Let's Get Real Wednesday, er, I mean Monday

*Revised* - I forgot to add my blue eyeshadow picture!

I thought Randi's Let's Get Real Monday looked like a lot of fun, but I completely missed Monday. Here's the theme:

This week's Let's Get Real Monday theme is "The Outfit"! I know you have one! It is the one that you LOVE and everyone else hates. Or it may be the one that you previously loved and now you cringe at the thought of ever wearing it.

Randi posted lots of old pictures with clothing styles from different decades. I went in my basement looking for old pictures. I really need to organize them; my kids would love going through them. What I found was an old cheerleading picture from 9th grade, 1981. This definitely epitomizes "the outfit" for me during the early 80s. I was on drill team in 8th and 11th grades and cheerleading in 9th and 12th grades. With all those football and basketball games, I spent a lot of time in those uniforms.



Here are classic 80s pearls and lots of blue eyeshadow. This picture is 20 years old. I look like such a baby! I think this was from an overnight trip we took to the Queen Wilhelmina State Park Lodge. We were having a great time, but our family heard that it was going to snow, got scared, and called us to hurry home. Bummer! This was early married days; our oldest son was about 7 months old. I really loved the little Subaru we drove. It was sporty, with a sunroof--a far cry from the 15-passenger van I drive today!

May's Moments in Motherhood Topic

Moments in Motherhood is the writing project for mommy bloggers that I am hosting on the first Friday of each month. Here's the next topic for Friday, May 4, and can I say that I am dying to hear what y'all have to say on this subject:

What is your opinion concerning girls calling boys (I'm talking about our kids, not adults here)? Depending on the age of your children, did/do/will you let your daughters call boys? How do you feel about girls calling your son(s)?

This is a hot topic in the Dearest household at the moment! What do you think? Come back in two weeks, sign the Mr. Linky, and share your thoughts!

Moments in Motherhood, April, 2007

This is my first attempt at hosting Moments in Motherhood, a writing project for bloggers. The day after I posted the topic, I looked at it and thought, "This was for me, wasn't it?" I really feel the need to explore my own thoughts on this. Please share yours, too. A Mr. Linky is at the bottom of this post.

This month's topic is:

Was birth an empowering experience for you? Do you agree with the statement "you birth the way you live"? Did your birth experience(s) impact you in a long-term way?

I have a friend who gets squeamish at the sight of blood. Recently she told me about coming upon an accident victim. While driving down the road, her daughter looked out the window at small, country church and something caught her eye. A woman on a motorcycle had lost control, skidded off the road and across the church yard, and eventually slid under an outdoor picnic table. Her leg was broken in multiple places and she was bleeding.

My friend helped the woman remove her helmet, comforted her, and stayed with her until help arrived. To say that the situation took my friend outside of her comfort zone is an understatement, but she did what she had to do and what the situation required of her. After hearing her story, I told her, "This reminds me of birth. You have to dig down deep and do something you didn't know you were capable of doing."

---

When I was twenty years old and expecting my first child, I discovered that my fear of medication was greater than my fear of pain. I'd spent my life watching my mother undergo endless surgeries and health problems, dependent on pain medication, and I didn't want anything to do with it. The only time I vomited during that pregnancy was in the middle of the childbirth education class on anesthesia. When the discussion turned to needles and deadening things, I broke out in a cold sweat. I didn't even make it to the hospital bathroom; I got sick in the middle of the hall.

I studied for childbirth like an upcoming exam, and I wanted to ace it. My unmedicated delivery was one of the most wondrous experiences of my life, and yes, I felt empowered by it, fulfilled in a never-before imagined way. My second delivery at twenty-five years old was much the same. Later I remarked to my husband that I would love to give birth once a year, as a kind of "fix." It wasn't the desire for another child each year, just giving birth; the experience was that intense for me.

My next four deliveries involved three inductions, and honestly there wasn't a valid reason for any of them. What they did was infuse that magical experience with an element of fear. Fear of the nurse walking in the door every half-hour to increase the pitocin, since it takes me so long to react to it. Fear of the tidal wave-force labor that hits when that reaction finally occurs. Fear that I wouldn't be able to handle it unmedicated anymore.

With my seventh pregnancy, my instructions to my husband were this: No matter how huge/swollen/miserable I become (for I knew what the future held) remind me that I do not want to be induced. Period. Four days before my due date I was 5cm dilated, thanks in part to some fabulous advice from a friend who is a homebirth midwife (sorry, it's too graphic to print here). My OB's office said I could show up at the hospital any time and be admitted, but I refused. I went to the hospital the day before my due date with potential complications; although an assessment showed all was well, I was encouraged to just stay and they could "start me up." We went home.

I went into labor on my own the next day. We were at the hospital for two and a half hours before the baby was born. The first hour and a half was spent watching the end of a Braves' game and two episodes of Seinfeld, where I only contracted when I laughed. I'd broken the induction cycle and it was great, much better. The problem was that the fear had stayed with me from those inductions. If there's one thing I know about childbirth, fear is your worst enemy. When I started to panic a bit during that one hour of serious labor and questioned my ability to handle it, my nurse completely dismissed my concerns. What she basically said was, "Six prior labors, no epidural. Honey, you don't need it! Is there anything else I can do for you?" I didn't realize just how much that conversation and her dismissal of my concerns affected me until my eighth pregnancy...

