So, this week.

So, I'm cleaning and purging this week.

Hold me.

After packing up and condensing my entire life (along with J's) into storage & 2 bedrooms in my parents' house it has become blazingly clear that I have too much crap.

Way too much crap.

Oh, I've purged through my belongings before. There's a couple of boxes to prove that out in the garage... awaiting that phantom garage sale that has never quite happened. Whoops. Anyway. New Rule. If it's in one of my drawers or my closet & I haven't used or worn it in 2 years, it's outa here.

And then maybe, if I'm really, really lucky I'll find an hour (or 20) to go through the boxes upstairs and see what I can donate or sell from those.


My other project is to geek my way through the two new cookbooks that came to live with me this Christmas.
Barefoot Contessa's Back to Basics & the Pioneer Woman Cooks
I am over the moon excited to get my cooking on in the weeks to come. I love love love to cook. And I'm trying to be a better baker. I repeat... trying.

Though the Lemon Poppyseed Cakes I made this year as Christmas presents seemed to go over like gangbusters with my nearest and dearest. Note to self: must add that recipe to my permanent file.

Anyway- how are you spending this last week before 2011??

Christmas This Year

There was quite a bit of this....

There was thankfully, only one instance of this... where he actually put his plan into total action

There was plenty of this

several hours were spent looking at this & not getting enough of it...

seeing secrets shared between two buddies

watching a little boy have 'his' Thomas come stay at his house for Christmas

.... and go out and greet him every night when Thomas, "woke up."

21

Years have a way of passing by lightening fast. So fast that you could get whiplash trying to catch them as they fly by.

I ruminate today on how 21 years could have passed me by so fast. That many years since my granddaddy walked this earth.

Crazy.

Sometimes it seems like its been forever since I saw him.
Ask me another time, and I would swear, with breathless certainty, that it seems like just yesterday.

I miss his face.

Time doesn't heal all wounds, gentle readers. No. No. Sometimes it sneaks up on you when you least expect it. But time puts distance between you and the visceral, knee jerk pain. That goes away. The dull ache. That doesn't.

And, really... would you want it to?
For me, the pain of my grandfather's death is part of the joy of the memory of his life. It's all wrapped up in how very much I loved him. How much I love him today. I think that its okay to say that some pains don't go away. Some sorrow grafts itself into the DNA of who you are.

Ignoring it doesn't make it go away. Denying that it exists just seems to... I don't know- rob you of an important part of who you are. Am I saying that one should through themselves into the deep pit of terrible sorrow?... no. There is a balance.

I can say that I miss Winston. So much it hurts, still. But I can talk about that old man with joy. With absolute joy. I am so proud to hold his memory. I can laugh and giggle and smile boldly when I think on the time I had with him. That's the balance. That's how it all wraps itself together.

That's the amazing thing about the passage of time. That something can hurt & bring joy all at the same time.

And, after 21 years- that's what I'm thinking about today.

Break

Welcome back. Or, I suppose I should welcome myself back.

The last few days of my semester were a whip. November flew by like a flash, I tell you. And now, we're neck deep into December.

I'm taking a month or two off- it's a must. My brain went to mush.

The last week or so have been lovely. I've rested. I've relaxed... ish.

I've done a lot of reading.

Let's take a moment, please. I've spent the last 6 months chained to text books, so all my precious Pretties have stacked up beside my bed..... calling to me. Begging me to pick them up. To crack the spine and delve into those pages and pages of rich, wonderful prose.

I wax poetic, I do.

It's been a joy. I reread an old favorite- Christy. I love, love, love that book. And now, I'm rewatching the tv series & the PAX movies. Yes, I have them on dvd. Don't judge. (Dear Dr. MacNeill, I heart you.)

I'm currently reading a biography on Anne Hutchinson- yes, I am a nerd. The next book on the list is about Augustus. After that, is a biography on Amelia Earhart.....

In other news, I am happy to report that I have found my winter purse. Special thanks to SAMS and London Fog for coming together to make this joyous event possible. (Hi, my name's Taylor and I can switch subjects from deep to deeply shallow in a split second.) And I now have 2 (yes) pairs on winter boots. Can I just tell you how deeply my wardrobe rejoices over this?

Lot's of stuff happening this month- I'm hoping I can carve out the time to sit and write more. As in, work on my long neglected writing projects. Sigh. I can also hear the Siren Call of the theatre... it's calling to me. I've been away far too long. I find my center there- I really do. Must stop letting my 'breaks' extend for so long.


I looked back over this post & I can't really say that I wrote anything too world shattering. Oh, well. Maybe next time. Until then.

Thankful

For all that I do not deserve... for all that I have been blessed with.

Taking a couple of days to count my blessings one by one.

Remembering,

"A thankful heart is a happy heart..."

Happy Thanksgiving.

To Those Who Make Lists

I Salute You....

*Vacuum the floors
*mop the floors
*DO MY LAUNDRY
*put away my laundry- wish I didn't have to remind myself to do that
*eat lunch (not looking good today)
*put up Jacob's Christmas tree
*go through Jacob's toys and set aside the baby toys for garage sale
*go through Jacob's sock drawer; they're multiplying like bunnies in there
*balance checkbook
*watch cooking shows I taped on dvr
*watch Sanctuary I taped last Friday
*finish Humanities paper
*finish Humanities project
*study for History test
*call attorney
*dust-ick

By the way, have any of you tried the Zevia Sodas? They have no calories, but they aren't made with artificial sweeteners. I'm liking them thus far, I must say.

If anyone thought my train of thought jumped the track, you're right. But that's the price you pay for reading my wee little bloggy. Till next time!

It Happens

2009

2010Any Questions?

Oh, For the Love of Tom Landry

Dear Dallas Cowboys,

Stop. Just please stop. Take off the pads. Take off the jerseys. Remove yourselves from the field. Holy cow, yall have gone way past the point of imploding & to the point of just plain ridiculous. Yall are making fools of yourselves and humiliating the city you represent.

You look like idiots.

Learn some discipline on and off the field. Learn to respect yourselves. Learn to respect your fellow players, your coaches and your fans. Learn to LOVE the game again. Learn HOW to play football again. And then maybe.... just maybe, you'll earn the right to wear the silver and blue again. Perhaps you'll be worthy of the Landry Legacy.

But right now 'Boys, yall ain't nothing but a mockery.
And you certainly don't deserve to wear those uniforms.
Or stand on the memory of Team Tom Landry built.

Just sayin......

Into the Ring

The blog world is a really amazing little world- I say "little" with a rather large grain of salt. I love the fact that I can connect with all sorts of people from all walks of life. But, some of my favorite people to connect with are people who are bound together by the thin, string of adoption.

It's such a narrow tether- it really is. Sometimes it looks quite transparent & other times, its a rather thick strap and you couldn't miss it if you tried. But so many people, myself included are bound by this string. And I am constantly checking myself with the fact of how many thoughts and journeys and ideas people have about adoption. Some I agree with, wholeheartedly.... some I find myself feeling rather wishy-washy & others I just cannot, for the life of me, agree with.

Now, please don't mistake me. I'm not writing this post to say that I have all the answers. All I have is the sum of my life experiences as a (now) adult adoptee. Oh, yes- that's right. I did mention that I am bound to the community for adoption.

