, but I have to admit I'm not a fan of living on the surface of the sun either.

I've given up on trying to fix my hair. I'm not going to use any appliance that puts out heat when I break out in a sweat as soon as I step out of the shower. I just want it out of my eyes and off my neck. Summer has defeated me and it's not even July.

So other than the pool and church, we went absolutely nowhere and felt extremely grateful for the miracles called central A/C and ceiling fans.

I actually turned on the oven to make muffins. I think they were worth it. A little cinnamon and sugar makes everything better.

Most of my time Saturday was spent at the pool and in the water, but I did manage to drink a smoothie and read some of The Enchanted April on my Kindle. When we got out of the pool we had to walk across the concrete to our chairs as fast as possible (while saying ow! ow! ow!) to avoid burning the bottoms of our feet. Of course it also helps to keep the lounge chairs that aren't in the shade covered with your beach towel so you aren't branded with stripes as soon as you sit down.

By the time we got home from church Sunday it was way too hot to do anything outside so the girls and I worked on making a hobo bag for Marcia. We found a kit with all the fabric and instructions on sale for half price at Hobby Lobby. It turned out really cute! The polka dot fabric is the lining. We're going to make one for Cindy next with a zebra print lining.

How was your weekend?

Pitch Uncertain by Maisie Houghton

2011-06-24T10:23:00.000-05:00

Let me start off by telling you that I received a copy of this book for free so that I could review it for you (always want to be up front about that for all the IRS types out there). However, when I share my opinion, you can be sure that it is honest. Y'all are important to me and I want you to be able to trust that my recommendation cannot be bought.

So, now that we have all that out of the way... I really enjoyed this book! I love to read all types of books, but I find that memoirs are particularly appealing, especially when they are written by someone who is not a politician or actor (although those can be interesting too).

I found myself absolutely absorbed by this book and finished it in two days. Part of the charm for me was the time period in which Mrs. Houghton grew up. As you all know, I'm just a little fascinated with the 40s, 50s and 60s. My mom is the same age as Mrs. Houghton's little sister "Tizzy" and I thought about her often as I read. Even though their upbringings where quite different (my mom grew up a farmer's daughter in rural Texas and Mrs. Houghton grew up as a child of wealthy parents on the east coast), the two still had much in common. They both had fathers away fighting in WWII during their early years and they were both raised in families that valued looks and manners for little girls. I love the author's use of language and the details and descriptions of this time period that might normally be found only in a novel.

The author's parents had a strained and unhappy marriage, but she never blames her parents or portrays them unsympathetically. It's not a "tell all" or sensational type of book. Just a thoughtful and wise examination of a flawed family and how their middle daughter finally found her voice. I think you'll enjoy it. Be sure and read the excerpt below. For more information visit Tide Pool Press.

Author Bio
Maisie Houghton, author of Pitch Uncertain: A Mid-Century Middle Daughter Finds Her Voice, was born in New York City, grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the fifties and graduated from Radcliffe College in 1962. With her husband, she has lived in Corning, New York, for over forty years. Pitch Uncertain is her first book.

Pitch Uncertain
By Maisie Houghton,
Author of Pitch Uncertain: A Mid-Century Middle Daughter Finds Her Voice

I was born in 1940, a bad time for the world, but I never did anything bad until the day I cut off my hair and left it on the floor for my mother to find, a bright, hot pool of yellow curls.

I was four. It was wartime and we were living in a rented house in Winter Park, Florida. My father, an officer in the navy, had recently been stationed there. My mother and I, along with Sybil, my older sister by two years, and Elizabeth, "Tizzy," a new baby of two months, had moved from New York City to be near him.

Florida, despite all its palm trees and relentless sunlight, seemed dark to me -- the people and the houses. Unaccustomed to southern heat, my mother kept the old, verandaed house heavily shaded. The blinds were always down, the curtains drawn. Someone was always taking a nap, my mother, my father (but not together), the amorphous baby. Sybil and I tiptoed around the closed doors, but when we went outside the glittering light hurt our eyes.

In the kitchen was Lily Mae, the black maid. Marion Skillon, a trained nurse from Naples, Maine, was also there. Uncertain in a new land, my mother had persuaded Marion to make the long journey south. Marion, all starched whiteness and squeaking rubber-soled shoes, stuck to the new baby upstairs. Lily Mae ironed endless rivers of laundry and passed dead-looking platters of food in the shadowy dining room.

My father was almost never there. When he did appear, it was often with a swirl of laughing young pilots in uniform. They brought us shells from the beach that we never visited. They set us on their knees, putting down their drinks to balance us on their laps.

The afternoon I rebelled, my mother was a long while on the telephone. She wasn't the type to chatter on. She served as a sounding board to solve other people's problems. My mother had been called to the telephone during a rare treat: We had been having lunch alone together. Her low voice burred on as she twisted the cord in her hand. What was she saying? To whom was she speaking?

I slipped away from the dining room table, wandering sulkily through the muted rooms. On my mother's desk a pair of scissors gleamed. Long and sleek, they were grown ups' scissors, not the stubby, disappointingly blunt ones we used for paper dolls. I ran my hand over my head. My hair was the one thing about me that was different. In everything else I matched my sister -- our seersucker dresses, our red sandals, our black eyes. But Sybil had two brown pigtails while I still had a baby's fuzz of buttery curls. I thought about Marion Skillon in the mornings, twisting my hair into ringlets, wrestling the ribbon to the top of my head. "There now, aren't you sweet? Now go and be good."

Suddenly it was easy to pick up the slender weapon and start to cut. One tentative snip and then I was possessed with the necessity to act and be done with my boldness. My curls fell away like skin being shed by a snake. It went so fast I hardly knew what I was doing. I crept back to the kitchen to face Lily Mae. She stared silently. "Your mama be upset," she said, shaking her head as she moved through the swinging door with a stack of freshly ironed shirts. A little panic seized me, but, almost gleefully, I hurried to stand defiantly before my mother. She was still sitting, unspeaking, by the telephone. She seemed unmoved. "Heavens, what did you do that for? It will take forever to grow out." Marion peered at me over the banister railing. "You've lost your looks," she sniffed.

My mother guided me toward the dining room. "We must finish lunch," she murmured, rousing herself. The table looked half-ravaged, like my hair, with crumpled napkins and tired lettuce on the plates. I started to weep at the enormity of what I had done. Fat tears fell on my grilled cheese sandwich. "Don't fuss, darling," consoled my mother distractedly. She wasn't even looking at me.

There was an unspoken lesson in that afternoon. My mother should have been angry but instead she held her tongue. Was it at that point that I learned to guard the peace, to mind my manners, to keep my mouth shut?

On my report card, the music teacher wrote "pitch uncertain."

In school someone would grab me from behind on the playground: "whose side are you on? Lucy's?" -- the charismatic troublemaker, or "Kitten's?" -- the charismatic good-girl. It seemed easier -- and smarter -- to keep my mouth shut.

One day I came home from school tense, weepy from trying to please everyone. My mother uncharacteristically drew herself up and exhorted me to "Stick by your guns, have the courage of your convictions." Most important of all, "Be yourself!"

"But how do I know who I am?" I wondered.

Growing up, I swam like a fish in the clouded waters of family life.

My family was large, consisting mostly of women. Since I was born in 1940, the men in the family were soon absent, sent as soldiers to Europe or as naval officers aboard ships to the distant Pacific.

I remember not only my mother's mother, "Gran," as we called her, but also her mother, my great-grandmother, erect, dignified and austere in her long dress. The family I remember also harbored a great-great maiden aunt, several great-aunts and endless pretty cousins. During the war we stayed intermittently with my mother's mother, Gran Jay. Though a young widow at fifty-two, she still kept a rambling house in what was then the quiet countryside of Long Island for her five daughters and one neighboring daughter-in-law.

Gran ran her house as an ark, the center of an otherwise fragmented family life. Her daughters dipped in and out of this comfortable, familiar world, using it as a kind of sacred place, sometimes for absolution and redemption, sometimes just for temporary sustenance, always for nourishment.

The above is an excerpt from the book Pitch Uncertain: A Mid-Century Middle Daughter Finds Her Voice by Maisie Houghton. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.

Copyright © 2011 Maisie Houghton, author of Pitch Uncertain: A Mid-Century Middle Daughter Finds Her Voice

Friendship Bracelets

2011-06-23T17:21:00.001-05:00

The girls and I worked on another 100 Days of Summer project today. We've had a great time making friendship bracelets.

This version is made with yarn instead of DMC floss so they're actually a little easier to make, plus if you're like me you have lots of yarn scraps lying around. I feel like I'm at summer camp. :) Now we're off to the pool.

Happy First Day of Summer!

2011-06-21T12:16:00.001-05:00

Of course, around here it's felt like summer for awhile now.

Hope you're enjoying a dip in the pool, some ice cold lemonade, and a nice long novel.

Daily Cleaning Checklist

2011-06-17T10:30:00.001-05:00

Young Woman Cleaning Bathroom Sink

I LOVE a good checklist! There are some areas in my life where it's more fun to go with the flow, but there's nothing like a checklist to help me stay motivated in cleaning my house and being more organized.

I like to have cleaning lists printed out so that I can check things off (so satisfying) and so that the kids can help. For some reason it works much better to give them a list than it does to tell them what I want them to do.

Here's what I try to get done every morning:

Make beds (the kids make their own)
Empty dishwasher and put away dishes (I usually run the dishwasher at bedtime)
Clear clutter from living room, entryway and kitchen (for some reason things tend to pile up in the entryway and on the bar in the kitchen)
Take out trash (this is usually one of the kids' job and sometimes happens at night)
Wipe kitchen countertops and stove (just a quick wipe, not a full clean)
Sweep kitchen
Clean any spots on the kitchen floor
Put out fresh kitchen dish towels
Clean glass storm door (it drives me crazy when there are fingerprints and doggy nose prints all over it)
Clean splatters off of bathroom mirrors
Wipe bathroom sink, counters and toilet (if I have them on hand, I use Clorox wipes for this - they are so handy)
Make sure clothes, jewelry, brushes, makeup, etc. are put away

This looks like a lot, but I usually get it done in less than 30 minutes.

