7 *more* Things About Me

Tracie kindly invited me to list 7 Things About Me (important or not)! Let me know if you decide to play along. For some reason, these types of activities are challenging for me. But here are...

7 Things About Me:


1. I am a hopeless romantic - Seven Romantic Movie Favs - I have more, I just limited my list:

*Somewhere in Time
*Always
*Forget Paris
*Moulin Rouge
*Phantom of the Opera
*You've Got Mail
*Stranger Than Fiction

2. I paid $600 for my first car as a Senior. It was a '81 two door Toyota Tercel. I found this image on Wiki - It would take more effort than it is worth to find a picture of my own. It was a 4 speed standard with 62 hp and a finicky carburetor. It had no contraption for A/C - so, during the Texas summers I had my own eco-friendly version: Two windows rolled down and wet hair! It never failed - my hair was dry by the time I got to where I was going. Now my sweet little car was not white, no - I'd say it was more of a rusty color a bit more toward the orange-y/brownish shades. I lived far from my high school, so I got up and got to school really early a.) I loved having first pick on parking *it was a big school* but, b.) My poor car stuck out like a sore thumb among the Mercedes, Jags, and BMWs. And so, it was not-so-affectionately named by my fellow class mates: "The Turd Mobile" Whatever!

3. The violin is my favorite instrument. I had lessons the last semester of my sixth grade year and then that was it. *sigh*

4. My mother found my first gray hair at the ripe,old age of 12. Without asking or hesitating, she pulled it out. Good grief, that hurt! As the years added up, so did the percentage of my gray hair to brown. So now as a thirty something, I am almost completely gray. I color my hair every six weeks or so. I think I'll stop coloring it when I become a grand mother - Look out Paula Deen!!!!

5. I heart Target! I shop there every week. Sometimes I go to Wal-Mart just to remind myself why I shop at Target. If you looked in my pantry it would resemble the shelves there, plenty of Market Pantry and Archer Farms. Don't get me started on their clearance - Love it!! If I was just a tad more extroverted and eccentric, I would have started this blog about Target.

6. I never follow recipes. I do a little of this or add a bit of that - it almost always turns out fine. The down side is that it makes it hard to share recipes. After a friend had her new baby, I was on the list to bring a meal. I did my standard of Quiche, Rosemary Potatoes, Spring Salad, French bread, and sliced up Strawberries and Bananas for dessert. She wanted the recipes for the quiche and potatoes but I couldn't give it to her because I had never written it down. Bless her heart, she came over (after a few weeks) and we had "cooking class" in my kitchen as I showed her how I made it. We had so much fun trying to measure everything while she wrote on her notepad!

7. Traditionally, I only listen to country music during the summer months. Also, I confess, I listen to Christmas music most of July (I've been singing Christmas songs during this post). Oh, come on - I can't be the only one!

First Thought: That's Just Wrong!!!

Look at what a trip to the Half Price Bookstore will get you!

First - I was amused by the cover, . . .then - curious about what was inside. . . soon - shockingly appalled. . .slowly, intrigued by the history, comments and recipes . . . impressed by the outstanding creativity . . .and - finally, absolutely hooked!

My daughter, when asked, can remember having a Twinkie all of three times in her eleven years. So, I would be the most unlikely mother to come home with such a book!

It looks like so much fun and I love making happy memories in the kitchen with my kiddos, so - guess what we had for dessert tonight?!

Yep, one recipe down and 49 more to go.

Fantastic Strawberry Shortcake! and I mean WoW!!! It. Was. Good. I stress the was . . . because it's gone!

The other treasures we found and came home with:

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing vs. 17

"Ourselves" by Charlotte Mason

"Eldorado" Vol. II by Bayard Taylor

"Freshwater Fishing Tips: 300 Tips for Catching More and Bigger Fish"

"Beginning Target Archery" by Ferris L Bavousett

City Girl's BBQ Brisket . . .

...because, I don't have a smoker.

