Ahhh....The Good 'Ole County Fair

Ya know, there's nothing we enjoy more, or look forward to more, than our annual county fair! So much to see and do! The sweet soft pink piglets sucking on their momma, who's completely conked out whilst they do this! (Not that I could relate to that). There are the ducklings, all yellow and fuzzy sitting under their heat lamp. Again, not that I would ever do that! Oh and yes, the baby calf who had been born just under 36 hrs. prior to our visit. His little legs were still wobbly, he looked knock knee'd. Somehow this reminded me of my painful, awkward teenage years. I have issues, alright?!

So there we are strolling along, admiring all the other exhibits. There were all the judging categories. Cakes, pies, largest tomato, best watercolor, primitive art, etc.... Then I spied a new exhibit booth. One that was colorful, eclectic, funky and kooky...


Okie dokie!! Evidently in these parts "toilet decorating" is an art form that deserves a blue ribbon at our county fair. Hmmmm...looking forward to next year with much anticipation ;)

xoxo ~L

Dear Breyers...

Dear Breyers,

I'm writing to let you know that as of tomorrow, or maybe right this minute, I will be calling my broker to buy as many shares of your stock as possible! Obviously, since you've made your packages smaller (1.75 quarts down to 1.50 quarts), your profits will be huge! I know, I know, it's really the fact of the rising cost to transport your yummy ice cream, wink, wink. Also, undoubtedly you didn't want to hit your faithful, loyal, and I suppose generally stupid customers with a price increase. Hence, the brilliant idea to just make a smaller package.

I'm sure as it was discussed in your executive board room, you instinctively knew no one would notice a little bit smaller pakage. But, oh they would notice a price increase. So for obvious reasons, you don't even have to make a "comment" on this latest downsizing, just keeping the one that occured a year ago on your web site. Ingenious!

I will warn you though, that Edy's has caught on to this little gem of an idea as well. So truly I find myself at a quandry as to which company to invest my money in. But again, I say bravo to those of you at the top (who I'm sure are making huge salary sacrifices) just to meet your margins. By putting all these strategies together you're sure to see more and more greenbacks headed your way :)

Let's just hope that Turkey Hill doesn't find out about this! They've made a huge miscalculation on letting their packages stay the same size. So their 1.75 quart packages are going to look awfully funny next to yours. Hahahaha...the jokes on them!

So, thank you, thank you, thank you! Once again big business has come out right where they should be...on top!

xoxo ~L

Back From Vacation

Well all, I am back! And boy am I honked off!!! First of all the "new foodnetwork star" was such a disapointment! I couldn't believe it. I was explaining to hubby that they had their bases covered, and it really just depended on what kind of show they were looking for.

I thought Lisa and her Beautiful Basicshow was down to earth, and I would definately watch. She had a lot of hidden talents...the girl has got some lungs! But, I came home to catch Bobby Flays The Main Ingredient on lifetime (this show debuted in 1996). Now, I don't think Bobby is the kind of guy who feels threatened in his greatness, but maybe, just maybe, he thought Lisa was doing a take off of his show?!

Well, for whatever reason, I guess I have to say congratulations to Aaron McCargo Jr. I hope you become the star you worked so hard to become :)

xoxo ~L

On Vacation

We are off for 2 weeks, will miss you all!

An oldie, but a goodie! Family Ties

Who didn't want to jump into their TV set and live with this family? Or were you someone that decided you were more like one of the characters on the show, and just enjoyed watching? Either way, this show became an instant hit, and it's obvious to see why. Boy I miss this kind of family TV show. Now that I have children ages 2-12, these shows are sorely missed. Where, ow where are the 80's executives, that recognize the value of "family values". Uh, hello?!

Somebody, please help!

xoxo ~L

What a Hottie...Jim Rockford

Yes! Yes! Yes! I was a lovesick teen. Man, this guy had everything a rebelious girl like myself could want. Attitude, penchant for trouble, and an awesome car! Oh, and he always found a lady in there somehow. I'm sure if he'd known me, he would've really, really liked me. Maybe I could've passed his producer a note in gym class.

Hey a girl can dream, can't she :)

xoxo ~L

Continuing with TV Themes...Greatest American Hero

Man, I loved this show! It had everything going for it...goofy guy, heart throb girl, tough guy to help out the goofy guy! This song just popped into my head the other day, and I have yet to get it
out. So now I'm just singing it all day long, and my kids think I'm crazy.

