Glutton For Punishment Fat Rolls

So I made cinnamon rolls again for the family last night. I must say I'm becoming quite accomplished in this area. And I only flinched a little while waiting for the dough to rise. Now I can justify making them because they are helping me in the area of patience.

A thought did occur to me while I was stuffing my face enjoying my cinnamon roll at 10pm last night. I said to myself, "Self. This could really make you a lot fatter if you don't stop this". Notice I said "fat-TER".

Houston, we have a problem.

I then envisioned myself having to do The Truffle Shuffle at the next family reunion and I shuddered at the thought. If you're not familiar with The Truffle Shuffle, please go here.

Are you shuddering with me now?

So, do I continue to make these wonderfully delicious cinnamon rolls and run the risk of added poundage or do I banish them permanently, forsaking their cinnamony goodness forever?

Yep...time to start practicing my Truffle Shuffle moves.

A Great Loss...

This picture is of the Davis family. I know of them through an online group of reformed women I belong to. A few days ago we learned that Eric (the husband and father) had collapsed and then proceeded to suffer no less than 4 heart attacks at the hospital. We have been praying for this family since.

We learned just hours ago that Eric has gone on to be with the Lord. While we rejoice that Eric is now whole, we mourn for those he left behind. A godly wife no longer has her husband and best friend and 6 beautiful children (the oldest of which is only 19) no longer have their father. As we are assured that God can and will sustain them through their grief, I ask that you pray for them.

Please pray for God's perfect peace for them. That He will wrap them so tightly in His arms that they will feel His continual presence. Pray that in this time of great loss that God can be glorified and others will see Him through their testimony.

Psa 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

Winter Bloggy Give-Away Carnival

*This contest is now closed, thanks for participating!*

Once again Shannon is hosting another bloggy giveaway! These are so much fun that I can't resist joining in yet again!

Last time, after much introspection, I thought seriously of giving away my 16yo strapping, young son. Alas, while there were many offers of dowries and betrothal to daughters, cousins and friends, I decided it was in my best interest to giveaway something other than my first born.

Since that was so successful for me the first time and the fact that I really do adore all 5 of my children - I think I'll just give away some more Pampered Chef! Yeehaw! And since I love cooking and baking and all things homemakerish, I've put together a lovely array of items if I do say so myself.

Up for the taking this time is a lovely Pampered Chef package. It contains a wide assortment of great items for the kitchen. These would include:

- 3, yes you read that right, 3 Season's Best cookbooks (because I L-O-V-E to cook)
- 1 package Soups, Stews and Chili's Recipe Cards (a recipe for a bread bowl!!)
- 3 small Twixit clips (for when the twistie ties mysteriously disappear!)
- 1 package Southwestern Seasoning - good for the tacos and fajitas
- 1 Mini-Whipper (great for chocolate milk or eggs or whatever your little imagination desires!)
- 1 Citrus Peeler (for those pesky oranges)
- 1 Cake Tester (admit it, we all hate using a knife)

And a lovely assortment of pictures:















All in new packaging - because I care enough to give the very best.















Wonderful cookbooks and recipe cards! BTW, see the chocolate cake with the white frosting? I've made that one before! Oh yes ma'am, I did.















All waiting just for you!

Here's the lowdown.
- Post a comment and you're entered.
- Only enter one time, please. We all know cheaters never prosper. Unless of course, you're a politician or in professional sports - then most of them do.
- U.S residents only please - I hate excluding my Canadian friends, but I'm afraid the seasoning might be mistaken for some illegal substance and then I would be tied up in court for years and hey, I'm just not up for that. But my husband does love hockey!
- You may enter until Friday February 1, 2008 10pm CST. At this time I will close comments.
- I will use the random number generator to select a winner.
- The winner will be posted on Monday February 4, 2008.
- I will contact the winner who will need to contact me back within 24 hours or a new winner will be selected.
- You do NOT need a blog to win, but please leave a way to contact you (i.e. email, etc..)
- My friends are more than welcome to enter - you know who you are - all two of you.

Don't forget to head on over to Shannon's and enter all the other great giveaways!! I'm heading there myself!

