Food allergies: A sad story from California

As I've mentioned before, Brady has a pretty strong allergy to eggs, both yolks and whites, cooked in something or whole, ingested or touched or even breathed in.

His reaction if he eats it is to throw up. If he touches the whites (or an egg wash on something), he breaks out all over his face. The other day he came in the kitchen after I'd peeled a dozen hard-boiled eggs and the second he smelled it, he started coughing and I had to give him benadryl (I now make sure he isn't nearby when I'm doing that).

His father sent me this link to pass on. It's about a 13-year-old girl in California with a peanut allergy who unknowingly had some and died. They want her death to serve as education and I'd like to help that process.

It's hard, let me tell you. If I haven't asked someone what they put in a dish, he doesn't eat it. Even the bread for communion at church because, you guessed it, egg. But that doesn't mean we're safe. Doesn't mean he won't forget someday. Doesn't mean we won't get complacent (see the time I almost gave him egg!)

Please, if you can, share this girl's story so that others will learn from it.

Sweet things Brady says... God is real

During a discussion about God and the seemingly impossible "magical" things that happen in the Bible:

B: "You know how I know God is real?"

Me: "How?"

B: "When I have scary thoughts, I pray to God and then they're all gone!"

Wow. I wish I had learned that at 7. I wish I did a better job of it now at 42.

Dear God, please help him to remember this and keep that faith in his heart every day. I don't want to raise him just to believe. I hope and pray he will live it. Amen.

ADHD resources: a link to allergies & asthma?

Though it is not the main focus of this blog by any means, one of my passions is passing on information on and resources for ADHD as I come across them. So many parents in the U.S. are struggling to parent a child with this disorder and get them through the public school system.

Here's the latest thing I've seen lately: 

Is there a link between allergies, asthma and ADHD? According to this study, there is. I think this is an important connection to consider (from personal experience and other people I've talked to, there is strong anecdotal evidence for this as well), further evidence that ADHD is a very real physical phenomenon.

Funny things Brady does... his new school rule

I have never heard of a kid having this particular rule, which was given to Brady last week:

"My teacher told me I cannot talk about Star Wars during lessons."

Words to live by! I wonder what he was trying to tell people about it? While I am happy he has embraced my favorite movie series EVER, I told him if it disrupts his life, into the cabinet it goes for a time out!

Then we were discussing their 2nd grade vocabulary words and one was "excited." He had gotten a star at school for a good answer. I asked what it was. "I said it means you're really happy about something really good."

Then he added, "And I was thinking it's like when they destroy the Death Star on Star Wars."

Me: "You didn't say it though."

Him: "Oh no!"

Whew! I think that star stands more than the answer, I told him. It was for a good choice he made too!

Spiritual boost? Try women's fellowship conference

Oh boy, in the basket to the left was cocoa-covered popcorn, orange fudge, a salted caramel, a huge brownie and ranch popcorn (shhhh, don't tell, but I ate it ALL before lunch). 

Did these guys know how to draw in women or what?

I wish I had taken better photographs at a Christian women's spiritual conference I attended recently with two friends, my mother and my mother-in-law.

But to be honest, I was so excited and so in the moment, the bucket was as far as I got. I guess that illustrates the point I want to make.

There's something so elemental about a woman attending a spiritual conference dedicated to women (I found women's fellowship at church to be the same). We live in a world where possibilities are endless and I'm so grateful for that. I can stand toe to toe with my husband, which is great since we work together.

But at the end of the day, we're different. We have different needs, concerns, inspirations, ideas and behavior. What enhances his spiritual life may not enhance mine.

We are different creatures.

No matter what I can do in this life and what I choose to do, I am a woman and when I acknowledge that and revel in it, life is better.

There were many reasons to love this conference. I bonded with four wonderful ladies whom I adore. Lunch was scrumptious (How'd I have room after all that chocolate!). We were blessed to an in-person concert by contemporary Christian singer J.J. Heller. If you don't know her, please check out this song:

What Loves Really Means

It never fails to bring chills and a gratefulness to my heart.

All for $35. It was a beautiful day. An uplifting day. A day that touched my heart and left me vowing to do better. And what did I learn?

My takeaway message was this: I should walk with God in all things that I do. In every moment. That should be the single driving factor in my life. As a mother, wife, business person, friend, daughter, sister, community member, church member, stranger ... as a woman.