I can remember buying the 45 for my record player (this was before the CD), and playing it over and over in my room. It just made an awkward pre-adolescent girl with no figure, acne, short hair and who was skinny as a rail feel a little bit better about who she was.

Sigh...ahhh, the good old days...when I was skinny as a rail. None of that other stuff:)

Then there was this to freshen up our memory...

T.V. theme week...tune in...Hahahaha.

I don't know why, but it popped into my head about all the great songs that came from television. Not that Love boat was a "hit", but we all...admit it, own it, c'mon now...loved that show! I couldn't wait to see who the crazy characters were. The couple that found each other, because of the destiny of The Love Boat. I'm a sucker for romance! How about you? What shows made you wait with baited breath to see the next episode (o.k. besides Dallas)?

Happy Anniversary to My BFF and her Hubby

Well, I really wish I had a picture of the 2 of you! Happy Anniversary...15 years. I think I speak for all of us, when I say...I know what you're doing tonight :P

xoxo ~L

Happy Birthday to my Firstborn

Wow, twelve years goes by fast. But I remember your story like it was yesterday!

We had tried for years, and years to have a baby. We'd seen a specialist...the best in the area, and had tried a very expensive medicine to help me et pregnant. We could only afford one cycle, and during that cycle, my egg just disappeared one day. The nurse said sometimes that happens, and we could try again next time. I let her know we would get back in touch when we could afford it. After a few months, hubby was going to get a big commission check, so I called the nurse to say we would be able to do a treatment the next month. Of course, I hadn't had a period since the last time I'd seen her. This wasn't unusual for me, and there is a medicine, that can induce your period. She told me, by law you must have a blood pregnancy test before the prescription can be filled. So at lunch I went in for blood work. Later as I was getting ready to leave my office for the day, the nurse called. I was expecting her call, and would let her know which pharmacy she could send the Rx to. Imagine my surprise when she says "Lisa, you're pregnant." I didn't actually believer her! I said it's me Lisa S****." She said "Lisa, I know. You really are pregnant." For those of you that have gone thru this, you know the tight bond you have with your nurse. I could hear her smile through the phone. We were both just in shock! It felt soooo good!

I couldn't believe it. Who do I call? What do I tell my co-workers?...I know they've heard me on the phone. When did this happen? Holy Moly!

I couldn't wait...I called hubby right away! He could barely believe it either. We rejoiced, cried, laughed, and thanked God.

The very next day, I had a sonogram to "date" my pregnancy. It wasn't unusual for me to go a number of months with no "monthly visit", if you know what I mean. So imagine our surprise when my fertility Dr. starts the sonogram to see how far along I am and we see a little baby moving around. I mean full fledge head, legs, feet, hands, spine, eyes, etc... an actual little baby...Holy Moly!!! We all were in awe, and immediately started crying. I've never ever felt those tears of joy in the same way again.

Our joy was shortlived. The next day my regular OB/GYN Dr. called and told us something was wrong with the baby, and to come in right away. He did a sonogram, and showed us that there was very little amniotic fluid, and that this ALMOST ALWAYS meant that something was WRONG with the baby. What?!?! This couldn't be happening! He suggested an Amnio to find out exactly what was wrong. Being my first pregnancy, I figured we should go along with that. It made sense, didn't it?! The day came for the amnio, and I was so nervous, I was sweating in places I won't mention. I told my OB/GYN that I didn't like the odds of miscarriage after amnio, and he asked me this simple question:

Dr: What will you do with the results of the Amnio?

Me: Nothing.

Dr: Nothing?

Me: Well, I most certainly wouldn't terminate this pregnancy!

Dr: Then lets just skip the amnio, and we can keep a close watch on things, by sonogram. We'd have to do that to watch the baby grow, anyway.

Me: Really? (with great relief!!!)

Dr: Yup!

Me: OK!

Dr: OK, get dressed and I'll see you in my office.

That was that!! Anytime I would hear Natalie Merchant sing "Wonder", I felt as though she were predicting the outcome or our pregnancy. Listen to the words...my heart still fills with Joy everytime I hear it.

To make a long story short...our faith told us that God had given us this baby, and God would take care of this baby. We knew to let His will be done.