I allowed my midwife to schedule an induction two weeks in advance for two weeks before my due date since her office was short-staffed, the hospital was booked solid with inductions, and that was the only sure chance of her attending the birth. [It bears mentioning that at that fabulous seventh birth, my practice wasn't on call and I had a doctor who basically walked in the door, put on some gloves, and caught the baby. I'd never laid eyes on him before or since.] A sinus infection hit me the week before my induction and I was given a five-day, strong round of antibiotics.

Reality began to sink in: I couldn't breathe and had a nasty cough; I would be stuck in bed with an IV; my mother wouldn't be there (she had always been there for me, but passed away when my seventh child was six-months-old; for months I feared that I would break down immediately following this birth); nurses don't take me seriously if I express an interest in pain medication. I was a little jealous of all the pain-free birth stories I'd heard over the years. The decision was made--I'd get an epidural! I deserved it, didn't I? I had birthed seven other children without it and didn't have anything to prove to myself, right? Wrong. Dead wrong.

See, for me (and I realize it is a very subjective experience) birth is empowering. I do "birth the way I live." I won't even take something for a headache, unless it's really bad. 2 Timothy 1:7 -- "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" is very much a life-verse for me.

I was so consumed by fear that I requested an epidural before I even needed it; it was given to me because my midwife had told them to take me seriously if I asked for it. I got sick (vomiting) from the anesthesia, and it caused such uncontrollable shaking that my jaws ached the next day. The labor took over twelve hours and was filled with unnecessary medical interventions. I didn't feel like I gave birth; I didn't feel much of anything--I was numb.

In spite of my conviction about the accuracy of my dates, my due date had been moved up by nine days. After the birth, my midwife said that based on Lily's appearance, my original due date was correct. My labor took forever because my baby and my body just weren't ready. Something happened during the delivery that later caused Lily months of physical therapy (she's fine now). If I had not allowed the induction and had just let my daughter come in her own good time, my sinus infection would have had a chance to clear; we both would have been ready. I think things would have been different.

As you may have guessed I have had trouble dealing with this birth, processing it if you will. I would say that yes, my birth experiences affect me long-term. That I was unable to trust myself and my body--which is ultimately trusting God, since I know He's the one who strengthens and sustains me--is something I have to live with. With God's grace I hope that tackling this head-on, working it out in print, will enable me to let it go and leave it behind me.

I don't expect everyone's perspective on birth to be the same as mine. It is a deeply personal experience. Please share your thoughts on this topic and link to your exact Moments in Motherhood post, not just your blog address, in the Mr. Linky below. Thank you for listening and/or participating!

I think, therefore I blog

I discovered that Randi at "i have to say..." gave me a "thinking blogger" award. I would love to say something clever and thought-provoking, but nothing comes to mind, so let me just say "Thank you, Randi. I'm touched."

I looked up the history of this award, originally called "5 Blogs That Make Me Think." The participation rules are simple:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think.
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme.
3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote.

There are two buttons, gold or silver:




I award:

Queen Shenaynay at The Beehive. She is my long-distance (Texas) cousin, from my mother's father's side of the family, many of whom are known as great characters thinkers. Her posts range from silly to sublime, but they always make me think. The Beehive is a family blog effort, including Queen Shenaynay's husband and two daughters.

Elle at A Complete Thought. Elle is one of the most thought-provoking bloggers I know. I usually have Bible Gateway pulled up on another tab while leaving comments on her posts. Our initial bond was our shared love appreciation for Jack Bauer.

Melanie at This Ain't New York. Melanie is an observer and commentator on all, from the mundane to the eccentric. You've never seen a prouder mama. She's also completely. certifiably. insane, which makes her a whole lot of fun.

Amber at Life with the Ferrells. Amber makes me think of what life would be like as a wickedly funny, 20-something mommy with a camera in one hand and a toddler in the other. Her digital scrapbooking layouts and photos of her kids are amazing.

Antique Mommy. If you've never read Antique Mommy, you're missing some of the best mommy blogging around. She has the ability to examine the unique facets of motherhood in a profound and insightful way. She makes me think about what it means to be a mommy.

Blast from the Past

This is a neat meme that has been going around. Here's the deal: pull four posts from your archives which fit the following categories. I have some new blogging friends, so I thought I would link to some older posts:

Funny:
My Classy Kids. The title says it all.

Serious:
Solving the Crisis in Homeschooling. Straight talk for parents.

Ugly:
Ikea Adventure. Adventures in motherhood, IKEA-style.

All About Me:
Take your pick: 100 Things or New Year's Meditations.

I'm tagging anyone who wants to play!

New Year's Meditations

I have been thinking a lot about this since reading that Laurel Wreath was organizing New Year's Meditations. Some of mine probably sound familiar to many of you: I want to lose about 8 pounds; I need to read my Bible more (and towards that end, I just ordered this after reading about it on my cousin's blog); I need to exercise (I've actually done a workout video for 6 of the last 7 days, which is amazing for me).