The words I say. The clothes I wear. The example I set. What I listen to and watch and read.

There's not a time for God and then a time for me. They are entwined. His love should be apparent in everything I do. Not an easy task, but one I want to pursue with my whole heart. 

If you're a woman and have never been to a women's conference, I would highly recommend it. Women bring something very special and unique to society and workplaces and homes. We do it better if we come together to support one another and praise God by just being who we are in Him.

How I know I've found a great sitter

A wonderful photo appeared on Facebook last week attached to my name. It was my boy eating edible chocolate clay his sitter made. He looked so happy that it made me feel happy. 

When I pick him up after school, he is happy, he is comfortable, he wants to STAY! Come later tomorrow Mom! Some days he's playing the Wii or watching over her younger brother's Kindle as he plays games.

Other times they're playing Uno, baking cookies or chasing the dog around.

I think there is no greater comfort as a mother who works than to find someone you can trust to care for your child.

I am the lucky recipient of such a person.

And not only that, best best of all, my son's sitter comes from a very God-centered home and is very God-centered herself. I am humbled that I could not ask for anything, anything, more than this.

We are so blessed. This is someone he already loves and I think he'll always remember.

So, how can you know if your child is in a great child care setting that fits your family and needs? Here are a few of my ideas on this based on experience with great and not-so-great care in the past:

• He or she seems relaxed, happy, comfortable, loved. 
• They want to STAY FOREVER!
• They are engaged in a variety of activities on different days when you come to get them. 
• There are rules, discipline and consequences, but done in a loving way with guidance as the goal. 
• Communication between you and the caregiver is frequent and open, on both sides. 
• Your child talks about her time with the sitter, shares stories. 
• Your child easily answers your questions about his or her time there with no hesitation. 
• He can't wait to go back! 
• YOU feel good personally when you pick them up, not worried or anxious about "how things went."
• If it's in-home, they feel like a part of the family when they are there. 
• If in-home, the person seems very responsible in their own life. 
• If it's a day care, they feel cared for there and not singled out yet also not neglected.
• If it's a day care, they are treated as an individual and their individual needs are met, not a one-size-fits-all approach to child care. 
• All physical needs are met: owwies, snacks, water.
• He can be himself and communicate without fear to his caregivers.
• He feels heard if he has a concern.
• The child care workers are open to your ideas and suggestions, and willing to try different discipline techniques. 
• Their basic life and child-rearing philosophy goes along with your own and what you want your child to learn. 

Thinking of a shortie haircut? Go for it!

My latest. I love it!

Hey, for years I was a chicken when it came to my hair. For ages I kept it long, like past middle of my back long. Eventually I went shoulder-length with maybe a few layers, but nothing that really inspired me. 

Until one day - oh around the age of 38 - I said to my hair stylist at the time, "Chop it off. I mean all of it!" And it felt great.

So, ladies, if I can do it, you can too! I say this because I have heard time and time again since then, "Oh, I love your hair. I've always wanted to do that, but I never could."

I want to attest right here and now that a short hair cut - even super short - is a lot of fun, easy to manage, and it makes you feel sassy and confident. I just think any gal that's ever thought of doing it should take the plunge at least once. You can always grow it back out!

I was so glad when I finally did and can't imagine going back.

Just Google "short haircuts" and "images" - like this - and see all the fun styles out there. Okay, that's about as style-intense as I'm ever likely to get here :) Have a great weekend!

Summer days are made for water

Should I use stink bait, liver, cheese, worms, chad or spinners? Big decision.

If you have any way to get out on the water where you live, I would highly recommend it. Brady had his first motor-boat ride on his uncle - my funny brother - Dave's boat and we had an absolute blast.

We basically fed the fishies worms all day, but who cares!

I really believe being on or near water helps kids see the world from a different perspective. Even I rarely fail to learn, experience or see something new.

We had discussions with Brady about the physics and movement of water since docking a boat is WAY different than parking a car. We talked about fish and how they breathe and how we breathe. We talked about how to fish ethically and how to cast and boat safely and the pros and cons of different poles.

The air is different by water. The animals are different. The smells and sounds are different.