Generally, I get my brisket at Sam's. Pick one that isn't all trimmed, you'll want one that has the fat on top to keep the meat moist during cook time. Follow these directions:

-preheat oven to 300
-wash meat
-smear w/ olive oil and place (with fat on top) in 9x13 pan
-place in oven for one hour, uncovered
-place foil over meat and turn down the temp to 170
-cook all night or start at 8 am and cook all day
-add small amount of water if needed

When the meat is done cooking, let it cool off a bit and then refrigerate. After completely cool, place the meat on a cutting board, and trim off whatever fat is remaining on top and discard. This is a good time to slice the brisket with a very sharp knife. Slice up a couple of onions and saute in broth of the meat, add BBQ sauce or other seasoning to taste. Spread sauteed onions with broth in bottom of pan/oven proof dish and then place brisket slices on top. Cover with foil and put in fridge. When ready to serve, reheat in oven at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve with lots of BBQ sauce.

This is what I do if I am going to serve a crowd or want to make one family meal for Sunday and then have left overs for later in the week. Buy brisket on Friday, cook over night. Take it out Saturday morning, cool, refrigerate. Saturday afternoon - slice and saute, return to fridge. Sunday after church put in oven while I fix the rest of the meal - Delish! FYI - see this post for what to do with left overs.

My Soul Desire

Lord, when you placed your hands upon me

I knew that I would never be the same

For in that moment I became your servant

And since that day, I only have one aim

Chorus:

My soul desire is to be used

An empty vessel longing to be filled by You

My soul desire is to serve You Lord

To do your perfect will

To work each day and build

Your Kingdom, this is my soul desire.

Lord, I do not seek to claim the glory

I only wish to be under your control

For I know that you alone are worthy

And it's You who placed this longing in my soul

(repeat chorus)

The project for the weekend a few weeks ago was repainting the dining room. My husband loves music and was inspired by this project to get our old collection of cassette tapes down from the closet. From the treasure box, we sang and painted to the tunes of They Might Be Giants (my tape), Micheal W. Smith's Big Picture (we both had this), as well as tapes we had mixed. Down at the bottom of said box, I saw something pink and blue. It was my So Glad I Know tape by Deniece Williams, a tape that I have not listened to in probably more than twelve years. What a blast from the past. I popped the tape in and was amazed that I still knew all the words to all the songs. My family made funny faces at me because they have never been exposed to my version of gospel singing - I make every effort to sing like Deniece but I fall into the "making a joyful noise" category. I was so glad to enjoy these songs, it brought healing and comfort to sing again. I hope you enjoy listening to this very special song.

Story Time

It doesn't seem like all that long ago, but according to the calendar it is just shy of being a decade. Yikes! My daughter Tori was about 2 1/2 years old and I was expecting with my son. My time with her was very precious as we all anticipated the arrival of Nate in just a couple of months. So, one of my favorite things to do with her was taking her to the lap sit story and music time at our local library. It was customary to bring your little ones fed, bathed, and in their jammies. I loved seeing all the little people in their various P.J.s singing "Apples and Bananas" and reading Sheep in a Jeep!

Now at that stage of life, my husband worked the third shift and we had only one car. It really worked out fine for us. I did my errands during the day, leaving the house quiet for him to sleep. Well, on this particular night -after going to the lap sit - I noticed that the gas gage was on empty. I thought I would be helpful and take a few minutes to get gas on the way home so my husband wouldn't have to bother with it. It would have been only a few minutes if I had the cash on hand, which of course I didn't. No problem, right? Well. . .That meant having to drive to the bank to get cash from the drive through ATM (this is during the dark ages when we had no credit card/debit privileges). Anyhoo . . . oh well, what's a few more minutes and a couple more miles? (A night mare!!)