Laurel Wreath asked, "When you look back December 2007 where would you like to be?" so that's what I'll try to answer now:

A lot of what's on my heart concerns my family and my personal goals. I have written about the reading and hours that I've been putting into learning programs for web design. Some days are rewarding. Some days I am so frustrated or overwhelmed that I just want to walk away and never look at this computer again. I want this learning part of the journey to pass quickly. I don't want my family to think I'm neglecting them or don't have enough time for my domestic duties. Mostly, I want to help my family financially and take some stress off of my husband. He's diabetic, and I worry about his health. A lot.

Also, I hope to make progress towards certification as a childbirth educator and labor doula. I just ordered this book, which is on my required reading list. I am quite blessed to have three friends whose births I can attend in April and May; however, I am really nervous about one of them. Two of them are experienced mothers. I think Crew Mom's biggest fear is that I might try to talk her out of her epidural (just kidding, honey!). One, however, is a friend who is expecting her first child at age 41. I am absolutely thrilled for her: she and her husband have adopted 5 children in their 18 years of marriage and now she's pregnant for the first time. She is reading and studying the process just like I did with my first pregnancy, and she wants that amazing unmedicated birth. I am praying the Lord will grant her a safe delivery and that her birth will be all that she desires, and that I'll know how to help and support her to achieve that end. Also, I pray that she'll have medical staff (please, give us a midwife!) who are receptive to her wishes and treat her like an individual, instead of plugging her into the standardized childbirth model common in hospitals today.

I have the concern common to most homeschooling mothers: are we accomplishing what we need to accomplish? This year I want my children to become better and more prolific readers, and my 15-year-old and I to make serious progress in his learning of Russian.

It's hard to believe that Lily turned 18-months the week before Christmas. I have had little ones and babies for so long, but I know that won't always be the case. Every step for her has been difficult for me: moving out of our room, weaning, etc. I really want to savor the moments with my little ones. At the same time, my oldest son at home only has 2 1/2 years of high school left, and I've seen once before how quickly that time can pass. I pray for guidance in equipping him for life beyond the nest.

I am hungry for time to just sit and read again, which is evidenced to me by the fact that I've gotten five new books in the past two weeks. I want my 2007 reading list to branch beyond web design.

I've been quite blessed in my decision to start this blog in May. I never imagined the friendships I would forge with ladies I've never met, or the strengthened bonds with friends and family who blog, too. Thanks to all of you ladies who've encouraged and inspired me in 2006. I look forward to deepening those friendships in the upcoming year, and I hope to use the opportunity to bless others when it's presented to me.

If you would like to participate or read other posts, go here to the post on Laurel Wreath's site.

Fall Into Reading: Wrap-Up

Okay, I confess that I posted about Katrina's Fall Into Reading Challenge, but never posted an actual challenge for myself. Basically, my reading goals for the fall didn't sound too fun, interesting, inspiring, or like books anyone would want to take note of for their reading lists (like everyone else's). What I did read, however was exactly what I set out to (although maybe not as quickly as I'd intended). This is a period of my life where rather than a serious reader, I need to be a serious reader (clear as mud, huh?). Here is it:


Macromedia Dreamweaver 8: Training from the Source
I am working on a website for a friend who makes beautiful girls' hairbows, and this is the tool I need to make it happen. It took me forever to complete (lots of kids are fabulous, but not conducive to this kind of reading); sort of like taking a college course in the privacy of my home. It felt like I was chiseling new tunnels in my brain, only slightly less painful.



Adobe Photoshop CS2 Classroom in a Book
This is my current read; I have completed 7 out of 13 chapters. This is my tool for a lovely homepage for that bow site. I learned firsthand that you will not be the life of the party if you talk Photoshop. I was told that my friends' comments meant: "Please change topics - we have nothing to contribute to this discussion." What it sounded like is: "You have become so boring!"

These are books that you read with book in one hand, mouse in the other, while working on elaborate web and design projects. Maybe I can turn this post into an inspiration after all: don't be afraid to seek the information and learn what you need to know to do the things you want to do. You may not have to time or money to go back to school, but there's a lot you can do on your own. I'm hoping to have a lovely, functional site to show for my fall reading efforts!

Go to Katrina's Finish Line post to read about what others have been reading this fall.

Christmas Tour of Homes, Y'all!

Welcome to my home as part of BooMama's Christmas Tour of Homes!

This is part of a Christmas village my in-laws gave us many years ago. I think this is where any similarity to the North Pole ends - we're expecting 68 degrees tomorrow!

This cute little count-down Santa has been part of the family for many years.

There's a daily race to see who will update him - today he's mine!

Here's the tree...

and the new ornament I got at my church sisters' ornament exchange/Christmas party!

The house smells like cinnamon because I've been baking snickerdoodles. Won't you try one?