The Evils of the Cinnamon Roll - Prepare to Drool and Then Be Alarmed

I do believe that just might be my most creative blog title yet! I love drama.

Okay, so last Friday on our UN-ice day I decided to make homemade cinnamon rolls. I pulled out none other than the good 'ol Betty Crocker cookbook and proceeded with reckless abandon. Actually, that is not a true statement. I pulled out the Betty Crocker the night before. I made up the dough on Thursday night with the intention of finishing the cinnamon rolls amidst our icy wonderland of Friday. Since the icy wonderland didn't happen, I simply pulled out the dough.

Rather anti-climactic, I know.

I'm going to skip all the parts about letting the dough rise and such because that is the most hated part of making dough. My inability to be patient with the dough while it is rising nearly drives me to some sort of insane madness Therefore, I choose to not discuss it lest I lose my senses.

They really were quite easy to assemble and I popped them into the oven and waited with great anticipation. As did the girls - except it wasn't so much anticipation as it was a lack of patience evidenced by that fact that they asked, "are they done YET?" oh I'd say about 2 or 857 times. I really do try to tell them that patience is a virtue, but I do believe the old saying, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, would definitely apply here.

Prepare for your eyes and salivary glands to be deliciously assaulted to mind boggling proportions!















Oh my. Look at that homemade cream cheese icing tempting you with its white, glossy sweetness.















Go ahead...smell the computer monitor. I bet you can smell the cinnamony goodness through the screen. C'mon, I wanna see you try.















Oh look, a piece for y'all. Get that fork and stick a big, fat, delicious bite in your mouth.















Hurry up, will ya? They're almost gone! (We are a "middle of the pan" group of folks if you can't tell)















Mmmmmm....















Doesn't that look good?

And now is where my story comes to a screeching halt.

Not too many bites after this particular bite above, our LiverPie, in her ravenous pursuit of her cinnamon roll, accidentally bit down on her fork. Hard. There was loud wailing and gnashing of teeth (literally) and might I add, copious amounts of blood. Ironically enough, this was the same time that Baby Girl decided she needed attention and was doing some mighty fine wailing of her own. All the while Monk was in a business meeting in the other room.

Now I have two children screaming at the TOP of their good, strong lungs, but the one with the blood pouring from her mouth would have to take precedence. (And mind you, I still haven't finished my cinnamon roll!) I look around for Sis, who is my right arm at times, expecting her to be my go-to girl in the situation. However, the minute she saw LiverPie begin spitting bloody cinnamon roll into the trash she did what she normally does in a crisis. She began spinning in circles then tucked tail and ran from the room crying.

Thankfully, Monk came out of his meeting in the nick of time (i.e. before Momma lost her ever loving mind) and was able to help with the Baby Girl. Liv was given a wet paper towel to hold in her mouth while I poured a shot teaspoon of Advil for her pain. And Sis? Well she came out of hiding and did manage to sit down and finish her cinnamon roll. She is nothing if not ready for duty, she is.















Liv did do damage to one of her bottom teeth. It now juts out at a 45 degree angle and the dentist's office told me she could lose it early. She wouldn't let me photograph her tooth to show you. I told her it was for the blog, but she just wouldn't do it. (Insert tongue in cheek here) Poor baby.

All because of a cinnamon roll, y'all. They are the devil.















Awww..now look what happened. You got so wrapped up in the story that all the cinnamon rolls were eaten. Maybe next time. Just be careful not to enjoy it so much that you end up eating your fork as well.

It's not a pleasant experience. Just ask our 5 year old.

I Would Love to Say This is Us...But it Isn't

Once again we were put on high alert. The ice is coming. Once again I began in earnest preparing to be hunkered down at home for the day. I love nothin' better than a good ice storm. Unless it's a good snow storm. But hey, this is Texas...it just ain't gonna happen

So, I went to the store and bought all the necessary ice storm-just in case we lose power sorts of items. You know, water, fire logs, chocolate, extra food, those sorts of things. I had The Boy bring up lots of firewood to the deck so we could all stay warm by the fire in midst of our frozen fortress.