I was adopted at birth. Well, actually, I was bound for the family I call my family before I even opened my eyes on this world. My parents were set to adopt me before the girl who was carrying me inside her gave birth.

And yes, I said the "girl." Because that's what my 'birth mother' was... she was a girl. A child, herself. She didn't WANT to raise a child. Any child at that moment in time. And, at 17, can any of us really blame her? Her family wanted her to keep the child (me).... another member of the family wanted her to give the baby to them. But she wouldn't. She didn't want to be around her child... that wasn't her child.

So, I was adopted into my family.

As I grew up, I knew that I was "adopted."
But I also grew up knowing that.... really, it wasn't all that much of a big deal. No, I didn't grow in the stomach of the woman I call my mom. But at the end of the day, I double dog dare ANYONE to say that I'm not her child.

(and if anyone takes me up on that dare, they'll receive a verbal dressing down, the likes of which they've never received before..... and then they'll have to deal with my mama.)

There were no "celebrate your adoption birthday" days in my life. I have one birthday, thank you. I was brought up knowing that people come into families in different ways- and no one way makes you more "special" or more "different" or anything like that. You're simply a member of your family. Period.

I was NEVER introduced to anyone by my mother (or anyone else in my family) says, "This is Taylor. She's my adopted daughter." EVER. I was just their's.

I belonged to my family. And there was never a question about that. Maybe it was because my mom was very honest with me as I grew up & gave me AGE APPROPRIATE ANSWERS.

There's a concept that I have seen, sadly, lacking. Some parents want to be so honest & 'help their adopted children process their pain' so much that, I think, they are adding to their kids confusion and their 'pain'. I'm not really sure what constantly reminding your kids that they are 'adopted' or 'have another mommy and daddy somewhere' is supposed to do for these kids sense of belonging and well-being. And in some families, where the children are of a different ethnic orgin then their mom & dad.... they know they are different. Really. You don't need to point it out to them.

You might say that I'm not a big fan of "open adoptions." Where did this concept come from? How does this work?

"Come here little Susie. I'm your mom. But this is your other mom. And you love your daddy, but this is your other daddy."

What?!

Kids need identity. They have to have it. They must know who they are and where they belong in this world.
If a child grows up and has questions or curiousity about their 'birth parents', fine. But let that be their journey. I don't like the idea of parents choosing it for them. I really don't.

And now you might ask if I have ever tried to find the woman who gave birth to me. The answer is, no. Why? Well, to be honest- she's really not anything to me. Whoa, harsh, you might be saying... but its the truth. She's not my mother. And I refuse to call her that or to reference her in that manner. That she carried me & gave birth to me, I will be forever grateful.

Because she didn't have to. I was a post-Roe v. Wade baby.

But that's where my feelings end. She's not my family.

And she didn't want the child she carried at 17. She wanted her own life. And I have to respect that. I do respect that.

I am thankful that I was adopted. I love, love, love my family. And they love me. I am a part of a family that I couldn't imagine being without. And, I don't want to imagine life without them. I belong ... here. Am I 'grateful' to my parents for adopting me.... well, no more than any child is grateful for being born. Thankful and grateful are to different things.

And now, as an adult... as a parent myself, I can say that there really isn't a big difference between having a child whom you gave birth to or adopting them. There is not. If it seems that there is- that's something you have perpetuated. Sorry, but its the truth.

So... in conclusion. My two cents for whatever they are worth. Let your children BE your children. Don't make diffferences between them. Don't. Yes, adopting a child from birth is waaaay different from adopting an older child. And yes, an older child or a child that comes from a different ethic origin will have some different needs- THEY are the ones that might need extra care in the form of counseling.

All that is fine- but, please... Please send your sweet children the message every day that they are yours and you are their's. Give them the identity of being your children & of totally and completely belonging.

Thanks for listening.
*****
November is National Adoption Month. There are so many children in foster homes that need the identity that comes from being a part of a family that loves them.

Once a child hits 3, 4, & 5 their chances of finding a family are reduced to crazy small percent rates.

Once they hit 10, they have a next to nothing chance.

No home.
No family.
No mom and dad to love them and to call their own.

Just something to think about.

HIgh & Low of Dallas Sports

The Rangers are going to the World Series.

Wowza.

It's taken a couple of days to process this turn of events. This, crazy cool, turn of events. Those of us here in North Texas have been riding the sports induced high since Friday night- nothing has been able to bring us down or dampen our spirits (not even the high 80 degree weather in, you know, October).

And that's a good thing, cause Monday night marked the end of the Dallas Cowboys season.

Le sigh.

The quarterback has a broken clavicle. I knew it when he went down. Well, I didn't know his clavicle was broken, but I saw the hit & just knew- "Well, that sucks. He's out." Sadly, I was right. Our season has been a brain numbing experience thus far & the writings been on the wall... when you have undisciplined players & coaches who... well, I'm not really sure how to explain our coaches, it's just not a recipe for anything that even comes close to resembling greatness.

But, back to happy thoughts! The World Series starts Wednesday night... the same night as the Fall Festival at my church. Oops. So, it will be a rather quick jaunt through the Kid Fest & then back home for the baseball game. And those of you who remember last years costume debacle with Jacob, I must report that its really no better this year. He'll be wearing a Halloween shirt.

For Your Information

I Would Like...

1. it to be 10-15 degrees cooler. It's fall, for the love of all things good & right and true. I know, I know- I live in Texas, what do I expect? But a girl can dream, can't she?

2. for the Rangers to win their game on Friday & go to the World's Series. Please, oh, Please, oh, Please.

3. to have this last 10-15 pounds magically disappear from my butt.

4. to find the perfect berry lipstick

5. for pizza to have no calories.

6. to have the power to vanquish crappy drivers.

7. for a million dollars to magically appear in my bank account.

8. for laundry to put itself away, ugh.

9. to be in charge of television programing. Oh, the power. But, I promise I would use this power for good & not evil- well, I suppose that would greatly depend on your pov, cause I can promise you their would be a whole lot less 'reality' tv on the air & shows would be on at times & on days that, you know, actually made sense.

10. regular Dr. Pepper with imperial pure cane sugar to have no calories

and that's my wish list. Please make a note.

The GREAT State Fair

.................
oh, it's a grand time to be a Texan, I tell you. The State Fair of Texas is one of those beloved traditions that runs through my veins... and it runs deep.

It's the start of fall, it is. The Fair heralds the beginning of your Intrepid BloggerGirl's very favorite season. It's the time when my beloved Horns kick up dust with those northern aggressors known as the Sooners (icky!).

One of the greatest parts of the Fair is the fried food- oh, my heart does flutter. This year all I tried from the fried bounty that was offered was the Fried Margarita.... wasn't that bad. Kinda like eating a funnel cake & drinking a 'rita on the rocks. But you had to eat it fast, or it got soggy- texture! icky!

Yes, I did get a fried s'more again this year, thankyouverymuch. Those tasty, fried nuggets of wonderfulness soothe my soul and kinda complete me (culinary speaking, of course). ::sigh:: Can it please be next year again? Please?

