As if we didn't know!

Way to go, Houston!

Kiplinger has chosen Houston as the best city to live, work, and play.

If you don't believe me, check this out.

*sigh*

I still want to leave.

The Skillet

I was reading Lacy's blog the other day and she posted about a cast iron skillet. It made me smile as I remembered about a very special skillet in my life.

My father's family is from the south. The deep south. He was actually born in Mobile, Alabama and moved to Houston as a child. My grandmother used to tell us stories about her youth and the things that decorated her house. There were the "old slave chairs" that she found under one relatives house when she was setting up her own house. She asked if she could have them and was told, "Those old nasty slave chairs? Why would anyone want those? Take them." As you can imagine, they are now considered valuable antiques. My uncle is the proud owner of them. I can only hope that my young cousins will not appreciate their antiquity and give them to me on his passing. Just kidding. Sort of.

There is also the story of the skillet. My grandmother had the cast iron skillet that one of her male relations carried with him in the Civil War. He brought it back when the war ended, a miracle in itself, and it has been in the family ever since. A couple of years before she died, she wrote me a little note and gave me that skillet. While I have 3 skillets of various sizes that get daily use, that particular skillet (with the note tucked inside) sits safely in my kitchen cabinet.

When my grandmother died, she left a small apartment with a deadline to be emptied. Thankfully, she had already downsized from her home of many years, but there were still many drawers and closets and cabinets to go through. About six of us tackled the job. It really was a joy to do. So many memories.

One day, when my father was at the apartment alone, he got a call from Mobile. One of his cousins was checking on things and oh, by the way. Do you happen to know where the skillet that made it back from the Civil War is? My father dutifully looked on the stove and saw two skillets. He decided one looked older than the other, picked it up, and said, "Sure! You want me to send it to you?"

Oops. : )

When he told me what he had done, I told him that I had it. He seemed amused. He never corrected the error.

So there is a branch of the family in Mobile proudly displaying the "Civil War Skillet" that probably came from KMart. I have the original. With the proof if it ever comes down to it! You know, it really doesn't look any different from the one we use every day. But I know the difference. That skillet has roots.

Tuesday's Tip

Today's Tip: Learn to love the smell of vinegar.

I have always liked it. The boy, not so much. But now we use it for just about everything. He is getting used to it.

No, really, we use it for everything. Let me list a few things here:

• Of course, we use it to clean windows and mirrors (add a little alcohol and it dries faster, no streaks!)
• Apple cider vinegar took care of the boy's ringworm. Just dab it with a cotton ball a few times a day for a couple of days.
  
• After the poo-free experiment, I now use it in place of conditioner on my hair. I use it diluted 50/50 and rinse before I wash. (Maybe more on that later.)
  
• I really use it to clean just about everything. I keep it in a spray bottle and clean everything with it. Counter tops, toilet seats, sinks, appliances, walls, you name it.
  
• Dilute it and use it to clean out the iron or the coffee maker.
• Gargle with apple cider vinegar for a sore throat and to avoid strep. Only make sure you swish water in your mouth afterwards. Vinegar is acidic and bad for your tooth enamel.
• Mix with baking soda and make a volcano! Add a little red food coloring and the kids go wild!
• And we can't forget cooking. I don't use salad dressing any more. I just toss my salads with a little olive oil and one of the many vinegars. I marinade all kinds of meat with it. Slow cook beef with some balsamic vinegar. Mmmm.
  

If you need more reasons to buy vinegar in bulk, check here and here. And I have never made vinegar myself, but if you are feeling adventurous, check out here. More good tips and a recipe.

Happy Anniversary to me!

One year ago today I sat down and started a blog. We believed at that time that we were on our way to our farm. After searching for too long, we found a place that seemed perfect for us. I started the blog as a way to keep friends and family up to date on our progress.