We have a true Southern wreath, decked with magnolia blossoms. I saw a pricey one like this years ago at T.J. Maxx and decided to try it myself, which was one of my extremely rare forays into the world of crafts. Before we moved, the heat in our attic would bake the flowers every summer and I would make an annual trip to Hobby Lobby to replace them. I'm sure I could have bought that expensive wreath for what I've spent over the years replacing magnolia blossoms, but maybe the fancy ones would have baked, too.

My daughter picked up this quirky sunbathing Santa in his hammock this year. I think we'll have the weather for him!

Our nativity scene is nothing special in the worldly sense - certainly not very fancy; but I like its simplicity and not having to be afraid for the kids to play with it.

Following are more pictures of our Christmas village, which I am afraid for the kids to touch - not that it hasn't happened over the years. The elf who is supposed to be hanging a wreath on the side of the reindeer barn no longer has any arms, which means he isn't even holding the wreath anymore. It's in the box. Oh, well - I'd rather have eight kids than a perfect Christmas village (which is a really good thing since the village hasn't been perfect for a long time). There used to be little flocked trees that lit up, too, but I'm not sure what happened to them.

Be sure to visit BooMama for the Christmas tour!

Saturday's Photo Scavenger Hunt: Red

Grab the Scavenger Hunt code. Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Visit participants.

 

Christmas Memories

MomRN2 at My Quiet Corner is hosting Christmas Memories today. The memories that I would like to share are from my grandparents' house. Our family was blessed to live about three miles from my grandparents (my mom's parents) and my great-aunts, who lived across the street from them. We opened presents at my grandparents' house on Christmas Eve. My uncle worked for UPS, which meant he was the last person on the face of the earth to finish working on Christmas Eve. At least that's how it felt to us four grandkids. I remember it being an almost physically painful experience each year as we waited for him to arrive so that we could "get down to business."

My grandmother, who passed away this summer at the age of 90, was a pastor's wife whose mission in life was to feed the world. She was a wonderful cook, and you never left her house with an empty stomach (my husband learned when we were dating that he'd better have an appetite when he got there, because she was going to feed him whether he was hungry or not). Some of her Christmas Eve specialties were real, homemade hot cocoa, homemade chocolate-covered cherries, and lots of chocolate chip cookies. There was always a huge pot of cocoa simmering on the stove, milky and steaming. The chocolate-covered cherries were laid out on wax paper.

If we'd been able to open our presents immediately, I'm sure the evening's culinary offerings would have been largely overlooked by the kids. As it was, they were something to savor and enjoy, a focus for our attention during the endless wait. It's not the presents that I remember fondly, but Grandmother's cozy kitchen and those special Christmas Eve delights.

Soundtrack of My Life Meme

I thought this sounded like fun when I read about it at More Cowbell.

Instructions:
1. Open your library on your Zen or Ipod or other MP3 player
2. Put it on shuffle.
3. Press play.
4. For every question type the song that’s playing.
5. When you go to a new question press the next button
Here we go:

Opening Credits: You Pulled Me Out - The Greencards. I love these guys: oddly enough, a bluegrass band with two Australians and a Brit. Take it from me, there is some very hip bluegrass out there (and we all know SAHM-of-eight are the arbiters of hip).

Waking up: "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" - Elvis. Wrong time of day, but a classic song nonetheless.



Falling in love: "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" - The Platters. My dad would be so proud.



Fight song: "Deep as Your Pocket" - Tres Chicas

Break up song: "Talkin' About a Home" - Chris Isaak (ironically, the antithesis of a break-up song)

Making Up: "Recipe for Love" - Harry Connick, Jr.

Life's Okay: "Golden Ticket" - Adrienne Young

Mental Breakdown: "Adrift" - Barenaked Ladies

Driving: "Russian Christmas Overture" - John Fahey

Flashbacks: "Home" - Michael Buble



Happy Dance: "Maybe Baby" - Buddy Holly. OH MY WORD, would my daddy be proud!

Regret: "Fast Cars and Freedom" - Rascal Flatts

Final Battle: "Ghost in this House" - Alison Krauss. If I could have one wish - and I didn't have to use it on something like world peace or a year's worth of diapers - I would awake with the voice of Alison Krauss. Secondly, I would find out that tummy thermage is a 100% safe procedure and a brilliant dermatologist wanted to give it to me for free, because after eight kids I am surely the poster-child. This discussion, however, is beyond the scope of this post.



Death Scene: "Crazy Love" - Ray Charles with Van Morrison



Final Credits: "Can't You Hear Me Callin' "- Crooked Still. More hip bluegrass (not a contradiction in terms).

Because a Mr. Linky is a terrible thing to waste...

No Cool Story has a Mr. Linky up for posting pictures of your CHRISTMAS tree ornaments (take that, politcally correct retailers - they're not HOLIDAY ornaments). The first time I tried a Mr. Linky, I didn't get any links and actually deleted the entire post.
It was one of my saddest bloggy moments.

I asked the kids to show me some of their favorite ornaments. They thought it was way cool that I actually took pictures of them, and no one even said, "Please tell me this isn't for The Blog!"
(They just didn't think of it, bless their hearts.)