Do you use checklists?

Perfect for Summertime: Iced Coffee

2011-06-16T13:00:00.001-05:00

Is it wrong to drink iced coffee out of a Coca-Cola glass?

I made PW's Perfect Iced Coffee and it is delicious! I love iced coffee year round, but it's especially good when it's so hot the farmers are feeding the chickens crushed ice to keep them from laying hard boiled eggs. (sorry about that - I have a lame sense of humor, or so my kids tell me) It really is hot though, even in the morning. I like to open my windows every morning to let in a little fresh air, but by 7:30 it's already hotter outside than it is in the house.

I'm not a fan of drinking something hot when I'm already having to keep the ceiling fans on high, so iced coffee it is. I've made it before with hot coffee that I later chilled, but this is better. Plus the convenience of having it already cold in the fridge can't be beat. While I'm sure it's best with half &half and sugar, I used 1% milk and Splenda in mine. Still pretty darn good if I do say so myself.

Do you like iced coffee?

Dresser Makeover

2011-06-13T22:40:00.004-05:00

Here's the "before" picture. I've had this dresser in my entryway for years. It's a handy place for my linens, "fancy" flatware and serving pieces that only come out during holidays. Plus it's a nice display when someone walks in the front door. It's not bad, I was just getting tired of it. I really wanted to refresh it and change it up.

I painted it my current favorite color, aqua. Oh, and by the way, isn't the wreath on the wall cute? The mom of one of my preschool students made it for me out of a book using these directions as a Christmas present. She's so crafty!

Here's the view from the front door. I think it's a nice pop of color.

I put a couple of pieces of my milk glass collection on it along with some silver framed pictures from other parts of the house and the lamp that was on my night stand.

I also set out this gorgeous shell. A few years ago we had an exchange student from New Zealand who brought it to us.

The paint was a free quart of Glidden "Deepest Aqua" (thanks Frugal Girls) so total cost of this project: $0! I still have some paint leftover so I'm sure I'll be undertaking another project soon.

100 Days of Summer

2011-06-10T20:59:00.000-05:00

I've you've been needing ideas for entertaining your family this summer I found a great resource! 100 Days of Summer

One of the ideas is to create a colorful pair of canvas tennis shoes for less than $10. I HAD to try it! I dyed mine yellow and my girls want purple and orange. This is a great project for teenagers to do themselves.

I sewed elastic inside so that they don't need laces.

I think they turned out so cute! I'm going to wear them all summer.

Click for Shoe makeover directions

Shopping in Small Town Texas

2011-06-09T17:09:00.001-05:00

My mom and girls and I took a little road trip today to visit my grandmother. Of course, we worked in some shopping too. We found so many cute things! I didn't buy any of them, but it sure was fun to browse and get ideas. Of course, I had to take a few pictures with my phone to show you all the cuteness. Excuse the white shading around the bottom edge of the pictures. I have a white cover on my phone and sometimes it shifts a little and gets in the way of the camera.

I love the candelabra and the painted chandelier! I'm thinking something similar would be really cute in my girls' room. Maybe I can find a chandelier to paint at the thrift store or a garage sale this summer.

This sign is really cute too, as are the flip-flops. Of course, I would never pay that much for a pair of flip-flops (even my boots didn't cost that much). I'm thinking if people actually pay that much for them maybe I need to learn how to decorate them and start my own Etsy shop!

I love shopping in small towns and out of the way shops. You never know what you'll find!

You Never Know Until You Ask

2011-06-08T22:23:00.001-05:00

I've been wanting a bread machine for ages. I love homemade bread as much as I love chocolate (and that's a lot), but I often don't have time to make it anymore. Plus in the summer I hate to turn on the oven.When it's approaching the triple digits outside, who wants an additional heat source in the house?

So I decided that I had a few bucks to spend on a used one. Instead of actually getting in the car and going to a garage sale or thrift shop like a normal person, I just posted on Facebook that I was interested in buying a bread machine. I kid you not, within 5 minutes I had two friends offering to give me one! For FREE! That's my kind of deal. I picked up the first one offered later that day and I've already used up an entire bag of bread flour.

Yesterday I decided to venture into new bread machine territory and make homemade bagels. They have to be shaped, boiled and baked by hand, but the bread machine makes them so easy! They take a lot of time for the rising, etc., but not a lot of effort. Now that my family knows I can make bagels at home, I'm sure the bread machine will be working overtime.

If you're interested you can find the recipe here.

Summer Projects

2011-06-07T22:08:00.000-05:00

One thing I love about summer is that I actually have a little time to work on projects that I dream about all winter.

I'll tell you more about this one when I finish it.

My Favorite Way to Spend a Summer Day!

2011-06-04T17:43:00.000-05:00

I know we'll get tired of it before the summer is over, but hanging out at the pool with my family and a library book is just so relaxing and enjoyable!

Now If I could just learn to apply my sunscreen correctly so that I don't have random sunburned spots...

Oh and by the way, I'm reading Major Pettigrew's Last Stand: A Novel. I'm about halfway through and really enjoying it so far. I'm a sucker for novels set in England. :)

Hope you're all having a wonderful, sunburn free weekend!

Chocolate Stout Cake Fail

2011-05-28T16:08:00.001-05:00

I don't know what made me decide to bake a cake on the hottest day of the year so far (and when I say hot I mean 100 degrees in the shade). Well, yes I do. It was the beautiful pictures and descriptions of Leila's recipe and the fact that we had a stray bottle of beer in the fridge that had been languishing there for months.

I happened to have all the ingredients on hand so out came the KitchenAid.

I baked it in a heavily buttered bundt pan (bundt pans always make me nervous).

It fell a little in the middle (not sure what causes that). I was disappointed, but I figured that part would be on the bottom once I turned the cake out, so it wouldn't matter all that much.

Well, guess what? The cake stuck even though I took all the precautions like letting it cool before trying to turn it out! The bottom (top?) part stayed in the pan. Not cute at all!

But I decided to forge ahead and make the ganache frosting anyway and hope the cake would be edible. I didn't have any heavy cream so I used this instead and left out the coffee granules.

The cake isn't exactly presentable, but it actually tastes good! I feel redeemed!

My girls said strawberries went really well with it too.

So I guess the moral of this story is that even someone who bakes often, like I do, can mess up a cake. And sometimes it tastes better than it looks.

School's Out!

2011-05-27T17:27:00.000-05:00

A little nest got blown out of one of our trees. We looked all over the yard for eggs but didn't find any. Nests are amazing when you look at them up close.

Even though today was the last day of school, Marcia suggested we take the nest to her science teacher. Apparently he loves things like that. One of her brothers had a science teacher whose classroom was full of all sorts of animal skeletons, live animals, plants and fossils. It was a very interesting and educational classroom, but sort of stinky too. :) I'm glad I never had to stay long.

Have a wonderful weekend with your family and remember those who gave their lives in service to our country and their families.

Stress Management

2011-05-24T20:35:00.001-05:00

Tired Fed-Up Stress Exhausted Sales Assistants Shoes Sales, UK, 1954

As much as I would like it to be different, I have a fairly low threshold for stress. That's not a good thing in a family as busy as ours. My first instinct when faced with stress is like the old poem says:

"When in trouble, when in doubt,
Run in circles, scream and shout!"

Not exactly productive is it?

So I have to be very intentional about busting stress before it busts me! Here are my favorite ideas for managing stress (in no particular order):

Watch a funny movie or read a funny book. Laughter always makes me feel better.
Do something creative. Bake something delicious, paint a picture, make a scrapbook or a necklace...anything that you enjoy and that gives you a sense of accomplishment.
Clean the house. OK, it's not the cleaning itself that makes me feel better, but the end result. A messy house stresses me out. Preferably I can find a time when I am home alone and I listen to my favorite music or a great podcast while I clean. It makes it go by so much faster and then I can relax and enjoy the shiny floors and dust free furniture. Sometimes that's a quicker and less stressful route to having a clean house than trying to get hubby and the kids to pitch in.
Sing. I'm not a singer by any means, but I love to put on some old gospel songs and really belt them out when no one is listening.
Exercise. The very last thing I want to do when I'm feeling stressed is to exercise, but if I can talk myself into it, I always feel better and sleep better. It doesn't have have to be anything seriously strenuous. This is one of my favorite workouts that doesn't leave me feeling exhausted afterward.
Talk to another mom and be honest! It's likely that's she's felt the same way. At the very least she'll help you feel more normal.
Read the Psalms
And last, but not least. If you think you might be depressed, there is no shame in getting help! Talk to your pastor or someone else you trust. You may also be able to get free or reduced price counseling through your local university if cost is a concern. Don't put yourself last!

"Always leave enough time in your life to do something that makes you happy, satisfied, even joyous. That has more of an effect on economic well-being than any other single factor."
- Paul Hawken

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T11:03:00.000-05:00

Flowers sent to me for Mother's Day by my oldest son.

Happy Mother's Day to you!

I have a messy kitchen from the extra "help" and I'm typing with lanky teenage arms and legs all over me as we attempt to squeeze together on one couch (with some of the owners of those arms and legs insisting they should lie down on the couch and put their feet in their sibling's faces). I wouldn't have it any other way!

A Little Snack

2011-05-05T22:03:00.001-05:00

My youngest took this picture of her afternoon snack today. Clearly, all the bloggy food photography is rubbing off on her. Somehow a snack tastes even better when it's arranged on a cute little saucer and you take a picture of it before you eat it. :)

Happy snacking (and photo snapping) my friends!

