Blueberry/Banana Parfait

Ok, I found my new all time favorite healthy 300-ish cal snack! And I even took a picture and wrote out the recipe in case you want to try... YUMM!

(It looks much better than the picture turned out.. :( )

Blueberry Banana Parfait

Layer in a wine glass or other pretty glass:

1 6oz conatainer Yoplait Light Very Vanilla Yogurt
1 medium banana, sliced
1/2 C blueberries (I keep a big bag of frozen in the freezer and a container thawed in the fridge)
1/4 C. Kashi Go Lean Crunch (or other) cereal.

Layer it however you like and enjoy!

www.myfooddiary.com says it breaks down like this, for those who like to keep track:
cal- 318
Fat 1.8 g
fiber 7 g
protein 9.7 g

Dh's Birthday BBQ and Bananas Foster

Chef John at the Big Green Egg (grill)-- Leg of Lamb Extrodinaire!

John and I enjoying a glass of wine as the leg of lamb cooked on the grill. Beautiful day.. a treat where we live!

(There are two dachshunds in this picture.. can you spot them?)
Here is the recipe of the day... we had bananas foster years ago, before we were married.
Click on the picture and it is big enough to read the recipe if you want to try!
Now that John travels to New Orleans for business a lot, he has sampled some great resturants and got this book from the library which has Brennan's recipe. The boys and I were going to make it for him as a gift, but as things got tricky we called him in... he is the master in the kitchen. More on that later...

Ralphie giving out free birthday kisses.
(tilt your head to the left)
John takes over with the Bananas Foster. It is like this giant pile of brown sugar, with some butter in the saucepan and you warm it... try to melt the sugar. It was not melting... I was worried.
(That was when we got John)
Then you pour on banana liquor and rum. He bought this giant bottle of banana liquore which we figure will last us at least 30 years. Ready to light the pan and FLAMBE'! Oui!
It is lit! Darn, the picture doesn't show the fire! He is sprinkling sugar and cinnamon in it and it sparkles! At the fancy resturants they do this at your tableside...
Stephen waiting for the kitchen to catch on fire and Bryan laughing. :)

See that giant bottle of banana liquor?? :0

And I had THIS for lunch.... mmmmmm!

Well, close. This pic is from the internet.. my parfait had blueberries, bananas, plain yogurt and grapenuts. I ate it before I could take a picture!

Quick Blueberry Bread

Just whipped this up for the boys... awesome! I keep frozen blueberries around and this is chock full- as they say. I did not make the vanilla sauce, bread is sweet enough without it. It was a hit!

Quick Blueberry Bread
"This loaf is chock-full of blueberries—two whole cups!" says Sue Davis from Wausau, Wisconsin. "When you pour the vanilla sauce over the bread, it makes it moist--almost like a pudding. I suggest serving a robust cup of coffee with this delicious treat."
INGREDIENTS
1 egg
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

VANILLA SAUCE:

1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup butter, cubed


SERVINGS 8

METHOD Baked
PREP 20 min.
COOK 50 min.
TOTAL 70 min.
DIRECTIONS
In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg, milk and oil. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture, beating just until combined. Fold in blueberries.
Pour into a greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
For sauce, combine sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Stir in cream until smooth; add butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with blueberry bread. Yield: 8 servings (2 cups sauce).

NUTRITIONAL INFO
Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 slice) equals 608 calories, 30 g fat (15 g saturated fat), 102 mg cholesterol, 424 mg sodium, 82 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 6 g protein

Rockin' IPOD Playlist-- Woo Hoo!

I decided to try a pure eliptical machine workout, something like this:
5 min warm up
5 min little faster
45 min steady 70% hr
5 min cool down

In the past I am HORRIBLE about staying with an eliptical or treadmill very long. Books on tape help me stay on, but oh, I get so bored.

My sons say they love listening to music on the treadmill, so I asked them to put together a playlist on the Ipod that would correspond.

They mostly have video game music on there, but there is a lot of great VG music! They know pretty much what I like, and we went through a few songs. I do like rock and roll, so they put some on, and also sprinkled in some Stephen Curtis Chapman songs (Dive, I Believe) that I love to do housework to.


(Stephen Curtis Chapman)




It was SO FUN! I got on the machine and hit Playlist 2 as Bryan told me to.. and got this really weird song- 20 seconds long called "Grabbed by the Goulies"--
Wierd!! But then it came on again and again and again.. GOTCHA- he got me in a practial joke and thought it hilarious when I later told him I listened to it 10 times before the joke dawned on me...


(Ghoulies Grabbing)








So I switched to Playlist 1 (the real one) and enjoyed the music perfectly timed to my workout plan. Also it was fun to see what he chose. Some songs reminded me of the boys, music I often hear wafting down the stairs. Other songs were ones from the VG Live concert we all went to.

And, the music was all so different- some very epic, and strongly beat-- I put the eliptical on high grade and high resistance and felt like I was climbing a mountain.. then a happy Sonic song would come on and I would put it on light and go really fast, like skipping on water.

And I burned a record number of calories. Tomorrow I plan another eliptical and hope one of my sons will give me a fresh play list.

When Does the New Year Begin?

Got this on an email today:

Advent Begins December 2 - The Start of the New Church Year. We Celebrate the Season of the Birth of Our Lord

“Advent calls us as Christians to ponder again the mystery
of our salvation, our hope that there is an answer to the riddle of earthly life
with its passing joys, disappointments, sorrows and frustrations, and it
apparently dark end in the oblivion of death.