Please Barb, don't be offended by the white wires on my icicle lights. We had TONS of these lights that we hung on the outside of our old house. We had three levels of decks and they were all decked out with lights every year (pun intended). I'm just way too frugal to go buy new ones with green wires for the tree when we have so many of these.

I like this little guy, not that we ever really get much snow (although hubby says the almanac predicts it this year). I'm attending a Christmas party/ornament swap with my church sisters Saturday night and I hope to return with an awesome new addition for the tree!

 

Organizationally Challenged

I just discovered the 30-Day Organizational Challenge at "I'm an Organizing Junkie." I don't know about you, but I seem to be selectively organized. My bookshelves, drawers, and cabinets are in good shape. Other areas are, well, a different - much uglier - story.

I heard a Christian professional organizer speak in 2004, and it had a very profound impact on me at the time. I will share the story if I stick to it and keep the challenge. Now off to get the camera for those "before" pictures... 

The Word Association Meme

I have come to realize that a meme is usually for the author, not the audience. For this tiny meme, I have recalled fond memories of my mother, my grandparents, and a comedian (he doesn't really count), all deceased. I have resisted jumping on this word association meme bandwagon, mostly because I hadn't seen words that tickled my fancy, but I liked these that Melanie posted:

1. Biscuit - This reminds me of the school year (in jr. high?) when every day after school my grandmother fixed a big pie plate of biscuits for me and my granddad, which we ate dripping in sorghum and butter. I always wanted the biscuit in the middle, without any darker cooked "edges." I always cook biscuits on stoneware where none are against an edge, so that I don't have to fight my kids for the middle biscuit (and give away my secret that in some ways I am possibly more childish than they are).

2. Crayon - This makes me think of my and my mother's particular fondness for school supplies, especially a fresh box of crayons. When I'm trying to describe something to my husband and I comment that it is periwinkle, or maize, or - well, you get the picture - and he looks at me with that bewildered look, I say, "Didn't you have the 64 box of Crayola Crayons?"

3. Warmth - crawling between flannel sheets on a cold night.

4. Flip - This one has stumped me. The two things coming to mind are Flip Wilson and the flip I try to achieve with my hair.

Here are four new words for anyone who wants to play:

Slush
Wing
Candle
Cinnamon

Holiday Cooking, Blogger Style!

Overwhelmed with Joy is sponsoring Holiday Cooking, Blogger Style for sharing holiday recipes. I am going to toss three into the mix: Holiday Wassail, Sour Cream Apple Pie (including my grandmother’s fabulous, mix-in-the-pie-plate crust recipe), and Bacon/Hot Dog Wraps.

Holiday Wassail

In my early married days when I couldn't cook anything I discovered this recipe in one of my first cookbooks. I took it to every seasonal gathering we attended, finally purchasing a bigger crock-pot so I wouldn't spill it on the way. Here's your excuse to learn and perform The Wassail Song!

Holiday Wassail

1 gallon apple cider (buy the fresh kind in a "milk jug" in the produce section)
1 cup light brown sugar
1 6-oz. can frozen lemonade
1 6-oz. can frozen orange juice
12 whole cloves
6 whole allspice
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 4-inch cinnamon stick
2 bottles of port (optional - I've never tried it)

In a large kettle, combine cider, sugar, lemonade, and orange juice. Tie cloves and allspice into a small piece of cloth (I use cheesecloth) and add to cider. Add nutmeg and cinnamon stick; simmer gently for 20 minutes. Add wine; heat to steaming. Do not boil. Remove spice bag, discard, and serve hot. Makes 30 to 35 servings.

Sour Cream Apple Pie

I got this recipe several years ago from the Atlanta Journal/Constitution. It is not going to win any pie beauty contests; however, I promise it will make your taste buds happy.

Sour Cream Apple Pie

Apple Filling:
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
4 large Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 9-inch deep-dish unbaked pie shell

Topping:
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 Tbsp. butter, softened

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
For the filling, in a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, sour cream, flour, vanilla, and salt. Stir in apples to coat them well with filling mixture. Pour into crust, mounding apples in center. Bake 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make topping. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl until crumbly. Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees and remove pie. Sprinkle topping evenly over pie and bake 20 minutes.
Note: For more color and flavor, add 1/2 cup cranberries to apples before stirring them into the filling mixture.
Do-ahead tips: Bake a day in advance and serve chilled, at room temperature, or warmed in a low oven.

Here is my Grandmother Piles's pie crust recipe. The fabulous thing is that you stir the ingredients together right in the pie plate - no rolling or transferring!

Grandmother's Easy Pie Crust

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup oil
2 Tbsp. milk
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt

Stir ingredients together in pie plate, then shape by hand for crust.

Bacon/Hot Dog Wraps

These are absolutely amazing appetizers, and very easy. I know what you're thinking - hot dogs? Buy fancy ones like Hebrew National if you like, but it makes no difference. The cinnamon, sugar, and bacon drippings combine to make a divine "syrup." Men love these things. If very many people will be in attendance, you may want to double the recipe to avoid fighting. No joke.