Here are a few ideas to get on or near water (as always, if you're on it, wear your life vest!):

• Find a friend or family member with a boat :) Thanks, Dave!
• Plan a weekend trip to a lake or beach and rent a boat, kayak or canoe. 
• Take boogie boards to the beach. 
• Go wading and searching for shells (in Florida a nature park had free wading and seining tours).
• See if your local rec commission offers kayak or canoe lessons, where they provide the boats. 
• Take a paid boat tour with a guide. 
• Find a nearby lake, pond or beach and go fishing. 
• Buy an old, used canoe or john boat and get some oars. Great exercise!
• Check if any local parks have canoe days where kids can try them out and get rides for free. 
• Find a local canoe, kayak, wind surfing or sailboat club and see what they offer. 
• Find a local park with a hiking trail around a pond and feed the birds.

Water environments offers a truly different world for exploring and learning and discussing. Get out there before it gets too cold (well, unless you live in Florida, of course). 

Captain Brady and his peanut butter.

Too much fun and family bonding!

Easy marinated cucumbers

As I mentioned about my gardening adventures, we are finally - after much ordeal - getting cukes! Yay!

Eating them plain is fine or with salt, but hubby and I love them marinated. This recipe is kind of a combination of my mother in law's advice and perusing a few online.

Easy Marinated Cucumbers

Ingredients: 

1 large cucumber, sliced thin and layered in a bowl

Enough water to just cover cucumber slices

1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt

* Note: We rarely use raw onions, but a lot of people slice onions in with this and maybe even tomatoes too. Alter any of the measurements to your taste. I don't like to use too much onion or garlic powder for us, and you may want more salt or sugar depending on the flavor you like. This turned out just perfect for us.

Mix it all together really well and let sit at least overnight. When you eat 'em all up, add more sliced cucumbers to the liquid for another batch!

How my seat-mate made me feel old!

It's rare for me to feel "old." I'm 42 and happy and proud of my age and that I've made it this far and that I feel better than any other time in my life. I have no qualms telling anyone my age.

I think age should be celebrated, not feared and pitied and ridiculed as it often seems to be in our society. Moving forward in age means a blessing of longer life, a wealth of knowledge, a strength of spirit.

But every once in awhile something happens and it's like *whap upside the head* guess you're not a spring chicken anymore, huh?

My conversation with fresh-faced, wide-eyed 19-ish cute kid guy sitting next to me on the plane:

Him: "Where are you headed?"

Me: "To pick up my son. He's been at his dad's for 3-1/2 weeks and has to start school in a week."

Kid Guy, very earnestly: "Oh, high school or college?"

Me, laughing: "No, SECOND GRADE!"

The kid looks at me funny like this isn't possible.

Me: "He's only 7."

Kid: "Oh, wow!"

Okay, I know that TECHNICALLY I could have a kid in college (like this very guy sitting next to me!), but I don't yet! He's only 7! I was 34, okay, when I had him, Mr. Young Guy To Whom I look Old!!

It actually was very funny and perhaps a lesson for him not to assume anything, ha!

Can squash bugs gloat? Are okra zombie plants?

This year is my 2nd attempt at a true garden. Last year was The Year That Didn't Go So Well (think okra-thieving deer, cucumber-stealing bunnies, tomato-snatching birds and the drought).

I'm declaring this year The Roller Coaster Year.

Proof:

1. Late freeze (in May) meant a late garden, slow to produce.
2. 10 emerging cucumber plants were systematically reduced one by one to only 2 by hungry rabbits. I didn't know plants couldn't grow without their leaves. I guess they're like solar panels.
3. Large hail took out one of the remaining 2 (But hey, lookie here, old Lone Hearty Cuke has tons of babies right now!)

We'll get some after all.

4. I had no idea squash bugs could gloat. But I found two sitting atop my single lonely pumpkin looking up at me with smug smirky expressions, I'm sure of it. This is why I have only 1 actual pumpkin and 1 actual butternut squash out of 5 total plants.
5. Okra plants are like zombies. You can break them in half and they keep on going! The two that were severed by hail are producing okra again already.

It's alive!!

6. All the rain has made the carrots go crazy and the okra pods grow to 6 inches long. I've harvested twice this week, cooked some, frozen some and even shared some with mom. Look for pickled okra recipe coming soon.
7. The tomatoes are also loving the rain, they were late to start but they are putting on like mad now.
8. This isn't gardening per se, but the late freeze and then the hail stripped all mulberry trees of every last mulberry and there are no crab apples and very few walnuts this year. I had only salvaged enough mulberries early on to make 1 pie and 1 cobbler. Boohoo.