*sigh*

Someone else now lives on that farm. We are still struggling as to why we are still city dwellers, but we do like it here. We love our house. We have good neighbors. We have lots of good friends we love. And lots of family close. As gas prices climb, we are grateful to have just about everything we need very close. Still...

The blog has changed focus. I hope that it will change back soon. We continue to look for that perfect place. The kids still talk about, "When we get to the farm...." Until then, well, until then we will just keep doing what we are doing, keep looking, and hope that God is preparing the real perfect place for us in His time. His ways are not our ways. And waiting is hard.

What Makes This OK?

I have a little girl. She's only seven. We have been fortunate to get most of her clothes by way of hand-me-downs from friends. We have nice friends with nice, little girl clothes. It works out well. What we need to supplement, we usually get from Target. They have simple, cute play clothes that last for the 6 months that she usually wears them. While I want her to look cute, I have never felt the need to dress her in designer clothes. After reading Missy's blog the other day, I was shocked and appalled at what is out there for us to put on our little angels.

If you haven't seen "the ad", I suggest you go read this. Not only is it not cute, it is very disturbing. If you have a little girl or know a little girl, you should read this and be incensed. We spend our days and nights wringing our hands over the state of our youth and then we dress them up like this and wonder what is wrong.

Grrr.

Just Peachy

There is a peach tree that I see every morning on my walk. I have watched it as it bloomed and set fruit. That fruit is all ripe and hanging heavy on the limbs now. I walked by the other day and the owner was out in her yard. I commented on how much fruit she had. She asked if I wanted it. Apparently, picking peaches off your own tree is not as exciting to some people as it is to me. I thanked her profusely and told her I would be back later with my kids. And I was!



About half went into a cobbler thing. The other half went straight into Bubba's tummy.

The Guests Have Left

We are sad, and oh so tired, but our guests have gone back to California. We tried our darndest (is that a word?) to give them plenty of good reasons to move here. One needs no convincing. His wife needs more. She brought her sister along for the trip. I think she would come back for the Blue Bell alone. And, really, who wouldn't?

We did our best to be good hosts and tour guides to Houston's many attractions. We went to the Museum of Fine Arts, The Holocaust Museum, Central Market, the Arboretum, the zoo, the Museum of Natural Science as well as the Cockrell Butterfly Center. They also made trip to Galveston. We drove them around downtown and took them by the studio of the guy who is making the big presidential heads.

But now that they are gone, I discovered that I didn't take a single picture of them while they were here. As I go off to take a nap (I wish!) I will leave you with some of the other sights we did see.

We have several baby giraffes at the zoo. They are soooo cute.

There were so many beautiful butterflies. They were very active because it was such a warm day.

And this is Mac. He is the baby elephant at the zoo. He is a year and a half old. And very cute.
Back to real life. *sigh*

Tuesday's Tip

Today's tip: move it!

OK, with all due apologies to the Marathon Man, I really don't like to exercise. It bores me to no end. Unfortunately, with the lifestyles we have today, it is necessary to find some way to move our bodies as they were designed to do.

You can join a gym, but that doesn't work unless you actually go and exercise once you are there. You can buy all kinds of machinery to have in your home and exercise in the privacy of you bedroom. But if you are like me, it makes a much nicer clothes rack. I have had some success with dance classes and aerobics classes, but that is just not in the budget or the schedule these days.

So what to do, what to do.

Well, I walk. It's not particularly glamorous, but it does the trick. I have an appointment every morning with my radio and my walking shoes. I have mapped out a mile in my neighborhood. I walk the same path every morning - well, almost every morning. I try to do it first thing after my quiet time. If I don't do it then, it probably won't get done. If time permits, sometimes I'll go another round in the afternoon or after dinner, but I try to get that morning walk in every day. It wakes me up, jump starts my metabolism, and puts me in a better mood for the day.