I went to bed with the anticipation of waking to some beautiful scene from....some movie. A veritable icy wonderland, if you may. Lo, and behold, what do you think happened?

I got nuthin'.

Just lots of rain and whole lot of nuthin'.

So, in my hour of mourning I've decided to self-medicate. I'm making homemade cinnamon rolls. And just out of spite, the girls and I might still sit around the fire consuming large quantities of cinnamon rolls and drinking buckets of hot chocolate. After all, it's only 34 degrees outside and we still need to stay warm and toasty, right?

And it is Friday Night Pizza Night, so we can follow up our sugared up stupor of the day with lots of carbohydrates and fat-laden cheese for the evening. But lest you think I am totally irresponsible nutritionally, I want y'all to know that I have incorporated whole wheat flour into both, the dough of the cinnamon rolls as well as the dough for the pizza. I am health conscious that way.

And just in case you think we will waste tomorrow sitting around by the fire, making delectable s'mores and doing a whole of nothin' again?

Nope. It's gonna be 61 degrees. Only in Texas can one have a 27 degree temperature swing and go from the throws of winter to springtime short sleeves in a 24 hour time period.

And the ice storm? Well, this is Texas and there's always next week.

Can You Believe 200?

This is my 200th post. As with my 100th post, I was hoping to have something profound to share. Alas, 'tis not so.


I'm having a bad day, my brain is mush and there is a mountain of laundry that is whoopin' my tail. It' calling me. Beckoning me. I must submit myself to it's stinky, stain riddled piles.


Hey, my family needs clean clothes y'all, so cut me some slack. Sometimes it's not all about you.

And hopefully by tomorrow my brain will recharge and I can once again pontificate on something truly astounding or something truly...not astounding.

But for grins and giggles I'll give you one of my all time favorite posts I ever did write from many, many moons ago. Here it is. Go there.

You will laugh.

I promise.

Friday Night Pizza Night - Ohhh Ahhh

We had our first Friday night pizza night this past Friday.

Correction: Our first NON-pizza joint pizza night.

It was all homemade and it was deelish if I do say so myself. I've never had very much luck with pizza dough. I'm way to impatient to have to sit and let things rise. It is a virtue that I'm lacking.

Anyway, I found this recipe on Crystal's blog and might I say - it was SO EASY! My kind of recipe! Dummy proof. I even incorporated some whole wheat flour to make it a little healthier as well! Because I care enough to make the very best.

So, Monk and I invited my sister and niece over to eat with us and the children and we partook of some mighty fine vittles.



My delicious dough spread out on the pizza pan. I was using the spoon to spread the sauce in case you're wondering.







This was the Bacon and Pineapple with BBQ sauce. Monk always says everything tastes better with bacon and in this case - he was right! Please refrain from noticing my dirty stove. There was an unfortunate incident with a plastic rotisserie chicken container that I care not to discuss at the moment. That's all I'm going to say about that.



And this beauty was the BBQ Chicken pizza that was so incredibly good that people couldn't quit making nummy sounds. As the Chief Cook and Bottle Washer around here, I must say I was mighty proud.

This was it before cooking. I neglected to take the after cooking picture which makes me sad because it looked SO GOOD! My big mouth liked it too!

From what I figure, the three pizzas I made cost maybe $6. That beats takeout any day of the week. Suffice it to say, we have a new Friday night tradition around here.

Now I'm just hoping my Mommy Muffin doesn't suffer too much from all of this carbohydrate goodness! Because, well, between the pizza and cookies, I think I've already reached my calorie intake maximum for 2008.

But whose counting.

Roe v. Wade - 35 Years

Psa 127:3 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD

Please take the time today and pray that this nation's eyes will be opened to the slaughter of the unborn. Please pray for the women who this very day may be considering killing their baby. Please pray for those who in the past have committed this act, that they might repent and let the God of all comfort heal their hearts.

My husband's words are much more poignant than my feeble attempts. Please, take the time to read his post.

Because He Was Congested and I Felt the Need to Consume Large Amounts of Calories

Monk and I have been fighting "The Crud" for the last week. We've been taking copious quantities of Echinacea and Vitamin C as well as trying to get enough rest. (ha!)