Oh! and if you are a lifelong Dallas Cowboys fan (I say lifelong, hoping that the people I am speaking to remember life BEFORE the man who fired Coach Landry) and you missed the Coach Tom Landry exhibit- shame. shame on you. It was really, really wonderful. Walking through & seeing into the life of the man who was such a fixture & a role model for so long was awesome. Coach Landry was one of a kind- a kind we need more of in this world, I think.

(.... and on a totally shallow note, a kind that the current Dallas Cowboys could benefit greatly from. Just sayin'.)

Anyway- enjoy some picture from the 2010 State Fair of Texas.


Yeah, so this was supposed to be a tender, sweet moment where we caught the youngling taking his next step into the big wide world.... sharing a Fletcher's Corny Dog. However, it was kinda, sorta ruined by the large man in the yellow shirt who greets the guests to the Fair.

Yeah, him. Big Tex. Our annual "Smile & Stand in front of Big Tex so everyone knows we are at the Fair" pic. Not so much. Tex started talking again. Jacob tried to tree himself in my hair & we had to motor. Rapidly.

HE RODE SOME RIDES!!!!!! (ahem) Sorry. I love rides. My baby rode some rides. His mommy beamed with pride. The End.

Well, almost the end... there were a few more photo ops!

The List

So, I've been up to my (not at the moment) well-manicured eyebrows in my undergrad studies here lately. As of this moment in time I have 2 papers, 1 project, & 2 tests left in my 'official' semester. My hope is to plow through those & get another class (or 2) squeezed in.

And then there's the usual, every day stuff that goes into my days & weeks- there's MOPS, church & serving the nursery once or twice a month. There's the never ending loads of laundry. The dinners that must get made- I feed myself, J, my mother & father and my grandmother. I love that. Cooking relaxes me- but it takes time and thought, to be sure. There are playdates with my best 'mommy friend' Faith & her little girl, L. And then, there are grown-up playdates with my peeps on those occasional nights or days when Jacob is with his dad.

.... and then, shepherding Jacob through his toddler & pre-school years. :-) That's my favorite job.

All this to say that there's a stack of books by my bed that are begging.... no, pleading with me to pick them up and crack open the spine. It's tragic, I tell you. (I won't even get started on the mass pile-up that's on my dvr right now. That would be a whole other, whiny post.)

So, I thought I would grace you with my abandoned reading list. Check them out & feel free to read any of them & tell me what you think... it might be a while before I get to them!

1. The Hole in the Gospel- Richard Stearns
2. Atlas Shrugged- Ayn Rand
3. 1776- David McCoullough
4. Arguing with Idiots- Glenn Beck
5. East to the Dawn (The Life of Amelia Earhart)- Susan Butler
6. The Lincolns- Daniel Mark Epstein
7. The Last Days of the Romanovs- Helen Rappaport
8. Mrs. Dalloway- Virginia Woolf
9. How to Eat- Nigella Lawson (this is an on-going reading project, to make my way through!)
10. Call of Duty- Lt. Lynn "Buck" Compton
11. Vanity Fair- Willliam Makepeace Thackeray
12. Augustus- Anthony Everitt
13. The Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood- Sears

Yes, that's the gamut of reading tastes- fiction, history, biography, auto-bio, cooking, health.
What about you? What's on your reading list?

Think of This as a Public Service Anouncement

..... for your culinary health.



A few tasty suggestions for your dining pleasure in the DFW, Texas area. :-)



Chuy's- do I really need to explain this? I heart this place. The salsa is kinda like chunky pico. Yummy and fresh. And the margaritas are darn tasty too. Just sayin'.



Papasito's- yeah, the Godfather of tasty Tex-Mex.... which is kinda odd since the people who own the chain are Greek, I believe.



Jorg's- if you want good, and I mean great, Austrian food... go here now.



Urban Crust- My favorite pizza in the world. Yeah, it's that good. I recommend the "Shea's East Side" pizza. Oh, and the "Hearts of Plano" salad. It's big enough for two.



Ajisen- it's kinda like my own personal "Cheers", only it's a Japanese restaurant. I go for the sushi & I'm never disappointed. Go at lunch time and try the lunch roll combo- 2 rolls, salad & miso soup for $10. It's in Richardson, in Little Chinatown off Greenville road.



Buco de Beppo- yes, it's an Italian chain. But, darn it, it's good food. And the family style makes me happy... it makes me think of my Grandma's house when there's lots of food and family... and that just gives me all kinds of warm fuzzies on the inside.

And this concludes your PSA for today. Have a lovely day!

and go eat some great food! :-)

A Trip in Pictures

Here are just a few pictures from our Labor Day trip. We had fun- I love Austin. I really do.


This is what happens when some drunk in the hotel pull the fire alarm at 5am.... and it get stuck in the on position & goes off twice. The first time, J fell back to sleep... the 2nd time, not so much. He ended up in the bed with me. (Special thanks to my dad for snapping this less than charming picture of me. That's what happens when you and your 2 year old share a hotel room with your mom and dad.)

In line at the Oasis- we waited quite a long time for a table. And then considered adopting into the family the waiter who bumped us out of the line & sat us in his station. Bless him. Bless him.

J and my Dad at the Oasis.

The obligatory picture of a sleeping 2 year old in his carseat. He fought each and every nap. The child didn't want to miss one thing.

Inside the Texas State Capital. Remind me to dedicate an entire post to the several pictures it took just to get this one, semi-decent picture. It makes me totally ok with the fact that my child is not looking at the camera.

If you get a chance to tour the Bob Bullock museum- take the time. It was really wonderful.

Yes... Just take a moment & share in my joy. I took J to the UT campus. It was a proud moment for me.

My new favorite picture!

We're Still Here

Watching twisters on live tv is amazing television, I tell you. Tornado drills are also lots of fun too. There's nothing like gathering together in a very tiny bathroom to bring you together as a family...

... and make you realize that you do not have a current (read: complete or anything) disaster kit.

Put that on my to-do list.

And for the record- may I just state my amazement at having several twisty twisters touch down around north Texas because of a Tropical Storm? Crazy. And ALL THE FLOODING. Thank you so much Tropical Storm Hermine for dumping all that rain on my home state. Holy Noah and his Traveling Ark, Batman.

From this point on, there's not going to be much of a flow going on to this post.

We went to Austin for Labor Day. I took my Lad to the Holy Land- I mean, the University of Texas campus. :-) We went to the stadium for a photo-op & he cheered for the Horns & their mighty school crest. It brought a tear to my eye. I'll have an Austin trip post soon (I hope) complete with pictures. And some restaurant reviews. There was some tasty, tasty chow that was consumed on that trip!

I need a new purse. I have retired the pretty, pretty pink purse for the fall (sad day) & I don't love any of my three current options. I think a trip to Charming Charlie is in order for yours truly.

I need some signature necklace pieces for the fall. (and when I say "need", I totally mean "really want")

Does anyone else love those chunky, flow-y sweater? Love.

I also really need a couple of new ballet-flat'esqe shoes. Hopefully in animal print. (and some high-heels in that print would be great too.)

I do now declare that a trip to Charming Charlie is in order.