Bacon/Hot Dog Wraps

1 pkg. of hot dogs (each cut into 5 pieces)
17 slices of bacon (each cut into 3 pieces)
1 c. dark brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
50 tooth picks

Preheat oven to 325. Wrap each hot dog piece with a piece of bacon and secure with a tooth pick. Place wrapped hot dogs in a single layer on a cookie sheet (see note below). Mix the brown sugar and the cinnamon together in a bowl. Sprinkle sugar mixture over the wrapped hot dogs. Bake for about an hour or until nice and brown (also make sure bacon looks done!).
Note: I cook these on the Pampered Chef stoneware large bar pan. I definitely recommend using something with a little edge to it, or the bacon grease will drip into your oven.

Head over to Overwhelmed with Joy for other great holiday cooking ideas!

Got books?

Katrina at Callapidder Days is sponsoring the Fall into Reading Challenge, which will take place from September 23 - December 21 (during the, you know, fall...). Apparently there are a lot of us with books just waiting to be read; I certainly have them. Dust off your stack, make a list of books that you want to read, even ones you want to read to your kids. On September 21, Katrina will post a Mr. Linky where you can link a "Fall into Reading Challenge" post from your own blog. She's even doing a drawing for a $10 Amazon.com gift card from participants! 

100 Things

I've really come to love blogging and my personal blogging community since I started this in May. To hold with tradition (as much tradition as there can be in something as relatively new as blogging) here is my 100th post, 100 Things About Me. Hopefully I've come up with something to enlighten even my closest friends:

100 Things About Me

1. When I graduated from high school, I wanted to be a psychiatrist. I changed my mind because I didn't want to go through all of the anatomy stuff in med school (I only wanted to analyze brains, not dissect them).
2. When I graduated from college, I wanted to work for a clandestine branch of the government. My interview process was stalled by a major political event, and during that time I realized that what I really wanted to be was a mommy. I could tell you more, but then I'd have to kill you.
   
3. I love Sherlock Holmes. Oh, to be so logical! It's a miracle (and a blessing to the kids) that I didn't try to name one of them after him.
4. I'm a Daddy's girl.
5. My Daddy and I went on lots of motorcycle rides when I was a teenager. We would leave early - and I never have been a morning person - so I would have him use bungee cords to tie me to the backrest in case I fell asleep.
6. My favorite vacation spot: Eureka Springs, Arkansas (preferably at the Crescent Hotel).
7. I attended three different colleges - Dartmouth College, Westark Community College (now University of Arkansas - Fort Smith), and Emory University.
8. I was a Russian major in college.
9. I minored in Soviet Studies, and lacked one course having enough credits for another minor in history.
10. I set the curve in my high school biology class.
11. I was a cheerleader in the 9th and 12th grades, and on drill team in 8th and 11th.
12. I have bowed legs. I was horribly embarrassed by this in school, especially in cheerleading and drill team.
13. I am not superstitious.
14. When my husband and I married, he wanted one child and I wanted three. We have eight.
15. I love surprises. Getting them, giving them, whatever.
16. I was named after a Dallas Cowboys' quarterback (my mom didn't realize it until after the fact). Can you guess which one?
    
17. I am a member of CAPPA (Childbirth and Postpartum Professionals Association) seeking certification as a childbirth educator, and hopefully eventually a birth doula.
18. I was good friends with my husband's brother for two years before I met my husband.
19. I am one year and five days older than my husband.
20. I always said I would marry a blue-eyed blonde; my husband has brown hair and green eyes.
21. We were married in Rollins Chapel at Dartmouth College.
    
22. I drove my Daddy's '73 Mustang convertible with a 351 Cleveland engine (all the guys wanted to know what kind of engine I had, so I learned that one immediately) in high school.
23. My high school had open campus for lunch, so we could go out to eat; I usually drove.
24. When we wanted to put the top down on the convertible without messing up our hair too much, we left the windows up and called it "bat wings."
25. My obsession love of gummy bears started in high school. Unfortunately, you couldn't buy them in stores at that time. I bought them by the pound from a candy and nut specialty shop in the mall. I made us late from lunch a lot because I had to run in the mall for gummies.
26. My softball team went to nationals my junior year in high school and we tied for something like 11th place (my dad, the coach, would remember our exact position).
27. I played a mean left field.
28. Every spring, I dream of playing softball again.
29. I think fast pitch is for the birds. Slow pitch is a hitter's game, with much more action. Fast pitch is just a pitcher's game like baseball. My dad always said he could take our girls (slow pitch) team and beat a bunch of boys any day - we were better fielders.
30. I am highly competitive. A baseball coach was giving my son's team the spiel about how they weren't there to win, just to have fun. I looked at my dad and whispered, "What he didn't tell them is that it isn't fun if you don't win." My dad agreed, which is probably where I got it in the first place.
31. Of my eight children, I had three in my twenties and five in my thirties.
32. I have four girls and four boys.
33. Every year on my birthday I wished for a horse while blowing out the candles.
34. As a child, I thought I would grow up to have a daughter named Kathy and a son named Beau; I have neither.
35. I prefer the mountains to the beach.
36. I'm hooked on Smallville. I've watched the first four seasons on DVD, and now I'm watching the fifth season while they re-run it this summer. I've really loved the Lex Luther character, dreading the day when he would have to "go bad," which is happening in the fifth season!
37. I have read Crime and Punishment twice and wish I had time to read it again.
38. I drive a 15-passenger van; I was determined not to buy a white one, which would look like it was just waiting for someone to slap a company logo on the side.
39. Of the ten members of our family, there is only one child who has his "own" birthday. Everyone else has another family member's birthday within six days (there are actually three of us within one six day period).
40. I was president of a homeschool support group for three years.
41. I am told that my first word was "Batman." The old TV series came out the year I was born. When I was in my mid-twenties, they started running the old episodes again and I recorded them for my kids.
42. I have to be completely dressed, with full hair and make-up, before I can "start" my day.
43. I am not afraid of tame, pet store rodents. We've had pet mice, rats, and guinea pigs.
44. In elementary school I always got "S -" in penmanship, meaning it was less than satisfactory. As a result, I used to practice handwriting constantly, "borrowing" letters from greeting cards, or anywhere else I saw one I liked. As a result, I now have fairly elaborate handwriting, and my cousin says I should try to get work addressing wedding invitations. My husband has told me, however, that I write "for myself" and other people can't read it.
    