Because I walk the same route every morning, I also get to see the subtle changes that occur each day. It is fun to watch the trees as they bud out and get all leafy. To see the changes people make in their landscaping. To watch as the flowers start to bloom. To see the dogs get used to me walking by and not bark so much. To see which houses are going up for sale and which ones have sold.

Walking works for me, but it may not be your thing. Find something you enjoy, or at least can tolerate, and do it. Swim. Bounce on a tiny trampoline. Do jumping jacks to your favorite tunes. Just move!

Tuesday's Tip - Wednesday Edition

Today's tip: Plan ahead. No wait. I already did that one. I don't always follow my own advice. We are in the midst of getting ready to have out of town guests for a week. I'm a little behind. I don't have a little behind, I am a little behind. Never mind.

Today's real tip: Entertain your brain.

I love mind games. No, not that kind. The kind that make you think. Hubs is really into soduko. While I enjoy myself a good game of soduko now and again, I really prefer word games. Anything to keep your brain guessing will do.

Let me help you out. Sweet Michelle just posted this little puzzle the other day that made me go nuts for awhile. Here it is.



There are thirty books of the Bible in this paragraph. Can you find them? This is a most remarkable puzzle. It was found by a gentleman in an airplane seat pocket, on a flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu, keeping him occupied for hours. One friend from Illinois worked on this while fishing from his john boat. Another friend studied it while playing his banjo. Elaine Taylor, a columnist friend, was so intrigued by it she mentioned it in her weekly newspaper column. Another friend judges the job of solving this puzzle so involving, she brews a cup of tea to help her nerves. There will be some names that are really easy to spot. That's a fact. Some people, however, will soon find themselves in a jam, especially since the book names are not necessarily capitalized. Truthfully, from answers we get, we are forced to admit it usually takes a minister or scholar to see some of them at the worst. Research has shown that something in our genes is responsible for the difficulty we have in seeing the books in this paragraph. During a recent fund raising event, which featured this puzzle, the Alpha Delta Phi lemonade booth set a new sales record. The local paper, The Chronicle, surveyed over 200 patrons who reported that this puzzle was one of the most difficult they had ever seen. As Daniel Humana humbly puts it, "the books are all right here in plain view hidden from sight." Those able to find all of them will hear great lamentations from those who have to be shown. One revelation that may help is that books like Timothy and Samuel may occur without their numbers. Also, keep in mind, that punctuation and spaces in the middle are normal. A chipper attitude will help you compete really well against those who claim to know the answers. Remember, there is no need for a mad exodus, there really are 30 books of the Bible lurking somewhere in this paragraph waiting to be found.


I got about 26 of them right off the bat. Then it took me awhile to get the next 3. The last one took me way too long. I feel like I got an adequate workout.

Good luck. Let me know how you did. I recommend printing it out.

2008 Houston Art Car Parade

I need to be careful. My roots are showing.

Now, to be certain, I was never hard core. But I was quite flamboyant in my younger days. This weekend made me flashback to my days with pink hair, a tiger miniskirt, and fishnets. This weekend was the Houston Art Car Parade and we were right in the middle of the freak show. There seemed to be a higher percentage of belly dancers there than there are in the regular population. What fun we had.

We were the tamest of entires, with our dear, old RV.


We got a lot of whoops and hollers, especially from the older set.

Here is a sampling of the other entrants.

There was the box car.


Yes, this thing was motorized. And alive.

The classic Roachmobile.



We used to have this old blue pickup that I threatened to glue fruit all over. Looks like someone else thought that was a good idea.

I really liked the peacock car.


I don't know if you can tell, but these boys decorated their go-kart with Legos. Very cute.



And, of course, you know I have a soft place in my heart for the big chicken.



If you want to see more, you can visit here.



In a tragic turn of events, the curator of the Art Car Museum was killed by a suspected drunk driver just hours after the festivities ended. Please pray for the family and friends of Tom Jones as they deal with his unexpected death.

A Special Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen years ago today I was awakened by the phone ringing. As soon as I heard the phone ring, I knew who it was. A wonderful young girl whom I had come to know and love over the last couple of months was calling me. It was time.