Rainy, Rainy, Rainy

Yes, you may have guessed from the oh so clever post title, it's a rainy, rainy day. Actually, it's been a rainy couple of days. Tropical Storm Hermine is making her presence known even here in north Texas. We've got so darn much rain that there's been flash flooding all over the place & now, there are tornado warnings dotting all around where I live.

Am I taking adequate and immediate shelter with my loved ones? Umm, no. I'm perched on my bed "writing a paper", watching Pete Delkus & blogging. :-) Why? Cause it's what I do. And, since there's not a warning on the exact spot where I live, I feel rather safe at the moment.

But yall know what's totally bizarre? Listening to Steve McCauley on the phone on Channel 8 saying, "It's on the ground. The tornado is on the ground."...... he's currently chasing it. Well, I hope he's seeking shelter- cause I'm watching it on the tv & it's a little freaky.

and mesmerizing..... (thank you, HD Chopper 8)

I used to make fun of my mother when I was younger- she would tell me 'twister' stories & one in particular made me shake my head- she stood in her front yard and watched the twister. I could not fathom that. And now, here I am- totally mesmerized by this.

Here's a Few Things I Would Never Want to Hear When Anywhere NEAR a Wall Cloud
1. it's closing in on us
2. multiple vortices
3. lots of damage
4. debris that's being knocked around & lifted up
5. cars driving TOWARDS it
6. transformer fire

Crazy People.

A Reply

In waxing poetic in my last post, some hurt feelings have been uncovered. I want to address those feelings publicly. It seems like the right thing to do. If this post doesn't apply to you, then come back later. If it does, then please read on & then let's just us talk.

To Anonymous-

I suppose you would fall into the "I think we got our signals mixed and crossed badly somewhere along the way" category. In my blundering way, I suppose I was trying to give any and all space from my drama. I know that the path I am on is uncomfortable for some people & I have tried to be respectful of that.

I have probably also been oversensitive to varying degrees as well. But hurting and/or pushing dear loved ones out of my life has never been my intent. I am so often guilty of trying to read too much into the intent and the motives of what people are doing/saying/etc, instead of just coming out and talking with them about it. It's a massive, awful fault of mine.

To any of my dear friends that have been pushed away these last months, I am so sorry. Please forgive my blundering. I love my friends so dearly & I hurt to know that I have caused pain... I hope that we can have some restoration of our friendships, dear friend(s).

Love,
Me

A Somewhat Syrup-y Stream of Thought

I do, for the most part, try and keep my little on-line world fairly light. But I've had several times over the last months to ruminate on a certain subject. Nothing terribly terrible or anything such as that, but more serious than I normally write.

Every since I entered the new phase of my life- single motherhood, I have come to love and cling to and appreciate my friends. Not my acquaintances, mind you- my friends. Massive life upheavals have a funny, funny way of assisting you in weeding through those two labels. Let's face it, divorce sucks the suck of the doomed & not everyone can (will) continue along with you.

But then you have your friends.

And I have a handful of wonderful, magical friends. They pray for me, pray with me- they help me out with my kid. They laugh and play with me. And, most all of- they have stuck beside me. Some are old friends & some I have had the great pleasure of cultivating our friendship since the separation & divorce fiasco started.

Not really sure where I'm going with this, except to say that friends make your life so much better. They enrich it in ways that you could not even fathom until you start to see it.

In which I Remind You that I Have a 2 Year old

I have had every intention of regaling you with oodles of tales from Jacob's 2nd birthday party.

No, really. I have.

However, every time I sit down to write a long, loving post- I don't. The 999 other things that clang and clamour around my heels get more attention. I will take a few moments to tell you that, it was lots of fun. Thomas the Train themed. And, yes- he loved it. Jacob kept pointing to the faces of Thomas and his engine friends saying, "See? Mommy see?!"

And he may have hit the Thomas the Train mother load for presents- that he conned his older cousin, Julian into opening a couple of.

He got toys for the bath (or pool, as he decided), toys to play outside, toys to play inside- toys that came in a set (not 1, but 2 Thomas the Train play sets, thank you very much. One with batteries and one without) and toys that came all on their lonesome. He got a new toy truck looking Little People thing (I'm a girl, don't judge). He got a new storybook Bible & some new dvds starring his favorite Bears, an animated Bible figures & (of course) his greatly beloved vegetable people. The boy even scored a pirate ship of the Veggie Tales Pirates Who Don't Do Anything fame. Pretty sweet.

I had a house full of friends and family, lots of crumb crunchers (that's code for children..... who somehow managed not to spill ANY punch all day long. That I know of.)- lots of food and lots of laughter and fun. We ate, we swam, we unwrapped presents, we played, we had cake....

and.

I was exhausted by the end of the day.

...... and promising myself that, next year, we would be celebrating in the company of that overgrown rat who serves the pizza.

All I have to do is get my son over his phobia of the Cheese-rat between then and now.

Another Story Involving the Gym... Kinda

It starts with, I was on the treadmill at the gym on Wednesday. (as all great epic rants do...)

Let me set the scene for you- It's about 2:30-3pm. I finally got to the gym (yippee!) and started my treadmill routine. I have my beloved iPOD (no, I don't have a name for her.... suggestion?) on & turned to my work-out mix and my earbuds and in my ears. I start up the treadmill & look up at the tv screens in front of me.

There's not a lot to choose from- but watching something other than other people sweat does make the time go faster. One of the tellys is tuned to E!.... I recognized that, okay, I'll watch that. (I'm embarrassed to report that I watched the 6am news with rapt attention the other morning while on the treadmill.)

What was on? Khloe & Kourtney (or however you spell their names) take Miami..... a word to the citizens to Miami..... take your city back- quick.

Anyway. Oh, my golly sam lawnmowers!

These chicks are about my age & I was thoroughly embarrassed for them. No class. None.

The way they talked to each other- YIKES! It wasn't just rude or mean, it was nasty (as in, ewwww! Why in the name of green, green grass would you say something like that TO YOUR SISTER?!). They bleeped out the words, but you knew EXACTLY what these girlies were saying. Now- my family is not Puritanical by any means.... but if ANY female spoke to another member like that- there'd be a come to Jesus meeting. Abruptly.

But the moment that made me stop my treadmill was when one of the girls didn't just flash.... oh no, she showed her who-who on NATIONAL TELEVISION! For an extended time. (And then we were treated to a whole storyline revolving around Missy's little missy.) Yes, it was blurred, but are you kidding me? And that didn't embarrass or humiliate her AT ALL. She said something far less .... public was the most humiliating moment of her life.

What an after school special.

And I watched this thinking, I'm not that old. I'm 29!!!!!! I'm about these girls' ages! And as I watched this, I became my mother- I really wanted to rattle those girls' teeth (especially the one who is a mother of a little baby boy herself...... oohhhh, I really want to shake her till her teeth rattle.)

And here's the thing... I remember watching E! when I was a teen.... I watched it when I was in my early 20's... NOT ALL THAT LONG AGO, thank you very much. So I know girls and young(er) women watch this- and I just wonder what they are getting from this? Are they getting that these girls are sorta, kinda not who they should be looking to as behavioral role models? OR (my thinking) are they thinking that, this is normal? This IS what they should model themselves after?

After school special, indeed.

Thus Far Today

6 am: I woke up. On purpose. (yes, me.)