Don't Worry

2011-04-12T08:58:00.000-05:00

I'm still around sweet friends, just have had to let some things go for awhile and blogging was one of them.

I've been accepted to grad school (I start in the fall) so I'm sure things will only get busier. Maybe I should change the name of my blog to "middle aged grad student/housewife". Doesn't quite have the same ring to it does it? Hopefully I'll learn some new organizational and time management skills along the way that I can share with you, and please feel free to share with me. I know I'll need it!

All the best,

Tap Your Toes

2011-02-28T17:55:00.000-06:00

They just don't make music videos like they used to do they? :) Be sure and watch the Nicholas brothers dancing toward the end. They are fantastic!

Kindle Favorites

2011-02-21T05:57:00.001-06:00

Some of you have asked how I've been liking my Kindle.While I will never give up "real" books (especially for decorating or art books), I really love it. I love how portable it is. It's like I'm carrying around dozens of books everywhere I go. I also love how easy it is to read in bed which is where I do the majority of my reading.The downside is that it's so tempting and easy to purchase a new book. Luckily there are so many good free ones available that I haven't spent much on ebooks. Yet.

Here are some of my favorite Kindle books that I have finished reading or that are on my Kindle waiting to be read. Many of them are free.
Pride and Prejudice This is currently free. Both my girls have read and love it.
Little Women Another freebie. I haven't read it in years and I'm looking forward to reading it again.
The Secret Garden This one is free as well and believe it or not, I've never read it. Cindy read it last year and loved it so I'm sure I'll enjoy it too.
The Wind in the Willows I still love it.
The Phantom of the Opera I loved the movie, so I'm guessing I'll enjoy the book too.
Poems by Emily Dickinson
Housework Blues This one isn't free, but it's definitely worth the price (currently $3.99)
The Holy Bible
The Scarecrow of Oz I've always had a soft spot for the OZ books. This one is free as well.
Living Organized This one isn't free like it was when I found it, but it's a great book on organizing. Especially for us right-brained folks.
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother No, this one wasn't free but I couldn't resist it after all the talk I had been hearing about it. I actually really enjoyed it.

Here are the books currently on my wish list. You can download a free sample of books you're interested in and I've done that for all of these which makes them all the more tempting. :)

Urban Pantry
168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think
NurtureSchock: New Thinking About Children
Inspirations
Georgette Heyer's Regency World
One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are
The Thoughtful Dresser
Half Broke Horses
Joie de vivre

Do you have a Kindle or other ereader? Do you like it? What books are you currently reading (ebooks or otherwise)?

Happy Weekend!

2011-02-18T22:47:00.002-06:00

Happy Feet

Hopefully you're not all like me with a to-do list as long as your arm and an email inbox approaching 4 figures. But if you are (and even if you aren't) I want to encourage each of you to do something fun this weekend! Something that makes you giggle and makes you happy! Life is short and we want our kids to grow up remembering a happy family, right? Do it for them! :)

Have a happy go lucky weekend and remember to wear your favorite socks!

February Blahs

2011-02-08T11:33:00.000-06:00

Old Man Winter Blowing Bad Weather into a City

What is it about this time of year? Usually we're having at least an occasional warm day by February, but here we are readying ourselves for another blast of winter weather.

This is the time of year when I really have to make myself stick to a routine and get things done or I would settle on the couch with my Kindle and accomplish absolutely nothing. That's part of the reason I haven't been blogging much lately. I've been rewarding myself with computer (and Kindle) time only after I've finished everything on my list. As you can guess, computer time doesn't happen very often.

Hopefully you're all much better organized than I am and your routine is humming right along. Stay warm and I'll be back soon!

My Favorite Kind of Multi-tasking

2011-01-31T09:19:00.000-06:00

Keeping House in Difficult Circumstances

2011-01-18T22:56:00.000-06:00

Sometimes the reality is that it's difficult to get all the housework done. Maybe your children are small and into everything, maybe you work outside the home, maybe you or a family member is sick. Life happens that way.

During times like these, fantasy housekeeping has to go out the window. You're not going to be able to keep everything spotless, weed the garden, prepare gourmet meals, organize the closets and still find time to make elaborate centerpieces for the dinner table.

If somehow you are able to do all that please let the rest of us know how you manage it. I can't manage all that even when things aren't hectic at my house.

So what do you do when you don't have the time or energy for perfection, but you don't want your home descending into chaos? You probably already know what I'm going to say don't you? Realize that you can't do everything and simplify your housekeeping routine (and I'm not talking about the fake sort of simplify like you might see in a magazine).

Put all the home improvement and decorating projects on the back burner. If you don't have time to keep things at least tolerably clean, organized and have meals ready on time, don't get out the paint cans or start trying to feng shui the house.

No matter what is going on, your family needs food to eat at regular intervals, clean clothes to wear and a basic order in the day. Think about the things that matter most and focus on those basic needs. Let go of perfect.

Focus on simple meals. It won't hurt anyone if your menu's not fancy or even if it's somewhat repetitious. Put a roast in the crockpot every Sunday for a month or make oatmeal for breakfast 3 days in a row; it's OK. Keep the menu plans from week to week and just repeat them. There are times when I'll rotate 4 different weekly menus for a few months at a time. My family has never complained. Having a repeated menu is better than standing at the stove at 5:30 wondering what you're going to make for supper.

Make the kids part of the housekeeping team and send them around with a duster, let them set the table or teach them to match socks. Of course they won't do it perfectly, but they'll learn and before you know they'll be old enough to help with the dishes. It's good for them to realize that mom doesn't just swish her ponytail in circles to get the house clean. :)

And most of all (and hardest of all for some of us)...ask for help when you need it! Maybe you can find room in the budget for a mother's helper. Maybe your mom or best friend could either help you get caught up or watch the kids so you can clean in peace for a few hours and you can return the favor.

Hang in there and realize that this season will pass!

“There is a magic in that little world, home; it is a mystic circle that surrounds comforts and virtues never known beyond its hallowed limits”
-Robert Southey

Weekend

2011-01-16T21:38:00.000-06:00

A quiet weekend with a little sunshine. What more could I ask for?

A Few Pictures

2011-01-13T21:12:00.000-06:00

We had so much fun on our little getaway to Houston. Every yard I saw was so pretty! Can you put a stick in the ground and have it grow into something gorgeous if you live in Houston? It gets too cold here for all those pretty plants to survive the winter. I could really get used to a winter without a freeze!

Of course the football game was my husband's favorite part of the trip, but I enjoyed it too. I couldn't get over how nice and easy going everyone was. Of course it probably helped that the Texans actually won!

The stadium is beautiful and the flyover gave me chills!

Thanks for the hospitality Houston!

Show and Tell

2011-01-10T20:59:00.000-06:00

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas break with your families! At the risk of sounding like your grandma, I can't believe it's already 2011! Where does the time go?

I got a pair of Uggs for Christmas and I have hardly taken them off since. They may not be the cutest things in the world, but oh are they comfortable! I feel like I'm walking around in my slippers. Plus, it's about 12 below here (not really, I'm just a cold weather wimp) and they are SO warm! I look so stylish when I wear them around the house with my yoga pants and a sweat shirt.

We're slowly getting back into the swing of a regular schedule and hopefully I'll get back into a more regular posting schedule as well. Until then, how are you keeping warm?

Odds and Ends

2010-12-28T14:47:00.002-06:00

What is it about having everyone home that makes it almost impossible to blog (or even hear myself think)? Don't expect anything earth shattering in today's post. Just little bits of this and that.

We've had a wonderful Christmas (aside from oldest son Greg not being able to be here - he's deployed). We had a great (and very crowded) Christmas Eve service at church and then had supper with Mike's parents. Later that night we drove around town looking at lights. One house even had a display similar to this one. We parked in front of that one for about 10 minutes. We enjoyed it so much, but it made me wonder what their neighbors think about it - all those lights flashing and cars parked along the street would have to be annoying.

The kids let us sleep in until after 7:00 on Christmas morning, which is a sure sign that they're nearly grown. It's a little sad, but I don't mind the extra sleep. I made a pecan coffee cake for breakfast that was delicious and simple to make. I'll try and remember to share the recipe with you soon. That evening we had supper with my parents and overate yet again. My mom had a variety of Christmas goodies that were delicious and I took a cheese ball which we devoured in about 20 minutes (another recipe I'll have to share sometime).

We might head out today for the kids to spend their gift cards. Hopefully the stores aren't quite as busy as they were the day after Christmas. I also need to replenish the grocery supply around here. I got an Amazon gift card and I ordered a Kindle. I can't wait for it to get here! I already have lots of Kindle books on my computer that I haven't found the time to read. For some reason I just never really like reading them on the computer.

I finally returned to my workout schedule this morning in an attempt to counteract all the sugar I've consumed in the last week. I ate way too much fudge, but it's so irresistible. Good thing I only make it once a year. I should probably put myself on some sort of sugar fast, but I seriously doubt that I would actually follow it if I did.

I'm trying to decide if I want to start taking down the Christmas decorations today, or if I want to wait. Some of my facebook friends had their Christmas decorations all put away the day after Christmas. I never do it that early because it seems like I don't really have time to enjoy the decorations until the day after. Hubs and I are taking a short trip to Houston for New Year's (alone!!) and I know I want it done before that. I would hate to come home to lots of work (aside from all the laundry that comes with taking a trip). And speaking of New Year's... How is it that it's already almost 2011?? That seems impossible!

So there's my boring and overly wordy account of our Christmas celebrations. I know you were on the edge of your seat. :) How was your Christmas?

It's Christmas Eve Eve!