45. My cousin, Blake, and I used to have foods that we would eat and call "punishment food" when we were kids. This included things like unpopped popcorn, plain lettuce, and Fresca.
46. We tasted our cats' food and let them lick our popsicles.
47. We "published" a newspaper in the attic of my great-aunts' house and sold ads to my dad and granddad's business.
48. We picked blackberries at my great-aunts' house and then sold them door-to-door in their neighborhood. We would go to one older couple's house, sell them blackberries, and then sit down at the table and have them fix them for us with milk and sugar.
49. I don't eat shrimp, or most seafood. I try every now and then, but it makes me queasy. It's a mental thing.
50. I wish I could relive the first time I saw Raising Arizona. That's possibly the most I've ever laughed during a movie.
51. I am tinkering with blog template design at Barefoot Blog Designs; I'm really interested in web design. I have worked with some programs which are becoming outdated, so I'm in the process of learning new ones.
    
52. I have a blog called Baby Basics with interesting articles about pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and newborns.
53. My granddad would always say, "Poor old ______" to the grandkids, and we would fill in the blank with, "Granddad." If you walked up to me now and said, "Poor old," and paused, I would probably say "Granddad" by reflex. I'm conditioned like Pavlov's dog.
    
54. I have only had one epidural and I wouldn't want one again.
55. I get "So, are you going to have any more kids?" a lot.
    
56. I make a great pecan pie.
57. I would love to take ballroom dance and karate lessons.
58. I was a whiz at the Rally X arcade game; I could usually set the high score.
    
59. My ultimate chocolate fix is the molten lava cake at Chili's or hot brownies covered in melted butter.
    
60. My mother was a voice major, my dad had a recording contract at one time; my sister and I can barely carry a tune (but we really want to).
61. I can't whistle.
62. As a child, I always asked if my sister and I were twins (I'm 3 1/2 years older) and if I had naturally curly hair (NOT!). This helps me keep perspective sometimes when I think my kids are crazy.
63. I sewed with my great-grandmother and great-aunts. One of my aunts said that you could always tell which parts of a quilt I had sewn. If I wasn't happy with a row of stitches, I would just sew another one beside it.
64. I named all of my cats Susie, except one named Cinder after a book about a cat who rescued her kittens from a burning building.
65. Now I am allergic to cats.
66. I have never been out of the U.S.
67. I like those online tests that show how many words per minute you can type. I just tried one that said I type 75 words per minute. My mother would be proud.
68. Both of my maternal great-grandmothers had nine children. They had all of the boys first, then all of the girls. Other than one boy sitting in the middle of my four girls, I had all of my boys first and then the girls, also.
69. I still have my original Nancy Drew books, including the Nancy Drew Cookbook.
70. I have the original blue LP of Elvis's Moody Blue.
71. When I'm alone in the car (not often) I drive through McDonald's and get a hot fudge sundae.
72. I'm a peacemaker; I hate arguments, but I'll stick to my guns with an unpopular opinion if I believe in it.
73. I worked for Blockbuster Video during college.
74. 316 is my lucky number.
75. I am a visual learner.
76. My favorite fragrance is Victoria's Secret Love Spell.
77. My mother passed away in 2004 on my birthday.
78. I have a major obsession with clip art, especially photos. One of my favorite things about blogging is using them to enhance a post.
79. I would love a definitive answer as to whether the plurals of acronyms, single capital letters, and numbers should be formed with or without an apostrophe before the "s" (ATMs or ATM's; "Zs" or "Z's"; 7s or 7's?).
    