6:15am: I left for the gym. I was on the treadmill by 6:25 am. I live about 2 minutes away from my gym & at 0'dark thirty in the blessed morning, that's a darn good thing. I logged 45 minutes on the over-sized gerbil track and was back home eating my toast and Greek yogurt by 7:30am.

Monette and I settled in to watch the new Army Wives from this past Sunday night.... Who's Monette? That's my dvr? Have I never introduced you? How rude of me. (Yes, I named my dvr. We have a close, personal relationship. I'm a single mom with a 2 year old & I'm trying to ge through school.... I depend on Monette. It seemed only right to give her a name.)

I even got in last night's eppi of The Closer before Jacob woke up.

That's all the good news. The bad news is that I flaked out when just a little bit after Jacob went down for his nap.

But I'm awake now &, as penance, I started a load on laundry.

Oh, and in the between Jacob waking up this morning and going down for his nap was a really fun trip for me through hell.... otherwise known as the construction work going on HWY 75 in McKinney, Texas... and buildings that exist only on mapquest. Multiple detours. Frustration. Gnashing of teeth. Great confusion. Retracing steps. Finally giving up and going home, but stopping through the Chik-fil-A drive through first.

Because nothing soothes the soul like the Original Chik-fil-A sandwich & those 2 crucial pickles... especially when you got up a 6am to (re)start going to the gym.

I Need More of This in My Life

I love the blog-world. I really do. Through this magical world I have had the great pleasure of meeting all kinds of people, all over the world.

And through this glorious connection to the wide world, I have come to know Big Mama, right here in my home state of Texas. And I now must thank her for showing me the way to Gypsyville. Well, I'm thanking her.... my wallet, not so much. You guessed it- shopping. On-line. And, it's wonderful. Go check it out. But, here's a few of my favorite things. Please note: I said 'a few.'

Gypsyville: by The Junk Gypsy Co.

I really love this tank-top. Actually, I love everything in this picture.

May I just register how darn cool this sign is?

I love this necklace.... I need it. I do.

I adore charm bracelets. And I love the bead bracelet too.

Things I Have Loved This Summer (thus far)

1. The fact that it has rained (a lot) here in Texas. Let's hear it for non-droughty summers! (I must write a disclaimer: The massive humidity has been a soul sucking experience. I've been in dire need of a haircut for weeks now..... my hair is really, really long at the moment & the humidity has taken it's toll, I tell you. Evil humidity, how you wound me.)

2. I found and fell in love with Charming Charlie. (Dearest Charlie, I love you so. We must be in each others' lives forever and you can never go away. ) If you haven't been to Charming Charlie's- go..... and if you live far away from one..... well, road trip.

3. White Bermuda shorts from Old Navy. Now that I found you, I'll never let you go... and I may bring home some other members of your family so you won't be lonely in my closet.

4. The bright pink hobo'ish purse I got at Charming Charlie. Every time I leave my house, it makes me happy. Magical powers, I'm telling you.

5. Shakespeare in the Park with my dearest Peeps. Even having to break for rain couldn't diminish the fun. Love.

6. The A-Team movie. Just a fun, fun movie. It is so going on my "To Buy" list when it hits dvd.

7. Going out to dinner and sitting on the patios of those fine establishments.

8. Planning a certain little boy's 2nd birthday.

9. All the dinners we've grilled out at home. (that's summer, my friends. and this year, as a bonus- there's a new smoker in the back yard.)

10. The baby gate fence in the back yard- We have a pool & a toddler. Yeah. I love the new fence in the backyard. J's sandbox is on the back door side & he and I can sit out there (or he can sit in his little chair & watch his Poppi grill) and not worry about him making a break for the pool & me dying of a heart attack.

Let's See Here

Happy 4th of July all you Americans out there! ..... yes, I know that every single one of you is getting that message a day late. My bad.

It's been crazy busy around here. I swear at the beginning of every. single. month that the new month is not going to be as busy as the last & I totally lie to myself each and every time. It's such a drag. You'd think I'd have learned this about myself by now, but no. Le sigh. And this month is a particular whip, 2 birthdays to plan and my parents anniversary. Wowza. One of my best girlfriend's is turning 30 on 7/11 and we are going to sing her out of her 20's the night before at a karaoke joint. Fun huh? :-)

And then Jacob's 2nd birthday is at the end of the month. He's going to be 2. By golly heavens. Where did my baby go? ::sniffle:: ::sniffle:: Ok, I'm alright. His party is going to be a Thomas the Train themed party because my child has a crazy love for those trains, that dear sweet little boy.

So, factor in that mess, 4th of July, school (quaking in fear.....), oh and another birthday! Yowza, I have to buy a card for my younger cousin, L, her birthday on the 13th .... oh and another waaay little cousin at the back end of the month! The list just keeps going, Peeps! ..... and I know I'm forgetting something. I just know it. Drat.

I did that Friday. All day long. I KNEW that I was forgetting to do something. It was driving me ninny, I tell you! I finally remembered along about 5:35pm............. that I supposed to call Laura G. and let her know whether I was going to the Frisco RoughRiders Game with her and the Sisters or not. And did I mention that I was supposed to do this... oh, about NOON or so?! Sheesh.

The 4th of July Weekend was crazy busy, as I said before I went on that long ramble. My parents and I (and the little Dude) met up with my Aunt C and Uncle B at Red Robin, home of GREATEST ONION RINGS KNOWN TO MAN, not that I have a strong opinion on that subject at all, for dinner on Saturday night...... of course this was after the 2 hour dash through SAMS and Central Market and the sudden down pour that darn near required a lift from Noah and his paddle boat to get home.

After dinner we dropped my father at the house and my mother and I made our merry way to Addison, hoping to catch some of the KaboomTown fireworks...... and I must now share with you a story on my child. The boy did not like the pretty lights in the sky. Mind you, we were so far back you couldn't hear the noise at all- it was just the lights exploding in the sky that put a twist in the child's pampers.

We got out of the car (to get a better look) and the boy started to try and climb up my shoulders and behind my back- he reminded me of a freaked out cat. Mom and I finally gave up after a few minutes and Mom said, "Let's just go back to the car." People, I am telling you, no sooner had the words crossed the threshold of her lips than Jacob flipped around to face the fireworks, waved and said, "Bye-Bye, See you." and was VERY happy to be carried to the car. I laughed my tail off.

Sometimes he makes me laugh without even trying. And I love that.

Anywhoo. Enough rambling for now. See yall on the flip side.
Peace Out.

The Original Wonder Pet

.....

my cat has mad skilz.

I'm telling you. He does. He's 16 or 17 years old (yeah) and has figured out how to open the door to my bedroom. Now let me explain. My bedroom door has a twist knob- and this cat has figured out how to turn and twist the darn thing and get it open at 5:30 or 6am in the blessed a.m.

Crazy.

At this point, he hops his little body onto my bed and begins pawing the back on my head..... my face... my ears- which as, by the way, being mightily abused by his horrific wailing.

All..... for breakfast. Because the little Prince Chester cannot wait until 7am when I get up.

Of course, I've been known to give him a bath with the spray bottle at times.

Texas. Summer. Hot. Welcome.