Does life go anywhere?
Does it have any meaning? Advent calls every one of us to stop in the struggle
of life and to look up, to recall the answer to the questions of life. We are on
a journey to our Father's house. The door has been opened to us by the Son of
God, and the way marked out.

Advent invites us to look back over the
long centuries, during which the human race struggled on in shadows. Of course,
there was always some light. It began with the promise of a Redeemer who would
crush the head of the destroying Serpent, the Son of a woman at bitter enmity
with evil.

As believers, we have the faith to know that God came to us
through no merit of our own, and that He comes to us still by His grace. He
calls us by His birth, His life, His terrible death, and His glorious
Resurrection. Advent reminds us that He will come again.”

- Fr. Benedict Groeschel, excerpted from his book Behold, He Comes

I Woke Up Late...

...after finishing Schlinder's List in the wee hours of the morning on our little personal DVD player, with the covers draped over me and it so as not to disturb my snoring husband. Still have clean up from his birthday party, need to workout, meal plan, grocery shop and find my mil's birthday present.

Should I make a blog post or go do all the wonderful details of my vocation...?

Hummmm........

Hey, wait, I just did the blog post! And technically this IS part of my vocation, because it keeps me connected, sane and happy. Cool.. so I am now 'ahead of the game.' lol So I will be back soon with the detail-- but just a teaser--

I got a monster post brewing on Schlinder's List (the movie I finally MADE myself watch after years of peeking around the corners) and you gotta hear about our Bananas Foster! I am on sugar hangover today, but wow....

well just stay tuned.. I will be back.


Now where are my gym shoes?

All Things Work Together for Good

I had a little gift from above yesterday. For the past couple of years I would take my older son out now and then to chat about where he is, where he might be going, how we can work together to help him get there, and just shoot the breeze.

Usually it is pretty short and he is not too interested.

Yesterday we went out for coffee and talked for 2 hours. And he was the one that kept bringing things up. This article by Allison McKee was a great jumping off place.

I couldn't believe two hours had gone by.

I saw some things so clearly from our time together. Kids can change incredibly in a few months or years. You know how a toddler can be so different at age 13 months compared to 18 months. Well, if you have teens you also know they can, too. They can 'see' things at 17 that maybe they did not at 15 or 16. They are growing, maturing. All this work is happening on the inside that we can't see. I guess that is why we are told to just be patient... and pay attention.

We talked about options, what others have done through the teen years and beyond, his interests, things he would like to pursue and how I can help make that happen.
What he needs to do, what I need to do, what might be, and that we can't really know what will happen and that is ok. We have a pseudo plan, open to change which also will make Dad happier. The afternoon was a gift to me, a gift of encouragment from God I feel.

And it told me to stop listening to the voices out there. The parents pushing kids to college, or the ones who blame kids and don't push them. It is so easy to internalize. Or see kids who are not going anywhere and fear that is where you will be one day, not knowing what to do.

I feel the idea of 'paying attention' and keeping communication open is so important. And let them feel heard. And know you expect great things of them, and are on their side.

While I was spinning on the bike at the Y this morning my mind drifted back to when my son was 9. I was trying to get him to do math worksheets. This was a double whammy because both 'math' and 'worksheets' have never been a strength of his. I was so frustrated. I felt very strongly it was me against him. I had to make him do this.

It was then I first understood that this was wrong. I am ON his side. Yes, I expect great things of him, and it is his life to live, but I am his supporter, his facilitator, his cheerleader. It is not me *against* him. It is me *for* him, and being for him might mean many aspects of parenting, such as discipline, structure and correction. But it all works together for the good.

We are working together for the good.

The last analogy I thought of as I was huffing and puffing on the bike was my health goals. I have been working hard the past few months to get (back) in shape. Sometimes I would feel it is me against my body. Why is it still flabby? Why is the scale not going down? Dumb body!

But I realize that my body is simply reacting naturally to the stimlus it gets - execise and nutrition. It is part of me. I am part of it. Mind-Body-Spirit.
I felt a bit ill this week, so took some time off from exercising and today had a light workout. Instead of pushing myself, I listened to my body. We are working together now. Working together for good.

And, this all reminds me of how God works in our life. Ups, downs, successes, failures... he is in it all. He is in my son, my body, my workouts, my family the people I meet that challenge and irk me. It all works together for the good. If I can just keep that present in my mind.

Who Would You REALLY Vote for for Prez?

Very interesting internet quiz.
Good questions, enough depth to get to your true beliefs and you can rate the importance of each issue.

Now, I am just trusting they have accurate info on each candidate and their positions...

Try it! Takes about 5 minutes. Unless you need to go research your opinion on an issue.. lol Trust your gut!
Click Here

What Dh wants for his birthday

When we were in school my roommate used to make us Bananas Foster. You get to set it on fire.

Dh found a recipe and wants us to make it for him for his birthday tomorrow.

I will report later- and keep the fire extinguisher handy!

My Man Jeeves- Lots of Fun!

This audio version of My Man Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse is just too fun.

It is interesting to hear what was 'funny' in 1919 and to try and understand the English terms and phrases. Still trying to figure out from context what the adjective 'rummy' means. I think it is along the lines of 'stinky' or 'unfortunuate'. :)

Something bad would happen and Wooster would say, "Oh, that's just *rummy* !"
Martin Jarvis has played the parts on the stage and does all the voices. Love it! click here

Acorns from Heaven?