Tori was still singing happily in the back seat as I pulled up to the ATM. So far, so good. No sweat. Punch the buttons, grab the cash and the card. Then the unthinkable happened. Somewhere between grabbing the card and getting it into the car, I fumbled it and it dropped (like it was lead) onto the concrete! GREAT. Almost out of gas, kid ready for bed and me 7 months pregnant - Good Grief. Okay, deep breath. Did I tell you that there was a line? Yeah, and then there was honking. I felt paralyzed. Okay, think it through. I decided to let the card stay where it was until I could pull forward and actually get out of the car to go retrieve it. I put the car in first gear and began moving, just to hear it make a weird puttering sound as it ran out of its last drop of gas. Fortunately, I had just enough momentum to coast out of the way of the other cars.

Sweet Tori, still singing in the back seat clueless as to the dilemma that I had gotten us into! I sat a moment to gather my wits and watch the line of cars dwindle so I could make a b-line to retrieve my card. I checked the trunk and to my relief found a little red plastic gas "can" complete with yellow nozzle. I put the can on the trunk and mustered every bit of my confidence as I explained to Tori that we would need to take a walk. At which time, she reminded me that she could not. She was in her pajamas.

Just then a someone pulled up beside us, saying she could not help but notice my little red can and could I use a ride. Thank you Lord for this angel of mercy! She was a nice mommy-type with a child car seat in the back complete with an assortment of all the plastic Happy Meal toys you could imagine on the floor. I accepted her offer, grabbed the can, buckled Tori up and sat in the back with her so she wouldn't be frightened. She wasn't frightened in the least. Tori told the lady all about the sheep and sang her the song all the way to the gas station. Within minutes, we were back at our car. The sweet woman wouldn't accept my offer of a few dollars and but gave Tori a glow in the dark yo-yo! After many thank yous and waving good-bye, we were back in business. I had had enough and decided to go home, give my husband the gas money and let him take care of the rest of it.

I just asked my husband a moment ago if he recalled that night I ran out of gas, apparently I did not tell him...

4th BBQ Frito Pie Fun

This month's theme for The Recipe Box Swap is BBQ - Sides and Main Dishes!

Frito Pie

assemble in the following order:

• Chopped Romaine
• Corn chips "Fritos"
• Warmed up BBQ Beans
• If you have any left over brisket, this is the perfect meal to use it for (chop it up). Otherwise, Shredded Beef in BBQ will work just fine. *Saute sliced onions in beef broth and then add to the beef makes it very savory.*
• Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Top with warmed up BBQ Sauce

Music to Grill by: High School Musical 2 Nonstop Party Mix - I get so jazzed when I listen to it!

Six Unimportant Things About Me

Rosezilla has asked me to play along. I'm game! Post a comment if you choose to play!

Okay, Six Unimportant Things About Me, Hmmmm. . .

#1 - In High School Youth Group, I ended up being the only girl with fifty other guys to play Paint Ball. All my girlfriends who were suppose to go baled out. I already paid - so, stubborn me - I went. They invented a new game of "Shoot the Girl" and I had plenty of evidence on my sore backside. However I must say that I have excellent aim and disturbed a few egos when they were out because they got shot by the girl!

#2 - My sense of humor was developed by faithfully watching The Muppet Show and Hee-Haw, as well as The Barbara Mandrell Show in my formative years. For those who know me - this should be an "Ah-Ha, Now I Understand" moment.

#3 - My nose sweats every time I have mustard.

Nothing else just, my nose.

#4 - I had to do a paper in high school on a famous person I admired. I chose Lucille Ball. Along with the paper, I decided to do a pencil drawing of her. My classmates liked it so much they encouraged me to enter it into a contest. All the entries were hung up in the lunch room. Before the entries were judged, my drawing of Lucy had been stolen from right off the wall! I decided to take it as a complement, my artwork was the only one taken.

#5 - Green leaves, Blue Sky, White Clouds, and Golden Sunshine - All of my favorite colors. I love sitting outside, soaking up the beauty of life in my garden, a good cup of coffee, and the singing birds - My Happy Place.

#6 - I love going to baseball games, but football is my all time favorite sport to watch and play!