Any other gardeners out there struggling this year or in previous years? Or did you have a fabulous year?

Summer recipe, Crispy Fried Okra

Now I must admit, before moving back to Kansas I had only ever fried ONCE. One time in my life (I was 40 years old). It was onion rings and it seemed like an ordeal.

Since moving back, I have tackled it - dove fingers, wild turkey fingers, jalapeno poppers, okra, zucchini. We don't eat fried a whole lot, but I am so happy to say I can now do it if I want.

I used to think it was hard and messy. But mostly it just takes a little time and care. It's not near as hard as I once imagined. I'll put the basic recipe here and walk through the steps in the photo captions.

Ingredients: 

1 bowl of either egg and milk whisked together or (for egg allergy) just milk with maybe a bit of applesauce or cornstarch mixed in

1 bowl of seasoned flour - I season it with salt, pepper, garlic and Head Country seasoning

1 bowl of okra, cut about 1/2 wide

1 pan with about 1/2 inch of oil in the bottom, I use canola but I'll bet olive would be glorious! 

Mess of okra from the garden. Frozen okra would work too!

Cut 'em up.

Egg and milk in this case since The Boy With Egg Allergy was out of town.

I use a slotted spoon so the egg doesn't goop up in the flour.

Fluffy flour mixture, seasoned as much or as little as you want.

I use a slotted spoon to get them out of the flour too, shaking well to lose excess before putting in a bowl to transfer to pan.

Heat oil on Medium. Get a few drops of water and flick in. If it splatters and sputs, it's ready! If not, turn heat up a little but not too much! You want it hot enough they cook fast and don't get soggy, but not so hot they burn.

Watch them fairly close. In a couple minutes, when the bottom edges looks golden, flip them over with a spoon.

Once again, a slotted spoon is your friend to minimize oil transfer.

Let cool on paper-towel-lined plate. Maybe not the healthiest (better with canola or olive oil) but has the best flavor!

Mother Nature's a fickle... Lady

Last year, Brady, Jason and I stood at the edge of our pond and stared in horror at the carcasses of huge fish that had flailed themselves out of the water and onto the banks where they died. We were so sad, deep down sad.

The pond had shrunk to a fraction of its normal size and what water was left had turned a putrid green, no good for supporting life. Mother Nature's drought had its way.

Below are photos of that same pond, now brimming with water, in just a year's time (see the trees at its edge that died from the drought). Can you believe the difference one year can make? We have had so much rain it is stunning and I am grateful for it.

We have no more fish, but we can add some. And we will pray that the fickle Lady sees fit to go kindly on us. But who knows what next year will bring.

 

Low-cal treat: Granola "sundae"

I'm always on the lookout for low calorie treats to eat after dinner. I came up with one the other night I thought was pretty good.

I took a Great Value 90-calorie granola bar and heated it up for about 20 seconds in the microwave. I added a dollop or two of whipped topping (you could use fat free for an even better treat) and a drizzle of chocolate sauce.

A sprinkle of nuts would make a nice addition too since they are so good for you.It was plenty enough to handle my sweet tooth and not too bad of an indulgence. Just thought I'd share

Life is full with a child in it

Brady is an only child. In my Grand Vision for Life, this was not the case. He would have had at least one biological sibling (he sure enjoys his much older step-brother though!).

But life doesn't always follow the path of our Grand Vision, does it?

While there are drawbacks to this, I think there are positives as well. We get a lot of one-on-one time. I can focus on just what his needs are. I have an abundance of time and energy to spend on this wonderfully spirited young man to teach him, to guide him. It's easy to just pick up and go wherever and whenever we feel like. We have the space and time to talk and talk and talk. 

Even though he's an only, when he's not here - like the month he just spent with his Dad in Virginia this summer - things are different. I imagine most parents who share custody can relate to this feeling.

It's not an emptiness exactly because there's lots to fill a day with, especially since we own our own business. It's more of an ache, the knowledge of blank space in my life.

I miss his frequent calls of "Mommy!" or "I have three things to tell you, one is...." or "Come here, I want to show you something!" I miss his voice in the morning, getting him dinner, riding bikes, worrying about his amount of screen time, reading together, and just the sound and feel of him nearby. The house is quieter, tidier, smaller.