As I sat on my bench and waited for my dog to do his business, I kept getting hit on the head by something.





I saw where the object landed and picked it up. It was an acorn. Correction: a partially chewed acorn.

Those dratted squirrels are at it again.

This is 'their' yard and I am an intruder. They hate my bench as now I sit out there longer. And bring my fierce squirrel-hating dogs with me.

Boomer is standing guard. He knows his arch enemy is near..











I took a picture and he was wayyyy up in the tree. See him?

OUCH! He just threw another!

I'm going in.

Divine Lemon Cake Recipe

Here is the link to the lemon cake I made yesterday.

Like the picture? Not a good 'presentation' as my chef-ish dh would say but pretty good testamony that it was a hit!

Oh, and if you decide to make it, just a note to read the directions carefully as I found it a tad confusing but nothing major. Came out great.

I survived...

Wow, I am going to post my bad days more often.. I loved all the sweet notes and encouragment... :) Shucks... I feel like such a whiner, but I did love the love...

During my crash I made a lemon cake. I have had a hankering (Texas word) to make a fresh lemon cake for months. Why? I have no idea. I have never made one in the past and usually when I make desserts (usually for the boys) I head toward chocolate or peanut butter land.

So I bought some big juicy fresh lemons, searched the net for recipe and make it yesterday. I needed some sugar to sooth my raw nerves and it was just divine. I will post the recipe if anyone is interested.

And I also had my dh get some white wine when he went out last night. That helped, too.

I didn't sleep very well, but had the most incredible dreams! Those crazy mixed up dreams where everyone is in but the kitchen sink.. you know?

During part of it I dreamed that every dog sit customer I ever had ended up needing to drop their dog off at my house.. and they did! Dogs everywhere! I lost track of whose food was whose, when they were to eat, the medicines for some, the vitamines and joint flex pills.. then they started to come pick them up and I was scrambling to find the dogs!

I know, I am weird.

Today is better so far....

hugs,
Cindy

The REAL Day

A friend and I were recently chatting about blogs. And how they can't be sweetness and light all the time. REAL life has to come through. I know I hesitiate to do that, especially when it involves family, friends and dc. Don't you?

But, today was a bad day.

A bad day.

Bad.
Day.

Why? Oh, these stupid hormones I suppose. My cycle is a mystery and some months it comes and goes and I barely notice and then I have days like THIS.

I got up. Felt crummy. So figured i would work out to feel better. I felt crummy.

I got through a light weight workout and managed to smile and talk to people then went to my favorite step class. Love it. She pushes us but is nice, sort of.

I left after 20 min. I felt crummy.

Dizzy, lightheaded and crummy. Dad burn it.

Came home still felt crummy.

Did stuff I had to do. Felt crummy.

Tried to nap, couldn't, felt crummy.

Dh got home from a client, tried to smile. Saw myself in the mirror and had dark circles under my eyes. I am so fair I never have dark cirlce under my eyes.

He told me about a phone call with a potential customer, got a hold of lower level employee who must be feeling powerless and she let him have it over the phone.

As I listened with my head pounding, feeling crummy and trying to be on-line with him and listening I realized she probably was feeling like I did. She had YELLED at my husband on the phone. Sigh. I told him she probably had PMS and if Hillary has not gone through menopause we were all in trouble once a month if she got elected.

He looked at me sideways, but then I saw a glint of acknowlegement.

Ok, it is 8:30. I can go to bed in 30 minutes without looking like too much of a wimp Good, because I feel crummy.

Did I tell you I feel crummy?

I Can't Look!

My youngest had his 14th birthday at the first of the month. One thing I have been consistant on here is the boys writing thank you notes. Now, there are millions of other things I have NOT been consistant on.. and don't be too impressed, they haven't had parties (not wanted them) since they were very young, so the thank you notes usually total 5 or 6, for gifts from relatives.

Their first notes were very short. I ordered some cute inexpensive personalized thank you notes with their names on the front and they would write a few sentences inside. But they had to have the 'forumla' ---a formula I think is important as it is about manners.

Something along these lines:

-Thank you for the gift.
Inquire about the person's life/health/happiness.
-Describe some goings on that would interest the person.
-Thank them again.
-Sign name.

As I have read various things over the years, I think this is pretty iron clad and really it is about making the gift giver feel thanked and appreciated.

As the boys got older, they asked (begged) me to let them type the letters. They caught onto typing fast and are now really quick.

At first I didn't relent. Oh, grandparents love to see the handwriting.

Finally after couple of years I did relent. Ok, you can type it, but the letter has to be MUCH longer. Like at least a couple of paragraphs.

The first few years the cry was: "What do I write about?"

Every time, I would stop and sit and say, let's think. What have you been doing that you think _______ might like to hear? Uncle Tad would like to know about your computer games. Grandma will be interested in your writing class, etc.

"But what do I ask about them?"
Well, what has Papa been up to lately? Ask him about that. Or what is important to him now? Ask him about that.

Sometimes the letters got a bit, well, tangented.. I will say, especially during the ages of 14-15 when the self absorbtion factor and cynical humor was high.

"Write to your audience." I would say, as Bravewriter says. Uncle Tad might like the joke, but would 80ish Baba Grandma?

The boys have done pretty well, but I have always reviewed the letters, just in case.

Well, this time Bryan was writing his letters (my task-oriented 'git 'er done' guy and was trying to finish up. I was busy.

