Not Focused

I am not focused today. Maybe because I don't feel all that good--I would love to curl up and take a nap (not that a nap is a possibility anytime soon). As a result, you are going to get a lot of random thoughts.

Lil Bit went to school dressed as Nancy Drew today. It was "Dress As Your Favorite Literary Character" day. Kind of guessing she will be the only Nancy Drew in First Grade.
Lil Bit said she was pretending she was following a scary clue. Um, ok, we'll go with that. (The kid makes some odd faces!) Once it warms up, she is going to take her sweater off and tie it around her shoulders, which will look a little more Nancy Drew like (I guess). But for now the tweed skirt and plaid headband will have to do--with the complimenting notebook labeled "Clues" and the flashlight.

I really want chocolate. Or maybe an M&M McFlurry. (Honey, are you reading this?)

I really like simple, classic looking nursery bedding like this:

This one is from Pottery Barn, of course. There is also one from Babies R Us I like some aspects of, but BRU is being a pain and won't let me copy the image to share. So just click here. Overall, I like the simplicity of the pottery barn one--it allows for more individualization of the rest of the room, but I love the red accents that the Babies R Us one incorporates.

My Handsome Engineer is not reading this (guess no McFlurry for me unless I text him, which I probably will), he is currently setting up a hay maze he designed for our church's trunk or treat festival.

I really need to work more on my article for the local magazine. Guess I should get to that, huh?

Random Observations

. . . from our evening out to a U2 concert.

U2 draws an amazing variety of fans.

The couple behind us, who showed up after the opening act and left before U2 took the stage "because he was ruining it for her" probably aren't going to last that much longer, if they didn't break up that night.

There is absolutely no way for a pregnant woman to be comfortable sitting on a metal bench for several hours.

The girl in front of us was seriously into someone else's boyfriend, and he was (as far as I could tell) just not that into her. But she still danced the whole night like all girls do when they are trying to prove they are cooler and more fun than the girl you are with. (Not in a trashy, slutty way, just in a 'look at me' kind of way.)

The other girl in front of us was a rather spastic dancer and we were just waiting for her to totally clock the woman next to her in the face. It never happened but there were some seriously close calls.

The opening band really needed to figure out how to balance their vocal/instrument mix so you could actually hear the lyrics. I could tell they were very talented, but we could barely hear the singer.

By the time girls are in college, and have developed their own style, it usually very closely resembles their mother's style--only more youthful. I noticed this with several mom/daughter pairs during the concert. It is probably true of my mother and me as well.

Bono uses his fame to promote important humanitarian causes--rather than himself which seems to be the trend among famous people. I appreciated it--I figure if you are in a position to do something good, then you should.

The Edge is probably the most talented musician I have seen. The scope of his abilities is impressive.

After a TWO MILE walk back to our car, I have never, ever been so grateful for my Handsome Engineer's grannymobile and its deep, comfy bucket seats.

The police officer who was trying to control the thousands of people leaving the stadium was the definition of "exercise in futility". "Get out of the road . . . . and you, too!!!" Not really sure who he was talking to, but I can tell you there was NO way we were all fitting neatly on a sidewalk.

We have never come so close to hitting a deer as we did that night driving back home. I could count the little white hairs on his tail.

Friends who will not only babysit your kids, but keep them over night, take one to school the next morning and drop the other off at your house so you don't have to actually function before about 8:15 are HUGE blessings. Especially if you didn't get home till one in the morning.

Getting home at one in the morning used to be commonplace back in college. Now it renders me almost useless. I guess I am getting old.

A night out with friends is so important!!

My phone decided not to relinquish any of the photos or videos I took, so there are none for the blog. Suffice it to say, it was an amazing concert, an amazing stage (even though it looked really dumb before the lights went out), and a fabulous night.

Jesus Loves Bitty Bit

My Handsome Engineer filmed this with his phone Saturday morning and posted it on his blog, but I wanted to share it with you here as well.

Just a Little Color

We aren't into autumn full force, yet. But, it is starting.


By February, I will be dreaming about warm weather and sand between my toes.

But right now, I love the fact that I live in an area with seasons. With color. The variety of hues always surprises me. I think I will never get used to the brilliance of it.

Bye Bye Chimneys!

It really was a hard decision to take down the chimneys. On one hand, this is a 100 year old house and we really want to restore as much as we can. Chimneys add so much character to older homes.

But, the mortar between the bricks was so disintegrated, my Handsome Engineer was literally just picking the bricks up--they were stacked on top of each other, but no longer really attached.


And we know that water was getting into the house via the chimneys.

In the upstairs, the two chimneys really cut into the bedroom space in an awkward way.


So, we decided to take them down, at least through the second floor. My Handsome Engineer and my oldest daughter went up on the roof and removed the bricks down through the attic level.