6 mos. later and a few complications along the way (bed rest, diabetes, still no improvement in fluid) our beautiful son Jack was born. He was 2 weeks early (not considered preemie) and healthy as a horse. None of the Dr.'s or specialists I saw could ever tell us why the amniotic fluid was so low. Frankly, it didn't matter! He was here, and he was in our arms safe and sound.

So here's to my first born son. All my children came to me in a special way, but I consider you our very first miracle! The one who started it all!

Dude, You the Man!

Love, Mom

Mmmmm...NC Style BBQ

Well, I haven't been able to stop thinking, drooling, salivating, figuring on a way to marry it BBQ. Not just any BBQ, no siree, an authentic vinegar based saucy style pulled pork BBQ.

Oh, come to mama! This delectable sandwich that looks so divine, is one of the most heavenly things! Trust me on this! The tangy sauce, with no overpowering vinegar. Just the right blend of seasonings, pulled pork and sauce brought together on a simple bun.

Quick to the kitchen! First you're going to need a pork shoulder. Mine weighed between 4 -5 lbs. That was plenty for my family of six with enough leftovers for a sandwich or 2 the next day.

Next you want to gather up 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 an onion, and about 1 1/2 cups rice vinegar.

Peel and finely chop the garlic. Don't be afraid of the garlic. Embrace it! It's easy, don't rely on that pre-minced refrigerated stuff. Let me show you how easy it is to make garlic your friend!

Next seperate out 3 "cloves" and remove the papery layer. So you may chop the garlic. Prepare you're senses for the warm, sinus opening smell of the garlic. Oh, I love it!

Place a large chef's knife on top of your garlic clove and press down so it gets a little smushed. Then you get to take out a little agression and smash down onto the knife, crushing the clove of garlic. Ahhh, I feel a little less stressed already.

Grab hold of the end of your garlic clove where it comes to a point.

Give it a little squeeze and push at the same time, so that the garlic starts to slide out of its skin

Ta Da...you are now an expert at peeling garlic, without using one of those silly tools you find on the kitchen gadget wall at most stores.

Then you get to finely chop the garlic and release it's heavenly aroma. I am just dying here! I would eat this garlic right now, except I'd like to remain a functioning acceptable person in society. Plus keeping my friends is always a bonus :)

Just start chopping! Chop, chop, chop!

Heat some olive oil in a pan, and throw in the onion and garlic and saute until just tender and translucent. Don't you love that word "translucent". It sounds so authoritative, and all knowing! Like you actually know what's going on in your saucepan. Me...I haven't gotta clue, but it sounds good!

Add in the vinegar. Next you will need to trim the fat off your shoulder (pork shoulder). I'd personally love to be able to trim the fat off my stomach, thighs, behind and neck, but that's a bit off track.

Get out your largest stock pot, put it over a medium heat, and add in about 4 tablespoons olive oil. Once heated add in the shoulder and brown on all sides. You may think this step isn't necessary, but the falvor off the bottom of the pan will bubble and cook and seep into your meat. Ahhhhh!

Slide your delicious mixture of onion, garlic and vinegar over the shoulder. Cover your pot and put into a 350 oven. Now comes the hardest part. Waiting!! Oh my word, what to do whilst you wait for the glorious 3 hrs. it's going to take for this meat to be so tender, moist and delicious, that you'll just sit and pull it apart with only 2 forks?!

I did laundry. Do not try this at home. Please make my heart happy, and do something fun. Read a book you've wanted to read. Get a trashy magazine, and let me know how poor Heather Locklear is doing. Anything, but laundry!

Once the meat is falling off the bone, you may pull it out, and shred until your heart's content! The shoulder will soak up all the juices, onion and garlic from cooking. All you have to do is add in about a cup to a cup and a half of your favorite BBQ Sauce. Make it thick, thin, somewhere inbetween. Your call. Just make it. Now. Do it. Go on.

P.S. You'll need a great coleslaw to have with it. I had to buy some slaw, because I have to put just a little on my sandwich. Oh, the contrasting flavors of the sweet slaw and the tangy BBQ, it's almost too much for me to take! It's just who I am. Hopefully you'll be better than me, and actually make your own coleslaw...you gourmet!

xoxo ~L

For all the Service Men and Women...

I thank you for keeping me and this land I love free! Happy 4th of July.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

Should've named her Dori

Swimming, swimming, swimming! Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming!