Unfortunately, on Saturday morning Monk woke up very congested with a cough. He told me it had been a rough night. He felt like he was coughing razor blades. Ouch. So he slept while me, Sis and Hope did things in the kitchen. Okay, Sis and I did things in the kitchen. Hope played in her little saucer thingy and drooled. Cute drool though.

When Monk finally got up I felt so sorry for his misery that I made him some homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. Piping hot and ready to soothe any scratchy throat. He was appreciative to say the least.A bowl of get well goodness

Well, in all of my efforts to make Monk feel better I worked up a mighty fine sweet tooth. I deserved something sweet for all that work, right? By this time I had lost Sis and LiverPie to my sister's house and it was just me and the Hopester in the kitchen. We decided to make chocolate chip cookies. Lots of them.

Oh yes. Little cookie dough soldiers all lined in a row.

Have mercy! Can you hear that? It's cookie dough balls screaming, "eat me, eat me!"

So, I made 4 dozen chocolate chip cookies. I froze 3 dozen of them so we can pop them in the oven when the sweet tooth monster rares its ugly head. Which is every day, so these probably won't last too long.

I also baked a dozen of them. There are no pictures of them because I became so enamored with eating them I forgot to take any pictures. I We had them all eaten by Saturday night. Oh the poundage of it all!

They were good, y'all.

Looky What We Got

This is the actual Neighborhood Market that is now less than a mile from my house! It opened officially this past Wednesday, but I kept forgetting to take a picture of it until today. I've only been there 4, yes 4, times since Wednesday. It's Saturday. Y'all do the math.

Actually, I went there twice the opening day because I ruined 5 pounds of ground round and had to go back for 5 more pounds. Feel free to weep for me. Mercy knows I did. I was making a double batch of chili (one to freeze) and I used the last two jars of canned tomatoes that my mom and I canned summer before last. I dumped them in without smelling them because well, that's what I always do. Then I smelled something weird and said to myself, "Self, that's not right". Turns out one jar was bad. Go figure. I've used a 18 jars of this stuff and managed to save the worst for last. I've always wondered what botulism smelled like. Now I know.

I'm finding myself somewhat hypocritical on this whole Neighborhood Market thing, however. I'm always talking about "moving to the country" and if we had land (which is our family vision), etc, etc... But y'all, what am I going to do when I don't have a Neighborhood Market within a 3 mile radius? What if I ruin the chili then, huh?

I'm such a wimp.

I'm Feeling Controversial This Morning

(Ducking the flaming darts and doing it quite well)

I can agree completely with Mr. Baucham because I'm living it with half of my children. It is next to impossible to raise sound, Christian children when they are brainwashed daily with "Caesar's wisdom".

Make no bones about it people, there is a difference between government education and home education.

A Blessed Milestone

My heart is full to overflowing today. I can hardly fathom God's goodness to us and His blessing upon us in the gift of our children. Our Baby Girl turned 6 months old today. Her birth story is here, here and here.

Six months ago today, I labored and brought forth our child into this world. Naturally. It was a hard labor at times, but a beautiful, peaceful birth. It was my first time using a midwife. Now, I cannot imagine not using a midwife.

Six months ago today I held my sweet Baby Girl for the first time. She wasn't whisked away from me, but left with the one who had held her for 9 long months. It was love at first sight.

Six months ago today I cried as I watched and listened to my sweet husband weep openly about receiving yet another blessing from God in the miracle of our Baby Girl. My love for him deepened even more at that very moment.

Six months ago today our lives were changed forever. Our love for one another was evidenced by the birth of our daughter. Our love, in human form.

All of this?

All of this was by God's grace alone. He has blessed us beyond measure and we are ever so thankful for this gift we call Hope.

I Joined the Club, Won't You?

Alright people, I have been assimilated. I joined PaperBack Swap. And might I say...I LOVE IT!!

All those books at my fingertips...makes me break out in an all out sweat just thinkin' about it!

What? You've never heard of PaperBack Swap? For shame. What is it? Weelllll, let me enlighten you my friends.

PaperBack Swap is an online book club. A free online book club. Did y'all hear me now?

F-R-E-E.