He came in and told me they were done. I was hanging drapes and vacuuing walls and had my 'very busy' face on.

"Oh?" I said. "How did they come out?"

"Well... I guess they are kind of short. What should I-"

I looked at him, and he knew I was going to put my vacuum wand down and 'help' him brainstorm what to say.

"Never mind, I know."

He left. I didnt' see him again. Next thing I knew they were in the mail truck.

Oops. I thought to myself. I didn't even see them much less proof them. Our relatives love the boys and are not super picky, but with 2 grandparents in ill health, I especially want the boys to be sensitive. They have a great sense of humor, but age 14... well the 88yo grandparent might not get it all.

So.. today I looked. Bryan had saved the letters on Word (in fact we have 6 years of thank you notes there) ... and I pulled them up.

They were great. Ah, who's worried?

To me this just one more way that God helps us let go. He makes us too busy at just the right time.

Here is Bryan's letter to my brother and his wife:

October 17, 2007

Dear Uncle Tad and Aunt Gina,

Thanks very much for the money. It’s always I helpful gift and I really appreciate it. How’s it going? Having a good fall? Not too much has been going on around here, except a lot of little repairs being done on the house. In fact, there are multiple people working on the house as I write this. Our air conditioner broke down for the downstairs, so they’re working on that now, as well as painting the new doors on our office. I look forward to seeing you at Thanksgiving. Well, thanks again for the gift.

Love,

When do you sing?

I sing around the house all the time, and usually it is about my dogs. I used to sing to/about my boys when they were little but now I sing to/about the dogs and often in my mind substitue my sons' names.

Like:

"He's my sweetie...he's my little sweetie... love my lit----tle boy! I just love ______ so!"

Now do you see why I don't put my 17yos's name in the blank of the verse? Oh the eye rolls I might get. But I do hug them and call them sweetie pie sometimes in the morning when they are too sleepy to register. :)

Today I worked out and ran some quick morning errands, and upon remembering my next stop, broke into song. I get to see Jasper, my favorite Basset Hound today who just happens to live on the route between Lowes and Krogers!

I get to do mid-day visits for him today and tomorrow as his owner (who works from home) is out all day each day.

So, as I twisted the key in the lock to Jasper's back door, I stepped in his kitchen singing...

"Jassppppper! Jasper-poo! How is my sweetie?"

I hear rumblings, bumps and grunts from the laundry room which soon turned into snuffles, yawns, short barks and then baying! Whoopie! We get to play!

I threw him a treat (first things first) then grabbed the leash as Japser impatiently panted and bayed. He knew what was coming.. potty break!

On our walks I sing to him. He loves it. Then we sat on the flagstone patio and listenend to the birds on the beautiful day. He doesn't usually like going outside, but if I coax and sing he will.

We sat out for a while and he managed to cover me in doghair, nose juice and saliva. What a sweetie.

Can't wait to see him tomorrow and sing some more....!

(P.S.- Where but on google could you search images for 'singing basset hound' and get one back in a nano second? Isn't that a great picture? lol)

LIfe Imitates Art..

...or vice versa?

Too Much Time on my Hands *NOT*

For proof that a SAHM's hours are well spent I looked around my kitchen the past few days. Yes, I have two teens, no I don't spend hours teaching them. No I don't have a job that takes me out of the house a lot. ( I have two or three smallish jobs that I mostly do from in the house.)

But, if I did any of the above things would I have time for THIS?




Our first cold front came in and I had a WHIM to make pumpkin muffins. Then I had a whim to give some to some dogsit clients and had a whim to decorate a bag for them. Too-busy people don't have time for WHIMS! And I am glad I do!!

OR THIS?


I painted this watercolor for my dh for our 20th anniversary as he just loved this dog which we bought together after we married. People who work 60 hours a week at high tech firms don't have time to create such masterpieces.. (BG)

OR THIS?

I bought too many eggs this week so decided to hardboil a batch. After writing HB about 4 times I thought, I can be more creative... so we have a fridge door full of smiles.

See what we are adding to the world in our non-productive ways?

Humm.... I feel like making a batch of homemade cookies. Eat your heart out, Hillary!!

One Handsome Mutt

Isn't he just too suave?
Boomer (a Standard Dachshund) has in his latter years always had a chill in the winter months. An admirer gave him a sweater last week, and we pulled it out for this first cold snap. My, he is proud. :)

Body Fat

The only thing worse if it it said it outloud....

Family Fun Watching the Debate

Ok, Ralphie got me up early (5:30) so I figured I would make my Monday morning run to the grocery store really early and beat the crowds!

(...Or sit here, drink coffee, and make a blog post..) Sigh. Well, life is to be lived, right?

Some families enjoy going to the movies. Others, a rousing game of Monopoly. Us, we watch the republican debates on T.V.

That is the only thing I can yell upstairs to the boys that is coming on TV and they will drop everything and come sit glued to the TV for 2 hours for. (wow, bad grammar, more coffee)

I know most of you are sick of the election and is still a year away. My dh only watched the debate in passing, saying, he is going to vote Republican anyway, so it doesn't matter that much. I begged to differ... these debates seem the best way to get to know these men. The best fast way. And I was very, very happy with how Fox ran the debate last night.

It is a limited format of course. So the goal is to get as much info out of them as you can in an organized fashion and I think Brit Hume and crew did an excellent job.

The best part of the debate, so good that I actually sent an email to Fox telling them!-- was before it even started.