2010-12-23T09:14:00.000-06:00

It's the eve of Christmas Eve, or as my witty daughter Marcia says: "Christmas Adam". She's a funny thing isn't she?

It's a cold and gray morning here and I've been up since before the sun. Not that the sun is making much of an appearance today. As I might have mentioned once or a dozen times, I'm planning on starting grad school in the fall, and I'm in the midst of writing my application essay. I've been laying awake trying to think of ways to write my essay so that I come across as hardworking and focused rather than indecisive and whacko.

But who wants to spend Christmas Adam thinking about writing essays? I'm already wearing my favorite baking outfit, so I might as well get up and make breakfast.

As any prospective grad student/wife/mom/retro homemaker knows, muffins make any morning bright and cheerful.

While they're baking I plug in my kitchen Christmas tree and listen to Swingin' Christmas on Pandora.

Yes, I have a tree in the breakfast area of my kitchen. I have a bay window that faces the street and one year I just decided to put a tree there. I enjoyed it so much I've done it every year since. It's mostly decorated with the ornaments that we have bought for the kids or that they have made over the years. Notice the cute Diet Coke ornament near the top that my future daughter-in-law bought for me this year. Does she know me or what? :) I love it!

I've mixed up some spiced tea for the neighbors and I'm going to send the kids around to deliver the packages this afternoon.

It's so nice to have time to putter around the kitchen and visit with all of you. Wishing each of you a very Merry Christmas Adam, Eve, and Christmas Day!

Much love,

Joy!

2010-12-16T09:23:00.000-06:00

I still have some last minute shopping, wrapping, and mailing to do, but overall Christmas preparations are moving along smoothly. I've managed to do a fairly good job of kicking my inner Scrooge to the curb and not worrying about it despite having a very busy month. Listening to Christmas music and reading a chapter in Luke every night (24 chapters in Luke = December 1st through 24th) helps me keep the grumpy away and puts a smile on my heart.

I got my Christmas cards mailed out early this year. I love sending and receiving Christmas cards! It's so nice to get something in the mail other than bills or advertisements.

We pray for each family that sends us a card.

Here are a few more pictures from around the house.

I hope that your advent season is full of joy!

Advent

2010-12-06T09:14:00.000-06:00

Ann Kroeker shared this video on her blog yesterday. She and her husband used it as part of their "adventing" (love that term).

Maybe I'm a little hormonal, but it made me cry when the girl on the cell phone stood up and started to sing. I also love the part at the end where they raise their arms. Can you imagine what it must have been like to see it in person?

Decorating for Christmas

2010-11-30T18:50:00.000-06:00

Slow and steady wins the race, right? We are decorating a little at a time and it's actually kind of fun. It's something new every day.

We even decided to use the retro bubble lights this year. I had forgotten how much fun they are to look at.

Is your house already decorated?

Ten Things

2010-11-23T16:41:00.001-06:00

Thanksgiving Smoke Coming out of Fireplace

I love reading lists of what people are thankful for. It always makes me appreciate those things as well. I thought it would be fun to make a list of tangible, non-living things I'm thankful for. Of course, I'm most thankful for my precious family and my wonderful friends but this list is for non-humans. :)

So without further ado and in no particular order, here's my list!

1. Indoor plumbing - I guess I immersed myself in the Little House Books too much as a girl, because ever since I've been extremely grateful that I don't have to share a tub full of water pulled up in front of the fire with the rest of my family (one at a time of course), or make a midnight trek to the outhouse.

2. Coffee - So many delightful ways to drink it and so tasty! I love to drink it iced in the summer and hot in the winter.

3. Cell phones - You have no idea how happy I am that I can carry my phone around and not worry that I'm going to miss a call from Greg who is currently deployed. I would probably lay down and cry if he called the house and I wasn't home to get it.

4. Dishwasher - I got a new dishwasher in February after being without for over a year and I still love it so much! It makes cooking and washing dishes so much easier.

5. Pasta - Not only is it delicious but it has helped me countless times to stretch a pound of ground beef to feed a big family.

6. Uggs - I wear mine all winter long. They may not be as stylish as a cute pair of boots with heels, but oh are they comfortable and warm!

7. Ceiling fans - You just can't spend a summer in Texas without ceiling fans. Whoever invented them has my undying gratitude. They stay out of the way and make sleeping in a too warm house possible. I wish I had one in the kitchen.

8. My camera - I invested in a nice camera this year and I have enjoyed it so much. I still have tons to learn, but I'm already much happier with the pictures I'm taking.

9. The internet - it has made everything so much easier: research, homework, paying bills, keeping in touch with old friends, you name it.

10. The US Postal Service - yes there's lots about it that drives me crazy, but I love opening my mailbox every day. There's always the possibility of a sample, a magazine, or best of all a card or letter. Plus I love those flat rate boxes for sending care packages. You can really get a lot packed into them.

So what are some non-human things that you are thankful for?

One Thing at a Time

2010-11-18T22:15:00.000-06:00

I often need to be reminded of things over and over again. Not things on my to do list (well, that too sometimes), but more essential things. Things like staying peaceful and calm in the midst of everyday chaotic life. It's so easy to lose focus and feel like I'm on a treadmill that keeps going faster and faster and I can't keep up. I have so many things to do in a week that sometimes I find myself trying to do them all at once (and doing none of them well) instead of focusing on one thing at a time.

For me, the most important thing is to spend at least some small portion of my day alone with God. I love people and I love my family, but I have to have a little quiet time alone to think and read my Bible - to be inspired and refreshed. I have even read in my closet when the house was full of people just so I could have a few moments of peace.

From there, it helps if I break large goals down into small steps. For example, I'm working on a big writing project at the moment. The total amount that I need to write feels overwhelming and scary, so it helps me to break it down into smaller tasks. I might set a goal of "write 400 words today". Doesn't that sound less daunting than "write 10 pages this week"? Once I've met that goal I don't have it hanging over my head for the rest of the day.

I've also learned that sometimes I have to actually schedule fun. That sounds like such a crazy type A thing to do, but it really works. At times in my life, like now, when I have lots of irons in the fire, I start to feel like I have to be productive at all times. I have to constantly be cooking, cleaning, working, writing, etc. I can't just read for fun or soak in a warm bath. There's too much work to be done! So I decided that every evening, after the dishes are done (or at some other point in the day), I'm going to do something fun for at least half an hour. I might read a magazine, knit, or watch a Christmas movie with the kids. The point is that it's something I want to do and not something I have to do.

And overall, I'm going to avoid distractions and focus on the one thing that I'm trying to accomplish at that moment. When I'm writing, I won't be worrying about what we're going to have for supper or checking my facebook. When I'm having fun, I won't be worried about cleaning the bathroom or making the grocery list. One thing at a time.

The Secret Sisters

2010-11-18T16:25:00.000-06:00

Aren't these girls just the cutest things ever? Love their gorgeous voices and pretty red lipstick! And yes, they really are sisters, which makes it even better.

Good Morning!

2010-11-13T10:11:00.000-06:00

This is my favorite way to spend a chilly Saturday morning - drinking a homemade latte and reading blogs. We've had a nice leisurely breakfast and we're all still in our PJs (except Bobby, who left at an obscene hour in the middle of the night to go hunting).

I should probably get busy though. My blue star moms are all going to be here this afternoon. I've reached the point, like I always do before someone comes over, when I wish I could rip up my carpet and replace it with hardwoods right quick before they get here. Obviously I'm only dreaming, but wouldn't that be nice?

Oh well. I'm really looking forward to seeing them all and I know they aren't coming over to look at my carpet. We're going to be packing up care packages for our troops and that's what really matters.

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!

Christmas is Right Around the Corner

2010-11-11T22:03:00.002-06:00

Merry Christmas, Drinking Cola

We've had a bit of a cold front come through so now I'm ready for Christmas! Not ready as in presents bought, cards ordered, baking done, just ready meaning in the mood for Christmas music, lights, and movies.

You know, usually at this point in the year I am freaking out a little about Christmas. How will I get everything done? What picture(s) am I going to put on the cards? How will I get all the house cleaning and baking done? But this afternoon as I was listening to Christmas Time is Here, I decided that I'm just not going to do it this year (y'all may have to hold me to that). I'm volunteering in the church office every week and working part time...I have a lot on my plate.

I'm going to decorate as much as I want to (I love to decorate) and I'm not going to worry about everything looking perfect. So what if the tree is crooked and one of the strands of lights go out? I'm going to sit in front of the fire and watch movies with the family if I feel like it instead of making supper from scratch. It won't hurt anybody if we have sandwiches or even frozen pizza every now and then. I'm going to bake when I feel like baking, but I'm not going to pressure myself if I don't feel like it. No one ever collapsed from disappointment when eating a store bought pie instead of homemade. If I feel like putting on my flannel PJs and fuzzy socks at 4:00 in the afternoon I'm going to do it and not apologize if someone comes to the door. I'm not going to freak out if I don't get the baseboards dusted, there are cobwebs on the ceiling and a pile of laundry undone. I'll just light some candles, turn down the lights, shut the laundry room door and say "come on in". If I don't get the Christmas cards sent out on time, I'm not going to worry about it. I'm sure no one will "unfriend" us over it.

I'm just going to relax and enjoy my family, our traditions and the real reason for the season.

Classic Clothing

2010-11-08T20:32:00.000-06:00

Model Wearing Traditional Cardigan Sweater

Doesn't she look pretty? So classy and timeless. I don't wear 50s clothes, but I do like to wear things that are classy and not overly trendy.

One of my favorite clothing items of all time is the cardigan. Even though they're especially popular this year, they never really go out of style. They're perfect for cool fall weather, but also for layering in the wintertime or to keep on hand for overly air conditioned restaurants in the summertime.