When he is here my days and my heart are full, busy, complex, focused, structured, driven. It's not the same when he's away. Eventually I throw myself into the free time I have - to spend with hubby, to garden, to read, to blog, to see my mom and friends. I do appreciate that down time to reboot and relax, and most of all I love the extra couple time.

And I am endlessly grateful he has a strong relationship with his Dad and gets to do and see new things (Washington D.C., how exciting!)

I guess that's how it will be one day when he goes off on his own to college or some other place or gets married. I think I'll be okay when that day comes, but I know that time is not here yet and so his absence is more pronounced.

For now, he's back. For now, he's 7 and we have a ways to go before the world beckons and I face a truly empty nest. For now, I always have an ear and eye cocked in his direction to see what he needs or what he's up to. For now, I will hold him close and take joy in all today brings.

For now.

There's food ready to go in his lunch bag!

We didn't have bananas in the house for 3 weeks.

His bed is rumpled.

There's small-sized laundry in the bin.

Time for limits again! Thank you, God, for him.

Funny things Brady says... allergy-go-away-inator

On our recent airplane trip, I walked Brady up to the First Class Area lavatory (can't call it a bathroom when it's in First Class, LOL!). While he was in there, I chatted with a very nice young male flight attendant.

When Brady came out, the guy said real conspiratorially, "Can you keep a secret?" And then he handed Brady one of the special First Class Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies which we had smelled in the air just a few minutes before.

"Oh no!" I said. "That's so nice but he's allergic to eggs!"

Brady and I both thanked him and told him how nice we thought that was. Then Brady, my inventor, added, "And don't worry. When I grow up I'm going to invent an allergy-go-away-inator."

The guy seemed surprised by this statement and said, "Wow. That sounds like a good idea!"

I'm happy both about a random kindness from a stranger and for Brady's upbeat attitude :)

Can't sleep? Count your blessings

This week I had a rather unpleasant meeting scheduled for 7 a.m. Wednesday morning. It was something I really didn't want to do but knew I had to do.

The night before I could NOT sleep. I tossed and turned. My mind raced. I could not relax. I tried reading. I drank tea. Gosh I hate those nights.

Eventually I was almost in tears. When it's late and you're tired and keyed up about something going on early the next day, it's easy to ask, "God, why won't you let me sleep?" Somewhere in he back of my mind , I heard, "Be humble."

Isn't that strange? So I stepped back from myself and my concerns, and I started counting my blessings. Everything I could think of. My son, husband, family, in-laws, friends. I thought of my pets, our home, our health, the rain. I thanked God for my okra this year, my carrots. Anything and everything I could think of.

As I forced myself to recount all the things that were RIGHT in  my life, I drifted off to sleep, my mind wrapped up in them like a blanket. I just hope I remember it next time.

Sweet things Brady says... Princess Leia and me

While watching old school Star Wars:

Me: "I used to want to look like Princless Leia. I think she's so pretty."

Brady: "Oh mommy, you're perfect just the way you are. And I think Jason would say the same thing."

Wow, they sure can make you feel good, huh?

Marriage & finances: You had me at Dave Ramsey

My husband and I have a crazy story that spans two decades and involves two engagements and Facebook. Basically we were engaged at 22, split up for 16 years, reunited on FB and then married on 9-10-11 (so neither of us will forget the date!).

A person changes a lot between 22 and 40, right? Well, our relationship back then and now reflects that change pretty clearly. One area most of all is finances.

When we were young, we did not see eye to eye on finances. He has always been very conservative and I, on the other hand, was too free with money. My approach to finances at that time led to many years of debt later on when we were no longer together.

The very first night my husband and I spoke on the phone after 16 years, what became quickly clear was that we were now on the same page financially. After learning we both had paid-off 2001 Corollas with more than 150,000 miles on each, I said something like, "Have you ever heard of Dave Ramsey?" (A financial guru I'll talk more about in a minute).

He said, "Of course!" Turns out he had read Dave's books and listened to him on the radio. I had listened to Dave's CD's which helped me take control of my finances.

Different financial philosophies can create a lot of tension in a marriage. I have experienced that personally and it is no fun.