This is how it works, check it out.

It is a book club that lets you select books that other members have posted. Their books. Their books they no longer want. It costs you nothing to get the book. Nothing. As in Nada. Nil. Zero Dollares. They pay the shipping to get the book to you. Which isn't much at all.

What do you have to do? You start by simply posting 10 of your books you no longer want.

What was that? A collective gasp! Yes people, it's time to part with some of those books. I didn't think I had anything to get rid of either and then...I went nuts.

When you initially post your 10 books, then PaperBack Swap will give you 2 credits. These 2 credits will allow you to choose any 2 books your little 'ol heart desires. There are over a million books listed. You will find something you like. Trust me. Or you can save them and hoard them and go on a book selecting spree all at once!

Then, when someone picks one of your books and after you mail them that book, you will earn another credit and so on. This is how the free works. Yes, you pay the shipping (a little over $2), to send books, but in return you get all sorts of free books.

The great part is if after you receive a book you've picked and you've read it, you can turn around and re-list it if you want. Clear as mud?

Here is my current scenario:

I listed 10 books Saturday afternoon. I received my 2 credits. I did not want to spend them...yet. By Sunday afternoon someone had selected one of my books.
(I had put money into my PBS (that's fancy lingo for PaperBack Swap) account on Saturday to be able to print pre-paid postage labels on my computer so I wouldn't have to run to the post office every time I turned around - this step is optional)
I simply printed off my pre-paid postage label on my computer this morning, wrapped the book up and stuck it in my mailbox. Done.

The great perk about doing the PBS account is that since I use their printed postage labels I was able to get an instant credit for mailing the book. Otherwise, I would have to wait until the person I sent it to received it and then marked it on their account that they received it.

So, this afternoon I was up to 3 credits. I have since let The Madgirl spend one of my credits on a book she's been wanting. We are nothing if not book readin' people, y'all.

Anyway, not sure if I've made it clear on how this works or if I've totally made you want to crawl in a hole and never read again. If you would like to know more just mosey (you DO know how to mosey, don't you?) on over to PaperBack Swap and take a look around. It really is quite thrilling if you're a book lovin' individual like myself.

BUT WAIT!!

If you click on my little PaperBack Swap linky over on my sidebar it will take you there immediately. And if you sign up, then I will get a credit! That would mean another book for me! Or Monk! Or my children! You want us to have books, don't you?

So, what are you going to do?

1. Click on the PBS linky in my sidebar.

2. Sign-up by listing 10 of your own books.

3. Get 2 instant credits for signing up and listing 10 books.

4. Do the Happy Dance.

5. Spend seconds, minutes, HOURS combing through all those wonderful
books you now have at your finger tips!

6. Sleep well because you know that you supported this family's book lovin' habit.

7. Convince others to sign up so you can have more free books too!

Come on. What are you waiting for? The books are there for the taking people!

Go!

Ride like the wind, Bullseye!

Get some books!

A Little Fellowship Never Hurt Anybody.

Especially the Baptists. Even the Reformed ones. It seems that where there is a gathering of Baptists, there is an abundance of food. And vice-versa. This past Saturday was no exception.

Our youth hosted a Spaghetti Lunch for anyone and everyone who wanted to attend. Of course it had the whole I-talian feel to it as well. Tables were decorated with grapes and sparkling ciders (we are Baptist after all) and some pretty nifty I-talian music was playing in the background as we mingled.

The music was totally stellar because it was provided by...well...me. I am a lover of the I-talian style of music and when fellas like Andrea Bocelli and Pavarotti sing, it just melts my buttah! This song? This song just kills me. It can make me bawl like a baby and I don't even know what they're saying. Not like I need any help in the bawling department, but I'm just sayin'.

Anyway, I thought I'd share some of the fellowshippin' with y'all.


Madgirl and her friend H. doing a little preparation in the kitchen. I had to take a picture 'cause she's actually doing something in the kitchen. A rare thing, ya'll. Rare.







Monk and my friend Lizard Breath enjoying some pre-eating fellowship.










This, my friends, is ambiance.










This, my friends, is one cute Baby Girl!