80. I enjoy painting (not pictures, but walls).
    
81. One of my prized possessions is my OKI color laser printer.
    
82. I have taken thousands of digital photos, but I rarely print them.
83. I have been blessed with really good genes in the weight department. After 8 children, I am within 5 pounds of my high school weight, and it's certainly not from working-out or dieting.
84. I love books, but it's really difficult to go to the library with so many kids. As a result, I have amassed a huge reference library. Our bookcases are divided into categories like history, science, art, religion, homeschooling theory, homeschooling curricula, Russian (language and lit.), and literature (classic and children's).
85. I have read War and Peace; to tell the truth, it didn't make much of an impression on me. I don't remember it. I prefer Dostoevsky to Tolstoy.
86. One of my fondest childhood memories is going to Furr's Cafeteria after church and ordering macaroni and cheese, chopped steak, and apple dumplings.
87. I own over 90 Pampered Chef items.
88. I think of numbers as being masculine or feminine.
89. I have never been in anyone's wedding. Unfortunately, in my mind this is indicative of some huge character flaw which I must possess that prohibits me from being considered bridesmaid material.
90. I cut all of the hair in our house - even the dog's - except mine. Occasionally I'll take one of the girls to get theirs cut if we want to try something new and I can't do it.
    
91. Clowns disturb me.
92. My claim to fame: Carrie Underwood is my cousin; she doesn't know I exist, but her grandfather has been to my house.
93. My favorite childhood toys were three teddy bears: Robbie (named after Robert Redford) was the big one, Panda (an original name) was the middle, and Lolly was the little one. Robbie and Panda are in our basement; I don't know what happened to Lolly.
94. I wanted to name a girl Hastings, but just didn't have the nerve to do it.
    
95. Only two of my kids don't have family names for their middle names.
96. I could never speak Pig Latin.
97. My mother always gave butterfly and Eskimo kisses; my girls like them, too.
98. My kids and I like to have afternoon tea occasionally, although I suspect some of them are just in it for the cookies.
99. I don't drink coffee.
100. I had no idea how incredibly difficult it would be to come up with 100 things!
     

The Name of Your Game

Barb asked the question of how other blogs got their names. Hers is a very interesting story - I wasn't even familiar with the song, so I hadn't "gotten it." My story is quite boring in comparison, but I just wanted to play...

I started my first blog on Homeschool Blogger, but I didn't know what to say, didn't know anyone who blogged, basically I just didn't get it. Period. It sat there all alone for months. When I was looking around Homeschool Blogger, I saw another blog called Home Sweet Home and I really liked it; it just seemed to fit. I homeschool, have a house full of kids, I'm all about home. Also, I was so un-blogging savvy that I didn't know how important and unique a name could be. It's probably a miracle my site isn't named after gummy bears, something like "Amazin' Fruit!" So now I've confessed my horrible crime: I stole my blog's name from some other poor innocent blogger. Maybe I can start another site and get to use blogger beta, like Brenda; she was invited and I wasn't (can you tell I'm sulking?).

Y'all go visit Barb. She has a way of telling a story that makes me feel like a teenager again. It is also amazingly cool that her whole family blogs. Check out "Just Us Girls" on her sidebar!

Writing Contest - Deadline Tomorrow!

Thanks to A Circle of Quiet, I read about a writing contest to encourage bloggers to post their "Where I Am From" poems, sponsored by Joy in the Morning. This is based on the poem Where I'm From by George Ella Lyons. You can read the entire poem here. If you would like to write your own, click here for the template. To enter the contest, you must post your poem before June 21st at 11:59 EDT. Following is my poem.

Where I'm From

I am from softballs, from Furr’s Cafeteria and ice cream with little wooden spoons.

I am from hiding in the laundry hamper, duck when a car comes, pet mice, kittens, blue glass bathroom knobs, “made in occupied Japan” figurines, and pink shag carpet. From Lollie, Panda, and Robbie.

I am from the Caudles’ attic and Grandmother Warden’s front porch swing.

I am from the mimosa tree with the concrete patch in the middle, the weeping willow and the magnolia, window boxes with red geraniums.

I am from family loyalty and ringing in New Year’s Eve on the curbside with the tambourine, from Aunt Thelma and Aunt Mayme, Grandmother and Granddad Piles, and Grandmother and Pappy. I am from real hot chocolate and homemade chocolate covered cherries on Christmas Eve.

I am from my father’s honesty and my mother’s wisdom.

From “don’t eat ice cream and go outside,” and “more can be bought.”

I am from the Old Baptists and salvation by grace. I am from annual meetings, foot washing, lunch at church, and Amazing Grace.

I'm from the South – “American by birth, but Southern by the grace of God,” biscuits dipped in sorghum and butter, cornbread in a cast iron skillet, hot brownies covered in melted butter, Mrs. Butterworth, and JIF.

From marking the “day of terror” on calendars with Blake; Skip-Bo, Taboo, and Trivial Pursuit at the kitchen table; softball tournaments; Laura falling over with her blanket; Barbies with Jamie; playing HORSE with Daddy, Blake, and Steve.

I am from Daddy’s guitar and watching him sing with Mother for hours at a time. I am from Brown-Eyed Girl, Hang on Sloopy, and Teenager in Love.

I am from Fort Smith, from Jasper and Eureka Springs and Weleetka, from riding behind Daddy on the back of a motorcycle. I am from a family with roots that time or distance can’t sever.