We spent the rest of that day in a hospital room awaiting the arrival of a child who would change our lives. Today that child is thirteen.

It was an amazing day on so many levels. One I never thought I would experience. When we first decided to have a child, we had all sorts of expectations. Five years of infertility changed most of those dreams. When we accepted that adoption might be the way to a family, we then set up dreams to fit that scenario. God must have laughed heartily at us as we decided how it should be.
This adoption broke every guideline we set. And I wouldn't have had it any other way.

We have been having birthdays for this boy for the past thirteen years, but for some reason this one seems different. I have been weepy all week as I think about him and how big he is getting. As he crosses over into the teenage years, I can't believe the time has flown so quickly.

I am thankful to God, of course, but also to that young girl who so many years ago was obedient to the urgings of her Lord. I told her then I didn't know why she was chosen to carry my child, but I truly felt that was the case. This child was mine before I ever laid eyes on him. Before I held him in my arms. Before I kissed his sweet face. Thankfully, she felt the same way. I am comforted in knowing that she still does to this day.

He is my sweetie boy, but don't tell him I told you. He's thirteen now and that is not a cool thing to say.

Happy Birthday, Bubba. We all love you so.

(Can you see the imp in him? And that dimple! Man, he can break your heart. )

Tuesday's Tip

You knew it was coming.

I'm not as sorry about this one.

Today's tip: say goodbye to the pig.

I know, pork is the heart and soul of much of what we eat in America. Sausage, hot dogs, spiral-sliced honey ham, ham and cheese sandwiches, ribs. And who could forget, my only regret, bacon.

Pigs are not very particular about what they eat. They certainly don't limit their diet to vegetarian fare. They have been known to eat their own young that die from disease. They have a very short digestive cycle which allows most of the toxins to be stored in their fat. As with the shrimp and crabs, they are designed to be garbage disposals. They do their job and do it well.

Pigs are also notorious for being infected with parasites and tapeworms. Well, they do roll around in poop most of their lives. Everyone knows that it is important to cook pork long enough and warm enough to make sure all the parasites and tapeworms have been killed off. If not, you could become infected. Are you feeling lucky?

I'm not. I'm staying away from the pig.

Another Step

The boy loves yogurt. That statement doesn't seem strong enough. The boy is so crazy about yogurt that I have to limit how much he eats. It is the first thing he grabs out of the fridge if he is looking for a snack.

We have been buying the little cups of yogurt for far too long. Not only are they too expensive, they are not good for the environment. The city won't recycle them even though they are 1 's and 2's. Guilt got the best of me and I have taken the plunge. I am now going to make my own yogurt regularly.

I have made it a couple of times, just to see if I could. I have made it both in an oven with the light on and in a cute little device called, oddly enough, a yogurt maker. Since it takes so long to culture, I have decided to stick with the yogurt maker so as not to occupy my oven. I have the one on the right. Of course, you can make it overnight, but I tend to get more done in the morning. That's when I get it mixed up and ready to go.

It's a simple recipe. It takes just a minute to heat up the milk before you pour it in the jars. Here is the recipe I use:


Homemade Yogurt

3 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup powdered milk (you can omit this, but it makes the yogurt thicker and with a higher level of protein)
1 cup plain yogurt

Stir the milk and powdered milk together in a saucepan. Warm it to about 115 degrees, stirring occasionally.

Add about a tablespoon of the plain yogurt to each cup from the yogurt maker. When the milk reaches temperature, pour into cups on top of the yogurt.

Let the yogurt incubate for 6-10 hours.

And you have yogurt!

Of course, you may want to flavor it. I add some smashed up fruit with a little honey and stevia. It is best to stir this in after you incubate it. It will probably be a little thinner than you are used to buying in the store, especially if you use raw milk, but it tastes great and is so good for you.

Enjoy!