The main course. Which I might add did not include sauce of the jarred variety. This had fresh garlic, onions and a myriad of other good ingredients. I was impressed. Really.







Liv and her friend, K., a.k.a. The Princess. Y'all know what this is?

This is T-R-O-U-B-L-E!! Be very leery of cute, blonde-headed, little girls that have the Dark Gift.










Sis and her friend S. Too cute to not post it.








Sweet, little Baby J. just got all tuckered out and I couldn't resist a photo opportunity. He's a doll, ain't he?







Ah, yes. And yet another cute photo of Baby Girl. She and Baby J. have already been somewhat betrothed. Lizard Breath and I are desperately trying to be related somehow. I just want in the family so I can get their Christmas Caramel recipe! Dang, it's good!





My beautiful, delicate flower of a daughter showing everyone just how much she is like her mother. Now if she could only say "Ralph" when she burps as well, I'm quite certain we could be mistaken for twins. I am most certainly proud.








For crying out loud! Lay off the sauce, will ya kid!
Oh, I jest.
It was just such cute picture that I couldn't resist taking it. Yes, I am awful. But she is cute.






And that would conclude the photo show. I realized that I didn't take a whole lot of pictures other than those of my children. What can I say? I am biased. I just love'em too much not to take pictures.

We had such a great time and then... I got sick. It started with a tickle in my throat, but by the time we left I had a sore throat and my ears were hurting.

Needless to say, I wasn't able to attend Worship today and that was a bummer. I love my church, I love my friends and I love their fellowship. When I'm not able to be with the body of Christ I feel as if a part of me is missing. As it should. I'm so glad to be a part of a church family that loves one another and can come together and fellowship like we do.

Like I said before. A little fellowship never hurt anybody. Especially me.

But for now? I'm gonna go snuggle in bed with my husband and Baby Girl and fellowship there for a while.

Who says you can't sleep and fellowship?

Just Because I Can...

Since I didn't get to participate in BooMama's Christmas Tour of Homes on December 17th because I already had company (are mothers considered company?) and was anticipating a whole lot more company and was freaking out in the total nervous breakdown sense of the word at the very thought of all of these people being in my home, I thought I would go ahead and share the pictures I took anyway. Just because I can.

And if I don't, then I will lie awake in bed tonight thinking about what you people must think of me because I had BooMama's little Christmas Tour of Homes bloggy button on my sidebar, yet I didn't show any pictures. I would be a bloggy anathema, y'all.

I am nothing if not neurotic people. Just ask Monk.

So, for your post-Christmas enjoyment...a few pictures of Christmas - our style.




Hope's first Christmas ornament. My sweet sister T. bought this for her which made it extra special.

This was also my feeble attempt at taking an artsy picture.

The camera and I are not friends.












This was our fireplace and mantle on Christmas morning.
All the stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that mommy and daddy would stock them with...good stuff! So my rhyming could use a little help, so what!
I ordered brand new stockings this year from Pottery Barn with all the kiddo's names embroidered on them. Very sweet. Expensive. But still sweet.
My Christmas tree collection is atop the mantle.







A portion of my Christmas tree collection up close and personal like.
















And finally, our tree. Our tree is themed with red, white and silver. It has mostly a candy motif which I have collected over the past 3-4 years. I finally found the perfect start to go atop our tree! From where? No other place but Target!

Unfortunately, the DVD racks couldn't find a different home and made their ugly selves into the picture. Blast them.









And that completes our Christmas tour for 2007. While I enjoyed having all the pretties out for a while, I'm glad they are put away. Well okay, they're down and boxed, just not in the attic yet because well, certain males in our household haven't gotten that far. But we won't mention any names now will we MONK!

Thank-you all and may you have a very Merry January. (See? I can rhyme!)

WFMW -Backwards Edition

Alright, people. I have wanted a new blog template forever and an age now. Like way before Thanksgiving.

I consulted with the best. With cash in hand (or bank) I was ready to commit to the Go-To person I selected. Unfortunately, Go-To person couldn't do it at that time.

So, my sweet hubby tried contacting the Go-To person so I could have it as a Christmas present. Go-to person didn't contact him back. Ever.

So.