And I can attest to the fact that once you are on the same page with your spouse - not necessarily of the exact same mind but working toward the same goal - married life is a lot smoother. After having experienced both sides of this, I'd just like to offer my few tips if you find a financial division in your home:

• First and foremost, talk about it. I made the mistake of holding back my thoughts in my first marriage until I was really upset and then it was a blow up.
• Take it slow. Change is hard and the end result is very important. Nothing worthwhile is easy.
• Give each other grace. Financial issues are deeply personal and tied to what a person views as important as well as how they were raised. Try and understand their point of view.
• Approach it as a team, not a you vs. them. What are your goals as a couple for your family, your home, your future?
• Consider checking out Dave Ramsey. He has great advice for couples here and in his CD series talks about how there is usually a "nerd" and a "free spirit" as it relates to money. He has books, CDs and also offers biblical-based Financial Peace University classes at churches that couples can take together. His ideas changed the way I look at money.
• Check  out the Money Saving Mom's posts on marriage and finances. She has a lot of great ideas.
• Set goals. What do you want to achieve? By when? Sometimes sitting down and writing goals solidifies the thoughts in your head and puts you down the path. 
• Keep communication open. As your circumstances and life situation changes over the years, so will your goals and needs. I think Dave Ramsey advocates a monthly budget meeting. My husband and I work together so we discuss finances a lot throughout the month, but you could set up a day that you sit down and focus on it.
• Keep some flexibility. Again, Dave Ramsey advocates a "blow" category in your budget or "fun money." I think that's crucial. This way you each maintain independence and can buy certain things you want, but within the joint structure you have come up with together. Nobody wants to have to explain everything little thing they buy! 
• Decide who handles the technical part. In our house, hubby is the go-to bill payer. He has it built into his schedule. I like that he has that chore, but we discuss finances a lot. He may be the check writer, but we make the decisions together. 

How do you and your spouse work out finances? Are you on the same page? How have you worked out the budget and future goals?

Driving in KS: Corollas & mud don't mix

Driving conditions can get a little challenging in Kansas at times, and I was lucky enough to experience four unique events within 24 hours. Just thought I'd share them. 

High Water

I went to my Hunters Safety field day Saturday which was way out in the country an hour away from where I live. Parts of my area got up to 5 inches of rain in a short time Friday night (I'll tell that driving story in a moment), so I got halfway there and encountered a sign that said, "Road Closed Due to High Water." 

I sat there for about 2 minutes mulling over my choices. NEVER cross water on a road. That was my first thought. Luckily, I had enough forethought to print maps for 2 different routes, so with a bit of backtracking I was able to get where I was going. 

 

Wildlife crossing

I was trucking along once I got on my new route when ALL OF A SUDDEN I had to slam on my brakes for what appeared to be four small people crossing the road. Nope, they were just a mother wild turkey and her three babies. But, dang, they're big!

Oh dang, I'm stuck

The Hunters Safety coordinator guy told me an alternate route that was supposed to be better than the Mapquest route due to mud since, as I said above, many areas got huge rain. 

Well... it still wasn't enough for my little 2001 Corolla. I was a mile away from the place when - whoosh - my car just slid to the right and plunked over the edge of the ditch in the middle of nowhere. 

Sigh. 

A phone call later and 3 guys with 2 trucks came to rescue me.

 

Driving in a hail storm

Lastly, I am so grateful for my husband's calm demeanor. He and I and his parents were driving home Friday night from dinner when the storm hit. We had no idea such a fierce storm was expected. To be honest, I don't think anyone did. 

As we drove at 9:30 at night down a deserted pitch black country highway, hail began to pelt our car. It sounded like someone was throwing rocks at the car as hard as they could and I knew, just knew, a window would shatter (but it didn't). My mother in law and I held newspapers between us and the windows just in case, and I heard both of us praying at one point. 

Not only that, it rained so hard my husband literally could not even see the lines on the roadway anymore much less whether anyone was coming in the other lane. We had to pull over at a farm house and wait it out, and let me tell you, he's not a wait-it-out kind of guy. If he pulled over, you know it was bad. Here are a couple of the dents the car had after that drive. 

 

 

Versatility matters: 2nd blog award!

A big shout-out of thanks to Life with Lorelai who nominated this blog for the Versatile Blogger Award. How exciting! Especially after last month, when a couple of really great bloggers humbled me by nominating my little venture for the Epically Awesome Award of Epic Awesomeness.

Lorelai runs a blog where she describes herself as "a Mom, Writer, Pumpkin Artist, Karaoke Singing, Cooking, Gardener Blogging about Life, Love, Interests..." She has a lot of fun posts, so head on over and check it out!