Can I just mention that the thought of my brilliant--but rather scatterbrained--oldest daughter being on the roof of our house worried me a bit. She tends to live in her own reality and that can be bad when you are two-plus stories in the air.


But the work was finished with zero work related injuries. Lil Bit was very proud of herself. The roof patch looked about as good as you could expect for such an old roof (we want to eventually replace the roof with metal roofing--and will probably change the whole roofline when we do in order to create a useful attic space).


The bricks will be used in other projects around the home--a patio or flower bed walls--in order to continue their story with the house. We will probably expose the brick chimneys downstairs in the kitchen, so they still stay a part of the actual house, as well.

Now, our room project can continue--slowly but surely! I will keep you updated!!

Dishwasher Salmon???

Ew.

I love salmon. I have a few good recipes that I enjoy making. Including one with a cucumber salsa, and I have been meaning to try one marinated in this lavender dressing (I have used the dressing on salads and it is very good, but not yet on salmon--I hear it is fabulous).

This is not one I foresee myself attempting:

"Bob Blumer's Dishwasher Salmon"

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 6-ounce pieces salmon fillet
¼ cup fresh lime juice
kosher salt and black pepper
1 lemon, cut into wedges
heavy-duty foil

Steps

1. Grease the shiny side of two 12-inch squares of heavy-duty foil with the oil. Place 2 pieces of fish side by side on each square. Fold up the outer edges of the foil (to contain any liquid) and drizzle the fish with the lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Fold the foil closed to form 2 airtight packets. (To test the seal, press down on a packet gently with your hand. If air escapes easily, rewrap.)
3. Place the packets in the top rack of the dishwasher. Run a normal cycle. Remove the fish from the foil and serve with the lemon wedges. Serves 4

How Dare She!

Go and turn into a little girl on me.


She is supposed to still be my baby. Or at least my toddler.


She isn't supposed to be able to hold her own with other kids yet.

She certainly shouldn't care which shoes she wears with what outfit.


How dare she grow up on me.

Soup Weather & a Soup Recipe

It's in full force. I love the fall colors and the chance to make chili and soup and drink hot tea.

I miss flip flops and tank tops, though. I guess transplanting me to the mountains (well, near them anyway) doesn't really erase the fact that I will always be a bit of a beach girl.

The other night I was really craving tortilla soup. And not the chili-style soup, one with a cheese base. I was seriously striking out on my recipe searches, though. I didn't have velveeta in the house and I did not have canned cheese soup.

So, I had to make something up. Pregnancy cravings are not something that can be put off for long without serious repercussions. Trust me.

I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but it was oh-so-good!! Lil Bit requested that I make it every night from there on out, and my Handsome Engineer requested that we have a leftover night the next night so he could have it again.

So, here is what I did. I never really measure things as I cook, sorry about that.

Meg's Tortilla Soup

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts put in crockpot on high with a little chili powder, a touch of salt and pepper. Once they are cooked, shred them with a fork and add 1 can sweet corn (not drained), 1 can diced tomatoes (not drained), 1 can black beans (drained. you could probably also use kidney or pinto beans), 2-3 garlic cloves either pressed or diced, and about half a diced onion. If you want, add a little more chili powder. Green chilis would probably be very tasty, too, but I didn't have any.

Turn crockpot down to medium.

In a seperate skillet, melt about 3/4 stick of butter and then whisk in flour and milk to make the base of a roux. (I didn't measure how much of each, just kind of went by feel.) Then pour in about 1 bag of shredded cheese (I used a cheese blend and then cheddar). Stir to keep from scalding, add more milk as needed to get a creamy texture. Pour into crockpot and stir in.

As flavors steep, fry some corn tortillas and lightly salt them.

Serve soup in bowls, top with shredded cheese, sour cream, and tortillas (either crushed or whole).


Not complicated at all, but very tasty!

New York

This country girl made it to the big city---and back.

It was a long day (almost 24 hours straight) but it was a fantastic time with friends.


Most of us have kids--all of us have other responsibilities--and it was so nice to take a day to just hang out and have fun. The group we had was a great mix of personalities and we really had a blast. Some of the girls I have known for a while, a couple I really just met that day.


I really never got all that tired, but my back sure did hurt by the end of the day (I am sure spine-jarring bus ride to and from did not help). I was thankful that no one begrudged having a pregnant chick wandering around with them the whole day--and they usually insisted on carrying my backpack, too, even when I protested that I was fine. (By the last half hour, though, I didn't protest the help!)


I even got to meet one special friend. She and I met in an online forum about four years ago and just hit it off. We both have kids that swim and had a lot of other little things in common. We had chatted online and on the phone, but this was the first time we met in person. The internet is a strange place--and there are some pretty neat friendships that can be formed that would never happen any other way.