So Much Fun, I Can't Stand It

I saw WICKED last night.

Let me just give you a moment with that. Okay? Moment over. It was a very late Christmas/Birthday gift from my bestie. Actually, it wasn't a late gift. I knew I was getting it way back at Christmas/my birthday, but WICKED just took it's own sweet time getting here. If you are wondering, it was awesome. If you haven't seen it, go. Go now.

And while we are on the subject of things that are wicked, let me just tell you that taking an increasingly cranky 2 year old shopping in the heat, in Texas..... that should be implemented as a punishment in our judicial system. Epic Fail. We went Father's Day shopping (and late graduation shopping for a very special Maggie, I know) on Monday & by the time we hit Target I was ready to stick my head in the deep freeze.

The child did manage, however to score a new box of crayons (washable and large sized for tiny hands!), a Veggie Tales activity book & a jumbo sized CARS coloring sheet set. He rocked it and he knew it.

And if all that wasn't enough, The Sisters and I have gig in Snyder this weekend. A World War II fly-in. In a hanger! A Party! Should be fun! -

And End Break

I'm officially back at school this month- it was a lovely 2 month break. But it's over now. Back to fighting my way to my degree of higher learning. Yea. Just in time for Jacob's seasonal allergies to come roaring back in for another visit. How precious. And can I just say that this 6-something in the morning routine that my son has blessed me with for the last couple of days had better leave with the allergies.

Cause, yeesh.

It's not pretty.

And neither is confining a 2 year old inside cause he's so off-the charts allergic to the crap that's floating around in the air. It makes for a sad, sad little boy.... and a tired mommy. Let me tell you. I hated seasonal allergies when they used to haunt my every step- I despise them all the more now. Poor sick, snotting, coughing little boy.

It's 2 Days Later

.... and I'm still recovering.

The New Andrews Sisters and their Fabulous Dolly, Dixie rode in the parade & performed at the Memorial Day Picnic in beautiful, historic downtown Granbury this past Monday. If you are wondering why that matters to you and my blog- I am one of those gals.

(p.s.- I'm not one of the ones who sings.)

And, after more than an hour or two in the 900 degree sun (and reapplying sunscreen thank you very much), in a halter top- I have a sun burn. Yea!

Anyway- it was fun. And I think there are another 1 or 2 gigs on the schedule this month. :-)

In the mean time- there's laundry to do. And my classes restarted. Excellent. And I better get a move on- Jacob will be home from his dad's in T-minus ...... uh..... well, math isn't really my strong point today (or any day).

Today's blogpost:
Rambling? Yes
Informative? Maybe
Funny? You be the judge

L8r!

It's Here!

My Southern Living magazine.

Can I just tell you how much joy that gives me? I open my mail box and give a little squeal of joy when I see that shiny new Southern Living mag sitting there all nice and pretty! It's like a present from my Southern roots.

I love it. I really, really love it!

I love the travel tips. The endless travel tips. They span the South. It's fantastic. I have a running list of all the places that I now must go.

Even though I don't garden (I have this issue with remembering to feed and water plants... what? that's God's job. don't judge me.) I love the gardening section. It's nice to know what plants and flowers to plant in what section of the South. And seeing what really, super-freaking talented gardening people can do with their backyards is enough to make me think about running out to a lawn and garden place.... for a minute.

I dream about the lovely Southern Living floor plans. And I love reading about the interesting people and places.

But the food..... oh, the food. My heart belongs to the food. I cannot even begin to describe the joy, THE JOY of reading through the recipes and gleefully working them into the dinner rotation. Pure Joy.

It's kinda like grasping this piece of my past- my family comes from Texas and Alabama. We're the South. The women who came before me were the South. And when I read through my Southern Living magazine, I remember that, I am too.

I Remembered Today, Does That Count?

First things first!

Burgers-

85/15 fat. It's a must. Deal with it. And beef~ at least for these suggestions. And I mean it about the fat content. Anytime you make a burger with beef, 85/15 people.

Spicy Ranch Burger

1 lb ground beef
1 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch
a hearty dose of your favorite hot sauce (NOT salsa! there is a dif. peeps.)
shredded Gouda cheese

Mix it all together in a big bowl. Let it marinate, covered, in the fridge for an hour or two. Form into 4 patties and grill.

Makes 4 burgers.

Blue Cheese Burgers

1 lb ground beef
hot sauce
Worcestershire sauce
blue cheese crumbles
salt
pepper

Same directions as above.

Now, on to the bread.

It's your basic banana bread recipe.... tweaked
2 cups flour
3/4 cups white sugar (though I cut back just a touch on this)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 salt
4 bananas; mashed
1/4 cup milk- nonfat works best, I think
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 & a little more brown sugar
..... and chocolate chips

Oven to 350.
Coat an 8-inch loaf pan to prevent a sad ending to a promising start. In a medium bowl, combine your dry (I'm including the sugars) ingredients and mix it well. In a large bowl (and I do mean large, if you are even the slightest bit as messy as I am) peel and mash your bananas. Add the milk, eggs & vanilla and mix to combine. Add the stuff in the medium bowl to the large bowl. Mix it up, baby.

Now.... the good part. Add your chocolate chips. I'm not going to tell you how much to add. It all depends on if you want Chocolate Chip Banana Bread or Banana Chocolate Chip Bread! :-)

Fold Them in.

Bake until a toothpick comes out almost clean. About 1 hour. Let it cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before removing from the pan and letting it cool completely on the rack.

Slice and Enjoy!

A Miracle, I Tell You

Something amazing happened last night.

(You're all a tremble with anticipation, I know.)

I actually got to watch Army Wives when it aired and not on the DVR 2 days later!

.............
I know, I know. This may not sound like such an amazing thing when you consider all the world's problems like famine, plagues, humidity, Democrats- but, in my world, it is! It really is! I watch tv by the dvr. It's kinda pathetic, really.

I never. ever. get. to . watch. my. shows. when. they. first. air. EVER.

That's the life of a mom. In the olden days (when all we had were cassette tapes and the slogan "Be Kind Rewind" ruled our lives) one had to remember to put a tape into the VCR and set the timer to record. I do recall having several different shows smashed on one tape.... as a matter of fact, I think I still have some of those tapes under my bed... hmmm.

Anyway, back to my story. Last night, the young tot had his milk, was rocked for a few minutes by his mother and tucked into his crib.... all before 8:50pm! I scurried into my room (yes, I scurried, I'm not ashamed), giddy as a school girl & watched my show. It was glorious I tell you.

In other news, I tried out a new banana/chocolate chip bread I've been tinkering with for a while on Saturday. It's very chocolate-y. Possibly, the chocolate chips need to be cut back, but other than that- yummy! Oh, and I have a couple of burger recipes for you. Yes, I said burgers. Jump back! I know. For the well being of my father (my aversion to compacted meat patties greatly disturbs the man) I have been trying to conquer this. I figure, what the hay? I'm almost 30. Might as well. I'll try and remember :-) to throw those up on the bloggie tomorrow.

Until Then-
Peace Out InterPeeps!

Just Horrible I Tell You....

Let me explain.

I have a love for cupcakes. And fried chicken. And fried pickles. And chicken fried chicken. And ding-dongs (the food, not people). And candy bars. And greasy spoon food.