The Kelster, myself, a 3yr. old new friend we made on the beach, her 5 yr. old brother, and my 5 yr. old (The Dunnster) did this for the better part of one entire morning on the beach. Now for those of you unfamiliar with "a morning on the beach", this consists of getting down onto the sand by 9:30 and not leaving until about 1:00.

I can't tell you when I've enjoyed myself more! I loved acting like a kid, and didn't mind the sand in the bottom of my suit, up my nose, in my hair, in ALL the cracks and crevices that were laying there in the surf....nooooo, I relished every minute of it! Get over all that sand. You'll get clean back at the house, I told myself! You get your kids clean of every particle, right?! The same will happen with you! So go on, next time you don't want to get all sandy...let yourself really relax, and act like a kid again, be at one with the sand!

Coming soon...a fantastic recipe for authentic NC style BBQ! I got the recipe from a great guy while we were there!

Now, come on you didn't really think I was going to show a picture of me in a bathing suit did you?!?! You are so whacky!

xoxo ~L

Paci Update

I knew I had tempted fate, just by proclaiming our glorious success in losing the 'ol paci! What was I thinking? I've never really been one to be cocky! Never do I pat myself on the back. I mean really, parenting is just way too complicated to think you've actually done something...dare I say...right!?! Sooooo....

Kelly told me just this morning, as I was folding the laundry I had done on vacation, not to be confused with the laundry I'll still need to do when I get home, that she needed her paci. Now this was after the traumatic event of slipping up a stair as she was following me with my laundry basket.

I did of course remind her, gently, that we didn't have the paci anymore. BUT, she came back with "there's one in my room" answer. To which I wasn't sure how to respond. Was she actually thinking about a need that couldn't be contained? I quickly gave my stock answer...remember, it's in the trash...that seemed to do the trick. At least for now.

Obviously, I won't be gettin rid of my stash anytime soon.

xoxo ~L

Bye, Bye Baby!

Let me start by saying, that I was totally prepared to send Miss Kelly off to College with her “Paci”. You know…binky, paci, lovey, num num (don’t ask, but I think a name like that has to do with you not being able to understand a word they say with that darn thing in their mouths!), whatever you happen to call it.

I have fondly known it as the item that ruins all pictures. It’s the tiny little thing that gets my heart racing, if I don’t readily see one available. I had quietly accepted, that my daughter’s dependence was way beyond the rational needs of “Honey you’re 25, don’t you think it’s time to give up the paci”? I had already started researching for 12 step programs. Talking to other mommy’s of “addicts”.

All that said…drum roll please, the dreaded “paci” is gone. Yes, gone! Kaput, nil, lost to all eternity, never to be seen again. I don’t really know how we managed to get our whiny, tempermental, big attitude little miss to give it up and not even cry one night.

What had been happening, as of late, was that she had been chewing holes in the silicone part of the pacifier. Now that she has molars, this had become the chew toy. Not the sucking, comforting aid it was originally used as. So after the need for replacements coming faster and faster, I decided I would make her start throwing them out herself after she had chewed the holes in them.

So a few weeks ago, Little Miss had to throw away the paci she had been walking around with into the kitchen trash. No fit…things looked good. That night as I was putting her in her crib with her blanky, she asked for “paci”. I calmly and oh so innocently said “Oh honey, there is no more paci, it had to go in the trash. Remember ?!?”

I waited. I waited for what I knew was coming…an all out fit of rage and terror, shock and awe, she was gonna blow!

But, she just said “trash? I put it in trash?” “Yes” I said, “yes you did”. “Oh, o.k.” And on we went with the rest of our “night-night” routine.

It has since been a couple of weeks since we said goodbye to the paci. She has asked a few times, almost inquisitively, about her paci…but it just takes a gentle reminder of “there are no more paci’s” and she is content.

Now here's my little secret. I am like a smoker who just quit smoking, I still haven’t quite gotten rid of “my stash”. So for the love of all that is peaceful and holy in my house...don't tell her!

xoxo ~L

Summer, Sunburn, and Sunscreen

This wonderful sunscreen that is 7.5% titanium dioxide, and 7.5% zinc oxide (both physical sunscreens) is $18 for 4 ozs. Soooo...is this too much to pay for sunscreen?

Let me clarify, that's what it costs at the local dermatologists office. Sure, I can find it cheaper on the internet, but once you factor in shipping, it's probably less to get it locally.

Here's my dilemma. I have 2 olive skinned babes, and 2 white, pasty, irish, light haired, freckly babes. Genetics, funny, huh?!