I need a new Go-To Person.

Look at this place. It's a mess. I need a new blog template baaaaaad.

Any recommendations?

Feel free to advertise yourself to me. All I ask is that you direct me to some of your work. I like fun, bright and funky. Nothing too serious, yet nothing too nuts.

I'm a little bit country. And a little bit rock-n-roll. Work with me people.

For more Works For Me Wednesday- Backwards Edition goodness, head on over to Rocks In My Dryer!

Just Like Her Daddy

The other day, much to my own detriment, I introduced Liver Pie to The Three Stooges via You Tube. Monk has always loved The Stooges and during a conversation with Sis and Liv, I mentioned this. They had only seen the old cartoon version of them on a Scooby Doo episode and didn't realize they were real people.

I found a little clip of them on You Tube and let the girls watch. Sis tired easily with them and left to do something else. Not Liv. I heard profuse giggling as she watched smoke come out of Curly's ears as he spun on his seat. And she especially got tickled as he got squirted in the face by an oyster in his soup.

She was still. She was quiet (except for the giggling). She was hooked. She asked to watch it a few more times and that was it. She hasn't mentioned them since.

Until tonight.

As I was washing her hair in the bathtub this evening, she asks me this (in her little stuffy nose voice, no less):

Liv: Mommy?

Me: Yes?

Liv: For my next birthday, when I turn six...

Me: (nodding and lathering)

Liv: Can I have the real Three Stooges video?

Not baby dolls or Barbies y'all, but The Three Stooges.

I've said it before and I'll say it again...

The girl is just like her daddy.

Nyuck, nyuck, nyuck.

A Clarification, If I May

As I re-read my previous post earlier this evening, some things popped out at me. Things that are bugging me. Things that make me paranoid. Things that I assume people who don't know me will think about me or Monk.

Psychotic? Perhaps. But I will clarify so as not to lay in bed all night wondering if you people are thinking these things about me. As if y'all have nothing better to do with your day than to think things about me, right?

So, here are the clarifications that will allow me and my presumptuous self to rest peacefully. Well, as peacefully as one can while nursing a 6 month old during the night. (And no comments from my friends who have nursing 4 month olds who already sleep through the night! You know who you are! ;))

1. When I asked my husband to take me to Target during my meltdown, it was not for shopping purposes. I just needed to be with him for a while. I would have been happy if we had gone to the Dollar General parking lot. Target is what popped out of my mouth as I have Target on the brain quite a bit.

2. My husband did not buy me shoes to make me feel better, nor did I expect him to buy me any. I saw the shoes, tried them on and he offered to buy them. As tempting as it sounds to self-medicate with shoe purchases, this was not that occasion. I can think of other occasions where a nice heel purchase has made me feel considerably better, but this was not that occasion. This was a husband doing something nice for his wife.

3. The Starbucks? He totally bought that to make me feel better. Plus, he wanted a Caramel Macchiato.

Whew! So glad to have that off of my chest. All is now well with the world and you people can stop thinking things about me and get on with your lives as well.

My psychotic side thanks you kindly.

A Good Man Knows What Works

I may have mentioned it 1 or 957 times how much I love my husband. What else can I say? He's my best friend. He's my beloved. He's my Wonder Twin. (Just not my brother.)

So may I say that it was no surprise to him when I melted into a puddle of sobs tonight before dinner while trying to find my Bisquick (think pancakes, y'all). Things have been going on. Things I can't share. But things nonetheless. Things that have made me a weepy, snotty, sloppy mess. He knows this. He knows me. So he just came and hugged me and let me sob into his shoulder for a while. He then asks me what he can do to help.

In my moment of crisis, in true form, I sob, "will you take me to Target?". I love Target. He knows this. Target is my love language, people. He agrees. So after dinner (think pancakes, y'all), my therapy begins with a trip to Target.

On the way there (we only have the Baby Girl with us) I cry some more and he gives me his wise advice and I cry some more. And then I cried. Have I mentioned I cried yet? By the time we pull into the Target parking lot I'm feeling better. A good cry does that, y'know?

But wait my friends. Therapy does not stop there. Oh, no sirree. We walk into the store and he says those three words that melt my heart every time.