They have a pollster, Frank Luntz, who organized a 'focus group' of 'regular people', about 25 of them. He had them all in a room and asked them questions about what they wanted from this debate, from these hopefuls.

What they said in those few minutes was more articulate, intelligent, honest and to the point than any rhetoric I have heard from the candidates and media pundits to date. In a nutshell:

We want:
leadership
vision
'stand up' for the Republican party and find our mission
honesty
Be like Reagan- have clear vision, clear goals, know where you are going and people (whether they agree with you or not) will know where you stand.

I could have cheered! and he next asked about Sen. Hillary. He had to, it turns out this woman is defining the 2008 elections in both parties. Dems candidate have to beat Mrs. Bill Clinton for the nomination. Reps have to beat her in the election- or so it is looking that way.

When he asked the focus group about her, you could see how much they were disturbed at the prospect of her being elected. One person said she is a socialist. Socialist? How many people here think she is a socialist, Frank asked excitedly.

Most every hand shot up.

There it is... they are honest enough to say this something we know is true but the media is afraid to admit... these people made honest sense and it was refreshing.

(Now if you are reading this and a socialist and are happy with Hillary, that is your right. But we need to think if socialism is really where we want our country to go. Seriously think about it. Read history... see where past countries have gone with socialism. This is real. And those are the roots of Hillary's philosophies.)

Wonderful these people could say what the media won't!

The debate itself, lots of highlights and side topics. We talked about Woodstock and how Senator McCain said he didn't make the concert because he was 'tied up' at the time.... :)--- Mitt Romney's new cool hair style, Rudy's attempt to cozy up to the 'values voters', Ron Paul's Libertarian views and Huckabee's no apologies supporting LIFE in all forms. What a treasure of topics!

The candidates made a good showing (imo) especially compared to past debates and appearances. No, I am not excited about all the rhetoric and campaign stuff. but this is our country. There is an election coming, warts and all. I love our two party system. Everyone has a right to be heard. Debates like these are giving us a chance to find out (in an imperfect fashion) about these imperfect men running.

We need a strong two party system and since the dems have all of the media (except talk radio) on their side the Republicans must get strong, fearless and decide what they believe, get the word out so we actually have a choice.

Last night was a good first step, plus we had lots of family conversation over our Chicken Marsala and pasta.

Fox by far and away does the best job with debates (makes it about the candidates, not the moderators)- and the next debate is in early December if you want to tune in. You can also email in questions for the candidates.. something we meant to do but never got around to.

Welcoming Ministry

I recently joined the Welcoming Ministry at my parish.

Every 3rd weekend of the month, volunteers (such as me) stay after Mass and welcome those interested in becoming part of our parish. Since we like the vigil Saturday Mass, that is when I volunteer.

Yesterday was the second time I did this. I left Mass after communion and set up the materials, taped up the Welcome Parishioners Ministry sign on the wall next to the entrance to the Lady Chapel and stood, hands folded, smiling waiting for people to come in.

I tried to smile and look 'welcoming' and not like a fake smile was plastered on my face. :D

As I stood there, people began to pass by, taking bulletins and heading for the car. I saw my sons, waved wildly and they gave me an (oh Mom!) look and kept going.

Soon a lovely lady walked up and we began to chat. She is considering joining us since her only son left for college. They had been going to a far away parish with where a priest friend was instructing her son for Confirmation. Now that he is away, she wants a closer parish. We talked about her son's departure. I could see the pain she still felt. She missed him, her only child. I hope she joins.

I also enjoyed talking with the other volunteer. I have seen her face for years, but never met her. We chatted and I found out she is retired, has been for 10 years. One month after her retirement, her husband passed away.

"We had all the plans for our retirement,' she said, " and then he was gone."

We talked of her kids and grand kids and her involvement in the Church and parish.
She had heard it said that our parish was 'cold and unwelcoming'. She disagrees and to help change that perception, joined the welcoming committee.

I made two new friends yesterday.

Blogspot help

Does anyone know how I can move my text away from the picture in my blog banner?
I know I have to dig into the html.. just not sure where..
thanks!
Cindy

Be Safe My Little Grasshopper

It is a fine sunny fall day here. I went out about 9am to mow. Yes, you still mow in Houston after mid October. The grass just gets a bit shaggy, and it also helps mulch the leaves and pine needles.

In our back yard, as I mowed along with our noisy gas-guzzling Toro, I saw the most beautiful silvery thing with 8 wings lift up off the grassy turf. At first I thought it was a dragonfly.

Then, another and another.

I kept mowing and got to the center of our yard. This is where water often sits, shade is often abundant from our towering pine trees and pine needles gently shelter as they scatter-fall all year round.

As I began to transverse with the mower little blades of grass began jumping. But the jumped *before* the blades or wind from the mower got to them. They were little grasshoppers.

I was beginning to sweat, tired of my job and decided to push on. They are just incects. But as I swung around and got back to the center patch again I saw dozens and dozens of the fragile, pale green creatures jump. Some flew away, the ones with real wings. Some jumped high and long and got clear. Other hobbled and could not avoid the path of the mower.

I thought of those storybooks I used to read to my boys of the the sweet animals of the forest who are devestated by the sound of the developer's bulldozers.... oh the power of literatue.

I put myself in the grasshoppers' place. Ok, I thought to myself, do they have brains? Can they feel pain? Are they just cartlidge with a rustic nervous system?