One of my favorite things about NYC was the contrast between old and new that could be found all over the city. This church (St Paul's Chapel) was built in 1766, and is located right next to Ground Zero. This was the place rescue workers would often go to pray and rest after 9-11.

Just a "little" refreshment mid-day.
Hey, it was a long day with lots of walking.
And I am pregnant.
And I really only ate about half of it--no, really!

But that ham and pineapple pizza was amazing--big globs of ricotta cheese topped the pizza, too.

I love this photo!! And I love this person! I really could not ask for a better friend that Cheryl. I loved that my camera caught her just right jumping in Times Square.

I did not jump. It isn't generally recommended during pregnancy anyway, but after all the walking we had done that day, I am pretty sure I would have had the baby right there if I had attempted to jump. And although we had a labor and delivery nurse in our group, I doubt that she (or anyone else) wanted to have to demonstrate her skills.

I could definitely spend a few days in NYC--I still want to have time to wander through Central Park and see a show on Broadway and do some of the touristy things. I would love to see Ellis Island, especially since I suspect my great grandparents might have come through there.

I cannot wait to go back. It was a wonderful place to visit, but I must say I am very thankful for my quiet farm and less-hectic pace. It was nice to get home and curl up in my bed next to my Handsome Engineer without the sounds of honking and traffic (although cicadas and crickets aren't exactly quiet!). And it was wonderful to have the Bits come destroy the morning solitude by "cuddling" with us in the morning. Nothing says family more than lots of wild curly hair smothering hugs and kisses and giggles.

Job Description

an oldie, but SO true . . .

POSITION :
Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma
Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop

JOB DESCRIPTION :
Long term, team players needed, for challenging, permanent work in an often chaotic environment.
Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.
Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities!
Travel expenses not reimbursed.
Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES :
The rest of your life.
Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $100.00 or more.
Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.
Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf.
Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers.
Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects.
Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.
Must be a willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next.
Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.
Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.
Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product.
Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION :
None.
Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE :
None required unfortunately.
On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION :
Get this! You pay them!
Offering frequent raises and bonuses.
A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 becausenof the assumption that graduating high school will help them become financially independent.
When you die, you give them whatever is left.
The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS :
While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth, unconditional love, and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.

Autumn is Almost Here

I took a couple photos of Bitty Bit during a walk at a historic home the other day. I have the wonderful job of writing articles for a local publication once a month. It doesn't really pay much--I do it mostly for fun, but one of the perks is getting to see some of the amazing historic places in our area--sometimes with "behind the scenes" information.


And Bitty Bit is my permanent tag-a-long. She loves exploring different places and I love that she gets the experiences.


This year she is really enjoying the leaves that are just starting to change. "Owanj, lellow, pupple, and wed" leaves make her smile and giggle. She collects them and leaves a stash in the back hallway or on the kitchen counter. I love how she wanders off looking for her perfect treasures.

This is NOT a Recipe

It might be tasty, it might be an easy, quick meal. But using entirely instant foods does not count as a recipe.

"Pastry Topped Beef Stew"

Ingredients

1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed
1 1/2 pounds beef cube steak, cut into 1-inch pieces
Ground black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 can (18.6 ounces) Campbell's® Select™ Vegetable Medley Soup
1/2 cup Swanson® Beef Stock . . . .

ok, that one at least has several other ingredients, but this next one definitely doesn't count . . .

"Easy Broccoli Soup"
1 can cream of broccoli soup
2 cans Cheddar cheese soup
1 thick stalk broccoli
3/4 can milk
1 1/2 cans water
Salt to taste


I mean, I don't want to sound snobby or anything--I use Cream of Mushroom in my cooking just like almost everyone else (with the likely exception of my brother in law, who is a chef), but really???

To post something on the internet and label it as a recipe when it is just putting a bunch of instant foods together? Maybe I am being judgmental--but I have my doubts.

The Most Beautiful Woman I Know

Is celebrating her 60th birthday today.



Mommy (yes, I still call my mom "mommy" and I doubt that will ever change),

You have taught me how to love unconditionally, defend my family fiercely, treat others with respect, and that a good Southern lady always, ALWAYS has lipstick on (even when just mowing the grass).


I still don't keep a perfect house, but that isn't for lack of trying on your part.

I am a pretty decent cook, by all accounts, and that started with your chicken pot pie and your homemade marinara sauce.


You exhibit grace and strength and a beauty that comes from deep within.

I am thankful to be your daughter, I am proud to be your daughter. I am I so glad that my kids have such an amazing grandmother.

I love you, Mommy. I am glad we were able to celebrate with you.

Need to Breathe

I really like the group Need to Breathe. They just have a fun sound. The use a lot of piano, especially in songs like A Girl Named Tennessee (there is no official video that I know of, but you might enjoy the semi-decent concert recording I found).

Washed By the Water




A Girl Named Tennessee