"You want Starbucks?"

Is the Pope Catholic? Why, yes! I think I'll have me a tall, non-fat, decaf, Cinnamon Dolce Latte with REAL WHIPPED CREAM. You see the non-fat and the REAL WHIPPED CREAM cancel one another out and I can partake with a clean conscience. Of course.

While sipping my Starbucks we wander through the store. Mustard, granola bars and a few other odds and ends find their way into my cart. We shop for Baby Girl because she received a gift card for Christmas. I'm feeling much better by now.

Then we went to the shoe department. May I just say that I am quite certain that there is a shoe-loving gene somewhere in my family because not only do I love shoes, but my mother loves them. My sisters love them. Madgirl, Sis and LiverPie love them. And I am quite certain that Baby Girl will love them as soon as her feet stop being so fat. But for now, her Robeez suit her just fine.

Anyway, this is where the man hit a home run!

He bought me shoes, people!

Shoe therapy works E-V-E-R-Y T-I-M-E!

These, to be exact.They are darling, are they not? And comfy too. Great for skirts and pants alike. And the best part?

Can we say CLEARANCE?! I do not lie, they were $14.98. 50% off!

So my meltdown is over and I've spent the evening with my husband, drinking Starbucks and buying shoes.

I figure the man spent about 20 bucks making me feel better. Not bad. I'm no longer crying and I have cute feet.

But the best part was just spending time with him. (And Baby Girl too, of course.) He knows that sometimes I just need him. And tonight I did.

Yep. A good man knows what works.

Paula Deen Ain't Got Nothin' On Me!

This would have been our Christmas supply of butter. For baking and cooking and schmearing all over hot bread and all other manner of carbohydrate.

8 glorious pounds of it.

We were running a tad short.

Just a Wee Bit Wider Please

So. Who thinks Baby Girl likes her carrots? 'Nuff said.

A Prayer Request

If y'all would, please pray for my friend Mindi. She comments here often and was my first bloggy friend online. She's in my blogroll under The Hectic Years.

Her husband was deployed to Iraq today for one year. They have three beautiful children and Mindi will be a single parent for the next year. As you can imagine, she is having a rough go of it.

Please pray that the God of all comfort would give her perfect peace over this next year and that in some small way, her bloggy friends can minister to her.

Thanks, y'all.

Out With the Old and In With the New

I wonder how many times that phrase has been uttered in the last 24 hours? I wonder how many times folks stop and truly reflect on the meaning of those words?

How wonderful to have a fresh start! How fantastic is it to know that this year can be better than the last.! That we can do things differently. I can't imagine trying to do these things in my own strength though. If I had to rely upon myself alone I would surely fail. This is a time to truly be thankful for God's grace in our lives. It is His strength and His grace alone that will see us through another year. Praise be to God for that!

As I was sitting here this morning, I couldn't help but think of these verses:

Lam 3:22 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;
Lam 3:23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Wow. What an awesome promise from God. His love never ceases and His mercies are never ending and new every morning! Not every year- we don't have to wait, y'all! It doesn't get much better than that!

Why, we should never worry or complain or fear anything when we know we can claim those kinds of promises, right?

Easier said than done, I know.

Please understand, I'm not mocking scripture or God's promises. God's promises are true and good. It is us, as miserable sinners, wrapped in our own sense of self and pride, that cannot rest in these promises as we should. As Christians, it shouldn't take a "New Year" for us to realize we have a fresh start. God tells us we can have a new start EVERY-SINGLE-DAY!

For me, where I am right now, this is like butter for my soul. I'm glad that it is every day we have those mercies and not just every year. Because right now, I am going into the new year struggling with a few things. Nothing serious, but enough to make me frustrated and unsure. (These are the way overactive hormones work, y'all.) I couldn't imagine thinking about how I'm feeling right now and then saying to myself, "Self. We only have 364 more days of this and then we can start over!".

Right now it's minute by minute. Hour by hour. And I rest in the fact that tomorrow, not next year, I get a whole new set of God's mercies to get me through the day.

What can I say to that? What can I say about God's love and mercies?

Bring it on.