I am not sure, but I cut power to the mower and started on the front yard instead.

But, as I pushed out into the yard I saw this wasp hover-zooming over the tips of the grass...

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie Painting

I first saw this painting (print) at a friends house, hanging in her master bedroom. This is the friend with whom we used to trade dogs while each of our families travelled. I always love it. Peaceful. Calm. It is called Master Bedroom (I think) and is by Andrew Wyeth.

Well, I have a little extra cash from my dogsitting and editor jobs. I saw this on sale at Kirkland's and now it is hanging in our office (the room with the new doors). It is over a sage green couch that is not spectacular, but the painting makes it look just right.

I love it.

My Kind of Pushups.. tee hee

Fall?

Crisp morning!

Fall here?

Hot afternoon....

We're not yet in the clear.

New Name: Puppy Kisses

Puppy kisses have been part of my life as long as I can remember. They are a common subject in our house, in fact dh just arrived home from a business trip and asked and recieved puppy kisses from both dogs. His people said hello, too.

Puppy kisses mean love.

Puppy kisses mean happiness.

Sometimes a little dog breath gets spread with them, as does some canine spit.

But mostly they are sweet. Like my life.

Cindy

A Ray of Sunshine

Monday morning was steamy in Houston, gray skies, warm temps threatening rain. Inside Shawn (the Quiet Painter) was applying the first oil coat to our new office french doors. The thick acrid paint fumes hung in the air. Our A/C had been out for 24 hours. Yes it is October, but in Houston A/C is a year round thing.

Digging through my files I found the number of our old AC repair shop. Actually I found two. One was not great. Which one? I called both. One could come tomororw, one today. I picked the fast one.

Then my dryer started smelling like it would blow up. Hot smell. As I hung my bedspread on the back fence, to further marinate, as no 'drying' would be done in this soup, the doorbell rang. Ralphie went into this ballistic doorbell barking rant.

I answered the door, and appearing in uniform was a youngish manm dark hair, dark eyes, trace of a spanish accent, was here to help with our A/C. He introduced himself as Ray.

Ok, I sighed to myself. Let's see what he says. It is always fair game when a new contractor shows up.

Dh was buried in his office making calls and holding online meetings. Ray followed me to the thermostat, I explained the problem. He listened. I was exasperated. I tried not to show it. I was still in my sweaty workout clothes after trying to run on my treadmill this morning. I had given up in the stuffy conditions.

It looked like rain and my favorite bedspread was surely growing mold on that fence.

We went out the front door, Ralphie barking at our heals. I showed Ray the compressor round the side of teh house and he began to look around. As he took off the back of it I asked if he needed anything else, and also didn't want him to feel I was breathing down his neck, offered to leave.

"Sometimes workmen charge more if the homeowner watches." I lamely joked.

"No,' he said. It is good if you stay because I can show you just what I find."

Ray had a note of optimism in his voice. Like, he was really interested in finding out what ailed my A/C and our sticky house.

He showed me what he found as he found it. Without boring you to death, suffice it to say we needed a new unit.

It began to sprinkle. We went inside. My bedspread tremored in the non-existant breeze.

I wiped last night's pie crumbs from the kitchen table and Ray and I sat. Bryan stood nearby listening. He always is interested in house things like this. Ralphie gave a disconcerted half bark. He hates spending money on the house. Doesn't trust contractors as they smell wild.

Ray explained what was broken, the quick fix, the long fix, the works. I asked a million questions as I always do. Ray listened and answered. It was different in a small way than the usual contractor.

Soon dh came out of his office, with a questioning look. Great- just as we got all the info out, we would have to start explaining all over. Ray offered to explain again. He did patently. I was rather surprised. That optimism again.

I am so glad dh came out when he did.. as Ray got to explain it instead of me.

But, again the optimism. Dh asked- what he would do if it was his AC? Ray told us and then said he likes to look at every house and situation as if it were his mother's or sister's. I know this may sound corny but it seemed real.

I began to ask him about himself, how long he worked with this company and what he thought of them. Turns out he was offered a great job co-running another AC business. He loved it, but worked a zillion hours and missed his kids. So he came back to this business where he can be home, with a bit less money. He then shared some of his philosophy of life in between the lines...- his positive attitude and how he can help influence others. Bryan was abosorbing every word. So were dh and me.

He was a Ray of sunshine on this dark, misty day with moldy bed linen on the fence.

Yesterday as they began to install, Ray helped the main guy, Winston, get started. From up in the game room (our overloaded room that needs clean out so badly) I heard a giant crash! The plastic 3-tier bookshelf on which I keep all our sciecne books had fallen. Ray and Winston began to pick up - I told them to leave it.. I would. This got me to finally move these books out.. but then Ray and I started talking. About his kids. Especially his son who is 8 and loves to read. Ray is not much of a reader, but his son always has his nose in a book, Narnia, Harry Potter and beginning LOTR. Wow, Ray- that is great. Ray knew. Not sure where his son got it, but was glad.

So, Ray brought some sunshine. His attitude on life. His emphaisis on customer service. ("I solve people, not problems." he said).

His committment to his family. And his priorites. They are in the right order.

Ding Dong. Ralphie goes wild barking. It's the dryer guy.

Netflix Goodies!

Just loaded up my Netflix queue! I just love Netflix! Based on my ratings when I watch movies it reccommends new ones for me, or suggests by catagory, etc. I just reviewed all the Oscar winners for Best Picture and added a few.
I just watched the top three movies, (and included reviews)- the others are coming soon.