To put it simply, I was raised by good ol' southern people who cooked good ol' southern food when I was going up. You know, food that keeps cardiologists in business.

As I have approached my 30th year with whiplash speed, I've tried to take a more zen-like (what was zen like?) approach to what I put into my poor little body. I take vitamins. I drink lots of water. And, I try and eat cleanly.

What does that mean, you ask? You just try and eat without making a mess, BloggerGiRl, you inquire?

No... well, yes. But that's not what I mean. I eat more veggies. More salads. When I eat meat, it's chicken or fish with beef every once in a while. Fried foods are a rare thing in my tummy. Heavily fatty foods are minimized- I try and go for the "good fats." And, yes, I like eating this way. I do. I really do.

But.

Oh, the shame.....

I ate a Central Market cupcake the other day.... and it happened. That thing that others said might happen- it actually made me feel bad. My body didn't like it. The week before it didn't like the fried chicken we had for dinner either. I'm so upset. It's horrible, I tell you.

But I will cling to my fried green tomatoes and my fried pickles! I will never give them up! Never!

A Most Useless Post (But there is some substance)

It's true, I don't have much to say today. Sad, I know. I have been trying, desperately, to find some pithy topic that I could chat about.... but, I got nothing.

::sigh::

Oh, here's something- In Houston, Texas a little girl was given detention for a week for being in possession of a Jolly Rancher. The brazen little huzzy. Apparently in the new craze for health in fitness we've decided to steer into the crazy skid in my beloved home state.

I mean, come on.

I get the whole "let's not sell junk food & crap to kids at school" thing. (Cause, if you put a vending machine in a school, the little punks will eat from it.... I know this. I was a tried & true coke/chips/snickers girl for lunch for years.) But if candy or something is brought from home- wtf? Who cares? This little girl was given the candy by another kid.... I'm kinda surprised that kid wasn't charged with being a dealer. (only half joking.... sadly.)

Let's see. What else? Army Wives is back on. Yea! That makes me happy. Now, I just have to wait for July & The Closer will be back on. Why do I care?- hehe, Mary McDonnell will be in several eppys (double Yipppees!) & we all know she's my acting hero. I'll watch her in anything... in fact, I did (I'm looking at you Sneakers!). That movie sucked.

If you're not watching Parenthood on nbc, you should be. Just sayin'. And since we're conversing about television- Stargate Universe? Don't even bother. It really wishes it were something other ::cough:: Battlestar Galactica ::cough:: than what it really is and it's kinda sad to watch. In fact, I have stopped. Caprica, on the other hand. Good. Not great- but good. Yes, we all know what happens, but the ride to get there has & is quite interesting. (the whole secret to prequels... are you listening Star Wars & X-Men???)

Hmmm. What else can I ramble on about? I really got nothing this time. Oh well.
Have a lovely rest of your Mother's Day weekend! Go call your mom!
L8tr!

Some Chicken You Might Like

Warning: If the thought of consuming of preparing poultry makes you ill, then you might want to skip this post.

Today we're talking chicken. I have 2 chicken recipes for you. Both have been tested (both in the cooking and in the eating arenas) and considered TASTY.

Both recipes were snagged off other websites- one from Pace Southwestern Cooking & the other.... heh, I don't remember. Oops. All that to say, these aren't my recipes but I feel compelled to share yumminess when I find it.

You're Welcome.

Tasty Chicken #1

1 packet of Good Seasoning Italian dressing
1/2 cup brown sugar
whatever chicken parts make you happy (but I would say about 4 or more pieces)

Pre-heat oven to 350.
PAM a baking dish. Place chicken in dish.

In a bowl, mix the packet of dressing and the brown sugar. Pour over the chicken. Then slam the birdies into the oven for 50 minutes (about). No, I'm not kidding. As the sugar starts to melt, it will form a sauce, just go back & spoon over the chicken every once in a while.

Tasty Chicken #2

aka: Salsa Chicken

(unrelated question: why do recipes with a southwest bent almost always use the word "zippy"? and why do I almost always get the overwhelming urge to white-out that insipid word?... something to ponder....)

5 chicken breasts (duh)
1 3/4 cups salsa of your choice (I used mild)
3 T & 2 1/4 t packed brown sugar
1 T & 3/4 t Dijon mustard (okay, I'll be honest- I eyeballed this... and it was honey dijon)

Preheat oven to 350.
PAM a baking dish and lovingly place your chicken in it. I salt and peppered mine.

Combine the other ingredients and then pour over the chicken. Bake for 55-60 minutes.


Eat and Enjoy

10 Things I Never Knew About Motherhood....

1. That my habit of piling my hair on top of my head when I go to bed (I rhymed!) would come in handy one day when I had a child…. Really, really handy. Like when he runs a blazing degree fever & hurls all over me, the floor, himself, and other surfaces at 2 in the blessed a.m…. which just so happens to be the special time of night when my brain isn’t firing on all cylinders. I can jump over a gate to get to my wailing baby, but I can’t jump out of the way of projectile puke.

2. That I would never get a good nights’ sleep again.

3. That my son would end up better dressed than me most days- that hurts.

4. That I could change diaper after nasty, icky diaper with no problem, but totally freak out when my child poops in the tub during bath time. ::shudder:: Dear Lord, thank you for Clorex wipes and bleach. Your germophob daughter is most grateful. (Not kidding, I am forever scarred.)

5. That I could come to love (and loathe) a pre-school channel. Yes, Sprouts, I’m talking to you.

6. That I would turn into one of ‘those mothers’ who starts planning her child’s next birthday party 1 week after his previous one. (I’m thinking Thomas the Train this year.)

7. That my sweet little son could glare at me THAT MUCH when I sat him in Santa’s lap… 2 years in a row.

8. That in the mind of a toddler boy, playtime= wreckazoid time. (Interesting math, if I do say so.)

9. That I would become proficient in Silly Songs, the VeggieTales theme song, dancing to Thomas the Train, Calliou (this one has been known to cause adults to reach for sharp, pointy things with which to pierce their ear drums…. For Mommy, Calliou= Shudder), the Bearenstein Bears, knowing all the characters in VeggieTales and Thomas the Train, etc, etc, etc.

10. That even on days when teaching discipline and ‘that we obey’ produce moments akin to nails on a chalkboard, one little child can make me laugh till my sides hurt 5 seconds later.

I Had Every Intention

I really did have every intention of writing a book review and a recipe recommendation, but alas I have run out of time this morning. Yikes! The last week or two, plus the next 2 have been and are a whip. My grandmother has therapy for her tragically swollen (but getting better) legs 3 times a week and I am her Personal Taxi.

I'm purging through my crap, preparing my heart to part with my treasures in a garage sale at the end of the month (Lord, help me).

I did, however, manage to finish Theodore Rex. Review to come! At some point! I promise!
And there will be a tasty, tasty chicken recipe that will not your knee-high socks off. I found it on another blog. And, for the first time EVER, made it exactly like the recipe instructed. Jump Back!

But you'll have to wait for that!

Jacob has a new trike & sandbox (yes, there are pics). We went to the Arboretum. Lot's of fun!

Oh, and I'm going to be an Aunt again!