I have a limited budget for clothes, so I try to purchase things that won't go out of style 5 minutes from now. I might buy some cheap jewelry or accessories that are trendy, but not clothes for the most part. Plus, some trends just aren't cute on anyone over 40, no matter how fit and youthful she may be. My current favorite is a black "boyfriend" cardigan that I wear almost every day and it's not something that I will look back on years from now and say "what was I thinking?" (unlike the early 90s pictures of me sporting stirrup pants and big hair).

Some other favorite "staple items" in my wardrobe are:

black pants - They can be dressed up or down depending on the top or shoes that I wear with them. I wore them with heels and a pink thrifted cashmere sweater to a dressy Christmas party and got lots of compliments.
black pea coat - Again, always in style and easy to dress up with a colorful scarf. I got a great deal on mine at T.J. Maxx a few years ago.
White button shirt - Cute with the black pants, with jeans, with a skirt, or under a jacket.
gray (or is it grey?) and white lightweight long sleeve tees - cute for layering and the look can be changed up with jewelry and scarves.
summer skirts - so easy to throw on with a t-shirt and flip-flops when the temperatures are blazing.
simple brown dress - it's cute and warm with leggings and boots.
fake pearl stud earrings - they go with anything and don't hurt my ears by the end of the day.
black yoga pants - I can't leave them out. They are my very favorites to put on when I'm cleaning house or at home relaxing (not that I get to do that very often). Yes, I do actually wear them to work out in too. :)

What are your favorite trend-proof wardrobe staples?

Candlelight Dinner

2010-11-04T17:29:00.000-05:00

"Americans are just beginning to regard food the way the French always have. Dinner is not what you do in the evening before something else. Dinner is the evening."
Art Buchwald

Fake It Til You Make It

2010-11-02T18:47:00.001-05:00

Fifties Hair Styles

I want to start off by telling you that the picture above has nothing to do with this post, I just thought it was cute. Can you imagine how much work those hairstyles must have been? No wonder they went to the beauty shop twice a week and slept on satin pillow cases! I have a satin pillow case by the way, but it doesn't really keep my hair from looking crazy when I wake up in the morning. Well, it might look a little like that debonaire style, but more crooked and sticky outy.

So, enough rabbit trails (my specialty) and on to what I really wanted to talk to you about...

As you probably know if you've been reading here for long, the hints and tips I post are things that I've learned from experience the hard way. I'm not a naturally organized person and as much as I hate to admit it, I would rather procrastinate and avoid things than actually do them. My tendency is to set ridiculous goals for myself and then go about trying to achieve them without reading the directions and making a plan. I have to do everything the hard way, at least the first time around. You don't do that, do you? I'm sure you don't!

One little sentence has helped me be better focused in trying to achieve my goals, whether they are homemaking goals, personal goals, or educational goals (I say educational because I'm currently looking into going to graduate school). That sentence is: "Fake it til you make it." Yes, it sounds like a cliche, and I guess it is, but for me it's effective.

I may ask myself "How would a naturally organized person plan her menus and grocery shop?" Then I just act as if I am that naturally organized person! Or maybe I'm worried because I'm going to give a speech in front of the entire PTA and I'm not confident enough to do it without floundering and saying such brilliant things as "uhh...ummm...". I don't try to turn myself into a confident public speaker (too hard!), I just act as if I already am. Eventually I probably will be a confident public speaker (or maybe not, but who will know the difference?).The same thing goes for mood. I don't know about y'all, but sometimes I get a little hormonal and crabby. I want to kick things and cry for no reason. You probably don't do that either do you? Sometimes I just have to act as if I'm in a good mood, and then surprise! I usually wind up feeling happier in the process. At least it keeps me from taking my bad mood out on my family. Most of the time.

Now, if I can just remember to do this more often.

Good Reading Around the Web

2010-10-26T22:04:00.001-05:00

Novel Story

Decorating Mistakes Real People Make By Taking Design Ideas Seriously from Like Mother, Like Daughter
I love this post and the pictures that go along with it. The part about distressed furniture is particularly good. I have lots of naturally distressed furniture in my house too. I also have the mismatched appliances.

Upgrading Your Life from Brocante Home
A great post with lots to consider.

It is about abandoning envy and working on ourselves: giving up laziness and moment by moment, task by task, chipping away at all the petty fears that keep us bouyed to our current lives, treading water and staring longingly at far off islands and distant horizons.

Why Can't Middle Aged Women Have Long Hair?
This is really interesting. It's something I've wondered myself. My hair is a little past shoulder length and at least for now I can't imagine having it short.

Point and Shoot Photo Tips from Lil Blue Boo
Even if you don't have a DSLR camera, you can still take great pictures!

the dangerous spiral of criticism & how to claw your way back out
I think the title of this one speaks for itself. :) It's a great article for anyone who puts herself "out there" either through writing, art, or other types of creativity.

Hope your week is off to a fantastic start!
Much love,

Somewhere Over The Rainbow

2010-10-24T21:16:00.000-05:00

We've had more than our share of beautiful rainbows this year and they are amazing every single time. I keep taking pictures even though they never look as good as the real thing.

Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."
Genesis 9:16

Domestic

2010-10-21T22:10:00.000-05:00

Do*mes*tic
–adjective
1.of or pertaining to the home, the household, household affairs, or the family: domestic pleasures.
2.devoted to home life or household affairs.

That'll Be the Day

2010-10-20T22:08:00.000-05:00

I think I'll put my hair in a ponytail and dance around the kitchen while I do dishes. :)

"the single most influential creative force in early rock and roll."
-Bruce Elder

Make A Decision

2010-10-18T22:24:00.001-05:00

Unless it's something really big (like what graduate school should I go to), I usually don't have any trouble making decisions. Maybe it's the right-brained person in me, but I can pick a paint color or even a dishwasher without thinking about it twice. A couple of my children, however, not so much. They agonize and overthink every little thing. So, being the nice mama I am, and borrowing heavily from old psychology textbooks, I have come up with a little step-by-step guide to decision making which should appeal to those of you who are left-brained and analytical.

1. What are your choices? You have to identify the potential choices before you can go any further.
2. Research. This includes both researching the actual product/color/shoe/graduate school...whatever, and yourself. What are you hoping to get? A comfortable shoe that goes with your favorite jeans? A dishwasher that will last for 15 years? A career that you won't hate?
3. Consult and brainstorm. Talk to others and get their opinions and brainstorm possibilities but only for a limited time. Don't get stalled out at this point. This is the part where you can take a picture of the shoes with your phone and send it your friend. :)
4. Pros and Cons. Make a list of pros and cons, but again don't let it take too long. Give yourself a deadline if you need to.
5. Decide and act. This is the hard part. Make a decision and act on it. If you don't decide, that's a decision too. If you're like me, you'll be deciding on the first thing that caught your eye anyway.

So there you have it my little over thinking darlings. Happy decision making!

It's Slow Cooker Season

2010-10-14T22:08:00.001-05:00

And here you thought it was Fall! This is the time of year when my slow cooker goes into full time service. It's a busy mom's best friend!

I can get supper put together in the morning, or even the night before and then it's one less thing to worry about. If I put it together the night before I can either put a slow cooker liner bag into a bowl and layer the ingredients in it, or put them into the removable part of my crock pot and put it in the fridge. If you use the crock, be sure and let it sit out on the counter for a bit so it's not super cold when you turn on your slow cooker. You don't want to crack anything.

Tonight we had Green Chile-Chicken Enchilada Casserole. My crock pot runs a little hot, so I cooked it about 5 hours instead of the full 6, and it turned out great.

Here are some slow cooker recipes I've posted here in the past:
Crock Pot Chicken with Mushroom Gravy
Curried Split Pea Soup
Tex-Mex Dinner
Crock Pot Lasagna
Au Gratin Ham and Potatoes in the Crock Pot
Baked Potatoes in the Crock Pot

Instant Mood Lifter

2010-10-11T22:38:00.000-05:00

Happy Retro Girl Splashing Water with Arms Raised

Do you ever feel like life is weighing you down? Some days I have swirling lists in my head of things that need to be done and I start nagging myself to be more and do more and faster, faster, faster. When I'm feeling overwhelmed, I've found that the quickest way to feel better is to do something for someone else. Nothing big to add to my to-do list, just a small gesture. Maybe buying a latte for a friend who's been down, baking some pumpkin bread for a neighbor, or leaving an anonymous thank you note under the windshield wiper of the car with the "my son is a soldier" bumper sticker. None of these require much effort or forethought, but they do take my eyes off my own troubles for awhile and soon I'm feeling the sunshine again.

Wishing you a week of sunshine!

My Apologies in Advance

2010-10-09T21:52:00.000-05:00

I'm ~~teaching~~ trying to teach myself all the ins and outs of my camera and how to take better pictures. There has been lots of running away from the camera going on at my house, so I've mostly been limited to inanimate objects and plants. Even the dog is now giving me the "don't go there" look when he spies the camera in my hand. I'm somehow beginning to feel a little kinship with the paparazzi.

My family has no interest in my new ~~obsession~~ hobby so you get to be the beneficiary of my "creative" focusing and composition abilities

You know, the more I research and learn about photography, the more I realize that I know absolutely nothing about it. That's true for a lot of things, isn't it?

I'm usually somewhat oblivious to what's going on around me (not a trait that I'm proud of) because the wheels are turning in my head and I'm thinking about way too many things at once, but looking for potential subjects helps me to slow down and actually see what's in front of me.

Thanks for being patient with all my experimenting! :)

When the Weather Cools

2010-10-05T06:22:00.001-05:00

Photo via Ceiling Fans Info

For the first time in months I turned off the ceiling fans! You fellow southerners will know what a momentous occasion that is. I'm thrilled that Fall is really here, but my ceiling fans were filthy! It's amazing how dirty they can get when they're moving so fast. I'm sure it has something to do with the physics of the blades and the chemical composition of the dust, right? I don't really need to know...