Love getting that red envelope in the mail.... ;)

Laura
(didn't like... too forced and non-likable characters. Didn't finish)


2 The Stratton Story
Good ol' Jimmy Stewart and good ol' June Allyson as baseball pitcher Monty Stratton and his (perfect..lol) wife. Funny thing as these same actors were paired up as Glenn Miller and wife in the Glenn Miller Story.. had trouble switching from trombone to baseball bat. But nice, happy, inspiring movie and I googled Monty Stratton after I watched it and learned something new.


3 Command Decision
Really liked it- so did Bryan. All male cast. Clark Gable (love him...) and this WWII film was made after the war. First WWII film (so I understand) that showed the flawed relationship between the military/politicians/media. Yes! We saw some of the same issues we are seeing today.. Miliary trying to do their job, fat politicians trying to position it with the public and their careers and media (newspapermen) sometimes allies, sometimes not.
Recommend...

And these are coming to my 'theater' soon!






Leave Her to Heaven


Something the Lord Made


A Lesson Before Dying


Since You Went Away
UR Classics Now

So Proudly We Hail!


Schindler's List


All Quiet on the Western Front


How Green Was My Valley


A Man for All Seasons

Broke, fixed.

AC went out this weekend. Well it is October after all, but in Houston we use A/C year round about, and though it was only in the mid 80's humidity was like soup.

So today they were here all day. Yes I am thankful we can afford (spend our savings) on the A/C.

Dryer started smelling like it was going to blow up. He came today to look at it. While he was here I asked him about a filter for our ice maker. Last month my neighbor took to jackhammering his driveway to put down a new section of cement. You would not believe our water. After all the shaking of the pipes, it looked like the bottom of a sandy lake coming out of our faucets. I am not exaggerating. I see now that all that sits in our pipes.

So I have been on a mission to get our water clean. Houston water is not great. I lug refills of gallon jugs home every week from the grocery. But I would really like to get our ice clean and our shower.

I am so thankful. We can get clean water. I know many in the world can't. So I am trying.

The dryer guy looked at the filter and will come back Friday to fix it. In the meantime I have been to Lowe's 4 times, bought, returned and never found the right filter, adapters, etc. I am in awe of do-it-your-selfers. My tells me he won't even try, I don't think it is in his genes. But I keep trying to save money and I think I will finally give up.

Just dog sit more and spend my profits on handymen and plumbers. :)

We also finally got our 'doors' installed. Some teens ask for cars or ipods or clothes. My boys have wanted doors for over a year. When dh came home to work full time boys and I gave up the office. Office and computer is command central for us, from email to message boards to on-line courses. So we moved to an open front living room.

Boys want doors. To create, to laugh to make their stories/movies/whatevers... and also for the occasion class. I also want it for my calls for business and when I need time to think. I would like a haven. Actually the boys and I can share the haven since I am an early morning person and they are night people.

so... after MONTHS we finally got doors. It took 3 days. You should have seen the carpenter. He has worked for this company for 25 years. Making conversation I asked if he did other things beside carpentry. He replied all he does is DOORS.

Then our painter showed up. Quiet man. Latino but spoke English. Used my microwave to heat his lunch the last two days. Meticulous. Funny- he was very quiet, but I felt he was very wise. Thought a lot while he applied paint. One cout primer, two coat oil.

The door are works of art. I expected only doors. These are like masterpieces and they yet to have knobs. (they are french doors with white painted finish)

So, of course when he starts in with the oil based paint the AC goes out. So we are sniffing fumes for days.

But today we are done.

Doors done (except knobs)
AC working and cool and refreshing
Dryer fixed.

Tonight is Laura, a movie by Otto Preminger. Boys have projects upstairs. Dh wining and dining customer is New Orleans, and if he gets this deal it might pay for part of the A/C.

Life is good.

Awesome Post : You are Here

Aweseom post by Donna that again neutralizes those pesky labels... and reminds me about living life.

This is not a race! :)

Just Call Me Kanga-Roo...

Take the 100 Acre Personality Quiz!

Namey Thing

Thanks Marie, I'm gonna have some fun, too!
My Names!

Rock Star Name (first pet & current car):

Gus Volvo

Gangsta Name (fave ice cream flavor & fave cookie):

Moose Track Chocolate Chip

Fly guy/girl name (first initial of first name & first three letters of last name):

C-Kel

Detective name (favorite color & favorite animal):

Blue Dog

Soap Opera Name (middle name & city where you were born):

Lynn Fort Worth

Star Wars Name (first three letters of last name & first two of first name):

Kellci

Superhero Name (”The” + second favorite color + favorite drink):

The Purple Water

Nascar Name (first names of both grandfathers):

Virgil Howard

Goth Name (Dark+ name of pet):

Dark Boomer

Witness Protection Name (mother’s and father’s middle names):

Howard Lilly

TV Weatherperson/Anchorperson Name (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name & a major city that starts with the same letter):

Lair Leavenworth

Spy Name/Bond Girl (favorite season/holiday & favorite flower):

Autumn Rose

Cartoon Name (favorite fruit & article of clothing you’re wearing plus “y” or “ie”):

Strawberry Shirty

Hippy Name (what you ate for breakfast & your favorite tree):

South Beach Diet Bar Elm

Rockstar Tour Name (”The” + your favorite hobby/craft, favorite weather element + “tour”):

The Drawing Rain Tour

A Saturday Night Dog Party

Jasper








Our five canine friends.