I think versatility is a great quality to have in our modern world. My mom's dad always told her, "Barchy, don't be a jack of all trades, be a master of one." Well, Barchy and me, we've both had to be versatile to get by in life. So I appreciate this award even more. 

The rules are I need to nominate up to 15 other blogs and tell you 7 things about me.

I have encountered so many great blogs lately - parenting blogs, crafty blogs and spiritual blogs that cover a variety of topics, here are a few - in addition to the ones I nominated for the Epic award:

Called To Be a Mom

Upside Down Kids

At the Lake

Missy Homemaker

Crystal's Tiny Treasures

Grandpa's Christian Soldiers

Mommie Daze

Golden Reflections

Devoted Sonriser

Humble Bumble

Creative K Kids

The Paper Vine

The Practically Green Mom

And 7 things about me... hmmmmm.... let's see...

1. I do not like complicated cooking. I tried making a "roux" for gumbo the other night, burned it twice, melted a spoon and, when I realized I'd have to stand stirring it for 20 minutes, gave up.

2. I am a sucker for Duck Dynasty. I love those guys! Especially when they sit down to pray and eat at the end of the show.

3. I like all the creatures most people don't seem to - snakes, bats, spiders, wasps. I feel like every creature has its place - not on you or in your house, of course! But they are here for a reason, a purpose, just like us.

4. I am extremely allergic to poison ivy. I *shiver* just thinking about it. I think IT'S purpose in life is to keep us humble and knowing we are not invincible.

5. I have big feet! Stylish size 9's are so hard to find.

6. Chips are my weakness. I rarely buy them because I can't stop eating them!

7. I drive a 2001 Toyota Corolla with 180,000+ miles. I love it!

It's official: I'm licensed to hunt

After many weeks of completing Kansas' required Hunter Education program online - 13 chapters and the Ten Commandments of Firearm Safety - I got to participate in a free field day this past Saturday. 

This means I am now legal to hunt in the state of KS. 

I learned in my class that 10 percent of the American population hunts and 10 percent is anti-hunting. The other 80 percent don't feel strongly one way or another. 

I want to share that while participating in the all-day field day put on by the state of KS, a local hunting club and the group Pheasants Forever I saw just how serious true hunters take the privilege of hunting. We were told time and again about safety and ethics and respect for wildlife.

We took 2 tests and even went on a mock hunt that raised several ethical and safety dilemmas to teach us. We shot black-powder rifles, clay pigeons with shotguns, compound bow and arrows, and regular rifles. I cannot tell you how many times I heard "Assume every firearm is loaded, ALWAYS." 

We were taught to consider where our hunting partners are before taking a shot, whether or not we could effectively see behind our target to what lay beyond. We were taught never to shoot at something out of range, never to put away a loaded gun, never to shoot at something at the top of a hill, never to hunt where we didn't have explicit permission or where state rules prohibited.

I left feeling that there is not and should not ever be frivolity in hunting. It is an activity that demands serious thought, planning, caution and care.

As an independent person, I want to know I can provide food for my family if need be. And as a health-conscious person, I want to know some of the food my family eats is not from a store, from a processing plant, from a mega farm. I think it can be something at once empowering and humbling, and something that keeps us connected to where we, as humans, came from.

Chuck E. Cheese rewards calendars

I just learned while researching reading programs at Chuck E. Cheese that they offer a wide variety of rewards calendars tackling everything from behavior to tooth care to chores, sleeping and sports.

You keep track of the particular activity and when they meet their goal, the child gets 10 free tokens. A food purchase is required, but you could get something small and limit their tokens to the 10 - plus they have a free play place area - to keep it inexpensive.

After recently going to Chuck E. Cheese I think it would be a fun way to target a particular area Brady is working on.

Guest posting: Easy Healthy Crockpot Gumbo

I have a guest post on making crockpot gumbo today over at Regina's At the Lake blog. She describes her interests this way:

"My passions abound and include sewing, crafting, quilting, jewelry making, and family, not necessarily in that order. The order changes frequently, I think, based on my current project, or more accurately, current projects."

I enjoy reading her tutorials on jewelry making especially, like this one she guest posted here this weekend. She has some really neat ideas and suggestions. Head on over for the gumbo post and check out her site! Thanks Regina!