Cleaning ceiling fans is one of those "unseen" things that homemakers do. No one will pat you on the back for the immaculate state of your fans, but it must be done (at least occasionally). I have a three step method for cleaning my ceiling fans. It's not exactly quick and easy, but it works and keeps the dust from falling all over me and my furniture and carpet.

Step 1: I vacuum as much of the fan as I can reach with the crevice tool (this seems to work better than the brush on my vacuum cleaner). This is the key to keeping the dust from falling everywhere.

Step 2: I dust the tops of blades with a microfiber cloth sprayed lightly with Pledge. I've tried tools meant for this, but they never seems to get all the dust. I usually stand on a chair, but sometimes I get out the ladder. Be careful! My mother-in-law broke her wrist standing on a table to clean a light fixture one time and I don't want that to happen to any of you!

Step 3: I wipe the bottoms of the blades (the part that you see when you look up) with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Some of the dust is stubborn and this gets rid of the last of it.

If I have time I'll also take off the light globes and give them a quick wash. Might as well get everything clean at once.

Now I'm off to show my husband how clean the fans are and tell him I need an "atta girl". ;)

Between Games

2010-10-04T06:28:00.002-05:00

It's official. Sports have taken over our lives. If I had a dollar for every hour I've spent in the bleachers this week I could at least buy a couple of gallons of gas for the mom mobile.

Between games we've managed to fit in a trip to the park to enjoy the cooler weather,

enjoyed a rousing game of Apples to Apples (my kids love to try and convince the judge to pick their card - I must be raising a family of future attorneys)

listened to our newest CD while singing loudly in the car,

and ate more than our share of Mexican food

and cinnamon rolls.

It's a good thing I'm running or I wouldn't be able to fit into any of my clothes!

How was your weekend?

Feels Like Fall

2010-09-30T09:58:00.001-05:00

It's still really warm here in the afternoons, but I'm doing my best to make it feel like Fall.

The decorating budget is zero, so it's all about shopping the house and finding the things I've saved from years past.

And of course, baking always make things feel cozy.

Happy Fall!

Yay for Autumn!

2010-09-28T06:27:00.003-05:00

The arrival of Fall puts me in the mood for crisp apples, baking bread, simmering soup, raking leaves, nature walks and sprucing up the house. I can't wait to pull out the flannel sheets, boots and cardigans!

Come on in and pull up a chair at the kitchen table and tell me your favorite things about Fall.

The Last of Summer

2010-09-27T06:48:00.001-05:00

I'm enjoying the last remnants of summer around my yard. We've had a cool front and now the mornings are brisk, but not yet cold, and the afternoon sun gently warms my shoulders. Perfect outdoor weather!

This is my backyard helper who likes to follow at my heels. :)

I just left this spider to go about her business in her web on the porch. Maybe I've read Charlotte's Web one too many times.

The last warm, ripe tomatoes.

Morning glory on the back fencce.

The last blooms are beginning to fade.

"There comes a time when autumn asks,
'What have you been doing all summer?'" - unknown

50s Music

2010-09-24T06:24:00.002-05:00

I love all sorts of music, but I've been listening to a lot from the 50s lately. This is one of my favorites and it just makes me tap my toes and sing along. It was featured in the Disney movie Cars a few years ago (and is on the soundtrack) so a whole new generation is getting to enjoy it.

Say what you will about the 1950s, there sure was a lot of good music going on.:)

Have a happy weekend!

Homemaking

2010-09-23T06:37:00.001-05:00

I'm lighting candles, listening to music, sweeping out cobwebs, and heating up the oven today. It's going to be rainy and cool and delicious.

A good home must be made, not bought."
-Joyce Maynard

Talking to Teenagers

2010-09-22T06:41:00.001-05:00

Teenagers Listening to 45 Rpm. Records as They Shop For the Latest Hits at a Record Store

Me: So how was your day?
Teenager: Fine,
Me: What did you do today?
Teenager: Nothing.

That's not really the kind of meaningful conversation that I hope to have with my teenagers. Sometimes it's all I get, but there are ways to encourage them to communicate.

1. Drive the car pool. Just listen, listen, listen.

2. Be careful with your tone of voice. Girls especially tend to get sensitive and clam up if they think your tone of voice sounds cold or reserved.

3. Spend one on one time doing something fun away from home. Ever notice how much easier it is to talk when you aren't at home? I've had great conversations with my teenagers while walking around the mall or going out for Starbucks (a teenage favorite).

4. Be positive and warm, but not clingy and needy. Nothing will put off a teenager faster than feeling smothered.

5. Be willing to apologize when necessary, which is probably more often than you think - at least in my case.

6. Sometimes it's better to lighten up and empathize instead of dispensing parental advice.

7. Be genuinely interested. If they think your mind is on something else and you don't care, they won't want to talk.

Teens are busy and independent, but you can still stay connected and close.

Much love,

Lunch Ideas

2010-09-21T06:13:00.001-05:00

Cafeteria Lunch Tray

On days that I work, I have to take my lunch. I can't leave the school to go out to eat even if I wanted to so it's either take something or don't eat. I've been known to make do with a Slim Fast bar and while that's easy to throw in my purse on the way out the door, it's not really my favorite lunch. Mike usually gets dibs on any leftovers (he has a microwave at work) so I have to be a little more creative with my lunch.

Here are some of my favorite quick and easy lunch ideas:
Wraps - I wrap up sandwich fixings or leftovers such as roast chicken in a whole grain tortilla.
Pita sandwiches
Thermos full of soup
raw vegetables and hummus
cold pasta salad
breakfast for lunch (muffins, yogurt, oatmeal)
homemade "lunchable" - crackers, cheese and meat

When you pack a lunch for yourself, what are your favorite things to pack?

15 Things I've Learned

2010-09-20T06:31:00.001-05:00

I've learned a few things over the years of being a mom of five and you all love unsolicited parenting advice, right? Maybe I can save you a few headaches along the way.

1. Babies never arrive at a convenient time.

2. Band-aids are a great way to entertain small children (and husbands).

3. If you have your children share a meal and order water to drink, you can eat out for half the price.

4. Sometimes grass stains don't come out.

5. Your kids will survive if they don't have huge birthday parties.

6. Teach them to do their own laundry early.

7. You don't have to eat cardboard pizza with the giant mouse.

8. Kids are never too young to read to (or too old).

9. School pictures are usually an expensive waste of money.

10. Keep wipes and a roll of paper towels in the car.

11. They're never too old for mom to cut their sandwiches into little triangles.

12. Buy cheap shoes when they're little, but don't scrimp on a good pair when they're older. It will be cheaper in the long run.

13. Don't give up on serving vegetables. They'll eventually learn to like at least some of them.

14. Yes, you can cut their hair yourself (at least until they're teenagers).

15. Go ahead and let them wear crazy outfits occasionally. My husband once let Greg (oldest son) go to 1st grade dressed in cowboy boots, sweat pants and a dress shirt. After getting over the shock when I picked him up, I realized how funny it was.

Your kids will be grown before you know it so don't sweat the small stuff. :)

Tennis, Football and Substitute Teaching

2010-09-16T22:21:00.001-05:00

Tennis Ball on a Tennis Racket

Our kids are so busy! Mike and I both enjoyed sports and various activities as teenagers, and we're glad that our kids do as well. They are busy and happy. The expense however...we're not quite as happy about that, but it's part of parenting teenagers (at least for us - we're not saying you have to let your kids be involved in the same things ours are of course). The whopping sum of pennies a week that I make from the blog isn't enough to keep the kids in tennis rackets, football cleats and band instruments or pay to insure a teenage driver (!!!). So, I've done what thousands of moms have done before me and put my name on the sub list. I know I won't ever have to work during a school holiday, I'm done at the same time the kids are and best of all I can turn it down if I need to.

I keep Monday free every week so that I can run errands, buy groceries, and generally catch up from the weekend, but I may be out of the house anywhere from 2 do 4 days during the week while the kids are at school. Plus we spend several evenings a week watching the kids play sports or march in the band (so much fun). It's important to me that I continue to keep homemaking as a priority, so I'm finding new ways to condense my routine. I have to be so much more efficient with my use of time and my slow cooker is getting a workout. I'm also learning how to delegate and that it's OK not to volunteer for everything. Being organized and getting enough sleep is more important now than ever.

I'm sure I'll be learning new time management skills as I go. I'll share any great tips that I come across even though most of you probably have all that down pat already. :) In the meantime I'm off to get a roast seasoned and in the fridge so that it's ready to go in the Crockpot in the morning just in case my phone rings at 6:00AM.

Much love,

The Time is Now

2010-09-15T06:17:00.001-05:00

Rock 'n' Roll sur les Quais de Paris

There are so many tasks in a day that must be accomplished that it's sometimes hard to find time to do the things we want to do. Have you been putting off learning photography, taking a dance class or even reading the book that's been sitting on your night stand for months? Make the time now and go for it! Learning and enthusiasm will bring joy into your life. Let's have an adventure!

When your life flashes before your eyes, make sure you've got plenty to watch.

~Author unknown, from a television commercial

Razzle Dazzle

2010-09-14T06:51:00.001-05:00

I want to dance like this! Doesn't it look like fun?

How Was Your Weekend?

2010-09-13T06:18:00.014-05:00

Did you have a busy weekend too?

I made Boeuf Bourguignon (and washed lots of dishes).

Had a birthday party for Marcia (this is one of two cakes - lucky girl).

Got up very early for a balloon ascension.

Went for a run in the park.

Watched more than my share of tennis matches and football games (my girls both play tennis and Bobby plays football, plus as Texans we are required to watch the Cowboys). We also managed to fit in an inspiring church service and some after church tacos.