O.K.

We are watching our Cocker Spaniel friends this weekend. But then our Basset Hound friend called us and hoped he could come over for the evening as they have having a birthday party for their son and Jasper is, well, intrusive? So we have 5 dogs here and are having our own puppy party! lol

p.s. I have a very patient husband.. but I am in dog heaven!


Oh and the friend who owns the Spaniels.. what a sweet lady... she knows Boomer gets cold in the winter and brought him his very own sweatshirt. He LOVES it!

Looks like a stuffed sausage to me... lol

Our Teens' Paths

I have been thinking reading (again) lately about our children's, specifically our teen's paths. How much do we help 'steer', how do we help them find their way?

The solution when I was a kid was that children followed a set course, i.e. school.

The marker was grades.
The goal was high SAT/ACTs and college.
The ultimate goal was a good paying career.

I am thankful I have come to an understanding as a parent that there are larger goals. "Heaven Not Harvard", as one dear homeschool mom says. I mean, it could be *both* Heaven and Harvard, but it would be so if that was where God wanted the child. So, still, no set formula. Lots of prayer and uncertainty-- Ah I love parenting! :-)

In focusing on helping my dc find their strengths and interests and spending my time encouraging and facilitating those, I see they have had time to discover this in themselves and have a sense of self. I hope the sense of God's purpose follows, too. I told my son the other day that he is already way ahead of me in that- I never considered or understood God had a purpose for me until I was well into my 30s! So even if he has no clue what it is right now, he knows it exists. God's hand is firmly in our lives.

On the UC list recently we have been talking about when dc waft. Otherwise known as 'lulls'... or not behaving in a way where we can see schooly learning or really anything.

I have read a lot on this in the past and believe this is not only not BAD but it is necessary. John Holt, Charlotte Mason and now Plato (of which I am reading right now) understood that a child needs time to think, process and let the inputs of the world come together in his mind. John Taylor Gatto expresses this in Dumbing Us Down as he talks about traditional schools and all the 'bells' and 'no place to hide'.

Our kids have a place to 'hide' and I think that is one of the most precious gifts we can give them. I love to hide when I need to, then emerge and embrace the world when it is time. St. Francis of Asissi knew this, too. He said to be able to go out into the world and do your work, you much have time in prayer and solitute to recharge, reconnect with God.

Also in my reading about Intorvert/Extroverts and personality types, I see it over and over- we must know ourselves and nurture ourselves and recharge. And connect with God.

But moms often worry about wafting and drifing... it is difficult as the world tells you 'action' is good. Gosh we see that with adults all the time. BUSY is a badge of honor. Busy can be good, too, but lulls are not seen as productive.

Maybe it is about learning to see the value in the lulls. And recognizing when someone might need help moving back to the world. Humm...

Last night I read a few more things that helped my perspective. On Joyce Fetterolls site Joyfully Rejoycing- I found again that, wow. this site is a great antidote for the unschooling jitters...

Joyce talked about what causes kids to become addicted- really another form of 'dropping out' - Bad Wafting. Some mom asked about TV. Joyce says if a child is 'addicted' to something it is not the 'something' that is causing it. It is the unhappy child. Why are they unhappy? Most probably because they are not understood, listened to and connected with. If you have a child that recieves that then the drifting/wafting will probably be a healthy thing, not a lack of connection or 'running from life'.

This gave me a lot to think about and some comfort. Though there is not a definitive *answer*.

I also re-read most of Allison McKee's From Homeschool to College and Work. In addressing what best prepares a child for college she said the MOST important thing (in her opinion) is they become an expert in something. Anything. Her son's passion was fly fishing. It is amazing to read about him and all the facets of life he learned from the tying, researching, etc he did.

But, Allison said, if they see your child loved something enough to learn and live it, the powers that be (college admissions and the like) will know how to reserach and learn any subject. This is why they LOVE unschoolers. Again we are on the cutting edge, friends, as we venture into the future. How much of the past can we let go of? lol

Again, as Joyce writes, it is like letting go of the side of the pool in the deep end. Where are my floaties?

I am of course influened by my past and experience, in that I was so prepared for 'school' I could have probably gotten a degree in any subject. Maybe without passion, but I could have by sheer momentum.. :) I wonder what it is like to not have the schooly background, but to have passion. How would one apply themselves to life? What keeps them going if they are not focused on artificial goals?

I am trying to explain to my sons the balance of the artificial goals (the 'tickets' of grades, classes, etc to get them to the 'next level') and the passion goals. It is going to be fun to see where my boys head. They are ready; that is what I hear from all the sane voices. I kind of wish I had had the same background as they do, the base from which to start. No preconceptions, no 'one path'... and lots of passion.

Ok.. gotta let go of the sides. :)

Return of Sherlock Holmes I

I think I have found my very favorite rendition of Sherlock Holmes in audio!
Loved this and I had not heard or read any of these stories before... It includes:

The Adventure of the Empty House
The Adventure of the Norwood Builder
The Adventure of the Six Napoleons and
The Adventure of the Three Students

David Timson does a great job performing, too. I had listened to some Holmes stories that had been 'adapted' and put in a play version.. and now I really see no need for that. Sir Arthur Conon Doyle has such great dialog and imagery, there is not really a need. And this version had lovely music interludes- perfect selections to fit the plot and stories.

A+!

Highly recommended and will be passing this on to the boys for sure...