Well, after thinking for some reason that I needed to research what makes a good sunscreen good, here's what I decided.

The physical sunscreens protect the skin by deflecting the harmful rays of the sun! Hence, they protect right after they are put on, and tend to last a little longer.

The chemical sunscreens (check yours...most are all chemical) absorb the harmful rays. These sunscreens are also absorbed into the skin. Not that they aren't safe, I mean they are FDA approved, but still...there's something about the word "chemical". It's like pesticides vs. organic.

Now, I'm no tree hugger, but I figure what's wrong with zinc...we used it back in the day (that or baby oil) and I'm fine. Why did all the companies decide to stop using it as their main ingredient, and switch to the chemicals?

Oh, don't give me your whinny "it's so hard to spread...it's too thick". Buck up, put some muscle into it! Show 'em whose boss!

Seriously folks, more and more research shows these chemical sunscreens to be bad for the ocean life, our bodies, and whatever else they decide to come up with. Now I will say that right now, I'm using both types of sunscreen. The aforementioned and pictured above sunscreen is used on the "high risk areas". i.e. shoulders, neck, ears, face, butt crack, etc...

The chemical/physical combo sunscreen I use for all other areas.

Sooooo, I ask you is this too much to pay for a little non-chemical sunscreen, and my ability to sleep better at night? At least partially, since I haven't totally converted!

xoxo ~L

Summer Storms

Just when the family gets all psyched for summer and for school to be out...a whopper of a storm comes through, and the whole area loses power, shutting down school for a day.

Now my oldest who has been studying his butt off for final exams (OMG...he's only 11, what is the world coming too?). Now has had 2 exams put off until Monday. This means short term memory loss. Another cramming session on Sunday, which he already did on Wednesday. Now don't get me wrong here...he's super smart (if I do say so myself), but always wants to review the night before any test, much less a final cummulative test!

So, while we've all been getting restless for school to end and the fun of summer to begin, the strain of school, which should have ended today...will carry through our weekend. Luckily we have some really fun stuff that was already lined up for the whole family to do.

Namely, Parties!!! Graduation, moonbounces, cooking out, dripping ice cream cones, etc... And that's BEFORE the official summer kick off. Jealous yet?

xoxo ~L

I could Soooooo take him

Now don't get me wrong here. As much as I had an ache in my heart, way back in the day, for this young, hunky superman (a.k.a. Christopher Reeve). Yes, I said hunky, wanna make something of it? This is not what I'm referring to. What I am referring to is something all of us moms have felt at one time or another.

I have a toddler. This is my 4th toddler. I have changed 7,923 diapers, successfully. Meaning I get my toddler to lay down so easily it's like working with a baby...oh, it is a baby. Except that this baby is also a bucking bronco who doesn't want to have their bottom naked and laying down, unless they have done it themselves.

Do I dare tell you what that really means? Do I even have to tell you what that really means? No, I didn't think so.

Then I single handedly manage to lift their tiny little bottom up into the air ever so slightly to get just the right angle, no wait my arm is now being wrapped up by a python...no, no wait it's not a python, it's...it's...it's...my tiny little one's legs are curled around me.

She's choking the like blood out of that arm. My fingers are turning blue. My carpal tunnel is throbbing. Quick, I must be quick! What she doesn't realize (afterall she's 2) is that....ta da...I have another arm!! Ah, ha, now I've got her. So as I was saying, I carefully lift the tiny little bottom up to slide said diaper into position and whammo she lets her butt come crashing down on my hand and starts to slither backward. OK, back to my impossible task... Now, she's headed back off the diaper and the process starts all over again.

This only goes on for another 10 minutes. Really, only 10 minutes...that's not very long. Unless:

1. You need to get somone to school.

2. You need to pick someone up from school.

3. Someone, who is actually using the potty, needs help. (danger, danger, danger)

4. You just put toast in the toaster...now it's burnt.

5. The 5 year old decided to put more milk on his cereal.

6. You left the pantry door open.

7. Your other little darlings are unsupervised.

8. You realize you left your black sharpie (because I'm a labeling freak) out, unprotected.

9. Your Mother in Law is waiting downstairs, after you said you'd just be a sec.

10. The dog really, really, really needs to go out.

And the universe has decided that this will always, always, always happen when you're showing the new babysitter how easy your children are to take care of ;)

xoxo ~L