How was your weekend?

I Need Your Help!

2010-09-10T06:36:00.004-05:00

A Runner Takes an Autumn Jog Along Cache Creek

I've been inspired by Big Mama and about half a dozen of my facebook friends to start the Couch to 5K program. I don't have a particular 5K that I'm training for, I just want to be able to run that far without dying. I'm in week 2 now and it's going well (and I feel really good after it's over), but I've realized that the cheapo pair of Target running shoes I bought about 8 years ago are not going to work out. I'm getting some blisters and they have NO cushion. I don't want to wind up hurting myself and defeating the whole purpose of getting in shape.

So, my questions for you are: 1. Do you know where to get good shoes at a decent price? and 2. What type of shoe do you recommend? I don't want to blow money on something that will fall apart.

Oh, and in the interest of full disclosure my son wants me to make sure and let you know that I am not the super fit runner in the above photo. :)

Just Pictures

2010-09-09T06:28:00.001-05:00

I've just about run out of words this week. Hard to believe, I know! I've had meetings for various volunteer groups, long lovely visits with my mom and extensive phone conversations with Retrohousewife full of rabbit trails (our specialty) and solving all sorts of thorny issues such as what color her credenza should be painted (espresso) and whether or not I should buy a new camera (I should - can't wait for the UPS man). So I decided that today's post will be all about pictures. Some are old, some are more recent, but I like them all and well, they just make me happy.

Hope your week has been full of good things! Thanks for hanging in there with me through a post with two paragraphs that was supposed to be only pictures.
Much love,

Chicken Curry

2010-09-08T06:39:00.003-05:00

I love curry, especially the hot Thai variety! My family, however, doesn't like it too hot, plus I don't always have the time (or the long list of ingredients) for such recipes. So I make a quick, easy and mild chicken curry that can be adapted to whatever I have on hand. It's a really quick one dish week night supper for when we want a change of pace from the same old thing. I can have it on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Here are the ingredients I used this time. Remember you can change them up. I actually like mine best without any meat, but the troops would revolt if I served it that way.

About 2 cups of chopped, cooked chicken
5 or 6 diced red potatoes. Use more or less depending on how many other ingredients you have.
baby carrots (about half a bag)
sliced fresh mushrooms (I just used a couple for my own bowl - I love mushrooms)
1/2 onion, chopped
a couple of teaspoons of chopped fresh garlic
You could also add celery or chopped bell pepper...lots of possibilities.
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (yes, you can use regular yogurt)
olive oil (a tablespoon or 2)
salt and pepper to taste
curry powder 1 to 2 tablespoons
cilantro leaves and/or diced tomatoes for garnish

Saute the vegetables with the garlic in olive oil for about 10 minutes until crisp tender, except the mushrooms. You'll want to wait until a little later to add them as they don't need as much time to cook. Add the broth and the chicken and simmer for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, stir together the curry powder and the yogurt. Turn heat to low and gently fold in yogurt mixture. Don't let it boil or the yogurt will curdle instead of being smooth and creamy. Serve over rice. If you're really in a hurry, Minute Rice is fine or if you want to be more authentic, serve over basmati or jasmine rice. Top with cilantro and diced tomatoes. To add a little heat you can stir in some cayenne pepper with the curry powder.

Spinach and Mushroom Quiche

2010-09-07T06:23:00.010-05:00

We had spinach and mushroom quiche this weekend. I had to make a "mom's taxi" run before it was ready and left my girls to watch the timer and pull it out of the oven for me. I thought it was so cute that they decided to take a picture of it before it was all gone because they thought you all might want to see it. Maybe I should just turn the blog over to them!

I made this recipe (sort of). I used sliced mushrooms instead of bacon and added some garlic and thyme. I also used half & half instead of heavy cream because that's what I had on hand. It was delicious and the leftovers were even better, not that there was much left over. Even my meat and potatoes husband liked it. We had it for brunch, but it would be great any time of day.

Lovely Links

2010-09-06T06:26:00.003-05:00

I hope you are all having a happy day off from your labors today. We're recovering from a weekend packed full of fake cheese, giant pickles, soft pretzels, and high school and college football. Oh the excitement! I'm catching up on laundry and feeding my family some vegetables so I thought I would share a few interesting links with you.

Tili Bags: Reusable (and pretty) zip and seal bags. What a great idea! I think these would be so handy.

Suzie Stanford's furniture: Furniture covered in vintage tea towels. I wish I had thought of it! So colorful and fun.

Graffiti Shoes tutorial: These are so cute! I think I'm going to make some for my girls (and maybe myself).

Infinitely adaptable blondies: I'm planning to make these later today. Don't they look fantastic?

Collage Images: If you like to make collages, you'll find some great material here. Some um...weird stuff too, but most of it is pretty.

Vintage Guest Cottage: What a pretty place to stay! I love the print and the pillows in this picture (and also the alliteration apparently).

Lattice and Apple Pocket Pie Molds: This goes in the category of things I don't need, but really, really want. They are so cute! I'm picturing all the cute little pies I could make. Should I start with apple? Maybe peach.

One of the reviews called this "The Grace Kelly Finishing School-In-A-Book". I've added it to my wish list.

Have a wonderful week!
Much love,

More Paint Decisions

2010-09-03T06:16:00.013-05:00

I've done a lot more thinking and planning on the subject of paint lately than actually painting (both on canvas and in my house) and I now have an impressive collection of paint chips. No, I still haven't painted my front door (but I think I've finally settled on red). While I procrastinate on that little project I've been busy making plans to paint the dresser in our entryway turquoise and I'm also considering repainting my living room. I like the way it is now, but it's been the same for years (and years) and it's a little dark.

I've been playing with the Sherwin Williams Color Visualizer to see what different colors might look like on my living room walls and I would love your opinion.

Here it is now. Well, sort of. I don't have a current picture and I don't want to move the family out of the way to take another. Picture a couch with a faded denim slip cover and a black and white houndstooth chair that's sort of an armless version of this one instead of the leather club chair and ottoman. The wall decor and curtains are the same.

Now here is a potential after. Again, you'll have to visualize the other furniture and also forgive my inability to stay inside the lines with the virtual paint. This color is called comfort gray and I think it would really lighten things up. Of course it's hard to tell on a computer screen how it will look in real life.

So what do you think?

It's Scandalous!

2010-09-02T06:44:00.002-05:00

A Housewife Prepares Dinner

The internet is a wondrous invention in many ways, but an unfortunate side effect is that it can encourage comparisons. It's easy to read a gorgeous blog and wonder how I could ever compare. She obviously never gets behind on her ironing or lets her bed go unmade. She can build a cottage with a glue gun and feed her family gourmet meals on $5 a week. Her husband never tracks mud on her freshly mopped floor and her children always do their homework without complaining. Her handbag is perfectly organized and she never loses her keys in the bottom of it. Now I'm exhausted!

It is impossible to be the perfect housewife and we shouldn't expect to be (we'll just make ourselves and our families miserable in the process). We bloggers present our best on our blogs and that's OK. After all, you don't really want to see pictures of the stacks of books on my floor and my dusty lamp shades do you? Don't worry if you occasionally need a time out and have a bad housewife day. Sometimes we need to spend a few hours reading library books, watching old movies, and eating cake. The world won't come to a halt, I promise. It's not as scandalous as you might think.

Be kind to yourselves!
Much love,

More Than Food

2010-09-01T06:55:00.005-05:00

Life with teenagers is busy and I spend lots of time in bleachers and in the car, but the evenings when we all get to sit down at the table are special. I love to look around the table and see the people I love best. I love them because they are my family, but also because I genuinely like them. They are funny and smart, generous and loving, quirky and silly.

We talk about politics, we talk about school, we talk about friends, we tell jokes, we learn to listen and we use our manners (hopefully). It's a time to teach and laugh and learn. No matter what sort of a day we've had it suddenly becomes better when we can gather together around the table. Memories are made in the mundane everyday routines of life.

We should look for someone to eat and drink with before looking for something to eat and drink... ~Epicurus

5 Things To Do With Table Salt

2010-08-31T06:47:00.002-05:00

Salt and Pepper I

Y'all know I'm all about using what's handy, available and cheap, whether it's in cooking, cleaning, or entertaining. Plain old table salt has so many uses, it's natural and you probably already have some in your pantry.

1. Scour tiles with a mixture of salt and vinegar. They'll be shiny in no time.

2. Remove kitchen odors from your hands. If your hands smell like garlic or onions, make a little paste of vinegar and salt and scrub with it (provided you don't have any cuts on your hands because - ouch!).

3. Clean cast iron. If you have food stuck on your cast iron skillet, don't use soap, just sprinkle with salt, scrub and rinse.

4. Set tie-dye. Before you wash your lovely and artistic creation soak it in a mixture of 2 cups warm water to 1/3 cup salt for about 20 minutes. We made tie-dye t-shirts at VBS one year and didn't do this before we washed them. The colors ran and the kids were so disappointed that their shirts didn't stay vibrant and pretty.

5. Sprinkle salt on a lemon half and use it to scrub your copper pots to restore their shine. Rinse thoroughly afterward.

My Favorite Place

2010-08-30T06:53:00.001-05:00

My favorite place isn't a luxury hotel or a swanky restaurant. My favorite place is my own house, Casa Loca (Spanish for crazy house) as we like to call it. :)

We laugh at dumb jokes, dance (very badly in my case) in the kitchen, watch corny movies, and hang around in our ratty shorts. We can be cranky and get on each other's nerves and then we make up and hug. We share our favorite books and then accuse the others of hogging all the cookies.

It's far from perfect, and there's always something that needs cleaning, fixing or painting, but I love it and the people in it.

We've lived here for 8 years this month and our house is full of so many happy memories. I wouldn't change a thing!