For next summer: Reading programs abound

If there's one thing we learned this summer, it's that summer reading programs work and there are lots of them around! Next summer, check out these ideas for keeping kids engaged in reading:

1. Your child's school library. Ours gave a reading goal that we doubled. He'll get a certificate when school starts again.
2. Your local library. Even in our little town, the library ran a reading program. In a big city, you might find several.
3. Your state. The State of Kansas ran a reading program with the incentive of maybe winning one of a few $25 prizes.
4. Chuck E. Cheese. A fellow blogger told me recently that the kids arcade restaurant has a reading rewards program. You can find that and other rewards incentives here.
5. Book series. Junie B. Jones has a reading club and other series your child likes may as well. I just found out that Skippyjon Jones has birthday party printables too! How fun to have a book-themed birthday party.
6. Barnes & Noble. And kids earn a free book!  
7. Half Price Books.
8. BJU Press.
9. Lastly, if you don't find a reading program that fits your needs, set one up at home. You can read here and here how we did this at home to great effect.

In the meantime, while they work on reading in school, keep up the trips to the library. I hope for Brady it will always be a place of awe, of fun, of excitement, of respect, of learning. Our little library isn't open on the weekends, but we go every three weeks on Monday and get new books. Happy reading!

DIY: Making a marble scarf necklace

I'm excited to have my first guest blogger here! Today's post comes from Regina at the Lake. I have been enjoying the creative how-tos she shares on her blog and I think these necklaces are just adorable. Once you're done here, head on over and check out her site! Thanks, Regina! 

Hi, I am Regina Partain, Owner and Innkeeper of Bridgeport Lake Bed and Breakfast on Lake Bridgeport, Texas.  My passions abound and include wedding planning, sewing, crafting, quilting, jewelry making, and family, not necessarily in that order. The order changes frequently, I think, based on my current project, or more accurately, current projects.

I love marbles! 

To me they just say ‘let’s have fun’.  There is just something very playful about them.  So, today we are going to make some jewelry with, of all things, marbles!

Here is a sample of a lovely necklace made with a pink scarf and marbles.

Let’s get started.  What you will need:

One narrow, long scarf that you no longer wear.  The narrower your scarf is, the better it will be as you begin to tie knots.

For this scarf I used 3 large marbles (approximately 1” across), but for the pink one shown above (which was a longer and narrower scarf, I used 1 large marble and 8 regular marbles).  So, you will have to make the decision on size and quantity of marbles based upon your scarf.  Depending upon the length of your scarf, you may need a button, needle and thread.  The scarf needs to be wide enough to wrap around the marble without the color showing through. 

That’s it.  That is all you need.  Try to stick with marbles close in color to the scarf so that the color of the marbles doesn’t show through.   The picture shows 9 marbles, but I replaced the 8 smaller ones with 2 more large ones.

Find the center of your scarf by folding it in half lengthwise and marking the fold.  Then fold the long edges in to the center.   Continue folding to the center until your scarf is approximately 5” wide.  A little more or less won’t hurt.  

 

Place your large marble at the center of the scarf.  Now, this is the hardest part.  Wrap the scarf around the marble while still keeping it relatively in the center of the scarf.  Wrap it tightly.  Placing a straight pin on one side of the marble, while you work on the other side, helps keep it centered.

Twist the scarf into a slender piece that you can tie a knot in.  Tie the knot and pull it as tightly as you can, getting it as close to the marble as possible.  Now, remove the pin on the other side, and tie a knot there as well.   Here is what it looks like with the first 2 knots.  It is kind of hard to see in this picture but look closely and you can see the marble in the middle with a knot on either side.   

Now, begin adding marbles to both sides.  Slide the marble into the opening next to the knot you have tied.  Twist the scarf tightly around the marble and then tie a knot.  Add 1 marble to one side and tie the knot, then move to the other side and do the same thing.  Work your way up through the 8 regular marbles, 4 to each side. 

Well, the scarf I used this time was not nearly as long as the pink one in the other pictures, so I had to ‘punt’.  I only used 3 marbles, and then I gathered the ends of the scarf together and sewed a button on to anchor it and close the opening, after first making sure it would fit over my head.  

On the original pink necklace I simply tied a bow in the ends of the ribbon after first deciding if I wanted the bow in the back or on the side.  

I would love to see what you make with a scarf and marbles.  Have fun!