Peace out, InterPeeps!

Prayers Coveted

Hey InterPeeps-

If you would please, say a prayer for little Abby Riggs. Bad things are happening inside that darling girl's body right now. Really really bad things. If yo don't know, she's a dear sweet little girl with cancer. She's been in remission & on maintenance chemo. Now, there's talk of the most awful "R" word.... relapse.

Your prayers for this baby girl and her family are coveted, InterPeeps.

But She Was Still Nekkid......

And that’s kinda the whole point. Ok. For those of you who may have missed it, Erykah Badu recently shot a music video in the hometown that she shares with yours truly. What’s the problem with that, you inquire?

Well, she stripped her happy hiney totally BUTT NEKKID through the streets of Dallas and "within feet" Dealey Plaza & it ended with a rather graphic moment of choreographed violence.

For those of you who don’t speak Texas, nekkid= naked. As in totally devoid of clothing, including the removal of all her underoos.

So. Let me take a moment (before I launch into outerspace). For tragic reasons, Dealey Plaza is a landmark and a tourist site here in Dallas. There are ALWAYS people milling about here during the day, including children.

….. take a moment and let that sink in…. Yeah, she pranced around Naked IN FRONT OF CHILDREN to make a "statement" and then had the nerve to "Tweet" that she prayed that the children wouldn’t be too traumatized.

ARE YOU FREAKIN KIDDIN’ ME?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

As an actor/writer, I 'get' pushing the envelope for my art. But one also has to accept responsibility for that art. And one must also not hide behind that "art" excuse when one chooses to be a moron. And exposing yourself in public is a criminal offense- it is not art. We have laws.

And, more than that- I don’t give a flying batfrak what someone’s message is…. when there are children present, you don’t get naked. And if Ms. Badu were really concerned about those children, then she would have put their well being above her "message". Because that’s what being an adult it about &, sometimes, that takes priority over being an artist.

So, I'm going to go ahead and call B.S. on her and her message of "stripping away until you get to your true self" or whatever. You can find your soul without showing your hiney.　

Taylor vs. Broccoli

So here's the deal.

I really do love vegetables (except for Brussels sprouts, but those are an abomination & should be destroyed, yuck!). I have good and tasty recipes for corn (technically a starch, I know), green beans, asparagus (eat the asparagus I make & you'll be a convert. Trust me), carrots, etc.

......
But.


I have a kitchen foe.

Broccoli.

Oh, I have tried to tame this menace. I have tried. I have hunted through cooking books, scoured the internet.... but nothing.

It's not that it's nasty, that's not it, oh faithful InterPeeps. If that were the problem, then I could walk away with my head held high... knowing that I had tried to slay this beast.

But, alas.

The problem is that it's simply... blah. ho-hum. It's not good. It's not bad. Oh, I know that I could slather it with melted Velveta and be done with it... but.... somehow.... that seems like cheating. I yearn to put forth a broccoli dish that will delight the senses as it pleases the palette! I need to conqueror this culinary foe, my Peoples! The line must be drawn Here! Viva, la Broccoli!-......

Errrr.....

Sorry about that.
I'm better now.

What I meant to say is. If anyone has any tasty broccoli dish recipes they'd love to share, that would be great!

Pay No Attention to the Woman on the Right

...... the young Lad wasn't. He was having way too much fun creating what I have no doubt will be a lifelong love of all things automotive.

Though the pictures do not capture his glee, trust me- it was there. He lunged to get out of his stroller when he saw the rides & then had a ball when I ponied up the coin to allow him to roll.

I told him not to get too attached- he's way to young to even think about driving. But he doesn't seem to be listening. Ever since this fateful day, he gets far to excited when we get too close to my car.

........... I think he thinks I'm going to let him take it for a spin.

Jacob & Bob & Larry

Someone received a couple of new friends.

Jacob loves his VeggiesTales. Or as his Poppy says, "Those Vegetable Guys." He saw Bob and Larry from across the store and RAN to their side. Much hugging commenced. And yes, a mother and grandmother folded like a house of cards in a wind storm.

Organic Thinking

I recently had the coolest opportunity. I got to talk about organics with a good friend of mine.

People, I got giddy. Giddy, I tell you!

I love organic food. I do. I cannot tell a lie. If I could, I would buy exclusively organic. My son ate (and still does) organic baby food. He drinks organic milk. (Yes, he was a formula baby. Don't judge me. No the formula wasn't organic. ::sigh::) I have another friend who rolled her eyes and said, "Oh, good grief. Another one", when she learned of my organic bent. I love her dearly anyway. :-) (Especially since, I look at her & see myself in 10 or 11 years!)

Why do I like organics?

For one thing, for as long as I can remember my mother has purchased organic milk. Seriously, people. If you haven't read on this one subject.... do it. Rapidly. (I've even provided a linky for your reading pleasure. Consider it a jumping off place.)

And hey, after you read about milk, read about the benefits of organic meat- particularly beef.

Then, I wrote a paper on childhood obesity for college. And yes, it changed my life. Or, at least the way I think about the food that goes into my body & where it comes from. The foods that some people eat are literally killing them. And that's crazy. Especially since food should nourish us and give us life.

We are so stinkin' fortunate because organics have become a mainstream product. You don't have to go out of your way. Even Wal-Mart is carrying organic foods.

If $$ is a concern (and for most people it is, me included), but you still want to eat organically, then might I make a recommendation?.... Really, it's a piece of advice that was given to me. Switch your milk, your meat and the Dirty Dozen fruits & veggies. It's a great place to start. And if you never go any further, you're still miles ahead of the game.

All this to say- our bodies are, at their most basic levels, machines. And they can either work at optimum level or they can crap out. It's something to think about the next time we think about dinner..... or the next time we feed our kids. Treats are great. I am all for a donut run on Sunday mornings on the way to church (complete with a bottle of Diet Dr. Pepper, thank you very much).

Just Sayin.

*If you're interested in organics, but don't know where to start, may I make a suggestion. Head on over to Sara Snow's website. And then, go get her book, Sara Snow's Fresh Living.

Spring Snow

There's nothing like ringing in the arrival of Spring with snow. In Texas.
:-)

I Love.....

*Diet Dr. Pepper
*my son
*chips and salsa
*coffee in the morning
*my pretty, pretty pink laptop
*BSG on dvd
*Stargate (SG1 & Atlantis) on dvd
*the rest of my fav shows on dvd
*iTunes
*my iPOD
*Chuy’s Mexican food
*cooking in the afternoon
*spending an afternoon curled up, reading
*Robert Duvall
*Fleetwood Mac
*an incredible family who amaze and astound me
*being born in Texas
*naming my son after my beloved grandfather
*collecting autographs
*Mary McDonnell
*pink
*flying monkeys
*Dallas Summer Musicals
*Neutrogena skincare products
*homemade barbecue baked beans
*sushi
*good Italian food
*my grandmother’s sugar cookie dough
*iced tea
*Star Trek… Star Wars
*black and white movies
*Giant
*Band of Brothers
*Lonesome Dove
*the month of July
*laughing so hard I squeak
*vacations in Texas
*the month of December
*my church
*my friends
*play dates

*Cafe Brazil veggie sammy

*rainy days



What do you love?