Planning a Menu

2010-08-27T07:20:00.009-05:00

Close-Up of Restaurant Menu on Blackboard

I know that planning menus and making grocery lists saves money, time and headaches, but somehow year after year, my planning and good intentions fly out the window in late summer. I find myself making way too many trips to the grocery store and wandering down the aisles trying to decide what's for supper. But now that we are back on a schedule, it's time for me to get back in the menu planning groove.

Some people like to plan menus for a month at a time, but it makes more sense for me to plan once a week because I shop once a week (hopefully not more than that). I don't have room for more than a week's groceries, plus if I bought food for a whole month, my family would have it eaten within two weeks. Apparently there is something about seeing lots of food in the pantry that makes husbands and teenagers even hungrier than usual.

I start by looking in my pantry and fridge to take a quick inventory and see what I already have. Then I pull up a list that I have saved on my computer of all the meals that I could come up with that my family likes. I have about 40 meals listed including breakfasts. I like to print some pretty menu planning forms to write my menu on, and then I can keep it and put in in my menu notebook to use again later.

Next I consider my budget for the week. If the budget is particularly tight, I can focus on the more frugal meals that I have listed and look through my coupons. Then I gather my recipes so I can write down every item I need. Once I've made the list, I can pencil in the prices (from either my price book, or past receipts), subtract coupons, and then I'll have a good idea of what my groceries will cost before I head to the store and I know which coupons I'll be using. If I need to shave a few more dollars off I can make adjustments before I leave. That works better for me than trying to do math in my head while pushing a grocery cart or getting flustered trying to change up my menu on the fly and then forgetting what I changed it to by the time I get home. Don't forget to include any non-food items that may need to be included on your list. Sometimes I get these things at CVS or Walgreens, but sometimes I need to pick them up at the grocery store. We wouldn't want to run out of toilet paper or shampoo (yes, I've been there and it's not cute)!

Do you have any menu planning tips? How do you stay motivated to stick with it? Please share!

Flavor of Fall

2010-08-26T07:10:00.002-05:00

Nothing gets me ready for Autumn like the crisp taste of an apple. I've gathered the tempting apple recipes that I've posted in the past to help us make good use of a bountiful harvest.

Crock Pot Apple Butter
Apple Muffins
Fruit Swirl Coffee Cake
Baked Apple Oatmeal
and of course, we can't forget:
Apple Cobbler
I also love to use apples in a homemade potpourri. Simmer apple and orange peels with a little cinnamon and your kitchen will smell like you've been baking something delicious without turning on the oven.

Apples are so versatile and good in many types of recipes, both sweet and savory. What are your favorite apple dishes?

A Hint of Fall

2010-08-25T06:29:00.001-05:00

There's just a hint of fall in the air today. The morning is cool and breezy and the sun is less intense. I've enjoyed the summer, but it really makes me look forward to flannel sheets, corn mazes, a simmering pot on the stove and bread fresh from the oven.

"The breezes taste
Of apple peel.
The air is full
Of smells to feel-
Ripe fruit, old footballs,
Burning brush,
New books, erasers,
Chalk, and such.
The bee, his hive,
Well-honeyed hum,
And Mother cuts
Chrysanthemums.
Like plates washed clean
With suds, the days
Are polished with
A morning haze."
- John Updike, September

Cooking With Cast Iron

2010-08-24T06:49:00.001-05:00

I have two cast iron skillets and I love them! I have a small one that I use mostly for making cornbread and a large one that I use for all sorts of country cooking. A good seasoned cast iron skillet will last for generations if you take care of it. The "seasoning" makes it non-stick and also makes anything you cook in it uniquely flavorful.

A new cast iron skillet is gray, but a well ~~seasoned~~ loved skillet is black. How does it get that way? Season your skillet by rubbing a thin layer of shortening or lard all over it. Don't use liquid vegetable oil because it won't work as well and might leave the surface sticky. Place the coated skillet upside down on the top rack in a 350 degree oven with a cookie sheet on the rack below to catch any drips. Bake for an hour, turn off the oven and leave the pan inside until it is cool. This process may need to be repeated several times. The first few times you use it, cook something high in fat like bacon.

Keep your skillet in great shape by rinsing with water while it's still warm and scraping out any food. Avoid using soap and definitely don't put it in the dishwasher. Make sure that it's completely dry before you put it away. My mother-in-law taught me the little trick of putting it on a warm burner for a few minutes after washing it to make sure all the moisture is gone. Just don't forget about it! :)

Now you can enjoy cooking your light and fluffy homemade biscuits and fried squash in a future heirloom that you can be proud of.

School Morning Breakfast

2010-08-23T07:07:00.000-05:00

Make ahead breakfasts are perfect for school mornings. You can do all the work the night before and send the kids off with plenty of fuel for a busy morning of learning.

Baked oatmeal is so easy to mix up, cover and refrigerate on a school night and then all you have to do is pop it in the oven the next morning.

I make several variations on this recipe.
Here's the original:

Ingredients

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, mix together oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Beat in milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Stir in dried cranberries. Spread into a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 - 40 minutes.

Instead of cranberries this time I chopped up a couple of apples. I thought that was perfect for back-to-school. I usually bake it in a 9"x9" pan and I cut the sugar back to 1/2 cup. It makes 6 servings and is a great way to fill up hungry teenagers.

Cake for Breakfast!

2010-08-20T06:33:00.009-05:00

Every time I make coffee cake I am reminded of the time I made it when Marcia was a little tiny thing. She had reached that stage of questioning everything (OK she still does that). She wanted to know what we were having for breakfast. When I told her we were having coffee cake she was at first unbelieving that I was really going to let her eat cake for breakfast (even if it didn't have any frosting), and then decided she wasn't going to eat it because it must have coffee in it. I explained to her that it was named coffee cake because it went well with coffee, not because it had coffee in it. I have no idea if that's actually how coffee cake got its name, but it sounded right so I went with it. She finally decided that it smelled good enough to taste and proceeded to eat every last crumb on her plate. I can't believe I had to convince my child to try cake!

This cinnamon coffee cake is a quick and easy weekday breakfast or afternoon treat. I made it this morning and it was gone before I knew it. It's an easily customized recipe too. You can add nuts, fruit, even chocolate chips.

Happy baking!

Avoid Decorating Depression!

2010-08-19T06:47:00.001-05:00


Tony Shalhoub's Country Cottage via Country Living

Do you watch decorating and DIY shows and read decorating and DIY blogs? I love these types of shows and blogs and have found heaps of inspiration and ideas. It's fun to plan projects, search for bargains and pick out paint chips. The sense of accomplishment I feel when I completely change the look of a room with a gallon of paint or a few yards of fabric is marvelous.

There are days, however, when instead of feeling inspired, I feel intimidated and dissatisfied. I don't have granite countertops or gorgeous hardwood floors. My appliances are not the latest models, and my light fixtures are builder bland. I'm sure a TV decorator could point out all sorts of things that would need to be re-done if we wanted to sell our house.

So what do I do when the discontent begins? The first thing is to step away from the computer and the TV. Then I remind myself that a real family with a real (i.e. almost non-existent) decorating budget lives here. Meals are prepared here, homework is done, bathtimes and bedtimes and ordinary routines go on day after day. It's not carefully staged for TV or a magazine. Toys and books get pushed under the bed, and there are crumbs under the couch cushions.

What I really want guests to notice when they come to my home is not how fabulous the decor is, but how comfortable and welcome they feel so I do my best to make sure that happens. I make sure that my house is relatively clean (notice I didn't say sanitary and perfect - that's not going to happen in a house with children and pets) and that the horizontal surfaces are somewhat free of clutter. I also make myself feel better about my house by re-arranging. Sometimes I move the furniture around and other times all it takes is changing the mantel arrangement.

Make your home beautiful to you and don't worry about what is all the rage on HGTV.

"That house was a perfect house, whether you like
food or sleep, or storytelling, or singing, or just
sitting and thinking best, or a pleasant mixture of
them all. Merely to be there was a cure for
weariness, fear and sadness. "
J.R.R. Tolkien

Back to School Organization

2010-08-18T06:12:00.003-05:00

Bright Red Apple on Desk of Teacher in Classroom

Back to school time is when things start to get hectic around here, but every year I'm newly inspired and full of enthusiasm about getting organized. I love the excitement of brand new school supplies and fresh starts. It's a great time to establish new routines and habits.

A month or so before school starts is the best time to begin, but if school is right around the corner for you as it is for our family, that's OK too. Just start where you are.

A Month Before School Begins (if possible):
Checkups with the doctor and dentist.
Arrange car pool.
Try on clothes and shoes to see what still fits and make a list of needed items.
Get list of needed school supplies (our schools have them on the district website).
Start shopping for clothes and supplies.
Gradually start introducing an earlier bedtime.

A Week Before School Starts:
Consolidate all the supplies you have so far. List what is still needed and finish shopping.
Designate a drop zone for backpacks, lunch boxes, band instruments, sports equipment and homework - hooks and baskets will help.
Designate a homework area, preferably quiet and away from the action of the house.
Plan and shop for meals. Make sure to include lunchbox items and after school snacks.
Start a "school binder" to keep paperwork and handouts organized. Use dividers for each child.
Make checklists for school nights and for school mornings and hang them up where the kids can see them. (I actually made spreadsheets for you to print, but I couldn't get them to upload to Google docs. I'm not sure why it won't work.) If you laminate them, you can use them for the entire school year.

The Night Before School Starts:
Fill out any forms that need to be turned in on the first day.
Go through school night checklist and review morning routine.
Set table for breakfast and get as much of it prepared as possible.
Make sure your camera and/or video camera are charged and ready to go.
Get a good night's sleep! :)

Have a fantastic school year!